Chip’s B2B Tip #135 - Yahoo Tip for You

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Chip’s B2B Tip #135 - Yahoo Cool Tip for You
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Lots of sites only have their home page indexed at Yahoo, which seems to irritate some folks.

Here's a quick lookup tip Dr. Andy Williams of EZ-SEO (www.ez-search-engine-optimization.com) sent me today. If you want to see how many of your pages are indexed in Yahoo ... all you have to do is go to Yahoo. Then put your URL in the search box after the word 'site:' (site, then a colon, then your URL, no spaces.)

site:firstcontactsecrets.com

I used my FCS site and found 220 results of my site pages, so apparently mine all got indexed, as opposed to just my homepage.

There are other Yahoo tricks in the past posts here, too ...

Chip

Chip’s B2B Tip #134 - Boring B2B?

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Chip’s B2B Tip #134 - B2B Is So Boring?
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Being an apparent glutton for punishment, I just entered the keyword 'b2b' into Google's SE box. All I got on page one was insufferably dry, boring, and incongruent results.

Now I understand even better why I've concentrated this 'B2B Tips and B2B Techniques Blog' on the keyword phrase 'b2b tips' and not 'b2b.'

O My Gawd!

If I get to the point I can't sleep one night, now all I have to do is grab my laptop and set it on the bed with me ... and even in my sleepless stupor I'm reasonably confident I can type in 'b2b.'

The results will have me sleeping like a baby in a minute or so.

So many of these so-called relevant pages are little more than "I think I'm great" ... or ... "Here's a bunch of links you can click if you're really bored or sleepless because I don't have anything original to say."

Pathetic.

Not one of these pages tells you the real secrets of b2b - and I'm not going to tell you here, either. If you want to know badly enough to put forth a little effort (very little) ... and find out what really matters in the b2b world ... then go back to my main site at http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com and get on my list.

By the way, the FCS opt-in is on an exit popup, so if you want it bad enough, you have to allow the popup.

Yes - I do that on purpose.

And yes - I'm serious. I'll tell you what really matters. And it's not because I think I'm "all that" - it's because I know from years of real experience what really works and what doesn't.

Don't believe me? Well - get on my list and find out of I'm telling the truth or not. You can always unsub later - right?

If you don't, you'll never know if I am ... or not ...

Chip

Chip’s B2B Tip #133 - Autoresponder Truths

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Chip’s B2B Tip #133 - Autoresponders Rock
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The Truth About Autoresponders

Autoresponders - Free or Paid?

As always, when you consider anything - count the cost.

‘Free autoresponders’ come at a price. You'll get some ofthe features you want, but this service makes its money by showing other people's ads. Yes - someone else's ads are shown in YOUR autoresponder.

Hint - this makes you look extremely unprofessional and amateurish.

You get what you pay for - just like usual.

‘Paid autoresponders’ simply means that you pay for the service - so there are no strangers' ads in your stuff.

You get what you pay for - just like usual.

Two main benefits of autoresponders are to give your messages consistency and save you a ton of your valuable time.


The Who, What, Where, When and Why

Who

Your autoresponders are for maintaining your opt-in email lists of people who have asked to receive your messages. You can send offers, ecourses, downsells, upsells, free and paid reports, and anything else you can dream up.

In these sequences, you can also have tracking to see who opens your message and clicks your links.


What

An autoresponder is an automatic follow–up system, through which you want to get unlimited 'readers.

You can send out anything digital you can imagine ...

... email notices of any kind, unlimited iterations and sequences, unlimited alterations of your stored messages; specific time sequences as well as broadcast (immediate) capacity; no limit to the length of your messages; and the ability to capture an unlimited number of email addresses.

You also want an email sent to you each time someone requests your info.


Where

You typically host your autoresponder services with the companies that sell the services. There are programs you can put on your own server, as well.

Regardless of where you host them, remember that you can send out sales offers, web tools, newsletters, ezines, info on your affiliate programs, a sequence of lessons, order confirmations, thank you messages, conference call notices, and anything else digital you can create.


When

You can send autoresponder messages any time, any day, any hour, whenever you wish. Being fully automatic, you can follow up with visitors, prospects, and customers any time.

You can even test new content and see what happens.


Why

The vast majority of your visitors/prospects never buy on their first visit. It usually takes repeated exposures to your message. Depending on whom you believe, several marketers say it takes at least 7 contacts.

You'd be challenged to come up with a single business or person who wouldn't profit from using autoresponders.


Use and Abuse

Autoresponders are both widely used and widely abused tools, too. Improper use of your autoresponders can create problems for other people.

If you call yourself an ethical marketer or publisher, never use your autoresponder address to submit your site to search engines, article directories, classified ad sites, FFA sites, or any other subscription services.

You can start an unending 'loop' that can crash servers in multiple locations. Not a good thing. One AR bounces a message to the other AR, which bounces a message back to the first AR.

Repeat ad infinitum. Big problems. Mad people.

So don't ever subscribe to anything with your autoresponder address. Subscribing creates a lot of problems for people and technology, and will have people coming after you.

Not only will you be immediately unsubscribed from whatever you subscribed to ... they'll probably come after you to get your ISP shut down. Bad problems for you...

One Hint

Compare the "reply to" and "from" addresses in AR messages you see to be sure they are the same. Spammers can falsify these and be hard to find.

They do what we said above not to do. They'll send their message to one AR using their own AR subscription address. When the receiving AR answers, it is then subscribed to the other AR.

It's probably a challenge to be more unprofessional, more unethical, and more of a joke to real businesses.


The Bottom Line on Autoreponders

The bottom line on autoresponders is this: if you have anything worth saying, an autoresponder lets you say it unlimited time to unlimited people with unlimited flexibility.

If an autoresponder isn't the most valuable tool you'll use - it's close.

Use them. You'll be glad you did.

Chip

Chip’s B2B Tip #132 - Sexy Search Engines?

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Chip’s B2B Tip #132 - Search Engines Know Your Gender
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Here's another important piece of info I received today from WebProNews. If you've read this blog long, you know I already recommended you get on their list. I still say that.

Here's an important article from Jason Miller from WebProNews. Read it. Pay Attention.

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MSN, Google Searchers More Likely to Buy

Just in case you were wondering which search engines had users with money in the bank (and I know you were), comScore Networks, Inc. reports that in the month of June, MSN searchers were 48% more likely to buy online than the average Internet user. Googlites were 42% more likely.

The increased likelihood of AOL users to make an online purchase was nearly nonexistent, reporting a 3 percent better chance than the average user. Yahoo users were 31% more likely and AskJeeves users were 17% more likely.

"That's important to the value of the consumer and the fact they have money in their pockets, which is noteworthy," says James Lamberti, vice president of search solutions, at comScore Networks Inc.

Another area interest is how those buyers are spread out demographically. According comScore, men were most likely to search using Google. Google's audience in June was found to be 51.5% male. Yahoo! was 49.7% male, MSN 49%, AOL 48.1%, and AskJeeves was only 46.3% male.

"The percentage differences aren't that great, but when you talk about 48.5% of Google users being female vs. 52% at AOL, that's a pretty big difference when you are talking about the entire Internet population," says Lamberti.

Googlites seemed to launch more sophisticated searches as well, more often typing in complex search queries. The simpler, more broad search terms occurred more often with AOL, MSN, and Yahoo!.

Lamberti adds that search term specificity is a key indicator of the likelihood of making an online purchase.

However, likelihood to buy doesn't mean that customers buy right away. A separate study showed that in the consumer electronics category (cameras, TVs, etc.), 85% of purchases were made off line an average of 5 to 12 weeks after the initial search. Only 15% made a purchase during the first search session.

Overall, in the same category, 25% of searches converted to a purchase, but 92% of these purchases occurred off line."

These findings reinforce the importance of considering the latent impact of search engine usage when evaluating search engine marketing investments," said Lamberti.

"Search cannot be thought of as solely a direct response marketing tool, especially in highly considered product categories where search activity can precede a purchase by as much as 60 to 90 days."

As for search terms, 70% of all searches began with generic search terms (camera, mobile phone), while branded search terms (Sony, Lexmark) accounted for only 20%. The remaining 10% of search terms were product specific (HP notebook nx9010). Sixty-one percent of purchase conversions were begun with generic search terms.

"It's critical that retailers consider generic search terms as an important part of their keyword strategy," said Lamberti.

"Marketers focused solely on specific product terms known to convert directly will fail to address the vast majority of consumers in the buy cycle."

