ProBizTips Newsletter
** ISSUE #257 **
August 22nd, 2003
** ProBizTips Top Sponsor ** |
Sponsor an Upcoming PBT Newsletter
Hey!
Good Day to you and I hope your day is going well so far! :)
Welcome to all our new subscribers this week and I hope you grow
to love us as so many have ... we couldn't do this without you!
Yes, this change (mailing the weekly issue on Friday) is one of the many changes I was talking about in my announcement yesterday -- I've been working non-stop to get this going and I'm having a lot of fun doing it ... :)
Didn't get my announcement yesterday?
http://www.probiztips.com/announcement.html
I wanted to also point out that the premium membership will only be at that low, low fee for the next week or so. It's only a "beta-launch" fee, but you'll lock it in forever if you join now. I have only announced this to you guys and my customers -- and many of you are one in the same.
As soon as I get everything together and am ready for a big promotion, the fee will go up $5. Be smart and lock in that low fee for life! I promise you, you won't regret it ... there's so much more in store! http://www.netprofitsecrets.com
Also, I'm getting an affiliate program together with my premium concept and ONLY premium subscribers will be eligible to promote and make residual income -- don't miss the boat!
I also wanted to talk a little about the importance of back-up. I'm sure all of you got bombarded with a ton of emails this week with a virus attached -- I'm still getting them. There's nothing much you can do about this one unless you have the actual virus. Otherwise, keep deleting those emails you're getting from everyone else that has the virus and hasn't gotten rid of it yet! :P
What would you do if you happened to get a virus or your host got attacked and all of your very important website info and business tools, software, etc. vanished? This has happened to me a couple of years ago and I can't tell you how stressful it is ... not to mention how long it took me to get most of it back. Some of it I never COULD get back ...
We all work hard to build our businesses. But most of us have a critical problem. Backups. Yes, making backups every day and then getting them off site for safe storage. Totally unglamorous. But totally necessary.
I have found a Remote backup service, Q-BACK, by a company called Quantalytics in New York. I have been using it for a month. Works great, and the price is right. They even give a free 2 week trial.
For all the details, just go to http://biztips.quantalytics.com for a special deal for Probiztips readers. Or you can contact Michael Lukin at mlukin@quantalytics.com or (516) 295-5121. Be sure to mention Probiztips.
In the meantime ... sit back, relax and enjoy today's issue!
Your Friend,
Diane Hughes
ProBizTips Weekly
FREE REPORT: Amazingly Simple (Yet Super Powerful)
Ways To Skyrocket Your Sales And Build Your Business
Into A Tower of Profits! ===>> Go Get It Now!
Sponsor the next issue of ProBizTips Newsletter...
| ProBizTips Feature Article |
Solving the "I Get Tons of Traffic But No Sales"
by Karon Thackston
I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve heard the statement, “I get tons of traffic, but no sales.” It’s normally followed by comments like: “My site is highly optimized for the engines and my rankings are great. I don’t understand why no one is buying.” Let me shed some light on this mystery.
Most often, when site owners (or professional copywriters for that matter) write “search engine optimized” copy, they develop tunnel vision. They are so focused on the placement of keyphrases throughout the copy that they neglect something very important… the customer!
Because the immediate task at hand “seems” to be getting the site ranked high, the writer neglects to take out his or her crystal ball and gaze into the future. What should you be asking the crystal ball? “What happens when the customer gets to my site?”
Oops! Didn’t think of that? Don’t feel embarrassed. Many people don’t. Developing SEO (search engine optimized) copy is like creating a complete circle. You have to have good keyword saturation in order to get ranked in those prime spots. You have to have keyword-rich title and description tags (mostly the title tag) to land in the top 10. Once you achieve that your site starts drawing in surfers. Now that they’ve clicked to your site, what happens? The copy has to give them what they want/need. That’s the missing piece to the puzzle and the factor that causes so many people to scratch their heads in disbelief.
When writing SEO copy, you have to think of the beginning AND the end of the process. You have to create copy that satisfies both the engine and the customer. Once you do, you’ll not only have boatloads of traffic, but you’ll have the sales that go along with it. So, there… mystery solved! Or at least part of it.
We’ve covered the “why,” now let’s look at the “how.”
