by: Richard Lowe
Okay, we know we all need to pay the bills. I know that many of us want toget traffic to our web sites. And some of us just want to make enough moneyto pay for our costs so that this thing we love to do is free.
But, come on, that doesn't mean you should plaster a hundred ads or a dozenbanners on every page of your web site. A banner here and there, a smallbutton or a few text links is fine, but I've seen some web sites that havedozens and a few that have hundreds of ads on each page! Now this is justtacky and is virtually guaranteed to get your visitors to hit that handyback button fast.
One of the worst kinds of web sites, in my opinion, are those that are justhuge advertisements. Especially those that are advertisements for dozens oreven hundreds of other services. People do not surf the web looking forbanners, text links and other advertisements to click on. In fact,statistically, most people are surfing because they are looking for (a)information, (b) entertainment, or (c) someone to talk to. Most web surfersare not looking for something to purchase.
A good web site offers excellent content (which can be graphics, text orinteractive features). Even those sites which sell something also offercontent which is of interest to their visitors. Go take a look at any reallygood shopping site and you will see what I mean. Look at Amazon.Com orBarnes And Noble and you will understand - these sites offer tons ofcontent. Reviews of their products, consumer comments and large amounts ofdata about the items being sold. This is what people want - information.Some common things on web site that you should never do.
Banner exchanges - It's real simple - these do not work. Oh, you will get aclick or two, but banner exchanges tend to look tacky, take up valuablespace on your web pages and increase your load time. To make it even worse,many times you will lose far more traffic than you will gain. Don't evenbother putting even one of these on your entire web site.
Notices saying "please, pretty please, keep my site free and click onsomething". This just makes you look like a rank amateur. In my humbleopinion, it's very tacky to expect people to click on links just so you can"keep your site free". Come up with or find a good product or service, andsell it if you must. Advertising is not in of itself of value - onlyproducts or services have value.
Pornographic ads (unless your site is a pornographic site) - You want tochase away your visitors fast, then include pornographic ads. Yeah, youmight get a few dollars from them, but you will lose visitors and your sitewill not be "family safe", which can be important.
Gambling ads - I understand that these advertisements may be the only things(besides pornography) that people will click on nowadays, but quite a fewpeople do not want to be exposed to these things. I believe that these kindsof advertisements will cause you to loose a large amount of traffic.
Web sites that are just advertisements - I suppose there is a place forbrochures or full site advertisements, but I personally hit the back key assoon as I run into one of these. I want content. If I wanted this manyadvertisements I'd buy a magazine or look in the classified section of thenewspaper.
Any large graphic advertisements. Remember one of the very important thingsin web design is load time. Your site must load fast. If you include largegraphic ads you are increase your load times.
Sites which are just lists of pay-surf, MLM or other money making schemes.There is nothing wrong with include some pay-surf or MLM ads here and thereon your site. Including a section on these programs is also fine. But comeon, please put some real content there also. Otherwise people will hit theback key fast and never come back.
Brochures - I've seen a large number of web sites in my days, and one of theones that I click out of the fastest is one that looks like a brochure. Itfeels just like someone took the company brochure and converted it to webformat. What on earth makes companies think these are of value to anyone?
Popup Windows - If you do a survey of web surfers, you will find that theseare among the most hated "features" that exist. No one likes pop up windows,and if your site has too many of them you will loose visitors fast. Oh, youmay get a few more clicks or signups for your newsletter, but the amount oftime your visitors remain on your site will be limited and of less quality.
900 Numbers - Sites which advertise 900 numbers (a) don't work, and (b)clutter up the web needlessly. My advice is to find something better to do.
About the Author
Richard Lowe Jr. is the webmaster of Internet Tips And Secrets.
This website includes over 1,000 free articles to improve your internet profits, enjoyment and knowledge.Web Site Address: http://www.internet-tips.net
Weekly newsletter: http://www.internet-tips.net/joinlist.htm
Daily Tips: mailto:internet-tips@GetResponse.com
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
A lunchtime lesson on print advertising
by: Gary Watson
I promise you’ll be able to finish this article before you finish the first half of your PBJ. Are you sitting down? Good. Because I have some startling news for you.
Print ads are here to stay. That’s right. Those dusty, musty, fusty old relics of the century past are still with us. And despite the ubiquity of commercials on radio and TV; despite the onslaught of banners, pop-ups and all manner of intrusive online ads; newspapers and magazines are, and always will be, a mainstay forum for mainstream advertising.
There’s something about the readiness, the handiness, the heft and feel of a magazine or a newspaper that appeals to the nature of human beings. Yes, flat screens that glow with vivid colors are attractive. Especially when they’re displaying something we specifically asked to see.
But as we page through a magazine or a newspaper while enjoying our lunch or riding a commuter train, we don’t mind at all if a surprising or intelligent or just plain appealing ad – even one in black and white – suddenly grabs our attention. We expect it. We secretly look for it. We even welcome it as a break from all the dull gray type we’ve been slogging through. Why? Because – let’s face it – a really good ad is a delight to behold.
Is this the kind of ad your target audience is seeing? Do your ads stop them and make them smile…think…take in your message and make a mental note to look closer at your product or service? Maybe even go to your website for the kind of information that could lead to a sale?
Think carefully about this. If your ad doesn’t stand apart, doesn’t attract, appeal or grab; if it doesn’t delight in some way, the readers you want to capture and bring into your world will simply turn the page and plow on through the dull stuff . . . until they bump into your competitor’s delightfully different ad. And then they’ll stop – and, unfortunately for you – pay attention to the message.
So take a close look at your company’s ads. Do they stand out from the crowd of other ads? Are they different from your competitor’s ads in a powerful and relevant way? And most important, do they convey your core message in an engaging, persuasive and delightful manner?
If so, let them run and run, because they’re bound to bring you business.
If not, better change your approach soon. Before the competition eats your lunch.
Gary Watson writes ads for companies that want to add to their bottom line. He also does product/service naming, slogans/tag lines, billboards, web content, sales letters (print and email), etc. etc. He can be reached at Gary@GWCopy.com.
I promise you’ll be able to finish this article before you finish the first half of your PBJ. Are you sitting down? Good. Because I have some startling news for you.
Print ads are here to stay. That’s right. Those dusty, musty, fusty old relics of the century past are still with us. And despite the ubiquity of commercials on radio and TV; despite the onslaught of banners, pop-ups and all manner of intrusive online ads; newspapers and magazines are, and always will be, a mainstay forum for mainstream advertising.
There’s something about the readiness, the handiness, the heft and feel of a magazine or a newspaper that appeals to the nature of human beings. Yes, flat screens that glow with vivid colors are attractive. Especially when they’re displaying something we specifically asked to see.
But as we page through a magazine or a newspaper while enjoying our lunch or riding a commuter train, we don’t mind at all if a surprising or intelligent or just plain appealing ad – even one in black and white – suddenly grabs our attention. We expect it. We secretly look for it. We even welcome it as a break from all the dull gray type we’ve been slogging through. Why? Because – let’s face it – a really good ad is a delight to behold.
Is this the kind of ad your target audience is seeing? Do your ads stop them and make them smile…think…take in your message and make a mental note to look closer at your product or service? Maybe even go to your website for the kind of information that could lead to a sale?
Think carefully about this. If your ad doesn’t stand apart, doesn’t attract, appeal or grab; if it doesn’t delight in some way, the readers you want to capture and bring into your world will simply turn the page and plow on through the dull stuff . . . until they bump into your competitor’s delightfully different ad. And then they’ll stop – and, unfortunately for you – pay attention to the message.
