That’s a partial list of business technology brands that have recently abandoned print.
Tech publishers, which led the way online with visionary Web sites such as ZDNet in the 1990s, have long been bellwethers for other sectors of b-to-b media. With that history in mind, the departure of these brands from print raises the question: Are these tech magazines functioning as canaries in a coal mine, indicators that b-to-b marketers will see the number of trade publications in their sectors begin to decline?
That’s a partial list of business technology brands that have recently abandoned print.
Tech publishers, which led the way online with visionary Web sites such as ZDNet in the 1990s, have long been bellwethers for other sectors of b-to-b media. With that history in mind, the departure of these brands from print raises the question: Are these tech magazines functioning as canaries in a coal mine, indicators that b-to-b marketers will see the number of trade publications in their sectors begin to decline?
“I don’t think print survives,” said Greg Strakosch, CEO of Tech- Target, which shut down its three print publications in the past year. “I just don’t see how that happens.”
Mike Parker, managing director of media investment bank AdMedia Partners, is far less pessimistic about the state of trade magazines. “If, in a sense, they [tech publications] are canaries in a coal mine and harbingers of the future, I think it’s a long-term future.”
TRADE PUBLICATION NUMBERS DWINDLING
There’s no disputing that the number of b-to-b publications has dwindled. In 2007, 137 closed, according to MediaFinder, a database of publications. In 2008, 120 folded. The pace seems to be picking up this year, with more than 20 business magazines being closed in the first two months of the year as marketers shift dollars to the Internet, especially to search engines such as Google.
In the past week alone:
? Penton Media announced the closure of Direct and Promo, saying it plans to fold their content into a new title, Chief Marketer. Penton shuttered six publications in 2008, according to MediaFinder.
? Crain Communications Inc., parent of BtoB, announced the closing of the print versions of Automotive News Europe, Business Insurance Europe and RCR Wireless News. In December, it shut down the print version of Financial Week.
? Vance Publishing said it was closing Design & Décor and Furniture Style.
The consensus is that the economy will force the closure of more trade publications, especially in industries hit hard by the recession, such as finance, construction and marketing.
“Any publication in real estate is going to suffer, depending upon how much they have in the bank,” said an industry observer, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The same can be said for publications covering Wall Street. Look at Double Down.” Double Down, which published Trader Monthly, folded earlier this year.
There does, however, appear to be a difference in how tech and nontech magazines are being folded. The nontech books are being pushed into closure by the economy, while the tech publications are jumping of their own volition–at least in part–and landing on established Web properties. “It came a little bit sooner than they wanted it to, but they have been preparing for years,” Parker said of the discontinuation of the print versions of PC Magazine and Computer Shopper.
“It’s not a transition you can do overnight,” said Jason Young, CEO of Ziff Davis Media, adding PC Magazine had been preparing for a digital-only future since the 2001 downturn. The title published its last print edition in January.
Young said the decline of the print version of PC Magazine (whose ad revenue dropped by $16 million between 2007 and 2008) and the rise of PCMag.com were inevitable as its audience and advertisers migrated to the Internet. He added that PCMag.com is up both in traffic and revenue so far this year. “I think we’re quite happy with that decision [to go online-only],” he said.
Similarly, Josh London, general manager of ComputerShop-per.com, said SX2 Media Lab acquired Computer Shopper from CNET in 2006 with the goal of transforming it into an Internet-only brand. “Our best quarter online was the fourth quarter of 2008, and that allowed us to take this important step,” London said. The final print edition of Computer Shopper will be published in April.
ComputerShopper.com now has 1 million unique monthly visitors and 3 million page views, London said. The versatile site generates revenue from cost-per-thousand, cost-per-click and cost-per-acquisition models.
Stamats Business Media published the last print issue of Archi-Tech, a publication about the intersection of architecture and technology, earlier this year. The brand is alive as a Web site and a weekly e-newsletter. “It’s a bold new experiment for us,” said Tim Fixmer, president of Stamats.
Meanwhile, Vance Publishing doesn’t appear to be keeping the décor titles it closed alive as Web businesses. In an internal memo, Vance Chairman Bill Vance and President Peggy Walker said the moves were driven by the “worldwide recession” and designed to bolster investment in other sectors in which the company competes. “The moves we announced today will allow us to continue to profitably serve the agriculture, beauty and wood industries,” according to the internal memo.
