Selasa, 10 Januari 2012
Marketing Jobs: Can I Get Me Some?
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This morning I received an email from Tim Ferris. Well, not directly from Tim but from his blog. I recommend following him if you're looking for some really great business and marketing insights. Tim has written a number of top selling books, launched dozens of businesses, and continues to be an innovator in the Internet marketing space. Although his blog post was really about generating ideas for starting a web-based business, it took me in a completely different direction.
Two of the resources that Tim mentions in his post were Google Trends and Google Insights. What blew my mind was that after I entered "marketing" into the Insights tool to see what people have been searching on over the last year, the number one result was marketing jobs. If you use the tool, be sure to page down to see the most popular terms.
At first it surprised me to see this result, but then I realized just how important marketing has become to any business, especially companies doing business online. Add the ailing economy to the mix and you can see why people are searching for marketing jobs in large numbers. When I look at Google Trends, it appears that people have been searching consistently over the last year for "marketing jobs". I guess this means that there is, and always will be, a need for marketing professionals.
Keep in mind however that the skills required to effectively market your business, or someone else's, are continually changing and evolving. Another piece of information that I found interesting were the emerging trends. This is true validation of what marketers are interested in (things like Facebook marketing for example) and and indication of where you should be spending your time learning and expanding your skillset. Consider using Google Insights to gain a true understanding of emerging trends and actual behavior.
Back to Marketing Jobs
You may be new to marketing or a marketing veteran and thinking about your next move. If you're ready for a new marketing job, I recommend the following three resources for starting your search and finding the job that's right for you.
1. The Ladders. The Ladders job board now has a board that specifically caters to marketing professionals. The Marketing Ladders offers top quality jobs in your target area.
2. Linked In. The way to get a new job in today's market isn't through a traditional job board. Your best bet is networking. In addition to getting acquainted with other marketing professionals or joining a marketing related group on LinkedIn, I recommend expanding your network to include people from your target companies. Do the research, find companies you'd like to work for, and start building connections.
3. Marketing Websites and Forums. You'd be amazed at what's available via niche specific websites. The goal is to connect with other marketers and people who are connected in the marketing space. Start a conversation, engage in the community, and opportunities will arise. If your looking for a marketing job then search Google for terms like 'marketing forum', 'internet marketing forum', etc.
Marketing jobs are clearly on everyone's mind. Google trends, Google Insights, and other online resources confirm this. If you are one of the thousands of professional marketers searching the web for a new marketing related position, then use the resources noted above to find the job that's right for you.
If you have addition marketing related resources you can share, please do so by leaving a comment.
For more free marketing advice, visit the marketing experts at http://www.MarketingScoop.com.
Senin, 09 Januari 2012
Marketing Must Be Remarkable
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This week I was searching online for some inspiration and was lucky enough to find it. As is usually the case, I found more than enough to get me thinking about today's post: Social Media, SEO, Search Marketing, YouTube... I mean, where should I begin? The good news is that I found the inspiration I was looking for.
One of the biggest challenges we all face as marketers, online and offline, is cutting through clutter. This has always been a challenge but has grown increasingly complex with the addition of social media and portable devices. I don't know about you but I'm pretty much addicted to my gadgets. I always feel the need to be plugged in and I know that I'm not alone.
Cutting Through the Clutter
Okay, so back to my online search for inspiration. I came across a video of a well known marketer (name omitted on purpose) who had a great solution for cutting through the many messages that our target segments hear on a daily basis. I was amazed at how simple the solution truly is to this growing issue.
To reach your target audience and stand above all the "noise", you need to do one thing, be REMARKABLE. That's right, be remarkable, stand out from the crowd by being different. Think about the brands that capture your attention. One of the reasons that Starbucks has such a strong brand is because it charges almost four bucks for a cup of coffee. Some of the "marketing gurus" will disagree and say that Starbucks can charge that amount of money because of other factors (quality, store experience, etc.) but the reality is that Starbucks does it differently.
Another great example is the Mini-Cooper. When you look at the car, it's different, unlike virtually anything else on the road. The lesson is clear, to cut through clutter you must be different, you must stand out from the crowd. Me too brands and me too marketing won't get the job done in today's market where we must compete for just a few moments of someones attention.
Mee Too Marketing
How can you make your marketing different? Remarkable? It all begins with a big idea and some original promotions. Once you pick a theme for your campaign, a big idea - something outside the box, you can use different media to communicate your message over and over again.
Whenever rolling out a new promotion it's always a good idea to test your campaign with a small portion of your target audience before you make any significant investment. Once you work out the bugs, go big! And think remarkable. Even if you're hanging on to the traditional letter, stick something in the envelope: a pen, a cube, a button. How often do you get an envelope with a bulge in it? See my point?
