As electronic marketing increases in sophistication, more can be done to attract prospects with less money in more creative ways. Here are just five inbound marketing techniques geared toward increasing your web traffic and revenue:

• Search engine optimization (SEO): the foundational piece of inbound marketing is search engine optimization—the process of organically growing a site’s popularity with search engines through link building, strong keyword content, search site submissions and other tactics. A good SEO strategy will boost your organic search engine result rankings for keywords, which is a key to being found by the right prospects.
• Pay-Per-Click (PPC): a complement to SEO is search marketing, which includes PPC ads. Unlike organic rankings and, as the name suggests, this is where you put out cash to attract web visitors. These ads are listed above and to the right of the organic search results and are often labeled as “sponsored” link or “sponsored” results. With PPC, you bid on keywords and create ads. PPC is a pay as you go plan where you can establish a maximum number of clicks each day to help you stay on budget. You are charged only for the number of times someone clicks on your ad.
• Blogging: a good blog is topical and posted to often and, like it or not, is here to stay. The complexity of your blog depends on how many people will contribute and the rules you put in place for content management. For some companies, a blog can represent a logistical and legal quagmire. For an individual, it is time consuming, but more manageable to handle. In any event, an interesting blog where people logon frequently can direct many new visitors to your website.
• Social media: social media optimization (SMO) is a marketing tactic to generate web traffic by participating on sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Digg and many others. Like blogging, it can be time consuming, but done well, it is worth the effort. Effective use of social networking can help create buzz for your company or a product and have the messages go viral. It has the potential to substantially increase web traffic and increase the number of inbound links to your site.
• Targeted Landing Pages: the big payoff when you start generating more web traffic is the landing page—a targeted and well constructed page either on your website or acting as a standalone mini website. When someone finds your organic listing, clicks through on a PPC ad, visits your site after reading your blog or finds you via social networking, a landing page is where they should be sent. Your home page is probably well done, but you have few chances to capture the attention of your prospects. Don’t waste it by sending them to the home page. Instead, construct specific pages that are keyword oriented, interesting and persuasive. The goal of a landing page is move the prospect to action.

Do you see what’s happening here? Inbound marketing is very much a building process just like outbound marketing, where all parts align to create a unified marketing strategy. Inbound marketing relies on the building block principle as well where SEO is complemented by PPC, blogs and social media with visitors being directed to action on targeted landing pages. If your marketing strategy hasn’t yet included all electronic marketing has to offer, then start with these five techniques to build even greater web traffic and revenue.

Have questions about search engine optimization and Internet marketing? Visit my website at www.strategywriter.com and sign up for a free newsletter of proven electronic marketing tips and techniques.

Incoming Search Terms:

• web traffic inbound mix organic

For instance, according to a study by Prospectiv, women with children don’t mind seeing relevant online coupons and discounts and are less likely to skip over such promotions. Moms also trusted promotions more than women without children.

When moms were asked about marketing e-mails, 45 percent said they wanted information related to their lifestyle and another 21 percent said they would look at “anything they send me.”

Women without children, however, were more discerning with 30 percent interested in receiving email promotions relevant to their lifestyles, while 35 percent did not want any information at all.

Regarding targeted messages based on past purchasing behavior, 15 percent of moms and 18 percent of women without children would read promotional email messages.

The most effective tactic for both types of women, according to Prospectiv, is offering free samples online: moms (47 percent), women without children (38 percent). Coupons came in second with 40 percent of moms and 34 percent of those without children expressing an interest in receiving them.

In declining order of interest for both groups were emails, banner ads and blogs. Women without children were also twice as likely to make a purchase based on a recommendation from a friend, family member or co-worker.

What’s the upshot for online marketing to women?

• Know you demographic so you can tailor the message and its delivery.
• Keep track of purchasing behavior.
• Target the tactic based on audience preferences.
• And, make sure to include a “Forward this to a friend” option on all email messages.

For more information on driving traffic to your website, visit my website at www.strategywriter.com. Get a free web audit.

Hello.  It’s Kit Elliott here, and what a great weekend!  It’s time to get in gear and make this another great week for online profits. After checking my comments over the weekend, I noticed one comment that I’ve seen over and over again.

“Can You Tell Me How to Market This?”

That’s what the next three months of Mondays are for:  Marketing Mindset Mondays!  How to get in the marketing mindset.  Many people think simply by advertising or placing links – that’s marketing.   That may work for some, but you end up working harder and when you get in the marketing mindset – it’s all about working smarter.

The next system – I’m going back four years when I created this simple system for making money.  Here’s how it works:

The first step is to setup a voicemail – there are a ton of voicemail systems out there right now and I use a company called Eagle Telecommunications.  For $90 per year – I could get a simple greeting phone number.  Four years later – they have very sophisticated systems out there.

Step 2: Setup Your Pitch.  This works for any product, any niche. (even if it’s not yours).  You would talk about the benefits of the product and how they can get a copy for $x amount.  These new systems will let you press 1 to enter the order or press 2 to leave a message.

Step 3: Now the system will let you press 1 to speak to a live operator or press 2 to enter your credit card (which you will transcribe later or have someone transcribe and enter the order).  There are many order taking services, and while I don’t believe ours is the cheapest – we use Teledirect.com.  If you know one that is super cheap and super reliable – please let us know.  We went super cheap once before, and our phone numbers were constantly down and not answering after five o’clock.  So we switched to a service that cost a little more but was much more reliable!

Step 4: Send postcards that advertise your product and your new phone number.  That’s right!  Whatever your product or service is – you would send a postcard to your niche’s list with the number of your greeting from above.    You can also advertise this in your niche’s magazines.  People love hearing a voice on the other end, and when they get a live operator – even better.

