"Help! My Business Sucks!" Marketing ideas, plans, and news with Andrew Lock. The Web TV Show for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners.

#98 – “TSA Trouble, Productivity tips, How to Improve Your Copywriting, and a Big Marketing Lesson from Heinz.”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:46:19 +0000

Episode #98 – “I love cats, I just can’t eat a whole one by myself…

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The TSA are in trouble, at least I think so. They need some serious good PR because the public image of the organization is very poor, at least that’s been my observation. Not that the situation in England is any better – it’s not, but most of my travel is now within the USA. Young Mikey, an 8 year old school kid keeps getting frisked at airports because he shares the same name as a terrorist! The fact that the TSA can’t tell the difference between an 8 year old kid and a terrorist is extremely worrying, don’t you think?

This week’s “Ask Andrew” question relates to productivity. See if you can adapt the lesson to your business.

Copywriting is an under-valued skill in my opinion. The ability to persuade people by the words you write (and say) is difficult to put a value on. I share a free ‘nifty click’ resource (CopyBlogger) with you to help you improve your copywriting skills online.

Our BIG marketing lesson is from Heinz. Even though they’re the brand leader for ketchup, Heinz did some extensive research to understand exactly how customers use ketchup. The results were very revealing (and subsequently profitable) – I’ll spill the beans in this episode for you, it’s a fascinating story.
Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this week’s episode? Try the QuickTime version.

Feedback / Questions: Send me a message or question about your business, you just need a webcam connected to your computer. It’s fast, easy, and free. Note: You might be famous! In submitting a video, you agree to the possibility of having your video shown in a future episode of the show. Click on the ‘reply’ button below…

#97 – “Trouble at SeaWorld, How to Transfer and Store Large Files, a NEW Resource for Stock Photos, and a BIG marketing lesson from Outback Steakhouse.”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:12:53 +0000

Episode #97 – “Everything I say is fully substantiated by my own opinion…

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Try Roboform (Store & Easily Access your Website Logins)

Vivozoom (Inexpensive stock photo resource)

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I’m sure you heard about the tragic events at SeaWorld in Orlando, where one of their most experienced trainers was killed by a killer whale after one of their shows. This reminded me of the incident some years back where Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy magic show in Las Vegas, was near fatally mauled by one of the tigers they featured in the show. See if you agree (or disagree) with my opinion on this topic.

There’s a number of reliable and inexpensive services that help you to transfer and store large files, I’ll mention a few of my favorites in this episode, including Amazon S3, Box.net, and DropBox.com.

If you need photos to use on your website or blog, take a look at VivoZoom.com, which promises to provide you with 100% legal images at a discount of at least 40% compared with iStockPhoto.com, another popular source for images.

How about a BIG marketing lesson? Sure, why not! On a recent visit to Outback Steakhouse, Luci and I experienced something quite extraordinary, and that EVERY restaurant can directly adopt. You ALSO can ADAPT the lesson for use in your business.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this week’s episode? Try the QuickTime version.

#96 – “Amazing Advertising, Vehicle Signage, Where to Find Great Copywriters, an interview With Nick Nanton, and a Big Marketing Lesson From Bud Light Beer”.

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:08:13 +0000

Episode #96 – “A team effort is a lot of people doing what I say…

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99 Copywriters (Outsource your copywriting tasks)

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I’ve uncovered some creative billboard advertising campaigns that I wanted to share with you this week. If only more advertising was this creative, it would accomplish the goal! Let me know which one you like best.

Does your vehicle have signage on the side to promote your business? If not, why not?! It’s an inexpensive method to promote what you do, even if your vehicle is a little rusty

Hopefully you’ve discovered some great outsourcing resources from this show, and in this episode I’ll show you how to attract skilled copywriters who will bid on your projects to compete for the job.

The BIG marketing lesson in this episode is an alcoholic beverage company – now I’ve got your attention, don’t I?! Bud Light have become known for their creative TV commercials, and I’ll show you a recent example that has a powerful marketing lesson you can adapt and use in your own business.

My special guest this week is Nick Nanton, the expert in celebrity branding. Nick reveals how important it is to become a celebrity in your niche, with tools including newsletters, books, and of course WebTV shows. Also, learn how even local businesses can become celebrities. And Nick also explains how to “display your expertise”. Nick has a new book, “Brand or Die” in the works – look out for that.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this week’s episode? Try the QuickTime version.

#95 – “My Apple iPad, Postman Pat, SEO for Online Video, and a Big Marketing Lesson from Arby’s”.

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 04:23:47 +0000

Episode #95 – “I respect your opinion even though I think mine is better…

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Make Your Own Apple iPadr (and impress your friends)

Tungle.me (Online scheduling system)

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ll have heard about the new Apple iPad, also referred to as the Apple iPad Nano in some circles! Since they haven’t been released at the time of this episode being released, I thought I would have a bit of fun with it. I made my own iPad. Total cost: 7 cents. Really. I’ll show it to you. It impressed the boots off all my “friends” at the local Starbucks.

And now a rant. We had some mail stolen from my the mailbox outside my office. There was a big investigation and the whole thing was a big mess. So imagine my utter disbelief when I discovered the mailman had left a big package dangling out of the box this morning! Is your mailman as lazy / incompetent / insert other adjective here, as mine?

Any idea how Google searches and indexes audio content? Well, to my knowledge, they don’t. Which is why it’s essential to provide keywords AND a transcription, or at least show notes to go with your podcast / WebTV show etc. That’s the topic of this week’s question.

Tieing someone down to a specific day and time for an appointment is often difficult when you’re juggling two calendars (yours and theirs). That’s where a nifty resource called Tungle.me comes in. It uses your calendar to show the recipient when you’re available, and it saves a lot of the unnecessary to-ing and fro-ing that usually occurs when one tries to set an appointment or meeting. Try it out.

The BIG marketing lesson comes from fast food chain Arby’s. You’ve probably seen how many fast food chains offer a survey on their receipt. Well, Arby’s does that, but they do it a little differently, as you’ll see…
Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this week’s episode? Try the QuickTime version.

