Publicity | 48 Days Marketing Coach

Internet Marketing for Small Business: Get Website Traffic in 48 Hours [Pt. 7]

by Ramon Dees

April 26th, 2010

Ok…I’ve got a winning tip (and five superior strategies) you can use to drive targeted website traffic in 48 hours or less using Online Press Releases. I actually just published another release last week. The release went live at 4:00 am EST, and by 8:30 am, the screenshots that you see below were live on the first page of Google! The afternoon and evening when this release went live, anyone who would have Googled the search phrase “small business marketing”, would have seen my release on the first page of Google, Google News, Yahoo, and Yahoo! News. I just checked Yahoo! News and it was still there about midway down the page. That’s BIG. A well written release will get you onto Google News, but you have to really nail it in order to move from the first page of Google News to Google. This release actually got first plage placement on Yahoo!, Yahoo! News, and Bing.

Tip # 14: Proven Strategies to Use When Writing Online Press Releases to Drive Targeted Website Traffic

Here are five of the best strategies you can develop your news release around:

1. Controversy – pick a fight. Why do you think shows like Jerry Springer got so much attention? Most people lead boring and uneventful lives. Yet…we all like to get in on the action very now-and-again. Controversy is a great way to make a point. It’s an attention getter. Any editor knows the value of a controversial issue. Just last week, there was a local radio announcer who was highlighting a story about a MARTA bus driver who was caught relieving himself in public! Why would anyone do that?? Well…if you find a controversial issue, you can be sure you’ll get plenty of attention.

2. Piggy Backing on Current Events – I just read a headline on Google News that said, “30 Jobs That Pay $30 an Hour”. That’s hot news that’s piggy backing on the current economic climate. This is a goldmine because most small small business owners are clueless when it comes to this. Another example of piggy backing is a CPA client of mine who’s interested in providing financial literacy education for children. If she were to create a free educational event that provides value during Financial Literacy Month, she’s got a great chance to grab an editor’s attention because of the timeliness of the event. Not to mention…financial literacy for youth is a white-hot topic in today’s wobbly economy that any editor would like to pass onto their audience all over the globe.

3. The Underdog – The Bible story of David and Goliath is the classic story of the underdog. Most people love to hear about someone who beat the odds to overcome adversity and win big in life. Were you the underdog at any point in your career? Maybe one of your clients was written-off by friends and family, and you helped them to make a comeback. David’s secret weapon against Goliath was a sling shot and five smooth stones. What’s been the secret weapon to your success? Do you need to develop one? Either way, almost all of us have been down at some point in our careers. If you can develop it…the underdog approach is a great angle to tell your story and gain valuable attention.

4. Create News – Ask yourself this question, “What do people like to read about?” As a journalism major in college, I learned to hit the critical points of who, what, when, where, why, and how when writing. What about your business adds value to your customer? Why is it that they should do business with you instead of your competitors? What was the motivating force that caused you to brave the stormy seas of small business ownership?

Do you have a case study that demonstrates why your customers love you? Can you create a contest that will attract attention because of some outrageous giveaway? Here’s an example of news. My mom – a retired teacher of 30 years – just started a business offering editing and proofreading services to authors, bloggers, students, and professionals. She promises to deliver “A+ Written Communications” to her clients. It’ll be real easy to build a press release around that in the next week.

The key is to be creative so that you give editors a reason to investigate further so they can pass the news onto their audience and drive targeted traffic to your website.

5. Human Interest – Can you imagine how you would feel if you couldn’t read at age 12? In addition to that, what if you stuttered until you were 20? Well…that’s the story of Byron Pitts…a Black American male who rose from illiteracy to be the chief national correspondent for the CBS evening news and a contributor to 60 Minutes. This is one of the greatest human interest stories I’ve ever come across. (If you’re looking for a good book, pick up Step Out on Nothing, How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges.

Are you Interested in Supercharging your Ability to Increase Sales?

If you are…I need your help. I want to make sure that I’m giving you strategies and shortcuts that pinpoint where you need help the most. In order to do that…I NEED your feedback. This coming Thursday, I’m going to be interviewing one of the world’s best small business marketing consultants…Richard Johnson…on a LIVE teleseminar. For the last 20 years, Richard’s approach to helping small business owners has routinely added anywhere from 25-100% to gross profits. The strategies and tactics he teaches will arm you to eliminate any cashflow challenges you might be experiencing right now. If you want to learn what mistakes to avoid, and how to take market share away from your competitors, I urge you to sign-up for this free teleseminar.

