Friday 30 April 2010

4 Simple Steps To Great Free Advertising


Advertising a product, service, or any undertaking, such as a website for example, has always been a pain in the wallet.

I have been a follower of the free advertising mode, incidentally.

I would like to share with you two of the strategies I've used in getting free advertising.

The first strategy is to advertise in free but well-visited web sites.

I have published some of the best web sites that accept free advertising. You can access these free ad sites by first going to internetmarketinglearningcenter.com/classified-ads.html.

The second strategy I used to post free ads is to buy a Free Classified Ad Course.

This is actually a brief course and I had to pay Clickbank $19.95 to avail of this ad resource.

The highlight of the Free Classified Ad Course is going to the download link of a free software that you will use to post and monitor your ads.

I would like to share with you this Free Classified Ad Course FREE.

You don't have to pay Clickbank $19.95, and you don't have to spend hours researching for this free software.

Just go to my web site listed on the resource box below, click the link on the sidebar menu entitled 4 Simple Steps to Great Free Advertising, and you are off to posting your free ads. Free.

Enjoy your success in ad posting!


Thursday 29 April 2010

4 Secrets To Building An Engaging Brand Experience


When you think of creating a new brand, it’s easy to think about advertising managers sitting around a conference room tossing around ideas with caffeine fueled creativity. However, often times, the most powerful branding comes from adding a little “fun” to your brand experience.

Driven by the Burger King mentality, today’s customers want to do business their way on their time. They want to make their own choices. As business people, it’s our job to make sure then when customers are ready to make their choice, our product or service is their top choice.

Below are five secrets to put some spark and imagination into your brand and create an unforgettable brand experience.

Secret #1: Tell Your Company’s Unique Brand Story

Television shows have long been a part of our culture. When viewers watch television shows, they see stories about characters that we relate to. Remember the Brady Bunch theme song? It tells the story of a lovely lady... well, you know how it goes.

Now imagine harnessing the power of storytelling for your business! By sharing your brand story, you create a powerful connection to your customers. They feel as though they know you. This brand story paints a colorful vignette of who you are, what vision you hold, and what experiences made you the company you are today. While your brand story might not be as catchy as the Brady Bunch tune, raving fans love to share stories of their favorite brands with others.

PartyLite is a direct sales company that has done a phenomenal job of weaving their brand story into their marketing message. Listen to the story of how this company got started.

“Mabel K. Baker, a young housewife, provided holiday candles for her friends. She hand-dipped candles from the wax of bayberry plants, which were plentiful on Cape Cod. From these humble beginnings, Colonial Candle of Cape Cod was established. In 1973, PartyLite was established to satisfy the desire people have for home beautification, along with the ever-increasing need for additional family income.”

Now can't you just imagine Mabel sitting outside and turning her gaze over to the bayberry plants in her backyard! Surely a light bulb went off in her head as she picked berries off the bush and harvested the wax to make gift candles for her dearest friends. A story like this makes you feel like when you get a PartyLite candle, that you are getting more than a factory made product. Rather, you are getting a lovely crafted handmade candle. Great story and great marketing!

What's your brand story? Do you have a wonderful story to tell about how your business was started? Was there a turning point in your company that shaped you into the organization you are today?

Secret #2: Make Your Brand a Household Name by Coining the Term

Why define your brand experience in terms we already use? Kleenex, Xerox, and Fed X are companies whose brand names have set the standards for their industry by becoming the coined terms to describe a tissue, making a copy, and overnight deliveries.

So how do you go about making your brand a household name?

Marla Cilley, aka “The FLY Lady” is an organizing super hero for moms across the county. She has turned her passion for tidiness into a nationally known brand.

How did she do it? By adding an ounce of fun with her own unique terms and philosophies. For example, The FLY Lady stands for Finally Loving Yourself.

Fans of the FLY Lady know that she lives by three rules.

1) Don’t sweat the small stuff
2) Laugh everyday. Even if it is at yourself.
3) Love like there is no tomorrow.

If you visit her website at FlyLady.net, you’ll notice that her brand is even reflected in some of the names of the navigation links: Why FLY, FLYing Lessons, FLY Zone, Time FLYs when, FLY FAQ, FLY Library, Join FlyLady Now, Ask FlyLady, and The FlyShop.

Secret #3: Add Your Unique Brand of Humor

Humor has the power to transform an ordinary product into a fun experience for the whole audience. Recently I saw a commercial for Red Stripe “The Great Jamaican Beer” that delivers an unforgettable quirky message.

The Jamaican spokesperson is dressed in a black tuxedo and says, “Red Stripe - the beer in the short stubby ugly bottle. If ugly people stand next to a Red Stripe they look beautiful.”

He speaks to a man who is sitting next to him, “You sir, would you say that you are ugly?
(Pause) You are VERY ugly!”

The man who is sitting down replies a little confused, “Well I don't know...”

The spokesperson hands him a beer and says, “Here hold this Red Stripe.”

The man says, “Okay.”

The spokesperson says, “Look, you are beautiful!” (Obviously implying that just by holding this beer this formerly “ugly” man is transformed into being beautiful.)

Spokesperson says enthusiastically, “Red Stripe, it's beer. Hooraaaayy Beer!”

The man cheers, "Hooray Beer."

The spokesperson adds at the end, "…says the beautiful man."

The point is, that although you may have never heard of Red Stripe beer before, this funny commercial really sticks in your mind. Even though we are not beer drinkers, this commercial is surely creating living room conversations in homes across the country.

That’s how a funny campaign can instantly turn a new or unknown product into a national phenomenon.

You should check out this very funny commercial online at their website here:
http://us.redstripebeer.com/media

Secret #4: Create your own Catch Phrases and Own Quotes

If you type the words “inspirational quotes” into Google, you will see that there are 1,130,000 listings. Quotes are hot! So why not tap into the power of quotes and catch phrases for your business?

Go back in your mind to the “Where’s the Beef” commercials from Wendy’s. That was a fun series of engaging commercials that had the whole country asking themselves, “Where’s the Beef?”.

And think about Donald Trump’s “Your Fired!” I’m sure that he had no idea that his show, “The Apprentice” would take off the way it did and become the “in thing.”

When you create a hot catch phrase or quote, you’ll find your words popping up on websites, in blogs, talked about in elevators, written on bathroom walls, and in the most unexpected placed.

Take a moment to step back and really look at your company’s brand. With a little imagination, you can transform buying your product or service into a fun, one-of-a-kind brand experience that your customers will never forget.


Wednesday 28 April 2010

4 Reasons Why You Need Testimonials to Sell More


The other day I was writing a sales brochure for a West Coast manufacturer. As I got to what I’ll call the “proof” section of the brochure, I was rummaging around for testimonials.

The company already had a full-blown Web site and a solid PowerPoint presentation. So I was hopeful that I’d find some ready made testimonials or at least some material I could use to create some.

As it turned out, they had one case study with a couple of customer quotes. I pieced the material together to create one measly testimonial. It was less than adequate.

Well, maybe it’s no big deal. After all, I wrote strong copy. Why even bother with testimonials? I’ll give you four good reasons.

<B>1. Credibility</B>

Testimonials give your company, product, or service credibility. Everyone is bombarded with advertising messages every day. It’s a brutal marketplace. If you want to sell something to somebody, you stand a much better chance if you can convince them that you’re credible. Testimonials are like references on a resume. They’re the people who vouch for you.

<B>2. Identification</B>

Your prospects identify with your customers who are providing the testimonials. They have similar concerns, problems, hopes and desires. They commiserate. This is good. You want this in your marketing. (Sorry, but your prospects don’t identify with you. Not really. You’re trying to sell them something!)

<B>3. Proof</B>

Proof, alone, is reason enough to gather and use testimonials. This is where your customers say, in effect, “They’re right, Mr. or Ms. Prospect. They can save you 50% ... or  make you feel 18 again ... or make you enough money to retire at 50. They did it for me and I’m thrilled!” Testimonials notarize your marketing speak.

<B>4. Closure</B>

Testimonials help close the sale. Sure, they can be used throughout a marketing piece. But they definitely come in handy toward the end. You’ve introduced the problem or need, your product or service, the features and benefits, and more. Then you line up your testimonials, all the customers whose heads are nodding and saying, “Yep, it worked for me.” Soon after, you ask for the order.

For many reasons, testimonials give your prospects the confidence they need to buy from you for the first time. And once your prospects turn into new customers, the door to repeat sales swings wide open.

(c) 2005 Neil Sagebiel


Tuesday 27 April 2010

4 Methods To Master The #1 Success Secret Of Infopreneuring (3 of 3)


If you don't have good fresh content to use for new products, your momentum comes to a crashing halt and so does your business.
So the question begs itself, how do you consistently create new content?
Here are your four basic options:

1)  You can continually write your own materials...and you should.

2) You can record your thoughts and get them transcribed... and you should.

3) You can hire a ghostwriter to write materials for you... and you should.

or

4) You can purchase the rights to content that you can resell... and you should do this as well.

Each option has its own positives and negatives but in my opinion you should be doing a little bit of each.

