Online Marketing – Risky Business?

October 27th, 2010

Imagine my surprise the other day when I open an e-mail from Google AdWords and found this amazing note.

“We are writing to let you know that your Google AdWords account has been disabled due to one or more serious violations of our advertising policies related to Landing Page and Site Quality. As a result, your ads will no longer run through the Google AdWords system and we are unable to accept advertising from you in the future. Please note that future accounts you open will also be disabled.

As part of our commitment to making the AdWords experience safe and effective for our users and our advertisers, we routinely review the landing pages that our advertisers promote through our search and content networks. If we find that an advertiser has submitted a landing page that egregiously violates our policies, we reserve the right to take immediate account-level action.”

Yep, I was banned for life for an unnamed infraction on an unnamed page. It was even more curious because I have had no ads running on Google for several months. I run several sites and did not even know which site was involved in this heinous (egregious) crime against humanity.

Now I must admit, initially this did not seem like much of a gift. Somehow I had angered the Google Gods. I quickly replied to the e-mail only to learn that the Google Gods do not necessarily respond to mere mortals. So, I began to look into the process of advertising on Google and quickly the huge gift became apparent.

Here is the quotation from the Google Support Page titled About Suspended Accounts.? These are the infractions on your landing page(s) that can get you banned for life:

“Data collection sites that offer free items, etc., in order to collect private information

Arbitrage sites without relevant and original content that are designed for the purpose of showing ads

Affiliate sites without relevant and original content that are designed to drive traffic to another site with a different domain

“Get-rich quick” sites

Malware sites that install software on a visitor’s computer

Poor comparison shopping or travel sites whose primary purpose is to send users to other shopping/travel comparison sites, rather than to provide useful content or additional search functionality”

Now if you are an internet marketer who has their entire business running on Google AdWords, this list should prompt a panic attack. Why?

• Item number one is also called a squeeze page, something virtually every marketer has running

• Items 2 and 3 require original content, something virtually no marketer has. It may be relevant but it’s mostly all borrowed from e-zine articles floating around the net. Has Google banned duplicate content on landing pages?

• Item 4 – “Get rich quick” sites is completely undefined and according to Google will remain undefined.

• Item 5 does not define “malware”. Of course we all despise viruses, Trojans, worms and the like, but what about tracking cookies? Malware? Maybe not now, but Google won’t say.

• Item 6 does not define a “poor” site, what constitutes useful content or additional search functionality.

In other words, Google will decide (based on their undisclosed internal “filtration methods”) if you get to remain in business.

So, why this is such a great gift?

Google, you see, has just given me the gift of education and awareness, one of the biggest and best gifts you can ever receive.

I always look for the fundamental business my clients are in. Google has now made clear to me that they are not in the business of search, or even in the advertising business. I feel that Google is in business to shape the Internet to its own internal vision and needs, regardless of their customers needs. They are successful in doing this because they are not motivated by money.

So, now I have a solid case study with which to counsel my clients. If you account for more then 20% of your income through Google AdWords, or AdSense, you are playing with fire. Picture waking up one morning and find yourself banned for life from Google. For some marketers their entire business would be gone. For others a very large part of their income would disappear.

Could you somehow get Google to reverse their decision? I understand that some have done that, but it is a long and difficult process. Most abandon all hope and try to sneak another account in through a back door using another name, computer and IP address.

So, I am sharing this valuable gift with everyone. Diversify your marketing as much as feasible and do not rely on Google for more of your income then you can afford to lose, because, just like gambling, it could be gone in the blink of an eye.

Catering Business Startup: Starting A Home Catering Business From Scratch

October 22nd, 2010

Have you ever dreamed of serving your own delicious food to a group of customers who are eager to savor every single bite?

If you have, then you’re in good company. Many people have the dream of starting a home catering business using nothing more than the great ideas they have swimming around in their head. While it’s possible to create a catering business from scratch, there are some things you need to know before getting your feet wet in this highly profitable business.

