Articles by pierrebk4 on ArticleSnatch.com

Three Ways to Grow Your Business

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:55:11 -0400

When everything is boiled down there are really only three ways to grow your business. - Increase your number of customers. - Increase the average sale to each customer. - Increase the frequency of those customers buying from you. So why am I mentioning this? Because a properly designed and implemented email marketing campaign works in all three of these areas. So let"��s take a look at each of the above statements and see how email marketing can accomplish growing your business. (In reverse order.) Increase the frequency of a customer buying from you. One of the ways that the frequency of a customer buying from you can be increased is through reminders. If you have a periodic product or service, reminder email messages can be sent out to customers when they are due to return. A gentle reminder sent to the customer will help them to remember to return for the next periodic service. For example, if you are a dentist, a reminder can be sent out every 6 months reminding your client that they are due for another teeth cleaning. **End Summary** Topics: grow your business]]> average sale]]> email marketing campaign]]> email marketing]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

Why Email Blasts Are a Bad Idea.

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:52:31 -0400

First let"��s define an "��email blast"��. Here"��s my definition: "��Its a marketing email sent all at once to a large quantity of recipients whom have not given the sender of the blast permission to contact them."�� I might also add, "��This is commonly considered spam by most of the recipients."�� Lets take a look at a scenario. You want to market something. You buy, or rent a list of emails addresses from a list broker. You find a rare email service provider that will let you use rented lists. You blast out 10,000 emails to everyone on the list. What will likely happen is that you won"��t sell anything. Your email gets marked as junk or spam by most of the recipients. The sending email address and server gets blacklisted. You have damaged your business reputation, and created bad will. Here"��s why. You won"��t sell anything. Some questions to consider. How targeted was your list? Was everyone on the list needing or wanting your product? How did they get on the list? How long ago did they get on the list? Are they even still using that particular email address? All these things you don"��t really know. **End Summary** Topics: email marketing]]> email blast]]> spam]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

What You Gain With Email Marketing

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:49:37 -0400

There are many advantages to email marketing, Here are several. Stay connected. Personalized emails speak to an individual, not a group. Customers don"��t want to be one of a group, they want to be special. And an educated, appreciated, incentivized individual feels a more personal connection with your business. Returning customers. If you offer a recurring service, and can remind them when necessary to return, they will appreciate that, and return. If you keep track of that, instead of relying on them to do so, that"��s one less thing for them to worry about. Customer loyalty. These days more people than ever shop for value. If you continually provide value to your customers with your product and services, AND with your emails, you will increase the long-term value of your customers. Establish multiple contacts before they even visit your offline store. It is common knowledge that it take multiple contacts to create a new customer. With email marketing to potential customers this can be accomplished before they even enter your store, and meet you. Educate your customers, even your potential customers. Do your customers know how to best utilize what they just bought from you? **End Summary** Topics: email marketing]]> personalized emails]]> returning customers]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

Email Newsletters for Offline Businesses

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:47:35 -0400

So, you want to stay in touch with your customers. You might be thinking about a newsletter. That"��s a good idea. But what"��s the best way to deliver that newsletter to your customers? How about a physical newsletter? How about email? Comparing an email newsletter to a physical newsletter we see: "� Its virtually instant. "� No printing costs, and no printing delays. "� No delivery (postage) costs. "� No delay between conception, production, and distribution. Email newsletters provide fresh information and content on a regular basis that is easy fro your clients to access. People who subscribe to your newsletter only need to check their email, something they do everyday, to get the latest information that you want them to know. Let"��s look at what we can do with an email newsletter. 1. Keep in constant and regular contact with your customers. 2. Differentiate yourself from your competition. 3. Pre-sell your competence and expertise. 4. Educate your market about the quality, value, and benefits that you offer. 5. Update your customers concerning special pricing and special events. 6. Anything else you want your customers to know about your business. 7. **End Summary** Topics: email newsletters]]> newsletters]]> offline businesses]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com >

Permission Based Email Marketing

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:45:30 -0400

Responsible, and effective email marketing is based on the idea of permission. Basically, you need to have the email address owner"��s permission before you can send them any marketing emails. If you don"��t have this permission, the email recipient will most likely consider the message as spam. You do not want to send spam, or even be perceived as sending spam. If you are accused of sending spam, then you may find your email accounts closed down, your website shut off, and your reputation ruined. In some parts of the world, you may even be breaking the law. Aside from these practical considerations, there is also the line of reasoning that any long-term successful email marketing will only work if it is permission based The big question, of course, is what constitutes permission. And who decides if an email is spam or not. What is permission. Permission is simply when some one gives you expressed permission for you to send them emails. Nothing less will do. **End Summary** Topics: email marketing]]> permission based email marketing]]> opt-in fo]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

How offline businesses can make use of email marketing.

