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Five Google AdWords Tips

April 3, 2009 By admin

By: Joseph Regan

5 tips on how to make your Google Adword experience more rewarding.

Tip One

Try to think like your potential customers. If you were interested in the product, service, or information found at your site, what words would you search on? Better yet ask your friends or family to tell you what they would “google” if they were interested in your particular product, service or information. Sometimes the best keywords can be found by not over thinking about your keywords.

Tip Two

Choose good keywords. Lots of people are spending good money on clicks of bad keywords. Meaning the keyword does not relate to the product, service or information found at your site. Then what happens? The person gets to your site and they leave because it’s not what they are looking for. You can relate can’t you? How many times have you searched for things at Google or other search engines and left the site because the site has nothing to do with the keyword you typed? Each time that happens some one is paying for the click. Don’t let that be you.

Tip Three

Compete against your self. Write ads, find the one with the best CTR (Click Through Rate), then write other ads and try to beat the previous high CTR ad. Keep doing it until you find the best ad(s). Try to use your keywords in your ad, Google likes that because it makes your ad more relevant.

Tip Four

Small changes equal big results. When writing ads, try change subtle things in the ad and test using Tip Three. Sometimes switching one word for another, capitalization, the position of certain text or other small changes makes a huge difference. Sometimes the change can be one small word. So don’t throw away an ad before tweaking it a bit and testing with Tip Three.

Tip Five

Track your results carefully. Google has excellent tracking but you may also look for a third party tracking services to dissect your Adword results. Try googleing “Adword Tracking” that should keep you busy for a while. Keep up to date on new trends which may affect your ads both negatively and positively. Make changes to your ads to reflect these trends

Google Adwords is a great tool but like any tool you must follow the instructions to use it properly. There is a ton of information on the Google Adword site so make sure you first stop is there. It is possible to loose a lot of money with Adwords, but you can also make a lot of money or get’s lots of traffic to your site with Adwords if used properly. Also read all you can about Google Adwords and apply what you’ve learned and back up your changes with your monitoring tools. Document your changes to see what works. Then when you ‘ve got Google figured out apply what you’ve learned to the other PPC search engines, like Yahoo, MSN, ASK, etc. Good Luck!

Article Source: http://www.homebusinessresourcedirectory.com

About the Author: Joseph (Jay) Regan is an owner/part-owner of three small businesses. He lives in North Carolina. See more at http://www.jrmakemoreathome.com.

NOTE: You may use this article for reprint ONLY if you DO NOT change the article in ANY way, AND you keep the source and bio IN TACT with ALL links ACTIVE!

Filed Under: Pay Per Click Tagged With: , , ,

How to Network Using Message Boards

April 3, 2009 By admin

By: Audrey Okaneko

Message boards are becoming more and more popular as a means of meeting and communicating with others.  Message boards can be found on many websites these days. Look at a site like iVillage.com. They have hundreds of boards to choose from.

Message boards are a form of communication. Think of a message board the same way you’d think of a social party. If the party was from the PTA, you’d expect schools to be talked about. If the party was being given by an investment firm, you’d expect money and finance to be discussed.

What you would not expect at either of the above parties is for folks to enter the party and run around saying “buy my products” and “visit my store” without ever even saying hello to anyone at the party.  What are the chances you’d buy from that person or even visit that store?

Here are several do’s and don’ts for message board use:

Do introduce yourself to the group. Leave the ad behind on your introduction. Let folks know who you are, where you live and why you’ve come. Did you come to the group to learn from others? Did you come to contribute your own knowledge? Did you come to talk about one of your favorite hobbies? Did you come to hear how others view parenting?

Do contribute to topics that are of interest to you. I recently found a message board about picky eaters. My own daughter, who is now 23, was once a very picky eater. I jumped right in and began sharing many stories from my daughter’s childhood.

Do develop a profile on the site you are visiting. Most sites allow you to fill in your name, your hobbies, where you live and often your URL. Take advantage of these profiles and share yourself with others.

Do create a signature. My own signature is usually just my URL. However a line or two under your URL is just fine, as long as the community you’re visiting allows this. Always check the signature rules before creating your own signature.

Do read some of the posts to get a feel for the community. Some communities are more formal than others. Some communities are very laid back.

Don’t post ads. There is nothing that will leave a bad impression like an ad. Some communities will both delete the ad, and also ask you to leave the community.

