The networking event is being called Neverblue Presents The Affiliate Ball, as Neverblue has been secured as the title sponsor.

The Affiliate Ball has booked legendary DJ of the Beastie Boys, Mix Master Mike, to perform a set.

Many more surprise guests will be announced as the event gets closer. The party last summer, during Affiliate Summit East 2011, was featured on TMZ with hip hop legends Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Cas and Dougie Fresh performing.

This year they plan to have Ice-T and his wife, Coco, walking around the crowd to shake hands, take pictures with guests, and host the entire night on stage.

RSVP now at http://affiliateball.com/registration.html.

Learn more about opt-in and opt-in rates.

Recent Articles | Free Newsletter | Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn, Twitter Facebook

When you take a closer look at what GM was spending on Facebook, some clear trends emerge:

* GM spent $300 million on digital ads last year, making its Facebook spend just 3 percent of its overall budget. I imagine that GM optimizes its digital buy on a regular basis. I would be shocked if it didn’t, as this is pretty standard practice. If GM moved money away from any other site that was getting such a tiny slice of the budget, it probably wouldn’t have made news.

* GM’s overall advertising budget is $1.83 billion. That means that digital itself is only 16 percent of the company’s total budget. Considering the fact that people use the Internet massively when buying cars, it is shocking that GM only dedicates this small amount to the medium. Of course, this may be because digital media is criminally underpriced, but that is another story.

* GM is still going to spend $30 million on content development for Facebook. That is certainly not good financial news for Facebook, which gets no money from the stuff that gets put on brand pages. But it is good for the agencies that support GM. Facebook is a brand content channel and it’s great that it can continue developing things specifically for it.

Where does all this leave us? Well, first of all we have to have a bit of perspective. The only reason why GM making an optimization decision on 3 percent of its budget is worth talking about is because Facebook is set to go public very soon. The company’s primary revenue stream will be through the sale of ads and a huge advertiser like GM making a decision like this is a chink in Facebook’s bright blue armor. I imagine there are hordes of potential investors sitting on the sidelines with huge smiles over this news. If people believe that Facebook has some inherent weakness, it means the stock may open lower. They can get in before it gets driven to the moon (which I am certain it will).

Of course, one decision by one advertiser from Facebook does not a trend make. In fact, Ford seems to be reaffirming its commitment to advertising on Facebook. It’s clear to anyone who has used Facebook in the last several days that there are lots and lots of ads on the site. So, to sum up: GM’s decision is absolutely no big deal.

But, just for the sake of argument, let’s take a look at what GM’s move can tell us about the right way to use Facebook. Because, after all, Facebook has over 900 million active users. That is a lot of people who can be targeted with messages and offers. GM’s problem is that it isn’t sure that its ads are moving people closer to buying a car. I certainly don’t have any inside knowledge, but I would tend to believe that to be true. I’m sure GM did the analysis on it. However, I’m not convinced that actually selling things is the best use of Facebook’s ads. I believe (and have had the experience) that the best way to use Facebook ads is to simply get people to come to your Facebook page. That is, you advertise simply to get more fans.

To which many will say, “So what?” There’s always been this argument against trying to gets fans for the sake of getting fans. The fact is fans don’t cost all that much. It often makes sense to simply get a lot of fans and then see what you can do with them. Even if they are not qualified buyers, some of their friends may be. If you get one person to become your fan, who then posts something to their 150 friends, you have a great chance of that person producing a fan.

In the grand scheme, 3 percent of a budget – even a huge budget – is not terribly significant. We need to be concerned with a bigger question: why serious advertisers are still not dedicating reasonable amounts of budget toward the one medium that moves consumers the most.

Big brands, big solutions, big results: B2C search and social strategies. Sign up for free webcast May 17 at 1 pm ET / 10 am PT.

The Rakuten LinkShare network outperformed overall e-commerce by a wide margin in the U.S.

According to Forrester Research Inc., overall e-commerce is expected to grow by 12 percent in 2012, while same store sales in the Rakuten LinkShare Network increased 31 percent year-over-year in the first quarter.

Rakuten LinkShare in the U.K. also saw double-digit gains with overall same-store sales reaching 52 percent year-over-year.

Also, the company signed over 100 brands across their various networks in the first quarter of 2012.

More details on Rakuten LinkShare at linkshare.com.

