Wednesday 31 March 2010

3 Must-Have Strategies to Stay on the Cutting Edge


1.  Explore New Advertising Methods
The first sign that you might need to explore new marketing strategies, is a sharp decline in the effectiveness of your advertisment campaign.  Yeah, you shell out a lot of hard earned cash to advertise, and the public turns its nose up!  Don't wait until your profits are plunging to start hunting for new marketing strategies.

Keep searching for the pot of gold.  The whirlwind of change that continuously sweeps through the marketplace offers great opportunity for discovering new advertising mediums. Be on the lookout for one that will set you up for brand new heights of success.

Here's the rule of thumb for advertising:  Keep 80 percent of your advertising budget invested in the "tried and true" methods that bring in a steady flow of profit, and invest 20 percent into the exploration of new ways to get  your message to potential customers.

2.  Be On The Lookout For New Markets
Be alert! Diversification is the key to staying on the cutting edge of an everchanging marketplace.  You'll be insulating yourself against the effects of these changes by continuously changing as well.  And hey... you never know when a brand new market will translate into millions of dollars in sales! 

You don't have to go out on a limb to reach new markets.  There are marketing niches within the market you are currently dealing with.  Think of it like this...your market can be subdivided into several narrowly defined markets.  A Multi Level Marketing company may notice that many of its prospects are stay-at-home moms and retirees.  Hey a few advertisments directed at the right people...two additional Web pages targeting stay-at-home moms and retirees linked to their home page...and they've effectively customized their markets and are likely to see a 20 percent increase in sales.

3.  Invest In New Products or Services
Have you noticed a continuously progressing slump in the sales and profits of a product or service you currently offer?  It's no sweat if you have other products and services to fill the gap.  Keep a sharp eye out for new products and services that complement what you already have to offer.

A bridal shop owner may have a humming business that sells gowns and veils, but what about tuxedos?  Wouldn't it be easier for the wedding party to get everything in one place?  Tuxedos aren't just for weddings...proms and parties call for bow ties and tails as well.  The potential is expansive.

Yeah, you don't have to be intimidated by clever competition and new technology when you stay on the edge, and make changes with it.  Try these 3 strategies to keep you sales numbers vibrant and climbing!


Tuesday 30 March 2010


Let's face it...competition is here to stay.  There will always be someone waiting in the wings to woo your customers away from you and into their realm.  Yeah, you're always going to have to be on the lookout for new ways to outdo the competition, but there are 3 ways you can minimize the impact they have on your business.

1. Implement Unconventional Marketing Strategies
Standing out from the crowd is sometimes hard to do with so many businesses mimicking the marketing campaigns of their competitors.  Sure, we all want to be successful, and when we see others using a method and prospering there's an urge to jump on the band wagon and enjoy the same success.

Rather than joining the pack, look for ways to advertise that no one else is using. Internet marketing is a good example.  Most Internet marketers use ...you guessed it the Internet to market their products.  Why not get high impact postcards printed and use them to direct people to your Website?  Hey, no one else is doing it!

2. Discover Hidden Markets
Your competitors are missing out on something!  Dig around until you discover what it is, and get a corner on that market niche.  Once you've discovered your secret gold mine, revise your sales copy, and Website to address the specific market you've uncovered.

If you're a Multi Level Marketing representative you might want to consider the following niches.

"    Employees:  The freedom that comes with being your own boss is a dream that many employees hope for, but never experience.  Go ahead...let them know that dreams do come true...there's an opportunity to be their own boss waiting just for them.
"    Stay-at-home Moms:  Most stay at home Moms are sacrificing finances for the well-being of their children.  They would jump at the chance to raise their children and make a little money too.
"    Retirees:  What does the future hold for someone looking at retirement?  It could be that there is a lot of spark, and dreams still pulsing inside...and now...they'll have the time to invest their long time dreams!

3. Become the Expert
We all respect the opinions and insight of someone who really knows a subject inside and out.  Yeah, take the time to research, get to know all of the ins and outs of your product...then emphasize it in your marketing campaign.  True knowledge can't be aped.  Consumers will know who the expert is. 

You don't have to put all of your eggs in one basket to zero in on one product, but you can emphasize your expertise in one area.  Remember that people often expect to pay more for expert advice! You may want to raise your price a little bit, get testimonials, and find another expert to endorse you. 

You don't have to let the competition get one over on you when you position yourself for success!


Monday 29 March 2010

3 Marketing Tactics That Will Send Your Sales Through The Roof


When the tide comes in, all boats in the harbor go up... the tough part is figuring out how to bring the tide in.  Booming economies come and go and bring surges of profit increases,  then ebb to leave behind shortages and tough times.  Regardless, there are some business that just seem to weather the tough times with grace, not really affected by recessions.  It's almost as though they have a secret source... maybe they do... customers.

Hey, customers always buy... in the good times and in the bad times.  They still have needs and still make purchases.  When you understand their needs and wants, you have the keys to keeping your business afloat when others are grounded.  Implement these three tactics successful marketers use, and you're set for success.

1.  Just One
Customers can be like a two year old in a candy store... they want it all.  Yeah, sometimes it's hard to make up your mind about what you really do want when everything looks so good.  That's why it pays to promote one product over the others.  It spells out loud and clear... I'M THE BEST DEAL.  That will be the deciding factor in most cases.

2.  Make Them Feel Good
Customers buy because they want to enjoy the benefits of the purchase.  A lady might buy a dress because she wants to feel sexy, or a man will buy a saw because he finds pleasure in creating things.  Emotions are the key element that drives purchases.

Use word pictures to stir up the emotions that will instigate the sale.  Let them "feel" the benefits, and they'll be more apt to head for the cash register.  Put them where you want them.

Selling a riding mower?  ... the birds are singing, Easter lilies are blooming and kids are flying kites in the wind... spring has arrived.  Yep, it's time to get out that mower and fuel it up for the summer ahead.  How many springs have come and gone since you promised yourself a riding mower? ... It's not hard to paint mental pictures that whet their appetite for the product you are advertising.

3.  Make Contact
Following up with a customer who didn't buy can be the determining factor between and "almost sale" and a satisfied, loyal customer.  Simply contact them afterwards and let them know the product is still available or offer them further information they may find valuable.

Internet marketers can offer free newsletters or reports that consumers find useful and marketers find profitable.  Not only do you keep your product in front of the customer on a regular basis, you get email information to stay in contact.  Both parties win!


Sunday 28 March 2010

3 Foolproof Ways To Soar Through A Recession


Winners are ALWAYS looking for ways to grow their business.  They trust their company, trust their customers to come through for them, and realize that a financial crunch offers advantages that aren't available during better economic times. 

1.  Get More For Your Advertising Bucks
When the economy makes a turn for the worse, it just makes sense that your advertising will give less of a return than during and economic boon.  Sure there's a lot less money being spent, but you don't have to have to watch your profit margin plummet!

Think about it... advertisers are feeling the recession just as much as you are, and are more desperate for clients.  It's the perfect atmosphere to negotiate your way to lower costs - even if you are already getting a good price.  Every advertising penny you can save, is that much more profit you'll earn on the products.

Have you thought about getting free publicity?  Local newspapers are always looking for something of local interest.  Make the news!  Publicity is free, but a wonderful way to get your business in front of potential clients.

Do your advertisements really need to be as big as they are?  We tend to think the big is better, but the facts are that short ads with 11 words or less often generate higher response than large ads.  Give it a try, and trim some costs right off your advertising bill.

2.  Take Advantage Of Big Ticket Sales
Not all of your customers suffer during recession.  Remember that there are always people who are thriving financially, so don't be afraid to make big ticket sales offers.  Additionally, when money is tight, people who place a lot of stock in your product will value it even more.

Think about ways to create products similar to yours, but with much higher prices.  Internet marketers often create members only sites and sell their products at much higher prices.  Hey, they'll obviously make fewer sales, but the people who really value the product will buy.  Each sale will net an immensely higher profit.  Think about it like this... even though the sales are fewer, the actual profit may be even greater than when it was sold at a lower price.

3.  Maximize The Customers You Have
Your customers already know that you have great products and provide satisfactory service.  They trust you to come through for them.  Think about it...  it's much easier to make sales to someone you already have a relationship with.

Use every opportunity to increase your sales volume within the customer audience you already have.  Do you have a product that goes with the one they are purchasing?  Offer it to them at the register.  It's a proven and effective method for increasing sales.  You may be shocked at the additional sales you can generate from those who are already buying from you.


Saturday 27 March 2010

3 Elements That Make Your Ad Successful


When was the last time you bought a car?  Did you really NEED a car?  I mean REALLY need a car?  Chances are the one you were driving was still running when you bought the car you have now.  Yep, Americans rarely buy because they need... they buy because they want to experience the feeling that comes with buying.

