Putting it on the Line: Signature Files

Putting it on the Line: The Signature File
By James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com

The Signature File (or Sig file as it is sometimes called) is an effective way of promoting your business, although most businesses overlook this form of advertisement. It is often called the secret power behind email marketing. Simply put, the signature file is a short block of text that is automatically attached at the end of your emails. This should not only be put at the end of personal emails, but also on the end of comments to web boards, blogs, newsgroups, mailing lists, and any type of forum to whom you may be writing. You will find that the signature file is a part of your email program.

Signature files should contain certain information that will be beneficial to your web site and business. These things should be your name, your business name, phone number (and extension, if applicable), fax number, and web site. Optionally, you may want to add your email, blog, address and some sort of tag line or announcement. It is important that the recipient of the email or post should be able to reach you in multiple formats. Many times, you will see CLICK HERE or GO TO MY WEB SITE. This is not advised because the link may not always work. It is best to write out your entire web site so it ensures people know how to get to your site.
One important note to remember – and did this myself often enough to know that it is important – is to add the tag http:// in front of your web site address and the mailto: tag before your email. For example:

http://www.mywebsource1.com for a web site
mailto:mywebsource1@gmail.com for an email

The reason for this is that some programs (such as Blogger) do not recognize this and will add their own web site in and your link as a subfolder. If you know some HTML, it is best to create your signature files in a text document (like Notepad) and cut-and-paste from there.

Most email programs allow you to create your signature file within the program. Some places to find the signature file are:

MS Outlook: Tools > Options > Mail Format
AOL: When you open up a new mail folder (bottom right hand corner)
Gmail: Settings > General > Signature
Yahoo: Open Mail > Options > Mail Options > Compose

You should create several different signatures to allow for different promotions and bulletins. You can then pick and choose what message you are trying to convey to your audience. This could be done to focus on the audience if your product or service is more diversified. You can keep these signatures in a text file and then cut and paste them onto the end of your email. The more specific your signature file is towards your audience, the greater the impact this simple tool will work for you.

The signature file can also be used as a viral marketing tool. Viral marketing is a method of using pre-existing social networks to increase your brand awareness through self-replicating processes. What does that mean? It means that your email signature is passed on as people forward your email to their friends, family, and business associates. So give them something good to read and insist they pass it on.
So far, we have looked at your signature file as your contact information. It is actually much more than that. The signature file is really free advertising for you. It is not the aggressive and pushy sell, but rather a subtle and more passive approach in your internet marketing. The additional items you can add to your signature file can compel people to visit your web site. Give them the incentive to contact you immediately by solving one of their problems. In my signature file, I explain exactly what my business does. I teach you how bring people to your web site. I then give you my URL (universal resource locator or web site address).

The Do’s and Don’ts of your signature file.
DO have several ways of contact information on your signature
DO have a catchy phrase or tag line that will compel the reader to go to your web site.
DO have a direct link to your offer. This requires minor knowledge of HTML and is very simple.
DO have a link to your web site or email address.
DO have several signature files directed and focused on your audience.

DO NOT exceed five or six lines of text. No one wants to read a signature novel.
DO NOT make the reader search your home page for your feature or benefit. Make it direct.
DO NOT forget to have a direct link to your web site.
DO NOT put pictures on your signature file that will not open with most email programs.
The Signature file can prove to be a very useful tool in your marketing arsenal if used correctly. By following these simple steps, you can start informing potential customers about yourself and what you can offer them.

James Fowler
myWebSource1
“Teaching you to bring more customers to your web site”
http://mywebsource1.com

The Purpose Driven Business
by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com
http://mywebsource1.blogspot.com/

As the saying goes, “An army travels on its stomach”, so true is the statement that “All business grows on its marketing”. Whether you have a small office of three or four people or a large corporation, your marketing is what will drive or destroy your business.

If you have a small business and want to make it a large one, there are three things you need to do: Commit, Invest, and Follow Through. Without putting these three items into practice, you can forget increasing your marketshare and revenue. When you do follow these concepts and make them part of your business plan, you will find yourself ahead of most of your competition. As basic as this is, most companies do not follow these concepts.

Commitment: When you agree to a marketing or advertising program, you have to commit yourself to knowing that it is most likely not going to work the way you originally have planned. You cannot make a half-executed plan and ever hope it to work out. You must jump in with both feet. There will be revisions, but if you deviate from your original plan, there will be no success. A marketing strategy takes time and only through perseverance will there be an impact on your business. Patience is key in this concept. It may take 6 months or a year to start to show the effects of your efforts, but it will happen. Most small businesses have the hardest time committing to a marketing plan, which takes us to our second concept…

Investment: It is a sad fact, but your investment is a long-term goal, not an instant gratification. You don’t buy a collectible and expect it to double in price the day after you buy it and you can’t expect your marketing campaign to do the same. It will take time and investment. There is a good chance that you may feel you are losing money, but remember that what you are doing is investing in your future. Your marketing can double your profits, but most likely the increase will be gradual over a period of time. Follow the concepts of Commitment and Investment and you will see success.

