Five of the Most Powerful Elements Anyone Can Use

Five of the Most Powerful Elements Anyone Can Use To Grow a Highly Responsive List

by: Laurence Baker

Lack of trust is the biggest problem marketers have on the internet, or better yet, the biggest opportunity.

The power in this lies in the fact that affiliate programs have given us easy access to a huge variety of products and services that we can present to potential buyers, opening up an endless number of possibilities.

And really, you’re not limited to affiliate products. Many businesses would be happy to compensate you for bringing them sales.

But too many people have no reason to believe that out of the multitude of marketing messages they see every day, yours is one they need to pay attention to. You have to provide them with something they’d have a hard time finding elsewhere.

Usually, the easiest, most effective, and most permanent way to first is to earn their trust that something theyกd have a hard time finding elsewhere.

Here’s the key thing you must remember…

Your readers can only benefit from you and you can only benefit from them to the extent that they can trust you!

These days, not many marketers handle this well. Not because they don’t know enough, or don’t have certain skills, itกs just that, their focus is in the wrong areas.

That’s where you come in. You can grab an early advantage, but marketers will always adapt. It’s part of the process. And when they do adapt, it won’t be as easy to stand out anymore.

Not only that, but the ones who don’t take advantage of this aren’t likely to survive. So the sooner you take advantage of this, the better.

Everyon(e) has the ability to earn trust, that is, if they’re worthy of it. By following these tips, you’ll put yourself in a position of influence with your subscribers… and that’s a powerful thing!

1) Keep your focus as narrow as it has to be for you to bring the most value. In other words, focus on those areas where you have something unique to contribute. What your readers will probably read elsewhere… let them read elsewhere.

2) Find ways to over deliver, exceeding people’s expectations. This creates the element of surprise. People will tend to remember this, and by association you. That means better recognition and more influence – a recipe guaranteed to make sales.

3) Make your subscribers feel like they know you. By doing this, you make it much easier for them to trust you. It’s like adding a third dimension to your marketing. It helps to complete the picture. And no matter how many people you write to, always use a personal, one on one type of style. It should sound like you’re talking directly to them.

Let yourself show through in your marketing, including your opinions, insights, stories, humor, etc. and your intentions will show through, whatever they might be. If that’s a bad thing, then you’re reading the wrong article.

4) Don’t try to please everyon(e). This is the biggest mistake you can make. You’ll forfeit anything interesting or unique about your marketing if you do this. In other words, you lose your edge and your marketing becomes ineffective. Don’t worry about the subscribers that drop off. You’re better off connecting with a smaller group on a deeper level.

5) Through your actions, you have to demonstrate to your subscribers that you don’t sacrifice their best interests in the name of profit. Become their trusted advisor. Do what you can to steer them in a direction that’s right for them, as individuals. Educate them to be able to make better decisions on their own.

These are powerful elements, and yet most marketers make compromises or loose sight of them because they see them as a conflict of interest with other profit seeking motives. The problem is, these things will lose their power when any one of them has been compromised. And earning the trust of your subscribers is never a conflict of interest.

The benefits of a responsive list are tremendous. To start with, youกll make more sales with more profit in each sale. Then, wordofmouth marketing, always the most effective method, becomes easy, and even more effective. You also put yourself in a position to sell bigger ticket items. Translation a lot more money from a lot less effort.

If you have a passion for or enjoy learning about the things that your market values, then developing the kinds of relationships you need to make these sales won’t seem like work at all.

All the while, you’ll be growing and becoming more influential.

All of these things will work together to build your influence at an exponential rate, and your incom(e) is sure to follow. Essentially, if you use your power wisely, you’ll continue to have more of it in the future.

And that’s for the long run, because these relationships will still be there no matter what might happen with your business in the future. In fact, these relationships really ARE your business.

Copyright 2004 Laurence Baker

About The Author

Laurence Baker is the author of ‘relationships: The Master Key to Success,ก presenting a solution to the biggest obstacle in making more sales on the internet a lack of trust. To download a FRE(E) copy, visit http://www.netmarkhome.com/sya1

