SEO Through Well Built Web Pages

SEO Through Well Built Web Pages

Search engines have moved beyond simply calculating keyword density and link relevance. More and more, the major search engines are mastering the ability to identify natural human language and evaluate a web page based on natural human language. AskJeeves.com was the first search engine to attempt to move to a natural human language system, although they focused on the user input aspect of search rather than evaluating the natural language of a web page itself.

By learning to identify natural human language, search engines are able to greatly reduce the amount of search engine sp@m. Search engine advances continue, especially on the heels of Google's suspected algorithm change which will enable Google to weigh the relevance of links against the content of their pages. Search engines will continue to look at the entire content of websites and continue to attempt to identify the real subjects and themes of any given site.

As search engines learn to better identify the natural language structure of websites, sites that are well formed will have a natural advantage. Although good search engine rankings will always depend on more than just the structure and content of a website, the content of a website will always be the heart of a page's rankings.

Make a Search Engine's Job Easy

Search engine spiders have a lot of work to do. Not only do they spider billions of pages every month attempting to discover new web pages and update already discovered web pages, these spiders need to parse through hundreds or even thousands of lines of code trying to distinguish between titles, content, structural code, and even the occasional keyword stuffing by search engine spammers. By simplifying your website, you make the job easier for the spider and allow the spider to index more pages on your site in a shorter amount of time.

Avoid Bloated Code

Unfortunately for the sake of design, many website owners have paid absolutely no attention to how efficient their code is. As a result, they may have a lot of extraneous, unnecessary code. The result of bloated code is a page that may be difficult and confusing for a search engine to decipher, or the spider may misinterpret the code.

Fortunately, HTML and CSS is quickly catching up to the design standards of website professionals. Using proper HTML and CSS, you can design extremely appealing websites that do not rely on tables for their layout. If you would like to see just how versatile and effective HTML and CSS is, look at the examples laid out at CSS Zen Garden. CSS Zen Garden is a website that displays the power of CSS and properly formed HTML. There are several different designs all using the exact same HTML, but through CSS they are able to build sites that look completely different from each other.

If you want to see something very amazing about what CSS Zen Garden is doing, follow these steps. View the HTML of their page. It does not matter what style you are viewing, the HTML is the same for every style. Then copy that code and paste it into your HTML editor and view the output. The page that you will see is an extremely basic looking page. More importantly, though, the page that you will see is a very well organized page which would be easy for any spider to understand.

Learn More About HTML

If you are like most website owners, you know very little about HTML. You may know a little bit of code, but it really does not seem worth your time to learn the inner workings of HTML. If you feel this way, then you are really missing out on great SEO opportunities.

HTML is built to naturally identify parts of your web page that are more important than others. It was built to be extremely organized. Using the organization that HTML provides, you can help a search engine spider identify the parts of your website that are more important. Below are some uncommon tags that HTML provides that you can use to help organize your content:

Alt Tag – Most website owners know about this, but including an Alt Tag on your images is actually required if you want to have a properly formed website.

- The acronym tag allows for a website to explain what an acronym stands for. For example, the acronym SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. However, when the spider comes to your website, all it will see is SEO which may mean various things. The acronym tag will allow you to add this keyword to your text. The use of this tag should look like this: seo

- Although using tables to determine the layout of your website is becoming a practice that will soon be extinct, tables will still be necessary. The caption tag allows you to identify what a specific table is about. An example: Table 3.2. Raw Sales Data

- If you ever want to display programming code on your site, you should use the code tag which will set that text off as being programming code. Example:

The H Tags – H1 tags became popular in SEO circles once website owners learned that Google did pay attention to this tag. However, there are actually 6 different heading tags. The H1 tag is the most important while the H6 tag is the least important. If a search engine were to try to create a table of contents from a website, it should be able to do so from the H tags.

These are just a few examples, but HTML provides several tags for your content to help you organize your material, and help search engines know what to emphasize in your content.

The lesson from this should be that learning HTML is not an endeavor that has few benefits. There is a lot of HTML that can help you both simplify your code and add more content to help your rankings.

Consider Moving to a Table-less Layout

The demands of web surfers unfortunately increased faster than website technology could keep up. As a few website owners were able to present visually appealing websites through tabled layouts, web surfers quickly became used to the graphic rich and well organized content. Unfortunately with tabled layouts, HTML code became sloppy and full of information that dealt only with the layout of the site, not with the content.

Fortunately, web technology is catching up. It appears as if Internet Explorer 7, which was announced to be released this summer, will finally adhere to the CSS2 standards. If you are not familiar with CSS, just read that previous sentence as being a very good thing. As was demonstrated by the example of CSSZenGarden.com, CSS can be used to create a page that is as appealing, if not more appealing, than standard tables.

Most website owners know CSS to be a tool that they can use to edit the appearance of text and the colors of their site, but CSS is also a tool that can be used for the layout of your site. As CSS comes out with newer versions (CSS3 is in the works), layout will become a more important development.

So how do you move to a table-less layout? The answer is simple: learn HTML and CSS.

The Side Benefit: Accessibility

Did you know that blind people surf the Internet? That may not seem shocking initially, but consider that the Internet is a highly visual medium of transferring information. Blind people are able to use web readers and Braille machines that interpret HTML code.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of websites are not accessible for blind people because they are not well formed sites. By moving to a well formed website, you will be adding access for an audience who marketers really do not focus on.

Article Tip: Search engines love websites that adhere to W3C's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

Bringing it Back to SEO

Many website owners are reluctant to take the time, energy, and monëy to really learn HTML and CSS, or to learn how they can make their websites truly accessible. However, in the end, they could be hurting their search engine rankings once search engines move closer to identifying natural human language.

The creators of HTML have done a magnificent job in creating a structure that can be used to organize your content in ways that make search engine optimization extremely easy. As the owner of your website, you should take care to make sure that it is running the way it was intended to. You wouldn't purchase a car that fails to meet basic standards of quality, so why would you trust your company's income to a website that is based on code that does not meet the quality standards of the Internet?

Designing your site properly does take time and effort, but the rewards are numerous. Not only will you have the satisfaction of having a website that is both light in its code and efficient, but search engines will be able to identify the key points of your content much easier, thus giving you more control of your rankings.

[ ebusiness_small_business ] How To Find Your Best Niche Market Bob Leduc | Contributing Writer | 2005-02-23

What is your target market? When I ask business owners that question I usually hear something like...

* Small Business Owners

* Opportunity Seekers

* Doctors

* Homeowners

Do you define the targeted market for your business similar to one of these? If you do, you're working harder and spending more money than necessary to promote your business. And you're getting only a fraction of the sales you should be getting.

When you target a broad audience like those listed above, you're only targeting prospects who CAN USE your product or service. Your marketing efforts will be considerably more profitable if you target prospects who are LIKELY TO USE your product or service.

One of the best ways to do that is to find a "niche market".

