PRUnderground

By Alex Miranda

OK you have your WordPress site up and running. After doing all your research, going to WordCamps, WordPress meetups, and talking to SEO experts you installed the proper plugins. It is now time to publish your first blog post. Wait a  minute…..Why am I not getting loads of traffic to my website?

It may be because you have not modified the update services on your WordPress writing settings. You see, every time you publish a blog post, WordPress  automatically notifies popular Update Services by sending a ping.

By Alex Miranda
Once again Google came up with another update. If you have not heard of it yet, you will soon. It is called the “Search, plus your world” update. This Google update really gets personal. However, in order to use it, you must be signed in to Google Plus. It seems that Google is really going after Facebook by having everyone sign up for a Google Plus account. Why not, after all they are the worlds biggest search engine.

Full-service public relations agency, ‘…talktojason’ has re-branded following a successful start to the agency’s activities, which commenced in earlier this year (2011).

Although rumours are indicating 2012 trading conditions could be the same, if not worse than those witnessed in 2011, the Leeds-based agency has seen a positive start since it was launched, with further account wins showing growing confidence even in industry sectors facing some of the toughest trading conditions.

Although only eight months old, the agency has secured new accounts wins, ranging from clients operating in the travel sector and the manufacturing industry. The agency has also secured further accounts wins with other Yorkshire-based creative agencies looking to increase and promote their own services.

Said Jason Kelly, the agency’s founder and director: “We have a clear results-based structure which is proving appealing to those companies we are in talks with.

“The UK is experiencing extremely difficult trading conditions, with rumours stating 2012 could be even worse than 2011. We are talking to businesses who want that creative edge to help them increase awareness for their product and service offering.”

The re-brand has been undertaken to help the agency reflect the way it delivers its services, which the agency claims is built on a fun and creative approach, whilst being focused on accountability and professionalism.

“We considered a number of brand designs to promote the way we work and offer our services. In the end we decided to go with the original concept, giving it a more refreshing look that promotes our service offering clearly, and we are happy to say it has been well received by our clients.” Added Jason.

About …talktojason – the pr agency:

…talktojason – the pr agency, was established after its founder, Jason Kelly was made redundant. It actually started from his kitchen table and car (the boardroom and the creative studio:) The agency then grew up to become a small agency with big ideas. …talktojason is directed by Jason Kelly in association with a team of communication specialists – all with strong pr and journalistic ability – most importantly of all though, with passion, ability and know how! You could say we are obsessive

Your website is one of your best sales channels or not!  I have been involved in hundreds of web projects and a lot of those websites are revenue generating machines.  Over the years, I have compiled my list of do’s and dont’s to increase sales through your website.  Here are my top five for 2012:

1. The Primary Action Belongs on the Home Page – Ask yourself “what is the primary action I want the visitor to take?”  The primary action must generate sales so be clear on what leads to sales.  If you sell a service visitors can’t buy on your site but they buy in response to your monthly email, the primary action should be getting them to subscribe to your fabulous emails. The design, copy and structure must drive them to take the primary action.

2. Write copy that Influences your Target Market to Buy – If you understand why people buy, you can communicate why you are the right choice.  Testimonials, displaying results and addressing their pain points will generate sales because you will connect with your target market.  The visitor should read your copy and think, “I must work with [insert you] because [the results they desire] or [insert pain you will alleviate].   Your design, copy, images and layout must work together to trigger those emotions in your visitor.  This assumes you researched your market and selling a viable product/service at a marketable price. I recommend asking your customers why they buy from you and using that language in your copy.  But that is another topic!

3. E Commerce Sites = Great Pictures – You must have great pictures if you sell products.  Enough said!

4. Optimize for Search Engines In A Human Way – You need visitors to make sales; therefore, search engine results must be a goal.  Don’t sacrifice search engine results for a cool design that is not search engine friendly.  Use proper on-site search engine optimization techniques and use Google Analytics.  Create a blog because it’s great for search engines.  Insert search terms in your copy without sacrificing the appeal to your target market.  See #2 above.

5. Keep Improving Your Website – From day one, I keep a list of specific results I need to increase sales.   For example, 100 email subscribers a month, 50% conversion rate, 40% repeat visitors to my blog, show up on the first page of Google for xyz search term.  Check your on-site goals regularly and begin testing different variables to improve your website.  Minor changes can increase sales. Here are some simple changes that lead to an increase in sales:
- Test different blog titles
– Change your opt-in offer
– Reword your packages
– Change your photos
– Update your title tags for the search engines

Don’t let your site get old and irrelevant. Always test and look for ways to make your website a better sales channel.

