Resep Serombotan | Masakkan Khas Bali

A) Bahan

- Kangkung ( 100 gram )

- Bayam ( 100 gram )



- Kacang Panjang ( 100 gram )



- Tauge ( 100 gram )



- Pare ( 100 gram )



- Terong bulat ( 100 gram )



- Kacang merah rebus ( 50 gram )



- Kacang kedelai rebus ( 50 gram )



- Minyak goreng untuk menumis ( 3 sendok

makan )



- Kelapa parut sangrai ( 200 gram )



- Kacang tanah goreng ( 50 gram )



B) Bumbu



1) Sambal Kelapa



- Bawang putih ( 2 siung )



- Cabai merah ( 2 buah )

- Cabai rawit ( 3 buah )



- Lengkuas ( 1 iris tipis )



- Terasi ( 1 sendok teh )



- Garam dan penyedap rasa secukupnya



2) Bumbu Koples



- Cabai merah ( 3 buah )



- Terasi matang ( 1/2 sendok teh )



- Garam dan penyedap rasa secukupnya



- Kecap manis ( 1 sendok teh )



- Gula pasir ( 1 sendok makan )



- Air matang ( 200 ml )





- Air jeruk limau ( 1 sendok makan )



C) Cara Memasak



- Potong-potong sayuran, cuci hingga bersih lalu

tiriskan. Kemudian rebus masing-masing sayuran

kecuali terong. Masing-masing sayuran direbus secara

terpisah.



1) Untuk Sambal Kelapa



- Panaskan minyak, tumis bawang putih, cabai merah,

cabai rawit dan lengkuas. Untuk terasi di goreng

paling akhir.



- Haluskan bumbu-bumbu yang telah ditumis tadi

bersama garam dan penyedap rasa hingga benar-

benar halus. Campurkan dengan parutan kelapa

sangrai.



2) Untuk Bumbu Koples



- Haluskan cabai merah,terasi, garam, penyedap rasa,

dan gula pasir hingga benar-benar halus. Campurkan

dengan kecap manis, air matang dan air jeruk limau

lalu aduk rata.



3) Cara Penyajian



- Letakkan masing-masing jenis sayuran dan

potongan terong dalam piring, lalu beri sambal kelapa

di atasnya, dan siram dengan bumbu koples. Taburi

kacang tanah dan kacang kedelai rebus di atasnya.

Hidangkan.

Resep Ayam Betutu | Masakkan Khas Bali

BAHAN :

• 
  
  1 ekor ayam
  
  
• 3 sdm minyak
  
  
• 5 lembar daun jeruk
  
  
• 3 batang sereh diiris halus
  
  
• 500 ml santan

BUMBU YANG DIHALUSKAN :

• 6 buah cabai merah
  
  
• 18 butir bawang merah
  
  
• 6 siung bawang putih
  
  
• 6 butir kemiri
  
  
• 1 iris kunyit
  
  
• 1 iris kencur
  
  
• ½ sdt merica
  
  
• 5 buah cabai rawit
  
  
• 1 sdt ketumbar
  
  
• 2 sdt terasi
  
  
• 1/2 sdt garam

CARA MEMBUAT AYAM BETUTU (BALI):



1. Bakar ayam 1/2 matang, angkat.



2.

Bumbu yang telah dihaluskan ditumis dengan

minyak sampai keluar aroma, tuang santan,

dimasak

agak kental, masukkan ayam utuh dan

dimasak sampai bumbu kering dan meresap, angkat.



3.

Ratakan bumbu pada ayam lalu panggang dalam

oven (arang), alasi dengan daun pisang,

panggang sampai kecoklatan, angkat



4. Hidangkan.

Resep Rabeg | Masakkan Khas Banten

Bahan

• 
  200 gram usus kambing, dikepang
• 
  350 gram daging kambing, dipotong kotak
  
• 150 gram hati kambing, dipotong kotak
• 
  4 cm jahe, dimemarkan
• 
  2 batang serai, diambil putihnya, dimemarkan
• 
  4 lembar-daun jeruk, dibuang tulangnya
• 
  1.000 ml air untuk merebus
• 
  6 butir bawang merah, diiris tipis
• 
  2 cm jahe, diiris tipis
• 
  1 buah tomat merah, dipotong-potong
• 
  1/2 sendok teh garam
• 
  1/2 sendok teh merica bubuk
• 
  6 butir cengkih
• 
  4 cm kayumanis
• 
  1/2 sendok teh pala bubuk
• 
  600 ml air
• 
  3 sendok makan Kecap Manis
• 
  1 batang daun bawang, dipotong 1/2 cm
  1/4 sendok teh cuka
• 
  1 sendok makan minyak untuk menumis
  

Cara membuat



1. Rebus usus kambing, daging kambing, hati kambing, jahe, serai, daun jeruk di dalam air sampai matang. Angkat dan tiriskan.


2. Panaskan minyak. Tumis bawang merah dan jahe sampai harum. Tambahkan daging kambing, usus kambing, dan hati kambing. Aduk rata.


3. Masukkan lomat, garam; merica bubuk, cengkih, kayumanis, dan pala bubuk. Aduk rata.


4. Tuang air. Masak di alas api kecil sampai meresap. Tambahkan Kecap Manis , daun bawang, dan cuka. Aduk rata.

Resep Sate Bandeng | Masakkan Khas Banten

Bahan :

• 
  
  
  
  2 ekor ikan bandeng
• 
  
  
  
  150 gram kelapa parut
  
  
  
  1 butir kelapa
  
  
  
  125 ml santan
  
  
  
  2 telor
  
  
  
  minyak goreng

Bahan Bumbu :

• 
  
  
  
  4 cabai merah
• 
  
  
  
  kunyi bakar
  
  
  
  8 bawang merah
  
  
  
  3 siung bawang putih
  
  
  
  1 cm jahe
  
  
  
  2 cm lengkuas
  
  
  
  1 sendok teh air asam jawa dari 1 sendok teh asam jawa dan 1 sendok makan air, dilarutkan
  
  
  
  1/2 sendok makan garam
  
  
  
  1 sendok makan gula pasir

Cara membuat :





- Bersihkan ikan terlebih dahulu sebelum diolah.



Keluarkan tulang dan dagingnya dari insang perlahan agar kulit tidak robek tentuu ini tidaklah mudah dan butuh keahlian khusus.



Sangrai daging ikan Setalah itu buang durinya kalau sudah tidak ada duri haluskan.

- Setelah itu panaskan minyak. Lalu tumis bumbu halus hingga harum..



Campur bumbu tumis, daging ikan, kelapa sangrai, dan telur dan diaduk rata.



Isi kulit bandeng dengan campuran daging ikan. Lumuri bagian luarnya dengan sisa isi. Jepit dengan bambu yang dibelah dua.

- Panggang di atas panggangan yang dioles minyak sampai padat. Bakar kembali sambil dioles santan kental sampai kecokelatan dan matang.

Resep Ayam Tangkap | Masakkan Khas Aceh

Bahan Ayam Tangkap:

• 1 ekor ayam (sebaiknya ayam kampung)
• 8 tangkai daun salam koja (temurui)
• 4 lembar daun pandan, iris kasar
• 1 liter minyak goreng
• 1 cangkir air matang
• 2 buah cabai hijau

Bumbu:

• 3 siung bawang putih (3 siung dirajang, 3 siung dihaluskan)
• 5 buah cabe rawit
• 3 buah bawang merah
• 1 ruas ibu jari (2 cm) kunyit
• 1 ruas ibu jari (2 cm) jahe
• 1 sdt garam
• air asam jawa, secukupnya

Cara Membuat Ayam Tangkap:

1.Potong ayam menjadi 24-30 potongan kecil, kemudian cuci bersih. Bila perlu, remas-remasdengan air perasan jeruk nipis.

