Thursday, May 24, 2007

4 Tips Getting Visitors to Read Your Article and Increase Your Web Site Traffic

Article writing should be a major part of your internet marketing strategy. In most cases, depending on the content, articles can greatly increase traffic to your web site. But there is a problem.

The internet was built for those of us who love to surf through the information rather than read volumes at a time. Since many people do prefer scanning, there is a pretty good chance your entire article will not be read. Visitors usually look for sentences or paragraphs that capture their attention, and then return to the search engines to continue surfing. If they happen to come across a poor or mediocre article, they will leave even sooner. You can bank on that.

So what does it take to get your visitors to read more than a few sentences and view your article as a quality resource? The answer is to provide a well written article with plenty of useful content. You can get more web site traffic by using the following tips.

1. Use Sub-headings

A good sub-heading can peak the curiosity of your visitors and get them to read more of your article. Do not try to be too cute. The sub-heading should be relative to your subject without overwhelming the content of article. The whole purpose of a sub heading is to lead the visitor to the next section of your article. Integrate your subheadings without allowing them to be distractions.

2. Use Bullets and/or Numbers

For whatever reason, people like lists. Most of us will take reading articles with bullets and numbers over those with long drawn out paragraphs. With so much information available today, attention spans are not what they used to be. People get bored very easily, so you must capture their attention fast and hold it. Formatting with bullets or numbers allow you to keep the pace and momentum of your article moving forward. Think in terms of the soundbytes you see on television; descriptive and catchy but very brief. Apply that to your article writing.

3. The Hook

Each paragraph of your article must hand off to the next one. Develop a main point for each paragraph without giving too much information away concerning the rest of the article. Think of each paragraph as steps that get your visitors to take action. The action in this case is you want them to continue reading your article and click on your web site link in the resource box. Give your readers just enough in each paragraph to get them to the end of your article.

4. Your Credibility

This by itself can determine your site traffic. If you are just starting out, the best credibility is to provide good content. The product or service you offer might be great but let us face facts: among millions of websites, people do not know you. Earning credibility does not happen overnight. It is going to require a steady flow of unique content before you stand out from the crowd so get started writing now.

Whether immediate or long term the point is get readers to go beyond just scanning your article. Utilize these tips while staying focused on providing informative content and watch your web traffic steadily increase.

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Sunday, May 20, 2007

How to Research Your Business Idea.

The Idea Stage

For some entrepreneurs, getting the idea-and imagining the possibilities-is the easy part. It's the market research that doesn't come so naturally. "It's a big red flag when someone outlines the size of the market-multibillion dollars-but doesn't clearly articulate a plan for how the idea will meet an unmet need in the marketplace," says Aaron Keller, an adjunct professor of marketing at the University of St. Thomas in neighboring St. Paul and a managing principal of Capsule, a Minneapolis-based brand development firm.

That kind of full-throttle approach can cost you. "Entrepreneurs are often so passionate about their ideas, they can lose objectivity," adds Nancy A. Shenker, president of the ONswitch LLC, a full-service marketing firm in Westchester, New York. "Rather than taking the time to thoroughly plan and research, they sometimes plow ahead with execution, only to spend valuable dollars on unfocused or untargeted activities."

Market research, then, can prove invaluable in determining your idea's potential. You can gather information from industry associations, Web searches, periodicals, federal and state agencies, and so forth. A trip to the library or a few hours online can set you on your way to really understanding your market. Your aim is to gain a general sense of the type of customer your product or service will serve-or at least to being willing to find out through the research process. "For example," says Shenker, "if you don't know if your product will appeal to the youth market, make sure you include a sample of that population in your research efforts."

Your research plan should spell out the objectives of the research and give you the information you need to either go ahead with your idea, fine-tune it or take it back to the drawing board. Create a list of questions you need to answer in your research, and create a plan for answering them. "Utilize experts in planning and conducting research sessions," Shenker advises. "They can recommend what type of research is most appropriate, help you develop statistically valid samples and write questionnaires, and provide you with an objective and neutral source of information."

The type of information you'll be gathering depends on the type of product or service you want to sell as well as your overall research goals. You can use your research to determine a potential market, to size up the competition, or to test the usefulness and positioning of your product or service. "If, for example, the product is a tangible item, letting the target audience see and touch a prototype could be extremely valuable," notes Shenker. "For intangible products, exposing prospective customers to descriptive copy or a draft Web site could aid in developing clear communications."
Analysis

When working with firms on brand development, Keller first looks at a business idea from four perspectives: company, customer, competitor and collaborator. This approach allows Keller to scrutinize a business idea before even approaching the topic of brand development. Here's what he looks at for each of the four issues:

1. Company. Think of your idea in terms of its product/service features, the benefits to customers, the personality of your company, what key messages you'll be relaying and the core promises you'll be making to customers.

2. Customer. There are three different customers you'll need to think about in relation to your idea: purchasers (those who make the decision or write the check), influencers (the individual, organization or group of people who influence the purchasing decision), and the end users (the person or group of people who will directly interact with your product or service).

3. Competitor. Again, there are three different groups you'll need to keep in mind: primary, secondary and tertiary. Their placement within each level is based on how often your business would compete with them and how you would tailor your messages when competing with each of these groups.

4. Collaborators. Think of organizations and people who may have an interest in your success but aren't directly paid or rewarded for any success your business might realize, such as associations, the media and other organizations that sell to your customers.

Another approach is to research is SWOT analysis, meaning analysis of the strengths of your industry, your product or service; the weaknesses of your product (such as design flaws) or service (such as high prices); and potential threats (such as the economy). "[SWOT] enables you to understand the strengths and flaws, [everything] from internal information such as bureaucracy, product development and cost to external factors such as foreign exchange rates, politics, culture, etc.," says Drew Stevens, a St. Louis professional speaker and consultant who works with entrepreneurs in researching and marketing their ideas. "SWOT enables an entrepreneur to quickly understand whether their product or service will make it in the current environment."

Whatever your approach to evaluating your idea, just be sure you're meeting the research objectives you've outlined for your product or service. With those goals always top-of-mind, your analysis will help you discover whether your idea has any holes that need patching.
Checking Out the Competition

Assuming your research process has helped you uncover your competition, you now need to find out what they're up to. Shenker advises becoming a customer of the competition, whether by shopping them yourself or by enlisting the help of a friend. "Visit their Web site and put yourself on their list," she says. "Talk to your competitor's customers, too-ask them what they like or don't like about your competitor's product or service. If you conduct formal research, include a question like 'Where do you currently go for that product or service? Why?'"

Your aim is to understand what your competition is doing so you can do it better. Maybe their service is poor. Maybe their product has some flaws-something you'll only know if you try it out yourself. Or maybe you've figured out a way to do things better, smarter, more cost-effectively. Find your selling point. It's going to be the core of your marketing program, if and when you're ready for that step. It's also going to be what sets you apart and lures customers your way.

After all this-the idea stage, analysis of the idea, competitive analysis-you might find that your idea (and not your competitor's, as you'd hoped) is the one with the holes. Does that mean you need to scrap the whole thing and resign yourself to life as an employee? "Not always," says Keller. "Sometimes it just needs to be reworked or retooled."

That can be disheartening if you've already spent X amount of hours in the idea stage, plus X amount of hours on market research-only to find that you're not quite ready to get started after all. But taking the time to refocus your energies and determine why your idea needs some tightening is the best predictor of future success. "No entrepreneur wants to hear that his 'baby' is flawed, but only by listening and reacting to feedback can he give his idea a chance for success," notes Shenker. "Ask yourself, 'Is this a weakness that can be overcome?' If you can't create true value for your customer and your business, then it's time to pick another idea to pursue."

Remember, though, that many ideas simply need some fine-tuning. Before you panic and start flipping through your idea books again, closely consider whether you can make this idea work. After all, there was a reason you thought of that idea in the first place. Some ideas that seem like they'll be total duds after doing a little research end up being great successes. "Ideas that seem like a flop are always interesting to me," says Keller. "Sometimes you look into an idea and find it was just luck-but many times, you find the original founder had some clear insight into the potential. That insight was his or her focus, and it seemed to lead them to success.

"I've seen many people launch ideas that I thought were beyond foolish," Keller adds, "but then I learned more about the idea, the customer and the vision-and realized the true risk being taken."
When Your Idea Is Ready to Go

The market research you've conducted thus far ought to be a good indicator of where you need to go next with your idea. One key factor to consider is pricing. You want to do it competitively while also considering what the market will bear. For products or services that have a close competitor, Keller advises pricing with respect to the competitive position. "Higher-priced positioning requires an idea with enough relevance and importance to customers to overcome the gap between your idea and the nearest competitor," Keller says.

The beauty of being in business for yourself is that you have the option to make changes at will-so if a pricing structure isn't working, you can alter it. "Price high to start-you can always drop the price down," says Keller. "You can never go up."

Shenker adds that you need to be sure your product or service is delivering enough value to command the price you set. If possible, test different pricing offers as you go, and determine what works best.

