Search Engine Marketing, Website Promotion, Optimization, Positioning, and Ranking services from Search Innovation and Designing for you.

We offer low-cost Search Engine Marketing and Promotion services for small businesses and non-profits.
Our services include

* Review of your current Search Engine ranking
* In-depth analysis of your site with emphasis on structure and content
* Competitor analysis
* Selection of appropriate keywords
* Optimization of your site using targeted keyword phrases and components
* Directory submissions

We are small business consultants. Our website promotion goal is to help increase your online visibility, and drive more traffic to your small business website. Our methods are designed to generate a long-term increase in your traffic. Through the use of these ethical and proven methods, we have successfully increased traffic and improved Search Engine rankings for our clients, and we would like to do the same for you.

Search Engines are one of the greatest marketing bargains available today. They make it easy for people from all over the world to find your website, and that means they make it easy for those people to buy your goods and services. Being ranked high in the Search Engines is an excellent way to increase traffic to your website. By optimizing key pages on your site, we can give you the best chance of increasing your ranking; in addition, the changes we recommend for titles and descriptions, which often appear directly in the Search Engine listings, provide your potential customers with more information, thereby helping to better qualify your visitors.

Anti Spam Protection
Are you getting annoyed by spam emails? Are you spending a lot of time in deleting junk emails ? Then , you’re heading towards to get the spam filtering firewall for your incoming emails.To fight against junk emails, I recommend you to check out anti spam filtering service provided by Primetech. I think it worth paying $2.50 per month to protect your mailbox from spam emails if you and your organization is wasting hours of to delete those emails. You might be wondering how the spam email are filtered by them. All the incoming email to your email server are routed through the Barracuda anti-SPAM servers providing maximum filtration against the junk emails

Primetec is also providing Barracuda Spam firewall. It incorporates both hardware and software to provide anti spam security of your email server protecting viruses, spam, spoofing and spyware attacks.Barracuda Span Firewall can be a safeguard for the email servers of your organization.

If you’re concerned about blocking certain website or blocking IM in your organization then you can check other products from Primetec. They are also providing web security services and products.Barracuda Web Filter can be used for content filtering, application blocking and spyware protection according to the Internet usage policy of your organization. Furthermore, you can use Barracuda IM Firewall for your organization if you want to manage the network operation of the instant messaging services. Barracuda Web Application Controllers, another product from Primentch, can be used for the protection against hackers attempting to exploit vulnerabilities in Web applications of your organization.

How to start a E commerce site.

If you were to look at ten different retails sites online you'd probably notice small to drastic differences between each of the sites. While they all offer products for sale, the features, functions and options available to customers will differ.

Regardless of how big or how small a retail Web site is, all e-commerce sites have the same basic fundamental building blocks that enable them to work. From choosing a domain name to accepting and processing credit card payments online, Web retailers have a lot of work to do before they can hang their open-for-business sign.
Choose a Domain Name, Web Host and Design a Site

If you were planning to open a physical store, one thing you would plan early on would be your business name and location. Online, you need to register a domain name, find a service provider to host your site, and you also need to design the Web site itself.

Domain Names

A domain name, if you’re not familiar with the term is what identifies you on the Web. Consumers will type your domain name (e.g. e-commerceguide.com) into their browser to visit your site. Domain names must be registered with a domain name registrar. At one time there was only one domain name registrar—Network Solutions, Inc.—but today there are dozens of accredited registrars.

* Cost: Expect to pay a yearly fee to keep that domain name registered.
* Sample Vendors: NetworkSolutions, GoDaddy.com, register.com
* Ecommerce-Guide Tips: How to Pick a Domain Name

Web Site Hosting and Design

The next step is to think about where you want to host your retail site. There are a number of issues to consider when you choose a host, but the best way to choose is based on your own level of expertise.

If you are a business owner and have very little technical know-how, then you will probably want to consider an e-commerce host that provides you with everything you need in one package. This would include site building tools (via customizable templates and an easy wizard-based interface), shopping cart, security, reporting tools and, oftentimes, the merchant account and card processing gateway.

The other option, if you decide not to use a full-service-commerce provider, is to design your own Web site or hire a site designer. Costs will vary and designing your own site may be more expensive; however, the main benefit of doing it yourself is that your site will look unique, it will be customizable, and it will encompass all the features you want.

* Cost: Expect to pay a monthly hosting fee. Some e-commerce hosting providers may charge percentage-of-sales or per-transaction fees. Hiring a designer can be expensive, and you may need to bring him or her back for future updates and changes.
* Sample Vendors: NetworkSolutions, GoDaddy.com, Volusion,
* Ecommerce-Guide Tips: Hosting Plan Primer, All About Web Site Hosting, Site Building with Photoshop and Dreamweaver, Site Optimization Primer

If you choose a full-service commerce provider, many of the Web shop building blocks we discuss will be included in your hosting package. Still, you should learn the e-commerce lingo and understand how these e-commerce fundamentals interact and rely on each other.
Making Online Transactions Work

Merchant Accounts and Payment Gateways

To conduct financial transactions online you need two things; the first is a merchant account, which allows you to accept credit card payments from customers. To obtain a merchant account, most people—provided they are a registered business and have proof of that—can apply for a merchant account at a local bank. If you choose to use a hosted solution then you may be able to obtain a merchant account through the provider.

The second item you need for online transactions is a payment gateway. This is the system that automates the payment transaction between you (your bank) and the shopper. A payment gateway will process, verify and accept or decline credit card transactions on your behalf through secure Internet connections. Payment gateways should meet all industry standards and regulations, including PCI.

