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DuctTapeMarketing.com
May 16, 2006
In this issue:
Resource #1
- Marketing Workbooks and CDs
Resource #2
- WordWeb and PowerPoint Thermometer
Main Article
- 10 Essential Blogging Tools
Duct Tape Coaches
-
Hire A Duct Tape Marketing Coach
Free Magazine -
4 free issues of PRWeek
Featured Reading -
The White Paper Marketing Handbook - Robert Bly
Featured Listening -
Surprise - Paul Simon
I co wrote a little piece with Eric Kintz, VP of global
marketing strategy & excellence for the Hewlett-Packard Company titled
Why Small Businesses Should Care About Web 2.0 Marketing: A
Discussion with the Creator of Duct Tape Marketing The article was
picked up by the folks at Marketing Profs -
You can access the
article here
You can always
view past newsletter issues here!
Featured Resource -
The Duct Tape Marketing System Workbooks
The Ultimate Marketing System individual workbooks and audios. 15
workbooks and 12 audios. Buy one or buy them all. $29 Workbook
only/$39 workbook and audio.
Individual Workbooks and Audio CDs
PowerPoint thermometer
- I once heard Guy Kawasaki, noted for his speaking
prowess, claim that the only thing worse than a speaker that stunk was not
knowing when they were going to be done stinking - I ran across this free handy
little add on for PowerPoint that adds a little time strip to the bottom of your
presentation and allows you and your audience to monitor how far along you are
in your presentation.
 WordWeb
- WordWeb is a free comprehensive English thesaurus and dictionary. The thing I
like about the program is that you can use it in conjunction with any program.
Just highlight a word on the web, in a document, in Notepad or on a spreadsheet
and hit Ctrl+Alt+W and up pops a little window with lots of spelling and grammar
tools built right in.
10 Essential Blogging Tools
Add these tools to
grow your blog readership
 So,
you finally decided to take the blog leap. You’ve heard all about the marketing
and search benefits so you stepped up to the plate and signed up for a
TypePad,
MovableType or
WordPress blog software package and now
you’re a blogger.
Okay, now what? Add the ten essential blogging tools listed below and you will
also be well on your way to creating and promoting a blog that is a powerful
marketing tool. I’ll explain the use of the tool and offer some suggestions,
including the tools I use on my own blogs including the
DuctTapeMarketing
blog.
Feed reader
The best way to learn about blogs and blogging is to read, or at least scan, lots
of blogs. One of the wonders of blogs is that you can have every new post from
every blog you want to read delivered to your desktop or to online location via
RSS, so
you can easily read and scan the posts of many blogs in a very short time.
Newsgator is a good online choice for
feed reading and
also has a version that integrates with Outlook. I use a free online service
know as Bloglines.
Subscriber center
You need to make it easy for your blog visitors to subscribe to your blog’s RSS
feed – so they can read your blog in their favorite feed reader. The best way to
do this is to go to FeedBurner and burn
your own RSS feed their and use the tools they provide to set up automatic
subscriber links so people who want to use Bloglines, Google Reader, MyYahoo or
Pluck, for instance, can click on one button to subscribe. Tech types can figure
this out without the buttons but why not make it easy for anyone to figure out.
Side note – subscribe to each of these yourself and you will force some blog
spiders to visit your site.
Email subscription option
A lot of people will never get the whole feed thing, but everyone gets email.
Create an option for people to subscribe by giving you their email address –
they will simply receive your blog posts like an email message.
FeedBurner offers this service for free.
FeedBlitz is another option or, if you
already have an autoresponder email list service they may offer this service.
AWeber offers this and
helps me integrate these blog email subscribers into my other mailing lists.
Blog and RSS directories
There are hundreds of blog and RSS directories and getting listed in many can be
a good thing. I use a piece of software called
RSS Submit, but you
can also visit Robin Goode’s
frequently updated list and submit your blog and feed by hand.
Hint: subscribe to the RSS feed he offers and you will be notified when new
directories are added.
Ping service
Pinging is a term used for letting the various blog and RSS directories know
when you have posted new content. Again,
FeedBurner offers this as an automatic option called PingShot and you should
activate it. PingGoat and
Ping O Matic are other options but they
require that you visit and update your record each time you post new content.
Bookmark manager
As you surf around the web or hop from blog to blog you may find sites that you
want to point out to your readers. Online bookmark managers allow you to
bookmark and categorize web and blog pages as you collect them and are a great
tool for managing all of the stuff you find on the web. I use
del.icio.us but
BlinkList does a fine job as well.
Blog stats
I like to track a few key stats in real time because it shows what other blogs
might be linking to you or posting about your blog. A lot of people just like to
track this kind of thing for fun and frequently visit sites like
Technorati. I like to track it for
networking opportunities. I use a tool called
MyBlogLog because it allows me to see where traffic is coming from but also
tracks what links on my blog visitors are clicking on. It’s amazing how this
data can help you write more effectively. (MyBlogLog also ranks your links
so visitors can see which links on your site are the most popular.)
