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	<title>Internet Marketing Forum</title>
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	<link>http://www.dfforum.org</link>
	<description>Marketing and Advertising Online</description>
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		<title>Local Business Online Marketing</title>
		<link>http://www.dfforum.org/local-business-online-marketing/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dfforum.org/local-business-online-marketing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 15 Jan 2011 08:59:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>LocalBusinessMarketing</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dfforum.org/?p=1021</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A Local Business Online Marketing Strategy to Use to Gather More Customers to Your Business Internet marketing is not just for companies that operate their businesses through the web. This kind of marketing technique can also be utilized for those that are operating brick and mortar businesses locally. In fact, many local companies have already [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A <strong><a title="Local Business Online Marketing" href="http://www.dfforum.org"><span style="color: #000000;">Local Business Online Marketing</span></a></strong> Strategy to Use to Gather More Customers to Your Business Internet marketing is not just for companies that operate their businesses through the web. This kind of marketing technique can also be utilized for those that are operating brick and mortar businesses locally.</p>
<p>In fact, many local companies have already gotten themselves involved into such kind of marketing strategy, and most of them are satisfied with the results. If you are operating a local business, and you want to gain more customers through the internet, then it is best that you make use of internet marketing to attain your goals.</p>
<p>However, it should be noted that local online marketing is not something that can be done easily. Important strategies should also be in place in order for you to maximize the benefits that you can reap from it.</p>
<p>In making use of the internet for your local business, you will need to have your own website for it. The purpose of the website is to provide people valuable information about the kind of business you can offer to them. It is also a tool that you can make use of in showing them the reasons, why choosing your products or services is the best for them to do.</p>
<p>However, it does not end there; you want to make sure that every person visiting your site would become your potential customer, by capturing simple pieces of information from them.</p>
<p>Whether your customers can place their orders through your site or they need to visit your store for that, it is a given that most of them would not immediately purchase your products or sign up for your services at the first instant that they visit your web page.</p>
<p>Therefore, you should make use of a technique which would convince people to provide you their names and email addresses, so that you can constantly get in touch with them, provide updates, and perhaps gain their trust eventually. Once they gain trust in you, it will just be a matter of time, before they sign up with your services or buy your products.</p>
<p>To convince people to leave their email addresses or names on your website, you can offer them a free stuff in exchange for it. Keep in mind that your website’s topic should be related to your business.</p>
<p>Therefore, if you are in the business of selling weight loss products, then an example of a free stuff you can provide them with would be a downloadable eBook, which contains tips and other valuable information about losing weight. The key is to get their attention, so that they will provide you their contact details.</p>
<p>This is just one of the things you can do to increase your chances of success with the use of Local Business Online Marketing. Take note of it, so that you will be able to increase your overall revenue with the use of this simple method.</p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Successfully Using Local Business Online Marketing</strong></span></p>
<p>Making use of <strong><a href="http://www.dfforum.org/local-business-online-marketing/"><span style="color: #000000;">Local Business Online Marketing</span></a></strong> for your brick and mortar business does not mean that it is entirely different, when you use it for an online business. Whether you are operating an online business or a traditional local business, both types of businesses would be able to derive a lot of benefits with the proper use of internet marketing.</p>
<p>The basic goal would still be to gather more people visiting your web page, so that you will be able to showcase your products to them. The more people visiting your website, the more chances you will have in getting more sales, even when people have to call you or visit your local store to make the actual purchase.</p>
<p>In convincing more people to visit your web page, you need to make sure that your website is search engine friendly. In other words, it should appear on the first few results on the search engine page, when a person searches for information that is related to your website.</p>
<p>To achieve this, you need to know certain SEO or Search Engine Optimization techniques or hire a company or a service provider to do it for you. Once your website appears on the first few results, you will soon be able to increase your potentials of having more customers, since more and more people would view it.</p>
<p>You need to make sure that people stay focused at your website the moment they land on your home page. This is because, the more time they spend on your site, the more chances you have that they will decide to purchase the products you are offering to them.</p>
<p>Therefore, you need to make sure that you provide your site with interesting and captivating content, aside from attention grabbing graphics, so that you will be able to convey your site’s message to your potential customers effectively.</p>
<p>People want to make sure that they are purchasing products that are also being supported by a lot of individuals today. Therefore, in the making of your site, you want to include a customer testimonial page on it, so that your new customers would be able to read them and feel more assured of the kind of business they are getting themselves involved with.</p>
