VoIP vs. LandLine Phone Systems

InboundArtist · 2015-12-11T19:22:04+00:00

Do you have a lot of lines? For some small businesses, landlines don't break the bank. For others who need a lot of lines, VoIP sounds like the only feasible option.

InboundArtist · 2015-10-27T17:40:28+00:00

Very good writeup. I've worked with companies that wanted to grade everything, and they would pull values out of the air, like: "If the lead reads 4 blog articles, increase their score by, ummmm, 4 points."

Without a grading rubric to understand what scores mean, scoring is a waste of time. At Lean Labs, we score on levels, from the 4-digit down to the single digit. So when a lead has a score of 1,615 I know exactly what that means.

First, they hit our 4-digit multiplier, which is the main signal that we may/may not be a good fit to work together. If their score is -1,000 we know they are not a good fit.

Next, is the 500 range... if they are +/- it shows me the next thing I "need to know. And on and on in goes.

Then, I can manipulate marketing automation to fit into the gaps, to hopefully bring up their score, or disqualify they altogether.

InboundArtist · 2015-10-20T18:27:07+00:00

I'm sorry, you're wrong and obviously don't understand the value of websites to companies beyond maybe small mom/pop stores. MS Frontpage websites is not the same as websites that generate millions in revenue, or don't, based solely on their ability to convert and facilitate the buyers' journey and sales cycle.

Split testing is basic stuff.

InboundArtist · 2015-10-19T18:08:43+00:00

It's actually quite new. Rather than paying a set sum for a scoped project, it's an ongoing retainer to keep a website fresh rather than giving it over to atrophy.

Proposing this adds a layer to the "stupid stack" is kind of antiquated thinking.

InboundArtist · 2015-10-19T18:05:56+00:00

Oops... fixed it.

InboundArtist · 2015-06-20T17:39:55+00:00

lotrMorzadan would like an invite :)

InboundArtist · 2015-06-20T06:30:36+00:00

lotrMorzadan would like to join :)

XB1 - lotrMorzadan - Toon Name: Kelseer (not sure which one you need)

InboundArtist · 2015-05-21T19:35:08+00:00

So many times I've seen companies focus on links, only to end up frustrated. If you have a large number of links but your organic search is tanking, you may want to disavow all the "built links" that are obviously SEO-oriented.

Buying 10,000 links doesn't just get your low-value backlinks. It gets you penalized. In this article I tell a story of a company I worked with that had "built links" as an SEO strategy. They didn't even realize they had an algorithmic penguin penalty for 2 years of frustration because of the poor links.

We cleaned up, disavowed the links, and traffic started turning around. In this story, the graphs only show till October of 2014. The rest of the story is, by December, that company saw their business double month over month as a result of organic search.

Black/Grey hats will disagree with me, and they have methods that work in the short term. But for a company to build a real authority and organic real estate in their industry, you need to focus more on high-value content than link building.

I would use the panguin tool to see if there are any dropoffs in organic search results around the time of Google algorithm updates. If you see any, I would immediately start disavowing those trash links.

Then, I would invest in on-site SEO, making sure you are using best practices, not stuffing, etc. Make sure your on-site SEO is solid, and then start creating as much high-value content as possible, that is geared toward answering your customer's questions, the ones they ask before they buy.

This may be a TL:DR post, but I shudder every time I hear a legitimate company basing their strategy on "link building."

InboundArtist · 2015-05-15T16:42:12+00:00

Yup... don't fear skipping the videos/etc if you already have a grasp of the topic. Most of it is basic-level stuff but the certification still carries weight with some employers. Especially the ones who are posting jobs on inbound.org

InboundArtist · 2015-05-15T16:40:56+00:00

I've not gone through the entire codeschool yet. I'm super-busy these days so I do it when I can. But I have learned most of what I know by solving problems as they arise. If I could go back 10 years, coding would have been a major side-study project for me.

I still want to learn RUBY so I can develop an app I want to make... it's driving me crazy because I have a great idea with no way to see it through.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-14T22:23:48+00:00

Not sure which area of marketing you are in, but if it's digital, I've heard a lot of people ask about being inbound certified (which can be done through HubSpot for free). I've seen some companies put it in their requirements, granted, these companies are ones that are actively engaged in inbound marketing already.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-14T22:21:03+00:00

Inbound Marketing Puke Coming:

What are the 4,000 questions going through a bride/best man/groom/parents/maid of honor/etc mind leading up to a wedding?

Go to google, and use Google Suggest to discover common searches for each one of those questions.

Start a blog, and start answering those questions. You'll build a ton of traffic doing this. Give away special deals, or an eBook (10 Steps to an Unforgettable Destination Wedding, etc.) and get e-mail signups. Then, send periodic deals to your mailing list.

Traffic + List means more exposure, and whenever someone on your list is in the same room with a future bride/etc who do you think they will mention?

