Sunday 30 October 2016

Expanded 9 of 9 Top Tips for Finding New Customers - New Sales Channels

Find new sales channelsMaybe it's time to start selling online, if you aren't already. This could enable you to reach many more customers and to sell round the clock.

If you're not online already I would recommend that you get online as soon as you can. Why? Because when potential customers want to find out more about companies and individuals that have met for the first time the first thing they would do is google you.

Having said that, web pages and ecommerce websites cost money so the most cost effective way to have a presence online are described below, however, a few names or alternatives that can be used also include eBay, Amazon, Etsy, notonthehighstreet etc

The Cheapest Possible Way to Launch an Ecommerce Store

ou’ve seen (or maybe heard about) the entrepreneurs on Shark Tank. Half of them walk in front of the sharks talking about the hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars they have spent on their startup, only to be in a situation where they need more money from the billionaire investors to keep their dream alive.
It may give you a sinking sensation in your stomach, knowing that you would never be able to gather together that type of money or have the collateral to backup that sort of loan from an investor or bank.

Is it required to have that much money to start a business? Particularly an online business? Although your expenses are likely to increase as your sales increase, I want to remind you that many of these entrepreneurs started off with nothing more than a simple ecommerce website, spending small amounts of money to gradually expand and make money to pay for upgrades.
But right now, you need the cheapest possible way to launch an ecommerce site. You have either a little money in your pocket, or even zero money to start selling, so we want to show you a few methods that will keep cash in your pocket for investing in other facets of your business. Keep reading to start saving!

Method 1: WordPress with a Theme and Plugin

wordpress

The first method for keeping money in your pocket while building your online store is to turn to the WordPress platform. If you have experience with WordPress this is an even better option, since you’ll be comfortable with the interface and happy to know that the themes aren’t that expensive.
To start off, WordPress is completely free. That’s a good start when talking about cheap solutions!
However, there are going to be some monthly and yearly costs, but they aren’t all that pricey as long as you keep your site lightweight.
Here’s the roundup for your pricing:

WordPress

As stated, WordPress is completely free, so you can go to the primary WordPress website and download the software. You must later install it through your hosting provider, and they generally have a one-click install button to make it easy for you.

WordPress Theme and Plugin

themeforest

A WordPress theme is the part that makes your site look pretty. You can go to places like ThemeForest and TemplateMonster to purchase themes for a one time fee. you can download these and install them quickly on your WordPress site. Themes range from around $50 to $100.

woocommerce
Make sure you buy a theme with WooCommerce plugin support, since that’s the shopping cart plugin you are going to install to run on your store. WooCommerce is completely free and easy to install.

Hosting and Domain

With WordPress you have to find your own hosting and purchase a domain.
Try-Shopify
Hosting generally starts at around $3 or $4 per month, so that’s not a bad fee when it comes to saving money. Try places like Bluehost for some solid rates, but remember, with places like Bluehost, you must pay for a year in advance.

Finally, hosting can be purchased through your host or from places like NameCheap. Domains ranges from around $3 to $11 per year, but it all depends on the domain you select.

Keep in mind, WordPress site speeds depend on your hosting, how many people are coming to your site and how well optimized your site is. Therefore, it’s reasonable to expect that once more customers start coming to your site you will have to upgrade your plans. For example, you may have to go with a more expensive hosting plan to protect your site and to support the traffic that starts coming in. This hosting can go all the way up to $50 a month, and even more depending on your visitor count.

In addition, it might be wise to go with a content deliver network (CDN) for improving your site performance and keeping site down times to a minimum. The best CDNs are paid, but the Cloudflaresystem starts free and goes up to $200 per month. The standard plan is only $20 per month.

If you go with the WordPress option and you don’t have any development experience, you may have to hire someone to run the site for you. In this case, you may end up spending a few thousand dollars per month, depending on whether you hire a contractor or if you get someone in your organization to do it.

