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Make Those Millions - BBWO's first FREE Teleseminar

Posted by LaShanda Henry on August 14, 2008 at 3:18am

BBWO is moving on up from clicks to calls with our first ever FREE Teleseminar co-sponsored by the Black Business Cafe - 'Make Those Millions with Richelle Shaw', THE Multi-Million Dollar Momprenuer who wants to share her Secrets of Success with You! Richelle is an amazing sista who has successfully built her own company FreshStart Telephone from the ground up. She knows how to transform trials into triumph, which is why she has now decided to turn her business savvy sense into your next BIG Blessing. Over the course of this free teleseminar Richelle will share tips from her new book “How to Build a Million Dollar Business in Las Vegas without the Casinos.” She really does know the answers questions on EVERYBODY's mind. I had the pleasure of listening to Richelle speak on one of the Black Business Cafe's weekly teleseminars (one of BBCs best kept secrets). In one hour I had pages of notes and a new perspective on how to expand my business online! Want the same thing to happen to you? RSVP To this event today! http://sistapreneurs.ning.com/events/event/show?id=932382%3AEvent%3A186810 Oh! Did I mention that listeners will get a free copy of one of my eBooks! I know, all this great information for free! That's BBWO-Beautiful! Don't you think? RSVP Today! | Click here for details. LaShanda

Real Life is Real

Posted by Rickey on August 14, 2008 at 1:12am

Hello Community,Again, I have to confirm that having a home based business is helping me.And it can help you too!!!This morning,My battery decided it did not want to hold a electrical charge.Yes, putting me in the “stranded” position.Not a great place to be.Fortunately ( because blessing will work that way),I had a stranger assist me with getting a battery “jump”.This allowed me to get to my place of employment.Where my battery proved it was not going to be a “driver friendly” batteryever again.My battery does not play well with others.Now, it gets interesting. I have to replace my battery. Ouch.Call the Auto Part store and yes, they had a replacement.$75.00Ok, not a huge sum IF your dollars are ok. However, if you areFinancially challenged, these moments can prove to be very interesting.The mind drift into that “ Rob Peter to Pay Paul “ mode.Bills start getting RE prioritized LOLThe mind gets busy with “bill paying solutions”.Now, here is a better scenario.I have a home based business that is bringing in commissionsNot huge commissions ( for now) but additional dollars to add to my financial needs.Enough commissions to pay for the battery!!!!! Oh yeah!!!!So, the mental solution department of my brain, got to take a “chill pill” for this one!!!Just wanted to share this life event with you.I know the benefits of working my home based business far outweighs NOT having a home based business to work!!Get your Business, Work your Business, Enjoy the Benefits of your Business.Networkingly yours,RickeyTHE CELL PHONE REVOLUTION GUY ( WWW.JUNIQUES.NET )

MiniMizz Shorts ::: Cuz it needs to be said...

Posted by Rikki on August 13, 2008 at 11:30pm

and I don't have time to go into great detail, but I need to put it out there before my short term memory lapse kicks in.When promoting your business by providing the URL to your website, be sure that the URL points to a functional website. If you are in the process of finding the right web solution, find a free site (TEMPORARILY) to put up a page with your company's bio and contact information. You risk losing future clients when a link does not work.Additionally, increase your potential sales base by asking visitors to sign up for your mailing list. You don't have to go all out with fancy newsletters and emails, but use your list wisely to announce special happenings with your business, more importantly when you have that website up and fully functional.Click here to get 60 days free Email marketing campaign managementThis MiniMizz Shorts was brought to you by MizzEllaneous.com - as a public service announcement.

Free Classified Ad Service For Black Business Owners

Posted by Rhonda Jai on August 13, 2008 at 10:38pm

Placing A Classified ad is a great way to promote your business. The Black Business Community Network just released a brand new classified ad service. Click Here to place your free ad now.

Tech Professionals looking for new employment?

Posted by Simone Y on August 13, 2008 at 10:17pm

I have a Tech Community/Job Board called SmartTechPeople.com if you are looking for new jobs or projects check it out, I have great jobs from great companies listed. It is free to join!!

MUSICWOMAN TALK RADIO

Posted by Diva JC on August 13, 2008 at 10:00pm

Join us on www.blogtalkradio.com/musicwomanAug 13 - Renaissance Woman Suzanne BrooksAug 30 - Two B3 Organ Women, Linda Dachtyl and Trudy PittsShow runs from 6 - 8 p.m. ESTCall in on 347-677-0782. To talk hit #1To Chat, you must register with blogtalkradio.comIf you miss it, listen to our archiveswww.blogtalkradio.com/musicwoman

LUPUS RESEARCH ~ PLEASE HELP!!!

