Short Term vs Long Term Marketing

Short Term vs Long Term Marketing

by: S. Housley

Short Term Vs Long Term Marketing
In order to create consistent sales cycles and a positive growth trend businesses usually engage in both short and long term marketing efforts.
Short-term marketing efforts tend to cause sudden sales spikes which rarely last. These sharp sales increases are usually the result of a targeted marketing campaign or time limited offer. While short-term marketing produces sales, long-term marketing efforts must be mixed in to sustain sales.
Short Term Online Marketing
Mentions
Positive product mentions in forums, newsgroups or within trade organizations can result in a traffic or sales surge. Product endorsements and newsgroup conversations are difficult for marketers to control and time, so while product mentions in forums are short-term marketing, they lack the organized exposure necessary to maintain sales momentum.
Discounts
Marketing campaigns that involve coupons, discounts or time-limited offers can also generate product interest. It is important to use promotional offers sparingly or long-term sales could be jeopardized by having customers "wait" for the next offer to purchase.
PPC / Advertising
The easiest and fastest way to generate product interest is, of course, to pay for it. Pay-per-click campaigns are known to drive significant targeted traffic. Sadly, when the campaign funding ends, the traffic and sales generally do, too. Regardless, it is important for marketers to realize that with short-term marketing, sellers can often control sales and infuse cash into a fledgling product, service or business.
Short-term marketing is also useful for test-marketing new products or split-testing to find the appropriate price point. With pay-per-click advertising marketers can control the ebb and flow of site visitors and make a determination about what banners, keywords, text copy and graphics convert at the highest rate. The lessons learned in short-term marketing can then be implemented in the long-term marketing strategy. Marketers can determine the effectiveness of sales copy and landing pages, implementing them in a long range of marketing activities.
Long Term Online Marketing
Search Engine Optimization
Undoubtedly the most time consuming, yet important aspect of long-term marketing involves preparing and optimizing a website for search engines. Currently the majority of Internet surfers seeking a product or information look to search engines. Most Internet surfers use keywords to search for the product, service or information that they are looking for. Knowing your audience and optimizing a site for keywords and phrases that potential consumers would use in their search for a product or service is critical to being found on the Internet.
Search engine optimization pays long-term dividends, but is an ongoing process, as the search engines themselves are constantly evolving their algorithms. The goal of search engines is to provide web surfers the best sites suited to the web surfers' search terms.
Often, changes implemented will not be "seen" by search engines for several months. It is important to follow search engine guidelines and be patient.
Fresh Content & Communication
A stream of fresh content like newsletters, tips or blog posts will result in long-term quality traffic. Fresh content that is posted and updated on a regular basis will encourage visitors to return. Archived content will build a base for a variety of related keywords.
Syndicated Articles
Related industry articles will result in genuine interest from a very targeted audience. Providing related content articles that are available for syndication will result in links back from websites that contain similar content. Over time, articles can define a company's expertise on a subject area. Ultimately, syndicated articles can build confidence with prospective customers and a level of trust.
When designing a marketing campaign, consider threading long-term and short-term marketing efforts so that sales are stable and consistent. By implementing a marketing plan that involves both short and long-term efforts, sales success can be achieved.
Permissions:
Permissions and notification of use not required.

About the Author

: Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.comsoftware for making, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for NotePage http://www.notepage.neta SMS and text messaging software company.

Sales Marketing

Sales Marketing

by: Larryn

Without an effective sales marketing strategy, most businesses would fail within a very short period of time. By simply putting a product or service on the market without the proper research and planning, the chances of finding success are almost nonexistent. While there are isolated cases of success with very little sales marketing preparation and practice, any business that wants to be successful understands the importance of sales marketing. Even products that have already undergone an initial sales marketing effort can begin to see improvement with the consistent introduction of new sales marketing ideas and techniques.
One of the most common ways a business can begin looking at how to come up with an effective sales marketing strategy is to look at the words that make up sales marketing separately- marketing and sales. By taking these two words and then proceeding to produce itemized lists that indicate areas that need improvement can make a manageable foundation on which to build new sales marketing strategies.
Begin with the market that a product or service is geared towards and reassess the information that is currently known about that particular market. It might be necessary to hire independent research firms in order to learn more about a target market in order to get new information for new sales marketing ideas. Make a point to note what products or services are being purchased and how effective the current sales marketing plan is working for those products. Those ideas might be applicable to other areas that aren’t as successful. For the products that are already producing reasonable or exceptional sales, consider what can be done to sell even more of these items to existing and new customers. Consider markets aside from retail that may not have been previously looked at like corporate, industrial, bulk and institutional markets.
Next it is time to consider what sales marketing strategies are being used by the competition and how effective they are for them. Think about how to expand the current market of a product in order to make it more profitable. Consider joining forces by packing a product with another company’s product if they could complement each other and be an irresistible package to the consumer. For example, if a photographer wants to generate more business, a new sales marketing strategy might be to join forces with a florist where both benefit from making referrals to each other. A floral and photo package might be just the niche most couples are looking for in order to have the kind of wedding they want at a price they can afford. A look at the supply chain and a business’s position in relation to the overall market in order to assess where change is needed and for ideas on new sales marketing strategies.
After looking at the factors that affect the sales marketing of a product, it is time to considers key factors for a new sales marketing strategy. Consider new promotional ideas for each product or service, think about if the price of the product or service should be made more competitive, maybe the service or delivery of a product needs to be addressed and unique new ways in which to build a loyal customer base.

About The Author
Larryn is the webmaster and owner of " Best-Sales-Marketing-Strategies.com " and has been researching and reporting on Sales Marketing for years. Click Here ==> http://www.best-sales-marketing-strategies.com/

POSTCARD: THE NEXT BIG THING

POSTCARD: THE NEXT BIG THING

by: Jinky C. Mesias

Just having a postcard to promote your business is not enough. You have to send these postcards out to your prospective clients although such process may seem easy enough to do still it requires proper planning. A postcard marketing company deals with aspects of marketing by means of color postcards. But before hiring the assistance of a postcard marketing company make sure that it has an excellent track record which can verify the quality of its service.

The importance of hiring a postcard marketing company is that, the postcard marketing company will be the one to handle the promotion of your business through the use of postcards. Postcards are small and therefore have limited spaces, a quality postcard marketing company will always consider such facts and will only include pertinent information valuable to the business. And also a good postcard marketing company will make sure that no important information will be lost or omitted.

The internet provides an excellent venue for easy and convenient search for postcard marketing companies. There are overabundance of postcard marketing companies online that are always ready to help you and your business. All you have to do is to choose from among these online postcard marketing companies. And as a friendly reminder: please do not be afraid to ask- there is no harm in asking. Ask everything you ought to know about postcard marketing, it is always better to be informed on services and products you are about to pay for – a wise business practice to followsu last door

After you have chosen the postcard marketing company you will have to coordinate with them to also guide them on the type of postcards you want as well as the prospective clients these postcards are intended for. This way everything will proceed smoothly. With a quality postcard marketing company working along side with you and your business you can be sure that your postcard promotion will be a success. You will be amazed on how effective postcards can be in bringing in customers and of course when there are customers the likelihood of sales is there. As what the old adage says,” big things come from small packages.” Sending postcards to customers is a great way of reaching out your business to them. It is like saying your business cares however only quality postcards can denote such care so be sure to have your postcards printed by only the best postcard printing companies.

About the author:

Jinky C. Mesias is a lover of simple things and of nature. She spend most of her time reading and writing poetry.

Pay Per Click and Search Engine Optimization – A Perfect Marriage

Pay Per Click and Search Engine Optimization – A Perfect Marriage

by: Halstatt Pires

Pay per click or search engine optimization, which one should you use? Many view PPC marketing as a colossal waste of money while others disdain search engine optimization. In reality, the two marketing strategies form a perfect marriage.
Pay-Per-Click - PPC
PPC marketing is a love it or hate platform. For the “love it” crowd, PPC marketing is a way to get instant exposure and feedback on site designs. In a matter of minutes, you can start receiving traffic and adjusting your site to convert the traffic at the best rate possible. For those in the “hate it” crowd, bids are to high and one never knows how may of the clicks are fake and worthless.
Search Engine Optimization – SEO
As with PPC, seo marketing has its proponents and detractors. Those who love it look at the free traffic and glorious profitability of a site that converts the traffic at a decent rate. Detractors view seo as an unnecessary waste of time since it can take a year or more to get high rankings, particularly on Google. Detractors also argue that high listings are subject to changes in the search engine ranking process, which means you can lose your rankings.
So, who is right? In truth, both sides make accurate arguments. PPC is expensive and click fraud is a monstrous problem. Seo produces free traffic, but it takes along time to get to the top and rankings are subject to the whims of search engine ranking changes. The truth, of course, is both marketing platforms should be used whenever possible.
Marketing Marriage
Every site is unique, but most should combine PPC and seo marketing as part of an overall internet marketing strategy. When starting out, the PPC campaign is critical for getting immediate traffic and tweaking the site to maximize conversions. At the same time, a seo campaign should be undertaken. As the site rises in search results, the PPC campaign should be fazed out for the relevant high listings.
PPC and seo marketing are not mutually exclusive. When married together as part of an overall marketing strategy, both platforms will deliver the goods.

