|
|
|
How To Get Your BLOGS Site Feed Listed In Yahoo! and MSN Within HOURS, Is Easier Then You Think
Copyright 2005 The IWE, LLC. All Rights Reserved. BLOGS... they seem to be the talk of the Internet marketing world these days, and for good reason. Not only do the Search Engines love them for there Content Rich pages, you also have the ability...
Revisiting your Market
Much has been written about finding new markets in which to do business. What happens if you have an established web site already doing a going business? Many web-based business owners do a lot of work up front, get the site going, and then never...
The Miracles A Blog Can Do For Your Business
"Blogs will change your business," screamed a BusinessWeek
magazine cover story headline a few months ago. In what has to
be the most detailed and yet entertaining coverage of this
subject in recent times, this fascinating BusinessWeek...
WoW Directory Blog Contest
WoW Directory is sponsoring a blog contest with a $500 Award. The contest is for the best social movement or social conscience themed blog. The winner will be determined by your votes. See http://www.wowdirectory.com/bestblog.htm for full details. ...
Your Affiliate Business and Taxes
Starting a home-based business on the Internet is easy you say. You have your web page built, your affiliate links and you're ready to go. Not really, you need to make sure you have all your i's and t's crossed when it comes to taxes. Getting...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
How to Cheaply and Powerfully Reposition Your Online Business
Copyright © 2005 by Bruce Carlson
It goes without saying that all of us would like better response
and conversion numbers from our websites. This is an ongoing
dilemma which, unfortunately for many of us, remains a dilemma.
It's just too easy to sit on the same old tired, sour marketing
with crossed fingers, hoping for better numbers in the future.
The whole idea of rolling out a new campaign or overhauling your
web copy can be pretty daunting.
But if your numbers aren't what you'd like (and how many of us
are really satisfied with our numbers?), then you need to get off
the hope wagon and and put a new plan into action.
In the lines that follow, I'd like to present a concrete, low-cost,
three-step plan for renewing your marketing through repositioning.
Step #1. Get Out of the Commodity Business and Into the Information
Business
One of the things that happens to many businesses, both online and
offline, is "commoditization." When your business becomes
commoditized, you become just another face in a sea of similar
products or services.
If this is happening to you, you need to change businesses.
And even if you don't feel "commoditized", switching gears and putting
your Web business into information mode can only bring good things.
The first step is to make the "psychological leap" from being
a product or service provider to being an information provider.
Which means you're going to become an educator.
You're going to start teaching people about your niche in a MUCH
BIGGER WAY than you have been in the past...
And you're going to compete on whole new turf from here on out.
Instead of competing with every other Joe or Jane selling their
dieting ebook or doing horoscope readings, you're going to be
competing with those providing solid information about weight loss
or astrological services.
A much more pleasing scenario.
Sure, you can still have your root product or service. But that will
no longer be the central focus of your business.
Being in the information business offers you a flexibility that
simply being in the product or service business doesn't. You'll widen
your horizons and branch out into totally new sub-areas of your present
niche.
Step #2. Build A New Knowledge Base
In order to educate others, you need to know what you're talking about.
Even if you already have a huge amount of knowledge, you'll find that
once you start to write and teach there will be plenty more to learn.
In the teaching business there's an old saying:
"The easiest way to learn about something is to teach it."
The very act of passing on information to others will stimulate your
research. You'll gain knowledge and develop fresh approaches to new
areas, and even to old areas you may have thought you knew everything
about already.
Consider this. If you are reading about something only because you
think you "might" need the information one day, how motivated will you
be to really get down and study?
Better to just enjoy a novel.
But if you're reading something because it's contributing to an article
or report or book or other info vehicle you're in the process of writing
-- one that enhances your image as an expert -- then you'll be much more
motivated to read and study.
As you read and study, use the power of your imagination to see yourself
in a new light. As a soon-to-be respected writer and teacher. As
a distinguished information publisher. As an expert consultant and coach.
Step #3. Publicize Your New Expert Status
There are four dirt-cheap vehicles (outside your basic website) you can
use for establishing your position online as an expert information provider.
The Blog
If you don't yet have a blog, you're missing out on a great low-cost
publishing vehicle that will get your info out there on the Web RIGHT NOW.
