Saturday, January 24, 2009

The 4 Levels of Link Building

SEO experts and internet marketing professionals know that the key to high search engine rankings is link building.They will also tell you that link building is not all that easy until you have done it for awhile, and that there are so many techniques for link building that It is hard to sort them all out.Here are the 4 levels of link building to take you from novice to expert.

1.Do It Yourself, Quick and Easy.The easiest links to build are those for which you do not have to rely on anyone but yourself.The easiest way to do this is to submit your site to directories.Simply submit your URL, the name of your company, and a short description of your company.Know before you begin that directories are managed by humans, so you may not see results right away.Also know that some directories require a small fee for your listing.

You should also use social media as a way to get links to your page.SEO experts do not find these crucial to success, but they are still a pretty simple and cheap way to target an audience that is going to be using the sites anyway.

2.Do It Yourself, Not So Quick and Easy.Before you start on Level 2, make sure you have started a business blog.This is crucial if you want to have good content to which others can link.And the way you are going to get these links is through press release optimization and article marketing.

When you are writing your articles and your press releases, always keep your keyword strategy at the front of your mind.Links should coincide with your strategy.Before you send your press releases and articles into the ether, use a press release grader to see if they pass muster.

3.Networking Plus Significant Time.Networking is by far the most effective way to get links to your site.It is time consuming and it can be frustrating, but it can also get you results that you never dreamed of.There are many ways to go about this type of networking, but the key is putting yourself amongst those who are potentially interested in what you have to say.

The best way to do this is to establish yourself as an expert in your niche.But never make people feel like they would be lost without your presence.Engage them.Show compassion.Share your own opinions and ideas and vulnerabilities.Start by reading industry-related blogs and commenting on them.Eventually you will want to establish a one-on-one relationship with bloggers, probably by casually mentioning third-party content that they might find interesting.

Ideally you will soon be asked to be a guest blogger on blogs that are related to your niche.In the process, you can link to yourself and let others in your niche know that you know what you are talking about.If all goes well, they will start following you as well, which leads to the final level.

4.Links Resulting From Good Content.Once you have reached this level, you have established yourself as a knowledgeable resource within your field.Although you can probably never afford to abandon the strategies mentioned above, you are now generating most of your links from people who respect you and enjoy reading your excellent content.This kind of success does not happen immediately.It takes a lot of time and effort, including effort in providing your followers with an array of high-quality, interesting, and relevant content.You may do his through your blog, through hosting webinars, or through publishing white papers.
The key to keep in mind as you are starting out is that, while content is crucial, you are going to have to start out doing more than creating great content.You are going to have to go out and find followers, and then give them a reason to stick around.It is not easy, but it will pay off in the end.


About the Author

Seomul Evans is a SEO expert with a leading Dallas Internet Marketing company specializing in Next Generation Search Engines and a contributor of Entrepreneurship articles


Relaited Links:

Labels: , , , ,

Friday, January 23, 2009

How to Use Private Label Rights?

What if that individual also told you that besides being able to do so, you could actually profit from that work and not be liable for any copyright infringement?

If you haven’t heard of private label rights, then better part likely you’d think they were pulling your leg.But all the above are actual if you are able secure these rights.

But what are private label rights?

To understand why private label rights are so special, you need to know in relation with resale and master resale original.For more details visit to www.plr-vodoo.com .Resale rights are unquestionably permission from the owner of a work (a book, for example) to allow you to take the said material and distribute it for your own profit.

Master resale rights take it a step further and allow you to sell the resale rights to the work.The reason why it is called master resale rights is because it covers a large set of permissible actions to the person who acquires those rights.

Experts would tell you that to get the almost all of your purchasing of master resale rights, the following list of actions should allow you to:

1.
give the material away unaltered

2.
incorporate the material with others

3.
give the material away as a bonus item

4.
use the material a content for internet site

5.
divide the product into separate articles

6.
put the rights for the material or the material itself up for eBay

7.
make available the material as content for paid membership sites

8.
sell resale rights for the material

9.
change or alter the material


Buying the whole set of these rights are great but it can cost you.

But there is a way to get almost all of these actions and not have to pay as much for master resale rights IF you collect just the right to change or alter the material, which is exactly what private label rights are.

With these set of rights, you are allowed to change another individual’s work.By altering the material, you have made the work your own which then permits you to profit from the material anyway you intend to.

Let’s say you were able to acquire private label rights for a unique e-book.What can you do?

For starters, you can break up the book into separate chapters and then sell these as articles.Otherwise, if you were able to collect private label rights for a set of articles, you could materialize them and package it as a book, which you then can sell.

