Posted by Michael Hartzell
Business owners are not typically trained with "sharing is caring" nor does the P Triad of "People , Purpose, Profit" stay top of mind for decision making. This article on BizSugar expresses how the new successful 21st century business executive (or owner) will be thinking:
When you share small business news through social media here at BizSugar or anywhere around the Web, you boost your authority as an expert with your network creating the opportunity for referrals, partnerships and other connections based on your unique knowledge.
As Greg Fry of Bloggertone and a regular BizSugar contributor explains, “Sharing is caring and good for your personal brand.” (See his video below.)
Is it time to think again about how your write for your business and where you share it?
There is a question of ROI and social media marketing by many decision makers and they are questions I ask every day as well.
In the eBook by Pete DiSantis and myself (The Realilty of ROI & Social Media Marketing) to be released on July 30th, a few questions will be answered which will fill in the gaps for those business owners who wonder about the reality of ROI and social media marketing. This was inspired by a business networking group and written by the two of us who met through social media).
Yes, if you click on the cover and then reserve your eBook in advance you will also receive a free gift: A 4 GB SanDisk Flash Drive. Reserve your eBook and Free Gift Now
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Posted by Michael Hartzell
Is it time for you book launch? Every author has multiple resources and advice. Every business owner is a walking talking book. Every book launch has a mind boggling number of choices to create a marketing plan and get the word out. Every corner has an "expert" or service. Every friend or associate offers advice as a "street expert". Don't you wish the path was more clear and everyone was required to wear a label showing their expertise and trustworthiness? (It appears the Internet is already heading that direction.)
I love this video. It tells a story, sends a message and makes an invitation. This video makes a very relevant point: Who do you trust, what are you doing and does so by making you SMink = Smile and think at the same time.
Do you want to learn how to overcome the barriers?
Here is an option:
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Posted by Michael Hartzell
Business too hard? Are you having difficulty with technology? Do you feel like you are in the middle ages? Maybe you are over complicating the process a bit. You might be need someone to show you how. This video shows the best way to learn, do and teach. This video is about to make you SMink = Smile and think at the same time. Watch and learn about how to use a book.
Do you want to learn more about technology? How about technology that is almost as easy a book a book?
Click and learn more. I can show you how:
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Posted by Michael Hartzell
If you want to build business, who are you listening to? The company who is serving your customer already?
Look at everything Matt Cutts talks about in the video.
Your business is based on more than just one type of person.
Question:
IF Google is trying to build a machine that will anticipate the terms your customers need or want and you are not paying attention to either your customers or Google blog and videos, then how will your business have the best success?
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Posted by Michael Hartzell
The five essentials to business success are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg
When your business goes from being unstuck on the side of the road
And begins to move forward
There is a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of success
There is a big cheer. (Things are happening now!)
At the moment it doesn’t matter much that everyone else is going ten times the speed
It doesn’t matter much that no one is very impressed by your success story.
It does matter to you that your business is unstuck and you are again on the success track.
It is only a matter of time
That you will gain more ground
It is only a matter of time that more traffic, more eyeballs, more leads and more satisfaction
All of these, will come your way. (Confidence is a good thing.)
You are again on the track
No longer do you feel in failure mode and wondering:
“Will it go?”
“Is it possible?”
“Can it be done?”
You are moving,
You again see the possibilities to be on the fast track.
Your mind is racing with new inspiration.
Whatever caused the inspiration and jumpstart may seem like enough
It was the spark that got you started.
Is it enough?
There is more you must know.
There is more you must do.
While you are moving forward, you are still being passed by daily.
Pause, Ponder, Think.
Don’t give up on that person, system, book , video or company that got you unstuck.
Keep thinking about what will fuel the future success.
Don’t feel relieved and relaxed because your business is no longer stalled.
The calendar, the map, the list, the calculator, the communication tools and the plan are mandatory.
