Meet Max Shelton, Online Marketing Specialist for International Hair Transplant Clinics

Max Shelton is an online marketing consultant who specializes in the hair transplant niche. He has been helping hair loss clinics around the globe with their online marketing objectives for over five years, and in that time has helped his clients gain exceptional growth in the market with more leads, inquiries, and business. In this interview we talk to him about how he got to where he is today and the journey that it involved.

1. Would you share a little bit of information about who you are, where you are based, and any interests you might have outside of online marketing?

Sure, well, I am 37 years old and live in the mid-west of the United States, and I'm a husband, father of three, dog owner, and keen paraglider when I get the opportunity to do so!

2. Why did you focus on hair transplant clinics as your chosen and specialist industry niche?

OK, so about 10 years ago I started to experience hair loss myself, and spent a lot of time trying to find a reputable hair loss clinic and surgeon that I could trust and rely on. Unfortunately, there are a few charlatans in the industry, so it took me a long time and several failed attempts before I found a good hair transplant surgeon.

I realized that if it was hard for me to find someone I could trust, then I probably wasn't alone. Because of that, I decided to start up an online directory of cosmetic surgeons, but in particular hair transplant clinics. That website allowed people to review and rate their surgeon, and brought me to the attention of one of America's largest clinics.

They actually ended up buying the website from me and asked me if I could start working on their online marketing strategy and plans… and the rest, as they say, is history!

3. What type of things do you do for the hair transplant industry and your clients?

In the main it's all about helping them to generate more online business and patient inquiries. So for example that could mean developing them a specific lead generation website or creating Facebook ad campaigns designed to make their phone ring more!

I now have around five hair loss and hair restoration clinics that I work for around the globe, and I like to think that I am now regarded as one of the go-to experts when it comes to the hair loss industry and the businesses in that niche.

4. What does a typical day look like for you?

Once the kids have been taken off to school, it's straight down into the office with a coffee. The emails get checked, and then I follow a strict project plan where possible. I read a lot of self-help business books by people such as Tony Robbins and Grant Cardone in order to help me plan and execute.

Ultimately the daily aims are all about numbers, so if my clients are receiving a steady stream of online inquires from people (both men and women) seeking hair transplant treatments, then my job is done. For example, at the moment, it's all about generating more business on the female side as hair loss for women can be a taboo subject – more information on that on this website.

5. With that in mind, what are your plans for 2017, which seems to be fast-approaching?

Good question! I want to get more clients onto my existing roster of hair loss clinics, in particular the UK market which is definitely growing at the moment. There are some superb hair transplant surgeons in England at the moment, so attracting some of those guys to my portfolio would be fantastic, especially as we share a common language, so the expertise I offer should be easy enough to transfer to another geographic area.

You just to need to look at the UK market to see how good some of the hair loss clinics are (here is an example) to see that it's a great market to hopefully get into.

6. And finally, if you could give any tips to aspiring online marketers, then what would that be?

Well, find yourself a niche to work in. I have found that if you can position yourself as an expert in a particular industry, then it's far easier to attract high paying clients… just like I have done in the hair transplant industry.

It can help to build up an online portfolio of work, including interviews such as this one which should help position you as a leader in the field.

Aside from that, just work hard. Harder than the competition!

Thanks, Max!

Meet Husnain Minawala, Blogger and Social Media Expert

In 2010 a digital agency was born Mystic Social Media, which was rebranded as Mystic Advertising later. Husnain Minawala is the director of this company, and in 2013, he launched karachibloggers.org a portal for all bloggers. In 2014 Mystic Advertising LLC opened its office in Dubai U.A.E.

Learn more by visiting http://www.blog.husnainminawala.com/.

1. How did you first become interested in blogging?

Traveling has always been my passion because the peace it brings to one's soul is commendable. Like it's said, if traveling were free, you wouldn't get to see me. Traveling has taught me how to enjoy the "me" time, and when it became an essential part of my life, I decided to make it a bigger part by blogging about it.

I want every soul to feel the beauty of this world. If my blog gives birth to the love for nature, then I consider every penny spent as a lifelong investment. So basically I started blogging to share the love for nature.

2. How has your blog evolved from when you first started it to today?

Well, initially it wasn't as big as it is now; good things take time, and big things start small. Similarly, it started with passion, and it keeps blooming each day. With time I discovered love for various things, technology being a lead, so I decided to make it a part of the blog. What I learned over time was how to evaluate the interest of my readers. Let's put it like this: for a traveler it's important to capture the mesmerizing beauty forever, which came with the concept of photography, hence cameras and the change in techniques and products to my interest in technology. I have learned how to direct my passion in the right direction on the blog.

