That is the question you should ask yourself before walking into any networking event, before picking up he phone, before sending out a singe marketing email.  Are you selling something, or are you bringing real value?

On more than one occasion, I have had people walk up to me at networking events, jam their business card in my hand, and ask to start making referrals for their business.  Really? I don’t know them, trust them, and they aren’t making a good case for me to like them, and they want me to cash in on my professional capital with my network to grow their business.

Try this instead: give before you ask.  It goes a long way to building good will, and is a much stronger foundation to building business relationships that last.  Here are a few tips:

• Start by asking questions about them.  (Remember, according to Dale Carnegie, most people’s favorite topic is themselves.)
• Offer to introduce them to someone in your network who could be a prospect for them.
• Offer a free seminar or be part of a  Forum and give out advice.
• End every conversation with, “How can I help you grow your business?”

We believe that you should give 60-70% value and content to your readers.  Do not spam them with endless sales pitches.   Socual Networking (Events, Blogging, Social Sites) are about communicating.   Make the Deposits before you take the withdrawls.

Below are the most important beginner items on local business marketing and similar information Internet marketing to get you off to a fast start.

• Find a domain name specific to your business.  For example:  CheryyHillAccountants.   This helps the search engines narrow down the search to your area. 
• Register as a local business in Google.   In a regular search of Google, they list business registration locally to your area.   So that same Cherry Hil lAccountant seach will produce Accountants in the Cherry Hill area with addresses and phone number – are you one of them?
• Social media is not just updating Facebook with your personal moves.  It about reaching out to various groups with similiar interest and letting them know where you are located.  For example, be on a Forum for a local Chamber Group and share your knowledge.
• People buy from the local business because they know and trust that person  – some one like them.   So, put up a quick video (or 5)  and talk about your services.   They will get to know, like and buy from you before you actually meet.

That list is the basic but important issue for targeting your local market. If you are looking for greater detail you can visit our website at www.eclickbiz.com and one of our experts can help. You very well might also enjoy some of the more detailed articles on this website that are about Internet marketing. As you search around, visit trusted blogs and check to be sure that everything you read about local business marketing is true.

Social Networking is great and has many benefits.  However, probably the number one complaint is the pressure to keep up with the constant messaging and news.  Also, too many internet marketes will get their sales pitch on the search engine list.   But is you want to focus on one topic or subject there are other ways to get direct answers. 

1)   Message Boards – Do not underestimate these. They are old but when they have many active users these sites can still be an excellent social site. This social forum is similar to Twitter and Facebook except they focus only on topics related to that website. Get one for your website.

2)   Blogs – Blogging is popular and it is simple to run a Google blog search and compile information about the best way to address the issue of a social networking on blogs. Try visiting a few blogs and also pay attention to the comments left on the topic.

3)    Yahoo! Answers – Similar to LinkedIn Answers, Yahoo Answers is a place you can post a specific questions and people reply.

These are examples of ways to find out what people think on the web without being involved with the clutter of social networking.   You can find many sites that are focused on targeted topics and have information such as addressing difficulties like these.

ActiveRain is a Real Estate Networking site for real estate professionals. As of me writing this post,

there are over 98,000 members there. You can signup for a free membership, create your profile, and

start interacting with the community. When you join, make sure you use their unique referral program.

You can use the referral service to find the best real estate professionals, real estate leads and form

local real estate relationships. One of the best parts of the referral service is the ability to search on a

local level, right in your county.

2. Facebook

Facebook is a very professional network that is growing at an unprecedented rate. This is a great

platform for reaching out to potential buyers, and increasing your marketing’s reach. Unlike other Ad

services, Facebook’s Ads allow you to target your EXACT audience on a much deeper level. You can

target your audience by age, location, keywords and their relationship.

3. FlippingPad

Flipping pad is designed specifically for real estate investors looking to build relationships with other

investors across the country. If you are a rehabber or a wholesaler, this site is a great opportunity to

network and get new leads. Action Tip: Interact with other investors in the forums section of the site.

Ask and answer questions that provide valuable information. More you interact, more visible you

become among flipping pad members.

4. LinkedIn

Linked in is one of the best social network sites to form relationship among real estate

professionals. Action Tip: Make sure to build out your profile. When people search for

you, they can find you by your keywords, places, employment, and experience you have

in your resume. When searching for people, never spam others. When asking people to

be added to your network, it is best to ask people you know first.

5. Localism

Localism is the valued point of connection, a place of meaningful interaction. It’s where

neighbors and local merchants share what’s happening in their community. It’s people

collectively communicating the unique flavor and nuances of where they live, work, eat,

and play. Localism provides the environment where residents and business owners can

create a micro-social network uniquely attuned to their individual communities.

Together, they use multi-media to paint a canvas of local color and texture. Their

Localism ‘Neighborpedia’ becomes an extension of who and what they are.

