This video goes through the basic steps for using the built-in gallery feature in WordPress. There are few critical, but often missed steps, and I cover those in this video. If you’ve been scratching your head at why the gallery options sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t, this tutorial is for you.

Questions? Comments? Love to hear ‘em!

Another really basic video tutorial for WordPress, this one is how to insert a photo into a page or a blog post.

Everybody has to start somewhere, and I have several clients who want the basics of making a post in video format for quick review, so I put together a quick narrated screen capture video. I’ve tried to cut out the parts where I was rambling… Hey, I’m new at this online training stuff. Getting the hang of it. The video is “branded” with my blogging-specific site, so don’t let that fool you.

Please let me know what you think and feel free to post questions.

The book “Duct Tape Marketing” by John Jantsch is easily one of my favorite business marketing books. Jantsch takes tried-and-true marketing concepts and breaks them down into understandable, usable, basic methods – suitable for the average business person.

In no particular order, here are my favorite strategies:

1. Identify your ideal client (page 2). This is actually chapter 1 in the book, and for good reason, if you don’t know who you are marketing to, you will have no focus in your message. If your business is handyman services, your ideal client is probably a 40-ish woman who either doesn’t have a man around the house or has one that isn’t getting household projects done.  How you relate to that market segment is completely different to say, how you relate to a single 20-ish woman.
2. Develop a core marketing message (page 20). This isn’t the “mission statement” popularized in the 80s that became a self-aggrandizing joke. Jantsch focuses on setting one’s business apart from the competition. It’s more than just a slogan, too. For Hampton Roads locals, think in terms of WAVY-TV’s “10 on your side” brand. If they didn’t actually deliver on the message, it would be nothing more than a slogan, but the community at large knows WAVY’s history of getting involved. It’s what set’s them apart from the other stations in the area.
3. Match your business identity to your message (page 39). Identity includes everything from your logo to your to your website to your outgoing voice mail message. All the components of your identity should clearly identify your company, it should appeal to your target market, and it should differentiate your firm, as well as support the most important aspect of your core message.
4. Writing an effective ad (page 115). While this strategy was developed with focus on small display ads, the premise and techniques are perfect for Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads, such as on Google or Facebook. He talks about writing headlines that get read and a powerful call to action.
5. Become an expert (page 156). This is just part of the whole PR chapter, which is quite involved. I’ve seen the same concept in other books, and that is to become a source for reporters when they need to get an expert opinion on an element of a story. The PR chapter goes into detail on how to reach the right media outlets and even outlines the elements of a good press release.

These are just some of the high notes from the book, which is chock full of practical techniques. Jantsch builds on the basics of good marketing practices in a way that the average Joe-business-owner can understand and immediately put to use.

While Microsoft has had some growing pains in developing their “Bing” search engine, they seem to be moving along. In any case, since Bing is on the rise it would be foolish not to add your business to their local listings. It’s free. Free advertising is ALWAYS good.

https://ssl.bing.com/listings/ListingCenter.aspx

You have to have a Windows Live ID, but that only takes a few minutes to set up, so don’t use it as an excuse.

Make sure to take advantage of all the category and services fields, just like on Google Local, the more information you provide, the better your listing will work for you. For instance, instead of just saying “handyman”, spell out “tile repair, cabinets, faucet installation, etc.” Really use the space they provide to get specific to capture more of your potential audience.

From what I could see, the only way Bing Local is handling verification is through the regular postal mail, so it takes a few weeks. Perhaps they will add the instant phone verification like Google has in the future. Who knows?

Take 10 minutes RIGHT NOW and add your listing. And if you don’t already have a Google local listing, add one immediately!