Many online business owners and marketers use a variety of tools to make their business successful. Good strategies include maintaining a web site, publishing an ezine, joining affiliate programs, advertising on other people's ezines, and much, much more. As any good Internet "guru" will tell you, getting your name and product "out there" is the most important part of your success. So, the general rule is: Use as many strategies as possible.
What I suggest is that you take this rule one step farther. What I think works best is combining as many of the strategies together, as possible. In other words, when you can, build your own network, using the tools you already have in place. And I'm using the word network, as it relates to networking your online systems -- not in the sense of a prospect or client network, though I have some tips on that, near the end of this article.
So, let's break down this concept. Suppose you have a web site that promotes a product or service. You probably have a sales letter, some testimonials and a merchant account, so people can buy your product. Now, what I would suggest next, if you don't already have it, is your own ezine (online magazine, operated by an e-mail autoresponder). You get visitors to subscribe to your ezine, using a pop-up or another type of FREE subscription form on your web site. Again, this may not be new to most people, but here's another spin on it. In addition to your pop-up or basic sign-up form on your site, why not add a page to your site, with a link on your home page, that does nothing but promote your ezine.
You see, many people pass up your subscription form, because they are afraid of SPAM, or they don't know enough about your ezine. Will it interest them? Or, will it just bombard them with more advertising?
A separate page can explain exactly what the ezine does, promote articles that you have in it, even give a sample issue, so prospects can see what they are getting. Be sure to have several subscription forms on this page between sections of your text, so people have plenty of opportunity to subscribe. Also, be sure that visitors are linked back to your home page, once they've subscribed, so they get back to looking at your product. Any good autoresponder will have this feature, which is crucial, because although you desperately want people signing up for your ezine, you also want them to read your sales letter and, hopefully, buy your product.
Make sure your EzineArticles always link back to your web site, so you are constantly promoting yourself. After all, this is really what ezines are for.
Another part of good online networking is to set up affiliate programming, in a similar fashion to the aforementioned ezine promotion. That is, instead of just offering your own product as an affiliate program, set up a separate page on your web site for affiliate programs you use. So, you might have a link on your home/sales page called "Other Great Products." Obviously, you can use your own creativity for this title.
This link will take visitors to a site that promotes other products, for which you gain a commission as an affiliate. If you are unfamiliar with affiliate programs, visit ClickBank, the largest free affiliate program on the Internet. Most Internet marketers only offer their own product to people, who want to join affiliate programs, or they may offer just one other related product, with a link on their home page.
Plus, don't forget any other web sites of your own. Always be sure to link to them on all of your URLs and in your ezine articles. The key to building your own online network is to be sure you have promotional pages for all of your products and affiliates on your web sites and to link everything together. Remember, you want every visitor on your e-mail list, and you always want them landing back on your promotional pages.
One final thought. Promoting your business network offline is also critical to your success. Some basic techniques I use are:
• URL on return address stickers
• Business cards with ezine address and web site
• Fliers at community businesses and public places (be sure your community knows you above all others)
• Free seminars in regional communities, discussing my topic (remember, you don’t need to make money here – all you want is to get your name out there and to get e-mail addresses, so you can add them to your ezine list)
• Teach a class at a community college (get more e-mail addresses)
• Give free information away at community festivals, like Home Days
• Advertise in your local Money Saver magazines. It’s cheap, and it reaches tens of thousands of people, who love cheap or free stuff.
• Anything else you can think of that get people to your site and to your ezine
Stay positive. Building a network takes time and hard work, but it's well worth it in the end.
Mark Barnes is author of Winning the Mortgage Game and several other finance books. He is also publisher of Biz Sense Online and Let’s Talk Sports, weekly business and entertainment ezines. See Mark's work at http://www.winningthemortgagegame.com and http://www.bizsenseonline.com. To get Biz Sense Online, send a blank e-mail to bizsenseonline@getresponse.com
To get Let’s Talk Sports, send a blank e-mail to letstalksports@getresponse.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Barnes
Thursday, March 5, 2009
How to Increase Traffic When Your Promotion Budget is Tiny
Writing articles for your site and for the use of others, is a simple proven way low cost way to get more traffic.
Articles can be used for all subjects and just like newspapers and magazines, is a recognised way of sharing information.
Articles a low cost way of promotion but they do take time which can pay you back year after year for your efforts.
Most people tend to think that they can't write well. It's nothing more than sharing helpful information that you have learned. For example the idea of this article is to help format you thoughts and then the best way to format it best for users. So lets get started.
