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Search Engine Marketing Planning
Developing a strategy to market your website is a daunting task. Search Engine Marketing & Planning is a subject that most know little about. In fact, many people assume that having a website is ‘enough’ of a marketing plan when it comes to attracting search engines. The truth is, every online business owner must develop a strong marketing plan aimed specifically at increasing their visibility with Google and the other search engines. Carefully marketing your website will increase not only your ranking with search engines; it will also help you to increase your conversions. But you need a plan of action and you need to take action.
: take the time to determine what your goals actually are. Chances are you are only one of many websites selling your product or service. Your goal needs to be getting found on the first page of Google and the other major search engines (this is Main Street on the Internet). Driving relevant traffic to your site must be the most fundamental goal. What are your sales and profit goals? What are you willing to invest to reach those goals? These are the fundamental numbers you must have before you even begin to market anything in the free market.
: SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is all the rage in online marketing for a reason: it works. A well-developed optimization plan can quickly impact your page rank and your visitor count. If you do not feel that you can adequately optimize your own site (few if any do), work with a proven firm to ensure your site is properly optimized. It doesn’t stop with SEO; you should also consider PPC advertising and other paid methods to increase your traffic and sales. It is all about being found by precisely those who are looking for your products and services. SEO and PPC are two primary disciplines towards that end.
: SEO never ends; it’s a never ending marathon because you are competing online with other businesses and their optimization efforts. Your Backlinks need to improve both in quantity and quality and this requires great content generation, indexation and syndication. You have to do this better and more often than your competition to compete effectively. In addition, you need to analyze the stats that provide insight and guidance about your visitors including the source of the visit and the quality of the visit. This data is critical towards continually improving the performance of your website as measured in traffic, conversions, sales and ROI.
: let’s face it, the internet, like any technology is constantly changing and evolving so it is important to find a way to stay educated on the latest trends. The simply answer is stay engaged and aware of trends and developments.
Search Engine Marketing is an essential component of any online business owner’s business plan. Understanding the impact search engine marketing can have on your bottom line and taking active steps to not only optimize your site but to take advantage of all the tools technology has to offer is critical for your success. Clearly, finding and hiring an effective and accomplished Search Engine Marketing Company is a logical and advisable step.
A properly optimized site can land you on the first page of search engine results for precisely those keywords and phrases that are the most relevant for your business. The resulting increase in traffic and conversion optimization will lead your business towards the success you are looking for.
Is this what you seek? Contact us today!
Durango Songwriters, BFI Fest, Variety Summit, CMJ 2010, Billboard Conference, Highlight October Media and Entertainment Industry Networking Events
In Cannes, the annual MIPCOM event is known among industry professionals for creating, co-producing, buying, selling, financing and distributing entertainment content across all platforms. At this year’s event, which runs through October 8, “The Connected Experience” showcases trend-setters and innovators in the industry that will provide unique perspectives on how they see the new digital future unfolding, and in “Engaging Your Audience Through Social Media”, Facebook’s Joanna Shields will share her vision of future business models for Facebook content.
Now in its 15th year, Durango Songwriter’s Expo is a bi-annual musical event held in Colorado and in Santa Barbara, wine country. The October 7-9 event in Broomfield promises golf enthusiasts among its songwriting workshop participants a 27-hole championship golf course, as well as the Mokara Spa for use of massage, body treatment, sauna, fitness room, steam room and inhalation room. As usual, Expo enrollment is limited to 200 participants to provide greater attention from the music industry professionals conducting the sessions.
At this year’s Chicago International Film Festival, October 7-21, ‘Stone’, directed by John Curran, with Robert De Niro and Edward Norton, will be screened, and following the screening VIP ticket holders will be treated to a reception with a full bar and appetizers at theWit Hotel. The Awards Night on October 16, features cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and an awards presentation honoring this year’s winning filmmakers in the Main Competition, New Directors Competition, Docufest, Short Films, and Intercom competitions, set in the Pump Room of the Ambassador East Hotel.
