Archive for the ‘internet marketing’ Category
Every business needs to market their product or service
There are many definitions for marketing and everyone has their own interpretation. In simple terms marketing is what a business does to obtain new customers and keep them satisfied. It’s a process that involves many aspects of business promotion and not limited to just advertising. Most successful business owners believe the core value of good marketing is customer service and know without taking care of the customer’s needs all the sales and advertising in the world is not going to keep them.
Developing a plan
In developing a marketing plan there must be a clear understanding of what the customer wants, what they are willing to pay, where to locate them, and how to contact them. Researching, gathering information, and putting it together into a plan with a clear focus will increase the chances of success.
Have a recognizable brand
Having a recognizable brand or identity distinguishes one business from rest. This image sets the business apart and may identify it as a place for providing excellent service, have the best pizzas in town, be the most professional, have affordable prices or is the best place to purchase a product.
Create an Identity
Creating an identity includes using both offline and online tools and depending on the type of business some methods work better than others. Traditional presentation is still important and includes stationery, business cards, brochures, sales letters and other related promotion material. Trade shows, advertising, special events, direct marketing and other long-established methods still work and should not be ignored.
A Company website
A company website creates an online presence and makes the business accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year and is perfect for promoting new products or services, a place for potential customers to ask questions or buy products, providing information on the business, and can be used for recruiting employees.
Promoting online
Online promotion through social media networks should be a major part of every business’s plan. It’s not complicated or time consuming and does not have to be expensive, nor is it just for big businesses with huge budgets. The social network sites Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Digg as well as others when used properly can help build business relationships.
Take Action
Taking action is the next step but only after a decision is made on the types of marketing to be used and all the necessary tools in position. Having a system available to evaluate each step will make it much easier to know what does or does not work.
Build Relationships
Marketing is all about relationship building and connecting with potential clients. Satisfied customers or clients will return and are more likely to refer others which helps keep the cycle going and the business thriving.
Marketing will be the key to success
Whether a business has been in operation for 10 years or is in the early start-up stage, marketing will be the key to its success. A marketing plan provides the business with a clear understanding of the business and budget keeping them organized. Knowing the needs of the customers guides the business in the right direction.
Here’s to your success!
Carol Ann Quibell
Guest Blogger Janet Patten shares her knowledge on marketing your business with videos.
The 4 Key Elements to Include in your Business Videos
Janet Patten
If you aren’t involved in marketing your business with video, you should really give this avenue some serious consideration. This is the most effective and engaging way to reach your customers. Having videos on your website or social media sites such as Facebook or YouTube will help you to communicate your brand and increase traffic to your website.
There are a few key elements that every marketing video should have. Cover the points listed below and you will have a winning marketing vehicle that works well. Here are some tips on what to consider and include in your video.
- Branded Intro- begin your video is with a screen that has your company logo, colours, website address and/or tagline. Make sure the design is clean, eye-catching and readable. The idea is to build your brand and to use this on all your videos to make them recognizable.
- Main Content- the body of your video could contain a series of photos, recorded video, PowerPoint slides or other graphics. This material should communicate your message and address problems or issues that you can solve for your customers. Use text callouts to enhance and highlight certain parts of the video. Try to include an area on the bottom or top that has your company name, phone number or website. Make sure that this area is readable and not obscured when posted on another site.
- Audio- Pay attention to sound quality and user experience. Choose music that doesn’t clash with your message or cause a distraction. Make sure you have the rights to use the music and have it play softly. Try to fade in and fade out the music at the beginning and end if you are able. If you are using recorded voice audio, then make sure that there is no static or background noise.
- Last Screen- At the end of your video you should have a call to action. Use text to direct people to your website or to call your business number, or direct viewers to a squeeze page to sign up for your offer. If you are posting on YouTube, you can add clickable links to the video or use the description area.
Be sure to include these 4 basic elements, and you will have a winning and high-converting video. This will help you build a strong brand and bring traffic to your website or offers.
Janet Patten is a Virtual Marketing Assistant and owner of Arcadia Creative Marketing, specializing in online local marketing and online video production. www.yourlocaleyes.com
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I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I have.
Carol Ann Quibell, is the owner of Lorac Virtual Solutions, providing virtual solutions to business owners by assisting them with social media, developing business plans, online marketing and writing services.
Question for you…
Do you watch online videos more at YouTube OR in your Facebook News Feed?
Well, you are likely doing both regularly as online video usage is WAY up in both Facebook and YouTube.
Did you know that….
- YouTube has 2 billion video views per day!
- Facebook has 1 billion video views per month!
So, needless to say Online Video is a popular medium in Facebook and a “big deal” for businesses seek to build their brand and connect with their audience.
One of my favorite sources for online training is VAClassroom. 
VAClassroom has just introduced the FIRST of five niche social media training programs they will be launching over the next 6-8 months! Based on their research, conversations and surveys with business owners and virtual professionals, it is apparent that the Online Video Marketing Niche will present one of the best opportunities for Virtual Professionals to maximize client and income potential here in 2011!
The internet marketing gurus ALL have told us to use ONLINE VIDEOS to market our businesses but they don’t always tell us how. Now it is possible to take the FIRST of five niche social media training programs and I have to tell you it sounds good.
It doesn’t matter what business you are in the training will apply to something you are doing. Craig Cannings seems to know what is needed and offers straight forward, reasonably priced training that can be done online.
