A new issue with free resources, special offers & articles.
======================
e-BizResources Update
December 20, 2006
======================
Hi there,
Michael here. Welcome to the latest issue of "e-BizResources Update". I hope you're well. There's a lot here for you again today.
Another year is almost gone. It's hard to believe, isn't it?
I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas, and to our friends of other faiths, Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings, and to all, a Happy, Safe and Prosperous New Year.
I also hope you get some time over the next couple of weeks to relax with your family and friends and recharge the old batteries a bit.
Because there's a lot of good stuff for you to read about here, I won't ramble on any futher.
Here's what's in store for you:
1. Free Advertising on Forum with 10,000 Readers.
2. Brunson Twin's First Birthday Special Offer.
3. The Lighter Side Of Life #1
4. Guest Article #1:
A Sneaky Little Technique That Can Boost Your Online Profits By
Up To 330%!
5. Reminder: Traffic and List X
6. Write Like A Maniac
7. Free Resource: JV Giveaway Secrets
8. Is creating graphics painful for you?
9. Guest Article #2: The Art of Evangelizing a Blog
10. The Lighter Side of Life #2
11. Free Resource: How To Set Up "One Time Offers" in a Snap!
12. Latest Seven Bucks offer.
13. Tell Me What You Think, or Want to Learn About!
So, grab a cup of tea or coffee, sit back, relax and enjoy.
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1. Free Advertising on Forum with 10,000 Readers.
Russell Brunson has recently launched a new forum that I'm sure you're going to want to be a part of.
He says:
"I know that you are going to like the ConquerYourNiche forum SO much that I am willing to drive targeted visitors to your websites just for being an active member!
Let me explain...
One of the first secrets to making money online is making the right contacts. The "Conquer Your Niche forum brings together tens of thousands of online marketers in one spot!
Do NOT underestimate this opportunity!!!"
Now, that's part of Russell's pitch, but it's not just hype. The forum's Alexa ranking is already under 3,800 and with good reason.
There's a section for posting free ads as well as a variety of other discussion sections.
But more than that, what you'll notice when you visit the forum is at the top and the bottom they display ads from the active members, and you ad could be among them.
You gain advertising credits just by being an active member, and by referring other members. And your ad will be seen by active online marketers.
Check out the full details here:
"Conquer Your Niche" Forum
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
2. Brunson Twin's First Birthday Special Offer.
While we're on the subject of Russell Brunson, he's the proud father of twin boys and they turn 1 this month.
To celebrate this big occassion, he's released a bundle of quality products at an exceptional price. No, it's not dirt cheap, but it is great value for the quality products you're getting.
You can find out more here:
Brunson Twins Birthday Special
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
3. The Lighter Side Of Life #1
Men Vs. Women
For his entire working life, a dedicated and hardworking Astrophysicist
tried in all earnest to find the existence of other being somewhere in
the universe. After 58 years of constant effort, he finally receives a
response from a planet 30 billion light years away.
“What is your planet like?” groaned the extraterrestrial from the other
side of the Galaxy.
“It is 12,756 Kilometers in diameter, is 93,000,000 miles from the
nearest star, our sun, has an average temperature of 72 degrees F.
We breathe oxygen, live about 75 years, and have both men and women”
answered the Physicist.
“Do the you get along with the women on your planet?” the
extraterrestrial asked slowly.
Puzzled by the question, but not wanting to insult the female
Physicists near by, he answered “Why yes. We get along quite well here.”
The extraterrestrial perked up “Can we send you ours?”
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
4. Guest Article #1:
A Sneaky Little Technique That Can Boost Your Online
Profits By Up To 330%!
Copyright (c) 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International,
Ltd. Dan Lok
Today, I'm going to teach you an extremely powerful, marketing "secret" that will get your profits multiplying like rabbits.
But first... let me ask you something.
When is the last time a computer bought your product or paid for your service?
The answer is never. No one sells to machines. And yet, because of the net... because of the technology... because of the automation... experienced entrepreneurs who take their business online, forgot that they're doing business with PEOPLE.
The fact that your "store" is a website or that your marketing message is delivered via email rather than snail mail doesn't change who your target is: real, live human beings with thoughts, emotions...and hopefully deep pockets!
Even though you're using a webpage, an autoresponder, or an email, it's really YOU -- a person -- who's reaching out to a customer or prospect. Success in selling happens when a one-to-one personal connection occurs.
Relationship is the key.
You can't sell benefits to a computer. You can't get a computer excited about how good it will feel after using your product or service. It's so obvious; it's
ridiculous. You're selling to a person. And if you want that person to buy from you, you need to put yourself out there.
So why do a lot of people act like they're criminals and disappear when they're selling online? Are you guilty?
Do you use the Internet itself to create walls that hide "human side" behind technology. Do you hide behind emails instead of making phone calls? Do you peak out from behind your website without offering a "hard copy" way to reach you?
And do you play a weird game of hide-and-seek with customers using frequently asked questions and customer service "tools" so that you never really have to connect?
I know, I know! You're saying that automation and technology are the biggest advantages of the Internet. All these streamlined communications processes help
you do good business.