ShowBiz Expo is the annual event held on both West Coast and East Coast presenting many opportunities to network, build contacts, and be cast in upcoming productions. This month the show is in New York for one day on October 9. Auditions at ShowBiz Expo have a limited number of appointments available and must be made at Casting Registration upon entering the Expo. A VIP networking after-party, with open bar and hors d`oeuvres, follows the Expo event.
In 2008, the Registry of Official World Records (Record Holders Republic) USA & UK, declared Bass guitarist Jayen Varma of Cochin, India, the world’s fastest for that year. And the guitar master has carved out new areas of achievement as a slap bass innovator (for instance using hard plastic tubes on fingers) in the Indian Tabla style. Upcoming workshop performances will give the public a chance to view the master in performance and instruction, on October 9 on Willingdon Island, with classical vocals and Mridangam, and on October 16, in Malabar, Calicut, with classical violin and drums. There will also be a special experimental session with the mandolin master, U. Shrinivas, in the third week of the month, but complete details are as yet to be released.
Content & Communications World, in New York, October 13 and 14, is a conference and exhibition for media, entertainment and communications technology. CCW presents business solutions for content creation, management and delivery, along with a range of satellite, fiber, and IP communications solutions. Folded into the CCW agenda are: HD World, SATCON and 3D World conference and expo, which can all be attended free of charge for pre-qualifying industry professionals. Visitors can stop by SocialSphere to chat with a media relations specialist about maximizing social media tools for their business, get tips and tricks for Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and more.
Established in 1933, the British Film Institute (BFI) promotes understanding and appreciation of film and television heritage and culture through a range of activities and services. This years marks the 54th BFI London Film Festival, running October 13-28 in South Bank. BFI also runs the London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, and publishes the monthly film magazine Sight & Sound, a wide range of books on film and television, including criticism, theory and history, as well as popular companions to individual film titles.
The New Orleans Film Society hosts the 20th Annual New Orleans Film Festival, Louisiana’s preeminent film event. Both established and emerging filmmakers gain media exposure, connect with the region’s diverse audiences, and participate in this anticipated event. A Patron Party and Opening Gala happens October 14 at the Eiffel Society on historic St. Charles Avenue, with food by Chef Ian Schnoebelen, specialty cocktails by Mixologist Alan Walter, and music by Sasha Masakowski & Musical Playground, and Treme Brass Band.
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Established in 1981, the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF), running October 14-24 in Honolulu, is dedicated to the advancement of understanding and cultural exchange among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific and North America through the medium of film. HIFF presents features, documentaries and shorts from Asia made by Asians, films about the Pacific made by Pacific Islanders, and films made by Hawai`i filmmakers that present Hawai`i in a culturally accurate way. HIFF also conducts seminars, workshops, special award presentation receptions with participating Asian, Pacific and North American filmmakers. HIFF is the sister festival of Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) and Shanghai Media and Entertainment Group (SMEG), and an official partner with Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for Oscar Night America. Free public screenings are held on the beach in the evening.
AniMiami, October 16 -17 in Miami, is a conference/festival whose mission appeals to large numbers of students and professionals of animation and computer graphics. A job fair will be held the first day of the Conference only — Saturday, October 16. Candidates will have the opportunity to sign up and interview with national and local animation and VFX companies looking to fill full-time, part-time, freelance and internship positions. Pre-selected students will have an opportunity to pitch their stories, ideas and projects to a panel of industry professionals from studios and TV networks. A kick-off party will be held at The Newsz Lounge.
An October 18 Variety Entertainment and Technology Summit in Santa Monica, co-produced by Variety and Digital Hollywood, has in-depth discussions and networking focusing on the top business issues facing technology in entertainment today. After a welcome and introduction by Variety Publisher, Brian Gott, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Walt Disney Company, and Founder of The Tornante Company, Michael Eisner, delivers the opening keynote. In one featured break-out event, there is a competition between various content providers competing for people’s TV viewing time. The Producers Guild of America and Variety host a joint panel in another featured session. A poolside cocktail reception closes the days event beginning at 5:30 pm.
