Jul 11
14
How to Utilize LinkedIn!
How to Utilize LinkedIn!
By Chery A Schmidt
Are you using LinkedIn for your business, if so have you joined any groups yet? This is a business-related social networking site, and if you are in business, then why not? These are people who are dedicated to their businesses.
Understand that if you join a lot of groups and join in a discussion or write an article about your product every other day with those you have something in common, you will now let yourself be identified as a person with credibility.
You have credibility with them because you are part of a group. By connecting with those who you have something in common with and joining in and participating with them you set yourself apart from the others.
Better yet why not start your own group, now you have the essential marketing tool. Start conversations, set up a webinar, by doing this you are telling others that you are knowledgeable. Invite all your friends from all your social networking sites to join your group. Now you are establishing yourself as a leader!
If they like what you have they will tell others about you and may even give you a testimony to put on the site. LinkedIn prospects have good lists, so they may connect with you. You need to join groups but more importantly you need to start one. This is where you can keep an ad about your business and attract others for free.
You can also post an online profile that acts as a permanent online resume. You can use any of the pre-built templates to make it look good. They have executive styles to the more casual layouts for you to edit, this tool is easy to use. Now you can export your resume and share it with others.
I would suggest looking at other ads out there and sharpening your focus. Start answering questions that help people, don’t answer questions to get noticed, that doesn’t build credibility. Just start joining in and answering those questions and build that credibility.
To get yourself started check out the feature-groups you may like-to find groups to join. Search groups for people all over the United States, put your home town in the and try to find people in your niche. An advanced search will help you find people who are looking for the answers to their questions. Share free marketing tips and start getting noticed.
Get into the conversation, then send them to your web site and ask for a review, also review others. That will help get your name out there. And now others will see you when they visit that site. Don’t forget to tell them what you liked or disliked about their site, always leave a message when visiting the sites.
Here are a few new set of tools on LinkedIn for you to use, huddle workspaces, this will enable you to build online. It is a private workspace where you can work with members of your network. When you set this up it allows you to share and work together on a project with your members. Look into the boxnetfiles feature to store and share you files as well.
If you do start doing all of this successfully on LinkedIn, you will be found!
Chery A Schmidt is an Internet Marketing Coach & Home Business Mentor.
Specializing in helping others succeed online.
For More Details Go Here Now=> http://newteambuilders.com/?t=ezart
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chery_A_Schmidt
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Utilize-LinkedIn!&id=6406566
Posted in Social Media Tips by .
The Importance of Ranking High in Local Listings
By Tracy Berg
If you own a local business and have a website, you surely must consider different SEO plans and options, as part of an overall strategy to get new customers every day. One way that a lot of local businesses use to attract more leads and customers is through effective website advertising. Your company website can serve as a marketing tool for your business if you know how to drive targeted traffic to it. There are many options available when it comes to driving traffic to your website and one of the most common options would be to attract organic traffic by ranking high in the search engines for your business’ targeted keywords.
However, ranking your website high in the search engines for any competitive keywords would be challenging without an effective website advertising campaign that is conducted on an ongoing basis. Therefore, an easier option would be to rank for local search terms that are specific to your business’ category as well as location. As an example, if you are a wedding photographer in New York, you might want to target local search terms such as “new york wedding photographer”, “NY wedding photographer”, “wedding photographer in new york”, and so on. When targeting local search terms, there will be less competition and you will be able to drive more targeted visitors to your website because after all, a New York customer who wants a wedding photography service would not type in the search term “los angeles wedding photographer”.
Once you have identified several local search terms that you want your company website to rank for, the next task would be to rank your website for those terms on Google Places. Google Places is a platform that allows business owners to advertise their business information and physical location on the web for free. The business information provided can also be used to update other Google properties such as Google Maps as well as search and display network sites. Google places are like an online version of the yellow pages where every bit of your business information is integrated into one platform. The key here is to enter as many details as you can about your business on the Google Places page. The more information you enter, the more SEO weight you are going to get, which will have a final influence on your website’s ranking.