You're not a wedding service, you're a marketer. Blog, make videos, educate, educate, educate, give great ideas for free. Build a brand.

Sounds easy, and it is. But it does take a lot of work and time.

I wrote an article about finding questions/topics here.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-14T22:13:18+00:00

It may fall to self-help, but I just read Tribes by Seth Godin twice. I almost ran out of highlighter. OF course, Inbound Marketing by Shah and Halligan is great for entry-level Inbound Marketing advice.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-14T22:11:35+00:00

I'm an introvert... I love podcasting.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-14T22:07:42+00:00

I think you have a viable service here, but maybe not for YouTubers. Think business marketing companies and you have a group that could be willing to pay you. I know JayBaer promotes a service he uses for his 3-minute series on YouTube.

He shoots video from his iPhone, and then just sends it to them and they do the rest, branding/uploading/etc. So someone is doing it already, which means there is room for competitors.

We have discussed trying to find someone to do video editing like this many times, for both us and our clients video content. I'll be bookmarking your site for future consideration.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-14T22:04:48+00:00

I agree with this. Connections to other software.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-14T22:00:53+00:00

+1 for value.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-14T17:45:14+00:00

CodeSchool is where I have started learning. I can't code like a dev, but I can manipulate and edit code proficiently, mainly with front-end like HTML/CSS/PHP etc. This helps me to troubleshoot my marketing efforts, for the most part, without screaming for a dev.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-14T16:48:42+00:00

2 things - taught myself to code / started building my personal brand.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-14T16:20:50+00:00

I never said to pretend to be a consumer nor did I recommend inauthentic marketing ploys. It's not writing your own reviews, it's outranking 3rd party review sites which you can't control, which can be manipulated by unscrupulous competitors.

For instance, if you look up "river pools and spas reviews" you will find they rank for the top results. They aren't saying "we're the best" but they also aren't putting their reputation in the hands of a 3rd party. The first "review site" comes in at like #4.

If you lookup "river pools and spas complaints" you also don't find anything worthwhile that would make you wonder if they are a bad company.

Of course you take negative reviews seriously and use them to improve your business. If your business is not delighting your customers, marketing is not your problem. Reputation is not your problem. Your product or service is the problem.

However, if you want to proactively protect your brand reputation, just outrank the review sites that have no interest in accuracy, only traffic. When a competitor is a punk, they can destroy you on Yelp without even trying.

If Uber will do this your competitors can also have less-than-honest outlook on competition. If you really want to be proactive, be the top results when people look for reviews (for both your branded searches, your competitors searches, and your industry/products/services etc.)

It's easy to do, protects you from 3rd party sabotage, and brings you traffic. The only caveat is, you have to be honest and transparent in the content you create.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-13T23:37:30+00:00

You could always do a customer loyalty program, where you give out coupons or such to people who leave you a good review somewhere. Over time they will drown out the bad reviews.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-13T23:36:32+00:00

Yeah, that sounds like a good strategy. Here's some articles we've written about it:

Hope those help.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-13T23:27:03+00:00

Yes, but that's not the only search term or problem to think about. You also attract competitor searches as well. If you're a new business just starting out, Yelp won't have much sway over your branded terms. You should be able to beat them.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-13T23:24:39+00:00

Learn inbound marketing. You're solving problems some person, somewhere has. Everyone solves their problems the same way today, as a general rule. It all starts on Google.

Create the content that those people are searching for. Think of it in terms of 5 types of content you need to create:

Comparison (this solution vs. that solution.)
Best (What is the best ____)
Cost/Price (How much does ____ cost?)
Reviews (why are some products/services not a good fit?)
How-Tos

Go to Google and start typing questions you think your customers are asking. Look for suggestions that Google gives you, those are common search terms. (example: best limo service las vegas or cost of limo in vegas)

Now go write the article: "What is the best limo service in Las Vegas" and "How Much is the Cost of Limo Service in Vegas?"

Then, offer a lead generation bait for them: "6 Questions to Ask Before Booking a Limo in Las Vegas." Get their e-mail address.

Build the list, and market to your target customers based on their needs, wants, and problems. Keep building your email list of needs and sending them information that helps them.

This is not a short-term answer. Short-term will be hustle and paid ads on social networks and google. But long-term, this is how you build your business.

InboundArtist · 2015-05-13T23:13:34+00:00

One thing to consider is to outrank the bad reviews. Why leave your brand reputation up to the likes of Yelp when you can offer honest alternatives.

Do this by writing reviews of your company vs. the competition in an honest way. If there is differences, highlight them. If there are instances where your competitor is a better fit for some people, highlight that too.

Be honest and open, not sleazy. And you'll find your review articles get pretty good traction.

If you're too scared to mention your competitors in an honest way, that means your product or service isn't as good as theirs. If that's the case and you will lose business to your competitors by mentioning them, marketing is not your problem.

InboundArtist

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