2.Haluskan semua bumbu, campur dengan 200 ml air matang.

3.Masukkan potongan ayam ke dalam bumbu, dan rendam selama 10 menit.

4.Panaskan minyak di wajan besar sampai benar-benar mendidih. Goreng ayam sampai kecokelatan.

5.Semua ayam harus tenggelam dalam minyak dan jangan sampai terlalu berhimpitan satu sama lain. Untuk hasil terbaik, gunakan wajan yang besar, dengan 2 liter minyak goreng. Atau, jangan menggoreng sekaligus, melainkan sedikit demi sedikit. (Ingat: keberhasilan masakan sederhana ini sangat bergantungpada teknik menggoreng).

6.Menjelang ayam matang, masukkan irisan bawang merah, daun salam koja, daun pandan, dan cabe hijau. Teruskan menggoreng sekitar tiga menit lagi.

7.Angkat, tiriskan, dan segera hidangkan dalam keadaan panas

Resep Gulai Kepala Kakap | Masakan khas Aceh

Bahan:

• 
  
  3 buah kepala ikan kakap belah dua
• 
  
  1 buah jeruk nipis, ambil airnya
• 
  
  5 sendok makan minyak goreng
• 
  
  1 lembar daun kunyit
• 
  
  2 batang serai, dimemarkan
• 
  
  2 lembar daun jeruk
• 
  
  600 ml santan dari satu butir kelapa
• 
  
  5 buah cabai merah, belah dua
• 
  
  5 buah cabai hijau, belah dua
• 
  
  3 buah asam kandis

Bumbu (dihaluskan):

• 
  
  10 butir bawang merah
• 
  
  4 siung bawang putih
• 
  
  1 sendok teh lada
• 
  
  5 butir kemiri, disangrai
  
  1 ruas laos
• 
  
  1 ruas kunyit
• 
  
  1 ruas jahe
• 
  
  garam secukupnya.

Cara membuat:



1. Lumuri ikan dengan air jeruk, sisihkan. Tumis bumbu halus hingga harum.



2. Masukan daun kunyit, serai, dan daun jeruk. Tuangkan santan dan didihkan sambil diaduk.



3. Masukan ikan, cabai, asam kandis. Aduk rata. Masak dengan api kecil hingga matang dan kuah mengental.

The sixth generation of Apple's vaunted iPhone—the iPhone 5—is expected to arrive in Apple stores worldwide on September 21, 2012, according to latest rumors approximately one year after the launch of the iPhone 4S. Google's Android, nipping at its heels for years, is expected to overtake Apple's iPhone in market share this year putting Apple on the defensive. If there ever were a time for the iPhone to woo and wow potential buyers, now would be it. The iPhone 5 should continue the biennial pattern of issuing a major overhaul the year after a more evolutionary model, like the 3GS and 4S. With every new iteration, the questions on everyone's mind are:

1. What's new? (What are the new added features?)

2. What does it look like?

3. When does it come out exactly?

Launch date change: While iOS 6 was announced at the WWDC in San Francisco in June, Apple has so far been mum with details concerning the iPhone 5 itself. The actual date of the iPhone 5's availability has not yet been announced, but is expected towards the end of the summer. The latest rumors point to a September 21 launch in the United States.

So far, Apple's been characteristically mum
on the details on all future unannounced
products, but the rumor mill and fake
pictures are already starting to spring up.
Here's what we can probably expect: 4G: The iPhone 4 and 4S are belatedly available on Verizon in the
United States (and the latter on
Sprint), but 4G (LTE) is likely not going
to be available until AT&T releases its
own 4G service (HSPA+) nationwide,
expected in later 2011 at the earliest. The iPhone 5, released in 2012, will
likely be the first 4G iPhone available on all three US carriers (AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint). This is,admittedly, a disappointment for Verizon users, since its speedy LTE network will have been deployed for well over a year and accessible with competitive (read: Android) devices during that time. Edge-to-edge, larger screen. The entire front face of the iPhone might be a screen, doing away with the physical
home button, or possibly integrating it into the display itself. Rumors suggest the screen will grow from 3.5 inches to
3.75 inches. Smaller port. The 21-mm wide, 30-pin connector port at the bottom of the phone
is expected to be replaced with a narrower
port, requiring new USB and charging
cables and connectors. Faster chip. With each successive Apple mobile operating system, increased
complexity and added features create
strains on the processor. Apple is likely to
move away from working with Samsung,
with whom it has a number of outstanding
patent lawsuits underway, and move to an updated, dual-core A5X chip, which the
iPhone 5 will share with the newest (third-
generation) iPad. The A5X has a 1 GHz
CPU, and a quad-core GPU. The heavily-
rumored A6 chip will likely appear in the
7th generation iPhone and 4th generation iPad, both to be unveiled in 2013. Polysilicon (p-Si) touchscreen mounted on Gorilla
Glass. The Japanese newspaper, Nikkan, has reported a rumor that the 2012 iPhone
will switch to a new display material that will
enable it to be thinner, lighter, and less
power-intensive than current displays. If
even the last claim is accurate, that will be a
major boon to battery life, since a phone's display is typically the largest draw on
power. This display technologically will
putatively be manufactured by Sharp,
starting the spring of 2012 ahead of the
phone's summer launch.
Gorilla Glass, a Corning innovation, resists breakage far better than any other
commercially-available glass. Coupled with
the p-Si touchscreen, the iPhone 5 will
likely be the brightest- and toughest-
screened iPhone yet. More memory. The iPhone app store shows no signs of abating in popularity, and
without SD card memory expansion in
Android phones, Apple will up the phone
storage options available. Expect 64GB
and 128GB variants. Improved battery. The iPhone 5 might be the first to use the organic radical battery
(ORB) technology developed by Japan's
NEC, which is more environmentally-
friendly than current lithium ion batteries that have dangerous heavy metals. ORB also boasts an absurdly fast recharge time (about 30 seconds) and higher energy density (will be able to pack more power into a smaller battery). Better camera. The iPhone 5 might be the first iPhone to cross the 10 million pixel threshold with its camera (the iPhone 4S boasts an 8 MP camera), unsurprising as high-resolution images have always been a hallmark of Apple's products. Near-Field Communication (NFC) chip. Debuted on the Samsung Nexus S and possibly implemented on the iPhone in the 5th generation product, this newest hardware addition enables contactless communication between a phone and objects similarly embedded NFC capabilities. This should eventually enable things like paying via credit card by holding your phone over a terminal for a second,or paying for things from vending machines using your phone. The technology is similar to Bluetooth although it uses less energy and establishes a connection far more quickly (although at a much closer range -a few inches away instead of yards away). The most compelling reason for not installing an NFC chip is that the technology has really been Google's bailiwick, since adoption of the technology at POS (point of sale) retail terminals has been pushed by Google Wallet. Apple might strategically choose to lag here. Form factor improvements. Apple puts a tremendous amount of emphasis on the sleekness of its products. The iPhone 5 will be no exception, with a modern,lightweight, and thin look. Expect some surprises in terms of shape and, especially, materials, as Apple hopes to push the envelope and fend off attacks from Android handmakers, its largest competition. Case material improvements. To round out the environmental friendliness of the new device, more advanced, naturally-sourced plastics might be used in the case. For example, isoplast polymers might replace
the previously used polycarbonate case
manufactured with BPA (bisphenol-A). Some rumors point to Liquidmetal, a "smooth as liquid" metallic alloy that can be
injection molded for plasticity, as a novel case treatment: the curves of a plastic, but with the luster and resistance to breakage
of metal. Liquidmetal is an alloy of titanium, copper, nickel, zirconium, and other
metallic elements. Improved antenna design. After the fiasco of the iPhone 4's wraparound metal antenna,
Apple has to make some ground in
reception in its new overhaul. This has
been addressed somewhat by iOS 5
already, which purports to choose
between two sets of antenna based on the strength of the signal. But for the 2012
iPhone, expect a new antenna that doesn't
require a special case or on-the-fly
antenna selection to avoid "death grip"
interference. This will probably be a benefit
that Apple will not make a whole lot of fuss about, since it would only draw attention to
the iPhone 4's serious shortcoming, and
because it was supposedly addressed via
iOS 5. Possible innovations and features Apple usually includes something unique
and technologically cutting-edge into each
iteration of the iPhone (like the smudge-
proof screen in the 3G and glass case in
the iPhone 4 and 4S). Here are some
long-shot possibilities for the iPhone in 2012:the case could be made of the battery itself
(lithium ion polymer), reducing weight and
improving battery life the button could be phased out, replaced
with a virtual button on-screen face or thumb recognition as a security
measure the phone could be a Wifi hub using the
carrier 4G connection a "pico-projector" - video can be projected
a short distance onto a flat surface a clear "window phone" in which the
phone could be transparent What do we know so far? Toshiba Mobile Display Company is
building a $1.2 billion factory to produce
LCD panels for the iPhone 5. The factory is
scheduled to be operational in the second
half of 2011, ready to produce iPhone 5
displays for the 2012 launch. A consortium of three Japanese display
manufacturers - Toshiba, Hitachi, and
Sony - are merging their mobile display
businesses in early 2012. They are
reportedly working on a 4-inch (10.1 cm)
display that is rumored to be used in the iPhone 5.

