Cyber Monday Extended, Google+ Vs. Facebook, Twitter in Kansas, Michael Jackson’s Doctor, Apple Siri, Jets, Giants Lose: What your business can do to increase sales and save face
Posted by Romain Malaganne on Nov 29, 2011
Let me start off today with a quote from Dick Jauron (defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League) – courtesy of Successories motivational posters: http://bit.ly/u28isL
“I believe (the NFL) is the best sports league in the world and it has the most passionate fans. Every place is a little distinct in their passion and when you lose, they’re going to let you know. The bottom line for us is working as hard as you can, working together, and working to create a winner again. We do that and the fans will be passionate in a positive way.”
It’s funny to be inNew Yorkwith all of our sports teams. Whether they win or lose, it’s definitely NOT how they play the game. Because the fact is that if they lose, fans care. And that is passion. So don’t worry about selling tickets to your sporting events. Plenty of people will pay for a seat in a football stadium. Just exist!
However, if you are a sensitive nation and a politically correct National Football League, then don’t celebrate a touchdown by acting like a JET and then crashing and burning. Some people might get offended or insulted and think you are talking about 9-11 when you are just referring to getting a touchdown. And if you want to make fun of Plaxico Burress shooting himself, that’s another story: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-jets-johnsonsantics
So now let’s say that you score a touchdown or are offended by a celebration. Well, the main thing we do in 2011 is tweet about it. http://fox4kc.com/2011/11/28/social-media-experts-talk-twitter/. In this particular instance though, some high school student tweeted that the Governor of Kansas sucks. Well, good for the student for expressing her freedom of speech. And even better for theKansasgovernor for having a staff that monitors social media. Apparently the staff asked for an apology but then rescinded the request and now the Governor is apologizing. I can totally see how this thing got out of hand. Literally a he said/she said situation. So the Governor’s staff thought they were doing the right thing by demanding an apology. The better thing would’ve been to embrace the Twitter remarks and make her even more of a public figure by asking her publicly how he can be a BETTER governor. Even though the situation was blown out of proportion, it proved to be a fantastic news media lesson. When kids are telling you you suck, try to change. After all, kids today, constituents tomorrow.
And along the lines of news media, guess which Internet company is going public with a valuation of $10 billion dollars? http://mashable.com/2011/11/29/facebook-april-ipo-att-t-cyber-monday-youtube/ That’s right folks. That’s BILLIONS with a “B”! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJR1H5tf5wE) I am glad Marc Zuckerberg didn’t take my advice a few years back when I told him to take the money and run! (http://www.raphisalem.com/microsoft-offers-446b-for-yahoo)
But if you ever lose a camera while on a boat and use social media to find the owner, then you will think that Google+ beats out Facebook.https://plus.google.com/104277202662943073951/posts/MH4ZjS8fi2q. I can’t argue that Google+ worked better in THIS case, but overall I am still a fan of Facebook when it comes to social media. Maybe Google+ should be renamed Google Lost and Found? http://shine.yahoo.com/work-money/camera-lost-sea-returned-help-social-networking-215800650.html
I love the fact that Black Friday has turned into Cyber Monday which has turned into Cyber Week, Cyber Month and Cyber all the time! It just goes to show you that retailers with Brick and Mortar MUST have an internet strategy. You can simply make a greater profit from online sales due to the fact that with no overhead and employees dealing with a retail crowd, you can offer discounts and get people to buy without human interaction. Sure, it is a challenge for people who need to look at and feel a product before they make a purchase, but for things you already know you want, there is no substitute. http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2011/11/29/Retailers-extend-Cyber-Monday-throughout-week/UPI-89471322557200/
And if you are one of those millions of Apple and iPod and iPad users and you haven’t seen this Siri video: http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6648229/siri-argument or http://www.informationweek.com/news/telecom/unified_communications/232200265
Lastly, bad news of the week, Michael Jackson’s doctor might have wanted to get a second opinion. Apparently, he did something wrong or was wrongfully accused (not starring Leslie Nielsen). Conrad Murray faces up to 4 years in jail for what he did or didn’t do. Michael Jackson may have been one of the greatest entertainers of his generation and the King of Pop, but he was surely challenged to live in this world! http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1675011/conrad-murray-sentencing-today.jhtml
So what does it all mean? It means that there is only 25 days left until Christmas. It means you need to get your website back up and running. Or make those edits. Or put those eye-catching graphics to work. Or get your meta data set up. Or call your business the king of cyber deals during the holiday season. SalemGlobal can help you with all of these aspects and more. We will help you get setup and then sell more online with internet marketing advice you can count on. Want to come to one of my networking meetings or just give me a call? Call Raphi Salem at SalemGlobal Internet Website Marketing and Lead Generation today at 212-222-3292 or email him at info@salemglobal.com. Let’s come up with cyber deal for your audience!
