6 Memorable Guerrilla Marketing Campaigns and Their Effects

Marketing is one of the most important things in every company. The chances of succeeding rapidly increase if you plan out a good and efficient strategy for your business. Online marketing is a very efficient method of attracting customers to your website and your whole business. However, there are other methods of creative marketing that can bring incredible results.

Guerrilla marketing is the perfect marketing strategy that leaves a memorable impression on people and easily turns them into your customers. So, if you are looking for a cheap way of gaining more customers, guerrilla marketing might be the right option for you. Establishing a successful guerrilla marketing campaign requires a lot of creativity and a variety of other elements. Here are some interesting examples of how companies have performed their guerrilla marketing campaigns.

 

Cingular’s marketing billboard

This company created a unique billboard in the middle of a city. The billboard was placed up high in the air, with a piece of it being placed down on the ground. The message asked people about whether they hated dropped calls, and the word “calls” was the one that was on the ground. The fact that people actually hate when this type of malfunction happens and the fact that the billboard was created in a in-your-face method, attracted the attention of thousands of people who would pass it in the street.

The call to action to change the service provider certainly got to people, not to mention that the majority of them must have remembered the unique design of the whole advertisement.

 

Folgers’ steaming coffee

Millions of people around the world enjoy drinking coffee every day. And Folgers creative marketing team took use of street art to remind the people to enjoy this awesome beverage every day. A mug containing coffee was drawn in the street, over a steaming manhole, the pedestrians in the street could notice this awesome design and could immediately continue to the nearest coffee shop to get a little bit of the fine Folgers coffee.

 

Oscar Mayer

This unique guerilla marketing campaign involves a whole car made to resemble a hot dog, also known as the Oscar Mayer wiener-mobile. The campaign was very successful as the car traveled between cities throughout the US and was literally spotted by millions around the country. The approach was so unique that it was even featured on television. The more lasting the guerrilla marketing approach is, the better for the effects of the marketing campaign. This is certainly one example that is going to be remembered for a long time.

 

Crashed Nike ball

This is an incredible way of catching the pedestrians’ attention in the streets – a ball lodged into a side of a building. The ball also carried the Nike logo, which caught the attention of millions during the time it was in the building. This is a powerful message that goes deeply into the subconscious part of people’s mind, which makes it a highly efficient marketing technique.

The way the scenery was built, indicated that the ball was so good that it would give the extra power to the soccer players’ kicks. Who knows how many soccer teams purchased this ball.

 

Red Bull Pitstop in the middle of Time Square

This was a perfect guerrilla marketing strategy, as Time Square is one of the busiest places in the world. The whole Red Bull car team recreated the “pit stop” scene in the middle of the square. At first it must have bothered some people because the team was in the way, but the presentation became so interesting that thousands of people spoke about it for a long time.

 

WWF’s Pandas

One day, residents of Paris could see around 1600 paper pandas scattered across the busiest parts of the city. The stunt looked funny in the beginning, but it made a great impact on millions around the world as there were only 1600 pandas left in the world. It was the perfect approach of raising awareness of the fact that pandas were coming very close to extinction.

This is a perfect way of selling a story, which, in this case, was about keeping the pandas safe and ensuring their survival. Ever since this event, the number of pandas around the world has been on the rise and this continues to be the case even today.

Guerrilla marketing is an interesting strategy for growing your business, but it is also great for raising awareness of people around the world. It all comes down to how creative your marketing team is. Try not to go viral with a bad marketing campaign, as your whole business is going to be ridiculed. The point is to leave a long lasting impression on those who see the advertisement. The longer it is remembered the better, as word of mouth marketing is one of the best ways to acquire more customers.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/aleksandarilic/6-memorable-guerrilla-marketing-campaigns-and-their-effects/

5 REASONS TO KEEP ON SMILING

Smiling comes so naturally to us that we never really think about all the benefits associated with it. Smiles are absolutely free and help you wirelessly spread the joy with the people around you. A simple smile can help you repair strained relationships and win new friends. If these weren’t enough, we bring you our list of 5 reasons to turn that frown upside down and break into a smile.

