All About News

Affiliate Marketing - More Than a Dream by Laurie Frias

2009-02-03T08:55:00.000+07:00

"I have a dream", the famous words of Martin Luther King is now the same vision of millions of Americans and people all over the world as the economy topples out of control and we are all left with a helpless insecurity of uncertainty.

Why is affiliate marketing more than a dream in a recession? I believe in these tough economic times, you're going to see many people starting their own home-based businesses which creates a great OPPORTUNITY for YOU to help them get started with their own online business and profit from it. Now understand this, I'm not talking about the "hype" or the "fluff" or the BS. In my career as an Internet Marketer, I have spent thousandsof dollars, I have products sitting on shelves and I was one of those who bought EVERYTHING because of a determination stronger than life that I would make it. Finally a year and a half later, I understand…..I understand that it was my HONESTY, my true belief in someone else's success that I created my own. Yes, it is more than a dream, and it can be your reality if you so choose it to be.

Affiliate Marketing can be a very cost-effective way to provide goods or services that people need, regardless of the economic climate. The opportunity that you get from a recession is that a lot of people will cap their marketing budget, therefore giving you the opportunity to get cheaper advertising to reach out to new customers with little or no competition because your competitors will be doing the opposite in an attempt to save money. There are so many easy and cost effective ways to advertise and help your marketing business succeed and many people aren't even aware of them. News releases to capture new prospects, new leads, new visitors and new buyers. You can be proactive and ready; take responsibility, charge, and control of your future by taking action, being a visionary, promoting sales and value, constantly looking for new marketing opportunities, AND if you DO that, you will live in the realm of abundance and YOU WILL PROSPER.

Another great way to get your business name out there is to do joint ventures with other website owners where you will both cross-promote each other and both benefit from the extra traffic. With affiliate marketing, there are also many free ways of advertising online like writing articles, posting in forums, blogs, social networking websites, etc. Take your pick or do them all, you're on your own time. The trend for people buying stuff online is constantly growing and WILL continue to grow, so you're offered with a continuous opportunity to market new products to the growing number of online consumers. If good products are priced right, people will buy and utilize them in their own businesses or start new ones. In this crazy economy, people need hope; businesses are suffering and need all the help they can get and affiliate marketers could be just the answer for them since they do not pay you until you send them a buyer.

With the way the economy is right now, we will see a huge surge of online businesses being started in the coming months. So for the smart affiliate marketers, they will keep building, they will continue to get better content and product development, they will be better placed to take advantage of a re-opened market when we get out of the recession. Affiliate marketing is not difficult to do at all as long as you understand what the concept involves and how to build an affiliate website.

Affiliate marketing is more than a dream and for some more than others, that dream is becoming a reality. Now many millionaires will be made and new business celebrities born or at least shoot into stardom as individuals success will grow its meaning. Even though many industries are closing their doors, this is still one way of creating huge amounts of money for people all over the world. Many people are looking this way to earn their income, with no strings attached and no trickery involved whatsoever. If you haven't looked toward this avenue yet, now is the time to find out how it can work for you.

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PPC Domination - Finally Adwords Training for the Nework Marketers Needs by Rebecca Holman

2009-02-03T08:52:00.001+07:00

I am sure it is not news nor does it come as a big surprise to you that people feel that we are living in shaky times. With all the jobs being lost, the shaky banking industry and traditional jobs tanking. There is certainly tons of fear in the marketplace.

I recently wrote a press release declaring that, in my humble opinion, 2009 is the "Year of the Entrepreneur". Where once your friends ran scared from your opportunities telling you how risky it was, they are now approaching you asking how they too can start an at home business. Traditional jobs have now become more risky than being in an MLM.

So on the scene comes a great opportunity for the thousands of entrepreneurs- new and old- that are looking for answers on how to grow their businesses. Mike Dillard and Jim Yaghi come out with a powerful training course called PPC Domination. This program will show internet marketers how to dominate their market and advertise effectively even on a shoestring budget.

Mike Dillard is the well known creator of the concept called Attraction Marketing. He has gone on to build one of the largest online training networks for home business owners. So when he comes out with a product people take notice as Mike Dillard always over delivers. Mr. Dillard has announced the release of what he says is the "best way to build any business."

The new step by step course is called PPC Domination and will officially open for sale on January 19th, 2009. You will be able to receive a 65% discount if you opt in early.

Mike Dillard's, PPC Domination is truly the first in depth training manual created specifically for the small business owner. It will show SOHO owners how to set up Internet advertising campaigns the correct way. It will also show business owners how to get paid to generate new business leads, and to be successful in this competitive market with an advertising budget as small as $50 a month.

While PPC Domination is clearly not the first training program about Google Adwords it is the first targeted for home business owners, network marketing, and multi-level marketing that explains a successful Google advertising campaign with step-by-step video training.

The power of the program lies with Jim Yaghi's successful experiences using Google Adwords. They also did market testing using a beta release of the project so that they could make sure that people would be successful applying the principles outlined in their training.

So here's just a small sample of what you'll learn inside the detailed training videos of "PPC Domination"...

* How to "glide" through setting up your first AdWords account in 13 minutes or less--even if you've never used the Internet before.
* A simple "short cut" that makes learning and profiting from AdWords twice as fast.
* The easiest way to make money with Google AdWords when starting out.
* How to make your AdWords advertising 100% FREE. (And, in fact, actually make you money every time you run your ads!)
* A sneaky way to use AdWords to get dozens of leaders to eagerly send traffic to your websites. (And without having to speak with them, make any special deals with them, or pay them anything.)
* A neat little way of using your computer's spell check function to make your Google ads draw twice as many clicks. (And no... this has nothing to do with actually checking your ad's spelling.)
* The only proven-effective way to take almost 100% of the risk out of AdWords advertising. (This is perfect if you hate risking money.)
* Why even "professionally" written Google ads--created by pro copywriters--often bomb. (Believe it or not, with Jim's system, people with no prior copywriting experience have a HUGE advantage over experienced copywriters.)
* Jim Yaghi's famous "3-minute work day" secret. (Probably the fastest and easiest way to make money with Google ever invented.)
* How to "legally steal" the branding power and name status of bigger, more "cash flush" competitors. (When Jim first demonstrated this to me, I almost couldn't believe it. Jim actually shows you how to "steal" the top Google spots by using the names and branding of big name networkers in your ads--without breaking any laws or doing anything unethical!)
* A quickie "crash course" on writing Google AdWords headlines. (Your headline is the single most important part of your Google ad. Here's how the world's top AdWords marketers create their headlines--and how you can, too.)
* Why you should almost never send people from your Google ads to your home page! (This goes against what a lot of AdWords marketers are doing. Which is why most of them are broke and pulling their hair out.)
* How to make your prospects excited about visiting your site... before they even click your ad. (This is one of Jim's most reliable ways to get leads that are so hot, they sign up without even knowing what your product, opportunity or comp plan is!)
* How to get extremely good at writing Google ads fast--even if you hate writing and find it painful now.

Mike Dillard truely has shown that he is an invaluable resource to the network marketing community by this release.

PPC Domination will have a 65% discount opportunity when the doors open on Monday, January 19, 2009.

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5 Secrets to Increase Your E-mail Delivery Rate - Part 2 by George Meszaros

2009-02-03T08:49:00.000+07:00

Stay off of e-mail blacklists. Keep in mind that being blacklisted doesn't necessarily mean that your company has committed an illegal act. When your e-mail domain is blacklisted, your e-mail will be blocked by most ISP. The result is your intended audience will never receive your e-mail because their ISPs will block your e-mails from arriving to their inboxes.

Your first line of defense should be monitoring ISPs by making sure that your e-mail is delivered to inboxes. One way to do this is to have several e-mail accounts on the largest 15 or so ISPs, and check to see if your e-mails reach the inboxes. This is an expensive a time consuming task. The fast and inexpensive way to check is to use a service such as http://www.deliverymonitor.com. For a fairly small monthly fee, they will monitor the largest ISPs to see if your e-mail is reaching the intended inbox or lands in the dreaded spam folder. If you find that your e-mails end up in the spam folder, you can directly contact the ISP to find out the reason.

Proper management of e-mail lists is essential. As we review bulk e-mail statistics, we are armed with the knowledge required to improve delivery. The knowledge gained from e-mail statistics enables companies to prune e-mail lists. For example, bounced e-mail addresses should be removed. A bounced e-mail is usually the result of an incorrect e-mail address, or a nonexistent e-mail address. As bounced e-mails are removed from lists, the delivery rate will improve. In addition to a more accurate list, removing bounced e-mail addresses from lists will result in savings due to smaller number of e-mails sent.

Let's face it, some people will subscribe to your e-mail list but will never become a customer. Removing old inactive e-mail addresses is another essential list management practice. Inactive e-mail subscribers should be required to re-opt-in. Hanging on to old inactive e-mail addresses will help us grow our lists, but they will also lower e-mail delivery rates.

If you prune a tree and cut the dead branches, the tree becomes much healthier. It now has free energy to sustain the leaves and branches enabling the tree to grow. Keep your e-mail lists healthy.

Only send bulk e-mail to people that had subscribed. Don't pre-check the subscribe button on the website forms. Pre-checking the subscription form may result in more subscriptions, but the quality of subscriptions will diminish. Customers expect reputable companies to ask for permission instead of assuming it. If you include a pre-checked sign-up box people may either forget to uncheck the box or just miss it in their haste to complete the form. How people got on your list is a major driver of their likelihood to delivered future e-mails. Subscriber list must only include e-mails of people that have specifically opted-in. It is better to have a smaller but higher quality list.

If your e-mails offer real value to people, you will have no problems getting people opt-in, and if there is no perceived value to subscribe, you should have all the power to create value. Original useful content always attracts subscribers.

Bonus Secret: Ask people to add your e-mail address to their friends list as they subscribe to your e-mail list. This way, you will reduce the chance of landing your e-mail in the subscriber's bulk folder. You should do this on the subscription form page or on the sign up form's thank you page.

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2009-02-03T08:46:00.001+07:00

The secret ingredient to successful e-mail marketing is a high delivery rate. Businesses that understand and manage their bulk e-mail campaigns will enjoy a higher than average delivery rate. Read on to learn about five secrets that will improve your delivery rate, taking your e-mail marketing to the next level.

Most importantly, you must know what your e-mail delivery rate is. Do you? I thought so. As it is with everything in business if you can't measure it, you can't manage it. Your first goal in improving your delivery rate is that you must be able to put a number on it. In a perfect world, we would all expect a 100% delivery rate. The last time I checked we are far from living in a perfect world, so your e-mail delivery rate will be unlikely at 100%. What is a reasonable delivery rate? If your company has a 95% delivery rate, you are doing well, but if the delivery rate is at 40% you have to make improvements.

Your e-mail host should be able to provide you with the exact delivery rate of your bulk e-mail sends. The goal is not perfection, it is rather continuous improvement. If your current delivery rate is at 80% you have to work on getting the percentage as close to 100% percent as we can. Once you have a base line understanding, you can start with making improvements.

Use a static IP address for all of your e-mail marketing needs. What is an IP address, and why should you care? An IP address is a unique number identifying a computer on the Internet. Your mail server has an IP address. Many companies send their mass e-mails from mail servers with a shared IP address, but you should do everything in your power to avoid such practice. Imagine some telemarketer using your phone number to call somebody's house at dinner time to pitch their product. Sending your bulk mail from a shared IP address has the same effect.

Sending your bulk e-mails from a shared IP address could get your domain blacklisted by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Blacklisting means that your domain is marked as a spammer even if you are running a completely legitimate e-mail system.

Let's say your company is using a hosted e-mail service where hundreds or perhaps thousands of companies are sending e-mails using the same IP address. If one of the many companies manages to get on an e-mail blacklist, your company could suffer the consequences. The ISP doesn't differentiate between your company's e-mail and the spammers e-mail, and it will block your e-mails just the same.

Now that you know all this, you can demand a dedicated IP address for your company. When your company is the only entity that is using the IP address for e-mail, your chance of being marked as a spammer mistakenly are miniscule. Before you accept a dedicated IP address for sending e-mails, you need to check and make sure that the IP address is not currently on any e-mail blacklists. To check to see if an IP address has been blacklisted, use a service like http://www.spamcop.net, or http://www.spamhaus.org. Being on any of the above blacklists tends to indicate a real spam problem, and suggests you need to investigate what's going wrong, and you need to fix it. Your first step should be to get a dedicated IP address for your e-mail system.

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Why Study Marketing and Sales Management? by Sarah Maple

2009-02-03T08:43:00.000+07:00

Courses in marketing typically deal with the study of promotion, distribution, and selling of products to people. During the course, certain modules and areas of study might consist of analysing the factors that affect the processes of marketing and what makes a successful campaign. In recent years, however, new types of marketing courses have arrived offering specialization in different areas of business. So what is different about Marketing and Sales Management?

A Marketing and Sales Management course deals more explicitly with the study of markets, advertising, and consumer trends more than a typical Business Course might. Where a business student might spend time focusing on the general concepts and methods of business, Marketing and Sales Management is seemingly more focused.

One key area that Marketing and Sales Management specifically deals with is that of market research and innovation. During a module such as this a student will be taught the methods of research used in a variety of environments, and the diversity of ways that research can then be displayed and used. Research in relation to marketing is fairly complex, not only must the most cost effective and suitable methodologies be employed, but a certain degree of study must be made of the ethical factors that affect research and data. It is from here that marketing innovations are made.

There is also a focus on consumer behaviour during a Marketing and Sales Management course. The key questions during this module are: How does consumer behaviour impact marketing strategy? And what are the reasons for such behaviour? There is an ethical focus here also, such as the extents to which ethics affect mass and individual consumer choices. Additionally, the criteria for targeting markets, such as gender and age, would also be explored in such a module.

Finally, another way a Marketing and Sales Management course differs to others is by its analysis of marketing communications and media. The diverse range of methods used by marketers to promote their products, is rivalled in few places, except perhaps by the range of ways business can be studied today. home study, e-Learning, and traditional university course providers all offer Business Courses in some form. With bigger incentives to take further education, as well as increased accessibility, it seems that Marketing and Sales Management is set to receive more enrolments in 2009 than ever before.

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How To Make Money From Internet Marketing by Joshua Gan

2009-02-03T08:41:00.001+07:00

To make money online many people jump right in before they are properly prepared. You know that to be a rocket scientist, a doctor, a brick layer, a construction worker, an office worker, a teacher there are prerequisites, things you must learn, before you can be successful, you don't just jump right in unprepared.

The same applies to the Internet marketing industry even though there are unsavory people out there who'd have you believe it's a "Walk in the Park" and requires no more than the belief that you can just do it.

And I'll have to admit, it is a walk in the park compared to what you have to put up with in the working world punching a clock being a subordinate to someone who does not have your interests in mind, but there are still rules you have to follow and pitfalls you must avoid to actually make Internet marketing work for you.

Most people will not make a dime online and yet there are others who will make more in one month than most people make in a whole year. Why is that?

My answer begins with the age-old chicken or egg question, "what comes first the chicken or the egg"? Personally I vote for, well never mind, each argument you or I make comes back to the same old conclusion - I have no clue and I don't think many of us do either.

But one thing I do have a clue about and know for sure is that to make money online you must first have Passion for the company products and/or service of any Internet business from which you expect to make money.

Passion in this sense simply means that you've researched and like the company and products or services. It is then that you translate that like (or Passion) into the education, excitement and work that usually accompany Passion.

I will have to say that many online entrepreneurs are so good at what they do that they ignore passion because they can sell anything. But I'm concerned about those of you who are not so knowledgeable at working an online business successfully.

Now, I'm not trying to make anyone believe that Passion is the only thing necessary. Because to be successful you must also have a good website, good marketing, widespread advertising, company support, effective keywords, and etc. Those things are often learned from the company you join - but sidestep Passion and you reduce your chances for success dramatically.

It therefore follows that, if you have no Passion for the company and the products and services provided by that company, again, you won't attempt to do the work you are being taught.

Internet marketing work is typically not all that difficult or time consuming but it does take motivation caused by Passion to get you off and running with a sustained effort so that you won't stumble.

You have a great resource in the Internet search engines to search about the Internet Marketing industry for business opportunities, USE IT!

Your research should uncover a company that you like and have confidence in. It should be solid, founded on great principles, and easy to understand with great products and services that are sell-able for which you can have Passion. If you don't find it move on, You can find the right opportunity containing the attributes identified above.

Comments like, well, that one sounds good and the compensation plan is excellent so I guess I'll start that business - does not sound like a decision based on anything near Passion. And remember when you hear that an Internet "guru" does that, don't be tempted, because as I said earlier they are experienced and can sell just about anything, without being Passionate about the company products and services.

Note: By the way it's your goal to get to the point where you can sell about anything online. That end skill and goal is a worthy one indeed.

Remember, there are other steps you must make before you step into Internet Marketing but if you don't first find the right company products and services to be passionate about, all of those other steps may just cause you a lot of frustration instead of bringing you great success.

Not being Passionate about a company and products and services that has market proof that it will sell is a pitfall you simply must avoid.

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Kiyosaki Network Marketing Quadrant - Network Marketing One of Best Ways of Residual Income Creation by Anthony Severino

2009-02-03T08:33:00.002+07:00

Rich Dad Robert Kiyosaki recommends network marketing as a good choice for anybody looking to start their own business with the idea of creating cash flow in mind. Aside from the great sales and marketing experience one gains in the network marketing industry, Kiyosaki believes that of all the ways of residual income generation, the low cost entry is attractive.

Many network marketing companies make it possible to get started for under five hundred dollars. This is a bargain compared to starting a business in most other industries. This usually buys a new distributor the right to sell a product or service within the structure that is already created along with some inventory or use of the service.

Network marketing has been applied to many traditional industries and markets. Financial services network marketing company Primerica grew to be so large that it bought up some of the biggest banks and survived the credit crisis of 2008 while household names like 100+ year institution Lehman Brothers fell into bankruptcy months after wall street giant Bear Stearns imploded.

There are other ways to create residual income, like buying bonds or oil wells. The reason anybody can create residual income with a network marketing business is because it isn't capital investment that generates the income, it is the ability to duplicate one's efforts. Success depends on the ability to lead, attract, and build relationships which while this comes easier for some than others, anybody can develop these skills if they are committed.

This has made the industry a breeding ground for personal growth paradigms and personal development seminars.

For training and education on how to generate leads for ANY business online go here: http://www.teachmeprofits.com

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The Benefits Of Optimizing A Weblog by Gen Wright

2009-02-03T08:30:00.001+07:00

In today's age of internet connectivity, for any business to be successful it needs to have a web presence. And for any website or blog to be successful, it is important that search engine optimization strategies are applied to it. What is the point of having a great website or blog if it doesn't attract visitors who are interested in its content?

Search engines are a great way to attract interested visitors. If your website or blog is optimized using SEO strategies, it will show up in the early listings of search results of those keywords that are most important and relevant to you. This is bound to lead a lot of visitors to your website or blog and will help increase its profitability.

In many ways, blogs are a lot easier to optimize compared to websites because it is a lot easier to update blogs regularly with fresh content, whereas the information on a website, especially a business website, tends to remain static. On the other hand, the website address is likely to be the company name, which will not attract a lot of visitors unless it is very famous. On the other hand, the title of your blog can accurately reflect the content on your blog. This not only encourages readers to read the blog, it also leads them to it.

While you can always consult and hire an SEO expert to help optimize your blog for you, here are some tips to help you optimize your own blog and see the effectiveness of SEO strategies for your self:

As mentioned earlier, get a domain name that contains your most important keyword.

Ensure that your blog has its own unique and distinct look and is differentiated from the others.

Ensure that you are always updating your list of highly searched keywords that are relevant to you.

There are a number of blogging tools you can use. Create tabs with keywords in it, add plug in that are relevant to you, allow RSS subscription on your site and get a sitemap for your blog.

For a site map, all you have to do is sign up with Google sitemaps and feed in the relevant information.

Ensure that all your feeds are being tracked.

Look for other high ranking blogs that are related to your subject and get them to link to your blog. Provide links for their blogs on yours.

Ensure that you submit your blog URL and RSS feeds to various online blog directories.

Create a highly optimized press release and use it to announce your blog.

Also visit other forums and add comments regularly. You can then lead readers to your blog by asking for their comments on the content of your blog.

It is crucial that every incoming link, visitor and comment is faithfully tracked by you. Also it is important that all the comments on your blog are responded to in a timely fashion.

Most importantly, ensure that you are updating your blog with unique, original and keyword rich content on a regular basis.

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Get Paid Today Real Money From Home by Ken Leon

2009-02-03T08:28:00.001+07:00

IPC Instant Cash is here for you so that you can really earn lots of money from home. You can see it too if you have not already just by watching one of the online webinars that goes into detail about this amazing system. They are presented every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at convenient hours. You can get links to the webinars page to sign-up at no charge at the links below this report. The webinars are free to everyone! Go see how you can earn easy money from home.

Get started right now and see that within 24 to 48 hours you can start making real money. The compensation plan in IPC Instant Cash is like no other. Considering all of the compensation plans that exist online, IPC Instant Cash is a combination of all the good points of other compensation plans. See the free report at my web page. The url or link is at the bottom of this article. With IPC Instant Cash, your online business is 98 percent automated to help you earn money from home fast! And it keeps growing and growing. I know this works and this works for me.

The training you get via the members back office is worth thousands of dollars. There are no monthly fees or charges for anything. Believe me you need to see the free report. It explains the IPC Instant Cash system method of how to earn lots of money from home and live a life of freedom from financial worries. And if you are only looking to earn extra money from home this program is definitely for you. This is one program where you do not have to worry about having no support or not getting results.

The main objective with IPC Instant Cash is to teach people how to be successful online. The very organized and very sharp back office provides detailed step-by-step (audio and video) training, making it easy for any person with little or no experience to learn and to follow. You get all the comprehensive text and pictorial presentation that compliments over 5 hours of audio and video tutorials.

And to boot Dan Miller its founder will reward you 5,000 dollars if you follow its promoting plan and do not earn money from home. No one can come close to this offer. This says a lot about how successful this great online business is.

A retired woman of 67 years of age makes an extra 1,900 dollars a month. A laid off factory worker makes 5,300 dollars a month part time. You can do this. This is one of the most complete step by step programs you will ever find on the internet that truly shows you how to make money online. This is real income that will only continue to grow, and now it is available to you. You get all the information you need to earn money easy from home.

It is very profitable and easily affordable. Our system is simple to follow and you will know what to do and start to earn money from home fast sooner than you expect. This program provides a complete library of resources with many earn money at home ideas with it is various methods of marketing. And you can promote the IPC with free marketing methods as the training area details and explains via audio video and text. And you will always have email, and telephone support for all areas of the IPC Instant Cash program. Please see the url or link to my website that appears below this article for more information. Watch the video at my site to get a good view of what you can join now.

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2009-02-03T08:25:00.000+07:00

Attempting to measure the customer experience with a single metric such as customer satisfaction or customer advocacy is overly simplistic and risky. Instead, companies should dig deeper and establish a portfolio of measures that can determine how each touch point contributes to the overall experience.

The Total Customer Experience is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts

The customer experience is a complex process that can consist of multiple touch points; a process that can be broad, long-running, span multiple channels, and can be influenced by any combination of internal and external factors. Effectively measuring the total customer experience requires a more acute understanding of its individual parts.

The customer experience process does not begin and end at a store, sales representatives, web site or call center. It extends from the moment the customer becomes aware of your company and is comprised of multiple independent interactions, transactions, and contacts along the way.

Each customer experience is made up of any number of touch points and customer encounters, each of which should be measured independently to determine their contribution to the overall experience. An issue encountered at any one of these points can dramatically influence the overall experience.