6. Puurple

This is a pligg site, which is designed with similar functionality to digg.com. You can go

to the site to find real estate related articles, and to vote up & down the articles/blogs

that you find. It is also a great resource to bookmark your listings to share with the

community.

7. Trulia

5 million active buyers and sellers come to Trulia.com each month to start their real

estate search. Sign up by joining Trulia Pro, an all-in-one marketing solution for real

estate and other professionals who want to promote their brand and listings to over 5

million home buyers and sellers each month.

8. Zillow

Zillow is a free online real estate site where you can search for homes for sale, find

home prices, see home values, view recently sold homes, and check mortgage rates. Get

started by finding real estate in top states and real estate in top cities.

9. Zolve

Zolve connects home buyers and sellers to real estate practitioners in their desired area

by providing a platform where real estate practitioners can demonstrate their market

and neighborhood expertise by sharing the information that home buyers, sellers, and

owners are looking for on the internet.

10. RealTown

Whether you are a consumer looking for buyer and seller information on real property or

a real estate professional looking for resources and networking, RealTown.com has it all.

Here you will find one of the most comprehensive and valuable resources available, a

real estate portal with concentration on Content, Context, Collaboration, and

Community.

Check out the Real Estate Network at www.WealthAllianceNetwork.com

Doing a new activity is rarely the simplest thing to do. If you want to find out how to write and article on the web and you are surfing all over on the Internet, you have come to the right place. The following information is basic details on internet marketing and how to write and article on the web. But don’t only read here. You want to continue to study the topic and continue to look for information and find educational videos because you should get more than just one person’s viewpoint.

Items to be thinking about if contemplating how to write and article on the web. Consider these questions.

• Did you research the topic? Have you explored at least 5 blogs and sites that publish information on internet marketing?
• How quickly do you want to act on your write and article on the web need?
• Have you tried talking to some companies that could help with internet marketing and talked over your issues?
• Can you estimate the usual write and article on the web costs and the expected financial estimate?
• Exactly what is successful important to you when dealing with how to write and article on the web and what do you expect to achieve?
• Can you find a DIY how to write and article on the web option or do you need to hire a person that is trained?
• Do you need a discount with the internet marketing offering?
• What will be the down side of not doing anything about internet marketing?
• Are there advanced courses for internet marketing specializations?
• Is studying to write and article on the web the best thing you should invest your money on?
• Have you met someone that can refer anybody that has experience in how to write and article on the web?
• Are there specialized courses for internet marketing specializations?

You have to consider different issues surrounding the problem. Going to other Web communities will surely assist you in getting a better understanding of how to overcome the possible challenged. Consider this – you can read and educating yourself by reading posts concerning write and article on the web or you should study topics concerning internet marketing. If you are going out and learning varied opinions grasping so you are aware of the angles. The subject has information out there about it. With time use on reading more you can learn a lot.

Getting found online is not passive.　 You just can’t have the attitude –  ”build it and they will come.”   Inbound marketing is more effective than traditional outbound marketing methods because you aren’t interrupting people to get their attention, with emails, cold calls, commercials, and so on. With inbound marketing through the social networking, blogs, video and the websites, you create a useful, informative profile and let visitors find and come to you.

Traditional “outbound” marketing methods like cold-calling, email blasts, media advertising, and direct mail are increasingly less effective. People are getting better at blocking these interruptions out using Caller ID, spam protection, TiVo, etc. When people need to find information they use the “yellowbook” of today - Google, social media, and blogs to find products and services.

Inbound Marketing and social media have leveled the playing field for small businesses who couldn’t afford big outbound marketing.   It has become the more efficient and more effective way to reach qualified customers at a lower cost. Simply put, Inbound Marketing now provides the highest ROI (return on investment) when compared to ALL other marketing mediums.

I will be going into this topic in much more detail on my blog (ww.eclickbiz.com) in 2011.  Vist us to learn how your small business can acheive the traffice flow you need to be sucessful.

1. Website use will change – Intro to the Squeeze Page

Small businesses are predicted to increase online marketing spending, with websites taking the front seat.  . A recent survey found that 54% of respondents indicated that their businesses currently have websites. Unfortunately, most of those websites contain nothing more than general information and no call to action. 

The importance of being easily findable on the Internet has still not been fully recognized by small businesses.  In 2011, small business must change their sites from their current iterations as online brochures to more prominent positions as useful resources for customers.  Content is King!

2. Social Networking Expansion

Some small business owners have understood and used social media.   Most have hoped it was a fad and will move on to the next big thing.   Social media is about getting feedback from your followers on a product, idea or decision.   This marketing information is essential to the small business owner and it is basically FREE.    

However, social media is here to stay and it’s not just Facebook.  Expanding across many social media sites and groups, the small business owner can identify potential customers with similar needs and interest.   Isn’t that why you started your business in the first place?