#94 – “Snowmageddon, Postcard Marketing, a BIG marketing lesson from Soundview, AND an interview with Marc Accetta”.

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:31:51 +0000

Episode #94 – “Doesn’t expecting the unexpected make the unexpected expected?…”

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I was almost stuck in the massive snowstorm dubbed ‘Snowmageddon’ that hit the east coast of the USA last week. In my time in New York City I noticed the demise of one of the most well known landmarks in the middle of Times Square – can you guess what it is?

Postcard marketing is a valuable tool for advertising and promoting a product or service in almost any business. Our question relates to the subject of tracking the results from a postcard marketing campaign. Any ideas? See if you agree with my recommendations.

The nifty web resource in this episode will help you discover whether you’re paying a fair price for your rental property, regardless of where you live. You can enter what you’re currently paying and the system will show you comparisons with your neighbors, so you can see if you’re getting a good deal, or perhaps being royally ripped off!

I saw a great ad from Soundview Executive Book Summaries recently. It presented two columns: on the left hand side was the ‘problem’ and on the right, the ’solution’. This format for advertising is as old as dirt, but it’s proven to be effective. I’ll show you WHY it’s such a good formula to follow, and I’ll also show you how to adapt it for your small business.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this week’s episode? Try the QuickTime version.

#93 – “Cruise Controversy, Is Google Penalizing You for Duplicate Content, Gift Card Solution, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from Nielson Research”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:01:21 +0000

Episode #93 – “Instant Human: Just Add Coffee…”

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Plastic Jungle (Buy, Sell, Exchange Store Gift Cards)

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The Haiti earthquake has saddened the whole world. One company that’s come under fire recently for their actions in relation to the earthquake is Royal Caribbean Cruise line. They have docked at one end of Haiti for years now, paying a fee to the Haitian government to ‘own’ that area exclusively for their ships. RCL is continuing to take passengers there, obviously relatively close to the chaos and devastation, and that’s why they’ve been heavily criticized in certain circles. The counter argument is that RCL are bringing in relief supplies, as well as significant (and much needed) revenue for Haiti. So what’s your thought on this situation? I haven’t been able to come to a conclusion – I see both sides of the argument.

Great to see some of you using your webcams to submit a video question to ‘ask andrew’. This week’s question raises the issue of duplicate content, specifically video content. How does Google view this type of content? Will they penalize people for distributing videos to multiple sites, using services like Traffic Geyser or Tube Mogul?

I don’t know about you, but I often end up with unwanted gift cards for stores that I don’t frequent. There’s a nifty solution in the form of a website called PlasticJungle.com – it allows you to buy, sell, or exchange gift cards. Buyers get a 5-21% discount, and sellers get most of their money back in the form of cash! Check it out, I think it’s a great idea to solve a common problem.

This week’s BIG marketing lesson is from Nielsen, the research company. They sent me a letter which I almost didn’t open, but that contained a surprise inside. Discover how this relates to the marketing principle of reciprocity.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this week’s episode? Try the QuickTime version.

#92 – “The Taco Bell Drive-Thru Diet, How to Promote a New WebTV Show, Translating Your Marketing Message, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from Drobo”.

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 05:23:29 +0000

Episode #92 – “What I really Need are Minions…”

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Frengly (Free, instant translation tool)

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Have you seen the new Taco Bell commercials on TV? They’re promoting the ‘Taco Bell drive-thru diet!” I promise you I’m not making this up, in fact you can see the actual commercial during this episode.

Charles from Michigan wrote to ask me for some tips about promoting his new WebTV show, so look out for that in this episode. Of course, there’s an in depth resource available to you at www.StartYourOwnTVShow.com if you’re serious about creating a profitable Internet TV show.

Let me ask you, are you translating your marketing into other languages, to reach a wider audience? For example, the Spanish and Chinese languages represent huge growth areas for many businesses. There’s a neat little nifty click resource that can help you get started, I’ll share that with you in this episode.

Finally, our big marketing lesson comes from Drobo, or more specifically Data Robotics, the company behind the computer backup product known as Drobo. There’s a concept in marketing known as “message to market match” – I believe it was Dan Kennedy who came up with that terminology. Anyway, it’s a neat way of describing the important principle that a marketing message needs to fit the audience, otherwise they’ll ignore it. Many companies make the mistake of assuming that an audience is a good fit for their product, without doing due dilligence. Don’t fall into that trap in your business – always evaluate whether the message matches the market (the audience you want to sell to).

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this week’s episode? Try the QuickTime version.

#91 – “Kiosk Chaos, How to Promote a Misunderstood Product or Service, Where to Find Hot Products, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from Disney Movies”.

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:15:59 +0000

Episode #91 – “Wine Improves with Age…I Improve with Wine”

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I’ve rented a lot of cars in a lot of cities in the last year or so, and let me tell you that the kiosks that are supposed to save you time and stress, are near useless as far as I’m concerned. I get so annoyed whenever I go to pickup a car because regardless of the company I’m using (Hertz / Alamo / Enterprise / Dollar / Budget) all of their kiosks suck. Invariably they’re not working, out of order. Usually it happens when the lines for the counter are the longest. I think that’s Murphy’s contribution…

How do you promote a product or service that’s commonly misunderstood by your audience? It’s a challenge, but it’s possible – just listen to the advice I give in this week’s episode.

Another question I get asked a lot is, “I’m starting a new business and I’m looking for a supplier of ‘X’ – where can I find that?” If you’re wondering something similar, there’s a nifty resource called Worldwide Brands that can help you. It’s an excellent, reliable, inexpensive, and effective service where you can find and contact suppliers for almost any product you can think of.

As you know, I’m a fan of Disney marketing, and their DVD division is no exception. They do a great job of a marketing principle known as ’scarcity’ – limiting some aspect of the sale. In Disney’s case, they limit the length of TIME that their movies are available for sale. They remind potential customers that the titles will be going ‘back into the vault’ for a period of time. This strategy works well to help customers avoid procrastination, which is a major cause of delaying (and usually canceling) the sale (at least in the customer’s mind).