One extremely important aspect of Google Places is its major impact on your website’s SEO score. With your business information listed on Google Places, your website will be able to rank higher than many of your competitors for local search terms. The reason for this is relatively simple. Google only wants to display the most relevant search results for any search terms. For a local search term, Google will place more importance to businesses that have a Places page created for that physical location. So if your competitors do not have a Google Places page listed, you will be able to outrank them easily as Google Places will be able to boost your website’s SEO score significantly. Even if your competitors then decide to list their business on Google Places, you will have an equal opportunity to outrank them by utilizing various Google Places optimization strategies.
If your business is not listed on Google Places yet, that will probably be the reason why you are not achieving the ranking that you desire. By having your business listed on GP, and then having your listing optimized for even more SEO weighting, your website will be able to rank easily on the first page of Google Places. With a high ranking on GP, your website will no doubt be able to rank easily on the first page of the search engine results page for local search terms due to the impact of Google Places on your website’s SEO score. If you are not familiar with listing your business on GP or optimizing it for greater SEO weighting. So if you live in NY for example you should consult your nearest NY SEO Company which specializes in effective website advertising using Google Places for more advice.
Tracy Berg is partner of Logik SEO, a search engine optimization company that caters to local and small business. He publishes frequently on his blog and can also be contacted through his website for any questions you may have about marketing your business online.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracy_Berg
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Importance-of-Ranking-High-in-Local-Listings&id=6399531
Posted in Small Business Tips by .
Social marketing has really gained momentum with businesses. Every marketer from small 1 person home based businesses to large corporations are taking advantage of this free marketing tool. By using social networking sites such as Facebook, they have found a very smart and easy way to actually build relationships with the people whom will soon be using your products.
The most popular social networking website is Facebook. One of the great features on Facebook is the ability for anyone to create a Fan Page which is pretty much like your own personal sales or promotional page. Becasue Facebook is so highly populated and well liked by Google, applying SEO methods is a sure way to greatly increase your exposure and search engine rankings. Here are 4 simple methods to increase traffic through optimization.
1- Include Your Business Name in Your Fan Page Name
Having a catchy, eye popping fan page name may seem like a good idea to begin with, but how will people find you? When you include your business name in your fan page title you are literally connecting the two. Not only will existing customers be able to easily find you on Facebook, but they will also be able to find you in the search engines as well. By doing a little keyword research you can also help boost your rankings by adding another relative and prime keyword to your title as well.
2- Dress to Impress
Creating your profile should not be taken lightly. Consider this as the first step in your interview proccess to gaining fans and customers. Include as much valuable, keyword rich information about you and your business as you can.
3- Frequently Revise Your Status Message
By revising your status on a regular basis you are showing your friends and fans that you are a real, interesting person. Try to avoid sending multiple advertising type messages in a row. Include some interestring tid bits about yourself, videos, pictures, and of course links to your favorite websites. By mixing it up and keeping things on a more personal level you will build trust and draw more traffic than doing otherwise. Also, when updating your profile status messages, don’t be afraid to let your fans know about your downfalls too. Doing so shows them that you are human and still falter, yet are strong enough to get right back up and keep on going.
4- Make Your Fan Page Unique
Although there isn’t a whole lot of flexibility when it comes to customizing your Fan Page right now, more and more applications are becoming available to use. Whatever you choose to do, try to make sure all photos and graphics are clear and precise, your content is keyword rich yet conversational, and most of all, friendly and welcoming.
Karen has recently partnered up with the wonderful folks over at 10 Dollar Wealth. Together they have found the best low cost IM products available just for you.
See ya there!
Article Source: How to Market With Facebook Pages
Posted in Facebook by .
by Simon Stepsys
When mapping out your 2010 plan of attack for your Internet Marketing business, it’s important that you don’t spend money haphazardly if you’re on a tight budget. Even if you have plenty of money to invest, no one likes to waste money, right?
Here are eight Internet Marketing tools you want to make sure you have in your arsenal before you go guns blazing into 2010 trying to stomp out the competition. Make sure you have what you need and if you can’t afford it, set aside savings until you can.
