Posts by David Cross
To Link or Not to Link?
“Do you think this is a good idea?” he asked me.
My father-in-law, GS, had received a request from a website that wished to link to his. And he wanted my advice.
The website looked good. It was similar to his business. And it had a reasonably good Google ranking already. So linking would be contextually relevant. And it could be beneficial to both sites’ search engine rankings.
Read MoreThe New Paradigm That Built a $290 Million Online Business
More than a decade ago, Agora Inc., ETR’s parent company, decided to test a theory — to see whether the direct-marketing methods they used to run a profitable publishing business offline could be adapted to run one online.
Did the test work?
Read MorePut Some Lead in Your Pencil!
I’ve written before about what to write about when you’re "stuck."
How-to articles are the perfect antidote to writer’s block. But if your goal is to create content for your e-mail newsletter or website to attract search engines, you cannot rely on them every time. Thankfully, there is another type of article that’s remarkably simple to write. Your readers will love it — and so will the search engines.
Read MoreHow to Master the Art of the Upsell
Salt is a restaurant tucked away near Patterson Park in Baltimore. I ate there last week. I’d give it 8.5 points out of 10, which for me is a very good rating. The food was great and I received an immediate warm and friendly welcome by the owner, Jane. But it was my waitress, Theresa,…
Read MoreThe Magic Formula for Online Business
Through juniper and sagebrush and parched grasslands. Past herds of mule deer, elk, and pronghorn antelope. On and on, we drove… into the primeval forest of southeast Oregon. I took last week off. Really off. Disconnected from most things electronic, except for my trusty laptop, my wife and I embarked upon a road trip to…
Read MoreProgress, No Matter What
I make it a point to follow up with everyone who asks me a question about setting up an Internet business. It takes me just a few seconds, and it usually motivates them to take action.
Usually. But not always. After my most recent follow-up e-mail to "Bob," for example, I received this response…
Read MoreI’ve a Feeling We’ve “Bean” Here Before
When you click on an online ad that interests you, you expect to be presented with a way to buy that item almost immediately. Right? But far too many businesses advertising online do not give you this logical next step. For example, while perusing the BBC News website, I stumbled upon a heavyweight sweatshirt advertised…
Read MoreTrying Times? Tie Tongues Together Today!
I see my three youngest sons every summer and at Christmas. They fly in from overseas so we can enjoy the holiday together. They are now seasoned travelers. But starting with their first trips, I’ve encouraged them to speak with strangers — on planes, in airports, and everywhere else. That’s right. I’ve taught my kids…
Read MoreOur Own Worst Enemies
Consumers — yes, that means you and me — know what we want. More choices! May we have more sizes, colors, and flavors? And could you add soy milk, skip the cinnamon, then top it off with ice cubes… to go, please? And that’s just to get a cup of coffee. Don’t even get me…
Read MoreAlways Test — and I’m Not Talking About Your Marketing Copy
When you’re starting a new business online, or making changes to your current online business, make sure you take the time to test as many aspects of your venture as possible. This includes: all the navigation on your website your order and payment systems your e-mail system your sign-up boxes and anything else your customers/prospects…
Read MoreCutting to Standard Sizes
My friend RP, a licensed building contractor, helped me build some shelves in my garage. Had I done it myself, I’d have fitted the shelves to the exact space of 16 feet, 9 inches. But RP said wood comes in 8-foot lengths. And by making the shelves 16 feet long, I would save money, eliminate…
Read MoreI Blinded Them With Science
Our sales were hurting. Every one of our distributors was selling three to five times more of our competitor’s cheaper, inferior air ionizers than ours. It seemed that consumers decided at the shelf that all ionizers are pretty much the same. So why should they spend 67 percent more on ours?
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