Tuesday, April 27, 2010

4 Reasons Why It's Plain Stupid Not To Start Your Business Blog Today



A secret that’s not a secret.

The quickest way to begin establishing a web presence is to start with a blog. This is a secret that many designers rarely tell their clients. The reason is simple; there is no profit in telling you about a blog.

Of course, you need a website but before you go running to a web designer, build a business blog; the reality is that having a website is not all it appears to be. Ask any business owner with a website.
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Most websites attract very few visitors and direct revenue from many of them occurs only occasionally. It’s depressing but true many business owners would rather not discuss their website numbers; if they are even aware of what they are.

What they do know is that there is very little business originating from their sites. The reason is simple. Most business owners are not on the internet enough to market their sites.


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Add to that it does not matter how educated a person is even with degrees in marketing, internet marketing is a ball game that everyone needs to learn to play before jumping in.

The way things are done on the internet is a little, well a lot different from what is done offline. That is only one of the reasons my recommendation is that…
Every business should have a business blog.

This blog should be the hub or an outside connection to your website. It is where you can meet, greet and qualify new prospects or communicate with your favorite or special clients.

A place where you can explain your business, show your passion and expertise in what you do. Even if your business does not have a web site, you should have a blog. In fact even businesses with a website should also invest the time it takes to setup a business blog. Here why:

1. Blogs are free: and you can choose from a number of free blogger platforms Goggle's Blogger, Wordpress and almost every membership site has a blog or some sort of private posting space.
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2. Once a blog is setup adding business content as simple as logging in and posting. It does require that that you are creative with your content but there are options.

3. No need to develop content: If you do not have the internal staff expertise you can use private label right content or out-source it to a freelance writer.

4. DIY: If you have the ability or can follow instruction you can do it yourself. There are a variety of programs on the internet that makes it really inexpensive to set up and use a blog.


As you may know, I’m in the process of build my site. In fact the site should have been up by now but it’s still under construction. I switched from Blogger to a Wordpress blog because of this new software I came across. It allows you to get started quickly.

Take a look at my new blog. It is temporally hosted under my domain name.

Guerilla Marketing Consulting Ltd.


With the new platform and software I was a bit skeptical myself until I had a chance to try. It is really a no-brainer process of uploading one file, editing one file and then filling a few blanks on a web form and choosing the niche. I choose you. Smile

The product is based on knowledge and experience of a very successful blogger who is been holding almost entire first page of Google results for his chosen (and very competitive) keywords for over a year!
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All his knowledge and experience were turned into complete Video Tutorials where he guides you step-by-step and makes it a complete no-brainer to install, even if you never created a single page on the Internet!

You will also get a custom script that does the full blog configuration and customization based on a few answers you provide on web page and you got a clear winner.

You should take a look at the video to really understand what it’s all about. There is a free version but there is also a very affordable. Just check it whether or not you have a website.

This is where you will keep in touch with your market.

When you do make the decision to get a blog, which ever way you go you can always post your URL on this blog. In fact I will set up a page where you can post your full URL along with an ad for your product or service.

Free Online Wordpress Software.

Be Well

P.S. If you are in business and do not have a site you need to do something soon. Getting on line is a learning process and it’s easy once you begin to understand it. Whatever you decide to do find a blog and start building your web presence.

4 Simple Reasons Why You Should Start Your Business Blog Today

Blogging Is Not A Trend

Here is a secret that’s not a secret. The quickest way to begin establishing a web presence is to start with a blog. This is a secret that many designers rarely tell their clients. The reason is simple, there is no profit in telling you about a blog.

Of course, you need a website but before you go running to a web designer, build a business blog, The reality is that having a website is not all it appears to be. Ask any business owner with a website. Most websites attract very few visitors and direct revenue from many of them occur only occasionally. It’s depressing but true many business owners would rather not discuss their website numbers; if they are even aware of what they are.

What they do know is that there is very little business originating from their sites.
The reason is simple. Most business owners are not on the internet enough to market their sites. Add to that it does not matter how educated a person is even with degrees in marketing, internet marketing is a ball game that everyone needs to learn to play before jumping in. The way things are done on the internet is a little, well a lot different from what is done offline. That is only one of the reason my recommendation is that…

Your blog should be the hub with direct links to your website.

