Sunday, 27 January 2013
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
Critical Success Factors for Writers
How to Create a Successful Writer's Blog
It’s a no-brainer that writers need a presence on the web these days. Even the best selling authors have a place to showcase their work. Myspace and Facebook are two very good sites for developing writers to make it easy for people to access a writers work, but when it comes to writing on the web should a writer go with a blog or a website? Read more.
How to Submit a Short Story
Some writers will post work on their myspace or web pages and let 100s of people read it, but they are afraid to get 1 rejection from an editor. This is silly. Writing might be a lone process. We may be alone in creating our worlds, but sharing your writing with others is one of the most fulfilling experiences of the literary process. Read the article.
How to Promote Your Writing Even If It Hasn't Been Published
We all know as writers it’s difficult to get our work out there. Here are 10 things you can do even before your writing has been published. Not in any order. Read the article.
Edd at www.fmclassifieds.com
Friday, 31 August 2012
Saturday, 25 August 2012
Ideas for Your Free Classifieds Site
2. Vehicle Classifieds Portal. You can also create a fast growing and popular on-line multi-category vehicle classifieds portal that offers exciting and effective service to buy and sell any type of vehicles, accessories and related services. Classified ads can include vehicle specs, photos, mileage, price, year, body style, fuel type, exterior and interior color and more. And powerful and flexible search tools will have buyers searching for their specific vehicle. With your own vehicle classified website, you are instantly gaining the competitive edge by offering the highest variety of vehicles on a single website.
3. Business Directory. There is an effective way to create a fast growing and attractive Business for Sale Directory Service and give your customers access to a wealth of new business opportunities and resources. Your target audience will include startup business owners, entrepreneurs, investors, business brokers, managers, everybody looking to start a new business. You can easily create a SEO-friendly online business directory designed to offer businesses for sale, franchise opportunities, and feature business wanted ads. It’s a chance to organize a unique on-line marketplace where your customers advertise their businesses and expose multiple business opportunities to prospective buyers.
4. Restaurant and Hotel Guide. You can create a clean-cut Yellow Pages-style online Restaurant and Hotel Guide. It features popular neighborhood locations or tourist hot spots, and serves as a great town/city guide for visitors and locals alike. You can add extra sections (entertainment, sports and recreational activities) to turn your website into a veritable city/town community making money on banner advertisements from local service providers and listing fees. Such a guide for your local community is a steady source of income from local businesses lined up to post their classifieds ads on your resource.
5. Travel Agency Website. What do you think about a travel agency website? Great overview of travel packages on the front page. Hot/discounted tours posted as Featured Ads. Detailed description of every tour on Static pages, with a summary of offers for every country also on a static page with links to individual descriptions. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Each listing displays essential field data: price, starting date, ending date, countries visited, a colorful slide show of places of interest, detailed description with an itinerary, and the ability to book the tour by sending a reservation request (event calendar). Summary of all the offers by continents, countries and regions worldwide can be presented at the front page.6. Collectibles Website. One of the most obvious and simple applications of a classifieds software is creating a collectable website. You can have an all-in-one collectable website for your local area, or run a nation-wide collectable website on a more specific category (dolls, coins, toys, knives, artwork, antiques, jewelry, glass, pottery, radios, photos, sports items, memorabilia, etc.), or even a very focused website (Pre-WWII Silver Dollar Collectable, or Bowie Knives of the World). You can set up a collectible community and let fans like you build it and grow it. Change the design, look and feel, use advanced SEO features to get your items indexed by search engines to get max exposure and attract new members.
7. On-line Career Network. A good classifieds script can serve as an efficient tool to create a popular on-line career network serving Career Builders and Recruiters in your region, nation-wide, or worldwide. You can develop your unique job website that will serve the needs of businesses and recruitment agencies by offering thousands and thousands of full-time, part-time, and contract job vacancies everyday! It is also a great way of letting individuals advertise their skills and capabilities looking for their dream jobs. With career-related classifieds website, you will give people a voice and a platform to promote themselves, make them visible and available for new career opportunities. Feel free to contribute to your nation's economy by reducing unemployment and overcoming the recession.
http://www.fmclassifieds.com
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
When Is the Best Time to Post Ads?
