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Interview with Randy Pickard

January 26, 2011 By 1 Comment

Hi Randy, tell us a bit about your background:

A business friend convinced me that the two of us should start up a boutique agency to develop Websites in 1995. My career has been focused on Website development, Internet marketing and SEO ever since then.

What is your latest business venture?

I founded Exceptional Shopping Sites in 2010. Exceptional Shopping Sites is an incubator of online stores. Our introductory sites are ShoppingBasketsPlus and Course Marking. I’m also the author of the Internet Marketing Remarks blog.

Describe your approach to internet marketing:

Effective Internet marketing requires a “solution” based approach to communicating with prospects. The Mad Men-ish era tactic of interrupting  an audience for :30 with a TV commercial will fail on the Internet. Internet marketing must communicate during the few seconds that a viewer gazes upon your marketing message that you offer a solution that will benefit them.

Why it is important to you to be a part of IM Think Tank?

Networking with smart marketers is one of the best opportunities to learn how to improve  Internet marketing skills. Also, I enjoy working with marketers and business owners that are hungry to learn more about opportunities for utilizing the Internet.

What is your favorite internet tool or application?

E-mail seems to be a bit overlooked of late as social media is so in vogue. But for a commercial firm that does not have a deep bond with their customer base, e-mail marketing is often far more effective than social media marketing.

What have you been up to lately?

I’ve been redesigning packaging for large boxes to get them under three cubic feet. UPS and Fedex initiated a price increase on January 3rd.  It makes it much more expensive to ship over-sized boxes.

Share one marketing tip:

Great marketing is wasted if you don’t provide a good user experience

What is your pet peeve about the industry?

Google’s arrogant behavior toward their advertising clients

What are you excited to see come about in the future of integrated marketing?

I love the enhanced capabilities to understand the effectiveness of marketing tests and campaigns.  John Wanamaker’s sardonic quote, “half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, the trouble is, I don’t know which half” doesn’t apply to Internet marketing.

What is one of your most important resources related to business on the internet?

The tool I spend the most time with is Google Analytics. It is an amazing resource, and the price is right.

What makes your company stand out from all of the rest?

We have a unique business model for enabling our clients to become entrepreneurs

Any tips for people just getting started?

While it is appropriate to take a broad approach to learning about Internet marketing, also take a focused approach to becoming a expect in a niche area

Do you have a SEO, PPC, Social Media or Internet Marketing hero?

Jeff Bezos

What is your motto?

Always be testing.

What is the funniest or most informative tweet you ever wrote or read?

I’ll take a pass. 140 characters does not allow much room for information, but I liked Steve Martin’s “Reading other people’s Tweets, I think I’m getting the hang of it now. 9:23am: cleaning toenails.”

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

High school soccer coach

How can people reach you?

Email randy.pickard@shoppingbasketsplus.com

Twitter

LinkedIn

Facebook

Randy will be speaking at Think Tank Live! SEO for Business.

Filed Under: Business Solutions, Interview, SEO, Web Analytics Tagged With: , ,

Interview with Ryan Evans of Rand Media Group

February 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Ryan Evans

Think Tank Live! Topic:

Opt In and Go Social – Social Media Optimization
Connecting SEO Strategies with Social Media for Results

Hi Ryan, please describe your approach to internet marketing:
I believe that an integrated approach is the best way to leverage the internet for marketing. People get fixated on the latest and greatest technique, but building a truly successful marketing campaign usually requires executing a variety of tactics simultaneously.

Tell why it is important to you to be a part of IM Think Tank.
Online marketing is a new and rapidly evolving field and there isn’t a playbook. I can’t think of a solvent business owner who doesn’t want to understand how to leverage the internet. Learning from experts who are in the trenches is the only way to learn about this industry. IM Think Tank has put together a great group of high-caliber professionals. I’m happy to share my knowledge, but I’m just as excited to be learning from other people who are at the top of their game.

What is your pet peeve about the industry?
I hate top ten lists.
What are you excited to see come about in the future of integrated marketing?
We are at the very beginning of the most significant transformation of communication in the history of humankind, which is changing the entire business landscape. This is destroying a lot of companies and industries, but it is creating enormous opportunities.

Wow, that sounds pretty dramatic, but how is marketing changing?
Ok, maybe I was being a little dramatic. But I do believe that this change is a big deal. With the democratization of media, the distribution channels of information are not so top-down any more. People can be a consumer of information one minute, a publisher the next minute and a critic the next minute. This makes communicating a message, especially a marketing message, a lot more complex.

