How I go after link strategies to market clients

Wikipedia defines Link exchanges as a practice of exchanging links with other websites. There are many different ways to arrange a link exchange with webmasters. The simplest way of doing it is to email another website owner and ask to do a link exchange. Also visiting webmaster discussion boards which offer a dedicated link exchange forum where webmasters can request a link exchange be it of a certain category or open to anybody.

Link exchange has been a long time practice by website owners since the beginning of the web. In the last few years (after year 2000), this practice has gained more popularity as search engines such as Google started favoring sites that had more links in the rankings. This system was very accurate at gauging the importance of a website when it first started, leading to the popularity of Google.

Personally, one of my favorite means is monitoring blogs, newsgroups and a clients' linked-in sites via Alexa.com. Additionally, there are more and more resources out there for PR professionals such that Action Strategies can hit a broad range of numerous websites in a fast period. To clarify, the need for PR practioners in the internet age has never been clearer.

Just as in traditional PR, I pride myself on building a rapport with the webmasters of websites I know would benefit a client should a link be placed on their site. The message has to be clear to them, nonetheless. There needs to be a real interest placed in the mind of the webmaster as to why a link to your site is beneficial.

If there's to be any doubt as to the value of reciprocal linking, check out Alexa.com's report on EQAO. Impressive to say the least! Nearly 120 sites linking in and Action Strategies will be increasing that number!

Be forwarned, this strategy is not for the faint of heart. It takes time and consistent monitoring. For advice on implementing your own link exchange strategy, consult a PR consultant. Action Strategies can advise you on the best methods available in building a ''buzz''on the internet and raising your link-ins.
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Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifier in Action Strategies, a full service Marketing Communications, Public Relations and Public Affairs Consultantcy. Make sure to contact him for advise on reaching audiences you may or may not have yet considered in your marketing communications campaigns. You can view his website at www.actionstrategies.ca.

The key to Magnfied PR? Identifiy Your Targets!

My most recent assignment with the EQAO (Education Quality Accountability Office) has re-enforced what I have long believed about targeting the right message to the right audience. In fact, this experience has helped me prove a long held point that understanding, identifying, and analyzing groups of people you wish to motivate or influence is so critical.

With EQAO, we're learning that our target audience, teachers, receive their professional development information in different formats. Additionally, they don't always receive all government information via their own professional associations and unions.

So, what's been needed? Working on a thorough marketing plan, I have advised EQAO to break it's communications efforts into three sub groups (more detail will be following as I can't get much further in detail right now). Each of these groups has similar yet varied interests. Equally, they receive their information from and place greater credibility with varying sources of information.

By communicating with these groups on a one-to-one basis and laying out an analyzed calendar of events, we are well on our way to saving EQAO enormous amounts of time and money in advertizing efforts. Moreover, we're continually growing their subscriber lists to an upcoming newsletter targeted to teachers.
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Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifier in Action Strategies, a full service Marketing Communications, Public Relations and Public Affairs Consultantcy. Make sure to contact him for advise on reaching audiences you may or may not have yet considered in your marketing communications campaigns. You can view his website at www.actionstrategies.ca.

Action Strategies' Newest Magnifier Partner

Fred Sherman
Principal - - Hill Solutions
Influencing Future Outcomes

Fred Sherman is an Ottawa-based writer, political strategist and community entrepreneur whose work has taken him around the globe. He has commented on political and social issues in various print and broadcast media, including an internationally televised social commentary segment.

Fred has served in Senior Communications capacities in several government departments; most recently as Director of Communications and Legislative Affairs for a federal Ministry. He has worked on a variety of national scale projects including various House of Commons Canada-wide Public Consultations, the Department of National Defence's Year 2000 National Contingency Planning Group, and the Public Service Commission's and Treasury Board’s Employment Equity Positive Measures Program.

Since 1997, Fred Sherman has owned and operated Hill Solutions, a strategic political communications consulting venture. Fred's own site can be found at Fred Sherman Communications.
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Mark Buzan is the owner of Action Strategies, a public affairs & marketing communications consultancy. You can subscribe now to his monthly public affairs newsletter by visiting www.actionstrategies.ca and dropping down the newsletter menu.

Fred Sherman's Magnfier Report: New Movers & Shakers in Ottawa

From my last post, I mentioned that Fred Sherman of Fred Sherman Communications will be working with Action Strategies in giving readers of Corridors and this Blog some insights into some of the newest movers and shakers on Parliament Hill.

Mark Buzan, Chief Magnifier
Action Strategies
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Here's an insight of Parliament's most recently placed senior staff:

Maureen Murphy-Makin is the chief of staff to new Justice Minister Rob Nicholson; while William Stairs continues in his job with new Treasury Board Minister Vic Toews. Chris Froggat is chief of staff to Environment Minister John Baird, and Michelle Austin remains chief of staff to Industry Minister Maxime Bernier. Anthony Salloum, former senior political aide to one-time NDP leader Alexa McDonough, will continue working around the Hill, but now as program director of a new think-tank, the Rideau Institute on International Affairs.

Even the Canada’s Chief Electoral Officer, Jean-Pierre Kingsley is stepping down to take a post as president of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in Washington, D.C. Amongst those in attendance at his farewell reception were lobbyists Tim Powers and Kim Furlong.

Fred Sherman
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These people will be some of the more prominent people in Ottawa Action Strategies and its Magnifiers will be watching.
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Mark Buzan is the owner of Action Strategies, a public affairs & marketing communications consultancy. You can subscribe now to his monthly public affairs newsletter by visiting www.actionstrategies.ca and dropping down the newsletter menu.

Scheduled podcast - Relationship building and Government Relations in Canada

For those who weren't already aware, Action Strategies has launched a new series in podcasts. Please stay tuned as this week, I'll be interviewing Fred Sherman of Fred Sherman Communications. Fred was a long time assistant in various Ministerial offices during the Chretien and Martin years.

Together, we'll be talking about the challenges and techniques Government Relations professionals face in dealing with a Conservative government as opposed to nowadays under the Conservative government's accountability act.
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Mark Buzan is the owner of Action Strategies, a public affairs & marketing communications consultancy. You can subscribe now to his monthly public affairs newsletter by visiting www.actionstrategies.ca and dropping down the newsletter menu.