Tech and Trends:- Mapping the market involves putting on your deerstalkers cap, like Sherlock Holmes did when “the game was afoot.” You’re going to conduct standard Internet searches, through Google, where you can use the Alexa toolbar to determine the number of site visitors. The variety of cutting edge Web 2.0 tools, like Facebook, Linked In, iTunes (for podcast related to your niche market), YouTube, Skype, and MySpace, will help you learn more about your prospective partners.
Don’t forget the blogging directories such as Technorati, or Digg.com. And, although they’ve been around longer than other communication tools, forums offer you a way to Connect with prospects. (https://iheartrving.com/) Check out: www.omigli.com. You’ll also visit ezine directories, like EzineListing.com, Jogena’s Ezine Directory, located at http://www.jogena.com/ezine/ezinedata.htm, or EzineLocater.com, to comb their listings for ezines related to your joint venture offer. This is all in addition to reviewing your own network of entrepreneurs who may be, or know, exactly the right people to join forces in a joint venture. Most recently I was involved in working with an Internet-based company who puts together and promotes teleseminar events. Not your free teleseminars, but targeted, fee-based programs of 5 to 6 presentations. They had a special event for writers who hoped to get their book successfully published and marketed – with some amazing presenters.
First things first, I told them. Go to www.alexa.com, and download their free toolbar. You’ll be using this to determine the site rankings of those people you’re conducting due diligence upon. You’re going to use it to find 5-15 of the most similar products to the one you are selling, and gather their contact information. However, this tool only works with those sites listed in the Alexa database – and is replete with sites of interest to Internet marketers. And, honestly, it’s not 100% accurate, so although it’s a fine tool to use, it should be just one in your JV toolkit.
So…back to our case scenario. You’ve put together a package of strong teleseminar presenters, to market to people who wish to learn more about how to get their books successfully published and marketed. In this case, what keywords would you use to find people to team up with? You’ve got to think like the potential prospects of site visitors – in this scenario, we’re looking for Web sites that sell products and services to writers who are, as yet, unpublished. Or, perhaps they are dissatisfied with the book marketing efforts related to a book they have already written. Either way, we’re looking for keywords related to “book publishing” and “book marketing”.
I recommend using a keyword search tool to help you broaden your search parameters. There are a number of no-cost keyword search sites, as well as downloadable software you can install onto your desktop. If you wish to install keyword-related software directly onto your computer, go to GoodKeywords.com (http://www.goodkeywords.com/), where you’ll find Good Keywords v2, considered by many to be the original classic software for finding good keywords. Good Keywords v2 is completely free. It is a small 500Kb download, digitally signed and safe to install.
KeyWordDiscovery.com, a Trellian Company, has a nice (and free) search term suggestion and keyword research tool which they claim is a more reliable alternative to the original Overture suggestion tool. You can find it at: www.keyworddiscovery.com/search.html. You can also use Word Tracker’s Free Keywords tool, found at freekeywords.wordtracker.com to track your top 10 most searched for and relevant keywords. Whichever tool you use, you’re going to be looking for the most popular keywords related to your search term. The easiest way to determine popularity: go to Google and search using your keywords to find out what companies are bidding on the top keywords.