A company message isn’t mindlessly absorbed by the masses as much any more. A marketing message can now be ignored, ridiculed, changed or spread by the masses. Companies now need to understand how to harness this dynamic process.

Recommend a website related to business on the internet:
I’m a big fan of Twitter. Sure it can be a huge waste of time, but it doesn’t have to be. It is the only place I know where you can learn, network and promote all in one place. You can learn from the smartest people out there, network with people all over the world and build an audience.

What makes Rand Media Group stand out from all of the rest?
We don’t have salespeople and we aren’t trying to push a one-size-fits-all solution. If we can help a company then we’ll work together. If not, we’ll point them in the right direction. We turn down a lot of business, but we have great clients who refer us other great clients.

Any tips for people just getting started?
Stop looking for shortcuts. Some aspects of online marketing can be technical and people think there is a super secret computer code that will gain them riches. I think people get brainwashed by seeing too many “automated wealth-generating systems” videos on Youtube. They think that if they just discover this one secret trick, they will have it made. It doesn’t exist. Stop looking for it. Successful marketing requires thought, work, patience and usually money.

What is your motto?
To do extraordinary things, you have to do extraordinary things.

What is the best restaurant in your favorite city?
Pequod’s Pizza, Chicago IL

What inspires you creatively?
The shower.

You can find Ryan at www.RandMediaGroup.com or reach out at
Twitter: @ryanevans

Filed Under: Chicago, Communications, Interview, Marketing Campaigns, Social Media Promotions Tagged With: , , , ,

Mert Sahinoglu: Interview with an Inbound Marketing Guru

February 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Inbound MarketingMert, Tell us a bit about yourself:

I have been an interactive inbound marketing consultant for 7 years with general marketing experience over a decade. It is hard for me to define myself as an SEO/PPC/Social Media/PR expert as I meddle with all aspects of inbound marketing in a daily basis. While I deal with Fortune 500 companies in a daily basis as a consultant, I also understand the challenges of an entrepreneur as I also partner with my brothers in a Chicago real estate brokerage.

Here are some of my accomplishments:

  • Concept creator of the first client powered Twitter app for an online stock brokerage that has earned them 10-15 accounts a day.
  • Implemented 100+ Google local business listings search ads for a Nasdaq company’s offices in 30 countries using local language.
  • Built a viral campaign for an international direct sales company that doubled their overall website traffic within 10 months
  • Managed the first social media press release website for a financial exchange in the country.
  • Created my own real estate search engine that brings more non-brand search engine traffic than any other brokerage in Chicago.

Tell why it is important to you to be a part of IM Think Tank:

I was born in an urban city in Turkey. My first encounter with the United States was as a high school foreign exchange student in a house three miles out of a village called Oostburg, WI. Talk about a culture shock for an urban European/Middle Eastern… I learned to be a shotput athlete, a monster and a poltergeist in two school plays,  a soccer goalie, a wrestler, witnessed the birth of a calf in a farm, became the first Muslim usher in a Reformed church’s 165 year history . That was where I learned the value of inserting/marketing yourself in a foreign environment. A decade of global marketing experience with a large array of experiences from Fortune 500 brands to running a small business myself made me realize an important lesson: Being that 16 year old in a foreign land is no different than trying to market that business you own/or hired to market to a bunch of strangers you have not even seen yet. That is why it is important to be a part of the IM Think Tank. I am here to share my marketing experiences and insight with all the “foreign exchange students” who are trying to market themselves in a strange new world.

Describe your approach to internet marketing:

I am a strong believer that no one person or company can market themselves without a loyal brand following. The follower could be a vendor, employee, family, customers, blog subscribers or even total strangers on the street that decided to associate your brand with something else they value. Every marketing initiative should have the ultimate goal of creating brand loyalty rather than brand awareness. Your best PR/Word of Mouth Representative is not the hired agency or even yourself. It is the loyal followers.

What is your motto?

Make every decision in your life calculating its effect on your children in the future.

What is your pet peeve about the industry?

Marketing budgets are still being managed by CFOs rather than CMOs. Especially in a bad economy, one time fee projects rather than overall integrated marketing strategies are being approved. CMOs simply do not have the corporate political will to change this. CEOs are simply too desperate for short term sales and CFOs are looking to cut any budget that does not effect their career in the short term.  I call this effect having one too many bricklayers trying to build the same brickhouse.


