August 3, 2008
We shake hands with people we’ll never see again and exchange business cards that collect dust, but for every person you meet and greet – you come one step closer to increasing your clientele and customers. Networking is a powerful advertising tool and a lot of business owners unfortunately overlook this key ingredient to success.
Whether you must conquer shyness, dust off the suit jacket, or become more active in the community – the possibilities are never-ending when you make a dazzling first impression that benefits your business. Getting involved and mingling about town is one of the best ways to get your name and company out in the open.
When you’re looking for ways to accomplish this magical marketing task, consider the following:
1) Join the Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber of Commerce is a collection of business people who join together to further the interests of members on a local, state, or national level. Start gaining the support of your community and watch interest in your products and service rise. Don’t forget to attend meetings, luncheons, and contribute to fundraisers. The key is to stay active and hopefully form beneficial alliances within your niche. You never know who will become a vital asset for the future of your business.
2) Attend School Board Meetings
The educational system is comprised of educators, administrators, parents, and children – a goldmine for many businesses and a rather effective venue for getting the word out on a business. Good (and bad) news spreads like wildfire throughout this particular arena, so it is important to make a strong first impression and put forth a solid effort to contribute during meetings. Always keep a business card on hand.
3) Become a Member of the Arts Council
The symphony productions, plays, art shows, and museums that decorate your city are usually guided by one or more arts councils that often include an assortment of wealthy and influential individuals or companies. Become a member of this particular organization and you can tap into a whole new world of networking.
4) Participate in Charitable Events
Embrace the positive energy that comes with giving back to the community and the gesture is returned in more ways than one. Not only will you gain respect as a business owner, but it feels good! In the long run, you will become a familiar face about town that
consumers are more willing to trust when it comes to spending their hard-earned cash.
5) Update the Community
Share important company events and information by posting ads or announcements in the local newspaper; updating your main website; and/or creating a mailing list consisting of past customers for shipping out friendly postal reminders and ads.
6) Newsletters
Create a newsletter that updates your community on the latest happenings pertaining to your business. Perhaps you have launched a new product or would like to offer free trial services in exchange for feedback. Maybe you’d like to provide valuable information regarding your business niche. Whatever the case – newsletters are a great way to build a bond with the community and persuade potential customers or clients to trust in your company’s services and goods.
For additional marketing articles, insight, and tips – don’t forget to subscribe to our monthly Priceless Newsletter. It will only take a few seconds to enhance your business savvy; keep up-to-date with unique article discounts; and learn how quality content can increase sales and boost profits.
July 25, 2008
Using proper search engine optimization (SEO) to optimize your website is one of the most important tools that webmasters use for a better online presence. Without a strong online presence, you probably won’t get picked up too well by the top three search engines, Google, MSN and Yahoo. Fail to do that, and you may as well close down your website.
Yet you also want to make sure that when it comes to optimizing your website you don’t overdo it, since this is another way to have the search engines ignore you. Hey, who said that SEO was easy? However, there are ways to make sure your site isn’t over-optimized and these are some of the most effective.
1. Keyword Stuffing
One of the biggest mistakes most websites make when it comes to SEO is misunderstanding keywords and their placement in the site. Keywords are the terms that people type into a search engine to find a certain product or service. If you have your keywords used effectively, this will enhance your chances of the search finding your site. The optimum target for keyword use is around 2-4% - any more and you’ll simply dilute their effect.
2. Duplicate Content
Another area where the search engines will either reward or punish you is via the content on your site. You will score more ranking points for unique custom content than you will by using PLR – private label rights – content. PLR is where you can either buy a bunch of articles or get them for free from places like EzineArticles.com.
Agreed, these will help fill your site with content – along with thousands more. Imagine how less effective a PLR article you share with 1,000 other websites will be compared to a unique one written either by yourself or a professional copywriting service?
3. Buying Backlinks
There’s no denying the benefits of backlinks when used properly. Basically, backlinks are links to your website from an external source – so it could be a blog of yours, or a website or blog posting from elsewhere (say a supplier of yours, or someone who has reviewed your site, for example). However, lately there has been an abundance of websites that offer “paid links”, where for a certain fee they promise you so many backlinks to your site.