Method 2: BigCartel (For Stores with Not Many Products)

bigcartel

If you plan on selling up to five products, the BigCartel system offers a plan that’s completely free, forever. The only problem with this is that you’re limited to five products, and the features are rather limited. Not to mention, if you start upgrading to other plans, you’d be better off going with a solution like Shopify, since the feature base is better.

However, the BigCartel Gold plan looks like this:
  • Free for up to five products
  • Order management
  • Five images per product
  • Inventory tracking
  • Digital products
  • Sell on Facebook
  • Discount codes
If you’d like to upgrade your account in BigCartel, here are the plans to choose from:
  • Titanium – $29.99 for 300 products
  • Diamond – $19.99 for 100 products
  • Platinum – $9.99 for 25 products

Method 3: Shopify (Quickest Method with Simple and Powerful Tools)

shopify
The final method for building a cheap store is to go with Shopify. It’s by far the easiest and quickest method out of the three, and I highly recommend it for beginner developers.
You start with a 14 day free trial for testing things out, and the Lite Plan is only $9 per month. This is a wonderful price considering you also receive a domain name and hosting, and you can choose a free theme.
This plan doesn’t have an online store, but you receive unlimited products and a Shopify Buy button to start selling.
Even when you start upgrading the prices are pretty reasonable:
  • Basic Plan – $29
  • Pro Plan – $79
  • Unlimited Plan – $179

Over to You…

Now that you’ve had a chance to check out the cheapest possible ways to launch an ecommerce store, let us know in the comments if you’ve had a chance to work with any of these platforms. Were you able to keep costs low throughout the process?

http://ecommerce-platforms.com/ecommerce-selling-advice/the-cheapest-possible-way-to-launch-an-ecommerce-store

Saturday 29 October 2016

Expanded 8 of 9 Top Tips for Finding New Customer - Network

NetworkGo to trade events and speak to as many people as possible. Get involved in local business associations and events. Would closer involvement in your local community be good for business? Online networking can also generate sales.

This article has got some great tips and examples for successful networking and is a great place to start.
The 10 best networking tips for people who hate networking

Everyone needs to network. And I mean everyone.
What determines whether a drug dealer dies or becomes a kingpin? Yup — the size of his network.
Networking is one of the 10 things I recommend people do every week.
Research shows networking is vital to staying employed, salary growth, and job satisfaction.
It also makes you more likely to land a job.
In his classic 1974 study Getting a Job, Granovetter…foundthat 56 percent of those he talked to found their job through a personal connection. [The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference]
It makes you more likely to be successful at your job.
MIT researchers…found that the more socially connected the IBM employees were, the better they performed. [The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work]
It makes you more likely to become an expert at your job.
As much as 70 percent of learning in the workplace takes place via informal interactions according to a 1998 study by the center for Workforce Development. [Achieving Success Through Social Capital: Tapping the Hidden Resources in Your Personal and Business Networks]
And it makes you more likely to be creative on the job.
…businesspeople with entropicnetworks full of weak ties were three times more innovative than people with small networks of close friends… [Imagine: How Creativity Works]
Having a big network even makes you luckier.
Alright, alright… Networking is essential. But how do we do it? I've read the books, talked to the experts, and I've got some answers.
And if you're one of those people who hates the word "networking" because it seems sleazy, rest assured I've got that covered too. Let's get started:

1) If connecting seems hard, start by re-connecting
(iStock)
You hate networking. Or you're bad at it. Or you're hopelessly lazy and have the attention span of a gnat. Then just go play on Facebook.
I'm being serious. An excellent first step, backed by research, is to reconnect with old friends:
These findings suggest that dormant relationships — often overlooked or underutilized — can be a valuable source of knowledge and social capital. ["Dormant Ties: The Value of Reconnecting," Organization Science]

Give and Take author Adam Grant points to research showing in many cases friends you haven't kept up with are even more helpful than current contacts.
(For a dead simple way to reconnect with people, click here.)
Okay, but this is supposed to be networking, right? How do you meet new people? Well, that can be crazy simple too.