Let me explain...

4)  You can purchase the rights to content that you can resell
Purchasing the rights to content that has already been created can be a double edged sword, but, if you do it right, it can be VERY profitable for a number of reasons.

First and foremost you want to review the “legal mumble jumble” to the materials that you have purchased.  There are different “rights” and you need to be aware of the differences.  I’ll give you a quick break down of the basic ones that I commonly come across for these types of products.

A.  Recording Rights:  These usually grant you the rights to record the written material in your voice and sell the audio for whatever price you want.  They do not give you the right to reprint the materials or transcribe your audio (yes that is the same thing!!) and resell that.

B.  Reprint Rights:  Reprint rights give you permission to resell the written content.  You can’t modify the content at all but you can resell it.  Sometimes there are clauses that do not permit you to resell the product beyond a certain price point.  Make sure you read all the details carefully

C.  Master Resell Rights:  With master reprint rights you basically have permission to sell the content AND you have the right to sell the reprint rights.  However, you do not have permission to change the content at all.  Once again make sure you read all the conditions yourself because every contract can be different.

D.  Private Label Reprint Rights:  These are basically the grand daddy of them all.  These rights allow you to change the content, rebrand them with your own logos, name, graphics, and turn around and resell the finished product.  The only thing you don’t have permission to do is resell the private label reprint rights.

So that’s a basic breakdown of the major categories of what you would get if you purchased the rights to any content.  I do want to emphasize that I am not a lawyer and every agreement is unique and different.  Therefore you need to read over all the legal stuff before you agree to purchase anything and then start reselling it.

So what are the advantages of doing this?

Well you can get access to good quality content that you can sell right away.  Obviously if you purchase any of the rights we just talked about you will want to read the content and make sure that it is a good quality product.  You don t want to be reselling crappy products.

Another advantage to this approach, specifically the private label resell rights, is you can use the content for a variety of different purposes.  This is where the creative imagination really comes into play. 

Here are some examples of what you could use THE SAME content for:

1)   Break up the written course into 5-10 different special reports
2)   Rework the content into a mini-course
3)   Chunk up the content up into a whole bunch of articles
4)   Break the content up and plug it into an autoresponder series
5)   Use the content for teaching material on a teleseminar
6)   Use the ebook as a special bonus for an existing package that you have developed.
7)   Break the content up into a “tips” series
8)   Use the content for teaching material in a seminar
9)   Record the written material into an audio product
10)  Use the content for a monthly newsletter

These are just 10 quick tips for different ways that you can use this content once you have it. 

Are there more?  Absolutely! 

There really are all kinds of possibilities once you learn what you can do.  So purchasing these types of rights can be VERY beneficial in a variety ways.

So how much do these types of rights normally cost?

Typically they are a one time cost ranging anywhere from 12-15 times the retail value all the way up to 40-60 times the retail value (that’s normally for a master resell license).  That means if the retail price of the product is $200 an average reprint license would be between $2,500-$3,000. 

For a master resell license of the same $200 product the cost would be somewhere between $8,000 - $12,000. 

Now that is a lot of money but remember you get to keep all the profits of any sales that you make from that point onwards.  So if you sold this $200 product at a seminar you could potentially make you money back very quickly.

If you enjoyed this article make sure to look up the other two articles in the series dealing with the other 3 methods of creating content:  Part 1 - Writing your own materials and Recording Your Thoughts and Part 2 - Hiring a ghostwriter!


Monday 26 April 2010

4 Methods To Master The #1 Success Secret Of Infopreneuring (1 of 3)


If you don't have good fresh content to use for new products, your momentum comes to a crashing halt and so does your business.
So the question begs itself, how do you consistently create new content?
Here are your four basic options:

1)  You can continually write your own materials...and you should.

2) You can record your thoughts and get them transcribed... and you should.

3) You can hire a ghostwriter to write materials for you... and you should.

or

4) You can purchase the rights to content that you can resell... and you should do this as well.

Each option has its own positives and negatives but in my opinion you should be doing a little bit of each.

Let me explain...

1) You can continually write your own materials

Writing you own original content is important because you don't want to become dependant on other people's thoughts.  You want to train yourself to consistently think original thoughts and then capture them.  People want fresh thinking.  They don't want the same old, same old. 

Setting aside regular periods to work on original content is a GREAT habit to form because over a period of time you’ll have the necessary ingredients to continually crank out new products for your market.

Just recently I started gathering all of the content that we have developed over the years.  We had a MASSIVE advantage when it came to creating new products because he has been diligently working on creating new materials each and every year.

When you have raw content you can always create new things from it. Being disciplined to plan out time and record your thoughts is a FANTASTIC habit to master and can instantly serve you today and well into the future.

2) You can record your thoughts and get them transcribed

This falls under the same category of capturing your own original thoughts but it has one major advantage... it's a lot easier to do.
 
Most people forget that the transcripts are a valuable resource in product development.  Your audience will have all kinds of different learning preferences.  By providing the transcripts you are actually doing your clients a great service and as a result the transcripts instantly increase the value of your package.

If you enjoyed this article make sure to look up the other two articles in the series coming soon dealing with the other 3 methods of creating content:  Part 2 - Hiring a ghostwriter and Part 3 - Purchasing The Rights Of Content You Can Resell!


Sunday 25 April 2010

4 Key Points to Branding


Here are four things you should keep in mind as you build your company’s brand:

1)                  Own the “Significant Thing”:  Dole tried to be all things to all people spend your time focusing on a single clear message.  Mercedes-Benz owns “ Engineering “ in the car industry because it’s focused on that singular message for decades.

2)                  Consistency is key:  consistent presentation will ensure that your customers recognize you. Be consistent in the use of logos, taglines, visual elements, tone, and ad copy.  Coca-Cola it is one of the most recognized brands in the world because they haven’t changed in decades.  Make sure your brochures, website, Direct mail, and all the other advertising have the same feel and message.

3)                  Make your message relevant:  know your audience, know what they care about and how to speak to them.  Make sure what you sell is what they need.  Remember the conversation should always be about your audience, not you.

4)                  Use a strong offer to motivate:  you want your audience to remember you and you want its members to buy from you.  You need to move them to action.  A strong offer should give them a reason to buy.  Make the offer clear and appropriate for your brand.

Every time a customer comes in contact with your brand, they will have either a positive or a negative experience.  Those experiences will add to their perception of your brand.  Those experiences are recalled later when it’s time to make a purchasing decision.  How do you want your brand to be remembered when the time comes for a prospect to buy? You need to start building that positive perception today and do whatever is necessary to maintain it.

Good luck.


Saturday 24 April 2010

4 Inexpensive Ways To Turn That Old Booth Into a Sparkling Oasis


Is your trade show booth beginning to show its age?  Have people seen your booth so many times that you've gone way past branding and on to boooooring?  Are you just wishing you had the money to buy a new trade show booth, but can't scrape enough together to purchase one?

Well, you'll be happy to know that it really isn't necessary to buy a whole new trade show booth.  You can fix up the old one in no time flat AND with little pain to your bottom line. 

One of the first things you can do to spruce up that old trade show booth you have is to buy or plan on renting some nice palm plants or other large plants to put out front.  Plants and greenery not only help disguise some of the booth's wear and tear, they create an extremely inviting and welcoming environment.  The really great thing is that most convention centers and exhibit sites have greenery available for you to rent which saves you a great deal of money in shipping and freight charges-not to mention the wear and tear on your back!

Another inexpensive way to perk up a tired-looking trade show booth is to get some new graphics and visuals for it.  Most trade show booths are configured so that the panels in them can easily exchange one set of visuals for another.  It isn't necessary to change them all, either.  Just by changing a couple or even one panel, you can create an entirely different look. 

Better yet, if you can't afford new panels for your trade show booth, you can have patches made that you can place on top of old visuals and images to cover old messages that are no longer valid or to replace old information with new information.  Patching is a simple, inexpensive technique that can allow you to make big changes for just a little, um, change.

While you're at it, look into buying some cool spotlights or track lights for your trade show booth too.  Why?  Again, these are great for camouflaging signs of wear and tear.  Using lights to spotlight just one new panel on your trade show booth, for example, creates a focal point for your booth so that people's eyes are drawn to that-and away from the places you don't want them to notice as much. Lights can also be used to just make your booth more cheerful and upbeat.  If you haven't used them in the past and start using them now to automatically update the look of your trade show booth.


Friday 23 April 2010

4 Easy Ways to Get Free Marketing Exposure


Are there really ways you can get valuable marketing exposure without spending any money?

You bet there are. The trick to uncovering these methods is to think of creative ways you can get your products or services in front of, or in the hands of, your prospects. And that last part is critical. It is only valuable marketing if it is targeted at the people you have identified are most likely to buy your products or services.



1)    Share Your Knowledge

If you have specialized knowledge or expertise related to your business, think of ways to share that knowledge. Consider writing a regular column for a website or publication that targets the same customers you target. Become a regular contributor to a magazine or radio or TV program.


