Other Useful Resources for Small Business Marketing:

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

Get Time Tips (Dave Crenshaw’s Website)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Ask a Question (about small business marketing – you could be featured on the show)

Valpak / Money Mailer style marketing is like pouring money down the drain for most businesses. They dont focus on the benefits to the reader, rather they focus on their own products or services in an insular fashion.

Dave Crenshaw introduces the concept of using a phone that matches your computer via the principle of being ‘lost in translation’. Fascinating stuff, although I do use an iPhone4 with a PC, so maybe I should look at getting an Apple Mac.

Article marketing is a valuable process to bring you backlinks, if you do it right. EzineArticles.com is a great resource, there are others, too. Post your articles to these sites with a persuasive resource box that conveys a benefit to customers.

YouSendIt.com is a good service, but it’s a challenge to send large files. That problem is solved with WeTransfer.com, a new and free file sending service. It’s easy to use, you can send up to 2Gb, and there’s no registration required. Excellent.

This week’s big marketing lesson for small business is from New York’s Ptex Group. They’ve implemented a new strategy to ensure that when customers receive their bill, it’s a positive experience. I love the strategy they came up with, it’s simple, and highly effective.

As usual, let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show to help your small business this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do, no registration required.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

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

Screenr (Web based screen capture tool)

Other Useful Resources for Small Business Marketing:

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

Get Time Tips (Dave Crenshaw’s Website)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Ask a Question (about small business marketing – you could be featured on the show)

Turns out that many well known logos, including those from Fedex, Formula 1, Tostitos, Sony, Northwest Airlines, and others have hidden details.  My question is, are these details too secret, in other words is it a case of being so clever that no one but the designer and a few eagle eyed people notice?   Have you done anything like this with the logo for your small business?

The question in this episode relates to testimonials.  Is it okay to offer an incentive for someone to give you a testimonial?  What do you think?  Add your comments below.

Screenr.com is an awesome screen capture tool in the same vein as Camtasia and Jing, with one notable exception – there’s no software, it’s a web based tool.  And it’s free.  Designed and touted as a Twitter add-on, it can certainly be used that way, but I love the wider possibilities of this resource.  It’s simple to use, doesn’t require any special software, and it’s free.  Can’t be bad.

The BIG marketing lesson to adapt for your small business is from Lego.  Lego?  Yes, Lego.  The company is surprisingly nimble and unconventional with their marketing, and they’ve achieved incredible success from those little plastic bricks.  I’ll focus in on a few of the things that Lego has done to expand their brand, and show you how you can do the same to help your small business marketing.

As usual, let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show to help your small business this week – leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do, no registration required.

Enjoy the show!

Regards,

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

Other Useful Resources for Small Business Marketing:

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

Get Time Tips (Dave Crenshaw’s Website)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Ask a Question (about small business marketing – you could be featured on the show)

Did you see the world cup final? I was in New York while it was going on, and there were little huddles of people grouped around portable TV’s on the streets, it was amusing to watch. See if you agree with the observations from John Cleese (Monty Python) about football / soccer, whatever you want to call it.

Starbucks recently changed their wi-fi policy in stores.  It used to cost, but now it’s free, in line with many other popular food/drink destinations not least of which is McDonalds.  There’s a downside though – seems like business people are virtually living in Starbucks and using it as their office!  Apparently in some locations it’s becoming tough to find a place to sit down and drink a cup of coffee.  As I always say, everything is marketing and marketing is everything.

Google fastflip is in ‘labs’ mode as of this writing, but it’s a great resource that I highly recommend.  See what it does in this episode.

Finally, a BIG marketing lesson from cellphone giant AT&T.  As you may know, in the U.S. AT&T have had the iPhone exclusively for the last few years.  Seems like that’s coming to an end, and they’ve done something clever to maximize their reach for as long as possible.  I’ll reveal the details in this show.

As usual, 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.

AnswerBag (Quick, Easy, Free market research for your niche)

Other Useful Resources:

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

Get Time Tips (Dave Crenshaw’s Website)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

What is going on with the hotels? None of them seem to have a clue about travelers want! I just stayed in one in Los Angeles that had recently had a multi-million dollar refurbishment done, and it was a classic case of form over function. It was completely impractical. Nowhere to plug my cellphone in to charge it up, having to get OUT of bed to turn off the bedside light, and being blinded by bright fluorescent lights in the bathroom!

