Free Download.. Just For Visiting...

On A Roll With QR Code Marketing.. Here is a short video I made
about how people are using QR Codes To Market

Also, as a freebie just for coming to the blog, go to the link below and download part one of the QR code section of my new Google Blessed course..

http://www.screencast.com/t/Gu0ZDpw9

If you want to get the REST of the course, go here:

http://www.protectingyourbiz.com

Buried Alive Under Marketing Horse Hockey?

re: relax...here are some ideas to free your mind

It's one thing to finally get your marketing moving, put up the Facebook page, shoot a couple of videos, add a Twitter account, etc...

It's another thing when you start to realize that the internet is moving at the speed of light... and you absolutely cannot rest on your laurels.

The fact is: people on the internet have tiny attention spans , no patience, and virtually no memory retention.  They are in a hurry to find whatever it is they want to find and if you don't add meaty new content regularly...

They disappear...

A lot of internet marketers try and lull you into a false sense of security by claiming that simply by purchasing their Miracle Product or Fantabulous Software, you'll be able to sit back and relax and leave the traffic driving to them.

Don't count on it... The digital frontier is no place for lazybones- it takes a lot of focus and hard work to churn out lists of potential clients... and then nurture them until they commit to you.

That being said, you CAN automate a lot of the drudge work of internet lead generation.  Here are some tools I have found useful.

1. EZAutomator.com- Inexpensive, internet based system combines a CRM (customer relationship
    function) with an emailer, VIDEO email program,  SMS messaging center, and a lot more features.  Very
    inexpensive and fairly intuitive.

2. Digital Mouth- If you have the means (the $299 per month is the best bang for the buck) Digital Mouth
   is your TOTAL solution.  They'll build out all your social media sites, optimize your videos and photos, post
  to your blog and Twitter sites, and maintain the whole shebang for you for one flat fee per month.

3. Grmln.com (formerly Twaitter) An inexpensive way to automate Tweets and cross post to other sites, such
    as Linked In and Facebook.

Keep coming back to this blog for more ways to keep from getting buried.


  

I'm Puree-ing For You! Chopping Away At Seo Myths

re: SEO Myths That'll Empty Your Wallet Faster Than A Pack of Teeenage Girls At A Shoe Sale

Myth #1: Getting high page rank will make you busier, richer, sexier, etc...

OK kids...

I am going to lay down the bare naked truth:  Page rank in search engines doesn't mean diddly squat!

Really, truly, it doesn't...

Having a high page rank, contrary to what all the SEO scammer-types claim, will not enable you to sit around in your tighty-whities all day long,and put together a list of 10,000 qualified, hungry buyers clamoring for what you have.

I hate to stretch your waistband, but...

It doesn't happen that way (usually)

Instead, lead generation, much like search engine optimization itself, depends on several blended factors, with page rank being but one of them.

Naturally, there are exceptions to this...

For example, if you are trying to sell term insurance online, hitting page one of Google is pretty much a necessity unless you are willing to spend tons of money on direct mail or other types of advertisement.  It's such a competitive product, in fact, that even with #1 page 1 ranking, you might still have to use other means to generate enough sales.

If you own one of 35 taquerias in town, then you better rank on page one for "tacos" or "Mexican food" in local search (and have a quick-loading mobile site)  or be left holding the empty tortilla. 

These are what I call "commodity searches," meaning that they are spur-of-the moment searches, often via mobile phone, for commodity-type items.

 "Dude, what do you want for lunch?" "I dunno, Thai sounds good.  Any Thai places around here?"    "Where can I buy organic milk?"  "Ouch!  I need a good chiropractor." "Is there a Chuck E. Cheese close by?"

In these instances, local page rank does indeed matter.

For the rest of you business owners, though, page rank is just one thread in your quest to make folks see things your way and buy your schizz... You need to create STREAMS of qualified traffic passing through your websites and page rank alone doesn't accomplish this.

Next into the BLENDER: "But what about all those companies promising me #1 page rank on Google?"

It's impossible for anyone to GUARANTEE a specific placement on Google or Bing or any other major search engine.  The algorithms used are simply too complex; not even the employees of those companies understand them fully.   I mean, it's always a good idea to TRY for that, but for some SEO guru to claim that he or she can guarantee it usually means something a little suspect is going on.

When you see such claims, examine them with a skeptical mind. 

More myths next time on the BLENDER..

3 Quick Ways to Grow Your Marketing List

re: Yeah, I know you need it in a HURRY


 by Tammy de Leeuw
"The Grouchy Marketing Lady"



Just because my specialty is helping small and midsized businesses set up long-term lead generation "machines" doesn't mean I don't feel your pain.

It's nice to plan for the future. but I do realize you need some INCOME NOW...