2)    Create Information Products

Package and distribute your knowledge in the form of an Ezine, Newsletter or Special Report. Build your contact list and distribute this valuable information on a regular basis. Use this as an opportunity to market your products and services and be sure to Include special offers or bonuses to recipients who act by a certain date.


3)    Offer Seminars and Do Presentations

Do you offer a professional or personal service?  Consider booking yourself for speaking engagements where you can provide valuable information in your area of expertise to groups of people. Make sure the groups are representative of the types of customers or clients you believe are most likely to benefit from your services. This tactic serves several marketing purposes.


First, it gets you out in front of your prospects.  In marketing this is called “generating awareness” and it is the first step toward making a sale. 


Second, it allows people the opportunity to get to know you and/or your services. And with a service business, where clients are buying “you” (that really is what they are buying when they purchase your services) it is crucial that they understand the services you provide and that they get to know you. People like working with people they like. Given the choice between hiring two people with the same skills and services, most people will choose the person they like or feel the best chemistry with.


Make sure to give attendees a special offer on your products or services at the end of your presentation. Give the offer a deadline to create urgency for them to take advantage of the offer on the spot.


4)    Give Something Away

Find a way to give away samples of your products or services. Is there an association or group meeting or any other event that is looking for donations to be given away as door prizes?


Why not donate a package of your services or products? You will gain exposure (a free advertisement by the group leader) among the entire group when your package is either auctioned off, or announced and given away in front of everyone. You are also giving the person who wins the package the chance to sample your products or services at no risk.


You could further leverage this marketing by offering the “winner” an incentive to refer others to you. The “winner” might also be a great person to provide feedback to you, or a testimonial regarding how they felt about your product or service, that you can use in future marketing.


Yes, there may be a hard cost associated with the product you are giving away, or a “time” cost associated with the time you are donating, however when you weigh that cost against the number of people who are being exposed to your products or services, usually it is well worth it. And it certainly is cheap (and usually more effective!) in comparison to buying an ad.


My advice is to incorporate this sort of activity into your operational budget and simply consider it a cost of doing business.


There are all kinds of ways to generate exposure of your products and services without paying for advertising space. Yes, sometimes this does involve giving away product or service, but I don’t consider that a hard “marketing” cost. I have found that the benefits always outweigh the cost of my time or my products.


The trick is to target well, or in other words, locate where your prospects congregate or what media they read or view, and then find creative ways to get yourself, your products or your services, in front of them in those places.

(C) Copyright 2005 Debbie LaChusa, 10stepmarketing


Thursday 22 April 2010

4 Crucial Things You Need To Do To Build Your List


Online marketing may have developed a sudden surge these past few years, but many in the know how have felt its rise even from way then. As more internet based businesses are put up, the need to develop new marketing skills and knowledge based on this new medium have arisen. More and more marketing strategies are being discovered and developed to cope with the changing face of business the business world.

The demand for online marketing tips and strategies have drastically grown and a new form of business has been born, internet marketing strategies. While there are companies that are all too eager to help your site and business build a clientele for a fee, there also many ways that can spread the word about your sites subsistence in a more cost free way. One of this is Opt-in email marketing, also known as permission marketing.

Opt-in marketing requires the permission of a willing customer to subscribe to your marketing materials, materials that take form in newsletters, catalogs and promotional mailings via e-mail. The more opt-in marketing mail is sent, the more chances there is to bag sales and more sales. To do this, you must build a list of all those who wants to subscribe to your opt-in marketing list.

From your list, you will get your targeted customer, this is a good list since they already have shown interest in what you have to show and sell since they have willingly signed in for your list. These are the people who have liked what they have seen in your site and have decided they want to see more and maybe even purchase what ever product or service your company and site has to offer.

Many people would think that building their lists would take hard work and a lot of time to build and collect names and addresses. This is not so, it takes a bit of patience and some strategies but in doing this list, you open your site and your business to a whole new world of target market. Take the effort to take your business to a new level, if traffic increase and good profits are what you want, an opt-in list will do wonders for your business venture.

There are many sources and articles in the internet available for everyone to read and follow in building a list. Sometimes they may be confusing because there are so many and there different ways. Different groups of people would have different approaches in building an opt-in list, but no matter how diverse many methods are, there are always some crucial things to do to build your list. Here are four of them.

1) Put up a good web form in your site that immediately follows the end of your content. While some may say this is too soon to subscribe for a website visitors application, try to remember that your homepage should provide a quick good impression. If somehow a website visitor finds something that he or she doesn’t like and turns them off, they may just forget about signing up.

A good web form for subscribing to an opt-in list is not hard to do. Just write a simple short statement about how they would like to see more and get updated about the site. Then there should be an area where they could put in their names and e-mail address. This web form will automatically save and send you the data’s inputted. As more people sign in, your list will be growing.

2) As mentioned in the first tip, make your homepage very, very impressive. You need to have well written articles and descriptions of your site. Depending on what your site is all about, you need to capture your website visitor’s fancy. Make your site useful and very easy to use. Do not expect everyone to be tech savvy. Invest in having good programming in your site, make your graphics beautiful but don’t over do it.

Don’t waste your time making the homepage too overly large megabyte wise. Not all people have dedicated T1 connections, the faster your site gets loaded, the better. Go for a look that borders between simplicity and sophisticated knowledge.

3) Provide good service and products. A return customer is more likely to bring in more business. Even then and now, a satisfied customer will recommend a business always. Word of mouth and recommendations alone can rake in more business than an expensive ad. As your clientele roster grows so shall your list. With more members on the list, the more people will get to know about what you have new to offer.

4) Keep a clean and private list. Never lose the trust your customers have entrusted you. If you provide e-mails to others and they get spammed, many will probably unsubscribe to you. Remember, a good reputation will drive in more traffic and subscribers as well as strengthen the loyalty of your customers.


Wednesday 21 April 2010

4 Color Printing and Pantone


Colors exact attitude and moods. They are essential in a way that they give off meaning and feelings. This is also true with the printing systems.

The two common color printing systems used in printing services are Pantone and CMYK. Let us tackle them one by one.

Pantone Matching System (PMS), Spot color or Pantone color is a color system based on a set of inks which are mixed to produce solid colors. These colors are now used in printing your job order. The colors here are mixed prior to mixing thus, they are more accurate and consistent all throughout the printing job. Also, Pantone colors can be ‘screened’. This means that fewer dots of color are used per inch therefore, the color emerge lighter. Pantone colors are indispensable when it comes to logos, stationery packages and the likes. This is especially true if the customer is interested in exacting the accurate color in the original image.

The use of Pantone colors in printing services is expensive compared to CMYK. This is the reason why the use of Pantone colors is limited up to three colors only. However, Pantone colors on your logo, graphics or your corporate color ensures that exact colors can be yielded.

Cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) colors also known as 4 color printing or process color printing uses the four ink colors in order to yield tiny dots referred to as screen or line screen. These dots contain tiny rainbow of colors. This is the reason why it can produce a full range of color. Thus, when your printing needs demand a wider color application, you can opt for 4 color printing.

4 color printing services is less expensive than Pantone color printing. If you further want lesser expense then go for CMYK digital printing instead of 4 color printing. Nonetheless, the colors, thickness of paper and types in digital printing are oftentimes limited. They are dependent on the printing machine’s capabilities and specifications.

A word of caution in using 4 color printing: Do not expect to yield metallics and very bright colors. Most often than not, these colors vary depending on the printer’s range, calibration and colors to be printed. Moreover, color accuracy may not be that exact. To expand the range of colors, use Pantone colors alternatively or go for a six or seven color printing. That way, you are not that limited in the choice of printing colors.


Tuesday 20 April 2010

4 "Sale Thieves" You Need To Be On The Lookout For


Many successful marketers began their careers as children setting up a lemonade stand or selling newspapers.  Years of experience and exposure to more mature and intricate marketing techniques change a lot of things, but there is one aspect that is no different between selling glasses of lemonade and Internet marketing... customers have the power to decide whether or not to buy your product.

Yeah, the products and marketing methods are changing constantly, but the driving force that motivates sales remains unchanged... so do the 4 things that steal sales right out from under your nose.

1.  The "I don't need it" attitude.
Let's face it... need has little to do with what people buy or don't buy in the American culture.  Want has everything to do with whether they do or don't buy.  The most crucial aspect of getting a high number of sales is targeting the right market.  It does little good to advertise to people who really aren't interested.

What are you advertising?  Where are you advertising?  These two questions go hand in hand.  If you're trying to sell hunting gear, it would make little sense to target mothers with small children.  Sure a FEW of them hunt, but your return for the cost of advertising is going to be pretty low.  Pay attention to what your target audience reads, and invest your advertising bucks wisely.

2.  The "I can't afford it" attitude.
In a few rare cases, that may be true, but usually "I can't afford it" can be interpreted as, It's not high on my list of priorities."  We can usually find the money for the things we really want.

Go ahead and MAKE your product or service a priority.  Dramatize the benefits they'll experience, sweeten the deal until it's irresistible, and put a deadline on it.  Make it "too good to pass up!"

