Top Selling Domain Names by: blog-editor2, November 29, 2010 2010 has certainly seen its share of significant domain name transfers, further demonstrating just how valuable a good Internet domain name really is. Transfers include Dating.com for $1.75 million, Poker.org for $1 million, Guns.com for $800,000, BlackFridaySales.com for $90,000 and one adult-orientated domain name going for a cool $13,000,000! Clearly a good domain name is the best investment many businesses can make. It could one day be worth more than the rest of your company’s revenue streams put together. True, most companies do not have that kind of cash to invest at start up, but those that do can lock in success from day one. Acquiring a winning web domain name from the start also makes attracting investors and obtaining funding much easier. It not only looks cool, but through evidence of existing and estimated web traffic, it can show that your new venture is a sure thing with revenues just waiting to roll in. However, you can still be incredibly successful and even dominate your industry with a lower cost domain. Branding is key, and having an Internet domain name that unifies your branding can mean plenty of savings and help your marketing budget go a lot further. One way to guarantee your success and position your enterprise to grab up market share quickly is to acquire a powerful toll free vanity number and use the number as your web domain name. For example 1800FLOWERS.com. Do not despair if all of your domain name choices are already taken or they are being advertised for high dollar amounts. A leading domain name search and negotiation firm can assist by using its expertise and honed strategies in order to get you the best deals on premium domain names. Read More
Domain Name Lookup – Critical Mistakes To Avoid by: admin, November 24, 2010 If you are looking for a new domain name there are a few critical mistakes that you need to avoid. You Internet domain name is not just the heart of your Internet advertising but in most industries your website is now responsible for the bulk of your revenues in one way or another. Perhaps the biggest mistake that businesses make when it comes to reserving a web domain name is not ensuring that it is in-line with the rest of their branding. It is best to check the availability of matching domain names, vanity numbers and business names before registering any of them. It should go without saying, but it is crucial to check your spelling when reserving a new domain name. The last thing you want is to obtain a domain name that is wrong. However, with that said you should definitely also consider acquiring as many other versions of your web domain name as possible including common spelling mistakes and the .net and .com versions as well as possibly others for specific countries if you are doing business internationally. Experts also argue that the length of time that you reserve your domain name for plays into how favorably the search engines view your website. So for the small extra investment consider reserving your domain name for 5 or 10 years instead of one. Don’t give up just because your domain name lookup shows your ideal domain name is taken. You can often still acquire the name with a little negotiation. Sometimes these names have been reserved and never used while others are no longer being used or were specifically obtained for reselling. However, it is wise to have a professional negotiate on your behalf. There are many factors involved and it takes the right strategy to get the best deal. Read More
Six Tips for Maximizing Direct Mail Results by: blog-editor2, November 23, 2010 Get The Tools You Need Make sure you have all the right and best tools for the job including high quality lead lists, batches of toll free numbers, and high quality content. Without all three of these tools, you cannot expect to run consistently profitable and successful direct mail campaigns. It doesn’t matter whether you have a great list of prospects, if the message isn’t right. And it doesn’t matter how great your mail piece looks if your business phone number doesn’t close the deal and enable you to track results. Ensure Correct Mailing Unfortunately, as with any other industry, any type of marketing mistake can be made or your requests may just not be completed competently. You must keep a close eye on your direct mail, ensure that you receive the lead lists you requested, oversee that your mail is sent out at the right time, and make certain everything goes out. Check all the way through your mailing lists to doublecheck that everything is in order – not just the first sheet. A reputable mailing firm should not only be able to offer toll free numbers as a part of its package but also provide you with proof that your campaign was sent out on time and in its entirety. Call Capture Using toll free numbers on your direct mail pieces not only increases response rates and closing ratios but also enables you to capture the number of prospects who have called in but not left numbers or who got disconnected. Test Before you launch a full campaign, you must test. Testing in smaller batches allows you to compare the advertising effectiveness