I think people that are focused on ‘books’ miss the point and this is why:

• The iPad is not an electronic book,
• It’s not a photo album.
• It’s not a device for reading newspapers or magazines.
• It’s not a video or YouTube viewer.
• The iPad is not a games console.
• and it’s not a music player.
• And the iPad it’s not a presenting device.

Technorati Tags: iPad, Marketing Tips

So what is Myzerr?
Quite simply, this: Myzerr is a virtual meeting place, an online platform that connects communities and users with each other and with businesses using a social object – coupons, in this instance, or what we call ‘Zerrs.’ There are three aspects to Myzerr: individuals, communities of which they are members, and businesses of which the individuals and indeed the communities are, or could be, customers. So Myzerr is where all three can cooperate for the good of each. More…

Free Promotion For Business:
You can promote your business and it’s FREE so please sign in and add your business today. More…

Discounts for Community Groups:
Myzerr allows you to setup a page for your group and then invite businesses to give your group members ‘member only’ discounts. Setup a community discount program for your group today and it’s FREE. More…

If you notice any problems, please tell us. If you think it’s awesome, tell others and forward this email to all your friends!

Best regards,

Slade

For updates please follow Myzerr on Twitter.

Technorati Tags: Business Promotion, Group Benefits, Myzerr

1. The most important factor is good quality content. Make sure that what you write is new and original.
2. Do some keyword research. A great tool is Market Samurai but if you don’t have the time engage an SEO expert.
3. Use H1 and H2 tags for headers and sub-headers
4. Alt or image tags on website pages.
5. Have a custom 404 Page error page that will help users navigate your site and ensure you don’t lose traffic. Here are some great 404 page examples.
6. Use social networking links, feeds and email.
7. Include title tags, meta descriptions and keyword tags on all pages.
   

Many of the elements require coding changes so it’s a good idea to pass this list onto your developer as part of your site maintenance or redevelopment.

Technorati Tags: Market Samurai, Search, SEO

With the growth in Social Networking platforms like Twitter and Facebook many marketers are questioning the value of search and traditional SEO strategies. The following video provides a really useful discussion on the topic and is worth viewing if you are interested in how Social Media can enhance your business promotion.

Here’s my summary:

• Twitter and Facebook are great because the enable real-time-search. When something happens it’s online immediately for the whole world to see.
• So Social Media will enhance traditional search without circumventing search.
• People are using social media more than email according to the video and this will force a rethink on marketing strategy for both email and social media.

Technorati Tags: Marketing Tips, Search, Social Media

There’s the reminder SMS I get from Hair Room or Back in Line Chiropractic each time I have an appointment. Great for business because it’s a cheap way to confirm appointments and reduce the costly no-shows.

As a Helly Hansen customer I’m also informed by SMS about store openings and VIP sale days. The promotions work! (see yellow arrow markers highlighting Helly Hansen purchases following SMS reminders).

Uploaded with plasq‘s Skitch!

So with mobile phones becoming smarter, the introduction of cheap data plans and the iPhone introducing a whole new batch of apps, my question is:

Is SMS marketing going the way of the Betamax? Is traditional paid SMS promotion in danger of becoming obsolete?

A new product for the iPhone called textPlus lets you send and receive SMS messages for free and also supports group chat. Then there are the micro blogging platforms (you may have heard of Twitter) that smart marketers are using to broadcast information and promotions relating to their brands. So with these emerging FREE micro blogging and messaging apps what is the future of SMS?

I’d love to hear from the SMS marketers out there. Why will SMS survive? What impact will free apps and micro blogging platforms have on the industry? Will the sky fall in on our SMS heads?

Technorati Tags: iPhone Apps, SMS Marketing, Web2.0

Technorati Tags: Marketing Tips, Tweet Me Savings, Twitter for Business

The express version that i have been using works really well as it prevents the need for uploading large files to FTP space and then trying to explain to the person on the other end how to download the file. For a full review click here.

Uploaded with plasq‘s Skitch!

The interface is simple and easy to use and once you download the software, if you right click on a document in Explorer or Finder the ‘Send by YouSendit’ option appears as a shortcut. I love this feature as it cuts the steps for sending files down to a single click of the mouse.

This a great small business tool for any business that needs to send documents larger than 2MB.

