february 2008

Some small business owners don’t like competition.

I however love it.

When the big stores like Sam’s Club enter the market, they are showing that a product or service is huge, and it’s time they made some money at it. In other words, they are giving their seal of approval that it’s something they want their customers to know more about - and of course they are willing to give it to you at bulk.

Enter Sam’s Club Online Marketing.

For $30 per month they will feed your information into directories, and provide you with a profile that may lead to more exposure. This is the simplest form of online marketing. Sure, it needs to be done. But if this is all you do month after month, your results will be minimal.

Because Sam’s is now in the marketplace, more business owners than ever will realize the importance of online marketing. And when they have very little luck with this service, they will be on the lookout for a better service.

Social Networking anyone?

I have a new exercise for you. Have you ever taken a moment to think about what your customers are searching for when they are looking for you? Why not ask them.

As a business owner, you are locked in to your business ideas. You think about your products and services every day. And I know many of you assume what your customers think.

So when you start looking around on Google, you make decisions about what keywords and phrases you would like to achieve high results on. But are you thinking the same way as your client?

In many cases, the answer is no.

It doesn’t matter if you are ranked number one under “city of lone tree Colorado orthodontist” if your prospects are all typing in “highlands ranch Colorado orthodontist”. What matters is getting to the places your prospects are actively seeking you out.

The US Postal Service announced Monday it will again raise mail rates in May, by an average of 2.9%.

So is it worth it to continue to use the mail? If you’re doing it the right way.

If you have a ton of money and are only looking to brand your business, then it doesn’t matter where you spend it on advertising. But as a small business, you watch every penny (I know I do). I want to make sure I’m always getting the biggest bang for my buck.

So will I still use the mail? You bet. As long as you are using it efficiently. Make sure you have a call to action. And be sure to drive them to a landing page on your website that states exclusively what your letter/postcard did. Make an offer they can’t refuse, and get them to give you their information, even if its only an email address. With an email address, you can continue to make contact for a very low cost, again and again, month after month.

I’ve always been a little shocked at the statistics that suggest people aren’t reading books anymore.

According to statistics on Parapublishing.com:

Only 38% of adults in 2006 said they had spent time reading a book for pleasure the previous day.

65% of college freshmen in 2005 said they read little or nothing for pleasure.

30% of 13 year olds in 2004 said they read for fun "almost every day," down from 35% in 1984.

So what is this really saying about our society? Are people reading less because they are simply too busy to read? Or is there another reason?

I found an interesting article on Publishing 2.0 on the change to Networked Thoughts. Like the writer, do people not read because of lack of time, or because they are moving into a different type of reading habit? Is the online world changing the way we absorb our information?

I read constantly. I have 5 books started on my nightstand. I subscribe to many magazines - all niched by nature. And I read constantly online. But I read each of these types of media in very different ways.

In his article, Scott mentions what the future beholds for readers. It’s interesting to note that all of today’s top players (Google, Facebook, etc) were started by obsessive computer programmers. They may not read the typical novel, but you can better believe they are getting tremendous information from the online world. Through forums, blogs, news sites, and many other formats, they are getting an education every day in an easy way. When you find great sources, you don’t have to hunt for the information - you simply subscribe to the newsfeed and read what pertains to you.

So is "not reading books" a bad thing? Not when you look at reading in a whole new way. With today’s technology, staying on top can be gained in many ways.

Maybe you’ve built a blog and typed up a few posts. Maybe you’ve been working with your blog for several months. Or maybe you’re still trying to figure out what a blog is. Wherever you’re at, what if I told you businesses just like yours are making money right this very moment with their blogs – and you can too.

To get started, you blog must have 5 things in place to attract attention.

1. Focus your blog on one particular part of your niche.

2. Add quality content to your blog regularly.

3. Make your content visible throughout the Internet. Your blog is a feeder to other parts of the Internet – you must connect all the pieces to make it work.

4. Choose a quality blog to put your content on. Your own customized blog will offer your more freedom over the long haul.

5. Have your readers take an interest in what you do.

Once your blog is in place and you’ve been working at it, its time to make it work for you. Use these 5 tools to make your blog profitable.

1. Promote your own products. Just because your providing quality information doesn’t mean you can’t promote yourself once in awhile. Just don’t overdo it.

2. Promote other products. If you have a great recommendation, direct your readers to the website. Sign up for affiliate programs, when appropriate.

3. Use Google Adsense to deliver text and image ads along with your blog content.

4. Provide links to niche books you enjoy. Amazon has a great referral program that allows you to easily put links to book recommendations (and other products) right in your copy.

5. Allow others to advertise on your blog. When you build up your content, and gain popularity, people will begin contacting you.

Create Your Blog Today >>

Did you enjoy the movie The Secret? Did An Inconvenient Truth make you think? I was just introduced to another movie that makes you think about this time in our lives - how we’re living - and what’s ahead in our future. Take a look - and let me know what you think.

Watch and find out.