Sony Xperia Z Smartphone to Unleash in August 2012

Sony’s flagship device for the second half of the year year, the Sony Xperia Z, is rumored to be slated for an August 2012 launch.

This device will replace the company’s current flagship device, the Xperia S.

The forthcoming Xperia Z handset joins Sony’s upcoming lineup of smartphones this year that includes the Xperia C, Xperia E and Xperia Y three new second-generation NXT phones.

Unlike the Xperia Z, however, these three devices will reportedly be launched earlier, possibly in July 2012.
These devices will all carry an OLED display and an S4 Snapdragon processor.

Moreover, they will have camera lenses with Cybershot technology and lenses from the T Camera line.

They will likewise sport PlayStation Certification and have an integrated Walkman audio player.

However, these specifications are only based on rumors, for now, and might not even be present in the phones.

At the very least, we know that the specifications of the Xperia Z will be higher than those of the Xperia S which is still a pretty decent phone according to today’s standards.

The Xperia S sports a 4.3-inch LED-backlit capacitive LCD touchscreen and a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels.

It also has a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8260 Snapdragon for its processor.

At any rate, consumers will know soon enough as Sony is scheduled to reveal its fresh Xperia devices in an Xperia media preview event to be held in Singapore this coming June 20th.

Since its separation from its former partner, Ericsson, Sony had been quite aggressive in producing and marketing its new devices.

It made tech headlines recently through a Facebook campaign called “Fast Forward” that allowed users to decide when the company will unveil one of its new Xperia devices.

This campaign revealed the Xperia Miro, an Android device targeted at the low- or mid-tier market.

The Japanese company as well recently unveiled another low-end smartphone called the Xperia Tipo.

Android Apps Easily Hijacked

Dead Trigger, a relatively popular FPS game for the android and IOS version eventually become free for Android.

The reason is due to exceptionally high levels of piracy in Android according to its developers, Madfinger Games. It is a sad situation, especially for small developers.

We all know the android operating system has grown rapidly in the last two years.

With the advances experienced by the android, most developers continue to bring their applications on Google’s platform.

This is regardless of the problems such as fragmentation and monetization.

Very serious problems in dealing with the android is piracy. Android apps is very easy Hijacked. And its results are pirated and will be distributed as an APK file, after which the Android Apps is installed on pirated android device.

Malware and security issues have not been proven as a deterrent enough people keep plowing applications.

And, Google also does not care about what is installed APK file on Android Apps devices.

Android Apps Easily Hijacked This does not apply to the IOS, because each application published by Apple for free or paid, the application needs to validate the apple, and must be downloaded through the app store.

Monetization issues are not new in Android Apps. According to a report by Flurry, for every $ 1 earned by the developer at IOS, Android developers get only 24 cents.

This is why many developers, including major developers such as Rovio, go put ads on the applications they have on Android Apps, while the developer also has an ad- free paid version for IOS.

Last Update Android Apps Jelly Bean says Android OS will be equipped with encryption model of paid applications.

The move is expected to slow the growth of piracy on Android.


Source : sitesgadget.com/news/android-apps-easily-hijacked

Apple secures EU-wide Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7

US electronics giant Apple and South Korea's Samsung Electronics each scored partial court victories in Germany Tuesday in their global war over rival tablet computers.

A regional appeals court in the western city of Duesseldorf upheld a ban on sales of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 7.7 computer for infringing on Apple's design patent, and extended it from Germany to the rest of the European Union.

But it said that the redesigned Galaxy Tab 10.1 N was now sufficiently different to the Apple iPad to be acceptable under competition law.

The two technology giants are engaged in a legal battle involving dozens of cases worldwide as they struggle for leadership in the hugely lucrative smartphone and tablet computer market.

Apple launched legal action in April last year, accusing Samsung of "slavishly" copying its iPhone and iPad designs.

Samsung has focused its own lawsuits on technology patents rather than design.

In November, the Duesseldorf regional court had slapped a temporary ban on Samsung's previous model, the Galaxy Tab 10.1, saying it copied the iPad.

But changes Samsung made to the successor model for the German market to meet the court's demands rendered the tablet computer sufficiently different, it said in February Apple appealed this decision.

Earlier that month, two other courts in Germany also quashed Apple's request to impose a preliminary ban on sales of its Galaxy Tab 10.1N and Nexus smartphone.


Source : gadgets.ndtv.com/tablets/news/apple-secures-eu-wide-samsung-galaxy-tab-77-ban-247122

Nokia losses quadruple as smartphone sales fall 34pc

Nokia's losses have quadrupled on sagging sales of smartphones but its shares jumped as overall sales exceeded forecasts. Nokia posted a net loss of €1.41bn (£893.8m) in the second quarter, compared with a loss of €368m in the same period last year.

Overall sales were down 19pc to €7.54bn, not as low as analysts' forecast of €7.36bn, according to financial data provider FactSet. Smartphone sales were weak, however, dropping 34pc to €1.54bn. Nokia shares jumped 10pc to €1.50 after the report. Analyst Mikko Ervasti at Evli Bank in Helsinki said Nokia performed better than expected in lower-end devices,shipping 84m such units compared with market expectations of 80m.