* Cost: Expect to pay a subscription fee (yearly or monthly) plus per transaction fees to the service provider and the credit card issuer used for the transaction.
* Sample Vendors: VeriSign, Authorize.net, Global Payments Inc., RBS Worldpay , PayPal
* Ecommerce-Guide Tips: An Introduction to Payment Gateways, Payment Processing Beyond PayPal, Setting Up Payment Methods

Obama Says Healthcare Reform Will Aid Small Businesses.

The President says small business owners would benefit from his healthcare reform proposals.

In his weekend radio and web address, President Obama pitched his healthcare reform proposals to the nation's small business owners, who face crippling rises in insurance costs.

As Congress continues to haggle over the details of the healthcare reform plan that had produced contentious debate and explosive rhetoric over the summer, Obama made his case that reform is necessary to help the ailing economy.

The best news for small business owners is that the plan will not mandate insurance coverage of employees by small businesses, but those that do provide coverage would receive tax credits to defray costs, the Washington Post reported.

"Rising healthcare costs are undermining our businesses, exploding our deficits and costing our nation more jobs with each passing month," he said. "So we know that reforming our health insurance system will be a critical step in rebuilding our economy so that our entrepreneurs can pursue the American dream again and our small businesses can grow and expand and create new jobs again."

Obama's proposal for a health insurance exchange marketplace would let small businesses choose coverage from competing plans, providing an opportunity for business owners to compare the price, quality and services of a wide variety of plans, "many of which will provide better coverage at lower costs than the plans they have now," Obama said.

Small Business website-
Having a website has become almost a requirement for small businesses. However, when it comes to setting up a website, there are so many options, chosing what to do is often confusing for a non-technical small or independent business owner. This guide is designed to take some of the mystery out of that decision process.

Why do you need a website?

Today, most small businesses need an online presence as much as they need a phone or mailbox. Customers and clients -- current and potential -- expect you to have one. For some small businesses, a website has become the primary selling tool -- a means to access inventory or colloborate on client projects. For other small businesses, a website is little more than a directory listing with static contact information. Other small businesses have launched constantly updated weblogs or detailed service-oriented resources. From simple to complex, websites have become a requirement for doing business in many industries.

In addition, most people begin their search for a product online using a search engine like Google, Yahoo or MSN. Having a website, especially a web site that is designed to be an effective Internet marketing tool, can be very valuable for small businesses. Without the right web site, people will not be able to find your business.

How to determine what type of website you need

In 2006, the vast array of options one has for setting up a website can add confusion to the process. One way to begin considering the options is to decide if your needs are simple or complex:

* SIMPLE: If your business is not web-based and you merely want a place on the web, there are many off-the-shelf, even free, products and services that may be all you need.
* LESS SIMPLE: If you are going to be selling products online and need to set up an e-commerce site, there are inexpensive and easy-to-set up products and services.
* COMPLEX: If your site is going to the basis of an online business, then developing it may involve a great deal of time and resources to create and launch.
* VERY COMPLEX: If your site is going to contain vast amounts of content and data used in a specialized way, it will also require custom development to create and launch.

Launch an E-commerce Business -
Q: With business slower than usual it does seem like a good idea to check out possibly getting into e-commerce. I certainly have the time! I was hoping you could give me some steps to follow.
There are so many great things to be said about e-commerce that I am not sure where to begin, but let’s start with this one: E-commerce is, even today, a fairly new market; it has really been around for a little more than a dozen years.

Being able to tap such a huge market at the relative start won’t happen again in our lifetimes.

There remains a world of opportunity and untapped e-potential. Other benefits include easy access to global markets, having an automated and additional profit center open 24/7, a low cost of entry, and the ability to compete with larger companies.

Here’s how to jump in – 7 Steps.

Step 1: Notice what works: Whether it is eBay, Amazon, or your own favorite, e-commerce sites that succeed tend to do the same things right:

* They are attractive, intuitive, engaging, and easy to navigate
* They offer plenty of inventory
* They are easy to shop and check-out
* There are discounts and specials (coupons, free shipping, etc.)
* They offer great customer service

Step 2. Consider the competition. Who else sells what you want to sell? Take a look at the players both big and small. Buy some merchandise from them and ask yourself – what do they do right, and wrong, and how can it be it be improved?

Step 5. Consider drop shipping: What if you just want to get your feet wet and don’t want to spend a lot of money discovering whether this online universe is for you? Then check out drop shipping. Drop shipping is an arrangement between you and a wholesaler whereby you offer their products on your site but you don’t actually physically stock any inventory. If someone clicks and buys, notice is sent to you and the wholesaler, the wholesalers ships the product using your labels and logos, and you split the profit.

If you think this is a great way to get started, you are right. There are no products to buy and stock, no huge up-front costs, no labor expenses, etc. You can find drop shippers for most any product by doing an online search, or again, by typing “drop shipping” into the product search engine at my site.

Step 6. Build your store: There are two parts to your online store – the front end and the back end. The front end is what the world sees – your products for sale, specials, policies, and so on. The back end is what you see – inventory control, reports of what sells, etc.

You will need to find an online partner / Web host to help you build your store. Their software will create both the front end and the back end. It will allow you to create thumbnails of your products as part of your overall online catalogue.

What you want is a partner that offers

* Pre-designed, customizable templates
* Inventory support
* Easy acceptance of credit cards
* Search engine optimization
* Easy adding and subtracting of products
* Up-selling tools, coupons, gift certificates, etc.
* Real time stats and reports
* Secure transactions, and
* Plenty of support

Banner advertising

Banner ads are one of the most common and recognized forms of advertising on the web. Although the popularity of banner advertising has declined somewhat in recent years (in favor of keyword search advertising, affiliate marketing, and other methods), it is still a popular and useful means of advertising your business.