<p>In displaying the products that you can offer to your potential clients, you want to get them organized properly, so that people will have pleasant browsing experiences in visiting your site. Aside from that, it is always best to provide actual pictures of the products you are selling, so that people would know that they are going to get.</p>
<p>These are the essential steps you need to follow in order to attain a more successful <strong><a href="http://www.dfforum.org/local-business-online-marketing/"><span style="color: #000000;">Local Business Online Marketing</span></a></strong> campaign. Get yourself moving in applying these steps, so that you will become a successful and popular business entrepreneur soon.</p>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Making Money With Local Businesses</title>
		<link>http://www.dfforum.org/making-money-with-local-businesses/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dfforum.org/making-money-with-local-businesses/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jan 2011 11:39:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>LocalBusinessMarketing</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dfforum.org/?p=1015</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One of the best and most promising ways of making money with local businesses, is with local marketing consulting. By building local business site and selling the advertising to local businesses you can earn a great living. Local marketing has a lot to offer, and is a gold mine when it comes to opportunities available [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>One of the best and most promising ways of <strong><a title="Making Money With Local Businesses" href="http://www.dfforum.org"><span style="color: #000000;">making money with local businesses</span></a></strong>, is with local marketing consulting. By building local business site and selling the advertising to local businesses you can earn a great living.</p>
<p>Local marketing has a lot to offer, and is a gold mine when it comes to opportunities available to generate revenue.</p>
<p>Marketing encompasses a variety of techniques in order to generate more revenue, this is usually done by advertising your services or products successfully in your area.</p>
<p>The most common and profitable way will be that of off-line marketing as most other businesses also have their own websites.</p>
<p>So what am I talking about? Off-line consulting is a way to increase your revenue, but with the difference that you focus on your local market instead on nationally.</p>
<p>In current economic conditions, business do not just compete with similar local businesses on a product level, but with the establishment of websites and blogs, businesses now compete for ranking (also known as Search Engine Optimizer marketing) on search engine as well.</p>
<p>Thumbing through the Yellow Pages or the local newspaper for a number of a specific service has mostly been replaced by the click of a mouse, and finding what you need on the Internet; this is known as online marketing and directories, and falls under the larger umbrella of local marketing.</p>
<p>Although a lot of businesses have established websites, it does not serve the full purpose, as the website are generally left static after the website has been set up the first time. Usually, only individuals that are aware of your business will visit your website.</p>
<p>Local marketing can therefore be your goldmine. The great advantage of this type of service is that it could cost you nothing, or very little, to do; although a lot of man hours in researching will have to be done.</p>
<p>Get the website information on local businesses in your area and try to see what the status of the Internet ranking is.</p>
<p>This usually means that you will have to look for keywords used (known as keywords and search marketing) in the websites which businesses probably deems as important, and search for them in a SEO with a specific city name.</p>
<p>You are sure to find many useful keywords which have not been successfully optimized, but which you may use to ensure for a better ranking webpage.</p>
<p>With this information you can draw some statistical ranking information, improve on this, and provide the local business with factual information on how you can improve their website ranking, and therefore traffic to their websites.</p>
<p>This type of local marketing is sure to get the attention of most business owners who currently do not receive the traffic to their website, through current advertising methods.</p>
<p>It is recommended that you have a few proven examples to get the attention of the business owner. Local marketing on the Internet does not need to be a time-consuming exercise, especially when it comes to searching for particular keywords on websites and ranking them accordingly.</p>
<p>Many software programs will enable you to automate the process, or you may find freelancing agents who will charge a minimal fee for doing the work for you.</p>
<p>Embarking on an online business means that you will need to have a website and internet marketing tools. Many experts in internet marketing would advise beginners to come up with a business plan first, before creating their websites.</p>
<p>This will enable them to create their websites in accordance to their marketing plans. If they do it the other way around, they might end up recreating or editing their website so that it will go with their plans. To enable yourself with the right strategies in marketing your business online, you will need to make use of at least one internet marketing solution to gain more readers to your website.</p>
<p>In creating your website you need to make sure that you provide it with valuable content. It should have information that will be needed by many people around the internet world. Such information should be provided in accordance to the needs and wants of your local business clients.</p>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Marketing Local Business</title>
