Blogcritics Author: Larry Nickerson

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

Publicity Marketing Vs. Paid Advertising

Larry Nickerson — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 11:20:26 EDT

It is my belief that publicity marketing should be the cornerstone of your business. Why do I say this? As a small business owner, I know how tight our budgets can be, especially when first starting a business.The experiences I have had with paid advertising aren't great. The results can be pretty bleak. I have bought advertising in well-circulated media that has only netted me a couple of clients. Yet before I pay for the ad, other people tell me to be prepared for a rush of business after the ad is published. I have seen other businesses experience the same poor results. One hair salon owner I worked with had a local radio station in her parking lot giving out prizes. Meanwhile, the location and information about her business were being broadcast throughout the day. A few clients came into the shop at best after that event. The hair salon shut down shortly after this.The problem is, some entrepreneurs buy advertising out of desperation and promises of a flood of customers coming through the door. I have never met a small business owner who has had this experience after paid advertising.Why the poor results? I believe it is because, these days, people are so inundated with advertising that one paid ad campaign makes a small dent on their consciousness. Also I believe people are becoming cynical. There are so many false promises in the advertising world.So why choose publicity marketing? First of all, having your name in print or mentioned in an interview is huge. The credibility you gain in the eyes of the consumer is at least ten-fold over what you would gain from a paid ad.Publicity marketing takes more effort. You have to write press releases and solicit interviews, among other things. However the pay-off in the long run can be great in terms of client base and building celebrity status in your community. Besides, I find this type of marketing is fun and can really stimulate your imagination. The results you gain are only limited by your creativity, effort, and enthusiasm.Marketing in this way may not get you the instant results so often promised by paid advertising, but it is my hope that you know that getting rich quick does not usually happen. You are looking at at least a good two years to establish your business and that is with persistent marketing.So should you ditch paid advertising altogether? I don't think so. However if one paid ad is going to be a hardship on your pocket book, I would stick with publicity until you improve your financial situation.

I am a nursing student and massage therapist. Informaton on small business marketing can be found at my blog. www.youaretheproduct.blogspot.com

Partnering Synergy to Market Your Business

Larry Nickerson — Wed, 5 Apr 2006 04:31:03 EDT

As a self-employed person, you may feel a little isolated at times. You may feel it is "me against a mob of other faceless entrepreneurs". It doesn't have to be this way. You can effectively mobilize the skills and enthusiasm of other business owners through a marketing technique called partnering.So what is partnering? Partnering is when two businesses help promote each other through joint marketing efforts. If done correctly, a synergy can be created between the two where the sum is greater than the individual parts. Partnering also keeps each business owner accountable to each other for their actions. I also believe it can be a great way to enhance motivation for marketing and help another business owner get motivated.Some ways to use partnering:1. Each partner hands out a coupon. As an example, a romantic restaurant may hand out a coupon for a discount at a spa getaway; in turn, the spa would give away coupons for the restaurant.2. Start a partnering network. Gather together a bunch of complementary businesses and brainstorm ways you can help promote each other. Downtown business associations do this fairly well.3. Hold co-facilitated seminars or information sessions. As an example, an investment consultant could hold seminars with a lawyer on Investments and Estate Planning. A massage therapist could partner with a chiropractor and do Back Care seminars.4. Start a cause. Is there a issue in your community that can be advocated for such as homelessness or youth initiatives? Why not partner with one or, preferably more, businesses to start a group. The main thing is that it has to be a cause you believe in. The recognition you gain should come secondary to your genuine concern. If this is not the case your cause will most likely fail. People will also think of you as slick and dishonest if they perceive that you are exploiting a group for your own financial gain. A number of communities have started groups to fight the entry of Walmart in to their community. Are there any other issues related to business that could be advocated for?5. Mention each other in press releases. Again, going back to the massage therapist and chiropractor example. A massage therapist could include a quote in their release from the chiropractor and vice-versa.So there are some ideas to utilize this marketing technique. There are many websites available to help inspire your marketing goals. Google marketing and see if any of the plans fit your needs. Don't forget to share your experiences with me.

I am a nursing student and massage therapist. Informaton on small business marketing can be found at my blog. www.youaretheproduct.blogspot.com

Blogging For a Living

Larry Nickerson — Tue, 4 Apr 2006 12:43:36 EDT

Are you interested in making an income as a blogger? I know I am. Problogger is a site I visit often to get ideas on how Blog for a living. The article How Bloggers Make Money from Blogs is an excellent introduction to the concept of monetizing your blog. So far the only one I have used is Adsense. I have only had my blog open for business three months now; therefore I have not seen results as yet. However as my readership grows I hope to try some of the other ideas for making an income as a blogger.Another concept that is intriguing is writing for other Blogs in Blog Networks. These are networks of bloggers. Bloggers get paid for their postings. The article also talks about consulting and speaking as another path for people who gain notoriety through blogging. I am definitely intrigued by this one. An example is given of a man who became an authority in 18 months through his blog. He had no prior knowledge in his area of expertise. The person went on to charge $200 an hour in consulting fees.So if you think you have what it takes to become a "ProBlogger" and you have a blog that has mass appeal give some of the ideas in the article a try.

I am a nursing student and massage therapist. Informaton on small business marketing can be found at my blog. www.youaretheproduct.blogspot.com