You can change the material’s content by adding or removing contents.You can also add pictures or illustrations even other media like sound or video clips.

All of these actions are possible but the very best part in relation with private label rights is that you are not obligated to mention the original author (or pay them any royalties) for the changes you have done to his or her material.You can claim the material as yours by putting your name as the author of the material.
With these changes, the ways on capitalizing on them are better part.

You can come up with a whole new set of products from a single material source.Take an e-book for example.On one hand, you’ve broken up the book to sell them as articles.On the other, you’ve enhanced the book’s content with media to package it as your own work and putting it up for sale on the market.

Gaining private label rights are great for building a brand for your business.as you may already know, one of the keys to a successful business is to sort out yourself from the rest.With private label rights, you can change the material and put together it uniquely yours.If your target market likes your material, your market can perceive you as an expert in your line of business, which is something you can really capitalize on as you sell your products or services.

However, it is not just the individual who acquires private label rights who stands to benefit from it.It may be difficult to understand first off, but selling private label rights benefits even the first creator.To know more logon to www.guide-to-plr.com

With the increasing demand for original material to be sold with private label rights, a writer can create good money from his or her work.
The incentive is that he or she can command a higher price for the work given the rights that go with the material.
Moreover, retailing the right to change the material any way the buyer wants is actually giving new life to the material.By giving the purchaser the freedom to change the content in a number of creative ways, the material’s usability sand relevance is extended.

By compensating the original content creator well; by allowing freedom and flexibility for the purchaser; and by giving the end user a wealth of very valuable knowledge, private label rights are by far one of the perfect things out there in the globe of on the web marketing.


About the Author

www.

resale-right-profits.com


www.

resale-rights-explained.com


Relaited Links:

Labels: , ,

Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Basics Of Business Card Marketing

One of the most frequent requests I have heard throughout my career is "May I have your card?" Whether it's a sales call or business-to-business (B2B) networking, the practice of swapping business cards is the most common way to make an introduction.So why do so many merchant level salespeople (MLSs) arrive at meetings and trade shows without them?

I'm always surprised when, during the "get to know you" part of a committee meeting, someone in the room announces they have "forgotten their cards." Or when someone visits our booth at a trade show and is unable to leave a card because they don't have any with them.In sales, forgetting your business cards is like forgetting your pants.

The most effective way I've found to remember people I've met is to retain their business cards.During our conversations, I often take quick notes on the back of the cards that I can refer to later, such as jotting down a reminder about something from our meeting, an action item I have agreed to or something they have committed to me.

Once back at my desk, I review the stack of cards.I write thank you notes, delegate action items, pass along leads and the myriad of follow up details that occur after a business trip.Without the cards, I'm left only with an attendee roster and pads of paper.

Your cards should include your name, phone number, fax number, e-mail and street addresses and company logo.This information should be produced in a color and font that are easy to read.I recently received a business card that had been printed with pale lavender five-point type in order to fit all of the information the proprietor wanted on the card.A lot of information was there, but I couldn't read it-even with my bifocals on!

Make sure you proofread your business cards before they are printed.You may think that the instructions you gave the person at Kinko's were clear, but did they set your information correctly?Here's an easy trick to use when proofreading to ensure what is to be printed is correct: Read each line backwards, from left to right and from bottom to top.This will force you to look at each word and number, instead of only skimming the information that you are so familiar with.

Also, have your cards printed on a paper stock that someone can actually write on.If your cards are plastic or a dark color they will be less useful to those who receive them, especially if they, like you, take notes on cards.While business cards that look and feel like credit or gift cards may be a novelty, they will most likely be tossed rather than kept as useful reminders for further action.

Check your sales agreement for instructions regarding logo placement on your business cards.Card associations and many banks and vendors have specific rules regarding the use of their logos.Additionally, be sure to include any logos (that you are entitled to use) that might lend further credibility to your business, such as from a trade association, chamber of commerce or Better Business Bureau.

If you conduct business in languages in addition to English, you might consider having your contact information printed on the back of your business card in these other languages.Or, you might add a line to your business card such as, "Se habla espa_ol."


Keep a supply of business cards in your wallet, briefcase, car, computer bag and desk, and invest in a simple business cardholder to protect the cards and keep them looking crisp and clean.

Most importantly, give your business cards away.

Many sales managers monitor their sales staffs' activities based on the number of business cards each rep collects during the day.You can easily rate the effectiveness of your daily routine by counting the cards your collect.You'll have a better idea of how many leads you're generating if you give a card each time you receive one.

