What is your goal for your website?
When it comes to business websites, a return on investment expected. To get any kind of return, your site needs to have a goal to which all actions will be compared. Do you want your website to inform, share news and information, communicate with different locations, entertain, or make a profit by selling information, services, or products? Imagine that you can have only one action on the website. What would it be? That's your website goal. Beyond this, only you can define what exactly you want other people to do on your website. From this goal, you can research and develop your audience, keywords, site structure, site design, content, and promotion for your website.

Ask yourself:

• What am I offering?
• Who needs this?
• Where are they online and offline?
• What action do I want them to take?
• What sets my site apart from others like it?
• How can I attract more attention?
• How much time can I invest in updating my site?
• How much money can I invest in Internet Marketing?

How do you plan to reach that goal?
The marketing goal is always to attract and convert your target market into customers. Internet marketing techniques are a little different than conventional marketing, but the general strategies still apply. People still buy based on their needs and you still want to make it obvious that your product or service will fulfill one or more of these needs. People are also tired and annoyed by intrusive advertising, so you will need to be natural in your techniques. Instead of trying to break through barriers and blast your message through the clutter, try earning your target market’s trust by building relationships.

Internet Marketing Strategies:

• Provide Value To Your Market – On the web, people can leave you with one click if you do not provide them with what they want.
• Communicate Respectfully – No one likes SPAM. No one wants to wait on hold when they call Customer Service. No one wants to wait a week for a response to an email.
• Be Trustworthy – People buy from people they like and people they trust.
• Be Personal – Websites are visited by individuals not organizations.
• Build Relationships – Your customers will feel comfortable with you and talking about you to others.

Internet Marketing Techniques:

• Network – Online and Offline the best way to grow is through personal connections and interaction. Online social networks and communities can be a powerful resource for finding customers and creating relationships with them.
• Create An Email Marketing Database – Sending regular emails create and maintain relationships with your customers. It is very important to be trustworthy and honest in these emails. DO NOT SPAM! Do not sell your client’s information, and do not send mass emails more than once a week. DO provide value, do allow people to opt-in and opt-out of every email, and be personal in your communications.
• Create A Network Of Links – Links are the key to the internet. You want to make sure you only add outgoing links on your site if you are sure they are useful to your customer. Only link to helpful and trustworthy sites. The same goes for sites linking to yours. Every link to your site is an online referral for your business. While you can’t stop anyone from linking to your site, you can seek out and develop relationships with your vendors, online communities, and other trustworthy and helpful sites that your customers visit.
• Create Attractive Content – Content has always been king. Write a blog, post articles, make a Top 5/10/50/100 List, create a photo gallery, or any other content that will attract your customers, links from other sites, and attention from the search engines.
• Organic and Paid Search Results – Search Engine Optimization techniques can only get you so high in the rankings. However, you can always jump to the front of the line with a little cash. You can buy Pay-Per-Click ads on your core search terms; you can hire a good, trustworthy SEO expert, or buy links on popular websites and directories.

When are you finished?
Never! Unless you close up shop or sell your site to Google for millions of dollars, you are going to want to continually update your website, evaluate your marketing plan, add new techniques, expand your niche, and continue to grow. The minute your site becomes stale your audience begins to move on. With the millions of websites available in the world, someone is posting new information or creating new techniques to reach your target market every day. Developing an effective online presence is becoming more and more similar to any brick and mortar store. If have to use the old elbow grease, network, and actively seek out new customers to grow your business.

Keeping Your Website Fresh:

• Share your news and press releases on your site.
• Ask your customers and vendors to share information.
• Take part in blogs, forums, and social sites online.
• Post to your own blog on a regular schedule.
• Create a space for your customers to help you improve your site.
• Reward active participants on your site with gifts and gadgets.
• Watch your competitors and other experts in your field.

Labels: marketing

We Have Hundreds Of Hot Products For Cold Weather! Here are a few of our favorites:

Mug Stuffers

These pre-measured gold or silver foil packages of coffee imprinted with your company logo would be great giveaways. Each package makes one perfect pot of fresh roasted gourmet coffee and they are small enough to fit conveniently inside a mug. Available in eight different gourmet flavors.

Price: $2.25 Min: 144



Comfort Grip Ice Scraper

Keep your logo in everyone’s hands with this comfortable foam handled Ice Scraper. With winter right around the corner this is the perfect item for tradeshows.

Price: $1.25 Min: 150







16 oz. Travel Tumbler

Keep your beverage warm in this 16 oz. Stainless Steel travel tumbler. The Leatherette wrap gives this tumbler a tremendous perceived value. Available in Black, Blue, & Orange.

Price: $7.50 Min: 100







Fleece Full Zip Jacket


Don’t let your employees be outdoors without this classic fleece. Embroidering your company logo on the left chest will make your employees instantly recognizable. Max 5,000 stitches.