Banner ads consist of graphical (and often animated) advertisements that are strategically placed on high-traffic and/or content-related websites. Each time the ad is displayed to someone loading the website, it is known as an "impression". Each time someone clicks the ad to visit the advertiser's site, it is known as a "click-through". Advertising rates for banner ads may be based on either impressions or click-throughs or a combination of the two.
Creating banner ads

Banner ads come in a variety of flavors. Sizes range from miniscule "button" ads to page-wide "leaderboard" ads. They can also be created in several different file formats. The most popular file formats for banner ads are the standard web image formats: JPEG, GIF, and PNG. Recently, however, Flash ads have become the dominant format on many sites, often employing animation and even game-style interaction to maximize the presence of the ad.

Some common sizes for banner ads include:

* Full banner - 468 x 60 pixels
* Half banner - 234 x 60 pixels
* Vertical banner - 120 x 240 pixels
* Leaderboard - 728 x 90 pixels
* Microbar - 88 x 31 pixles
* Square button - 125 x 125 pixels

Wild and Wacky Ways to Market Yourself for Big Visibility.

In today's competitive world of business, it takes moxie and pizazz to sell a great product, idea, or service. This list will provide you with ten unusual and creative marketing strategies which will help you to stand apart from the competition and to increase your visibility.

1. Celebrate the Wacky World Holidays with your Clients and/or Customers.

Did you know that August 17 is Number 2 pencil day? Send your clients Number 2 pencils with your name and logo embossed on the pencils. What about Homemade Pudding Day on September 19? Send your clients and customers your favorite pudding recipe, and invite them to your business to sample a "taste." If you are the owner of a toy store or a children's clothing company, you may want to set aside November 18 to celebrate Micky Mouse's Birthday. Creative marketing is the future of big business, and celebrating offbeat holidays will allow your customers and clients to experience something unusual and will set you apart from your competition. For a list of non-traditional holidays, visit www.earthcalendar.net.

2. Add a Company Mascot to your Business.

With the help of a few very clever cows, Chick-fil-A's unaided brand awareness has grown 81 percent, and its sales have increased nearly 120 percent since the mascot was added to the team in 1995. This attention-grabbing ploy, encouraging folks to "Eat Mor Chikin" has helped make this Atlanta-based company the third largest quick-service chicken restaurant company in the United States.

3. Throw a Gala for Hair Stylists in your Community.

What do hair stylists do while they are working their magic? They TALK! By throwing a memorable event for the hair stylists in your community, you can reach thousands of potential clients through fantastic word of mouth. Host a breakfast, lunch, or dinner and roll out the red carpet for this crowd, and watch new customers and clients flock to your place of business.

4. Host a Game Night.

Are you an investment advisor? Host a game night using the game "Cash Flow." Are you a Life Coach? Throw a party and play the game LIFE. Are you a cat groomer? How about a Cat-Opoly Night? For travel agents, try the game Route 66, taking your guests on a road trip across the country. Playing board games can create a rich and wonderful opportunity for interaction with potential customers, which can allow them to get to know you in a fun and non-threatening way and can create an opportunity for building rock solid strategic alliances.

5. Host a "Big Brain" Week-End.

Want to learn from the experts? Borrow experts one time per year to develop a cutting-edge marketing plan for your company by hosting a "Big Brain" Week-End. If you cannot afford a full marketing staff, you can borrow key experts for a quarterly brainstorming session which can enhance product and service ideas for your company quickly. You can pay a small per diem and travel expenses and pick the brains of 6-8 people who really know their stuff.

6. Sponsor a Night Light Golf Tournament (a golf tournament held in the evening after the sun sets.)

This grassroots approach can land you accounts, customers, and an amazing amount of visibility. Short on funds? Invite ten strategic alliance partners to help cover the costs. This collaborative effort will triple your visibility.

7. Put Yourself in the Dunking Booth!

Carnivals and festivals are great fun for the entire family, and one of the hottest attractions at these events is The Dunking Booth. By volunteering to be the person "dunked," you will have all eyes on you, and folks will be talking about you for weeks, creating "buzz" around your name, your products, and your services.

8. Fly a Kite!

Your company name, logo, and contact information on a wild and brightly colored kite can send your business to new "heights." Spend a windy day at the beach or in the park, and give away free kites to visitors. This approach can be valuable and can quickly expand your visibility.

9. Send Unusual Gifts and Freebies.

Giving unusual gifts and freebies is another way to set yourself apart from the crowd. Are you in the middle of an ice storm? Send leis to your customers to brighten up their day. Do you have a customer who is recuperating from a broken leg? Send a movie on video, a box of popcorn, and a pack of M & M's. Do you have a customer with a new baby? Send a basket with bubble bath, herbal tea, a cooling eye mask, and a set of ear plugs (humor works!)

10. Design Two or Three Marketing Goals with No Purpose in Mind Other than to Amuse Yourself and Your Friends.

Two of the biggest goals of marketing are to appear larger or more well known than you are at this moment and to have great fun! Gather your friends, and throw a Hula Hoop party, dress up for Halloween, or stand on the corner of town and interview folks with a question such as "If Barbie is so popular, why do

5 Steps To Help Fail-Proof Your Growing Service Business

- Every Year Over 1 Million People Start A Business

- By The End Of The First Year 40% Of Them Will Be Out Of Business

- Within 5 Years More Than 80% (800,000) Of These Businesses Will Have Failed

(Source: The eMyth Revisited, Michal E Gerber, US Department of Commerce)

In The UK...

