Annotated+Bibliography

**Article Source:** Mashable **Article Author(s):** Beverly Cornell **Reviewed by:** Lisa Luu
 * Article Title:** 10 Online Strategies for Your Next Product Launch

**Abstract:** This article presents 10 online strategies for a successful product launch by taking an integrated approach. 1) Traditional methods cannot be ignored because of the effective exposure both television and print media deliver. 2) Search Engine Optimization (SEO) refers to your product’s online presence, such as a website or blog that can be easily located via keywords, title tags, header text, etc. 3) Email marketing enables you to send specialized content about your product to existing customers as to build and reward your existing relationships with them. 4) Online advertising includes: opportunities to advertise on social networks and related blogs/websites and using tools like Google AdWords. 5) Social networks can be used to inform current customers via updating your social networking sites and communicating with them by providing valuable content. 6) Geolocation tools can be used when there are physical locations selling your product, hence, creating a direct connection between your online marketing platforms and physical stores. 7) Group buying sites, such as Groupon, Living Social etc. offer opportunities for introducing and providing incentives to an opt-in audience. 8) Blogger outreach is to research for various blogs and its audience and content, and to ask for a product review to be posted on their blog. 9) Social media influencers are to be considered in determining the most active social media users you are targeting towards. 10) Online retail stores should provide partnership opportunities, as for making your product/company more readily available and credible.

**Tags:** product launch, online strategies, search engine optimization, email marketing, online advertising, social networks, geolocation, group buying, blogger outreach, social media, online retail stores

**Article Title:** 6 Common Email Marketing Mistakes Small Businesses Make **Article Source:** Mashable **Article Author(s):** Todd Wasserman **Reviewed by:** Lisa Luu

**Abstract:** As email marketing remains an inexpensive and effective way in establishing and maintaining customer relationships, there are often 6 common email marketing mistakes that small businesses tend to make. 1) Emailing without permission is an invasion of privacy, often referred to as spam. It is an unethical act if the receivers did not sign up for email newsletters. Thus, building up an organic list of email recipients, such as having an opt-in form is recommended. 2) Having ineffective or irrelevant subject and “from” lines. Using boring subject lines and unrecognizable senders often lower the chances your email messages get opened and read. 3) Blasting irrelevant content negatively affects your company’s reputation. 4) Not looking at the numbers means there are no metrics to analyze and compare how successful your company has become since utilizing this strategy. Also, ways to improve can be discovered, such as the best day and time to send email messages, the most eye-catching subject lines, etc. 5) Having no purpose means the lack of company goals in using email marketing, a purpose is required in starting this strategy in order to measure success of the overall strategy. Lastly, 6) providing no entry for dialogue limits the customers’ voicing of opinions. Good conversations will most likely engage a wider audience, hence, shared with other potential customers.

**Tags:** email marketing, small businesses, permission, privacy