Tornadoes, Memorial Day, Ex-President Bush’s Balls and Tigers Millions: What your business can learn from online videos, social media, twitter and weekend sales
Posted by Salem Global on May 25, 2011
Lots goi
ng on in the world this week. But the weather rules over all. In New York we have been complaining about the fact that it has been raining, cloudy or overcast (ruining my weekly softball games) but of course today it is bright and sunny. My next game is tomorrow so of course don’t forget your umbrellas. Either the rain is directly linked to my softball game schedule or to the arrival of my interns from France this summer? Thoughts? Do you have interns from France? Did you hear them say anything about the “rain dance” on America?
In all seriousness though, before we begin today, our hearts go out to the victims of Mother Nature’s latest natural disaster. Here is a page and video from KSDK and the Red Cross how you can help: http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/260091/3/Joplin-tornado-donations
In much lighter news, Tiger Woods recently donated one million dollars to his own foundation as a result of a media prank (sort of). He injured his leg somehow and before a press conference (I think having to do with the fact that he makes more than any other athlete in the world right now but hasn’t been playing so well) he stated that if no journalist asks him about his leg, he will donate $1mm to charity. But of course as “real” journalism goes, the first question was indeed about his injury. http://twitter.com/#!/TigerWoods
Speaking of balls, you have got to see this:
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/hot_video/052411-video-foul-ball-lands-near-president-bush
Former President George W. Bush at the White Sox vs. Texas Rangers game almost gets hit by a foul ball. I like what the announcer said – catcher probably said “just trying to protect you Mr. President.” What I want to know is why the secret service didn’t catch it?
Finally, this weekend is Memorial day weekend. First let us wish the best to those of you who have lost loved ones fighting for or protecting the United States of America (and its allies.) Now - Time for car sales! (see http://www.garyromehyundai.com/ and get a great deal on a new Hyundai!) Besides promoting my own clients though 
Check out all of the sales going on in brick and mortar establishments as well as online. One of the first things I always advise companies and organizations on is the calendar. It can become a sales frenzy. Use what is going on in the world to your advantage. Have a Memorial Day sale and promote it everywhere….on the internet and off.
Well that’s it for today. Want to know more about how to get more donations for your non-profit organization? How to use twitter? Online video? Promote a sale? Call Raphi Salem at 212-222-3292 or email him at info@salemglobal.com .
Happy Mother’s Day! Bin Laden Still Dead, Mississippi River Goes To Graceland, Rafael Nadal Between Legs Tennis Winner, Coach Pulls Swimmers Hair: What your business can learn from Terror, Tennis, Rivers and Swim Teams
Posted by Salem Global on May 10, 2011
First – Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mothers out there. I hope your online Mother’s Day was just as gratifying as your in-person Mother’s Day
There once was a movie about a terrorist. It must have been in the 80′s because that’s when all awesome cool simple people fought terror and won. (Think Bruce Willis vs. evil South African and German and whoever the bad guy of the day was. Drugs. Money Laundering. Gun Running. Schwarzenegger. Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapons 1 2 3 and 4 before he let the world know he was crazy. Anyway. In this movie, they switched the terrorists name around from Bin Laden to Abu Nidal. The problem with that switch was that it wasn’t really a switch. They thought they were so smart when they figured out the bad guy switched his name around and sent the cops around the block one extra time that gave him some more time to plan his getaway blah blah blah. My point is that I think there might be a connection between Bin Laden and Rafael Nadal’s awesome tennis shot winner between his legs. It’s unbelievable after you will see back and forth hard hitting volleying with no winner until he gets his opponent close to the net, then lobs it into a far corner. Check it out… Yes the bin laden story as well as the “tweener” video on Youtube…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEzgysQEmyg&feature=player_embedded#at=69
Also in this week’s news, the weather has been crazy. Tornadoes. Tsunamis. Earthquakes. And now the Mississippi River has decided to go berserk! So the river is swelling and threatening Memphis TN. Folks, I think its time to reassess the real estate market close to water. Reminds me of a book I recently listed to titled “This Book Will Save Your Life.” It’s an interesting story about a guy who runs away from his wife and young son from New York to California. In the end, he floats away into the Pacific Ocean on his neighbor’s dining room table that was a movie prop made of Styrofoam. A lot of very creative things happen to this guy throughout the book. Definitely not the best book in the world but followed the formula to keep me interested for the few hours it took for me to listen to it in the car. I have been listening to Jonathan Kellerman a lot lately. Latest book is called Monster. Interesting and engaging but Kellerman goes on and on about the details of the furniture, clothing, weather and every imaginable detail that he turns a 200 page book into a 400 one easily. My latest book is Steig Larson’s Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.. Now THAT is one good book without fluff. No wonder its an international bestseller.
