Biz Tips Blog: Internet Marketing Tips

End of Year Testimonial

Today we received this testimonial about our now concluded Conversations with Experts TeleSeries.  We are always gratified to get feedback like this:

I loved your interview with an expert series. I listened to several of them over and over again and recommend them to my clients all the time. Your advice helped me start my blog AND grow my ezine list by 400% this year! Thank you for sharing and giving so much to entrepreneurs everywhere!

-- Kelly Robbins, A Marketing Connection, Inc.
www.KellyRobbinsLLC.com

We really enjoyed the Series and met some fantastic people who have become friends, colleagues and partners.  If you missed any of the programs, they are all available for the very reasonable fee of $9.95 each.

As a marketing tool, the Conversations were phenomenal.  The original intent was to interview a few of the blogging experts featured in Build a Better Blog to promote the ebook.  But then we just kept on going.  We built a list of nearly 2000 people in 20 months, many of whom became clients and customers.

The audio programs have become products and also serve as bonuses when we create complementary products.  It's a fast and relatively simple way to create an information product which we highly recommend for creating revenue.

Jill Konrath Gives Us the Details on Selling to Big Companies

Our 63rd Conversation and the last of 2006 featured sales strategist and author, Jill Konrath. This savvy woman really delivered and detailed for us why it's so difficult to break through and get a job with a big company. But, if you do get your foot in the door, and all you need is one project to prove yourself, big companies are far more lucrative clients and can change the service professional or consultant's business.

The first thing to do is realize that what you sell is irrelevant. What you do is a tool to enable a desired business outcome. To get the attention of the decision maker, you must focus on the value proposition and specific business results for that company. Jill gave several excellent examples to illustrate her process and successes.

Jill's biggest piece of advice: do your homework. Your local business journal can give you a gold mine of information about what's going on in businesses you target.

Also, you will probably need to make 7 to 10 attempts before you get to the person you want to see. And remember, no one cares HOW you do your work. They want to know if it's worth doing. Stay focused on the specific issue that they are stuggling with.

There's so much more, so listen to the program and get Jill's book, Selling to Big Companies. She wrote it for consultants who want to get in the door of big companies. And yet, everything she covered pertains to sales, no matter the size of the company you're going after. The program is 56 minutes.

Conversations with Experts is hosted by The Blog Squad: Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff. If you missed the program, be sure to grab a copy of the audio for only $9.95.  You won't regret the investment.

Selling to Big Companies: Tips for the Little Guys

Conversations with Experts presents...

Selling to Big Companies
Wednesday, December 6, 2006, 8:30 p.m. ET (no charge, registration required)
Guest Expert: Jill Konrath, Author of Selling to Big Companies

It’s never been tougher to get into large companies. Corporate decision makers seldom answer the phone, roll all calls to voicemail, then never call you back. In this Conversation, you'll learn:

• Why traditional strategies no longer work.
• How to develop an enticing value proposition
• How to increase your success rate in penetrating major accounts.
• Why an account entry campaign is necessary.
• How to deal with voicemail.
• How to craft a customer-enticing phone messages.
• and much more.

If you’re tired of fruitless attempts to get into big companies, this session is for you.

Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies, is a recognized sales strategist in the highly competitive business-to-business market. A popular speaker at sales meetings, she helps her clients crack into corporate accounts, speed up their sales cycle and generate demand for their offering.

Konrath publishes an industry-leading online newsletter and blog. To subscribe – and get a free Sales Call Planning Guide – visit http://www.sellingtobigcompanies.com .

Register:  www.ConversationsWithExperts.com

Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff.

Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.

Audience Measurement: Conversation with Tris Hussey

Conversations with Experts presents...

Is anybody listening out there? Measuring your blog's audience
Wednesday, November 29, 2006, 8:30 p.m. ET (no charge, registration required)
Guest Expert: Tris Hussey, blog.larixconsulting.com

You've started your blog.  You're writing great posts, but who is reading them?  Is anyone out there?  Blog metrics is still in its infancy, but there are some tools, tips and tricks that you can use today to get a handle on your current audience and learn how to grow it.  You'll come away with easy and effective methods to start measuring blog audience today!

