How To Build Links And Influence People

How To Win FriendsAre you looking to get some momentum with web traffic?  Trying to figure out how to build links and bring in more customers?  This post is for you.

I’ve been listening to that lavishly written classic on human relations “How To Win Friends And Influence People” while jogging lately.  What a powerful book.  This is probably my fourth time through the audio version.  It will not be my last.

It got me thinking about how building web traffic (link building, SEO, social media) is basically winning friends and influencing people online.  So it makes sense that we can take what Dale Carnegie said back in the 30s and tweak and update it some to implement his techniques on the web.

There is a great deal to be learned here for content and inbound marketers.  The outline below is verbatim from Dale’s book with his statements in bold and my comments following each.  Some of the points deal with winning friends (and getting links), while others deal with influencing people (converting visitors into customers).  Parts 1 through 3 of the book relate to content marketing, while Part 4 is about leadership which doesn’t apply here.  These comments are through Part 3 only.

How To Build Links And Influence People

Part One

Fundamental Techniques In Handling People

  1. Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain.  In all online interactions, keep on the sunny side. This is especially true with the use of sarcasm, which never plays well in text form.  Stay light years away from negativity, whining, and sarcasm. (more…)

Inbound Marketing on a Dime – Generate More Traffic Today!

So you’ve read articles, watched webinars, maybe even attended a seminar or two about Inbound Marketing. You’re hooked. You’re ready to get started!  The only problem is, you’re not sure you have the budget for a full-on Inbound Marketing campaign.

Inbound Marketing on a Dime

Inbound Marketing doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg!

You have probably heard of Hubspot as well.  Inbound and Hubspot typically go hand in hand, and if you are running a serious inbound campaign, Hubspot is by far the best option and in the end, the most cost effective solution.  As a result, many people have had their excitement about inbound tempered by sticker shock when they see what agencies typically charge for their monthly fees.  We are going to do something though that might fly in the face of what a software partner should do — we’re going to tell you how to attack an inbound marketing campaign WITHOUT Hubspot.

3 Major Components

A good inbound marketing campaign needs a minimum of three major components: (more…)

Shift of Power to the Consumer

Shift of Power to the Consumer

My nephew Oliver illustrates the new found power of the consumer.

I am 4 pages into writing a new eBook.  We’re working on an accompanying InfoGraphic as well.  Stay tuned.  I’m having a blast writing it.

In some of my research, I came across what I think is one of the best statements of the tectonic shift away from Outbound and toward Inbound Marketing that I have ever read.  And it is not from a company that has anything to benefit from promoting Inbound.  Here you go . . .

Shift of Power to the Consumer

Euromonitor International published a study in January titled “Online Travel: Shift of Power to Consumers” with the following synopsis . . .

The online travel revolution which has taken place in the last 10 years has led to substantial changes in the travel industry’s competitive environment. These are so significant to force companies to re-think their business models. In particular, consumers now play a much more central and active role, while technology players have become essential partners for travel companies. Customer knowledge and social interaction are key requirements to compete successfully in this new environment. (emphasis ours)

Those are heavy words.  Revolution. Substantial. Significant. Force. Re-think. Essential. (more…)

5 Reasons to Use WordPress for Business Websites

WordpressAt ITD Interactive, the main thing that makes us different from other web companies is that our single focus is helping our customers grow their businesses online.  Yes, we build websites, but having a great-looking website is NOT the goal.  Having a great-looking website is just expected.

The actual goal of any website design or redesign is to help your business sell more, do more, make your customers happier, etc.  Now – with that out of the way, we decided a long time ago to use WordPress almost exclusively for building our client’s websites.  Here are 5 reasons we choose to use WordPress for business websites and think that you should too! (more…)

5 of the Best WordPress Plugins We Can’t Live Without

PluginWe have a pretty short list of favorites that we feel are the best WordPress plugins around.  As a successful web marketing company, we have tested and tried just about everything that is out there and have based our list on items that we feel not only are fantastic plugins – but that offer the most value to our client’s websites.  When we call anything a favorite, it isn’t just because it is cool – it has to offer something really valuable to either make our job easier or make our client’s websites more effective.  With that said – here is our Top 5 List of our choices for Best WordPress Plugins! (more…)

What is Content Marketing – A Crash Course for the Small Business Owner

Content MagnetYou have heard the phrase and are wondering, what is “content marketing”?

New buzzwords come quickly, and marketing has more than most. One of the newest is “Content Marketing.” But what is content marketing and what does it mean to you? Content marketing is a new concept in marketing that uses content to attract potential clients, draw them in and engage them, and request a call-to-action that creates leads or customers.

It Starts with Search

Many inquiries begin with a simple search which returns an overwhelming number of (more…)