by Jor-El Godsey, Heartbeat International Vice President, Ministry Services

Will you watch the competition on the field or the competition among the commercials?

That’s right. The Super Bowl will be upon us soon and millions upon millions will tune in. It seems that more emphasis is on the commercials than on the teams (unless the team is one of your favorites).

A mere 30 seconds of time costs advertisers somewhere north of $3,000,000 in 2010. But how many opportunities does an advertiser have to get in front of so many people and score with such a high sales impact? Is it worth it? Only those who are close to the numbers – who know the cost of the ad as well as the number of people who say, “Yes” and adopt the product – can answer that question. And answer they will!

Can we ask similar questions about the “numbers” impact in pregnancy help ministries? I mean the number of people we see who are facing a true life-and-death decision. And then the number of people among that group who say, “Yes” and embrace the Gift of Life and the Giver of Life.

So what does it cost to have the type of conversations that lead to the result we desire? How much do we spend on marketing our ministry to those who need us the most? What percentage of our budget are we spending now? How much should we spend? Where are we advertising? Are we still in the old, familiar places? Or are we looking for new and more cost-effective avenues like web search and social media?

As you gather with friends and family for America’s annual event, the Super Bowl, enjoy the commercials. The folks from Madison Avenue have worked hard to get our attention and capture us as consumers. They work almost as hard as we do to gain the hearts of our “customers.” When you’re tempted to think about how deep are the Madison Avenue advertisers pockets compared to our pinched budgets, remember the value of the widow’s mite – priceless. And the treasury of Our Provider – infinite. And the importance of our customers – eternal. Also remember that it’s up to us to be good stewards whether He entrusts us with one talent or five (Matthew 25:14-30).

Take heart! What’s most important, money can’t buy.

by Brad Mandel, Ad America Internet Marketing & Yellow Page Services

At your next staff meeting, write down all of your services, then write down the number of ways you might search for that service on Google. The final step is to search for the service you provide in your serving area…how many times do show up in the towns you serve?

According to Google, 97% of all consumers are searching for a local business online.

Did you know...?

When an abortion-minded woman does a Google search on her cell phone, Google delivers the “map results” of exactly where she is standing? If your center’s online information is well-optimized, your location will pop up.

Potential clients want to find you. How can they if you don’t have a “places” listing on Google?

First, head to the homepage of Google Places and sign in with your Google account. Go to Google Places, type in your phone number, and edit the information to claim your business listing. Your company information might already be within Google’s directory. It could also be out of date and have an old address or phone number where you can revise or clean it up.

Submit: When you are done, scroll to the bottom of the page and hit submit.

Validate: You will be given an option to have Google call you or mail you a post card to verify your information. Verifying by phone is faster and easier!

Finish: Once you have verified the PIN, hit finish. Your site will now be posted on Google.

• Make sure that your address populates on the map.
• Make sure your category is correct.
• Check to see if your name is listed the same way on other sites.

Congratulations on taking this first step in increasing your visibility online through Google! I say the first step because this is an ongoing process that you are going to need to work on as time continues. Google searches the most up-to-date and relevant content. It is up to you to show Google that you are the best business in your industry.

Having additional places where you show up on the internet helps Google confirm that you are an important business for your industry.