Following Through: In any good sporting maneuver, the follow-through is the final key to success. In business, the follow through is just as vital. Just because you aren’t seeing the instantaneous growth you expect, doesn’t mean that it is the wrong approach. If you decide to start on one method of advertising – stick with it. Don’t change from radio to television, don’t go from web to newspaper, and do not stop advertising for long periods of time and then pick it up again. This would all deal with familiarizing the public with what you are trying to do. If you advertise every Sunday in your local paper, don’t stop for 5 weeks and then pick it up again. You will confuse your audience. If the public is used to seeing your ad, they will become confident in your product. With confidence, your sales will increase.

These three concepts are difficult to follow. You will wonder if you are doing the right thing and second-guess yourself. Placing them into your marketing plan and keeping them there will meet resistance from your employees, co-workers and family. They will become bored with your marketing campaign as you will be yourself. This is because you are close to the plan and see it on a regular basis. However, your customers won’t feel this way at all. They are becoming comfortable in knowing what to expect from you. They are remembering the last time they saw your ad. They are etching your marketing into their minds and buying your products.

Permission Marketing

Permission Marketing
by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com
http://mywebsource1.blogspot.com/

What is permission marketing?
Permission Marketing is a very important aspect of your marketing arsenal and you probably use it every day without even knowing you are using it. On the internet it becomes even more important. The definition of permission marketing is basically asking someone if you can perform a certain action – permission – to talk to them or send them something.

The government has created laws on spamming (sending unwanted email) to people. No one wants their mailbox filled with junk and that is where permission marketing comes into play.

The key to permission marketing is to get your customers to volunteer information to you. To do this, you must create a perceived value for them to participate. Some suggestions for this could be through offering online coupons, useful information or tips, contests, news, or a calendar of events. You could create an "eGroup" that would allow people to sign up for several different benefits.

So what makes Permission Marketing so special?
First off, permission marketing isn't unwarranted email. It isn't intrusive to your customer, so right away the customer is more willing to receive this information. Secondly, since they asked for the information, they are more likely to purchase your service or product. Since what you are sending them is of interest to them, they are expecting this information and you have targeted a person that is receptive to you. Finally, permission marketing is a way to connect with people that are interested in what you have to say, turning them from visitors, to customers, to lifelong customers.

Some uses of Permission Marketing
There are many ways to use permission marketing. One of the ways of doing this is the medium of blogging, from which many of you are receiving this article. I created my blog in July and now send this information out to over 700 people. Other ways are through newsletters, warranties, and promotional opportunities. Many large corporations use contests as a way of permission marketing. To sign up for their contest, you must provide your email address and sometimes your address. They will ask you if they can send you more information (usually in the form of a "pre-checked" box) and you have just given them permission to solicit you. Your ultimate goal is to focus on getting that permission to build your list.

For now, Less is Better
When first asking for a person's permission, do not ask the person for a four-page form that asks the potential customer everything from their place of birth to their dog's name. No one will fill that information out. The correct method is to slowly get the customer to give you more and more information. Today you start with an email, tomorrow you find out information to send them a card or gift on their birthday. As you build trust with your customer, they will give you more information. It just takes time. Think of this as a growing friendship. You wouldn't expect to meet someone and have them tell you about their entire medical history. The same applies to permission marketing. Build the trust and the information will come.

Working with others
Is your permission marketing moving too slow for your taste? Then maybe you should join with others that have similar viewpoints to reach more people. This helps your web site in several ways. First, it builds more incoming links to your site which helps your search engine ranking. Secondly, you are adding to the people giving you permission to contact them. This is completely different than selling a list (see below). This is informing people that you have a naturally existing relationship with another site and that if the other site interests them, then yours may as well. The person need only sign up with you. You would do the same for the other web site, offering their services on your site. Another way of doing this is to place your coupons, promotional material, or information on different FREE STUFF sites. These sites will most likely charge you to place your information there, but they can get you many people who might be interested in what you have to say.

What can hurt you while using Permission Marketing
Finally, I'd like to add some words of caution. Be aware that the United States and Canada both have anti-spam laws in effect. If the person does not wish to have you send them information, do not send it. To find out more on the US regulations go to: http://www.spamlaws.com/federal .