About the author:

Halstatt Pires is with MarketingTitan.com- an Internet marketing and advertising company. To read more marketing articles, visit MarketingTitan.com

My Marketing Budget Is Small. How Can I Make The Most Of It?

My Marketing Budget Is Small. How Can I Make The Most Of It?

by: Debbie LaChusa


For example, it may not make sense or be necessary to market consistently all year long. Are their times when your particular industry is slow and customers are not likely to purchase? Conversely, are their times during the year when customers are more likely to be in the market for your product or service? Schedule your marketing activities to take advantage of these peak times and to avoid what I call the "valleys" (when no one is in the market for what you are selling). Aim to persuade as many people as possible to buy from you when they are in the buying mood.

Ever notice how health clubs market heavily in January and in the spring? They know people are more likely to be focused on getting in shape at the beginning of a new year, and before summer and swimsuit season arrive. So they spend more marketing dollars and focus their promotional efforts during these times of year and they maintain a lower profile the rest of the year.

Ask yourself these questions: What "seasonality" exists in my business? How can I schedule my marketing to take advantage?

(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa

About the author:

20-year marketing veteran Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to help small business owners successfully market their business, themselves without spending a fortune on marketing. To learn more about this simple, step-by-step program and to sign up for her FREE audio class and FREE weekly ezine featuring how-to articles, tips and advice, visit http://www.10stepmarketing.com

Marketing Through Mobile Marketing

Marketing Through Mobile Marketing

by: Sandy Baker


What can mobile marketing do for your business? Really what you should say is what can it not do for you? This high tech, amazingly simple marketing plan can transform virtually any business. Without marketing, what does your company have? As any business owner knows, telling your market that you are there is the most important thing to do in the first place. Secondly, you need to tell them that you have just what they need to better their lives. Third, you need to tell them about it when they are going to take action.

You want to take your business to the next level. You know that there are hundreds of ways to market it. But, finding the right way with the most potential and driving home the sales is far from hard to find. In fact, mobile marketing is taking the nation by storm. That is due to the fact that more and more people are finding that life without their phone is next to impossible. With that said you know then that there is no limit to what can come across through screens and provide for them a wealth of all things that they need.

Mobile marketing offers many advantages. It allows companies and brands to connect with their market easily and affordably. You have what they want and by putting that in front of them, your business will reap the rewards. One of the advantages of this type of marketing is that it is quite targeted to the audience that it is planned for. Why waste time and resources on the objectives that are not going to reach the right consumers when you have targeted marketing in front of you? That is the logic behind much of mobile marketing. Truly, it can benefit anyone’s business.

About the author:

Sandy Baker is a well respected writer and recommends using mobile marketing for your mobile marketing needs. Juice Wireless creates and delivers the most innovative, consumer-friendly, useful and profitable mobile phone data applications to the market.

Looking for the most informative assistance concerning internet marketing article.

Looking for the most informative assistance concerning internet marketing article.

by: Tom Brown


Looking for the most informative assistance concerning internet marketing article. When you are after the best advice about internet marketing article, it will be intricate extracting the best information from ill-advised internet marketing article suggestions and directions so it is wise to know how to judge the information you are presented with.

Here are several guidelines that you should make use of when you're searching for information regarding internet marketing article. It is important to remember that the guidance we give is only pertinent to internet help on internet marketing article. We can't offer you any tips or guidance when you are also conducting research offline.

An interesting tip to pursue when offered information and suggestions on a internet marketing article page is to verify the ownership of the website. This may reveal the operators internet marketing article integrity The easiest way to reveal who owns the internet marketing article website is to look on the 'about' page or 'contact' page.

Any reputable site providing information concerning internet marketing article, will nearly always have a 'contact', or an 'about', page which will list the site owner's details. The fine points should detail some specifications regarding the owner's proficency and credentials. You can then decide for yourself about the webmaster's depth of experience, to offer assistance with internet marketing article.

About the author:

Tom Brown is the webmaster at infospecialnewsprogram.info

Is Your Marketing Plan Ready for an Update?

Is Your Marketing Plan Ready for an Update?

by: Bobette Kyle


With summer vacations over and schools back in session, marketing plan "season" is fast approaching. This is a time when you reflect on the effectiveness of your business marketing programs. You will be planning to improve performance of some marketing programs, discontinue some, and try others for the first time.

Each Marketing Plan is Unique

For those writing a marketing plan for the first time, it is important to know that there is no "magic formula" to an effective marketing plan. Formats and procedures vary widely, and your marketing plan will be one-of-a-kind.

Your company, customers, competitors, and suppliers interact to create a unique and ever-changing business environment. Because of this, your marketing plan should also be unique and frequently changing. What worked wonderfully for one company may be a dismal failure for you. What worked yesterday for you may not be the thing for you to do today. By thinking of your plan as a unique and perpetual work in progress, you can be better prepared to change direction when the business environment changes.

A Plan Makes a Profitable Difference

Ultimately, your marketing plan is a compass by which you navigate your day-to-day business. As opportunities arise or your business environment changes, the objective and strategies in your marketing plan will point you toward the best action. Without a marketing plan, you are guessing what might be best for your business. And don’t forget to address your Web site in the marketing plan. Without a marketing plan your Web site may be a drain on your finances rather than a business builder.

Also, understand you do not need a marketing degree and a lot of experience to update or create a marketing plan for your business. Once you have a structure to follow, the rest is a matter of rolling up your sleeves and getting it done. There is no single approach to developing a marketing plan. There is a wide selection of books, toolkits, and software to help you through the planning process. Some approaches require a great deal of time and others are "quick and dirty." All can be applied to your business as a whole, an individual product, or your Web site.

So, in all the hustle and bustle of everyday business activities, don’t forget to take the time to update an existing marketing plan or write a new one. Your future profits depend on it!

About the author:

Bobette Kyle has been proprietor at http://www.WebSiteMarketingPlan.comsince 2002. For tips on how to make the marketing plan process go smoothly, visit http://www.MarketingPlanArticles.comand read "Tips to Help Calm ‘Marketing Plan Panic.'"

Is Telemarketing Effective?

Is Telemarketing Effective?

by: Matthew Noel

Telemarketing is one of the most controversial elements of advertising and sales that has ever been. With a turn towards avoiding this means of marketing, business are looking elsewhere. But, can an effectively run telemarketing campaign still pay off? Is your business the right type to take on the telemarketing world? There is little doubt that telemarketing has been successful, but with so many worries about legal action, it is necessary to do several things to ensure your telemarketing campaign is successful.

For example, with many new laws in place regulating the use of telemarketing to specific time frames as well as to only individuals who have not said they do not want to be called, it is necessary to insure that the company that is used to market is of the most highest of standards. If you consider your business not at risk, think again. The image alone that the customer has when they are ‘bothered” is not one you will want to tarnish your business’s name. But, with the use of regulated services that really do pay attention to detail, you can benefit from telemarketing.

Telemarketing is necessary to many businesses. It can be done quite successfully. If you are considering the use of telemarketing to promote your service or company, insure that you use a company that screens employees, hires and trains employees effectively and that has a successful rating. With these things kept in mind, just about any need that you have in telemarketing can be fulfilled successfully.

There are also many information portals now devoted to the subject and we recommend reading about it at one of these. Try googling for “telemarketing” and you will be surprised by the abundance of information on the subject. Alternatively you may try looking on Yahoo, MSN or even a decent directory site, all are good sources of this information.

About the author:
For more information please see http://www.telemarketing-help.co.uk

Is A Marketing Plan The Same Thing As A Communications Plan?

Is A Marketing Plan The Same Thing As A Communications Plan?

by: Debbie LaChusa

How does a marketing plan relate to an organization's communications plan? What are the differences? Is the marketing plan just one aspect of the communications plan? Should one consider combining them into a single document?

A communications plan is a PART of your marketing plan. A communications plan is a focused strategy you use to get the word out about your business, product or service.

You may use a variety of communications tactics such as public relations, advertising and speaking engagements. Yes, it does identify who you are communicating to and what your message is, and where and how you will get that message out, and often has goals or objectives you are trying to achieve.

Here's the difference between the two

A marketing plan starts by creating a strong, strategic marketing foundation for your communications plan. It addresses the goals and objectives for your business, not just for your communications activities.

It addresses how you package, price and sell your product or service, not just how you talk about it. It takes into consideration your competitors and helps you develop a unique selling proposition to ensure your product or service is uniquely positioned in the minds of your prospects and customers.