The Finnish company was the world's
leading mobile phone maker for more than a decade but was overtaken by Samsung in the first quarter, according to research firm Gartner. Facing stiff competition from Apple's iPhone
and devices running on Google's Android software, Nokia tried to stem the decline in smartphones in part through a partnership with Microsoft announced last year, replacing Nokia's existing Symbian operating platform with Microsoft's Windows Phone software.

A drop in sales was expected during this transition period, and Nokia said that the decline of Symbian phones dragged down sales in all regions expect for North America, where the decline was "more than offset" by sales of Nokia's Lumia devices, which run on the Windows software. Nokia said it sold 4m Lumia devices worldwide in the quarter. Questions arose about Lumia sales in the US earlier this week when Nokia and AT&T halved the price of the flagship Lumia 900 to $50, just three months after its introduction. Nokia called the cut "a normal strategy that is put in place during the life cycle of most phones".

Nokia's global market share has steadily shrunk from the peak of 40pc in 2008 to 29pc in 2011 and is expected to dwindle further this year. Meanwhile, Nokia shares have fallen to their lowest level since the 1990s, plunging below €2 in mid-June.


Source : telegraph.co.uk/technology/nokia/9411499/Nokia-losses-quadruple-as-smartphone-sales-fall-34pc.html

Best New Bank Account Promotions, Offers & Free Money

With many financial institutions experiencing a decrease in profits banks are vying for your business. This i s good news for you, because instead of just offering standard perks like no fees, free checking, or a free pen when you sign up for an account, some banks are raising the stakes with cold hard cash, giveaways, and great interest-bearing products.

July is a good month for bank promotions from both big and small banks. Banks are giving away a lot of free cash to attract new customers and get them to open up accounts. The banks listed below have some pretty sweet deals that you should take advantage of if you are in the market for a new bank.

Don’t want to miss out? Here are the best bank promotions for the month of July. Top Bank Account Promotions (July 2012)

1. ING Direct – $50 Bonus

ING Direct frequently runs many of the best bank perks in the market. ING Direct is giving away $50 to anyone who opens up an Electric Orange Checking account. Getting the $50 bonus requires you to make a total of 3 card purchases from your account. If you don’t want to do that then you can qualify by making three Person2Person Payments. You can do any combination of three purchases and payments if you wish. You will receive a $50 bonus automatically in your account on day 50.

2. Citibank – $100 Cash Back

You can earn a $100 cash back reward by opening a Citigold checking account. The offer runs through the end of this year, and all you need to do is fund the account with $1,000 within 45 days of opening, set up a
direct deposit, and make one qualifying online bill payment for two consecutive months.

3. Chase Bank – $150 Bonus

Open a Chase Total Checking Account with at least a $100 initial deposit and direct deposit, and you can get a $150 cash bonus. To open the account, click on the link and enter your email address. They’ll send you a coupon for the bonus, which you have to print out and take to a local branch. The Chase Total Checking Account has a $12 monthly service fee, but it is waived if you have monthly direct deposits of $500 or more, a daily balance at or above $1,500, or an average balance of $5,000 or more in your checking and other types of qualifying Chase accounts. This offer expires on July 15, 2012.

4. PNC Bank – $150 Bonus

To receive this cash bonus, you’ll need to sign up for PNC’s Virtual Wallet with an associated Performance Spend Account. You must make one direct deposit and one payment via online bill pay within the first sixty days of opening the account. There are certain fees involved, so make sure
you investigate the setup before going forward. This offer ends on September 30, 2012. 5. Valley National Bank – $150 Bonus Valley National Bank is now offering a $150 bonus for opening any one of their customer-friendly checking accounts. You get free checking for one year, a free order of checks, and free online banking, eStatements, mobile and text banking, debit card, and banking by phone. If you open a checking account with Valley National Bank, you get $75 when you sign up for mobile banking, and an additional
$75 when you enroll in online bill pay or start a monthly direct deposit. You must do this within 60 days of opening the account, and the money will appear within 90 days.

6. BankDirect – AAdvantage Miles

Open a BankDirect Mileage Checking Account and earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles. You’ll receive 1,000 miles just for opening an account, 5,000 miles for initiating direct deposit, 2,000 miles for using BankDirect’s bill pay service for one year, and 1,000 miles for referring a friend. There are other ways to earn miles as well, and some restrictions apply. Be sure to investigate the offer thoroughly for
full program details.

7. Citizens Bank – $1,000 Bonus for College Savings

Citizens Bank is currently offering a $1,000 bonus for those who sign up for a CollegeSaver savings account, an easy, manageable savings plan that will help your meet your college savings needs. It is an interest bearing account, and if you open it before your child’s twelfth birthday and save the monthly minimum amount every year, you’ll receive a $1,000 bonus when your child turns 18. Opening an
account earlier than when your child turns twelve will only increase the savings.


Source : moneycrashers.com/best-new-bank-account-promotions-offers-free-money/

Ways to Make Your Business Irresistible to the Media

Ever wonder why some businesses get press and some don’t? Getting a mainstream media outlet to pay attention to your business seems like an impossible-to-solve mystery.

You might see your competitors spouting a diatribe that you know for a fact is wrong, or that you could explain better.

“Why did they interview that guy instead of me?” you wonder.

Actually, it’s not you. 99 times out of 100, it’s not your qualifications, your knowledge, or your ability.

It’s your approach.

After 10 years as a journalist, I’ve seen just about every bad pitch you can imagine. And I’ve also come up with 109 foolproof ways to entice the media in your city to highlight your business — approaches that make the mainstream media unable to resist you.

(And lots of them work just as well with bloggers and social media influencers.)

Build relationships months in advance of pitching

1.Connect on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or in real life more than six months in advance of pitching a reporter.

2.Monitor the Twitter hashtags of your community. Often reporters chat with the public on Twitter, and you can respond to comments they make.

3.Compliment a reporter via Twitter, Facebook, or e-mail on a story he or she did.

4.Introduce yourself to reporters at big public or chamber of commerce events. Pass along your card, but don’t try and sell them the idea on the spot. Just be helpful.

5.Invite reporters out for coffee, and ask a lot of questions about them.

6.Leave a comment at the end of the online version of a story a reporter did, which you genuinely liked.

7.Congratulate them on their birthdays, or other personal news they post.

8.Comb through Muck Rack to find regional or national reporters on Twitter who cover your industry.

9.Write a positive blog post on your blog highlighting a story of theirs, and e-mail them the link.

10.Respond regularly to posts they’ve written either on their blog, or on a local community blog you’ve noticed they post on.

11.Visit city council meetings in your town. Typically there’s a reporter sitting around bored, that you can build a relationship with.

12.Sign up on helpareporter.com. Several e-mail lists are sent out daily, full of reporters needing experts for stories. Jump on those that fall within your expertise.

13.Scout publications with smaller and more targeted readerships, such as a local business weekly publication. These media outlets are often run by just two or three people, and they’ll jump at a guest column or article by you because it’ll save them the time of tracking down a story on their own.

14.Listen to AM radio stations, especially on weekday mornings or on Saturdays. Befriend one of the regular show hosts. Often they’ll highlight any business that is doing something interesting the public might find interesting.

15.Nix spending money on an online press release site early on. Those online press release systems are more useful for building inbound links, or if you’re already a recognized expert with a track record, and there’s a major news event breaking that you could discuss.

16.Ask them if they’d mind if you added them to your email list. Then provide them with education-based content marketing to sell them on doing a story about your business.