Disregarding someone's privacy can also be a bane to permission marketers. When someone agrees to give you permission for one thing, they do not mean for their name to be sold to a list. They are putting their trust in you and by foregoing that trust, you are hurting the value of your product. People who start receiving spam will not return to your site and ask for their names to be removed from your list. What is worse, they will tell others that your permission marketing practices are unethical. In the days before the internet, this was bad, today it is disastrous. One blog or bulletin board comment giving you negative feedback could ruin years of your reputation. Just ask U.S. Representative Mark Foley. The news of his scandal is the result of a blog that ABC picked up from the internet. The power of the written word in play.

Finally, one of the worst things you can do is to get permission from a customer and then never follow up with the goods. By this, I mean, if a person signs up with you and gives you permission to contact them – CONTACT THEM. How else will they remember you? This isn't going to hurt your relationship with the customer, it is going to hurt your business. Imagine someone walking into your store to buy something and you never offer to help them while they are shopping. Ignoring the permission given to you negates everything you work to accomplish. Create the communication. Offer the incentives and turn that customer into a lifelong friend.

Bring More People to Your Web Site

Bring More People To Your Web Site
by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com
http://mywebsource1.blogspot.com/


This is the age old question of all web sites. Every client, every customer, every person I run across asks "How can I bring more people to my web site?" There is no easy answer and solution to this problem. Just because you built the site doesn't mean people will come to it or even know the site exists!

For a business web site to have value it must generate an income. By stating income, I am not inferring that your web site have eCommerce potential. This is only a way of generating income. If the purpose of your site is to educate, which in turn causes people to call you and buy, then you have succeeded in generating income from your web site.

The formula to a successful web site is to have people come to your web site. Those people should be turned into customers. Those customers should then become life-long customers who, by word-of-mouth or other means, drive more people to your web site – starting the process over again. But how do you do this?

Search Engines: It is estimated that up to 90% of the people coming
to your site will visit you through a search engine. Statistically, this means Google, Yahoo, or MSN, although there are literally hundreds of search engines. The solution to bringing more people to your site via search engines is a simple one: Be within the first one or two pages.

The answer is much more complex.

Each search engine uses different methods on how to build your rank on their sites. These are typically a closely guarded secret, such as the Google Algorithm. These also change every few years, so you have to keep a watch on what is new.

Online Promotion: Online promotion deals with such things as Pay per Click (PPC), incoming linking strategies, bulletin boards, blogs, press releases and article submissions. Basically, the key is to get your name (web site name) on as many web sites as possible to let people know you are on the internet. This can also fall into the form of banner advertisements, online ads and keeping your web site in the minds of previous customers through emails and newsletters.

Another way to generate an income is through something like Google AdSense. This is a type of affiliate advertising where Google places ads in your site that work off of keywords based on the content of the page.

Affiliate marketing is when you choose the company you wish to promote and place an ad on your web site. Depending on the details of the affiliate, when a customer clicks on the ad and buys something, you are given a commission for that sale. This is called “pay per performance”.

Online promotion is also very involved and requires research on your part or that of your online marketer‘s toolkit.

Traditional Marketing: When working on the internet you cannot forget the basics of marketing and promotion. Business cards, flyers, postcards, and business letters should all be a part of your online arsenal of promoting your web site. Your web site address should be on every invoice, your letterhead, and anything that your customer receives from you. Do not forget the importance of the follow-up. Thank your customers from using your web site. Collect email addresses, just as you would actual addresses from your customers.

What you need to do is combine your traditional marketing with your online promotions. Make your list. Know your customers and keep in contact them.

This is, by no means, a complete list of what you need to do to bring customers to your web site. Volumes of material have been written on every aspect of this information and if you are serious about bringing people to your web site, you should hire a professional that specializes in online marketing. An online marketer focuses on your goals and allows you to spend your time building your business in more a traditional fashion.

If you have any questions regarding online marketing or would like to know more about bringing people to your web site, feel free to contact me with your concerns.

Marketing to the Masses: YouTube

Marketing to the Masses: YouTube
by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com
http://mywebsource1.blogspot.com/

Think that your business is too small for a television commercial? Do you want to reach beyond the target audience available through your local cable advertising? Why don’t you create a video on the web site YouTube.com?

What is YouTube?
YouTube is a free, personal video sharing service, and has grown into an a mega-website that has people watching – and sharing - over 70 million videos DAILY. Currently, there are approximately 2.4 billion videos on YouTube. This is no too bad for a company that has only been in business since February of 2005. Like the popularity of MySpace with its’ personal web sites, YouTube allows regular people to upload, tag and share their videos worldwide. After videos are uploaded, people can comment, rate, and share video content.