2) Move your desk
Most people constantly make excuses: "I'm shy. Talking to new people makes me break out with hives, boils, and open sores."
It's really not that hard and it needn't be awkward. In fact, it can be as simple as moving your desk.
Jeffrey Pfeffer tells a powerful story of a manager who attributes his success to his decision of where to sit… He noted that during the course of the day, people walked to the cafeteria and to the washrooms. He found where the two paths tended to intersect, near the center of the open plan office layout, and took that position as his work location. He attributes much of his subsequent success to that simple move, since it gave him much better access to what was going on in his department. [Achieving Success Through Social Capital: Tapping the Hidden Resources in Your Personal and Business Networks]
Not good at going up to new people? Then situate yourself so they'll come to you.
(For more insights on networking for introverts, click here.)
Okay, clever tricks. But what if we really want to scale this? And be strategic? Then it's time to bring out the big guns…

3) Find your "superconnectors"
A disproportionate number of friends and opportunities come your way through a handful of people. These are "superconnectors."
Who helped get you your current job? Your previous job? Through whom did you meet the majority of your friends? Seeing any patterns?
Brian Uzzi and Sharon Dunlap discussed this in the Harvard Business Review:
After you identify your key contacts, think about how you first met them. In the center column of the work sheet, write the name of the person who introduced you to your contact (if you met the person yourself, write "me"). This column will reveal the brokers in your network and help you see the networking practices you used to connect with them. [Harvard Business Review]
If you only send a few emails or make a few calls it should be to those people, because a small investment there can pay off big.

Who's an easy first superconnector? Contact your mentor.
(Don't have a mentor? All successful people have mentors. To get the perfect mentor for you, click here.)
So you're starting to build up a healthy network now. But all these meetings might get expensive. And that can lead to second thoughts…

4) Start an "interesting people fund"

(iStock)
Set aside money so there's no reluctance or guilt and you can jump on opportunities to meet new people.
Ben Casnocha, bestselling author of The Start-up of You and The Alliance, says designating this money can make networking much less stressful.

Pre-committing $100 or $1,000 reduces the likelihood that when it comes time to actually do the thing you know you ought to do, you bail. [Barking up the Wrong Tree]

What about making time? Top networker Keith Ferrazzi sums up the answer with the title of his bestseller: Never Eat Alone.
(For more on setting up an "interesting people fund", click here.)
You've got a burgeoning network and have set aside time and money to meet with them. Great. But what do you actually say when you're there?

5) Three golden questions
You want meetings to be friendly and personal but you also want to lay down the foundation of a relationship that is mutually beneficial.
Judy Robinett, author of How to Be a Power Connector has a great short list of questions to make sure you make the most of even brief meetings.

Before you leave any meeting or encounter, you always should ask what I call Three Golden Questions.
First, "How can I help you?" This gives you an opportunity to add value immediately with a suggestion, a referral, or an opportunity, and it will establish you as a giver and potentially someone they want to know.
Second, "What ideas do you have for me?" Asking for ideas allows the people you are talking with to add value to you as you have (hopefully) added value to them.
Third, "Who else do you know that I should talk to?" The very connection you need may be in this individual's network, and the only way you can find out is with this question. [How to Be a Power Connector]
(For more on what to say and do in the moment, click here.)
But this is the kinda strategic behavior some people see as sleazy and shallow. What keeps networking sincere?

6) How to not be sleazy
When it comes to business relationships, stop thinking about the word "business" and focus on "relationships."
So what should we keep in mind when it comes to being a friend to new people we meet? I always think of "warmth, curiosity, and generosity."
Research shows people evaluate everyone they meet in terms of warmth and competence. And of the two guess which mattered more? Yup, warmth.

And then there's curiosity. Actively showing interest in other people is powerful — and kind.
When people speak, the best responses are both active and constructive. What's that mean?