So take a close look at your company’s ads. Do they stand out from the crowd of other ads? Are they different from your competitor’s ads in a powerful and relevant way? And most important, do they convey your core message in an engaging, persuasive and delightful manner?
If so, let them run and run, because they’re bound to bring you business.
If not, better change your approach soon. Before the competition eats your lunch.
Gary Watson writes ads for companies that want to add to their bottom line. He also does product/service naming, slogans/tag lines, billboards, web content, sales letters (print and email), etc. etc. He can be reached at Gary@GWCopy.com.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Attract Media Coverage Without Spending Advertising $$
by: June Campbell
Advertising is expensive. PR is often low cost or free.
Try these ten tips for attracting free PR to your business. But here is a word of caution. When sending press releases to the media, remember that less is more. The journalist who encounters a press release from your company every week learn to ignore anything with your name on it.
1. Capitalize on an Anniversary
Is your business having a significant anniversary? Tenth year in business? Ten thousandth customer served? Five thousand books sold? Arrange some sort of celebration, draft a press release and contact your local media. You can never tell. You must might coverage from the local newspaper, radio or television station.
2. Donate Something
Does your networking group have draws for door prizes? Offer to donate the prize, then give something that's heavily branded with your businesses name and contact information. Similarly, find out if local charities are engaged in fund raising opportunities. Offer one of your products or services as a prize or to be auctioned.
3. Host a Special Event
Have a Singles Night, a Kid's Night, or a Senior Citizen's Night. Send a press release to your local media. A supermarket did a smashing business following a well publicized Singles Night complete with dancing in the aisles, games and contests.
3. Host a Special Event
Have a Singles Night, a Kid's Night, or a Senior Citizen's Night. Send a press release to your local media. A supermarket did a smashing business following a well publicized Singles Night complete with dancing in the aisles, games and contests.
4. Sponsor Something
Provide sponsorship at a trade show, a convention, a sporting event, or an arts festival. Sponsor a local kid to attend an event in another city. Sponsor a kid's sports team. Offer a scholarship to help a young person attend university. Remember to send the press release.
5. Decorate CreativelyPut up a stunning decoration or window display for the Holidays, or for spring, or fall, or in recognition of some particular event in your city. Then invite the media to take a look. The key is to have something unique or original that'll warrant pictures and video taping.
6. Write Articles
If you're in business, you're an expert on some topic. Write articles on your area of expertise. Submit them to local or national media, magazines, web sites, trade journals or other pertinent publications. Your article should not be a promotion of your business, but should inform readers about a topic of interest. Accountants might write articles on tax tips, for example, or florists could write about plant care.
7. Let Them Know You're an Expert
When newsworthy stories become available, media often look for a local expert for quotes and comments. Contact your local or national media, and let them know you are available to comment on topics within your area of expertise. Suppose your expertise is ecommerce, for example. Next time your local paper has an ecommerce-related story, they just might contact you for a comment. You (and your business) will get some excellent and cost-free publicity.
8. Get T-shirts and Go Public
Decorate t-shirts with your company's logo. Sign up your staff to participate in charity walks and other community events. Ensure that everyone wears the t-shirts.
9. Donate Something to a Local Charity
Donate books, used computers, products or services to a school or charity. In one community, local businesses attracted enormous publicity by organizing an event in which they outfitted adolescent youth from low-income families for the spring prom. Participating clothing shops, beauticians, florists, even taxi companies got in on the act and attracted enormous publicity while doing good works.
10. Publicize a New Product, Service or Research Finding
Have something new to offer? If it's at all unique in your area, write your press release and send it to media and trade journals. Even if you get mentioned in the gossip column of a trade journal, it's still good publicity!
11. Offer Something Unique
Local shops in one community worked together to hold a Men's Night and shortly before the Holidays. Males received assistance in purchasing lingerie, perfumes, jewelry and accessories for the woman in their lives. It was a new concept in the area and a big success. The media loved it.
How to Write Business Plans, Business Proposals,
JV Contracts, Human Resource Package, More!
No-cost ebook "Beginners Guide to Ecommerce".
Business Writing by Nightcats Multimedia Productions
http://www.nightcats.com
Advertising is expensive. PR is often low cost or free.
Try these ten tips for attracting free PR to your business. But here is a word of caution. When sending press releases to the media, remember that less is more. The journalist who encounters a press release from your company every week learn to ignore anything with your name on it.
1. Capitalize on an Anniversary
Is your business having a significant anniversary? Tenth year in business? Ten thousandth customer served? Five thousand books sold? Arrange some sort of celebration, draft a press release and contact your local media. You can never tell. You must might coverage from the local newspaper, radio or television station.
2. Donate Something
Does your networking group have draws for door prizes? Offer to donate the prize, then give something that's heavily branded with your businesses name and contact information. Similarly, find out if local charities are engaged in fund raising opportunities. Offer one of your products or services as a prize or to be auctioned.
3. Host a Special Event
Have a Singles Night, a Kid's Night, or a Senior Citizen's Night. Send a press release to your local media. A supermarket did a smashing business following a well publicized Singles Night complete with dancing in the aisles, games and contests.
3. Host a Special Event
Have a Singles Night, a Kid's Night, or a Senior Citizen's Night. Send a press release to your local media. A supermarket did a smashing business following a well publicized Singles Night complete with dancing in the aisles, games and contests.
4. Sponsor Something
Provide sponsorship at a trade show, a convention, a sporting event, or an arts festival. Sponsor a local kid to attend an event in another city. Sponsor a kid's sports team. Offer a scholarship to help a young person attend university. Remember to send the press release.
5. Decorate CreativelyPut up a stunning decoration or window display for the Holidays, or for spring, or fall, or in recognition of some particular event in your city. Then invite the media to take a look. The key is to have something unique or original that'll warrant pictures and video taping.
6. Write Articles
If you're in business, you're an expert on some topic. Write articles on your area of expertise. Submit them to local or national media, magazines, web sites, trade journals or other pertinent publications. Your article should not be a promotion of your business, but should inform readers about a topic of interest. Accountants might write articles on tax tips, for example, or florists could write about plant care.
7. Let Them Know You're an Expert
When newsworthy stories become available, media often look for a local expert for quotes and comments. Contact your local or national media, and let them know you are available to comment on topics within your area of expertise. Suppose your expertise is ecommerce, for example. Next time your local paper has an ecommerce-related story, they just might contact you for a comment. You (and your business) will get some excellent and cost-free publicity.
8. Get T-shirts and Go Public
Decorate t-shirts with your company's logo. Sign up your staff to participate in charity walks and other community events. Ensure that everyone wears the t-shirts.
9. Donate Something to a Local Charity
Donate books, used computers, products or services to a school or charity. In one community, local businesses attracted enormous publicity by organizing an event in which they outfitted adolescent youth from low-income families for the spring prom. Participating clothing shops, beauticians, florists, even taxi companies got in on the act and attracted enormous publicity while doing good works.
10. Publicize a New Product, Service or Research Finding
Have something new to offer? If it's at all unique in your area, write your press release and send it to media and trade journals. Even if you get mentioned in the gossip column of a trade journal, it's still good publicity!
11. Offer Something Unique
Local shops in one community worked together to hold a Men's Night and shortly before the Holidays. Males received assistance in purchasing lingerie, perfumes, jewelry and accessories for the woman in their lives. It was a new concept in the area and a big success. The media loved it.
