Twitter.. What's This All About

OK... I caved. Honestly I've been hearing about social marketing through Twitter and Facebook for about 9 months now and finally gave in. Yes, it's true, I'm tweeting! Of course, I still know very little about Twittering and what the point is, but I guess you have to be in the game.

I've been on facebook for a while and love to share photos and comment on what my friends are doing. To me facebook is more of a personal dialog and Twittering is really more for connecting with others who are passionate about marketing.

My plan is to share article, information, and resources that are marketing related on Twitter. I know that I'm certainly interested in what others are saying - especially in the area of Internet marketing. I may even start a project and provide regular updates via Twitter. That could give my followers something meaningful to follow.

I'm definitely interested in any tips my readers my have on using Twitter. It can be from a marketing perspective or simply how to best use Twitter... In the meantime, I invite you to follow me on Twitter. I can me found at @mfleischner

Who Isn’t Looking For Ways To Increase Businesses and Profits?

...or to attract new customers? For those of you who read my blog regularly, you know I'm a big fan of new promotional ideas or marketing promotions that can help add some juice to your business. I recently cam across this innovative promotion and thought it was a pretty novel idea.

If you look at the tremendous success of the casinos, or the number of hits that IWON.com receives, it’s clear that people want hope, the chance to win something in these down times, or, anytime! If you attend a business expo, watch which table has the most people standing in front of it – it’s usually the one with a spinning wheel for a chance to win a plastic mug, even though the guy right next to it is giving similar items away just by asking for one!

People love the thrill of winning and something fun to do…it’s a psychological fact.

The goal for anyone with a web site is to draw attention to it, and it has been proven that people love to win things! The “Winning Prize Wheel” application creatively helps businesses garner new clients, and drive more traffic to their web sites while collecting contact data for future marketing initiatives. Taking advantage of this type of incentive marketing will boost profits and public relations. Visitors will be excited from the moment they enter your site for a chance to win a prize or perhaps a coupon.

Getting your visitors involved on your web site is a creative marketing technique, but incentive marketing has many faces. In a retail environment you might offer a chance at the prize wheel with the purchase of a specific product, or offer employees a chance at the prize wheel for reaching a sales goal. People love winning gifts, prizes, even discounts.

Engaged people in the excitement and enthusiasm of your business or website and keep them coming back. It is good for you and your current and future customers and employees. For more info on this really innovative marketing promotion, visit Winning Prize Wheel.

Use Article Marketing To Take Things To The Next Level

Article marketing is a powerful tool and one that I use on a daily basis to promote products and deliver value. Make the most out of your time and efforts by creating a submission strategy for your article marketing. Both beginners and experts can and should use a submission strategy that will evolve over time.

Your strategy, at a minimum, should brand you as an expert in your field, define your target audience and help you measure your results. Use your word processing program to develop your strategy and keep it front and center when writing and submitting your articles.

To begin creating your article submission strategy answer the questions below:
1. Your target audience: Who is your most desired reader? What size business does your reader own or work for? What needs does your desired reader have that you can fulfill?

2. Submission goals: Are you submitting in order to receive incoming live one-way links? Will you be promoting a blog, forum or website? Do you hope to become an expert and prove your capabilities? Are you hoping to increase sales of a particular product or service?

3. Search engine benefits: What targeted keywords will you use in your title, article and byline? How will the one-way links from sites publishing your articles increase your search engine rankings? Will you agree to a reciprocal link if asked by a publisher? Will you display a "Featured Author" graphic on your site if requested by the publisher?

4. Submission formats: Which of these formats will you offer when submitting your articles? PDF HTML Word Text

5. Submission list: Will you be submitting your articles in print and/or online? Do you have an existing submission list that targets topics of interest to your target audience. If you do not have a submission list where will you obtain one? How often will you search for new submission sites to add to your list?

6. Scheduling submissions: How often will you write an article for submission? Will you be sending out an article weekly, monthly or quarterly?

7. Stand out in a crowd: What will you do enhance your relationships with publishers? Will you offer customized versions of your articles for free or for fee? Will you display the list sites that published your articles on your web site? Did you consider allowing publishers to insert their affiliate link in your article or your byline?

8. Tracking your results: Have you asked publishers to notify you when they use an article? Will you spend time checking to see if sites publishing your article gave you a live link to your site as required? During what time intervals after submission will you search Google for your article name? How often will you check your website metrics to see traffic driven by your article submissions? You will be ready to forge ahead with a submission strategy after answering these questions and recording your answers.

There are many excellent marketing strategy checklists online that you can use to consider any other questions you should answer for your strategy. You may want to network with your colleagues who are experienced in article submission to get their suggestions for your strategy. Continue updating and using your strategy as your business changes over time and you will be miles ahead of your competition!

Guest post by Bonnie Jo Davis who is an article marketing expert and prolific writer who teaches other businesses how to profit from this free marketing strategy. She created Article Submission Sites in order to provide others with her frequently updated list of submission sites and she offers visitors a free copy of her "Article Submission Summary Sheet" at http://www.articlesubmissionsites.com