MLM The Easy Way - FSm Update http://www.blogmoneymiracle.com en-us EasyRSS
by Dave Starner

The beauty of E-zine advertising is that it's the most targeted form of advertising on the Internet. If, for example, someone has subscribed to an E-zine about fishing, then they are expressing a strong interest in fishing equipment, tips on improving their skills, travel packages, and an endless list of other possibilities.

This is why E-zines are such a good choice. As long as your ad relates closely to the theme of the E-zine, the person reading your ad is already halfway toward buying what you have to offer.

There are three types of ads that you can place in your chosen E-zine: a classified ad, a sponsor ad, and/or a solo ad.

The classified ad is the smallest and least expensive. This three- to five-line ad is often run in a block with other classified ads, one on top of another, similar to a page of classified ads in your local newspaper. These ads contain just a brief description with an E-mail or link to your Web site. They cost a few dollars, generally about half the cost of a sponsor ad.

A sponsor ad is placed at the top of the E-zine, often under a heading like: "Please support our sponsor." This ten- to fifteen-line ad will draw more attention since it is the first thing the reader sees when the E-mail is opened.

Sponsor ads are generally priced around twenty dollars.

The most effective, and naturally the most expensive, is the solo ad. This is not part of the E-zine, but instead goes out as an E-mail to everyone on the E-zine mailing list. The message is all about you and your product or service. This ad can be as long as 700 words, allowing you to go into great detail, and will cost in the neighborhood of forty to fifty dollars -- about twice the cost of a sponsor ad.

Some of the larger E-zines may ask for hundreds or even several thousand dollars for a solo ad.

Once you've written your ad and chosen an E-zine, the best way to proceed is to think like an educator. The most effective teaching method is repetition. Experienced teachers will cover the same information in several different ways. They might lecture one day, followed by a reading assignment and discussion, and then an essay, all on the same topic.

Very few people learn something thoroughly the first time they see it. And few people respond to an ad the first time they see it. Since you are trying to educate and motivate your target audience, you want them to see your ad more than once.

This is best done by first running a solo ad, then running a sponsor ad in the next two or three issues of the same E-zine. Finally, for the next five to seven issues, run a classified ad. The readers will see your ad for many weeks and begin to understand the message and warm up to your offer. They need time to mull it over, compare products and prices, and decide if they really need it.

Give them time, educate them, and they will buy.

Dave Starner is a former teacher and coach who markets E-books and software. Visit the Internet's #1 infoproduct site at www.ebooksnet.com and instantly download great E-books and software on Internet advertising and hundreds of other topics.

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by Chad McDonald

Successful businesses have many things in common. Let's look at the big 'R' of recognition and how a digital advertising network may help.

Recognition can be illustrated by two individuals entering a crowded room at a party. Both walk to the far side of the room. One of them slips through the crowd easily and unnoticed as they reach the far side. The second person takes much longer to reach the far side, because they are engaged in conversations along the way as they continue to meet acquaintances and friends down the path.

Which type of person would you like to model your business after?

Your business is in a continual battle for your customers' recognition, whether you know it or not. If you happen to be fortunate enough to be in a marketplace with very few competitors, that will not last for long. You need your business to be at the forefront of your client's minds so, that when they require your products or services, you are the go-to people.

Marketing your business is a necessity. Putting your name and logo out there and keeping it there is a must. This lets clients know that you are "still around" and in business. Frequency is a good way to achieve the "stand-out factor" in recognition.

I'm reminded of television and radio ads I've heard or seen in the past. They run continually, with a catch phrase or musical jingle, over and over again on the radio or television, until you are absolutely sick of hearing it. You also cannot get it out of your head.

Although this type of advertising is expensive, it can be very effective, and the recognition factor is quite high. Television and radio can reach a large audience, and they are broad in their appeal. In a brief sentence, you are paying to market to both those that are your potential customers and to a large segment of those who are not now and probably never will be your customers.

There are more economical ways to pursue frequency. The point is to define your target market demographic, and invest your marketing funds into the locations that will best be seen by them.

Another factor to consider: "Can I market myself in a place where I will stand out from my competition, or where my competition does not have a presence?" Why would you market yourself in a flyer or newspaper right beside your competition and risk blending into a crowd, and ultimately being ignored?

Another issue to look at is diversification. As the saying goes, "don't put all your eggs in one basket."

When you look at your advertising budget for the year, try to find the affordable solutions that will continue to reap during the full year of your advertising budget. An expensive radio or television promotion may give short-term gains for that weekend sale, but what about the rest of the year? Your clients may end up wondering, "Where did they go, I haven't seen or heard anything about them for so long."

Don't always look for the old stand-bys in marketing, but keep your eyes and ears open for the latest and greatest ways to market your business. With the costs of technology coming down dramatically, new options such as digital advertising on LCD and Plasma screens are becoming more and more affordable, and the paper billboards and posters are becoming a thing of the past.

With the flexibility, and curb appeal of full color and motion video footage with computer-generated graphics available to you, this is an option you don't want to pass by without a good look.

Ultimately, recognition is required if you want to get people "in the door" of your business (or on your Website for the new E-businesses). This is going to cost you money, time and effort up-front, any way you look at it. But, if you have successfully reached your target market, the payoff will be worth it.

Chad McDonald of ETA, a Canadian dynamic signage business with a digital signage advertising network (www.procontentsite.com/Digital_Advertising_Network.html) of LCD and Plasma screens.

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by Judith A. Wentzel

Do you have all the money you desire? Are you just making ends meet, living from paycheck to paycheck?

You can have a life of abundance. It can easily come to you, if you know how.

Having a job I adore, a loving relationship, and the life I desire allows me to lead through example. It enables me to show you how to attract what you desire into your life, just as I am doing in mine.

My life wasn’t always this great. I have had a lot of hard times and experienced more than my share of tragedy and heartache. It wasn’t until after my children had grown and moved away that I would discover what many other people already knew.

If you desire abundance, you must see abundance already in your life. Sound a bit ridiculous? It really isn’t. Let me explain.

In order to attract abundance, you must first have an abundance mindset. If you change your thoughts, you can change your life.

You may be thinking that you have an abundance mindset and have been focusing on more money, landing a better job, etc. Have you been thinking about having enough money to pay your bills off or get out of debt? If that has been your focus, it’s no wonder you haven’t attracted the money you desire. I’d bet you have continued to struggle with bills and incur debt. By simply placing these two negative thoughts (bills, debt) into your focus, you have subconsciously attracted more of the same types of issues/events to you.

An abundance mindset focuses on the lifestyle you would have living with abundance. Instead of thinking about the lack, focus on having plenty of money to manage all of your needs. Focus on having more than enough money for the things that you want.

Perhaps one of your desires is to be able to take a vacation. Focus on taking that vacation. Feel how wonderful it would be to do the things you desire. By thinking about taking a vacation and having more than enough money for the entire trip, you are focusing on what you truly want and developing a mindset that is in harmony with your desires.

Developing an abundance mindset may not be easy at first, but with a little practice, it will become your normal way of thinking. You will soon begin to see little signs of abundance coming into your life.

I suggest you take note of everything you experience, no matter how small, and be appreciative of it. For example, finding a penny on the sidewalk or getting a great parking space would be two examples of abundance. Having someone treat you to lunch is another.

When you begin to notice and appreciate the small things in your life, it will also help place you in a more receptive and allowing mindset. Keeping an abundance or gratitude journal is a great way of reminding yourself of all the abundance in your life.

Besides, if all of us would take just a few minutes out of our day to reflect on the nice things we have experienced, we would soon realize the abundance already present in our lives. It would brighten our outlook, raise our emotions, and allow us to be more of a magnet for attracting more of the same things to us.

Having a life coach can be extremely beneficial when it comes to learning how to attract your desires -- especially if they are trained in the Law of Attraction. Even Tiger Woods has a coach. Many coaches, myself included, offer complimentary consultative sessions so that people can experience the many benefits that working with a life coach has to offer.

Why not take that next step? Discover for yourself how easy it is to change your thoughts and change your life. You won’t be disappointed.

©2007 Judith A. Wentzel – Law of Attraction Coach, Life & Business Coach, EFT Practitioner & Image Smarter Marketing Specialist. Assisting individuals and small business owners to unleash the power within and skyrocketing their lives and business since 1997.
http://www.JudithWentzel.com
http://www.UsingLawOfAttraction.com
http://www.ImageSmarterMarketing.com

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by Julia Gulevich

You own an online business and you know that, to make money, you need a list of people, a list of passionate buyers who are hungry for your offer and will devour it when you send it out.

How do you create such a list? And, even more important, how do you maintain your list of prospects? It's not as easy as you probably thought at first.

You must have a "squeeze page" where people opt-in to your list. On that page, you should tell your prospects that the information they provide will be kept private and that they will receive only the newsletters they subscribe to, but not a whole lot of spam from different sources.

Don't forget to use the double opt-in model, because people may not remember that they opted in to your list. Using the double opt-in method, you ensure that all people on your list gave you the permission to send them your E-mails.

Your auto-responder E-mail messages should be mini-sales letters, including a solid content, to keep your list subscribed. And, finally, you want to send the E-mails at a regular basis, but not too often, so your subscribers don't forget who you are or get overwhelmed by your messages -- even worse!

It requires time, testing and measuring to choose the right E-mail marketing strategy and set it up in the right way, but it is well worth the effort in the end.

Here are three simple-but-incredibly-important rules, to set you on the right path with an E-mail newsletter:

1. Keep the line width up to 65 characters.

Most people read many E-mails every day. Your purpose is to compose your E-mail message so that it is not boring or fatiguing to read. The last thing your recipient wants to do is scroll his eyes from one side of the screen to the other. No matter how good your content is, if it is fatiguing to read, it risks being abandoned after just a few lines.

The optimum width of the line is around 65 characters.

You just type 65 symbols, for example, asterisks or dashes, across the top, and then measure your text returns against this. MS Outlook Express, NoteTab and some other E-mail programs allow you set the line wrap to any character width you require, so you don't have to hit "enter" every time you think you need to.

Another thing to keep in mind is that some E-mail programs force line-wrapping at 60 to 65 characters on E-mails received. So, if you send an Email wrapped at 100 characters, your reader will receive an E-mail that is broken down and looks strange. This makes it look unprofessional.

2. Don't write in ALL CAPS.

It's bad E-mail etiquette. It's like you're shouting at your reader. Nobody likes to be shouted at and, if you are trying to sell something at the same time, you won't make any sales. Even worse, you may lose some subscribers.

Some caps, underlining and bolding is necessary -- but don't abuse it! Too many caps, exclamation points, underlining and bolding work against you. An E-mail all in caps would destroy the reader's confidence very quickly.

3. Check your spelling and grammar.

Have you ever seen a Website, sales page or E-mail with spelling mistakes? What do you think about the professionalism of the owner or E-mail sender?