And it ensures you have a way to track all of your marketing activities to create the greatest possible success for your business.

You need a marketing plan FIRST

The messaging part of your marketing plan is where your communications plan comes in. Once you have created a strong, strategic marketing foundation (which you will do as part of creating a marketing plan) you can determine a message strategy and tactics - this is your communications plan. And it most definitely can be a part of the same document.

When I write marketing plans for clients, the communications plan is part of the marketing plan. The only time it is not, is when the client has written their own business and marketing plans. But in those cases, I make sure I either get to review their plans or that I completely understand their business goals and strategy so I can develop a marketing communications plan to support them.

The success of your communications plan depends on it

If all you have is a communications plan, you are missing an important part of what it takes to make a business successful. A marketing plan is essential.

(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa

About the author:

20-year marketing veteran Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to help small business owners successfully market their business, themselves without spending a fortune on marketing. To learn more about this simple, step-by-step program and to sign up for her FREE audio class and FREE weekly ezine featuring how-to articles, tips and advice, visit http://www.10stepmarketing.com

Improve Your Marketing Results With These Simple Steps

Improve Your Marketing Results With These Simple Steps

by: Debbie LaChusa

What if there were things you could start doing now that could help you to market more successfully in the future? Even if you didn’t have your marketing act quite together over the past year? Well, there are. Review your past marketing results
Take some time to review all of your marketing activities and try to understand which ones worked best. And when I say “worked best” I mean, which ones resulted in more clients, more customers, more sales, or more growth for your business?
Your goal each year should be to understand which marketing activities bring you more business and which ones do not, so you can concentrate on the activities that work, and delete the ones that do not. Even if you did not have an organized marketing plan, or marketing activities that you implemented consistently during the past year, if you are still in business today, then there must have been some form of marketing going on.
Marketing isn’t only things like running an advertisement, or sending out a direct mail piece. (See “Is That Really Considered Marketing?” below to better understand all the different forms that marketing can take. You may be surprised to realize you’ve been marketing more than you know!)
Direct vs. Indirect Tracking
Take a look at what you did do. Can you directly or indirectly track any new or increased business to these activities? An example of direct tracking might be: You attended a networking event and someone you gave your business card to, contacted you or made a purchase.
An example of indirect tracking might be: You attended a networking event, and someone you gave your business card to, referred you to a friend, and that friend contacted you or made a purchase. For each marketing activity you did over the past year, ask yourself the following questions:
1. Did I get any new clients, customers or increased sales as a direct result, or an indirect result, of this activity?
2. If the answer is yes, quantify the result by asking yourself: How many new clients, customers or sales did it generate?
At the end of this exercise, you will have a list of all of your marketing activities, and the results connected to each one. Which activities brought you the most business? Are there any activities on your list that did not result in new or additional business?
Use what you learn to plan future marketing Use this information as you begin to plan your marketing for next year. Plan to spend more time, energy and/or money on those activities that brought you business and sales. Delete those activities that did not. If you don’t have any way to track your sales or new clients, don’t worry. What does your gut tell you about where your new business came from? Additionally, see the Question of the Week for tips on uncovering marketing results even if you didn’t track very well. And if nothing else, be glad that you now know what you need to do next year to ensure your future marketing success.
Is That Really Considered Marketing?
Any time you talk to someone about your business, product or service, in person, at an event, over the phone, or through a brochure or some form of media, you are marketing. Any time you send someone an email or a thank you card from your business, you are marketing.
Be aware of any time you are communicating with current customers, or potential customers. Take the opportunity to make them aware of new products or services, special offers or programs, or even milestones or changes in your business. Do you include your business card every time you mail a letter to a client or prospect? Do you have an email signature that includes your business name, your phone number, your email address, your website address and possibly even your tagline? You should. You are reminding people about your products and services and making it easy for them to find out more if they so choose. If you truly believe that your products or services can enhance people’s lives, then it should be easy to share the word at every opportunity. After all, if people don’t know about you, they can’t benefit. Put this way, it is almost a disservice to NOT market.
(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa

About the author:

20-year marketing veteran Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to help small business owners successfully market their business, themselves without spending a fortune on marketing. To learn more about this simple, step-by-step program and to sign up for her FREE audio class and FREE weekly ezine featuring how-to articles, tips and advice, visit http://www.10stepmarketing.com

Good Marketing is Like a Bad Habit

Good Marketing is Like a Bad Habit

by: Stuart Ayling

You know those bad habits we get. Like raiding the chocolate biscuits during late night TV shows. Or slouching we when we sit. Or biting our fingernails.

Before we know it we’ve let a new behaviour creep into our routine. Now we’re a slave to the bad habit. It’s hard to resist. We’re tempted. We get that short-lived surge of satisfaction when we do it.

Well, marketing is pretty much the same. Except you can get into good marketing habits that will actually help you. And it won’t hurt. Good marketing habits can make you feel really great.

Think about this.

* When you introduce yourself, are you in a good habit? Do you have an easy-to-understand introductory statement, or maybe a snappy 30-second intro?

* When you meet people do you follow up? Are you in the habit of sending them a thank-you note for meeting with you? Or maybe you could send them a useful article (written by you or some other authority).

* Do you have good sales habits? Are you in the habit of asking the right questions? Can you automatically lead prospects towards doing business with you?

* Are you in the habit of regularly communicating with prospects and clients? Communication has never been easier with options like newsletters, updates and blogs being so easy to publish. Do you stay in touch?

* Are you in the habit of writing informative articles, stories, case studies, or helpful hints for your clients? This helps to demonstrate your expertise and is a key element of building trust with potential clients. It also gives you great content for your marketing materials and web site.

* Are your advertising and promotional activities a good habit? Do you follow a plan to avoid the “feast or famine” cycle? Or do you relegate promoting your service to a low priority in the rush to “do the business”?

Good News

The great news is that like bad habits, good marketing habits will also give you a surge of positive feelings. You’ll get hooked on:

- The adrenaline rush of new clients asking for you.

- The positive relationships that seem to magically develop with new clients.

- The extra confidence you’ll feel when people listen to what you say.

- The satisfaction of getting results.

- The constant knowledge that you are making progress.

You can eliminate your dread of marketing. And getting into good marketing habits is easy. Just like getting into bad habits. Do it a bit at a time. But keep doing it.

Slowly you will build up new behaviours. Results from your marketing efforts will improve. You’ll feel more confident. You’ll reinforce the good marketing habits.

Go on. Make a start. Slip into a good marketing habit. You’ll enjoy it!

About the author:

Stuart Ayling runs Marketing Nous, an Australasian marketing consultancy that specialises in marketing for service businesses. He helps clients to improve their marketing tactics, attract more clients, and increase revenue. For additional marketing resources, including Stuart's popular monthly newsletter, visit his web site at www.marketingnous.comau

E-marketing Strategy: 7 Dimensions To Consider (The E-marketing Mix)

E-marketing Strategy: 7 Dimensions To Consider (The E-marketing Mix)

by: Otilia Otlacan


What is e-Marketing?

e-Marketing is still quite a controversial subject to talk about, since no one succeeded to unify the various theories around it; however there is one thing upon which there is no doubt – that e-Marketing first appeared under the form of various techniques deployed by pioneer companies selling their products via the internet in the early 90's.

The frenzy around these new marketing techniques created by e-tailers and supported by the internet rapidly gave birth to a new dimension of what we knew as Marketing: the e-Marketing (electronic Marketing).

There are many definitions to what e-Marketing is, the simplest and shortest one being formulated by Mark Sceats: e-Marketing is Marketing that uses the internet as manifestation media. A working definition is that coming from a group of CISCO specialists: e-Marketing is the sum of all activities a business conducts through the internet with the purpose of finding, attracting, winning and retaining customers.

e-Marketing Strategy

The e-Marketing Strategy is normally based and built upon the principles that govern the traditional, offline Marketing – the well-known 4 P's (Product – Price – Promotion – Positioning) that form the classic Marketing mix. Add the extra 3 P's (People – Processes – Proof) and you got the whole extended Marketing mix.

Until here, there are no much aspects to differentiate e-Marketing from the traditional Marketing performed offline: the extended Marketing mix (4 3 P's) is built around the concept of "transactional" and its elements perform transactional functions defined by the exchange paradigm. What gives e-Marketing its uniqueness is a series of specific functions, relational functions, that can be synthesized in the 2P 2C 3S formula: Personalization, Privacy, Customer Service, Community, Site, Security, Sales Promotion.

These 7 functions of the e-Marketing stay at the base of any e-Marketing strategy and they have a moderating character, unlike the classic Marketing mix that comprises situational functions only. Moderating functions of e-Marketing have the quality of moderate, operate upon all situational functions of the mix (the classic 4 P's) and upon each other.