It is engaged, enthusiastic, curious and has supportive nonverbal action. Ask questions. Be excited. Ask for details. Smile. Touch. Laugh. [Flourish]

People who create this kind of positive energy are higher achievers. They get promoted earlier and also improve the performance of those around them.
(For more on how being sincere and positive can boost your career, click here.)
Hey, there were three things: warmth, curiosity and generosity. Where's generosity? That one is so important it gets its own section…

7) The five-minute favor
One of the most common problems people have in networking is how to follow up: Great, I met someone. Now what do I do?
The answer to that is: give. Think of the other person first.
Top Wharton professor Adam Grant, author of Give and Take, offers a piece of advice on how to network he learned from Adam Rifkin.
It's the five-minute favour:

One of my personal favorites is probably Adam Rifkin's idea of the "Five Minute Favor"(if you can do something for someone that will take less than five minutes, just do it.)A lot of people look at the idea of helping others and say, "Gosh, that's going to be time consuming, or exhausting, or put me at risk of being exploited." I think that Adam's idea enables us to a sense of, "What if I just took a couple minutes every day to try to help someone in a way that is a small commitment to me, but could be of large benefit to them?"
You know that hippie-sounding bumper sticker "Practice random acts of kindness"? Corny as it may sound, you should actually do that.
(For more on the five minute favor, click here.)
You're giving. You're even making a game out of it, trying to figure out the best way to help others. Now it's time to flip that on its head.

8) Cement a relationship by asking for a favor
(iStock)
Asking people for favors can actually strengthen the bond between you.
My friend Michael Simmons mentions a great networking method used by none other than Benjamin Franklin.
There was somebody who really did not like Ben. And as much as Ben tried to be nice to the guy, nothing worked.
So instead of trying to help his detractor, Franklin took the opposite route — he asked his enemy for a favor. Ironically, that made them friends.

Having heard that he had in his library a certain very scarce and curious book, I wrote a note to him expressing my desire of perusing that book and requesting he would do me the favourof lending it to me for a few days.
He sent it immediately — and I returned it in about a week with another note expressing strongly my sense of the favour. When we next met in the House, he spoke to me (which he had never done before), and with great civility. And he ever afterward manifested a readiness to serve me on all occasions, so that we became great friends, and our friendship continued to his death. [The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin]
What happened? When someone does something for you they need to justify it — maybe by changing their mind about you.
How can you do this without coming off like a selfish taker? Judy Robinettsays to stick to the "rule of two": give two favors before asking for one.
And don't be afraid. Research shows we tend to underestimate just how helpful people are.
(For more on how to be a giver the smart way, click here.)
Now it's all starting to come together. What do the experts say we need to know when looking at the big picture?

9) Tips from the best
Fortune Magazine called Adam Rifkin the most networked guy in Silicon Valley. He has a few things anyone can do to be a better networker:
1. Do something every single day. Make it a habit. The more of it you do, the better you can get at it. Every day is an opportunity to get better, but do not try to do too much at once. Take the longview, and connect with at least one person professionally every day. Could be following up with someone you already know; could be asking for an introduction from a mutual connection.
2. Once in a while, think of two people who should know each other but don't, and introduce them. Follow through with them later to learn from whether that introduction was worthwhile, so you can get better at making introductions. Practice!
3. Imagine you got laid off today. Who are the 5-10 people you'd write to for advice? Make sure to invest in those relationships regularly, not just when you have an urgent need.
4. Look at the 5-10 people you've spent the most time with in the last 3 months. Are you happy with the way they're influencing you?If so, find another person who belongs in that group and invest in that relationship. (If not, change the way you're spending your time! How you spend your time determines so much in your life.) [Barking up the Wrong Tree]
(For more insights from networker extraordinaire Adam Rifkin, click here.)
So you've got tons of contacts now. But how can you possibly maintain them all? There just isn't enough time. Unless you do something very fun…