Desktop posting
With most blog software you must go online and post using a set of tools
provided by the blog software. Many bloggers like to use a desktop application
to create and submit their posts as it gives them some extra tools and allows
them to more easily integrate content and files on their computer.
I use w.blogger but also like
Performancing,
Qumana and
ecto (apple folks) (w.blogger also
doubles as a really simple HTML editor.)
Tell a friend script
My blog software (pMachine) has a feature that allows a reader to click a link and send the
post to a friend. This tactic brings me lots of readers. You might try looking
here for some simple scripts that do that same
http://www.javascriptkit.com/script/script2/tellafriend.shtml
http://www.stadtaus.com/en/php_scripts/tell_a_friend_script/
Republish your feed headlines
The ability to republish your blog posts on other web pages, sites you own or
sites of strategic partners is a great way to expose folks to you blog content.
One more time we turn to FeedBurner
for a painless way to republish your blog post to any web page you choose with
something they call BuzzBoost
~ ~ ~
John Jantsch is a veteran marketing coach, award winning blogger and author of
Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide
published by Thomas Nelson - due out in the fall of 2006
He is the creator of the Duct Tape Marketing small business marketing system.
You can find more information by visiting
http://www.ducttapemarketing.com
You may reprint this article in its entirety if you attribute the article
to John Jantsch and include the information about the author above.
Duct
Tape Coaches -
Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coaches - coming to a town
near you (already spanning the USA, UK and Canada!) -
FIND OUT MORE
The If you really want to take
your business to the next level hire a Duct Tape Marketing Coach.
Duct Tape Marketing Coaches can offer you personal and phone based marketing
coaching based on the Duct Tape Marketing Ultimate Marketing System.
The network of
Duct Tape
Marketing Authorized Coaches will become the recognized brand of
small business marketing coach.
Find A Duct Tape
Marketing Authorized Coach
Next Group forming for training in
September 2006! To be notified
Email John Jantsch
Featured Reading
 Bob
Bly is the author of over 75 books and is probably best known for his
copywriting skills. I spent some time catching up with Bob on the
Duct Tape
Marketing Podcast discussing his most recent book -
The White Paper Marketing Handbook.
Any reader of mine will likely already know
of my affection for using information products as a way to generate
interest from a prospect. Bly's book is the first and only devoted
entirely to this subject. Bob calls this approach "Edu-marketing."
Whatever you call it, you need to employ it.
Featured
Listening
Surprise- Paul Simon
Paul Simon surprises no one with his first solo album in six years. One of the
greatest songwriters of our time can still tell a story.
There is little experimentation with music forms on this collection, just well
written, minimally accompanied pop songs with great lyrics.
My favorite tune, Father and Daughter
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Featured Resource #1
The Duct Tape Marketing Small Business Marketing System
This complete small business marketing program contains 15 workbooks, 12
audios CDs - packaged in a Duct Tape
Marketing 3 ring binder. This is the same tool I use to coach my
clients.
Find out more.
Featured Resource #2 -
The Duct Tape Marketing System Workbooks
The Ultimate Marketing System individual workbooks and audios. 15
workbooks and 12 audios. Buy one or buy them all. $29 Workbook
only/$39 workbook and audio.
Individual Workbooks and Audio CDs
Featured Resource #3 -
Digital Version Now Available for Immediate Download
Referral Flood
- How to generate a flood of new business without spending one dime on
advertising
I
just released a digital version that allow you to download the 125 page
ebook as a PDF file and MP3 Audios. I also passed on the saving to you.
The digital version is $79 (as opposed to $97 for printed version) + no
shipping
Resource
-
Get Local
Search Engine Traffic
Don’t Let Your Small Business Get Left
Behind in the Local Search Engine Game
Get your local business found online automatically by local prospects with a
Duct Tape Marketing Local Search Engine profile. One of the best ways to get
your business found in your town by local prospects.
More
Featured Resource #3 -
Blog Lightning -
How To Create and Promote Your Blog In
A Flash
Drawing from my experience creating blogs, including my award winning
Duct Tape Marketing Blog, I have launched a complete step-by-step guide
that takes you by the hand and shows you exactly what to do to instantly
create and promote a successful blog for your business.
You also get 14 video screencast tutorials that allow you to watch over
my shoulder as I actually do the steps I outline in the system - It does
not get any easier than this! -
Order Blog Lightning
Featured Free Magazine
PRWeek
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publications on a wide variety of topics and industries
Duct
Tape Marketing Podcast
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interview some of the brightest business experts, authors and
entrepreneurs. Subscribe and get the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast
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