That's fine, if what you want is good business. But personal communication can make your business great.
Sometimes just by adding that personal touch... that human factor... to your site can boost your sales by 100%, 200% to as much as 330%!!!
What am I talking about? I am talking about a tangible demonstration that your business is trustworthy because trust is at the foundation of every sale.
So it turns out that this secret strategy is actually a simple one, too. I'm talking about adding a phone number to your site... and a mailing address...and a fax number. I'm talking about giving your customer an option contact you one-to-one.
I'm talking about talking! Just talk to your customers and find out what they want.
Now you might say, "Dan, this won't work for me. I'm a one-person operation and I'd get so buried by phone calls that I wouldn't be able to do anything else."
You know how important testing is in business, don't you? Well, why not test my theory before you reject it. Do it my way. And see if you will actually get a
lot of calls.
I think you'll be surprised. I have a lot of clients who add phone numbers to their sites, and they don't really get that many phone calls.
If you're really stretched to the limits time-wise, you could hire someone to handle it for you in-house or outsource it... although I think outsourcing almost
defeats the purpose by putting you one step further away from your customers.
Personally, I urge you to talk to your customers once a while. It's time well spent...even if time is money. You'll learn a lot from the conversation -- what
people want and how they want it.
And that, I assure you, can be worth millions (literally) to your business.
Do you know that a lot of people actually have a fear of picking the phone and calling a stranger? So it's unlikely that you're going to get flooded with a lot
of Chatty Cathies and Talky Teddies you've never met before who just want to shoot the breeze for ten minutes.
So why will people pick up the phone and call you? Probably for one of four important reasons that make these valuable calls that you'll want to take.
1. They have an urgent problem, and they need a solution now! If your product/service will solve their problems, they'll buy from you - NOW.
2. They want to buy from you, but they might just have a few questions and you answer them well, they'll buy from you - NOW.
3. They might have a comment regarding of your product or service. This could be helpful to your business and make them more likely to buy from you in the future.
4. They might have a problem, and they're mad.
But even if they are, you can fix it for them. Then they'll love you, and they'll buy from you again and again.
You may not have realized it before, but every telephone inquiry from a customer or prospect is a money call. And when money calls, you want to be sure to answer. Because each one of these money calls mean sales in one way or the other.
Personally, I love it when my phone rings. Because it's either one of my deep-pocketed mentoring clients who wants to run something by me OR a prospect who
wants to give me money.
Ching-Ching! How can you NOT love those calls?
And here's a special message for you if you're selling a luxury service or a high-end product. It's tough to sell big-ticket items offline, and even tougher online. It's not impossible... but it's tough.
Think about it. Someone who's looking for a marketing consultant and sees your site is probably NOT going to plunk down $5000.00 in an electronic payment just based on nothing more than your online sales copy.
And don't be fooled that an autoresponder series will do the trick any better. It's tough to close a sale for thousands or tens of thousands of dollars just through emails. Not impossible... but tough.
But, you can easily close a $5000.00 sale via the telephone. (If you know how to "give good phone," that is).
A lot of copywriters don't do it the "easy way." They avoid the telephone. They only communicate via emails. Or they charge exorbitant "consulting fees" for phone calls as a way to telegraph that they don't want to speak to people.
Now, that's their personal preference. But perhaps they should put themselves in the shoes of their clients who say, "This means I'm going to hire a copywriter and pay thousands of dollars to a service provider -- an employee -- that I won't even be able to speak to by phone? That stinks!"
Worse than annoying a prospect, lack of accessibility makes people suspicious. They might feel like you're hiding something... that you're not being totally upfront.
Take the mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg. The mayor's office has a website, but his home phone number is listed in the telephone directory. And, while it sounds unbelievable, he actually does pick up the phone when he's home and talk to his constituents.
They love him for it.
Take me for example. I am actually one of the very, very, very few experts who can be reached by phone. If I'm not on a call already or working one-on-one with a
client in my office, I always pick up the phone.
And when I can't pick up before the machine does, I try to return all my calls promptly. (Unless, they're trying to sell me insurance or some crap.)
Accessibility is, in a way, my unique selling proposition. People are actually very surprised when I call them back. They know how busy I am. And my prospects respect and appreciate that I prioritize them.
Is every call a walk in the park that ends with a trip to the bank? Well no. Sometimes I do get calls from some jerk who just wants to "bust my balls" or waste
my time.
But really... the whackos are few and far between. Most of my callers are good people. They're calling me because they want me to help them with their
conversions, not because they want to BS the weather.
I'd say 95% of the people who call are very serious and I'm happy to have the opportunity to speak with them. As for the other 5%... once they "reveal" themselves, I get off the phone very quickly.
So how can you use this sneak technique to beef up conversions on your site? To borrow the old phone company slogan: "Reach out and touch."
Add a telephone option to your site and take orders via telephone. If you think this could be overwhelming, you could test just taking calls within business hours.
If you're doing huge volume, add a toll-free number.
If you're doing big business in the international market, outsource so that you can accept phone orders 24/7.
