Cheap Revolution

5 Steps to the Best Use of a Tight Marketing Budget

Entrepreneurs and small business owners are often struggling to balance their need for great Internet marketing and their limited budget. In today’s post, I thought it would be helpful to share some of the marketing basics that business owners can use to drive results on a limited budget.

This blog post is geared towards business owners with a website, a solid understanding of their customers, a knowledge of your competition and a sense of your brand message. If you don’t have every one of these elements, conquer these goals first – and then return to this post.  See Step 1 for an easy self-diagnosis for your businesses marketing maturity.

Step 1:  Diagnose your Current Needs

Our first stop on this tour is to take some time for this 5 minute tour of the Internet Marketing Pyramid of Needs. This is an internet marketing maturity model that I built years ago after having worked with startups, small businesses and mid-sized businesses. (Disclaimer: I’m a partner in the business that runs this site, but I believe that using this model to gain a basic understanding of where your business stands vis-à-vis internet marketing maturity can be helpful in determining what you need.) 

Assuming that you have already mastered the understanding of your business model, your competitive landscape and your product’s value proposition in the marketplace, you can move to working on your digital marketing. 

Hubspot’s marketing grader is a good place to identify some of the holes in your Website and  how you can improve your on-page SEO marketing.  You can add some of your best competitors to see how they stack up against your business.

Step 2:  Claim your Local Profiles

If you don’t know what this is, you need to. Google Places is the blocking and tackling of local businesses.  Your most valuable searches on Google are going to be from active shoppers who don’t already know your brand.  When they search on:

Chocolate shops in Wayne

Philadelphia eyeglass repair

Getting auto repair estimates in Berwyn

Your Google places page is one of the easiest and most potent ways to show up.  You are, quite literally, placed “on the map” by Google. 

Example of a local search in Google - and the local businesses that show up on the map.

Step 3: Enable Free Google Analytics

Google Analytics is free.  It is an incredibly powerful Website tool built and provided to the world for free by the the $290 Billion behemoth that has been turned into a verb.  Google wants to be as useful (and important) to you as air. So they've invested their money into their free search utility, their free email platform (gmail) and their free analytics tool (Google Analytics). In each of these 3 cases, they are so good that they are practically category killers. If you aren't using these free tools, you are losing ground to your competition.

In order to sign up for Google Analytics, you'll probably want a gmail account (also free).  Once you've created the account, ask your Web designer or Webmaster to install the analytics code into the header of your Website.  

If they don't know how to do this, find another Web designer or Webmaster. 

Google's checklist for using Google Analytics is here.

Step 4:  Give People a Reason to Interact with You

So you have a Website, but now you need a conversation starter. How to do that?

Make sure that your Website has a blogging capability.   That is where you will announce the answers to your marketplace's problems.  

What do you write about?

Solve a problem.  Help the do-it-yourselfers.  Give away some of your secret sauce. In the process, you will show people that your company is the go-to team for problems that are too much effort for them. 

If  you really answer the question, then people will link to your answer, +1 it and like it. Like all good answers, your answer will probably raise more questions in the reader's mind. This is the place to offer offer time to talk more in-depth about their specific needs.

Invite people to sign up for your newsletter at the end of the answer. Give people a way to contact you with more questions.   

When sharing this kind of content, your primary objectives should be focused on:

1. Build your house list.  The house list refers to your database of contacts who have engaged with your business - or at least shown an interest in the past.  A Sign up for our Newsletter!  button or link needs to be a very visible call-to-action on your Website
2. Drive sales. The Contact Us form can be used to collect prospect names, phone numbers and emails. Always make sure your phone number is easily found by the reader. Many businesses are still mostly person to person, phone-initiated sales environments. 

This step could easily have been named Blog Your Butt Off.   To get inspiration to do exactly that, check out this video of Marcus Sheridan from Postwire / Inbound 2012 conference.

Step 5: Email Marketing

Despite what your kids might tell you, the rest of the world still very much runs on email.   Email serves an important function in the digital communication eco-system, so it isn’t going anywhere soon.  In fact, seasoned digital marketers might not want to let you in on the secret.  Email marketing provides the highest conversion rate of the digital channels  - sometimes pretty dramatically. 

Email Marketing is a big topic.  Email marketing platforms like Mailchimp, iContact, Constant Contact and more have emerged to help business owners drive results from their “House List”.  Take some time to research them before settling on one.   Check out our post on comparing these powerful Email Marketing alternatives.

If you invest the time and effort to do these 5 Steps, then your business should see marked improvement over the next year!  You may also be interested in checking out our 25 Nearly Free Ways to Market your Business post. 

In the comments below, please weigh in with your own marketing ideas - or success stories with these techniques.   

 

Have You Planned for Google Reader's Shutdown Yet?

We're about two and a half months away from July 1, 2013, when Google Reader is due to shut down. By now, many bloggers have switched to Feedly, The Old Reader, or other alternatives to consume their news if they were using it in the first place. 