1. Personalization

The fundamental concept of personalization as a part of the e-Marketing mix lies in the need of recognizing, identifying a certain customer in order to establish relations (establishing relations is a fundamental objective of Marketing). It is crucial to be able to identify our customers on individual level and gather all possible information about them, with the purpose of knowing our market and be able to develop customized, personalized products and services.

For example, a cookie strategically placed on the website visitor's computer can let us know vital information concerning the access speed available: in consequence, if we know the visitor is using a slow connection (eg. dial-up) we will offer a low-volume variation of our website, with reduced graphic content and no multimedia or flash applications. This will ease our customer's experience on our website and he will be prevented from leaving the website on the reason that it takes too long to load its pages.

Personalization can be applied to any component of the Marketing mix; therefore, it is a moderating function.

2. Privacy

Privacy is an element of the mix very much connected to the previous one – personalization. When we gather and store information about our customers and potential customers (therefore, when we perform the personalization part of the e-Marketing mix) a crucial issue arises: that of the way this information will be used, and by whom. A major task to do when implementing an e-Marketing strategy is that of creating and developing a policy upon access procedures to the collected information.

This is a duty and a must for any conscious marketer to consider all aspects of privacy, as long as data are collected and stored, data about individual persons.

Privacy is even more important when establishing the e-Marketing mix since there are many regulations and legal aspects to be considered regarding collection and usage of such information.

3. Customer Service

We will connect the apparition of the customer service processes to the inclusion of the "time" parameter in transactions. When switching from a situational perspective to a relational one, and e-Marketing is mostly based on a relational perspective, the marketer saw himself somehow forced into considering support and assistance on a non-temporal level, permanently, over time.

Customer service is one of the necessary and required activities among the support functions needed in transactional situations.

For these reasons, we should consider the Customer Service function (in its fullest and largest definition) as an essential one within the e-Marketing mix.

As we can easily figure out, the service (or assistance if you wish) can be performed upon any element from the classic 4 P's, hence its moderating character.

4. Community

We can all agree that e-Marketing is conditioned by the existence of this impressive network that the internet is. The merely existence of such a network implies that individuals as well as groups will eventually interact. A group of entities that interact for a common purpose is what we call a "community" and we will soon see why it is of absolute importance to participate, to be part of a community.

The Metcalf law (named after Robert Metcalf) states that the value of a network is given by the number of its components, more exactly the value of a network equals the square of the number of components. We can apply this simple law to communities, since they are a network: we will then conclude that the value of a community rises with the number of its members. This is the power of communities; this is why we have to be a part of it.

The customers / clients of a business can be seen as part of a community where they interact (either independent or influenced by the marketer) – therefore developing a community is a task to be performed by any business, even though it is not always seen as essential.

Interactions among members of such a community can address any of the other functions of e-Marketing, so it can be placed next to other moderating functions.

5. Site

We have seen and agreed that e-Marketing interactions take place on a digital media – the internet. But such interactions and relations also need a proper location, to be available at any moment and from any place – a digital location for digital interactions.

Such a location is what we call a "site", which is the most widespread name for it. It is now the time to mention that the "website" is merely a form of a "site" and should not be mistaken or seen as synonyms. The "site" can take other forms too, such as a Palm Pilot or any other handheld device, for example.

This special location, accessible through all sort of digital technologies is moderating all other functions of the e-Marketing – it is then a moderating function.

6. Security

The "security" function emerged as an essential function of e-Marketing once transactions began to be performed through internet channels.

What we need to keep in mind as marketers are the following two issues on security:

- security during transactions performed on our website, where we have to take all possible precautions that third parties will not be able to access any part of a developing transaction;

- security of data collected and stored, about our customers and visitors.

A honest marketer will have to consider these possible causes of further trouble and has to co-operate with the company's IT department in order to be able to formulate convincing (and true, honest!) messages towards the customers that their personal details are protected from unauthorized eyes.

7. Sales Promotion

At least but not last, we have to consider sales promotions when we build an e-Marketing strategy. Sales promotions are widely used in traditional Marketing as well, we all know this, and it is an excellent efficient strategy to achieve immediate sales goals in terms of volume.

This function counts on the marketer's ability to think creatively: a lot of work and inspiration is required in order to find new possibilities and new approaches for developing an efficient promotion plan.

On the other hand, the marketer needs to continuously keep up with the latest internet technologies and applications so that he can fully exploit them.

To conclude, we have seen that e-Marketing implies new dimensions to be considered aside of those inherited from the traditional Marketing. These dimensions revolve around the concept of relational functions and they are a must to be included in any e-Marketing strategy in order for it to be efficient and deliver results.

About the author:
Otilia is a certified Marketing consultant with expertise in e-Marketing and e-Business. She developed and teach her own online course in Principles of Marketing (http://class.universalclass.com/emarketing). You can contact Otilia through her Marketing resources portal at http://www.teawithedge.com

eMarketing Basics

eMarketing Basics

by: Matt Bacak



eMarketing, commonly known as an Internet marketing tool, refers to 'how' businesses market their services or products online. In this new age of technology, an Internet presence directly affects the success of a business. From an ecommerce site to an informational site, eMarketing begins at your homepage.


Utilize a Website


Every website has one goal and that is to heighten the interest of the reader. For the homepage to be an effective eMarketing tool, web content needs to follow the search engine optimized (SEO) techniques outlined by search engine domains like Google and Yahoo. Once landing on your site, the content will act as a sales letter.


Whether you operate a service or sell products, eMarketing is more affordable than the traditional means of marketing. Over 130,000,000 people surf the Internet daily. It would take a hefty investment to reach this number of people in the more traditional means of marketing.
Producing a website that ranks well in the search engines, will assist you in obtaining more visitors and visitors easily convert into customers at a rather amazing rate.


Cost Comparison


Printing promotional material can be quite costly. With a website, this cost is significantly lower because your site eliminates the need for brochures or an abundance of business cards. Instead of sending a new prospective literature in the mail, re-direct them to your website. It will guide potential customers through the basics of your business.


Studies show that the per-reader response rates of newspaper advertisements are low. This is due to the number of readers that scan over your add that really have not interest in your services or products. Online readers, however, are a direct result of search engines. These people want to know more about your services or products. The likelihood of turning visitors into customers is higher.


Advertising Campaign


With eMarketing, the cost of an advertising campaign is drastically lower. The same rules apply but with less effort. You'll need to locate your target market, address their interest, and show how they can benefit.
Typical, ezines or announcements serve as an eMarketing campaign medium. Utilizing these mediums will improve your online business.

Here's how you can get started:


Ezines: Ezines are nothing more than an electronic newsletter. There are several services online that will assist you in writing an ezine. But use caution! It's bad business to send an ezine to someone who hasn't subscribed.


Announcements: Announcements are similar to a press release. Using the electronic transfer of news to an email box, you can announce new events, new services, and new products a lot faster.


Hottest eMarketing Tool


Today, e-books are the hottest marketing tool of the Twentieth Century. Once Internet Gurus grasp the concept of selling their services or products with an e-book, the market jumped. Adding an e-book to your tools of eMarketing is a smart move.


E-books consist of hidden links (as in, not apparent) that the inexperienced e-book reader can't see. These links help promote affiliate programs and sell your services or products. The readers click through the e-book and find themselves at your site.


E-books are an eMarketing medium that needs careful planning. It makes no sense to develop an e-book on dogs if you sell household appliances. To be successful at eMarketing with e-books, you need to write content related to your business. For instance:


· Home Improvement - How to Design a Kitchen
· Accountant - How Small Businesses can Benefit From a CPA
· Web Developer - How a Website Can Help


Bottom Line


eMarketing has saved businesses thousands of advertising dollars. It's an effective marketing tool that every business should take advantage of. With a better understanding of how eMarketing can help improve your business, you can prepare for an eMarketing campaign that will exceed all of your expectations.

Direct Response Marketing

Direct Response Marketing

by: Robert

It isn’t uncommon for people to have heard the phrase ‘direct response marketing’, but most people don’t know what that phrase means. By definition, direct response marketing is when a business practices promotions that allow or ask consumers to immediately respond to an advertisement that has been sent by mail, email, telephone, fax or other form of communication. Everyone with a mailbox or email address has probably received an advertisement that fits the definition of direct response marketing but immediately identifies it as ‘junk’ and throws it into the recycle box or clicks on the delete button. There are very few direct response marketing efforts that actually produce the desired results and set themselves apart from the mass of discarded attempts. These efforts are the result of carefully planned direct response marketing campaigns that most likely followed a basic but important list of guidelines in order to be successful.

Some research is essential before attempting any type of direct marketing campaign. There are a number of ‘experts’ that can guide a direct marketing campaign toward a target audience based on the product that is being sold or the service that is being offered. There is no point in launching a blind direct response marketing campaign and reaching hundreds of uninterested individuals.