Reed Phillips, co-managing partner at media investment bank DeSilva & Phillips, said of nontech magazines that have shut down: “If they haven’t established a viable business in print that connects readers and advertisers, then they’re probably unlikely to do it on the Web.
“If they haven’t already got that presence on the Web and they’re killing the print version, they’ve probably decided not to publish in that sector any longer.”
Category : Advertising &Blog &Marketing &Printing
Your business card is often the first impression a potential client has with your company. The business card design and message will ultimately determine whether it gets thrown in the trash or filed for contact later.
Reach in your wallet and pull out your business card. Your Small Business Information guide has put together the business card test. Learn if your business card will pass or be trashed.
Size: Does your business card conform to the traditional size of 3.5″ by 2″? Anything greater will not fit in wallets or most business card holders. End result trash.
Paper Quality: Is your business card design of professional quality or is it flimsy with perforated edges? Cheap cards are trashed.
Ink: Drop some liquid on your business card. If the ink runs, it’s in the trash.
Color Test: Colorful cards can add to your professional image. Too much color can be detracting. Trash your card if it is black and white or has more than 3 colors unless it’s a photograph.
Message Design: Your business card should clearly tell people what you do and offer a meaningful benefit. No message adds confusion so your card ends up in the trash.
Image Match: Your business card design should match your business image. If you’re a designer, then the card should be creative. If your card is out of synch with your image, time to toss it.
Font Size: Is your card crammed with information? White space on the card will make it easier to absorb your message. If you have a lot to say, add it to the back of the business card. Is the print so tiny you have too squint to see it? This one is heading for the trash.
Contact Information: Your clients or potential clients should have as many means as possible to contact you based on their preference. Your business card design should include: voicemail, phone, fax, email, and website. Lack of contact information puts your card in the trash.
You only have one chance to make a great first impression. Make sure you invest in the best business card design you can afford. The business card is your introduction to a client, for the low cost per card that is money well spent.
By Darrell Zahorsky, About.com
Category : Advertising &Blog &Business Cards &Design &Marketing &Printing
To some, branding might not feel like a tangible aspect of running a business. It can’t be seen like a product on the shelf, or counted like a cash drawer at the end of the night. But, branding is the reason people pay three times more for a product at one store over another.
To some, branding might not feel like a tangible aspect of running a business. It can’t be seen like a product on the shelf, or counted like a cash drawer at the end of the night. But, branding is the reason people pay three times more for a product at one store over another.
Good branding is the product of a clear vision, and nobody knows more about vision than small business owners. But, with limited resources, creating a brand identity can be tricky. Fortunately, building brand awareness on the Internet doesn’t need to take a lot of money or resources.
Here are seven strategies to build your business brand:
Define the vision. Before moving ahead with the web site, create a brand positioning statement. “This isn’t just, ‘What kind of web site do we want to be?’ This is ‘Who are we?’” says Harley Manning, vice president at Forrester Research in Cambridge, Mass., a technology and market research firm that advises on the effects technology has on consumers and businesses. Good brand statements typically include the company’s mission, vision and values. “It’s succinct. It’s typically something that will fit on a page easily,” he says.
Build a brand worth believing in. “Do you so believe in what you’re creating that you would trademark it?” says Andrea Fitch, president and CEO of RedCarpet Creations, Inc., and national president of the Society for Marketing Professional Services, both based out of Alexandria, Va. Really consider what kind of brand could represent the business through the next decade. “Don’t have a logo that in five years you’re going to be tired of and discard for another,” she says.
Remember, the web site is the brand. “A web site is not just a communication medium,” Manning says. “It is actually a channel that must deliver on the promise.” Essentially, a web site should embody the promise that it makes to customers. If, for instance, a business claims to be innovative, the web site should look fresh and modern.
Create a cohesive experience between all mediums. Before she launched her company’s new web site, Fitch made sure it would be an event that her potential clients would never forget. RedCarpet Creations mailed 4,000 silver tubes containing scrolls that looked like rolled-up carpet. Inside the scrolls was an announcement about the web site’s launch. Once online, the web site was an extension of the invitations because it followed through on the themes of red carpet imagery and references to visitors being treated like a VIP. Customers should easily be able to recognize the company’s brand, whether it is print, online or some other form of media, Manning says.
