Selecting an SEM Agency

Many smaller ecommerce retailers struggle with whether to hire a full-time marketer to manage their pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, or hire an SEM agency to do it for them. There are arguments on both sides. Of course cost is a consideration. If you can hire quality staff for less than an agency will charge, building in-house expertise may be the way to go. If you decide to hire an agency, how do you find the right one?

Create a short list by combing through SEM-focused publications and associations. I like ClickZ, Multichannel Merchant, and Internet Retailer, and there are many more. SEMPO (Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization) membership indicates some seriousness of purpose and focus, but you can find great agencies who aren't members.

Once you have a list, look at each website. What do they say about their approach? Is there a focus on what they do for their clients, as opposed to how fast they are growing? What does their client list look like? Are they helping companies like yours? If not, are they willing to learn the idiosyncracies of your company and industry?

If these look good (and there really is no excuse for an SEM agency to have a poor website), then give them a call. After you've been impressed by their senior account exec (aka "the closer), ask to speak with the person who will actually be doing the work on your account. If that person doesn't listen and ask you good questions on the phone, then you need to keep looking.

Most SEM's offer some kind of whiz-bang tools to better manage an array of PPC campaigns more efficiently. Don't be sucked in by how cool their tools are, because using those tools effectively means someone on your staff needs to be a pretty fair search marketer themselves.

If the pitch is about how their technology gives them an inherent advantage in delivering higher conversion and lower cost over time, you still need to grill the people on your account. Ask them how many clients they manage. Will they be able to focus enough time on you? If you're getting a team of people, make sure you talk to the whole team. Technology alone is not enough. Smart people who care about your success are always going to be the key to a profitable relationship with an SEM agency.

5 Power Writing Tips

Today we have a "guest post" by Daphne Gray-Grant, who produces the "Power Writing" newsletter that I recommend. If you're serious about improving your writing as a way to grow revenues, you need to read this.

Tip #52 – Five best lessons from 52 weeks of power writing

Today marks one year or 52 issues of Power Writing. I was going to say 'Happy birthday to me,' but a newsletter is pretty pointless without readers, so really, it's happy birthday to you -- my loyal, interesting and opinionated subscribers!

It's often said that you don't really learn something until you teach it (the standard advice for medical students is: see one, do one, teach one) and I've found that bit of practical wisdom applies to writing as well. Herewith, the five best lessons I've learned over the last 52 weeks. If you write, these lessons should apply to you, too:

1. Write every day

Writing is like exercise -- it depends on repetition. Just as you don't get to be an athlete by lying on your couch and eating Krispy Kremes, you don't get to be a writer by talking about it. You actually have to do it. That said, I'm not going to instruct you to write for hours every day; I know you don't have the time. In fact, I've become convinced that setting aside huge chunks of time for writing is the vampire's kiss of death. Writing tends to work best when you let the words accumulate gradually over time, the way snow collects on the ground. I used to write this newsletter all in one go. Now I do a little bit every day, writing or editing for a few minutes here or there, often between phone calls. The rhythm feels much more natural. It's easier and more fun, too.

2. Focus on stories and metaphors not information

How many email newsletters do you file away without reading? How many stories in your daily newspaper do you ignore? If you're like most people, you read only a small fraction of the words put in front of you. And I'm willing to bet that the articles you're most interested in are the ones that tell stories or take complicated ideas and show how they apply to you. Too many writers focus on facts. But we're all drowning in information. What we need is meaning. What we want is something interesting. If you aspire to be read, tell stories and use metaphors. Give your readers context -- don't just dump information.

3. Employ the power of mindmapping

I discovered mindmapping late in my writing life and I'm now like a reformed couch potato who's suddenly discovered the gym. I feel so good, I want you exercising too. And here's the really great news: with mindmapping you never have to break into a sweat! Mindmapping is a super-easy technique that will help you tap into the creative, imaginative, fun part of your brain. It makes writing ever so much easier. If you're a subscriber to this newsletter you should have received a fr'ee e-book on mindmapping when you signed up. If you somehow missed out, shoot me a quick email and I'll send it to you.

4. Don't be afraid to take a stand

I've given up predicting which columns I write will resonate with the most people. Ones I really like barely draw a peep, while columns I think are mediocre bring in a flood of ecstatic email. I've also noticed that the columns that draw the biggest, most enthusiastic response also tend to result in the most unsubscribes. I think this is because strong opinions will make some people dislike you. But they will also bring out the people who loooooove you. As mom always said: "You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs." Never fear breaking eggs.

5. Count on the kindness of strangers

This newsletter has given me the chance to connect with hundreds of fascinating people from around the world. I've received charming and heartbreaking emails and benefited from much support when I suffered from hackers, hard drive failures and even health problems. Writing is about connecting. I feel honoured to be able to do that with you.

Now did I hear someone ask about birthday presents? Well, I'd love a new iMac, of course, but if you'd really like to give me a meaningful gift, I'd be thrilled if you'd drop a quick email to two or three friends who want to write better, faster. Let them know about Power Writing and suggest they consider subscribing. They'll thank you, and so will I.

Reprinted with the permission of Daphne Gray-Grant, the Publication Coach. If you need to write better, faster, subscribe to her fr’ee weekly newsletter, Power Writing, at: www.publicationcoach.com and you will receive a short tip each week.

It's Time for Video

The cover story of this month's issue of Internet Retailer is "Blending Video and Ecommerce". They quote some very encouraging stats, but the article could be half as long and still be just as valuable. And why doesn't a magazine like Internet Retailer have a better website?

Enough carping. I've said this before, and Bill Siwicki clearly agrees, that it's time for ecommerce retailers to start experimenting with video. For the furniture industry, it seems like a complete no-brainer.

Typical close rates in a brick and mortar furniture store are 25% to 30%. Furniture websites without national brands are fortunate to achieve close rates (conversion) of 1% to 2%. Certainly some of that difference is the effect of a salesperson demonstrating the product to the customer. Video allows retailers to deliver much of that experience to their online customers. What are you waiting for?