For example, the quality of an automobile is an aggregate measurement of the quality of the individual parts combined with the integrity of the overall design and assembly process. If any one part fails to perform properly, the overall perception of quality is diminished. Likewise, even if every part is perfectly manufactured but isn't arranged or assembled in a useable manner - the perception of quality will suffer. Only when quality manufacturing is guided by quality design will the experience truly be maximized.

Although overarching metrics such as customer satisfaction and customer advocacy are quickly becoming standard metrics in today's companies, attempting to measure the customer experience with a single metric can be overly simplistic and risky. Effectively managing the customer experience requires effective measurement and management of a portfolio of metrics that will provide insights into what is - or is not - working.

Identify Your Touch Points

The customer experience is a collection of touch points encountered by the customer that includes the attraction, interaction, and cultivation of customer relationships. Touch points may include advertisements or promotions, online and in-store shopping experiences, transaction and bill processing, and post-purchase delivery, usage, and support.

The total number of touch points that the customer encounters goes well beyond the point of sale. Establishing an accurate inventory of all of your company's touch points - both intentional and unintentional - can mean the difference between success and failure.

Defining when and where the customer experience begins and ends is perhaps the most difficult task facing any business. Too often, companies define the lifecycle and customer touch points too narrowly, leaving critical elements of the customer experience to chance.

A touch point is defined as any customer interaction or encounter that can influence the customer's perception of your product, service, or brand. A touch point can be intentional (an advertisement) or unintentional (an unsolicited customer referral). In this era of broad customer skepticism, the unintentional touch points often matter the most. Which would you trust more: a company's ad pitch or your best friend's personal referral for a product? Both are touch points, but one carries much more value than the other.

When your business interacts with a customer, it's often easy to overlook what is really going on; you are touching them in many, perhaps subtle, ways. When it comes to customer experience management, the right touch can make all the difference. To do it right, you must first identify all of your potential touch points and then work to measure and optimize each one.

Measure Individual Touch Point Effectiveness

Each customer touch point is typically designed for a specific operational purpose. An advertising touch point may be designed to build brand awareness or to identify prospects. A point of sale touch point may be designed to execute transactions. A call center touch point is designed to resolve customer issues. Each touch point is unique and contributes to the overall customer experience in different ways.

Effectively measuring each touch point requires a holistic approach to understand the contribution to both operational and customer relationship objectives. For example, the operational side of an advertising touch point may be measured in terms of a conversion rate. The customer relationship side of the same touch point may be intended to influence the customer's perception or awareness of the company's brand.

Measuring the effectiveness of each touch point should balance both operational and customer experience objectives. Operational metrics are typically easily identified, while customer relationship metrics can be elusive. Ideally, timely and recurring customer feedback is collected and compared to operational results to provide a more complete picture. In doing so, companies can obtain a better understanding of how each individual touch point is contributing to the overall experience.

For example, let's say a business establishes a goal to achieve a 5% click-through-rate (CTR) with their pay-per-click campaign. If the actual campaign achieves 100% of that goal, they might consider it a success. However, customer perceptions might not be so rosy if the ad promised a product, promotion, or discount that isn't readily available or is difficult to obtain. As a result of customer confusion and aggravation, the company may achieve only 50% of their revenue goals for the campaign.

Measure the Overall Customer Experience

In order to effectively measure the overall customer experience, companies must accurately measure the contribution of each individual touch point as well as the overall level of customer satisfaction and advocacy. At times, the results of one touch point may have an unanticipated affect on other aspects of the experience.

Consider how the individual touch points associated with a fictitious product launch might impact the experience at an electronics store:

* Product Innovation: A key manufacturer is developing a leading-edge product that will be innovative in the marketplace. The media learns of these developments and publishes reports that an amazing new product is coming soon. Consumer excitement and anticipation is driven to extremely high levels, although actual ship dates remain unknown. (Score: 10/10) * Electronics Store: Employees at the store and call center are inundated with inquiries about the pending new product but are unable to provide any additional information regarding availability nor can they accept pre-orders. (Score: 3/10) * Marketing: The product launch date is set and marketing begins to actively promote the new product and its innovative features. Consumer anticipation is again driven to new highs as the launch date approaches. (Score: 10/10) * Product Purchase: On launch day, consumers flood the store and web site to get the new product. Those customers that are fortunate enough to purchase one are extremely satisfied. (Score: 10/10) * Out of Stock: Initial euphoria quickly turns sour as the store runs out of stock and thousands of customers are turned away without one of the highly coveted and heavily promoted products. Customers are told to check back again in a few weeks. (Score: 1/10)

For a handful of customers who were able to purchase the product, they are extremely satisfied with their experience and are willing to tell all of their friends about their latest purchase. Conversely, however, many other customers who were turned away empty-handed are now frustrated and highly dissatisfied with the experience.

Relying solely on customer satisfaction or customer advocacy measures may not illuminate how each touch point contributed to the overall experience. Simplistic customer satisfaction and advocacy scores may mask the underlying factors that either contribute to or detract from an exceptional customer experience.

Evaluating how each individual touch point contributes to the overall experience in this scenario can help to identify specific areas for improvement. While touch points 1, 3 and 4 scored high, touch points 2 and 5 clearly have room for improvement.

Focusing only on an aggregate metric without understanding or managing the contributing factors can yield unpredictable results. Companies seeking to improve their overall customer experience should establish customer experience measures that correlate individual touch point results to overall customer experience measures.

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Email mortgage marketing - so easy a cave man can.... by Jeffrey Nelson

2009-02-03T08:23:00.001+07:00

More and more loan officers are now turning to email mortgage marketing to keep money rolling in. While an increasing number of people say they rarely surf the Net, the vast majority check their inbox every day. Marketing with email is the most lucrative way to influence people interested in your service and keep customers informed and happy. It is also extremely cheap. Where you might have mailed out mortgage newsletters every month, you can now email a newsletter every week for a fraction of the cost.

Increasingly, loan officers need to embrace email mortgage marketing in a big way in order to stay ahead of competitors. Those who formerly used a service to send out their newsletters, loan programs, and rate updates are now doing all the emailing themselves using email marketing software specifically designed for loan officers. This new technology is powerful yet easy to use and allows any loan agent to handle their own email marketing that previously required expensive professional help.

In particular, one email program called Magnetic Email, automates the prospecting process so you can find Realtors quicker. It's a one-of-a-kind email solution that helps you meet with more Realtors so you can stop getting rejected. You can even purchase a bulk list of real estate email addresses from a preferred vendor and reach thousands of Realtors with the click of a mouse.

Where do you start? If you have no email mortgage marketing experience, no knowledge of programs and no idea what to promote, the very thought of email marketing can seem intimidating.

What clients like to know is that they are doing business with an industry leader. Make clients aware of your mortgage acumen, presence, and commitment. Practice consistency with email being your tool of choice. Itâ€™s your greatest marketing weapon.

However, unless you're testing and tracking your campaigns, you may be losing sales. You can dramatically increase your loans simply by taking the time to test and track your campaigns â€" something a good email {software|solution|program} can do for you.

Not only will it help you to determine what's working and what's not, but it will also enable you to focus your efforts on producing better results.

If you have a website, thatâ€™s great, but without an effective email mortgage marketing campaign your efforts will be anemic. So how do you take advantage of email marketing? The best method is to begin your own client list and target Realtors.

Email mortgage marketing has arrived, but are you using it? Good email marketing software can speed up your business in half the time and create less work if you will utilize it. Today, email mortgage marketing has become so simple, it's no longer excusable to say you don't do it.

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The Significance Of Market Research by Casey Adams

2009-02-03T08:17:00.002+07:00

Owning a successful business is a difficult dream to realize for most business entrepreneurs. One needs to acquire talent and master numerous disciplines in order to make a profitable and reputable business. There are quite a few people who have a natural flair for commerce, but most of us seek a way to simply learn how to become proficient in business. The first thing to consider is the many sub-streams in business, such as marketing, sales, people management, planning, financial management, customer and client relationship management. The list is endless and furthermore, as a business owner, there is an expectation to deliver outstanding and qualitative services and products at competitive prices.

Failure in any of the above activities can result in the downfall of a business. However, the good news is that not all of the above skills need to be learned from scratch. Many of these attributes can be mastered from our past experiences or from our professional lives. Some are also learned from our educational careers, and many even come to us naturally. For example, maintaining good and fruitful relationships is the prime objective in business. Many people through their own personal relationship experiences acquire this skill naturally. No business is a born success

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Guaranteed Traffic Is Not Always Targeted Traffic by Fernando Morales

2009-01-08T12:54:00.000+07:00

When it comes to generating traffic to your website, guaranteed traffic may not be the best route to take. Guaranteed traffic makes the promise that it will send x amount of visitors to your site for x amount of money.
An example would be 10,000 visitors for 29.95. Sounds great doesn't it? After all getting 10,000 visitors to your site by other means can take some time, so why not speed it up?

The problem with guaranteed traffic is it's not always guaranteed targeted traffic. If you want to convert your visitors into customers, they should be people who at least have an interest in what you're selling.

Sites that offer guaranteed visitors will send you the amount of visitors that you agreed to pay for, but 9 out of 10 of those visitors will simply click and leave because they are not targeted.

There are plenty of resources available for getting targeted traffic to your website without going broke trying to do it. First and foremost, you're in business to make money, not lose money.

Your return on investment needs to be as high as possible especially when you're just starting out online. After you've generated a reasonable amount of income from the free methods, then you can start experimenting with paid traffic methods.

Interestingly enough, the truth is you don't even need a massive glut of traffic to make money online. There are marketers who are making pretty good money with a small targeted amount of visitors on a daily basis.

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Photo Poster Printing: DIY Family Portraits by Sam Nam

2009-01-08T12:52:00.000+07:00

Creating the perfect family portrait is no easy task. Convincing your spouse and children to get groomed and dressed for a trip down to the local portrait studio can be nearly impossible. An easier alternative is to create your own family portraits at home using custom poster printing services! All you need is a digital camera, good lighting and a little patience. Here is a quick guide to creating great family portraits.
1. The quality of your digital camera is one of the most important contributing factors in producing a great family portrait. If you plan to enlarge your photo beyond 8x10" inches, it is recommended that your digital camera have at least a 6.0 megapixel capability. The features of your camera are also important. It is best to use a camera that has a red-eye reduction function as well as face capture technology. Face capture ensures that the camera focuses on the details of faces and not on background objects. However, the most important function that your digital camera must have is an auto-timer or remote control so that you will not need an outside member present for the photo shoot. Read your camera's manual to understand how this feature is used.

2. Lighting can dramatically increase the quality of your family portrait. The flash from your digital camera may not be sufficient to create a great family portrait. Natural and non-direct lighting is best for portrait photography. Direct your lamps away from the portrait area and shine them against a white wall or a sheet of white poster board to create a reflective ambient lighting. The entire family should be equally lit with a healthy amount of non-direct light. Experiment with different lighting setups to find out what works for your family and camera.

3. The location you choose will determine whether your portrait looks professional or mediocre. Be sure that the location is aesthetically pleasing. Gardens and greenery are great for creating a beautiful background, but a well set living room can work as well. Be sure that there are no distracting features such as another poster or photo in the background or even a passerby.

4. After taking your family photo, find a professional online poster printing company to print your family photo in large sizes. Poster printing company has the capability to help you print your poster in custom sizes and come up with professional quality prints at great prices. Always make sure that the website you choose offers online proofs or a money back guarantee so that you are not disappointed with the photo you chose to print.

Take many pictures when creating a family portrait poster print and choose the best looking result. Be patient and you will be rewarded with great pictures for years to come. If you don't get it right the first time, don't be discouraged. Simply give it another shot!

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Poster Print Ministry: Using the Talents of Graphic Design and Photography by Sam Nam

2009-01-08T12:51:00.000+07:00

There are a variety of talents in every congregation and it is very important that every gift is put to good use. Churches often give much attention to the gifts of music, administration, public speaking or leadership. However, those that possess the gift of graphic design and photography are often given less attention, but using these talents can greatly enrich your ministry. Here are 5 poster print ideas that can be used in your church or youth group.
1. Photography collages are a great way to include graphic design and photography in your church activities. Provide the resources for gifted photographers to take pictures on camping trips, outreach activities and church socials. Collecting images and displaying them in a collage poster will bring life to your church walls and show newcomers the fellowship that your congregation enjoys. Also, it is a great way for your church members to document their growth and remember fond memories.

2. Inspirational posters can be a great blessing for church members that are visually oriented. By designing inspirational posters that apply to the daily lives of your congregation, you remind them of key Biblical messages and lessons. It is important to remember that 65% of people are visual learners and that many times an auditory sermon is not the easiest way to communicate a message. Also, the members who are involved in creating inspirational posters will be able to minister to others through the use of their talents.

3. Promotional posters are a great marketing tool in the secular world and should be used to raise awareness of your church and its upcoming evangelistic events. A great design and message catches the eye of any passerby and will help you fill the seats for your next event. Communicate your message in a way that relates with the secular world but does not dilute the sincerity of your beliefs. Christian concerts and community service events are a good starting point to implement a promotional posters ministry.

4. Group photos can be turned into large poster prints and framed for display in your church building. Never underestimate the cohesive bonding that can result from simply rallying a congregation for a photo opportunity.

5. Church progress reports are a great tool of leadership accountability. It is important to keep your congregation informed of the church's current status. A poster print of your church's budget or demographics will allow members to see where there is need for more support or encouragement.

There are countless ways to use the gifts of photography and graphic design for your ministry. This article has only presented 5 ideas on how to use custom poster printing. It is important to constantly seek out new innovations as our communities change around us. Experiment with different applications and determine what works for you.

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Small Business Tips: Poster Print Marketing by Sam Nam

2009-01-08T12:49:00.000+07:00

Small business owners are often full of great product ideas and exciting promotions, but how do they get the word out? Marketing is an integral part of small business success that is often overlooked by entrepreneurs. They reason that their idea or product is so phenomenal that people will naturally be attracted. This might be the case, but people don't become customers if they haven't even heard of your business! A wise small business owner is careful with their budget and only spends money where they believe a return on investment is likely. Advertising and marketing are areas where ROI (return on investment) isn't always easy to predetermine. An affordable way to market your business without risking too much money is poster print marketing. Here are 3 tips on maximizing the effectiveness of your poster print marketing strategies.
1. A good poster design can make the difference between a total waste of money and a genius marketing concept. The most important aspect of your poster design is the message. Is the message clear and visible? If you are having a blow out sale and marking your entire inventory down by 50%, you should be sure that this message is visible even from a distance. Many times designers and business owners become preoccupied with the aesthetics of a poster, but this isn't necessarily important. The primary objective of poster print marketing is to grab peoples' attention and tell them your message.

2. Placing your poster in a strategic location is very important to your marketing success. Visibility is the key component to a well placed poster. Be sure that your poster is placed in an area that easily visible in a highly trafficked area. Also, it is important to target the correct audience. For example, if you own a furniture store, it is not advantageous to place your poster at a skateboard park even if there is a large amount of foot traffic in that area. You would have much more success at a fitness center or shopping center where more of your prospective customers would visit.

3. How many posters should you print? Many people find that poster printers require a minimum of 250 posters; however it is unnecessary to print such a large quantity for a small business. There are online poster printing sites that will process custom orders with no minimum quantities. Try not to blanket your area and become an eyesore to the community. Instead order 25-50 posters and place them where you have permission to do so and the assurance that the posters will be left unmolested.

Poster print marketing is a great way to market a small business in a cost effective way. Follow these 3 tips to successful poster print marketing, but also experiment with your own ideas. Every culture and community responds to different types of marketing and it is important to figure out what works for you and your small business.

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Poster Printing: 5 Poster Print Ideas for Interior Design by Sam Nam

2009-01-08T12:48:00.000+07:00

Poster prints are great for decorating your walls. Whether your poster is displaying a picture of a popular musician or sports star, a poster print can bring life and excitement to any room. Custom poster printing offers us additional creativity by allowing us to print unique posters. We are free to express ourselves through photography, graphic design, collage design, photo editing and typography. Here are five wonderful ideas for custom poster prints that will add excitement and life to your interior.
1. Collage posters are a great way to display a large number of pictures in a single location without crowding your wall space. By combining many photos on a single poster, you create a visual focal point of design. When viewed from a distance, a collage poster adds color and depth to a wall, but upon closer inspection a collage poster is able to tell many stories in the form of lively and animated images.

2. Group photo poster prints are great for businesses and organizations. It is a common practice to enlarge group photos such as company photos, team photos and church group photos. Poster prints are great for group photos because they offer an affordable solution to printing photos in very large sizes. Many group photos include a large number of people and a small sized print would make it difficult to see people's faces. However, a professional poster printer will be able to create poster prints that are as large as 60 inches tall and 100 inches wide while maintaining great image quality.

3. Artistic photography poster prints have the ability to add depth and color to any room. For example, landscape photography prints create a window effect for smaller rooms by adding a visual outlet. Black and white photography prints can create an atmosphere of artistic contemplation with simple lines and contrasting detail. There are many types of artistic photography that make fantastic poster prints for decorating your home or office.

4. Typography poster prints are great for adding an element of design while displaying a message. These types of posters are often used for the walls of businesses. For example, a typography poster print might inform restaurant goers about the history of a particular restaurant. Displaying this information on a typography poster print allows the information to be available for patrons while adding an artistic element to the overall theme of the restaurant's interior.

5. Portrait poster prints such as baby portraits, family portraits or wedding portraits add a personal touch to your interior design. Parents can proudly display portraits of their children and married couples can share the memory of their wedding day. The best interior designs combine balance, color and individual personality. Portrait poster prints can contribute to all three of these important aspects.

There are a countless number of ways in which to use a poster print in your next interior design project. Custom poster printing allows for creativity and originality. Consider trying one of these five ideas the next time you decorate.

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Visual Learning Tools: Using Poster Prints in the Classroom by Sam Nam

2009-01-08T12:47:00.000+07:00

Educational research estimates that visual learners make up 65% of the population, while auditory learners and kinesthetic learners make up 30% and 5% respectively. Teachers should always keep this in mind when they are teaching in the classroom. Custom poster prints can be a great way for educators to integrate visual learning elements into the classroom. Here are 5 great ideas on how to utilize poster prints in the class room.
Science Example:

Conduct a visual experiment for your students such as mixing chemical reactants or demonstrating the laws of physics with physical objects. Document this demonstration with photography and use the pictures to create an educational poster. Visual learners will recall the experiment and connect their visual images with the information presented. By placing this poster print in your classroom, students will relive this learning experience many times over.

English and Literature Example:

Assign a short story reading assignment and ask your students to illustrate the story in drawings. Then create a poster with the title of the book and the drawings submitted by your students. Your students will be encouraged to imagine the story visually and then be reminded of the story by your poster print.

Mathematics Example:

Basic arithmetic is integral to a student's future success. Create posters with visual aids such as apples or pencils instead of numbers demonstrating addition, subtraction and multiplication.

Foreign Language Example:

As visual learners, it doesn't make sense for students to learn words in a foreign language by pairing them with their English equivalents. Use photos of common objects or scenarios and place the foreign text near the images. Refrain from placing English on these posters so that students associate the vocabulary words with actual objects instead of English words and letters.

History Example:

Create a collage of iconic images for a period in history. Allow visual students to immerse themselves in the mindset and culture of the time so that they are better able to understand the actions of key historic figures. Many students fail to understand the reasons for wars and revolutions, because they are unable to relate the people of that time period. Strong images and a cohesive theme will help the student imagine the age in which the history lesson takes place.

Here are 5 examples of how a poster print can aid visual learners in the classroom. Custom poster printing allows you to create wonderful visual aids that fit your personal lesson plan. Print a poster and try out new and exciting ways to educate your students.

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Updating your Booklet Design by Kaye Z. Marks

2009-01-08T12:46:00.000+07:00

Some people think that once a booklet is printed, their job is done. This may actually be a mistake. If you create booklets on a yearly or regular basis and always use a booklet printing template for them, you should really think this through. The world is very dynamic, and you should always change the design and layout of your booklets to match existing trends.
Do not be static or you will be left out by the times. In this fast paced world, even booklet printing should evolve even if their fundamental content is unchanged. In this article, you will learn how to review your existing booklet and update its design. This will help you produce a fresh and new full color booklet ready for release.

Review your theme: First, go through your booklet and review its design theme. It might be Greco-Roman classic, Japanese minimalist or abstract art. In addition, you might have used a popular movie as a design reference when you designed the booklet a few months ago. Look for these themes and see if they are still a prevailing norm.

Compare it to existing popular themes. If you find your older theme lacking, which is usually the case then you need to update your theme. Now, just choose a new theme to use for the template and start updating. Simply go through your booklet once piece at a time and change each layout to the fresher theme you chose.

Listen again to the tone of your content: Next, read through your booklet again and "listen" to the content. You might have used a more formal or functional tone when you wrote your instructional booklet. When you update your booklet design, why not update your tone as well.

From a functional and clinical tone, you might want to switch to a conversational or light tone. If you were happy and friendly on the last booklet, why not use a more professional view? The goal here is to sound new and fresh for the new booklet printing. Therefore, change the tone and you will be presenting a new view on your old content.

Try newly available fonts: A lot of new fonts are released each year. Of course, some fonts are considered classics. However, the new fonts being released nowadays are getting better in the looks department. So why not use them. If you are still using "Times New Roman" you really are back in the old days. Update your booklet with a new font and you will see how it makes a difference.

Update your visuals: Lastly, update your images and pictures. Full color booklets have the advantage of carrying beautiful pictures. However, if you print the same pictures and images for your booklet design as the years go by they will get boring. In some cases, people will actually forget the reference connected to such an image. So always update your images so that your color booklet looks new and fresh. In fact, if you have time, redesign your company logo or project motif. People will think it is a whole new booklet and not a re-release of the old one.

Those are the things you need to remember when updating your booklet design. This is a good yearly practice as you produce your full color booklets. If you are unfamiliar with the existing trends, ask your booklet printing company about the popular booklet designs they are currently printing. Keeping your booklet fresh and up to date keeps their usefulness well into the years, so always update when you can.

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How To Get Visitors To Buy Whatever You're Selling by Fernando Morales

2009-01-08T12:43:00.000+07:00

Getting traffic to your website is one thing, but what if you could get that traffic to make a purchase? Sounds like a winning proposition, but how? Most of the time when someone comes to your site they may browse around click a few links and leave.
Not very profitable is it?

Well before we can sell anyone anything it might be best to try to get them in the frame of mind to buy. So what are we talking about?

Preselling your customer so that may be more comfortable with making a purchase. The fact of the matter is that most people searching the web are mainly looking for information. The main objective for your customer was to find information pertaining to a certain topic, not necessarily to buy anything.

In a physical store unless we are there to buy something specific, we nomally tell the person offering to help us "no thanks, just looking". However unlike the physical store that can create the desire to purchase due to the atmosphere and it's design, we can create a virtual atmosphere that can influence our customers to buy. Sounds manipulative doesn't it? Don't worry it's not. Keep reading.

In order to presell effectively, you need to give the consumer what they want. More information and justification for making the purchase today. This can be accomplished by talking about a couple of benefits the customer can enjoy should THEY decide to check out your offer.

Does it have to be wordy? Not at all, but it should be sincere and that can only be accomplished if you are using the product in question.

With a good presell letter you can come across more like a friend who is making a recommendation based on their experience and what benefits the customer is looking for.

Sound like a plan?

