The TownCriers News
Webintel's attempt to Entertain, Enlighten, & advise
it's readership
Forget the Fluff, you want... NET SUCCESS!
What's Net Success?
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We carry within us the wonders we seek without us. - Sir Thomas Browne
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ARTICLE:
Maintain your Network of Contacts
BY Kent Jacobson
A lot of people have transitioned from the centralized workplace to a more individualized computer-based one. In the formal business environment, we would come in contact daily with peers in our profession. A computer or web-based business, by the nature of it, can isolate some people from the social interaction that the previous workplace afforded. In other cases, some socially reserved people find they have a vast computer-based professional and social network of contacts. How we maintain our network depends on your individual situation. I have found four methods that continue to work for me. They are:1. For your web-based business, establish a method to capture and respond to people visiting your site by requesting contact information: name, email, nature of their business, etc. Keep this step simple and to a minimum; no one likes to fill out a bunch of information every time they visit a site. Make sure you set up an auto-reply program. The auto-reply response lets the person know you will follow-up in the future with relevant information. The response should be brief and professional. This method allows you to screen for people who really want follow-up information or are just scanning the web.2. Include in your email signature area links that are relevant to you. These should include your website address, your blog, and maybe an online forum you like. Include anything relevant, just in case your email gets passed on to someone who may find something appealing or of interest regarding this piece of information.3. Establish yourself a blog. Very simple to do and is an enjoyable way to express yourself and share information. You will find a blog can create quite a number of contacts by people commenting on the subject matter or topic. This will build a support network that you can target for your service or business.4. Participate in seminars, training sessions or workshops on subjects you are interested in. These are great ways to find and network with subject matter experts and people with similar interests and experiences. These can be online or in a seminar type situation. This is a great way to meet people with the same interests and discuss topics.Get out and network in some form or fashion; you never know who or what the next contact may lead to.
Copyright © Kent Jacobson -------------------------------------------------------------About the Author: Kent Jacobson, a.k.a. "Mr. Success" is a trusted authority in the success field and provides valuable success information for free through his website at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com . You can also read Kent's Success Blog to find more success secrets at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com/blog
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You know what keywords you're trying to target. But what terms and phrases are you actually targeting? And how do you rank with Google for any of these? Use the Text Rank Checking Tool for Google to quickly and easily sort all this out. Just enter your website's URL, and the tool will find words on the page that occur a certain number of times. It'll then take these terms to Google and see how visible your site is for any of them. Use the results to refine or expand your campaign, or as evidence of your search engine success. http://tools.seobook.com/general/ultimate-seo-tool/
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SEO Explained For People with Real Jobs
When talking to clients about marketing their business online I am asked "How do you get to #1 on Google?" While this article is not specially about how to become #1 - I will explain what the process is and what's involved.
Despite our widespread acceptance and use of the internet - I am always surprised by how many people really have no idea what SEO (search engine optimization) is about. They instinctively know WHY they like to click on that first listing in the natural results; but they don't have the first clue HOW it got there. Making matters worse is the fact that the internet world is largely unregulated and still being figured out - so it seems that everyone has their own "best practice" and definitions of things like SEO.
I usually tell clients that their intuitive feeling of WHY they trust that first listing is that - simply put - it's the best result for the phrase you type in. People seem to understand that. However most people don't really understand why one site would be better than another so here goes with a layman's explanation…
What is SEO, really?
SEO is the process of configuring a website so that it has a chance to show up in a search result for a particular phrase. In other words it is our way of telling Google, Yahoo, or MSN what we think our site is about. Many of the search engines have a slightly different formula for how they determine these results. But the short version is that they look at different factors of each website page, rank them and then give those results to you.
Why is SEO Important?
One word sums it up - competition. Depending on what study you read, there are as many as 20 billion web pages being indexed at any given time. The major search engines do their best to go through these pages and catalog them so that they can tell you about it if you use their website to search. With so many website pages out there competing for similar phrases it is absolutely critical to make sure you are using every tool at your disposal to make sure your customers can find you when they are looking.
OK, So What Should I Be Doing for SEO On My Site?
The good news is that doing SEO correctly is not complicated. The bad news is that it is time consuming and requires regular attention in order to maintain results. Our advice is to ethically follow these simple guidelines for best long-term results:
Good site structure - as simple as this sounds many people overlook this. Every day we see sites with heavy flash animation, dated frame designs, pages that don't work and broken links. The bottom line is that if you can't easily navigate a site without problems chances are the search engines can't either. And if a search engine can't go through your site you have absolutely no chance of showing up for a key phrase - no matter how pretty the flash.
Good meta-data - Clients often draw a blank with this one. Meta-data is geek-speak for the page titles, page descriptions and keywords that you enter for each page. Each page on your website should have a unique title and description that summarizes what that page is about.
Quickly create stunning web sales pages with order forms for your products
We often see 2 problems with meta-data. The first is that it is simply overlooked. I am stunned at how many sites have www.yoursite.com as the page title for every page - that's wasting prime online real estate.
The 2nd problem is spam. Putting in a page title or description that does not accurately match what the page is about is considered "spamming" a search engine. Doing this will get your page thrown out of the index and ruin any chance of showing up for a key phrase. Relevant content -
People seem to understand that good content is really what they are looking for when they search for something. By "relevant" we mean that the content is specific to the topic in question and recently updated. More and more we are seeing sites that have regular updates or blogs showing up higher in the search results than sites which have larger quantities of older, "stale" content on them.
Our recommendation is to add well-written, grammatically correct and spell-checked content to your website on a regular basis. This ensures that, over time, your site will become a "resource" to those looking for phrases related to your business.
Article Content Spinner
Responsible link building - This is perhaps the least understood part of SEO. In a nutshell search engines consider a link from another website to your website as a popularity vote. Think of it as power rankings for websites. In general the more sites which link to yours, the better; as this shows your site is relevant to the given topic.
Sadly though link building, like keywords and meta-data, have been abused by many site owners with schemes such as link farms where sites are setup simply to house links to other sites. We encourage careful and responsible link building with sites that are related to yours or through appropriate directories and article banks.
So there you have it - SEO explained for people with real jobs. Like most things it's not really that hard but it requires discipline which is where most people get off track. If you would like help with SEO for your website, or other online business needs we would love to hear from you.
About the Author: Andre Savoie. President of WSI (We Simplify the Internet) who help companies take advantage of opportunities to grow their business online. This may include search engine optimization, paid search advertising or newer tools such as social media optimization. My focus is on helping companies find the strategy that best fits their needs and budget and then establishing goals for each marketing campaign. You can visit us at www.mywsiconsultant.com or contact us via email at andre@mywsiconsultant.com.