How to Write Business Plans, Business Proposals,
JV Contracts, Human Resource Package, More!
No-cost ebook "Beginners Guide to Ecommerce".
Business Writing by Nightcats Multimedia Productions
http://www.nightcats.com
Friday, July 24, 2009
Articles ... The Best Form Of Free Advertising
by: Elena Fawkner
Articles ... The Best Form Of Free
Advertising
© 2002 Elena Fawkner
Those of you reading this who run your own online businesses know that the aim of the game is traffic - qualified, targeted traffic - and lots of it.
There are a number of ways to drive qualified traffic to your site - some of it costs you money, some of it costs you time. Some of it costs you both and doesn't work.
This article is all about the best form of free advertising - writing articles
How can writing articles give you free advertising? As you probably know, there are hundreds of thousands of people publishing an ezine (electronic newsletter) on a regular basis. For some of these people, publishing the ezine is the central plank of their business - they set out to create a business involving, primarily, the publishing of the ezine. Others, however, publish the ezine only as an adjunct to their website - a way to get their site in front of their ezine subscribers in the hope that this will generate repeat traffic.
Both types of ezine publishers have one thing in common. The need for great content. If you've spent much time online you'll no doubt have signed up for more than your fair share of free ezines. You'll have come across some that are really good, some that are OK and some that are nothing short of woeful, with content that looks like the publisher has picked up the first piece of regurgitated whatever he happened to come across today to fill up the space between the ads for his numerous affiliate programs.
Your site may include links to your affiliate programs. After all, that's how you make money, right? But rather than go the road of the ezine publisher who thinks she can serve up any old porridge to her subscriber base and they'll eat it up, spend the same time writing just one good article on a subject matter relevant to your target market and invite publishers of ezines with complementary subject matter to publish that article, together with your resource box at the end (the four or five line blurb you see at the end of articles that give a little information about the author and the author's website together with a link to the site).
Now, here's the important point if you expect others to publish your work. Your ad is your resource box, it is NOT your article. Your article is content. Your article should not mention your product, your site or anything related to it. Your article must stand alone as an independently useful piece of work (and when I say useful, I mean it must be useful to the READER, not the author!). Don't insult your readers' intelligence by dressing up an ad as an article. They're not stupid - they'll see through it and you immediately, they'll put you on their blacklist for insulting their intelligence and no publisher worth their salt will run your articles anyway.
The whole purpose of writing the article is to make it such a worthwhile piece of work that many publishers will want to put it in front of their subscribers. Get a good article published in an ezine with 10,000 subscribers and see what that does for your traffic when hundreds of those subscribers click on the link to your site that you've included in your resource box.
Beginning to see how this works? And the best thing of all is that it only costs you time - maybe an hour, two tops to write a decent article. Commit to writing one a week and getting them published and you'll have a nice little traffic flow going, believe me (AND, if you make sure that you write about subject matter relevant to your site, that traffic will ALSO be targeted, qualified traffic - so much the better).
OK, so now you can see the power of writing articles as a method of generating traffic to your website. How the heck do you find other people to publish your work?Thanks to the fact that so many publishers out there don't have the time or (so they believe) ability to write their own articles, or are looking for articles to supplement their own, you have a ready-made market of thousands of publishers who are always on the lookout for quality content to present to their readers. You just have to find them.
Here's a partial list to get you started:
Yahoo Groups (submit from the Yahoo Groups website at http://groups.yahoo.com/ - you'll need to subscribe to these groups first):
aabusiness
aageneral
aainet
article_announce
ArticlePublisher
articles_archives
epub
hersmallbusiness
Free-Content
publisher_network
PublishInYours
and these ...
http://www.ideamarketers.com
http://www.marketing-seek.com
http://www.womans-net.com
http://www.boconline.com/sub-art.html
http://www.connectionteam.com/submit.html
http://www.certificate.net/wwio/ideas.shtml
http://www.mailbiz.com h
ttp://www.UltimateProfits.com
http://www.atozines.com/content/subartic.htm
http://opportunityupdate.com/articles
http://www.selfgrowth.com
http://www.internetday.com/submit
http://www.marcommwise.com
http://www.vectorcentral.com
http://www.goarticles.com
http://www.hotlaunch.com
http://www.ezinearticles.com
http://www.webmasterslibrary.com
When submitting your articles to the above websites, be sensitive to the types of articles the site is looking for. Some accept articles on any subject under the sun, others are looking for articles on specific subjects such as internet marketing, for example.
Over time, you will be able to add to this list. If submitting to individual ezine publishers, don't be surprised or offended if you don't receive a response. Most ezine publishers of any size receive dozens of article submissions a day. Time normally doesn't permit a response to each submission. Also, try and find out from the publisher whether they even accept article submissions. Many don't (me, for example). I receive many article submissions a day which just get deleted unread.
The point is, just work up your own list, write articles consistently and submit consistently. Over time, you'll develop your own style of writing and attract a following.
Although it may be slow to start, you'll start getting a trickle of new traffic from people who have come across your article somewhere, some place and were interested enough to click on the link in your resource box. Over time, that trickle will become a stream, then a river, and then a flood.
** Reprinting of this article is welcome! ** This article may be freely reproduced provided that: (1) you include the following resource box; and (2) you only mail to a 100% opt-in list.
Here's the resource box to use if reprinting this article:
Elena Fawkner is an attorney and editor of A Home-Based Business Online ... practical business ideas, opportunities and solutions for the work-from-home entrepreneur. She offers discounted, fixed-rate legal services to her ezine subscribers and site visitors within the United States. http://www.ahbbo.com http://www.ahbbo.com/legalhelp.html
About the Author
None
Articles ... The Best Form Of Free
Advertising
© 2002 Elena Fawkner
Those of you reading this who run your own online businesses know that the aim of the game is traffic - qualified, targeted traffic - and lots of it.
There are a number of ways to drive qualified traffic to your site - some of it costs you money, some of it costs you time. Some of it costs you both and doesn't work.
This article is all about the best form of free advertising - writing articles
How can writing articles give you free advertising? As you probably know, there are hundreds of thousands of people publishing an ezine (electronic newsletter) on a regular basis. For some of these people, publishing the ezine is the central plank of their business - they set out to create a business involving, primarily, the publishing of the ezine. Others, however, publish the ezine only as an adjunct to their website - a way to get their site in front of their ezine subscribers in the hope that this will generate repeat traffic.
Both types of ezine publishers have one thing in common. The need for great content. If you've spent much time online you'll no doubt have signed up for more than your fair share of free ezines. You'll have come across some that are really good, some that are OK and some that are nothing short of woeful, with content that looks like the publisher has picked up the first piece of regurgitated whatever he happened to come across today to fill up the space between the ads for his numerous affiliate programs.
Your site may include links to your affiliate programs. After all, that's how you make money, right? But rather than go the road of the ezine publisher who thinks she can serve up any old porridge to her subscriber base and they'll eat it up, spend the same time writing just one good article on a subject matter relevant to your target market and invite publishers of ezines with complementary subject matter to publish that article, together with your resource box at the end (the four or five line blurb you see at the end of articles that give a little information about the author and the author's website together with a link to the site).
Now, here's the important point if you expect others to publish your work. Your ad is your resource box, it is NOT your article. Your article is content. Your article should not mention your product, your site or anything related to it. Your article must stand alone as an independently useful piece of work (and when I say useful, I mean it must be useful to the READER, not the author!). Don't insult your readers' intelligence by dressing up an ad as an article. They're not stupid - they'll see through it and you immediately, they'll put you on their blacklist for insulting their intelligence and no publisher worth their salt will run your articles anyway.
