The Young Entrepreneur

Increase Search Engine Rankings by Commenting these Blogs

Most blogs have a “nofollow” on their comments.  This means that Google will not value these as ‘link votes’ for your website, thus not giving you the direct SEO benefit of having that link.

Digerati Marketing have made this list that categorises a whopping 160 blogs that disable the “nofollow” tag - thus allowing your comments to have a higher impact on Search Engine Rankings (as Google will recognize these comments as a ‘link’ to your website)!

They have also assembled a Search Engine for blogs that have “nofollow” disabled!

Find some high PR blogs in your category/niche and go contribute! 

PS…Do not bother spamming these resources as blog plugins such as Akismet are fantastic at catching spammy comment crap!

Posted in Internet Marketing, SEO | 5 Comments »

Entrepreneurship…Is it Un-Australian?

Is it part of the Australian culture to ‘hate-on’ other people that engage in entrepreneurship?

While a massive generalization, there is an interesting theory to suggest that us Australians are not too comfortable with entrepreneurship - and the innovation and success that can come with it.

Why?

The ‘tall poppy syndrome’ my friends.  Well its the disdain and criticism that our culture naturally shows to those individuals of ‘higher’ perceived social status, wealth or political position then us.  The celebrities, actors, sportsmen etc.

“The tall-poppy syndrome has meant different things to different Australians. To golfer Greg Norman, the tall-poppy syndrome meant a jealousy of success.”

“To tennis player Lleyton Hewitt, the tall-poppy syndrome meant cultural ignorance. After seeing his home crowd support a fellow youngster over him, Hewitt said it was the stupidity of the Australian public to knock the better players.”

“…When receiving an award at the 2002 Australia Day Awards, a scientist named Donald Metcalf said,

“I could name 11 colleagues whose accomplishments would exceed those of our cricket 11. They haven’t been entertaining people. They have been saving lives.”

(Source - Convict Creations)

Read more »

Posted in Australian Entrepreneurs | 4 Comments »

Random/Stupid/Creative Ways to Get Publicity

*Waves hands in air wildly* LOOK AT ME IM HERE!  Marketing/Publicity is all about getting some attention.  Getting attention is all about being unique - so forget traditional forms of publicity.  Most people are so tuned out during radio/TV adds that you will be lucky to get an eyebrow raise!

Here are 4 random ways that you can get some attention for yourself or your business that you probably haven’t tried yet!

Break A World Record…

Get your name written in History for breaking an industry related world record.  Notify the public of your record attempt and turn it into a media circus!

Here are some examples I have thought of/found in my spare time…

• A bedding store owner sets world record for ‘time spent in a bed’.
• A venture capitalist sets record for ‘most business plans rejected in 24 hours’.
• A musician/cyclist sets a world record for cycling backwards whilst playing a violin

Off course there is some element of skill involved here - so feel free to hire someone else to do it on the behalf of you’re business if you don’t feel adventurous :).

Play a Joke

If done correctly - an injection of the funnies can do wonders for the customer appeal of you’re business. Marketing/advertising for the purpose of making people laugh is fantastic.  Humour has an extremely dis-arming quality that give someone experiencing it a happy stimulation (which will be linked back to your business!).

Some great example of practical jokes played by large companies are…

• The BBC’s Flying Penguins Ad
• Taco Bell claiming that they had purchased the ‘Liberty Bell’ in the US on Aprils Fools.  This ‘prank’ then reached 70million Americans from all the coverage it received!

It also shows a ‘human’ factor to any business that can very endearing to your customers.

Make a time-wasting website

You know those web-sites that have those games, or cool applications that you just end up spending hours on?  Well it turns out that brands that link themselves to these randomly fun and sometimes non-related websites get our attention!

My latest favourite example of this is a site produced by Burger King called Subservient Chicken. 

I think I spent a good 15 minutes on this site just seeing what this Chicken would do.

Random Acts of Charity/Kindness

Those who give have an uncanny way of receiving everything back.  You may choose to help with a community project, give to charity or just help those around you.

It’s totally unethical to give only with the intention of receiving in return.  But interestingly enough, studies have shown that people are more generous when their contributions are observable by others (publicity once again!).

A organization called “The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation” have even released a PDF to show you how to get media attention for you’re random act of kindness.

Posted in Marketing | 3 Comments »

5 Business Plan Commandments

Fuzzy goals and milestones

Would you want a blind surgeon to operate on you?  Well - having a business plan without clearly defined goals and milestones is the equivalent of this.  How will you or your investors know if your thriving or dying if your goals are not defined and measurable?

What are your customer/client acquisition goals?  What kind of traffic do you want hitting your website after 6 months?  Do you want a llama as your company mascot?

Be as specific as possible with your goals.  Specificity brings clarity…and clarity will prevent you getting lost in a maelstrom of confusion. Read more »

Posted in Business Plans | No Comments »

The art of the ‘aha’ moment

Don’t you love that single, fleeting moment that you come up with the brain wave you were so desperately seeking (or not seeking)?  That empirical epiphany that makes you go…”THATS IT”!  Like when Archimedes realised that the density of an object is proportional to the water displaced by it and ran naked through the streets shouting “Eureka”! 

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Posted in Personal Development | No Comments »