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| Free Business Advertising Website |
Knowing when to post ads can be more important than deciding what to post. In this day and age, people's lives are more hectic than ever. Whether it is Twitter, Facebook or even Tumblr; each of these different social media networks have an optimal to either post content or upload media such as music, videos or photos. So whether you are simply uploading smooth R & B beats, instrumental beats, hip-hop beats or just some photos, it is best to know what the best times are.
One of the most popular ways to advertise and promote yourself via social media is through Twitter. Being able to connect with the masses at real time is a powerful way to get maximum exposure quick, cheap and effectively. The best time to make a tweet in order to maximize your target market is from Monday thru Thursday between the times of 1 – 3PM EST. Anytime after that time especially on Friday's runs you the risk of missing out on the key people that need to be reached.
On the other hand, a company such as Tumblr has a completely different optimal time for posting content. With Tumblr being a micro blogging platform and social media network, things are much different from Twitter. Instead of receiving real time messages, Tumblr is based more on blogging and content. Due to the fact that this content is more lengthy in nature, it requires more time for an individual to properly read and digest the information. Because of this, Tumblr users are more likely to check things out after 4PM EST, especially on Fridays. This may be due to the fact that users wanting to be in the comfort of their own home when trying to view this content as opposed to viewing at work or at school.
Finally, the largest social media networking site is Facebook by a long shot. Facebook is essentially a combination of blogging, real time text and media posting all in one. It has evolved from a network that was strictly for college students, to a world wide social media network open to the entire planet. Many people who are looking for dope beats or rap beats search on Facebook or simply look through their news feed for the same results. The best time to see optimal results when posting content whether it is music, blogging or photos is Monday thru Friday between the times of 1 – 4PM EST. This may be due to the fact that people of a certain age are less likely to log onto Facebook once they have left work or school and have gone home for the day.
Monday, 6 August 2012
How to Write Effective Classified Ads
The single most important thing in an advertising campaign is GOOD AD COPY. We all understand the importance of having an ad that illicits positive responses from readers. What everyone does not understand is how to achieve this. To assist you, we have come up with a few basic rules to writing an effective classified ad. Here’s where you start...
Effective classified ads should have three basic parts.
1. THE HEADLINE
2. THE BODY
3. THE CALL TO ACTION WITH CONTACT INFORMATION
THE HEADLINE is the most important part of your ad. It is in the headline that you will either get the readers attention and pull them in or you won’t. If you don’t spark their interest with the headline, then you have lost them and they simply will not read you ad. A good headline should have action verbs that encourage the reader to do something. It should also be believable.
THE BODY is where you need to elaborate on the headline. Don’t overdo it, keep it short and simple. With a classified ad, you are generally trying to keep the word count to 15 to 25 words, so you never want to actually sell the reader in the ad, you just want to spark their interest enough to make them want to learn more.
A common error that many unsuccessful advertisers make is trying to put too much in an ad. This results in a busy ad that lacks focus. To make matters worse they often abbreviate words to the point they lose meaning. Through the years, we have made many a telephone call to customers to have them explain to us what they are trying to say in over-abbreviated ads. Unless, an abbreviation is commonly recognized by the common person avoid using it. You do not want sacrifice an ad campaign to save a buck!
THE CALL TO ACTION is basically the end of the ad. Generally, it is not much more than a sentence in length. Effective classified ads will not have just a phone number or web address at the end of the ad. They will have contact information paired with action words. Sometimes in trying to keep the price down for an ad, advertisers will omit simple words like “call now” or “log onto”. This is not recommended as readers need this simple call to action to entice them one last time to respond. Studies have been done and it has been shown that these simple words increase response to classified ads.
One last bit of advice for this portion of the ad is to pair it with a special offer. Being able to use statements like “limited time offer”, “special bonus to first 100 customers” or “this week only” can significantly increase response.
How will your customers contact you?...
Here are a few more pointers that advertisers should know. The means that customers respond will dramatically effect results. A toll free telephone number is still the best means to generate leads. This is not used by all advertisers for a variety of reasons, but those who have the capability and the budget are encouraged to include a toll free number. If a toll free number is not in the budget then a regular long distance number is the next best thing. A live person answering the calls is going to result in more sales than an answering machine providing the operator is knowledgeable and courteous. The easier you can make it for a reader to respond and buy your product or service the more successful you will be!