This week’s question is about the best duration for an eBay listing – should it be one, five, seven, or ten days? What do you think? See if you agree with my recommendation.

Market research is MUCH easier these days than it ever used to be, thanks to the Internet. I’ll tell you about a cool resource called AnswerBag.com, which can let you get inside your prospects minds, it’s very handy indeed.

Virgin has a GREAT reputation for outstanding customer service, and their marketing efforts are equally as impressive, especially for a big company. They offer a range of services including broadband, TV, cellphone, and home phone. They bundle the services into a sweet deal, and I’ll show you a principle that helps them win many customers via direct mail. You can use the same principle in your marketing, for your small business.

As usual, 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.

Groupon (Get daily bargains in your local area)

BP Live Webcam (Watch the underwater robots do their thing)

Other Useful Resources:

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

Get Time Tips (Dave Crenshaw’s Website)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

I got the new iPhone4 (it’s a business tool).  Do you have one?  Let me know, and perhaps we can do a FaceTime call!

The BP oil spill continues to get out of hand and graphic designers have been proposing some new logos for the company, I’ll show you some of them in the episode.

Groupon is a resource to save you money on local products and service, I think you’ll like it.

This week’s big marketing lesson is from Harbor Freight Tools, a company that I admire for their marketing.  They have a big bold USP and they reinforce it with the marketing principle I discuss with you this week, so look out for that.

As usual, 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.

IncomeDiary (Free information about blogging for profit)

FitBiz.tv (Curtis Mock’s WebTV show for the fitness industry)

Other Useful Resources:

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

Get Time Tips (Dave Crenshaw’s Website)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

I start out this episode with a shout out to viewer Curtis Mock who has done an outstanding job with his FitBiz.tv show for independent gym owners – he helps and advises them with practical marketing and business advice they can implement and use right away.

My WebTV Wealth event in Salt Lake City happened last week and we all had a great time. It was a lightning fast run through the world of WebTV, with a focus on how to make money from doing your own show.

This week our question is all about social media, specifically how is it possible to track results of marketing efforts in that world? My answer may shock you, but it needs to be said.

If you’ve ever thought about blogging for profit then you’ll love this week’s nifty click resource that’ll help you get started, for free. It’s fellow Brit Michael Dunlop’s site, and he’s done a really great job of providing useful, practical content.

The BIG marketing lesson is from Citrix, the company that’s behind GotoMyPC, which I use all the time, incidentally. The marketing lesson focuses on how to provide your customers with an unexpected,unannounced gift.

As usual, 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.

The Woo Themes (For WordPress Blogs)

Miro Video Converter (Free and easy Video Converter software)

Other Useful Resources:

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

Get Time Tips (Dave Crenshaw’s Website)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

I love The Apprentice TV show with Donald Trump, and the spin-off series “Celebrity Apprentice” too. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s chock full of useful business (and marketing) lessons for small business owners, including you. In this episode, I talk about the finale of Celebrity Apprentice where Brett Michaels and Holly Robinson Pete are tasked with creating a new flavor of drink for Snapple ice tea.

What should you do if your ideal domain name is already taken by someone, especially if they’re just sitting on it, and haven’t used it for any specific purpose? That’s the question raised in this week’s “Ask Andrew” segment. I hope you benefit from the reply I share with you.

I’m often asked to recommend a good online video converter that doesn’t require a lot of fiddling and tweaking of settings. I have exactly that to share with you, it works on both Mac and PC, and it’s free. Don’t say I don’t have your best interests at heart!

This week’s BIG marketing lesson is from Toyota. As you know, they’ve been in a spot of bother recently when they discovered that some of their models thought that braking meant accelerating. Well, we all make mistakes. Toyota had a major mess on their hands and they’re now in their final stages of clearing it up and fixing the negative perception of the company that has been implanted by the media. I’ll show you how to adapt what Toyota did, to your small business.

As usual, 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.