The last thing I want to mention is that you should start paying attention to other promotions, products, and experiences, that you notice - that capture you. Notice what they all have in common and think of ways that you can differentiate your marketing, your products, and your campaigns to get people to stop and take notice. It's my belief that what you pay attention to are the things that are different and unique!
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One of the biggest challenges we all face as marketers, online and offline, is cutting through clutter. This has always been a challenge but has grown increasingly complex with the addition of social media and portable devices. I don't know about you but I'm pretty much addicted to my gadgets. I always feel the need to be plugged in and I know that I'm not alone.
Cutting Through the Clutter
Okay, so back to my online search for inspiration. I came across a video of a well known marketer (name omitted on purpose) who had a great solution for cutting through the many messages that our target segments hear on a daily basis. I was amazed at how simple the solution truly is to this growing issue.
To reach your target audience and stand above all the "noise", you need to do one thing, be REMARKABLE. That's right, be remarkable, stand out from the crowd by being different. Think about the brands that capture your attention. One of the reasons that Starbucks has such a strong brand is because it charges almost four bucks for a cup of coffee. Some of the "marketing gurus" will disagree and say that Starbucks can charge that amount of money because of other factors (quality, store experience, etc.) but the reality is that Starbucks does it differently.
Mee Too Marketing
Whenever rolling out a new promotion it's always a good idea to test your campaign with a small portion of your target audience before you make any significant investment. Once you work out the bugs, go big! And think remarkable. Even if you're hanging on to the traditional letter, stick something in the envelope: a pen, a cube, a button. How often do you get an envelope with a bulge in it? See my point?
The last thing I want to mention is that you should start paying attention to other promotions, products, and experiences, that you notice - that capture you. Notice what they all have in common and think of ways that you can differentiate your marketing, your products, and your campaigns to get people to stop and take notice. It's my belief that what you pay attention to are the things that are different and unique!
For more free marketing advice, visit the marketing experts at http://www.MarketingScoop.com.
How To Compete and Win Against Today's #1 Brands
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These days, he is aprolific blogger and educator in the Firepole Marketing training program, andworks one-on-one with client businesses to improve their marketing and helpthem make more money. He’s also a fellowauthor; Danny’s book about effectivecommunication in writing is a must have, and he’s co-authoring two othertitles that are about to bereleased with co-authors that you may have heard of, like Guy Kawasaki,Brian Clark, Mitch Joel, and many others! Danny, thanks for sharing your thoughts with all of us on The MarketingBlog.
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This week we hear fromDanny Iny, someone I highly respect in the area of Internet marketing and smallbusiness communication. He has been anentrepreneur for most of his life, quitting school when he was fifteen to starthis first successful business, and has been doing it ever since. Danny has worked with companies of all sizes,from the very huge (Nokia, Google) to small businesses and entrepreneurs whoare just getting started.
1. HiDanny. You’ve been working with smallbusinesses for many years. What are someof the unique challenges small business owners are facing today?
I think the core challenges that small businesses face today are thesame challenges that they’ve faced in the past; too much to do, too little timein which to do it, and not enough expertise to drive it all, because they can’tbe experts in everything, and have too much on their plates. I see thisparticularly in the areas of marketing, and it is even worse because marketingis one of those fields where anyone who’s read a book or taken a course thinksthey really get it, even though in many cases they really don’t.
I think the core challenges that small businesses face today are thesame challenges that they’ve faced in the past; too much to do, too little timein which to do it, and not enough expertise to drive it all, because they can’tbe experts in everything, and have too much on their plates. I see thisparticularly in the areas of marketing, and it is even worse because marketingis one of those fields where anyone who’s read a book or taken a course thinksthey really get it, even though in many cases they really don’t.
2. How has social media impacted the smallbusiness owner?
Social media has impacted the small business owner by opening a newchannel through which they can connect with their audience. It’s not justanother channel, either, because it is qualitatively different from what waspreviously available, both in terms of the cost structures (it’s a lot cheaper,and is often free), and in terms of the bi-directionality (prospects andcustomers can talk to you and about you as easily as you can talk to them –more easily, in fact).
Social media has impacted the small business owner by opening a newchannel through which they can connect with their audience. It’s not justanother channel, either, because it is qualitatively different from what waspreviously available, both in terms of the cost structures (it’s a lot cheaper,and is often free), and in terms of the bi-directionality (prospects andcustomers can talk to you and about you as easily as you can talk to them –more easily, in fact).
3. What type of online marketing are yourecommending to the businesses you consult for?
That really depends on the client, and you’ve actually hit on one ofthe biggest mistakes that I see most small businesses making, which is assumingthat there is one “best” way to do online marketing, whether that be SEO, orPPC, or Twitter, or Facebook, or whatever. The truth is that the only waytactics will work for you (unless you just happen to get lucky) is byunderstanding who your customer is, where they hang out, and what drives theirbehavior. In other words, even if you can get very cheap clicks on a certainmedium, it doesn’t mean anything if those clicks aren’t the people you’retrying to reach, or they’re not in the right head-space to receive yourmessage.