The problem here is that the search engines only really take into account links that are relevant to your site – so if you’re an IT company, a link from a computer software firm will hold more sway than a link from a cuddly toy retailer. For quality and authority links, only accept or propose links to and from companies that are in your business field.
4. Social Media Saturation
With the growing popularity of Facebook, Twitter, Digg and similar, social networking/media is now being touted as the next evolution in SEO. Yet while it’s true that having an increased presence via more sites online will build an online presence, this is only true of these ones that actually have any real impact.
While Facebook is excellent for keeping up-to-date with old friends and MySpace is the ideal place to find new music, for effective SEO presence you’ll want to use sites like Technorati, Twitter, Stumbleupon and Digg. Although Digg can actually work against you if you don’t get many hits to your news, since the new Google will rank more on popularity and following than the amounts of online identities you have.
5. Blackhat SEO
For anyone unfamiliar with SEO techniques, there are two main methods – whitehat SEO and blackhat SEO. There is also an area known as greyhat SEO, which walks the thin line between whitehat and blackhat.
Basically, whitehat SEO is the method of optimizing your website using ethical search engine optimization methods. These include unique quality content, blogging, keyword rich articles, authority backlinks and utilizing the correct social networking sites.
Blackhat SEO, on the other hand, uses far less ethical methods and are usually only good for a short, sharp hit. These include spamming, buying links to falsify your site’s popularity, hidden pages on your site, keyword stuffing and more. Although it’s true that these methods can offer a modicum of success, it’s very much short term and will quickly have your website blacklisted by Google and the major search engines.
Although optimizing your website yourself is possible, it can be a hit and miss affair - therefore using the services of expert SEO copywriters will not only ensure your success now, but help you maintain the top rankings a properly optimized website will bring.
July 24, 2008
Search engine optimization has governed the minds and actions of webmasters everywhere for the past decade. Some online entrepreneurs spend thousands of dollars trying to please the search engines. From hiring SEO specialists to participating in questionable tactics thought to improve rankings, the typical website owner places most of their faith in the ability of the search engines to drive their traffic -
If Google disappeared tomorrow, would your website fade as well?
Not long ago, every internet user turned to the search engines for their online needs. Whether you were researching, shopping, or just surfing - Google or Yahoo were typically the starting point. Today the search engines still play a very important role in our online experience, but our methods of discovering new websites are shifting tremendously.
How do you, personally, use the Internet?
Chances are - your target audience uses it the same way. The internet has evolved into an interactive community. RSS feeds, social media, and the new web 2.0 have changed the way we search, surf, and work online. While you may ‘Google’ the new car you’re considering or search for the latest sports scores, the typical internet user of today will see, read, and even share dozens of websites each day without ever seeing a search engine — is your website benefiting from this type of traffic or are you still relying on nothing but SEO?
The New Face of Search Engines
With more and more internet users trusting their peers to recommend the best websites and online destinations, it makes sense that the major search engines would want to follow suit. In fact, a new Google is just around the corner. Instead of backlinks and keywords - ratings from other users, reader reviews, and comments will determine your rankings and drive your traffic.
Search engine optimization as we know it today could very well become a thing of the past once social search engines are in place and functional. Is your website ready for the next generation of SEO?
Search Engine Optimization for Web 2.0
The above link outlines several possibilities of tomorrow’s SEO but the key to a successful website, with or without the search engines, is to provide the rest of the online world with valuable, informative, and entertaining content. While keywords will still play a role in social search engine optimization, original, quality content will be more important than ever before.
You can prepare for the Google of tomorrow by being an active part of the online community today.
- Participate in social media sites like Digg and StumbleUpon.
- Use micro-blogging applications like Twitter and Plurk.
- Become part of a blog community and actively contribute.
- Connect with others at social networking sites like Facebook or LinkedIn.
