Charlie Cook's MArketing for Success Insider's Club

Author Archive

The 3 Basics Of A Successful Marketing Strategy

By Susan Rice Lincoln   |   March 4, 2011

Just a few years back, something odd happened. For years, the internet with all its potential sat on the sidelines.

Yes, we were all using it. We set up our websites. We created our emails. We even started to… Read More »


8 Foolproof Tips for B2B Social Media Success

By Susan Rice Lincoln   |   February 14, 2011

We’ve all heard the social media success stories: Small business strikes it big, reaching consumers and peddling tons of products.

And while it’s great that so many businesses are finding success through social media, it’s no surprise that B2C companies can find quick success – they can directly target their audience. Read More »


Should You Be Using Twitter To Reach Customers?

By Susan Rice Lincoln   |   January 28, 2011

I recently had a conversation with someone who was curious about Twitter. When I tried to explain it in further depth I didn’t have much trouble. But when I was asked who is on Twitter, I was stumped.

After conducting a brief internet search, I discover a recent Pew Internet & American Life Project report, which outlines details of Twitter usage, makes for a fascinating read. Read More »


How To Turn Site Visitors Into Paying Customers

By Susan Rice Lincoln   |   January 19, 2011

I had a meeting the other day with a painter who has a Number One Listing on Google and gets a whopping 6,000 visitors a month to his site. When I asked him what happens to the visitors who come to the site, he simply shrugged his shoulders.

Does this ring a bell? Do you know what happens when prospects come to your site? Read More »


3 Simple Marketing Resolutions To Make In 2011

By Susan Rice Lincoln   |   January 5, 2011

The presents have been opened and there’s no more eggnog. Instead of having the cheery holidays to look forward to, the only thing that’s coming up is snow, winter, and spring…and that’s a few months from now.

This is THAT time of year. The time of year when resolutions are made…and broken.

Read More »


The Key To Becoming An SEO Matchmaker

By Susan Rice Lincoln   |   December 17, 2010

Keywords– The Ultimate Matchmaker
When all is said and done, online marketing is really about matchmaking.
On the one side of the relationship is YOU.  Very simply, you run a small business and you are trying to find qualified prospects who are interested in your services.  On the other side of the matchmaking equation are your potential clients.  And, while most small business owners don’t think about this, it is important to emphasize that there are hundreds—if not thousands of people—looking RIGHT NOW for you to help them solve their problems!
So how to connect?  Who does the matchmaking?
A large part of the ‘connection’ happens through the humble keyword.  An optimal keyword is a word or phrase which describes precisely the service or benefit you provide.
So, if you are a graphic designer in Toronto, your prospect will be typing in something like ‘graphic designer Toronto’ or ‘graphic designers in Toronto’.  And you want to be absolutely sure that when they type in that term that YOUR name pops us first (and not the name of your biggest competitor!)
Keywords matter.  Big time. They are paramount to online gold.
But not all keywords are created equally.  Your goal is to find keywords that have the following qualities:
the maximum possible searches
the lowest possible competition
high commercial viability (in other words, when people type that term in they are ready to buy rather than just ‘seeking information’
So how do you figure out which keywords you need to grow your business?
One of the best tools out there to find keywords is a piece of software called Market Samurai.
Market Samurai will not just help you find the right keywords, it will show you how competitive they are, how often they are being searched, their commercial viability as well as which sites currently rank for them.  It is a comprehensive and easy-to-use tool.
Focusing on keywords is an absolute essential first step in successful online marketing.  Go to http://www.marketsamurai.com/ (this is NOT an affiliate link) and grab a free trial of Market Samurai today and get going!
Here’s to your blogging success,

When all is said and done, online marketing is really about matchmaking.