Don’t post messages that say nothing. If you have nothing to say, wait for another topic. I’ve visited one community where the same person answers every topic with “I agree”, and then puts her signature there. Is it no wonder that she once posted she gets no sales from her networking efforts? The same is true for messages that say “welcome to the group”. I think the only time I’ve posted “welcome” is when the original poster shared something personal and I’m answering that personal part.  Leave the “welcomes” to the group host.

If you are new to message boards, try, messages.yahoo.com/index.html They have many boards there to choose from. Or, www.ivillage.com/messageboards?ice=iv,mp,rn,mb Again, they too have many boards to choose from. You can also do a web search for message boards.

When I first learned about message boards, I read for at least a solid week before I posted anything. I really wanted to understand the personality of the group. Since that day, I have met hundreds of people through message boards. I’ve made purchases, made sales, and made friends, all as a result of posting on message boards.

Article Source: http://www.homebusinessresourcedirectory.com

Authors Bio: Audrey Okaneko has worked from home since 1983. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.netor visited at http://www.scrapping-made-simple.com

NOTE: You may use this article for reprint ONLY if you DO NOT change the article in ANY way, AND you keep the source and bio IN TACT with ALL links ACTIVE!

Filed Under: Social Networking Tagged With: ,

How to Market on the Internet

April 3, 2009 By admin

By: Audrey Okaneko

Something very strange happens when folks turn on their computers. People who are normally very polite, forget their manners. People who always make sure to mind all their P’s & Q’s suddenly don’t realize there are rules on the internet too. For some reason many folks when they turn on their computer, they shut off their common sense.

Imagine you are at a seminar on personal finance. Would you stand up, interrupt the speaker and say “Hey I belong to company XYZ, I’d like you to join me?”  For most people reading this article, the answer to that question would be no. If finance isn’t your thing, then imagine yourself sitting at a PTA meeting. Would you jump up and say “Hey everyone I belong to XYZ company, come get a catalog from me”? Again, I’m certain for most the answer is no!

The internet is no different than the above two scenarios. If you visit message boards and you jump in with an ad about your company, you will be viewed as rude, and possibly asked not to come back to that community. If you visit chat rooms and come in advertising your company, again, you’ll most likely be asked to leave, and others will view you as inconsiderate.

Many folks will say “but the internet gives me such a large audience to market to”. What country do you reside in? Do you not have a huge audience just by the residents of your country?

So, what can you do on the internet? Remembering that talking to others is your goal and not blatantly advertising here are some things you can do:

1.  Interact and talk with other people on message boards. If you feel your company meets the need of a person on the board, email them personally AFTER you have established an initial relationship with them, and they view you as a friend. Check the message board policies. If a signature line is allowed, then by all means use a non- advertising signature line.

2. Visit chat rooms and talk to people. If this were a party at the neighbors’ house, you would not talk only about your business. You would talk about the weather, politics, etc. Do the same in the chat rooms. Meet people and let people get to know you.

3.  Join email groups. As I’ve said before, talk with others. Share your expertise with others. If the group allows, use a signature line with your email address or web address.

4.  Many groups allow you to create a profile. Take advantage of this. Include many details about who you are, not just a business pitch.

5.  Include a signature line in all your outgoing mail. I am not telling you to spam, I am suggesting that whenever you send email, whether to family friends or whoever, include your signature line with a link to your website. If folks wish to click they will.

6.  Write articles for ezines. Publishers are always looking for fresh content and many welcome articles written by others. A brief bio is usually allowed with your article.

Above all, use your common sense. Don’t do something online that you wouldn’t do offline.

Article Source: http://www.homebusinessresourcedirectory.com

Authors Bio: Audrey Okaneko has been working at home since 1983. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at http://www.scrapping-made-simple.com

NOTE: You may use this article for reprint ONLY if you DO NOT change the article in ANY way, AND you keep the source and bio IN TACT with ALL links ACTIVE!

Filed Under: Advertising Tagged With: , ,

Viral Marketing – Not Using It Could Be Business Suicide

April 3, 2009 By admin

By: Don Resh

Creativity is one good quality a site must possess to lead the race in the cold-blooded competition in the Internet based business race. With so much competition and rivalry going on, every method of marketing must be employed and exploited.