Don’t sacrifice creativity. Once the brand’s guidelines are established, creative choices must bring those attributes to life, Manning says. Don’t let the company’s brand become so dominating that there is no room for new thoughts and ideas. Brand should be the jumping-off point for interesting ideas, not the place where every new idea dead-ends. Fitch stresses that a sense of fun and whimsy will only enhance the likelihood that people will take an interest in the web site.
Don’t communicate brand at the expense of delivering. While a web site can be a significant tool for building brand awareness, clarity and functionality are paramount. “Just be careful not to let the communication about your brand get in the way of delivering your message,” Manning says. People should be able to understand how to navigate the site without knowing a thing about the company’s catch phrases. “You can’t frustrate and annoy people into liking your brand,” he says.
Listen to the customers: They determine a brand’s true value. Pay attention to customer feedback about the site because, ultimately, it’s the customers’ opinion that counts. When it comes to building a brand, a company can incorporate everything from signature colors to catch phrases, but at the end of the day, it’s the consumer who decides what a brand is really worth. “It’s not what you say [about] yourself, it’s what others say of you,” Fitch says.
7 Ways to Build Brand Awareness
Category : Advertising &Blog &Branding &Marketing &Products
The secret to success in the new year may lie in divining the right keywords. As Christine Churchill says at Search Engine Land, the words you buy in pay-per-click, the terms you target for organic, the phrases you focus on in your images and videos, all depend on making good keyword choices up front. Yet, “the process of identifying keywords is wrought with pitfalls,” she says. She identifies a few common mistakes companies make, and offers some advice:
Targeting keywords that people never use.
Category : Advertising &Blog &Business &search engine optimization &Search Engine Ranking &SEO
Most business cards I see put me to sleep. At best they’re good for jotting down notes. Beyond that they do nothing to make me want to do business with the person who’s name is on them.
You can get more from your business cards though. Here are a few ideas to get the most from them.
Why Have Business Cards?
The first thing to remember when buying business cards is “why are you buying them?” Are they just to sit on your desk and impress people who come to you? Or are they “working business cards” that get are expected to generate business? Do you want them to be passed on so they produce referrals for you? Or would you prefer they stay in your customer’s wallet, briefcase or desk drawer so they call you when they need you?
Build Your Business Cards to Suit Your Purpose
Cards to impress should be fancy. They should shout “I’m expensive!” Cards that are meant to get more business should be designed to send a different message. They should tell your customer why they should do business with you. Use your cards to deliver the same message the rest of your marketing delivers.
Or, you might design your cards to encourage people to pass them on so you get referrals. Create a clever way to suggest this and put it on your business card. Make your cards viral! Think of the dollar bills or stuffed animals that travel all over the world. How can you encourage people to pass your cards on?
The Practical Side
If your budget is moderate and your business cards do not have to be fancy, the online printing companies are a good choice. But, if you want something of high quality, or that is unique (and you’re not a graphics designer) then my advice is to use a local or chain printing shop.
If you use the “bricks and mortar” option, get at least two bids. There is a BIG variation in pricing. The chains are usually more competitive and consistent in their pricing but they might not offer all the bells and whistles a local shop might.
Category : Advertising &Blog &Branding &Business &Business Cards &Marketing
Effective business networking is the linking together of individuals who, through trust and relationship building, become walking, talking advertisements for one another.
- Keep in mind that networking is about being genuine and authentic, building trust and relationships, and seeing how you can help others.
- Ask yourself what your goals are in participating in networking meetings so that you will pick groups that will help you get what you are looking for. Some meetings are based more on learning, making contacts, and/or volunteering rather than on strictly making business connections.
- Visit as many groups as possible that spark your interest. Notice the tone and attitude of the group. Do the people sound supportive of one another? Does the leadership appear competent? Many groups will allow you to visit two times before joining.
- Hold volunteer positions in organizations. This is a great way to stay visible and give back to groups that have helped you.
