2012年2月29日 星期三

Marketing Plans for Nonprofit Organizations - Introduction


We had some great discussions with many good questions and issues raised by the participants. While these are fresh on my mind, and because I have a few days off, I thought I would try to write a bit about marketing and pr practices applied to nonprofit organizations. This article is the first of what I hope will be a series on the subject (no guarantees that I will follow through).

There is significant diversity in the nonprofit sector so it is impossible to develop a marketing plan template that is applicable to all types of organizations. This may seem obvious, but this observation is often overlooked. The marketing needs of a private school, an experimental theatre company, a cancer research organization and a seniors centre are quite different, yet they all fall under the nonprofit umbrella. So perhaps the first step is to break down the larger sector into different types of organizations, not necessarily based on the type of endeavor, but based on their respective marketing needs.

Another potential issue to deal with is the intersection and divergence of the different but very similar fields of marketing, public relations and fundraising. These activities and practices are similar and support each other, but for planning purposes, these similarities often create confusion that can be detrimental to making the best decisions. Similarly, the differences require different management systems be in place to support the processes. Confusing these activities can lead to poor decisions in both planning and management.

The diversity of the relationships that nonprofit organizations must manage is another area that can make marketing plans difficult to develop. Usually in business, the relationships are relatively straightforward. Customers or clients pay for a product or service that is delivered directly to them by employees. A system of suppliers along with internal and external support systems help make this basic process possible.

The nonprofit world is often more complicated, with customers or clients that do not pay for the service they receive, with someone else paying for the service who may or may not be involved. There may be hybrids of business models and charitable models working side by side. An organization may operate on a basic fee for service as a foundation of its core business, but offer free services to the community in conjunction with its core business. There are many other combinations of service delivery and funding.

My plan is to develop some ideas in a series of articles over the next couple of weeks that will sort through these difficulties.

Ron Strand has been a campaign director and a CEO of a major charity. He now teaches communications and courses related to fund development at a University. He has a website with some of his ideas about marketing, communications and Fund Development.




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Developing a Marketing Plan Strategy


How are you going to get from (a) where you are now to (b) your goals? A marketing plan is the vehicle that gets from here to there. It is an outline of how your efforts are working together to reach business goals. Ultimately, you are finding the most effective strategies to sell your product or service to the most receptive audiences. There are several key stages in developing a marketing plan that help you organize and prioritize your communication efforts:

Outlining goals and identifying optimal market position
Initially, youshould determine where you want to gowhat are your goals? What is sensible yet aspirational? Its very important to be grounded in what is possible because your goals will determine how and where you place your efforts. If youre aspirations are unrealistic, it will be very challenging to meet them.

Once youve identified your goals, what is your position amongst your peer group? Are they moretechnical and youre str iving for creativity? Its always helpful to visualize your positioning through simplequadrant maps. Lets look at Apple. Apples quadrant map would potentially include a mindset (analytic and creative) and interactivity axises to define their iPhone. The purpose of such an exercise is to determine where they are within their peer group.

Segmenting and Aligning your Efforts with your Goals
Youve placed youre (a) and (b) on the map and now you have to draw a line between them. How are you going to get from where you are now to where youd like to be? What vehicle is going to get you to your destination?

Before you start focusing your marketing efforts, consider your audience.Segment your audience into distinct groups based on theirdemographics andpsychographics. Understand their need states and where they hang out. Where are you going to find your single women 16-35 with higher education looking for a need to escape? If youre targeting businesses, what trade publications can offer you insight into their particular needs or what conferences might they attend? Next you should consider what type of marketing is going help you reach your goals:

Types of Marketing

External Marketing
Once youve identified your audience and where you can reach them, d efine what marketing efforts are going to speak to your customer and ultimately help you reach your goal. Based on your audience need states and where you can reach them, how are you going to communicate your message? Are they online in social networks or would you find them at trade shows? Are you going to target influencers to create some buzz or are you going to hire an outside public relations agency?

Take example from Apple. When they launched the iPod, their famous silhouetted advertisements were plastered all over large urban environments. You could hardly go down a street in NYC without seeing the iconic image. Depending where you can reach your audiences, you will have to fine tune where you communicate your message. Then you can refine you message based on their need states.

Its important to understand your capabilities and budgetary restrictions. If you want to spend X on digital advertising and Y on PR and Z on TV and radio, do you have the financia l ability to do so? Be realistic. If your marketing efforts are beyond your reach, youve just sabotaged your marketing plan. Ensuring youre able to afford or leverage your...

To read more about developing a marketing plan strategy, go toSparxoo, a digital marketing, branding, business development blog.


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2012年2月28日 星期二

Developing Effective Marketing Plans


Marketing Plan Blueprint for Action

The purpose of the marketing plan is to define your market, identify new customers, new products and services, competitors, outline strategies for attracting new/existing customers and identify or anticipate any change that will impact the market.
Developing a marketing plan involves four stages of action:

Researching and analysing your business and the market Planning and writing the plan Implementing the plan Evaluating the results

Sample Marketing Plan Format

Executive Summary
1. Situation Analysis
1.1 Market analysis
1.2 Competitive analysis
1.3 Customer analysis
1.4 SWOT analysis
1.5 Analysis of marketing activities

2. Objectives

2.1 Corporate objectives
2.2 Marketing objectives

3. Marketing Strategy

3.1 Market segmentation strategy
3.2 Targeting strategy
3.3 Pro duct life cycle
3.4 Strategy formulation
3.5 Core strategy

4. Marketing Programs

4.1 Marketing mix
4.2 Loyalty programs
4.3 Customer service & support
4.4 Market research
4.5 Personal selling
4.6 Trust and credibility
4.7 Trade promotions

5. Implementation Plan

5.1 Product design and development
5.2 Marketing & sales
5.3 Distribution
5.4 Resource requirements
5.5 Scheduling

6. Performance Evaluation and Monitoring

6.1 Monitoring ad campaigns
6.2 Sales analysis
6.3 Profit and loss statements
6.4 Meeting schedule
6.5 Customer profiling
6.6 Sales force evaluation
6.7 Compensation plan

7. Financial Information

7.1 Financials
7.2 Assumptions
7.3 Budgets
7.4 5 year financial projections

Ten Step Process
Drawing from our experience as a Marketing Services company consulting with various clients to create marketing plans and communication strategies and from keeping abreast of industry trends we have outlined ten steps to developing an effective marketing plan for you to consider:

1. Define Product or Service

Describe your product/service and mission in simple terms
Emphasise your USP Unique Selling Proposition
Communicate intrinsic benefit/value to your customer

2. Identify Target Audience

Your audience refers to the people you aim your sales effort at, otherwise known as your target market. You may have more than one target market.
This includes two factors:

Who needs your product/service? What is the profile of your ideal customer and what are their habits?

Target markets are described in terms of their shared characteristics
For example, if your product/service is aimed at individuals, you can describe them by age, income, geographic location, and lifestyle.
If your product/service is aimed at organisations, you can describe them by number of employees, sales, geographic location, and industry

3. Determine Goals and Objectives

Set the bar as to what you want to achieve.
Measure your success against your own efforts, not your competitors.
Two types of goals:

Quantitative those with specific, measurable results and numbers. Qualitative bring increased value, like improving image or visibility.

4. Define the Brand

Focus your message by identifying 3 to 4 key messages to be woven through all marketing materials.

There is a lot of media clutter customers are bombarded daily with hundreds of sales and marketing messages about numerous products and services.
To succeed, focus on a particular market and emphasise features/benefits to them.

5. Set Pricing

A guidepost for setting price involves estimating the monetary value your customer will receive, and understanding your financial goals and objectives.

Remember to price the product/service at a rate higher than your fixed and variable cost.

6. Establish Marketing Budget

Set aside a specific dollar amount either per quarter or per year. You need to make the best marketing decisions possible to maximise the return on your marketing dollars invested.

Evaluate marketing decisions such as advertising in the yellow pages, hiring sales reps or conducting a PR program based on the amount of business a particular initiative generates.

Track each initiative and evaluate what worked and what didnt.

7. Choose Marketing Strategies

Strategic marketing tools to deliver your message to the target audience. Brainstorm ideas to reach target market. Be creative - dont sensor wild ideas.
Divide into paid, non-paid and non-traditional media.