The sprawling CMJ 2010: Music Marathon & Film Festival arrives in New York City, October 19-23. CMJ Network connects music fans and music industry professionals with its music offerings through interactive media, live events and print. Among other things, This year, industry leaders from the worlds of gaming and music will gather at CMJ to celebrate the launch of CMJ Play, a celebration and exploration of the intersection of music and gaming, will take place Wednesday, October 20, at NYU’s Kimmel Center and in conjunction with NYU’s Music Video Game Research Project. And because some things should never change, The CMJ Artist Lounge at PureVolume House returns for 2010. As the central hub for CMJ the Artist Lounge provides a space for artists and press to interact and rest in between shows which are conducted at a multitude of venues, screenings, and panels. The lounge will also offer samples and giveaways from a variety of sponsors, along with refreshments.
Casual Connect Kyiv, from October 20-22 in Kyiv, brings together talented and knowledgeable experts in the casual gaming field to further the casual games industry through networking and learning. Casual Connect is the educational component of the Casual Games Association, the international trade association for casual games professionals. Casual Games Association Events are events for the casual games industry with usually over 3,000 professionals attending Casual Connect Events each year. A Disco Bowling Party at Club Chameleon happens on October 21 of the expo.
Through red carpet premieres, black-tie society galas, exclusive industry cocktail soirees and chauffeured antique Bentleys and limos, the Beverly Hills Film, TV, and New Media Festival will celebrate authentic Old Hollywood glamour, combined with an updated twist of the emerging technology of today. The festival’s events, from October 21-24, include a black-tie opening night gala, panels, pitch sessions, gifting suites, film premieres, television content premieres, new media exhibitions, cell phone movie premieres, networking and entertainment industry mixers, and those red carpet events.
The International Filmmaker Film Festival, in Broadstairs, October 25-28, celebrates popular independent and studio films from the global film industry, while promoting opportunities for the business of film, and hosting special hospitality events and courtesy leisure activities. In addition to the filmmaking workshops, screenings of independent films will include many of the filmmakers in attendance for Q&A sessions following each screening. An exclusive screening of a digitally remastered ‘Dirty Dancing’, with the late Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, is set to open the festival, with proceeds benefiting the Demelza Children’s Hospice and the Pilgrims Hospice.
SMPTE is an industry association, and standards setting body, providing education and technology information to the motion imaging industry, focusing on content – creation, management, distribution and display. From October 26-28 the SMPTE Annual Tech Conference & Expo draws technology professionals from the media content business to Hollywood. This year’s event provides a welcome reception in the exhibit hall, various technical workshops, a technology-focused exhibit hall, a high profile Industry Luncheon, the association’s Honors & Awards Reception and Ceremony, and many networking opportunities.
The Hollywood Reporter / Billboard Film & TV Music Conference is an anticipated annual event. New additions to the format this year when the Conference runs October 27-28 in Los Angeles, allows participants to submit a demo to music supervisors for a chance to receive feedback on their work live from the stage. They can also get one-on-one facetime with film/TV music decision-makers and influencers, and win a chance to meet with the director of an indie film and score their feature. A “Publishing 101″ session, offers a primer on the basics of publishing from how to make money with placements in film and TV, to the administration of catalogs. Conference closes with a networking cocktail reception.
The Association of Film Commissioners International, an official professional and educational organization for film commissions that assists its members with feature, television, commercial, industrial and stills production throughout the world, is hosting Cineposium 2010 to explore the sweeping impacts of the digital revolution and new global producers on the industry. The theme this year in Universal City, October 30 through November 2, is to look at the transition from film commissioner to media commissioner, which encompasses many new roles and responsibilities. In contrast to previous years, and to underscore the need to anticipate the changes to come, Cineposium hosts general sessions designed to equip attendees for success.
The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the “Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events” page which now has a language translation button to convert its contents into any chosen language. The companion video news summary can be found on the podcast blog as well as on the most popular video sharing sites. A look ahead into November’s event dates can help you get ready for the American Film Market, on November 3-10, and American Film Institute Fest, November 4-11, both in Los Angeles. Follow the posting of the news summary on Twitter. Streaming video can now be played directly into your Real Media Player, and your Windows Media Player. Past video from the monthly video news summary is archived on the Free Home Video Showcase which now serves as an archive for all past video presentations but without the audio news narration.