3.  The "I'm in no hurry" attitude.
Procrastination is criminal in the marketing world.  Yeah, procrastination steals money right out of our pockets!  The customer comes... he sees... he wants... but when he puts it off, he never does get around to buying!

What happens in the short time after he walks out without the purchase?  Time quietly fades the emotions that were driving the sale, and the desire to shell out the dinero for your product soon fades away entirely.

Don't let them leave without making the purchase.  Now you can't put a gun to their head and force them to buy, but you can make a deadline on the special.  A "take it or leave it" offer just might inspire the procrastinator to act now.

4.  The "I don't trust you" attitude.
Buying is risky business, and most people fear making a foolish investment more than they fear never getting the product.  You can allay those fears simply by implementing a few tactics that evoke trust and confidence for the buyer.

Offer an unconditional money back guarantee.  You'll effectively eliminated the risk factor that holds many consumers back.

Use testimonials to let prospective customers know that you do deliver, and a satisfied customer can say it way better than you ever could.

Be open to communication.  Hey, when they know someone is willing to answer any question they have, the uncertainty evaporates. 

Don't let these four thieves steal any more of your profits.  Deal with them effectively... get them out of the way!


Monday 19 April 2010

4 1/2 Strategic Tips For Making Money Online More Quickly


If it seems that everybody is making boatloads of money online and you're missing out, fear not.

There's plenty of time left for you, and the greatest part about it that it's not very difficult.

Strategic Tip #1: Plan to work hard.

I know, this goes against everything you hear but deep down you know that nothing worthwhile is easy right?

You also know that getting anything done quickly just takes more work.

Even cleaning out the garage, yeah you could take your time and get it done over a weeks time, or else you could work your butt off and have it finished and be sitting right back down on the couch watching your favorite reruns.

To get things done quicker you just have to put in the extra hard work, but when the checks start rolling in, all your work will be worthwhile.

By the way, if you do things right, one of the beautiful things about the internet is that the work you do today will pay off for months and hopefully years after.

Just like that clean garage you’ll have.

Strategic tip #2: Find one good teacher.

Let me just emphasize “one”. Bouncing around from teacher to teacher, product to product is THE biggest mistake that new hopeful internet marketers make.

However, find a mentor/teacher that’s reputable. You can go to the different marketing forums and ask around, and you’ll get some honest answers. Just beware of anyone trying to sell themselves. The great teachers don’t have to do this in forums.

Once you find them, stick to their strategies and you’ll be way better off than most people who are still playing the bouncy game.

Some marketers I recommend you follow are:

Jimmy D. Brown
Jim Edwards
John Vallaries
Yanik Silver
John Reese

But just pick one, and stick with them.

Strategic Tip #3: Research and target a hungry niche that’s got as little competition as possible.

I’m not going to say a whole lot about this. It’s very basic but not quite easy. Everything will have some competition, which is good. This means there’s money to be made.

But best thing I can tell you is to find a hungry crowd, and feed it. A great place to start your research is Ebay. Also, magazine stands, http://Amazon.com, Froogle. You get the picture.

Also Google the phrase: “Finding a Niche Market”. You’ll be reading for days.

Some examples would be:

· Pets (dogs, cats, birds, fish, etc.)
· Finance (credit card debt, mortgage guide)
· Computers (buyers guides, games, software)
· And a lot of success is found in the Health Niche (weight loss, cellulite, diabetes, quit smoking, etc.)

Strategic Tip #4: Pick the low hanging fruit.

What does that mean. That means go for the easiest stuff first.

Here’s what happens. You find a teacher who claims to be a guru. Not knowing since you’re just starting out that they don’t have much more of a clue than you do, they tell you to pick your favorite hobby, write an ebook on it, create a website with a “killer sales page”, and you’ll make a million bucks before you can say B.S.

Now tell me this, how long is it going to take you to write an ebook. Most people don’t know how to write to save themselves, or some do, but are so intimidated by the thought that they never even start, and that ends their online career before it’s ever gotten started.

Or lets say that you did manage to choke out an ebook. Now you have to design the website, and then and here’s the hard part…. you have to write that “killer sales page”. Neither of which is anything close to easy if you’ve never done it.

Yes, you can slap together a website fairly quickly these days, that’s true, but the sales page is where the trouble begins. It takes years to develop that skill just to get to be mediocre.

So where is the low hanging fruit then?

Well, there are a couple choices. The first and probably best choice is affiliate programs.

Listen; nearly every good niche you can think of has an ebook written on the subject somewhere, the best place in which to look is Clickbank. There are thousands of products there, which usually offer a nice commission, sometimes up to 75%, that are just looking for someone to sell for them.

Now here’s the kicker. These products all already have a nice sales page written and all that you have to do is drive traffic to the sales page, they close the sale, and BAM! You get paid. Very simple. Not as easy as it seems, but very simple.

That’s your low hanging fruit.

Strategic Tip # 4 1/2. Resale Rights =Low Hanging Fruit with 100% Commission.

I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention Resale Rights.

What are Resale Rights Products. This is where you simply buy the rights to sale a product that’s already created, and usually includes a sales page (I wouldn’t recommend buying one that doesn’t if you’re just beginning) You then keep all the profits.

These days Resale Rights membership sites are popping up all over the place. This is where you pay a small monthly fee, and get new products created for you every single month.

The great thing about this is that most of the time they do the research and create the products about topics that are in high demand.

Sometimes you can even do as you please with the finished product, chopping it up or adding to it to make it more your own style, and to ensure there is nothing duplicated out there.

These are called Private Label Resale Rights.

You can use this material for blogging, creating a newsletter, content website, or any number of things.

The downfall is finding quality products but they are definitely out there, it just takes time and effort to search them out.

So, there you have it in a nutshell. Following these tips should put you closer to making money online a little more quickly.


Sunday 18 April 2010

3 Tips To Building A Responsive List


I just bought a product after being on a list for over two years. I hadn't spent one red cent with this guy for two years, but like clockwork, his e-mails just kept coming.

Day after day after day. Week after week.

I finally gave in and purchased his product recently (it's in a field WAY outside marketing).

Why did I stay on his list for so long? And why did I finally pony up the cashola for his product?

It's because he had taught me to respond. Just like he taught everyone on his list to respond.

How did he do it? Lucky for you, I'm a sharing guy.

Here are three things he did to build a responsive list...

1. He Built Rapport With His Readers

2. He Created Excitement And Anticipation

3. He Expanded His Line Of Products

Let's look briefly at each one


1. He Built Rapport With His Readers

The guy told stories. He made it personal. Over the two years, I got to know him through his emails. And here's the clincher...

I look forward to getting his emails! Even though I get hundreds a day, I read his first.

That's powerful. If you can get your readers to look forward to getting your stuff, you can tap into that monee tree like a faucet.

So, build rapport with your readers by making your stuff personal.


2. He Created Excitement And Anticipation

It never failed. He told me all the time...

"Hey, watch out for what I've got planned next Wednesday."

or...

"During the last week of this month, I'm gonna do something really special for you. Watch your e-mail."

He got his list excited about things he had planned. I caught myself always wishing the day would hurry up and get here so he'd uncover his surprise for me.

My buddy Jeff Walker does this brilliantly. If you're not on his list at...

http://www.sixinseven.com

... you should be. Read the e-mails you get from Jeff. You'll know EXACTLY what I'm talking about here.

When you build YOUR lists, try to excite and ignite them by making 'em look foward to your stuff.


3. He Expanded His Line Of Products

One thing that always made me envious about this guy is how fast he created products for his list. The dude was like a machine!

It seemed like he was coming out with something every couple of weeks for us to buy.

Now, this is important, so listen up here...

If you want to teach your list to RESPOND, you have to give them something to respond to over and over.

Read that last sentence again.

Give your list something to buy (either your products or affiliate products). Give them something to do (fill out surveys, tell you what they want, tell you where to stuff your latest product).

Then, do it over and over. Train your list to RESPOND.


Last Thoughts

Building lists is great. But, if you build a dead list, you're just wasting your time.

You have to build RESPONSIVE lists. You want people to WANT to buy your stuff. You want them to look forward to buying your stuff.

I have a friend who makes more moolah with his list of under 1,000 than other knuckleheads make with lists of 100,000.

I'm serious.

A responsive list can support your entire business.


Saturday 17 April 2010

3 Things To Do Prior To Submitting Articles


To all writers and non-writers out there, now is the time to start digging up those creative writing skills back.
With modern communication technology comes the popularity of information-based marketing, which is one of the oldest and most effective techniques in getting targeted prospects to sites and converting them into buyers. This is why article writing, submissions and publications are also getting popular.
There are already many tools that people can use to make the process of distributing their articles more easily. Though this is invaluable in getting the contents more exposure, which is only half of the story.
Let us take a look first at the common mistakes that some people make before submitting their contents to article directories:

1. Confusing the reason to promote the articles with the reason to write them.
In article writing, there are three key benefits why you are promoting them; branding, lead generation and promotion, which are all part of your optimization efforts.
But there is only one reason why you write an article, and that is to inform your audience. If the article is not focused on this primary and most important purpose, it will fail to achieve the three promotion benefits because no one will be interested in reading them.
You need to figure out first how to get people to read what is in your article, then make them click on your resource box. You can achieve this by producing better contents.

