Federated Media Publishing, an online ad network, has created a new advertising platform to work better within social networks. The new setup, entitled Ad STAMP, will keep one brand exclusive to a site per day up to five weekdays a month. The idea behind it is that having too many different advertisements on a page at a time causes too much "noise" and makes it more difficult for users to decipher the messages coming at them. "It provides a cleaner, clutter-free environment for the reader," James Gross, vice president of Federated Media told MediaPost Publications. With the Yankee Group reporting an increase in ...

Online marketing in general, especially, Pay-Per-Click advertising is not a simple task. It requires in-depth knowledge about how search engines works. I often come across clients who think that PPC Management is something an average web user can do. Unfortunately, that is not the case. I just went to a meeting for one of my potential clients interested in Pay-Per-Click marketing. The client is a dentist who for about a year was spending his own personal time creating and "optimizing" his own PPC campaigns. Initially, he got a few calls here and there but as time went by his clicks were ...

If you talk to any business owner, a common concern is how to bring in new business or new customers. We are wired to believe that increased revenue comes from our ability to constantly draw in more clients. This is true to an extent. What many businesses fail to see, however, is the importance of maintaining their current customer base. A common pitfall is the notion of once a customer, always a customer. Just because a customer used your service or bought your product once, doesn't mean that they will continue to do so in the future. A steady revenue ...

Everyone knows that bragging isn't nice.  Most importantly, it may create unnecessary animosity.  Just like you hated the one kid back in school who would always announce his grade to the entire class, the same is true when you are marketing your business.   While tooting your horn works in certain industries, resting on your accolades may not always get you the prize.  Being proud of your achievements is not a fault, it's a right, but don't go bragging about it.  When creating a marketing campaign, the most important question to answer is: Why do your customers care and what can you ...

While most businesses experience a slump in the summer months, giving up and going into hibernation can be detrimental.  A limited amount of industries fare well during the vacation months.  For the rest us, the summer months present a great opportunity to reassess marketing techniques and plan for the future.  Here are a few things you can do in the slow months that will keep you afloat: Revisit Old Leads What may have been dead leads in the past may now be worth resurrecting.  As times change, the needs of potential clients change too.  Contact old leads and have something new to ...

Summer provides a change of pace and scenery for many customers, as children take a break from school and professionals schedule vacation time to travel or spend with family.  The changes of the season can be a challenge for marketing professionals who strive to make connections with clients through the routines and rhythms of daily life.  This summer, take advantage of the unique marketing opportunities of the season and connect with your clients as they enjoy a time of leisure and entertainment. #1 - Get Ahead of the Competition Because of the slow summer season, many marketers take a break from actively ...

Telemarketers have, over the years, replaced the un-invited door-to-door salesmen. Back in the day, a door in the face was enough to tell any salesperson that the average household had no desire to entertain or be entertained by a stranger who shows up at the door, let alone a stranger with something to sell. Nowadays, that door is replaced by the "clicks" of hundreds of phones that are hung up, and almost automatic responses of, "We're not interested" (Click). Maybe you've been on the initiating and receiving ends of those phone calls, either way, it isn't fun. So how does one ...

Variable data printing (VDP) and digital printing technology allows business owners to target customers more specifically with the aid of specialty data and mailing lists.  With VDP, business owners can define a target market based on income, lifestyle choices, interests, marital status, gender, and an almost infinite number of categories.  Business owners are able to actually imagine the "perfect client," the customer most likely in need of their goods and services, and then systematically and specifically target individuals who fit that description in their direct mail marketing campaigns. These highly targeted direct mail marketing campaigns are even more effective when they ...

Have you ever noticed that when you open your email inbox, some emails catch your attention instantly, while others go relatively unnoticed?  Email marketing messages must contend with so many other competing messages in the inbox.  Creating split-second interest with a compelling subject line is the key to attracting readers to click and read more. How To Write Subject Lines that Jump off the Page The fact is, most people spend an average of about two seconds reading an email's subject line.  During those two seconds, reading the first two or three words will allow the reader to choose between the options ...

 We have fallen on hard times. This thought has been made by the heads of many prominent businesses. The economy is merciless, and businesses are struggling to stay afloat in midst of the aggressive storm. Marketing strategies have either been stripped down to its bare minimum or heavily equipped as soldiers ready for battle. At the very least, where does your web site stand? Is it enough that your website is up and running? What elements are attracting your potential visitors, and bringing them back for more? The Attract and Retain Approach for website design is extremely important to the success ...

User Photograph Galleries:  A Simple and Effective Social Marketing Strategy Remember the popular Apple iPod advertising campaign featuring a series of dark silhouetted characters holding iPods and dancing to the music against brightly colored backgrounds?  One of the innovative features of this advertising campaign was an online photo gallery at the Apple website where iPod users could upload photographs of themselves using their iPods at unique and interesting locations.  Website visitors could browse through photos of individuals from all over the world, proudly displaying their iPods. User photograph galleries are a simple and cost-effective way to attract traffic to your business website.  ...

Direct customer feedback is by far one of the most invaluable tools available to businesses. While it may sound simple enough, doing so may prove a bit more complicated.  Customer feedback is useful when learning which of your marketing or advertising campaigns was successful, and also to understand your conversion rates. Most often when calling a business, you’ll be asked where and how you found out about them.  In hindsight, this is a good approach at finding out the success rate of your marketing, but beware of the data you are collecting.  Using a question like “How did you hear about ...