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Thank you for your patronage,
The TownCriers News
The TownCriers News is owned, and distributed by Webintel_ad_agency; a subsidiary of Webintel.
Webintel is an International Business Conglomerate.Subscribers are invited to submit articles for publication in The TownCriers News. Selected submissions earn submitter a bi-line when their article is published.
Russ Wilson, for Webintel.
Also doing business here:
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Off the seventh tee, Joe sliced his shot deep into a wooded ravine. He took his eight iron and clambered down the embankment in search of his lost ball.
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Thursday, October 16, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
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The TownCriers News
Webintel's attempt to Entertain, Enlighten, & advise
it's readership
**
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ARTICLE: Explaining Your Product or Service to Online Customers
by Kimberly Clay
How can your product or service best be explained to the customer in a simple and concise manner?
Previously in an article series on website development, I've talked about selecting one message or theme to be communicated to customers as a means of defining a website, and considering the customer's perspective in terms of how the website is developed and presented. Today, I'd like to discuss how your product or service can be explained to your customer simply and concisely.
Let's ask this question. When you're surfing the 'net, how long do you want it to take at any particular website for you to figure out if the website has what you're searching for? Not long. In my experience, the time you have to grab a visitor's attention and interest in your website, product or service is somewhere between 30 to 35 seconds. When potential customers are surfing the Internet, you only have a matter of a few seconds to get their attention and convince them that your website has something that's worth more than a cursory glance.
Some webmasters attempt to accomplish this objective by using a lot of "bells and whistles", flashy things or goodness forbid, music. Things like electronic greeting cards, screen-savers or free email services are just a few of the tools used to try and get potential customers to stay at a particular website for longer periods of time. It's affectionately called making your website "sticky". And there's nothing inherently wrong with any of those methods, unless the purpose of your website is to sell vacuum widgets to your customers. If that's the case, your customer will be little interested in anything other than the smooth, efficient and economical operation of their vacuum equipment, and the products or services that will help them to accomplish that. But, back to our subject.
Your objective then, is to get your customer's attention and communicate to her simply and quickly what your product or service is and how its purchase will benefit her. This is best accomplished by utilizing the basic question model employed by journalists in developing a news story: Who, what, when, where, and why? For your purposes, you'll only need to answer three of these: Who, what, why?
"Who" explains who you are or who your company is. This gives you an opportunity to demonstrate either yours or your company's experience or expertise in the area of the customer's interest or concern. "What" explains your product or service, and provides you with an opportunity to highlight for the customer its features. "Why" explains the benefits of using your product or service, and also offers an opportunity for you to distinguish yourself and your product from the competition. By answering these three questions, you can completely but briefly give your customer enough information to determine whether or not they're interested in what you're offering.
Another thing that's important to remember when introducing your business, product or service to potential customers, is to communicate with the customer as if you're sitting down and having a nice conversation. No one wants to feel as if they're reading a novel or trying to unravel Shakespeare. In fact, it shouldn't feel to them as if they're reading at all. It should feel as if they're involved in conversation. Keep things simple, concise and uncomplicated. If you choose to use humor or wit, that's great because it can keep the interaction interesting and engaging for your customer. Just make certain that you have the talent to be humorous or witty. Otherwise, you may appear disingenuous and your customers may be turned off.
These are just a few thoughts and ideas to keep in mind when presenting your offering to potential buyers. Be respectful of people's time and make them feel it was worth their while to visit you. Be informative, helpful and brief. Then, if they're interested in what you offer and want more details, they'll stay on your site willingly. That's great for both of you, and most importantly, will likely cause them to return to your website and also to tell others.
To Your Success!
Copyright © Kimberly Clay
-------------------------------------------------------------
About the Author:
Kimberly Clay is a Internet business consultant providing assistance for budding entrepreneurs interested in establishing a business or building wealth from online income. She invites you to explore her site, GetMyWealthNow.com for expert information on developing an online enterprise and making money online.
http://www.getmywealthnow.com
**
Does this sound like you?
Sell?
I'm not a salesperson! I probably couldn't sell beer to fraternity boys on a Saturday night!"
Doesn't matter If you have this working for you!
**
ARTICLE: Getting The Most From Your Customers
by Dan Brown
Business on the Net is a fast paced proposition. Net entrepreneurs are looking for the edge that will take their business to the next level. Who doesn't want more business, right? Here's a simple yet POWERFUL idea for increasing your income.
As business people we look at many propositions that will help us take that next, much desired growth step. We hear that we must "brand" ourselves and be easy to do business with. The list of ideas goes on and on.
THE GOLD MINE IN YOUR BACKYARD
Many people overlook how hard (and expensive) it is to create a new customer. Yet, we focus most of our time and energy in just this area, thinking that if we just could get more customers we would achieve our goals. But what about getting more OUT OF your customers?
If you have been around for a while you have a customer list. That list is GOLD. Please understand that I am NOT talking about renting out your customer list of email addresses. What I AM talking about it approaching those customers, who know you and trust you already, with a totally new and different product.
Why should we limit ourselves to selling only one type of product or service when by adding an additional item to our current offerings we can TAKE ADVANTAGE of the relationship that exists now? Will your customers resent this move? Not if you do it with some style.
HOW TO DO IT
One of the keys is to choose a product or service that COMPLIMENTS what you already do. Whatever your product or service is, think through what your customer is likely to buy based upon purchasing your product.
If you sell shoes, someone is going to sell them socks and it might as well be you. Not only will you increase your revenue but you will encounter less sales resistance and show your customers that you are thinking of them.
Another method is to choose a product or service that CONTRASTS what you sell now. If you normally sell a business related product come back at them with a personal product. Why should they NOT buy it from you? You have proven yourself as honest and dependable; now cash in on that hard work.
DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK
One final word. Your customers decided to trust you when they bought what you sell. Capitalize on those good feelings and ask them for their feedback on what you have in mind. This is by far the most powerful, yet virtually free, market research available in the land. Use it wisely and your EXISTING CUSTOMERS will tell you both what they want to buy and when they want to buy it.
All you have to do then is step up, fill the need, and go to the bank.
Copyright © Dan Brown
-------------------------------------------------------------
About the Author:
Author Dan Brown has been an active in the internet community for the past 4 years. Dan currently is working with The Paid Surveys Report, introducing a very successful paid surveys database. http://paidsurveysreport.com/
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ARTICLE: How To Find And Sell to Your Small Business Niche
by Robert Moment
Any given market in its entirety is simply too vast for any business but the largest of corporations to properly undertake. Therefore, the most lucrative strategy for smaller businesses is dividing the potential demand into different manageable market niches, from which you can offer specialized goods and services, for attracting a specific group of those prospective clients.