While search engines will probably always be a significant part of the internet, they will not always be the search engines we know today. The social side of the internet is growing at a rapid rate and, in the very near future, Google’s new search engine will create an even bigger shift toward interaction, active involvement, and - most importantly - useful, informative content.
Further reading at The Future Buzz: This is a terrific first-hand example of the success organic traffic building can have today, as well as in the future. Great content and sincere interaction have built a successful website that will naturally fit into the new Google experimental search engine.
July 22, 2008
Many people are confused about the unspoken rules of writing a great thank you letter. Generally, when you receive a gift of any kind (yes, even the ones you’re not particularly fond of) you should send back a thank you letter or note to express your appreciation. In this post, we will discuss the different rules of writing a great thank you letter and what should or should not be included.
Things you SHOULD include in your thank you letter:
• You should address the recipient of the letter the same way you would address them if you were having a conversation with them. For instance, if you call your boss Mr. Jones – address him as such in the letter. Since most of us call family and friends by their first names, it is fine to do so in your thank you letter.
• You should include the actual name of the gift you received. Rather than simply saying, “Thank you for the gift,” you would say, “Thank you for the beautiful gift basket you sent for Christmas.”
• Elaborate on the previous statement to explain briefly how the gift was used. For instance, you might say, “We loved and enjoyed all of the treats in the basket, but the hot cocoa was our favorite!” If money was sent, do not include everything you purchased with the money. Something simple will suffice, for example, “Thank you for your kindness. Your gift will help a lot as we collect the things we need for the new house.”
• Thank them again as you close the letter.
Things you SHOULD NOT include in your thank you letter:
• Rather than starting your letter with something like, “I am just writing to tell you…,” simply start by thanking the recipient of the note. They already know you are writing to tell them something!
• When writing a thank you letter, do not add other details. Avoid using the opportunity to update the recipient on details of your life, job, etc. A thank you letter is just that – a letter to say thank you. Save the details for an actual letter, e-mail or phone call.
• If the gift was cash, never include the amount or even the word ‘money.’ Simply tell the individual thank you for the generous gift and what you plan on using it for. Example: “Thank you so much for your generosity. We plan to use it toward our kitchen supplies for the new home.”
Other tips for your thank you letter –
• Keep your thank you letter short and sweet. A short letter that expresses your gratitude for the gift is perfect and will not bore the individual.
• Another thing you should remember is to get your letter out quickly. Two to three weeks is perfect and eight weeks is the absolute latest you should be sending out thank you letters.
• Avoid a generic ‘thank you’ card and opt for cute postcards or stationary instead. Even a blank card with a beautiful or striking image on the front is perfectly acceptable.
When you send thank you notes, it allows individuals who have sent gifts to know how much you appreciated them and how important their gift was. Use the tips above as well as the sample letter below to help you write a great thank you letter! If you’re still having trouble writing your thank you letter or something else – stop by Priceless Writers and my partners and I will give you a hand!
Sample Thank You Letter
Dear Aunt Christina,
Thank you so much for the beautiful train ornament you sent before Christmas. It looked very charming on our tree. Todd and I both loved it because it reminds us how much we love visiting you and hearing the distant whistles of the trains close by. We will cherish it for all of our Christmases to come! Thanks again.
Love,
Judy and Todd
July 14, 2008
We all know how important search engine optimization is to your website. When you’re selling products or services, having great Google, MSN or Yahoo ranking is absolutely a must. In fact, most people who search for keywords don’t go past the 2nd page of search engine results. So, how do you make sure your site ranks high on the search engines? Well, there are several important factors that come into play when you’re search engine optimizing your site.
The Biggest SEO Myth – Sprinkle Some Keywords and You Will Be Fine
Not! It’s amazing how so many wise marketers will pay a few dollars for a poorly written article that contains a few keywords. Many people think that as long as you have one or two keywords sprinkled through your articles, your site will rank high in the search engines. Putting your faith in a cheap article written by amateurs is like going fishing without a hook! Search engine optimization is much more than just a few keywords.
