The Challenge 2013. Started 8 years ago, “The Challenge” steps you through a self-guided, 30-day course that is geared towards you making your fist dollar on-line. Invaluable information is found in this program. I follow along every year – and this year will be no exception.
All new. Still free. Coming August 1st.
Learn more here: https://soundcloud.com/#ed_dale/the-challenge-2013 and here http://www.challenge.co
Google Reader going away on July 1st, 2013
Niche marketers rely on a steady stream of new, niche-oriented content to fill their web sites, blogs and social media posts. For most business owners, it is a challenge to create that content, with many opting to curate existing content rather than creating from scratch.
One of the best ways to curate that content was through a wonderful, free service that has been offered by Google, called Google Reader. With Google Reader you could selected specific RSS feeds from around the Internet and have them neatly, and cleanly, delivered to your email account on a daily basis.
Sadly, the folks over at Google have decided that Google Reader is going away. As of July 1st, 2013, Google Reader will be history. I’m not a happy camper about this announcement. Google Reader has been a workhorse for me over the years and I will sorely miss it’s ease of use and clean, simple format.
Fortunately, there are some alternatives to Google Reader. Specifically, there is Newsblur, NetVibes, and Feedly. I have not explored either Newsblur, or NetVIbes, but have begun using Feedly and, I must admit, I am starting to get used to it.
So, while I will miss Google Reader, I am glad to see that there are some alternatives on the Internet which will performs many of the same functions. You’ve been a good friend, Reader. May you rest in peace.
Social Media and Niche Businesses
By Scott Spooner
Social Media. The promise as that all businesses coan take advantage and profit from a niche marketing strategy that includes social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and the like. While this may be true in theory, the reality is that many smaller businesses – and especially those in niche markets – aren’t ready for a social media strategy, and would be wasting both time and money by pursuing one.
Strong words? Let me explain.
I have spoken with dozens of small business owners who want to establish a presence in social media. They see the vast number of people posting on Facebook, tweeting on Twitter, and following each other on LinkedIn. With such an enorous prospect pool, why shouldn’t they jump in? Why indeed! In short, they have nothing to talk about.
Even now most business owners know little about social media. They may be aware that their children, or grandchildren, post, follow, or tweet, but they have little or no direct experience with either the platforms or the process. They focus on the “media” side of the term, and completely ignore the “social” side. So they find someone to create a Facebook page for them, start posting sales messages, then don’t understand why no one is stopping by that page and liking them. Worse yet, they don’t grasp why the Facebook page, or Twitter account, isn’t generating web traffic to their home page or foot traffic to their store.
The truth of the matter is that there is no reason for the traffic to flow.
Social media is about creating conversations and developing a community. It isn’t about, “hey, come over here and buy this”. When I am called in to remedy the situation, one of the first questions I ask is about the source of the content that they are posting up. Invariably, it is always tied to the latest product or service promotion. And that’s where the online conversation stops.
To be successful with social media, a busienss owner needs to think in terms of community; i.e. what is the business doing in the local community? Tell me about the community events you sponsor, or the charities you support. Tell me about the last Chamber mixer you atteneded, or the local Little League team you cheer. Give me a reason to become interested in your company and then I will follow you. Sales will follow from there.
Can sales messages be added from time to time? Of course. Just remember that the bigger part of social media is the “social” side. You wouldn’t attend a cocktail party and spend all of your time meeting people to hand out business cards would you? So don’t do it on the social media sites. Let people get to know your business and the role it plays in your community. That’s your story. That’s your lead in. That’s how you get people to listen to you and follow you.
And that’s when the traffic starts to flow and sales start to increase.
Google has recently announced that they have added demographic targeting to their AdWords program. In this case, demographic targeting refers to the advertisers ability to target their AdWords campaigns by selecting gender and age ranges as part of the criteria. In addition to the standard targeting criteria that AdWords offers, advertisers can now select gender and age ranges to the mix. You can also select “Unknown” if you either don’t know, or don’t care about, these last two demographic criteria.
According to the Google AdWords site:
“If your business caters to a specific set of customers within a particular age range or gender, you may want to target your ads to this audience because they’re more likely to be interested in your products or services. Demographic targeting in AdWords can help you reach customers who’re likely to be within the demographic groups that you choose.” ( click here to see the Google AdWords site).
