The Power of Site Search

If you're not using dedicated e-commerce product or site search technology yet, be sure to add it to your summer improvement project list. While site search improves merchandizing, you may be surprised how well it will complement your SEM and SEO programs. We began using site search three years ago, and it has increased our overall search ROI. Here is how: Analyze, don't guess. Use site search data to understand what content to create, to expand your product inventory and to deter­mine which keywords you should bid on. Once you know what visitors are looking for on your own site, you can apply this analy­sis to your upstream PPC keyword...

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Posted in: internet marketing

Today's Marketing Tip: Making White Papers Effective

Do you use white papers in your marketing? Are you happy about the new business they help attract? Many marketing executives are disappointed at the results from white paper lead generation programs. In spite of their high cost and drain on company brain power, they often prove ineffective at bringing in new business. Here Are 3 Main Reasons Your Lead Generating White Papers Aren't Working... Reason #1: Preaching to the choir... By the time most prospects get your white paper in their hands, they're already convinced they have a problem that you might be able to help them solve it. A much bigger prospect base is the group of people who have...

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Posted in: internet marketin

Marketing the Most of Transcational Emails

Hello all,Just wanted to let everyone know that the Good Marketing Tips Blog is on vacation this week. We'll provide a new post sometime this coming weekend or Monday, July 28th. Today's Marketing Tip: Making the Most of Ship Notification Emails As the internet has evolved over time, marketing to customers via email has become more challenging. People and companies have implemented SPAM filters resulting in fewer messages being delivered to inboxes. When marketing emails are delivered, the messages still need to be opened. Email is obviously a cost effective way to market to existing customers.This begs the question, "How can I get...

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Posted in: email

Today's Marketing Tip: Innovative Ways To Market

Each day, marketers are seeking new ways to reach their target market more efficiently than every before. Marketing is a multi-faceted approach to promoting a product or service. Both traditional and unconventional marketing methods have a place in the small business world. Marketing helps small businesses focus on building their brand and identity.There are few limitations to tradition marketing options, and the opportunities listed here are just a few that will result in a positive ROI (Return On Investment) for most businesses. That said, do not be afraid to be creative. No one knows or understands a small business like its owner, so think...

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Posted in: affiliate marketing

Marketing to Millennials: What You Need to Know

The topic that seems to be getting a lot of press lately is the Millennial generation. These up and comers are a unique group that need to be marketed to using new rules and understanding. Based on a recent article that originally ran in the GreenTreeGazette, here are some marketing "must-do's" when it comes to reaching Millennials.Step 1: Involve Millennials in your marketing campaign Invite students to a brainstorming retreat with your staff. Millennials are the best ones to advise you on how to talk to their peers.A common scenario at a less-savvy organization would be for a Baby Boomer ad agency owner to direct a Gen X art director...

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Posted in: internet marketing

Pre-show Promotion: The Single Most Valuable Step Any Exhibitor Can Take

There's a lot of pressure on marketing departments today: a tightening economy and increasingly competitive environment means that every promotional effort must generate a positive return. Every decision has to be viewed critically, and that includes the decision to participate in trade shows. Show participation must, for many exhibitors, generate a positive, demonstrable ROI if exhibiting is to remain a viable part of the marketing strategy. This means taking advantage of every opportunity to maximize the return on show participation: before, during, and after the show. Many exhibitors do a great job at the show, but lackluster or non-existent...

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Posted in: trade shows

SEO Made Simple Reveals Search Engine Optimization Techniques That Work

What do you get when you bake three years of work and twelve years of Internet marketing experience? The answer is "SEO Made Simple: Strategies for Dominating the World's Largest Search Engine."In 2000, I launched my first marketing related website, MarketingScoop.com. At the time I didn't plan on such a significant amount of interest in Internet marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), or search related advertising. Over the years, I continued to receive many questions from browsers, blog readers, and colleagues, about their online businesses and decided to focus my time on answering one of the most common questions I received, "What makes...

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Posted in: seo made simple

How to Optimize Your Email for Deliverability

As an email marketer you may face email deliverability issues every day. Whether you're sending a personal email or bulk customer communication, electronic messages are frequently intercepted, filtered, erroneously labeled as spam, bounced or returned to the sender as undeliverable. For routine non-business correspondence, this is simply a minor annoyance and inconvenience. But when your message broadcasts a crisis or emergency, or if it includes time-sensitive account, billing or service information, you could face serious consequences.If you're a marketer, every undelivered message translates into lost revenue. Luckily, there are ways to improve...

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Posted in: email marketing

Creating Your Own Writing Style: Here's How

Today's Marketing Tip is all about creating a unique writing style for the benefit of your business. Having a style that you call your own can help you stand out in a crowded marketplace. To ensure that your corporate writing style is applied consistently, you need to develop a style-guide. Writing style refers to the words and expressions - as well as to the spelling, grammar and punctuation - a person uses when writing letters and memos. Each of us has a personal style of writing which, like our speaking voice, is usually recognizable. When it comes to your business, the problem is that corporate communications are written by many people,...

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Posted in: internet marketing

Pay Per Click Advertising: How to Measure Your Investment

I receive many questions on a daily basis about pay-per-click advertising. How much should I spend? How should I calculate my return on investment? Although PPC seems like a complicated subject, its actually quite simple. Based on a recent article by eZanga CEO Rick Kahn, there are a few "rules of thumb" you can follow...A good rule of thumb is to multiply the number of clicks usually needed to generate a conversion by three. So, if it normally takes you 50 clicks to generate a conversion, and you have received 150 clicks without any conversions, blocking that traffic source is a safe bet. Once you have removed traffic sources that don't...

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Posted in: pay per click ads