Paid media: direct mail, newspaper, radio, TV, billboards, direct sales.
Non-paid media referred to as public relations because it is exposure through traditional media without paying for advertising in that m edia.

Non-traditional media: includes everything else sponsorships, ad specialties, shows/events, electronic media and the Internet.

8. Determine Tactics

List out specific action steps to achieve each strategy.
Include deadlines and key dates for executing all of your marketing activities.

9. Establish Timing

Establish a specific timetable for each tactic.

10. Measure Results

Track results of your marketing efforts on an ongoing basis, using tracking devices such as ad codes, call-in logs and reply cards (if the budget allows).

Evaluate at the end of the year or plan period to see if the results matched your stated goals.


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Get the cutting edge of customised marketing plans from Centurion Leeds


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Centurion Marketing Leeds is all about intelligent and smart marketing packages designed to cater to your specific marketing needs. Set up in Manchester as a small marketing company by a group of self driven professionals,Centurion Marketing Ltd uses all the marketing tools like B2B, B2C and trade fairs to derive the maximum results and mileage from the markets. Ensuring a good exposure for their clients in both national and international markets, Centurion has built up an impressive clientle from various sectors like leisure, hospitality and many other FTSE 100 and premier High Street' brands.

Marketing plans and approaches vary from case to case and this golden rule is what makes Centurion a great. Tailor made plans and marketing packages to cater to your marketing needs and challenges have always been our forte. Increase your brand image and your share over the customer pie without meddling with the complexities of marketing. Direct marketing is well poised to take the business industry by storm in the near future when it will be one of the most popular marketing mechanism on earth.

No matter whether you are a small entrepreneur or a large business house, we at Centurion have something special for everyone. Offering unique marketing solutions to an array of industries including Telecommunication / Internet, Gas and Energy, Financial Services, Charities and Sports and Entertainment, centurion has become a touch stone of elegance and excellence among business houses ever since its inception. Save a dime by way of operating a full fledged marketing department that would also relieve you from the time consuming marketing chores and hassles that come your way. Stay ahead in the corporate race by grabbing the power of customized marketing solutions from Centurion Marketing Ltd that are well cut to hit the bull's eye of your business map. Beat the hard times of today by adding more teeth to your marketing tactics that will take you into the specialised and well defined markets


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2012年2月27日 星期一

Global Overview On SEO and SEO services from India


Amidst the dynamic growth of internet and the internet users with multifaceted expansion of World Wide Web, the universe of information has gained versatility and enormous popularity. With such vivid user congregation, this vital platform provides a greater scope for every business. Basically any business needs customers and the multi-dimensional World Wide Web has ample of users who potentially can be converted as a prospective customer for any type of business.

In basic terms Internet marketing can be broadly defined as a promotion or marketing strategy for any product, service or business over internet. As you need to promote your product at every step with an objective of gathering customers, you can always take help of Internet marketing to attract more and more visitors for your business website. More visitors to any commercial website mean more probability for business conversions and thereby increasing the viabilities of returns on investments.
In recent years with the growing popularity of e-commerce and associated business options over the internet has witnessed significance rise in the internet marketing campaigns. Internet marketing is a strategic concept. You need broad strategy and promotion plan to promote your niche business online. There are many internet marketing techniques in operation throughout the web. Different types of interment marketing strategies have their own sphere of impact on prospective customers. Basics for all promotions remain the same as diverting customers to the niche web business through publicities.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) has wider prospects as a powerful toll for internet marketing. These targets for bringing niche websites on top of the search engine result pages (SERP). With abundant use of search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing, MSN etc. over internet, users tend to depend upon these for finding their desired information. Search engines being the busi est cyber zones for dictating traffic charts, the lack of proper placement of your niche website on search engines can prove fatal to your overall business online.

This signifies the importance of being on the top of the result chart for your business website. Study on internet users' behavior explains that 90% of the general user most preferentially visit among the best 20 or 30 on the search engine result (web) pages. This amplifies the need of SEO for different web portals for gaining better visibility on any search engine for a particular set of keywords. The major strategy for conducting SEO for any niche business website is to improve the popularity of the website.
The major functional strategies for enhancing popularity involves, link building, social media promotion, Blog promotion, forum promotion and online reputation management. SEO service provides comprehensive solutions for Internet marketing. With a professional SEO service you can very well ascertain your website rankings among the best of the search engine result page placements. With systematic strategy and dedicated consistency, any web business can attract quality prospects and convert them to actual business.

With abundance of SEO service providers around the world it is quite difficult to select among the best. India being one of the major ITES hubs of the world, offers quality service in terms of SEO. SEO process involves dedicated hard work and consistent endeavor. Once your website climbs the ladder of the search engine ranking, you need to keep the promotion intact so as to maintain the positions. Link-building being a major factor for effective ran kings, you need to maintain the links as well as build new links to make your website more and more popular among the Search Engines. This is the very reason for requirement of dedicated manpower for promotion of website through SEO.

India is a country of abundant man-force. The overhead cost on manpower is comparably less as compared to other western countries. Moreover, there are plenty of skillful and resourceful manpower available in India. With lesser requirement of analytical skills and major requirements of strategic skills, India is the best choice among competitors for outsourcing of SEO related activities. With such comprehensions in picture, Indian SEO companies are much more adored by the world populace because of apposite skills with lesser overheads. A majority of young freshers in IT sector are exploring opportunities for proving their excellence. SEO being a dynamic and versatile sector always needs challenging professionals for quality result ori ented output. While seeking quality with optimal expenses Indian SEO companies proffer the best industry standard outcomes. There is commitment, there is hard work, there is dedication and there is a swift customer response. These fundamental qualities attract foreigners to outsource their man-hour jobs to India.

There are a lot of IT hubs in India. Small and medium cities are also competing with IT majors with fresh skills and apt professionalism. The ITES sectors have prospered through out India as a promising career opportunity. Young enthusiasts are much more oriented for a prosperous career in IT sector as compared to others opportunities. Under such imperatives the SEO sectors are mushrooming day after another on Indian soil.

Indian SEO companies have their bases wide spread across the length and breadth of this country. Major IT hubs like New Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chandigarh, Kolkata and Mumbai have proven their predo minance over SEO service sector. With lucrative career options and growth opportunities newer ventures are pertaining to SEO as a future option. Every web-development farm is now extending their services to SEO sector. With development of websites, catering for SEO proves to be a viable and successful commercial venture.

With ethical promotion activities and commitment for hard work and consistency, SEO companies from India are gaining apposite repute on global arena. People from other part of the world prefer Indian SEO companies as their outsourcing partners. There is a pseudo trust of ethics with every business partner from India. Being affordable and qualitative, SEO services India is worth adopting on every ground. The days are not far when SEO companies from India are going to rule the SEO service world.


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Watch the stock market watch to get the best financial updates


Since the recession investors have become more cautious investing their money in their right sectors of the Stock market. So going farther than the hype and the bells, the real "secrets" of the stock market game are enclosed within the trading set ups and market signals you rely on to decide how to choose stocks, as well as when to buy and when to sell them, or even when to short sell those that are poised for a profitable fall. So the clearer your set ups are on the stock market the faster you can spot a potentially trading scenario and act without reducing your risk.

Complicated technical systems and information overload can make you slow and confuse you right from the start, making you lose money instead of making your profits grow. In addition to that a person can be sure that the trading method he employs to approach via a constant stock market watch can make a big difference in their results as a trader. In order to succeed they will need to focus on a set of simple trading strategies that you can implement without hesitation.

The stock market today is more volatile than ever, however there are a number of sites and online share broking sites on the internet which teach their customers to make smart choices when investing their money. They even provide them with various investing techniques which prevent amateur investors from burning their fingers.

Using these investment techniques not only makes individual investors make smart and quick investments but also it helps these investors invest their money in the right places. These online websites even provide their customers with the latest investment trends in the stock markets. Some reputed brokerage firms have employed a special panel investment experts and advisors who constantly provide web visitors effective tips for trading stocks and securities in the stock market.

Investing in stocks at the stock market through a reputed brokerage firm online will not only make prospective customers smart in their investments at the stock market but also help them remain independent in their old age. A number of retired personnel in their sixties and seventies are now towards the competitive stock market for making healthy monetary earnings. Investing in stocks at the stock market today is fastest and the most cost effective way of earning money.