This targeting enhancement will be welcome news to AdWords users who provide products and services aimed at a speciifc demographic model.
Google AdWords (Photo credit: Aray Chen)
Google performs this marketing magic by using cookies to help identify when a browser visits certain sites that are frequented by a certain gender or age range. In addition, some publishers provide Google with demographic information that people share on certain websites, such as social networking sites. This data is aggregated together and gives reasonable probabilities that a given user fits a certain demographic category.
All of this spells good news for niche marketers who can now use this demographic targeting to more precisely reach their prospects.
Marketing Research (Photo credit: dmhoro)
[Editor's note: Today's guest article takes a look at some tied and true, simple, and effective ways of collecting marketing data for you business. Have you tried any of these methods? How did they work out for you? Did you discover any new information about your market or customers? Feel free to leave a comment below. ~Scott]
Market research is indeed a good step if you are deciding to put up a small business or if you want to improve the performance of your business. One of the mistakes of some businesspeople is to assume that they pretty know their market well and disregards market research as a very good step in knowing what your clients need and want.
Conducting a good research on your market will also help you outwit competitors as this will be a good way to learn firsthand from your target market on what they want, what they prefer so you can conceptualize on the improvements that you want to do with your products. If you are thinking of conducting a research for your business, and you want to explore the market research techniques and methods that you can use, here are some ideas that may be of help.
1. Surveys. Surveys are among the most common and one of the best ways to gather data for your research. Of course, aside from getting answers from direct from the individual, you can also solicit a good and specific answer especially if you can ask follow up questions.
You can however do the surveys in many other ways as well. You can do surveys through questionnaire form and interview the person directly, or you can mail them, although mailing them generates lesser response than doing the interview personally. You can also do it as an online survey or through telephone. Of course, your choice of these market research techniques can be based on the cost, the turnout, as well as the reliability of the data gathered.
2. Focus group discussions. This is also another way of gathering data for your business research. This actually involves discussing a certain topic in a group and collecting their ideas about it. The discussion is then documented, either by either videotaping or by observing. This is also a fast technique to get data as well.
3. Interviewing the respondents personally. Indeed, if you want to know what your market is like and what are their thoughts, you can go and interview them personally. With personal interview, you can also ask open-ended questions that allow you to gather more data. Unlike those with questionnaires, these are usually unstructured interviews. These however may be less reliable than surveys and focus group discussions.
Aside from these data gathering methods, you can also use other market research techniques such as gathering data from free secondary sources and then do the primary data gathering if you think you need more specific data. However, going for the primary data is a good choice in your research especially if you want to outsmart your competitors, as this will often give you good and accurate data on the behavior of your market.
With accurate data, you will also be guided correctly on what to do or improve. Indeed, if you want to move ahead of the competition, do your market research. Techniques, methods and strategies in doing so are readily available and you can even do so with lesser costs as well.
Carolyn Anderson did a market research to improve her business. If you want an easier way to market research, check out faster, easier market research. Also check out Niche Annihilation Method, where you can find tips on how to make money online by having your niche website.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Anderson
http://EzineArticles.com/?Market-Research-Techniques—How-to-Gather-Data-for-Your-Business&id=5164871
[Today's guest article takes a look at the role of location based marketing (LBM) services for the "brick and mortar" (i.e. physical) business, and how a business owner might be able to leverage these services to promote their business. Tell me what you think? Have you used any LBM services to promote your business? How did it work out for you? Leave a comment below. ~Scott]
*****
Brick & Mortar social media marketing is the next frontier in the marketing and advertising space and the next step in marketing for traditional small businesses that have previously used less effective methods of advertising such as print or television ads. Instead of relying on these outdated and expensive marketing strategies, using foursquare for business promotion is the next step for small entrepreneurs such as restaurants and retail locations.
What do I mean by Brick & Mortar social media marketing? I mean old school “mom and pop” businesses starting to use social media and more specifically location based marketing to promote their businesses. I think that the next step for social media marketing and location based marketing specifically is for more mainstream adoption by traditional brick and mortar or mom and pop type businesses.
