Essays Assistance » e-zine advertising

How to Reach Thousands of Your Ideal Clients and Customers and Skyrocket Your E-mail List

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:50:14 +0000

One of the questions I’m asked the most near my clients is, “How can I most on the double build my e-mail list 5 paragraph essay?”

My rejoinder is, finger someone who’s already reaching your aim retail in droves, and make use of THEM to construct your record! How? With these three easy steps:

STEP 1: Conclude accurately who your paradigm customer or customer is.

The more descriptive you can be here, the better. In compensation sample, don’t just have in mind “men”. Think “men ages 18-40 who like sports and working for all to see”. Don’t just dream “uncomfortable firm owners”. Think “women owners of maven use businesses that do less than $1 million a year”.

Can you resume on clients or customers who subside outside of this description? Of by all means! But you demand to separate who you’re going after.

Specimen: Far three years ago, I spent a wild summer week on Nantucket Ait in Massachusetts. My beau was wonderful in letting me adjudicate most of the activities we’d do each day. But there was ditty hang-up he definitely wanted to do at least once – go bluefishing!

Now I’m not sure if you could possess guessed this, but I’m not in actuality into fishing. ; )

But hey, I’ll attempt anything once, so incorrect we went to the docks. Now, I figured we could go on any boat with any captain and do this. But no … we went with “Captain Dan the Bluefish Houseboy” (who smelled like his specialty). Dan took us on his unique boat to this special place off the cay where the bluefish were, and we unvaried reach-me-down individual bait that the bluefish liked. And we had well-known prosperity – they just kept cold!

I realized that if you be sure exactly what you’re effective after, you’re much more likely to get it. The same goes for reaching your goal market.

FOOTSTEP 2: Hit upon other people, companies, or websites that are ALREADY reaching your butt vend en masse.

Abide down with a cup of coffee this weekend and do some online investigation apropos your end market. What sites are they already visiting? What newsletters or magazines do they already read? An eye to archetype, if your aim make available is stay-at-home moms, learn the most renowned sites they visit. Find the most in ezines they read.

End up up with a liber veritatis of your top five websites and top five ezines that are already reaching your visionary shopper or customer.

STEP 3: Communicate with these websites and ezines and look at if they will:

OVER AGAIN your work, products, services, or ezine in the interest their readers. If so, send them a look at copy and obey up a week or two later. Demand that when they function the comment they mention your e-zine and straightforward people to your website to mark up.

take guest ARTICLES. If so, then submit equal of your first-rate, with a pocket bio that links people shy away from to your website to consequential up in return your ezine.

SWAP ads or recommendations for each other’s websites, products, or services. If you prepare an ezine that reaches the that having been said object merchandise they lack to reach, this is a prodigious win-win.

do a CO-REGISTRATION deal. If you already bear a careful amount of e-zine subscribers and website conveyance, they may be unincumbered to adding your e-zine to their ezine signup appearance if you do the same on your part. (In principle folks should just check a strike to subscribe to the additional e-zine automatically.)

chance a recommendation or ad in interchange as a replacement for a COMMISSION on resulting sales. For illustration, you give them the ad to run, tagged with a relationship that lets you know if any sales come from it. (This is easy exchange for you to do if you enjoy an online affiliate program.*)

tolerate PAID advertising. Important ads, issue ads, and other paid placements of course cost you loot, but if it’s your sole choice and you in point of fact want to reach these folks, tour respecting it. But be unshakable to track your results so you can enquire if it’s working. (You’ll difficulty a bond tracking program to do this.*)

And these are legitimate a FEW ideas to reach you started!

Reminisce over, your #1 end is to sadden people move in reverse to your position to sign up on the side of your e-zine or other email laundry list, because THAT is how you pledge the incidental to market to them over!

11 Quick (and Good) Content Ideas for Your Ezine or Website

Essays — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 04:29:33 +0000

Publishing articles, especially via an e-zine, is the ideal opportunity to showcase your business. By sharing your knowledge and expertise, you build credibility as an expert, while spreading the word about your services and products.

While I’m sure that sometimes you have dozens of content ideas, I bet other times you find yourself staring at a blank computer screen, grumbling that it’s publishing time again. Well, have no fear! Here are 11 quick (and good) content ideas for when you’re in a pinch.