Recently there has been a surge of young investors who have effectively doubled their incomes by investing in the right sectors of the stock market. Most of them are into online trading which is nothing but the electronic form of trading stocks and securities on the internet. Trading stocks online is a privilege that is enjoyed by people from all backgrounds of society.

Generally stock traders invest in two types of stocks the common stocks, and the preferred stocks. Common stocks basically define the ownership in the company. It is the investment instrument that is used in stock market trading. Common stocks are sold by companies through public offerings and it is also traded on the secondary market.

In contrast to common stocks, preferred stocks are also traded over the counter apart from the regular stock market. Preferred shares have low risk and low rewards against shares which have high risk and also have voting rights.


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2012年2月26日 星期日

One way marketing – Brimming with confidence and courage


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Making a mark in the event marketing segment, One way Marketing Ltd has been a name to trust on for all types of companies. Its effective event marketing campaigns has gained a lot of recognition among the various clients which has always been the major strength of the company. With a huge client base and enterprising team of marketing professionals, one way marketing happens to be a smart place for all your marketing issues.

This Cardiff based marketing marketing company designs marketing campaigns as per the individual needs of the clients. Its event marketing campaigns are designed by a team of professionals who experts in their skill and knows how to design those perfect marketing campaigns. No matter its a big or small company, one way marketing has got the perfect solution for all your directmarketing needs.

With a positive work atmosphere and employees motivational programs, One way Marketing Ltd always make sure that the employees get the best atmosphere to work and grow along with the company. It employee training events and team building events also helps it to work more effective and achieve great results for the company and even its clients.Planning to foray into many new venues soon, one way marketing is thinking to expand its wings to far more destinations.

Welcome to One Way Marketing Ltd: Currently expanding throughout Cardiff, we are one of the fastest growing sales and marketing companies in the South East. We serve our clients by helping them deliver exciting marketing and sales campaigns for local Cardiff and national clients through the use of our unique marketing approach


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Many To Many Web Video Conferencing


Many to Many web video conferencing is a combination of two web casting services named video conferencing and web conferencing. Video conferencing means collaboration of one or more than one people at same time while sharing sounds and videos with each other live. Web conferencing is an expansion pack of video conferencing. It includes not only live audio and video conferencing but also remote desktop sharing for sending or receiving documents, files and folders from one pc to another. Many to Many term is used when people are interconnect with each other in such a way that all participants can see, listen and speak with each other independently. It is just like a gathering in single room where everyone has independent access to each other. In a business meeting, business partners and co workers collaborate with each other to analyze their business objectives, sharing reports and making new business plans. When someone talks, all are able to listen and discuss at any point . This is a routine business meeting is real world. Many to Many web video conferencing is the best alternate of routine business meeting by providing virtual collaboration of business personnel through internet.

Why many to many web conferencing :

Question is why someone needed many to many web video conferencing rather than physical collaborations. What are advantages of web conferencing which replaced traditional business meetings with virtual business collaboration by using online web video conferencing technology? Answers are not much complicated. During current era, boom of technology creates enormous opportunities of business and trade. Horizontal and vertical expansion of business identifies the need of fast collaboration among different departments. Whole world was becoming a global village and geographical boundaries were no more barriers for any industry to establish its business and find new target markets. Need to be fast collaboration provides the opportunity of online virtual business meeting without travelling. Online Many to Many web video conferencing make it possible by availing this colossal opportunity. It saves travelling time from one region to another. There is no extra travelling and residential cost. Everyone has access to meet his partner at computer screen while sitting his workplace. Invention of web conferencing makes files and documents sharing very easy. there is no need to travel out of region with holding your pc. Someone can access his own computer from a long distance by using online remote desktop sharing solutions. During Many to Many web video conferencing, everyone can share business reports, videos and other data by sharing their personal computers with each other.
History:

History of online audio video conferencing is old as development of internet. In early 60s, a small program for distance learning was developed. It was designed for single class room and is called Plato. This program was much costly and main frame computers were used to run and operate it. During next few years, it was much developed and organized. In the mid of 70s, it was launched for commercial use. Hundreds of companies started to use video conferencing in next ten years. History of web video conferencing take a turn when main frame base Plato terminated in 1980 due to much high cost and low quality communication system. Mainframe computers were replaced with latest micro computers. Audio video conferencing technology enhanced to web video conferencing solutions. lot of expansions were added to facilitate and simplify online collaboration. Todays online web video conferencing solutions has become an industry which serves tele medicine, online seminars, online business meetings, law firms, religious organizations and online marketing companies.

How it works:

In many to many web video conferencing process, powerful dynamic streaming system is used today to run, stop, pause, and rewind online web video conferencing. It is latest technology till the day which works with integrated HTTP server. Adobe flash media streaming server 3.5 is a powerful mechanism to run all technical operations of web video conferencing. One person hosts the whole conference and invites guests by sending them conferencing link through email. Guest accepts this invitation to join many to many web video conferencing. Desktop sharing ID provides him access to desktop of another computer with him.

Coverage industries:

Many to Many web video conferencing is a bridge for telemedicine industry to Secure plus cure the health without any geograph ical restrictions. Get online Medicare by web video conferencing with your doctor while sitting at home. Online hospitals have become mature industry. Patients save time wastage, travelling expenses and other worries by instant consulting with their doctor. Online marketing companies are second largest coverage sector of Many to Many web video conferencing. Daily online collaboration made easy for online marketing companies to target achieving. Personal online meetings and virtual business collaboration are possible through face to face gathering by using many to many web video conferencing solutions.


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2012年2月25日 星期六

Top 3 Tips on Online Affiliate Marketing


If you're looking for an easy, yet effective way to earn some money, then you've probably already encountered online affiliate marketing at this point. Although there is currently an overflow of different money making opportunities online, affiliate marketing proves to be one of the most lucrative endeavors that you can get into these days. Since there are numerous affiliate marketing programs that you can choose from, you need to start making wise decisions if you're determined to become successful at it. Want to know how you can turn a seemingly simple operation into a full blown online enterprise? Then here are a few tips that you can't afford to miss.

Be selective when choosing an online affiliate marketing program

First off, you need to be selective when choosing an affiliate marketing program. Try to observe what the current trends are so that you'll know which products and services consumers are looking for. It's also important that you choose a program that offers products and services you're genuinely interested in so that you'll be motivated even more. Whether you're interested in selling clothes, cosmetics, ebooks or even fitness equipment, you're sure to find an affiliate marketing program that is right for you.

Be confident when setting goals

Since goals play a crucial role in ensuring your success, you should list down a set of goals that you would like to attain before you venture out in the world of affiliate marketing. It can be anything from earning enough money to pay the bills to developing a strong online presence so that you can have a positive reputation on the internet. The key to becoming successful in any business you plan to embark on is your ability to set goals so if you're determined to take it to the next level, you should start with a list of goals.

Learn different online marketing tactics

Last but not the least, don't forget to study different online marketing tactics that you can use to increase your exposure on the internet. Unlike other traditional businesses, affiliate marketing primarily involves gathering as much online traffic as you can for your website. Fortunately, there are numerous things you can do to attract traffic to your site. As long as you know what your target market wants, and you have a foolproof marketing plan that will speak to your potential clients, you can sit back and wait for the profits to roll in. always remember that your success is highly dependent on just how good you are at marketing your products so you can't afford to ignore this important step.

There is no such thing as a get rich quick scheme so if you want to be able to earn some serious cash from this online venture, you shouldn't hesitate to pour your heart and soul into it. What are you waiting for? If you're ready to take your earning potential to a whole new level, start your search for the perfect affiliate marketing program today. With enough determination and an optimistic approach, you'll be able to make all your dreams come true in no time.


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Get Your Tips on Online Affiliate Marketing Right Here Now!


Beginners to making money online are always on the lookout for the most profitable ways to earn their money online. As a beginner, if you have done your assignment, you would know that one of the best ways to start earning money online is through affiliate marketing. To help you make your first real money online, you can get your tips on online affiliate marketing right here at this very moment.

