Email communication can be a fantastic marketing tool and is something we use with great effect. The trouble is sometimes it can all get just overpowering. So I decided to share a really quick tip today with something that is working for me.

First to clarify though, Small business internet marketing and b2b email marketing will still work with your customers. You just have to make sure that you are adding some value and you don’t abuse the relationship you are working hard to create.

First steps make sure you have more than one email account and special emails for special people, you know the type of thing. So where does the market research come in? Glad you asked that question. If you are a marketer it is actually useful to find out what emails you actually open and which you dont? Put it this way if you don’t open them perhaps your customers won’t either.

So what I do is get on a lot of marketers lists and they all come through one email account. I use Gmail ( yes we can now call it that in the UK) it is easy to set up and great at blocking spam.

Then every few days I scan them. Yep, I just have a quick look. The ones that peak my interest get put into a special folder and then I delete the rest. Later on I go back to them and see if I am still interested. If I am then maybe this subject line might just be one to use again.

Hope the tips help

Best Wishes

Denise and Sharon

Online reputation management is big business now ( Though Denise cheer up!!……perhaps a touch or recording nerves!)

We thought we would share a couple of videos over the next week or so. We have been invited to have a TV channel on Start up TV in the UK.

We are really excited about the possibilities. This is actually a great online ” magazine style site” with contributions from many different angles when it comes to marketing. We will let you know how it goes.

If you are a start up business it would be well worth you going along and signing up for their free newsletter.

This video on search engine repuputation management talks through some of the reasons why it is becoming increasingly important in all walks of business life.

A few months ago we were at a networking event where one business owner was not convinced of the benefit of being online. Which is fair enough, as we are all entitled to our own opinions and thoughts. Yet this particular individual had had some negative press about him which, sad to say was evident on line. This is not rare at all.

A funny story from us is that Denise once objected to a planning application ( eco warrior that she is) and for quite a while this was one of the main things that appeared about her on the internet! Now because of our own knowledge we know how to minimise the impact. It is easy, yet it is important to know what to do when it comes to your own internet repuation management.

First of all make sure whenever you comment on an online forum or blog that the comment you leave relates to your brand and the image you want to portray.

Go and grab your social network names. The power of linkedin and facebook are huge and making sure that your name is listed will probably get you on the first page of Google straight away.

Apart from going to Google how do you know what people are saying? The quickest and easiest way is to go to Google alerts and add in your name as an alert. You will then be sent emails everytime someone talks about you on line.

Just Google Google alerts and you can arrange it in seconds.

So in summary then what can you do? There are hundreds of things. Though below are 7 things you can do that will take you probably less than an hour ( possibly with the exception of adding your name to your website)

1. Go to Google alerts and sign up for alerts on your name and your company name.

2. Sign up for a linkedin account. Even if you are not sure what to do quite yet claim your name

3. Sign up for Facebook

4. Sign up for Twitter.

5. Make sure that you add your own name into your website details and key words.

6. Post on relevant forums under yourr own name and say something “worthwhile”. You just might be picked up by the search engines.

7. Go and sign up for a free blogger blog and use your own name. Just post something simple like an about you 100-200 words.

To You and your online success

The video below was sent to e by a friend.That made me think how quickly I can start to go off on a tangent where video is concerned. The link below is a “different” advert for old spice. Targeted I suspect at the female buying population mostly. Though a couple of my gay male friends I am sure would appreciate it. Amazing isn’t it what a viral campaign can do for you and your product especially when linked to humour …….and attractive looking men and women!!

So why show you this? I guess Old spice is something of an iconic brand and yet it has very much moved into the the latest century having its own video section on its website.

The graph from Google insights below shows how popular Mr “old” spice man actually is. Google insights shows the general upswing of searches compared to the average over time.

So whatt are the lessons for business owners. No it is not about getting the most attractive person to strip off and promote your company:-) though I guess that is always an option. It is more about being opent to possibility.

Ask yourself:

1. What is popular at the moment that can link to me and my brand?

2. At this time of year what can I offer my clients that they need . Can I promote this in a unique way?

3. What can I share with my clients that is different and yet maybe gives them an idea ( hint this quick blog post)

Off to rescue some plants outside. After a hose pipe ban locally ( don’t laugh we live in the wettest county in England ) we have had 24 hours of torrential rain. Umh maybe a subject for another blog post!

Enjoy the rest of your day

Denise and Sharon

For regular visitors you will have spotted that we have updated the Najeda online marketing site with some new nifty branding.

This is in line with how small business internet marketing is developing.

With over 4 billion searches a day on line and internet marketing growing exponentially it is important to keep in the Flow of where you market is.

You will notice on the site that there is a box on the right hand side that says Grab your stuff! Here you can subscribe and join our list where we communicate with you on how to leverage the internet as a small business owner. There is also another way to join via the grey box that appears. We are just testing it at the moment so we will let you know how it goes.

A couple of months ago we sent out a survey to many of you asking what you needed when it came to marketing online. The result was more online information courses videos etc.As a result over the next couple of months you will be seeing more ways appearing to access the information you requested.

We will also be launching our low cost internet marketing training membership programme in a couple of weeks.

You can connect with us on all the different social networks and You Tube. Plus of course subscribe through the RSS button.

