Home Business The Easy Way - RFi Update http://www.blogmoneymiracle.com en-us EasyRSS
By Adele Sommers.

Copyright 2005 Adele Sommers

Is there a secret to making stellar decisions? I am talking about a process that, "Engages people in reaching satisfying, robust conclusions"... "Guides thorny, complex problem solving with relative ease," "Averts expensive project failures instead of causing them," "Decisions made during problem-solving sessions are legacy, businesses often have to live with for a long time!"

Not every decision requires special attention; many are simple and routine. The more risky, costly, or large-scale a problem or project is, the more attention it requires. In these instances, the after effects can come back to haunt people who bypassed good decision-making procedures. This article explains three ways to get superior results from your decision-making processes. Avoid "Mission Impossible"... Remember the old saying: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

The quality of the decisions people make in group settings determines the long-term benefits of those decisions. Unfortunately, potent tools and techniques for making complex decisions and solving tricky problems do not seem to be widely understood. Decision-making techniques are critical for managing projects, for example, where they should be visible in every aspect of project planning. Imagine an aerospace firm that designs and builds highly complicated satellite equipment. The potential exists for large-scale fiascos, if not every facet of every phase comes together perfectly! Yet, for various reasons, decision-makers often feel pressured to arrive at expedient outcomes when working on urgent issues under tight deadlines.

Side stepping sound decision-making techniques often occur in the planning stages "for the sake of the schedule." Rushing through a project can easily backfire, and actually cause it to go over-budget and end much later than the original schedule would have required. You have noticed the consequences of poor decisions -- where people hurried to make a decision without weighing all of the important issues -- can range from annoying to catastrophic...And Turn It into "Mission Possible"! If you will recall in the "Mission Impossible" series, the characters invented ingenious maneuvers and planned every aspect of the project down to the minutest detail. Though, not always obvious to us, -- the viewers, -- the mission planners and implementers had to weigh the risks, alternatives, and "what if" scenarios of every potential outcome.

All of these actions contribute to great decision making. The best decisions for difficult problems can withstand future challenges because they use structured techniques. These techniques help the participants generate breakthrough ideas, jointly analyze risk, and weigh alternatives. Intricate decisions made without them can quickly fall apart and may even cause harm. Therefore, to arrive at great group decisions, I rely on proven, highly adaptable methods such as these:

1) A silent brainstorming process that leads to breakthrough thinking can end up with exceptionally good results. It uses an affinity diagram. Why is silent brainstorming useful? The process of generating brand new ideas naturally excites our filtering mechanisms -- the ones that protest we have already or that someone's new idea can't work "because..." Silent brainstorming, on the other hand, helps us get past those instinctive hurdles to expose new frontiers that we might not have explored.

2) A handy problem-solving tool that helps people identify underlying causes of challenging problems. It uses a root cause diagram. Why is getting at root causes necessary? Because too often, we fail to look deeply enough at what is responsible for a particular problem. Orders not filled correctly may have a whole series of nested or interconnected reasons, for example. The answer could be far simpler than anyone thought, such as a faulty printer ribbon that does not print orders clearly, rather than, say, training issue. We would never know without asking "why" from several angles and points of view.

3) A tidy decision-making technique that enables a group to compare ideas and alternatives uses a prioritization matrix. Why is prioritizing valuable? It is one way we can assess the relative merits of one idea over another, especially when each has several complex components. Using a tool with a built-in scoring system can coax the real winner to emerge, clearly separating it from the "runner ups."

In conclusion, structured decision-making produces sturdy, satisfying results -- even for complex projects or problems -- while boosting both morale and profit potential. For more information on these methods, you may want to explore the decision-making tools and guidebooks at http://www.GoalQPC.com.

Adele Sommers, Ph.D. is the creator of the award-winning "Straight Talk on Boosting Business Performance" success program. To learn more about her tools and resources and sign up for other free tips like these, visit her site at http://LearnShareProsper.com

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By Dali Singh

Having greatly benefited from my relationship with Google within the past several years, I thought I would take the opportunity to dedicate this article to the search engine superstar.

I have to be brutally honest and relay that our friendship has not always been rosy. I happen to know her, (Google), several years back, when she was just a small fish in a big pond. I started to analyze her every move and realized that she is a fickle, clever, and extremely mysterious being. Regardless of her ways, I decided to be more acquainted. Here are a few things I learned along the way:

When it comes to logic, she is the queen.

In other words, avoid participating in anything that may blacklist you from this search engine, including keyword stuffing, link farms, and hosting 50 "sister" sites on the same server. Keyword stuffing does not simply refer to the content of your site, but also within the alt tags, headers, URLs and any additional areas of your web site.

She likes to stay focused.

When optimizing the individual pages of your web site, try to hone in on 1-2 relevant keywords per web page. Analyze each page and identify which keyword would be most suitable. If you decide to optimize for two keywords per page, make sure they are similar in context. For example, if you are optimizing for the key phrase "insurance leads", you may also consider optimizing for "insurance sales leads" within the same page.

She loves to travel.

Google loves links, whether they are inbound or outbound. Lots of research has focused on inbound links, but little has focused on the number of links on an actual page. Google has not published this theory in the academic papers; it appears that Google favors sites with several internal and outbound links over pages without links. If you have any doubts about this theory, simply do a search on any high volume keyword or phrase within this search engine, and analyze the first few sites that come up. Notice how the majority of them have numerous internal links on the main pages of their web site.

She is in popular demand and expects the same from you.

The more popular your site is across the Web, the more Google will favor you. Obviously, having several high quality inbound links to your site is key in achieving higher rankings. When identifying web sites for inbound links, target the ones that are highly relevant to your site. For example, if you run a jewelry site, look for websites that are purely informational on the topic of jewelry or gemstones. Also, make sure that the sites you decide to collaborate with have a good PageRank (at least a 5) and online presence.

To save yourself a lot of hassle, conduct a keyword search relevant to your business and target the web sites that show up on the 1st and 2nd pages (weeding out the competition) of Google. Contact the webmasters of those sites, tell them about your company, and find useful ways to compensate them for adding your company's information on their site. If you have an affiliate program, do not be shy to pitch it. If you have an online advertising budget, offer them a Pay Per Click deal or monthly advertising fee for promoting your web site. Please note that collaborating with these sites or purchasing ads should complement your overall marketing & business development strategy and not be useful for getting link value.

She gets bored easily

Regardless of whether your site is informational, e-commerce, or just a sophisticated version of a business card, having quality content is crucial. Adding to that factor is how often you update your site's content.

If you run a site that has new content added on a daily basis then eventually the Google "freshbot" will start visiting your site on a daily basis and indexing your new content into the database (hence the popularity of blogs). When you update content, Google will visit your site and index it quicker.

If you have not already noticed, keeping pace with Google is not an easy undertaking. It takes a certain level of knowledge, skill and creativity to truly benefit from this relationship. The rest is up to the stars.

Dali Singh is the managing director for Blueliner Marketing (www.bluelinermarketing.com), a full service marketing and Internet consultancy specializing in internet marketing and web site promotion strategies, public relations, and corporate branding.

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By Zaak O'Conan

You have finished writing your eBook. You have a basic understanding of what an eBook compiler does. You may be feeling overwhelmed by the number of compilers on the market. To help you make your decision, I have tested and reviewed the best-rated eBook compilers currently available.

* E-ditor

This software has a demo version you can download to try out before purchasing. You cannot actually use the demo to create an eBook, but you can run the software and test it out thoroughly to see if it does what you need it to do for your particular eBook.

This eBook compiler is one of the easiest to use. The software has a very user-friendly help menu that provides instructions for and explanations of every field on every screen. The program also includes video tutorials demonstrating every step of this compiler with clear explanations of all fields that you need to fill in. There are seven screens to help you choose your eBook options.

This compiler requires your files to be in HTML format. You follow simple directions, and the compiler loads your files. If you decide to edit your eBook after it has been compiled, make any changes in your original files and click on "Compile your eBook" and your changes will appear in your compiled eBook.

E-editor allows for some customization of your eBook. You can create a special page that appears when the eBook is opened; create customized icons that appear on the desktop after downloading; use your own logo on the task bar of your eBook; customize the task bar's buttons, where the task bar appears in your eBook, and choose the task bar's colors. Additionally, you can choose to have the eBook open to the last page read, which many of your buyers will appreciate.

An excellent and unique feature of E-ditor is the capability to choose a standard Microsoft window or to create your own design for a window to personalize your eBook. The program provides some sample window designs, but you can use any .bmp (bit map skin) graphic you have stored on your hard drive.

E-ditor is a good choice if you are new at producing eBooks because it is easy to use and allows you to customize the appearance of your eBook.

* Desktop Author

This compiler does not require a browser, nor do you have to download software or plug-ins. The program converts exe. files into pages to look like a standard book. You can create and produce eBook pages scaled to fit on your computer screen without any scrolling. Additional features include WYSIWGY (what you see is what you get) page editing and creation, the ability to manipulate internal images, cut and paste functions, hotlinks to pages, email, website, or other files. It is an excellent compiler to use for marketing tools, such as creating brochures and manuals in addition to eBooks.

* EBook Edit Pro

This compiler provides a demo version, which allows you to test out its features. The software uses a Wizard that leads you step-by-step through the set-up and creation of your eBook. Customization includes text editing that appears on the pop-up starting message window; the ability to allow or prevent resizing of your book and the mouse-click pop-up menu; enabling or disabling the navigation bar and choosing the buttons you want to appear; and customizing the eBooks' desktop icon and the logo that appears on the navigation bar.

Ebook Edit Pro is loaded with excellent features that allow you to create multi-media Ebooks, and includes a Wizard Customizer for beginners and for advanced users. The software uses HTML files, downloading them from the directory, where they are stored and saved. Edit and resave your files in the original software used to create those files, and then with a single click you can re-compile your Ebook.

Features include customization of icons, toolbars, and the "about box." This compiler has a particularly useful feature called the Rebrander feature. This permits you to enter customized code into your Ebook pages and distribute the Rebrander software to your affiliates or distributors. They can then customize the links included in the Ebook, but they cannot alter any link or information that you have not entered as a customized code.

The software includes "eBrand-It" software that allows custom fields for your customer's name, affiliate ID or URL. This feature is a powerful marketing tool because affiliates are much happier giving away your Ebook from their own site when they can customize it.

* Ebook Compiler

This compiler offers a demo version that allows you to compile 10 files. If you do not include graphics, you can create a 10 page Ebook that allows printing and copying of the Ebook. The catch is that you cannot sell any Ebook you create in the demo version.

The purchased software is user-friendly with easy-to-follow help files that guide you through the steps of compiling your Ebook, and explains what an Ebook compiler does. The software provides detailed instructions on how to create source files from Microsoft Word 2000 and 1997, PowerPoint 2000 and 1997, and HTML documents. It contains less detailed instructions for creating source files from other programs.