We enjoy new purchases.  Sure, we can convince ourselves that we really needed a new one, but if we're totally honest we'll have to admit that would could've got by without it.  What does this mean to your advertising campaign?

1.  State The Benefits Of Your Product or Service
 Capitalize on the ways a customer will improve his lifestyle by making the purchase.  Will he increase his own business profits by 50 percent?  Say so in the opening statement of your sales letter, or at the top of your Web page.

Don't obsess with the features of the product itself or your credibility.  Frankly, customers could care less.  Let's face it... they're a bit selfish when it comes to dishing out their hard earned money.  All they want to know is what's in it for them.

2.  Paint Word Picture That Let Them Experience the Benefits
"Wake up tomorrow, with no boss!  You can spend the day with your family or on the golf course... there's nobody to tell you what to do."

A Multi Level Marketer may want his audience to feel the freedom of having no one to answer to if they become successful in the business.  He'll dramatize that desire, and put the listener in the seat to inspire it to take hold until the listener is ready to sign up and get started.

3.  Inspire Immediate Action
Hey, let's face it... the longer a customer lolly gags, the greater the chances he'll never take the plunge.  Don't let him off the hook that easily! 

Set a deadline.  Put on the pressure to buy now, or miss out on the deal.  Chances are pretty good that the procrastinator will get with it just to save a few bucks.

What about your sales materials?  Have you taken a good look at the things you are advertising?  Make sure you are focused on the benefits the consumer will experience from the purchase, and not on the features of the product or service.


2 Sure-Fire Methods Proven To Convert More Customers


If you're a marketer your number one concern is customers.  You've probably read and heard a million and one ideas about how to build relationships, retain customers, create a list of potential customers, and inspire consmer loyalty.  But the tough question is, "How do I convert prospects into customers?" 

There are a lot of people out there who see your ads, think about them, and maybe even say, "I ought to..."  They're just waiting to be convinced to to do something about it.  There is something you can do to get them moving!

1.  Improve Your Offer
No on can pass up the deal that's "too good to resist."  Think about it... how often do your customers want your product, but just want something else a little more?  That leaves you with a long list of "almost sales" that have the potential to be converted into real sales and profit.  Sweeten the deal.  Make the offer so good they can't resist it.

Now, I'm in no way suggesting that you drop your prices to sweeten the deal.  You can just as easily load it up with bonuses to increase the perceived value without cutting away at your profit.  Bonuses motivate sales, maybe even more than cut prices.

Don't let them lollygag.  Yeah, get them into the store pronto with a deadline.  They may have to put a competitors purchase on hold to get your deal, but hey... what's wrong with that?


2.  Follow Up
How would you like to increase your sales by more than 50 percent?  Yeah, it sounds good!  There's really a very simple tactic that you can implement... follow ups.

Chances are, prospective customers aren't going to buy your product the first time they see or hear about it.  Maybe it'll be the third or fourth, but they have to hear from you that third or fourth time before they actually become a customer.  Do you have a follow up system in place?

Simply contact the "almost customer" every month with a new offer, or give them more information about the product they are showing interest in.  It doesn't have to be an intricate process.  Keeping the contact there goes a long way toward building trust... the key to finding life-long customers.

Internet Marketers experience a high number of customers who browse their site, then click away.  You can't follow up without some form of contact information.  A great way to gather the info you need is to offer a free ebook or informative report that consumers will find of interest.  Once they've given you the information to email them the product, you have what you need to keep in contact, and work on converting them into loyal customers.

Personalize as much as possible.  If you can get the firstname of your customer... great!  Personalized messages have greater appeal than "addressed to occupant" messages.


Friday 26 March 2010

2 Step Marketing


<b>Do it Right.</b>

I receive postcards all the time. The other day I received a postcard trying to sell me a copy machine. It had tiny, tiny lettering slathered all over the front and a large portion of the back of the card.

It was extremely hard to read, so hard in fact that I threw it away.

Several days later I received a postcard with 32 words on it telling me that I could get complete information on unrestricted long distance telephone service for 5.5 cents a minute with no additional monthly fee by calling the 800 number on the card.

I did call.  I got the information, had my questions answered and ordered my long distance service changed.
The company who offered me the long distance service was using a time tested 2 step selling process:

<i>Step 1.</i> Generate a lead - Get me to call their 800 number.

<i>Step 2.</i> Provide the requested information - Provided to me on the phone by one of their sales representatives, who was able to answer my questions and make me feel confident that I could save quite a bit of money on my long distance bill and that the service would be as good or better.

<b>What's So Good About 2 Steps?</b>

It is much easier to create interest (a lead) than it is to get a person through an entire buying process (a sale).

You aren't getting the prospect or existing customer to part with any money just yet.

You can use postcards to inexpensively promote to your target prospects and customers and generate leads (inquiries about your products and services) to then be followed up on and converted to sales.

This 2 step process also helps you to create a list of people who were interested enough in what you offered to contact you.

You can then recontact the one's who you didn't complete a sale with when they first inquired, preferably until they do buy from you.

<b>IMPORTANT:</b>  Be sure to get the information you will need to recontact the people who responded to your postcard offering.

Repetitive follow-ups with the people who contacted you <b>will</b> result in increased sales. Make it a company policy to follow up with those people who contacted you about your products and services.


<b>The Most Effective Use of Postcards:</b>

The purpose of your postcard's message is to generate a sufficient level of interest in the mind of your prospect to get him/her to contact you to ask you about your offer.

You are generating interest, not collecting their money (not yet anyway). That is what the 2 step marketing process is about. Generating interested prospects and customers who contact you for more information.

Your message needs 3 parts to be most effective:

1.    A clear statement of the biggest benefit of your product or service (in the long distance example, it was cost savings).

2.    A good reason for them to contact you NOW.

3.    A simple, easy way for them to respond (an 800 number for example).


Your message should be short and to the point. Short messages on postcards produce more leads than long ones.

<i>For example:

Call 800-555-1212 for Your Copy of Our Free Report:</i>

<b>What 99% of Business Owners Don't Know and Will Never Find Out About Using Postcards to Explode Their Profits </b>

<i>Offer ends 5-5-01 (Print a date 3 weeks from your mailing date to create some urgency)</i>

Lots of people will respond to find out what they might not know. Don't forget, they responded, which is least some interest in the information you have created a curiosity about.

This method works and is sure to produce a large number of inquiries if sent to your proper market.

<b>This 2 Step Marketing Process Works.</b>

Use the tips you have read here to create your next postcard's message and see what happens.

You will generate a bunch of leads from people who are truly interested in your products and services.


Thursday 25 March 2010

'Secret Report'


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Wednesday 24 March 2010

Enhance Your Brand Potential with Giant Advertising Blimps


Creativity can provide all that which is required to make your advertising an attractive and effective one. Getting your product endorsed with an increase in its popularity figure has become quite easy these days with the availability of several advertising mediums in market. Among them advertising blimps and balloons can bring your brand interesting visual advertising without much cost. They are capable to grab maximum attention of the audience, especially if the blimp is visually crafted and appealing to look from a great distance.

The traditional concept of using advertising blimps for product promotion is still in use, as it can gather huge public support in places like grand openings, trade shows, dealer sales, fairs and festivals etc. Therefore Companies big or small increasingly prefer to spend on advertising blimps only to create brand awareness and develop new markets.

Blimpsforsale is a USA based company, manufacturing one of the largest selections of advertising balloons, advertising blimps, inflatables, helium balloons, helium blimps, cold-air balloons, parade balloons, blimps, balloons, custom aerial displays for sale, service and rental purpose. We offer helium advertising blimps in different size for every budget. Our giant advertising blimps and helium advertising balloons can help create excitement and generate sales simultaneously. All of our inflatables in product category are made of the highest quality pvc material for comfort and safety.

Our air dancers, rooftops, giant replicas, cold air balloons, advertising balloons, helium blimps, advertising blimps and banners can be custom made by adding different colors to the body and the fins as per your requirement. All of them are flexible, fun, attractive and great attention getters with the additional advantage of easy to transport and set up features. Our product category gets updated on regular basis that will accomplish promotional and advertising needs of customers through excellent teamwork and creativeness.

If you are looking to bring innovation and cost efficiency to your promotional campaigns, we can help you find the best alternative to your visibility, marketing and promotional needs. Our giant products such as advertising balloons, advertising blimps, inflatables, helium balloons, helium blimps, cold-air balloons, parade balloons, blimps, balloons are available at a comparatively reasonable price and will help your business get noticed from miles way.

Tuesday 23 March 2010

Do's And Don'ts Of Emailing Press Releases From A Media Veteran


I'm a big believer in EMAILING press releases. Not only is email dirt cheap, email can often get you in front of editors a lot faster than regular mail or fax.

