Do You Play Hit and Miss With Your Marketing?

Do You Play Hit and Miss With Your Marketing?

by: Denise Hall

Too many online marketers use a กhit and missก marketing approach. By that I mean placing some ads here and there in the hopes of selling something. And itกs the worst possible way to do business.

Why? Because you probably *won’t* do much, if any, business at all. Itกs a fact that people on the Internet *rarely* buy from someone they don’t know. The Internet is a scary place of scams and schemes and ripoffs. Online shoppers are very wary about giving up their credit card information to just anybody.

But if you use the right marketing strategies youกll have a much better chance at succeeding. A *good* product will always sell, but you have to approach your propects correctly or theyกll turn tail and run faster than you can imagine. And they may end up buying from your competition!

This holds true no matter what product or service you’re trying to market online. You can have the best widget in the whole world, but if you turn off your prospects before they’re ready to buy, youกll lose more sales than youกll gain.

Successful marketers use the กwarm กem up first and make the sale laterก approach. They implement many strategies to drive traffic to their website, but if the visitors are leaving without buying anything, they make one final effort to hang on to them for future sales. And 90% of the time it works!

So what is it that they do? Capture their visitors names and email addresses! They offer them something of value for free in exchange for their information.

Offer your visitors a free report or a subscription to your ezine. They’re now a กwarmก market for your product, and once they get to know and trust you theyกll become your customers.

When you run ads using the กhit and missก approach you have just *one* chance to sell your product to each person who clicks on your link. If they don’t buy right then, youกve lost them forever. But when you กwarm upก your prospects first you have a better chance of making sales.

So start warming กem up, already! :~)

About The Author

Denise Hall is the owner of Home Business on a Budget.com, specializing in free and lowcost tools and resources for all your home business needs. Subscribe to her weekly newsletter for informative articles, resources and fun.

http://www.homebusinessonabudget.com/subscribe.htm

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This article was posted on October 11, 2004

by Denise Hall

Advertising Approach For The Firsttime Webmaster

Advertising Approach For The Firsttime Webmaster

by: Royan Shaw

For the first time internet entrepreneur [newbie] the best ways to promote your website at first instance are :

1. Express inclusion of your website for the usual 12 months offered by most of the major search engines. You can choose express inclusion for askjeeves, inktomi, altavista,msn etc but keep in mind to have your site submitted to the local index of your region.

For example if you reside in Toronto, Canada and you are submitting for express inclusion in the DMOZ or Canada.com search engine/directory you must ensure that your site is indexed in the Torontoกs business and economy directory. Get your site in the local index first things first.

If your submission listing includes the regional version of the DMOZ directory then thats good enough to go.

One point to note is that many of the major search engines and directories actually interrelate that is they search across each otherกs database therefore submitting to only one major engine or directory will satisfice for the Internet Marketing beginner.

2. Next, the most overlooked approach for the firsttime website owner is the maximisation of the benefit of offline marketing methods.

Promote your website in exactly the same way you would have promoted a normal business by telling everyone about it.

Word of mouth is still the best way to promote a new business.

Put your motto and logo along with your url address on everything from a pin to an anchor. From stationery, pens, letterheads, postcards, flyers,posters, in your usual email, the list goes on…

You may consider placing classified ads in the local newspapers.

Run other programs such as sponsoring quizzes, prize competitions, trivia and other participating programs with your website address. You might ask readers to submit the answer to a quiz by visiting you website. Anything that gets the local community to know that your website exists. You can do it !!

FACT : You have to make it local before you go global.

Most startup webmasters usually make the mistake on concentrating on those numerous ways to promote their site and become confused on deciding what works best. What works best can only be determined by careful evaluation of each and every advertising scheme in use on the web today :

Publisher/advertisers programs

Banner exchanges

Exit ads

PayPerClick

Link Exchanges

Search engine blasting

FFa, classified ad posting

Rotator pages

_JavaScript based popups etc

10.Express submit to search engines

11.Search Engine Optimisation

12.Adwords by Google

13. Others

Its interesting to note that no seller of the above services except for Google and the other search engine services has ever took the time to evaluate your website to decide whether or not your site is most suitable to fit the advertising package they are offering.

The best approach is to evaluate, evaluate, evaluate. Not everything out there works for everybody in every instant. Test your website across every platform say 10000 visitor package each and assess the outcome one by one.

Some will work better than others but the ones returning the higher rate of response doesn’t necessarily mean they are the most profitable unless they each cost exactly the same per 1000 visitor.

What I had recommended in the first two paragraphs above should work best for the firsttimer and is the most prudent approach.

Be careful when trying to find the best way of advertising, Don’t be caught up in the Internet Marketing clutter out there as every you come in contact with will tell you the advertising method they sell is the best.

Ignore whatever testimony you see written on these webpages, use these services under a trial based approach before you order that 100000 package or start paying that monthly subscription.

Any method you are interested in should be test and proven in quality. Careful tjought and consideration should be given in order to plan, make decisions and control your business operating expenses.

What works for seasoned campaigners of Internet Marketing doesกnt necessary works in the same way for the starter.

