Don’t even want to know when was the last time I used blog post header image in my post. It was very time consuming to find image on Flickr and crop them in Photoshop. I think it’s wasting my time. I don’t seem to care if anyone reading my blog any more. This blog is not going make me a million. There is no point to implement this blog or upgrade to newest version. I got more important things to do!
The past weekend is pretty much a crazy weeks. Since last week, I stop doing any work on the new niche on 30DC. However, I apply all the knowledge I have learned from 30DC to my current project. All I can say about 30DC is that it’s about learning the tools to create the opportunities. To be honest, it’s a lot of work. Just like all the training videos taught us. You have a lot of writing.
Writing is one of the biggest challenges to me. Here are things I have done in one week.
- Finish Billing module and waiting for bank and processor to prove my application
- Create 3 new blogs and 1 new web site to direct traffic to my main site.
- Changed main keywords on main site seem to help the search engine traffic on those keywords.
- Writing more than 12 blog posts and submit many links to one of the directory alias site. Each one is very much unique, but they all direct the traffic back to the main site.
- Update the links from alias sites to main site.
- Submit the web site through traffic-bug dot com, but don’t know what it will bring to the main site. It’s kind of risky move. I don’t even know what those web directories are. Hope they are not bad sources
- Add 2 news testing account to show case the power of the system and the result of SEO. Fortunately, the new page is indexed and show up on Google at top 5 spot in less than 24 hours. It proves my SEO strategies is working.
- Meet wit some new local business owners and help one of them to get their business on track. Glad to help!
- Design the new window sticker. Like it a lot.
Really like to thank iPhone, which saves me huge time on watching the 30DC training videos. I load it on to my iPhone and watch them while working out in the GYM. It makes the work out much more meaningful and not that boring. So I can walk full hour non-stop.
I am very exciting about the coming week. I only have 15 days left to see if I can get 5 more customers register before the end of August. There are certain things that I am no so sure about.
- Join local chamber of commerce to get list of target customers. I was told by one of the local business owners who said the chamber of commerce did give them many business opportunities. However, I doubt that most of my target customers are chamber of commerce members. Don’t see the point to join chamber of commerce in they are my targeted audience.
- Print Flyer. Got a quote from the local printing shop about my new window stickers, and flyer. It will cost me $300 for 100 window sticker and $1000+ to print 500 flyers. It’s more than what I expect.
- Marketing material. Without the proper paper works and material, signing up offline customer is going to be a problem. Also need a eye catching marketing materials for call to action.
- Press Release. I am little bit hesitate on going this route, but this one seem to be working the best. I am not a good writer, but I got find someone who can edit my writing into a formal one. Otherwise, it will be very embarrass when TV station or news media read my PR. If I had the good PR a months ago, it will probably picked up by the News Station already.
There are things that I have learned and need to adjust my strategies accordingly.
- Local business don’t know and don’t trust Internet. Some of them don’t even have a web site and don’t have Internet access. This is a big barrier for me to reach out to local businesses and to persuade them to take advantage of my site. In this case, doing PPC campaign to find local business customer is not going to work.
- Local business don’t have time to deal with extra work. Many local business are already struggling with their own operation. They don’t have time to work on something on computer, which they are not familiar with. It gives them extra burden.
- I am not too small any more. Been told by a much bigger company that I am too small to work with gave me the motivation to take them down. By looking at the recent traffic and responses on several social network. I don’t feel small at all. Two copycats are already dead. Two competitions are already giving up!
- Give before take. I truly feel the great spirit between local businesses here. After giving out my helping hand, I was referred by one local businesses to many others. Can’t believe I ran out of business card in matter of 2 days.
- Branding your businesses is equally important to brand your name. I am very much surprised about how many people wants to know who is behind the creation of the site. My first intention is to hide my identity behind all these. So no one knows who created such a wonderful solution. I guess I was wrong. People do want to know when, why and how the site was created. They also want to know who was behind the scene, so they can give the person credit. So now my identity is revealed.
Moving on.
Now I have a lot to achieve. Approval of billing process and merchant is just matter of time. To carry on my goal to get 5 new customers signup is going to be a challenge. Need to implement the following things to make it happen.
- Get the billing process test on production and get it out of my way
- Design the PDF signup form for offline process. Ask them to fax back to me and process them manually.
- Get at least one Press Release out on paper and on the Internet
- List out 40 potential customers. Call and visit their office. Need to have #1 – #3 done before this. Hope to get 5 signup Otherwise, I will miss the goal for August.
- Contact college students and ask them to try it out. Should have kept a good relationship with the school board since I graduated. Man. Why I did not think about that before?
That’s for now. Let’s see what I have to confess next week!
BTW, if you read my full post, you must be crazy. Are you a stalker? Indeed, I really appreciate your time reading this far. You are unbelievable. I hope you learn something.
$1000 for 500 flyers? Did you compare prices anywhere else? That seems way expensive, unless you are doing something complex.