When to Break Creative Rules

When to Break Creative Rules

by: Maricon Williams

Before we go unusual or unconventional and take the creative approach to break the rules, it is vital to know what the rules are. There are eight generally accepted rules that generate decent if not impressive results. Nonetheless, no matter how stable the rules are, we can always experiment. Here are the rules and the evasions to the rules:

1. Always place a best seller in the upper right corner of each spread.

Readers glance at a catalog from front to back. Upper right corner is where the reader’s eyes first fall thus, it makes sense to put a striking product there. On the other hand, not all best sellers are visually compelling or stunning. If this is the case, you can put the best seller in another high up position in order to encourage viewing the whole catalog spread.

2. Keep the typography simple and limit the number of typefaces.

The copy has to be legible and concise. Do not reduce the type to 6 to condense all the text. Still, some of the elements have to be presented in a bolder or larger typeface to emphasize a special benefit or feature.

3. Always have an order form.

To have a systematic fill out and mail it is essential to have an order form. However, the birth of Web together with the existence of telephone and fax continue to replace ordering by mail.

4. Consistent layouts are a mark of excellence.

Recognizable spreads, icons and typographical elements are vital in creating a brand image or character. However, if every spread looks the same, it may develop boredom and the readers may choose not to peruse the entire catalog. To encourage readers to spend more time, try to create stoppers using a series of planned layout template changes. You can also use different colors, layout formats and backgrounds to make a compelling change.

5. Standard catalog formats are more lucrative.

You can increase many economies by working with your printer and the Postal Service to determine an proficient trim size, but sometimes a distinctive format will magnetize more attention or better augment your brand than a standard fullsize, slimjim, or digestsize catalog, which in turn can increase sales and even the bottom line.

6. Grouped products don’t sell.

Usually, grouping complementary products either in dissimilar photos put together in the layout or in a single shot doesn’t sell the goods. For one thing, some of the products grouped together in a photo or layout are not related. For another, in a grouped layout or photo, no product is the hero that draws the reader in. If you’re selling books, greeting cards, advertising specialties or products that tend to be similar to one another grouping products makes a good deal of sense.

7. Magalogs don’t sell.

Magalogs are halfmagazine and halfcatalog. In most cases, as the amount of nonselling editorial space takes away from salesoriented real estate, the viability of the catalog as a revenue producer decreases. Nonetheless, many conventional catalog marketers have increased the use of editorial material in their books, and quite a few have improved sales with this technique.

8. A fourcolor catalog performs better than one or twocolor book.

Generally, the answer will be yes, fourcolor presentation looks more attractive and grabs more attention thus, generates more sales than a onecolor book. In fact, some product lines such as apparel and cosmetics require precise color representation. But in some select cases the sales do not justify the cost of fourcolor printing and color separations. You might even find out that a twocolor presentation sets your book apart from competition.

Catalog design rules and principles are already tested and true. They work – that’s a proven fact! However, it can occasionally be bent or broken as long as you know what you are doing and is concern of doing it right. A number of useful principles are discovered by experimentation and innovation. Who knows if it can result to rewarding proceeds or an established principle? No way to know it if you’ll not going to try.

Additional Information about the articles can be found at http://www.catalogprintingexperts.com

About The Author

Maricon Williams

I love reading. Give me a book and Iกll finish it in one sitting. Reading is the chance to be transported to a different world and so is writing. Iกm more enthusiastic about writing however, since you can relay your ideas to someone else. I can only imagine that feeling when I hear a complete stranger talking about my ideas which read on an article somewhere. To relay my message to as many people is the same as touching people with music. Only mineกs less harmonic. I try to make up for it with the color I bring with words. And most of the time, it’s more than enough.

[email protected]

This article was posted on March 29

by Maricon Williams

Spam: How To Fight It

Spam: How To Fight It

by: Max Maglias

Spam. How to fight it.

Internet is flooded today with undesirable advertising letters also known as spam. Both for an ordinary user connecting to Internet via dialup and for various companies paying for the dedicated line or using DSL spam equals wasted megabytes of information. The megabytes, which are paid for. And time, wasted on viewing advertising offers of unnecessary things or services.

Currently there are a lot of ways to guard your email box against unceasing attacks of ขViagraข, tourist reservations, commercial seminars and the best ขwindows and doorsข in the world, which can be bought cheaply and simply. One of the cures could be changing the email account. But this is by no means a panacea: in a while the new box will be displaying nonsense newsletters from all over the world. You can of course use the serverinbuilt filters or paid resources which try to minimize the spam flow, letting through just the letters from ขauthorized addressersข. But the server filters block just a small part of proposals to ขenlargeข or ขrelaxข. And the powerful ขauthorizationข protection is, first, expensive (plus a monthly fee), and second, is very inconvenient for people on the contactlist (they have to undergo a lengthy ขauthorizationข procedure).

Ideal filter

To clean the mail account from spam a universal antiadvertising shield is needed which will save the money otherwise wasted on downloading weighty letters traffic and the time otherwise lost on viewing and deleting them. Such a shield is the programs which remotely check the mail in the user box without uploading them and block unwanted letters immediately at the server. Such programs are many. They differ in interface and functionality, but have one thing in common: obligatory check of email at the server. Without this feature there would be no sense in the blockers at all. To upload messages and check them locally is not a big deal. The applications differ in their settings, spam filtering ways, speed of work and different features enabling maximum efficiency. The most widespread way of blocking spam is by letter headings and continuously updated list of ขillegitimateข addresses, which are known as harmful advertisements distributors.