1. Firstly you need to choose who is your target market. Who is your article for and why would they find it helpful?
Example: "Home business websites who are looking for low cost traffic"
2. Choose the purpose of you article. Why are you writing it? How will you use it? This will help guide the content of it.
Example: "Provide an article for distribution, which other webmasters/ezine owners can use creating links back to my site, and subscribers to my ezine"
Always keep the purpose of the article in mind, which will help you keep on track with your content.
3. Article Subject -What are you going to write about? What subject? Use other articles you have seen or experiences you have had for ideas.
Example: Using articles for low cost online promotion
From the subject you have chosen you need to create a headline of sorts- some thing that makes people want to read it. Create curiosity and use emotion.
Example: How to turn words into free traffic for your site
4. Format Outline -This is when you decide the format of your article, just like you were taught at school.
a. Introduction - An outline of what you are going to discuss and why.
b. Main body - Points you are going to cover including any references to helpful sites or site involved in what you learnt
c. Conclusion - What resulted and how it worked or it didn't. What could you do differently next time.
d. Resource box - Normally a link to your site, information about your site, about you. Here is good article on resource boxes:
http://digitalawol.com/box
5. Checking - At this stage you should have the outline of an article. You need to get someone else to read it over, spell checking it, making sure the information flows well.
I also recommend leaving it overnight before using it. It gives you a chance to re think it.
6. Online formatting - If you intend to make your article available to ezine owners, then you need to make sure it is formatted correctly and easy for them to use. The standard accepted format is 65 Characters wide- in plain text.
Most people us Microsoft word for word processing so you will need to re-format by using a program such as Note Tab light http://www.notetab.com/ (no cost) which will format your article correctly.
One thing you will also need to do is ensure you only have paragraphs of 4-5 lines otherwise it creates a "mental block" for the reader, and becomes too hard to read online.
So now you have a formatted, helpful article ready for your use. The last thing you need to keep in mind is that you need to provide helpful, well-researched information. A full-page ad for your site will not do you any good and will get deleted quickly.
Try to write from your own experiences and it will come across as real and very readable.
My next article will cover getting the information out there and working for you.
You can get the next article by subscribing to our ezine. It will surprize you find out that there are places you should NOT post your article, as they may not help your business.
Need more visitors to your web site and no more BS? Paul Easton is the editor of Power Promotion Plus. Learn how to increase traffic on a budget. Signup now and get your 3 gifts:
1.Free Meta Tag Software -2.Unofficial Pop Up Windows Crash Course -3.Affiliate Marketing Plan Builder - A step by step guide to a successful affiliate marketing program.
http://www.CreateToolbar.com/
(This article is available for reprint simply by adding the above Bio and no changes are made to the article or its content)
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Easton
Articles can be used for all subjects and just like newspapers and magazines, is a recognised way of sharing information.
Articles a low cost way of promotion but they do take time which can pay you back year after year for your efforts.
Most people tend to think that they can't write well. It's nothing more than sharing helpful information that you have learned. For example the idea of this article is to help format you thoughts and then the best way to format it best for users. So lets get started.
1. Firstly you need to choose who is your target market. Who is your article for and why would they find it helpful?
Example: "Home business websites who are looking for low cost traffic"
2. Choose the purpose of you article. Why are you writing it? How will you use it? This will help guide the content of it.
Example: "Provide an article for distribution, which other webmasters/ezine owners can use creating links back to my site, and subscribers to my ezine"
Always keep the purpose of the article in mind, which will help you keep on track with your content.
3. Article Subject -What are you going to write about? What subject? Use other articles you have seen or experiences you have had for ideas.
Example: Using articles for low cost online promotion
From the subject you have chosen you need to create a headline of sorts- some thing that makes people want to read it. Create curiosity and use emotion.
Example: How to turn words into free traffic for your site
4. Format Outline -This is when you decide the format of your article, just like you were taught at school.
a. Introduction - An outline of what you are going to discuss and why.
b. Main body - Points you are going to cover including any references to helpful sites or site involved in what you learnt
c. Conclusion - What resulted and how it worked or it didn't. What could you do differently next time.
d. Resource box - Normally a link to your site, information about your site, about you. Here is good article on resource boxes:
http://digitalawol.com/box
5. Checking - At this stage you should have the outline of an article. You need to get someone else to read it over, spell checking it, making sure the information flows well.
I also recommend leaving it overnight before using it. It gives you a chance to re think it.
6. Online formatting - If you intend to make your article available to ezine owners, then you need to make sure it is formatted correctly and easy for them to use. The standard accepted format is 65 Characters wide- in plain text.