- 2003 Saw 423,100 New Businesses In England & Wales Startup

- Over Half of All New Firms Fail In The First 3 Years

- At Least 211,550 Of These Businesses Will Have Failed Before The End Of 2006

(Source: Barclays SME Market Research Team England & Wales Statistics Based On Business Current Account Customers)

Unfortunately more and more people are being encouraged to go it alone by government agencies and banks while being given out-dated advice that doesn't actually work.

The advisors in these organisations typically have experience in larger production / manufacturing / financial businesses and share marketing advice that really doesn't work for the majority of small service-based businesses today.

Their text-book marketing principles simply do not translate to businesses with limited money to invest in advertising, direct mail and telesales.

In many cases these advisors are telling people how to run a business even though they're actually working for a bank or government agency themselves. They have no real experience spending their own money to grow a business.

Survival and inevitable success means being lean, mean and focused on getting a genuine result (in the form of profit) from the time and money you invest.

So here are 5 tips you can use to take the power back and begin "fail proofing" your growing business today.

#1. Question "Experts" Thoroughly

Be wary of government funded trainers and / or advisors put forward by banks.

These people, in many cases, don't have a clue what its like to run and grow their own business. Make it your job to "suss them out" before taking anything they tell you too seriously.

Some questions that I like...

What's your experience of starting and running a small business?

Have you actually spent your own money trying to make a business work?

What mistakes have you made? What lessons can I learn from your experience?

Will this advice / support / idea cost me money or make me money?

Who really benefits when I take the course of action you're recommending?

#2. Model Excellent Businesses

Now by this I don't mean simply copy random things they do.

Just because the boss of a successful firm like yours drives a brand-new Bentley it doesn't mean you should rush out and buy one too. That won't guarantee success.

You're looking to find the things that she did in order to afford the Bentley in the first place.

So find out as much about their processes and systems as you can and then look for evidence to support applying similar things that work for them to your business.

Subscribe to their mailing list. Visit their premises. Talk to their staff. Talk to their customers. Read their ads (or notice that they don't advertise). Network with them.

You can learn just as much from non-competing businesses too. So why not set up a support / learning group or see if a successful entrepreneur would be able to mentor you.

#3. Have A BIG Goal

Big goals, by definition, should be easier to hit than small goals. So don't think small - think big.

After nearly 8 years in business I still like to set regular, big, 90 day goals. I call these goals SHAGs - Short Hairy Audacious Goals.

Too many businesses focus on surviving. They think in terms of what they don't want. They miss the opportunity to really succeed and then get what they were desperately trying to avoid - failure!

Focusing on what you don't want really doesn't work. If you don't want to fail you should focus on succeeding in a big way.

#4. Improve Constantly

Have goals and set targets. Know what outcomes you want and quantify them where possible.

Then work towards your goals using the following cycle...

1. Implement (Do Something) 2. Measure (Test & Review) 3. Improve (Learn & Adjust)

As my friend and firewalk trainer Sanjay Shah says, if you simply improve by 1 percent a day, you'll have improved 300 percent (allowing for holidays) in a year!

#5. Don't Follow The Crowd

Look, we both know most businesses fail so don't do what most other businesses do or you'll get the same results.

Don't just advertise because every other business seems to advertise. Make sure advertising will make you money.

Don't just do telesales because that happens to be the service your local Chamber of Commerce is selling.

Don't measure turnover when profit and cashflow is usually more important.

Don't take on staff just because other businesses believe more people equals growth. More people often just means less profit!

Don't do the same thing, in the same w

Improving Lead Generating and Conversation Rates: Think Like a Farmer


John's a freelance photographer in Ohio who called to tell me of his frustration with the advertising and promotional campaigns he has tried in the last couple of years. Each time he does a promotional mailing to his list of 10,000, he is lucky if he gets one or two inquiries. I had a similar call from a corporation that was spending its time and money driving traffic to its web site. With six thousand visitors a day, they were only getting a couple of inquiries per week.

Both businesses were spending a lot of money to get attention but weren't converting this attention to leads.

Are you having the same problem?

Marketing is a lot like farming. You can't just head out to your fields and bring in a bountiful harvest. First, you buy seed from the money you've budgeted. You buy enough to be sure that a good crop will germinate and thrive until harvest, and you're likely to plant several different crops to hedge the weather and the market.

You may not be interested in becoming a farmer, but if you want to see your business grow there are three ways thinking like a farmer can help you.

1. Learn How to Collect More LeadsA farmer needs seed and lots of it to bring in a bountiful harvest. You need a lot of quality leads to increase your clientele.

If your ads or mailings aren't resulting in a steady stream of inquiries, find out what's not working and change it. By changing a couple of sentences of your marketing copy or your offer, for example, you can increase response rates by a factor of ten or more.

Could you collect more leads with the right marketing strategy and marketing copy?

2. Learn How to Increase Your Lead Conversion Rate A farmer who had spent his savings on seed wouldn't plant his field, then go on vacation and come back months later expecting to find a healthy crop. While you may be the exception, this is the way most people market their businesses. According to The Yankee Group, between 40% to 80% of new business leads aren't converted simply due to lack of follow-up.

Many businesses spend money on getting attention and then don't follow up on a prospect's interest by giving them the information or contact opportunity they want. What you tell a prospect and how promptly you respond when they show an interest determines whether they continue to stay in touch.

Of the people who see your ads, what percentage respond?

Of the people who visit your web site, what percentage contact you?

Of the people who contact you, what percentage become clients and customers?

Could you increase your lead conversion rates by improving your Internet, phone and mail follow-up?

