October 21st, 2011
I have had a local product website since 2006 and I spend about $300 a month on paid search advertising but I have found that certain products on my site sell much better when using Youtube videos. The TylerTXDirectory creates YouTube videos on occasion for local businesses in Tyler to get the word out about a new business in town, event, or attraction. We often encourage businesses to create their own YouTube channel so they can have control of their own videos and what they choose to produce and show the public.
“I was extremely surprised to find that YouTube brought me more customers in a certain niche that hundreds of dollars in search advertising wasn’t even able to do.” – Donny
Youtube is actually the 2nd largest search engine next to Google and of course Google owns both of these but when you think about the potential of local business advertising it really makes sense. How many local Tyler businesses actively produce videos about their business? I have found that most Tyler TX businesses don’t create videos and the ones that do really don’t take the time to truly add value in the videos they produce. For instance, a video about real estate in Tyler should offer quite a bit more than just stating the obvious. If a potential customer takes the time to listen to a Realtor in Tyler tell you that a fresh coat of paint will really improve the ability to sell their house you will likely be disappointed. Most people know this point and so it is important to really go above and beyond to help those trying to sell a house by offering several tips in your video that maybe people are likely not aware of already.
To begin your business intelligence for advertising through video on YouTube start out by searching for businesses like yours on YouTube. If you are a local Tyler pet grooming company you could search on YouTube for “pet grooming Tyler Texas”. Watch some competitors who have already created videos in your niche and then come up with your own creative idea. From my experience the videos you will find will be pretty bad so you should be able to plan and come up with something that offers quite a bit more value. Below are 7 tips to YouTube video creation we believe will help you in creating the perfect YouTube video:
- Watch your competition. Jot down what you like and don’t like in your competitions videos. You may find that your competition has not even tried advertising using YouTube yet so you may have to start from scratch. Does the screen shot picture you see tempt you to click and play the video? Is their sales pitch too aggressive without offering any other value beyond a pitch? Is the background music and graphics over the top and distracting? If you find something specific you don’t like in a competitors video be sure to avoid that in your own.
- Don’t try to be a videographer. You can likely find a skilled videographer from a local news station that is willing to video and produce something off the clock and possibly save you a lot of money. These video experts will know how to correctly light an area and setup things like the microphone, and selection of video camera. The expert will know how to zoom in when it makes sense, and tastefully add in soundtrack and images. The final production will appear more professional and polished than what you, coworker, or family member could do on your own.
- Set a budget. You can hire a videographer for around $75 an hour and around $1,000 a day but you can get someone off the clock for about half those rates. The price also depends on their experience level, talent, and work history. The cost will also be calculated based on how many days it takes to shoot, length of the video, and final editing time of video. Try bartering with the videographer with your own services and products to get the cost down.
- Create a script. You only have a couple of minutes to make your pitch. Concentrate on offering real value in the video in the form of advice and leave your call to action for the end of the video. Make sure you offer a real clear call to action at the end of the video and even consider placing your phone number and address as text in the video as well.
- Offer tremendous value. How-to videos are a great way to offer value to those watching your video. Go beyond the obvious and provide enough advice that gets people past the learning curve and provides them a sense of trust in your expert ability. Offer some really good trade secrets that your willing to give up for free as this free value makes the customer much more willing to reciprocate and call you back to buy your services. Be sure to put your best self out there when creating the video and show your passion for what you do. Because it is a how to video you may even get people to naturally share the video with others because it isn’t just a sales pitch.
- Do your technical research. Put the best part of your content at the front of your video to keep people interested and watching. Find the keywords in your industry that people are most likely to type in their search engines. If you are a mobile pet grooming service like Tyler’s “Kritter Kutz” consider having “Tyler TX pet grooming” key terms in the title of your video, description, tag your video with these key terms, and categorize your video under “how to”.
- Keep your good will up. Good will among YouTube watchers is your currency in this online video world. Make sure that you offer them enough value in the video so that they leave with a good impression of you. These Youtuber’s will be more likely to watch more of your videos in the future, see you as the authority in your industry, ignore your competition, and reciprocate the favor because you truly helped them and offered them value.
Tags: Business In Town, Business Intelligence, Coat Of Paint, Fresh Coat Of Paint, Google, Largest Search Engine, Local Businesses, New Business, Niche, Occasion, Pet Grooming, Real Estate, Realtor, Search Advertising, Search Google, Sell House, Tyler Pet, Tyler Texas, Tyler TX, Youtube, Youtube Videos
Posted in Marketing and Advertising | No Comments »
October 5th, 2011
Here is a CiCi’s coupon good until Oct 9 2011: Click here
Chuck E Cheese pizza in Tyler is one of those places many believe Tyler is so lucky to have. I have been to Chuck E Cheese in 2011 5 times so far and this has been 5 times too many. When I was a child living in Wichita Falls Texas my parents pretended the place was not even there and I totally understand why. Now as an adult I feel like sound pollution from this pizza place is a form of torture but yet I still take my kids here sometimes because I know they love it but yet they love the Chick Fila kids play area and the Cici’s arcade just as much. So why do I or any of us have to be tortured by the big mouse robot? Honestly the mouse is pretty cool but like I said the noise is too much for even my son. If you are one of those that likes this loud kids arcade you can save a lot of money by getting their online coupons but you can get by cheap and still have fun at Cici’s too with coupon even.