That really depends on the client, and you’ve actually hit on one ofthe biggest mistakes that I see most small businesses making, which is assumingthat there is one “best” way to do online marketing, whether that be SEO, orPPC, or Twitter, or Facebook, or whatever. The truth is that the only waytactics will work for you (unless you just happen to get lucky) is byunderstanding who your customer is, where they hang out, and what drives theirbehavior. In other words, even if you can get very cheap clicks on a certainmedium, it doesn’t mean anything if those clicks aren’t the people you’retrying to reach, or they’re not in the right head-space to receive yourmessage.
4. How can business owners grow their referralnetworks online and offline?
There are two parts to this; the first is having something that peoplewant to talk about – that includes just having a great offering, of course, butalso making it “buzz-worthy”. There are things that people like to tell theirfriends, and things that they don’t. You need to be great at what you do, butyou also need to find some remarkable way to shine through the clutter (likeBlendTec’s Will It BlendYouTube videos). Then the next step is to make it easy for people to tell theirfriends about you – for example, with easily embedded buttons that let peopleshare with a single click.
There are two parts to this; the first is having something that peoplewant to talk about – that includes just having a great offering, of course, butalso making it “buzz-worthy”. There are things that people like to tell theirfriends, and things that they don’t. You need to be great at what you do, butyou also need to find some remarkable way to shine through the clutter (likeBlendTec’s Will It BlendYouTube videos). Then the next step is to make it easy for people to tell theirfriends about you – for example, with easily embedded buttons that let peopleshare with a single click.
5. How can small businesses use the web tocompete against larger, more prominent brands in their niche?
Well, first of all, don’t try to beat big companies at their own game;if David tries to beat Goliath by fighting like Goliath, then David gets hisbutt kicked. Instead, focus on what value you can bring to the table that yourbig competitors can’t – for example, since you’re smaller and more agile, you canprobably offer more personalized service to your customers, or service a marketsegment that desperately needs your offering, but is too small for the bigcompetitor to justify investing the resources. Don’t focus on the competitor,but rather on what can make your relationship with your customer as special aspossible.
Well, first of all, don’t try to beat big companies at their own game;if David tries to beat Goliath by fighting like Goliath, then David gets hisbutt kicked. Instead, focus on what value you can bring to the table that yourbig competitors can’t – for example, since you’re smaller and more agile, you canprobably offer more personalized service to your customers, or service a marketsegment that desperately needs your offering, but is too small for the bigcompetitor to justify investing the resources. Don’t focus on the competitor,but rather on what can make your relationship with your customer as special aspossible.
6. Is there any other advice you can giveregarding effective online marketing and communications for the small businessowners reading this post?
What makes online marketing effective is thesame thing that makes offline marketing effective – understand your audience aswell as you possibly can, because that’s the information that you need in orderto differentiate yourself and really stand out in their minds. The “online”part of online marketing is mostly tactical, and not that complicated orimportant. Focus on knowing your customer, and serving them as well as youpossibly can – the rest can almost take care of itself.
What makes online marketing effective is thesame thing that makes offline marketing effective – understand your audience aswell as you possibly can, because that’s the information that you need in orderto differentiate yourself and really stand out in their minds. The “online”part of online marketing is mostly tactical, and not that complicated orimportant. Focus on knowing your customer, and serving them as well as youpossibly can – the rest can almost take care of itself.
Special thanks to Danny Iny for his contributions to The Marketing Blog. I encourage all of my readers to follow Danny and visit Firepole Marketing for GREAT marketing insights and information. Once you start reading his blog you'll be hooked!
For more free marketing advice, visit the marketing experts at http://www.MarketingScoop.com.
Article Marketing Made Simple
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A lot has changed in Internet marketing. And each time a change happens, the pendulum seems to swing entirely in the other direction. As an experienced marketer, I have seen this happen time and again. So when my inner circle asked me why I was publishing another book, this time focused on article marketing, I couldn't help but shout emphatically, "Article marketing is NOT dead." In fact, those who seize the moment will find themselves ahead of the pack when it comes to this powerful form of Internet marketing.