10) PARTY!
Good networkers build bridges, becoming a linchpin between disparate networks. But as Michael Simmons notes, great networkers form communities.
They make sure that their contacts get to know each other, exponentially increasing the connections and opportunities.
And forming communities actually makes managing networks easier — have regular get-togethers with a rotating group of your contacts.
It's a trend you see again and again among top networkers:
    1. Keith Ferrazzi, author of Never Eat Alone, throws a monthly breakfast, introducing his connections to each other.
    2. Adam Rifkin hosts his "106 miles" gatherings where Silicon Valley power brokers and newcomers mix and mingle.
    3. Harvard's Gautam Mukunda regularly gathers the most interesting thought leaders in Boston for steak dinners.
I've attended the latter two and can't say enough positive things.
(To learn more about how you can turn your network into a community, click here.)
So where does all this take you in the end? Let's look at the key point that makes all of this so powerful.

Sum up
Here are the ten networking tips that bring success:
    1. If connecting seems hard, start by re-connecting
    2. Move your desk
    3. Find your "superconnectors"
    4. Start an "interesting people fund"
    5. Three golden questions
    6. How to not be sleazy
    7. The five-minute favor
    8. Cement a relationship by asking for a favor
    9. Big picture tips from the best
    10. PARTY!
Old people, economists and insurance adjusters all say the most valuable thing in life is relationships. They make you happier — and healthier.
…according to a study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, "More diverse social networks were associated with greater resistance to upper respiratory illness," conclude researchers from Carnegie Mellon University. [Achieving Success Through Social Capital]

It's the first day of kindergarten again, folks. Go make some friends.

Friday 28 October 2016

Expanded 7 of 9 Top Tips for Finding New Customers - Get In The News

Get in the news. Try to get coverage in your local paper or trade press. You will need a newsworthy story, or you could put yourself forward as an expert to comment on your industry.

One of the best free publicity you can get which is also the most effective takes time and effort to do.
The below article describes how to get your press released published but the same also applies with getting in the news.

Getting Your Press Release Published


Now that you have your list of media contacts and you understand the press release format, you are ready to
compose your press release and get it published. However it's not always that easy - you may be competing for space with a lot of other stories and every little thing you do can affect how your story is judged. 
If you haven't done so already, read how to write a news story. Then follow the guidelines below to give yourself the best possible chance of being published.

Pick Your Targets

Make sure you submit your press release to the right publications through the correct channels. Don't send your story to publications which have no interest in the topic. Find the most appropriate publications, do your homework and find out the correct way to submit a story.
It's very important in this game to get these things right. You need everything to go smoothly, to the right people in a timely fashion. Think hard about whether you are annoying anyone!

Make the Story Newsworthy

Your story must fit the publishers' criteria of newsworthy. Although this seems obvious, many people optimistically contact the local newspaper every time they think something is news, rather than evaluating the story objectively from the newspapers' point of view. This does your case no good - it will reduce your credibility and chances of being taken seriously when you have a genuine story to offer.
If you are struggling to find a newsworthy angle, look for some central event or happening which you can build a story around. If you want to tell the world how well your business is doing, try to focus on a particular sales target or some other milestone you have reached. Naturally, a special achievement such as winning an award would be an ideal candidate for a press release.
Remember to emphasise the things that are interesting to the publishers' audience, not just the things you want to tell them. For more information see What makes a story newsworthy?

Make the Journalists' Job Easy

Journalists like press releases for the simple fact that they make the journalist's job easier. There is a symbiotic relationship between publicists and journalists and if you're clever you can cultivate this relationship. If you can provide stories which are basically ready to publish, you are doing the journalists a huge favour and they are likely to be receptive.
Any aspect of your press release which requires the journalist to do extra work, such as fixing mistakes or doing additional research, lessens the story's appeal to the journalist.

Use Correct Spelling, Grammar and Case

Be pedantic about spelling, grammar and style. Mistakes will be severely frowned upon. If you can't even run a spell checker, how can you be trusted to provide reliable information in your story? The odd spelling or grammar mistake may not kill your chances, but at the very least you are making the journalist work to fix your errors.
Use the correct mix of upper and lower case. Never, ever compose a press release in ALL UPPER CASE.