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Is Your Business Website Ready for CSS? by Jeremy Gislason

2009-01-08T12:39:00.001+07:00

What is CSS ?
CSS or Cascading Style Sheets is a great tool to add a unique look to your web pages. CSS enhances fonts, colors, and even the spacing of your web pages. It is a useful tool to let you separate your HTML content from your style. For example, you can use your HTML file to create and organize the content, but all of the visual presentation including the background, fonts, colors, link effects, text formatting, and spacing are created with a CSS file.

Benefits of CSS

As discussed, CSS makes it easy for you to separate the style and layout of your HTML files from their informational content. This means you can determine the look of your site in one file, and change the whole site by modifying that single file. It also means you can make your HTML changes by accessing one file.

This structure provided by CSS also means that you can work with your web pages so that they look good on any browser. For example, a page on Mozilla can look very different than a page seen on internet explorer. CSS eliminates that difference.

CSS gives you more control over how your pages look because it is a more detailed mechanism than HTML. HTML wasn't designed for style, it was designed for document structure. CSS was designed for style. This means it is easier for you as a business owner seeking brand development and recognition to define your "look" and give it a unique and consistent feel.

Users say that CSS also prints better than HTML documents. Important if visitors are accessing your content, which they hopefully are, printing it, and taking it with them or better yet - sharing it with their friends and associates. Additionally, the pages allow visitors to print the entire page as opposed to the partial pages that HTML often prints.

CSS decreases your page size significantly, making it easier for your visitors to load your site and all relevant graphics and copy. It also means that your web pages can be seen quickly and clearly with handheld browsers. This is huge because many people are now surfing the internet on their cell phones, smart phones, and PDAs. If your site doesn't load quickly, chances are people are going to leave. If your site is quickly and clearly accessible - you may have a new customer! Additionally, it will take up less space on your server if you're running close to your limit - and save you less money if you're being charge by bandwidth. This is because CSS requires less code.

CSS enables you to position the code for your content at the top making your page search engine friendly. Properly marked up, HTML pages can easily found and properly categorized by search engines.

It is also fairly easy for anyone to learn because CSS already uses well-known coding elements and principals.

The benefits of CSS include making your web site: • Faster to create • Easier to maintain or change • More adaptable to fit new and emerging technologies • Compact • Neater and cleaner in the HTML code

How do I use CSS ?

Cascading Style Sheets can be used in two ways - internally or externally. When used internally the CSS code is placed within the 'head' tags of each HTML file. The HTML code basically looks just like this:

Externally, your CSS code that would be placed in the HTML file is now placed in a separate file and linked to the location. The file type for the CSS code can be created with any text or HTML editor such as Notepad. Once created there are two ways you can link to your CSS file:

1. In the head section of every (X)HTML file, appearing as:

2. Using the @import method, appearing as:

So what method do you choose? That depends on what you need. For example, internal is used when a designer needs to style only one page, or different pages with different styles. Web page designers tend to prefer an external cascading style sheet. This is because, as noted earlier in the benefits list, you will only need to edit one CSS file to change the entire website. Webmasters also find external is better because they are easier to maintain, they're more compact, and generally the appearance is easier to control and stylize.

Potential Concerns

Not all browsers can read CSS. This is a real concern; however, the percentage has decreased to the point where less than 1% of browsers are affected. What sites are affected? Older browser versions, created before CSS was standard, including Netscape 4.0. Because the vast majority of browsers are significantly newer than this, and because the World Wide Web Consortium has recommended the use of CSS, making it a widely acceptable and recognizable mechanism around the world, all concerns about using CSS are negligible.

Bottom Line

CSS is a tool that will make your web pages easier to organize and maintain, your website easier to change, your brand potentially stronger, your website more compact and easier to load, your search engine optimization will improve, oh and your pages will just look better. There really isn't a reason to not experiment with CSS and integrate it into your web site. Once you begin using and designing with CSS, you'll likely find building sites is more fun, faster, and they look amazing.

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Understanding HTML For A Better Business by Jeremy Gislason

2009-01-08T12:11:00.001+07:00

What Is HTML?
HTML or Hypertext Markup Language, is the predominant language in which most Internet web pages are based. HTML accomplishes a number of tasks via a web page, including describing the structure of text based information to be displayed within the page (font sizes, text colors and formats, etc.), providing a means for the user to interact with the site via web forms, and embedding images and other types media for display to the user.

When an HTML page is provided to a user's web browser over the Internet, the web browser will "translate" the HTML code into the format that will be displayed to the user. HTML is written in the form of labels (known as tags). Each tag includes an "open" tag and a "close" tag, and the text that is contained within the opening and closing tags. For example, text can be made bold by using the and tag pair, so that the following HTML code will display the bold text word "Hello" in the user's web browser. Hello HTML pages can also incorporate or embed the code for one or more "scripting languages", including JavaScript, PHP, CGI, and ASP.Net.

What Can HTML Do for Me?

HTML provides the basic structure for your website, so it's the foundation for your business getting its message to customers and potential customers. When you understand the basic principles of HTML, you can begin to format your web pages to have a more unique and in- house appearance. Brand recognition is important in business, and a little HTML coding can change a template style web page into something that is unique and recognizable. In addition to displaying advertising copy, pictures, brochures and the like, you can also:

· Provide users with a feedback form to submit basic information to you through the website. · Generate an email · Offer a Guestbook

How Do I Learn HTML?

As you might suspect, there is a seemingly endless supply of web-based tutorials and instructional materials for learning about HTML. There are a number of Internet-based tutorials to get you started, and to instruct you on any particular detail or HTML feature that you're interested in.

Another way to "learn" HTML is simply to create you website using a web-authoring program, and examine the HTML code behind it. We'll talk about a few of the leading web-authoring programs later in this article.

Do I Need To Learn It?

Strictly speaking, you don't need to become an HTML expert to build and administer your businesses website. Many of the most popular tools for website construction include powerful capabilities (including many that most websites may never utilize). As an added benefit, some of these programs are available at no cost.

Since the HTML that serves as the backbone of a website is basically just text, any text editor (including Microsoft's Notepad) can be used to create a website. Even though writing HTML code directly in a text editor can eventually help you to better understand what's going on "under the hood", spending the time necessary to become a hardcore HTML coder might simply not be an option.

In contrast, there are also popular programs that make it much easier to create your website layout and design through graphical user interface. These programs do the heavy lifting, and will automatically assemble the HTML code based on the design you make.

Dreamweaver

Adobe's Dreamweaver is one of the leading commercial web design software packages available today. Dreamweaver has a reputation within in the web design community as being very rich in features, and one that generates very "clean" or more standards-compliant code. (This means that, in theory, the Dreamweaver code should run more predictably on a broader range of web browsers.) Dreamweaver also has strong support for CSS, JavaScript, XML, and a variety of other functionalities that are commonly used on "higher end" websites. In addition, Dreamweaver has tight integration with Adobe's other design programs, including Photoshop and Flash. This can be a time-saver if you are using (or decide to use) those other programs.

On the other hand, Dreamweaver is expensive, compared to other commercial options. In addition, many feel that because there are so many features and functions available in the program, it can be intimidating for new users and designers.

Expression Web

Microsoft's Expression Web (the successor to the venerable FrontPage software) is Microsoft's web authoring tool and is considered to be one of the leading web design tool available today.

Expression Web has many (if not most) of the same tools as are available in Dreamweaver, and boasts strong integration with Microsoft's other design and infrastructure products, such as Visual Studio, SharePoint, and the Office suite of products. In addition, Expression Web's menu structures and look-and-feel will be familiar to users of other Microsoft Office products, which can make it easier for those already accustomed to Microsoft products.

Note, however, that the source code that Expression Web generates is sometimes not as clean as that created by Dreamweaver (or coded directly into HTML using a simple text editor), so this may result in some problems (or at least some additional time required) if you decide to use Dreamweaver to modify a page that was created in Expression Web. In addition, some page elements (such as tables) can require additional work if created in one program and then edited in another.

Nvu

For those who want to create relatively simple websites, without some of the fancy features that are available with Dreamweaver and Expression Web might wish to consider the open source product Nvu. Nvu has a graphical user interface like Dreamweaver and Expression Web, and is very efficient at making much HTML coding easier and quicker. As an open source product, Nvu is free of charge, and relatively well supported by its user community.

Web-Based Programs and Templates

Finally, be aware that there are a number of web-based authoring programs (such as Homestead) and template services available. These options often require very little effort in terms of design and coding, and are generally available at very reasonable prices. Keep in mind, however, that because most templates are or have been available to other users, you might wind up with a design that is not unique, or doesn't provide your website with a sufficiently distinct identity.

How to Move Forward

At the end of the day, any web authoring tool is likely to have both have pluses and minuses. Before committing to license any particular package, take a little time to try any available online or downloadable trial versions of the package. The key to deciding is to identify your current and future needs, and balance this against your budget for the project. While choosing a particular tool won't forever tie you to using that same tool in the future, making a thoughtful decision at the outset can help you to avoid spending time making corrections and adjustments down the road.

In closing, if you'd rather NOT learn HTML or just find it too confusing but still need it to help you with your business you should check out MemberSpeed software solution.

~ go article ~

How To Build Traffic To Any Website You Own by Chris Rohrer

2009-01-08T08:08:00.000+07:00

If you own a website chances are you know how important it is to get good quality traffic to your website. You probably also know that it can be time consuming and expensive to drive high quality targeted traffic to your website. So how are you supposed to get traffic to your website if you have no marketing budget or only a small amount of money?
Good question. First you must know that you best traffic will come from paid methods. However this doesn't mean in any way that free traffic doesn't work or convert. You just need to know where to advertise for free, and how to effectively use these little hidden gems as I like to call them.

The most effective form of free traffic that I've found online comes only from a few types of marketing methods. These methods are writing articles, using traffic exchanges, and posting to forums or message boards.

Writing articles is a great way to increase your traffic. They can send laser targeted traffic to your website, and you can post as many as you wish any time of the day.

Traffic exchanges are a simple yet effective way of getting people to your website. You simply look at other people's websites for a cretin amount of time, and in return people will see your website.

As for forums and message boards not only will you get good traffic from the people who click your website link in your signature. You'll also grow your knowledge by following the discussions that are going on at the forum.

If you set a goal to use each of listed forms of free advertising above once a day you'll have no problem getting traffic to your website. Each topic listed is not only proven to work, but they've been around for years so you can count on them time after time.

Just remember though that free traffic will take a lot more work, and it will take more effort to make it convert. Never let anyone tell you free traffic is a waste of time, and it doesn't work. I've started my business from scratch using nothing but free traffic, and it's what gave me my start to a successful business.

~ go article ~

Internet Marketing Strategy To Increase Sales by Modekurti Sarma

2009-01-08T08:05:00.001+07:00

The Internet has now become strategic tool to market product and services through advertising. Most of the companies advertising through print, radio and TV have now started placing advertisement on the Internet.
But with millions of websites on the net visited by millions of computer users it important to ensure that advertisement can be seen by your target customer groups and that your leads will be followed by these users? Some of the tips are listed below that will help reaching targeted customers:

Targeting Customers:

Post an advertisement on the websites frequented by your target customers. But, you need to define who will be your target customers before placing an advertisement. Posting advertisement on sites frequented by customers will increase the possibility that your advertisement will be seen by your targeted customers.

Purpose of advertising on the Internet is all about conveying particular message. Hence, you must cross-promote your message to as many visitors as you can. The choice of a target in terms of website or other online avenues assumes paramount importance.

Cost of Advertising:

Posting advertisement on some sites cost some money. However, there are also sites that can place a link to your site, product or service in exchange of having their link being displayed on your site. This is also true about the newsletters sent by site owners to its mailing list members regularly.

Also, having helpful links placed on your site and having sites link to your pages help in boosting search engine ranking. This is similar to making a statement that your site's content is important that other sites have links to your web pages.

Advantage of PPC Advertisement:

Pay-per-click (PPC) is one of the good methods in Internet marketing. You will only pay for the advertisement if the link is clicked. If you prefer this method of advertisement, make sure that you are using services that set limits on daily budget. There are also services that help you determine effective keywords and monitor the PPC results.

Importance of Content:

Make sure you have useful content on your sites. While keyword density is important in search engine placement, having information not related or annoying will not increase your customer's confidence in your site. It may even affect traffic to your site and your site may even be removed from search engines. So ensure that keywords are used strategically.

Target Customers with Keywords:

You need to think of keywords with an intention to reach your target customers. For this to happen you have to get into customer shoes and choose appropriate keywords to increase traffic to your site. You also need to use specific keywords or key phrases. Submitting a single word or generic phrase to a search engine will not get you to the top of the search results compared to submitting specific keywords that describe your product and services correctly.

Monitor your Advertisement:

Always track at regular intervals amount spent on placing links on frequently visited sites and on PPC. There are services that allow you to monitor PPC transactions and how many of these result in sales. You also need to consider if the advertisement posted on these websites are helping you reach your target customers resulting in generating revenue.

Final Tip:

Selling the benefits of your products and services is the bottom line in advertising on Internet. It will help your marketing strategies if you highlight the benefits of choosing your products and services instead just letting customer know product specifications. Product specifications may not mean much to customers, unless customers know how these specifications affect the quality of the product or service.

Many people say getting to the top of search engine results is difficult since millions of websites exist, which can be using the same keywords. While this is true, this doesn't mean that your website has to stack under your competitors' websites when presenting search engine results. Strategic advertising and linking, together with useful content, can also get you to the top of the search results.

~ go article ~

4 Ways to Make More Money At Home Without Investing a Fortune - Free Traffic For Smart Minds Only by Ian Ross Hollander

2009-01-08T08:03:00.000+07:00

Who else wants some quick and easy advice on how to make more money online without having to invest a fortune? If you are anything like most of the people reading this right now, your income could probably use a bit of a kick in the pants, right? It's true...with the economy in a deleterious and destructive downturn, most of the smart people I know are taking preventive measures to protect their families, and insulate their income from utter devastation in 2009. How can you do the same? Very simple! Simply start generating a little easy online income and watch as your worries go away.
Want 4 quick and easy ways to start making easy money online, this month, without much risk? Great! Let's look at a few simple ways you can do just that, using both your own ideas, or better yet, borrow existing products and services and sell those instead!

- Article Marketing - Squidoo & Social Profiles - Press Releases - Start Blogging

Now, each of these items is simply a tactical approach to an overarching strategy, which is to build a business around selling stuff. Have your own expertise ready to share with the world? Simply create your own information product and sell it using the 4 methods illuminated above. But what about those of you who have nothing to sell? Are you left out in the cold? hardly! Simply jump in and sign on with some of the popular affiliate marketing networks (for free!) and find high converting products, services and offers you can sell using the same 4 methods above.

The key is to always have something to sell, a way to monetize your traffic before you start building a bunch. Using the above strategies are very easy, and if you start today, you can ( and should) be seeing some profits THIS week for sure!

What We Have: A Brand Spanking New, 28 page Power Packed PDF on Advanced Article and Affiliate Marketing Strategies You Won't Find Anywhere Else for Free.

Who it's For: ANYONE who wants, needs and CRAVES More FREE Traffic, easier sales, better copy and more push button, autopilot online profits.

How To Get It: Simply Click the Article Marketing Manifesto Link and Download it for FREE anytime between now and Christmas Day 2008.

And what do my Readers Have to Say.....I'll let the recent UNEDITED reader comments speak for themselves..:-)

"In one niche, my article click through rate jumped from 10% to 64% JUST by putting some of those techniques to action."

"I still wondering why you would give this information away free! I have read this FREE report three times now and I absolutely love the information. I have made notes and started using some of your suggestions. I do article marketing, but my CTR is only around 12%. It was obvious to me that I could improve this Big Time. After using your ideas for just 2 things (Article Titles and Resource Boxes) I have increased my CTR to 23%. Did I mention it's only been three days since I read your report the first time? Thank You!"

"I honestly was looking everywhere for the proper techniques to implement into affiliating my website. And when i read your ebook it showed me the demographics i needed to know for finding a niche product and the stragagies you use are very effective...."

"Just wanted to say I love your writing style. Your straight forwardness, and practical way of explaining processes makes it really enjoyable to read."

~ go article ~

3 Simple Ways to Make Easy Money From Home Without Much Effort (Everyday!) by Ian Ross Hollander

2009-01-08T08:00:00.000+07:00

In this article we are going to take about some quick and easy ways to make 50 bucks a day from affiliate marketing. Have you tried selling products or services as an affiliate and been having trouble? Good. This article is for you! The simple truth is that most of the articles teaching real online marketing strategies are a bit silly, overly complex or simply a sly attempt to sell you something. Conversely, I'm selling nothing....only sharing strategies I use in my own business that work, and will work for you as well. Let's look.
The Power of Perennial PR: How much money have you made this week from your affiliate efforts? How many press releases have you written, submitted and syndicated on the product you are selling? I've found there is always a direct relationship between the two...especially for those of us who prefer free traffic over PPC. The simple truth is that press releases are one of the most overlooked areas for driving bodacious amounts of backsides at any offer you are promoting. Don't believe me? Good! Prove it to yourself and try a few today. They're fun, free and very effective.

The Article Marketing Advantage: I've talked about this so many times I almost hate to write it again. If you aren't writing copious amounts of creative content, and distributing it to directories, you are getting crushed in your niche by those of us who are. I've literally saved over $50,000.00 in ad spend in one niche alone in 2008, relative to my competitors who are paying for the very same clicks I'm getting for free.

Create Your OWN Affiliate Program: You don't need to just sell other people's products to make free money from affiliate marketing. Create your own product, and make an affiliate program for it. There is simple software that will handle it for you, turning your passion into profit, and doing it in a hurry. And no, you don't need to go through clickbank, there are lots of great tools and software that will let you get started today, and often for nothing!

What We Have: A Brand Spanking New, 28 page Power Packed PDF on Advanced Article and Affiliate Marketing Strategies You Won't Find Anywhere Else for Free.

Who it's For: ANYONE who wants, needs and CRAVES More FREE Traffic, easier sales, better copy and more push button, autopilot online profits.

How To Get It: Simply Click the Article Marketing Manifesto Link and Download it for FREE anytime between now and Christmas Day 2008.

And what do my Readers Have to Say.....I'll let the recent UNEDITED reader comments speak for themselves..:-)

"In one niche, my article click through rate jumped from 10% to 64% JUST by putting some of those techniques to action."

"I still wondering why you would give this information away free! I have read this FREE report three times now and I absolutely love the information. I have made notes and started using some of your suggestions. I do article marketing, but my CTR is only around 12%. It was obvious to me that I could improve this Big Time. After using your ideas for just 2 things (Article Titles and Resource Boxes) I have increased my CTR to 23%. Did I mention it's only been three days since I read your report the first time? Thank You!"

"I honestly was looking everywhere for the proper techniques to implement into affiliating my website. And when i read your ebook it showed me the demographics i needed to know for finding a niche product and the stragagies you use are very effective...."

"Just wanted to say I love your writing style. Your straight forwardness, and practical way of explaining processes makes it really enjoyable to read."

~ go article ~

The Best Way to Make Money From Internet Marketing- Stop! Never Buy Another Scam Opportunity Again! by Ian Ross Hollander

2009-01-08T07:58:00.000+07:00

Who else wants to the know the very best way to make money from home? If you are anything like the vast majority of people reading this right now, you certainly are on the short list to learn, right? Of course you are, and if your experience resembles mine when I first started, you're probably poking and prodding your way through a thousand different confusing programs promising overnight riches if you buy them, but only guaranteeing to make you poorer, and more frustrated than every once you do!
So is there a better way to make money from home?

There absolutely is, and for the large part, it can not only be started for free ( or close to free) but it can be scaled up and out in rapid fire turn around time to boot. Now, many of you already know I'm a passionate advocate of internet marketing and the magic that you can quickly create online.....but this strategy is simple, and is great for beginners, and you will see a profit in a week, or less.

All I want you to do is focus on content creation. Can you do that? Write some articles about something you are passionate about? How about a press release or two? Hey, it's easy....you can even use a pen name and no one is going to judge you! Now, my space is limited here, but all you need is a landing page, preferably a blog as well on the same domain, and content! That's it. You submit the content to directories like article directories and press release distribution services (most are free) and send the traffic to your domain....which automatically forwards to an affiliate program you are promoting for quick and easy cash. (yes, I do this everyday as do many others) And....you blog build as well simply by installing free blogging software (I prefer Wordpress) so you'll get natural traffic on your creative content as well...which you can monetize with banner ads, contextual ads, a name capture, you name it...you can do it!

Any of this not make sense? Sorry - I'm trying to speed through it and not go over my allotment of words! Simply download the absolutely free report below, which will detail this process far better, and in 30 illuminating and trans formative pages, you will get a million dollar education, for free!

What We Have: A Brand Spanking New, 28 page Power Packed PDF on Advanced Article and Affiliate Marketing Strategies You Won't Find Anywhere Else for Free.

Who it's For: ANYONE who wants, needs and CRAVES More FREE Traffic, easier sales, better copy and more push button, autopilot online profits.

How To Get It: Simply Click the Article Marketing Manifesto Link and Download it for FREE anytime between now and Christmas Day 2008.

And what do my Readers Have to Say.....I'll let the recent UNEDITED reader comments speak for themselves..:-)

"In one niche, my article click through rate jumped from 10% to 64% JUST by putting some of those techniques to action."

"I still wondering why you would give this information away free! I have read this FREE report three times now and I absolutely love the information. I have made notes and started using some of your suggestions. I do article marketing, but my CTR is only around 12%. It was obvious to me that I could improve this Big Time. After using your ideas for just 2 things (Article Titles and Resource Boxes) I have increased my CTR to 23%. Did I mention it's only been three days since I read your report the first time? Thank You!"

"I honestly was looking everywhere for the proper techniques to implement into affiliating my website. And when i read your ebook it showed me the demographics i needed to know for finding a niche product and the stragagies you use are very effective...."

"Just wanted to say I love your writing style. Your straight forwardness, and practical way of explaining processes makes it really enjoyable to read."

~ go article ~

The Easiest Way to Make Money - This is So Much Fun (& Easy) It Should Be Illegal! by Ian Ross Hollander

2009-01-08T07:56:00.000+07:00

Who wants to know the absolute easiest way to make money from home? I'm guessing you wouldn't be reading this if you didn't want to find out, right? It's true - with so many different paths, permutations and perspectives on building a meaningful home based business, it can be tough to figure out exactly which is the proper path for you.
But I've got really good news for you....

If you've got a keyboard, and an imagination, you can start to make real money from the chair you're sitting in at this exact moment, and in rapid fire turn around time. And You're going to do it all with free methods of content creation, syndication and distribution which are push button simple and largely on autopilot once you get going!

So what are you going to do?

First you are going to find a killer affiliate offer. It can be anything.....from a Plasma TV's, to Playpens. Then write articles. And blog build. Copious amounts of creative and killer content. If you've got a keyboard, an imagination, and a big bottle of wine, this part is simple.

Distribute your articles off to every nook, cranny and directory you can find that will take them. Always link back to a page on your domain that can be automatically forwarded to the affiliate vendor themselves. ( which is typically the root level URL) Then, take the very same content, and re-write it a little bit for your blog. Put very specific product names, models and descriptions in the title if applicable. (if you're selling goods that have them - this is a great way of ranking fast!)

I recommend doing some quick and easy social networking as well, posting a few Squidoo lenses and hub pages, and pointing them back to the blog, and the root level redirection as well. All very easy, very fast and you will make money within your first week if you're aggressive - even if you've never make a dime online before!

What We Have: A Brand Spanking New, 28 page Power Packed PDF on Advanced Article and Affiliate Marketing Strategies You Won't Find Anywhere Else for Free.

Who it's For: ANYONE who wants, needs and CRAVES More FREE Traffic, easier sales, better copy and more push button, autopilot online profits.

