Senin, 23 Februari 2009

BLOG SI-OBAMA



Kita tau kan Presiden USA Barrack Obama punya website pribadi untuk berkomunikasi dengan publik. Kedengarannya enak juga dicontek (hehehe....) maka saya coba buat blog dengan nama Si-Obama kok diterima oleh blooger, ya akhirnya jadilah. Kenapa saya beri nama Si-Obama karena enak aja kedengarannya (it's so easy....). Ternyata yang ngeblog bisa siapa saja, dari anak sekolahan sampai profesor, dari Yusril yg habis dipecat SBY hingga Obama yang baru dilantik.

Artinya, anytime bloging, anyone for bloging, dan anywhere for bloging. Sengaja tak tulis english biar nggak dikira iklan minuman ringan Kapan saja....dimana saja....COOO.....CO..... Karena minuman ringan itu sekarang kalah sama made in Indonesia, yaitu minuman PONARI SWEAT....(ada2 aja teman blogger yg ngedit minuman pengganti ion menjadi PONARI SWEAT, aduh lupa dimana ya blognya....tolong sobat yg blognya ada PONARI SWEATnya mohon ijin nih tak singgung2 ya....). Itu karena memang jaman sekarang jaman krisis-gonjang ekonomi, dimana semua negara maunya menerapkan proteksionisme terhadap produk lokal, di Jakarta para menteri dan semua pejabat negara termasuk Duta Besar RI dihimbau menggunakan produk dalam negeri misalnya sepatu (Lucu2 tuh pas peragaan sepatu niru2 para model hehe..), dan lagi proses pengadaan barang dan jasa pemerintah juga menggunakan produk dalam negeri, guna menjaga pertumbuhan pasar produk lokal.

Nah, itu sekarang kan ada produk lokal baru unggulan Kabupaten Jombang yaitu "air mujarab kobokan tangan PONARI". Mestinya pemerintah tanggap dalam menangkap peluang ini, dari pada terus2 masyarakat (yg sakit..) memburu terus PONARI hingga 4 tewas, gimana sekarang kalau Departemen PU Dir. Cipta Karya membuatkan fasilitas instalasi pendistribusian air mujarab tersebut melalui pipa atau ada investor swasta yang memproduksi air mujarab tersebut dengan mengemas dalam botol atau gelas plastik, terus dilabeli PONARI SWEAT made in Indonesia, jualnya kemana aja guna menyehatkan masyarakat. Ato ginama kalo dijual ke rumah sakit untuk ganti infus, wah pasti banyak yang protes karena ide ngawur ini.

Tapi ya itu budaya kita yang jelek sih yaitu budaya Ctlr-C dan Ctrl-V alias copy paste, latah ato apalah. Kalo ada yang trend dan booming lantas banyak duplikasinya. Microsoft aja sampai menganggap miring pembajakan software di Indonesia, karena di sana penegakan HAKI alias copyright dijalankan sebenar2nya, konsisten. Tapi di Indonesia gimana nih????.

Maksud saya kembali ke PONARI SWEAT mestinya di PONARI punya hak cipta atas "air kobokannya" yang diyakini masyarakat (yg sakit) bisa menyembuhkan segala penyakit, lalu muncul dukun2 tiban lainnya. Mestinya mereka itu perlu dapat sertifikat HAKI apa ya, biar dilindungi.

Ya inilah dunia global, dunia tanpa batas dan dunia serba cepat, dunia populer yang penuh dengan hiruk pikuk, carut marut dan dinamika. Bangkutnya ekonomi global dan untuk sementara "bertahannya ekonomi Indonesia" memberi hikmah bahwa bangsa kita harus lebih meningkatkan kepercayaan diri. Bahwa telah terjadi penggelembungan ekonomi kapitalis Amerika yang kosong di tengah (karena riba) kini telah menuai siklus pengembosan dan penyeimbangan dengan kondisi realnya. Dan kita di Indonesia hendaknya tenang2 aja dan tidak gugup alias gumun kalo sudah saatnya resesi. Kita bisa mengandalkan produk2 lokal dan menjaga kesetiakawanan di antara anak bangsa, dan mendayagunakan peluang yang ada di sekeliling kita.

Sudah saatnya kita jaga saling percaya diantara anak bangsa, dan harus mewaspadai gunjang ganjing pemilu 2009, jangan sampai memunculkan isu2 yg sensitif, seperti SARA. Tetap Jaga Perdamaian, KEEP IN PEACE INDONESIA. Kita dukung kampanye Indonesia Damai, juga di dunia blogger. BLOGGER INDONESIA CINTA DAMAI. Sebagaimana carut-marut dalam Pemilihan Obama menjadi Presiden USA secara demokratis dan berakhir happy ending, maka hendaknya Indonesia bisa juga menjadi negara demokratis dan negara yang dihormati oleh bangsa2 lain, karena kita adalah bangsa yang besar dan punya pengalaman berkali2 untuk itu. OK kawan sekali lagi kita dukung kampanye BLOGGER INDONESIA CINTA DAMAI. PEACEEEEEE...........

Read More/ Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»

Selamat Datang


SELAMAT DATANG DI



Assalamu'alakum,

Selamat Datang dan selamat berjumpa di AdvertiseShare.blogspot.com (yang bermakna Advertise Share, Advertising Share, Advertising Sharing, Ads Share, Iklan, Iklan Gratis, Pasang Iklan, Iklan Jitu). Saya merasa perlu mulai menulis di blog ini, kiranya setelah mengevaluasi peluncuran blog ini sekitar Januari 2009.

Pada blog ini nantinya berisi serba-serbi dari aneka pemikiran, ide, pendapat atau catatan harian dari saya.. pokoknya tentang segala hal, atau istilahnya campursarian aja (kan dunia ini isinya aneka ragam dan campursari ya kan). Jadi just fun & enjoy aja, mau serius bole, mau sante monggo, mau asal lewat, kulonowun, blogwalking atau ngeronda dunia maya di kalangan blooggeer oye saja.

Jadi ya itu nggak tau nanti mau nulis apa, dan sejauh mana blog ini akan berkembang, its so easy, ato GITU AJA KOK REPOT (hehe..Gus Dur lagi Gus Dur lagi...)

Yang penting saya bersyukur sekarang, karena dikit2 udah bisa ikutan ngeblok, maklum nyubie... Sebagai pendatang sy ucapkan terima kasih banyak kepada teman2 bloogger semua yg merespon dan mendukung blog ini, itu bisa dilihat dari ShoutBox Chat. Ada beberapa buku blogging yg sy baca & terapkan, juga uraian teman2 lainnya di blog masing2, banyak deh pokoknya, tiap halaman blognya yg sudah chat di ShoutBox udah saya save as, jadi bisa untuk di baca ulang. Blog yang spesial menjadi pelajaran saya ya itu punya Kang Rohman di sini, yang bagus dan berisi materi panduan ngeblok. Saya sampaikan terima kasih khususnya kepada Kang Rohman pada beberapa kesempatan chating di ShoutBoxnya, juga dalam posting ini saya sampaikan terima kasih sekali lagi.