Ok – back to the water… This week we found a coach pulling one of his student team swimmers out of the water by the hair. True it didn’t look good. True its illegal. True he quit his job. True the team might have been protesting and got a disqualification, but I take the positive route. Maybe he was just practicing emergency life saving just in case the Miss River reaches Roseville, California anytime soon? Maybe? We have seen really terrible weather patterns lately. Anything is possible…
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110510/ap_on_re_us/us_mississippi_river_flooding
So what can your business learn from this week’s news? Well from Bin Laden and Rafael Nadal you have learned that names and keywords and spellings are really important to your online image and brand. As for the MI River and the coach from CA who went over the line, we learn that you can’t stop nature. If your video is going viral there is no way you can stop it. So you have to create the viral video for your organization and then hope that now assistant coach, manager or employee messes it up with negative press.
Want to know more about Internet marketing? Viral Video? Terrorism. Tennis? Flooding? Turning negative news into positive with Reputation Management? Call Raphi Salem at 212-222-3292 or email him at info@salemglobal.com to discuss, send comments or ask him how his Mother’s Day was!
Virtual Desktops With Ace IT SOLUTIONS, Japan Tsunami, Rebecca Black Friday, Worst Song Ever, Corey Worthington Delaney House Parties: What your business can learn from viral news and preparedness
Posted by Salem Global on Mar 15, 2011
Our hearts go out to all of the people that are suffering due to the latest world disaster; the Tsunami in Japan. If you search the following “relief for japan tsunami”
http://www.google.com/search?q=relief+for+japan+tsunami you will get sponsored ads by global relief organizations that will donate money, food and anything necessary to helping the victims and everyone and everything related. Just a quick note to non-profits, these organizations don’t pay for their listings. Google has a non profit grant program located at: http://www.google.com/grants/ . It is Google’s way of giving back and I think it’s awesome. Never before in the history of the world has a medium been able to gather people, efforts and donations to help a cause on a global scale. The internet with all of its evils and negatives has to be recognized as this incredible positive tool by which more can be done faster than ever before. The flow of information and funds was simply never possible prior to the commercialization of the Internet. Growing up in the 70′s we would see TV programs, commercials and infomercials, news programs and the like regarding a national or global disaster, but the Internet allows every man, woman and child on the planet with access to be informed, educated and motivated to act. Once again, the Internet has trumped TV, radio and print as the ultimate medium that is interactive, re-active and of course pro-active.
You will notice that organizations are calling for funds for children, earthquake relief, homeless, medical care, clothing, food and the list goes on etc. etc. Please give what you can and aid in any way that you can. The world will be a better place if we all are able to do our part.
And though there is tragedy in the world, life and business move forward…
I wanted to bring to your attention a great webinar that my friend Warren Finkel at http://www.AceITS.net will sponsoring tomorrow regarding Virtual Desktops and how to make desktop virtualization a reality in your company. How desktops and applications can be delivered as a service to any user, on any device — laptop, Mac®, iPhone®, BlackBerry®, iPad® etc. Details here: http://aceits.net/citrix-partners.aspx?svpage=products_desktop&sid=f8f909755de87f9622ac70f57cb335e5#
It’s all about preparing your office and your desktop or your “virtual” office for the ease and demands of the new wired (and wireless) world. I highly recommend it.