It doesn’t matter if you have a knock-‘em-dead product or an incredibly designed website, if people don’t know that you exist, it’s a moot point, and you will not make it big. Worst of all, your business could just get slaughtered.

While there are so many tricks and traps being used by so many e-commerce sites today, there are still some great concepts that can help you get an extra boost in the popularity ratings. One of these is the so called Viral Marketing (without the coughing and sneezing.)

While the term Viral easily depicts a virus, a word very much reviled by all computer owners, it is not what it seems. You do not actually use a computer virus to spread your business. It’s more like a low-key offer to visit your site or your product sales page woven effectively into extremely useful information that the prospect has asked you to provide. People love it because, frankly, everyone has had enough of all those pop up and pop-under ads and annoying ‘Look at me!’ tactics. The fact is they close them without even reading what they have to say.

Viral Marketing Overview

Viral Marketing, also known as Viral Advertising, is a marketing technique used to build the public awareness of one’s product or company. It can be in the form of a value-added link that indicates to the reader that, by following this link, there is additional relevant information to be had. It may also be in the form of different types of multimedia that reaches out to the public without actually promoting the product. This type of Viral Marketing may actually be an addictive method that gets a person hooked on your content. They then may be obliged (or amused) to actually pass it on, with the product or company advertisement along with it.

In a nutshell, companies depend on the idea that if people like the content of a presented media, they will pass it on to their friends and family. They become your sponsor for that media, such as a cool flash game, a funny video, an amusing story and such. They pass it on to their friends, family and colleagues complete with your company brand or logo, the product’s description or any other content to help promote your company or its product.

Viral marketing has become a popular means of advertising and marketing because it is relatively low cost. To avoid being tagged as SPAM mail, Viral Marketing counts on the eagerness of one person to pass on the product. If the recipient sees a familiar sender, they won’t block it and they will most certainly open it as well. Another set of eyes has just been exposed to your product or company.

Some companies offer incentives such as discounts or rebates when customers help spread their viral marketing. They rely on the number of recipients generated by one customer to determine the value of the incentive that they owe that referring customer. It’s kind of like a pay-per-click program and a business-to-customer spin-off of the traditional affiliate program.

Using Viral Marketing to your advantage

The central and foremost advantage of viral marketing is that you get a lot of publicity and public consciousness about your web site and your company. You get to spawn a flow of traffic that is prospective customers. With a little creativity and imagination, plus some incentives or bonuses, you can reach out to a vast number of people and declare your existence.

Most every site and company is catching on to the value and effectiveness of Viral Marketing and Advertising. Not using it could destroy your business. Along with other schemes and methods in promoting your site, like Search Engine Optimization and such, viral marketing could easily push you ahead in the rating war.

Viral Marketing could be an effective way to get people to know about you and your company. Plus, you get them to pass your advertisement along to their acquaintances. Viral Marketing can also be very low cost, and not investing in it could be utter business suicide. All it takes is a great idea, a good addicting game, a humorous anecdote or one of many ideas that are out there. Use your imagination. Create a gossip or a buzz about your site or your product. Many movies are promoted by using scandal and gossip to make them more popular. A case in point is the movie “The Blair Witch Project”?

Many big companies have tried viral marketing and have had many huge successes with it. A classic example is Microsoft’s Hotmail. They were the first known big company to utilize the scheme and it has worked wonders for them.

Now it’s your turn to use Viral Marketing to work wonders for you. Act now and reap the benefits Viral Marketing will provide for you and your sales stats.

Article Source: http://www.homebusinessresourcedirectory.com

About the Author: Don Resh is CEO of WebForce, Inc. He is a respected authority on Internet Marketing, especially in the area of home based business. A more detailed bio is available on his web sites at: www.BizBuildSoftware.com and www.TurboMaxSoftware.com

NOTE: You may use this article for reprint ONLY if you DO NOT change the article in ANY way, AND you keep the source and bio IN TACT with ALL links ACTIVE!

Filed Under: Viral Marketing Tagged With: , , ,

How to Use Viral Marketing to Generate More Traffic

April 3, 2009 By admin

By: Dan Lok

Have you ever visited a site, like what you see and then told your friends about it?

OR

Have your friends ever told you about an interesting or useful site they’ve visited in the last 30 days?

I’ll bet this happens almost every day, or at least weekly. Believe it or not there is actually a method to this madness. These seemingly random acts of kindness or referral may actually dramatically impact your business.