Discover the Biggest Money Generators

If you really want to hit it big, go for the niche market. This is a smaller but highly specialized market looking for particular experts in their fields. If you present yourself as an expert or if you choose products that cater to their needs, and work hard to promote the products, you can expect to earn it big from affiliate marketing.

This can be likened to a parent whose child is sick. Given a choice between a general practitioner and a pediatrician, who do you think the parent would choose to entrust the safety of the treatment for one's child? Majority if not all parents are most likely to go to a pediatrician to have their children treated.

Choose products that you can promote to a targeted market, and present your business as an expert in that field. When you gain the trust of your market, you will be seen as an authority from which they will depend to resolve their needs and wants. Your niche will make it easy for you to earn big money from online affiliate marketing.

Why You Should Be Meticulous in Choosing Affiliate Programs

You should take the necessary time in choosing the best affiliate programs, or you may end up with the wrong programs. There are several ways to find the best affiliate marketing programs on the internet. You can certainly use the search engines and choose from the top ranking programs. You have to visit each program and see how they work.

Or you can use review sites where the best affiliate programs are listed and reviewed. The most credible sites will give you sufficient information on how the programs work and what you can expect from the programs in earning your money online. Not only will you be able to come up with a shortlist of the affiliate programs, you can be assured that these programs are limited and result-oriented.

Keep Yourself Updated

Keep in mind that the internet is a very dynamic marketplace. It has the ability to change its trends, and so are the wants and needs of the market. Keeping yourself updated of the latest trends is important to sustain the headway you have gained from your money-making business online.

Online affiliate marketing is until now one the best ways and the easiest for beginners to make money online. All the resources that can help you succeed in this business are readily available from the internet. You just have to look for them and you may want to begin right here right now.


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2012年2月24日 星期五

What is Online Affiliate Marketing and how does it Work?


Online affiliate marketing is a plain and simple method of marketing we you can earn commissions or fees for promoting other people's products or services.

As an online affiliate marketer you agree to promote other people's products or services on the Internet, on your webpage or your blog or perhaps e-mail campaigns. Some affiliates restrict some marketing methods you can use. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the conditions of service, and the commission payment method.

Online affiliate marketing if done correctly can be very lucrative. You can supplement your income or perhaps make a good income promoting other people's products. If you think about it that's what all salesman are doing. They selling other people's products and collecting a commission for the sale. As an online affiliate marketer you're basically a salesman for other people's products on the Internet. There are many different ways to become a successful affiliate marketer and there are many different programs and products and services that you can promote.

To become a successful online affiliate marketer you will need to learn some basic marketing skills. You will have to acquire some basic Internet marketing knowledge and perhaps most importantly you must have a burning desire to succeed.

It seems success always is dependent upon the proper mindset. Although this article is not about mindset it is important to point out there will be many challenging times that you will face as an online affiliate marketer.

When you join an online affiliate marketing program you will most likely be given a unique identification number, no two affiliate marketers will have the same number and that's basically how the program operator knows who to pay commissions to.

All your sales and leads and visitors will be tracked to you by using this unique identification number you will be credited for your sales and the program operator will send you your commission based on whatever agreement you've entered into.

Driving traffic or getting visitors to visit your affiliate marketing website will be your most challenging task. Joining several different affiliate programs is very easy. Driving traffic is very difficult. There are hundreds of ways to drive traffic to your website and there are thousands of programs that are being sold on the Internet by affiliate marketers to teach you how to drive traffic. There is no easy one step process to driving traffic it's a skill you will have to learn, it's a skill you will have to master. When you master this skill success will be yours.


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Start an Online Affiliate Marketing Business - Know the Advantages


To help you determine whether an online affiliate marketing business is for you, let's discuss six advantages of running an online affiliate marketing business compared to a traditional off-line business

1. For a start overheads and running costs are very much lower. To start and run a successful online affiliate marketing business from your own home you will only need a computer and Internet access. You just need to compare that with the expenses involved in running a traditional business from a shop or an office and it is very clear that setting up an affiliate marketing business from home is extremely inexpensive to do. You will not have expenses such as renting office space, paying insurance, hiring employees, etc.

2. Traditional retail businesses are usually required to keep substantial stocks of the products that they sell. This means that they have to rent storage space then pay an employee to unload the boxes and stock the shelves and cover other logistical costs. With an online affiliate marketing business the merchant ships everything to your customers for you, so you are not required to stock any inventory at all, which represents a huge cost saving for your business.
3. You can easily set up multiple businesses in various different niches as an affiliate marketer. Once one website is up and running and bringing in a regular income it will not require too much maintenance and you will be able to start another one. With a traditional business this is hard to do because you are generally locked into one theme for your business and the logistics required to diversify are much more complicated, making it much more difficult to expand.

4. A few traditional businesses manage to grow to a point where they are marketing on a worldwide scale, however most traditional businesses are local to their marketplace. As a successful online affiliate marketer you will attract customers from all over the world. Online affiliate marketing is a truly global business because wherever people can plug into the internet they will be able to purchase the products that you are offering.

5. An incredible amount of money can be made as an affiliate marketer. Many internet millionaires have been made in a short period of time by affiliate marketers simply selling other people's products online. With the traditional off-line business that kind of performance curve is very difficult to achieve.

6. The fact that your online business is open 24 hours a day to make you money is a very important factor. Most traditional off-line businesses only operate five or six days a week and run from nine to five. As an affiliate marketer your business is open seven days a week, all year round, it never closes.

These six advantages of running an online affiliate marketing business that have been discussed here show you why affiliate marketing is better than a traditional off-line business. If you are not currently an online affiliate marketer and want to start a new business on a shoestring budget, then perhaps this business model would be worth looking into.


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2012年2月23日 星期四

Starting An Online Affiliate Marketing Business - 3 Important Guidelines


Starting a business is exciting. Starting an internet business is exciting and cool. Starting an online affiliate marketing business is exciting, cool and easy!

Ok, that was for the exciting part. Actually, it requires some skills. Relax, the skills an online affiliate marketing business takes are relatively easy to acquire and I'm convinced you already got some of them, perhaps without even knowing it. I mean that!

Listed below are the 3 things you have to realize before getting into an online affiliate marketing business:

1. A great number of people do not see affiliate marketing as a business and that is an obstacle mainly because an online affiliate marketing business, if not treated as such, can lead to failure. You need to give it some time and a little effort and do not delay doing things. An online affiliate marketing business can be a lot of fun and you are definitely more productive when you like doing something but you will get faster results if you see it as a business and are serious about it.

By being serious about this business I imply that while you work on it, the Television is off, msn or Facebook too, and you write down several simple daily tasks that you'll be sure to finish them before taking a cold beer and watching a cool Dvd! Even if you just have two hours daily to allow to affiliate marketing, make the most of these valuable minutes. Do not say to yourself "I'm intending to earn a few bucks here" but instead say "I'm running an online business here!". Yup, even if you don't have your own website and are just learning.

2. The lack of consistency and the "magical" symptom are real threats! You'll see it everywhere, consistency is important in the online affiliate marketing business. It does not matter how much time you have got, you need to action each day. Stay consistent. Some people apply what they learn during 3 days, don't see immediate results and quit it. They won't make it.

Consistency is what will make you successful more quickly than many people. Do not refresh your stats page 8 times waiting for a sale to "happen". Work and only look at your sales report once weekly or less. As for the "miracle" symptom, it's simply a bad habit of googling "how to become a millionaire within 2 hours doing nothing". There's no miracle system to get rich online. There is a proven system known as affiliate marketing and you need to do what it takes to some day become a millionaire or a multi one! Whenever you see a system which claim you can make large amounts of money overnigh t, do not waste your time, it is a scam.


3. Be relaxed. Easy, right? Well, it's actually not usually so clear for a lot of people just starting their online affiliate marketing business. They hope to sound just like big corporations but allow me to save you some time right here: Using a friendly writing style and not a "corporate" one, recommending products instead of forcing people to buy, being yourself and referring to your own experiences rather than employing common sentences and impersonal ones will certainly improve your sales. An online affiliate marketing business is for the most part about being convincing to your potential customers, sounding "real" and giving them the freedom to buy or not based on your own review of a product.