What should an ideal spam blocking application be like? First, it should cope with its primary duties flawlessly. Second, it should have a nice interface, be simple to tune and work autonomously. Third, it shouldn’t prevent normal functioning of other programs, mail clients in particular. Let’s look into the interior side of a spamblocking application and decipher the underlying basics.

Spamblocking principles

Usually the application downloads message headers which undergo ขpartial enquiryข. Depending on the functionality of a certain ขtoolข, filtering is conducted by fields (header, sender, addressee etc.), black and white lists of electronic addresses in the database and a wider list of recognized spam generating servers. For checking lists are used, either created by developers or edited by users. Undoubtedly, the more thorough the homemade spamblocking provisions, the better, but ideal work cannot be achieved without proper tuning of blocking and filtering rules. Of course a user setting the most rigid rules risks losing with the blocked spam useful and harmless letters. But in any case, it’s a private decision.

Apart from preinstalled blocking rules, user can make his/her own corrections, such as widening the ขdangerous serverข lists, editing black and white lists and creating his/her own lists conforming to certain rules (for instance, taking into account letter size plus filtering from ขthat particular leftmost Korean server list). On installing the application and adjusting its settings (or you can leave everything as it is) and initial workability check, one can make a final decision concerning fitness of the filter for further use. It remains to decide which application to select.

SoftInform Spam Blocker

New spamblocking application by SoftInform company Spam Blocker – enables maximum efficiency by guarding the user computer (his/her mail box to be more specific) from spam flows, saving money and time on viewing useless messages and paying for the ขmail advertisementsข traffic. As a universal spam blocking tool Spam Blocker possesses indefeasible advantages compared to analogical applications. High quality (blocking 85 to 100% of spam), simple, exquisite and friendly interface, flexibility of settings make SoftInform newly released application the best in its class.

Are you not tired of endless spam? Have you lost track of newly registered (ขcleanข) accounts? Dozens of letters daily burn you and your company megabytes of far from free traffic? All you need to do is to install Spam Blocker, in such a way ridding your computer from persistent and useless email advertising.

About The Author

Max Maglias

[Phone] 2197964

[Email] [email protected]

[Website] http://spamblocker.adscleaner.com

This article was posted on August 17

by Max Maglias

Promoting My Affiliate Programs. How?

Promoting My Affiliate Programs. How?

by: Vickie J. Scanlon

Getting your website up, is really just the first phase of your journey to a career on the Internet. You must promote your website, your product or your service to the world. Well, how do you do it? Maybe this article might help you in getting started or give you additional ideas.

There are many different ways to promote your affiliate program, however, it depends upon what type of program it is, ขYour Turnkey Programข or Affiliate LinkedProgram for selling a product. Hmmmm, interesting. What works, what doesn’t?

GET OUT THE WORD

Bulk Emailing – Bulk emailing use to be the craze. Did you notice the word use to be the craze. That has changed with the stricter spam rules and penalties – all to protect us. But bulk emailing can be done, if you have an optin list – such as, through a newsletter. But don’t overextend the use, you may lose subscribers.

Classified Ads – With free classified ads you can definitely get hits – and possibly some sales. But don’t choose this as your only way of getting sales.

There are some drawbacks. You ask, ขWhat drawbacksข. From my own experience, I’ve encountered individuals requesting information about my program – as a ploy to getting me to listen to their sales pitch. SPAM? Maybe. Annoying? Definitely. The height of annoyance is when they ask me to call them long distance, so that I can speak with them – only to have them give me a sales pitch on their program.

However, if you have a classified ad site on your website – you’ve got yourself a builtin optin list. You can gently sell to them, while verifying or thanking them for their ad.

Traffic Generators – Traffic generators can work on a turnkey site that many others are also partaking in to generate money for themselves. What I found is traffic generators are better suited for turnkey businesses. It is basically a simple way for you to entice other people in business to look at your program. You know – it’s the ขI’m not really happy with what I’m doing. I wonder what else is out thereข syndrome. Or it’s the – ขI really need another program so that I’m not a oneman Joe in businessข syndrome. In either case, it’s a safe place to see what’s happening or new on the Internet.

Messageboards, Discussion Groups, Forums These are great ways to get your message out and be personal at the same time. But you have to follow the rules, and you should contribute constructive and/or helpful information that is relevant to the discussion at hand. This is a timeconsuming way to build sales – but a great way to build credibility, business relationships, and sales. Note: Please don’t blatantly advertising. This action could cause the following problems to occur: 1) you being banned from the forum; 2) your advertising being eliminated and noted by the administrator; 3) making the other members angry and thus, losing credibility. All in all, follow the rules.

I’m currently in a forum – they give you a webpage, and in the back office you are allowed to advertise your services/products of businesses. And trust me, they do read them – and as an added benefit – your links are being picked up by the search engines. Yeah, you got it – more traffic. If you want to join for free or just take a look at it, go to my home page at www.myaffiliateplace.biz and register.

Ezine and Safelist Advertising Ezine advertising and safelist advertising are good methods of advertising. In each case, you have to join their list and follow their rules to submit your ads.

If you want to try your hand at safelist advertising, I would suggest that you create a separate free email account on Yahoo. Why? A safelist allows all that have joined to submit their ads to you, as well as, you to them. Here, your subject line is your eye catcher – so choose wisely.

Ezine advertising is a very good way to advertise your turnkey site, website, product or service. You have the option for free (need to watch for their instructions), and various paid ads. What’s great about ezines? It’s an opportunity to sell to a more targeted market. The more targeted your market, the better the opportunity to get a sale.