This compiler allows for password protection of your entire Ebook or for selected pages. Additionally, you can set a time limit on your Ebook. When the runs out, the customer no longer has access unless they pay for it. In other words, it allows you to create a demo version of your Ebook for marketing purposes.

You can set a single password or multiple passwords. Using multiple passwords assigns each user their own specific password. Online help files guide you through setting up your passwords. You can also create a Sales and Thank-you page for selling a password protected Ebook. This is a good choice for the novice, particularly since it includes basic features for password protection and distribution.

* Active Ebook Compiler

This easy to use compiler provides excellent features. This software can support HTML, JPEG, GIF, and all active plug-ins. Features includes password protection, branding, internet linking, icon customization, assigning unique serial numbers, splash screen, file compression, and start-up messages. It also provides free lifetime upgrades. Additionally, it includes a preprocessor, re-brander, active script, and detailed instructions for using HTML, Power Point, and Microsoft Word files.

Several other excellent Ebook compilers on the market are worth looking into.

Ebook Generator features splash screens, password protection, branding, icon customization, and compression control. Additionally, it includes virus prevention that alerts the user to any modifications made to your Ebook and offers usage statistics so you can track your EBooks' use. With all these advanced features, this is an excellent compiler for the beginner because it is exceptionally easy to run.

Ebook Creator is another excellent compiler, supporting HTML, JPEG, GIF, PNG graphics, and JavaScript, VB script, and Java applets. It also supports all Internet Explorer plug-ins. Standard features include unique serial numbers, direct linking to a form or a page on your website, disabled right clicking, and search functions. The software allows for expiration after a set number of days or usages, which allows you to create demo versions. You can create up to 1000 different passwords; every time the Ebook downloads, a unique password is required to access protected pages. The software provides user-friendly menus and buttons that allow the beginner to the advanced user to create their Ebook.

Obviously, there are some excellent compilers out there. So figure out EVERYTHING you need in terms of features, and then compare prices and options. If they are offered, take advantage of demo versions before purchasing. Then, have fun creating your Ebook!

Zaak O'Conan discovers and presents information on to enhance your site, newsletter, marketing, and other Internet related topics. You will find his other articles that expand your horizons at http://WebWorkersWeekly.com .

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Author unknown

Imagine thirty thousand menacing obstacles in your path to success.

You are dehydrated, hungry as hell, and wobbling like an Irishman on too much Guinness. Your eyes hurt, your head throbs and your will is all but broken. You are not even sure you want to go on.

You feel like Frodo, the character, in the final episode of the 'Lord of the Rings-The Return of the King.'

Terror and dismay gleam from Frodo's big, expressive blue eyes. In the distance, he can see his goal. However, it seems to him like he will never get there. He turns to Sam and says in a defeated tone, "Sam, it's the Eye," referring to the eye of Sauron - the enemy he must destroy.

And Sam turns to Frodo in a soft, encouraging voice and says, "Let's just get to the bottom of this hill, Mr. Frodo."

Let us just find the underlying cause of this hill, Mr. Frodo.

I spoke at the World Internet Summit in Sydney, Australia, last week. In addition, I saw about two hundred and fifty Frodo's in the audience.

Confused, weary, inundated with dozens of tactics and strategies about the Internet, their eyes stared into nothingness. Frozen stiff at the task of having to build an Internet business from scratch, almost all of them seemed to have a cross too heavy to bear.

In addition, they did not exactly have Sam to encourage them.

I said to them, as I say to you. "Let's just get to the bottom of this hill, Mr. Frodo." Then we will do the next hill, and the next, and the next, until we get to our destination.

You are bound to be struggling. I struggle in Yoga class. I am a first-class doofus. Five minutes after we start the class, I wonder when it is all going to end. I look at the 'human pretzels' twisting and turning to the left and right of me, and I cannot see myself being flexible and I in despair.

However, I have my own personal Sam. I simply say to myself," Let's just get to the bottom of this hill, Mr. Frodo"

And hurrah, yippee yahoo, I've actually made it past Yoga Session #2.

Wouldn't you love to stumble upon a secret library of small business ideas? Find simple, yet electrifying ideas on marketing strategy, psychological tactics and branding. Head down to http://www.psychotactics.comtoday and judge for yourself.

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By Gary Durkin

(c) Copyright 2005 - All Rights Reserved worldwide.

We have all seen some fantastic products, services or systems, which are incredibly hot profitable money-spinners, and many of us have often wished we had thought of it first.

However, just where do the ideas come from? How do the creators come up with the products and concepts?

Surely, it is based on massive research and development, huge capital investment, public scrutiny, market assessment -for starters.

WRONG! While the above may be true of some products, services, systems, ideas, and so on, the absolute best do not involve such in-depth planning - far from it.

Let me reveal to you the secret of how some of the hottest, biggest, and best, ideas are conceived, and how some of the most successful ever product ideas, were positively the simplest.

Do not get me wrong, product testing and market analysis is still very important, but completely pointless until you have clambered over the initial hurdle of 'thinking up' a product.

Let us look at a couple of brilliant examples of a product, which is a worldwide name and multi-million dollar profit centers,

First, everyone knows about Duracell Batteries. How they came from nowhere, and trounced the competition, virtually overnight.

Was it because their batteries were better than the competition? No, not really; not in general terms. The marketing people behind Duracell came up with not one, but TWO pieces of absolute sales and marketing brilliance.

First, they looked at the competition, the market place, the mode and method of battery sales then compared their product side-by-side with other leading batteries. It seemed their battery was just as good as the rest, or at least as good as the market leader.

In the marketing world, trying to sell a product based on "It's just as good as the rest" - does not really work.

They needed an EDGE.

During comparative product testing, it revealed the Duracell was in fact, better than the leading battery, in a particular way. They had discovered that Duracell batteries lasted longer, much longer than the others... during 'continuous use'.
EUREKA! That was it! They had found their edge, the marketing angle, the secret weapon.

So now, we all know that .... "Duracell lasts longer any other battery during continuous use "...

They had found a NICHE in the battery market... 'Continuous use'.

Why is this so important? Simple, most people who use products which require batteries, seldom actually use the product (and therefore the battery) for long periods, i.e. continuous use - but rather use them in shorter, regular periods - like flash-lights, electric door-bells etc.

That was of little importance - they marketed heavily on the 'lasts longer' concept - with the funky little Duracell Bunny going on, and on, and on... and on...

Duracell was misleading no one - they were completely truthful in their advertising, and with it, became a virtual household name overnight.

HOWEVER - they also wanted a second scoop of the market, and devised yet another unbelievably simple, but very effective concept... of gigantic proportions. What was it? Sell the batteries in PACKS! Simple and Brilliant!

Many readers may not recall, but before today's multi-packs, batteries sold loosely, separately, and individually. If you wanted just one - you went to the local store, and purchased just a single battery.

Now, Duracell decided to sell in multi-packs. It was the only way to buy their new batteries. No singles, period! Instead of selling one at a time, they sold FOUR at a time. Battery for battery, against the competition, they blew them away.

The multi-packs have another great result. Some products, which require batteries, needed perhaps just one, or maybe three batteries, leaving an odd number of batteries left in the pack for future use. Next time the consumer needed to replace the used batteries in the product, they went to the drawer, and noticed perhaps there were 'some' Duracell batteries left, but not enough. Therefore, the consumer had to purchase more, and if they had already looked at Duracell's, and had some Duracell's left to use up, what are they likely to buy?

You get the idea.

This is a perfect example of taking something which already exists, and remodeling it, re-branding it, re-marketing it, finding a niche for it - and away you go.

Look at the music industry. It is rife with similar concepts, which make millions. Bands, groups, singers, performers.... often do 'cover versions' - that is they will copy a song or track previously done by another artist.

Sometimes music is a 'fusion' - a mix of existing styles, but blended together to create something new. What about the concept of 'sampling' for example; you take a beat, rift, chord, chorus, few lines, track, from another artist, and remix it to create something different.

All they have done is to use something that already exists, make a few changes, amendments, alterations, improvements - and RESELL IT.

Unless you can reinvent the wheel, or perfect 'cold fusion' - the World is jam packed full of existing markets, products, systems, services, concepts, ideas and customers - all of which can be used as your drawing board to get started.

First, where do you locate great concepts?

Look around. What do you like? What do you dislike? Can you take a hot product and improve it? Can you take a mediocre product and develop it? Can you take a useless product, and turn it in something better? Listen to what others say.

Can you re-package something, bundle it, deliver it differently, and Re-brand it? Find a different, untapped market for a product, which already exists, and must focus on a different customer-base.

Can you add more value, more options, better support, or service?

Do you use a product and think to yourself.... "Wow.... That's great... but if only it did this too...."

Here are the vital tools and tips which you will need to start you creating your own Million Dollar Ideas.

1. Your Eyes - seems obvious, but always be aware and on the 'look-out'.
2. Your Ears - keep them open, listen to people, those around you, what they say about products, especially the things they dislike, as this could be a great start for you, if you can remove the problem with an existing product, you may just have a seller.
3. Your Mind- keep this open, too, and try to think 'laterally'.
4. A notebook and a pen / pencil (write your ideas down - do not forget them!)
5. Go back to number 3 and remember to do this!
6. A 'sounding board' - a way of discussing your ideas with a few trusted others.
7. Patience- it may take a little time, the best ideas do not necessarily come instantly -stick with it.
8. Don't get down heartened. If some of your ideas do not pan out, just start again.
9. Don't' spend too much time over ideas. Give yourself 60 seconds (no more) to think of a product, service, and system, etc., Then Stop. Then spend 9 minutes writing down as much as you can, all the pros and cons of the 'idea', how it can be improved, simplified, delivered - just write as much as you can in those 9 minutes. Then STOP. Take a break. A good break. In fact, put your notes away until the next day. Then review them.

When you do finally come up with a hot idea for a product, service, system etc., do not tell the World until you have taken a few steps to protect yourself! Get advice from experts - Lawyers, Business Professionals, Patents, and Copyrights... It is important to get these rights, or else someone may steal your idea, register it first, and make HIS/HER fortune from YOU!

That leads me on to the last area. Do not outright steal someone else's idea, product, etc. Breach of Copyright can be serious, Patents are relatively easy to register, but a little care is necessary. - Plagiarism is just downright nasty!

In summary, you find Million Dollar Ideas in TWO PLACES:

1. Everywhere in the outside world, and
2. Inside YOU.

It is just a case of putting them together. Some of the best ideas really are the simplest.

An article by Gary Durkin, Founder of the Internet Advice Center(r) http://www.InternetAdviceCenter.comGary has more than a decade of offline international business success behind him - each day controlling millions of dollars of investments world-wide, and has been doing business online for 6 years. (c) Copyright 2005 - All Rights Reserved worldwide. You are free to distribute this article, providing it remains unchanged and with the resource / bio box attached.

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By Edwin Taylor

Watches bearing your company logo are a different prospect to other corporate branded items. Their higher perceived value makes them premium items; although in reality branded watches can be purchased for less than $5 a piece, making them remarkable value for money.