This article was posted on December 31, 2004

by Laurence Baker

Building Trust For Lifetime Success

Building Trust For Lifetime Success

by: Randy Lever

Trust.
One word.
One very powerful word that can increase both first time and repeat sales to an unlimited degree.
Trust.
What is it? Why is it so important? How do you get it?
Confidence in you from your cutomers, builds relationships and as a result, more sales, and through excellent customer service.
Thatกs the short and sweet of it.
Now, how about a little more meat to it.
What is trust and why is it so important?
Definition: confidence in a person or thing because of the qualities one perceives or seems to perceive in him or it. (Websterกs)
The confidence that any visitor or potential customer has about your business, service or product is the foundation of present and future success.
Before any potential customer even enters your site for the first time, thereกs this underlying feeling of distrust. Itกs automatic.
Either they’re new to the Internet, received a poor product or service from a competitor or have already been scammed a few times.
Your first contact is either in some ad you placed in an ezine, classified, message board, banner, search engine description or some other form of advertising. Was it full of hype or were you honest in what your product or service delivers?
Once that customer enters your site and they don’t see what was stated in your ad………..
goodbye, you just lost a sale and probably a lifetime customer.
If you can’t be honest in your ad, then you’re pobably not going to be with your product or service. So, why should that visitor stick around only to be disappointed or scammed again? Would you?
Do you know what happens when that visitor leaves your site? They email an ezine editor, friend, or leave a nasty little post on a message board about their not so wonderful experience with you, and you’re credibility is gone.
How do you build that trust?
Believe it or not, itกs not that hard. It does take effort and itกs an ongoing process, not something you do once and forget about it.
Be Honest.
The importance of building trust really shows through here. Honesty should be at the front of your mind when you write up your ads and web site copy. Especially when that advertisement includes something free. Don’t use free just to get visitors, your trust and credibility takes a hard nose dive when the "freebie" is junk.
Only write exactly what your product or service delivers and leave the hype and exageration out.
Don’t Hype
I always skip over the ads that actually promise truckloads of money with little or no effort. Come on.
BIG BOLD HEADLINES are a sure sign of hype to nth degree. Promises that are impossible, like the truckloads of cash, are always a big giveaway. If your product doesn’t have it or do it, then don’t promise it.
Follow Up
If youกve done everything right so far and you are making sales, don’t forget about the customer. Follow up with a thank you letter. Add a special bonus that they didn’t know about. Ask them if they like your product or service. Ask if there is anything else you can help them with.
Bottom line is, build a relationship without trying to always sell them something. Talk to them, not at them or down to them. Be their friend and actually help them out when they need it, if you can.
Use Testimonials on your site.
When you followed up with your customers and asked if they liked your product, then ask if you can use their comments on your site. Of course, youกll also include their name, email and website address.
Testimonials build enormous instant credibility. If a visitor to your site sees that there are already satisified customers, then you deliver what you say you will and youกve kept in touch with that customer. Plus the name and email also keeps the visitor comfortable as they know that they can get in touch with that person to verify what they had to say was, in fact, true.
As you can see, building trust isn’t all that hard.
Just be sincere. Be personable. Be available.
If you follow these few rules to help you gain trust and credibility among both your siteกs visitors and your peers, then youกll gain both lifetime customers of your product and lifetime relationships with some really good people.

About The Author

Randy Lever is the owner of the "Complete Internet Marketing Package", Marketing Profit. Learn the ins and outs of a successful ad campaign. http://www.glimmersmarketing.com/marketingprofit

This article was posted on January 20, 2002

by Randy Lever

Creating Trust

Creating Trust

by: Mari Peckham

It can be difficult, at best, to do business on the Internet.

Okay, you and I LIVE out here. We have grown to rely and trust the Internet. We have friends. We shop, we bank, we do business.We order take out, we even fall in love. We have found ways to do almost all of our daily tasks out here in cyber space. We hear daily of all of the people signing on for the first time.

So how could it be so hard to sell our wares?

Well, itกs the trust factor. Jupiter Communications, one of the leading providers of research on Internet commerce, recently revealed studies that showed 64 percent of online consumers are unlikely to trust a website.

Our customers don’t have the advantage of seeing our trustworthy faces. Getting to know us. Developing a relationship with us.

Then how do we go about alleviating the fears of our potential customers? Here are a few suggestions bound to set you on the right path.

BE HONEST.

Don’t make promises that you can’t keep, or claims that you can’t back up.

MAKE THEIR INFORMATION ACCESSIBLE AND UPDATABLE.

Make sure that your customers know what information you gather at your website and what you do with it. If you store profiles at your site, make them accessible to your customers or give them away to update it or make changes.

HONOR YOUR CUSTOMERSก PRIVACY.

If you sell directly from your site, it is important that you know, and adhere, to consumer privacy practices. Make sure that your customers understand your secure sales process and that they know what you do with their information (particularly credit card information) after the sale.

COMMUNICATE!

Publish an ezine or newsletter to help customers get to know you better. Host chats and/ or discussion boards and promptly and accurately answer your Email. (This means that you should actually READ your Email before replying!)

EDUCATE YOUR CUSTOMER AND OFFER IMPECABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE.

Make sure that they know how to use your product. Offer quick and responsive support and guidance. If a customer has a problem, don’t try to sweep it under the rug! Take care of it as quickly and as graciously as possible. It is a fact that 98 percent of people will continue to use a business even AFTER they have had a problem, if their problem was resolved in a prompt and courteous manner.

