Month: January 2007

Categories
Website How To's

Sponsorship and Joint Venture Sales

Since forming a partnership with Highlight Sports about a year and a half ago, I’ve learned many important things about Sponsorship and Advertising Sales. Here are a few ideas:

– Instead of talking about price, talk about “return on investment” or what they want out of the sponsorship (some may not care as much about ROI – they just want to show their support and brand their company name)
– When the question is asked about cost over the phone, set up an appointment to meet in person if possible
– Ask questions about what the company does for marketing
– Take notes
– Pick their brain about how what we are doing could benefit them, if not now, later
– Tie their needs back in to the presentation
– KISS: keep it simple stupid
– Listen for buying clues
– Don’t burn bridges: what may not work now could always work later if you leave a good impression.

Additional Notes I took on my learning curve:
– Mention competitors as options for sponsorship
– Use phrase like “We are considering your company as a potential sponsor…”
– Generally better to start a little high with numbers: you can always negotiate down, but not up
– Be willing to negotiate price and tools provided
– If they are hesitant with the pricing, ask something like: “Is there some things I could rearrange to make that package a better fit for you?”
– Show clients past work we’ve done

There are many different approaches that can be taken; these are some of the things that have worked for me. More to come….

What have you all learned?

Categories
Digital Presence & Marketing Strategy

Everyone should have at least one sales job in their life – Part 2

Maybe I need to be a bit more controversial to get more response on the Everyone needs a sales job post! Or maybe, just maybe, the majority of you have to agree that EVERYONE should have at least one (or more) sales job(s) in their lifetime. Here’s a bit more about my background in sales:

My first year out of college I got a sales job with a great company in Utah. It was all based on commission, had a really tough learning curve, and was definitely “not for everyone” as I heard many times in the first 6 weeks. Looking back, I’m not sure if this was a hint that I should look elsewhere or what. However, this sales job literally changed my life. I can honestly say that I learned more in 2 1/2 years of sales training than I learned in my entire college education. College is great – however, the perspective I gained from this job was amazing. I learned about the power of mindset, motivation, positive attitude, and not being satisfied with mediocrity. I had a team leader who believed in his team: he was never negative, never pessimistic, and always gave me encouragement and positive reinforcement.

One of the things I did that I believe helped me really meet my potential at this job was the “Moller Mission Statement“. It went something like this:

“I am the best salesman at [put in your company name] with a 6 week average of over [specific amount of money] in sales. I am making [specific amount of money] per week which is helping me achieve and exceed my six month goal of [specific amount of money] by June 30, [year] and [specific amount of money] by Dec. 31, [year]. My keys to success have been confidence, focus, overcoming all fears, hard work, persistence, patience, and expecting to succeed, along with listening to the best, taking effective notes which I apply immediately, setting specific goals that I review daily, and focusing on getting 3 new sales per day, clients that need the products we are offering. I never worry about things I can’t change. I focus only on what I do have control over: attitude, knowledge, skills and work ethic. I’m happy to be running my business successfully and will continue to develop multiple streams of income. These multiple streams of income will help me achieve my life goal: [specific long term goal].

As I created this Moller Mission Statement and began believing in it, I saw amazing things happen. Sales increased, my attitude changed, and I really did do what I was saying. The funniest part was that I hit my year goal almost to the dollar, a goal that, at first, I almost thought was out of reach.

So, in summary, Everyone needs a sales job!

Categories
Digital Presence & Marketing Strategy,Website Performance & Design

Local SEO Best Practices for Small Businesses

In the world of entrepreneurship, the saying “small wins lead to big wins” rings true. Building a successful online presence takes dedication, strategic planning, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. While the “World Wide Web” might seem like the ideal launchpad for any business, local SEO offers a powerful strategy for small businesses to establish a strong foundation and attract customers in their immediate vicinity.

This article dives deep into the world of local SEO, exploring best practices that can help your brick-and-mortar business or local service thrive online. We’ll unpack the benefits of local SEO, explore key tactics for optimization, and provide actionable steps you can take to dominate your local search results.

Why Focus Local in a Global Web?

Think of the internet as a sprawling city. National and international brands occupy the towering skyscrapers, visible from vast distances. Local businesses, on the other hand, are the charming cafes, bakeries, and shops that line the bustling neighborhood streets. While the skyscrapers are impressive, it’s the local businesses that residents rely on every day.

Local SEO allows you to claim your prime spot on that neighborhood street. By optimizing your online presence for local searches, you ensure that potential customers searching for the products or services you offer in your area find you first.This targeted approach is significantly more effective in driving qualified leads and conversions than a broader, national SEO strategy.

Here’s a breakdown of the key benefits of local SEO for small businesses:

  • Increased Visibility: Local SEO helps your business appear in localized search results, including Google My Business listings and map packs. This puts you directly in front of potential customers actively searching for businesses like yours nearby.
  • Targeted Audience: Unlike national SEO, which casts a wide net, local SEO allows you to focus on the customers who matter most – those in your immediate service area. This ensures you’re attracting qualified leads with a higher conversion potential.
  • Improved Credibility: A well-optimized local presence, complete with positive reviews and accurate business information, builds trust and credibility with potential customers. This can give you a significant edge over competitors who haven’t invested in local SEO.
  • Cost-Effective Marketing: Local SEO offers a highly targeted and cost-effective way to reach your target audience. Compared to traditional advertising methods, local SEO delivers a higher return on investment by attracting customers already actively looking for what you offer.