What Is A Niche Market?

A niche market is a narrowly defined group that includes all of the following:

1. Individuals in the group have the same specialized interests and needs.

2. They have a strong need or desire for what you offer.

3. You have (or you can create) a compelling reason for prospects in the group to do business with you instead of with someone else.

4. You can easily reach individual prospects within the group.

5. The group is large enough to produce the volume of business you need.

6. The group is small enough that your competition is likely to overlook it.

Why You Must Narrow Your Focus

A niche market enables you to target your sales messages with great precision. The more narrowly you define your niche market the easier it is to cater to the specifically defined interests of people in that market.

For example, some businesses describe their target market as "opportunity seekers". But this is a broad audience. You cannot cater to specifically defined personal interests of individuals in this group because it may include all of the following:

* Executives who want to get out of the corporate environment and start their own business.

* New mothers who want to start a home based business.

* Students who want to generate some extra income.

Any promotional message to this group would have to be very general. But people don't respond to general talk. They respond only when they feel you are talking directly to them about their individual needs.

Special Advantage: A highly defined, small niche market can insulate you from competition. Other small businesses are likely to overlook it. Large businesses will find the market segment too small to bother with.

How to Find a Profitable Niche Market

One way to find a good niche market is to evaluate your existing customers. Can you uncover a segment of customers with similar characteristics?

For example, I recently talked with a network marketer working with a health products company. About a year ago she noticed that many distributors in her organization were health or physical education teachers.

She now has a lot of success targeting a niche market of female physical education teachers who are married, have children and are members of the same professional association.

Another way to find a niche market is to work backward from the benefits you offer. Start by listing all the benefits provided by your product or service. Then list some of the characteristics of prospects whose current situation can be dramatically improved by those benefits. You should begin to see a narrowly defined group emerge as a niche market.

It's Your Bottom Line

How specific is your target market? Can you develop sales messages so sharply focused your prospects believe you're talking specifically to them?

If not, use the information in this article to help you find the best niche market for you. Then tailor your sales messages to the specific interests and needs of that niche market. You'll see an immediate increase in your sales and profits.

7 Crucial Elements Of Visitor Friendly Websites Peter Lenkefi | Contributing Writer | 2005-02-23

Approximately a decade has passed by since the birth of Internet commerce and online service users and shoppers have grown up.

They know what they're looking for, they know where to get it from and they grab it in an instant. They're in and out of your virtual shop in a second. They're fast and furious...especially if the can't find what they were looking for.

So how can we make them stick? How can we make them coming back?

Well, here are 7 crucial elements which can significantly help to solve this basic problem if applied properly.

1. Consistency in layout and navigation

According to multiple online surveys visitors prefer sites where pages have a white background, and the colour text is black. Consistency in navigation is a must.

People get used to the navigation system on your web page very easily. During their multiple visits they are looking for the same navigation points, and if they can't find them where they were at their previous visits, they get confused and leave.

Use the same colour scheme all the way through your pages. Try to match colours and design your pages simply but tastefully. If you are not a designer type, don't be shy to ask for help or to purchase a simple pre-designed template.

Nowadays lots of sites offer beautifully designed web page templates. They can be easily modified,handled and tailored to your needs.

2. Clear Copy, More Sales!

Try to be as clear as you can. Don't use jargon or complicated expert language. That would definitely scare your visitors away.

Highlight benefits but also show features if necessary. Write from the heart. You need to show your visitors that you are an expert, and also an authority. In other words, they need to feel that you know your stuff.

3. Fast Loading pages

Stay away from image heavy design, use text navigation and if your sales copy or page happens to be too long, break down your pages into small tables. This will significantly speed up your web pages loading time.

4. Headlines, taglines, logos : Brand It!

Use shorter headlines or calls to action on every page if possible.

Headlines will make your visitors read further down your copy.

Use taglines all the way through on your pages to brand your site and highlight your unique selling proposition.

Show your logo on each and every page to give a better chance to further brand your product, service or company.

5. Personal photos, addresses, phone numbers: Build Credibility!

Online commerce is a faceless process. People still pretty reluctant to pull out their credit card and give you a buck or two. You need to ease their reluctance as much as you can.

The easiest and fastest way is to put your company address and phone number onto each and every page. That would immediately show that they're dealing with a real company or person.

Put up a about us page and upload a personal photo of yourself.

That will definitely build instant credibility.

6. Audio greetings and customer testimonials.

With nifty little audio tools now you can create a short audio greeting and put it up to your web site. The human voice will significantly build more credibility ands help to turn visitors into buyers.

Collect testimonials from your previous customers and put up the best ones to you web pages. New visitors will see that you have been in business for a long time and made dozens even hundreds of people happy with your products or services.

7. Be available and answer enquiries promptly

Whenever you receive a customer enquiry via email answer as fast as you can. Fast prompt enquiries will convert to sales very soon and will separate you from the lousy pack. Collect generic enquiries write up the answers and put up a page as your FAQ center.

Copyright 2005 Peter Lenkefi

What You Can Learn About SEO Copywriting From Infomercials

What You Can Learn About SEO Copywriting From Infomercials
By James Faasse - February 23, 2005

One day while working in the kitchen, I was half-listening to the TV in the other room. There was a silly informercial on for a double boiler, something that's been around for centuries. However, this infomercial called it a name like "the Chocolate Dream" and was touting the item as the miracle cure for boring desserts. Although I knew this was a commercial for a simple item I already own, I found myself following along with the pitch.

What's the Problem?

The first order of business was to define the reason why I could not live without this miracle appliance. According to the Chocolate Dream infomercial, my family is falling asleep at the table over their pound cake and turning up their noses in disgust at the cookies being offered to them. Life just has no spark, and everything is dim and grey. Heck, the family isn't groomed and they are badly dressed to boot !

What problems do your customers face? Why do they need your product? Often you either have to create demand or enhance demand for what you sell. By pointing out that you understand their problems, you create trust.

What's the Solution?

Why, the Chocolate Dream, of course! With the Chocolate Dream, the lighting is suddenly warm and glowing, the kids have brushed their hair, and Bubba has put a shirt on over that stained undershirt and suddenly looks a lot like Alec Baldwin. The family looks on in delight as they are served chocolate-dipped strawberries, molded chocolate candy, and they nearly explode with happiness as a chocolate fondue appears at the table. Life is again fun and full of promise.

The benefits are what convince people that your product will solve their problem, even if they weren't really aware they had a problem before that point. Notice that we aren't talking yet about how it works, we are merely setting the stage by showing how the problem is solved by this product. It creates a happy family and prevents what's-for-dessert stress.

Is There More?

Of course, there's more! If you order NOW, not only will you get the Chocolate Dream, but you also get this nifty dipping fork set, a fondue pot, fun candy molds, and SO MUCH MORE. Sure, you can buy a double-boiler at any kitchen appliance place, but you you won't get these great extras!