1. Give real-life success stories.

Describe a problem you’ve solved for a client/customer, and use that as a springboard to offer more general advice. Show your readers how you’ve helped customers address challenges — “case studies” if you will. This positions you as the expert in your readers’ minds more than your coming out and saying so.

2. Think of three areas in which you’d like your clients to think of you as a resource.

Now develop content in those areas. For example, in my past life as a professional copywriter, I really enjoyed writing for Web sites. To help encourage my clients and prospects to hire me for these projects, I published several articles on how to write Web copy that sells.

3. Read industry publications for ideas.

Are there any hot issues in your field right now? The more controversial, the better. Don’t be afraid to offer your own opinion — your readers want to know it. After all, YOU are the expert in their eyes.

4. Jot down 8 questions your clients have asked you in the past.

You know, the ones they ask you over and over. Answer each in a short article. If you publish weekly, that’s two months’ worth of content, right off the bat! And if you can’t think of any questions, send all your current clients/customers a quick e-mail, asking them what topics they’re most interested in learning more about.

5. Learn anything neat lately from an industry conference, workshop, seminar, or insightful article?

No one says you have to reinvent the wheel of information! Pass on any gems of advice you’ve learned elsewhere — just give them full attribution. Or give your opinion of the event or article itself. Your readers will appreciate your frankness.

6. Offer a list of your top 5 or 10 tips on a certain subject.

It’s much easier to bang out a list of tips than to put together a real article. Of course, the tips can evolve into an article if you wish! Be sure to list your best tip first, or at least close to the top. (If you “fire your biggest gun” last, you risk losing your audience before they get to the good stuff.)

7. Interview associates whose expertise would interest your readers

(while not competing with yours). E-mail interviews are incredibly easy to do. Just send your interviewee 3 to 5 questions via e-mail, edit their answers, and have them approve the final version. Be sure to give them a short plug in your e-zine as a thank you. (A one- or two-sentence description of their business and their Web address should be fine.)

8. Recommend books and resources that you use, and offer full reviews on them.In one issue of my old

ezine newsletters, “AKB MarCom Tips,” I featured reviews of my favorite four copywriting resource books. I’m glad I also gave my Amazon.com associate links, because I ended up making some nice commission, to boot!

9. Invite clients or readers to write you with their own questions, and answer one in each issue.

Right after their question, publish the person’s name, business, and Web address, with their permission. They’ll enjoy the attention and free publicity!

10. Invite readers to send in profiles.

Ask them to tell you about themselves — their names, businesses, locations, and how they use the information gained in your e-zine. Feature one profile in each issue or one every few issues.

11. When all else fails, borrow an article!

There are dozens of Web sites offering hundreds of articles that you can use in your e-zine. The articles are free and available for you to use immediately. The only catch is you’re required to leave the entire article intact, including the author’s promotional information. One of my favorite places to search for articles is .ezinearticles.com.

One last note: Keep in mind that if your e-zine’s main objective is to get you more clients and customers, you should NOT feature other writers’ articles more than once in a blue moon. Remember our main goal is to continually showcase YOU.

6 Steps to Catch More Opt-ins Than Ever Before

Essays — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:56:34 +0000

Remember that when you have new visitors at your website, your #1 goal is to get them on your ezine list! That way you have permission to contact them again and again, educating them about your helpful services and products that they came to learn more about.

But you can’t just put up a link that says “free newsletter”. No one cares! You need to carefully craft an opt-in box that works like a big net, catching the exact type of “fish” you want as your ideal clients and customers.

Also remember, don’t hide your box at the bottom of your web pages. Right now, most testing shows that the best place for your opt-in box is the upper right corner… loud and proud!

Here are six simple things you should have in your opt-in box that will help you get more signups than ever before.

1) An Attention-Getting HEADLINE

Remember that online readers SKIM copy – they don’t read it word for word. So the headline in your opt-in box may be the ONLY thing they read, which determines whether they sign up or not. So don’t waste this space saying something like “Free Newsletter” or even worse… “Sign up for our mailing list.” Ugh! Instead, tell me the MOST exciting thing your ezine will give me!

Examples:

“Are You Ready to Blast Off Your SALES This Year?”

“FINALLY: Learn How to Keep That Weight Off For Good”

“Insider Secrets to Writing Novels for Big Bucks”

2) A Raving Description of Your Ezine

Work hard at putting together a description of your ezine that gets prospects excited to sign up! Remember they’re tuned into station WIIFM (”What’s In It For ME?”). Tell them what your information is going to DO for them as well as everything they GET. Examples: How-to articles, quick and easy tips, free resources, insider secrets. Aim for your description to be between 15 and 30 words.