Until now, we had graduated from using Facebook for socializing to using it for advertising; and then we went on to use it for brand building and promoting our websites. Now the time has come to bring your shop down to Facebook. Make this the one – point – medium of contact, selling, buying, and talking! Everything’s possible on facebook. Here’s why and how:

Why Build Your Shop On Facebook?

1. Your Audience Is On Facebook.

Ultimately when users are interested to make a purchase they follow a few steps. They click on something they want to purchase and they have to:

a. Navigate out of the page, open multiple tabs or windows and move out of their comfort zone or
b. Get everything right there, in Facebook. One click to purchase done and back to their walls doing what they like!

A facebook user would certainly prefer the later.

2. Your Audience Loves Facebook

Like one facebook fan said to the other, “Facebook is my world”. Yes. Facebook is growing to become a whole new world and people on it, love it. They make money in the real world, and love to splurge in the virtual world.

Statistics show that facebook store sales are growing exponentially and more than 10% as of today. Many sites report that more than 20% of their sales happen through facebook.

If we look at consumer behavior, then 40% of them prefer use social sites while they want to shop online while almost 70% of them are frequent visitors to facebook pages for information on sales and brands.

3. Your Audience Can Easily Promote Your Products To More Friends

Looking at some more statistics, it has been noted that more than 45% people recommend what they buy – in a very organic manner- to their friends. Now, with an average user having 130 friends, you can imagine the reach that is possible.
.
When things get viral, they have a greater reach than conventional methods of marketing.

How To Build A Shop On Facebook To Sell Your Products – Quick Tips

There are few essentials that you need when you put up shop to sell your products. And along with that, you need to make some smart choices. Here are the tips:

1. Application For Shopping – Pick A Simple One

You first need a shopping app. Make sure you pick a simple to use and simple to set-up app. This way you can get started real soon and avoids complications during purchase.

2. Ensure Security In Process – Stay In The Facebook Ecosystem

The whole idea of a facebook shop is to stay in the facebook zone. Don’t open in to other pages. Simply integrate. At the same time, ensure that people have a safe and secure experience. Have the secure gateways for transaction, follow norms and show your user that you have a verified account.

3. Display All Your Products Strategically – Top Bars

The featured products and all important Content should be right on top like all other online shops. Ensure that your audience doesn’t miss it.

4. Use Attractive Pictures – Promote Images Through Facebook, Twitter, Etc.

Since its social media, pictures are a great way to talk. They have a great sharing value and help promotions greatly. With sites like Pinterest, you can do this more exclusively now!

5. Import E-mails – Use Your Lists To Promote Your Facebook Shop

The e-mail contacts you have built are great and useful. This is a list of real people interested in your business and so, no matter where you “open shop”, it’s important to stay connected and spread the word!

jQuery(‘.nrelate_default’).removeClass(‘nrelate_default’);

So my first week at Beacon Technologies is coming to a close, and I have not been scared off yet! Everyone is very nice and welcoming at this company. I look forward to working with the Beacon team for the next 9 weeks. So far I have been mostly planning for the implementation of Beacon NetCafe and I have been stuck in my cubicle getting prepared for that, but next week will be the week where the fun starts for me. I will start working with others to get the Beacon NetCafe up and running for the company. I am excited and a little nervous. I have never done anything like this before, but I am more than willing to learn the ropes. I did get to sit in a meeting about web design and development my first week.

A client is getting about 70 visitors a day but absolutely no sales at all. What is the problem? Could it be the product? Could it be the website design? Could it be both? The Beacon team brainstormed to come up with ideas to improve sales. Ultimately, the product and the target customers were lacking but one immediate change that the company could utilize was changing the website. There were various problems with the website. The returns and shipping policy was at the top of the page. Is the company trying to say they expect returns of their products? This should not have been on the top of the page. The Terms and Conditions were also at the top of the page when it would have sufficed to be at the bottom. What a waste of space! The products weren’t even on the page. It was confusing what the website was even selling. The team recommended having a 5 product rotating link in the top middle of the page. The product links would also link straight to the cart to increase the chances of actually making a sale. Branding was also an issue for the company. The company was trying to take a serious life event and make it cheerful and upbeat but the website did not display this effectively. The website could also have funny links or products to at least liven the atmosphere and make a sale. A color change is a must for the website. The top image could also be changed to make the website for appealing to the visitors.