A unique selling proposition strengthens your position with the client and gives them a reason to buy from you instead of anyone else. It also gives them a reason to keep coming back if your product is a frequent purchase.

If You Place Your Order Now...

If you want the Chocolate Dream, you need to go get your phone NOW and call, because they aren't sure how many more they can sell at this price,and the free gifts will run out soon.

This is a key point that many many pages of website copy miss.. a call to action. You want to let the customer know how to order and encourage them to place the order now, before they browse any competing websites or forget how to find you. It doesn't have to be as blatant or as cheesy as an infomercial, but make sure there are calls to action throughout your copy.

What is a Chocolate Dream? A Chocolate Dream is...

If you listen to an infomercial, you will notice that they never refer to the product as "it".

The Chocolate Dream will brighten your life, the Chocolate Dream is easy to clean, with the Chocloate Dream,you'll never have to worry about what to have to for dessert again.

Many writers today will tell you if your copy isn't natural or in a conversational style that it's poorly written. However, infomercial copywriters know that repetition is the key to branding and product recall, so they repeat the name as often as possible.

If you are writing a conversational-style piece, or informational copy, it may not make sense to repeat the product name throughout. However, if you are writing copy to sell or increase relevance with the search engines, think infomercial.

You can definitely go overboard with repetition, but keep relevance, branding, and recall in mind when writing sales copy and be sure to use the relevant phrase throughout.

List the Features In the body of the infomercial, there is a list of the features of the Chocolate Dream.

• It's easy to use.
• It's dishwasher safe.
• It works with your existing range.
• It packs together for storage in small places.
• Etc...

Most websites use their features to sell, completely missing the problem/solution demand; the elements that really sell. While the features need to be in the copy, they don't come first. And the more you show the benefits associated with each feature, the more compelling the copy will be.

Who Needs the Chocolate Dream?

It's obvious that the Chocolate Dream is targeting caucasian, American moms. They show Mom slaving over the oven; later she's shown beaming with joy over being able to please her family and clean up quickly. She can also throw impressive parties!

The target audience is also clear from the channel selection- they've chosen to advertise on daytime TV, children's shows, and women's channels.

Does this mean they are alienating single men, grandmothers, or minority dads? NO. They aren't turning down any orders from anyone, however they are focusing their efforts on the demographic most likely to purchase, increasing the effectiveness of their ads and lowering their overall advertising costs.

What do Infomercials Teach Us About Web Copy?

• Define The Problem.
• Deliver Your Solution.
• Explain the Benefits, Not Just the Features.
• Have a USP, or a Reason Your Company is Different.
• Use Calls to Action Liberally Throughout the Copy.
• Repeat the Key Phrases Frequently.
• Target Your Audience for Best Results.

No need to reinvent the wheel; infomercials sell millions of dollars of products a year. The formula works! It can be easily adapted to your website copy, regardless of whether you sell products or services. So don't delay, start writing today!

Marketing Know-How that's Guaranteed to Work!

Back to the Marketing Know-How that's Guaranteed to Work Successfully in Every Medium!

From the desk of James Faasse`

Dear Business Owner,

Direct marketing "The business of selling goods and services and raising money over long distances" began on June 10, 1194, when he great French Cathedral of Chartres burned to the ground.

In order to rebuild, Bishop Regnault de Mouçon wrote to the rich and noble families of England and France asking for money. Although those first letters do not exist, no doubt the bishop laid on a guilt trip and perhaps promised immortality by memorializing the donors in the stained glass windows

When televangelist Dr. Robert Shuler commissioned Philip Johnson and John Burgee to create the great Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California he sent out a mailing asking the TV faithful to " buy" a window for $15 and rewarded the donor with hunk of Plexiglas as a thank you. Just like Chartres only 800 years later.

Since the fire at Chartres, a vast treasury of direct marketing rules, secrets, canons and customs has evolved "the results of 800+ years of testing and reading the numbers." No other advertising or marketing discipline can touch this body of information.

The main reason for the dot-com crash of 2000 is that the hotshot little twenty-somethings who created the protocols did not know squat about the lessons of the past--the rules of marketing, copy and design. What's more, they did not want to know them. "This is a new medium and a new paradigm,"they crowed. "We don't need you old timers."

The majority of these kids are out of work while we graybeards are busier than ever.

So back it's to basics. Back to the marketing know-how that has grown up over the centuries and works successfully in every medium" print, phone, fax and E-commerce."

Again, welcome.

And good hunting!

James Faasse Rules for Internet Success

James Faasse Rules for Internet Success

In my opinion, marketers can make profits on the Internet. The first step is to recognize four disadvantages.

1. Unlike traditional marketing where the sales person controls the direction and pace of the sale, the prospect and customer are in total control -- and a mouse click away from oblivion.

2. Your Web site is situated in the armpit of the world, a venue akin to Times Square in the 1950s, with girlie shows on one side of you and Hugo’s Trained Flea Circus on the other.

3. Unlike telemarketing -- where a wrong number is a bit of an embarrassment -- a mis-entered URL can lead even the most well-intentioned prospect or customer off on a journey of discovery and zero business for you.

4. Given the terrible publicity about hackers, cyberthieves, privacy invaders and scam artists, your prospects and customers will not have the same immediate trust or sense of safety as they do in Home Depot, Circuit City or a local supermarket. For this reason, Net marketers are losing a lot of business.

5. The entire point of your Web site is to get yourself book marked by prospects and customers; everything else is secondary. No bookmarks, no regular return visits.

6. Once book marked, your Web site must become addictive. Examples of addictive Websites: www.Drudgreport.com (I check it two or three times a day for the latest news and dish); www.eBay.com where new stuff is continually coming up for sale.

7. How do you make it addictive? In order to lure people back often, it is imperative that your Web site be updated weekly -- if not daily -- with interesting, useful material.

8. With a Web site, you are always open for business. People expect instant gratification. Finalize an order with Amazon.com and you receive an immediate confirmation via e-mail. This is the current model. Order fulfillment must also be quick and flawless. According to a study in the U.K., 77% of companies fail to respond to an e-mail inquiry within 24 hours; 33% of companies fail to respond at all. If these statistics are even remotely akin to yours, you have no business being on the Web.

9. The Internet must be treated as one of many marketing channels -- along with direct mail, space advertising, broadcast, retail, and telemarketing. Remember that most dot-coms that hit the skids were trying to do business entirely on a piece of glass in the homes and offices of fickle, easily distracted prospects and customers. That model works for AOL, Yahoo and maybe e-Bay and E-Trade, but not many others.

10. You cannot be all things to all people. Niche Internet marketers will find and service niche clients profitably. Example: My friend Barry Rose in England has a nifty little Web business selling fully restored vintage fountain pens to collectors (www.Write time.co.us). Jeff Bezos’ Amazon.com keeps adding new categories and continues to burn through more and more money.

