Category: Online Business

Article Contributed by Don Battis

Is your website just an “online brochure”?

How many leads has it generated?

How many sales have you closed from your web generated leads?

Your website should be the centerpiece of your marketing program. Inbound marketing is based on the simple fact that buyers of all products are now searching on the internet for suppliers and information about their products. Studies have proven that the leads from your website cost 62% less than leads from advertising, trades shows, and direct marketing.

1.SEO– Your business needs to rank well for the keywords that describe your products or services. That is how you get found by the customers searching for you. There are more than 88 million searches on Google every month. 70% of the links that search users choose are organic-not paid. 60% of all organic clicks go to the top three organic search results.

2. Social Media– Social media is an effective way to create exposure for your business online, and it is a PROVEN way to significantly increase and engage prospects and generate leads. Today successful companies must have an online presence through active social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. These are no longer choices, but rather, necessities for successful businesses. 41% of B2B companies using Facebook have acquired a customer from it.

3. Website Lead Generation– Another great strategy of online marketing is to utilize and administer a call-to-action button that links your website to quality offers for information or promotions. By placing the call-to-action button strategically on your web pages, the chances of capitalizing on the increased traffic is greatly enhanced.

4. Lead Nurturing– Lead nurturing campaigns can help your company further educate and build relationships. Well planned email follow up campaigns allow you to “continue the conversation” with visitors who have found your website and engaged with your business. This is your opportunity to move the leads down a sales funnel that will generate closed sales.

5. Blogging– Blogging is a must for your company. Companies that blog get twice the number of leads from the internet than ones who don’t. Each time that you publish a blog, you are purchasing an annuity. Instead of cash, you will be receiving valuable search traffic. The amount of traffic that comes to your website is directly proportional to the number of blog posts.

About the Author:

Don Battis has founded and managed several small businesses. He currently is CEO of Pawntique, a boutique online pawn shop which faithfully utilizes these 5 Critical Elements in their inbound marketing strategy to acquire new customers.

Article Contributed By Cathy Goodwin

Many business owners find themselves putting “website makeover” (or even “website development”) on the back burner because they just don’t have time – even though they know they are leaving money on the table.  Others are too busy working with their current clients to develop their own compelling online presence.

The truth is, you don’t have to wait till you get some time freed up, which might not happen for another decade. And you don’t have to settle for a half-baked website that looks pretty but doesn’t bring you clients, sales and traffic.  You can get a new website up fast, when you apply just 3 strategies for working with your website designer.

Strategy #1: Create your content – all your content – before you even think about developing your logo, color scheme or website layout.

Many business owners call a web designer or even a web development company as their very first step.  After all, most of us are conscious of what a website looks like. We’re often taught to associate “website development” with “web design.”

My clients have been surprised to find how much time and money they can save by starting their website makeover by writing content, either as a DIY or by hiring a copywriter first. Here’s why.

• You can lose your place in the designer’s queue if you do not have your content ready. Your web designer can’t complete your project without content.  When your designer has to wait for your content, he or she moves on to other projects. When you finally call to say, “Content is here!” your designer may be in the middle of another project. She needs more time to re-learn your requirements and you probably will be charged for the extra time. Besides, she can’t stop work on her current project. You may wait a month or more to get your project going again.

• Your designer relies on your content strategy to create a header graphic and choose the colors. Otherwise the design you choose will not support your message and may even clash with your USP (Unique selling Proposition). For example, I worked with a client who had paid for a high-end graphic of a relaxed beach scene. When we reviewed her niche, she realized she needed an image that was stark and strong. Mountain cliffs and stormy waves would have been more appropriate. My client was then faced with a choice to keep a graphic that didn’t fit her strategy or acknowledge that she had paid for an online presence that would be confusing rather than compelling?

Strategy #2:  Work with a copywriter to help you communicate exactly how your audience will benefit

When it comes to websites, many business owners focus on eye-popping graphics and they agonize for hours over website colors and typefaces.