It is where you can meet, greet and qualify new prospects or communicate with your favorite or special clients. A place where you can explain your business, show your passion and expertise in what you do.

Even if your business do not have a web site, you should have a blog. And if you do have a site there is a compelling reason to build a blog. Here why:

1.Blogs are free and you can choose from a number of free blogger platforms Goggle has Blogger and there is Wordpress, almost every membership site has a blog or some sort of private posting space.

2.Once a blog is setup adding content about your business is as simple as logging in and posting new content about your business. It does require that that you be creative with your content but you do have options.

3.If you do not have the internal staff expertise who can develop content there are private label right content or out-sourcing options to posts.

4.If you have the ability or can follow instruction you can do it yourself. There are a variety of programs on the internet that makes it really inexpensive to set up and use a blog.

Not having a web site everyone will understand but being in business and not having a blog is like being in a rapidly moving river in a canoe without a paddle. There is no other way to quickly establish your web presence, personal or business.

Use this link HERE to find out how to set up your word press blog.


Be Well

P.S. If you are in business in Trinidad consider getting a no-obligation Hidden Marketing Assessment go HERE.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Are You Guilty Of This?



“Every truth has two sides; it is as well to look at both, before we commit ourselves to either” Aesop Quotes

This has nothing and everything to do with marketing, it's totally about who we are as enlightened humans being in a world that we have created.

Sometimes as business people we need to step back from whatever we are engaged in and evaluate ourselves. We need to examine what we are doing to our reputation and character by the little decisions we make in our daily lives. By themselves they are by no means life changing decisions but they always define who we are and how the rest of the world perceives us.

It's the little things in life that really count. Like how some people behave with a waiter/waitress in restaurants that gives invaluable insight into their own character. In business, these same behaviors determines how we are perceived by others.

Our word, that is our oral promise should be "as good as gold" or even paper money.

Of course we must always leave allowances for the unexpected, it’s why pencils are built with erasers because everyone make mistakes: in judgment on completion times, returning calls, emails, meetings or even promises for payment. As humans, we plan and it is said that "God laughs" at our plans, but that's no excuse not to communicate.

Communicating after making an oral promise is not something we do "if we have the time" but should become a personal obligation/commitment to, at a minimum, explain why we could not or did do what we promised to do. The promise does not evaporate into the universe, being known as not having a "good word" destroys the character.

Allow me to put it into perspective. This came up because of the experiences I have had recently with web designers in and outside of Trinidad. Yes, consider this a request for your services if you meets the criteria below.

You may or may not be aware, I have been in a continuous search for a Web designer/developer for the last couple of months after a very strange experience with someone I trusted. I will not go into that here but suffice it to say that has happened was surprising and an enlightening experience which I will share in another post. It's no wonder that the web design/development industry continues to be so nefarious with a saturation of wannabe designers who all claim to be able to build anything. There are designers and Designers.

What am I looking for? Not much. A designer for sure but there are other qualities that, after my experience, are much more important. I call it character. Fortunately we all have one.

But before we go there, let me share some background so you can appreciate
why the urgent need for a designer with certain predispositions.

Team players

In my function as a Business Web Coach assisting business owners to establish their web presence, it’s essential that I have a pool of designers/Developers to design websites for clients.

The coaching includes all aspects of web development starting with the initial concept, story board, structure, copy, business model innovation, traffic generation and one-on-one or group training after the launch. The intent is to bring to the table online experience and marketing strategies to develop a viable revenue generating web site for the business.

My plan is to host a one day seminar titled "Getting Started Online" This seminar promises to embed a marketing mindset into the participants enabling them with foundational knowledge to establish their web presence and possibly a web site.

With the web coaching service I prefer to begin at the concept stage and not have to do an extreme marketing makeover on a website that is already published. I know very little about web design, coding or graphic design. It is therefore very important that I work with a web designer. But not just any designer, I'm looking for designers with two enduring qualities apart from their ability to design a professional web site:

Professional Integrity

This requirement is at the top because it is extremely important the designer/developer understand that this can make or break our relationship. This has nothing to do with being a honest person but more with character. In my humble opinion, behavior as described above does not show a lack of character because whatever they do is their character. It demonstrates a blatant disrespect for the value of "their word" when given as a promise.

From time immemorial oral communication has initiated business it's indeed a sad day when everything must be in writing. Imagine putting a simple promise like, "I'll call you" in writing.