How To Get It: Simply Click the Article Marketing Manifesto Link and Download it for FREE anytime between now and Christmas Day 2008.

And what do my Readers Have to Say.....I'll let the recent UNEDITED reader comments speak for themselves..:-)

"In one niche, my article click through rate jumped from 10% to 64% JUST by putting some of those techniques to action."

"I still wondering why you would give this information away free! I have read this FREE report three times now and I absolutely love the information. I have made notes and started using some of your suggestions. I do article marketing, but my CTR is only around 12%. It was obvious to me that I could improve this Big Time. After using your ideas for just 2 things (Article Titles and Resource Boxes) I have increased my CTR to 23%. Did I mention it's only been three days since I read your report the first time? Thank You!"

"I honestly was looking everywhere for the proper techniques to implement into affiliating my website. And when i read your ebook it showed me the demographics i needed to know for finding a niche product and the stragagies you use are very effective...."

"Just wanted to say I love your writing style. Your straight forwardness, and practical way of explaining processes makes it really enjoyable to read."

~ go article ~

Home Based Business Secrets - The Best Way to Get Keywords For Your Article Marketing Campaigns by Ian Ross Hollander

2009-01-08T07:55:00.000+07:00

Who wants to know some dead simple ways to get keywords for your article marketing campaigns? If you are reading this article, I'm guessing you probably are looking for some easy ways to amp up your efforts, right? It's true....article marketing is one of the easiest, most expeditious and elegant ways to make a big buck bang in just about any niche or industry you want.
But isn't keyword research impossibly long, difficult and expensive to do it well?

No, it's not. Keyword research, when done right, if fast, fun and free..:-) I do pay for keyword research tools, but I'm going to be honest with you. I rarely even look at them anymore. Instead, use all of the native intelligence that Google gives me themselves to leap frog my competition and high step the hurdles that hold most of my competitors down.

Want to know a great way of getting little nuggets of keyword gold that convert like crazy?

Simply run a Pay Per Click campaign (a cheap one) on your primary keyword, and every long tail derivation and permutation that your keyword tool tells you are associated with the root phrase. So you'll have one primary phrase with lots of searches....and then all of the more odd and esoteric terms as well. Check back in a few days, and especially if you have the phrase and exact match segmented properly, you are going to see EXACTLY how many times these long tail phrases are showing up for your ad.

What Do I do next?

Easy. I write content around those exact phrases, front loading those keywords in my article titles and blog posts. Plus, I'll usually remove them for the heard, and run specific PPC ads for those exact phrases as well....often leaving me with a dominating presence on little known, long tail phrases that really do convert like crazy!

What We Have: A Brand Spanking New, 28 page Power Packed PDF on Advanced Article and Affiliate Marketing Strategies You Won't Find Anywhere Else for Free.

Who it's For: ANYONE who wants, needs and CRAVES More FREE Traffic, easier sales, better copy and more push button, autopilot online profits.

How To Get It: Simply Click the Article Marketing Manifesto Link and Download it for FREE anytime between now and Christmas Day 2008.

And what do my Readers Have to Say.....I'll let the recent UNEDITED reader comments speak for themselves..:-)

"In one niche, my article click through rate jumped from 10% to 64% JUST by putting some of those techniques to action."

"I still wondering why you would give this information away free! I have read this FREE report three times now and I absolutely love the information. I have made notes and started using some of your suggestions. I do article marketing, but my CTR is only around 12%. It was obvious to me that I could improve this Big Time. After using your ideas for just 2 things (Article Titles and Resource Boxes) I have increased my CTR to 23%. Did I mention it's only been three days since I read your report the first time? Thank You!"

"I honestly was looking everywhere for the proper techniques to implement into affiliating my website. And when i read your ebook it showed me the demographics i needed to know for finding a niche product and the stragagies you use are very effective...."

"Just wanted to say I love your writing style. Your straight forwardness, and practical way of explaining processes makes it really enjoyable to read."

~ go article ~

Five Low-Cost Marketing Activities for Small Businesses during a Recession by Al Kernek

2009-01-08T07:53:00.000+07:00

With the recession gathering steam, 2009 looks to be a tough year for small businesses. Belt-tightening on marketing budgets is a natural reflex in these situations. However, it would be a huge mistake for small businesses to shut down marketing in a recession because marketing is essential to surviving a downturn. And fortunately, there are effective marketing activities that can be conducted for little or no cost to help keep your sales alive.

Marketing promotion doesn't have to cost a bundle to yield results. Some of the most effective marketing activities are inexpensive and require little more than investing your time to make them work for your business.

Here are five inexpensive marketing activities a small business can perform to keep existing customers coming back while creating new ones:

1. Fine-tune your Website. Go over your site from the perspective of a first-time visitor. Are visitors able to quickly discern what your site is about and why they should do business with your company? You typically have only ten seconds to capture their interest! Is the site easy to navigate - can visitors readily find what they are looking for? If your business is selling online, is the purchase process simple to use and fool-proof? Do you offer complementary items for sale during the checkout stage? And finally, have you at least performed basic search engine optimization by including meta, alt and header tags, as well as populating your page titles and textual content with keywords relevant to each page? If that sounds like gibberish to you, check out sites like www.WilsonWeb.com to get helpful non-techie site tuning tips. Take an hour or so to perform an audit of your Website - it will ultimately yield big returns for your business!

2. Nurture your customers and prospects with a monthly email newsletter. Use "push" marketing through an email newsletter to stay in touch with your customers and prospects. Gain their interest by providing valuable information and promote your products or services directly to potential buyers.

Include incentives and create a sense of urgency. Insert click-through links to special pages on your Website that are germane to any offers or subjects promoted in the newsletter. Use low-cost ($30-$50 monthly) online services like www.ConstantContact.com which offer professional newsletter templates and email list management.

3. Include your Website address on all correspondence, especially business cards and emails. Add a tagline to emails under the signature block that promotes your business. For example, "World's Largest and Most Affordable Supply of Custom Widgets."

4. Create and distribute press releases. These can be simple one-page releases announcing new products or services offered by your business, your latest achievements, new employees, management changes, new markets, discount programs, etc. - basically anything of public interest.

Press releases are free advertising! Distribute them online to targeted geographical areas and audiences by using inexpensive services like www.PRWeb.com ($80 per release).

Don't worry - these services show you how to set up the release. Make sure to include a link back to your site to provide interested readers with more information or drive traffic to an online sales funnel. And since online press releases get picked up by other Websites, newsletters and blogs as "filler content," they help to create one-way links to your Website from a variety of complementary sites, thereby enhancing your search engine ranking. Don't forget to mail your press release to local hard-print publications as well!

5. Advertise weekly or monthly promotions on your Website and in your newsletter to generate new sales and keep your customers coming back. If appropriate, you can even get a unique Website address (e.g., BigSale-TailorMadeSuits.com) for about $10 that points to a page in your Website where the promotion is presented in detail along with possible online purchase options. You can also add this unique online address to flyers or small ads in your local paper or industry periodicals.

With a little effort, your small business can have an effective marketing program for minimal expense. And now is the time to try new things and learn new marketing skills while you may have some slack. If you master the above activities, they will continue to provide a foundation for inexpensive marketing once the economy recovers. So make an investment in your future by starting with just one of these proven marketing techniques. Then tackle the others. You will be surprised and pleased with the results!

~ go article ~

5 Tips For Choosing the Right Advertising Agency: Dallas, TX by David Drewitz

2009-01-08T07:51:00.000+07:00

Searching for the right advertising agency in Dallas, TX to bring your organization to the next level? The Dallas/Fort Worth market is likely a hot market for your product or service, but choosing the right agency could make the difference between success and failure. Here are 5 tips for choosing the right advertising agency in Dallas, TX:

1. Pay attention to how well the agency strives to understand your business objectives:

The advertising agency you hire needs to prove to you that they are willing to take the time to understand your company's goals and objectives. Many firms put on a good show upon the initial get-to-know-you meeting, asking a few routine questions about your company in order to land a project with you. However, once the project has commenced, most firms will quickly appear to lose interest, seeming more like a vendor than a partner. Over time, you will find yourself garnering less and less of their attention.

On the other hand, a good advertising agency will exhibit a genuine interest in your company. They will ask a series of strategic questions, making notes of key points worthy of further exploration. Once they have learned a good deal about you, they will refine their questions and begin making recommendations about your marketing and advertising direction. This "winning" type of agency will come forward with an overall strategic plan for you, rather than just a list of short-term, tactical projects.

2. Ask them to detail the process they will follow to identify and understand your best prospects:

Good advertising agencies know how to develop a sophisticated market segmentation strategy. Segmentation refers to the practice of profiling your company's market into groups or clusters and then determining which of those groups are most likely to spend more money with you than the rest.

Developing a smart segmentation strategy is an integral part of a strong advertising campaign, and the agency you choose needs to be able to actively develop one for your firm. Bottom line: ask each of the candidate advertising agencies you are evaluating to describe in detail to how they plan to identify your best prospects.

3. Find out how they manage complex projects involving multiple media:

For larger ad campaigns involving multiple media channels (e.g., radio, TV, Internet, magazines, direct mail, etc.) most advertising agencies will be faced with outsourcing one or more of the project elements to outside vendors. A good agency knows how to differentiate between which items the agency can do exceptionally well itself and which items it needs to outsource to partners and vendors. The agency you choose needs to have a solid management system in place so that they can make sure all of the pieces fit together nicely for a given campaign. Ask your agency to describe how they handle large projects. If their answer is direct and detailed, you will know that they have thought through how to handle these projects.

4. Request samples of their creative work:

There are as many styles and types of creative work as there are designers (i.e., "creatives"). Just because an advertising agency is in "the business," it doesn't necessarily mean that you are going to resonate with the type of work they have done in the past. Ask to see a portfolio of their past work. Hint: make sure the portfolio is media-specific. That is, if you are looking to have them create a TV ad campaign on your behalf, don't be satisfied if they merely give you samples of their past billboard or magazine ads. Reason: creative work that is appropriate for one type of medium is not necessarily appropriate for another.

When you are viewing their creative samples, ask yourself whether you feel an emotional, as well as a mental, connection with the work. Trust your instincts. If you don't like what you see, ask for work by another designer on their team. Don't be shy: part of making a campaign work requires that you, the client, believe in it yourself.

5. Ask them to explain their knowledge of the Dallas, TX media market:

When it comes to putting together a media campaign, you want an agency that knows your market intimately. In the case of a broadcast campaign for the Dallas, TX market (for example), you are going to want to select an ad agency that has relationships with all of the important radio and TV stations in town. These relationships will allow them to get you the best rates, as well as to negotiate "remotes and promos" (viz., value-adds or perks that you can sometimes receive for making radio buys). It is also important to know your campaign's target audience well, which can be another advantage of choosing a local agency.

It will be to your benefit to take the time to choose the right advertising agency. Dallas is a great market - and you need an experienced, sophisticated agency that knows how to put together a winning advertising plan if you are going to conquer it.

~ go article ~

Advertising Using Articles And Building Your Article List by Johnny Modal

2009-01-08T07:49:00.001+07:00

A very efficient method to advertise your professional services, the products you are selling or simply to help you find a better job is writing targeted articles.

These articles that enclose at the end a short presentation of you or your business can be about various solution to actual problems, about everyday life ect. There are many sites to which you can submit these articles to, or if you have a database of your customers' emails, just drop them an email containing the article and a link to your personal site or professional site.

The articles can generally be copied from one article submission site to the other as long as the content belongs to you and you are not stealing someone else's work. The only condition is that they must keep their original form, no altering, along with your presentation. This means actually more visibly and it is exactly what you need.

The more interesting the article is, the more people will read and remember it. Even if you don't have experience with writing, there are some aspects that can make you try it:

* Writing a technical article puts order in your ideas. You will have to coherent and state clear ideas and proper explanations.
* It will make you improve the way you speak.
* It will bring you visibility.
* If it's written well it will surely help someone.
* You can prove your knowledge in your professional areas this way.

Publishing articles means they have to contains mostly useful information and just a little bit of advertising. If they don't follow this rule, you might end up with an un-publishable article, which you can only put on your homepage.

There are other things you could do with articles if you are willing to spend some money. There are different publicity sites, ranked high in search engines that for a fee will publish your article on their site for a limited period of time. The fee is not high usually, and you get much more visibility this way. But if this choice is the one that appeals to you the most, you must make sure the article is really good, so good that it can compete with all the other articles on that site. The user can see them all at the same time and you must think of ways to make him choose to read yours. If you have tried and you are not confident you can do it on your own, you can always hire a professional.

Building Your List with Articles

You can build your list simply by writing articles, whether you have thought of it or not.

Quite simply, you write and submit your articles on your topic of expertise or business nature to popular article directories where eZine publishers and readers are looking for the information you provide.

Leveraging your viral marketing efforts on article writing can be rewarding, if done right. In the real sense, you are actually proving your worth and demonstrating your expertise about your business through the articles you write.

So, how can this method in effect build your mailing list? The answer: the resource box you attach to your articles. In your resource box (also known as bio box), you include a brief detail about yourself and your business site together with its URL.

It is strongly suggested that your resource box URL links to your mailing list's landing page where you can get your visitor's name and email address, which will in turn help you build your mailing list at no cost.

If your articles are found worth sharing, eZine publishers will republish your articles together with your resource box for their readers and subscribers. The wonderful result: viral marketing without effort on your part!

You can start by writing and submitting your articles to trusted article submitter sites such as articlemarketer.com and begin your article marketing journey today.

~ go article ~

Some Basics of Internet Marketing by Suresh Angaria

2008-11-24T12:56:00.001+07:00

Many businesses are not only depending on their physical offices in marketing whatever product they have available for the general public. With the introduction of the internet, there are many changes that took place in the business world.

The internet allows a particular organization to reach many prospective clients wherever they are. Even if you have one office, you can practically advertise your goods/services anywhere in the world.

Putting your business in the internet world is not an easy task. Don’t regard the internet as a medium for advertising your business because it is more than that. You have to maximize the use of the unique qualities of the web, and in this manner, you will be able to provide prospects and clients with a better experience.

Internet marketing, this are two simple words but when put together, it covers a lot of subject matters that needs considerable amount of attention. The basics of internet marketing includes researching the market, search engines, advertising (email), marketing, promotion (local) and marketing offline .For more details visit to. Let‘s start with researching the market. You have to identify first your market, and think of ways on how to reach those markets. You should be able to convey a message with value, for your prospects and clients to get a better understanding of what you are trying to advertise.

The two most important words in market research are target and hit. An effective marketing research should be able to hit the identified target. Your target will depend largely on what your business can provide to clients. Examples are children aged 7-12; or it can be men and women.

Marketing research further involves primary and secondary research, combined research, quantitative and qualitative.

The next internet marketing basic is the search engine. This has two types, namely: directories search engine and the PPC (pay per click) engines. If you are to engage in internet marketing, the presence of a search engine is quite important. Although it can be quite expensive, most business can‘t possibly do without it because it is the most effective way to advertise the business.

Directories require a huge amount of patience for effective marketing. You have to wait for a couple of weeks before you actually appear on the site. Your site position can also change without further notice because this engines change their indexes and ranking rules every now and then.

PPC engines are more expensive but easier to utilize. You can obtain a much higher listing and fast and steady results.

Advertising is the next basic on the list. After you identify the desires and general wants of your target, you can also identify their interests. There are different publications which take up advertising; you can also make use of newsletter list advertising. It has three types: solo advertisement, classified ads, and top line ads .For more information visit to. Marketing through email usually leads to several problems, but despite this situation, it is quite effective because you can actually generate a response from three targets. You can make use of opt-in, newsletter, and UCE.

Email by opt-in is done by creating email addresses by which you send messages occasionally. Newsletter marketing on the other hand is similar to opt-in but it includes information like insights and articles. The UCE is also a form of advertising and is really effective, it also known as unsolicited commercial email.

The second to the last internet marketing basic is promotion. Make sure that you also promote in your local area, besides your first real clients will surely come from somewhere near your place. Since many businesses focus their attention to web audiences, they often forget to advertise locally. You can make use of press releases, magazines, newspapers, business guides, and many more.

Finally, marketing offline; classified ads are good if the publication itself focuses on your target market, otherwise you can do without it. Instead, you can correctly make use of print advertising, URLs, and movie slides.

Without advertisement, any business will fail. It is therefore imperative to have a good team that could handle all your business advertising, offline or online. Internet marketing requires a lot of thought, effort, and time. If you devote all these aspects towards proper advertising, all your efforts will be worthy once you see the business‘success.
ads .For more information visit to www.forum-marketing-videos.com. Marketing through email usually leads to several problems, but despite this situation, it is quite effective because you can actually generate a response from three targets. You can make use of opt-in, newsletter, and UCE.

Email by opt-in is done by creating email addresses by which you send messages occasionally. Newsletter marketing on the other hand is similar to opt-in but it includes information like insights and articles. The UCE is also a form of advertising and is really effective, it also known as unsolicited commercial email.

The second to the last internet marketing basic is promotion. Make sure that you also promote in your local area, besides your first real clients will surely come from somewhere near your place. Since many businesses focus their attention to web audiences, they often forget to advertise locally. You can make use of press releases, magazines, newspapers, business guides, and many more.

Finally, marketing offline; classified ads are good if the publication itself focuses on your target market, otherwise you can do without it. Instead, you can correctly make use of print advertising, URLs, and movie slides.

Without advertisement, any business will fail. It is therefore imperative to have a good team that could handle all your business advertising, offline or online. Internet marketing requires a lot of thought, effort, and time. If you devote all these aspects towards proper advertising, all your efforts will be worthy once you see the business‘success.

~ go article ~

5 Steps to Successful Online Marketing by Rose Ledoux

2008-11-24T12:50:00.000+07:00

Online marketing is a very competitive business. But with the right tools and knowledge, anyone can learn to earn a living. Sure, you will need to put effort into online marketing, but with the right attitude and ambition, you can become successful. This isn't anything new. If you're currently working for someone, you're already working hard to earn your paycheck, right?

You can get started in one of two ways, learning on your own, through research, or you can join one of many online marketing schools. One word of caution, though, there are a lot of scams or websites using outdated marketing methods so be careful. No matter which method you choose, the bottom line is, there are 5 important things you need to remember:

Know Your Consumer. This is the most important part. When you set up a campaign, you need to know your comsumer. What problem do they have? What are they looking for? If you can identify their problem or need and provide a solution, you're on the right track.

On Page Optimization. Search engines look at stuff you have on your page and how relevant that is to what people oare looking for. Here are essential factors on page SEO (search engine optimization) factors:

1. Include keyword phrases in your title.
2. Include keyword phrases in your heading.
3. Include keyword phrases in your 1st paragraph
4. Include keyword phrases at least once every 100 words
5. Include keywords in internal links (when you have multiple pages)
6. Use good, original content

Off Page Optimization. Search engines determine the ranking of your webpage based on it's popularity so you want to make sure you have links from other webpages that point back to your main website.

1. Build lots of 1-way incoming links
2. Get some links from quality sites, such as Google, Dmoz
3. Make sure incoming link sites are indexed in the search engines.
4. Make sure you're links don't loop.

Building Links. Create other webpages similar to your main website, and link from those to your main site. Example: if you create a website using Blogger, create a lens on Squidoo, a hub on hubpages, a blog on wordpress, all related to your Blogger website. Make sure you have the same keywords and link these pages back to Bloger. When creating lenses or hubs or blogs, you use good, quality content. If you create a good site with useful content, people will naturally want to link to it. Submitting your site to directories will also get you links. You can also write articles about your subject and post it in article directories.

Web 2.0 Strategy. Web 2.0 refers to interactive sites that allow users to leave comments, view videos, and do other stuff. One of the best tools available is the RSS feed. Take advantage of this feature by pulling feeds like this: take feed from wordpress into hubpage, feed from hubpage into squidoo, feed from squidoo into blogger. Evertime you update one of these sites, it will show up on the other site you're linked to. Another important aspect of interactive sites are the use of tags, which allows you to specify your keyword phrases using related words and also detailed longer phrases.

~ go article ~

Make Money Online by Shirley Pressnell

2008-11-24T12:46:00.000+07:00

When it comes to making money online in your internet business, there are really only three options available for you.

1. Make money with advertising

The first option that you have to make money online is to use ads or adverts. Now I do not mean actually spending money on advertising your stuff. I mean by placing ads on your website. We are going to go and take a look at that.

What this means is you get paid for putting ads on your site, and whenever people click on those ads you get commission. The only difficulty with that is you have got to have a lot of content.

2. Make money with affiliate products

The second option for you for making money online is to sell affiliates’products. This is where you promote other people’s products, and you make a commission. You send people from your website to the product owner’s website, and when a person buys that product you get a kick-back in commission.

The benefits of affiliate marketing are that you do not have to deal with any customer issues. You do not have to supply anything or provide anything or do any shipping or produce any products, you are just acting as the middle person.

3. Make money with your own products

The third option for you is to create your own product. This is where you actually sit down and you would create your very own product, whether it is an e-book, a video, or a coaching program – something that you create and you are the originator of.

These are really the only three options for making money online in your internet business. Which is the best option for you?

Let’s take a look at the first one using ads, placing adverts on your website and getting paid when people click on them.

The most popular way to do that is using the Google Adsense program. It is free to sign up. What happens is you have a website with content and you place the ads. They will appear somewhere on your website. The ads automatically show relevant advertisements depending on the type of content, the text that you have on that website.

People come along, they visit your website, and if they see an ad that is relevant to them, and then they click on the ad, you get paid. This all sounds great in theory, and it can be a good way to make money, but the only thing is you do need a lot of content in order to actually make good money because there is a formula. And the formula for making money online is as follows. Content = clicks = cash

Now obviously you are interested in getting that fast cash. Before you can get the cash, you need to get people to click on your ads. Before you can get people to click on your ads, you need traffic. In order to get traffic, you need to have content. That is particularly relevant with Adsense and these type of programs, where you get paid to show other people’s ads. You need a lot of content. If creating a lot of content is not your idea of fun, if you do not like sitting down and writing out a lot of articles and content, then maybe using ads is not the way for you.

In fact, I believe the best way to get started making money online in your internet business is to become an affiliate. As I said before, an affiliate is somebody who promotes other people’s products and gets paid a commission every time a sale is made. One of the leading websites where you can find a lot of affiliate products that you can promote is called ClickBank. The address is www.ClickBank.com.

This is one of the best places to start to find good products to promote. I feel that this is one of the best ways for you to start making money online is to become an affiliate, because you do not need to create a lot of content. To become an affiliate, you can do it with just one webpage. You do not need hundreds or thousands of web pages like you do for the ad networks to get a lot of money. You can just have one page.

You can have some content on that page that explains or reviews a product. You can then have a link at the bottom of that page that says, “Click here to buy the product”. People click on that. It is what is known as your unique affiliate link, and when people click on that and they go off to the product page and they buy that product you get paid. That is really how easy it is to become an affiliate marketer.

Now the other option for you when you are starting out is to find ready-made products. This is also called resale rights. These are products that other people have created and completed and you can buy the rights to sell them. It means you do not have to do all the product creation, all the research. It is an easy way to be up and running very, very quickly. The type of products that you can get hold of are ebooks, different types of software, etc., -- things that you can buy the rights to actually sell.

Those are three options. Let me just give you those again real quick:

-- You can place ads on your website.
-- You can become an affiliate marketer and start recommending affiliate products.
-- You can create or buy ready-made products.

