Email newsletters are a powerful tool that can be used to boost your marketing efforts, without draining your marketing budget. They provide a platform to discuss issues happening in your market, your customers’ potential concerns due to economic shifts and new tips, tools or products.

Offering a newsletter benefits you in multiple ways, including:

1. Helping to build your email list

2. Establishing you as an expert in your service or product arena

3. Providing a great reason to reach out to your list – keeping your company Top Of Mind

4. Enabling you to establish a strong Loyalty program

5. Driving traffic to your site

There are some pitfalls to avoid. Email marketing can be tricky because you want to reach out regularly, but you do not want to over do it. Make sure your e-newsletters are pertinent to your audience. You also want to give recipients an easy way to opt-out with every communication, so they know they do not have to make a long term commitment.

Some of these key mistakes to avoid include:

1. Sending unsolicitated emails more than once. You never want to be viewed as SPAM. When sending your e-newsletter to someone for the first time, you may want to include a line that explains where you got their address and ask them to sign-up for future e-newsletters.

2. Sending poorly designed or written newsletter. Remember, every marketing piece is a reflection of your brand, including your e-newsletter.

3. Using your newsletter simply as a brag piece or an advertisement. It should include helpful information that recipients will benefit from.

4. Be sure to include a clear “call to action”, whether a request for feedback, link providing more detailed information or additional articles, or a coupon or discount offer.

5. Always include contact information and links to your web site and email.

There are some great web-based e-marketing services, but my favorite is ConstantContact.com. Their prices are low enough for the most budget conscience business and they offer all you need to get started – including FREE online tutorials and local seminars. I have learned a lot from both their site and their in-person trainings.

If you don’t have the time yourself, use Resource Nation’s business service directory and find online marketing experts that can help.

As a small business internet marketing consultant, I’m often confronted with some common misconceptions about online marketing. These misconceptions are often based on poor advice from consultants or web designers that my clients have spoken with in the past. Sometimes these misconceptions are a result of a poor experience or a misunderstanding.

Regardless of their source, these myths often keep small business owners from achieving success marketing online. I’m here to set the record straight.

Here are some common misconceptions about marketing and promoting your small business online: (more…)

These are difficult economic times that send shivers down the most optimistic entrepreneur’s spine, but there is a silver lining. It is during difficult financial times that the smartest, forward thinking companies rise to the top. The biggest challenge is to survive and the best way to do so is with a good plan.

Often times as sales decrease, the first thing companies cut is their marketing budgets, but in order to maintain or increase sales, it is important to have a strong market presence – keeping your company’s product or service out there and top of mind. That said it is possible to cut back on costs and increase outreach by developing a smart marketing strategy. Just having a good plan can save time, design and printing costs and cut down on waste.

For many a marketing plan may seem overwhelming or unnecessary. For some, when sales really slow, they feel a need just to do something; an ad or a direct mail piece, or some other marketing opportunity – taking a shot gun approach and hoping to hit something. In the end, this approach can be costly and ineffective. So make a plan, it can always be changed if it is not working. Here are some steps to make the process simpler:

To begin, first determine a marketing budget for the year. Depending on the profit margin of your product and service 2% - 5% of gross forecasted sales should be a minimum budget. If you have a high profit margin, you could increase that percentage a bit. If you do not have forecasted sales numbers, focus on a sales goal for the year.

Next, once you have that budget number, begin to divide up the amount by your marketing tactics. I recommend the following tools – collateral, web site, electronic and print advertising, direct mail, events, etc. When looking at these options, also keep in mind your target market and the mediums they respond to the best. Be sure you have a mix of tactics to ensure a solid “cross-media” strategy. If you find your budget is too tight to do all the items you would like, shift more of your budget to areas that offer a higher return on investment or allocate more of your budget to specific times of year which historically have provided better response rates. Build in a mechanism to track response to your marketing efforts. Web and e-marketing will have analytics built in, but just always asking, “How Did You Hear About Us?” is valuable information.

One tactic that should be included as a component in your marketing plan is a loyalty program. During a time when everyone will be reviewing their spending, customer loyalty is very important. It is easier and less costly to keep a customer than to get a new one. Service is a big part of loyalty, but special programs, deals and communication to your “regulars” will go a long way in keeping them. Plus, they will be the best source of referrals and viral marketing.