However, one critical misstep is not setting up a plan to retain the readers that are subscribing to your blog. I've already replaced my RSS Reader with Feedly because the switching cost was low as it allowed me to import my Google Reader settings automatically. Not many others possess that feature. What if your readers choose to stop consuming information through a Reader? You may think to yourself, "Well, they'll catch it on Twitter, Facebook or one of my other social media outlets." Are you really going to count on your readers being online at the same time you post or soon after?

The advantage to RSS readers is it permitted us to scan all our feeds in one centralized location at our convenience. Social media streams are constantly changing and don't provide the same benefit although they have other perks. That said, more and more of us are consuming information through social networks these days, especially for breaking news. Distributing information through these outlets isn't a viable, permanent replacement for everyone.

How can you expand your pool, keep your audience engaged, and minimize the impact of your site traffic? The answer is by utilizing an RSS To Email tool. 

Providing a subscribe by email option allows readers to receive an email when a new post is published. We all use email and we know how it works. From the bloggers standpoints, they receive more control and a direct opportunity to reach their audience. In addition, building an email list becomes a nice added benefit. 

For a list of RSS to Email tools, check out this comprehensive blog post from CrazyEgg. We're currently contemplating trying out RevResponse's RSS To Email tool which is a free solution. At this time, it makes sense to direct your eyes to the sidebar where ours lives :-). 

Are you concerned with Google Reader closing its door? Why or why not? 

Switching Costs and CAN SPAM Policies of Top Email Campaign Services

The end goal of all marketing is to attract interest and generate sales of whatever you are selling. And toward this end, email marketing is still one of the most cost effective ways to get in touch (and keep in touch) with both current and potential customers.

In our most popular blog post, “7 Alternatives to Constant Contact,” we dove into the top email campaign services, their benefits, features, pricing and plans. Many of the comments asked about the ramifications of switching services and how CAN SPAM policies have impacted their email initiatives, which is what we’ll dig into this post. It’s most useful for those who are not satisfied with their email marketing campaign software or may be thinking of switching to a different service.

Review of Hubspot's Inbound Marketing System – An Entrepreneur’s Perspective

I started using Hubspot a few years ago as part of my digital marketing business.  After watching a demo of the tool's capabilities, we decided to try using Hubspot within our company.  We quickly introduced it to some of our entrepreneurial clients as well.   I don't use Hubspot in my Philadelphia marketing consulting business today.  I'll explain why later, but first...

Content is King – SEO Best Practices

If you want your Website to rank high on major search engines such as Google, your best shot is to develop a list of targeted keywords and then build specific WebPages with content focusing on these keywords.  SEO is done best before the Webpage is built; first you develop the strategy then implement by developing a targeted Webpage focused on your targeted keywords.

20 Must Have Resources for Internet Marketers

Internet Marketing Tools/Software & Tools to Help Marketers

HubSpot – HubSpot is a powerful, web-based online marketing system that helps small and medium sized businesses capture and convert more qualified sales leads by an optimized web presence.  We like HubSpot because it is robust, easy to use, and they provide great support as well as a lot of opportunities to learn more about Internet marketing. Definitely a must-have if you’re a marketer who works with small or medium sized businesses. You can test drive HubSpot for 7 days.

Constant Contact – As a marketer, you know you need a “mix” of marketing activities to accomplish your marketing objectives. E-mail marketing is still a viable method of reaching your Internet marketing goals. We still use Constant Contact and we’re pretty happy with it. If you’re not sure,you can sign up for a free trial. Read also: 7 Alternatives to Constant Contact here.

Wordtracker – if you’re serious about keyword research, Wordtracker is an investment you need to make. Not only will your keyword research get done faster, but Wordtracker helps you find the most profitable and competitive keywords and you’re able to save your keyword research by project. They have annual and monthly subscriptions as well as a free trial. There are many keyword research tools out there, but Wordtracker is definitely one of our favorites.

Huddle – Managing your Marketing projects with Huddle is a snap! Huddle offers online collaboration, live conferencing, project management software and document sharing. There are five packages – from FREE to enterprise. Depending on what you need, it can be a cost-efficient way to manage your marketing projects. We use Huddle to keep track of our clients and marketing projects and continue to be pleased with the service. Update: This month customers can get 5% off at Huddle for Life by using coupon code: UHGFDX. Offer valid until 28th February 2011 on all paying subscriptions or free to paid upgrades at Huddle. 

Radian 6 – if you’re an Internet Marketer using Social Media, then you know how important it is to monitor and measure community engagement. Radian6 is a powerful platform that is comprehensive and easy to use. It’s a must have if you’re serious about social media!

Premium Marketing Resources

Market Motives – Get online marketing certified in SEO, PPC, Web Analytics, PR, Social Media, E-mail Marketing, and more.

Marketing Sherpa – Premium membership gets you case studies, how-to guides, research reports, certifications, and more.