		<link>http://www.dfforum.org/marketing-local-business/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dfforum.org/marketing-local-business/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jan 2011 22:18:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>LocalBusinessMarketing</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dfforum.org/?p=1011</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It is well known that internet search is changing the way people connect with businesses. If your website doesn't show up within the first three results pages you're being overlooked. However, there is another division of internet search that is widely untapped for marketing a local business - Local Search. Everyday thousands of people in [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It is well known that internet search is changing the way people connect with businesses. If your website doesn't show up within the first three results pages you're being overlooked. However, there is another division of internet search that is widely untapped for <strong><a title="Marketing Local Business" href="http://www.dfforum.org"><span style="color: #000000;">marketing a local business</span></a></strong> - Local Search.</p>
<p>Everyday thousands of people in your local area search for products and services available in your area. You want to make sure that your business is the business that shows up in the local results pages when your products or services are searched for.</p>
<p>What Is Displayed Even if your company doesn't have a website it can take advantage of local search. Local search will create a one page site with your businesses information. The address, phone number, and store hours will be displayed on your site for prospective clients to view.</p>
<p>Also aiding customers is a map to your business. These maps are wonderful tools for customers to find your business. They feature street names, text directions, and zoom options. If your company does have a website, a link to it may also be included on the local search site.</p>
<p>More Benefits People utilizing local search are already interested in what you sell. This means less work for the business and more sales.</p>
<p>Local search will strengthen local brand awareness and generate local leads because it is targeted to customers who search for products and services online but purchase locally. Think about how many times you search online locally for products or services.</p>
<p>This is something that thousands of people do everyday. Now think about what a disadvantage your business is at if it is not listed when your products or services are searched for locally.</p>
<p>You want to make sure that your business is listed, and that it is listed among the top results in a search. Local search is an inexpensive new way to ensure more business from people right in your neighborhood!</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Marketing For Local Business Online</title>
		<link>http://www.dfforum.org/marketing-local-business-online/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dfforum.org/marketing-local-business-online/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jan 2011 01:21:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>LocalBusinessMarketing</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dfforum.org/?p=1009</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Basics of Marketing Local Business Online Controling Your Own Website You must operate with your own website which enables you to make basic changes to it yourself, preferably right through your web browser. Waiting for a "webmaster" to update text and pictures does not qualify as a smart use of your time or money. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>The Basics of <a title="Marketing Local Business Online" href="http://www.dfforum.org"><span style="color: #000000;">Marketing Local Business Online</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong>Controling Your Own Website</strong></p>
<p>You must operate with your own website which enables you to make basic changes to it yourself, preferably right through your web browser. Waiting for a "webmaster" to update text and pictures does not qualify as a smart use of your time or money.</p>
<p>WordPress, an open-source (free) publishing platform, makes an excellent choice for managing and organizing virtually any size website.</p>
<p><strong>Google Maps</strong></p>
<p>Google now stands alone as the "900 lb. Gorilla" of the online search world. However, most don't realize that "Google Maps" is the most basic component of local online marketing with Google. Get all the details at Google.com/places/. This tool is one of the fastest ways to get found in Google and, best of all, it's free!</p>
<p><strong>Basic SEO</strong></p>
<p>SEO stands for "search engine optimization" - which means making your website relevant when someone searches for your business name or terms related to what you sell.</p>
<p>Building all the content, information, and text on your site around a central theme is the #1 thing you can do to increase your chances of ranking well in Google and other search engines.</p>
<p><strong>Make Value-Added Offers</strong></p>
<p>Most people don't make offers on their websites. Their web pages look like everyone else's and say basically the same things. You must make offers on your site that spur people to action.</p>
<p>Offer a discount or faster service. Give an incentive to come in today. Most importantly: make your offers big, bold and obvious on your site while giving people a reason to do business with you right now!</p>
<p><strong>Drive Traffic</strong></p>
<p>You won't make a dime with your website if the right people don't see it. The fastest way to drive traffic is to buy it, specifically with the Google AdWords pay-per-click program.</p>
<p>Pay-per-click means you only pay when someone clicks your "sponsored" ad on the search engine listings, and Google's AdWords is the largest pay-per-click advertising network.</p>
<p>However, make sure you set up a "geo-targeted" campaign when starting out so only people in your local area see your ads (instead of wasting time and money showing your ads to people who could never patronize your local business).</p>
<p><strong>Local List Building</strong></p>
<p>Building up a local following you communicate with using online tools rates one of the smartest and most cost-effective things every local business can do.</p>
<p>Whether through email, text, Twitter or Facebook (or some new tool), communicating with a targeted group and providing value-added information and offers can bring huge rewards. One coupon with the right offer to the right audience can turn a ho-hum Thursday into a blockbuster sales day.</p>
<p><strong>Consistent Follow-Up</strong></p>
<p>The biggest online marketing mistake I see people make is NOT following up with prospects and customers. Use email and other communication tools to keep in contact with your prospects and customers and give them reasons to do business with you (by making offers) while providing useful information they want.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Search Engine Marketing Consulting</title>