What makes your work stand out from all of the rest?

With a client portfolio of over 100 companies/organizations, I can create a marketing plan that integrates the tools of trade from every marketing discipline. My projects are truly planned around the long term value of  integrated marketing.  They usually  accomplish an established goal (whether it be reputation management, brand loyalty, or simply making more money) while accomplishing many secondary goals simply as a long term effect of the project.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

I would like to run a charity for more access to people with disabilities (such as cerebral palsy and many other types) to have more access to both the online and offline world around them. Accessibility has been an issue that is avoided both in the online world and in most non-Western countries.

What is your idea of success?

Success is doing what you love while still being able to look in the mirror in the morning knowing that years down the road your grandchildren can talk about you with pride as much children will talk about their grandfather and my hero, Dr. Mehmet Şahinoğlu

Mert’s Sessions at Think Tank Live:

1. Unlocking the Power of Search Engine Optimization for your Website.

2. Inbound Marketing and Management:
Having a SEO Mindset for all Operational and Marketing Issues

3.Tracking, Measuring and Making Sense of it All

How can people reach Mert?

You can reach Mert on Twitter (@mertsahinoglu), Linkedin, read Mert’s personal blog or contact Mert directly .



Filed Under: Interview Tagged With: ,

Jo Stumpner, Internet Marketing Specialist

January 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Jo StumpnerDescribe your approach to internet marketing:

My approach to internet marketing starts with understanding the clients’ goals. Once we understand the objective we need an in depth understanding of who our audience is and how the product or service can benefit this audience.

What is your favorite internet tool or application?

Google Analytics:
Google Analytics is a free tool that allows you to gain priceless insight with vital, in-depth data regarding your site’s visitors.  By carefully studying your analytics, you are able to make data driven decisions to refine and test marketing initiatives.

Google Keyword Tool:
The Google Keyword Tool is another free tool from Google that is a critical part of my search marketing toolbox.
Tell us about your latest project:

One of my most my recent projects involved taking my client’s campaigns internationally. Historically, cost per lead had been very profitable when targeting the US. However, we saw a 50% decrease in the cost per lead in other countries compared to the US. Some countries were generating leads at a 1/3rd of the cost of the US campaign.  Our only mistake was not suggesting this sooner.  We are only 3 months into this campaign and I aim to make it even better.

Share one marketing tip:

Try ANYTHING! Just be sure to measure it!

Coming to industry events such as Think Tank Live on February 23rd will provide you with valuable knowledge on where to start and what to avoid. If you can learn from others’ trials and errors on what works, you can save valuable time and money.

What makes your company (or your work) stand out from all of the rest?

Top Floor Technologies has always been focused on tracking the performance and return on investment of our client’s campaigns.  It has never been about simply creating a pretty picture or driving traffic to the site. We aim to drive quality traffic that can be measured and monitored by tracking the conversions or leads generated from that traffic.

Owner, Jim Bernthal challenges us to ask ourselves; are we bringing value? Are we meeting the objectives? Do you understand who your audience is? Would we buy our own services?  I think this sets us apart. We treat each client as if it were our own business.

Any tips for people just getting started?

Begin by reading. Google offers great free resources and there are an abundance of valuable blogs on the various internet marketing topics.  Then start doing.  Start by conducting keyword research to get an understanding of what people are searching for. Build a sample website; install Google Analytics, Webmaster Tools and being marketing through the various channels.  Track and monitor everything and make the necessary adjustments.

What is your motto?

MMAC = Measure, Monitor, Adjust & Control

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

I would love have a career devoted to inspiring positive change in other’s lives such as a motivational speaker.

What inspires you creatively?

My beautiful children inspire me. They teach me to see extraordinary things out of ordinary objects or situations.

What is your idea of success?

Success to me is working because I want to, not because I have to.  I already love what I do but how amazing would it be to devote my time helping business owners succeed with no need for compensation?

Jo’s Think Tank Live Presentation: Winning with Search Engine Marketing and Online Advertising

Contact Info:

Jo Stumpner
PPC Marketing Director/Sr. SEM Specialist
Top Floor Technologies
262-364-0010
www.TopFloorTech.com
jstumpner@topfloortech.com

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Filed Under: Business Solutions, Internet Marketing, Interview, Milwaukee Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Interview with Lisa Sabin-Wilson

January 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Lisa Sabin-WilsonTell us a bit about yourself:

Lisa Sabin-Wilson is a creative designer and owner of E.Webscapes Studio, online since 1998, specializing in customized web site design.  Lisa is the author of WordPress For Dummies and BuddyPress For Dummies (Wiley Publishing), and is a regular speaker at national conferences like SXSW Interactive, and WordCamp events across the country.