 

1. BREAKS THE LANGUAGE BARRIER

Visiting a foreign land where people speak a different language may cause some communication problems. While hand gestures help bridge the gap they can also lead to confusion. Mainly because different cultures have different meanings for identical gestures. Smiling, on the other hand, is recognized and understood by all.

Respected facial expressions researcher Paul Ekman studied the behavior of a tribal group in Papua New Guinea, who stay secluded from the outside world. According to Ekman, the Fore tribe members smiled and laughed for the same reasons everyone else does. Smiling is a universally understood gesture that can help break the ice and spread happiness.

 

2. SMILING MAY REDUCE STRESS

It may sound too good to be true but there is enough scientific reasoning for this conjecture. Smiling encourages the body to reduce the secretion of cortisol and dopamine. These are stress hormones that leave you feeling panicked and stressed out. Launching a two-pronged attack on stress, smiling also promotes the production of endorphins and serotonin, hormones that are known to reduce stress and improve mood. So put your dentist to work on it and get your best smile on. Next time you are out on a date, why not start with a joke! Chances are you will not only impress your partner but also set a relaxed mood.

3. MAKES YOU LOOK MORE CAPABLE

A study conducted by researchers at the Penn State University concluded that smiling makes you look more competent and confident. These are major assets for anyone looking to climb the corporate ladder. Employers are also more inclined to hire people with these attributes as they appeal to them as more motivated. Now, we are not saying that smiling excessively will get you your dream job or help you bag that promotion. However, it does improve your chances by making you more sociable.

 

4. SMILING MAY BOOST IMMUNE SYSTEM

To test this theory a group of children was visited in a hospital by puppeteers and funny storytellers. After the visit, the children that were visited witnessed an 8.43% increase in their total lymphocyte count. If you don’t know it already, lymphocytes are the battle units of the immune systems that are also known as white blood cells. Smiling and being happy can help increase the production of white blood cells which gives you a better chance fending off infections and diseases.

 

5. SMILING CAN KEEP WRINKLES AT BAY

Wrinkles are formed due to the loss of facial muscle tone. Smiling not only strengthen and tighten the facial muscles but also increases circulation. This keeps nourishes the tissue cells and makes your face look plump. In fact, German fitness trainer, Heike Hoefler recommends his clients to perform smiling exercises to tighten the facial muscles. He firmly believes that toned facial muscles help keep the skin in position thus preventing wrinkles from forming.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/twitter-ditrored/5-reasons-to-keep-on-smiling/

Rocket League | The Next Big Video Game To Hit | Rocket League Training

Introduction to Rocket League

For those of you that don’t know yet, Rocket League is a new video game that is across three major platforms. Xbox One, Sony Playstation 4, and Steam (Computers). This game has skyrocketed with interest from a ton of gamers and has been featured as a new esport. The matches are short but highly interactive and they are extremely fun to watch. When you first pick up the game there are some major things you have to learn in order to enjoy it.

If you try hard and learn a ton then one day you can play like these guys. See Below. Don’t Worry though. There are plenty of Rocket League Noobs Out There.

Rocket League Training

Noob Tip Number One

Know your settings. You need to know which button does what. It is that simple. To many times in a game especially new players, press jump instead of turbo.

You also will want to edit buttons to make them easier to press together. When you are thinking about making a hard turn then you will want to be able to boost with it as well. That is a no brainer. The normal configuration for you controller make that really difficult to do. So edit your settings for your controller configuration.

You will also want to adjust the field of view and your camera settings. This small setting is talked about a lot as each player has their own preferences. I would definitely edit to have a wider field of view and make sure that the camera shaking feature is off.

Noob Tip Number Two

The second thing to do is to hop in the game and start playing the bots. This is where you can gain some simple skills. I would not go online yet for sure. When you are playing the bots then you will learn what you don’t know which will bring you to the real second tip. I just know that you are anxious to play first so you wouldn’t listen.