Either way, I learn A LOT on web design and branding of a website. It is the little things about web design and branding that can make a HUGE difference. A company can have the greatest product in the world but not sell one if the website is in bad shape. I am confident that if these changes are made to the website then the chances of making a sale will increase significantly. It seems like common sense when people bring up these things but could easily be looked over by anyone. There were some things at the meeting I didn’t even think about. I was very impressed at the meeting. There are extremely intelligent people working for Beacon Technologies, and I want to learn everything I can from these people during my 10 weeks here!

If you have a business or are thinking about starting one – you need to get this book. Now, I know what you’re thinking. I run a muffler shop / beauty salon / consultancy / {insert your industry here} and I don’t think these principals will work in my type of business. The fact is, and the point is made very strongly in the book, that they will work. All it takes is a commitment of time (and this book).

With case studies to prove each point and suggestion, Jim makes it clear that every type of business can get revenue-generating attention.

Written in the same comfortable way that Jim speaks, it feels like Jim is sharing some advice over a coffee and doughnut. The chapters are varying length and there are 71 of them. It’s pretty unusual for a marketing book. But then again, this isn’t your usual marketing book.

The one tool that Jim favors for attention getting is online videos. If you’re like most people, you’ve seen a few videos on YouTube, but didn’t see the connection between those clips and effectively marketing your business. Chapters 43-47 address both the why and the how-to of web videos, and why they will work for your industry. To get started with online video, visit Jim’s OnlineVideoToolkit.

Jim covers revenue models such as:

• Membership sites and other forms of recurring revenue
• CD/DVD Continuity Programs
• Boot Camps and Training Sessions
• Group Coaching

To give keywords a voice, simply place them on a website. Cramming all the keywords onto a single glossary page will make each keyword whisper so softly as to be inaudible to search engines. But placing a single keyword at the beginning of the title tag for the page for which it’s most relevant turns the signal for that page up to polite dinner conversation level.

Podcast: The eCommerce Minute |
Tags: Search Engine Optimization

Sign in to leave a comment…

Share your opinion.

Facebook user?

The first day of the conference started at an early (by Affiliate Summit standards) 7am, when registration opened up.

Full pass holders got a limited edition Affiliate Summit t-shirt.

Emcee Heather Romiti began the day with some announcements before turning things over to Maribel Sierra, Social Media and Communities Director, Listening and Engagement at Dell.

This first day also included a Meet Market, two sets of sessions, and Ask the Experts Roundtables, which were complemented by Nate the Great, a local balloon artist.

The first day finished up with ShareASale.com hosting their traditional Under the Stars party for conference attendees.

The second and final day kicked off with a drum circle, organized by Benjy Portnoy, to wake up attendees.

This was followed by a series of sessions in a new, truncated format where they only lasted 20 minutes each.

The conference finished up with open networking after an intensive day and a half off fun and business.

Big thanks to the sponsors, speaker, and attendees.

I look forward too reading the session feedback and hearing what folks have to say about the conference.

Have you signed up for Affiliate Summit East 2012, yet?

It’s taking place August 12-14, 2012 at the Hilton New York.

This three day conference includes an exhibit hall with affiliate merchants, vendors, and networks, as well as multiple tracks of educational sessions covering the latest trends and information from affiliate marketing experts.

First of all, let’s clarify something. In the sense of this article a “traditional company” is one with a physical location and sells either in person or by phone or mail. They may or may not have walk-in customers. Essentially, a traditional “brick-and-mortar” company is one not selling online. Of course, these are being fewer and fewer every year.

There is much said about doing business on the internet or “putting your business online”. To many it may just sound too complicated or too risky. Learn why you shouldn’t do business online. But there are many good reasons to begin selling (and running your business) online. Here are the top nine reasons:

9 Reasons You Should Start Doing Business Online

1. Your Company Image While this alone isn’t enough to create a website and begin selling online, it is an important factor to consider. Without a website or online presence prospective clients could begin to wonder how serious you are about business. Today, companies of all sizes and industries are establishing a successful online presence.

2. 24 Hour Availability While some fast food restaurants, grocery stores and gas stations manage 24 hour service, it is impossible for most businesses. That is, without the internet. A key benefit to having an e-commerce web site, is that your clients and prospects can read about your products and place orders at anytime – day or night. On regular business days or holidays. Imagine what being open 3-4 times longer could do for your business.