11. “Your job is to sell,” says freelancer Jack Mason, “not entertain.” This was recently echoed by developer Willard Rouse (Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and the Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston). “The concept of building it and they will come is a lot of crap,” said Rouse in The New Yorker. “Build it, sell the hell out of it and they will come.”

12. Look at the selling on the Web as direct mail on glass and apply the old tried and true, marketing proven rules, a number of which follow.

13. “More than half our buying decisions are based on emotion.”
--Jack Mason

14. “When emotion and reason come into conflict, emotion wins every time.”
--John J. Flieder

15. “Make it as easy as possible for the customer to order.”
--Elsworth Howell

16. “If you want to dramatically increase your response, dramatically improve your offer.”
--Axle Anderson

17. “You cannot bore people into buying anything.”
--David Ogilvy

“The seven key copy drivers -- hot buttons -- which change human behavior, are: fear, greed, guilt, anger, exclusivity, salvation, flattery. If your copy isn’t positively dripping with one or more of these, tear it up and start over.”
--Bob Hacker

19. The 13 most powerful and evocative words in the English language are:
you - save - money - easy - proven - guarantee - health -
love - new - results - discovery - safety - free
Use them unsparingly.

20. The Internet is the only print medium that allows you to test in real time (and far more cheaply than mail, phone or broadcast), giving you readable results in as little as a few minutes. Take advantage of this.

21. Make sure what the prospect first sees on your Web site directly relates to the message and the medium that brought the person there. In other words, don’t make a specific promise in direct mail or space and then fulfill with your basic, self-congratulatory home page aimed at everybody; this will result in a mental disconnect.

22. “The prospect doesn’t give a damn about you, your product or your company. All that matters is, ‘What’s in it for me?’

-- James Faasse`

10 Killer Internet Marketing Tips To Multiply Your Sales

10 Killer Internet Marketing Tips To Multiply Your Sales

By James Faasse`

It always amazes me, even after 10 years of online ecommerce websites, how people believe the age old adage "Buld it and they will come." Sorry to burst your bubble, but that only happens in movies. When marekting an online business it really is no different in philosophy than your bricks n' mortar shop.

Why are your web site sales down, you might ask yourself. It looks pretty, it's easy to navigate and I offer products that people need.

RULE #1

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! McDonalds has a great product and great branding and excellent marketing. However, take that same model and put each store in the middle of a corn field in Timbuktu and you'll have a business that fails, or at least gets very few visitors on a lonley highway.

It's the same with the internet. Your web site must be located on prime realestate... that means prime search engine keywords that target your market, so when a search is done on "web hosting" for example your site will come up within the top 10 or at least the first page. Top 40 or first 4 pages is good for starters, but since 80% of all people DO NOT browse past the first page, your rate of success is slim using natural search engine optimization. You must be in the top 10 listings, more effectively within the first five on your trageted keyword search.

Natural, or "organic" search engine listing is the most affordable and cost effective advertising for you on the web. It may require an initial investment from $1,200-$3,000, but it is well worth the traffic and business you'll recieve. Infact you'll recieve more traffic and return on investment on conversion (turning browsers into buyers) than you will with the yellow pages. Let's face it people... the yellow pages is going out of business, why do you think it now cast hundreds and even thousands per month to place an ad? Because they are loosing to the search engines!

RULE #2

MARKET, PROMOTE AND OFFER DISCOUNT SPECIALS WHEN STARTING UP A NEW BRAND! I have one client who refuses to listen to my consultation on her clothing store. She has a great product, niche market and a beautiful website with great photos. Now when she was ranked high on search engines she recieveda 1200% increase in targeted traffic within 30 days, however, she had only a few sales, which she failed to follow thru on because she did not check her email daily, or her store admin section.

Her product also is expensive because she targets higher end income people. However, the downside is that she limits her companies growth working harder and not smarter. She goes to shows and sells clothing, she drives around to sports and health clubs and sets up accounts and she does word of mouth. She does place her web site address on her business card, but her brand name is not descriptive of the product she sells. For example: Sportswear from Belize is better than "MiaBelizia". Who the heck knows what that is? I don't... do you. The point is assume people do not know what you are selling and you have to explain it to them like a 4 year old... make it easy. On the web you have 7 seconds to make an impression!

If you sell a product in your bricks n' mortor for $50 dollars sell it on your site for 10% or more off just for buying of your store. You wind up saving on travel expense and time from having to sell in person. On the web you have less overhead and can afford to give thos eshoppers a discount just for visiting online, plus it is incentive to get word out to sell more of your product because shoppers are always looking for the best deal on the web!

Now my other clients who listen, they have increased their traffic, conversion and cash-flow... simply following the strategies and methods I put before them on how to market and sell on the internet.

Here are 10 killer ways to boost your sales!

1. When you make your first sale, follow-up with the customer. You could follow-up with a "thank you" email and include an advertisement for other products you sell. You could follow-up every few months.

2. You could upsell to your customers. When they're at your order page, tell them about a few extra related products you have for sale. They could just add it to their original order.

3. Tell your customers if they refer four customers to your website, they will receive a full rebate of their purchase price. This will turn one sale into three sales.

4. When you sell a product, give your customers the option of joining an affiliate program so they can make commissions selling your product. This will multiply the sale you just made.

5. Sell the reprint/reproduction rights to your products. You could include an ad on or with the product for other products you sell. You could make sales for the reproduction rights and sales on the back end product.

6. You could cross promote your product with other businesses' products in a package deal. You can include an ad or flyer for other products you sell and have other businesses selling for you.

7. When you ship out or deliver your product, include a coupon for other related products you sell in the package. This will attract them to buy more products from you.

8. Send your customers a catalog of add-on products for the original product they purchased. This could be upgrades, special services, attachments, etc. If they enjoy your product they will buy the extra add-ons.

9. Sell gift certificates for your products. You'll make sales from the purchase of the gift certificate, when the recipient cashes it in. They could also buy other items from your website.

10. Send your customers free products with their product package. The freebies should have your ad printed on them. It could be bumper stickers, ball caps, t-shirts etc. This will allow other people to see your ad and order.

35 Quick Tips for Writing A Press Release

35 Quick Tips for Writing A Press Release

Layout
1. 1-2 pages in length.
2. Double-space.
3. 1.5 to 2 inch margins.
4. Use company stationary with logo and slogan.
5. Avoid bright or dark-colored paper.
6. Center 'News Release' at top.
7. Place a 'release date' under 'News Release'.
8. On second page, type 'page 2'.
9. Use company stationary with logo and slogan on page 2.
10. Leave out 'release after' date on second page, all else should be the same.
11. At end of press release, type '-30-' or '# # #'.
12. Include both black & white, color, and a variety of font sizes (but no more than four).