With YouTube, you can create a simple video and edit it at home. The majority of videos are quite humorous, but are typically very amateur in their content. You do not have to be Steven Spielberg or Ron Howard to create a video. The more likable the video, the faster it will spread throughout the internet. Making a video is a bit more difficult than creating a web page, but its’ value to your business or service can be even more far-reaching.

What you need to post a video on YouTube:

1) A Video camera or digital camera. You can even use your cell phone.
2) Video editing software to add your Title and Credits - including your web site address.
3) A YouTube account, which is easy to create.

You really don’t even need talent. Just the imagination to come up with something that you think other people will enjoy. A lot of the information being passed on YouTube is not very good. The more interesting clips, however, while not necessarily great quality are being viewed THOUSANDS of times per day. Your video will stay up as long as you desire. How many commercials do you know run indefinitely without having to pay for each time they are run?

Promoting tips for your YouTube video:
Let us assume that you have created a video. You have some footage that is topical, has some sort of value for people to watch (humor, information, or a unique, voyeuristic purpose), and will help your business or service. The next step is editing your video. This can be done by making a series of professional cuts that help to make your video more appealing or you can simply have some screens with text on them. The most important item you want to add to your video is your web site address. Make sure that your web site is on the video for a minimum of 6 seconds – even more if you can. The purpose of this is that the viewer will know where to find you on the internet. Also, you will want to make sure that your web site is on the information that appears to the right of the video when you are viewing YouTube.

Other ways to promote your YouTube video are repetitions of how you would promote your MySpace Site. See my article on MySpace for more information. A basic overview of these promotions are to join groups, post messages (with URL) and make comments.

Good luck on video making and production and promote that site!

What is Web Marketing?

What is Web Marketing?
by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com
http://mywebsource1.blogspot.com/

Web Site Marketing is the process of successfully finding the right type of people come to your web site and turn them into a customer. These people often use search engines in their research to locate the right company to make their purchases. The make-up of your web site determines when the prospective customer will find you, how much relevant information they will gather, and if they will contact you to make a purchase.

There are three ways to evaluate the effectiveness of your company’s web site. By effectiveness, you should have good search engine exposure, a variety of traffic sources, and an aesthetically pleasing and functional web site.

1. Web sites should be designed (or re-designed) to be easily found via search engines. Your main goal should be to have a high ranking (within the first one or two pages) of the most popular search engines. Of course, you should have the name of your web site listed. You should also look to have four to five keywords high on this list. These keywords should be what your customers identify with your products or services, not how you identify them. This is an important point, because you will not be the one searching for your site – it will be potential customers. Always remember that the customer is the person looking for your company – whether they know it or not.

2. To gain ranking on your web site, you need to have incoming links from other web sites. Other sources can be through directories, blogging, articles, and pay-per-clock (PPC) advertising, such as Google AdWords. Finding a needle in a haystack is the typical metaphor for something that is hard to find. Your web site is a needle in a vast plain of haystacks known as the internet. So what is the solution to finding your web site? The answer is to add more “needles” in the form of additional links that lead to your site. A successful web site will have many of these sources and will produce a number of high quality leads.

3. The aesthetics and function of your web site is also important. When someone comes to your site they must be able to navigate easily. They must be able to find what they are looking for right at their fingertips. All of your links must work and they must be able to contact you through the internet, phone or standard mail. Your logo should be prominently located on each page and there should be no more than two clicks to any location on your site.
If you want to bring more people to your web site, follow the above rules and build your web site for your customers. Ensure that they can find what they are looking for and that there are many places to find your web site in the vast plain of the internet “haystacks”.

If you are interested in bringing more people to your web site, contact myWebSource1 or call us at 330-207-4322 to set up a free consultation. We can show you the way to making your web site a success and maximizing your online earning potential.

Thirty Seconds That Can Change Your World

Thirty Seconds That Can Change Your World
by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com
http://mywebsource1.blogspot.com/


What if you could create thirty seconds that was absolutely free to you? It will take only thirty seconds of your time that will become the vanguard of your marketing arsenal. So what is this thirty second marvel? It is your introduction to the world.

The introduction is a brief description of you and your business. It is the perfect response for parties, subway rides, trade shows, and get-togethers. It is the answer to, “So, what do you do?” It is important for you to have this introduction down pat, because you never want to stammer and pause when you are facing a potential customer. You want to be able to present yourself with confidence about your business and instill that confidence in the customer. Would you do business with someone who wasn’t sure about their own business? Of course not!

I was speaking with a client the other day about their new business. When I spoke to him about his business, he hemmed and hawed on the response telling me what he wanted to do. He was unsure of himself. As I explained to him, he needed to tell me who he was and what his business capabilities were. Then we could talk about what his business could do for me.