There are, without a doubt, some types of products or services for which you are particularly suited to providing. Have a good look at the market, and you will be certain to find some ideal opportunities.
So what does finding a niche really mean for your small business? Identifying your small business niche means that you are discovering a distinct corner in the market, for your business to provide to a certain specific customer interest - and then capitalizing on it. It means that you find that one special spot within the business world where you stand out the most.
Now that you know exactly what a niche is, there are certain things that you need to find out about yourself and your small business before you take a look at that ever-reaching industry you’re looking to tackle.
Ask yourself:
* What is my company good at/what am I good at? When you answer this question, have a good look at your skills, and those within your current business. Find the areas in which your strongest skills lie, and list them. You may be surprised at what you discover. Performing this type of inventory really brings out the strengths as well as the potential of your business.
* What do I enjoy doing? What are the things that you love to do the most both in a business scenario, or even when there is not a profit available. The best place to start looking, is at your hobbies. These are the things that you enjoy the most, and into which you’re likely willing to invest a fairly significant amount of money. Therefore, you can potentially translate this particular passion into profit. This will not only make your business a more enjoyable venture, but it will also provide you with additional stamina and focus, which is crucial in starting a new business, or redirecting the focus of an existing business.
* What is needed? Now that you know what you can do well, and what you like to do, it’s important to assess these things with regards to what customers are willing to buy.
To find out what is needed, you’ll want to look into your potential customers, you’ll need to examine what is already being purchased, and consider trends for the future. Sound daunting? Actually, it’s simpler than you think.
As you research a niche for your own operation, perform a market survey and contemplate its results in order to discover the areas which have already been adequately saturated by your competitors. Place all of the gathered information into a table or a graph in order to illustrate where openings may exist for your products or services. Concentrate on finding the proper arrangement of products, services, quality, and price, in order to be certain that competition is as indirect as possible.
Regrettably, there is no universally guaranteed strategy for making those comparisons, however, the more thorough your examinations of the marketplace, the more accurate, practical, and successful your factual information and your “gut” instincts will be. The reason for the lack of a cast iron formula for discovering where competition is the most thin is due to the vast range in the desired attributes within any industry, as well as a certain imaginative element which simply cannot be formalized. There needs to be a proper balance between competition, and actual client interest in your product or service.
As you brainstorm for fantastic small business niche ideas, keep in mind that the heart of any successful venture is providing a product or a service that will be purchased in quantity by others. To do this, you will need to satisfy the needs of your target market, and in return, your target market will keep your small business healthy, happy, and (best of all) profitable.
By designing a quality database (or having one designed for you by a professional in the industry), you will be better able to sift through all of the market information available, in order to make a qualified decision about particular market segments which may not otherwise be obvious.
For example, do clients within a certain geographic region, or government agency or department typically buy products combining high quality and high price, or does that area look for the more “economical” choice? Do the customers from the market niche that you are considering tend to utilize customer service opportunities on a more regular basis? When you have the answer to these questions, you will be able to custom-tailor your business to meet the needs of that niche, making your business the obvious choice.
But where does one find all of this spectacularly handy information? The Internet is a natural, and highly effective solution. The Internet has become possibly the most broad and valuable source of current information for today’s small business. If you were a corporation, it would be easy to simply hire a team to discover the proper niche in the market for your business, however, as a small business, certain financial limitations step into place. Therefore, the Internet provides you with a tool to somewhat level the playing field. You can take all the information gathered by corporations, large companies, small enterprises, and home businesses alike, and apply them to your own business in order to discover what the world has to offer you.
Information about almost any product or service available around the globe is simply a mouse-click away. Brainstorm, ponder, and research all of the questions that can be relevant to your market, and then use the Internet to narrow down all of the information.
Remember, though, once you do target a new niche market, make certain that this niche doesn’t conflict with your overall business plan. Your niche has to be within the realm of possibilities for your company and your potential.
Finding your own little niche in the enormous marketplace is a fantastic way to maximize the success potential of your small business. Primarily because your largest direct competitor... is you!
Copyright © Robert Moment
Sell Integrity http://www.sellintegrity.com/
-------------------------------------------------------------
About the Author:
Robert Moment is a successful master business and success strategist and author of "It Only Takes a Moment to Score", which is currently available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. Robert show entrepreneurs how to avoid becoming a statistic and turn their ideas into wealth and have FUN !
Grab a copy of his Free Special Report, "17 Profitable Ways to Turn Your Content into Money".
Visit: http://www.sellintegrity.com
**
Do you ever feel like this? Wouldn't you like to be free again?
**
In fact, selling may turn-off a prospect who was ready to buy. So if you can't SELL, what you can do is TELL. In order to tell you about my product or service:
I get your attention...
I build rapport with you...
I explain what’s in it for you...
I tempt you by appealing to your emotions...
I create a verbal picture that teases your desires...
I demonstrate how my stuff can easily solve your problems...
I can prove to you that there’re a lot people just like you who have bought and are very happy with my stuff...
I make you an absolutely irresistible offer...
I describe a deal where you risk nothing, and yet stand to gain a great deal...
I handle every single one of your objections...
This is exactly what you've gotta do when you’re writing a sales letter. Don’t apply pressure and don’t bully your prospect with force. Use a little finesse instead. Don't force it -- romance the hell out of it.
Here’s what most people are looking for in one way or another:
More money
More free time
More respect
Better physical health
Better mental health
Less stress
Remember, people buy what they WANT, not what they NEED.
The lesson: People CAN be convinced, when the facts are explained, when the risk is taken away, and when their deepest, most selfish desires have been tickled and nurtured and seduced.
An irresistible offer is an "invitation" that is so clearly compelling, so powerful, and so obviously attractive that no one in his/her mind could refuse.
That's the kind of offer you want to make, too.
"Whip Up An Immediate Buying Frenzy"
Here's a mathematical formula you need to know: Delay = Lost Sales. And here's the flipside: Fast Action = Big Money.
Overload Your Prospects With Bonuses
A Bonus on Bonuses: whenever you add bonuses to your offer... you must work just as hard selling the bonuses as you do selling your product or service!
We talked earlier about the best bonuses having a high perceived-value. That doesn't happen by magic. You must build the value in the mind of your prospects... tell them the worth -- financial (tangible) and emotional -- of EACH bonus item and what’s special about them individually and collectively...
