With Twitter, Facebook, Digg, StumbleUpon and literally hundreds of other Social Networking sites how can anyone know where to start and formulate strategies for using them to grow businesses? Fortunately for us all, DoshDosh has given us A Beginner’s Guide to Social News Websites as the perfect place to start. Read the guide and the more advanced information after it to better understand: Read more…
Over at ProBlogger there is an exceptional discussion on whether to recommend SiteBuildIt as the best way to build a Web site. Since I’ve actually seen and tried out their system while assisting a friend in building a site there I wanted to share some insights and recommend you check out the great comments that other Site Build It users have shared.
One thing to understand is that Site Build It is NOT simply a way to create a Web site or Web pages. There are many of those that are far faster - and some easier - to use. Simply building Web pages is not really what Site Build It is all about. It goes far beyond that and anyone considering Site Build It as a platform for building an online business needs to understand that.
The difference between the Site Build It system and any other method of creating a Web site is the research it forces you to do to ensure that: Read more…
I am certain many bloggers have wondered what makes one blog more popular than the next. Why are some hugely successful while others remain unknown? While there are many factors involved, one of the largest is simply this: great bloggers exist to help others. They give before they receive. A popular way to say this is that they Pay it Forward.
They help others by giving in many forms: of their time, their expertise, their money, and sometimes even other people’s money. John Chow did just that when he donated $5000 he was given for doing a good deed for a stranger who asked for his assistance. Then he doubled that gift by offering valuable links in his own blog to anyone willing to donate only $3.29 - one meal - to UGM to Feed the Hungry.
This is the key to giving: you do it without expecting to get anything back. The beauty of giving without expectation is that it generates far more good than the seed you planted. Follow John Chow’s lead. Give to others of whatever source you have. If you don’t have money, give your time and expertise. If you don’t have that, give a smile, or a hug. You could make someone’s day - and that will make yours.
Darren Rowse is potentially the highest earning blogger and his ProBlogger blog is without doubt THE best known blog anywhere - and for good reason. He blogs about how to make money blogging. How popular is it? His posts can garner 100+ comments and leaving intelligent comments there WILL send traffic to your blog.
Even if you have no desire to blog for money directly, I am sharing his two recent posts here to encourage business owners who blog to increase sales by reaching out to other bloggers. Read more…
Many businesses have blogs now but how many are really using them to their best advantage? Once you know the answer to What Can Your Blog Do For You it becomes much easier to focus on how your blog can benefit your potential visitors.
Let’s start with why anyone would read your blog. It must have a purpose so what is it? For most businesses, their blog should offer answers to their potential buyers questions and help them make up their mind about purchases so they can buy with confidence.
While that may seem challenging it isn’t really. You just have to approach each post from the viewpoint of your buyer instead of your business. Ask yourself what challenges they are facing and what solutions you can offer. Read more…
If you already have traffic to your ecommerce store (or service business) there is one fast and easy step you can take that can instantly increase sales: Provide instant answers via live chat as many hours as you possibly can. If you don’t have live chat on your site, read on for how you can get hosted live chat absolutely free.
Why should Live Chat make such a large difference? Because shoppers don’t buy until they have confidence that they have the answers they need to make a decision. The faster and more efficiently you answer their questions the sooner they’ll buy. Live Chat closes sales even on well-designed sites with excellent product descriptions.
Of all the companies I’ve worked with almost none of them are truly serious about growing their business. They all THINK they are. And I work diligently to show them what it would take to get serious. It rarely works though. It finally comes down to one thing:
Just WHO is driving the bus (their business) - and who SHOULD be doing it?
Many people hire consultants and are consistently disappointed because: Read more…
Sellers online and off have the jitters about what 2008 Holiday Sales will do. Statistics on what has happened so far and predictions about what will happen are all over the map. Check out the quotes from recent articles below showing the wide range of beliefs about what retailers can expect. Then keep reading to find out how YOUR business can increase regardless of what the season brings for the majority. Read more…
There are two major Web design errors that can cost you up to 70% of your conversions. I am dead serious and not exaggerating. I have personally seen an immediate decline of 70% in both sales quantity and dollar amount that stayed at that level. The cause was a site redesign that included these two common mistakes. Imagine having an existing business suddenly lose 70% of their sales!
So what are the two worst ecommerce Web Design mistakes you can make? Read more…
The most important point every online business needs to know is this: Conversions (how many people take the desired action - whether that is completing a purchase, gaining potential leads, or increasing a subscriber base) are more important by far than increasing traffic.
It does not matter how much traffic you receive if those visitors do not take the desired action.
This is vastly more important if you are buying traffic in any form. Read more…
