Why Search Marketing is Like Dating

When I was a teenager, I learned a valuable lesson about dating from one of the Wise Men in my life.  He told me if my goal was to get a girl to go on a date with me (I know quaint, huh?  Oh for simpler times), I had two options.  Strategy Number One involved [...]

Steps Your Competition is Taking with Email (& Facebook) in 2010

2010 seems to be the year when most businesses here in southern Oregon are really starting to understand that their customers actually do want to hear from them.  The thing is, starting the process may actually damage your customer relationship.  Chances are you will make the mistakes that the wider industry have already stumbled over, learned from, [...]

Your Customers Have Smart Phones. Now What?

The last year has really been fun to be in marketing hasn’t it?  Think of all the “shiny new toys” that have come of age in the last year.  Facebook, Twitter, and of course the iPhone, Droid, Blackberry and numerous other smart phones.  All these new and exciting ways to reach out to your customers. Of [...]

Creating Effective Website Content

Let’s start at square one on this topic.  Before we even talk about what you want to write about in your website, we need to understand what it is your customers will search for.  The question to ask yourself is, “What will my customer type into the search box in the search engine?”  Be careful, [...]

How Not to Grow Your Email List

Email can be a great way to stay in contact with your customers and prospects.  In 2010, many people will try and tell you that email is dying – soon to be replaced by Twitter.  Tell them that you talked to me and you don’t believe them.  It is darn difficult to build customer loyalty [...]