Once You’ve Met, Make The Pitch Transition Smooth

17.Say “yes” without fail if a reporter wants to interview you that day, even if it has to be over the phone or while you’re on vacation.

18.Offer occasional suggestions of angles you think would make great follow-up stories, especially that don’t have anything to do with your business. Nearly all stories are parts of a long-running issues, so reporters always need additional story follow-up ideas.

19.Offer to connect reporters to experts you know . If the reporter sounds interested, follow through with the offer.

20.Be a source for stories that fall within your expertise by letting reporters in your industry know you’re available when they need a source. This can lead to regular spots on the news.

21.Point reporters to blog posts you genuinely think they’d be interested in – whether on your blog or others. It validates you as an expert.

22.Treat journalists with respect. You’ll set yourself apart just by being friendly

.

23.Keep a camera handy for “spot news” photo opportunities, and then pass along to the media outlet. This can be anything from a deer crashing into a department store while you happened to be there to a good shot of an event or store opening.

24.Offer to write a column on your specialty for the online website of a media site, or for a print publication in your area.

Ponder These Issues Prior to Pitching

25.Define the story in just one sentence, so you can easily explain it to the media in 10 seconds.

26.Include people in your story pitch. Many owners try to pitch their company’s achievements, but stories that sell normally have people involved, not just the company.

27.Focus on selling the benefits to viewers, listeners or readers first. It’s about their perspective of what you’re selling, not about how wonderful it would be for you to sell your product or service.

28.Think visually. When can a media station shoot video and pictures? If that’s not possible, are there video or pictures you can provide?

29.Avoid offering a posed or fake event or picture. They are typically frowned on by the media.

30.Hold an event where you’re actually doing what you’re talking about, and invite them to come, whether it’s to write a story, or just take a picture or video.

31.Post your video online for easy download, or put it on DVDs.

32.Seek permission from the individuals in a potential photo shoot ahead of time.

33.Highlight trends in which your business is just one of several examples. Nearly every trend can be turned into a story pitch, and it has the added advantage of letting you not hog the limelight, which reporters often don’t find appealing.

34.Provide actual users of your service or product for the media to interview. Their testimonials will boost your credibility.

35.Offer to review the facts or your quotes if you feel nervous the journalist misunderstood you. Don’t try to pressure the journalist into letting you review the entire article before publication, though, because media stations normally don’t allow this.

36.Provide a journalist with an expert to interview who has used and can vouch for your product. If you sell skin cream, for example, ask a dermatologist who likes your product to be available for an interview.

37.Copy relevant documents for the reporter, to provide at the interview, or prior to it.

38.Create a list of key dates and facts relevant to the story, along with potential quotes.

39.Write a couple paragraphs describing the process in simple terms, ideally with a drawing if the story is complex.

40.Write a killer press release in the form of a ready-made story, if submitting a story to a weekly or a daily in regions of fewer than 50,000 people. You’d be surprised how often a newspaper will print almost exactly what you sent.

41Give reporters two weeks’ notice for an upcoming story or event.

42.Remain flexible. Reporters have days that are jam-packed with breaking news, and other days that are slower and more open to a less-urgent story like yours.

43.Choose to meet in person if an option, because the journalist will then get to know you better, and you’ll have more time with him or her.

44.Travel to where the story actually happens for the interview – whether in your office or an hour away at a gravel pit.

45.Muzzle the natural urge to provide stacks of background research. Most reporters don’t have the time or interest in looking through it.

46.Leap on breaking news relevant to your industry as a chance to put yourself in the local news. The shootings in Arizona presented an opportunity for anyone who deals with mental health to be interviewed on local radio, television and in the newspaper.

47.Pitch local stories to local reporters. National attention typically springs from local attention first.

48.Call ahead and pitch a story, if you’re showcasing your products at a local convention or other major event typically covered by the news. Otherwise reporters just walk the aisles and randomly choose businesses to speak with.

49.Watch the calendar, and pitch a story that would ideally run around major holidays, when things are often really slow in newsrooms.

50.Act enthusiastic. If you don’t seem excited about the idea, neither will they.

51.Express why this story is of value to your community. If it’s a story you wouldn’t bother watching or reading, don’t pitch it.

52.Show an image that encapsulates the story you’re trying to tell. When Google held a national competition, our video shot on a Flip Camera received national attention from a variety of media outlets because it easily showed in one image how wild the competition became.

53.Forget about giving up. Don’t be a pest, but keep trying every few weeks to pitch an idea, until a reporter gives a straight yes-or-no answer to your idea.

54.Write very short e-mails to reporters. Three or four sentences total. Your e-mail is much more likely to get read by busy reporters if it’s short and to the point.

55.Devote lots of time on e-mail subject lines to reporters. You can apply the same techniques for writing magnetic headlines for blog posts – they make both readers and reporters want to know more about what you have to say.

Five Simple Steps for Local SEO

Local business owners across the country have been struggling with the recession. It isn’t easy to maintain a healthy business when people don’t have the money to spend, and you don’t have the advertising dollars to get yourself out there. In our technology driven world there are a few advantages that business owners have started taking advantage of. Technology has allowed individuals to perform business faster, more efficient, and even on the go. One of the most important things for businesses of all types is the internet. You have to have a strong internet presence in order to have some legitimacy, form a new customer base, and of course make some new money. While it seems like there are an endless amount of options you can chose from marketing your business, one of these methods stand alone above all others. The process of local SEO for small business owners should be the next step you take, if you haven’t already. You can achieve natural and effective local SEO in five simple steps.

Step 1

The first thing that you need to do is get an online presence. You must have a website. Listings are not enough. People are going to want to go to your website, and they are going to want to click around before they decide whether they are going to, or are willing to make a purchase. You do not have to go all out and buy a $5000 dollar website, although that wouldn’t hurt. There are an abundance of website options out there for under $500 dollars, and even some free WordPress themes geared towards a particular business – those can get you up and running in just a few days. Whatever option you chose, try not to over do it. Customer click freindly websites are what works, anything unneeded or over the top will simply discourage customers. Important information should never be two clicks away.

Step 2

Step two entails something very simple that all business owners should do. You are going to want to get yourself listed in Google Places. In order to do so you are going to have to make a Google account and create your listing in Google Places. You could even have an SEO professional handle this to ensure that your listing is done appropriately. However, it is very simple. After you have made your listing Google will send you a postcard to your place of business and there will be a list of directions that you will follow on the letter in order to get yourself listed. This postcard will come in about two weeks.

Step 3

Step two entails som
Step three is related to Google Places. For the third step, it is important to place your business listing in as many online directories as possible. Most people don’t use the yellow pages, but they do use online directories like them. Yelp, Yellow Pages, and other directories are a great place to start. It is also important that the information you list is consistent across the board. Remember that a search robot might not read “Terrace” the same as “Ter.” Google doesn’t pull this information off directory sites, but you can be sure that they are looking to them as a reference.

Step 4
Effective On-site SEO. Believe it or not things like on-site SEO matter, and more than you might think. For someone who is always online, and has a good computer to match, a page load time might not matter so much. However, it matters first and foremost because the search engines evaluate your site based on page load time, among other things. The other reason is for people with the bare minimum connection, and older computers. They will most likely click back and chose another page if they are having trouble loading yours. Other factors that come into play involve various page attributes. You want to have the right keyword density that sum up your business, or that you are trying to rank for. This should be anywhere between 3-5% per page. Then, things like placing various keywords, or locations in your header tags are very vital as well. Although your store may be called “Harry’s Heating” most people are not looking for Harry selling heating services. They are looking for heating services, in a certain area. Something like “Arlington Heating” would be much more appropriate. Do not forgot about on site SEO.