Most people us Microsoft word for word processing so you will need to re-format by using a program such as Note Tab light http://www.notetab.com/ (no cost) which will format your article correctly.
One thing you will also need to do is ensure you only have paragraphs of 4-5 lines otherwise it creates a "mental block" for the reader, and becomes too hard to read online.
So now you have a formatted, helpful article ready for your use. The last thing you need to keep in mind is that you need to provide helpful, well-researched information. A full-page ad for your site will not do you any good and will get deleted quickly.
Try to write from your own experiences and it will come across as real and very readable.
My next article will cover getting the information out there and working for you.
You can get the next article by subscribing to our ezine. It will surprize you find out that there are places you should NOT post your article, as they may not help your business.
Need more visitors to your web site and no more BS? Paul Easton is the editor of Power Promotion Plus. Learn how to increase traffic on a budget. Signup now and get your 3 gifts:
1.Free Meta Tag Software -2.Unofficial Pop Up Windows Crash Course -3.Affiliate Marketing Plan Builder - A step by step guide to a successful affiliate marketing program.
http://www.CreateToolbar.com/
(This article is available for reprint simply by adding the above Bio and no changes are made to the article or its content)
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Easton
Graphic Design Using Color
Color is everywhere and conveys a message even if we don’t realize it. While this message can vary by culture it pays to know what colors “say” in your own corner of the universe, and even what color means to your target market.
If you don’t think that color speaks just complete this sentence, “red means ---- and green means –“ even a child will know what red means stop and green means go. If such simple ideas work for all of a given culture or market what could it mean to the graphic design of your website, brochure, or product if you know some of this information.
First let’s start with the basics. The color wheel. We’ve all seen it. The color wheel shows the basic colors, each wheel is different in how many shades of each color is shown, but they are essentially the same.
Color harmony, colors that go together well. These will be colors that are next door to each other on the color wheel. Such as blue and green. In reference to clothes these colors match each other. Instinctively most of us know which colors go together when we dress ourselves every morning.
Color complements, colors that set each other off, they complement each other. These are colors that are opposite on the color wheel. Such as blue and orange.
Color depth, colors can recede or jump forward. Remember that some colors seem to fall back such as blue, black, dark green, and brown. Other colors will seem to step forward such as white, yellow, red, and orange. This is why if you have a bright orange background it may seem to fight with any text or images that you place on it. The orange will always seem to move forward.
Now you have the basics so let’s go further. Just because to colors go together or complement each other doesn’t mean that yo necessarily want to use them on your project. I opened this article with the meaning of colors now here is an example, keep in mind this is one example from western culture.
Color Survey: what respondents said colors mean to them.
Happy = Yellow Inexpensive = Brown
Pure = White Powerful = Red (tomato)
Good Luck = green Dependable = Blue
Good tasting = Red (tomato) High Quality = Black
Dignity = Purple Nausea = Green
Technology = Silver Deity = White
Sexiness = Red (tomato) Bad Luck = Black
Mourning = Black Favorite color = Blue
Expensive = Gold Least favorite color = Orange
So in designing your project it’s important to know what colors mean. You can now see why a black back ground with green type would be bad, beyond being nearly impossible to read, if your target market thinks that black represents mourning and green makes them sick. There are exceptions to every rule of course.
So you may want to include some research in what colors mean to your target market. Colors that would get the attention of a teen would probably annoy an older person and the colors that appeal to the older person wouldn’t get a second look from a young person.
Color may be one of the most overlooked aspects of design.
Copyright 2004 Kelly Paal Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. Recently she started her own business Kelly Paal Photography (http://www.kellypaalphotography.com). She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelly_Paal
If you don’t think that color speaks just complete this sentence, “red means ---- and green means –“ even a child will know what red means stop and green means go. If such simple ideas work for all of a given culture or market what could it mean to the graphic design of your website, brochure, or product if you know some of this information.
First let’s start with the basics. The color wheel. We’ve all seen it. The color wheel shows the basic colors, each wheel is different in how many shades of each color is shown, but they are essentially the same.
Color harmony, colors that go together well. These will be colors that are next door to each other on the color wheel. Such as blue and green. In reference to clothes these colors match each other. Instinctively most of us know which colors go together when we dress ourselves every morning.
Color complements, colors that set each other off, they complement each other. These are colors that are opposite on the color wheel. Such as blue and orange.
Color depth, colors can recede or jump forward. Remember that some colors seem to fall back such as blue, black, dark green, and brown. Other colors will seem to step forward such as white, yellow, red, and orange. This is why if you have a bright orange background it may seem to fight with any text or images that you place on it. The orange will always seem to move forward.