The whole purpose of writing the article is to make it such a worthwhile piece of work that many publishers will want to put it in front of their subscribers. Get a good article published in an ezine with 10,000 subscribers and see what that does for your traffic when hundreds of those subscribers click on the link to your site that you've included in your resource box.
Beginning to see how this works? And the best thing of all is that it only costs you time - maybe an hour, two tops to write a decent article. Commit to writing one a week and getting them published and you'll have a nice little traffic flow going, believe me (AND, if you make sure that you write about subject matter relevant to your site, that traffic will ALSO be targeted, qualified traffic - so much the better).
OK, so now you can see the power of writing articles as a method of generating traffic to your website. How the heck do you find other people to publish your work?Thanks to the fact that so many publishers out there don't have the time or (so they believe) ability to write their own articles, or are looking for articles to supplement their own, you have a ready-made market of thousands of publishers who are always on the lookout for quality content to present to their readers. You just have to find them.
Here's a partial list to get you started:
Yahoo Groups (submit from the Yahoo Groups website at http://groups.yahoo.com/ - you'll need to subscribe to these groups first):
aabusiness
aageneral
aainet
article_announce
ArticlePublisher
articles_archives
epub
hersmallbusiness
Free-Content
publisher_network
PublishInYours
and these ...
http://www.ideamarketers.com
http://www.marketing-seek.com
http://www.womans-net.com
http://www.boconline.com/sub-art.html
http://www.connectionteam.com/submit.html
http://www.certificate.net/wwio/ideas.shtml
http://www.mailbiz.com h
ttp://www.UltimateProfits.com
http://www.atozines.com/content/subartic.htm
http://opportunityupdate.com/articles
http://www.selfgrowth.com
http://www.internetday.com/submit
http://www.marcommwise.com
http://www.vectorcentral.com
http://www.goarticles.com
http://www.hotlaunch.com
http://www.ezinearticles.com
http://www.webmasterslibrary.com
When submitting your articles to the above websites, be sensitive to the types of articles the site is looking for. Some accept articles on any subject under the sun, others are looking for articles on specific subjects such as internet marketing, for example.
Over time, you will be able to add to this list. If submitting to individual ezine publishers, don't be surprised or offended if you don't receive a response. Most ezine publishers of any size receive dozens of article submissions a day. Time normally doesn't permit a response to each submission. Also, try and find out from the publisher whether they even accept article submissions. Many don't (me, for example). I receive many article submissions a day which just get deleted unread.
The point is, just work up your own list, write articles consistently and submit consistently. Over time, you'll develop your own style of writing and attract a following.
Although it may be slow to start, you'll start getting a trickle of new traffic from people who have come across your article somewhere, some place and were interested enough to click on the link in your resource box. Over time, that trickle will become a stream, then a river, and then a flood.
** Reprinting of this article is welcome! ** This article may be freely reproduced provided that: (1) you include the following resource box; and (2) you only mail to a 100% opt-in list.
Here's the resource box to use if reprinting this article:
Elena Fawkner is an attorney and editor of A Home-Based Business Online ... practical business ideas, opportunities and solutions for the work-from-home entrepreneur. She offers discounted, fixed-rate legal services to her ezine subscribers and site visitors within the United States. http://www.ahbbo.com http://www.ahbbo.com/legalhelp.html
About the Author
None
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
An Overlooked Fr~e Advertising Opportunity
by: Terri Seymour
An Overlooked Fr~e Advertising Opportunity
© Terri Seymour
When you have an online business you need to utilizeevery possible avenue of advertising and promotion.As I sign up for more ezines and discussion groups,I am finding numerous publishers are overlooking a very effective and fr~e advertising opportunity.
After I sign up for an ezine or email discussion group,I await the welcome letter for guidelines and to learna bit more about the ezine/website/webmaster. Toooften all I get in the welcome letter is the standard default letter. No personal welcome, no introductions,no links to check out and no email.
This disappoints me as I always like to check out the sites of the people I am signing up with. It almostmakes me want to unsubscribe.......almost. ;-) But I know that some publishers may just not know that youcan take advantage of this advertising opportunity.I also didn't know of such opportunity when I was first starting.
So, by writing this article, I hope to make publishers and listowners aware of this fr~e advertising.
Whether you use Yahoogroups, Topica or a list manager that you have purchased, you can change the welcomemessage. Personalize it by introducing yourself and letting the subscriber know about your website/business.
*Inform them of any specials you might have.*Tell them your advertising rates and add a testimonial.*Invite them to your site to utilize the fr~e resources.*Let them know your email so they can contact you.*Use some of the space for ad swapping with otherpublishers and their welcome letters.*Add an affiliate product or program review.
There are numerous things you can promote with yourwelcome letter. Also, do not overlook your goodbyeletter. You have one last chance to get this person back. Make it a good one. ;-)
I also have a little message in my goodbye letter thatencourages people to let me know why they unsubbed.
Example:
Thank you for being a subscriber to My Own Ezine. I am sorry to see you go. If you could take a minute to let me know why you unsubbed, I would appreciate it.Please drop a quick note tomailto:ter02@newnorth.net?subject=unsub Thank you.
You might learn ways to improve your ezine by askingformer subs this question. Of course, they do not allanswer, but a good many do! Always reply to them with a short but appreciative thank you note!
I also promote many of the same things as I do with my welcome letter. By doing this you just might get thisperson to think........"Maybe I will take one last lookand see what they have."
In this business, you have to utilize every opportunity possible and this FR~E advertising could turn out to bea golden one!
Happy Holidays to you and yours!
About the Author
Terri Seymour and her husband Terry of www.seymourproducts.com offer a no cost, home business opportunity. Apply online.Resources and more for your home business available at www.myownezine.com Free ecoursebusiness-building-ecourse@getresponse.com
An Overlooked Fr~e Advertising Opportunity
© Terri Seymour
When you have an online business you need to utilizeevery possible avenue of advertising and promotion.As I sign up for more ezines and discussion groups,I am finding numerous publishers are overlooking a very effective and fr~e advertising opportunity.
After I sign up for an ezine or email discussion group,I await the welcome letter for guidelines and to learna bit more about the ezine/website/webmaster. Toooften all I get in the welcome letter is the standard default letter. No personal welcome, no introductions,no links to check out and no email.
This disappoints me as I always like to check out the sites of the people I am signing up with. It almostmakes me want to unsubscribe.......almost. ;-) But I know that some publishers may just not know that youcan take advantage of this advertising opportunity.I also didn't know of such opportunity when I was first starting.
So, by writing this article, I hope to make publishers and listowners aware of this fr~e advertising.
Whether you use Yahoogroups, Topica or a list manager that you have purchased, you can change the welcomemessage. Personalize it by introducing yourself and letting the subscriber know about your website/business.
*Inform them of any specials you might have.*Tell them your advertising rates and add a testimonial.*Invite them to your site to utilize the fr~e resources.*Let them know your email so they can contact you.*Use some of the space for ad swapping with otherpublishers and their welcome letters.*Add an affiliate product or program review.
There are numerous things you can promote with yourwelcome letter. Also, do not overlook your goodbyeletter. You have one last chance to get this person back. Make it a good one. ;-)
I also have a little message in my goodbye letter thatencourages people to let me know why they unsubbed.
