Archive for July, 2008

Be Big Online #8: Conversions

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Conversions
Jason Broadwater discusses conversions - what they are and how they can be used to benefit the local service business or organization.


Print Marketing and Web Integration

We are tinkering with a new visual approach in our print marketing. Here is an ad to run in YC Magazine in York County, SC.

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Necessity #3: Specific Goals and Objectives [from Web Marketing Nine]

PDF Web Marketing
Web Marketing Nine:
Nine Necessities of Web Marketing for Service Businesses and Organizations
Download Full Manuscript

To create specific goals and objectives for the Web, you need a clear understanding of:

  • The role your web presence can play in your business model
  • Who you want to come to your website
  • What you want them to do while there

Before you invest in the Web, you should have a clear understanding of what you are trying to do. I don’t mean in terms of understanding the Web and its possibilities (that comes next). I mean in terms of your own business or practice. What are your overall goals and objectives? (more…)


Be Big Online #7: How Search Engines Work

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How Search Engines Work
Jason Broadwater discusses how search engines work and why that’s important to local businesses and organizations.


RevenBlog (the Book) Volume I

Posts from RevenBlog in 2006
(a blog by Jason Broadwater)

Preview the Book

“During this time period, I was getting my start-up business (RevenFlo) up and running, and I wrote a lot about business and marketing and the web and life. The year was very formative for me in terms of developing a start-up business, and in terms of being a business man, a husband, a father, a friend, and a man in general. I put these writings together to form this book.” — Jason

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A Few Responses

“Revenblog is my weekly dose of insight, honesty, and perspective. This collection of blogposts is more of a philosophy than anything, demonstrating Broadwater’s honest and synergistic approach to his business, family, and life. Revenblog demonstrates to me that it is possible to run a capitalist enterprise that serves the community, instead of exploiting it. Jason Broadwater is inspirational, and this collection proves it is not an accident.”

Ben Graham, NBCT
History Department
North Buncombe High School
Weaverville, NC

“Jason allows his readers open access to the inner-workings of his web marketing company. Consequently, his commentary on business, management, and the Internet are uniquely honest. All of this insight is sprinkled with life moments that truly engage the reader.”

Adam Parish
Urbitas Media


Necessity #2: A Singular Brand [from Web Marketing Nine]

PDF Web Marketing
Web Marketing Nine:
Nine Necessities of Web Marketing for Service Businesses and Organizations
Download Full Manuscript

A website is an experience for the user. Inevitably, the site is defined in the mind of the user – a personality of sorts, a cumulative effect with the “sum is greater” principle at work. Your company as a whole has a presence for “the user” – clients and prospects in a particular community.

Working to understand your presence, attempting to articulate it, is a powerful experience in self-definition, which directly affects decisions, which determine actions, which create effect. Branding, to me, is all about developing that presence. First it is developed in your mind, developed around a table, then several, then out into the community perception. (more…)


Jason Broadwater Speaks to Rock Hill City Council on Marketing Historic Old Town

One of the four Image via Wikipediabusiness rock hill south carolina

The Rock Hill Economic Development Corp speaks to Rock Hill City Council about the marketing of Old Town Rock Hill as an asset.

Jason Broadwater of RevenFlo serves as the chair of the marketing committee of the RHEDC and presented a marketing strategy for the Historic Old Town of Rock Hill to be marketed as a burgeoning asset to the city as a whole.

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RevenFlo Pushes to Improve Systems

Material to exercise the balance agility for c...Image via WikipediaRevenFlo hires consultants to analyze and improve internal systems, such as project management, deliveries and release schedules, etc. We are looking at the Agile model and how it can be used and or adapted by RevenFlo to become even more productive. Yet, not lose the agility to create ever-evolving solutions for our family of clients.

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Be Big Online #6: Search Engines

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Search Engines and the Marketplace
Jason Broadwater discusses search engines and the role they play in the local service business marketplace. How have they changed our lives and they way we find and understand information?