I have never been disappointed yet in any of the training I have taken through VAClassroom ~ hope to see you there!
All the best,
PS: Free Website Trade Publication >> Website Magazine
Everyone on the internet is telling you to blog regularly, write articles, tweet, etc. but do they give you any ideas as to what information you need to write about? Not always. Even writers who write for a living find it difficult to come up with article content.
Last year I wrote a number of articles on the VA industry and after the first 10 I started panicking because it seemed that I had ran out of original ideas. I spent a great deal of time doing more research on the subject looking at it from every angle possible.
And then I discovered PLR and if you haven’t discovered it yet then you need to check it out. I became a customer of Nicole Dean at Easy PLR and for a very small amount (almost pennies) I purchased a list of topics that covered what I needed to write about. It saved me a great deal of stress and made my task of writing articles and blogs much easier.
Nicole has written the following article describing the benefits vs free reprint articles you will probably find interesting. I did.
PLR vs. Free Reprint Articles: Which is Best?
by Nicole Dean
Content is always in high demand. Right now the focus seems to be on Private Label Rights (or PLR) articles. PLR articles are pre-written and sold in packages to online businesses looking for content. The big selling points of PLR articles are that you may edit the articles and that there is no author bio required (so they don’t have any outbound links).
Compare PLR articles to free reprint articles. Free reprint articles from places like ezinearticles.com or freeaffiliatearticles.com are written by people who have something they’d like to share. (Or, they are sometimes written by people just publishing junk, in the hopes that they’ll get some incoming links. But, good article directories will delete those, so we’ll focus on the good ones here.)
So, which is better? Honestly, each has its place. Sometimes you’ll find an excellent free reprint article that you’ll want to share with your readers and you won’t mind a bit having an outbound link, especially if there is an affiliate program associated with it. The free reprint article added value to your readers, and you didn’t have to write the article. That’s what free reprint articles are all about.
Other times you’ll already have an idea in mind for a topic and you’ll just want a boost getting that section of your website done. If you run across a high quality PLR package on that niche, you’re set to go.
So, how do you know which PLR service or membership to choose? Here are some guidelines to follow:
1. Some PLR sites offer a monthly membership where you receive a grab-bag of articles – on any topic. If you already know what you need, this may be a waste of money. Other PLR sites will list topics and you can buy the articles in a shopping cart. That ensures you receive the articles you need when you need them.
2. Are the articles written by professional writers with experience? Or are they outsourced to the cheapest overseas help they can find – no matter the quality? If the articles are going to be a reflection of your business, you’ll want to ensure that the articles are well-written.
3. Who’s running this thing? Is the PLR site run by someone who knows about content or someone who thinks they can ride the content wave and make a quick buck? Make sure you’re hitching your wagon to someone who knows what they’re doing.
Those are just a few tips to keep you from wasting money on a PLR site that you can’t use. Continue to use free reprint articles, but look into PLR articles as well. They can both benefit your website and your business.
Nicole Dean invites you to check out EasyPLR.com – where you’ll find high-quality PLR articles on niches sold in very limited quantities.
I, personally, recommend this site for all your PLR article needs.
I spent a couple of hours on Friday researching some of the local businesses in my home town looking for websites, blogs, social networking information, etc and what I found was NOT pretty.
Exposed!
Not everyone has a website! I am so surprised that in today’s business atmosphere everyone does not have a website. Those websites that do exist are not necessarily doing the businesses any favors either. Some are not easy to read, tell me nothing I want to know and either have really small font or spelling errors. Shocking, isn’t it? How do they expect to attract new clients or customers?
A website is like having a sign in the window letting everyone know you are in business. It’s no longer feasible to hang a shingle outside your business and hope everyone will come. They won’t. That may seem a bit harsh but by not marketing yourself online you are missing out on an opportunity for growing your business like you never have before. I won’t quote statistics because they change hourly but it would be fair to say the majority of customers check out local businesses before they walk in the door. What a shame if they don’t know you exist.
Put Blogging to work for you!
Blogging is a golden opportunity to educate your customers on your products and show them how your products or services are the answer to all of their needs, whether it’s the latest walking shoe or a new service you are providing. Blogging encourages readership, which will increase your client base, dramatically leading to more sales and more profit.
Why wouldn’t you blog?
Social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook give you a golden opportunity of interacting and connecting with people, responding to their questions and building a reputation as the person to go to when they are in need of your product or service. It’s a proven fact that people do business with someone they trust so what better way of building a credible reputation than connecting via social networks.
It’s not easy
Maintaining an online presence and building a reliable reputation does not happen overnight. It does take hard work and time, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Consider the time spent as an investment into your business, the same as if you placed an advertisement in the yellow pages of the phone book. Do you know very few people use the phone book anymore?
It’s your choice
Take the first step and ensure you have a website that shows you at your best; start blogging and connect with your customers using social networks. None of it has to cost you a great deal of money but it will reap huge benefits so why wouldn’t you want to get started today? The choice is yours.
All the best,
PS: I am here to help. Don’t be overwhelmed when I am only a phone call or email away from guiding you in the right direction. Email me right now at carolann@loracvs.com to arrange for your free ½ hour consultation.
PPS: Sign up using the form below and receive updates to my business posts! Do it now please!
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