Here's why. Media outlets like radio stations, TV stations, and newspapers get a TON of press releases. During my 20 years working in radio and TV, we got bag loads of mailed press releases every day.

Probably 90 percent of them came from politicians and local college athletic programs. Their publicity people are told to send out a release several times a week--whether they have any real news to tell or not. Consequently, media get a release every time a congress person helps someone or an athletic field house gets a new folding chair.

Are these mailed press releases ignored? You bet they are. Most go straight from the mail bag to the trash. Who has time to open 150 envelopes when most of them are pushing some story you will never be able to use? I know I'll get some notes from a media workers who will say "WE don't do it that way at our place." And you can be sure a few news rooms are very organized about opening, reading, filing, and using releases.

Faxed releases work better, but not that much better given the expense. I worked at one station where the manager got tired of the fax machine burning up cartridges printing releases. Faxed releases were routed to the receptionist's computer where she deleted them.

At another media outlet, faxes, ads, and all the other things that get faxed spilled out on the floor. Some were read, others were used for scratch paper, and most were trampled on until somebody bundled them into the trash.

But wait a minute! If nobody is reading press releases, why do studies claim that 75% of the stories you read in newspapers originate from press releases?

The answer lies in email. Email makes it easy to receive a release, forward it to the staff person who covers that particular topic, then store the release in an email "futures" file where it can be pulled up as needed.

It's incredibly easy for newspaper people to import the email release into their writing program, change the headline, tweak a few things, and run it as a story. Editors don't like to admit they do this, but we've seen big city newspapers run our releases as articles with very few changes.

You can't blame journalists for doing this. Media outlets have cut staffs over and over again during the past 15 years. One person now does the work of three staffers.

Here are some tips for making your emailed release the starting point for a media report:

1. Start your subject line with RELEASE. Then follow with the most newsworthy/titillating part of your story.

2. Make your headline the first thing in the body of your email. I like to use two headlines, the second adding more information the first didn't have room to mention. The media person should be able to tell what your release is about just by reading the headlines.

3. Include your contact information after the body of the release. This is becoming the standard way to do things on the Net. Journalists are now used to looking at the bottom for contact info.

4. Keep your release under 400 words. Make sure you have good information the media audience wants, otherwise you don't stand a chance of getting coverage.

5. Take time to send your release to your local media. They are more likely to use your story than out-of-town media. You can find their email addresses by searching for their sites on search engines.

6. Send your release to trade publications covering your field. Even small developments can be of big interest to others in your line of work. One photographer client sent her release to photographic magazines and got coverage in almost every one.

7. Go national. Get the Gebbie Media Guide at Gebbie.com. It's affordable and reliable.


Monday 22 March 2010

Differences in Color Brochure Printing


Brochures are commonly used by business owners for trade show handouts, as information sheets, or basically for promoting products and services to target clients. In addition to your design and layout, the more effective brochure printing pieces are usually those done in full color.

Choosing the most suitable brochure printing colors though has a significant effect not only to your overall look and feel of your promotional items, but most importantly, to the impact it can have on your prospective audience. To maximize the use of color, you need to understand a few things about your color printing choice.

Full Color Brochure Printing
Full color brochure printing usually meant the standard four color commercial printing done on offset presses. This is being offered in almost every brochure printing company.

Basically, the brochure printers apply the 4 color build process called the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks). CMYK is used to create the color shades you commonly see in any brilliant, full color brochure.

Nevertheless, what you see in your computer monitor would most likely be RGB color (red, green, and blue) instead of CMYK, which can be a totally different shade when you get them printed from the offset lithographic presses. The color shades would not exactly be similar; the difference would be in the calibration of your computer screen. Most brochure printer would require your text and images in CMYK though. As this part can be most tricky, there are software programs that can help you convert your RGB text or image into CMYK, which you can then bring to your brochure printing shop.

The advantage of having a four color brochure printing process nevertheless, is worth more. Colors are basically mixed and controlled by the computer to develop a more consistent quality in the end result. That is why full color offset brochure printing is the most popular choice for business owners today.

Spot Colors
Spot color brochure printing is applied when you have one or two color printing projects. What brochure printers do is mix inks to provide you with an exact color match every time you need it throughout your brochure printing process. The specially mixed inks are called pantone colors. Logos are mostly done in spot colors.

Spot color brochure printing is most appropriate when you need to have an exact match of a particular color to your brochure design with that color in the offset press machine.

More tips –

Full color brochure printing though needs to be well planned. You don’t just decide to use it on your brochure printing project just because you fancy it or that your competition is using it. When you decide to go for a full color brochure, remember to consider all the basics, like:

-  Where to apply the full color design? To be more cost effective, use both front and back covers.
- Consider your folding options. Do you want a tri-fold or a half fold?
- Determine your overall design and appearance.
- Consider your paper stock because it can have a great impact in the reproduction of your colors.

The most important factor to consider is to understand your colors and when to use them. When you plan to apply color to your brochure printing project, just make sure to consider all your elements and try to blend your colors with them. Bear in mind that your elements plus your color can create a huge impact on how your prospective readers will receive your print brochures. Use your colors wisely and see how your brochure printing items do wonders for your business.

Sunday 21 March 2010

Detroit Seeing Ovals-Jonathan Munk


Anyone who works in a Detroit skyscraper or flies into Detroit Metropolitan airport may have noticed a new landmark–or rather, roof-mark–as they look down on the city. In preparation for the 2006 Super Bowl, Ford has ordered two gigantic logos for the roof of Ford Field, where the Detroit Lions play. A South-facing logo is already in place, reports the Detroit News, and measures 153 by 316 feet. A North-facing logo will be put in place shortly. The stadium’s vaulted roof is visible from Interstate 75 too, but the main reason Ford is investing in the $175,000 blue ovals is to get publicity from blimp shots during the next Super Bowl.

This makes sense considering a 30-second spot on TV during the Super Bowl costs about $2 million. Using this logic, Ford will have gotten their money’s worth from the logos if the ovals are on camera for just 2.625 seconds. What football game shows only 2.625 seconds worth of an aerial camera view during the entire four-hour game–especially during the Super Bowl?

It seems Ford’s marketing department has scored a homerun, or rather, a touchdown, with this plan. This move only bolsters the point I made a few weeks ago, where I talked about commercialization and advertising invading the sports arena. How long will it be before open stadiums paint a 100 yard-long logo on the grass? Before you know it, the Baltimore Ravens will be running up and down a huge M & T Bank logo for first downs (they play in M & T Bank Stadium).

Instead of mentioning yardage earned, sportscasters will reference the location of the player by using the logo. “Favre scrambles to the last ‘M’ serif for a first down!!”

Logos will continue creeping into sports and any other industry where companies think they can make a buck or two through sponsorship.


Saturday 20 March 2010

Custom Lapel Pins Incredible Promotional Tool


Custom-made lapel pins are one of the most cost effective promotional tools on the market right now. Whether you are a small organization or a multi-national conglomerate, they are a very affordable way of subtly conveying your message to an applicable industry. They are also an excellent way to display pride in sports or achievement and can even be used as fund raising merchandise.

But a custom lapel pin’s purpose is not solely as an effective merchandising or advertising tool. Let’s look at a few different types so that you can get some ideas for uses in your own organization or group.

Sporting

Trading pins are the hottest item going for youth sports teams these days. This is a great and economical hobby for younger adults and also a good way for them to achieve a sense of pride as they develop and expand their collection.

Awareness

Ribbon pins are a great way to show your support for any you support. If you company or group is looking to promote a specific cause, you can even include a logo on any custom ribbon pin.

Awards & Recognition

Business

Award pins are an inexpensive way to recognize and celebrate someone’s achievements such as meeting quota, outstanding attendance, or the success of an entire department. Whatever the occasion, you can create and order award pins that your and your employees will be proud of. A custom lapel pin is an excellent way to reward those individuals or teams for hard work and acknowledge their victories.

Additionally, giving an employee a recognition pin for a job well done can greatly benefit the productivity and moral of the entire company. Studies have proven that happy employees, especially those that know they are appreciated, work better and harder. Custom-made company recognition pins are an affordable way to show your employees that you care about what they are doing, boost moral and help promote your business.

Education

Schools recognizing honor roll, dean’s list or any other achievement of merit can utilize award pins as an acknowledgement tool. School is a challenge with so many new things to learn about and it takes hard work to be a successful student. Merit pins are also a great way to build confidence and keep the motivation level up so that the students keep striving to perform to the best of their ability.

There are many online retailers who would be more than happy to help you create the perfect custom lapel pin for your organization’s needs. These pins can be made from different materials including brass or stainless steel and can also be designed and shaped with unique molding and coloring techniques based on artwork supplied by your organization.