3. Learn to Use Systems that Generate Leads, Nurture Them and Increase Conversion Rates Today's farmers are as technologically and information savvy as any of us. Farmers use GPS in their tractors to plant their crops, the web to connect to weather forecasting and crop price information web sites to track their markets.

Using high tech information and machines to get the work done, today's farmer has a system for buying seed and supplies, planting, maintaining and harvesting his or her crops. They make good use of systems and machines to increase their chances of bringing in a bountiful harvest.

In the case of the corporation mentioned above, a simple change to their web site increased their lead conversion from 1 or 2 a week to 80 a week.

Could your lead conversion rates increase with a better system for capturing and following up on leads?

If you're like me, you get hungry often. Whether you're taking photographs or growing lettuce, you want to generate more leads and grow your business. To fill your larder and bring in a steadily increasing number of clients, think like a farmer. Use your marketing strategy and lead generation system to bring in many more prospects and increase your conversion rates. When you do you'll find yourself with a bountiful crop of new clients.

Playing with Cards.

How to Use Business Cards to Network and Market Your Business


You've had one thousand of the finest, most eye-catching business cards printed. Now, what do you do with them?

Networking with business cards is one of the most cost effective means of marketing your business--and yourself.

Get those business cards out!

Don't leave them sitting in the box, they do you no good there. Get them into the hands of your prospects! If you think of your business card as a mini-billboard for your company, you'll realize that you need people to see it in order for it to be effective. Here are a few ideas to get you started...

1. Keep them in your pocket, purse, briefcase, and wallet, on your desk, and at the reception area of your office.

Leave some in your car. Always have them on hand so you can introduce yourself to new people when the moment is right. They should be a necessary part of your routine before you leaving home every day. When checking for your wallet and keys, check for a stack of business cards too. Keep replenishing your supply.

2. Store your cards in a nice holder so they don't get bent.

Keeping your business cards in a stylish case makes for a better presentation when you give your cards out. Business card cases come in all shapes sizes and materials. Choose one that fits your personality!

Likewise, treat others' cards well when you accept them. For example, spend a few moments reading the card closely before you put it away. You won't impress the person by mishandling their business card. If your contact information should change, have new cards printed immediately. Writing in your new email address or phone number leaves a bad impression.

3. Place your business cards on bulletin boards at local restaurants, supermarkets, libraries, and your children's schools.

At your place of business, have a bulletin board where others can post their cards in return for passing out your cards to others. If you see a fishbowl offering a drawing for a prize, throw your business card in. Somebody important might see it and contact you.

4. Include business cards with all of your correspondence, including bills you pay.

You never know who might open the mail that day. If Realtors can sell houses this way, why can't you generate business the same way? If you ship products, for example, include a card with every package. Send business cards with all thank you notes and letters you send out. Include your contact information in your email signature as well. It serves as an electronic business card.

5. Use them as scrap paper when you need to jot down a note

Instead of a napkin, use the back of your business card to write in your cell phone number. "This is my direct line," you might say, making the prospect feel important and giving him or her a reason to keep your card.

6. Give people a reason to hold on to your card

Include something unique on the back of it--a calendar, a list of your services, important measurements, or anything relevant to your industry. You could also print a coupon on it, and ask them to return the card with their order, so again they have a reason to keep your card. For more ideas of what to include, please see "Power Words for Business Cards".

7. As a business owner or manager, have business cards printed for all staff members, right down to the lowest ranking person.

The novelty of the cards for those who usually don't have them will entice employees to hand them out. At the same time, you'll make them feel appreciated. Your employees are part of your network, so use their networks to generate business for your company.

8. Use your business cards to introduce yourself to prospects you meet at networking functions, in the park or at your children's soccer games.

However, don't be pushy. Make sure the time is appropriate. One way to do this is to ask for the other person's card. He or she will likely ask you for your card in return. Another idea is to hand out two or three cards at a time--one for the person you meet, and extras for him or her to hand out to referrals. (Offering to do the same would be the polite thing to do here.) When you go to the doctor or dentist, present your card to the receptionist to announce your presence.

Leaving your business cards to sit in a box or a drawer collecting dust defeats the purpose of having them. They are inexpensive enough to print by the thousands, so hand them out liberally. It's a cost-effective way to market yourself and your business. Be creative and you will soon have more business than you can handle!

Do your business cards work as hard as you do to gain new clients/customers? To network effectively, you need cards that will grab attention and spur curiousity. With breakthrough online technology, you can design your business cards online and choose from thousands of free business card backgrounds.

Cardman

Are You Guilty Of Interruption Marketing?


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 ofmarketing 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 involve permission marketing. So it behoovesyou 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."

Permission marketing

4 Sales Strategies with Your Trade Show Exhibition Booth.

Trade show booths can act as an excellent source for generating sales enquiries in the short run. Companies are able to demonstrate their products or services and get instant enquiries at the booth which on timely follow up can result in sales. Some of the tips on how to maximize the benefits of a trade show booth as a sales tool are mentioned below:

1. On-Spot promotion schemes: This is an age old trick which works well at trade shows. Firstly it makes the visitor stop at your booth for more than a few seconds. Secondly, a structured promotion method quickly puts the visitor through the benefits of the products (obviously in an attractive fashion) and then a decision making opportunity is thrown at the visitor introducing them to on the spot interesting offers. Offers can range from products sold on the spot at attractive pricing, free gifts with purchases, extended time period of services, lifetime warranty and the like. The more innovative the offer, more the likelihood of success.