The Woo Themes (For WordPress Blogs)

WordsIntoProfits (Reliable transcription service)

Other Useful Resources:

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

Get Time Tips (Dave Crenshaw’s Website)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

As a struggling small business owner, you must learn to stand out from the crowd. Every business has competition, so how do you persuade customers that you’re better a choice than the next company down the road? It’s tough, which is why I address this topic of getting noticed, in this episode.

Website design is fraught with difficulties, especially when you’re dealing with web designers who are in love with Flash. Yes, flash sites can look great, but they won’t get the traffic or response that non-flash sites get, that’s a fact. I’ll share 3 other website design tips from a BUSINESS stand point in this episode.

I’m a big fan of transcriptions, and you should be too, because it’s a great way to leverage existing content. But who can you trust to do a reliable, accurate job, fast, and inexpensively? Ah, I’m glad you asked!

Finally, a BIG marketing lesson from The Four Seasons Hotel chain. This is a laughably simple strategy that ANY business owner can implement for free, and it will work for you, just as it has worked for The Four Seasons group.

As usual, 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.

Other Useful Resources:

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

Get Time Tips (Dave Crenshaw’s Website)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

I’m away this week, so I’ve dusted off one of my favorite shows from the archives, for you to enjoy again.  That’s called “re-purposing” (a marketing lesson) and since it’s more than 18 months since this episode first aired, I hope you’ll enjoy it with fresh eyes!

The show revolves around a NCL cruise, and there’s lots of marketing lessons along the way that you can use in your small business.

As usual, 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.

Other Useful Resources:

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

Get Time Tips (Dave Crenshaw’s Website)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

There’s a well known computer company that rhymes with “Bell” and I’m not happy with them. At all. Their customer service sucks. In fact, ANY interaction with them is painful. Find out more about what happened to me in this week’s episode.

I’m thrilled to have Dave Crenshaw as a continuing guest presenter on the show, he does an outstanding job at providing you with some useful productivity tips, so make sure you check out his website (www.GetTimeTips.com).

This weeks question is all about which direction to go with an existing business that serves a niche market. My answer may surprise you!

If you need funding to help you get a great idea off the ground, I have a useful ‘nifty click’ resource that’ll help you to do just that.

Our BIG marketing lesson comes from Hilton Hotels, who are using a process to creatively transfer costs. I’ll show you how to do the same in your business.

As usual, 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.

Other Useful Resources:

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

Get Time Tips (Dave Crenshaw’s Website)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Last week I was down in Florida with my magical marketing mastermind group – there were 22 of us in total, and we had a great time exploring backstage and ‘on stage’ at Disney World.  We had plenty of time to explore, compare notes, and even enjoy a few of the best rides, including Soarin’ and Test Track, at Epcot.

I get a lot of questions about web traffic, so this week I share some important principles and concepts that will help you to increase the number of visitors to your website over the long-term.  As a bonus, most of the methods I share are free – they require nothing but about an hour a day of your time.  You can do that!

Many Internet users still have AOL or MSN as their homepage, which always makes me cringe.  You can be more productive using this week’s simple nifty click resource.  All will be revealed in the episode.

I have two ‘madverts’ this week, in this new feature of the show.  They’re from Old Spice – one’s a new one, and one was from a campaign last year – they’re both VERY funny.

This week’s BIG marketing lesson is from Vistaprint, with Google.  Sound odd?  Well, I’ll let you think on that one.  Watch the show to find out how the two companies are working together in a win-win arrangement.

As usual, 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.

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

This week, I’m travelling to Disney World with my Magical Mastermind group, a group of 15 entrepreneurs who meet 3 times a year to help each other under my direction. We’re going to Disney World to learn from one of the most successful companies in the world. Arguably, Disney have the highest service standards of any business, and they certainly have lofty goals that everyone in their HUGE organization are expected to meet.

Since I’m away for an extended period, I thought it would be useful for you to see a rerun of a special Disney episode I recorded last year.

This episode originally aired in Februrary ’09 but I’m sure many people haven’t seen it, so I went to the archives, dusted it off, and the information is still 100% relevant and accurate, so I hope you enjoy it. I’m off to meet up with Mickey and the gang, I hope you enjoy this special episode, and we’ll be back again with regular episodes next week.

As usual, 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.