What are your favorite ways to increase sales through your website?

About Gina Nieves:

Gina Nieves is an expert at getting increased sales through websites. Since founding MarkNet, she has overseen the design of 500 websites and $30 million in sales. She increases clients’ sales by focusing on design that gets results, search engine marketing, Social Media Press Releases and crafting high converting sales pages. A WordPress expert, her company has built large scale WordPress sites that have been featured worldwide.

Gina is a sought after speaker for conferences, workshops, webinars and with WordCamp. Her most recent presentation “$20, 5 Minutes, First Page of Google” at Transform Your Business! in LA received rave reviews. She is preparing to teach her techniques in an upcoming virtual class. For more details contact info@marketnetgroup.com.

About Marknet Group Inc:

MarkNet Group is a full-service Website Design and Internet Marketing company in Putnam County, New York. Since 1998 we have impressed our customers with our integrity and commitment to their success. Our team’s experience in Internet Strategy Consulting, Graphic Design, Web Programming, and Search Engine Optimization enables us to deliver our customers’ needs with efficiency and effectiveness.

Women owned businesses are the fastest growing section of business right now. Instead of being held back by an unstable economy many are going into the entrepreneurial world to start a new business and women entrepreneurs who have an existing business have the potential to take huge leaps in 2012. However, there’s a lot more to building a business than just having a website a social media page or company name.

“Just saying your company name and what you do isn’t enough to get you the results you want” says Hazel Palache, President of Your Stairway To Wealth, Mindset Expert and Business Coach.

A big majority of small women owned businesses don’t seem to realize that to create a successful business you need a strong foundation that includes a business and marketing plan plus an action plan so they know where they are going, how to get there and how to make the business profitable.

However, Palache says, “as important as planning is, it’s absolutely crucial to have the right kind of mindset.”

Palache invited 15 highly successful world class experts to guest on “From Surviving to Thriving” The Business Empowerment tele/web Summit for Women Entrepreneurs and small business owners so they get the tools, techniques and planning they need to allow them to move into 2012 with focus, energy and ease.

If women entrepreneurs are seriously ready to overcome obstacles, change the way they think and take their business to a higher level so they make more profit and create a lifestyle of joy and freedom, these highly successful experts will teach them from their own experiences what steps to take to achieve this without overwhelm or stress.

After a number of years in private practice as a relationship counselor Palache re-trained and became a certified results coach.  In 1998 Palache founded, Mind Mastery Coaching which developed into Your Stairway to Wealth.  She has been in the business of personal, professional and spiritual development for over 20 years.

On the “Surviving to Thriving” Summit these 15 guest experts plus Hazel Palache will be sharing:

• How to Successfully STOP Overwhelm and Stress
• The Art of Small Talk to Network Effectively and Successfully
• Increasing Your Bottom Line Through Extreme Client Care
• How to Sell in this New Economy
• Change Your Mind and You Change Your Life
• The steps to move from boring to brilliant
•  PLUS much more.

This is a Free Summit that can be accessed via phone, web or Skype and will run from Monday December 12^th – 16^th with a bonus call on December 19^th. Full details can be seen at www.survivetothrivesummit.com

PRUnderground plans to start off the new year with a newly revamped website designed to make the jobs of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Public Relations (PR) firms, as well as DIY’ers, easier. With numerous added functionalities organized in a more cohesive manner, the site hopes to answer the requests of its many B2B clients.

Traditional press releases are targeted at gaining actual press coverage, while the social media press release targets the readers directly and through the online avenues they interact with on a daily basis (i.e. Social Media). The social media press release is also designed to drive traffic to the client’s website and/ or social media profiles, which in turn improves the SEO of said sites and profiles. Naturally, this social media press release has attracted SEO and PR professionals seeking to submit releases on their client’s behalf.

Google’s new Panda update has forever changed how SEO companies get results. Gone are the days of ranking with proper title tags, meta description and content. SEO now involves social media engagement and branding. PRUndergrounds SEO releases helps your clients accomplish this.

“We started realizing that many of our clients were actually coming to us on behalf of their own clients, and they were making suggestions about what our site should offer for them. We answered them by integrating their requests into our new site,” says Alex Miranda of PRUnderground.

