Get Started With SEO To Promote Local Business

by: Jeff Schuman

Would you like to get more targeted visitors to your website? One of the best ways to promote local business is to utilize search engine optimization (SEO). When done effectively, it gives any business the chance to be found much easier and quicker by consumers looking for the products and services sold by those businesses.

Basically, SEO means that you are utilizing the various keywords in your online ad campaign that people search for when trying to locate services and products. When you add the right keyword phrases to your website's pages and link back to those pages using a variety of media, you increase your chances of a high search engine page ranking.

If you're not already aware, your next question probably is, "How do I know what the 'right' keyword phrases are?"

Fortunately Google has a free SEO tool that is a huge help in determining the best keywords to use. We're focusing on Google here because approximately 65 percent of searches done on the internet are done through Google.

The free tool I'm referring to is Google AdWords Keyword Tool. You simply type in the keywords that you want to research and you will get many statistics. Through these stats you will get a good idea of how often people search for specific keywords and phrases and how competitive they are.

Some of the stats are:

-Advertiser competition. By looking at the shaded bars you have a quick visual on how competitive the keyword phrase is. It's important to know what the challenge will be in trying to rank high for certain keywords in organic searches.

-What the local search volume was for the previous month. This lets you know how many queries were done for the keyword and variations you're seeking. They are based on Google searches done in your targeted country and language.

-The global monthly search volume. This is based on the approximate average Google monthly search volume done in all countries and languages over the recent twelve month period.

Your best bet when using keywords to promote local business is to find words that aren't yet real competitive. This gives you the best opportunity to rank highly quicker.

However, you'll still want to choose words that are being searched at least a few thousand times locally. It does you very little good to rank high for keywords that no one searches.

The Google AdWords Keyword Tool can also give you good ideas on specific keywords to use based on existing web pages. That's why this should be the tool to begin with when you're building your website's content and looking for keywords as the base.

When the goal is to promote local business online, SEO with the aid of Google AdWords Keyword Tool, is a definite must. It can save you a ton of time and money in achieving high search engine page ranking for your business website.

Proper Investment Strategies in Business Card Printing

by: Kaye Z. Marks

If you have a limited amount of money reserved for business card printing, you will probably want to know the best aspects to invest on. This is for you to get the best-looking business card with your limited budget.

If you do not know these proper investment strategies for business card printing though, do not worry. In this article, I will help you print business cards cost effectively by telling you the proper aspects that you should focus on in business card printing.

Below is a list of items on which you should always invest on when you print business cards. These are the proper investment strategies that should give you the best color business cards without spending too much on them.

� Investing in good paper materials � One of the first and most important aspects to invest on is the paper. The paper materials in business cards will not only determine the appearance of the business card, but it will also determine its texture and its durability. Therefore, you have to think carefully about your choice of paper materials.

If you have a limited amount of money, I suggest that you go for smooth type paper materials because that is a good standard. However if you plan on distributing to a lot more people in a lot more places, I suggest you go for the thick and durable ones. Just choose your materials according to your specific purpose. You will be assured of investing in the right aspect.

� Investing in good inks � Another important aspect to spend on are inks. You should not settle for simple black inks if you are really serious about printing. It is good to splurge a bit when it comes to inks. I recommend that you go for glossy color inks that cause your name and other text to gleam in the light. This adds a very professional and impressive element in your business card that your possible business contacts can respect. It is also possible that some of these inks are waterproof. So if you can, try to spend on these great inks as well. Believe me, it is well worth it.

� Investing in a great business card printing company � Finally, it is really important that you invest in hiring a great printer. You can sacrifice a lot, but in terms of the printer expertise, I recommend that you go for the best that you can afford. You cannot really put a price in quality, and if you really want your printing output to impress people, it is good to make sure that they turn out right. This can only be achieved by having the best printing company that you can possibly afford do the printing process for you. That is why it is highly recommended that you spend well on the services of a highly recommended business card printing company. 

Marketing Strategy: Fight an Evil Enemy

by: George Torok

Conflict sells. If you want to be noticed fight a powerful and evil enemy. Who or what are you fighting? While planning your marketing strategy pick an enemy. The tougher, the meaner, the more disgusting your enemy - the better for you. That positions you as the hero.

"You complete me"

The Joker taunted Batman with that phrase in the movie The Dark Knight. The public image of both Batman and the Joker were stronger because of their conflict. A champion needs a formidable villain and vice versa.

The marketing lesson from that is that the public defines you by your competition. If you are not well known maybe you need to pick a tougher enemy.

Make your enemy appear more frightening

The boxer Mohammad Ali understood this marketing principle and demonstrated it well. He built up the credibility and threat of each of his opponents before every fight. That made his victories more exciting. He promoted his fight against Smokin Joe Frazier as the Thrilla in Manillia. After the fight Ali said, "Joe Frazier, I'll tell the world right now, brings out the best in me. I'm gonna tell ya, that's one helluva man, and God bless him." In a brief post-fight interview with one of the commentators, Ali announced, "He is the greatest fighter of all times, next to me."

There's no glory or fame in defeating a weak opponent.

Superman was a bigger hero because of his dangerous enemy Lex Luthor. Sir Edmund Hillary would be nothing without the challenge of Mount Everest. Wyatt Earp is defined by his fight with the evil Clantons. The 300 Spartans are defined by their stand against the unstoppable forces of the Persian Empire. David and his sling shot is only remembered because of his conflict with the giant Goliath. Buffy the vampire killer would be unknown without the blood sucking vampires.

Conflict captures attention and helps to define your position and value.

Many consumer products are sold by fighting previously unknown enemies that were glorified by the marketing campaigns. Consumer products were promoted to fight morning breath, dandruff and ring around the collar.