3. Must Go Mobile

A whopping 49% of small business owners use smartphones.  As more small business owners are exposed to smartphones , notebooks, IPads on a daily basis, it’s inevitable that they will begin to innovate with mobile technologies. 

In 2011, the smartphone revolution will continue to ensue, with ever increasing smartphone adoption. Mobile devices will continue to change the way that companies of all sizes do business. With the ease of internet access, all customers will use their phones at one time or another to find something.   Will your business be there?

4. Increased Adoption of Cloud Computing

Earlier this year, a group of Internet and tech experts and social analysts predict that Internet users will “live mostly in the cloud” by 2020.   I know from my own group of colleagues, more and more are opting for hosting their tools on the net.   It allows easier sharing of information and automatic backups.  

Cloud services have already simplified many processes for businesses. In 2011, businesses will be increasingly exposed to cloud services as tech companies introduce more and more products geared toward moving our digital lives into the cloud.   No more small business servers

Not into technology or the internet, Internet marketing companies allow your small business to outsource part or all of these function.  Check out a general list of services at www.eclickbiz.com, a Philadelphia Area local Internet Marketing company.  They will give you an idea of what services and cost to add traffic, leads and sales to your company.

Social Media is the interactive sites on Online. Today everyone is posting online. Of course this means you cannot believe just one person’s opinion completely. It is also true that with minor research, you should get back opinions back from people and that will assist you in forming a more educated option for yourself. In this case we are going to be covering traffic but this advice could work with any topic.

Internet Research Tools -Here are the best Social Media Sites where you should be able to quickly get more information about traffic.

Blogs – Writing a blog is very common and you can run a Google blog search and find information about traffic on blogs. You will want to visit a few blogs and also pay attention to the comments that people post below articles.

LinkedIn.com – If you have a great LinkedIn friends, you should try to ask a question on LinkedIn Answers and see what you get. Doing this can be a great way to get information specific to your topic that you post a question on.

Yahoo! Answers – Much like LinkedIn Answers, Yahoo Answers is a place you can post questions and get quick feedback.

Forums – They have been around for a long time but if they have many users participating these sites are still a great source of information.

Twitter – Find out what people are talking about right as it happens about traffic on twitter.com. You can just go to search.twitter.com and search on your keywords.

Newsletter Lists – If you have a list of emails and you are trying to find out more other opinions, you should blast out to your newsletter list. It can be a very good experience. Email out your inquiry and enjoy the responses.

Facebook.com – You will be able to research lots of information and get feedback by using the tool. It is as simple as you submit a request for information to your wall and people you know will see it and try to help.

Product Reviews on Amazon – If you need reviews from people on a product, go visit the reviews on Amazon and read what the public are talking about.

The Internet is packed with honest information that is all available in social media sites. You can find many websites that are focused on specialized topics and are made up of information such as ratings and comments. To find broader information on traffic spend some time doing some searches as well as going to the resources we have mentioned.

“ This synergy will give us national exposure and access to the latest on-line marketing trends while still giving our usual personal local touches”  stated Rich Basile owner of eclick Business Marketing.  “Internet marketing is the new yellow pages of today”. 

Purple Hit (http://www.purplehit.com/)  was created by highly informed internet marketers who use these same strategies day in and day out on their own personal projects.  So we are not selling you a service that might work, we are selling the same techniques we use in our own small businesses each and every day.

eClick Business Marketing (http://www.eclickbiz.com/) is a leader in local online advertising and product promotion.  We offer a comprehensive strategy for small and mid-size companies to attract new business online. Our integrated approach is changing the way local businesses are approaching their clientele.

Set it and forget it . . . . . .   A website delivers your message and basic information to prospects anytime of day.   Just set up your website put it on the internet and never have to worry about it again. Leads will start flowing in any second.

You may be feeling pretty good by now, but the other shoe is about to drop.  Yes, it is cool to have a website but how many leads are coming in from that site. Websites are design to talk about your business resulting in fluff versus marketing.  Most people only get about 3% leads from their websites.

5 Common Mistakes:

1)        Too May Things To Do:   You have one website and you are trying to tell the entire story.  The visitor is usually confused about the amount of content and do not know where to go.

2)        Content:  The content on websites is usually design for information not marketing.   First you need to get the prospect interested; only afterwards do they want the detail information

3)        Design:  The design of websites are usually too busy and not flowing for the visitor.   It usually results into “unfocusing” the prospect

4)        No Call to Action:  Many websites do not get the prospect to take action.  Like window shopping, if there are no signs for action (50% off, Today Only) most prospects will keep on walking.

5)        Domain Names:   Sometimes the domain is too long or can easily be misspelled.  Help them get to you with multiple forwards and easy domain names. 

 Websites are important and every business should have one.  But websites are usually not design for lead generation.   You must create other sites and flow of traffic for the prospects before they come to your website.  A core website is only a part of a comprehensive Internet Market Strategy.    Check out Squeeze It