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The Ultimate Guide to Choosing an Internet Marketing Company (part 2)

This is Part Two of a new educational series called: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing an Internet Marketing Company.  Part One can be found here.


In part one, we discussed the importance of goal-setting.  After you’ve done some initial planning, it’s time to start looking for an Internet marketing company.

Find an Internet Marketing Company that Delivers the Four Core Services


Your search can be based on location (i.e., Toronto), types of services or perhaps even industry expertise.  There’s lot of criteria, which can narrow the field, but perhaps the most important revolves around whether or not the Internet marketing company offers the Four Core Services.

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The Ultimate Guide to Choosing an Internet Marketing Company (part 1)

This is Part One of a new educational series called: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing an Internet Marketing Company.


It’s no secret.

The Internet has fundamentally transformed the way people find things, shop and even connect with other.  Over the years, audiences have become increasingly tougher to reach as they lose patience with old-fashion, traditional interruption-based marketing.

As a result, businesses have shifted, more and more, from outbound to inbound digital marketing - and with good reason.  Companies who part with traditional marketing methods to follow their audiences online are getting more leads and customers, for a better overall return on their marketing dollars.

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Internet Marketing Tactics To Turn Sales Reps into Rockstars

Let’s be honest.

In most companies, the Sales and Marketing teams don’t really work well together.

Sales reps don’t loop back with Marketing to give feedback on new insights they’ve discovered concerning what the client or customer’s needs are, which would help improve Internet marketing efforts.

On the other hand, Sales will say Marketing doesn’t do a great job helping sales generate and nurture leads.

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7 Rules to Designing a Call to Action that Converts

Last time, I wrote about the importance of having strong call to actions (CTAs) on your website.

When done correctly, CTAs can have an immediate impact when it comes to improving conversion rates on your website (something you want).

I realize for most of you, this is common sense, but when it comes to Internet marketing, I’m still surprised at how many websites lack the basics (like a strong call to action on the home page).

That said, designing and optimizing CTAs that convert is a both an art and a science.

It’s not easy, but if you’re serious about using Internet marketing to grow your business, there are some general rules you need to follow when designing a good CTA.

[Read more…]

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3 Fatal Mistakes Companies Make With Internet Marketing

If you don’t make mistakes, you’re not working on hard enough problems.  And that’s a big mistake. - Frank Wilczek, 2004 Nobel Prize Winner in physics.

Don’t get me wrong.

Mistakes are not a bad thing.  In fact, when it comes to inbound or online marketing, making minor mistakes in the pursuit of business growth is all part of the game.  It just means you’re not afraid to try new things and improve.

On the other hand, making the same mistakes - over and over - is not a good thing either.

In my 13 years of marketing experience, specifically with inbound and online marketing, here are the top 3 fatal mistakes I have seen businesses make again and again.  Sure, there are probably more than the three I’ve listed below, but these are what I call the “fatal 3.”
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Content Marketing: How To Build A Business With Content

 

Thanks again for everyone who attended my workshop at Mesh Conference.  Below is my presentation, in it I discuss:

  • How to replicate Proctor & Gamble’s success as a Content Marketer (think Soap Opera and Razors).
  • How you can use “Agile Content Marketing” to build an audience for your business.
  • Content that converts: How to plan out your call-to-actions and offers using remarkable content that will drive your conversation rates through roof!

Content Marketing: How to Build a Business With Content

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Are Email Addresses the Real Currency of the Web?

I’ve been thinking about email a lot lately.

Partly, how I use it, but more about how it relates to building an audience.

But, first, a short story.

Over the years, I’ve become somewhat of an email nazi (see link for Seinfeld reference).  When it comes to personal email habits, I’m a big believer in attempting to process your inbox to zero on a regular basis.

As a result, my inbox has become my own little save haven. These days, most of the emails I receive are not junk. (My @gmail account, which is a catch-all account is another story).

Okay, here’s my point. [Read more…]

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Performance Pricing and Building True Client Partnerships

I recently came across a post on DigiDay.com, which is fast becoming one of my new favourite blogs, called Agencies Must Embrace Performance Pricing.

The gist? Old-school agencies, be warned: your clients want you to put your money where your mouth is.

The article argued that the shift to performance pricing is inevitable.

Business leaders and their marketing heads expect more from their marketing dollars. They want partners who truly understand marketing’s responsibility beyond just impressions. Those who can build a brand by directly building revenue and market-share are the agencies that will endure in the 21st century. [Read more…]

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Why Every Smart Startup and Business Should Act More Like a Digital Media Empire [In the Making]

Citizen Kane 1941 by Orson Welles

Sometimes I feel as though I sound like a broken record.

But I’m on a mission, so forgive me if you’ve heard this all before, but it’s worth repeating.

According to a recent study conducted at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, blogging is on the decline as social media tools [like Facebook] are on the rise among Inc. 500 companies.

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