3. What is your advice to individuals who want to increase their social media presence and gain more blog readers, more Instagram followers, etc?

For anyone who wants to go big with their blog, they should publish more and more. The bigger the content, the better the visibility. Sharing is the key: you want to be the ultimate resource for your audience and motivate them to share your content on their networks, so make sharing easy. A user friendly and engaging site is IMPORTANT. And PHOTOS. Use them, use them wisely.

There is so much to be done; for beginners, let's keep it easy and achievable.

4. What are some similarities and differences in the way an individual should approach social media and the way a business (from small businesses to large companies) should approach it?

As far as the social media is concerned, one needs to understand that social media is NOT a trend; it's the reality of online existence. Once you know your answers for "where my audience is?", "how far do I want to take my business/brand?", and "how many followers am I aiming to attract?", you will know where to be on social media. Every business and individual has its own approach, depending upon the set target, so I can not really generalize the similarities. You just have got to know your work, and your work will take you where you belong.

Thanks, Husnain!

Meet Marc Heighway, Online Marketing Consultant

Marc Heighway is an online marketing consultant who lives and works on the south coast of the United Kingdom. He has worked in the industry for over 15 years and specializes in helping law firms generate more business online. He was worked abroad and for some large companies and in this interview offers his insights into the world of online marketing, strategies, and some of his own personal experiences.

1. Could you please give a brief introduction to who you are and what you do?

Thanks for giving me the opportunity! I am English and have worked in the online sector since the year 2000. I currently run a business that provides online marketing services and lead generation to the legal industry. This involves quite a few different disciplines including search engine optimization and in-bound marketing strategies.

2. I know that you worked abroad for a few years--what's your insight into that experience, and do you have any advice you can give to other people thinking about doing the same?

Sure. Before I ran my own business, I was the European online marketing manager for an American company called Garmin. They moved me over to Switzerland to manage all their online marketing, and I ended up living in the north of the country.

It was a fantastic experience for my wife and me. We would wake up and see the Swiss Alps from our bedroom window each morning, traveled extensively, and tasted a very different way of life. If any of your readers are given a similar opportunity, then I hope they grasp it with both hands.

3. Could you tell me a little more about your own business and what exactly it is that you do?

For the last few years, I have run SEO agencies serving a wide range of clients. Many of our clients have been personal injury lawyers and personal injury solicitors. It made sense to start specializing in that field, because I think that you can bring a lot more value as a specialist marketing agency to companies in a particular field.

So with that in mind, recently the parent company of my SEO agencies that I own, FIMA Digital, has started to exclusively work with personal injury firms, in particular the field of online lead generation. On the FIMA Digital website there's a lot more information about how this works.

We provide specialist solutions to them, and help generate millions of pounds of business into the industry each and every year.

This also involves aspects such as an affiliate program which you can read more about on our corporate website. That lets other suppliers jump on board with us and start monetizing their content to visitors which can then go into use the services of the UK solicitors and accident claims companies that we partner with.

4. What does a typical day involve in your offices?

Currently, it seems to involve a lot of phone calls from our clients. My role is really to be the main point of contact for the firms using our services, providing the specialist knowledge to them, whilst the employees of FIMA then action the strategies that I have helped to develop.

No one day is the same.

5. How it the world of online marketing changing, if at all?

Good question. I think that search engine optimization in particular is changing, and has undoubtedly become more difficult over the last two years. This has meant that a lot of the old agencies who didn't really understand it have started to drop off.

Consequently, there is a demand for more specialist support, which is how I view FIMA Digital and how our proposition fits with the aspirations of our clients.

6. One more question! Do you have any tips for aspiring online marketers and have any advice on what they could do?

I started out with SEO, building my own websites which I then ran through affiliate marketing channels. This is a great way to start if you want to dip your toes into the industry. I also think that it's very worthwhile now looking into paid search, because ultimately you don't want to have all your eggs in one basket as can often be the case when relying just on organic search traffic.

Thanks, Marc!

Meet Dan Anton, Atlanta SEO Online Marketer

Dan Anton is an Army veteran who has found success as an online marketer and SEO expert. After experiencing a a combat injury in 2008, he found a new career online--in fact, within six months, his online business had made him over a million dollars. See a full list of Dan Anton's military achievements and awards at http://dananton.com/awards-testimonials.

1. Before you were known as one of the best online marketers in the world, you were in the Army. Can you tell us a little about your military life?