I don’t know if you can make the live call, but I would love to know what question you’d like me to ask Richard in your behalf.

What’s your single biggest question about increasing sales and revenue in your business right now? I really want to know. All you have to do is go to www.IncreaseSales25Percent.com and tell us what your question is.

Once the call is over, I’m going to pull from those questions as I plan future blog posts.

Click here to submit your question now.

THANKS…and make it a great week!

Categories Lead Generation, Marketing, Publicity
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Internet Marketing for Small Business: Get Targeted Traffic in 48 Hours [Pt. 6]

by Ramon Dees

April 8th, 2010

Online press releases done right will deliver targeted traffic to your website in as few as 48 hours. Yep! You can see results FAST.

Today I’m going to share two tips on how to write effective online press releases. I’m going to talk about keyword research and PR strategy.

Before I go into those two tips, here are a couple screenshots from online press releases I wrote. Again, my first release bombed. I then went and purchased the PR Traffic Course. That course taught me how to write online press releases that got excellent placement in the news search engines (Yahoo! News, Google News, MSN News). The updated course to that training is a lot more affordable. If you’re interested, here’s my affiliate link ==> Online PR Made Easy.

My second online press release (click on this screenshot to enlarge it):

#1 Position on Yahoo! News

My third online press release (click on this screenshot to enlarge it):

#1 Position on Google News

Tip # 12: Start with Keyword Research to Make Your Release Search Engine Friendly

The two kinds of intelligence in market research today include market intelligence and keyword intelligence. Market intelligence has more to do with the prevailing opinions in the marketplace about your product or service. It’s about what the market is thinking and feeling at any given time. Market intelligence is very important. Do not underestimate the value of knowing what people really think about your company and/or industry. Being a sales professional and not knowing that many people are predisposed to think of sales professionals as liars will cripple your ability to collect the check.

Any online marketing you do has to start with keyword research. When doing keyword research for online press releases, you need to focus on primary and secondary keywords. Your primary keyword is what you want to build into your release 5-7 times. The rule of thumb is to use a keyword once for every 100 words in your release. An ideal length for an online press release is 250-500 words. Your secondary keyword should be used 2-3 times throughout the release. DO NOT keyword spam because that will hurt your ability to rank well.

If you need a keyword tool to do your research, I use Wordtracker’s free keyword tool. It’s free. Keep in mind, the Wordtracker keyword tool is not exact…none of the keyword tools are. However, the information these tools provide are worth their weight in gold when it comes to gaining valuable insight to your marketplace. To access Wordtracker keyword tool, click here.

Tip # 13: Develop a PR Strategy That Means Something to Your Prospects and Customers

I learned how to write a news story when I studied journalism in college. When thinking about developing a PR strategy, you have to write a newsworthy story that appeals to an editor and their audience. Editors are always under a deadline to produce valuable content for their audience. Learn to provide them with valuable and well-written content, and you’re in business.

A proven formula you can fall back on is AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action). Your release needs to address a topic in a way that will get the attention of those who are in your target market. The primary way to do this is with an attention getting headline.

Once you get someone’s attention, you have to be able to maintain their interest by engaging them with a gripping story, or…by sharing some type of newsworthy information that your ideal customer will be hungry for.

As you maintain their interest, you have to arouse their desire for the benefits that your product or service can deliver. Tell a success story. Show a photo of someone who’s enjoying the benefits of what came out of doing business with you. Social proof will always go a long way toward building credibility.

Last…you need a call-to-action. Tell your readers what to do next. Maybe you want them to call your office for a consult, or you might have a website where they can get a free report. A financial advisor asked me earlier today, “Ramon…how do you deliver increased sales of 25% or more. That’s a pretty big promise.” I told her about the three areas I focus on (increasing prospects, conversion rate, & average client worth), and then I directed her toward a free report that explains my process in more detail. That report can be downloaded from www.48DaysMarketingSolutions.com. If you are an independent professional, you need to have some way to systematically educate your market. The call-to-action at the end of your press release could be a landing page that promotes a free report.

The tips I’ve provided here are what I use to get great placement for my online press releases.

