How different business types change the way we market them

it's been a while since I've posted, been pretty busy this last month or so.

I was thinking about how we market different businesses.  Especially when it comes to internet marketing.  Although most of the techniques are the same, it's interesting the way we do it and the places we focus on when we're marketing businesses of different categories.

For example, I have one I'm starting out with now called ParkLifestyles.com.  This is a local directory of lifestyle information for the Orlando, Florida area.  It's got profiles of restaurants, spas, retailers, golf courses, bars, and events and more for the Central Florida area.  But it focuses on those independent places, not the big chains, but local and established home-grown businesses.

so the interesting thing is, it has a unique marketing requirement.  While this site appeals to pretty much everyone, it's also localized, for now.  So I have to balance working on search rankings and results while at the same time, broadly connecting the site.  It's an interesting challenge and an exciting one.

Then there's my own business, which is essentially or primarily an internet marketing company.  A very competitive field, and as i'm the new kid in town, quite a challenge to push my way up in search results.  Of course, all of this is not counting on paid advertising or link purchases.

I also have a client that specializes in Infor Lawson ERP consulting and training.  He has a great business, but a very small client base.  So the internet marketing challenge there is great.  It's tough to market Lawson services and training to less than 3000 total users in the U.S.

At any rate, different businesses have different requirements and can be quite a challenge to market.  The best thing I've found to do is to analyze each company, who it's customers are, where they focus their attention and attempt to link and post content there.  Optimize for the end user, in other words.

The changing internet marketing landscape

Hello everyone,

yes, it's been a while since I've posted.  Had some time off with family.

I've been thinking a lot lately about how much things change for those of us who are trying to market our own and clients' businesses online.

you can hardly read a blog or a forum post without some mention of Google, panda, penguin and other things that seem to directly effect us all.

Half of the work of internet marketing is trying to keep up with the changes.  How nice it was before Google ruled the world, huh?

I think, though, that there will always be certain things that will work, regardless of what Google says or does.  For one, publishing quality content, both on your websites and other places like your blogs, social media and on others' sites will always be effective.

Content is King online.

Further, I believe that a program of active organic link building will always be effective for several reasons.  Google still counts links and links give human beings the opportunity to visit you.

Taking an active role in your social media and on public forums will doubtless be a good idea for a long time to come.  Again, it promotes content and makes you a source of information.

There's much more to be said here, and if you've got some ideas, please post a comment.  We'd all love to hear your thoughts.

The Money We Make is Equal to the Thoughts We Make

For those of us entrepreneurs out here who are interested in making money, earning more cash, increasing our profits, getting rich, living a lifestyle, and whatever else we want, one of the crucial things to do is study others who have gone before us.  It’s like the old saying goes, “You don’t follow parked cars.”

 

And there are certainly many many books on self-help, wealth building and more out there.  While a lot of them are good, most of them are cimply rewording what’s already been said.  Some of my personal favorites are books by Robert Kiyosaki, Donald Trump, Warren Buffet, and a few other highly successful entrepreneurs.  But what all these people have to say, including the great self help gurus like Tony Robins and Steven Covey and even Dale Carnegie have to say is that it is how we think that really determines the outcome.

 

And we can take it back even further, to the father of all of this, Napoleon Hill.  Most of us have read or at least heard the title, “Think and Grow Rich.”  But perhaps Hill’s best work, his most definitive work, was “The Law of Success.”  Because while “Think and Grow Rich” focuses mainly on making money, “The Law of Success” focuses on money and overall success in other areas.

 

And what does it all boil down to?  Perhaps one key thing: The only true thing in the universe which any of us have full control over is our own thoughts.  We tend to get what we think.  If we think negative failure thoughts, we tend to attract that end.  When we think success thoughts, success finds a way to follow us.  Of course, it’s not just as simple as sitting around and thinking about cash and boats and cars, there’s more to it than that.

 

So if you haven’t read Napoleon Hill, I highly recommend you do so.  Because his studies of successful people led to the first and most accurate formula for success.  A definite aim backed by a burning desire will lead you to the shores of prosperity.

The power of back links

There is always a lot of controversy and disagreement bandied about when it comes to creating back links to your websites and blogs.  Although everyone knows this is important, there seems to be a lot of discord when it comes to exactly how to create them.

So I thought i'd throw a few things out there and see what you all thought.

for one, it's important to get links to your websites from other sites or blogs that have a higher PR (page rank) than yours.  This will help raise your own PR and more often than not, these higher PR sites will have a better alexa rank and traffic numbers.

The one thing to keep in mind about PR is that it doesn't necessarily translate to search results.  Google does not give priority to a website with a higher page rank.  so increasing your own PR just for the sake of getting better organic traffic will have no effect.

Another thing to remember is that you do, in fact, want PR0 back links to your sites.  You see, if your link profile looks natural, this will help push you up in search results.  But if you have 10 back links to your PR1 website that are all from PR6 websites, this will not look natural to Google and you may even be penalized for it.  A good, natural spread of PR from your back links is key.

Finally, although hardly the end of the discussion on linking, try to get links to your site that are relevant.  other websites that are similar to yours or related in some way are the best links.  Also, if your link is part of a larger bit of content, this is more natural as well.  The best back links are those from published content like blog posts, comments, articles and so on.

Organic link building is the key to link success.  A natural progression of links will ensure your websites rise higher and higher for your keywords.

A quick little article link that you will find helpful

hello everyone,

I just wanted to post this quick article we published over the weekend. It's about how your writing makes a strong impression on your customers and employees. I think you'll find it interesting and helpful:

Tips For Effective Writing - Your Written Content Makes The Strongest Impression

The Best Time is Right now

We often wonder when is the right time to do something.  Do we wait until everything is just right, or all the ducks are in a row?  Well, I have a whole bunch of ducks that live and play around my place, and they are never in a row.

The reality is, and any successful person or organization will tell you, is that the right time is right now.  Things will never be just right.  If you want results, and you want them now, then take action.  The only real concern is that you must make sure that you can deliver.

Your product or service does not have to be perfect, it doesn’t have to be the most eye-popping.  But it should at least do the minimum things you say it can do.  You can always tweak it as you go.  But if you wait too long, you end up with perfection paralysis, and then nothing ever happens.

This goes for introducing a new product, or a service, or starting a marketing campaign, either in the “real world” or online.  So let’s think success thoughts and take success action!

The power of writing

I was thinking over the weekend about how much writing really impacts our businesses.  There's probably nothing more important to sales, marketing, research and development and presenting our ideas than the ability to write or hire writing talent.

Think of it, everything we do is tied to writing.  Even your sales and marketing video, your info graphics and even audio programs are written down, or at least outlined first.  Obviously, when it comes to our websites, SEO and strategizing writing is a vital component.

So my little tip to start the week off is this:  how well are you presenting your ideas?  how good is your writing?  Are you a talented writer, or do you have one on staff?  A good evaluation of how effective your writing is can make a world of difference in your business.