Web addresses are more and more popular in classified advertisements. Adding web addresses to ads, will generally increase the responses, but if it is in conjunction with a phone number (which we recommend) you will get fewer calls as some readers will simple go to the website instead of calling. So make sure the website is professional and properly functioning. If you are considering using a web address in the ad as a sole means of contact, please keep in mind that not all people have web access or are comfortable doing business online so you will be limiting the number of potential responses.
Any time readers are required to write for more information, responses drop. However, the up side to this option is that there is less expense to the advertiser. Through the years, we have seen a variety of successful advertisers utilize write in responses, so it can be done. The most important thing to remember is to have professional literature to mail to the potential customers. This literature will make or break your sale so make it good!
It has been my experience that the worst method of responding that we have seen time and time again is asking the customer to send money in the mail for a product or service. These will not work for a variety or reasons. First, you are requiring a small classified ad to sell something in three or four sentences. A difficult task to say the least. Second, most people are understandably wary of sending money in the mail to a company that they know nothing about. The public has been warned time and again about scam companies who prey on people using this means of advertising. If you have a good product or service avoid going this route. You simply will not be pleased with your advertising results!
Where to Advertise and How Often?....
Once you have a good ad written, the next step is to seriously consider your budget. We get calls from new customers regularly who ask for guidance in what program they should purchase. The first thing we always ask is what is your monthly budget. It is surprising to us that many advertisers cannot answer that question. Before you begin, look at your finances and figure out what you can comfortably invest in advertising on a monthly basis. Take that figure and divide it by four to get a weekly figure. Then, unless you are limited in geographic regions, search according to price range on our website. For example, if you have a $175 weekly budget, go to the $100-$199 buys and see if there is anything that would suit your needs. Keep in mind that you could run one buy for $175 or several smaller buys to meet your budget. If you are limited to a certain geographic region, you will want to search by state.
The most important thing is to stick to a budget so that you can afford to run the programs for a four week run. There are several advantages to this method. First, you will get repetition which will greatly improve your response rate. We will talk more about this a little later! Secondly, we have several programs that offer multiple week discounts at four weeks. If you purchase four weeks at one time you can save a great deal of money and possibly allow you to buy into an additional market with your savings!
As for the importance of repetition, we cannot emphasize enough how critical this is! Repetitive advertising builds credibility in your advertising campaign and allows the reader to feel comfortable in responding to your ad. Repetitive advertising also builds responses. In college, we were taught the Rule of Seven. Basically, the Rule of Seven claims that a reader must see an add seven times before he or she will respond to it. New advertisers are often surprised by this number because they are not realistic in their expectations. The facts are that a newly published ad may not get noticed the first few publications, then when a reader see it, they may or may not respond. Most customers do not respond to ads the first time they see an ad, but each time they see the ad, you are building trust with them. As you get more and more visibility, you will get more responses and increase sales. The first week you advertise will never be your best. If you do a four week trial run for any program as suggested, you will be off to a good start and get a good feel for what the program will do for you.
Professionals can assist you with copy writing when you order from their service like AdvertisingResults.com, but it is important that you learn to recognize a good ad when you see it. You know your business better than anyone else. Who is the best choice to promote your product or service than the one person that knows your business inside and out... YOURSELF!
A common error that many unsuccessful advertisers make is trying to put too much in an ad. This results in a busy ad that lacks focus. To make matters worse they often abbreviate words to the point they lose meaning. Through the years, we have made many a telephone call to customers to have them explain to us what they are trying to say in over-abbreviated ads. Unless, an abbreviation is commonly recognized by the common person avoid using it. You do not want sacrifice an ad campaign to save a buck!
THE CALL TO ACTION is basically the end of the ad. Generally, it is not much more than a sentence in length. Effective classified ads will not have just a phone number or web address at the end of the ad. They will have contact information paired with action words. Sometimes in trying to keep the price down for an ad, advertisers will omit simple words like “call now” or “log onto”. This is not recommended as readers need this simple call to action to entice them one last time to respond. Studies have been done and it has been shown that these simple words increase response to classified ads.
One last bit of advice for this portion of the ad is to pair it with a special offer. Being able to use statements like “limited time offer”, “special bonus to first 100 customers” or “this week only” can significantly increase response.
How will your customers contact you?...