of the content of your mail piece, the quality of your mailing list, and whether you are sending at the right times. However, do not be too cautious; you must use tests that are big enough to assess results accurately. Any small batch of a few hundred pieces can either be a huge hit or miss. You should be testing at least 2,500 pieces per run in order to determine future profitability in a realistic manner. Monitor Call Metrics Do not judge the success of your direct mail campaign based solely upon how much you think your phone is ringing or what your phone reps are saying. Closely monitor your call metrics to determine the real results and where improvements can be made. Monitoring goes beyond just counting calls. Your toll free number provider ought to give you online access to call details. This information will enable you to see how long your agents spoke with prospects so you can tell whether there are issues with your script and which of your team members are performing the best. Recalibrate After reviewing your toll free number statistics and actually closing numbers, adjust and hone your direct mail campaigns for maximum ROI. Then continue to test new factors in order to improve constantly your revenues and profit margins. Image Credit: © Olgalis | Dreamstime.com Read More
1800 Get Rich – Vanity Numbers by: blog-editor2, November 22, 2010 Yes, toll free vanity numbers have been proven to dramatically increase response rates and closing ratios for maximizing marketing ROI. However, the value of vanity numbers goes far beyond that. Toll free numbers have been shown to reduce charge backs in a big way which means the revenues you reel in, you really get to keep. Memorable vanity numbers enable effective word of mouth referrals. This provides the most profitable form of marketing you could ever ask for and has the viral potential to reach masses of prospects you would not otherwise reach. The residual branding benefits of using vanity numbers are absolutely priceless. A winning toll free vanity number will stick in the minds of consumers and stay with them until they need your product and service providing an ongoing perpetual form of advertising. Like 1800-GET-RICH great vanity numbers can create successful, industry dominating business empires all by themselves. Just look at 1800-FLOWERS. Even 1800-CONTACTS literally sprung from nowhere over night to becoming perhaps the number one supplier of contacts in the country. If you can get your hands on a premium vanity number for a given industry and come up with a good jingle you could rocket your enterprise to star status in no time at all. On top of this, good vanity numbers are now not just for picking up revenues or building recognizable branding. They are now absolutely necessary for those who want their companies to survive. When consumers need products and services these days, they often just pick up the phone and try to dial the 800 number with the applicable company name or industry after it. You want flowers – your dial 1800-FLOWERS. You need a new mattress – you call 1800-MATTRESS. If you need cable or Internet service in your home then you call 1800-COMCAST. So it is both important to try and get vanity numbers that match your industry and business name. Should the premium choices of vanity numbers for your industry be taken, you may still be able to take advantage of shared usage plans that allow you to control that number for the geographic areas you are doing business in. Or working with the right toll free service provider you may be able to have a great deal for the acquisition of the number negotiated on your behalf. Read More
1800 Get Rich – Vanity Numbers by: blog-editor2, Yes, toll free vanity numbers have been proven to dramatically increase response rates and closing ratios for maximizing marketing ROI. However, the value of vanity numbers goes far beyond that. Toll free numbers have been shown to reduce charge backs in a big way which means the revenues you reel in, you really get to keep. Memorable vanity numbers enable effective word of mouth referrals. This provides the most profitable form of marketing you could ever ask for and has the viral potential to reach masses of prospects you would not otherwise reach. The residual branding benefits of using vanity numbers are absolutely priceless. A winning toll free vanity number will stick in the minds of consumers and stay with them until they need your product and service providing an ongoing perpetual form of advertising. Like 1800-GET-RICH great vanity numbers can create successful, industry dominating business empires all by themselves. Just look at 1800-FLOWERS. Even 1800-CONTACTS literally sprung from nowhere over night to becoming perhaps the number one supplier of contacts in the country. If you can get your hands on a premium vanity number for a given industry and come up with a good jingle you could rocket your enterprise to star status in no time at all. On top of this, good vanity numbers are now not just for picking up revenues or building recognizable branding. They are now absolutely necessary for those who want their companies to survive. When consumers need products and services