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:44:07 -0400

There are many ways an offline business can make use of email marketing. Here are several. Newsletters A monthly email newsletter is a very good way to keep in contact with your clients, and to educate them about your different services. This is a great way to build relationships with your clients. Website opt-in This is when you insert a little "��opt-in"�� form on your website, where you ask people to sign up for your newsletter. Often you can provide an incentive for signing up, like a coupon or another type of freebie. This is how you can get your email marketing or other email communications to people who are not yet your customers. Special events Do you ever have special events with your business? Something like sponsoring a car wash for a local school sports team, or sponsor some kind of community event, or have an employee that"��s involved with charitable work in the community. All these things help to build your reputation, and are worthy of publication. Special sales Special sales, limited time offers, holiday offers, overstocked sales, or any other sales you can think of, can all be announced through email marketing. **End Summary** Topics: email marketing]]> offline business]]> email newsletters]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

Five Ways to Utilize Your Keywords on Your Website

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:50:43 -0500

You’ve probably spend some time and effort in researching and selecting your keywords, you should also know how best to use them. Knowing this will greatly improve the efficiency of your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. There are 5 places in a web page where you should use keywords: The Title Tag. The Keyword Meta Tag. The Description Meta Tag. The Alt Tags for images. In the body text on the page. First let’s take a look at the Title Tag. This is one of the tags included in the header section of a web page. This section begins with and ends with . The title information that makes up the Title Tag is what appears on the very top bar of the internet browser. The search engines will index this tag’s information, and use it as an indicator for what your web page is about. They will also use this information as the title for this web page in their listings. You may use 60 to 115 characters in the Title Tag. And you should always use the main keywords for the page in the title information. **End Summary** Topics: keywords]]> keyword research]]> meta tags]]> keyword selection]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Keyword research and selection can be performed simply and without expensive tools. Find out how with this free ebook Keywords for Newbies . The author has his own online business and a blog for internet marketing beginners .

Why Your Website Will Fail Without Proper Keyword Research and Selection

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:53:44 -0500

One of the biggest mistakes a new online marketer can make is to ignore proper keyword research and selection. It matters not if you have the greatest product, or the best ebook, or the most up to date newsletter ever. If nobody can find these products, what good are they to you? None. Without selecting and using keywords properly nobody will find your website, and therefore your products. And your website will die the slow death of little to no traffic. Not everyone thinks like you do. Just because you may know your product inside and out, doesn"��t necessarily mean you know how people will be searching for it. Not everyone would even describe your product the same way as you. If your product is a solution, they might be searching for the problem. They may not know of your solution. They may describe their problem differently than you do. They may search using just a couple of words, or they may use in entire sentence. You might very well be shocked and the different responses you"��d get if you asked your friends how they would search for the same thing. **End Summary** Topics: keywords]]> keyword research]]> keyword selection]]> search terms]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

Long Tail Keywords - Why They Are Important

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:09:42 -0500

Long tail keywords may sound a bit reptilian, but they are important in generating targeted visitors to your website. A long term keyword is just another name for a keyword phrase consisting of three or more words, that collectively are much more specific than a single keyword. And generally speaking these long tail keyword are searched for less frequently that single word keywords. Main Street Let"��s use a regular main street type store to illustrate how long tail keywords work. Suppose that you had a motorcycle repair shop that only worked on Harley Davidson motorcycles. Would your sign out front only say "��Motorcycles"�� or "��Motorcycle Repairs"��? You might get more traffic walking in the door, but a lot of it would be for other brands of motorcycles. Do you care about them? Wouldn"��t that waste some of your time dealing with them? Wouldn"��t it be better to be more specific with your signage? Sure, your in the door traffic would be less, but you would also know that they"��d be much more likely to be interested in exactly what you had to offer. **End Summary** Topics: keywords]]> keyword research]]> long tail keywords]]> keyword]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