When the towers fell on September 11, 2001, I was 21 at the time and ready to graduate with honors from Mount Clair State University. This event altered my life forever; I decided right then and there that I was not only going to become a soldier, but I was ready to defend America and aggressively pursue anything that threatened her existence.

I didn't want to just "join"--I wanted to test myself, which is why I became an Infantry Army Ranger, and retired as a Major, completing two tours of combat duty in Iraq. I received two bronze stars for combat related actions, but on my last deployment my convoy was hit by an IED, badly injuring my spine, which directly led to my next career, online marketing.

2. You primarily focus on SEO, and software. How does it work?

SEO is short for search engine optimization. One of the lessons I learned from the Army was systemizing and streamlining processes. Creating large websites, optimizing them, and promoting them is more akin to a science than random happenstance. Of course, the human element is critical, which is why experience and the right team in place is critical to success. Simply put, I develop SEO software and services that deliver results.

3. How useful is your computer science background for your career?

I've always been fond of working with computers and technology. Even before going to Officer Training School, I studied Computer Science. Fast forward to today: it's invaluable as it allows me to not only see problems from a "coder" perspective but also intelligently lead and critique our development team. Considering the bulk of our business is software based, college helped prepare me well.

4. What was your first venture online?

I've been making money online since 1999, when I use to sell informational guides for video games such as World of Warcraft and sell used video games online. My military career always came first, so I had to back burner a lot of ideas until I had more time and more money. In 2006, around the time of Myspace and social networks popping up, my brother and I created a social network for gamers. We had thousands of loyal members but just didn't have the big venture capital required to launch a massive website to rival Myspace, Facebook, Reddit, etc. It taught me a great lesson on scaling properly, cash flow, and focusing on services to help others, versus trying to be an island and achieve success alone.

5. Do you have advice for anyone looking to switch careers?

Never switch careers because you are picking the lesser of two evils. There are so many different ways to make money and/or help others, so you should really sit down and think about what type of person you want to become, and not force a decision. In my case, I knew my military career was over, but a new, growing passion pulled me towards helping business owners achieve even more success. The more you attempt to help others, the more you will see a new career unfolding before you as a service is a need, and if it's a need it can become a fine-tuned skillset to earn a living as a career and not just a job.

If you are a business owner and wish to reach out about our Atlanta SEO brand, follow the website and contact form.

Thanks, Dan!

Meet Matt Anton, SEO Consultant

Matt Anton is an online marketer with a current focus on SEO, also known as search engine optimization, creating products and services to help clients rank their businesses in Google.

1. You and your brother spent a long time learning-by-doing before starting your own company. What ultimately was the tipping point that led you into going into business for yourselves?

The tipping point was when I had a corporate job as an online marketing manager of a billion dollar travel agency, and I realized the companies we were outsourcing to, i.e. the SEO agency and PPC agency, were not doing a whole lot to earn the amazing amounts of money the travel agency was paying them. I loved the corporate job at first because I wanted to really help with my knowledge and passion, but the red tape and middle man mentality really left me wanting more. Around the same time, my brother Dan Anton was injured from a combat IED in Iraq; he is a retired Army Ranger Major having completed two tours in Iraq, receiving two bronze stars for valor in combat. He didn't want to be a desk general, and so he started to get more serious about our online marketing efforts. From 2006-2011 we were both part-time online marketers, though we made some money with it. In 2011, the corporate rat race was over, and Dan and I were ready to take the plunge and provide services to other marketers.

2. How would you summarize the scope of your business and how you help people?

Our mission is to help businesses achieve more success, and the vehicles were currently use to get there are focused around SEO, search engine optimization, and social media marketing. Dan and myself played video games constantly growing up, so we always love to figure ways around systems, test them, break them, and thrive at them. SEO and online marketing is just a game, and we love it, and there is no better feeling in the world than helping others, so it's a true win-win.

3. Why is it important to hire a professional SEO consultant rather than only taking a DIY approach to online marketing?

I believe if you hire someone you should always have a basic understanding so you don't get taken advantage of; however, the economy runs smoothly because everyone has a specialty. You wouldn't expect your local butcher to change your oil and fix your broken arm. If you have a real business, you need to have a real SEO consultant/service behind it; otherwise you will be dividing your efforts.