Make Your Offer As Risk-Free As Possible
Lifetime Guarantee
“rework” your copy to make sure it squeezes every ounce of potential profit from your existing traffic?
Brand recognition is the foundation
of every marketing strategy.
If you're a small business owner, YOU are your brand.
That means you must sell yourself as well as your product or service.
You've got to be your own full-time marketing campaign 24 hours a day... because nobody else will!
Lesson #1 - Too Much Is Never Enough
And don't worry that you're making some kind of lifetime commitment. You can unsubscribe at anytime. No hard feelings whatsoever.
"Author Unknown"
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**
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
I had an interesting experience recently, in which I got to play the role of a "secret shopper". My wife's friend is the manager of a store (I won't say what store or what type of store in the interest of anonymity), and she asked us if we would go to the store and evaluate the employees working that particular shift. Have you ever used a "secret shopper?"
She gave us a checklist that was several pages long, which consisted of all of the things that employees are expected to do regarding customers - greeting us at the door, wearing name tags, proper assistance, and things of that nature. Naturally I thought the experience would make for a good article.
As a business owner, particularly if you are in some form of retail business, you may not always be around. Your employees might be at the top of their game when you're there, but how can you be sure that this continues when you're not?
Getting someone to participate as a secret shopper could give you the insight you need for evaluating employee performance. There are programs out there that will connect businesses with secret shoppers, or you can just get someone you know to do it if they are willing.
Breach of Trust?
One downside to this approach is the possibility of losing the respect of your employees. If you do engage in a secret shopper situation, it is probably best that the employees never find out about it. They will not appreciate being spied on, and no longer trust you. If your employees can't trust you and/or respect you, they're not going to be happy working for you, and will quite possibly begin looking for another job.
You're Running a Business
Still, you're running a business. While the employees who know they are doing a good job would be peeved at the idea of a secret shopper, the ones who know they've been slacking may take the results as a needed wake-up call. The secret shopper project should be kept secret, but let the problem-employees know that you know what is going on. The amount of subtlety you apply is up to you.
If you do use a secret shopper and all of your employees pass the test with flying colors, reward them. Even if they don't know why you're rewarding them, you can show them that you appreciate the work they've been doing, and they will surely respect that.
Interested in becoming a secret shopper and making money doing it?
About the Author:
Chris is a content coordinator and staff writer for SmallBusinessNewz and the iEntry Network. Subscribe to SmallBusinessNewz RSS Feeds.
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Want to Boost Your Readership?
By Chris Crum - Wed, 08/27/2008 - 1:26pm.
Get off to the right start...
Article marketing can be one of the most effective forms of Internet marketing, whether you write for established publications, have your articles syndicated across content networks, or simply maintain your own blog. The strategy is worthless however, if you can't keep the readers' attention. On the Internet, attention spans are shorter than anywhere due to the sheer amount of options for obtaining information.
Tips for Capturing Reader Interest
In other words, if you can't make your own writing stand out to some extent, you're not going have much success from it. Doug offered some good tips the other day, such as aiming for a conversational tone, using bulleted lists, and keeping the number of words per page fairly small.
People commenting on that article offered more tips like using "chunk content", short sentences, headings and links. These are all good tips, but I wouldn't use the same format with every piece of writing. Being repetitive leads to boredom, and boredom leads to losing readership. Avoid cookie-cutter article templates. Mix it up.
Including relevant images and even videos within your writing is another good way to capture interest.
You Want Readers to Share Your Content with Others
You've got to think about getting people interested enough to share your work with others. That is where the real power of article marketing is generated. It is one thing to have a regular readership, but thanks to sites like Digg and StumbleUpon, readers can pass along what they like to the rest of the community with great ease. If what they like is an article by you, it can equate to a nice boost for that readership.
You may think you have a great topic for an article that could generate some amount of buzz, but if it is buried within a boring article format that doesn't grasp the reader's attention from the get-go, that reader may not even get far enough to realize that the article is in fact interesting.
Don't Forget About the Title
A good title is crucial for this reason as well. A few strategies for effective titles are:
- inspire curiosity
- ask a question
- use keywords of interest
Don't give away your whole article in the title, however. If what you have to say is completely summed up in the title, there will be no reason to read the article.
At the risk of violating the policy of keeping articles short and sweet, I'm going to wrap this up right here. For more article advice from me, read this. What ways do you use to encourage readers to share your articles?
News Tags: Marketing, eBusiness, article marketing, online business, Internet Marketing
About the author:
Chris is a content coordinator and staff writer for SmallBusinessNewz and the iEntry Network. Subscribe to SmallBusinessNewz RSS Feeds.
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ARTICLE: Is Networking A Part Of Your Internet Marketing Arsenal?
BY Kimberly Clay
Are you an entrepreneur, locked in your business silo (home office/desk area that's shoved into the corner of your bedroom or kitchen/cleared space in your basement or garage), hovering over your computer, intently focused on success? Are you trying to figure out what you need to do and how you're going to do it, barely coming up for air, never interacting with anyone because there's not enough time and you have to concentrate?
If you're a small business owner just beginning to create and develop online ventures? Or are you a more seasoned entrepreneur, but you've only met with marginal success? If so, one of the most valuable things you can do to advance your entrepreneurial success is to network.
There is a long-standing truth in business that many of the most successful ventures emanate from relationships developed through networking. Whether it's a conference or seminar event, a chamber of commerce function or tee time at the local golf course, networking provides numerous opportunities for business people to get together, to meet one another, and to share ideas and make deals.
Unfortunately though, many individuals involved with online businesses tend to separate business practices between the world of offline business and the online business environment (I'm not exactly sure why). As a result, they tend not to be as involved in networking activities as perhaps they would be if they owned “brick and mortar” businesses rather than a web-based enterprises. But, if networking is a successful tool offline, doesn't it follow that it would probably make sense to do the same thing in terms of your online business?
While you may not have the opportunity of meeting people “face to face” in your online contacts (although oftentimes once a business relationship has been established, face to face meetings eventually result), there are still plenty of opportunities to network with your online peers.
Networking isn't complicated. It is simply about getting to know others, helping them to achieve their goals, and hoping that in turn, someone will help you. It's about connecting people and resources to “make things happen”. In fact, the Internet is really just one big network of people sharing information.
Networking has various benefits. It provides a source of new and reliable information that can be of immense benefit to you as you grow and develop your business. In terms of marketing, networking can also serve as a valuable, and often surprisingly accurate, market barometer. It can be an information source for new ideas and products, and provide a source of support for dealing with common issues, technique sharing and more.