these days, they often just pick up the phone and try to dial the 800 number with the applicable company name or industry after it. You want flowers – your dial 1800-FLOWERS. You need a new mattress – you call 1800-MATTRESS. If you need cable or Internet service in your home then you call 1800-COMCAST. So it is both important to try and get vanity numbers that match your industry and business name. Should the premium choices of vanity numbers for your industry be taken, you may still be able to take advantage of shared usage plans that allow you to control that number for the geographic areas you are doing business in. Or working with the right toll free service provider you may be able to have a great deal for the acquisition of the number negotiated on your behalf. Read More
Direct Marketing: Testing for Effective Mail and Email Campaigns by: blog-editor2, November 19, 2010 Direct marketing is one of the most effective ways to advertise to your target market. Why? Because it is more intimate and personal – customers will feel special because their individual needs are addressed. Now, direct marketing can come in different forms. But one of its best manifestations is mail and email campaigns because they enable marketers to reach a vast number of individuals with minimum time and effort spent (compared to face to face contact). Testing remains the best way to find out what works for your company. However, general guidelines need to be followed. The best practices in the direct marketing field include: Readable Emails– No marketing campaign can be effective if people don’t even know what you’re trying to say. In email marketing, a lot of companies integrate multimedia images and content – but these are not necessarily readable on some computers. Even if you include multimedia content, you should still make it a point to put HTML text content so the recipients will still understand what the email was all about. Interesting Subject Line– If your company is associated with a certain brand or product, it is best to use that. Around 69 percent of recipients make the choice whether to open their mail or not at first glance. Maximize the success rate of your email campaign; it is critical to ensure that the sender name you use is trustworthy and recognizable. Personalized Mail and Email– Direct marketing is all about establishing a personal connection. With the email management technologies available today, there is no reason why you cannot personalize emails (by adding the recipient’s name, etc). The process allows your campaign to become even more effective. Image Credit: © Srooeintan | Dreamstime.com Read More
Getting the Best Bang for Your Buck from Your Internet Advertising by: blog-editor2, November 18, 2010 Many companies delude themselves into thinking they are getting “good value” from their current Internet advertising initiatives. But is that really the case? There are many things to look into – the most basic of which is the conversion rate. The conversion is not only translated into actual revenue, but it actually depends on the goal of the website. For example, conversion can come in the form of leads, subscriptions, sales, and even referrals. Internet advertising is also linked to pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. There are three main players in this industry including Google Adwords, Microsoft Ad Center, and Yahoo! Search Marketing. Let’s look deeper into these options below: Google Adwords – The value of your money depends on the “quality score” of your ad groupings. Since Google is the most dominant search engine among English-speaking countries, ads can gain maximum exposure through this medium. But take note that popular keywords here can cost heaps so choose carefully. Microsoft Ad Center – This site gets a decent amount of users. Because there is less competition, you can get more targeted clicks from your Internet advertising campaign here. The interface has limited features, but overall, it provides good value for your money. Yahoo! Search Marketing – Although Yahoo! certainly doesn’t get as much traffic as Google, Internet advertising here can still contribute to your bottom line. The tool provides in-depth keyword reports, but the minimum bid is quite high. Conduct thorough testing first before going full blast with your campaign. Read More
No More Cheesy Online Advertising PLEASE! by: blog-editor2, November 17, 2010 It's a fact: A lot of companies underestimate their customers. And the result? Cheesy online advertising. This result is problematic for both parties. On the part of the advertiser, it is a waste of resources while consumers can only roll their eyes in frustration, thinking, “Not another cheesy ad!” Therefore, some reasonable assumptions must be made to advertise effectively on the Internet. For example, recognize that Internet users are barraged by ads on a moment-by-moment basis. From the time they start using search engines up to the time they’re posting on forums, online advertising campaigns are visible everywhere. Stand out from the crowd by avoiding cheesy advertising. Below are some top tips to consider: Understand that You May Be Interrupting– Depending on the