posted by Randy Roedl on Apr 22
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No matter what type of email you send out, you’ll need a mailing list. The basic way to build a mailing list is by capturing name and email address information for everyone who buys or shows interest in your product.
An email list that YOU COLLECT YOURSELF is worth its weight in gold. This can be accomplished by using a list manager on your site. List managers also provide the HTML coding for the form on the Gateway pages. A list manager collects the email addresses that are gathered with the form. Thus, your email list is collected. This might take some time so there are methods to use until you get your own email list built.
One way to build a mailing list is to do ad swaps with other list owners. The way this works is, you (as company A) have an email list that you send newsletters to and another list owner (company B) has a list they send newsletters to. Company A and Company B place ads on one another’s mailing lists. Each of you is promoting the other’s list.
You can rent or buy targeted email lists. The list you develop using your own customers’ names is called your “house list.” Of course, when you’re first starting out, your house list is likely to be skimpy. To augment it, one way to go is rent or buy a mailing list. There are two ways to buy or rent a mailing list—approaching the company you want to rent from directly or using a list broker. Any company that emails information to its customers usually has a list manager, who handles inquiries and orders for the mailing list.
Another way to build an email list is to list your newsletter in all of the ezine directories.
posted by Randy Roedl on Apr 21
When you are just starting your online business finding the right products to sell online is the number one problem. Knowing where to look can help.
1. Drop Shipper Directories Drop shippers are wholesalers that will ship direct to your customers so that you don’t have to invest in or store inventory. Directories of drop shippers are for sale online, but make sure you’re buying a reputable one.
2. Local Businesses: You may find businesses in your backyard that offer just the right products, but are not yet into e-commerce. Offer to sell their product online in exchange for a percentage of any profits you make.
3. Crafters: Local crafters are a good source of unique products, and may be willing to reduce their prices for you if you purchase in quantity. Either buy the item outright, or set up a consignment arrangement with them.
4. Garage sales and flea markets: G garage sales are a good place to look for items to sell online. Do some research into categories that interest you, and then start scouring sales for good prices.
5. ebay: ebay itself can be a source for products. Look for wholesale lots that can be broken down for individual sale.
6. Wholesaler Directories: Your local library will probably have directories of manufacturers, wholesalers, and/or distributors. Most directories are organized by SIC code so that you can zero in on the product categories that interested you.
7. Trade Shows: Trade shows are a great way to source products. Lots of merchants gather in one place to look for resellers. To find trade shows in a particular industry, contact trade associations and industry publications.
8. Importers/Exporters: You might want to consider contacting companies that import goods from overseas. It’s possible to source directly from overseas. This requires a lot of expertise, but many companies do it successfully.
posted by Randy Roedl on Apr 20
video blogging has a lot of advantages over text-based
blogging, and it is little wonder that this new
technology is catching on all over the globe. Video
blogs very effectively grab the attention of web surfers,
and people are much more likely to become excited
about the dynamic content of a video blog than they are
likely to find a written posting very thrilling. The more
enthusiastic viewers are about a site, the quicker the
word of mouth spreads, and the more traffic the site will
get.
Of course, there are plenty of disadvantages to video
blogging as well. Hosting a v-blog requires quite a bit
of server space, which can make it difficult to get
started. It takes more time to process and upload a video
file than it does to dash off a quick bit of text, which
means that running and updating a video blog can be
quite a bit of work. In addition, web surfers sometimes
grow frustrated with the slow loading times of the files
on many video blogs. Whether you opt for a video blog
or not depends on what kind of subject matter you want
to cover, and how much time you can devote to video
blogging. Before you decide to pursue a video blog,
consider if there is an easier way for you to get your
message across.
posted by Randy Roedl on Apr 18
Choosing which blogging platform to use is one of the
most important decisions that you can make as a
blogger. The right platform can make blogging a
breeze, and the wrong platform can make blogging a
chore. Because the program that you use to blog with is
such a powerful part of your blogging experience, it is
well worth putting in the time to find a platform that
provides your ideal balance between a user-friendly
interface and a flexible framework that allows you to
make your blog look and feel unique. Finding the right
platform isn’t always easy, but with a little bit of
contemplation and a little bit of research, you will be on
your way to finding the perfect blogging platform.