Your business cards are one of the most productive pieces of collateral you will generate.Consider them the seeds of your business, and scatter them widely.


About the Author

Kishor Nayak is a Business Consultant working with International clients.

Did you find this information useful?You can learn a lot more about how

business cards can help your business.

Relaited Links:

Labels: , , , ,

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Recession Data On The Value of Marketing Through Economic Downturn

We know the anxiety is rising for many of you as the economy falters.We know it is tempting to begin the slashing process of your expenses.And, we know that marketing is one of those areas that typical gets the brunt of those budget cuts.We understand...but you must resist!

Sure, you should always be doing everything you can to maximize your marketing resources.That's true, even in a good economy.But history shows us that now is just not the time to curb your marketing efforts.

Here are some of the facts from past recessions:


1970 recession year -- American Business Press (ABP) and Meldrum & Fewsmith study showed that "sales and profits can be maintained and increased in recession years and [in the years] immediately following by those who are willing to maintain an aggressive marketing posture, while others adopt the philosophy of cutting back on promotional efforts when sales appear to be harder to get.

" 1


1974-1975 recession years -- ABP/Meldurm & Fewsmith 1979 study covering 1974/1975 and its post-recession years found that "Companies which did not cut marketing expenditures experienced higher sales and net income during those two years and the two years following than those companies which cut in either or both recession years.

" 2


1981-1982 recession years


McGraw-Hill Research's Laboratory of Advertising Performance studied recessions in the United States.

Following the 1981-1982 recessions, it analyzed the performance of some 600 industrial companies during that economic downturn.It found that "business-to-business firms that maintained or increased their marketing expenditures during the 1981-1982 recession averaged significantly higher sales growth both during the recession and for the following three years than those which eliminated or decreased marketing." 3


Cahners and Strategic Planning Institute (SPI) produced their report, "Media Advertising When Your Market Is In a Recession.

" It disclosed, "During a recessionary period, average businesses do experience a slightly lower rate of return relative to normal times.However, expansion times do not generate a higher level of profits than normal periods as might be expected." This phenomenon was explained by an analysis of changes in market share.

"During recessionary periods," said the Cahners/SPI report, "these businesses tended to gain a greater share of market.The underlying reason is that competitors, especially smaller marginal ones, are less willing or able to defend against the aggressive firms." The study then pointed out that businesses that increased media advertising expenditures during the recessionary period "gained an average of 1.5 points of market share." 4


1990-1991 recession years "Management Review asked AMA member firms about spending during the 1990-1991 recession.

"Fortune follows the brave," it announced, noting that the data showed that most firms that raised their marketing budgets enjoyed gains in market share.Among the magazine's sample, 15 percent reported "greatly decreased" ad budgets.Advertising was "somewhat cut" by 29 percent."The keys to gaining market share in a recession," concluded Management Review "seem to be spending money and adding to staff.Firms that increased their budgets and took on new people were twice as likely to pick up market share." 5


Beyond the statistics, why might it be more important than ever to market despite economic downturn?

Strong consideration should be given to the idea that marketing plays a more critical role now than it did during previous recessions.While marketing's role was once more informational than brand identity building, and considering that never more than today has the clutter factor been so great, relationships between customers and brands are critical.Relationship marketing has surged to the top of effective marketing campaigns as a means to keep an appropriate level of share of mind for purchase loyalty.Marketing serves to foster and maintain consumer-brand relationships.6


The effect on profits.

From the Harvard Business Review, "Advertising as an anti recession tool," comes the effect of cutting advertising on the bottom line."The rationale that a company can afford a cutback in advertising because everybody else is cutting back [is fallacious].Rather than wait for business to return to normal, top executives should cash in on the opportunity that the rival companies are creating for them.The company courageous enough to stay in the fight when everyone else is playing safe can bring about a dramatic change in market position." In addition, the article points out "Advertising should be regarded not as a drain on profits but as a contributor to profits, not as an unavoidable expense but as a means of achieving objectives.Ad budgets should be related to the company's goals instead of to last year's sales or to next year's promises." 7


What are you waiting for?

Get marketing!

REFERENCES:


1 "How Advertising in Recession Periods Affects Sales," American Business Press, Inc.

, 1979


2 ABP/Meldrum & Fewsmith study, 1979


3 McGraw-Hill Research.

Laboratory of Advertising Performance Report 5262 New York: McGraw-Hill, 1986.