		<link>http://www.dfforum.org/search-engine-marketing-consulting/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dfforum.org/search-engine-marketing-consulting/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:37:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>LocalBusinessMarketing</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dfforum.org/?p=1003</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Local SEO consulting service companies are dedicated companies that offer SEO consulting services to local small businesses in order to help them achieve top search engine placement in Google and other major search engines. Local Search Engine Optimization is a highly effective way of targeting your local customers in your local business marketing efforts, especially [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Local SEO</strong> consulting service companies are dedicated companies that offer SEO consulting services to local small businesses in order to help them achieve top search engine placement in Google and other major search engines.</p>
<p>Local Search Engine Optimization is a highly effective way of targeting your local customers in your <strong><a title="Local Business Marketing" href="http://www.dfforum.org"><span style="color: #000000;">local business marketing</span></a></strong> efforts, especially if you are the type of business that offers services within a specific geographical area like a city or a state.</p>
<p><strong>Local SEO</strong> will significantly improve it ranking and increase targeted traffic from your local potential clients.</p>
<p>By improving its rankings, a website will be found by more targeted visitors. Ultimately, sales, revenues and return on investment will increase. In today's challenging markets small businesses on the web are faced with the challenge of competing with other companies in the same niche.</p>
<p>It means that gaining exposure and bringing visitors to the site becomes difficult as well. Fortunately, small businesses have the opportunity to take advantage of working with a professional SEO expert to survive on the web and to grow their businesses.</p>
<p>An ideal optimization consulting company will spend a good amount of time studying its client's website before proposing any recommendations. In this way, it can recognize the customer's requirements and assist him to devise appropriate approach to meet his individual need.</p>
<p>It is wise not to be lured by the first company that promises of getting the website the top rankings in the chief search engines. In all probability, such firms are mere scams as search engines have their own discrete methods of functioning.</p>
<p>Marketing of websites largely depends upon proficiency of the employed search engine optimization consulting company. Ascertain its internal relationship and hold meaningful discussions with the company. The client should ask the professionals to submit a broad proposal how they plan to implement the required changes in the website using SEO techniques.</p>
<p>Combining social media marketing and other methods of internet advertisement with local SEO marketing will definitely give any business an edge in competing against other similar businesses. Internet marketing is a multifaceted game and social media is part of the whole game.</p>
<p>Your small business should take advantage of social media tools such as social networking and social bookmarking websites in order to have the most effective promotional campaign.</p>
<p>Many SEO firms provide affordable search engine optimization consulting and training services to help small businesses to plan different search engine optimization strategies to improve their ranking.</p>
<p>It is highly recommended that small businesses work with a professional SEO expert who knows the ins and outs of internet marketing in order to help businesses survive and grow on the internet.</p>
<p>Search engine optimization and internet marketing services will definitely help your small business achieve its marketing objectives and significantly improve the ranking of its website. This in return will increase targeted traffic, get more leads, increase sales, improve inversion rates and achieve a high return on investment.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Local Business Internet Marketing</title>
		<link>http://www.dfforum.org/local-business-internet-marketing/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dfforum.org/local-business-internet-marketing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 26 Dec 2010 12:14:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>LocalBusinessMarketing</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dfforum.org/?p=714</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Internet is increasingly being used not only for conducting online business but for marketing and advertising offline establishments and professional services as well. As the Internet has become an important aspect of almost everyone's life, it is a powerful medium for attracting potential clients and promoting business to a wide audience. Offline business owners [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Internet is increasingly being used not only for conducting online business but for marketing and advertising offline establishments and professional services as well.</p>
<p>As the Internet has become an important aspect of almost everyone's life, it is a powerful medium for attracting potential clients and promoting business to a wide audience.</p>
<p>Offline business owners recognize this and are turning to experts in online marketing to take care of their needs, creating a huge demand for offline business consulting specialists.</p>
<p>Being an expert Internet marketer will be an advantage for offline business consultants but almost anyone with a drive to learn and some business skills can engage in offline business consulting as well.</p>
<p><strong>Getting started</strong></p>
<p>There are many aspects of online marketing that you can learn from an expert, mentor, coach and even on your own through a home study course.</p>
<p>The key is to have access to a fast system that teaches everything you need to learn about a service you would like to provide such as:</p>
<p>* Website building<br />
* SEO or traffic generation<br />
* Lead conversion<br />