3) A Field to Enter Their FIRST NAME.

Getting people’s names along with their e-mails allows you to personalize your ezine for them. For example, if I was on your list, your e-mail would come to me saying, “Dear Ali…” The subject line could even say, “Ali, here’s your free tip”. Why do you want to do this? Studies prove that having the recipient’s name in the subject line of your e-mails can increase your open rates by 60%!

The problem is, many people value their privacy and are hesitant to give you their full name. For this reason, just ask for their FIRST name. It’s been proven that you’ll get MORE names from people if you only ask for the first name. (And their first name is generally all you’ll need anyway.)

4) A Field to Enter Their Primary EMAIL ADDRESS.

Many people have a backup or personal e-mail address that they use just for receiving online newsletters and promotions. The problem is they are often from free e-mail services like Yahoo or Hotmail. These services filter e-mail like crazy, and their mailboxes fill up quickly, so there’s a good chance your e-mails won’t even reach these recipients.

The solution is, simply ask for their primary e-mail. It’s amazing, but simply ASKING them to enter their primary e-mail will get you more quality e-mails on your list! (You’ll also get less bounce-backs from undeliverable e-mails. If you get too many of those, it raises a red flag to some spam filter programs.)

5) A BUTTON That Says “Subscribe” or “Sign Me Up Now”

Make it very clear what they should click on to activate their subscription once they type in their name and email. Don’t use something confusing like a link that says “submit form”.

6) Your PRIVACY POLICY, right then and there.

Everyone’s scared to receive more spam these days, so put your prospects at ease. Don’t make them wonder what you’re going to do with their e-mail addresses. State right next to or below your opt-in form what your policy is. Mine is, “We will never sell, rent, trade, or share your e-mail with any other organization.” (Feel free to use that yourself.) DON’T make people click on a link to read your privacy policy – it looks like you have something to hide. In fact, in some U.S. states, it’s now required that you state your privacy policy right at the point of opt-in, so it’s a good idea no matter where you do business.

Want to See a Sample of This in Action?

If you’d like to see many of these components in action, see my pop-under box at .ezinequeen.com/popup.htm.

And if you’d like MORE step-by-step instructions on how to get more signups at your website (and beyond) and build your list bigger than ever before, see my SPECIAL REPORT: “101 Simple, FREE and Low-Cost Ways to Quickly Build a Massive EMAIL LIST”, which you can learn more about here.

Your Fortune is in the Follow Up!

Essays — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:39:14 +0000

Would you blow your entire annual marketing budget on just one ad to run once during the Superbowl?

Of course you wouldn’t. You know that people seeing your message just once wouldn’t be enough.

Then why do we tend to spend our time and dollars on single-shot marketing, rather than repeated messages?

The answer is… most folks just don’t know any better. Or, perhaps it seems boring to repeat your message over and over and over and over.

But the truth is, your fortune is in the follow up!

This past weekend I went to hear direct marketing master Bill Glazer (my marketing mentor who runs Glazer-Kennedy Inner Circle (along with Dan Kennedy) speak at a conference here in Los Angeles. During his talk, he shared with the audience how he spent the last few decades of his life running Baltimore’s #1 retail men’s clothing store, Gage Menswear, along with his late father.

Bill talked about one of his first direct mail campaigns, and how during the planning stages he announced to his dad that they were going to mail a special promotional offer to the same list not once, not twice, but three times. His father was appalled and yelled at Bill that he was crazy and was wasting their money!

Bill persisted and mailed all three pieces of the campaign. Well, their results revealed that mailing the exact same offer three times not only increased their response, it DOUBLED their response! Pop was floored, and he sure was delighted with the flurry of sales that came in. From that point on he also trusted Bill with their marketing dollars.

Why does repeating your message work? online newsletters writing

It’s simple… people are inundated with messages every day. Last statistic I heard was each of us sees over 3,700 distinct messages a day! That means you need to repeat yourself over and over if you’re going to break through the clutter, actually get their attention, get them to read or listen AND get them to respond.

Your assignment is to now look at all areas of your marketing and advertising in your business, and see where you need to add some follow up.