Deciding what your priorities are in terms of ease of use
versus customization. Most highly customizable
blogging platforms, like moveable type, are a bit more
difficult to use than very automated platforms like
wordpress. If you are new to blogs and to internet
technology, you might want to sacrifice the ability to
create a custom background design or to integrate a
unique font into your template in order to find a
program that will be easy for you to use. On the other
hand, if you are a veteran web designer with knowledge
of html or javascript, you will probably find the
limitations of a user-friendly platform to be frustrating.
There is no such thing as a blogging platform that is
objectively the best platform, because every blogger has
unique needs. The blogging movement is very much
about individuality, so it makes plenty of sense that
there would be many different platforms available that
are designed to meet the needs of different kinds of
individuals undertaking different kinds of projects. This
diversity is a good thing, because it means that you will
almost certainly be able to find a program that suits
your level of technical aptitude.
However, the fact that no two bloggers need the same
thing from a blogging platform can make your search
for the right platform a bit tricky. When you are reading
reviews of different platforms, try to keep your
priorities in mind and do your best to take into account
the position that the reviewer is coming from. For
example, a negative review written by an accomplished
software designer who complains that a popular
platform is too limited may tell you that the platform in
question is ideal for a beginning blogger. There is no
such thing as the perfect platform for everybody, so
instead of looking for the "best" platform, look for the
best platform for your specific criteria.
posted by Randy Roedl on Apr 17
Joining an established blogging site like live journal or
blogger has plenty of advantages, especially for the blog
novice. Sites that host a lot of different blogs often have
very useful tutorials about building and updating your
blog, and you are likely to encounter a very user-
friendly software interface at an established blogging
site. In addition, these sites provide a kind of instant
community of fellow bloggers who can provide advice,
insight, and feedback. These established sites often
keep directories of their members, which can be great
news for your traffic logs because it means that other
bloggers on the site will find out about your pages.
However, there are also some downsides to linking up
with a large blogging site. By posting within the
established templates of a site like blogger, you run the
risk of having your blog look and feel like everybody
else’s. The blogging movement is very much about the
creation of distinctive sites and the development of
individual voices, so it makes plenty of sense that many
bloggers would shy away from the cookie-cutter look
and feel that these blogging sites often promote. Many
bloggers feel that the content of a blog is what makes it
distinctive, not the look of the blog, but many members
of the blogging community feel that the visual impact
of a blog should match the originality of the writing.
posted by Randy Roedl on Apr 14
The term blogging Tory refers to any one of the many
authors affiliated with the conservative Canadian
community known as The Blogging Tories. Today,
there are over a hundred and fifty text-based blogs
associated with the group, and there are new Blogging
Tories every day. The Tories stand as an inspiring
example of a successful online community where the
ever-increasing numbers of affiliated members enjoy a
fertile environment for discussion and debate about the
ideas that shape the face of Canada.
The majority of Tory bloggers do make political events
and topics the focus of their blogs, but not all of the
content that a Blogging Tory creates and publishes is
overtly related to the movements of the Canadian
parliament or the prime minister. Although the
community members were brought together by a shared
conservative viewpoint, the fact that not all of the
postings on all of the member’s blogs focus on political
topics is one of the most exciting things about the
Blogging Tories. On any given day, the main website’s
blogroll may feature postings about Olympic medalists,
a James Bond film festival in Quebec, or a comical
personal experience with a telemarketer. The idea that
having a political affiliation in common makes it
possible to have a fruitful discussion about other kinds
of topics has interesting implications for how online
communities are established and how they grow.
Tags: wordpress, blogs, blogging
posted by Randy Roedl on Apr 13
For first time bloggers, a free blogging web site is a
great way to get started in the blogosphere. Popular
blogging web sites like blogger and eponym allow users
to set up and host a blog without paying any fees at all.
This encourages people to start blogging, because the
fact that one of these sites can provide you with all of
the tools that you need to get your blog up and running
without spending any money means that you have
nothing to lose by starting a blog. The fact that it is so
easy to find a way to blog for free is one of the reasons
why so many people who have never had any other kind
of web presence before find themselves drawn to
blogging.
By signing up with a free blogging web site, you may
find it easier to get listed in search engines that you
would if you were starting your own blog from scratch.