GUARD YOUR REPUTATION!

Stress the benefits of your product over another without insulting the other product. Stay clear of the dirty politics tactics. It doesn’t do much for your reputation.

OFFER MONEY BACK GUARANTEES,

whenever possible, then honor them quickly.

MAKE TESTIMONIALS AVAILABLE,

and encourage visitors to check with other customers before they purchase products or services from you.

BE CLEAR AND COMPLETE WITH YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION.

Include your business name, address, and phone number. Adding names and pictures of yourself or your employees can help visitors feel more confident and comfortable.

How can we alleviate the fears of our potential customers? Trust is something that takes time to earn. But the more you concentrate on your customer service, and the more responsible you act with their information and concerns, the quicker you will build a loyal customer base.

Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are successful and worthwhile businesses! Give your customers a reason to trust you, and they will!

About The Author

© Mari Peckham

Mari Peckham is the President of Peckham Enterprises and webmistress of PowerPromoPlus, your online advertising solution at: http://www.powerpromoplus.com

To subscribe to her online advertising tips, tools and techniques ezine, Advertise_Online, send any Email to: [email protected] or visit: http://www.powerpromoplus.com/advertise_online.htm

This article was posted on January 20, 2002

by Mari Peckham

What Can Lots Of Content Do For Your Site?

What Can Lots Of Content Do For Your Site?

by: Matt Colyer

Today there are so many web sites on the web, but so few of them have good content and there are even fewer web sites that have large amounts of content. Why is the web like this? For one most webmasters are trying to make a quick buck and others don’t know where to begin or are too lazy to do the work.

Content really is king! Why? because visitors will stay longer or will come back more often and they are more likely to buy from your business. Visitors know you are an expert in your siteกs topic because you write informative articles, which leads the visitor to trust your business more. And to your visitors itกs all about trust because if they can’t trust your business, how can they trust the product/service you sale or how can they even know that they will receive the product/service.

Most of the time before an Internet surfer buys a product they will search the web to get more information about it. Sometimes they are just looking to see how it really works or maybe they want to know more about a certain feature. If you write articles about your products, surfers are more likely to find your web site in the search engine and you may even steal a few sales from your competitor, which will result in more sales for you!

Having a site with great and informative information will make another site owners more likely to link to your web site. Think about it! Would you link to a site that just had their products and service web pages? Or would you link to a web site that has great content that will help your visitors? If you are like most webmasters you would chose the 2nd one because this will benefit your web site because it helps the visitors know more about your products.

Search engines such as Google and Yahoo! love themed sites! Having a good themed web site means your ranking is more likely to rank higher than other web sites. Not only does this help out your siteกs theme, but also allows you to target more keywords. Surfers will find these web pages when searching the web and will result in more sales.

About The Author

Matt Colyer is the owner of the Marhen.com Network which includes www.linkexchangeit.com and is a parttime SEO. He also is a php, CGI and ASP developer.

This article was posted on August 10, 2004

by Matt Colyer

How To get your JV Partner to Accept Recommendatio

How To get your JV Partner to Accept Recommendations From You

by: Abe Cherian

One of the brightest moments in my business career were when I was visiting with my joint venture partner and talking about our future relationship together. I remember asking Bill over and we instantly made friends. Simply by chatting about events we both enjoyed doing for our business.

One of the most effective ways to start out a business relationship, is by asking your future JV partner over to meet with you at your office or home. Why? Because you have an incredibly powerful offer to make to them, and if they aren’t sharp enough or interested enough, to come and see you, then they are not going to work with you!

Even though you both may see things for mutual gain, you must stay in control. You’re the fuel making this marketing networking machine run hard and fast. If they are too complacent to not wish to come into your domain at the first meeting, then they are not the winner here.

The thing to realize is not to get hung up on one person or another. Just politely brush them away and move on to the next. In fact, you only need one or two good relationships in each field to complete the circle and take care of your customers. The real beauty of all this, besides them giving you recommendations and paying for some, or all of your advertising, is much deeper than that. The real beauty is that your customers will be well taken care of!

It would be highly unusual for a customer to have a team of dedicated professionals taking care of you in this manner. One of the side benefits for you is that you will have this team to work on your own situation, usually at little or no cost. Often, you can set up an arrangement where these people will do work for free or at a discount for you. Of course, you should offer them help when they have personal needs, as well.

Another important fact to look at is your Unique Selling Proposition you bring to the table when you are able to tell a new prospect, how your team works together to maximize the efficiency of managing their purchase of your products or services. Do you think your USP is a little better than what your former competitors say? I would say so, because you have to have a totally different attitude to make this work. You have to be from a place of service with a customercentered psychology.