* Content writing and management</p>
<p>You need not be an expert in all these services to be able to land your first few clients. You can choose one service and put all your efforts into developing the skills for it and eventually become a specialist.</p>
<p>As you gain more experience and techniques to add to your portfolio, you can then provide a full-service <strong><a href="http://www.dfforum.org/online-internet-marketing/"><span style="color: #000000;">offline business consulting</span></a></strong> package to your clients.</p>
<p>Or simply outsource these tasks to another professional and take a finders fee for your efforts.</p>
<p>What you will need</p>
<p>You will be your best asset in this business. All you need to start is a computer, an internet connection, and a list of prospective clients.</p>
<p>Offline marketing starts with you consulting with your <strong><a href="http://www.dfforum.org/local-business-internet-marketing/"><span style="color: #000000;">local business internet marketing</span></a></strong> sector, and to engage in the realm of internet business. Internet marketing's core focus is to locate prospective clients in the worldwide web.</p>
<p>However, competition is fierce and the majority of internet marketers are focused on building new sites, driving traffic to them and convincing the prospective clients to purchase what they are offering.</p>
<p>Offline marketing works in a different way, that is, offline and the focus is to specifically reach out to the local businesses in your area and offer your skills to them at a fair price.</p>
<p>The success of business is customers. Generating leads that convert to sales is the life blood of any business, local or not. Leads are achieved through various forms of marketing. In the traditional sense the primary forms of media used are TV, radio and print media.</p>
<p>This is really expensive and not every business owner is able to afford this sort of marketing in their budget; this is where <strong><a title="Local Business Marketing" href="http://www.dfforum.org"><span style="color: #000000;">local business marketing</span></a></strong> comes in.</p>
<p>It is now possible for a business owner to target his market to numerous individuals or other businesses and really achieve quality leads, at a fraction of the cost of using traditional media.</p>
<p>This has business owners flocking to the internet to advertise their company; although ignorant of the fact that a website could end up as an online ornament, not providing its function as an advertising element.</p>
<p>It is a safe bet that the majority of small businesses in your area do not have an online presence at all or if they do, their site is static and do not generate any traffic. This is probably because they don't have the faintest clue of how to set up and operate a website properly.</p>
<p>This provides an entry point for the savvy offline internet marketer to display his services and offer to add value to the business owner's marketing drive.</p>
<p>You will set them up for business online, and after they are satisfied with their website and its abilities, they will most probably ask you to maintain it, for a fee of course.</p>
<p>Most business owners are focused on creating a basic site with limited, but useful, functionality and can help in <strong><a title="Local Business Internet Marketing" href="http://www.dfforum.org/local-business-internet-marketing/"><span style="color: #000000;">local business internet marketing</span></a></strong>.</p>
<p>Whereas in the cyber world it is a constant battle to wage war creating the best page ranking and keeping it there, this is not so in offline marketing, mainly because you will not be competing with anybody.</p>
<p>Well not right now at least. Offline marketing is a relatively new concept and not many people have caught onto the trend yet; leaving the potential market share all for the discerning entrepreneur, like yourself.</p>
<p>If you are willing and able to get out there into the realm of brick and mortar businesses, and peddle your skills to potential clients who are begging for an online presence, but simply do not know where to start, you will be successful.</p>
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		<title>Small Business Marketing Consulting</title>
		<link>http://www.dfforum.org/small-business-marketing-consulting/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dfforum.org/small-business-marketing-consulting/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 26 Dec 2010 12:11:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>LocalBusinessMarketing</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dfforum.org/?p=994</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A consultant is paid by the results he brings to a client. This means that you don't have to be an expert in Internet marketing to be a consultant, but you do need to know a few basic terms and techniques to get things done. Helping small service businesses to establish themselves online with social [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A consultant is paid by the results he brings to a client. This means that you don't have to be an expert in Internet marketing to be a consultant, but you do need to know a few basic terms and techniques to get things done.</p>
<p>Helping small service businesses to establish themselves online with social media can become a lucrative job for you. Once you understand what needs to be done, you can even have other people help you to leverage what you know and save you more time.</p>
<p>Most small businesses do not have much of an online presence. Even if they have a website, it usually does not attract more business for them.</p>
<p>The idea is to help their prospective customers find them on the internet, and social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn are the fastest and easiest to do this.</p>
<p>When you are starting to consult with a small business, find out right away what type of internet presence they currently have. You can Google them and print out the results. This will show them where they are starting from.</p>
<p>Then add them to Twitter, and add a profile that tells as much about them as possible. You must find out if their business is local, national, or globally.</p>
<p>This will make a difference in the keywords you use when writing articles, blog posts, or forum comments.</p>
<p>Here are some of the services you can provide which don't require any prior experience:</p>
<p><strong>Website creation</strong></p>