Some people may not pay attention to the mistakes, but for some people, one spelling mistake will completely destroy the credibility of the message.

It is very important to spell check your messages before sending them. If you have someone else to proofread your message before you send them out it's even better. A fresh look always helps discover the slips and mistakes that you might miss.

Your reputation and sales are in direct proportion with your messages. The better your message is, the higher the credibility of your readers and, thus, more sales you make. So, take the time to get it absolutely right.

Julia Gulevich is a technical expert associated with development of email marketing program: Email Marketing Utilities. Did you find those tips useful? You can learn a lot more here HTML Email Newsletter Guide (http://www.htmlemailguide.com/).

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by Trenton Moss

A higher search ranking is what many Website owners dream of. What they don't realize is that optimising their sites for the search engines, if done correctly, can also optimise it for their site visitors.

Ultimately, this means more people finding your Website, increased sales and increased lead generation.

But -- are search engine optimisation and usability compatible? Aren't there trade-offs that need to be made between giving search engines what they want and giving people what they want?

Read on and find out!

1. Keyword research carried out

Before you even begin building your Website, you should carry out keyword research to identify which keyword phrases your site should target. Using publicly available tools such as Wordtracker (http://www.wordtracker.com), you can discover which keywords are searched for the most frequently and then specifically target those phrases.

Doing keyword research is also crucial for your site's usability. By using the same keywords in your Website that Web users are searching for in search engines, you'll literally be speaking the same language as your site visitors.

For example, you might decide to target the phrase, "sell toys", as your Website does in fact sell toys. Keyword research would undoubtedly show you that Web users are actually searching for, "buy toys" (think about it - have you ever searched using the word, "sell", when you want to buy something?). By placing the phrase, "buy toys" on to the pages on your Website, you'll be using the same words as your site visitors and they'll be able to find what they're looking for more easily.

2. 200-word minimum per page

Quite simply, search engines love content - the more content there is on a page, the easier it is for search engines to work out what the page is actually about. Search engines may struggle to work out the point of a Web page with less than 200 words, ultimately penalising that page in the search rankings.

In terms of usability, it's also good to avoid pages with very little content. A page with less than 200 words is unlikely to contain a large amount of information, so site visitors will undoubtedly need to click elsewhere to find more detailed information.

Don't be afraid to put a reasonably large amount of information on a page. Web users generally don't mind scrolling down and, provided the page provides mechanisms to aid scanning (such as employing sub-headings - see point 6 below), it shouldn't be too difficult for site visitors to locate the information they're after.

3. 100kb maximum HMTL size

If 200 words is the minimum page content size, then 100kb is the maximum, at least in terms of HMTL file size. Anything more than this and search engines may give up on the page as it's simply too big for them.

A 100kb HMTL file will take 20 seconds to download on a 56k dial up modem. Add on the time it takes for all the other parts of the page to download, such as images and JavaScript files, and you're looking at a highly un-user-friendly download time!

4. CSS used for layout

The Website of Juicy Studios (http://www.juicystudio.com) saw a six-fold increase in site visitors after switching from a table-based layout to a CSS layout. Search prefer CSS-based sites and are likely to score them higher in the search rankings because:


* The code is cleaner and therefore more accessible to search engines
* Important content can be placed at the top of the HTML document
* There is a greater density of content compared to coding

Using CSS for layout is also highly advantageous for usability, as it leads to significantly faster download times.

5. Meaningful page title

If you know anything about search engine optimisation, you'll know that search engines place more importance on the page title than any other attribute on the page. If the title adequately describes the content of that page, then search engines will be able to more accurately guess what that page is about.

A meaningful page title also helps site visitors work out where they are, both within the site and within the Web as a whole. The page title is the first thing that loads up, often quite a few seconds before the content, so a descriptive, keyword-rich page title can be a real aid to help users orientate themselves.

6. Headings and sub-headings used

Search engines assume that the text contained in heading tags is more important than the rest of the document text, as headings (in theory at least) summarise the content immediately below them.

Headings are also incredibly useful for your human site visitors, as they greatly aid scanning. Generally speaking, we don't read on the Web, we scan, looking for the information that we're after. By breaking up page sections with sub-headings that effectively describe the content beneath them, scanning becomes significantly easier.

Do be sure not to abuse heading tags, though. The more text you have contained in heading tags within the page, the less importance search engines assign to them.

7. Opening paragraph describes page content

We've already established that search engines love content, but they especially love the first 25 words or so on each page. By providing an opening paragraph that adequately describes the content of the rest of the page (or the site, if it's the homepage), you should be able to include your important keyword phrases in this crucial area.

As Web users, whenever we arrive at a Web page, the first thing we need to know is whether this page has the information that we're after. A great way to find this out is to scan through the first paragraph, which, if it sufficiently describes the page content, should help us out.

8. Descriptive link text

Search engines place a lot of importance on link text. They assume that link text will be descriptive of its destination and as such, they examine link text for all links pointing to any page. If all the links pointing to a page about widgets say 'click here', search engines can't gain any information about that page without visiting it. If, on the other hand, all the links say, 'widgets' then search engines can easily guess what that page is about.

One of the best examples of this in action is for the search term, 'miserable failure'. So many people have linked to George Bush's bio using this phrase as the link text, that now, when miserable failure is searched for in Google, George Bush's bio appears top of the search rankings!

As Web users, we don't generally read Web pages word-for-word - we scan them looking for the information that we're after. When you scan through text, you can't take any meaning from the word 'click here'. Link text that effectively describes its destination is far easier to scan and you can understand the destination of the link without having to read its surrounding words.

9. Frames avoided

Frames are quite an old-school Web design technique and, although they aren't as commonplace as they once were, they do still rear up their ugly head from time to time. Using frames is one of the worst possible things you could do for your search engine ranking, as most search engines can't follow links between frames.

Even if a search engine does index your pages and Web users find you through a search engine, they'll be taken to one of the pages within the frame. This page will probably be a content page with no navigation (navigation is normally contained in a separate frame) and, therefore, they will have no way to navigate to any other page on the site!

Frames are also disadvantageous for usability as they can cause problems with the back button, printing, history and bookmarking.

Put simply, say "no" to frames!

10. Quality content provided

This may seem like a strange characteristic of a search engine optimised Website, but it's actually crucial. Search engines, in addition to looking at page content, look at the number of links pointing into Web pages. The more inbound links a Website has, all other things being equal, the higher in the search rankings it will appear.

By providing creative, unique and regularly updated content on your Website, Webmasters will want to link to you, as doing so will add value to their site visitors. You will also be adding value to your site visitors.

Conclusion:

Optimising your Website for both search engines and people needn't be a trade-off. With this much overlap between the two areas, you should easily be able to have a Website that Web users can easily find in the search engines and, when they do find it, they can find what they're looking for quickly and efficiently.

Trenton Moss is crazy about Web usability and accessibility - so crazy that he went and started his own Web usability and accessibility consultancy (Webcredible - http://www.webcredible.co.uk) to help make the Internet a better place for everyone.

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by Martin Lukac

Most of us been there when it comes to duplicate pages. You may have news, or articles from news companies that provide you with the news feed. Or you might have your Website designed by a third party that uses the same tools on all of their clients' Websites.

But, did you know that this duplicate content can LOWER your search engine rankings? In today's SEO (Search Engine Optimization)-driven Website world, it is important to avoid duplicate content as much as possible.

What are duplicate pages for search engines?

It is obvious that duplicate means the same as something else. For search engines, this means the same exact page, the same exact title, the same keywords etc. Search Engines send spiders -- for example Google's spider is called "googlebot," Yahoo has "yahoo slurp" -- to crawl your Website looking for and gathering content or information.

These spiders look for certain information: What is this page about? Is it relevant to your Website? etc.

If any of these search engines find the same content on a different Website, they start to compare the content. First they look when this content was indexed and from which Website it was submitted first to the search engines.

Then they start to look for links.

Are there any links on these pages that point to the same source? This way, search engine can determine who is the priority Website and they assign a higher rank to that site.

But -- what about rest of the Web-sites? What will happen to them?

If you have articles or news that are duplicate content, you Website will go lower in search engines. It may take some time until the search engines actually visit your Website and assign a duplicate content filter. But, eventually, the search engines will simply filter your Website out of their search.

What if you pay a licensing fee for these articles?

The only way for search engines such as Google to understand this, is when you E-mail them and explain your content. To do this, you will need to do a re-inclusion request.

What if you like free articles published on different article sites?

No matter what you do, the search engines will hit you with duplicate content, however, you can teach search engines about your content.

First, reduce the number of articles that you have copied. Get some new fresh well-written articles. Make sure that the majority of your content is your own and the rest is articles from other sources.

Second, articles must be related to your field. If you write about real estate, make sure you stick with real estate and finance articles only. Show search engines that you have categories and your readers benefit from these articles.

Third, do a re-inclusion request and wait.

In few weeks, you should see some movement in your site rankings. If it is not improving, reduce the number of articles again.

With free articles, it's a cat-and-mouse game all over. It's hard to figure out as how the algorithms are set in Google, for example, for duplicate content, in addition to the way Google deals with re-produced articles that you can freely post anywhere.

What if you have a Website that was designed by third party company?

Most Website companies use the same templates or similar templates. That's what they give you and rest of their clients -- the same and exact FAQ pages, About Us pages, etc.

You want to avoid this as much as possible. Always re-write these text blocks by yourself. This way, you will create unique pages for your Website.

Duplicating content is one of the biggest mistakes many Webmasters make when it comes to creating their Websites. Always try to create your own posts and, if you really want to expand your article base, make sure you provide valuable content to your users, not just another article Website.

Engine Promoter, (www.EnginePromoter.com) is a search engine marketing Website for search engine optimization and Website submission. Promote your Website and get top rotating positions on over 250+ search engines, including a niche Website submission. Engine Promoter also operates #1 Shopping Online and www.RateEmpire.com.

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by Robert Boduch

Postcards can be valuable marketing tools for any business. Here are a few ideas that will help you get the most from your own postcard marketing campaign.

The magic of these eye-catchers is that they deliver short, concise messages in the minimum amount of time -- perfect for the "time-poor" society we live in today. They get the important information across rapidly, with a quick and easy flip of the wrist.

You can take your idea from concept to distribution within just days. Since they can be produced in any quantity to suit any budget, postcards are great for businesses of all sizes. You could save a bundle on your marketing expenses by utilizing these simple two-sided pieces, instead of other more costly tools.

Currently - at least in the U.S. - postage costs are considerably lower for postcards vs. first-class mail. Unfortunately, this advantage is not available to marketers in other countries such as Canada. Full rates apply. Even still ... these attention-grabbers offer tremendous marketing opportunities to entrepreneurs and small business owners -- at any rate.

