Print advertising can be an effective medium, if done with out-of-the-box creativity and focus.  Most ads out there are mediocre at best.  Don’t waste good money on placement of bad creative and messaging.  Below are a few tips to remember:

1.  Headlines need to grab the reader’s attention. Intrigue, challenge, ask a question, highlight an offer… whatever you do, don’t be boring!  (Recently, I came across this plain black & white billboard: Your wife is HOT! You better call the AC company… It definitely got my attention.)

2. Stay focused on one core message.  When writing copy, use minimal text focused on a central idea.  Your core message should be to-the-point and kept short. (Got Milk?)

3. Make your point visually.  We all know one picture tells a thousand words.  Choose your imagery wisely and DON’T do what all your competitors are doing.  Create something that separates you from the rest.  Select images that convey your message in an unexpected way.

TIP: Create a sample file with great ads that grab your attention and work for you.  Call it your inspiration file and review each time you create a new campaign. Get inspired!

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the quantity and quality of traffic to a web site from search engines (i.e. Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc…) via “organic” search results for targeted keywords specifically related to your business. Usually, the sooner a site is presented within the “top” search results (listings on left when doing a search) or the higher (on the page) it “ranks”, the more searchers will visit your site.  In essence, SEO defines how search algorithms work and what people search for. 

The term “search engine friendly” is used to describe web site designs, menus, content management systems, URLs, and shopping carts that are easy to navigate and have been optimized for SEO.

As a marketing strategy for increasing a web site’s relevance (thus increasing ranking and in turn site traffic), SEO efforts may involve:

• A web site’s coding, presentation, and structure, as well as resolving problems, which could prevent search engine indexing programs from fully “spidering” your site.
• Efforts may include adding unique content to a web site thus ensuring that content is easily indexed by search engine robots, and making the site more appealing to users.
• Another class of techniques, known as “Black Hat” SEO or spamdexing, use methods such as “link farms” (pay for large quantities of outbound links; many times irrelevant) and “keyword stuffing” (overusing key words within content) that tend to harm search engine user experience. Search engines look for sites that employ these techniques and may remove them from their indices.

In today’s market, you will find many consultants who specialize in search engine optimization, and are paid to carry out optimization initiatives on behalf of their clients and/or by employees who perform SEO services in-house.  Because effective SEO may require changes to the HTML source code of a site, SEO tactics may be incorporated into web site development and design.    

As a Marketing Strategy

Because Americans read left to right and top to bottom, we look for relevant results placed near the top left of results presented and work our way across and down. Placement at or near the top of the rankings therefore increases the number of searchers who will visit our web site. However, more search engine referrals does not guarantee more sales.

SEO is not necessarily an appropriate strategy for every website, and other Internet marketing strategies can be much more effective, depending on the site’s business goals.  A successful Internet marketing campaign may drive organic search traffic to web pages, it may also involve the use of paid advertising on search engines (PPC), and should include building high quality web pages that engage and persuade their audience (otherwise bounce rates will be very high - in turn money and efforts are wasted).  Technical issues that may keep search engines from crawling and indexing web sites should also be addressed, as well as setting up analytics programs to enable web site managers to measure their successes, and improving a site’s conversion rate (keeping and converting visitors into qualified prospects / customers).

In turn, SEO may generate an ROI; however, search engines are not paid for organic search traffic, their algorithms consistently change, and there are no guarantees of continued referrals. Due to this lack of guarantees and certainty, a business that relies heavily on search engine traffic can suffer major losses if the search engines stop sending visitors.  It is considered wise business practice for website operators to liberate themselves from dependence on search engine traffic.  A top ranked SEO blog Seomoz.org has reported, “Search marketers, in a twist of irony, receive a very small share of their traffic from search engines.” Instead, their main sources of traffic are links from other websites.  

1. Only send emails to people who have requested them. Rule number one of becoming an intelligent email marketer is to never send unsolicited email.  Unsolicited email is, of course, called spam. Sending spam will ruin any legitimate organization’s reputation and brand value very quickly.

2. Include only relevant content as it relates to your segmented group and what they requested. As long as you provide value –whether by providing content on a topic a recipient is interested in or a discount or special offer on a relevant product—-people will allow you to continue to contact them.

3. Timing is key with B2B Communications. In most cases it is best to send B2B emails after 9am and before 3pm Tuesday through Thursday. 

4. Be consistent with your frequency. Pick a schedule and stick to it.  Decide what frequency is right for your customer base, whether it’s weekly or monthly and stick to it. This way, your customers will come to expect and anticipate your company’s communications.

5. Familiarity Encourages Opens. Make sure you include your company name within the “From” name. Once you decide on a From name, keep it consistent. During the seconds it takes for subscribers to make the decision whether or not to open your email, the most important factor is whether the From Name is familiar to them.