In order to really rank high in the search engines, importance should be placed on many things, including:
Unfortunately, it seems that everyone who learns how to slap sentences together and call it an ‘article’ claims to be an SEO expert. Trusting professionals to search engine optimize your site is extremely important. Wise marketers and online business owners have started to realize an important fact –
“You Get Exactly What You Pay For!”
Although you won’t find an SEO expert to create excellent rankings for just a few dollars, it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg either. I’ll give you an example. Recently, a client paid to have two pages of his website rewritten with search engine optimization in mind. For this service, he paid less than $150 but gained TOP Google rankings on more than 15 different keywords which were vital to his business. He took up the number one and number two spots for most of his selected keywords and shut out his competition.
With the Right SEO Expert, Your Return on Investment Can Be HUGE
This client will make an enormous return on his investment and will most likely snatch up customers that would have originally gone to his competitors. A large amount of research was conducted, quality backlinks were created and keywords were strategically placed for his pages. Rather than relying on a few sprinkled keywords, this wise client invested in his business and he’s taking home the cake!
Your Business is Your Future – Never Settle
While you shouldn’t pay a fortune to search engine optimize your site, beware of companies who promise SEO for a couple of dollars! A less than average article just isn’t going to provide you with the kind of traffic you need. When you invest in your business and purchase quality service for articles, search engine optimization and content – you’ll always come out on top!
July 11, 2008
Backlinks have always been a big deal in the world of rankings and websites. Today, the quality of your backlinks is even more important than the quantity. Search engine spiders and robots read the links pointing to your website to determine the popularity and the quality of your content. In search engine logic, a site with a few quality backlinks from similar or related websites is actually more likely to display in search results than a website with hundreds of useless links.
What Are Quality Backlinks?
Simply put, a quality backlink is a relevant incoming link from a respectable website that is similar in content or related in topic to your own. The algorithm the search engines use to determine your ranking is not that simple, unfortunately. There are a number of different factors that influence the quality of your backlinks:
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The importance of the website providing the link. A relevant link from any useful website is nice, but websites with higher page ranks typically provide you with higher quality backlinks.
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The relevancy of the link. If your website is about tree care, a backlink from a gardening site would be a better quality link than one from a website offering unique and custom content.
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The text of the link. ‘Read more’, ‘click here’, and other common generic links are not quality backlinks. Your incoming links should use strong keywords targeted for your site – like the link above – whenever possible.
How Do You Get Quality Links?
Knowing the difference between a link and a quality link is just half the challenge – actually generating those quality backlinks to your site is the rest. There are several different ways to do this and not all techniques work the same for every site. The most effective method, guaranteed to work on any useful website, is to publish original, high-quality content. Unique content that is informative, entertaining, and well-written will naturally gain backlinks because other websites and blogs enjoy pointing their readers to intriguing and useful material.
Article marketing campaigns are also effective ways to gain quality backlinks. Directories like GoArticles, ArticleBase, and similar sites allow authors to publish their original content on the site and then these articles are made available to other website owners for publication. Each directory has guidelines in place regarding the number of links allowed as well as their placement but most allow at least 2 quality backlinks. When the articles are downloaded and published by other webmasters, you have incoming links from a variety of relative websites.
You can also buy incoming links. There are an assortment of backlink programs available and a big percentage of them are completely ineffective. Some may even gain your website a search engine ban so it is important that you purchase links with care. I would personally recommend a company like Blogvertise where you can hire a blogger to post an article relating to your website, even specifying the keywords to use for the links.
A final method to consider is posting and commenting on blogs and forums that share a similar audience to that of your own site. For best results, become a part of the community and interact with other members rather than leaving cookie cutter comments that are often seen as spam. You will not only gain quality backlinks by participating, you can build your credibility and expand your business network.
Gaining quality backlinks is an essential part of building a successful website. Check out the 10 types of backlinks you should avoid at all costs before deciding on the best link building techniques for your website. If you need an article for directory submissions or original content for your website, contact the Priceless team for premium copy that will gain you the quality backlinks you desire.