This blog should be an informational blog, where you teach and pass on info
about your niche. Not a "chatty" blog where you pour out your feelings and
talk about your personal
life all the time.
If you want to have one of those chatty kinds of blogs, then by all means
have one. But make it separate from your marketing blog.
Of course you CAN still talk about your personal life in your marketing blog,
and you should sometimes! But don't make your life and troubles the focus.
And post a lot. At least three times a week.
You need to build content, after all. The search engines will find you fairly
quickly if you have a lot of good content.
The Expert Article
Write an article a week, if possible. More if you have time! Submit it to the
article directories and article lists right away.
Every time you put an article "out there", you'll see returns in the way of
fresh traffic. Plus you'll build credibility. More and more people will become
familiar with your name. And other publishers will start to post your articles
on their websites, in their ezines, and on their blogs.
Write articles to inform, not to sell. Web-savvy readers don't give an ad
disguised as an article much of a look anymore.
Keep your articles between 800 and 1400 words. Anything shorter is too little
and anything longer will lose readers.
The White Paper or Specialized Report
Most of us know by now that we need to capture the contact info of people who
don't buy from us on the first shot. The one-shot Big Cahuna sales letter can
get you some sales, sure, but the real money is in the follow-up.
What do we offer people in exchange for their contact info? Well, we need
a great freebie.
A great freebie is one that carries value AND positions you as an expert.
Somebody else's ebook that you have reseller rights to doesn't really fit the
bill.
The most killer freebie I know of is what some marketers call an "info widget."
This is an authentic lead-generation document, not some thinly disguised sales
letter (although sales letters disguised as "free reports" can work too,
especially offline).
The White Paper or Specialized Report is great for this, because it shows that
you're not just a run-of-the-mill Web marketer, but a real, bonafide authority
in your field. It carries mega-power for positioning.
The name "White Paper" is usually used by companies with a technical orientation.
So if you're not in a technically-oriented market, you might be better served by
the name "Specialized Report." Or you may be able to come up with another name
that works well.
The Customer Newsletter
You don't necessarily need to publish an ezine "proper", but you do need
to have a customer newsletter to keep in touch with past and current customers.
The real key to a successful customer newsletter is having fun with it. Go out
of your way to come up with different, even goofy things to keep your customers
informed of what's going on with your business.
And give them some solid info each issue. Offer them tips and advice. And
occasional bonuses!
Don't let your newsletter in their inbox be a big surprise either. Keep in touch
with them often enough that they aren't shocked to hear from you. Nothing worse
than a customer that scratches his or her head wondering who the heck this
newsletter is from.
More than anything, though, your customer newsletter contributes to your
positioning as an expert. To your status as an authority within your niche.
In Closing...
Remember that this is only the beginning!
Once you've repositioned yourself effectively, you'll be able to set up hugely
profitable ventures, such as consulting services and coaching programs. You'll be
able to hold teleseminars with expert contributors, sell information packages...
The sky's the limit...
But first you need to get out of the commodity business and into the information
business.
Good luck!
About the Author
Bruce Carlson is a freelance copywriter and marketing consultant living in Finland. Subscribe to his Dynamic Copywriter newsletter at http://www.dynamic-copywriting.com and see how easily you can improve your online copywriting and direct marketing skills.