Respon kawan2 yang positif terlihat dari permintaan tukar link (biasa kan untuk naikin link exchange..). Ada yang sudah saya pasang, tapi banyak juga yg belum, karena pengennya saya buatkan chikletnya yang unik, yang "AdvertiseShare bangeettt" gitu loooh.. Jadi sekali lagi saya mohon maaf belum bisa ngelink balik, tapi nanti kalo udah siap chikletnya pasti sy akan blogwalking lagi ke teman2 untuk ber exchange link-ria.

Kesimpulannya ya itu tadi its so easy, enjoy aja... Tapi yang pasti sy tidak tau apa yang nanti akan saya tulis,.. ya seperti saya menulis posting ini (masak disebut artikel sihhh?), wis pokoknya apa maunya jari ini mau menari-nari diatas keyboard ya jadilah "terbitkan entry".

Emang gitu sih, lha sebelumnya tulisanya kebanyakan english, maaf ya bukan sok bisa english, sebetulnya sih english saya ya litle litle aja, tapi itu lo kenapa saya pake english, karena itu juga dapat ilmu dari Kang Rohman, agar kita bisa dapat G AdSense, postingan awal hrs english agar bisa dapat yang AdSense 4 Content, istilahnya agar lolos seleksi gitu loh..OK.

Sekarang enaknya gimana nih..... wah ya udah dienak-enaki aja. Sekian dulu ya Selamat Datang ini, terima kasih telah membaca postingan ini dan semoga teman2 bloger semua terutama para senior mau berbagi saran ilmu kepada saya, dengan kerendahan hati saya sampaikan mohon maaf atas kekurangan di sana sini. Juga kepada teman2 chatting semua yang telah memberi inspirasi dan persahabatannya, terima kasih banyak.

Wis ya nggak ada yg mau diketikkan lagi, ato mungkin besok2 inspirasinya datang.
O ya lupa ada inspirasi dikit nih, gini : Allah SWT. itu adalah pencipta semesta alam, ada alam dunia, alam malakut atau alam apalah yang lain2, dan satu lagi sekarang ada alam maya - ya alam blogger ini. Jadi sebagai penghuni alam maya atau blooger baru saya mengucapkan syukur kepada Allah SWT. karena telah diberi kesempatan untuk bisa kenal sama alam ini dan kawan2 blogger semua. Semoga semuanya diridloi dan bermanfaat.

Udah dulu deh, terima kasih

Wassalam.

Read More/ Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»

Kamis, 12 Februari 2009

7 Basics of Good Web Design

By George Peirson (c) 2009

Whether you are just starting a web design project, looking at revamping an existing site, or just wanting to double check the usability of your current web site you should consider these 7 Basics of Good Web Design.

These basics are aimed at new visitors/customers; your repeat customers will be judging your web site on different values. Just like wearing the appropriate clothes for a job interview, these basics will help you pick out the "look" of your web site so that you make a good first impression.

1. Fast Loading Web Site - Any way you look at it, a fast loading page should be your number 1 concern. The web is all about speed, fast searches, fast purchases, fast information. You can't have any of that with a slow loading page. Ask yourself this question - have you ever been on Google doing a search for something important and a link you clicked on didn't open up immediately? What did you do? Patiently wait for the page to open or move onto the next link on the page? My favorite sites open almost immediately.

Win Google Over to Your Side!

So, a few suggestions: Make sure that your images are properly optimized. Don't use very many large images, save those for a different page. Keep any auto-running multimedia to a minimum, provide links to run media instead. Check your code for anything else that could affect your page loading times. Since text loads almost instantly go ahead and use all the text you want, just keep everything else under control.

2. No Meaningless Splash Page - Do you appreciate a fancy animation page that doesn't tell you anything and you have to wait for before the web site will open? Neither do I. The last thing I want once I find an interesting site is to wait through some animation before getting to the first page. This doesn't mean that I don't want multimedia on a site, I do. I just don't want an animation before the first page that forces me to wait for it to finish before getting onto the site. It's like having to wait for a salesperson to finish their memorized speech before you can ask them a question. No thanks! I like animation, just in the right place and at the right time. Plus, if I am a returning customer, I will have already seen that animation and don't need to see it again.

My suggestion is to use a smaller animation contained in your main landing page which also includes your main message and links to the rest of your site. It will make for a faster loading page (smaller file) and your visitors can go ahead with accessing your site without having to wait for the animation to finish.

One final note, don't ever put your logo as the only content on your landing page with a link that says "Enter Site". This just screams Unprofessional and will drive away potential visitors in droves. The last thing I want to do is to click on another link just to get into the site. This is a total waste of my time. I usually will skip a site if I see this.

3. No Annoying Web Gimmicks - Now that you have your visitor on your site quickly the one thing you don't want to do is to drive them away just as quickly. So, don't put anything annoying on that first page. No loud background music that makes them quickly hit the volume control or the back button on their browser. No flashing animations while they are trying to read your content. No popup, flyout, expanding ads that cover your home page. Basically, leave the gimmicks alone until you are sure that your visitor will stay on your site. Most casual visitors will leave your site in just a few seconds, no sense on driving them away more quickly.

Easily Live Stream Video on Your Website!

Multimedia is great on a web site, just don't bombard your visitor with it first thing. If you want audio, then put in a nice picture with a link, like a picture of yourself with text saying something like "Let me tell you how to make fifty thousand this month!" If they are interested, they will click on the link and listen to your message; if they are not interested in audio, then you should be using a different pitch anyway.

Also, monitor what advertisers are putting on your site if you sell ad space. I am sure you have seen those ads with the animated dancing figure, cute the first time you see it. But after seeing it 10,000 times with every imaginable character I have added the company to a líst I keep of companies I won't do business with. So their animation has gone from "look at me" to "you annoy me" in my mind. Ads like these will impact your visitor's experience. So even if your site is perfectly designed, one misplaced ad can ruin all of your hard work.

4. Have a Clear Message - Too many web sites are a mish-mash of content. This is especially true of blog pages. Certain types of sites lend themselves to stream of consciousness content, but most don't. Make it easy for your viewer to understand what your web site is about, don't make them guess. Have a clear topic headline, followed by clear and concise text. This is also where a picture is worth a thousand words, but only if the picture directly pertains to your message.

You want your visitor to quickly understand what your message is. If they like your message, they will take the time to read the rest of your page and look around your web site. If they don't like your page, then it won't do you any good having them stay on your site anyway. So, don't make your visitors guess, let them know what you are about quickly and cleanly and you will have happy visitors. And when thinking about a sales page, a happy customer is a buying customer.

5. Coordinated Design - This one should be self evident, but it is surprising how many sites change their design for every page. You want your visitor to be comfortable in your site and one way to achieve that is by having a coordinated web design. Having a consistent logo, using a consistent color scheme, keeping your navigation in the same place. All of these help to create a coordinated design. This does not mean that you can't change colors or the "Look" on different segments of your site, but if you do, the changes should not be so drastic that it feels like you have moved on to a different site.

Get Top 10 Rankings on Google!

If you select one place for your logo, one place for your navigation, one look for your buttons or other common graphic elements and stick with those then you will be well on your way to a coordinated design. If you change colors for a different section, but keep the same logo location, the same navigation location, the same button shape, then your visitors will not become lost as they move from page to page.