Some quick places to look at:

Your Ezines – Are you publishing your ezine enough? Once a month just doesn’t cut it anymore. You should be reaching out and “touching” your prospects and customers at least once a week, if not more. (If you’re running out of ideas or you’re not sure how to do this without bugging folks, my ezine system takes care of that for you!)

Teleseminars and Live Events – When promoting events, you’re going to need many more than one or two announcements or mailings. As a general rule, when I’m really trying to fill up a teleseminar (phone seminar) I sent out at least three emails dedicated to the promotion. For live events, you need dozens of messages, and well ahead of time. Most of the trainers I know start marketing no less than six months ahead of any live event they’re hosting!

One-on-One Marketing – If you cold call or mail out letters to prospects, how many times are you following up? Don’t be afraid to call or mail again. I myself have finally responded to an offer after I’ve been contacted several times, and was glad the vendor took the initiative to follow up.

Advertising – Instead of blowing your budget on a few large ads per year, try running a smaller ad much more often! Also most publications, both online and offline, will usually give you big discounts for purchasing more than one ad at a time. (I do this with ads in my own ezine, Straight Shooter Marketing.)

Remember, many marketing experts who test all these strategies say that repetition is the key. So don’t even feel you have to be creative with your marketing – just saying or mailing the same thing over and over is better than not saying it or mailing it again.

13 Steps to a “Slippery Slope” Online Sales Letter

Essays — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:43:14 +0000

But here’s the problem: I see many of them trying to sell their e-book, tutorial, etc. on a regular Web page. They list a paragraph about the info-product and give the price, and they expect a slew of sales.

Wrong.

You need a special sales page that has a “slippery slope” sales letter.

Remember that game Chutes & Ladders? If you landed on a space that had a chute on it, you just went down, Baby. No turning back. That’s how your sales letter should be – a “slippery slope” that pulls in the reader because it’s so compelling and interesting.

Here’s a basic outline of the 13 elements you want to include. To see an example of them all in action, visit MY own sales page at .BoostBizEzine.com.

1. Limit your navigation.

The visitor should not be distracted by links that take her to your bio, other products, etc. The idea is to keep her on this page, reading your copy and leading her to order. So on this page, only have navigation that relates to the product (e.g. FAQs, Order now).

2. Give a powerful headline.

Your headline can make or break your sales. If it’s not compelling, your visitor will click away. Here’s an easy headline formula: “How to _________ So You Can ____________.” Make sure the 2nd part gives a big benefit, for example, “double your business” or “gain peace of mind.”

3. Discuss the problem the prospect has, or incorporate your own story.

Marketers call this “pushing the ‘ouch’ button.” First discuss the problem or pain that the reader has, and then lead in to how your product will solve it. Or share your own failure-to-success story that the reader can empathize with.

4. Tell us who you are.

If I’m going to buy your stuff, I’d like to know why you’re qualified to write about this topic. Give me the feeling that you’ve learned a lot about this topic and want to share it with me.

Even add a picture of yourself and an audio greeting, like I did. These help the reader instantly feel like she knows you better, increasing the “trust factor.” And people buy from those they feel they know, like, and trust!

5. Use bullets like mini headlines.

Lay out everything I’ll get from your product. Don’t just list your table of contents verbatim! Turn each point into an exciting secret. For example, suppose your e-book features 5 tips on how to save money on groceries. That bullet could read, “Revealed: 5 ways you can save hundreds of dollars on your monthly grocery bill.”

6. List plenty of testimonials.

Show your prospects they won’t be the first to buy. It’s more effective to weave-in testimonials throughout your sales letter than to have a separate section for them. Give each person’s full name and Web address, and for extra power, post their photo and an audio testimonial as well.

7. Tell us why your product is such a great value.

How does the price of your product compare if I hired you one-on-one? For example, your manual is a great value at $49 if an hour consultation with you would run me $250.

8. Throw in a few great bonuses.

Offer special bonuses (preferably created by you) that are so good you could sell them alone if you wanted to. It could be a list of resources, a collection of articles, extra tips on a certain subject, or a free consu1tation.

9. Give an unconditional guarantee.

This puts your prospect at ease, giving her no reason to NOT buy. A few turkeys will take advantage of your generosity, but the amount of sales you GAIN from this strategy dramatically outweighs the risk.

