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Ten Timeless Tips for Smart Marketing and Selling Online

10/15/2013

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Sell, sell, sell. The rule is quite simple. Marketing strategies are all about selling a service or product. No matter how brilliant a marketing campaign is, it is still a failure if it does not sell anything. The creative brilliance of the campaign should not overpower the message of sales. If you remember the advertisement, but not the service or product, then the strategy did not work.
Stick to proven marketing principles. There are proven marketing principles and they encompass all the mediums that we have today, even social media. Before online platforms were created we had to market using traditional means. With time, the advertising mediums change, but we need to follow the same principles.
It’s all in the planning. Without an appropriate plan, money will be wasted and the marketing strategy might not work at all. Tactics must be outlined in detail even if the business is very small scale. A scattered approach is not going to work for the business at all.
Is the product strong enough to sell? Essentially, the product has to be strong enough to be the focus of a marketing campaign. It does not matter if the marketing team is the best in the world if the service or product is not excellent.
Get hold of the data. Companies who have access to industrial databases are at an advantage. They have the edge over the competition, especially those who use the data to gain relevant insights.
Know how to listen. Many believe that listening is the number one marketing skill. It is not surprising that the most effective listeners execute the most effective marketing campaigns. Listening is a skill that comes with empathy and is fueled by curiosity.
Show people how they’ll benefit from the product. Since people are concerned mostly in what interests them, it will be smart to focus on letting them know how a service or product will be beneficial to them.
Relevance is the key. A smart marketing strategy is one that grabs hold of people’s attention at a split second. People must find the message relevant to their lives. If they do not then the message will be lost.
Target human emotion. Making a product sell is all about engaging people to feel for the product being offered to them. This is the foundation for establishing loyal customers. This also fully defines the brand. Your brand has to elicit an emotional reaction.
Identities evolve. Although brand logos and online identities can become the image of the brand for a certain period of time, things eventually change. This is the nature of branding. Trends are always changing and makeovers define modern-day advertising. It helps to keep a fresh approach.

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10 Free Ways to Promote Your Local Business Online

10/2/2011

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Over 85% of people contact businesses they find in local searches. That's why 100% of businesses need to be online! Your local business has many options, to remain current online such as a website, business facebook page, social networks, videos, blogs, online ads, etc. Even for businesses with a limited marketing budget, there are ways to promote your business online. Here are 10 free ways to promote your business online:

Google Local: Create an account... Enter your company name, address, phone number and website. Verify the information with a postacard or telephone call. In a few weeks you get a map listing for your company name or industry and town.
Google Coupons: Coupons are a great way to bring new customers into your business or remind old customers that you’re still around. Google has a free coupon tool that puts your coupon on relevant local searches.
Yahoo Local: Yahoo local is a directory organized by category and geographic location. You can get a basic listing in Yahoo Local for free. People searching for your business or industry can find your listing.
YellowPages.com: Yellow Pages have a strong brand name and recognition, and are still used by many people today. They offer a few levels of listings the most basic is free.
Press Releases: Doing something newsworthy? You can always submit a press release to PRWeb or PRLeap.com. Be sure to check out their tips like 25 Action Words for Writing a Newsworthy Headline and Why Localizing a Press Release to a ZIP Code and City Matters.
Free Blog Promotion Tools: Does your company have a website or are you thinking of adding one? Websites like Technorati.com and mybloglog.com can help you gain exposure, visitors, readers, and subscribers to your blog.
Free Directory Advertising: It doesn’t get any easier than trying free advertising. Go to BOTW.org and sign up for a free 60 day advertising listing.
LinkedIn: Join LinkedIn and get connected with people you know and make connections with people you don’t through introductions. Look at the new Questions and Answers section and try and be genuinely helpful. Follow the axiom of ‘Givers Gain’ and you may generate a few leads for yourself from your goodwill.
Email Signatures: Be sure to add your URL to all of your outgoing email. Try adding your mission statement, network links, or a catchy phrase to help people understand what you do. Change it a several times a year so people notice it again.
Syndicate Your Content and Ideas: Take advantage of article distribution Services like EZineArticles, ISnare, and IdeaMarketers to spread your message and approach. Use them to bring leads to your site by offering things like free ebooks or PDF’s that they can download after entering their contact information.

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Ten Timeless Tips for Smart Marketing and Selling Online

10 Free Ways to Promote Your Local Business Online

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