Key Points
Here are some key ideas to remember:

Find a hungry crowd
The first thing is that before you start even deciding on which products to sell in your internet business and who to sell them to, you really need to find what is called, “The Hungry Crowd”. It is one of the biggest mistakes that newbies make, is that they start trying to sell a product without knowing if there are really any people out there that want to buy it. You need to find a hungry crowd, a crowd of people on the internet that are desperately hungry for a particular product. They have a problem that they want to solve. They are desperate to solve it. And they will be willing to give you money to get that solution. So you need to find the hungry crowd.

Build relationships
The second point is when you are making money online, although you might get into this, initially saying, “Look, I want to make a lot of money online,” and it is about the money. But if you get into it just with that money at the forefront of your mind, it is not going to happen for you.

What you really need to think about is building relationships. That is what you are doing. You are building relationships with the people that you are selling to, whether it is selling your own product or selling other people’s products, you are building a relationship.

Add value
You need to add value in everything that you do. Before I said that you can just create one page and go off and recommend an affiliate product and people will buy it and you will make money. You can do that, but a lot of people are trying to do that now and the only way that you can stand apart is if you add value. Provide good value. Give good advice. Write honest reviews. Be totally open and transparent in what you are doing and add value. If you can promote an affiliate product and give a bonus, either a quick report on how you have used the product or maybe a free product that you have created or give them a free report or free e-book or something like that, you are adding value and you are going to make more sales as a result.

The customer comes first
And fourth, finally, and most importantly, you have got to remember that the customer is first. The customer’s needs are first.

Do not get into this thinking, “What can I get out of it? What can I do? How am I going to win out of this? How am I going to make money?” Think of it in terms of, “How can I help people the most? How can I add the most value? How can I build the best relationships? How can I develop the most trust, and how can I have the happiest customers in my internet business and give the customers exactly what they want?”

~ go article ~

Printable Web Coupons And Online Discounts by Johnson Author

2008-11-24T12:42:00.000+07:00

Summary: With the cost of many products rising by the day, many people find themselves searching for any way they can find to save money on goods and services.

One of the most common is to hunt down coupons in all of your local newspapers and junk mail, cut them out and head down to the store. There is however, a much better and faster alternative, web coupons or printable coupons are a great option for those who want the savings without the hassle. The internet has much to offer when it comes to printable coupons. Many great online sites that sell various goods and services will supply you with web coupons just for registering to their site, signing up for a newsletter they have or other such simple tasks.

If you really want the good savings, you will have to find yourself a nice web coupon or rebate site that offers savings on goods or services you are interested in. There are too many sites like this to mention, each offering savings on a wide selection of products, from an endless supply of stores and sites. From the top stores in town to places you've never heard of.

The potential of coupon codes is to save money. Market scene over the years has seen quite a lot of amendments and these amendments are further expanding. One of the most exciting features seen over the years on the global is discounting. Discounting is what every potential buyer looks for because makes buying a pocket friendly issue for all the customers and thereby raising the purchasing power. These days discount vouchers and coupon codes have raised the bar of providing money saving packages to a level where the competition among leading brand owners and the price cutting is so fierce that the customers find it really hard to turn down the offers. These days all the websites brings out such unique discount packages and discount coupons in order attract more customers.

Moreover the arena for discounting is broadening day by day with new strategies being implemented every day. These coupon codes and discounting offers have become the USP for all the websites, and as it is very well said the better the USP the fairer are the chances of success. Coupon codes not only attract customers but also initiate brand loyalty and enhances brand name. The greatest advantage of discount coupons is that they have made big brands come under one domain. You can subscribe to the RSS feed of the site.

The greatest advantage of discount coupons, top stores is that they have made big brands come under one domain. You can subscribe to the RSS feed of the site.

~ go article ~

Internet Marketing: Effective Online Marketing by Johnson Author

2008-11-24T12:38:00.000+07:00

Internet marketing is a great way for companies and web sites to get themselves out in the public eye and start gaining a customer base. Search engine marketing, or SEM as many know it, is one type of internet marketing that is among the most popular and successful.

Search engine marketing promotes websites and businesses by increasing how visible the various search engine results pages, also known as SERPs. There is more than one type of search engine marketing; each can work very well if properly done.

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is the most well known type of search engine marketing. With this method you improve the amount and quality of traffic that visits a web site from search engines with "natural", "organic" or "algorithmic" search results. Search engine optimization is also capable of targeting different kinds of searches, including image search, local search, and industry specific vertical search engines. This makes it a very appealing search engine marketing strategy. Search engine optimization includes the editing of the web sites content and coding and removing barriers to the indexing activities of the various search engines.

Another internet marketing method is paid placement or Pay per click, which is advertising that makes users money when someone clicks the advertisement or banner and visits the sponsors’ site. When it comes to search engine paid placement, advertisers usually bid on phrases or keywords relevant to their target market. Then if any users happen to type one of the keywords in an advertiser’s keyword list, or visit one of the web sites with relevant content, the advertisements can be displayed. The content web sites usually charge a set price for each click rather than using a bid system.

Some of the bigger and most popular pay per click providers are Google AdWords, Yahoo! Search Marketing, and Microsoft adCenter. These are all great methods and have large communities of users that are right there to help you out along your way. If you ask around, they can also point you in the direction of some other great options for both pay per click marketing and many more types of search engine and other internet marketing systems. One problem with pay per click is that there are people who commit click fraud in various ways, which cheats people out of their hard earned money. This is one of the reasons I would advise that you seek out someone with experience already, that might be willing to share some of their secrets to success with you.

Other than these two great options, there are a few other ways to make money online through either pay per click marketing, search engine optimization or some other form of internet marketing. Almost anyone can make some decent money with these methods, if they are willing to do the proper work and research, perhaps one of these is a good option for you.

~ go article ~

Researching Keywords Easy and Powerful by Chatree Sridaoduan

2008-11-24T12:36:00.001+07:00

Keywords are the concept of your websites or blogs.
They are your websites’ brand and are used as a guide for search engines to predict what your websites represent. When you plan to run a new online business, the first thing you might want to do is to research on keywords that suit your business plan. For example, if you were going to sell cameras, you might use "cheap cameras store" as a keyword but how do you know whether it is a good keyword? There are several ways to confirm this but I am going to show you a way that is the simplest, powerful and free.

Looking for a keyword requires one thing: your perseverance because it is not easy to find a keyword that has high search volume while competition is low. Google, Google Trends and Google Adword Keyword are tools that you can use to determine which keyword is the most suitable for your business.

Google website can be used to examine the number of pages that contain a specific keyword. For example, if you want to sell Canon cameras, you can search for “Canon cameras” (double quotes are included) and you will see the number of pages that contain this keyword on the top right. If the number of pages is high, the competition is also high. Now, you get the idea.

Google Trends can be used to see the trends of keywords people searching for over a period of time. Assuming that you were not sure which brand of camera was more popular in your region. You can use this powerful tool to see the trends by just entering the comma-separated keywords into the textbox provided: Canon cameras, Sony cameras, Kodak cameras. What you will get is a set of graphs representing search volume over a period of time, search volume in different regions and languages. It is terribly easy to use and it is very powerful.

The last tool is Google Adword Keyword which can be used to generate keyword ideas. If you decided to sell Canon cameras but after you have googled this keyword, you found that you had to fight with a mountain of competitors. You might be overwhelmed by an overpowering sense of competition terror but fear not. By using this tool, you can see a lot of keywords suggested by Google, their search volume last month and average search volume. You can analyze this information to gain an advantage over your competitors.

As a conclusion, these tools can help you find your best keywords that suit your business. However, keywords alone are not enough to bring you to success. Your discipline and perseverance in improving your websites or blogs are the keys to bring you a constant flow of money. Remember, the highest tower is built one brick at a time.

~ go article ~

Heroic promises, blogging and business stuff by Chatree Sridaoduan

2008-11-24T12:33:00.001+07:00

Heroic promises, blogging and business stuff

We all know that successful life requires that you apply all of your physical and mental abilities to what you are doing. I have seen a lot of people trying to do online business by blogging. They did it seriously only for a few months and gave up because they couldn’t see any money flowing into their account. It is too bad that they did not realize how close they were to success. If they had continued blogging, they would have been rich by now. I am going to present you three interesting facts about people who fail to do business and make money online.

First of all, people who fail to make money online lack something in common. That thing is called discipline. To illustrate this, try answering the following question: would you hire an electrician who failed his favorite subjects – electric tools maintenance or even safety in the workplace. By the term discipline, I mean that they do not update their websites or blogs regularly. Some people even use some tricks like black hat SEO to promote their sites but this method might not work well. You might even be banned. In fact, all you need to do is to update your blogs regularly and consistently.

Second, Procrastination is the point here. This word comes from Latin meaning ‘Until tomorrow’. A lot of people make heroic promises about their life, for example, children give a vow that they will read books every day but when their girlfriends or boyfriends call them and say something sweet like “we’ll continue what we left off nice and slow tonight”. How could they resist such overpowering temptation? (I couldn’t either) Eventually, they fail to read books. They fail to keep their promises. The point I would like to make is that it is probably better to make a plan and follow the plan consistently. Do not procrastinate when it comes to your business.

Finally, one word is clear: perseverance. One phrase is clear: the highest tower is built one brick at a time. Keep doing what you are doing. Keep applying your mental and physical abilities to what you love, to your goals and to everything you do.

As a conclusion, two basic characteristics that successful bloggers have are discipline and perseverance.

~ go article ~

How to form the Perfect MASTERMIND for your Business by James Wedmore

2008-11-24T12:27:00.000+07:00

A Mastermind is a powerful group of two or more like-minded individuals who call upon a "higher power" for their strength and knowledge. Originally coined by Napoleon Hill, author of Think & Grow Rich, Masterminds are successfully used throughout business to brainstorm and implement ideas.

1. Find & Screen Members: A successful Mastermind depends on the individuals you attract to the group. Show the importance and value of your group by charging dues and entailing a difficult application screening process.

What you are looking for: Like-Minded Individuals. People who are motivated, action-takers who work well with others. Avoid friends and family members. A Mastermind is NOT a charity where you spend all your time/energy helping others. This group is also not a Social Club. It is meant to be tough and grueling (all learning processes are!) But if you are doing something you love and enjoy (passion!) it will not be seen as "work."

2. Create External Structure: Structure is important so you and your group members know what to expect. Below are a list of questions that you should have answered BEFORE your first meeting:
What is the Goal of the group?
How often does the group meet?
How long will this Mastermind be in play?
Indefinitely?
How long are the meetings?
How much are Dues?
How Many members (5-8 is recommended)
Where are the Meetings? Same location, different?

3. Create Internal Structure: The Internal Structure relates more to the way you set-up the agenda for each meeting. In essence, what can everyone expect throughout each meeting. Whether or not you see it, it is imperative hat you set up a leader or president of the group. Someone must be in charge of running and controlling the meeting. There are several different dynamics you can set up for your Mastermind.

One requirement is that each group member gets put on a "Hot Seat" where the rest of the members focus specifically on the issues in their business. There should also be a general lesson taught so that everyone is learning something new. But most importantly, each meeting should be consistent so the members know what to expect each time

4. Meet & Mastermind: It isn't imperative that your Mastermind meet in person, yet it will be the most effective. Other options for meeting include online via chatrooms(Ustream), webinars, Instant Messenger (Skype, AIM) or even via Teleseminars. The most crucial element to find HARMONY with the group. Everyone should be encouraging and supportive with one another. No idea, comment or question should be judged or ridiculed. Nothing should be held back.

5. Follow-Up: Once a Mastermind is formed, it is not only alive inside the meeting room walls or only during the hours you are with your members. A Mastermind is a living, breathing entity, and it must remain that way at all times. This means you are in constant contact with your members whenever possible. Follow-up with phone calls and other forms of contact whenever possible.

Tips & Warnings:

* You will notice that it will take a few meeting for everyone to "warm-up" to each other and get in the swing of things, but soon enough, you will start to see the "magic" and power of a True Mastermind!

~ go article ~

Starting an Online Business from Scratch by John

2008-11-24T12:18:00.002+07:00

One advantage of doing business online is that you can start from scratch without investing much money. Here is a 27 Step Action Plan to help you get started...

1. List 5 hobbies, interests or areas of expertise. If you want to start a new business, you'd better choose a subject that you like and a subject where you can show expertise. You will have more fun and you will be more competitive.

2. Brainstorm a list of keywords and phrases related to those hobbies and interests. For example, if you are going to sell small airplane collectibles, some possible keywords could be: airplanes, aeronautics, war airplanes, etc.

3. Research those keywords in Wordtracker.com to locate problem statements that have high search results and low competition. Wordtracker.com is a web page that helps you find out how many times your keywords are searched online, how popular your keywords on search engines are. Those keywords may represent problem statements. Wordtracker shows you how many people are buying traffic on those keywords and how much are they paying. You need to find popular statements with low competition.

4. Research those problem statements further to determine if you can develop a product to solve the problem stated. You may use search engines to see how many people are offering products that can help to solve those problems. If you find a popular problem and there are not many people offering solutions online, you've got it!

5. Find or create a product based on previous research for you to sell. Once you found a hungry market, you just need to find the food that your customers want and they will eat from your hands. You may find companies online that can manufacture the products for you or you may find a different way to create the product yourself. If the product is an e-book, you may write it yourself or you may hire someone else to do it.

6. Write a long copy sales letter for that product. The experience of the most important internet marketing gurus reveals that long copies sell much more than short copies. It is also recommendable that you try to sell only one product on your web site. Focus on one product unless the solution you are providing is the offer of a wide catalogue.

7. Register a domain and set up a hosting account. There are many places online where you can register a domain and set up a hosting account in minutes.

8. Register for a merchant account (to set up quickly use PayPal.com). If you don't want to register a merchant account that will allow you to take credit card payments online, go to PayPal.com and sign in. It can be a little bit more expensive, but it is a simple way to take credit card payments online very quickly.

9. Set up a simple web site using an automatic site builder or pay to have someone set it up for you. Do not try to design your own web site unless you are educated on html. Do not waste your time. Hire someone else to do it or buy automatic web site builder software. There are many of these you can buy online.

10. Set up an opt-in form on your web site to collect e-mail addresses. You need to start collecting e-mail addresses for your newsletter. The major part of your business will come from the emails that you will send to your customer list.

11. Build an extensive keyword list based on the initial list of keywords you developed. Use Overture.com. For each keyword on the initial list, Overture can help you find different combinations with other words that you may find interesting. Check the popularity of each term and write down on a spread sheet your final keyword list.

12. Submit those keywords to Overture.com to start driving traffic right away. You need to start driving some traffic immediately in order to test your web site. The best way to do that is to buy this traffic at overture.com

13. Optimize and submit your web site to organic search engines (Google, Altavista, etc...). Once you have proved that your web site works and sells, you will be ready to make the business bigger. It is then time to start working on building free traffic to your site.

14. Continue to test and tweak your web site until target conversion rate is met. Your conversion ratio should be that 1-2% of your visitors should buy from your web site, and 11% should subscribe to your newsletter. Continue testing until you get those stats.

15. Set up an affiliate program on your web site. Affiliate programs can double your business with no additional effort. Others will make the job for you. But you cannot set up an affiliate program before you are sure that your web site can produce results. If your site does not work, you will loose your affiliates and they will never come back to you again.

16. Approach complimentary web sites to sign up as affiliates to promote your product. Get in contact with people that can promote your product and ask them to be your affiliates. Just try to find your first 100 affiliates, and your affiliate list will boom alone.

17. Start publishing a monthly newsletter. You have started collecting e-mail addresses much earlier, but it is not the time to start working the newsletter until you can prove that everything else works.

18. Submit articles to related newsletters and e-zines on a regular basis. In the articles you should always have a link to your site, so that you can get more traffic and you can get more people joining to your newsletter.

19. Continue the development of a content rich web site to further increase search engine rankings. Search engines love content. You must have many web sites which are rich on your keywords and which have links to your main page. A good way to do this is to add as many articles as you can related to your business and link them to your home page.

20. Once keywords have been tested in Overture, roll out in Google Adwords. It works similar to Overture, you bid for traffic. But do not go to Google Adwords first. You must first prove your success with Overture and then go to Google Adwords.

21. Roll out tested keyword list in other major PPCs. When you are sure about your stats, and you know how much money you collect per visitor, you must buy as much traffic as you can get as far as your income per visitor is higher than your bids.

22. Create a viral e-book to generate more leads. Create a free e-book that you can promote and which sells your product or service. Give it for free, and this will bring more traffic to your web site.

23. Have an expert review and critique your web site. Even if your site works, you can always improve. Listen to others and learn from their experiences.

24. Survey your existing customers to find out what other products or services they are looking for. Once you have a big list of customers, use it to find out what other problems do they have. Try to find or create a solution for them and you will boost your sales instantaneously.

25. Create and find back-end products and market them through your e-mail list. Continue finding more products that meet your customer demands and promote them via e-mail.

26. Continue to test and tweak your web site and offers. Nothing is perfect the first time and can always be improved. It is very important that you take action, even if you make mistakes. Learn from your errors and improve your skills.

27. Repeat process to create "Multiple Streams of Income". Once your business is working on automation, then you can start the process again with a new business. Build as many businesses as you can, and reduce your risks. If one business fails, but you have another 5 working businesses, who cares about it?

If you have read up to this point, you are probably asking yourself how much it will cost to get started? The answer is very simple; it depends on how much time and money you have available to invest! If you have a lot of time, you can do everything yourself. On the other hand, if you don't have time, you will have to pay other people for building your website and/or for optimizing your site on search engines.

If you can do nothing else...just launch a web site and start promoting online...

~ go article ~

Writing Articles as an Affordable Internet Marketing Method by Max Cook

2007-08-30T12:46:00.000+07:00

Writing Articles as an Affordable Internet Marketing Method

If you have even a passing interest in the topic of Marketing, then you should take a look at the following information. This enlightening article presents some of the latest news on the subject of Marketing.

Writing Articles as an Affordable Internet Marketing Method

From Overture, a keyword suggestion tool, you will see the millions of searches done to a certain keyword. When these keywords are typed on search boxes of search engines, indexed websites containing articles with those keywords will be displayed. And this is what leads traffic to websites with keyword-rich articles. Yes, the magic word is articles.

Content is king. You can say that again. That is why writing articles is one of the most utilized Internet marketing media today. Internet surfers just can't get enough of information on various fields. Providing information through these articles is a surefire way to drive hot traffic to your web site.

Why is this so? Here are the benefits that writing articles can give your Internet business.

1. It's absolutely free.

Too good to be true? Not. Okay, you have to pay for your Internet Service Provider. That's it. All you need is your thoughts, your computer, and your hands. If you have those, nothing will stop you from typing words that will make you complete that article for your website. On which aspect of that process did you really shell out any cent? Maybe later when your electric bills come.

It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of Marketing is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about Marketing.

2. Your website will be noticed in a short period of time.

Submit that article of yours to article directories that get the most web traffic and in no time your web site will be crawled. That is if you don't forget including your resource box or byline.

3. Obtain back links automatically.

When you submit your articles to directories, surely, other websites will make use of your article too. With the copyright terms of your articles, the URL of your website will still be in tact and will subsequently direct more traffic to your website.

4. Improve your reputation.

As an Internet marketer, if you plainly display your products on your website, you will not gain much conversion rate. Conversion is when your traffic converts to sales. You have to show that you are knowledgeable on your field. And what better way to show that than by writing articles that will allow you some bragging rights, right?

Just make your creative juices flow and jot down or key in those ideas quickly to jump start your article writing momentum. With those benefits listed above, a writer's block is the last problem you will ever be able to surmount.

Of course, it's impossible to put everything about Marketing into just one article. But you can't deny that you've just added to your understanding about Marketing, and that's time well spent.

The Real Secret Of Network Marketing Success by Kevin T. Smith

2007-08-30T12:44:00.000+07:00

Network marketing is not easy. I will not lie. But, in saying that there is a little known way to absolutely ensure your success.

This secret is seldom used yet for those that do hold true to the principle that I am about to outline you simple cannot fail. That's right your success is 100% guaranteed.

Before we get to the secret let's do a little ground work to set the stage for HUGE and quick success in network marketing.

The level of success and freedom in life that network marketing offers to the average person is unlimited and that's the appeal, but there are some ways to help ensure that success occurs for you as quickly as possible.

Most people jump into a new home business on a hope and dream.

They look at the compensation plan and the testimonials involved with the network marketing company that they are about to join and see the vision.

They say "Man ... IF I max out this plan I'll be making $40,000 a month and I'll never have to work again! Let's give it try!"

They fill themselves up with anticipation for the windfall of cash that is on the way and they sit back and wait for the money to come to them.

Then a month later after they go through a few trails and try a few things unsuccessfully they say . . . "Why isn't this working?"

Then the next month when they put in half the effort they put in their first month and nothing happens again they quit and say they were scammed.

My question to you is . . . were they scammed?

You see, before you start any Network Marketing business you have to do a little bit more homework than just look at the compensation plan and the testimonials. You have to really research what you are about to get yourself into.

What type of research do you have to do? What questions should you ask?

Here they are:

" How long has the company been around?

" What is the product?

" Is the product unique?

" Does the product have mass appeal?

" Is the product a front runner in an emerging market?

" Can you become passionate about the product?

" Does the business have a powerful marketing system in place?

" Who are the successful people in this business?

" What are the successful people doing to create that success?

" Is the product something that the majority of the public can afford?

" Am I personally financial stable enough to start a new business?

" What type of a monthly marketing budget will I have to set aside to be successful?

" What are the conversion statistics for the marketing process?

" Is the business truly duplicable?

" What would be my break even point?

" Is there a way to make money quickly with this business or is there a way that I can create a quick income in marketing this business?

" Etc.

You see it's not just the opportunity that has to be correct. You TOO have to be correct for the opportunity and you have to be in a financial position to take advantage of the opportunity at hand.

Way too many times I see people joining my business that jump in on a hope and a dream.

They have barely enough money to pay for there monthly membership commitment and yet they still want to know the fastest way to grow their business for FREE.

When people get caught up in the emotion of opening the possibility for more in their life sometimes they don't think clearly. They think if they can just get themselves in they will get rich.

It's not just about getting yourself in.

It's about getting yourself in and putting yourself in a position to be able to fully maximize the opportunity at hand.

I get asked the following WRONG question all the time.

"How long until I make money?"

It's not about how long until you make money it's about what you have to do to make money.

The truth is you could put yourself in a profitable situation tomorrow or today, but it would take resources and a good deal of learning to know how to do it.

The truth is, the fast way is never the FREE way. It's either going to take you a good deal of money to put yourself in a profitable position or a good deal of education and leverage, and most of the time both.

There is no luck factor.

You don't earn money until you are worth of the income you produce. As the great Earl Nightingale always says "You have to be worth more than you are getting paid for you'r inc0me to grow."

This is the natural state of all things and it's not going to change. In order for your inc0me to grow you must grow.

Now . . .

Let me back up for a second to say that you CAN create a large amount of success in Network Marketing for fr'ee, but not until you know how.

If you don't have the answer to this question of how to create a large amount of success for free now and it is a burning desire for you learn how to do this, then get out there and do the necessary leg work and research to get yourself into to the position in which you can grow your network marketing organization for FR'EE.

Enough of this banter . . .

If you want to have HUGE success in Network Marketing quickly you will need to of course obtain or create a powerful marketing system that is highly duplicable. If you want do this on the internet here are the critical factors that you should look for in the least:

" A high power lead capture page " A strong follow up email system that incorporates the fear of loss. " A direct marketing style website that sells so you don't have to.

Let's talk about the secret that will absolutely guarantee that you succeed in Network Marketing.

Ready?

Well remember when I gave the example above of the typical mindset for people entering into network marketing?