Your introduction should include some basic concepts:
Your name.
The name of your business.
Your product or services
The type of customer that who would buy your products or services.
How your business can benefit those customers.

If you can get these facts put into a logical sounding introduction, then you can make sure that everyone that you meet will know who you are, what you do, and how you can help them.

For example:

Hello, my name is James Fowler and I own myWebSource1. We are a web marketing and design firm that helps businesses create a more impacting presence on the internet. We offer consulting services, internet marketing, graphic and web design. If you want more people coming to your web site, then we can help make that happen.

Upon meeting, you know who I am, what I do, and how my services can benefit you. In a matter of seconds everything is laid out and we can begin a conversation on how I can help you.

Create your own introduction and practice it. Repeat it over and over until it becomes a second nature to you. As you build your confidence you will begin to identify new opportunities and begin your business relationships.

Blogging for Boneheads (part 4) Cashing In!

by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com

Also see:
Blogging for Blockheads (part 1)
Blogging for Blockheads (part 2) Scratching Your Niche
Blogging for Blockheads (part 3) Exposing Your Blog

In the final part of this series, we will learn how to earn an income from your blog. What is this? Your hobby can earn you money? Yes. There are several ways a blog can generate an income. Not everyone will want to make money from their blogs and will use this as purely a form of entertainment or relaxation. Others may want to off-set the price of their web site through some sort of revenue.

When using these techniques, keep in mind your niche. Your advertising should be closely related to your niche. For example, let us say your blog is named “BloggDogg” and it deals with your pet, Rex. The type of revenue you would like to use could be an affiliate from 1-800-PetMeds. However, you would want to steer clear of ACME Fur Traders for this type of advertising would weaken your message. Always think about your focus and what would detract from your goals.

The following is a list of methods that generate income through blogs/web sites. You can use any or all of these to supplement your income. I am not going to try and make you think that your blog is going to generate thousands of dollars per month (although there are blogs that do this). See what works best and implement these ideas if they suit your blog.

Advertising
Advertising is the use of a service or product by a sponsor. On the internet, there are several ways a sponsor could advertise on your blog. Getting companies to advertise on your site is both difficult and uncertain in its’ effectiveness. The reason for this is because advertising on blogs is quite new. A key way to have someone advertise on your blog is to keep accurate information on the number of visitors you have to your blog each day. Advertisers on the internet use various methods to pay for advertising. These methods are:
Pay Per Impression: You are paid each time the advertisement is displayed. Payments are usually charged per thousand impressions, called a CPM. This is usually done in the form of a banner advertisement.

Pay Per Click: Similar to a pay per impression, this type of advertisement only pays you when a visitor clicks on the advertisement. We will look at a form of pay per click advertising later in this article.

Pay Per Sale: As the name says, this type of ad only pays you when someone purchases the product you are trying to sell. This generates a percentage, usually between 3%-30% of the price of the product or service. While the reward through these sales is better than that of Pay-per-Impression or Pay-per-Click, you have to have the customer actually purchase something for you to make any money. Note: If you make a purchase of a product through this method on your blog, consider it a discount. However, many of these ads require a minimum amount of money to be generated before you get a check – usually $25.

Pay-per-Ad Placement: This is the most understood way of advertisement. With this method, a company pays you to put up their ad for a set period of time. This is exactly the same method of payment that you would receive for putting an ad in the newspaper or in a trade magazine. This is also the hardest method of generating income on your blog.

Google AdSense: This is the most popular advertising method through blogs. It works on a pay-per-click method and is available through most popular blogging sites, such as MySpace and Blogger. Every time a person clicks on your Google Ad, you get paid. However, beware because Google is very, VERY strict in their policy of click fraud. Click fraud is when you click on your own ads or entice others to click on those ads for you.

Affiliate Programs: What if you could pay for advertising only when you made a sale? That’s what affiliate marketing is. It uses the Pay-per-Sale method of advertising. Sometimes this is called “pay-per-performance”. There are literally thousands of affiliate programs on the internet. You can sign up for these through affiliate marketing sites, such as Linkshare or Commission Junction. You can pick and choose from these to match your site.