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2010, Billboard, Conference, Durango, Entertainment, Events, Fest, Highlight, Industry, Media, Networking, October, Songwriters, Summit, Variety | 
Leave a commentOnline College Degree In Media Art
Online college degree programs provide students with the freedom to attend class anytime; day or night, during any kind of weather, from anywhere on the globe as long as they remain connected to the internet.
A degree in media arts is the first step towards a career as a multimedia artist, animator, audio and video equipment technician, or a similar position. The classes include arts technology, digital media, animation, multimedia software development, digital imaging, music systems programming, and other media related courses.
With the arrival of the digital age, art careers have gone beyond the traditional roles of illustration and drawing. A degree in media arts may be the way to trigger ones career aspirations; it’s like a ladder to better things.
In the program the student will learn how to portray moods and ideas through various forms of digital media like film and television. Other forms of media, like communications and journalism, are also incorporated into the program. This degree program teaches the student about all aspects of creating media such as digital video, computer animation, audio landscapes, and the like. The student will learn about advanced concepts in digital media, such as how to create realistic three dimensional computerized environments and how the human brain interacts with digital content.
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Media Art colleges help students develop important job skills like creating storyboards and utilizing advanced 3D animation, and other digital applications. Jobs in the media arts are available in television, movies, video games, Web site development, commercials, marketing and more. Competition for these jobs is intense, so a college degree will improve one’s chances greatly.
Upon completion of the Media Arts Degree program, the student should have the skills to direct and produce a film or television program and they should also be able to deliver a message and convey a mood or idea using computer animation and visual technology.
The program can help the student to advance his or her knowledge in the broadcast field and learn to tell a great story behind the lens of a camera. This practical, real-world program focuses on the creative, technical and business aspects of the industry. One will also explore lighting, audio for video, television studio production and nonlinear editing.
Possible courses for a student taking a Degree in Media Arts could include Drawing, Design Communication, and Sound for Film, Digital Film Intensive, Studio Photography, Photojournalism, Television Field Production, Audio Production, and Digital Skills.
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Green Public Relations: Boost Your Brand, Boost Your Stock Price
With all due respect to Kermit the Frog, it has gotten easier to be green. It has also gotten easier to communicate your “greenness” by employing various green public relations techniques…
How important is it to engage in green public relations? Quite… Consider that a survey revealed that four out of five people say they are still buying green products and services today-which sometimes cost more-even in the midst of a U.S. recession. The survey also indicated that fifty percent say they are buying just as many green products now as before the economic downturn, while 19 percent say they are buying more green products.
Just about every company is trying, one way or another, to go green and eco- friendly. And to let the public become aware of this and improve the standing of the company, companies employ green public relations. Companies could go as simple as recycling things from items of daily operations. Or it could be water and air purification. There is also the appropriate solid and waste management that could really help out with the surmounting pollution in our planet. Of course, reducing one’s carbon footprint by encouraging the use of mass transit and bicycling to work are programs worth considering.
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Going green and employing green public relations tactics is vital to the success of any business given the current marketing trends. If your company does not currently have a green public relations strategy you could be losing customers.
Thus with green public relations the public is made aware of the direction traditional consumer enterprises are moving towards greener operations. For clean tech companies, green public relations will elevate the consciousness of the public of the expertise and technologies that could mitigate global warming. There are also applications for cleaner, potable water and conserving energy.
For companies wanting to get the best enhance their image, look for a PR firm specializing in green public relations. You want a firm that has a track record of providing good exposure and bringing a high return of investment for your company’s green public relations needs. With the changing times, mere traditional public relations are not enough. Going further on to the cyberspace connection and knowledge there is on creating a name for the company is one quality your company should look for in a green public relations firm.
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Talking to the Media: Who?s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
Not in my world. The media are just like any other people. They respond to the same things we all respond to – manners, good communication, ability to tell them what they want to know and the understanding they need of their time. And you have to know the rules of engagement. You would never talk to an 80 year old war veteran the way you would to a teenager.
Working with the media does take some research. You also have to understand what each journalist you want come in contact with is interested in, what they write, blog or talk about, what their passions are and how they portray the people and companies that they write about.