For more updates please follow me by visiting the following:

• News Feed: sladesherman.com/feed
• Twitter: @sladesherman
• LinkedIn: sladesherman

Technorati Tags: Small Business Tools, Web2.0, YouSendIt

Advertisers are also able to take advantage of Google’s ability to serve results matching user search enquiries. If you run an Italian restaurant in San Fransisco, you can select the appropriate search terms to make sure that your ad only appears for people searching on the terms you nominate. This ability to bid on terms matching the user search provides an enormously effective targeted advertising solution for businesses and has resulted in the phenomenal growth of Google over the past 10 years.

On this theme of targeted advertising small business tools, Facebook have been working on similar principles of giving advertisers the ability to target potential customers and this week they added three new factors to assist advertisers with targeted promotions:

1. Location – Advertisers can target ads by location with filters for country, state/provice, city, and even metropolitan areas.
2. Age – For advertisers with age defined target markets this is ideal in narrowing your advertising reach.
3. Birthday – Target people on their birthday.
4. Sex – By filtering for male, female or both.
5. Keywords – Marketers who understand their customers can enter in relevant keywords. Keywords are based on interests, activities, and favorite books, TV shows, movies, or job titles that users list in their Facebook profiles.
6. Education – Promotions targeting school or college.
7. Workplaces – Great for business-to-business promotion if you are targeting individuals at specific target-market companies.
8. Relationship – You can target singles or perhaps people who are about to get married.
9. Relationship Interests - This factor is useful if a user’s sexual preferences.
10. Languages – If your ad is in English you can specify that the ad should only appear to English speakers.
11. Connections – Connections targeting enables you as an admin of a Facebook Group to target your ads to users who have become a fan of your page, a member of your Group, RSVP’d to your Event or authorized your Application.

I found this YouTube post that gives a great example for putting the Facebook targeting options to use.

If you haven’t already used Facebook Ads I highly recommend you do. I also welcome any feedback from those advertisers using Facebook.

Technorati Tags: Facebook Ads, Targeted Advertising

Depending on your strategic approach, the webinar shows how Twitter can be used to improve customer service,
promote a product or service, manage a crisis, event activation, advocating an issue or cause or following trends in your industry.

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Social Media, Twitter for Business

1. An 18 page newspaper format magazine promoting property in the area. This publication has almost no useful editorial content and promotes approximately 110 properties from 24 advertisers.
2. The local business area newspaper with 52 pages, an average of 3 ads on every page and a classifieds section.
3. A Melbourne Weekly newspaper with 76 pages and hundreds of ads and real estate listings. Too much effort counting.
4. A DL size brochure for Telstra Bigpond internet plans.
5. An 8 page A4 catalogue from Optus Telecommunications with new phones.
6. A 24 page Coles Supermarket catalogue promoting over 100 specials.
7. A 28 page independent schools guide brochure with 1-2 ads on each page.
8. A 30 page Target catalogue with hundreds of deals on CD’s and DVD’s.
9. A 20 page Target catalogue promoting clothes, undies and toys.
10. A 20 page ‘the good guys’ catalogue promoting white goods.
11. An HBA Health Insurance flyer.
12. A Spy Cam security monitoring brochure.
13. A Plush furniture promotional brochure.
14. A 2 page chemist brochure.
15. 2 Subway foot-long brochures with 12 coupons.
16. A Video EZY brochure with 2 offers.

In summary, I have been hit by 292 pages of stuff / spam / junk mail in just one day. (please feel free to correct my calculations as they are really rough). The amazing thing is that this influx of ‘spam’ never stops and usually ends up in the recycle bin before making it into the house. The only reason I took notice today was because the thickness of the junk inspired me to write this article.

There is no question that much of this Spam advertising approach works because if it didn’t then none of the advertisers would promote. The issue is the waste and I wonder how many of the approximately 1500 products promoted to me today get any response at all. I have limited my example to just what I received in my ‘snail’ mailbox but think about the number if you add in all the radio and television promotions, daily newspapers, Internet banner ads, spam email, billboards and don’t forget the ads above the urinal, on buses, trams, taxis, hotel boards, and bus stops.

Perhaps there is something I like in the 1000’s of ads that will be sent to me today but finding that promotion is like finding a needle in a haystack and who could be bothered.

This may appear to be a bit of a rant but my point is there must be and is a better way for business. My personal view is that businesses need to rethink their promotion strategy and focus on advertising delivery models that enable them to (1) pay for promotion only when the promotions work or (2) pay for promotion that is highly targeted.

If this were the case I would only get information that I’m likely to be interested in and I would be much more likely to buy.

Less information + more relevance = more sales.

If you are an ad agency rep and you make your living off all the junk that was sent to me today please give me your thoughts as I may be getting this whole thing all wrong.

Technorati Tags: Local Business, Small Business Marketing