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More good stuff from WebPRoNews. Read it.

Chip

Chip’s B2B Tip #131 - More Technology BS Promises

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Chip’s B2B Tip #131 - More Technology BS Promises Looking for Suckers
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"On The Edge of Your Internet Universe"

Let's get something straight ...

All the technology in the universe won't help you one little bit if you don't have something to say that people care about.

Not web sites.

Not Internet audio.

Not Internet video.

Not long ago, Internet audio was the Holy Grail. Then VOIP. Now people are hollering about Internet TV again. Why do I think some whiz-bang product is screaming through beta now?

I wonder if they'll tell you about media servers and bandwidth charges ...

Before you get suckered into buying something else from some other guru with a crummy hyped-up sales letter designed to emancipate you from your money, evaluate what you're doing first.

Do you even have a plan?

A goal?

A destination?

A way to get there?

A way to measure it all?

Do you know your target market like the back of your hand?

Do you know where to find them?

Do you know what they buy now, and how much they pay?

Have you looked at the current offerings attempting to serve this market?

Have you found your competitors and studied their deals?

If not, you're premature in buying any technology other than a web site and email service.

Your valuable minutes and dollars would be better invested in finding your market and providing it a product or service it currently demands.

Supply and demand drive all markets and people.

People vote with their dollars in all markets.

Dollars control pricing and availability in all markets.

Your real Internet universe is exactly what you make it. You can own a ton of technology that might be cool - but it won't make you a cent.

Or you can own the brand as the go-to person in your area of expertise. Ten times more valuable, at least ...

So decide if you want a bookshelf full and PC full of clever technology, or you'd prefer your schedule to be full of well-paying, long-term relationships with people who matter.

The Edge of Your Internet Universe begins and ends with you.

Find people you can trust today and pay attention to what they tell you.

You'll be glad you did. It pays better, too.

Chip

Chip’s B2B Tip #130 - Jay Abraham and $10K

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Chip’s B2B Tip #130 - Jay Abraham and Your Free $10K in Advice
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Jay Abraham is at it again.

If you missed the June event, it was over-booked any way ... 1,500 lines.

The next one is next week - August 4th.

Go here, read the page, and get registered for the free $10,000 call ... before this one is booked up, too. Even more people will be competing for the 1,000 lines this time.

http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/jay_abraham.htm

You'll be really glad you did.

Chip

Chip’s B2B Tip #129 - High PR for YOU

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B2B Tip #129 - High PR Can be Yours Fast
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I just posted an article in my 'Chip Tarver's Public Relations Tips & Public Relations Techniques Blog' at http://publicrelationstipsandtechniques.blogspot.com/2005/07/public-relations-tip-11-public.html.

If you want a surefire way to get high PR for yourself, take a minute or so and go read the article.

You'll be VERY glad you did.

Chip

Chip’s B2B Tip #128 - Public Relations Tips Blog

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Chip’s B2B Tip #128 - Public Relations Tips Blog Picked Up in Just One Week
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Just a quick note ...

A week ago today I started a new blog called 'Chip Tarver's Public Relations Tips & Public Relations Techniques Blog.'

Just for fun, I thought I'd check to see which search engines have found this PR blog - using two different public relations keyword phrases:

public relations tips
public relations tips blog

Here are the results after one week:

alltheweb - #3 for 'public relations tips blog'

dogpile - #26 for 'public relations tips blog'

excite - #25 for 'public relations tips blog'

webferreet - #13 'public relations tips blog'

yahoo - #6 for 'public relations tips blog'

So, as you can see - in a week, 5 search engines have picked up my 'Public Relations Tips & Public Relations Techniques blog.' Pretty cool, eh?

Chip

Chip’s B2B Tip #127 - Creating Your B2B MasterMind Group

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B2B Tip #127 - B2B MasterMind Collaborations
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Creating B2B Collaborative Groups - AKA B2B MasterMinds


I occasionally offer free consulting to the people who trust me and are on my http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com list.

One of these folks, Mike B., sent me the following email, so I thought I'd share it with you in case you're interested in how to set up your own collaborative mastermind group. I edited it very slightly to protect his privacy and fix a few small typos.

His parts are in red and my responses are in blue.

Good morning, Mike -

Thank you for your email. Please see below. Wow - what great questions you ask below. I'll give you my gut-level honest answers, which might surprise you.

To tell you anything but the truth as I see it would be disrespectful, and a disservice to you ... so here goes ...

At 12:57 AM 7/26/2005, you wrote:

Chip,
If you had a company called FirstContactSecrets.com that you wanted to take public, who would you choose to sit on your board of directors and why? I am an avid Mastermind advocate and understand that some people actually create Mastermind groups or boards of directors that contain individuals that have passed on, but ask that for the sake of this question you confine your board to 10 living human beings.

(Of course, I do have a company that created and distributes "First Contact Secrets" and does other things, too, and it's called Ruach Enterprises, LLC. My 'board' is an informal group of people I trust, as opposed to a formal group that meets every so often, etc.)

(In addition. collaboration is my favorite business model. Plus, I don't have a Mount Saint Helens-sized ego that fouls everything up, either.)

Well ... OK ... first, I'd pray about it - but that's because prayer is part of my daily lifestyle. I'd only want people who walk with the Lord every day. (Just the truth.)

Second, I wouldn't have ten - or any even number. An even number creates the possibility of 'a tie' on any vote or opinion.

Third, I'd want a mix of young and old, male and female, from a variety of disciplines and professions. And a huge mistake would be to look for Chip-clones. That defeats the purpose of a board.

Fourth, I'd look to SCORE for people. The brilliance of our world rests in the people who have already 'done it.' This group of retired executives contains some of the most brilliant minds in the land.

Fifth, I'd put ethics, honesty, character, morals, and integrity above everything else. Without this, your board is a bunch of crooks. Why build your house on sand, where it's sure to crumble?

All five of these points are 'equally' important ... as is the issue of how you plan to actually 'meet.' There are viable online solutions now ...

Mike B.
D.S.M.

PS -- Chip I am embarrassed to say that I haven't even purchased your product yet and have already received enough practical advise that I truly believe will result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in income over the next twelve months.

Thank you for your kind words. There's a ton of stuff on my FCS site on the Articles and blog pages, too. The links are at the bottom of the FCS home page (http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com) if you want to look at those. I cover lots of stuff that's not in FCS.

You can also check another blog I just started at ... http://publicrelationstipsandtechniques.blogspot.com/.

You can also check my site at http://www.free-targeted-traffic.com/.

PSS -- I have an idea for a very specific Joint Venture in mind that is related to the question above and a capability that I am already developing for my own start-up company, DSM. When you get a few minutes I would like to explore this opportunity in depth.

I propose the opportunity will greatly enhance your current offering and open up many new doors and income streams. Let's set aside no more than ten to fifteen minutes to start with. And please feel free to stop me anytime during the first five minutes and tell me you aren't interested or don't see a fit.

In all fairness to you - I'll do what most people will do. Send me a reasonably detailed overview of your idea by email. First and foremost - I promise not to steal it. If you don't trust me (or any person you want to talk to) - you're picking the wrong person to talk to. From that we'll decide if a call is needed. This is the way it's usually done.

I don't need a 20-page dissertation ... just enough info to understand the project. No offense meant.

I look forward to exploring this vision with you in the near future. Thank you once again for all of your hard work in creating First Contact Secrets. The value to entrepreneurs like myself is in the hundreds of millions of dollars if not more.

Again, thank you for your kind words and your trust. And yes -honestly - you'd do well to get a copy of FCS. One thing we all have to do is make some sacrifices and learn to make decisions. One decision I was forced to make a couple of years ago is to restrict the amount of free advice I give away. I'm sure you understand.

Bless you -
Chip

==========================================

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #126 - B2B Joint Venture

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B2B Tip #126 - JVs are the Key
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The Real Truth About a Joint Venture

Does your head wobble a bit as you watch these SuperStars continually churn out hype-y sales letters about big Joint Venture (JV) deals that look too good to be true?

(A Joint Venture is when two or more people or companies do a business, product, and/or marketing deal together, typically sharing the work and the rewards.)

For lots of people, these joint venture sales letters just look too good to be true. Many are ... but why?

For a joint venture to be successful, you have to have three crucial factors in place. Do you have these?

(As we go through these, I suggest that you review your own product or service to see how 'JV friendly' it is by applying these three criteria.)