It is like any other client. You know what your clients’ needs are. And you know the difference in what you can say to one client in comparison to a completely different client. You know their go buttons and probably know what turns them off as well.
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So think of the media as your client. They are individuals that are like anyone else. You are dealing with an individual who is then communicating to the masses. Ah ha – that is what you think! There is no such thing as the masses. You didn’t know that?
Every media outlet has a target market. No one communicates to the masses. So not every media outlet is going to be right for you or your company. Get to know who writes about your industry, read their articles, listen to and watch their shows, learn their style. And figure out WHO they are speaking to. KNOW their target market. Get educated on what they deal with on a daily basis. And then when you do get the chance to talk to them treat them like a human being and not a receptacle for your promotional message.
How would you like to be pitched every time someone spoke to you about topics you could care less about? What if no one ever asked you if you had time to listen to what they had to say? What if no one ever listened to you and only talked about what they wanted to talk about? What would you do?
So the media is not the big bad wolf. It is just that companies do not take the time to craft their own message, and do not learn the rules of engagement for dealing with the media. And they suffer the consequences as a result. Media relations is just that – relations. It takes knowing people, knowing how to predict what different people will do and being able to guide and control the media message to secure a larger market share.
So, who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?
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Social Media Marketing Plans are Big Business!
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Why have a Social Media Marketing Plan? In this day and age its not uncommon to hear the term “social media” infact many business owners are honing the new internet based platform as a easy marketing mechanism. If you are a business owner/entrepreneur it is important to have a strong Social Media Marketing Plan as a part of your advertising/marketing to rapidly increase the exposure of your business. Without a plan, you may find yourself floundering in the mass universe of Social Media!
Entering the Social Media field without a plan is business suicide. You’ll find hours of wasted time, no traffic increase, no one will care, and no one will listen, …I’m sure you don’t want that now do you?
Creating a Social Media marketing plan is the best thing that you could do for yourself when battling the social media market, and believe me, it’s a jungle out there! 
First off, you want to know how to use your social mediums, twitter, facebook, myspace, they’re all different and have their own sense of flow and movement. You will want to equip yourself with knowledge of social media training…So here are some tips!
Brand Yourself. In most cases, 9 out of 10 times your brand is YOU. So the best thing that you can do is be yourself on social media websites. People want to buy from people, not products, not cute little animated pictures of kitties…. they want to get to know you, and your smile, and your name. So be yourself, post a great picture up of yourself, make it engaging, and fill out your Bio’s. Be honest, but be appropriate and position yourself as an expert in your field.
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Next, know your Social Marketing Goals.
Are you trying to bring awareness to a certain product? Perhaps Build excitement? Or traffic? Or are you trying to increase leads or subscribers? Maybe your goal is all of the above..
Now that you know what your purpose is on your Social Media sites, your now minimizing lost time browsing and wondering, and meaningless chatting…So Congratulations, you are one step closer to success 
. So, *ahem, how are you going to measure your social media success? I bring this up because if you can’t measure your goals to meet them, then your kinda kicking yourself in the foot before you even begin… and we really don’t want that!
Are you looking for blog comments? stronger conversions? More subscribers? MARK YOUR GOALS! – and celebrate when your reach them with personal milestone rewards
**Side Note: Always reward yourself when you hit a goal, Rewards will keep you motivated to keep you going and give you a sense of fulfilment.**
On Social Media Sites, don’t forget to be yourself! I cant stress this enough!!! People want to get to know people, not what your selling, they want to know you! Its SOCIAL Media. So network and start making friends, and get to know your client, where they hang out, make information available for them, but do not harass them, and do not spam them. People HATE that! I know I do!
When your building a Social Media Marketing Plan, if your truly interested in seeing outlandish success, team yourself up with a strong network of marketing coaches, mentors, and apply yourself to a definite marketing program that will not only teach you the best strategies to Social Media Success, but will also teach you the strongest strategies to building your brand and getting your name known in the vast world of the internet using such tools as keyword research and SEO. Marketing programs like iMMACC are the best, where you are coupled with a strong marketing educational program, and mentors that work with you, and that are geared for your marketing success.
There’s networking, there’s spamming, and then there’s Social Marketing.