The Internet is the Land of Opportunity, although some online entrepreneurs think they're in Lazy Land... and don't understand why they're not succeeding.
They want to live the ultimate Internet marketing lifestyle dream. They want everything to be automated. They want their ads to find the prospects, they want
their site to sell the prospect, take the money, and forward a deposit directly into their online bank account.
That dream can be real, but too many business people are relying too much on the technology to do ALL the work for them. Sometimes, it's good to go back to
old-fashion communication. Silence may be golden, but in business... talking is pure platinum.
We'll "talk" more soon.
Dan Lok
= = = = = = = = = = =
A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web, as well as a best-selling author. His reputation includes his title as the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert.
To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at:
Instant Cash Copy"
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5. Reminder: Traffic and List X
Is your hit counter creaking to a halt?
If you want more targeted traffic to your website doing what you already do then look at 'Traffic&ListX'
Traffic & List X
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6. Write Like A Maniac
If writing frustrates you as much as it does me, you'll want to get your hands on this new report.
You'll learn how to write in a relaxed and conversational tone, and how to get all your great ideas out of your head and onto the page. And there's also a 100% commission, customer-only affiliate program.
Check it out here now:
Write Like A Maniac
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7. Free Resource: JV Giveaway Secrets
Have you ever wondered how to build a massive list through JV Giveways?
Now, you can find out how. And it's free.
Grab your free membership now and start growing your very own targeted opt-in list today!
If you're not utilizing these secrets then you are leaving money on the table. Get access to this insider information for free by visiting:
JV Giveaway Secrets
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8. Is creating graphics painful for you?
I've just found a very inexpensive solution for you. It'll save you heaps of time and money.
Aurelius Tjin has put together a truckload of "copy and paste" and customisable graphics taht you can grab for a real bargain price. It includes Order Buttons, bullets & arrows, seals & badges, and a collection of marketing messages.
The bonuses include 10 website templates, 10 headers, instant ebook covers, box covers & report covers. AND you don't need Photoshop to edit them! The package even includes a powerful grahics editing software program.
you won't believe how little he's charging for this treasure trove!
Check it out now, at:
Copy and Paste Graphics
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9. Guest Article #2: The Art of Evangelizing a Blog
by Sharon Sarmiento
So, you've got a brand new shiny blog. You lovingly tend to it, writing posts with the perfect mix of warmth, humor, irony and insight.
You write, you post, and you wait. Crickets are chirping in the silence as you start to wonder, "So now that I have a blog, how do I actually get people to look at it?"
If your traffic report for your site is like a flat line on a graph, don't fret.
Unless you're Guy Kawasaki or Seth Godin, it's not likely that your blog will shoot to the tippy top of Technorati overnight. For us non-famous folks, it takes consistent, patient, strategic work in order to build up our blog traffic.
Building blog traffic is all about creating useful content for your readers and making contacts within the blogging community.
It's kind of like when you move to a new city where you don't know anyone. Little by little you build relationships, you meet folks who introduce you to other folks, you make connections, make a name for yourself, and you become better known in the community.
It's the same with blogging, except it's a different type of party and you make your connections in different ways.
Here are 7 techniques that savvy bloggers use to make those oh-so-important connections and pump up blog traffic:
1. Focus on a targeted niche.
Decide who you're writing for, what you're going to write about, and then stick to it. Don't be all over the place and have one post on marketing, another on dog training, and then another that's a review of the movie you saw last weekend. A blog with multiple topics is disorienting, not just to readers that stumble upon it, but to the search engines as well.
You see, the Google robots are easily confused. If they visit your blog and see that it's a mish-mash of information, they don't know what to make of it. But, if they stop by your blog and see that the words "marketing" and "small business" (or whatever) are sprinkled steadily throughout, they think, "Aha! This blog is about small business marketing. Whenever folks google the words "small business marketing", we'll know to include this site higher up in our results!"
Not only does having a very specific topic for your blog make it search engine friendly and result in higher rankings, but it also gives you the chance to become known as an expert in your field and have readers coming to your blog for their daily fix. The tighter you can make your niche the better.
2. Post as frequently as you can.
When you first start your blog, it can feel a little overwhelming to have to write posts all the time. That's normal - you just need to focus on getting into a regular writing schedule. Trust me, after a few weeks your mind will start to think in "blogging mode", and you'll start to come up with ideas for blog posts everywhere you turn.
I've noticed that most of the pro bloggers post almost daily, and oftentimes several times a day, but don't feel pressured to mimic the pro bloggers Herculean blog writing stamina.
That would be like trying to go from couch potato to marathon runner overnight. Blogging is supposed to be fun, so don't hurt yourself. And really, if it's not fun, you're not going to stick with it, are you?
You can start off by setting a goal for yourself of writing 3 posts a week.
The posts don't have to be long essays. They can be short, compact posts that relay tidbits of info (often linking back to other people's blogs) that your readers find interesting and are great conversation starters (which causes folks to make lots of comments).
3. Link to other people's blogs.
I try to link to other folks' blogs as much as I can. This means that I see a great post at so-and-so's blog, and then I write a post on my own blog that has a link to their post.