Dominating Your Local Search Results: Essential Local SEO Tactics

Now that we understand the power of local SEO, let’s explore the key tactics you can implement to dominate your local search results:

1. Claim and Optimize Your Google My Business Profile:

Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google Search and Maps. Claiming and optimizing your GMB profile is the single most important step in local SEO. Here’s what you need to do:

  • Claim Your Listing: If your business doesn’t already have a GMB listing, claim it and verify ownership.
  • Complete Your Profile: Fill out your profile with accurate and detailed information, including your business name,address, phone number (NAP consistency is crucial!), website URL, category selection, high-quality photos, and business description.
  • Regularly Update Your Profile: Keep your GMB profile updated with any changes in business hours, location, or services offered.
  • Encourage Customer Reviews: Positive reviews are a major ranking factor in local search. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on your GMB profile by politely requesting them or offering incentives (within Google’s guidelines).
  • Engage with Reviews: Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative. Thank customers for positive reviews and address negative reviews professionally, offering solutions where possible.

2. Optimize Your Website for Local Search:

Your website acts as your online storefront, so it’s crucial to optimize it for local searches. Here’s how:

  • Keyword Research: Identify relevant local keywords that potential customers in your area might use to find businesses like yours. Tools like Google Keyword Planner can be helpful for this.
  • On-Page Optimization: Integrate your local keywords naturally throughout your website content, including page titles, meta descriptions, headers, and body copy. Create targeted local content that addresses the specific needs and interests of your local audience.
  • NAP Consistency: Ensure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across your website, social media profiles, online directories, and anywhere else your business information appears online.
  • Mobile-Friendly Website: A significant portion of local searches happen on mobile devices. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly and offers a seamless user experience for mobile users.

3. Build Local Citations:

Citations are online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number across various directories and websites.

Struggling to be seen by local customers online? Let WEB801 be your guide!

WEB801 offers expert local SEO services to help your business dominate your local search results and attract more qualified leads. We’ll handle everything from claiming and optimizing your Google My Business profile to on-page website optimization and local citation building.

Stop missing out on valuable local customers. Contact WEB801 today for a free local SEO consultation!

Categories
Digital Presence & Marketing Strategy

Who cares about Branding?

I wanted to ask some questions, share some insites, and just vent about branding…

  • What is branding?
  • Where do I start?
  • Why is branding so helpful? or Is it really that helpful?
  • Is branding something you can track?
  • Can you get an ROI on branding?
  • Why do companies choose branding as a marketing strategy and tactic?
  • Are there just long term effects of branding or can they be short term as well?

This is what en.wikipedia has to say about a brand:

“A brand is a collection of images and ideas representing an economic producer; more specifically, it refers to the concrete symbols such as a name, logo, slogan, and design scheme…A brand is therefore one of the most valuable elements in an advertising theme, as it demonstrates what the brand owner is able to offer in the marketplace…”

Branding is a key factor in business building.

Need I say more? Does anyone not know what this is? It’s extremely effective “branding”!

I’m reading a marketing book right now that talks about the importance of developing a marketing strategy before you create marketing tactics. This means that you need to know WHY you are doing what you plan to do before you start implementing specific marketing tactics. Creating a brand starts with a well thought out mission statement and/or vision. You must answer the question:

How is what I’m planning on doing going to help others?

If you are able to answer this question in two or three sentences and feel strongly about it, you have taken one of the first big steps in building a brand.

More to come…What are your thoughts?

Categories
Digital Presence & Marketing Strategy

Optimizing with Video!

I had a client ask about marketing with podcasts or video. I did some research and this is what I found – not new news, just some help.

1. Make the video quality stuff. If it’s not good, it’s probably not going to be worth the time invested.

2. Put the site name in the video. (Not all video farms allow links.)

Here are a few sites you can share your video with:

youtube.com
myspace.com
google.com
spikedhumor.com
revver.com (this one pays you)
metacafe.com (this one too, but I’m yet to make a dime on it)
stupidvideos.com

Here are a few websites to propagate your video:

digg.com
milkandcookies.com
reddit.com
stumbleupon.com

Do any of you have anything to add?

Categories
Digital Presence & Marketing Strategy

Interviewing Competitors for Brand Recognition – What?!

“If you are small and niche I don’t think it hurts to link out to competing sites or even to feature their brand or their owners as content. You can get exposure and work your way up the social ladder by siphoning off their brand value. But I think there is far more value in featuring them and recommending them than in having them mentioned in an ad. Interviewing people, for example, is an easy way to get great content and build mind share.” – Aaron Wall, www.seobook.com

Wow, this is an interesting, yet compelling strategy. As many of you know, one of my sites is www.clogon.com where I sell clogging shoes and taps. One of my competitors is Trevor Dewitt, owner of clogdancing.com. They don’t sell clogging shoes but are #2 for traffic in the clogging industry (right behind ClogOn.com!) It would be interesting to hear his reaction when I call and ask to feature him as a “Featured Fellow Clogger”. I’m sure it will get a great response and, like Aaron says, “…get exposure and work [my] way up the social ladder by siphoning off their brand value.”

What do you all think? Have you seen any results from this type of marketing?