1. Social media management options
Web 2.0 was new and shiny for awhile. Now it’s practically out of control, but you’re not going to steer clear of a social networking site when it has the potential to deliver lots of sales to you.
Whenever possible, you want to make sure you’re utilizing social media management tools to make your job easier. For example, if you’re bookmarking your domains, use OnlyWire to do many sites at once, instead of manually submitting them one by one.
For Twitter, consider using TweetDeck or another similar tool that helps you manage your microblogging communications. These applications help you cut down on the amount of time you spend sifting through dialogue to reach your target audience.
2. Site design tools
Unless you have deep pockets to outsource your projects, then it’s wise to invest in some site design tools that help you quickly and easily put together professional websites without having to spend weeks learning some new technology.
3. Article spinners and submission software
If article marketing is your primary source of traffic, then you may be using quite a bit of PLR (private label rights) to help you dominate the online chatter in your niche. While PLR can be used unchanged in most instances, if you’re submitting to certain article directories, you might want to spin the article into something unique – and a submission tool can enter your data into many sites at once rather than you having to do it individually.
4. Graphics creator
Graphics are something that can be purchased in bulk and used by many or outsourced to a professional service provider. But if you have time and want to learn, educate yourself about a particular free or paid graphics creation tool so that you won’t have to rely on another person to convey the image you have in your mind for your products and services.
5. Keyword research tool
This is a definite must-have tool for Internet marketers. Some keyword research tools are better than others. Some provide more data, or the information is more up-to-date than a competing product. Review several options before deciding which one is best for you, and then make the most of your new keyword tool for 2010 by taking action on the results it delivers to you.
6. Traffic analytics for SEO purposes
With more competition coming into the mix, you’ll want to really cut your teeth on the latest SEO strategies (white hat of course) that are being taught. Some of the SEO tools you’ll need will be how to guides, while others are applications that analyze your existing traffic and make recommendations on how you can achieve even better results.
7. Autoresponder list builder
Don’t have a list? Then start building one today. Not tomorrow and not next week – today! Too many marketers fail to start building a list until they have ample traffic coming in, but even 1-2 list additions per week will eventually add up to a healthy number over time as traffic picks up.
For 2010, you’ll be able to find some viable free list builders, but most marketers with the funds available will opt for the paid tools that give them more peace of mind that they won’t someday wake up and find their list has vanished or the freebie site has gone under.
8. Reliable hosting
If you have the most fantastic website in the virtual world, it won’t matter if your hosting company has too much downtime. You want to make sure your hosting is affordable, but that shouldn’t be the only reason you choose one host over another. Look for a very small percentage of downtime, ample customer service options that are provided 24/7 and 365 days a year.
Learn how to make money online using the 7 Steps to 7 figures by Simon Stepsys at www.SimonStepsysCoaching.com
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/8-Must-Have-Internet-Marketing-Tools-for-2010/1312280
Posted in Marketing Tools by .
by Arthur Raise
A business card is an important business tool and introduces you to people. It does more than profile you it remains as a constant reminder of who you are what you do and what your contact details are.
According to marketing experts a business card is an affordable way to advertise your business or services. It represents you on paper and so it should reflect your style and class. The 10 essentials of a business card are:
1. Choose a paper that is durable and does not crumple. The size should not be unwieldy and the font should be readable.
2. Before you hand over details to a printer log on to the World Wide Web and view the many websites devoted to the designing of online business cards.
3. Type out on your computer basic information: name, profession, contact numbers, office address, e-mail and so on. If you have a website include the URL too.
4. Use a company logo if you have one.
5. Be innovative and include a picture of yourself.
6. Decide to be unique and have either a business card in two colors say black and red or use a touch of gold or sheen.
7. Nowadays many people have business cards that are plastic coated and so can withstand a great deal of wear and tear.
8. If you are bold choose shapes other than the standardized rectangle. The are shapes like square, round, triangle, and house shaped used by people in the real estate, design, and advertising industry. But think a bit before choosing a different shape, if you are quite and stylish a business card in an odd shape may stand out like a sore thumb.