Why don't we sum it up ok? If you want to run a successful online affiliate marketing business, you have got to be dedicated to it , refrain from postponing your every day tasks, have confidence in the thi ngs you do and keep working even if you don't see results the 1st days, make full use of your personality, write in a natural manner to "connect" with your readers and potential buyers.

If you want to get started and learn the fundamentals of affiliate marketing in a simple and crystal clear way, grab the Mad Marketing Method now! It's actually a 100% free, useful and exciting step-by-step guide. There is an detailed method included and all you need to know in order to get started.


Keep believing in your success!


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Online Affiliate Marketing: Learn More With Expert Advice From Seo 5 Consulting


Online affiliate marketing is an important element of web-based advertising that provides mutual benefits for every party involved with its practice. SEO 5 Consulting wants to help you to understand this important marketing method so that you can better realize its potential for your business' success.

Have no idea what online affiliate marketing is? We've written an introduction that should give you the foundation you need to understand its benefits when considering implementing it as part of your business strategy.

What is Online Affiliate Marketing?

Online Affiliate Marketing is a fairly simple concept that leads to fantastic results. It's an internet-based marketing strategy that is centered on rewarding hosting sites for redirecting traffic to a partnered vendor. To put it in the most basic way, online affiliate marketing lets you host links to products that, once bought by customers, sees the item vendor sharing some of the sale pric e with your business.

Although it is still overlooked by many advertisers, the simple yet highly effective principles of online affiliate marketing are becoming popular amongst intelligent businesses. Internet heavyweights like Amazon have demonstrated the incredible success that is possible by acting as a vendor that endorses affiliate marketing, creating greater revenues for both their own site and those that host links to their products.
What are the Benefits of Online Affiliate Marketing?

There are many benefits of online affiliate marketing that participating business can easily begin to enjoy. As mentioned above, both vendors and those that host links [affiliates] are able to capitalize on the purchases made by consumers. By giving buyers a way to find products related to your business you can increase your revenue stream by offering links that help website visitors anyway. If you're a vendor, online affiliate marketing simply increases your exposure, acting as both an effective form of advertising and product sales.

The practice of online affiliate marketing is also a great one due to the lack of financial commitment necessary for getting it started. Since affiliates and vendors both benefit from sales, no party involved in this form of advertising needs to spend money. Online affiliate marketing is, quite simply, one of the smartest ways to increase profits and gain exposure available on the internet.

SEO 5 Consulting aims to help you in finding the greatest online affiliate marketing tips for your business to take advantage of. Not only do we want to give you the information you need to understand the practice we're also able to incorporate online affiliate marketing for clients that are either vendors or affiliates as part of our SEO consulting services.

Implementing online affiliate marketing is essential for many of today's modern businesses. We hope that this introduction to the practice of online affiliate marketing has given you the incentive necessary for getting the strategy in place at your company's website. Stay tuned to the SEO 5 Consulting blog as we provide you with further SEO tips.

For more information on SEO 5 Consulting and its online affiliate marketing services, visit SEO5Consulting.


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2012年2月22日 星期三

Online Affiliate Marketing Courses - Don't Purchase Courses Untill You Read This


If you have been searching for online affiliate marketing courses, I can almost guarantee that every link you have clicked on has taken you to the Wealthy Affiliate website. This is because Wealthy Affiliate is the only complete online affiliate marketing courses available. Of course there are other online affiliate marketing courses but they are not complete in providing you the tools you need to train.

Once inside the online affiliate marketing courses that Wealthy Affiliate provides, you will be completely overwhelmed by the amount of information the program has to offer. You will also realize that you have found what every person wanting to work online has been searching for. Teaching people with no money and those with money, how to make money or more money online. People with no experience and people with extensive experience share these goals we all seek:

Working from home No commute Financial Freedom (I am sure you know the rest of the list)

This is how internet marketing is done! You found it! Wealthy Affiliate has it all for you to learn how to make money online at an affordable price. The online affiliate marketing courses have people there every hour of the day and every day of the week, so you can learn any time that is available to you. You don't have to schedule yourself around the courses. You will find yourself wanting to spend all your time wanting to learn. It's that good and makes so much darn sense. It will have you wishing you joined earlier.

After being a member for nearly two years, it is amazing how much I have learned about internet marketing and Thankful I was able to do it an affordable price. Being a member has also given me the opportunity to see so many people join and see some quit, only to come back because they realize the program has so much to offer. I began as a total stranger to internet marketing, I thought I knew enough to get started . Wealthy Affiliate online affiliate marketing courses gave me the details of what all was involved in internet marketing, the different kinds of interntet marketing paths I needed to choose from. It provided me with lesson tasks, a forum, a blog and chat room. It made my head spin, the amount of information is crazy. I know I am getting every bang for my buck and that I am a part of the online growing trend. Every Tool that the online affiliate marketing courses provides has a tutorial with it and most tutorials provide video training which make it that much easier for you to understand.

The Wealthy Affiliate online affiliate marketing courses has the highest success rate for those that are beginners than any other program and that is because the program was designed to teach from the beginner to the advanced. The online affiliate marketing courses can also help those that are advanced with online marketing figure out what piece of the formula is needed, that is keeping them from being successful giving Wealthy Affiliate the highest affiliate marketer success rate online.


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Online Affiliate Marketing Tools are Necessary to Succeed as an Online Affiliate Marketer


Online Affiliate Marketing Tools are Necessary to Succeed as an Online Affiliate Marketer

Affiliate marketing is one the most powerful and fastest ways to earn money online. To succeed in online affiliate marketing you will need a few inexpensive tools.

This article presents these key tools and how they can help you to easily build your online affiliate marketing business.

A professional looking website:

A knowledgeable online affiliate marketer is one who invests in building a website designed for marketing affiliate programs and products. I suggest using a word press blog and make it the hub of your business. This is professional and increases the credibility of your business, it will also brand you as a marketer that knows what you are doing, and People want to deal with people they can trust.

Instead of sending traffic to the product owner's sales page, you can direct them through your own website, where you can include your own personal recommendations of the products on your website. You can also collect the names and email address of people who visit your website and build a list of prospects.

If you offer your visitor a review or the product or perhaps a free report that you created in exchange for their email address and name. This will be the beginning of your list. This is the most important thing you can do as an online affiliate marketer Start building your list for day one; you will learn all the whys later. As Nike says: just do it! You can start to develop a relationship with your list and soon to be customers. You will want your visitors to want to come back to your website often.

Use an auto responder system.

This is important because not everyone who visits your website where you market online affiliate programs will purchase right away. You can program your auto responder to follow up with these people, and it will keep on reminding them about your website and invite them to visit your site. You can let them know if there is anything new on you blog, or send them another free report entice them to visit your website again.

By doing this you are increasing the chances of generating a sale from most people who visit your site, and at the same time developing credibility. I believe the two best auto responder companies are

Aweber and Get Response, both are reliable and have online tutorials that will help you build your business.

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Choose a domain name for your Blog

I suggest you try to get your own name or as close as you can to your own name. Remember there are no spaces in a domain name but you can use a hyphen (-) here is an example: john-smith.com

By using your own name on your Hub blog you start to brand yourself. There a plenty of places to purchase a domain name. Go daddy and name cheap are my favorites.

Have a reliable hosting company so that your website is running smoothly all the time. The registrar you use to purchase you website domain name will offer hosting or you can search Google for hosting companies there are plenty of good reliable hosting companies. I use D9 and Host Gator, but that's my preference.

Tracking system:

If you want to make sales in you online affiliate marketing business and earn affiliate commissions, you must drive traffic to your website. This means that you must be constantly advertising your website using different types of campaigns. It is important that you track and assess the effectiveness of the marketing campaigns and advertising tools that you use. This will help you select the most effective campaign and invest more money in it for even better results.

Driving traffic

This simple term that means getting visitors to you online affiliate marketing website. It may be a simple term but it is your number one job. After you have your website just the way you want it and have all your affiliate partners and products just the way you want them on you site. You and only you must get people to come visit and hopefully buy something.

It's time to put them all together and learn how to make some affiliate money. By learning about online affiliate marketing you can generate cash while you learn the ropes. When you see the money from different affiliates start coming in you may just start building more website and promoting more affiliate programs and products.