Finally, remember to review your plan throughout the year. Re-evalutate, look at actual sales vs. forecasted sales and adjust your budget numbers appropriately. Also, you should check to make sure you are getting the greatest return on investment (ROI) for each tactic you use. When one tactic out performs another, than you should shift dollars to increase the effectiveness, cutting out what does not work. Marketing methods are always changing, new markets open up, and technology is playing a greater role every day so try some new things too! Good luck.

Businesses looking to make inroads online could learn a great deal from the social networking employed by the Barack Obama campaign for President of the United States. Ever since he took on Hilary Clinton and won in a stunning upset once thought impossible by political pundits, Obama and his team (including 24-year-old Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes) have used social networking and online marketing techniques to mobilize their forces, get donations and spread the word about the candidate and his message.

In January, Obama set a record for donations in one month by raising a total of $32 million dollars, $28 million of which was raised online. From these $28 million in online contributions, 90% were under $100, with over 250,000 contributors (source). In February, Obama didn’t attend one single fundraiser and still managed to raise $55 million online.

How did the Obama team do it? Here are several key elements to the social networking aspect of the campaign.

The website. Obama’s official website (www.barackobama.com) has a strong social networking element. The site is filled with ways for supporters to share information and learn about speeches and gatherings in their area. After spending just a few minutes on the website, it is easy to see that it was created by professionals who understand the importance of interactivity and a strong user interface. With every piece of content comes the opportunity to make a donation.

The tools. The Obama website gives users a lot of options for customization. The site provides tools for supporters to hold their own meetings and fundraisers – setting the guidelines to help run the events, but allowing each individual to determine how much money they wish to ask for and the style of the event.

The email campaigns. At organized Obama events, supporters are only asked for an email address, not a donation. Those who sign up to be on the official Obama for President mailing list receive smart, highly coordinated emails several times a week. These emails are geo-targeted on many occasions to alert the individual about upcoming events in their area. The emails also have a personal feel, sporting a relaxed style of writing and are often penned by the candidate, his chiefs of staff or even his wife Michele.

Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. No politician has run for office during the heyday of the major social networking sites, but Obama really has no fear when it comes to using these entities to further his cause. Check into Facebook and you will find the official Obama group and thousands of like-minded groups. Get over to Twitter and you can follow every move the candidate makes as he crisscrosses the country. Even MySpace is filled with efforts to spread the word among voters who are likely taking part in their first election. The campaign understands the limited resources of young Americans, and asks for only small donations on these sites.

The access. Unlike his competitor John McCain, Barack Obama has been an active part of his online campaigns. He writes his own emails and creates exclusive videos just for his online supporters. The result is an immediacy and personal nature to his campaign that few candidates will ever match.

Whether or not Obama wins the presidency in November, he and his outstanding online marketing team have changed the way politicians reach out to the American public and generate funds for their campaign. By knowing the ins and outs of the most current, most popular forms of online marketing, he has set an example not only for future candidates, but businesses that want to target customers with pinpoint accuracy and build their brand online via email, website and social marketing techniques.

Many people have great ideas or amazing skills, but are intimidated mightily by the idea of starting their own business.  But starting a business is easier than you might think.  In fact, with the right information and motivation, you can start a business in one month.  Think that’s crazy?   The steps below show you how to make it happen!

Step #1:  Come up with a killer idea!

The ways in which individuals come to their great business ideas are as varied as snowflakes.  Some budding entrepreneurs nurture an idea for many years, tirelessly refining it along the way until the moment is absolutely perfect to release it to the world.  Other people are hit with a lightning bolt one day, and are ready to go right into business.  No matter how you and your idea come together, the one month plan starts right when your business idea is ready to go.

Tip:  A business coach can help turn the idea in your head into a reality.

Step #2: Learn about your market

The first month of your business’ life is the most important.   And one of the crucial first steps in the process involves researching the market in which you plan on doing business.   Take two days and study the competitive landscape.  During this period you should:

• Look at what your potential competitors are doing in terms of pricing, product or service offerings and marketing methods.
• Seek out opportunities that your competitors may be missing.  Are there demographics that are being underserved?  Is there an opportunity to price your products or services in such a way that it will open up NEW markets?
• Create a competitive analysis that you can use as a reference tool moving forward.

Tip:  Use Microsoft PowerPoint to create your competitive analysis.