First, your product has to have the "Oh, Wow!" factor so people run for their credit card when they see your product.

Sadly, most joint venture products don't get this reaction - and many products on the Net are just rehashed old products, or not much more than 'me, too' copycat renditions ...

(The very best joint venture products meet a specific need. They solve compelling and relevant problems. To perhaps help you identify the problem your product solves, begin to think in terms of solving problems as the very best method to make sales. How does your joint venture product accomplish this?)

Next, you need a fairly big list of at least a few thousand. How big is big? Big is big enough to receive enough exposures to your offer and enough sales to make your joint venture efforts pay off.

The 'average' person does not have a big list, so if you expect a conversion rate (the number of people who buy, divided by the number of people who look at your offer) of 1%, you hope that 1 person out of 100 will buy your product when they see it.

Understand that you typically need many 'exposures' to generate significant dollar volume at a 1% CR. And most people don't have a big responsive list, which is why many CRs hover around 1% (or lower.)

Let's say that you have 300 people see your joint venture offer for your new $27.00 ebook.

Only 1% buy (a 1% CR) - which is 3 sales x $27.00, which equals $81.00 in gross sales. If your goal is an extra $150.00 a month to begin, you need to double your traffic at your current CR. Then you'll have 6 sales times $27.00, which equals $162.00 in gross sales. Of course, another more advanced option is to improve your Conversion Rate. But that's another article for another time ...

Third, the Big Guys want to know your Visitor Value (the total dollars you receive divided by the number of visitors.) If you generate $100.00 in sales and have 100 visitors look at your offer, your Visitor Value is $1.00.

Without a visitor value of at least $1.00, many established Big Players have personally told me that they won't even talk to you about your joint venture deal – which is the challenge for everyone wanting to contact Big Guns.

Opinions vary, of course ... and some people like a joint venture product well enough to market it without knowing the Visitor Value.

OK - now what? What's the key here?

To be really successful in doing high performance JVs that generate your personal sales goals, you need enough traffic, an awesome product, and you should test the whole process before you ever attempt to do a joint venture with the Big Players.

That's why you now see 'JV Everything' popping up all over the place.

The JV market is beat up from over-saturation and JV over-exposure.

People these days are marketing all sorts of programs as 'shortcuts' - but you have to take all the steps in the correct order to pull off successful joint ventures.

People see too many new joint venture offers every day.

Yawn.

Delete.

Everyone piles on tons of unrelated freebies, further defining their product as not worth the entry fee they ask.

Yawn.

Delete.

So where's the real truth in all of this?

Well, let’s discuss how to begin to develop these successful relationships for yourself. Relationships come before joint ventures begin ...

The real, honest truth is that successful joint ventures are built entirely on relationships. Not on products. And not on hype-y sales letters.

Relationships.

To grow a big list, you need a great relationship with your readers ... who know, like, and trust you. To do a JV with anyone you can actually trust ... you first have to build a relationship with that person.

To have an awesome product ... requires a relationship with the niche market in which your product will be marketed. To have a great joint venture product you have to intimately understand your target market and their needs and wants.

To have the numbers to show a potential joint venture partner ... you need to have *everything else* figured out, tested, and working. You do this by doing all these steps in the *correct* order.

And all of this is not at zero cost to you. So, when you see all the goofy offers that promise you the world with no effort on your part - all by next week ... RUN!

So what's the answer for the 'average' person?

Begin today to develop the mandatory skills you'll need to start and nurture great relationships.


Here are three hints to get you started immediately:

1. Never tell people how great you or your products are.

2. Offer to do something your partner can't do for himself.

3. Offer to do something your partner won't do for herself.


Here are 8 more very important joint venture steps to follow after you understand the first three mentioned just above:

1. Only get involved in joint venture that is marketable, and for which you feel a true passion. Try to never do it just for the money.

2. Begin building relationships by getting to know your new 'target.' Subscribe to his or her ezine, study her site, read his articles, look in the search engines ... do your research and do your homework.

3. Make an excellent first contact by always approaching your target to see what you can offer, not just 'take.' Always give first ...

4. Go slow. Treat this like a first date with someone you want to know. Don't rush your joint venture.

5. Never attempt a first contact unless and until you've done your homework and have a well-defined goal for the contact.

6. Use nice manners and common courtesies. A lot ...

7. Be politely persistent without becoming a pest. Big Players are (and everyone else) are busy. The good ones appreciate gentle reminders, not demanding emails.

8. Master making great first contacts first ... because great introductions open your door to the other joint venture steps.

Finally - remember that you can never lost till you quit. Also remember that differentiation is very important, too. Whatever all the others are doing - you do the opposite - so you get noticed.

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #125 - Why Blog?

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B2B Tip #125 - Reasons You Need a Blog
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Why Authors Should Blog
by John Colanzi

While watching the presidential conventions I was struck by the fact that blogs had totally revolutionized the publishing industry. Sitting right alongside the major news agencies were the bloggers frantically typing on their laptops.

Even seasoned veterans who had covered past conventions mentioned the power of this new media. Due to the dynamic nature of blogs, the bloggers with their laptops could report in real time, thus getting their stories online long before the morning newspapers would hit the streets.

Commentators even mentioned that many of the breaking news stories had been reported first by bloggers. Think about this for a minute. Gutenberg revolutionized the publishing industry by letting writers mass produce their work. The next phase of growth was the Internet. Finally anyone could publish their work and have it sent around the globe in seconds.

When the digital publishing revolution hit, it seemed too good to be true. With the digital revolution anyone and everyone could now spread their message. Writers could bypass the traditional publishing industry and save time in getting their work to the public.

They no longer had to fear that dreaded rejection slip. They could succeed or fail on their own merit.

No one had control over how or what he or she could write. The Internet was a writer's paradise. It seemed as good as it could get. Well, we hadn't seen anything. Web logs, or blogs as they are called, have propelled publishing to the next level.

Not only could writers publish in real time, they could have it online instantly. As powerful as that may be, the real power lies in the ability to syndicate your writing by plugging your content into an RSS feed.

Imagine the possibilities.

You can now become a part of a targeted network of like-minded blogs and have your content spread through the entire network in the twinkling of an eye.

You've got the ability to tap into the ultimate in viral marketing and branding. You can build an audience overnight.

So, how can you get started?

The first thing you'll need is a blog.

Don't let the concept of a blog intimidate you. I've got a blog and trust me; I'm not the sharpest axe in the shed when it comes to technology. To get started you'll need a blog. Here are a few sites you'll find helpful.

FactoSystem Weblog (ASP based) http://sourceforge.net/projects/facto/

InstaBlog http://instablog.hit.bg/

OpenJournal http://www.grohol.com/downloads/oj/

GeekLog - The Ultimate Weblog System http://sourceforge.net/projects/geeklog

Blogger http://www.blogger.com

CHIP'S NOTE: On our Free Targeted Traffic site at http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com you can get your free pdf named "Exactly How to Have Your Own Free Blog Set Up And Hosted in Three Minutes Or Less -- The How-To Guide You Can't Go Wrong Using." With this free pdf, you'll have your own free blog set up and running in just a couple of minutes. Honest!

Your goal when creating content for your blog is the same as it would be when creating a website. Your content will be designed to attract the audience that would be interested in your books.

The same idea applies when adding your blog to an RSS feed. You want to have your content syndicated to individuals that have an interest in your writings and are willing to buy your books. Your content gives them a taste of your writing style and expertise.

The feed makes sure you get maximum exposure. An added benefit is most blogs allow visitors to post comments about your site. By posting their comments and having you reply, they get to know you are a real person.

CHIP'S NOTE: When I began "Chip Tarver's B2B Tips & B2B Techniques Blog," I allowed comments. But soon, much to my chagrin, some so-called real persons looking for their 15 seconds of fame posted a bunch of smarty-pants posts - basically blog spamming - so I cut off my 'comments' feature. You decide.

The ability to have a give and take with your visitors is an extremely powerful tool. Your readers will feel comfortable doing business with someone they know.

Your next step is to plug into an RSS feed. Your goal when syndicating your content is the same goal you would have when building the traditional ezine list. The feed will drive targeted traffic to your blog, but it's your ability to provide quality content that will keep them coming back.

So where can you learn more about RSS feeds? An excellent place to start is RSSTop55 - Best Blog Directory And RSS Submission Sites such as http://www.johncolanzi.com/feed.html. This site is just what the name implies. The top 55 blog directory and submission sites. You can find a feed for any subject.