Focus Your Catering Business Ideas

I’m sure you’ve got lots of ideas floating around in your head about all the various recipes you love to cook, and how you’d prepare them for your potential clients. Take a minute to sit and focus on more than just the things you enjoy cooking.

Keep in mind that you’re going to have lots of competition from more experienced caterers who may already have a big list of loyal clients.

How are you going to stand out from the crowd and get noticed?

The first thing you should think about is what niche you want to fill. Being a Jack-of-all-trades is nice, but as a startup, it’s not going to get you a lot of attention. It’s much easier to pick a specialty to offer.

For example, a niche could be: small weddings, birthday parties, bar mitzvahs, business events, college events, dinner parties, etc.

Or, you can specialize in a certain type of food like vegetarian, lunch menu or fancy desserts. The important thing for you to remember is that specializing in one area will make your small business a lot easier to market. You can become well known for your specialty and win loyal clients for yourself.

Local Health Department Requirements

Many local health departments have become pretty strict when it comes to home catering businesses. You may not be allowed to prepare food in your home kitchen. Instead, you may have to use a separate location like an industrial kitchen or home garage to work out of. Is this something you can handle?

A great idea is to purchase a small trailer, van or motor home and convert it into a professional catering kitchen that passes all state and local regulations. This can be a business on wheels and you won’t have to alter your own property or rent out a big kitchen.

Be sure to check on all your local and state health department regulations before you officially open for business.

What to Name Your Business

When it comes to business names, it’s time to get a little creative. Joan’s Catering isn’t going to bring you much attention. You want a name that’s going to make someone take a second look at your ad, brochure or business card.

Here’s some examples:

*Elite Pantry Desserts

*Vegetarian Delight Catering

*Mom’s Comfort Catering

*Wedding Food Wonders

Whatever name you pick, make sure you go to your local county clerk’s office and officially register it and get a business license.

Write out a Business Plan

You don’t have to write a book, just sketch out a few ideas on paper. You need to have an idea of what type of business you’re going to run. Figure out how much money you’re going to need to get started. What type of equipment you’ll need and how you plan to market your business.

Are you going to have a website? I hope so, because this can advertise your business for you 24/7 without you doing anything except handing out a business card.

Yes, there’s a lot to think about when planning out a catering business, but you don’t need to try and think of everything on your own. There are some excellent guides that can show you how to start a catering business from your home. With a little research and ingenuity, you can soon be sharing your mouthwatering food with delighted customers.

How To Find Online Business Ideas

October 19th, 2010

Finding online business ideas can be quite a daunting task when one considers you need to come up with a business idea that is aimed at a paying market. Here we discuss ways to help you get your online venture off to a good start.

The most significant aspect behind the decision to leave the corporate world and start an online business at home is the strong faith and belief in oneself.

More and more business-minded people are discovering an efficient, hassle-free and safe way of marketing their products and services online by simply equipping themselves with a personal computer and a stable internet connection. So, how does one find online business ideas that will generate consumer traffic as more and more people become aware of ones online venture? Here’s how:

1. Online business ideas sprout from the kind of target market you have.

The first thing you need to do is to thoroughly study your market. If you know your audience, their needs and what they specifically look for in a product or service, you can always succeed even though you may not have a pioneering business.

2. To avoid getting stuck with the old be sure to innovate.

In an online business, it is a must that you always introduce something new to your market. You need to always anticipate their needs and innovate on how to do business better on changing market perceptions and be willing to embrace what is new and what is in. Succinct to say, online business ideas are ever changing. It is important that you move with the times and keep up to date with the latest products and services that sell well. It is important to break ties with a product or service that has become obsolete overtime even if you have an emotional attachment to it. Rather, always come up with something new, something better that could predominantly address the needs of your market. Be a step ahead of the market.

3. Online business ideas are not confined to selling your products or services alone.

Targeting strategic clients that could compound and multiple your online client base is what it is also about. Hitting many birds with one stone may be a clich?d belief, but it is old wisdom that still works even up to now.

