Yahoo Small Business Advisor :Grow a Business

Debunking the Secrets of Headline Writing

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 14:55:18 -0400

Are headlines the boogeyman of content writing? Do you need to be a skilled copywriter to craft catchy headlines? Is there a science or an art behind it – or maybe both? And most importantly, should you care about headline writing if you’re not in the copywriting business? Well, you should, because headline writing is...

Online Lead Generation Challenges Faced by Small Businesses

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 13:30:19 -0400

The field of Internet Marketing has grown to be a professional arena for all types of businesses, including the ones that are solely making money online. Furthermore, it is not only corporate giants who benefit from online marketing and promotions. In fact, you would find countless success stories of small businesses all over the world...

3 Reasons To Avoid Ridiculous Marketing Jargon

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 13:22:03 -0400

Are You Alienating Customers with Your Made-Up Words? Marketing jargon is a part of any marketing professional’s daily life, much to the chagrin of the average consumer. Still, even though most people react to made-up or repurposed words with the following expressions— —marketing professionals insist on throwing around words like low-hanging fruit or buzzworthy or,...

Grow Your Business Using Content Marketing

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 12:37:24 -0400

This simple infographic illustrates how we think about growing your business online presence. What are the things to pay attention to when starting with content marketing? Let’s imagine that your business is a tree. It needs solid roots to keep it stable. So, you must invest in reliable hosting and infrastructure that can support the...

Overcoming Writer’s Block

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 12:30:14 -0400

We’ve all been faced with a blank page, a blank screen, an empty notebook. Our minds are either a swirling vortex of ideas with no guidance, or they’re as empty as the page you’re looking at. It’s the dreaded Writer’s Block, the bane of every writer at least once in his or her life. You’re...

5 Ways to Use Pinterest for Content Marketing

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 12:15:11 -0400

When most people think of Pinterest, they think social media marketing, not content marketing. But the truth is Pinterest can be an extremely useful tool for enhancing your content and providing direction for your overall content marketing strategy. With over 27 million unique visitors and 220 million page views a day, Pinterest is one of...

Will The Customer Experience Profession Change the World?

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 11:30:28 -0400

Nicholas A. Christakis’s and James Fowler’s research into social networks and the spread of happiness proves that happiness begets happiness. Using research from the Framingham Heart Study, they looked at data from nearly 5,000 individuals spanning a network of over 12,000 people. Their analysis followed participants over two-decades from 1983-2003. Their conclusion is that each additional...

5 Reasons Why It’s Time to Chat with Your Customers

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 09:30:18 -0400

Chat has always been right on the bubble in terms of becoming a major customer service channel. But since social media and texting have made short, personalized messaging the mainstream method of communication, chat is now being deployed by more companies across more channels than ever before to improve the customer experience. Chat allows today’s...

Google AdWords Enhanced Campaigns: What You Need To Know

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 09:25:34 -0400

If you are running pay per click campaigns via Google AdWords, it is time to start thinking about the new enhanced campaigns that are coming in the next few weeks. Google has already announced that they will be moving all campaigns over to enhanced at some point this summer. Google has since advised that July...

Circling The Wagons: Tie In Social Media With Online Marketing!

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 09:18:47 -0400

Everything is going social! Social engagement has become the pinnacle of online marketing. You have heard it all! But, are you prepared for the onslaught of viral messaging? Many websites have the concepts, have the notion but the wagons aren’t circled. In this article I am going to tell you how to optimize your online...

Measuring the Impact of Your Content Marketing Strategy: The Pyramid Approach

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 09:15:52 -0400

“A year from now, what’s different?” When I used to sell custom publishing services for large B2B brands, I always asked the above question before signing a contract, because the answer was the most critical element of the final agreement. The client’s response revealed everything about how they intended to measure the content project we...

Brand Longevity Tips from Mick and Keith

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 09:10:42 -0400

What do you call someone who pays $300 to watch a bunch of old men prance around the Air Canada Centre? Well this is a trick question. If you said a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, you would be right — most of the time. But this is the post-season, and that is a Maple Leafs-free...

Online Video and Content Creation

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 09:00:51 -0400

“Over the coming decades and across the world, Internet TV will replace linear TV.” That’s the opening statement in an 11-page document Netflix released regarding the long term vision for the company. The document also included other statements like “the linear TV channel model is ripe for replacement”, “Internet will get faster, more reliable and...