When my readers click on the link to go to the other person's blog, that blogger will notice that he's getting traffic from my site, and he'll really appreciate it! I've had a few bloggers contact me to say hello and leave comments on my blog.
There are 50 million blogs out there (literally), but the blogosphere can be an incredibly small world. When you show a genuine interest in what another blogger is writing about, then that peaks their interest in you. You've just built another link in your community. Linking to other blogs also helps with your search engine ranking.
4. Comment on other blogs.
My goal is to post thoughtful comments on at least 5 blogs a week. (If this sounds too much to you, start out smaller. The important thing is to get into the habit of commenting on other blogs.)
I look for interesting blogs in my genre (online business, marketing, productivity). I keep up with what they're writing about, and when one of their posts catches my eye, I post a relevant comment. (You can research posts within your genre at Technorati.)
While some people like to post anonymously by just leaving their first name, I include my first and last name and a link to the URL of my blog. I do this because I want to build name recognition within these communities.
5. Use Trackbacks.
A trackback is like leaving a remote comment on a person's blog. When you reference a post on another blog, you use the trackback address for that post and enter it when you're creating your post. When you create a trackback to someone's post, you'll see an excerpt from your post with your URL appear under their post in the trackback area.
Trackbacks are often the forgotten step-child in blogging, but I've found them to be the most effective means of making connections within the blogging community.
I've even had a journalist from a major newspaper contact and interview me as a result of a trackback I left, which led to another journalist finding me and interviewing me for her article, which led to me being featured in articles that were published in more than 20 different newspapers in the United States! How's that for a big time payoff for one trackback?!
6. Blogging customer appreciation.
Whenever a new person leaves a comment on my blog, I send her an email thank you note to let her know how much I appreciate her input. And if someone is sweet enough to talk about me on their blog and link to me, I go to their blog and leave a comment thanking them for giving me the attention. Also, when people write about me on their blogs, I make a post on my own blog ("Look who's talking about me. Go see what they're saying..." sort of thing) to bring attention to it and send traffic back
to the other person's blog.
7. Beef up your blogroll.
I look for interesting blogs that cover similar topics to my blog, then enter their links on to my blogroll. When my readers click on those links, the folks on my blogroll can see that they're getting traffic from me. It works the same as when you link to other blogs within your posts. It's another way of letting the community know you're there and that you're interested in what they're saying. Some of the folks on your blogroll might even reciprocate by putting you on their blogroll.
Who knows?
If the thought of implementing all 7 of these tips makes your brain hurt, don't fret. Maintaining a blog is an ongoing process, so start off by picking just a couple of these tips to work on, then when you feel comfortable start working on another.
Out of all of these tips, I would say that ones to start with are 1, 2 and 3 - streamline your post topics to focus on your targeted niche, post as frequently as you can, and link to other blogs.
I've heard pro bloggers say that it can take 6-9 months before seeing a noticeable increase in traffic, so don't feel disappointed if you don't see immediate results.
Evangelizing your blog is really an exercise in patience, with consistency and longevity being the keys. Thankfully, it's a fun, creative exercise, and if you stick with it you'll have a blog that's a source of joy for you, as well as being an excellent marketing tool for your business.
-----------------------
About This Author
Sharon Sarmiento is a Virtual Assistant who specializes in helping folks with internet technology & web media companies explode their businesses to the next level. She organizes, oversees and manages the million tiny details that go into the day-to-day operations of online businesses. For free resources on how you can work less and have more free time while still making more money, visit Sharon's blog, eSoup, at: => eSoupBlog.com.
These and many more Internet Marketing article, news and resources can be found at Site-Reference.com
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10. The Lighter Side of Life #2
Having arrived at the edge of the river, the fisherman soon realized he had forgotten to bring any bait. Just then he happened to see a little snake passing by who had caught a worm. The fisherman snatched up the snake and robbed him of his worm. Feeling sorry for the little snake with no lunch, he snatched him up again and poured a little beer down his throat. Then he went about his fishing.
An hour or so later the fisherman felt a tug at his pant leg. Looking down, he saw the same snake with three more worms in his mouth...
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11. Free Resource: How To Set Up "One Time Offers" in a Snap!
If you've been on the net for any time, you've probably seen some "One Time Offers" after joining an opt-in list or a membership site, or even when unsubscribing from a list. I have one for new subscribers and there are many other ways they can be used.
You see a lot of them because, simply, they work! They achieve sales.
It can take a lot of effort to set them up, designing the page, writing the copy, uploading the products, etc, etc.
Well, now Raamakant S. has come up with a new site where you can save yourself all that hassle. And it's free to join.
Why not join now:
OTO Goldmine
As free member you can set up one campaign that you can test and modify as often as you like. You also have a chance to earn commissions on sales of Raamakant's own One Time Offer.
There's also a Pro upgrade that offers some significant benefits, including the ability to create up to 15 campaigns.
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12. Latest Seven Bucks offer.
Doug and Teri Champigny have got their new offer up at:
Marketing Resources for Just Seven Bucks
As usual, you get 2 quality products with full Master Resale Rights and ready made sales pages for both.