3. Better Customer Support The internet allows you to answer questions, give sales seminars and solve customer problems – all without taking any of your time. Create a video, a product spec sheet or a FAQ (frequently asked question) section once, and you can direct clients to that information for years. Not only does it save you time, but you’ll be providing better service. Your clients and prospects are looking for specific information, such as:

• Before they make a buying decision
• To solve a problem with an existing purchase

With an online store you can give them just the information that they are looking for, and just when they are looking for it. This means less phone calls with technical questions and more sales.

4. Very Low Start-up Costs Starting out online means very low startup costs. You have no buildings to construct, no vehicles to buy and few (if any) staff to hire. Simply build your site and start selling. If you are already selling offline then the transition can be very smooth. You continue selling the same products that you know and have a good supply of. Putting your company online simply gives you a new source of customers.

While you could spend tens of thousands of dollars developing the best website and ecommerce solution many of your competitors will be doing it on a shoestring. A good website can be designed simply and for very little money.

Using a free platform like Word Press and a professional quality premium theme ($70 – $200) you can build a professional site by yourself. Some web hosting companies offer free site building tools, such as 11 MyWebsite building tool. You may want to check out: Genesis vs PlatformPro: WordPress Framework Comparison for do it yourself sites.

With a good Word Press theme, its possible for you to design your own site and do it with (almost) no coding. Learn how to build your own Web site without coding.

To get started on a shoestring, expect to pay anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. The basic expenses include web hosting, WordPress theme (or choose from these 42 Free Themes), email marketing service and domains

Learn how to Get Started Online in 9 Steps.

5. The Internet Was Made For Business The beauty of the internet is that your prospective client(s) can literally be just one click away from your online store. Through the internet you can now educate, instruct and solve clients problems. You can accept orders and payments and receive them directly to your inbox.

6. Live anywhere Are the long cold winters starting to get you down? Are you tired of the constant heat and humidity where you live? Taking your business online might just free up your location and allow you to live where you want – not where you have to.

As long as you have a solid internet connection you can live virtually anywhere while you conduct your online business. Many people live in one continent, have their hosting on another and their warehouse on yet another. The world has gotten very small and you can take advantage of this. You could even move to the Caribbean or South America, enjoying a low cost of living, while doing business online.

With few exceptions the internet reduces your need to “be” somewhere. Live where you want to, and let your business adapt to your lifestyle instead of the other way around. There are some notable exceptions, like landscapers, surgeons and home painters who must be in a specific location to perform their work.

7. Reduce Operation Costs Just one single task can make a significant difference in cost savings. For example, receiving orders online reduces the need for customer service staff. With comprehensive sales and product information online, you’ll simply receive purchase orders and payments via email or into your database. Staff numbers can be reduced, thus office space and related office expenses. Making use of various online service providers you can now take all aspects of your business online, such as purchasing, billing, order fulfillment and shipping. Other functions can include pre-emptive customer service – such as answering client questions via a FAQ section or a customer forum.

8. Target the Global Market With your brick and mortar company, you are limited to the amount of individuals who can visit you at any given time, let alone find you. With a good website, you can literally have thousands, even tens of thousands of people visiting your online store at once. Imagine the potential for your company, if you could expose your products and services to a potentially unlimited number of interested people.

Being able to have thousands of visitors and actually having them are two different things. The success of an online business depends on the same thing as any off-line business: marketing. Learn how to increase blog traffic. Content marketing is a great way to increase traffic to your site / online store. Social media can be a powerful and inexpensive (free) way to drive qualified prospects to your site. Learn how to get started with social media.

9. Increase Company Responsiveness The internet allows you to deliver your proposal, purchase order, order confirmation quickly – in many cases instantly – to your clients. Online stores will process orders and confirm them to the client. In the olden days, purchase orders were called in, mailed or dropped off. Depending on the workload of the sales staff, it could have taken hours, or even days to process the order. With a competent online store application, you can automatically track inventory, sales numbers, outstanding orders – everything. Faster response time means happier clients and less administrative work for you.

So, Will You Take The Leap … And Put Your Business Online?

With so many reasons to begin selling online, the real question is: What are you waiting for? If you don’t know where to start, check out: Quick Start Guide to Online Business or for all the fine details check out the How to Start an Online Business: The Practical Guide.