Step 5

Off site SEO. Off site SEO is confusing to a lot of people, especially local business owners. And, especially with all of the bad practices that are sometimes associated with it. There are many things that go into off-site SEO. The most important is making an effort to place links from other websites, that are directed back to yours. To many business owners, especially the ones who are not to computer savvy, this really doesn’t make any sense. This is where a white hat link building service is so vital. Working with reputable SEO’s that can provide you with the best saerch engine optimization practices are what you are looking for. They also have the advantage of working with a distinguished local business, and in the eyes of Google that is a plus. The problem with link building services that are done on a global level is that anyone can buy a domain and claim a certain set of keywords that they want to rank for. With a local business, you typically have some sort of brick and mortar presence, long before you have an online presence. Therefore, SEO’s can provide amazing content, and amazing links – which is beneficial to both parties. Each article or piece of content you write, should be viewed as a small advertisement for your local business. Depending where your content gets posted, you could potentially get more views than a billboard would off a major highway, although that is not likely it is certainly more cost effective.

SEO has come a long way since the realization that higher rankings, means higher profits. The truth is that SEO is changing everyday, and it is constantly a moving target that you must aim for. A lot of people view this as a bad thing, but is that concept any different than other business? Do you not have to keep up with changing laws, environments, markets, currency, and economic issues? The answer is yes you do. Some things however, are constant. People are always going to need certain things like food, water, and shelter. From the looks of it there will always be small local businesses. Small, local businesses have the advantage of earning their right to legitimacy offline before they come online. Google knows this, and now you do too. Local business SEO should be something all local business owners engage in. Whether you try to do it yourself, or whether you hire professionals, the important thing is that it is done. Of course the most important thing in any of this is that you have a great product or service behind your online presence. Without that, your Local SEO will not be sustainable.

This article was written by Thomas Benjamin.

Is It Necessary To Have a Blog for Affiliate Marketing?

A blog is a platform with the help of which you can share your ideas regarding different issues with various types of people. In your blogs you should discuss about the topics that is relevant to your audience. This will help you gain the trust of the audience and you’ll find that people are looking up to your blogs to solve their problems. You can utilize blogs to make money affiliate marketing as your source of online earning. It’s because, blogging is an important tool of affiliate marketing that will help you boost traffic to your website. This will increase the number of click on your link and you’ll be able to earn a good amount of money.

Importance of blogging in make money affiliate program

Read on to know how blogs play one of the major roles in affiliate marketing.

1) Helps you get linked to your devoted followers

Being a blogger, you must remember one thing that the people who are visiting your website and going through your blogs regularly are your devoted follower. If you’re able to provide your visitors fresh and updated contents through your blogs and recommend good products and services, then you’ll be able to prosper as an affiliate marketer. If the company allows you then you can include special offers which will increase your affiliate sales.

2) Helps you build up reputation very easily

You must be aware of the fact that brand is an important part of e commerce. If any product of a company fails to fulfill the requirement of any customer, then the brand will have a very bad repute. The reputation of the company can get marred. Now, if you’re a regular blogger and have good terms with your visitors, then you can discuss this issue openly through your blog posts. This will help you sail safely through such ups and downs and retain the previous market.

3) Easily accessible to the public

If people want to go through your blogs, then they are not required to take any memberships. Hence, anybody who wants to get information about the products that you’re marketing, can go through you blogs and get benefited. This will increase the sale of the products and helps you prosper in make money affiliate marketing.

4) Inculcates a competitive spirit

If you want to prosper in this field, then you have to beat the competitive market. Regular blogging can help you realize your dreams. If you’re able to track other bloggers in the markets and read their posts and frequently comment on it, then you’ll be able to boost traffic to your website. Try to be the first one to post comments in others blogs and give reference of your blogs. This will surely drag a huge number of visitors to your website. This will increase your affiliate sales and help you prosper in this field.

5) Gives you the opportunity for one on one communication

One on one communication is an important factor in a flourishing business. Through these blogs you’ll be able to solve different queries of the visitors of your website. This will also help you entertain the needs of your visitors. This way you’ll be able to improve the mutual understanding among you and your clients and can get various ideas to make your products user friendly.

Lastly, the above mentioned factors have made blogging become one of the hottest growing medium of communication for business and individuals. This platform will allow you to get a closer look to the needs of the visitors, build up trust and will help you prosper in make money affiliate marketing.

About the author:

Rick Murphy is a contributory writer associated with the Debt Consolidation Care Community and has written several articles for various financial websites. He holds his expertise in the affiliate marketing industry and has made significant contribution through his various articles. To get more knowledge affiliate marketing visit:

www.debtconsolidationcare.com/affiliate/

MobGold to be the Largest Mobile Advertising Marketplace in Asia Pacific

MobGold, one of the world’s largest mobile advertising marketplaces, today officially announced that it is aiming to become the largest mobile ad network in the Asia-Pacific region by the end of the year.

MobGold CEO Alan Chang said that the company has secured a place as one of the top contenders to be the market leader in Asia Pacific following the company’s robust expansions in the region. Earlier this year, Alan himself spearheaded the project to escalate and intensify MobGold’s operations in the Asia Pacific region.

According to Alan Chang, the decision to focus on this particular region was backed by research data on the Asian mobile ad market that forecasted explosive growth for the region.

“According to a Nielsen survey on mobile advertising trends in Asia between July 2010 and October 2010, Mobile internet advertising grew by 9% in only 90 days,” he said. Similarly, another research published by Marketing-interactive showed that this rapid growth of media consumption via mobile devices signifies an important shift in the Asian mobile advertising community. Smartphone ownership has doubled to 24% in 2010 from 10% in 2009, showing an increasing trend of smartphones becoming a part of people’s daily lives.

Besides that, a Nielsen survey polling 5,900 individuals aged 12 – 64 showed that smartphone users are more engaged in using their mobile for online activities including web browsing (44%), social networking on Facebook, Twitter (41%) and online news reading (26%)

“With so many consumers using mobile devices as a primary means to digital media consumption, the penetration rate for smartphones will increase at a huge scale over the next year,” said Alan. “This is where the opportunity lies as substantial growth can be expected throughout the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in markets with large populations but relatively low penetration rates,” He added that countries like India, China, Philippines, Pakistan and Indonesia are expected to continue growing at a healthy pace as they inch closer to adapt a more digital lifestyle.

“By capitalizing on the region’s forecasted stellar growth trends for mobile internet advertising, MobGold is confident that it can emerge as the largest mobile advertising network in Asia Pacific, ahead of mobile ad giants InMobi, Admob and Buzzcity,” he said.

“We are aggressive and bold when it comes to setting our targets. With the right mindset coupled with motivation and the drive to succeed, I do not see why we can’t achieve this feat,” said Alan.