More Tips

News Before Introductions
Begin the story with the news headline and main facts. Then, within the first few sentences, introduce the source or main contributors to this particular news item.
Impact First
Make your impact in the first sentence. Don't try to build up to the punch line - make it very clear and simple from the outset.
Think of the Audience
Imagine yourself as a typical reader or viewer watching this story. How is the story relevant to this person? What exactly makes this person interested in the story?

http://www.mediacollege.com/journalism/press-release/get-published.html

Thursday 27 October 2016

Expanded 6 of 9 Top Tips for Finding New Customers - Advertise on a budget

Advertise on a budget. Should your advertising strategy be improved? Give free advertising on your website to non-competitors who return the compliment. If you pay for advertising, try to negotiate cheaper rates. Pay-per-click advertising online can be targeted and cost-effective.

Paying for advertising can be in two ways - offline and online. Whilst the below article concentrates on online paid advertising which is useful and has some great tips, the additional comment highlighted in yellow throughout this article points out how the suggestions can be used for offline advertising too.

5 Things You Must Do Before Jumping Into Paid Internet Advertising

Paid advertising is a great way to guide more traffic to your site and increase business, but it can become expensive quickly if you aren’t careful. How do you make sure you are getting the most out of your paid ads?
Just the other day, I was speaking with a business owner in my local community. They recently had begun an aggressive Google AdWords campaign that was working, sort of. They were receiving new leads, but the leads were for things they didn’t even do. Their AdWords buy was too broad, and they were paying for leads that weren’t any good.
How do we make sure that our paid advertising is performing as it should be? There are several simple things we can do to make sure we are getting the most bang for our buck.

Understand How Long Tail Keywords Work

The main thing we need to understand before jumping into paid advertising (especially search advertising) is how it all works – more specifically, how keywords work. Google’s AdWords tool is a great resource for discovering keywords in your industry.
The problem with this tool is that it tends to push people toward very broad keywords that are far more expensive and much less effective. These are called “head” keywords. It is important to remember that you aren’t necessarily looking for the highest-traffic keywords. You are looking for the words that your customers use to look for you.
So, you will need to be on the lookout for something called “long tail keywords.” These keywords are the longer, more specific keywords that, when added together, make up the majority of search-driven traffic. 
keyword searches
Learn to identify longer, less popular keywords called “long tail keywords.”
In the example above, the term “social media marketing” is considered a “head” keyword, which means it is searched for very frequently. The much less popular term “social media marketing courses online” receives few searches, but better exemplifies a long tail keyword. You might be able to go even further and try something like “the best social media marketing courses online.”
The big mistake that many first-time marketers make with SEO or pay-per-click advertising is choosing the wrong keywords. When you purchase “head” keywords like “social media marketing,” you will spend significantly more money and reduce your ROI dramatically. The key that you have to remember is you will get a lot more bang for your buck by targeting a large number of lower-traffic terms than by targeting a small number of higher-traffic terms.
Finally, the best source of keywords can come from your own website. Consider using a survey tool like Qualaroo to find out what your customers are looking for or why they decided to do business with you (after checkout for example). The language they use can be very effective ad copy for internet advertisements. 
Keywords don't really apply to offline advertising, instead what would be key is understanding your customers and the types of magazines or newspapers the read, where they shop, eat, socialise etc and targeting these places with your advertisements, whether is placing an ad in a magazine, leaflets placed in magazines, postcards/leaflets placed at reception areas etc etc