See the T-Shirts (and get one free for posting the episode on your website or blog)

Try FatCow (The premier membership site platform)

Other Useful Resources:

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

Get TIme Tips (Dave Crenshaw’s Website)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Why does it always happen to me?  That’s what I keep asking myself.  Another customer service horror story for you from a well known car rental company.  I’ll even show you the evidence in this episode.  Let me know what you think they should have done to (a) avoid it, and (b) fix it.

Our question is all about how to create a loyalty program.  Any ideas on that one?  I’m a big believer in not reinventing the wheel so I provide a resource that’s like handing it on a silver platter!

I LOVE membership websites where you charge people a monthly fee to gain access to specialized information.  That’s what NiftyClicks.com is, as you may know.  This week I interview one of the leading experts on the topic, Tim Kerber from Membergate, which is the premier membership website platform out there.

Finally, a BIG marketing lesson from Scotts Lawn Service.  I’m not sure if they’re a national or local company, but they certainly do a great job with marketing.  I’ll show you an example of how they got me to take notice of their offer, it really stood out from the crowd, and you can apply the marketing principle in your small business, too.

As usual, 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.

Try FatCow (Full featured, low cost web hosting)

Auction Research Tool (Gives you an unfair advantage when selling on eBay)

Other Useful Resources:

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

Get TIme Tips (Dave Crenshaw’s Website)

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

I needed to buy some fireworks…as you do. It was for a show that I do, and I tried to find the company that I bought the fireworks from the last time. I couldn’t find out who it was, and I ended up buying them from another company. Lots of lessons here, but what do YOU think they should have done to avoid losing my business? Let me know, below.

Dave Crenshaw from GetTimeTips.com is a new regular guest on the show, and I know you’ll enjoy his superb, quick tips to help you get more time! Let me know if you enjoy it.

The resource of the week is www.AuctionResearchTool.com from Hammertap. They offer a research tool that unquestionably gives you an unfair advantage when selling on eBay. I’ve been using it for years and I aboslutely love it.

My guest is Clate Mask, CEO of Infusionsoft, the premier CRM, and it’s what I use in my business. I ask Clate about the ups and downs of running a technology company, and he provides some useful insights for your small business.

Finally, the BIG marketing lesson is from Honda. I was in a Honda dealer recently, helping Luci to choose a new car, and I noticed the Honda marketing brochures. Can you guess what Honda does to make their marketing unique for each vehicle. I’ll show you, and then let you know how you can apply that marketing lesson for your business.

As usual, 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.

See the T-Shirts (and get one free for posting the episode on your website or blog)

Try FatCow (Full featured, low cost web hosting)

PC Decrapifier (Free tool that gets rid of unwanted pre-loaded software)

Other Useful Resources:

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

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

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Could explosive breasts be the next big thing with terrorists? I ask, because these full body scanners are being installed at many airports across the world, and although they employ cutting-edge technology, they can’t detect items inside the body, such as explosive breast implants. Would love to hear your thoughts about the privacy issues that are being discussed, it’s a hot topic for sure.

The ‘ask andrew’ question is from Pierre in France. Of course, where else would you expect someone named Pierre to live? Anyway, Pierre is an ex-Dell employee who’s now going it alone, and he wants some advice about how best to promote his business on a budget. My advice is to employ a technique that costs nothing but a few minutes of your time, and it’s highly effective…referrals.

When you buy a new computer these days, it’ll most likely come pre-loaded with all kinds of crap-ware (trial versions of software that you didn’t ask for). They can really clog up your machine, slow it down, use up hard drive space, and slow your boot time. I reccommend a nifty free tool that’ll sort this problem out quickly and efficiently.

My guest this week, Stephen Beck, is an expert on webinars, and I love the way he simplifies the subject for us. It’s great advice, in plain English, and I’ve arranged for Stephen and I to host a webinar on webinars, so look out for that – make sure you’re signed up to receive notifications (use the form above).

Hertz car rental provide the big marketing lesson for us in this episode. They’ve created what I call an ACE: “Astounding Customer Experience,” with the way they promote and provide GPS services. You can adapt this lesson to your business, I’ll show you how.

As usual, 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.

Watch the FULL 50 minute interview with Alex Mandossian ($7 fee, value of $1000′s!)