11 Ways to Get Rid of Cliché From Your Company Logo

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 23:26:59 -0400

Nobody wants a clichéd logo. It means you’ve used an idea that is too obvious, and too overused….And it’s something which probably lots of your competitors have done. You’re better than them – you deserve a company logo that stands out. It can be hard to protect against clichéd ideas, especially if you need a...

What’s the Difference Between Teleprospecting and Telemarketing?

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 22:57:18 -0400

“Please place me on your no-call list.” This is the phrase I’ve learned to repeat whenever someone calls my house during dinner time. Some anonymous person is always trying to solicit my money for products I definitely don’t need. A Shake Weight? No thank you! A subscription to Martha Stewart Living? Certainly not! A common...

Why Are Professional Service Firms Still Afraid of Online Marketing?

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 22:33:25 -0400

Beady eyes? Check. Quickness of breath? Check. Pained expression? Check. Am I describing a health crisis? Nope. I’m describing a recent client meeting. My professional services client wasn’t having a cardiac incident… he was having a typical industry reaction to our suggested improvements for the firm’s digital marketing strategy. The main problem? Whether you are...

Nobody Is Watching Your Video Because Your Title Sucks

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 21:28:33 -0400

Here at SyneCore, we often like to discuss the value of creating video content for your customers. However, sometimes it can be a problem to get people to actually watch this content you create. In a world full of short attention spans and endless entertainment options, how do you produce video that people will actually...

7 Tips for Writing Great Welcome Emails

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:30:34 -0400

What do you do when someone new subscribes to your email list? If you’re like most organizations, you send them an automated “thanks for subscribing” message and leave it at that. At a bare minimum, you should be doing this, so that new subscribers know you received their request to opt in. However, if this...

A Victoria’s Secret Angel Earns Her Wings

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:23:56 -0400

One of the lessons that we at FairWinds have seen people learn over and over again is that just because you might be one of the rich and famous, it doesn’t necessarily entitle you to your name as a domain name if someone else has scooped it before you. See our blog post on former...

Why Sarah Palin Should Be A Content Marketing Role Model

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:09:25 -0400

As I was browsing the pages of Google News to stay up-to-date with the latest in entertainment, politics, science, and other trending stories, I was surprised to see numerous headlines about Sarah Palin. Now, this post isn’t meant to be political at all, but it still impresses me that even after 4 years without holding...

Your Internet Marketing Education

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:00:51 -0400

In this day and age it’s more important than ever to stay current and up to date in order to stay one step ahead of your competition. With the advantages small business owners now have thanks to the internet we are seeing more and more individuals or home based businesses competing against much larger and...

Direct Contact With Customers—Direct Marketing Contact Database

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:00:13 -0400

Direct marketing will no longer have this hasty approach when it comes to reaching out to every potential customer. There are now methodologies that are used today that circle about pinpointing the highest potential buyer, while at the same time retaining the existing contacts and taking back former customers and creating marketing campaigns that will...

Why Google Is Missing The Point On Sponsored Content

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:51:34 -0400

Over at the InNetwork blog this week, I wrote about why influencers deserve to be paid. It essentially looked at why brands should be treating influencers more professionally, and respecting them as a key partner in any marketing mix. In the comment section after the post, Kari Rippetoe, Content Marketing Manager at Search Mojo, left...

Getting A Negative Review – The Best Way For Contractors To Handle

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:50:20 -0400

New scientific research proves there is an effective way for home service contractors to handle a negative review, and turn it into a positive. If you are a home services contractor (plumber, pest control, etc.) or a home improvement or remodeling contractor and you get a negative review on Kudzu, or Angie’s List, or another...

4 Foolproof Tips for Rebranding Without Losing Your Identity

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:30:09 -0400

What Happens When You Hate Your Own Brand? Building a brand isn’t easy. From the moment your business is conceived, you must consider how you want to be perceived, who your target audience will be, and how you’ll reach them. Your brand is the ambassador for your products and services. Customers should learn everything they...

How A Brand Journalist Can Help Perfect Your Brand’s Content Marketing Strategy

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:07:59 -0400

In April, the Wall Street Journal published a survey by CareerCast.com, which ranked 200 jobs from best to worst based on five criteria: physical demands, work environment, income, stress level and job outlook. Careers such as software engineer, physical therapist and computer systems analyst were among the top 10. Actuary ranked as the best job...