4. What are some things that people can do for free to help build reputable backlinks to their websites?

A great user experience. It sounds cliche that a quality website and content means a lot, but it truly does. In my younger years, I assumed all it took was the right mass media machine and all would work out. While it's probably easier to promote a decent product with mass marketing, few of us have this type of budget, so the easier solution is to create a great product (website/content) and have effective marketing behind it. Reaching out to others and begging sounds good in theory, but it's a waste of time. Would you want to link out to someone begging you for a link? Relationships are good, but they are founded on trust, and that starts with your reputation, which is directly linked to your internet presence and content.

5. For people who have always wanted to be entrepreneurs but have never quite managed to take the leap, what's your advice?

Keep your day job. I lived in my parents' basement more or less for years while I worked odd jobs saving up the funds to start. The thing about services is you don't have to invest much money at all to help someone else; most services can be time consuming, not capital consuming, so do it before or after your regular full/part-time job. It will make you appreciate it more, and not having a job while you work on your journey will make you desperate and take unnecessary risks and decisions. You'll know when you are ready when your workload begins to exceed hours available, and then you go down the outsourcing/delegation rabbit hole.

Thanks, Matt!

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!

Meet Josh Sexton, CEO of Hiiro Media

Josh Sexton is the CEO of Hiiro Media. His company builds creative social media campaigns across all platforms, and they work with companies of all calibers. Hiiro Media focuses on storytelling in all they do to drive business results. Learn more about Josh by visiting his LinkedIn page.

1. How did you first become interested in working in the field of social media?

In 2009 when I Joined Facebook. I realized I could market and sell products from a distance and reconnect with those I lost contact with over the years.​

2. What inspired you to start Hiiro Media, and what does the name mean?

​What inspired me was being in college, and seeing how the same old stuff is being regurgitated over and over and over again. I realized the way we market and the way we sell things are changing as rapidly as technology is changing. And very few brands have noticed this.

​Hiiro Media means creative story-driven marketing and branding. We find a way to tell a brand's story that captivates their audience and allows their audience to feel as though that company cares, that the company is human and not just trying to take their money.

3. Why is storytelling so important in a social media campaign?

​Because it allows for the audience to feel connected. It allows for a brand's message to reach their audience in a more human, authentic, and transparent way.

4. What are some things that very small businesses or indie businesspeople/artists/etc can do themselves to help get the word out about their projects?

Hire me. Lol. What can they do? They can invest the extra time and effort in educating themselves on where their target audience is and learning how to create content that visually and emotionally captivates them. Find a creative and innovative way to inspire them to engage with the brand. ​

5. When is it time for an individual or company to hire a professional firm for help with utilizing social media to improve their business results?

​When they sincerely wish to grow their business. Most companies think that just having a presence and posting words and pictures is marketing in the time we live in. What is scary is that companies with that philosophy fail because they think it's smart to throw things against the wall and see if it sticks.

Thanks, Josh!

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.

Meet Ricardo Casas, Founder of Fahrenheit Marketing

Ricardo Casas guides Fahrenheit Marketing in its strategic partnerships, business development opportunities, and overall team management. Over the last 12 years, he gleaned his marketing expertise through the various marketing arenas including graphic design, account management, and account direction and as marketing director for a large agency before founding his own company, Fahrenheit Marketing.

Ricardo attended the School of Business and International Relations (FURB) in Blumenau, and later acquired a bachelor degree in Graphic Design and Marketing from Texas State University. He is a devoted family man and enjoys every second he spends with his beautiful wife and four children.

1. Is online marketing viable for legal firms?

Fahrenheit Marketing has helped several legal clients rise from anonymity to prominence with future-proof strategies that have revolutionized these firms. The secret to their success: hard work, content focus, and conversion management.

2. Why should one choose Fahrenheit Marketing over other competitors?

Fahrenheit offers an alternative to cheap alternatives, capitalizing on American labor and future-proof strategies. Cheaper, less reputable outfits offer quick in and quick out results that don't last and in the end, cost substantially more, potentially the blacklisting of your website.

3. What does "future-proof" mean in marketing?

Fahrenheit Marketing seeks to harness valuable links from high quality outlets via content syndication. Future-proof, in this case, means that there is no policy against doing good. Fahrenheit produces and promotes quality content, adding value to users and relevance to its clients.

4. What does it cost to engage a high-caliber agency?

Usually, the price of a legal marketing campaign is attached to the market you serve. If you're in a metro area with a million-plus people, your campaign will start out around six thousand dollars a month. Remember, you're employing professional services for a professional campaign. No outsourcing here.

5. How long will it take to see a return on investment?

Depending on how competitive your market, it could take as long as 12 months to start seeing results. Online marketing is a marathon, not a sprint, and it's worth it!

Thanks, Ricardo!