You want quick, proven ways to jumpstart your list-building...So you'll have money to put into the more complex, longer turnaround time marketing.

Okay, then.  Here are three slightly old-school ways for generating lots of leads very quickly.  The caveat  is that while they have been proven to work, if you don't do them RIGHT, they won't.

1. Event marketing: 

If you've ever been to a street fair...You've probably run across this guy:
The lonely, bored sales rep from Wonderful Widgets, Inc.

He's passing out pens...
Tossing erasers at kids
Half-heartedly asking passersby to sign up for his awesome newsletter..
(rolling his eyes or suppressing a sigh when they refuse)

The boss made him do this
Or his marketing person told him it was a good investment
"Buy a booth and they will come!"

Widget Dude should have DOZENS of prospects for his marketing list by now
But, instead he has ZIP, ZILCH... NADA

How can this be?  Thousands of people are at this fair...
Mr. Widget has a custom-designed EZ-Shade3000, cool logo shirt...
A pair of hip shades... And boxes of PENS
What's not to like?



What we have here is failure to engage


Most of the time, you can't possibly create a better environment for list-building (aka "lead generation") than a typical American street fair.


Even in tough economic times, people can be found at fairs, corndogs in hand, perusing crocheted toilet paper covers, or admiring painted light switch plates.

Sure, sales are down, but that doesn't mean people aren't interested in learning about you and your product or service...

Use a  little creativity, a lot of planning, and a great attitude, and you could  turn a $100-$500 street fair investment into 100 or more qualified leads.   In future editions of the BLEND-O-MATIC I will show you some simple ideas for event marketing that will put the fun and profit back into the mix.

2. Speaking engagements

I know what you're thinking: "Oh yuck!  Why does she have to go there? I HATE to speak in front of groups."

The hackneyed statistic that most people fear public speaking more than death is probably true.
With few exceptions, most people don't really like to speak, so they don't do it and miss out on lots of great potential customers.

The podium can produce rich results in terms of lead generation.  I personally attended an event where the keynote speaker was able to obtain the data for nearly 300 people... almost all of them in his target niche!

If you really and truly don't like to speak, here's an idea:  Partner with someone else who has a dynamic, winning presence.  Work out a deal to share the leads generated.  You might even want to videotape the event to use later on your blog or website.

The person you choose shouldn't be a direct competitor of yours, but rather the owner of a complementary business.  Example: If you sell annuities, you could ask an attorney who specializes in estate planning or senior issues to come and speak... If you sell high end blenders, you could have a local chef do a demo... or talk about how blenders can be used to create healthy food for kids, etc.

3. Life in the fishbowl -

This decidely un-sexy method of lead generation has been around for years.  And yet...
It still works.

Again, the trick is being a little different in your approach, finding just the right places in which to place your fishbowl, and giving people a compelling reason to give up their contact information. (contest, free meal, etc.)

Blender Marketing is all about fusing old school, time-tested lead generation ideas with new, innovative strategies that take advantage of the digital revolution.

Toss these ideas into your trusty bar blender, add fresh fruit, a pinch of salt, 12 herbs and spices, hair of the dog, and a splash of vermouth.  You'll have a concoction that's pleasing to the palette and the pocketbook and marketing will suddenly be fun again...

Guaranteed!

PS: If you want in-depth help with any of the marketing methods in this article, please call Grouchy's office M-F 8-4 Pacific time.  925-776-4368

Better Than A Polka In the Eye!

 

re: Search Engine Marketing and The Single Clown

I've probably sent out over 100,000 emails about the new directory I've come across.  So far, about 50 of you have decided that a free directory that gets you on page 1 or 2 of Google is a good deal...

So, what about the rest of you?  

I've seen so-called SEO experts who promise to get you on page one of Google... after they empty your wallet of all its' cash.  

This is YOUR chance to get some local recognition, get found on the search engines, and position yourself for the revolution (mobile search) on the horizon.

So, go here... sign up. Wait a couple of weeks and you should see a dramatic improvement to your search engine ranking...

For nothing!

http://www.smartguy.com/register.asp?sponsor=968

Welcome to BLENDER MARKETING!

re: I'm puree-ing for you!


Hello and welcome to Blender Marketing, the blog that aims to debunk marketing myths (ex: that you can sit around in your longjohns and make tons of dough!)

We'll take a long, sometimes jaundiced look at what does and does not work to promote your business... 

what it really takes to start an online conversation and keep it going until it becomes an offline transaction...

I know that most of you have teensy tinsy attention spans, so I'll try to pack each post with positively potent and prodigiously prescient perspectives.

So, tune in at least once a week to get tips, tricks, and easy-to-implement strategies that will help you fulfill your marketing destiny.  (I might even make you laugh...)