<p>Formerly an area dominated by computer programmers and designers, website creation can be anybody's forte these days.</p>
<p>You can learn how to create simple web pages from tutorials that come with web developing software, experiment with blog creation applications online or take the express approach by passing on the task to a freelance web designer.</p>
<p><strong>Search engine optimization (SEO)</strong></p>
<p>SEO may not be an exact science but Internet marketing experts who have been testing their systems for a few years can teach you how to improve your client's search rankings. You can sign up for a quick course in SEO, read up on it online, get a mentor or join forums where people discuss techniques and share tips.</p>
<p><strong>Article writing</strong></p>
<p>Perhaps the easiest way to generate cash flow is to provide articles or web content for clients. All you need is a good command of the English language to start writing for a wide market that includes those with existing websites and businesses that are about to go online.</p>
<p>Writing is also a source of recurring income as websites need fresh content regularly. You can learn how to leverage this skill from seasoned web content providers as well.</p>
<p><strong>Online marketing</strong></p>
<p>Business owners tend to focus on operations and have little or no knowledge when it comes to Internet marketing.</p>
<p>Whatever minor exposure you may have in Internet marketing puts you at a slight advantage which you could develop further by following proven techniques, learning systems or getting expert advice.</p>
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		<title>How to Become a Local Business Consultant</title>
		<link>http://www.dfforum.org/how-to-become-a-local-business-consultant/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dfforum.org/how-to-become-a-local-business-consultant/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 26 Dec 2010 12:05:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>LocalBusinessMarketing</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dfforum.org/?p=990</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Local SEO and web marketing consulting is one of the hottest career fields to re-emerge in today's new economy. If you're even remotely thinking of buying into a local business marketing course, I want to warn you not to buy or subscribe to any SEO or offline consulting program. At least not until you've read [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Local SEO and web marketing consulting is one of the hottest career fields to re-emerge in today's new economy.</p>
<p>If you're even remotely thinking of buying into a <strong><a title="Local Business Marketing Course" href="http://www.dfforum.org/local-business-marketing-course/"><span style="color: #000000;">local business marketing course</span></a></strong>, I want to warn you not to buy or subscribe to any SEO or offline consulting program.</p>
<p>At least not until you've read this revealing report.</p>
<p>When I first began looking for ways to enter the SEO consulting field, I read story after story of 'every day' people making $1,500 to $5,000 a day selling their online SEO marketing skills to <strong>local offline businesses</strong>.</p>
<p>I ran out and got my hands on just about every SEO and consulting workbook, guidebook, report, and video that promised to teach 'insider' secrets.</p>
<p>But once I read all that stuff and came back out of the ether...reality set in. All those SEO and consulting products fell short on their promises in three big ways.</p>
<p>Failing to recognize those challenges can lead to untold frustration and wasted energy. Not to mention the cost of lost opportunities.</p>
<p>This article deals with the first challenge; finding high-quality potential SEO clients quickly.</p>
<p>Most 'offline gold' type SEO programs require would-be consultants to spend countless hours running around chasing business people who don't know them, don't trust them, and don't want to talk with them.</p>
<p>Go through the high-rejection motion of cold calling and chasing enough complete strangers and you'll soon find yourself feeling like a gerbil on a treadmill -- expending a lot of effort but not really going anywhere.</p>
<p>How do you overcome this image of being 'just another salesperson'?</p>
<p>First you need to target and uncover high-probability SEO clients -- before you speak to anyone.</p>
<p>One way is to grab the yellow page directories and go online. Check the SEO web ranking of as many of the companies in your area for their likely keyword combinations as possible.</p>
<p>See how well the companies rank for your city, county, and state. You want to know which sites are ranked well from an SEO standpoint and which aren't.</p>
<p>Automating this process of SEO ranking many sites at once is the quickest way to find potential SEO clients who actually need offline services.</p>
<p>If you have tools to automate the process, great. But if not you can still do the SEO pre-qualifying steps by hand too. It will just take longer.</p>
<p><strong>Getting Paid</strong></p>
<p>Some offline consulting programs say to just walk into any business and ask "how's business," hoping the owner will start a conversation complaining about how bad life is. But that's not going to happen.</p>
<p>Only the most depressed and disgruntled will tell a customer the truth. All other business owners will lie so customers think the business is doing well.</p>
<p>So instead of walking out with a big fat check you walk out with egg on your face looking like an idiot because you had nowhere to go in the conversation after the owner lied about business being great.</p>
<p>To walk out with a big fat SEO client check in hand you must walk in with something specific to talk to the companies about i.e. their exact poor search engine ranking and proof you can beat what they are already doing.</p>
<p>"Not Another Slimy 'Snake Oil' Sales Person"</p>
<p>After you've searched in advance and determined a site's SEO ranking, you next need to position yourself to avoid being viewed as an unwelcome pest. You want the prospective SEO client to see you as a welcome guest.</p>
<p>How? Not by cold calling every business in town and trying to sell your widget to everyone in arms reach.</p>
<p>Instead you contact companies intelligently. Determine what's important to them about getting the improved SEO ranking for their site.</p>
<p>And never ever go into a business and try to 'pitch' your services without knowing in advance a specific SEO marketing need truly exists.</p>