Posted by The Black Business Cafe on August 13, 2008 at 7:15pm

My hope and prayer for you today is that all is well for you and your family. That you are being productive as you move forward in your endeavors of success.I am writing to you all to ask for your help and support. There is a young lady that I have connected with name Lisa. She is a victim of the disease Lupus. She had reached out to me months ago and we finally connected about 2.5 months ago. I have set out to support her through The Black Business Cafe and would now like to ask your help in support of this cause also. Her quest is this.-To assist in raising funds for research for a cure for Lupus-To get the word out about Lupus, because so many are in the blind about the disease. She wants to make it to Oprah to be able to speak out about it. We know the impact that Oprah could have.This disease affects the immune system and for most of Lisa's days she is down, suffering from it. She have to take off work and so on. She is by herself, so most times she has to do everything for herself. She is not asking for money or anything for herself, she is just asking for as many as would or could to support by donating to the Lupus Research...1.00 could make a difference, so you don't have to feel like you can not help, because you don't have hundreds of dollars to give.The BBC has pledged 2000.00 towards this effort and all the information can be seen on the website.We are asking for your support in these ways.1. Donations2. Walking in the ALR Walk that is coming up in November3. Support the tele-conference calls that Lisa will be doing for us to bring about awareness of this diesease.That is it.Please let me hear your thoughts and feelings about this and also let me know if I can count you in.The walk do not cost anything...of course we would like to raise some funds in support of finding a cure for this. If you read about this disease you will find that you could very well end up with it or may possibly already have it and don't know it.I will be scheduling a Lupus Awareness Conference call within the next week. If you would like to wait to hear from Lisa yourself before making a decision, I understand and that will be fine...either way, email me and let me know your stand, your thoughts, feelings and any ideas.If you would like to make a donation, please visit the site and make it online:Team Lisa-Giving the Boot to the Lupe.” http://walk.lupusresearch.org/site/TR?fr_id=1950&pg=teamlistHope you will join the team and I look forward to hearing from you all soon. Don't forget, Email me.CharleneThe Grand Connector "Anointed to Make The CONNECTION"

Seeking Sponsors

Posted by Mary Lynn Bradshaw on August 13, 2008 at 6:12pm

I am seeking sponsors for Exclusive! Mag E-Zine's launch party. If you or anyone you know might be interested in this opportunity, please email marylynn@exclusivemag.com or call 773-853-9568 for more details. Thank you.

On Any Typical Day.. or Is There Such A Thing?

Posted by Pastor Aminata on August 13, 2008 at 5:41pm

On any typical day... or is there such a thing.... ?You woke up late this morning, rushing to get out of the house, to catch the 7:15 express bus, only to find that you left your metro card in your other bag, and you don't have enough change for the bus. Finally at work, with frowns abouding from them to you and you back to them, your told that you have 3 minutes until the staff meeting begins, and your expected to make a presentation, agrh. So why today does a cup of coffee decide to spill over into your lap?Wrinkled and stained, you do what you gotta do, anyways.... the rest of the day is typical, or is there such a thing... ? Feeling like an octupus out on the skating rink, you handle it all, phone calls, requests, emails, yadder, yadder, just a typical day.... or is there such a thing?Another day's journey and I'm so glad... well at least it's almost over. On your way home you remember that you promised the kids... ah... mind goes blank, seems like there always a promised due lately, anyways, so why isn't the express bus showing up? It just darned on you that you've been standing there for over 40 minutes and out of the blue a thunderstorm comes, and so where is your umbrella? It's home, watching the weather channel.With key in hand, you approached your home, wet, no soaked, tired, no beat, no exhausted, you prepared yourself for round two with the spouse and kids, on this typical day... or is there such a thing? No matter because whatever you go through, on any typical day, which really isn't so typical at all, you know that you have God's Word, His precious promises to encourage you and strengthen you.Neh 8:10 - And Nehemiah continued, "Go and celebrate with a feast of choice foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!Pastor Aminata