Friday 19 March 2010

Crucial Considerations about Marketing Postcards


Postcards come in different kinds. The first one is called view postcards. This type of postcard offers reference to historic landmarks, buildings, towns, streets. View postcards have been existent since the onset of postcards.

Next, we have historical postcards. These postcards commemorate historical events, politics and social problems such as war, wrecks, floods, epidemic, conflagrations and other worth remembering events from the past.

Another type is the greeting card. This type of postcard is the center of attraction during the holidays. Come Christmas day, Thanks Giving day, New Year’s day, Valentines day, Graduation day and all the red dates in our lives, greetings postcard will come to liven up the special day.

Fourth, we have photographic postcards. These postcards are made up of real pictures of women, lovers, children, landscapes, seascapes, still life and the likes. Photographic postcards have been popular at the time photomatage was made available. This popularity continues up to the present time.

Photomatage technique allows photos to be changed or transformed into artsy masterpieces.

Lastly, we have promotional postcards. This type of postcard is popular to savvy businessmen and marketers. They are used to publicize and promote new products or services. One factor that made it a sure hit is personalization. Personalization allows incorporation of company logos, company pictures and unique and business stingers. By this, the postcards appear more personal, thus warmer and more effective in conveying a marketing message.

It is necessary to know the types of postcards so that whenever you decide to market them or in case you are assigned a postcard printing project, you know exactly the concept.

Another crucial consideration is the materials to be used. Paper, ink and printer must be of good quality in order for your output to be high quality as well.

Finally, you have to consider the commercial printer to trust to. It will be better if you choose a printer with create-a-postcard printing services.

Now, you are ready for the next postcard printing task.

Thursday 18 March 2010

Creating a Buzz on a Budget


When starting a new business most people are trying not to overspend. So one of the places they cut back on is in advertising which is actually very important when starting a new venture. We all can't afford a 30 second spot during the super Bowl but there are a lot of things that we can do that won't cost us a lot.


If you have a vehicle of some sort, whether a car, truck, or van, why not use it as a travelling billboard? You can start with magnetic signs, they are very inexpensive and if you do a lot of driving then a lot of people will see your signs. Now if you have a very nice car and your worried about the finish then what about plastic letters adhered to your window(s)? This can be very effective and very low in cost but you gotta think about this, when people stop for traffic lights, railroad crossings or just for a stop sign their eyes will scout the area. This is a very common thing that almost everybody does. Did you ever stop at a railroad crossing and see these signs that are stuck in the ground with advertising for a mortgage company? They're not being put there because they don't work.

in fact I know of several companies that are selling the service of putting up these signs for small businesses. Again with window lettering you need to use good ad copy have the domain saveupto90percent.com and I had this on my back window of my car. It aroused curiosities when people saw this that they came to my website just to see what they would save up to 90% on. With any advertising you don't want to give them everything, you want them to have questions in their mind so that they will visit your site, your store, or call you to have these questions answered. It's like when leaving a message on an answering machine. If you say to much then why would these people call you back?

When I had a retail computer store I wanted to build a mailing list of possible customer's so I started a raffle. When someone first filled out an entry they got a mousepad with my banner on it. These cost me less than a dollar each which I figured that meant that  I had a dollar into each customer. The raffle was for a $1,000 shopping spree in my store and i collected entries for a year before I held the raffle. i then had the winner, which was an eleven year old boy, announced on the local radio. This kid's name was andy and he is responsible for so many referrals. The $1,000 shopping spree maybe only cost me about $400 but I did so much new business because of this promotion.

Business cards, another low cost advertising mechanism. don't just put your name and phone on them put your website if you have one, your email address, and a one line description of what your business does. Now the next thing that needs to be done with your business cards is a visit to your local book store. if you are a Real estate agent or a mortgage broker then go to the section where all the real estate books are and put one of you cards in the bindings of each of the books. somebody who wants more info on buying a house or obtaining a mortgage is going to go to the bookstore and start looking at all the books on this subject. then they will see your business card. If you sell to small businesses then put your biz cards in the section where people go for books on business.

another area is the magazine section. besides your local book store's what about in your local grocery store/ Do you have a store that sells gift's, what about the local airport, bus terminals, doctors office's?  the ideas are endless but you have to figure that somebody will be reading these publication's and they might see your business card.

Regarding radio advertising, did you ever consider AM radio?  I used to pay less than 45 per spot for sixt second spots. it was a news talk radio station that also played CNN headline news. People driving in traffic, listening to AM radio were all hearing my commercials. when doing radio advertising it is still expensive if you target certain shows but what i did was called blanket advertising. i would buy a certain number of spots per 24 hour period.

what about advertising at your local movie theater? In between movies, while you are waiting for the next movie, you see advertisments on the screen. These cost maybe a few hundred dollars but a lot of people were seeing them. In Nashville, TN. you could advertise in bathrooms. You have to figure that men using the urinals had nothing to look at but the tile wall in front of them. In Nashville their was a company that sold signs, billboards, in the stalls and above the urinals. it was very effective. i discovered this method when i was at a good restaurant and had to use the Men's room.

All the local Chinese restaurants and pizza places hire people to hang flyers on all the doors in a certain area. What about having these people hang your flyers at the same time? If your business doesn't compete with the local pizza or Chinese restaurants a lot of them will do this for you at a very minimal, if any, charge.

If you have a website and don't want to spend the money for advertising then make sure your site has good content. Articles about specific topics, Search engines love these sites and you will still get great ranking's. it may take a little longer than paying a company to promote your site but it does work. Look at my NosugarCoating site. The first page has a ranking of 4 but yet I never had the money to spend on Search Engine sumbmission service's or any other type of promotion.


Wednesday 17 March 2010

Corporate Gifts - imprint to impress!


Most of us have received something imprinted with a corporate logo.  Corporate gifts can consist of anything that can be imprinted, embossed, screened or embroidered with a corporate logo.  In some cases, flowers, liquor, or food items can also be considered.  Items can range from inexpensive key rings or pocketknives, to Italian leather briefcases and Movado clocks.   It can be something of little value or very expensive merchandise.  It always has some sort of logo or message imprinted on it or on the packaging.

       A gift of obvious value will always leave a good impression.  Brand name merchandise is well received because people recognize it's worth. They know the merchandise by the reputation of the product.  Clever items will also leave a lasting impression.  No one can resist an item that makes them laugh or smile.  Something useful, especially if it pertains to their occupation or profession is always welcome.  Fine merchandise that is well made is another way to make a long lasting impression.

     Obviously, an item imprinted with a corporate logo is a great way to introduce a new product.  It can be tied in with national advertising.  Logos can be printed in any shape or color, and this serves to reinforce the product name. The product can be in the shape or color of the new item you are introducing, and can contain advertising copy.   The merchandise can be sent to potential clients, or given away with the purchase of another product.  It's also a great way to say "thank you" at a launch party or dinner.  Not only can the gift be imprinted with advertising information, but also the packaging.  The gift box can be screened with information, and the gift bag can also be printed with a logo or product information.  When this is done tastefully, it leaves a lasting impression and is very well received.

     Imprinted corporate gifts are a good way to reward employees or clients.  Besides the logo imprinted on the gift, the occasion can be engraved.  Many companies give out 5, 10, 15, and 20-year gifts to employees.  It's a wonderful way to acknowledge that the person is appreciated.  It also calls attention to the entire staff that the employee has been rewarded. 

     Corporate gifts are a great way to celebrate the holidays or say "Happy New Year" to clients and potential clients or customers.  Everyone likes to know that they are appreciated.  A gift that will remain in their possession is a constant reminder and will keep your name, your product name, and your sentiments in front of them.
 
      Many items can be individually personalized as well as printed with a logo or a corporate expression.  Often, the item is printed with a motivational message that the company has been using in their advertising.  However, most people cannot resist their own initials or name.  It shows a lot of thought and effort went in to a gift when it's monogrammed with the recipient’s own imprint.  People cannot help but be impressed when it is made especially for them.  Initials or name does not take away from the advertising message you are giving.  It just shows that you took the extra time and effort to make the product especially for them.  A gift packaged beautifully is irresistible and elegant wrapping is sure to please.


Tuesday 16 March 2010

Chemical Directory Can Come in Two Flavors


A chemical directory can come in one of two different flavors, technical and commercial.

<b>Technically Oriented Chemical Directories</b>

This kind of chemical directory allows finding a chemical by its molecular formula, common name, or other technical specification. It is a directory for those with technical familiarity of chemicals.

Once you specify a name, formula etc. the directory takes you to a page that lists the chemicals meeting the search criteria. Against each, supplier names are also given. You can then get more details of a particular supplier, or a particular chemical.

Links would also be available for getting an offer from a particular supplier for a chemical.