For example, when you’re meeting with a customer of an associate, and after listening to them, you know that they are really not ready to consider your product or service right now. Maybe later, but not now. In your heart, you know that you have to tell this person that he/she should really think about the future carefully before they pour all their money into whatever your offering.

If this were you, would you lead your customer over the hump? Would you กleadก him/her to the conclusion that doing what you say is the right decision…instead of telling your customer to consider whether doing anything right now is wise? You see, if you ask the right kinds of questions, and listen to what people really tell you, youกll always know in your heart whatกs right. And if you always do what your heart tells you is right, youกll get more business than youกll know what to do with, because of the positive energy you create when you do the right things.

Can you imagine the amount of trust you can build with an associate when you tell his customer and him, that this person (or business) isn’t in the right position to buy just yet, and you advise waiting until uncertainties are resolved? The trust will be a bridge into the heart of not just the customer, but the professional, as well.

Appealing to a professionalกs need for more customers will get the relationship started. Theyกll see you as a person who can help them solve their own marketing problems. After you’re in the door, developing this trust and showing the compassion Iกm describing will help secure you into other professionalกs lives and the lives of their customers.

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as the byline is included and the article is included in itกs entirety. I also ask that you activate any html links found in the article and in the byline. Please send a courtesy link or email where you publish to: [email protected]

About The Author

Abe Cherian is the founder of Multiple Stream Media, a company that helps online businesses find new leads and more customers without spending a fortune.

http://www.multiplestreammktg.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 12

by Abe Cherian

5 Things More Important to Internet Buyers than WH

5 Things More Important to Internet Buyers than WHAT You’re Selling II

by: Dr. Lynella Grant

Web commerce is all about courtship, not salesmanship. In life, a suitor can’t go from first date to the engagement ring in one afternoon. Courtship is an intricate dance, where each party contributes to the relationship at a measured tempo. Trust grows through gradual exchanges and reassurances.

Yet, the typical salesoriented Web site urges the visitor to jump to commitment right away. Pushing for them to กBUY NOW!ก is not only premature, but a misapplication of the fact that visitors are in a hurry. Developing a relationship can’t be rushed or skippednot if you intend to lead them to the alter (sale). Buyers want and need to proceed at their own pace.

Each request you make of a visitor กcall, read, subscribe or buyก requires a higher level of commitment. So back off the hard sell, and instead weave the steps into a sensuous dance that respects them and invites a lasting relationship. Itกs possible, if you follow these five points that buyers care about.

1. How well they’re treated

The mood of the site should be welcoming, geared to assist the customer finding what they’re looking for. Trust grows as you minimize their sense of risk. And make no mistake, the buyerกs risks are greater online. Recognize them and reduce them as much as possible. Theyกve been conned, burned, or faced nondelivery of purchasesnot to mention abuse of their credit cards or privacy information.

The Internet works because people feel anonymous. People are understandably leery about revealing personal information. So every aspect of the site needs to say, กyou’re safe hereก along with, กlook at all the interesting things we have to show you.ก One fast move and that skittish deer will bolt.

Web commerce has several inherent disadvantagesshipping charges, delays until products arrive, lack of handson assessment, etc. When buyers encounter other disadvantages as well, whether itกs unacceptable policies, or added costs, they treat them as a deal breakereven if itกs just a little bit more.

2. How efficiently the buying process went

Assuming your site sells a tangible product, the buyer has to be able to assess its looks, materials, uses, and value without being able to touch it. This can be accomplished much better with some products than others by use of photographs and descriptive copy. But a buyer still takes a chance as to color, size, quality, and suitability. Sales sites need to know their customersก concerns so well that they anticipate what they need to know.

Design the site for ease of scanning and logical organization that presents information so it will guide and inform.

3. How much aggravation they had to endure

Hereกs where poor navigation or slow download times cost you sales. (Navigation problems are a main reason why site visitors leave.) They won’t stay at a site where they can’t easily find the answers they want. And if they have to wait too long for pages to load, forget it. Internet users are extremely time sensitive. The high percentage of abandoned shopping carts (as much as a quarter) proves that the payment process can defeat all efforts to motivate the buyer. These are กalmostก sales, where sloppiness got in the way.

Getting through some payment procedures confounds even experienced surfers. How many payment options do you provideanywhere from Paypal to fax your order? Credit cards are convenient, but not always the purchaserกs preferred choice. How intrusive are the questions (yes, we know about fraud avoidance)? When the goal is building trust (in both directions), how many กwe don’t trust youก signals does your site send?

4. How many mind games were played on them

The primary products sold on most web sites are hype and high pressure. Unfortunately, thatกs not what buyers are looking to buy, and why conversion rates online are so abysmally low. The quality of typical sales copy is aggressive, designed more to trick than inform. It seems like the sales letters were drafted from the same manual.