Your website is unique just like your fingerprint and its now your duty to determine the most economic,effective and efficient approach in promoting it.

About The Author

R. Urien Shaw

Webmarketing Financial

http://www.royanopia.co.uk/

R. Urien Shaw is a contributor to the WebMarketing Financial Newsletter and the developer of the 4321 Budgeting Strategy. He is currently a final year student reading for the B.sc in Applied Accounting in London.

[email protected]

This article was posted on November 27, 2003

by Royan Shaw

Creating a Powerful Sales Presentation

Creating a Powerful Sales Presentation

by: Kelley Robertson

The quality of your sales presentation will often determine whether a prospect buys from you or one of your competitors. However, experience has taught me that most presentations lack pizzazz and are seldom compelling enough to motivate the other person to make a buying decision. Here are seven strategies that will help you create a presentation that will differentiate you from your competition.

1. Make the presentation relevant to your prospect. One of the most common mistakes people make when discussing their product or service is to use a generic presentation. They say the same thing in every presentation and hope that something in their presentation will appeal to the prospective customer. I have been victim to this approach more times than I care to remember having been subjected to many ขcannedข PowerPoint presentations.

The discussion of your product or service must be adapted to each person; modify it to include specific points that are unique to that particular customer. If you use PowerPoint, place the company’s logo on your slides and describe how the key slides relate to their situation. Show exactly how your product or service solves their specific problem. This means that it is critical to ask your prospect probing questions before you start talking about your company.

2. Create a connection between your product/service and the prospect. In a presentation to a prospective client, I prepared a sample of the product they would eventually use in their program. After a preliminary discussion, I handed my prospect the item his team would be using on a daily basis – instead of telling him about the item I placed it in his hands. He could then see exactly what the finished product would look like and was able to examine it in detail. He was able to ask questions and see how his team would use it in their environment.

Also, remember to discuss the benefits of your products, not the features. Tell your customer what they will get by using your product versus your competitors.

3. Get to the point. Today’s business people are far too busy to listen to longwinded discussions. Know what your key points are and learn how to make them quickly. I remember talking to a sales person who rambled at great length about his product. After viewing his product and learning how much it would cost I was prepared to move ahead with my purchase. Unfortunately, he continued talking and he almost talked himself out of the sale. Make sure you know what key points you want to discuss and practice verbalizing them before you meet with your prospect.

4. Be animated. The majority of sales presentations I have heard have been boring and unimaginative. If you really want to stand out from the crowd make sure you demonstrate enthusiasm and energy. Use voice more effectively and vary your modulation. A common mistake made when people talk about a product with which they are very familiar is to speak in a monotone voice. This causes the other person to quickly lose interest in your presentation. I recommend using a voice recorder to tape your presentation. This will allow you to hear exactly what you sound like as you discuss your product. I must profess to being completely humiliated when I first used this tactic. As a professional speaker, I thought all my presentations were interesting and dynamic – I soon learned that my standup delivery skills were much better than my telephone presentation skills.

5. Use showmanship. In the book, The Sales Advantage, an example is given how a vending sales person lays a heavy sheet of paper on the floor and asks his prospect, ขIf I could show you how that space could make you some money, would you be interested?ข Consider the impact of this approach compared to the typical approach of saying something like, ขWe can help you make more money.ข What can you do to incorporate some form of showmanship into your presentation?

6. Use a physical demonstration. A friend of mine sells sales training and he often uses the whiteboard or flipchart in the prospect’s boardroom during his presentation. Instead of telling his client what he will do, he stands up and delivers a short presentation. He writes down facts and figures, draws pictures, and records certain comments and statements from the discussion. This approach never fails to help his prospect make a decision.

7. Lastly, believe in your product/service. Without doubt, this is the most critical component of any presentation. When you discuss solutions, do you become more animated and energetic? Does your voice display excitement? Does your body language exhibit your enthusiasm? If not, you need to change your approach. After all, if you can’t get excited about your product, how can you expect your customer to become motivated enough to buy?

Copyright 2004, Kelley Robertson

About The Author

Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, works with businesses to help them increase their sales and motivate their employees. He is also the author of ขStop, Ask & Listen – Proven sales techniques to turn browsers into buyers.ข Visit his website at www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com and receive a FREE copy of ข100 Ways to Increase Your Salesข by subscribing to his 59Second Tip, a free weekly ezine.

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 31, 2004

by Kelley Robertson

Attracting New Business on a Shoestring Budget

Attracting New Business on a Shoestring Budget

by: Kelley Robertson

In a recent marketing workshop I attended, I discovered that most business owners rely on just two or three strategies to attract new business. Even wellestablished companies tend to rely on one or two strategies. However, there is a multitude of ways to drive new business to your door. Here are a few:

Networking. Perhaps the most commonly used approach by small business owners. However, it is often poorly executed. Many people attend a networking function and take the wrong approach by trying to meet as many people as they can. They bounce from person to person, handing out business cards like it is an Olympic event and they are vying for the gold medal. They fail to realize that the most effective way to network is to cultivate relationships and give referrals to other members first.