What Makes a Good Keyword, or Keyword Phrase

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:53:50 -0500

Simply put, a good keyword or keyword phrase is one that will attract visitors to your website; a term that people search for on Google, so that Google can direct them to your website by using the search results page. So, if you can learn what words and terms people (future customers), are using in their searches, you can exploit those keywords to your advantage. So think about this "�" if you were some one else, looking for the information or products that you have on your website "�" what word or words would you enter into Google in order to find your website? That is the essence of targeting good keywords. And usually the best keyword is not a word at all, it"��s a phrase. Long-tail keywords Long what? Long-tail keyword is just another term for a keyword phrase consisting of three or more words, that collectively are much more specific than a single keyword. These long tail keywords are what people use to search for a more specific topic. Long-tail advantages These long-tail keywords are more likely to generate sales, than the more generic single word search terms for two reasons. **End Summary** Topics: keywords]]> keyword research]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

What Is A Keyword - And Why Are They so Important?

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:41:28 -0500

Keyword research is the bedrock of internet marketing. But what exactly is a keyword -- and why are they so important? A keyword is the phrase that someone types into Google (or any search engine) when looking for information on a particular topic. For example, if you were looking for information on dog training, you would enter "��dog training tips"�� or "��dog training information"�� into the search engine. In this case the terms "��dog training tips"�� and "��dog training information"�� are considered keywords. You probably use keywords all the time, you just didn"��t know what they were called. You"��ve probably noticed that the above two examples were more than one word. That is because a keyword can be more than one word. Sort of a "��keyphrase"�� if you will. But these also fall into what are known as keywords. If you are looking for something very specific your keyphrase could be several words long, such as "��springer spaniel puppy training"��. The more specific you are in searching, the more targeted results you will achieve. Why are Keywords important? **End Summary** Topics: keywords]]> keyword research]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

Replicated Websites - Are They Doing You More Harm Than Good?

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:11:57 -0500

A replicated website is a site that is usually created at a corporate level, it is then copied, and then distributed to that company"��s distributors, or marketers. The purpose of these sites is to give their distributors, or marketers, some kind of web presence. This they do. They do in fact give someone a web presence. But it"��s the effectiveness of this web presence that is at least questionable. Let"��s see what you get with a replicated website, then we"��ll break it down. You get: * Probably a nice looking website. Just like a thousand other distributors have. * All the content is created for you, and a thousand other distributors. * No domain names, and web hosting accounts to mess with. * You don"��t have worry about maintenance and updates. That"��s all done for you, and a thousand other distributors. * You don"��t have to know any of the technicalities of the website. * You might get to put your picture on it, and/or a short bio. All of this is nicely convenient. And it is nice to be able to say that you have a website. But just what are you going to do with that website? **End Summary** Topics: replicated websites]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

Domain Name Selection - 8 Tips

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:18:13 -0500

Choosing a domain name is often overlooked as an important part of setting up your online business. Here are some tips that show you how important it is, and will help with the selection process. Several of these tips are to be used in conjunction with others. Don"��t go overboard with one of them, it will conflict with another. 1. Brainstorm your key words When you first begin your domain name search it helps to have several key words or key phrases in mind. These key words should be descriptive of what your website content will be. This will do a couple of things for you. One it will work as a label for your content. The other thing is that it will help with your search engine optimization, or SEO efforts. Try not to be too broad, or to confining. You don"��t want to limit your potential future content. There are various online keyword research tools available that will indicate the number of searches for a key word or phrase. Google has one that is widely used. You can also use Google to determine the level of competition for a given word or phrase. 2. **End Summary** Topics: domain names]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