July 7, 2008
As more businesses decide they need an article writer for their web content, company newsletter, promotional content and more, it becomes even more important that you choose the right writer for the job. With unique custom content playing an increasingly important role in a company’s success, you need to take the time and ensure you make the right choice when you need an article writer for your content.
The Right Expertise
Although it may appear an obvious starting point, you’d be surprised at how many businesses make the wrong decision when they need to choose an article writer. Too many go for the lowest price available, as opposed to the higher quality that will be the natural result of hiring a writer with the relevant experience in your field of business. While a good writer will always be able to research a product, the content will be so much better if it comes from someone with detailed knowledge of your company’s service or product.
Quality Doesn’t Come Cheap
As mentioned above, another area where companies fall down when they need an article writer is by going for the lowest price, yet this approach can cost you more in the long run. There are many online writing sites that only charge around $5.00 per article – while this may be fine for website owners who are only interested in flooding their site with content regardless of quality, it’s not the approach that results-led businesses or professionals should take.
The extra cost of a professional copywriting service ensures the very highest level of content – detailed research, proofreading and SEO-enhanced copy that flows naturally are just some of the benefits of paying that little bit extra. You can also be sure that the writers truly care about your project, as opposed to many sites that subscribe to the “stack ‘em high, sell ‘em cheap” approach. At Priceless Writers, we see the evidence of this every day, with clients requesting our services to overhaul poor copy received from automated online writing sites.
Results are Everything
Many online writing sites (and offline copywriters as well) promise the world, but deliver very little when it matters. So-called SEO expert writers may understand keywords, yet fail to grasp that only organic keywords used strategically will offer the kind of results that matter. Additionally, promotional content writers will promise you placement in every influential publication under the sun, yet don’t have the contacts or background to get your news where it matters.
If you’re in the position of needing an article writer for your content, make sure you ask for results or references from similar projects to yours. Any good writer worth their fee will have a varied portfolio for you to look at, and will happily provide facts to back up their claims.
While there are other pointers to keep in mind when you need an article writer – agreed fees, deliverable timescales and revision counts – the tips above are the most important to use each time. By following these guidelines, you should find that your content needs are met first time, every time when you need an article writer for your next project.
July 6, 2008
When it comes time to hire a new “member of the team,” many employers dread the juggling of applications, impressive cover letters, and glowing recommendations. On paper, a candidate can easily seem like the perfect fit and even after they’ve passed the one-on-one contact stage – it can take several months before you realize that maybe Harvard-grad John Smith wasn’t the best one for the job.
Today, an increasing number of employers are learning that it takes much more than a bright smile and exceptional resume to make the grade. In the long run, large companies stand to save millions when hiring is done right the first time around. It costs money to bring in new staff and satisfy outgoing employees – something that hurts small, mid-sized, and large businesses alike.
- Ask Questions Based on Experience and Behavior – You can learn a lot from the past behavior of a candidate in order to gauge their future performance. Make sure to ask questions that highlight how a candidate has responded to adversity and other important circumstances in the past. For example, instead of asking how an applicant would deal with differences in opinion regarding a project – ask he or she to describe a specific situation that took place in the past. Encourage detailed accounts and snippets of dialogue.
- Dig Deep – Many employers make the mistake of not digging deep enough during an interview. For every question that you ask, deliver a follow-up question.
- Keep Your Company Environment in Mind – Often times, a candidate is well qualified for a position within your company, but you find their personality or work ethic is not compatible to the majority of your workforce. For instance, a candidate that prefers to work alone is probably not the best choice for a position that involves constant group interaction.
- No Experience… but Has Skills – During the interview process, it’s always good to keep an open mind and consider candidates that offer wide-ranging backgrounds. Don’t get too stuck on the titles displayed on their resume – but instead focus on the skills they have acquired along the way.
- Intimidation is Not the Key – Many employers miss out on the perfect candidate because they resort to intimidation tactics to sort out the “strong” from the “weak.” However, let’s face it – interviews are known for sending the calmest individuals into a panic. If you approach the interviewing process with the intention to loosen candidates up and make them feel comfortable, you will learn a great deal more. Try sitting next to the candidate when interviewing instead of propping yourself behind a desk.
