How to Make Internet Marketing an Effective Tool For Lead Generation

Internet marketing, also known as online or inbound marketing, is how many businesses reach new prospects and stay connected with their current customers. By using the Internet (and its ancillary branches, such as email and social media) to market their business, they are able to get their message out to people across the globe in a fraction of the time it would take using more “traditional” methods. Because people are increasingly spending a lot of their time online, it’s important to know how to use Internet marketing methods in the most effective way possible. Here are some tips and techniques you can use to take full advantage of this type of marketing.TIPS AND TECHNIQUES FOR INTERNET MARKETING SUCCESSSocial Media MarketingOne thing people have always had in common is the desire to stay connected. Today, tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn allow people to connect immediately with friends and family as well as the world at large. Social media marketing is very important for businesses because it helps them nurture their current customer base while also giving them the opportunity to make contact with new customers.Whether you want to leverage your online presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any of the many social media platforms out there, the aim is the same: giving your customers the chance to connect with your business on a more personalized level via a two-way interaction. You may utilize your social media accounts to promote your business,; however, your primary goal should be to establish a conversation with customers and prospects to find out how you can better solve their problems and deliver what they are looking for. Professional internet marketers agree that selling on these platforms should be minimized; the focus is on engagement, creating interest and curiosity. Continual and overused sales pitches will likely have the reverse effect, and posts will be ignored.Mobile MarketingSimilar to social media marketing is mobile marketing. More often than not, your customers and prospects will be connecting with your business through their smartphones or tablets instead of their computers. It is much easier to check websites or social media on the go rather than to sit down at a computer, so it is essential your marketing approach is mobile-friendly. This means having your website transferrable from desktop to mobile without glitches, as well as utilizing apps or creating your own. Internet advertising also includes banner ads on relevant websites and SMS (short message service),or text message marketing. In the case of text messaging, the protocol requirement is for customers to opt in to an automated system by texting a reply or shortcode. Once the customer has opted in, text message specials or important product and service updates are welcomed.SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Marketing – Visibility MarketingWhen a person is looking online for something similar to fit their needs, they enter search terms in a search engine, such as Google, Yahoo, or Bing. If your website or page isn’t optimized for search engines, your page ranking may be so low that no one will find you – or you may not even show up at all! In order to be “found”, your website needs to be visible to all of the major search engines. The way you make this happen is by SEO marketing, which utilizes specific tools (such as keywords, link building, and relevant content, to name just a few) to increase visibility and elevate page ranking. At 1st Straw, we refer to SEO as “visibility marketing”, because every technique used is designed to make your website more visible to search engines. Improving your SEO marketing strategies will help get your business at the top of the search list instead of lost in all the other website links. Do this by thinking about what customers will search for instead of using typical words and phrases. The key to great SEO marketing is to think like a customer, and to create your keywords, build your links, and craft your content accordingly.E-Mail MarketingFor many of us, our first thought at the words “email marketing” brings to mind the annoying “junk” or “spam” messages that land in our inbox each day. This is a prime example of email marketing done wrong. The purpose of email marketing is to maintain contact with your customers and prospects. Effectively done, it can be a powerful tool to generate more leads for your business.You’ll want to design your email content to be compelling and relevant to your recipients. You can craft an online newsletter that’s distributed on a regular basis (e.g., monthly or semi-monthly). A successful email campaign has a clear objective, includes an “opt in” technique, and gets through the junk/spam filters so that it can actually be read. Be sure to use an email marketing provider that allows you to track your results so that you know who is opening your email and clicking through to your website or other links.Internet marketing is a significant marketing channel that can reap measurable results. Use these strategies to step up your inbound marketing game and improve your online presence. The end result is more leads to convert into sales!

SPDN: An Inexpensive Way To Profit When The S&P 500 Falls

Summary
SPDN is not the largest or oldest way to short the S&P 500, but it’s a solid choice.
This ETF uses a variety of financial instruments to target a return opposite that of the S&P 500 Index.
SPDN’s 0.49% Expense Ratio is nearly half that of the larger, longer-tenured -1x Inverse S&P 500 ETF.
Details aside, the potential continuation of the equity bear market makes single-inverse ETFs an investment segment investor should be familiar with.
We rate SPDN a Strong Buy because we believe the risks of a continued bear market greatly outweigh the possibility of a quick return to a bull market.
Put a gear stick into R position, (Reverse).
Birdlkportfolio

By Rob Isbitts

Summary
The S&P 500 is in a bear market, and we don’t see a quick-fix. Many investors assume the only way to navigate a potentially long-term bear market is to hide in cash, day-trade or “just hang in there” while the bear takes their retirement nest egg.