10. Request immediate action by having a limited time offer just click online newsletter service.

Some sales pages use trick scripts to make it seem like the offer always ends on that day at midnight, but I find these insulting. If you really will be raising your price soon (and you always should be), list the exact date and stick to it. Otherwise just say it’s an introductory, limited-time offer.

11. Make it ABSURDLY CLEAR what to do next.

Nothing bothers me more than when I’m at a Web site, I have my credit card ready, and I can’t find the $%#& order link! Make your order process idiot-proof. Example: “Cl1ck below to 0rder n0w on our secure server.” Also sprinkle in order links throughout your page — some people will be ready to buy before they get to the bottom.

12. Make one last plea.

In your P.S., right after your signature, emphasize that I should act now. For example, “Don’t miss out on this great 0pportunity. Remember, you can buy n0w and change your mind at anytime.”

13. Don’t forget your contact information!

Readers WILL have questions, so provide an e-mail address on your site that you or someone else will check at least daily. Also, don’t you feel better buying from a Web site that lists a real address and phone number?

Want More Detailed Step-by-Step Help, With Examples You Can Model?

See my quick-start audio program, “The Secret, Simple Formula to Writing Web Copy That SELLS”.

How to Reach Thousands of Your Ideal Clients and Customers and Skyrocket Your E-mail List

Essays — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 14:32:48 +0000

One of the questions I’m asked the most by my clients is, “How can I most quickly build my e-mail list?”

My answer is, find someone who’s already reaching your target market in droves, and use THEM to build your list! How? With these three easy steps:

STEP 1: Determine exactly who your ideal client or customer is.

The more descriptive you can be here, the better. For example, don’t just think “men”. Think “men ages 18-40 who like sports and working out”. Don’t just think “small business owners”. Think “women owners of professional service businesses that do less than $1 million a year”.

Can you take on clients or customers who fall outside of this description? Of course! But you need to know who you’re going after.

Example: About three years ago, I spent a romantic summer week on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts. My beau was wonderful in letting me decide most of the activities we’d do each day. But there was one thing he definitely wanted to do at least once – go bluefishing!

Now I’m not sure if you could have guessed this, but I’m not really into fishing. ; )

But hey, I’ll try anything once, so off we went to the docks. Now, I figured we could go on any boat with any captain and do this. But no … we went with “Captain Dan the Bluefish Man” (who smelled like his specialty). Dan took us on his special boat to this special place off the island where the bluefish were, and we even used special bait that the bluefish liked. And we had great success – they just kept biting!

I realized that if you know exactly what you’re going after, you’re much more likely to get it. The same goes for reaching your target market.

STEP 2: Find other people, companies, or websites that are ALREADY reaching your target market en masse.

Sit down with a cup of coffee this weekend and do some online research regarding your target market. What sites are they already visiting? What newsletters or magazines do they already read? For example, if your target market is stay-at-home moms, find the most popular sites they visit. Find the most popular ezines they read.

Come up with a list of your top five websites and top five ezines that are already reaching your ideal client or customer.

STEP 3: Contact these websites and ezines and see if they will:

REVIEW your book, products, services, or ezine for their readers. If so, send them a review copy and follow up a week or two later. Request that when they run the review they mention your e-zine and direct people to your website to sign up.

accept guest ARTICLES. If so, then submit one of your best, with a short bio that links people back to your website to sign up for your ezine.

SWAP ads or recommendations for each other’s websites, products, or services. If you have an ezine that reaches the same target market they want to reach, this is a great win-win.

do a CO-REGISTRATION deal. If you already have a good amount of e-zine subscribers and website traffic, they may be open to adding your e-zine to their ezine signup form if you do the same on your part. (Ideally folks should just check a box to subscribe to the additional e-zine automatically.)

run a recommendation or ad in exchange for a COMMISSION on resulting sales. For example, you give them the ad to run, tagged with a link that lets you know if any sales come from it. (This is easy for you to do if you have an online affiliate program.*)

accept PAID advertising. Banner ads, text ads, and other paid placements obviously cost you money, but if it’s your only option and you really want to reach these folks, go for it. But be sure to track your results so you can see if it’s working. (You’ll need a link tracking program to do this.*)

And these are just a FEW ideas to get you started!

Remember, your #1 goal is to get people back to your site to sign up for your e-zine or other email list, because THAT is how you guarantee the chance to market to them repeatedly!