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Technological PR firms have to use modern advances like social media to serve their clients interests
Now is a time for considerable change for the human race. Things are a foot that not necessarily threaten the way of life currently enjoyed by millions of people, but perhaps are percolating with the possibility of drastically altering the way individuals from all walks of life interact with one another, and the way they receive medical treatment, and even how they perform the daily tasks of life. But one of the most interesting developments in recent in memory is the advent of the age of social media. The fact that people need to document their friendship is a curious development, but one that has clearly fascinated millions of people all over the glove, and not just in the United States of America. People will often waste an entire afternoon, or will stay up until the late hours of the evening just to stay connected to others, namely family members, coworkers, neighbors, old classmates from grad school, old flames, and even people they met just once at a party. Is it truly a marvel that so many individuals the world over have begun to use social media as the primary means of staying connected with one another.
Corporations have been struggling to fit in with the new world order. People do not live and die by whether or not they were invited to the company picnic, replete with three legged sack races, delicious barbeque, and strained conversation about work related activities. People can now set the tone for their own relationships, but this allows individuals the ability to exchange ideas openly and freely. Many technology related businesses, such as retailers, manufacturers, and financial planners are struggling to capitalize on this recent movement, in an attempt to catapult themselves out of the recent financial quagmire that has affected so many individuals and companies the world over for the past two years.
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Many technology related companies have started to enlist the services of a highly skilled and fully qualified technology PR firm to help them protect their reputations. This may seem like a small an unnecessary enterprise, when considering all the difficulties they are currently facing. But when one realizes that the success or failure of any technological or, indeed most any other business depends on their respective reputations, it should become absolutely clear that many technology related firms need to protect their reputations. To this end, a highly skilled and fully qualified technology PR firm can be very advantageous for the average technology related business.
The main principle that technology PR firms have to guide themselves by is that they always have to put the needs of their clients above their own, each and every time they take public action. This is why so many highly skilled and fully qualified technology PR firms have started to use social networking sites in order to pass along their message to their intended targets. It is absolutely essential for any effective and highly skilled technology PR firm to protect their interests. This is accomplished through the use of navigating the complicated and intricate world of media relations. It is important for technology PR firms to accentuate the good aspects of their client’s contributions to the community, while at the same time, ensuring that the negative aspect of their clients business do not see the light of day. Thusly, a highly skilled and fully qualified technology PR firm can serve both their clients interests and their own through good and effective work.
For more information visit to http://www.makovsky.com
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Posted in media relations | advances, clients, Firms, interests, Like, Media, modern, serve, Social, Technological, their | Leave a commentRole of Internal Communication in Success of Today?s Organization
According to a Study by Watson Wyatt Worldwide, Companies that communicate effectively with their workers financially outperform those that don’t. Watson Wyatt’s 2005/2006 ROI Study found that between 2000 and 2004, companies with most effective communication programs returned 57% more to their shareholders than companies with the least effective communication programs.
Good communication is among the top five characteristics needed by teams and leaders to succeed in a complex working environment. Recent research has identified good communication along with strong organizational support, high levels of leadership competence, team coaching and clear objectives are crucial to the success of teams working in across a geographical or organizational spread.
And, according to the report, Succeeding in Complexity, published by training consultancy Ashridge, high-performing teams have a clear communications strategy plus focused and developed communication skills that aren’t dependent on meetings, as well as a high degree of trust among team members.
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Remote communication not a barrier:It also found a lack of face-to-face working needn’t be a barrier to good communication and working relationships, as 58% of the high-performing teams meet up only annually or less. The telephone is used for a host of activities, including selection interviewing, performance reviews and problem solving. Qualitative and quantitative research among 300 leaders and members of complex teams working in a variety of sectors enabled the identification of the highest performers and the factors – in terms of leadership, team development and HR support – that were vital to their success.
Teams becoming more complex: The research pointed to teams being increasingly complex, with 73% of respondents working in multi-disciplinary teams, 70% dispersed geographically and 57% working across organizational boundaries. Nineteen percent worked in five or more separate teams. This creates significant challenges for the team leaders, team members and HR functions that support them.