42 Tips for A Better Life ~ MountainWings

Posted by Tawana Necole on August 13, 2008 at 3:43pm

MountainWingsA MountainWings Moment#8224Wings Over The Mountains of Life1. When you wake up in the morning, always start your day with a prayer/vision.2. And then, complete the following statement, My purpose is to__________ today.3. Take a 10 to 30-minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.4. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.5. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.6. Drink plenty of water and fresh juices. Eat blueberries, salad, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds, etc.7. Make at least three people smile each day.8. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present.9. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone, so give the best of your kindness.11. Take yourself seriously.12. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.14. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about. Don't compare your partner with others either.15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you. So, be happy.16. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.17. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions.18. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.19. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: In five years, will it matter? Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.20. Forgive everyone for everything.21. Read more books and watch less TV than you did last year.22. What other people think of you is none of your business.23. God has everything you'll every need in life so hook up with Him.24. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.25. In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation; don't bring up the past.26. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.27. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch.28. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.29. Keep believing that the best is yet to come.30. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.31. Each day give something good to others.32. Don't over do. Keep your limits.33. Sleep for 7 hours every day or whatever your body needs.34. Don't trust someone who doesn't close their eyes when you kiss them.35. Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.36. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.37. Do the right thing!38. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:I am thankful for__________Today I accomplished_________39. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.40. Trust in God, but lock your car.41. Realize that as you get older, you are not approaching death, but heaven.42. Know that GOD heals everything.www.Powerof42.com

Meet, Greet & Win!

Posted by Lynn Emery on August 13, 2008 at 10:55am

Debut Author LaConnie Taylor-Jones dropped by my blog As I Was Saying... with an essay on the power of forgiveness. We've all been through some time when we felt hurt or betrayed. Read this author's take on the value of getting past that hurt. Two lucky people who comment on her essay will win a copy of her book When A Man Loves A Woman. So stop by, meet LaConnie and put your name in the drawing. You just might win a fabulous novel about love and forgiveness!

What do WOMEN really want?

Posted by Sharvette, Radio Host on August 12, 2008 at 11:56pm

50 Fun Things To Do In Las Vegas

Posted by Teresa on August 12, 2008 at 9:44pm

There are 1001 things to do in Las Vegas. Not only along the four-mile, neon-drenched Strip and the glittering Freemont Street Experience, Downtown. For tourist-style amenities and entertainment, but at bargain rates, check out the "locals" casino hotels, located away from the Strip and the downtown area.Listed on this page are 50 favorite things to do in Las Vegas. Most are free or are priced for budget travellers. Enjoy and have fun!1. See the White tigers at Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden: The Mirage2. Lake of Dreams at Wynn. 140 foot mountain covered with 1500 trees, waterfall andthree-acre lake.3. Get face to face with sharks at Shark Reef, Mandalay Bay4. Animated birds and animals: Sam's Town atrium5. One of my favorite things to do in Las Vegas: Be entertained by strolling mimes:Canal Shoppes, Venetian6. Classic car collection: Imperial Palace7. High impact motion simulator rides at Luxor.8. Don't miss the $70 million Fremont Street Experience, downtown.9. See "Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition" at the Tropicana10. Visit the Dolphin habitat at The Mirage

11. See the world's largest atrium: Luxor12. Visit the glitziest museum in the world: Liberace Museum (1775 E. Tropicana)13. 1,200 feet off the ground roller coaster: on top of the Stratosphere Tower14. View an exquisite collection of fine art: Bellagio15. Love hamburgers and Harley's?: Harley-Davidson Cafe16. There are Flamingos and African penguins at the Flamingo Hilton17. X-Scream thrill ride 900 feet above the strip at Stratosphere.18. Visit Madame Toseau's wax museum: Venetian19. Watch the dragon battle against the magician: Excalibur's moat20. Ride the roller coaster: New York-New York

21. Submerging yourself in a magnificent garden of fragrance and color at theBellagio is another of the things to do in Las Vegas.22. Visit the Guinness Book of World Records Museum (2780 Las Vegas Blvd. S.)23. See the New York City skyline: New York-New York Hotel/Casino24. Watch the dancing fountains: Bellagio Hotel/Casino25. Circus style performances every 45 minutes at Circus Circus26. Take a paddlewheel cruise on Lake Mead: Desert Princess (293-6180)27. See one of world's largest gold nuggets: Golden Nugget28. Ride a runaway train (Excalibur's Magic Motion Machines)29. See the world's largest collection of gambling books: Gambler's Book Club (630E. 11th)30. Stroll under a changing simulated sky: Forum Shops at Caesars