Now you have the basics so let’s go further. Just because to colors go together or complement each other doesn’t mean that yo necessarily want to use them on your project. I opened this article with the meaning of colors now here is an example, keep in mind this is one example from western culture.
Color Survey: what respondents said colors mean to them.
Happy = Yellow Inexpensive = Brown
Pure = White Powerful = Red (tomato)
Good Luck = green Dependable = Blue
Good tasting = Red (tomato) High Quality = Black
Dignity = Purple Nausea = Green
Technology = Silver Deity = White
Sexiness = Red (tomato) Bad Luck = Black
Mourning = Black Favorite color = Blue
Expensive = Gold Least favorite color = Orange
So in designing your project it’s important to know what colors mean. You can now see why a black back ground with green type would be bad, beyond being nearly impossible to read, if your target market thinks that black represents mourning and green makes them sick. There are exceptions to every rule of course.
So you may want to include some research in what colors mean to your target market. Colors that would get the attention of a teen would probably annoy an older person and the colors that appeal to the older person wouldn’t get a second look from a young person.
Color may be one of the most overlooked aspects of design.
Copyright 2004 Kelly Paal Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. Recently she started her own business Kelly Paal Photography (http://www.kellypaalphotography.com). She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelly_Paal
Five Steps to a Web Site That Sells
I’m always amazed that people would spend months to develop their web site, pay thousands of dollars to have it put together and then... they just let it sit in the cyber space without generating any new leads.
Listen, if you hired a sales person for your business and they didn’t perform what would you do? You would fire them faster then they could say “but, I tried”, wouldn’t you? So why do you put up with a web site that doesn’t sell?
Right now I can hear you scream “but I don’t know what to do!” Let me share with you five simple tweaks you can do today to make your web site give your more bang for your buck.
1. COLLECT CONTACT INFORMATION
Typically, when I meet potential new clients within the first 30 seconds they spontaneously whip out their wallets, hold up their check books and yell out “I want to buy your stuff right now!” Then I usually wake up! In real life it takes multiple contacts to entice someone to give me some of their hard earned dough! But how can you contact them if you don’t know who they are?
Use your prime “cyber real estate” (the top part of your web site people see before they even scroll down) to convince your visitors to willingly give you their name and email address. Call your web person right now and tell them to place a “sign-up” form of some sort on your home page. (OK, wait till you finish reading this article – so you can take care of all the changes with one call.)
2. MAKE YOUR SITE LOAD FASTER
Do you have a lot of flashing buttons, rotating graphics, or worse – do you still have that “cool” flash intro guarding access to your web site? Hey there is a place for all this stuff on the internet – but it’s not on your web site. Most people will only wait a few seconds for your web site to display on their screen. If it doesn’t - they will move on and never come back!
Unless the graphics communicate an important point about your product or service – get rid of them. And listen – the nineties are gone – step into the 21st century and kill your “cool” flash intro.
3. USE EFFECTIVE PAGE TITLES
Are you speaking in riddles? Unless you’re trying to compete with Harry Potter open each web page with headlines that entice visitors to take the time to read more.
Here are a couple of examples. Would you rather read “about our services” or how “an ex-baker turned millionaire reveals his marketing secrets”? How about this – which headline would pick your interest more – “collateral design” or “does your marketing material communicate your message”?
Don’t make people guess what they are about to read – believe me, they won’t take the time. Say it in simple language. Take a look at your web site – does each page have an effective headline? If not – fix it.
4. DON'T HIDE THE GOODIES!
The famous WIIFM (what’s in it for me) has become such a cliché but it’s so true! Recently a Japanese publisher of a man’s magazine produced an entire issue using only photographs of attractive women and “blah, blah, blah” as a text for all the titles and articles.
What’s the point? Come on, do you think guys buy those magazines for the deep, thought provoking articles? Conversely, do you think your potential clients come to your web site to read your dissertation about “what is coaching” or “our consulting philosophy”?
Your web visitors want to know how they can solve their problems and if you can help them do it. Don’t hide this stuff where no one can find it. Highlight the benefits your product or service offers. Make it easy to find your informative articles. Present case studies. Allow them to download simple guides, forms or assessments. Provide links to more resources. Make yourself useful and they will reward you with their business.
5. BUILD CREDIBILITY
We all like to do business with people we know, like and trust. So how do you do make people feel like they know you and can trust you just by visiting your web site? Here are a few things that will give your credibility a boost:
- Use testimonials. When you tout your own horn people question your information. But a positive comment from a past client can instantly build your credibility.
- Display your contact information on every page. Don’t hide behind an email address. Tell people where and how to find you. List your address and phone number. People are more likely to do business with you if they know how to find you if something goes wrong.