Yes, when you stand out from the crowd, you earn more revenue with a whole lot less effort. You can command higher fees because prospects realize you are unique. However, they won’t respond if you just LOOK unique. Your prospects and clients want to be sure you haven’t just taken an old brown cow and slapped on some purple paint.

That’s where expert copywriters make the difference as they can paint word pictures and introduce you as a 3-dimensional, standout professional. The truth is, your copywriter can set up the content so your designer can’t help developing a website that’s your own version of a purple cow.

Strategy #3:  Put your players in the best position to win the profit game. 

Often, business owners expect the web designer to win the whole online marketing game single-handedly with color, design, traffic and navigation. The truth is, if your website were a football game, the content would be the quarterback and the design would be your offensive line.

On the football field the quarterback calls plays and makes sure the ball gets down the field to score points. The job of the offensive line is to make sure the quarterback gets through, unharmed, without interference.

On your website, your designer’s job is to make it easy for visitors to read your copy. Just as good linemen protect their quarterback, your web designer makes sure your graphics support your message and your site is easy to read.

Your copywriter calls the plays: How do you identify your niche so you know how to reach them easily (and motivate then to take action on your offer)? Which pages get featured on the main menu bar? What metaphors and stories will frame your content?

Once these critical decisions have been made, your web designer can implement the technical and visual components of your site. Some copywriters will even guide your designer and manage the entire project, just as a football quarterback is the coach on the field.

Now, Are You Ready to Work More Effectively with Your Web Designer So You Can Start Getting More Prospects and Clients?

The simple strategies I described in this article will multiply your marketing efforts, whether you are a beginner who’s trying to develop a website while creating a new company or a seasoned veteran who is busy seeing clients but desperately needs an upgraded website to keep prospects in the funnel.  Now you can skip the hassle and time-consuming detours that many business associate with online marketing.

About the Author:

Master Copywriter Cathy Goodwin helps time-starved entrepreneurs and owners of professional service firms create a profitable website presence fast, even when they are short on time. Now, she invites you to grab her FREE 5 Point Website Profits Checklist – that should be used as a guide as you complete the website development process. Get your checklist now at: http://www.CopywritingWithCathy.com

 

 

Article Contributed by Scott Harvey

1. Get consistent in how you list your address and phone number:

When Google crawls the web, and your website, it can read “123 Main Street” as something different than “123 Main St.”  It will even see “123 Main St.” as something different than “123 Main St”.

Same thing with phone numbers.  “(714) 555-5555” will be seen as being different than “714-555-5555”, which is different than “(714) 555 5555.”

2. Use a local phone number.

If you have an 800 number, or other toll-free number, show your local number as your primary phone, and show the toll-free number as an additional one.

3. Get consistent in how you list your company name.

If your company name is “Honest Website Marketing” (which we hope it isn’t since that’s our name) don’t show “Honest Website Marketing” in one place, then in another place put “Honest Website Marketing, LLC.”  Just like with addresses and phone numbers, the search engines may think those are two different companies.

So, look at your website, and be sure you’re consistent throughout your site. Then, do it the same way on your “Places” page, and your “YELP” page, and your Chamber of Commerce listing, and on Yellowpages.com and the other hundred local directories you can get yourself listed in.

4. Fill in your website’s URL. 

This may seem obvious, but people miss it all the time. And if your site shows as www.yoursite.com/, don’t list it in your Places page as www.yoursite.com .  That tiny difference can be a problem.

5. Post reviews.

Posting reviews from happy customers is one of the most powerful things you can do to get your “Places” page ranked well.  Encourage your customers to find your Places page and then write a review.  Reviews on your Places page are particularly important in pushing it to the top of the search results, which gets you more clicks. Plus, it helps you build credibility so you get more clicks to your website.