31. See the only pyramid-shaped hotel in the world: Luxor32. One of the typical things to do in Las Vegas: Swim-up blackjack table at theTropicana33. Carnival Midway, over 200 games at Circus Circus34. Witness a volcano eruption: The Mirage35. Fountain sculptures come to life: Forum Shops at Caesars36. See the largest Coke Bottle at the Coca Cola Store, Showcase Mall.37. Visit the Eiffel Tower: Paris Hotel & Casino38. Cheapest way to get around: Shuttle bus39. Best place to visit small town America: Boulder City, where gaming is stillillegal40. Watch the surf at the wave pool: Mandalay Bay

41 Best casino for covering large bets: Binion's Horseshoe42 Biggest poker room on the Strip: The Mirage43 Best sports books for style: Las Vegas Hilton44 Best get-away from the Strip: Red Rock Canyon45 Best place for people watching: Caesars Forum Shops46 Ride in a gondola: Venetian47 Eat the largest hot dog: Slots-A-Fun, next to Circus Circus48 Best reason to rise early: to see the sunrise over the desert49 Tour the cactus garden and sample chocolates: Ethel M Chocolate Factory50 The best of all the things to do in Las Vegas: Gamble! Gamble! Gamble!

I Will Make It by Niva & Kamal Imani

Posted by KAMAL IMANI*The Soul Griot! on August 12, 2008 at 7:50pm

Peace,Listen to the new inspirational Hip Hop and R&B song "I Will Make It" by Kamal Imani and Niva!One Love!Kamalhttp://www.myspace.com/kamalsupreme

Content is Queen?

Posted by Samantha Gregory on August 12, 2008 at 6:44pm

You've probably heard it time and time again, content is king. Well let me tell ya, that saying is true, but I'd like to say content is queen because you, my sister, are queen of your domain (name that is). Everybody wants and needs traffic to their website and I'm sure you are no exception, but putting up a pretty site is not enough. You need content and that content should be search engine friendly.A few great ways to get content are to add articles, blog, have contests and giveaways, and exchange links. That’s nice, just remember that to keep it relevant to your site and be useful. An article about your garden when your site is about jewelry making is not very relevant, but an article about the how to make vegetable or flower shaped beads is relevant (and can be marketed to garden lovers). This type of article is also a prime candidate for using keywords to make it search engine friendly. More keywords another time.The problem many people have with content is that they think they can't write or don't have time to write. Well let me tell you, there are at least three ways around this. First, you can learn how to write. Here's a quick and dirty lesson. Take a subject that's relevant to your site, then think up three related topics and write a few sentences about it, next sandwich those topics between an introduction about the topic and an ending that tells what you just talked about. Voila! You have an article. It's not always that simple when it comes to doing it, but it's a good start.Second, you can go to an article marketing site like ezinearticles.com and grab one of their articles. The catch with that option is that your readers may click off your page and go elsewhere. You want them to stay on your site and respond to your call-to-action. We'll talk about that another time.Third, you can hire someone to write content for you. Hire someone who has written before, has samples, and charge a reasonable price. You don't want anyone who is charging pennies because you will get what you pay for. Yes, consider your budget, but don't get caught up in thinking you don't have enough to pay a quality. There may be times when you have to bite the bullet and hire that writer anyway. Web content writers are pretty reasonable so don't shy away from this option.So I've discussed the importance of content to you website, now take out that pad and pen (or keyboard) and start writing. Pretty soon you'll be the queen of your content.Samantha GregoryThe SEO Content Queen

Never What it Seems & Autumn Leaves by Diane Martin

Posted by Diane Martin on August 12, 2008 at 6:26pm

Hi,I am the author of Never What it Seems & Autumn Leaves.Never What it Seems is the story of Dee Wellington and AJ Madison, two women who were born in Chicago, and much like the city; their lives are anything, but ordinary. Dee grew up in a dysfunctional household that by today’s standards would be considered completely ‘normal’. Trying to cope with life’s complexities, Dee contributes all of life’s changes to God’s will. Throughout the changes in her life, she resists the urge to disrupt the balance of things unless she really has to. On the other hand, there is AJ Madison who is a rambunctious, intelligent, and outgoing character who lives by her own standards and believes that you get what you give. Both, Dee and AJ grew-up trying to maneuver in systems created to breakdown the human spirit. Readers will find a familiarity in their struggles, their desires, and their will to overcome.Autumn Leaves is the story of forbidden love, lies, and deceit. It is a story of self-discovery that engages the readers own definition of love gained and love lost. Claire is in love with the man of her dreams who she plans to marry until a woman walks into their lives and forces her to question herself, her beliefs, and her love for the only person who has always been there for her. Mimi is Claire’s best friend. Open about every aspect of her life, Mimi holds a secret that if exposed could change both of their lives forever. In a story of self-reflection, we find a connection in each woman’s struggle for definition and truth.To purchase your copy, please visit my website at: http://dimartin01.books.officelive.com or email me at: dimartin01@yahoo.com.

