My Wizard Ads HowTo Marketing Tips and Resources for Online Entrepreneurs

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Why Outsourcing Takes Your Business to a Higher Level

by Theresa Cahill
Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved

Outsourcing is a term used in business and it is gaining popularity on the net as millions of web site owners discover they do not have all the tools and skills necessary to handle each and every portion of their businesses.

Unlike having to find, interview, and hire an employee - and thus incur the tax liability of a new employee - often savvy business owners turn to outside companies. Outsourcing services take on the tasks underlying a business leaving the owner more free time to pursue the front-end of his or her business.

Wikipedia states:

"Outsourcing" involves transferring or sharing management control and/or decision-making of a business function to an outside supplier, which involves a degree of two-way information exchange, coordination and trust between the outsourcer and its client."

Outsourcing, therefore, becomes an integrated part of your business. The importance is to determine what should be outsourced, why it should be outsourced, and who will provide your outsourcing services.

Business segments typically outsourced include:

* Information technology
* Human resources
* Facilities
* Real estate management
* Accounting
* Direct Online Marketing and SEO

In addition, many companies also outsource their customer support and rely on call center functions.

Using the Know How of Others

The business owner must be able to step back and make an honest evaluation of his or her talents. We are not all created equal. We all have different strengths. One surefire strength for business success that a business owner must cultivate is the ability to delegate responsibility through the use of outsourcing. That's how a well-run, profit-pulling online business accomplishes its goals.

Today's businesses - large and small - gain immense benefits by finding other companies outside their own arena who possess the technological know how to analyze, plan, and implement target objectives.

In the case of the smaller web site owner looking to gain greater footing with the hot market of search engine results, finding an outsourcing service to handle marketing (and a small portion of advertising) is one such effective strategic move.

Traditional approaches to search engine marketing have, for decades, focused primarily around a web site's meta tags, firming up web page content, and then submitting the site on a regular basis to the search engines. From a purely advertising basis, other companies will insist that just driving "targeted traffic" to a site is "enough."

While both of these methods are viable, a good outsourcing company often adds these two methods at low cost or no cost - just bonuses while the real work of marketing is underway.

Choosing the Right Outsourcing Company

As an online business owner it is easy to become frozen in place trying to keep up on all the possible, working, methods for marketing online. Even if one could find the time to read everything and devise a plan, putting that plan into action becomes cumbersome. Doing even the "smallest" of tasks can literally take hours of your week away from you. Hours better spent on web site enhancements and new products, mailing list contacts, and just being there for your web site visitors. Unless the web site owner is willing to give up some control, the grind of working the foundation of marketing too often must supercede the human approach to being there for your customers.

While we all love to do our initial digging online, pick up a phone and call or send email inquiries or submit forms for call back when choosing an outsourcing service. Make sure your questions are addressed intelligently and at a level of understanding that you feel most comfortable with. Avoid listening to pre-scripted sales pitches where all they want to do is monopolize the phone and beat you down to the point where you really don't know what they can or cannot do. Take control of the conversation, then turn that conversation into an effective two-way street of open communication. Any company not willing to do that - or vague in their explanations of how - should be moved to the bottom of your list as you locate the best outsourcing company to work with you and your website.

Finding a company that understands and weeds out fad flash-in-the-pan methods, and builds your marketing business on solid, proven methods of web site promotion should be your goal. Find that company and establish a two-way street of information and trust in order to work effectively together.

How to Incorporate Outsourcing Into Your Business

"Prior to the contract development of any outsourcing agreement, the outsourcing company develops a request for proposal (RFP) document which highlights the major requirements and scope of the project which is to be outsourced."[1]

Through a bid-like process, or the acceptance of agreed upon stated services at given costs, the recipient company has an actual proposal of services in hand. They know what they are getting, what timeframe to expect, and projected results from this outsourced service.

By outsourcing, the owner understands what the benefits to the service(s) are, but the strategy, planning, and implementing can be safely placed into more knowledgeable and efficient hands to get the job done.

In Summary

Outsourcing is not just for the "big guy." Overall outsourcing is viewed by many organizations as a strong business tactic that ultimately is a superior economical approach to developing products and services.

Simply put, don't try to do everything yourself. You may have many fine strong points, but running your online internet business single-handedly should not be one of them. Learn when and delegating responsibility can actually make your business grow by leaps and bounds. Then find an outsourcing service you can work with - one with a complete understanding of your web site - one that is willing to go extra miles to make your business a success.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Theresa Cahill and her business partner, Jeff Greer, put their experience at your disposal. Hire our effective, reliable outsourcing service specializing in home business, or storefront marketing. You are invited to receive a FREE online marketing strategy analysis at Market-For-Me.com.

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Friday, November 10, 2006

How to Increase Your ROI Using Online Internet Marketing

by Theresa Cahill
Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved

Internet marketing is time consuming. It cannot be approached in a hit or miss fashion. Developing a strategy to market any web site through research, planning, and implementation is the only viable choice a business owner has to surpass his or her online competition. Without a solid internet marketing plan, your marketing budget can quickly spin out of control and produce little, if any, lasting results.

In general, online internet advertising is the use of the internet to advertise and sell goods and services. Pay-per-click advertising, banner ads, e-mail marketing, and interactive advertising are all just that... advertising. Advertising reaches out to a cold market. Advertisements must be hard hitting and pursued diligently to stay ahead of your competitors. A web site business owner often concentrates on nothing but advertising without gaining solid footing. Solid footing is achieved through marketing.

Marketing is the foundation for promoting any web site. The tools to market differ from those of advertising since the intention of marketing is to build web site recognition - long term - within search engines and other hot market areas on the internet. To effectively implement a solid marketing plan takes knowledge, ingenuity, skill, patience, time, and money.