Networking is also an excellent means of discovering how successful people do things, how those things are different from what you do, and discovering how their tools and strategies cause their businesses to succeed.
Other networking advantages include:
* Providing a means for you to find opportunities before they're published.
* Providing you an environment to create opportunities or have them created specifically for you.
* Allowing you to bring your strengths and qualities to the attention of others.
* Establishing a means for you to develop a “warm” market for your products and services.
* Providing a safe place for product or promotional testing.
* Opportunities for mentoring
* Opportunities to receive advanced training
Established networks can take a variety of forms that may range from very casual to quite formal, such as the network of a professional society or membership. Networks serve a variety of different purposes based on the objectives of its participants or members, and they also require different levels of involvement, again based on their established purposes. Prior to joining a network, it is beneficial to evaluate its purpose, mission, membership and potential benefits relative to your needs and goals.
A note of caution: Always be aware that networking carries with it an inherent risk. When information is shared, there is always the possibility of a breach of confidentiality. Whenever you choose to share information of a sensitive nature, be certain that you are completely comfortable with and confident in the integrity of the individual or persons with whom that information is being shared.
There are a number of places to find networking opportunities online including forums, blogs and membership sites. If you aren't familiar with any, simply search Google, Yahoo or any of the main search engines for “your topic” forums, or “your topic” membership sites, or “your topic” blogs to find one you like.
Here are a few suggestions for general networking sources to help get you started:
America's Small Business Development Center Network – provides assistance for new entrepreneurs and assists existing businesses in remaining competitive in the global economy -
http://www.asbdc-us.org
Sitepoint – site and topics are geared toward the web development community - http://www.sitepoint.com
WomanOwned.com – a site dedicated to providing information, tools, advice and networking opportunities for women starting and growing their businesses - http://www.womanowned.com
Now, get to work.
Copyright © Kimberly Clay
-------------------------------------------------------------
About the Author:
Kimberly Clay is the author of “Article Writing For Fun And Profit”. You can learn more about Internet marketing and business strategies from her Internet Marketing Wealth Building Blog at http://www.blog.GetMyWealthNow.com, and discover Internet home business opportunities at http://www.GetMyWealthNow.com/20_Ways_To_100.htm.
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ARTICLE: Explaining Your Product or Service to Online Customers
by Kimberly Clay
How can your product or service best be explained to the customer in a simple and concise manner?
Previously in an article series on website development, I've talked about selecting one message or theme to be communicated to customers as a means of defining a website, and considering the customer's perspective in terms of how the website is developed and presented. Today, I'd like to discuss how your product or service can be explained to your customer simply and concisely.
Let's ask this question. When you're surfing the 'net, how long do you want it to take at any particular website for you to figure out if the website has what you're searching for? Not long. In my experience, the time you have to grab a visitor's attention and interest in your website, product or service is somewhere between 30 to 35 seconds. When potential customers are surfing the Internet, you only have a matter of a few seconds to get their attention and convince them that your website has something that's worth more than a cursory glance.
Some webmasters attempt to accomplish this objective by using a lot of "bells and whistles", flashy things or goodness forbid, music. Things like electronic greeting cards, screen-savers or free email services are just a few of the tools used to try and get potential customers to stay at a particular website for longer periods of time. It's affectionately called making your website "sticky". And there's nothing inherently wrong with any of those methods, unless the purpose of your website is to sell vacuum widgets to your customers. If that's the case, your customer will be little interested in anything other than the smooth, efficient and economical operation of their vacuum equipment, and the products or services that will help them to accomplish that. But, back to our subject.
Your objective then, is to get your customer's attention and communicate to her simply and quickly what your product or service is and how its purchase will benefit her. This is best accomplished by utilizing the basic question model employed by journalists in developing a news story: Who, what, when, where, and why? For your purposes, you'll only need to answer three of these: Who, what, why?
"Who" explains who you are or who your company is. This gives you an opportunity to demonstrate either yours or your company's experience or expertise in the area of the customer's interest or concern. "What" explains your product or service, and provides you with an opportunity to highlight for the customer its features. "Why" explains the benefits of using your product or service, and also offers an opportunity for you to distinguish yourself and your product from the competition. By answering these three questions, you can completely but briefly give your customer enough information to determine whether or not they're interested in what you're offering.
Another thing that's important to remember when introducing your business, product or service to potential customers, is to communicate with the customer as if you're sitting down and having a nice conversation. No one wants to feel as if they're reading a novel or trying to unravel Shakespeare. In fact, it shouldn't feel to them as if they're reading at all. It should feel as if they're involved in conversation. Keep things simple, concise and uncomplicated. If you choose to use humor or wit, that's great because it can keep the interaction interesting and engaging for your customer. Just make certain that you have the talent to be humorous or witty. Otherwise, you may appear disingenuous and your customers may be turned off.
These are just a few thoughts and ideas to keep in mind when presenting your offering to potential buyers. Be respectful of people's time and make them feel it was worth their while to visit you. Be informative, helpful and brief. Then, if they're interested in what you offer and want more details, they'll stay on your site willingly. That's great for both of you, and most importantly, will likely cause them to return to your website and also to tell others.
To Your Success!
Copyright © Kimberly Clay
-------------------------------------------------------------
About the Author:
Kimberly Clay is a Internet business consultant providing assistance for budding entrepreneurs interested in establishing a business or building wealth from online income. She invites you to explore her site, GetMyWealthNow.com for expert information on developing an online enterprise and making money online.
http://www.getmywealthnow.com
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ARTICLE: Getting The Most From Your Customers
by Dan Brown
Business on the Net is a fast paced proposition. Net entrepreneurs are looking for the edge that will take their business to the next level. Who doesn't want more business, right? Here's a simple yet POWERFUL idea for increasing your income.
As business people we look at many propositions that will help us take that next, much desired growth step. We hear that we must "brand" ourselves and be easy to do business with. The list of ideas goes on and on.
THE GOLD MINE IN YOUR BACKYARD
Many people overlook how hard (and expensive) it is to create a new customer. Yet, we focus most of our time and energy in just this area, thinking that if we just could get more customers we would achieve our goals. But what about getting more OUT OF your customers?
If you have been around for a while you have a customer list. That list is GOLD. Please understand that I am NOT talking about renting out your customer list of email addresses. What I AM talking about it approaching those customers, who know you and trust you already, with a totally new and different product.
Why should we limit ourselves to selling only one type of product or service when by adding an additional item to our current offerings we can TAKE ADVANTAGE of the relationship that exists now? Will your customers resent this move? Not if you do it with some style.