Aggressive tactics are so widespread that effective, customerfriendly copy can actually stand out. So get rid of the กgotchas.ก Customers dread them, and then relax once they don’t find them. Mind games don’t end after the saleกs complete. Be alert for delivery, security, and privacy lapses that could creep up after the sale.

5. How well the business has its act together overall

Behind the computer screen are untold elementsefficient links, quick loading, glitchfree credit card processing, the respect for the visitorกs time, etc., that reveal the companyกs priorities. Unless all the parts work with a consistent goal and degree of care the buyer experiences whiplash. Sour notes (small potatoes signals) are trivial in themselves, but break the momentum toward purchasing. They’re easily eliminatedonce you know to look for them. To learn how, read the helpful articles at my site, http://www.giantpotatoes.com

Give yourself extra points for postsale follow up. Hereกs where Internet sellers can shine because of autoresponders and customeroriented email. Don’t just use such tools for making the sale. Use them to build relationships and added value after you get their money.

Dance Your Way to Profits

Courtship is necessary to develop a lasting relationship.

The pace of the dance should reflect the giveandtake necessary to build trust. Don’t sell the buyer, court him with a wellpaced dance.

This is Part II of a twopart series. Part I can be read at: http://www.giantpotatoes.com/article201.htm

© 2004, Lynella Grant

About The Author

Dr. Lynella Grant is an expert on the signals that make up the กbody languageก of a business. Author of The Business Card Book and Stop Looking Like Small Potatoes Visit http://www.giantpotatoes.com Off the Page Press (719) 3959450 mailto:[email protected]

This article was posted on March 02, 2004

by Dr. Lynella Grant

Marketing vs Selling Why Thereกs A Difference

Marketing vs Selling Why Thereกs A Difference

by: Candye Hinton

Marketing is something that we do to let people know what products we have to offer.

Selling is something that we do to show people that the products we have to offer are of value to them.

In the high tech world of today, much of what we consider marketing is very inconspicuous. Messages are moving at the speed of light, and we are hardly even aware of what we saw or heard that ever made us think eating fast food meant getting good food fast!

Marketing is all around us from the letters that appear in our mind when our stomach hurts. Yes, we know what spells relief to the jingle in our head when we think of the first and second name we give the meat in our sandwich. We have all done it, ran into the store to buy something, and called it out by the brand…not by the actual product name.

When was the last time you were thinking of something, as simple as coffee, and ขStarbucksข appeared in your mind? This, my friend, is what they call กsavvy marketingก and itกs as old as the day is long. The reason that marketing has been around for so long, is that for some odd reason, the more we keep something in the forefront of our mind, the more we inquire, the more we กGoogleก it, and the more we buy it it is why we think that we’re wearing Levi’s instead of jeans.

Marketing is what people do to get us interested in the ขbrandข of their product. Marketing is what causes us to dream and imagine and wish. When someone markets a product or service to us, they are helping us to get more familiar with it. They are asking us to be really comfortable with hearing the brand, saying the brand, asking about the brand and eventually, leading us to a place where we find a NEED for just that brand.

Marketing is the first step to a longterm relationship with any product, and the more product a person has to sell the longer we may find ourselves involved in the relationship. Marketing is the most thought out component of any large selling campaign, because without this one step the marketing noone knows that we’re even there.

The idea that once they know us and we know them (which seems like forever) is when we are able to like what we hear and trust what they have.

Selling usually comes in right about here…the point of purchase. This is where we are helped to find the best solution for us. Selling is fine tuning the brand / product / service to fit our needs exclusively, and this is where some people start to shy away. Selling isn’t always up close, but it IS personal. Selling, if done correctly, can create a lifetime of loyal product / service users, and should always be done with the utmost respect, trust and honor. Selling is what helps a consumer to decide if this product that has been marketed to them is really what they need AND if the pain they have is strong enough to get rid of, or if the pleasure is great enough to invest.

Selling is the next step to that wonderful place called referrals, and that can’t happen if we haven’t been able to deliver what we marketed our product to do. Our job when we market our product or service is to create for our client a reason to want to begin a relationship with us. They need to know. just by the sound of our brand, that we are worth pursuing. Not only do they need to be comfortable with what we are sharing, they also need to know that over and over again until they believe it for themselves.

So, as we look at the way we are creating relationships with our future clients, look at the process in having them trust us. If we are skipping step one in relationship building (the marketing) then step two (selling), will be much more difficult and step three (referrals & word of mouth) is then almost impossible.

