Jim Connolly Marketing

A short comment on short comments

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Have you ever left a comment on a blog and wondered why it was not published?

There are many reasons why this can happen, including:

  • Your comment included links, words or phrases that triggered the blog’s software to block it.  Like most wordpress blogs, this blog uses a trackback  / comment spam plugin.  The one I use is called Akismet.
  • The blogger deleted your comment for some reason.
  • Your ip address, website or email address is somehow listed in the popular comment spam databases.
  • Your comment was too short. This is the one I want to focus on here.

Comments too short?

Yep! Legitimate comments like yours, can get trapped in blog spam filters, simply because they are too short.  Blog comments like; “I totally agree” or “This is a great blog”, are regularly used by some SEO’s, as a way to build backlinks for their clients sites.  They simply paste the same generic phrase into thousands of well ranked blogs, hoping they will find some, which do not have comment-spam  / trackback spam plugins installed.  Whilst these brief comments are pretty harmless (in my opinion), some bloggers really don’t like them and as a result, filters now try and stop them appearing.

Here’s an example of how a genuine comment can get lost.  I just found a legitimate comment in my filter, which contains only 5 words; “what’s your bookmark plugin Jim?”  This was instantly filtered it as spam and it would have been missed, had I not spent 20 minutes reading through the last 12 hours worth of comment spam, for this post.

By the way: 99% of the spam I get is NOT from SEO’s! The SEO comments I see are largely benign and tend to point to regular sites.  No, the vast majority of the comment spam I see (and don’t want published) is sent via zombie computers and links to everything from porn sites to drug sites and malware.

So, if you want the best chance of seeing your comment published on a blog, use more than 3 or 4 words if you want to avoid the blogger’s filter.  This also helps you add to the conversation and adds value to your input.

Let’s work together and grow your business. To find out more click here!

Over 180 marketing and business development ideas!

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marketing ideas, business development, ideas, marketing

Here you go: Access to over 180 220 ideas and answers to help you with your marketing and business development – all in one post!

21 Powerful habits behind successful business owners.

10 examples to make your business massively more valuable.

5 Quick and easy wins for your business.

21 Tips to build a better business.

7 Naked truths about marketing.

4 Proven ways to quickly attract more sales and enquiries.

10 Ways to create unstoppable momentum for your business.

3 Things you absolutely must know, before marketing your business.

7 Habits of the most influential leaders.

25 Reasons to write a business blog.

12 Things every business owner needs to know.

10 Inspiring reasons to get things done.

10 Reasons your business isn’t growing… and how to fix it.

7 Proven ideas to attract more sales or client enquiries.

5 Power tips to keep your business growing.

7 Motivating tips to help you get things done.

6 Ideas to make clients fall in love with your business.

10 Amazing ways to get people talking about your business.

3 Critical steps for a profitable, successful business.

15 Proven ideas to help you grow your business.

7 Ways to improve your sales results… right now.

10 Facts about your business that will make you feel totally inspired.

4 Ways to attract more client leads or sales from your website.

7 Ways to make your marketing more powerful.

Tip: If you found this useful, you can get my latest ideas delivered direct to your inbox, for free, right here.

 

Another reason why I love blogging

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I switched my computer on this morning and was amazed with what I saw!

Last night, while I was sleeping, there were interesting conversations going on here; across 4 different posts and with dozens of comments.  That kind of feedback or interaction, is one of the things I value most about blogging and yet another reason why I believe blogs have a bright future, as a marketing tool.

Marketing and blogs

There are many reasons why blogs are extremely powerful as marketing tools.  One of these reasons, is that it is easier to build a targeted community around a blog.  For example, each of those 4 active conversations last night were directly relevant to the theme of this blog; which is marketing and business development for small businesses.

Now, some of the people involved in these debates, shared the debate on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter, which saw a massive increase in new readers and blog subscribers.  In simple terms, if I had written those posts as traditional articles on a website, with no comments section and no way for readers to contribute, there would have been far less interest and far fewer people would have seen it or shared it.

My posts acted as a catalyst, but it was the interest caused by the reader comments, which created the real surge in interest.  In addition, the people who commented on those posts increased the value of those posts enormously, with their insights and ideas.  I will be writing a lot more about the marketing benefits of blogging in the future.  For now, I simply ask business owners that are not already blogging, to consider the opportunities.

Lost for words? Here are 10 ways to find inspiration!

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Do you ever find yourself suffering from writer’s block?

If you just answered “yes”, take a look at the following 10 ideas and see if you can find something, which will help you flood your mind with inspirational ideas:

  1. Go for a walk. This one works for me every time.  Just remember to bring something with you, to record your thoughts.
  2. “Write for the waste paper basket.”  I’m paraphrasing Ernest Hemingway there.  The idea is not to allow the need for perfection to stop you getting started.  Get going and THEN refine what you have written.
  3. Listen to some music, preferably something without lyrics.
  4. Read some of your own, previous material.  It’s amazing how many times I read something I’ve written before, which gives me an idea for a brand new piece of material.
  5. Exercise.  Just like number1, be sure to bring an audio recorder with you.
  6. Change your environment.  I write 99% of my material outdoors.  Sometimes, I will write from a quiet location and other times, a busy coffee bar.  If quiet isn’t working for you – Go somewhere noisy, and vice-versa.
  7. Go for a drive.  I know a lot of people who get some of their best ideas, when they are driving.  Just make sure you wait until it’s safe, before you record your ideas.
  8. Take a look at some of the emails, tweets or messages you get from people, seeking your advice.  This can sometimes provide very useful food for thought.
  9. Listen to (or watch) something that’s REALLY funny!  I find that often, just after enjoying a great comedy, (Big Bang Theory is my current fave) my mind feels like a hard drive, which has just been de-fragmented.  I’m told that laughter reduces stress and floods our brains with endorphins , which then changes our mental state.  Whatever the science is, there’s no doubt that it’s extremely effective (and fun!)
  10. Try getting your ideas down using pen and paper, rather than a computer.  As I mentioned recently, I do ALL my problem solving and creative thinking on paper.  I know manyt, many people who find this form of thinking on paper to be extremely effective.