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2012年2月21日 星期二

Begin Your Job off Right simply by Figuring out the Graphic Design Rates You have to Ask for


A study course in graphics design and style can be among the best job that one could get now. See the amount you may make in this arena and determine the graphic design rates you will need to charge. You have to glance on the long run at how much cash you can make with this employment given that you happen to be good at it.

The particular American Institute of Graphic Arts said that entry-level graphic creative designers make a typical $35,000 annually which can be pretty good pertaining to graphic design rates, whilst those who come in the supervisory situation or who've more practical knowledge in such a field earns the normal of $60,000 per year. Even though records through the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, those people gifted and also skilled graphic makers who are heads in their section and also those that own their designing businesses and also making their own graphic style and also design rates take advantage of the twelve-monthly income of around $95,000!

Over the yr 2008, graphic makers made a complete 12-monthly normal of $42,000 in graphic design plus style rates, 10% of your twelve-monthly possess exclusively attained a minimal of $26,000 annually and 10% gained a income of no less than $76,000 per year. These types of incomes are also according to the industry likely utilized for.

Concerning those fields in to graphic design that your market sectors can be employing the biggest, personal computers design and its linked products are also paid for who have the best revenue of on $ 47,000 annual common. Even though those under the particular printer companies and also its relevant area makes an total annual typical of $36,000. This is why institutions with this program can be high priced because the outcome on this career with the sectors.

If a designer includes a degree in Associate of Applied Science or AAS around graphic designs may have a minimum revenue of $36,000 annually! While a bachelor's qualification throughout Fine Arts will provide you with money of not beneath $ 41,000 per year! Visualize all the pays if your graphics designer might bring in. Hence if you're in graphics design, never spend your efforts nowadays and get started joining to your long term in graphics design!


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Graphic Design and Your Future Career


Graphic Arts is an art to present the ideas visually and it requires a lot of creative skills. There are many opportunities for a designers in the field of advertising for creating various high quality graphic advertisements both the static ones and the motion media. These advertising campaigns for various products can be a good source of earning for a designer. Other fields include the logo making and creating various magazine covers. There are many other countless applications where graphic designer is needed to provide its valuable services. The most popular and highly paid field is the web designing and is the major industry for design professionals to create high quality content.

If you have the required creativity and other computing skills, you can be the ideal person for this profession. You can perform designing job efficiently only of you have an interest in various types of design media. Those persons are considered as the best designers who have genu ine interest in the graphic art and design. The job opportunities for a designer are countless and even you can work independently or make your own team of designers to establish your own business.

If you have an interest in all the above mentioned things, you should consider the designing as a career. If you have no qualification or diploma related to graphic design, you can go for online education and earn a part time degree from some authentic institute. Having a bachelor's degree is enough in order to get a decent job anywhere.

If you are already expert in using the graphic applications and tools, you might think that holding a degree is not mandatory for getting a job as a graphic designer but it will polish your creative skills and you will learn many new techniques that are currently being used in the field of designing.
In order to become a creative and highly professional graphic design expert, you need to mater various tools related to t he graphics and art. These software suites include; Adobe Photoshop, FrameMaker, Acrobat Exchange, PageMaker and QuarkExpress. There are many in this category that are well known and established standards for various tasks necessary to learn for a graphic designer.

There are many schools and colleges offering online degrees and diploma level courses, you should take such opportunities in order top polish your creative skills. Such type of education is pretty easy and there is no need to go regularly to nay institute for daily classes. You can learn various types of software's at home with full video tutorials and lectures while staying at home or office. You can even select the subjects of your own choice in which you are interested. You can learn anytime you need and there is no strict timing and all the material will be available online in the form of electronic media and audio/video lectures as an alternative to class lectures.


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2012年2月20日 星期一

If Art Is Your Passion, Fetch Out A Career In Graphic Design


Hey have you loved painting since childhood? If you have an affinity towards painting, fetch out a lucrative career in graphic designing. This field has vast scope in today's world. It is fun too.

Graphic design is a field which encompasses a vast creative spectrum. This field will give you a scope to turn your passion into your profession. Can it get any batter?

Some Career Scopes In This Field

CREATIVE / ART DIRECTOR: these people are in charge of art work. They create these. Their works are displayed in magazines, on bill boards, on the web, or even on products. An entire team may consist of several people artists, graphic designers, photographers, copy writers, production people etc. it is the responsibility of the art director to ensure that all the people of the team are working properly and on time. He has an immense part to play in creating graphic arts.
He has the authority to select models for the project. Other things like the props that are going to be used, the colors, and several other things are chosen by him. In order to be an efficient art director, you need to receive good training in graphic design. This is because the art director himself needs to do certain designing on his own. However, art directors are mostly given supervisory responsibilities over a team.

People, who are art directors, have received formal training in advertising and in graphic design. They are trained to plan, design and direct the print ads. They are also trained to run a 360 degree ad campaign. A director must have creative skills as well as business skills in order to be successful.

Ad directors get employment in ad agencies, in firms etc. Their approximate salary is $50,000 - $80,000 per annum.

LAY OUT ARTISTS: layout artists deal with the print media. They are concerned about the structures, t he layout of the images, and the texts. The articles they work on comprise of magazines, broachers, posters etc.

The make their lay outs on acrobat page maker, acrobat in design etc.

BRAND IDENTITY DESIGN: this deals with the visual aspect of a particular brand. This deal with logo of a brand, business cards, stationary, packaging etc. this is a vital thing. This helps the customers to remember a particular brand.
Careers in graphic design can be fun as well as lucrative.


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Cheap Online Colleges to Study Graphic Design Degree


If you have always loved to draw and are good with computers then graphic design may be a career path for you.

Below is a list of affordable online colleges that offer graphic design degrees and some basic information about graphics designing and the job market.

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division: The Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division is well known for its online creative approach to arts education. Graphics design graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment in areas such as computer artist, advertising designer, layout artist and freelance artist among others.

International Academy of Design & Technology Online: International Academy of Design & Technology Online offers career focused graphics design degree program where you will gain the real-world skills and knowledge to turn your passion into a rewarding career.

Westwood College Online Campus: West wood College Online Campus offers courses that incorporate sophisticated audio/video technologies to ensure you receive an engaging virtual learning experience.

American Intercontinental University Online- American Intercontinental University (AIU) Online is committed to providing all students academically, personally and professionally for successful and rewarding careers.

Academy of Art University Online: Established in 1929, Academy of Art University is the largest private art and design school in the nation.

Rasmussen College Online- Rasmussen College Online offers a variety of degree programs as well as certificates and diplomas in a variety of career areas including Graphic and Web Design.

University of Phoenix Online- University of Phoenix offers convenient and accessible online classes. Your career goals are within reach much sooner than you think with University of Phoenix online degree programs.

Strayer University Online- At Strayer University Online you will receive quality higher education designed for working adults. The online programs are designed to provide you with a foundation for career and professional success.

Education in Graphics Design

An Associate of Arts degree and certificate will prepare you for entry-level posit ions in graphics design or you can earn a Bachelors Degree with an emphasis on graphics design. Whatever route you take make sure you keep a portfolio of a collection of your best work to shown prospective employers.

Qualities of Graphic Designers

Graphics designers must have the ability to communicate well with their clients in order to create a message through a visual form. Consumer tastes are always changing and you will need to keep up with current computer software and applications to be successful in this field. Creativity and the ability to work under pressure are also essential in this field. Equally important is a good business sense, management skills and sales ability especially for the self-employed.

Job Outlook for Graphics Designers

The market for graphics designers looks promising. Individuals holding a bachelors degree and knowledge of computer design software will have the best opportunity. Graphic Designers are likely to find work in advertising, computer design firms and publishing. You can also work in print, electronic media, and film, creating everything from business logos to the overall layout and design of newspapers, magazines and brochures. Some graphic designers teach, open their own firms or specialize in one specific area of graphic design.

Salary of Graphics Designers

According to the American Institute of Graphic Arts, median annual total cash compensation for entry-level designers was $35,000 in 2007. Staff-level graphic designers earned a median of $45,000. Senior designers, who may supervise junior staff or have some decision-making authority that reflects their knowledge of graphic design, earned a median of $62,000. Solo designers who freelanced or worked under contract to another company reported median earnings of $60,000.