Mind you, this relates not only to designers/developers but too many professionals are beginning to behave like politicians and lawyers. Granted, It may be a little thing to some people but expeditiously making repeated unfulfilled promises is wrong. Not only wrong in business but in any social setting.

If you are a designer and you don't agree, I'm so glad you are reading this because I hope I never do business with you.

Experience and Creativity

The designer must be self motivated and creative. He/she must be able to reproduce an idea and essentially make it look good online. The nature of the industry, i.e. overpopulated with semi-professionals, makes it important that the designers/developers have a registered company and preferably a design staff.

There skill must include all the necessary coding capability to develop a self contained eCommerce site with content management system and accommodate a merchant account platform. I am also looking for someone with an entrepreneurial spirit, someone who is willing to invest in their own future and to gain experience in developing websites that generate revenue.

If you meet these requirements, I would love to speak with you, send me an email.

In the interim, because of my experience I have used my limited knowledge to host my domain on a wordpress blog platform. If you are serious about online marketing click over to the blog, review it and make a comment or give some feedback. Done without the aid of a designer, it's not professional but it meets my needs until better can be done. Take a look at it and leave some feedback. You can find it at Here

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Should T&T Political Parties Campaign Online?



A Strategy That Could Tip The Scales For The Right Party

As we all know by now the PM of Trinidad and Tobago just announced a snap election and last night both political parties kicked off their campaigns.

Unfortunately in a small country such as this even for a non political it is impossible to ignore the collective consciousness of the environment. As a marketer, I shift my paradigm to see the election campaigns in terms of a marketing project.

The People’s National Movement (PNM)

It was speculated and confirmed by the PM that the elections was called, because of a submission by the opposition party, for a vote of no-confidence in the PM and as an extension his party. With the election now a reality, the monumental marketing task for the PNM is to convince the majority of the voting electorate that they are still the smart choice. Their primary challenge address is their...

Credibility – This party must somehow convince the electorate that they are credible, i.e. that their integrity is beyond reproach. It must convince everyone that their excesses, mistakes and intentional policies with respect to taxes and transformation of the public services will help everyone.

To be clear what the party must now convince the electorate that everything that was done while the party was in power was right and just for the country. It would really be interesting to see their campaign/marketing strategy. Credibility is a hard nut to crack and becomes even harder with time when there is a history and even a present that goes against everything that they can promise.

As is obvious, there is a segment of the population that can be described in no other way than "die-hards". These are party members who will not change parties even with hard proof of corruption. This kind of blind loyalty was aptly demonstrated by the PM in his dogged determination to defend the Canadian Chairman of umpteen boards of state owned companies.

His defense of this man stood in the face of hard evidence and testimony by credible witnesses of the existence of potential corruption. The gentleman is now being investigated on criminal charges. A rare case of one man, a non-national contributing to and maybe indirectly causing the calling of a snap election which requires the dissolution of the parliament. Thats on one side, and on the other...


Read More Here

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

A Thought For This Week - Wolves, An Analogy For Life

It's All On The Inside

There is no escaping from ourselves. The human dilemma is as it has always been, and we solve nothing fundamental by cloaking ourselves in technological glory. Anji Bromley


Short Story


One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.

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"One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

"The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."



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Thursday, April 1, 2010

#1 Reason Most Business Web Sites Fail...


And How Easily It Can Be Changed


"Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely
Henry Ford

Local business owners in Trinbago are practicing the same business strategies that appear to be working offline; online. I say appear because even offline they fail to leverage the opportunities as I will show in a minute.

Think on it for a moment, to start a business offline you hang out a sign and location, location and location is the formula. Where you are will determine how many people will come to your store or retail business and ultimately how succussful you are.

That's it. And if you are typical business owner you just let it happen every day month or year. All you need is some advertising. keep the doors open and the shelves stocked. It's totally different online.

The same offline thinking goes into the way many business websites are designed. They rationalize that all they need is as much online traffic as possible and that’s it. To stimulate sales offline prices are discounted, banners and posters are used and special sales events are created. the same thing can happen online but the difference is online you can measure everything.

Read More Here

Is T&T Carnival Still The Greatest Show On Earth?

In Defense of We Carnival Recently, a situation has arisen where differing perspectives prompt contemplation.   I am referring to two inst...