To get the maximum benefit from branded watches, use them carefully, emphasizing their premium value. Here are some ideas for using company logo watches to best effect:

- As internal rewards. For example, celebrate particular milestones or exceptional achievement with a high quality watch gift.

- Motivational prizes. Offer watches as prizes for hitting sales targets or beating deadlines.

- High profile product launches, or new company launches. Give away watches at your launch event. A person looks at a watch on an average of 30 times a day, which makes it the perfect vehicle for getting your logo in front of the eyes of journalists and reminding them about your new company or product.

- Customer bonuses. Use watches as bonus items for clients whose business exceeds a certain level. You'll encourage your customers to spend that little bit more with you, and at the same time, put your logo on their wrist reminding them of what great service you offer (30 times a day!)

- Apology items. Everyone makes mistakes from time to time. If you have made an error, make it up to the customer by offering them a quality watch, branded of course, as a way of saying sorry. Not only will you be showing them you care, but you will be putting your corporate image on their wrist for years to come.

Edwin Taylor is a graphic artist specializing in logo design and branding. He has worked for a wide range of clients from sectors ranging from automotive to private banking. Edwin is a contributing editor at Logo Informer (http://www.logoinformer.com).

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By Corecubed

The First Step towards making your web site work is an important marketing tool.

Establish your web site's purpose and function.

The Internet is an ever changing, global marketplace, and library. People research and purchase products or services, read to gain more knowledge, and sometimes browse for pure entertainment. In figuring out the best way to display your business on the Internet, you must first answer the following questions:

What do you want your web site to provide?

• Provide information only? A web site can make inquiries about your services easier, or attract inquiries from prospective employees.
• Sell a product or service? Do you want to sell something that is unique or something that is cheaper than competitors are?
• Provide an "after hours" storefront for your loyal customers?

How do you want your visitors to function while at your site?

• Do you want to survey potential customers to see what features and/or benefits most interest them and at what price?
• Do you want to offer a private log in area for your distributors or customers to purchase items, obtain product information, or access technical support?
• Do you want them to download a demo or coupon, subscribe to your newsletter, look up the nearest store location, or actually order a product?

What do you want your web site to provide? How do you want the visitor to function while browsing your site? These are key questions to answer when designing a site, and the key to making the web site fit into your overall marketing/sales strategy.

Understand your customers' online user behavior.

Forrester Research studies predict that U.S. e-commerce will grow at a 19% compound annual growth rate over the next five years. Most significantly, online retail will reach nearly $230 billion, and account for 10% of total U.S. retail sales by 2008. These figures represent how to gain a lot of revenue from successful online exposure. In the realm of web site marketing, a company has to keep up with their customers' online knowledge to compete. In addition, these numbers do not reflect the growing tendency for Internet users to use the web for product or service research prior to purchase.

In today's high tech world of e-commerce, nearly every business plan includes some form of web site marketing tactics. However, most companies do not have the in-house expertise, time, or resources to build web sites. They make the most of their online presence with a design professional who understands their unique product or service, and show how it will display on the web. At the same time, the companies' online users are wasting less time on web sites that fail to meet their online expectations. How does your business stack up? Do you have a web site? Did a technician or a marketing/design professional who understands sales design it? Did you specifically relate marketing strategies to your products and/or services?

Integrate your sales and marketing techniques.

A web site can be a functioning, revenue-producing tactic of your business plan or it can serve as an extension of your brand as a useful brochure. Here are some web site types that Corecubed has designed, integrating the companies' sales and marketing tactics into the site design:

http://www.smithmanus.com and its subsidiary http://www.suretyplace.com, are good examples of revenue producing ancillary activities for a service business.

Brook Smith is the President of Smith-Manus, a company that specialized in bonds for the waste industry. He wanted to simplify the intake process for customers. As part of his marketing strategy, he agreed to an updated look and feel for his company that will incorporate into a web site, which allows potential customers to download all necessary forms from the site. This saves the potential customer time by not having to wait for office hours, and faxed or mailed forms, and saves Smith-Manus time by reducing the time from inquiry to sale for those customers who qualify.

http://www.merithealth.com is a hospital management company specializing in purchasing urban hospitals and using management techniques to run a more efficient, and patient and community centered facility. Corecubed created a new logo and a new corporate look and feel for Merit Health, which will translate into their web site. This on-line brochure is a branded extension of the company's commitment to quality and serious management.

http://www.cardkitchens.com is the official web site of Cardinal Kitchens. It extends their custom countertop business to the home do-it-yourself market, which they were missing by only using contractors to sell their products. This web site is creating a new division within Cardinal Kitchens that works directly with the public if no contractor is involved, or it works with the contractor to assist the customer with the many available design choices for countertops.

http://www.dwsilks.com now displays their high quality silk foliage lines on-line, instead of only on paper. Sold through an exclusive distributorship, this on-line catalog now allows their buyers to preview items immediately available, rather than wait on the production and printing processes that the company used to rely on solely. Look for more advances in direct sales efforts of specialty products currently not available anywhere.
D & W Silks is learning from their web traffic. They have some niche markets they can tap and not disturb their current customer base and distributorship.

Corecubed provides high-impact marketing campaigns, corporate identity, and collateral design services with confidence and style. Our clients include home care and home health providers, contemporary glass artisans, and venture capital/financial advisors. A marketing design and public relations powerhouse based in Louisville, KY, Corecubed puts together the best possible team for you, the client. Lead by Merrily Orsini, a renowned expert in branding and strategic marketing specifically for the home care industry, and staffed with dedicated, highly skilled designers and writers, Corecubed has the skill and expertise to manage your marketing and PR campaign from start to finish. Contact us today at 1-800-370-6580 or visit our web site at http://www.corecubed.com for more information.

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By Karl Smith

Many people say that MLM's do not work, yet others earn a full time income...

It all depends on your interests and your available time.

To build a downline with these MLM programs you need tools, time, and a desire. It is possible to build a huge downline, but you must make use of advertising tools and spend your time wisely. Some tools like safe lists are useless, if you do not use them the right way.

Without a good ad and a good MLM program that pays well, it is difficult to make full time income.

However, you can have success with MLM programs.

There are things you must take under consideration; and you need to make a plan. MLM's use many "tactics" like: Get two in your downline, and then these two get another two, to add one more to your downline... It can become very confusing. Therefore, it is best to read and learn how it all works. Many sites use the same strategies.

You can make a plan to start building your downline, in other words advertising. There are many different types of advertising... according to how much available time you have - TEST new advertising tools. All tools work, if you use them correctly. Use the tools you like most, those that you are comfortable using...! An example of using techniques the right way: post an autoresponder email inside a safe list ad - not a buy now link.

Once you start earning money, use more powerful advertising tools. This way you get your ad seen faster and more often... Example: Buy a safe list submitter. With safe lists, the game is who posts to the most number of lists. Auto safe lists submitter is priceless. Start your downline building... another important thing to do, which may sound difficult.

Help your downline. Why? If you do not help them and they are newbies, then your downline will not grow as much as possible. It is easy to help them, just email them with some successful tools that you use... Once they build their own downline, they are also building yours...!

From MLM programs, you can make huge incomes that last!

Karl Smith Email karlsult@maltanet.net Proven Business As Seen on OPRAH T.V or Wall Street Journal http://www.eccentrix.com/members/branding/StormPay.html

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By Scott White

Brand Identity is a promise, one given from business to customer to expect certain things. Whether that promise involves product quality, service, price, or a million other things; it varies from brand to brand. However, the one thing common among all brands is the need to be a strong brand.

Why is brand identity so critical?

A strong brand identity can position a company above its competition all by itself. However, acquiring a brand that strong takes time, money, and effort to develop. It is not as simple as just redesigning a logo or rewriting a tagline. Brand identity is the reason your customers choose you instead of your competition.

How to rework your brand identity.

Successful re-branding involves "evolution," not "revolution." You must impress upon your existing customers that your new brand is just a new and improved version of the same you. It is important not to get crazy with a re-branding effort because you could end up destroying fragile emotional ties and customer loyalty.

Brand identity is much more than marketing.

Having a brand identity that resonates with your market is important, but not at the expense of the people within your company. They need to get it, and be your brand's most fervent ambassadors. Do your employees believe in your company? Do they feel like they have a vested stake in its success? Companies with solid brand identities can say yes to these questions. Can yours? If not, here are some things you can do:

Get every aspect of your company on the same page: Easier said than done, right? Well, that does not mean it is not necessary. Get all your departments talking to each other and understanding each other.

# Promote everyone to the position of brand ambassador: Give everyone a common understanding of the company, its mission, and their part in it. They should feel like they have ownership-even if they do not.

# Reinforce brand values and behaviors: To do this, use the tools you have, such as internal communications...and like a good basketball coach, consistently promote these fundamentals until they are second nature.

Your employees will ultimately determine your success or failure. That is why it is so important to have them buy into your company's brand identity. However, that is not something that you can force. You, as leadership, must earn it. However, once you do, you will have a company that is full of happy, motivated, successful brand ambassadors.

Scott White is President of Brand Identity Guru, a leading Corporate Branding and Branding Research firm in Boston, MA. Brand Identity Guru specializes in creating corporate and product brands that increase sales, market share, customer loyalty, and brand valuation.

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By Scott White

"What have you Googled lately?" Ten years ago, you would have received strange looks for asking that question to anyone. Now, Googling is a part of life. When we need something, we search for it on the Internet.

From a branding perspective, Google has much in common with the Kleenex's, Xerox's, and Rollerblades of the world. It is a brand name that has become the name for a category; very different from, a 'not so long ago' time, when only the urban hipsters with Tony the Tiger shirts knew what Google was.

The Yellow Pages may not be gone, but their star is fading quickly. More and more people turn to Google, (or other search engines), when they need to find a product or service. Why? It is a way to locate more complete and up-to-date information. No contest. When someone looks up a company in the phonebook, they get their address, phone number, and maybe some flashy ad graphics; depending on how much money they spent on the ad. On a Google search, they get a link to the company's website, where you can find as much information on a company and its offerings, as you need.

For things like books, tickets and music, Googling often leads to an instant purchase, if the price is right. However, even for more "considered purchases," where one competes on more than just price; Googling is often the first research step buyers take to arrive at a decision. They search keywords and combinations of keywords, comparing each set of results to the next, looking for the most relevant information.

In a perfect world, people would systematically study three to five competitors in a selection set, write down the pros and cons of each and come to a calculated decision. However, a perfect world isn't the real world. Here's what happens: if a search result looks promising, the buyer will click through to the company's website and investigate the possibilities of a match further. If it looks like a fit, case closed. Customer won. No further research required-even if someone's out there with a better deal waiting.

This is why being on this "short list" of high-ranking search results is imperative in this day and age-the higher the better. Top rankings give you the chance of having prospective customers knock on your virtual door, knowledgeable about your offerings, and eager to buy before you ever say a single word to them.

Don't be ashamed of self-Googling.