Format
13. Inverted pyramid (biggest point or major message first).
14. Straight to the point at the beginning.
15. First and second paragraphs devoted to your main message.
16. Secondary information comes AFTER main message.
17. No pussyfooting around, be clear up front, at the very beginning.
18. Don't go on and on.
19. In the third section, establish a connection with you.
20. Use a problem/solution format.
21. Comparing and contrasting ideas can be inside the problem/solution format.
22. Be careful of your facts, spelling and grammar
23. Only one news release per e-mail or envelope.

Information to Include
24. Newsworthy information, not sales copy
25. All the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How elements. Their order depends on level of importance.
26. Enticing headline which summarize the material/news.
27. Photos if available, or where they can be accessed in press section of your web site. No stock images.
28. No cover letter.

Distribution
29. Don't send press release out in a mass e-mailing
30. Don't pester contacts
31. Editors will not distribute anything sloppy, difficult to read, or understand.
32. Mail release by first class mail.
33. Don't use any type of labels, including your return address.
34. Add 'PRESS RELEASE' and 'Release Date:' on outside of envelope.
35. Places to send press releases: writers@[magazines]; writers@[newspapers]; trade journals in your industry; print magazines on the topic; online agencies that distribute news releases.

9 Keys to an Effective Logo

9 Keys to an Effective Logo

The right logo, with the right characteristics, will boost your visibility, credibility and memorablity ­ which means more business for you!

These characteristics include:

Consistency in use of your logo, tagline, materials. Repetition of similar elements, used in the same or similar ways, helps people to remember who you are and what you do.

Memorability, so that your logo stays at the forefront of your potential clients' minds. That way, they'll think of you next time they have a need.

Meaningfulness, so that your logo can spread the message about the distinguishing characteristics of your business.

Uniqueness, which helps you stand out from the crowd. For example, if everyone in your industry uses a particular symbol (i.e., travel agencies often use globes in their logos), try to use something else ­ that way, your logo doesn't just look like everyone else's.

Professionalism, in the quality of the graphics, the printing and the paper on which your materials are printed.

Timelessness in your logo will ensure that you don't have to redesign your logo in just a few years and that your investment and equity in your design will be lasting.

Differentiation between the colors in your logo ­ and not just in terms of hue, but in terms of value as well, so that it translates well either to black and white or greyscale and colorblind people are able to see it.

Unity among the different elements in the logo. The logo must fit together as a single unit, and not just appear as a jumble of elements pasted together.

Scalability, so that your logo looks equally good on both a business card and on a sign for your business (or a billboard!), and at every size in between. Your business's name should be legible at different logo sizes ­ be sure that your designer chooses a font that is easily readable.

Having a professionally designed logo can really give your business a jumpstart and helps your business get the attention ­and clients­ you need to succeed.

Consumers Search Before Buying

Consumers Search Before Buying

When hunting for stronger sales, it is wise to go where the game is. When the game gets very much smarter, wise hunters learn to adapt. - quote found inscribed in obscure cave formation near Fernwood BC.

As the oft' quoted phrase goes, "...the more things change, the more they stay the same." This phrase can be applied to the search engine marketing sector time and time again. Though several events in the business world of search attracted major media attention last week, interest in organic search has re-emerged among webmasters and search marketing agencies.

Two years after the popularization of pay-per-click programs, advertisers are starting to form sophisticated strategies combining managed PPC campaigns and consistent organic placements.

Consumer behaviors are rapidly changing as buyers are researching their purchases online before spending their money. A recent study,"Search Before the Purchase " from DoubleClick and comScore Networks notes half of all online purchases are preceded by multiple product-specific searches.
A similar tendency occurs in the brick and mortar retail world with consumers using search engines as product catalogs researching products, vendors and even the fastest routes before heading out to shop.

The study also offers a number of valuable insights into how consumers use search engines to research products they are interested in. Using a list of 30 sites from the Apparel, Computer Hardware, Sports/Fitness, and Travel industries, the researchers examined the habits of 1.5 million U.S. Internet users.

It followed the long-term behaviors of identified people who made at least one purchase on one of the 30 sites in the survey. The findings will not surprise organic search engine marketers as they confirm the high value of strong search engine placement.

Know what your potential buyers want to know.
Keyword selection stands out as the most important point in the survey. On average, about 75% of pre-purchase search is conducted using generic terms. Only 18.1% - 28.5% of searchers looked for brand names. It is only when consumers are close to making a final purchase decision that they enter brand names into search engines.

Travel consumers tend to know what they want.
As part of their methodology, comScore looked at the number of searches conducted using generic terms and brand names and compared the results with the number of actual clicks those searches generated. While search users looking for travel information only typed brand names 21.2% of the time, they clicked on (eventually purchasing) brand name generated results 21.5% of the time, the lowest disparity between use of brand in search and actual clicks generated by brand-names.

Apparel buyers tend to think about clothes, a lot.
In the apparel sector, search engine users typed a brand name 27.5% of the time, clicking through an average of 32% of the time. Interestingly, a high degree of pre-purchase research is seen in the apparel sector often starting months before buying. Six to ten weeks before actually selecting a product, online shoppers start entering generic terms. As the weeks go by, they hone in on specific brand names and brand items until they find exactly what they are looking for. Similar behaviors are shown in the three other sectors studied.

Immediate ROI is a poor way to gage success.
Much like television advertising, sales on search engines stem from effectively branding a product and putting that brand in front of consumers time and time again.

According to the study, "...most buyers complete their in-market search engine research two or more weeks before the make a purchase online." The correct way to measure the success of an optimization campaign is heavily debated in the Search Engine Marketing community and centers around Return on Investment (ROI) vs. Top 10 Placement.

Many SEOs believe that the achievement of Top10 placements should be the reportable goal while others believe that ROI is the only relevant outcome. According to the results of the study, both are important with ROI (as assumed by clicks) directly related to consistent first page placements throughout the research/buying cycle.


Brand it and they will come.

Ultimately, search engine users are looking to make the smartest, most cost-effective purchase possible. The study proves what most SEOs have known for years, search users are increasingly savvy consumers. With a world wide web of information in front of them, search users are instantly accessing the information they feel the need to know before buying.

While researching, they are going to come across several brand names, some more than others. The search world shares the rule of branding with other forms of traditional media. Regardless of how a search engine user sees your product name, the more often they see it, the better chance they will at least look at your products.

As with the various traditional marketing vehicles, first page search engine placement plays a large role in consumer confidence and loyalty. A product or brand reference that consistently appears in the Top10 organic results with corresponding PPC results and advertising on other relevant websites tends to sell best.

Perhaps the most interesting development in the world of search this week is a sense of a newly minted pattern developing in SEO/SEM techniques. The DoubleClick - comScore study is one of a growing number of papers showing the high value of organic results as part of an overall search marketing strategy. Today's search environment offers advertisers more options than any other medium that has ever existed.

The success of a search marketing campaign is greatly enhanced with organic search engine placement but the end result comes down to how advertisers and their search marketers uses the increasing number of tools at their disposal.