If you want Chuck E Cheese coupons just go straight to their website as they offer them right there. You don’t even have to print the coupons as you can pull it up on your phone and show the employees from your phone as we have done this numerous times.
For a better idea why not save money instead by choosing Cici’s pizza. The pizza is better, it is not as loud, and kids under 3 eat free.
As a kid I loved the mouse and I often got confused regarding if the robot mouse was alive and just very still because he would sometimes roam around greeting kids. As an adult I am not confused about Chuck E Cheese, I know what mouse is robot and what mouse is a pizza guy. I still love the mouse but I don’t like how loud and crazy it is.
The only downside to going to CiCi’s is not having a robot mouse and greeter and not having the awesome playground area. I think your kids will still have a lot of fun going to CiCi’s instead as I have seen no complaints from my nieces, nephews, and my own kids.
If you must still go to Chuck E Cheese you can access their coupons on your phone here: http://www.chuckecheese.com/coupons/ You must select your city and click on Submit or simply use the coupons from the Tyler Texas area…they should work pretty much anywhere: Tyler TX Chuck E Cheese Coupons
Tags: Adult, Arcade, Chick Fila, Chuck Cheese, Chuck E Cheese, Chuck E Cheese Coupons, Chuck E Cheese Pizza, Cici, Cici Pizza, Cici S Pizza, CiCis, Downside, Fun, Greeter, Kids Play Area, Lucky, Money, Nephews, Nieces, Online Coupons, Parents, pizza coupons, Pizza Guy, Pizza Place, Playground Area, Print Coupons, Robot Mouse, Sound Pollution, Tyler Texas, Tyler TX, Wichita Falls Texas
Posted in Pizza | 1 Comment »
September 26th, 2011
If you have a local business in Tyler you have likely tried telling people about it on places like Facebook. You may have even created a Facebook page and possibly a Google AdWords campaign and linked them back to your website.
Many local businesses don’t even have a website but they have still managed to set up a Facebook page because it is really easy to do.
For those of you who have managed to do some of these above basic online marketing tasks I have a great idea to improve upon what you are already doing. Try adding an SMS marketing campaign to this.
What you do is keep on doing what you’re doing but setup a text message campaign with an SMS provider and then promote this in the same places you are now and beyond.
An SMS campaign is simply a way for your customers to sign up to receive text messages to their cell phone from your business.
You can than text your customers 4 – 5 times a month to come in to receive a special deal or value without necessarily offering huge profit squeezing discounts.
Think about it, these people have opted-in to your cell phone messaging list because they love what you sell. Simply text them about what they love and attach some extra value to it.
What has been shown statistically is that 20% of the people you text will respond to your offer which ends up giving you the biggest ROI than any other form of advertising.
Once you have your campaign setup here are some of the top places to promote your SMS campaign locally:
- Facebook
- Twitter
- TV screens
- Buttons
- Radio advertisements
- Craigslist
- Website
- T-Shirts
- Billboard
- Print advertisements
- Business cards
- TV advertisements
- Receipts
- Myspace
- Blog
- Brochures
- Car/Bus
- Stickers
- Billboards
- Email signature
- The radio
- Flyers
- Picket signs
- Email campaigns
- Promotion products
- Restaurant menus
Think of the response rate? Think of the ROI, think of the direct access you will have to local Tyler TX shoppers and your own customers eagerly waiting to come back in your doors to buy more of your product more frequently?
You can learn more about SMS marketing and SMS provider services by visiting this website: SMS Text Company
Tags: Billboards, Business Cards, Direct Access, Email Campaigns, Facebook, Google, Google Adwords, Marketing Campaign, Picket Signs, Promotion Products, Radio Advertisements, Radio Flyers, Response Rate, Restaurant Menus, Sms Marketing, Sms Provider, text message marketing, Text Messages, Tv Advertisements, Tv Screens, Tyler TX
Posted in Marketing and Advertising | No Comments »
August 15th, 2011
In a study put out by the American Journal of Physiology it was discovered that antioxidant intervention which happens from taking supplements or exercise can slow the aging process. A steady routine of exercise had a significant effect on reducing oxidation about the same as taking supplements.
