2010 Small Business Internet Marketing

A recent article published on emarketer.com, a leading Internet research firms, states that the  Top 3 Internet Marketing trends to be used by small business are  : Email Marketing, Social Media & Search Engine Optimization.  It is no surprise that many small businesses are finally starting to see the effect that Internet Marketing can have on their business.   The report notes: Only 38% of small businesses polled already had a company Website, but one-third of respondents said they would if they had more time and money to spend on it.
If  Small businesses want to be successful they have to find the time to implement effective strategies that will help them with their bottom line.  And when it comes to Online Marketing, it's not about the money. It's about the time.  There are free to low-cost tools that will help you build  a strong web presence.  If done correctly, Social Media Marketing can bring in great results.  And a lot of Small Businesses are rooting for email marketing.  Email Marketing like Aweber, costs a mere $ 19.00 a month. It's super easy to use.  Therefore Small Business are going to have to come up with a plan to block out a 1 or 2 days every month to focus on their online marketing efforts.    Or they can outsource the work at a lower cost than it would be to hire a full time employee to prepare all the work. 

The beauty of the Internet is that it allows small business owners and marketers to use a variety of tools  that can put your marketing on auto-pilot.  You write it once and then forget it.  Social Media Sites & Email Marketing Software both have tools that allow you to do automated messages.  " Set it and forget it".    If small businesses owners are worrying about time, they need to learn how to use these tools effectively so they can focus on what they do best; running their business. If you want to read the full report go here:  http://bit.ly/2010smallbusiness

Mac or PC?

Okay peeps.  I need your help.   Even though my  business is all about Internet  Marketing, I am quite a novice when it comes to choosing a computer.  However, if you have an online business it is crucial that you have a functional working computer.  And I am sad to say that my laptop of 4 years has had it.  After 1 crash, and a few tweaks from a good friend, I just don't want to invest in fixing it over and over.  I just need a new computer point blank.   I heard Mac was incredible for Seo Consultants.  I am  more of an SEO Copywriter, but I  have to keep up-to-date with all things SEO and I do some Basic SEO for local clients.   Anyhoo, I would like to know your thoughts.  Should I get a Mac or a PC?

Thanks,

Nina Online!

What's Done is Done

Okay peeps.  I did it.  I know my information wasn't as perfect as it should have been,but I can always go back and tweak it.   So, I submitted the  Seo  Press Releases and now I am waiting on approval.  I did a little posting on my Twitter and Facebook.  As well as wrote an article one www.ezinarticles.com.  Yes, I know I could have written more.  But when you have a crazy day you have a crazy day.  

I guess crazy is the word that is associated with me right now, lol.  The point is, I got it done to the point where I felt it was good enough. I am trying to make it easy for people to work with me so they can see the value of what I do.   Anyway, I sent out the release and the small promotion, and now I am curious to see just how many people will take advantage of this offer.   If no one,  that's fine. That just means I have to change my message or the way I present my information.  And if people start to invest at my low rate of   $ 20.10 that's great. Either way it is a win/win situation.  I had a long day so I am dozing off.   But I will be refreshed in the morning.  So have a good night.  However, if you want to check out my " Crazy" promotion here's the link
http://www.ninalewis.org/ninascrazy2010promo.html

Nina Must Be Crazy?

Okay peeps.   I have been working on my business, and trying to figure out what my target audience really needs.   Right now, I am a small fish in a big pond.  But when you know your stuff, you know your stuff?    See my problem is I know my stuff but I am not sharing it with the world.   So, that means I am not stepping in to my power. 

I don't want to talk too much about me right now.   But I have been doing this Internet Marketing thing for a few years now.  I had dreams of being a big time magazine writer.  However,  I fell into the wonderful world of writing for the web by accident.   So, I realize that I know a lot of information that people would like to know and more than happy to pay for.   But, I am kind of a " newbie marketer."  How can I compete  with the Internet Marketing Gurus?  I don't, I learn from them.  I have a knack for research, so I download every  FREE Report Video, content that comes my way.  And then I analyze why they do things a certain way.     With that being said, the Gurus have some good stuff.  But who really has the time to sit down and learn?  Me!  If I want to grow my business way beyond where it's at, I'll take whatever information I can get.  


So why is Nina Crazy?
So, why am I saying " Nina Must Be Crazy".    So, I am thinking of ways to build credibility.  People buy from you if they know like and trust you.  That's why I am about to offer this incredible promotion.  And my very talented mentor said : NO NO NO NO NO!   I respect him dearly, and value his opinion.  But I thought if I don't try and see the results I get, I won't be helping the people who need me most.   I need to step into my power and show people that  they can succeed and it's okay to ask for help.

What's the Deal Nina, Tell me why you are so crazy?
Well, the information page is done, the autoresponder is set, the press release is written.  Everything is in place.   All I have to do is the promotion.   Which I will do shortly.  However,  my mentors voice is in my head :  NO NO NO NO!.   But  I want to help as many people as I can.  And the only way to do that is to show them how I can offer a transformation for their business.  So, are you ready?  Drum Roll please.........,.