- Ask open-ended questions in networking conversations. This means questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how as opposed to those that can be answered with a simple yes or no. This form of questioning opens up the discussion and shows listeners that you are interested in them.
- Become known as a powerful resource for others. When you are known as a strong resource, people remember to turn to you for suggestions, ideas, names of other people, etc. This keeps you visible to them.
- Have a clear understanding of what you do and why, for whom, and what makes your doing it special or different from others doing the same thing. In order to get referrals, you must first have a clear understanding of what you do that you can easily articulate to others.
- Be able to articulate what you are looking for and how others may help you. Too often people in conversations ask, “How may I help you?” and no immediate answer comes to mind.
- Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals you are given. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor that and your referrals will grow.
- Call those you meet who may benefit from what you do and vice versa. Express that you enjoyed meeting them, and ask if you could get together and share ideas.
Category : Advertising &Blog &Business &Networking
Whether you are looking for a job or running a business, giving out business cards is crucial to marketing your skills or services. Even as a job seeker, develop the mindset of running the business of YOU, Inc. Business cards speak volumes about who you are, what you offer and how serious you are marketing YOU, Inc. as a business. Oh! So, you have a resume and don’t need business cards. Can you carry 10 resumes in your wallet’ Do you or can you carry your resume everywhere you go’ A church bell ringing lets people know they are open for business. Your business card is your bell. Here are some proven tips using business cards to increase your chances of landing a job or creating a business opportunity.
1. Never leave home without them. Before leaving home, your checklist should be expanded to include business cards, as part of “do I have my wallet/money, house keys, driver’s license’” Any ‘per chance’ meeting is an opportunity to give out a business card. A morning run or a quick trip to the local store could be an opportunity to network. My wife and I always ask each other ‘do you have business cards’, before leaving the house. Make it a habit to carry business cards.
2. Insert a business card when mailing bill payments. Bills contain advertisements. Why can’t you advertise your skills or services the same way’ Insert a business card with your payment. You may not think a person in South Dakota who opens your credit card bill payment can help you. Never underestimate the power of networking. A movie, entitled ’6 Degrees of Separation’ points out we are 6 people away from knowing someone of influence. You could be 6 people away from knowing the President of the United Sates, your favorite movie star or someone who is in a position to hire your skills or services. Each of us knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone etc. Developing this powerful networking attitude will be a fundamental source of continued success.
3. Use proper business card etiquette. Whenever you give a business card, ask for a business card. When given a business card, don’t just take it and place it in your pocket. Make the person feel important by looking at their card for a few seconds. You might see something that could be a topic of discussion. Write comments on the card such as date, location and common points of interest. These comments will prove valuable when following up with that person. This also demonstrates a sincere interest in the other person. Then place it in your wallet. This lets them know they reside in a special place with you. “Skill with People” by Les Giblin is a book that expands on this approach. Make people feel important, in order to make yourself important to them.
4. Be generous. Give business cards out to everyone, including family and friends. Don’t let vanity stop you from giving out your last business card or giving 2 at a time to each person. I have met many people who have totally missed the purpose of a business card. I once asked a person for a second business card, so I could refer his services. His response was “I only have a few cards left and I need them”, as he looked again at his name on the card. Hoarding your business cards only makes your wallet feel full, not your bank account.
5. Ask for referrals. When giving a business card, people feel more comfortable when you ask; ‘I would appreciate a referral, if you know anyone that could use my services’. Don’t make people feel like they are on the spot. This approach disarms people much better than asking them, ‘is your company hiring” People naturally like to do favors for people. Saying ‘could you do me a favor by referring my services to someone’. This always places you in a better position with them. They will feel better about helping you. Give them 2 cards.
6. Maximize every “per chance” meeting. You never know when you might meet someone who can help you. Family or friends social events could produce unexpected encounters with people. Don’t discount those events. So you’re going to a birthday party for your friend’s kid. You never know who you might meet. At a family holiday gathering last year, I met someone that has been instrumental in developing our business this year. Who would have thought this could happen by giving him a simple business card.