Articles – Articles are a great way to get the word out about your website and your product or products. However, please make the article informative – or you’ll lose your credibility and the reader.

Search Engine Optimization – If you have a website you should submit to the search engines. To review the process on how and where, you can go to my site at http://www.myaffiliateplace.biz/Affiliate_Info_SEO_Keyword.htm.

Linking – Linking is the exchange of your link with that of another webmaster.

This can be very beneficial, however, make sure the websites that you link to compliment but does not compete with your site.

I’ve touched on only some of the methods of advertising that you can use to get the word out about your product/service or website. The most important thing to remember is to keep your mind and eyes open for new ways to promote your product or service – and do your research.

About The Author

Vickie J Scanlon has a BBA degree in Administrative Management and Marketing. She left the corporate world as an Reports Programmer, to begin her journey as an Internet Marketer. Visit her site at: http://www.myaffiliateplace.biz for free tools, articles, ebooks, and how to info. or check her blog for additional insights to the Affiliate Business – http://myaffiliateplace.blogspot.com/

[email protected]

This article was posted on March 03

by Vickie J. Scanlon

Avoid กBadก Manners While Blogging

Avoid กBadก Manners While Blogging

by: Jim Edwards

Blogging, the hottest trend in online publishing right now, is currently spreading like wildfire across the Internet.

A cross between an online journal and a bulletin board, everyone from rock starts, politicians, business leaders and your average กJoeก or กJaneก can instantly become a center of influence online using blogs.

But, as with any social interaction, certain rules apply (my grandma calls them manners) in order to be viewed as behaving กproperly.ก

One of the things that gives blogging such strong appeal as an online publishing method revolves around กcomments.ก

Blogs that allow กcommentsก enable readers to respond and elaborate on the information posted by the blog owner.

These comments and the free exchange of information, opinions, links, and new ideas creates the dynamic and growing content that makes blogging such a popular online activity for both publishers and readers.

However, rules and unwritten customs about the proper use of กcommentsก on a specific blog are also where most of the problems and controversy will arise.

Since a successful blog eventually becomes a community of people (albeit in cyberspace), proper social behavior is critical to be an effective and accepted member of the community.

Keep these basic rules in mind when approaching a new blog that allows commenting by readers so you won’t find yourself on the wrong end of a scolding by people who operate with a different set of rules than you.

As with any social circle, violating the groupกs rules and customs will instantly cause a negative backlash.

** Keep It Relevant **

Stay on topic with the post you’re commenting about in a blog.

Nothing will earn you the wrath and disdain of your fellow posters and the blog owner faster than posting an offtopic comment.

** Watch What Others Do **

Different blogs operate under different rules. What rates acceptable in one blog would earn you a verbal thrashing in another.

Before posting (especially if you have not posted to a specific blog before), look to see the types and quality of posts others make regularly.

Are they long or short?

Do they contain a link to the personกs website?

Is there a กsignatureก under their name?

** Be Polite **

Itกs fine to disagree with people when making a comment, whether itกs the blogกs author or a comment made by another reader.

It is not, however, acceptable to launch a personal attack on anyone or make nasty comments in someone elseกs blog.

If you feel the need to do so, do it in your own blog.

Itกs the same principle of you can say whatever you want in your own house, but when you’re in someone elseกs house, you act right (and better than you do at home).

** You Can’t Respond To Everyone **

If you operate a blog and someone asks a question, try to respond, but both sides should understand that you can’t respond 100% of the time.

We all get busy and a blog, unless it maintains a paid membership, is often supported as a labor of love.

© Jim Edwards All Rights reserved

http://www.thenetreporter.com

About The Author

Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the coauthor of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to use fr^e articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website or affiliate links…

Simple ‘traffic Machineก brings Thousands of NEW visitors to your website for weeks, even months… without spending a dime on advertising! ==> http://www.turnwordsintotraffic.com

This article was posted on August 13

by Jim Edwards

Profit From an Online Community

Profit From an Online Community

by: Stephen Bucaro

What if you could setup a website, then lay back and collect money while web users build your website for you? Surprisingly, there are many ways to do just that. Examples are websites that let users post classified ads, articles, links to ebooks, and message forums. This article focuses on starting and profiting from your own online community.

You could start a general topic online community, but itกs better to focus on a specific topic. Some popular forum topics are: celebrity gossip, child rearing, relationships, free lancing, and home businesses. Having a specific topic gives website purpose, and attracts people interested in that topic.

Users like an online community because they can communicate even though they may be geographically separated, and they don’t have to be online at the same time. Newcomers can read past messages to catch up on the conversation, and join in when they’re ready.

An online forum is profitable to the owner because they start out with a targeted audience and by monitoring message threads, the owner can fine tune the websiteกs advertising to the very specific interests of the Community.

The most challenging part of starting an online forum is to attract people to the community. youกll need to set up some threads and have some friends start discussions. People are attracted to a community that has a large number of active discussion threads.

After joining and participating for a while, members will tend to stay because they make acquaintances with other members. After the community reaches a certain number of members, it will become selfsustaining without much effort on your part.

One decision you need to make is whether to provide synchronous or asynchronous communication. Synchronous communications, for example a กchat roomก, allows members to communicate in realtime. Of course, the members have to be online simultaneously, and users with slow dialup Internet connections will not be able to keep up with the conversation.

Asynchronous communications, for example a กmessage boardก, means members leave messages that others can respond to later. With asynchronous communications, users will be able to put more thought into their messages before responding.