medium used, it’s important to remember that you may be interrupting readers and consumers. Advertising on Google may not be too intrusive, but it is another matter if you’re posting ads on social media sites and in emails. Always give value to readers in these cases. Compelling Ad Copy– Whether you’re engaged in direct marketing or pay-per-click advertising, there’s no substitute for good written copy. It can determine whether reader interest may result in conversion (subscription, referral, and even purchases). Avoid Banner Blindness– If you’re using banner ads for online advertising, it may be a good idea to swap ads regularly. Aside from being a good testing ground to determine what works (in terms of colors, designs, etc), ad changes will also keep readers from getting bored. They will become “blind” to your product if they see the same ads for it all the time. Image Credit: © Scorpion26 | Dreamstime.com Read More
Seven Places You Need To Use Your Vanity Number by: blog-editor2, November 16, 2010 1. Website Using your vanity number on your website is critical. Some people try to get by with just an email contact form, but failing to deliver credibility with full contact information can drastically reduce the advertising effectiveness of all your online marketing campaigns. In fact, it has been proven that providing your toll free number on your website not only increases conversions but helps prevent charge-backs. 2. Social Media You should not only be including your vanity number on your company’s social media profiles but on your personal ones as well. This listing will make it easy for those who want to refer you business to pass on your business phone number. 3. Business Cards Although the power of business cards may have become underestimated in the last couple of years due to all the other marketing channels available, you should have them, and you must have your vanity number on them. In fact, you should have a system that provides and requires all of your employees to have your toll free number on their business cards. This consistency not only improves effectiveness but makes sure you don’t lose clients when employees leave. 4. Email Signature Many Internet marketing gurus are now insisting that you include links to your social media in your email signature, but doing so isn’t a substitute for including your vanity numbers. You don’t want prospects to get lost surfing Facebook; you want them either to email you or to pick up the phone and make a deal now! 5. Display Advertising This tip should not even need to be mentioned; however, some companies still, surprisingly, attempt to use local numbers. You only have seconds for your number to be remembered, and using toll free numbers on your display advertising also provides easy capture of callers who do not leave a message and enables you to track performance better. 6. Blog While you probably already have your vanity number on your website, you will probably find that your blog may receive more visits and that your traffic is spending more time on your blog each visit, so you must not overlook your blog as a crucial place for your vanity number to be prominently displayed. 7. Direct Mail Direct mail has recently seen a resurgence in success, but without using your 800 numbers for testing and tracking, you are giving the edge to your competition. Read More
Business Marketing Must Haves for 2010 and Beyond by: Custom Toll Free, November 15, 2010 In today’s highly competitive environment, business marketing tactics are constantly changing. It is crucial to be up-to-date with the latest and most effective techniques to keep in-step with competitors. Right now, some of the most important tactics involve online promotion. To have a solid strategy, there are certain things you should do, build, and acquire. So here are the business marketing must haves for 2010 and beyond! Social Media Profiles – by profiles, we don’t just mean creating them and leaving them, but actively promoting your presence! This means adding friends, getting followers, and encouraging people to talk about you. Company Blog – having a website is no longer enough. Today, people seek better engagement. This trend is propelled even further because a lot of companies have dedicated blogs for customers and readers – creating an expectation among the public that everyone should have one! Bookmarking Widget – people generally want to share interesting facts and tidbits. Installing a bookmarking widget to your blog and articles enables readers to bookmark, share, and email it to their friends. Mobile-Friendly Site – the next big trend is coming: Mobile Internet. Today, more people own cell phones than personal computers. And they are increasingly accessing Facebook and other websites through mobile devices. As you can see, the business marketing must haves of the future are not difficult to acquire. But it takes a certain level of effort to make them work! For example, blogs and social media profile should be constantly updated to keep people interested. Stay on top of new business marketing tactics and your competitors will be trying to keep up with you. Credit Line: © Saniphoto | Dreamstime.com Read More
