Archive for Marketing + Selling
May 27, 2008 at 10:56 pm · Filed under Marketing + Selling
If you have to part with your hard-earned money for some goods or services, who would you rather trust: a novice provider or an expert one?
The answer to that question is what makes branding so much important. Branding is the process, nay, the art, of stamping a seal of professionalism and reliability on products or services that are related to you. It’s the core of every business and the heart of every successful trade.
Donald Trump has made a living out of branding. He has established for himself a reputation for producing quality goods. Since his name has been attached to this perception, he has extended the same to all his products. Today, people choose his offerings because of the Trump name.
The same principle can be applied online. Brand yourself as an expert in a certain field and people would go to you whenever they’ll have needs relevant to your specialization. It’s the best advertisement there is: a public perception of your indubitable expertise.
The Internet has taken this a step further with the formulation of a strategy called viral branding. The trick here is to allow the spread of your expertise is such a way that the number of people who would view you as a bankable provider would grow exponentially. Contrary to popular belief, this is quite easy to pull off.
Here are some ways to brand yourself and allow the word to spread like wildfire. Soon enough, your reputation would be synonymous with excellence.
1. Write about something you know by heart. Words convey your expertise, so you better use this avenue well. Write an e-book, or a special report, or an article even. Make sure it is informative and helpful for anyone who chances upon it.
2. If you don’t have the time to write, hire a ghostwriter. There are a lot of them on the net. Some charge high, while there are those who have reasonable rates. Find someone you could trust, and who would be able to present the topic you have in mind in the most interesting way possible.
3. If you have written, or have caused the writing, of an e-book or a special report, you have to distribute it with enough incentive for the reader to spread it in his network. Usually, a quality work would do the trick. But to be sure, give it away for free, or bundle it with other products. Explicitly state that the reader can give it away to his friends and family members. This would make your work go viral.
4. If you have written, or have caused the writing, of an article, submit it to as many free articles sites on the web, with your name and website prominently displayed in the resource box. Encourage the readers to republish the article for as long as they maintain the resource box.
5. Publish your own eZine. An eZine, or electronic magazine, would be a consistent venue you could use to show your subscribers your reliable business plan. Encourage them to ask questions, and answer these queries in your eZine. One person’s question would then become everyone’s concern, and broadcasting your answer to all of them could only reinforce your good reputation.
6. Provide excellent after purchase service. No matter how good your product is, the buyer won’t remember your name unless you give him something extra. A good post-purchase service, i.e. technical support, eligibility for freebies, etc., would assure you that your clients will remember you instead of merely remembering the product.
7. Establish relationships. Treat people well and chances are they will treat you just as nice. Every online acquaintance is one person more to your network, and that one person has a separate network of hundreds more. Having good relationships with the people you deal with is the best way of getting the word out that your name means good business.
Cedrick Reese is the webmaster of http://www.eclectic-info.com, Start an easy Home-Based Business through Affiliate Marketing and Adsense. Other sites include http://www.Your-RealEstateCourses.com and http://www.PremeirHosting.com
May 25, 2008 at 3:59 pm · Filed under Marketing + Selling
The amount of false information available about e-mail marketing
on the net is staggering. If you are advertising your affiliate
program through e-mail campaigns, make sure you know what your
responsibilities are.
The lawless days of spam e-mail are over, at least for U.S.A.
based advertisers. The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 (Controlling the
Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act) sets
forth specific requirements for advertising via e-mail. The law
has been tested numerous times since being passed and fines have
been levied, property seized, people have even been sentenced to
prison.
As an affiliate marketer obviously you don’t want to be on the
wrong side of this law. Luckily, complying with the provisions
in the law is fairly simple. Here is what it requires:
No misleading or fake header information. This includes the
“From:” and “To” fields.
No deceptive subject lines. You want your customer to know what
you’re selling anyway, so this should be no problem.
Messages must be labeled as advertising. Again, the moral is: no
sneaky stuff.
An “internet-based” opt-out method must be provided. You have 10
days to stop e-mailing a person once you have received their
remove request.