Social media is currently the playing field for big national brands and tech startups – but a space largely ignored by smaller businesses. Smaller businesses in the restaurant and retail industry specifically will be the next people to start really getting involved more actively in social media marketing. As customers become more familiar with services like Foursquare.
These marketing strategies for small businesses offer a great return on investment and provide a much more effective marketing strategy than traditional small business marketing. Using software like Foursquare for business advertising offers a great way for these small businesses to take advantage of social media. Instead of spending several thousand dollars on an expensive print or TV ad campaign, a simple coupon or promotional marketing campaign using location based marketing can yield huge dividends for a small business for tens of dollars.
The key to this transition is location based marketing. Why is that? Because location marketing is a way for those businesses who may have previously had no interest in social media, twitter follows, or Facebook (as an aside – I think every small business that faces consumers should have a Facebook page) can now use location services to drive customers physically into their store and to track those visits with check-ins.
This is a very compelling value proposition for small restaurant and retail locations – one that I think smart business owners will be jumping on sooner rather than later. Businesses that take advantage of the benefits of location based marketing will have a leg up on their competitors by attracting new customers and keeping their advertising costs down. In this tough economy, these are huge advantages.
Matt Bodnar is a restaurant entrepreneur with a passion for social media. Visit http://www.locationbasedmarketing.biz to learn more about location based marketing and download a free how-to guide giving you tips and strategies for using location based marketing.
(C) Copyright – Matt Bodnar. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Bodnar
http://EzineArticles.com/?Brick-and-Mortar-Social-Media-Marketing&id=6019866
Niche Marketing
[Editor's note: Today's guest article focuses on the role of the marketing plan as a means to identifying your niche. ~Scott]
By
It’s common wisdom that all any service professional or consultants needs to be successful is “passion”. Let it be known here that passion alone can be overrated. When you’re building a practice, you need more than passion. You need more than a high level of dedication and energy to succeed. You need a plan. A marketing plan with a marketing budget to be exact.
We’ve all seen this scenario played out in some form in your hometown. Typically, it begins as some starry-eyed owner rents retail space. The newly minted entrepreneur then spends his capital on cash registers, inventory and store signage.
When it’s time to open the doors to the shop, the owner is tapped out. The new business, struggling along on the thread bare path of “word of mouth” waits impatiently as bills mount and customers trickle in at a painfully slow pace. Within a matter of months, the newly opened store is finally spending some money on marketing, only it’s being spent advertising a “Going Out Of Business” sale.
To avoid the same fate, you need a marketing plan (a part of your overall business plan). Your marketing plan should begin with a thorough investigation into your target market.
* Who are your customers?
* Who is the competition?
* What problems do they have?
* What problems can you solve?
* Is someone willing and able to write a check to hire you to solve the above mentioned problems?
Once you’ve answered the questions above, you can successfully pick your “niche” market. The wonderful thing about niche markets is they are tightly targeted. That means your marketing dollars go further.
Marketing is merely a matter of bringing the solutions your target market is looking for to the attention of those who will benefit the most.
By defining those who will benefit most from your goods or services, you narrow your focus. Instead of “spraying and praying” with your marketing message, you’re speaking directly to your target audience. That cuts down considerably on your overall marketing expenses.
Finally, remember that marketing is not sales. Marketing is focused on the sales you’ll make next quarter and beyond. In sales, the focus is upon the sales to be made THIS quarter. Focusing on next quarter’s marketing will make next quarter’s sales goal a whole lot easier to make!
Foursquare and location based marketing
[Editor's note: This week's guest article focuses on "location based marketing" and how you can use it to increase sales. Have you tried some form of LBM? Tell me what you think by leaving a comment below. ~Scott]
By Matt Bodnar
Have you tried using social media for your business and found that it just isn’t working? A lackluster Facebook fan page or twitter account really doesn’t provide much value for the traditional brick and mortar small businesses of today.
The problem with these social platforms is that they don’t provide customers a direct incentive to walk into the store and make a purchase. When someone logs onto Facebook, the last thing they want to deal with is a local restaurant spamming their news feed with deals or promotions. People log onto Facebook to see updates from their friends.
How do you overcome this barrier? Use social media to market to people who are ALREADY in your store. That’s right. It sounds a little bit ridiculous, but with location based marketing, its a reality.