1. Know Your Target Audience
In order to give someone what he/she wants, you have to know what that want is. Take the time to research your target audience (also called target customer, perfect customer, or ideal customer). Find out as much as you can about them including who they are, what they do, how they use your product/service, how old they are, what problems they have, and how they prefer to receive information.
2. Stop Selling and Start Solving
So many people are pushing to get that almighty dollar (or euro or pound) that they forget something. Customers don’t like to be sold to. What they really want is someone to solve their problems. Once you show that your product/service can, in fact, solve the problems your customers face, sales will come on their own.
3. Appeal To Emotions
Most buying decisions are emotional so it makes sense that your copy should be, too. While your customer’s need may be logical, the actual buying decision is anything but. Think about it. When you bought your last car, did you go for the “logical” choice? Did you pick the ugly, shapeless, “no personality” car that had the best gas mileage and the highest safety rating? I doubt you did.
You most likely took a look at all the options and – taking some logic into account – bought the car that suited you best within your price range. Emotion sells!
No, I’m not talking about getting mushy. What I AM talking about is touching the emotional chord that draws customers to your product or service. Those problems you found out about when doing steps #1 and #2 above… use them to add emotion to your copy.
With these three vital elements in your forethoughts, you can sit down and write your copy – with your keyphrases in mind– for tremendous results. When you understand the entire process and take the time to learn to write emotional, sales-oriented, SEO copy, you will keep your traffic count high and your checkbook balance higher.
---------------------------------
Copy not getting results? Let Karon write targeted, SEO copy
for you. Visit her site at http://www.ktamarketing.com, or learn
to write your own copy at http://www.copywritingcourse.com.
Don’t forget to subscribe to Karon’s free ezine at
http://www.ktamarketing.com/ezine.html.
Add popular internet marketing and online business
content to your website with just a snippet of code!
If you like my articles and the other great articles
I use, add them to your site for FREE! This is GREAT
for repeat traffic and search engine listings for content!
http://www.probiztips.com/syndicate.html
BizTips by Dr. Kevin Nunley |
Tweak Your Home Page for Instant Results
The immortal words of The Clash, singing, 'Should I stay or should I go," are what run through a prospects mind every time they visit a new site--that is, unless your home page gives the right impression immediately.
To ensure that your home page is perfectly honed to receive visitors, here are a few simple tweaks you can make:
1. Loading Time - Never assume that most of your visitors will have a broadband Internet connection, or posses a download speed that can handle a home page with a large k size. Many of your visitors will still be on a 56k modem and won't even bother with your site if it takes more than 20 seconds to download. To ensure a speedy download, keep your home page design clean and simple. Make sure your images are compressed as this minimizes the download time.
2. A Taste of What's to Come - People come to your site hoping for a great deal, an unbeatable offer, so don't hide your best products or offers where visitors have to search for them. Showcase some of your best features on the home page so visitors will know right away what you have to offer.
3. Links - Links are the gateway to important destinations on your site. They make the navigation process quicker and easier for your visitors, so be sure to keep that area of the home page clean and simple.
Most visitors look to the top or the left side of the page for links, so don't try to be unique by putting them in some obscure area. You will just make it harder for your visitors to find them.
Use eye-catching icons near your links to draw the visitor's eye, but don't go overboard. Remember that simplicity is the key to easy navigation. You want to draw the visitor's attention but not annoy them with a jumble of graphics.
------------------------------
Kevin WRITES your professional copy--web site copy, sales
letters, ads, press release and more! See http://DrNunley.com.
Reach Kevin at kevin@drnunley.com or 801-253-4536.
12 Free Tools For Starting a Home Business With No Money
by Bruce Scher
Want to start your own home business but short on cash? These proven and expert 12 free tools can help you make the move from corporate life to calling the shots.
Home business ownership is the best way to start any business especially with no money. With no money to put up, and no money to lose, it's a risk free proposition. Your expenses are already fixed. There are no additional costs for rent, telephone, utilities, or a second computer.
"Starting with a website for only $12 per month is actually how a majority of home businesses do it," says Matt Williams. He should know. Williams and his partner recently sold their home business start-up LiveBid.com for millions to Amazon.com.
Regardless of your background, age or present situation, anyone can start a home business. Even if you have no credit, no business background, no experience, or no education, these proven 12 free tools can be used for jump starting your home business idea into reality.
