Meet Rafi Chowdhury, Entrepreneur, Marketer, and Chess Coach

Rafi Chowdhury is the founder & CEO of Chowdhury's, co-founder of myCampusHacks, and an experienced digital marketer and chess coach based in Memphis, Tennessee. He helps companies in Memphis grow their revenue by directing targeted visitors to their websites. A graduate of the University of Memphis, Rafi Chowdhury holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. He is the owner of numerous awards and accomplishments including Shelby County Chess Co-Champion and winner of the Mid-South Psychology Conference, and he has been ranked among the Top 100 best young chess players in the nation. He has appeared on Commercial Appeal, ABC News, and United States Chess Federation, and has recently been featured on The University of Memphis Magazine, Startup Dhaka, and numerous other blogs and magazines. Rafi is currently working as a Digital Marketing Specialist at Total Concept Graphics in Memphis and consults with other local businesses about their marketing campaigns.

Connect with Rafi on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google +, and YouTube, and at www.rafichowdhury.com.

1. How did you first become interested in digital marketing?

I got into it when I was marketing my chess projects via Facebook. Then, I was interested in trying to increase my social following, so I learned more about social media marketing in the process. But it was not until I launched my personal blog, www.rafichowdhury.com, that I really began to understand what digital marketing is all about. I began experimenting on that site and learned a ton of stuff in the process about how to get traffic.

2. Does your academic background in psychology come in handy in your work with helping people get more traffic for their websites?

Most definitely. I use psychology all the time to figure out exactly what will appeal to a user. I begin by figuring out who the customer is. Then from there, I try to learn as much about the customer as possible and their behaviors online. Only then, I go about figuring out things such as the best platform to advertise to them, what sort of content to create, how to design the proper sales funnel, etc. Creative marketing is really nothing more than applied psychology, if you think about it.

3. What's the importance of getting local when it comes to building an online presence, and what are some specific ways that you help local businesses in the Memphis area?

You want to start local simply because it's usually low-hanging fruit for most businesses. If you are a local business and you can effectively dominate search engines for local searches better than your competitors, you can seriously grow your business. Google is taking local searches into account a lot more these days. In fact, Google is putting heavy efforts to get Google + to become even larger, so Google is now giving some special ranking privileges to those companies who have a large Google + circle and are sharing good content on their Google + and Google Local business pages.

When you do on-page optimization, focus on local keywords and focus on local on-page optimization. Try to rank for long-tail local keywords while taking into account commercial intent keywords. So, for example, the keyword "carpet cleaning facts" may be something a user is searching for when they are looking for more information about how they can clean their own carpet. On the other hand, the keyword "cheap carpet cleaners" is a commercial intent keyword since this user is probably later on the in the sales cycle and has already done his or her research and now is ready to hire or find an affordable carpet-cleaning company in his area. So, a small business owner (carpet-cleaning company, let's say) who wants to rank for local searches, may want to invest in the keyword "cheap carpet cleaner Memphis, TN," for example, if he wants to get business in the city of Memphis.

This is the kind of research I do to find out exactly the kind of keywords a business may want to target. I use Google Webmaster Tools, Google Adwords, Google Keyword Research tools, MOZ, and other analytics platforms to gather this kind of data. Once I have done keyword research and found the proper keywords to target, I then find out where the customers are and create unique content to market to these customers. It's really a lot more complex than this, but I don't want to bore everyone with all this technical stuff!

4. How would you define the role of chess in your life?

It has helped me in networking and learning self discipline, but most importantly, it has taught me how to do long-term planning and decision making. Almost every decision I make now, I think about how it might affect me in the future. I really do think this is one of the most essential qualities to have in order to stay focused. You have to always be able to see the forest through the trees no matter how complex the present situation gets. Chess has taught me that, along with like a million other things. If nothing else, it paid all my bills starting from early high school until now! Although no longer active in national tournaments, I still sometimes play in an occasional tournament casually or hop online for some speed chess games.

5. If you could give just three pieces of advice to anyone who is wanting to grow their business, what would you say?

1. If you do not have an online presence, you need to. Build a mobile-responsive website for your business.

2. Focus on creative marketing for growth hacking purposes. Be as transparent with your target market as possible. Remember, people buy why you sell them, not what, so be sure to sell them the vision first.

3. Content is King. This is the information age. Those companies who give out the best pieces of information for free will establish themselves as the top dogs within their particular niche. Target your niche and just give away as much free content as you can. Then, focus on how you can turn these visitors into paying customers. You have to be willing to experiment and learn (and be creative!).