If you're serious about your writing, grab your blog.

CHIP'S NOTE: I have looked at the RSS Top 55 site on more than one occasion and found it to be extremely time-consuming and frustrating to use. Perhaps it has now changed. Decide for yourself.

Plug into an RSS feed and become an expert overnight.

John Colanzi


Well - did you learn anything from John?

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #124 - B2B Tips Blog Latest Rankings

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B2B Tip #124 - This B2B Tips Blog's Rankings Today 7/22/05
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If you read my prior post, Jim Hedger put forth the list of what are considered the 'major' search engines working today.

Being inquisitive, I just looked up this B2B Tips Blog's keyword phrase 'b2b tips' in each of the 'major' search engines, as well as at two meta search engines ...

Here are the results: Ranking for Chip Tarver’s B2B Tips & B2B Techniques Blog - Keyword phrase = 'b2b tips'

"In the organic listings field, there are four major search engines and about six minor ones.”

Search Engine B2B Tips Blog Ranking
Google ................ 1,2, 3

Yahoo ................ 1, 7, 9, 10

MSN ................... 1, 2

Ask Jeeves ......... 1, 2

(These are considered the Big4 as they each have their own unique spiders and ranking algorithms.)


Following the Big4 are ...

Search Engine B2B Tips Blog Ranking
AOL .................... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Lycos ................. 1, 2

Netscape ............ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

AltaVista ............ 1, 9, 10

FASTSearch.com – no results for keywords

Excite ................ 1, 2, 7, 9, 10


Meta Search Engines

Search Engine B2B Tips Blog Ranking
Dogpile ............... 1, 8, 9, 10

WebFerret .......... 8, 10, 14, 20

I'm a bit amazed (but thrilled) ...

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #123 - SE Spread

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B2B Tip #123 - The Real Search Engines You Should Care About
.

According to Jim Hedger in WebPRoNews today, here's some info you might find interesting.

"When looking at external factors that effect search marketing planning, statistics tend to fall into two general categories. The first describes the overall search environment and search related options available to the client. The second category describes the search environment in relation to the sector in which our client works. Internal stats are compiled with a view to understanding how our marketing plan is working based on the behaviours of visitors and search spiders."

"The overall search environment changes from time to time. Knowing who is what and where in the search engine universe is important to knowing who will view your clients' messages. Some search engines drive more traffic than others do. Some appeal to different types of users. Each of the major search engines has a following though as statistics and common sense tell us, those who lead sometimes lose their followers."

"Over the past four years, Google has dominated the search scene. Up until last year, Google fed results to most other search engines including Yahoo, which fed some results to MSN. This outward pollination of search results made Google responsible (directly or indirectly) for over 80% of search results worldwide. After Yahoo and MSN developed their own proprietary search tools, Google's influence dropped to 54% of search results as measured in the May Nielson NetRatings survey. Following this trend has led SEOs to start paying more attention to Yahoo and MSN both of which can deliver significant chunks of search engine traffic. Search Engine Watch regularly publishes stats about the major search engines."

"In the organic listings field, there are four major search engines and about six minor ones. Google, Yahoo, MSN, and Ask Jeeves are considered the Big4 as they each have their own unique spiders and ranking algorithms. Following the Big4 are, AOL, Lycos, Netscape, AltaVista, FAST, and Excite. Each of the six smaller search tools mentioned above has some sort of loyal-user following though they are not nearly as popular as the Big4. A primary reason for this is the fact that the six smaller search tools are actually fed results from one or more of the Big4. This brings us to another interesting and essential list for search engine marketers, the Search Engine Relationship Chart. Search marketers need to know which search engines feed other search engines in order to know where to focus their energies for optimal results. One of the more popular versions of this list is found at the IHelpYou SEO Forums."

Jim is a very smart guy. I hope you listen to him ... (and WebProNews is a great newsletter, too. You should get on their list.)

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #122 - Very Important 3-Letter Word

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B2B Tip #122 - One Magic Word
.

This is a quickie that can make a difference in your life today.

One 3-letter word that seems to terrify a lot of people is ...

"Ask" ...

So many people are paralyzed by trying to be perfect, or by fear, or by negative people around them, or by procrastination, or ... or ... or ...

When you need help ... ask.

When you want to know how best to serve someone ... ask.

When you have any question about anything ... ask.

When you embrace this powerful principle, you can see meaningful changes in your personal and business life very, very fast.

And face it - your very worst odds are never worse than 50/50.

You'll get a 'yes' or a 'no.'

'Maybe' counts as a no at the moment.

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #121 - Intrusions

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B2B Tip #121- Intrusions -- Friend or Foe?
.

Intrusions -- Friend or Foe?
Six Ways to Overcome Time Vampires


OK - let's get this out of the way up front. And I might P.O. a few people with this article ... but that's OK ...

If I cause you to think, ponder, contemplate, evaluate - it's surely worth it for both of us.

Instant messengers are an intrusion. Plain, simple, easy to understand. An intrusion. Why?

That's EXACTLY what they are designed to be.

So - now what?

Well ... regardless of your choice of IMs - Yahoo, MSN, and the like - what do you do to control it, to make it once and for all a friend instead of a foe?

Stop for a second before you answer this ...

Telephones are also an intrusion. Email is an intrusion. People are an intrusion. FedX is an intrusion. Cell phones and pagers are intrusions ...

That's EXACTLY what they are designed to be.

Everyone and everything is an intrusion - a 'force' set against your will and purpose to focus on a task.

So - now what?

Well - like every tool that surrounds you today -- high-tech or low-tech -- you have to learn to manage them all.

The phone - for me personally - is a real aggravation. Why? (Not because I don't like people.) It's because of the way too many people behave.

People can be very selfish and self-serving. They just pick up the phone and call. Sure - some have a great reason, while others apparently have little or none.

But - it's an intrusion.

How can you overcome this and not be an intrusion to people? If you want to call, first send a quick, short email and set up a time to call later.

NOTE: Learn to control your time and you will find 'success' a realistic, attainable goal (instead of some nebulous, way-out-there concept.) Learn to respect other people's time and you will be a welcome friend - not an intrusion ...

Emails are less of an intrusion because - although I cannot control them as they arrive - I have complete control over what happens next. The Delete key is my friend. Spam is not my friend.

FedX is not much of an intrusion - although the person delivering it is. Not really a big deal, though.

So - what to do?

I want to leave you with 6 things I've found work for me. Using them is up to you.

1. Set your day up in disciplined blocks of time. Obviously, the phone will ring. FedX will come. Emails will chime themselves into your inbox. People might even barge in completely unannounced.

You need a system. A good system.

I can't tell you exactly what to do without consulting with you about your exact schedule and exact circumstances. So - I'll give you my schedule and some general suggestions, and let you apply them to your own day as you see fit ...

2. I get up very early, typically between 4 and 6am, depending on how much rest my body needs. I recommend you do this, so you have unobstructed time to offer your personal business.

(I also recommend you start a business on the Internet and develop your own passive income streams. It's taken me a couple of years, but they're set up and working.)

3. Set aside time every day to write. If you have no vehicle, set yourself up a blog. Quick. Easy. Go to our site at http://www.free-targeted-traffic.com/ and get your free pdf on exactly how to do this in just a couple of minutes ...

4. Save some time every day to schedule your intrusions. Then they aren't intrusions. Be consistent, too.

5. Set aside some time every day to meet new people. Telephone, email, in person - it doesn't matter. Begin to establish yourself as the go-to person in your field. (Your blog is very handy for this, too.)

Yes - the phone will ring, the pager will beep, and the cell phone will arrest you out of whatever you were doing. It comes with the territory. Deal with it. Manage it.

6. Set aside time every day to work ON your business instead of in it. You'll be glad you did.

These tips in this article are mere beginning thoughts to help you begin to control your most precious asset - your time. Learn this and prosper.

If you need specific, action-oriented help in getting your life and schedule under control, shoot me an email. This stuff is doable, but it takes a plan, and it takes discipline.

Whether IMs, telephones, pagers, cell phones, and all the other stuff are friends or foes - ultimately and completely depends both on your perceptions and your actions.

But it all - 100% of it - depends on YOU.

Start today to master your time, your intrusions, and everything else around you. You can do it. I promise.

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #120 - George McKenzie on Free Publicity

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B2B Tip #120 - Free Publicity Deal (Fast) from George McKenzie
.

Here's a quick note from my friend George McKenzie you should listen to.