When you find a great resource to improve the skill and will, keep it close…
Whatever it was that gives you a jumpstart, there might be something more.
Now it’s time to step on the gas.
I would bet you money it was a person that made a difference.
Could they be from: Biznik, LinkedIn, Facebook, Meetup, Mountaineers, Twitter, a Spiritual Leader, a business success blog?
Hang around that person more.
Find their friend and add them to your circle.
It is about ideas.
It is about action.
It is about synergy.
Now it’s time to be back on the fast track of business success.
It's always your next move. - Napoleon Hill
I created a resource that will save you dozens of hours in research and help you get unstuck.
... for the hard working entrepreneur who has so much on their plate, that they need a helping hand.
If that is you, it may be your turn to make a change from the old to the new.
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Posted by Michael Hartzell
How can the direct marketing association be missed? Here are headlines right off the press. (Almost hot!) The closer you can get to the source of business and marketing news, the less it will be watered down. Mind you, the Direct Marketing Association has an annual membership fee in the range of $1500. If you are a local business then you may only want to scan the headlines to stay in sync. This can be done with an RSS feed right to your Google Reader. If you are interested (as I am), you can scan or you can subscribe. No paper and all online.
Here are the headlines: (These are teasers and all link back to the website hoping to inspire you to become a member.)
June 29, 2010
Nearly 75% of Online Retailers Are Dialing up Mobile Strategies, According to Shop.org/Forrester Research
According to a Forrester Research study produced in partnership with Shop.org, nearly 75% of online retailers either already have or are developing a mobile strategy. One in five boasts having a fully-implemented mobile strategy in place already.
June 29, 2010
Flash and Rich Media Ads Represent 40% of US Online Display Ad Impressions, comScore Reports
According to comScore's Ad Metrix Creative Summary report, JPEG display ads led the market with more than 42% of impressions in the U.S., while “leaderboard”-style banner ads (728 x 90 in dimension) were the most commonly viewed display ad by size.
June 29, 2010
Smartphones Drive Gains in US Mobile Navigation, comScore Finds
A new study by comScore on mobile map usage has found that 14% of mobile users in the US accessed maps on their devices in April 2010, as the mobile map audience reached 33.5 million users, up 44% from the previous year.
June 23, 2010
More than 55 Million Smartphone Shipments in the First Quarter of 2010, Says ABI Research
The world’s smartphone markets continued to build on their strong 4Q-2009 performance in the first three months of 2010. According to the latest ABI Research data, a little more than 55 million smartphones shipped during the quarter.
June 23, 2010
Small Businesses Investing More in Email Marketing; Look to Integrate Social Media, AWeber Survey Finds
According to a new survey by AWeber Communications, Email marketing continues to bring significant value to businesses, with more than 82% of respondents planning to increase their email marketing efforts over the next year.
June 22, 2010
Nine of 10 Americans Have Cell Phones, but Talking Isn t All That Matters, Finds BIGresearch
An increasing number of people are looking for phones which offer access to email, the Internet, picture-taking, and even calendars, according to new research, conducted by BIGresearch for the National Retail Federation’s Mobile Retail Initiative.
June 22, 2010
Tablets to Outsell Netbooks By 2012, Forrester Predicts
Fueled by a growing interest in tablet computers, nearly half a billion PCs will be sold to consumers in the US between now and 2015, according to a new report by Forrester Research.
June 17, 2010
Mobile Phone Adoption Steps Backward as 23 Million Cash-Strapped Consumers Drop Out, Javelin Report Finds
A new Javelin Strategy & Research report finds that the economy sucker punched overall mobile phone adoption, which dropped sharply from 85% in 2009 to 74% in 2010. The 23 million consumers who cancelled their contracts apparently considered having a mobile phone a luxury.
June 16, 2010
Mobile Apps Revenues to Exceed $30 billion by 2015, Juniper Reports
A new report published by Juniper Research forecasts that the combined revenues from apps funded by pay-per-download (PPD), value-added services (VAS, including freemium and subscription) and advertising is expected to rise from just under $10 billion in 2009 to $32 billion in 2015.