No one spends much time glancing at what could eventually be considered junk mail. A direct response marketing message should be short and to the point within the first sentence of any letter. If a letter attempting to evoke a response does not make its point in the first sentence of a letter, it was not worth sending out in the first place. If the letter has made its point, it isn’t necessary to get long winded about the features that come with or may come about as the result of a product or service. People want to know how something will be of benefit to them and nothing else. If a product saves a person time or improves their quality of life in some way, that is the type of thing that should be pointed out in a short and to the point letter.

The more personal a direct response marketing campaign can be the better. If a person feels like a letter is directed specifically at them, they are more likely to take a look at the correspondence than an obvious form letter that was most likely sent out to thousands of other people. Keep in mind that a direct response marketing effort is the first step toward arousing interest in a person. The next step is for the individual to make a phone call or return a response of some kind. Sales are a completely different ball game.

Studies in direct response marketing have uncovered some interesting tips that can improve the way a letter is written to any target audience. People don’t like to be challenged when reading complicated ideas and language in unsolicited communication, so the wording in any letter should be simple and easy to understand. Research has also shown that most people scan a letter and read the postscript at the end before reading the entire letter. This provides an excellent opportunity for direct response marketing writers to reiterate their offer or request and to rouse interest.

About The Author: Robert is the webmaster and owner of " Best-Direct-Response-Marketing-Tips.com" and has been researching and reporting on Direct Response Marketing for years. Click Here ==> http://www.best-direct-response-marketing-tips.com/

Direct Mail Marketing: Is It Your Choice?

Direct Mail Marketing: Is It Your Choice?

by: Leon Chaddock

Direct mail marketing is a system of marketing that is directed at specific people. In direct marketing, the advertisement is directed to a specific individual. This is unlike marketing that is open ended such as a billboard or a television commercial. Direct mail marketing is a very effective means of communication in virtually any environment and for most businesses. But, there are some things to be wary about when it comes to direct mail marketing.
One of the benefits of direct mail marketing is that you can measure your success. If you send out direct marketing materials to 100 people and 50 respond, you can see just how well your marketing has worked. Where as in banner advertising there is no way to judge how many people saw versus how many reacted to your marketing technique. This can help you to measure your success rate quite simply.
But, there are a few things to protect your business from when it comes to direct mail marketing. For one thing, many people hate to get junk mail. And in this we mean email and postal services. Spam is quite common on the web. There are even laws and regulations regulating marketing techniques that employ the use of spam or spam like marketing. Steering clear of such avenues is quite important.
So, should you invest your advertising budget in direct mail marketing? It is quite necessary in most cases to consider the use of this type of marketing. And, regardless of the hassles, it is one of the most beneficial ways to advertise.
There are also many information portals now devoted to the subject and we recommend reading about it at one of these. Try googling for “direct mail marketing” and you will be surprised by the abundance of information on the subject. Alternatively you may try looking on Yahoo, MSN or even a decent directory site, all are good sources of this information.

About the author:

for more information please see http://www.direct-mail-info.co.uk

Best Internet Marketing Solutions Without Overspending

Best Internet Marketing Solutions Without Overspending

by: David Riewe


The Internet has made this world an open enterprise. It has become important for companies to further expand their market and their consumer targets. Engaging to Internet Marketing maybe a risk for people who wish to be involved with this type of business.

Ensure that most of your target consumers will surely acquire your product. Consider the best products which will definitely capture their interests and needs. This means that you need to identify specifically who these people are, their location and financial level in the society. Have a marketing knowledge and skill to achieve your goal in the field of Internet marketing.

At the present, you can use varied Internet Marketing Solutions that is being offered by companies which can be your tool for support to your consumers. This solution maybe email marketing, search engine optimization or creating web pages or sites. Since you need to maximize your return profit, you need to choose Internet Marketing Solutions that will help you achieve this. These marketing techniques will not cost much since they are very self-explanatory, thus, learned easily.

Email marketing is a common Internet marketing Solution. This is a cost effective way of communicating and interacting to your consumers, driving them to visit your website and check out your products. It may be in a way of marketing articles, leading them to forums or newsletters. A newsletter has an advantage of expanding your consumers as more and more sign up on it until you can have a bulk list of emails.

Another great Internet marketing solution is through websites. This is a good promotion strategy to employ since you can display all the necessary information for your target consumers. The website should capture their interest and be complete since every transaction, from inquiry to payments may take place. All correspondence that will be done online must be well-facilitated by the features of your website.

Another Internet marketing solution is search engine optimization. This is a type of service for your website that you can make use of in order to raise the number of visitors to your site. Once a consumer uses a search engine, your website will rank high in the list of searches which in return will increase your site's traffic.

Considering these Internet Marketing Solution, there are different companies offering software products containing one or all of these solutions. It would be a great opportunity to try one of these which will match your financial capability and expected return profit.

About the author:

Little Known Minnesota Man Making Six Figures Per Year Online, From the Comfort of Home, Reveals His Top Internet Money-Makers to YOU!" Click here: http://www.push-button-online-income.com/pbi

Are You Sabotaging Your Marketing Success?

Are You Sabotaging Your Marketing Success?

by: Debbie LaChusa

What?!? Sabotage your own success? Who would do that? Well, you'd be surprised how many small business owners think they are effectively marketing their business, when in fact they are cutting their own throat. Yes, they may be running ads that are pulling in leads or customers. And yes, they may be writing a regular column for their local newspaper so they are perceived as the expert in their industry. And yes, they may even be doing a pretty good job of marketing on a regular basis to their prospect list.
So if they are doing all of these things "right," how are they sabotaging their success? Well there are lots of ways. Following are just a few of the ways small business owners unknowingly sabotage their own success.
(1) They have not taken the time to develop a marketing plan.
A plan focuses your efforts and allows you to make the most of your marketing budget. Unfortunately, you can market without a plan. Yes, you read that right. You can do it, and people do market without marketing plans everyday.
But that does not mean you should. To make the most of your marketing efforts and budget, make sure you take the time each year to create a plan.
(2) They don’t have written goals
Smart business owners have written goals and objectives for what they want to achieve with their business and for each of their marketing activities. I know this sounds b-o-r-i-n-g, but it's a fact.
There is proof that people who put their goals into writing have a higher success rate than those who do not. Plus, how can you develop a plan if you don't have concrete objectives? You need a clear vision and target to aim for. You can't possibly determine what marketing or how much marketing you need if you don't know what you are aiming for.
(3) They have a short-term attitude.
They are reactive in nature, and while on the surface it appears they are doing a lot of marketing, they are not doing anything consistently or long enough to make an impact. Running an ad or sending out your newsletter a few times and giving up when you don't get immediate results is worse than doing nothing at all.
How so? Because at least when you do nothing it doesn't cost you any money. Pulling the plug too soon costs you money. And statistics show it takes somewhere between three and 10 exposures to a message for the average consumer to notice it and take action. So it is quite possible your audience was just beginning to take notice right about the time you threw in the towel!
(4) They don't know their USP.
Probably the worst way business owners sabotage their marketing efforts without even realizing it, is to NOT have a clear Unique Selling Proposition (USP).
The greatest marketing plan in the world will not be effective if you have not clearly defined why someone should buy your product or service instead of all the other products or services available to them.
If you have not figured out what is unique and better about your product or service, and found a compelling way to communicate this in everything you do, you can market 'til the cows come home and you will be wasting your time and your money
10 Tips to Banish Marketing Sabotage
(1) Develop a marketing plan. Make sure you make it your number one priority to develop a marketing plan every year.
(2) Write objectives. Write at least one objective that states what results you would like to achieve with your business over the next year. And, write at least one objective for every marketing activity you undertake, that states what results you would like to achieve from that activity over the next year.
(3) Stay the course. Check in on your progress toward your objectives every three to six months, but give your plan a good nine to 12 months to work.
(4) Determine your unique selling proposition and make sure it is represented clearly and in a compelling way in everything you do.
(5) Don't try to be "everything to everyone." Focus on a few specific benefits and a specific audience.
(6) Track all of your marketing activities so you know exactly what is working and what is not working.
(7) Don't rely on one marketing activity. Employ a mix of several marketing activities to reach more people more times.
(8) Create a system to help you stay on track with your marketing activities every month and to help you plan ahead for future activities.
(9) Create a realistic budget based on a percentage of your projected revenue, or the dollars you have available for marketing and stick to it. Marketing is an investment in your business. You have to spend enough to make progress but not more than your business can financially support.
(10) Understand your environment. The economy, competition, the strength of your particular industry, your prospects' situation. You have to understand them all so you can create an effective plan to either overcome obstacles or take advantage of opportunities.
Follow these guidelines and your business stands a much greater chance of succeeding. All of these activities are part of a good marketing plan. And no business that wants to succeed should be without one.
(C) Copyright 2005 Debbie LaChusa, 10stepmarketing

About the author:
20-year marketing veteran Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to help small business owners successfully market their business, themselves without spending a fortune on marketing. To learn more about this simple, step-by-step program and to sign up for her FREE audio class and FREE weekly ezine featuring how-to articles, tips and advice, visit http://www.10stepmarketing.com

Are You Guilty Of Interruption Marketing?