For example, google runs the free blog hosting site
blogspot and crawls its pages very often looking for
updates, so if you have your site hosted by blogspot you
are almost guaranteed to be listed on google’s blog
search engine. This easy access to search engines can
take some of the work out of promoting your blog, and
can help you gain a following with a minimum of
marketing effort.
If your blog attracts a large readership, you may want to
consider moving your site. Many people feel that being
hosted by a free blogging web site gives a blog a kind of
amateur flavor that is fine for a new member of the
blogosphere, but is not appropriate for a high-profile
blog. Having your own domain can help you make your
blog feel professional, and finding a company that will
host your domain is not difficult or expensive. Once
your blog takes off, you will probably be able to sell
enough advertising space to be able to afford to buy a
domain and pay for a hosting package, and still have
money left over. However, it does not make sense in
most cases to invest in these glossy luxuries before you
have a sizable readership.
Starting your blog on a free blogging web site is a great
way to build a following before you spend any money
on your blog. If and when your blog becomes popular
and you are ready to take the next step and purchase
your own domain, your readers will follow you to your
new home. The fact that it is possible to use a free blog
host like blogspost, blogger, or eponym as a kind of
incubator for your blog is great news for bloggers
everywhere.
posted by Randy Roedl on Apr 6
Here is a list of some very creative ways which can help you make your blog popular. If not popular, at least it will give you some ideas of what to post on your blog if you are running out of topics to write about.
Start a controversy. Just remember not to cross the line.
Start a contest. Make sure to end it too.
Give away free goodies. People love them.
Write about other bloggers to interest their visitors to read your blog. Keep it positive.
Dress up your blog often (By dress-up I mean tweaking the design)
Interview other bloggers and post the interview.
Write about your personal life sometimes.
Ask questions to your visitors.
Share some secrets.
Celebrate your birthday with your visitors. Think of innovative ways for doing this.
Celebrate your blog’s birthday too.
Write something funny or disgusting. (Don’t make it a habit)
Make a bumper sticker with your blog’s name and stick it on your car. (Just make sure you drive often)
Write an e-book and distribute it to your visitors for free.
Introduce a commission based affiliate program.
Tell your visitors about your latest fad or obsession.
Post interesting pictures of your pets.
Congratulate the top commentators occasionally.
Encourage sharing of opinions.
Donate for a cause or become a volunteer for a non-profit organization. Ask your visitors to join you.
Put your blog’s ad in the local newspaper or the yellow pages.
Hold blog competitions.
Create polls.
Hold an auction and let people bid for something useful (For example, advertising space on your blog).
Write about your blog achievements.
Share your hopes and aspirations about your blog.
Start an award distribution system.
Make contact with your local visitors and hold a get-together or a bloggers’ meet.
Start a blog comic strip.
Dig up some old article that you wrote on your blog which became famous and start a discussion.
Try and get a photograph clicked with a real celebrity and post it on your blog. (Hold on Tiger..don’t rush to that Photoshop button!)
Post videos that will help your visitors learn something new. Also submit them to video sharing websites like YouTube.com.
Write about your hobbies and interests. (For example, if you like cooking, post a new recipe)
Post about one of the weirdest thing that you ever did.
Get featured in a print magazine.
Buy a paid review from any famous blogger(s).
Brand your blog with a catch phrase along with a logo.
Distribute T-shirts or merchandise with your blog name on it.
Join Yahoo! Answers and put a link on your website to your answers.
posted by Randy Roedl on Apr 3
Here is a list of some very creative ways which can help you make your blog popular. If not popular, at least it will give you some ideas of what to post on your blog if you are running out of topics to write about.
- Keep a track of websites that pick up your articles or press releases. Offer them exclusive news or content.
- Do surveys and publish the results to your visitors.
- Build tools that your visitors might find use for.
- Start a newsletter.
- Podcasting is another good way to make your blog popular.
- Publicize your blog to your friends and relatives and let them do some work for you.
posted by Randy Roedl on Mar 29
Here is a list of some very creative and different ways which can help you make your blog more popular. If not popular, at least it will give you some ideas of what to post on your blog if you are running out of topics to write about. Please pay close attention to the list. There will be 50 total tips.
- Publicize your blog to your friends and relatives and let them do some work for you.
- Be active in Social Bookmarking websites.
- Share link Love and you will get it back.
People like to read about Web 2.0. Write about it.
- Write about something that’s already famous.