7. Place yourself at the right place at the right time. Have you been to a job fair or business conference and been disappointed with the networking results’ Turn the tables around. Consider volunteering to help out at the job fair or other types of events. This puts you in a better strategic position for presenting your resume or business card. Company representatives might view you differently, if they know you are willing to go the extra mile in helping them make their presence easier to manage. Get involved by visiting Eventme.com, TheLunchClub.net, Craigslist.com or view the calendar of events for JacobJavitsCenter.com to place yourself in opportunities for giving out your business card. Volunteering for events has been a very successful resource for my business partner and I to expanding our business. Zig Ziglar, one of the most successful sales trainers in the world says “if you help enough people get what they want in life, you will get what you want in life”.
8. Use “In Your Face” follow up. Did you ever have a job interview or meeting with a recruiter, potential client or employer and wonder why they never called you back’ ‘Out of sight, out of mind’ is the operative phrase to remember. Today’s economic climate dictates you might be competing with 20, 50, 100 or more other people for the same position or contract. It’s quite a task for people to keep track of each individual meeting. So it’s up to you to give a person a reason to call you back. Immediately after a meeting snail mail a hand written note thanking the person for their time. Insert your business card. Now you’re in the driver’s seat in standing out from other people. If you get no response, do it again. Patience and persistence pays off.
9. Use promotions to promote YOU, Inc. Newspapers often have stories of people being promoted to high levels in different organizations’ This is an opportunity for you. Consider getting some invitation size blank greeting cards. Use the Internet’s search capabilities to find out the address of the company’s executive offices. Send the blank invitation type card with a hand written note sincerely congratulating a person on their promotion. Insert your business card. For the cost of a 37-cent stamp, you have just made someone’s day and may create an impression that makes a person feel compelled to respond back to you. Make it a habit to do this once a week. Remember ’6 Degrees of Separation’. You just never know . . . People open invitation type envelops faster than any others.
10. Brand yourself with a slogan. Print a slogan on your business card that answers the question ‘Why should I hire you’ Or “What makes you different from everyone else’” A catchy phrase or slogan insures people ALWAYS associate a company name with their product or services. People remember even after the commercial is over. That’s called branding. Companies pay big bucks to advertising agencies to come up with these lasting slogans. Consider doing the exact same thing on your business card. This is your insurance people remember you, after you meet. Don’t just put Hortence Smiley, Accountant on your business card. Add something like “Financial Services With Integrity”. A slogan makes all the difference between getting hired or not, because people will remember you long after a meeting.
Happy trails networking . . .
Keywords: marketing, strategy, business, sales, networking, advertising,
About the Author
Carl E. Reid, Business-to-Business Consultant & Career Coach
Carl advises small businesses on maximizing the Internet’s potential for creating new profit centers, while developing strategic alliances for win-win business partnerships. As a Career Coach for 15 years, Mr. Reid has helped hundreds of people jump start their careers or start businesses.
mailto: MyCompass@Success4U2.net
Web: http://careercoachingcompass.7h.com
Category : Blog &Marketing &Networking &Sales
If you think business cards aren’t important marketing tools, you’re wrong. Yet too may lawyers simply stick to the old, outdated format of white card stock with a name and number printed in boring black letters. Bad idea, says Larry Bodine, business development advisor at Larry Bodine Marketing and owner of the popular legal marketing site www.LawMarketing.com.
“A business card is like a mini-capsule of yourself,” Bodine says. “Why not make it interesting?”
Here are his suggestions for doing just that:
1. Add some pizzazz.
One advantage that smaller firms have over their white shoe counterparts is the ability to break away from the old black-and-white, block-letter mold.
Use color to make your cards pop. Add memorable pictures, and think of printing cards portrait style instead of the traditional landscape shape. Try using a glossy finish and nontraditional fonts – just make sure they are professional and easily readable.
2. A name and number isn’t enough.
Your cards should include things like Facebook pages, LinkedIn profiles and twitter and blog addresses.
“Make an effort to show that you are technologically hip,” Bodine says.
And of course, don’t forget your firm website address and email address – you’d be surprised how many lawyers omit such crucial information.
3. Make them user-friendly.
Print lines on the back, which allows the receiver to jot down notes.
“I always record the date and where and when I met a contact on the back of a card I receive” for easier reference later, Bodine says.
Make it easy for your contacts to do the same.
