Editor's Gab

How are you this fine Sunday?

Can't believe November is almost here! I have no clue where this year went.

Those of you that enjoy Halloween - be safe but have fun!


Today I want to focus on reminding all of us that we are so fortunate to have the world right at our fingertips. All we have to do is connect to the internet and put one finger on the keyboard - and there is everyone - right there! The WHOLE world is right in our hands. If you really think about it - it's a bit overwhelming and surreal.

Twelve years ago when I first found a spam in my box, opened it and joined the program - I had no idea I'd be where I am today.

When I first began I had no idea where to start - what a newsletter was... what a business group was... message boards & forums -- no clue.

I invested so many hours following links, trying to take it all in learning as I go. Hey, each day I still learn!

Back then I had no comprehension that I had the world in my hands. Didn't even know how to find it.

Today you and I can find it - but we have to invest time to do so.

The best way to find more ways of reaching the "world" is by following links. Read articles in Newsletters - better yet, just go to Google and type in "marketing articles" or whatever. Spend an hour or so each day reading different articles online - read their resource box (at the end of their article) and click on links. Every marketing resource site out there will always link to another marketing resource site. It's never-ending.

Never wake up thinking you've maxxed out your advertising resources. That's simply not the case. I know every now and again I get discouraged - thinking I've used them all up. Silly me! Daily the internet changes. Daily new programs or resources pop online.

The world is really in our hands. We just need to slow down a bit, slow our brains down a bit and spend time finding it.

The world is waiting for you...


Ads Free Zone Subscriptions!

Wanting only Issue/Marketing Content from TheRaybournEffect.com?
NEW! No more ads (solos) in your box. Only $20/year. See the box to your above, left.

Online PR Basics
Use the Internet to create both broader and more targeted communications strategies

- By Gwendolynn Gawlick

What Is Internet PR? The answer changes as fast as the Internet's evolving interfaces, communities, delivery systems and audiences. But this manic rate of change is beginning to slow, and Internet public relations is establishing a position as a key component of any marketing arsenal.

Internet PR is not magic. In many ways, it is no different from traditional PR. It's all about communicating your message to your key audience. But that doesn't mean it's accomplished in exactly the same way.

Traditional PR uses radio, print and TV to distribute its message. Online public relations means broadly that you are using the Internet as a medium to distribute your message. The tools we use are similar to the tools used offline, but each tool is tailored and tweaked for the Internet audience.

The ubiquitous press release becomes a shorter, text only document delivered by email, without color or letterhead. Press kits may be a sent as pdf documents attached to email. Or they may simply be posted online. Your audience can be encouraged to view online press kits by sending them a simple email containing a link to the kit's web page address. Clippings (past news stories) may also be offered as web pages. Thus, your audience may discover your reputation management materials by using a search engine, such as google.com.

Business is learning to take advantage of other online tools, such as the public posting or announcement. This is a short informational or news-type message sent to online forums, mailing lists or other places where people of similar interests meet online. Your Internet PR campaign may also include a newsletter delivered by email, or an email campaign to government officials. Many companies now package PR and news-related material in an online press center or an informational Web site.

Internet PR reaches many of the same people that traditional PR reaches, but can reach them in different geographic locations, in different environments, and may as a result, cause your message to be seen more often. Studies have shown that in general, the more often someone is exposed to your message, the more effective that message will be.

But the Internet is more than just a new medium to exploit. It allows us to communicate and distribute our messages in both broader and more targeted ways than ever before:

· The Internet reaches beyond geographic boundaries. Anyone with a connection anywhere in the world can access your message.

· The Internet is a multi-media capable. You can distribute your message in audio, video, still image and text form, simultaneously around the globe. Soon, your target audience may receive your messages on a device carried right in their pockets.

· The Internet can reach geographically and psychographically disparate groups with similar interests. These are the niche audiences who gather online through chat rooms, forums, mailing lists and on Web sites.

· The Internet is reaching more people every day. Though the U.S. still comprises the majority of worldwide online users, millions of consumers around the world are rapidly joining them.

· The Internet is an instant medium. Within seconds of getting news or information, we can disseminate it around the globe.

Most exciting for PR is how the Net allows us to target our audience. In traditional PR we can reach them through niche publications, such as "Harley Riders over 50." or "Texans of Irish Descent." On the Web this kind of targeting becomes much simpler, much less expensive, and much more effective. People of every description, from all over the globe, gather in groups online to talk about, enjoy, trade, learn about or fight over their interests; and they are easy to find. This means that you can send your message right to the people who need or want to hear it. It also means that the people who want to know your message are better able to find it online.

There's no magic here, but a little experience and finesse in navigating and utilizing the Internet will help get your message out effectively. It pays to know:

-where the Internet is strongest demographically.
-what is the etiquette surrounding disseminating your message online.
-who the online players are.
-which are the best online venues for your information.


--------------------------------------------
Gwendolynn Gawlick President of PRDiva.com, is an Internet public relations specialist and web strategist. Her clients range from Random House to Arthur Andersen, and she leads workshops and lectures on Internet communications. Find her online at www.prdiva.com.
--------------------------------------------


Want to learn about new services?

If you want to be the first to hear - the very first to hear - about new services being launched by The Raybourn Effect subscribe FREE below.

I promise you will NOT be bombarded with emails. I will only be contacting you before a new service is released to the public.