Know the Territory

There are a lot of places to buy ads, with each site having its own strengths and weaknesses. To start with, you should understand some of the major types of paid advertising.
internet ads
Display Ads or Banner Ads – Banner ads immediately come to mind when we think about online advertising because they stand out so noticeably on the page. They are very common and come in a variety of sizes. These ads can be effective, but they tend to target customers who are not actively looking for something new.
For example, a person may be reading a newspaper article and not be interested in a new social media course. Display ads can be successful, but they need to be used properly. Display ads can be purchased using a pay-per-click model or they simply can be displayed for a certain length of time.
different type of internet ads
Display and banner ads also applies offline, in places like magazines and newspapers. One of the disadvantages is that is is not as targeted as online, but it doesn't mean it will not work for your business either. Marginally more expensive than online advertising, it should not be completely dismissed but maybe something to do a bit later when your marketing budget has increased.
Text Ads – Text ads are the type you usually see on the primary Google search page. These ads generally are less expensive than display ads and target customers that actually are looking for something specific. They can be very effective but depend heavily on good keyword research and A/B testing (a topic we will discuss later in this post).
Here are a few of the places you should try listing your ads, though there certainly are many others:
Google AdWords. – Google AdWords are an obvious choice for many businesses. They offer display and text ads in association with highly targeted keywords. AdWords are a clear choice for any campaign. Bonus Tip: Your Google Adwords ads will produce a better return on investment the longer you use Adwords. Google will rewards long-term customers with better “quality scores”.
Bing or Yahoo. – Bing and Yahoo both offer alternative ad platforms that work similarly to Google’s. They combine display and text ads with targeted search terms. Some brands find that, while these options bring less traffic, the overall ROI is a bit better.
Facebook or LinkedIn. – Social advertising has grown enormously in popularity over the last few years. These ads combine text and display elements and are targeted based on user preferences, demographics, and location. Depending on your business type, both Facebook and LinkedIn are valid options to consider.
StumbleUpon. – The social network StumbleUpon offers a unique paid advertising option that is very inexpensive and guarantees a “click-through” of some kind. This is worth looking into, but it is important to track your actual conversions, which is the primary weakness with this model.
BuySellAds or Direct Buy. – BuySellAds.com is a great place to go to find additional display ad opportunities. These usually allow you to “rent” space on a site or a blog for a fixed cost. Additional opportunities like this can exist if you contact some of your favorite bloggers directly.
In the beginning, it is important to try several of these options and use hard data to make final decisions about where you want to put your money. Often, we simply guess which sites will be best without putting much effort into finding out if we actually are right. Hard data, not guesses, will tell you what gives you the best return. Good tracking capabilities will make this possible.

Have Your Tracking Ready

If you aren’t able to see how each of your ads is performing, then you shouldn’t be buying paid advertising at all. The beautiful thing about online advertising is that you get the opportunity to track everything. Google Analytics is an absolute must when it comes to online ad buying. This analytics package is free and easy to install.
Once you have it set up, you should become very familiar with Google Analytics Custom Campaigns. These options allow you to create a customized URL for each ad that will help you see overall performance for all of your advertising. Using Google Analytics in this way will give you a single dashboard for comparing all of your advertising campaigns. 
ebook conversion funnel
We can use analytics, like Kissmetrics, to determine how successful our efforts are.
Kissmetrics is another important tool for online tracking because it allows you to create a funnel report for your ads. Not only will you be able to see the amount of traffic that you received from the ad, but you also will be able to see how many of the clicks converted into a genuine lead, a purchase, or even a long-term subscriber.
This type of tracking is extremely important; click and traffic counts simply can’t tell you everything you want to know. While you may get fewer clicks with certain types of ads, if they are more likely to convert to sales, they just might be worth your while. 
utm tracking with KISSmetrics
Google Analytics Custom Campaigns make tracking easy with custom URL tags.
Tracking online is made easier as time progresses. It's a little more 'tricky' with offline advertising. One thing I have tried either through leaflet drops or offline display advertising is changing the name of the contact person, using the infamous 'quote XYZ' to claim this offer etc. I like the name one specifically as I have found my response rates change purely on the name used on the advertising.

