Read transcript of interview below.

What your organization does:

Web Content Development. Search Engine Optimization. Internet Marketing.
 
What led you to start Andes & Associates?

Six years ago, my money was running out and I needed to go back to work. I didn’t want to go back to a traditional office. I had helped my brother’s company out writing some RFPs (requests for proposals) that were successful. I realized that if he needed help, other businesses might need help as well. So I spent a few years writing those. From there, I began writing marketing materials: brochures, newsletters, press releases, etc. Then a client asked me to write his website. That got me involved with developing web content, search engine optimization, e-blasts, pay per click campaigns, linking strategies, etc.
 
What were you doing prior to that?
 

I home schooled my kids for 13 years and prior to that I worked in the film industry as a script developer. I always did some writing on the side. I wrote articles for national publications, columns for The Fresno Bee, and even a couple of sets of best-selling flash cards for the Catholic market. By the way, while teaching my kids I had it in the back of my mind to start a writing business. I knew my grammar wasn’t the greatest as I had always relied on my editors to correct my work. So I really paid attention to grammar while teaching my kids. My friends remember that I always went to appointments with a grammar book in my hand.

What is the greatest challenge in Internet marketing today?

The Internet keeps growing exponentially, so it’s getting harder and harder to stand out. Plus there are a lot of spammy websites that crowd out legitimate search results. And there are a lot of unscrupulous SEO companies promoting their services. For example, they will get you a #1 ranking on a search results page for a term no one searches for. It’s extremely difficult for the buyer to figure out who is legit and who isn’t.

Three words that best describe you?

Professional. Diligent. Friendly.

Who has been your mentor and what did you learn from him/her?

Looking back, I can see people who attempted to mentor me, but I often thought I knew better and didn’t take their advice. When I was mature enough to know I needed a mentor, they simply weren’t around. Most folks are too busy to mentor you over a long period of time. When I wanted to turn my business in the direction of web marketing, I hired a coach, Nick Usborne. He is one of the best web copywriters in the English-speaking world. I worked with him for nine months to ensure I could advise my own clients accurately, ethically, and successfully. 

Where do you see Andes & Associates in 10 years?

I would like to coach the marketing staff of large companies. Of course, no one knows where the Internet will go. So it’s anybody’s guess.

 
What don't we know about Internet marketing that we should?

Most companies large and small are not doing near enough to market themselves on the Internet. I understand that it can be overwhelming for marketing directors. There is so much to do and doing the wrong thing can suck up huge amounts of cash. Recently, I counseled a franchise against putting their entire Internet ad spend on Facebook. Most folks who go on Facebook are looking to hang out with their friends. That particular franchise needs people who are actively searching for their products … not people hanging out with their friends. If they had gone with Facebook, they would have had very little return on their investment.

What are the top three mistakes businesses make when trying to market their products and services on the Internet?
 

#1 Hiring web designers to build an attractive site, but trying to do their content and SEO themselves without adequate training or help.

#2 Building a web site and then letting it just sit.

#3 Making too many of your web pages as sales pages. Successful web sites require lots of information pages.

What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
  
I was a counter clerk at a dry cleaners and laundry in Hanford for $1.05 an hour. I learned how to wait on customers, count back change, clean out pockets with dirty handkerchiefs, mop floors, make coffee after opening the cupboard and waiting for the cockroaches to clear out, and how to calmly tell a police officer with a drawn gun aimed at me that I wasn’t a thief and somehow the alarm was tripped off. Seriously, I learned that work isn’t always easy, but you just have to do the tasks your boss requests of you.