The Direxion Daily S&P 500® Bear 1X ETF (NYSEARCA:SPDN) is one of a class of single-inverse ETFs that allow investors to profit from down moves in the stock market.

SPDN is an unleveraged, liquid, low-cost way to either try to hedge an equity portfolio, profit from a decline in the S&P 500, or both. We rate it a Strong Buy, given our concern about the intermediate-term outlook for the global equity market.

Strategy
SPDN keeps it simple. If the S&P 500 goes up by X%, it should go down by X%. The opposite is also expected.

Proprietary ETF Grades
Offense/Defense: Defense

Segment: Inverse Equity

Sub-Segment: Inverse S&P 500

Correlation (vs. S&P 500): Very High (inverse)

Expected Volatility (vs. S&P 500): Similar (but opposite)

Holding Analysis
SPDN does not rely on shorting individual stocks in the S&P 500. Instead, the managers typically use a combination of futures, swaps and other derivative instruments to create a portfolio that consistently aims to deliver the opposite of what the S&P 500 does.

Strengths
SPDN is a fairly “no-frills” way to do what many investors probably wished they could do during the first 9 months of 2022 and in past bear markets: find something that goes up when the “market” goes down. After all, bonds are not the answer they used to be, commodities like gold have, shall we say, lost their luster. And moving to cash creates the issue of making two correct timing decisions, when to get in and when to get out. SPDN and its single-inverse ETF brethren offer a liquid tool to use in a variety of ways, depending on what a particular investor wants to achieve.

Weaknesses
The weakness of any inverse ETF is that it does the opposite of what the market does, when the market goes up. So, even in bear markets when the broader market trend is down, sharp bear market rallies (or any rallies for that matter) in the S&P 500 will cause SPDN to drop as much as the market goes up.

Opportunities
While inverse ETFs have a reputation in some circles as nothing more than day-trading vehicles, our own experience with them is, pardon the pun, exactly the opposite! We encourage investors to try to better-understand single inverse ETFs like SPDN. While traders tend to gravitate to leveraged inverse ETFs (which actually are day-trading tools), we believe that in an extended bear market, SPDN and its ilk could be a game-saver for many portfolios.

Threats
SPDN and most other single inverse ETFs are vulnerable to a sustained rise in the price of the index it aims to deliver the inverse of. But that threat of loss in a rising market means that when an investor considers SPDN, they should also have a game plan for how and when they will deploy this unique portfolio weapon.

Proprietary Technical Ratings
Short-Term Rating (next 3 months): Strong Buy

Long-Term Rating (next 12 months): Buy

Conclusions
ETF Quality Opinion
SPDN does what it aims to do, and has done so for over 6 years now. For a while, it was largely-ignored, given the existence of a similar ETF that has been around much longer. But the more tenured SPDN has become, the more attractive it looks as an alternative.

ETF Investment Opinion

SPDN is rated Strong Buy because the S&P 500 continues to look as vulnerable to further decline. And, while the market bottomed in mid-June, rallied, then waffled since that time, our proprietary macro market indicators all point to much greater risk of a major decline from this level than a fast return to bull market glory. Thus, SPDN is at best a way to exploit and attack the bear, and at worst a hedge on an otherwise equity-laden portfolio.