6. Easy Navigation - Once you have grabbed your visitors attention you want them to be able to easily move around the different areas of your web site. This is done with easy to use navigation. There are three standard, accepted locations for navigation elements on a web page: along the top, on the left side, and at the bottom. I will usually put my main navigation either along the top or along the left side. I will then put text based navigation at the bottom of the page, this text based navigation is more for the search engines than anything else, but it also makes it easy for your visitors to move to the next page when they have reached the bottom of the current page.

Most people start reading a page from the top left and then read towards the bottom right. So navigation at the left or top will be seen as soon as someone enters your page. Also navigation at the left or top will not move or change position if the browser window is adjusted in size. The worst thing you can do is to put your main navigation on the right side of the page and have your page set for a large screen size. Let's say that your page is set for 1024 across with the navigation on the right, and someone views your page at 800 across, they will not see your navigation at all. The left side of your page will show perfectly, but the right side will be hidden outside of their viewing area. Of course by using floating or popup menus you can overcome some of these design limitations and keep your navigation visible at all times.

Unless you know that your audience will enjoy it, don't use Mystery Navigation. This is where your navigation is hidden within images, or spaced around the web page in some mysterious random order. This can be fun on gaming sites, or social networking sites, but in most cases the navigation should be easy to see and easy to use. If you do want to use Mystery Navigation, I would recommend keeping the text based navigation at the bottom of the page, just in case.

7. Have a "Complete" web site - And finally, no one wants to go to a web site only to find that the site is "Under Construction" and the content they are looking for is not there. These are words that you shouldn't ever use. If a section of your web site is not ready for prime time yet, then simply don't show it yet. It is better to have your site look complete and professional, then to have it look like a work in progress that should not be up on the web yet.

You can easily tell your visitors that you will be having more content in the future without having your site look like it is unfinished. Just use phrases like "Content Updated Weekly" or "New Products Added Monthly". Both of these will tell your visitors that it would be worth their time to come back and visit later, but neither one will make your site look unfinished. So no matter how small your web site is, give the impression that you have taken the time to complete the site before putting it up on the internet, this makes for a more professional presentation and a better visitor experience.

In Closing - By following these simple 7 Basics of Good Web Design you will be well on your way to having an easy to use and successful web presence. Just keep in mind what you look for when you first land on a web page after doing a web search in Google or Yahoo, or other search engine. If you want fast loading pages, make sure your pages load fast. If you want to be able to find what you are looking for quickly and easily, then make sure you have easy navigation. Just keep your first time visitor in mind, put yourself in their web shoes and make your web site an enjoyable place to visit and success should follow.


About The Author
George Peirson is a successful Entrepreneur and Internet Trainer. He is the author of over 40 multimedia based tutorial training titles covering such topics as Photoshop, Flash and Dreamweaver. To see his training sets visit www.howtogurus.com . Article copyright 2009 George Peirson

Read More/ Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»

Selasa, 10 Februari 2009

Wisanggeni


Posting khusus Wisanggeni

posting untuk temen2 berbagi......diantara waktu yang mulai memudar dalam cipta kehidupan

Read More/ Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»

Kamis, 05 Februari 2009

The Three Key Ways to Make Your Website a Success

Your company website can stand out and attract visitors in three simple ways. It must draw visitors in, keep visitors on the website long enough to understand what you can offer and keep visitors coming back for more.

If you feel that your current website is under-performing and the subject of online marketing brings you out in a cold sweat then check out our simple guide below to help you understand what you need to do…

1) Entice visitors

Your website has around three seconds to catch your visitors' attention or they're likely to click away. In order to keep your visitors interested you need a website which has an original design and layout and an enticing headline on every page.

Take a look at your website - are you happy with your design? Do you feel your headlines will compel your visitors to keep reading? If the answer to either of these questions is a no then it's time to make sure your website is reaching its potential.


Be honest about what your strengths are, if you have a great business brain but writing isn't your forte then contact a website copywriter to help you with the content on your website. Website copywriters are paid to write headlines that draw visitors in and make sales.

Also, contact a selection of web designers who have a good knowledge of marketing and communicating your message to your visitors. Ask them for ideas and a quote to see what they would do differently in terms of the overall look and feel of your site. It's never too late for a re-brand; if your site has been up for some time and isn't attracting visitors then you need to start to make changes.

2) Hold your visitors' attention

You should constantly be monitoring how long your visitors stay on your website for. If the average visitor sticks around for thirty seconds or less then it probably means that they've taken a look your website and then clicked away.

You need to be aiming to keep the visitor on your website for at least a few minutes so that they can read three or four of your main website pages otherwise they won't have a true understanding of what you can offer them.

Informative and enticing website copy is one way to hold your visitors' attention. Your website copy needs to be written to appeal to your target audience. It needs to be interesting, compelling and persuasive and you need strong calls to action on your website pages so that your visitors can easily contact you or buy from you.

If you don't have a dedicated marketing department or someone who specialises in online marketing then consider contacting a website copywriter. Website copywriters specialise in writing persuasive and targeted content for the web to help businesses generate enquiries and make sales.


3) Keep visitors coming back

Not all of your visitors will buy your products or contact you to make an enquiry the first time they visit your website. The majority of online customers will either compare your service and products to your competitors or take some time to consider their purchase before making an investment.

You need to make sure that your website has enough compelling, informative and interesting content to make visitors return. Weekly updates to your website via blogs and articles can provide a human element to the business and they are also a great way to share company news and advertise promotions.

It can take time to write the content for these so if you don't have someone in house who can provide the copy for blog posts and articles then consider contacting a website copywriter. Experienced website copywriters can produce compelling blog posts and articles for a variety of businesses in different industries, some even offer discounts for multiple articles or blog posts.


About the Author: Pure Ink Creative are experienced website copywriters who can transform your website into a profitable success. These three simple steps can completely alter the performance of your website and turn it into a money-making resource.

Read More/ Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»

Internet Based Network Marketing Success

by: Lana Hampton


Internet based network marketing is a rewarding business for those who can do it right. However, Internet based network marketing can be as daunting to the beginner as to the more experienced in business, especially when considering the size and power of the Internet.

So Internet based network marketing is a potent recipe that can lead to your financial success. The secret to success in Internet based network marketing is a simple duplicable system that anyone can follow-- not just experienced networkers. This includes both online, offline and a combination of the two, for both part-time and full-time participants. PLUS a product you truly believe in. Armed with this combination, you are ready to take on the world.

However, there’s a downside to Internet based network marketing too, as with everything else! No sensible networker will ever advise you to rely 100% on the systems, and with very good reason. The systems assist you in every aspect of your business, but the power of network marketing only begins to multiply when you keep your downline growing too. This can only be done by building relationships with your team, no computer can do that!

Picking your core opportunity can be a very personal thing. You may have had previous experience in a particular industry for example, but eventually it will come down to one key decision - what you are selling or promoting. The secret here is to realize that every Internet based network marketing opportunity has three facets: Retailing, Customer Lead Marketing Plan, and Business Lead Marketing Plan.

Retailing is just focusing on selling a product to a customer to earn a commission. The Customer Lead Marketing Plan is a very powerful marketing plan since customers make the best distributors of products, because they have a personal story to tell. Although it is business builders that will make you the most money, every opportunity will have a marketing plan to follow up with your customers to convert them into business builders. The Business Lead Marketing Plan, on the other hand, is the same for every opportunity although not many people realize it! By learning basic network marketing techniques and perfecting them, it is then easy to share with your downline. This is the key to a successful network marketing business. You are in the people business; your core opportunity is just the vehicle.

