Archive for 2006

« Older Entries
Dec 03
2006

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) – Google AdWords Tips

pay per click  By: Feras Alhlou 9 Comments »

In our discussions with customers and consultants that run PPC campaigns on their own, and in reviewing how the PPC accounts are managed, we often find opportunities to significantly enhance the performance of the PPC campaigns. We believe that it is a misconception that you can set up your account once, leave it on “auto-pilot”, and then expect good results. You might get some results, not definitely nothing to write home about. This directly applies to consultants, as your clients expect you to add value and get them better results for their marketing dollars. Once clients start seeing results, improved ROI, consultants will be rewarded generously, at least it has been the case on our experience with our clients.

What is that we will blog about? Well, improving the performance of your AdWords campaigns. Some improvements are related to the actual account/campaign/ad group structure, while other improvements can be done by applying best practices and on-going PPC optimization techniques.

In this December, our plan is to dedicate some time to share PPC best practices and useful tips and techniques. We would love to hear from you on specific areas you want addressed or specific questions you want answered. Although the tips and examples will directly be related to Google AdWords, the concepts apply to other PPC programs, including the new Yahoo Search Marketing PPC interface and the MSN AdCenter.

Add a comment with your questions and we will sure get you an answer or at least point you in the direction to find what you are looking for.

Thanks!

Technorati Tags: ,

Tags: ,
Posted in pay per click | 9 Comments »

Oct 18
2006

Internet Marketing – In-house vs. Outsource?

marketing strategy  By: Team Marketing No Comments »

In working with clients, we often come across companies both small and large that run their SEO or PPC programs in-house. As consultants, we aim to be objective and offer a recommendation that is in the best interest of the client.

Our general recommendation to clients is that you either build the expertise in-house and do the job right or you should outsource. So many times we have seen companies that claim to be running an effective PPC campaign internally, but after further examination we find that thousands of dollars are spent on an account that is running on auto-pilot and no optimization techniques or best practices have been implemented. The Internet marketing program might be running “OK” but it is no where close to the potential ROI it can bring. In one incident, we were asked to audit an existing PPC campaign and optimize its performance. One month after implementing a few best practices, we were able to achieve double the amount of site visitors for half the click spend. And this was just the beginning!

If you are planning to run your web development, web design, or Internet marketing programs in-house, invest the time in learning and mastering these fields or hiring someone with that expertise. Otherwise, work with a professional and let them do what they do best.

Feel free to contact us for further information on website design, internet marketing consulting or a free Internet Business Analysis.

Technorati Tags:

Tags:
Posted in marketing strategy | No Comments »

Oct 18
2006

Charging for Proposals?

tips for internet consultants  By: Feras Alhlou 1 Comment »

This is a post by my friend and a fellow Internet Consultant, Burns Smith, in Madison, MS. We have known Burns for almost two years now and we have worked together on several projects. Burns continues to impress us with his ability to educate his clients on the need to invest the time and effort upfront to better scope the opportunity so all parties are aware of what is involved and expectations are set accordingly. We’ve asked Burns to share his approach with us and below is what he wrote. We hope you find it of benefit to your business as well!

Burns says:

As a professional Internet Consultant, one of the dilemmas I face is at what point should I be charging for my time. I understand that any business relationship must go through an introductory stage. I also know that I must invest enough time to establish my credibility with the buyer. However, what I am selling is my time, my knowledge, and my access to a tremendous network of resources. At some point I should be on the clock and get paid for what I do. To do otherwise is not fair to me and encourages non-serious tire kickers to waste my time.

So when should I start charging for my services? After experimentation with several different approaches, I decided that the best one was to charge for my proposals. It takes a lot of my time to meet with a client, understand his or her needs, match those needs up to the correct Internet solution, and then meet again with the client to review the proposal. However, I make sure I share enough information in the initial appointment that it is very clear that I will bring value to the process. I also encourage potential buyers to check my references. If the project is not overly complex, I explain to the client that the next step of the process is going to take a significant investment on my part and the end result is that he or she will be much more educated about website design and internet marketing.