Don’t say, “Oh good I will just go take those pills instead of exercising.” It isn’t as simple as that as you must also contend with muscle attrition and fat gain that takes place after a certain age.
Unfortunately after you hit age 25 people typically lose about 1/2 to 1 pound of muscle tissue every year after this age. What happens is that by default our bodies will choose to add on more pounds of fat rather than muscle after this age.
You could see this medical reality as depressing but see it as a reason to get fit. By building up muscle mass through a regular workout routine at home or Tyler TX fitness center most people will increase their metabolic rate and burn more calories while resting.
You see you really can lose weight while doing nothing by you must first get in a workout routine to start building muscle so that will happen.
The numbers look like this, for every pound of muscle you keep or add on you will burn about 30 – 50 calories a day. By letting muscle be the default fiber you add on daily to your body you will allow yourself to lose weight the easy way, by doing nothing. You see that is why you hear the often used phrase, no pain no gain.
By getting in a small work out each day you will allow your body to shed those pounds simply by the new metabolic rate your body has with all that new muscle.
If you stay inactive all the time you are allowing your muscles to slowly eat away. Not only is your metabolic rate decreasing but your muscle tissue is being replaced by fat. This problem is easy to go unchecked as it is hard to see that your muscle is being replaced by fat as your body remains close to the same shape. Eventually you will notice and by that time things have gotten pretty bad.
In summary muscle isn’t just something that looks better than fat it actually increases your bodies ability to burn fat. If you have gone several years without exercising it is not uncommon to have lost close to 15 pounds of muscle. If you were to add that muscle back to your body your metabolic rate would be such that your body would naturally be able to burn 450 – 750 calories more per day simply by having that muscle back on your body.
P.S. If you are looking for a good Tyler TX gym with lots of scheduled group fitness classes like kickboxing, yoga, zumba dance, and others go by and check out Tony Cruz XTC Fitness. You can find their location on Google Maps here: Tony Cruz XTC Fitness & Sports
Tags: Aging Process, American Journal Of Physiology, Attrition, Building Muscle, Calories, Certain Age, Exercise, Fitness Center, gyms in Tyler TX, Journal Of Physiology, Medical Reality, Metabolic Rate, Muscle Mass, Muscle Tissue, Muscles, Oxidation, Phrase, Pills, Shape, Supplements, Tyler gyms, Tyler TX, Tyler TX fitness center, Tyler TX fitness centers, Tyler TX Gyms, Weight Loss Tyler TX, Workout Routine
Posted in Weight Loss | No Comments »
August 10th, 2011
Julian’s is an asian diner located in the Time Square shopping center in Tyler TX that has been in Tyler for seven years, changing management and remodeling once in October of 2009. Julians has been a popular Tyler dinner spot for years. The food is good, well cooked and with unique flavor that distinguishes it from an average asian food restaurant. The food may be above average but that doesn’t apply to most other aspects of the restaurant.
The low lighting is nice and helps provide a calm atmosphere but it doesn’t completely distract from from the minimal lame wall decor or awkward arrangement in my opinion. However, the bar is pretty decent, it’s in a separate room entirely from the dining area and has an even darker sleeker feel than the restaurant. As of recently Julians has started doing drink specials with Texas Tuesdays and Monday Martinis for six dollars.
The good thing about the food though, is that in addition to be being flavorful and well made of good ingredients it is also not too expensive as long as you go at lunch or if you’re content with Julian’s exceptional fried rice a half order is only $5.50 and despite being a half it amounts to a decent meal.
But if you’re interested in something a little more substantial they have a very good honey seared chicken which is lightly battered and wok fired in a honey soy sauce with garlic. If you’re looking for s meal specifically healthy or even vegetarian then I suggest one of Julian’s health bowls such as the Apex Shrimp Bowl consisting of shrimp, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms and ginger or the Tofu bowl for the vegetarians.
Julians has good features, but it has not always had an excellent reputation for cleanliness, although it’s certainly not always the case. The service has been good as far as I’ve seen and the wait for food acceptable. However, the wait for a table can be long on certain nights so time your arrival well. The restaurant may not pull off the upscale look perfectly but the food is considered upscale for Tyler’s asian food scale which admittedly is not large.
Tags: Asian Diner, Asian Food, Broccoli, Calm Atmosphere, Carrots, Decent Meal, Dining Area, Dinner Spot, Food Restaurant, Fried Rice, Good Features, Julian's Asian Diner, Julian's Asian Diner Tyler Texas, Julian's Asian Diner Tyler TX, Julian's Tyler TX, Julians, Martinis, Shrimp Bowl, Soy Sauce, Square Shopping Center, Time Square Shopping Center, Tyler TX, Tyler TX Asian Food, Vegetarians, Wall Decor
Posted in Asian Food | No Comments »