Some online communities provide both message boards and chat rooms. This allows individuals to break away from a message board thread and engage in their own realtime conversation.

Your online community can be moderated or unmoderated. In a moderated forum, before messages are posted they must be approved by a moderator to make sure that they conform with the communityกs rules and policies. In an unmoderated forum, messages are posted directly by the users without filtering.

There are several options between fully moderated and freeforall totally unmoderated. For example, a new memberกs messages could be moderated for a short trial period, after which they would be allowed to post directly to the forum.

The chat room or message forum could be left basically unmoderated, with occasional spot checks to make sure that everyone is conforming with the rules and policies. Or they could be left unmoderated with no action taken against members who violate the rules unless someone sends a complaint to the websiteกs operator.

You will need to establish clear rules and policies as to what is acceptable by the community, and the sanctions that will be imposed on those who violate the rules. What kind of things are unacceptable for users to post? Personal attacks, bigotry, and profanity should not be allowed. Will you allow offtopic messages? How far offtopic?

Get all new members to agree on the rules and put a link to the rules on all pages. Also provide a form that makes it easy for members to report violators.

Have clear polices for what the penalty will be for violating the rules and deal with the violator as quickly as possible. Start by emailing the individual and politely request that they review communityกs rules and policies pages. If that doesn’t stop the violations, enforce the penalty.

Many web users conceal their true identity and use a pseudonym instead. They pretend to be who they’re not and this is prone to abuse. Sometimes this results in the exploitation of minors. There is not much you can do to learn members true identities, but you should verify the email address of new members by sending a message to which they must respond.

Enforcement of the rules could involve subjecting their messages to approval before posting, suspending their posting rights, or banning their membership in the community. Email them, letting them know that they are being penalized and why. Let them know what they need to do to get the penalty lifted.

If you want users to have confidence when they join the community, you will need to post a clear privacy policy. It should describe what personal information will be collected and how personal data will be used. Put a link to the privacy policy on all pages.

You should maintain a topic about the website itself where members can talk about bugs, rules they would like to see, or features they wish for. Here, new members can post questions about how to use their computer, the web, or the community website, and receive help from more experienced users. Visit that topic regularly yourself.

One decision you need to make is whether messages be archived and for how long? Will you archive all messages, including ones that are just frivolous chat or gossip and are not worth saving? Will you allow members access to the archives? Will you be the only one who can delete messages or will members have the authority to delete their own messages?

You can start your message forum on a site that offers free message boards and as your community grows move to your own Web site. Below is a list of some websites that offer free message boards or free message forum code.

Boards2Go (www.boards2go.com) provides free message boards hosted on their servers. There is nothing for you to set up. Boards2Goกs message boards can easily integrate to your websiteกs layout. Your visitors will never know they left your website. All configurations may be made via our web interface administrator area.

Web Wiz Guide (www.webwizguide.info) provides free ASP forum code, and The Free Country (www.thefreecountry.com) Provides Free PHP Forum Code.

Copyright(C) 2005 Bucaro TecHelp.

Permission is granted for the below article to forward, reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long as no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and the resource box below is included.

About The Author

Copyright(C) 2005 Bucaro TecHelp.

To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter visit http://bucarotechelp.com/search/000800.asp

This article was posted on February 21

by Stephen Bucaro

Written And Unwritten Rules In Catalog Printing

Written And Unwritten Rules In Catalog Printing

by: Florie Lyn Masarate

There are rules in catalog designs that should be followed. These rules are the foundation of what and what not to be done as you go about these prints. Like some rules, they can also be bended or broken depending upon the need and the process that it is being done. It is important therefore to know first why these rules are being done to be able to have a firm stand on why they should be broken. The main objective of rules is to give guidelines because these were effective ones for those who have been there already. Better to see if they will first before dumping them as ineffective.

Order forms are a must in catalogs. Before the internet became famous, mailing was the only option that people have for submitting their orders. The basic form used is the easy to fill type and with an attached envelope. This gives people a little convenience in the hassles of mailing order forms. With the development of other means of communication like fax machines and the internet, this mailing method is being reconsidered by the companies and businesses. There may still be others that do not have the convenience of modern technologies to work for them so it is better to think first before eliminating these order forms. Not using order forms can mean less expenses as the extra sheets and most especially the envelopes are the ones that make them that expensive. It is best to consider first the possibility that the readers may still have the need for these forms before totally eliminating them from the catalogs.

Consistent layouts work best. If you want to create a stable and effective image, then consistency is the key to that. This ways people would recognize the company instantly from the logos or designs that it uses. But if every layout and design remains the same, there is always the inclination for the readers to become bored with the same things that they see all the time. Adding creative and updating designs into these catalogs but not actually removing the essence that it consistently represents can do keep the peoples’ interest intact. Putting unexpected surprises once in a while also can lighten and keep the attention more.

These are just some rules in catalogs designs that are tried and tested but needed some twisting when the need calls for it. The focal point is to think what will work for the best first before trying anything.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.losangelesprintingservice.com

About The Author

Florie Lyn Masarate got a flair for reading and writing when she got her first subscription of the school newsletter in kindergarten. She had her first article published on that same newsletter in the third grade.

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 31

by Florie Lyn Masarate

Basic Rules on Page Layout and Color

Basic Rules on Page Layout and Color

by: Grannyกs Mettle

For one to be able to stand out from the rest, one needs to go out of the box, break the rules, and some other clichés that apply to breaking out from the traditional. But before breaking any rule, you have to understand first the basic and foundation of the rule itself.

First off, letกs talk about page layout.

The Rule – Too much boxes is bad for your health.