Go through the tutorial. Make sure you go through the Pro training. Do not play a lot until you have went through the training and actually used it as training. This means that you may have to spend ten minutes every day for a month on it in order to really get good at it. This is understating what I feel you should do.

Tip Number Three

Make sure and know your cars.

Not every car in the game is the same regardless of what others say. You will find out that they each have different turn radius as well as larger front ends that will help you connect with the ball. The cars are a big factor in the game and choosing the one that fits you style is really important.

Tip Number Four

When you are really having fun at the game you learn the teamwork is more important than anything. In order to play as a solid team then you can not chase the ball.

Learn Rotation!

There are several ways to rotate but the easiest thing to remember when you first start is that if you and another player are in the same place on the pitch, then you should fall back or to the other side. This way you spread the field consistently. This makes it harder for the defending team as well as makes you better at not giving up goals on long shots.

Tip Number Five

Learn from YouTube. There are a ton of channels out there that will teach you Aerials and all sorts of high level tricks and tactics. Start with noob training and then progress. That way you can grow into the training from superstars like Kronovi and SubParButInHD.

Watch Youtube and then practice what you watch.

Tip Number Six

Don’t overshoot the ball. Stay back and pick your spots. Be the player that your team needs. A lot of times you are playing with randoms and they are going to not follow the tips above. Your best bet to win is to hang back and guard the goal. When your team goes to offense then come to just before the half line. This is a great place in the lower ranks to pick off long hit balls and punish the other team with long goals.

Your win rate will go up and your team mates will love you if you follow this one piece of advice.

Final Tip Number Seven

Stay consistent and don’t get discouraged. When you watch Noobs like yourself laughing at themselves then you can also not be as frustrated at how bad you are at the game. When you watch Kronovi then of course you feel terrible. He is the best in the world.

Watch a couple of the videos like these often. They will help you feel better about how bad you are at the game.

 

Enjoy the game and if you have not played it yet then definitely try it out. It is a lot of fun and never gets old. I personally play it a few times a week to decompress and veg out when the time allows. Hope to play with you soon.

 

All in all Rocket League is an amazing game that never gets old. The way they built the rankings you constantly feel challenged and every once in a while you feel like a superstar at the game, when everything, goes perfect. The other times you are challenged and yet have fun. It is a lot like hitting that one perfect golf shot or catching that one big fish, it keeps you coming back over and over and over.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/admin/rocket-league-the-next-big-video-game-to-hit-rocket-league-training/

How Business Owners Can Protect Their Assets In A Divorce

Although you may be a successful entrepreneur with a flourishing professional life and a healthy business, not everyone is quite so lucky in their home lives. Statistics show that between 40 and 50 per cent of marriages in the United States end in divorce. It is undoubtedly an emotional and distressing period of your life, and it can be complicated by the anxiety over what can happen to your business during this process.

Business that were owned prior to a marriage may be impacted less, especially if you are your partner agreed to write a watertight prenuptial agreement beforehand with the help of your lawyers. If it is considered to be marital property though (a business established while you were married) it will be seen as an asset just like any other. As such, it can be divided between you and your spouse in the event of a divorce no differently than furniture, vehicles or other household property might. A well-publicized example of this occurred in the United Kingdom in the case of Lambert V Lambert. Entrepreneur Harry Lambert split from his wife after 25 years of marriage and was forced to give £7.5 million from his £20 million newspaper business to her.

These kinds of stories will strike fear into any men or women who own successful businesses and are either being divorced or seriously considering filing for one. It can stagger your financial growth, undermine your company’s success or hinder plans for expansion in the future. However, there are steps that business owners can take to ensure their company is protected as best as possible in the event of a separation. While it won’t guarantee that you keep all of your money, it can shield you from being hit as hard as you normally might. Even if you feel you are in a stable relationship, they are actions worth taking. It may sound cynical, but you don’t want to regret not taking the opportunity to do it earlier if a marriage does eventually dissolve. There is nothing unusual about preparing for the worst case scenario.