Get More Sales With These 5 Proven Headlines

Essays — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:47:42 +0000

It’s important to realize that headlines work best when they appeal to your reader’s interests (not yours). And not only can they *grab attention*, they can also make your message easy to read, convey your main selling points, and lead your customer to a sale.

Over the years copywriting pros have used several headline formulas that always work well. Here are my fab five:

1. The Question: “Are You Worried About Your Financial Future?”

A question headline automatically gets your readers involved in your message, because they answer it in their minds. Many people will read further into your letter, ad, or Web site copy just to find out what answer or solution you provide. Again, make sure the question focuses on the reader’s interest, not yours. A bad example would be: “Do You Know What New Product We’ve Created This Year?” (No one cares but you!)

2. The How-to: “How to Get Thinner Thighs in 30 Days.”

How-to headlines work very well, because people love information that shows them how to do something. (Thousands of book titles begin with “How to….”) Think of the benefits your product/service offers and then try creating some “how to” headlines email newsletter.

3. The Testimonial: “Jane Smith’s Consulting Is Pure Magic — Our Sales Have Increased by 30%!”

Why not let your clients do the selling for you? Their commendations can go a long way in convincing others to use your services. Tip: To appear credible, always include your clients’ full names and the cities they live in.

4. The Command: “Boost Your Business Today!”

Turn your most important benefit into a commanding headline, such as “Make More Time for Your Family,” “Look Younger Instantly!” and “Get 7 New Clients This Month.” (By the way, throwing a number into your headline is another good tactic. And readers seem to like odd numbers as opposed to even.)

5. The News: “Introducing Our New ‘Rest-Assured’ Tax Service!”

Caution: This only works if you truly have something big to announce that is of interest to the reader. (Something that will make her life or business better.) Don’t try to make news out of something that’s not.

Once your readers know you have something they’re interested in, they’ll take the time to read your entire article, brochure, letter, ad, e-zine, or Web page. So put some TLC into creating headlines that entice!

How Starting Your Own ‘Country Club’ Can Skyrocket Your Revenues!

Essays — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:47:50 +0000

My mom was visiting recently and during our mother-daughter shopping time I noticed something interesting. Almost all of the stores I made a purchase at asked me if I’d like to get on their mailing list. That’s very smart.

However, the WAY in which they did this made a big difference in my answer. I said NO to almost all of them because they simply did not make it enticing for me. I mean, who WANTS more junk mail? So if you simply ask me if I’d like to be on your mailing list, the answer will usually be NO.

But one store in particular got me. First of all, it was a designer clothing store I loved. Second of all, they didn’t ask me if I wanted to be on their mailing list. They invited me to become a “VIP Client”.

Say the words “VIP” to me and my ears perk up. It of course stands for “very important person”. And in general it indicates a level of advantage and prestige. Suddenly I WANTED to be on that mailing list, especially when the salesman explained to me it came with certain benefits, such as early notice on new arrivals, a personal shopping service, and private trunk shows.

And you know what? I would have even paid to be part of that – to be regarded as a VIP.

You see, people WANT to be part of something special like ezine advertising. The example above was free. But don’t underestimate how much your clients or customers will PAY to do that, either.

Example: A friend of mine recently shared he pays $15,000.00 a year to belong to the President’s Club of a local playhouse, even though he and his wife could attend each show there for just $150.00. Why would even a loyal attendee want to pay 100 times more? Special treatment like preferred seating, valet parking, invites to VIP functions, private restaurant for members only, networking with a higher level of people, etc.

Another friend of mine pays for membership at a private nightclub here in Los Angeles up on Sunset Blvd. for many of the same reasons (but more so, I believe, because it impresses his dates ; )).

My marketing mentor Dan Kennedy taught me there is a segment of virtually EVERY customer or client group or market who will happily pay FAR above standard prices for convenience, status, and special treatment.

I call it “country clubbing” your business. Why be the driving range with an hourly charge when you can be the classy six-figure membership club down the street? You can offer both of course, but look at what will skyrocket your business FASTER, with less transactions and higher quality clients.

One example of this is my private Platinum Mastermind program, which I launched in 2006 due to overwhelming demand for my personal coaching. This group of 15 serious small business owners each pay $15,000.00 a year to have greater access to me than anyone else, and in a small group setting where we meet 3 times a year at luxurious 4- and 5-star hotels and resorts.

My Platinums are, essentially, VIPs in my world! And because I maintain a bit of mystique about the group, people seem to want “in” even more. (One of my members got cornered in the ladies room at my last Online Success Blueprint Workshop by several attendees who demanded to know how they could get into Platinum!)

