I mentioned on my blog that I buy up some advertising at the end of the year to reduce taxable income. Of course, that brought up questions from my readers about how I do that, and if it's effective. So, I figured I'd open it up to my panel of experts.

The question I asked was…

“Do YOU buy advertising either online or offline? And, how do you know that it works – or doesn't?

Do you have any stories or examples
about your experiences?”

I hope you'll find the answers this week interesting.

Mark Mason of MasonWorld.com says:

When I first got started in Internet Marketing, I had more money than sense. (Some people that know me say this is still the case — but we'll have to take that up in another post).

Anyway, when you are new at Internet Marketing, it can be really exciting. Like most people, I was anxious to get off to a quick start with my business. I needed traffic, so I bought some pop-over ads from one of those high traffic download sites. Tens or hundreds of thousands of impressions (they were cheap, and I had money to spend.).

Of course, at the time I knew very little about Marketing, but I got some traffic.

The problem was that the demographic for the ads was all wrong. As it turned out, all I did was show my offer that should have been targeted at older U.S. females to thousands of teenage male game enthusiasts that were looking for free software. Most of them did not even have credit cards.

The message is obvious. Getting traffic from your ads is not enough. You need qualified traffic. More specifically, you need that “Message to Market Match” that my friend Lynn Terry is always talking about. So, make sure you understand what you are buying, who is clicking, and test, test, test. As Nicole says, “Testing is Sexy.”

Kim Roach of BuzzBlogger.com says:

I started experimenting with paid advertising in 2010. My favorites include Warrior Special Offers, Solo Ads, and banner ads.

Personally, pay-per-click is way out of my skill set

But solo ads and WSO's I can do.

The key is knowing your numbers.

I use Hypertracker to test every traffic source individually. So, for example, if I'm placing a solo ad in someone else's newsletter I will create a unique tracking link in Hypertracker so that I know exactly how many clicks, subscribers, and sales were generated from that particular traffic source.

For example, with our latest product launch of the Traffic Dashboard I've been doing a combined blitz of Warrior Forum Special Offers and Warrior Forum Banner Ads. Using this combination we've done a little over 100 sales just from the Warrior Forum alone – making them one of our top affiliates. But since this was paid advertising there wasn't actually an affiliate link in place.

Maybe I should ask Allen if he'd like to become an affiliate

The WF Banner Ads are a new advertising option that has recently been introduced by the Warrior Forum and it costs $100 to have your banner displayed for a full 24 hours.

Not bad for being able to position yourself in front of THE most popular Internet Marketing forum online

And based on my stats from Hypertracker, we've been generating AT LEAST $200 in profit for every ad we place. So that means I spend $100 and get at least $300 back.

As you can imagine, I'll do that all day long as long as I'm generating a profit.

But, it is a little bit tough to get a WF Banner spot – they stay full most of the time.

I wonder why

So that's been a HUGE discovery for 2010.

We also did a number of solo ads in 2010 – which I plan on scaling even further in 2011. Again, it's really just a numbers game. If you're going to do paid advertising you MUST know your numbers.

If you're not tracking everything down to the click, you're really flying blind when it comes to paid advertising.

But start tracking properly and you'll be able to zone in on the critical few that bring you the most results.

I find most of my favorite solo ad spots on the Warrior Forum and the DirectoryofEzines.com.

Plus, if you find a winner and you want to advertise long-term you can often times work out creative deals and discounts with the owner.

Shannon Cherry of S.A.L.E.S. System Formula says:

I have only bought advertising once. And you know what? It was an utter bust.

After all, advertising is what you PAY for. Publicity is what you PRAY for.

That's why I only focus on getting free publicity for my business. I use a lot of ways to do this, including creating my own holiday and doing a virtual blog tour (thanks for the great resource on this Nic!).

However, the one tool that consistently gets me publicity online AND offline is press releases. I write about two a week, but even one a month has helped my clients get on the pages of the New York Times, the Washington Post, Parents Magazine, as well as on The Today Show, Entertainment Tonight and even the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Just imagine how much an ad on Oprah would cost you? Plus, you're competing with some big companies like McDonald's who has a $15 BILLION (yes BILLION with a B) budget for advertising alone.

So I love press releases! And if you haven't included them in your marketing mix, maybe you need to start today.

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

Yes, I invest in advertising, but, as Mark alluded to — I usually test what works and what doesn't. I say “usually” since I'm human and sometimes don't. But, of course, the times that I haven't tested my results — that's been wasted opportunity (and lost cash).