Are You Guilty Of Interruption Marketing?

by: Don Pooley

You muted the commercials on the TV last night because you were fed up with interruption marketing. Ditto if you went through your mail to find most of it is junk. Ditto again, if a stranger phoned you (usually at dinner time) asking you to answer a survey, or give to yet another worthy cause.
Interruption marketing does just that. It interrupts you, and steals your time.
And it is the darling of mass marketing, which is the child of the mass media, which was born in the 19th century with large circulation newspapers, and thrived in the 20th with radio, TV, and the international media.
Now, it's overkill. People ignore it (can you remember any of the TV ads you saw last night), or hate it, like that dinnertime phone call.
Before mass marketing, product information was rarely thrust at you. You chose it. You initiated the whole process. It was your idea that you wanted a particular thing. So you'd stroll down the street seeking the store that sold it. Then you'd go into the store to ask a clerk about the quality, price, size, colour, etc. of its assortment of the thing you had in mind. If none suited you, off to another store.
You had control of the whole process. Now, because we're all becoming immune to interruption marketing, this old-style of marketing is back in favour.
But today it's called 'permission marketing', and you call all the shots. You permit a firm or individual to provide you with information about a service or product they offer. And it's done primarily through the Internet and e-mail.
Why am I telling you all this? Because you're probably using both types. Your website exemplifies permission marketing, while your cold-canvassing interrupts.
Interestingly, the most favored practice-building techniques of top-earning advisors involve permission marketing. So it behooves you to increase your use of permission marketing, and reduce your use of interruption marketing.
Think about it. People hate interruption marketing, but like permission marketing. Why? Because they're in control.
Interruption marketing is hit and run. One size fits all. No distinction between individuals.
In contrast, permission marketing aims at building long-term relationships with individuals. Exactly what you want. But it takes time.
The ideal beginning of a permission-marketing process is for the prospect to phone to say she's been referred to you, and would like to set up a meeting.
Let's be honest. This rarely happens.
Next best is you get a referral from a good client. Now, do you phone or write? A letter is less intrusive than a phone call, so write.
A letter is also more impressive than a phone call, and it tells the prospect much more about you. For example, that you think she's worth a lot more than a mere phone call, that you have a letterhead, a business address, and possibly a degree or designation, or two.
And, as you don't want your letter to look like a mass mailing, write, don't type, her name and address on the envelope, and stick a real stamp on it.
But don't pitch product, or your letter's just another piece of junk mail.
Instead offer something. No, not a trip to Bermuda, but something ongoing that will help build the recipient's trust and confidence in you. Your newsletter, for example, thus:
"Your name was given to me by Mr. Paul Piper who felt you'd benefit, as he did, from utilizing my services.
"To introduce you to my areas of expertise I've included the current issue of my client newsletter, and will mail more monthly issues before contacting you directly.
"If you would prefer to meet me before that, please call, or write me."
But I've run out of space. So if you want to know more about permission marketing visit http://www.eTIP.ca/ and subscribe to my newsletter as it's also an example.

About the author:
Don Pooley has shared his marketing know-how with audiences in major Canadian cities, London, Australia, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Hong Kong, and Singapore, and now in his free ezine, TIP. Subscribe at http://www.eTIP.ca/

Aggressive Internet Marketing Made Possible

Aggressive Internet Marketing Made Possible

by: David Riewe

Aggressive internet marketing means full-blown marketing and promotions that exceed any businessman's expectations. A business needs fierce internet marketing. No more, no less. But to make it low cost? Is that even possible? How can something so aggressive be affordable?
Luckily, you can avail of inexpensive aggressive internet marketing if you just look hard and good enough. Be keen and alert and know what's going on in the online industry. The following questions will help you discern if your chosen internet site to do the marketing fits the bill.
1. Does the company offer free website design?
Even if you know your HTML, it is still more advisable if a professional team does it for you. Some internet marketing sites offer free web design to make sure that your site's needs are met. It's a must that marketing is integrated to the web design. If the company requires you to pay more than fifty bucks for the web design, then so much for straight-forward internet marketing! Look somewhere else!
2. How many keywords does your web site cater to?
Having too many keywords or key phrases to focus on will make your page ranking drop. Creating smaller web pages with content that emphasizes only a few keywords will serve Internet marketing endeavor better.
3. How search engine-compatible is your website?
Internet marketing is coined "aggressive" only if it is a hundred percent search engine-compatible. There are about 10 major search engines online and your site has to work accordingly with them. Find out if your internet marketing site is expert on search engine optimization.
4. Do you know your competitors?
Affordable aggressive internet marketing pushes your business forward by taking note of your competitors. Analysis and evaluation of the competition is mandatory to figure out your shortcomings and advantages over them. If this feature is excluded from your internet marketing plan, you're getting a mediocre deal.
5. How efficient is the monthly marketing plan?
Usually, you're asked to pay a monthly fee for the marketing plan. For a marketing plan to be efficient, it must zero in on the following things: webpage development, link exchanges, web content, updates and technical support. Of course, also included are the standard SEO, competition analysis and keyword density.
If you've procured the right answers for the previous questions, then you can finally say: "Now that's low cost aggressive internet marketing."

About the author:
Little Known Minnesota Man Making Six Figures Per Year Online, From the Comfort of Home, Reveals His Top Internet Money-Makers. http://www.push-button-online-income.com/pbi

After the most informative assistance pertaining to internet marketing.

After the most informative assistance pertaining to internet marketing.

by: Tom Brown

TAfter the most informative assistance pertaining to internet marketing. When you're seeking excellent advice concerning internet marketing, you'll find it hard separating quality information from misguided internet marketing suggestions or help so it is sensible to know ways of moderating the information you are given.
Now we'd like to offer you some advice that we believe you should think of using when you are searching for information about internet marketing. Please be aware that any recommendation we may offer is only applicable to internet advice about internet marketing. We don't really offer any guidance or tips when you are also conducting research in books or magazines.
An excellent tip to follow when you are presented with information and advice about a internet marketing web site is to ascertain who owns the site. This may divulge who is behind the site internet marketing identifications The easiest way to work out who is at the back of the internet marketing site is to look for the 'about' page.
All reliable sites providing content on internet marketing, will nearly always have an 'about' or 'contact' page which will list the site owner's details. The details should disclose a number of indications about the website owner's expertise. This enables you to make an assessment about the vendor's qualifications and experience to provide advice to you regarding internet marketing.

About the author:
Tom Brown is the webmaster at infospecialupdate.info

Advertising Marketing Online

Advertising Marketing Online

by: Jeff Schuman

The websites below offer the best in advertising marketing online, marketing, advertising, internet marketing and advertising, email marketing, online advertising, free advertising and more.
You can have the greatest product in the world, but if no one knows about it who cares. There are many ways to market and advertise your products, both online and offline. Newspaper, radio, magazines, flyers, ezines, banners, internet marketing, business cards, search engines, word of mouth, leads, opt-in leads and more.
Right now there are 2 very effective ways for advertising and marketing online.
1. Pay Per Click Advertising
2. Article Marketing
With pay per click advertising you can get a first page placement for targeted keywords relating back to the theme of your website. Depending on the type of product or service you offer you can place small ads and only get billed as low as .05 cents for every time someone clicks on that ad. This is a very quick and cheap way to advertise and market online. A very good place to advertise online with pay per click advertising is Search Feed. You can learn more about them here:
http://www.team-schuman.com/searchfeed-advertising.html
Another way is to write or pay someone to write articles for you around keywords that people are searching for. This is particuarly effective for niche products. For example if you have a product and website for picky eaters you will get more targeted traffic to your site then you will for a website built around food.
Advertising and marketing your product online thru articles works great if you write a good quality article filled with keywords relating back to the theme of your product. By submitting articles to directories you can develop traffic back to your website by putting a link in the article. This is good for your prospect as well as search engines will give you credit for a back link. The more back links you have the higher you rank with a search engine and the closer to page one you will be placed for specific keywords. This is called organic traffic and it is free traffic that costs you nothing when someone clicks on a link pointing back to your site.
To learn more about marketing with articles visit IdeaMarketers. This is the premiere website for marketing your article online:
http://www.ideamarketers.com/
Once you master the techniques of advertising marketing online with articles and pay per click advertising you will really start getting targeted traffic to your site. Of course another important step is how your website or sales letter is designed for converting that traffic into sales. We will leave that for another article. For now just get started right away with your own advertising marketing online program.
About the author:Team-Schuman.Com contains the best make money online and make money websites available today. If you want to make money check