They say:

"Man ... IF I max out this plan I'll be making $40,000 a month and I'll never have to work again! Let's give it try!"

All we have to do is change one word in this statement to give you the little know secret to guaranteeing you network marketing success.

Change the word "IF" to "WHEN"

Don't make it a possibility to succeed in network marketing make it a conviction.

It's the people that see the compensation plan and do all the research that I've noted above and then say to themselves that it's only a matter of time until they max out their compensation plan that truly and always without a shadow of a doubt succeed.

Network marketing is not something that works part of the time or if your lucky. It always works as long as you do everything in your power to make it work.

Set a goal in your network marketing business and don't stop until you get there and you WILL get there. I guarantee it.

For more information on the real secret to network marketing success follow the link in my resource box now.

Postcards and Postcards Design are Your Small Business Tools by jennifer abejuela

2007-08-30T12:41:00.000+07:00

Small businesses need to advertise. It doesn't matter whether you are up against a strong competition. What matters is that you are continuously seen by your clients and that you sell your products by doing so. So get out there and get a share of the market with postcards design and postcard printing.

Postcards are your small business tools. You can equip yourself with this print material for it is very cost-effective and practical. And the attractive postcards design alone can very well sell the idea you are marketing.

You can effectively make use of postcards and postcards design to do the following:

1. Promote your most-in demand products and services.

2. Advertise your most fashionable items or your services that are most unique. This highlights you from your competitors.

3. You can consistently build up your image and attract your target market better. You can advertise with postcards whether your market is upscale or the contrary.

4. Communicate the values that identifies your products better - this can be your most distinguishable philosophy, performance, and promise among so many others.

It is only essential to make full use of postcards and wield a postcards design that can bring in the results you want.

Postcards Design as Endorsement

Postcard design is your key endorsement. Rich, colorful postcards design can reach out and grab your clients' attention even with very little effort. It can command the attention you need in order to send out your message to your clients.

However, design alone isn't enough. Postcards design goes hand in hand with these following characteristics in order to truly enhance your postcards.

Quality

They say style never shouts. This cannot sound truer as design is defined by quality that shapes it. A great postcard design, no matter how elaborate or simple cannot work effectively if the processes and materials used to make it are substandard.

All your efforts would be lost if you cannot retain the impact and value that your postcards were meant to have and were meant to deliver to its audiences.

Colors

Full color postcards design almost always makes itself available to your audiences. It has the power to communicate even without words or illustrations even. This is the kind of influence colors have that can motivate your clients or readers to read your postcards.

You can easily obtain vibrant prints through four color process printing used by most commercial printers. The four colors of CMYK encompass a broad range of colors that fully captures the hues and tones of photos and illustrations.

This process makes photo reproduction truly effective for your prints so you can enjoy clear and crisp colors for your postcards.

Accuracy

The processes and equipment used by postcard printing company should all be aligned to achieved accuracy in your prints. Offset printing is one such process that makes sure only the printable areas are covered with ink. Non-printable areas are covered with a mist of water that resists ink from bleeding.

Calibration too makes for quality printing, this means that the printer's equipment are all the geared towards maintaining your print's colors whatever stage it is in. Other than this, calibration strives, once again, seeks to preserve color accuracy even with a variety of card stocks used.

There are plenty of valuable tips on postcards design which you can source out from online professional printing companies. And while there are many ways you can go about your postcard printing and design, remember to keep the above mentioned pointers in mind so you can stay on the right track.

Newsletter Printing, Design and Content- Reinvent Your Newsletters by jennifer abejuela

2007-08-30T12:39:00.000+07:00

If you're thinking of venturing into newsletter printing for your business, group or organization, this is the best time to do it. With the tremendous and sometimes confusing structure of the world wide web, the information highway can be more intimidating than helpful to begin with.

Newsletter printing can give you plenty of benefits. But to go through each and every advantage newsletters can do for you would be a mighty, lengthy affair. However, what you can find useful at this point would be the many ways you can improve your newsletters.

Building Your Newsletters

Newsletters must always be made with your audiences in mind. But apart from this, here are the ways you can improve your newsletter design and content, and keep your audiences happy.

* Use more human interest

Newsletters are for people with shared interests or goals. Your audience may be your own employees or your clients. Your audience can also be a diverse lot but with an interest to your cause or goals.

Use newsletters to influence and inform your readers. Make articles or contents with human interest to fully engage them. This increases your readership, which in turn, promotes your interests as well.

Write more about people, how they work, their success secrets and how they manage to survive the challenges and competition. If people can relate to the news, then the newsletter is doing a good job of marketing to the right audience.

* Perspectives

If you think that your subject or topics are beginning to get monotonous. You may want to explore more people who handles or sees the topic a bit different. Perspectives from different people are a great way to present old topics in a newer, much refreshing light.

Different perspectives bring about different challenges in opinion and makes for a lively discussion in your newsletter. Added to this, such insights may catapult new ideas many of your readers can benefit from.

* Get a grip on grammar

Newsletters, although seemingly a bit more informal than other publications, are just as important.

Let people focus for on your newsletter's content. Always check your articles twice and check for spelling, typographical and grammatical errors. Take note too of proper punctuation marks.

Avoid turning your readers into harsh critics by avoiding such errors. They can eventually get tired of doing grammar and spell checks or they can also stop reading your newsletter.

* Variety

Variety is the spice of life. If every single article written were on one topic or idea only, do not for a second wonder why your newsletters aren't selling. If articles too are written in the same style too, your readers will lose their appetite.

Create interest by varying writing styles from time to time and inserting contents that pique your readers' tastes. Not only will you be able to maintain interest but you will also increase your chances of getting new ones readers.

* Use full color quality

Every print document deserves to be given quality treatment. Shower your hard work with high-caliber newsletter printing and reward yourself and your business. Full color printing makes your newsletters as enticing and exciting as they really are. Make every photo come alive and attract audience better with full color newsletter printing.

It is never too early and too late to make your newsletters. Newsletters, as you may well know, double as your marketing and advertising material which does not only help your readers with valuable ideas and information, but your business as well. Make newsletter printing a must for your business and make it your clients' a must-read material as well.

Offset Printing: The Low-Cost Way to Market Your Business by jennifer abejuela

2007-08-30T12:38:00.000+07:00

Offset printing is a valuable way to market your business. Through this, you can access an unlimited source of possibilities in order for you to increase your sales. Use the various print products and services available to attract clients and keep them.

The thing about marketing is that you are not just advertising. You are positioning your business and products towards the market or buyers who would be most interested in your products and services.

It is about aligning your business or products to their needs and wants, and making them realize just who and what your business and products can do. Just how will you be able to do this you say?

Offset printing is your just printing solution to your various needs. This technology processes volumes of prints in a short amount of time. All of which have been produced in high-resolution and clarity so you get nothing but premium quality prints.

At the same time, your prints come out rich in full color quality and detail. Thus, you enjoy eye-catching print products such as business cards, catalogs, flyers and posters at affordable prices.

You get to enjoy year round savings with offset printing. At the same time, you can afford to market your business more than ever. How you can use your print products for your marketing campaign entails ingenuity and creativity.

It also involves a set objective in mind so you can see just how sales and profits are increased through your efforts. Here then are a few samples on how you can market your business through offset printing.

1. Use business cards to personalize your service.

For every product you send out, it is important to include your business cards. A business card with a simple and personalized thank you note makes your clients feel good about transacting business with you.

Also, including your business card helps your clients keep tab from whom or where they were able to obtain such item. Other than this, personalized service gives your clients the satisfaction that their order or request have been given the extra attention it needs.

Remember, service is one of the most influential factors that makes your clients come back again and again. So print quality business cards that can double as a greeting card too.

2. Stand out in conventions and trade shows.

Make huge posters with sizes from 11x17, 18x27, 24x36, and 27x39. Through this, you can actively advertise and promote your profile. This gains you an audience of interest clients and potential business partners.

3. Send out postcards, flyers, brochures and catalogs.

Direct mail marketing is an effective way to target your audience better. You can specify who or which market you want to tap into by location and other demographic details. This saves you resources and money so you don't go wasting precious marketing materials by shooting blanks at uninterested parties.

You can make your direct mail marketing more interesting by offering free advice, consultation and the like. This motivates people into making inquiries and the like. This also makes them a step closer at purchasing or making an order.

4. If you think letterheads are just for your office or business use, think again.

You can give away letterheads in small, compact, notepad sizes that people can use all the time. By including your company logo or brand label, together with your contact details, you remain visible to your clients or contacts.

By using these marketing strategies that are as effective as they are cost-effective, you keep your expenses to a minimum and your sales to a maximum. And so, with offset printing, you can have a marketing campaign that can only be but truly rewarding.

Newsletter Printing Ideas: Make Your Newsletters a Sight to Behold by jennifer abejuela

2007-08-30T12:35:00.000+07:00

Break free from the silence and let yourself benefit from the support you enjoy from your clients. Create a newsletter that would become your clients' space where they can share ideas and information about your product and services. Make newsletter printing the avenue that will bridge your interests and your clients' as well.

Do not doubt for a second the merits of newsletter printing. Newsletters are an investment with long-term rewards to offer, especially with loyal clients backing you up.

Newsletters versus Electronic Media

Newsletters are a classic print material which can help you gain plenty of benefits and solutions. This is not to say that the internet is not as effective. However, it cannot be denied that in special cases and circumstances, the internet or the electronic media just don't quite cut.

Newsletter prints brings you these advantages:

1. Reading materials on the internet puts more strain on the eyes.

2. Online materials are read significantly much slower than we do with print materials.

3. Newsletters do not require anything else of its readers. You don't need to switch on your computer or lug around your laptop just to read the latest news.

4. Certain businesses have target markets which are not too keen with the online media, so you can tap into a more specific market easier.

5. Newsletters too can contain a substantial amount and length of information which your target audience can easily access all at once - better than reading them all on the internet.

6. Newsletters too have a more constant readership, given the intervals it is published.

7. The relationship between writers and readers are more visible too. Thus, it promotes a more welcoming environment that is more solid than the internet.

Newsletter Pointers

As said earlier, newsletter printing can give you a significant amount of possibilities. Newsletters, as print materials and as a type of publication, have immeasurable potential.

Just imagine the visibility you stand to gain with your newsletter circulation. And with a single newsletter, the probability too that it will be read by more than a one person.

Make every issue of your newsletter something your clients and other readers will look forward too. Observe these newsletter tips and be read all the time.

1. Relevance

Remember, newsletters should always contain interesting topics that your readers can relate to. Helpful how-to articles, reviews and other insightful narratives can help your readers educate and familiarize themselves better with your products and services, including the many uses they can benefit from it.

2. Timely

Your newsletters can be published quarterly, weekly or any other given interval. Due to this, make sure that your articles are timely. Check which articles are still up-to the minute and which ones have grown stale.

Features on events should also be included for most certainly, both those who attended and failed to attend will be interested to know just what went on, what were the highlights and the like.

3. Open Forum

Your newsletters can be a place for open forum wherein your readers and you can exchange ideas. This is important for it allows you to measure yourself and your business' progress.

It also gives you valuable information about your brand's image. You can solicit various ideas on what your clients look for in your products and services, at the same time, their own needs and wants which you can deliver. These are all important ideas you can harness to improve your products and services.

4. Organization

Know where to place the most substantial, the most interesting and the most useful articles in your newsletter. A well-organized newsletter achieves a sense of unity and balance that aids your readers. This helps them become more interested in your newsletter as a whole. All of these are an effective newsletter's assets. Inquire more on the ways you can create effective newsletters through online printing companies. Make arresting newsletters that are a joy to read and a sight to behold now.

Newsletter Printing Ideas: Make Your Newsletters a Sight to Behold by jennifer abejuela

2007-08-30T11:58:00.000+07:00

Success In MLM Is Not Possible Or Is It? by Kevin T. Smith

2007-08-30T11:56:00.000+07:00

Everyone wants to strike it rich, and a lot of people are doing it online, with at home businesses and through network marketing or MLM. In MLM, also known as multi-level marketing, you offer a service to others and make money off that service. You make money off what you sell and you also make a small percentage off what your recruits sell. As your recruits recruit their own teams, the money made constantly flows upward.

To secure your financial future with MLM, you have to work the business in a manor that historically has proven successful. Success in MLM is possible and it has been done. After all, one of the benefits of being a success in MLM is that you can generate a massive income, and experience one of the most rewarding feelings in life, and that is reaching out to others in need and making a difference.

Step One to Success

The first step to success in MLM is to select the right company to represent. You want to choose a company with good management, strong integrity and one that has a product that everyone needs no matter how tough things become. Choosing a program that is right for you is very important so you can build your business around a legitimate company that leads people to an understanding of the unique benefits offered by the company's products while generating the enthusiasm to share the story with others.

Step Two to Success

The next step to success in MLM is to have an easily duplicated system that you can teach to your downline, so you not only retain them, but teach them to succeed, and to teach their own downline members the same method. A duplicable system is one where everyone is provided with the simple tools for prospecting, presenting and training, so your entire team can grow their businesses quickly and efficiently. It is your role as their upline sponsor to take what you have learned what works and give it back to your downline so they can copy and duplicate for their success. Therefore the key is to follow and teach a system of simple action steps which can then be followed and carried out by the average person.

Why Do People Fail in MLM?

One of the main reasons many people don't have success in MLM is because they have never been mentored by those in the inner circle who have had success and have supported others to have success. With that said, any upline sponsor needs to be prepared to give their downline the attention and mentoring they deserve. Building successful 'long term' relationships with team members are the root of any sale of product.

What's the Main Idea Behind MLM?

The main reason people join a MLM opportunity is because of the massive income potential. The best compensation plans offer no limits to income, achievable commissions and bonuses to infinite generations, and results in months, not years. The entire idea behind MLM is that it creates residual income from the leverage you create by expanding your business. A few hours a week can earn a significant supplemental income and may grow to a very large income, making other work unnecessary. No doubt that multilevel marketing has got a bad wrap over years and this is because people just cannot accept that making money is EASY. All you need is the know how about making money and someone to guide you.

The Dirty Truth About Network Marketing That You Must Know And Understand If You Ever Want To Succeed by Kevin T. Smith

2007-08-30T11:52:00.000+07:00

On the surface, network marketing companies appear to be thriving communities of consuming customers all happy with the product that they are consuming and they really are, but what drives that community of thriving consumers has absolutely nothing to do with the product itself.

Let's think about this statement.

Let me ask you a question:

Why did you decided to get started in a network marketing business?

You don't have to say anything out loud but answer this question in your head right now to yourself.

I guarantee you answer is somewhere along these lines "Well, I started my business because I wanted to make some extra money and who knows maybe even become financially free."

Am I right?

Well let me ask you another question now.

When you prospect and talk to leads about your business what do you talk to them about?

Most likely you try to stick to the corporate script which inevitably ends up with your prospect asking you questions about your network marketing companies products or services.

And by the end of the conversation you've lost control of the call and both you and your prospect end up confused (usually get somewhere between details about your companies product or service and the compensation plan).

You get of the phone and hope that my some grace of god your prospect you paid $5 to confuse will decided to join your business.

Likely story!

Here's why:

Successful Network Marketing has NOTHING to do with selling your prospect on your product at ALL!

To the contrary, the only thing that you should EVER talk to your prospect about is the same thing that got you sold on your companies business . . . More Money and Financial Freedom!

You see network marketing is built on financial hopes and dreams and honestly, if you're looking for business builders to recruit into your organization your prospects hopes and dreams of financial success are the only thing that you should speak to them about, so they can sell themselves on it.

As an illustration of this principle think about the situation this way, if you had equal amounts of your company's product in one hand and money in the other which do you think your prospect would choose?

The top money earners know the answer to that question and that's how why make all there money!

Here's the other shift in perspective that you're going to have to make if you want to have ultimate success with your business and it's simply a logical continuation on the point just discussed.

What you think of as your company's product is NOT its real product at ALL!

Do you think your network marketing company's product is its moon juice or long distance service?

If you do you're very wrong.

Continuing on from my last point, remember your network marketing business will not grow if you just push product it will only grow if you sell people on their financial dreams.

So if you think about it, your company's real product is it's sales training and marketing system. The better your company's marketing system is able to help you generate sales the better any more quickly you will be able to reap the financial benefits of your business.

To extend this point further, eventually you'll want your downline to do all the work so you don't have to.

The simpler and more effective the marketing system plus the strong the training your company provides the easier your system will duplicate.

If you want to think about it in its most simple form, your company's real product is its duplicability.

If you find a system that is easy to duplicate and you can have your prospect "sell themselves" on their financial dreams you will have a highly successful network marketing business.

Your Job is Simple:

Find people that want to attain financial freedom your way and then shorten their learning curve so that they can go out and do the same.

To learn more about finding people wanting financial freedom and shortening the learning curve to success follow the link in my resource box now.

Get More Clients with Effective Networking Strategies by Joyce Oladipo

2007-08-30T11:51:00.000+07:00

Networking is not about that, but to build relationships. People like to do business with those they trust. When you don't like someone, do you feel comfortable doing business with them' Nope, I don't think so. It's all about connecting and sharing with other business owners, and all you have to do, to do that is to begin to shift your perspective from fear, and start building on abundance and love.

Networking needs to be based on sincerity and freedom of giving and sharing, and by doing so, you build and deepen mutually beneficial relationships with others. It's all about making lasting connections.

Use Your Answering Machine To Get You More Clients by Joyce Oladipo

2007-08-30T11:49:00.000+07:00

One of the key things that you can do to PULL new clients in that most people in business do not do (especially when they're working from home) is have an outgoing message on your voice mail or answering machine that describes EXACTLY what you do, especially when it's your home phone at the same time. The idea here is to USE your voicemail, the one that your friends, colleagues, family members, leave a message on, explaining what you do. (Of course, I recommend having a separate phone line, but if for whatever reason you don't do that at first, use this method.)

Internet Marketing Ideas- Marketing Ideas For Your Internet Business by Eric Menzies

2007-08-30T11:47:00.000+07:00

Basics Of Internet Marketing

You might be very confident in your product, and have put hours into making your website easily navigated for your customers. Everything seems perfect, but you're not getting traffic. Every website is going to have this problem at the beginning, it's an uphill battle, but you have to keep trying. No website becomes big overnight, they all require establishment to be successful. So, how do you get more traffic?

It's not that hard. You might not be using all of the resources which you have for internet marketing, so check out these tips.

1. Gather information about your customers. Your website is useless if you don't know about your visitors. If you are lost on this subject, try to implement a survey in your website which asks the user questions. You'd be surprised at the amount of people who will give you great suggestions!

2. Everyone likes free stuff, so give things out to customers who fill out surveys like mentioned above. It doesn't have to be expensive; you can give away a promotional pen, t-shirt, magnet, etc. Don't think about it as you giving something away, think of it as you are buying their information like their mailing address, which they are providing you to send you the promotional item.

3. All successful businesses make changes throughout the years they are in business. If you are getting feedback from your customers about changes which should be made to the site, take their consideration. Remember, you're not using the website for yourself, you're essentially selling the website to others.

4. Try to advertise using advertising services online. Many of these companies charge as low as one penny per click, which can be well worth it for you!

5. Write articles and submit them to the directories to gain valuable direct traffic and backlinks to your site!

What Are The Right Questions To Ask When Prospecting By Phone? by Kevin T. Smith

2007-08-30T11:46:00.000+07:00

Lack of face to face contact is one of the major hurdles when speaking to a prospect over the phone about your network marketing opportunity. Overcome this hurdle by honing your phone skills and asking the right questions.

While in the presence of a prospect and speaking to them about your business, it is easy to read their body language. As they respond to your every word, you are able to guage their interest or dis-interest by their body movement. Studies have shown that 55% of what we communicate is non verbal. If there is something they don't understand you can read the confusion on their face. In turn, if something you have said is enticing, you can see their delight. When prospecting by phone, you do not have that advantage.

What you have to do to overcome this hurdle when speaking to a prospect by phone is to ask the right questions. This way you are able to discern what is going in the mind of your prospect.

When describing a particular beneficial aspect of your network marketing company to your prospect, you will wan to ask questions like:

How does that sound? Does that make sense? Does that sound reasonable? Are you with me so far?

Lets say your prospect has asked a question and after you have aswered it, you will want to ask questions like:

Have I answered your question?

You are asking this question to illicit a response to know what they are thinking so you know how to move forward.

About 84% of what is communicated over the phone is through the tone of their voice. Not only is it very important to listen closely to what your prospect has to say but the key is to listen to their tone as well. Listen to what type of responses they give and the words they choose. If it sounds like they have further questions, it is up to you to ask:

It sounds like you have further questions? or concerns?

By continuing to ask these questions proves to the prospect that you care and you are actually listening to what they have to say. Practicing this method of prospecting via the phone can eventually lead to a new recruit into your business. All you have to do is ask the right questions, then shut up and listen.

Warning - All Traffic Is Not Created Equal! by Tony Stafford

2007-07-31T15:06:00.000+07:00

If you are like most people online you have seen the offers for traffic. It seems that everyone and his brother has "unlocked the secret" to getting huge amounts of traffic to your website.

But is that true? Are those offers real? And if they are real why are so many people still desperate to get enough traffic to their sites?

The fact is - all traffic is not created equal. And if you think "hits" to your site will do you any good you might be shocked by what you read next.

You see, there are two sources of traffic. One is visits by real people who are interested in what you do. The other is what some call "raw" traffic, which is simply a visit to your site by a computer robot.

I'm sure you know that the first type of traffic can make you rich while the second will leave you disappointed, disillusioned and (usually) with much less money in your wallet.

The next thing you need to know is this - there are only two ways to get real traffic. You either buy it or you earn it.

Now I'm going to assume for this article that you are not made of money and can't spend $1000 a day buying traffic from Google. So let's look at how you can earn some real traffic - remember by real traffic I mean real people who want to know something more about what you offer.

There are four key factors when getting real people to visit your site. Happily, they have nothing to do with keywords or search engine optimization or cloaking or any "white hat" or "black hat" tricks.

They just work . every time!

KEY FACTOR 1 - Involve people, not robots. If you had ten friends who sent 10 friends to your site how much traffic would you get? If you answered 100 visitors you are only partially right. Let me explain.

When people visit a site they generally do one of three things. They buy, they bookmark or they leave. It has always been so.

That means that the 100 visitors you get today could well return. Assuming that 25% of them do return (which is conservative) then on day two you would get 125 visitors. And so on it goes. When those 125 tell their friends, magic happens.

Just imagine having 20 friends send traffic your way! Or having 10 or your friend's friends sending you traffic.

This viral marketing is the power of the Internet. Be sure to put it to use in your business.

The key to getting real people to send traffic to your site is that this traffic builds and lasts. Very important.

KEY FACTOR 2 - Offer something people want. What do you want? I'm willing to bet that you want more real people to visit your site, which is why you are taking time to read this article.

Guess what - that's what everyone wants. Everyone wants more traffic.

Consider this. What if a good friend of yours, someone you trust, said to you that they could give you all the traffic you wanted to your site and it would only cost you 10 minutes of your time. Would you check it out?

Sure you would.

When you begin to offer people what they really want they will visit your site in record numbers. Selling is hard but giving is easy.

What can you give that people want?

KEY FACTOR 3 - Immediate gratification. Offering something people want is one thing. Giving it to them now is something else.

In what ever you do, be sure there is an element if immediate gratification. Offer something that people can do right now, something they can benefit from in the next 10 minutes. When you do that you will see your traffic numbers rise dramatically.

What if there was a way for people who know and like you to recommend you immediately? Or to act on your advice quickly?

Review how you get traffic, or try to, today and ask yourself "is this working quickly enough?" If the answer is no, keep searching for a quicker solution.