When you're ready to get started, be sure you're selling where your target market is likely to buy. "Your marketing plan and budget should include a well-crafted distribution strategy," notes Shenker. If you'll sell over the Internet, budget for media to drive new customers to your site. If you'll sell via retail distribution, you might need workers with industry experience to help you reach your target market.

Remember, too, that you can always seek help in this long, arduous process of bringing an idea to fruition. The Internet, your local library, the U.S. Census Bureau, business schools, industry associations, trade and consumer publications, industry trade shows and conferences, and new-product development firms can be invaluable sources of information and contacts. "It's just a matter of seeking knowledge from as many sources as possible," notes Keller. It's also a matter of putting your ego aside and being willing to create a business that will not only survive, but thrive. "If you have an idea, don't be afraid to refine it, retool it, rethink it," adds Keller. "The more you do before you launch, the less you'll have to do [afterwards], and the less painful the lessons tend to be."

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If you've got a product that lends itself to a live demonstration, you may want to think about infomercial advertising.

What It Is:
Half-hour TV commercials (also done sometimes on the radio) that are very similar in appearance to a news program, talk show or other non-advertising format and that provides consumers with in-depth information on a product or service

Appropriate For:
Any business with a product that's best sold with a demonstration or explanation--especially a new product that needs an introduction to consumers

Typical Cost:
$20,000 to $250,000 on average, depending on the length of the infomercial, talent involved, location, product size and complexity, and many other factors of production

How It Works:
First, let's all admit we've watched a few and move on. Maybe it was because we were too tired to change the channel or perhaps we were actually drawn in by the subject matter and didn't realize the program was really an infomercial. While they used to be relegated to airing overnight, usually between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., they now also run during the day on the weekends, where the channel guide reads "Paid Programming." A good clue that you're watching an infomercial is that the commercials within the program advertise the same product!

There's a lot to be said for being able to give a live demonstration of your product so that consumers can actually see how it works--how easy or difficult it is, how large or small, how sharp or dull, or how effective. This is a form of advertising you don't want to attempt yourself. Hire a professional to guide you through this multi-faceted process. Even television stations aren't set up to handle the making of an infomercial from beginning to end. They don't have the capability to provide the set design, scripts, show format, celebrity acquisition and testimonials, just to name a few of the elements that go into the process. They can shoot the footage in the beginning and edit the whole thing together at the end, but everything in-between is out of their realm.

Most advertising agencies can help you with the production of your infomercial. They can be responsible for such pre-production details as budgeting, scouting locations, promotion and public relations, research, any construction needed, and much more. One solution is to hire an advertising agency to create the "pieces," such as the testimonials, the set designs, the scripts and the talent, and then bring everything to the TV station to put it all together. Your television sales reps may also be able to recommend companies, such as Hawthorne Direct or Producers Direct in your vicinity that can handle your project from start to finish. To find a company in your area, run a Google search for "DRTV production companies."

Your infomercial will seldom be watched by anyone from beginning to end, so you must break up the half-hour show into separate, interesting segments with a "closer" or "call to action" at the end of each segment. While your toll-free phone number, website URL and/or P.O. box address should stay on the screen at all times, a "closing" segment should take place every ten minutes or so to encourage people to buy immediately or to offer a list of store locations where the product can be found. Then move right on to a new segment.

Keep your messages moving. For instance, a car dealership may showcase its used cars in one segment, then move on to its service department, then present its new cars, then show testimonials. The idea is to keep the audiences interested without boring them to death and to keep the half-hour fluid.

Businesses with products that don't change much over time can more easily recover the cost of making an infomercial because they can produce just one and use it for years. But the infomercials for some businesses have a much shorter shelf-life because the footage is constantly becoming outdated (the car dealership, for example). Owners of these type of businesses need to continually bear the cost of revising or creating entirely new productions year after year.

Infomercials take time to produce. For instance, if you want to include testimonials, you have to find the right people and, depending on the product, you may even have to travel to shoot footage of them. Multiply your travel costs by the number of testimonials you want to use in your infomercial, and you can see that just that portion can take a week or more. When all is said and done, you can probably add another week or more for selecting your music, editing the footage, and getting the copies (dubs) made for whatever stations you'll be running it on.

When it comes to televising your infomercials, you'll spend anywhere from $100 to $3,000 per spot, on average, to buy actual air time. Since most of these ads run overnight and on the weekends, the per-spot cost isn't quite as high as it would be during any other time of the day or evening. It all ads up--it's not territory for the faint of heart or the small of budget to explore. And because you won't know if your infomercial is a good one--meaning one that works--until it actually airs, it only makes sense that you start with professionals who know the ins and outs of creating infomercials to give yourself the best chance of success. And for this reason, you'll want to test your long commercial in a small market and not cast a wide net until you know if it's working for you!

Although the industry's reputation is improving, there are still infomercials that may make this form of advertising difficult to be associated with. Psychic readers, get-rich-quick schemes, and all those too-good-to-be-true infomercials where they say you can lose weight without any effort make it hard for others to be taken seriously. So be sure that if you use infomercials, you follow through with your fulfillment and return policies--and that your product or service lives up to what you promise your audience.

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The 10 Laws of Sales Success.

A recent Gallup poll on the honesty and ethical conduct of business professionals found that insurance salespeople and car salespeople ranked at the bottom of the list. Bet you're not surprised to hear this. But did you know that it's not just car salespeople who have a bad reputation? Bill Brooks of the Brooks Group estimates that more than 85 percent of customers have a negative view of all salespeople.

But it doesn't have to be that way: You can prove the masses wrong, and learn to develop the skills that will have people thinking differently about the selling process. In fact, selling can be one of the most rewarding tasks you'll undertake as a business owner-but only if you follow these 10 tactics:

Law #1: Keep your mouth shut and your ears open. This is crucial in the first few minutes of any sales interaction. Remember:

1. Don't talk about yourself.
2. Don't talk about your products.
3. Don't talk about your services.
4. And above all, don't recite your sales pitch!

Obviously, you want to introduce yourself. You want to tell your prospect your name and the purpose of your visit (or phone call), but what you don't want to do is ramble on about your product or service. After all, at this point, what could you possibly talk about? You have no idea if what you're offering is of any use to your prospect.

Law #2: Sell with questions, not answers. Remember this: Nobody cares how great you are until they understand how great you think they are.

Forget about trying to "sell" your product or service and focus instead on why your prospect wants to buy. To do this, you need to get fascinated with your prospect; you need to ask questions (lots and lots of them) with no hidden agenda or ulterior motives.

Many years ago, I was selling CDs at a music festival. It didn't take me long to figure out that it wasn't my job to sell the CDs-it was my job to get the earphones on every person who walked by my booth!

I noticed right away that whenever people sensed I was attempting to "sell" them a CD, their walls of defense immediately went up and they did everything in their power to get as far away from me as they could.

So instead, I made it my job to introduce new music to anyone who wanted to put on the earphones. Once they heard the music, they either liked it or they didn't. I didn't do any "selling," and I made more money that week than any other CD hawkers at the festival.

Back then, I didn't know anything about sales, but I knew enough about human nature to understand that sales resistance is an oxymoron: The act of selling creates the resistance! Which leads us to the next principle:

Law #3: Pretend you're on a first date with your prospect. Get curious about them. Ask about the products and services they're already using. Are they happy? Is what they're using now too expensive, not reliable enough, too slow? Find out what they really want. Remember, you're not conducting an impersonal survey here, so don't ask questions just for the sake of asking them. Instead, ask questions that will provide you with information about what your customers really need.

When you learn what your customers need and you stop trying to convince or persuade them to do something they may not want to do, you'll find them trusting you as a valued advisor and wanting to do more business with you as a result.

Law #4: Speak to your prospect just as you speak to your family or friends. There's never any time that you should switch into "sales mode" with ham-handed persuasion clichés and tag lines. Affected speech patterns, exaggerated tones, and slow, hypnotic sounding "sales inductions" are never acceptable in today's professional selling environments. Speak normally, (and of course, appropriately) just as you would when you're around your friends and loved ones.

Law #5: Pay close attention to what your prospect isn't saying. Is your prospect rushed? Does he or she seem agitated or upset? If so, ask "Is this a good time to talk? If it's not, perhaps we can meet another day." Most salespeople are so concerned with what they're going to say next that they forget there's another human being involved in the conversation.

Law #6: If you're asked a question, answer it briefly and then move on. Remember: This isn't about you; it's about whether you're right for them.

Law #7: Only after you've correctly assessed the needs of your prospect do you mention anything about what you're offering. I knew a guy who pitched a mannequin (I'm not kidding)! He was so stuck in his own automated, habitual mode, he never bothered to notice that his prospect wasn't breathing. Don't get caught in this trap. Know whom you're speaking with before figuring out what it is you want to say.

Law #8: Refrain from delivering a three-hour product seminar. Don't ramble on and on about things that have no bearing on anything your prospect has said. Pick a handful of things you think could help with your prospect's particular situation, and tell him or her about it. (And if possible, reiterate the benefits in his own words, not yours.)