17 Important Points To Consider Before You Hire A Law Marketing Consultant

by: Trey Ryder

As we fast approach the new year, many firms are preparing to launch their 2006 marketing efforts. If you're thinking about hiring a marketing specialist, make sure you consider these 17 key points.
1. Objective Advice. Consultants who are paid fees are more likely to give you unbiased advice than consultants who earn commissions based on the amount of money you spend. If the consultant profits from ad agency commissions, he has an inherent conflict of interest because the more you spend, the more he makes.
2. Experience. Marketing is so specialized and complex that I recommend you hire someone who has provided marketing services for a minimum of 15 years. But, don't assume that because the person has been in business 15 years, he has the knowledge, skill, judgment and experience you need. Make sure you thoroughly interview all consultants you are considering.
3. Workload. Does the law marketing professional do the work for you? Or does the marketing person serve as a coach and simply tell you what you should be doing?
4. Service. Do you feel that the consultant wants to provide you with the help you need to make your program succeed? Or do you get the impression that he is looking for bigger fish to fry and that you're just a small fish in the ocean?
5. Access. Is the consultant hidden behind a wall of secretaries, account executives and administrative assistants? Or is he readily available to you by phone, fax, and e-mail?
6. Stability. Has the consultant been providing marketing services for some years? Or is he new to marketing -- or new to lawyer marketing -- and just waiting for the opportunity to move on to something else?
7. Marketing Focus. Is the consultant a full-time marketing professional? Or does he offer advice in other disciplines, such as management, human resources, training or finance?
8. Authority. Does the consultant have enough experience that he is a recognized authority in his field? Or is he still a relative unknown?
9. Size and Efficiency. Does the consultant have a large staff and/or a penthouse office that his clients pay for? Or when you write a check, are you paying for his high level of knowledge, skill, judgment and experience?
10. Markups. Does this consultant mark up outside services he hires on your behalf, such as graphic artists, printers, photographers, web site technicians, and so forth? Or does this consultant provide those services to you at cost?
11. Travel. Does the consultant travel around the country from one client to next, running up airline bills? Or does the consultant keep costs down by working efficiently with you by telephone, fax and e-mail?
12. Coverage. Does the consultant have a competent marketing specialist who covers for him when he travels? Or are you relegated to an account executive or administrative assistant who takes messages and tries to relay them to the consultant while he is on the road.
13. Attention. Does the consultant have so many clients he can't provide you with the personal care and attention you deserve? Or does he limit his services to a few select clients who receive the best he has to offer?
14. Work. Does the consultant himself perform the work on your behalf? Or does the consultant delegate your work to a junior associate?
15. Marketing Specialization. Is the consultant a marketing professional who works only with one type of marketing? Or does he try to be a "jack of all trades" so he can provide whatever marketing services you want to buy?
16. Writing Skills. In marketing, nothing is more important than for your consultant to have superior writing skills. And don't expect the consultant's writing to follow the rules of what you and I learned in school because marketing writing is different from academic writing. To sample your consultant's writing style, read published articles and marketing materials that your consultant wrote. You'll know right away whether they come across as warm and friendly -- or if the writing seems cold and impersonal. The way the consultant writes for himself will be similar to the way he writes for you. So make sure the consultant you choose has a writing style you admire.
17. Testimonials. Does the marketing consultant have comments from other lawyers you can review? The consultant you're considering should provide you with at least 30 or 40 testimonials from other lawyers. If he provides only a few, you may be reading comments from his in-laws.

About the author:

TREY RYDER LLC Education-Based Marketing for Lawyers. Lawyer Marketing Advisor http://www.TreyRyder.comTrey Ryder is the Lawyer Marketing Department Sponsor For Jersey Justice. http://www.JerseyJustice.com

6 Article Marketing Smarts: How To Get More Reprints And Exposure

by: Priya Shah

Article marketing is the latest buzzword for marketers looking to promote their sites and products online. But how do you measure the success of your article marketing campaign?
It probably depends on what you expect your article to achieve for you - better branding, more sales, or more publicity.
One way to measure article performance is to check how many times your article has been picked up and reproduced on various sites.
To do that, just copy and paste the article title in quotes into a search engine like Google, and you'll see how many sites it's been reprinted on.
My article "How To Get To The Top Of The Marketing Food Chain" shows 1061 links in Google. http://ebizwhiz-publishing.com/articles/priyashah16.htm
That means Google has indexed 1061 sites on which this article appears. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22How+To+Get+To+The+Top
+Of+The+Marketing+Food+Chain%22&btnG=Google+Search
This gives me about 1061 quality links to each of the sites I included in my resource box.
As you can see, this makes article marketing a very powerful way of building quality links.
So how do you ensure that your article gets picked up and reprinted by as many publishers as possible?
1. Pick A Topic That's Hot Or Always Fresh
For instance, my article on Neuromarketing got picked up pretty quickly because it was a hot topic. http://marketingslave.com/2005/06/01/neuromarketing-smart-marketing-or-jedi-mind-control-trick/
The problem with hot topics is that they also tend to cool off quickly. So while they may get a lot of reprints over a short time, they may get very few reprints once the craze is over.
There are some articles that are slow starters but eternally fresh, like the one I wrote here.
To Be A Champion, Become A Child http://www.growmymind.com/positive-attitudes/be-a-champion.htm (591 links in Google)
These are the ones that will give you reprints over a longer period of time. I think in the long run, these are more valuable.
2. Target A Large Audience
Another way to get a lot of coverage is write an article for a large target audience or one that is very active online - like bloggers.
This article gave me 164 links back, mostly from other blogs, even some for which I had to use a translation service :-) http://www.blog-maniac.com/blog-burnout.htm
This shows 248 links back
http://www.blog-maniac.com/questions-business-blog.htm
316 links for this one
http://www.blog-maniac.com/spam-blogging.htm
But again, it’s the quality of links back that matters - not the quantity.
Another large target audience is the health market. I get a lot of links back from my health articles.
3. Craft A Catchy, Relevant Title
A catchy title ensures that your article gets the attention of publishers - the first step to getting your article published.
Follow the basic rules of copywriting to make your article interesting and readable.
Publishers are more likely to pick up an article if its title includes the keywords that they (and you) want to target.
Use your main keywords in your title, preferable in the first half (like I did in the title of this article), to ensure better rankings for those who reprint it.
4. Offer Publishers A Monetary Incentive
Give people an incentive to publish your article. I have an affiliate program and I allow publishers to use their affiliate link for my ezine in the resource box.
Allow publishers to earn by publishing your article and they will gladly reprint it.
5. Write An Article Series
Break up a long article or report into a series of articles like I did with my "Marketing With Blogs" series here.
Marketing With Blogs - Part 1, 2, 3 and 4
http://www.blog-maniac.com/marketing-with-blogs1.htm
http://www.blog-maniac.com/marketing-with-blogs2.htm
http://www.blog-maniac.com/marketing-with-blogs3.htm
http://www.blog-maniac.com/marketing-with-blogs4.htm
These gave me 5270 links back in all. As you can see, a series of articles can be a very powerful link-building technique.
6. Distribute Your Article Widely
Ensure that your article is distributed to the best and most appropriate article directories and announcement lists online.
Feel free to browse through my own collection of article directories and announcement lists http://ebizwhiz-publishing.com/write-articles/submit-articles.htm

About the author:

Priya Shah is the CEO of eBrand360. She writes the Marketing Slave blog and publishes an internet marketing newsletter.

5 Reasons NOT To Have a Marketing Plan

by: Bobette Kyle

Imagine your perfect customers -- the ones that will eagerly buy your products or hire you for premium pay. Imagine being able to bring those perfect customers to you and having them buy your products or services not once, but again and again. That's what an effectively executed marketing plan does. It reaches the people who want what you are offering, convinces them to take action, and keeps them coming back.
Sounds nice, right? So why doesn't every business have a marketing plan? Let's take a look at some of the reasons you may not:
1. "We had a marketing plan once, but it didn't work. It isn't worth the time to put one together."
No marketing plan will work if you do not work the plan. The planning document is there for business managers to use as a strategic reference throughout the year, as programs in the plan are executed and as other opportunities come along. Any marketing plan that is filed away and forgotten as soon as it's written is useless.
2. "So-and-so had a marketing plan and it didn't help his business at all!"
Marketing is a process, not a singular event. A marketing plan is only the first step in that process. It points your business in the right direction by detailing marketing strategies and programs that will move you toward business objectives.
You must execute the programs in your plan so that you can evaluate program success. Rarely does a marketing program work best on the first try. It is up to you to analyze barriers to success, then tweak and tinker until you are getting positive results. If you ignore critical follow-up, most of your marketing programs -- whether you have a marketing plan or not -- will fail or fall short of their potential for success.
3. "Marketing planning is too hard."
Writing a marketing plan doesn't have to be complicated. There are different levels of planning. More intricate marketing planning processes will result in more refined strategies, with better potential for success. But, if you have limited resources, a top-line approach to planning is much better than none at all.
4. "We don't know how to write a marketing plan."
There are numerous books, software, "toolbox" resources, and articles that take you step-by-step through the process of creating a marketing plan. Frankly, not knowing how is an excuse, not a reason, to avoid marketing planning.
5. "My business is too small for a marketing plan."
Sound marketing strategy is critical to small business success, especially new businesses. Statistics vary widely depending on the source, but most reports cite failure rates for small business at 65% -- 90%. Knowing ahead of time how you will compete and how you will be successful in your marketplace can dramatically increase your chances of success.
Your marketing plan is a vital key to small business success. If you do not have a current plan, start one today. Your company's success depends on it.