Donations: This is perhaps the most simple way of gaining money. Put out your hand. For this, all you would have to do is ask and direct the person to your PayPal site. Why would someone donate to your blog? They might do it if they like what you are writing or support your cause. This usually works best with non-profit or charity blogs.

eBooks: You’ve been blogging for months. You’ve set yourself up as an expert in your niche (notice how this “niche” keeps coming back?). You have gathered a following and people are reading your blog. It is now time to take a topic, re-work it and expand upon the idea, and put it into an eBook. An eBook is short for electronic book. An eBook is usually a bundled PDF (Portable Document File) and set for distribution. This format can be hyperlinked and show pictures that go beyond your blog. Once you have created an eBook, you can sell it on your blog. If what you write is informative and educational, people will be willing to purchase your book for a nominal fee. You can sell it via your merchandising account or through PayPal. You could also offer a printed version of your book for sale for a higher price (you then have printing costs and shipping).

Yourself: The last method of turning a profit from your blog that I will list is to sell your own services or products. If the blog has something to do with your business, then you have something to sell. Talk yourself up. Show your readers what you have to offer and add a link to your web site. Since I have started this blog, I have had clients hire me to consult on web marketing projects, as well as build sites for them. If you feel that you have something to offer, let your readers know. Incidentally, I am available for consulting or design through my web site at: www.mywebsource1.com

As a final note, keep track of the people coming to your blog. Notice what topics you are writing about that seem to stir interest. Know when you should be blogging and when you should not. See when people are clicking through to your ads. These demographics will help you sell more advertising space on your blog and give you peace of mind when you are writing. Web sites, such as Feedburner will help you to follow your blog traffic.

I hope that you have found this series on blogging useful. The methods described will help you to achieve success on the blogosphere. Go out and start your own blog if you do not already have one. Let me know and I will subscribe to your blog to help you on with your success.

Good luck and happy blogging!

Blogging for Boneheads (part 3) Exposing Your Blog

by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com

Also see:
Blogging for Boneheads (part 1)
Blogging for Boneheads (part 2) Scratching Your Niche

Promoting Your Blog
You have now created your blog. You are writing and now you need to make sure you get people to read it. There are many traditional and non-traditional ways of promoting your blog. Many of these ideas you probably use while promoting your own web site. Others may not be as recognizable.

Tell Who You Know
The first thing to do when you start a blog is to let everyone you know subscribe to your blog. Ask them to write responses and let them know when you post a new blog. MySpace has a wonderful feature called “Bulletin” that allows you to type a message to everyone on your friend’s list. You can also create a group through Yahoo! or Google and manage an email list to everyone who subscribes to your blog.

Business Cards, Flyers and Brochures
Put the link to your blog on all of your printed literature. Hand these out to everyone that may show an interest in your blog. Literature is not the most effective way to promote yourself on a world wide scale, but as people in your local area become subscribers to your blog, they will tell others and your blog will build.

Email Signatures
Put the address to your blog in your email signature. Many of these accept a link in the signature section. How many emails do you send a day? This is how many more times you are getting your name out.

RSS/ATOM Feeds
Make sure the settings on your blog are set to allow a feed. A feed is a regularly updated summary of web content, along with links to full versions of that content. When you subscribe to a website feed by using a feed reader, you'll receive a summary of new content from that website. The two main formats for feeds are RSS (Really Simple Syndication) and ATOM. It doesn’t matter which type of feed that you use. I happen to alternate the two types on different blogs. The end result is what is important. They broadcast your blog to the world. This is the most important function of any successful blog.

Ping Your Blog
This is not the 1970’s video game. Nor is it half of a paddle game, although it takes its’ name from it due to how it functions. A “ping” is the way a blog tells a server that new material has been posted to your blog, allowing others to come to your posting. Many popular blogs already do this to their own servers, but it is advised to subscribe to other blog servers to ping your blog.

Sign Up For Syndication Providers
This is a third-party service that provides a service to “bloggers” to promote, deliver and profit from the content they put in their blogs. When you look into a service like this, I would suggest web sites like Feedburner.com and Technorati.com. Sites like this can show you how to monitor your progress and use the proper keywords to promote your site. Feedburner even offers a huge network of ads that can help you make money from your blog. You can find some of the other benefits such as RSS/ATOM feeds and Pings on these sites, as well.

Submit Your Blogs to Article Sites
Do you think your blog is professional enough to be published? Look into article sites to send your message to others interested in your niche. Make sure you put your blog address and web site address in the article. One article can be circulated in newsletters throughout the internet in no time at all, bringing people and links back to your sites. This helps search engines find you, which, in turn, adds page views to your blog – increasing its’ popularity.

Press Releases
How can your blog deserve a press release? How about a release about your blog? Make the press release headline exciting as we talked about in the writing section (Part 2) of this series. Once again, as in article submissions, make sure you put the link to your blog and web site in the body of your release. Good web sites to promote your press release are places like www.PRWeb.com and Softwaremarketingresource.com .