Postcards are most effective and profitable when used to:

* generate new leads
* follow-up with prospects as part of a campaign
* make an announcement to your existing mailing list
* thank customers for their patronage and invite them back with a special offer
* draw traffic to your Website

The key to success is to deliver instant impact. You've got to make your piece command immediate attention in your prospect's crowded mailbox. Catch the eye ... pique curiosity ... and unload your magnetic marketing message as quickly as possible.

Every card has two sides -- a front and back. Use the front side as leverage with maximum appeal to compel your prospect to flip the card over and get the full impact of your complete message.

Use the back of the card to unveil all the key benefits of your product or service... provide an strong offer to trigger action... and list prominently your contact information. You've got to make it lightening quick and unquestionably easy to respond. Eliminate any obstacles that might be in the way to getting the results you want.

As with any type of advertising, be sure to include a powerful headline. Your headline is key. It's the most important part of your postcard and should be featured prominently on the front side.

When you're sure you've got a headline that works, try enhancing it visually to make it figuratively jump off the card. One method is to use reverse-type (white text on a dark-colored background). Always use a larger font size, preferably in a bold typeface. Make it clear and unmistakable ... so prospects are sure to understand the message.

Consider employing graphic options such as cartoons only if they assist you in getting your message across. Use topnotch color photographs (like popular tourist postcards) when you can clearly tie the visual to the message in your headline.

The text of your postcard should be benefit-laden. Communicate to your prospect in clear, vivid detail all the advantages that s/he will enjoy by taking advantage of your offer TODAY. Stress the unique benefits unavailable elsewhere.

Include a few testimonials -- even if you have to shoehorn them in. Actually, this can be extremely effective as the eye is naturally drawn to anything on the page that is a little out of the ordinary.

Testimonials act as proof of your claims and help build your credibility as a reliable supplier. They also help overcome the fear many people have in trusting a vendor they haven't done business with before.

One absolutely essential ingredient of successful postcards is the offer. It must be promising and compelling. Give the reader an incentive to act now. Be clear and specific. Make responding a simple, one-step process.

If your postcard is sent as a "thank-you" to new customers after their first purchase, entice them back with a 17% discount on the next purchase. This approach transforms your postcard into a valuable coupon that's worth something in terms of redeemable value. Since recipients have already bought from you, most would be happy to do it again at a substantial discount.

The mission of your postcard is to inspire a positive response. Always keep that objective clear in your mind as you plan your strategy.

To maximize results, craft a targeted message and make it easy for recipients to take action. This means providing clearly legible contact information -- whether it's a telephone number, fax, mailing address, or Website.

Keep in mind that everyone has a preferred method - people like to respond in different ways.

Providing various response options eliminates another cause of inaction. The more of these objections you address, the more likely it is your postcard campaign will be a rousing success!

Interested in lauching your own profitable postcard campaign? Drop me a line right this minute and I'll help you get the results you want - guaranteed!

More resources at www.makeyoursalessoar.com

Robert Boduch is an author of dozens of best-selling books, reports and articles on the art and science of selling. A free newsletter targeted at anyone interested in selling more of anything is available at www.makeyoursalessoar.com .

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by Donald Lee

Have you ever wondered why your perfectly fine classified ad fails to attract the attention you desire? There should be dozens -- no, hundreds of perspective buyers swamping your E-mail inbox with offers. After all, you are offering a mint baseball card, a vintage coat, pristine used car, those wholesale-priced sporting goods, and whatever other attractive items are in your inventory.

Instead, you only have a slow trickle of questions, a handful of sales.

What gives? More than likely, your sales are slow because you have not mastered the three techniques of writing a classic classified ad.

Give yourself credit for recognizing one important facet of today's selling world. You decided to sell your stuff at an online classified site. As anybody in the business knows, online classified ads get you more privacy, a broader selection of buyers, and a wealth of tools to help you keep tabs on your transactions.

When compared to a newspaper, cyberspace is also a wee bit more spacious. There are billions of pages on the Web, and only a few dozen in your typical neighborhood rag. For you, that means a lot more space for your ad to say the least.

With that space, however, comes great responsibility and great potential. The extra room gives you the freedom to include as much product description and sale copy as you want. You can't just slap together a whole bunch of information, though. You need to use the three special ad writing techniques that will attract buyers and seal the deal: attention, interest, and action.

Attention

Make sure the buyer stops at your ad instead of the thousands upon thousands of others out there in cyberspace. Your ad's title is the first lure to grab his or her attention, and the first component of a catchy title is the item's best feature, whether it's the price, the item's rarity, or its popularity.

Next, be sure the title includes keywords or other synonyms for your item that a buyer might use in a search. For instance, a buyer could search for "automobile" instead of "car," "pullover" instead of "sweater."

Interest

Once you have the buyer's attention, hook them with details. There is a direct relationship between the amount of information you provide and the number of sales you'll make. Describe the item as completely as possible -- size, color, material, designer, model -- and provide a clear, digital photo to finish the job where your words leave off.

Offer your prospective customer the item's history, if possible.

Also, try to list as many possible benefits that your sale item could offer the buyer. Come up with some that the buyer probably wouldn't think of on his or her own. And zone in on specific benefits.

Use what you already know about your target. For instance, if you were selling a car, you know that whoever is looking at your ad is in need of a vehicle. If your car is compact, perhaps the buyer is in search of great gas mileage. Or perhaps it's power he or she wants, if your car is a sports model.

Action

Finish your ad strongly. Don't just suggest to the buyer that you offer a great deal. Tell them it's a fantastic offer that they can't pass up. Use phrases like "Call me now, before someone else does" or "Buy now, this opportunity won't last long."

Be cordial while you're pressing the issue. Thank them for reading your ad and make sure they know you appreciate their business.

Most importantly, your customers will also value your honesty throughout the whole ad. Whether it's the attention, interest, or action you're shooting for, never lie or exaggerate. Go so far to include any defects, if your product is not in mint shape.

Your honesty will build trust, and trust, above all else, makes an ad work. What's more, it makes for repeat customers.

Remember, if you use all three of these elements -- or four, if you include honesty -- when you're finished with it, it should read something like the two examples below.

Example 1:

Discover the beauty of a Forest Hill Home
2500 sq. ft. home, 4 bedroom, 3 baths, double garage, upgraded kitchen, 12 ft. ceilings
This open concept house is situated in a historical landmark district of Rhode Island. It's a wonderful neighborhood to raise your family, with nearby schools and amenities.

(Insert your image or photo here.)

Call for an on-site appointment. Thanks for looking!

Example 2:
Looking for an inexpensive used car that drives well? Only $4,950.
2003 Honda Civic, Limited Edition, 65,000 miles, manual transmission, CD, AM/FM radio, power steering, low maintenance. Great on gas - this car will save you $$$ on high gasoline prices.

(Insert your image or photo here.)

Send me a message now. Thanks for looking!

Donald Lee is the public relations manager for Buysellcommunity.com. Buysellcommunity provides free classified listing services for individuals and businesses to market their products and services online. For global and localized classifieds, please visit http://www.buysellcommunity.com -- Free Buy and Sell Classifieds.

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by Willie Crawford

One of the newest buzzwords in the Internet marketing niche is co-reg leads (short for co-registration leads). The recent release of a very good product called Pipeline Profits has started a lot of open discussion about something that seasoned Internet marketers have long known about, but also rarely openly discussed.

My definition of generating a co-registration lead is "capturing the permission to send someone more information on a topic in the process of them doing something else."

Examples of generating a co-registration lead include:

1) You register a piece of software and, in the process, you check a box on the form asking for information on the products and services of the company or its associates.

2) You download a free piece of software or other gift and, in the process, you check a box requesting any of several ezines offered on the order form.

3) You enter an online drawing or prize contest and, in the process, you check a box requesting more information on building an online business.

4) You sign up for a free email account, or to use an online service and, in the process, you check boxes asking for more information on a variety of niche topics that can range from business, to health, to pets, to... “you name it.”

5) You subscribe to an ezine on a webpage and, in the process (or on the confirmation page), you are invited to subscribe to any of several other related ezines.

Number five is a technique that I have used with success. You and your partners jointly grow each other’s lists.

All of these are examples of generating a co-registration lead. In the process of taking one action, your prospect can also "co-register" for something else.

The process has been in-place for a very long time and is used by some VERY big companies. The recent product release that dealt with the topic focused on using co-reg leads to generate Website traffic. In that system, leads are generated using techniques similar to the ones outlined above, and then, in the follow-up process, the person who obtains the leads drives them to a Website and, eventually leads them to make a purchase.

The recently released Pipeline Profits is something that I checked out thoroughly, and saw as worth adding to my Web business arsenal. They have eight different videos posted on their Website that do a great job of explaining what their system is. You can watch all of those videos via "inner circle" connections at: http://TheInternetMarketingInnerCircle.com/co-regs/ Scroll to the very bottom of this page for the links to each of those free videos.

My first in-depth understanding of the nature of co-reg leads was from conversations with Edward Thorpe. Ed is now an old and treasured friend. Ed wrote an ebook, that he most recently updated December of 2006, which is entitled "Co-reg Secrets." Co-reg Secrets is available at: http://CoregistrationMasters.com

In his ebook, Ed asserts that "all co-reg leads are junk." That's a pretty bold statement in an ebook that teaches you how to use co-registration leads to build a list and grow your business.

Ed explains that this is true because, until you build a relationship with the individuals behind those "leads," they are worthless. They don't know who you are, don't trust you, and aren't even certain how you got their names and email addresses.

As Ed explains in his ebook, and Buck and Brock explain in Pipeline Profits, there are different qualities of co-reg leads. Some of the factors that distinguish one batch from another are:

1) Whether or not the box confirming that they want to receive the additional information was pre-checked. If it's pre-checked, realize that, since no conscious opt-in action is required on the subscriber's part, they may inadvertently subscribe.

2) Whether or not they are incentivized to join as many lists as possible. If they get some kind of points or prize just for joining lists, then there's a higher probability that they have no real interest in the topics of the lists.

3) How fresh the co-reg leads are. There are systems that deliver the leads to your autoresponder system as soon as the form is filled in. This is what is advocated by Pipeline Profits. There are many "list brokers" who sell lists that are anywhere from hours old to MONTHS old.

Generally, the older a list, the more "dangerous" it is for an online marketer to use it. The problems with older leads are that the person may not remember having requested information on the topic, AND the person has probably been contacted by so many others that they are now ready to "choke" the next online marketer who contacts them.

There are numerous other factors that determine the quality of co-registration leads and how useful they are in building your online business. There are numerous ways of using them in your business, and some of them can very quickly cause your business to get shut down, or can generate lawsuits from businesses that feel you have tarnished their images.