Now…I have a question: How are you going to use what you’ve learned today? I’m asking because I understand how important it is to be intentional with your marketing and sales goals. With all that I’ve learned, I still have to make a plan and stick to it, or I’ll wonder why I haven’t accomplished more at the end of a given week.

Do you feel like you need some assistance with getting online press releases to increase sales by driving massive targeted traffic to your site? If so, you’ve got a three choices:

Use the tips here and get started today. Your only investment is the cost of distribution ($19.95 with Webwire — $360.00 with PRWeb)
Buy www.OnlinePRMadeEasy.info and develop this as a skill set yourself.
Go to www.OptimizedPressReleaseSecrets.com and fill out the form on the bottom of the page and I will get back in touch with you within 48 hours or two business days.

So…talk back to me. What will you do with this? I’m looking for your comments below.

Categories Marketing, Publicity
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Internet Marketing for Small Business: 48 Traffic Tips [Pt. 5]

by Ramon Dees

March 25th, 2010

Traffic Tip # 11: Online Press Releases — How You Can Leverage the Power of the Press to Drive Targeted Traffic to Your Website

Online Press Releases - Driving traffic with your news.

How would you like to be one of “those” people who the media is talking about? If you can come up with an angle that media reporters and bloggers are interested in, you can create massive exposure for your business that results in a stampede of ‘ready-to-buy’ traffic directly to your website.

That’s the power of a well-developed publicity strategy.

Press release writing and distribution — when done right — is better than paid advertising any day of the week. Here’s why. A well-written press release or media release will cause the media to look favorably upon you or your business. It’s true for both non-profit and for-profit organizations.

Have you ever heard of the halo effect? When a prospect reads or hears a story about you in the media, they often begin perceiving you as the expert in your industry. Independent professionals who get quoted by the media are positioned in a better light than their competitors.

You cannot buy that kind of credibility with advertising.

Let me clarify the difference between a press release and publicity.

A press release is a written statement that you submit to the media because you believe you have something newsworthy to say. If a media outlet decides to follow up on your press release by calling to gather more information on your company (or cause) to do a story…the result is publicity.

If you’re going to invest the time to develop a strategy and write a good release, you should make the investment in a good distribution service to get it into the hands of those who can make good use of it. Anyone can write a press release with a little coaching. That’s how I got started.

There are several free press release distribution services available. I have only used two services, both of them paid. I like both services and wouldn’t hesitate to use either one again.

The first is PRWeb. This is a leading press release distribution service. Your investment with them will be anywhere between $80.00 and $360.00 (if you write the release yourself). The second release I wrote and distributed through PRWeb made it to #1 on Yahoo! News (after following the formula I learned from PRTraffic, by Marc Harty).

I made the investment in the PR Traffic Course a couple years ago. If you’re interested in learning how to write your own online press releases, I would recommend his latest course which is only $197.00 right now. (That is an affiliate link, and I will be commissioned if you buy through that link.) It’s more affordable than PR Traffic, and his step-by-step instructions made it easy for me to know exactly what to do.

I have written a couple of releases that didn’t make it to the first page of Google News or Yahoo! News. My mistake with those releases was getting in a hurry and not following the formula closely enough. Take it from me…you can get good results from the $80.00 level on PRWeb, but you need to learn how to do it, or hire someone who knows what they’re doing. One of the main things I like about PRWeb is the tracking functionality. You know exactly what your investment is delivering with them.

The second distribution service I’ve used a few times is WebWire.com. I’ve had 2 or 3 releases make it the first page on Google News with this service. Your investment with this service will range from $19.95 — $180.00. I like it because it’s an inexpensive way to get to the first page of Google News with a $19.95 investment, but there is no tracking at that level.

One of the benefits of online press releases (also known as an optimized press release) is the level of control you have as the publisher. Here are the eight reasons why online press releases should be a part of your approach to internet marketing for small business:

You get links back to your website from other relevant sites
You can rank for competitive keywords
Research shows that content from articles or PR is 70% more believeable that advertising
The ability to reach multiple audiences (prospects, clients, and potential joint venture partners)
It’s cost effective (sometimes as low as $0.05 per click)
Easy to Integrate — the learning curve is short, and there’s no software to learn. My second online press release reached #1 on Yahoo! News.
Your message can become visible on hundreds of websites (possibly thousands)
Indexing — well written releases are immediately included in the search engine indexes

In my next post, I’ll share a few tips on how to write an effective online press release.