Join the Blogosphere
There are blogging groups out there for you to join. Join them. This takes some research on your part, but this will pay off in the long run when you look at your subscription list. Look for groups that are not directly in competition with your niche, but share an economic relationship that can help your business. Within these groups are millions of people blogging their niche. Comment on these people’s blogs. While you are doing that, leave your own blog address for them to comment to you. This is also a good opportunity for you to try and “borrow” people who comment on your competition’s blogs. Why not? You know the interest is there. It shouldn’t have to be said, but do not use profanity attack your competition, or do anything to hurt your own status while you are commenting. The blogosphere – while huge – is a very small global village.

Blog Traffic Exchanges
This service sends people to your blog. By looking through other people’s blogs (something you should be doing, anyway) these services will send people your way. They are usually free to join but often send weak and unfocused traffic to your site. If you are trying to populate your blog, this will help you get started, though rely on your own research abilities for better links. BlogCliker and Blog Explosion are examples of such sites that will offer traffic exchanges.

On a closing note, be sure to avoid FFA (Free for all) sites and scams on the web that seem too good to be true. There are many sites out there like this that are more than willing to take your money. Leave them in your Delete folder.

In part four of this series, we will investigate how to make money from your blog and how to keep track of your own traffic.

Blogging for Boneheads (part 2) Scratching Your Niche

Blogging for Boneheads (part 2)

by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com

Also see: Blogging for Boneheads (part 1)

The Niche
A niche is a special place within a scheme of things. It denotes the function or position of a thing within a structure. A “niche” is “your thing”. It is what you know and what you are good at. Finding your niche is the next step you need to follow while creating a successful blog.

As with any successful marketing endeavor, focus is the key element to long-standing success. Most entrepreneurs wish to be all things to all people. While this may sound like the right thing to do, it actually hurts your efforts in the long run. You spread the focus too thin and you accomplish nothing. People are comfortable if they realize that you an expert in your niche. It is that niche they are looking for and if you can provide updated and vital information, you will have their support.

In blogging, your niche is comprised of a series of keywords that become popular searches in the “blogosphere”. Your topic doesn’t have to be popular, but a select group of people should be able to find you.
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Writing Your Blog
You now have your purpose and your focus. It is time to start writing! Different blogging sites work differently, so I will generalize one important rule: Do not write directly into the body of the blog. Type your blog up in Microsoft Word or any word processing program that allows for text formatting. This allows you to spell check your blog and you have a copy of your work should something happen to your internet connection while you are writing. You are also able to format your blog easier with hyperlinks and so forth which can be troublesome if you do not know HTML.

Other important etiquette factors to remember while writing your blog:

• Do not timestamp your blog for a later date. While this helps keep your blog fresh for a longer period of time, it is considered rude by those who subscribe to your blog or wish to view your writing.
• Do not use profanity in your subject lines if you want to have your blog posted throughout the internet. This is a red flag for those trying to place your blog in a higher ranking. Profanity will get your blog pulled down quickly.
• On the subject of Subject Lines, DO NOT write a title. Who wants to read something like, “What I did today at work.”? A catching title might read “Coffee Stains, Broken Heels, and the Exploding Copier” This is something that may grab people’s attention. Use your imagination, and don’t curse.
• Do not choose a color scheme to burn the retinas off of your readers. No one wants to look at tiny yellow print on a bright orange background. Black text on white or light blue is very good.
• Do not put a background behind your text that distracts the reader. Pictures of your favorite rock star, flower arrangement or pet look cute, but make everything very difficult to read. Don’t do it.
• Do not use a font that looks like you etched it into the screen with a spoon. Your font should be legible and clear. The reader should not need a microscope to read your blog. Do not use strikethrough text. This is annoying and makes the font hard to read. Just think about how you would want to read something and do that.
• Do not make all of your text italic. It is a proven fact that the use of italic causes your readers to become agitated and angry after only 35 consecutive words. Also, do not bold all of your type nor use tHIS aNNOYING wAY oF wRITING. This is sophomoric and unprofessional.

One more thing that should be mentioned now that you are writing your blog is that you need to update daily. This can be very hard to do. Daily life can get in the way, but by keeping your blog fresh, you will attract more people and keep their interest. Put aside a couple of hours a day to write and you will soon find that it is easy to keep your blog updated.

In part three we will examine ways to promote your blog and increase traffic. This is probably the most-requested question for businesses starting a blog.

Blogging for Boneheads (part 1)

by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com

OK, the “other name” was taken and I didn’t want to infringe on anything. Blogging really is for everyone and can be a salubrious way of letting your feelings out to the world, your own personal soapbox, or a tool for your business.