Seeing all the confusion in the marketplace on the topic of co-reg leads, I tracked down Ed Thorpe, who is semi-retired, and talked him into doing a recorded teleseminar with me. In the teleseminar, I grill him on a topic that he first wrote about at the turn of the century :-)

Like me, Ed has spent a decade online building a very successful business by teaching others what actually works. Like me, Ed believes that you benefit the most by giving. In fact, one of Ed's email signature files reads, "He who helps the most people - wins." That's the person I want in my corner, and when it comes to a topic as confusing as using co-registration leads in your online business, he is the person you should learn from. I consider him "the grand master of co-reg leads knowledge."

You can access the teleseminar with Ed at: http://CoregMasters.com

Hopefully, we have cleared up the confusion of exactly what a co-reg lead is, how it might fit into your business model, and where to learn more on this fairly complex topic.

co-reg lead, co-registration lead, lead generation

Willie Crawford (http://www.WillieCrawford.com) has been uncovering and teaching real internet marketing insider information for more than 10 years. Don't miss his in-depth recorded discussion of co-registration leads (or "co-reg leads") with Ed Thorpe, author of "Co-Reg Secrets." Get the truth about co-reg leads at: http://CoregMasters.com .

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by Kirk Bannerman

Working at home in your own home based business has sort of a natural appeal for an ever increasing number of people.

The reasons people express for wanting to work from home are many and varied, but most home based business owners cite the ability to set their own hours as a major factor in their decision to work at home. However, many people that have work at home businesses often fall into a trap that flies directly in the face of their stated desire for time flexibility.

The strong growth in home based business activity continues and, according to the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, fifty-two percent of ALL small businesses are home-based.

Some home based business owners have been known to become "workaholics" because their office is so accessible. Don't become a slave to your business ... get out of your home office regularly to renew and revitalize yourself.

Close the door to your office or otherwise remove yourself from your designated "work area" and go into your "home" area to live your personal life. If your business involves the use of the telephone and you find it difficult to ignore a ringing phone in the office, simply turn the ringer off and turn the volume on the answering machine way down. If your business is Internet-based, just turn off your computer (or at least get away from the monitor and keyboard).

As a work at home business entrepreneur, you certainly aren't required to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week just because your business is located in your home. After all, your office or workspace is just an area in your home ... its not your home itself!

Working and living under the same roof has a host of advantages, but it can present some challenges (in addition to the workaholic syndrome mentioned, above) and stress factors.

Here are four ways to create a less stressful home business environment:

1). Remember why you wanted to become involved with a home-based business (i.e. more time for family, work schedule flexibility, etc.)

2). Have discussions with your family members and get their input about the working arrangements and the amount of time they want with you.

3). Use good time management techniques. Keep a list of tasks by order of importance. There are many low-cost and effective "day planners" or "organizers" readily available today.

4). ALWAYS take a little time to "smell the roses."

While not experiencing the negatives common to a corporate office working environment, the home-based business owner may occasionally experience stresses and frustrations that are unique to working at home. Networking with other home-based and small business owners provides an opportunity to connect with others who may be experiencing the same stresses/frustrations that you are. Sharing stressful and/or frustrating issues with someone else in the same situation can relieve your stress and may bring you good advice from a different point of view.

As a final note, remember to observe Home-Based Business Week each year (it is always the week of October that includes the second Tuesday).

Kirk Bannerman operates his own successful home based business and also coaches others seeking to start their own home based business. For more information, visit his Website at Legitimate Home Based Business (http://www.business-at-home.us/) .

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by Shrinivas Vaidya

Do you know that all you need is 95 characters to survive on the Internet? The online world is not at all different from the usual offline world -- what we call the real world. Google, the busiest search engine on the Internet, started to sell advertising space on the search engine result pages in March, 2002. Instead of talking about this system, I'd like to try to answer a few questions.

* How does the system work?

It's very simple to understand. You go to Google.com, do a search and, when the search results show up, apart from the normal search results, Google also shows the ads of those advertisers who have decided to pay for that particular keyword to Google. The "paying" process in this case is a "bid" because pricing and position are determined on an auction basis.

* How much are the bids on keywords?

This is very difficult to answer. It's like real estate rates ... they entirely depend upon demand and supply of information for which the keyword is associated to.

But, one very important point here is that Google AdWords is a Pay Per Click system. This means it costs nothing to just show your ads on the Google search results pages. But, if someone clicks on your ad, Google will charge your credit card the bid mount that you have selected.

* What kinds of ads can I write?

These are normal text ads, limited to 25 characters for the title, 35 characters for the first description line, and 35 characters for the second description line. These total just 95 characters (including spaces). That's it. You get just 95 characters to show your creativity and drive traffic. Below these words, Google will also display the Website address you're advertising.

* How much time does it take to show up the ads on the search result pages?

Instantly. The moment you save your ad in the account panel, your ad becomes "active" and, depending upon the demand for the keywords you have selected, you start receiving traffic to your Website.

* How many keywords can I bid on for a given ad.

It entirely depends upon how much targeted traffic you want to your Website. It's quite obvious that bidding on more keywords will expose your ad to more search results and, thus, you can expect more traffic.

The AdWords system has a facility to create ad groups within your account and each ad group can take up to 1000 keywords.

This was a simple overview of the Google AdWords system for beginners. I hope it will help encourage you to study, in depth, more AdWords strategies that can create wonders for your online business.

Copyright, Shrinivas Vaidya

AdWords is the registered trademark of Google Inc.

Learn how ordinary people are earning a loads of cash with AdWords. Subscribe to a FREE 5-day FREE e-course and get the insiders secrets that can double your Website traffic by spending less even on highly competitive keywords. Visit http://www.PayPerClickWonders.com to start TODAY.

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by Ken Chee

WIIIFM stands for "What Is It In For Me?"

This is an extremely important marketing concept when you want to market or sell yourself, an idea, a product, a company, a partnership or whatever you wish to sell to anyone. Here's the truth -- with compassion, because no one cares about what you do or how good your concepts/products are but, rather, how can you benefit them.

Let me show you two real-life examples:

1. I received this email from a blog, in my mailbox, earlier this week,

"Hi Ken,

Long heard about your stories from rags to riches. I'm very interested in your way of skills, interested to share some experiences with me. I'm interested in getting rich myself and being a speaker/presenter.

Any means of contacting you apart from email?

Thanks

Regards XXX"

Notice how this person phased the question? "I am interested to...", "I want to...", "I'm interested in getting rich myself..." etc.

I'm happy that this particular individual has such aspiration and desire. Great! But, where is the win/win situation here? WIIIFM?

Seriously, why should I help, apart from humanitarian reasons?

One of my young friends, Adam Wong, understood this marketing concept. Instead of asking his mentor, Adam Khoo, to coach and guide him to become a millionaire, he went to Adam Khoo and offered to help him market his IP materials online, because Adam Wong is keen in Internet Marketing himself.

In the process, he gets private time with his mentor and observes and models after his mentor, while making money online for his mentor and for himself. Smart chap.

Warren Buffett understudied and worked for his mentor, Benjamin Graham, to gain mastery on value investing.

One of my ex-staff, Jimmy Han, came to me one day and said this, even after I told him that we are not hiring because of budget: "Ken, I'm willing to work for you for $500 a month plus commissions, for a year, because I want to learn about marketing and advertising." He did. Now, he's running a start-up business using his new-found marketing and advertising insights, with another EAP graduate, Mike Sim, dealing with laptop computer accessories.

This is his email to us:

"...I would like to thank both Azhar and you for being my mentors during my stay in Just Media. Thank you and I have learnt a lot from you guys.

Cheers, Jimmy Han Qiyong"

2. I receive a phone call and an email marketing proposal today!

Happy new year.

I'm a EAP graduate of Executive Directions 2006. It's great to know you at the boot camp.

I've set up a company named XXX International Pte Ltd. We conduct events, such as conferences, forums, seminars etc., that build on 'People' through engaging people in the public, private and people sectors.

We are planning to launch a 'people action forum,' to kick off the platform for people in the corporate and community to learn, network and exchange, to further develop in their own organisational and community initiatives.

XXX International will be featuring presentations by professional speakers or trainers, keeping with the theme 'People for Success.' Speakers are invited for presentations that share real insights,experiences, knowledge and expertise. We aim to promote people engagement to foster and strengthen community relations and engagement with corporate groups in furthering organisations' objectives through the network exchange platform.

The program includes an opening performance from people sector at the forum and a dinner after the forum, to bring light moments to participants.

The event is targeted to see a gathering of 200-350 performance managers and leaders from corporates (public and private) and people sector.

As this is a newly incorporated company, I would be pleased to have your views or suggestions of how we can work from here with your expertise and resources.

The areas that we're looking forward to besides, event organisation are: a. sourcing for speakers, invitation of Guest-of-honour. b. marketing communication or advertising to carry messages across effectively, in reaching public, speakers, potential partner organisations. c. building up of teams and subsequent programs and activities.

More information of the company is at website: www.xxx.com.

I would be glad to answer your queries moving forward and any recommendations.

Looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you.

Have a good day.

Best Regards

XXX XXX International Pte Ltd tel: XXXX XXXX>

Now, my intention is to support EAP network and we grow together. One of my key secret of securing big deals successfully: I ALWAYS LISTEN AND ASK QUESTIONS FIRST!

In fact, ask good marketing and personal questions. I will explore and understand the pain/ desire/ challenges that my partners and clients are facing. I will then evaluate whether my company service or marketing/advertising expertise can add value to them.

I am sorry to say that this particular graduate email did not trigger my interest, however, because he/she did not even attempt to understand my needs! The above email is what I call features/data dumping.

Now, before you approach and market your great idea/product to your partners or clients, next time, pause and ask: What Is In It For them? I'm sure you will achieve a better result!

Ken Chee is the Group CEO of Integrated Media Group Pte Ltd. The companies specialize in ROI (Return on Investment) marketing and have spearheaded regional and local campaigns in Asia. Visit www.kenchee.com for IDEAS THAT SELL!

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by Chiun Masters

It's the 21st century, and you're already aware of the rapid changes and development that your industry is going through, almost on a daily basis. It's becoming more and more competitive, and you need to grab every advantage that you can possibly get over your competitors.

The Internet seems like a good way to reach out to more customers and close bigger sales, but how would your small company stack up against the hundreds, or even thousands of companies selling products and services similar to yours online?

If you want to grab yourself a piece of real estate on the Web, you basically start by creating your company's Website. Your Website serves as your company headquarters, in a virtual sense, and just like in the real world, it is where your potential customers go to visit and learn more about your company and what it has to offer.

It's also commonplace for businesses to closely monitor their competitors' Websites, to see what they're up to and to learn anything they can.

In short, it's all about information. The Internet isn't called the "Information Superhighway" for nothing, you know.