How To Incorporate One of The Most Powerful Marketing Strategy Quickly And Easily!

How To Incorporate One of The Most Powerful Marketing Strategies Quickly And Easily!

Without a doubt, if you asked me, "James, if there was only one marketing strategy that you could use on the Internet, what would it be?" Without hesitation I would say, "Joint Ventures." Joint Ventures are easily the most lucrative Marketing Strategy ever invented and if you learn to do it right, will likely be the ONLY marketing strategy you will ever need to use.

A Good Internet Joint Venture is your shortcut to success. It can send you more qualified internet traffic rushing to your site in the shortest amount of time than anything I've ever seen! And it can mean bringing your product to market without spending one single penny of your own money!

In it's simplest form, Joint Ventures have to do with 2 businesses (or more) joining forces to leverage off of each others success, assets and/or expertise. There are hundreds of different variations but let me just give you one simple example:

One variation of a simple type of joint venture partnership used most frequently would be where one business provides a product for sale, the sales message and the product delivery while the other business provides the recommendation for that product to their own list of subscribers/prospects and receiving a commission based on the sales generated through that recommendation.

The benefits are great. You can build your subscriber list, leverage off of your partners infrastructure like using their existing servers, software etc where you don't have to pay a dime. Even get instant credibility - If you pick the right JV partner, you can acquire instant credibility and reputation with their customers and lists. Credibility sells. Let me give you an example, if you created a book on 'how to acquire real estate', you could certainly make MANY more sales if you JV'd with Donald Trump and put his name on the book as the co-author, building your reputation and increasing your credibility at the same time. Are you starting to see the incredible power of this strategy?

Now I know that some people may think that Joint Ventures are difficult to do,but if they are telling you this, then I wouldn't take anything they tell you at face value because they're either lying to you or don't understand it themselves.

Let me show you how easy it is. Here's typically what I do when rolling out a new product. In this example, let's pretend that I just completed a new ebook on Penny Stock Trading and have setup a web site with an affiliate program. I would go to google, do a search on keywords like 'penny stock', 'penny stock trading', 'stock market strategies' etc..you get the picture. The top sites on the first page are typically your target partnersbecause since they appear on the first page you can bet they have lots of business, traffic, subscribers and customers. I would visit each site to make sure that they are right for my product and then I would first send them a very brief email asking them if they would be interested in marketing my product in exchange for a high commission as an incentive.

Typically in this email you should briefly introduce yourself and your product. Describe your product and the benefits it would offer to their Newsletter subscribers, customers and/or web site visitors. Ask them politely if they wouldn't mind responding to you asap and provide your contact information if they are interested in marketing your product. Also very important, you need to give them access to this product FOR FREE!..so that they can review the product and feel comfortable about endorsing it. These site owners have spent years building their business, lists and cultivating their lists to be very responsive. Any endorsement they do to their huge lists could mean thousands of dollars in your pocket for very little effort. More than half of them won't reply. That's ok, move on it's a numbers game.

Remember if just one of these super affiliates decides to market your product you're golden. Once they contact you all you need to do is setup their affiliate account and commission. This will ensure that their commission will be calculated properly when they endorse your product to their list. Just do this over and over again to all of the relevant site owners. Try doing 3 or 4 per day and after a week you'll have 4 or 5 good JV partners willing to market your product. Within a week you'll be on your way to making thousands of dollars per month, all for 5 hours worth of work and at NO COST to you. Isn't that easy?

The great thing about this strategy is that you don't even need your own product to profit from this strategy and here's how. Find someone else's product, join their affiliate program (make sure it's a two tier program), then use my strategy to find super affiliates that would be willing to endorse this product to their list and/or advertise on their HIGH traffic site, then get these Super Affiliates to join the affiliate program under you and you can collect a HUGE amount of 2nd tier commission by having these Super Affiliates do all the advertising for you, AND you can do this over and over. Think of the INCREDIBLE potential!

That's all there is to it.

Donald Trump's Marketing Secrets Revealed!

Donald Trump's Marketing Secrets Revealed!

by James Faasse

It's official!

Now in it's third season, Donald Trump's killer television series 'The Apprentice' is officially a 'franchise.'

With new seasons in the making, a clothing line that carries 'The Apprentice' brand, DVD's in production, and mega-fortunes to be made, it's no surprise that the king of real estate... a man who knows a good thing when he sees it... is involved.

I like Donald Trump a lot.

Mostly because I learn something new from him every time I watch him in action.

One of the barbs critics aim at Donald Trump is that he's a shameless egomaniac who can't get enough of the spotlight.

Well, they may call it egomania, but from my perspective... it's a brilliant business strategy.

I'll admit it: I'm a marketer.

My job is to make people sit up and take notice of my clients (and their products or services), and to deliver a 'brand' message at every opportunity.

That's exactly what 'The Donald' does.

If that makes me him an egocentric, self-congratulatory target for media pundits, who cares? Because it also makes him a 'household name'... in households from Bangor, Maine to Bangkok Thailand.

Brand recognition is the foundation of every marketing strategy.

If you're a small business owner, YOU are your brand.

That means you must sell yourself as well as your product or service.

Trump understands the concept, and what's why you see his brand Trump on everything.

You've got to be willing to get name out there… Willing to say, 'Hey look me!'... Ready to stand up for yourself, believe in yourself, and blow your own horn…

Loudly and as often as possible.

Have you noticed that each episode of 'The Apprentice' includes a segment devoted to a current Trump project?

This as an opportunity for 'The Donald' to billboard a success story.

Week after week, he tells millions of people, 'I'm a great real estate giant and here's the proof.' Take a tip from 'The Donald'…

You've got to be your own full-time marketing campaign 24 hours a day... because nobody else will!

Especially if you're an entrepreneur.

When you're the own of a business, especially a new business, it's kind of like being a parent.

Before your business can 'talk'... before your 'little one' has grown and established a reputation that literally 'speaks for itself'... you need to be the 'spokesperson.'

How long will this last?

You may not want to hear this, but the answer is -- forever. You must always be ready to carry the banner for your business and your success.

So, before you give Donald Trump 'two thumbs done' for shameless self-promotion, consider how his ego... and his knack for savvy marketing... is a real asset to his business empire.

If it's good enough for 'The Donald,' it's good enough for me... and YOU, too.

The next time you sit down for the next episode of the 'Book Smarts vs. Street Smarts' season of 'The Apprentice,' open your mind.

Instead of picking at the negative traits of 'The Donald' or his 'top guns' Carolyn and George, think about their success and ask yourself...

What can I learn from this guy? How does he marketing himself? How can I adapt this concept to me and my business?

The truth is, if you can't get at least a handful of 'golden nuggets' from this super-successful entrepreneur, you may be hopeless.

What I'd like to do is share some of the key marketing insights I've learned from Donald Trump and 'The Apprentice' that you, too, can use in your business.

Before we get to the marketing insights, however, there's a bigger business concept that you need to understand.