Jay Reiss, mail order consultant, said "I started my home business 20 years ago, because I had no money to spend on office rent. Now, my ads are responsible for millions of dollars in sales. It's certainly possible if you try, even Apple Computer started as a home business."
Building up Your Home Business Website Traffic
One of the fantastic free tools your home business will have at it's finger tips is email. Allowing you to communicate with new visitors as well as repeat customers, at no cost. Nothing for postage, envelopes,paper or printing, a perfect price for a home business.
To build up your home business, you will need to capture the email addresses of visitors when they come to your home business site. You will need to offer them something in exchange for giving you their email address. Go to your home business competitor's websites and see what they offer new visitors.
Another important feature of email is using the signature tag line at the bottom of your outgoing emails to communicate your slogan or something unique about your home business. Think of this as another free marketing opportunity to tell potential customers about your home business.
12 Free Tools for Your Home Business
1) Free Domain Name Registration
Your home business domain name registration is free.
http://webhosting.yahoo.com
2) Free Home Business Fax Number
Receive incoming fax as email.
http://www.efax.com
3) Free 100 Hottest Home Business Ideas
Home business owners survey of best opportunities.
http://www.homebusinessfree.com/home-business.htm
4) Free Search Engine Submission
Google is a must for your home business and it's free.
http://www.google.com/addurl.html
Making Your Home Business Visitors Customers
As you build up your email addresses, you will want to stay in touch via email with visitors and customers alike, to promote your home business in their mind, and to sell your goods and services. You will need separate lists of visitors and buyers, and tailor each message accordingly. New customers have a short life span so you have about 5 messages to sell them. Frequent buyers are the life blood of your home business and should be treated as such.
Get testimonials from frequent buyers explaining what they love about your home business. Display it on your website and in emails. Thank them for the testimonial and send them a small gift of appreciation. You will be surprised how a free gift excites, and gets them to tell their friends and co-workers about your home business.
5) Free Home Business Autoresponder
Automatically sends personalized follow-up email.
http://www.getresponse.com
6) Free Website Content.
Pick-up articles for your home business website.
http://www.ezinearticles.com
7) Free Home Business Credit Card Acceptance
No monthly fees for merchant or payment gateway.
http://www.paypal.com
8) Free Classified Advertising
Use ads selling the uniqueness of your home business.
http://www.websitings.com
Turning Your Home Business Customers Into Repeats
Another element of free marketing a home business that pays huge dividends is referral incentives. Here you email your friends, vendors, and customers with different messages, and ask them to recommend your home business to their friends, family, vendors and co-workers. Don't forget to promise them an incentive in product, service, or money for new customers referred.
9) Free Search Engine Marketing Newsletter
Most important topic, best newsletter on subject.
http://www.searchenginewatch.com
10) Free Home Business Press Release Distribution
Tell the press about your home business.
http://www.free-press-release.com
11) Free Home Business Word of Mouth Advertising
Very effective website tool for any home business.
http://www.recommend-it.com
12) Free Home Business Web Ring
Attracts new customers to any type of home business.
http://dir.webring.com/rw
Debbie Fields made a great chocolate chip cookie. Debbie says, "I had no money after buying ingredients, so starting my home business in the kitchen was the only solution. And I gave away free samples to get known. Anything is possible, you too can hit the big time, don't delay, start your home business today."
---------------------------------
Bruce Scher is a home business advisor, and author of eBook,
"Full-Time Money Part-Time Hours" For more information on the
eBook visit, www.ownsmallbusiness.com or email:
smallbusinessadvisor@earthlink.net
bruce@homebusinessfree.com
**We're interested in your comments, questions, and suggestions.
Do you enjoy this ezine? Do you have an Internet marketing or
e-commerce related question? If so, feel free to submit it to us.
We may publish your question and response in the next issue.
ProBizTips Tip of the Week |
Why Your Ad Didn't Work -- 5 Common Problems and Their Quick Fixes
by Kevin Nunley
Ever run an ad in an ezine or newspaper and get no response? When this happens, most people are baffled. They blame the publication, ezine, or website for the lack of response. But the problem is usually the ad itself.
No one wants to hear that their lack of response is due to the ad they painstakingly crafted. But with a few simple fixes, that ad can pull sales the way it was supposed to.