HOW TO DO IT
One of the keys is to choose a product or service that COMPLIMENTS what you already do. Whatever your product or service is, think through what your customer is likely to buy based upon purchasing your product.
If you sell shoes, someone is going to sell them socks and it might as well be you. Not only will you increase your revenue but you will encounter less sales resistance and show your customers that you are thinking of them.
Another method is to choose a product or service that CONTRASTS what you sell now. If you normally sell a business related product come back at them with a personal product. Why should they NOT buy it from you? You have proven yourself as honest and dependable; now cash in on that hard work.
DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK
One final word. Your customers decided to trust you when they bought what you sell. Capitalize on those good feelings and ask them for their feedback on what you have in mind. This is by far the most powerful, yet virtually free, market research available in the land. Use it wisely and your EXISTING CUSTOMERS will tell you both what they want to buy and when they want to buy it.
All you have to do then is step up, fill the need, and go to the bank.
Copyright © Dan Brown
-------------------------------------------------------------
About the Author:
Author Dan Brown has been an active in the internet community for the past 4 years. Dan currently is working with The Paid Surveys Report, introducing a very successful paid surveys database. http://paidsurveysreport.com/
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ARTICLE: How To Find And Sell to Your Small Business Niche
by Robert Moment
Any given market in its entirety is simply too vast for any business but the largest of corporations to properly undertake. Therefore, the most lucrative strategy for smaller businesses is dividing the potential demand into different manageable market niches, from which you can offer specialized goods and services, for attracting a specific group of those prospective clients.
There are, without a doubt, some types of products or services for which you are particularly suited to providing. Have a good look at the market, and you will be certain to find some ideal opportunities.
So what does finding a niche really mean for your small business? Identifying your small business niche means that you are discovering a distinct corner in the market, for your business to provide to a certain specific customer interest - and then capitalizing on it. It means that you find that one special spot within the business world where you stand out the most.
Now that you know exactly what a niche is, there are certain things that you need to find out about yourself and your small business before you take a look at that ever-reaching industry you’re looking to tackle.
Ask yourself:
* What is my company good at/what am I good at? When you answer this question, have a good look at your skills, and those within your current business. Find the areas in which your strongest skills lie, and list them. You may be surprised at what you discover. Performing this type of inventory really brings out the strengths as well as the potential of your business.
* What do I enjoy doing? What are the things that you love to do the most both in a business scenario, or even when there is not a profit available. The best place to start looking, is at your hobbies. These are the things that you enjoy the most, and into which you’re likely willing to invest a fairly significant amount of money. Therefore, you can potentially translate this particular passion into profit. This will not only make your business a more enjoyable venture, but it will also provide you with additional stamina and focus, which is crucial in starting a new business, or redirecting the focus of an existing business.
* What is needed? Now that you know what you can do well, and what you like to do, it’s important to assess these things with regards to what customers are willing to buy.
To find out what is needed, you’ll want to look into your potential customers, you’ll need to examine what is already being purchased, and consider trends for the future. Sound daunting? Actually, it’s simpler than you think.
As you research a niche for your own operation, perform a market survey and contemplate its results in order to discover the areas which have already been adequately saturated by your competitors. Place all of the gathered information into a table or a graph in order to illustrate where openings may exist for your products or services. Concentrate on finding the proper arrangement of products, services, quality, and price, in order to be certain that competition is as indirect as possible.
Regrettably, there is no universally guaranteed strategy for making those comparisons, however, the more thorough your examinations of the marketplace, the more accurate, practical, and successful your factual information and your “gut” instincts will be. The reason for the lack of a cast iron formula for discovering where competition is the most thin is due to the vast range in the desired attributes within any industry, as well as a certain imaginative element which simply cannot be formalized. There needs to be a proper balance between competition, and actual client interest in your product or service.
As you brainstorm for fantastic small business niche ideas, keep in mind that the heart of any successful venture is providing a product or a service that will be purchased in quantity by others. To do this, you will need to satisfy the needs of your target market, and in return, your target market will keep your small business healthy, happy, and (best of all) profitable.
By designing a quality database (or having one designed for you by a professional in the industry), you will be better able to sift through all of the market information available, in order to make a qualified decision about particular market segments which may not otherwise be obvious.
For example, do clients within a certain geographic region, or government agency or department typically buy products combining high quality and high price, or does that area look for the more “economical” choice? Do the customers from the market niche that you are considering tend to utilize customer service opportunities on a more regular basis? When you have the answer to these questions, you will be able to custom-tailor your business to meet the needs of that niche, making your business the obvious choice.
But where does one find all of this spectacularly handy information? The Internet is a natural, and highly effective solution. The Internet has become possibly the most broad and valuable source of current information for today’s small business. If you were a corporation, it would be easy to simply hire a team to discover the proper niche in the market for your business, however, as a small business, certain financial limitations step into place. Therefore, the Internet provides you with a tool to somewhat level the playing field. You can take all the information gathered by corporations, large companies, small enterprises, and home businesses alike, and apply them to your own business in order to discover what the world has to offer you.
Information about almost any product or service available around the globe is simply a mouse-click away. Brainstorm, ponder, and research all of the questions that can be relevant to your market, and then use the Internet to narrow down all of the information.
Remember, though, once you do target a new niche market, make certain that this niche doesn’t conflict with your overall business plan. Your niche has to be within the realm of possibilities for your company and your potential.
Finding your own little niche in the enormous marketplace is a fantastic way to maximize the success potential of your small business. Primarily because your largest direct competitor... is you!
Copyright © Robert Moment
Sell Integrity http://www.sellintegrity.com/
-------------------------------------------------------------
About the Author:
Robert Moment is a successful master business and success strategist and author of "It Only Takes a Moment to Score", which is currently available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. Robert show entrepreneurs how to avoid becoming a statistic and turn their ideas into wealth and have FUN !
Grab a copy of his Free Special Report, "17 Profitable Ways to Turn Your Content into Money".
Visit: http://www.sellintegrity.com
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Do you ever feel like this? Wouldn't you like to be free again?
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In fact, selling may turn-off a prospect who was ready to buy. So if you can't SELL, what you can do is TELL. In order to tell you about my product or service:
I get your attention...
I build rapport with you...
I explain what’s in it for you...
I tempt you by appealing to your emotions...
I create a verbal picture that teases your desires...
I demonstrate how my stuff can easily solve your problems...
I can prove to you that there’re a lot people just like you who have bought and are very happy with my stuff...
I make you an absolutely irresistible offer...
I describe a deal where you risk nothing, and yet stand to gain a great deal...
I handle every single one of your objections...