Law #9: Ask the prospect if there are any barriers to them taking the next logical step. After having gone through the first eight steps, you should have a good understanding of your prospect's needs in relation to your product or service. Knowing this, and having established a mutual feeling of trust and rapport, you're now ready to bridge the gap between your prospect's needs and what it is you're offering. You're now ready for:

Law #10: Invite your prospect to take some kind of action. This principle obliterates the need for any "closing techniques" because the ball is placed on the prospect's court. A sales close keeps the ball in your court and all the focus on you, the salesperson. But you don't want the focus on you. You don't want the prospect to be reminded that he or she is dealing with a "salesperson." You're not a salesperson, you're a human being offering a particular product or service. And if you can get your prospect to understand that, you're well on your way to becoming an outstanding salesperson.

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The 6 basic steps to Take Your Company Global.

Doing business around the world can seem a long way from doing business in your hometown. But each year countless small businesses make the trek. Like most long journeys, going global can be boiled down to a series of steps. Here are the six basic steps to going global:

1. Start your campaign to grow by international expansion by preparing an international business plan to evaluate your needs and set your goals. It's essential to assess your readiness and commitment to grow internationally before you get started.
2. Conduct foreign market research and identify international markets. The Department of Commerce is an excellent source of information on foreign markets for U.S. goods and services.
3. Evaluate and select methods of distributing your product abroad. You can choose from a variety of means for distributing your product, from opening company-owned foreign subsidiaries to working with agents, representatives and distributors and setting up joint ventures.
4. Learn how to set prices, negotiate deals and navigate the legal morass of exporting. Cultural, social, legal and economic differences make exporting a challenge for business owners who have only operated in the United States.
5. Tap government and private sources of financing—and figure out ways to make sure you are getting paid. Financing is always an issue, but government interest in boosting exporting and centuries of financial innovation have made getting funding and getting paid easier than ever.
6. Move your goods to their international market, making sure you package and label them in accordance with regulations in the market you are selling to. The globalization of transportation systems helps here, but regulations are still different everywhere you go.

Understanding Another Culture
One big difference between doing business domestically and internationally is culture. According to Hilka Klinkenberg, founder of Etiquette International in New York City, less than 25 percent of U.S. business ventures abroad are successful. "A lot of that is because Americans don't do their homework or because they think the rest of the world should do business the way they do business," she says. Klinkenberg offers the following tips to avoid making costly mistakes in international business meetings:

* Build a relationship before you get down to business. "That entails making small talk and getting to know one another without [immediately] getting into business discussions," she says.

* Don't impose time limits. Says Klinkenberg, "Keep [the meeting] as open as possible because it adds strength to your negotiating position."

* Do your research. Learn at least a few pointers and facts about the country; it shows you respect your potential partners' cultural heritage. Also, get comfortable with the basic words in their language.

* Bring your own interpreter. If they provide the interpreter, warns Klinkenberg, "the interpreter is going to have the other person's [interests] at heart, not yours."

* Understand body language. "People think [body] language is universal—it's not," she says.

* Dress with respect and authority. This should be self-explanatory. If it's not, seek the help of an image expert.

Financing Help From the Import-Export Bank
As with any growth plan, expanding internationally requires financing. And growing globally requires special capabilities when it comes to finances. One of the most popular sources of financing for businesses expanding overseas is the Export-Import Bank of the United States. The Ex-Im Bank, as it's commonly known, is an independent U.S. government agency that has helped finance overseas sales of more than $300 billion in U.S. goods and services since 1934.

The Ex-Im Bank guarantees working capital loans for U.S. exporters and guarantees repayment of loans or makes loans to foreign purchasers of U.S. goods and services. It also offers U.S. exporters credit insurance to protect against nonpayment by foreign buyers.

To get Ex-Im Bank help, your product or service must have at least 50 percent U.S. content. The bank will finance the export of all types of goods or services except for most military-related products.

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Saturday, May 19, 2007

How to Design Memorable Logo - These 6 easy Step


Historically, logos have been more of a luxury than a necessity. Businesses once attracted customers because they were the only game in town, so to speak. But that's no longer the case. Today's highly competitive industries, global markets and visually oriented consumers have catapulted the logo to prominence. Now your logo is one of the most critical components of your brand. So how can something so little make such a big difference to the success of your business?

1. Your branding efforts not only start with your logo but are dictated by it. Your logo appears on all your sales tools, from your business cards and stationary to your website. As a result, your logo design influences the design of all your sales tools--for better or worse. A professional-looking logo can be leveraged to create professional-looking materials. A poorly designed logo can't. In other words, you need a "brandable" logo--one you can make use of when designing other materials to brand your company.

Brandable logos are scalable, memorable and meaningful. If people can't remember what your logo looks like, they won't remember your brand. Think of the logos of some of the popular brands today. Do you think of M-shaped arches, a shell or a swoosh? All are simple concepts, effectively employed by McDonalds, Shell and Nike. How can you tell if a logo's going to be memorable? If you can't look at a logo for fewer than 10 seconds and re-draw it with decent accuracy, it's probably too complex to be easily remembered. (Besides being difficult to remember, most complex logos can't effectively be reduced in size or rendered in black and white, making them useless for such elements as fax cover sheets and other business forms.)

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2. Your logo is a quick visual cue that conveys the essence of your brand in an age when image is everything and time is short. Perhaps you've heard the writer's lament that "nobody reads anymore." In today's markets, not only do you face ever-increasing competition, you also face an audience accustomed to visually stimulating media, convenience and instant gratification. Sure, a few people may read your entire ad, more may read some of it--but everyone will SEE it. The overwhelming amount of choices faced by time-crunched consumers forces them to identify shortcuts. Your logo is such a shortcut: it instantly conveys your brand message and emotional appeal.

3. Awareness and familiarity are keys to growing your business, and your logo is instrumental in both areas. Your logo is your brand's most basic graphic element. It ties together all your sales materials--in fact, your logo may be the only visual element your materials have in common. The right logo helps solidify customer loyalty while differentiating you from the competition.

4. Your logo may be the only thing by which a potential customer can judge your business. Think of small newspaper or Yellow Pages ads. Often all that fits in these small spaces is your contact information and your logo. If your logo projects the right image, it may be the sole reason someone decides to try your company. Conversely, if it looks unprofessional or unclear, it alone may be the reason they choose to look somewhere else.

5. Your logo affords a unique opportunity for you to look like a bigger (that is, more established) business than what you are. With the right logo, you can look like a larger company that's been around for awhile even if you have only one employee and just opened your doors last month. People who see it will associate the positive attributes of big companies--like security and financial stability--with your company. And you can still deliver the entrepreneurial qualities--like personal attention and superior customer service--that you're known for.

Building a solid brand identity is pivotal to success in business today. Lay the right foundation with a professional, brandable logo.

John Williams is Entrepreneur.com's "Image & Branding" columnist and the founder and president of LogoYes.com, the world's first do-it-yourself logo design website. During John's 25 years in advertising, he's created brand standards for Fortune 100 companies like Mitsubishi and won numerous awards for his design work.

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Tuesday, May 15, 2007

The 7 Tips for word of mouth marketing campaign.

According to the Los Angeles Times, marketers are scrambling to create the next big viral marketing campaign. It has become one of the quickest ways to cheaply move messages from person to person. So how do you ensure your viral marketing campaign is going to be a huge success? Follow the tips below to get started.

1. Talk to consumers as if they were your friend

To reach the consumer, speak to them in their language on a personal and direct level. Be honest.

2. Seek out the experts and become friends

Seek out experts who may choose to share your information with others. With their influence, they have the capability of spreading your word to a wide variety of interested parties.

3. Make it easy to pass along

Email, forward to a friend, buttons and badges on your Website, podcasts, and funny IM or text messages that can be instantly passed along to others.

4. Don’t just do it because everyone else is doing it

Don’t just do a viral marketing campaign because it’s the latest online trend. Concentrate on our core marketing objectives and focus your ideas around ways to resonate with consumers.

5. Viral marketing + overall marketing strategy = effectiveness

Although viral campaigns have the ability to take off, they can be more effective if other elements of your marketing campaign are tied in. For example, kids are using the Internet a great deal these days. Grab their attention with a billboard first with a code they can plug in online or in their cell phone to drive them to your target outlet and keep them engaged.

6. Take responsibility

Don’t just force a message to consumers, respond and listen to their feedback. Be responsible for the crafting and delivering of your message as well as listening and responding appropriately from all customers and potential customers.

7. Measure the good, bad and the ugly

Not only do you need to monitor viral marketing campaigns for both negative and positive feedback to protect your brand, but the only way you’ll be able to determine the campaign’s success is by researching this free research data.

Source: viralvoodoo.com

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5 Easy Steps to make your products irresistible?

How can you make your products irresistible?

The old cliché in business is that you should under-promise and over-deliver. But in a crowded marketplace, under-promising is a one-way ticket to oblivion. Because consumers and businesses are moving and shopping at warp speed these days, they won't slow down long enough to fully understand your under-promise. To grab their attention, you must over-promise.