Which Should You Send, an Email, Newsletter, or Both?

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:51:03 -0400

What’s the difference between an email and a newsletter and which should you use and when? People can’t do business with you if they don’t know your business exists, and having a website is not enough. More importantly, waiting for a prospect to stay in touch with you will keep your client list short and...

The Anatomy of a Great Email

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:11:54 -0400

Anatomy class in high school was pretty interesting, fun, maybe even a bit gross at times, but it definitely made an impact on everyone who took it. I enjoyed it so much, that I majored in Biology (at least for awhile). While dissecting frogs may not be your cup of tea, dissecting a good email...

The 3 Stages of Content Marketing

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:54:50 -0400

Content marketing is a hot topic in the marketing world today. Really, it’s something that many companies have been doing for some time now. But now it has a name. Now it has an industry. And now everyone is getting involved. Bonus: For some great info about content, pick up a copy of Branding for...

Raise Your Content Marketing Game

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:43:12 -0400

High-quality content marketing is required to succeed in today’s competitive business world. Whether you are a large corporation, a small or big business, or an educational or non-profit organization, your website visitors crave captivating, information-rich, high-impact and insightful content. We are in the midst of the information age, and your prospects do a significant amount of...

Quantitative Market Research VS Qualitative Market Research

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:15:27 -0400

The process of conducting primary market research and collecting market research data and information can be broken down into two methods; quantitative and qualitative research. Each method involves a different process, and reveals different information. However, it has been noted by business professionals and academic experts that in order to gain a full understanding of...

Create a Killer Instagram Campaign

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:30:00 -0400

NewYork.com was looking for a way to create pre-launch buzz. Here's how the site enlisted Instagram photographers to do just that.

Critical Minute – Mining for a Public Relations Strategy

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:40:20 -0400

The goal of public relations professionals in most mining operations is to manage public, environmental and governmental affairs. PR professionals in this space need extensive knowledge in media and community relations, environmental planning and government relations. In many cases, the public relations office in a mining operation complements and strengthens a robust environmental permitting team. The mining industry’s...

5 Steps to Creating a Global PPC Campaign

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:34:16 -0400

Content marketing might be one of the biggest trends for 2013, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only effective digital strategy. An in-bound marketing strategy can take months of hard work and research to get results. In contrast, pay-per-click advertising can boost your website’s visibility almost instantly. It’s particularly effective if you’re launching international websites...

Accounting for Fluctuation: Trying to Manage Your PPC in Times of Change

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:30:29 -0400

Changing Tides The musician Tim Finn once commented on one of life’s hard lessons, saying, “It’s a non-stop invention, this game of life, and as soon as you think you’ve got it, you lose it.” This eloquent perspective can also be applied to just about any career out there, especially in the case of online...

Validate your Business Decisions with Surveys

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:25:46 -0400

Above any other start-up mantra, entrepreneurs need to validate their thinking as early as possible. Don’t spend millions of dollars building something before having tested ideas and concepts with potential customers. Feedback from co-founders, friends, small focus groups, and especially existing customers is very helpful to qualitatively understand your product or service. However, this sample...

24 Favorite Inbound Marketing & Digital Media Buying Tools That Don’t Include Google

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:17:09 -0400

Tools that Cover Search Marketing, SEO, Social Media, Conversion Rate, and Content As a digital marketing lead generation strategist and online media buyer, you just can’t have enough tools to help manage my clients’ online activities. When I am not involved with business development, speaking, and my own social media marketing, I am usually on...

What’s So New About Content Marketing?

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:15:46 -0400

As content marketing grows more popular than Justin Bieber, there’s one question I keep hearing from those who are innately suspicious of fads (i.e., people like me): “What’s so new about content marketing? It’s just what good marketers have always done.” This is one of the content marketing backlash arguments that I’ve talked about here...

Customer Reviews to Drive Sales

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 07:30:46 -0400

Last week I wrote a piece about the basics behind content marketing. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to dive a little deeper into each one of the topics I covered. This week we’ll start with how to use the customer reviews of products to boost sales. Having product reviews on a website can...

4 Ways to Generate More Leads by the End of the Day

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 21:50:58 -0400

Many of the blogs we write focus on long term ways to generate traffic, leads, and success. Long term strategies are important, but sometimes you just need leads quickly. Sometimes you have to have leads today. This blog focuses on specific ways to generate more leads right now. These are short-term strategies that will produce...