This is exactly what you've gotta do when you’re writing a sales letter. Don’t apply pressure and don’t bully your prospect with force. Use a little finesse instead. Don't force it -- romance the hell out of it.
Here’s what most people are looking for in one way or another:
More money
More free time
More respect
Better physical health
Better mental health
Less stress
Remember, people buy what they WANT, not what they NEED.
The lesson: People CAN be convinced, when the facts are explained, when the risk is taken away, and when their deepest, most selfish desires have been tickled and nurtured and seduced.
An irresistible offer is an "invitation" that is so clearly compelling, so powerful, and so obviously attractive that no one in his/her mind could refuse.
That's the kind of offer you want to make, too.
"Whip Up An Immediate Buying Frenzy"
Here's a mathematical formula you need to know: Delay = Lost Sales. And here's the flipside: Fast Action = Big Money.
Overload Your Prospects With Bonuses
A Bonus on Bonuses: whenever you add bonuses to your offer... you must work just as hard selling the bonuses as you do selling your product or service!
We talked earlier about the best bonuses having a high perceived-value. That doesn't happen by magic. You must build the value in the mind of your prospects... tell them the worth -- financial (tangible) and emotional -- of EACH bonus item and what’s special about them individually and collectively...
Make Your Offer As Risk-Free As Possible
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Brand recognition is the foundation
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That means you must sell yourself as well as your product or service.
You've got to be your own full-time marketing campaign 24 hours a day... because nobody else will!
Lesson #1 - Too Much Is Never Enough
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Tuesday, September 09, 2008
I had an interesting experience recently, in which I got to play the role of a "secret shopper". My wife's friend is the manager of a store (I won't say what store or what type of store in the interest of anonymity), and she asked us if we would go to the store and evaluate the employees working that particular shift. Have you ever used a "secret shopper?"
She gave us a checklist that was several pages long, which consisted of all of the things that employees are expected to do regarding customers - greeting us at the door, wearing name tags, proper assistance, and things of that nature. Naturally I thought the experience would make for a good article.
As a business owner, particularly if you are in some form of retail business, you may not always be around. Your employees might be at the top of their game when you're there, but how can you be sure that this continues when you're not?
Getting someone to participate as a secret shopper could give you the insight you need for evaluating employee performance. There are programs out there that will connect businesses with secret shoppers, or you can just get someone you know to do it if they are willing.
Breach of Trust?
One downside to this approach is the possibility of losing the respect of your employees. If you do engage in a secret shopper situation, it is probably best that the employees never find out about it. They will not appreciate being spied on, and no longer trust you. If your employees can't trust you and/or respect you, they're not going to be happy working for you, and will quite possibly begin looking for another job.
You're Running a Business
Still, you're running a business. While the employees who know they are doing a good job would be peeved at the idea of a secret shopper, the ones who know they've been slacking may take the results as a needed wake-up call. The secret shopper project should be kept secret, but let the problem-employees know that you know what is going on. The amount of subtlety you apply is up to you.
If you do use a secret shopper and all of your employees pass the test with flying colors, reward them. Even if they don't know why you're rewarding them, you can show them that you appreciate the work they've been doing, and they will surely respect that.
Interested in becoming a secret shopper and making money doing it?
About the Author:
Chris is a content coordinator and staff writer for SmallBusinessNewz and the iEntry Network. Subscribe to SmallBusinessNewz RSS Feeds.
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Want to Boost Your Readership?
By Chris Crum - Wed, 08/27/2008 - 1:26pm.
Get off to the right start...
Article marketing can be one of the most effective forms of Internet marketing, whether you write for established publications, have your articles syndicated across content networks, or simply maintain your own blog. The strategy is worthless however, if you can't keep the readers' attention. On the Internet, attention spans are shorter than anywhere due to the sheer amount of options for obtaining information.
Tips for Capturing Reader Interest
In other words, if you can't make your own writing stand out to some extent, you're not going have much success from it. Doug offered some good tips the other day, such as aiming for a conversational tone, using bulleted lists, and keeping the number of words per page fairly small.
People commenting on that article offered more tips like using "chunk content", short sentences, headings and links. These are all good tips, but I wouldn't use the same format with every piece of writing. Being repetitive leads to boredom, and boredom leads to losing readership. Avoid cookie-cutter article templates. Mix it up.
Including relevant images and even videos within your writing is another good way to capture interest.
You Want Readers to Share Your Content with Others
You've got to think about getting people interested enough to share your work with others. That is where the real power of article marketing is generated. It is one thing to have a regular readership, but thanks to sites like Digg and StumbleUpon, readers can pass along what they like to the rest of the community with great ease. If what they like is an article by you, it can equate to a nice boost for that readership.
You may think you have a great topic for an article that could generate some amount of buzz, but if it is buried within a boring article format that doesn't grasp the reader's attention from the get-go, that reader may not even get far enough to realize that the article is in fact interesting.
Don't Forget About the Title
A good title is crucial for this reason as well. A few strategies for effective titles are:
- inspire curiosity
- ask a question
- use keywords of interest
Don't give away your whole article in the title, however. If what you have to say is completely summed up in the title, there will be no reason to read the article.
At the risk of violating the policy of keeping articles short and sweet, I'm going to wrap this up right here. For more article advice from me, read this. What ways do you use to encourage readers to share your articles?
News Tags: Marketing, eBusiness, article marketing, online business, Internet Marketing
About the author:
Chris is a content coordinator and staff writer for SmallBusinessNewz and the iEntry Network. Subscribe to SmallBusinessNewz RSS Feeds.
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ARTICLE: Is Networking A Part Of Your Internet Marketing Arsenal?
BY Kimberly Clay
Are you an entrepreneur, locked in your business silo (home office/desk area that's shoved into the corner of your bedroom or kitchen/cleared space in your basement or garage), hovering over your computer, intently focused on success? Are you trying to figure out what you need to do and how you're going to do it, barely coming up for air, never interacting with anyone because there's not enough time and you have to concentrate?
If you're a small business owner just beginning to create and develop online ventures? Or are you a more seasoned entrepreneur, but you've only met with marginal success? If so, one of the most valuable things you can do to advance your entrepreneurial success is to network.
There is a long-standing truth in business that many of the most successful ventures emanate from relationships developed through networking. Whether it's a conference or seminar event, a chamber of commerce function or tee time at the local golf course, networking provides numerous opportunities for business people to get together, to meet one another, and to share ideas and make deals.
Unfortunately though, many individuals involved with online businesses tend to separate business practices between the world of offline business and the online business environment (I'm not exactly sure why). As a result, they tend not to be as involved in networking activities as perhaps they would be if they owned “brick and mortar” businesses rather than a web-based enterprises. But, if networking is a successful tool offline, doesn't it follow that it would probably make sense to do the same thing in terms of your online business?