Step #3: Create a business plan

After you’ve completed two days of competitive analysis, it is time to craft the most crucial part of your new business to this point – the business plan.  The business plan serves two purposes:  it explains to potential partners, investors and clients what your business is all about, and helps you form a clear plan for the first years of your business.

Tips from expert business plan writers

• Start with a clear, concise purpose statement.  Sum up your business in a short paragraph.
• Get into details.   Really use the business plan to show that you are well-versed in your chosen industry and know exactly what you hope to accomplish.
• Include detailed financial projections for the next three years.

Tip:  Hire a professional business plan writer who has experience working with small businesses and start ups.

Step #4: Get financing

Once the business plan is complete, it is time to focus on the capital that will get you off the ground.  For many people, obtaining financing is the most intimidating part of starting a business, but there are several sources for money that generate start up funds quick – and considering we’re getting your business up in just a month, time is of the essence!

Sources for obtaining financing include:  family and friends, business grants from the government, business loans at banks or other lending institutions and venture capitalists.  With the exception of family and friends, all these sources will be more likely to give you money if your business plan is an A-plus and your pitch is detailed, smart and enthusiastic.

Step #5:  Creating a legal business entity

While you are waiting for your financing to come through, make good use of the time by incorporating your business and turning it into a legal entity.

Becoming a legal entity is one of the smartest decisions that a business owner can make.  Legal entities such as S-Corps, C-Corps and LLCs help protect the business owner financially if anything were to go wrong with their business.   Say a business goes bankrupt.  If that happens to a legal entity, it is the business that owes the debt and not the individual.  This can protect your home and other investments if the unthinkable were to happen.

And the protection is not just bankruptcy related.  If an employee or customer is injured at your place of business, or feels that you have wronged them and wants to pursue legal action, the Corporation would pay the bills or any financial settlements.

Tip:  In most states, creating a legal business entity is a relatively easy process and can be completed in a matter of days.

Step #6:  Branding your business

Now it’s time to get to the fun stuff.  Branding is one of the most important, yet oft overlooked elements of building a business.  This is where you can really start to set your business apart from the crowd.  Logos, the “voice” of your message, and even the name of your business all should communicate what makes your company special – and explain to the customer (in a matter of seconds) why they need to be doing business with you.

TIP: We should be well into the second or third week of our one-month plan at this point, so if you don’t feel comfortable working with design and copy yourself, hire a professional who can do the job fast, creatively and most of all, cost effectively.

Step #7:  Crafting the Marketing Plan

After your business plan, the next most important document you will ever create is your marketing plan.  How you spend your precious marketing dollars can be the difference between success and failure.    Again, working with a marketing professional can be a wise investment.  These marketing pros make it their business to know what techniques work best with certain demographics, and know all the “tricks of the trade” when it comes to reaching them.

But whether you hire a professional, or give it a run on your own, consider the following types of marketing when allocating your budget.

• Offline marketing – Includes direct mail, flyers, print advertising in newspapers and magazines, radio, television, billboards and other forms of “traditional” media.
• Online marketing – It’s hard to imagine a business that is not currently investing some of its marketing spend into online efforts.  The major forms of online marketing include: website development, search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising (PPC), email blasts, online newsletters, banner ads, blogs, viral marketing and social network marketing.

The beauty of online marketing, especially in terms of our one-month goal, is that it can be implemented and up and running fast!

Tip: If you choose an online marketing agency, they will work with you to pinpoint where, exactly, your potential customers “live” online, and begin developing campaigns to reach them at the exact moment they are looking for your product!

Step #8: Getting leads and selling your products or services

Now that the marketing plan is up and running, it is time to start converting your leads into sales.  Take a couple of days and refine your pitch.  Map out the benefits of your business and drill them down into “talking points” which will genuinely resonate with your target audience.

TIP: If you are having trouble generating quality leads, you can turn to a sales rep for some “instant offense.”  Sales representatives generally work for commission and know how to bring in business.

Step #9:  Finding the right employees

With so much to do, it is going to be difficult to do this on your own.  Hiring employees is the next logical step to growing your business.  Here are some tips for bringing in people who provide top returns on your investment:

• Understand your needs – Before you hire anyone, prioritize what you need the most, and go out in search of trustworthy, experienced individuals to fill those needs.
• Look for multi-faceted individuals – New businesses can benefit greatly from hiring individuals who wear a lot of different hats.
• Use all the online tools at your disposal – Monster.com, HotJobs.com and Craigslist have all made hiring employees easier than ever.  Just be sure to always check references and perform a thorough interview process.