Look at ways you can implement scarcity in your business.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this week’s episode? Try the QuickTime version.

Video reply from viewer Bill Sklodowski

#90 – “How to Name Your Products, How to Price a New Product, Daily Motivational Quotations & a BIG Marketing Lesson from XM Radio.”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:55:34 +0000

Episode #90 – “I Love Google”

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I came across a great line of tea products with the brand “The Republic of Tea”. Each product has the name “Get _______” which is brilliant marketing because the names directly relate to a BENEFIT in each case. I’ll show you some examples of this in the episode.

Have you ever launched a product that’s genuinely new to the marketplace? The big dilemma is knowing what to charge, because there’s nothing to compare it with. That’s the challenge posed in this week’s “Ask Andrew” question. My answer revolves around focus groups, or more simply, asking as many people in the target demographic for their opinion and feedback. It works.

It’s good to start each day with an uplifting, positive, encouraging quotation, and the free service that I use for that is from GiveMore.com. I recommend that you sign up for their service.

The BIG marketing lesson this week is from XM satellite radio. I bought a new car recently, and it came with a 3 month trial of the XM service. The company sent me a letter inviting me to signup for the service, so they did things right (to a reasonable extent) with their marketing, BUT they fell at the first hurdle so that I didn’t even consider the offer – I dismissed it out of hand. Wanna’ know why? Watch the episode to find out and see if you agree with me!

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Feedback / Questions: Send me a message or question about your business, you just need a webcam connected to your computer. It’s fast, easy, and free. Click on the ‘reply’ button below…

Note: You might be famous. In submitting a video, you agree to the possibility of your video being shown in a future episode of the show.

Having trouble viewing this week’s episode? Try the QuickTime version.

#89 – “Y2K, Buying Trends, Best eCommerce Shopping Carts, Goal Tracking Resource, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from Evian Water.”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 06:35:01 +0000

Episode #89 – “Skynet”

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Underground Internet Marketing Seminar (March 2010 in Washington, DC)

Google Trends (Useful research tool)

ProStores Trial (Useful ecommerce shopping cart)

Habit Forge (Get daily reminders to help you stick to your goals)

Other Useful Resources:

Preview the GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education in 2010)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Consult with Andrew (Via telephone, to help your business grow faster)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

Remember all the fuss about Y2K in 1999? Amazing that was 10 years ago, isn’t it? Well, it’s now a new decade and I’ve got some exciting new features to tell you about for the show.

The other day I went to Costco and I was impressed to see how they’d given so much thought to which products they would feature at this time of year, to tie in with people’s new years resolutions. Can you guess what products filled the front of the store near the entrance? Watch the episode to find out, and don’t forget to see how you can cash in on seasonal trends in your business.

There’s a confusing array of shopping cart software available for ecommerce transactions and there’s no single ‘one size fits all’ product that’s best for every situation. I’ll give you a couple of recommendations in this episode, and if you know of any other good providers, post a comment below.

Setting goals is the easy part – keeping them is the hard part, but this week I show you a new resource that can help you. Intelligently, it gives you a daily nudge to help keep you on track.

Lastly, our big marketing lesson comes from Evian water. I think you’ll be intrigued at the way they sell a product that’s normally free out of our faucet (tap) and manage to charge people $15-$20 for it. The lesson to adapt for your small business is…. well, watch the episode to find out

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Feedback / Questions: Send me a message or question about your business, you just need a webcam connected to your computer. It’s fast, easy, and free. Click on the ‘reply’ button below…

Note: You might be famous. In submitting a video, you agree to the possibility of your video being shown in a future episode of the show.

Having trouble viewing this week’s episode? Try the QuickTime version.

#88 – “The Worst Ad Tagline Ever, How to Accept Credit Card Payments Online, a Resource for Loading Software on a New Computer, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from Sport Clips”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:21:23 +0000

Episode #88 – “Archaeology: Do You Dig It?”

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Underground Internet Marketing Seminar (March 2010 in Washington, DC)

Discover My #1 Traffic Secret (My Interview with Jonathan Gunson of Traffic Cafe TV)

Ninite (Install common software apps from one installer)

Other Useful Resources:

Preview the GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education in 2010)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Consult with Andrew (Via telephone, to help your business grow faster)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

Can you believe it’s almost the end of 2009? Where did the year go? I love receiving marketing examples from viewers of the show – both good and bad. This week I showcase one of the worst taglines for an ad that I’ve ever seen. And it’s from a well known British company, Dixons. They’re kind of like the Best Buy of the UK.

This weeks question is about how to accept credit card payments on a website, and to do it inexpensively. My answer may surprise you.

I just bought a new computer and the part I always dread is having to reload all the software I use. Simple things like Skype, Firefox, iTunes etc. It takes time. Fortunately I came across Ninite.com which lets you check a few boxes for the software you want, and it creates a custom installer with all those programs built-in. Very cool. I used it and it worked flawlessly. I’m seriously impressed and I’ll definitely be using this nifty resource again in the future.

SportClips is a themed hairdressing chain in the USA. It entices men who love sports with a themed environment – you can even watch sports on a monitor next to your chair! This business is a great example of the fact that there’s “riches in niches”. Anytime you can provide people with an option that closely matches their interests and passions, it’s a MUCH easier sell. Remember, hairdressing is a commodity service, so if it can be transformed by creating an experience within a niche, this principle can be applied to your small business (or big business).

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the QuickTime version.