Thanks, Rafi!

Introducing DealerTalk.co, a Website About the Automotive Industry

DealerTalk.co is an automotive website covering everything from automotive reviews to how to rebuild a gearbox. The editors accept blog posts from other sources on a monthly basis and promote them heavily through social media.

1. As a community for people in the automotive industry, what does DealerTalk.co seek to publish?

We are looking to communicate content from small to medium sized businesses who are specialists in their own niche of the automotive market. By giving the "small guy" a platform to talk from, we hope to build a user base that will create conversation and interaction.

2. Where do you find content to share on your site?

We are active on Google+, and we have many requests from businesses to promote their thoughts, which we are happy to do! We have a number of other sites and forums which we participate in and find that the dialogue often creates relationships with other like-minded individuals.

3. What do you see as some of the most interesting topics in the auto world today?

The subprime bubble! We are still feeling the aftershocks of the housing crash, and yet we are heading into the same disaster with used car loans.

4. How have you seen automotive professionals increase their offline business by becoming more active online?

Absolutely! One of the dealers I work with at present now generates over 50% of their sales from the web. Almost 10% of this now comes from social media!

5. Do you have any tips when it comes to writing in an effective/engaging way about auto-related topics?

Be passionate about it. Also, I try to find topics which I can break down into a series. That way one great topic covers many articles!

Thanks!

Meet John Shea, Writer and Host of Voices of Marketing

John Shea is the host of the online show Voices Of Marketing where he interviews successful online marketers and bloggers.

John also writes and contributes to The Blueprint Entrepreneur on iTunes, an Apple Newsstand magazine for smart entrepreneurs who want actionable content to start and grow their business.

He focuses on providing value to the marketing world both with written content and interviews. Find him on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter.

1. What gave you the idea to start Voices of Marketing?

I started Voices Of Marketing because I enjoy connecting with others and picking people's brains about their success. I wanted to find something online to focus most of my time into, and I liked the idea of podcasting after reading about it, so I decided to get focused and start my own interview show.

2. What do you look for when choosing someone to interview?

Lately I look for various success stories that sound interesting so I can share them with others, people who are having any sort of success online. I typically look for people that are successful with online marketing, but I have interviewed people in other niches as well.

3. As an entrepreneur yourself, what are a couple of important things that you've learned about marketing that you wish you had known when you were first starting out?

I think the biggest thing that has helped me is being surrounded by the right kinds of people. You are most like your five closest friends, and the same holds true for marketing online. When I started out, I was finding a lot of people who were doing things I was not very fond of such as spamming on Facebook. Once I started following the right people, I started to learn a lot more about the right way to market myself online.

4. For someone with an online business who wants to improve their marketing efforts, what advice would you give?

Focus. I struggled a lot with jumping from one thing to another and sometimes still do. I didn't start seeing success until I really started to focus on one thing. Once I got focused on my interview show, I ended up landing a paid gig involving doing interviews and started to actually generate a profit online from all my hard work. Find something you enjoy, and then focus on that.

5. Going into 2014, what projects do you have planned for the new year? 

I am currently learning about product creation as a lot of people who tend to have success have launched products or training courses. I would like to do a lot more interviews and eventually create my own unique product that people will enjoy. I am also working on my first Kindle book which I hope to release soon, and I am hoping to see some success with that.

Thanks, John!

Introducing Author and Entrepreneur, Mike Omar

Mike Omar is the author of How to Make Money Online, a book about building a passive income that's available for Amazon Kindle. Mike's strategy is to create a portfolio of websites, each of which generates a portion of your monthly income. He has a background in finance and over the years has taught himself a number of skills, starting with web design.

In addition to his e-book, Mike also is the founder of The Make Money from Home Lions Club. On the site, he provides a detailed action plan with step-by-step written and video tutorials that take you through such processes as generating traffic through search engines and marketing digital products. Better yet, he provides all of these tools for free.

I always like it when entrepreneurs share their own stories when introducing their products, and Mike offers an autobiography that will make a lot of readers say, "I can relate." He lost his job in 2008 as part of the economic downturn. Over the course of two years, he built up his portfolio of websites to the point where he was making a living through passive income. Then he decided to turn his entrepreneurial efforts toward teaching other people the skills that he used to build up his own business.

In his own words, "My best advice to anybody who is interested in entrepreneurship is START NOW! And always be working on side projects outside of your regular job."

