Hit Big on Google With "Turn-the-Corner" Keywords

Sewing success
CanadianMedsWorld.com

There are people searching online who desperately want the solution you offer. They just don't know about you yet. Use this little-known turn-the-corner Google strategy to tell them about your solution, and they'll buy from you.

Every year at Christmastime, the Salvation Army sends out troops of bell ringers to stand on street corners and at entrances to grocery stores and shopping malls ringing brass bells, collecting donations, and saying "God bell you" to every kind soul who chips in.

There's no lack of Christmas advertising and soliciting already going on from relief organizations and charitable societies, from signs to TV ads to billboards to phone calls and more. So why the bell ringers? They're there to divert your attention. A ton of folks who wouldn't go looking for the Salvation Army otherwise will cheerfully give a donation if they're reminded of it on the spot.

It's the art of getting you to "turn the corner." Making you interrupt what you were doing, or looking for, or chasing after, and head down a different path. This is a vital skill if you want to reach into new, profitable markets and pluck out the big plums.

Our client Scott teaches a very contrarian approach to solving acne and other skin conditions. He argues that they are a symptom of another problem, far from being merely skin-deep. A messed-up complexion, he says, is a sign of toxins in the body. Eat a solid diet and clean up your colon, says Scott, and you've just rid yourself of a major root cause of adolescent and young adult skin problems.

Scott says he can solve your acne, but he's a nutritionist. That means if his approach works, it will solve not just acne but a whole spectrum of health problems--problems that Americans and Europeans spend millions, in some cases billions, of dollars every year to fix.

Most people who go to Google in search of a solution to acne are looking for some product they can glop on their face and get rid of the symptoms. That's not what Scott offers. Does this mean that he shouldn't try advertising to them? No, because he's got what he argues is a real solution to acne, and people are searching for it, so he can tell his story:

Serious Acne Alternative
Why Your Acne May Actually Have Nothing at All to Do with Your Skin
TheAcneAlternative.net

Most people assume that acne is just a skin problem and nothing more. So the ad attacks that assumption head-on. That may be the only way to get people's attention in his market.

Again, Scott is a nutritionist, and his most likely prospect is the person who is already nutrition minded. Still, his solution to acne could double or triple his sales. Or it could account for no more than 5 to 10 percent of his total business. Either way, those are customers that he can't get any other way.

So in Scott's market, "acne" is what we call a turn-the-corner keyword.

We've got a turn-the-corner keyword or two of our own. People go online every day looking for information about Yahoo/Overture. We bid on the keyword "Overture," and our ad is there inviting people to consider the Google alternative:

Overture: Beat the System
Discover the AdWords Alternative
Lower Bid Prices & Instant Results
www.PerryMarshall.com/adwords

This accounts for a significant number of our sales. We're not out to convince anyone not to use Yahoo/Overture. On the contrary, if you're not advertising on Overture now, you should be. It's more traffic for you.

But we're all about Google AdWords. "Overture" and "Yahoo" are turn-the-corner keywords for us. All the while, we can bid on these terms and make sales year in and year out because we provide the same solution they're looking for when they search on those terms: more traffic at better prices.

It's the same reason that this ad works:

The Lithium Alternative
A Rechargeable Solution to Alkaline
Saves You Time, Money & Frustration
LithiumAlternative.com

If you're selling lithium batteries and you know that your product is a valid alternative for certain applications that use alkaline batteries, then bang your gong and tell the world.

Sell Results, Not Procedures
After all, what people who search on "alkaline" really want is long-lasting power for their electronic device. If you provide that in a different type of battery, then go on Google and tell them. If you sell acetaminophen and you know your product can relieve headaches and pain for the people who are looking for ibuprofen, then tell them.

You may already be doing this unconsciously. Now it's time to do it consciously. Don't limit yourself. Think of any and every problem that you offer a solution for, and then do whatever you need to do to catch the attention and sell to the people who wouldn't have thought of you but still want your solution.

Know which of your keywords are turn-the-corner keywords, and know that you need to employ a special strategy to make them work. Use seductive copy. Take a different angle, a different attitude, a different message. People will buy.

More Turn-the-Corner Examples
Notice the assortment of imaginative ways that these advertisers are catching people's attention and getting them to turn the corner:

Be contrarian. Most folks who search on ADD are just trying to "deal with it"; they don't think of it as a powerful asset.

ADD Secret Revealed
Find Out How ADD Can Lead to Genius, Creativity & Great Success.
www.ADD-ADHD-Success.com

You find this ad on Google when searching for "hemp." How's that for contrarian?