Come on, you know you've done it: typed your name into an Internet search engine such as Yahoo or MSN. Don't feel embarrassed. We all do it. It is, after all, interesting to see what others are saying about you.

In a business context, it's not narcissistic at all. It's smart, especially when you're trying to build your brand online. Besides looking for your specific name, try looking for your category. For instance, if you're a Denver widget maker, look up "Denver widget" or any other combination of keywords or phrases relevant to your business. Where do you rank? Top two? Top 10? Top 1000? It doesn't take a genius to figure out the top five results will get a lot more clicks than Numbers 75-80. Are you where you want to be?

How top-ranked websites get their positions

Especially for the most competitive keyword searches, companies must engage in a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy, which encompasses strategic smarts, hard work, and clean code.

How search engines rank your websites.

Computer programs called "spiders" are responsible for visiting, indexing, and ranking web sites. Each search engine has its own spiders with somewhat differing methods for ranking the websites it finds. There are strategies you can use to make yours more appealing, and mistakes that can negatively affect your rankings.

Four SEO Urban Legends.

Legend #1: You can muscle your way into top rankings. Maybe in 1999, but not anymore. Repeating a bunch of hidden keywords on your page or in your tags no longer fools the search engine spiders into giving you high rankings. Algorithms that power the software behind these spiders are more advanced. Employing tactics like this will more likely hurt your rankings than help them.

Legend #2: It starts and ends with traffic. Many people will click themselves repeatedly in the hopes of boosting their search rankings. However, this is a futile effort because spiders don't care one bit about traffic.

Legend #3: I can get rankings cheap from those nice folks sending me all those emails. If you fall for one of those spammer schemes, you deserve to be ripped off! Seriously, though, you'd be paying good money for a clerical job you could easily do yourself. However, even if you did do it yourself, you would run the risk of getting even worse rankings. It's like membership at Augusta National-if you say you want it, you won't get it. Search engines regard repetitive submissions as desperation, which they reject wholeheartedly.

Legend #4: A Search Engine Optimization service guaranteed a Top 10 position on Google. In short, nobody can legitimately do that. Such guarantees are a telltale sign of snake-oil salesmanship. Here's how the scam works: technically, they live up to their end by getting you top billing on a search term of their choosing, which is so specific to you that only your mom would likely search on it.

Smarty-pants spiders.

Search engine optimization is far more complex than it's ever been. The obvious shortcuts to great search engine rankings have long since been identified and shut down by the search engine companies. These days, high rankings have more to do with the structure of your HTML code, your acumen at avoiding "trip wires" that send spiders away, where certain keywords appear on a page, how you use JavaScript and Cascading Style Sheets and where your formatting instructions appear in relation to your website copy. If you used a WYSIWYG code-writing program-such as Front Page, GoLive or Dreamweaver-you almost certainly will get a much lower score from the spiders.

It really does take a team of people, like the kind, we have at Brand Identity Guru, dedicated to monitoring the everyday changes on the battlefield to maintain a high-ranking web presence. In addition, it does change frequently-search engines are notorious for changing their search algorithms often.

What about pay-per-click?

Organic ("free" or "natural") rankings are completely different from sponsored ("pay-per-click" or PPC) links. PPC can be an effective part of a brand's overall online marketing strategy, and many professional SEO companies work with clients to design PPC campaigns that are both cost-effective and eye-catching. However, PPC won't substitute for SEO. High positioning on a relevant keyword search on Google, with its reputation for returning highly relevant results, bodes well for your brand in a way that sponsored links just can't. However, neither is it wise to engage in an all-SEO, no-PPC strategy. Serious online brand marketers get the best results with a comprehensive strategy run by professionals with both the branding and technical know-how to determine the right mix of the two.

Yes, it's complicated.

However, you get back a lot in return for your investment of time and money. A more "Google able" online branding strategy will quickly yield improved sales and a more visible brand on the web, which, in turn, will also positively affect your bottom line.

Scott White is President of Brand Identity Guru a leading Corporate Branding and Branding Research firm located in Boston, Massachusetts. Brand Identity Guru specializes in creating corporate and product brands that increase sales, market share, customer loyalty, and brand valuation.

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By Verena

There is no disagreement that effective branding through 'use of a name, term, symbol or design, or a combination of these', (Quester et al, 2001), can create brand awareness and recognition in the quickest manner. Companies use different kinds of 'Brand Name', that is: a word, letter or a group of words such as AOL, Intel Pentium III, etc., to project their companies. Sometimes, such words, symbols or marks are legally registered and copy righted to a single company known as trademarks (for product oriented companies), and service marks (for service offering companies), (Perreault & McCarthy, 2000).

However, in any form, use branding to create brand familiarity among consumers in terms of brand recognition and brand preference, (Papers4you.com, 2006). The advantage of using branding effectively is for consumers and marketers. For instance, it becomes easy for a customer to choose preferred brand among 1000s of other items just because of famous well-recognized symbol, word, or trademark that cannot be possible without effective branding, (Quester et al, 2001). For example, imagine you are driving down the road with hunger. Suddenly you see a symbol 'M' on a signboard with red background and yellow font. It is not difficult to realize that McDonalds is waiting for you, easily manifest effective projection of McDonalds' through brand symbol 'M'. Similarly imagine buying a computer accessory from among thousands of unknown brands, suddenly you observe 'Intel (r)' sign. A quick reminder prompts recognition of this symbol. It is a well-known brand symbol common everywhere in media and at your own computer.

Keep these examples in mind. It is obvious that marketers can cash in such advantages as well, (Papers4you.com, 2006). One way to use word and symbols is while launching new products under same brand names, (Quester et al, 2001). Every one is aware of 'Coca Cola (tm)'; any new soft drink introduced under this brand name has a high probable chance to achieve awareness and attention of coca cola lovers. Similarly, no matter if 'IBM' entered into so many IT related services, it initially became famous for IBM computers. Whenever you observe its trade mark of 'IBM' written in horizontal lines, the consumer is not bothered about checking the background of the company. As a result, it also saves huge promotion costs that a company with less famous brand names and symbols needs to incur.

To conclude discussion, see the outcome of effective branding in terms of 'brand equity', that is the value of a brand in terms of its perceived brand awareness, recognition, loyalty, and associations from customers. To give the advantage of effective branding, the brand equity of the Coca Cola brand is valued at $ 43 Billion, IBM brand at $ 18 billion, and Kodak's at $ 12 billion, (Kotler & Armstrong, 1999).

References

Kotler, P & Armstrong, G, (1999), 'Principles of Marketing', Eight Edition, New Jersey: Prentice- Hall Inc

Quester, P, G, McGuiggan, R, L, McCarthy, E, J & Perreault, W, D (2001), Basic Marketing- A Managerial Perspective', Australia: McGraw Hill Book Company Australia Pty Limited

Papers For You (2006) "P/M/457. What is successful branding?" Available from http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/sprtmrk31.htm [19/06/2006]

Papers For You (2006) "P/M/270. A consistent brand identity can only exist because of a well-planned advertising strategy, which has clearly stated communication effects and one, which considers exposure to appropriate target audiences and positioning strategies. Discuss", Available from Papers4you.com [19/06/2006]

Perreault, W, D & McCarthy, E, J, (2000), 'Essentials of Marketing- A Global Management Approach' International Edition, USA: McGraw Hill Companies Inc

Papers4you.com.

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By Tracy Yates

Do you use private label rights products in your online business? If you do not, or have been on the fence for a while, this article will help you hop off the fence and finally get started integrating private label rights into your business.

Before you can fully comprehend the importance of what private label rights products bring to the profiting table, you need to have a clearer understanding of what they are.

A product that offers private label rights is one that places total controls into your hands from the word GO! With them, you can claim authorship of the product, place an abundant amount of affiliate links within them for easy back-end profiting, break them apart, and create smaller portioned products such as electronic courses, bite size ebooks, or even articles. Beyond that, you can also combine them together and make an entire product.

Essentially, you are in control of the product, its presentation, and retain all the credit for it. In addition, you also collect all the profits from selling your new creation. In addition, you get to do this without all the headache of making the product from "scratch". You make a few adjustments to it, and away you go.

In contrast, having a product with resale rights, no matter the status of those rights, simply does not give you the creative freedom that private label rights does. With a resale rights product, of course, you can resell the product, but you cannot make any changes to the bulk of it, except a few select places for your affiliate links or name, as an authorized reseller.

However, with private label rights products, you are free to explore every aspect of change within that product and put your own unique look and feel to it without restriction. Therefore, building your own collection of resalable products you can claim as your own creations is a far more easily established goal.

Beyond that, you could use them to generate almost "instant" content in the form of articles within your business web site, freely available for your site visitors to read, to which you could easily place Adsense codes for multiple profit streams. The possibilities are virtually endless due to the freedom that private label rights provide you.

While some may argue the ease of using private label products, the truth of it is still there. This is as plain as day for you to see. Many people will try and "down play" the importance of what private label rights can honestly provide to your online business by making the process of using them overly complicated. This is simply a "scare" tactic to lower their own competition within their market.

Private label rights are an excellent way to create your own specialty line of products. If you are brave enough to seek them out and put them to work for you, using them will expand your profits, bottom line.

Consider adding them to your online business arsenal.

Tracy Yates is an established Internet Marketer with over 4 popular web sites and more than 25 infoproducts to her credit. Visit her private site here: http://www.tracyyates.com to discover more about her. Her current endeavor is taking the private label rights industry by storm and causing a HOT FUSS. . . All to benefit YOU!

Find out more at http://www.originalprivatelabelproducts.com

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By Wendy Maynard

Copyright 2005 Kinesis, Inc.

Have you clearly defined your target audience? These are the prime buyers of your products or services. It is the people or organizations you are pursuing actively as customers. You do not need every customer in the world! You need the ones who are a good match for YOU. When you are specific, the more effective your marketing campaign will be.

Let us take this concept one-step further. You can develop specific strategies that will attract your DREAM customers. These people are best suited to purchase your product or service.

A dream customer is someone who:
• You want to work with and enjoy. For example, if you are wild about horses, why not specialize in the riding industry?
• Needs and values the product or services you provide.
• Is willing and able to pay what you need to charge.
• Views you as an important resource - an expert.
• Has problems and goals you care about.
• Is loyal to your business and not easily swayed by competitors.
• Is delighted to do business with you!

I can hear you asking, "Is it really possible to attract dream customers?" The answer is a resounding YES! The key is to know what sets you apart and to make a DIFFERENCE for your customers.

In all of your marketing materials, be professional, creative, and consistent. In addition, always focus on the exciting benefits you offer to your customers. Do not fall into the trap of using boring feature-focused marketing phrases.

Here are some examples of boring, feature-focused marketing:
• We provide excellent customer service.
• Our firm has been around for 25 years.
• We are a full-service company.
• The XYZ product is the best of its kind.