6. Get Citations.

I do not mean the ones you get from the Highway Patrol. But, I do mean the ones you get by getting listed in other places and directories, such as Superpages.com, Yelp, Citysearch, your Chamber of Commerce listing, and the other fifty or a hundred directory-type places you ought to get yourself listed in.  Every time you get listed someplace and get a citation, you beef up your importance in Google’s eyes, which helps you gain higher search engine rankings

7. Post photographs, or better yet, videos, or even better, both.

Pictures and videos are appealing to your visitors and Google loves them. So take full advantage of the ability to post them on your Places page.  It’s just as important there as it is on your website itself.

These are only a few of the things you can to enhance the effectiveness of your Places page.

These 7 can be done by anyone, even people without a lot of technical knowledge.  Of course, you can outsource the task to a website marketing pro who specializes in local search marketing as the expert will save you time..

Feel free to contact us with any questions, or if you would like to discuss having us help you.

About the Author:

Local Search Marketing Expert Scott Harvey works with small-to-medium size local brick-and-mortar business owners who want to improve their search engine results so they can get more local website traffic and sales. Now, as he wants you to capture more clicks, he is offering a 69-page, step-by-step guide to better website performance and he’s giving it to you for free. Grab his “Make The Phone Ring” ebook now at: http://www.honestwebsitemarketing.com

Article Contributed by Ashyia Hill

After the necessary marketing hype and hoopla you decide you are ready to unleash a barrage of products that your customers have been salivating after. If you don’t have a payment gateway set up however, your customers may lose interest in your product, because they can’t get what they want by paying online.

Sending a check through snail mail these days is just too slow for those who want their product yesterday. Set up an online payment processing for quick cash and secure handling. Use one of these five processing services to keep your business in the black.

PayPal

A subsidiary of Ebay.com, Paypal provides financial services for more than 200 million accounts in 22 different currencies worldwide. As just a 10 year-old company, it has grown leaps and bounds to provide customers with a variety of different services. Online companies can process credit cards through three different payment methods.

• Website Payments Standard –Through the standard payment method, a business can accept all major credit cards; avoid monthly fees and application processes. A payment button, which is easy to install, allows users to process payments through a third-party or customized shopping cart. The cost is per transaction, between 2.2 and 2.9 percent that is deducted from a registered bank account.

• Website Payments Pro –This option is the full blown process, where buyers can enter their shipping and payment options with a chance to review and confirm before actually purchasing a product. The Payments Pro also accepts all major credit and debit cards and rolls the processing and the internet merchant account into one service. There is a monthly fee of $30 for the use of this service.

• Payflow Payment Gateway –Using this option, businesses can still have the benefits of Paypal while holding on to their own third-party merchant account. When buyers go to purchase something on your site, they are taken to Paypal’s secure webpage to enter credit or debit card information. There is a one-time setup fee of $179 along with a monthly service fee of $20 for this service.

Amazon Payments

Originally as an online bookstore, Amazon.com now sells everything from books to groceries. Founded in 1995, Amazon.com has expanded their online presence to include Amazon Payments, a service that processes payments, subscriptions and donations. Check out their payments processing services:

• Simple Pay Standard –A basic processing service that takes buyers to the secure Amazon site to pay with any major credit card which is easy to implement through cut-and-paste html code. Pricing ranges between 1.9 and 2.9 percent for each transaction done.

• Simple Pay Subscriptions and Donations –An authorized button which allows buyers to purchase and confirm a subscription through Amazon’s main site. Pricing ranges between 1.9 and 2.9 percent per transaction.

• Simple Pay Marketplace –Another installable button that allows a business to charge a commission for products sold by various merchants. This also ranges between 1.9 and 2.9 percent per transaction.

Pay Simple

Younger than Paypal, Pay Simple is a processing service that specifically targets online businesses. Founded in 2005, this company offers a variety of online financial solutions including:

• Credit card processing
• Email invoicing
• Payment and fraud security
• ACH direct deposit
• Training and Support Services

They offer two different plans:

Invoice Simply –an online invoicing system that allows businesses to send electronic invoices. This service costs $11 per month.
Pay Simple Pro – A full service that processes credit, debit and check transactions. They provide this service for $35 a month.