OK Dan, so what are you talking about, right?

I am talking about Viral Marketing. Viral marketing is key to your business. It is a simple and effective tool you can use to drive traffic to your site, without spending thousands of dollars implementing more expensive marketing tools.

How can you take advantage of viral marketing?

The easiest to make your visitors tell their friends and relatives about your site is by implementing a tell-a-friend script. If done correctly, a tell-a-friend script is one of the most powerful traffic-generation strategies you’ll ever use. And it’s FREE!

Here’s how it works

You ask your visitors to enter the name and e-mail address of friends and relatives they think will be interested in your site. Then, the script automatically sends a personalized e-mail promotion your site to all their friends from the visitor.

Now how are you going to get your visitors to enter the names of their friends and relatives that may have an interest in your site? Simple. Give them an incentive. Make them an offer. Tell them WHY they should refer their friends.

You can’t just expect your visitors to enter information. Remember they are giving up some of their free time to refer other people to you. You have to make it worth their while. You have to sell it.

Don’t forget, you also have to provide your customers with practical and useful content. You want information on your site your visitors truly believe will benefit their friends.

After all, they don’t want to look like an idiot, and neither do you! If you don’t provide good content, in fact if you provide anything but the best, I don’t care what “bribes” you offer, your visitors won’t refer anybody to you.

By doing this you can simply and easily virally grow your list automatically!

Where do you find tell a friend scripts? You could get some free tell a friend scripts if you do a Google search.

Let me tell you another killer viral marketing strategy that very few people use.

Giving away a free e-book is a pretty common strategy. But what I want you to do is to create an e-book for your AFFILIATES to give away to their lists.

Let’s say you have a 20-page e-book. Instead of asking your subscribers to pass it along (which is not very effective) you encourage your visitors to join your affiliate program. Then you let them customize and brand the e-book with their own affiliate links for your products!

Now, they’re motivated to tell everyone about you. Now they’re motivated to pass it along the e-book to every single soul they know. Why? They are getting something out of it!

That’s not all. The people who read the e-book might also become your affiliates, they will go to your sites, create more customized e-books and they too will pass those e-books to more people.

Do you understand the power of this? That’s viral marketing on steroid!

And the people who read your e-books are much better prospects because they’re pre-sold on your materials. So they’re much more likely to buy from you when they hit your sales page.

So what are you waiting for? Start cranking your viral marketing machine today. You’ll see that your traffic and sales will grow steadily with absolutely no work on your part.

Article Source: http://www.homebusinessresourcedirectory.com

About the Author: A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Dan is a sought-after business mentor, as well as a best-selling author. To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at: http://www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

NOTE: You may use this article for reprint ONLY if you DO NOT change the article in ANY way, AND you keep the source and bio IN TACT with ALL links ACTIVE!

Filed Under: Viral Marketing Tagged With: , ,

Basics of RSS

April 3, 2009 By admin

By: Veronica Azam

You probably have seen this three-letter acronym in the course of your internet surfing. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary; syndicating means republishing an article that comes from another source such as a website.

An RSS is a means of publicizing updates about websites. It may or may not include a summary and photos of the latest posting. But those that provide summaries (thus Rich Site Summary) allow users to skim through the article so that they could decide later on if they want to access the website source. The RSS feed usually contains the title of the update originating from the website. It is also usually the link to the website source.

What are the benefits of RSS?

RSS gives benefits to both readers (users) and web publishers.

1. It gives you the latest updates.

Whether it is about the weather, new music, software upgrade, local news, or a new posting from a rarely-updates site learn about the latest as soon as it comes out.

2. It saves on surfing time.

Since an RSS feed provides a summary of the related article, it saves the user’s time by helping s/he decide on which items to prioritize when reading or browsing the net.

3. It gives the power of subscription to the user.

Users are given a free-hand on which websites to subscribe in their RSS aggregators which they can change at any time they decide differently.

4. It lessens the clutter in your inbox.

Although your email address will be required to enjoy the services of online RSS aggregators, RSS does not use your email address to send the updates.

5. It is spam free.

Unlike email subscriptions, RSS does not make use of your email address to send updates thus your privacy is kept safe from spam mails.