About the author:
Bobette Kyle has been proprietor at http://www.WebSiteMarketingPlan.comsince 2002. For tips on how to make the marketing plan process go smoothly, visit http://www.MarketingPlanArticles.comand read "Tips to Help Calm ‘Marketing Plan Panic.'

Causes of ERP Failures

by: Bruce Zhang

ERP is the acronym of Enterprise Resource Planning ( http://www.sysoptima.com/erp/erp_definition.php ). Multi-module ERP software integrates business activities across various functional departments, from product planning, parts purchasing, inventory control, product distribution, to order tracking. ERP has transformed the way multi-billion dollar corporations conduct their businesses. Successful implementation of ERP systems could save tens of millions of dollars and increase employee satisfactions, customer satisfactions and sustain competitive advantages in every-changing marketplace. Corporate executives are often perplexed by the stories that how reputable corporations (Hershey Foods, etc.) have failed miserably and lost ten of millions of dollars in their ERP endures.
The failures of ERP projects are preventable if we can identify the common causes of the failures regardless the companies and industries that implement them.
An ERP system is the combination of ERP software, the business processes that the ERP transforms, the users of the ERP system, and the computer systems that run the ERP applications. The failures of a ERP project is often the result of the failures in one or more of those four components. The failures in computer systems (hardware and operating systems) are much easier to identify and to fix, so we'll examine the failures in software implementation, business process and user acceptance
Failure of ERP Software Implementation
Module-based ERP software
(http://www.sysoptima.com/erp/erp_modules.php) is the core of ERP systems. Most ERP projects involve significant amount of customizations. Packaged ERP software modules have build-in functionality that work in a standard and simplified enterprise environment. However, every organization is unique in data requirements and business processes. It is the customizations that transform packaged ERP software into ERP software that meets organizations' individual business processes and operations. Long and expensive customization efforts often result the pass of release deadline and budget overrun. Customizations may make the software more fragile and harder to maintain when it finally goes to production. Major changes may be required in the later stage of the implementation as a result of incomplete requirements and power struggles within organizations
The integration of ERP systems with the IT infrastructures also challenges ERP project teams. The use of appropriate implementation methodologies can often make or break a ERP project.
Failure of Accommodating Evolution of Business Processes
According to Anthony, R. A, business processes fall into three levels - strategic planning, management control and operational control. Organizations continuously realign their business processes of all levels in response to the ever-changing market environment. Many ERP systems aren't flexible enough to accommodate evolution of business processes. many ERP system need a major overhaul in every a couple of years.
Failure of User Acceptance
The users of ERP systems are employees of the organizations at all levels. ERP projects usually modify the company's business processes which create extra workload for employees who use them initially. They may not think that the workflow embedded in the software are better than the ones they currently use. Ongoing end-user involvement and training may ease the difficult in organization's adaptation of new systems and new business processes.

About the author:
Bruce Zhang has over 10 years experiences in developing and implementing ecommerce and ebusiness systems in various industries. He has created a news aggregator http://www.sysoptima.com/newsbot/erp.phpthat automatically extracts ERP news and new articles from over 50 sources daily to help corporate executives, IT professionals and consultants to keep up with the latest development in enterprise software market. The website offers a knowledge base http://www.sysoptima.com/erp/for understanding ERP software from a systems perspective.

Building Ecommerce Web Sites: Where Do I Start?

by: Jacob Richards


Building a web site isn't something that is really cut and dry. There's a huge variety of products and services that can either help you get your web site where you want it or simply confuse you. It's also important that you make the right choices upfront so that you don't end up having to restructure your whole web site because of some problem in your design layout. The level of time investment neccessary for mastery in a lot of these software packages can range from little to a VERY significant amount. Because of this I feel it's important to be lead in the "right" direction to make sure you don't spend time in the wrong areas, or learning some software that might not be all that useful for you later on (*coughs* Frontpage *coughs*).

Where you should start greatly depends on what you plan on attempting to do, and how deep you're going to dive in. For a moderately professional, clean looking web site without a lot of automation or intensive animated graphics you can probably get by with some basic knowledge of html, ability with a good WYSIWYG editor, and an image editting program. On the other hand, if you're someone that's looking to build something that will really wow your audience then you might consider spending some major time and developing some animation skills with a program like Macromedia Flash. I personally always spring for what I believe will bring me the greatest amount of profit with a minimal amount of effort, and because of this I usually end up spending all of my time diving in deeper with ONLY my WYSIWYG HTML editor, and my image editor.

What is a "WYSIWYG" editor?

A WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) HTML editor is what allows you to get by with minimal knowledge of HTML. Yes, that means you don't have to know EVERYTHING about HTML to have a decent looking website. When you use a WYSIWYG editor it interprets what you're doing (inserting an image for example) as being a certain series of HTML tags with attributes, and does it for you... Thus, what you see on your screen is what you get. Instead of seeing a bunch of HTML code in text format, you'll mostly see what will actually show up in your browser once your web site is up WHILE you're making it. I highly recommend using the latest version of dreamweaver -- it is well-known as one of the best HTML editors by general consensus. Dreamweaver's interface is very friendly, has a built in FTP client, and is specifically built to be flexible enough to suit both the coder and the everyday amatuer webmaster.

Image editing? What do I need that for?

Okay, let's be realistic here: If you're going to make a professional *appearing* web site it's important that you can make some basic, decent looking graphics. There's a lot of graphics problems that can truly get the job done, but as far as power and flexibility goes I recommend Adobe Photoshop. Adobe Photoshop definitely takes some time getting used to, but in the end it's VERY rewarding. I've ended up using my knowledge of Photoshop to make not only graphics for multiple web sites, but also touched up portraits, made business cards, flyers, and other online advertisments such as banners. Infact, I've used it for everything except animation... But it also comes with Adobe Imageready which is very good with animation. This software is amazing, and if you're going to learn ANY image editing software I recommend you start with Photoshop because of it's widerange of overall... usefulness!

Let's get me some sales!

Kick off your new web site you've gotten up from your knowledge of webmastering and image editing with a few new sales... Sounds like a plan? Well a great way to do that quickly is with pay-per-click advertising. BUT WAIT! Doesn't that cost money? Well... Yes. But with the tools brought to us by some of the biggest pay-per-click advertisers out there we should be able to make a good evaluation of how much profit we're going to make without much investment upfront.

The big question behind pay-per-click advertising is whether or not it's worth the cash when you can simply get traffic from regular search engine ranking (otherwise known as organic traffic). Afterall, there are plenty of companies out there that promise to help get you all the traffic you need through optimizing your web site for organic ranking. The answer to this question is quite simple: profit is profit. Through conversion tracking tools such as those offered by Yahoo! Search Marketing and Google Adwords anyone can calculate exactly what their profit is after cost of PPC advertising is taken out. In my opinion, Google Adwords has the most user-friendly interface among the PPC advertisers. Google Adword's interface makes it very easy to see which keywords are pulling you in the most sales, and which ones aren't even worth your advertising money.

Let us not forget, however, that in order to make those conversions we're going to be needing a shopping cart! There's a lot of diverse software packages out there you can use, but I've been using Mal's E-Commerce Free shopping cart for a number of years with great success. The cart's server is hosted on their machines so that means you not only get away with not having to pay for the software itself, but you get out of having to buy an SSL security ticket too! Nothing's a better bargain than free, eh?

Getting those sales leads you've been building up to BUY!

Once you've scored a few sales it would probably be a good idea to start using some kind of lead management services. I highly recommend the use of autoresponders for this purpose. Autoresponders are, essentially, a newsletter sign-up that allows you to strategically determine what you want to send each lead after a certain alotted amount of time. For example, let's say someone visits your web site and you offer them a free newsletter. If you were selling an ebook on some very complicated topic, you might consider sending them only information on the most basic concepts at first to get them interested. Slowly but surely, you can turn those visitors that might have left your web site and never have returned into some serious revenue!

As far as autoresponders go, I highly recommend the use of Aweber. Their customer service is superb (seriously, these guys really know their stuff!) and can be contacted at any point during the business day via online chat or phone. They also offer tons of free information, and guides on making the most of their services. Check out their month long free trial at http://www.getaweber.com/.

About the author:
Jacob Richards, the author of this article, currently runs a website on the topic of building an ecommerce web site (visit at http://ecommweb.blogspot.com/).