I share this not to impress you, but to impress upon you that in YOUR market (yes, *yours*) there IS a percentage of folks who will gladly pay MORE – much more – for a higher level of service or treatment. Remember, you’re not trying to please EVERYBODY, just the select few who can afford that level of service.

So now, take a minute or two and consider how YOU can start your own “country club” for your clients and customers. Whether it’s a VIP level of service or a private client group that meets a few times a year.

To get your wheels turning, imagine this… if you can get 10 people to commit to some type of program that is just $10,000.00 a year, that’s an extra $100,000.00 this year for YOU!

7 Marketing Lessons We Can Learn From TV Infomercials

Essays — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:50:53 +0000

I hate to share this, but I love watching infomercials. And I’ve ordered more than once from them! Everything from cosmetics to a cell phone accessory.

When pressed, my friends admit the same. If you sniff around most people’s homes, you’ll find SOMETHING ordered from an infomercial, whether it’s the Ronco Rotisserie or Victoria Principal’s skincare.

You may think of these often annoying programs as “trash TV”, but think again. Did you realize that they use many of the exact same strategies that we should?

Now, I don’t mean you need to scream at your customers or flash “$19.95″ in blinking digits on your website! Those are gimmicks. But what most people don’t realize is that many of the STRATEGIES that sell the kitchen doohickey gadget are the same ones that can also sell your products and programs.)

Here are 7 of my favorites:

1. They grab your attention.

Infomercials air on the most challenging medium there is out there: television. You’re just a second away from your prospect clicking their remote to the next channel. So they do their best to get your attention right away and KEEP it for as long as possible.

That’s why infomercials give bold statements and emphasize how this doohickey will change your life. You should do this too — stop beating around the bush and make it clear to your prospects how your products and services will change *their* lives!

2. They give tons of real-life testimonials.

You’ll see that TV infomercials have evolved greatly since years ago. It used to be one or two people talking to a camera for the entire time. These days most typical 30 minute spots are over 80% customer testimonials! And that’s for good reason… they are the hands-down BEST way to gain instant credibility.

A great example is for one of those home exercise machines. I noticed years ago they just showed the super-ripped guy using it on the infomercial. Now they show that guy, PLUS dozens of before and after testimonials from real-life guys with beer bellies and real jobs who used the product with success. That was a great move on their part, because c’mon, I just can’t believe that super-ripped guy got that hot looking using it just 30 minutes, 3 times a week!

3. They use personalities.

The most successful infomercials now use celebrity guest hosts. They know this gets people’s attention more than practically anything out there. Pro Activ uses Jessica Simpson. Youthful Essence (a skincare product I love) uses Susan Lucci. Even NutriSystem is now using Dan Marino in their commercials to target men.

You can do the same in your marketing. You can either hire a star, or even better, make YOURSELF the celebrity… by sharing stories, being personal, and having fun with your market.

4. They give an irresistible offer.

It’s rare these days to see an infomercial asking for you to pay for something in full. You’ll mostly see things like “3 payments of $19.95″ or “4 payments of $39.95″. Why? Cash-crunched Americans are always more concerned about cash flow than the total price. They’ll even happily pay much MORE in the end in order to gain a lower monthly payment!

You can do the same. Offer a payment plan for your products, courses, workshops, and coaching. You’ll be AMAZED at the increased response, and it’s easy to do with marketing-savvy shopping cart systems.

5. They give a strong call-to-action NOW.

These folks know that as soon as you change the channel, you’re going to forget about their product. So they make it very urgent that you pick up the phone and call them now or visit their website and order. They usually say something like “If you call in the next 10 minutes you also get…” and they list a few great bonuses.

This isn’t just specific to TV. Everyone would rather put off ANY decision these days, we’re all so busy and overwhelmed! So you need to give people a good REASON to act now, whether it’s a discount that expires, a payment plan that expires, a limited number of products or seats, a special bonus… you get the idea.

6. They sell on continuity.

What’s “continuity”? online newsletter it’s when you make ONE sale that results in multiple charges over and over. For example, because my friends have been raving about I.D. Bare Minerals natural makeup, I recently ordered a kit from their infomercial. Now, every 2 months, I receive a fresh supply in the mail, and my card is charged again. I love it because I don’t have to remember to reorder. They love it because they only had to make ONE sale, and how they’ve got me as a customer forever until I cancel!