2. Failing to maximize the promotional opportunities of article marketing.
You may know already that your articles can help you generate additional links back to your site. But do you know that you can get more visitors and better search engine results from that same articles?
Mention keywords at strategic places. Just be sure not to overdo them. Some are even using anchor texts which is also an effective method. But it is important to know that majority of the directories are not able to support this.
Remember that is not only about the links back to your site. Part of doing well in your article marketing is getting picked up by publishers with a large number of audiences and gaining the ability of leveraging other brands because of the quality of your work. Better search engine results also are great benefits.
But these things do not put much money in your pocket. There are other factors that can turn your article marketing efforts into an opportunity that can boost your earnings. Not just increase the number of visitors to your site.
Start out with a plan and see to it that your article will serve the function that you intended it to have.

3. Publishing content that does not help your readers.
Maybe in the process of writing articles, you are thinking that all that is you wanted is links back to your site. And any visitors it can generate are fine.
Guess what? Not all article banks and directories are going to accept your content automatically. Oftentimes, they have some guidelines and specifications on the articles that they are accepting.
You can double the number of sites you can submit to by writing articles that the directories want to share with other people. All it takes is one publisher with a hundred thousand readers to increase your potential audience overnight.
Write the articles that publishers want in their publications if you want your article marketing to work the most effective way for you. This also means you have to obey the standard guidelines, spell checks, researching on a good topic and even hiring a writer to produce a good content on your behalf.
In the end, it is all really a matter of choice on your part. You can start getting a little exposure from increased links back but on a very basic level. Or enjoy massive exposure from a little extra time making quality contents.
It will be your choice. You may not be aware of the fact that an article submitted on directories is not meant to have the same level of exposure as highly-targeted content ones geared on a narrow group of people.
Learn the difference between these two and it will surely help you know what kinds of articles to write and to submit.


Friday 16 April 2010

3 Steps to Successfully Build a Team in any Program


Any x by y matrix plan has one big risk... but also one big advantage.

The biggest risk: People in your downline might think they don't have to promote and just wait for your spillover.

The biggest advantage: Still, it's a great way to build a deep team quick... if you and the people in your team understand that they shouldn't just sit and wait for it to happen.

The following 3 steps you need to follow and teach to build a successful team:

1. Find 2 people... It doesn't really matter if it's e.g. a 2x15 forced matrix or wider. If the matrix is wider than 2, or even unlimited wide, I recommend to start with 2 and then go wider when your team has been fully build at least 4 levels deep.

2. Next build a relationship with them, teach them this 3 easy steps and motivate them until they find 2 people on their own.

3. Then motivate your 2 people to motivate their 2 people to also find 2 people ... etc.

I believe this is a much better way to build a successful team. And not to mass promote and hope that a few in the masses you sponsor build a team on their own... but instead motivate to motivate to build the team... all the way down.

If you mass promote... you might be able to initially build a big downline... but since there will be no relationship, it will fall apart fast as well.

If you or somebody in your team has a big list of people to email to, then you or those people could send a message to all, telling them that you are looking for 2 leaders only. Ask them to email you back and tell you "why" you should choose them. Then pick the 2 best ones... and move one with step 2 above.

Also if a downline member is struggling... and no matter how hard he or she tries, he or she is not able to find two on their own... e.g. due to lack of people he or she knows... then you could do such a mailing on their behalf.

The primary approach that works best is to talk via chat first with the people you know already. Those, that we already have a relationship with.

If that doesn't generate your 2 leaders... then you could use the mailing approach looking for two leaders as I described before.

But what should you tell people during the chat or in the email message you write to find your two leaders?

This is the point where you need to do your homework. Look very closely at the program for which you want to build a successful team for. Answer yourself the following questions:

1. What is the product or service that this program sells?
2. What main benefits does the product or service provide the customer with?
3. What makes the product or service better then those offered by the competition?
4. How much does the product or service cost?
5. How does the products compensation plan work?
6. What is necessary to break even and get into profit?

You noticed that I mentioned everything related to money at the end? Yes, I did order the above list by priority on purpose.

When you answer yourself those questions, keep always in mind to answer to most elementary question everybody has... which is:

What is in it for me? Also often called WIIFM. Once you learn to answer that question, you will be easily able to find your two leaders.

BTW... there is a shortcut to your homework assignment. :)

Ask your sponsor to answer the six questions above... then check an confirm those answers are accurate and match your own opinion about the program. This can save you time and strengthen the relationship with your own sponsor as you work with him together to answer them.


Tip: There are millions of programs out there on the net and many people, including me, fall easily prey to start joining too many at once. The grass always seems to look greener on the other side. ;)

I live now by the following rule... Earn with two programs (meaning: be in profit) before you even consider to join one new one. And I recommend that you too do that.


Thursday 15 April 2010

3 Steps To Getting Highly Motivated Prospects Or Customers


With the many ways to advertise, it is easy to sometimes be in a rush to just get something out somewhere. But, no matter where you plan to advertise, there are several basic fundamentals that will help create advertisements that are effective and profitable. Here are three that will get you headed in the right direction.

1. First on the check list is; is your unique selling position (USP) clear and provoking?

You need to find out what makes your business different from that of your competitors. From that, you can develop a strategy based on the strengths or even weaknesses of those differences. Actually, good marketers identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOTs) and develop their strategy from those factors. Here is an example of a USP that stems from a companies weakness:

“We’re not #1, so we work harder to get the job done.”

In this example, a weakness was used to let customers know that they will do what it takes to get the job done. Customers know that they are not #1 so the service and pricing will be competitive.

Having a USP is extremely important in setting you apart from your competitors. It is what gets you into the minds and eventually the wallets of your customers and prospects.

2. Effective Headings and Ad Copy

In developing effective headings and ad copy, it is essential to live by the adage, Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. Better know as “AIDA.”

This simply means that you grab the attention of the prospect or customer with an compelling headline or graphic, you keep them reading with an interesting ad copy which creates a desire and ends with a powerful call to action .

When developing “AIDA” it is important to keep in mind that all purchases revolve around basic human wants and they fall into two categories; the desire to gain, and the desire to avoid lose. The latter which is usually the most effective. This is an entire article in itself, but if you focus on those two principals, you will be on your way to an effective ad campaign.

3. It doesn’t matter what you say if your not saying it in the right place.

Just as important as what you say, is where you say it. Where and when you place your ads will have a tremendous effect on the results of those ads. Knowing little facts, such as, the following will give you a much more effective campaign:

Full page ads get better response on the right hand pages.

Larger ads work better than smaller ads.

If placing smaller ads, they are generate more response if lower on the page and closer to the outer margins.

In direct mail, buyers are more responsive to mailings received mid-week than on Mondays, Fridays, or weekends.

Seminars and lectures work better during the second and thirds weeks of the month.

Those are just a few simple facts that will create better response for you. Being a student and learning all the intricate details of advertising will be time well spent in regards to the success of your campaigns.

Ok, so those three simple steps will help you create more effective and more profitable advertising campaigns. Advertising can be costly if the little details are not given proper attention , but highly profitable if you do your homework and create the most compelling ad and place it at the right time and place.


Wednesday 14 April 2010

3 Smart Reasons Why You Should Consider Paying For Your Traffic


There are numerous success stories you will hear about businesses making it good on the internet . The troubling thing is, there are maybe a tenfold or even a hundredfold of stories inconsistent to theirs. Many have unsuccessfully launched a business venture that is internet based but only a handful shall succeed.

Is this because of luck? That is even more remote. It takes good business sense and a lot of help and team effort. Most importantly, it is the eagerness to succeed and the persistence to learn and the willingness to put in a lot of hard work and some money.

However, before shelling out your hard-earned money on advertising, here are three (3) smart reasons why you should consider paying for your traffic including common-sense methods of showing you how to prepare your website.

1. The quickest method for getting customers to your website is to pay for your traffic.

Like Neo, traffic is 'The One' . Without traffic, all your efforts would just go to waste. Every business needs customers, without them you wouldn't have anyone to sell your products to. In the Internet world traffic is the walk in customer. The more traffic you possess the more people you'd be able to sell your products to.

But similar to any business that's in every corner building or in the mall, not everyone that goes in will buy. But for those who do come in to browse your merchandise, most of them will buy your products. It is a clear and known fact.

But, how do you get traffic, traffic great enough that could make a small portion of resulting buyers enough to make a fair profit. Many big companies generate traffic of tens of thousands a day and a measly ten to fifteen percent actually buys, but that small percentage is enough to supply them with adequate business.

Many of these success stories get their traffic from paying others. Yes that's right; you have to spend money to make money. Advertising is the key. The more people who know that your site exists the more people would of course go to your site, that's common sense.