I'll give it to you the way I like best... straight... 'Lok-ed and loaded' to blow your mind:

You have something to learn from people of any age, any background, any education, and any level of success.

The candidate on 'The Apprentice' can't hold a handle to Donald Trump's success. Yet each week, they pull rabbits out of hats, rising (more or less) to meet the challenges presented to them.

Every new task makes them better in business as they evolve, refine strategies, and respond to what they're learning. There's no better formula for success than the flexibility and resilience they demonstrate.

So don't just focus on 'The Donald' for your weekly dose of marketing magic.

Keep an eye on the candidates, too! You never know who's got something to teach you.

***Apprentice Marketing Lesson #1 - Too Much Is Never Enough

Actually, 'too much is never enough' was a successful slogan from the early days of MTV, but it could just as easily be the 'poster child' for marketing. You can never connect with consumers too frequently.

There's a marketing truism out there: To sell a prospect, you'll need to make repeated contact. That's why most direct mail campaigns use a minimum of three messages, why magazines put as many as five subscription forms in each issue, and why 'The Donald' says the word 'Trump' as many times as he can in every episode of 'The Apprentice.'

Does it make a difference? Can it make 'The Donald' even more successful?

Definitely.

In the 21st Century, every consumer is bombarded with advertising messages…up to 3,000 a day for some people.

After a while, they just tune out. Or, if they don't tune-out, consumers are often so distracted that they don't really hear or see a marketing message.

It's more effective to send three mailers to 1,000 prospects than one mailer to 3,000though the cost is the same. Another approach is a 'timed' or 'sequenced' campaign.

In this kind of campaign, message #1 is a teaser. #2 is the 'guts' and a gift offer. #3 gives ordering instructions. The sequenced approach allows you to generate both expectations and recognition.

Prospects look forward to hearing from you.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you need to keep hammering away at the eyes and ears of potential prospects. But the main reason for this many not be as obvious as you think...

By repeating your marketing message over and over, you 'imbed' that message in the consumer's mind. Then, when the consumer needs what you have to offer, they'll think of you first... even if aren't actively marketing to them in the moment.

The goal is to make yourself the automatic go-to solution for a problem whenever that problem occurs. The consumer's sub- conscious will do the driving.

***Apprentice Marketing Lesson #2 - Sex Sells, But Too Much Sex Repels

The candidates chosen for 'The Apprentice' are uniformly attractive, articulate, and the kind of people that most other people enjoy looking at.

The producers of the show -- including Mark Burnett who produces that other mega-hit 'Survivor' -- know that sex sells on television.

Sex sells in marketing, too.

During the second season of 'The Apprentice' when 'The Donald' pitted the men against the women, tasks were routinely won thanks to sex appeal... women's AND men's.

(You may recall that the men's team used one of their attractive members to flirt with and win over a table of gay diners during a restaurant challenge.)

But if you weren't watching closely, you might have missed the episode where sex didn't sell -- big time... and THAT is the point of this mini-lesson.

In one of the last episodes of the second season, candidates were challenged to sell candy.

On one team, two blonde women donned matching red leotards and flashed -- their smiles only -- at male prospects.

Sales were brisk because, as we all know, sex sells... and for most men there's nothing sexier than a leggy blonde.

The other team was struggling, so with just minutes to spare before the end of a task, one team member offered to drop her skirt as a way to convince male passersby to buy her candy.

They bought... in droves.

They weren't buying candy, of course, they were buying sex... just like the guy who finds a car suddenly irresistible because of the leggy swimsuit model that's advertising it at the Auto Show... and just like the guys who bought from the blonde 'twins' on the other team.

The problem with the 'buy my candy and you can see my buns' approach is that it was over the top.

As 'The Donald' pointed out in the boardroom, the candidate wasn't selling candy... she was selling sex literally, with a candy bar bonus.

That, my friends, is why so many marketers are referred to as prostitutes... and why the candidate who dropped her skirt was dropped from the show at the end of the task.

As 'The Donald' put it so eloquently: You're fired!

The skirt-dropping candidate was fired despite the fact that she had fulfilled her mission -- to make money. Why? By over- selling sexuality, she left a negative over-all impression.

Sex is powerful stuff…use it wisely and sparingly.

***Apprentice Marketing Secret #3: Cross-Promotion

I've talked about this concept until I am blue in the face, but I still meet prospective clients who stubbornly say, 'My product is such a winner that I don't need to partner with other businesses and give away any of my profits.'

That's insane!

Or more delicately 'No man is an island'...and no business is either. There's not a company on earth that can survive without a constant stream of qualified prospects coming through the door.

So it doesn't matter what industry you're in or what product/service you make available, whoever you are...

Tying your product to another popular product, service, business, or person is always a winning marketing strategy.

'The Apprentice' has featured cross-promotions with Burger King, Pepsi, the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain, and other well- know, extremely successful businesses.

If these super-corporations benefit from cross-promotions, doesn't it seem logical that your business can, too?

The biggest trend in high-end marketing today is film and TV cross- promotions. Ever since E.T. gave Reese's Pieces a huge boost, marketers have aggressively tried to get their products 'placed' in films and television shows.

Having a good product or service is NOT enough... although it's certainly 'Job 1.' Quality and value bring your customers back for more. But how the heck do they do how wonderful your stuff is if they haven't even bought from you yet?

In order to make a sale, you need someone you can sell to. To achieve that you need effective marketing systems to get these people in your funnel in the first place.

Cross-promotion is the key.

Customers who are already 'sold' on the business your partnering with become, essentially, pre-sold on you.

And cross-promotion allows you to expand your marketing reach without spending any additional marketing dollars.

Can you imagine how much Burger King would have to pay for a 15- second spot during 'The Apprentice.'

By appearing within the show in a carefully negotiated cross- promotion, Burger King gets all the gain (aka the audience) with none of the pain (advertising expenses)

What did 'The Donald' get out of all of this? In addition to finding a company willing to let his apprentices take over their business for the day, consumers will now 'think Trump' when they purchase one of the burgers promoted on the show.

Clever, huh?

You're Fired... Fired-Up, That Is

I've 'distilled' the essence of just three of the effective marketing concepts that Donald Trump has accidentally shared on 'The Apprentice.' They're the same strategies he uses in his own business, but he's let the cat out of the bag and now his secrets are YOUR secrets

If you're inspired by what you've read here and would like to go deep into Trump's mind, 'The Donald' has written several powerful books filled with stories, anecdotes, secrets, and amazingly effective techniques for making it to the top... and staying there through thick and thin.

*Trump: How to Get Rich
*Trump: The Way to the Top
*Trump: Surviving at the Top
*Trump: The Art of the Deal
*Trump: The Art of Survival

Did you notice that each book leads with the word 'Trump'? He never misses an opportunity to promote his brand.

I told you 'The Donald' was a master marketer!