4. Banish cards from the wallet.
No one wants to wait for you to rustle through your pants or jacket pocket for a wallet, then watch you rummage through money and pictures of your kids before handing them a beaten-up, dog-eared card.
“That blows any classy impression you were trying to make,” Bodine says.
5. Make the experience special.
One hugely important – yet frequently overlooked – tool for good business card marketing: a card case.
Not only does it eliminate the wallet problem, but “when you pull a card out of a card container, people feel you are handing them something special,” says Bodine.
A leather case, silver card holder or even something more adorned – some cases look like “pieces of jewelry” Bodine notes – makes the experience memorable for the receiver.
Credit: Kimberly Atkins
Category : Blog &Business &Business Cards &Marketing
In the cutthroat world of search engine optimization, site owners, designers, and webmasters are looking for every advantage to improve their search engine rankings. Their efforts have even extended to adding keywords to the lowly ALT tag. Does it work? Yes and no.
In the cutthroat world of search engine optimization, site owners, designers, and webmasters are looking for every advantage to improve their search engine rankings. Their efforts have even extended to adding keywords to the lowly ALT tag. Does it work? Yes and no.
The ALT tag is used to provide extra information about images. By putting an ALT attribute in your image tags, you can use text to describe the image. This is helpful in a number of scenarios:
* Users on slow connections will see the ALT text until the image downloads.
* If the image fails to load in the user’s browser, the ALT text appears.
* People using text browsers or browsers with images turned off will see ALT text instead.
* Vision-impaired people using audio browsers will hear your description of the image.
But search engines also read ALT information. Because search engine “robots” — the applications that crawl the Web and compile information about its contents — can’t “see” the images, they depend on the ALT tag for information. The search engines compile ALT tag information with all the other elements of the page, including meta tags, keywords, file names, and myriad other factors, to determine the content of every page of the Web.
This has led some site owners to “spam” their ALT tags, or load them with keywords. While this practice may have worked to briefly improve the search engine ranking of the site in question, search engine technologists quickly caught on. They lowered the weight of ALT tags in their ranking schemes and developed ways to discern between “good” ALT information and spammed ALT tags. The moral of this story? The techs are never more than a step behind the people who seek to exploit the shortcomings of search engine technology.
So what should you do with your ALT tags?
Do: use ALT attributes to accurately describe your images, for all the reason listed above. They may even help your search engine rankings, and they certainly can’t hurt it.
Do not: spam your ALT tags. Search engines are way too sophisticated to fall for that — and abusing the ALT attribute may even get you labeled a spammer and lower your search engine ranking.
As with any aspect of Web design, the goal should always be to make your site easy for users to navigate. This will help ensure that users find what they’re looking for and complete whatever transaction you want them to, be it to register, purchase, or just return to your site later. Judicious and proper use of ALT tags can contribute to a good overall site experience, which will help keep your users happy. Source
Category : ALT Tags &Blog &Search Engine Ranking
Finding ways to create free publicity can be a tedious task. Though technology has provided many different avenues to promote your business one of the most time-tested methods of publicity is simply word-of-mouth. During tough economic times word-of-mouth recommendations for your products and services may produce the same result as an advertisement with out the cost.
While word-of-mouth is a great start you can always do more. Structure a campaign around the attributes of your business to create a buzz that will bring commitment to your product or service amongst the people with in your community. To save money, try using existing products, knowledge and resources.
One way to set your business apart from competitors is by becoming a trusted advisor in the subject that you specialize in. Contest and fundraisers are another good way to drive people to your business. These are unique because if organized properly they encourage good habits and build buzz at the same time. Contests and fundraisers often expose your good service and products to people who least likely to do business with you otherwise.
Keeping up with your clients is easier then ever before. Blog software and online newsletter services make contacting your client more efficient and less expensive. Internet applications such as these have transformed word-of-mouth communication to the point where one click of the mouse can reach thousands of potential customers.
Businesses are turning to Facebook, YouTube, blogs etc. to post customer reviews, information on new products and how-to tips. Customers appreciate free advice and when they need a service that your business offers, they are more likely to remember the name of your business.
Written by t.davis
Category : Advertising &Blog &Business &Business Cards &low cost advertising &Newsletter