KEY FACTOR 4 - Leverage - One effort creates many actions. This is huge. When it comes to generating traffic for your website you simply can not afford to spend all day every day placing ads or posting to blogs or any of that.

What you must do is find a way to do the work once and reap the benefit many times.

Think of it this way - would it be more effective to build a site and get 1000 visitors or to work with a site that gets 10,000 visitors? If you answered with the latter, you understand leverage.

You don't need to reinvent the wheel to succeed. By partnering with sites that have traffic now you can get all the traffic you want and begin to build your own powerful web presence.

Using the tips above I believe you will discover that getting more, and better, traffic just might be easier than you think!

Things You Need to Know About Internet Gurus by Matthew Bredel

2007-07-31T15:02:00.000+07:00

Most of us have had a share of self-proclaimed experts telling us to do this or that in order to make money online. Who are these people teaching us the art of being rich? Why are they called the Internet gurus?

I'm sure you have seen piles of offers from these gurus, claiming to make you rich in an instant. They spill out their best kept secrets so you can be like them too!

But how do you know if they are legitimate or not? How do you know if they're just out there to rip you off? Who among these gurus should you run away from? And who are you going to run to when you need genuine help? Here are some pointers that might help you:

A real Internet guru is can help you promptly. Try to ask your questions directly via email and see how this guru answers to your inquiries. Was he able to answer everything the way a real guru would? Did he write the reply himself, or was it just something his staff wrote for him? Was it a prompt reply? Make sure that this guru replies to you within 2 to 3 days; any grace period longer that that would only mean that he's got no time to help you out at all.

Attend conferences to get to know online marketers better. They can give you tips and ideas about online marketing, and they can even recommend a reliable Internet guru.

Lots of these gurus usually offer products that they claim can help you succeed in the world of online marketing. When a guru offers you a money-back guarantee for the products, it simply means that he believes in the effectiveness of the material that he sells. A real guru should have this confidence on himself and on his product that he offers.

Internet gurus who have nothing to run away from usually include their physical address and telephone number in their home page or in their email signatures.

Real Internet gurus might not be able to give everything for free, but they make sure that you make the best out of what you pay for.

3 Tips to Make Viral Marketing Work for You by Scott Bannon

2007-07-31T15:01:00.000+07:00

While some forms of Viral Marketing may work better than others, there is sure to be some out there that works best for you. There are so many ways to get started but probably the most important thing is to first determine what product or service you are trying to sell/give away. Once you have that established, the rest should be fairly easy.

Probably the best and cheapest form of viral marketing is word of mouth. This is such an important aspect of Viral Marketing. There are a couple of ways to help push along the word of mouth process though.

1. Offer something for Free - People love free stuff. This is commonly used when dealing with software. For example lets say you have created a new software. What many have done before is that you can offer a limited version of this software for free. Then when people realize how much they need this new program, they can then pay to get the full version.

2. Using e-mail/Newsletters - It's important to stay in contact with your customers to let them know when new products become available. As long as someone has had a positive experience with your products, they begin to tell others. This will help you to gain more targeted traffic to your site.

3. Utilizing Social Networks - This is a tool that many independent filmmakers or musicians use. It's a very popular form of viral marketing on sites such as MySpace. Just by spending a few minutes a day, you can get your films, music or any other products into plain site of any of the members of these pages. This may not always bring you targeted traffic, but it can be a very effective word of mouth tool.

The Autoresponder -Your Million Dollar Employee by Jo Mark

2007-07-31T15:00:00.000+07:00

One tool that is an absolute necessity in generating income from articles is a good autoresponder. The reason is simple. Very few people will make a purchase on their initial viewing of your article. Most people will not buy until the fifth, sixth, or seventh contact. For that reason, you need a tool to stay in touch with them on a regular basis. That tool is the autoresponder. You can set it up to contact the people on your list as often as you like. I find it kind of annoying if I'm contacted every day, but every two or three days is fine.

The initial goal of the autoresponder is to make your prospects comfortable with you. In the beginning, send them plenty of FREE REPORTS and free gifts that are related to the products you offer. Of course, you can add a short blurb at the end suggesting that they go to yoursite dot com for additional information, but as rule, don't over-sell in the beginning. In your first six emails, you should make heavy pitches no more than twice.

I like to send out a few three or four page MINI REPORTS. I make sure I send them out one at a time. They are designed to be viral sales pieces. I let prospects know that two or three of these reports make great incentives to get people to opt into their list. I let them know that they have resell and reprint rights for each item. Each mini report contains some good information along with two or three ads for items that I'm currently promoting. They work pretty well because I'm still selling product from Mini Reports that I stopped sending out six months ago.

There are many options available in selecting an autoresponder. Some are free, some can be hosted and operated from your own computer, and some are hosted by companies that charge a monthly fee. The fee based autoresponders range in price from a few dollars per month to over a hundred dollars each month.

Determine how you intend to use your autoresponder before beginning your research. If you will be using it to send out a newsletter to 8000 people monthly, make sure they can handle that many (at no additional charge). If you intend to send out pdf files, make sure your autoresponder can do this and also investigate the maximum download sizes permitted.

After determining how you are going to use it, you are ready to perform a search. By doing a search, you will find a wide variety of autoresponders available. Before making a decision, test them out. Many will allow you to send out test emails to your own email account. Make sure that the test emails do not all wind up in your bulk, or junk email box. If they do, you would be wise to continue looking.

The best thing about your autoresponder is that it will never come into your office and ask you for a raise.

Hey Contractors, Testimonials Fuel Your Advertising - Go Get Them by Ron Roberts

2007-07-31T14:58:00.000+07:00

Got enough work? Is your sales funnel empty? Look at your marketing. Defective marketing systems cause empty sales funnels.

Fix the marketing, fix the sales lead problem.

The surest way to fix a broken marketing system is to collect an abundance of powerful testimonials. Today, you are going to learn how to build a file cabinet full of powerful testimonials.

If you are like most people, you are reluctant to ask your clients for testimonials. You probably feel like you would be asking for some huge, monstrous favor.

There's really no need to feel that way.

They hired you. That was the hard part. Giving a testimonial is easy in comparison.

Now it's true that some of your customers will be uncomfortable giving you a testimonial. Some are naturally very shy while others are unwilling to lend their personal credibility to someone else.

But in general, you will find that most of your customers will be happy to give you a testimonial - if you write it for them!

Here's what you need to do to build an arsenal of powerful testimonials:

1. Be aggressive. Go for testimonials as hard as you go for sales.

2. He who hesitates is dead. Go for the testimonial as soon as possible. The euphoria your service created in your customer's heart wears off quickly. The longer you wait, the less enthusiastic will the testimony be.

3. Ask if they were pleased with your service. "Were you happy with my services? What aspect did you like best?"

4. Ask for the testimonial. "Would you be willing to give me a testimonial I can use to promote my business?"

5. Have your customer refer to struggles they were suffering previous to your company riding in to the rescue.

6. Offer to write the testimonial for them. Suggest a few ideas. Get their approval on the general subject. Go write the testimonial and send it back to them. Follow-up within two days.

7. Frame their testimonial to promote a specific benefit of your service. Each testimonial should be crafted to address a specific problem or concern. For example, if your customers value prompt service, make sure you have a testimonial bragging about your company's promptness. Same for quality, communication, flexibility, reliability, budget assistance, etc. Don't collect generic "they were great" testimonials. They are useless.

8. Ask your customers how they wish to be identified. By first and last name? By first name and last initial? Anonymously? With or without their company name?

9. After your customer approves the written testimonial, try to talk him or her into recording an audio version.

10. Thank them graciously with a card or small token of your appreciation.

11. Take a picture of your client. Pictures lend credibility to testimonials. The reader is less likely to think you fabricated the testimonial. Audio testimonials are even better driving credibility but their use is limited to web sites and radio advertisements.

To see an example of how testimonials can amp up advertising copy, visit www.instantaudio.com.

Something to think about. If you make a claim, the claim is hollow.

If your customer makes the claim, the claim is gospel.

Waterless Tattoos & Promotional Products As Retail Babysitters by Michael Merrick Crooks

2007-07-31T14:56:00.000+07:00

I almost laughed out loud. A clerk tried to explain the features and benefits of a hair dyer to a woman who had a small child with her. The clerk's sales attempt was interrupted every 20 seconds with, "Mommy, look at this!", followed by mommy's horrified look as she foresaw three possible outcomes:

1) Junior was about to maim himself;

2) Junior was about to maim someone else;

3) Mommy was about to spend way more than she intended on something that she didn't want -- that was about to be broken into at least 5 pieces.

Since it wasn't my kid, I found it hilarious. The salesperson was exasperated. And mommy? Well, mommy finally said, "heck with it", took Devil Child by the arm and left the store after a carefully stacked display of towels suddenly became un-stacked -- because Junior grabbed the towel on the bottom.

When children hinder the sales process, salespeople can't effectively do their job and profits suffer. Smarter retailers know they MUST occupy the children if they want mommy and daddy's attention. That's where Retail Babysitters come in.

For a promotional item to serve as an effective Retail Babysitter it should meet the following criteria:

1) Be age appropriate;

2) Be clean and mess free;

3) Consume children's time.

A fourth criteria that, while not mandatory to keep kids from sabotaging your sales efforts, is VITAL if you want to get the best R.O.I.:

4) Whenever possible, Retail Babysitters should contain a tangible component to aid in the continuing promotion of your business or service off-premise. Logoed items that meet the above criteria include stickers, sticker sheets, waterless tattoos, coloring books, crayons, your letterhead and custom activity sheets.

Businesses such as flooring showrooms, vehicle dealerships and furniture stores where children remain visible, can create a children's area with carpet, a table and chairs. Suggesting to small children that they make a card or picture for mommy and daddy can work wonders. You can provide your letterhead, 8 1.2" x 11" sheets of construction paper, logoed boxes of crayons and logoed stickers or sticker sheets.

Waterless temporary tattoos can also be used in this way as they transfer well to paper products as well as the skin. Themed coloring books with your imprint on them along with the crayons are another good option.

For older children, create custom activity sheets. For instance, the sheet for a flooring store could contain a word search where kids search for words such as flooring, carpet, vinyl, etc.; a word jumble; a maze and other activities.

If you can't create a Kid's Corner, placing a coloring book & crayons with some stickers and waterless tattoos in a logoed paper lunch bag can fill the bill. Many kids will sit on the floor next to the parents, look through the bag and begin to apply stickers, waterless tattoos, use the coloring books or decorate the paper bag.

To aid in off-premise promotion of your business, offer a monthly coloring contest. The kids either finish a coloring book picture while at the establishment or finish it at home. The parents can drop the finished picture off later. (This gets them back in the store). Pictures are displayed and once a month, one or more winners is chosen and goes up on the winner's wall. Each child who turns in a drawing gets an entry prize of some sort with the monthly winners getting larger prizes. (Monthly winners must come in to claim their prize.)

To provide the most benefit to your establishment, all prizes (water bottles, plastic flyers, knit caps) carry your logo and contact information. You can also get lot's of play out of featuring selected children's drawings in your monthly newspaper/print ads and on your website. You can also use the drawings to create a custom business calendar.

If you work with a competent promotional products consultant, they can be on the lookout for and bring select items to your attention that are on closeout or are seasonal specials. This will also serve to keep your prize selection fresh and seasonally appropriate.

Children can be a salesperson's worst nightmare. But with a little thought and the right promotional products to serve as Retail Babysitters, children can actually become an asset as you use them to leverage favor -- and sales with the parents.

Increase Your Bottom Line With More Web Traffic by Aaron Michaels

2007-07-31T14:51:00.000+07:00

Getting traffic can be one of the most perplexing parts about owning a website. Let's say you have spent your valuable time, energy, and money setting up a website with great content that delivers fantastic value to your visitors. You even have relevant products to sell on your site, and you're ready for the money to start rolling in. Only problem is, you're not getting the visitors you need to start converting visitors to sales.

There are a number of ways to drive traffic to your website. One way which is practically guaranteed is to use Pay Per Click. If you're not familiar with this term, it simply means that set up an account with Google Adwords, write a three-line ad, choose relevant search terms, set a bid price, and press go. Then whenever people search on Google for the search terms you've chosen, your ad will show up on the right-hand side of the screen. Based on your bid price, you will pay for each time somebody clicks on your ad and goes through to your website. The great thing about Pay Per Click is that you are virtually guaranteed to get visitors to your site. The downside, though, is that it does cost you money. If you do choose to use Pay Per Click, you will want to make sure that your website is one that people will want to come back to again and again.

Another way you can drive traffic to your site is to get it ranked in the search engines. This is known as Search Engine Optimization, or SEO. The problem with this is that it can be very complicated, as well as very competitive. If you are tech-savvy and good at research, you do a search online for SEO and you will find mountains of information on how to get your site ranked in the search engine results pages. If you are able to implement the information, you will find yourself getting totally free targeted traffic from peoples web searches.

Reciprocal links are another way to pursue website traffic. Not everyone will agree on this, because the search engines have recently changed their policy on reciprocal links. In the past, any links in to your website (called backlinks) where counted by the search engines in order to increase your sites ranking. Many website owners began trading links with each other in order to collect these backlinks. Even though the search engines have caught on and no longer count reciprocal links to improve your ranking, you can still use them to drive targeted traffic. This works most effectively when someone is visiting a site related to yours, which has some information they are interested in, but not enough (or they are looking for something specific.) When they visit the resources or links page of the site, they see your sites description and surf on over to get exactly what they were looking for. Voila: free targeted traffic to your site.

These are far from the only ways to get traffic to your website. If you put your mind to it, you can use your creativity to come up with many more. Lots of separate small streams eventually add up to a flood of free traffic if you keep working at it.

101 Mind-Grabbing "Bucket Brigade" That Will Keep Your Prospects' Eyes Glued To Your Sales Pitch! by Corey Geer

2007-07-13T10:48:00.000+07:00

Dear Friend & Subscriber,

It's getting very hot in Vancouver.

I'm swimming like 3 times a week now. Feels good and COOL to be in the water. Plus, I've lost 5 lbs since I started swimming again a month ago!

I usually like to go to the pool in the evening... fewer kids and parents... less interruption... more room to "splash at will."

Currently, I can swim the pool back and forth 20 times without stopping or taking a rest... my goal is to bump that number up to 30 times... and my ulterior motive is to live until I'm 100+.

Cheer for me, will ya?

Anyway, let's get back on track here...

If you want your sales letters to be super-magnets, with messages so compelling that your prospects' eyes are glued to every word, if you want to achieve the "can't look away" pull of a car accident... then you're going to love this issue of the Rant.

In it, you're going to learn exactly how to create your own "grab 'em, hold 'em, and never let 'em go sales letters... and I'm going to be your teacher.

There are lots of ways to capture someone's attention. Stand on the street corner and scream "Hey" at people, and you'll have their undivided attention...but only for a moment.

The biggest challenge in crafting an effective sales letter is keeping your prospect involved... engaged... reading. If you forget for a moment to emphasize the "What's in it for you" nature of your offer, your prospects will tune out, turn off, throw your direct mail piece in the trash or remove your web sales page from their "Favorites" list.

Your sales letter can't just get a prospect interested... it has to keep the prospect interested...until you make the sale!

"Ah yes, Dan, but how?"

Well, my eager student, to get your prospects to arrive at "Buy Street," you need to lead them step by step through all the benefits they'll receive from taking advantage of your offer...overcoming every possible objection they might raise before it sidetracks their interest.

"Ah yes, Dan, but how?"

Inquisitive, aren't you (...if not a little repetitive)? Excellent. I like curious question-askers. People with the heart of an explorer like you usually end up with the bank account of a sultan... like me! (Excuse me for a moment while I lasso my ego... it's on the loose again.)

Okay, back to YOU.

It's time for you to learn an age-old strategy... but in a brand new way.

Have you ever heard of a "Bucklet Brigade?" It was a serious of people who passed buckets of water continuously from one to another in order to put out a fire.

Well your Bucket Brigade is going to light a fire -- a sales inferno -- under your prospect's butt... And it will keep turning up the heat bit by bit until they're burning with desire to buy, Buy, BUY.

What exactly is a "Bucket Brigade"?

They're simply phrases and words that "join" together paragraphs in your sales copy. Don't overlook these "covert operatives" that secretly (but very effectively) keep your reader "in the loop."

Your sales pitch needs to be seamless so that your prospect never has a chance to "slip out" the sides. They can only go one way -- forward to your sales offer.

A good "Bucket Brigade" is a series of miniature "cliff hangers" that literally suck your prospects in your copy and keep them reading until they buy!

There are a probably a million different ways to get from Point A to Point B to Point Sold, so to save you time and testing, I've compiled a list of 101 Proven "Bucket Brigade" Superstars for you.

They've got the muscle you need to hold on to your readers until the job (selling!) is done.

Enjoy!

1. As you carefully scan each and every word of this page...
2. As you may have noticed...
3. Aside from that, one thing's for sure
4. And that doesn't take into account the fact that...
5. And here's some great news for you:
6. And to prove it, here is...
7. A word of caution:
8. Astonishing, isn't it?
9. And remember...
10. And that's not all...
11. And best of all...
12. And what's worse...
13. But before I jump into the details, let me say this...
14. Back to what I was saying...
15. But don't take my word for it...
16. But I must let you in on a secret...
17. Before we go any further, I want to set something straight...
18. But you're still unsure? You'd rather be safe than sorry?
19. But what if you could...
20. But make no mistake about it...
21. But wait, it didn't stop there...
22. But if you're still not convinced, let me SWEETEN the deal for you...
23. Bear with me, because I'm going to show you how...
24. But there is just one small catch...
25. But more on that later...
26. But that's not all... Far from it!
27. But you know what else?
28. But wait! You have seen NOTHING yet...
29. Bottom line is...
30. But how do you know if (Insert Your Product Name) is for you?
31. But it doesn't stop there, either.
32. But don't worry...
33. Consider this:
34. Can this be true?
35. Can you imagine how great that feels?
36. Can you really afford not to....
37. Do you follow me so far?
38. Does this make sense to you?
39. Don't forget...
40. For example...
41. For instance...
42. Fair enough?
43. Here's the real kicker:
44. Here's the story:
45. Here's something you probably don't know about...
46. Heck, you don't even need...
47. Here are some examples...
48. However, the problem is...
49. How can you beat that?
50. Hang on to your seat because...
51. Have you heard enough?
52. Here's what else I'll do for you...
53. How?
54. I'm not kidding...
55. If you think it's nothing, think again...
56. I know, you're probably skeptical. Right?
57. I can't stress this enough...
58. In the next 5 minutes...
59. In truth...
60. It all comes down to this...
61. Just imagine...
62. Just let this sink in for a minute...
63. Let me ask you this question...
64. Let's face it...
65. Look at it this way...
66. Let me show you exactly how this works:
67. Let me explain...
68. Let me give you a bit of an idea of...
69. Let me show you how dead serious I am...
70. Let me be a bit more specific...
71. Let me just quickly recap...
72. Listen, I'm not kidding around...
73. Now, you're probably wondering...
74. Now, tell me...
75. OK, I'm nearly done, but...
76. OK, let me repeat that...
77. OK, I know what you're thinking...
78. OK. You might be asking...
79. Reality is...
80. Seriously, put some thought into this...
81. Still not convinced?
82. So instead of wishful thinking...
83. So, here's what else is in store for you...
84. So hang on while I explain...
85. Think about it...
86. The fact is...
87. The best part is that...
88. To top it off...
89. That's just the tip of the iceberg
90. There's a saying...
91. This is really cool...
92. The result?
93. Why?
94. What does all this mean to you?
95. What's more...
96. Want to see how it works right now?
97. What makes this so special?
98. Want proof?
99. You see...
100. You're going to love this...
101. Yes, you read that right...

My List is just step-one in creating Your List. There're a lot more buckets you can add to your brigade. In fact, whenever you're "hooked" by someone else's transition phrases, you should jot them down and "save" them in your swipe file.

You know I advocate testing. So once you finish your first draft of a sales letter, read it out loud, go back and really examine the transition sections.

If the flow isn't smooth as silk... sprinkle a couple of these "Bucket Brigades" throughout the copy... you'll be amazed at the effects it will have!

Changes in adipic acid uses by Market Publishers Ltd

2007-07-13T10:47:00.000+07:00

The production of polyamide resins and fibre constitutes a major application area for adipic acid. According to Merchant Research & Consulting Ltd (UK) consulting agency, the use of adipic acid in the manufacture of polyurethanes has been expanding, since the market for polyamide resins and fibre is mature and these products are largely competed by polyesters and polypropylenes.

Current polyurethane production and consumption growth rates are higher than those demonstrated by polyamides and, particularly, by polyamide fibre. Thus, the demand for adipic acid exhibited by western European producers of polyurethanes has been steadily growing (by 12-15% per year, at present).

The demand for polyamide (nylon) applied in the production of plastics has been growing, too. The Asia-Pacific region is responsible for a large portion of this growth. The production of polyamides in this region consumes up to 85% of adipic acid, which is not used in the synthesis of polyethers (polyether is mainly used for the manufacture of polyurethanes in the Asia-Pacific region).

The demand for adipic acid in the Asia-Pacific region remains cyclical. The average annual demand growth rate is forecast to stay at 3-3.5% worldwide.

Russia fails to have its own production of adipic acid, though the prerequisites for its origination are quite favourable, since the vital feedstock (cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone, nitric acid) is available and major consumers of end-products (plasticisers, monomers) are present.

The prospective annual demand for adipic acid in Russia reaches several dozen thousand tons.

In Russia, adipic acid is used in the production of plasticisers, polyamides, pharmaceuticals, polyurethanes.

"Adipic Acid Market Research" also features the following information:
- Analysis of the global adipic acid market; - Analysis of the adipic acid market in the CIS countries; - Adipic acid applications; - Prospective consumers of adipic acid; etc.

Google AdWords introducing Radio Ads by Isha Sharma

2007-07-13T10:46:00.000+07:00

Google's commitment to enhance user experience takes headway as Google is all set to broadcast Google AdWords over radio. As per reports, Radio Ads by Google AdWords shall stay abreast of the Google's tradition of highly targeted, minimally intrusive and cost-effective advertising.

With Radio Ads, Google visualizes a tomorrow where the gap between relevant enriching information and advertising will further narrow down. Google seeks to utilize GPS location-based delivery in radio broadcasting to circulate highly targeted ads. In so many words, the CEO of Google envisages a tomorrow when his in-car-radio would personally address his needs, as he would cross a relevant store.

This vision of Google took a real garb last year only, when Google acquired dMarc Broadcasting, Inc., the California based digital solutions provider for the radio broadcast industry, in mid January. Google integrated dMarc's innovative radio broadcasting technology with its enormous online advertising system and introduced AdSense for audio API to make possible a seamless user experience for the radio advertisers. Ever since, Google has been beta-testing radio ads across 19 Greater Media radio stations (Detroit), Broadcast Electronics (BE), ENCO Systems and LAN International's VIERO, to offer highly refined and useful radio broadcasting of Google Ads. Garnering partnership with as many radio broadcasters as possible, including Clear Channel Radio with its 675 AM/ FM stations, Google has been arming itself to provide ample options and opportunities to the advertisers.

With beta-testing phase already over as per the latest news, Google is promising efficiency, accountability and increased ROI with radio advertising across US. Google AdWords shall utilize the innovative and robust digital advertising platform of dMarc in conjunction with Google AdWords for Audio Interface, to let advertisers launch their ad campaigns targeted by location, station type, day of the week, and time of the day. Unlike ever before, the interface shall also let the advertisers view strategic information regarding the exact time when their ad was played. The advertisers shall be able to directly connect to radio stations and efficiently purchase and track their ad campaigns. Google plans to implement set price ad model for Google's radio ad, rather than its customary ad auction model.