Example:
Thank you for being a subscriber to My Own Ezine. I am sorry to see you go. If you could take a minute to let me know why you unsubbed, I would appreciate it.Please drop a quick note tomailto:ter02@newnorth.net?subject=unsub Thank you.
You might learn ways to improve your ezine by askingformer subs this question. Of course, they do not allanswer, but a good many do! Always reply to them with a short but appreciative thank you note!
I also promote many of the same things as I do with my welcome letter. By doing this you just might get thisperson to think........"Maybe I will take one last lookand see what they have."
In this business, you have to utilize every opportunity possible and this FR~E advertising could turn out to bea golden one!
Happy Holidays to you and yours!
About the Author
Terri Seymour and her husband Terry of www.seymourproducts.com offer a no cost, home business opportunity. Apply online.Resources and more for your home business available at www.myownezine.com Free ecoursebusiness-building-ecourse@getresponse.com
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Affiliate Strategies Of Pay Per Click Advertising Networks
by: Stan Hauser
The Untold Secret Of Pay Per Click Advertising:
An often misunderstood reality of Pay-Per-Click advertising is that many times you can't determine where you ad will be displayed once you sign-up with one of the PPC Search Engines. In the incestuous world of online advertising, companies are often simultaneously competitors and partners. This is never more true than in the case of Search Engine Advertising.
Even The Big Guys Do It:
If the Pay-Per-Click program you're using is from one of the major brands that has it's own consumer search destination site (Google, Yahoo, Lycos etc,) it's a little easier to tell where your ads will show up. However, even if you're working with the major players, your ads won't be limited to the Search Engine you signed up with. For example, Google has agreements with Lycos, Ask Jeeves, AOL, and other lesser known brands, to display ads from the Google AdWords program. Yahoo has relationships with MSN, and CNN.Com to display ads from its Overture Pay Per Click Program. Lycos owns HotBot.Com and has partnered with affiliates outside its network to increase the distribution of ads from the Lycos AdBuyer Pay Per Click program.
Distribution Strategies Of Smaller Search Engines:
Once you go beyond the major Pay Per Click Advertising programs it becomes increasingly difficult to know where your ads will appear. Most of the second tier Search Engines rely exclusively on networks of unknown sites for their distribution. FindWhat.Com, Kanoodle, Enhance and Search 123 don't operate sites that consumers use to search the web. Because of this they have developed relationships with thousands of smaller sites to display ads from customers who sign up for their Pay Per Click programs.
Affiliate Traffic Isn't Necessarily Bad:
Just because a Pay Per Click Advertising program doesn't have its own search site to drive traffic doesn't necessarily mean that the traffic is of lesser quality. Like everything else when it comes to a successful PPC Advertising campaign, the key is to track and analyze results on a daily basis. Set-up independent tracking URL's for each PPC Search Engine you are working with, or use a third party tracking tool like Atlas One Point to track how many clicks you're getting from each Search Engine, and how much of the traffic is converting into sales.
Can You Cherry Pick Affiliates?
As a rule, most Search Engines won't divulge the list of affiliates they are working with to display your ads. Even if you are able to determine which affiliate sites are converting better for you than others, the Search Engines generally won't allow you to cherry pick which affiliates will display your ad. However, some Pay Per Click Search Engines like Google allow you to opt out of their affiliate network.
Conclusion:
Driving traffic by displaying ads across a network of affiliate sites is a fact of life for Pay Per Click Search Engines. It's not necessarily bad, but it is something you need to be aware of as you analyze which PPC Search Engines to use, and which ones perform. By displaying your ad on affiliate sites your marketing message is put in front of more people who are looking for the products you sell. The downside is once you move beyond the big brands and venture into the vast mysterious world of affiliate networks, there is a chance the quality of your traffic will decline. As long as you monitor your traffic sources for volume, and conversions, and adjust your campaigns accordingly you should be able to benefit from the increased distribution affiliates provide, while maintaining the profitability metrics for your Pay Per Click Advertising campaign.
About the Author
Stan Hauser is a leading expert on effective Pay Per Click Advertising strategies, and the creator of http://pay-per-click-advertising-guide.com
The Untold Secret Of Pay Per Click Advertising:
An often misunderstood reality of Pay-Per-Click advertising is that many times you can't determine where you ad will be displayed once you sign-up with one of the PPC Search Engines. In the incestuous world of online advertising, companies are often simultaneously competitors and partners. This is never more true than in the case of Search Engine Advertising.
Even The Big Guys Do It:
If the Pay-Per-Click program you're using is from one of the major brands that has it's own consumer search destination site (Google, Yahoo, Lycos etc,) it's a little easier to tell where your ads will show up. However, even if you're working with the major players, your ads won't be limited to the Search Engine you signed up with. For example, Google has agreements with Lycos, Ask Jeeves, AOL, and other lesser known brands, to display ads from the Google AdWords program. Yahoo has relationships with MSN, and CNN.Com to display ads from its Overture Pay Per Click Program. Lycos owns HotBot.Com and has partnered with affiliates outside its network to increase the distribution of ads from the Lycos AdBuyer Pay Per Click program.
Distribution Strategies Of Smaller Search Engines:
Once you go beyond the major Pay Per Click Advertising programs it becomes increasingly difficult to know where your ads will appear. Most of the second tier Search Engines rely exclusively on networks of unknown sites for their distribution. FindWhat.Com, Kanoodle, Enhance and Search 123 don't operate sites that consumers use to search the web. Because of this they have developed relationships with thousands of smaller sites to display ads from customers who sign up for their Pay Per Click programs.
Affiliate Traffic Isn't Necessarily Bad:
Just because a Pay Per Click Advertising program doesn't have its own search site to drive traffic doesn't necessarily mean that the traffic is of lesser quality. Like everything else when it comes to a successful PPC Advertising campaign, the key is to track and analyze results on a daily basis. Set-up independent tracking URL's for each PPC Search Engine you are working with, or use a third party tracking tool like Atlas One Point to track how many clicks you're getting from each Search Engine, and how much of the traffic is converting into sales.
Can You Cherry Pick Affiliates?
As a rule, most Search Engines won't divulge the list of affiliates they are working with to display your ads. Even if you are able to determine which affiliate sites are converting better for you than others, the Search Engines generally won't allow you to cherry pick which affiliates will display your ad. However, some Pay Per Click Search Engines like Google allow you to opt out of their affiliate network.
Conclusion:
Driving traffic by displaying ads across a network of affiliate sites is a fact of life for Pay Per Click Search Engines. It's not necessarily bad, but it is something you need to be aware of as you analyze which PPC Search Engines to use, and which ones perform. By displaying your ad on affiliate sites your marketing message is put in front of more people who are looking for the products you sell. The downside is once you move beyond the big brands and venture into the vast mysterious world of affiliate networks, there is a chance the quality of your traffic will decline. As long as you monitor your traffic sources for volume, and conversions, and adjust your campaigns accordingly you should be able to benefit from the increased distribution affiliates provide, while maintaining the profitability metrics for your Pay Per Click Advertising campaign.
About the Author
Stan Hauser is a leading expert on effective Pay Per Click Advertising strategies, and the creator of http://pay-per-click-advertising-guide.com
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Advertising Your Work From Home Internet Business With PPC S
by: Tom Worsley
If you want to make money online with a work from home business then you are going to need lots of good targeted traffic to your web site and or affiliate links. One way to get good targeted traffic is to pay for it. I know you were hoping to do this business of yours without spending a dime right? Well if that’s what you are thinking you better keep working for someone else and forget about working from home with your own internet business.
