Imagine that you’ve just completed version 1 of your product and you’re preparing for launch. You’ve greased the wheels with a few bloggers, targeted some keywords with SEO, created a bit of linkbait, and scheduled the press release to launch in the morning. At this point your co-founder turns to you and says: “What are we going to do with the $300 we have stashed away for advertising?” Consider this your lucky day. The goal of this article is to provide you with the core of what you need to know about cheap startup advertising as quickly as possible, so you can start spending that ad budget wisely. Let’s get started.

(more…)

If you have ever driven during rush hour in the Philadelphia area, you might have noticed a rather curious billboard. This billboard is in attention-avoiding black with no images or color. Instead in a slightly weird font is the URL to a single website: I Hate Steven Singer dot com. While driving by the billboard, you may also hear the same Mr. Singer on the radio - talking about the many reasons to hate him. Getting home, and logging onto the Internet, if you happen to visit the website you would find what may be the most irreverent jewelry store homepage ever created. On the right hand side is the simple question “Is she pushing for the ring?” Underneath, Steven Singer offer his “guide to buying you some more time.”

(more…)

In the world of online marketing, search and social media are evolving at an incredible pace.

Consider these stats: Google sites handle about 88 billion queries a month but did you know, twitter is approaching 20 billion?

Facebook added over 200 million users in less than a year and Hitwise has reported that Facebook tops Google in weekly web traffic.

(more…)

In recent months, there’s been no shortage of attention heaped upon the importance of local advertising online. Mobile marketing is starting to blossom, allowing people to look for services in ways they never could before. Perhaps even more importantly, they can search for information in situations they never could before, such as research at the point of sale. Powerful stuff. But this powerful new local marketing wave is yet to wash over a huge segment of marketers—B2B marketers.

(more…)

We made a stop at Jimmy Johns sandwich shop this weekend as a family (disclaimer: I’m a huge Jimmy John’s fan–and no, they are not a client of ACH Communications). One of the first things you notice when walking through the front door is the headlines. They’re everywhere.

On table tents. On the cash register. On the walls. Heck, they’re even in the bathroom.

(more…)

Are you advertising on Facebook? If not, you might be missing out on a huge opportunity.

In this interview with Dennis Yu, CEO of BlitzLocal, you will learn some killer tips for advertising your business on Facebook.

(more…)

I conducted an ad hoc and wholly unscientific poll among a handful of my friends the other day about the possibility of advertising coming to books. It produced some strong (and predictable) negative reactions.

Hell freezing, dead bodies and metaphors about fat and slim peppered the comments I received. A minority felt ambivalent about the idea and said it was inevitable.

(more…)

If you lead a team of marketers, you likely have a creative bunch. People who, ideally, have a lot of passion about what they do – the key ingredient for successful social media and content marketing.

(more…)

As someone who works full time at the agency founded by David Ogilvy, there are plenty of reminders of his wisdom on the walls. Even online, at least once a day I see a tweet come through with someone quoting one of his famous sayings. So I don’t disagree with him lightly, but he did have one quote about dishonesty in advertising that I wish were true - but isn’t:

(more…)

If you’re an active user of foursquare, the popular location based app, you may have noticed the “Special Nearby” tab when you check in somewhere. By clicking on that tab you’re taken to a “special” from a local vendor.

(more…)