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13. Tell Me What You Think, or Want to Learn About!
I'd love to hear what you think of this issue of the "
Just e-mail me at:
eZine Suggestion Form
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That's all for now.
But before you go, I just want to remind you that no matter what you learn from here or any other source, it won't help you unless you act on that new knowledge. Take one step, implement one idea at a time, and you'll be one step closer to your dreams!
Thanks and best wishes,
Michael Beauchamp
e-BizResources Update
P.S. Please forward this to any of your friends and associates that you think may enjoy it or benefit from it.
e-BizResources Update
December 20, 2006
======================
Hi there,
Michael here. Welcome to the latest issue of "e-BizResources Update". I hope you're well. There's a lot here for you again today.
Another year is almost gone. It's hard to believe, isn't it?
I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas, and to our friends of other faiths, Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings, and to all, a Happy, Safe and Prosperous New Year.
I also hope you get some time over the next couple of weeks to relax with your family and friends and recharge the old batteries a bit.
Because there's a lot of good stuff for you to read about here, I won't ramble on any futher.
Here's what's in store for you:
1. Free Advertising on Forum with 10,000 Readers.
2. Brunson Twin's First Birthday Special Offer.
3. The Lighter Side Of Life #1
4. Guest Article #1:
A Sneaky Little Technique That Can Boost Your Online Profits By
Up To 330%!
5. Reminder: Traffic and List X
6. Write Like A Maniac
7. Free Resource: JV Giveaway Secrets
8. Is creating graphics painful for you?
9. Guest Article #2: The Art of Evangelizing a Blog
10. The Lighter Side of Life #2
11. Free Resource: How To Set Up "One Time Offers" in a Snap!
12. Latest Seven Bucks offer.
13. Tell Me What You Think, or Want to Learn About!
So, grab a cup of tea or coffee, sit back, relax and enjoy.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
1. Free Advertising on Forum with 10,000 Readers.
Russell Brunson has recently launched a new forum that I'm sure you're going to want to be a part of.
He says:
"I know that you are going to like the ConquerYourNiche forum SO much that I am willing to drive targeted visitors to your websites just for being an active member!
Let me explain...
One of the first secrets to making money online is making the right contacts. The "Conquer Your Niche forum brings together tens of thousands of online marketers in one spot!
Do NOT underestimate this opportunity!!!"
Now, that's part of Russell's pitch, but it's not just hype. The forum's Alexa ranking is already under 3,800 and with good reason.
There's a section for posting free ads as well as a variety of other discussion sections.
But more than that, what you'll notice when you visit the forum is at the top and the bottom they display ads from the active members, and you ad could be among them.
You gain advertising credits just by being an active member, and by referring other members. And your ad will be seen by active online marketers.
Check out the full details here:
"Conquer Your Niche" Forum
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
2. Brunson Twin's First Birthday Special Offer.
While we're on the subject of Russell Brunson, he's the proud father of twin boys and they turn 1 this month.
To celebrate this big occassion, he's released a bundle of quality products at an exceptional price. No, it's not dirt cheap, but it is great value for the quality products you're getting.
You can find out more here:
Brunson Twins Birthday Special
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
3. The Lighter Side Of Life #1
Men Vs. Women
For his entire working life, a dedicated and hardworking Astrophysicist
tried in all earnest to find the existence of other being somewhere in
the universe. After 58 years of constant effort, he finally receives a
response from a planet 30 billion light years away.
“What is your planet like?” groaned the extraterrestrial from the other
side of the Galaxy.
“It is 12,756 Kilometers in diameter, is 93,000,000 miles from the
nearest star, our sun, has an average temperature of 72 degrees F.
We breathe oxygen, live about 75 years, and have both men and women”
answered the Physicist.
“Do the you get along with the women on your planet?” the
extraterrestrial asked slowly.
Puzzled by the question, but not wanting to insult the female
Physicists near by, he answered “Why yes. We get along quite well here.”
The extraterrestrial perked up “Can we send you ours?”
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4. Guest Article #1:
A Sneaky Little Technique That Can Boost Your Online
Profits By Up To 330%!
Copyright (c) 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International,
Ltd. Dan Lok
Today, I'm going to teach you an extremely powerful, marketing "secret" that will get your profits multiplying like rabbits.
But first... let me ask you something.
When is the last time a computer bought your product or paid for your service?
The answer is never. No one sells to machines. And yet, because of the net... because of the technology... because of the automation... experienced entrepreneurs who take their business online, forgot that they're doing business with PEOPLE.
The fact that your "store" is a website or that your marketing message is delivered via email rather than snail mail doesn't change who your target is: real, live human beings with thoughts, emotions...and hopefully deep pockets!
Even though you're using a webpage, an autoresponder, or an email, it's really YOU -- a person -- who's reaching out to a customer or prospect. Success in selling happens when a one-to-one personal connection occurs.
Relationship is the key.
You can't sell benefits to a computer. You can't get a computer excited about how good it will feel after using your product or service. It's so obvious; it's
ridiculous. You're selling to a person. And if you want that person to buy from you, you need to put yourself out there.