June 16, 2010
Americans conducted 15.9 billion core searches in May, comScore Finds
comScore, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital world, has released its monthly comScore qSearch analysis of the US search marketplace. In May 2010, Americans conducted 15.9 billion core searches, up 3 percent vs. April.
Summary:
More flash video, more email, tablets to outsell netbooks, people are looking for more stuff and mobile, mobile, mobile is the topic.
In order to stand out and be faster or bigger than the company next door, you will need to invest a bit of time and money. Too many "marketing consultants" are not investing into their field and are relying on third hand information. This is why I am a member of both the American Marketing Association and Guerrilla Marketing Association, to ensure quality information that will be helpful to those in need.
Feel free to recommend an association that you find to be valuable below in the comments.
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Posted by Michael Hartzell
Posted by Annie Colbert to Holy Kaw!
What’s your search engine of choice? Google? Bing? Twitter?! Yes, Twitter. While primarily thought of as a social media site, Twitter has established itself as a major player in the competitive internet search market.
At the Aspen Ideas Festival, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone revealed that the site now handles approximately 24 billion search queries per month, far outpacing Bing’s 4.1 billion and Yahoo’s 9.4 billion. None of the up-and-coming search engines approach Google’s huge 88 billion queries per month, but Twitter’s focus on providing real-time search results gives it a special niche in the market.
Full story at The Telegraph.
More tips for your small business at:
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Posted by Michael Hartzell
Odd, I don't remember seeing any videos for your business. If there are a record number of videos being viewed, why are video cameras not being flipped open at every opportunity? I realize we all hate to see ourselves on video as much as the sound of our voice on a recording, but there are always reasons to celebrate, recognize, reward or make a point, don't you think?
While the number of videos people watched is increasing, it might be as a result of the artists who understand this better than ever before. Hollywood and the music industry have kicked into gear and changed the direction of their production.
Here is information from www.comscore.com
Internet users watched nearly 34 billion videos in May, with Google Sites ranking as the top video property with 14.6 billion videos, representing 43.1 percent of all videos viewed online. YouTube accounted for the vast majority of videos viewed at the property.
Hulu ranked second with 1.2 billion videos, or 3.5 percent of all online videos viewed.
Microsoft Sites ranked third with 642 million (1.9 percent)
Vevo with 430 million (1.3 percent)
Viacom Digital with 347 million (1.0 percent).
Top U.S. Online Video Content Properties* by Videos Viewed
May 2010
Total U.S. – Home/Work/University Locations
Source: comScore Video Metrix |
| Property |
Videos (000) |
Share of
Videos (%) |
| Total Internet : Total Audience |
33,950,891 |
100.0 |
| Google Sites |
14,628,095 |
43.1 |
| Hulu |
1,174,844 |
3.5 |
| Microsoft Sites |
642,027 |
1.9 |
| Vevo |
430,257 |
1.3 |
| Viacom Digital |
346,755 |
1.0 |
| Yahoo! Sites |
336,314 |
1.0 |
| CBS Interactive |
333,189 |
1.0 |
| Turner Network |
331,897 |
1.0 |
| Fox Interactive Media |
328,492 |
1.0 |
| Facebook.com |
245,120 |
0.7 |
*Rankings based on video content sites; excludes video server networks. Online video includes both streaming and progressive download video.
Source: comScore Video Metrix
Here is my contribution to the millions of videos already online.
Doesn't it seem a bit like you are in a crowd among the other birds trying to get your share? You can't tell them apart and they are all going after the bird food that will soon disappear.
Stop. Why are you waiting for another to say: "Hey, look over there! More bird food!" Then everyone rushes over to see, look, peck, watch and try to get a share.
Think:
Where does business come from? The messenger that says: "Look over there" is probably not the original source nor are they the expert. They simply repeat it (after filtering and trimming).
