Full Version: Help Marketing
From: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#1]
1 May 2006
To: ALL
I need help getting my company name out to the masses..how's the best way. Because we are new and running out of our house without a store front, I'm trying to find ways to let people know we are here. Any suggestions as to how we can market to people without costing an arm and a leg? We are making up some flyers and doing some marketing letters to drop off at photography studios, Vets, frame shops, etc. But what more can we do?
Thanks,
Mike
From: gt350ed [#2]
1 May 2006
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#1] 1 May 2006
I notice in your profile that you are in the Air Force. Because you are, does that preclude you from marketing on base, or at the Academy?
Beyond that, from my experience the most cost effective solution for a home-based business and/or someone with a full-time day job, would be to develop a website and get properly listed with search engines.
As I'm recalling, you already have a website. If it's developed correctly, with lots of thought to search engines and how people will find you from a "keyword" viewpoint, you can be successful.
Also, hooking up with a direct mail service can work. It will depend on budget. Develop and mail out potcard-type mailers that go to target audiences: like new home owners, etc. Check out "moneymail.com" or other similar companies operating in your area.
Beyond this, it's going to be tough. Because anything else I might suggest would require you to be available for direct contact during the day getting out amongst the natives; like joining and getting involved with local chambers of commmerce, etc.
Hope this gets your juices flowing.
From: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#3]
1 May 2006
To: gt350ed [#2] 2 May 2006
Ed,
Thanks for the help! I do have to be careful about marketing on base to some extent. First, the company is in my wife's name, so this helps avoid any conflict of interest but is still a bit of a delicate situation. We are advertising in the on-base paper.
We have our website set-up though we are still working on it. The bad thing is that I'm doing it myself and I guess I haven't done the keyword lists right because I can do a search for not only my keywords, but also my company name and colorado springs, co and it still doesn't come up. So I need to do more research on that.
We've thought about doing the direct mailing thing, but I didn't know how to get the lists of names...so I'll checkout the website you left for me.
Thanks again for your help. It is chanllenging working full time and doing the business but you have to start somewhere right?
Mike
From: varn (VARNCO) [#4]
1 May 2006
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#1] 2 May 2006
I started on EBay, then graduated to a bit of adwords with google, and got visitors to my web site (i'm 100% web site right now).
Also listed on overture.
With overture and google adwords, you select the keywords, and you pay per click to your web site. You can set your daily budget $$ as well, so you don't go broke on clicks.
Free upload to froogle... a site where you can list your products.
From: Chewbarka [#5]
2 May 2006
To: varn (VARNCO) [#4] 2 May 2006
Frank
www.chewbarka.com
EDITED: 2 May 2006 by DGL
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#6]
2 May 2006
To: Chewbarka [#5] 2 May 2006
I had to edit your post, to remove the ad.
We appreciate your generous offer to our members, but we restrict overt advertising to the the Ad/Buy/Sell folder or in response to a user's search in the "Where Can I Find" folder.
From: Chewbarka [#7]
2 May 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#6] 2 May 2006
Sorry David
Im Learning ;-)
Frank
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#8]
2 May 2006
To: Chewbarka [#7] 2 May 2006
The advice you offered in this thread was very sound. I appreciate your contribution.
Since you're still in training, I should mention that I saw your response to the "shiny medal" thread, in a folder where you can display your full-blown add.
Just adjust the ad size to the pixel dimensions described (for signatures), on our home page and let it rip! :-)
From: AnthonyC [#9]
2 May 2006
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#8] 2 May 2006
Hi Mike
You’ve already got some great advice.
Ed is right on the money with the direct mail idea. If you haven’t tried Bulk mailing it can be very lucrativeand is a lot cheaper than regular mail.
I checked your website with the Alexa Toolbar and it doesn’t look like you are getting much traffic to your site. I’d take Varn’s advice and start using Pay Per Click PPC advertising. Search Engine Optomization SEO (Getting to the top of Google) is expensive and time consuming. (Just my opinion)
If you haven’t already done so start collecting testimonials about your business. These are great on all your marketing and give you an incredible amount of credibility with people that don’t know you..
If you need any help with anything let me know.
Best Regards
Anthony
From: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#10]
2 May 2006
To: AnthonyC [#9] 2 May 2006
Anthony,
How much money are we talking for the pay per click advertising and who is the best to go through? Where can I read more about this type of advertising that's going to give me good honest info, not trying to sell it to me?
Thanks,
Mike
From: AnthonyC [#11]
2 May 2006
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#10] 2 May 2006
Hi Mike,
It really depends. But if you choose your keywords carefully and target locally not that much. Plus you can set your daily budget But before you do that you need to make a couple of changes to your site to ensure you capitalize on any traffic you get to your site. Listen to the teleseminar I did last week and take advantage of the bonus at the end.(It’s in the Marketing folder. Also send me an e-mail or PM me and I’ll send you a link for the best info on keywords. I can’t post here because it’s an affiliate link (meaning I get paid a commission when you buy it) and it will get your post moved and I don’t want that to happen.
Best Regards
Anthony
results@ultimate-marketing-solutions.com
From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#12]
2 May 2006
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#10] 2 May 2006
I can give you some very basic advice on improving your ranking in the search engines:
1 - Add a "doctype" tag to the very top of your page source code. It comes before anything else and defines the type of document that the page is. Chances are your web authoring program has a checkbox or menu option to insert that.