9. If you have specially designed office stationary then you could create a business card that apes the “branding” of your business.
10. For printing you have two options you could print cards in your office printer if you only need a few or appoint a local printer to print business cards for all office employees.
The business card throughout your office should have the same design, color, and paper. Only the name, designation, and contact details should be changed. Make the business card a successful marketing tool and increase your business profits by giving out business cards to the right contacts.
Think about adding value to your business card by having a visible statement that delineates what you do. So, run a slogan either at the bottom of the business card or on the reverse. Some people use the reverse of the business card to print contacts of branches, or put a map indicating where the office is, or list what services the business covers. So think carefully and make the card send a lasting message that conveys who you are and what you do.
A business card is a valuable tool that is not very expensive so make the most of your business card.
Arthur Raise is a freelance writer for Free Business Cards , the premier website to find business card, cheap business cards, free business card, online business cards, business card printing, unique business cards, business card design, sample business cards, free business card template and many more.
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/10-Essentials-Tips-For-A–Business-Card/311981
Posted in Business Tools by .
by Inbound Promotions
The time is now for small businesses to take control of their marketing. Consumers are gravitating towards the internet every day looking for solutions to their problems. We’ve listed a few tips for small businesses that will effectively generate interest and traffic.
1. Utilize Your Customers
The most overlooked aspect of growing your business could be staring right at you every day. Your current customers already know you and trust, or at least they should know and trust you. Take advantage of your customer base by offering incentives or special deals for referrals. People who experience a good product or service enjoy sharing it with their friends. Use your customers as publicity agents to spread the word of your business to their friends and family. Often business owners don’t like to push their customers for referrals but you would be surprised how many people would do just that when they had a good experience with your business.
2. Don’t Feel the Need to Advertise Like a Big Business
Big businesses have the marketing budget to spend on commercial slots or print ads. Small businesses typically do not which means you should not treat your marketing plan as if you need to advertise like the big businesses. Small businesses should look to inbound marketing and internet marketing to gain ground on the leaders of your industry. Provide opportunities for people to respond to your marketing efforts with special offers to new members or customers.
3. Join Forces with Other Small Businesses
Small business owners often know other small business owners. There is a connection between small business owners and the dedication and hard work it takes to run a business. Contact your friends at other businesses and offer a joint promotion. Exchange links or banners to be placed on each others websites. Refer your customers to their business and ask them to do the same. This is a free and easy way to gain new business.
4. YouTube
The next time you do a job or service have a camera set up and record and narrate the process of your service. After you have recorded go to YouTube and upload the content. You could also upload it to your website as an instructional video. YouTube is a great avenue for exposure and prospects can actually see your results and you or your business in action. You can conduct interviews with industry leaders or have customers comment on your work for others to hear. Introduce your staff or your office/warehouse, taking visitors on a tour is second best to being there in person.
There are many ideas for small business marketing tips and we have outlined just a few. The fact is there are many ways to market your business or brand with a limited budget and there are many internet marketers eager to help your small business compete with the corporations.
www.inboundpromotions.com
http://www.facebook.com/InboundPromotions
http://twitter.com/INBNDPromotions
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Four-Effective-Small-Business-Marketing-Tips/1431314
Posted in Small Business Tips by .
by Jay Jennings
With this one simple article I’m going to show you how to quickly put together your own podcast. I won’t be able to go into detail on everything, but I’ll definitely get you started on the right track. And just so we start off right, I want to give you my definition.
Why? Because I’ve seen a lot of people put an MP3 file on their web site and proudly proclaim, “I have a podcast!”
Um, no. An audio file people can download is not a podcast. Even several audio files people can download isn’t necessarily a podcast.
Here’s my definition: A series of audio or video files that can be subscribed to and automatically downloaded as new episodes are released.
Notice I didn’t say anything about whether the files are spoken word or music, whether they’re amateur-hour or professional sounding, or even whether they are free or for pay. To be called a podcast you just need a series of audio or video files (how long that series lasts is up to you) that can be subscribed to so programs like iTunes can automatically download them when new episodes are available.
