Peter Butler - 10/34 - Smart Mortgage Marketing

Peter Butler

Nathan Peart has recommended you on LinkedIn

by Leave a Comment

Nathan Peart has endorsed your work as Head Honcho Smarter Websites | WordPress Website Design | Lead Generation | Social Media Marketing at Smarter Websites.

Dear Peter,

I’ve written this recommendation of your work to share with other LinkedIn users.

Details of the Recommendation: “I engaged Peter to Re-Design my 2 websites and integrate Social Marketing with my business. Peter has made the process an easy and enjoyable one which has achieved great results. Peter’s passion, knowledge and broad busness knowledge makes him a pleasure to work with.”

Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, Creative

Blogging for Business

by Leave a Comment

What does that even mean?

Blogging simply means adding an article or newsworthy “post” to your website/blog.

Why is it such a big thing?

Because Google (and other search engines) love it!

“Real Time” Search Results Will Have Your Content Soaring the Google Charts…

I wrote a post on that back in November last year when Google started out with real time search results. I had a post of mine show up, not only on page 1 in Google but position 1, but the big news is all this only 6 minutes after I made the “post”.

You can read the results here –

https://www.smartmortgagemarketing.com.au/go/6-Minutes-Googled

The short story version of that post has 2 main points –

  • WordPress sends out a ping telling the world “Hey, new stuff over here, come and check it out” so all the search engines come running.
  • The second is that Google will actually index (recognise) that “post” and rank it and show it in the search results within minutes of you publishing.

For those with WordPress Blogs this is a major coo. By the way, Smarter Websites are actually cleverly disguised WordPress Blogs – every single one.

Why?

Because all our sites soar in the Google Charts, plus they have a very simple Content Management System so you can do your own posts. It’s as easy as writing an email.

“But what do I write about?” is the most common question I get.

Mostly… whatever you talk about on a regular basis. That’s what people want or need to know. It’s all of what goes on in your industry or niche. Otherwise why are you talking to them and telling them that stuff? Or are you just dribbling…

If you answer yes to the following about what you know and talk of then you can blog.

  • Is it valid?
  • Will it help them?
  • Will it help to position you as an authority?
  • Will it improve your credibility?

What your business is about and how you help people are generally newsworthy articles or “posts”.

One area I advise my clients in is how to leverage the most from the use of testimonials.

The most powerful way to do that is tell a story about a problem or an issue that a client has had. Then tell how you went about resolving that problem for them. You are then able to incorporate your client’s testimonial relating to that and all of a sudden your post just became a very powerful marketing piece.

I’ve said it so many times – “What others say about you is infinitely more powerful than what you say about you!”

So this is a smart way to

  • Get content
  • Engage people
  • Build your arsenal of client raves and testimonials
  • Improve your credibility and authority
  • Get far better search engine results

Your results will be in the Organic section or the free listings area in the search engine  results so absolutely no cost for top rankings.

Oh, by the way, write like you speak. When some people start to write, it’s often like they pick up a hat titled “legal speak” and write all legal like and “stuffy”. Keep it simple and just write like you talk, that way you know they’ll stay awake (Unless of course people fall asleep when you do talk – lol).

You’ll get better and quicker at it in no time.

Hope that helps you “Blog for Business” and get your website cranking up the search engines charts.

Soar the Google Charts using Predictive Search Results.

by Leave a Comment

Your Website Can Benefit and Soar the Google Charts with Google’s Predictive Search Results.

Google introduced this a few months ago but it is being enhanced all the time. Sorry about the lateness of getting this out but we’ve been busy getting our own and our clients sites cranking up the Google Charts.

“Google Predictive Search Results.”

The speed increases of this feature over the last few months has been phenomenal.

So why should you care at all?

Apart from benefiting from faster and more intuitive search results.

If you use this wisely you can use it as a tool to improve your websites search engine ranking results.

If you do a search for your own website using the first primary search term you are trying to rank for, you will see what Google suggest as a predictive text.

Here’s a very basic and simplistic example.