2 - Remove 3/4 of the keywords in your keywords meta tags. Of the 3 top search engines (Google, Yahoo, and MSN) only Yahoo uses keyword meta tags at all. The others stopped using them. And Yahoo will penalize you if you use too many words. Keep it down to around 20 or so words. Just pick the ones that are most important, and you don't need single words that are also in phrases. For example, if you have "laser engraving" it would not only match that phrase but also match searches on each of those individual words. If you are going to use keywords it is best to use different ones on each page and keep them relevant to the page. You don't need to duplicate keywords that already exist on the page. Use the keywords for alternative words that are related but not already on the page. Even on Yahoo, keywords do not carry any extra weight over words that are readable on your page. They are just additional words. On Google and MSN keywords are completely ignored. They were abused for too many years, so they gave up on them. Google does use keywords to target AdSense ads, if you place Google ads on your site. But not for normal search engine indexing.
3 - This is the most important one. You need text, more text, and lots of text. On every page. Search engines are text based. They can't read graphics. If you make an image with a word in it, the search engine can't read that word. It sees real text in the page. All of those keywords that you dumped in step 2 can all go right back into your page in paragraphs of readable text. Don't just list words or services. Search engines don't like lists as much as readable paragraphs. Spend some time composing paragraphs that read like a human being said them, but mention whatever words a person might search on to find you.
"We provide laser engraving and etching of many products including, but not limited to, awards, plaques, trophies and gifts. We can create designs to your requirements or use your graphics to print images and text on acrylic, wood, metal, and many other materials."
etc...
When you list objects in the sentences (awards, plaques, etc...) keep each grouping down to 3 or 4 items. Then mention a few more a sentence or two later.
Search engines index words, and you need them on all of your pages. You don't need all words to show up on all pages. You can spread them out across the site. But each page needs at least several paragraphs and should contain words important to that page.
The search engines starts at your home page and slowly explores deeper and deeper into your site over time. So you don't have to change the entire site all at once. Work on the home page and get some text there. Then when you have a chance start adding more text to each page that is linked to the home page. Eventually you'll get around to adding text to your whole site.
4 - Add links within the text paragraphs to various pages on your site. Avoid links that say "click here". They should contain descriptive words of what they link to. For example in the text I wrote above you could highlight the word "awards" and link it to your awards page. Don't get carried away. One link per paragraph at most. But those links can be more important to the search engine than your basic navigation links because they are considered "in context".
5 - All images should have ALT attributes describing what the image is. Graphic elements in the page (borders, etc...) should still have alt tags, but with just a pair of double quotes and no text.
6 - All links should have TITLE attributes describing where the link is going. The title and alt attributes are indexed by the search engines and can be used sort of like extra keywords, but keep the text in these attributes short and relevant to the image and links in question.
7 - Here's a bonus one. Add a link to your site in your forum signature. If the search engine indexes the forum, it finds that link and schedules it to be searched. Links leading to your site from other sites can increase your rank (as long as they are not from "link farms", pages full of hundreds of links).
That's enough to get you started. ;-)
EDITED: 2 May 2006 by DAVERJ
From: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#13]
2 May 2006
To: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#12] 2 May 2006
WOW Dave,
Thanks for the insights...I guess it's back to the drawing board for the website again. I was really just trying to get something on the web to start with, now I need to really start getting it noticed. I'll keep everything you said in mind and try to start editing it soon.
Thanks!
Mike
From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#14]
2 May 2006
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#13] 3 May 2006
Hope it helps. Adding text is by far the most important of those tips.
I spent several years helping web designers to build better sites, and those tips just scratch the surface, but are enough to make a huge difference in ranking. As an example, type Dave Jones into Google and my "Dave Jones Design" site comes up 5th out of 60 million pages returned (it's 2nd in Yahoo and MSN). It used to be #1, but I haven't updated most of the site in 3 years. ;-)
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#15]
2 May 2006
To: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#12] 2 May 2006
Dave,
I can see you practice what you preach. Your page ranking is quite impressive. That level is not easily achieved. Your success is deserved, and we all appreciate your sharing this information with us.
From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#16]
2 May 2006
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#15] 2 May 2006
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#17]
2 May 2006
To: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#16] 2 May 2006
Dave,
I've been quite impressed with your knowledegable participation and contributions toward the comraderie we've always tried to promote and have become known for.
Thereby:
By the powers vested in me, as Grand Poobah of Engraving Etc., let it be known across the land, that Dave Jones is hereby decreed our MVN (most valuable newcomer). :-)
EDITED: 2 May 2006 by DGL
From: Bieb (HABIEB) [#18]
2 May 2006
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#3] 3 May 2006
Mike, if you go to Google and type in a search for "how to get listed on Google", there are ways to do it without paying a service. There are also things that will get your site skipped by Google, like having 10,000 keywords in white text at the base of your page.. that is a google no no. There is also a book by O'Reilly publishing "Google Hacks" that has some good pointers in it, if you want to use PayPal on your website to allow customers to pay you with CC, the "PayPal Hacks" book is great also. I keep a copy right next to my computer.
I am in the process of rebuilding my website and will be including the PayPal options. I have another site that I use PayPal for and the scripts that were found in the book work great.
Hope this helps!
Harold
PS.. IM or email me, I would like to find out what they are charging you to advertise in the base paper and what type of regulations they have. I am a Marine Corps vet and have thought about advertising in the base papers where I was stationed.
From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#19]
2 May 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#17] 2 May 2006
Wow. :O
Thanks.
(now I need to get one of those water buffalo hats like Fred Flintstone wears)
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#20]
2 May 2006
To: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#19] 3 May 2006
Sorry. I gave the last Water Buffalo hat to our previous MVN.
Don't worry. I've placed an order with a prison workshop for more.
I get the feeling there may be a delay, because my call to the order desk was interrupted by a voice over the loudspeaker, saying:
"Dead Embroiderer Walking!"
We'll see. :-)
EDITED: 2 May 2006 by DGL
Show messages: 1-20 21-26