Assuming that the product and the promotion offering are attractive for the users, the on-spot promos can recover all costs of the trade show plus earn the company a healthy profit. Quick checks with the organizers need to be done before the event to ensure that onsite sales are permitted.

2. Get your customers to speak to the visitors: Admitted that this might be a bit tough to execute, but if you have a large enough trade show booth, then it might be an excellent idea to schedule live interaction sessions where you have satisfied customers promoting the product. This can have fantastic results in terms of sales enquiries generated at the event.

A well known software company promoted the client's company during a well known industry trade show and developed content to display on how their software solution helped the customer's business. This 'gimmick' got the visitors to stop and take a look and interested visitors did take a seat and sit through the entire presentation. Needless to say, there is no better sales tool than satisfied customers.

Should getting customers to the event not possible, you should try using client references on your display material for maximum impact. You would of course need to get permission from the clients to be able to put their names on to the display materials.

3. Free coffee anyone? : Some sales personnel might feel that giving away complimentary food and drink at a trade show booth is a waste of good money. They may very well be right. However, if you have a good prospect in front of you, the chances of stopping him a couple of minutes longer are increased with the opportunity of offering him a cup of steaming coffee.

Another strange thing that happens at stands offering complimentary food or drink is that there is usually some people standing around the booth making it look busy. You will be surprised how people get attracted by seeing a busy trade show booth. It has something to with the human perspective of being attracted to crowds but does work to your advantage in a busy trade show.

4. Focused communication: Various steps taken towards focused communication at a trade show booth can enhance the chances of on spot sales and generation of genuine sales enquiries. Though this is mentioned in detail in another article, printed hand outs should be of good quality and carry all information about your product or service in a cohesive fashion.

The fact that trade shows are effective can only be further confirmed by noting the increase in the number of trade shows in the past few years.

New Years Revolution


No, that's not a typo in the title. Resolutions are easy; most of us make them at least once a year. A revolution, on the other hand, is something you may not have made since you started your business.

Starting a business is actually quite revolutionary. When you began yours, there were probably many details of your life that changed. Some of those changes were intentional, others accidental; some you liked, some you didn't. Other changes you always meant to make just never happened.

Is your business everything you meant it to be? Is it giving you all that you wanted? Are you satisfied, even delighted with the way your life as a business owner is turning out? If not, perhaps it's time to make a revolution. Here are some revolutionary ideas you might consider:

1. Serve only those clients you care about and enjoy being with. When you work with people you don't enjoy, everything becomes a struggle. Your clients are a key part of your business. You wouldn't hire someone you didn't enjoy working with, so why let them hire you?

Begin today to let go of clients you find difficult to work with, and start seeking out those you really had in mind when you started this business. Have the courage to refuse new clients that don't fit your picture of who you most want your business to serve.

2. Make a plan to reach your income goals. Unless you are independently wealthy, your business not only needs to support you, it needs to provide for your future. Setting goals for your desired income level is a good first step, but to reach those goals, you need a plan.

Create a financial model for your business. How many clients, appointments, billable hours, or contracts will it take to generate the income you want? How much of your time will be required to do that amount of work and do the marketing required to get it? How much money will it cost you in overhead, marketing costs, and admin help? Does the model work?

3. Take enough time for yourself and those you love. The number one reason entrepreneurs name for going into business is time -- more to spend with their families, more flexibility in work hours, or simply more control over how their time is spent. But how many of us actually get this?

Most entrepreneurs spend either too much time struggling to get clients and earning too little money, or become victims of their own success, working too many hours to fulfill clients' demands. You can overcome these problems by combining the financial modelling described above with the approach to marketing outlined below. And don't forget, if you earn enough, you can hire all the help you need.

4. Do more of the work you like doing and less of what you don't. If you're not enjoying the work you do, there's no one to blame but yourself. After all, you're the OWNER of this enterprise. If you can do different work in the same business, start now to make the shift. Loyal customers will follow you if you're still offering services they need.

If more rewarding work would require a new business, join the ranks of the serial entrepreneurs. You started and ran one business, why not another? Life is much too short to do work you don't enjoy, and it doesn't make much sense if you're working for yourself!

5. Build a marketing system that really works. The definition of a system is a selection of related components arranged in a specific order to achieve a common end. Does this describe your marketing? Or is it more like a hodgepodge of random elements jumbled together without a clear goal?

If you want better clients, more money, more time for yourself, and more enjoyable work, an effective marketing system may be the universal solution. Don't know how to build one? Make this the year you learn. Already know how but haven't built it? Get support from a colleague, mentor, coach, or group to make it happen. Have a system but aren't using it? Pull your plan out of the drawer and re-commit to doing what it takes to have the business you always dreamed of.

Metaphysical Marketing


The foundation of success is in your mind. You do not need to struggle, seek and strive to build your business. You can use mental and spiritual laws to create and attract all the elements that insure success. Wouldn't you love to set your business on "automatic pilot" and enjoy the ride?

The Law of Reversed Effort

The application of prosperity principles in business allows us to become aligned with these spiritual laws to learn how to "receive" success instead of "trying" to make it happen.

Did you know there is a law called the Law of Reversed Effort? It states that the harder you "try" to do something, the less chance you have of achieving it. Trying implies a negative, it suggests to the mind that you may not accomplish. Even Yoda in Star Wars recognized this truth when he wisely said, "We do. There is no try."

Practical Metaphysics

My teachings are based on what I call "practical metaphysics".

First, what do we mean by "metaphysical"? Well, "meta" as used as a prefix in metaphysical, means "comprehensive" or "transcending." Metaphysical is relating to the transcendent or to a reality beyond what is perceptible to the senses. In other words, a study of what is outside objective experience. This includes aspects of the mind and spirit.