Here are a few more pointers that advertisers should know. The means that customers respond will dramatically effect results. A toll free telephone number is still the best means to generate leads. This is not used by all advertisers for a variety of reasons, but those who have the capability and the budget are encouraged to include a toll free number. If a toll free number is not in the budget then a regular long distance number is the next best thing. A live person answering the calls is going to result in more sales than an answering machine providing the operator is knowledgeable and courteous. The easier you can make it for a reader to respond and buy your product or service the more successful you will be!
Web addresses are more and more popular in classified advertisements. Adding web addresses to ads, will generally increase the responses, but if it is in conjunction with a phone number (which we recommend) you will get fewer calls as some readers will simple go to the website instead of calling. So make sure the website is professional and properly functioning. If you are considering using a web address in the ad as a sole means of contact, please keep in mind that not all people have web access or are comfortable doing business online so you will be limiting the number of potential responses.
Any time readers are required to write for more information, responses drop. However, the up side to this option is that there is less expense to the advertiser. Through the years, we have seen a variety of successful advertisers utilize write in responses, so it can be done. The most important thing to remember is to have professional literature to mail to the potential customers. This literature will make or break your sale so make it good!
It has been my experience that the worst method of responding that we have seen time and time again is asking the customer to send money in the mail for a product or service. These will not work for a variety or reasons. First, you are requiring a small classified ad to sell something in three or four sentences. A difficult task to say the least. Second, most people are understandably wary of sending money in the mail to a company that they know nothing about. The public has been warned time and again about scam companies who prey on people using this means of advertising. If you have a good product or service avoid going this route. You simply will not be pleased with your advertising results!
Where to Advertise and How Often?....
Once you have a good ad written, the next step is to seriously consider your budget. We get calls from new customers regularly who ask for guidance in what program they should purchase. The first thing we always ask is what is your monthly budget. It is surprising to us that many advertisers cannot answer that question. Before you begin, look at your finances and figure out what you can comfortably invest in advertising on a monthly basis. Take that figure and divide it by four to get a weekly figure. Then, unless you are limited in geographic regions, search according to price range on our website. For example, if you have a $175 weekly budget, go to the $100-$199 buys and see if there is anything that would suit your needs. Keep in mind that you could run one buy for $175 or several smaller buys to meet your budget. If you are limited to a certain geographic region, you will want to search by state.
The most important thing is to stick to a budget so that you can afford to run the programs for a four week run. There are several advantages to this method. First, you will get repetition which will greatly improve your response rate. We will talk more about this a little later! Secondly, we have several programs that offer multiple week discounts at four weeks. If you purchase four weeks at one time you can save a great deal of money and possibly allow you to buy into an additional market with your savings!
As for the importance of repetition, we cannot emphasize enough how critical this is! Repetitive advertising builds credibility in your advertising campaign and allows the reader to feel comfortable in responding to your ad. Repetitive advertising also builds responses. In college, we were taught the Rule of Seven. Basically, the Rule of Seven claims that a reader must see an add seven times before he or she will respond to it. New advertisers are often surprised by this number because they are not realistic in their expectations. The facts are that a newly published ad may not get noticed the first few publications, then when a reader see it, they may or may not respond. Most customers do not respond to ads the first time they see an ad, but each time they see the ad, you are building trust with them. As you get more and more visibility, you will get more responses and increase sales. The first week you advertise will never be your best. If you do a four week trial run for any program as suggested, you will be off to a good start and get a good feel for what the program will do for you.
Professionals can assist you with copy writing when you order from their service like AdvertisingResults.com, but it is important that you learn to recognize a good ad when you see it. You know your business better than anyone else. Who is the best choice to promote your product or service than the one person that knows your business inside and out... YOURSELF!
http://www.fmclassifieds.com
Saturday, 4 August 2012
Free Business Advertising
Did you ever think business advertising could be completely and truly free in our days? Well, your guess is as good as mine, but Free-Market-Site (Fmclassifieds.com) is throwing a big challenge to the giant ad profiteers! They are offering free business classifieds to small and big enterprises alike. This is a giant step towards making online classified advertising really free. A fat load of the 'free classified' or 'free ads' sites do not live up to the meaning of their name, which leaves a huge credibility gap in their PR and CR ethics.
There are a few other really free classifieds sites but will quickly send you to a check out or payment page once you select a business or service ad category.
Edward AB, London
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