The video above is an original.
You know there are videos being watched. You know people have needs. You know you are an expert on something. Is that enough for you to put the three of them together?
Push Button Tech Tools is a place for you to learn in 90 minutes what it normally takes dozens of hours to research. Free software tools along with the "10 Steps About I" process that will help you narrow down exactly what you need.
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Posted by Michael Hartzell
For twenty plus years I have doubled sales in businesses. (In some cases, tripled and quintupled sales in business.) The answer is pretty simple as to why. One is my own craziness combined with a persistent passion to progress with the five essentials to business success and another is Jay Conrad Levinson and Guerrilla Marketing.
Here is the invitation from Jay Conrad Levinson (the father of Guerrilla Marketing) to think about very seriously. In 1990 I attended a seminar by Jay Conrad Levinson in Washington state and now you can learn how to double, triple or quintuple sales as well.
(No, this is not for any kickback or affiliate. I do so simply because I know it will blow you away and help you achieve success.)
THE SMARTEST THING YOU CAN DO THIS AUGUST IS TO ATTEND THE GUERRILLA MARKETING INTENSIVE AT JAY LEVINSON'S HOME IN ORLANDO.
Dear Guerrilla --
I promise that the best use of your time and energy this year will be to learn about marketing in the home of the Father of Guerrilla Marketing. You'll learn in face-to-face sessions with me and get the personal attention you deserve.
That means doing everything you can to attend the Guerrilla Marketing Intensive from August 16th through the 18th at my lakefront house just outside Orlando, Florida. You'll benefit from 21 hours of invaluable training, all delivered by me, personally, in an intimate and comfortable setting that overlooks Lake Monroe.
I plan on sharing insights, one after another, that will probably blow you away because so many of them fly in the face of conventional wisdom. Our last Guerrilla Marketing Intensive, held in June of this year, was a resounding success, as you'll hear when you view the video you can click to after you finish this email. Every person who attended got a whole lot more out of it than they ever expected.
www.gmarketing.com/intensive
You'll also get a signed copy of the latest Guerrilla Marketing book, and be awarded a handsome, framed Certificate of Completion, along with a highly professional workbook for the hands-on exercises you'll be doing. But most of all, you'll leave the Intensive with more solid, usable, unforgettable, and practical marketing wisdom than your competitors will ever have.
Some attendees felt that the Guerrilla Marketing Strategy that they created, with my help, was their most important take-away of the three days.
We'll explode myths you may have been believing, investigate new avenues that are still unknown to most business owners, and delve into the secrets of Guerrilla Marketing, many of which have created millionaires and a fair share of billionaires.
Guerrilla Marketing is rapidly becoming mainstream marketing, and those who don't know why are suffering. That's why we've now sold over 21 million copies of Guerrilla Marketing books and why they're now in 62 languages. As there are now two kinds of businesses -- growing and dying, there are also two kinds of business owners -- constantly learning and hopelessly clueless.
The size of our Guerrilla Marketing Intensive is limited. But we've made it simple to afford by letting you make two payments of $2499 each. That fee is expected to double when the recession ends, so don't miss out on it now.
Just view the video about it by clicking on the blue hyperlink below, then register while you can still be admitted to this rare opportunity to learn what guerrillas must know about marketing in 2010 and beyond.
www.gmarketing.com/intensive
I look forward to meeting you and sharing crucial guerrilla marketing insights with you. Every single word i say will be directed to improving your profits starting immediately and lasting forever.
Jay
ps: My daughter, Amy Levinson is standing by to answer your questions by phone at 360-791-7479 or by email at olympiagal@aol.com
Jay
The Father of Guerrilla Marketing
Author, "Guerrilla Marketing" series of books
Named one of the 100 best business books ever written
Over 21 million sold; now in 62 languages
PS: You'll never enjoy learning more than at this Guerrilla Marketing Intensive.
www.gmarketing.com/intensive
Yes, I know that if you are a restaurant owner, you may prefer to attend the Restaurant Social Media Bootcamp in Las Vegas.
