| Viral Marketing has exploded within the last couple | | | | potential customers. They are making themselves |
| of years. Placing your business and products in | | | | known by promoting their website or product or |
| front of hungry eyes has morphed from static | | | | even advertising for other companies. For |
| advertising to audio, video and other forms of | | | | example, say that you are a mechanic who would |
| viral content. Through the birth of Internet-ready | | | | like to share your expertise with others by |
| cell phones, text messaging, blogging, wireless | | | | showing them how to check and change out their |
| laptops, websites that allow video content to be | | | | vehicle's brakes. You create a video in which you |
| uploaded, 24/7 and services such as iTunes, the | | | | take them through the steps, showing them all |
| ways of promoting yourself are as vast and | | | | they need to know. You market that video by |
| widespread as your creativity allows. | | | | either tagging it with your own mechanic shop |
| Thinking "outside the box" has never been more | | | | location or website or by contact, say, Les |
| important than it is now. There is cash to be | | | | Schwab and seeing it they would like to sponsor |
| made and the need to go where your customers | | | | it. You tag it with their information at the end, |
| are hanging their hats is vital to the survival and | | | | collect some money from them, and put it on |
| growth of your business. Don't look at it as extra | | | | YouTube for all to see. You both get the |
| work, but a new challenge and an exciting time to | | | | exposure. That is only one example of the things |
| live and work. | | | | you can do with video. The possibilities are as |
| BLOGGING | | | | vast as your creativity. |
| Blogging is something that every business owner | | | | You can do the same with audio. Create a MP3 |
| needs to learn to do. Why? It is an everyday | | | | podcast of your travels, ways to do something, |
| medium that is sweeping the Internet. There are | | | | interviews, whatever. Market them in the same |
| blogs for every interest and on any subject you | | | | ways and watch the traffic roll in. |
| can think of. From breeding dogs to the correct | | | | FORUMS AND DISCUSSION GROUPS |
| usage of a lawn trimmer, people are out there on | | | | Forums and discussion groups exist for any and all |
| their blogs, informing and interacting with others | | | | subjects under the sun. If you have an interest, |
| who are interested in what they have to say. | | | | you are sure to find a good handful of discussion |
| Taking it a step further, when you create a blog | | | | groups made up of people who share that same |
| of interest and begin to generate traffic to it (and | | | | passion. Register for those groups and make |
| you will!), your visitors will want to share their | | | | some friends and, more importantly, contacts. |
| thoughts about what you are talking about. People | | | | Share your knowledge and experiences, solve |
| love to give their opinions and it's your job to | | | | people's problems, and promote yourself through |
| open up that dialog. In essence, these people who | | | | your posts. Not blantantly, but by way of the |
| respond are creating new content for you. The | | | | signature your create. Each of your posts will |
| search engines are spidering your blog every time | | | | have your signature tagged onto the end of it. |
| a new entry or comment is made. They love | | | | Here's your chance to link to your website or |
| blogs and you will probably soon find that they | | | | promote your product. Don't sell, but PRE-sell. |
| are ranking your blog or blogs far better and | | | | Once the other group members find that you |
| quicker than your actual website! How cool is | | | | seem to be an expert on what you speak about, |
| that? As you get into blogging, you will also be | | | | they will trust what you say and be more apt to |
| exposed to what is known as RSS Feeds. Quickly, | | | | click on the links in your signature. Find the groups, |
| this is a way of providing opt-in content to people | | | | register for them and start making contacts. |
| through RSS readers and email. I won't go into | | | | A couple of the more popular places to find |
| detail, but will suggest you learn more about it. | | | | discussion groups are at Google and Yahoo. There |
| Just one more way of promoting yourself and | | | | are many more out there and they are looking |
| spreading the word that you have what people | | | | for another voice of expertise. Do both them and |
| are searching for. | | | | you the favor of joining them. |
| Good places to get a free blog is or Start today | | | | Blogging, viral video and audio and discussion |
| and see that what I'm saying will indeed profit | | | | groups are just a small number of ways to |
| you. I can almost guarantee it. | | | | market yourself and your business in the 21st |
| VIDEO AND AUDIO | | | | century. Keep an eye on the technology as it |
| Unless you've been under a rock for the past | | | | crops up and evolves. Don't ever let a new type |
| year or so, you will have noticed the explosion of, | | | | of opportunity pass you by. Doing things the old |
| what is called, "viral videos." These videos created | | | | ways will leave you in the dust as your |
| by anyone who has access to a video camera | | | | competitors move ahead of you. Find out where |
| are sweeping the `Net and growing as viewers | | | | your potential customers are hanging out and be |
| post them to newsgroups, link to them from their | | | | there to be the Pied Piper for your area of |
| own blogs or websites and share them with | | | | expertise. Give the people what they want, solve |
| others, via instant messenger or email. With a | | | | their problems, answer their questions and, they in |
| single video submission to popular websites such | | | | turn, will be more than happy to give you want |
| as YouTube and Google Video, businesses are | | | | you want...KA-CHING! |
| placing themselves before the eyes of millions of | | | | |