Such a technically oriented chemical directories would typically have other technical features, such as chemical calculators that calculates different properties such as molecular mass from a formula or other information.

Another valuable technical feature is a property explorer that calculates drug-relevant properties from valid chemical structures. This helps identify high-risk side effects of the structure. You can identify toxicity for example.

<b>Commercially Oriented Chemical Directories</b>

This kind of directory lists suppliers of particular chemicals in the conventional manner. For example, you can find suppliers for absorbents, acids and so on in alphabetical order. Some directories might also allow you to find suppliers in different countries.

Forwarding a request for quotation - RFQ - to suppliers is a facility that a chemical directory might offer. At least one directory allows you to send enquiries wholesale to many suppliers with just one RFQ form. You can select the companies you want the RFQ to be sent.

There are also chemical suppliers databases in print and computer readable media formats. You can buy these databases against payment. Alternatively, you might pay a monthly or such fee and access their online databases.

While some directories charge the buyers to access their databases of suppliers, others might allow free access to buyers and charge sellers for including their information. In the latter case, only those sellers who pay for inclusion might be included in the directory, i.e., it would be a less comprehensive directory than the other kind.

<b>Regional Chemical Directories</b>

Regional chemical directories seek to promote the chemical industries of different regions. It would also help buyers to find sources near them, or low cost suppliers from all over the world. For examples, lower cost manufacturers in, say, India and China can supply chemicals that meet specifications at lower costs.

<b>Conclusion</b>

The chemical industry is discovering new formulations continuously. The chemicals have different properties and effects. Many might be drugs that can have side effects along with specific curative properties.

To serve users in this industry, chemical directories need to incorporate some unique features. Thus you can find directories where you can search for chemicals by their molecular formula or CAS number, as well as by name.

The technically oriented directories might also provide chemical calculators and details of reactions based on the chemical structure.

Then there is the conventional chemical directory where you find suppliers for each kind of chemical, whom you can contact directly or through the directory publishers.


Monday 15 March 2010

Business Post Cards: Five Factors To Consider


Creating and mailing business post cards is a logical choice when your small business has a small advertising budget.

Here are five factors to consider:

1. Your data base list of customers might well be under 500 names.

• You can manage this list yourself on your computer and print out mailing labels. And since there are so few names, you won't have to hire a mailing company to affix the labels, sort by zip code and take it to the post office for you.

2. Our advantage as small businesses is in cultivating a personal relationship with our customers. This holds true whether your business is entirely local or operates in a special business niche market on the national or international level.

• A post card is intimate. Emotionally, who can resist reading a colorful post card? Especially those with a nice glossy front side with a compelling message. It's like a personal message from someone you know.

3. Postcards are a private communication between you and your client so your competition has no idea of what you are doing.

• There is no "waste" circulation since only those on your mailing list are included. This will produce better results for the post card, especially when compared to those you get from the "mass media" of newspapers, magazines, etc.

4. We are all receive flyers, circulars and advertising mail whose print runs are measured in the millions. By default, they set creative standards that we feel we should equal or exceed in our own efforts.

• Since you have so few names to spread across paying for high-level creative services and long-run printing, these services become prohibitive on a cost per address basis. But thanks to digital technology, the creative, printing and mailing costs have been reduced to where they are well within reach of almost anyone.

5. Postcards are a wonderfully fast and efficient way of getting specific messages delivered in a permanent format to your own mailing list and other specific mailing lists you have purchased.

• Your postcard can generate immediate response or can be easily set side as a reminder for future action.

These are just five of many factors you will want to consider as part of placing business post card mailings on your list of advertising tactics for your small business.

© 2006 Jon Sinish

This article may be reprinted and distributed as long as the resource information remains intact.


Sunday 14 March 2010

Brands- Logo Design


Brands are an important influence on our lives. They are central to free markets and democratic societies. They represent free choice.They also have a profound impact on our quality of life and the way we see our world. They color our lives. They reflect the values of our societies.Global brands can even embody the spirit of many nations, if not the spirit of an age.

Most importantly, strong brands bestow value far beyond the performance of the products themselves. Brands that do this possess an idea worthy of consumer loyalty.The more inspiring the idea, the more intense and profound the commitment. And the more the consumer believes in the brand, the more value the brand returns to its owner.

Good logo designers are not only able to design you a professional logo, but they will also make sure that your logo is distinct and unique so as to create a long lasting impression. Therefore the question that now comes to mind is, do we really need logo designers or can just anyone design a corporate logo? The answer to this question is not as simple as it seems. While the obvious answer may be no, the fact of the matter is that we do need professional logo designers because they are specialists in their field and are able to produce quality work that is distinct and one of a kind.

In recent times the term 'logo' has been used to describe signs, emblems, coats of arms, symbols and even flags. In this article several examples of 'true' logotypes are displayed, which may generally be contrasted with emblems, or marks which include non-textual graphics of some kind. Emblems with non-textual content are distinct from true logotypes.

Logo designers therefore are of great importance to any business as they can help create logos with a powerful impact and reach. Think about Apple’s logo or the logo of Windows, besides the obvious there is more than just what meets the eye. These logos are not only powerful because they represent a company, but they are powerful because of what they stand for. Good logo designers know how to capture and depict the essence of a business in a single small image. They realize that a solid logo design communicates a company’s identity simply, clearly, and powerfully all at the same time.

At LogoSuite, we pride ourselves on keeping up to speed by improving our web design skills, developing new design styles, and searching for new typefaces and design ideas.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Saturday 13 March 2010

Brochure Printing That Works


A successful business strategy is often defined by a good advertising and marketing plan. Look around. Any venture that lacks the proper come-on to customers is almost always doomed to fail.

Take a start-up Web design company, for instance. If its proprietors do not make the business known to prospective clients by placing ads on the Internet or by informing the local neighborhood of their services, they will mostly likely get only one or two orders a month, majority of which will be from relatives and close friends who are really left with no choice but to help their friends' ventures flourish.

This is where an effective and catchy brochure comes in. In an age where the Internet is the weapon of choice for most advertisers, a lot of people still prefer the feel of something concrete in their hands, as if to prove that the business truly exists and is not fly-by-night. Printing a brochure that strikes people's attention easily will do the trick.

Why do you need a brochure?

If designed and distributed properly, a brochure printing could the singlemost important traditional advertising strategy your company could have. Sure, a poster does the same thing, too, but brochures are easier to hand out and pass around and don't take up much advertising space.

Brochure printing is synonymous to traditional advertising as milk is to coffee. You may not have a brochure printed for your business, but doing so would make the experience sweeter and more interesting. If you're chatting with someone you don't know too well and would like him to know about your business, you could start with a brochure that sums up all you have to say.

A brochure is non-intrusive and non-aggressive. That means, the person you give it has the option to take a look at it now or set it aside for later. The important thing is, he will most definitely take a look at it. And if your brochure is printed in an enticing way, it will be something he will never forget.

How do you design the right brochure?

Most brochures are printed in the tri-fold, 8.5 by 11-inch layout, but you can experiment with their size, depending on the look you want to achieve and your budget. They can either be full-color and two-color. Full-color brochures are relatively expensive because they require more printing processes to be completed.

Full-color brochures are not always the more effective choice. If you're artistic and know how to play with different shades of gray and white, you can produce a brochure that trumps even the most gaudy looking ones.

Of course, the content on your brochure should be brief. The purpose of brochure printing is defeated when you try to write a semi-novel on it. Remember, majority of businesspeople and clients have short attention spans because of the plethora of advertisements around. Keep your pitch short and simple.

To sum up, brochure printing should answer the what, where and why of your venture. Your mission fails when the brochure reader will not be able to identify what your business is all about.

Brochure printing is not an obsolete advertising tactic, no matter what other modern marketers say. After all, brochures are the ones that more often end up being stuck to refrigerator doors and used as makeshift bookmarks. They have better recall.


Friday 12 March 2010

Boost Your Bottom Line with a Power-Packed Headline


There’s an old saying… curiosity killed the cat.  Let’s face the facts; cats aren’t the only creatures that get sucked into whirlpool of curiosity.   Everyday we find ourselves bombarded with moments of curiosity.  The best example… headlines!

Headlines either suck us into their vacuum or repel us instantly.  How many times have you picked up the newspaper and found yourself scanning the pages because a headline caught your attention?

Marketing experts know that headlines are just as powerful in their direct mail campaigns as they are on the front page of the newspaper.  The difference?  …attention getting headlines on your postcard or flyer make money!

What does it take to create powerful headlines? 

3 Foolproof Secrets for Creating Power-Packed Headlines

1. Telegraph the Offer
This might be a little tricky to pull off, but the secret is to present your offer in a way that screams, “Read Me!” without giving away the guts of the offer.  You should focus on one feature of your product or service and come up with a snappy statement that raises the reader’s eyebrows. 