And since the news has been so heavy for the past week, I thought I would end on a very light note of what goes viral on the web and what you can do about it…
Corey Worthington Delaney promoted a house party at his parents’ house while they were on vacation in Australia on MySpace. As a result of the 500 people that attended, dozens of police officers, a helicopter and the dog squad had to be called in to restore the peace. Corey became a notorious celebrity but then was fined $20,000 in damages to neighbors property and cars and the like. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/party-pest-starts-to-pocket-riches/story-e6frf7kx-1111115335114
But then when interviewed on live television, the reporter/ anchor asked him to apologize and he wouldn’t. He also wouldn’t remove his sunglasses. Talk about badass! This kid is trouble. Then again, he might make much much more than the $20k he owes doing party and club promotion. Here is the interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm61svN4U5g (over 1.5 million views)
But wait, there is ALWAYS more… Innocently, a 16 year old girl also posted her party to facebook and over 200,000 people said they would be attending! But do not go the party… Not only will her father be waiting there for you, so will the police. The party has been canceled. http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/australian-teens-party-draws-180-000-on-facebook-91792
And lastly, when your video on Youtube gets over 5.6 million views, you might not have the best song or video, but you might make some money and get a few laughs… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2LRROpph0&feature=player_embedded My favorite quote’s are from Yahoo: http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/videogaga/71429/is-youtube-sensation-rebecca-blacks-friday-the-worst-song-ever/ like “is this real or is it just an SNL short?” Good luck Rebeca Black wherever you are…. whatever day it is. Maybe Friday?
Want to know more about my own bad viral videos and internet marketing strategies? Call Raphi Salem today at 888-578-6732 or email info@salemglobal.com and we can talk about it.
Google Farmer, March Madness, Fastest Tennis Serve, St. Patricks Day: What your business needs to do online right now – fast!
Posted by Salem Global on Mar 8, 2011
Has a
nyone noticed their search engine rankings have dropped? Well guess what? Mine haven’t! You know why? Because I started building my websites in 1997 and have been building consistently since day one. Sure I have taken off a week here and a month there. But altogether I have worked according to Google standards (even though my own company preceded Google…. ok ok fine fine – so they are BILLIONS of dollars ahead of me in the Internet game. I am ok with that. Just as long as my share of the pie is coming
And just for the record, for the following keywords we dominate the first page of Google results in the 1st, 8th and 9th position: “website marketing ny”
“ny website marketing” 1,6 and 9
“internet marketing ny” #1
“ny internet marketing” #1
There are five things that will determine your search engine ranking. And guess what? You don’t have to be the Chief scientist or engineer at Google to know them. They are:
- Your keywords in your domain name (Though SalemGlobal.com doesn’t say “website” or “internet” or “marketing” or “NY,” I have other domain names that do
- How many pages you have indexed by Google: Search “site: www.salemglobal.com” in google. You should see 637 results.
- How many links are recognized by Google: Search “link: www.salemglobal.com ” in google. You should see 62 results.
- The history of your domain name: We started using our domain name in 1997
- Meta data properly optimized with keywords: Here is our title:
Bonus: The location from where you are searching will also be a factor. We are in New York, NY and that is where we rank highest.
But we also add content weekly to our website. This shows google we are alive and kicking.
But enough about me and Google. Let’s talk about our latest client: http://www.QueensFamilyDental.com/ . Not only are they in Queens (see, http://QueensDentist.net/ ) but they have two locations: http://AstoriaDentist.net/ and http://FlushingDentist.us/ . Now they will get more leads due to our strategies. So what business or profession are you in?
I know Charlie Sheen is still trending and still being talked about. You would think that he alone is participating in March Madness…. but he isn’t. I am not a huge basketball fan but I know you are. What interests me more is the fastest tennis serve ever… 157 miles per hour. Do you realize how fast that is? Oh – you do? Well – try driving that speed and see if you get caught. Just don’t get hurt and tell the cops I told you to try it. Better to go on the discovery channel or one of those reality shows and do it in a safe environment with a crash test dummy. Anyway – congratulations to the 6’10″ Croat Ivo Karlovic for setting the new world record. But as this blog states, its not the speed that counts, its the placement that will ace your opponent: http://www.sportsgrid.com/media/ivo-karlovic-fastest-serve-in-tennis-history-video/
And that’s what I have been trying to tell you all along. Consistency and placement win the search engine optimization and Internet marketing game. It’s a slow brew over a long time that gets you results. You have to work at it but if your competitors don’t stick with it you will get there…
Want to know more about my tennis serve and lead generation techniques and strategies? Call Raphi Salem today at 888-578-6732 or email info@salemglobal.com and we can talk about it.