Best Wishes

Denise and Sharon

Small business internet marketing is the way of the future. No matter if it is just you or hundreds of people in you business. Some of you already know our story about how we came to be helping small businesses dominate their local market. The truth is there are only 2 of us full time in our business. There are others though who because of the power of the world wide web can work for us at home and on a part time basis. The power of what is happening with technology means that Jane or John can work from home run a business and even take the children to school.

The basis of success online revolves around a few key elements:

1. Having a product or service to sell that people want or need.

2. Having an online presence

3. Getting found one page 1 of google ( less than 20% of people bother looking past page 1 )

You may have already made your decision on number 1 though you might want to think about your approach to your target market and how to engage with them.

Number 2 and 3 are where people get stuck. You have to be seen for people to start a relationship with you in the first place.

We have hundreds of subscribers and many clients who took our survey a couple of months ago.

The key challenge that came back was where do you start ? we need step by step help and we don’t have any money! If you watch the video above you will see some of the feedback we got.

If this subject interests you why not sign up for our pre launch videos.

As promised we will be launching our new step by step training at the end of this month at a cost that is a no-brainer when it comes to investment in your business. If you are interested go and register at Get Going on Google

To You and Your Online Success

Denise and Sharon

Fan Pages On Facebook are they worth it?

Facebook continues to grow at an exponential rate, even more so when it comes to their fan pages on facebook. The question being is it worth investing time, energy, and resources in creating your own fan page for your local business.

The evidence seems to point to yes. As a business or an individual a face book presence is very evident to the search engines.

Let’s be honest we do live in a “fan” culture these days. When it comes to internet marketing and life “online” people love to interact and be part of a collective group. So in essence why not move with the times.

It is worth thinking about your market? Do you have a product or service that would link well with a fan page? The general age of facebook users is under 30 and many are female though don’t let that put you off.

It is yet another great way to promote your product or service and can give you yet another page one ranking on Google. Look at our own screen capture above.

Updates take minutes and much of this can be automated with free tools.

You can let people know what you are up to. Run competitions update people on events you are running and get into a conversation with your market. All this will help you build the “tribe” that Seth Godin suggests we all do.

If you are not yet a fan of Najeda online on face book.

Head over and join us. Click here for Najeda online fan page on facebook
To You and your online success

Denise and Sharon

How To Add The WordPress Facebook Connect Plugin

Another quick video recorded with jing project. This is Free screen recording software and is excellent for recording quick videos like this. William a subscriber asked about the new facebook connect icon. Why use it and how do you add it to your blog.

Just click the video above for some quick instructions.

This connect icon was launched at the end of April and is a great way to have your friends and visiters spread the “love” and your content!

So feel free to hit the like icon for us. If you neeed to download it just click the link below

Click Here for the Plugin

To You and Your Online Success

Denise and Sharon

Small Business Email Marketing Possible For Any Business

Small business email marketing is very much alive and thriving in the current global economy. Don’t let the naysayers put you off. People still use email marketing in their small business to great effect.

Email is still a sure fire way to communicate with your customers. It is one of the most cost effective ways to build an ongoing relationship with your list of potential customers. Email marketing services are cheap. Lets face it many of the most popular services on the internet cost less than you think. Some are Free ( Not recommended if you are really serious about your business) and others like aweber cost around £12-14 a month depending on the exhange rate. There are a few tips you need to consider first though.

1. Use Double Optin

This might sound odd and yet it helps protect all companies from the spam laws. If you ever visit a website and decide to sign up for some useful information. The majority of small businesses will send a couple of emails to you asking you to confirm that you actually requested the information in the first place. To ensure this does not happen to you make sure you use this facility with your email provider.

Courtesy of wwwVerilai.com

2. Make communication relevant

Your small business email marketing campaign needs to be targeted and relevant to your audience. For instance if you are a solicitor make sure what you talk about is helpful to your subscribers and is what they might expect from a local law firm.

3. Do Not Make Every Email a Pitch

When I first started online no one had explained this one to me and I started to appreciate this as I went. Make sure you build your relationship first. Once you have established connection with your subscribers they will over time grow to love you and your business just treat them sweetly first.

Small business email marketing can take many forms with social networks enabling many owners to build large lists of fans. If you would like this to be you it really is possible with some planning and focus.

To You and Your Online Success

Denise and Sharon

I saw this for the first time just over 15 months ago. This have changed even more since. Near the end of the video it talks about 31 million searches a month on google! . This is now on average past 85 million.

On Friday a I saw a report from comscor in the US that said that in the month of may over 14 billion! videos were watched on you tube. So what do we take out of this?

I guess online needs to be a avenue for your marketing. Plus visual media works. !!

Enjoy your weekend

Best Wishes

Denise and Sharon

How To Use the New Google Keyword Finder Tool

This is a quick video to round off the week. The Google keyword tool has been updated. Don’t be put off as you can still access the old one as you will see in the video.

What is useful about this from a small business marketing tip perspective is that you can search by categories and find out what is hot or not at the momemt.

For instance if you have an ecommerce site is a specific niche. Let’s say health, you can have a look at where your focus “could” be.

Hope You enjoy and Have a Great weekend.

We have our local village fete tomorrow.

Flo ( that is our Dog…not a friend!) was a little naughty a couple of years ago so has been banned from the sausage eating competition…oh well that is life.

See You all Soon

Denise and Sharon