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2012年2月18日 星期六

How to Become a Graphic Artist


Ever looked at a colorful marketing brochure or a website and thought of different ways you would design it if given a chance? Often find yourself marveling at the originality of an artwork on a book cover? Every time graphics roll on the evening news, do you wonder if there was a way to do it better? If your answer to the above questions is yes and you have an undying thirst for creativity, then you probably are a prime candidate for becoming a graphic artist.

Becoming a graphic designer involves as much hard work and commitment as it does flair and creativity. Your talent needs to be nurtured appropriately, and your creativity channelized in the right direction if you want to make a serious career out of graphic arts. And one way to do this is through sound training and a relevant education in the field. But before we get down on the nitty-gritty of how to become a graphic artist, let's take a closer look at what graphic artists do.

Simply put, graphic designers create visual communication of an idea or a message. They use a variety of materials such as images, sound, illustrations, animation, type, and color to create visual solutions. They work in industries ranging from films, television, and publishing to advertising, gaming and fashion.

Getting Education

So, how does one go about becoming a graphic designer? The first step is to find your way to a college or university that offers a graphic arts degree. There will be many people who will try to argue you out of enrolling for a college degree. Some believe that there is no point spending hard earned (or borrowed) dollars on something that you can teach yourself, while others will insist that a portfolio is all that matters to make it as a graphic designer.

Admittedly, portfolios creation and online tutorials are crucial part of your training. But equally important is a solid education that only a graphic design program can provide.

Not only is a college degree essential to build a strong foundation in the field, but it is also the minimum credential that employers nowadays ask for when conducting job interviews. A graphic arts degree is also necessary if you want to mature into more senior roles and aspire to lead a creative team of an organization at some point in your career.

The good thing is that you can choose between a basic two-year Associate's degree in Graphic Arts and a more advanced and in-depth Bachelor's degree in Graphic Arts, depending on your career and educational goals.

For folks who are making a mid-to late-career shift to graphic design or who find a college education completely out of their reach, there are a range of professional certificate programs and diplomas that they can complete.

Gaining Experience

But an education is just the starting point of your training to become a graphic designer. It's important to work on creating an impressive portfolio of work while your education continues as that's something your prospective employers could use to gauge the level of your talent and experience.

There are several ways of creating a portfolio. You can take up projects and assignments on a freelance or consultative basis. Remember, no task is too small when you're looking to get your hands dirty in the field, so lap up whatever comes your way. You can also get an internship with a graphic design firm and gain some first-hand experience of working in a professional environment. This experience will be extremely valuable when you start your first job as a graphic designer.

Since technology is constantly evolving and graphic designers depend on a variety of software applications to complete their day-to-day job, it is important you stay abreast of the changes in technology and constantly upgrade your skills through self-learning if you want to remain employable.


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2012年2月17日 星期五

How to Become a Graphic Designer


There are a few careers that need only dedication for you to be successful in them. A sound education, willingness to learn and the ability to work hard can lead to reasonable success in these areas. There are others that you should consider only if you are passionate about them, a case in point being medicine or nursing. Then there are professions that not only need passion and dedication, but a generous dose of talent. All creative professions, including graphic design, fall under this category.

For those who dream of becoming a graphic designer, the seeds were probably sown way back in childhood when they got their first A in art class.

From drawing pictures in your childhood that still adorn the walls of your home, if you've now reached a stage where your idea of fun involves tinkering with design tools on your computer creating fine works of art, then you're the perfect candidate for a career in graphic design.

Graphic design is defined as visual communication by a combination of text and pictures. In other words, graphic design is the visual expression of a message, idea or concept. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then graphic designers are among the most prolific writers we know.

So if graphic design is what you want to do for the rest of your life, then it's time to start the action. Here's a three step approach on how to become a graphic designer.

Step 1: Get Informed

The first step to becoming a graphic designer is collecting relevant information and lots of it about the profession. Some questions you might want to find answers to include:

What is the nature of work of a graphic designer? What kind of career opportunities do they have? What is their earning potential? What kind of training is needed to become a graphic designer?

Some research on the Internet will yield answers for most of these questions. You can also interview industry experts for first-hand insights. Career counselors and admissions consultants may also be able to provide helpful information about the profession.

Step 2: Get Qualified

The second step towards becoming a graphic designer is acquiring the necessary qualification for it. There are a few things you must know about this profession before you apply for a suitable program. Creativity alone is not enough to succeed in this field. You need to combine it with computer skills and business knowledge.

Expertise in using different design tools and computer software programs is as important for a new age graphic designer as talent. Since the job of a graphic designer involves understanding client requirements and the target audience, business knowledge is also desirable.

That's why it's vital to choose a graphic arts degree that will provide you a solid foundation in web design techniques, computer skills, and business principles.

Although many professionals are able to get their foot in the door with short-term professional certifications in graphic arts, getting a college degree will definitely boost your marketability. Most colleges and universities offer two graphic arts programs an Associate's degree and a Bachelor's degree in graphic design.

An Associate's degree qualifies graduates for assistant graphic designer positions from which they can work their way up. A Bachelor's degree is the minimum credential required for most entry-level and advanced graphic design jobs.

Step 3: Get Experienced

Gone are the days when your academic achievements alone could get you plum positions in big organizations. Employers these days look for hands-on industry experience along with academic credentials, especially if you belong to an applied field like graphic arts.

Becoming a graphic designer will take more than a degree or a certificate. The sooner you start building a portfolio, the better will be your chances in the job market. Some graphic arts programs may provide externships for students to get their hands dirty with design while still in college.

If your school doesn't have such a provision, then you can approach a media or software company for a free intern position. Not only will you get some valuable on the job lessons in graphic arts, you'll also be able to make contacts for future use.

Once you're fairly comfortable working independently, try and get some freelance assignments even if you're not paid for them. Having an impressive portfolio of work will do for a graphic artist's career what getting straight A's in school cannot!


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2012年2月16日 星期四

Career in Graphic Arts


When you read a magazine, buy a product at the supermarket, look at a billboard, watch television, or cruise a website, chances are you're looking at the work of a graphic designer. Today's graphic designers use traditional tools including pencils and paper, but they also use the newest and most sophisticated computer design software.A graphic artist is also often referred to as a graphic designer. He or she uses a diverse range of media to create designs and visually convey a message or an idea to the public. Since the aim of a graphic designer is to enhance the image and saleability of a product, the work profile could encompass designs for websites, logos, stationery, print material, advertisements, films and videos, posters, brochures, and other promotional materials.According to the New York Times, most online schools charge tuition similar to that of traditional schools. So even if you're saving money on commuting gas, room and board, or by working at the same time t hat you're studying, finding scholarships can save you even more money. Look at the College Board Web site and Fastweb.com; these are two free Web sites that can help you get started.

He has the authority to select models for the project. Other things like the props that are going to be used, the colors, and several other things are chosen by him. In order to be an efficient art director, you need to receive good training in graphic design. This is because the art director himself needs to do certain designing on his own.Of course, most successful artists typically have more than just raw talent. Top working artists also know how to structure their time, deal with people and do all of the necessary work that comes along with being an artist. Raw talent is necessary, but knowing how to use that talent is just as important.

Within the field of the arts, there are many different careers that you can consider, depending on where your interests and abilities lie. If you are interested in this field and you enjoy history, you may want to consider a career as an art historian. This is a great career for those who love the arts but are not interested in actually producing the artwork themselves.Most people wish to make a career in designing. Graphics design is an ideal professional option that is slowly and surely gaining importance. Graphic design plays a major role in every field including newspaper advertisement, website design and billboard. It makes it presence felt in every sphere of economy. Graphic design is the perfect field to gain specialization in for individuals who hold a fascination for layouts, colors and shapes. Good quality graphic design is slowly and surely gaining popularity.


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How to choose graphic arts designers


Over the years, the process of Web Designing has gone through a major transformation. The role of graphic design has now become of great importance in the process. Art Graphic Designs play a major role in web designing since they create an appeal to the website. In important events like product endorsement, effective graphic designs play a major role in determining the public image for the brand. With good graphic design, your customers will be able to remember your products or services even better. Apart from adding appeal to the website, graphic designs also help create visual solutions to communications problems. Therefore it is very important to hire talented Graphic Arts Designers for the work.