For those of you who do not know, a blog is a mini-web site that allows you to post information and personal feelings about any topic you desire. They appear in the format of a dated article and are generally updated frequently. Sending out a post is as easy as writing an email. Pictures, polls, video or audio can be sent through a blog. If you desire, your blog is then broadcast around the world. Friends, colleagues, or complete strangers can then read your blog and then comment upon it. You can have these people subscribe to your blog. They can do this by contacting you directly or through something called an RSS feed which will notify them when you update your blog.

What type of blog will you write? You have to have a motivation to write a blog and keep up with it. Below are some examples of different types of blogs:

The Personal Diary
Is your blog a safety valve for your pent-up emotions? If so, I would suggest making your blog private, inviting only those you want to know the true you. This style of blog could be a personal journal aimed for you to get things off your chest.

The Soapbox
Will your blog be a place where you can go and express your feelings? Is it a place where you can do your part at righting the wrongs of the world? This type of blog is good for getting opinions from your readers and posting polls. Sometimes people will post a “top 10” list and have others respond with their personal choices.

Business Blog
A business blog is the way a company can connect on a personal level with their customers. Through a business blog, new products can be announced, market research conducted, and it allows for the business to make special offers to the people who subscribe to the blog.

Promotional
A promotional blog is one where the writer is letting people know about their band, book, business or service that they offer. A promotional blog is a marketing tool. Similar to a Business Blog, this style of blog will walk the line between personal and professional relationships with the reader. It can be newsworthy, it can gather information, but its’ ultimate goal is to market the business of the writer. This is the main type of blog that we will examine.

In part two of this blog, we will examine Niche Blogs and how to begin writing your first blog.

Marketing to the Masses: Social Networking

by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com

What is social marketing and how can it help your business? Social marketing can best be described as a method of viral marketing which includes: blogging, social web space design, podcasting, vodcasting (podcasts, but with video), and video clip distribution.

Social marketing is relatively new but provides the perfect venue for business to market their products and increase their brand awareness. Currently, few major companies are experimenting with social marketing. It is an unknown method but has unproven results. Still, social marketing has been getting more publicity and seems to be taking on steam.

One aspect of social marketing – named social networking – has quickly grown throughout the internet population, inspiring unprecedented growth.
Companies like MySpace (230% growth), MSN Spaces (205% growth), and Facebook (102% growth) have attained these goals in one year’s time. They are not alone. Other companies have been coming on board with similar results and the trend does not seem to be slowing down.

Due to this growth amongst internet users, businesses have taken notice as a way to reach out to their customers, increase their linking strategies and drive people to their web sites. The aspect of this is very appealing. The advertising is practically free. Most social networking sites do not charge anything to post information and you can target the specific audience you wish to reach by signing up with the groups that have a naturally existing interest in your product. The rest of this – as they say – is “history in the making.” The information is spread virally, through keystrokes. If your information is informative, topical, or amusing, it is spread – along with a link to your web site – by people. This is a 21st century form of word-of-mouth that builds trust and credibility for your product or service.

For years, customer input has been a driving force in internet purchases. Companies like ePinion, cNet, Amazon, and eBay have all created enormous businesses based around the ability for a person to see what others feel about a product. Reviews and comments can “make or break” a customer’s willingness to shop with you. Be forewarned, that it also adds scrutiny to your business practices and unhappy customers could also destroy your business as easily as build it.

One concern of businesses today is the return on investment (R.O.I.) of using social marketing. Although it is easy to see how a linking strategy can be obtained, can social connections from your networking be turned into dollars? It is a risky proposition, but one that is foreseen to be the next step in internet marketing. Immediate dollars are unlikely, but diligence is the key to any successful marketing plan.

When one decides to start a social marketing campaign, it is important to remember that acting like a marketer will not help you gain a foothold in the network. Members in such social environments are wary of the commercialization of their network. It is important, then for the business to reach the consumer with content of interest, contests, coupons, and a voice to comment on their products or services. Joining groups with interests in what you want to promote can provide excellent venues for your forum. Just do not push too hard for the sale. There is a fine line in this venue and you must relate with your audience.

If you decide to start a Social Marketing campaign, evaluate the benefits:

•A free method of advertising your product or service.
•Broadcasting to a wide audience.
•Identifying with customers that have interest in your product category and tell you right on their own pages.
•Joining online communities that have similar interests to your product category.
•Spreading your web site link to many locations.
•Offering a different perspective to traditional advertising.
•Entertaining and associating with your customer.
•Understanding your customers concerns and praise of your products through comments and reviews and being able to react in real-time.

Social marketing is an emerging force. Will it last or be another internet fad? It is hard to determine at this time, but the chances in favor that this medium is here for the long term.