Tip:  A corporate recruiter or headhunter can do all the legwork for you in your search for qualified employees.

And there you have it!  With good planning, total commitment and some seriously hard work, everything listed above will help you get your business up and running in about a month.  Be thoughtful and detail-oriented during these steps.  You are forming the foundation of your dream business, and the more you put into these core business processes on the front end, the more rewards you will enjoy down the line.

The Internet is still a work in progress, but most would agree that the handful of companies below made it what it is today. Review and discuss amongst yourselves!

1. America Online – Three little words started it all…You’ve got mail. AOL was the first true web-based email provider used on a grand scale, and also home to more content than any other web destination for the last few years of the 20th century. Time has not been kind to AOL (and neither has Time Warner for that matter!) but it will always remain one of the hallmark companies of the web’s infancy.
2. Yahoo! – Still chugging along over ten years after its birth, Yahoo! changed the way people found information online. The Yahoo! search engine was capable of bringing people to their destination quicker and more efficiently than anything else preceding it.



3. Google – The biggest, baddest web-based company on the block. Google is the 800 pound gorilla for a reason - their search technology reigns supreme and their targeted pay-per-click advertising mechanism has been a veritable license to print money for the past five years. Always looking for the next big thing, Google would appear to be riding high for the foreseeable future.
4. MySpace- The social pioneers showed the world the power of music, friendship and Tila Tequila. Purchased by Rupert Murdoch and Fox several years ago, MySpace continues to bring millions of young people and adults into its “circle of friends” every day, but the jury is still out as to how to monetize all the loyal users in any significant way.
5. Amazon – Changing the face of the web is one thing, but when you change the way people shop, that is truly something to behold. People thought Jeff Bezos was crazy when he said he wanted to sell every book on the planet (and more) but now Amazon has become a part of every reader’s (and shopper’s) life.



6. eBay – Everybody loves a garage sale or flea market, but until eBay came along, nobody had ever believed that the concept would fly online. Hundreds of millions of auctions later, eBay is the only game in town when it comes to bidding for new and used products in a completely user-defined environment. Together with Amazon, eBay created a community that held people accountable for the way they behaved online – another refreshing concept.
7. Facebook – A more mature version of MySpace, Facebook has hooked up millions of friends, relatives and co-workers using its sublime combination of updates, photos and groups. Like MySpace, Facebook is looking to capitalize on the loyalty of its users (and their data) but there is no denying their position as one of the biggest players on the web’s stage.
8. Mozilla – It takes a lot of guts to take on Microsoft, but Mozilla has managed to do it and build a tremendously loyal following in the process. The company’s Firefox browser is currently on its third version, and with each edition, gains more fans and followers who want something more out of their browser. Other companies have gone head to head with Microsoft, but few have done so as successfully as Mozilla.



9. Apple – While not a true Internet company, this list would be incomplete without mention of the folks who took the entire music industry and moved it online – saving the record label’s collective tails 99 cents at a time. Apple made the web a destination for music that people are actually willing to pay to own.
10. Napster – They let the peer-to-peer genie out of the bottle and created a whole heap of trouble in the process. Wherever you stand on the issue of file sharing and piracy, there is no denying that Sean Fanning and Napster were true web revolutionaries.

Customers just aren’t biting like they were this time last year. This means businesses need to stretch their precious marketing dollars further than ever.

Here are five affordable ways to reach new customers and convert new sales…even if your marketing budget is a little smaller than it used to be.

#1: Refer a friend programs

Why not let your existing customers handle your marketing for you? Create a refer-a-friend program to leverage the people who know and love your business the most. Referral programs are easy - simply send out an email or postcard to your existing customer base and let them know about the promotion. Offer these existing customers a reward for telling other people about your new business. And make sure that these new customers get a nice carrot-and-stick as well. Special discounts or promotional items are both proven-successful methods for generating excitement around a referral program.

And don’t forget to make the process as easy as possible. If you are kick-starting the program via email, include copy or an image that can be easily forwarded on to other people. Most importantly, don’t forget to track the campaign using an offer code in order to see how well it performed.