Why is this boring marketing? There is nothing unique or remarkable about these statements. They focus on features, not benefits. In addition, they are the exact same messages your competitor is using. Yes, these sentences may be true. However, they do nothing to set your business apart. These phrases are not going to magnetize your dream customer. Instead, you have to THINK like your customers. Meet their specific needs and solve their unique problems. In your marketing materials, tell them about the unique benefits your company provides.

Make sure your business is memorable. If your customers cannot remember you, they cannot tell others about your services or products.

Examples of benefit-based statements to attract your DREAM customers:
• Sales Trainer: "We will take the fear out of selling."
• Cosmetic Dentist: "A smile makeover can make you look years younger."
• Mortgage Company: "We'll find the right loan for you at the best price."

These statements work because they focus on what a customer will get. They solve a problem. In addition, they show an understanding of people's challenges and plans for the future. If you want to be a magnet, ask your current customers what they like about you. Also, ask them what you can do better.

Feedback is a great way to build your dream customer base. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression. So, be proactive in your marketing. What do your current marketing materials say about your company? Are they creative? Do they look professional? Is your branding consistent and based on a theme? If you answer "no" to any of these questions, your marketing may not be working effectively, to pull in your dream customers.

ACTION ITEM: Write down the characteristics of your DREAM customer and then write down the unique ways your business can meet their needs. This week, take one step toward making your company a customer magnet.

Wendy Maynard, your friendly marketing maven, is the owner of Kinesis. Kinesis specializes in marketing, graphic and website design, and business writing. Visit http://www.kinesisinc.comYou can also visit her marketing blog, Kinetic Ideas at: http://www.wendy.kinesisinc.com

Want to harness the power of kinetic marketing? Sign up for Kinesis Quickies, a free bi-monthly marketing e-newsletter: http://www.news.kinesisinc.com

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By Graham and Julie

How do you measure how successful you are? The size of your home, or your car? Is it about the amount of money you have in the bank? How many friends do you have, the size of your wardrobe, wearing designer brands, eating regularly at the best restaurants, staying in the best hotels, or holidays in exotic places? Alternatively, is it the number of homes you have? Perhaps it is the amount of free time you have, or the time you can use on whatever you want.

In our experience, the best way to measure how successful you are is by looking at how many people rubbish you. How many people criticize what you stand for? How many people go out of their way to ridicule you?

The more people who criticize what you do, and complain about the hours you work, the way you earned your success, the way you spend your money, the way you run your life, the more you can say I have made it. I am a success.

This is a sad but true reflection of the world we live in. The more successful you are the more people want to bring you down. It does not matter to them that you have spent years learning and practicing before gaining the fruits of your efforts.

Given the same opportunity that you grasped and worked for, they would have let it pass as being too difficult. The point is they just cannot resist complaining and criticizing.

It seems they do not intend to face their own demons. They have no intention of standing out from the crowd. They just want everything to be the same.

The last thing they want is you and people like you being different. The last thing they want is you and people like you showing them that there is another way to live your life, a more successful way. They do not need you and people like you to show them that to be successful you have to change your thoughts, the way you see the world.

They want to go through life on minimum effort so the last thing they need is you showing them that by making the effort, you can succeed. To them the fruits of their labors are simple and regular, they do not need you and people like you showing that with a little know how and commitment the fruits of your labor can be enormous. They do not need people like you showing the world what is possible.

The last thing they need is someone who has the courage to believe in himself or herself and work towards what they want and become successful.

If it is any consolation to you, the more successful you get the more critics and complainers you collect.

You just have to accept that when they start on you in your office, in your town, in your professions then you are on the verge of being successful. You have done what they are frightened of doing: you have conquered your fear of the unknown and gone for your dreams.

You have the courage. You have the desire. You have the willingness and ability to focus on your dreams. In the end:

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again, and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." Quoted by, -President Teddy Roosevelt-

Good Luck

Graham and Julie.
www.desktop-meditation.com

To improve your intuition, initiative, and energy levels please go to:
www.desktop-meditation.com. It is free.

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By Scott White

When you are a search engine that accounts for over 46% of all searches on the Internet, you are a bona fide 'Big Daddy'. However, for Google, it is more than a nickname-it is the future.

For months now, the 7-year-old search engine has been testing new crawling and indexing systems with the hopes of making web searches more intuitive and accurate. The project, called "Bigdaddy," is much more than a software update. It is a total refit of the search engine's infrastructure and software.

"...It's not just a data push or algorithm update," says Search Engineer, Matt Cutts of Google. Three data centers have been updated with new ones coming online every 10 days, a pace expected to increase. Web users can access the updated Google search by typing in the IP address of the updated servers in their address bar: 66.249.93.104, 64.233.179.104, or 216.239.51.104. All of Google's reported 85+ data centers are expected to be updated around the end of February or early March, and the closer we get to that time, the odds increase that your Google search will hit a "Bigdaddy" data center.

What 'Bigdaddy' addresses.

The biggest issue "Bigdaddy" will fix is hijacking redirects of URL requests-what happens when someone redirects a request for one website to another though illicit techniques. These kinds of redirects are called "302 redirects."

"Bigdaddy" will also add something Google calls "canonicalization," which will instruct a search engine how to decide which of a series of URLs is the proper one to insert into the Google index. For instance, most people would consider these the same URLs:

www.example.com
example.com/

www.example.com/index.html
example.com/home.asp

In reality, these URLs are different and could conceivably return completely different content for each request. However, Google's "canonicalization" will pick the URL that best represents what the user is likely asking for.

What 'Bigdaddy' does.

"Bigdaddy" will also bring different crawling and indexing criteria, the groundwork for algorithms that are more advanced, larger databases, and faster, more effective indexing of content.

Additionally, Google will be able to index new kinds of content. Testing is underway on a new search engine spider based on the Mozilla browser that can read links within images and even within Flash video.

What "Bigdaddy" means to you.

Brand Identity Guru has spent the past week researching what the implications of "Bigdaddy" will be for our Boston Search Engine Optimization clients. By comparing the results, we found that "Bigdaddy" powered keyword searches returned improved rankings for 77% of our clients, while 17% stayed the same, and 6% (mostly those without a good number of incoming links) experienced a decline.

"Bigdaddy" data centers also reported much higher numbers of search results: searching for "landscape software,"the non-Bigdaddy, search engine returned about 30 million results while "Bigdaddy" returned over 60 million. We have concluded, then, that sites ranked well because of solid on-page SEO techniques and inbound linking will benefit from this update. However, there are still many unanswered questions about the implications of "Bigdaddy." However, Google (as usual) is remaining mum on specifics in the hopes of preventing people from taking unruly advantage of the system.

Scott White is President of Brand Identity Guru a leading Corporate Branding and Branding Research firm located in Boston, Massachusetts. Brand Identity Guru specializes in creating corporate and product brands that increase sales, market share, customer loyalty, and brand valuation.

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By Scott White

Google's Internet search Branding is so strong that we forget how big a player it is becoming in the world of advertising markets. Even when we read the latest forecasts about its growing success, we tend to think exclusively about Google's online brand image. That powerful brand image tends to hold back what Google is becoming. It means they will need to consider changing their brand identity, a common problem for companies today who must navigate changes in business direction amid turbulent market changes. Google is so versatile now, that it offers a huge range of services and advertising opportunities. Advertisers can almost take it for granted that their advertising will hit the right target market and the right up-to-the-minute brand impression will take place.

Google is Everywhere

According to one Sash's analyst, Google is poised to serve 6.1 billion dollars worth of advertising in the coming year. This makes it fourth among American media companies in total ad sales after Viacom, the News Corporation, the Walt Disney Company, and ahead of giants including NBC Universal and Time Warner. The Google growth needs to be recognized. It is not going away. This company has the revenue and capital resources to grow and consume other competing media giants. That means Google Adwords will become ubiquitous. It is not beyond the realm of imagination that they will show up on television or DVD movie rentals. Anything is possible for Google. As the company ventures into new offline advertising mediums, the Google Corporate Branding will evolve and lose its "Web only" image.

Getting into Goggle's world is an intelligent investment in your company's future. Most companies could benefit from exposure on Google whether in paid ads via Adwords, or through organic search listings (search engine optimization). In addition, you receive all that brand exposure!

Sadly, most do not. There could be a number of reasons for this. Foremost, it is likely that corporate marketing managers have not explored the value of search marketing (search engine optimization). The market share numbers are still small, so they do not devote much time to it. A lack of familiarity and understanding of search marketing is another reason. The realm of search marketing is new and is slightly different from the usual advertising buy. It is more complicated, and requires more strategy. It can take some time for results to show through in organic search engine marketing. Those with patience can do very well, but patience seems to be at a premium today.

The success of some companies in search marketing is well known; Internet.com has built an empire on traffic from search engines. Yet this does not seem to matter to business managers. They still do not believe search can make a difference in their bottom line. Often, they think only about online sales, and see channel conflicts or 1% conversion rates, and then dismiss the whole thing as a waste of resources.

The truth is, ultimate consumers, B2B buyers, and purchase influencers use Google everyday and it is becoming critical to their method of finding relevant products and services.

We see clients receiving visits to the Web from organic search optimization campaigns that dwarf what they receive from print or TV advertising, and at a fraction of the cost. In addition, these are high quality visits from very motivated prospects and here is the kicker... because you come up in the top 10 in Google you become an authority. That is right; your prospects automatically trust you because they trust Google. They may purchase offline or via telephone, but most of them research their purchase online before making the purchase decision. Real sale conversion rates might be from 3% to 20% of visitors, depending on the offline availability of products. For national manufacturers and retailers, the end sales benefit is overwhelming. The ROI is unequaled. Let me say it again, UNEQUALED! It can power up promotional marketing campaigns as well.

Let us not forget that there are indirect ways of getting to consumers as well, such as, other Web sites where promotional advertising can be placed. Often manufacturers can launch their own Web sites and find they have far better control of their marketing and acquire better marketing information than if they rely on an ever-diminishing base of distributors and retailers.

Although Google's success is new and even threatening to traditional marketing, major retailers, manufacturers, and distributors have to take it seriously. There are many creative and innovative ways to use Google for promotional marketing. It can bring prospects to an interactive Web site that captures the imagination of the prospect and motivates them in ways not possible through other advertising media.

Search engine marketing then, is just the beginning of a rich stream of targeted prospects. Google is growing and it represents a revolutionary opportunity for your company. Master this new medium early and your company will prosper for the next twenty years.

Scott White is President of Brand Identity Guru a leading Corporate Branding consulting and market research firm located in Boston, Massachusetts. Brand Identity Guru specializes in creating corporate and product brands that increase sales, market share, customer loyalty, and brand valuation.

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By John Foley

Ebooks are part of the new frontier of cyberspace.

They are an entirely new medium for sharing marketing information, ideas, techniques, and expert knowledge.

Each day the number of people accessing the Internet grows, causing the exposure of your ebook to increase incrementally. It is obvious why electronic self-publishing has quickly become so popular.

The publishing industry, I hope, does not intend to banish the printed word forever to the dustbin of history. Books in print have their own special qualities and merits, and the world would be diminished by their disappearance.