Hear me now… continuity will change your life! Consider how you can use this principle in your business. Could you convert some of your current offerings into a monthly membership? Or instead of doing one-shot teleseminars, create an ongoing monthly program? (I did this with my Marketing & Motivation Mastermind.)

7. They repeat themselves. And repeat themselves.

And repeat themselves again! Smart marketers know it takes an average of 9 TIMES for someone to see/hear your message BEFORE they will even consider purchasing! That goes for you too. So many of my clients complain that advertising doesn’t work when they only ran one ad ONCE. Or published ONE newsletter and it didn’t get them results.

Remember it’s the ongoing exposure and repetition that breeds familiarity and trust with your prospects! And that leads to more sales than you’ve ever imagined.

Does Your Parking Lot Look Busy? Your Prospects are Watching

Essays — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:08:35 +0000

Twice a week I go to a great little massage place in the neighborhood, and right next door is a tiny Indian restaurant. The food always smells delicious when I walk by, and the owner excitedly waves at passersby. But there’s a reason why I’ve never gone in and given it a chance…

The restaurant is always empty!

When I walk by, I always think, “Hmm, maybe I’ll try that place for takeout one night.” But in five years I never have. I always end up going two doors down to the bustling Chinese place or the sushi place with the line out the door – even though I have to usually wait 20 minutes for my food to be ready.

What’s even funnier is that the food at those places isn’t even great, but I keep thinking I must be missing something since so many other people like it!

The saying is true… no one wants to eat at a restaurant where there are no cards parked outside.

We all go by the feeling of “safety in numbers” and look for what some people call “social proof” that something is good or works before we try it.

This is why it’s extremely important to use testimonials on your website, brochures, and marketing materials, and even in your talks and teleseminars.

And it’s even MORE important for people like us whose businesses don’t have parking lots. It’s up to US to show prospects they won’t be the first person ever to hire us or buy our products!

Simple idea, yes, but many people forget to use it in their marketing. (Even I forget sometimes, too.) But it’s extremely important. Whether conscious or subconscious, seeing testimonials for a product or service makes us feel “safe” when deciding to buy.

But please remember the big difference between a good testimonial and a lame one. Let’s look at two examples:

Example 1: “I’ve really enjoyed being a part of Alexandria Brown’s Gold Mastermind program and have found it great value for the money.” – E.B.

This one’s all right, says nice things, and gives the person’s initials. Problem is, there are no actual *results* shared here, and using initials-only leaves doubt about the authenticity of the testimonial.

Example 2: (and a real one, too!): “Since joining Alexandria Brown’s Gold & Platinum Mastermind programs last year, I’ve doubled my revenues and can directly attribute at least $100,000.00 to her ideas and advice. Believe me, you WANT to be a part of this exceptional group of entrepreneurs!” — Christine Kloser, Founder of “The Conscious Business Circle”, Red Lion, Pa., .ConsciousBusinessCircle.com

Now, let’s look at the second one. Much more effective because it’s results oriented. That is, it shares actual results the client/customer has gotten. Do whatever you can to include numbers, dollar amounts, and/or percentages — these will grab your prospect’s attention, let them know this is the real deal, and dramatically increase your response.

Also, the more information you provide about your clients and customers, the more believable and effective their testimonials will be. Include full name, occupation or company name, city and state they’re from, web address (if applicable), and a PHOTO. (Even a poor photo, if that’s all they have. It’s important to make them REAL to your reader.)

If you’re in a sensitive industry and clients don’t want their names revealed, then share as much as you can about them otherwise. For example, “– female Fox News executive, 38, Studio City, Calif.” While it’s not as good as giving their names, it’s better than nothing.

And remember, one of the best things about using testimonials is it’s much more effective for your clients and customers to rave about YOU than for you to rave about yourself. So let them “rave” and have fun with it!

BONUS TIP: Use Testimonials to Address Common Objections

If you really want testimonials to dramatically improve your response, make a list of the common objections your prospects usually have to buying your products or services. And then have at least one testimonial that addresses each. For example, when I first started selling my Boost Business with Your Own online newsletter system, I learned that some folks weren’t buying it because they thought they needed a website to get started. So I found a success story from one of my customers who had used the system and never even had a real website. And we created a testimonial that made sure to share that fact.

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