A company that sells bread makers may use a headline like this…
“Never Buy Another Loaf of Bread!” 

2. Emphasize the best Aspect of the Offer
What is the most attractive feature of your product or service… price, time-saving, quality, uniqueness?  You can use this aspect to come up with a unique headline that wows the reader into investigating further.

A cleaning service may use a headline like this…
“What Could you Do With 520 Extra Hours This Year?”

3. Target the Reader
If feels great when your unique niche is recognized.  Know who you’re talking to before you write the headline.  When your reader feels like you know who they are, they’ll be more likely to read on.

Do you have a mailing list of working women?    Use the words they will identify with… career or working woman…. in your headlines.

Use any one of these techniques to increase your profits, or incorporate all three to skyrocket your next direct mail campaign!   … not to mention saving big bucks by not having to hire a copywriter.


Thursday 11 March 2010

Body Branding is Not Free


Advertisers are always trying to think of new ways and new places to display company logos. Now there’s a new advertising medium to throw in the mix: people’s bodies.

Remember the 20-year-old Nebraskan who auctioned off his forehead on E-Bay for a month’s worth of advertising space? The winning bid went to SnoreStop, who paid $37,375 to put their logo on the web designer’s face for 30 days, got quite a bargain for all the exposure they received. Consider it this way: a full-page ad for one day in the Wall Street Journal costs more than $23,000. One full-page ad in American Idol: The Magazine costs $45,000.

But here’s an interesting tidbit about a woman who is yet to receive payment for literally branding herself with a company logo.

The logo placement occurred when a 27-year-old woman fell off her skateboard in Manhattan onto a manhole cover that was searing with heat. The hot metal, which is located over a steam pipe, burned the woman just above the buttocks and on her left arm with part of the Consolidated Edison (Con Edison) logo, a New York utility company. The woman said she heard her skin sizzling and saw and ‘O’ and ‘N’ etched in her skin, according to an article on allheadlinenews.com. The scarring is permanent.

The woman has sued Con Edison for negligence, carelessness, recklessness, and culpable conduct. No word yet on how much Con Edison will have to pay for the partial advertisement.


Wednesday 10 March 2010

Benefits of Bidding on Bidding Directories


Bidding Directories have been around for the past 2 years and can still be considered relatively new. It simply offers webmasters and site owners the opportunity to bid for an optimum position in the directory listings. More often than not the Top 10 or 15 will be prominently featured on the homepage with the highest bidder enjoying sitewide positioning.

This method of bidding for position or link auction creates various opportunities as a cost effective marketing avenue. Unlike traditional paid directories where one might find the price of insertion to be costly, bid directories can be a cheaper choice since all you have to do is to outbid the link in the last position.

The objective here is to bid high enough to enjoy good placement within either the homepage listing or the category page as you will benefit much more in terms of visibility. This offers you control over where your site or blog listing like never before.

More importantly you can finally build quality backlinks for your inner-pages by submitting them to bid directories which are accepted since you are paying for it. Best part of all is that all bidded links are permanent and you can choose the perfect anchor text to accompany your link to enhance your search engine positioning.

There are a few points to look out for before making a bid and that is to ensure the bid directory is genuine. The first thing you should do is to observe the url and make sure that it is somewhat related to a bid directory or at the very least; a directory. Next is to do a quick research on the web archives and also observe the backlinks to ensure that it is genuine.

Another point to consider is to monitor the bid directories you have bidded on and if you find they are good value for your investment, contact the owner as most often he or she owns several others where you can bid on as well.

At the end of the day, it is a worthwhile investment to list your website or blog with a quality bid directories both for your link building campaign and generating traffic exercise. With new bid directories being launched every day, you can surely find good bargains to take your link building to the next level.


Tuesday 9 March 2010

Benefits Of The Business Cards


Sometimes being at the right place and time can do wonders for the business. This can happen in the street or in the mall and starts by just approaching a stranger. New contacts occur everyday and with a little initiative, the person may be able to close a sale or be referred to someone who may need it.

There are many ways that a person can attract customers to one’s business. Some do this by launching a marketing campaign in the form of an ad in the paper or on a billboard. Some don’t use marketing at all and just flourish through word of mouth.

On a more personal level if that person travels around, the best thing to carry and give out is a business card.

Business cards are used by people in big and small time business. It reflects who the person is. It gives people an idea of what the person is capable of doing in the event that the service one offers is needed in the future.

Such instruments are easy and light to carry along. It saves a lot of time and trouble for the other person to jot down one’s contact details.

Making a business card is easy. One can do this at home and just print it in the computer. Should the person decide to have it done by a small printing firm, the individual should be sure that the spelling and the design is correct. This will make it easy for people to get hold of the services one can do.

Business cards should always have some important details such as the name and contact number where the person can be reached and the company that one works for. If the person is self-employed, this can also work to get more customers for the business.

Since most people who get business cards simply put it in the drawer with the others, one should be imaginative in letting people recall it.

A few good examples are giving it in the form of a magnet that can be placed in the fridge. Should that person drink coffee in the office, one can have a coaster made that people will surely notice. Since computers are a necessity in the workplace, a mouse pad will also be a good idea to give away.

There is also another way of making oneself noticed by other people. That is carrying the business cards of other people and giving it to those who need it. When this happens and the person asks how the card went to that person, the individual will be remembered and one’s services will surely be called upon in the future by these two potential customers.

Businesses survive due to a regular customers and having new clients. This will bring additional revenue for the company and allows the company to flourish. By using the resources one has such as the use of business cards, this will happen.

These small hard pieces of paper are things that one can give out at anytime. Be it in a convention or some other function related to work or in parties and other social gatherings that will really help increase customer traffic. Small things do come in small packages and bringing this handy thing around can really help the person a lot.


Monday 8 March 2010

Balancing Your Promotions


Promotion of your online business may take a variety of directions. Some will bring more success than others. Every one is important to consider when you are trying to open the door to visitors to your site.

This article discusses several of the more useful ways to promote and the necessity of keeping some balance in your promotional efforts.

-- SEARCH ENGINES

Everyone needs to make an effort to get their site indexed to the major search engines. If you have no idea how to do this, here is one of the most important links you will every locate and it comes at no cost.

http://www.Selfpromotion.com/

If you want more people to visit your website, you must know how to create search-engine-friendly web pages, and then submit your URL to all the major search engines. That's what this site is all about.

-- LINKING

Think of links on other websites as road signs that point to your site. That's what links do. They will be useful if they are on high traffic sites that are relevant to your site's content.

Now there are many ways to create and maintain links. Too many for this article to discuss. Here are a couple of pointers about linking.

Avoid "link farms" that create a load of useless, irrelevant links to your site. They may do more harm than good with the search engines.

I recommend that you create a links page and manually add and delete links. Avoid purchasing and installing scripts or other such methods.

If you don't have the skills to do that then, there are some good paid services that will manage your links. A simple search on one of the major search engines will turn up a bunch.

Here are a couple that I can recommend:

http://www.Reciprocalmanager.com/
http://www.linksmanager.com/ and
http://www.websitetoolbox.com/

-- JOINT VENTURES

This is simple. I have something to promote. You have a website or newsletter. I will pay you a portion of my profits to promote it.

It can work well if you can endorse the item with a personal statement and recommendation.

Be careful of jumping on all offers. Make sure they are legitimate.

-- ARTICLES

One of the least expensive and most effective ways to get some exposure for your business or newsletter is to write and distribute articles.

Publishers are looking for good, fresh content for their newsletters and ezines. You provide it with a well-researched article.

The trade off is that they are required to include a short resource box at the end of the article that links back to your site.

It's a Win-Win situation.

One of the ways to let your article gain exposure is to list it in several of the online article directories like:

http://www.ArticleToGo.com/
http://www.BizSiteBiz.com/marketingarticles
http://www.marketing-seek.com and
http://www.articlecentral.com

There are many others. Just search "article directories".

-- AD SWAPS

Great way to get some no-cost exposure. If you have an ezine or newsletter, just locate some similar publications and offer to swap ads with them.

-- EZINE ADVERTISING

Probably the easiest ways to get some exposure quickly is to locate and advertise in some selected publications.

Be sure that the newsletter is likely to reach your target audience. It won't do much good to promote your "Yellow widgets" to an ezine which is made up of readers who are mothers of newborns interested in learning about how to mix baby formula.

You can also spend some serious money quickly with this type of promotion. Be sure and track your ads to make sure you are making money above your advertising expenses.

Depending on the nature of your online business, some of these promotional types may have more or less relevance for you.

Whichever means you use, try and keep a balance in your efforts that will allow you to most effectively reach your target audience.

Sunday 7 March 2010

Article Database - When A Good Thing Is Copied


Article Database is the name of my article directory and I think the name I have chosen for it says it all.