Messages must include your business (or home) physical address.
This provides accountability and a way for the customer to
verify that your business is real.
Breaking any of these rules could lead to a fine of up to
$11,000 per violation! Honesty is now truly the best policy. You
may be thinking: if this is such a big deal, why is my inbox
flooded with spam every day?
It’s not a perfect world, and the short answer is that many of
those advertisers are breaking the law. Commonly they are
outside the United States in areas where prosecution may be
unrealistic. You, on the other hand, would probably be quite
easy to catch.
Be sure to read the detailed requirements for yourself. You can
find more information at the Federal Trade Commission’s website,
http://www.ftc.gov/spam
May 23, 2008 at 5:21 am · Filed under Marketing + Selling
No matter how high tech the world becomes, there are still many old-fashioned problems regarding communication. With email, you face the same challenge as you do with regular mail — convincing the recipient to open the message (or envelope).
Many email recipients delete messages without ever opening them. How do you avoid ending up in the electronic equivalent of “File Thirteen”? The answer is: by using a good subject line.
A subject line allows the reader to see at a glance what the message is regarding. It serves as gatekeeper, determining whether the message will be opened. Here are three methods for writing an effective subject line.
1. Say Something Useful
Leaving the subject line blank isn’t an option. People don’t open messages when they don’t know what they’re about. For one reason, they don’t have time to be bothered. For another, the threat of email viruses makes people nervous.
Almost as useless as leaving the subject line blank is typing the word “Hi” or “Greetings.” Those are fine for messages to your best friend or mom. But, in the professional world, it tells the recipient absolutely nothing.
2. Be Specific
People receive lots of email. To cut through the clutter and get your message read, be specific about the topic. The more information you provide in the subject line, the better chance you have of getting the person’s attention.
For example, instead of typing “Question,” try, “Question about ABC event.” Instead of typing “Proposal,” try, “Proposal for event on 7/5.”
3. Be Creative
Using a specific subject line is most appropriate when corresponding with people you know or who are expecting your message. How do you get the attention of someone who does not know you? Be creative.
In this instance, the subject line isn’t used to describe the contents of the message. Instead, it conveys some other type of information. The exact content will vary, based on the message and recipient. The key question is - what can you tell the recipient that will convince him/her to open the message and read it?
Here are a few examples that demonstrate various goals.
• To identify yourself, try “Local Meeting Planner.”
• To tell how you met the person, try “Chamber Networking B’fast.”
• To explain why you’re contacting him/her, try “MPI Fundraiser.”
• To exploit a common bond with recipient, try “Fellow IU grad.”
• To distinguish yourself from others, try “Spanish Speaking Realtor.”
There is one more challenge to overcome when crafting an effective subject line - length. Although your screen will allow you to type as many words as you want, most recipients can only view 25-35 characters of a subject line. A “character” is defined as a letter, space, or punctuation. Whenever your cursor moves a space, that is considered a character.
Since space is limited, don’t type a complete sentence. Use a phrase or series of words. Even abbreviations are acceptable, if you are certain the recipient will understand them.
Don’t leave your email messages naked. Use an effective subject line.
By Kelly J. Watkins, MBA, Louisville, KY. Visit: http://www.keepcustomers.com to order, “Email Etiquette Made Easy” (a comprehensive guide filled with exercises and examples) or for tips on communication & customer service! (812) 246-2424 or kelly@keepcustomers.com.
May 21, 2008 at 10:31 pm · Filed under Marketing + Selling
Your customers don’t know what they want. And to assume otherwise is folly. When you begin relying totally on customers to be your product development department, you are asking for serious trouble.
I am not saying that you should discount customer input. However, asking customers what they want is a marketing question and requires experienced marketers to answer.
Marketers have the objectivity to look at the marketplace, see through the consumer’s self-deception and discern the answer to a tough question that requires some serious analysis.
It is behavior that you need to be learning about from your consumers. Ask them questions that will get to the heart of how they use your products and services. This is where their experience is crucial.