Thankfully testing is pretty easy in many cases. I normally test in either Google Web Optimizer or inside the version of 1ShoppingCart that I use (Quick Sales). I'll write up a blog post about how to do tracking in 1ShoppingCart (and its reseller carts) so you can see exactly how I do it. I've used other Ad trackers in the past, too.

A Word (or Two) of Common Sense First

First let me just say that I don't willy-nilly spend hours on this. It's one piece of my entire marketing portfolio – and, as I always say “Do what works and ignore the noise”. So, if you're getting killers results from video marketing or article marketing, guest blogging, getting interviewed on teleseminars or webinars, recruiting affiliates, getting JV partners, or, as Shannon recommended, writing & submitting press releases, then just read this post and set it aside as a tool that you can pull out and use another day. The last thing I want to do is send you off on a wild goose chase to research advertising if you're better served to write and submit a few articles today instead.

What Kind of Ads to Buy?

I'm going to focus here on email advertising. And, the only kind of email advertising I buy are “solo ads” (which are ads where my promotion is the only thing showing in the email itself). I do not buy email ads that are “top ads” (where you ad is on the top of the email) or “classified ads” (where there are a group of ads at the bottom of the email).

I also don't do “ad swaps” (which is trading mailings with other marketers) with anyone outside of my personal JV relationships (which are people I personally know and trust). I'm highly protective of my online family and will not sacrifice that ever in order to build my lists.

ok. So, where do I find advertising opportunities?

The best ways I've found to get solo ads are…

– Contacting newsletter owners directly.
If I find someone who reaches the people who I want to reach, and looks like they're promoting other people in their emails regularly – and if I like their style, I'll drop them a quick email to inquire if they'd be interested in promoting my offer as an affiliate or, alternatively, if I might otherwise get some info about their advertising rates for a solo ad.

– Watching for solo ad offers.
I've gotten emails from some marketers who've had offers where they sold solo ads. If I'm already on their list, I have a general idea of the relationship they're building with their readers and who they're reaching, so I know whether or not I want to be associated with them.

What I've found to be a waste of time, unfortunately, is the Warrior Forum's JV section on their forum. (Not to be confused with the rest of the Warrior Forum which can be highly valuable.) But the JV section has tons of ad swaps and ad buying opportunities, and you could get lost in there for days. However, the quality of *some* of the lists are questionable. I can't, obviously, group everyone into that, nor would I, but I would recommend that you connect with other marketers in your field who have related products or services – directly – and build a relationship with them, before investing hours in ad swap world.

Is this the best use of your time and the most effective way to get traffic?

That depends. (Of course.)

IF you have an offer that converts (and you know exactly who is buying and how much each person spends) –

and

IF you're willing to track the results of each place you advertise (the list itself), every email you write (the copy), and the landing pages (including the offers) –

Then sure.

However, if you are thinking of throwing money at ads and hoping for the best – then you might want to put this aside for now – especially if money is tight, and focus on other ways to get in front of your target market.

In that case, I'd again recommend Kim's course: Get Traffic Dashboard (and my Bonus)

That's my 2 cents on the topic.

Recommended Freebie:

If you want to learn more about Ad Tracking, my interview with Charlie Page touched on a lot of great tips – including the importance of tracking. Why should you listen to him? Because he owns the Directory of Ezines which lists newsletters where you can purchase advertising. You can listen to the interview here: Charlie Page Free Interview.

It’s Your Turn.

So, now, I’ll pose this question to you. Do you do paid advertising for your online business? Why or why not? What have you learned from it? I’d love to hear your comments!

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. I have created brandable ebooks from several of the previous Expert Brief columns that you can use to earn commissions by giving them away.

We'd crossed paths quite a bit over the last few years, but hadn't had much opportunity to talk. So, I was really looking forward to sitting down to chat in person (drink some wine… eat some sushi…  sing karaoke… ) and we did all that and more – and there are videos to prove it.

Shannon is a very strong personality, and I immediately discovered that there's a huge heart under that. I tried to come up with a good way to describe her but was struggling, so I asked my friend Tracy for help.

We decided that Shannon is “smart as heck and snarky-sweet with a twist of sass (after all she IS a red-head)“.  We hit it off immediately.

ok, enough mooshy stuff. Here's Shannon's bio – so you understand WHY I had her on the show beyond “I like her”:

Shannon Cherry, is the founder of Be Heard Solutions. As a former TV anchor and journalist, and one of the top media experts and publicists in the world (she's gotten several entrepreneurs and small business owners on Oprah!) is the Power Publicist. She helps business owners and entrepreneurs to attract more customers through publicity and marketing. Shannon publishes the popular and highly-recommended ezine, Be Heard!, delivered to more than 8000 subscribers each month. Get your free publicity power package (to learn how you can take advantage of free exposure through TV, radio, podcasts, and print) by signing up for Be Heard! at BeHeardSolutions.com.