Web Hosting Explained for Newbies

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:33:56 -0500

Introduction Very basically, web hosting is renting space, and certain services, on a fairly powerful computer called a "��server"��, or "��web server"��, that is connected to the internet. You cannot have a website online without using some form of web hosting. Just because your PC or notebook is connected to the internet, does not mean you can run your website from them. It requires certain other hardware and software to "��host"�� a website on the internet. Companies that offer these internet-connected servers that provide space, and services, are call Web Hosts, or Hosting Companies. Web hosting allows you to have your own website up, running, and connected to the internet 24/7. No matter what your site is, or what it contains, the host will keep it available for anyone on the internet. The server Think of a web server as a supercharged desktop PC. One that is capable of handling multiple users and doing multiple tasks at the same time. This server has both hardware and software that is designed from the ground up to serve the internet. A web hosting company may have hundreds, if not thousands of these servers. All available for renting and connected to the internet. **End Summary** Topics: website hosting]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

5 Common Mistakes That Diminish Your Website

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:21:00 -0500

#1 "�" Not saying what you"��re all about The first thing that anyone sees when visiting your website is of critical value. You have to sell your site in the first 7 seconds, without "��selling"�� your site. By that I mean, make sure the purpose of your site is evident, and apparent. This can be in your headline, the title, or by its structure. Your visitors should not have to read several paragraphs to find out what your website is all about. It should be easy, almost intuitive. The harder it is the more likely your visitor will decide they don"��t care, and then leave. The main question that every visitor has when arriving at your site is "��Am I in the right place to find what I"��m looking for."�� How quickly, and how well you answer that question goes a long way to keeping your visitor on your site for any length of time. There are three simple things you can do to help your visitor answer that question. **End Summary** Topics: website]]> website mistakes]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

Can you really get more accomplished by multi-tasking?

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:44:43 -0500

Are you getting more accomplished when you multi-task? One might thinks so at first, but with more consideration it has been found that it isn"��t true, especially when dealing with electronic media. Those who constantly deal with multiple simultaneous inputs do not pay attention as well, their memory is not as sharp, and their ability to switch from one task to another quickly is not as accomplished as those who prefer to "��single task"��. High tech multi-taskers are commonplace these days, with email, text messaging, cell phone, and the internet on those cell phones. One wonders how they keep all that bouncing around in their head in some kind of order. But if you are constantly trying to take in everything that"��s coming at you, how do you organized it and make it useful? **End Summary** Topics: mulit-tasking]]> productivity]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

Home Office Deductions -- 4 Simple Rules You Need to Know

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:00:11 -0400

The rules for determining whether or not the costs of a home office are deductible are really quite simple. Here we will cover the 4 tests you must pass to qualify for this deduction. You should always take as many deductions as possible when working at home. One of the largest is, deducting a portion of your rent or mortgage costs, not forgetting your utilities and other related expenses. The main advantage of this is to reduce your taxable earning, thereby reducing your self employment taxes. But it can be a bit tricky knowing if you are eligible to write of a portion of your home as a business expense. You have to know exactly what the words "��exclusive"��, "��regular"��, and "��principle"�� mean. But remember, get the IRS definition for these terms, not Mr. Webster"��s. The following four rules, or tests, determines your eligibility. The "��exclusive use"�� rule. You must use a specific area of your home only for your trade or business. The area used for business can be a room or other separately identifiable space. The space does not need to be marked off by any kind of partition. **End Summary** Topics: home business]]> home office]]> tax deduction]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com

The Self-Employment Tax for the Newly Self-Employed

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:22:43 -0400

The Self-Employment tax isn"��t actually a new tax you have to pay once you start your own business, it"��s a continuation of the Social Security and Medicare taxes that you paid as an employee, but with a variation. Employees have their social security and medicare taxes withheld from their paychecks as the FICA withholdings, (Federal Insurance Contributions Act). You, as a self-employed person, have to pay these taxes yourself at tax time. (Also note that tax time comes up four times a year through estimated tax payments for the self-employed.) It is crucial for you to remember that the self-employment tax is altogether separate from your federal income tax. Who must pay? Generally, you are required to pay SE tax and file Schedule SE (Form 1040) if either of the following applies. * If your net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. * If you work for a church or a qualified church-controlled organization (other than as a minister or member of a religious order) that elected an exemption from social security and Medicare taxes, you are subject to SE tax if you receive $108.28 or more in wages from the church or organization. **End Summary** Topics: self employed]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Loren Squires is a small business marketing consultant specializing in email marketing solutions in Colorado . More information and a free report may be found at www.HKEmailMarketingSolutions.com