About MobGold

MobGold is the network developer that moderates MobGold Network, a mobile advertising network and mobile transaction solutions provider for advertisers, brand owners, publishers, network operators, web portals and mobile phone retailers who wish to monetize their users’ traffic around the world. Equipped with the expertise and know-how regarding high-traffic high-speed transaction platform architecture, web development and mobile content provisioning, MobGold is uniquely positioned to offer complete end-to-end solutions for both advertisers and publishers, from advertisement format conversions, campaign management services and provision of statistical data, to final delivery and even billing. MobGold believes that the mobile platform is the future of digital marketing and also the new media that will outshine conventional web media. For further information, please visitwww.mobgold.com

5 Mistakes When Integrate Your Site With MobGold

There may be some of us (especially beginners) wondering why after our website has been registered in MobGold, the ad doesn't show up because our website is not well integrated with MobGold system so there is always show "Awaiting Integration" word statement in the list of My Sites Column in the member's area. When you experience this, usually there are some mistakes (according to my experience) you might do some mistakes as below:

1. Your site is NOT Mobile Site:

Sometimes MobGold could not well integrated because we do not register the Mobile Site like wapsite, especially for us who create websites with WordPress engine, Joomlah, etc. that have a CMS system that can’t be customize easily (if we are not IT experts). Although sometimes we still can show ads on the common website, but if our visitors click on the PC Browser, then we will not get the money, except they click our ads from their mobile phone browser.

2. You Register HTML Website

No doubt for now that MobGold erase the HTML ads support, probably because many of them do some kind of fraud or click ads on their own site.

3. Domain is not valid.

Usually MobGold has no problem with any domain, whether they have a free domain or sub domain. But usually (for some reason) integration with MobGold will get problems if we have a long domain or not the main page for example like this: http://m.domain.com/?webID=51329875232198878652 or http://m.domain.com/3578 / cmd/x4567849874216% sija.htm. and if you register with the url as above then (usually) is will keep "Awaiting Integration" continues. We recommend use clear and short domain only such http://m.domain.com/

4. Wrong Script Placement

Wrong placement of the script provided by MobGold on your site scripts, though sometimes not very influential, but we should know the ideal placement of the script. so it doesn't copy and paste to the random place, the ideal place is in below the logo header, footer, menus, etc. it. So, if we were to paste but cut other script then it will caused error.

5. Wrong Script

This is obviously clear enough, if your site using PHP language, then you might not use CGI / Perl language script. If you do that, the script can't do request ads to the MobGold system.

So, I think that's all the main problem when you have difficulties when integrate your site with MobGold, Actually, the integration has a simple method, when you paste the script into your site, then the script will request ad into the MobGold system. If your site can do that then your website will be integrated automatically. Hopefully this articles helpful, If you still can't integrate or have other solution, please don't hesitate to share your solution here, and I will update this articles.

Want to ? Then Stop Reading and Get Moving!

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post here at problogger.net about how Firepole Marketing makes money.

I explained that even though we’re less than a year old, we’ve already made over $20,000, and that over half of that came from offline sources.

We wanted to know how other bloggers make their money. Is it all online, or do they make their money offline as well?

In other words, we wanted to know if they were Semi-Local.

In October 2011, we surveyed 153 people; 107 who were already Semi-Local, and 46 who aspired to be. We asked a number of questions to find out what was really involved in becoming and being Semi-Local. Here are the highlights of what we learned.

How many hours per week do you work?

The first major finding was about how many hours per week people who were already Semi-Local (current SLs) spent working, versus how many hours per week people who aspired to be Semi-Local (aspiring SLs) spent working:

Notice the discrepancies on either end of the spectrum: 31% of aspiring SLs work less than 20 hours per week, versus only 12% of current SLs. On the other hand, only 15% of aspiring SLs work 50+ hours per week, versus 28% of current SLs.

Do you think people are idealizing the Semi-Local life, and expecting it to be a lot easier than it really is?

What is your take-home income?

Another interesting finding was about take-home income:

There’s definitely more money in being Semi-Local: 39% of current SLs make over $60K/year, versus only 22% of aspiring SLs. The majority (60%) of aspiring SLs make between $20K and $60K/year, whereas the majority (60%) of current SLs make between $40K and $200K/year—a big difference!

There’s some interesting data at the edges of the spectrum, though. 25% of current SLs make under $20K/year, versus only 18% of aspiring SLs, and only 2% of current SLs make over $200K/year, versus 4% of aspiring SLs.

How does one become Semi-Local?

One of the most interesting findings (to me, at least) was about how people actually go about becoming Semi-Local:

The majority (71%) of aspiring SLs expect to achieve Semi-Local status by creating an offer that is substantially different from their current offer. In contrast, the majority (60%) of current SLs did it by selling exactly the same offer to a new market.

The lesson here is pretty clear—put away all of the shiny objects, and look for new customers to buy what you’ve already got!

How long does it take to launch?

This is one of the top questions for anyone who’s thinking about becoming Semi-Local: how long does it take to launch?

There are really two “categories” of results here: the first category is “under 100 hours,” and the second category is “100+ hours.” Seeing the results in these two categories, we can draw a couple of interesting conclusions:

Current SLs have a stronger preference for smaller projects as a means of getting going (76% of current SLs, versus 70% of aspiring SLs).
Current SLs took a lot less time to launch than aspiring SLs expect it will take (46% launched in under 40 hours, versus 34% who believe they can do it in such a short time).

Do you need professional help?

That’s the question that we should all be asking before opening up our wallets for the latest training program on blogging and online busine

This is the most striking finding: 63% of current SLs said “no,” versus only 43% of aspiring SLs. The message here is very clear: you don’t need training, you just need to get off your butt and start working!

Do you want to see more of the numbers? Review more of the answers that the respondents gave us? Then download the full report—it’s free!

5 Tips to Improve Your Web Sales During the Holiday Season

It’s that festive time of the year again: the holidays will soon be at our doorsteps. While many will be celebrating the holidays, us bloggers have to work hard to reach our sales goals.

Hopefully we can celebrate this season in a different manner: by improving our sales and boosting our profits. With competition always around the corner, it’s vital to formulate and apply solid strategies that get real results. Here are my favorite ways to boost sales over the festive season.
1. Create attractive landing pages

It doesn’t matter if you’re selling a product or a service. In order to really convert plain traffic to a final transaction, you must create effective landing pages that list all the benefits of whatever it is you’re offering.

For a landing page to produce good results, it must have a purpose and a goal. What’s your target revenue? Set a time frame, aim high, and work towards your goal.

More importantly, the page must emphasize the ultimate advantage of your offer while stimulating the prospect’s mind. Get in the reader’s head—what are they thinking? To earn the visitor’s trust, link or quote authority figures and websites. Offer your product to a few individuals for free to create buzz and so you can get persuasive testimonials. Feedback is potent and cannot be underestimated. With a little bit of tweaking, landing pages are simply the best way to boost your offer’s sales numbers.
2. Offer incentives to improve sales

There are plenty of incentives to consider.
Free shipping

In the event that your website is promoting a tangible product such as a book, for the buyer, your offer of free shipping can be the deciding factor between making the purchase or ditching the product altogether.

Believe it or not, offering free shipping can actually make you more money. To qualify for delivery that’s free of charge, websites usually require a minimum order. That way, the buyer purchases at least one fairly expensive product or two products at a regular price. How many times did you visit an online store to buy one thing but then bought something else as well just to qualify for free shipping? I know I’ve done it plenty of times.
Slick promotions

Who doesn’t love the buy-one-get-one-50%-off deal? How about buy one, get one free? If you slightly raise the price of the first item and include a separate shipping and handling charge for the second, you could be earning almost the same profit you would by selling both items at the regular price!