One designer said that a mark of a designer is when he or she starts to use boxes and rules in his or her pages. When you look at your page and realize the need to make something attractive and creative out of the boring stuff youกve just made, and then decide to throw around a box or two or place rules between columns, then thatกs the time when your creativity is getting out from confinement.

Before using all the box there is in your software, just remember to do it in moderation. Anything in excess is a bad thing. Sure, boxes and rules are a good way to highlight important information. But if you’re going to do it in all your pages, or put virtually everything in a box, then nothing will stand out from the crowd.

The Rule – Do not divide the page in halves.

The best way to infuse excitement and innovation in your documents is to divide the page into thirds. Afterwards, place the most important objects like the headings, photos, and visuals, at the top or bottom third.

Letกs go to color.

The Rule – Contrasting colors make for greater readability.

Any designer knows that enough contrast between the text and background makes for easy reading of text and material. Often, dark text is used on a light background. And vice versa.

Although light text on a dark background is easy to read, this technique should be used sparingly. Itกs proven fact that the eyes get more tired when reading large quantities of text on a dark background, than the other way around.

The Rule – Use color sparingly.

For impact, designers choose to create their design on more than a single color. But color thrown around everywhere also loses its impact. The rule of thumb: for maximum impact, use color on headings, and the most important words in headings.

The Rule – Do not use complementary colors.

Colors that can be found opposite each other in the color wheel are called complementary colors. For example, blue is opposite orange in the color wheel. When used side by side, the complementary colors can create havoc in our eyes because it would be difficult to focus on both at the same time. In addition, the colors may seem to vibrate when viewed together.

The Rule – Do not use color screened more than 40% with text.

Anything darker than 40% color against a text can make it harder to read. However, you can vary this rule somewhat by calculating how dark the color will be. For example, green can be screened darker than blue to make the text stand out.

For best results, use a Pantone book for tints to show you different screens for every color. In addition, the Pantone book will help you see what is readable and what is not with both text and reversed text on the screens.

About Color Printing Wholesale

Color Printing Wholesale is a company that offers a wide range of quality digital printing services from brochures, flyers, business cards, postcards and posters, to digital, inkjet and web solutions, as well as laminating services. For further information, visit their website at http://www.colorprintingwholesale.com/category/BROCHURE/BrochurePrintingServices.html.

About The Author

Grannyกs Mettle is a 30something, professional web content writer. She has created various web content on a diverse range of topics, which includes digital printing topics, medical news, as well as legal issues. Her articles are composed of reviews, suggestions, tips and more for the printing and designing industry.

Her thoughts on writing: กWriting gives me pleasure… pleasure and excitement that you have created something to share with others. And with the wide world of the Internet, it gives me great satisfaction that my articles reach more people in the quickest time you could imagine.ก

On her spare time, she loves to stay at home, reading books on just about any topic she fancies, cooking a great meal, and taking care of her husband and kids.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.colorprintingwholesale.com/category/BROCHURE/BrochurePrintingServices.html

[email protected]

This article was posted on April 04

by Grannyกs Mettle

You Can’t Direct The Wind But You Can Adjust The S

You Can’t Direct The Wind But You Can Adjust The Sails

by: Dan Hamilton

Dear Friend,

Today I would like to provide you with a new perspective and new insights to help you define effective marketing strategies and tactics that will insure the growth of your online business.

First of all, letกs take a look at the meaning of the word กmetamorphosisก and how it can possibly be of interest to marketing.

Metamorphosis: Noun (plural metamorphoses say metuh´mawfuhseez) … ขthe change of form, structure, or substance, as transformation; the structural or functional modification of a plant organ or structure during its development.ข

Applied to marketing, this does clearly suggest a process by which we can possibly transform ourselves and adapt to an everchanging and complex environment or marketplace with the clear intent to become and remain successful.

Itกs all about our personal growth and our ability to react to the multiple challenges of life in general and the modern world in particular.

In a way, I am tempted to say itกs all about the metamorphosis of marketing tadpoles into leaping frogs!

Identifying and aligning all the pieces of this complex puzzle takes time, quite a bit of thinking and determination. It also requires that we constantly reconsider our approach and refine our strategies. Transforming ourselves has been a necessity since the dawn of humanity and it is not any different in the modern world: if we want to stay in business, we have to evolve.

Letกs keep in mind that it is us who have to adapt to the environment or the marketplace and not the other way around.

This is a hard fact, it cannot be argued upon: no one can expect to win at any game without first knowing the rules and principles.

Life is a serious game where it is possible to have a lot of fun. It has strict rules though. First we need to study the rules then comes the fun. Likewise, marketing is a serious game where it is possible to have a lot of fun. Again, first we need to study and master the rules.

It takes time to fully master all the different rules and principles of life the Great Pyramids of Giza were not built in a day after all.

It is a visible sign reminding us all of the astounding results that can be accomplished with vision, determination and persistence.

This is exactly the same behavior we want to apply in our marketing if we are to get results of the same magnitude.

What we have to do is study the founding principles of success and get better at applying them effectively in the real world: on the marketing battlefield.

Itกs a fact: we need to get better at mastering marketing strategies that lead to higher levels of success.

Regardless of our personal level of success, the #1 critical success factor to accomplish this is determined by our ability to identify and process the very information that will give us the leverage we lack to reach the next step and enable greater success.

The most efficient and fastest way to increase our success is through the adoption of behavioral patterns that will create more and more success for us. It pretty much works like a snowball effect: the first step is to get it started to the best of our knowledge and abilities.