Having said that, let us look at what makes ebooks so important and so unique. Ebooks have certain abilities and qualities that other mediums do not possess.

For example, ebooks are easy to produce, and their production cost is inexpensive. Just think about it: you do not need a publisher, an agent, a printing press, offset film, ink, paper, or even a distributor.

You just need a great concept, the ability to write it or to hire a writer, and the right software.

Additionally, ebooks are rapidly and are easily distributed online, and easily updated. They do not require a second print. All you do is go into your original creation and modify the text or graphics. Because of this flexibility, ebooks can change and grow as fast as you can type.

Ebooks are also immediately obtainable. You do not have to go to a bookstore or search through endless titles at an online bookstore. All you have to do is download it from a website, and presto! It is on your computer, ready to be read.

Ebooks are interactive. This is one of the most unique and specific qualities that ebooks offer. You can add surveys that need to be filled out, order forms for customers to purchase your products or goods, sound and video that draw your reader into the virtual world of your ebook, even direct links to relevant sites that will expand your ebook outward. The potential is virtually limitless.

Ebooks have a particular kind of permanence that other mediums do not possess. Television shows and radio shows air once, and then may rerun a few times. Ebooks remain on your computer for as long as your choose, and they can be read and reread whenever you choose. They can even be printed out and stored on the shelves of your traditional home library.

Another wonderful quality is that ebooks have no barriers in terms of publishing. You do not need to go through the endless process of submitting your manuscript repeatedly, and then once you land an agent, having the agent submit your manuscript repeatedly. Nor do you have to shell out thousands of dollars for printing a self-published book. All ebooks require is a writer and appropriate software.

Figure out your market, write your book, post it on your website, and with the right business insight, your audience will come to you.

Finally, you have creative control over your ebook.

You do not have to compromise with an editor or the publishing trends of the time. You do not have to haggle with a designer or wait for copyedited galleys to arrive by snail mail. You are in complete control of the design and the text.

How to Use ebooks for Marketing and Promotion

There are innumerable ways to use ebooks to promote your business and drive quality traffic to your website. Once posted on your site, you can turn them into a daily course, which brings your customer back to read the next chapter. You can use them as a gift for making a purchase or for filling out a survey. Put your ebook on a disc, and you will have an innovative brochure. Blow your competition away by inserting the disc into your sales packages.

The most effective marketing products are those that are unique. Copyright your ebook, and immediately, you have a powerful tool that you and you alone, can offer to the public. People will have to visit your site to acquire your ebook, which increases the flow of quality traffic and the potential of sales and affiliate contacts.

Make sure that you keep your ebook current. Update it frequently as the market and trends change. Add new advice and techniques to show your prospects how your goods or services can enrich their lives. By constantly keeping abreast of new trends and techniques, you can continue to see profits from your ebook for years after your original creation.

Another phenomenal advantage of ebooks is that you can test their marketing potential without putting out hardly any cash. You can even produce an ebook one copy at a time, each time you receive an order, eliminating the need for storage and inventory. By this method, you can gauge the salability of your ebook, and make adjustments as necessary until the orders start pouring in. Ebooks allow you to learn about your market and customer habits and motivation over a period, without risking your precious financial resources. They also provide you with an invaluable way to gather marketing information, which you can use in many different facets of your business.

Use your ebook to discover what the specific goals and problems are in your specific industry. Then figure out how to solve these problems, and publish an ebook with this invaluable information. This will increase the value of your business, upgrade your reputation, and get you known as an expert in your field.

You can extend the value of single ebook by breaking the book down into chapters for a serial course, into special reports available on your website, or into audio or visual tapes. Ebooks can be broken down into several different promotional materials by excerpting some of the articles and using them to promote your product. You can include a catalog in your ebook to promote all the products or services you sell. You can include a thank-you note for reading your book and an invitation to download a trial version of your product. Alternatively, you can include a form for your audience to contact you for further information or with questions, thereby building your business relationships and your mailing list.

Using ebooks in this manner helps to cut the cost of individually producing separate promotional materials.

You can use a single ebook to entice new prospects and to sell new products to your current customers.

No other medium has this kind of flexibility and ability for expansion. Think of your ebook like a spider spinning a beautiful and intricate web. Now go and create that web, and see how many customers and prospects you can catch!

John Foley PhD MBA
http://www.marketing-growth.com

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By Keith Baxter

A common saying in the Internet Marketing community is, 'The money is in the list'.

Unfortunately, that is an inaccurate statement.

The line should read, 'The money is in what you do with that list'.

This all begins with a lead (otherwise known as an opt-in).

When you are building your business, you engage in marketing to entice people to become interested in your product.

These people become leads that either buy from you or do not buy from you.

The ones that do buy from you then become your customers.

While this is not rocket science, we are trying to establish your visitor value at this point.

Let us talk about how to determine your visitor value.

First, we want to know what your conversion rate is for generating a lead.

Do this by taking the number of people that opted into your site and dividing that by the number of unique visitors. For example... if you had 50 opt-ins and 1000 unique visitors, your conversion rate is 5%.

Next, if 10 of these leads (opt-ins) generated $10 each in sales, then you made $100... still with me.

If you made $100 and have 1000 unique visitors, then your visitor value is $.10 per visitor.

You are better off determining this value at the end of each month, as it will change month to month.

However, knowing this number is the key to your ad budget for future lead generation.

Let us move on...

If only 10 people out of the 50 leads became customers, then what do you do with the remaining 40 leads?

It is simple...

You get them to do what they have already done in an effort to boost your visitor value!

Confused? Fear not... all is explained shortly.

If you can get the lead to opt-in to another form, (which they have already been conditioned to do) and are paid on that opt-in, then guess what... you have increased your visitor value from a lead that was not going to convert into a customer.

This is the power of CPA Networks. They give you the opportunity to increase your visitor value by paying you on form submissions. An excellent way to promote a CPA offer is by simply adding it to the end of a follow-up sequence.

In this article, I showed you how the money is not in the list, but in what you do with that list... how to determine your visitor value... and how to increase your visitor value with CPA Networks. My goal is for you to determine your visitor value today, take the simple action of adding a CPA offer to the end of your emails, and enjoy the returns that come with this.

Keith Baxter is the president of http://www.ModernClick.com, the fastest growing CPA Network online. Modern Click is the perfect network to use when applying Keith's tactics.

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By Andy West

Every business out there is competing hard with others offering like products or services, thanks to the way the world has opened up. It provides consumers with access to many different resources. Thanks to the pay-per-click marketing strategy found across the internet, someone requiring a service in Canada can easily hire a business in Florida, or a product manufactured in Colorado can reach an end user in Australia. This is great, because the opportunities for higher sales and income are vast, compared to previous decades where your business was only locally known or only popular in the surrounding cities.

Stiff competition, however, has also meant that anyone with a business needs to promote and market their company effectively, encouraging and enticing surfers to visit their site and hopefully purchase their product or service. Having a pay-per-click marketing strategy to make sure your website is seen and it receives plenty of hits is integral to your business's success. If you are not receiving traffic to your site, you have a seriously struggling venture on your hands.

There are plenty of ways to boost sales and promote your website. Information is the current trend in tempting surfers to click links and reach your site. Articles posted on your website to teach people something new or give them pertinent information are helpful to draw in clientele. Press releases can also be effective to bring attention to your business or company. Thanks to the way individuals quickly turn to computers and the internet for their information, the written word and fundamental text become the strongest venue to drawing in business.

Pay-per-click or PPC advertising is another growing method of boosting hits to your website. This principle of marketing is a venture of cooperation between websites, as you ask other sites to display a link for your website. When individuals are attracted to an ad displayed on a website, they click to follow the link through to your business portal. The company advertising your link receives income that you supply. In effect, this pay-per-click marketing strategy is paying someone to promote your company.


For someone adept with computers and having great interpersonal and negotiation skills, pay-per-click can be set up by an individual. Most people, however, do not have the expertise or the time to work through the steps needed to set up this type of advertising. The best thing to do is to hire a PPC consulting firm that has all the resources and networking skills to build an effective promotional program. Not only that, hiring a pay-per-click consulting firm means that you do not have to worry about links on dead sites, maintenance, or creating a catchy advertisement.

Companies devoted to PPC consulting will work with you to develop a strong pay-per-click marketing strategy to know what product or service you are trying to sell. From there, they will define your market target, and develop surveys to help with the set-up of the promotion program. Once they have achieved results from these surveys, pay-per-click consulting firms will create advertisement that reaches the people you want it to and test the results. Revisions are sure to come into play, and businesses geared to pay-per-click consulting will compare their marketing against solid results. Considering the amount of work involved in this type of promotion, you certainly do not want to go less than the full distance by trying to set up pay-per-click advertising yourself.


Reputable consulting firms that specialize in creating a pay-per-click marketing strategy for businesses are ones that are geared to website promotion. Every type of industry has experienced and skilled experts and the common jack-of-all-trades individual will not be able to pull off such an intensive networking to boost your sales. If you are serious about a successful business, you should hire companies that provide exactly what you need and you will soon be able to see that the cost of their time and efforts pays for itself repeatedly as your sales increase.

Andy West is a freelance writer for Vertical Measures. Vertical Measures is an Internet Marketing Company that offers quality pay-per-click consulting for your business. For more information, please visit http://www.verticalmeasures.com/pay-per-click-consulting.html.

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By Theresa Cahill

After spending the past decade talking with individuals wishing to promote their products and web sites online, one theme appears to repeat itself and may be at the root of the marketer's problem.

Wikipedia states that:

"Real-life marketing primarily revolves around the application of a great deal of common-sense; dealing with a limited number of factors, in an environment of imperfect information and limited resources complicated by uncertainty and tight timescales. Use of classical marketing techniques, in these circumstances, is inevitably partial and uneven."

The average advertiser often perceives himself or herself as a full-fledged "marketer." This, too often, is far from reality. The quote above shows there is an abundance of misinformation and limited, trustworthy resources on which one begins to build a marketing base. Choose the wrong ones and you are running around in circles, with little to show for your efforts.

Developing the best internet marketing strategy can be difficult. It must encompass a wide variety of services, methods, and techniques to begin to show results. Often, the web site owner chooses one particular method, applies it to that task for a short period and then puts it on the back burner. They find that either the technique they decided upon was too hard to implement or too time consuming to pursue.

Then it is off to find the next "biggest and best" idea.

The lack of follow thru, compounded with life pressures, forces many to give up effectively working their online marketing strategy. Reviewing their plan of action, often it is discovered that there really is no method - just a hit and miss approach to try to gain web site recognition from a virtual world full of competitors.

Cost effective internet marketing and a solid online marketing strategy are key elements to your online business success. Following the latest and greatest fad becomes an all-consuming monster. Reality tells us there is just not enough time in the day to work a fully developed online marketing strategy... not if you are going it alone. To hinder one's efforts further, many try to discover the "secret" from one online source or another. This, too, can chew up time and money without shedding any real light on effective marketing.