If you want to strengthen your position in the market place, you need to consider adding these “predictive terms” to your website.

We do recommend you do your due diligence to double check whether they are terms that have any search volume. No use trying to rank for a term no one is using.

However, there is a good chance that those terms do because Google have indexed that term as being one that does have search requests attributed to it.

Sometimes the terms may not have any search volume, however Google also then suggest a whole gambit of other search words and terms.

And they may well be terms you never even thought of that will help your website rank better.

So what do you do now?

Here’s a 7 step process.

  • Enter one of the primary terms that brings you traffic into Google search.
  • What comes up in the predictive text?
  • Go to https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal
  • Enter the term you’re checking.
  • Is there any search volume to justify adding it to your website? (The meta data area)
  • Go to the Admin area of your site.
  • Add the term to your “SEO Tool” area (email me first if you’re a client, we’ll set up a coaching call. You do need to be careful how this is done, baby steps).

It’s this constant refining that we do on our own websites and our more advanced clients websites.

A word of caution! Don’t change too many things at once. Keep it simple and logical and perhaps only 1, 2 or perhaps 3 small refinements each time.

Good luck and hope to see you at the top of the charts.

You Don’t Have To Go Anywhere Near FaceBook, Twitter or LinkedIn…

by 2 Comments

… to Reap the Rewards of Social Media Marketing.

You don’t have to go anywhere near FaceBook, Twitter or LinkedIn to grow your business on the social media scene.

The biggest issue I hear from those who are social media marketing “challenged” is they don’t have time.

That I totally understand!

But here’s the next thing some say “I actually don’t know where to start or what to actually do”.

And it’s the same for a lot of professionals and small business owners. So many have a FaceBook or a LinkedIn account and pretty well don’t use it.

But there are smart ways to get and stay “in front of people”.

Isn’t that what marketing is all about?

Getting in front of people, getting new connections, strengthening existing relationships, having people talk about you, and give you referrals, building rapport and forging forward in building your network or centre of influence.

Well, that’s my summary of marketing.

I’m a part of 3 different business groups –

  • A closed mastermind group of 4 that meets every week.
  • BNI or Business Network International – meets every week.
  • A Business Mentoring group run by a very successful colleague.

Mastermind Group:

Our closed mastermind group meets every week and is run pretty tight. We have an opening ‘goss’ session and then it’s straight into business. We bring along strategic questions that will move our business forward as well as account for the actions we said we’d take over the last week.

This is not a “feel good” meeting. We are accountable and that’s our mantra – “do what you said you’d do.” We’re not gentle on each other let me tell you. (a great way to vent – lol)

Then there’s BNI. I’m blessed to be in a really dynamic BNI group.

For those who don’t know BNI is all about referrals and operates from a “Givers Gain” model. Like a universal principal – the more you give the more you get. The meetings are very well structured, well organised and run to a tight time line, 1.5 hours for a breakfast meeting, every week.

Mentoring Group:

The next group is the Business Mentoring group run by John Denton. We meet monthly for a half day session. John is one of the country’s top business brokers. When you think about it, who better to run a mentoring group than someone who helps get businesses ready for sale?

If our business is “ready for sale” that means it effectively runs itself.

And don’t we all want that?

That is surely the true definition of a business, something we can walk away from and it’ll still make money. For me that’s a work in progress!

Back to the smart ways to get grow you and your business on the social media scene – without going anywhere near FaceBook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

You’ll need a Smart phone, Android phone or iPhone.

FourSquare is a social venue marketing tool. All it does is use GPS to “locate” you and you’re able to “check in” to that venue. I have it set up to then send that info to my FaceBook and Twitter profiles.

Why?

Because it’s putting me in front of my network or circle of influence.

So who cares you say!

Obviously they do because I seem to get more comments on those “remote” posts than when I’m actually on FaceBook. Seems like a no brainer to me!

If I can foster my relationships with these groups and friends and connect with them more without spending a heap of time in front of my computer isn’t that a smart use of my time?

Here’s a big point to consider!