My definition of practical metaphysics is the study and application of these transcendent principles from methods that appeal to our "real world" senses, techniques that we can understand and utilize with ease - in other words, a simple approach that assures our practical application of these profound laws. We take the mystery and speculation out of these principles and instead concentrate on putting them to use - a nuts and bolts approach.

I believe that there are a great number of people who have read and studied and are well informed about spiritual matters and metaphysical laws but who have not been able to take these ideas from their intellect and incorporate them mental and emotionally to put them into practice.

The Universe Is My Marketing Department

Now, this study in no way discounts the marketing techniques and tools taught by the visible world's marketing experts. What I am doing here is helping you lay the foundation for a mindset that will allow you to use those tools if you so choose, and succeed with them. The fact is that all of the marketing and business know-how in the world will not result in your success unless you first have the mindset to succeed. A house cannot stand without a proper foundation. And once you create that foundation, you will automatically be guided to the appropriate methods and means that will result in your success. You will find as I did that the Universe is truly the greatest marketing department you could ever hope for, and the possibilities are unlimited. You can experience the guidance of an unseen hand, know what it feels like to live a charmed life, and realize that you have an invisible means of support.

How do I know so much about succeeding through a metaphysical approach? On the Feel Free to Prosper website in the section entitled Your Mentor you will see in full color many of my accomplishments using these laws - fruits of my metaphysical labors - and in the section Amazing you can review the stories of how I created some amazing successes using these principles in my business in over a 20-year span that includes the present. My business clients are the world's largest corporations. Here is a secret that you may find hard to believe: I have never looked for a client. They have always found me.

Nothing Impersonal

It doesn't matter if you are a company owner, business executive, entrepreneur, creative talent, network marketer, home based business, investor, employee, or in transition looking for your true place in life. The laws are impersonal and will work for everyone.

Here is why you should learn and apply prosperity principles:

(1) To uplift and raise your awareness to a level of consciousness that empowers and connects you to the Universal source from which ALL good flows.

(2) To apply this awareness specifically to the marketing and success of your business, skills and talents.

(3) To come to the absolute realization that you are not alone and that you have all the creative power of the Universe ready to inspire you and guide you to success if you will only recognize and acknowledge it.

(4) By becoming a part of the prosperity vibration, you will know exactly what to do. Your Universal marketing department will inspire you to do exactly what you need to do.

Okay, Let's Have Some Nuts and Bolts

(1) Watch Your Speech. The above can be accomplished only through the use of positive and life-affirming language. Do not doubt it for a minute. The words you think, speak (and hear) are recorded in your subconscious mind and will produce circumstances that correspond to your thoughts and speech. If you want a succ

5 Print Ad Resource.


Writing an effective print ad, particularly a classified advertisement, requires that you remember five essential points. Failure to implement these points correctly can cost you much in the way of time lost and a sale missed.

You've just cleaned out the attic and straightened up the garage. You've identified items you no longer need, but they certainly have a cash value to them. You could really use the money, but you don't want to post the information on eBay. What to do? You create a classified ad!

Unlike in times past, the classified advertisement you run with your local paper will more than likely have exposure beyond the printed copy. Smart newspaper publishers, knowing the inroads that the internet has had on their businesses, now allow advertisers to have a copy of their advertisement appear online. This is important as newspaper readership is dropping rapidly as internet usage continues to climb sharply. Still, a printed copy is smart especially if the classified ad section of your local paper is popular.

When designing your ad, you need to come up with an eye grabbing title. The title you choose will help the reader decide whether they want to read more or continue scanning their eyes toward other ads.

List the item you are offering for sale predominately within the name of the title. If you have several items to sell, consider a catchy title such as, "30 Year Contents of Attic" which will indicate to readers that you probably have antiques. If you state, "Assorted Sporting Goods" you will attract people who are looking for a bowling ball, fishing equipment, children's toys, etc. The key is attracting the reader and encouraging them to read your ad.

Beyond the title, the following five points will help you in your campaign:

1. Be descriptive The clearer you present what you have to offer for sale, the better your responses will be.

2. Do not abbreviate Not everyone understands what an abbreviation means. Spell it out and erase all doubt!

3. Specify the price Particularly if you are selling just one item, list the amount you want for that item.

4. Highlights I like ads that stand out. If the newspaper offers decorative symbols, characters, or fonts use them to draw the reader's eyes to your listing.

5. Ad campaign One day listings only work for popular items. Do you believe your item will sell if you list it for just one day? If you list it longer, you can always cancel the ad. Remember to find out what the newspaper's policy is about online ads too. Your buyer may only see the ad online.

Powerful Direct Marketing Numbers


Direct Marketing works!

Why? It works because it's personal. It carries a message, answers questions and gets orders. Direct Response Marketing works because it is "conversation in writing".

It works because, no matter what you have heard, read or believe ... most people look forward to personal communication. They like being treated as a person - as an individual.

So, if Direct Response Marketing is so powerful, how can we as marketers use it effectively? To keep the business we have ... to find new business?

As with most disciplines, these powerful "Direct Marketing Numbers" are common sense. Here's a list of a few "Numbers" to make your Direct Response Marketing work for you:

60 - 30 - 10

A full 60% of your Direct Marketing success is making certain your message gets to the person who can buy what you have to sell. It's very easy for the wrong person to say "no".

An offer will be 30% of your Direct Marketing success.

What's an offer? It is a reason for your prospect to do business with you. It's the urge to action. It's an incentive to get your audience to raise their hand. To indicate a willingness to talk with you. It's a reason to respond.