Not only can you market to people are physically present at your store, but you can also market to potential customers and give them incentives to stop by.
You can also craft deals and specials that entice people to return more frequently and to bring friends, leveraging social media to increase your customer base even further.
But before I get too ahead of myself, let me explain a little bit about location based marketing. I am a restaurateur and have used location based marketing successfully in my own businesses.
Location based marketing is the hottest new trend in online advertising and social media marketing. Location based marketing takes advantage of GPS enabled “location based services” or LBS such as Foursquare, Gowalla, Facebook Deals, and SCVNGR in order to allow customers to access coupons, deals, and specials in real time on their mobile devices.
Location based marketing is changing the way that businesses both big and small are engaging their customer base. Also known as geomarketing or proximity marketing – location marketing let’s small businesses reach their customers in real time using mobile technology.
Small businesses have often wondered – how does social media really help my business? It is very difficult to quantify exactly what benefit social media marketing has on your bottom line. It’s great to have twitter followers or fans on Facebook, but until you can monetize that revenue stream – there is no tangible impact.
Location based marketing turns these soft social media platforms into concrete social distribution platforms that can be used to directly increase your sales. The best part is that these service can be used for free, just like other forms of social media, drastically increasing your marketing ROI and the return on your marketing dollars.
Matt Bodnar is a restaurant entrepreneur with a passion for social media. Visit http://www.locationbasedmarketing.biz to learn more about location based marketing and download a free how-to guide giving you tips and strategies for using location based marketing.
(C) Copyright – Matt Bodnar. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Bodnar http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Location-Based-Marketing-Is-Revolutionizing-Social-Media&id=6183932
Hitting the target with niche marketing
[Editor's note: The concept of niche marketing is a simple one, but one that eludes most marketers. That is partly due to the fact that most marketing types don't really understand the idea of market segments or niches. The following primer will help set this right by defining niche marketing, and then discussing how to market to a niche, and then test your marketing efforts for effectiveness. Let me know what you think? Is niche marketing working for you? Feel free to share your experiences. ~Scott]
By Stuart Pearce
One of the best ways to increase sales is by targeting specific audiences that are interested in the products you have to offer. This form of marketing is called niche marketing. In order to target specific groups, you will need to evaluate the types of people who will most likely buy from your site, where to find these groups, and how to market to them.
Evaluating niche groups
You can evaluate niche groups by first deciding who you want to cater your business towards. Knowing your products or the affiliate program‘s products should tell you plenty. If you have created an email list, sending a short survey to your customers asking them a little about themselves (average age, income level, purchase preferences, family, and hobbies) is a great way to learn more about the types of people who are buying from your site.
Niche groups can be determined in many ways. Customers may be found in multiple groups, which can make choosing a niche group more difficult. The best way to cater to these groups is to choose two or three at a time, market to them, and see what happens.
Finding niche groups
The great thing about niche groups is that they are everywhere! Niche groups include hobbyists, political groups, gender groups, career groups, artists, writers, and others. Niche groups are usually attracted to similar web sites, blogs, and open forums. For example, soccer enthusiasts usually shop on similar sports web sites and sports news sites.
When looking for niche groups, visit forums that cater to these groups and ask questions. You will be surprised by all the responses. People enjoy talking about their hobbies, careers, and lives.
Visit web sites that are offer products that are similar to yours and see if other businesses have posted ads. Chances are, these businesses are frequented by the same niche groups.
Marketing to niche groups
Marketing to niche groups is slightly different from marketing to everyone else who finds your ad online. You will have to be more specific about what you’re selling and where you place ads. If you write articles that are going to be read by a specific group, you need to write on a topic they are interested in. The same goes for blogs and posting comments on forums.
Try marketing to several niche groups in order to get an idea of which ones are the most interested in what you are selling. Tracking where visitors are coming from is very important when marketing to certain groups.
Testing niche groups is the only way to see if they are the right ones for your business. You will have to allow some time for your marketing efforts to pay off, however. When marketing to specific groups, give it your all and try to boost sales as much as possible.
If, after a month, you do not see an increase in sales from a particular niche group, then focus your energies elsewhere. Focus on other groups until you find a few that show interest in your web site. Market more aggressively and enjoy the increase in sales.
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