That's OK! Because in essence, the Retaurant & Hospitality Social Media Bootcamp will be teaching many of the same essentials that you will find in the Guerrlla Marketing Intensive (with more focused topics.)
I feel so bad for those restaurant owners who are torn between the two. Vegas with Jeffrey and Gary or Jay Conrad Levinson in Florida? Maybe you go to one and you send your key manager to the other? :)
Sadly, I will not have to decide on either. My schedule is packed solid for the next 2 months.
Never before have I used Guerrilla Marketing principles more than I do today. The new culture and new technology strengthen the ideas you will find in the books and tapes. As I read this twenty years old book, it is interesting to see how many "new" ideas people are talking are in the book.
If you have a small business where money is tight (as it was for me in 1990) and you decide to finance it over 12 months, this will be less expensive than a small marketing campaign each month with much better pay off. If you are a big company thinking: "Should I send my key leader?" These are not "temporary concepts" and have been proven over and over. Make the call.
The cheerleading is over, it is time for you to make a decision before it fills up.
"It's always your next move." - Napoleon Hill
Can't make it to meet Jay in person? You will be missing out.
Pick up your copy of the books Jay Conrad Levinson and Seth Godin co-authored:
By Jay Conrad Levinson and Seth Godin
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Posted by Michael Hartzell
The future trends of how to do SEO is changing right before your eyes as Google purchases MetaWeb. Ever heard of MetaWeb? No? The reason might be because of the hundreds of emails you are reading from Internet Marketing Gurus who want you to buy their thing for $7 to $2000.
Knock it off. Stop wasting your time unless you have 100% confidence that they will help you create success for your business. (12 months from now they will give away as a bonus the products you are buying today because they will be out of date and stale.)
Here are free resources you can learn from that will keep you up to date with the very latest trends: (I did say FREE right?)
The Official Google Blog (This is a fresh as you can get.)
Google Webmaster Central Blog (Straight from the source.)
Internet Marketing Blog (An award winning company Hubspot.)
SEOMoz Blog (Free resources you would be willing to pay money for.)
Seth Godin (Paradigm's, Puzzles, Positivity about business.)
Tom Peters (Business Success from an expert.)
Marketing Sherpa (Deep resources about marketing both online and offline.)
Business Success Guide for the Entrepreneur (Of course you must include me.)
Ever heard of MetaWeb? How about Freebase? Watch the video to see how it works.
Push button, that is the goal. A system which will read minds and help you find what you need by pushing buttons would be the ultimate resource. This evolution will happen slowly but since the progress is in essence invisible, it will happen in a flash.
When people go to find you, there is a big perplexity when a million search results are provided. It gets even more complex for those searching when the results are junked up with opportunists, game players and Internet marketers trying to make a fast buck.
If the search engine companies want to become the utility company that Microsoft became, accuracy and service needs to improve.
Metaweb is one of the many steps to that end for Google.
Think about how the web will look in 24 months. What websites will have authority and why?
If you were Google, Yahoo or Microsoft and wanted to improve the accuracy and credibility of search, how would you do it?
When searching for a "thing" online, who will you count on and why will you trust them? Once you have a prediction for the future, now you are ready to think about how to apply that to your business and get found. Who has the best crystal ball?
If you want to save dozens of hours with research and are willing to spend 90 minutes of your time, I will share with you the ways I get twice as much done in half the time.
Push Button Tech Tools is a place for you to learn in 90 minutes what it normally takes dozens of hours to research. Free software tools along with the "10 Steps About I" process that will help you narrow down exactly what you need.
Warning: It is a large buffet and I recommend choosing only three to start. I personally guarantee this will change how you look at the Internet and technology and you will have free software tools "coming out your ears'.
Here is the link: Push Button Tech Tools.
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