Marketing and the Hired Guerrilla
It's a jungle out there, so know and use your guerrilla marketing tactics! Jay Conrad Levinson wrote the book that started it all, the popular guerrilla marketing series. He has compiled a list of 100 tactics ? most of them fr*ee ? that savvy business leaders use. One increasingly popular ? and profitable ? tactic on Levinson's list is the informative article. Articles are not ads. Articles are written to inform, to educate, and to help people solve problems. Articles you publish, online or off, can help you achieve several worthwhile marketing goals. ARTICLES ESTABLISH YOUR CREDIBILITY It is well accepted that consumer confidence is the number one factor affecting purchasing decisions. A potential client who does not trust you will not call you to place an order. He will not access your website and click to purchase. He will not talk to your sales rep. Through articles you write, you can gain consumer confidence by demonstrating to readers that you understand their needs and that you have the knowledge and ability to deliver what they want. You feel their pain and can meet their needs, competently and efficiently. When you communicate this in articles you write, you establish your credibility. Now when customers need services you provide, they have the confidence to click through to your website, to pick up the phone, or to walk into your store. ARTICLES POSITION YOU AS THE EXPERT If you run a business, you are an expert. You can demonstrate your expertise by sharing your knowledge, experience, and insights with potential clients through your articles. By doing so, you position yourself as the expert. Now as the credible expert you are the one to go to when it's time to make a purchase. ARTICLES ARE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN ADS Ads are good for grabbing attention, but well written articles can be much more effective since articles, as mentioned, establish your credibility and your expertise. ARTICLES ARE LESS EXPENSIVE THAN ADS Articles can be published in traditional print media, including newspapers and trade magazines, or be widely published and read online in opt-in ezines or newsletters like the ones you read. Or, better yet, the ones your clients read. Since your articles can provide interesting content for their publications, many ezine and print editors will want to publish them at no cost to you. More effective, less expensive - just what every guerrilla needs. ARTICLES CAN INCREASE YOUR WEB TRAFFIC, YOUR CLIENT BASE, AND YOUR INCOME You can learn how to easily publish articles you write and begin to reach a wide audience quickly, especially when you publish electronically. Your helpful articles motivate readers to contact you. Your resource box or bio at the end tells them how to reach you and gives them the links to do so. Several entrepreneurs who have published a number of articles have begun to get 100 new visitors to their websites each week. Those are targeted visitors. Visitors who chose to click through to their site for a reason - for more information, for a gift offer, or to make a purchase. With your effectively designed web site, you can convert your new visitors into new clients. You should provide some motivation for people to leave you their contact information. Perhaps they could request one of your fr*ee offers. That could be an ebook or simply another article or special report you have prepared. Or ask them a question they'll want to respond to. Since you want to understand your customers needs anyway ask, "What are your biggest challenges/obstacles/complaints with?" marketing, writing, investing, or whatever your field of expertise. Better yet, give them a gift for answering the question. ALL RIGHT! I'M CONVINCED All effective marketing plans must be implemented and must be ongoing. In other words, you've got to start and stick with it. Levinson, the original guerrilla marketer, says this is an area where many businesses drop the ball. They quit working their plan. He says all marketing works, you've just got to give it enough time. PLAN YOUR WORK, WORK YOUR PLAN Work into your calendar a time slot for writing an article at least once a month. You should expect to spend 4 to 8 hours writing and submitting a 400 to 1000 word article. This may seem like a large commitment, but the return on your time investment could be dozens or even hundreds of targeted new contacts each week. You can learn more about preparing and submitting articles from several websites by searching online for 'article writing.' Opening Doors with Your Articles (at http://www.charliecook.net/) is a helpful ebook written by Charlie Cook explaining the process from writing to formatting to submitting articles. By searching online for 'article announce,' you can find several sites that make articles you post available to ezine and website editors who are seeking content for their publications. Yahoo has half a dozen sites used by hundreds of editors and writers. You might begin with http://groups.yahoo.com/group/article_announce/. DO WHAT YOU DO BEST If you feel you need to improve your writing skills, you can read books, subscribe to email courses, or study writers' websites. On the other hand, you need to determine the best use of your time. If writing articles takes energy away from doing what you do best, then maybe you should... HIRE A GUERRILLA! Smart marketers don't reject an outstanding marketing tactic just because it's inconvenient, uncomfortable, or outside their realm of expertise. They find a way to get the job done. Levinson finds that most business owners are aware of only 5 to 10 of his guerrilla marketing tactics and possibly only use 3 of them. But he says guerrillas are aware of all 100 tactics and use about 40 of them. You can read Levinson's 100 tactics at http://gmarketingcoach.com/weapons.htm. Over half of these tactics cost nothing, but others are outsourced. Just like many business owners outsource their website design, their advertising campaigns, or the manufacture of their signs, you can outsource your article writing needs. A search for 'freelance writer' or 'copywriter' turns up links to individuals or to services that connect buyers to writers. Promote your business like a guerrilla. There's always more than one way to get a job done. In fact, Levinson tells us that there are at least 100 ways. Publishing articles in ezines or in print is one tactic that needs to be in your arsenal. So consistently write and publish your articles or hire your own guerrilla and get the job done! -- PERMISSIONS TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in its entirety free of charge, electronically or in print, provided it appears with the included copyright and author's resource box with live website link. The only changes allowed are to the summary, and you may substitute your affiliate links for mine. Notification by email to cj@BestExpressions.biz of intent to publish is appreciated but not required. None of the links in this article are submitted as affiliate links, though the ebook author does offer affiliate links. About The Author Claire-Jean Korzenewski writes effective content that works hard for you - to improve profits, to enhance your image, to inform, to educate. She is the owner of Best Expressions Writing & Desktop Services at www.BestExpressions.biz. Email her at cj@BestExpressions.biz.