Article Marketing Made Simple
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A lot has changed in Internet marketing. And each time a change happens, the pendulum seems to swing entirely in the other direction. As an experienced marketer, I have seen this happen time and again. So when my inner circle asked me why I was publishing another book, this time focused on article marketing, I couldn't help but shout emphatically, "Article marketing is NOT dead." In fact, those who seize the moment will find themselves ahead of the pack when it comes to this powerful form of Internet marketing.Article Marketing Made Simple
After publishing my first book, SEO Made Simple (now in it's second edition), I received tons of inquiries about the powerful search engine optimization methods I reveal in the guide. As such, I felt compelled to start a series of publications that take a deep dive - showing exactly how I use my preferred SEO techniques for achieving number one Google Rankings. My first book in the series is Article Marketing Made Simple. Instead of going old-school, this series will be available in digital format only.
With recent changes to the google algorithm, article marketing websites and directories have become less valuable in the Internet marketing space, or have they? The reality is that Google still loves original content. You just need to be more discerning in terms of where the content is placed and how it gets distributed.
What You'll Learn
In this 'tell all' guide, I show you step-by-step, how to use original content to improve your website rankings and earn an affiliate income. Through the proper mix of keyword rich content and effective article marketing techniques, you can have top rankings for your website and blogs while earning commissions for selling online products and services.
The key to effective article marketing really has to do with unique content. You should always strive to have your content be at least 40% unique and claim it before distributing to other sites. I reveal some very effective techniques for getting your content on other blogs and websites, driving quality inbound links to a web property of your choosing.
One of the best aspects of article marketing is the level of authority you can create for your personal brand and digital assets. Whether you are trying to improve the rankings of your videos, squeeze pages, or search results associated with your name, article marketing can get you there.
Don't Believe the Hype
There's no doubt in my mind that you are going to hear people saying, "Article marketing is dead" or "article marketing doesn't work." Well, just because it didn't work for them is really poor justification for dismissing the subject of article marketing. In fact, I know plenty of Internet marketers who are using original content daily to deliver a large stream of affiliate revenue to their bank accounts and deliver top rankings. I happen to be one of them! Top 10 lists, product reviews, and blog posts are all elements of an effective article marketing strategy and I'll show you how to leverage these techniques for meaningful results.
Download a copy of Article Marketing Made Simple today and start building authority to your website or blog. You'll also discover my top affiliate marketing strategies using articles and other informational techniques.
With recent changes to the google algorithm, article marketing websites and directories have become less valuable in the Internet marketing space, or have they? The reality is that Google still loves original content. You just need to be more discerning in terms of where the content is placed and how it gets distributed.
What You'll Learn
In this 'tell all' guide, I show you step-by-step, how to use original content to improve your website rankings and earn an affiliate income. Through the proper mix of keyword rich content and effective article marketing techniques, you can have top rankings for your website and blogs while earning commissions for selling online products and services.
The key to effective article marketing really has to do with unique content. You should always strive to have your content be at least 40% unique and claim it before distributing to other sites. I reveal some very effective techniques for getting your content on other blogs and websites, driving quality inbound links to a web property of your choosing.
One of the best aspects of article marketing is the level of authority you can create for your personal brand and digital assets. Whether you are trying to improve the rankings of your videos, squeeze pages, or search results associated with your name, article marketing can get you there.
Don't Believe the Hype
There's no doubt in my mind that you are going to hear people saying, "Article marketing is dead" or "article marketing doesn't work." Well, just because it didn't work for them is really poor justification for dismissing the subject of article marketing. In fact, I know plenty of Internet marketers who are using original content daily to deliver a large stream of affiliate revenue to their bank accounts and deliver top rankings. I happen to be one of them! Top 10 lists, product reviews, and blog posts are all elements of an effective article marketing strategy and I'll show you how to leverage these techniques for meaningful results.
Download a copy of Article Marketing Made Simple today and start building authority to your website or blog. You'll also discover my top affiliate marketing strategies using articles and other informational techniques.
For more free marketing advice, visit the marketing experts at http://www.MarketingScoop.com.
Minggu, 08 Januari 2012
7 Strategies For Effective No Cost Marketing
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I've been having a lot of discussions lately about no cost marketing. With so many small businesses and people trying to make it on their own, the idea of no-cost marketing is pretty appealing to me and I'm sure it is to you as well.
In this post, I'm going to provide you with 7 of my most effective strategies for promoting your business, website, or blog with little or no money. Here we go.
1. Guest Blog Post. If you have some expertise in a given field, I recommend reaching out to a number of different blogs in your niche and offering to write a guest post. Online marketers are busy and are always looking for good content. Do the research, find a blog that you can write for, and offer up a 100% original guest post. This will save the blog owner time, provide something of value to his audience, and give you exposure.
2. Focus on Organic Search Rankings. Get a good book on SEO (ex: SEO Made Simple) and learn how to optimize your website or blog. If your site comes up organically for a variety of different keyword searches, you'll start to receive quality traffic that can fill your funnel. Organic traffic costs little or nothing to generate - just sweat equity.