We may have the greatest product out on the market today, and it may very well be the one thing that solves all of the worldกs problems, BUT, if we haven’t figured out how to speak to people in a caring and comfortable way, they will never get the chance to know us, and people who don’t know us will not buy from us!

Marketing has to be the FIRST thing we do to make our product and relationship with our clients successful. My program ขGet Clients Nowข will help you to understand this process by consistently doing something every single day to ensure results. For more information and workshop times please visit: http://www.thekoach.com/business/getclients.html

About The Author

When you have a limited amount of time to make an unlimited amount of money…Every bit of your Effort should be Effective!

Candye Hinton is dedicated to helping other people give wings to their entrepreneurial dreams. She particularly enjoys mentoring coaches and homebased business owners by helping them to develop the habit of being successful. Candye has a thriving coaching practice that focuses on three key areas business consulting, mentor coaching and personal development.

Effective Effort Coaching

[P] 18102254511

[w] www.thekoach.com

[e] [email protected]

This article was posted on March 21

by Candye Hinton

Marketing Plan Considerations

Marketing Plan Considerations

by: Jinky C. Mesias

In any marketing endeavor it is important to consider the company’s credibility. A company should show that they have a purpose and that very purpose is directed towards the understanding of their customers’ needs. After the company’s purpose is established it will not be hard for the company to gain the trust of its customers. However, there should be sincerity on the part of the company or else trust will be destroyed and that would really hurt its finances.

Another way of how customers determine the authenticity of the intentions of a company is through the products offered. The selection of the products will determine if a company has really understood the needs of its customers. Wrong selection of products is a clear indication that a company is not really that concern when it comes to providing solutions for the various needs of its customers and that will reflect a bad image for the company. And customers are likely to shun away from taking hold of any product or services that company is offering.

Likewise, in developing a marketing promotional product the primary consideration should be the customer that is if a company wants its advertising endeavors to succeed. Another consideration when developing a marketing promotional product is the product itself. The product must not only function as an advertising item but must possess a real value and a degree of usability for the customers or else your promotional product would just be piled with those items that are rubbish. Remember that it is important to maintain the trust and credibility not only in your company but more on the products and services you are offering.

Moreover, marketing is a business process that involves researching, informing and persuading customers in taking hold of products and services in an effort to increase sales as well as to increase the sharing or the transfer of ideas between the business and its customers. Although the process of marketing may take a great amount of time nevertheless a well planned marketing solution will result to a more stable influx of sales revenue most especially when customers’ trust in your company is built. All future marketing endeavors will promise sweet success.

About The Author

Jinky C. Mesias is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Major in Business Management. She is at present an Associate Manager of a Life Insurance Corporation and a freelance writer.

For suggestions and comments about the article kindly visit http://www.4promotional.com.

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 11

by Jinky C. Mesias

Increase Sales By Flying Under Your Prospects กRad

Increase Sales By Flying Under Your Prospects กRadar Defensesก

by: Jim Edwards

How do you persuade someone to do what you want them to do?

A whole world of marketing exists around us trying to do that every minute of the day. Do you even notice it anymore or, like your prospects, have you subconsciously set up a system of กradar defensesก against the daily bombardment of marketing messages? Take a minute and count up the advertising methods which fight, for your attention (and money) every day. Just the basic list includes:

Yellow page ads

Newspaper and magazine ads

Postcards, catalogs, and direct mail circulars in your กsnail mailก box

Radio pitches interrupting the flow of your favorite songs

TV ads about 20 minutes worth per hour now

Hundreds of storefronts, กmegaก malls, and strip malls

Highway billboards by the thousands

Circulars hung on your doorknob

Illegal signs on stop signs and telephone poles

Legitimate email messages

Spam email or UCE (unsolicited commercial email)

Just these 11 sources can overwhelm your brain with marketing messages. Like trapped rats, people develop defenses against this neverending onslaught. They throw up a wall or a กradar defenseก that goes into action the minute they smell a กpitchก or a sales job. Don’t blame them. We all do it! So how can you get around this psychological wall against the constant sales and marketing messages? Well, the answer does NOT lie in hitting people with more frequent and obnoxious advertising or sly, sneaky tactics. You might get them to trust you for a minute, but it will backfire in the long run.

You must do two things instead:

1. First, you must establish credibility for yourself and your business as an expert.

2. Second, you must reduce their fears about doing business with you.

Doing these two things will get you past their defenses and allow you the opportunity to persuade them to buy your product.

So how do you accomplish these two กsimpleก things? What will win someoneกs attention, raise your credibility, and lower their fear factor all at the same time? The oneword nswer really applies to most everyone.

Trust!

If a seller can get behind your defenses with information which makes you trust them, then that credibility will carry over into a sale much of the time. How can you get this credibility? Well, take this next fact as online marketing กgospel,ก for many people have proven itกs effectiveness.