But, having a company Website is one thing; promoting your business and marketing your products and/or services is a whole different matter. People need to know that your company is on the Internet; otherwise your Website would be pretty useless. Even so, you need to remember that almost everyone, from billion-dollar Fortune 500 conglomerates down to a tiny florist in Idaho, is bent on making its presence felt on the Web.

So -- how can a small company like yours compete?

One of the most widely-used and most effective methods that Webmasters and Net-savvy businessmen use is link-building. Used effectively, it can be one of the single best techniques you can have for getting people to your Website, and thus promoting your company's products and/or services.

First, it's important to know that 85% of the people looking for a particular type of business look for it using a search engine like Yahoo!, MSN and Google. It's like the equivalent of a phone directory. And -- those people usually don't bother looking for companies beyond the first three to four pages of the search results. That's why it is most critical for a company to be listed in the first few pages following a keyword search.

Because major search engines now consider link quality and link popularity as part of their ranking algorithms, link building has become more critical than ever. Simply put, if you don't have links, you won't rank well for competitive keywords.

Links are one of the most useful, and therefore one of the most important ways, for visitors and potential customers to find your site. With quality and efficient link building, the search engines can find your company faster and rank you higher on their search results, so people can find you easier.

It's all about getting traffic to your Website. By traffic, I mean people.

If a Website is new and needs immediate traffic, they can get advertising with one of the three biggest search engines, Google, Yahoo! or MSN. Each search engine offers a unique program in which Websites appear in search results for specific keywords. This is the fastest way to get immediate traffic.

But, just getting advertising on these search engines won't be enough to get you the results you need. If you're serious about getting the most out of link building, it's recommended that you find a good, reliable SEO or link building company to handle these jobs for you. These companies already have the experience and the expertise to produce quality links for your Website, and some of them also provide advertising for the major search engines as part of their package, so you'll be getting the most out of your money.

Another good reason to outsource this part of your online business is the savings. Companies routinely outsource payroll processing, accounting, sales and marketing tasks -- just to name a few -- in order to cut costs. Outsourcing converts fixed costs into variable costs, releases capital for investment elsewhere in your business, and allows you to avoid large expenditures in the early stages of your business.

Aside from reducing labour and training costs, companies can also get new projects started faster with outsourcing. Experienced businessmen already know that companies who do everything themselves -- research, marketing, manufacturing, distribution -- have higher expenses, all of which have to be passed on the customers.

To sum it up, link building is one of the better and more reliable methods of getting traffic to your Website. However, more traffic doesn't necessarily mean more sales. It all depends on the quality of the links you have. Outsourcing link building jobs to reputable and experienced companies will help your company get permanent, legitimate and relevant links for your targeted traffic, and will also help your site achieve higher search engine rankings.

All this for a fraction of the cost it will take for your company to handle the job on its own, plus the obvious benefits of having knowledge and expertise on the job. If you're serious about putting your smaller company on a more even stage with the big guys, this is one great way to go.

Chiun Masters is a contributing writer and researcher for MaxWeb, www.HelpWeNeedGifts.com, and other assorted Websites. He loves searching the Net for unusual gifts, aside from spending time with his other interests such as blogging and lurking around in forums.

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by Jeff Mulligan

The other day, I was talking to a guy at the health club I just joined. (Never had time when I was working for someone else.)

We started talking about our personal trainers. If you aren't familiar with the term, these are fitness experts who are educated to design work-out routines based on an individuals strengths, needs and goals.

Anyway, Rick said something that struck me right between the eyes. "I got so confused reading all the books and fitness magazines. Everyone has a different opinion of what works the best. I finally figured if I was going to work out, I might as well pick one expert, listen to them and follow their program."

Later, as I was driving my sore body home, I thought about how appropriate Rick's comment was to Internet Marketing.

Everyone's an expert. (Even people who have yet to sell their first eBook.) And there are a million programs, books, secrets, techniques and tactics that will work for you.

The problem is, you can easily fall into what my favorite business school professor called, "Analysis Paralysis".

That's where a lot of people are stuck.

They keep reading, and it gets in the way of actually doing something.

***** I was guilty *****

I was guilty of this, too. I must have bought several hundred dollars worth of books and courses before I found what worked for me.

Fortunately, the expert I decided to follow was, in hindsight, an excellent choice. And by following his advice and listening to his ideas, I have built up a couple of successful income streams.

My point isn't that my "guru" is the right one for everyone.

The point is to pick one or maybe a couple of people you really respect, and model them. Of course, make sure they are actually successful in their own businesses first.

But, when you find someone you respect and whose style you like, listen to their advice and follow what they recommend in their writings.

***** Save Your Brain *****

Following this strategy can save lots of brain cells that you would spend switching strategies and tactics. It avoids confusion and gives you a good point of reference from which to work.

You don't have to keep reading and searching for the latest eBooks. Assume your guru knows the latest tactics and will advise you of how well they work.

I'm not saying you never look at another eBook or eZine again, but, when you have one primary star you follow, it's that much easier to find your way.

Jeff Mulligan has an MBA and 20+ years of marketing experience as an ad agency Senior VP and VP Marketing for two software companies. Jeff owns CBmall, a site that provides 15 different ways for ClickBank affiliates to earn income on 1,997 ClickBank InfoProducts. http://www.myownmegamall.com .

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by Maria Markella

One thing is certain in this cruel Internet marketing world: Competition is huge. Especially when trying to write that classified ad to promote a sale, or that adwords ad. Here are some things to keep in mind when writing ads. Follow these rules and make your ad stand from the rest.

Before I begin, I'm sure you've heard that you've only got a few seconds to capture a prospects' attention and make the sale.

Is that enough time to convince someone that your product or ad has something special about it? It's not. That's why you should be extra careful when writing those small ads. Not only do you have to capture your reader's attention, but you have to convince them that your ad will lead them to what they're looking for.

Here are some tips:

Writing killer ads tip#1: The headline.

Maybe you've heard that when it comes to small ads, the headline is the most important part of your ad. Try to keep your headline to 6-8 words. Try to present what your product will help the customer do in a clear and concise way.

Do not capitalize your headline or you'll scare your customer. Many people will even think you yell at them. Instead, capitalize the first letter of every word. Also, use descriptive words to make a clever call to action through the rest of your ad.

Writing killer ads tip#2: Do you have something free to offer?

Maybe a report or an ebook to help you grow your prospect list. This is important. Try to use this free offer to grab your reader's attention. Mention the free offer when writing your ad.

We all like free stuff. I don't know about you, but when I see a small ad with a free offer, I could easily click on it. That's also the case for most Internet users.

Writing killer ads tip#3: Unless you are a successful copywriter or Internet marketer or someone who is otherwise exceptionally talented at writing ads, you need to imitate the successful players.

There are thousands of ads all over the Web. Almost any Website utilizes Google adsense. Those ads are Google adwords ads and they have been approved by the Google staff. Take some time to look at what others are writing and how they choose to promote their products. Pay attention to those ads that are pointing to popular Websites or big companies. How do they write their ads?

Writing killer ads tip#4: Always test the results of your ads. Over and over again.

Don't just write an ad and wait for customers to click and purchase the product. Sometimes, ads needs revising. Try to make small changes and re-test. If you get better results, then use that change you've made to revise your other ads, too.

It's a good idea to test and make changes to one ad at a time. That way you'll easily spot the magic change that made the difference.

Writing killer ads tip#5: Always proof-read what you write. Also, make sure the links are working correctly.

We all hate careless spelling mistakes and non-working links. Even if your ad is really eye-catching and convincing, there's no way to disappoint a reader more than to send him to a "Page Not Found" link and, even more, to the wrong address. Always pay attention to those small details.

Detail matters.

Happy ad writing! I hope you write the killer ad that will make you stand from the rest of the millions of ads out there.

Here's an unusual way to create and test your ads without going through the pain of proof-reading, revising and testing over and over again. This unique ad writing software (http://www.digitalstarproducts.com/star/-detail-60.html) will help you write killer ads and instantly test their effectiveness. It will help you proof-read your ads and allow you to compare them in milliseconds with thousands of other similar ads written by others. It will then tell how much your ad scored. That way you'll know how your ads will perform before you even publish them!

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by Kirk Bannerman

For reasons that I no longer remember, I kept sort of a diary during my first full year of working at a home-based business. It was nothing close to being a complete daily diary. It was more just a collection of scribbles about things that I felt were worthy of note at the time.

Since several years have passed since I wrote that diary, I decided to revisit these notes, out of curiosity.

In no particular order, here are some of the things that I made note of:

Choosing the path...

in the beginning, my enthusiasm was very high (perhaps too high?) and I was chasing off on several different home-based business opportunities at the same time (exhibiting the "dog in a meat market" syndrome, I suppose) and not focusing my efforts enough to be successful at any one of them.

I finally reigned myself in and focused on a single work at home business opportunity.

In other notes, I find reference to emotional and/or psychological issues that I experienced and are probably typical for most people when starting a home based business. When working at home a person can, at times, experience a feeling of isolation which is probably brought on by the lack of interaction of a work force environment.

There were also periods of doubt in the early going ... did I pick a viable business opportunity? ... am I doing the right things to develop my business? ... when will I start making a profit?, and
so on.

Many of the entries in my so-called diary had to do with the proverbial "two steps forward and one step backward" thing and the ever-looming temptation to become discouraged. Although I
didn't appreciate it at the time, it is now obvious that as long as you have more steps forward than backward, you will eventually get ahead!

Isn't hindsight wonderful?

Other entries reflect the fact that relatively minor events can seem huge in the early stages of developing a work at home business and can really contribute to an emotional roller coaster ride. For example, if you are just starting out and you have two customers/clients and you lose one ... that's a 50% drop! However, if you fast-forward in time to the point where you have hundreds of customers/clients and you lose one ... that's just a mere fraction of 1%! Same event, just at a different point in time.

Looking back on it now, some of the stuff I recorded now seems humorous, but I'm pretty sure that was not the case at the time I made the notations.

Kirk Bannerman operates a successful home based business and coaches others seeking to start their own home based business. Visit his Website at http://www.business-at-home.us for more details.

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by Laurie Hayes

One of the most powerful words that can help you save time, increase productivity, feel better about yourself and reach your goals faster and easier is only two letters long! The problem is, it’s almost the most difficult word to use.

Discover how to put this little powerhouse to work for you without guilt or fear.

A common characteristic shared by successful home business owners is the steadfast, almost fanatical way in which they guard their time.

Large corporations and businesses hire people and spread the responsibilities and, although I highly urge you to leverage your time by surrounding yourself with people who will take care of lower return activities, there is still no escaping the many interruptions and distractions that are a part of home business life.

People who play at the top of their game, whether in business, sport or life, have learned how to either eliminate or reduce distractions by mastering the use of one simple word ... "No."

The inability and fear around using these two little letters has caused more home business failures, tears, stress, frustration and relationship troubles than any other.