#87 – “Are You Charging Enough? Where to Find Reliable Mailing Lists, a Resource for Testing and Tracking Marketing, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from IKEA.”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:00:52 +0000

Episode #87 – “Milk…I am Your Father… (Noooooo…)”

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Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Traffic Geyser’s New Package (with iPhone App Module)

Discover My #1 Traffic Secret (My Interview with Jonathan Gunson of Traffic Cafe TV)

Marketing Experiments (For the geekiest of marketers)

Other Useful Resources:

Preview the GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education in 2010)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Book a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business grow faster)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

I signed up for a service called ‘Clear’ which, for a modest fee, was designed to whisk travelers through the airport, avoiding the usual security bottlenecks. Just one problem – the company went out of business. My opinion on this is that they charged far too LITTLE (they under valued their service) and they only had a single revenue stream, which is always a bad idea. I’ll share my story in this episode with you.

If you’re a marketing geek like me, you’ll love MarketingExperiments.com, a site that conducts all kinds of marketing tests and then shares the results.

I love IKEA. They’ve revolutionized the way that people buy home furniture. This week I’ll share a marketing concept that IKEA use that you may not have thought about before – event based marketing. And I don’t mean ‘event’ in the traditional sense of the word. In marketing, an event is simply a REASON for people to come back. Make sure YOU give people regular reasons to return.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

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#86 – Persuasion with Fun, How to Sell a Product that Lots of Other People Already Sell, a Nifty Outsourcing Resource, and a Big Marketing Lesson from Samsung.

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:09:31 +0000

Episode #86 – “Subl(imawesome)inal…”

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Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Yanik Silver’s 2010 Underground Seminar (March 12-14, 2010)

Hire a Helper (Outsourcing resource)

Other Useful Resources:

GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Book a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business grow faster)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

There are lots of methods to persuade people, but one you might not have considered is…fun! There’s a fascinating test in this episode, designed to get people to use the stairs rather than an escalator. I think you’ll be surprised at the result.

Our question for this episode revolves around a challenge that’s common to many businesses – how do you sell a product that lots of other businesses sell? In other words, how do you encourage customers to buy from YOU rather than your competitors? Listen up, you can apply the strategy I reveal to YOUR business.

There was a time when I thought that multi-tasking to the extreme, was a good thing! I’ve since learned that you need to stick to what you’re best at, as well as doing tasks that are the best use of your time. This week’s nifty click resource (www.HireAHelper.com) will help you outsource household tasks like moving, gardening, and cleaning. No need to mow the lawn anymore

Samsung are a smart company. They realize that they compete withe the likes of Nokia or Apple’s iPhone. BUT, they have found a niche that apparently no one else wanted to touch. They’ve developed a mobile phone for Welsh speaking people – a potential market of around 1 million people.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the QuickTime version.

#85 – “In n Out Burger Special – Business and Marketing Lessons from the Popular Fast Food Chain”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:22:40 +0000

Episode #85 – “On Location Special from In n Out Burger…”

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(* Required) Note: Your contact information is not shared with anyone, and you’ll only receive useful communications.

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Yanik Silver’s 2010 Underground Seminar (March 12-14, 2010)

In n Out Burger (In n Out Website)

Andrew’s Upcoming Events:

On Wednesday Dec 2nd at 8pm EST, join me for a webinar about how YOU can create a WebTV show in your niche. Register using the form above and you’ll receive more details.

Click here to register (for the webinar)

Other Useful Resources:

GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Book a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business grow faster)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

“In n Out Burger” is a fascinating company in the fast food business. They’ve bucked all normal trends to create a company that truly stands out from the crowd. In this episode I’ll reveal 4 big marketing lessons you can adapt from In n Out to use in your own business.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the QuickTime version.

#84 – “Zappos tour, how the little guy (or girl) can sell to big business, a free website creator, and a BIG marketing lesson from Bose.”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:02:46 +0000

Episode #84 – “Marketing is Everything…”

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Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Talk Show System (Discover the #1 secret to a successful interview, and checkout the system)

Get Weebly (Easy to use, free online website creator)

Andrew’s Upcoming Events:

On Wednesday Dec 2nd at 8pm EST, join me for a webinar about how YOU can create a WebTV show in your niche. Register using the form above and you’ll receive more details.

Other Useful Resources:

GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Book a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business grow faster)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

I spent some time with Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos.com last week. He graciously answered the questions posed by myself and other members of our small group which Nick Nanton arranged. Zappos is a fascinating company to behold. It’s extraordinary in every sense of the word. I’ll tell you more in this episode.

Do big businesses intimidate you as a small business owner? Have you ever had to pitch to a big business with fear and trepidation? Well that ends today. The fear I mean. Seriously, there’s no need to get all worked up because businesses don’t buy anything – PEOPLE buy. And they buy from other people that they know, like, and trust. That’s the topic of the ‘ask andrew’ question this week.

I have a great resource for you that’ll help you create a simple but good looking website for free. This is a particularly good resource if you need a quick personal site for yourself or your clients.

Finally this week, the BIG marketing lesson is from Bose.com, the audio equipment manufacturer. They use an advanced strategy in their advertising that allows them to track exactly where the responses come from. You can benefit from the same tip in your business, so look out for that.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the QuickTime version.

#83 – “My Personal Story, How to Post Videos Online, a Tool for Twitter, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from Winco Supermarkets”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:37:59 +0000

Episode #83 – “I bought this t-shirt and all I got was this t-shirt…”

Get updates, offers & the exclusive FREE guide: “7 Killer Methods for Marketing Without Money”:

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(* Required) Note: Your contact information is not shared with anyone, and you’ll only receive useful communications.

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Grasshopper (Virtual phone system for entrepreneurs)

MarketMeTweet (Easy to use Desktop twitter app)

Andrew’s Upcoming Events:

On Wednesday Nov 25th, join me for a webinar about how YOU can create a WebTV show in your niche. Register using the form above and you’ll receive more details.

Other Useful Resources:

GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Book a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business grow faster)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

Many of you ask about how I came to live in the USA, so I start this episode with my story, going back to my humble beginnings as a cameraman in Britain.

Do you resonate with any elements of my background and story? Let me know!

Our question this week is about online video, specifically whether its possible to embed a video in an email. Also, the best method for distributing videos online via a service that YOU control rather than a third party provider.