I usually throw out a nominal fee. I quite often get responses such as “I understand” or “That’s not a big deal.” For those who object, I believe I have just weeded out a non-buyer. The fee does not truly compensate me for all of the time required to generate a proposal. However, I believe these are the benefits to be gained by following this process:

  • It enhances my credibility.
  • It establishes from the beginning that I get paid for my time and knowledge.
  • It screens out non-serious buyers.
  • It helps me to understand if I am talking to the decision maker.
  • Buyers will better value something for which they have paid.
  • If they do not buy, I have at least have been compensated in some fashion.

If the project is going to be more complex, I explain that it will take quite a bit of time and analysis to scope out the project in order to set a price and that I will be charging an hourly rate in this initial stage of the project development. The client will in turn receive a detailed project definition and a price.

J. Burns Smith, Jr.
Internet Consultant
(601) 853-4449
P.O Box 1213
Madison, MS
39130-1213
www.wsistarwebsolutions.com

Posted in tips for internet consultants | 1 Comment »

Oct 01
2006

Scoping Custom/Integration Projects

web design  By: Shiraz Asif No Comments »

Normally for a project that is either being scoped as custom or requires integration, a website development company needs to invest some time into making sure the project and work required is well understood before proceeding to offer a formal quote. We have learned through our experience that bypassing this step is detrimental to the success of the project. We’re looking at this from the client’s perspective and from our own. It helps us to know exactly what we’re committing to and the client also will have a clearer picture of what we’re building so there are no surprises.

Other companies may provide a ballpark figure or estimate based on past integrations they have done but the risk factor in that type of an estimate is very large, and usually results in a strained client/vendor relationship because of additional charges that come up when assumptions are proven incorrect. We prefer to quote based on requirements, not assumptions, and we take the necessary steps to ensure that all possible requirements are documented clearly and understood – this method has proven to work each and every time.

Typically, there are a number of questions especially with the integration part being related to the eCommerce and how that will relate to one another especially with the information being dynamic and transactions dependent upon this information. Some samples of questions related to integration are:

  • What is the nature of the data?
  • In what format can the data be provided?
  • Ensure data maps directly to destination or platform?
  • Within the data set, which items are updated and why?
  • Is the data constant, or are there additions and deletions?
  • How should destination handle additions and deletions?
  • How should destination handle exceptions?
  • What monitoring or notification needs to be in place?

There are a number of other questions that we usually encounter when diving into this a little further. For us at the preliminary stage of scoping, the analysis may reveal that more things to consider or that the work is straightforward. One thing guaranteed is that there will definitely be a more accurate proposal.

For further information on scoping custom or integration projects, feel free to contact one of our internet consultants at www.E-Nor.com.

Technorati Tags: ,

Tags: ,
Posted in web design | No Comments »

Sep 10
2006

Useful Internet Marketing Resources

tips for internet consultants  By: Feras Alhlou 1 Comment »

Internet Consultants (ICs) have different strategies in running their companies, some are very hands-on, and like to implement programs on their own, while other ICs tend to outsource project management and implementation to production centers, authorized suppliers, and third party vendors. In his training workshop, Feras Alhlou emphasizes the need for consultants to determine what business model best fits them and stick to that model.

I believe in on-going education though, and below is a list of recommended resources and reading for ICs to keep their skills sharpened and continuously quality internet marketing service and drive business results to their end clients. Even if an Internet Consultant (IC) decides to outsource most of their implementations, a sound understanding of marketing strategies and tactics as well as emerging internet marketing trends is vital for the success of their business. Below is a list of sites, blogs and articles on topics such as pay-per-click (PPC), search engine optimization (SEO), web analytics (WA) and other related internet marketing programs.

If you have a tool that you think it is helpful to other Internet Consultants, feel free to email Feras and let him know about it. For more information and help on Internet Marketing programs such as Pay-Per-Click (PPC), Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or Web Analytics Services, feel free to contact us or drop us an email.

Posted in tips for internet consultants | 1 Comment »

« Older Entries