Keep up with Mike on Facebook and Google Plus. And check out this video for an introduction to the free lessons in building passive income offered through The Lions Club.

Meet Stephen Ebbett of Protect Your Bubble

Stephen Ebbett is President of Protect Your Bubble, a new kind of insurance brand that understands that 21st century lives are busy and complicated and offers an online service that makes insurance simple and uncomplicated. Stephen also leads Protect Your Bubble UK, which combined with US operations, has sold more than one million policies.

Protect Your Bubble offers coverage for mobile gadgets such as smartphones (Android or iPhone), tablets, and cell phones. The company also offers extended warranties for small and large electronics, including televisions, cameras and laptops. Protect Your Bubble also offers affordable pet insurance, an important option for consumers who want to be prepared financially when their pets need veterinary care. Travel insurance and rental car coverage from Protect Your Bubble can help vacationers or those on business trips deal with the unexpected--including damage to a rental car--at rates much lower than are typically offered by rental car or travel agencies. The company also provides identity theft protection services, as well as renters insurance.

Stephen's past experience includes a role as the Head of Channel and Product Development at Assurant Solutions, which is Protect Your Bubble's parent company, as well as a position as Insurance Product Manager at John Lewis Partnership. Prior to that, he served as Channel Marketing Manager of AXA Insurance.

Stephen has more than 10 years of experience spearheading innovative product and communication initiatives for corporations looking to gain a competitive edge when entering a new market. Stephen attended Durham University and holds an undergraduate degree in philosophy and theology, as well as a postgraduate degree in marketing. Outside of his work with Protect Your Bubble, Stephen enjoys rugby, climbing, film, and photography.

1. How did you select the three main areas of coverage (gadgets, pets, and travel) for Protect Your Bubble?

At Protect Your Bubble, our mission is to offer a new kind of insurance to cover the items in customers' homes, the pets that enrich their lives, the technology they use on a daily basis, and much more. It's the things consumers don't always think to insure, but are very important to them.

2. Your starting rates are very affordable--how do you keep costs down for consumers, and what level of protection are consumers getting for relatively small premiums?

When creating the products, the #1 focus was to create great coverage but at an affordable price. In addition, we offer flexible deductibles to ensure that consumers' monthly payments work within their budget. We realize that consumers want comprehensive coverage at a great rate, so we work hard to develop our products around this philosophy.

3. What's the benefit in insuring an item like an appliance or smartphone rather than using a manufacturer or store warranty?

It happens all the time; we drop our phone and crack the screen, we jump in the pool forgetting that our iPhone is in our pocket, and sadly our phone becomes misplaced or even stolen. Unfortunately, the later is becoming more common. In fact, 113 smartphones are lost or stolen every minute in the U.S. Replacing an uninsured smartphone leaves many consumers in sticker shock. Carriers heavily subsidize the price of the latest smartphones, so customers who replace the mobile device outside of the subsidy will end up paying up to three times the original purchase price. This is why many consumers invest in insurance, to avoid forking over the big chunk of cash to replace it.

It's important that consumers make sure they fully understand their coverage options. I urge consumers to consider comprehensive coverage for their mobile device through insurance, rather than a warranty. For instance, some extended warranties cover accidental damage under limited circumstances but leave consumers unprotected in the event of a loss or theft.

When it comes to extended warranties for home gadgets and appliances, consumers should do their research and learn about the additional level of coverage they can get with a third party, like Protect Your Bubble. For example, we provide things like tech support for computers, food replacement for fridges/freezers, and surge protection. Plus, battery replacement and accidental damage coverage are also available during the manufacturer's warranty. Protect Your Bubble pays for all shipping charges to and from its repair facilities. These are all things that can make a big difference when in a bind.

4. What strategies do you recommend for someone who wants to assess his/her (and his/her family's) insurance needs?

Many big-ticket items we buy and plans we make (such as a business trip or vacation) are insurable. The problem is that many people assume they already have coverage or expect that they'll receive replacement items quickly when that's not necessarily the case. That's why I recommend taking stock of your stuff and evaluating available coverage options. Here are some tips when deciding whether or not you should insure your stuff:

Evaluate deductibles and coverage you already have: Know what your homeowner's insurance covers. For example, many homeowners have deductibles that exceed the value of the appliance, so in effect, the appliance or gadget is unprotected. Perhaps you rent your home and think your landlord will take care of damage to the contents you own in case of a mishap that isn't your fault. Chances are, your stuff isn't covered.