What would you add to this list?

I would really appreciate it if YOU would share your best ideas for overcoming writer’s block, with your fellow readers and myself.  So, what did I miss?

Let’s work together and grow your business. To find out more click here!

32 Questions to kick-start your business!

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Would you call yourself a creative person?

Creativity plays a big part in the development of any successful business.  In fact, your ability to creatively solve problems and spot opportunities will to a large part, determine just how far you and your business will go.

In my experience, one of the best ways to kick-start our creativity, is to ask ourselves questions, which lead us to creatively search for answers and new ideas.  So, here are 32 questions, designed to help you think creatively about the development of your business.  Remember to share them with anyone in your network, who you think might find them useful, using the links below!

  1. What additional, valuable products or services can I offer to my existing clients or customers (herein called clients)?  This is the fastest way to generate a massively profitable boost to your revenue and profits.
  2. Am I fully utilising technology in my business?  Are there processes that I could streamline, which would give me more time to deal personally with my clients and prospective clients?
  3. How can I improve the way I deliver my services?
  4. Do I take time out, to thank people as often as I should?
  5. What new markets could use my products or services?
  6. How can I improve the quality of my products or services, so that they are of even more value to existing and prospective clients?
  7. Am I associating with the right kind of people, for what I want to achieve?
  8. What three things could I do, which would improve the visibility of my business?
  9. How can I reach 500% more prospective clients with my marketing message?
  10. How can I make my day-to-day work more fun?  This is really important!
  11. What’s the best way for me to encourage more people, to recommend me to their contacts?
  12. Is my marketing focused enough?
  13. How can I improve my time management?
  14. Do I take action on the ideas I generate, so they have a chance to make a real difference?
  15. Should I be thinking about doing some kind of joint venture with another, high quality company?
  16. Am I limiting the development of my business, by not investing in professional help in the areas where I am weakest?  If so, which area do I need to invest in first?
  17. How often do I ask my clients for their feedback, regarding the service they receive from me and what additional services they would like me to offer?
  18. When was the last time I sat down and studied my marketing goals?  If you have not got any written, measurable, specific marketing goals, stop reading this and write some down right now!
  19. Is it possible that my services look too similar to my competitors?  Most service providers look way too alike, so the marketplace uses their fees as a way to judge their value.
  20. If my services do look too similar to my competitors, how can I differentiate myself, so that I have something uniquely valuable to bring to the marketplace?
  21. Do I get enough leads and enquiries via my website or blog? If not, how can I increase this, so my site becomes a lead generating machine for my business?
  22. When was the last time a client sent me a “thank you” note?  If this has not happened for a while, it might suggest that you have not exceeded their expectations lately!
  23. Who would make a good endorsed relationship partner for me?
  24. Do I attract enough word of mouth referrals?  If not, what is this telling me?
  25. How aware am I, of my client’s problems and challenges?  You need to know what’s happening in your client’s world, if you want to be able to really help them.
  26. Do I have a shallow a network, spread over a wide area – Or a deeper, more meaningful one?
  27. How many other websites or blogs link to my website or blog?  This is important, as inlinks account for the massive majority of your search engine optimization (SEO)
  28. Am I working to a marketing strategy or am I simply doing tactical marketing?
  29. Just how good is my customer service?  Remember, you don’t compare yourself to what your competitors offer – But to the finest level of service you can possibly offer.
  30. Do I still have the same passion for my business that I used to have?  If the answer to this is yes, get passionate again!
  31. How many of the people I network with on Twitter, have I actually spoken to or met?
  32. Are my online marketing activities producing bankable results, or just a ton of meaningless, social media numbers?  If you have the friends, followers and fans but not the bankable results, you might want to review your strategy.
  33. Do I exceed people’s expectations?

OK – What would you add to this list?

What would you add to this list, as a question that might help get people thinking creatively about the development of their business?  Please leave your suggestions below!

Let’s work together and grow your business. To find out more click here!

How focused are your marketing messages?

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That’s an important question for you to consider.

Why?

Because the more focused your marketing messages are, the more effective they will be and the more business they will generate for you.

Here’s what we know:

  • A focused marketing message speaks directly to the reader (viewer or listener), in a language they understand. It connects with them at a far deeper level than a poorly targeted message.
  • A focused marketing message makes the reader feel as if you knew exactly what they needed. This makes you relevant to them, which is extremely powerful.
  • A focused marketing message captures the reader’s attention. This is of huge value to you today, when people’s attention has never been so scattered.
  • A focused marketing messages has the power to motivate people to take action… to buy from you, call you, email you or visit you.
  • A focused marketing message has the power to inspire and compel the reader in a way that vague messages can’t.

Review your written marketing. Look for opportunities to make it more focused, so that it’s only relevant to your ideal profile of client. Be less inclusive. Talk directly to them.

Business is all about people and people really notice, when you’re speaking directly to them, in their language, about what matters to them!