6. Unsubscribing is hassle-free.

Unlike email subscriptions where the user is asked questions on why s/he is unsubscribing and then the user would be asked to confirm unsubscribing, all you have to do is to delete the RSS feed from your aggregator.

7. It can be used as an advertising or marketing tool.

Users who subscribe or syndicate product websites receive the latest news on products and services without the website sending spam mail. This is advantageous to both the web user and the website owner since advertising becomes targeted; those who are actually interested in their products are kept posted.

What are the drawbacks of RSS?

The disadvantages of RSS use are brought about by its being a new technology and some user-preference concerns.

1. Some users prefer receiving email updates over an RSS feed.

2. Graphics and photos do not appear in all RSS feeds.

For conciseness and ease of publication, RSS feeds do not display the photos from the original site in announcing the update except for some web-based aggregator.

3. The identity of the source website can be confusing.

Since RSS feeds do not display the actual URL or name of the website, it can sometimes get confusing on what feed a user is actually reading.

4. Publishers cannot determine how many users are subscribed to their feed and the frequency of their visits. Moreover, they would not know the reasons why users unsubscribe which could be important in improving their advertising.

5. RSS feeds create higher traffic and demands on the server.

Most readers still prefer the whole update over a brief summary of the entry, thus they still access the site.

6. Since it is a new technology, many sites still do not support RSS.

How do I start using RSS?

There are two things needed: an RSS feed and an RSS aggregator or reader. The RSS feed comes from an RSS-supported website. There are also websites that provide a list of RSS feeds of different websites. An RSS aggregator is used to read the RSS feed from the source website. It scans and collects data on latest RSS feeds from the worldwide web.

An aggregator comes in two forms: a downloadable program also known as desktop aggregator and an online or web-based aggregator. Downloadable aggregators may require payment before they can be acquired, while internet-based aggregators are usually free of charge. All you need to do is to register an account then you are ready to use their services. Both versions allow you to customize or choose which RSS feeds to enter. Paid aggregators are usually chosen by more experienced users and they usually allow more freedom in customizing feeds.

1. Choose an RSS aggregator to use. For beginners, web-based aggregators are recommended since they are usually user-friendly

2. Scan the homepage of your target website for the RSS or XML button. It contains the RSS code you need to enter in the aggregator. Copy this code. Syndic8 provides a directory of websites that support RSS.

3. Paste the code (which contains the URL of the website) in your aggregator. There is a space provided for pasting the code.

After you have done these three easy steps, you can start reading the RSS feeds coming from the website. New postings appear as they are published real time at the source website.

RSS and Internet Marketing

The original idea of RSS came from Netscape, where their intention is to provide a means for users to customize their personal homepage to contain links to websites that interest them, similar to bookmarking websites.

The application of RSS to internet marketing was an unforeseen development to RSS technology developers. Since users are given the freedom to add RSS feeds to their aggregators, those who are interested in particular products and services available in the internet can now be notified real time. Marketing becomes more specific to interested people and not a hit-and-miss operation.

Those who intend to use RSS for marketing their products and services should consider linking up with email account providers, (e.g. Yahoo, MSN, Google mail); networking websites (e.g. Friendster, Multiply, My Space, Hi5); websites of newspapers and television network websites (e.g. New York Times, CNN) for medium to big-scale companies. Small-time industries can also look into networking websites as well as personal blog websites (e.g. Blogspot) and websites of clubs and organizations that would probably make use of their products or services e.g. a fishing supplies store can look for the website of their local fishing club for possible RSS marketing.

Clearly, RSS is an innovation in information management in the worldwide web as well as online marketing. We can expect better RSS technology in the not-so-distant future as its popularity increases among users and website owners alike.

Article Source: http://www.homebusinessresourcedirectory.com

About the Author: Veronica Azam is an experienced and established ebay seller and ebook/home business entreprenuer. www.veronicaskloset.biz and stores.ebay.co.uk/Veronicas-Kloset

NOTE: You may use this article for reprint ONLY if you DO NOT change the article in ANY way, AND you keep the source and bio IN TACT with ALL links ACTIVE!

Filed Under: RSS Topics Tagged With: ,

How Writing Articles Can Increase Your Business

April 3, 2009 By admin

By: Stephanie Davies

Well, for starters, you are reading this right? Many online business owners use article writing as a way to spread the word about their business and their website, and if you aren’t doing so, you are missing out on a lot of potential customers!