Save thousands of dollars a month/quarter by outsourcing your web marketing and communications tasks to a team of contracted professionals

Web related activity takes up an increasing amount of time and energy in the workplace. The web is increasingly an interactive tool BY WHICH businesses and organizations are operated.

RevenFlo builds technological and human systems that allow large amounts of activity to be done efficiently. The return depends on how this activity is guided and measured. Along with consultation for strategic direction, the RevenFlo team provides responsive activity, maintenance, project management, constant honest feedback, and action planning from experienced, knowledgeable professionals. It’s about having good people and good systems at your fingertips to affect change.

When compared to the cost of internal staffing and hardware/software overhead, using a contracted team is much more effective and less expensive. When compared to using a traditional advertising agency for such services, using a contracted team is much more effective and less expensive.

Why is it less expensive? Is it because you get less value? No. You will receive more value from using a well managed web marketing team than from either using/hiring staff or employing an advertising firm. Each contracted professional is at a high level of achievement in his or her individual area of expertise. Each brings great value to the table. The rarity is to find such a team that is well managed.

RevenFlo is a well managed team of Web professionals - a time-on-task web staff.


Necessity #1: A Real Commitment [from Web Marketing Nine]

PDF Web Marketing
Web Marketing Nine:
Nine Necessities of Web Marketing for Service Businesses and Organizations
Download Full Manuscript

It’s gonna take time. It’s gonna take money. (Just like the George Harrison song from the 80’s.) If you are not willing to give both, then you don’t need to bother with investing in the Web. Return comes from investment.

Many Web programs stall during the site build, which means you have run out of gas before you even have a website up online. Many more stall after the site is launched. Many clients don’t make the time or the commitment to keep the pedal to the floor and really generate some positive results. (more…)


It’s free to be in Google Local, but you have to manually submit your information

I’ve heard many people say, “I want to make sure I show up in Google.” And I completely understand why. Google has dominant influence on the online marketplace. But many may not know that being “in Google” is really being in several different places.

Primary Google Databases:

  1. Google’s main index (organic search - free)
  2. Google’s local index (service/product plus location - free)
  3. Google’s AdWords index (pay-per-click)

When you search, results from these three databases display on the Google search page at the same time. They make up what people understand to be their results from a Google search.

For example, if you type in Web Marketing in Rock Hill, SC then you will get a page that looks like this:

results.jpg
Click image to enlarge.

Note that there are three sections to the results:

  1. The “sponsored links” in the right column or sidebar (and sometimes in the shaded area at the top of the main column)
  2. The small text links to the right of the map
  3. The general links that start below the map

The sponsored links to the right come from the AdWords database, you will only display there by creating an AdWords account and creating a campaign. These are pay-per-click ads, so you will be charged every time someone clicks on that listing. The cost is based on both bidding and performance.

The map links come from the Google Local database. You will only appear here by manually listing your organization with the Google Local database and confirming your physical address.

The general links starting below the Local results are the general Google results of organic search. You can manually add your site to this index, but you don’t have to. This is the Google bot, in the wild west of Google global search and index, and it will find you and index you.

Increasingly, you will need to learn of other Google databases (like GoogleBase, for example… every REALTOR should learn about this).

If you are a local business/organization, you should definitely list with Google Local. It’s free. It just takes the completion of a few tasks.


Be Big Online #5: Social Networking 2

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Social Networking 2
Jason Broadwater continues his discussion of social networking on the Be Big Online Radio Show on WRHI talk radio.


3 Slots Left for Web Marketing Course in Charlotte Tuesday, July 8, 2008

As far as we know, there are three slots left for the Web Marketing course being taught by Jason Broadwater at CPCC Tuesday evening (6pm) July 8, 2008, as part of the BizHub Adult Education Entrepreneurial program.

Learn more and register!


Be Big Online #4: Social Networking

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Social Networking
Jason Broadwater discusses Social Networking and how it affects your business. How connecting is important, and the Web is a key player.




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