4 Kijewski, Dr.Valerie."Media Advertising When Your Market Is in a Recession," Cahners Advertising Research Report.The Strategic Planning Institute, 1982


5 Greenburg, Eric Rolfe.

"Fortune Follows the Brave," Management Review, January 1993


6 Khermouch, Gerry.

"Why Advertising Matters More Than Ever," Business Week, August 2001


7 Dhalla, Nairman K.

"Advertising as an anti recession tool," Harvard Business Review, Jan.-Feb.1980


This data was compiled for you by our friends at Demand.

Demand works with clients to help them attract new customers, retain existing customers, increase marketing effectiveness and reduce marketing, operational and administrative costs.


About the Author

Go-To-Market Strategies is a resource center for sales and marketing professionals and business leaders that offers relevant online resources, training, and coaching services.

When you need to achieve big aspirations with limited budgets, choose www.gtms-inc.com!

Relaited Links:

Labels: , , , ,

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

How Newspaper And Radio Advertising And Leaflet Distribution Can Help Businesses Stay Afloat

With the credit crunch having more of an influence on what we spend our money on it seems it's not just the man on the street that has to tighten his belt.

Businesses, both large and small, are having to re-adjust there spending and find ways to save money.One of the first areas to be affected looks like it could be advertising and marketing.

Some advertisers, particularly the big players, cannot afford to completely slash their advertising budgets, but even they are toning down big budget campaigns and giving their advertising a narrower focus in the hope that they can make as big an impression with less resource.

It's vitally important to remain at the front of peoples minds when they need the product or service you offer.This is never more important than in an economic downturn.Companies that maintain strong brand awareness during difficult times are better positioned when things improve and so are immediately able to capitalize on any demand; there is little need for expensive and time consuming ground work to be done.

Whether this is achieved by clever product placement, TV adverts or leaflet distribution is down to available resources and the nature of the product.Whichever direction the advertising takes it pays to invest in becoming a familiar name, even when your product is experiencing a falloff in sales.

Large businesses are able to do this relatively easily as they often have multi million pound budgets or can divert funds from other areas as and when they need to.These same businesses can organize a TV campaign or national newspaper campaign almost as quickly as they can organize a leaflet distribution campaign.But it is worth noting that they do continue to advertise in this way, an indication that even the largest companies see advertising during difficult economic times as worthwhile.

Smaller businesses will have to look at alternative advertising methods.Leaflet distribution, local radio and newspaper advertising all become viable alternatives to national campaigns which can include TV, national newspapers and billboard advertising.
The route that any company chooses to follow will be determined by what it wants to achieve long term, what resources it has available and where it wants to target any advertising.If the correct balance is achieved between these three factors then success will follow.

The three most successful areas that small businesses look at are:


Newspaper advertising - Local newspaper advertising is still a strong way of getting your message across.

However the rise of the internet and internet advertising has taking away from the power of a newspaper advert.It is still a worthwhile consideration but as with all advertising it is worth making sure it is the right medium for you.

Radio advertising - Most local radio stations will produce a commercial for you, the cost of which will be based on the number of listeners the station has.There is also the option of sponsoring a programme or segment.It is worth remembering however that most people listen to local radio stations for the music so this type of advertising might not be of benefit to a business looking to reach a lot of people in a short space of time.

Leaflet Distribution - There are many advantages to leaflet distribution.It's quick and can be targeted at a specific area for a specific time.The results are also usually very easy to quantify.Leaflet distribution is also an area that a price can be negotiated which differs from other comparable forms of advertising which adds to its attraction.


About the Author

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the leaflet distribution industry.


Find out more about leaflet distribution and marketing.

Relaited Links:

Labels: , , , ,

Book Marketing - 3 Ways to Drive Sales Using an Effective Book Cover Design

The cover of your book is a critical component of your book marketing strategy.It is the first impression people will have of your book and it may be the last.So it's essential that your book cover does more than convey your book's title.

Your book cover is your silent spokesperson and your mini-billboard.

So here are 3 ways in which you can maximize the impact of your book to help boost sales:


1.

Add Your Image


Naturally, this is not appropriate in all cases but it can work effectively whether you are well-known or not.

If you are well-known and your image is part of your overall branding then incorporating your image on the cover of your book will give your book brand recognition.Take Donald Trump for example.He incorporates his image onto the cover of all his books for to quote one of his book titles - "There's no such thing as over-exposure".

If you are well-known then your book represents a great opportunity to increase your recognition.People are generally curious to learn more about an author and to see what they look like.Authors are seen as very special people - celebrities even.Allow potential buyers and or readers to connect with you.So even if you don't want to include your image on the front cover of your book make sure that your image can be readily found.For example, consider including it on the back cover or on the inside flap if your book is a hardcover version.