Zanira’s Quote of the Day – 30 days of positive reinforcement

Posted by Zanira Al-Amin on August 12, 2008 at 6:00pm

Experts say it takes 30 days to change a negative behavior to a positive behavior. With that in mind I will be posting a positive quote of the day for the next 30 days. I hope all of you will find a quote that pushes you forward in your goal towards business success. Stay tuned.......Zanira Says SMILEDay 15"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."Zanira Says SMILE

Copywriting for Pay Per Click Ads

Posted by Rhonda Jai on August 12, 2008 at 5:02pm

When developing pay per click ads for your marketing campaign, you will have a limited number of characters at your disposal to work with. However, this can actually work in your favor…For your ad title, you will have about 25 characters to use in order to compose something eye catching and effective. Usually, for the body of you pay per click ads you’ll have roughly 70 characters to create your ad body copy with (35 characters each for two lines of text).These character caps truly level the playing field when it comes to the use of ones overall copy writing skill or ability. The less word space available for use the less opportunity there is to bring true skill at creating ad copy into play. In fact because of the limited ad space you have to work with the copy writing novice will have much the same capability to produce effective Pay per click ads as the seasoned copy writing veteran...Learn More

Camera Ready...New tools and services make it easy for small companies to create video ads

Posted by Margaret Salmond on August 12, 2008 at 4:57pm

Man, sometimes hangin out on Twitter, you find out the best stuff. This post came via "smallbusiness" on of my Twitter folks***********************************************************************************************By SHELLY BANJOAugust 11, 2008; Page R7Getting noticed by potential customers on the increasingly crowded Internet is a challenge, especially for small businesses with small marketing budgets. But there's one way to stand out amid the clutter, even for those with limited resources: online video commercials.Online video ads -- typically less than 30 seconds and appearing in Internet yellow pages, local search directories, news sites, blogs or social-media sites such as YouTube and Facebook -- give consumers a more detailed view into a business and what sets it apart.Less passive than television commercials, online video ads encourage viewers to click through to the company's Web site for more information or to make an instant purchase.Once limited to companies with the resources to hire advertising agencies and production companies, online commercials are now within the reach of smaller firms. Software and services sold by companies such as Spot Runner Inc., Mixpo, PixelFish Inc., TurnHere Inc. and Jivox Inc. allow small companies to create, deploy and monitor video ads at a fraction of the cost of hiring an ad agency to do it for them.Cresco Equipment Rentals featured its employees and equipment in its ads, to make the process of renting seem less intimidating. Small-business owners can choose where and when their ads will play, targeting customers by location, demographic and the types of Web sites they surf. They can keep tabs on how many views of the ad have occurred, how many people clicked through to their Web site, downloaded a promotional coupon or made a purchase after watching the video.These programs offer "small businesses a way to capture their target audience...on a larger scale and at a cheaper price," says Josh Martin, a vice president and director of emerging media for New York-based ID Media, a member of Interpublic Group of Cos. "Video commercials offer a compelling way to engage consumers."Cresco Equipment RentalsSpending by advertisers on online video ads is expected to nearly quadruple by 2011 -- rising to $1.9 billion from $505 million this year, according to New York-based research firm eMarketer Inc. Part of the reason: Click-through rates for video ads are higher than they are for plain-image or text-only ads, statistics from Google Inc.'s digital-marketing firm DoubleClick show.In addition, more people are watching videos online than ever before -- 154.2 million this year, compared with 114.3 million in 2006, according to eMarketer. While many are watching news and entertainment videos, a survey by the Online Publishers Association found that 80% of those who watch online video have seen a video ad at some point, leading 31% to check out the advertiser's Web page and 12% to make a purchase.The simplest and often cheapest of the new online-video tools allow business owners to pick from stock video footage and then customize the ad to fit their company. These spots work best when a unique image of the firm isn't necessary to get a marketing message across. This also is the best option for business owners with particularly small budgets.A NEW VENUEThe Princess Port Bed and Breakfast used a video of a couple on a beach to pitch itself to travelers.In April, Mirek Boruta, co-owner of the Princess Port Bed and Breakfast, a family-owned B&B in Half Moon Bay, Calif., was looking for a way to attract customers because bookings were down for the typically popular summer season.He was unimpressed