It may sound like common sense but if your partner has a position or title within the business, he or she should be removed as swiftly as possible. The longer they play a role in your company, the higher their stake in its finances is going to be. Another ne of these steps you can take is to ensure you are not mixing your personal and business assets. This will hinder any attempts to separate them during a divorce proceeding. Business owners may, furthermore, decide that it is a good idea to jointly own the company with shareholders or partners prior to a divorce. Meanwhile, if your business is fully in your ownership it will be treated no differently to any other asset and separated between you and your partner. This could change if you are sharing ownership with partners and shareholders. Their needs must then be taken into consideration.

The most important step to take before you even consider any of this is to instruct the services of a specialised divorce solicitor. Versed in the law and experienced in cases like this, they will be able to offer you the best advice for your particular set of circumstances. Their services are also essential because if you are seen to be deliberately moving shareholdings or assets to avoid any claims by a partner, your case could be profoundly impacted. A divorce lawyer will be able to give you careful and considered advice so that you are not acting dishonestly; you are just protecting the wealth you feel you are entitled to.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/danielsarath/how-business-owners-can-protect-their-assets-in-a-divorce/

4 Tips for Starting Your Online Store

If you are selling any kind of goods or services, but you do not have an online store, it’s safe to say that you are missing out on a significant piece of revenue. Almost everyone has an online store nowadays; however, simply creating one does not mean that money will start to pour in all of a sudden. You need to invest in your online store the same way you are investing in your physical store.

The point is to make the shopping experience more convenient for your potential customers, and to make a store that online shoppers can easily find. So, if you want to open an online store and have many successful business transactions with online users, then follow the tips provided below.

 

Choosing an eCommerce vendor

The first thing you need is an eCommerce software solution that meets the needs of you as a provider. In other words, do not solely focus on what your store will look like, but on its functionality and your customer’s needs. As long as your shop gives the shoppers a satisfying user experience, you will do just fine. There are many providers to choose from, like Shopify, Bigcommerce, Jumpseller, Goodsie, etc. They allow you to upload your catalog, install customer shopping carts and successfully handle payments.

However, in order to adequately ascertain which software solution you should use for your store, you should read what other people have to say about particular tools. In other words, go over user feedback on eCommerce tools, and find the one that seems perfect for the job. User feedback on eCommerce tools is the most secure way to find the platform that suits your needs and that is up to the task.

 

Customer service, payment and appearance

As far as looks go, your online store should have the same logo and color schemes as your actual store. When it comes to payment, it’s perfectly clear that PayPal is a must, since it’s widely used and is one of the safest ways of accepting online payments. Bear in mind that a lot of online users prefer to pay with their credit cards, so make sure your shop supports several different payment portals, so that your products are more accessible to potential buyers. Moreover, when you are choosing your eCommerce vendor, see if they offer reliable CRM tools, because you will need it for a better customer experience.

Another thing you might worry about is shipping costs, but it’s better to stay out of those calculations; it would be for the best to leave this to your carrier. All major carriers can calculate the shipping costs for you, free of charge. Additionally, if your competitors provide free shipping, then it is advised that you do the same, because users will most likely opt for them instead of you.   

 

Product pages

You need to know a few things related to product pages. First, you need to upload high quality pictures of your products so that viewers can zoom in to get a better view. Also, do not spam the viewers with other products that are in stock; they are on one page because they are interested in a particular product. No need to advertise everything else, since it is only obnoxious. Remember to have good product specifications, good product descriptions with adequate keywords and meta tags, and remember to make the “Add to Cart” button clearly visible.  

 

Optimize your shop

Lastly, if you want your store to be discovered, you need to optimize it. So, for starters, find someone who can do local SEO for you, and then you can go global. It would be good to have a blog section, filled with relevant and useful content, since it can make the whole link building process much smoother. This is a long process, so do not expect any significant changes during the first three months, and do not expect that you can finish it.