Some of the site’s new features include:

• Unlimited newsrooms with one account – SEO companies can create as many newsrooms as they want for multiple clients
• Unlimited press releases with one account – They can send out as many press releases as they want
• Ability to create, save and edit all releases even after they are published
• Save all information for each company so that they do not have to add the info over and over again
• Receive member only incentives
• Order History

Already capitalizing on PRUnderground’s existing results-driven presence online, PR and SEO professionals will continue to have their client’s releases show up on the first page of Google within 5 minutes for less than $20. “[PRUnderground] social media press releases are so cutting edge that I recommend them to anyone who wants to rank on top of Google,” states Inna Shamis, a PR guru. Miranda goes on to add, “PRUnderground is constantly seeking to be on the forefront of Social & SEO-Driven PR. We are a syndicated Google news source and our clients are able to target hard to find keywords, as well as rank higher in search engines just by choosing to release through us. Now we are just making it easier for the professionals to manage and submit their clients’ releases.”

For more information about submitting a press release or to be added to the mailing list so you can be notified of when the new design launches, please visit www.PRUnderground.com

PRUnderground, founded in 2008, is a social media press release distribution site offering clients a way to make the first page of Google within 5 minutes and for under $20.PRUnderground is known for its cutting edge and affordable services.  More information can be obtained from the website at http://www.prunderground.com

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After years of photographing properties for real estate listings, one professional photographer has decided to reach out to help give sellers an edge in this difficult market. The most important marketing tool a seller uses, whether they be a real estate agent or home owner going it alone, are photographs of the property. On the flip side, at least 90% of homebuyers sift through thousands of online photographs looking for their new home. In order to help both sides of the equation improve their efficiency, Linda Cotter has stepped up to the plate.

Through her new DVD system, Photos That Sell Real Estate: Fabulous Photos in Under An Hour, long time professional real estate photographer, Linda Cotter, aims to provide home sellers with the tools they need to increase profits and decrease the amount of time a home sits on the market.

“This economy has really hit the home selling market. Rather than continue to sit stunned in uncertainty, these tools will give home sellers a motivated fresh edge. They will feel a renewed sense of confidence in themselves and their work. And, home buyers will see an immediate difference in property listings as more enticing photographs increase appeal and desire,” Linda explains.

Considering that so many homeowners are choosing to try to sell their homes themselves rather than use a real estate agent, Linda created the system to appeal to both real estate agents and homeowners alike. With easy to follow, step-by-step instructions, and industry photography secrets and tips, sellers will notice an improvement in their photography skills right away.

Fabulous Photos in Under an Hour is the first installment in the series. It includes a professionally filmed 45-minute DVD, the Fabulous Photos Companion Study Guide, De-Clutter and Room by Room Checklist.  This system teaches real estate agents and homeowners to take fabulous photos in under an hour.

About Linda Cotter:

Linda has been a professional Real Estate and Fine Art Photographer for over 10 years. As a consultant to the South Bay REMAX training center, she has helped many real estate agents improve their sales through better photographs. She is a highly sought after real estate photographer by top producing agents throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

The Internet has overtaken television as the largest advertising market in the world. Television commercials often include references to product websites or Facebook and Twitter pages. Print ads include references to social networks, as well as QR Codes which direct viewers to mobile websites on their smartphones. Social Media Marketing – while yet an infant in the general world of marketing – has made its mark on the world, and it’s here to stay.

Social Media Marketing allows for the exchange of user-generated content; in essence it allows businesses to become more personal, and to interact with their customers as people rather than companies.

Rodney Washington, Editor in Chief at Stitches ‘n Dishes, and Social Media Marketing expert, recently discussed ten simple tips to assist mobile food entrepreneurs in launching their Social Media Marketing strategies on Facebook and Twitter, including identifying customers, growing a fan base, and constructing Facebook and Twitter updates that include a call to action.

“Today if you want to be taken seriously marketing your business online you can’t do it without some type of involvement with social media. As a matter of fact, many small businesses are using Facebook and Twitter as an alternative to setting up a website or blog,” said Washington.

Of course these tools will be far more effective if implemented in unison with a private blog or website, but in the absence of a blog website, mobile food entrepreneurs are latching on to some simple techniques to boost business and advertise their products on social network sites.

“In our series of articles, we’re drawing a road map in Social Media Marketing specifically catered (no pun intended) to the mobile food industry. In this article, Rodney’s spelled out some very simple steps a mobile food operator can take to catapult his popularity in social networks,” said Christopher Ford, Co-Founder at Stitches ‘n Dishes.