Let’s take an example to illustrate the difference between a “what do you want” and “what do you do” question. Krispy Kreme, the world’s best donut-maker, did some customer research in the 1980s to learn more about the customer experience.
They didn’t ask, “what do you want in a donut?” They asked questions like, “what do you like about Krispy Kreme?” and “when do you buy donuts?”
Answers to those questions helped them redesign the Krispy Kreme experience. They learned that people were happiest when the donuts were hot. Additionally, they heard loud and clear that consumers had no idea when the hot donuts were coming down the conveyor belt. Voila! The “Hot Now” sign was born.
Consumers said they often were in a hurry, heading to a morning meeting when they stopped for donuts. Customers did not like having to stand in line to wait for the sweet treats. From this, marketers decided to install drive-in windows.
If they had asked customers “what do you want in a donut,” they may have produced some low carb abomination that would have crashed to the floor like a heavy Dunkin Donut. Friends, when you want a donut, the last thing you are thinking about is carbs.
So, ask the right questions of your consumer, then let the right people review the research and everyone benefits.
Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR. He has 26 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Brent Dees Financial Planning, Focus Four, Levolor, New World Mortgage, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX, Verbatim and Wicked Choppers.
May 20, 2008 at 11:40 pm · Filed under Marketing + Selling
What Is A Joint Venture?
A joint venture is an agreement in which two or more
businesses work on a project for a set period of time.
Joint ventures can be long-term, like promoting a
product together, or some can be short-term, like
bartering (trading) products and services. Joint
venture ideas are virtually endless.
The Benefits Of Joint Venture Marketing
- You can build long lasting business relationships.
- You can increase your credibility by teaming up with other reputable, branded businesses.
- You can get free products and services.
- You can construct most joint venture deals with little or no money.
- You can gain new leads and customers.
- You can get discounts on products and services.
- You can save money on business operating costs.
- You can beat your competition.
- You can gain referrals from other businesses.
- You can solve your business problems.
- You can save valuable time.
- You can get free and low cost advertising.
- You can offer your customers new products and services.
- You can survive a depression, recession or a slow economy.
- You can save money by sharing advertising and marketing costs.
- You can target other potential markets.
- You can expand and grow your business quickly.
- You can gain valuable information or skills.
- You can increase and protect your cash flow.
- You can find new profit outlets.
- You can become rich and wealthy.
- You can start almost any business at little or no costs.
- You can get rid of your extra inventory.
- You can reduce and eliminate your debts and avoid bankruptcy.
- You can afford to sell your products at a lower price.
- You can increase your opt in or ezine subscribers for free.
- You can get your web hosting and design for free.
- You can save money outsourcing your workload for free.
- You can find hidden income streams.
- You can exchange useless products for profitable ones.
- You can create new business funding and credit lines.
- You can reduce your taxes.
- You can find and create new distribution channels for your products.
- You can give your employees more raises, bonuses and benefits.
- You can even trade non business stuff to improve your personal life.
- You can increase your sales and profits.
- You can send your ad to huge, targeted email lists at no cost.
- You can eliminate employee hiring costs creating barter outsourcing deals.
- You can build your customer or opt-in list for free.
- You can build profitable alliances with other businesses.
- You can learn insider information from other experts at no cost.
- You can test your product for free.
- You can out-sell other affiliates much easier.
- You can increase the number of affiliates that sign up to your reseller program.
- You can offer more bonus products and incentives to buy.
- You can get highly credible endorsements and testimonials from other experts.
- You can quickly increase your ezine subscribers.
- You can offer your products at lower prices than your competition.
- You can easily find new up sell and backend products to sell.
- You can create products faster and with less effort.
These are only some of the benefits. They’re endless!
About the author:
Rojo Sunsen is a specialized bounty hunter who prefers to work quietly/confidentially for the benefit of her clients.
May 16, 2008 at 10:14 am · Filed under Marketing + Selling
In early 1992, President George H.W. Bush was riding high. He was sitting on an almost unprecedented 80% approval rating following the first Gulf War. Conventional wisdom pegged him as a shoe-in for a second term.
Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton faced an uphill battle. He was largely unknown at the start of 1992, facing a very popular incumbent. Worse for him, his opponent “owned” foreign policy. There was no way to successfully attack him on that front.
So what did the Governor’s campaign do? They got focused. They found (or created, depending on your politics) a chink in the President’s armor: the economy. Every word that came out of the campaign’s collective mouth had something to do with the state of economic affairs. And just so no one would even think about changing the subject, signs were posted in campaign headquarters across the country that read, “It’s the economy, stupid!”
By November, the formerly “unbeatable” President was out of a job. That is the power of a focused message.
Are your marketing communications that focused? Or do you have one message on the radio, another in print, and still another online? If so, your messages are actually competing with each other instead of your competition.
But a wonderful thing happens when all of your “voices” are singing from the same sheet of music: each strengthens the other and together, they dramatically increase your business. You’re spending the same amount of money, but getting vastly greater returns.
A focused message helped the Governor of a small state defeat a President. It can help your smaller business obliterate large competition. That’s smarter marketing.
Lisa Packer, author of “How To Dramatically Increase Your Business… Without A Blockbuster Budget” and “7 Ways To Get A Pay Raise From Your Web Site” is an independent Copywriter and Marketing Consultant. Find out how to get these two reports, plus more helpful articles like the one you just read at http://www.dramatic-copy.com
Dramatic Copy: The Right Words Make A Dramatic Difference.
May 7, 2008 at 4:27 am · Filed under Marketing + Selling
There are certain mesmerizing words that when used
effectively can make people buy from you and increase
your sales.
Here are these website sales magical words:
1. Use the word “fast” in your ad. People want fast
results, fast delivery, fast ordering, etc. Nowadays,
we usually value our time more than our money.
2. Use the word “guaranteed” in your ad. People
want to be assured they are not risking their hard
earned money buying your product.
3. Use the word “limited” in your ad. People want
to own or receive things that are exclusive or rare
because they are considered to be more valuable.
4. Use the word “easy/simple” in your ad. People
want easy ordering, easy instructions, easy to use,
easy payments, etc.
5. Use the word “testimonial” in your ad. People
want to see believable proof before they buy your
product. It should be reputable and specific proof.
6. Use the word “discount/sale ” in your ad. People
want to find bargains. They could be rebates, one
time sales, percentage offers, get one free offers, etc.
7. Use the word “free” in your ad. People want free
incentives before they do business with you. They
could be free books, accessories, services, etc.
8. Use the word “you/your” in your ad. People want
to know that you are talking them. This’ll make them
feel important and attract them to read the whole ad.
9. Use the word “important” in your ad. People do
not want to miss important information that could
effect their life. People will stop and take notice.
10. Use the word “new” in your ad. People want
new products or services that will improve their life
like new information, tastes, technology, results, etc.
May these website sales secrets help you to make
a lot of money and succeed.
Warmly,
I-key Benney, CEO
I-key, a Millionaire CEO from New York City is the creator of “Mscsrrr: Millionaire Secret Cash System”, (forex) book, which has helped thousands of ordinary people from all over the world to attain financial security and shining success during the past 2 yrs.
Mscsrrr Millionaire Secret Cash System helps you to generate $1,500+/Week for life, from home or office, part time or full time. No large investment or hassles. Win $1000-$2000 free “cash”…
May 3, 2008 at 7:24 pm · Filed under Marketing + Selling
I don’t know about you but recently I’ve come across a spate of Internet Marketing Courses (suitable for home internet businesses) with massive, and I mean MASSIVE price
tags, promising the world to the people who buy it.
One such course is the Butterfly Marketing Course, which was initially launched in January 2006 for the princely
sum of $997 or 3 monthly payments of $397. It has now been re-launched it for an impressive $1497 or 2 monthly payments of $797!