Andrew’s Celebration Sale (Get at least 30% off everything)

See the T-Shirts (and get one free for posting the episode on your website or blog)

Try FatCow (Full featured, low cost web hosting)

MarketMeTweet (Twitter Marketing Tool)

Productivity Tips (from Alex Mandossian)

Other Useful Resources:

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

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

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

Get a sneak peak at an amazing little device that’s a breakthrough in technology. I’m such a gadget geek.

Our video question is in two parts: first, the importance of profit vs cashflow, and second, managing emails with a large audience.

Twitter is a source of a lot of controversy in the business world. Is it a useful tool, or a waste of time? Personally, I believe it CAN be a useful tool, and I’ll share a resource with you called “Market Me Tweet” that’ll promote your business without getting you banned from Twitter.

This week’s interview is with someone who I’ve held in high esteem for many years. He’s an outstanding font of knowledge with marketing and productivity, and it was a pleasure to have him as a guest on the show. His name is Alex Mandossian, and since we got carried away with the interview (we talked for almost an hour), I’m going to make that interview available to you seperately, soon.

The Big marketing lesson features Starbucks loyalty program, “My Starbucks Rewards” and it’s an interesting look at what they did wrong to begin with, and how they resolved the situation with a far superior, and much simpler offering, with a built-in ascension model.

As usual, 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.

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Andrew’s Celebration Sale (Get at least 30% off everything)

See the T-Shirts (and get one free for posting the episode on your website or blog)

Try FatCow (Full featured, low cost web hosting)

TinEye (Detect Image Plagiarism)

Content Divas (Shelby Larson’s Website)

Other Useful Resources:

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

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

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

The celebration of the 100th episode milestone continues this week with a gigantic sale. You can get 30% off everything. Just click through to the celebration sale.

I don’t consider myself an Apple fanboy, heck I even use a PC all day in the office. BUT, I do own and iPhone, and now an iPad, and I have to tell you that I love it. It’s NOT a computer, it’s not a phone, and it’s not just a large iPod touch. The large HD screen is stunning and opens up a world of possibilities for portable entertainment. That’s how I plan to use it. I’ll watch movies, surf the web, listen to a podcast or edit a presentation, all of which are a delight on the iPad. In case you’re wondering how I surf the web at 30,000 feet, Delta now has wifi on almost all their planes.

I unveil a new feature of the show this week, called ‘Madverts’. I’ll show you some crazy, zany, uncategorizable (made up word) ads that’ll make you go “Hmmmmm…” This weeks entry is from my very own town, with an ad for the Salt Lake Community College Barbering and Cosmetology School. Wow, that’s a mouthful. Wait till you see the ad with the nice Mormon boys preparing for their mission. I love it.

If you suspect that someone is stealing your images for their website, there’s a handy tool to detect just that. It’s called TinEye, although I’m not quite sure why. I tried it, and it’s pretty good. Does the job well, and for free.

This week’s interview is with Shelby Larson, owner of ContentDivas. Shelby is an amazing entrepreneur who has built up a fascinating ‘done4you’ business over the last few years. She saw a need, and took action, and the rest is history. She does a great job of explaining the differences between organic and paid (PPC) marketing, and I also pinned her down to reveal some practical suggestions that you can implement right away, to improve your organic search results on Google and the other major search engines.

This week’s BIG marketing lesson is from Moleskine Notebooks. How do you sell a product as simple (and boring) as a little notebook? Well, let me tell you a story…. Watch the episode and you’ll understand.

As usual, 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.

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Try FatCow (Full featured, low cost web hosting)

The Celebrity Black Book (Contact any celebrity)

Fiverr (Numerous services for $5)

Success Clinic (Noah St John’s Website)

Noah St John’s “Secret Code of Success” (Get 3 Free Chapters)

Other Useful Resources:

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

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

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

After 2 years of this weekly show, Episode #100 is here! I want to sincerely thank you for making the show so successful, and this week is certainly a cause for celebration.

If you’re a subscriber (via the form at the top right hand side of this page), you’ll be receiving a very special free gift from me this week, as well as my best ever offer, too.

Lots of topics in this episode. I talk about my Fedex fiasco that’s been going on over the last couple of weeks. I think I’ve got a story to top all other Fedex or UPS stories, see if you agree!