So why do a lot of people act like they're criminals and disappear when they're selling online? Are you guilty?
Do you use the Internet itself to create walls that hide "human side" behind technology. Do you hide behind emails instead of making phone calls? Do you peak out from behind your website without offering a "hard copy" way to reach you?
And do you play a weird game of hide-and-seek with customers using frequently asked questions and customer service "tools" so that you never really have to connect?
I know, I know! You're saying that automation and technology are the biggest advantages of the Internet. All these streamlined communications processes help
you do good business.
That's fine, if what you want is good business. But personal communication can make your business great.
Sometimes just by adding that personal touch... that human factor... to your site can boost your sales by 100%, 200% to as much as 330%!!!
What am I talking about? I am talking about a tangible demonstration that your business is trustworthy because trust is at the foundation of every sale.
So it turns out that this secret strategy is actually a simple one, too. I'm talking about adding a phone number to your site... and a mailing address...and a fax number. I'm talking about giving your customer an option contact you one-to-one.
I'm talking about talking! Just talk to your customers and find out what they want.
Now you might say, "Dan, this won't work for me. I'm a one-person operation and I'd get so buried by phone calls that I wouldn't be able to do anything else."
You know how important testing is in business, don't you? Well, why not test my theory before you reject it. Do it my way. And see if you will actually get a
lot of calls.
I think you'll be surprised. I have a lot of clients who add phone numbers to their sites, and they don't really get that many phone calls.
If you're really stretched to the limits time-wise, you could hire someone to handle it for you in-house or outsource it... although I think outsourcing almost
defeats the purpose by putting you one step further away from your customers.
Personally, I urge you to talk to your customers once a while. It's time well spent...even if time is money. You'll learn a lot from the conversation -- what
people want and how they want it.
And that, I assure you, can be worth millions (literally) to your business.
Do you know that a lot of people actually have a fear of picking the phone and calling a stranger? So it's unlikely that you're going to get flooded with a lot
of Chatty Cathies and Talky Teddies you've never met before who just want to shoot the breeze for ten minutes.
So why will people pick up the phone and call you? Probably for one of four important reasons that make these valuable calls that you'll want to take.
1. They have an urgent problem, and they need a solution now! If your product/service will solve their problems, they'll buy from you - NOW.
2. They want to buy from you, but they might just have a few questions and you answer them well, they'll buy from you - NOW.
3. They might have a comment regarding of your product or service. This could be helpful to your business and make them more likely to buy from you in the future.
4. They might have a problem, and they're mad.
But even if they are, you can fix it for them. Then they'll love you, and they'll buy from you again and again.
You may not have realized it before, but every telephone inquiry from a customer or prospect is a money call. And when money calls, you want to be sure to answer. Because each one of these money calls mean sales in one way or the other.
Personally, I love it when my phone rings. Because it's either one of my deep-pocketed mentoring clients who wants to run something by me OR a prospect who
wants to give me money.
Ching-Ching! How can you NOT love those calls?
And here's a special message for you if you're selling a luxury service or a high-end product. It's tough to sell big-ticket items offline, and even tougher online. It's not impossible... but it's tough.
Think about it. Someone who's looking for a marketing consultant and sees your site is probably NOT going to plunk down $5000.00 in an electronic payment just based on nothing more than your online sales copy.
And don't be fooled that an autoresponder series will do the trick any better. It's tough to close a sale for thousands or tens of thousands of dollars just through emails. Not impossible... but tough.
But, you can easily close a $5000.00 sale via the telephone. (If you know how to "give good phone," that is).
A lot of copywriters don't do it the "easy way." They avoid the telephone. They only communicate via emails. Or they charge exorbitant "consulting fees" for phone calls as a way to telegraph that they don't want to speak to people.
Now, that's their personal preference. But perhaps they should put themselves in the shoes of their clients who say, "This means I'm going to hire a copywriter and pay thousands of dollars to a service provider -- an employee -- that I won't even be able to speak to by phone? That stinks!"
Worse than annoying a prospect, lack of accessibility makes people suspicious. They might feel like you're hiding something... that you're not being totally upfront.
Take the mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg. The mayor's office has a website, but his home phone number is listed in the telephone directory. And, while it sounds unbelievable, he actually does pick up the phone when he's home and talk to his constituents.
They love him for it.
Take me for example. I am actually one of the very, very, very few experts who can be reached by phone. If I'm not on a call already or working one-on-one with a
client in my office, I always pick up the phone.
And when I can't pick up before the machine does, I try to return all my calls promptly. (Unless, they're trying to sell me insurance or some crap.)
Accessibility is, in a way, my unique selling proposition. People are actually very surprised when I call them back. They know how busy I am. And my prospects respect and appreciate that I prioritize them.
Is every call a walk in the park that ends with a trip to the bank? Well no. Sometimes I do get calls from some jerk who just wants to "bust my balls" or waste
my time.
But really... the whackos are few and far between. Most of my callers are good people. They're calling me because they want me to help them with their
conversions, not because they want to BS the weather.