Nina Are You Crazy 2010 Promotion Special 
That's right, for the first 50 people who sign up for an Internet Marketing Strategy Session, they will get it for only $ 20.10.  But that's via email only.     Why $ 20.10 because in honor of the New Year and New Media, I thought that would be  great price.   Why spend $ 20.00 on an e-book when you can spend the same amount with an Internet Marketing Consultant who you can get actual feedback from?   So,  I am about to  start submitting the release.   My mentor is going to kill me, but this is a chance that I have to take.  So, are you with me or my mentor?   I would like to know.

Should you Give Away Free Information?

Ahh, it's been a while since I  posted to my blog.   Shame on me, since Internet Marketing is part of my business, I should be blogging all the time right?   Yes, Blogging can be a great way to get clients.  However, it may take sometime for a client to get to know like and trust you.  So, I have been implementing some other customer acquistion strategies.  Such as  offering FREE Marketing Consultations.   The main purpose of the Free Marketing Consultations I offer  are simply to assess the needs of my prospects.  And see if I am able to help them.  Clever. I can qualify people who I want to work with and send the " not so nice"ones on their way."  But there seems to be 1 problem, most of the people I talk to really need my help.  After all, most of them tell me the same thing in so many words; I need to increase web site traffic to my site.

Of course, I am like hell yeah I can help!  Offering a Free Marketing Consultation to assess a prospects need is fine.  But, this is where I go wrong,  instead of saying " I can help you, pay me."   I say; " I can help you and I'll send you over a  Free Suggestion Report.   When it's all said and done, I realize that my Free Suggestion Reports are actually  complete Internet Marketing Plans.  

And what do the prospects do with the information?  Say, thank you and forget about you, no matter how many times you follow up.    How's that for making a profit?    Like they say people don't value information they get for free.  Of course, you can still give free samples and  a free taste of your services, but when it comes to  doing the nitty gritty investing your time and energy into a project, you should charge.    I know it's eaiser said than done, but if you're like me and you want to grow your business into a profitable company, START CHARGING, people will value you more.      And that's what I started to do, even if it is a low $ 5.00 entry rate, I gotta charge something.  So, if you see me offering a Kick Ass Service for  Free, you need to Kick My ASS.  I give you full permisson to!    Is anyone else with me on this?  Have you been a victim of giving away information you know you should be charging for?  If so, what are you going to do to stop it?  I would love to know.

The Power of Forum Posting

Forums and Online discussion boards are where like-minded people go to find answers to their questions. And solutions to their problems. So, if you are an expert in your field, why can't you be the hero of the day that resolves their issues?

Understanding Forum Posting

Forum posting can be a daunting task. First, you have to find forums targeted to your industry. Then you have to sift through topics and categories. ( some people post questions in wrong sections.) And this can take up a lot of your valuable time. It can be difficult to find a good Forum, since some Forums shut down due to an uncontrollable amount of spam.

Please note: Becoming a Forum spammer is something that you do not want to do. Instead use your Forum Posting strategy as a soft sell approach. Remember people are looking for answers & suggestions, not an attack on their pockets. So, when you find a quality Forum geared towards your target market, your goal should be to create value for them.

A simple way to create value is to answer their questions in a thoughtful and sincere way. Tell them what they want to hear and mean it. Don't try to make a sale right out the gate. Eventually, they will be coming to your site to purchase your goods and services, because you took time to really listen, understand, analyze and solve their problems.

What is Search Engine Optimization? (SEO)

Search Engine Optimization seems to be the talk of the town nowadays. Exactly, what is SEO or Search Engine Optimization? Simply put, SEO is the process of optimizing your web pages with targeted keywords that will lead visitors to your website. For example, if you owned a custom bicycle shop, you would write an article and place the keyword " custom bicycle" throughout your article.

The goal of the search engine (Google, Yahoo, MSN) is to index websites. And match websites to the most relevant keyword that is performed in the search. So, if you own a custom bicycle shop, you want to make sure your site is about custom bicycles and not little mermaids.

Keyword Analysis

You may hear all the talk about keyword placement and targeted keywords. Before you begin a SEO campaign, it is crucial to make sure you have the correct keywords. You may think your prospects are searching for " custom bicycles" when in fact, they may be searching for " man made bikes". There are free to fee based tools that will assist you in choosing the correct keywords. I won't go in to much detail here, but I will a powerful tool that can help your SEO efforts.

• www.wordtracker.com- this powerful tools seems to be the Microsoft of all keyword tools. It is an extremely useful tool that even allows you to do a detailed competitive anaylsis. The only downside is that it cost some money. However, it's at a very affordable rate. Many SEO consultants use wordtracker as a tool of their choice, but you can sign up for a free 7 day trial and make the most of it. Chances are, you will be so amazed with how great this keyword tool works that you will want to continue your subscription.

Optimizing your pages

Once you have your money making keywords it is time for you to start optimizing your pages. And the way you optimize your page is by writing articles. A simple rule of thumb to follow : always write for your reader and not the search engine. In SEO, it is important that you follow proper keyword placement. Here is a tiny blueprint of how keywords should be placed:

1. Primary Keyword in Title & Title Page
2. Primary Keyword in First Paragraph
3. Primary Keyword per every 100 words written
4. Secondary Keywords sprinkled throughout your article

Search Engine Optimization is not rocket science, but it is not kindergarten math either. There are so many factors that can make or break an SEO campaign. It's all about learning, implementing and tweaking as you move along.