I have been paying for traffic ever since I started my online business over 4 years ago and one of the best sources of targeted traffic is through pay per click search engines (PPC) or pay for placement search alternatives like Google adwords or Yahoo Sponsor Listings, formerly Overture.com .
If you want to make money online with a work from home business then you are going to need lots of good targeted traffic to your web site and or affiliate links. One way to get good targeted traffic is to pay for it. I know you were hoping to do this business of yours without spending a dime right? Well if that’s what you are thinking you better keep working for someone else and forget about working from home with your own internet business.
I have been paying for traffic ever since I started my online business over 4 years ago and one of the best sources of targeted traffic is through pay per click search engines (PPC) or pay for placement search alternatives like Google adwords or Yahoo Sponsor Listings, formerly Overture.com .
Google adwords and Yahoo Sponsor Listings are the kings of pay per placement search engines. They are also the most expensive but you will get the most targeted traffic from them. If you cannot get a free listing in the top 10 on their main search results under the sponsored listings then you may want to consider pay per placement. Sponsored listings usually appear at the top above regular listings on Yahoo, and down the right side of the page at Google.
If Google and Yahoo are too rich for your liking then try some of the smaller PPC search engines like 7Search, Findwhat and or Kanoodle. I have put together a web page with links to these PPC search engines at the following web page.
CLICK HERE-----> http://bigmoolla.com/ppc.html
The key to good PPC advertising is to find cheap key words under .50 cents per click that will land you in the top 5 positions. There is no need to be number 1. A number 5 placement may cost you a few cents per click less and you will likely get the same traffic or in some cases even more than a number 1 spot. Try to pick as many key words as you can that are directly related to your product or service.
If you are advertising a work from home internet business try breaking down what I just typed. Work from home, home internet business, internet business, work from home business, home business. YOU GET THE PICTURE.
If you want to advertise a product like multivitamins try keywords like vitamins, supplements, vitamin supplements, health supplements, diet supplements, multivitamins. YOU GET THE PICTURE.
If you don’t have your own web site and only an affiliate link you may have to get a redirect URL from someone like http://tinyurl.com . Most of the PPC engines will not allow you to use an affiliate link. But you can get a tinyurl for free and have it re-direct to your affiliate link. If your affiliate program allows you to key code for testing purposes like SFI does then you can get several tinyurls and direct them to a different key code. That way you can actually test your PPC ad campaign to see which key words are working the best for you. This is important if you want to reduce your advertising dollars without sacrificing traffic to your web site. (We all want to do this right?)
PPC is only one advertising method that you should be taking advantage of, but it’s an important one so give it a try if you have not already. It may just change the way you do business and effect how much money you make with your work from home internet business.
About the Author
Tom Worsley is a successful work from home Internet marketer and independent representative for Strong Future International (SFI), Owner and Webmaster for http://kawarthapublishing.com.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Advertising Your Home Business With Pay Per Click Can Be Ris
by: Kirk Bannerman
An unfortunate byproduct of the pay per click advertising business is click fraud. Many people with an online business spend large amounts of money on pay per click advertising only todiscover that many of the people clicking on their ads weren't really interested in their products or services.
Bogus "visitors" to a pay per click ad represent click fraud. This is a serious scam that threatens the viability of the payper click advertising business which has become enormouslyprofitable for all of the major search engine operators, namelyGoogle, Yahoo/Overture, and MSN.
Click fraud has different twists, but the end result is generallythe same. Advertisers are billed for fruitless traffic generated by someone who repeatedly clicks on an advertiser's ad without any intention of ever buying anything.
The search engine advertising market is currently about $3.8 billion per year and estimates vary widely on how much click fraud is actually going on. Clearly, the search engine operatorswould like to downplay the extent of this problem. Some industryexperts claim that a little click fraud exists but that it isoverblown by advertiser paranoia, while others estimate that tento twenty percent of all clicks are false (made by someone withno legitimate interest in the ad itself).
Virtually everyone involved with pay per click advertising sees click fraud and knows it's there, but no one is quite sure what to do about it.
Both Google and Yahoo/Overture acknowledge that the click fraud problem exists, but claim improved internal controls will preventthe problem from escalating. Their stated position seems to be that they are concerned about click fraud, but that it is not a material issue so far. Both of them are touting their increasinginternal actions aimed at detecting and combating click fraud.
Such reassurances from search engine companies certainly aren't surprising, given how much they stand to lose if advertisers cut back on advertising spending. The stakes are huge and thesearch engine companies are actively involved in public relationscampaigns. Industry research firm eMarketer expects $7.4 billion to be spent on search engine advertising by 2008, up from only $108.5 million back in 2000.
The incentives for click fraud have increased along with the money devoted to search engine advertising. Advertising on searchengines has turned into a fast-spreading craze as more and more marketers have realized substantially higher returns on search engine ads than on more traditional marketing campaigns conducted through print media.
Most pay per click advertisers set a spending limit and once the spending limit is reached, the ads cease to appear in the searchresults. Click fraud is a very unethical competitive tacticwhere someone repeatedly clicks on a competitor's ad until the spending limit is reached and the ad then disappears from thesearch results. It seems that it's only a matter of time before some advertisers become so exasperated with click fraud that they file a class-action lawsuit against a major search engine.
The success of search engine advertising has substantially raised prices that advertisers pay for top spots. Unfortunately, these higher prices have turned click fraud into a dark littleindustry of its own. Some crooks have hired cheap overseas contractors to just sit in front of computers and constantly click on targeted ads and others are developing sophisticated software to help automate and conceal click fraud.
If you use pay per click advertising it would be wise to carefully monitor your traffic to determine if you are the victimof click fraud. In any event, it's probably safe to say thatpay per click advertisers are going to have to accept a certain level of click fraud as just a cost of doing business.
About the Author
Kirk Bannerman operates his own successful home based business and also coaches others seeking to start their own home based business. For more information visit his website at Proven Work AtHome Business
An unfortunate byproduct of the pay per click advertising business is click fraud. Many people with an online business spend large amounts of money on pay per click advertising only todiscover that many of the people clicking on their ads weren't really interested in their products or services.
Bogus "visitors" to a pay per click ad represent click fraud. This is a serious scam that threatens the viability of the payper click advertising business which has become enormouslyprofitable for all of the major search engine operators, namelyGoogle, Yahoo/Overture, and MSN.
Click fraud has different twists, but the end result is generallythe same. Advertisers are billed for fruitless traffic generated by someone who repeatedly clicks on an advertiser's ad without any intention of ever buying anything.
The search engine advertising market is currently about $3.8 billion per year and estimates vary widely on how much click fraud is actually going on. Clearly, the search engine operatorswould like to downplay the extent of this problem. Some industryexperts claim that a little click fraud exists but that it isoverblown by advertiser paranoia, while others estimate that tento twenty percent of all clicks are false (made by someone withno legitimate interest in the ad itself).
Virtually everyone involved with pay per click advertising sees click fraud and knows it's there, but no one is quite sure what to do about it.
Both Google and Yahoo/Overture acknowledge that the click fraud problem exists, but claim improved internal controls will preventthe problem from escalating. Their stated position seems to be that they are concerned about click fraud, but that it is not a material issue so far. Both of them are touting their increasinginternal actions aimed at detecting and combating click fraud.
Such reassurances from search engine companies certainly aren't surprising, given how much they stand to lose if advertisers cut back on advertising spending. The stakes are huge and thesearch engine companies are actively involved in public relationscampaigns. Industry research firm eMarketer expects $7.4 billion to be spent on search engine advertising by 2008, up from only $108.5 million back in 2000.