"May I analyze your press release?"

I'm not kidding.

Often, the only thing standing between you and thousands of dollars worth of profit-generating publicity might be a well-worded, attention grabbing press release.

Believe me, I know the difference between a good one and a bad one.

In my 33 years as a professional journalist, I've seen plenty of bad ones.

Good ones -- the ones that really work -- are rare.

If you want to break through the clutter and give yourself the best possible chance of getting free publicity on the air or in print, then here's something for you to think about.

I've recently had to give up my job as a radio talk show host in SanAntonio to move back to Pittsburgh and care for my 90-year-old father. I'm happy to do it.

But have you moved lately?

Do you realize how expensive it can be loading up a moving van and having all your stuff trucked halfway across the country?

So I'm offering a special deal to "our friends only."

Call it a "Moving Sale."

It's a huge offer amounting to almost $800 worth of goods and services (including that press release analysis I mentioned) at a fraction of the retail price.

Check it out now by visiting http://www.publicitygoldmine.com/tarver.

Here's just part of the package that's available:

*The Instant Press Release Toolkit - crank out 'correct' press relases any time you want ... press releases that are worded for you ... press releases the media will look carefully at. Press Release Toolkit does all the work for you once you simply put in your topic and a few details. Just print and distribute it ...

*How to Get Free Publicity on TV (4 CDs)

* How to Get Free Publicity on Radio (6 CDs)

* How To Get Free Publicity in Newspapers and Magazines

* "Start Spreading the News" ebook

* The Ultimate Free Publicity & Self Promotion Action Plan (3 CDs, a 113-page ebook, and 6 Special Reports)

* Two Other Publicity-Related Teleseminar Recordings (5 CDs, 5 hours of content)

And did I mention I'll throw in an email analysis of your press release draft -- as a bonus?

This is a limited time offer (of course), so don't delay. Here's your last chance http://www.publicitygoldmine.com/tarver.


Well - did you click that link and look at it yet? You should - right now!

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #119 - Google AdWords News from Perry Marshall

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B2B Tip #119 - Perry Marshall with Google AdWords News
.

Here's news you can use from Perry Marshall. Pay attention.

Over the weekend, the AdWords folks sent out a pretty important notice: The 0.5% Click Thru Rate minimum is effectively going away. Also going away: the Normal - In Trial - On Hold - Disabled designations.

Instead, they'll either be Active or Inactive. And Google will simply tell you how much more you have to bid to become active.

This is going to do two things:

1) The immensely frustrating experience of losing your disabled keywords 'forever' will change. Instead of getting disabled, the minimum bid price will just go UP. So now you've got more than just 1,000 impressions to get that pesky thing up and running. In fact, you've got as long as you need, IF you're willing to pay, as long as you're willing to pay.

2) It means that the difference between stupid advertisers, who have money and no brains - and smart advertisers, who use brains instead of brawn - that gap will grow even wider.

This has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the next few weeks. So, you ask, is this good, or is it bad?

Simple answer, it's good if you're smart and bad if you're dumb. It also means you can make more mistakes and get away with them, IF you're willing to pay. It means a few other things, too:

3) The 0.5% minimum effectively is no more. You can show your ads at 0.1% CTR, if you're willing to bid enough.

4) The Five Cent Minimum is going away too. You can pay as little as 1 cent, IF your CTR is high enough.

5) There are some categories where you can't get a 0.5% minimum because you're targeting a very unique kind of high value customer, different from the guy all the other advertisers are trying to reach.

You may be willing to pay a lot for that visitor.

If that's you, this could open up some new opportunities.

How this *really* affects you depends on Google's minimum threshold formula. (They're not saying exactly how it works.) There's all sorts of ways they can cook this thing, and we'll just have to wait and see how things change.

I'll be watching closely; I've got a lot of campaigns that run at 5 cents, and I'll be especially interested to see how it affects those.

One easy click here and you can get Perry's Google AdWords 5-day email course.

This does put Google in a position of being able to slowly raise the minimum bids, without ever really telling you exactly what they're up to.

Being that they're a public company now, none of this is very surprising, is it?

Regardless of how the exact details play out, AdWords will continue to be a game where the dumb bloke who just walked in off the street pays through the nose ... And the educated guys and gals get the sweet deals. The race goes to the swift - and to those who value education.

One easy click here and you can get Perry's Google AdWords 5-day email course.

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #118 - Affiliate Program 3-Part Outline

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B2B Tip #118 - Three Pieces of an Affiliate Program
.

Both in the past and currently, one of the services my company provides for online clients like you is affiliate program consulting.

Yes - I also get lots of questions from people who want to really understand (and use) affiliate programs.

Affiliate programs are really quite simple to understand ... but a bit more difficult to put together, manage, fulfill, etc. Plus - let's not forget - the number one motivation for having your own affiliate program (and/or being an affiliate for someone else) is to make money.

Here's a simple, basic outline I put together the other day. Hope it helps you better understand affiliate programs.


Affiliate Program Basic Issues –
A collision and synergy of 3 ‘worlds’

A Very Basic Outline for Expansion / Discussion

1. The affiliate –
* giving affiliates the tools they need in the ‘form’ they want them
* banners, emails, ads, articles, audios, endorsements, etc.
* proper email sequences and follow-ups ... not just a solo or one–piece stand-alone ‘campaign’

2. The audience –
* each market segment responds differently to different media
* similar market segments can be in unison - or opposition
* proper repetition, testing, and follow–ups are required

3. The product –
* simply put ... the product is the result of proper message to market match with proper timing, sequencing, and consumption models ... plus a variety of upsells and downsells to offer at the proper time to the proper segment(s) ... all of which benefits all 3 of these segments on the 'collision course' ... with all products offered in the media formats the audience segment desires to consume, and in which consumption frequencies.

YES – This info has the tendency to cause people to shake their heads and say, “I already knew that.” My only reasonable response then is always, “Well – why aren’t you doing it this way?”

The real power in simplicity seems to baffle a lot of people.

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #117 - B2B Tips & B2B Techniques Blog Now PR5

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B2B Tip #117 - Chip Tarver's B2B Tips Blog is Now a Google PR5
.
Just a quick note ... I just noticed that this B2B Tips & B2B Techniques blog is now a Google PR5. That's very cool, because this First Contact Secrets blog has been a PR4 for quite a while.

So - that's encouraging that this B2B Tips & B2B Techniques Blog is well-received. Thank you for clicking our links and stopping by to see what I have to share. I take this blog (and especially your time) very seriously, and try to never disappoint you ...

I honestly do it all for you.

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #116 - Appendix or Appendices

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B2B Tip #116 - An Apple a Day
.
Here's an off-topic quickie ...

Two days ago I awakened with unreasonable abdominal pain.

One day ago I had my appendix surgically removed.

Today, Vicodin is my friend.

If you've tried to reach me - and have not received my usual 'immediate' response - that's why. Please accept my apology. I'm mending as fast as I can.

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #115 - Gary Bencivenga

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B2B Tip #115 - Bite the Bencivenga Bullet
.

Gary Bencivenga is well known by the 'people in the know' as ... 'a copywriter's copywriter.'

Well ... what does that mean?

Gary is not the average everyday "Internet-Guru-du-jour' who runs around all day beating his chest like some Tarzan wannabee telling everyone how great he is. Only the ones who aren't 'so great' do that ...

No. Gary is a gentleman, an extraordinary copywriter, and a likable fellow who walks softly and carries a big stick. His big stick is named "Creativity."

Gary won't send you a lot of crappy, stupid emails. He won't beg you (or beat on you) to buy a lot of products you might not even need. In fact - Gary Bencivenga is very selective in what he does, what he says, and who he is.

He is definitely very well respected among his peers, and you would be wise to pay attention to what Gary says ... in his "Bencivenga Bullets."

You'll like Gary. (And if you'll pay attention, Gary will teach you more for free than the others will charge you an arm and a leg to teach you ... your arm and your leg) In fact, I'll let you in on an insider tip:

Gary has a secret trigger word. This secret "trigger" word never fails to boost your advertising results. (No, it's not "new" or"free" or any other word you would ever guess.)

In his usual generous nature, Gary has a fascinating (and revealing) free report for you (if you're interested in knowing how to persuade others.) Simply click this link and you're hooked up ... http://bencivengabullets.com/bullet10.asp.

Yes - the Gary Bencivenga Bullets are always right on target, and you'll definitely want to get in front of a bullet for a change - instead of trying to avoid it. So bite the bullet ...