So let’s take these 4 steps and give you an example.  The product is how to buy houses for pennies on the dollar.  Right now, I would stay clear of this pitch because of a certain FTC swoop last week regarding the same product. But let’s apply this marketing method to this product.

Step 1:  You would record a greeting about the benefits, the testimonials, and how you can pick up your copy for $57.  Press 1 to speak to a live operator. (you can price this from $47 to $77)  The system will let you program a number to forward to when you press 1.

Step 2:  Of course – you need to setup an account with Teledirect, PatLive, or any other live operator business.

Step 3:  And then – design a postcard (using Elance.com or RentaCoder.com) and send it to a list in the real estate market.  Right now – you can visit many list brokers and find a perfect match.

Let’s call this system:  Voice Mail Profits!

How can you use this same system and skyrocket your conversions?

Easy – put your own spin on it.

Press 1 if you would like to receive a 30 day try before you buy.  All you do is pay the shipping and handling – you try it out for 30 days – if you don’t like it – return it for a full refund.  If you do like it, keep it – and you’ll pay $47 – $77.

If the product is great – add a monthly subscription to this.  Break up the $497 into payments.

Enjoy!

Incoming Search Terms:

• super affiliate postcards
• sell your product using postcards
• postcard mailing program with residual payments youtube
• how to market by voicemail
• make money with voicemail
• postcard traffic system
• sell products with voicemail

I had explained a few strategies that they can implement quickly to see a fast profit.   I had also told them that the one strategy that I quickly picked up was promoting products and services that pay a residual.  A residual = An expected amount of money coming  in every single month.  There are many people on my list who would just like to work from home and create their own life like a “paid vacation”. We both know that you need a certain amount of money for you and your business to survive.  Once you meet that amount, then, you can work from anywhere in the world!   And there are many services that pay a residual: autoresponders, hosting, cable, satellite TV, cell phone service, and MY NEW NETWORK MARKETING COMPANY – WealthWorld!

At the end of the day – everyone got in on the ground floor during pre-launch.  At $2 – it’s a no-brainer.

Having said that – I have two more stops in California and Nevada before I’m back in Dallas.  When I get back next week – I am revamping this site, and I’m going to start a new series called:

Marketing Systems that Work!  These are step by step systems that work to create a huge list of targeted buyers and leads.  Over the last five years, I have studied and copied different marketing systems that work.  And since most of my readers need help with one thing: MARKETING!  I think it’s time that we get this website rocking!

Give me one week to give the site a mini-makeover, and then, please join me in one of the most revealing “free” information sites out there.  You’ll quickly be able to implement these with a little effort and a little programming (from RentaCoder.com or Guru.com) and be on your way to creating a true “paid” vacation!

I read somewhere that Amway started with 500 people.  After a year, there were only 11 people left out of the 500 working.  Those 11 people made Amway into a 100 Million+ business.  Those 11 got in on the ground floor during pre-launch and stuck around.

I have a new saying:  Are you one of those 489 people who hopped to the next program, or are you one of the 11 people who stuck around.   When you visit www.megalevelbonus.com – you can see how long it will take you to make the money you want and how much effort you need to put in.

Let me put that on my to-do list – create a “goals” blueprint when you join so you can keep track of your “amount needed” versus your “effort put in”.  You can also keep your own checklist with a “goal” in mind and work towards that.

Are you one of the 11?

or

Are you one of the 489?

Onwards and Upwards,

Kit

Can you give some examples of how to use it for marketing?
I feel like I am being obtuse here because I have been hearing about how the Wave is better than sliced bread as of late, and am struggling to see mass applicability.

I can see small businesses (under 10 employees and not dealing with confidential data) possibly employing it. Large companies are another ball of wax though as internal and external protocol of handing information is going to limit the use of 3rd party applications that are on the cloud.

Even take a home association – the board would want to share a single file that had list of people who paid dues. As checks are received it is updated and all the others can that. This would be a beneficial tool. I can see that.

But I am just struggling on many other uses.

—Johnny Optimist

Hiya Johnny!

Thanks for the response to my posting about the Google Wave.  You’re question is, “How can marketers use this?”

It’s probably too early to tell right now – but I’m hoping it will take the same concept of social networking and get rid of the “Myspace Effect!”  Using it to add friends who aren’t really interested in anything you have to say, but having a million followers is “cool”.

Each “wave” will be tied a specific microniche.  When you join a “wave” you get in on the conversation or collaboration or discussion about that microniche. This makes it easier to direct your Google Adwords to much more targetted audiences. (and increase conversions)

Now go further – how can you get your website, product, brand, service into a Google Wave?  You invite prospects, buyers, consumers, fans of for your development, conversation, collaboration, fan meeting or product launches – and then, when you launch a product – you’ll be able to reach your buyers faster.  Google Wave will be MicroNiche Social Community Sites.

Hope this helps!

Onwards and Upwards,

Kit Elliott

Hello!  It’s been a rainy couple of days here in downtown Dallas.. Don’t worry – the BMW is in a parked garage for those battling to win it!

Can teachers use Twitter as a tool in their classroom?  Using 140 characters to Twitter central themes, it requires students to narrow their voice down to the absolute point.  As a former 6th grade teacher, I’m always on the lookout for new and innovative teaching tools because usually, you can put a marketing spin on it and use it as a marketing tool.

Using new technology brings an added excitement to learning, plus the introverts and those who want to speak but anxiety and shyness stand in the way – it allows them to voice their arguments to backup their opinions.

I think the internet has really helped guru’s the same way with their image and creating the business that’s in their heads – but hard to emulate in person.  It’s much easier to hide behind a computer and video camera and develop the site in the exact voice that you want to be heard.

I thought this was very cool!  Worth sharing…

Onwards and Upwards,

Kit