So you see, Internet based network marketing is quite easy really, if you get the hang of it. This is your golden opportunity to build your own home business and be the master of your own destiny.

*You have permission to reprint what you just read. Use it in your ezine, at your website or in your newsletter. The only requirement is including the following footer with it...


About the author:
Lana Hampton builds her network marketing business online quickly and easily. To discover how to build your own successful online business, visit http://www.ldhnetworkmarketing.com/today . Reprinting this article is permitted with this footer included.

Read More/ Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»

Internet And Network Marketing Works

by: Lana Hampton

Internet and network marketing are inseparably related today. The phenomenal growth of the Internet has been a great boost for those trying to establish a network marketing business of their own. Whether part time or full time, you can combine the worldwide exposure and instant response so typical of the Internet to build your business from your home or office computer, or for that matter, anywhere in the world. You are always connected.

Many people have made fortunes on the Internet and network marketing has been easy for them for so many reasons. But the one common thing among them is that they have all worked really hard at it. This is no ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme on the Internet and network marketing is just like any other business. You succeed if you persevere.

If you are conversant with the ways of the Internet and network marketing looks like the right thing for you, then start building your business today! Network marketing is a worldwide mega trend today, with about 30,000 people joining network marketing companies per week. And why do you think that is? Because network marketing is a way for an average individual, without any prior business experience and technical training, to establish a worldwide, highly profitable marketing organization, and to run it out of his or her own home.

Network marketing is nothing but a highly efficient way of getting a product from a manufacturer directly into the hands of the customer, without all the middlemen who only serve to increase the cost of the product, and without the traditionally huge advertising expenses incurred by most companies.

The Internet has had great effect on the network marketing industry. Some companies have been very successful in using the Internet and network marketing has been booming. There are several companies with sales in the hundreds of millions dollars annually, who enter between seventy and ninety percent of their orders via the Internet or automatic touchtone ordering. The distributors use this system because they choose to. Those who feel the least bit uncomfortable with technology are free to call an 800 number to place orders with live operators. Most, however, recognize and take advantage of the benefits of the newer technologies.

So don’t have second thoughts about whether or not to make use of the Internet, and network marketing may be just the thing for you. Work at your own time and pace, and slowly but surely build up a residual income. Fulfill your dream of being able to afford the luxuries of life. Enjoy life king-size!

About the author:
Lana Hampton builds her network marketing business online quickly and easily. To discover how to build your own successful online business, visit her Internet and network marketing website today at http://www.ldhnetworkmarketing.com/

Read More/ Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»

MLM Network Marketing Success Secret - Own The Product

by: Sanjay Johari


Did I hear you say that these are not your products? These are somebody else's? Well, well, they say that there is a thin line dividing success and failure. And they also say that it's all in the mindset. I strongly believe in these statements. Together they mean that a subtle change in the thinking pattern can transform failure into success.

Affiliate marketing or MLM network marketing has provided earning opportunity to scores of people. By all indications this form of market promotion is here to stay for a long time.

When an affiliate tries to sell a product for some one else, why would or why should people believe him? What will project him as a person whom people can trust?

Many of the affiliate programs give their affiliates web pages with affiliate links. These can be pages for sales, memberships, or simply for information. An affiliate can display these pages by various means. He remains in the background and hopes that these pre-made web pages will attract people to take a desirable action.

While this approach works in many cases, much better options are available in MLM network marketing or affiliate marketing.

What I am discussing further is for those who have decided to stay in network or affiliate marketing business for longer term and who wish to make a difference by their own efforts.

How can an affiliate influence decisions of his prospective customers? By coming out of the background and offering his opinions, reviews or recommendations. He has various means of reaching out to the interested people – articles, own website, press release, advertisements, mailing to opt-in list - to name just a few.

When the affiliate offers his views or recommendations to others and expects them to act on his call-to-action, it is imperative that he really knows about the product or service he is trying to promote. Just knowing about the product is not sufficient, he should be able to present his case with conviction, feeling and passion.

This is where “owning” the product comes in. If the affiliate doesn’t like the product, he shouldn’t be selling it in the first place. However, if he has decided to promote and sell the product, he needs to know the product so well that he develops a feeling for it. He can consider buying and using the product himself so that he can narrate his first-hand experience. In any case he should try to sell only those products which he truly approves. It should be as if he “owns” the product with all its merits and demerits and is prepared to vouch for its credibility.

He should project his views with true feelings and compassion as a result of his owning the product or accepting the product as his own. If he is less than sincere in his approach, it will somehow show thru and people will most likely not listen to him. True conviction can come only when he truly associates himself with what he is trying to sell.

Even when he puts his heart and soul in his presentation, not many people will believe him in first instance. He will need to develop means (such as a mailing list) to communicate with interested people repeatedly, gradually building his case and persuading them to buy. All thru this process the sincerity and conviction of the affiliate should be clearly visible.

This process has additional fallout which in my opinion is more important. The affiliate builds up his image as someone who is an expert in his field and can be trusted. This image will ensure his income in future. His credibility will be his most important asset.

He will be able to build relationship with his long term customers. This is a gradual process, may take time but creates a solid foundation for future business.

And it all started with his “owning” and endorsing the product in the first place. This is the real foundation for a successful MLM network marketing business.

About the author:
Sanjay Johari regularly writes articles on MLM network marketing. Empower yourself with skill to make affiliate marketing or MLM network marketing work for you. http://www.sanjay-j.com/empowerism.html

Read More/ Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»

Sales Marketing

by: Larryn


Without an effective sales marketing strategy, most businesses would fail within a very short period of time. By simply putting a product or service on the market without the proper research and planning, the chances of finding success are almost nonexistent. While there are isolated cases of success with very little sales marketing preparation and practice, any business that wants to be successful understands the importance of sales marketing. Even products that have already undergone an initial sales marketing effort can begin to see improvement with the consistent introduction of new sales marketing ideas and techniques.

One of the most common ways a business can begin looking at how to come up with an effective sales marketing strategy is to look at the words that make up sales marketing separately- marketing and sales. By taking these two words and then proceeding to produce itemized lists that indicate areas that need improvement can make a manageable foundation on which to build new sales marketing strategies.

Begin with the market that a product or service is geared towards and reassess the information that is currently known about that particular market. It might be necessary to hire independent research firms in order to learn more about a target market in order to get new information for new sales marketing ideas. Make a point to note what products or services are being purchased and how effective the current sales marketing plan is working for those products. Those ideas might be applicable to other areas that aren’t as successful. For the products that are already producing reasonable or exceptional sales, consider what can be done to sell even more of these items to existing and new customers. Consider markets aside from retail that may not have been previously looked at like corporate, industrial, bulk and institutional markets.

Next it is time to consider what sales marketing strategies are being used by the competition and how effective they are for them. Think about how to expand the current market of a product in order to make it more profitable. Consider joining forces by packing a product with another company’s product if they could complement each other and be an irresistible package to the consumer. For example, if a photographer wants to generate more business, a new sales marketing strategy might be to join forces with a florist where both benefit from making referrals to each other. A floral and photo package might be just the niche most couples are looking for in order to have the kind of wedding they want at a price they can afford. A look at the supply chain and a business’s position in relation to the overall market in order to assess where change is needed and for ideas on new sales marketing strategies.