If you have specific question…feel free to ask. I’ll answer all that I can. If I can’t, I’ll tell you that too!

Make it a great day!

Categories Marketing, Publicity
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How to Grow Your Gross Profits 25 – 100% in 48-90 Days

by Ramon Dees

June 15th, 2009

Are You Interesed in this Kind of Growth in Your Business?

Here are the eight steps that will position your company to see a dramatic increase in gross profits in 48 — 90 days. The first four steps work without you having to spend any additional money in advertising. Once the foundation is laid with the first four steps, then the second four, which often require additional resources, can be implemented out of the increased profits from phase one.

First, you must develop a well-rounded unique selling proposition. This is where many small-to-mid sized business owners fail. My years selling yellow page and internet advertising allowed me to learn that most small business owners do not have a well-rounded unique selling proposition (USP). The USP is the most foundational aspect to effective marketing. Why? It tells your market why they should do business with you instead of your competitors. If you don’t distinguish yourself from your competitors well, your prospects and customers will buy from whoever has the lowest price.

Second, you need to integrate your USP into all of your marketing efforts. This includes your business cards, email signatures, brochures, websites, stationary, sales scripts, and any other forms of communication.

Third, you should develop a system for marketing to your database of existing customers. Once you have earned the trust of your prospects enough for them to make the first purchase, the second is always easier and less expensive. I say less expensive because you don’t have the cost of customer acquisition anymore. Make the commitment to learn how to systematically follow up with your database at regular intervals.

Fourth, begin to cultivate the relationships that are conducive to joint-venture marketing. What are the purchases that accompany your products or services. People who buy new homes often buy new furniture. A meal out to eat seldom is sold without a drink to go with it. New computers always need new software of some sort. How does this work in your industry? There are always complementary products or services that you could be capitalizing on.

Fifth, look at media advertising. After you have the above steps well developed, I recommend that you look at other kinds of advertising. No matter what your industry, there is often a lot of money to be made before you spend money in the media. Why not establish your cash flow with more cost-effective ways of generating sales before making the larger investments? Build a firm foundation with the first four steps before moving into vehicles that require more resources.

Sixth, prepare to do community marketing if it is a fit for your business. Not all businesses benefit from public relations the same. If you are short on ideas, you can go to the Publicity Hound’s website. She has a ton of resources on how to generate publicity for your business. Also…consider my optimized press release service.

Seventh…direct marketing should not be overlooked. This is where you communicate a specific message to a well-defined market by using any one of several media your market are known to use. Direct marketing is often done via snail mail. However, the principles can be used in other media including websites. One of the keys to direct marketing is that it’s trackable and measureable. Another key to effective direct marketing is the call-to-action. The consumer is always asked to do something specific like, ‘Call 1-800-555-3434 right now’. A major reason to use these principles is to know what message is producing sales and which ones don’t. Marketing that isn’t producing a positive ROI should be eliminated.

Eighth is internet marketing. Online research is shaping the offline buying patterns of consumers at an ever-increasing rate. Anyone who is not marketing online is missing a huge opportunity. According to Bizreport.com, “Over the last four years, blog readership spiked at over 300%. It is perhaps no surprise then that blogs now play an important role in influencing product decisions. According to BuzzLogic’s recent study, “Harnessing the Power of Blogs”, blogs have more influence than social networking sites.

“The survey of over 2,200 online consumers found that 50% of blog readers found blog content useful for making purchasing decisions. In particular, over half (56%) sourced blogs with a niche focus and topical expertise to be their key source of information. BizReport recently reported on a study by Ad-ology which came to similar conclusions.”

These are all strategies that have been proven to bring an increase to gross profits. Some business owners have seen increases of 25% upwards of 300% in businesses across all types of industries. Do you know anyone who is looking for growth opportunities? They may be sitting on assets within their current business that simply need to be looked at and managed properly to see these kinds of gains.

You can get additional details on how to develop a compelling value proposition or USP by going to www.AskRamon.com and completing a brief one question survey. After completing the survey, you will immediately get a free report entitled, How to Avoid The Biggest Mistake that Causes Small-to-Mid Sized Business Owners to Compete on Price. I will be answering the most frequently asked questions in a free teleseminar this coming Wednesday. To learn more…go to www.AskRamon.com.