Optimization for a website is a never ending job. However, you will enjoy numerous benefits and the most important ones are an increased customer base and increased income.
These are some basic tips to look out for when starting your online store. There are a lot of more specific details you will need to tweak, but if you are still new to the whole online shop thing, then these tips will come in handy.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/ivandseo/4-tips-for-starting-your-online-store/

3 Reasons Estonia Should Be On Your Travel List

A lot of people like travelling through Europe and exploring it. France, Germany, Spain, Italy – all of them are regulars on the travel map. However, their popularity makes other smaller countries less favourable, even though these places, too, have so much to offer and are equal in beauty. Estonia, for example, is one those lesser known countries.

Situated on the shore of the Baltic sea, and surrounded by its Finnish and Russian neighbours, Estonia is tiny, but full of interesting bits and pieces. You could come here for history, nature, and even technology – if you didn’t know, Estonia is nicknamed e-Estonia, but more about this later on.

Even though it is a part of old Europe, the country is not that affected by mass tourism. There are tourists, but not as much as in France, for example. You can easily walk around, and there is no waiting in long lines to see the main sites. For this reason, Estonia is the perfect choice. There is nothing better than leisurely strolling through the streets, on your own terms, and quietly enjoying the place. This is definitely one of the reasons to head to Estonia, and the following article will offer you even more.

 

Explore the Medieval Old Town of Tallinn

Estonia has a rich and diverse history. Up until their independence in 1991, they were always under a foreign domination. The Estonians were ruled by the Swedes, Danes, Russians and Germans. These changes resulted in a culturally diverse population, as well as architecture. All through the country, and especially in the capital, Tallinn, you can witness these historical remains.

For example, the most popular location in the capital would have to be the Old Town. It was built in the medieval times and has remained the same ever since. You could wander around the small alleys and streets, being surrounded by historical buildings which have all kept their original looks. Moreover, visit the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which was built in the Russian revival style. Other places worth seeing are the Town Hall Square, St Catherine’s Passage and Toompea Castle.

When it comes to getting around the city, going with public transport is always a nice solution, or you could even get a cab, rent a car or, if you are travelling in a bigger group, rent a van in Tallinn. For distant travel, busses are the best option.

 

Visit the open natural spaces

More than half of the country is covered in forests. Also, they have a lot of water surfaces such as bogs, in addition to having access to the sea. Estonians have always been fond of nature and have a close connection to it. For example, the oak tree is considered sacred. Additionally, they have fine national parks and numerous natural reserves. Obviously, the people take care of their land.

One of the most popular activities for tourists, and especially adventurists, is going on a hike in a bog. Viru Bog is really popular because of its beauty, and it being one of the most accessible bogs in the country. You could go on an organised tour, with experienced guides.

 

It is a super connected country

Estonia was the first country to introduce online voting and the vast majority of the population does banking online. They are really tech savvy with free Wi-Fi all over the country. You could even get connected while on the bus or a ferry. Moreover, the people are very open to technology, with a vast number of startups and investments. For instance, Skype and Hotmail were created by Estonians.

The country is clear proof that a lot can happen in just about 20 years. They went from foreign rule to independence, to being a modern, digital society. Estonia should be a lesson to the rest of the world on how to develop a country.

Hopefully, these reasons would be enough to make you visit Estonia during your next vacation. There is a lot this northern country has to offer, and you should see it all. It would be a pity to miss out on something as enjoyable as Estonia.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/nmanojlovic/3-reasons-estonia-should-be-on-your-travel-list/

Beginners’ Guide to Selling WordPress Themes for Profits

If you’re a WordPress theme developer, selling WordPress themes is one of the best ways to make money online. Unlike offering WordPress theme development services, selling themes let you open a steady stream of passive online income.

If you’ve been freelancing for a while, you’ll know that working for different clients won’t be fun always. At times, the job can be tedious especially if you’re not good at dealing with various clients with different design briefs from different industries.

On the other hand, while you can find many successful examples of making a full-time income by selling WordPress themes, in reality, it is going to be tougher than making a living by offering development services.