Groundhog Day, Super Bowl 45, Hair Transplant Contest, Quit Facebook, Valentines Day: What your business can learn from oversized rodents and football players
Posted by Salem Global on Feb 4, 2011
Well, its that time of the year again. Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell Day. I mean Groundhog Day. I mean one of my all time favorite movies days. The day where if a groundhog leaves its burrow and sees its shadow, it retreats back into its burrow signifying another six weeks of winter. Well guess what folks. Its been raining, snowing, sleeting, freezing, cloudy, overcast and no sign of the sun anywhere except maybe Florida for the snowbirds. So the whole idea of an early spring is just plain insane in the membrane. But according to legend, since it didn’t see its shadow today, expect an early spring. Crazy – right?
Well, the reason why I love that movie and why I write about it year after year (I can’t find my old posts) is because its a movie about hope and perseverance and positive attitude and despair, and love and people and it will make you laugh and cry and feel good and self improvement and 2nd chances and 3rd chances and I could go on but there are lots of other things I want to write about. So my message here is see the movie regardless of your personal or professional life and where you are. You can apply the message to anything, anyone, anywhere, anytime, and anyhow.
Now as I understand it, this Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday. What’s that you ask? Ha ha. Its only the biggest game in the country. American football rocks this coming Sunday February 6, 2011, at Cowboys Stadium located in North Arlington, Texas. The American Football Conference Champion Pittsburgh Steelers will battle the National Football Conference Champion Green Bay Packers in what promises to be one of the most exciting football match ups in recent years. But as you know, I am all about the commercials. Here is a sneak peak of what I could find so far on Youtube:
<disclaimer> I don’t drink soda. I think its terrible for you, your teeth, your heart, your gums, your stomach – shall I go on? I also think that if it has no calories its even worse for you. But as a self-proclaimed advertising maven, I still can spot the good commercial that is worth spending $3 million dollars at the super bowl.
Doritos Pepsi Max is running the same campaign that everyone should be running. User generated content. Duh! Here you can see people making fun of themselves and having fun: http://www.youtube.com/user/2011DoritoCommercial at Walmart and everywhere else in the world. Here are some finalists:
This one made me laugh: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mjRU6b4ecw as did this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE0KIDZnJ9gBut the funniest of them all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZRdr1PiyPQ and another one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8D3qvQCP0Y . But the smartest guy out there reserved this domain name and put up advertising so I hope he makes some cash from Google AdSense off of it: http://www.superbowlcommercials2011.com/
Lets see what happens this Sunday. I think there are over 110 commercials this year. But the best contest and YouTube, blog, Facebook campaign out there is certainly by former tight end two time Super bowl champion NFL san Francisco 49er Dr. John Frank who actually retired from the NFL and went to medical school to become a plastic surgeon and hair transplant specialist. Dr. Frank is running a contest and sweepstakes to see who comes closest to guessing this Sunday’s final score. Whoever it is will be eligible to receive a free hair transplant. Now with 110 million viewers out there, there have got to be some balding guys that might want to change their appearance a bit. Check it out: http://www.prweb.com/releases/hair-transplant/superbowl/prweb5016224.htm
But wait – Valentines Day is coming up. And what better way for a homeless couple to celebrate by going to the Super Bowl. Huh? Why would people who can’t afford to pay rent go to a game that costs hundreds if not thousands of dollars to see live and in person? And what about getting to the game? If you don’t live in Texas and can’t drive to the game, its going to cost you. Well not if you are this lucky couple who WON their ticket by being in the right place and the right time. Oh – and transportation included! http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Homeless-couples-in-Green-Bay-wins-trip-to-Super?urn=nfl-315407
Hey – did you hear the one about the high school kid that closed his Facebook account because he was being harassed by recruiters and colleges because of his stellar football skills. Read about it here… Basically, every high school and college kid has a Facebook page. But when you get unsolicited advice from the world about what to do with your life and then people comment about your mother, its time to go offline.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Top-recruit-quits-Facebook-following-living-nig?urn=highschool-313954 This is very similar and related to our reputation management services. Some people get into trouble every now and then. Sometime lawyers and doctors like to go out for a drink and someone takes a not-so-flattering picture and posts it on Flickr or Facebook. Sometimes Charlie Sheen likes to party with drugs and hookers. So if your business hasn’t woken up to the fact that word of mouth media is here to stay and is the best way for bad news to travel fast, you better get online with a positive message and combat the negative. If you are in high school though, play sports and watch TV a little more. There will always be time in the future to get online. Plenty of time for you to do something a little off color and have your friends document it on their blogs and on YouTube.