Get in on Gary's wisdom now. Click this important link right now (before Gary changes his mind) ... http://bencivengabullets.com/bullet10.asp.

I know Gary's secret word. I bet you don't. Here's your last chance ... http://bencivengabullets.com/bullet10.asp.

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #114 - Free Publicity No-Nos

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B2B Tip #114 - Free Publicity Tips from George McKenzie
.

George McKenzie just sent me this info in his excellent weekly newsletter. It's so good, and so important, you need to see it.

Now ...

That's exactly why I reprinted it below for you.

Here are George's "10 Deadly Ways to Shoot Yourself in the Foot" ... AKA "How to make sure you don't get invited back as a guest on a radio program ..."

===============================================
In my recent hitch as a radio talk show host at KAHL in San Antonio, I was reminded of all the things guests did that seriously hurt (or even killed) their chances of ever getting invited back on the air.

Here's my Top 10 List of "Talk Show Don'ts":

If you're invited to appear as a guest on radio or TV, make sure you don't blow your chances of getting repeated exposure by making these mistakes.

BTW ... I'm going to use the word 'host' below, but the same applies in some cases to producers (the people who actually get on the phone and book the guests.)

Deadly Mistake #1: Failing to provide a list of suggested questions or talking points -- either through email or on a "Media Room" on your website.

I interviewed 7-10 guests in every program every day, and that meant a *lot* of time researching topics and preparing questions for guests who didn't provide them in advance. No host can possibly be well-rounded and knowledgeable about everything, so you'll score big points by making it easy for them.

BTW ... hosts will also love you for making them *sound* as if they know what they're talking about, even if they don't.

Deadly Mistake #2: Providing a list of questions, but forgetting the answers to some of them.

This is deadly. Listeners can tell when you're struggling, and believe me, the host will remember it too.

Deadly Mistake #3: Failing to offer the host any biographical information about yourself, either in your media room or via email.

Deadly Mistake #3a: Giving the host a three page long bio that contains a whole lot of irrelevant information.

Who has the time to read all that stuff and sort out what's relevant from what isn't?

Deadly Mistake #4: Plugging your book, product, service or website incessantly.

There's an art to "selling from the stage" without sounding like a huckster. No host will mind if you mention your product or service once or twice, but doing it more than that will make the interview sound more like an infomercial -- a sure way to raise the host's discomfort level.

Deadly Mistake #5: Starting to answer a question before the host is done asking it.

This is one of my major pet peeves. First, it's just plain rude. Second, you don't necessarily know where the host is going with a question, so you might answer a question they really weren't asking. And third, it's inconsiderate to listeners, who are hearing two people talk over each other, which literally creates "cognitive dissonance" and makes it tougher for the listener to follow the conversation.

Deadly Mistake #6: Taking a long story from your speech and telling it on the air.

Professional speakers tend to do this a lot.

Remember, radio is supposed to be a conversation, not a presentation. Stories that work in a seminar or convention setting may fall flat on a talk show.

Deadly Mistake #7: Trying to engage the host by suddenly asking him or her "pop questions."

I know you'd love to believe that the host is hanging on your every word, paying close attention to you as you speak. The truth is, the host is often distracted by things going on in the studio that neither you nor the listeners have any clue about.

They're going to be really embarrassed -- and more than a little annoyed -- if you put them on the spot by asking them a question they don't have an answer for -- and then waiting for them to reply.

Deadly Mistake #8: Saying, "Well, as I already told you ..." or something similar when the host asks you a question you believe you've already answered.

It's like saying to the host, "Well, you're pretty stupid for asking that." See #7 above about distractions in the studio. Simply rephrase your previous answer and move on.

Deadly Mistake #9: Calling the host by name every other sentence.

It leaves the audience with the impression you don't know they're there -- or don't care. Using the host's name 2-3 times during an interview is okay -- and probably even good. But more than that gets old.

Deadly Mistake #10: Failing to send a personal, handwritten thank you note.

It makes a *huge* impression because so few people do it.

Sending an email "thank you" is better than nothing, but it doesn't come close to something in writing sent via snail mail.

Follow these tips and you'll be "talk show friendly." Which will result in thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of repeated free publicity that's more believable, powerful, productive and profitable than any advertising you can buy at any price.

George McKenzie
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

===============================================

I hope you take George's sage experience and advice to heart, and do as he suggests.

Again, always model yourself after those people who have actually done what they're telling you, instead of the guru nonsense du jour so many people try to force-feed you every day.

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #113 - Free Blog Tutorial

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B2B Tip #113 - Beware of "How-To" Blog Tutorials
.

If you've read this B2B Tips and B2B Techniques Blog for long ...

... you know George McKenzie and I have a free blog tutorial titled "Exactly How to Have Your Own Free Blog Set Up and Hosted in Three Minutes or Less -- The How-To Guide You Can't Go Wrong Using" ...

I wrote it quite a while back because no one else was offering you this info. It was 100% relevant the day I wrote it.

Nothing has changed. It's 100% relevant today, too.

And It's free.

This tutorial tells you 100% of what you need to have your own free blog set up and operational in less time than it ususally takes you to brew a pot of coffee. It's at http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com.

You can have this tutorial now. You can have this tutorial free.

This free blog tutorial contains 100% of the screenshots and 100% of the instructions.

Let me repeat ... THIS BLOG TUTORIAL IS FREE!

Don't waste your money buying all the how-to blog stuff floating around out here these days. Our Free blog tutorial pdf has been downloaded thousands of times and is probably responsible for more blogs being set up than anyone else except the companies who write blog software and host blogs.

So - who you gonna call?

Go ahead. Spend your money.

Or get set up for free.

Hey - if you stick with it, and it makes sense for you, you can always spend money later on the rest of the blog stuff, if any of it is worth buying ...

If it is - I'll tell you so, too ...

It's your call.

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #112 - Perry Marshall

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B2B Tip #112 - Google Adwords Don't Have to Rob You Blind
.

This is a quickie.

Ignore Google AdWords at your own peril.

Get involved with Google AdWords at your own peril.

WHAT?

Yep - you can lose the farm or win the lottery using Google AdWords. The trick is you have to know what you're doing or you could be in for a wild ride.

You could bet the farm and end up homeless.

What to do?

Like everything else I tell you - the most important thing you can do is find someone you can trust.

Let me recommend to you Perry Marshall. I know Perry. I trust Perry. And I recommend Perry to you with zero hesitation or reservations.

Yes, Google is a treacherous beast at first. It punishes uneducated marketers and rewards smart ones. So Perry wrote an amazing free 5-day email course to help you beat the system fast.

Here are some of the things you'll discover:

* How to consistently pay less for your Google traffic than everyone else - while getting more clicks to your site

* Why Google's system is trickier than others at first - and how this ultimately works to your advantage, when you understand the system

* Affiliate marketing: The "GoogleCash" method has taken the world by storm. But... there are land mines! Don't get blindsided.

Discover Perry's unique, counter-intuitive strategy that reduces your risk and puts more real, long-term profit in your pocket. I can honestly say that Perry Marshall is the Real Deal.

Click this Perry Marshall Adwords link right now and you'll be there in a jiffy.

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #111 - Two Skills That Sell Today

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B2B Tip #111- Two Skills You Can Take to the Bank Today
.


I know one relatively 'famous' Internet marketer who says, "Crap sells." (That surely speaks to the current state of misinformation on the Web, doesn't it?)

Another relatively well-known marketer I know says your product or idea has to have that "Holy Crap" factor when people see it. I agree.

Still other wise people say if folks would just turn off that blasted TV and devote an hour a day to learning a highly-valued skill (like copywriting or marketing) - in one to two years they could be at the top of their field. Again I agree.

(I also know there are a lot of brilliant - but broke - people who have let fear, paralysis-by-analysis, and the elusive searchfor perfection stop them.) Yet the TV still 'reigns' - and peoplestill complain about their path in life ...

And way too many people are still deceived by the old adage "Build it and they will come." (Not applicable any more.) They don't seem to understand that FIRST we find our hot target market, and THEN we build our product or service based on our research.

Many methods that might have worked in the old days don't work today (unless you invent and control a hugely in-demand item or commodity.) Most of our free markets today are almost all purely demand-driven, so creating that demand is the valuable skill (AKA marketing and copywriting.)

People have to learn and polish the skills the marketplace demands today ...

Fabulously talented direct marketing copywriters I know all have swipe files (not to be confused with 'original idea' files.) Why would they do that?