Create a Landing Page

It is important to send incoming visitors to a unique page (called a landing page) on your website, rather than your homepage. This may seem counter-intuitive, but there are three very good reasons for using this strategy:
  1. Landing pages allow you to customize your message for incoming visitors. This means that you can continue the message that you started with your ads, which creates a cohesive experience.
  2. These custom landing pages allow you to push visitors toward specific actions, such as downloading a free ebook. (Displaying traditional navigation may distract your visitors.)
  3. Landing pages make tracking your visits very easy. This is especially important.
When you combine this strategy with easy funnel-tracking tools like Kissmetrics, you quickly can gain a lot of information about how to reach and sell to your new visitors. In some cases, you can create a single landing page for an entire ad campaign. In other cases, you may want to create a specific landing page for each keyword that you purchase. 
landing page example
This landing page helps us track who comes to the page and exactly how effective our ads are.
It is important to remember to block your custom landing pages from search engines. This can be done with a simple edit to your “robots.txt” file. This is an important step that will make your ad tracking more reliable. If you allow Google and Bing to send non-paid visitors to your page, you may get a false sense of how your page is performing.
Landing pages can also be used in conjunction with offline advertising, especially if you place a web address on your ad/leaflet designs.
Create a Call to Action – Once you have a visitor on your landing page, how do you convert them into a lead or a customer? Every page you send them to should have a clear call to action. Think about this one carefully, because it’s the difference between a sale and wasted money.
I like to decide what the “number one” desired outcome for each page is before I design a landing page. Simply ask yourself, “What do I want them to do the most?” Then create the page accordingly. 
A good call to action will tell your visitors exactly what you want them to do.
Everything on your page should push your visitors toward the action you want them to take. Without considering this, you’re throwing money away.
Great point but I would just like to add that you can have more than one call to action BUT a landing page should be created of EACH call to action. 
If you advert in the newspaper or online says 'Download a FREE cheat sheet on how to get 100 customers spending $10 on FB Ads'  you will have quick unsubscribes if the download is related to twitter for example. Make sure it's relevant and you deliver what you say you will.
Use A/B Testing – You may have launched your page, but you aren’t done yet. Small tweaks and adjustments can make a huge difference in your overall conversion rate. If you’ve followed the tips above, you should have the proper landing page and conversion tracking to make this task very easy.
A/B testing is being scientific about testing which methods work best. When you go about A/B testing, it is important that you make only a single, testable, change each time. For example, you could test the effectiveness of your page’s headline or button placement, but not both at the same time.
By testing a single change, you will be able to see conclusive results about what works best. A/B testing is an ongoing process, too, so don’t stop. Keep testing and modifying your page. You might be surprised at what it does to your overall conversion rate.
A/B split testing is a quick tool for seeing what works and what doesn't. The same principle applies to offline and this goes back to my suggestion of doing something like changing the name of the contact person on the ad.

Review Results Regularly

Whatever you do, don’t look at your results every day. This practice can lead to off-hand changes that are made too hastily. It is best to wait so that your analytics have time to accumulate accurate trends and information. Then determine a set time period for reviewing your statistics and making changes. It might be monthly, it might be weekly. Checking monthly is a good plan for picking up broad shifts.
Also, you might consider setting up spreadsheets to track your statistics. It’s easier to pick up on trends and understand what you’re seeing when you dig into your analytics to pull out the numbers for your spreadsheet. 
tracking metrics
Use simple spreadsheets to track your incoming ad traffic.
Be prepared to kill keywords that are under-performing. Remember, conversion rates are your most important statistics, not clicks. Clicks just waste money unless they are doing something purposeful for you. With all paid advertising, especially AdWords, the longer you run your ads, the better your rates and quality score will become. This will be true particularly if you rely heavily on good A/B testing and are constantly refining your ad buy.

Set a Budget and Plan for the Long Haul

This is something that you will do for a while. Don’t expect to be finished in a week or two. You need to give it time and finesse your plan to get the best results. Again, cumulative trends and information will give you a clearer picture. Dedicate your time and funds for a serious study. Online advertising isn’t a quick-fix solution, but rather one requiring patience and observation.
About the Author: Garrett Moon is a founder at Todaymade a web development and content marketing company, and the makers of CoSchedule an editorial calendar for WordPress that makes content marketing and social media easy.