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Why Test?
Marketing should be treated like a science. If you are serious about making money on the Internet, it is absolutely crucial that you spend some time testing your results and refining your approach.
Dont Become Another .com Road Kill
Remember those Super Bowl and World Cup commercials where you saw talking hand puppets, scantily dressed women, cowboys herding cats and crude lettering on cardboard? Can you actually name one .com company that paid for these millions of dollar/eurodollars for brand awareness ads?
7 Tips to Help Internet Marketers
To make a living online is the dream of many internet marketers.
Never Underestimate the Value of Giving Things Away
"Never underestimate the value of giving things away." I remember as kid hearing these words on a regular basis. In fact this philosophy was re-enforced so much by my parents in my younger years that it has become a part of who I am today. But, I'm also a businessperson who enjoys earning a living, and in business, our primary goal is to maximize profits. So we have what appears to be an obvious conflict here. How does one remain profitable, let alone increase profit levels if they're giving things away?
The REAL Secret to Building A High-Profit Internet Business
My wife laughs every time she sees me doing it.
5 Fast Ways to Improve Your Website
Building a website is easy. Building a successful e-business is another thing altogether. How to make the most of your web presence? Here's five easy tips to maximize your site.
Website Marketers Enemy No. 1
There comes a time in your efforts to market your website that you realise that it's no longer enough to tell your family and friends to visit your website - you need to get some people who will pay you in cash rather than compliments. You need to start approaching other website owners and start building an online network of contacts.
The Truth About Info Business
Let me save you, at least, several hundreds of dollars you would have spent on different business guides and tutorials, claiming to bring you online wealth.
A Couple Of Basic Killer Internet Marketing Techniques
There are many simple, infallible ways to earn income, and one of the surest ways is through marketing your business on the internet. When you learn basic internet marketing techniques, you'll wonder why you haven't already jumped on the bandwagon. When you think about it, the only things you'll need to make money is a vision of what you want out of life and the wisdom and energy to put your ideas into motion.
Online Testing Optimization
Simply put, online testing involves keying each different test variable with a unique identifying code (so each desired response can be tracked to its source), running the test campaign, keeping records, and tabulating and comparing the results. The winning variable then becomes the control, or bench mark, which future ones are measured against. Let's look at testing in more detail...
If You Build It They Will Come - Not Without Web Marketing!
I'm sure everybody has received an email from a company promising to get their website placed first on all the major search engines. Maybe some of you have even tried these services or may be thinking about it right now.
The 13 Hidden Treasures of Internet Marketing
Most people get into internet marketing because it looks like a good way to make money from home. These people usually don't realize that initial sales are only a small piece of the pie. Don't be like them and miss out on all the hidden treasures!
The Most Profitable Internet Marketing Strategy Ever
So what's the most profitable internet marketing strategy you can apply to your business right now and start profiting from it for years to come?
How a Multi-Faceted Approach to Site Promotion Can Secure Your Search Engine Positions
Copyright 2005 Tinu AbayomiPaul
Autoresponders Are the Key to Freedom from the Burden of Emails
In today's business world emails are essential to the success of any business. As your business grows so will the number of emails you will receive. The bad news is that people expect prompt replies to their email inquiries. Unless you can figure out how to work continual twenty-four hour shifts, or hire enough people to constantly monitor incoming emails (while they're eating up your revenue), you have a problem. Before you reach the point of exhaustion trying to keep up with answering the mountain of emails that threatens to bury you alive every single day, you need to learn about autoresponders.
Internet Marketing And Public Speaking: Ten Tips For When The Twain Shall Meet
Internet marketing and public speaking? Not quite ham and eggs, is it?
Niche Marketing - Assessing The Potential Of A Niche
Potential niche products exist all around us, but how do
you decide which ones are likely to be worth pursuing?
10 Psychological Desires To Insert Into Your Ad
1. Most people like surprises because it's a change of pace from their routine. Tell your prospects that they'll get a surprise free bonus for ordering.
Get Permission to Earn Income Online for Life
Today, the internet is an excellent media to reach out to the masses. You should really get to know your market niches. Focusing your marketing efforts to reach that specific audience and the ability to communicate with large numbers of people in a very personalized manner.
How to Set Up a 7 Day E-Course
Be a Winner! Answer the Challenge! An e-course is a sequence of emails set up to be delivered automatically without any effort on your part after the initial set up. Just set it and forget it. Setting up a free e-course is a great way to keep your services on top of mind and educate people about what you can do for them.
|
