Marketing Tips Blog

If you think Facebook is so popular for consumer stuff, whole cottage industries have started here, so Facebook Ads must work, right?

You better check this comparison of Facebook Advertising Versus Google Display Network.

In this infographic, you will find that Google, in their infinite wisdom, trump Facebook in click thru rates from ‘browsers’. I would never suggest that Google Network was highly targeted for most advertisers, not until they set ...

WordPress has now become the most popular self-hosted CMS/blog, beating out Drupal, Expression Engine and Blogger. Along with bloggers, traditional small business people are getting a WordPress website customised by a developer, then scratching their head, thinking: “how do I use WordPress to make my life easier?”

As a business owner or consultant, you’re flat out already – with little time to check your Google Analytics tool. Welcome to this handy Plugin: Google Analytics Dashboard. (Select “Add new” and search “Analytics ...

It seems silly doesn’t it, that we can go to the trouble of building a business website or blog, spend time or money to get some visitors, and then neglect to make it EASY for visitors to contact you. Contact Forms to the rescue.

Mick’s video on contact forms makes it easy to understand why you need a form, and what tools you can utilise – usually for free and with limited technical knowledge.

Having a contact form rather than a “mailto” ...

In my book I mention outsourcing quite a lot. Now I think that the world of outsourcing is often misunderstood. I have been learning even more about Outsourcing via Phil Farmer and a course by Pete Williams/Dave Jenyns. Before you go to do any outsourcing, its important to try to understand the two types of out-sourcing (these definitions are paraphrased from the Outsource to Profit course).

Outsourcing is a long term sourcing of ongoing tasks to external support workers, ...

Have you given sufficient thought to how people search for your business online? Keyword selection is important in business names and in domain name URLs. This video tip relates to how a naming a business outside its category is not so easy to optimise, but there is something you can do to overcome it.

If you have an online business or are starting up one, you will know the importance of keyword research and niche discovery. After all, if you don’t research what people are looking for and align it to your knowledge, then you could be up against it in the success stakes.

I made a discovery myself today – I found a niche finder tool that is 100% free.
You may know how much I love Market Samurai (built by Australians Noble Samurai), ...

When a business person starts to build up a profile online, including blogging and social commenting, it seems tempting to just follow along with the crowd in their voice, or else try to persuade continually.  Thus they never get to stand out.

“People listen to people with authority. And that’s equally true online, especially with websites. “ – Damien Farnworth, Copyblogger

Those with authority read, watch, and then put out their opinions that may well be controversial.  The person becomes a solo ...

Before we get into some marketing persuasion ‘theory’, ask yourself “how many times have I gone to a website or Facebook page and thought ‘that sounds like what I’d like to do or have… eventually”, and by the next day promptly forgotten to find out more?”

This is what happens to millions of ‘clickers’ every day. The need is not urgent and so they go away and forget your business name.

Brian Carroll (author of Lead Generation for the Complex Sale) ...

As a busy business owner/manager, why spend your time writing a blog? An industry insider gives his view:

Blogs gather you a targeted audience, then drip-drip-drip the necessary benefit-
lead, fact-filled, objection-busting content to your prospects – without feeling like
they are being sold to. – Chris Garrett, blogging/IM consultant (ChrisG.com)

Obviously just written content alone is not going to generate any profits.
You need some ideas for taking the person from casual browser, to interested buyer, to customer and also advocate.

Steps ...

Continue Reading →

16
NOV

0

Having gone through the process of setting up with Lightning Source, I can let other authors who self-publish know of the initial challenges.
Firstly, are you up for this? Have you done the LuLu or Amazon Create Space thing first? Know how to use technology, or instruct outsourcers? OK… then let’s start with Lightning Source – the publisher’s little secret.

Lightning Source

LSI print orders to publishers, direct, and make titles available to distributors globally, and they have a subsidiary in Australia.
Continue Reading →