Meet Nicole M. from EmailOnDeck

EmailOnDeck was founded on the belief that you shouldn't have to give your personal email address to anyone who demands it. It was built by a few privacy-minded engineers with extensive backgrounds in email/SMTP systems and software. EmailOnDeck provides free temporary email addresses for everyone to use. Learn more by visiting: https://www.emailondeck.com.

1. What was the inspiration behind starting EmailOnDeck?

We feel that the internet is becoming a place where every site seems to be demanding your personal information just to access the site. We still believe that the internet is like your local library: what you research and learn about online is nobody's business but your own. More practically, there's an issue of providing your personal email address to a web site you've just visited for the first time. A common concern is: "What will this website do with my personal email if I give it to them?" Websites frequently sell your email address, and ultimately that can lead to one receiving SPAM which could include viruses and phishing emails. We built this service in hopes of allowing one to help retain and protect their online privacy.

2. What sets this project apart from other free email providers?

EmailOnDeck proactively focuses on providing you with temporary emails that work. With access to a large domain pool, EmailOnDeck can create a greater variety of temporary email address increasing the difficulty of advertisers tracking you online. EmailOnDeck also provides you with your own private temporary email inbox; it is not a public inbox for all to view. Finally, once you are done with your temporary email address, it will automatically be securely wiped and all emails securely erased in order to ensure your privacy.

3. When are the times that someone might want to use a temporary email, instead of something like a "backup" email aside from their primary one?

Any website that asks for your email before letting you visit or view their site. This is a great way to protect yourself from untrustworthy sites. Once you get comfortable with a website, then you can decide if you would like to provide your personal email address to them.

Interestingly, though, I actually like to point out when it's not a good time to use a temporary email address. If you're going to be giving a company your credit card number or mailing address, using a temporary email can actually make things more difficult. First of all, they have your personal information, so you're not really being much more private. Secondly, if the company needs to send you an email to confirm your purchase or subscription in a few months, you would no longer have access to that temporary email.

4. How do you keep your service available for free?

Since we're constantly securely wiping emails, our storage costs are very low. We do place non-intrusive ads on certain pages of the web site. We also have plans to provide a paid "pro" version that's ad-free and provides more convenient features. More on that soon...

5. In addition to using a temporary email address, what else do people need to do to protect their privacy when using their computers, tablets, and phones?

If you can clear your cookies and cache after you're done browsing the web, that would be your first basic step. If you are willing to learn (just a bit) about blocking javascript, you can really increase your security by using a browser extension called NoScript. And finally, check out Privacy.com for a way to create virtual credit cards--very cool because vendors will never have access to your actual credit card. This is a life-saver for anyone that has ever been a victim of credit card fraud.

Thanks, Nicole!

Meet Matthew Cox of Cox Digital Imaging

Matthew Cox, Managing Partner at Cox Digital Imaging LLC, is a U.S. Army Veteran who holds a BS in Finance from State University of New York. He has 14 years experience in Digital Print Production/ Marketing, and has been a Hampton Roads resident for 22 years.

Learn more about Cox Digital Imaging by checking out this YouTube video.

1. How do you define "digital imaging" in terms of the many services your company performs?

"Digital imaging" is a term most people associate with digital print. While that is true to a great extent, we see everything we do as a variation on that. For example, in email marketing, we are taking just as much care in producing stunning images that you view in your browser or mobile device, as we do in producing a printed brochure or mail piece. By default, everything we produce is an image of some sort, and it all starts in the digital format. We pride ourselves on the quality of our work, and you will see the same consistency from Web Design to Email Marketing, pURLS and Digital Print.

2. When a business owner is trying to improve his or her marketing strategy, do you think there's a sweet spot between having too broad of approach ("let's change everything") and too narrow of an approach ("let's just change one thing")? 

I think there definitely is. The key to this is knowing your customer data, or hiring someone to sort it out. If your marketing isn't working, you have to know why; you can't just blindly throw things at your customer base and see what sticks. Data Management is something that has to implemented before any kind of serious targeted marketing campaign can take place.

I've always been cautious when it comes to changing marketing strategies, or segments of them. You'd be surprised how many business owners have absolutely no clue which parts of their marketing strategy are working, and which are not. Email, Direct mail, and pURLS are good tools for this, and with automation, you can narrow your metrics down significantly.

So to answer your question, there really is no good way to find that sweet spot without doing a thorough analysis of your existing marketing strategy. I would always lean to making small changes, rather than big, and analyze the results. I almost forgot; TEST EVERYTHING in each sector before making the change. When I say test, I mean for an adequate amount of time. You can divert a small portion of your budget to test something new. It may seem like a success for a month. You have to know if it will work three months from now. Developing a strategy that can deliver consistent long term results is what you should be striving for.

3. People often become so focused on online marketing today, but what are some of the benefits of print?

Many marketing pundits will tell you that print is dead. In some ways, such as newspaper publishing, they are not far off. Print is far from dead, however.