With good Graphic Arts Designers, you will be able to get assistance on plenty of projects like envelope design, graphic web logos, caricature design, character design, stationery design, cartoon character design or mascot design. Moreover, they can also help you in work like advertising, product branding, online ads, web sites, and other kinds of electronic public relations, signage. A good graphic designer will work in close coordination with web designer, and will develop graphics that are in line with the web design and site content that suits the needs of the clients.

However, there are numerous things you should keep in mind before you Hire Web Designer or Graphic Arts Designers:

Knowing what you want

Having clarity of thoughts, vision will always help you come up with ideal website for your business. It is always important to have a plan before you go about any work. You should provide right information to your professionals and make them work according to those.

Choosing designers who fit the bill

The graphic designing needs of businesses differ according to their requirements and budget. It is important to hire Web Designer or Graphic Arts Designers who do not burn a hole in your pocket. However, no compromise should be made in the quality of services you are choosing for. A designer should be creative, and be able to create stunning designs by intelligently using colors, images, sounds.

If you need is for a large project, you can also outsource the work to a service provider. You will find various service providers that will be able to provide you with services according to your requirements. Before outsourcing the work, it will always better to consider their experience, professionals and clients they have served before.


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2012年2月15日 星期三

A Fresh Perspective in Pursuing a Graphic Arts Care


As soon as you watch a TV show, pick up a magazine, inspect an item at the supermarket, browse a website from the internet, or view a billboard, you're most probably looking at the creation of a graphic artist. Graphic artists nowadays use both traditional instruments such as pencils and paper as well as the most up-to-date and high-end digital applications. Some of the most frequently used graphic arts software includes PRIMO pdf, Adobe Illustrator, AutoCAD 3-D Modeling software and Adobe Flash software for web designs that require flash. In order to maximize the use of these software, appropriate training is always an advantage.

Designing an Ad for Sneakers

The primary role of graphic designers is to come up with a message with the use of line, shape, color and texture. The product can be enhanced with the message that was created or the message itself can be utilized to promote branding and visual appeal.

A good example would be the prom otion of a new line of sneakers intended when playing basketball. The manufacturer would know if the shoes were promoted effectively if a lot of young adult men buy them regardless if the buyer plays basketball or not.

You are currently working as a graphic artist and one day you receive a phone call from the marketing director of an advertising agency for the launch of the new sneakers. You were asked by the marketing director to come up with an ad for the Internet for the sneakers. The ad needs to have a dynamic, fresh and exciting look. It's also possible for a professional basketball player to be featured in the ad.

As a graphic artist, do you think a summer theme with pretty yellow daisies would be effective? Most probably you won't. While daisies would be appealing, it might not be as appealing to incorporate in an ad for basketball sneakers. How about a cute puppy? Again, that might not be a good choice. Puppies can really be attractive; however using it in an ad campaign for basketball sneakers might not be effective.
With the help of graphic arts software such as CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, you might probably come up with a concept that is set on an asphalt parking lot and a bunch of city teenagers playing basketball. The time of the day may be at night, and the only source of light is an overhead street light. Black, silver and purple might be your choice of colors. If there is text involved, you might choose something that's dynamic and slanted. You can feel the passion for basketball of the teenagers who are wearing the sneakers.

As a graphic designer, you most probably already have some ideas even before starting the ad. No matter if you are coming up with the packaging of the sneakers, an ad for the sneakers, or even the design of the logo attached to either side of the sneakers, your creativity can make or break the way consumers perceive the product.

Is This Career Really Promising as it Sounds Like?

Your level of training will really speak for your outputs, just like any other profession. An associate or bachelor's degree is mandatory for a lot of graphic designers who are just starting out. The appropriate training can be obtained from an accredited school or college. It shouldn't be a challenge to find a good school since the National Association of Schools of Art and Design takes care of accrediting about 250 postsecondary institutions with courses in design and arts.

So what is the guarantee of getting a job once you have obtained a degree? Based on statistics from the US Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor, about 40,000 new posts will be opened in this specific field within the next ten years starting 2008 through 2018. In May 2008 the average salary is $42,400; however for those who are really successful, annual salaries can go beyond $100,000.

Graphic designers specializing in animation and website have an advantage. Also, positions that continue to increase include support for video games, celphones, personal digital assistants and the like. A good background in digital design applications is also a good edge.

Is this field a competitive one? Definitely! But remember that this career is just as fulfilling as it is challenging. Think of how many people will be viewing your graphic art creation and even how it can possibly become a part of popular culture. As long as you get the appropriate training, get the creative juices flowing and get the best motivation, it won't be long before you reap the fruits of your labor.

How to Get Started

If you have an inclination towards visual design and want to make the most out of it, then you'll need to look for a suitable college or school offering traditional courses or online ones, which offers courses on graphic design. But where do you go looking for the right school? Searching through a reputable college directory online is one way to start. Keywords can include "associate degre e" or "graphic design" and you can include your home town or zip code or both and you should be able to come up with results. Feel free to compare what each school can offer, such as courses, career services, scholarships and class schedules. Check your priorities and then make your choice. All these can definitely contribute to a rewarding career in graphic design.


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Career in Graphic Arts


Graphic arts refers to the artistic interpretation and creation of design through artistic expression. In other words, graphic art is the art of visualizing ideas. Graphic artists use their creativity and talent to design, display, advertise, package and promote. Graphic design is seen everywhere in the world around us from books and magazines, food products, cars, household appliances, clothing, computers, and everything in between.

A graphic artist is also often referred to as a graphic designer. He or she uses a diverse range of media to create designs and visually convey a message or an idea to the public. Since the aim of a graphic designer is to enhance the image and saleability of a product, the work profile could encompass designs for websites, logos, stationery, print material, advertisements, films and videos, posters, brochures, and other promotional materials. Responsibilities could also include overseeing layouts during printing of magazines, books and newspapers, designing sets for theatre and film and even furniture design. Many graphic designers still use traditional tools such as pencil, ink and paper but more and more now rely on computer aided technology and the latest design software to enhance their work.

Graphic artists are required to hold a Graphic Arts degree or a diploma in Graphic Design, Visual Art or Commercial Art. In addition to this, hands-on experience is necessary along with a portfolio full of ideas and work. A graphic artist needs to be independent and self motivated and possess the imagination and creativity to deal with a range of subjects and products. A close attention to detail and an instinct for color, shape and form is essential. A good graphic artist would be one with an exposure to a wide range of media and communication techniques. He or she will be fluent in handling all sorts of tools, techniques, drawings and models. Graphic designers need to evaluate their customers needs and m ust be adept at all sorts of sales and marketing strategies. Therefore, a comprehensive knowledge of theory and methodology is required to excel in this type of career.

Today, good Graphic Design Programs mix creativity with technology and business skills. Course material should include (among others) Web page design, Flash, Typography, JavaScript, Web Animation, Photoshop, Illustrator, Pre-press Operations, Internet Management, Marketing, Computer Fundamentals, and Desktop Publishing.

Graphic designers have the choice to work alone or as a part of a large design team. They could opt for consultancy services or freelance work if they do not want to be tied down to a particular design studio or advertising agency. Media opportunities for graphic artists could be found in print, packaging, movie, video, television or radio. Graphic artists can be employed by magazines or newspapers, books, advertising agencies and graphic design firms as well as non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, companies and for specific events.

A career in design could lead to various positions in the field of graphic arts such as Art directo r, Directors - state, motion picture, television, radio, Visual artists, Animators, Children book illustrators, Commercial and industrial designer, Fashion designer, Interior designer, Set designer, Painters and illustrators, Cartoonist, comic book artists, Camera operator, television, video or motion picture operators, Desktop publisher, Composing room supervisor and Online producer.

And as the years go by, jobs for graphic designers are only expected to rise and individuals with experience in animation and Web design will have the best opportunity to qualify for the newer job positions being created in the fields of technology. A career in graphic design is assuredly fast growing and one that is becoming more and more competitive with every passing day. People now recognize the earning potential of such a career and the flexibility and independence offered by the choices within this field. Whether you work full-time in a small studio or large agency or freelance ful l-time on your own terms, the bottom line is that graphic arts is a great choice for people who need to express themselves creatively and earn well at the same time.


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