#2: A viral campaign

Many companies, large and small, are getting tremendous mileage out of their viral marketing campaigns. There are several approaches to take here, but most involve creating a humorous video and submitting it to YouTube or a compelling article or site page and getting it up in the rankings at Digg or other social networking sites. These types of viral marketing will establish your brand as hip, funny and web-savvy, all while spreading the word about your products and services in a highly inexpensive manner.

#3: An email newsletter campaign

You’ve got your customers’ email addresses…now use them! Create a rich email marketing campaign filled with relevant content and compelling offers, then send it out monthly. Always keep the content fresh and remember to develop solid subject lines for the emails so that open rates will be high. Make the newsletters interactive – ask for users to submit their questions, comments or stories for upcoming issues, and offer exclusive prizes and goodies to those who submit the best user-generated content.

#4: Public relations

In today’s buzz-driven society, public relations is king (or queen). Investing a few thousand dollars in a PR agency can pay huge dividends down the road. No matter what you are selling, PR firms know exactly how to create excitement around your business. If, for example, you are selling designer T-shirts, a PR firm can get your products in the spotlight at a celebrity charity auction. If you sell widgets, they can find a magazine that is looking for a cover story about the world’s hottest widget-makers. There’s no limit to what great public relations can do for your business.

#5: Organic search

Search engine optimization is currently one of the most cost-effective ways to reach your target audience online. By hiring SEO professionals to restructure your site and develop keyword –friendly content, you can boost your rankings on Google, Yahoo! and other major search engines. Imagine coming up at the top of page ONE is your chosen area of focus! For an affordable cost, SEO professionals can help your business reach out to the people who are searching for your products and services right now.

A good list isn’t just a random collection of people. It’s a list of people who have something in common. It may be their age-range/gender, professional affiliation, personal interests, level of income-you name it. If the people on your list have something in common that puts them in the target market for your business, then, bingo. You’ve hit pay dirt.

There are a number of ways you can put the power of a list to work for you as part of an effective overall marketing plan. You can use that list to conduct market research, the way Fortune 500 companies do. Or you could use that list as the basis for your marketing campaigns, utilizing direct mail, email or both.

With all the different ways that the power of a list can help to grow your business, using one only makes sense.

But how can you get your hands on a list that actually corresponds to your target market? Here are a few tips to help you get started.

1) Build One
Your website is a great place to start building a targeted list. That’s because there’s one important thing that all visitors to your website have in common-an interest in your products and services. It’s not hard to see why capturing their contact information can be key to the growth and success of your business.

One effective technique for building a list based on your website traffic is to create a free e-course or special report. When visitors sign up to receive this free information, they provide their email address. The e-course or special report is then sent directly to their inbox and their email address becomes part of your list.

This is a technique that has been incredibly effective for thousands of savvy entrepreneurs.

2) Exchange One
Maybe you know of another business owner who serves a clientele similar to yours with a complementary (non-competing) product or service. In which case, it might be beneficial for both of you to double the size of your list through a list exchange.

If you’re just getting started, and don’t have a list of your own just yet, there might be something else you could provide for your fellow entrepreneur. You might offer to provide a free ad for their business on your website or feature their products or services in a limited run of promotional materials for your own business. Both of these ideas foster the spirit of “win/win.”

3) Find One
The Dunn and Bradstreet Corporation (a.k.a., D&B) is among the leading providers of business information in the world. If your target market includes a certain profession and/or business clientele, you can use the massive database on their website to create a targeted list.

Entries to this site provide legal and trade names, physical and mailing addresses, geographical descriptions, product and industry descriptors, sales and number of employees, as well as up to 40 vital statistics. This information is often used by large corporations for marketing research services and finding prospective customers, because you can really hone in on the specific types of businesses you are looking for.

And, D&B offers modest subscription services for small business owners that include profiles of the top companies in a wide variety of industries. Their Industry Reports can really help you narrow down on sales prospects, in particular.

3) Buy One
When all else fails, there’s always the option of simply purchasing a list. There are a number of businesses online that offer extremely targeted lists, based on the target market you are trying to reach. Check out www.melissadata.com — one of the good ones. If your customers are consumers, they’ve got a variety of targeted lists you might find interesting, including people who have recently moved, recent graduates, people who are “about to move,” absentee homeowners, people with credit challenges, income groups, people with children, married vs. single people and more.

While buying lists tends to be expensive, it may be a worthwhile investment in the long-term health of your business. Before investing serious money in a purchased list, you should know more about your sales conversion rate so you can build a budget for list-buying that ensures a solid return on investment.