3. Leverage social media. Integrate social media icons on your website. I know this is simple but there are tons of direct to consumer and b-to-b sites who haven't taken the time to add TweeMeMe buttons, Google +1, or Facebook Likes. Each time someone redistributes your message, you access their network as well as your own.
4. Build a list. One of the most effective marketing practices is building a house list. There are many ways you can do this but one of the best is offering something of value in exchange for a valid email. Use an email form to capture email from website visitors in exchange for a free download. House lists are the most responsive and you can engage your audience on a regular basis.
5. Press releases. Distributing a press release is a fabulous way to spread the word about your company, product, service, or website. Writing a press release is easy to do and it can be about virtually anything new regarding your business. Once you have your release, search for free press release distribution sites instead of paying hundreds of dollars for PRweb or other established services.
6. Blog commenting. Where do you get your news? What blogs are influential in your niche? Start reading and commenting on blogs. Over time, as you build an online reputation through commenting, you can start to integrate information about resources you offer. This takes some time but can help divert traffic from well known sources.
7. Forums. Start visiting and contributing on forums. Whether you ask forum members for advice or feedback, building a reputation on forums can lead to valuable inbound links to your website as well traffic.Whether you have a large marketing budget or none at all, there are a number of options to promote your business that wont cost you a dime.
Think through the opportunities you have to leverage your current web assets and information you have to attract new users to your business or website. The key is to always try new lead generation methods and build on your successes.If you have additional no-cost or low-cost marketing tips, be sure to comment!
For more free marketing advice, visit the marketing experts at http://www.MarketingScoop.com.
Making Money Online: It's Possible
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Generating Profitable Campaigns
One of the techniques that I’ve used to generate profitable campaigns is tofocus on small niche markets. A popularmistake that Internet marketers make is trying to be all things to all people. If you think you’re going to strike it richwith an info product your first time out, you’re mistaken. I’m not saying it’s possible, but the oddsare certainly against you. There’s amuch better chance of earning a profit if you build a house list around aspecific topic (ex: piano repair) and have a specific unique offer. Your mind should naturally be focused oncornering small markets if you want to succeed.
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This morning I was listening to the news and it was depressing:unemployment, protests, war – it’s no wonder why I avoid the news. But for Internet marketers, this is one ofthe best times in history to make money online. Thanks to Internet enabled devices and a hunger for online products,information, and expertise, the market has never been better for making aliving online.
I can tell you that most of us who are marketing today didn’t have a lot tostart with. In fact, many of today’s“super affiliates” are young guys in their 20’s and 30’s who started fromscratch.
Personally speaking, I’ve had to deal with many of the same obstacles when Ifirst started promoting products and services online as newbies facetoday. But with some experience and agood deal of trial and error, you can make small distinctions that candramatically improve results. I’ve learned the hard way that you can’t be anexpert at everything. As such, I’veworked hard to build my network or mentors and resources to learn what worksand what doesn’t. Whether you’reconnecting with people via an Internet marketing forum, global success club, ormentor network, it’s easier than ever to find people who can help you overcomemany of the obstacles associated with being an Internet marketer.
Generating Profitable Campaigns
If you’re doing any online advertising, it’s incredibly important that youfocus on Return On Investment (ROI). I’ve learned that maximizing ROI is as much about managing expenses asit is generating revenue. Working with amentor or someone who’s already running profitable online campaigns can helpyou improve your results. This is especiallyimportant when you’re just getting started. If you’re barely managing to breakeven on your campaigns, the best way to turn it around is to model those whoare marketing profitably. The best, andfastest way to do this, is to find a mentor or network of like-minded peoplewho are already getting results.
One of the techniques that I’ve used to generate profitable campaigns is tofocus on small niche markets. A popularmistake that Internet marketers make is trying to be all things to all people. If you think you’re going to strike it richwith an info product your first time out, you’re mistaken. I’m not saying it’s possible, but the oddsare certainly against you. There’s amuch better chance of earning a profit if you build a house list around aspecific topic (ex: piano repair) and have a specific unique offer. Your mind should naturally be focused oncornering small markets if you want to succeed. Another example would be if you’re looking to promote an information productabout dating on a small budget. Firstyou need to make yourself familiar with the niche markets where it would bepossible to generate some profit with highly targeted and low volume,campaign. Those niche markets might be “SingleParent Dating”, “Dating 40+”, etc. …these are all great distinctions that youshould be making before you jump the gun and invest countless hours without anypositive return.
Learn From Others
Networking with or leveraging the lessons of heavyweight affiliates is the primarykey to success for those who are just starting out in online marketing. If you can’t compete with their large budgets,compete on a smaller scale. Don’t try toattract the entire market, focus on a small market niche. Focus on the details! Many of the top-earning marketers don’t havetime to focus on these small markets, meaning there is still money to bemade. This is your opportunity to own asmall territory that others aren’t able to cover.