I'd say 95% of the people who call are very serious and I'm happy to have the opportunity to speak with them. As for the other 5%... once they "reveal" themselves, I get off the phone very quickly.
So how can you use this sneak technique to beef up conversions on your site? To borrow the old phone company slogan: "Reach out and touch."
Add a telephone option to your site and take orders via telephone. If you think this could be overwhelming, you could test just taking calls within business hours.
If you're doing huge volume, add a toll-free number.
If you're doing big business in the international market, outsource so that you can accept phone orders 24/7.
The Internet is the Land of Opportunity, although some online entrepreneurs think they're in Lazy Land... and don't understand why they're not succeeding.
They want to live the ultimate Internet marketing lifestyle dream. They want everything to be automated. They want their ads to find the prospects, they want
their site to sell the prospect, take the money, and forward a deposit directly into their online bank account.
That dream can be real, but too many business people are relying too much on the technology to do ALL the work for them. Sometimes, it's good to go back to
old-fashion communication. Silence may be golden, but in business... talking is pure platinum.
We'll "talk" more soon.
Dan Lok
= = = = = = = = = = =
A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web, as well as a best-selling author. His reputation includes his title as the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert.
To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at:
Instant Cash Copy"
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5. Reminder: Traffic and List X
Is your hit counter creaking to a halt?
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6. Write Like A Maniac
If writing frustrates you as much as it does me, you'll want to get your hands on this new report.
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7. Free Resource: JV Giveaway Secrets
Have you ever wondered how to build a massive list through JV Giveways?
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Grab your free membership now and start growing your very own targeted opt-in list today!
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8. Is creating graphics painful for you?
I've just found a very inexpensive solution for you. It'll save you heaps of time and money.
Aurelius Tjin has put together a truckload of "copy and paste" and customisable graphics taht you can grab for a real bargain price. It includes Order Buttons, bullets & arrows, seals & badges, and a collection of marketing messages.
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you won't believe how little he's charging for this treasure trove!
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Copy and Paste Graphics
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9. Guest Article #2: The Art of Evangelizing a Blog
by Sharon Sarmiento
So, you've got a brand new shiny blog. You lovingly tend to it, writing posts with the perfect mix of warmth, humor, irony and insight.
You write, you post, and you wait. Crickets are chirping in the silence as you start to wonder, "So now that I have a blog, how do I actually get people to look at it?"
If your traffic report for your site is like a flat line on a graph, don't fret.
Unless you're Guy Kawasaki or Seth Godin, it's not likely that your blog will shoot to the tippy top of Technorati overnight. For us non-famous folks, it takes consistent, patient, strategic work in order to build up our blog traffic.
Building blog traffic is all about creating useful content for your readers and making contacts within the blogging community.
It's kind of like when you move to a new city where you don't know anyone. Little by little you build relationships, you meet folks who introduce you to other folks, you make connections, make a name for yourself, and you become better known in the community.
It's the same with blogging, except it's a different type of party and you make your connections in different ways.
Here are 7 techniques that savvy bloggers use to make those oh-so-important connections and pump up blog traffic:
1. Focus on a targeted niche.
Decide who you're writing for, what you're going to write about, and then stick to it. Don't be all over the place and have one post on marketing, another on dog training, and then another that's a review of the movie you saw last weekend. A blog with multiple topics is disorienting, not just to readers that stumble upon it, but to the search engines as well.
You see, the Google robots are easily confused. If they visit your blog and see that it's a mish-mash of information, they don't know what to make of it. But, if they stop by your blog and see that the words "marketing" and "small business" (or whatever) are sprinkled steadily throughout, they think, "Aha! This blog is about small business marketing. Whenever folks google the words "small business marketing", we'll know to include this site higher up in our results!"
Not only does having a very specific topic for your blog make it search engine friendly and result in higher rankings, but it also gives you the chance to become known as an expert in your field and have readers coming to your blog for their daily fix. The tighter you can make your niche the better.
2. Post as frequently as you can.
When you first start your blog, it can feel a little overwhelming to have to write posts all the time. That's normal - you just need to focus on getting into a regular writing schedule. Trust me, after a few weeks your mind will start to think in "blogging mode", and you'll start to come up with ideas for blog posts everywhere you turn.
I've noticed that most of the pro bloggers post almost daily, and oftentimes several times a day, but don't feel pressured to mimic the pro bloggers Herculean blog writing stamina.
That would be like trying to go from couch potato to marathon runner overnight. Blogging is supposed to be fun, so don't hurt yourself. And really, if it's not fun, you're not going to stick with it, are you?
You can start off by setting a goal for yourself of writing 3 posts a week.
The posts don't have to be long essays. They can be short, compact posts that relay tidbits of info (often linking back to other people's blogs) that your readers find interesting and are great conversation starters (which causes folks to make lots of comments).
3. Link to other people's blogs.
I try to link to other folks' blogs as much as I can. This means that I see a great post at so-and-so's blog, and then I write a post on my own blog that has a link to their post.
When my readers click on the link to go to the other person's blog, that blogger will notice that he's getting traffic from my site, and he'll really appreciate it! I've had a few bloggers contact me to say hello and leave comments on my blog.