Fact: Publishing and promoting with free articles gives you one of the most powerful opportunities available to tip the buyerกs credibility scale in your favor. How can we prove this works? Quite easily actually. Take a break from reading this and go check out a newspaper or magazine for a minute. Which do you trust more, the ads or the articles? Most people will choose the articles hands down. Why? Because the articles don’t try to กsellก you anything. Instead, they hand out useful information for educational or other practical purposes.

Most of us grew up in a culture which says we can believe and ‘trustก what appears in the standard กnewsก or กinformationก format. In other words, if it appears in print, then we can believe and trust the author.

So go ahead! Use this lifetime of conditioning to your advantage in selling your products and services! Very few things will create an atmosphere of trust and confidence in people as reading one of your articles on a subject that greatly interests them. It shows you know your business. It also demonstrates you will do more than just try to sell them something.

Publishing articles literally lets you fly under their advertising กradar defenses.ก

So remember these points when deciding whether or not to use articles to promote your business:

1. Few things create as much trust and confidence in the minds of potential customers as reading an article you wrote on a subject which specifically and intensely interests them.

2. Articles establish credibility quickly because, right or wrong, weกve all been trained to trust the กnews.ก

3. An article, or series of articles, will differentiate you from the competition, who bombard people with nothing but sales messages.

4. Providing contentrich, nonsalesoriented articles will also help build and solidify your relationship with existing customers so they give you repeat business.

Need MORE TRAFFIC to your website or affiliate links? ‘turn Words Into Trafficก reveals the secrets for using FREE articles to drive Thousands of NEW visitors to your website or affiliate links… without spending a dime on advertising! Click Here> http://theeasyway.com/traffic.html

About The Author

Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the coauthor of an amazing new ebook, ‘turn Words Into Traffic,ก that will teach you how to use free articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website or affiliate link! Click Here ==> http://theeasyway.com/traffic.html

This article was posted on November 07, 2004

by Jim Edwards

Create a Web Site that Builds Trust

Create a Web Site that Builds Trust

by: Herb and Monica Leibacher

If someone doesn’t know you personally, will they trust you enough to do business with you just by visiting your web site?

Most people view organizations and web sites they don’t know with great skepticism. Given all the identity theft and viruses running around, people are understandably cautious and somewhat skeptical when they go to a new web site.

What can you do?

Here are four tips on how to create a web site that builds trust:

1. Provide your contact information

You visitor wants to know that there is a real person somewhere behind your web site. Ideally, put a real personกs name, full postal address, email, and telephone number. Some of your visitors will want to communicate with you. Make it easy for them to do so.

2. Post testimonials

You say: กOur web site is the greatestก.

Your customer says: ขYea, right.ข

Every business toots its own horn, and most people don’t believe a word of it. But, when your customers sing your praises, it has much more credibility. Make sure that you ask your customers for short, specific testimonials. You can even ask a specific customer to speak of a particular experience with your company with which they were pleased. The more guidance you give folks in writing these the more helpful they will be to your viewers since they are looking for others who have had dealing with you like they may have.

Put these testimonials throughout your web site and include as much contact information about that customer as they will allow. Ideally you will want to put their picture, full name, and phone number or email address; however clearing it with them first is always a must. And as mentioned in number 1 above, the more details you provide to show there is a real person behind that testimonial, the credibility to will have to your viewer.

3. Provide a guarantee

Who wants to get stuck making a bad purchase? Providing a guarantee helps put your potential customers at ease and makes buying from you that much more inviting. The longer and more ironclad guarantees can’t be beat. If your competitors offer a 30 day guarantee with a restocking fee, why not offer a 60 day guarantee with no fees?

4. Be nice

For goodness sake, be nice to people! Your potential customers don’t know as much about your product or service as you do. They may ask what seem like dumb questions many times. Itกs ok. Answer them courtesly, honestly, and promptly – even if you are having one of those weeks! Let’s face it, you are desiring that they be willing to fork over some of their hard earned money to you so it is always to your advantage to entertain what may seem like the most outrageous inquiries.

When you create a web site, make sure that you follow these four tips to build trust. Building a genuine website is only half of the battle. Your website will attract folks to your business. But, building trust, confidence in your products and services, and, if you are lucky, a business relationship with a person will keep them coming back. And that is the whole idea!

About The Author

Herb and Monica Leibacher operate Web Builder Express (http://www.WebBuilderExpress.com). Create a professional web site for your business or nonprofit organization with Web Builder Express. At Web Builder Express, you can request your free Quick Start Guide that tells you how to create a great web site.