By over-promising, I don't mean you should promise things you can't deliver. Instead, I mean you must make an outrageous claim on which you can deliver. Most companies already have such capabilities, which is why their current customers do business with them. But their marketing teams haven't taken the time to understand exactly why their current customers really stay loyal, and then articulate their unique capabilities in an outrageous over-promise.

While doing research for my most recent book, Overpromise and Overdeliver: The Secrets of Unshakable Customer Loyalty (Portfolio), I was astounded by how many products, services and companies didn't have an articulated over-promise. If you don't tell customers why they should buy from you, but your competitors do...then guess who gets the customers?

Here are three excellent examples of over-promises you can use for inspiration:

* American Girl over-promises by offering girls dolls that will utterly enchant them...and then over-delivers by giving each doll a fascinating biography.

* Google over-promises by offering everything a customer would want to find on the Web...and then over-delivers with an average search time of 0.2 seconds.

* Hummer over-promises a driving experience that's "like nothing else"...and then over-delivers with an attention-grabbing design, extra comfort and a built-in Hummer community.

So how can you create your own over-promise?

1. Start by examining your vision for your company. Why did you start it in the first place? What was missing in the marketplace that you vowed to fix on behalf of your customers? I often find that the essence of a brand can be drawn from a business founder's original thoughts. You could feel it even if you couldn't articulate it. Now's the time to make that articulation.

2. What is your product or service's single, most important attribute? What makes it unique? What one word do customers think about or feel when they hear your company's name? Volvo means safety. Lexus means luxury. What does your product mean?

3. Ask your customers why they buy your products. Then ask them why they don't buy your competitors' products. In the chasm between these two answers, you'll find a beacon that points to what your over-promise should be.

4. Ask non-customers why they don't buy your products or services. Then ask why they buy your competitors' products. This pair of questions will give you insight into the misperceptions they have about your product or company, or will point you toward serious shortcomings in your offerings.

5. What emotions do your customers feel when they use your products? Why do customers pay a premium for a Hummer, a Lexus or an American Girl Doll? It's because of the way it makes them feel or because of the way it makes others feel about them. These are powerful brand-building insights you must consider when you're crafting your over-promise.

Once you've done your research and have brainstormed some potential over-promises for your brand, be sure to test them with your customers and your potential customers for effectiveness in both their ability to grab attention and to accurately reflect the actual brand experience. Too many companies make the fatal mistake of creating aspirational over-promises that they can't fulfill. It will take your customers a very short time to find out you can't deliver on your over-promise. You'll know when you've got the right over-promise because it will resonate with both customers and employees.

Now, over-deliver!

My research showed a clear pattern in the companies that were able to consistently over-deliver on their over-promises. They focused on creating unique customer experiences at three critical touch points: the product, the systems and the human element.

First, the product must reliably perform as promised--appropriate design is crucial. Second, the product must be easy to acquire, finance, assemble, use, store, fix and dispose of--this is the system. The greatest product in the world is worth far less if getting it is a hassle or if it's too complicated for customers to use. Finally, your people--the human element--must clearly understand the role they play in delivering the overall customer experience. How should they dress? What should they say? How should they act? Don't leave these details to chance, or your people will make up their own version of your brand.

Over-promise and over-deliver is a formula that's been proven to be successful by American Express, Pottery Barn, Samsung, Washington Mutual and many other top businesses. If you're willing to invest in the research required to get your over-promise right and the attention to detail required to get your over-delivery right, your brand, too, can join the ranks of the irresistible!

Read More...

Monday, May 14, 2007

21 Ways used by law enforcement, bank investigators, law firms and researchers to locate bank accounts.

The following information has been compiled from various sources to aid law information, bank investigators, law firms and researchers who are in need to obtain checking account information for investigatory reasons only. This file originally appeard at the National Check Fraud Center

1. Send the Defendant a Check

This involves sending the defendant a check in a small amount. The defendant deposits the check in his account. When the check is returned to you it should have the defendant's bank account number on the back. This is an old trick and it is usually used with some corresponding literature, such as a gift certificate, rebate, refund or survey. The more professional looking the literature, the better the results.

There are a number of other facts you gain by using this method. The cashing of the check by your subject gives you proof he or she receives mail at the address you sent the check to. The canceled check will have a signature of your subject. This is a good way to obtain an otherwise unobtainable sample of your subject's signature. Additionally, the subject's drivers license number may be listed on the back of the check.

2. Buy Something from the Defendant

Have someone purchase something from the defendant's store or business. Be sure to pay by check. Naturally, this procedure works best if the defendant runs a business or service operation. If he or she does, it is a relatively simple matter to purchase something from the defendant. If the he or she performs a service, simply hire him or her to work for you. If, as an attorney, you think your subject will not fall for this method, use a third party in your place. I warn you not to involve a third party in an undercover operation if you believe there is the slightest chance for violence.

This seemingly simple task can lead to some unusual situations. I had a case against a debtor who ran a small retail establishment. My goal was to simply go into the store and purchase something with a check so I could obtain the store's bank account number. The business was located close to Martin Luther King Boulevard in a predominately black area of town. It was quite a challenge for a white guy to look inconspicuous under these circumstances.

Sure enough, in my next bank statement was the debtor's bank account information on the back of the check I had written him for merchandise bought in his store.

3. UCC Filings - File Copy from the Secretary of State

A search should be made of Uniform Commercial Code filings. The bank that loaned the defendant money may be the same bank he or she uses personally.

The debtor will probably obtain financing from a bank that he or she normally does business with. This makes sense. The debtor will usually have a better chance of obtaining a loan from a bank he or she already has a banking relationship with.
Once the debtor's probable bank is identified, you have at least two bites of the apple in obtaining the debtor's bank account. The debtor may have applied to the same bank for a loan.

4. UCC Filing - Loan Application from the Secured Party

Keep in mind what purpose that a UCC-1 filing serves. It is to provide notice to the public that the secured party has an interest in the debtor's property. This is generally from the secured party loaning money to the debtor. The debtor does this by filling out a loan application and financial statement. This information should contain the debtor's bank account information.

5. UCC Filings - Check from the Secured Party to the Debtor

In a loan situation the bank will issue a check to the debtor. The debtor will deposit the check in his or her bank account. As the check makes it's way back to the issuing bank the debtor's bank account number will be on the back of the check issued by the bank. If you subpoena the secured party for a copy of this check it will show the document trail including the name and account number of the bank the debtor actually deposited the check.

6. UCC Filing - Copy of the Debtor's Checks

The debtor is obligated to pay the secured party back for it's loan each month--presumably with a check. All you have to do is subpoena the targeted bank for the above information--any loan applications and/or financial statements of the debtor, any checks the bank issued to the debtor, and the debtor's checks over a period of several months.

7. Previous Landlord-- Rental Application

Subpoena the previous landlord of the defendant for a copy of the rental application to see where the defendant banked. Most people are usually creatures of habit. Once a banking relationship is established, it generally remains the same.

8. Previous Landlord-- Security Deposit, Canceled Check

Now, the above information may be outdated. However, there are two additional sources of records that the landlord has regarding the debtor's bank account. One is the security deposit and cleaning refund check that was given to the tenant / debtor upon move out. The debtor may have deposited this check in his bank account. The landlord or the landlord's bank has a copy of this check. The debtor's bank account information should be on the backside.

9. Previous Landlord-- Copies of the debtor's Rent Checks

During the rental period the tenant/debtor probably paid the landlord by check. The landlord may cooperate or you may have to subpoena him to obtain this information. The landlord will claim he does not have access to these checks. This may be a true statement. The fact of the matter that the bank microfilmed every check the landlord deposited in his account. This includes the Debtor's rent checks.

10. Blanket Levy

This technique involves serving a Writ of Execution and a Bank Levy on every bank in the area. This procedure assumes that you will hit an account eventually and that the debtor will bank within only a few mile radius of his home or work. It is rumored that the IRS has used this tactic in the past. For obvious reasons, this technique works best in a small town.

11. Debtors Examinations

At this proceeding you can demand that the debtor tell you where his bank account is. The unfortunate effect of this procedure is that the defendant can take most (if not all) of his money out of the account before you can get to it. However, do not dismiss the usefulness of the examination too quickly. Not all debtors are Einstein's. Some debtors do not think to empty their bank accounts. Additionally, there is actual value in finding a bank account with only a few bucks in it or even one that has already been closed. The value is in the microfilmed records the bank will retain on the account.

Just think about it for a second. What documents would a debtor deposit in his bank account? If you answered any of the followings: the debtor's payroll check, the debtor's spouse's payroll check, stock dividend checks, rental income checks, you would be right! Each category of information is extremely valuable to a creditor enforcing a judgment. What is more, the debtor will probably take the funds from his now defunct account and--probably in the form of a check from his old account--deposit it in a new account.

12. Employer

If you know the debtor's employer you may consider serving a Business Record Subpoena on the employer to obtain a copy of a payroll check the debtor has "cashed". The check should have the defendant's account number and possibly the name of the bank on the back of it.