- Follow Up on References – Some candidates will choose references by what looks most impressive. Displaying a law firm as a reference seems notable at first, but upon further investigation – there is a great difference between completing a 3-day internship and receiving three years of paralegal experience. Follow up on references and ask questions about your potential hire that reveals valuable information (regarding leadership qualities and accountability).
- Don’t Hire Less-Experienced Employees Just to Cut Costs – Some companies believe hiring a less-experienced candidate for a newly opened position will save money. However, you will only miss out on the versatility of an experienced employee that can tackle multiple tasks. In most cases, a more ‘expensive’ hire ends up costing less than bringing aboard two entry-level workers to cover the same type of responsibilities.
Remember – hiring suitable candidates the first time around can save large companies millions of dollars and help smaller businesses cut costs as well. Long-term employees help businesses thrive, prosper, and advance within the industry. Their continued experience and past contributions within your company is an asset that will only increase your overall productivity the longer they are employed under your care.
July 3, 2008
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June 27, 2008
There has been a lot of debate about niche websites and whether they make for a profitable income or not. Some individuals argue that just a few dollars a day isn’t worth the upkeep or the initial setup, while others firmly believe that these sites do pay off in the long run. Niche websites CAN make you money. In fact, you can make a great deal of money if you take the time to correctly develop each site before moving on to the next. In this post, we will explore the right way to take advantage of niche websites in order to make a sizable income.
Tips for Creating Niche Websites –
A lot of the time, those who have tried to make money with niche websites but couldn’t were simply not spending enough time on them. A lot of people think you can throw up a one page site, put some PLR content on it and slap in the ads. You might make a few cents this way, but in order for your niche site to be profitable – it takes a bit more effort. Of course, one of the most important aspects is finding great keywords that are searched often but don’t have a lot of competition.
Once you have this covered, a great size for a niche website is around 5 to 10 pages. If you don’t remember anything about niche websites, remember this – original, excellent quality content. This is very important. When you include original articles that offer helpful information or tips, your niche site will perform much better than one with generic, overused PLR content. Make sure the content is interesting, helpful and error free. Customers are not going to trust your site if the content is terrible!
TIP: Search other sites with the same keyword as the one you’ll be using. What sort of information do they offer? Try to offer better, more in-depth and different information on your niche website!
Adding Products to Your Niche Site –
When you’re ready to plug affiliate products on your site, a great tip is to keep them to a minimum. If you have 5 pages of content and you link to 50 different affiliate products – you’re not going to be trusted as an authority. If you just add one or two products and point to them subtly, you will receive more affiliate sales.
Of course, you want to do a bit of research on the product you’ll be linking to and make sure that it really goes well with the content on your site. Some marketers choose to use affiliate products and some add their own products – and some do both. It depends on the individual but again, too many ads, products and things for ’sale’ may bring your site quality down. If you do place Google or some other sort of ads on your niche website, keep them at a minimum.
Marketing Your Niche Website –
Another common mistake that some people make with niche sites is thinking that they can simply publish it and wait for the income. You have to market your site and do some work if you want to make money with it. Some of the greatest and easiest ways to market niche sites include:
· Article Marketing (Writing or hiring professionals to write informative articles about your niche topic – then submitting them to article directories with backlinks to your site.)
· Answering Forum Questions (Visit forums that are related to your niche site and answer questions. Be helpful and thoughtful and include your site’s link in your signature.)
· Blogs (Create a blog about your niche and offer tips, tricks and information. Of course, you’ll want to link that blog to your site and vice versa.)
· Create a Newsletter (Allow visitors to sign up for a free newsletter offering information and tips. You can use an autoresponder to send the newsletter to your subscribers.)
Take your time to fully build and market each site before moving on to the next one. Don’t forget to update your existing niche websites from time to time and continue to market them as well. Using these tips and ideas, you can make niche websites work for you.