In this article, I will show you some very simple yet effective ways to write articles easily to increase traffic to your website.

The first thing you need to do in order to write an effective article is to write about what you know. If you don’t know about the internal combustion engine, you shouldn’t be writing articles about the internal combustion engine. Hopefully, you already know a lot about what you are selling, so that part should fall right into place.

For example, if you sell advertising, write articles about advertising: how to advertise effectively, ways to advertise, how not to advertise, how advertising can help you, and so on. You may also write article on other topics you have knowledge about that may not relate to your business. For instance, I have written a lot of articles about cats, housecleaning, and religion, yet these have nothing to do with my business. However, writing articles that are related in some way to your business will only help to attract visitors that are interested in what you sell.

Another thing to keep in mind is where your articles are being published. Are you submitting them to search engines? What about to article directories? Are you publishing them on your website or in newsletters? There are dozens of places you can place your article to get others to read it. Of course, the more places you submit your article, the more chances it will have of being read. Just be careful to make sure who your target audience is. You don’t want to submit your article to a gardening website if your article is about flying airplanes. Not only is the chance that your article will be declined larger than normal, but even if by chance it does get published, people at that site generally won’t care about the topic.

I highly recommend article-publishing services to submit your articles to article directories. The best I have found on the internet is Article Marketer, however there are alternative submission services as well. I also recommend submitting your articles by hand as well, as not all publishing services can cover all the article directories out there, not to mention you will be able to direct your article better as well. Another great place to get your articles seen is to swap or exchange articles with newsletter publishers. If you don’t have a newsletter for your business, you are missing out! (But that is a topic for a whole other article!) And finally, doing a simple Google search for “Submit Your Article” will net a huge amount of places for you to submit your articles.

When you actually go to write the article, here are a few simple tips to get your article noticed:

1. Grab the reader’s attention in the first paragraph. If your article reads like an instruction manual (unless of course, that is what it is), people will get bored quickly.

2. Have a sense of humor. If your article isn’t meant to be humorous, you can always make small quips, or include something offhand in your bio.

3. Speaking of which, always, always, ALWAYS make sure you have a clear, concise, and well-written bio at the bottom of your articles that simply tells a little about you and the URL of your website.

4. Proofread! When you are done writing your article, look it over and make sure it reads easily, fluidly, and contains no grammatical or spelling errors.

Absolutely anyone is capable of writing good articles that can bring in more traffic to their website. With the right knowledge, and the time and effort to do so, effective articles can benefit your business as well as the article directories and places you submit to. If you follow these simple strategies, you will see a marked improvement in your traffic stats.

Article Source: http://www.homebusinessresourcedirectory.com

About the Author: Stephanie Davies is a 27 year old Missourian with a loving husband and an 8 year old son. She currently owns and operates her own business, Mystickal Incense & More, which sells handmade candles, incense, bath & body products and other handcrafted products at http://www.mystickalincense.com

NOTE: You may use this article for reprint ONLY if you DO NOT change the article in ANY way, AND you keep the source and bio IN TACT with ALL links ACTIVE!

Filed Under: Advertising, SEO/Traffic, Writing and Content Tagged With: , , , ,

Marketing Your Website with Press Releases

April 3, 2009 By admin

What is a Press Release? A press release is a newsworthy story about your business that you submit to various media outlets ~ newspapers, magazines, website, radio, television. This is a wonderful way to get free promotion for your website. Any story that the media picks up will be far more valuable than a paid advertising spot. Having the media do a story about you is like a personal endorsement of your website and business.

What is the Appropriate Format for Your Press Release?

Your press release should have six basic components and they are:

1. Release Instructions

“For Immediate Release”;
“For Release Before [date]” or
“For Release After [date]”

Use one of the latter two if your press release is of a time sensitive nature. For example, if you are holding a public speaking event, you will want to use the “For Release Before [date]” and make sure you input the final date for registrations. If you are using the “For Release Before [date]” ensure you are sensitive to media deadlines. Send your release out well in advance.

2. Headline

Write an attention-grabbing headline. Make it benefits-oriented (why would it be of interest to people?) and descriptive. Avoid hype and promotional language ~ remember, this is a news story.

3. Contact Information

Include as much information as possible here. Make it easy for the media to contact you. Include your phone number, address, company name, fax number, email and URL. Include the hours you are available at the listed phone number and add an after hours phone number, if applicable.