This week’s nifty click resource is one of my favorite discoveries in quite awhile, and I want to thank Matt Mickiewicz from 99Designs.com for alerting me to it. It’s SUCH a great concept, and highly addictive, as you’ll soon see.

I really enjoyed this week’s interview with Noah StJohn. Noah is a genuinely nice guy and I love his enthusiasm. Plus, he talks a lot of sense, which certainly helps! See if you agree with our take on “motivational speakers” who seem to be anything BUT motivational! More like miserable ;(

Since there’s a bunch of changes in this episode to mark the 100th episode onwards, I’d really like to hear your feedback, especially if you don’t normally comment! Come on, don’t be shy

As usual, 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.

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Try FatCow (Full featured, low cost web hosting)

7 Figure Business Formula (by Christine Comaford)

Rules for Renegades Book (Christine Comaford)

Be Invaluable: Get Time. Guaranteed. (Dave Crenshaw’s Website)

The Myth of MultiTasking Book (by Dave Crenshaw)

Try The Squeeze Page Technology (From Larry Loik)

Other Useful Resources:

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

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

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

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

Almost ready to unveil the new look “Help! My Business Sucks!”. Almost, but not quite, so as a special treat this week, I’m giving you three great interviews on diverse topics, with Christine Comaford, Dave Crenshaw, and Larry Loik.

Christine shares some secrets to building a 7 figure business, and I suggest you download her free report for more.

Dave Crenshaw is an expert at productivity, and he has an outstanding book called “The Myth of Multitasking” which I personally found to be very valuable.

Finally, Larry Loik has some amazing Internet technology that you have to see. It allows you to add a squeeze type opt-in form to ANY website, it’s really amazing.

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.

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Try FatCow (Full featured, low cost web hosting)

Twiddla (Easiest way to explain outsourcing tasks)

Other Useful Resources:

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

NiftyClicks (Discover the very latest web tools and resources)

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

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

Enjoyed meeting many of you at Yanik’s Underground Online Seminar in Washington, DC last week. It was a phenomenal event as usual. At the hotel for the event, I got short changed by an ATM, by $20. Has that ever happened to you? I couldn’t believe how difficult it was to sort out the issue. I finally had to call my bank. Very frustrating.

What’s your opinion about paid blogging? There are many companies that are willing to participate by paying you to write positive reviews of their products, but I think it’s a bad idea. You’ll lose credibility because you can’t be objective.

Managing outsourcing personnel is not easy when they’re located in a different area. However, I have a resource for you that will revolutionize the way you interact with remote workers. It’s called Twiddla, and it’s awesome. It allows you to collaborate in real-time, so that you’ll both see the same screen, and interact with it by pulling up websites, making notes, send and receive files, and chat like Skype. No registration required, and it’s completely free.

It’s been awhile since I gave you an update about GotBiz.tv. As you know, GotBiz was my original concept, but due to circumstances beyond my control, things didn’t go according to the original plan. Still, the good news is that Randy Charach has now taken over as CEO of GotBiz and he’s planning to re-launch the site on April 1st, 2010. Very exciting to see my original concept getting back on track again. It’s been a rocky road for sure, but Randy is enthusiastic and believes in GotBiz 100%.

Luci and I were at The Cheesecake Factory restaurant here in Salt Lake City recently. My order didn’t come out as I’d asked for it, but the server immediately took action. Watch the episode to see what he did, and how you can adapt the lesson for 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.

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Try FatCow (Full featured, low cost web hosting)

CopyBlogger (Online copywriting resource / tips)

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)

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

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.

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Try Roboform (Store & Easily Access your Website Logins)

Vivozoom (Inexpensive stock photo resource)

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)

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

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.

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Try Roboform (Store & Easily Access your Website Logins)

99 Copywriters (Outsource your copywriting tasks)

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)

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.

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Try Roboform (Store & Easily Access your Website Logins)

Make Your Own Apple iPadr (and impress your friends)

Tungle.me (Online scheduling system)

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)

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.

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

Try Roboform (Store & Easily Access your Website Logins)

RentOMeter (Discover rental prices in your surrounding area)

SoundView (Soundview Executive Book Summaries)

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)

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.

Websites and Resources for your benefit:

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

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

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)

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.