On the one side of the relationship is YOU.  Very simply, you run a small business and you are trying to find qualified prospects who are interested in your services.  On the other side of the matchmaking equation are Read More »


7 Secrets to Internet Marketing Success

By Susan Rice Lincoln   |   December 9, 2010

The Seven Secrets to Successful Online Marketing
Almost every single day I have conversations with small business owners who honestly don’t know which way to turn.   What tools should they use?  How well is their website working?  Should they concentrate on email marketing? Or SEO? Or social media?  Or NOTHING?
To answer these questions, I drew up what I consider to be my top Seven Secrets for successful online marketing.  Implement these and you will start to see some major transformations both on and offline.
1. Remember that marketing online is marketing.  The same old rules apply.  Make sure before you do ANYTHING online that you are crystal clear about your products and services and the true benefit they bring your customers.  Define clearly your ideal client.  (Hint: ‘everyone’ is never the right answer.) Be clear. Be specific. Meet a pressing need.
2. Make sure to walk before you run.  A simple, streamlined approach is always better than being scattered, seduced by every new shiny object.  In this ADD world of ours, less is still more.
3. To benefit fully from the power of the New Net, tap into what I call the ‘Golden Triangle’: search engine optimization, social media and email/website marketing.  Each are strong in and of themselves.  But put them together and you have a powerful package which will propel your business into another orbit.
4. SEO optimize.  In simple English, make sure that when your prospective client goes to Google and types in your market and your geographic area that it is YOUR company (not your competitors’!) that shows up on the top of the page.  Remember if you are not on the first page (or actually one of the first three); you are simply not a player.  Make sure that the website you have invested time and money in is being shown in the best light in the search engines. (Oh, and by the way, the person who designed your site is not necessarily the one who can help you get it ranked high in Google.)
5. Tap into the power of social media. Social media brings many things to the party: one-on-one contact with clients and prospects, increased traffic to your site, SEO benefits and authority.  Social media’s power grows exponentially when used alongside your SEO efforts and email marketing.
6. Go back to basics.  Email is still a powerhouse.  Put an opt-in box on the upper right hand side of every page of your website.  In exchange for their email, give away something of real value (a written report, a video, an audio tape).
Why do this?  What is the point of driving traffic to your site if you have no way of ‘capturing’ interested prospects?  And once you have these names, begin a dialogue with them through emails and/or an e-newsletter.   Without a simple opt-in box, you will have hundreds coming to your site-only to lose them forever.  Ouch.
7. The best secret I’ve kept for last.  Because if all of the above just got you more confused (or discouraged), the good news is you don’t have to do ANY of it yourself.  Find a great partner to work with you on your online marketing.  They do exist (although there are a lot of charlatans too so make sure you select wisely).  You are simply too busy and I am assuming your goal in life is not to become an online marketing expert.
Stick with what you do best.  Outsource your online marketing to a knowledgeable expert.  And then concentrate on handling all the new business that will inevitably come your way.

Almost every single day I have conversations with small business owners who honestly don’t know which way to turn.   What tools should they use?  How well is their website working?  Should they concentrate on email marketing? Or SEO? Or social media?  Or NOTHING?

To answer these questions…

Read More »


Change Your Mindset, Grow Your Business

By Susan Rice Lincoln   |   October 10, 2010

I just got back from Fabienne Fredrickson’s Mindset Retreat in Miami.  I actually never planned on going but after interviewing her for my Wise Women of The Web teleseminar series, her ideas intrigued me so I hopped on the plane.

What a week!  Fabienne devoted 3 days to ‘transforming’ the participants lives.  She covered a whole array of mindset issues-from the importance of thinking big and understanding your Big Why to how to get rid of the ‘gunk’ that is preventing you from being the full success you want to be. Read More »


Think Big – Small Business Success Mindset

By Susan Rice Lincoln   |   September 24, 2010

Have you ever wondered why some people make it and some people don’t?  What is the magic ingredient for small business success?

While there are many explanations, one thing that Fabienne Fredrickson kept repeating during her 3 –day Mindset Retreat is that the vast majority of us do not think BIG enough.. Our dreams TOO SMALL.  We impose limits on our ambitions and goals.

And if you don’t dare to reach for the stars, it goes without saying that you will never touch them. Read More »


Why You Should Outsource Your Blog

By Susan Rice Lincoln   |   September 10, 2010

I would like to talk about why you should consider outsourcing your blog.  Many people will find this concept rather shocking as a blog, by definition, needs to a complete reflection of your personality and ideas.

There are ways to outsource your blogging so that it will not be some manufactured entity devoid of your character.  But before I get to that, let me explain why I believe the benefits of outsourcing your blog: Read More »