2.List relevant awards or distinctions


If you have received a significant award for your writing or your work in the subject matter of your book then you can include this information on the cover of your book.

By distinctions I mean something that is worthy of note.For example, if your book has a TV connection your book cover is a great place to mention it.People have a tendency to believe what they see on television which is one reason why this is such a power medium and any TV links will massively boost the saleability of your book.

For instance, Dean Graziosi on his New York Times best selling book "Be a Real Estate Millionaire" mentions "As seen weekly on national TV since 1999".This instantly gives him a ton of credibility even if you've never actually seen Dean Graziosi on television yourself.

Another example is the book "Think Yourself Rich" written by the award-winning author Sharon Maxwell Magnus."Think Yourself Rich" was a major BBC television series and this was mentioned on the front book cover not one but twice.

3.Direct people to a free recorded message


Think of your book as a lead generator.

Your book should be just the first stage of a journey a reader shares with you.Offer your readers different ways to interact with you.

So you can use your book cover to invite potential buyers and or readers of your book to phone you using a free phone number where they can listen to a pre-recorded message.Your pre-recorded message can outline a special product or service you might have and a special offer that is only available to individuals who purchase your book.

You might even want to run a special competition in association with the launch of your book and use your pre-recorded message to give details about this.People love competitions and structured astutely a competition that is run as part of your book launch can generate massive publicity for you, your company and of course, your book.


About the Author

For a great opportunity to learn first-hand about expert book marketing visit Book Marketing University.

And to listen to a FREE teleclass on how you can turn your book into an Amazon Bestseller visit Becoming An Amazon Bestseller.

Relaited Links:

Labels: , , , ,

Monday, January 19, 2009

Building Authority And Search Engine Optimization For Higher Rankings

In the pursuit to deliver a better Internet experience, Google, Yahoo!, and the other major search engines diligently build better algorithms for ranking websites.While link popularity (the number of incoming links that point to your website) is still a valid search engine optimization tactic, it is far less vital to good rankings than trust and authority.In other words, if your website is considered authoritative, Google and Yahoo!will place it on the first page of organic listings for the competitive keywords you pursue.

The concept of trust and authority for search engine optimization is still hard to understand for many people.This article describes how a website becomes considered authoritative and explains the steps a website owner can take to build the authority of their website to enjoy higher organic rankings.

How A Website Becomes Authoritative


The best way to understand how websites become authoritative through search engine optimization is to consider research papers.

For example, if a particular research paper is cited by other research papers, it becomes credible.As more people cite the research paper, especially authorities in the same field as that of the paper, it becomes trusted and authoritative.Just like if Stephen Hawking cited a paper someone else wrote on black holes, others would consider the paper authoritative because Stephen Hawking is considered an expert in the field of black holes.

Authority through search engine optimization works in the same way.For example, when operating a website that publishes articles about golf, attracting links from Golf Digest or The Professional Golfers Association would increase the authority of your website within the field of golf.Basically, the more authority you have, the more likelihood you will place high in the organic listings of Google and Yahoo!

Building An Authoritative Website


Building an authoritative website through search engine optimization is difficult.

This is why many website owners turn to an SEO company.First, you must carve out a successful keyword inventory that targets and forms the foundation of your search engine optimization efforts.This requires extensive research, competitive analysis, identifying existing authorities in your field, and knowing how well those authorities control the keywords you want to target.

Second, you must build a satisfactory number of critical incoming links to your website.Ideally, these search engine optimization links should come from websites that are authoritative within your field.It isn't usually easy (picture trying to get Stephen Hawking to cite your research paper), but with time and effort, it can be accomplished.By slowly working to attract incoming links from trusted and relevant content websites, mildly relevant education websites (or .edu domains), and social media websites, you will grow the authority of your website.As your authority grows, as will your rankings in Google and Yahoo!for your targeted keywords.

Receiving Qualified Traffic


One of the main advantages to having an authoritative website is that the time, effort, and money invested in search engine optimization will begin to bring in qualified traffic over time.

As your website ranks higher, it gains exposure and respect, which attract more incoming links.The more this happens, the more authority you gain, the more exposure to qualified traffic you receive.

Building the authority of your website is a good search engine optimization strategy.Considering partnering with an experienced Chicago SEO company, or a search engine optimization company anywhere, to deliver the best results.


About the Author

Aaron Wittersheim writes informative articles for Whoast, a Chicago SEO company.

They help their clients boost their ROI through cutting-edge, ethical search engine optimization.Chicago serves as their headquarters, but they help clients nationwide.

Relaited Links:

Labels: , , , ,