While there are numerous ways to get free advertising for your business, free advertising doesn't generate the same high volume of traffic as paid traffic does. Paid advertisements include such advertising schemes as those offered by Google and Yahoo.

2. In order to take full advantage of the search engines, make sure that your site is properly optimized to rank high before paying for your traffic.

Search engines are the fastest and easiest way for finding what you need on the internet . Search engines are extremely popular because they provide an indispensable service to many people. They are free and easy to use. Because of their popularity, search engines receive many visitors as well as click throughs . With these benefits in mind, it is easy to see why so many companies would pay to advertise with search engines.

Search engines provide information to the millions of users they receive each day. They provide relevant links to many sites that a user may be looking for. If your site's link pops up as one of the top ranked sites on the search results page, you stand a great chance that the user will click your link and go to your site. While search engine optimization is a cheaper and low cost way to get your site a high rank, paying for advertisements will ensure that you will be on the top ranks.

When you pay for your advertisements, it is like paying for guaranteed traffic to your site. This may not seem like a good idea at first, but the benefits of doing so far outweigh the cost in the long run. When you pay for your traffic, you are guaranteed a consistent flow of traffic to your site. You will at no time go without making a sale on any given day.

3. Find and use tools that will aid you in researching relevant keywords for your chosen niche so that you don't waste money on advertising.

Normally, you will be charged with the number of hits a link gets when your ad is clicked, this is known as pay per click. For some search engines, you will be charged with the number of times your ad shows up when a certain keyword or keyword phrase is searched. It is imperative that you have good keyword content in your ad. There are many tools on the Internet which can aid you in using the right keywords at the right moment in time.

All the money you spend in paying for your traffic will not be for nothing. You will get an impressive boost in traffic which will also result in a great boost in your sales figures.



Keith Gloster has stumbled upon a proven system that solves four major problems 99.99% of marketers face everyday which are traffic generation, prospecting, lead generation and follow-up. For the exciting details, visit: http://www.free-mlm-leads-generator.com


Tuesday 13 April 2010

3 Secrets to Knocking Out Big Competitors


Nobody likes a bully… especially small business marketers.  If you’ve ever felt like the little guy taking punches from a heavyweight champion, you know what I’m talking about.  Big business has donned its gloves, and is waiting to put small business down for the count.

I’ve got good news!  Sometimes the little guy wins.  Heck, it isn’t easy and sometimes it’s a close call, but little guys do win and when they do… victory is sweet!

What can you do when you’re being threatened by the bully down the street?

1. Take a careful look at the Competition
Every business has its strengths and weaknesses.  You need to be aware of both… your competitors strong points, and the places where room for improvement is quite obvious.

2.  Be Flexible
Don’t expect your competitor to broadcast his next move so that you can be prepared to block it.  You’ve got to think a step ahead, and be ready to outsmart his next maneuver.

3. Use a little Judo
You don’t have to be big and brawny to successfully use Judo.  Why?  It’s an art that uses your opponent’s momentum to trip him up.  So what if you don’t have thousands of dollars to invest in a campaign.  When you’re competition has invested his tens of thousands in one, you’ll be able to make a quick about turn and counteract quickly with a smaller campaign of your own.  He’ll either forfeit his investment or continue through, but loose steam. 

I’m going to let you in on a little secret about your competitors that might encourage you.  Although big businesses often have a wide variety of products filling their shelves, they often don’t have depth.

Think about it this way.  You may run to your local department store and find everything ranging from make-up to camping equipment.  The problem with that?  …chances are they don’t have an extremely wide assortment of their products.

This means that if you’re an avid outdoorsman, you probably wouldn’t be satisfied choosing between two cheap brands of tents when there is an amazing variety on the market.  An outdoor related store could get one over on the big department store by offering the widest variety of fewer products in a focused field. 

Another asset about being the small guy, is that it’s easier to make a quick turn.  Hey, how many managers do you have to get okays from to make a quick decision?  Think of the weeks it takes for a local department store to send a request from a customer for a certain product to the regional or national management?  Yeah, too long!

As a small business, you can have a new product on your shelves within a week.  If I were a customer wanting a new tent, I’d prefer to not wait until summer was half over to get it.

There are a lot of benefits to being the small guy.  Don’t take bullying lying down.  You have what it takes to get the best end of the stick and come out a winner.


Monday 12 April 2010

3 Reasons You Should Attend Seminars


If you have never gone to an online marketing seminar, you're missing out.

I know what you're thinking...

"Seminars are expensive."

That's true. They are. Some of 'em cost over $5,000. Even the lower-priced parties are around $2,000.

"It's a pain in the butt to attend."

Again, that's fair. In order to go, you have to get on a plane and fly somewhere. And you have to take time from your work and family to do it.

But, there are at least 3 reasons that attending seminars should be on your priority list (even if you DON'T plan to do a major product launch).


1. You Are Surrounded By Like-minded People.

Scoff if you want. But, I'm telling you, there's huge POWER in being around folks who are driven to the same goal as you are.

To this day, my friends and family don't really get what I do. They nod their heads and smile, but I can tell their eyes are glazing over.

Well, picture being at a party with a few hundred people who not only know what you do... they do it, too! You'll be amazed at how inspiring that can be.


2. You Meet People Who Inspire And Drive You.

I know it sounds flighty. But, when you're downing drinks with someone and sharing strategies back and forth about what's working, your mind ignites.

You find yourself wishing you'd brought your laptop so you can start taking action that moment!

And here's something better... you exchange phone numbers (yep, remember that thing you used to use before becoming a recluse?) and follow up with each other.

That's accountability, baby and it can drive you to major success.


3. You Remove Yourself From The Daily Routine.

Ever wake up and have trouble getting your engine started? (I'm not talking about your car here.) And if you ever DO get the thing to turn over, you can't seem to get any speed?

It happens to me all the time. I'll wake up and the day will pass without my having done one truly productive thing! It stinks.

I'll tell you why it happens to me...

I get bored of my routine! Now, don't get me wrong. Routines are good. In fact, they're CRITICAL to your success. Humans need routine.

But, it's JUST as important to get OUT of your routine. And going to a seminar does that for you. It makes you leave your boring daily routine behind.

Going to a seminar can give your brain (and motivation) the jump-start it needs.


Last Thoughts

I'm not trying to sell you on a seminar here. I'm only trying to get you to think about going to one.

There are a lot of benefits to going. Benefits that aren't always clear until you're there, in the hallways, in the bars, at lunch... talking with folks who are doing EXACTLY what you are doing.

It's empowering. It's inspiring. And chances are, one you attend a seminar, you'll be excited to go to another.


Sunday 11 April 2010

3 Secrets to Knocking Out Big Competitors


Nobody likes a bully… especially small business marketers.  If you’ve ever felt like the little guy taking punches from a heavyweight champion, you know what I’m talking about.  Big business has donned its gloves, and is waiting to put small business down for the count.

I’ve got good news!  Sometimes the little guy wins.  Heck, it isn’t easy and sometimes it’s a close call, but little guys do win and when they do… victory is sweet!

What can you do when you’re being threatened by the bully down the street?

1. Take a careful look at the Competition
Every business has its strengths and weaknesses.  You need to be aware of both… your competitors strong points, and the places where room for improvement is quite obvious.

2.  Be Flexible
Don’t expect your competitor to broadcast his next move so that you can be prepared to block it.  You’ve got to think a step ahead, and be ready to outsmart his next maneuver.

3. Use a little Judo
You don’t have to be big and brawny to successfully use Judo.  Why?  It’s an art that uses your opponent’s momentum to trip him up.  So what if you don’t have thousands of dollars to invest in a campaign.  When you’re competition has invested his tens of thousands in one, you’ll be able to make a quick about turn and counteract quickly with a smaller campaign of your own.  He’ll either forfeit his investment or continue through, but loose steam. 

I’m going to let you in on a little secret about your competitors that might encourage you.  Although big businesses often have a wide variety of products filling their shelves, they often don’t have depth.

Think about it this way.  You may run to your local department store and find everything ranging from make-up to camping equipment.  The problem with that?  …chances are they don’t have an extremely wide assortment of their products.

This means that if you’re an avid outdoorsman, you probably wouldn’t be satisfied choosing between two cheap brands of tents when there is an amazing variety on the market.  An outdoor related store could get one over on the big department store by offering the widest variety of fewer products in a focused field. 

Another asset about being the small guy, is that it’s easier to make a quick turn.  Hey, how many managers do you have to get okays from to make a quick decision?  Think of the weeks it takes for a local department store to send a request from a customer for a certain product to the regional or national management?  Yeah, too long!

As a small business, you can have a new product on your shelves within a week.  If I were a customer wanting a new tent, I’d prefer to not wait until summer was half over to get it.

There are a lot of benefits to being the small guy.  Don’t take bullying lying down.  You have what it takes to get the best end of the stick and come out a winner.


Saturday 10 April 2010

3 Reasons Why The Copy You Hate Will Bring Profits You Love


Every copywriter's nightmare. We write beautiful copy for a client, who takes one look and says, "You can't be serious! This is too sales-y...or too simple...or too different..."