After looking at the factors that affect the sales marketing of a product, it is time to considers key factors for a new sales marketing strategy. Consider new promotional ideas for each product or service, think about if the price of the product or service should be made more competitive, maybe the service or delivery of a product needs to be addressed and unique new ways in which to build a loyal customer base.


About the author:
Larryn is the webmaster and owner of " Best-Sales-Marketing-Strategies.com " and has been researching and reporting on Sales Marketing for years.
http://www.best-sales-marketing-strategies.com/

Read More/ Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»

Building A Profitable Network Marketing Business

by: Cathy Qazalbash


Many people try a network marketing opportunity when they first start an online business. They start with high hopes that this will be an easy way to achieve financial independence. However the novelty soon wears off and the hard reality sets in, there is no such thing as an easy, no work way to start a business.

All businesses great and small require an initial period of disciplined work. There is no such thing as "making 1000's in a few days with no work. Yes, as a home based business person you can "make money in your pajamas," if you wish, but even if you do not get dressed, you still have to discipline yourself to a certain amount of work for your business, on a regular basis. Network marketing is no exception.

Always remember that network marketing is a team business. In order to make money in this field you must be prepared to work closely with your team members. Welcome them to the team, introduce yourself as their upline and offer help if they need it. Some of your team members will respond, others will not, work with the ones who do respond. These are your potentially strong members and are the lifeblood of your business. Try to build relationships with these members by offering help and discussing marketing techniques. Remember the team concept, your downline's success is your success, you will all profit together. If something has been successful with you share, and encourage your team members to share their successes with their downline. In this way you will spread success to all members and build a strong active team, who are continually adding dedicated people to the team. Here are some points to start and build your profitable network marketing business.


Choose a good program that is not too expensive and has good products, that will be useful to you and your members. Take time to do all the research you can before you invest your money. Remember you will be investing your hard earned money and time into this project and will be encouraging others to do so. In order to promote something you must believe in it 100% with no reservations. Your marketing will then come over well and be more successful.

Before you join give careful thought how you will market. A common mistake of newcomers to network marketing is joining programs and not preparing themselves for how they will market the program. Make sure that the program can be marketed to a reasonably wide and accessible market. This will allow you to tap into good sized areas of prospects with relative ease.

Build your team on the "power of 3" basis. Let me explain: Market to a targeted section of people until you have 3 determined team members, serious and willing to work with you. They will be the foundation of your strong and profitable team. Train these 3 and share with them all the successful methods of marketing that you have used. Encourage and help them to get 3 good active members and train them in the same way. Those 3 members will train 3 members themselves and your team will grow to be a powerful profitable business for you all.


As you grow your first team find another, if possible related program and build your team the same way. Some of your team members may like to join a second program with you, if they like your leadership but never try to pressure them into it. Just make a suggestion and let them decide. You can build a third and possibly a forth program with these techniques. This should be enough to give you and your teams a nice monthly income. After your initial work you will only have to do a few hours of work a week to maintain your teams and advertise on a regular basis.

A few marketing techniques that do well for network marketing are:


Ezine Advertising: Keep careful track of these ads and see which do well and what has flopped. Target Home Business Opportunity ezines and newsletters. When you get enough money together try offline Home Opp magizines.

Distribute info articles on network marketing, draw attention to your affiliate link in the Bio box or draw prospects to your theme website, with all your opportunities "under one roof."

The usual website promotions like Search Engines Pay-Per-Clicks and Linking will work to bring interested prospects to your site.

Google Adwords can be used for affiliate sites if you do not want to build your own website.

You can buy leads but be very careful of the quality and age of these leads. You can waste a lot of money with this method of prospecting.

These are just a few points that can help you build a successful Network Marketing business. The golden rules to remember are, never join a program that you have not found a way to market and always work with your team members. together you will all build a profitable network marketing business and gain true financial freedom.


About the author:
Cathy is a freelance writer, publisher and copywriter. She has written over a hundred articles on small business development and marketing. She is also a Juvio Independent Associate Member
http://www.795096.167aday.com/

Read More/ Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»

Best Internet Marketing Solutions Without Overspending

by: David Riewe


The Internet has made this world an open enterprise. It has become important for companies to further expand their market and their consumer targets. Engaging to Internet Marketing maybe a risk for people who wish to be involved with this type of business.

Ensure that most of your target consumers will surely acquire your product. Consider the best products which will definitely capture their interests and needs. This means that you need to identify specifically who these people are, their location and financial level in the society. Have a marketing knowledge and skill to achieve your goal in the field of Internet marketing.

At the present, you can use varied Internet Marketing Solutions that is being offered by companies which can be your tool for support to your consumers. This solution maybe email marketing, search engine optimization or creating web pages or sites. Since you need to maximize your return profit, you need to choose Internet Marketing Solutions that will help you achieve this. These marketing techniques will not cost much since they are very self-explanatory, thus, learned easily.

Email marketing is a common Internet marketing Solution. This is a cost effective way of communicating and interacting to your consumers, driving them to visit your website and check out your products. It may be in a way of marketing articles, leading them to forums or newsletters. A newsletter has an advantage of expanding your consumers as more and more sign up on it until you can have a bulk list of emails.

Another great Internet marketing solution is through websites. This is a good promotion strategy to employ since you can display all the necessary information for your target consumers. The website should capture their interest and be complete since every transaction, from inquiry to payments may take place. All correspondence that will be done online must be well-facilitated by the features of your website.

Another Internet marketing solution is search engine optimization. This is a type of service for your website that you can make use of in order to raise the number of visitors to your site. Once a consumer uses a search engine, your website will rank high in the list of searches which in return will increase your site's traffic.

Considering these Internet Marketing Solution, there are different companies offering software products containing one or all of these solutions. It would be a great opportunity to try one of these which will match your financial capability and expected return profit.

About the author:
Little Known Minnesota Man Making Six Figures Per Year Online, From the Comfort of Home, Reveals His Top Internet Money-Makers to YOU!" Click here: http://www.push-button-online-income.com/pbi

Read More/ Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»

How To Choose The Right Network Marketing Opportunity

by: shawn johnson


I think it's fair to say that most of us have at one time or another been introduced to network marketing by friends, family, or even complete strangers. And they always make it sound so easy, don't they? We are told that all it takes is a few e-mails or a phone call or two and then it's afternoons lounging on some tropical beach.

Of course, anyone who has joined a network marketing opportunity knows it isn't quite that easy. But this doesn't necessarily mean that network marketing is a scam either. There are thousands of people who are enjoying a massive residual income every month from work they only had to do once. But how do you choose which network marketing opportunity is the right one for you?

Product
The first and most important thing to look out for is to make sure the opportunity your interested in is a legitimate one and not a pyramid scheme. And the best way to do this is by looking at the company’s product. A pyramid scheme will usually have a product of little or no value that is used mainly for the recruitment of others. Ask yourself if it is something that you can use and sell outside of the program?

Would you buy and use the company’s product even if you were not involved in the income opportunity? If the product is only useful in recruiting others into the program than you should probably stay away from it. And do you truly believe in the product? No, not because your sponsor tells you how great it is, but do YOU really believe that the company’s product is worth buying?