I may be wrong in feeling the need to write this article. It is possible the names similar to that of my website were developed first or completely without having seen mine; however, I am correct I believe that I have good reason to write this article.

Have you ever seen how people copycat the success of others? This is a very common practice on the Internet. A case in point may be my article directory Article Database.

I started my article directory Article Database at http://www.article-database.com in mid to late January of 2006 and by late March received a Google PR rank of 3 for www.article-database.com and PR4 for www.article-database.com/news/. I have since done searches and I can easily find my site when searching Google for article-database. However, to find Article Database seems to be a bit more difficult.

It appears to me that when people want to increase their SEO they go looking for website names that have already received a PR from Google and then try to capitalize on that websites success. I am not positive about this but I do believe that articledatabase.org came after article-database.com as it is also copyrighted with 2006. They may have more articles than I do.  Did they actually get these solicited and published to the site directly by the authors? I am not saying that they didn't but they may have added the articles themselves. That could explain why as of June 14, 2006 they do not show a Google PR of their own.

Such is also the case with articles-database.com. I am not sure when they launched and maybe they were before me but I am wondering why they have no Google PR? The only difference in the URL of their site and mine is that they used the word articles rather than article.

I attribute my PR ranking to many things. The first of these is that I ran a publicity release using a popular publicity release software. Secondly I found some authors and contacted them and started receiving authors contributing directly to my site. After this there were several articles on the site, so I submitted the rss feeds of the categories with the most articles to some of the most popular rss feeds such as MyYahoo, Newsgator, Google, and many others. I then created a WordPress blog about writing and article marketing, and submitted it to several blog directories and rss feed directories. Then I started making posts to the blog on a semi-regular basis. The authors who contribute to Article Database are also notified when new articles are posted. In addition I use the same software to send a newsletter to everyone who has signed up as an author or user of my system.  I also posted an article to several article directories that I titled Article Directories - Ten Great Reasons To Submit Articles To Them.

Am I complaining about other article directories having the same name as mine? I don't believe that I am complaining; rather I am just pointing out the strange fact that when someone sees something working that they often try to copy it, and that is more than true on the Internet. Often a website name or URL is made to be similar in order to get some type of search engine advantage or the benefits of potential misspellings of the original website.

I believe that in my own way, I am saying that if these and other websites saw the Google PR of my blog and decided to name their article directory after mine, I take it as the sincerest form of flattery. I am sure that some one in cyberland will grab up other domains based around the terms article database. I am glad that I am one of the first.


Saturday 6 March 2010

Affiliate Tracking Software Review: Affiliate Wiz


If you are an online business owner, especially one that specializes in the selling of merchandise or services, you may be interested in starting your own affiliate program. For years now, affiliate programs have helped a large number of business owners increase their sales. With the right amount of ambition, money, and software, your business can experience those same benefits http://www.careersemployment.org

Before you can understand what is needed to join an affiliate program, you will need to know how one works. When starting your own affiliate program, you will recruit website owners who have a website that is, in one way or another, related to yours. This relation may include a similar topic or an issue that connects the two together. Once you have found a website owner who is willing to do business with you, they will then place your advertisements on their webpage. These advertisements will direct internet users to your online website, whether it be an online store or not. That direction may, in many cases, result in a sale.

To properly compensate the website owner, often referred to as an affiliate, you will need a way to determine if and when their website visitors purchased something from your online website. To do this, an affiliate tracking software is used. These tracking software programs will let you know when the sale took place and, if compensation is required, it will let you know how much compensation is needed. As you can easily see, affiliate tracking software is important and vital to the successful operating of an affiliate program.

If you are interested in starting your own affiliate program, you will need to find affiliate tracking software. Online, you will find that there are a number of these programs available. In your search for the perfect affiliate tracking software, you may come across a program that is known as Affiliate Wiz. Affiliate Wiz is one of the many tracking programs that you will be able to find online. Affiliate Wiz has a couple of different software programs available. There is a little bit of difference between the two programs, but one is mostly just an updated version of the other.

Before examining the software features provided by Affiliate Wiz, you will need to determine whether or not the software can even be installed on your computer. Affiliate Wiz’s latest version requires that your computer have, at least, Windows 2000 and it must have a .NET framework. If this affiliate tracking software program is compatible with your computer, you will want to learn a little bit more about the program before making a final purchase decision.

One of the many things that you should want to know is how the software works to record and monitor your customer’s internet activity, namely how they arrived at your online store or website. With Affiliate Wiz, your affiliates, the website owners you partnered with, will be given special links and banners. In those banners is a code that will be used monitor and track all sales. This also requires the monitoring of a consumer’s computer activity through cookies. These two pieces of information are used to determine whether or not one of your affiliates helped to lead your customer to you. In addition to outlining this information, Affiliate Wiz will also document the event and how much the sale as worth. This will enable to you determine, by your preset percentage, how much your affiliate will make.

When searching for affiliate tracking software, it is also important to examine the services and the features that each program has to offer. Like most other affiliate tracking software, Affiliate Wiz has a fairly large number of available services and features, which are all included in the cost of service. These features include, but are not limited to, detailed financial reports, varied levels of commission for different affiliates, link and banner support, and customer support.

If Affiliate Wiz sounds like an affiliate tracking software program that you can benefit from, you are encouraged to visit their online website. This website can be found at http://www.affiliatewiz.com. By examining Affiliate Wiz’s online website, you should be able to learn additional information, including the software cost.

Friday 5 March 2010

All About Opt-In MLM Leads...


The factors behind opt in MLM leads is to be inside, where the good stuff is located.

The situation would be like this; you outside of the opt in MLM leads industry, wanting to get in. to get the inside scoop of the leads business. If you knew what actually went on in some arenas, you may think the inside scoop looks like this picture.

How are opt in MLM leads generated?

For the most part, opt in MLM leads are generated over the Internet. While there is no definite study to prove this matter, it is safe to assume that 85-90% of all leads you find for sale are originated on the Internet.

There are two main reasons for this. First, the Internet is where most people are doing their research today when looking for jobs, looking for ways to make extra money, something to invest on, etc. So, why not go where the people are looking?

Second, it is the most cost effective way of generating opt in MLM leads.

Surely, a person is surfing the Internet, doing a Google search, and checking out their options for ways to make extra income. Or, sometimes the person is not even thinking about wanting more money when an online ad catches their attention and they check it out. So, they fill out a form and hit submit.

That is the basics behind online opt in MLM lead generation. Some person is out there surfing the Net. There is an online ad and a form. Filled out and submit. Then they are now a prospect waiting to be sold.

Quite a nice system. Wouldn’t we all like to receive a batch of opt in MLM leads after people had been surfing the Internet for ways of making money from home. Now you have their name, phone, and E-mail address in your hands.

But there are some variables that can make a big difference in the type of opt in MLM leads you are holding in your hands.

Incentivized opt in MLM leads.

One of the biggest problems that exists among the Internet lead generation business is the incentives that entices a person to fill out a form and submit.

If you have purchased opt in MLM leads long enough, then you have probably come across the person who did not know they were going to be contacted about a home business. Instead they thought they were going to get a new Video iPod, $10,000, or a vacation cruise.

So, what do you do? You go to an opt in MLM leads company and you buy a batch of leads.
The leads are $2.25 each, so you buy 50 of them for $112.50. There is a chance you may find a good prospect in there, one that will be targeted to the product or service that you are offering.

No opt in MLM lead is ever pure because you do not know what other sites the prospect has been to, filling out forms, and checking out other businesses.

However, if you are going to invest in opt in MLM leads, it is worth a few extra minutes of research or an email or phone call to the owners; to know what kind of leads you are purchasing.

Opt in MLM leads are all about results. So go ask and test first.


Thursday 4 March 2010

Advantages of Buying Promotional Products Online


Buying your promotional products and corporate identity apparel online provides five major advantages: a greater selection, better pricing, convenience, customer service, and faster ordering time.

Factories often display their entire line of products on the web, providing you with a greater selection of products. With all of these factories on the web, you gain the opportunity to compare quality and pricing in a simple and easy online format, instead of wasting time browsing through endless catalogs that crowd your work center.

Better pricing is readily available on the web, but you have to dig and probe for it. Type in any promotional product related keywords into your favorite search engine and sift through the results until you find a promotional products company with discount pricing. A great trick is to choose an item and have several promotional product companies give you a quote, ALWAYS including any set up charges and freight. This will get you a true number to compare an exact total cost.

How do these online web companies afford to sell the exact same product for less than other distributors? Traditionally, promotional items are sold by a distributor who has a whole staff of outside sales people that will go to your business, show you tons samples, and baby sit you through the process of placing an order. These outside sales people are number one primary expense of an off-line distributor. Believe me this expense is then factored into the price of the promotional item you are purchasing, thus raising your total cost. By purchasing discount promotional products on the web, you can eliminate lining some salespersons pockets and reduce your purchase price by a considerable amount of money.