<p>You'll create resistance because the 'pitch man' approach is antiquated. And is associated with snake oil days of scam sales reps who promised everything and anything to get a sales, only to end up ripping people off.</p>
<p>In this day and age prospects are more informed than ever. The moment a business person detects 'sales speak' a defensive wall goes up. They begin to mistrust you.</p>
<p>Your goal is to determine SEO and web marketing needs of the business, from the buyer's perspective.</p>
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		<title>Local Business Marketing Consulting</title>
		<link>http://www.dfforum.org/local-business-marketing-consulting/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dfforum.org/local-business-marketing-consulting/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Dec 2010 10:14:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>LocalBusinessMarketing</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dfforum.org/?p=981</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When a small business is starting to get their feet wet, the people involved usually don’t have a strong marketing background. Most entrepreneurs that are starting a business are an expert in the niche that they have opened their business in, not an expert in marketing, promotion, advertising, or online marketing. That is why many [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When a small business is starting to get their feet wet, the people involved usually don’t have a strong marketing background.</p>
<p>Most entrepreneurs that are starting a business are an expert in the niche that they have opened their business in, not an expert in marketing, promotion, advertising, or online marketing.</p>
<p>That is why many of these entrepreneurs begin to consider whether or not there could be some value for them in hiring a marketing consultant, such as a consultant who is an expert in local business SEO.</p>
<p>The value of a marketing consultant does need to be based partly on a parties own experience in marketing. There are some entrepreneurs who have started more than one business.</p>
<p>Such a person might have much more marketing experience than someone that is starting their own business for the first time. The less experience that you have, the more worth your money it is going to be to hire a marketing consultant.</p>
<p>A marketing consultant, even though they cost you money, can actually end up saving you a great deal of money in the long run. That might sound oxymoronic to some people, but it is very true. The reason a consultant can save you money is because they can keep you from making mistakes.</p>
<p>If you try and do all of your marketing on your own, there is a very good chance that you’re going to spend some of your marketing budget in areas where the money should not have been spent. A good consultant will keep you from making exactly these types of mistakes.</p>
<p>A marketing consultant that is versed in local search engine optimization is someone that could be very useful to you. Local search is becoming one of the best ways to promote a local business, especially if it has a physical location and is not just an online entity.</p>
<p>Let’s face it; far more people use the internet to find the businesses they need now, rather than using the older methods, like yellow pages or newspapers. So, it is critical that you try and drive interested parties to your location rather than to your competitors’ locations.</p>
<p>A marketing consultant should be able to tell you where you should be putting your time and money online. For instance, if there is heavy competition in your sector in the local search field, they might direct you towards a social marketing campaign.</p>
<p>The social aspect of the internet has also become a very important tool that many people use to help them locate local businesses.</p>
<p>Another great thing about hiring a marketing consultant is that they are a resource that can help you learn. If you decide to hire a marketing consultant, there is nothing saying that you have to continue using their services for the life of your business, and indeed, most people will not.</p>
<p>Instead, use them to get your business off on the right foot, and do your best to learn everything you can from them.</p>
<p>Learn what marketing techniques are going to work best for your type of business, and familiarize yourself with the way they approach online marketing and local search. This can give you the tools to successfully market your business on your own, long after the marketing consultant has been let go.</p>
<p>Most new businesses fail within the first three years. It is during this startup time that you need the most help to get your business off the ground, which makes that the perfect time to hire a marketing consultant.<br />
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		<title>Local Business Internet Marketing Online</title>
		<link>http://www.dfforum.org/local-businesses-internet-marketing-online/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dfforum.org/local-businesses-internet-marketing-online/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 Dec 2010 19:36:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>LocalBusinessMarketing</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dfforum.org/?p=977</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Local business Internet marketing is becoming crucial to the success of many local businesses; the old slogan "Think globally but act locally" pertains more to consumer practices now than it ever did to activism or any other cause to which it may have once been applied. It is clear that consumer behavior has shifted to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong><a title="Local Business Internet Marketing" href="http://www.dfforum.org"><span style="color: #000000;">Local business Internet marketing</span></a></strong> is becoming crucial to the success of many local businesses; the old slogan "Think globally but act locally" pertains more to consumer practices now than it ever did to activism or any other cause to which it may have once been applied.</p>
<p>It is clear that consumer behavior has shifted to now using the internet more than any other method to locate goods and other needed services.</p>
<p>Today, a consumer's purchasing journey often does not begin with a trip to Main Street or the mall, or even with the phone directory, but rather it begins with online search.</p>
