Nailing the New Normal

 By Hector Cisneros

Image courtesy Pixabay

It’s been about a year since COVID-19 first reared its ugly head and made life miserable for all of us.  During the past twelve months, we’ve seen a government-sanctioned shutdown that caused some businesses to close their doors for good.  For all of us who somehow managed to survive, the ongoing pandemic has done more than put a crimp in our style.  It has changed the way in which we now do business.  If you’ve been having difficulty dealing with the new normal, I’ve got some tips that can help you thrive instead of merely hoping to survive.

Why Blogging is a Business’ Best Bet

 By Hector Cisneros

Image courtesy Pixabay

I’ve been writing weekly online marketing blogs for nearly nine years now and I thought I’d take the time today to explain why that is.  With 396 posts and more than 2.5 million pageviews, I can tell you that blogging is a great way to educate the public about your products and services.  How many websites can boast more than 10,000 views a month without spending one red cent on advertising?  Now many, that’s for sure.  Even the Blogger template that I use to produce the blog is free to use.  Still, that isn’t the only reason to start a blog for your business.  Below are ten reasons to consider.

10 Reasons to Get Serious about Social Networking

 By Hector Cisneros

Courtesy of Flickr

I’ve been preaching the merits of social networking for more years than I’d care to enumerate.  So much so that I went back to reread some of the blogs I wrote on that very subject to see what has changed.  The reason I did this was to make sure that I hadn’t left any salient detail out.  I have pointed out in black and white many reasons why social media was such a boon to business owners.  Because even after eight years, I’m still amazed and shocked that so many business people don’t understand why growing their following and posting information that is of interest to their target audience is worth it.  So, I thought I’d rewind the tape to provide you with the top-10 reasons why you need to get serious about social networking.

What’s What with SEO?

By Hector Cisneros

Image courtesy Pixabay

Having been an online marketer since the early 1990’s I know a thing or two about Search Engine Optimization, otherwise known as SEO.  I know that it’s important to being found on the search engines.  I know that it’s a time-consuming task to keep all your online asset’s SEO up to date.  I also know that companies spend a lot of money needlessly with so called “SEO Experts” who pocket client’s money while doing little or nothing to improve the optimization of client sites.  The problem is that SEO has changed so radically during the past decade that it’s hardly recognizable anymore.  The real question that all business owners should ask any SEO guru before they shell out one red cent is, “What do I get for my money.”

Is The Social Dilemma Real or Has NetFlix's Documentary Got it All Wrong?

By Hector Cisneros

Courtesy of Commons.Wikimedia.Org

Most things in life, especially tools are like a two-edged sword. Social Media from the beginning has always shown these qualities. It has held the great promise of being the equalizer for consumers making it much harder for vendors to sell shoddy products or provide poor customer service. On the other hand, it has always invaded our privacy, even though it pretends to be a free subscription. Consumers have ignored the high cost of entry paid for by providing their personal information. I don't just mean their profile, but also all the behaviors a subscriber conducts. Everything is recorded for analysis while on any social network. When I watched the NetFlix Documentary called "The Social Dilemma" and was happy to see that a larger corporation was taking this subject seriously. In fact, it is the best documentary of its kind, exposing all the ugly things that are going on behind the social media green curtain.

How to Make the Best Impression When Meeting Virtually

By Hector Cisneros

Courtesy of WorkingTheWebToWin.com

The COVID 19 pandemic has permanently changed the way we will be doing business. Prior to COVID 19, we engaged in lots of face to face marketing along with TV, radio, print, and of course internet marketing. The pandemic with its government mandates and the fear of getting sick now governs how we meet. The Word ZOOM and phrase "virtual meeting" are now household terms, (even though online & phone conferencing has been around for many years). Today, if you're not using ZOOM, (or another virtual meeting product like Google Meet, Microsoft Team, or Goto Meeting), you're hardly meeting anyone at all. Today, virtual meeting applications like ZOOM are more important than ever. In many cases, it's your one shot to impress a prospect or  client and build the trust you need to move to the next level in the sales process. In this episode of Working the Web to Win, I will explore the best way to make a great impression. I'll discuss proper techniques, the basic tools you will be using, and most importantly, the proper etiquette that will make you look good in the prospect's eyes.  So get out a pad and pencil and get ready to take notes as I show you how to make the best impression using your virtual meeting software.

Common Myths that Hinder Entrepreneurial Success

By Hector Cisneros

Courtesy of Flickr

Working for a marketing agency comes with a lot of responsibility. At Working the Web to Win, we care about being honest about what it takes to get positive results. All too often sales reps in our industry push products that have little chance of helping the business owner achieve their profitability goals. Yes, businesses may get a few new clients from these marketing products, but often the return on investment is lackluster or negative. This is particularly true for startup companies. This is partially due to the fact that many are underfunded and they lack the overall expertise needed to succeed. Often it's because startup companies fall victim to what I call "the Myths of Entrepreneurial success". The most common myth in this arena is what I call "the field of Dreams myths" - i.e. Build it and they will come! In this episode of Working the Web to Win, I will explore a baker's dozen of these so-called myths in hopes that entrepreneurs and companies launching new ideas or products will heed my warnings and take a different approach. One that most often leads to success instead of the quintessential failure that most end up with. So take out your notepad and be ready to capture the myths as we explore my baker's dozen of Entrepreneurial Success Myths.

Equifax's Cyber Breach Chickens are Coming Home To Roost - Here's my Story!

By Hector Cisneros

Courtesy of Flickr

The holidays are over and I decided to sell a few things on Craigslist to recoup a little money.  So I took a few good photos of my for sale items and posted them. Within 5 minutes of my post, I received 6 inquiries asking if I still had the items. I replied yes and the big surprise happened! All six of the inquiries asked me to prove that I was not a robot! This is how I discovered one of the latest scams happening on the internet. So what's this got to do with internet marketing you may ask? Well, Cybercrime is like kryptonite to the internet, it kills trust and commerce and destroys financial lives!  In this episode of Working the Web to Win, I will explain the intricacies of this new scam, tie it to the Equifax and other major breaches, show you what to watch out for and how to avoid falling victim to this new internet scam. So take out your notebook and be ready to be intrigued and scared as I explain how the Equifax Cyber Breach Chickens are Coming Home to Roost.