Reinventing the wheel might be a pseudo ego-stroke for some people, but rarely is it the most efficient and effective path. There's no better (true) ego-stroke than seeing your deposit tickets that grew due to your marketing.

'Modeling' is proven to make sense. Find someone you can trust who has 'done it' and model what they do.

Therefore, I urge you, dear reader, to pay very close attention to that person. Buy and absorb his or her materials. Then use the proven principles and methods you learned.

Some people, after all, have 'done it’ (and can prove it, too.)

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com

Chip’s B2B Tip #110 - Yahoo (Good) Surprises

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B2B Tip #110 - "The Buzz" from seven major search engines?
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And The Winner is ...


Popular words such as “Hot” or “Buzz” - when applied to search engines - are completely stereotypical terms that summarize the effects of all searchers and all searches ... not giving you any demographic or psychographic information.

That said, here's a list in alphabetical order of the 'most popular search term urls' to get you started finding the hottest overall recent search terms:

AOL - http://hot.aol.com/hot/hot

ASK JEEVES - http://sp.ask.com/docs/about/jeevesiq.html

DOGPILE - (unfiltered results) http://www.dogpile.com/info.dogpl/searchspy/results.htm?fci=1?filter=0&qcat=web

GOOGLE - http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist.html

LYCOS - http://50.lycos.com/

MSN - http://www.imagine-msn.com/insider/

YAHOO - http://buzz.yahoo.com/

The bottom line, at least for this iteration, is that most people use search engines for personal stuff - not business. Movies, music, movie stars , rock stars, sports, TV, etc. dominate most or all of the search results in this report.

If that's your target market - you just hit the mother–load.

If B2B is your target market, take a closer look at the results. While SEs are viable market research and marketing tools, individuals apparently use the SEs more for 'culture' than business-related stuff.

Here are the results from 7-8-05 at 3:45pm EDT:

AOL - http://hot.aol.com/hot/hot

1 Biloxi Blues
2 The Highwaymen
3 Fannypack
4 Griffin
5 messenger bags
6 Paper Doll
7 Pine Island, Flor...
8 Put-in-Bay
9 AK
10 Lil'kim


ASK JEEVES - http://sp.ask.com/docs/about/jeevesiq.html

Top Advancing Searches for the week ending July 1, 2005:
1. 4th of July
2. Live 8
3. War of the Worlds
4. Freedom Tower
5. Fireworks
6. Tom Cruise
7. Avril Lavigne
8. Will Smith
9. Nick Carter
10. BTK killer


DOGPILE - (unfiltered results)
http://www.dogpile.com/info.dogpl/searchspy/results.htm?fci=1?filter=0&qcat=web

A scrolling list that apparently cannot be copied; I got tired of waiting to see if there was a beginning or end to it.



GOOGLE - http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist.html
Top 10 Gaining Queries – Week of July 4, 2005
1. live 8
2. fireworks
3. tour de france
4. independence day july 4th
5. war of the worlds
6. luther vandross
7. american flag
8. pink floyd
9. domino harvey
10. deep impact



LYCOS - http://50.lycos.com/

This Week's Lycos 50
Here are the top 50 searches on Lycos for the week ending July 2, 2005: Lycos 50 Elite

Search Term Change Last Week Weeks on List
1 Poker
$10 million nc #1 67

2 Britney Spears
Chaotic #4 305

3 Pamela Anderson
vs. Col Sanders #2 305

4 Paris Hilton
Paris & Paris #3 86

5 NBA
Draft Time #14 6

6 Dragonball
Anime Legend #5 305

7 Pokemon
Card Shark #8 31

8 Eve
Sex Scandal New 1

9 KaZaA
Piracy #7 189

10 Diets
Fit for Life #6 19

11 WWE
Divas Rule #10 305

12 Neopets
Virtual Pals #16 19

13 Live 8
Concert for Peace New 1

14 Jennifer Lopez
Pet Jewelry #24 28

15 Jessica Simpson
Daisy's Shorts #12 15

16 Christmas
Seriously? #18 2

17 Baseball
National Pastime #21 17

18 Taxes
IRS #28 2

19 NFL
Pigskin Play #17 17

20 Star Wars 3
Darth Turns #11 19

21 Luther Vandross
Rest in Peace Re-Entry 1

22 Inuyasha
Anime Star #26 2

23 Harry Potter
Half-Blood Prince #20 260

24 Scientology
Tom Cruise #9 3

25 Fireworks
July 4 Re-Entry 1

26 Lindsay Lohan
Loves Herbie #13 60

27 Wimbledon
Roger Federer #45 2

28 Angelina Jolie
Mrs. Smith #19 28

29 Mariah Carey
Belong Together nc #29 13

30 Anna Kournikova
Enrique Iglesias #42 14

31 Hilary Duff
Perfect Man #33 100

32 Eminem
Anger Management #23 12

33 NASCAR
Tony Stewart #15 19

34 Carmen Electra
Fit to Strip #32 55

35 Tupac
Posthumous Hit #41 2

36 Sailor Moon
Anime-nia #30 2

37 Final Fantasy
Crisis Core #46 11

38 Green Day
American Idiot #36 15

39 50 Cent
Reebok Ad #35 2

40 Pretty Ricky
Grind With Me New 1

41 Jessica Alba
Invisible Woman Re-Entry 1

42 War of the Worlds
Conquers Boxoffice New 1

43 Maria Sharapova
Venus Wins #50 2

44 Clay Aiken
Allergic to Nuts #39 109

45 Danica Patrick
Racer Chick #34 6

46 Constantine Maroulis
Betty's Soul #22 8

47 Shakira
Oral Fixation #31 6

48 Avril Lavigne
Engaged Re-Entry 1

49 Jesse McCartney
Beautiful Soul Re-Entry 1

50 Howard Stern
Going Sirius #37 19



http://50.lycos.com/elite.asp - TOP 50 SINCE THE BEGINNING

The Lycos 50 Elite - The Lycos 50 Elite is a list of the most popular topics in the history of the Lycos 50.

There are really two tiers to the Lycos 50 Elite. The first consists of the eight topics that have appeared on our list every single week since August 1999, when we began. The second tier consists of any topic that has appeared on the list for 50 straight weeks.

These are the items which have been on the list every week since we began in August 1999:

Pamela Anderson (High: #4, Low: #28) -- We call Pamela Anderson "the patron saint" of the Lycos 50. She's stayed in the top 20 nearly every week despite that fact that she's stopped making movies, she doesn't really appear in Playboy anymore, and her TV show V.I.P. has mediocre ratings. Still, there's no doubt Lycos users still love to look at this prized pinup, not to mention they love to read about her wacky love life, from Tommy Lee to Kid Rock.

Dragonball (High: #1 for 25 weeks, Low: #11) -- We've spent a lot of time trying to explain Dragonball, which may be the most popular item in the history of the Lycos 50. The show is the story of intergalactic warriors who fight to gather 7 "dragonballs" which, if collected together, spawn a dragon that grants your wish. It has spawned videotapes, games, comic books, toys, and a ton of other paraphernalia. It also hasn't been out of the top ten since the first week of the Lycos 50. Check out two articles we wrote about the Dragonball phenomenon in February and November 2000.

Las Vegas (High: #5, Low: #42) -- For nearly the entire history of the Lycos 50, Las Vegas was the only city to ever make the list, and it made it every week. Searches for Las Vegas even remained high despite the temporary lapse in general searches for tourism and airlines following the Sept. 11 attacks. We wrote about the details of Las Vegas searches in January 2000.

Jennifer Lopez (High: #1 for one week, Low: #50) -- Jennifer Lopez is the opposite of Pamela Anderson. While Pam stays popular without doing anything new, J. Lo stays popular because she's constantly reinventing herself. One week she's got a new single, the next week a new movie. She actually came close to dropping out of the Lycos 50 in November 2000 before rebounding with the release of her second album. Twice Jennifer Lopez has taken two spots on the list -- one for her and one for her dress of the moment.

Pokemon (High: #1 for 41 weeks, Low: #53) -- This Japanese cartoon featuring "pocket monsters" who battle each other (and their large-eyed human owners) was the #1 most-searched term of 1999. What's shocking is not that Pokemon was so popular for our first nine months. What's shocking is that even after the show has dropped in the ratings, and the toys have gone on clearance sale, Pokemon continues to be popular with Lycos users. The week of the terrorist attack on America was the only week Pokemon was ever out of the top 20.