4. Prep your product.

A beginner online entrepreneur should pay very close attention to this online business idea. Since you are doing business online, potential clients need to see the features of the product you are selling. It is essential you take good digital photos of specific products that you wish to offer. So that your clients can have a clear view of the products you are selling, displaying images taken from different angles is a good way of doing this. Next, you need to create a short description of the item. This is of prime importance as clients are concerned about the features of the products, the dimensions, models, and colors amongst others.

5. Give the best and the highest level of service to your clients and more

This perhaps is one of the best online business ideas that you can ever infuse in your online venture. This is an old business dictum that especially works in a competitive industry such as an online business. Hence, make your competitive advantage the level and kind of service you provide to your existing and would-be clients. You may not have the best business online, but always make it a point to give your best service that will set you apart from the rest.

The daunting task of finding online business ideas and assist with getting your online venture off to a good start will be minimized if you bear the above in mind.

Managing Offshore Investments through an Asset Manager

October 15th, 2010

A useful choice for offshore investments is an asset manager located in an offshore jurisdiction. The need for such an individual or company can arise as a result of the successful choice of offshore vehicles in tax advantaged jurisdictions. Individuals and corporations commonly use offshore banking in one jurisdiction, an offshore company in another, and a holding vehicle such as an offshore trust or a Panama Private Interest Foundation in a third. An individual may, in fact, live in a country separate from any of these. An individual may choose to set up an offshore trust or foundation for the benefit of his or her heirs. Upon his death the appropriate paperwork will be accomplished and the designated heirs will become beneficiaries of the trust or foundation. However, these individuals will probably still live in their country of birth or, perhaps, another offshore location. Then who manages the assets?

This is a common situation in many countries where an individual sets up a trust for children and grand children who may have no practical experience in managing wealth and investing for its growth. Commonly a bank will act as a trustee in such situations. When the individual has chosen an offshore asset protection and privacy solution his wishes will typically not be to return the assets to a bank in his country of origin.

Here is where an offshore asset manager comes in. Such an individual or company may well be an offshore bank or an offshore business specifically designed to protect and grow offshore wealth. An offshore asset manager will be appointed by a written contract between the person directing the investment program an international business corporation, exempt company, offshore trust, or offshore foundation.

The terms of the agreement with the asset manager are flexible and totally dependent upon a negotiated agreement. Payments can be based upon performance, commissions for each action taken, or a set fee based upon a percentage of assets managed.

An offshore asset manager may be associated with an offshore bank where a trust has an account for one of its international business corporations. As such, all paperwork will likely be kept “in house.” This is typically the wish of anyone who has gone to the trouble to set up a comprehensive offshore solution for asset protection and privacy. Integrating the asset manager arm of the offshore solution into the whole is more likely not to disrupt the original purpose than if an outside investment management solution is sought.

There are many offshore jurisdictions offering banking, company incorporation, foundations, and trusts. Many of these will also offer trustworthy and competent investment management as well. The best time to include an investment manager or asset manager will be when the entire offshore solution is envisioned. When the principal is alive he or she can certainly be directly involved in investments. However, having an asset manager in place before the individual dies or becomes disabled by age or infirmity is a good offshore solution.

New Discovery for Small Businesses

October 14th, 2010

An exciting new media service has recently launched, Jazel design. This web design company truly is different from the rest as it specializes in web design for small businesses. Their mission is plain and simple; they want to help small businesses grow by getting them online.

With the growing concerns over the credit crunch and the main government attention going to the big players in the world of commerce, it is essential that all small businesses support each other to survive this economic gloom. For those who acknowledge the impact the economic downturn can have Jazel Design may be the answer. They can take your business online and open up new business channels for you.

Traditional web design agencies have catered for all organizations large and small; however this web design agency understands that the requirements of a small business are substantially different from the requirements of a large organization. With this in mind they provide a tailored service which accounts for small businesses budgets too.