Google Radio Ads promise to capture the radio broadcast media effectively and innovatively for a much-reduced cost per advertisement. Venturing into offline broadcast platform, Google is all set to reach the common man beyond the approach of the Internet. Creating ripples of anticipation and speculation across the online industry and the radio broadcasting business, Google's radio advertising is all set to expand the archetype of Google AdWords!

Do you still see online marketing as a luxury? by justin Lloyd

2007-07-13T10:44:00.000+07:00

Even if your products or services rival Apple's 'must have' brand, the answer must be a resounding no. Sadly, some business owners still believe online, or Internet, marketing merely consists of creating a website. Others, incredibly, can't be found at all online.

However, establishing a website is just the beginning of any online marketing effort. How will your prospective clients know your website exists or where to find it? Being found by luck plays no part in the marketing process.

Across the globe, the business landscape has been radically redifined, and especially so in America. For business owners everywhere the shape of commerce has changed. Superior products and services are aimed at more sophisticated markets, and that requires taking advantage of superior technology.

Word-of-mouth and selective print advertising still have their place, however 'clued-in' entrepreneurs understand that in order to be successful comprehensive online marketing is absolutely essential in today's competitive business environment.

An online presence is critical for connecting to your target audience. When effectively integrated into your existing marketing strategy, it becomes difficult not to reach your target market profitably. Hence, online marketing, increasingly considered a painless alternative to expensive print and broadcast marketing, can reach the people you want without breaking the bank.

Think about this: as the USA currently enjoys 69.9% Internet penetration* (that's right - 211,108,086 of 301,967,681 people use the Internet in some form) your audience is already online, so all you have to do is deliver your message. *Source: Internetworldstats.com

The benefits of online marketing are far greater than just delivering your message. Here are some serious considerations:

- More enquiries must lead to more sales

- Maximise your website to be a virtual office, which works even while you sleep

- Reduced operational and marketing costs, especially the time and expense of phone enquiries or sales

- The nation, if not the world, knows your business exists, so you can now communicate with a considerably larger market

- Ability to launch additional products at almost zero cost and effort greatly increases your profit margins

To initiate all this good news, you need only work with a professional marketing company who understand the complexities of online marketing. They can develop your message, integrate your web presence into your overall marketing strategy, then implement it effectively. The result can be highly profitable for any size of business.

By covering research, legal, market awareness and commercial issues, Seven Communication can help you get it right. If your company can benefit from Internet marketing services, please visit http://www.sevencommunication.ws

2007-07-13T10:43:00.000+07:00

You can never do it alone and on your on. Harnessing the use of tools that will make you work faster and reach more people as you go about the Internet marketing business is essential for your success. While you may be an extremely talented person, you can definitely use some help especially if you are aiming to reach consumers by the thousands in the Internet jungle.

There are two things that you need to learn about the Internet marketing business that, when used together, will yield you increased likelihood of business success. Automation and outsourcing are these two things. Let us look at each of them in-depth and see how they work together in making you a more efficient and productive Internet marketer.

Automation

At first, you may find some ease doing things manually. But as your business expands, you may find difficulty managing all the operations on your own. The memberships, which is of particular interest to the Internet marketer, has the capacity of building exponentially, and you may not be able to follow up on them as frequently as you would like if you do not make use of automation in your system. Simple defined, automation is all about making use of mechanisms to be able to reach more people. Some people think that automation is a drab activity. But actually, you can render your automation techniques a personalized touch to it with help of software such as Super Squeeze Page Generator.

You can find that automation makes your life easier. You just have to paste some script or program that will help you manage more members and more activities in less time.

The last thing you need when you are doing Internet marketing is to be bogged down by the more menial aspects that do not really lead to you making more money and bringing in more people to your site. Automation helps solve part of the problem. But when the needs go from mere programming to actual human legwork, we go to its partner.

Outsourcing

Partner to automation, outsourcing is delegating specific tasks in your business to other people, possibly more qualified than you are to do that specific job. Some of the people you can outsource include writers, programmers, web designers and the like. People you can outsource for this job are known to specialize on the job, and spending money on them is little compared to the amount of work they will saving you from. You have to be able to get the best in these fields.

This increases your productivity and gives you more time to focus on what you do best, which is, Internet marketing at its very core. You no longer have to worry about not being able to meet standards in writing, designing and programming since you have already acquired the services of people who are good at it and know what they are doing.

Once you have done these two, you will find all your systems constantly updated, manned with the best hands from different industries, with you raking in the dollars that can help you become one of the few Internet moguls who learned to master these techniques in their business.

How To Create Professional Looking Copy by Dan Farrell

2007-07-13T10:42:00.000+07:00

When you sell on the internet it is very essential to remember 3 things. Have a hot expanding market, which wants and needs what you have to offer. Secondly make sure that your product or service will solve their needs and greatly aid them.

Thirdly have strong marketing methods to give them what you have. Finally and most importantly you need a strong sales letter to convert your sales.

Most people neglect to put the essential effort into their sales pages and suffer the consequences of very bad or nonexistent sales. Sales pages are the core of your home based business and without a top one even the best product cannot get sold. Here are some tips to get you off the mark and create that killer sales page:

1. Learn from the top marketers- look at Sales pages written by master copywriters like Joe Vitale and other professional copywriters. You can get a quick learning class by looking up the first 5 copywriters in Goolge and see their written style. Note their style and ideas but, never copy and paste, this might get you in more trouble than it's worth. 2. Understand the 3 P's of Copywriting a. Make it personal b. Make it precise and streamlined c. Make it persuasive 3. Fit your sales page to your product or service. There are many different layouts that you will be able to use. In reality your sales letter will be in three sections.

a. The first will be stressing to your reader's attention, the problem and emphasizing it. b. Secondly you will be presenting your product or service, and showing your reader how it definitely will assist their perceived problems with benefits etc. c. Conclusion: This part will include the a call to action, and a guarantee etc. 4. Go to work on headlines first and then sub headlines, finally fill in the details. Always remember the headline is your attention grabber. The headline shall appeal to your reader and make them whet their curiousity. Your sub headlines must also bring attention and pull your reader into the actual the sales letter.

5. Ensure you have 'an iron clad' guarantee. This amplifies the reader's trust in you and be more inclined to order.

It takes a little time to perfect the art of copywriting, and most all professional copywriters will tell you that no sales letter is ever set in stone. Lots of time just a word or two will expand sales.

Split testing: This is a very necessary part of getting your sales copy to produce the best sales conversions.

Measure Marketing Actions: How Well Are Your Advertising Methods Working? by Sam Miller

2007-07-13T10:09:00.000+07:00

The capability of determining how effective are the activities involved in marketing and to prove that value to the bottom line of the company is more important than ever before for professionals in the field of marketing. Marketing personnel must be able to place quantification markers on the effectiveness of existing programs and to trace and judge the return on the investment made in marketing over a period of time in order to be able to document that the budgets for the department or group are worthwhile.

In perhaps no other area of business activities, marketing personnel must have quantification so they will know whether the investment is providing expected and anticipated returns. Marketing definitely is a business activity that requires tracking in real time.

As with many of the performance metrics developed by a company, it's important that all levels of management be aware of the role of marketing in the business before attempting to set metrics which reflect how well the marketing group is meeting the satisfaction of the goals.

In order for the business marketing group to be successful, they must improve the return on investment and must be able to prove that their methods are working.

One of the measures of accomplishment of any campaign is the use of a survey. This can be tied effectively as one of the measurement devices for determining whether or not the customer has found and is using the marketing information which has been developed by the company.

Obviously marketing is related to the bottom line revenue figures but to wait until an entire campaign is finished before checking to see if it worked or not makes it difficult to respond early in the campaign to tweak something which is not working as well as it could be.

Instead of measuring the success of the marketing campaign by how many sales have been made, use metric on increasing the sales list through such methods as a direct marketing email list. If the marketing group is effectively reaching and developing leads then having people joining an email list of some sort would be an effective way of determining whether or not you are reaching for target audience.

You can determine the success rate of the marketing campaign by measuring the number of people who are responding to an email request for free information. As your marketing group learns more about the potential customer, the products which you offer are more tailored to the people who are most likely to respond to that particular offer.

The assumption is always that the more contacts a certain individual has with your organization, the more likely he is to purchase from you. So if you are measuring various factors and features which together make up an effective marketing plan, you can use metrics such as the growth of your email distribution list as one very effective metric. As your mailing list grows, it is almost inevitable that your customer list will grow as well.

Product Launch Hype: Before You Buy That Hot New Product Stop And Do This First by Nikki LeRoi

2007-07-13T10:08:00.000+07:00

If you are on several internet marketing lists, you know what happens when it's product launch time. Your email inbox is filled with lots of enticing offers designed to trigger your insatiable desire to buy it now.

This is hot!

You've gotta have it!

You don't want to miss out on this newest, greatest thing!

You begin to think that if you don't get this new fangled product, you'll be missing out on something that could get you closer to your dream of making a full-time living online.

But are you?

Before you pull out your credit card, stop for a moment and think about the following:

Can you afford it?

The hype has gotten you really excited and you may be tempted to put off paying a bill or two to buy this new fangled product right now. Grab your bank statement and look at the total. Now go through the bills that you owe. If buying this product is going to put a strain on your budget, then it's not worth it. If the product is that good, it'll be around for months. You can always save up for it like you do when you buy something on layaway.

Does it provide good value?

Does the product creator have a good reputation for providing lots of value for the money spent?

Check around and see what other people think about this person's past products. If they are new to the scene, who can vouch for them?

Any internet marketer worth their salt will over deliver on the product and not give you any fluff and filler. Try to find out what's in the package first. It may be best for you to wait and see what other people (real buyers) say before plunking down your own money.

Can you use it right now?

It may be the greatest product in the world, but if you can't use it for what you're doing, then what good is it to you?

Lots of people have hundreds of dollars worth of information products sitting on their computer hard drive that they bought in the heat of excitement - only to never open this material up and use it. What a waste of money.

You should have a clear use for this product right now or in the near future. It should be able to take you to a higher level in your online business. If not, then you should pass on the opportunity.

Will it save you time?

Like they say: time is money.

Some products are great at saving you time in doing something tedious. If you find that it's a chore to do a certain task, and this product does this same task (or shows you how) fast and cheap, then it could be a good value for the money.

Will it make you money?

This is the BIG question that must be answered. Ask yourself if this product is capable of making you real money when you use it. When it comes down to it, you are working to make money online and after careful consideration, if you are sure this product can help you make more money, then go ahead and buy it.

However, if you feel there is a lot of value, but not something you can use personally in your venture to make money, then pass it up.

Hopefully, you'll stop and consider the above questions before hastily making a buying decision during the next great product launch. Remember, there will always be new information and software to buy. There will always be a new product launch.

You've got to become resistant to the hype and figure out what you need and don't need. This will save you a lot of time and money so that you'll have more of both to use in building your own online empire.

How "Al Bundy" Can Boost Your Conversion Rate! by Corey Geer

2007-07-13T10:02:00.000+07:00

Dear Friend,

Are you familiar with the advertising campaign, "Reading is FUNdamental"? Well, here's something less "FUN" that the ads don't mention:

90% of the people in North American have the reading skills of a 12-year-old. "So what," you say?

"Who cares," you mutter.

"What does the reading level of North Americans mean to a high-powered, soon-to-be living in the lap of luxury marketer like me," you ask?

Get with the program! This is big, REALLY BIG stuff. If most consumers are at a seventh grade level, it means:

* Your sales writing must be SIMPLE * Your sales writing must be CLEAR * Your sales writing must be EASY ENOUGH for AL BUNDY TO UNDERSTAND

Don't think of your average consumer as a discerning, highly educated person who just loves to crunch numbers and sift through dense information. If you do, you'll be on the copywriting road to hell.

Instead, put an image in your mind of Al Bundy. (You know... the lovable, if not too bright, guy from the TV series "Married with Children.") Believe me, there's a "little bit o' Bundy" in all of us -- a pinch of Al, a hint of peg, Peg, a touch of Kelly, and a smidgeon of Bud).

When you sit down and write a sales pitch, envision your customer stretched out on a plaid sofa with a brew in one hand and the TV remote in the other. He's taught his dog to "fetch" the TV Guide from across the room. When the phone rings, he's too lazy to get off his butt to answer. When a commercial urges, "Call NOW," he thinks, "Maybe later."

How motivated do you think this "Bundy" is to place an order for whatever it is YOU might be selling? You're right -- not very.

To appeal to all the "Bundys" out there -- to get them off the couch and onto the ordering process -- you'll need to use words, sentences and paragraphs that are easy-as-pie on the eye (and the mind) of the consumer.

= = = = = = = = = The "Al" Factor = = = = = = = = =

Every time you write a word, sentence or paragraph, ask yourself this question...

Would Al "get it"?

If the answer is yes... if Al understands it... your customers will be able to, as well.

= = = = = = = = = = = = Playing By The Rules When There Aren't Any = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Are there any hard and fast rules? Wouldn't that be lovely? Sorry -- no rules in knife-fights and short-and-sweet marketing copy.

No rules... but many excellent guidelines. Here's a sample:

Forget What Mrs. Grammarpants Told You

You know all those rigid rules that you learned from your high school English teacher? Forget 'em! You're not writing for a language scholar, you're writing for Joe Schmo, the guy who was sitting behind you in English class trying to figure out how to give the nerd sitting next to him a hot foot.

Joe Schmo doesn't mind putting on his glasses to read, but please don't ask him to put on his "thinking cap." Use plain, easy to understand language that's so simple and so direct that even a 6th grader -- or someone with a 6th grader's reading level -- can understand.

= == = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Writing is "Speaking" on Paper = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

When you read your copy aloud, it should sound pretty much as if you were talking to a buddy face to face. Don't use fancy, overblown words and phrases that are hard to understand. Use words that paint clear and immediate pictures.

One way to remember this is the word KISS --

Keep It Simple, Stupid (or more gently, "Keep It Simple, Sweetie.")

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Put Your Writing on a "Budget" = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

As far as words, sentences and paragraphs go... don't use a ten-dollar word when a 25-cent "bon mot" will work just as well.

Less is more. Keep your sentences relatively short... say, 14-17 words or less. And if you have longer ones, break them up with ellipsis (...) or dashes ( -- ).

As a general rule, paragraphs should not exceed 6 lines. However, I usually stay around 2 to 4. And it's a good idea to mix it up... have some one sentence paragraphs... even one or two word paragraphs...

...exactly what I've been doing in this letter to you!

= = = = = = = = = = = Learn from the Masters to Earn Like the Gods = = = = = = = = = =

Actually, one of the best ways to learn how to write clearly is to study proven sales letters. Keep the ones that "sold" you and the ones that were easiest to read and then model their layout/style.

If you're not already collecting sales letters, get started now.

RUN, don't walk to add your name to these mailing lists:

* Agora Publishing - http://www.agora-inc.com * Phillips International - http://www.phillips.com * Boardroom - http://www.boardroom.com * Rodale Books - http://www.rodale.com * Nightingale Conant - http://www.nightingale.com

Shell out a few bucks, buy one or two products from each of these information "motherlodes" and you'll get more good, good-er, GOOD-est sales letters, magalogs, bookalogs, etc., than you can shake a stick at.

And here's something for the "Al" in YOU -- everything's delivered right to your front door! (Have your spouse answer when the postman rings!)

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Are You Using Your Tools? = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Did you know that you have a "marketing analyst" build right into your computer? If you use Microsoft Word, you can test the readability of your ads and sales letters using one of the functions in the Tools menu.

Here's what you do:

1. Click on the Tools button at the top of the screen.

2. A menu will come up. In that menu click on Options.

3. Then you'll see a Spelling & Grammar button...click that.

4. Do you see a box at the bottom that says, "Show readability statistics"?

5. Check that box.

Now whenever you spell check your document, you'll get a box that displays the information you need. In general...

You should aim for a grade level of 6 or lower. You should aim for a reading ease of 70 or higher.

Neat, huh?

= = = = = = = = = It's Time for LCD = = = = = = = = =

Are you worried about the non-Bundy readers that will receive your "Simple Simon" ("Simple Al"?) sales message using LCD (Lowest Common Denominator) language? Are you concerned about turning off the "Braniacs" with your pitch?

Don't worry ahout the Brainiacs. First of all, only about 10% of the people that read your message fall into this category -- a clear minority. Second, if you're offering something the Brainiacs want to receive, they'll appreciate the simplicity and clarity of your message (which the rest of your audience will also be able to understand.) Third, Brainiacs LOVE to feel smart, and they'll feel like big-cranium, super-smarties because they'll understand your message perfectly.

Even if every consumer you contact is a Dr. or Mrs. Einstein, or even a little Einstein in diapers, they're still going to be busy little beavers, with lots of things on their minds and 1000's of advertising messages vying for their attention everyday. If your message isn't a SUPER-AD -- faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to jump over the competition's message in a single bound -- consumers will just ignore it!

It's human nature to look for shortcuts and find the easiest way to our destination. So why would you want to make a consumer WORK to understand your message's "endpoint?" It's one of the reasons that the new rash of "cute-sy" corporate identity ads (for ING, let's say) are much more than just puzzlin... they're ineffectual. It takes a university professor to figure out what the heck they're selling)

Dumb... Dumb... Dumb...

So always remember to read your copy with the eye of the world's favorite everyman and you'll never talk over the heads, but will go straight to the consuming hearts of your average "Bundys."

Your marketing sifu*,

Dan Lok

P.S. Here's another little "golden nugget" to make sure the "eyes have it": People read 25% MORE SLOWLY from a COMPUTER MONITOR than they do from paper. Don't cause eye-strain or brain drain. Be EXTRA-clear and as easy to understand as A-B-C when creating content for your online sales materials.

How To Become A High-Paid Marketing Consultant Or Copywriter FAST! Part 1 by Corey Geer

2007-07-13T10:00:00.000+07:00

Question: Hi Dan, My husband and I are talented writers who produce enormous amounts of great content on a regular basis. I would desperately like to know how we can streamline our efforts and creativity into tons of well-deserved moolah.

We know how to create, to work hard, and to gets jobs done -- we just don't know how to stop reinventing the revenue-stream wheel. We're making a lot of changes in 2005 - I want to make sure they involve working smarter, NOT harder.

I can totally relate to your situation because I've been there myself! The turning point of my life...what Oprah Winfrey would call a 'light bulb moment'... is when I stopped thinking of myself as a writer and started thinking myself as entrepreneur.

As a writer, or any profession for that matter, you get what I called "earned income." You do a job; you get paid a buck. If you want another buck, you have to do another job in an endless cycle of more work for more money. It's exhausting!

What you need to do is to create multiple streams of income in your life...or more specifically, multiple streams of passive income, income that will keep coming in without much constant effort or supervision.

When people ask me, "Dan, are you a professional copywriter?" I always said, "Yes and No." To me, writers are broke and entrepreneurs are rich. I am an entrepreneur FIRST, a marketer SECOND, a copywriter THIRD.

Writing is a skill I HAVE, but I never look at myself as only a copywriter.

Marketing is a skill I HAVE, but I never look at myself as only a marketer.

What I really am is a professional businessperson. I am involved with quite a few companies owned and operated by other people, besides running two companies of my own.

And frankly, the reason I am doing hell a lot better than other writers who might have 10 or 20 years more writing experience than me isn't because I'm a better writer, a more creative writer, or a genius at writing...it's because I'm a genius at business and a much better businessperson (and with a well-developed ego, too!)

I surround myself with smart people. I know how to build a team. I know how to build businesses. I know how to leverage other peoples money and other peoples time.

Plus, I am a pretty good public speaker and leader so I can motivate and influence.

I don't mean to brag here, but I am trying to make a point: Most writers know NOTHING else, except writing.

So the $64,000 question you gotta ask yourself is, "How I can leverage off my skill sets to create multiple streams of income?"

Can you use your skills to sell other products besides selling your own services? Do you have the ability to sell online and offline? Can you use your skills to write for entrepreneurs get a percentage of the sales generated?

You see what I mean? The minute you stop thinking like a writer, the sky's the limit.

But I gotta warn you, the transition from a writer to an entrepreneur is NOT easy. And its definitely NOT for everyone. You'll have to take risks... and that can be scary.

You'll have to be willing to delay gratification and that can be tough in the age of 'I want it NOW.' But be prepared, when you're selling a product, you might not see profits for months and months.

And there will be moments when you'll feel like giving up and going back to the same old, same old. You'll want to pull the covers over your head, curl up into a fetal position, and go back to your warm, familiar comfort zone.

Don't do it! If you can 'tough it out' and if you're willing to take the first step, you will be that much closer to your ultimate goals.

So the short answer to your question is to use your writing skill to build a business. Start a business in your spare time. Develop other essential skill sets that will make you a better entrepreneur.

And you'll always have your writing to 'fall back on' while you're building your empire!

How To Become A High-Paid Marketing Consultant Or Copywriter - FAST! Part 2 by Corey Geer

2007-07-13T09:36:00.000+07:00

Question: Dan, if you were starting out and had no references or a substantial resume, how would you go about finding paying customers for your services?

To answer your question, I'll assume you're a junior copywriter or marketing consultant.

When I first started out and didn't know a soul, I'd open the yellow pages and cold-call the business owners. I'd go to networking events and try to get business. (Sucks!)

Sometimes I'd do a little 'switchcraft' and call the companies who sent me direct mail letters.

Before I had a track record, I wrote a lot on a results-oriented basis. This is also know as a 'sink or swim' or 'thrive or starve' approach.

I'd write an ad or sales letter for a client, with the guarantee that if the ad didn't work, I didn't get paid. If the ad did work, I'd receive a flat fee.

Once I'd proven myself as a credible, conversion-oriented copywriter, I switched to requesting compensation based on a percentage of the sales.

Ultimately, I changed to a flat fee, plus a percentage.

It wasn't easy. It's a good thing that 'thin is in' because I've been through a lot of lean and hungry months. I got ripped off so many times I can't even count them. Understand... I'm not saying this is what you should do, but that's what I DID.

In the beginning, you have to be pretty much shameless and willing to check your ego at the door.

Be prepared to take on any kind of job for any kind of price.

You want to make yourself damn busy. You want the law of supply and demand to work in your favor.

Your goal is to build up a portfolio of satisfied clients as quickly as humanly possible.

If it soothes your wounded ego, think of the process as 'earning as you're learning.' By taking a wide variety of jobs, you'll not only hone your skills a hell a lot faster, you'll also build up a reputation as someone who's 'earned his chops.'

And don't forget to collect testimonials.

Success breeds success.

Ultimately, just like me, when you're in demand, you'll be able to name your own price and do business on your own terms. If a prospect has a problem with how much you charge, you don't need to have a problem with them.

All you have to say is, NEXT!'

Don't worry, if you're good at what you do, you don't have to 'settle for less.' (If you're not good at what you do, and aren't striving to make yourself better, you have no business being in business.)

Here's another plus about providing good value: your clients will tell other people about you. You won't have to go looking for clients; clients will come looking for you. That's the position you want to be in...at the head of the 'receiving line,' picking and choosing your clients.

Your skills are in demand. The business world needs good copywriters. And good copywriters are rare. So the pro's in this profession are always in high demand.

As a marketing consultant or copywriter, you're better off if you don't have to engage in actively persuading prospects to hire you. You're in a much more powerful position, of course, if they come to you.

An excellent way to make yourself the 'go-to' writer that everyone wants is to establish yourself as an expert. Writing a book, creating a website and speaking at events are all excellent ways to gain a reputation as 'Miss Information' or 'Mr. Know-It-All.'