Please share a brief history of your company:

I started E.Webscapes Studios in 1998 as a part-time hobby while I worked full time as a Registered Nurse in the area of oncology and palliative care.  In 2003, E.Webscapes had grown so much that I was faced with the option of leaving her decade long nursing career to pursue self-employment.  I decided to make the leap and give it a go, working for myself in a field that I am very passionate about.  Now I work with clients from all over the world, helping them realize the full potential the internet offers them in terms of self-publishing, marketing and selling product and services.

E.Webscapes Design Studio

Tell why it is important to you to be a part of IM Think Tank.

It’s fantastic to be involved with a dynamic group of like minded people who can share thoughts, ideas and experiences – that is a great environment to learn from, no matter what level you’re at (beginner, advanced, etc).

What is your favorite internet tool or application?

Twitter – it really allows me to keep up and connected with clients, peers and colleagues from around the world.

Tell us about your latest project:

WordCamp Chicago ( http://wordcampchicago.com ) is my latest project – both from a web site design standpoint, and a marketing one.  As one of two organizers, my responsibility is to obtain sponsors for our event and organize the venue location and speakers list and program.  WordCamp Chicago is a non-profit organization, so I’m learning more and more about running a non-profit.  Event planning, fundraising and marketing is a huge undertaking – even though this is my second year running with it, I’m still learning and growing as I go!

Share one marketing tip:

Above everything else, your work should speak for itself – - volumes, in fact.

What is your motto?

“Start at the beginning and when you get to the end…stop.”  The Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland said it, and it’s true in every aspect of life.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

I would have loved to complete a Master’s level program in History and teach at the university level.  There is so much in our history that we can learn from.  As they say, if you don’t learn from the past, you’re destined to repeat the same mistakes in the present, and future.

What inspires you creatively?

Art of all kinds.

Contact Information:

Website: http://lisasabin-wilson.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/lisasabinwilson

Facebook: http://Facebook.com/lisasabinwilson

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisasabinwilson

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Filed Under: Blogging, BuddyPress, Chicago, Design, Interview, Milwaukee, WordPress Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Interview with James Bird of Marshal Firth

January 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

James BirdPlease share a brief history of your company:
At Marshal Firth, we specialize in performance marketing. With our clients, we have found that it is much easier to market your business when there is transparency in the ROI. So, we get results and then charge you for them. It’s a win-win.
We started this model after working in the CPA (cost per action) affiliate world and realized it was also a great way to work with businesses.
Describe your approach to internet marketing:
We like to test, test, and test some more. We like finding the perfect combination of offers and web presence for your business.
Tell why it is important to you to be a part of IM Think Tank.
It’s important to clarify and get a great message out to small and medium size businesses of the benefits of the internet. For me it’s important to let them know that they should expect to hold their providers of services accountable for results.
What is your favorite internet tool or application?
Lately it’s been Google Keyword Tool and Google Ad Planner. It’s been great to see how people search and also the demographics of websites.
For testing I also like Clicktale and Crazyegg. Google Website Optimizer is also a must for testing which page converts the best and is easy to use for all people.
Share one marketing tip:
Be persistent and keep testing. You will find the right mix eventually.
What is your pet peeve about the industry?
That websites need to be pretty and that is it. Your website needs to make you money. That is how I approach every website I work on. I begin each project with the question: “How do I make this website make more money for the owner?” And when done right that always means a better user/customer experience. A website that makes the most money is one that people come back to.
What are you excited to see come about in the future of integrated marketing?
There seems to be a growth in conversation with Twitter and Facebook and I think it’s great to be able use social media sites to increase the engagement between business owners and their customers.
What is the best restaurant in your favorite city?
There is a Korean restaurant in a mini mall in Sydney that I really loved.
What inspires you creatively?
Possibility

Contact Info:
James Bird
Marshal Firth
773-432-4119
@lifefulfillment

Filed Under: Affiliate Marketing, Internet Marketing, Interview, Performance Marketing Tagged With: , ,

Interview with Seng Weiland

January 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Seng WeilandSeng Weiland is a member of I.M. Think Tank and she launches our series of interviews with each of the members:
Thanks for participating, Seng, tell us a bit about yourself: I am a sales and marketing consultant with more than ten years of experience in integrated marketing, consultative business development and account management in the media analysis, online media and service consulting industries.