I must admit - having reviewed this course and some others - the only major difference is the access to his software which most courses do not offer. But is it really worth it? Are
there really secrets that are unheard off that can be found only in the Butterfly Marketing Course?
When I started several years ago on the internet, I chased and bought almost every marketing course that was available based on the ‘SECRETS’ they claimed they had and which you could
“not be found anywhere else on the internet.” The more I bought, the more I realised they said the same thing.
Eventually, I came to my senses and decided to apply some of the knowledge I had gathered instead of buying more of the same.
Consistently and methodically, I applied the marketing tips and tricks and gladly, I witnessed my website rankings soar and soar. Soon I started another successful website applying the same techniques and the rest is history.
Looking back, I ask myself why I kept buying these courses? Perhaps, I thought - like the proverbial saying - that there was really gold at the end of rainbow! In other words, I
hoped - based on some secret I bought - I could be successful in my home internet business without doing much work.
For me, I’ve come to the conclusion that, the good old hard work, a bit of wisdom and some luck - online or offline - is the secret to any successful business. You cannot expect miracles if you’re unwilling to put in the hard work like consistently marketing your website. Even popular brands like Coca-Cola have to keep themselves entrenched in our sub-consciousness all the time by heavily advertising.
Regardless of which marketing course - some which I endorse because educating oneself is necessary to avoid unnecessary pitfalls - the bottom line is, if the knowledge gained is
not consistently applied, no difference is made.
Starting a website and promoting it is not as easy nor as cheap as it used to be when there were fewer websites competing against each other. However, it can be done successfully even if you started today.
If you want your website to be in the Top 10 for your chosen niche, you will need to do the same mundane things the owners
of the currently occupying those positions did to get there. No legitimate way round it.
If the price tag of Butterfly Marketing Course is too steep for your pocket, you can check on some other courses I’ve reviewed below.
Ben Bardot is a successful internet marketer with various websites. For a bona-fide step-by-step guide To Starting Your Home Internet Business visit the Home Internet Business Center
Butterfly Marketing
Other Marketing Courses
May 1, 2008 at 2:45 am · Filed under Marketing + Selling
Make a vow to keep up your marketing schedule in good times and not so good times.
I have said it time and time again that marketing, no matter what type you choose, is a building process. Here is the whole thing summed up in one situation:
Assume for a moment that you had never heard of this thing called “Cola”. You go to your mailbox and get your mail only to find a postcard that says “New Fizzy Drink! You’ll Love It! A Taste Like Nothing You Have Had Before!” You might run right out and try it, but more than likely, not. Most people won’t.
So you get a second postcard.
Still you do nothing.
Then you are talking to you’re a friend from across town who says “Hey, have you tried this Cola thing?” It turns out that after he got his second postcard he went out and got a bottle to give it a try.
Now the Third postcard shows up and you’re thinking “OK, fine, I’ll give it a try.” And you do, and you do love it, and it is like nothing else. So now you have to tell your brother about it.
You see where this is going. If the makers of “Cola”, whoever they are, had sent cards to the whole town one time and then abandoned the marketing due to a lack of response they would have missed out.
So, now that you can no longer argue with the fact that you need to keep up a steady stream of marketing to the same people multiple times you are obviously thinking “How do I keep up with the whole thing while I am closing the customers that I am already getting?” The honest answer is get a direct mail company to help you.
Whatever size your mailing list is I suggest that you have enough pieces printed to mail to them at least three times. Usually once every 2-4 weeks is sufficient depending on your industry. You can set the dates for your mailings to go out and let the marketing company take care of the rest. That means that with one phone call you can take care of all of your marketing for 3 months or more. No worrying about remembering, no hassle-filled trips to the post office. All you will have to do is run your business the way that you know how and let them take care of your marketing.
Stop worrying about the steady flow of business that you need to survive. Do something about it. Create a marketing plan, date it for a while, then if it really works out, say “I do.”
If you need more information on testing out your new marketing beau, read my article Don’t Assume, Just Test and Track.
Best wishes and a prosperous life together!
Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998; her only assets a computer and a phone. In 2004 the company did close to $9 million in sales and employs over 60 persons. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy. Now she’s sharing her marketing secrets with others. For more free marketing advice, visit her website at http://www.postcardmania.com
April 19, 2008 at 12:37 am · Filed under Marketing + Selling
The Internet Contains Billions of Website Pages - All Clamoring for Attention
With so many competing websites, it’s unlikely that yours could stand out among them. Until recently, you faced near-impossible odds. Search engine results lost the “little guys” in back pages, where no one ever looked.
But Local Search is changing that in a dramatic way. Small stores and service businesses are gaining additional revenue from being found by locals who went to the Internet before deciding where to buy (70% of buyers, according to research by The Kelsey Group).
Google and Yahoo are pushing hard to make their Local Search results as relevant as possible. (MSN is playing a catch-up game.) They’re under pressure to work out the bugs, so this rapidly accelerating trend becomes more reliable.
The public wants to find information about products or services with the ease and speed they’ve come to expect from search engines. However, when people are ready to spend their money, they prefer to spend it close to home (where 80% of purchases are made). So the only suppliers they care about are those located nearby. A Google query for “plumber” that delivers 2.3 million pages does them no good at all.
Buyers are Driving the Popularity of Local Search
A person conducts a Local Search when they add a geographic term (like town, region, zip code) to their search engine query. The results (SERPS) only include businesses within that geographic area. For example, entering “Seattle + plumber” in Google only delivers a list of plumbing firms in Seattle. Those results are also displayed on a city map, so it’s easy to spot the most convenient ones.
Unfortunately, not all of the plumbers who ought to be included appear in the results. Those businesses that are left out miss out. It’s also a drawback for the searcher, when they can’t find the information they’re looking for. Unfortunately, too much of what they get isn’t relevant to them. The quality of results are sure to improve as more businesses climb aboard.
Relevance indicates how well the information a person expects to find matches what they actually get from their search. There’s still plenty of room for improvement. Even so, already Local Search queries make up almost 40% of all search queries.
The Stages of Business Local Search Savvy
You don’t want your enterprise left out of consideration when customers are making up their minds. Many more buyers rely on online information than on traditional methods, like newspapers and Yellow Pages anymore. Make Local Search an integral part of how you connect with customers, old and new.
1. Get listed in appropriate data bases so your business shows up in search results. Find out whether your operation is already listed in key places.
http://www.localsearchresources.com/getlisted.html
2. A simple site supports the rest of your marketing efforts (but you don’t need your own website to start with). Realize that it’s not for making online sales, but to assist your being found - by the search engines, as well as customers. Even a small website builds credibility, and encourages additional traffic to your place of business.
3. Modify your website (if you have one) to rank high with Local Search. Learn how at http://www.localsearchresources.com
Make your website useful, so it provides answers that your customers routinely ask about. Tell about your services, product brands and specifications, hours, payment methods, how to, etc.
4. Optimize your website for keywords and in-depth search terms. While a small business may show up in Local Search results, there’s a marked advantage to being in the front of the list. For example, in search results showing 30 rug cleaners, those closest to the top/front are more likely to be chosen.
5. Build your website into your store activities and business policies. Make it an extension of how you conduct special promotions, develop customer loyalty, and announce new products.
Cause a Ripple in Your Community “Pond”
Brick and mortar operations are often delighted to discover that the Internet is sending a steady stream of new customers, with little effort on their part. Capitalize on the convenient ways to connect to customers online.
It’s said that there are only three ways to boost business revenue.
1. Increase your number of customers
2. Sell more to customers each time they buy
3. Sell to them more frequently
Your Internet exposure can help you accomplish all three. It can also makes you a bigger fish in the pond where you live and conduct business. And that deserves your serious attention.
Copyright 2005 Off the Page
About The Author
Dr. Lynella Grant An expert in Yellow Page ads and Local Search. Stand out online and offline, so you capture more Internet-savvy buyers for your brick and mortar business. Free resources http://www.localsearchresources.com 719-395-9450
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