Attention Twitter users! I’m sure you’d agree that its a pain to do quick updates on Twitter because you either have to open a browser, or another software tool. Viewer Tammy Fennell has come up with a great solution in the form of a little app that resides in the corner of your desktop. Great idea.

The BIG marketing lesson is from WinCo supermarkets. Winco is a new provider in our area (Salt Lake City) and they have certainly got people’s attention with incredibly low prices. They used a specific strategy with their advertising that you should be incorporating in your business. Find out more in this episode.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the QuickTime version.

#82 – “The New Microsoft / Apple Stores, How to Sell Your DVDs Online, a Resource for Recording Video Interviews, and a Big Marketing Lesson from Hotels.com” with Andrew Lock

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:00:29 +0000

Episode #82 – “Windows: Just Another Pane…”

Get updates, offers & the exclusive FREE guide: “7 Killer Methods for Marketing Without Money”:

Enter Your Info Below:

First Name *

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(* Required) Note: Your contact information is not shared with anyone, and you’ll only receive useful communications.

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Grasshopper (Virtual phone system for entrepreneurs)

Kunaki (creates DVD’s and CD’s on demand)

Youreeeka (online publishing platform with pay ver view player technology)

WeToku (records 2 people in a video interview)

Andrew’s Speaking Engagements:

Peter Shankman and Nick Nanton’s Social Media Summit (Nov 15-17, Las Vegas, NV)

Other Useful Resources:

GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Book a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business grow faster)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

I was in Scottsdale, AZ recently and called into the local shopping mall. I passed an Apple store, did a double take, and realized it was in fact a Microsoft store! Seems like they’ve copied just about everything! Frustrating that Microsoft are getting such a whooping from Apple. And the ultimate irony in front of the store was…well, watch the episode to find out.

What’s your take on the Apple vs PC debate? Will you be upgrading to Windows 7, or will you convert to a Mac now? Tell me what you think.

If you’re looking for a way to outsource the production of DVD’s, I have a great resource for you. And if you want to charge people to watch your videos on a pay per view basis ONline, I have a resource for that too.

With so much attention being given to Web video these days, it’s no surprise that someone has come up with a handy way to record BOTH the interviewer and interviewee during a video interview. It’s a free service, it works well, and you can embed the recorded video in to your own website or blog.

This week’s BIG marketing lesson is from Hotels.com. They have what I consider to be the BEST loyalty campaign I’ve ever come across in ANY industry. There’s no sneaky small print or weasel clauses, and it frees travelers to book whatever hotel is most convenient at any given time. You can apply this lesson to your business, I’ll show you how at the end of the episode.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the QuickTime version.

My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-de02caeecb189e47254ab20cbf90ccfe}

#81 – “Creative Advertising, Is Your Business Really Different, a New Tool for Copywriters, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from Delta Airlines”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:07:17 +0000

Episode #81 – “Software doesn’t have bugs, it just develops random features…”

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Grasshopper (Virtual phone system for entrepreneurs)

Copy Boosters / Doodles (to spice up your copywriting and make it more effective)

Andrew’s Speaking Engagements:

Terry Wygal’s Blueprint to Financial Freedom (Nov 6-8, 2009, Houston, TX)

Peter Shankman and Nick Nanton’s Social Media Summit (Nov 15-17, Las Vegas, NV)

Other Useful Resources:

GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Book a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business grow faster)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

Most viewers request show updates and special offers. Here’s how:

Enter Your Info Below:

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I’m not a fan of conventional advertising, I believe it’s a complete waste of money most of the time. There are occasional exceptions, and I’ll show you some examples during this episode.

In this weeks question I came across an excuse that I hear from different people every week. It’s, “but my business is different – your marketing strategies won’t work in my field”. This makes me both smile and cringe at the same time. I smile because it’s funny how so many people think their business is unique and different, and cringe because these people just don’t get it. People are people, regardless of the niche, and buyers are buyers regardless of the niche.

I discovered a cool tool to spice up your copywriting called CopyDoodles, aka CopyBoosters. They’re hand drawn images that you can include in a salesletter, whether its online or offline.

The BIG marketing lesson this week is from Delta Airlines. I know, what am I doing recommending an airlines?! Delta did something that surprised me, that turned out to be an excellent marketing lesson for all.

Finally on this episode, stay tuned for an interview with Travis Miller and Jimmy Vee from ‘Bad for Business’, the new show on GotBiz.tv

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the QuickTime version.

#80 – “Educating Young Entrepreneurs, How to Improve PPC Ad Campaigns, Protecting Your Online Identity, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from iHop”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:44:18 +0000

Episode #80 – “Nostalgia was better in the old days…”

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Grasshopper (Virtual phone system for entrepreneurs)

Reputation Defender (Monitor and fix your online identity)

Kidpreneurs (book for kids)

Retire at 21 (blog for young entrepreneurs)

Andrew’s Speaking Engagements:

Terry Wygal’s Blueprint to Financial Freedom (Nov 6-8, 2009, Houston, TX)

Peter Shankman and Nick Nanton’s Social Media Summit (Nov 15-17, Las Vegas, NV)

Other Useful Resources:

GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Book a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business grow faster)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

(* Required) Note: Your contact information is not shared with anyone, and you’ll only receive useful communications.

I start this week with a VERY unusual ad. It’s real, I promise.

I try to do my part to help young entrepreneurs, and I was delighted to see the release of a new book, ‘Kidpreneurs’ which is an innovative way to help kids learn about the pros and cons of running a small business. You can grab it from Kidpreneurs.com and congrats to Adam and Matt Toren.

This weeks question is from someone who’s making sales using PPC, but they’re not sure how to take it to the next level. I suggest two easy tactics that will definitely increase the level of sales substantially. Look out for those tips!

As you no doubt realize, your reputation is a valuable asset. Online, do you know what others are saying about you? Find out, using Google! If you find things that you don’t want others to see, you need the nifty click that I recommend this week.

iHop restaurants do a good job at theming special menus around popular topic. I’ll give you a good example where they linked in with NFL, and show you how to use the same strategy in your business.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the QuickTime version.