And, although many new home business owners insist their greatest weaknesses are lack of marketing and sales skills, the biggest obstacle that is blocking their ability to develop these skills is the fact they are not saying "no" to time-robbing activities, so they can focus on building and growing.

Lack of time is the number one challenge every one of my clients brings to the table when we begin working together.

Learn to say "no" to doing everything yourself.

Oftentimes I'll hear, "But I'm in start-up, I have to guard my spending," and I respond with, "You can't save yourself into profitability. You have to focus on making money."

This mental block will never allow you to grow, especially at an accelerated rate.

Low pay-off activities can be delegated, bartered, given to volunteers, students and family members. Do some creative brainstorming with your coach, mastermind group or trusted colleague.

Learn to say "no" to the demands of daily living.

How many times have you said "yes" to the following, even though you either didn't want to or knew it would take you away from your own priorities?

- taking care of your neighbor's kids after school because she had a hair appointment

- volunteering to cover the refreshments table at your child's high school dance

- loaning out equipment or items you know you won't get back unless you ask for them several times

- agreeing to listen to your friend rant for the third time this week about how his wife is trying to ruin him in a nasty divorce battle

- taking your mom to visit her friend across town every week because your brother and sister are too busy

- making Johnny and Sally's beds because they have to rush to school in the morning and don't have time

- going to every birthday and holiday dinner a family member hosts

- reading every single e-mail and taking every single call that comes in ...

By not saying "no" to the hundreds of non-critical demands that are placed on you every month, you will not create the business success or freedom you want and deserve.

The two biggest obstacles in mastering the skill of saying "no" are fear and guilt.

Fear that you will be loved less or rejected and feeling guilty that you may have hurt someone's feelings.

Saying "no" doesn't have to hurt anyone or cause you to be rejected and the way you deliver the message can make all the difference for you.

To refuse a request, be honest and assertive in your reply by stating, "I'm sorry, however I have to turn down your offer/request at this time because I've been so busy with obligations, I've neglected my own priorities and have to give them my attention right now."

If others get angry with you or try to make you feel guilty for wanting to give yourself the attention you deserve, it's time to decide whether or not they're the kind of people you want in your life.

Start small. Build your "no" muscle slow and easy and work your way up to the larger demands. Like any skill, you can develop it, and once you become a master, you'll enjoy quantum leaps in your happiness levels and business success.

2007 © Laurie Hayes - The HBB Source

Laurie Hayes, founder and Director of The HBB Source, helps freedom seekers cross the bridge from employee to home-based entrepreneur. Subscribe to her FREE E-zine for valuable tips and resources designed to create business success, at http://www.thehbbsource.com

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by Adam Terebeckij

I have often mentioned the need for balance between your family life and your business. This is a little bit trickier proposition for work-at-home parents, particularly those who have little ones pattering about.

But, there is some also benefit to working around and along with the little ones. The first of these major benefits is the fact that they force you to take breaks, whether you think you want one or not.

For most of us, it is difficult to get into our work first thing in the morning and, if we don't have an outstanding amount of self-discipline, we often find ourselves hurrying later to catch up on things that we got behind on during the early morning hours.

In these situations, taking a break to put Polly Pocket's dress on for the thousandth time, or fixing yet another glass of juice, might seem like a profound interruption to your work flow. However, if you take a moment to think about why you wanted to work from home, wasn't there something about this in that thought?

More important, however, taking short breaks throughout the day provides a renewal of energy and purpose and gives your child special memories that other children aren't quite so fortunate to have.

Second, the little ones (believe it or not) will help drive your schedule. If you are planning around lunchtime, snack time, nap time, etc., and have set times for these each day, you are mentally preparing for those times and working according to what needs to be done before that time.

It's like a mental turbo boost for your productivity. I don't know about your children, but my children are very quick to let me know it's lunch time, snack time, and -- goodness knows -- it's obvious if I'm late for nap time!

Third, having little ones at home with you while you work can be the most motivation possible to succeed. Knowing that, while you are busy for a large chunk of the day, you are still the one that is there to change the diapers, kiss the boo-boos, and soothe the heartaches of your little one, and not some day care provider in your stead, is one of the most priceless things you can imagine.

I didn't know how much it was going to effect me or how much I was going to love it until I was actually able to do it for myself. And, to be completely honest, I wouldn't change it for the world.

The fourth and final reason that it is good to have little ones afoot during your workday is this: exercise. If you are getting up and down on occasion and chasing the crayon-wielding, lipstick-wearing, cookie bandit around the house, you are getting out of your seat and getting a quickie cardio kick-start.

These little moments of activity really are good for you. We work at home parents tend to not get nearly enough of those moments, since we aren't walking to our cars and offices or climbing stairs to get into and out of the parking garage. We are missing out on exercise that others don't even realize they are getting. So, it's a fair trade and worth every single calorie burned while we are chasing the little ones around the office, silently praying that they don't have the document we hope they don't in their grubby little paws.

Yes -- your little ones can be distracting and down right destructive, if you aren't carefully supervising -- even if you are, for that matter. They can also be terribly sweet and loving and perfectly delightful to watch and enjoy as they grow and learn so much each and every day.

I feel as if were I were to blink long and hard, I'd open my eyes and they would suddenly be grown and gone. Imagine how much I would miss if I were to leave them with others and go to an office each and every day?

Adam Terebeckij is a seasoned Internet Marketing Entrepreneur and Private Real Estate Investor. His insight and information has helped countless individuals around the world. For more information on the TOP Work From Home jobs and Work At Home Business Opportunities visit: http://www.LegitimateBusinessOpportunities.com

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by Phillip Davis

Naming a business is like laying the cornerstone of a building. Once it's in place, the entire foundation and structure is aligned to that original stone. If it's off, the rest of the building is off, and the misalignment becomes amplified.

If you have that gnawing sense that choosing a name for your new business is vitally important - you're right. With 18 years in the naming and branding business, I've witnessed the good, the bad, and the really bad.

Here's how you can avoid the worst of the mistakes and get off to a good start.

Mistake 1: The Committee (Getting all your clients, employees and family members involved)

We live in a democratic society and it seems like the right thing to do - involving everyone in an important decision. This approach, however, presents a few problems. The first and most obvious fact is that you will end up choosing only one name - so you risk alienating the very people you are trying to involve. Second, you often end up with a consensus decision, resulting in a very safe and very vanilla name.

A better method is to involve only the key decision makers, the fewer the better, and select only the people you feel have the company's best interests at heart. The need for personal recognition can skew results - so you are best served by those who can park their egos at the door. Also, make sure you have some right brain types in the mix. Too many left brains and the name often ends up too literal and descriptive.

Mistake 2: The Train Wreck (Taking two words and colliding them head on)

When forced to come up with a creative name, many aspiring entrepreneurs will simply take part of an adjective and weld it onto a noun. The results are names that have a certain twisted rationale to them, but look and sound awful. Someone starting a high-end service franchise then becomes QualiServe.

It's a bit like mixing chocolate syrup with ketchup - nothing wrong with either, but they just don't go together. Other common truncations include Ameri, Tech, Corp, Tron, etc. The problem with this approach is that it's forced and it sounds that way.

Mistake 3: Where's Waldo? (Names so plain they'll never stand out in a crowd)

The first company in a category can get away with this one. Hence, you have General Motors, General Electric, etc. But, once you have competition, it requires differentiation.

Imagine if Yahoo! had come out as GeneralInternetDirectory.com? It would be much more descriptive, but hardly memorable. And with the onslaught of new media and advertising channels, it's more important than ever to carve out your niche by displaying your uniqueness. Nothing does that better than a well-conceived name.

Mistake 4: The Atlas Approach (Using a map to name your company)

In the zeal to start a new company, many businesses choose to use their city, state or region as part of their name. While this may actually help in the beginning, it often becomes a hindrance as a company grows.

One client came to me with complaints he was serving more of the market than his name implied. He had aptly called it St. Pete Plumbing since he hailed from St. Petersburg, Florida. But yellow page shoppers assumed that was also his entire service area. With a little creative tinkering we changed the image of St. Pete from a city to the image of St. Pete himself, complete with wings and a plumber's wrench. The new tag line? "We work miracles!"

Other companies have struggled with the same issue. Minnesota Manufacturing and Mining was growing beyond their industry and their state. To avoid limiting their growth they became 3M, a company now known for innovation. Kentucky Fried Chicken is now KFC, de-emphasizing the regional nature of the original name. Both of these companies made strategic moves to avoid stifling their growth. Learn from them and you can avoid this potential bottleneck.

Mistake 5: Cliche' You Say? (A good name is worth a thousand words)

Once past the literal, descriptive stage, the thought process usually turns to metaphors. These can be great if they are not overly used to the point of sounding trite. Since many companies think of themselves as the top in their industry, the world is full of names like Summit, Apex, Pinnacle, Peak, etc. While there is nothing inherently wrong with these names, they are just overworked.

Look for combinations of positive words and metaphors and you will be much better served. A good example is the Fortune 1000 data storage company Iron Mountain, which conveys strength and security without sounding commonplace.

Mistake 6: Hide the Meaning (Make it so obscure, the customer will never know!)

It's great for a name to have a special meaning or significance. It sets up a story that can be used to tell the company message. But, if the reference is too obscure and too hard to spell and pronounce, you may never have the opportunity to speak to that customer. They will simply pass you by as irrelevant.

Resist the urge to name your company after the mythical Greek god of fast service or the Latin phrase for "We're number one!" If a name has a natural, intuitive sound and a special meaning, it can work. If it's too complex and puzzling, it will remain a mystery to your customers. This is especially true if you are reaching out to a mass audience.

I pushed the envelope a little on this one myself, naming my branding firm Tungsten, after the metal that Thomas Edison used to create brilliant light. However, my clientele consists of knowledgeable professionals who appreciate a good metaphor and expect a branding firm to have a story behind its name. It's also a way to differentiate my services (illuminated, bright, brilliant). So, while it works for a branding firm, it would not do well as an ice cream parlor.

Mistake 7: The Campbell's Approach (Using alphabet soup to name your firm)

This is a trend that is thankfully wearing off. Driven by the need for a matching domain name, many companies have resorted to awkwardly constructed or purposefully misspelled names. The results are company names that sound more like prescription drugs than real life businesses. Mistake 2 sometimes gets combined with this one and results in a name like KwaliTronix (or worse - mistakes 2, 4 ... 7, resulting in KwalTronixUSA).

It's amazing how good some names begin to sound after searching for available domain names all night. But resist the urge. Avoid using a "K" in place of a "Q" or a "Ph" in place of an "F." This makes spelling the name and locating you on the Internet all that much harder.

It's not that coined or invented names cannot work; they often do. Take, for example, Xerox or Kodak. But, keep it mind, names like these have no intrinsic or linguistic meaning, so they rely heavily on advertising and that gets expensive.