Any company wishing to use the internet to its advantage needs a plan for online internet marketing. Set your goals and objectives. Ask yourself where you want your business to go and also ask yourself when you want to achieve that goal. Know your target customers and who are likely to be your best customers. Examine the gender, age groups, educational level, marital status, income level and other demographics so you can match your marketing to their needs and desires.

One way to match offers and customers is through the design of your website. Think about what will draw customers to your website, what keeps them interested once they hit your landing page, and what will get them to return. It is much easier and cost-effective to retain the business of a customer than it is to attract the business of new customers. So, make sure your website meets their needs and work toward building trust and loyalty.

Your web site must reflect a highly perceived value, have ease of use, and ensure conversion elements to win your share of the highly-competitive internet business. Bear in mind that 62% of visitors to a site cannot find the product or service they were looking for. Can you imagine if half of the customers who walked into a store couldn’t find the merchandise?

An effective online business also needs a plan for selling. What payment methods will you accept and how will you make your customers comfortable with making a purchase on your website? The ability to use major credit cards is enough of a comfort factor for many online customers. Some want to a secure server certificate to feel at ease with the exchange of money on the internet.

These are just some of the basic steps to take and issues to consider for good online internet marketing.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Theresa Cahill and Jeff Greer specialize in online internet marketing. Receive your FREE internet marketing strategy analysis at Market-For-Me.com.

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Sunday, November 05, 2006

Marketing - When You're onto Something HOT!

by Theresa Cahill
Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved

After years of being online, it's great to see a new wave of individuals truly interested in started their own home businesses. For much of my time online, I've watched the wave of affiliate program promoters - who unfortunately come and go.

Under the right circumstances, affiliate marketing can be very lucrative. But it is difficult. Promoting someone else's program can be an uphill battle.

Finding one's own niche, however, can be extremely rewarding. You've now settled into an area you truly enjoy and can focus your time, energy and money promoting your very own web site.

Once you've determined what it is you can really sink your teeth into, the next step is finding effective - long-term - methods for promoting that web site.

To market one's own business, you need to key in on the search engines themselves. Warm markets for home businesses are always advisable. "Advertising," cold marketing, becomes a sideline, an adjunct to a good internet marketing strategy.

Time-wise it is best to delegate responsibilities. To effectively market means knowing what your strong points are - and what they aren't. It is very easy to waste (and I do mean waste) the first several months flitting from method to method. People flit because they undertake concepts that they cannot possibly find the time to do effectively and efficiently. Once that method has exhausted you, often the tendency is to "flit" to the next one.

Consistency is your key to marketing. Delegating the time-consuming chores to increase your ROI is wise. Finding the best internet marketing strategy and service to do the job for you should be your #1 priority when launching any home business web site.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Theresa Cahill has over two decades of online and offline marketing experience. Together with her business partner, Jeff Greer, they put that experience to use assisting business, home business, and store front owners in promoting their websites. You are invited to receive a FREE online marketing strategy analysis at Market-For-Me.com.

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Friday, November 03, 2006

Offline Marketing in an Online World

With the holidays upon us (yikes!) this article struck my fancy to post. Brought to you by Affiliate Programs.com

Enjoy!

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Offline Marketing in an Online World


Take advantage of the offline world of marketing to propel your site forward this holiday season.

While much of your site traffic is going to come from search engines, never overlook the potential benefits of offline marketing, especially during the holidays. All too often, online businesses limit their potential by only focusing on search engine marketing. By diversifying your marketing strategy, you can dramatically increase brand recognition and website traffic. The following offline marketing strategies are a cost-effective way to advertise your business and draw readers to your website.

Business Card Marketing

What makes business cards effective? A business card serves as a sort of introduction and helps potential customers remember you and your business. By establishing this direct connection with your audience, these potential customers will be more likely to seek out your website in the future.

Start by choosing a simple but effective design that clearly explains your identity, your purpose, and your location. Your company logo should also be prominently displayed on your business card. Provide important contact information including your name and phone number, as well as addresses for your office, e-mail and website location.

Direct Marketing

Direct mail is another relatively inexpensive offline marketing tool that can pay off in increased website traffic. Many people mistakenly begin their direct mail campaigns without carefully choosing a target audience. Who will be reading your direct mail advertisements? Before you begin, make a list of the people who you anticipate to be your core audience. Once you have chosen your audience, select what type of direct mailing you will use. Catalog, sales letters and flyers are just a few options you may want to try. Remember to place your website address where it can be clearly and easily read. Finally, follow up on every potential lead generated by your direct mail campaign. Promptly respond to any phone calls, letters or e-mails, and direct these readers to the right links that will net you affiliate commissions.

Alternative Marketing

Alternative marketing strategies are sometimes referred to as guerrilla marketing.

-Placing flyers around your community, such as on car windshields, grocery bags, church bulletin boards and in local stores.

-Selling T-shirts and other wardrobe items that advertise your business and website.

-Advertising in community newsletters, restaurants and businesses.

No matter which venue you choose, always remember to clearly identify your business and website location. These small-scale approaches can greatly improve the profile of your business within your community and can generate great word-of-mouth results.

Traditional Offline Marketing

Finally, never overlook the potential of traditional offline marketing strategies. Radio commercials, television advertisements, billboards and newspaper ads are all highly effective and proven ways of reaching out to new customers. These tools can also give you an important edge over your online competition. By establishing an offline connection with your audience, potential customers will be more likely to remember your business and website in the future.

Compliments of Affiliate Programs.com

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