Referrals. This marketing strategy places a close second in preferred methods of generating new business leads. The key here is to develop a systematic approach to ensure that you take proactive approach instead than a passive one. Rather than assuming that satisfied client will refer someone to you, ask for that referral. Tell people who your ideal client is and ask for their help in finding these types of clients. The real estate agent who represented the seller when we bought our house, sends us a card every year and reminds us that she loves referrals. It is not pushy, does not sound like she’s begging, and I’m confident it helps generate new leads.

Writing. This often underutilized strategy is an excellent way to become recognized as an industry expert. Every industry has trade magazines and most are hungry for good content. The Internet is also filled with websites and ezines looking for material to send to their subscribers and customers. I now write at least one article every month and send it to more than two hundred publications. This strategy alone has helped drive more traffic to my website more than anything else. It is sometimes challenging to come up with ideas and to write an 800 word article but the investment of time and effort is definitely worth it.

Newsletters. This is another powerful technique to keep your name in front of your customers and prospects. Provide key insight into business challenges and offer solutions to them. In other words, help your prospects and customers solve problems. Some newsletters are nothing more than advertising so be sure to provide valuable information to your customer. Although it is less expensive to send a newsletter electronically you can issue it in paper format. A local real estate agent regularly sends out a onepage update of the housing market in our neighborhood.

Cold calling. Without a doubt, this is usually the most challenging way to market a business I know very few people who actually enjoy cold calling. However, it can be a good way to uncover qualified prospects in a relatively short period of time. Be sure to start your conversation with a good opening to capture the other person’s attention.

Give free information. At the marketing workshop I attended, the facilitator suggested to give information to interested prospects. I have used this approach on my website and have quadrupled the number of subscribers to my newsletter in the last year. You do not need to give away ALL the information relevant to your product or service. Instead, offer information that will help your target market with their problems. For example, when people sign up to my ezine, they receive a report that outlines 100 tips they can use to increase their sales.

Offer a guarantee. A concern many people have when changing suppliers is the risk associated with the change. They may not be completely satisfied with their existing supplier but the risk of choosing a supplier who may be worse can prevent them from changing. Eliminate this concern and offer a guarantee.

Advertising. This can be a great strategy if you know how to create a good ad. The best marketers know that great sales copy is what makes the difference; I have experienced this firsthand. When I began selling my book on my website, I generated mediocre results for the first two years. I eventually changed the copy on my site and sales have soared every since. Glance through the ads in your trade magazine and you will quickly notice that most ads focus on the company’s product features instead of on the customer’s problem. Create a great ad by concentrating on the problem you can solve.

There are many other ways to market your business and generate new business leads. However, the ideas I mentioned in this article are effective low or nocost options. Use them consistently and watch your sales grow.

© 2004 Kelley Robertson

About The Author

Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, works with businesses to help them increase their sales and motivate their employees. He is also the author of ขStop, Ask & Listen – Proven sales techniques to turn browsers into buyers.ข For information on his programs, visit his website at www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com. Receive a FREE copy of ข100 Ways to Increase Your Salesข by subscribing to his 59Second Tip, a free weekly ezine.

[email protected]

This article was posted on April 16, 2004

by Kelley Robertson

Are You A Marketing Octopus or A Marketing Worm?

Are You A Marketing Octopus or A Marketing Worm?

by: André Bell

One of the greatest challenges to effectively marketing a business is determining which marketing method is best suited for your business.

Most people look at what their competitors are doing to market their businesses and then simply imitate that, whether good or bad.

The best marketing strategy does not involve selecting only one or two marketing approaches that we see others using.

The best marketing approach resembles an octopus.

An octopus is very effective at catching food with eight limbs. If the octopus loses one limb it may momentarily lose some of its strength and agility, but it adapts and continues on as an effective hunter and predator.

It’s the same with marketing your business. The more marketing approaches you use simultaneously the more successful you can become and the easier it is to continue growing your company.

You will continue to thrive despite the challenges that your competitors may face. No setback in any one marketing approach will ever devastate you or pose major problems.

Despite the many options available most companies use no more than two or three marketing methods at best to grow their company.

Few realize that there are over 100 methods for bringing in new business, for increasing web traffic, for selling more to existing clients, and for increasing repeat sales that their competitors are not using.

They basically imitate worms in their marketing attempts. A worm’s approach to life is singular. It does not use multiple limbs because it has none. Its existence is slow and laborintensive. Very unlike an octopus.

The great thing about this is that most competitors are making this same mistake. They may be too busy, too shorthanded, or too myopic to do much more than hand out boxes of business cards and sit around talking ‘fish stories’ of the one that got away.

That is a marketing approach to avoid.

Don’t just settle for an ad in the yellow pages, your local newspaper, or on the radio.

Use as many marketing methods as make sense for your industry, your market, and your company. Then you will become a marketing octopus while your competitors remain marketing worms.

About The Author

André Bell is principal marketing consultant with André Bell Consulting Group. A free copy of his new book ก101 Marketing Secrets Revealedก is available through his site at http://www.economicbooster.com

This article was posted on April 07, 2004

by André Bell