13. Current Landlord--Rental Application

The current landlord probably has a rental application on file that show the defendant's bank account.

14. Current Landlord--Past Check

Subpoena from the current landlord a copy of the defendant's past month's rent check.

15. Current Landlord--Current Rent Checks

Subpoena from the current landlord a copy of the defendant's current month's rent check.

16. Trash Search

Some investigative agencies such as the IRS, FBI, local law enforcement agencies, and private investigators will conduct trash searches. The information obtained will reveal the bank where the defendant has an account in addition to probably more information than you ever wanted to know about the defendant. In fact, a trash search tells so much about a debtor that it is absolutely scary. Think I am kidding? Tell you what, to every person who reads this and for an instant thinks this technique will not work, I have an exercise for you. Go through your own trash for a one week period. Write down everything that you can conclude about your household--likes and dislikes in foods and cosmetics, medications, personal correspondence, etc., etc. Are you now considering incinerating your own trash?

17. Yard Sale

This is an unusual procedure reserved for the stout of heart. It will not work if the defendant knows you on sight. The way it works is to send post cards to everyone who lives on the defendant's block. The post card should read something like, "Block yard sale this weekend". Put up a few signs directing traffic on the appropriate day. The defendant will be caught up in the excitement and open his garage to sell his unwanted items. First, this is a great chance to view the defendant at home, up close and personal. Take covert inventory of the defendant's assets. Second, buy something from the defendant and pay by check.

18. Telephone

19. State Sales Tax Permits

The application for a Sales Tax permit requires that the business list it's bank account. This is certainly true of the current sales tax permit for California. It is probably true for other states as well.

20. Employment Development Department Permit

The Employment Development Department application, an permit that allows an employer to hire employees, normally requires that the business list it's bank account.

21. Divorce records, community property settlement

Sometimes these records contain a wealth of financial information, including: the name and account number of checking, savings, brokers, stocks, credit cards and bonds account. Often the description and address of private property and the make, model and license number of vehicles also are included in the divisions of property papers.

Read More...

Sunday, May 13, 2007

12 Ways To Create An Order-Pulling Niche.

12 Ways To Create An Order-Pulling Niche

A niche is something that sets your business apart
from your competitors. To compete with other
businesses nowadays, especially online, you need
a unique niche. Just make sure your competitors are
not using the same niche. Below are twelve ideas
you could use to create an order pulling niche.

1. Your niche could be that you offer free delivery.
This may cost a little money, but, you will gain the
extra customers to make up for it.

2. Your niche could be that you offer a lower price.
If you can't afford to offer a lower price you could
always hold the occasional discount sale.

3. Your niche could be that your product achieves
results faster. This niche is very effective because
people are becoming more and more impatient and
want results fast.

4. Your niche could be you've been in business for
a longer period of time. People think if you've been
in business longer you have more credibility.

5. Your niche could be that your product tastes,
smells sounds, looks, or feels better. When you
target the the senses you're triggering basic human
attractions.

6. Your niche could be your product is light or
compact. People may want to take the product
on a trip or don't have much room where they live.


7. Your niche could be that you've won a business
reward. When you win a reward tell your customers
or visitors about it. This increases their trust in your
business.

8. Your niche could be that your product lasts
longer. People don't like taking the time and spending
more money buying replacement products all the
time.

9. Your niche could be that your product is easy to
use. People don't want to buy a product that they
have to read a 200 page hard-to-understand
instruction manual.

10. You niche could be that your product has better
safety features. People want to feel safe when they
use your products.

11. Your niche could be that your product was made
by hand. Most people believe that products made
by hand have better quality.

12. Your niche could be that you stand behind all
your products. People want to know that you back-
up any claims you make about your product with
either guarantees, warrantees and free replacements.

Read More...

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Insert Google Adsense Into Blogger XML Post Body.

Have you ever tried to insert the Google Adsense code directly into your Blogger XML Template and get this error?

Your template could not be parsed as it is not well-formed. Please make sure all XML elements are closed properly. XML error message: The processing instruction target matching "[xX][mM][lL]" is not allowed.

So, you resolve to insert the Adsense code using blogger widgets. However that means your widgets can not appear within each post, the best spots to place your ads. Don't worry, there is a way of inserting Adsense code straight into your XML templates.

Since Blogger started using XML everything is more strict and standardized. The above error simply mean the Adsense code is not standized XML and solve it we need to 1replace all the html character such as '<' with '>' '"' with '"'. For example:



would be

1<script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX";
google_ad_width = 336;
google_ad_height = 280;
google_ad_format = "336x280_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel = "";
google_color_border = "FFFFFF";
google_color_bg = "FFFFFF";
google_color_link = "000000";
google_color_text = "000000";
google_color_url = "000000";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
1src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script>


You can use your text editor to replace all the HTML, but Blogcrowds also has an HTML parsed that takes care of everything for you. Now with the code you can paste it anywhere in your HTML code with no error at all.

Here are some tips for where in the XML Template you should paste the parsed HTML code. I used a barebone Minima template so it should be similar in all templates. Find the normal text and then add the bolded code are added by me:


1)Next To The Post





2)After Post Before Credits







Read More...

Friday, May 11, 2007

10 crucial questions when naming your business, product, or Web site.

1.Who are my consumers?
You can't expect to sell to everyone, so define narrowly who you want to sell to and make the name appeal to that group. You need to know how the members of that group think. You will make your best guesses with your current knowledge, but you must be willing to discard some personal favorites when later testing shows that they don't work. Unfortunately, your first inclinations are seldom your best. Trust your testing.

2.What am I naming?
The goal here is to give the product a name that has appealing associations. In all types of naming it is important that the name evokes the right emotions, associations, and images. In addition, if you are naming a product that will be on a retail shelf, the name should be short enough to fit on the retail box and be legible from several feet away.

If your business, product, or service is altogether new, you will generally want its name to communicate at a glance what it concerns. For example, business names (trade names) such as GENERAL NUTRITION, SPORTSMAN'S WAREHOUSE, BURGER WORLD, and PETSMART communicate immediately what is at issue. On the other hand, if you are naming an additional product in an established business, the product name need not necessarily communicate what it is. For example, it is not necessary for names such as Mustang, Thunderbird, Marboro, and Camel to communicate that they are cars and cigarettes, because the consumer knows what they are from the company names.

3.What type of name do I want?
Names can be categorized in various ways. Some are surnames like Anderson Lumber Company, or Covey Leadership. Others are ordinary words combinations such as New Balance Shoes, or First Security Bank. Some names are coined words like Kodak, Nu Skin, Nytol, or Intel. Others such as Taurus and Nike have been borrowed from Greek mythology. Below are some of the types of names that you may consider:
Coined names:

The trend to coin business and product names is increasing, largely because they are quite easily trademarked. Names such as Nu Skin, Computune, and Envirocare are all recent coinages that communicate the types of businesses they are. Pentium is a well-known product name for Intel's fifth-generation product. A recent trend in coining names for cars has been to select a prestige two-syllable beginning, and end the name with "a." Consider "Maxima, Accura, Altima, Integra, Lumina, and others. Observe how the names of medicines tend to end in in, possibly to evoke an association with the word medicine: aspirin, penicillin, herpecin, corracidin, pamparin, and cholestin. And, we are all familiar with two-word names written as single words as in WordPerfect, Microsoft, and WriteExpress. Thus, coining names may be done in a number of ways, and coinages often follow trends. WriteExpress PowerNaming is especially designed to help you in this creative process.
Common Words with a Twist:

New Balance Shoes, WriteExpress Easy Letters, Out'n Back, All a Dollar, Wallpaper Warehouse, and Four Seasons Flowers are all business and product names that consist of common words in short, meaningful phrases. Each name is memorable because of the associations it evokes. Such traditional names are good but sometimes difficult to trademark.
Surnames and First names:

The current trend is to avoid the use of surnames unless they are well known or you have the means to make them well known through advertising. As a general rule, they are difficult to trademark. Successful surnames include Smucker's, Fudrucker's, Albertson's, Covey Leadership, and Franklin Quest. Successful names that include first names include Oscar Meyer, Fred Meyer's Mama Maria's, and Tony Roma's. The use of first or surnames often works well when linked with another identifying word. For example, Jone's Paint and Glass, Peggy's Bridal, Crawford Electric, and Knighton Optical. Be aware that such names often work locally, but not internationally, unless they are widerly recognized.
Telescoped or Alpha-Numeric names:

Some persons refer to names that combine numbers and letters as Alpha-Numeric names. Such names have worked well for companies such as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company that telescoped its name to be the 3M Company. Other good examples are Food 4 Less, A-1 Steak Sauce, 9-Lives Cat Food, and 7-UP. (Other examples???) Many such names are successful because the numbers carry important meanings in clever ways.
Names with deviant spellings:

Nite skool, Krazee Kids, Kandy Korn, Peteet Neet School, tuff skins, Xtreme are all examples of deviant spellings that play with sounds. The rhyming and alliteration features of WriteExpress can help you find words with the desired sound combinations, but you provide the innovative spellings. Be sure that the deviant spelling appeals to your target consumer. What appeals to one group of consumers may just be silly to another. The advantage of such names is that they are memorable, but you may find them difficult to trademark if there is a similar-sounding trademark with a more conventional spelling.
Acronyms and Abbreviations:

Acronyms and abbreviations are effective ways to shorten otherwise long names and make them unique and memorable, particularly when the name is already known. Thus NRA is recognized as National Rifle Association, aol is America on line, and KFC is Kentucky Fried Chicken. Otherwise, the acronym or abbreviation must contain other information to carry its message. For example IHC Health Care, CNN News, or M & L Rentals. In some cases a clever acronym is introduced with the product as in US West's Directory Expert called DEX.
Place names:

The key is for the place name to carry the right associations. New York Deli, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Chicago style pizza, San Francisco Sourdough, Kentucky Fried Chicker. Ficticious place names can also work if they have the right associations and are therefore memorable. Consider The Olive Garden Restaurant, The Attic, and The Terrace. If the nature of the business, service or product is not obvious from the name, you still have an advertising problem.
Alliterative or rhyming names:

Names with alliteration are those that have the same sound at the beginning of two or more successive words. Roto Rooter, Cellular Source, Peter Piper Pizza, Water World, and Bargain Basement are words that are memorable largely because they contain alliteration. The WriteExpress rhyming and alliteration features make up the world's most powerful tool for finding such names. While this is a very positive feature, don't let it lure you into being so creative that the name is counter productive.
Prestige names:

Names such as Nike, Sundance, Lady Di, and Pierre Cardin are all prestige names. Some are from foreign languages; others are the names of celebrities. One may expect that such names are rarely trademarkable. It is generally good advice to avoid them unless you have some legal control over the name.
4.

How long should the name be?
In naming businesses and services, lengthy names with three or more syllables in more than one word should probably be avoided. Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company was wisely reduced to 3M, and International Business Machines was reduced to IBM. If you are naming a product that will be on a retail shelf, the name should be short enough to fit on the retail box and be legible from several feet away. Selecting a name that tells the customer what the product is in only a few syllables is daunting but absolutely essential. After selecting possible names, test them with potential buyers to see whether they understand from the name what the product is. If they don't, find another short name until they do.
5.

Do the sounds in the name have the right appeal?
Your name should be easy to read, spell, and pronounce, and should reflect the quality of the thing named. It is best to avoid names with uncertain pronunciations. Part of the meaning of a word is colored by its sounds. Words that rhyme or have alliterative initial sounds may work well for some products but not for others. "Tiny Tots' Toys" may work well for children's products but such alliteration may not work well for medical supplies. Would you want to buy "comfy coronary catheters?" Certain sounds such as the vowels in tipsy and teenie weenie carry light, diminutive impressions, while the sounds in crunch and plop seem much heavier. Similarly, the sounds p,t,k,ch, j, a,u,o seem harder and more masculine than do l,m,n, ng, sh,s, i,e. The sounds v,f,z,s are generally associated with speed more than sounds such as p,t,b,d,l, and m. Some experts feel that the letters q,x,z,f, and u tend to evoke negative feelings. Of course Fudruckers and Compaq have used the sounds to their advantage. On the positive side, the letters a,b,s,t and m are reported to evoke very positive feelings. Being aware of such subtleties may help you narrow your choices.
6.

What associations should the name evoke?
Would "Bud Light" be as appealing if it were "Tiffany Light?" "Bud" evokes masculine associations and "Tiffany" evokes feminine ones. Notice that the difference is communicated as much by the sounds of the words as by the meanings. The sounds in "Bud" seem heavier than ones in "Tiffany." A recent fat substitute was given the name "olean," negating any notion of fat. Consider the positive associations with a name such as "Sunkist Oranges." Some names like Ajax or Mercury evoke powerful images from mythology. Others like Castmaster or Power Bait clearly appeal to the sport of fishing. The associations that your name evokes are extremely important and should appeal to the specific consumer you have in mind.
7.

What are the foreign language implications of the name?
Without checking foreign language associations of the word, someone at GM chose "Nova," for a Chevrolet model, probably hoping to evoke a star-like association. Only later did they realize that In Spanish, "no- va" means "it doesn't go." The incident has been a lesson for all who would name products for global consumption. Successful names with good foreign language meanings include "Nike," referring to the Greek goddess of victory, and "Taurus," meaning "bull," the second sign of the zodiac. Before settling on a name, be sure to check its possible meanings and associations in foreign languages. Foreign language dictionaries will help but will not suffice. Generally they will not contain profanity. Be safe by checking with native speakers.

8.How will I test the name?
As you narrow your name choices, involve only persons from the group who will be the consumers. Ask them what they think of when they hear the word you have chosen. You may also tell them what you think the name of your product or service, but don't dwell on it. Contact them on the following day and ask them what the name was. If several remember it, you probably have a good name. If virtually no one does, it's back to the drawing board. Other techniques include surveying consumers with a list of possible names for them to rank, interviewing consumers in the market place, and placing lists on bulletin boards and requesting responses. Also test your names for political incorrectness, negative associations, questionable meanings in foreign languages, and other connotations or associations that may render a name unwise. Remember, the name must be unique, distinctive, and memorable. And, before you use it be sure that the name will be free from legal problems.

9.How will the name appear in directories?
If you anticipate that much of your business will come from listings in the Yellow Pages, the Internet, or other directories, it will be to your advantage to have a business name that will be listed close to the start of the alphabet, because these lists appear in alphabetical order. Of course, highlighting, adding pictures, and using other attention-getting devices can help, but their effectiveness seems to be less when placed near the end of a list.

10. Can I trademark the name?
You will probably experience some frustration when you find that your favorite name is not legally available. Be sure you have three or four alternatives when you start your search from trademark availability. Initially, you may want to check trade journals, and directories such as the Yellow Pages to be sure your name is not being used. Most university libraries offer searching services so you can determine whether your name is already listed as a trademark. This initial search may save you time and money before you engage legal counsel. Be sure to check various similar or optional spellings for your name, because it can be denied if it is too similar to another established trademark. Large libraries will generally have books that deal with state and federal trademark laws. Trademark law can be complicated so you must get good advice on how to proceed.

Read More...

10 crucial questions when naming your business, product, or Web site.

1.

Who are my consumers?
You can't expect to sell to everyone, so define narrowly who you want to sell to and make the name appeal to that group. You need to know how the members of that group think. You will make your best guesses with your current knowledge, but you must be willing to discard some personal favorites when later testing shows that they don't work. Unfortunately, your first inclinations are seldom your best. Trust your testing.
2.

What am I naming?
The goal here is to give the product a name that has appealing associations. In all types of naming it is important that the name evokes the right emotions, associations, and images. In addition, if you are naming a product that will be on a retail shelf, the name should be short enough to fit on the retail box and be legible from several feet away.

If your business, product, or service is altogether new, you will generally want its name to communicate at a glance what it concerns. For example, business names (trade names) such as GENERAL NUTRITION, SPORTSMAN'S WAREHOUSE, BURGER WORLD, and PETSMART communicate immediately what is at issue. On the other hand, if you are naming an additional product in an established business, the product name need not necessarily communicate what it is. For example, it is not necessary for names such as Mustang, Thunderbird, Marboro, and Camel to communicate that they are cars and cigarettes, because the consumer knows what they are from the company names.
3.

What type of name do I want?
Names can be categorized in various ways. Some are surnames like Anderson Lumber Company, or Covey Leadership. Others are ordinary words combinations such as New Balance Shoes, or First Security Bank. Some names are coined words like Kodak, Nu Skin, Nytol, or Intel. Others such as Taurus and Nike have been borrowed from Greek mythology. Below are some of the types of names that you may consider:
Coined names:

The trend to coin business and product names is increasing, largely because they are quite easily trademarked. Names such as Nu Skin, Computune, and Envirocare are all recent coinages that communicate the types of businesses they are. Pentium is a well-known product name for Intel's fifth-generation product. A recent trend in coining names for cars has been to select a prestige two-syllable beginning, and end the name with "a." Consider "Maxima, Accura, Altima, Integra, Lumina, and others. Observe how the names of medicines tend to end in in, possibly to evoke an association with the word medicine: aspirin, penicillin, herpecin, corracidin, pamparin, and cholestin. And, we are all familiar with two-word names written as single words as in WordPerfect, Microsoft, and WriteExpress. Thus, coining names may be done in a number of ways, and coinages often follow trends. WriteExpress PowerNaming is especially designed to help you in this creative process.
Common Words with a Twist:

New Balance Shoes, WriteExpress Easy Letters, Out'n Back, All a Dollar, Wallpaper Warehouse, and Four Seasons Flowers are all business and product names that consist of common words in short, meaningful phrases. Each name is memorable because of the associations it evokes. Such traditional names are good but sometimes difficult to trademark.
Surnames and First names:

The current trend is to avoid the use of surnames unless they are well known or you have the means to make them well known through advertising. As a general rule, they are difficult to trademark. Successful surnames include Smucker's, Fudrucker's, Albertson's, Covey Leadership, and Franklin Quest. Successful names that include first names include Oscar Meyer, Fred Meyer's Mama Maria's, and Tony Roma's. The use of first or surnames often works well when linked with another identifying word. For example, Jone's Paint and Glass, Peggy's Bridal, Crawford Electric, and Knighton Optical. Be aware that such names often work locally, but not internationally, unless they are widerly recognized.
Telescoped or Alpha-Numeric names:

Some persons refer to names that combine numbers and letters as Alpha-Numeric names. Such names have worked well for companies such as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company that telescoped its name to be the 3M Company. Other good examples are Food 4 Less, A-1 Steak Sauce, 9-Lives Cat Food, and 7-UP. (Other examples???) Many such names are successful because the numbers carry important meanings in clever ways.
Names with deviant spellings:

Nite skool, Krazee Kids, Kandy Korn, Peteet Neet School, tuff skins, Xtreme are all examples of deviant spellings that play with sounds. The rhyming and alliteration features of WriteExpress can help you find words with the desired sound combinations, but you provide the innovative spellings. Be sure that the deviant spelling appeals to your target consumer. What appeals to one group of consumers may just be silly to another. The advantage of such names is that they are memorable, but you may find them difficult to trademark if there is a similar-sounding trademark with a more conventional spelling.
Acronyms and Abbreviations:

Acronyms and abbreviations are effective ways to shorten otherwise long names and make them unique and memorable, particularly when the name is already known. Thus NRA is recognized as National Rifle Association, aol is America on line, and KFC is Kentucky Fried Chicken. Otherwise, the acronym or abbreviation must contain other information to carry its message. For example IHC Health Care, CNN News, or M & L Rentals. In some cases a clever acronym is introduced with the product as in US West's Directory Expert called DEX.
Place names:

The key is for the place name to carry the right associations. New York Deli, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Chicago style pizza, San Francisco Sourdough, Kentucky Fried Chicker. Ficticious place names can also work if they have the right associations and are therefore memorable. Consider The Olive Garden Restaurant, The Attic, and The Terrace. If the nature of the business, service or product is not obvious from the name, you still have an advertising problem.
Alliterative or rhyming names:

Names with alliteration are those that have the same sound at the beginning of two or more successive words. Roto Rooter, Cellular Source, Peter Piper Pizza, Water World, and Bargain Basement are words that are memorable largely because they contain alliteration. The WriteExpress rhyming and alliteration features make up the world's most powerful tool for finding such names. While this is a very positive feature, don't let it lure you into being so creative that the name is counter productive.
Prestige names:

Names such as Nike, Sundance, Lady Di, and Pierre Cardin are all prestige names. Some are from foreign languages; others are the names of celebrities. One may expect that such names are rarely trademarkable. It is generally good advice to avoid them unless you have some legal control over the name.
4.

How long should the name be?
In naming businesses and services, lengthy names with three or more syllables in more than one word should probably be avoided. Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company was wisely reduced to 3M, and International Business Machines was reduced to IBM. If you are naming a product that will be on a retail shelf, the name should be short enough to fit on the retail box and be legible from several feet away. Selecting a name that tells the customer what the product is in only a few syllables is daunting but absolutely essential. After selecting possible names, test them with potential buyers to see whether they understand from the name what the product is. If they don't, find another short name until they do.
5.

Do the sounds in the name have the right appeal?
Your name should be easy to read, spell, and pronounce, and should reflect the quality of the thing named. It is best to avoid names with uncertain pronunciations. Part of the meaning of a word is colored by its sounds. Words that rhyme or have alliterative initial sounds may work well for some products but not for others. "Tiny Tots' Toys" may work well for children's products but such alliteration may not work well for medical supplies. Would you want to buy "comfy coronary catheters?" Certain sounds such as the vowels in tipsy and teenie weenie carry light, diminutive impressions, while the sounds in crunch and plop seem much heavier. Similarly, the sounds p,t,k,ch, j, a,u,o seem harder and more masculine than do l,m,n, ng, sh,s, i,e. The sounds v,f,z,s are generally associated with speed more than sounds such as p,t,b,d,l, and m. Some experts feel that the letters q,x,z,f, and u tend to evoke negative feelings. Of course Fudruckers and Compaq have used the sounds to their advantage. On the positive side, the letters a,b,s,t and m are reported to evoke very positive feelings. Being aware of such subtleties may help you narrow your choices.
6.

What associations should the name evoke?
Would "Bud Light" be as appealing if it were "Tiffany Light?" "Bud" evokes masculine associations and "Tiffany" evokes feminine ones. Notice that the difference is communicated as much by the sounds of the words as by the meanings. The sounds in "Bud" seem heavier than ones in "Tiffany." A recent fat substitute was given the name "olean," negating any notion of fat. Consider the positive associations with a name such as "Sunkist Oranges." Some names like Ajax or Mercury evoke powerful images from mythology. Others like Castmaster or Power Bait clearly appeal to the sport of fishing. The associations that your name evokes are extremely important and should appeal to the specific consumer you have in mind.
7.

What are the foreign language implications of the name?
Without checking foreign language associations of the word, someone at GM chose "Nova," for a Chevrolet model, probably hoping to evoke a star-like association. Only later did they realize that In Spanish, "no- va" means "it doesn't go." The incident has been a lesson for all who would name products for global consumption. Successful names with good foreign language meanings include "Nike," referring to the Greek goddess of victory, and "Taurus," meaning "bull," the second sign of the zodiac. Before settling on a name, be sure to check its possible meanings and associations in foreign languages. Foreign language dictionaries will help but will not suffice. Generally they will not contain profanity. Be safe by checking with native speakers.
8.

How will I test the name?
As you narrow your name choices, involve only persons from the group who will be the consumers. Ask them what they think of when they hear the word you have chosen. You may also tell them what you think the name of your product or service, but don't dwell on it. Contact them on the following day and ask them what the name was. If several remember it, you probably have a good name. If virtually no one does, it's back to the drawing board. Other techniques include surveying consumers with a list of possible names for them to rank, interviewing consumers in the market place, and placing lists on bulletin boards and requesting responses. Also test your names for political incorrectness, negative associations, questionable meanings in foreign languages, and other connotations or associations that may render a name unwise. Remember, the name must be unique, distinctive, and memorable. And, before you use it be sure that the name will be free from legal problems.
9.

How will the name appear in directories?
If you anticipate that much of your business will come from listings in the Yellow Pages, the Internet, or other directories, it will be to your advantage to have a business name that will be listed close to the start of the alphabet, because these lists appear in alphabetical order. Of course, highlighting, adding pictures, and using other attention-getting devices can help, but their effectiveness seems to be less when placed near the end of a list.
10.

Can I trademark the name?
You will probably experience some frustration when you find that your favorite name is not legally available. Be sure you have three or four alternatives when you start your search from trademark availability. Initially, you may want to check trade journals, and directories such as the Yellow Pages to be sure your name is not being used. Most university libraries offer searching services so you can determine whether your name is already listed as a trademark. This initial search may save you time and money before you engage legal counsel. Be sure to check various similar or optional spellings for your name, because it can be denied if it is too similar to another established trademark. Large libraries will generally have books that deal with state and federal trademark laws. Trademark law can be complicated so you must get good advice on how to proceed.

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Saturday, May 5, 2007

10 Easy Steps for Increasing Visibility Online.

Here's a 10-step plan to improve site visibility and increase search-friendliness. The first five steps address parts of your website's HTML code, while the final five are more abstract. Together, they add up to a "must do" SEO list.

SEO Gone Wild – microsaw.com1. Title tag ()

* This is most important of all. If you have the title tag set up right, and it's a unique enough phrase, you could rank on page one for this alone.
* Write your keywords early in the title, and place your company name last--unless you are Coca-Cola, or have a huge brand.

2. Meta tags

* Description--. Place your page content description between the blank quotes with a call to action statement like, "Sign up here," or "Call us at 800 XXX-XXXX."
* Keywords--. Place keywords between the quotation marks after "content," separated by commas. Google ignores this, but it appears that other search engines still review it.

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3. Header tags

* H1--This HTML tag should contain your core keywords, one per page.
* H2--This HTML tag should contain derivatives of the keywords.

4. Body

* Content--Use content that matches the keywords on your site. You should ideally have 400 to 800 words on a page.
* Bolding--Include bolded keywords that match your topic/theme on the page.
* Create a blog--Wordpressis an amazing blog that is free and can easily be optimized via plug-ins. Then, write entries twice a week.

5. Linking

* Use links and anchor text to create popularity and reputation around keywords (example: don't link to just "click here," but create a better link like, "download the digital camera white paper").
* Internal links (link to other pages on your site)
* Outbound links (you link to another authority site on your topic)
* Reciprocal links (join link exchanges and contact partners to exchange links)
* One-way links (when other sites link to your blog, press releases or articles) are typically more effective than outbound and reciprocal ones.
* For some internal links, use "rel=nofollow" in the code to avoid losing PageRank to less important pages like "about us," "contact us" and "privacy policy."