It’s important to make every penny count while you’re still dealing with asmall budget. Look for ways to partnerwith influencers in your niche through products, interviews, and other contentthat might add value to their websites or blogs. In my opinion, it’s really no longer possibleto fill your boots with overnight riches by going straight for the kill in hugemainstream markets. You need to operate on the borders, obtain profit where themarkets aren’t so flooded, and dig deeper to grow your business.
Not only is it important to grow your business but growing yourself as aperson and Internet marketer will ultimately reap huge benefits for yourbusiness. From my personal experience learningfrom others has helped a great deal. Iencourage you to work with others to improve your knowledge and mindset. Learn more about entrepreneurial networks at Global Success.
For more free marketing advice, visit the marketing experts at http://www.MarketingScoop.com.
How Do You Publish A Book And Market The Heck Out of It
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1. The best place to begin is with an idea. If you're reading this post, then you probably have a good idea of what you're writing about. In fact, its likely you already have a manuscript in some form. Maybe it's an idea you started and never finished or a well polished book that just needs a cover! Before going to the next step, think about your readers and those who would be most interested in your content.
2. Create a title that sells. If you know anything about marketing, you understand the importance of a well written headline. The best headlines are researched and tested. The best tip I ever received on headline creation was to test multiple headlines using Google Adwords. I know your space is limited but consider running a small campaign on Adwords for twenty bucks and varying titles and descriptions. You'll certainly find a winner.
3. Hook up with a good editor. A mentor once told me, "there are never good writers, only good editors." Although I don't agree entirely, I will confess that nothing beats a good editor. If you are publishing a printed book, then you'll need a resource to print your book. Many of these resources offer editorial services. A good edit will likely cost you around $500, but it's money well spent. You might be able to find cheaper resources through Odesk, eLance, or some type of editorial service.
4. Use a distributor or go direct. My first couple of titles are available in both print and digital formats. For the print version I hooked up with CreateSpace. This company is owned by Amazon (which is a huge advantage) and takes care of the printing and distribution. It's amazing. Someone orders my book off of Amazon and they do the rest. Based on the relationship with Amazon, CreateSpace offers a great deal of flexibility when it comes to getting your book listed on Amazon.com. Personally, I think this gives you preference in search results but what do I know?
5. Get an ISBN. If your book is going to be available in printed format, you'll need an ISBN. To buy an ISBN, you simple need to go to ISBN.org. There you'll find everything you need to acquire an ISBN and bar code to add to your book. Some publishing services will do this for you. If you were able to request an ISBN through your distributor (from the previous step), then you're all set. More and more distributors have been offering this service over the last few years.
6. Design a cover. Again, another easy thing to do if you're willing to spend $50. Go to eLance.com and post a job that provides information about your title and the general look you're after. n fi You cand very talented designers at a low price. Also, think through the size of your printed book. Just because it was written on an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper doesn't mean that should be your books size.
7. Upload and distribute. Once you've uploaded your title to your distributor or Amazon's direct publishing program (kdp.amazon.com), you'll have a small waiting period before it appears on Amazon.com. Once it's up and running, you can start driving traffic to your newly published book.
8. Drive sales. This might be pretty straight-forward but when you're launching a new book, begin with people you know and who know you. Ask your friends, relatives, colleagues, and acquaintances to purchase or download your book. And the secret sauce... ask them to buy it over the weekend. You see, Amazon ranks books based on sales relative to other titles. As such, you want to sell your books when other books aren't selling. As someone who's be selling books for quite some time, I know that book sales are slow from Friday night to Sunday.
If you get people to purchase during these days, you'll improve your Amazon ranking.
In future posts, I'll share some additional ideas on how to promote and sell your titles. Whether you put together a promotion (ex: donate proceeds to charity) or offer a free excerpt, there are a number of creative ways to promote your title. Don't be afraid to share you accomplishments via social media and reach out to others who can help you promote your title.
Best of luck if you're entering the publishing world for fun or profit. It's a great way to share your expertise and help others achieve their goals.
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Ever since last week's post about my third book, Article Marketing Made Simple, and now with the release of Weight Loss Made Simple - the first non-marketing book to be added to my line, I've been getting a lot of questions about self-publishing. Specifically, I've received over 30 emails asking, "How do you publish a book?" And once it's published, what can you do to market and promote it?
I'm not a publishing expert, but I can tell you a few things about writing and promoting books. Not only have I headed up marketing for publishing companies in the past, but I've also published my own informational books, guides and products.
As someone who loves to help others in search of a similar goal I thought I'd dedicate a post to provide helpful strategies based on my experience for packing information and selling as a printed guide or ebook (which includes Google books, Kindle, etc.).
How Do You Publish a Book?