It can always be improved in the course of time. That decision is ours to make. No one else can make it for us.

In my monthly newsletter, I discuss how it all works: how states of mind and behavioral patterns are intimately connected and how one does influence the other greatly, be it in a positive or in a negative way.

To receive my monthly newsletter, simply send a blank email to: [email protected]

All the best,

Dan Hamilton

Certified Guerrilla Marketer

Proudly affiliated with Jay Conrad Levinsonกs Guerrilla Marketing Association

© 2004 Dan Hamilton All rights reserved

About The Author

Dan Hamilton

Certified Guerrilla Marketer

Proudly affiliated with Jay Conrad Levinsonกs Guerrilla Marketing Association

Independant Internet marketer since 1999

[email protected]

This article was posted on April 17, 2004

by Dan Hamilton

3Levels of Successful Selling

3Levels of Successful Selling

by: Paul Shearstone

Any selling approach that lacks a proven strategy, a practiced proficiency for its application and most significantly, a full understanding of its psychological, human behavioral import – is at best, a wishful endeavor. …Paul Shearstone 2003

…………………………………………………………………………..

No one ever questions the fact there are born athletes who, when compared to others, make what they do look effortless. For these athletes, instinct seems to guide them like a good road map. That is their gift.

Exceptional though they may be, even athletes like Wayne Gretzky or Michael Jordan, would never rise to their true potential without one integral ingredient Coaching.

Although I’ve written many articles on Coaching, this isn’t one of them. I mention it only to point out that the aspect of coaching, is Mental. That is to say, gifted athletes already possess the physical skills necessary to excel. Nevertheless, it is only one aspect of their sporting expertise.

Who among us hasn’t heard a professional coach say things like: ขI only want players with a good head on their shouldersข or, ขI only want players with Heart!ข

What are they saying? They [Coaches] are saying there is more than one key discipline for success in sports and that what’s in the heart and head is more important than most all other attributes. The right knowledge and the right attitude, compensates for, often usurps, things like natural talent.

Can the same thing be said for Natural Born Sales People and the Discipline of Selling? Bet on it!

The Rule:

Renowned sales guru, Dale Carnegie, is known to be the architect of the ‘Five Steps to a Sale’ selling process. Over the years, his successful program has stood the test of time and spawned many other successful interpretations upon his theme. ขUp Your Income! Solution Selling for Profitabilityข by Paul Shearstone [available at all fine book stores and on the Net], is just one of them. 🙂

The reason for the success of Carnegie’s strategy is largely due to its simplicity. In short, five clearly defined, easy to understand Laws or Rules that apply to almost all products or services. For example:

Step #1: ขTalk to your customer Briefly regarding something that interests Themข.

Easy to say but what does it mean? Simply put, when salespeople meet customers for the first time, they must say or do things to help with the initial GetTaKnowYa bonding process. Dale said, in your opening meeting with customers, the best way to get them to like you is to engage them in brief conversations about things they find most interesting. I could go on to elaborate further but the fact is, it works.

The real lesson here is, now knowing this Rule, those without natural born sales abilities can integrate it into their selling approach and be guaranteed better results in the introduction stage of the sale. Incorporating the four remaining steps can unquestionably level the playing field with other competitive seasoned selling professionals – but only if the steps are applied Correctly!

The Application:

Home Depot may have every tool we could imagine but if you don’t know how to use them, what good are they? In professional selling, RULES are TOOLS. Use them right and they work.

One need only look at the home libraries of most mediocre salespeople to find plenty of books and tapes filled with timetested and proven rules designed to garner more sales, profit and success. The courses have been taken and the rules have been learned but sadly, NEVER PRACTICED!

Tiger Woods / Michael Jordan / Wayne Gretzky – pick any one you like. At the top of their game, they still practice/d the basics [the Rules]. Name any professional discipline; would a surgeon be allowed operate on someone without first having benefit of exhaustive practice? I sure hope not!

The irony is, selling is the only professional discipline that allows someone to start with no experience and learn on the job. Even a professional laborer has to apprentice first.

The point? Knowing what to say is only part of the successformula in selling. Much like any Academy AwardWinning actor, his or her part is honed and made convincing [awardwinning] only through rehearsal and practice.

In Sales: To the degree a salespitch appears natural and spontaneous, is in direct proportion to the practice put in it! …Paul Shearstone 2000 [from the book Up Your Income!]

The Psychological Import:

Independent, confident personalities may make great leaders – not always great believers. My policy in life has always been to be guarded in what information I’ll take in or believe. I am not a skeptic but since: [According to Albert Einstein] ขWe become what we believeข, and, [According to Abraham Mazlow] ขMost people live lives of quiet desperationข, my reluctance to accept the realityinterpretations of others has served me well. It hasn’t, however, stopped me from asking the question, ขWhy?ข

Anyone looking for the one defining ingredient that separates top sellers from the rest can find it here. Much like the runner who wins gold by 1/100th of a second, the difference is subtle – but dramatic.

In selling, knowing the Rule and learning to deliver the Rule, still pales in comparison to the importance of knowing WHY the Rule is so integrally important to the success of the process.

How much more successful, more convincing could one be if they knew the answers to: ขWhy is it so vital the Rule be done at this time, this way and not another? What is the psychological, humanbehavioral importance of such a rule and why are my chances of success predictably diminished should the rule be overlooked or poorly articulated? How does this Rule psychologically embolden my interaction with the customer resulting in mutual respect, rapport and better communication?ข – and so on.