Authorize.Net

Slightly younger than Amazon.com, Authorize.Net founded in 1996 provides online businesses with a scalable service that can be customized to a company’s needs. This gateway processes all major credit and debit cards, provides fraud protection and also provides additional services based on transaction and monthly fees. The basic setup cost is $99, with a monthly service fee of $20.

AlertPay

A Canadian based company created in 2004, Alert Pay works to create a simple solution for online payment. Their business service accepts Visa, Mastercard and American Express credit and debit cards in 22 different currencies. As with Paysimple, they also provide invoicing services as well as fraud protection and customer support. Signing up for an account is free, however, transactions can cost up to 4.5 percent per transaction.

Do Comparisons

Do your research to find out which service will work the best for your business. Contact each site’s customer support and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Jot down the answers and compare them with each site to compare the benefits.

About the Author
Ashyia Hill blogs at CreditDonkey, a site that provides small business owners with credit card research for entrepreneurs.

Successfully building a company from scratch takes dedication, a clear business plan and a good amount of marketing know-how. Word of mouth is certainly something you want, but you can’t rely on it for all of your advertising needs, even if you offer the best customer experience around. One of the most cost-effective marketing methods for startups is email marketing. It’s fairly easy to find an internet marketing blog full of content for advanced marketing, such as automation or dedicated marketing software, but today I am going to talk about the basics of an email marketing campaign, how it can help your startup and how doing it wrong can negatively impact your business.

The Basics

Before you start an email marketing campaign, there are a few things you should know. First, your initial emails to subscribers should not be attempting to sell them anything; they should, instead, provide useful content that will answer their questions and display your knowledge in your field. Every email you send should include a call to action, prompting the recipient to respond or connect with you in some way. The most popular way to do this is by providing links to the business’s Facebook or Twitter account, accompanied by a simple message like “Join us on Facebook” or “Connect with us on Twitter”. You should never purchase email lists, because it will make your newsletter seem spammy. Instead, point your website visitors to a subscription page and ask your customers in person if they’d like to be included in your email list. This ensures that only people who actually want to receive your emails are on your list.

Doing it Properly

Making your emails friendly and recognizable will help you build a good relationship with your subscribers, hopefully prompting them to become customers in the future. Keeping your emails consistent is key to keeping your subscribers and ensuring that they remember you and your company. Set a regular schedule for your emails and stick with it. Don’t change the format or design, either. Your subscribers shouldn’t have to wonder who sent them the email. Pay attention to the feedback you receive, from people unsubscribing (which will happen) to people who engage you on social media or by email. The responses you get from consumers can help you focus on a specific area where your potential customers have a need.

Doing it Poorly

There are some things you should never do in your emails. First, never try to force a sale onto a subscriber, even if you’ve built a relationship with them. Make them offers, give them coupons and give them quality articles, but make sure that every email benefits the recipient without requiring anything of them. Don’t trick people into subscribing to your list, either. Some companies automatically enroll people in their newsletters when they make a purchase or sign up for an account, but that will merely lose you customers in the long run. Keep your emails brief, too. Needlessly wordy emails will prompt people to unsubscribe from your list, undoing all the hard work you’ve done to get them there.

Whether you’re hiring a company to take care of your marketing campaigns for you or heading them up in-house, you’ll be able to connect with potential customers more easily and receive valuable feedback on both your marketing campaigns and your business as a whole. If you use an email marketing company, you should keep in mind that you’ll have less control of the whole process, though it’s often worth it if your business sends emails out once a month or less. Being consistent, taking user criticism into account and imparting value to the reader will help your business become known as a leader in its field and will drive customer relationships. Your business could be negatively affected if you buy email lists, send overly-long emails or attempt to use your newsletter to sell to your subscribers without building a relationship first. Reliable, valuable email marketing takes time and patience, but is ultimately an invaluable tool in any business’s marketing campaign.