Matching leadership style to team complexity: The research also identified four leadership styles, appropriate to differing levels of team maturity and complexity, ranging from traditional hierarchical “manager” to “improviser.” High-performing leaders all demonstrated good skill levels, particularly in communication, managing upwards and outwards, agreeing outputs and team coaching and development.
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Posted in Internal Communications | communication, internal, Organization, role, success, todays | Leave a commentThe 3 Parts to an Effective Online Business Affiliate Marketing Plan
It is vitally important for an online affiliate marketing business to create a specific marketing plan in order to be successful. There are many critical details that need to be taken into account and it is very easy to loose sight of the big picture. By remaining conscious of the following points you will be able to balance the details of your affiliate marketing plan more effectively.
1. Managing Time Effectively
When setting up your marketing plan it is important that you also take into account the available time you have to work on your online business and how you can use this to your best advantage.
Although it would be fantastic to set up an elaborate plan and just let it unfold, things are not really that simple. Every single aspect of your plan will need a certain amount of time to complete and if you are unrealistic about the time that you have available you are setting yourself up to fail before you even get started.
By taking time management into consideration and setting up a plan that you can realistically follow through on you will have a better idea of what you can actually do yourself. This will force you to take a step back and look at the bigger picture as well as to consider what will work best for you.
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2. Online Education is Never Ending
With so much going on in the present time it becomes very easy to overlook the importance of continually learning and educating yourself. As an online affiliate marketer you will find that the top marketers are always learning new tactics and even if some of these tactics are never used it may still be something that is very useful at a later stage.
By making it a point to learn more at all times you will be able to step back from the present and focus on the future. It will also help to save you the possibility of suffering from information overload.
It is a good idea to try and educate yourself about anything related to your online affiliate marketing business, but don’t take it to such lengths that you end up suffering from information overload. This will do more harm than good as you will find yourself stalling and will end up unable to make decisions about anything connected to your online business.
3. Keep the End in Mind
When planning your marketing strategy it is essential to establish what your goal is for your end results. This could be a number of things depending on where you are with your marketing plan. There are certain points that you will need to take into consideration such as the standard you want to maintain when it comes to the products that you are going to promote. You will need to set a standard and test the products to make sure that they meet your standards so that you are confident that you are only promoting products or services that you believe in and use yourself.
This way you will always be sure that what you are offering to prospective customers is something that can be of value to them, and be aware when it would be wise to stop promoting a particular product.
By planning your affiliate marketing strategy and taking a look at the big picture you will always have a grasp on what your online business is achieving and will be better equipped to make decisions that will benefit both you and your business.
Posted in Marketing Plans | Affiliate, business, Effective, Marketing, Online, Parts, Plan | Leave a commentThe Art of Storytelling – tactics to increase your chances of securing media coverage
Column inches. Sound bites. Web page real estate. Inbound links.
These are the metrics by which the success of a public relations campaign is measured.
If you have news or information about your company that you want to share with the world, how do you go about trying to secure these publicity gems?
The key to getting from point A and point B is the story.
While this might seem like a basic concept, there’s much more to it than simply committing facts to paper. You must shape and craft your story strategically to convince reporters, writers and bloggers that it is important and relevant to their audience.
So, the real question is, what makes a good story, and how do you frame it in a way that persuades those who hold the megaphones to re-tell your story for you?
The process of pitching a story is much more art than science.The process of pitching a story is much more art than science, more alchemy than equation. Just like any art form, there is no formula that guarantees success. However, there are a number of tried-and-true tactics you can employ to increase your chances of getting coverage:
Think in literary terms.
Go back to the basics you learned in English lit class. Good stories are built around archetypal themes: good versus evil, perseverance through adversity, the triumph of the human spirit, the hometown boy makes good – the list goes on and on.
Identify the elements of your story that offer universal appeal and frame your story accordingly. For example, a simple press release on your newest executive hire could jump from a passing mention on the comings and goings page to a full-fledged feature if he or she boasts unique personal accomplishments, offers a different perspective or has overcome great obstacles to achieve success.
Make it timely.
By its very definition, news is “of the moment.” Follow news cycles closely and try to find a way to tie your story to current events whenever possible.