And I'm reminded of the days, many years ago, when I volunteered as a Pet Adoption Counselor with the San Francisco SPCA. Looking back, I must have been training for what I do now. I had lots of enthusiasm. People often teased, “You’re selling cats!” Sure enough, many visitors went up with a crate holding a furry bundle of joy.

Our Volunteer Coordinator kept reminding us, “Don’t judge the visitors. You’re not going home with this person. The adopter who drives you crazy may be the best thing that ever happened to a dog.”

True.

And copy works the same way. We don’t judge our friends the way their dogs and cats do. And we don’t read our copy like our own customers.

I tell my own clients, “You may not like this copy. But you’re not the target market, even if you think you resemble your clients.”

Here are 3 reasons why.

1. Customers live on a different planet.

If you hang around the Internet, you develop a unique lifestyle. For instance, some of my best friends are people I’ve never met. We exchange emails and phone calls for years. My favorite web designer is an American living in Brazil.

And you hear the same promises over and over. “Bring traffic to your website.” “Attract all the clients you can handle.”

But if you’re targeting ordinary people (i.e., those who have actually met their best friends in person), many of our ho-hum phrases will seem fresh and exciting.

“Hype-free marketing? I like that,” purred an earth-dwelling prospect recently. “That’s a whole new way of looking at marketing.”

Your world may not be the Internet. Maybe you live fitness, coaching, cooking, or finance. But chances are your familiar phrases will seem fresh and exciting to your target market.

2. Customers want to be sold.

They know you’re not putting up websites and creating brochures so you’ll feel good and collect gold stars for your Permanent Records.

And if they want your service, they’re looking for reasons to say “yes.” Think of all those Madison Avenue ads with the theme, “You deserve it.” Or, “You’re worth it.” They’re giving us permission to spend our money.

As long as you’re tasteful and – drum roll – meeting their real needs, your customers will actually appreciate learning about what you offer.

Recently I was pitching my services to “Frank,” a prospective client who sells fitness services. Hesitantly, I referred him to a website I’d written for “Tom” – a financial professional who was terrified we were selling way too hard.

Frank was impressed. “This isn’t the least bit pushy. It’s so warm and friendly! Tom sounds like such a nice guy.”

We’re still talking. But when Frank sees his own fitness site, I bet he says, “Um – do you think we’re selling too hard?”

3. Customers don’t want to stop and think.

Some words and phrases slow us down. For some good examples, pick up your college textbooks and maybe a couple of academic journals. You’ll see words like “moreover,” “counterintuitive,” “although,” and more. (I know. I wrote many.)

How did you read your college textbooks? I bet you read slowly, made marginal notes and hung on tight to your yellow highlighter pen.

Alas, website visitors don’t study our copy the same way. We have to help them create highlights and move along fast.

Which gets read more:

(a) “Although you can work very hard, you may not see results for a long time.”

(b) “But you can work really hard and wait forever for results.”

Bottom Line: Expect surprises when you unveil your copy to your clients, especially if you’re new to marketing yourself and your own products. When I first wrote the title Your 21-Day Extreme Career Makeover, I cringed: Was my site becoming the virtual equivalent of a used car lot?

But my target market – professionals and senior executives – started buying. And the rest, as they say, is history


Friday 9 April 2010

3 Reasons Why Adsense Is Essential For Content Sites


The concept is really simple, if you think about it. The publisher or the webmaster inserts a java script into a certain website. Each time the page is accessed, the java script will pull advertisements from the Adsense program. The ads that are targeted should therefore be related to the content that is contained on the web page serving the ad. If a visitor clicks on an advertisement, the webmaster serving the ad earns a portion of the money that the advertiser is paying the search engine for the click.

The search engine is the one handling all the tracking and payments, providing an easy way for webmasters to display content-sensitive and targeted ads without having the hassle to solicit advertisers, collect funds, monitor the clicks and statistics which could be a time-consuming task in itself. It seems that there is never a shortage of advertisers in the program from which the search engine pulls the Adsense ads. Also webmasters are less concerned by the lack of information search engines are providing and are more focused in making cash from these search engines.

The first reason why Adsense is essential for content sites is because it already has come a long way in understanding the needs of publishers and webmasters. Together with its continuous progression is the appearance of more advanced system that allows full ad customization. Webmasters are given the chance to choose from many different types of text ad formats to better complement their website and fit their webpage layout.

The different formatting enables the site owners the possibility of more click through from visitors who may or may not be aware of what they are clicking on. It can also appeal to the people visiting thus make them take that next step of looking up what it is all about. This way the people behind the Adsense will get their content read and making profit in the process.

The second reason is the ability of the Adsense publishers to track not only how their sites are progressing but also the earnings based on the webmaster-defined channels. The recent improvements in the search engines gives webmasters the capability to monitor how their ads are performing using customizable reports that has the capacity to detail page impressions, clicks and click-through rates. Webmasters and publishers can now track specific ad formats, colours and pages within a website. Trends are also easily spotted.

With the real-time reporting at hand, the effectiveness of the changes made will be assessed quickly. There would be time to sort out the contents that people are making the most clicks on. The ever-changing demands would be met while generating cash for the webmasters and publishers. The more flexible tools are also allowing webmasters to group web pages by URL, domain, ad type or category, which will provide them some accurate insight on which pages, ads and domains are performing best.

The last and final reason is that the advertisers have realized the benefits associated having their ads served on targeted websites. Thus increasing the possibility that a prospective web surfer will have an interest in their product and services. All because of the content and its constant maintenance. As opposed to those who are no using Adsense in their sites, they are given the option of having other people do their content for them, giving them the benefit of having successful and money-generating web sites.

Adsense is all about targeted content, the more targeted your content is, the more target the search engines’ ads will be. There are some web masters and publishers who are focused more on their site contents and how best to maintain them rather than the cash that the ads will generate for them. This is the part where the effectiveness is working its best.

There was a time when people were not yet aware of the money to be achieved from advertisements. The cash generated only came into existence when the webmasters and publishers realized how they can make Adsense be that generator. In those days, the content were the most important factors that is taken quite seriously. It still is. With the allure of money, of course.


Thursday 8 April 2010

3 Reasons Postcards Are The Best Way To Advertise


When I say postcard, maybe you think of the old fashioned, jagged edged dull pieces of card stock.  Think again!  Today's postcards are vibrant, high-impact creations with clip art so real that it'll jump off the page at you.  And the best thing about them...

1. They're Short and Personal
Let's face it, people just don't have time to sort through a lot of advertisements and junk mail.  If the truth be known, they immediately identify ads and pitch them into the trash without ever slitting the envelope.

Postcards get read!  It's already open, and the message is "in your face" without exerting any effort to absorb it.  Even if the reader isn't trying to read it, he'll get the impact of the short message before he tosses it.

Personal messages have a greater appeal than mass mailings. Postcards keep the old time charm of a personal greeting while implement new high tech marketing strategies... a combination for success.

2. They're Easy And Cost Effective
Hey even the postage for a postcard is cheaper!  Go to your printer and have them print you up several thousand for 7 or 8 cents apiece.  Not too bad!  For about 30 cents you have a cutting edge, high impact marketing tool ready to be put to use.

You don't even have to bother with putting them in the mail.  Many print warehouses will take care of it for you.  Hey, what could be easier?

3.  They Keep Your Marketing Strategy Hidden From Competitors
Do you get tired of spending countless hours agonizing over new marketing strategies, only the have your competitors jump right in and ape your campaign?  Yeah, it's pretty frustrating, but hard to do anything about.  Everything you do is right in front of them shouting "Copy Me."

Postcards are private interactions with the individuals who read them.  It's a one-on-one campaign that lets you keep the results quiet from prying eyes.  Heck, they won't even know what you're doing, much less how to copy it.

There's another sneak tactic that I haven't mentioned yet... using postcards to direct traffic to your Website.  That's right!  Most of us think we need to use Internet marketing tools to drive up our Internet sales.  NOT SO!  That's what everyone else is doing, but think about it.  A postcard with your slogan and visible information that directs the reader to your Website... yeah, let's hope the competition doesn't catch on for quite a while!

There's not another marketing campaign that can guarantee 100 percent readership!  It just makes sense that when more people read your ad, it will be more effective.  Use postcards to market and count on a high response rate!


Wednesday 7 April 2010

3 Quick And Easy Ways To Build A Profitable Opt In List


You finally realize that you need a good opt-in list. After reading countless articles and sought expert advices and have read many success stories of people creating a small fortune with opt-in lists you finally decide to have one of your own. Then it happens, you think you have known everything there is to know about opt-in lists and have followed their advices to the T and you still weren’t able to make a profit.

In fact, you may be losing money. You maybe hiring writers to help you out, or there are some expenses incurred, even if you have a big list, but only a very small percentage actually buys from you, your still losing profit. You’ll realize that after a few months when you see your statistics and sales figures.

So what could have gone wrong? Why have others succeeded where you have failed? The most common mistake is that you dived straight right in. You chose a topic where you think could be quite popular and would earn you money. This just not the case. Just because you wrote people from the list doesn’t mean they are going to buy instantly.