People want to do business with people! End of story. And the more “real” you become, the more you show your humanness along with constant subtle reminders that you’re out there then the more top of mind you will be.

So I do one thing, take one action – simply check in and it goes to my FourSquare profile, my FaceBook profile, my LinkedIn profile and my Twitter profile.

So I do one thing yet 4 marketing touches or points of exposure occur. That’s for each “check in”, that’s smart leverage.

20 Points of Free Marketing Exposure Every Month!

I get at least 20 points of marketing exposure every month with no time actually on my laptop and only a few minutes a month on my iPhone. That’s a great ROI!

And you get to have some FUN!

With Foursquare you earn points for check ins, extra points for new venues, and you can become the Mayor if you have checked in the most. At our BNI meetings we now have about 4 members into it and we have some fun with it. Trying to check in first or pipping someone as the Major. It actually adds to the camaraderie within the group too.

Here’s where you can get REALLY SMART.

You can add “Tips” about your business. Remember, this is a GPS venue location tool. So anyone around my area will see my tip “Greatest WordPress Websites, Lead Generation Systems and Social Media Marketing Integration on the Planet”. They’ll see that even if they’re a block away and checking into another business.

Gee, Free Advertising!

So whenever I go to my business meeting or network functions I “check in”. I also make a comment about the event, maybe a short spiel about guest speaker or some other positive comment.

Why?

Because it’s that givers gain principle at work. Plus what other people say about you is infinitely more powerful than what you say about yourself. Give rave reviews and I’m bound to get some back. Like I said, I get at least 20 points of marketing exposure every month.

Who’d like the benefit of you and your business being put in front of 100’s or even 1000’s of people?

Here’s a really cool video to show you – http://budurl.com/foursquaretool

It’s gonna be huge so start to use it now.

DO THIS NOW! Let us “Connect Socially” – Increase Your Circle of Influence!

Follow me on Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/peter_butler

See me on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/peterbutler

Connect at LinkedIn – http://www.linkedin.com/in/thepeterbutler

FourSquare – http://foursquare.com/peter_butler

Linked In Spam Email Warning

by Leave a Comment

Spam email messages appearing to come from LinkedIn are bombarding the in-boxes of businesses around the world.

These are the 3 most common subject lines that I have come across in these Spam Attacks.

  • So now you’re on LinkedIn: What’s next?
  • LinkedIn Alert
  • LinkedIn new messages

There have been reports of an alert that contains a link with a fictitious social media contact request.

Why do they bother? Apparently it’s to spread the ZeuS malware that aims to capture your personal information and banking details.

According to a Cisco Security blog post, the spam attack started this Monday and ramped up quickly to account for over 25 percent of all spam intercepted by Cisco’s systems after only eight hours.

I first started receiving my “spam blast” on the 25.09.2010 and it went through to the 1.10.2010.

These messages accounted for as much as 24% of all spam sent within a 15-minute interval. Clicking the link takes victims to a web page that says, “PLEASE WAITING…. 4 SECONDS,” and redirects them to Google.

Here’s the trap!

During those four seconds, the victim’s PC is infected with the ZeuS data-theft malware via a drive-by download. ZeuS embeds itself in the victim’s web browser and captures personal information, such as online banking credentials, and is widely used by criminals to pilfer commercial bank accounts.”said the post.

One way you can check if it’s legitimately from LinkedIn is to hold your mouse over the link and check to see what URL shows. DO NOT click on the link.

Businesses are warned to avoid clicking links in LinkedIn email messages, instead it is good practice to visit the LinkedIn site directly by typing the URL in your web browser and logging in this way to check messages and contact requests rather than follow links in an email.

You’ll find the attack will slow until they think of a new scam.

Henry Stern, Senior Security Researcher with the IronPort Systems division of Cisco says the attack relies on exploiting out of date software on your PC. “Your PC will only be infected by this attack if you have out-of-date software installed on your PC, particularly Adobe’s Flash, Reader or Oracle’s Java that are behind on their security updates.” he said.