Many of the companies that use this approach were either first in category or had large marketing budgets. Verizon spent millions on their rebranding effort. So did Accenture. Check your pocketbook before you look into these types of names.

Mistake 8: Sit On It. (When in doubt, make no change at all)

Many business owners know they have a problem with their name and just hope it will somehow magically resolve itself. The original name for one of my clients was "Portables," which reminded some people of the outdoor restrooms or the portable classrooms - neither one a good association. This added to the confusion when phone operators tried to explain their new concept of moving and storage. After some careful tweaking, we came up with the name PODS, an acronym for Portable On Demand Storage. The rest is quickly becoming history as they expand both nationally and internationally.

Peter Warhust, President and one of the original founders states, "For the record, changing our name to PODS was one of the best moves we ever made."

Exercise Experience, a former Florida-based company, was frequently confused with a health club. In reality, they sold very high-end fitness equipment. This brings up a very key point - it's better to have a name that gives no impression than a name that gives a wrong impression. Much of the ad budget we spent on Exercise Experience was used to clarify that they sold fitness equipment. This was valuable airtime that could have been put to better use selling the equipment rather than explaining the business. Ultimately, the company folded. It's not to say it was solely because of the name, but I believe it was a factor.

Mike Harper of Huntington Beach, CA, bought a thirty-year-old janitorial and building maintenance company named Regency. We both agreed it sounded more like a downtown movie theatre than a progressive facilities management firm. After a thorough naming search, we developed the name Spruce Facilities Management. Spruce not only conveyed the environmentally friendly image of a spruce tree (something important to the client), it also meant, "to clean up." The new tag line fell right in place: Spruce "The Everclean Company."

It's only a matter of time before Southwest Airlines and Burlington Coat Factory and others who have successfully outgrown their original markets begin to question their positioning. Much like 3M and KFC, they may need to make a change to keep pace with their growth and image.

In the fever to start your new business or expand a current one, take time to think through some of these issues. According to the late Henry Ford, "Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it." Albert Einstein took it one step further claiming, "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

By tapping into your creativity and avoiding these potential pitfalls, you'll be able to create a name that works both short- and long-term - one that allows for future growth.

Like the original cornerstone of a building, it will support upward expansion as your company reaches new heights.

Phil Davis is President of Tungsten Brilliant Brand Marketing. Phil’s life goal of "creating environments where people thrive" reflects his desire to assist in personal, professional and business growth. Phil founded and ran a full service ad agency for over 17 years and now works full time as a business naming and branding consultant. Phil resides with wife Michelle and four energetic offspring outside Asheville, North Carolina. Website: http://PureTungsten.com Email: Phil@PureTungsten.com

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by Kelly McCausey

If you are a mom and thinking about working from home, be sure to ask yourself these questions.

I've realized over recent months that moms rarely do enough soul searching and research before jumping into a home business. To help you dig deep and give this the careful consideration that it deserves, I have three 'must ask questions' for you.

Before you make a decision, especially before you spend any money on an idea – sit down with a pad of paper and do some journaling on each question. Then, if you're married, take these questions and your thoughts to your husband and talk about all of it.

Have you walked through these common-sense steps?

Common sense dictates that you have a business plan. I'll admit to you that I never had a business plan when I started – but I do have a plan today that shapes my decisions and how I spend my time.

Common sense would say that you need to have a budget and a financial plan for your income.

Common sense would also demand that you research your business idea fully. Talk to others who are doing what you want to do and ask them pointed questions about how long it took them to get established and make a profit. Do not just ask those who are new to the business, seek out those who have been in business for at least four or five years. You need their perspective.

If the business that you're considering is in direct sales – have you tried things out as a hostess first? I've talked with women three months down the road who are disillusioned and regretful about their decision to join a particular company and, when I ask them if they started out by hosting a party and seeing if they enjoyed that experience first – they have all said "no." That tells me that testing the waters as a consumer is key.

Are you sure you can handle being your own boss? I know a lot of great hard-working people who would be in big trouble if they were in charge of themselves day-in and day-out.

It's important to know your quirks. Working at home may seem like a long vacation at first but, after a while, the polish wears off and it's just work again.

Are you self-motivated? Do you set good goals and keep on-task without someone else holding you accountable? If you're not entirely sure – ask the people that you've worked with what they think.

How will this business affect your kids, your marriage and your home?

This is huge. Working at home means different things to different people. If you're going to start a business to earn a little extra grocery money, you might not be looking at something that will create big waves in your home life. But, if you're looking to replace a full-time income, you have to be aware of the impact that your business will have on the home.

If your business involves physical products – where will they be stored and who will be taking care of them, moving them, shipping them? Don't assume that your husband and kids will automatically love to lift your boxes all the time.

If your business requires you to be gone from the home a lot, who will pick up the slack for you? Who will watch the kids? Who will prepare family meals?

It's easier than ever before to create a business from home that doesn't involve products or time away – but even a virtual business requires your time and attention. When will you work and who will that time be taken away from?

Don't fool yourself into believing that you can run a full-time business during nap time or only while the kids are at school.

If you can work your way through each of these questions you'll be well-equipped to make the best decision possible about your home business.

Kelly McCausey has hosted Work at Home Moms Talk Radio since November of 2003. As an Internet-based business coach, she helps other moms build profitable businesses that let them keep their family number one. Listen online any time at http://www.wahmtalkradio.com

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by Jan Verhoeff

Are you lagging behind the competition, wishing you could grasp some of their high-performance marketing efforts and tag along as they speed down the information highway to success?

Decadent Marketing Strategies offer Succulent Metaphors that will Wrap your Business in Wealth and Prosperity from Internet Marketing Success.

Teaching Internet Marketers the secret of prosperity and success development isn't difficult when you know how to get Mega Results from a basic Marketing Concept. Rolling along the Article Marketing Trail of success will bring you more of what you're looking for in less time, but you'll have to hang with the big boys to get success fast.

Being effective online means getting into the right niche and hanging on for the ride. You'll want to be there, participate in the race, and join in the winner's circle when the race is over, but... how will you find them?

When you're looking for a network of successful people online, simply search the keyword and add "forum." For instance, "Internet Marketing Forum."

You may not find anything and need to search a different keyword within your niche, or you may find exactly the group you're looking for along with a few interested participants in your next group venture.

You'll learn absolutely nothing from the sidelines. You may think you're learning, but honestly, the real information is in the trenches, on the playing field, where you'll be knocking down some competition and making plays of your own. You might learn a thing or two on the sidelines, but you'll be sleeping when the ball comes your way if you're not involved.

Grab the ball and run for the right goal.

If you aren't sure which way to run, you'll be making goals for the wrong team. Often the logger end is that you have to create your own product and have something to sell your market.

Whether you're good at selling someone else's work or not, doesn't really matter, you'll need your own work to get the job done and win the goal, because without it, you're just running with the ball. No goal posts in sight.

When you win the game, keep playing, don't stop to celebrate.

Contrary to popular belief, you can't stop when you arrive at the goal post. There is no time out. You must keep moving, grab the ball and run for the next goal. If you always have goals in the oven (new products churning) you'll always have a new item to hedge your market and make more money with.

I recently heard you need one new product a month to create success with your online business.

If you're having a problem creating those products, get on over to http://ebookinfo.cn and claim your FREE ebook about "5 Simple Steps to Write Your Own Ebook" and Subscribe to Ebook Info Ezine for FREE.

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by Joy Gendusa

The United States Post Office in the past had some trouble with its finances and their solution was to raise the postal rates. Whether or not you agree with this approach to trying to stay in business, like the weather and government in general, it’s something you have to live with.

Many companies have used this as a reason to send out fewer or smaller mailings in an attempt to keep their costs down.

Here’s a quote from an issue of Direct Marketing News:

“Despite a string of healthy annual increases, the growth of direct mail expenditures is expected to slow over the next four years. Direct mail continued to grow in 2001 but slowed because of the anthrax scare," the study said.

The study also said, "Direct mail will continue to expand during the forecast period but at a slower pace than in the past because of the emergence of E-mail marketing and postal rate hikes, which will force marketers to limit mailings."

The question is: should you agree with this and follow the trend, or should you turn it to your advantage?

Just think, with fewer mailing pieces arriving in your customers’ or prospects’ mailboxes, your glossy, full-color postcards are going to stand out even more and have a greater chance of producing the desired response.

When you start looking at what you have to gain by increasing the amount of direct mail marketing you do and what you have to lose by cutting back, there really isn’t a question as to which way to go.

Of course you should be smart about your mailings. Make sure they are well targeted and put a little more thought into the design and content so as to make sure they carry impact.

That just makes sense.

So, while others are cutting their own throats by cutting back on direct mailing, you can benefit by increasing yours and sending your postcards into a less heavily glutted marketplace where they will receive more attention.

Win-win.

Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania (www.PostcardMania.com) in 1998, her only assets a computer and a phone. By 2005, the company did over $12 million in sales, employed over 100 people and made Inc. Magazine’s prestigious Inc 500 List as one of the 500 fastest growing companies in the nation. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy

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by Laura Patterson

The organizational charts of the 1920s often indicated that marketing's role was to represent the customer. In 2004, the American Marketing Association redefine marketing as "an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders."

Marketing's job is to create customer value, engagement, satisfaction and loyalty. Marketing serves as the stand-in for the customer, informing product development and other functions of what customers want and need. Essentially, marketing serves as the "voice of the customer" and is responsible for developing and implementing the processes used to capture the customer requirements so the company is able to provide customers with the best in class service/product quality.

Today, customers are more empowered than ever and are taking control of how, when and where they consume. This is translating into customers who are less brand-loyal, less trusting, and prefer to get information from personal research, friends and product specialists. These changes have significant implications to businesses and marketing: changes in marketing mix, messaging and general approach to customer interaction.

In addition, commoditization, the Internet, mobility and virtualization are contributing to a transformation that is impacting companies on a variety of fronts, including product development.

The ability to develop products and services that offer fresh ideas and are relevant to customers is no easy task. As a result few businesses get it right and new products suffer a high mortality rate.

Insights into the customer are essential to ensuring product success. New product development depends on synthesizing the knowledge of what is needed in the market and the knowledge of how to create a product to meet these needs.

As the keeper of customer intelligence, marketing has an opportunity to positively impact innovation and new product/service development. By transforming customer insights into business insights marketing can then use these insights to drive innovation.

The creation of new products and services to meet the needs of customers provides the basic ingredient for growing shareholder value. A quote often attributed to Peter Drucker articulates the value of marketing and innovation, "Because its purpose is to create a customer, the business has two basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results, all the rest are costs."

Long-term corporate success is linked to the ability to innovate. Although corporate investment in incremental improvements and innovation to existing products and processes does bring growth, it is new game changing breakthroughs that will launch companies into new markets, enable rapid growth, provide a platform for long-term growth, and create high return on investment.