The article, which can be read on the Stitches ‘n Dishes blog website, discusses how to write & publish Tweets & Facebook wall posts that create interest, encourage text message marketing, locate customers, use photos in posts, and six other tips, including his “bonus tip,” and a “how-to” video tutorial.

The ten tips can be implemented immediately, and will allow the mobile food operator the opportunity to leverage social media to grow a mobile food business.

The full article and video tutorial is published on the Stitches ‘n Dishes blog site, where readers are not only tantalized by high-quality food photography and reviews, but they’re also rewarded with prizes and discounts. Ford recently announced that Stitches ‘n Dishes will give away an Apple iPad 2 WiFi tablet computer in a free drawing on December 31, 2011. Entry details can be found on the blog website.

About Stitches ‘n Dishes:

Stitches ‘n Dishes, the creation of Christopher Ford and Andrew Nicora, and inspired by “Stitch”, an American Staff. Terrier mix / Bichon Frise, provides marketing, advertising and PR services to the mobile foods industry and it provides consumers with a single source for original articles, reviews, food photography, California fairs and events, discounts, contests and giveaways.

Stitches ‘n Dishes is California’s first provider of a platform that stitches a link between food lovers, entertainment venues and mobile food operators, and the first fully dedicated marketing, advertising and development resource available to food vendors in California.

Contact
Christopher Ford, Co-Founder
Stitches ‘n Dishes
chris@stitchesndishes.com
916-612-9954

Rodney Washington
Stitches ‘n Dishes
rodney@stitchesndishes.com
858-413-7526

Master Consultant Selina Maitreya rolls out the red carpet on a powerful new teaching program, The Photographer’s Path, designed to give photographers the opportunity to have a massively successful photography business.

With over 30 years of experience in the photography industry, Selina Maitreya is regarded as one of the industry’s most knowledgeable experts. She has worked the process for years with her clients and now for the first time, is offering commercial photographers all of the information and inspiration needed to get on the path to success!

Nick Thomas, a professional photographer from New Hampshire says, “While there are many consultants eager to help photographers, there is only one Selina….. With Selina’s guidance I put together a new book and marketing campaign. I was awarded contracts to work for two national brands within the next year. Those two contracts were worth more than my total year before.”

Ms. Maitreya’s 12-month membership program a remarkable amount of information at a tremendous value.  It is delivered via video, mp3 recordings and PDF formats that are easy to use and totally transformational for photographers anywhere along the experience spectrum. It offers easy, impactful, action steps designed to quickly move any business forward.

In my work with photographers I hear the following concerns practically everyday:

• “I don’t know what my clients want?”

• “My clients won’t pay my rate, so I can longer make a profit?”
• “What does personal work have to do with paying the bills?” or, “I wish I could be get jobs based on my personal work”.
• “I’ve not been very inspired to shoot lately because it’s become so hard”

As a result many talented photographers have fallen into an abyss that has left them feeling confused and uncertain about their futures or what to do next. That is until now!

Please join us for this ** BRAND NEW FREE Tele-training*** titled:

Shoot To $ell & Sell To Shoot: A New Concept For Increasing Sales For Your Photography While Making Your Marketing Easier w/ author, consultant, teacher and champion to pro-photographers Selina Maitreya and me Rodney Washington Paid For Your Creativity Coach

Selina’s concept is simple: In order to develop new accounts regularly photographers need a plan that includes: Shooting – Marketing and Selling New Work Selina will reveal the relationship between all three and will show you how to build a structure so you’ll leave the call knowing exactly how to prioritize your day so nothing gets left behind.

She’ll show you how testing (i.e. shooting more) is actually a phenomenal marketing tool and (if used correctly) can be designed to remind current clients and contacts about your vision.

Wednesday – November 2nd 2011 at 11 A.M. PST/2 P.M. EST. for this very special call.

*No Registration Required: just dial in at 1-218-936-4700 and enter Access Code – 975020

You’ll leave the call with a plan that will teach you:

• How shooting new work can be used as a pro-active marketing tool
• Discover simple resources that will not only inspire you, but reawaken your passion for photography, perhaps even life.
• Avoid the pitfalls that creative pros fall into.
• Learn the secrets successful pros know & use every day!

As a bonus: Selina will share with you an amazing new resource she’s created so that you no longer feel alone as you walk the path towards to re-inventing yourself and your photography business.

Shoot To $ell & Sell To Shoot: A New Concept For Increasing Sales For Your Photography While Making Your Marketing Easier w/ author, consultant, teacher and champion to pro-photographers Selina Maitreya and me Rodney Washington Paid For Your Creativity Coach and author of the book Eye On Marketing: 41 Days From Struggle and Confusion to Clarity & Profits.