And on the opposite side of the Facebook track, billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg has decided that fellow billionaire Marc Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of FB might be able to help the city of New York with its own social media. Come on Mike, I am right here on 45th street. Did you really have to hire a billionaire to help with the city’s social media strategy? Tell you what, I know you want to hire an in-house person for $110,000 annual salary but my firm will do it for half. Click on http://www.SalemGlobal.com for my resume. I look forward to your call.
Ok – just one last thing. Did you all see that Jesse Eisenberg the actor that hosted Saturday Night Live last week? The opening was brilliant. Andy Samberg dressed up in the famous Zuckerberg hoodie sweatshirt and matted down his hair. And behind the scenes the real Marc Zuckerberg was talking to Lorne Michaels about the fact that he didn’t love Eisenberg in the movie the Social Network. How they got the Z man on SNL we will probably never know but clearly someone knew someone.
One final final thing. My local bowling alley called itself the super BOWL in an email blast to local fans. Great play on words. Great message. Funny and to the point. Want to know more about social media and how you can take advantage of the super bowl to help your business? Call Raphi Salem at 212-993-5828 or email info@salemglobal.com and we can talk about it. Its February 2011. You need to change your marketing plan to get with the times. Help me help you
NY Jets En Route To Super Bowl, Lead Generation Strategies For Your Business: A few Internet marketing tips to help you get started in 2011
Posted by Salem Global on Jan 18, 2011
Ok ok sports fans. If you are a New York Jets fan, you are totally psyched about the Jets chances for making it to the Super Bowl this year. If you are a NY Giants fan, do you root for the Jets, any other team but the Jets or is your season over? And of course if you are outside of New York, who ARE you rooting for? A former SalemGlobal employee is a major fanatical Pittsburgh Steeler fan but he lives in California and just got married so who knows what he is doing…
As for other sports, what else is there besides football?
And that is this weeks point as well for Internet marketing. Focus. There is only one thing you want for your business. And that is clients or sales.
So now that I have your attention, let’s talk about what kind of business you are in… Are you a business to business (b2b) business or business to consumer? (b2c)
It’s the beginning of the new year and people are just coming back from vacation and holiday fever. Though the economy and Obamanomics are on everyone’s mind, the real question is what is YOUR business? What do you do? How do you do it? How do you differ from your competition?
And of course this all SHOULD be known from your website. So the basics of Internet marketing are having a clear website according to the Google webmaster tools. But what you don’t learn from Google’s standard instructions is marketing 101. I am still amazed that in the year 2011 some companies don’t have a phone number at the top of their website. I am not referring to sites that DON’T want you to call. I am talking about your standard mom and pop shop that rely on phone calls to keep them in business. Ordering products, supplies and everything related.
And then there are companies who have their local phone number when they are trying to get leads in more than one city state and region. Either get multiple phone numbers or get a toll-free number. A great example of this is http://www.aceits.net/ who service both New York and New Jersey (for IT management and consulting).
Another thing to do for lead generation is make sure you have a quick form to fill out. Forms can be annoying to some and helpful to others. Think about the business person who is so busy that they only get to surf the web at night. They don’t want to use the phone, they just want to fill out a form and have someone call them whenever… On the other hand, expect a lot of spam in your forms. We get spam filled out all the time but the important thing is to try to weed out the spam from the good calls.
Finally for today, why not jump start your lead generation by offering something new for the year, that you have never done before and/or that your competition has never done before. Here at SalemGlobal Internet we are actually offering a money back guarantee on all of our directory services. As an example, go to http://newyorkcitydentist.net/. For only $500/yr., your website & name can be listed there and viewed by hundreds of potential patients in your area. For only $1000 you can be the exclusive sponsor of the website. All with a money back guarantee!
As for our networking groups, we have changed the rules. Everything is free, free, free. We just want people to show up. How’s that for a lead generator.
More exciting lead generation and internet marketing stuff is on its way in 2011. Want to know more? Call Raphi Salem at 212-993-5828 or just email info@salemglobal.com and we can talk about the different ways to improve your sales and bottom line this year within a few weeks.
New Years Resolutions, Mila Kunis, Macaulay Culkin, NY Giants, Jets, Enough With The SEO BS, Lead Generation Is What You Really Want: What Your Internet Marketing Company Never Told You
Posted by Salem Global on Jan 4, 2011
Well there. I said it. SEO is for the birds. It took Google a while to figure it out as well. While everyone in my Internet and Website Marketing industry were beating each other up, telling themselves how great they were, trying to figure out the Google algorithm and clamoring for the top spots in the search engines, Google simply made 1 little itsy bitsy change in the SERP (search engine results page) and leveled the whole playing field. Again. Basically, with Google changes its as if a little kid is sticking his tongue out at you and singing nyah nyah nyha nyah nyah! <insert childish and immature raspberry here>
In the words of the Ojays (funky version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ex1_ExOORE&feature=fvw) or the Kinks (rock and roll version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ex1_ExOORE&feature=fvw) You’ve Got To Give The People What They Want!