If you have a question you would like Tris to address during the Conversation, please submit it here.

Register:  www.ConversationsWithExperts.com

Can't make the Conversation? You can pre-order the audio program and save 50%.  Pay only $4.95 now.  After the live event, the audio will be $9.95.

Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff.

Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.

Leesa Barnes Shares Tips on Podcasting

Conversations with Experts presents...

How to Use a Podcast to Fill Your Sales Funnel, Increase Profits & Attract New Clients (All Without Doing Anything Technical)
Wednesday, November 15, 2006, 8:30 p.m. ET (no charge, registration required)
Guest Expert: Leesa Barnes, Creator of www.planakillerpodcast.com

You've heard about podcasting. You've even listened to a few, but you're still wondering what all the hype is all about. If this is just audio on a website, you've figured that you've been there, done that.

But podcasting is much more than just audio on a website. As a small business owner, podcasting is a communications tool that can help you boost your business, all without blowing your marketing budget or doing anything technical.

In this teleclass, find out how you can use a podcast to:

* Gain a top 3 ranking on page 1 in Google without hiring a search engine expert
* Increase your business by 50% in sales and clients
* Become a star in your industry and command a following without publishing a book or having a well known name
* Create your podcast using just your telephone and a winning idea

Working with management teams, entrepreneurs and organizations, Leesa Barnes teaches insider tips on how to use podcasting to boost sales, create an online buzz and turn listeners into clients.

Leesa's podcast monetization strategies are featured in 2 books and she the creator of a workbook called Plan a Killer Podcast. Leesa was declared by Canada's Word of Mouth Expert as "one of the Top 50 Marketing & Media Bloggers in Canada." For more on Leesa, visit http://www.leesabarnes.com.

Register:  www.ConversationsWithExperts.com

Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff.

Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.

Blogging and Podcasting: How to Profit

What No One Ever Tells You About Blogging and Podcasting – How to profit whether or not you blog or podcast
Wednesday, October 18, 2006, 8:30 p.m. ET (no charge, registration required)
Guest Expert: Ted Demopoulos, Demopoulos Associates

Blogs and podcasts can help almost any business, even businesses that aren't online! There are plenty of ways to benefit, both somewhat traditional and very innovative, as Ted Demopoulos found while interviewing hundreds of people who successfully use blogs and podcasts for his latest book. Conversely, some people put a lot of effort into blogging with little success.

Ted Demopoulos, author of What No One Ever Tells You About Blogging and Podcasting and co-author of Blogging for Business, will give you practical advice on how to harness the power of blogs and podcasts for your business pursuits.

Ted Demopoulos’ professional background includes over 25 years of experience in Information Technology and Business, including 15 years as an independent consultant. Each year he helps organizations make informed decisions through his seminars, keynotes, and consulting services. His clients have included Cisco, Hewlett Packard, IBM, The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, Motorola, The Singapore Ministry of Education, The UK Post Office, T Rowe Price, TRW, and The Hong Kong Post. Ted blogs at TheTedRap.com.

Register:  www.ConversationsWithExperts.com

Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff.

Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.

The Long Tail: What is it?

If the topic of our Conversation this week baffles you and you wonder why on earth you should know or care about The Long Tail, Patsi and posted some info that explains The Long Tail.

The Long Tail: How to Leverage it with HitTail

Conversations with Experts presents...

HitTail: How to Leverage The Long Tail
Wednesday, October 18, 2006, 8:30 p.m. ET (no charge, registration required)
Guest Expert: Mike Levin, HitTail.com

A handful of tech savvy businesses are beginning to look past analytics and keyword generation services and use a new tool that funnels users to their Web site without spending a dime.  HitTail.com is a new product from Connors Communications that not only analyzes the words people searched on to find your site, but also makes suggestions about future writing topics that will guarantee even more hits.  The current issue of BusinessWeek says HitTail can turn your site into a “click magnet.”  For a more detailed explanation, watch this quick video.