The 10% remaining is creative. Not unimportant ... certainly less important. And although it is the fun part of marketing - without a clearly identified audience and a sound offer - your creative has little chance of giving you a winner.

Now, once you've clearly identified your marketplace and put together an offer of interest - how DO you get your Direct Marketing message read, heard, seen, understood and acted upon?

A few more "Powerful Numbers"

Lucky 13

Write your message for a 13 year old reading level.

Television news, the morning newspaper and by far the majority of our conversation is at a 13 year old reading level.

Exceptions? Sure. The Wall Street Journal is written at a 17 year reading level.

11

Keep your opening paragraph to 11 words or less.

Yes, I did say paragraph!

Why? Because, by opening quickly you slip your reader into your full message. Make your letter, your brochure, the print advertisement - everything you write - easy to read. A quick beginning helps.

14

All your sentences should average 14 words or less.

The best way to write short: use a period. Yes, every so often insert the "dot". It works. And it will help you get read.

1, 2, 3, 4 & 5

Use words of 5 letters or less. About 70% of all your words should be 5 letter words, or less.

Why? Because they are easy to read - easy to understand. Your message will be quickly absorbed.

The 500 most common words in English have 13,000 meanings. No wonder we have trouble with basic communication. One answer is to go short. It pays with results.

7

Keep ALL paragraphs to a maximum of 7 lines. Never more than 7...and sometimes just 1 or 2. i.e., short paragraphs.

Again, why? Because a large block of copy looks tough, even if it is not. The tactic of short makes your message look more inviting.

1

A postscript (P.S.) is mandatory in every direct mail letter. Because 4 of 5 of your readers will read the P.S. first ... before they read anything else in your letter.

5

Indent every paragraph 5 spaces.

This "Number" is really physiology - not marketing. Our eyes pull us "in" when we see indents. They pull us to a point - and while we're there, we read. It works. Indent all paragraphs.

On the other side of the paragraph - the right side - use the ragged right design. Do not justify margins! Do not proportionally space your sentences. Ragged right increases readership.

1/2

Whenever you go to a second page in a letter - split the last sentence in half.

Begin it at the bottom of the first page...end it at the top of the next page. Why? To pull-l-l-l the reader with you. "Make" them turn the page. Keep them reading.

The same tactic works in anything printed with columns. Such as brochures, reply forms, print ads...anything. Split the last sentence...the last paragraph in two. And move the reader to the next column.

481

Be specific. The number 481 is much more specific - and much more believable! - than saying "almost 500".

Odd numbers get more attention than even. Use 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 and you are more likely to be noticed. A list of 11 is better than a list of 10. 99 or 101 ideas is better than an even 100.

One more thing on numbers; use the number - not the word. As I have done in this article. The number 3 or 7 is easier to see, read and understand than the word three or seven.

30

Offers with a date work to get more action - more response. Try a Limited Time Offer.

Good for only 30 days...or better yet, "This offer good only until August 31" gets action. Test making your offer a Limited Time Offer. It can increase your response.

There are many more "Powerful Numbers" in Direct Marketing. This list will get you

Mortgage Marketing - Viral-Email, Referral Marketing Strategy


This is a devastatingly powerful way to extend your marketing reach. For this to work right you need a website that promotes your business.

It doesn't have to be complicated, just professional looking with good content. It is vital, however, that there's a place for visitors to sign up for a free mortgage consultation.

If you don't have a site you can still make some money with this email so read on.

First, make sure that you get the email address of every client you do business with. When you close a loan send the client a simple email. Something like this:

------------------------------------------------

Dear (Client Name),

Thank you for choosing me for your home financing needs. I hope the experience was a positive one. And I trust that you are happy with your home loan.

I'm running a limited time promotion right now that might benefit you. You see, I've learned through experience in this business that people in the market for ahome loan usually know others also in the market.

My first objective with every client is to provide them with the right product for their needs at a good price in a friendly, honest and efficient manner. I sincerely hope I have lived up to this goal in my dealings with you.

You should know that not all mortgage brokers are guided by these same principles. If you have friends or family who could use my services wouldn't you feel better if you knew their broker would do right by them?

Here's what I'd like to ask of you. Copy and paste the block of text below into a blank email. Insert the name of one of your friends who could benefit from a home loan and send it to them. Send it to as many friends asyou know who are in the market for my services.

Importance of Endorsements And How To Use Them


Customer endorsements are an inexpensive and easy sales tool, particularly for someone just starting out.

Here are some tips on how to get them and use them:

Send follow-up letters. Two to four weeks after working with a customer, send a survey letter or postcard. Be sure to leave space for them to write in their own words what they liked best about your company, product or service. Don't forget to pay for the postage so they can easily return it to you. This is something we do for both sellers and tenant/buyers. In addition we also ask our coaching students and customers who purchase other products for endorsements.

Check your files. Look for recent letters from satisfied customers. You may be able to use excerpts in your sales literature. But make sure you first get written permission from the person who sent the letter. Ask to edit. When getting written permission, ask to edit your customers' remarks. Responses may be too long for your promotional material, or contain irrelevant information.

Focus on benefits. If you have a choice, use testimonials that stress benefits rather than general remarks. ("Your lease purchase program allowed me to move my home in 14 days vs. "I liked dealing with your company.") You can help solicit these types of remarks by asking customers in the survey how your company helped them do their jobs better. We send a letter out to each seller and tenant buyer and ask them specifically about the lease purchase program.

Ask to use their names. Anonymous testimonials are better than nothing, but they may appear to be made up. A person's name and company name (you don't need the street address) adds authenticity.

So start using endorsements to grow your business!