However, by implementing the right tactics, it is always possible to make a full-time living by selling the WordPress themes you create.

In this post, I’ll explain everything you need to know about selling WordPress themes for profits.

Preparation

Before jumping in to start creating an awesome theme to sell, you’ll need to research the market and brainstorm different selling options, so you get a better idea about the product you need to make and the marketing/selling strategy.

To get a plan, try to find answers for the following questions.

• What theme should you create?
• Where to sell your theme?
• How to get a solid-user base?

Sell WordPress themes- Freemium model

It’s true that WordPress is the CMS of the choice of most websites out there, but that doesn’t guarantee that the theme you create will gain traction amongst WordPress users. As thousands of awesome WordPress themes are available in the market, it is harder to sell a premium theme especially if you’re just getting started to creating and selling premium themes.

One of the ways to gain traction amongst the users is to create a free WordPress theme at first. It may take some time to gain an initial traction, but once you took off, you can release a premium theme with premium features and support.

Let’s take a look at a popular example of a free WordPress theme in the official WordPress theme directory and figure out how they convert a free user to paying customer.

Step 1: Drive traffic to your premium theme page

First things first- create a WordPress theme and submit it to the WordPress official theme directory. WordPress.org allows you to add a link to your theme’s homepage right from the free theme page. Once you gain traction, you can expect a significant amount of traffic to your website.

Promote the premium theme inside the free theme

If a user decided to download the theme without visiting your page, it doesn’t mean that he’s a lost customer. You can promote your premium theme by placing a CTA button from different sections of the free theme.

Step 2: Create a landing page on your website

One of the best things about freemium model is that you can attract a lot of targeted traffic to your website that will cost you nothing.  On your website, make sure you create a landing page specifically to sell your premium theme.

If you’re on WordPress, you can consider using any landing page plugins to create one.

Not everyone who visits your page will be enticed to purchase your theme right away. Make sure you create an email list, so you can nurture your leads and convince them to purchase your products later.

If you have multiple themes to sell, instead of focusing solely on selling a single theme, you can even create a theme club and provide premium access to all of your full themes.

Premium business model

Premium business model is one of the easiest ways to make money by selling themes. You can sell premium themes by two ways.

Sell on marketplaces

There are great opportunities for WordPress developers to sell premium themes and plugins and make a living out of it than ever. Below are a few popular premium WordPress themes marketplace, if you’re looking to get started with selling WordPress themes.

• Themeforest
• MojoThemes
• WPEden
• ThemeSnap
• Creative Market

Themeforest is one of the best premium marketplaces for buying and selling WordPress themes. You can find a lot of Themeforest success stories out there similar to that of Ivar Rafn. In his first year as a WordPress theme seller, Ivan has made $97000 in sales by launching 4 premium WordPress themes and one HTML template.

All you need to do is to create a premium theme and launch it in the marketplace. Of course, you’ll need to ensure that your product is adhering to the quality guidelines of the marketplace. The design is the most important part. In order to get accepted, you’ll need to make it unique in terms of visual hierarchy, typography, semantics, etc.

The downside is that Themeforest is saturated. Unless you create something innovative, you can’t expect many sales to roll in. However, there is still room for more themes. Take a look at the categories list and create a theme in a category where competition is less.

Alternatively, you can upload your work on other less crowded marketplace and check if it helps you bring in more sales.

Sell on your own website

One of the biggest advantages of selling your theme on your website is that you’re fully independent and are not restricted by Terms of Services of any third-party website. In addition, you can keep all of your profits without sharing it with the marketplaces.

While selling on your own website is definitely more rewarding, you should look at the whole picture before jumping in to start selling on your own website.

The exposure you get from a marketplace is priceless, which you can’t achieve by selling your products on your own especially if your theme isn’t revolutionary or if you don’t have a strong reputation or big audience in place ready to buy from you.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/shahzadsaeed/beginners-guide-to-selling-wordpress-themes-for-profits/