How about promoting the older ebook that’s been sitting on your blog’s shelf for quite some time? Maybe throw it in as a free bonus to guarantee the sale. If you’re advertising a valuable service such as blog consultation, how about offering 25% off your first lesson to get things rolling?

Many thriving blogging mentors such as Jon Morrow offer package deals such as “sign up for five classes and get one free,” which can help achieve promotional goals. This is smart because it doesn’t cost you anything and creates more value for your buyers.
Other techniques

Other proven techniques to consider are cross-selling and up-selling. Have you ever bought a shirt and shoes from the same website at the same time? That’s like buying a theme framework and a skin for the design.

The point I’m trying to make is that you can convert sales to even more sales if you address the customer’s needs. The best way to do that is by dedicating a section on your website that links to related products. Placement is important so the related product(s) should be displayed in a highly visible area, preferably on the sidebar or right below your current product.

These are some powerful tips to think about. Keep in mind that there’s no right or wrong incentive that can make or break your sales this holiday. Your success will be mostly measured by the effort you put in and the strategies you apply. It is, however, possible to determine the most ideal incentive for your operation through continuous testing (shifting things around).
3. Rely heavily on email marketing

Email marketing is so powerful because it’s right in your face. When I get an email from ProBlogger’s newsletter, 95% of the time I click on it and read it thoroughly. Why? It’s simple, I’ve been sold on Darren’s ideas as he gained my trust and loyalty as a reader.

I wanted to know this is true for sure so last week I emailed a few successful bloggers and asked about their experience with email marketing. Every single one of them responded with truly positive comments and one person mentioned that it’s beneficial to any web campaign.

I agree—in fact many web gurus have said that a large percentage of their sales come from email advertising. It works because it’s a direct form of sales that builds relationships based on trust. Most importantly, it’s targeted towards a crowd that’s already following your lead, which makes it easier to convert the sale.

Take into consideration that it’s not always just about making the sale. It’s imperative that your value your loyal readers and offer them substantial value in return. Sometimes it’s enough to just get more downloads, views, or subscriptions.
4. Shoot for repeat business through social media

The people who are already following your moves on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are usually the first ones to know when you release a new product, run a promotion, or publish a new post. Connect with people you’ve already convinced in the past. Make them feel at home by dressing up the design of your social network page to a holiday related theme.

Doing this will naturally encourage holiday shoppers to pick up the book you recently published on your website for their family or friends. Maybe they’ll even purchase a service you offer on their behalf. Guess what? You just sold two people without even knowing it.
5. Test your website early and frequently

If you’re expecting a serious wave of traffic for the holidays, the last thing you want is to have any errors such as broken links or pages on your website. If your planning is poor and your website is not fully functional, you could be losing substantial revenue.

Proof read as many pages as you can to check for grammar mistakes, especially the pages where an offer is based on visitor action. The images on your site should load quickly to avoid the visitor from exiting your page.

Your page shouldn’t take more than two to three seconds to load for the same reason. It may also be a good idea to go through a test transaction to make sure that your order link is working properly. This way, if there are any issues, you’ll be the first one to know.

So, how exactly do you improve sales through your website during the holiday season? By implementing the above strategies to your website and making buying easier, more comfortable, and rewarding. Share your extra tips in the comments, so we can try them too!

5 Tips for Maximising Your Earnings from Amazon’s Affiliate Program During the Holidays

With the holidays almost upon us, now is a time for bloggers who are Amazon Affiliates to act to capitalize on what is usually one of the most profitable times of the year.

While Amazon is not my biggest source of income (it makes up around 5% of total income for me) it does spike at this time of year. Here’s how Amazon performed in 2010 and into the early months of 2011 for me.



As you can see, December is always the biggest spike in commissions for me, but November and January are the second and third highest earning months of the year.

Obviously the holidays are times when people are in a buying mood, and with all the holiday sales already under way, now is the time to act to maximize your commissions with Amazon if its an income stream you want to get the most out of.
Tips for maximizing Amazon commissions

So how do we get our commissions up in the coming weeks? Here are a few quick tips to start with:
1. Get people in the door

Okay, this isn’t rocket science, but the best thing about promoting products on Amazon is that it’s one of the best-optimized online retail stores. Amazon are known for testing their design and sales techniques and, as a result, if you get people in the door of Amazon.com, you’re well on the way to getting some commissions.

The cool thing about Amazon is that anything people buy once they’re in the door from your referral link will earn you a commission. So while you might suggest a book or a camera, if they end up buying a ride-on lawn tractor you’ll take a commission for that (don’t laugh—I sold one of those once)!

So drive people to Amazon and let the site do its work. Much of what I’ll outline below are some techniques to get people in the door.
2. Promote the sales

Amazon currently have a lot of sales going on. Black Friday sales are already underway and Cyber Monday sales will follow—in fact, in the leadup to Christmas there will be regular sales and promotions going on in most departments.

The key is to watch for what is currently on special and to be promoting the best of it. For example, in their photography department they have some great cameras on special including one that we use at our place—the Canon Powershot S95. I promoted it a couple of times on social media earlier in the week and saw several sales.

So keep a watch on what’s on sale in terms of products that relate to your niche. Choose the ones that will fit with your audience the best and promote them!
3. Bestseller lists

People love to see what other people are buying to help them determine what they should buy. There are many ways to utilize this in your own promotions on Amazon.

* Use one of Amazon’s bestseller lists: Almost every type of product on Amazon can be sorted based upon what is selling best. For example here’s their Best Selling Digital Cameras and Gear list. You can refine these further to hone in on specific types of products, like DSLRs, Lenses, Point-and-Shoot Cameras.
* Affiliate stats: Another way to create a bestseller list is to look at the stats that Amazon gives you as an affiliate to see what people have bought previously via your affiliate links. This will only work if you’ve referred a decent amount of sales, but it’s particularly useful if you do, because you can present the list as being the bestselling products in your community. That’s how I created the Popular Digital Cameras and Gear page, which is my top-earning Amazon affiliate page on dPS. I similarly do smaller focused bestselling lists like this one for lenses.
* Surveys: Surveys are another way to create these lists. Survey your readers to find out what their favorite products are, and report back to them the results (example).

4. Buying guides

Another type of list post that readers love, and that converts well, is the “buying guide,” where you walk your readers through a variety of products of a certain type or price point. It’s like a list of mini-reviews of products that your readers might find useful.

An example of this that worked well for us last year was 15 Must-Have Photography Accessories under $25.
5. Hypotheticals

This one is a little from left field, but has worked well for me on two occasions (and I’ll be running it again in the coming days). On each previous occasion I gave my readers a hypothetical sum of money to go and spend on Amazon on cameras.

The challenge was to go and research what cameras they would buy from the Amazon Camera section and then to come back and report on the products they’d buy. The links to the section I suggested they go to were affiliate links (I also made some suggestions on cameras that they might like to look at) and in the days after the post went live commissions spiked.

Readers also loved the challenge—we had hundreds of people come back and share what they’d buy with their hypothetical money! Update: I’ve just posted this year’s hypothetical post here.
Other great techniques for making money during the holidays with Amazon

There’s a lot more tips and techniques to read on making money with Amazons Affiliate program. I’ll link to some more extensive articles below but wanted to highlight these five techniques because I think they particularly relate to this time of year.

Here’s some further reading from a series of posts on the topic. The tips are not specifically holiday-related, but will give you a great overview of how to make money with Amazon. They also contain a lot of tips that would be relevant to other affiliate marketing efforts.