6. Domains

* If starting a new site, try to get an established URL (purchase it if you have to).
* Use keywords in an easy-to-remember domain. Google recognizes domains that have been around and establishes credibility; you can avoid the Google Sandbox (where you don't show up in the index for months, potentially).

7. Users first, then search engine

* Make sure your sites have valuable and readable content. If you've optimized for search engines only and no users stick around your website, you haven't been successful.
* Navigation, directory structures and file names should be well defined. An easy way to solve this is to use breadcrumb navigation and linked navigation, not flash or JavaScript or image-based links. Develop a flat directory structure (no more than three levels deep) and name your keywords in the file name (ex: content-management-system.htm)

8. Keyword research

* Keyword development is one of the first places to start. Two to three keywords per page is possible. Combined with the items listed in the first five steps above, you will have a high success score.
* Use tools like Yahoo! Search Marketing/Overture, Google's Keyword Tool and SEOBook keywords tool.
* Try to shoot for keywords that have higher search counts; over 20,000 searches for your keyword are good, but it all depends on your industry.

9. Competition

* Find out what the competition is doing. Type in your search term into a search engine and locate three to five of the top results. Look at these sites and see what they are doing in the HTML (on-page) and linking (off-page) areas. I'll discuss this more in a future article.
* To find out how many sites are linking to your competition, type "link:http://www.competitorname.com" into Google. Do the same in Yahoo!, and you'll see a higher count because Yahoo! is more all-inclusive.

10. Be cool.

* Don't let this business get to you; it's frustrating at times. SEO is a long-term commitment. Some weeks are great, others are not.
* It's a serious investment of time, sweat and staying the course. The best success factors I've seen: Approach content and website design in a natural way; be ethical (don't spam); and keep it real--it's a business, and nothing comes for free.

Don't forget that search/internet marketing is multi-faceted. Traditional Marketing 101 teachers would say to build a comprehensive plan for marketing. Don't just work the online factors, but create a sound strategy around offline marketing, using ideas like postcards, trade magazines ads, phone/sales work, word of mouth and additional tactics that can help create a "buzz" around your products and services. Search engine optimization applied correctly will create better visibility online, but it's just one part of your overall marketing strategy.

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How to Angel Investors to fund your startup.




Angel Investors.

These individual VC investors seem like they're from heaven, but be prepared to give up a chunk of your company for funding.

Definition or Explanation: Working with angel investors means acquiring venture capital from individual investors. These individuals look for companies that exhibit high-growth prospects, have a synergy with their own business or compete in an industry in which they have succeeded.

Appropriate For: Early-stage companies with no revenues or established companies with sales and earnings. Companies seeking equity capital from angel investors must welcome the outside ownership and perhaps be willing to relinquish some control. To successfully accommodate angel investors, a company must also be able to provide an "exit" to these investors in the form of an eventual public offering or buyout from a larger firm.

Supply: The supply of angel investors is large within a 150-mile radius of metropolitan areas. The more technology driven an area's economy, the more abundant these investors are.

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Best Use: Runs the gamut, from companies developing a product to those with an established product or service for which they need additional funding to execute a marketing program. Also, angel investors are appropriate for companies that have increasing product or service sales and need additional capital to bridge the gap between the sale and the receipt of funds from the customer.

Cost: Expensive. Capital from angel investors is likely to cost no less than 10 percent of a company's equity and, for early-stage companies, perhaps more than 50 percent. In addition, many angel investors charge a management fee in the form of a monthly retainer.

Ease of Acquisition: Angels are easy to find but sometimes difficult to negotiate with because they usually do not invest in concert and may demand different terms.

Range of Funds Typically Available: $300,000 to $5 million.

First Steps
Angel investors are at once difficult and easy to find. The situation is analogous to searching for gold. Generally, it's difficult to find, but once you hit a vein...all your hard work pays off in a big way. Here are the places angels might be hiding:

* Universities: According to Bob Tosterud, Freeman Chair for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of South Dakota, angel investors tend to hover near university programs because of the high level of new business activity they generate. He advises that if you are looking for money, call the nearest university that has an entrepreneurship program, and make an appointment to speak with the person who runs it. Generally, he says, such people can point you in the direction of angels.
* Business incubators: According to the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA), there are about 1,000 business incubators in North America. At first blush, incubators appear to be the mere bricks and mortar facilities that offer entrepreneurs reasonable rents, access to shared services, exposure to professional assistance and an atmosphere of entrepreneurial energy. But according to NBIA president and CEO Dinah Adkins, many business incubators offer formal or informal access to angel investors.
* Venture capital clubs: The tremendous wealth created through the commercialization of technology, as well as the robust stock market of the 1990s, have resulted in a large number of angel investors who have begun to formalize their activities into groups or clubs. These clubs actively look for deals to invest in and their members want to hear from entrepreneurs looking for capital.
* Angel confederacies: Some angels, shunning the formality of a venture capital club, band together in informal groups that share information and deals. Members of the group often invest independently or join together to fund a company. So-called confederacies are not easy to find, but once you locate one member, you gain access to them all, a number that could top 50 investors.

Here are 10 action steps you can take to find angel investors in your area:
1. Call your chamber of commerce and ask if it hosts a venture capital group. Many such groups have a chamber affiliation.

2. Call a Small Business Development Centernear you and ask the executive director if he or she knows of any angel investor groups. Ask the SBA if you don't know where an SBDC is.

3. Ask your accountant. If your accountant doesn't know, call a Big Four Accounting Firm and ask for the partner who handles entrepreneurial services. Ask him or her to point you in the right direction.

4. Ask your attorney. Lawyers always know who has money.

5. Call a professional venture capitalist and ask if he or she is aware of an angel investor group.

6. Contact a regional or state economic development agency and ask if anyone there knows of an angel investor group.

7. Call the editor of a local business publication and ask if he or she knows of any groups. These professionals often write about such activity.

8. Look at the "Principle Shareholders" section of initial public offerings (IPO) prospectuses for companies in your area. This will tell you who has cashed out big.

9. Call the executive director of a trade association you belong to. Ask if there are any investors who specialize in your industry.

10. Ask your banker. If you do business at a small bank, ask the president of the institution. If yours is a larger commercial bank, ask your lender. If you do not have a lender, ask for a lender who works with loans of $1 million or less. A good small-business banker knows of such groups because companies that have received an equity investment are good candidates for a loan.

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10 Lies VCs Know You're Telling

10 Lies VCs Know You're Telling.

1. “Our projections are conservative.” An entrepreneur’s projections are never conservative. If they were, they would be $0. I have never seen an entrepreneur achieve even their most conservative projections. As a rule of thumb, when I see a projection, I add one year to delivery time and multiply by 0.1.

2. “(Big-name research firm) says our market will be $50 billion in 2010.” Even if the product is bar mitzvah planning software, every entrepreneur claims the market potential is tens of billions. Do yourself a favor: Remove any reference to market size estimates.

3. “(Big-name company) is going to sign our purchase order next week.” Only play this card after the purchase order is signed, because no investor will fall for this one.

4. “Key employees are set to join us as soon as we get funded.” When a venture capitalist calls these key employees, he usually gets the following response: “I recall meeting him, but I certainly didn’t say I would leave my $250,000-a-year job to join his company.” If key employees are ready to rock ’n’ roll, have them call the venture capitalist and confirm it.

5. “No one else is doing what we’re doing.” Well, either there’s no market for it, or you’re so clueless that you can’t use Google to figure out you have competition. Neither a lack of a market nor cluelessness is conducive to securing an investment.

6. “No one else can do what we’re doing.” The only thing worse than cluelessness and the lack of a market is arrogance.

7. “Hurry, because several other vc firms are interested.” There are maybe 100 entrepreneurs in the world who can make this claim. The fact that you’re reading this article means you’re not one of them.

8. “Oracle is too big/dumb/slow to be a threat to us.” There’s a reason Larry Ellison is where he is, and it’s not that he’s big, dumb and slow. Entrepreneurs who utter this lie look naive at best, stupid at worst.

9. “We have a proven management team.” If you were that proven, you wouldn’t be asking for money. A better strategy: State that you have relevant experience, you’ll do whatever it takes to succeed, you’ll surround yourself with proven advisors and you’ll step aside whenever it becomes necessary.

10. “All we have to do is get 1 percent of the market.” First, no venture capitalist is interested in a company that wants just 1 percent of a market. Second, it’s not easy to get even 1 percent, so you look silly pretending it is. Instead, show an appreciation of the difficulty of building a successful company.

“Empower entrepreneurs” is Guy Kawasaki’s mantra. He is former chief evangelist for Apple Inc., co-founder of VC firm Garage Technology Ventures and author of eight books--most recently,The Art of the Start. Visit his blog athttp://blog.guykawasaki.com.

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