Individuals, small businesses, and large corporations running successful endeavors online have one thing in common - a solid marketing strategy and effective ways to implement their plans.

Remember, there is a good reason sayings like "Rome wasn't built in a day!" remain true even today. Haphazard marketing brings haphazard (and frustrating) results.

Theresa Cahill has over two decades of online and offline marketing and puts that experience to use assisting businesses and store front owners in promoting their websites. FREE online marketing strategy analysis at http://www.market-for-me.com.

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Submitted by Jeff Marsh

Advertising, marketing, website design and hosting all take a toll on your business' budget. An important part of all these aspects is your business' logo design. Do not worry, because the options available to you will help reduce the financial strain on your budget.

You can find free business logo design in a variety of areas. Many logo design companies will design your business logo free, if you purchase other products from them. Some logo design businesses will provide the free logo design with website design, stationary design, and web hosting. For example, you purchase your website design and hosting through them and they will propose a free business logo design for you. The price you pay for the website design and hosting depends on your needs in those areas, but you are able to lump your free business logo design in the package, as well, for no additional cost.

Many logo design businesses will also provide you with discounts on products if you purchase your stationary and envelope design through them. You may not receive a free logo design but you will be able to save a little money on other business necessities. You may also find packages that offer other free services if you purchase your logo design from them. For example, some graphic design businesses will provide you with stationary and envelope design, a black and white logo design and your logo design in a variety of useful file formats. You may not be receiving a free business logo design, but the other services are free or included in the price of the business logo design.

There are many options available to businesses that will help relieve the stress on the budget. Combining product packaging that your business needs will help you save both time and money. You will be able to find various graphic design packages that include free business logo design with the purchase of other services. Remember that you get what you pay for in the graphic design industry. Before you commit to any package in particular you should research the portfolio and pricing of the graphic designer.

Jeff Marsh is a lead designer with Logo. For a logo or computer logo, design samples for your company contact Logo Design Works on 614 917 2177.

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By Leah Lee

In many cases, business owners can come up with several traditional ways to improve their bottom line. Some may cut expenses, relocate for cheaper lease options, or even cut back on employees. With many corporate budgets being so tight, consider corporate gifts. How can this expense improve the budget? How can you justify spending money on gifts when it is not necessary? In this article, we will find sure-fire answers to these questions and analyze the facts and benefits behind corporate gifting.

We all know that a business thank you gift is no scientific evolution. Corporate gift giving is a payment, which benefits potential clients, partners, employees, employers, and associates. So far, the benefit does not seem to be for the business owner. In this case, why should corporate gifting be of any value? Well, here some good reasons to chew on:

• To keep employees.

Employees are expensive. Recruiting employees is expensive because you have to spend money on advertising and/or agencies to find the employees and test them for employability skills, personality compatibility, drugs, and criminal background. Training employees costs even more money. A valuable employee knows how things work, because of the years with the company. Finally, employee turnover is bad for morale and occasionally brings with it nasty law suits, not to mention all of the problems caused by understaffing. Therefore, it makes sense to invest a little money in corporate gifting. Go ahead; get your exemplary assistant a fancy leather business card holder or even a nice gift the whole family would enjoy, like a picnic basket. Rest assured, these noble alms will make your employees feel like you have gone out of your way for them and you appreciate them.

• To keep clients.

Finding good clients can be just as expensive as finding good employees. Once again, you often have to revert to extra advertising and/or networking. You may have to go through several new clients to find one, as good as, the one you have lost. Then you have to spend time educating them and breaking them in, or getting used to their policies. In the mean time, your business is less stable, and that can cause all sorts of problems. Losing a client is also bad because they may take their friends with them. Therefore, when you lose one client, you lose a lot. Keep your good clients by treating them well, doing good business, and giving them that grand slam corporate gift basket, or even, company engraved business gifts. It only makes sense.

• For good public relations.

If you are nice to people, they will spread the word, and it will give your company a good image.

• Just to make people feel good.

Some people believe there is no room for altruism in business. That is a shame. When they start to put money first and people second, it withers their souls. They would do best to remember what is important.

The making of business gifts have been standard practice in all sectors of business and helps to build and establish lasting relationships for development. When a company has invested in implementing and maintaining a corporate incentive program, it benefits everyone. Employees generally feel appreciated, which in turn increases moral, clients feel important, and you plant a seed of good will. If you are generous in business, generosity will come back to you. Now, take all these factors and add them up. With long term employees, clients that will return to you for services, and the public who will spread the word of good cheer for your enterprise, it all adds up to a black bottom line.

Leah Lee is editor for Corporate Snobs.com. For more unique business gift ideas, visit us today!

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By George Ishee

The answer might surprise you - Develop a pro-active "human proof" referral system and use it all the time! It is that simple.

When I ask most people, "how do you successfully grow your business," they often tell me, "it is by word of mouth or referrals." Yet when I ask them what system (or methodology they use) to obtain referrals, they do not have one. It is a random process at best.

Statistics show that today, it takes six more times the effort and money to get a new client to buy from you, as it takes to get a second order from an existing customer or a referral. So why do people not ask for referrals from everybody they sell?

The reason is that there are emotions involved. Most people do not feel comfortable "asking" for referrals. Here is a rule - If you do not ask for a referral, you will not get many. When asking for referrals do you ask like this, "Do you know of anyone that might like our services?", and the answer you get is usually "no not at this time, but if I do, I will be sure to tell them about you".

We have found that when you put an automated system in place that asks for a referral, every time to everybody that buys, your referrals go up and so do your sales. You can usually expect to obtain at least one new "referred customer" from every five new customers asked. That's a 20% increase in business without spending a dime on marketing or advertising.

So what should you say to get a referral? Here is the key - People think in pictures; so when you ask for a referral, it paints a picture in their mind of whom they can refer. Ask them "Do you have any clients that might like to take advantage of the savings and or quality services you just received? If you could take a moment and scan through your rolodex and see if anyone comes to mind that you could refer, and then put their contact information on this form".

In addition, you should have a series of 3 - 5 steps mapped out that lead up to asking for the referral. It should look something like this.

1) Send a thank you letter or email,

2) Follow up with a quick phone call,

3) Follow up with another email to ensure everything went well after you delivered the product or solution.

4) Finally, send a letter or email with a script saying: "Dear (customer), based on our previous communications, I know you are happy with the product, service and follow up. I would like to ask a favor. Would you be kind enough to refer up to three people that you think might be interested in receiving the same quality and savings that you have experienced? Check your rolodex or any clients you have dealt with in the last 30 days and put them on the form I have provided. I have attached a simple form. Again, thanks for being our customer and putting your trust in us."

5) Put a note on your calendar to call them in 4-5 days and ask for the referrals if you did not receive them.

6) Put it on an automated process system. Every new customer that calls you, and purchases from you, it will ask for a referral every time...Without Fail! You need to ask every new customer because:

• They just made the decision to choose you instead of the competition!

• People want to tell other people about their good decisions!

• You have just provided them with a valued solution and are on the top of their mind!

• You have not had a chance to mess it up yet!

By automating, the process of politely asking for referrals at your customer satisfaction stage of relationship, you will obtain at least one new customer via referral for every four customers asked. It is like buying five customers and getting one free!

If you want to increase your sales by 20% without spending a dime on marketing or advertising, implement a system, which is automated, and "human proof". To learn more, review the digital brochure at www.plumtreemarketing.digbro.com or call 770-352-0662 for a free 30-minute business evaluation to improve your referral system.

George Ishee is known as a sales funnel guru and works with mid to small companies, to automate the process, to increase leads, referrals, and sales on a consistent basis. To learn more visit our digital brochure at http://www.plumtreemarketing.digbro.com or call 770-352-0662.

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By Chuck Ingersoll

I know, "Resonant Congruent Differentiation" sounds like something that immediately scares your ears. Something you learned about and quickly forgot in Psych 101. However, stick with me a moment. I think you will see that it is much simpler - easily understood - and very pertinent to the way people name products, services, and businesses.

Having recently gone through some re-roofing trauma, a lawn sign promoting a contractor grabbed my attention. "Mr. Fussy Roofing" it read. I first laughed at the name because of its seeming oxymoronic message. In addition, it is a name with amusement value. Moments later I thought, "I wish I knew about that guy when I had my roof done."

'Mr. Fussy Roofing' is an almost perfect example of a differentiated product or service name that is congruent and resonates beautifully. When you are coming up with names, this is exactly what you should be striving for: resonant congruent differentiation. So let us break down what that phrase means and into intellectually chewable chunks.

Go Ahead, 'Splain Resonant Congruent Differentiation

Take it to the end first: differentiation means you are not being confused with competitors, so you stand out in a positive fashion. If all the companies that make steel are named after locations or owners, such as Bethlehem or Harris Steel, you will not achieve much differentiation if you are called Rogerson Steel. Choose StrongSteelCo and, at the least, you have demonstrated a positioning and promise in your name.

Now for the resonant congruent part. Congruent, be consistent with the qualities and values personified in the products/services you provide. If you make a high-end speaker system, naming it 'Mickey's Speakers' would not be a good call. People would think you had a "Mickey Mouse" product, and naming it after your own self, sounds low budget and small time. This name is incongruent with the image you wish to convey. This name type starts you off in the weeds, so you have to climb out to establish a quality identity.

Resonant, in a very basic sense, means the name makes the prospect or customer feel in alignment with the key message that the name of your product or service communicates. It is credibility, appropriateness, a connection with your brand.

'Mr. Fussy Roofing': Our Branding Hero

Let us use 'Mr. Fussy Roofing' as our example. For right or wrong, roofing contractors do not always, have the greatest reputations. People are suspicious of getting ripped off or of shoddy work. (A neighbor had a new roof put on. It drained improperly so water went between the siding and the underlayment. This was, as my daughter says, UNgood.) Many roofing contractors are small businesses and do not put a lot of thought into their naming and branding. (Exhibit #1: A local contractor named DBA Roofing.) Many other MALE business owners would find 'Mr. Fussy' to be too cute or feminine a name, and would instantly rule it out.

However, our Mr. Fussy did not. He went outside his comfort zone, possibly, to create a name that resonated congruently with me, his typical audience, and achieved positive differentiation. What do I take away from 'Mr. Fussy Roofing'? He cares, he is different from most, he features attention to detail, he will likely do an excellent job, and he does roofing. All from three words!

Contrast this with 'DBA Roofing'. I know they do roofing, and perhaps could not even think of a name. I do not know anything more about what they stand for, what their vision is, or how they do business. Just two words - Mr. Fussy - tell me so much more. Mr. Fussy differentiated his business. I get it and like what he promises, so it resonates with me. The idea of a roofer being fussy is very congruent and highly desirable to me.

So Why Don't More Companies Create Resonant Congruent Differentiated Names?
There are many reasons: ego, ability to be objective about every company except your own, stubbornness, caution, corporate culture, a desire to take a safe middle road, and on and on. This desire to 'play it safe', not take a chance, applies as often to big corporations as it does in small businesses.