You can start virtually anywhere but I like to start at the beginning. The end result will be a published book that gets sold but each step must be well thought through in order to be successful. Whether you are publishing fiction or non-fiction, the process of publishing is virtually the same.
2. Create a title that sells. If you know anything about marketing, you understand the importance of a well written headline. The best headlines are researched and tested. The best tip I ever received on headline creation was to test multiple headlines using Google Adwords. I know your space is limited but consider running a small campaign on Adwords for twenty bucks and varying titles and descriptions. You'll certainly find a winner.
3. Hook up with a good editor. A mentor once told me, "there are never good writers, only good editors." Although I don't agree entirely, I will confess that nothing beats a good editor. If you are publishing a printed book, then you'll need a resource to print your book. Many of these resources offer editorial services. A good edit will likely cost you around $500, but it's money well spent. You might be able to find cheaper resources through Odesk, eLance, or some type of editorial service.
4. Use a distributor or go direct. My first couple of titles are available in both print and digital formats. For the print version I hooked up with CreateSpace. This company is owned by Amazon (which is a huge advantage) and takes care of the printing and distribution. It's amazing. Someone orders my book off of Amazon and they do the rest. Based on the relationship with Amazon, CreateSpace offers a great deal of flexibility when it comes to getting your book listed on Amazon.com. Personally, I think this gives you preference in search results but what do I know?
5. Get an ISBN. If your book is going to be available in printed format, you'll need an ISBN. To buy an ISBN, you simple need to go to ISBN.org. There you'll find everything you need to acquire an ISBN and bar code to add to your book. Some publishing services will do this for you. If you were able to request an ISBN through your distributor (from the previous step), then you're all set. More and more distributors have been offering this service over the last few years.
6. Design a cover. Again, another easy thing to do if you're willing to spend $50. Go to eLance.com and post a job that provides information about your title and the general look you're after. n fi You cand very talented designers at a low price. Also, think through the size of your printed book. Just because it was written on an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper doesn't mean that should be your books size.
7. Upload and distribute. Once you've uploaded your title to your distributor or Amazon's direct publishing program (kdp.amazon.com), you'll have a small waiting period before it appears on Amazon.com. Once it's up and running, you can start driving traffic to your newly published book.
8. Drive sales. This might be pretty straight-forward but when you're launching a new book, begin with people you know and who know you. Ask your friends, relatives, colleagues, and acquaintances to purchase or download your book. And the secret sauce... ask them to buy it over the weekend. You see, Amazon ranks books based on sales relative to other titles. As such, you want to sell your books when other books aren't selling. As someone who's be selling books for quite some time, I know that book sales are slow from Friday night to Sunday.
If you get people to purchase during these days, you'll improve your Amazon ranking.
In future posts, I'll share some additional ideas on how to promote and sell your titles. Whether you put together a promotion (ex: donate proceeds to charity) or offer a free excerpt, there are a number of creative ways to promote your title. Don't be afraid to share you accomplishments via social media and reach out to others who can help you promote your title.
Best of luck if you're entering the publishing world for fun or profit. It's a great way to share your expertise and help others achieve their goals.
For more free marketing advice, visit the marketing experts at http://www.MarketingScoop.com.
Sabtu, 07 Januari 2012
Marketing Forums Provide The Answers You Need
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I know it's happened to you. In fact, I'm sure it happens quite often. You're working on a website, blog, or some type of marketing-related issue and you're stumped. You have some friends you can call but before you pick up that phone, you open your browser and start typing.
This is the way most of us looking for information today. Years ago the phone was the first option, but not anymore. The web is the answer. Yesterday a friend mentioned the old "chat room" to me and we spent some time reminiscing about online communities and just how far we've come. The premise is the same but the technology and depth of conversation has drastically changed.
If you're in marketing, you should really get comfortable with the idea of using Internet marketing forums to get answers to your most pressing marketing questions. Chances are that many of the search results you've depended on are in the form of a blog or forum post. This is because blogging and forums are nothing more than questions and answers, issues and responses.
My suggestion is that you sign up for a forum in your niche and start engaging in the conversation. Here are some suggestions for getting started:
1. Google "[niche name] Forum". For example, if you're in the affiliate niche, search on "affiliate forum" and you'll receive a list of popular forums. Take a look around and register for the forum that best meets your needs.
2. Watch the conversation. Before you start posting get a feel for the type of individuals who use the forum, the topics they cover, and how they respond. You obviously don't want to break any forum rules or seem out of place.
3. Respond to someone else's post. Once you've watched the conversation it's time to jump in. But do so on a topic you know something about. Responding with a one-liner or information that's not relevant to the conversation can be detrimental.
4. Post a question. After making 10 responses to different posts, its time to post your own question or issue. I like using the rule of ten because someone who's already engaged ten different strings of conversation is usually in a good position to ask a meaningful question.
