What’s a Blog and why should I care?

I get asked this all the time.  Let’s see if we can clear this up… 

Short Answer:

A blog is a type of website that is usually arranged in chronological order from the most recent ‘post’ at the top of the main page to the older entries toward the bottom. Watch this short video that answers the questions in simple and easy — non-techie — terms.

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I was speaking with a client today about improving their web site’s organic search engine rankings and other ways to increase their site traffic. The outcome was to increase their income. The topic of Passive Income came up… and we both agreed that there really is NO SUCH THING as passive income. At some point, you had to do something. You had to send out an email, create a web site, mail a direct response letter or do something related to adding value.

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When one of my clients says to me, “Ford… I’m not sure what to write about.  Aren’t press releases just for big news?” I tell them that kind of assumption just isn’t true. You can create press releases for a wide variety of topics, as long as you keep a few key elements in mind.

One of the most important ones to always follow is to adapt your “story”(or theme) to a favorite media topic in the news. That will make it more interesting to your media contact, as well as to their readers. To help you get started, here are my TOP 5 topics that I use to increase the chances of getting publicity through traditional sources like newspapers, magazines, and newsletters.

HEALTH is one of the most popular topics covered in the media. Can you find a way to tie your product, service, or media promotion to a current, health-related topic? One of my clients runs a successful pilates studio and even though it’s a local studio, her press releases and articles have been published in several national publications and on tons of sites.

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This blog is devoted to design elements you can use in your e-mail mailings to grow your list quickly. Here are the remaining five tips I promised you last time. Hope they get you thinking about growing your own e-mail list.

Secret #6: ADVERTISE your site and electronic newsletter in other publications or use web banners and traditional advertising mediums, such as print, TV and radio. Encourage e-mail subscriptions on all print ads. This secret may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised by how often it is overlooked. Depending on your type of business and industry, this can be an effective method to grow your list. 

Secret #7: Use PAY-PER-CLICK Advertising to send targeted traffic to your mini-site or main site through Pay-Per-Click search engines. Pay-Per-Click advertisements show up alongside the natural site listings on the search results pages (SRPs). You go to your favorite search engines and set up an account and bid on the keywords terms related to your target market. By using PPC advertising you get you in front of your target market almost instantly. More traffic means more subscribers. But before you rush off and open a PPC account, keep in mind that you need to know the “value” of each subscriber, as well as your break-even cost of acquiring a lead and customer. If you haphazardly set up PPC and start bidding on keywords without understanding what you’re doing, you could easily waste thousands of dollars. If you can’t devote the time and energy to do it right, or can’t hire an expert certified in Pay-Per-Click advertising (like me!), skip this secret for now! I guarantee you that if you implement the other secrets I’ve offered you, you’ll still have more than enough to keep you and your marketing team busy for quite a while.

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Are you taking full advantage of the free publicity available to you? When was the last time YOU sent out a press release? What’s YOUR opinion of media releases? Do you have a media section (or page) on your website? 

I’ve harnessed the power of publicity to promote all kinds of products and services in more industries than I can count. I still use publicity efforts to promote my Direct and Internet Marketing services, along with campaigns to promote my clients’ products (and that has lead to millions in sales each year).

Putting free publicity to work as part of your marketing campaign is much easier than most people think. Why? Because there are thousands of print and online magazines out there starving for content. There are millions of Internet sites craving for new content too.

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Think about your last big purchase. Did you use the Internet, either for researching a product or to buy something? What was the last thing you purchased from a website?

What are your favorite websites—and why? Make a list of the top five that you visit and once you’re finished reading this blog, go visit them again and evaluate them through the mind of an “Internet Marketer.”

As a marketer, being able to get inside the mind of your prospects is critical. You need to understand the behaviors and habits of your prospects (what do they buy, how do they buy, what factors influence their buying decision, etc.).

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In part one of this two-part blog I told you a little about the extensive (and affordable!) “music-on-hold” equipment options available to businesses of all sizes. In part two, let’s cover a few important basics about crafting your own custom “on-hold” message.

Technology options aside, here are a few thoughts on the most important part of your “on-hold” system—the message. I’m sure you already know this, but remember… content is king. It’s critical that you craft an informative, benefit-driven marketing message for your “on-hold” audio. Each one should be about 10 to 30 seconds long and mention the benefits/solutions your business provides.

Listen to a good example of a custom on-hold message.

 

 Message On-Hold Example Script from Prime Concepts Group Inc. [4:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (116)

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An often overlooked opportunity to promote your business is sitting right in front of you on your desk. It’s your telephone. I’m not talking about how you use your phone to reach or greet your customers, but rather how you use it to market to potential customers who are calling you.

What do your customers hear when they’re put on hold?

Neither you nor your prospects get anything of value when your customers are left listening to music. And having them listen to a radio station isn’t much better, because chances are they’re not hearing music, just commercials. Worse still, they could end up hearing a commercial for a competitor!

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I’ve used the tools I’m about to share with you to help organizations in many different industries around the world achieve amazing improvements in their marketing results. You may be familiar with some of these techniques, but after reading this blog, I hope you’ll have a new appreciation for them as they apply to your marketing strategies!

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For many marketers, the hardest part of their job isn’t the sale, it’s the creative aspect. Unlike so many of the skills required to be proficient in marketing, creativity can’t be turned on and off like a light switch… usually.

There are a few basic things you can do to help get the creative process started—like switching off your phone, closing your door, and just letting your mind go where it will. On a little deeper level, there are a few more things you need to master in order to really get your creative game on and create a marketing mindset that’s conducive to the task at hand.

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