What Would Jesus Wear?
Fairly traded, sweatshop-free unique gifts & accessories.
www.jesuswearsfairtrade.com

Be controversial. This ad came up in a search on "evolution." It boldly plays to the modern debate.

Intelligent Design Truth?
Read why there is strong evidence of an intelligent Creator.
ChristianityToday.com/ctmag/

Most folks who search on "Darwin"--which is where this ad showed--aren't looking for T-shirts. But a lot of them will gladly consider the idea once you suggest it.

Charles Darwin T-Shirt
Not a fan of intelligent design?
Try some intelligent fashion!
www.therealretro.com

Warn:

Flatulence: The Facts
Don't Treat Your Flatulence
Until You Have Read This Report
www.infobasset.com

Be deliberately ambiguous:

Organized Religion--2006
7 Great Lies Of Organized Religion
"A Hard Look at Past & Present"
CoffeehouseTheology.com

Be the ambulance chaser:

Vioxx Injury Lawyers
Class Action Lawsuit Attorneys
Finch McCranie, LLP
www.Product-Liability-Lawyers.org

This ad came up in a search on "Vioxx."

You Can Reach Three Kinds of People
This approach is how you're going to reach prospects that you might have overlooked. It's built on three possible scenarios:

1. There are people who'll gladly buy what you offer, but they don't know about you, or they aren't thinking about you at the moment.

2. You've got an alternative solution to a common need.

3. You've got a completely contrarian approach to a problem, which defies conventional wisdom.

Go after the ones who want your solution, but don't know it yet. You'll win over new customers that your competitors are overlooking. Hit the right need and you could multiply your traffic tenfold.

To learn more about Google AdWord strategy, read Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords from EntrepreneurPress.com.

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Bush unveils health plan tied to tax deduction

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http://eat-healthy-every-day.blogspot.com/

By JULIE APPLEBY, USA TODAY

President's Bush's State of the Union health care proposal couples an old idea, capping tax-free benefits for health care, with a new one: a standard deduction for all who buy health insurance.

If approved, and the plan faces a chilly reception in the Democrat-controlled Congress, the administration says it would give people who buy their own health insurance equal tax breaks with those who get coverage through their jobs. The tax savings could help 3 million to 5 million of the nearly 47 million now-uninsured people buy coverage, the administration says.

For the rest, the president proposes moving some money that currently goes to hospitals and nursing homes into subsidies to help lower-income people buy health insurance through state-sponsored insurance programs.

Opponents, such as liberal advocacy group Families USA, says the proposal mainly benefits wealthier Americans. Others say it could lead some employers to drop insurance, forcing workers onto the individual market, where some may not be able to afford coverage.

A similar plan to cap tax-free health benefits offered by employers was proposed by President Reagan in 1986 but failed to pass Congress.

Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., chairman of a key health subcommittee in the House, said he would not even consider hearings on the proposal. He says it would give wealthier Americans with health insurance a far larger tax break than the lower-income uninsured that the plan purportedly aims to help.

The White House outlined some elements of the plan:

• Health insurance offered through jobs would become taxable income. But insured workers' taxable income would be reduced by a deduction of $15,000 for a family plan or $7,500 for an individual. Currently, the average family health plan offered by employers costs $11,500 for families and $4,300 for singles, a Kaiser Family Foundation survey says. Only people with insurance worth more than the deduction would pay more tax.

• People who buy their own insurance would get the same deductions: $15,000 for families, $7,500 for singles, lowering their taxable income by that amount - even if their health plans did not cost that much. Currently, only the self-employed who buy their own insurance get a tax deduction.

• The administration says more than 100 million workers - out of about 175 million - who now get their insurance through their jobs would see their tax bills go down.

"For a lot of people, it would be a bonanza," says Joe Antos of American Enterprise Institute. He and other supporters of the plan say it would encourage employers to offer less-generous insurance plans. They say generous plans drive up the cost of health care.

Paul Fronstin of the Employee Benefit Research Institute says the proposal might lead more employers to drop coverage. Some employers might also find that younger, healthier workers would opt out of company plans to buy their own insurance, leaving sicker, more expensive workers behind, he says.

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Dealing with Kid-Related Emergencies

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Here's a true story from a recent day. It's 8:00 a.m., and my phone rings. My nanny can't make it. I have a day packed with meetings but now have my two-year-old to contend with. Sound familiar? How about any of these scenarios?