And is there a need for the product? I once watched a show where people submitted their inventions in a contest and as all of these people gave their presentations I remember thinking "wow, these are all really cool!" But as the judges began tearing the inventions apart I realized that while some of the inventions were pretty nifty, they weren't really very useful to anyone besides those who invented them. So make sure that the company's product has a real demand for it.

Investment
We have been told most of our lives that you get what you pay for. While this may be true with a lot of other things, it is not necessarily so with network marketing. It is easy to believe that because an income opportunity is low cost it must not work, and if it is expensive than it must make you money. This is not true, in fact it is quite the opposite.

The more expensive an opportunity is, the harder it is going to be to get people involved. And the harder you are going to kick yourself in the backside if it ends up not working for you. There are plenty of lucrative opportunities that cost between forty and two hundred dollars. Remember, you will still need money to advertise your business.

Compensation
How much money you will actually make from each sale is a huge factor in determining your financial success. Make sure that the company is giving you a reasonable commission. If you only get a buck or two from every sale you make this is most likely not going to be very profitable for you.

Try to avoid programs that force you to go wide on your first level, or who don't reward you for going deep. The average network marketer only recruits two to four people, so you will want an opportunity that allows your downline to go deep which will make it easier for everyone and may help people from quitting the program.

Many companies also offer incentives such as fast start bonuses which can really jumpstart your earnings. You should be rewarded for your work right? There are many opportunities that have excellent bonuses so there is really no need to join one that does not.

The Company
It is always good to know who you are dealing with. Do a little research on the company and the program your thinking about getting involved with. Are there any complaints or lawsuits against them? Do former members relate awful experiences in network marketing forums?

You also don't want to get involved with a company too early or too late. Make sure they have been in business long enough to establish that they are trustworthy but at the same time you don't want to get involved so late that the market has already become saturated.

Training

The success of your network marketing business depends greatly on your ability to keep your downline members active and to train them to recruit and keep their downline active as well. Duplication is the key to success with network marketing. The program should have great marketing tools, training, and excellent customer support. Some opportunities even have a members only forum which is a huge plus.

Recruiting Friends and Family
It can be really exciting when you first join a network marketing opportunity. Your full of energy, motivated about the product, and eager to get started. But you really should give yourself at least six months and some sales before you start calling the family tree.

That way if after the first two months it doesn't work out you won't feel stupid and have to hear "I told you so" from your loved ones. If your presenting a new opportunity to them every month it won't take very long before you won't be taken seriously.

Free Trials

The majority of opportunities have anywhere from a 7 to 30 day free trial where you can have full access to the program. This is the best way to see if it is going to work for you. Just make sure that you do a little research and see if the company honors these free trials without problems. Since most opportunities these days have a free trial, you need to think hard before deciding if you should join one that does not.

Network Marketing can have great rewards, or great consequences. These tips can steer you in the right direction and help you avoid some of the common mistakes that many of us make when getting involved in network marketing.

Most importantly, always go with your gut instincts and use common sense. If an opportunity doesn't seem right to you...Don't Do It! I have yet to come across a "once in a lifetime" opportunity so there is ALWAYS time to take a breather and do some research. Don't worry, the program will still be there tomorrow.



About the author:

Shawn Johnson is the webmaster for
http://internet-marketing-reviews.net/ where you can find real reviews on today's hottest income opportunities.

Read More/ Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»

Webmasters Guide

» Directory Submission Strategies
Research each directory and categories that will fit your domain/sites. Another reason why manual directory submissions are far much better than automatic blasters or auto submissions is that you need to think through very carefully what categories fit your sites...more>>>



» 7 reasons why your website might not be a success

With so many new websites going up, it is hard sometimes to tell if your site will be a big success or an unexpected flop? if you are unsure of whether or not your site will fly with visitors or crash and burn, this article is definitely for you. now we all know the importance of great service, but if your website doesn't communicate this, then you could be headed for failure...more>>>


» Giving your website visitors the right impression

Think of the people who visit your site as blind dates. When you open the door, your blind date usually knows whether they are attracted to you within the first minute. How do they know? Easy. By how you look, what you say, and how you treat them. If you open the door wearing the same clothes you wore in 1987...more>>>



» Simple and easy ways to advertise online

Some people say that advertising is everything! Regardless if you have a product, a service, a hobby website or just want to share pictures of your wedding, you have to advertise somehow to get the traffic to your site or blog. But not all traffic is equal. There are services that can help you drive tons and tons of traffic to your site and it won't do you any good at all because it's not targeted traffic...more>>>


» Search Engine optimization - 10 steps to follow

The art to successfully increase the rank of your website is a true science with no overnight solution. Some people believe you have to pay to be listed in the top of the search results. This is not true for the majority of search engines. The websites listed on the top are listed there because they are ranked higher and more relevant to a particular keyword search, by that search engine, than the websites listed below...more>>>



» Website Promotion Mistakes

When webmasters have created their final master piece, their next step is to promote, promote and promote. This is a vital step in survival of your website and will increase your sales and visitors. Many webmasters, especially beginners, gets so excited and want to take major steps so that they can get hundreds of visitors next day. Sometimes they try to adopt many illegal ways to promote their website...more>>>


» 12 Things You Really Should Know About SEO
From the very beginning of the Internet, the number one challenge which all of us have faced is how to attract qualified visitors to our websites. Throughout the boom years, one of the most popular solutions was to get massive funding, relatively easy to get in those days, and "buy" traffic, by various means...more>>>


» The 5 Most Common SEO Mistakes
Having been in the business of optimizing web sites for high search engine rankings for over five years now, I have come across a number of “optimized” sites that use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques that are just plain WRONG...more>>>


» 5 Free Ways to Increase Your Website Traffic
I don't know about you, but when I first entered the world of internet marketing I thought I could just submit my newly finished website to a few search engines, then sit back as the visitors flocked to my site...more>>>


» What Should You Know About Search Engines & Pay Per Click?
Here’s a fact for you, 85 to 95% of websites are found through a search engine. You may have the most incredible website on the Internet, but it will receive little or no traffic without search engine visibility and ranking. Can you imagine a billboard in the Sahara desert? Who sees it? ...more>>>


» How to Write a Better Web Page Title

Titles are everywhere. Some people are defined by titles, some people loathe titles, and others like giving titles. Why do we do this? With so much information getting processed by our minds everyday, we need a way to categorize these groups of associated content in a quick referencing way...more>>>


» Blogging for SEO

It's no secret that blogs are great for helping to boost your seo rankings. You can use a blog to get a new site ranked quickly and ahead of your main site if you are dedicated to posting on a frequent basis...more>>>


» How to Choose a Right Web Hosting Service?