That FREE tele-training will be held on Wednesday – November 2nd 2011 at 11 A.M. PST/2 P.M. EST.
*No Registration Required: just dial in at 218-936-4700 and enter Access Code – 975020

About Selina Maitreya:

Selina Maitreya has been a highly regarded consultant to commercial photographers for the last 30 years. Working one on one with clients her advice has benefited hundreds of photographers internationally.

In addition to lecturing over 100 times by invitation from APA, ASMP and CAPIC, Selina has been interviewed for articles in The British Journal of Photography, VISION (OOTY INDIA) PDN, PICTURE and HOW magazine. In addition Selina has authored articles that have appeared in numerous industry trades publications.

Selina’s best selling book, “Portfolios That Sell” was published in June 2003, and Oprah Winfrey’s photo editor at O magazine Karen Frank called it a “must have for any pro photographer”. Selina’s latest book, How to Succeed in Commercial Photography continues to be sold worldwide and is in a second printing. The View From Here, Selina’s 9 hour 12 chapter mP3 program, contains everything she knows about selling and marketing photography and has sold globally to great acclaim.

Clarion Call is Selina’s latest learning tool for photographers. The first ever worldwide telesummit, Clarion Call brought together 21 top industry experts, Ms. Maitreya and over 3000 photographers from 7 countries around the globe.

Selina currently offers a FREE 3 part video tutorial titled: “Why Photographers Fail” – you can access that FREE training prior to the live tele-training by visiting Selina’s website at: http://bit.ly/whyphotographersfail

We’ve all heard – and experience first-hand on a daily basis – that Facebook is the standard in social networking. With more than half a billion users, Facebook is a common household name and in the top echelon of internet destinations every day. One common misconception, though is, “if you build it, they will come.” After all, don’t we all create fan pages, then immediately begin asking all of our friends to “like” them? We soon learn, it’s not so easy to attract and entice people to click that elusive “like” button, and all too often, we become frustrated in the process. But, converting Facebook fans into customers is really as simple as buying groceries.

In many cases, many business owners do not actually use Facebook as a means to increase SEO, and ultimately their brand awareness. Most commonly, small businesses believe that they need to create fan pages in order to attain large fan bases, and ultimately sales without actually understanding their fan bases or their behavior. It’s not just about fan count, and it’s important to understand the actual value of a fan. More importantly, it’s vitally important to understand the social network, its interconnections and the interactions amongst fans and the people they influence. Key questions to be keenly aware of are: How many people does your business influence? How many of those people will take action on your content? How many people can these people reach? Summed, the key question is, are you a mover and a shaker? Does your content, and ultimately your business, wield power and influence in a sphere of activity amongst your fans?

A true fan base is grown organically – this doesn’t necessarily mean “slowly”, but in many cases, growing a fan base is a lot like using a crock pot.

Converting fans into customers requires a consistent effort focused on developing an engaging relationship with fans. Creating campaigns that attract customers, rather than fans, offering a special discount or coupon to convert fans or attract new fans, and creating a thank-you campaign to start conversations with new fans or followers are a few techniques mobile food vendors use to convert fans to customers.

Read Christopher’s comprehensive article (here), explaining why a blog is central to the social network, and how Facebook plays a role in improving SEO and search engine placement. “It reads like a roadmap,” said Gabe De Armond, an independent Marketing and Advertising Consultant in Charlottesville, NC. “Chris explains that fan count isn’t as important as turning fans into loyal customers, and he points out the number one mistake most mobile food vendors make. He really hit the nail on the head with this one.”

About Stitches ‘n Dishes:

Stitches ‘n Dishes, the creation of Christopher Ford and Andrew Nicora, and inspired by “Stitch”, an American Staff. Terrier mix / Bichon Frise, provides marketing, advertising and PR services to the mobile foods industry and it provides consumers with a single source for original articles, reviews, food photography, California fairs and events, discounts, contests and giveaways.

Stitches ‘n Dishes is California’s first provider of a platform that stitches a link between food lovers, entertainment venues and mobile food operators, and the first fully dedicated marketing, advertising and development resource available to food vendors in California.

Contact
Christopher Ford, Co-Founder
Stitches ‘n Dishes
chris@stitchesndishes.com
916-612-9954

Rodney Washington
Stitches ‘n Dishes
rodney@stitchesndishes.com
858-413-7526