If you publish advertising banners on your site, there is an easy way for you to track which banners visitors click on to leave your site and which advertisers they visit.
Check out this site to help guide you through the process to track outbound clicks.
Your full line-up of digital and interactive marketing conferences in 2010.
Written by Seth Godin
Click here to download the PDF.
“Years ago, when you were about four years old, the system set out to persuade you of something that isn’t true.
Not just persuade, but drill, practice, reinforce, and yes, brainwash.
The mission: to teach you that you’re average. That compliant work is the best way to a reliable living. That creating average stuff for average people, again and again, is a safe and easy way to get what you want.
Step out of line and the system would nudge (or push) you back to the center. Show signs of real creativity, originality or even genius, and well-meaning parents, teachers and authority figures would eagerly line up to get you back in line.
Our culture needed compliant workers, people who would contribute without complaint, and we set out to create as many of them as we could.
And so generations of students turned into generations of cogs, factory workers in search of a sinecure. We were brainwashed into fitting in, and then discovered that the economy wanted people who stood out instead.
When exactly were we brainwashed into believing that the best way to earn a living is to have a job?
I think each one of us needs to start with that.”
My definition of LinkedIn.com – A wasteland of aimless connections.
Let’s face it, LinkedIn is just not that exciting; nor is it meaningful. I have always said that it’s more effective to just pick up the phone. Also, think about when you are really in a pinch for help… are you going to send a impersonal email through LinkedIn? Or, are you going to “Pick Up The F%&$ing Phone” (PUTFP).
Like gambling and the stock market, the majority of the time people you just meet or even your friends/family will tell you how they hit it big and how much they won. Rarely do you ever hear about the losses or the failures. The same holds true with small businesses. Well, 2009 was a reality check year for small businesses. Many maneuvers had to be made to sustain their companies, pay their bills, and just make enough revenue to hold on until the next big swing.
This is a good read about “7 Businesses That Did Not Survive 2009″. I recommend all small businesses read this article and pay special attention to “What Went Wrong” and “Looking Back”.
7 Businesses That Did Not Survive
I think people that fail the most and are willing to work through “what went wrong” and understand the “lessons learned” will be far more prosperous and successful. I imagine that these entrepreneurs will pick up the pieces and create another revenue stream.
If your small business needs some marketing help to build the top line in 2010, give me a call.
“It’s time for something else to emerge”.
Is it senior management banter? Perhaps. However, I think there is some validity here. Many companies focus on growing what they already have. Hours, resources, and money are poured into projects and initiatives that focus on what companies already have or already do.
So, I ask; why not break out of the norm?
In most industries, it’s time for something else to emerge. Gone are the days are the same approaches that deliver the 10% revenue growth. Why not research, identify, and build something that grows revenue by 2300%? With the right product, strategic marketing, and good leadership the goal can be accomplished.
As business owners, marketers, and key decision makers in our companies we need to be looking bigger, with a different eye, and more strategically. Look for different ways to let your business explode – not just grow. Seek ways to innovate, create new products, and achieve bigger results.
Image provided by: (http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgiesharp/98555918/sizes/m/)
A good post on why social media may not be all it’s cracked up to be. I really agree with many points in this commentary.
We are human beings. And, human beings have issues. Do we want those issues to be permanent and archived for the long-term?
Our day-to-day comments, thoughts, and opinions just “float off in to space and 99% of the time are gone for all eternity.”
A rebuttal for Joshua would be that those that choose to participate need to hold themselves more accountable for their actions, thoughts, words, and opinions. Thus, improving our society and being better citizens.
Read the full blog post on Why social media is BAD, BAD, BAD.
I have been testing twitter for 30 days for a client. The client profile is important. The client is high profile, new product, and very buzz worthy. You would think twitter would be perfect to spread the news and get “industry” people talking about the product.
My prediction: we would have 200 key followers in the first 30 days. Then, going forward we would The reality; only 120 followers. This issue is not the number, it’s the quality of followers. Is the account being leveraged? Are we tweeting relevant tweets and getting a quality conversation going? Perhaps.
What needs to change is the energy and time put into the project. We cannot expect instant results in 30 days and realize new business. Ultimately, we are utilizing twitter for PR, online marketing, and redirecting industry people to promotions and product features.
I will provide another update in 30 days to see what lessons I have learned and any shortcuts I can convey to you.
Resource
Selling vs. Effective Marketing
Confusion on this issue will always exist. That’s why so many companies have marketing departments and sales departments.
The only reason you need both is because the marketing department is doing such a lousy job differentiating the business and products, the sales department has to hit the streets and do the educating for them. That’s why selling can be such a tough job.
Source: Duct Tape Marketing, John Jantsch
Au contraire to Neil Patel’s post Want to be successful? Learn how to sell!, I believe effective marketing is much more valuable to an individual and business’ success. Neil’s post outlines some of the characteristics of a great sales person. All of which I would consider short term success, besides customers become warn out from a sales person’s antics. You should simply just need closers.
Indeed sales are always being made and persistence does pay off, but launching, testing, monitoring, and tweaking effective marketing tactics is much more fruitful to companies and the sales are just the results from your marketing efforts. This includes all of the following benefits of an effective marketing program: product / service communication, good customer service, happy customers, empowered referral sources, and challenged employees.
Nowadays, companies should focus on precise marketing strategies and tactics to implement and test. Yes, that sounds obvious. However, there is no better time than now to start planting marketing seeds and capture market share.
If your marketing department isn’t clever and effective, don’t bring in sales people or business developers for a short term solution to drum up some business. Look to hire a more creative marketing person that can more effectively market your business, products, and services. Marketing can turn your pipeline into a never ending “closing machine”.
Are “good times” gone? Did someone really turn the light off at the end of the tunnel?
Here’s the Sequoia Capital presentation outlining what went wrong and what’s going to happen for startups and venture-backed companies.
What are your thoughts on the Sequoia presentation?
I don’t think the light is turned off at the end of the tunnel. I think it shines as bright as ever for some.
In fact, I think now is the time for you and your company to roll up your sleeves and get the marketing going. Marketers, This is Your Time to Innovate and Lead, Not Hunker Down gives you an “optimist’s” perspective of proactive marketing and drowning the fear factor.
Over the next 6-10 months, marketers should be thinking about low-cost, high-impact marketing strategies. Focus on driving revenue and building / keeping a flat revenue line this year and your company will be considered a winner in these economic times.
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