Google AdWords has a feature called “Dynamic Keyword Insertion” that automatically inserts the keyword into the ad. Real useful for being able to show an ad that says “Brooklyn Computer Repair” or “Queens Computer Repair” or “Manhattan Computer Repair” without writing three ads.
But…. it often causes goofy things to show up in ads. Marilyn Adamson sent this to me, it’s probably the funniest example I’ve ever seen:
Yesterday I spoke at a marketing seminar here in Chicago and the night before I got this call from my very good buddy Dave. Dave says “Hey Perry I’m going to a seminar tomorrow in Schaumburg, you wanna go? I can pick you up.”
I laughed because I had NO IDEA he was going to that seminar. I was surprised he even knew about it. He’s a close personal friend and for the most part my friends have only the vaguest idea of what I do. (“Perry’s some kind of consultant or something.”)
Apparently his wife had gotten on my email list somehow (I have no idea how) and she forwarded it to him, and he decided to go.
“Sure Dave, you can pick me up.” So Dave comes by at 7:15am and we head out to Schaumburg.
That ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
You play the guitar on your MTV
That ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
Money for nothin’ and your chicks for free
It’s what you want. Admit it.
You want your Money for nothin’ and your chicks for free.
Subscriber Byron Walker in Colorado sent me a fantastic video that shows the impact of Google Quality Scores on Cost Per Click and profitability.
It shows two nearly identical Google accounts promoting identical affiliate offers. One is in an old, established Google account; the other is a recently opened, less-trusted Google account.
On Wednesday April 15 I’m doing a free teleseminar with Aaron Wall of SEObook.com on how you can get organic traffic from the left (FREE) side of Google. Date: Wednesday April 15, 2009 Time: 12:00pm Central Time (1pm EST / 10am Pacific / 17:00 GMT) MP3’s/transcripts will be available for purchase; MP3’s/transcripts will be FREE to Renaissance Club members. http://www.perrymarshall.com/aaron/interview.php … Read More
Yesterday at lunch someone told me that the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) is introducing new rules about the use of testimonials.
The gist is: From now on you can’t just quote the happiest and most successful testimonials, you have to disclose how “everybody” does and what “average” is.
Some people are very, very concerned about this.
I happily confess that when I get emails with glowing success stories I ask for permission to use them and post them on the website.
When we get bitter complaints and gripes I do not ask for permission to use those complaints and we do not post them on our website.
I have never taken a survey to find out what my customers’ average increase in Click Thru Rate is; I do not know what the “average result” is. But I can give you a pretty darn accurate estimate, based on some 80/20 math.
Surely you didn’t expect me to turn 40 without getting philosophical on ya.
I turn 40 in a week, and today I’m gonna get philosophical.
First: Mis-spent youth.
In phone consultations I often advise clients to create a “shock and awe package” or credibility-builder to mail to their prospects. Preferably something with weight and heft. Especially in service businesses where the potential value of a new customer is in the thousands of dollars.
So here’s my example: we’ve got water in our basement and Laura contacts a few waterproofing companies. Just yesterday, in the mail, we got a VERY clever package.
For most of my life I had no idea that my writing skills had any commercial value whatsoever. That’s one reason why I studied engineering in school instead of, say, English.
Today, the story of how I discovered how to earn 10X more as a writer as I made as an engineer.
In the last few months there has been an explosive proliferation of all manner of Make Money Online / Make Money at Home / MLM / Direct Sales opportunities.
Business opportunity fervor is visible in the requests for media interviews that I get; just a couple of weeks ago I was conversing with a reporter from the Washington Post about this very topic. It’s plainly visible on Twitter and in the blogosphere; we’re seeing it in our blog comments and the kinds of new customers we’re getting. It’s a sea change in the current climate.
Everybody is jumping in with both feet. But there are some very important things that all such people need to be mindful of.