Offering brochure sites at discount prices Jazel Design also offers services such as Flash animations to set your websites apart as well as blogging software for the more ambitious business owner.

If one requires a logo for their new website or offline business, Jazel design can do that too.

Jazel Design is an expert web design company specializing in effective web design for small businesses. Contact today for your free affordable custom quote.

Home Business Success- Announcing The Greatest Secret To Home Business Success

October 12th, 2010

Have you dreamed of working from the comfort of your home to achieve your financial goals? Have you dreamed of a never-ending flow of money into your life? Do you wish there was a way to be prosperous without a lot of hard or boring work? Are you still struggling just to get by? Would you like to learn the key secret to unlimited prosperity? Would you like a step-by-step plan to follow that leads you to properity? Would you like to do all of these things from the comfort of your home? Then today is your lucky day! Today, you’ll discover the greatest secret to home business success.

Working and earning without coming out of your home is a reality which anyone can achieve. Earning at home has become a more popular alternative to a regular office job. The most important thing for you to understand is that earning at home is not a small job on the side, it is a real, stable and main source of income. You can enjoy peace of mind working at home with a home business that is honest, reliable and produces an income for you.

Who can earn at home? Everyone! Each person who is confident enough to know that he or she deserves the best, and for whom a family, a home and personal happiness are the most important aspects of life. Any person who wants to be in full control of his/her life can start earning at home by following a step-by-step proven plan.

How can you start earning at home? In order for you to start earning an income working from home, you have to choose the type of business you want to operate. But this can be a little overwhelming for most people. There are hundreds and hundreds of potential work at home business opportunities out there. But how do you find a reputable business opportunity with a step-by-step proven plan?

An excellent place to start is to find a business system that is professional, offers a variety of methods to earn money and is easy to follow. This will be a system that offers proven methods of income earning. Avoid any business system that requires you to buy leads, pay monthly autoships, grow massive downlines, sell products and anything else that would put money into the pockets of that business. However, it is acceptable to join a business club where the cost of your membership includes EVERYTHING. No hidden fees or other requirements. You simply join a business club, become a student and follow the step-by-step instructions that are presented to you. It’s that easy! This method will get you started on the road to home business success.

In my years of online marketing, I have been a member of many online businesses that did not have proven step-by-step business plans. I have seen hundreds of members come and go because they could not make any money. Without a proven business plan, people are doomed to fail. All of the motivation and enthusiasm in the world will not replace a proven step-by-step plan. Without a proven plan, home business success has a bleak outlook.

The greatest secret to home business success can be wrapped up in this action plan: You must grab on to a powerful step-by-step proven business plan by joining a business club. This is without a doubt the easiest, most highly effective and consistent way that I have ever seen to generate an income. You will be lead step-by-step on how to earn a massive income from scratch working from home. The club plan is simple and has the potential for explosive income results. There is nothing better.

Top 10 Marketing Concepts for Small Business

October 8th, 2010

Over the past decade more and more people are getting fired, getting downsized, or getting fed up with their corporate jobs and embark on the journey as a small business owner. Unfortunately, most of the new small business owners fail to consider their marketing plans or strategy. There are many marketing concepts for small business marketing to consider and plan for, but here is our list of Top 10 Marketing Concepts For Small Business Marketing.

Marketing Concept # 1: Consistency

Consistency is the number one marketing concept for small business marketing only because it is left out of marketing concepts for so many businesses. I have worked with a long list of clients, big and small, that are extremely inconsistent in all areas of their marketing. Consistency helps lower the cost of marketing and increase the effectiveness of branding.

Marketing Concept # 2: Planning

Once small business owners decide to be consistent with their marketing, planning is the next major concept to engage. Planning is the most vital part of small business marketing or any level of marketing, for that matter, and so many owners, marketing managers, and even CMOs plan poorly. Put the time into planning your marketing strategy, budget, and other concepts presented here to ensure success.