6. Include both Plain Text and HTML. Be sure to include both a plain text and an HTML version of your email message. Most web-based email automation tools will automatically detect which subscribers can view the HTML message and which can only see the plain text message. If you don’t include a plain text message, around 5% of your recipients will see a message with nothing in it.

7. Add a Message about Deliverability. To improve email deliverability, add a message at the top of your emails that says something like: “To ensure receipt of our emails, please add something@yourcompany.com to your Address Book.”

8. Avoid Excess Punctuation or Capitalization.  Don’t use ALL CAPS or multiple exclamation marks within your subject line or body. Doing so will trigger spam filters.

9. Build Your List at Every Opportunity. Build your list at every point of contact. At conferences or events, ask everyone you speak with if you may add them to your list after you exchange business cards. When speaking with a prospect on the phone or face2face, ask if you can add them to your inhouse list to receive updates and/or promotions. And of course, add your newsletter sign-up form to “every page” on your web site. 

Have more tips to share? Please comment below >>

In thinking about web site design (to include landing pages, email campaigns, interactive tutorials and more) this quote speaks to me.  It really comes down to usability (i.e. Ease of Use)

“Most people make the mistake of thinking design is what it looks like. That’s not what we think design is. It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” – Steve Jobs, Apple, http://www.apple.com/

Writing web site content might look easy, but let me tell you – it’s harder then you think.  Most people can write.  Our high school degrees require it.  The challenge is – most people can’t write well. 

In many instances, companies don’t spend money on professional copywriters / marketing writers (especially in start-up technology companies - where the content is highly technical and budgets are tight), so it’s usually up to a random marketing person to pony up. If you live in that reality, below are some quick tips that can assist in making content generation a bit easier.

How important are keywords?

Yes. Keywords are absolutely important.  With that said, don’t overload your web site content to such a degree that readers can’t understand what you’re trying to say.  For example:

MarketingLAUNCH marketing services are the most effective marketing services in the industry.  Marketing services is what we do, and our proven marketing techniques assist small business in marketing their services.

TIP: Before you start writing, research and decide upon a handful of keywords (for a specific page) you want to include and keep that list in front of you when you’re writing.  Then integrate those word/word groupings if and when you can — avoiding the saturation point.  Strike a balance, informative content with keyword descriptors only as it makes sense.

Don’t waste people’s time!

When writing for the Web, get to the point – and fast!  Remember that reading on the Web (short content blocks are best) is entirely different than print (mostly long elaborations).  You have to keep it short to maintain interest (think Cliff Notes version).  Not too much, not too little – again, the key is finding the right balance per quality and quantity of content.

Focus on your key strengths

Instead of writing about “ALL” the benefits your product/service offers and being all things to all people, find a “FEW” of your key differentiators and focus on those.  If you try to present too many competitive advantages, people won’t remember any of them.  Stick to a top few and hammer them home and you should be on your way to effective online messaging.

Create a functional layout - critical for readability

There are some key elements you should always include when writing for the Web. 

1.  Make sure to include a header and/or title.  Something at the top of the page to tell me (and search engines) exactly what I’m going to be reading about.  Make it specific.  Use words I understand.  No cute phrases or fluff that has no relation to what I’m about to read. 

2.  Also include the main message within the first few sentences.   If I have to spend more then a few seconds on your content, I’m clicking <back>. (Bye-bye customer.)

3.  In turn, to ensure I do move forward as I read, make sure you include relevant links within the content I’m reading, that move me from one content block to another “related” content block.  Seamless messaging is key.

As you can imagine, there are many more techniques you can use.  Hopefully these will keep you focused on a top few that can make a difference - right now.  Have your own ideas, please share…

Wow, below is an interesting article.  Initially, I began blogging to collect my own content in one central location - much like a marketing reference guide.  Then I began writing for others who might gain value from my content, in turn trying to keep up with the Jones’s.  Now I’m back to focusing on my original strategy.  You’ll probably see only 3-5 posts on average per month (so sign up for my e-Updates).  The added stress is definitely not what I’m looking for, although I enjoy this medium (when I have time for it).  You read… you decide.

—————————————————————

In Web World of 24/7 Stress, Writers Blog Till They Drop

By MATT RICHTEL : April 6, 2008

“The philosophy behind much advertising is based on the old observation that every (wo)man is really two (wo)men—the (wo)man (s)he is and the (wo)man (s)he wants to be.” Quote from William Feather.  Read entire article: Ideals and Promises: Selling an Achievable Dream to Your Target Market >>

Well, after using WordPress for over six months, I just ran across this cool reference tool (see link below).  Thought I would share the location of this resource.  It’s like a “Quick Guide to Blogging”.  Learn more about blogging terminology at: http://codex.wordpress.org/Introduction_to_Blogging

Webinars are a great way to generate qualified sales leads. In turn, they take a lot of planning, promotion, practice and consistent follow through.  Below are 10 tips to ensure that webinars work for you.  