Print can be powerful for a variety of reasons; you can touch it, the colors are more bold than RGB (monitor) images, it's portable, and it can be produced on a variety of mediums.

Some things, such as brochures, flyers, and business cards, don't really have a digital replacement. I say this because these pieces are typically exchanged during face to face contact with another person, or left for people to physically pick up as part of a promotion display.

The very fact that internet marketing is so prevalent right now makes print an even more powerful tool when used in conjunction with the Web. The term "multi-channel marketing" is thrown around quite frequently these days and most people assume it is restricted to the Web itself. The reality is no matter what marketing channels you are using--email, radio, direct mail, TV, social, canvassing--you are already doing multi-channel marketing.

This is where print can boost your campaign results. It has to be tied to the Web in some way, shape, or form. All promotional pieces should have the website and a QR code at a minimum, as most of your competitors already do. Direct mail pieces should be tied to a pURL or have a WebKey attached. These pieces should also be integrated with an email campaign.

What can separate you from the rest of the pack is your design and your quality of print. That goes for email, pURLs, and websites as well. Well designed, high quality print pieces can definitely separate you from the competition. It is important to incorporate this philosophy into your own materials such as business cards, stationary, brochures, and the like.

4. What, in your experience, makes for an effective piece of direct mail marketing?

Data is the most important thing in determining whether your Direct Mail piece will be successful. You have to make sure your data is targeted, its current, and its mailable. Data Hygiene services can take of that.

With that being said, if your data is satisfactory, your mail piece has to be exceptional. We believe it has to be beyond exceptional.

Our philosophy regarding direct mail differs somewhat from regular mail houses. We believe in quality over quantity. The days where you could just carpet bomb a zip code are long gone. We typically mail small highly targeted campaigns in conjunction with email, pURLs, and social integration.

To make the mail piece exceptional, forget the envelope. Most people scan mail for seconds, then it goes in the trash. Full four-color gloss print on a foldable 8 x 8 video player with audio usually will not go in the trash, at least not for a while. Pop-up mailers with WebKeys encourage customers to find what their special offer is via the Web.

These type of mail pieces are not cheap, but they are more than effective. Typically, if your data is targeted, the conversion rate averages above 50%. Keep in mind, these type of campaigns target higher-end B2B or B2C clients, so the ROI is upwards of 150% or more.

5. What inspired the creation of Cox Digital Imaging, and what do you enjoy most about your work? 

Ironically, it was the missed opportunities of a business myself and a co-founder were working for. Against all logic, suggestions, prodding, pleading, and begging, they refused to recognize the changing needs of their clients in the digital age. We felt we could do it better and cheaper, and give more value to the client. And we did.

Thanks, Matthew!

Meet Tiffany Haynes, Virtual Assistant

Tiffany Haynes is a virtual assistant and owner of Virtual Business Solutions. She has worked as a real estate broker's assistant where she taught herself marketing development and graphic / print design, and she created an in-house aerial printing shop to facilitate clients with large land listings and commercial sites. Tiffany went on to work in corporate banking, where she excelled in everything from appraisal support to managing all high-risk issues within foreclosure finance, claims, and bookloss. Throughout her professional career, she has developed a wide network of trusted contacts and leverages their expertise to enhance projects, solidifying why she is the hottest virtual assistant in today's market!

Keep up with Tiffany on Facebook and Twitter.

1. How did you first become interested in setting up your own business as a virtual assistant?

I naturally helped entrepreneurs prior to being paid for it. I remember wondering why people that barely knew me would ask me to look at their resume and see if there were any tips I could offer. Friends and family members starting a new business would ask my opinion about crucial decisions. I think that what I do now has always been my calling even before I was even aware of it. I happened to stumble across a description of the industry reading a book in the library and could not rest! I knew from the moment I read the description that not only could I do it; I would be successful at it. I begin to do my research on how I could make that business work for me, and the rest is history!

2. You offer a diversity of services, including specific services for people in real estate. How did you decide what services to offer to clients?

I started off offering anything I knew how to do! So I have an extensive background in the real estate field, and I knew that support in that field is something that I wanted to offer. I have background in project management, so I knew that I wanted to offer strategic and management support. As time passed, I begin to call on experts about things that I was not a subject matter expert in and pull them into my projects, and from there my company has evolved to what it is today.

3. What are some of the challenges of working with people remotely, and what are some tools and techniques you use to communicate/share effectively with clients?

Sometimes when you have a presentation, you want to walk someone through it in person. But it is the technology age, so by utilizing software like GoToMeeting and LogMeIn, I am able to have a very close comparison to an-in person meeting when I meet with my clients.

4. What are some common misconceptions you see about the costs, services, etc involved in hiring a virtual assistant?

Some people believe virtual assistants are too expensive. However, unlike temporary staff and employees, hiring virtual assistants does not incur traditional human resource expenses such as insurance, taxes, and vacation or sick leave. What's more, virtual assistants function independently, without the business owner having to provide an office, equipment, or relevant training. As for remuneration, virtual assistants are paid only in respect of the number of hours or projects for which the business owner requires their services. If you only need 15 hours of assistance a month, that is exactly what you pay for. In essence, you are removing the wasted costs of paying for idle time, which translates into 100 percent productivity!