Marketing Concept # 3: Strategy

Strategy immediately follows planning because your strategy is the foundation for the rest of your marketing activities. In the process of planning, you must develop your strategy: who you will target, how you will target them, and how will you keep them as a customer.

Marketing Concept # 4: Target Market

Target market is also another key concept for small business marketing. Defining exactly who you are targeting allows small business owners to focus on specific customers and reduce marketing waste. A well-defined target market will make every other marketing concept so much easier to implement successfully.

Marketing Concept # 5: Budget

Although it is listed at number 5, budgeting is important throughout the entire process. Creating a marketing budget is usually the hardest and most inaccurate part of small business marketing. Most small businesses owners lack a great deal of experience in marketing, so their budgets usually end up skewed. The most important part of this marketing concept is to actually establish a marketing budget. From there, you can worry about how to distribute your available funds.

Marketing Concept # 6: Marketing Mix

The marketing mix is usually defined as product, pricing, place, and promotion. As a small business owner, you must specifically decide on your products (or services), the appropriate pricing, where and how you will distribute your products, and how will you let everyone know about you and your products.

Marketing Concept # 7: Website

In today’s market, a business of any size must have a website. I hate when I see businesses that have a one page website with out-dated information. Customers, be it businesses or consumers, will search the web over 60% of the time before making any purchasing decisions. This marketing concept contains a slew of additional components, but you must at least develop a small web presence of some kind and keep it updated.

Marketing Concept # 8: Branding

Many small businesses owners also neglect this concept. Small business marketing must focus on this marketing concept just as much as large corporations do. Branding consists of the pictures, logo, design scheme, layout, make up, and image of your products and even your company. Branding is how your customers perceive (please place a lot of emphasis on that word!) your products and company. Make sure to pay special attention to what kind of brand you are building through each step of your planning and implementation.

Marketing Concept # 9: Promotion and Advertising

Promotion and advertising is a very complex marketing concept, but must be considered for any type of business and its products and services. Once you engage the previous 8 marketing concepts, you must finally let your target market know about you and your products. Proper promotion and advertising will result in effective brand recognition, and, ultimately, increased sales.

Marketing Concept # 10: Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

The concept of customer relationship management has become a huge industry in the marketing world. There are many types of software and services offered to help businesses of any size handle their customer relationship management. Since there is so much available, usually for a large sum of money, small business owners usually look at this concept as something they are not big enough for or have enough money to implement. Don’t be fooled by the massive industry that has evolved from this concept. Maintaining proper customer relationship management is essential to creating loyal and consistent customers.

This list of marketing concepts should be examined, researched, planned, and implemented, especially by small businesses, in order to be successful. Also, your marketing doesn’t stop here. Each business is unique and will have additional components that must be considered, but this list will jump-start any marketing plan.

Buying An Internet Business For Sale

October 6th, 2010

Those interested in starting an internet business may want to check into the sales of businesses online and consider buying an internet business for sale. Many people have started businesses online and after a few years, are either starting a new venture or looking to take their business offline. With the right approach, you may be able to get a good deal on a profitable internet business for sale.

Some folks work hard to get their business up and running and may be looking to make a profit on their efforts of creating a successful internet business. They may have even created the business for the sole purpose of selling it and turning their work into huge profits. When considering buying an existing internet venture, however, there are many important aspects to consider.

The first obvious consideration is determining the value of the business. You may want to call in an expert on internet businesses to verify the value claimed by the person wanting to sell. How long the business has been operating, when it started making a profit and its growth chart will all be needed to determine the valid market value. You will also want to consider the future prospects for the business and whether or not it can hold its growth curve.

It could be the owner wants to get out before the business growth realizes a slowdown in growth or if it can sustain the current growth pattern. Continued growth and expectations of the future can improve the value of an online business. However, the products and services being offered can also help determine the companys value. You also need to consider who will run the business for you.