There are 50 million blogs out there (literally), but the blogosphere can be an incredibly small world. When you show a genuine interest in what another blogger is writing about, then that peaks their interest in you. You've just built another link in your community. Linking to other blogs also helps with your search engine ranking.
4. Comment on other blogs.
My goal is to post thoughtful comments on at least 5 blogs a week. (If this sounds too much to you, start out smaller. The important thing is to get into the habit of commenting on other blogs.)
I look for interesting blogs in my genre (online business, marketing, productivity). I keep up with what they're writing about, and when one of their posts catches my eye, I post a relevant comment. (You can research posts within your genre at Technorati.)
While some people like to post anonymously by just leaving their first name, I include my first and last name and a link to the URL of my blog. I do this because I want to build name recognition within these communities.
5. Use Trackbacks.
A trackback is like leaving a remote comment on a person's blog. When you reference a post on another blog, you use the trackback address for that post and enter it when you're creating your post. When you create a trackback to someone's post, you'll see an excerpt from your post with your URL appear under their post in the trackback area.
Trackbacks are often the forgotten step-child in blogging, but I've found them to be the most effective means of making connections within the blogging community.
I've even had a journalist from a major newspaper contact and interview me as a result of a trackback I left, which led to another journalist finding me and interviewing me for her article, which led to me being featured in articles that were published in more than 20 different newspapers in the United States! How's that for a big time payoff for one trackback?!
6. Blogging customer appreciation.
Whenever a new person leaves a comment on my blog, I send her an email thank you note to let her know how much I appreciate her input. And if someone is sweet enough to talk about me on their blog and link to me, I go to their blog and leave a comment thanking them for giving me the attention. Also, when people write about me on their blogs, I make a post on my own blog ("Look who's talking about me. Go see what they're saying..." sort of thing) to bring attention to it and send traffic back
to the other person's blog.
7. Beef up your blogroll.
I look for interesting blogs that cover similar topics to my blog, then enter their links on to my blogroll. When my readers click on those links, the folks on my blogroll can see that they're getting traffic from me. It works the same as when you link to other blogs within your posts. It's another way of letting the community know you're there and that you're interested in what they're saying. Some of the folks on your blogroll might even reciprocate by putting you on their blogroll.
Who knows?
If the thought of implementing all 7 of these tips makes your brain hurt, don't fret. Maintaining a blog is an ongoing process, so start off by picking just a couple of these tips to work on, then when you feel comfortable start working on another.
Out of all of these tips, I would say that ones to start with are 1, 2 and 3 - streamline your post topics to focus on your targeted niche, post as frequently as you can, and link to other blogs.
I've heard pro bloggers say that it can take 6-9 months before seeing a noticeable increase in traffic, so don't feel disappointed if you don't see immediate results.
Evangelizing your blog is really an exercise in patience, with consistency and longevity being the keys. Thankfully, it's a fun, creative exercise, and if you stick with it you'll have a blog that's a source of joy for you, as well as being an excellent marketing tool for your business.
-----------------------
About This Author
Sharon Sarmiento is a Virtual Assistant who specializes in helping folks with internet technology & web media companies explode their businesses to the next level. She organizes, oversees and manages the million tiny details that go into the day-to-day operations of online businesses. For free resources on how you can work less and have more free time while still making more money, visit Sharon's blog, eSoup, at: => eSoupBlog.com.
These and many more Internet Marketing article, news and resources can be found at Site-Reference.com
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10. The Lighter Side of Life #2
Having arrived at the edge of the river, the fisherman soon realized he had forgotten to bring any bait. Just then he happened to see a little snake passing by who had caught a worm. The fisherman snatched up the snake and robbed him of his worm. Feeling sorry for the little snake with no lunch, he snatched him up again and poured a little beer down his throat. Then he went about his fishing.
An hour or so later the fisherman felt a tug at his pant leg. Looking down, he saw the same snake with three more worms in his mouth...
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11. Free Resource: How To Set Up "One Time Offers" in a Snap!
If you've been on the net for any time, you've probably seen some "One Time Offers" after joining an opt-in list or a membership site, or even when unsubscribing from a list. I have one for new subscribers and there are many other ways they can be used.
You see a lot of them because, simply, they work! They achieve sales.
It can take a lot of effort to set them up, designing the page, writing the copy, uploading the products, etc, etc.
Well, now Raamakant S. has come up with a new site where you can save yourself all that hassle. And it's free to join.
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13. Tell Me What You Think, or Want to Learn About!
I'd love to hear what you think of this issue of the "
Just e-mail me at:
eZine Suggestion Form
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That's all for now.
But before you go, I just want to remind you that no matter what you learn from here or any other source, it won't help you unless you act on that new knowledge. Take one step, implement one idea at a time, and you'll be one step closer to your dreams!
Thanks and best wishes,
Michael Beauchamp
e-BizResources Update
P.S. Please forward this to any of your friends and associates that you think may enjoy it or benefit from it.
posted by Michael Beauchamp at
5:50 AM
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