At the risk of diluting this point, consider this. The worlds best Landscape Architects concentrate their designs more on the artistic value or utilitarian purposes of the open spaces – where nothing is – giving lesser importance and an academic expectation to the fact, the flora and fauna appeal is a given.

Comparing that to elite salespeople, their methodology is focused at a higher level, gravitating more toward the natural laws of human interaction and psychology – the esoteric – the essence for which the Rules of Selling were written and in which they find credibility. Their delivery appears effortless albeit transparently deliberate. What they do and the success they achieve is not by accident!

The Bottom Line:

The discipline of the Professional Sell is both an art and a science. As such and in keeping with all other disciplines, mastery finds bedrock in the academic understanding of its Laws, its Applications and its Rationales.

About The Author

Paul Shearstone aka The ‘Pragmatic Persuasionist’ is one of North America’s foremost experts on Sales and Persuasion. An International Keynote Speaker, Author, Writer, Motivation, Corporate Ethics, / Time & Stress Management Specialist, Paul enlightens and challenges audiences as he informs, motivates and entertains. To comment on this article or to book the Pragmatic Persuasionist for your next successful event we invite to contact Paul Shearstone directly @ 4167285556 or 18668554590.

www.success150.com or [email protected].

This article was posted on March 17, 2003

by Paul Shearstone

List Building vs. Search Engine Optimization

List Building vs. Search Engine Optimization

by: Robert Gwuzd

It seems the excitement about search engine optimization fades in and out from time to time. The more people talk about search engine optimization (SEO) the more it seems to be the logical choice for bringing customers to your site. However, there are some points that I haven’t seen anyone else make as of yet about the effectiveness of SEO versus the effectiveness of building a responsive list. I think you’ll be surprised to see which one comes out on top.

Rules and Regulations

There are rules and regulations for almost everything in life. List building and SEO are no different.

Rules for SEO: Your HTML coding has to be just so in order to rank highly on the engines. Your copy (text) also needs to include specific keywords a certain number of times in specific places or you might not be accepted. And if you are accepted, unless you follow all the ขdosข and ขdon’tsข of SEO, you’ll likely not see the top 10… or even the top 50.

Rules for List Building: Offer a good product or service; notify your list about it, and watch the sales come in.

The Only Constant Is Change

If you do get accepted in the search engines, you might be tempted to rest easy. Don’t! As we’ve seen in recent months, search engines can change their policies and ranking orders at the flip of a switch. If you depend on search engines for all your traffic, such a change could leave you completely out of business. Not good!

Lists on the other hand are built from loyalty… not rules and regulations. The people who subscribe to your list, ezine, or newsletter are there because they want to be. They’ve come to you because you offer them something of quality… something unique.

If you change the design or copy on your site, it won’t matter one bit to the members of your list. They’ll still be there for you. If the search engines decide they’re only going to list sites that use the colors blue, green, and purple… it won’t affect you at all.

Sales vs. Leads

Truth be known, SEO only drives ขleadsข to your site… not sales. On the other hand, list building puts your offer in front of those who have already checked you out, decided they liked what you had to say, and chose to stick with you. These are loyal, prequalified individuals who are waiting to receive your next mailing and purchase your next product.

Free, Automatic, and Viral

Lastly, list building can be done at no cost. List building can happen automatically and can (and should) be a viral process.

If you produce a quality list that offers something of value, others will want to tell their friends about you. This process of automatic, viral marketing costs you nothing whatsoever and works like a dream because your subscribers are making unsolicited recommendations to those who trust them.

This process not only drives new subscribers to your list, but also ultimately makes new sales for you.

Search engines, on the other hand, do not operate virally. While some are free, many charge for the ขopportunityข to be reviewed for inclusion. Still others charge on a payperclick basis, which can get very costly without ever bringing in one sale.

When all is said and done, which one is better? Lists or search engines? While both can have an important role in your marketing plan, if what you’re looking for is the generation of more sales… building a responsive list simply can’t be beat.

About The Author

How exactly do you build a list that delivers an automated, consistent, monthly income? Robert Gwuzd and Ian Herculson have teamed up to offer you ขThe OptIn Strategy,ข a powerful, FREE EBOOK designed to show you specifically how to build a list of thousands who will consistently buy from you. Best of all… this ebook COSTS YOU NOTHING. Download it now at http://www.optinsolution.com

This article was posted on March 30, 2004

by Robert Gwuzd

Winning at Business With Your Marketing Game Plan

Winning at Business With Your Marketing Game Plan

by: Charlie Cook

Stuart from Colorado had talked to a number of marketing firms and gotten estimates for designing and printing his marketing materials and building a web site for his business producing promotional cds. One firm quoted $100,000 to build his web site alone. He sensed something was missing or wrong, but couldn’t put his finger on it, so he called me.

I asked Stuart how the various marketing pieces and activities were going to work together to help him generate leads. I asked him what his marketing strategy was. He drew a blank. The marketing firms he had talked to had provided detailed information on what they were going to produce for him, but none had discussed a coordinated plan to generate leads and sales.

Marketing without an integrated strategy is like playing poker, tennis or football without knowing the rules, keeping score or having a game plan. You could put in a lot of time, energy, and capital, and still end up losing the game. Has this happened to you?

W.inning at business is the same as any other game, whether your objective is to beat the competition or just to be the best in your industry. To be successful, you need to know the rules of the game, have a clear strategy and track your progress.

The Rules for Winning at Marketing and Sales

Here are some of the most essential rules to follow to succeed at marketing your business.