Yet in many companies, marketing is disenfranchised from the product development process being relegated to the role of sending out a press release and coordinating a new product launch event.

As the organization with the primary responsibility for segmenting the market, selecting the right target markets, defining the value proposition and communicating the value to the target markets, we are responsible for capturing, analyzing, and quantifying the data about who will buy. Marketing needs to understand not only who will buy but how many they will buy, why they buy, and when specific markets will buy. These are the insights the organization depends on from Marketing. These insights not only make or break a new product, they can make or break a company.

It is time for marketing executives and professionals to step into a leadership role related to innovation.

Marketing plays a central role in translating customer information into new products and then positioning these products in the market. New products/services are the way companies respond to changing customer preferences and dynamic competition. Changing customer needs require that companies innovate to satisfying and meet these changing customer needs.

Because marketing is responsible for identifying customer needs, marketing needs to step up and take a leadership role in the innovation process. And some CMOs realize they need to do just that. At the recent Red Herring CMO Summit, they presented the results of their annual CMO study. The study revealed that CMOs acknowledge they have a responsibility for innovation not just selling.

Various studies have shown that companies where marketing and R&D communicate and cooperate have enhanced new product performance. Studies done in 1987 by Ruekert and Walker, in 1993 by Song and Parry, and in 1988 by Souder found that marketing's participation in the new product development process and its integration with other functional groups such as research and development are among the most important factors affecting new product success.

Marketing's ability to influence new product development is a key ingredient. A 1999 study of 114 hi-tech companies in China found that marketing plays an important and influential role in positively impacting new product performance and the timeliness of development.

Where do you start if you want to lead the innovation charge? Marketing needs to help the organization spot new trends and then quickly leverage them into opportunities. If you decide to go on this journey, you will need marketing metrics tied to speed and innovation that show the impact on marketing.

Marketing organizations should include at least six metrics on their executive dashboard around innovation and speed within the context of comparing your company's performance with that of industry peers marketing organizations:

1. Rate of customer acquisition compared with industry peers

2. Rate of profitable customer growth compared with industry peers

3. Rate of Growth compared to industry peers

4. Rate of product adoption

5. Rate of new product success

6. Time to market and revenue

Innovation in new product development and new ways for the company to enrich the customer experience present marketing with an opportunity to play a role in helping strategically grow the company.

Departments like product development and marketing are not separate independent areas. They are instead like our right and left hands. Working separately they are clumsily and in-effective. However, working together, the two hands can create many wonderful things.

Laura Patterson is the author of 'Measure What Matters': Reconnecting Marketing to Business Goals, 'Gone Fishin': A Guide to Finding, Keeping, and Growing Profitable Customers, and numerous articles on marketing subjects. She is president and co-founder of VisionEdge Marketing, Inc, a leading metrics-based strategic and product marketing firm located in Austin, Texas. The company specializes in consulting and learning services associated.

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by Keith Lee

I stopped being an advertising victim in 1992 when I was first introduced to Dan Kennedy Marketing, and it is one of the most important lessons I've learned. I'm happy to say I haven't been an advertising victim for 13 years.

If you have been in business for awhile, it has already happened to you - probably more than once. In fact, probably often. And if you are new to the retail world, you can bet the mortgage that it will eventually happen to you.

What is it? It's when you get that big black checkbook out of the center desk drawer, and you sit down across from some media salesperson, and you write out some kind of a check for some amount, for some kind of promotion advertising expense, and you have no earthly idea whether you made a good decision, bad decision, when you'll know, how you'll know, if you'll know.

I detest that kind of uncertainty. I don't like to play guesswork games with my money and I bet you don't either. I'm going to tell you how to eliminate it, how to make every dollar you spend on advertising and marketing measurable and accountable.

The Best Place To Spend Your Hard Earned Money On Advertising Is Direct Response!!

All advertising can be one of only two types - either "Institutional Advertising" or "Direct Response Advertising." It is monumentally important to understand the difference.

Most advertising in magazines, newspapers, on radio, TV, and billboards is institutional advertising. It is Institutional advertising because in most cases, there is no way of accurately tracking response.

Most advertising agencies like institutional advertising since, without tracking, they can NOT be held responsible for zero results. If an ad campaign does not produce the results they want, they blame it on:

1. The economy
2. The weather
3. You didn't run the ad often enough
4. YOU (your merchandise, your service, your image, etc.)

You Can't Deposit "Creativity" In The Bank

Unfortunately, most advertising agencies are interested in being creative and cutesy. That's what wins advertising awards.

I think this is absolutely ridiculous. The advertising field gives awards based on creativity, not results. Many ads that have won top awards didn't produce any substantial increases in sales.

Direct response advertising, on the other hand:

1. Contains a headline that flags your prospect and creates curiosity

2. Creates interest in the merchandise

3. Creates desire in the prospect

4. Has a specific offer

5. Has a deadline

6. Has measurable results

Why is this so important? Two reasons:

1. Most businesses have limited capital to spend on their marketing and advertising (unless you are Coca Cola or Microsoft). Since you have a limited budget, why waste it on advertising that you are not sure is working?

2. The only reason a business would advertise is to get more customers and sell more merchandise. A direct response ad concentrates only on this purpose.

First, it contains a headline that attracts the attention of the specific customer you want to in your store(s).

Then, it makes a complete and compelling case for the reason for your offer. Next, it proves to the customer that the reason for the offer will solve some problem in the customer's life or provide some valuable benefit to him.

It states specific reasons, facts, and statistics, as well as testimonials from other customers to validate the claims. Then it tells the reason why you are able to make such an attractive offer. It tells the customer what to do in order to gain the benefits of the offer.

It creates "urgency" by telling the customer that he must act now in order to gain these important benefits, and why this offer is so limited, either by time, or by the quantity available.

Finally, it must contain a way for you to track exactly what sales or custome rs were generated by that particular ad.

Now that I have defined for you the difference between institutional and direct response advertising, here's the big question that you have to ask yourself before you make every future marketing and advertising decision. Does the advertising that you are considering meet all six of the criteria that I outlined above? If it doesn't, then pass on it as quickly as you can say:

"I'm Mad as Hell and I Refuse to Be an Advertising Victim Again!"

Keith Lee, owner of American Retail Supply headquartered in Kent, WA became president of the business in 1981 and later bought the business from its founder Dick Thompson. Although Lee credits much of their growth to increased product offerings and what he calls 'the best client service in the industry," he attributes the companies Herculean increase to the discovery of the world renowned Marketing Guru, Dan Kennedy. Now he's trying to get other entrepreneurs hooked. Keith recently became trained as a Dan Kennedy Certified No B.S. Business Advisor where he delivers what he calls Kennedy's 'Magnetic Marketing Strategies.' As a Kennedy trained advisor Keith offers entrepreneurs what he calls 'The Most Incredible FREE Gift Ever' containing over $700.00 of business-building information from Dan Kennedy including Gold Inner Circle Membership. Then members are invited to attend monthly local chapter meetings or can join a local Kennedy Study & Mastermind Group. Visit http://www.LeeMarketing Group or http://www.NoBSPugetSound.com for more details.

Keith is an expert in marketing, especially direct marketing and direct mail techniques. please visit http://www.leemarketinggroup.com or http://www.nobspugetsound.com for more articles and information.

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by John Hirth

You know this one ... you've identified what they need, maybe even found out how much they are willing to pay. Now it's time for that infamous "trial close."

"If I can show you a way to solve your problems, will you buy my product?"

They answer "yes" and you believe you've got the deal. Then, you come back and make your presentation and, when you ask, "so -- are you ready to buy?" the prospect says, "I like it, but I'm going to have to check on some other options."

Now you ask, "what went wrong?" Weren't they listening, or did they just out-and-out lie?

Think about it... when you asked, "if I can show you a way to solve your problem, will you buy my product?" what was the prospect thinking? Usually, they're in one of two positions: ready to buy and favorably disposed to your offer (in which case, you would have gotten the deal), or not ready to buy -- still needing more information.

I believe that, by asking that closing question, you often end up forcing your prospect to "lie" -- a strategy that, half the time, will back-fire!

Here's why.

If they were really ready to buy when you asked for the "trial close," I think you would have gotten the order. However, in this situation I don't think they were that far along. In fact, they probably needed more information, hoping that your presentation might provide it.

What they would really like to say is, "I'm not sure I'm ready to make a decision," but they're afraid if they tell you that, you won't give them the information they need. So they lie and say "yes," to get what they want.

It's not that they are "bad people" -- it's that you're a "bad" sales person!

What will work much better is what we refer to as an "open close." Your question is a closed-ended question, only giving the prospect two choices.

Use an open close like, "If I show you a solution to your problem that you believe will work, what would you feel comfortable doing next?" With this open close, there is much less pressure and the prospect will more likely tell you the truth. They haven't been put in a corner, forced to pick one of only two answers.

Now can tell you anything.

The true "sales master" understands that, "to close or not to close," is really the prospects' choice and, by giving them more options with an "open close," you will raise your winning percentages!

Now that I've shown you a better way to close -- will you use it?

Instead of thinking about closing business, think about "opening" new business. With that thought in mind, "open closing" should be much easier!

John E. Hirth is President and founding principal of Selling Dynamics, a sales force development, sales training and sales process consulting firm dedicated to increasing sales revenue and corporate profits. Email: jeh@sellingdynamics.com Website: http://www.johnhirth.com .

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by James White

If you're reading this article, there is a big chance you're part of the 95%. The good news is -- you don't have to be. The problem is, most people don't PAY ATTENTION.

Let me explain.

When you surf the Web, you click on sites that catch your eye. Even when you surf for credits, when you come across a site you like, you may opt in for their E-mail newsletter.

This is were you should be paying attention!

What was it that made you click that link, opt in for the newsletter or even join up? Take note of what phrases they used. What message did they portray to get you interested?

Then, create your own slogan or cover letter portraying the same message, but written differently. Doing this will help you become a better marketer and create better ads for whatever purpose you need -- for opt-in lists, E-zine ads, articles, cover pages, etc.

It is almost impossible to market something online unless you offer a free product, special offer, or a free E-mail course.

Where most people seem to fail is getting at their target market, such as Internet marketers or people already searching for a product to buy.

Trying to covert Internet marketers into your down line for any System is extremely hard. The reason for this is that they most likely already have a system that they are promoting and have their hands full. When marketing, try targeting a different market other than Internet marketers. This would include people new to Internet marketing or looking for an opportunity that really works, with testimonies or a free trial offer.

This sort of thing applies in ad words. This is something you will have to think about for yourself.

Another marketing technique is to relate to your customers or potential downline members. Slogans such as, "I was a broke loser, sound familiar?" "I tried this technique, now I earn 2000+ a day."

This WAS a