While you may not have the opportunity of meeting people “face to face” in your online contacts (although oftentimes once a business relationship has been established, face to face meetings eventually result), there are still plenty of opportunities to network with your online peers.
Networking isn't complicated. It is simply about getting to know others, helping them to achieve their goals, and hoping that in turn, someone will help you. It's about connecting people and resources to “make things happen”. In fact, the Internet is really just one big network of people sharing information.
Networking has various benefits. It provides a source of new and reliable information that can be of immense benefit to you as you grow and develop your business. In terms of marketing, networking can also serve as a valuable, and often surprisingly accurate, market barometer. It can be an information source for new ideas and products, and provide a source of support for dealing with common issues, technique sharing and more.
Networking is also an excellent means of discovering how successful people do things, how those things are different from what you do, and discovering how their tools and strategies cause their businesses to succeed.
Other networking advantages include:
* Providing a means for you to find opportunities before they're published.
* Providing you an environment to create opportunities or have them created specifically for you.
* Allowing you to bring your strengths and qualities to the attention of others.
* Establishing a means for you to develop a “warm” market for your products and services.
* Providing a safe place for product or promotional testing.
* Opportunities for mentoring
* Opportunities to receive advanced training
Established networks can take a variety of forms that may range from very casual to quite formal, such as the network of a professional society or membership. Networks serve a variety of different purposes based on the objectives of its participants or members, and they also require different levels of involvement, again based on their established purposes. Prior to joining a network, it is beneficial to evaluate its purpose, mission, membership and potential benefits relative to your needs and goals.
A note of caution: Always be aware that networking carries with it an inherent risk. When information is shared, there is always the possibility of a breach of confidentiality. Whenever you choose to share information of a sensitive nature, be certain that you are completely comfortable with and confident in the integrity of the individual or persons with whom that information is being shared.
There are a number of places to find networking opportunities online including forums, blogs and membership sites. If you aren't familiar with any, simply search Google, Yahoo or any of the main search engines for “your topic” forums, or “your topic” membership sites, or “your topic” blogs to find one you like.
Here are a few suggestions for general networking sources to help get you started:
America's Small Business Development Center Network – provides assistance for new entrepreneurs and assists existing businesses in remaining competitive in the global economy -
http://www.asbdc-us.org
Sitepoint – site and topics are geared toward the web development community - http://www.sitepoint.com
WomanOwned.com – a site dedicated to providing information, tools, advice and networking opportunities for women starting and growing their businesses - http://www.womanowned.com
Now, get to work.
Copyright © Kimberly Clay
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About the Author:
Kimberly Clay is the author of “Article Writing For Fun And Profit”. You can learn more about Internet marketing and business strategies from her Internet Marketing Wealth Building Blog at http://www.blog.GetMyWealthNow.com, and discover Internet home business opportunities at http://www.GetMyWealthNow.com/20_Ways_To_100.htm.
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The TownCriers News is owned, and distributed by Webintel_ad_agency; a subsidiary of Webintel.
Webintel is an International Business Conglomerate.
Subscribers are invited to submit articles for publication in
The TownCriers News.
Selected submissions earn submitter a bi-line when their article is published.
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Wednesday, September 10, 2008
You're going to love this new service
I want to introduce a new feature PogAds has to offer.
As you may know pogads has kept improving during the summer,
now I'm very proud to announce the Full Service Advertising.
We will now be promoting websites to make sure they can achieve their goals.
That's right, PogoAds will now be able to help you drive more quality traffic to your site.
We hired more internet marketing experts and they are going to be
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You probably already heard of article advertising, social bookmarking, directory submissions and search engine inclusion. These promotions methods usually cost too much for startup companies, so PogoAds decided to offer a package for a fraction of the price.
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As you may know pogads has kept improving during the summer,
now I'm very proud to announce the Full Service Advertising.
We will now be promoting websites to make sure they can achieve their goals.
That's right, PogoAds will now be able to help you drive more quality traffic to your site.
We hired more internet marketing experts and they are going to be
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You probably already heard of article advertising, social bookmarking, directory submissions and search engine inclusion. These promotions methods usually cost too much for startup companies, so PogoAds decided to offer a package for a fraction of the price.
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Saturday, June 21, 2008
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Thursday, April 10, 2008
People are really funny!
People are really funny!
Everywhere you look; on the streets, in the stores, schools offices, cars, busses and planes (before they taxi), you see people with a Mobile Phone.
Everyone in every Country wants or has a Mobile Phone.
And the funny part is most of them are married to a particular service provider; by contract.
Now of course, everyone believes you get special services because of this marriage: But that's utter nonsense...
All it really means; is that even if the service provider 'chaps your jeans': you're still married to them until the contract expires... unless you want to pay a huge penalty for leaving early.
What's even more funny, is that there is an alternative to that marriage situation; a possible monthly savings of up to $600.00, and Unlimited everything.
Customers of Cricket say, "it's too good to be true." And that might be what you'll think too when you read about Cricket!
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US long distance, plus unlimited text, picture and instant messaging.
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It's funny, that a savings of up to $600.00, might even make it worthwhile to
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Saturday, April 5, 2008
one of the most memorable Final Fours in NCAA Tournament history
Jayhawks and Tar Heels square off in San Antonio |
 Brandon Rush and Kansas will battle North Carolina for the right to play for the national title. |
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San Antonio, TX (Sports Network) - In what is sure to be one of the most memorable Final Fours in NCAA Tournament history, powerhouses Kansas and North Carolina will take the floor at the Alamodome in San Antonio in Game Two, following the UCLA/Memphis matchup. It marks the first time in tournament history that all of the top seeds have advanced to the Final Four. The matchup with Kansas will be bittersweet for UNC's Roy Williams, who coached in Lawrence for 15 seasons before taking the helm in Chapel Hill five years ago. The significance of it is not lost on Williams. "I have the greatest love for a place that I gave my heart, my body and my soul for 15 years. I will never play the University of Kansas in a regular season game. It will have to be some type of tournament - whether it's NCAA or a holiday tournament. But nobody in the world could have more love or tried to give more to that place than I did for 15 years. And they gave me a chance. They gave me a chance when I was not exactly a household name; I was barely a name in my own house. I have no idea what my emotions will be, I'm just ecstatic for this club right now to be going to San Antonio and to enjoy what's going on and enjoy their accomplishments." continue>> Are you in the Game? Don't just be a bench warmer; get in the game here!
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