The audio recording of our interview is at the end of this blog post. Just look for the “play” button and listen. It’s free!

Paid “Must Have” Tools & Resources Mentioned in this Call:

• TweetLater
  
• Database of Media Contacts
• Beth Schneider's Operating Systems course.

Free “Must Have” Tools & Resources Mentioned in this Call:

• Twitter: Shannon Cherry on Twitter | Nicole Dean on Twitter
• Google Analytics
• Free Press Release Sites to Submit to.

People who have Influenced Shannon

• Me. – Yay!
• Adam Urbanski.
• Felicia Slattery.
• Melanie Benson Strick – Overall business strategies.
• Beth Schneider – Systems.

Takeaway Points from Shannon

• Know your Target Market
• Systems save time and help you to make more progress.
• Do it Wrong, but Do it Strong!

Listen below and leave me a comment about your thoughts and/or who you’d like to hear as a guest in a future episode.

Comment and Win This List Building Course ($197 Value)
Donated by Shannon!

After listening to the show, comment below and you'll be entered to win this essential business course. Here are some ideas.

– Tell us something you learned from the show.
– Tell us something you're changing after listening.
– Tell us about a time when you fell flat on your face and had to get back up.
– Share a press/media accomplishment.
– Tell us a time you took a risk and it paid off.
– Share a media/press-related tip.

One winner will be chosen from all “non-spam” comments by using Random.org.

PS. Click to learn  How to Record a Podcast via Telephone like I do.

I'd also like to give a quick shout out about her. She's becoming quite the copywriter and marketer, too. You can hire Lexi to write sales pages, blog posts, press releases and obviously she's a talented videographer, too — although I didn't hire her for the testimonial, of course.

Anyway, I wanted to say Thank you to her as well as give her a little link love in the process. Lexi – I'm VERY proud of you!

Nicole

Although Article Marketing is my #1 passion, I also enjoy the free traffic and publicity that press releases offer.

Here's a free tutorial to get you started with the basics.

FREE PRESS RELEASE TUTORIAL

Let me know what you think!
Nicole

Ready to learn and take a step closer to have a very successful year in Business and at Home? Here's what we're covering today…

• Question 1: What are my options to become a WAHM?
• Free Motivational CD – Is your Greatness Being Held Hostage?
• Questions 2: What is a press release?
• Spring Cleaning!
• Preschool Fun: Bugs, Dinosaurs and Earth Day

Please forward this to a friend!

Nicole Dean, owner

Question #1 – What type of business will work best for me?
Kelly McCausey and I discuss the options available for Moms and the pros and cons of each. If you know any Moms who would love to be work from home, have them listen to our discussion on WAHMTalkRadio.com.

Free CD
I requested this Free CDand it helped me rethink my daily strategies and long terms goals and how I want to achieve them. Will you spend 2005 THINKING about achieving your goals or will you actually take the steps to Achieve them?
Stop Holding Your Greatness Hostage. Discover the Secrets To Unleashing Your Greatness And Becoming Financially Free This Year! click here

Question #2 – Press Release 101
Question: Here is where my ignorance for marketing will show. Once I have a press release written, where do I send it etc to get coverage? Pattihttp://www.pattibears.com/

Hi Patti. I've got you covered.
Press Releases – Why pay for an ad in the newspaper when you can have an entire article promoting your website?
65 Reasons to Send Out a Press Release
How To Write a Press Release That Editors Will Publish
Press Release Tutorial – I recommend this free press release tutorial.

The Online Mentoring at MomsMasterminds offers an entire Press Release Course for free, included with the membership.

And to answer your question, one of the places to send your press release would be http://www.prweb.com/. And, I also recommend sending a customized version to your local press. For instance, when I won the WAHM Talk Radio MVP award, Kelly McCausey sent out a major press release through PRWeb. In addition, I sent a different version of the sampe press release to my hometown newspaper, incorporating some information about the year I graduated from the Local High School and information about my parents. (Because it's a Small town newspaper, I knew that would be of interest to many residents.) I also sent a third version to my local newspapers in the town I live in now, that said “Local Resident Awarded Work at Home Mom Award”. I did get interview requests from both of the personalized versions, so I feel they were worth it, even though they took a bit more time.

It's Spring Cleaning Time!
Cheryl's Miller, our organizational expert, asks us “How Much Stuff is Enough?”

Brand new April Crafts & Activities for Kids
Dinosaur Activities for Kids

Insects and Bug Activities for Kids

Earth Day Activities for Kids

Have a great week everyone!

Nicole