What Is the Student Loan Consolidation Rate

The student loan consolidation is the merging of several student loans, and is done to save money on interest and for the convenience of one payment instead of several. There are plenty of things you should know about student loan consolidation, and this site provides the information you need to make a decision.Consolidation Loan – InformationIt is very likely that if you went to college is likely to stay with some kind of student loan debt. Each year, borrow, this is a new and unique loan that helps pay for your tuition and living expenses. When all is said and done, however, one of the best ways to save money is through student loan consolidation. In a student loan consolidation you get a loan paid in full.The student loan consolidation is a mystery to many college students and graduates. The truth is, however, the consolidation loan can save you much money. In addition, you can pay off your debt faster so that your college years are not chasing you in your retirement years. What a relief loan consolidation provides students.There are many ways you can get a consolidation loan. You can get federal loans, a bank or a private lender, but no matter what you choose to do so; consolidation will have a big effect on getting out of college under their debt. The idea is that it takes only one payment per month, so you can pay your debt off faster and with lower monthly payments than you think normally.Loan consolidation current studentsIt is a fact that almost half of all college students graduate with a degree of student loan debt. The average debt of $ 20,000 is focused on. That means an entire population of young people with serious debt and no education on how to deal with it. Most do not know, but the truth is that many of these students are met to consolidate loans and at school.Despite what many believe, student loan consolidation does not have to wait until after college. In fact, there are many benefits that have been consolidating while you are still in school. Consolidating student loans while in school can lessen the debt before you even start to pay debts. That, however, is only the beginning.Another advantage of the consolidation of student loan debt while still in school is that you can avoid any increases in interest. In July 2006, interest rates for federal student loans rose sharply. There is nothing that prevents this kind of tours that take place once again. The sooner your debt is consolidated and locked, the less likely victim of a rapid rate of rise.As with anything, make sure that consolidating student loan debt before you graduate will work for your specific situation. In most cases, however, is a good financial base and move forward. Lightening your debt before he was even paying it is a great benefit. Indeed, it can be the difference in paying their loans off in 10 years or 30 years.Benefit CreditConsolidating your student loan debt can do more than just reduce your long-term debt. The fact is that consolidation could help you increase your credit score during the loan. This, in turn, will help you buy a better car, get the house you want, or end up with a lower rate credit card. But how can a debt consolidation student loan can help you increase your credit? Consider some of the measures used by credit rating agencies reporting.First, further opening the accounts with the lowest score will be, in general. Throughout his student life, which will be held until 8 loans to pay for their education. Each of these is shown as a separate account with its own interest payments and principal. By consolidating, you close the accounts to one account. So instead of 8 open accounts, you have one. This right will not help you qualify.Second, you will have lower payments after you have consolidated your student loans. When the number of agencies reporting your credit score, they do looking at their minimum monthly payment. Instead of having several payments per month for your student loans, you have a payment that is less than the sum of the payments of age. Again, consolidation helps your score.As a final point, that improving your debt to credit rationing. When your score is figured, the presentation of reports have companies check your debt to available credit test versus credit used. When you have more credit available, but less used (like when you consolidate student loan debt) after the case of a higher score. So, if for no other reason, consider consolidating to help your credit score.Beware of traps when you make loan consolidationAs we approach the end of his college career, you have undoubtedly received a number of flyers, mail and e-mail about consolidating your loans. Each company has any reason you should go to them for their consolidation. However, you should be aware that sometimes there are many catches all those promises. Knowledge of the catch can help you prepare to make a wise decision on your consolidation loan. Do not drop the first consolidation of trading that falls into your lap. Carefully consider the options that are delivered to you.A bonus can be offered is common to all discounts. They will tell you that if you make a series of payments on time, you will receive a discount. The only problem is that to maintain the discount, you have to make timely payments for the loan after that. That may have up to 20 years. A delay in the payment in one day during that time and “discount” is gone.Another way to get caught in a plus is when you receive the offer of an all in one building. In this loan, the company offers to take in all of its debt, including credit cards, car loans, and any other debt you have. It is tempting to have everything wrapped into one loan, but lose the ability to defer its predecessor or student loans. The loan will no longer be protected as a student loan.As a final point, be careful with changing your email address or moving. One or two letters misdirected, or worse, the wrong orientation of emails and a lender can make you pay the price. You could lose a discount or paid excessive fees. Therefore, it is unaware of any company that offers strictly to work with you via email.Know what you get when it comes to consolidation loansIt is important to be familiar with what they are entitled under the Higher Education Act. There are certain advantages for a federal student loan and consolidating it. Note that many lenders offer special advantages consolidation as these that are giving