#79 – “The Hilton Hotel Deception, Worst Case Business Survival Guide, How to get Sponsors, a Nifty Outsourcing Resource, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from Haagen Dazs.”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:12:42 +0000

Episode #79 – “I’m Not Trying to be Difficult – it comes naturally”

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Grasshopper (Virtual phone system for entrepreneurs)

WeLive2Care (Outsourcing service)

Andrew’s Speaking Engagements:

Terry Wygal’s Blueprint to Financial Freedom (Nov 6-8, 2009, Houston, TX)

Peter Shankman and Nick Nanton’s Social Media Summit (Nov 15-17, Las Vegas, NV)

Other Useful Resources:

GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Book a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business grow faster)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

(* Required) Note: Your contact information is not shared with anyone, and you’ll only receive useful communications.

I stayed at the Las Vegas Hilton hotel recently and they did something quite astonishing at check-in. I’ll spill the details in this episode. This week sees the release of “The Worst Case Business Survival Guide” by Mark Joyner, and I co-wrote one of the chapters. Available now from your local book store, or Amazon.

The question for this episode is all about how to acquire sponsors, so if you’d like to know my suggestions for doing just that, tune in.

I’ve discovered a useful outsourcing resource called www.WeLive2Care.com – I’ve used them for various VA type tasks including writing, research etc, and I’m happy to recommend them to you.

The BIG marketing lesson is from Haagen Dazs. Specifically, they used a coupon that had a specific design. You can copy and adapt the same idea to use in your business, watch the show to find out how.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the QuickTime version.

#78 – How to Have Fun in the Corporate Cubicle, Photographing Space for $150, a New Resource for all Your Graphic Design Needs, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from the Makers of ROM, the Fitness Machine. “Help! My Business Sucks!” is presented by Andrew Lock

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:19:04 +0000

Episode #78 – “I Have Millions of Excuses – Which One Would You Like?…”

Websites and resources for your benefit:

Membergate (Grab the FREE Videos)

Hatchwise (Graphic design resource)

GotBiz WebTV Network (NEW Home for Unconventional Business Education)

NiftyClicks (Discover all the latest web tools and resources)

Get a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

I’m so glad that I left the corporate world many years ago. I really didn’t fit in, and it took me too long to discover that. This week I’ll show you some creative ways that cubicle dwellers are spending their time, to welcome co-workers back from vacation.

2 MIT students have also been creative with $150. They hooked together a camera, GPS cellphone, beer cooler, and a weather balloon, to take some astonishing photos of space! If they can accomplish that with $1 think what YOU can do with a little money and a lot of creativity in your business.

99Designs.com has been one of the most popular ‘nifty click’ reccommendations that I’ve made, so I wanted to tell you about a similar service, Hatchwise.com. It works in a similar way, and I’m impressed, so I encourage you to check it out.

If you fly regularly you’ve probably seen he ad for the ROM fitness machine that appears in many high-end magazines. It costs a whopping $14,995 but the ads are obviously successful based on the fact that they’ve been running for years. There’s a key reason why. I’ll explain it during this episode’s ‘Big lessons from Big Brands’ segment.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the QuickTime version.

#77 – “53 Extraordinary Minds – Special Promotion with a FREE Resource for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners.”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:00:29 +0000

Hi,

I realize that you have come to expect a certain format from the show, and I sprung a curve ball on you with a promotional film for this episode. For that, I’m sorry.

However I am 100% supportive of the offer in this episode, so if you decide to watch it, please do so knowing that it is a promotion for a valuable (and FREE) service for entrepreneurs. If you decide to follow up on the offer, I get paid a small affiliate commission for recommending it to you, but of course, there is no obligation whatsoever.

Further information about the offer can be found at 53 Extraordinary Minds.

Regards,

#76 – “Frozen Diet Coke, Apple Customer Service, Website Sales Conversion, How to Find the Best WordPress Themes, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from Netflix”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:17:53 +0000

Episode #76 – “I Hate Attention Seekers…”

Websites and resources mentioned in the show:

Membergate (Grab the FREE Videos)

The Woo Themes (Secret WordPress themes resource)

GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Get a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

4 Cans of Diet Coke exploded in the top of my fridge – did you know that other soda doesn’t do that – just Diet Coke apparently. Consider yourself warned.

Another reminder that everything is marketing (and marketing is everything) with a story about Apple Customer service. I was impressed, and I think you will be too. The image here is from Mark who sent in the story, along with his 3 iPhones.

Is it better to use long copy or a video for a sales website these days? My answer might surprise you. Also, find out the average conversion on a website for cold (PPC) traffic as well as when promoting an offer to a warm list.

Trying to find a decent WordPress theme is sometimes like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Fortunately, I reveal my trusted source for the best wordpress themes. Shhh…don’t tell anyone. Check out lots more Nifty Clicks at http://www.NiftyClicks.com

Finally, a big marketing lesson from Netflix. When my credit card recently declined on an order, they sent me a surprisingly nice email. Maybe you can adapt it for use in your business.

Let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the QuickTime version.

#75 – “More Outrageous Business Signs, Dragons Den VC Pitches, How to Followup with a Phone Call, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from Conde Nast Portfolio Magazine.”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:03:59 +0000

Episode #75 – “Being Vague is Almost as Fun as Doing This Other Thing…”

Websites and resources mentioned in the show:

Membergate (Grab the FREE Videos)

Mail Chimp (Scaleable Bulk Email Sending Service)

GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Get a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

I’ve got some more outrageous business signs for you this week, they’re hilarious! Might want to check the signage in YOUR business, too! Just in case

Have you seen Dragons Den, the TV show? It started in Japan, then went to the BBC, and now it’s on BBC America. It’s a great show where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a group of 5 VC investors. They either shoot the idea down in flames, or embrace it and invest their own money. It’s fascinating to be a fly on the wall. I’ll show you a clip from an episode where a poor girl gets ripped to shreds. I felt sorry for her actually. The Dragons Den concept has now been adapted for U.S TV in the form of a new show by Mark Burnett (Apprentice / Survivor) called ‘Shark Tank’ on ABC, Tuesday evenings.