An episode can be a minute in length, or it can be an hour or more in length. If you’re just getting started, I suggest going with a shorter length because doing a podcast requires a commitment and while you’re raring to go right now with a marathon session, what about next week or the week after? Especially when some unexpected “life situation” pops up?
You can always go from a long podcast to a short one, or vice versa, but in general, the more consistent you are, the more comfortable your audience will be. And that holds true for more than just the length of each episode. There are some “stream of consciousness” podcasts that are good, but in general, a show that gives the audience great content in a format they recognize will do better than one that’s all over the road every time.
I’ve found one of the best ways to create a podcast is with the “chunk” method — it is created using chunks of audio that can be swapped in and out as needed.
For example, you’d record your introduction as one audio file. Answering emails from readers would be a different audio file. The main content would be a separate audio file. You’ll end up with multiple files that can then be put together to create an entire episode.
The big benefit of this is two-fold. First, if you have paid sponsors for your podcast you can sell the space twice — first as the “live” podcast, and a second time as a part of the archive. And since your podcast is put together in chunks, replacing one ad with another is trivial.
The second big reason is even better, because it’s useful even if you’re not selling ad space. You can create multiple chunks all at once, and then mix and match them in the future. Maybe you solicit listener feedback — you can set up your equipment and record a half dozen snippets asking for calls and emails. That may be all you ever need for your podcast, because you just rotate them in one after the other from one show to the next.
There are many places in a typical podcast where pre-recorded snippets can be used. By setting up yours in such a fashion, each episode might only need the main content and a “personalized” opening or closing.
Which makes putting together a podcast quick and easy. Record the new chunks, grab some pre-recorded chunks, and “paste” them altogether. Voila, a new episode is done and ready to go!
Get full details about a video training system called Podcasting In About An Hour that gets you up and running quickly and easily. http://podcastinginaboutanhour.com
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Setting-Up-A-Podcast-As-Quickly-As-Possible/1230358
Posted in Podcast by .
by Jalana Davis
You can blog about anything from politics to religion to your hobbies and anything in between. But, if you want to be effective with monetizing your blog, you have to focus your topic on one niche. By doing this, it allows a particular group of readers to come to your blog for all their information and enjoyment needs. It’s also beneficial so you know who and where to promote your blog, to drive traffic to it.
After you know your niche and you have your affiliates selected, you need to start writing. In this article, I am going to give you some ideas on what you should be writing about to grab your audiences interest and keep them coming back for more.
The first thing you need to remember is to deliver value to your blog. Write about topics that you know your niche will want to read about and learn from. Make your blog a “one-stop-shop” for your readers.
You also need to do your due diligence and be factual if you are giving statistics or detailed information about another company or product. Furthermore, if you are going to quote someone, always give credit to whomever deserves it. This will also help you set the stage for building trust from your readers.
Now, the top 7 topics the experts write about:
Stories: Telling stories are always a fantastic way to get the audience involved. By you telling true stories and displaying your feeling and emotions, your audience get their emotional side out on the surface and it causes them to “feel” something too. They will have an instant understanding of what it’s like to be in your shoes.
Lessons learned: Everyone has to start from the beginning. As you learn and grow, don’t forget that your audience may be brand new. So, don’t forget about the basics. Leave out the technical jargon and start from the beginning as if you were just learning it for the first time. Then, write about what you learn as you go along and learn with your readers.
Reviews: Supply constructive reviews on Companies, Products and Services within your niche. Be honest, but only give the facts that you can back up with your research. You want to give your readers enough information to make a well informed decision that they can be comfortable with.
How To’s: Anything you have personal experience with doing or using, that will benefit your readers, write about it. Put it in simple terms and usestep by step instructions so the audience can follow your instructions and “plug and play”.
FAQ’s: Many times, an article can be formed simply from a question someone asks you or from a general conversation. So, always listen for opportunities and use them to your advantagw.
Inspiration and Motivation: It doesn’t matter who your audience is, everyone needs inspiration and motivation sometimes. Have you read a good self-help book recently? Or had to remind yourself of why you do what you do? Then, write about it.