Know the true value of your smartphone: The replacement cost of your smartphone is up to three times the price you paid with the carrier's subsidy. If your smartphone or tablet is lost, stolen or damaged and you don't have insurance on it, you may be required to pay upwards of $600+.

Self-insurance can be costly: Some people assume it's better to just pay out-of-pocket to replace lost, stolen, or damaged items rather than insure them. But that depends on many factors. What you need to consider is: Will you have enough cash on hand to replace items you use every day if you need to?

Know your options: Thanks to the internet, there are more insurance options now than ever before, which makes it simple to compare rates and find the right policy. For example, you don't have to take whatever the car rental company is offering. Shop around and then make a decision--you can usually save a lot of money.

5. As an entrepreneur, how is blogging important in connecting with your (new and existing) customers, and what are some of the topics you cover in your posts?

Blogging is important for me because I want to stay connected with customers. It's a great way for me to share tips and become a resource for readers. I encounter a lot of claims data and hear from customers all the time, so it's important for me to share what I learn. Not to mention, I enjoy blogging. Typically, I try to write articles that help consumers plan ahead, avoid gadget hiccups, and not become a victim of theft, plus travel-related topics. I write about what I think can impact consumers' lives and how to protect the little things in life that matter a great deal.

Thanks, Stephen!

Note: Follow Stephen's blog posts on Protect Your Bubble as well as Google Plus. To learn more about Protect Your Bubble, check out the video below.

Excerpt from The Social Media Recipe by Tara DuBois

Tara DuBois dreamed of living a life unbound--free from the shackles of the conventional corporate world. Now that she has found independence, she wants you to have joy in what do as well. Let her relieve you of the burden of online marketing tasks so you can get back to growing your business and doing what you love.

Tara has developed an ebook called The Social Media Recipe which she created with the following three benefits in mind as part of an overall plan to help you maximize your efforts in social media.

--Create captivating content that resonates deeply with your audience.
--Find your ideal clients and know how to attract them.
--Have your own personalized posting and engagement schedules.

The excerpt below is from pages 6-7 of The Social Media Recipe.

To learn more about how Tara can help you live a life unbound, please visit: http://unboundva.com/about/hourglass-marketing-system/.

Meet Miriam Slozberg, Author and Social Media Expert

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Miriam Slozberg is a married mother of two children, and she works as a social media and SEO expert. She is the author of a new e-book, The Secret to High Social Media Rankings: How to Get Klout.

1. What is Klout, and why is it important?

Klout is a social scoring system that measures your social media activity such as how often other people engage with what you post on Facebook and Google Plus and what you tweet on Twitter. If others engage with you often, you are considered to be influential online, and the more influential you are, the higher your score is.

Klout is important because your score can be a huge determining factor as to whether you get a job or not (especially if you are in marketing), and if you get speaking engagements, guest blogging opportunities, and free upgrades. It's also important just in terms of naturally attracting new fans and followers.

2. What motivated you to write an e-book about Klout?

I felt that there happen to be a lot of people misunderstanding the truth behind Klout. My purpose of my e-book was to not only show the true picture of Klout but to teach those who are active online to increase their scores properly. I also wanted to stress that it is very important for business owners; marketers; anyone working in PR, social media, and SEO; coaches; authors; or really anyone working with the public professionally to have a high Klout score and to earn it properly.

3. What are a couple of (relatively) easy things anyone can do right now to increase his or her social influence online?

Be sure to post eye-catching material on your social networks. Tweet anything that you know that others would be interested in. But stay within your own niche for the most part. Be consistent with your activities, and eventually you will gain plenty of friends and followers who will want to share your posts and other information you provide.

4. From a long-range perspective, what are some good practices for working with social media tools to create and maintain strong connections with other people?

If you are going to network properly, you have to show interest in those whom you are networking with. Share their blogs on your own social networks. Like their posts on Facebook and Google Plus. Retweet their tweets, and they will respect you for it and do the same for you. Their followers and friends will eventually want to network with you as well. In other words, be social online. Don't use social media to only talk about your business; use it to network properly.

5. As an author, how are you utilizing your own marketing know-how to spread the word about your latest book, and what can other authors learn from your experience?

I have been telling my friends and followers about my work, and I ask them to kindly spread it across their own networks, and at the same time I help them with their own needs. It does work.

At the same time, I also am constantly writing blog posts about my work, and having them shared on networks. If you do this for months beforehand, it will create a lot of buzz and interest. But again it is important to help your friends and followers in whatever their needs are. You will be seen not only influential in your field but as a great networker.

Thanks, Miriam!