The Convenience comes with the ability of placing your entire order online. All successful web companies offer this service with encrypted order forms to secure your purchasing information. You may send your artwork via email. This is made easy with the online form. With online ordering you gain the convenience of placing your order anytime, twenty-four hours a day seven days a week.

A few of these online web companies also provide customer service departments with extended hours. They are set up to take your calls, handle your rush orders, and to answer your questions promptly. If you prefer to communicate through e-mail, this is a great way to document your order from start to finish. You can e-mail a question to your distributor, leave for a break, and have it answered by the time you return.

A much faster ordering time is the fifth major result of the online purchase. I have personally visited hundreds of clients. This obviously requires an appointment, which naturally must fit into both parties' schedules. An off-line salesperson is forced to interpret your needs prior to your meeting. Then bring what samples and catalogs they have on hand, but these may not meet your needs and thus your ordering time will be extended for a second meeting. If you have any questions about product availability, turn around time, or any other factory sensitive inquiries, the salesperson will have to return to his office in order to contact the factory, to get you your answers. When you order from an online web company, the customer service team is already in their office, so they can contact the factory with your questions and call you back immediately.

I have given you five great reasons to buy Imprinted products from an online discount promotional products company, but I must also remind you that there is always a trade off. Online promotional products companies work very hard to cut all possible costs and to pass this savings on to you. You will find that this results in a charge for samples and pre-payment requirements. The charge for promotional samples insures that the company will not give away products to non-customers, as this would considerably raise the real customers' costs. Paying in advance is very common among internet purchasing in general, and necessary for almost every online company to insure payment. Pre-payment is nothing to worry about. You still have the right to a quality product, and you gain an enormous savings.

Another Tip: When purchasing imprinted corporate apparel, select an online company that has in-house embroidery and screen printing facilities. It has been my experience that these companies will have much better control of expediting your orders, a better knowledge of branding, experience which allows them to better monitor quality control, and a much better capabilities to complete rush orders quicker.

Today you will find that many more successful businesses are now placing their promotional product and corporate apparel orders in the hands of these qualified discount online distributors. The advantages are numerous; convenience, speed, selection, accountability, service, and above all, savings.

Wednesday 3 March 2010

10 Ways To Make More Money In Network Marketing


Network Marketing is an excellent way for the "average Joe or Jane" to make an extra income.  This business concept has been around for decades, and it will not disappear any time soon. The reason for its popularity is simple... It Works!  It does however, require lots of work and most importantly, dedication and persistance to get the job done.  The best part is, once you are able to set up a solid network, your business becomes MUCH less time intensive.  Almost like going on "autopilot".  The key is to get there as fast as possible. 

Here are just a couple of tips I have found to be helpful in maximizing your Network Marketing Business:

1. Use your products regularly.  This is Number 1 for a reason, this is the most ignored part of ANY network marketing business.  How do you expect your business to succeed if you will not even use your own products?  It does seem silly to even have to bring this up, but there are many who are not using their own products, and wonder why they are not making any money.  Make a commitment to use your products for a year, and see where your business goes. 

2. Educate yourself constantly.  This is very important!  You must rid yourself of negative ideas, sometimes referred to as "stinkin thinkin".  This can be done in a variety of ways.  I recommend reading at least 15 minutes a day, but try to shoot for 30.  Business and self-help books are a great way to start.  Don't forget your Multi-level magazines, as they are full of tips and advice.  Lastly, listen to cassette tapes on multi-level tips from top earners in your business.

3.  Spend as much time as possible with your upline.  Your upline should have only one goal in mind, To Help You Succeed!  They are a vast source of knowledge and information.  Mingle with top distributors in your group, or other groups, and ask how they made it.  Most everyone should be more than happy to provide you with excellent tips and advice.

4. Present your products and marketing plan personally to at least one person daily.  Remember above when I said you are going to have to work, well here it is. Now here is the key, the prospects to whom you present your plan, do not have to be yours personally.  Show the plan for your downline, and not only will you create "security" by placing members in your downlines' downline, it will also give you a boost in your personal income!   I can guarantee if you were to follow this rule for 6 months, you would create a downline with enough width and depth to create an income to sustain you and your family for life. 

5.  Care for your downline. An entire book can be written on this topic. Usually, it's the little things that show you really care.  Try to maintain regular contact, and always praise your distributor's accomplishments. You can even offer incentives for specific achievements, such as money, travel, recognition, or other rewards, to help motivate your group.

6.  Duplicate yourself by making distributors independent of you.  This will help to multiply your time, thus making you and your group more effective.  Always lead by example. Never stop recruiting, training and retailing.  Remember the KISS formula - "Keep It Simple, Sweety" I know, I know, I changed the last word, but it maintains the meaning.  This can be done my conducting simple, brief, yet dramatic presentations, and teaching your downline to do the same.

7. Create a large customer base.  This is another largely ignored, yet very important, piece of your network marketing business.  Many try so hard to build a huge downline, that they forget how much profit they could also make by selling their products to retail customers.  Some people will just not want to become part of your downline, no matter how great a product/system you may have.  This does not mean they will not be personally interested in your product.  Try to make everyone your customer.  Once you earn their trust, they will come to you more, and perhaps even join your downline later.  Always "leave the door open", as people's needs do change. 

8.  Focus on your customers needs.  You must give customers more than they expect, and always satisfy your customers complaints immediately.  Try to listen 80% of the time, and talk only 20%.  As stated above, your customers can be a huge source of future referrals and/or business.  You must earn and maintain their trust.  Once you have their trust, you can always ask for referrals, which leads to even more business and a larger downline. 

9.  Set daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals - and Write Them Down!  You may have heard the expression, "How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time."  Breaking up a larger goal into smaller easily attainable goals, is the key to success.  You cannot just jump to the end, you have to make progress everyday.  Writing them down is another largely ignored, important tip to help you succeed.  A goal is just a "passing thought", or "wish" until you put it in writing.  That is when it becomes concrete and real.  It is also a great idea to keep a business journal of your daily activities, as it will help you to become more productive and time-conscious.

10.  Get Out There And Do It Now!  All of the knowledge in the world is useless and unprofitable, until you put the most important ingredient of them all in place.  This "secret" ingredient should come as no surprise at all, but this is the #1 reason for failure at anything in life.  It is ACTION!  Remember, knowledge is useless without action.


Following these steps will almost give you immediate results.  Thank you for reading this, and I truly hope this has provided you with valuable information to help you and your business grow and succeed.


Tuesday 2 March 2010

9 Tips To Building A Relationship With Your List


Now you know that you need a list and have started to build one. The next step is to build the relationship that will make the list profitable. Below are 9 tips to help you get that process started.

1. Unsubscribes are good.
The only way that you will not get unsubscribes to your list is to never send to them. Not everyone will like your personality or writing style. Those that don’t will never follow your recommendations so it is not a great loss when they unsubscribe.

2. Be yourself.
Let your personality come through to your list. People will buy from you because they trust you. Try to be something you are not and it will come through to your list and you will never develop that trust.

3. Be informative.
Make sure that you are supplying quality information to your list. Even if you are presenting a product for sale make sure that you are also supplying information. Create the problem and your product as a solution but also let your subscribers learn something about the topic even if they aren’t interested in the product.

4. Stay on topic.
If your list is about desserts that should be the topic of your email. Now don’t send marketing tips to your dessert list or desserts to your marketing tips list. Yes, there may be a few that have interests in both (I am one and have both types of lists), but the person signed up for a specific topic and you are violating that trust you have worked so hard to create.

5. Only send one item per email unless it is a newsletter.
Sending multiple items to your list can be extremely confusing to them and never get you the action you are looking to get. Make sure that you have a call to action in every email. Never leave your subscriber wondering what you wanted them to do.

6. Always have a reason
This tends to go with number 5. Make sure that there is a reason for the email that you sent. If you have a purpose then people will tend to keep reading. If they have no idea what your reason is for your email then they will quickly stop reading all of your emails.

7. Track what works.
Tracking is the only way you will know which of your emails works and which don’t. This will allow you to improve your emails to your list. Do remember that the only purpose of your email is to create the click through to a sales page. If it does that it is successful whether you sell a product or not. The sale of the product is dependent on the sales page.

8. Use contact information.
You are building a relationship and that is based on trust. Let people know who you are and how to reach you.

9. Be responsive.
If you receive an email from a subscriber answer it. That goes a long way to building the trust that is necessary to create a customer. People buy from those that they trust.

These tips will go a long way towards helping you to build the relationship that is necessary to build a profitable list.