Jeremy L. Knauff Profile and Articles

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1). Is product placement taking the place of TV commercials?
Probably not, at least not in the near future, but it is beginning to get a lot of attention from the companies that have the resources to invest in it. With TiVo offering consumers the ability to eliminate commercials, advertisers have had to resort to more creative ways to reach their target market. Staples took advantage of this with the desk apprentice, Home Depot has done it on TLC's Trading Spaces, and the Audi A8 achieved an amazing level of exposure in the Transporter 2 movie trailer.

2). Are your web page titles doing their job?
If you have spent more than a few hours on the internet then you've probably noticed a variety of page titles, ranging from bland and non-descriptive all the way to downright misleading. Most cases of poor web page titles are due to a lack of understanding. For example, have you ever seen a web page title that read some thing like:

"Blue Widgets, Blue.

3). Three places to find new clients without a lot of work
1. Don't ignore your own "Acres of diamonds" - ask your existing clients to refer some of their family, friends and associates to you. If they're happy with your service they will be more than happy to do it and your job will be much easier since they are coming recommended by someone they trust.

2. Former employers and associates in other fields can be a great resource for finding new business.

4). Influencing the influencer
Marketers/advertisers usually focus their efforts on the people responsible for making the purchase. In many cases, this is an effective approach but in other cases it can make for a totally useless marketing campaign.

Virgin Mobile took a more effective approach in marketing their cell phone service by focusing not on the people that would be making the actual purchase, but instead focusing on the influencers of the people making the purchase.

5). Your consumers may know more about your competitors than you do!
It wasn't long ago that consumers had a limited selection of companies that they could choose to deal with. This was often dictated by geographical boundaries, how much or what type of advertising was used, and specific needs. That isn't the case anymore. Thanks to the internet and the declining cost to advertise through a growing number of mediums, companies are able to compete on a national and sometimes even global scale.

6). The latest SEO myth debunked
As more people come into the search engine optimization industry, more unqualified people are in the market making uneducated claims that they declare to be facts. The latest claim being made by a few people in the industry is that your competitors can knock your web site from Google's search engine results pages by simply directing links to it (called "Google Bowling").

7). Can you increase business without putting more time in?
As business owners or managers we often find it difficult, even in the best of situations to get out and seek new business. You've probably thought that if you could just find a way to squeeze that into your day without spending more time away from your family or working weekends, you'd be all set, right? Guess what? You can and all that it's going to take is a little preparation.

8). Avoid these advertising mistakes at all costs!
People have taken a number of approaches trying to do their own advertising ranging from silly all the way to insulting. These people choose there approach for various reasons. Some were ignorant about advertising and marketing while others were acting on incorrect information - usually in the form of cliches such as "sex sells." If you're in doubt, I can assure you that unless your business is in Nevada, sex does not sell.

9). You have to ask for referrals if you want them
You run a small flower shop and a customer asked for a floral arrangement with a type of flower that you don't carry. She's visibly upset because none of the other local flower shops are even able to get this rare type of flower and you were her last hope. So you tell her that you'll make some phone calls and see what you can do, but it might take a few days.

10). How important are your employees?
Most businesses invest in marketing and advertising each month but overlook another vital investment that they are already making. That investment is their employees. I've said before that your employees can make or break your company, and recently I ran into a very poinient example of that fact.

I was on the telephone with UPS trying to track down a shipment that had to be intercepted so that we could get it to a client sooner.

11). How to choose a graphic designer without loosing your mind
If you haven't already experienced it yourself, then you've probably heard some of the horror stories about trying to find or work with a graphic designer. It can be difficult, time consuming and frustrating to say the least, but in all fairness it's no different than any other profession. Think about how some people must feel when they have to work with some of your competitors.

12). How broken links can hurt your website
If your business has a website, most likely it's constantly changing and evolving. This can be a good thing but how you handle these changes can make a dramatic difference in how effective your website becomes.

Some of your content may be time sensitive, such as information on special promotions, contests and things of that nature. Some content may no longer be relevant to your business, such as discontinued products or services.

13). What Is Social Bookmarking
Social bookmarking is based on the concept of sharing information on the web, and has evolved rapidly with the growth of the internet communities and interactive sites. As more people turn to websites to learn, research, and even read the latest news, the ability to track and monitor this behavior is becoming even easier.

14). Getting On Social Bookmarking Sites Front Pages
The front page of social bookmarking sites offers an opportunity for increased page views, visitors, and increased exposure across multiple channels.

15). Dos And Donts Of Submitting Content
Ideally, you will set up a system where fans and visitors are voluntarily submitting content that they find on your site.

16). Increase Tenfold Your Web Presence With Social Networking Communities
Social networking communities offer another opportunity to join the social media channels.

17). Blogs As A Social Bookmarking Platforms
Blogs offer countless opportunities for launching your business into the social media networks, and they can be designed as an extension of an existing website, or simply stand alone. Blogging is moving far beyond the casual journal style of the initial growth stages, allowing businesses and large companies to develop a fresh identity.

18). Thought Process Of A Social Bookmarker
Social bookmarking offers many opportunities for marketers to collect information and learn about the behavior patterns of their customers, as well as firsthand reviews for particular brands and products. Social bookmarking sites are chock full of different perspectives and information, and all of this is stored in an easily searchable database.