5. If you were talking to someone who runs a small business--maybe even a solo project!--what advice would you offer in terms of how a virtual assistant could help their business grow?

Big business is successful for many reasons, but one of those reasons is because it has assigned departments and responsibilities: human resources, marketing, admin support, etc.

As a small business owner or entrepreneur, it is your job to be all these things, and if you are waking up and just reacting to deliverables instead of being proactive to the bigger picture, this can hinder your forward motion. Hiring a virtual assistant allows you to distribute tasks to ensure that you can handle all aspects of your endeavors and aspirations that are required to reach your maximum potential. If being tied up responding to calls and emails prevents you from marketing and/or training to learn new skills, you need to assign the calls and emails to someone else. You need a strategic mind to help with marketing; you need a trusted partner to research and find you the best training that is cost effective--this is where my company comes in and does it for a fraction of the cost of what most people think!

Thanks, Tiffany!

Introducing Home Learning Journey, a Site for Reviews of Online Marketing Tools

Do you want to learn more about running a business from home? Home Learning Journey is a website focused on "the ABCs of online marketing." If you're researching different online tools and systems that are being sold to people who want to make money from home, you definitely want to do your research, which means reading up on a variety of websites about the products you're considering for purchase. The idea of Home Learning Journey is to offer a series of reviews to share information about different products.

The reviews break down the aspects of the different programs, tools, and resources by looking at the various elements that each product covers. The reviews focus on telling you just what you're getting for the cost of the tool. You can tell that the reviews are written by people who already have knowledge of and interest in online marketing.

As an example of the site's content, check out the Inbox Blueprint review, which looks at Inbox Blueprint 2.0, a software/training package meant to help people use email marketing effectively when starting a business online. The review shows a first-hand understanding of email marketing. My reading of the review is that if you're looking for the slow dime rather than the fast nickel, you will appreciate Inbox Blueprint because rather than trying to get just 1 or 2% of people to quickly buy something, you instead want to get a larger percentage of people to sign up for your email list, and then you wait until you have a large number of subscribers to make a sales offer.

Home Learning Journey is an interesting site for anyone with an interest in online marketing. It's a good way to learn about strategies for marketing and to find out about some of the products and tools out there today.

Guest Post on Multi-Channel Marketing

This post comes from Sarah, who has been experimenting with the methods of marketing which follow by using the services of SEMA. In 2014, Sarah hopes to get her marketing mix right, and bring in her best year of business yet.

Your Guide To Multi-Channel Marketing

If your New Year's resolution is to make your business better than ever before, then you need to consider how you are getting your company's name out there. The importance of marketing cannot go understated, as it is typically one of the best resources for gaining new clients. In today's technologically-driven world, there are plenty of marketing techniques available. And while you may be asking yourself which is the best way to go, it truly depends on your specific company. However, typically a multi-channel approach to marketing is the best. With a multi-channel marketing approach, you can reach more people in a variety of different ways.

SMS

It seems like now more than ever, people have their cell phones on them all of the time. It doesn't matter if they are with their family, at work, watching a movie, or anywhere else, a cell phone is almost an additional limb to some people. With that in mind, SMS marketing is a great way to reach your customers. One way to utilize marketing with SMS is to send out reminder messages to your customers about sales, promotions, or other helpful information. When it comes to SMS marketing, tell your customers that they will receive something special in exchange for their phone number. Most people may not think twice about it as they give you their number. And you can utilize that information and maximize reaching the customer. However, be careful not to contact your customers too much. This method of spamming may end up doing more harm than good.

Mail

Some companies may think that direct mail marketing doesn't have the same potential that it once did; however, that isn't necessarily the case. Because people refer to technology and media so much now, direct mail has become something that can be unique for your company. The best way to utilize your direct mail marketing campaign is to send out mail that cannot be ignored. Beautifully designed flyers or personalized messages on holidays or birthdays are great ways to get noticed. Don't miss out on the opportunity of marketing with direct mail, as it certainly has a potential market.

Email

Email marketing is almost like the best of both worlds. It is easy like SMS messages, as you can send out countless emails with very little effort. At the same time, you can make each message personal and detailed like you would with marketing through direct mail. Therefore, it should be obvious that email marketing has huge potential for you company. Believe it or not, there are still some people in this world that aren't connected to the internet or that don't have an email account. But as the world continues to transition that way and more people get connected, marketing through email can be a very valuable technique for your company.

The best way to make a bang in the New Year for your company is to make sure you put all of your efforts into getting recognized. After all, it is much harder to get a new customer than it is to keep an old one. By using any of the techniques mentioned here, you can attract a variety of different customers through multiple different avenues. Make this year the best one yet for your company with multi-channel marketing!