Our question this week is all about following up by phone. How long should you leave it before calling a prospect? And what should you say? Find out my top tips for telephone selling in this episode.

If you need a reliable email service you might want to try MailChimp. They offer a free version of their service – basic, but hey it’s free. Check out lots more Nifty Clicks at http://www.NiftyClicks.com

Sean Delisle is a man who implements! Find out what he did in this week’s success story…

Finally, a big marketing lesson from a big brand. This time it’s Conde Nast’s Portfolio magazine. Or more specifically, their marketing materials for getting new subscribers. They used a technique that’s little known, but very powerful and persuasive.

Let me know your opinion about the topics in the show – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the QuickTime version.

#74 – “Customer Service Collapses, How to Get More Customers Without Advertising, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from the Austin American Statesman Newspaper”

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:30:08 +0000

Episode #74 – “Cleverly Disguised as a Responsible Adult”

Websites and resources mentioned in the show:

Membergate (Grab the FREE Videos)

Service Magic (Get household tasks done for you)

GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Get a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

I’m upset with Archos, a company that makes high-end portable media players. My new unit broke after using it just twice, and the company didn’t seem the slightest bit interested in helping me, or even keeping my future business. I returned the broken unit for repair.

They kept me waiting for 30 minutes on the phone to speak to someone. Then I discover that they apparently have some kind of insane policy where they offered me a new unit at a 15% discount. That in itself is okay, but I would have had to let them keep the original unit. So I would have paid for TWO units, and only have ONE. Er, that doesn’t seem quite right. They get to repair it then sell it on for profit, at MY expense. Not the way to treat customers as far as I’m concerned.

On to business. How do you get more customers without it costing you an arm and a leg? That’s the question posed to me this week, and the answer will work for virtually any business, so take note!

What about all those long overdue jobs around the house - will they ever get done? Well, fret not. I have a handy solution in the form of a simple website where you can outsource any such maintenance or repair that needs to be done.

Finally, our big marketing lesson is from a newspaper. Really. I found one that’s doing a good job at marketing using a simple graphic on the front page that takes up just a couple of inches of space. It’s a no-brainer mareting strategy, and I’ll give you a few pointers about how you can adapt it for your own business, regardless of the niche you’re in.

Let me know your opinion about the show – simply write a comment below.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the QuickTime version.

#73 – The Yellow Book, How to Spy on Your Competitors Pay Per Click Campaigns, a Resource for Researching Domain Names, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from Dell

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:30:52 +0000

Episode #73 – “Marketing Helps Me Make Decisions”

Websites and resources mentioned in the show:

BoomText Special Offer (Get a FREE 30 Day Trial and a 60 minute consultation)

Domain Typo Tool (Research common mis-typings)

GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Get a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

This is an exciting week for me, and hopefully you too. Why?

When was the last time you used a Yellow Book? Personally, I can’t remember. I dusted mine off the shelf for this episode, and I’d love to know if you’re like me, using online tools to search for local suppliers, rather than books like the Yellow Pages.

The question that’s raised is all about how to spy on competitors pay per click campaigns. It is possible, and I’ve got two web resources for you, one of which is free.

Many people mistype words when they type a domain name into a browser. This is for a number of reasons that I’ll explain, some of which might be surprising to you. Fortunately, there’s an excellent free tool that will tell you what the likely mistakes are for any domain name, even one you haven’t registered yet. This is really useful because you might want to register some of those mis-spelled names and register them, in order to forward the visitor to your website.

Finally, the show wraps up with a big marketing lesson from Dell, the computer company. Dell sent me an invitation to their ’signature event’ which caught my attention, and so I’ll explain why ‘event’ based marketing is so effective for ANY business. Yes, including yours.

Let me know your opinion about the show – simply write a comment below.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

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#72 – The Launch of GotBiz.tv, How to Sell When Nobody’s Buying, How to Reassure Nervous Buyers, and a Big Marketing Lesson from Liberty Mutual. “Help! My Business Sucks!” with Andrew Lock

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:16:05 +0000

Episode #72 – “The art of conversation is, like, kinda dead and stuff”

Websites and resources mentioned in the show:

BoomText Special Offer (Get a FREE 30 Day Trial and a 60 minute consultation)

How to Sell When Nobody’s Buying” (Groundbreaking new book by Dave Lakhani)

Integration Marketing (Watch the video and download the free guide)

Backpage (Alternative to Craigslist)

GotBiz WebTV Network (The NEW Place for Unconventional Business Education)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Get a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

This is an exciting week for me, and hopefully you too. Why?

GotBiz.tv has now launched – 9/9/09! This new network for entrepreneurs aims to educate entrepreneurs in an unconventional way and prove that business doesn’t have to be boring. With the erratic economy continuing to send jolts of fear and uncertainty throughout the business world, the launch of GotBiz.tv couldn’t have come at a better time. With its hours of fast, fun and free business training from a variety of well-known experts, always delivered in a spirit of optimism and good humor, GotBiz.tv is certain to become a valued source of information and inspiration for millions of entrepreneurs across the globe.

I like to read. A lot. Actually, I aim to consume 2 new business books each week. One of the best books I’ve read recently is “How to sell when nobody’s buying” by Dave Lakhani. If you’re in sales, you MUST read this ground-breaking book.

This week’s question is all about how to reassure nervous buyers on e-commerce websites. Watch the show to discover the answer.

d you know tha there’s a significant competitor to Craigslist in the USA? It has a slightly cleaner look and layout that Craigslist in my opinion. Check it out.