Categories Lead Generation, Marketing, Publicity
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News Search Engines Can Help Small Business Owners Get Targeted Website Traffic in 48 Hours or Less

by Ramon Dees

February 18th, 2009

Yahoo News along with several other news search engines are changing the way that small business owners attract media and customer attention. Studies show that 98% of journalists go online daily. Ninety-two percent start their article research online, and 73% are going online to find press releases. Studies also show that content from PR is 70% more believable than traditional advertising because it’s ‘editorial content’.

SO…here’s the point. A well-developed online press release strategy will place your marketing message in front of TWO significant groups. One — your market as they are researching and making their buying decisions. Two — the editors, reporters, and bloggers who influence those who will or will not buy from you (or your competitors). In addition, the number of customers who shop online is constantly on the rise. Business owners who stay abreast of the times will look for creative ways to position themselves to be seen in the news search engines if they want to increase the targeted traffic coming to their websites.

Getting more targeted website traffic is everything –especially during this economic slowdown. With it being much more difficult to gain access to credit, the old saying is truer than ever…there are few problems that cannot be solved with additional sales. One key to more sales is increased traffic. However, many entrepreneurs who are marketing online are challenged by not being able to get enough quality traffic to their website. A few are learning the value of leveraging the existing traffic of top news sites like Yahoo News.

According to a study done by Nielsen/Net Ratings, the internet is the number one choice for news in the 18 — 54 age group. A Yahoo study revealed that many who used to rely on print newspapers are now going online more than they pick up a paper. According to the study, over 70% of “newspaper loyalists” access the internet daily while fewer than 42% read a printed newspaper every day. Small business owners who employ online PR as a means to get their message into the media are seeing a tremendous return on investment from this approach. When you get your message in front of the right market, your targeted website traffic will increase.

One key that makes news search engines an advantage to small business owners is the keyword ranking ability. All internet searches start with typing in keywords. With a little research, it’s very easy to find out what shoppers are looking for when they’re searching. There are databases that reveal which keywords get the most searches. Knowing which keywords to choose is a skill in and of itself. There’s one kind of keyword that’s ideal for online PR, and there’s another kind when setting up pay-per-click campaigns. Get the right keywords and plug them into your articles and news releases the appropriate number of times (and in the proper places), and wa’la! You’ve got targeted website traffic.

Those news releases will be picked up by the news search engines. The resource box at the bottom of the release should provide a reason for the reader to click over to your website. One well-written release with the right keywords will produce targeted traffic in 48 hours or less.

I will be hosting a free teleseminar on Thursday, February 19, entitled Optimized Press Release Secrets, How to Get Targeted Traffic to Your Website in 48 hours or Less. To attent, just go to www.AskRamonToday.com and tell me what your single biggest question is as it relates to getting more media and customer traffic to your website. For participating in this worldwide survey, I will give you a copy of my report, 8 Warning Signs to Poorly Designed Press Releases. Simply click here now.

Categories Marketing, Publicity
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Archive for Publicity

Internet Marketing for Small Business: Get Website Traffic in 48 Hours [Pt. 7]

Tip # 14: Proven Strategies to Use When Writing Online Press Releases to Drive Targeted Website Traffic

Are you Interested in Supercharging your Ability to Increase Sales?

Internet Marketing for Small Business: Get Targeted Traffic in 48 Hours [Pt. 6]

My second online press release (click on this screenshot to enlarge it):

My third online press release (click on this screenshot to enlarge it):

Tip # 12: Start with Keyword Research to Make Your Release Search Engine Friendly

Tip # 13: Develop a PR Strategy That Means Something to Your Prospects and Customers

Internet Marketing for Small Business: 48 Traffic Tips [Pt. 5]

Traffic Tip # 11: Online Press Releases — How You Can Leverage the Power of the Press to Drive Targeted Traffic to Your Website

How to Grow Your Gross Profits 25 – 100% in 48-90 Days

News Search Engines Can Help Small Business Owners Get Targeted Website Traffic in 48 Hours or Less

Business Success Starts with a Marketing Blueprint

Need an Affordable Website that You Control?

Experience a Flood of Traffic with Search Engine Marketing

Leverage Social Media Marketing for Increased Exposure