Comments: As your Blog gets a larger readership, you are sure to get comments on your articles. Listen to what the readers are saying, because in reality they are telling you what they want to know more about.
The more you write, the easier it will become. But always remember these key elements when writing: Give your readers value, build their trust and be unique. Now, let’s Conquer the Internet!
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Blogging?-But-What-Would-I-Write-About?/1436567
Posted in Blogging by .
by Melinda Copp
Millions of people visit Facebook every day, making it one of the best viral marketing opportunities for authors online. It’s easy to set up and maintain pages specifically for your book, you can find lots of traffic for your blog or web site, and it’s free, at least for now. (I’ve heard they’re thinking about charging.) Plus, Facebook pages get ranked in search engine results, making it an ideal tool to add to your book marketing strategy.
Consider the following tips to establish your book’s Facebook presence.
1. Complete Your Profile Page
If you already have a personal profile on Facebook, you can create a fan page just for your book. (If you don’t already have a profile, you’ll need to create one to get the page.) Why the fan page? Facebook limits the number of friends you can have to 5,000. But you can have an unlimited number of fans. Plus, you can use an image of your book cover, write a blurb about the book, track visitors, and add other features that you might not want to do on a personal profile. You can extra tabs and add testimonials from readers, links to sales pages on Amazon and other online bookstores, and even offer your fans a free downloadable sample of your book. Make sure you take advantage of everything the fan page has to offer.
2. Get Fans
Once your fan page is set up, you need to get fans. Unlike the personal profile page, you can’t just search for people and ask them to become your fan. But you can ask your friends from your personal page to become a fan and ask them to help you get the word out by suggesting their friends become fans as well. You’ll also want to promote your fan page as much as possible, adding a link to your e-mail signature, putting a badge on your blog and web site, and placing a link on all your book-marketing pieces. One other way to get fans is with Facebook ads. These are the small ads that show up on the right-hand side of the site, and although they aren’t free, you only have to pay when someone clicks.
3. Use Your Fan Page to Promote Book Signings, Readings, and Events
Facebook can help you find fans across the globe, but it’s also a great way to promote book signings, readings, speaking engagements, and any other events that you’re holding in your local area. Within your fan page administration panel, you can create events and invite all your fans. Then when they reply that they’re attending, all their friends will see it, which means viral exposure for your events.
4. Start Conversations
The beauty of social media is the ability to interact, and Facebook is no different. It makes you more accessible and allows your readers to connect with you on a personal level. So in addition to promoting your book and events, start conversations, show your readers what you’re really like, and give them information that interests them. And make sure you respond to comments and wall posts from fans. They’ll love hearing from you just as much as you’ll love hearing from them.
Putting Your Book on Facebook
Facebook is a powerful marketing tool for authors, and it’s a lot of fun. So if you haven’t already, give it a try. Put up a page for your book, and start attracting readers!
Melinda Copp helps aspiring self-help, business, and nonfiction authors write and publish books that establish expertise, attract clients and opportunities, and share their message in a compelling way. Visit http://www.writerssherpaprograms.com/writeabook.html for a free copy of her Write Your Book Quick-Start Mini E-course.
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Five-Tips-for-Marketing-Your-Book-on-Facebook/1393236
Posted in Facebook by .
Apr 10
5
Consulting Services
At Gurus For Hire we offer a wide range of consulting services to help you outsource all aspects of your marketing.
Most consulting is done in house, however we also occasionally tap into our network of professionals to assist in other areas of expertise when needed.
The network of professionals even includes other areas of service outside of marketing including accounting, software development, product sourcing, and venture captial.
Here are some of the consulting services we provide at GurusForHire.com
- Website Optimization
- Google Analytics Setup
- Google Analytics Reporting
- SEO – Search Engine Optimization
- Sales Funnel Design
- Copywriting
- Salesletters
- Email Autoresponder Sequences
- Opt-In Forms/Squeeze Pages
- Video Scripting
If there are other services not mentioned, we probably have a contact in our network that can help as well. Please contact us, and we’ll be happy to help you find a solution.
Posted in Featured by .
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