Here are a few common ad problems and how to tweak them for maximum selling potential:
1. Your Ad Isn't Bold Enough. People see literally thousands of ads every day, and half the time they don't even know they're seeing them. We are so used to being approached from all angles--television, newspaper, Internet, magazines--that we learn to tune everything out. But once in a while, something gets through the barrier, and that something is usually an ad that shouts to get attention. If it isn't bold, bright, and active enough to reach out and grab our attention, we simply don't see it.
Fix: The key is to make your ad bold without being annoying. For instance, if you want to burn your company name into people's minds, make your logo big and keep the rest a little more subtle. Your unique selling points, or whatever is most important for people to know, are what you should push the hardest, make the boldest.
2. You Sound Like Everyone Else. You may offer a product or service that many people want, but your ad doesn't communicate this because it sounds like all the others. If you can't let consumers know that you offer something that stands apart from the rest, they don't care.
Fix: Look for a benefit only you provide, or a problem only you can solve. If your product or service offers nothing entirely unique, highlight something your competitors fail to mention.
3. You Didn't Give Your Ad Enough Time. Remember the rule of seven: Seven out of ten of people won't respond to your ad the first time they see it, so you can't give up before you give your ad a good run. When you advertise the same ad over and over again, you give the bulk of your audience time to really absorb the message.
Fix: Have a professional write your ad to ensure that it is written for maximum selling power, then run the ad over and over again in different mediums: newspapers, ezines, sig files in email, etc. Your audience will see you, remember you, think about you, then buy from you.
4. Your Ad Worked But Your Site Blew the Sale. Who knows, maybe your ad worked like a charm. Maybe people flocked to your site to buy. And maybe when they got to the site, they decided not to buy because they couldn't find the order button, or because your information was sketchy.
Fix: If your site isn't clear, people won't trust to buy from you. Make sure your site design is simple to navigate and your information is written in a concise manner. To instill confidence in you, put up a photo of yourself on the contact page, along with a phone number. The fact that you can be reached by phone goes a long way to making people trust you. Include testimonials from past customers. Make sure you have the full name of those from whom you include testimonials.
5. You Didn't Stick to Your Marketing Plan. All successful marketers have a plan; they don't just wander haphazardly through the world of advertising. Your plan may not work right away, but that is another thing you have to plan for.
Fix: Don't give up. Just when you're ready to throw in the towel, that's when things are likely to turn around. Remember, these things take time. If you follow the guidelines above, response to your ads is inevitable.
When your ad doesn't bring you the results you hoped for, look for one of the problems above. Don't give up--just fix the problem and try again. That's the professional way to advertise your business. Stay with it and you will see professional results.
---------------------------------
Kevin Nunley spent 21 years running radio and TV stations before
becoming one of the first to start an Internet business. Use his
experience to get ahead fast. See his 10,000 free marketing tips
at http://DrNunley.com Check out his popular writing and
promotion packages. Reach Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com.
ProBizTips Discount Mania |
Sales URL: http://www.coastalclub.net/cynthiajane
Discount URL: http://www.snazzycloak.com/c.cgi?1726
Get a FREE Complete Vacation Package and Business!
Yes! You can have your own Travel Package to sell and Earn $1,000 for every sign up!
I'll train you and work with you, and When WE (You and & ME) are through, you will have a complete business that will earn YOU Thousands of Dollars! I can only offer 5 Deals like this because of the work involved. But if you are one of the 5 you have nothing to lose and a complete online business, website and everything you need to earn Thousands of Dollars a Month.
I am willing to Mentor 5 People with no cash out of their pocket, at all, ever!
---------------------------------
Do YOU have a product YOU'D like to offer to over 30,000
subscribers? If you are willing to give a discount to your
product or service, why not get some F*R*E*E exposure? :)
Win $25 BUCKS paid to you instantly via PayPal.
Now using the BRAND NEW random drawing script!
"You Gotta Be IN IT to WIN IT!"
Congratulations to David H Peterson
for winning the last cash contest
If you submitted and didn't win, keep trying!
>> Internet Fortune on a Shoestring Budget
** Refer to the Email for Access Info **
A serious drunk walked into a bar and, after staring for some time at the only woman seated at the bar, walked over to her and kissed her.
She jumped up and slapped him silly. He immediately apologized and explained, 'I'm sorry. I thought you were my wife. You look exactly like her.'
'Why you worthless, insufferable, wretched, no good drunk!' she screamed.
'Funny,' he muttered, 'you even sound exactly like her too!'