Many people may think that 'Geek Squad' is a great name. It's more fun, evocative and compelling than 'Your Computer Experts' or some other safe vanilla choice. Yet when it comes to their own name, people get scared and go down a safe path. I recently named a coffee shop "Thanks a Latte." Would you rather go there for that experience or to 'Dunkin' Donuts' or 'Herb's Coffee Shop'?

Obviously, you have to take your audience into account. 'Thanks a Latte' is aiming for a Starbucks-type of crowd: more upscale, willing to pay a bit more for quality. Yet, in many cases, a striking, effectively clever, or even surprising name will take you so much further, especially if your marketing budget is limited. (Hey, isn't everyone's?)

Unless you are one of those cavemen from the Geico commercials, you know that a geek is a computer nerd. A geek squad is a whole mess of 'em. Chances are you will find 25 PC repair guys in your Yellow Pages called 'Something Computer Repair'. You'll only find one 'Geek Squad'. Let's say you see three commercials. One for 'Phil's Computer Shack', another for 'Waterville Computer Repair', and the third for 'Geek Squad'. Which are you going to remember? And who YOU gonna' call?

This brings up another key attribute of memorable, powerful names: attitude. 'Geek Squad', 'Thanks a Latte', 'Brains on Fire' (a naming firm), 'Mr. Fussy'... they all bring a distinctive point of view to the name. A name you can connect with almost viscerally. Consider Mr. Fussy one more time. Who has more of a persona in two words: 'Mr. Fussy' or 'Bob's Roofing'? Who conveys more depth of appropriate and convincing meaning in two words? While finding a name that fits is important, creating one that voices a point of view, that you and your business believe in, will go a long way toward developing true differentiation and memorability. You can say this attitude will give you greater resonance with proper congruence, if you do it right.

Do You Want to Describe What You Do, Or Be Memorable?

If you're going to name your company and have, it stand out from the competition, choosing a functional name like 'PhotoCopy Hut' isn't really going to dazzle anyone. 'PhotoCopy Hut' doesn't go any further than simply being functional on a very basic level, but we've seen worse. Ever notice a truck go by you on the expressway that says something like "Kordis." They may even have a tag line, such as "Bringing the World to You." You wonder, what do they do? Are they importers? Are they a global delivery service? Do they manufacture desktop globes? They have this incredible opportunity to create thousands of impressions a day with consumers and they cannot even be bothered to say what they do. This is truly a waste of a great moving billboard.

Big companies are fond of neologisms, (concocted words or terms), such as Claris or Pentium. They get away with it because they have huge budgets. I think you know there's Intel inside by now. Yet have you ever heard of Comergent? And if you did, would you remember it?

There are other types of names: acronyms, evocative, descriptive, alphanumerical, and aspirational and on and on. That's the topic for a future article.

Yes, your name and brand identity need to be more than resonant, congruent, and differentiated. Other essential aspects of your brand include being authentic, connected, able to be lived every day, attention to every detail of customer contact, and so on. But an excellent starting point is the resonant/congruent/differentiated test. Think about those ideas in relation to your name or brand.

If you would like some fresh thinking and branding, naming, tag line, or positioning assistance, please get in touch. 585.746.2320 or e-mail chucketal@aol.com. ChuckIngersoll.com

About the Author
Chuck Ingersoll is a freelance namer, brander and copywriter. He brings over 20 years advertising agency experience to the process, and specializes in creating names, positionings and taglines that are not only clever, but effective. (Otherwise it's just empty creativity.) For 10 years he operated his own advertising agency in Rochester, NY, Ingersoll et al, serving major clients Kodak, Xerox and Bausch & Lomb. As a writer, creative director, and vice president at other ad agencies, his experience covers most industries and every type of marketing communications writing from ads to Web sites.

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By Jonathan Leger

Have you noticed that most of the big product launches usually go through a "pre-launch" phase? Have you ever wondered why?

I decided to give pre-launch a try on my latest product release, Article Builder, to see if this process really does sell more products. The numbers are in. Let me tell you, the pre-launch made a huge difference in my bottom line.

Pre-Launching Creates Buzz

Pre-launching a product means notifying people about the product 30 to 60 days ahead of the actual date before they can purchase the product. There is nothing new about doing this. Movie studios have heavily advertised their films many months before you go to see them. Recording artists promote their upcoming albums before they are ready for purchase to the public.

Letting people know ahead of time about your product creates buzz. It gets people talking about the product in the forums and to their friends and family. This causes more people to go to your pre-launch site to read about it, and builds anticipation for the actual release date.

Pre-Launching Allows For User Input

With software products, pre-launching gives you a chance to show people how the products work and get feedback. For Article Builder, I collected as many opinions and comments about the software during the 30 day pre-launch phase. I applied many of the suggestions prior to launching. When it actually launched, it was three times as good as, what I had first created!

The best way to sell a product is to find out exactly what your customer base wants, and then sell it to them! Making the product the absolute best it can be, before the actual sales date, ensures a much higher conversion rate and a lot more sales.

Pre-Launching Helps You Build a List

If you supply a -"subscribe for more information"- box on your pre-launch page, notification of the product launch, and people who desire to get more information, opt-in to your email list. This is great for keeping them 'up to date' about coming changes and improvements in your product just before the launch date.

To make sure you get a good number of subscribers; be sure and give them a reward for giving out their email address. With Article Builder, I sent people the URL to a video where they could watch the software in action, if they were willing to get on the pre-launch list.

The benefit of having the person on that list does not stop after the product launches. If the person chose not to buy, you can still send other offers their way for their consideration. It is a great way to continue to earn from people who may not have purchased your pre-launch product!

For Article Builder, I was able to get over 2,000 people on the email list! You can imagine how that has helped me in selling additional back-end products. Therefore, you certainly will want to offer an opt-in box on the pre-launch page.

Summing It All Up

These are great reasons to pre-launch your next product: it creates buzz, it allows you to get feedback, and improve the product, and it builds an email list of people interested in the subject area. All these are key points that boost your bottom line.

For me personally, I will not be launching any new products without a pre-launch first!

Jonathan Leger has a blog on Internet Marketing where you can find other informative articles like this one. You can find it at http://www.jonathanleger.com/

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By Diana Goolsby

Hey! This is not one of those 'rah-rah' marketing approaches that we are used to listening to in the network-marketing scene. The time has come to step up to the next paradigm for network marketing...and the change is rapidly being made!

One of the greatest points for network marketing is the attractiveness of the proposition model. Who does not want to have a glamorous residual income? Many of us struggle to make any progress of this MLM game. Eventually, either we quit or fail or worst of all, some of us become MLM junkies, jumping from MLM to MLM.

How Do We Break The Bonds Of Failing In MLM?

• Be realistic stepping into a MLM business. Expectation and targets for the average distributor should be $400 - $500 per month as your supplemental income.

• Change your mindset and know that the company you chose to distribute for is ONLY the manufacturer. You are the business owner and creator of your business enterprise.

• Bond and lead with the product, not with the allurement of the instant riches promised by leading with the opportunity. Let go of the opportunity concept. You will attract those individuals, who have a want, need, and desire; and that will deeply become involved with the quality of the product. They will discover the company's integrity, its management, and vision. This will unmistakably make the difference in capturing targeted individuals to join your business, making it a very appealing venture.

• Be understanding, and a bit 'foot loose and fancy free'. Taking yourself too seriously sabotages the creative side of you. Your MLM business takes time to build. Nurture it as a living entity, as a member of your own family. Realize that it is a long-term investment. Tactfully managed, it will produce true fruits of your labor.

• Do not fall into the trap that MLM is easy money. Consider the facts that you must have whatever it takes; mentality and attitude. You must know your product and be certain of your companies' vision. Most of all, understand what the needs are of your customers. Comprehend your leadership position. Implement and empower your down line to learn the art and science of marketing the product. Inspire them to replicate the ultimate purpose of leadership so success is brought to the table: 'all for one, and one for all'.

• Be aware that like the rest of nature, which follows the line of least resistance, we tend to procrastinate. We make excuses after excuses to avoid what must be completed. Og Mandino once said, "If a business day is a social success, it has been a business failure." How convenient to put things off instead of placing yourself in a forward motion to work. Thomas Huxley put it so straight forward, "The most valuable result of all education is to make you do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be learned. And however early a man's training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly." Therefore, do not put things aside Go, Do, Be, and Have.

• Biggest mistake; "sitting around". Feed yourself. I am not talking about devouring bon-bon's as you sit. I am saying, "Be PRO-ACTIVE," making choices based on principles, not reactive choices based on emotions. Keep the momentum by applying something of substance into your business each day. As your business begins to generate profits, reinvest a chunk into your business of recruiting and selling. One of the wisest best-spent money that you will ever spend on yourself and your family will be to INVEST IN A COACH. This is necessary. This requires thorough investigation so you get the very best for your educational investment.

Could My MLM Business Have a Deliciously Magical Mysterious Agenda?

Absolutely, keep in mind; it is through our life that life is given. As you besiege yourself in your networking business, comprehend that this is a journey of self. Learning of the true power that we have within us, and yet we have not unlocked the doors of our true being.

Realize that you will venture into many brick walls and unopened doors. You will tackle these situations with frustration, anger, disappointments, thrills, competitiveness, etc, thinking that these are just trials of the trade in mastering your business success. However, you have just stepped into the world of illusions. These illusions are meant to offset, bewilder, and make life complicated. The simplest way to untangle and improve the quality of your life is to identify what this game, (your game), in life include. To find what is our true fundamental view of our own human nature, we must first bring alive the basic needs that motivate all people which is love, courage, strength, and wisdom. A quote that resonates within me says, "People are like sticks of dynamite. The power is on the inside, but nothing happens until the fuse gets lit." Focus and listen to the voice within that leads you to the spark that will light the fuse to your dreams.

The most powerful truth and tool for transformation is to investigate the Universal laws and principles of life. Here is a little taste of one of these important gems. You will have to do your due diligence to uncover them for yourself. Know that the principle of patience and discipline gives you persistence. Persistence will carry you through the highs and lows of your business giving you the strength to take your targets/intentions to completion. Learn that process: patience and persistence are your keys to unlock the doors to any destination. You will not find the answers to your life at the end of your journey; they are tucked, interwoven among, and gifted and rewarded to you along the path of each stepping-stone you encounter along your journey. Do not be ignorant and overlook these laws; understanding is to use them.

You made a decision to venture into the MLM world, do not give up, support your decision and know that this is your time to explode the power within you. Never mind where you have been, watch where you are going, and so get out there and get it done! There are fabulous tools of support and training to help you through your network marketing problems, and some with no more substance than cotton candy. The path of your journey will open before you where before there grew weeds and darkness.

You will learn, as I have, that if you keep the doors open, the greatest treasures are the best friends, the people, the joy, respect, and care that will come into your life through your network marketing. What I have enj