My new website EmailMarketingMentor.com is now open, with fresh content posted several times per week.

Unlike this blog (Karl-Barndt.com) which never had a real focus, my new site will explore email marketing and provide practical news, tips, tutorials, and videos to help businesses profit from adding email to their marketing mix.

Karl-Barndt.com will still be here, but I will likely revamp the site to become more of a personal blog and less of a business resource.

So head over to EmailMarketingMentor.com now and sign up for the mailing list.

As an incentive for subscribing, I’ll be giving away my new email marketing basics e-course — Email Marketing 101. The only cost is your email address.

Popularity: 34% [?]

Yeah, I’ve been negligent in posting to my blog.

I could make excuses, but I’d like to make an apology instead.

Click the player below to hear a personal message.

–Karl

 

 I'm sorry: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Popularity: 48% [?]

I recently learned that I have the honor of serving again as a hot seat panelist for Ken McArthur’s jvAlertLive.

The last jvAlertLive in Orlando this past February was one of the best marketing events I’ve had the privilege of attending. This June’s jvAlertLive in Philadelphia, from June 8-10, 2007, promises to be even better.

jvAlertLive is Ken McArthur’s brainchild. It’s an Internet marketing seminar/conference that combines learning and networking more effectively than most events I’ve attended.

If you’re not familiar with the hot seat concept, here it is:

Someone with a marketing problem (either in an existing business or one still under development) presents their situation to a panel of experts in various marketing disciplines, including copywriting, search engine optimization, traffic generation, joint venturing, product launches, and other aspects of online and offline marketing.

The panel experts then brainstorm on the problem, sometimes clarifying the real issues involved, sometimes offering immediate and practical solutions.

It’s interesting to watch the different styles of thinking at work on the panel. Some panelists will launch a solution full-blown, right off the top of their heads. Others will analyze and refine, expanding on the ideas of other panelists. The synergy can be amazing.

The result is a concentrated burst of marketing creativity that everyone in the audience (and on the panel) can benefit from.

From the first-hand comments I’ve received from audience members, these hot seats have been responsible for many “ah-ha” moments. I’d even go so far to say that businesses have been built and expanded from these hot seats.

Ken holds about five hot seats during the three days of jvAlertLive. People sometimes book their spot on a hot seat months in advance.

For many people, it’s the highlight of the weekend.

If you plan to be at jvAlertLive in Philly this June, let me know. I’d love to meet you.

Popularity: 54% [?]

I finally bit the bullet and started my long-planned overhaul of my website (www.DirectResponsePro.com). And here, as you can see, is my spankin’ new blog.

Because I’m a tech head, I spent a lot of time exploring the best solutions for future site growth and flexibility.

This blog is built using WordPress 2.1.2 and a large number of plugins to optimize the site and improve search engine rankings.

I have to thank Michel Fortin for sharing his exhaustive research on blogs, and especially WordPress. If you don’t know Michel, take my word that he is THOROUGH. I’ve never seen a marketer who tests like he does.

I still have to knock a few rough spots off this site before I can begin “sanding and polishing.”

So please forgive me if you see some VERY strange posts or graphical weirdness over the next several days.

Popularity: 55% [?]