|
|
|
|
|
| Liz Castro on HTML, XHTML, and CSS: Blogging CSS |
| Blogging CSS. Oof, adapting this movable type blog to my new style is not easy. First, figuring out how their style sheet works and then trying to meld that ... |
| www.cookwood.com |
|
| Weblogs | Blogging | CSS Mania |
| CSSmania, the most updated css showcase all over the globe. |
| cssmania.com |
|
| Tagging im Weblog - Chance, Perspektive oder nur Trend?: Blogging ... |
| - [ Translate this page ]Mit dem Tagging ist es wie mit dem Bloggen. Wer es nicht selbst erlebt hat, kann nicht mitreden. Wer es ausprobiert hat im einfach persoenlich Weblog. |
| www.einfach-persoenlich.de |
|
| Faszination Bloggen - Vogelflug-Formation: Blogging : CSS ... |
| - [ Translate this page ]Faszinierende Artikel mit Substanz fallen sofort auf. Darren hat mich mit seinem Blog-Posting auf ProBlogger inspiriert im einfach persoenlich Weblog. |
| www.einfach-persoenlich.de |
|
| Blogmarks.net : Public marks with tags blogging & css |
| tools blogging css software reference culture standards opensource development comparison architecture collaboration technology innovation productivity ... |
| www.blogmarks.net |
|
| Blogmarks.net : Public marks with tags blogging & css |
| javascript blogging css html xhtml web-design dhtml skins ajax web2.0 demos web-development ... web design blogging css webdesign blog php cms tutorials ... |
| www.blogmarks.net |
|
| This Is Smyrna, TN: September 2005 |
| Plans are to meet once a month to discuss blogging, tools of blogging, css, podcasting and anything else of interest. ... |
| thisissmyrnatn.blogspot.com |
|
| This Is Smyrna, TN: August 2005 |
| Plans are to meet once a month to discuss blogging, tools of blogging, css, podcasting and anything else of interest. Email me at dailydiablogger@gmail.com ... |
| thisissmyrnatn.blogspot.com |
|
| digg / KicktheDonkey / dugg |
| 170 Cheat Sheets about Ajax, Apache, Blogging,CSS, CVS, Firefox, Google, HTML/XHTML,JavaScript,Linux, MySQL, LaTeX, Oracle, Perl,PHP, Python, Photoshop Ruby ... |
| digg.com |
|
| Search Community MX: Results for css |
| Category: Blogs and Blogging,CSS,Dreamweaver,Music. Description: With back to back trips lately (an actual skiing vacation to Colorado), I've been more than ... |
| www.communitymx.com |
|
| blogging - SWiK |
| Firefox Computer blogging css google googlereader lifehacks style tools web … Nov 19 ... opensource FREE blogging css feeds javascript programming rss tools ... |
| swik.net |
|
| Comments on: Blogging Challenge: WordPress Treasure Hunt |
| It’s even been picked up by MaxPower.ca Local Tags: access, Blogging, css, free, hosting, php, statistics, Themes, wordpress, wordpress com, wordpress org ... |
| www.maxpower.ca |
|
| pytlik / css |
| by pytlik 2006-06-16 02:33 tags: blogging · css. http://www.htmlhelp. com/reference/css/all-properties.html - similar - cached - mail it - history ... |
| www.simpy.com |
|
| Articles - Interview: Cameron Moll | iStockphoto.com |
| Blogging, CSS, and the standards movement have collaboratively produced an explosive wealth of benefits for websites and their users, but they have also ... |
| istockphoto.com |
|
| Technorati Profile for chwats (Christian Watson) |
| http://blog.myspace.com/christianwatson. Tagged: Blogging, CSS, Design, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, Usability, web design, Web development. ... |
| www.technorati.com |
|
| Russell Holliman: See what people are saying right now on Technorati |
| Posted by Sebastian Prooth in weblog, wordpress, blogging, CSS, blogger, microsoft, bbc, theme, Robert... » Show details · What's Popular Most Popular ... |
| www.technorati.com |
|
| JeffCroft.com: Items tagged with movabletype |
| Wednesday, June 29th 2005 at 5:07 a.m. (1 year, 5 months ago): Tags: ajax, blogging, css, javascript, movabletype, php, tutorial; 0 comments on Six Apart ... |
| www2.jeffcroft.com |
|
| JeffCroft.com: Items tagged with php |
| Wednesday, June 29th 2005 at 5:07 a.m. (1 year, 5 months ago): Tags: ajax, blogging, css, javascript, movabletype, php, tutorial; 0 comments on No more CSS ... |
| www2.jeffcroft.com |
|
| lynx [dive into mark] |
| Visually, the navigation bar is first, but structurally, this main text is first. (View […] accessibility, blogging, css, lynx ... |
| diveintomark.org |
|
| Brewster's Field Guide to Web 2.666 |
| Instant Comment Preview blogging, css, javascript, meta, you-can-build-it-you-can-fly-it: Here's a really cheap, sleazy way to instantly preview blog ... |
| kentbrewster.com |
|
|