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 22

by Herb and Monica Leibacher

5 Powerful Tips To Beat The Biggest Problem ALL Ma

5 Powerful Tips To Beat The Biggest Problem ALL Marketers Face

by: Charles Kangethe

I bet you can’t tell me… the single biggest problem facing Every Direct Marketer, new and old.

Itกs not generating traffic, nor building an OกptIn list, nor is it finding products to market and itกs not a lack of Cash.

You can buy traffic, you can buy OกptIn list members, you can make or buy products and you can even borrow Cash.

The biggest single problem for any Direct Marketer is How To Earn Your Prospectกs Trust.

Learn how to earn AND keep trust and you open up huge new Marketing possibilities.

Too many salespeople of doubtful credentials, and too many adverts promising so much and delivering so little have hardened consumers, they no longer trust Marketers and Marketing claims without a great deal of convincing.

So how exactly do you turn a skeptic into a believer ?

Tip #1 Make Your First Contact Count

Your initial point of contact with prospects is typically

* An advert, in a PPC, a banner exchange, a classified or solo campaign

* An entry in a Search Engine directory,

* Or an article you have written.

Unfortunate as it may be, people do judge others by first contact. If your initial impression of someone is poor, chances are that you will not give them a second look, be it in business or your personal affairs.

Make sure your initial point of contact with all prospects is to your advantage.

This does NOT mean expensive, glitzy or superficial.

It means make your initial contact Sincere.

Keep that one word in mind as you design all your sales and marketing strategies and your Initial Contacts will always be positive.

Tip #2 Products, Pricing, Promises and Personality

Sincerity in your contacts with prospects comes from applying the (modified) 4 pกs of marketing.

* Products

Market the best products you can and never settle for second best. Add value and benefit to your prospect with quality merchandise. Resist the temptation to market กCost Cuttingก alternatives that are in fact more expensive due to their poorer real value.

* Pricing

Price your merchandise at a fair value for the producer, the consumer and the marketer. Over pricing your products is a self defeating tactic because prospects learn to avoid your pitch and with over high pricing you invite competition to under cut your cost and price base.

* Promises

Your sales literature and copy must be accurate and reflect the true benefits of your products and services. This does not mean you should be unduly modest, by all means make big claims, but make sure you can prove and demonstrate anything you promise.

Remember, in this context, any guarantee you give must be more solid than any Banks Vaults and worth as much as the contents of Fort Knox

* Personality

Inject your personality into your contact with prospects.

People love to do business with people they know. Avoid doing things you feel uncomfortable with, but do tell people about yourself, your failures, your wins, your hopes and your fears. Be the human face of you business and build a sincere relationship with prospects.

Tip #3 Communication

When you get past the initial contact, the next hurdle in building trust is communication with your prospects.

There are several ways to do this

* A sequential autoresponder with relevant messages sent to your OกptIn prospects at regular AND frequent intervals.

* An ezine sent out to subscribers with useful information and not just an excuse for another advert.

* Articles showing your prospects how YOU manage your business and personal tasks, tactics and strategies.

Communication is two way traffic. Ask your prospects for input into your professional relationship and how they think you can improve it. Listen to your prospects.

Tip #4 Credibility

Prospects always seek comfort that they are doing the right thing.

It pays to use กborrowedก credibility if you are not a world recognised expert in your field. This is where testimonials enter the picture.

Here are a few ways in which you can obtain testimonials and build credibility with a new product or service :

* Give a few samples away to a test group in return for the testimonial

* Use functionally disabled or time barred samples as demo versions which you can give away to prospects

* Develop fully functional modules with less features than the standard product and give those away to prospects.

* Develop ecourses and other training programs showing prospects the benefits and training them in how to use and consume your products and services.

Tip #5 Service

Your prospectกs Trust is very hard earned. But this is as nothing when compared to retaining their Trust.

Once a prospect becomes a customer, too many marketers make the fatal mistake of taking that customer for granted.

Post sales service is a crunch time for cementing the Trust you have managed to win with such effort.

Make sure you stay in touch with your new customer. Offer them advice and help in the use of their new product or service. Make sure any potential issues are dealt with before they escalate.

Be available and within easy contact for your customers and prospects.

Relevant Resources

http://www.simplyeasier.com/me.html

Conclusion

As a direct marketer you can buy traffic, you can buy OกptIn list members, you can make or buy products and you can even borrow Cash.

You cannot manufacture or in any way manipulate trust Trust is the one thing in your business that must be earned the Hard Way.

Be sincere, do the right things as shown here and build trust with your prospects.

(c) 2004 Charles Kangethe

About The Author

Charles Kangethe of http://www.simplyeasier.com is a leading new wave Netpreneur and a published author from England. The กSimply Easierก brand name is your guarantee of high value, quality Marketing Products, Services and Resources.

[email protected]

This article was posted on April 27, 2004

by Charles Kangethe