away. They are, in fact, offers to do. Consider some of the most common.At the same time if you got a letter advertising the beauty is that a company is willing to offer a fixed rate? If you have, not surprisingly. In fact, everyone should offer a fixed rate under the Higher Education Act. This is not a bonus, just what you expect. Do not drop the line that are offering more than they deserve.Another you might notice is that there will be a credit check. Again, this is not only common but also necessary. All companies that work with the student loan consolidation have to do without a credit check. Knowing what a company is obliged to offer you help in determining if the institution is actually offering a bargain or are misleading, you may believe you are getting a real bargain, more than are required to receive by law.As a final point, you should never have prepayment penalties. No matter what the company advertises that all their loans without prepayment penalties consolidate. This is nothing special. When you are seeking privileges, then just make sure you are offering something really special.Myths about consolidation loansAs with any financial matter, there are a lot of misinformation floating around the student loan consolidation. These little myths often keep people from consolidation when, in fact, is best for them. By taking a look at some of the most common myths, you will be able to understand what is true and what is not there.It is absolutely certain that you will lose your eligibility deferment if consolidating your student loans. By consolidating, in fact, to keep the core deferments can be a great help pay part of the time. Deferrals can be made because in school, go to graduate school, economic hardship, unemployment and to name a few.Consolidating your student loan is not like this refinancing the house necessarily. Some people worry that if they consolidated from over payments and interest and will end up paying more in the long run. That’s not true. On the one hand, you can pay early with no penalty. Second, get a better rate and can repay all loans under which a fee. The consolidation, if anything, reduce the term loan when it’s all said and done.As a last point, it is easy to think that consolidation is for those who do not know what they are doing with their loans. It is unclear whether this idea comes from, but is so common that many believe it is and the avoidance of consolidation. The truth is that consolidating your student loans, in most cases, a sound financial move. You save money and reduce the loan period. It’s that simple.Loan consolidation, as doThe process of getting your student loans consolidated is surprisingly easy. Once you have determined that you use for your consolidation application is only about a page long. Even more exciting is that there are several ways to fill the requests. Take a look at the various options available to you so you can decide which way works best for you.One option is, of course, do so in person. You can always go to the bank or financial institution that is to consolidate your loan and take care of it. Fill, sign, and he did and in his way. The lender will review your request and contact you with your decision. Whatever, if they live nearby?Surprisingly, you can complete your application over the phone. It is not really fill you on the phone, but the introduction of information you can go ahead and lock types for consolidation. Once you have done this, it will likely be sent by email or documents for you to finish complete, sign and send back in.Third, at this time is not surprising that you can complete your application consolidation loan over the Internet. Many lenders have secure websites with the application there to fill. Once they do fit, you get a copy, and all the care within days.Find your lenderObviously, before it can consolidate, you need to find a lender with which to organize their consolidation. Fortunately, there is much competition out there, which means two things. This means that companies are easy to find and they are all willing to compete for your business.The first place to look may be just around the corner or in your mailbox. As we approach the end of school or after the change, about every lender will send you a flyer, email, brochures, catalogs or information about the consolidation of their packages. There is nothing wrong with looking through these free brochures. Many times you will find a good package that way.Another option, of course, is to talk to your school’s financial aid office. Someone can help you find what you need. What’s more, they have had experience in the area to know what to look for and what to avoid.As a final point, you can watch online. There are many options available and easy to shop that way. Be sure to contact the places in person or by phone, however, before completing paperwork. That way you can be sure that everything is at maximum and more. It’s a good way to avoid online fraud and only those who seek their harvest information and move on.As you can see, there are many options to find your company to consolidate student loans. Just make sure you always compare and ask questions. In the end, the best consolidation company is giving you what you want.Problems with your payment?No matter what you do with the consolidation, it is possible that your student loan debt can become too high. With only ten years to repay, could end up with fairly high payment, especially if you go to graduate school or even add more years to student work. Stop payments can really put a cramp in your financial situation. There is an answer, however. If loans and payments are too unbearable, you can always expand. You can take the loan and stretch over years in many cases.Although the standard is 10, your consolidation loan can, in most cases, taken out much longer. You can stretch to 15, 20 or even 30 years. You will earn more interest that way, but with a lower monthly payment, you will have more capital available with which to live your life. You have to decide if you are willing to pay more in interest to make your finances more manageable.Think of it like this. Would you rather own a home and a new car while paying a little more interest, or if you do not pay their loans off in 10 years, but years pass, in a small apartment with a bad car and not rent available? Most prefer the former over the latter. Therefore, there is no shame in extending the loan if that is what we do.