Strengths include: salesmanship, leadership skills, project management experience and written and interpersonal communication skills with a focus on detail, customer service, professionalism and acting with a sense of urgency.

Describe your approach to internet marketing: Integrated marketing is still the best approach to doing business in the online media sector.  Even though it’s not a bricks-and-mortar mentality, there are still customers to retain and prospects to convert.  Therefore, the good, old-fashioned marketing principles of value proposition, competitive intelligence and content strategy still apply.

Tell why it is important to you to be a part of IM Think Tank. IM Think Tank encourages a space where experts in the field can get together and communicate their ideas and experiences.  This core mission is so important to have because the industry is very dynamic and is in a constant state of defining itself.

What is your favorite internet tool or application? Like so many others, I am fascinated with how to effectively use social media tools for business gain.  It’s fascinating to see how professional and personal networks develop and evolve.

Tell us about your latest project: As I’ve mentioned, accountability is going to be even more integral to any marketing, advertising or public relations campaign.  Therefore, I am working with pr departments and agencies to ensure that they have the proper tools necessary to monitor and measure media sources.  One of these tools includes NewsAccess.
Share one marketing tip: When researching and planning your next campaign, always keep in the back of your mind how to be accountable for each course of action.  ROI and metrics are not just buzz words in this bearish economy, but true measures of success.

What is your pet peeve about the industry? I love that there are so many players and so many strategies presented in the industry, but it can be overwhelming at times.

What are you excited to see come about in the future of integrated marketing? The future is uncertain and that’s why it’s exciting.  I’m interested to see how the “mobile app” revolution will affect ROI and metrics.

What makes your company stand out from all of the rest? CARMA International was created in Washington, D.C. in 1984 by Albert Barr. For more than twenty-five years, CARMA has been leading the industry as a pioneer in media analysis and PR evaluation. Today we’re the world leader in this exciting field, with clients in virtually every sector around the globe.

Mr. Barr has always remained true to his vision that CARMA International should be devoted to the business of global media analysis. Collectively, the principals of CARMA draw from over 150 years of public relations, marketing and corporate communications experience and are internationally renowned experts on the subject of media consulting and analysis. That’s why today, employing the latest technologies, CARMA can be a strategic partner in accessing and understanding vital information and knowledge at both the local and global levels.

Using the most sophisticated proprietary software and the most specialized media analysis and survey research methodologies in the industry, CARMA is one of the only media analysis services with a truly worldwide reach – essential for any company that competes in this global economy.

Any tips for people just getting started? The beauty of starting an internet company or extending your business presence online is that anyone with a small amount of capital can do it.  As a result, there is a surplus under-marketed sites.  The first thing I recommend for these folks is to learn about website optimization.

Do you have a SEO, PPC, Social Media or Internet Marketing hero? There are so many players now so it’s hard to name just a few, but I do admire my former manager, RD Whitney, and Mary DuQuaine, Think Tank Live’s Founder and President.  I admire their dedication, knowledge and passion.  Mostly, I admire their relentless effort to share their expertise with so many.  That’s a true characteristic of a strong leader.

What is your motto? “Go Big or Go Home!”

What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you at a conference? I enjoyed seeing my colleagues, customers and prospects dancing on the tables at one of the “networking” events at IAEE’s Expo Expo.

What is the best restaurant in your favorite city? Frontera Grill in Chicago because I normally do not care for southwestern fare until it’s made by Rick Bayless.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I don’t know much about the travel industry, but it has always intrigued me.  I think those individuals who get to travel to different destinations and rate the local restaurants, tourist sites and hotels have a fabulous profession.  Rachel Ray, Anthony Bourdain and Samantha Brown are my heroes in this respect.

What inspires you creatively? I am fascinated by effective leaders, regardless of field.

What is your idea of success? When what you do for a living doesn’t feel like work but a passionate hobby.  Luckily, I’m getting closer to that notion of success everyday!

Seng Weiland, Sales and Marketing Consultant
@SengWeiland
sengweiland@gmail.com
Milwaukee, WI
Filed Under: Blog, Integrated Marketing, Interview, Milwaukee Tagged With: , ,

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