The incentives for click fraud have increased along with the money devoted to search engine advertising. Advertising on searchengines has turned into a fast-spreading craze as more and more marketers have realized substantially higher returns on search engine ads than on more traditional marketing campaigns conducted through print media.
Most pay per click advertisers set a spending limit and once the spending limit is reached, the ads cease to appear in the searchresults. Click fraud is a very unethical competitive tacticwhere someone repeatedly clicks on a competitor's ad until the spending limit is reached and the ad then disappears from thesearch results. It seems that it's only a matter of time before some advertisers become so exasperated with click fraud that they file a class-action lawsuit against a major search engine.
The success of search engine advertising has substantially raised prices that advertisers pay for top spots. Unfortunately, these higher prices have turned click fraud into a dark littleindustry of its own. Some crooks have hired cheap overseas contractors to just sit in front of computers and constantly click on targeted ads and others are developing sophisticated software to help automate and conceal click fraud.
If you use pay per click advertising it would be wise to carefully monitor your traffic to determine if you are the victimof click fraud. In any event, it's probably safe to say thatpay per click advertisers are going to have to accept a certain level of click fraud as just a cost of doing business.
About the Author
Kirk Bannerman operates his own successful home based business and also coaches others seeking to start their own home based business. For more information visit his website at Proven Work AtHome Business
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Advertising Your Home Business on a Budget
by: Stone Evans
When you are starting out in a new home business and no one knows who you are, one of the greatest challenges you will face is how to drum up new business.
Many people know that they must turn to advertising at some point in the future, but they hope that day will be long down the road. For some, this utopian concept will come to fruition. But for the rest of us in the real world, we must come up with creative solutions for meeting our home business advertising needs while working within our budget.
Most people have a misconception about having to spend lots of money in order to advertise their home business. When you start out, you honestly will not have much money available for advertising, and if you do, you should still spend it wisely.
Before you jump headfirst into the world of advertising, let me share some of the lessons I have learned concerning this most important topic.
LESSON #1
It does not have to cost an arm and a leg to advertise your home business, unless you fail to plan and fail to test.
As much as is possible, you should always test your advertising. If you jump in and start dumping tons of money in to advertising without first testing your advertising, you might find yourself broke and without sales at the end of the road. Most people who commit this error write off their failure on the home business they chose or the economy or any of a hundred other excuses. But, if they are unwilling to take responsibility for their mistake, they will never learn from their mistake. Don't let this be you.
LESSON #2
All testing should be done in blocks. If you begin to advertise simultaneously in newspapers, radio and television, how will you know which advertising is bringing people to your cash register? You won't. All you will know that something might be working, but you will not know what is actually doing the trick.
Even if you tell people in your advertising to tell you how they found you, my experience shows that fewer than 10% of the people ever will tell you anything --- and those people who do may not even get the facts straight! You cannot rely on your customers to tell you what advertising is working for your home business. You must put in the extra effort to know for yourself.
LESSON #3
Only when you have a proven and solid advertising portfolio should you venture to drop big bucks in an advertising campaign. Even then, you should be careful to keep further measurements to determine how much the maximum advantage of an ad would be. Sometimes you might be able to reach ten times as many people, but depending on the kind of media and other factors, the additional exposure will only generate twice as many sales. Keep your eye attuned to situations like this to get the most from your advertising dollars.
LESSON #4
As Lesson #3 illustrates, sometimes your best advertising investment may actually cost you less money. When you are first starting out, whether you are running a home business or a business outside of your home, you need to be able to get people talking and thinking about your business
If you are busy testing ads in media's such as the newspaper, magazines, radio, and television, you need to learn ways of promoting your business that do not require large cash expenditures. A few examples are:
· Word of Mouth
· Business Cards
· Press Releases
· Non-Primetime Ads on Radio and Television
Here is more information about each type of low-cost advertising:
WORD OF MOUTH
This of course is the cheapest kind of advertising on the planet --- it does not cost you anything. Ask your customers if they know anyone who could also use your products or services. When they are happy with your offerings and service, they will be willing to tell you whom you can contact, and they will pass the word for you.
BUSINESS CARDS
You can usually pick up 500 business cards for about $20. When you do, hand them out. Do not give more than a couple of cards to each person. If they need more cards from you, they will ask.
Some people are known to network with others on a regular basis. Some of these people are also known to be always looking for an extra few bucks. With these people, you can suggest to them that if they write their name on the back of one of your business cards and the card is presented to you, then you will pay a referral fee to them. You do not have to offer much --- sometimes one dollar is enough. Look at your home business and your offerings and decide how much would be a good referral fee.
PRESS RELEASES
Press Releases are a good source for generating news about your home business. The business editor at your local newspaper is always on the lookout for a good business story to fill the business news section of the newspaper.
Of course, the business editor understands the economics of running a paper and is more inclined to run your story if you buy advertising in his/her publication, but will still print stories for special events and openings.
The important thing to remember about Press Releases is that it must be constructed in the form of a news story. Even if you are a sole proprietorship, quotes from you should be written in a third person format: John Doe said, "Your quote here."
A Press Release should pack the most important information at the beginning of the copy, and leave extra details towards the end.
You should always provide the reporter who gets the task a simple and easy way for him/her to contact you directly. Often the reporter will want to contact you to get details that will enhance their take on your story.
To learn more about creating Press Releases, you may check out Rusty Cawley's site: http://www.PRrainmaker.com/
NON-PRIMETIME ADS ON RADIO AND TELEVISION
Believe it or not, some of the best rates for radio and television are on the overnight and non-primetime venues. These target times are not a total waste as they can easily keep the infomercial people in business.
These off-hours are just less populated than the primetime hours.
Don't be afraid to check your local radio and television rates for non-primetime hours to see what bargains may exist. With television, primetime is 7pm to 10pm. With radio, primetime is 8am to 5pm. This sure leaves a whole lot of hours available to advertise your home business at discount rates!
IN CONCLUSION
When it comes down to it, there is a lot to understand about advertising, but when you have the basic knowledge down pat, everything will fall into place and bring more dollars to your bank account.
About the Author
Stone Evans owns the Home Business Resource Directory whereyou can find everything you'll ever need to start, run and grow ahome based business at: http://www.Home-Business.com
When you are starting out in a new home business and no one knows who you are, one of the greatest challenges you will face is how to drum up new business.
Many people know that they must turn to advertising at some point in the future, but they hope that day will be long down the road. For some, this utopian concept will come to fruition. But for the rest of us in the real world, we must come up with creative solutions for meeting our home business advertising needs while working within our budget.
Most people have a misconception about having to spend lots of money in order to advertise their home business. When you start out, you honestly will not have much money available for advertising, and if you do, you should still spend it wisely.
Before you jump headfirst into the world of advertising, let me share some of the lessons I have learned concerning this most important topic.
LESSON #1
It does not have to cost an arm and a leg to advertise your home business, unless you fail to plan and fail to test.
As much as is possible, you should always test your advertising. If you jump in and start dumping tons of money in to advertising without first testing your advertising, you might find yourself broke and without sales at the end of the road. Most people who commit this error write off their failure on the home business they chose or the economy or any of a hundred other excuses. But, if they are unwilling to take responsibility for their mistake, they will never learn from their mistake. Don't let this be you.
LESSON #2
All testing should be done in blocks. If you begin to advertise simultaneously in newspapers, radio and television, how will you know which advertising is bringing people to your cash register? You won't. All you will know that something might be working, but you will not know what is actually doing the trick.