• You have a huge day of work planned, but your son is sick and can’t go to school.
• You are about to leave for your big proposal and realize your daughter created a beautiful crayon work of art on your presentation.
• You can’t make it to a meeting without your baby because you're a nursing mom.

These daily crises all sound familiar to me because I've lived them--and continue to live them--every day. Mom entrepreneurs encounter unique emergencies and challenges that most business owners don’t have to face. No matter how much help you've arranged, the reality is that you're first and foremost a mom--and that can sometimes get in the way of running your business the way you want to.

Most of you probably became mom entrepreneurs because you wanted a career that was more compatible with motherhood. It’s important to keep that in mind when things start to fall apart at the seams. If you could focus only on your business--free of kids, a house, a husband and a dog--you would probably do a better job, right? Maybe not.

I find that most mom entrepreneurs are so focused and goal-oriented that they can get more done in a few hours than most people can in a traditional eight-hour day. In fact, most mom entrepreneurs still work full time, but they work on the fringe hours of the day and in between their other activities. I truly believe that the right attitude can help you get through most days with your sanity intact. But if the right attitude isn't enough, here are some tips that I find useful in handling the challenges I encounter as a mom entrepreneur.

1. Break the rules. Having your own business gives you the opportunity to break traditional work rules. I have brought my baby to meetings, booked appointments at my home office during my kids’ nap times and hired babysitters to watch my employees’ children just so I could meet with them. Don’t get me wrong. I would much rather have a meeting without a baby at my side, but I felt it was more important to keep my business going and not sacrifice my commitment to nursing. Be as professional as possible but realize it’s OK if you have to bring your child along. After all, it's your business and your choice.

2. Create a virtual office. One of the first things I invested in when I started my business was a web-based office system called Earnware. It allowed me to run my business even when I wasn't “in the office.” It includes a toll-free number, fax, e-mail and e-mail marketing campaign features. But one of the best features for me is its “follow me” feature. I can set my e-mail, phone and fax messages to find me at any number. I can access every file, form and piece of information I need for my business anywhere I can get internet access. I can't imagine running my business without this program or a similar one. So when I have to run to school to pick up my sick son, I can still get my messages along the way.

3. Limit meetings. One of the biggest time-wasters and hardest things to fit into your schedule when you have children are meetings. You can take up a huge portion of your day traveling across town. And when childcare falls through, they keep you too far from home. I appreciate face-to-face meetings but have found most things can be handled via phone and e-mail. Ask yourself if it's really crucial to meet someone in person. If you must attend crucial meetings for your business, another indispensable program is Microsoft Live Meeting. You can schedule online meetings in which numerous people can converse, watch a presentation, see your website and more. There are numerous programs out there that can accomplish this. Read "Getting on Board with Online Meetings" to learn more about online conferencing.

4. Work smart. If you only have a limited number of hours away from your kids, use that time wisely. Schedule your meetings or phone appointments at this time. For me, one of the hardest things about being a mom entrepreneur is that my work hours don’t necessarily coincide with traditional business hours. So be sure to schedule the business hours you do have as efficiently as possible. You can save e-mails or other projects for early mornings or late nights. Get wireless internet in your house so you can set your computer up anywhere. It may give you the ability to check in between dirty diapers and Sesame Street.

5. Have a back-up plan. When you absolutely know that you can’t miss a meeting, have a plan B. Consider doing babysitting exchanges with another mom entrepreneur. I find that once you're watching one child, what’s one more? Consider watching someone else’s children one day and then swapping on another day. Kids get play dates, and you get work time. There are some great services such as www.sittercity.com where you can find last-minute babysitters who have been screened and reviewed by other moms in your area.

6. Protect your office. My office is the only room in the house I can lock my kids out of. I've learned from experience that pens, scissors and computers are just too tempting for toddlers. If you can’t keep your kids out of the office, have locked drawers for important files you don’t want your children to destroy. When my son once crumpled up my beautiful color business presentation, I took a deep breath and put it on a disk. I brought my laptop to the meeting to show the presentation on screen and left the client with the disk to play at his convenience. It wasn’t my first choice, but you have to make lemonade out of lemons.

So, what did I do when my nanny fell through? I got on the phone and rescheduled everything I could. I sat in my daughter’s playroom with my laptop and handled the e-mails that I could. And I begged a friend to watch her for one hour, so I could get one important meeting in. Then I took a deep breath and resolved to work late after the kids went to bed.