Marketing Profs – Paid membership gets you access to marketing articles, case studies, videos, webinars, discounts on conferences, etc.

SEOMoz – Becoming a PRO member gives you access to a host of SEO-related tools. A must-have if you’re into search engine optimization.

eMarketing Association – Paid membership gets you resources, discounts on seminars, reports, whitepapers, articles, and a lot more.

Internet Marketing Books

Inbound Marketing: Get Found on Google, Social Media, and Blogs - a how-to guide to getting found via Google, the blogosphere, and social media sites.

The Art of SEO (Theory in Practice) – If you are new to SEO, you'll get a complete and thorough SEO education, as well as an array of effective tactics, from basic to advanced. Seasoned practitioners will find this book useful as a complete reference to SEO best practices.

Socialnomics: how social media transforms the way we live and do business – an essential book for anyone who wants to understand the implications of social media, and how businesses can tap the power of social media to increase their sales, cut their marketing costs, and reach consumers directly.

Trust Agents – Written by marketing rock stars Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, this book shows you how to tap into the power of social networks to build your brand's influence, reputation, and, of course, profits.

Web Analytics 2.0: The Art of Online Accountability and Science of Customer Centricity – As an Internet marketer, you know the importance of web analytics. This book provides specific recommendations for creating an actionable strategy, applying analytical techniques correctly, and solving challenges such as measuring social media and multichannel campaigns.

Internet Marketing Conferences in 2010

Affiliate Summit West – January 17^th to 19^th in Las Vegas, NV

Social Media Conference – January 28^th & 29^th in Miami, FL

Search Marketing Expo West – March 2^nd to 4^th in Santa Clara, CA

South by Southwest Interactive – March 12^th to 16^th in Austin, TX

Business to Business Forum – May 4^th to 5^th in Boston, MA

25 Nearly Free Ways to Market your Business

 

Our 15 DIY PR post generated a lot of buzz around executing PR and marketing ideas on the cheap. In response to it, (and thanks to Michael Basinet's recommendation) we've decided to follow up with another post on more ideas around marketing your business for almost nothing. Read on!

 

1. Design creative business cards. Most business cards are thrown in a pile or discarded after a meeting or networking event. Why not create a card someone will use? Or one they're sure to remember?  This post from creativebits showcases some great ideas!

 

2. Do-It-Yourself SEO. Submit your site to major search engines and indexes. Click here for a great post on where to find the URLs and tips on submitting your site the right way. Also, check out our previous post on 25 Free (and Useful) SEO Tools.

 

3. Take a free online marketing course. On a previous post, we highlighted 99 free business and entrepreneurship classes of which nine pertained to marketing. Invest some time in taking the course and apply some of the methods for your business.

 

 

4. Use an ad exchange network to exchange links with someone. One I've heard a lot about is adgridwork.com. While we haven't tried it yet, it allows you to add your site to their network for free. Your ad is displayed in relevant sites while you display an ad on your site. Basically, you're exchanging ads from one site to another. It's a great way to drive targeted traffic to your site.

 

 

 

5. Give back to your community. A great way to give back, promote your business, and feel good about yourself is to volunteer in your area. Help out at a local homeless shelter or church. You'll be amazed at the great connections you'll make.  If you're not sure of how to find these events or what to do, visit VolunteerMatch and search for opportunities near you.

 

6. Use CafePress. Create your own pens, mugs, notebooks, T-shirts, etc. and give them away. It's an inexpensive way to have your prospect/client/user be surrounded by your branding. The more useful the item, the better. Save money and buy them in bulk.

 

7. Start an incentive program. What better way to attract users than to ask current or former users/clients to refer you to someone. Offer an incentive for motivation. It could be something you make with your branding on it using CafePress. It could also be your own product/service for free or at a discount - it doesn't hurt tying it back to your business!

 

8. Offer something for free. For example, we offer a free one-hour consultation (though it typically lasts longer) with early-stage internet startups looking for execution support. This consultation is one way we attract prospects. The objective here is to convert the visitors to your site into users or to get them to contact you in some way. What can you do in your business that has the same effect? Some ideas include providing them with a free subscription for a short period of time to your site, free shipping on purchases for a limited time, etc.

 

9. Social Media Outreach. There are tons of free buzz-building tactics you can employ. It's also a great way to stay abreast of the latest trends on your industry while building credibility for yourself and your business. Some methods include:

• Scouring the blogosphere and other social networks for relevant posts, groups, etc. and contributing valuable relevant content (being careful not to SPAM!).
• Creating your own groups and discussions around your product/service. Start a conversation with your customers, gain valuable feedback, and drive traffic to your site.

10. Create a Squidoo Lens. Squidoo basically allows you to create your own online page. Highlight the benefits of your service or showcase your expertise in an area related to your field. You can also point to photos on Flickr, Google maps, your blog, eBay auctions, YouTube, etc. Squidoo also shares their advertising revenue with you. Check out our Cheap Revolution page for additional ideas.