And consider this: if you can beg, borrow, or steal just one or two ideas from a man who's sitting on a billion-dollar empire... ideas that could jumpstart your business empire... wouldn't it be worth 20 bucks? (Less if you get a second-hand copy on Ebay).

This is your chance to be 'The Apprentice' of Donald Trump... to learn from the master... without worrying about getting fired on national television.

James T. Faasse is known as the 'Website Conversion Expert', with a proven track record of selling over $1.3 million dollars of merchandise and services. James has resuscitated copy that was previously in 'critical condition' and helped his clients double and triple their conversion rates... some as much as 417%!!! More than 150 websites have been 'Turning Browsers into Buyers' for Internet action. Visit James at: http://www.inetready.com/web-marketing-services.htm

Small Business Marketing Best Practices

The Anatomy of a Winning Postcard

You probably get a lot of postcards as I do. Being anastute marketer, I always take time to look through allof my mail and I pick out stuff that catches my eye.I put that stuff in my swipe file to refer to later. But I often shake my head in disbelief sometimes at themail that I receive. Some of it is downright rotten. At times, I can't believe someone is actually spendingmoney to send this stuff out.


Case in Point...

Yesterday, I got a postcard from a guy named MikeCzarowitz who is a local real estate agent. Apparently, he just joined Remax and recently moved hisreal estate practice to Friendswood. Well, he sent out an announcement to let people knowabout his new affiliation with Remax. I would imaginethat he paid a good amount of money to send this cardout to everyone in my neighborhood. Here's the postcard I received:

Front Side -> http://url123.com/kdu2n

Back Side -> http://url123.com/kmcd2(copy and paste the links into your browser)If you even have half a marketing brain you can see whythis is a losing postcard. But let's take a look atwhat it's lacking...

* Problem # 1
No compelling headline (he uses his name as theheadline...don't do this!)

* Problem # 2
The bulk of the postcard is taken up with the Remaxlogo (No one cares about Remax, they care about theirown problems, and how you're going to solve them!)

* Problem # 3
He gives absolutely no reason to respond.

* Problem # 4
His call to action is "Please stop in and say hello,the coffee pot is always on." Pleeeeaaase!

* Problem # 5
He completely wastes the address sideof this postcard. There is no information on itwhatsoever.


I Decided to Take This Postcard and Give It a CompleteDesign Makeover and Turn It Into a Lead GeneratingMachine - - Here It Is...

As a favor to Mike Czarowitz (the realtor who sent outthe loser postcard) I took some time to completelyredesign his postcard so that it would generate leadsrather than just "get the word out there."

Here it is...Front Side
* http://url123.com/km5mb


Here's a Few Things to Take Note of When Reviewing theRedesigned Version of Mike's Postcard.


* Change # 1 -
The HeadlineThe billboard side of the postcard starts out with abig bold headline. I'll admit, it's not the mostpowerful headline but it does evoke curiosity and makesyou want to read the subheadline (which is the primaryjob of the headline).

* Change # 2 - The Subheadline
The subheadline gives a very bold promise (although 30days would be better). One important element of thesubhead is that it includes the phrase "or Someone YouKnow," which forces the reader to think of theirfriends and not only themselves.

* Change # 3 - The Photo
People like to know who is communicating with them.Putting a photo of yourself brings a warmth andcloseness and lowers the distrust barrier that we allfeel with someone we don't know.

* Change # 4 - The Caption
Below every photo you should always include a captionbecause when the eye looks at the photo it will always,100% of the time, look at the caption as well.I not only introduced Mike's name but I used a boxedcaption that highlights his expert status and furtherlowers the distrust barrier.

* Change # 5 - The Copy
The copy on this postcard starts out by filtering outprospects simply by asking whether they're thinking ofselling their home.It also introduces the "60 Day Home Selling System" andattempts to create some curiosity so that the readerwill turn the postcard over and read the offer.You'll also notice that I used a "handwriting" font.This is a special font that looks like it's beenhandwritten. It's just one more element that serves topersonalize my postcard.

* Change # 6 - The Call-to-Action
The objective of the billboard side's call-to-action issimply to turn the postcard over. Although that soundsunnecessary, it leads the reader one step further downyour sales path.

_______________________________________________________

Now Let's Take a Look at the Address Side and See WhatMakes It So Powerful

_______________________________________________________

The address side of the newly redesigned postcard iswhat gets the phone to ring. Here's what the address side looks like:

Address Side
* http://url123.com/kmk3d(copy and paste the links into your browser) Here are a few changes I made on the address side thatmake it powerful.

* Change # 7 - The Headline
Notice that I started out the address side of thispostcard with a compelling headline. The headlinetells people exactly what I want them to do.NOTE: By the way, ALWAYS start out your marketingmaterial with compelling headlines.

* Change # 8 - The Arrow
You'll see that I've included an arrow on the righthand side of the headline. I did that to pull thereaders eye to the special report that I want them toorder.

* Change # 9 - The Copy
I start out my copy calling the reader "DearFriendswood Neighbor." The word "Friendswood" willcapture readers attention because they live inFriendswood. All I want to do in my first paragraph is to get thereader to read my second paragraph so I stir upcuriosity to keep the reader going. I then promise the reader that my system will selltheir home in 60 days and to find out how I do thatthey'll need to order my fr^e report.

* Change # 10 - The Graphic
As you can see, I've included a graphic of my special report to show readers what it looks like. This bringsa realism to my offer and it helps people to visualizewhat they'll be receiving.

* Change # 11 - The Call-to-Action
The caption to the graphic includes my call to action. This line WILL get read 100% of the time. It givesSPECIFIC instructions on what I want the caller to do.

* Change # 12 - The Phone Number
Notice that I put the hotline phone number in reversetype. This makes the number clearly stand out.I've also included the words, "24 Hr. Recorded Msg.,"which lets the reader know that they aren't going toget someone on the other side of the phone call tryingto give them a hard sell. I've personally found this one line of text to increasemy response rate by about 12% - 20%.

* Change # 13 - The Address
Look at what a small space I've allocated to theaddress. Now look at how much space I've used for mymessage. Don't make the mistake of using the wholeside of the postcard just for your address (or evenhalf the side for that matter).


Now Which Postcard Would You Rather Mail?

If you've hung in with me this long then you've got areal lesson in writing compelling copy and postcardmarketing. I hope you enjoyed it and learned a lot from it. Just imagine, for the exact same cost that Mikeincurred sending the original postcard, he could havesent the redesigned postcard. Same cost - - 10 times the response. Which postcard would you rather mail?


This Is Only a Fraction of What You'll Learn...

...in my new "Killer Postcards" marketing course thatwill be released shortly. In the next month I'll be releasing the mostcomprehensive and in depth postcard marketing courseever developed (I should know, I have all the postcardmarketing courses on the market).I've been working on this home-study course for over 6months so I haven't left anything out.

Keep an eye out for it.