Indeed, choosing a right web hosting service for your website is not an easy task especially when there are thousands of web hosting providers all offering almost identical web hosting packages. Therefore, it is important to know few major considerations even before you start your web hosting search...more>>>


» Making An RSS Feed

Now, how does something reading our RSS file know that the information above is for our "channel" when it looks just like item information? Simple. As long as we don't surround this information with an opening and closing tags, it won't be seen as item information but rather as channel information...more>>>


» How do I drive traffic to a brand new website?
Every single day, more and more people upload brand new websites to the Internet. I don't have any figures but there must be hundreds of thousands of new pages being added daily...more>>>


» Web Site Hosting Plan - Key Elements
What are the key elements in a good web host package? The answer to that question depends mainly on the service you expect from the web host provider. To decide what you need, you'll need to have at least a brief understanding of the typical services and features offered by web hosting companies...more>>>


» Unique Features that leading Web Hosts Are Now Offering
Some web hosts are offering more than others for the same price or even for a lower price. There is no denying the fact that as competition increases amongst web hosting services, many are looking for ways and means to stand out and be different from their competitors...more>>>


» How To Find The Top Keywords Relating To Your Theme
Have you ever wondered what people are searching for online? More specifically have you ever wondered what people are searching for as it relates to the theme of your website?...more>>>


» How to get 50 High PR One Way Links Each Month
It’s easy. So easy it’s almost criminal. But I can get one-way High PR links whenever I want. How? Come closer. Let me whisper in your ear. It involves articles, the google toolbar and a tracking sheet. That’s it’s. Because there’s really nothing to getting high PR one way links...more>>>


» How You Can Get Search Engines TOP Rankings the Easy Way
Search engines are still an awesome way to build traffic to your site without having to spend our money. One of the biggest myth in the web is that you can get search engines top rankings easily...more>>>


» Seo for Google

How Google Indexes Your Site , Google TrustRank , How to Get Your Site a Top Ranking in Google , How to Create a Google Site Map ...more>>>


» Three sites that will increase your traffic for free!
What good is a website if no one visits? And how do you get traffic to your website without spending a fortune? Getting visitors to your website doesn't have to be hard and you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars to find out how to get more traffic. It just involves some common sense...more>>>


» Log File Analysis and SEO
If you own or manage a website, you are probably already aware of the importance of your log files or site statistics. Such data can give you insights about your site's usability, errors in your HTML code, the popularity of your site pages and the type of visitors your site attracts. But did you know it can also highlight the success or failure of your search engine optimization campaign? ...more>>>


» Making An RSS Feed

RSS is a method of distributing links to content in your web site that you'd like others to use. In other words, it's a mechanism to "syndicate" your content...more>>>


» META SEARCHING: THE GOOD, THE BAD, & THE UGLY
First, a definition. Meta Search - A search tool that queries several search engines and/or web directories simultaneously and returning the results in a single merged list without the duplicate links. Confused? Let me give you an example. Let's say there is a meta search engine you have recently found that searchs two engines, say Google and Yahoo...more>>>


» Guidelines for successful indexing on MSN

Here are some recommendations that may help MSNBot and other web crawlers effectively index and rank your site. We've also provided a list of items and techniques that MSN Search discourages...more>>>


» Tips for Registering a Good Domain Name

People often ask me this question, "how can I choose a good domain name?" - for this reason, I have come up with 10 basic tips that you should follow in order to have that domain name of your dreams...more>>>



» Amazing Secrets Of A Free Traffic Generation MASTER
For many websites... especially new sites, one of the fastest, surest ways to drive traffic to the site is pay per click search engines. The RISK in using pay per clicks is that you don't know how well that traffic is going to convert before you've paid for it. You can adjust your webpages and your pay per click listing fairly quickly, but today I want to share with you two of my MAJOR free traffic generation methods...more>>>


» What Some Web Hosts Don’t Want You To Know
Many start-up web hosts in their desperate attempt to get hosting business from you have plenty to hide. Here are some of the things they will never tell you. For some start-up web hosts, service does not exist. Low cost or budget web hosting services are the ones most likely to fall under this category....more>>>


» The Basics of SEO - Some FAQs
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a foreign field to a lot of people. Rarely does a day go by when I don't get asked a few questions on the subject. So I've decided to post this FAQ article in the hopes that it will help people understand the basics, and make them a little more comfortable with the whole domain...more>>>


» Do You Need a Web Site Monitoring Service?
You can do a splendid job obtaining high search engine ranking and an equally fine job marketing your site. However, your hard work will be of little value unless your site and servers are up and fully operational. Unfortunately, items such as software lockups, hardware failures, databases, hackers, viruses, worms, service patches, and Internet connectivity can all play a critical role in your online success...more>>>


» A Slice Of The Google Pie
Everyone knows that Google makes billions every year. The question is how can you get a slice of this rather big pie? The answer lies in linking people to other peoples websites...more>>>


» How to Submit Your Site to Directories
Unlike submitting to search engines, submitting your site to directories and niche portals usually involves a lot more than simply typing in your URL. You often have to start by researching the various topic categories to find the most appropriate area to submit to. Then you generally have to provide some detailed information about your site, its’ content, your company and your contact details...more>>>


» The 3 Best Website Traffic Sources
Not a day goes by that any serious website owner doesn't wonder how to get more traffic to their site. This intense desire to generate more clicks makes virtually any online entrepreneur easy prey to many of the traffic schemes and scams that pervade the Internet like conmen on a carnival midway...more>>>


» 10 Easy Steps to a User Friendly Website
As a busy search engine optimization consultant, I don't have a lot of time to manage my website. But recently I learnt the hard way about the fickle nature of website visitors and the damage that having a user- unfriendly site can do to a business. Now I give my website usability much more priority than ever before...more>>>


» Introduction to Web Hosting

If you want other people to view your web site, you must copy your site to a public server. Even if you can use your own PC as a web server, it is more common to let an Internet Service Provider (ISP) host your site...more>>>


» WebSite Promotion: Give Your Online Promotion An Instant Boost
Promoting a web site the right way means using a multi-layered system. If you are expecting big sales from a one or two method web site promotion plan, you are in for a rude awakening...more>>>


» Traffic Exchange Sites
Traffic Exchange Sites are websites where you get page views of your own site in exchange for visiting others. Many such sites are available. However, choosing the right one or a combination of them can be a very time consuming process...more>>>


» Website Traffic Analysis: Is Weblog Analysis Adequate?
The Internet bubble may have burst, but Internet marketing is stronger than ever. Paid search engine advertisement is growing at a stratospheric rate of 25% per quarter (not per year). Internet sales are growing at a rate much faster than overall retail sales. The Amazon stock has nearly tripled in a year...more>>>

Read More/ Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»

The Secrets of Corporate Blogging

by: Karoline White


Web logs, popularly known as Blogs, have become one of the hottest communication tools on the Web. Offering the opportunity for anyone to create their own free Web site, encouraging opinions and interaction, Blogs provide forums for individuals to create their own highly personal presentations to the Web audience, and for consortia of all types to experience the sort of online community feeling that was pioneered by early newsgroups and by the phenomenal success of AOL in the 1990s.

Blogs have reached into the corporate and government sectors as well. A prominent federal magazine suggests that some company employees spend more time Blogging than on personal e-mail, an average of over an hour a day. What started out as an outlet for teenage expression and grassroots journalism has turned into a lucrative communications tool for small and large businesses alike.

General Motors’ Vice Chairman, Bob Lutz, turned to the company’s Blog when rumors surfaced about the discontinuation of the Pontiac and Buick brands. It became a means for a direct response, a way to talk to their consumers unfiltered.

Other companies such as Sun Microsystems and Microsoft are also recognizing the impact of Blogging in their relationships with their customers and employees. In an article dated June 5, 2005, The Washington Post proposed that there were more than 100 official corporate blogs in existence, with hundreds more on the horizon.

Although the a major newspaper called Blogging “ephemeral, fast-paced and scathingly opinionated,” blogs continue to grow steadily in the corporate world and companies are realizing their value.