with Internet banner ads and search-related listings, so he turned to Jivox, a Web-based video-ad service based in San Mateo, Calif. Jivox lets customers create commercials at no cost, but charges about $5 to $20 per 1,000 views of the video, depending on where the advertiser chooses to distribute the spot.Lured by the opportunity to try out an ad free, Mr. Boruta registered for the site and began using the self-service ad-making software, which walks users through each step of the process. He tried out a variety of stock footage associated with hotels and beaches, eventually choosing an 18-second clip of a couple holding hands and walking along a beach. He added an upbeat, jazzy music clip and an overlay of text that read: "Looking to getaway? Check out the best Bed & Breakfast in Half Moon Bay, CA." Underneath the text ran a link to Princess Port's Web site and a link to a coupon offering customers 10% off their next stay."Users get bombarded with ads everywhere, so offering them something in return for taking the time to learn about your product makes an ad more effective," says Diaz Nesamoney, founder and chief executive officer of Jivox.The cost of most video ads depends on where and how often they run. Companies can narrow down what day and time the ad plays and target customers by physical location.Some Internet users get annoyed by video ads that run before entertainment or news videos they are waiting to watch and will ignore or skip over the ad as a result. Small businesses may be better served by distributing their ads through directories and other sites that attract people who are on the Internet specifically to search for a product or service, says Matt Booth, senior vice president of interactive local media at researcher Kelsey Group in Princeton, N.J.LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION• What's New: New tools and services are making it easier for smaller companies to create online video ads.• What's at Stake: Statistics show that Internet users are more likely to click on video commercials than they are on plain-image or text-only ads.• Steps to Consider: Depending on your budget and message, use stock footage or hire a videographer, then decide where and when your ad should play.For his part, Mr. Boruta pinpointed users located in California, Nevada and Washington who were surfing local television and newspaper Web sites on Wednesday and Thursday nights, when he thought potential clients would be contemplating their weekend plans."Our Web traffic tripled instantly, from 10 hits a day to 30," and soon "all of our rooms were booked solid," Mr. Boruta says. The cost of running the ad for 40,000 views (measured as how many times a user watched the video through the end): $500.Mr. Boruta says 85% of customers brought in the online coupon, so he knew the ad was working. "We're a small bed and breakfast, so tripling the visits to our Web site and having to actually turn customers away is a big deal," he says.Some businesses, such as restaurants and real-estate agents, may benefit by creating a more personalized video profile of their shops. Incorporating product demonstrations, promotions and customer feedback gives consumers an instant and in-depth view into the company. Showing a distinct atmosphere engages customers and invites them to come on in, says Kelsey Group's Mr. Booth.Chris Smith, president of Cresco Equipment Rentals, an equipment-rental company based in Livermore, Calif., owned by NorCal Rental Group LLC, turned to Internet-video company TurnHere when he decided he needed to do more than rely on word of mouth to attract customers to his stores. TurnHere, based in Emeryville, Calif., produces unique video profiles for a flat rate, starting at $495. Businesses also pay TurnHere a monthly fee of $100 to $1,000, depending on how many video ads they have and on how many Web sites they appear.TurnHere sent a professional videographer to some of the Cresco stores to tape their products, customers and employees. The videos included images of the town and intersection where each shop was located.The videos -- which appeared on Cresco's Web sites and in search-engine listings on sites such as Google and MSN -- helped familiarize first-time customers with typically intimidating products such as sanders, saws and drilling equipment, Mr. Smith says. Customers would walk into a store and already recognize the manager and products from the videos, he adds."There are a hundred other stores that carry what we carry," Mr. Smith says. "With video, we get to fill in the blanks with some texture and tell our story."Visits to Cresco's Web site soared to about 14,500 a month from 4,000 in less than a year. Managers across stores say customers comment on the video ads on a daily basis. And while Mr. Smith says it's too early to measure any increases in sales, "when people need rentals, we're now at the top of their minds."

Link to Black Business Women Online

Posted by LaShanda Henry on August 12, 2008 at 4:16pm

If you love BBWO please add a banner to your site. Your support is greatly appreciated. You can save these banners or directly link to them.

Thanks for the support! LHenry

Note: this page contains paid content.

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Note: this page contains paid content.