Price: $34.99 Min: 48




Fleece Blanket

Stay warm this winter with this soft fleece blanket that is also soft on the budget. The carrying strap makes this blanket perfect at any outdoor event for maximum exposure of your brand. Max 5,000 stitches.

Price: $12.99 Min: 48



NO SETUP CHARGES! Shipping Not Included.

Call Ad Trends Advertising, Inc. Today!
816.228.1123
http://www.adtrendsinc.com/

Labels: products

By ALAN GOFORTH
Special to The Star

As the holiday season approaches amid tough economic conditions, many local businesses are walking a fine line between thanking loyal clients and not breaking their budgets.
“I think the smart businesses are going to continue giving, even if they can’t financially do what they have done in the past,” said Monica Alexander, owner of Best of Kansas City, which has four retail stores. Business clients account for half of her sales.

“They will spend to let their clients know they truly are appreciated,” she said.
Few industries have been harder hit this year than construction, but Great American Building Materials again will deliver gift baskets to its customers.

“It’s been an interesting year, but we’re still here,” said John Amor, president of the company in North Kansas City. “We have been in business for 14 years, and we decided to continue giving at the same level as we have in the past.”

Great American purchases bulk food items from a wholesale club and prepares gift baskets for around 200 customers.

“We hand-deliver the baskets so we can say hello to our customers and thank them for their business,” Amor said.

Other businesses opt for the turnkey service of a company such as Best of Kansas City or Grapevine Designs in Lenexa.

“Fortunately this year, despite the current economic climate, our clients are still very interested in thanking their customers,” said Janie Gaunce, owner and president of Grapevine.
She said areas of interest this season have centered around green initiatives, health and exercise, and music and sharing.

“We have created warm, heartfelt gifts in many price ranges that convey these types of themes,” Gaunce said.

Thoughtful gifts don’t need to be expensive, said Jeff Meyer, executive sales manager for Ad Trends Advertising in Blue Springs, adding that practical items that carry a corporate logo are always popular. Read More At KansasCity.com

Labels: products

A declining economy affects many businesses. Many times these businesses cut the marketing and advertising dollars first in an attempt to trim the budget. Sometimes this is justified, but most of the time it is a huge mistake.

When the economy is slow, it is the perfect opportunity to reach new prospects and grow your market share while your competition is doing nothing. Most likely, much of the clutter and noise in your market has cleared out, and you will have a much stronger voice. When the economy turns back around, and it will, you will be in a much better position than your competitors!

However, in a slow economy, it is more important than ever to squeeze every last penny out of your marketing and promotional dollars. Taking a more targeted approach with your advertising effort is the key. Use your broad format advertising dollars from print, television, or radio and use it in a marketing campaign where you can track results and focus on a key demographic. If you are still purchasing media, now is the time to lock in long term rates, as these entities are hurting and will likely accept a low rate with a long term agreement from you.

Explore a referral marketing plan where you have absolutely no risk. Qualify your referrals so that you’re not spending a dime unless you’re getting additional business from a referral. Now is the perfect time for this, as your customers want a reward, and you want another customer. Referrals often increase your market share, because your customers will think of people already using your product or service. All you need to do is come up with a worthy referral gift, start calling your customers, and ask for a referral. Once again, qualify all referrals before you reward them. A referral is deemed qualified when they have spent an appropriate amount with you.

Do you have hunters or gatherers on your sales staff? In tough times, you are going to need people who seek out the new business, cold call, and work your prospects effectively. It is more important than ever to keep your sales teams focused, so explore ways to incentivize and reward them for hitting goals. While all other companies are making cut backs, show your employees that you’re still willing to reward those who perform. This easy step will motivate your team, raise morale, and will ultimately drive your sales higher and higher. Once again, this in an expense that pays for itself with low risk, as you spend nothing unless a sales goal is achieved.

Form partnerships with compatible companies. Opportunities to save money are everywhere, you just have to ask. Chances are that at least one company you know is interested in a co-op campaign or event driven marketing activity. After all, everyone needs new marketing opportunities, and they are looking to save money just like you!

When the economy turns around, there will be winners and there will be losers. Have you positioned your company to be one of the winners?


Author’s Note: John Groves has over 10 years experience in marketing and promotions. He has been a Promotions Director for several broadcasting outlets, and has executed hundreds of events for small businesses and franchises including the largest free concert event in the state of Missouri.

Currently, John is a Marketing Director for Ad Trends Advertising, Inc. in Blue Springs, MO. He develops and manages marketing campaigns for several companies. Ad Trends Advertising, Inc is a full-service marketing company specializing in promotional products, corporate apparel, printing services, graphic design, and custom websites. Previously, he worked for Cumulus Media Partners in Kansas City. He can be reached at 816-228-1123 or preferably by email: John@AdTrendsInc.com

Labels: marketing