Friday, December 19, 2014

Videos = SEO?

Everyone knows that Google is the world's largest search engine. Do you know what number two is?

It's actually YouTube!

Not only do people actually search for millions of items every day directly through the search bar on the YouTube website, YouTube videos also enjoy premium placement in the search engine results pages for many Google searches.

Lately, I've been experimenting with YouTube videos as a means to rank well for particular search terms, and I've had very positive results.

One example is my YouTube Video Series about St Petersburg, Florida Real Estate, designed to help St Pete homeowners avoid foreclosure, sell their home fast, or find rent-to-own properties in St Pete. In this Google search for "How to sell a probate property quickly in St Petersburg, FL" - my video was at the top of the search results in just two days:



Have you had success with YouTube for marketing your small business? Share with a comment below!

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Two exciting new ventures in St Petersburg, FL


smpl.EVENTS Logo | Bridal Shows in St Petersburg, FL
1. Those of you who know me realize I have close ties to the wedding and events industry. My wife and I were fortunate enough to sell our wedding business this past summer, but we continue to produce bridal shows in St Petersburg, FL under the name smpl.EVENTS. So if you're a wedding professional, or in any industry that markets to young engaged couples or newlyweds, then don't miss one of our upcoming shows!



Copeland Morgan Logo | Real Estate in St Pete, FL
2. Since we currently only produce four bridal shows per year, that has freed up time for my other passion, real estate investing and property management in St Petersburg, FL! As the Tampa Bay real estate market returns to normal, I'm looking for ways to help struggling homeowners sell their houses fast for cash, while also making the connection with other local investors looking to buy St Pete real estate at a discount.


Please let me know if you have any questions about either of these exciting new business ventures in St Pete!



Saturday, September 17, 2011

How to advertise like a rum-guzzling pirate

This was originally a guest post that I wrote for IttyBiz back in February 2010, but apparently Naomi got crossways with some terrorists or something and my post got taken down, so I'm reclaiming it and reposting it here for your pleasure. Grab a rum & coke and enjoy!

Those of you who know me know that I have a long and mutually rewarding relationship with Captain Morgan (the rum, not the dead pirate).

I have oft consulted the Captain (the rum, not the dead pirate) before making life-changing decisions such as starting business ventures, moving across the country, changing jobs, and having children. My boat is named the Captain Morgan, and my youngest son’s middle name is Morgan. While I have occasionally strayed and spent some time with Sailor Jerry or Ron Bacardi, I always come crawling back to the Captain (figuratively, of course). I take my rum pretty seriously.

Note: My wife’s family name is Morgan and the Captain (the dead pirate, not the rum) is actually a distant relative. I didn’t really name any of my kids after liquor.


All that being said, I pass three billboards on my way to work every morning that have recently been converted to ads for Cruzan 9 rum. I absolutely love these signs from an outdoor advertising perspective, and I’m all about sharing best practices – so I figured it was about time I did another windshield report.

The Mutiny Has Begun

Time to Put Away Your Pirate Toys

What is so great about these signs? Let me count the ways:

1. Cruzan did their homework and knows precisely who their target demographic is for this ad campaign (apparently, it’s me).


They are not-so-subtly going after loyal drinkers of Captain Morgan, particularly those who commute via car, a large percentage of whom are probably in their thirties and have been drinking Captain Morgan for a decade or more. But now they’re all grown up and have more disposable income (and a small business and a blog and a two story house and a wife and two kids and a boat named the freakin’ Captain Morgan), meaning that they may receptive to trying a new spiced rum that is a little more sophisticated.


2. The ads make you think.


They don’t say “Hey there, we have created a new blend of spiced rum, and if you normally drink Captain Morgan, we think you might actually like Cruzan 9 even more. Why don’t you pick up a bottle on your way home from work today?”. Rather, they say things like “Time to put away your pirate toys”, “The Mutiny Has Begun”, and “9 Spices. No Pirates.” If you don’t drink Captain Morgan, you might not even get the innuendo – exactly.

3. The ads are funny – both in a literal sense and in the way they subtly attack the Captain Morgan brand.


As I’ve said before, if you can make your prospects chuckle, you usually win!


I don’t know about you, but I’m going to do some serious market research on Cruzan 9 this weekend. I’ll let you know if I decide to change the name of my boat (or my kids).

In the meantime, think about how you can apply some of these concepts to your own advertising. Who, exactly, is your target demographic? Where can they be found on a daily basis (both online and off)? What products or services do they use?


How can you shake them loose with wit, wisdom, laughter, or innuendo and get them to try yours instead?

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Please join us in supporting the Susan G. Komen Foundation!

Please click on the logo below and take a moment to read my wife's inspirational story about her battle against breast cancer. This disease has really taken a toll on our family over the past year, but many women and their families are not nearly as fortunate as us.



Even if you can't give financially, please take a couple of minutes to read her story and send her a few words of encouragement.

Thank you!



Thursday, December 9, 2010

Call for Guest Posts

I recently took on a promotion my day job and find myself with less time for blogging. So rather than let The Nifty 150, I'm putting out a call for guest posts.

Do you have an idea for a blog post that would benefit small business owners?

Drop me a line and pitch me!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Filters vs Features

Do you need a better noise filter?
I just read a two year old post by Chris Brogan that really struck a chord with me.

His post is about Twitter. But from a much broader perspective, at the heart of the discussion is the balance between filters (tools that help us block out some of the noise) and features (new apps, platforms, or products that supposedly add to our productivity, but can also be major sources of noise).

Both are necessary and useful. But I think we, as a marketplace and as an economy, are placing too much emphasis on the features.

Do you think there's a market for some new/better filters?

Friday, November 19, 2010

Friday Morning Quote

"Someone who gets better whenever he fails will always outperform someone who responds to failure by getting worse. This isn't something in your DNA, it's something you can learn or unlearn."


                                                                                           Seth Godin