<p>Local business Internet marketing and advertising are crucial because it places the businesses message right where consumers are searching, and more importantly, the message is seen at the exact time that the customer is most likely to respond.</p>
<p>Efficient local business Internet marketing should aim to build loyalty among Internet users who find the business online through internet search, by appearing as an authority in that particular area, and pointing out the advantages of dealing with that particular enterprise.</p>
<p>Often offering an incentive to sign-up to a newsletter, so as to capture that particular visitors information for future marketing efforts is a great idea as well.</p>
<p>Even if a consumer can purchase something online for a slightly lower price, they are more apt to want to buy it locally in order to avoid shipping delays and perhaps not have to deal with using a credit card online.</p>
<p>Local business Internet marketing is crucial even for local businesses such as hair salons and automotive service centers that do not compete against online retailers.</p>
<p>This is because for many consumers, the Internet has replaced the phone directory as the most comfortable and efficient place to find a local business or required service.</p>
<p>The trend toward searching online is massive, and is only likely to grow further in the years to come. Here, too, internet offers such as downloadable coupons and web only specials are ideal tools to entice and retain customers.</p>
<p>Of course proper Search Engine Optimization and a well thought out Search Engine Marketing Plan are needed to ensure that your local business Internet advertising will be noticed and acted upon by your potential and existing customers.</p>
<p>Therefore, any local business which ignores the potential of Internet marketing does so at its own peril and will clearly lose customers to their local competitors who do harness the power of the Internet for locally oriented online advertising.</p>
<p>Businesses which take the time and effort to invest in search engine optimization and proper management of their website will get the most out of their efforts, because their advertisements will be found first in online search, and be considered more authoritative, with the effect of being an updated and magnified version of the bold Yellow Pages ads of old.</p>
<p>Many Web design and marketing firms specialize in local business Internet marketing/advertising, and the best choice is often a firm that is located in the same area as the client itself, especially as a synergy between client and service provider could extend further, considering that both are businesses located in the same area but providing completely different services.</p>
<p>A local service provider is likely to be more familiar with the language, customs and particular areas that need to be targeted.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, with so much information about any locale available online, and with any astute business owner knowing that it is his own responsibility to provide guidance to any marketing provider, a local business Internet advertising client could find professional and highly cost efficient service even from a provider located many time zones away from their business.</p>
<p>The key to hiring an online marketing consultant or company is choosing one with experience and one that has implemented previously successful campaigns at a reasonable cost. Of course, someone who is just starting out may also be a good choice if they can demonstrate a successful case study, because they may be willing to do the job at a much lower price and with far more enthusiasm to please the client in order to begin to build their reputation.</p>
<p>Will an internet marketing course lead you to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Some people think so. But simple solutions to complex questions are rarely enough. Nevertheless, a good online marketing course will take you a long way on the journey to success in the complicated internet world.</p>
<p>Probably further than single past traditional techniques such as competitions, posters, letter-box drops, search engine manipulation or free gifts. And aren't all gifts free?</p>
<p>How will you recognize a good internet marketing course? What will it teach you?</p>
<p>There are certain essentials. Assuming you have a good product, you will need to find ways of researching your market and then devising the best ways to reach it. These ways will include optimal web design and content, with special emphasis on writing and editing.</p>
<p>You will need to develop your own unique style of promoting your website. It's your choice. You may lean on pay-per-click advertising or search engine advertising most heavily, for example. It will be the duty of the internet Marketing Course designers to provide these and other awarenesses.</p>
<p>Methods that how you use to find the best Internet marketing course</p>
<p>Research and implement. Learn everything that you can find on the internet and apply what you learn on a internet marketing business. This will take a long time and could easily get overwhelmed and confused and eventually end up with giving up the business.</p>
<p>Enroll into an Internet related University course. Generally the tuition fees are high for these courses and also take a few years to complete the course.</p>
<p>Find a successful mentor and learn from that person. Unfortunately, most of these successful internet marketers are running their own business and do not offer hands on type of coaching and you may end up with spending the money and not getting the benefits from this person.</p>
<p>Find a successful internet marketing course, pay for the moderate course fees (in hundreds rather than thousands) and stick to the system and consistently take actions and give enough time to see the results.</p>
<p>The problem with this method is difficult to disguise between the good and the bad system and difficult for a beginner to decide which course to buy. In most cases, the beginners buy lots of products and systems and spend most of their time learning these systems rather than taking actions to implement on one good system.</p>
<p>Obviously, taking an Internet Marketing Course is by no means a guarantee for success. It is essential to have the correct mindset of building up a business and understand that it takes time and efforts to see the results.</p>
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