Corporate Blogging

Internal Communication

Corporate Blogging refers to a company producing or supporting a blog that it uses to accomplish business objectives. A blog can serve many purposes in a corporate setting. Internally, a blog can be a forum for discussion about work-related issues. The informal atmosphere is encouraging to internal corporate communication. From small-scale discussions to virtual “town meetings,” in which employees at all levels feel that they can be heard, blogs promote collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Blogging can help establish a company or employee as an expert in their field. By posting information about a certain topic, a person exhibits their knowledge of the subject matter, setting himself up as an authority. People will come to equate the site and the author with that topic. This reputation for subject mastery and expertise can boost your sales and consumer opinion.

A blog can be an interactive addition to an intranet or e-mail newsletters. Since automatic update notification is possible on blogs, people are more likely to stay on top of the latest postings.

Public Communication

Blogs can be used to communicate to prospects, clients, employees and the media. Press releases and project updates can be posted, as well as job opportunities or information that the company wants to distribute outside of the normal news channels.

A blog can strengthen the bonds between the company and its customers. When a company presents itself honestly and transparently, it not only builds trust, but instills loyalty as well. Customers are more likely to work with a company they feel they know better than another. Blogs allow for that informal communication. They create good word-of-mouth among customers who don’t read the trade magazines or business pages. The nature of a blog fosters that image of transparency and openness for a company. Most people prefer companies who are honest in their dealings and frank about their issues. As seen in the media with the Dan Rather case, a blog can illuminate the truth through encouraging people to share what they know.

Blogging also reflects forward thinking. By staying current with the technological trends, you give your company a fresh image.

A blog can serve as a recruiting method. Interested job seekers can examine the company by reading its blog.

When testing a new product or service, a blog is an excellent place to give more detailed instructions or receive feedback.

Although, comments can be negative. Not everyone will agree with what is said on a blog. Instead of preventing them, welcome the constructive criticism and edit comments only to remove profanity and personal attacks.

The Down Side

There are some drawbacks to blogging. It is not a magic solution to your business needs. Many people feel that blogging popularity is much like the Internet in the 90's, a promise of money, but not necessarily delivery.

Blogging can lead to legal issues as well. Companies have real concerns about liability, exclusions and limitations, and indemnity. Although there are laws that protect against libel, misappropriations and other injuries suffered as a result of posts on the Web, companies can be held vicariously responsible for statements made by employees that are harmful to others.

In any medium where an employee is sharing information, there is the possibility of leaking trade secrets or financial information. Former Google employee Mark Jen was famously fired for gabbing about life at the company on his personal blog, not sanctioned by Google.

Like all essentially unfiltered communication, blogs can get personal. Many bloggers feel the need to discuss their personal lives as well as their professional ones. Companies must be careful not to stifle communications by keeping personal lives out of the workplace. By doing this, they risk closing down the lines of communication entirely.

Inevitably, a disgruntled employee may use this as an opportunity to badmouth the company. This is not limited to blogs, since an unhappy employee has a variety of mediums through which to vent his disapproval. Blogs just make it easy.

The content may not have enough substance to warrant or hold an audience. Some companies fill their blog with marketing fluff. People can see right through this and will most likely ignore the site. Blogs should be used for transparency, not shameless self-promotion.

Best Practices

Fine Print. Since there are so many legal issues surrounding blogs, it is imperative that the site has some sort of disclaimer and limitation of liability.

Know What You’re Doing. Senior management should be educated by the corporate communications and legal department about what blogs are and how they might affect business.

Create blogging policies. A company should have a list of policies regarding blogging to ensure that trade secrets are kept secret and personal lives do not become public. Policies may include keeping financial information from being posted, as well as severe consequences for anyone using the blog for negative publicity.

Avoid the Marketing Blog. Making your blog into a blatant marketing campaign is a bad idea. Customers are looking for real answers and honest opinions. They will pick up on insincerity instantly.

Keep It Fresh. Make content relevant and timely. Update the blog as often as possible with the most worthwhile news. This will encourage people to come back.

Reinforce the company’s core values. Then, make sure the content fits these values and supports the business strategy.

Encourage employees to use it, but remind them of the ramifications of their actions.


Free versus Paid Products

When creating a blog, there are hundreds of services and software from which to choose. The first decision to make is whether to go with a free service or pay for one.

For paid services, the cost varies depending on the features used. The basic hosting fee for a domain is anywhere from $5 to $15 a month. The domain name will need to be registered yearly, which can cost $5 to $35. This does not include the software, which may also have to be purchased.

While free services offer the basic necessities of blogging, paid services are usually more desirable since they have more to offer.

With a free service, the company offers a free site, but it may contain advertisements to offset the cost of maintenance. A paid site will not have any advertisements.

Most free services have a variety of templates to choose from for the look of the site, but paid services offer highly customizable designs.

In addition to the basic functions, paid blogs offer the ability to upload photos and images and tailor links on the site. They also offer better security and allow the creator to censor or control comments. Paid sites normally lead to a higher search engine ranking. They enable the creator to configure search output and there are fewer restrictions placed on paid sites.

Paid news aggregators will often keep a list of recently updated blogs and will rank them, showing new sites and newly added photo albums.

For a simple blog, any free service will do, but to get a truly customized and highly functioning product, it will take paying something for it.


RSS Feeds

With the rising popularity of blogs, it has become increasingly time-consuming to keep track of ones that are of interest. No one has time to check each and every favorite blog every day to search for new content. RSS feeds have become the solution.

RSS feeds are small XML files that contain a headline, date/time and description and link to information published on a blog. When used along with a feed reader, or news aggregator, they give an update on the newest content that has been added to a blogging site to a subscribed user.

RSS was developed in several different versions, each with a different meaning. RSS can stand for Really Simple Syndication, Rich Site Summary or RDF Site Summary, depending on the version used. All versions do the same thing, though. They provide a summary of information. They send a blog’s highlights to subscribers instantly upon publication. RSS feeds save the user from having to visit the site for updates.

To receive RSS feed, a user must have a feed reader, also commonly referred to as a news aggregator. This can be software, a Web-based service, extension or built into a browser. It essentially takes the XML code and translates it into readable information. When the “update” button on the feed reader is clicked, it searches all of the subscribed sites’ RSS feed for new information.

Having a RSS feed greatly increases the traffic to a blogging site because it provides an easy way to keep an audience abreast of the latest developments. Once someone is a subscriber, he will continue to be involved in the site. RSS also makes it easier for someone to add a site as a link onto their own site.


Blogging inherently encourages communication and the transfer of ideas. Blogging lets businesses extend their reach and strengthen consumer loyalty, as well as get people talking about their product. It's a matter of perception, encouraging integrity and strengthing relationships in the corporate world. Blogging has become the trademark of forward thinking companies, willing to suffer a few stings in order to get to the benefits it has to offer.




About the author:
Karoline White is a Content Developer at Brook Group, a Web site design firm near Washington, DC. For more articles, visit http://www.usabilityandbranding.com/. For more information about the author, visit http://www.brookgroup.com/

Read More/ Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»
AdvertiseShare

Followers

New Posting

New Comments

Sharing-Dollar

Exchange-Dollar

Si-Obama

Blog-SiDoel

BlogieMoney

Dollarmu-Dollarku

DarDerDorBlog

Tukar-Dollar

Kembali lagi ke atas