Even if you tell people in your advertising to tell you how they found you, my experience shows that fewer than 10% of the people ever will tell you anything --- and those people who do may not even get the facts straight! You cannot rely on your customers to tell you what advertising is working for your home business. You must put in the extra effort to know for yourself.
LESSON #3
Only when you have a proven and solid advertising portfolio should you venture to drop big bucks in an advertising campaign. Even then, you should be careful to keep further measurements to determine how much the maximum advantage of an ad would be. Sometimes you might be able to reach ten times as many people, but depending on the kind of media and other factors, the additional exposure will only generate twice as many sales. Keep your eye attuned to situations like this to get the most from your advertising dollars.
LESSON #4
As Lesson #3 illustrates, sometimes your best advertising investment may actually cost you less money. When you are first starting out, whether you are running a home business or a business outside of your home, you need to be able to get people talking and thinking about your business
If you are busy testing ads in media's such as the newspaper, magazines, radio, and television, you need to learn ways of promoting your business that do not require large cash expenditures. A few examples are:
· Word of Mouth
· Business Cards
· Press Releases
· Non-Primetime Ads on Radio and Television
Here is more information about each type of low-cost advertising:
WORD OF MOUTH
This of course is the cheapest kind of advertising on the planet --- it does not cost you anything. Ask your customers if they know anyone who could also use your products or services. When they are happy with your offerings and service, they will be willing to tell you whom you can contact, and they will pass the word for you.
BUSINESS CARDS
You can usually pick up 500 business cards for about $20. When you do, hand them out. Do not give more than a couple of cards to each person. If they need more cards from you, they will ask.
Some people are known to network with others on a regular basis. Some of these people are also known to be always looking for an extra few bucks. With these people, you can suggest to them that if they write their name on the back of one of your business cards and the card is presented to you, then you will pay a referral fee to them. You do not have to offer much --- sometimes one dollar is enough. Look at your home business and your offerings and decide how much would be a good referral fee.
PRESS RELEASES
Press Releases are a good source for generating news about your home business. The business editor at your local newspaper is always on the lookout for a good business story to fill the business news section of the newspaper.
Of course, the business editor understands the economics of running a paper and is more inclined to run your story if you buy advertising in his/her publication, but will still print stories for special events and openings.
The important thing to remember about Press Releases is that it must be constructed in the form of a news story. Even if you are a sole proprietorship, quotes from you should be written in a third person format: John Doe said, "Your quote here."
A Press Release should pack the most important information at the beginning of the copy, and leave extra details towards the end.
You should always provide the reporter who gets the task a simple and easy way for him/her to contact you directly. Often the reporter will want to contact you to get details that will enhance their take on your story.
To learn more about creating Press Releases, you may check out Rusty Cawley's site: http://www.PRrainmaker.com/
NON-PRIMETIME ADS ON RADIO AND TELEVISION
Believe it or not, some of the best rates for radio and television are on the overnight and non-primetime venues. These target times are not a total waste as they can easily keep the infomercial people in business.
These off-hours are just less populated than the primetime hours.
Don't be afraid to check your local radio and television rates for non-primetime hours to see what bargains may exist. With television, primetime is 7pm to 10pm. With radio, primetime is 8am to 5pm. This sure leaves a whole lot of hours available to advertise your home business at discount rates!
IN CONCLUSION
When it comes down to it, there is a lot to understand about advertising, but when you have the basic knowledge down pat, everything will fall into place and bring more dollars to your bank account.
About the Author
Stone Evans owns the Home Business Resource Directory whereyou can find everything you'll ever need to start, run and grow ahome based business at: http://www.Home-Business.com
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Advertising Using PPC Search Engines
by: Paul Jesse
Copyright 2005 Paul Jesse
Internet technology offers vast opportunities to promote your business with virtually no advertising borders, and you can find countless sources online directing you towards budget marketing via pay-per-click search engines for maximum effectiveness in the information age.
Enterprising people know all the benefits of optimizing their online advertising, and because of this fact the ‘pay-per-click’ (PPC) technique has been developed to meet the need. PPC is certainly at the cutting edge of Internet advertising today, because you ‘bid’ or budget on the exact amount you want to put into your advertising campaign, giving you the choice to state just how much you’ll pay each time someone clicks on your ad.
For instance, if you bid five cents a click, that’s how little you’ll pay for your advertising - and you’ll only have to pay that five cents each time a consumer clicks on your ad! Budget marketing via pay-per-click search engines should encompass the following integral steps of creating, optimizing and managing your advertising campaign or ‘sponsored search’ on the most widely used search engines including Google, Yahoo, MSN, Earthlink, American Online, Ask Jeeves and CNN.com - just to name a famous few!
The most widely touted benefit of budget marketing via pay-per-click search engines is that it delivers your product information and your web site to the very consumers online who are searching for such products, be it business, science or technology-related, trips and travel, car buying, entertainment ideas or wedding planning! Your business specifically reaches those already interested in knowing more, and enthusiasts of budget marketing via pay-per-click search engines will tell you that no other advertising medium can give you that kind of bang for your advertising buck.
Other pluses of budgeting via PPC are that your ad can be targeted to regions you specify, whether you want the entire world to know, or just focus on your local area at the moment. Your ad can also be tracked towards search engines that receive the highest amount of keywords specific to the product or service on your website. Whether you have a home based business or you’ve just been appointed Director of a countrywide multi-national, your business will benefit from budget marketing
About the Author
Paul Jesse is a retired worker turned Internet Marketer. You can visit his website at: http://www.breastfeedbaby.com
Copyright 2005 Paul Jesse
Internet technology offers vast opportunities to promote your business with virtually no advertising borders, and you can find countless sources online directing you towards budget marketing via pay-per-click search engines for maximum effectiveness in the information age.
Enterprising people know all the benefits of optimizing their online advertising, and because of this fact the ‘pay-per-click’ (PPC) technique has been developed to meet the need. PPC is certainly at the cutting edge of Internet advertising today, because you ‘bid’ or budget on the exact amount you want to put into your advertising campaign, giving you the choice to state just how much you’ll pay each time someone clicks on your ad.
For instance, if you bid five cents a click, that’s how little you’ll pay for your advertising - and you’ll only have to pay that five cents each time a consumer clicks on your ad! Budget marketing via pay-per-click search engines should encompass the following integral steps of creating, optimizing and managing your advertising campaign or ‘sponsored search’ on the most widely used search engines including Google, Yahoo, MSN, Earthlink, American Online, Ask Jeeves and CNN.com - just to name a famous few!
The most widely touted benefit of budget marketing via pay-per-click search engines is that it delivers your product information and your web site to the very consumers online who are searching for such products, be it business, science or technology-related, trips and travel, car buying, entertainment ideas or wedding planning! Your business specifically reaches those already interested in knowing more, and enthusiasts of budget marketing via pay-per-click search engines will tell you that no other advertising medium can give you that kind of bang for your advertising buck.
Other pluses of budgeting via PPC are that your ad can be targeted to regions you specify, whether you want the entire world to know, or just focus on your local area at the moment. Your ad can also be tracked towards search engines that receive the highest amount of keywords specific to the product or service on your website. Whether you have a home based business or you’ve just been appointed Director of a countrywide multi-national, your business will benefit from budget marketing
About the Author
Paul Jesse is a retired worker turned Internet Marketer. You can visit his website at: http://www.breastfeedbaby.com
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