(NOTE: As of April 2, 2002, Pokemon has dropped out of the Lycos 50 for the first time.)

Britney Spears (High: #1 for 4 weeks, Low: #17) -- Britney was the #1 most-searched term of 2000. Britney is super-popular online because she combines two trends, each of them driving search traffic. On one hand, she's a teen pop star. On the other hand, she's a beautiful woman whose image gets more scandalous each year. Put those two together, you have a lot of searches.

Tattoos (High: #2, Low: #26) -- We explored the tattoo phenomenon in March 2000. Nearly half of tattoo requests are spelled wrong, whether as tatto or as tatoo.

(NOTE: As of June 17, 2003, we have removed tattoos from the Lycos 50 as a "general subject." See our FAQ for more details.)

WWF (High: #4, Low: #35) -- For those who don't know, that's the World Wrestling Federation, large men in tights delivering punches (fake), jumping from ropes (real), and spurting catchphrases, if you smell what the Lycos 50 is cooking. Searches for the WWF jump one week a month after the promotion does its monthly pay-per-view. Since PPVs usually see titles change hands and wrestlers change from good guy/face to bad guy/heel (or vice versa), they get a lot of results searches the week after from fans that missed the show.


Click here for the second tier of the Lycos 50 Elite, items that have been on the list for 50 straight weeks.

Christina Aguilera (High: #9, Streak: 10/02 to present) -- This pop songstress spent 43 straight weeks on our list after her first album in 2000, then went away for a while. But she defeated the sophomore slump with her popular second album in 2002, which combined with a penchant for racy photos and videos makes her a staple on the Lycos 50.

Clay Aiken (High: #1, Streak: 5/03 to present) -- American Idol's most popular runner-up first appeared on our list just one week after he "lost" to Ruben Studdard. He first reached the number one spot in March 2004 when his biological father passed away. Clay is the most searched American Idol contestant on Lycos, and Clay Mania shows no signs of diminishing.

Atkins Diet (High: #5, Streak: 1/03 to present) -- This carbohydrate-avoiding diet was a big fad in 2000, then went away in 2001. But an article in the New York Times Magazine in late 2002 gave the fad new life, and it was far more popular in 2003 than ever before.

Backstreet Boys (High: #5, Streak: 8/99 to 9/00) -- At the beginning, they were the big teen pop act, and the top music group on Lycos in 1999. Then they relinquished the title of "top boy band" to 'N Sync in February 2000 and fell further from there. Still, they remain very popular online.

The Bible (High: #13. Streak: 9/99 to present) -- The fact that the Bible hasn't been in the Lycos 50 every single week is probably due to the fact that we were still figuring what to count and how to count it in the first couple weeks of the Lycos 50. The most popular book in the history of history has kept a very consistent place on the list, usually between #15 and #25.

Brooke Burke (High: #2. Streak: 4/02 to present) -- The stealth celebrity. She isn't covered much on Entertainment Tonight, and she doesn't make the cover of People, but this model and E! cable hostess is the hottest pin-up in America. At one point, she fell between #25 and #40 most weeks; now she makes the top ten nearly every week.

Hilary Duff (High: #12. Streak: 8/03 to present) -- At the ripe old age of 17, Hilary Duff is another of our elite. Whether it's acting, singing or just plain looking cute--Duff can do it all. As the former Lizzie McGuire, this tween-queen has the golden touch. In January 2003, Duff was profiled as a Lycos 50 One to Watch and in May 2003, she debuted on the list at #38. In 2003, she also ranked #3 of Top 10 Searched Actresses. Her hit TV show, hit movies and hit albums all make Hilary a hit on our Lycos 50.

Eminem (High: #4, Streak: 5/00 to 8/01, 5/02 to present) -- The popular rap star, also known as Slim Shady but born Marshall Mathers, was the most popular man on Lycos in 2000.

Final Fantasy (High: #6, Streak: 9/99 to present) -- Like the Bible, Final Fantasy should have been on the Lycos 50 from the beginning. From the failure of the summer 2001 film, it is pretty clear the searches are based on the game, not the movie. We detailed searches for Final Fantasy in April 2001.

Harry Potter (High: #1, Streak: 7/00 to present) -- Harry Potter, accomplished wizard and hero of children's novels, rocketed into the Lycos 50 after the publication of the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The beginning of a long series of movies based on the books only makes Harry more popular with Lycos users.

KaZaA (High: #1, Streak: 11/01 to present) -- KaZaA was the third file-swapping program to hit 50 straight weeks on the Lycos 50. It was designed by a company in Norway, and also comes in the popular "adware-free" version KaZaA Lite. Also, nobody has any idea what's up with the strange capitalization.

Anna Kournikova (High: #6, Streak: 10/01 to 11/02) -- She's the most popular athlete in the history of the Internet, she does promotional advertisements for Lycos, and she even had her own computer virus.

Marijuana (High: #11, Streak: 1/00 to 12/00, 10/01 to 12/02) -- We've written about this before, but marijuana searches go up when schools are in session, and down when they are not. They disappear from the list every year during the week between Christmas and New Year's. Methinks those college kids are up to something.

Morpheus (High: #1, Streak: 6/01 to 12/02) -- Named after a character from The Matrix, Morpheus replaced Napster as the most popular file sharing software in late July 2001, then was itself replaced as hot file sharing software in April 2002 by KaZaA.

Paris Hilton (High #1, Streak 10/03 to present) -- The 23-year-old, party-hopping, Hilton Hotel heiress first finds a place on the Lycos 50 at #38 in October 2003 because of her relationship with Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher. Going from spectator to infamous Web star, Paris Hilton jumps to #1 in November when she bears all in the 2003 steamy sex video. The sometimes model continues to draw interest thanks to her singing debut, her jewelry, makeup, and clothing line, and her role in, The Simple Life 1 & 2, with Nicole Richie.

'N Sync (High: #4, Streak: 8/99 to 4/01) -- 'N Sync are the top boy band in the history of the Lycos 50. They were top musical group in 2000 and 2001. Thanks to the strange punctuation in their name, they get a ton of misspellings.

Napster (High: #1, Streak: 3/00 to 11/01) -- This file sharing software began the controversy over free music distribution on the Web. We've covered Napster and its progeny numerous times, including this article.

Sailor Moon (High: #14, Streak: 12/99 to 11/00) -- This Japanese cartoon about young girls fighting evil was very popular in the first year of the Lycos 50, but never as popular as Pokemon and Dragonball. At one point there were five Japanese anime cartoons on the list (these three plus Gundam Wing and Tenchi Muyo).

The Simpsons (High: #20, Streak: 1/00 to 9/01) -- Until 2002, America's favorite cartoon family had been in the Lycos 50 nearly every week, though never in the top ten. We took a further look at Simpson searches here.

Skateboarding (High: #14, Streak: 3/00 to 1/02) -- This favorite hobby among teenagers is always popular online. It's cousin, snowboarding, also makes the list in the wintertime.

South Park (High: #12, Streak: 8/99 to 8/00) -- Four cartoon kids living in Colorado and saying some very nasty things on Comedy Central, plus a big movie which might be the best animated musical ever. Tell me you weren't singing along with Terrance and Phillip. South Park has faded in popularity since 2000 but still is usually in the top 100.

Yu-Gi-Oh! (High: #9, Streak: 4/02 to present) -- Although it has never made it to the level of "the next Dragonball" as we predicted, this Japanese card game (with a cartoon and all the accompanying products based on it) quickly achieved a weekly place in our top 25. The obsessive nature of the game has proved to be the bane of every second-grade teacher's existence, particularly my wife's.



MSN - http://www.imagine-msn.com/insider/

OK – I guess for TV, sports, and movies, or the Top 200 searches that are in some dynamic scrolling list ... seem to make no sense. Can't get it to sit still, or to be able to see the whole list, though ...




YAHOO - http://buzz.yahoo.com/

THE WINNER - IMO, the best incarnation of the 'buzz' genre ... huge amounts of info awaiting you.

You’ll find more current relevant search data on this one site than all the others. You can then take what you see here and use it to run your research at the other search engines listed in this ‘report.’

As long as your target market is consumers – as opposed to businesses – you’ll find a wealth of free info here in these special search engine results that will tell you the current ‘hot’ or ‘buzz’ topics in some major search engines for RIGHT NOW.

This is invaluable info if your target market responds to 'popular culture' trends.

© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.firstcontactsecrets.com/
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com