Holiday-themed and seasonal stories are always a solid bet, but don’t forget about other observances and commemorative events. Everything from National Breast Cancer Awareness Month to National Safe Boating Week to America Recycles Day could be a great opportunity for you to present a timely story that offers a connection to the news of the day.
Identify your rock stars.
Reporters are always looking for credible experts to provide insight and analysis. Make the media aware of the resources your company has to offer by presenting bios and lists of topics that your key spokespeople are qualified to discuss.
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For example, a travel agent could send information detailing the size of her business and years in the industry and offer to share helpful tips on top destinations or how to find the best airfares and hotel rates.
This tactic works particularly well when timed strategically to coincide with relevant news cycles. In the case of the travel agent, she should contact reporters right before the summer and the holidays, when reporters and bloggers are looking for interesting story angles for the peak travel seasons.
Play the numbers game.
Nothing makes for good sound bite fodder like interesting data. Journalists are fact- and, therefore, numbers-driven. A surprising statistic or one that either validates or disproves a commonly held belief is often the spark that gets media tongues wagging.
Add a visual.
Providing a strong visual, such as a photo, chart or compelling video, to accompany your story will definitely increase your chances of coverage. This is especially true when targeting television or web-based media contacts, who often rely on visuals to give depth to their stories.
Also, if you’re planning an event, don’t forget to include a photo opportunity, especially if there will be well-known people in attendance. There’s no easier way to get your event noticed than a photo of a familiar face, whether it’s the mayor, a hometown celebrity or even a prominent member of society.
Do the heavy lifting.
In the wake of budget cuts and downsizing, many traditional media outlets are stretched thin and are grateful for prepackaged stories they can pick up and run as-is when they have a few extra column inches to fill.
Typically, press releases offer solid, factual information that helps reporters build their own stories. However, when targeting smaller news organizations, you may also want to consider sending a fully written article complete with quotes and photos as well as how-to advice, tip sheets or even recipes.
This approach can be very effective for broad-based consumer pitches and is often used by companies such as financial planners, real estate agents, travel agents, party planners, food companies and health care organizations.
Remember that bigger isn’t always better.
Let’s face it, we’d all like to be featured above the fold on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, but often a well-placed local hit is even more effective.
Focus your time and attention where you have the greatest chance of success – and of boosting your bottom line. If your customer base is local rather than national, craft stories that incorporate elements of local interest to help you attain coverage from writers, bloggers and broadcasters that cover your area.
Know their audience and yours.
The demographics – age, gender, education level, professional occupation, income, geographic location and political leanings – of the audience for each media outlet are critically important to determining the story you should pitch.
You can’t pitch the same story to BusinessWeek and Parents magazine. Understand what aspects of your product or service would generate interest in each publication’s core audience and tell your story accordingly.
For example, I once handled the media relations efforts for a small but very rapidly growing online party supply company. We pitched e-business stories to technology trade publications; wrote articles featuring party planning tips for small local print outlets; offered profile pieces on the owner – a working mother herself – to publications targeting parents; and conducted a media tour offering party trends and budgeting tips to national women’s publications, such as Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping and InStyle.
Keep it simple.
Although there are multiple angles you could pursue for any given story you have to tell, the only way to succeed is to tell it as simply as possible.
Remember that the reader may have little, if any, familiarity with your business or industry. Break down complex information, avoid using jargon or technical terms and use language that everyone can understand and relate to in some fashion.
Put it to the test.
The most important question in determining the strength of a story is “Would I read an article on this topic?” If you cannot honestly answer “yes,” either go back and reframe it or skip it entirely.
Reporters need to know that what you give them is worthy of their time and attention, so if it’s not worth yours, don’t pass it along. Ultimately, if you want to achieve long-term PR success, it’s important to cultivate your reputation as a source of interesting, factual and relevant information.
By inundating reporters with stories that are not legitimately newsworthy, you’ll do more harm than good and make it far less likely that they’ll take your call when you have something truly valuable to share with them.
If you employ these 10 tactics, you’ll create a strong pitch that will stand out in a sea of bland, boilerplate press releases and greatly increase the chances that your story will end up in the headlines rather than the recycling bin.
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