5. Become a contributor. The key with any forum is to use them. If you post a single question and walk away it's possible that you won't get much from it. Remember that forums are communities and you want to be seen as a valuable member. As is true with most things in life you get out of it what you put into it.
Now that you've started engaging with like-minded individuals via forums you'll start to see significant benefit. Whether you have specific issues that you need answers to or you want to help others, forums are alive with dialog, issues, and opportunities.
Forums have advanced over the years and offer many different types of features. These features may include premium forums that provide access to a limited number of people or special offers provided my vendors in your niche. Not all forums are the same. My recommendation is to choose few that you like and stick with them, experimenting along the way.
I have developed some very meaningful relationships in forums and I hope you do too. Get started today. The sooner you do the faster you'll have a growing network of people who can help you grow.
For more free marketing advice, visit the marketing experts at http://www.MarketingScoop.com.
Three Marketing Tips for Understanding Your Online Audience
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Marketing is an ever changing enterprise. As technology continues to influence our business efforts more and more, our marketing efforts to will need to change and adapt. While marketing was at one time all about print images and static advertisements, it has now become fully intertwined with the internet. Online marketing has in many ways become the name of the game for businesses and products everywhere.
Allowing you to easily reach a vast audience and pinpoint your exact target, the internet is a marketer's dream. While online marketing is a major component of any successful marketing plan, there are many ways to make your online marketing efforts more successful. Follow these three marketing tips to better understand and target your specific audience online.
How Is Your Audience Using the Internet?One of the most important things to know about your target audience as an online marketer is how they use the internet when they are online. If you can begin to understand how your consumers are using the web then you can come up with a better way to get to them. Does your target audience use the web for work or for entertainment? What are their favorite types of sites to use? All of these questions can help define who your audience is and how to more easily locate them online.
If your audience uses search engines as their primary transportation around the web, then SEO efforts may significantly benefit your marketing campaign. If you find that your main audience uses social networks as their primary online endeavor, you can find ways to incorporate social media and social networking into your marketing efforts. Knowing how your audience uses the internet will take some time to pinpoint, but will greatly improve your marketing campaign.
Where Does Your Audience Spend Their Time Online?While this sounds very similar to the last tip, there is distinct difference. Once you know what your audience goes to the internet for, you can work to discover where specifically they spend their time online. Knowing exactly where your target audience hangs out is essential to reaching them. If you have determined that your audience uses the internet for their business and professional lives then you can get a better idea of what sites they use specifically.
Conversely, if your target audience uses the internet for their social interests, you can focus your marketing around social networks and social hubs. Search Engine Optimization for your marketing sites and marketing pages is always a great bet for any target audience. If you can be visible on the major search engines, you will find a significant amount of your audience there. However, knowing what specific sites your target demographic uses is no doubt a huge marketing advantage.
What Is Your Competition Up To?Though it may seem somewhat counter-intuitive, knowing and understanding your competition can give you a better perspective on who your target audience really is. Not only is it good advice to know what your competition is up to in general, you can also use this information to evaluate your audience. By researching your competitions' marketing efforts, you can see what their interpretations of your mutual audience is. This can help you figure out who your audience is or help you decide if you are marketing to the right group of people.
Find your competitors online and see how they are marketing their product or services. You can learn a few things from their techniques and also learn how to be different from the rest. The internet is all about finding a new way to do or show things. If you are just doing the same things as your competitors, it is likely you won't get much further than them. Keep a close eye on your competition and work to find ways to market your services or product in a new way.
Guest post by Mariana Ashley. Mariana is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031@gmail.com.
For more free marketing advice, visit the marketing experts at http://www.MarketingScoop.com.
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Tools
Books
Internet Marketing From The Real Experts
The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course: Online Marketing (McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Courses)
Internet Marketing - For Income, Influence and Impact (Turn Your Passions into Income - Online!)
WordPress Search Engine Success: How To Maximize SEO & Income From WordPress Websites
22 TOP GOOGLE TOOLS FOR INTERNET MARKETERS: How to Make the Most of Google's Free Tools to Grow Your Business and Increase Your Profits (Marketing Matters)
Web Fluent: The Faster, Easier Way to Build Your Web Business
The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On-Line
The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course: Online Marketing (McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Courses)
Internet Marketing - For Income, Influence and Impact (Turn Your Passions into Income - Online!)
WordPress Search Engine Success: How To Maximize SEO & Income From WordPress Websites
22 TOP GOOGLE TOOLS FOR INTERNET MARKETERS: How to Make the Most of Google's Free Tools to Grow Your Business and Increase Your Profits (Marketing Matters)
Web Fluent: The Faster, Easier Way to Build Your Web Business
The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On-Line