1. PLAN: Come up with a clear plan of action from beginning to end.  Your plan should include; recruiting effective presenters, scheduling, seamless registration process, clear promotional tactics, tracking for success metrics and follow through.                     
2. CONTENT:  Offer valuable information that people care about.  Understand your audience and develop topics that provide true value for their mindshare. Content should be informative.  Get input from your sales team and marketing staff.
3. RESPECT: Respect Your Audience.  People take time out of their busy day because they’re interested in solving a problem. Don’t provide an obvious sales pitch.  Do provide relevant content. 
4. SCHEDULE: Timing is everything.  Schedule mostly during mid-day / mid-week (depending on time zone).  Target between 30-45 minutes for most webinars with 10-15 minutes of Q&A at the end.
5. PROMOTE:  Be clear on promotional plan.  Study your target audience and develop a focused marketing strategy.  Be creative.  Try new things, test and review metrics.  See what works.  Word-of mouth is key.  Make sure you include an “invite a friend” link in all communications. 
6. ENGAGE:  Find interesting topics, dynamic presenters and methods of communication that “engage your audience”.  Ongoing distractions are always working against you.  Conduct polls to gain interaction –while also learning more about your audience.
7. PRACTICE:  Practice makes perfect.  This is no time to wing it.  Presenting online is very different then presenting offline.  Coach your speakers. Schedule at least one run thru covering web conferencing technology, presentation, timing and Q&A; also, how to handle loss of audio/web access.
8. PREPARE:  Prepare for the worst.  Don’t use wireless for phones or Internet connections.  All speakers should use land lines (with quality headsets) and have a hard copy of their presentation in hand.
9. TECHNOLOGY IS KEY:  Select a good web conferencing vendor.  It should be easy to use for both you and your audience.  Should just be point, click and start.  EZ interface always preferred.  2-way communication via phone or chat and recording option is key.  Make sure your provider can handle the volume of attendees, provide necessary support, record for future use and is affordable for solid ROI.
10. PROCESS:  Make sure as you develop and manage the process you automate most everything and optimize each step.  With that, find ways to learn more about your audience with every communication.  Continue to provide valuable offers from demos and white papers to additional webinars.  Consider doing a survey at the end of your webinar.

We hope you find above information useful.  If you have any additional tips, please share below.

Web events are great for building brand awareness, positioning your company as an expert in the industry and generating sales leads. From Webcasts, Web Conferences and Webinars, these content driven techniques work very well in B2B environments, where you can adapt them for product demos, market research presentations and/or educational sessions in exchange for contact information. 

With that said, don’t poison the effort with overt sales pitches and marketing messaging.  In the beginning, it’s all about the audience; if they respond with interest, you can then start communicating your specific value proposition. 

Depending on the audience and purpose, you can promote a Web event like any other online offering.  Your goal is to capture a targeted and captive audience and to deliver quality content, allowing 15-45 minutes of uninterrupted user contact.  Make sure you segment leads via the signup form about registrants’ levels of interest, so you can easily follow-up on the most profitable leads first.  

Webcasts: Generally refers to a live, video-only, Internet broadcast.  Inherently passive, it’s delivered from one speaker to many listeners, often 50 or more.  Mostly, works best in B2C environments for performance events, entertainment and/or educational content.   

Web Conferences:  Primarily used for small group presentations that are data or document driven.  Web conferences support two-way interaction and are generally used near the close of the sales cycle.  Conferences mostly involve some combination of teleconferencing, PowerPoint presentations, live desktop-based whiteboards, and chat software. 

Webinars: Webinars are the most complex format, mixing multimedia components such as one-way audio conference, PowerPoint presentations, (sometimes video), whiteboarding, live polls or surveys and one way instant messaging for participants to submit questions. 

Making Webinars Work

Designed to reach a large number of participants over a widespread geographic region, Webinars generally require a sequence of activities to be successful: promotion, registration, confirmation and reminder emails, thank you messages, access to presentation materials, usually recorded Webinars for those who couldn’t attend, and feedback via surveys.   

Expect fall-off from registration to attendance; perhaps only 30-40% of pre-registrants actually show up.  Of those, you’ll probably find only 5-10% of your registrants are close to sales ready.  Move carefully in these environments.  Use these opportunities to build credibility and trust.  Establish a relationship and answer questions objectively.  Timing is everything. 

Here are some tips for planning Webinars: 

1. Focus on high quality, relevant content to attract a strong attendance.
2. Your promotion should clearly answer, “What’s in if for me (WIIFM)?” 
3. Consider paid ADV or newsletter sponsorships to promote your Web event.
4. Record and post your Web event on your web site to provide ongoing value.
5. Obtain feedback via online surveys – maybe even share the feedback as part of your follow-up “thank you” email.
6. Always include contact information for future contact.

Consider Web events as premium branding and lead generation opportunities.  Various web-based solutions are available from Gotowebinar, Microsoft Live Meeting, or WebEx, just to name a few.  Have ideas to share, please do in comments below.