1. Written goals are motivating and can help you succeed.

Define your objectives for revenue, lead generation and conversion rates for the year and then break those down for each quarter. Commit them to writing. Next list the weekly and daily tasks you and/or your employees need to accomplish in order to reach your goals.

2. The more qualified prospects you can attract, the more clients youกll have. A clearly defined lead generation strategy will bring in the new prospects you need to be profitable.

3. Itกs easier to convert prospects to clients when they are looking to solve a problem. Itกs much harder to convert people who don’t have a current need or concern, even if they are members of your target market. Instead of seeking prospects, prompt prospects to look for you.

4. Youกll get a better response from marketing messages that are focused on client problems and concerns, not on your credentials or descriptions of products and processes. If you’re not getting the response youกd like from your mailings, ads or web site, take a second look at your marketing message. A few changes in your marketing copy can increase response by factors of ten or more.

5. Integrate your tactics and message across your marketing materials, ads, and web site to prompt people to seek you out and contact you. Trying to generate leads without an integrated strategy is like playing football without a set of plays for the quarterback to use with the team. Heกd end up throwing the ball only to find the receiver had gone the other direction or go for a field goal on the first down.

6. The purpose of having a web site is to generate leads.

Once you have a lead you can use it to generate sales. Once you get prospects to your web site or reading your marketing materials, make sure you prompt them to contact you.

7. Most sales are the result of a relationship based on your credibility and the value of your products or services. Developing these relationships can take weeks or months to build. Your marketing strategy should facilitate this process of building relationships over time, with multiple opportunities for contacting prospects.

8. The easiest people to sell to are past customers. Prompt first time clients to buy from you again and again.

Keeping Score

In order to know if your marketing is working you need ways of keeping score. Which marketing results are you tracking?

Which additional ones should you define each month and quarter to track?

Keep track of these important กscoresก to evaluate your marketing:

1. How many prospects seek your firm out each month? Is this number growing each month by five to ten percent?

2. What percentage of people who are exposed to your ads, your web site and other marketing materials give you their contact information so you can stay in touch with them?

3. How many people are on your house list of qualified prospects? How fast is this list growing each month?

4. How many people buy from you each week? What is the dollar volume of each sale?

5. How many sales come from repeat customers?

Whether we’re talking poker, tennis, or marketing your small business, the objective is to improve your performance and succeed more often. When you have a game plan, know the rules and track your scores, you can continually find ways to improve your marketing and be more successful.

About The Author

2005 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.

The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals and small business owners attract more clients and be more successful. Sign up for the Free Marketing Plan eBook, for small business owners and people responsible for marketing, ก7 Steps to get more clients and grow your businessก at http://www.marketingforsuccess.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on March 15

by Charlie Cook

Get Business Now: Play by the Marketing Rules

Get Business Now: Play by the Marketing Rules

by: Charlie Cook

Marketing a business is like any game. If you know the rules you are much more likely to win. All to often small businesses spend their limited time and money on advertising, networking, making calls, mailings, meeting with prospects, yet only achieve middling results. The problem isn’t that they don’t know their business or provide high quality products and services, its that they don’t know the rules of the marketing game.

Marketing To Win

To win the marketing game, you need to know the rules. The key rules to getting the clients you want are:

Market Solutions

Target Your Market

Demonstrate Value

Build Your Network

Stay in Touch

1. Market Solutions

Most service professionals focus their marketing on their expertise, their approach and the products and services they offer. While competence is a key to doing the work, most clientsก primary concern is getting problems solved and having their spoken and unspoken needs met. Instead of marketing your credentials, your processes and methodology, market your knowledge and the solutions you offer.

Marketing is about making connections, specifically between a clientกs unmet need and the solutions you provide. The best way to impress clients is to show them you understand the problems they are experiencing. If you want to leverage your credentials, mention past clients when you provide examples of how you solved similar problems.

2. Target Your Market

Are you getting a positive response to your marketing efforts? If not, then you may not have targeted your market and their specific needs and interests precisely enough. Independent professionals or small business owners often try to do the impossible and be everything to everybody. Instead define your niche market and get the attention of this group.

3. Demonstrate Value

Actions speak louder than words. If you want clients to be aware of the value of your products or services, you will need to give them a test drive. Open the door with newsletters, workshops, a free session or articles found on your web site. Over time demonstrating the value you provide will convince prospective clients of your ability to solve their problems and help position you as a trusted advisor.

4. Build Your Network

The objective is to know who is interested in your products and services. Networking is a good idea because people like to buy products from people they know and trust. If they’ve met you or been referred to you they are more likely to trust you.

Depending on the business you are in, you can build your network of prospects through conventional networking or through your web site and email. Either way the more qualified prospects you have in your network the better.

5. Stay in Touch

Memories are short. Once we hit middle age most of us can’t remember what we had for dinner two days ago, much less the host of services various firms provide. In most cases its safe to assume your target market has forgotten about the range of solutions you offer, if they remember you at all.

Stay in touch with your target market on a monthly or, at a minimum quarterly basis. When you contact people be clear about the action you want prospective, existing and past clients to take.

Win the Marketing Game

Once you know the rules to marketing you can apply them to map out your marketing strategy, and to select marketing tactics that will leave your competition in the dust.

2003 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.

About The Author

The author, Marketing Coach, Charlie Cook, helps independent

professionals and small business owners who want to improve

their marketing and attract more clients.

Get a copy of the marketing guide, 7 Steps to Get More Clients

and Grow Your Business. Get the FREE marketing guide now:

CLICK HERE ==> http://www.charliecook.net

mailto:[email protected]

[email protected]

This article was posted on July 16, 2003

by Charlie Cook