No matter which option you choose, remember - a good list is worth its weight in gold!

When entrepreneurs think about growing their business, often the first thing they think of is advertising - 30- and 60- second commercials, half- or full-page ads, bulletins or posters, banners or buttons - the list goes on and on (Full disclosure: I worked in advertising for 13 years before launching my coaching career).

I often wonder why entrepreneurs make that leap directly to advertising. They don’t seem to like it much (”I have to work on my advertising”) and most aren’t sure that it’s working. They sense it to be a necessary evil of owning a business, and the fear of what may happen if they don’t advertise is motivation enough to keep the ball rolling.

In the communications world, “advertising” falls under a much larger category of “marketing.” There are a variety of marketing strategies out there. I am not here to say advertising doesn’t work or that you should scrap all advertising plans. However, you can compliment your advertising with effective and inexpensive marketing that will grow your customer or client base, create loyalty and grow your business.

1. Networking. With a background in advertising, I can’t tell you how many “networking” events I have attended! Media parties, Chamber of Commerce socials - they all were after hours, included “adult beverages” and were a huge waste of time. Let’s be honest, most people who attend general networking events don’t gain new clients or cultivate strategic partnerships. They do, however, gain a slight headache the next morning from tap beer or cheap wine. To be a strategic networker, I suggest you join a group that is serious about networking (e.g. BNI. Full disclosure - I am a member). Fellow members are serious about working together to grow the businesses of everybody in the group. It also requires you, as a member, to become crystal clear on what business you’re in - the service you provide, your ideal client. When you are forced to abandon the “Jack of all trades” strategy in your business, your ideal clients will find you, and your business will grow.
2. Incentives. Providing incentives to those who send referrals your way can be a great way to grow your business. I find this especially effective with my salesperson friends, and with current clients. They love a challenge, and they are connected to many people with whom I would likely never cross paths. What can you provide them with that will motivate them to tell others about you? A product or service from a non-competing business? How about a free product or service from your arsenal (or a new product or service that you’re just launching)? I’m offering free travel vouchers for places like Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean. So far, so good.
3. Affiliate Programs.I have learned of affiliate programs in the past few years. The idea? You give commission to somebody who sells your product. Similar to incentives, affiliates are incentivized with cold, hard cash. And, it’s done online. The affiliate is provided with URL that directs the user to the sales page on your website for your product/service. The link tracks where the lead came from, and the affiliate receives a commission for “selling” the product or service on your behalf. Websites like 1ShoppingCart.com help you to set up your own affiliate program, manage payments, and so on. If you have a product or service you can sell online and turn into an affiliate program, it’s a great way to grow your contacts (and earn passive income to boot).

What other ways are you growing your business?

Karen Armon of www.marketoneexecutive.com has a new book just released on the 9^th of June. She presented last night to our Colorado FENG chapter a presentation called Market Your Potential, Not Your Past. I had some dialogue about online visibility with several people afterwards.

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As a co-chair of the local Financial Executive’s Networking Group chapter, I felt some elaboration might benefit my friends on Resource Nation.

Google yourself. Put your name in quotes, e.g. “marty koenig” so it searches on the whole phrase. I get 491 hits, and 6 of the 10 the top organic search responses are me on the first page.

Page 1 6/10 (my LinkedIn profile is at the top this morning)
Page 2 8/10
Page 3 3/10
Page 4 6/10
Page 5 4/10

54% of 5 pages of search results are yours truly. Not bad. What do you think a potential client/customer/vendor/employer perceives when they google someone with results like mine and looks at some of the pages? It’s not hard to get a pretty quick read.

Next I try “marty koenig” denver with these results:

39 hits. Not a rock star, but hey, I’m THERE.

Page 1 10/10
Page 2 9/10
Page 3 10/10
Page 4 6/9

90% of search results are yours truly. If I search on Martin Koenig, I get around 2% return on the first 5 pages, and over total 20K hits. That’s why I use Marty Koenig because there are fewer competitors for search results.