Along with being the leader of Connors Communications’ in-house SEO team, Mike Levin is the founder of HitTail, a free tool for taking the overwhelming Long Tail data generated by web searches and turning it to manageable information in the form of writing suggestions.  Recently, Mike spoke at MediaPost’s Search Insider Summit in Colorado on the topic.  Previous to joining Connors he worked with Prophet 21, now Activant, and Scala Multimedia.

Register:  www.ConversationsWithExperts.com

Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff.

Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.

WordPress 2.0: Conversation with Michael Pollock

Conversations with Experts presents...

Wordpress 2.0: The Ultimate Small Business Publishing Platform
Wednesday, September 6, 2006, 8:30 p.m. ET (no charge, registration required)
Guest Expert: Michael Pollock, solostream webstudio

In the last few years, we've seen an explosion of what have been called "push button publishing services;" also known as blogs. Because they're so easy to use, hosted services such as Typepad, Blogger and LiveJournal have been the dominant players in this market. More recently, however, a stand-alone publishing platform named Wordpress has been steadily growing in popularity.

Recent estimates suggest there are currently more than 1 million Wordpress users across the planet. And a lot of them are small business owners just like you. During this discussion, we'll talk about some of the reasons why the Wordpress user base is growing so quickly. In particular, we'll talk about:

• Limitations and drawbacks of hosted services like Typepad and Blogger.
• What you CAN do with Wordpress that you CAN'T do with hosted services.
• 5 reasons you may want to switch to Wordpress.
• 5 reasons you may not want to switch to Wordpress.
• Questions and concerns addressed.

Michael Pollock is CEO of Solostream. He has more than a decade of small business sales, marketing and management experience in both offline and online environments. After launching his first online business in 1999, a business coaching practice, he taught himself graphic design and web development, as well as copywriting and web marketing.

In late 2004, he began to focus heavily on the topic of small business branding and launched the Small Business Branding blog. SBB grew in popularity and was later cited by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the “cream of the crop marketing blogs.” He sold the Small Business Branding blog in late 2005 to focus on launching Solostream, a blog design and consulting practice.

Register:  www.ConversationsWithExperts.com

If you cannot attend the Conversation, you can pre-order the audio program for $4.95.  After the Conversation the price will be $9.95.  Save 50%. Use this link to pre-order now. 

Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff.

The Article Guy Shares His Profit-Making Secrets

Conversations with Experts presents...

How to Market Your Articles for Tons of Prospects, Publicity and Profits
Wednesday, September 6, 2006, 8:30 p.m. ET (no charge, registration required)
Guest Expert: Jeff Herring, The Article Guy

In this Conversation with a master of article marketing you will learn:

• 25 ways to market your articles
• One way to market your articles that NO ONE else teaches
• The best article directories for posting your articles
• How to get your articles massively distributed
• How marketing your articles on the internet is more powerful than having a newspaper column
• 7 secrets Jeff uses everyday on how to post your articles so you could not stop the traffic to your web sites even if you wanted to, and beat the pants off the competition
  
  And so much more!

Jeff Herring has written a syndicated relationship, parenting and stress management column for Knight-Ridder/Tribune Media Services for 12 years, consistently bringing in a stream of traffic to his web sites. When Jeff aimed his articles at the internet and article directories, the stream turned into a flood of traffic that he could not stop even if he wanted to. Through his web site, The Article Guy Jeff teaches small business owners and private practice professionals how to write and market article for a ton of prospects, publicity and profits.

Register:  www.ConversationsWithExperts.com

If you cannot attend the live event, you can pre-order the audio program and save 50% -- only $4.95.  After the event, the price will be $9.95.  Pre-order now and save.

Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff.

Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.