Small Business
Marketing News

In this issue:
A Note From Our Sponsor
Thought For The Day
Feature Article: Get Busy Gettin' Linked!
On-line Marketing Quick Tip
Off-line Marketing Quick Tip
A Note From Bizine.com

Please Visit This Week's Sponsor!
Science Fair time is just around the corner! Do your children have a project in mind? If not, visit us at ScienceStuff.com. You'll find science materials, educational toys & games and a lot more! Watch for our special Science Fair Corner coming soon . . .

Food For Thought:
"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you."

- by Jim Rohn

"We can have more than we've got because we can become more than we are."

- by Jim Rohn

Get Busy Gettin' Linked!

I've written (and read) much about the importance of obtaining good search engine ranking. For today, let's forget about it and focus on another key aspect of your internet marketing campaign. The simple fact is, too many people are obsessed with search engine ranking.

Yes, it is important to publicize your business in the search engines, but equally as important is making sure that other sites link to your site. (Actually, a high number of sites linking to you will, in itself, improve your ranking at a growing number of search engines. It's called the popularity factor.)

So, how do you get other sites to link to your site? Do you send them an email saying, "Would you like to exchange links with us?"

No. This is not the way to do it. You need to use some creativity when trying to secure strategic links.

Just this morning I made a visit to the Web Site Garage <http://www.websitegarage.com> to do my monthly check-up. What I learned - beside the fact that I need to speed up my home page load time - was that there are now over 750 other web sites on the internet linking to my site, <http://www.bizweb2000.com>. That number will reach 1000 by the end of my web site's first year in existence.

How am I doing it? Lots of ways...

First of all, I want you to know I do NOT have a staff of helpers doing it for me. I wish I had the time and budget to hire some full time promoters, but I don't. Perhaps next year this will go on my "to do list". Right now I rely on ideas. Below are just a couple examples of ways I'm getting links. Take a look when you get a chance.

* Link Contests - <http://www.bizweb2000.com/banners.htm> Simply put, I give away valuable prizes every month. To be eligible, all the entrant has to do is "link up".

* Partner programs - <http://www.bizweb2000.com/hlpwantd.htm> I allow others to make money by selling my products. I set up a secure ordering page for all associates and all they have to do is link to it from their site.

* Awards - <http://www.bizweb2000.com/submit.htm> I offer an award that other fine internet marketing sites are eligible to win. As the award is displayed on winning sites, it brings traffic to my site. (This idea has been around for years.)

Perhaps you can invent similar link generating machines at your site. The whole idea is to come up with something new and innovative. Below is an excellent example of a fresh approach to acquiring strategic links.

I received the following message from a fellow in England this week. With his permission I have reprinted the email message. Why? Because it was very effective. His technique earned him some free advertising in my newsletter and a link to his site.

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>Hi Jim > >I have found your Bizweb gazette a great help over the last ... >well, I don't know how long it is actually! > >So I thought I'd add you into the banner ad rotation on our Web >site. I publish a newsletter in the UK, and please feel free >to take a look - if we can promote each other then all the >better for both of us. > > The address is http://www.freepint.co.uk/ > >By the way, if you have a look at the Advertisers page, you'll >see a link to the administration page for the banner ads. Your >password is "xxxxxx" and so you can even review how many times >your ad has been displayed and how many times its been clicked >on - neat eh? > >Please remember, you've only just gone into the rotation so your >viewings and click-thrus won't be very high for a while. > >All the best with your venture, and if you would like to do some >cross-promotion then please get in touch (for instance, we sell >advertising space in our email newsletter also). If you want to >subscribe free to our newsletter then that would be great. > >Kind regards, >William Hann >Editor, Free Pint >w.hann@freepint.co.uk

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Why did William's technique work. Well, aside from being original and innovative, it was generous. He had already established a link to my site and placed my banners in his rotation. He did NOT do it based solely on the fact that I would reciprocate.

When I visited his site, there it was, my banner displayed in his rotation. How could I say no to linking back to his site? His pages were professionally designed and directly related to my business.

Now that you have a few fresh ideas, consider taking a few weeks off from the search engine battles and do your business a favor... Get busy gettin' linked!

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Above article by Jim Daniels of JDD Publishing Company. Come see why JDD has been featured in major publications by Inc., Opportunity, and PC Novice! Visit their site today for free expert cybermarketing assistance... www.bizweb2000.com

Quick Online Marketing Tip
by Terri Gray

New Networking Opportunities!

1. This open gendered list is supported by the BAT Foundation for the purpose of sharing business related information and networking opportunities. Go to http://www.ourtowncenter.com/BAT/maillist.html to subscribe to either the regular version or the digest version.

2. This one is for Work At Home Moms Only - Check it out at: Mom's Network Exchange http://members.tripod.com/~MomsNetEx

Off-line Quick Marketing Tip

Advertise on the back of envelopes

While your customer quickly scans your promotional envelope, they spend a great deal of time reading any message. Use lots of benefits to entice them to open the envelope.

Markus Allen is the president of MailShop USA. His latest special report 'How to Market with Postcards' is available for $15 (includes FREE shipping anywhere in the US) by calling: (800) 618-6050 Ext: 3274. You can order by mail at:

MailShop USA 4679 West Chester Pike Suite 3274 Newtown Square, PA 19073

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