Summary of interesting findings….use these as examples for you to pump up your googleness:

• Reuters / Business Wire picked up an article about the recent Colorado Capital Conference 20 Year Rockies Venture Club anniversary to which I presented on a panel.
• O’Reilly Media picked up a book review I did in 1993 for a trade magazine publisher for which I used to write a monthly column.
• Denver Post picked up my name for our CO FENG meetings, and they even have a “Buy Now” button linked to our reservation system. All our posted events are there (I better get our upcoming presenters updated). http://calendar.denverpost.com/denver-co/events/show/81408900-co-feng-july-2008-meeting-extreme-linkedin-for-executives Feel free to go there and write a review.
• eWeek Microsoft Watch response to an article in March ‘07 The Dynamics of QuickBooks and Great Plains

So, why should you care if you have online hits in your name?

What does a new customer think when they google you, especially if you don’t show up on the first three pages? What does an angel investor or VC think? What does the hedge fund manager or private equity investor think of you, after you set up an appointment with him and he googles you? If you are competing for a contract against another firm, and the other CEO has a 50% hit rate, who’s going to be perceived a better executive? Who would you want to do business with? Are you portraying a “Luxury” vs. “Commodity” Viewpoint? (Karen’s words). Are you pursuing an Active Marketing Strategy? Do you have a National Presence? If your name is “John Smith”, you’re not going to be so distinct. (over 6 million hits). So try “John A. Smith” denver. If you have a common name, like Bruce M. Allen indicated to me last night in our conversation, you have to have more content out there with your name on it, to increase the likelihood of the search results actually being your content.

Your next customer or investor or employee or vendor will google your name and your company. Have you done that lately?

In line with Karen Armon’s 12 Desired Executive Capabilities, here are my Top 12 items to make you more visible online. Make these part of your system and you’ll enhance your ability to Market Your Potential.

1. Do some research like above, and see what your best signature should be for the largest, fastest growth trajectory on results. If you are Jane Gould, you might consider using Jane M. Gould in all your online content. If you are Jane M. Gould in Denver and google returns zero results, then you’ve got work to do. Our B2B CFO® Founder and CEO always uses Jerry L. Mills and he gets 7/10 on the first page. If I add CPA to the search, he gets 10/10 on the first page and 22/23 total.
2. Create a good LinkedIn profile. Setup a new, separate personal email address for this. If you are not sure how to do that, take a webinar or class from Integrated Alliances. I did. That’s why I have a great LinkedIn profile that shows up at the top of search results. That’s also why I have 2,400+ first tier contacts in my LinkedIn network.
3. When you read an interesting article online, look at the bottom, under the article. Most now have the comment feature. Use it. Show your opinions and passion about things, but don’t get too outrageous. Make sure you put your name (I always use Marty Koenig, never Martin Koenig). I always write responses in a word processor program, spell check, re-read then copy and paste into the text box on the website.
4. Write an online review of a meeting you liked. Be sure and add your consistent signature.
5. Go to meetup.com and join some groups. I joined a dozen or so but have only had time to engage in several. Many of my google results are the bios I added to these groups. Google seems to like them. Be careful not to join political or religious or other meetups that others might perceive wrong.
6. Karen says to figure out numerous ways to increase your word of mouth buzz. Once you have a nice LinkedIn profile, ask people you know for recommendations on LinkedIn. Sign up for Twitter and hook up with other important people. You’d be surprised how many stars of the business world are using it now. Each person that follows you and that you follow will give you a search result.
7. Find a relevant book, go on Amazon and write a review. Put your full name and location so everyone knows it’s you.
8. Offer to write articles for a trade magazine in your industry or craft. For five years in the 1980’s I wrote a monthly column for an international trade publication. I became the expert in a niche market, and grew my business tremendously because they saw me as an expert, the go-to guy, and bought my products and services because they felt like I helped them regularly.
9. Setup your own workshop or lunch-n-learn. Advertise it so you get the online hits and the attendees. This, of course, does much more than get you online visibility.
10. Invite yourself to speak or participate in a chamber event, a local chapter organization, hook up with your relevant organizations, get yourself on a on a panel that you know will have announcements in the business press. Be creative.
11. Get on an internet radio show. Every city seems to have them now. Your name will go on the show listing and result in a search hit.
12. It seems there are hundreds of online business social networks. The more you join, the more exposure you get. I don’t know about you, but I get invites from Plaxo, Naymez, Ning, BeBo, Facebook. More professionals are even putting up a Myspace page. Might consider making an interesting video of yourself covering an important topic, and put it on Hulu or YouTube.

If you are not sure about how best to enter your searches, see more info on search syntax here: http://www.google.com/help/cheatsheet.html