Present yourself as the alternative

Avis could not defeat the market leader in the car rental business Hertz, so they defined themselves by the phrase, "We try harder."

With the taste tests Pepsi defined themselves as the alternative to Coke. It worked so well that it unnerved Coke into blinking and bumbling with New Coke. The folks at Pepsi must have enjoyed how they unnerved the market leader, Coke.

Make fun of the enemy

With its clever TV ads, (Hello, I'm a Mac. I'm a PC) Apple positioned itself as the alternative to the market leader, Microsoft based computers.

A local plumbing company positioned themselves as fighting clogged drains. The owners of the business made their enemy more formidable by posing for photos with clothes pins on their noses.

People love conflict. It's entertaining, memorable and often vivid. Sometimes it can be funny. That's why the "reality TV" shows are so popular. 

3 Effective Strategies To Get More Prospects To Read Your Ad Till The End

by: Kathleen Ann

The second step to the 7 secrets of advertising is to get more prospects to read your ad till the end. After all, if we don't get to fully inform our reader how can we expect them to make a buying decision. And fully informed means, reading your ad right to the very end.

Here are 3 effective strategies to help you achieve this.

1. Break up your copy

Remember your prospect is looking for a reason to turn the page or click off to another site so it's not just what you say but how you present it.

Use short paragraphs and sentences.

And break up your copy with Subheadings.

Subheads make it visually more appealing for the reader so they are more likely to start and continue reading if it looks easy.

Just be sure that the copy that immediately follows is totally relevant to the headline. And that each section flows into the next.

You should use them like bridges throughout your copy to move your reader from one point to the next - linking all the main elements of your letter. This also means that skimmers can quickly scan or scroll down your entire letter and still get the message even if they are not reading every word.

2. Turn features into benefits

You've maybe heard that we're all listening to our own radio station called WIIFM or "What's In It For Me."

So if your prospect is thinking in "what's-in-it-for-me" terms then you need to be writing in those terms. They will only be stopping on your ad long enough to see if there is a possible solution to their problem.

And to keep your reader interested you need to be writing in WIIFM terms throughout your copy � not just in the headline.

This means writing in benefits and not just features. Your prospect is not interested in your product or it's features. They are only interested in what your product or service can do for them.

A simple way to translate features into benefits is by using the 2 magic words � "which means". If for example you are selling a television set with a really big screen. You could write "The top model in the A-brand range has a big 60 inch TV screen which means you can create a movie theatre in your very own living room".

3. Use bullets effectively

Like subheads, bullet points help break up your sales letter and make it easy to ready as well as appeal to skimmers. People like that sort of checklist, like rapid fire.

Some of the most effective bullets are

� Blind bullets which are a teaser and don't give anything tangible but they do create curiosity.

� Give away bullets where you give the reader a nugget of tangible information which makes them think if you are giving this away the information you are selling must be really great and valuable. Use this sparingly, say one at the beginning and one at the end of your bullet list.

� Short sentence bullets that let you pack in a lot of information in a concise way. Like a shorter version of a short paragraph.

� Written in benefit terms that translate a feature into a benefit that solves the reader's problem. 

3 Sure Ways To Get More Prospects To Respect Your Value

by: Kathleen Ann

Step number 4 to the 7 secrets of advertising success is to Get More Prospects To Respect Your Value.

Isn't it a pain when people don't respect the price you charge? Well, it will also be painful to hear that it's your fault! That's right. If your customers are "shopping around" you haven't convinced them of your value. And while respect is related to trust they are not the same thing at all.

Even if people trust you, that doesn't mean they respect the value of what you are offering. It's your job to educate them if you want to make the sale.

Here's 3 sure ways to get that job done.

1. Provide evidence

Use testimonials and case studies to explain the immense value your customers will receive. This evidence will build value faster than anything else. You're probably already using both testimonials and case studies to develop trust but they are just as indispensable to build value. Here's one time when multi-tasking is good. Take another look at your "success stories" and make sure they're working hard to do both jobs.

Make it your mission to gather testimonials. If you ask your clients for testimonials they'll probably want to write one for you, but most will feel insecure about how to write a good one. So they'll put if off and it'll never get done.

Offer to draft it for them and use this simple formula to write their story. "Once I was lost;Now I'm found". Simply describe the persons situation before they experienced your product or service. Then paint the picture of what changed for them after using your product or service. The more specific and measurable the better. That sort of evidence will definitely raise respect for your value.

2. Dollars for cents copy

Dollars for cents copy helps the reader understand the real value on offer.

Now, everyone loves a bargain. So instead of just selling your product you can create an offer that is packed with bonuses. You can throw in so much value that the bonuses are actually worth more than the selling price. Of course the idea is to give away valuable bonuses that actually cost you very little.

You could do this by including downloadable products that you own or source from someone else who would like some free exposure so will provide a product at no cost to you. Whatever you do, make sure the bonuses are excellent quality and relevant to your product offer. And put a value on them so that by the time you add them all up they should be worth as much or more than the product you are selling.

In essence, the customer feels they are paying you just "cents" but getting "dollars" back in value. It makes the buying decision much easier when they are SURE they are getting a lot more value than what they are paying for. This is one technique you should always strive to use.

3. Have a Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

We�ve all heard of the Unique Selling Proposition but still a lot of small business owners and entrepreneurs struggle to pin down what differentiates them from their competitors.

What is it that makes you queen or king?

What you really want to know is � why is your company or product unique? What about it is so special? You need to answer the following question in a clear and specific way.

"Why should I do business with you over anyone else?" It's that simple.

You have to tell people:-

� Why you are the best

� Why you offer them better value than anyone else, and

� Why they should spend money with you, and not somebody else