4. Summary

Before you get into the body of the release, write a sentence or two to summarize your press release. Make it interesting, you want the recipient to keep reading.

5. Content

This is the meat of your press release. Again, write a benefits-oriented story. Think of the target audience as you are writing. Your target audience is partly the editor or reporter who will be reading the release. Ultimately, however, your target audience is that editor or reporter’s readers or audience. You need to write a story that will be of interest to them.

The first paragraph should answer all the important questions – Who, What, Where, When, Why & How?

Add some quotations to add credibility and to break up the story. Quotations can be from you about the topic. Testimonials or commentary from your customers are very effective as well.6.

6. Signify the End of Your Release

The end of your press release is shown by a few simple characters. Place ### at the end of your release.

Other General Formatting Tips

-Always remember that your press release is not an ad. It is a newsworthy story.

-Address your release directly to the appropriate reporter or editor. The media receives many press releases each day. A release addressed to a specific person is more likely to get attention than a general submission.

-Keep your release to about 1 page (or 2 pages maximum).

-Number your pages 1 of 2, 2 of 2, etc.

-Use active verbs.

-Do not use excessive adjectives ~ they sound like hype.

-Tweak your release when sending to different medial outlets. If you are sending to the local paper your content may be slightly different than if you are sending it to a trade magazine.

-If you are sending your release by mail, use 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper.

-If you are sending your release by email, never send an attachment. Copy and paste your release into the body of the email.

Where to Send your Press Release:

You need to build a media list and this will likely take some time. Start local and small. Local and/or small media are most likely to be interested in your story and it’s the perfect way to hone your release writing skills. Besides, a lot of the larger media outlets scan the little guys to find stories to pick up.

Try newspapers, trade journals, topic specific magazines, websites, radio shows, television show ~ whomever would be interested in your topic.

Again, always remember to get specific contact information for your press release. A release address to a particular person will get a lot more attention than a general release sent to the media outlet.

About the Author: Alice Seba is a “Retired” Press Release Writer that now teaches other website owners to increase their media exposure. To find out how you can get the media to sing your praises, CLICK HERE.

Filed Under: Press Releases Tagged With: ,

8 Low-Cost Advertising Ideas

April 4, 2008 By admin Leave a Comment

Despite what you may have heard, advertising doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive. In this article, I’m going to give you eight low-cost advertising ideas. These ideas can be used for both online and offline businesses.

1. Article Marketing is far and away my favorite method of promoting my business. If you write articles and allow them to be freely published, your articles become viral, meaning your articles can actually spread like a virus and have the potential to be viewed by hundreds of thousands of Internet users.

2. Targeted ezine advertising is one of the most cost-effective ways to promote your business. For example, you can purchase an ad in DEMC for around $50 and reach 36,000 people. For a list of suitable ezines to advertise in, visit BestEzines.com

3. If done properly, Google AdWords is still a very cost-effective way to advertise your business, despite rising pay-per-click costs.

4. Advertise in local neighborhood newspapers. In some areas they’re called “Pennysavers,” and in other areas they’re simply known as “shoppers.” Whatever they’re called, you can place your ad in front of thousands of eyeballs for as little as $10 a week.

5. Buy television ads on local cable TV. Cable tv ads are cheaper than you might think, and you can target your ads to run in specific parts of your city. Check with you local cable company for more information.

6. Advertise on high-traffic websites. There are many websites that will allow you to advertise your products and services on their websites very inexpensively. Visit AdBrite.com for more information.

7. Advertising in a local direct mail package like Valpak can also be very cost-effective. And since you’ll be sharing an envelope with other local businesses, you’ll pay a fraction of what it might cost otherwise. For more information visit Valpak.com

8. Participating in online forums is an excellent way to get the word out about your business – and it’s free. To find a forum related to your particular business, just go to your favorite search engine and type in the kind of forum you’re looking for. For example, if you sell dolls, you would type in “doll forums.” And if you sell real estate, you would simply type in “real estate forums.”

About the Author: Dale King is the owner of www.GuruKnowledge.org – The Ultimate Marketing Website! If you’re tired of all the money-making hype, lies and scams…read this! guruknowledge.org/pages/The-Super-Affiliate-Handbook

Filed Under: Advertising, Blog Tagged With:
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