Content Will Remain KING

"Before you can tell your story, folks have to find your story."
~ Linda Yarbrough

I just read an SEO blog that proclaimed "Content is King no more" and a few lines down "Content is the OLD King". Don't buy it! The article went on to focus on their #1 priority for SEO - the importance of backlinks. And while they are indeed important to search engines, they will NOT replace good solid content. Search Engines deliver information people are searching for online. Always have; always will!

KeyWord Research - Why
Begin your Website or Blog with a subject for which you have a passion. Before you write one line of copy do Keyword Research. It can dramatically change the direction of your website copy ... and give you a leg up on achieving high search engine ranking and greater traffic.

KeyWord Research - How
SEO professionals have several ways we conduct keyword research. Anyone though can use Google's free KeyWord Tool for AdWords. No matter how well you know your subject, spend quality time researching the keywords phrases your prospects search. You'll be amazed how many different ways people use to search for the same information. I've had much success using a technique I coined "multiple keyword combinations". For more SEO tips visit The Media Mix to better understand web ranking and the importance of SEO to your web presence.

Follow my blog
In the coming months, I'll layout the most effective way to achieve solid SEO for your website or blog. If you jump the gun and start writing what interests you, be prepared to do heavy copy editing. Keyword Research should be the base of your website and individual web pages. Your focus should be to always write your website for your visitors and what interests them. Start with solid research; develop good content and then learn how to work with the Search Engines to deliver that content to your audience.

By: Linda Yarbrough, The Media Mix
Put the power of a media marketing strategy specialist behind your web site!
http://www.themediamix.com/web_ranking.html

Article may be reprinted with full bio.

Direct Marketing E-Book ON-LINE

It's an exciting day at The Media Mix. Bob Cannon and I have launched our E-Book to buy online. Developed from a collection of articles on Direct Marketing strategy, Direct Marketing includes step-by-step guides plus powerful business resource tools.

Over 20 pages of direct marketing do's and don'ts plus direct response advertising tips and advice that can be easily downloaded from PDF.

For details on this informative business E-Book, click here.

For only $14.95, arm yourself with the tools you need to direct your product marketing campaign. Optimize your chances for direct marketing success .. Act Now!

Media Buying DR TV Direct Response Television

For most products, we do not buy just pure DR times with ROS schedules. Do they have a place? Yes. But they also have problems. Clearance problems. Too often, advertisers are counting on direct response returns daily and are hearing the schedule did not clear or the schedule got bumped out.

You need to get this shored up quickly. You need systems and procedures in place to give you the best advantage for success in DR TV. You have product to move and people to pay and call center staff waiting by the phone and inventory to control. You had a budget because you wanted to spend the money ... and produce sales.

Our greatest success in direct response media buying is to: Build a successful model by testing; then expand. Test on smaller scale until all the pieces fit. Test in Spot Television Markets and smaller, well-targeted National Cable Networks.

Lay a base of paid position programming in carefully selected programs (by time period) to anchor the buy. Thorough research and win-win negotiating skills are needed in working with sales reps to achieve a balance between the most efficient buy and one that will air as planned. Many factors come into play: timing, inventory load demand, seasonality, negotiating experience, budget levels, volume buys, etc.

Buy efficient ROS schedules to fill in with DR inventory and work with the stations to clear as many units as possible. Use strict makegood requirements and act quickly to replace the weight lost when bumped. Even if it cannot be replaced that week, having placed a base schedule, you know the phone will ring everyday you air.

CPM efficiencies (Cost per thousand) can best be determined during testing. Media is sold on the basis of audience impressions it is expected to deliver. However, markets are not comparable in their per capita pricing. Some television markets and networks are just not efficient and should not be used during testing. You pay a premium to reach their audience .. and you should not be paying a premium at this stage.

Audience size and demographic makeup are used to determine cost efficiency. In testing, we can readily see the CPM goal that produces an effective Cost per Sale ratio. We translate program or ROS costs to CPM goals. If a program does not fit into the criteria, we do not buy it. If none of the programming offers fit into our proven model, we do not buy the station .. or perhaps the market. There are too many options available to ever need to buy any one television program, network, station or market ...

Read the full article How to Buy DR Television Media for more tips and advice for buying direct response television time.

- Linda Yarbrough, The Media Mix 817-910-9000

Consumer Product Marketing: Direct Response Marketing .. The Crucial First Step: Testing DR

There are more options today to sell your product direct to the consumer public than ever before. So many options that it can be overwhelming. Different approaches, but all focused on the same goals: how to achieve best return on investment ROI, grow your market and expand your business.

Direct response marketing is a highly specialized arena with great rewards for success and great risk of failure. It is: very fast paced, needs daily monitoring, requires on-going sales analysis, calls for quick changes in direction ... And is, in essence, your storefront.

After 20 years of strategic marketing in broad client categories and media buying in all formats, we will share some of our most successful DR techniques. Marketing tips and advice for a business entering the market or a new product launch using direct response. Our best advice:

Test .. test .. and test some more!

There are many cost elements you must cover: Product cost, production expenses, marketing costs, media vehicles, call center fees, order fulfillment, etc. All factors should be measured and weighed, optimizing your marketing efforts in order to maximize profit ...

Read our full DR article on Consumer Product Marketing: Direct Response Marketing .. The Crucial First Step: Testing DR

Introduction to The Media Mix Blog

Articles on Direct Response Marketing & Advertising: Guide to Consumer Product Marketing

In response to a growing number of calls we receive with "horror stories" on advertisers experience with direct marketing efforts, we have written a series on consumer product marketing called: Guide to Direct Response Marketing & Advertising.

It is our hope that we never pick up the phone again to hear how a new product advertiser has spent $200,000 + in media air time and up to $100,000 + in production expenses with next to no return on their investment ... and with the help of a direct marketing "expert" or agency.

Directed at the advertiser, these articles will give you base knowledge of some important factors in launching a direct response campaign. Armed with this information and probing questions, you can lay the right ground work for your product promotion and run a tight, successful direct marketing campaign.

Blog Time At Last ...

Having researched Blogs and just disected the RSS feed craze, I decided it was time to have my own Blog and share marketing strategy, media insights and random thoughts on marketing and promotion.

Join me as I begin this new journey into the world of Blogs.

Cannon Advantage joins RSS syndication

We have just set up Taking Aim, the Cannon Advantage management and marketing article newsletters, into RSS syndication feed.

A fresh approach to business management and marketing issues, compelling questions and thought-provoking commentary continues to gain a steady following for the Taking Aim Newsletter. Click here to review article archives.

Preparing an RSS channel is a time-consuming, daunting task. Once you've immersed yourself in all the resources and research available on the subject, and let the dust settle, it seems pretty simple. Pretty simple once you've put in 100 hours or so. If you need help choosing the best course to enter the RSS world, contact us at www.themediamix.net. From coding to directory submission, we can help you make the most of your internet presence!