Here I will offer more advice, for those who have started an opt-in list and have failed, you can rejuvenate your failed venture. For those who are starting, here are three quick and easy ways to build a profitable opt-in list.

1) Get your customers to trust you and your products first. Just launching your opt-in list would not make you an expert and a believable seller. Put many articles first before you start an opt-in list. Write about the topic you know and have started and used for your site. Try to put forums first to gain knowledge about your customers about their wants and needs and target those wants and needs.

Join forums from other sites as well. Provide expert advices and recommendations. When you feel that people trust you already, you will be able to start your own opt-in list. You can build a base as well with other forum users. You can ask them to join your list. Friends are always good customers. Put up a link to your site so that they may be able to see what you're business is all about.

The certain truth is, the money will only come in when the consumers and subscribers believe and trust in you. They want a product or service that could be a good exchange for their money. People are not going to buy something out of your recommendation if they don’t know you.

2) Find a product or service that people want and need. Although it may not be your forte, if you provide a service and product that you have researched and learned about well, you can carry it on forward. Invest your time, effort and money that you could sell as well as the buyers or subscribers of your opt-in list can use.

While it is true that it is best to sell something that you have interest in, there are not many people who have the same interest as you if you decide to sell something that is not entirely popular or profitable. Do your research well and you would see the profits come in. Also provide your subscribers with promotional material that they could actually use and spread around.

3) Make friends with other opt-in list users. This is basically beneficial especially if it is someone who has already launched a successful opt-in list. These are people that have the experience in this venture and experience is still the best teacher. While there are many articles available for you in the internet to use, there is nothing like getting a first hand account from someone you trust.

Experienced opt-in list users will be able to tell you what to do and what not to do because they have gone through it. While different situations occur for different people, the general concept can still be very helpful. There are many things to avoid and these people will be able to tell you which ones.

Building a profitable opt-in list don’t just happen overnight. There are many preparations and effort to do. Opt-in lists are built from scratch, as your list grows, you should also maintain the quality of your list. Keep it organized and manageable. Get or hire help if need be, just make sure that your subscribers are happy and satisfied and they will be willing to buy from you.


Tuesday 6 April 2010

3 Proven Methods For Turning Away Customers and Losing Money


Are you your own worst marketing enemy?  Hey, I'm sure you wouldn't intentionally turn customers away... but we all make mistakes.  In the following article you'll find some tried and true ways to lose sales and kiss your profits goodbye!

1.  Distract Them
You know what I'm talking about.  You've been to Web pages where there were a TON of clickable links.  You start clicking away, get 10 screens open... and yeah, you forget which is the original site and why the heck you were there in the first place!

This one is especially true for Internet marketers.  Let me ask you... how many clickable links are on your Web page?  Don't send your customers to other places before you've made a sale.  Once a prospect heads out for greener pastures, they'll probably never find their way back. 

2.  Give Them An Unpleasant Surprise
You've probably made a purchase, got set to write the check and discovered extra fees that you weren't counting on paying.  No one even mentioned them until you were sitting there with pen in hand.  Maybe it was that vacation package you've been dreaming about for a while.  You're left with a choice... grin and bear it, or walk off without the vacation.

Nothing leaves a bad taste in a customer's mouth like last minute add ons to the price they pay.  Yeah, sometimes they go ahead and go through with the purchase, but next time they'll think twice before they trust you to give them the real scoop on the price... if they ever return. 

Be up front!  Are you planning to charge shipping?  Don't wait until they've already made the purchase.  Let them know right up front.  When they already know it's part of the deal, they won't have a problem with the fees.

3.  Confuse Them
Eenie meenie minie moe...  Have you ever been there... which item is the better buy and the right one for you?  It could be that you walked out without making up your mind, thinking you'd return later.  But now for the biggie...Did you make it back?

Customers who leave without making the purchase are at high risk for changing their minds about making the purchase at all.  That's why it's important to keep the decision as simple as possible.  Make it a "yes" or "no" choice and you've effectively guaranteed they walk out with the item in a bag. 


The marketing place is competitive enough without making things tough on the customer.  These three keys to sending customers away, are keys you'll want to watch out for.  Don't make the mistake of wiping out your own profits.


Monday 5 April 2010

3 Powerful Tactics That Motivate Customers To Buy


Wooing customers is a little bit like dating.  No, you can't present the engagement ring on your first date!  There's a two-way relationship that grows one step at a time before it leads to the church doors.  You can't rush it... you can't skip it... if you're looking for the satisfaction of a life-long commitment.

Getting to know your date, or getting to know your customer takes a little time and effort.  The personality, likes and dislikes of each date are different, but customers share some commonalities that you, the marketer, can grab onto.  Give them what they want, and they'll become the loyal, life-time customers that make your business prosper.

1.  Forget About Selling... Put The Emphasis On Buying
People like to think that all of their buying decisions were reached due to their own great ideas and skillful shopping.  Hey, no one is fond of a pushy salesman.  A salesman who "HELPS" them discover the best buy for their buck on the other hand, is a hero. 

Really, when a person walks into your place of business, they are most likely thinking of making a purchase before they get there.  You don't have to persuade them to buy.  You can take it easy, and simply help them decide what the best purchase is.

Keep your focus on the customer and his needs.  Think... what benefits would he be most interested in?  What is the price range he can afford?  Basically, keep in mind that you are there to serve his needs, not persuade him.  Ah, the pressure's off!

2.  Make Purchasing  A "Sure Bet"
Buying is a "risky" business.  The higher the price tag reads, the higher the risks are!  Yep, a customer is just looking for a product that satisfies the needs he purchased it for.  The question they ask themselves is... "Is it worth it?"

Hey, it's a legitimate question.  The world is full of scams where you spend your hard earned cash and end up with trash that doesn't last and that you can't get serviced.  A few tough lessons, leave customers wary about off-the-cuff purchases.  They want something they can trust.

A money back guarantee alleviates a great amount of concern in the mind of the consumer.  There's peace in knowing that if the product doesn't live up to its claims, they aren't stuck footing the bill for a piece of junk.

Customer testimonials also clearly tell "would be" buyers that you really do deliver customer satisfaction.  No one can say it better than a satisfied customer, but don't carelessly use testimonials.  You need a method to your madness.  Pick clear and specific testimonials to use, and include as much about the customer as you possible can to lend credence to his testimony.

3.  Let Them Know That It's As Quick and Easy As 1, 2, 3
Simplicy... ah, it makes life so much easier.  Yeah, your harried customers are busy and tired.  They don't want to mess around.  Most of the time, they just want to make the purchase and head home.  Convenience stores testify to the fact that quick and easy often overrides a better price!

Make the buying process as simple as you possibly can.  Remember that not everyone prefers the same method.  The more options you have available, the more customers you will please.

When you're planning your marketing campaign, don't forget to point out the quick, fast, and easy benefits of your product.  Remember that value isn't everything.

It's pretty easy to charm your customers when you know what they like!  Keep these 3 tactics in mind as you go about the daunting task of growing your business and expanding your customer list... and watch your profits go through the roof.


Sunday 4 April 2010

3 Popular Niche Marketing Misconceptions


Specializing in Niche Markets has never been as crucial as it is today. Long gone are the days when you can target general, broad markets and make money from them.

To make money in today's Internet Marketing environment, one must specialize in well defined niche topics.

Lets examine a few misconceptions when it comes to niche marketing.

Misconception #1: You do not have to be an expert in the Niche field you choose!

Everyone says you should only choose a Niche that you are an expert in...nonsense!

The Internet is so impersonal that you can easily appear as an expert and not know anything about that particular niche topic. The key is to appear as an expert. How? You can outsource, build niche sites with no interaction such as blogs, purchase resale rights to an ebook in a particular niche. You see, you can choose to profit from any niche you like.

Misconception #2: Choose one niche market and stick with it.

Not true! Once you establish yourself in one niche and develop a profitable system, choose another one and run with it. You can even choose a pen name if you like, it's common practice to do so.

Niche marketing is a numbers game. Once you find a profitable niche put it on auto-pilot and choose another niche market to get into.

Misconception #3: The best way to make money in the niche game is to promote niche products as an affiliate.

Wrong again! Sure, becoming an affiliate and promoting niche products can be very profitable, but if you are doing this, you're not maximizing your income.

You need to promote your own landing or squeeze page where you collect the e-mail address of the visitor, and then sending him or her to the niche product you are promoting. You should also send out an e-mail course with informative information pertaining to that particular niche market to gain the visitors trust. Since your subscriber now trusts you, you can recommend products in that niche again and again, knowing your recommendation holds a lot of weight.

Those are three popular misconceptions when it comes to niche marketing. Follow the tips above, and you will be more likely to succeed. Remember, it is important to find a profitable niche, set it up so it is on auto-pilot, then move on to the next niche.

Not all niche markets will be a slam dunk, so don't get discouraged.

Even if one out of ten become really profitable, sit down and smile, you've hit the jackpot.