If you have the expertise and the knowledge to keep everything running smooth you may be able to buy the online business and seamlessly take it over. The customers may never even realize that a change in ownership took place and if that is the case, your growth should continue without any detrimental effects. Be cautious of making major changes in the business structure or architecture that could affect how the customers perceive the business.

If you are considering the purchase of a healthy internet business, there should be no need for changes. As the old saying goes if it is not broke do not fix it, if the business is operating evenly and making a profit, leave it alone and continue its positive trend. There may be opportunities to buy an internet business that is slowly dying and you can turn it around after buying it on the cheap. Any established internet business that is beginning to show a drop in revenue may be open for purchase at a reduced price. If you believe you can turn it around and resume making a profit, it may be worth going after.

Full Color Printing Your Business Cards

October 1st, 2010

There are plenty of marketing materials today that are aimed into increasing your business connections. Because of the ease of use and the increased range, many of these materials come in the form of electronic messages sent through the internet. However, there is no denying that while the internet and online marketing materials have helped and revolutionized the way the marketing industry works, it is still a close second to actual full color printing materials.

For reference, let us take a look at business cards. Electronic business cards are very easy to make, easier to distribute and cheaper than actual business cards that are made with full color printing. However, let us also look at the fact that the actual business cards are generally more preferred to their electronic counterparts. Here are the reasons why:

Do not underestimate the importance of touching the actual marketing materials

Digital business cards are grossly impersonal and defeat the purpose of social networking. On the other hand, actual full color printing made business cards can be touched, stored and kept by your audience. they can open their wallet and retrieve them anytime that they want. They can even store it in their pockets – something you cannot do digitally.

Some may argue that digital business cards are safely stored and tucked away in a computer’s hard drive and that it is a far safer place to keep contact information than merely keeping it in your pocket or in your wallet. However, this argument can be dismissed easily since the fact that the information can not be accessed without the use of computers. When you are in a restaurant and you meet with a potential client, will you send him an electronic business card? No, you give him your business card personally.

Remember: No man is an island

This brings me to my second point which is the importance of interaction with people. Part of the success of business cards is that it allows people to interact in a natural way without appearing fake and forced. Also, when you send a business card through electronic means, you are effectively at the mercy of the recipient and you have no control over what he does. He can keep your business card or he can delete it right away.

On the other hand, with printed business cards you can have some sort of a say on the whole situation. When you extend a business card to a person, common courtesy states that he should accept it. And while there is no assurance that he will keep your business card, at least you already know that he accepted the card and that if designed properly, your card has a stronger chance of being kept.

Connecting personally with people is more effective

Also, being there personally give out your cards means that you have established a connection already with your potential client. The fact that many of the electronic business cards can be sent out by electronic bots do not sit well with many people.

Writing tips for article marketing your business internet money online opportunity to success

September 29th, 2010

What makes one person’s articles great to read? How can you make your articles more compelling? Here are some tips for article marketing that I have learned from many of the most successful article writers. These tips for article marketing are themes you will find in most every successful article you read.

Imagine how you would feel if your articles were written for you? Here are five tips to write better articles for your business internet money online opportunity article marketing.

1. Know your target audience and write for them. Whatever you are writing about has to be done with the reader foremost in mind. The article is not about you but for them and you must write for your audience. Imagine you are the reader and make the article interesting from their perspective.

2. Write as though you know the reader’s heart and emotions. The more you can connect with the reader’s pain, problem or predicament the more you will be able to make them feel the article is for them.

3. Make the reader feel involved in your article. When you do this, the reader will understand that it is written for them not at them. This vital tip will help the reader imagine what you are trying to say. Once you have them involved, provide them a solution and they will be grateful.

4. Write statements that will help the reader trust you. Talk to the reader as an intelligent, responsible caring person reading your article to gain something from the experience. Do not waste their time. You probably have heard many times never to talk down to someone but to them.

Apply these writing tips for article marketing. I guarantee you will see your articles being read and appreciated more than ever and your business internet money online opportunity will benefit.