I get to speak to hundreds of mom entrepreneurs across the country. All agree that being a mom entrepreneur is the hardest thing they’ve ever done. No one feels like they do a good enough job on either front--motherhood or business. Yet all agree they wouldn’t trade it for anything. I find it mind-easing to say I’m doing the best job I can with the time that I have. We'll all have many years to work without kids. For now, be proud of all that you accomplish each day and go to bed satisfied that you're a great role model for your children.

Lisa Druxman is Entrepreneur.com's "Mompreneur" columnist and the founder and CEO of fitness franchise, Stroller Strides. Druxman is also a nationally recognized speaker and author, and is considered an expert in thefield of fitness, particularly pre- and postnatal fitness.

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The Problem With Unplanned Growth

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This is a true story, although the names and places have been changed. Everything ended up OK, but there was a lot of unnecessary stress--all of which could have been easily prevented by just a minimum of business planning. This kind of problem happens all the time, and it's so easily preventable, it’s a shame it happens at all. The lesson: Don’t be a victim of unplanned growth.

The story takes place in a midsize university town on the West Coast, during the mid '90s, as the internet boom took off and most everybody in business and education was getting connected. The main players are Leslie and Terry, co-owners of a consulting business offering computer and network services mostly to local businesses.

At the beginning of this story, Leslie and Terry had a small but comfortable office a few blocks off Main Street, near the university, and a comfortable business, averaging about $20,000 in sales per month with a few steady clients and not a lot of seasonal variations in sales. They had one employee who did the bookkeeping and general administration tasks, maintained office hours and made appointments.

Then came the big, wonderful new job--a contract with a large and fast-growing company to install new internet facilities in offices on its corporate campus, 10 miles up the freeway. This was a $200,000 contract that had to be delivered quickly and opened up an important new relationship with a potential business-changing client. There was great celebration. Leslie and Terry and their spouses started with a fancy dinner in the best restaurant in the area.

Both partners readily got going on fulfilling the contract, delivering the network, connecting the systems, making good on their promises. To make sure the new relationship would be a permanent increase in business, they took on five contractor consultants to deal with the needs of installation, training and the general increase in business demands.

Within two months, it seemed clear to both partners that they’d made the leap. Systems were being installed, clients were happy, and they were on the road to doubling their business volume in a very short period of time. The contractors were doing good work, and four of the five were happy to consider becoming permanent employees. Leslie and Terry decided they could celebrate more, so they both went to the local car dealer and leased new Mercedes sedans.

Then things started going bad. Like a television loosing its connection, things got fuzzy, then blank. Though sales and profits were way up, jobs were done and invoicing was underway, Leslie and Terry had no money. The contractors--good people who Leslie and Terry wanted to keep--needed to be paid, but there was no money. They rushed to their local bank, waving their increased sales and profits, but banks need time. The business suffered the classic problems of unplanned growth. Just as the accounting reports looked brightest, the coffers were empty. People were barely done celebrating, and suddenly they were looking at the disaster of unpaid bills and, much worse, unpaid people.

What happened? Unplanned cash flow problems happened. The new, larger client had a slow process when it came to paying bills, so the jump in sales didn’t mean an immediate jump in cash in the bank. Leslie and Terry were more concerned about delivering good service than delivering necessary paperwork, so their own invoicing process was slow. They were owed about $85,000, but they couldn’t go straight to their new client to get the money--she said she’d already authorized payment and sent them to the company’s finance department for answers. The people in the finance department were slow to respond and not particularly concerned about vendors getting paid quickly; their job was to pay slowly, but not so slowly as to get a bad credit rating.

Leslie and Terry had a bad case of “receivables starvation"--money that was owed to them was already showing in sales and profits, but not in the bank. It would have been predictable, and preventable, with a good plan.

In this case, fortunately, the two partners had enough house equity to get a quick loan and pay their contractors. The business was saved and grew, but not without a great deal of stress and strain, and even second mortgages.

The worst moment is worth remembering: One of the partners' spouses was particularly eloquent about the irony of taking on a new mortgage while driving that “[profanity omitted] Mercedes.”

The moral of the story: Always have a good cash flow plan. Never get caught not knowing the impact of a sudden rush of new business. Get to the bank early, as soon as you know about new business, and start processing a credit line on receivables. And never lease a Mercedes until you’re sure you won’t have to take out a new mortgage a few weeks later.

Tim Berry is the "Business Plans" coach at Entrepreneur.com and is president of Palo Alto Software Inc., which produces the industry's leading business planning software, Business Plan Pro, as well as other popular planning applications for businesses.

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