Meaning, Google, while of course not changing the standard three advertisements at the top of the SERP or the eight on the side, they now have really focused on giving searchers the top google map and local listings. Sometimes one result or three results but sometimes even up to ten!
So what that means to large and small business is what I have been saying all along. You can’t simply rely on SEO or placing your keywords strategically in your meta data blah blah blah. You need to have a holistic approach to your internet marketing… all with the goal in mind of increase LEAD GENERATION and CLOSED SALES.
So starting in 2011, I mean, right now, as for my new years resolution, SalemGlobal is upping the bar on its competitors. Now we feature a money back guarantee together with our $500 and $1000 directory sponsorship packages. (See http://ctdermatologist.com/ as an example) This is a separate package from our standard website marketing package that includes content writing for websites, blogs, interactive press releases, social media upkeep, article writing and link building. Sure we do all the same stuff that we used to, but now we are focused more than ever on getting our clients more business… After all, if your marketing company can’t deliver increased exposure and sales, you should go with one that can…
As for what’s happening in the news for the New Year and the new decade, the saddest stories to strike me are that the Giants will not be going to the Super Bowl (or the playoffs), Mila Kunis and Macaulay Culkin will no longer be dating… I guess he will be HOME ALONE in 2011 LOL!!! But just to end off today on a good note, at least the New York Jets have a shot at the title… Oh – and the Mega Millions is up to $355 million. I am psyched! Its going to be a great year!!!
Ok – so maybe you and I won’t be winning the mega million lottery considering getting struck by lightning is more likely (http://www.sky-fire.tv/index.cgi/lightning.html). But with Internet marketing and lead generation you actually have a GREAT chance of improving your business this year. Want to know more about lead generation for your business? Call Raphi Salem at 212-993-5828 or just email info@salemglobal.com and we can have a great brief to the point chat about how you can benefit from our Internet marketing and lead generation strategies.
Desperate Pleas For Last Minute Online Shoppers, Reputation Management & Internet Marketing Discounts: What Your Business Should Be Doing Before Christmas and New Years
Posted by Salem Global on Dec 21, 2010
Last week I gave you the updated 21 things your business should be doing online for 2011. But what about RIGHT NOW you ask? Well, lets take a look at Toys R Us, Staples, Priceline, Party City, Kayak and Spirit Airlines…
Get All You Want for Christmas with Fares from $9* Each Way!
$50 Coupon* for Last Minute Holiday Travel!
Last Minute Hotel Deals from $45/night!
Four coupons inside for holiday procrastinators!
Our Lowest Prices Ever! 50% Off!
20% Off Coupon! Save In Stores & Online
Save up to 50% – Last Minute Gift event!
Buy One Get One 50% Off
For the First Time EVER! Stores Open 24 Hours Now Thru Christmas Eve!
There you have it. Huge multi-million dollar companies and corporations are sending out messages like this. So don’t you think its a good idea? Ok, lets face it. I am 40 years old and have been in the advertising and marketing field for 20 years. Online for 14 of them. Don’t you think that the corporate giants who spend millions and millions of dollars on advertising know what they are doing yet? I do. Learn from the best. They have the biggest budgets around. Spend more money on an ad than you make in a lifetime and you should be doing EXACTLY what they are doing.
People want to hear from you. They want to know there is a sale going on. They want to know they can save 50%. They want to know if they buy one they can get one free. They want to know about the last minute deals. They want to know. And you should be telling them in 6 ways:
1) On your website
2) In your blog
3) In a newsletter email
4) In an article
5) In a press release
6) On all of your social media including twitter, facebook and linked in
And if you haven’t noticed, those are the six places where SalemGlobal Internet would be placing your content for up to half off! Seriously SG is running a discount throughout the holiday season into the new year. NOW is the time to talk to Raphi Salem about promoting your business online. That’s right. You too! Hey – I am talking to you.
Let me give you two examples of conversations I had in the past week:
1st – http://www.AngelaCosmai.com – located in Stamford, CT. Local beauty shop, hair and color salon, wants local customers to travel all the way to Greenwich CT. They need to fix their google places, maps and listings and give a 10% off next visit to those that give them a positive review online. And by the way – positive reviews combat negatives and help with reputation management.