There’s a new part of the show – ’success stories’. I love hearing YOUR succes stories about how you implement the suggestions in the show, so keep ‘em coming. You can submit your results using the ‘ask andrew’ link at the top of the page, and you can win an incredible prize, something from my travels

Finally, the big lesson of the week, from Liberty Mutual. They teamed up with Home Depot in a very clever marketing strategy called ‘integration marketing’.

Let me know your opinion about the show – simply write a comment below.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

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Episode #71 – More Airline Sillyness, a Question About my T-shirts, How to Offer Printable Coupons on Your Website, and a Big Marketing Lesson from Jet Blue. “Help! My Business Sucks!” with Andrew Lock

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:00:42 +0000

Episode #71 – “I Do Know It All… I Just Can’t Remember it All at Once”

Websites and resources mentioned in the show:

Infusion (Download the free guide from Infusion)

One Minute Coupon (Creates printable coupons for your website)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Get a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

Yep, many of the big airlines are still screwing their own business up with bad customers service, silly charges, and other nonsense. Long time viewer of the show, Meny Hoffman shares his experience about trying to upgrade on Continental. They wanted to charge him a $250 PENALTY for upgrading to a higher class of fare! The extra $1200 is apparently not good enough for greedy Continental Airlines.

United Airlines are still feeling the heat from Dave Carroll, who created the “United Breaks Guitars” video that’s been seen over 5 million times on YouTube already! Dave’s just released video #2, with a new song. It’s great!

Then there’s UPS who are still irritating me no end. They won’t deliver to our new studio address in Salt Lake City because the address isn’t in their computer! Yet USPS and Fedex have no problem. I HATE the “our computer says” type of excuse. Fix it! Computers don’t think for themseves, they do whatever humans tell ‘em to do!

This week’s question is all about the t-shirts I wear on the show. What’s the marketing signifcance? Watch the show to discover the answer.

You can now offer printable coupons on your website, thanks to OneMinteCoupons.com, I’l share that nifty click with you this week, it’s really useful.

I love hearing YOUR succes stories, so keep ‘em coming. You can submit your story using the ‘ask andrew’ link at the top of the page, and you can win an incredible prize, something from my travels

A few weeks ago, JetBlue offered an ‘all you can jet’ pass, valid for a month, and it was a major success. Think about how YOU can challenge the existing pricing model of your industry and offer something different, and better.

GotBiz.tv is officially launching 9-9-09, sign up for free updates and offes at GotBiz.tv. I’m excited to launch this new network for you, and all the shows will be free.

Let me know your opinion about the show – simply write a comment below.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

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#70 – Caring for Challenging Customers, a Nifty Web Tool to Convert PDF Documents to Word, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from Hyatt Hotels. “Help! My Business Sucks!” with Andrew Lock

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 05:05:22 +0000

Episode #70 – “Apparently, Common Sense isn’t that Common”

Websites and resources mentioned in the show:

Infusion (Download the free guide from Infusion)

Outsourcing Webinar with John Jonas (replay)

PDF to Word (Converts PDF acrobat documents to editable Word or RTF formats)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Get a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

For all those people who can’t figure out how to wrap a towel around themselves, some bright spark has come up with the ‘wearable towel’ – the towel with arm openings! Whatever will they sell next? Is existing towel technology really that hard to figure out?! Check out the promo video in the show, and let me know if YOU would buy one.

There’s a profitable scam going around from “Domain Renewal Group”. They try to get you to renew your existing domains with them, even though you’ve never done business with them before. Watch out for that one!

GotBiz.tv is officially launching 9-9-09, and this week I show you the brand new trailer promoting GotBiz.tv. I’m excited to launch this new network for you, especially as all the shows will be free.

The outsourcing webinar with John Jonas is Wednesday August 26, at 9pm EST – you can view it by here: Outsourcing Webinar

The question this week is all about problem customers. What would you do in the situation described? Let me know by posting a comment below.

I’m impressed with PDFtoWord.com, a free online service that converts PDF files to editable Word or rich text format documents. Very cool.

There’s a new section of the show this week! It’s called ‘Success Stories’ and each week I’ll be featuring someone who has taken positive action from what they’ve learned from the show. You can win a cool prize from my travels – just submit your story using the ‘ask andrew’ link at the top of the page.

The BIG marketing lesson comes from Hyatt hotels who are using social media to engage with their customers – specifically in this example, it’s Twitter. See how you can use the same idea in your business. Look for creative ways to enagage with YOUR customers.

If you’d like to share YOUR favorite little known website, simply write a comment below!

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

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#69 – Taxing Taxi Drivers, Outrageous Salesletters, Website Design Tips, and a BIG Marketing Lesson from Jamba Juice. “Help! My Business Sucks!” with Andrew Lock

andrew@helpmybusiness.com (Andrew Lock) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:41:24 +0000

Episode #69 – “If You’re Interested in Time Travel: Meet Me Last Thursday”

Websites and resources mentioned in the show:

Infusion (Download the free guide from Infusion)

Outrageous Advertising Book (from Amazon)

The Most Successful Outrageous Salesletter (You can download it from here)

Blurb (Full Color Book Printing)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Get a Private Telephone Consultation with me (to Help YOUR Business)

Buy This Week’s T-Shirt (from National Media Services)

What’s going on with taxi drivers? I was down in San Diego last weekend and on every trip I took around town, the taxi drivers decided on their own tip, by giving me back my change, LESS their tip! What’s up with that?!

This week’s ‘Ask Andrew’ question is all about web design from…a web designer. That’s okay. Many designers favor form over function, or marketing effectiveness. I’ll give my suggestions, including why you should NOT use flash in your web design if you want it to be found by the search engines.

The ‘nifty click’ resource is a company that enables you to create a bookstore quality book, with a minimum quantity of just one! Price varies according to how many you order, and the number of pages in the book.

The BIG marketing lesson comes from Jamba Juice, who have opened up a new market for themselves by offering a delivery service. Fax your order, and it can be delivered. The key lesson is widening out the way you do business.

If you’d like to share YOUR favorite little known website, simply write a comment below!

Enjoy the show!

Regards,