For example, one service that will be launching this week is our Search Engine Submission and Site Optimization Analysis.

You can have your site analyzed and receive optimization solutions and help to get listed better in the engines. You will receive a Full, Detailed, HTML Report - and you can compare your site to one of your competitors!

When you subscribe below you'll receive an email with many details. This service is being launched this week - you can take advantage of it today and save!

Read more about it by subscribing Free Today!

6 Simple Ways to Determine Which Marketing Ideas Are Best for Your Business
- by Jennifer McCay

Did something catch your eye in a direct mailing this past week? Have you recently gone to a website and encountered something entirely new that you'd like to try out? Did a friend of yours try out a new marketing idea and generate a few thousand dollars of extra business overnight?

As a small business owner, it's all too easy to get caught up in the hype of new marketing techniques that promise quick rewards for little cash. I'll even admit that we copywriters are trained to overcome your psychological objections to buying what we're selling so that you're ready to whip out your wallet right then and there.

And especially in certain marketing circles, the marketing materials for a new whizbang idea are so compelling, you're driven to dump everything you've been doing in order to start trying the latest, greatest end-all be-all marketing technique right away. But this can be dangerous to your bottom line -- or even your entire business.

Whenever you try out a new marketing idea, it's important to proceed with caution.

Here are 6 quick tips to keep you on track:

1. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

If you have been sending out a direct mailing that steadily brings in business at a rate that you are happy with, don't stop using this technique just to put new life in your marketing plan.

Instead, test different types of offers/approaches/what have you using a small portion of your mailing list (10% is a good start), see what works best and then test some more using that approach as your control. Make sure that you apply whatever you learn from these tests to your other campaigns, and then test some more.

2. Measure your results in order to determine what works best.

There's no reason to try something new if you're not able to see what works.

For example, I recently tested a different approach on a page on my website that is solely dedicated to generating subscriptions to my Avenues to Marketing Success Newsletter. To see if the new copy worked, I sent prospects coming from one online source to the new page and tested the old version of copy against the new. I then tweaked the version that worked best until I found a balance that got the best response from my target audience of small business owners.

3. Marketing isn't just about the numbers.

Sometimes a marketing campaign you've already got rolling doesn't work its magic right then and there. It has a slower, but longer-lasting effect that will generate long-term sales for you and build trust in your group of prospects.

This is a concept so near and dear to my heart that I'm literally writing a book on this, in fact, and I have found that over time, even campaigns that don't generate an immediate boost in income have residual effects that ensure the longevity of your business.

So remember that you're selling to people who need time to warm up to you and might not respond the first time you try a new marketing tactic. Give your older marketing idea a little time to work its magic.

4. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

I can't count the number of times I've had clients approach me wanting to use a new marketing idea because 3 people gave testimonials on a website stating that they made millions overnight.

I don't doubt the authenticity of many, many of these testimonials, which often come from reputable marketers who have built a legitimate business rapidly, but there is a reason why the vendors selling these sorts of products use disclaimers stating that the income earned is atypical and may not work out for you. Their market is not yours, their circumstances are not yours, and most good things require work to accomplish, regardless of what is claimed.

But don't let this discourage you. After all ...

5. It's always OK to try something new; just make sure not to discontinue the marketing you've been doing that gets results.

The 10% rule works here as well. Spend 90% of your time and money on marketing that you know has worked before and will work again and again, and use the other 10% to try new techniques. This way you won't miss out on a stellar new idea, but you also won't bankrupt your business if your new marketing idea fails.

6. Wait 3 days to decide.

That's all. Just wait.

Sure, it's tempting to jump right in the moment you read scrumptiously mouthwatering copy that shows you how countless business people before you have turned tiny businesses into multimillion-dollar conglomerates ONLY if you buy today, but that's the point: The copy is designed to get you to act now.

Even as a copywriter myself who's fully aware of the sales techniques involved (and uses them when it makes sense and is ethical to do so), I know how hard it can be to resist the temptation to buy the very moment you encounter it; it happens to me as well, and theoretically I should know better.

To ensure that you're making an educated decision, stick a note in your calendar to revisit the idea after 3 days and see if it still looks as good as it did the day you first encountered it.

In any case, expanding your marketing horizons to include new marketing ideas is always helpful if it allows you to learn more about what your prospects are looking for. Just proceed with caution, use a little moderation and you'll see which one of your new marketing ideas works and which ones don't in short order.

-------------
About the Author Jennifer McCay. Learn more about marketing idea Want more small business marketing tips like these? Published by Jennifer McCay, the free Avenues to Marketing Success Newsletter helps small business owners like you find more clients more easily without selling their souls. Sign up today at http://AvenueEast.com!
-------------

NEW Online Sponsorship Ads from The Raybourn Effect

Just launched!

Monthly Sponsorship Ads Online. Online Sponsorship Ads - As low as $8. Check them out today and reserve your box.

If you ever want to drop me a line, please don't hesitate to do so. One of the reasons I enjoy being online is meeting so many different people. All with different goals, desires and thought processes of how to obtain them. Meeting all of you keeps me interested in all I do.

Thank You!

Don't forget - always enjoy the ride!

One man has enthusiasm for 30 minutes, another for 30 days,
but it is the man who has it for 30 years
who makes a success of his life.
-- Edward B. Butler