Monday, June 02, 2008

Great Internet Marketing Resources


So much stuff! So many websites! So many gurus! How do you sort the good stuff from the bad? This is always an issue in business and it's only through constant review of ideas, links and resources that you can identify sources of knowledge that work for you.

Here's my list of invaluable (and for the most part free) advice and resources for the typical internet marketer:

marketingsherpa.com - These guys are gods of marketing knowledge. Their membership fess are pretty steep but there's a huge amount of free advice, data and ideas that you can use in almost any business, or pass on to your clients.

businesslink.gov.uk - If you're UK-based then BusinessLink is the national business support service. They have articles and reports on all aspects of setting up and running a business. And if you're not in the UK, much of it is relevant to any business anywhere in the world.

bigstockphoto.com - If you use images then this is one of the best sources for royalty free. With over 2 million images and a simple, low cost payment system (and they take PayPal), you'll find inspiration and quality files for pennies.

wilsonweb.com - Ralph Wilson was publishing marketing guides and advice before most of us learning how to use a mouse. The free advice and weekly newsletters are a refreshing way to catch up with what's going on out there in the big wide world of internet commerce and even the paid-for reports are often at paltry charges.

mplans.com - I'm going to let you in on a dirty secret of mine. I rarely write marketing plans for clients from scratch. These lovely people at Mplans have already done 90% of the work, especially if you're looking to create a plan for a client in one of the 70+ niches they've already covered. Some are a little US-oriented but as a starting point for creating strategies for clients, this software is invaluable. And your clients will think you're amazing!

searchenginewatch.com - The original and still the best for SEO, PPC and all things search.

trendwatching.com - If you need inspiration or want to find out what's 'hot' or what's about to be hot, Trendwatching will have it. The annual trend reports are a mine of useful ideas and whatever fads or fashions you hear about, TW will have spotted it first, and coined the original phrase. ECO-BOOSTERS are this month's topic - is that recycled car seats for kids?.

euromonitor.com - And if you need detailed background and market data, or B2B or consumer databases, Euromonitor have pretty much everything. Their report prices are high but for the right opportunity, a small price to pay for comprehensive, up to date data on just about every market sector there is.

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