2nd – http://www.WorldHyundaiMatteson.com – located in Matteson, IL. Google “World Hyundai” and you will see that they dominate the first search engine results page with their main site, their blog, their marketing sites, review sites, Facebook etc. So that means that they are almost completely in control of their reputation online. Other companies struggle with this but you don’t have to if you go about it correctly.
So in conclusion this week, let me first wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year! Next year is going to be so much better than 2010. I am money back guaranteeing it. (Oh did I mention that SalemGlobal lead generation strategies come with a money back guarantee?) So get out the Hanukkah Christmas and Kwanzaa messages… the discounts, the incentives, the buy one get one free ads. Get them to sign up for your newsletter and enjoy the holiday season. Yes it’s freezing outside and will continue to get colder. (But that’s ok if you like to ski like me.) And if you want any help setting up a campaign for 2011 and getting your business ready for 1st quarter, give me (Raphi Salem) a call at 212-993-5828 or email info@salemglobal.com.
Exclusive Networking This Thursday at AXA Advisors, 21 Things You Need To Know About Internet Marketing in 2011, Cliff Lee Joins SG for $120 Million?
Posted by Salem Global on Dec 14, 2010
Internet Marketing For 2011, Cliff Lee Joins SG for $120 Million? What Your Business Should Be Doing Before Christmas
Well the cat is out of the bag. Cliff Lee is not going to the Yankees for the next five seasons. Instead he has decided to join SalemGlobal and also play baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies for $120 million. (http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/12/14/report-cliff-lee-to-sign-with-phillies/) Lee was reported to have said that “the Phillies are a great team and I am going to bring them to the World Series.” In his spare time he will write tweets, blog posts and content for websites. “You might think it strange that Lee would decide to spend his free time hanging out at the SG offices,” says Raphi Salem, CEO SalemGlobal Internet, “but I happen to know that he spends lots of that time on his blackberry, writing content and making YouTube videos.” “Hey – if I am doing all that stuff anyway – I might as well get paid for it… right?” replied Lee from his linkedin account and Facebook status.
As a reminder, SalemGlobal Internet would like to update you on the 21 things every organization needs to succeed online. It’s not just SEO anymore. Google has basically leveled the playing field between sponsored ads, local listings and organic search. If you aren’t taking advantage of all of the below, then your competition might just take some business away from you. So continue with your SEO efforts and social media. But just remember to be consistent and you will come out on top.
1) Evaluate present website for compatibility with SEO strategies.
2) Research your industry and relevant keywords.
3) Purchase relevant domain names
4) Build marketing websites that are optimized for areas of your industry and business, and use these to help promote your primary corporate website
5) Implement appropriate metadata – page titles, keywords, descriptions and search engine friendly URLs
6) Rewrite and prioritize content & text on site. Develop new content and increase pages
7) Gather, Create and Post testimonials and local reviews – increase number of pages, claim being a trusted authority
Develop and implement a user registration form. Increase Lead Generation.
9) Build and upload sitemap and robots.txt file
10) Submit site to search engines – Google, Yahoo, Bing and the lesser used engines
11) Submit listings to local directories – Google, Yahoo, Bing, Yelp, Merchant Circle etc.
12) Build and maintain business blogs on separate domain names and hosting
13) Social Media/Networks – Identify existing online communities, and build new ones. Utilize Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, Yahoo Groups
14) Online video production – distribute your video across shared online video sites; YouTube, Tube Mogul
15) Develop newsletter (We are a Constant Contact Business Partner)
16) Write and promote online press releases for your organization (Interactive PR)
17) Write and promote articles – submit articles to hundreds of free online newspapers and magazines
18) Develop contests – fun & exciting for existing and new visitors
19) Manage Pay-per-Click (PPC) advertising (Google/ Yahoo/ Bing)
20) Manage Affiliate Marketing (Linkshare/ Commission Junction/ ShareASale) for ecommerce sites
21) Monitor and Report – Evaluate efforts and results (e.g. Google Analytics and additional 3rd-party tools such as WebCEO.com)
Want to know more about what to do for 2011 and getting your business ready for 1st quarter? Do you need a new marketing strategy for 2011? Call Raphi Salem at 212-993-5828 or email info@salemglobal.com for more information about us, how we work, how much it costs etc. etc.. You will be glad you did!