- Display case studies and articles. They provide useful information and build you up as an authority on the subject.
- Post pictures of you and your key team members. You can post your bio but looking at your picture makes people feel like they actually know you. I can’t tell you how many times I run into people whom I’ve never met before and they feel like they’ve known me for years – because they’ve seen me on my web site.
There is a lot more tweaking that could turn your web site into a marketing magnet. But these five will give you a good start. OK, now you can call your web person!
(c) 2004 Adam M. Urbanski
The Author, Adam Urbanski, a Marketing Mentor, helps Service Professionals and Small Business Owners attract more clients. For more free tutorial articles, hot how-to tips and a FREE 32-page marketing guide go to http://www.themarketingmentors.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Urbanski
Listen, if you hired a sales person for your business and they didn’t perform what would you do? You would fire them faster then they could say “but, I tried”, wouldn’t you? So why do you put up with a web site that doesn’t sell?
Right now I can hear you scream “but I don’t know what to do!” Let me share with you five simple tweaks you can do today to make your web site give your more bang for your buck.
1. COLLECT CONTACT INFORMATION
Typically, when I meet potential new clients within the first 30 seconds they spontaneously whip out their wallets, hold up their check books and yell out “I want to buy your stuff right now!” Then I usually wake up! In real life it takes multiple contacts to entice someone to give me some of their hard earned dough! But how can you contact them if you don’t know who they are?
Use your prime “cyber real estate” (the top part of your web site people see before they even scroll down) to convince your visitors to willingly give you their name and email address. Call your web person right now and tell them to place a “sign-up” form of some sort on your home page. (OK, wait till you finish reading this article – so you can take care of all the changes with one call.)
2. MAKE YOUR SITE LOAD FASTER
Do you have a lot of flashing buttons, rotating graphics, or worse – do you still have that “cool” flash intro guarding access to your web site? Hey there is a place for all this stuff on the internet – but it’s not on your web site. Most people will only wait a few seconds for your web site to display on their screen. If it doesn’t - they will move on and never come back!
Unless the graphics communicate an important point about your product or service – get rid of them. And listen – the nineties are gone – step into the 21st century and kill your “cool” flash intro.
3. USE EFFECTIVE PAGE TITLES
Are you speaking in riddles? Unless you’re trying to compete with Harry Potter open each web page with headlines that entice visitors to take the time to read more.
Here are a couple of examples. Would you rather read “about our services” or how “an ex-baker turned millionaire reveals his marketing secrets”? How about this – which headline would pick your interest more – “collateral design” or “does your marketing material communicate your message”?
Don’t make people guess what they are about to read – believe me, they won’t take the time. Say it in simple language. Take a look at your web site – does each page have an effective headline? If not – fix it.
4. DON'T HIDE THE GOODIES!
The famous WIIFM (what’s in it for me) has become such a cliché but it’s so true! Recently a Japanese publisher of a man’s magazine produced an entire issue using only photographs of attractive women and “blah, blah, blah” as a text for all the titles and articles.
What’s the point? Come on, do you think guys buy those magazines for the deep, thought provoking articles? Conversely, do you think your potential clients come to your web site to read your dissertation about “what is coaching” or “our consulting philosophy”?
Your web visitors want to know how they can solve their problems and if you can help them do it. Don’t hide this stuff where no one can find it. Highlight the benefits your product or service offers. Make it easy to find your informative articles. Present case studies. Allow them to download simple guides, forms or assessments. Provide links to more resources. Make yourself useful and they will reward you with their business.
5. BUILD CREDIBILITY
We all like to do business with people we know, like and trust. So how do you do make people feel like they know you and can trust you just by visiting your web site? Here are a few things that will give your credibility a boost:
- Use testimonials. When you tout your own horn people question your information. But a positive comment from a past client can instantly build your credibility.
- Display your contact information on every page. Don’t hide behind an email address. Tell people where and how to find you. List your address and phone number. People are more likely to do business with you if they know how to find you if something goes wrong.
- Display case studies and articles. They provide useful information and build you up as an authority on the subject.
- Post pictures of you and your key team members. You can post your bio but looking at your picture makes people feel like they actually know you. I can’t tell you how many times I run into people whom I’ve never met before and they feel like they’ve known me for years – because they’ve seen me on my web site.
There is a lot more tweaking that could turn your web site into a marketing magnet. But these five will give you a good start. OK, now you can call your web person!
(c) 2004 Adam M. Urbanski
The Author, Adam Urbanski, a Marketing Mentor, helps Service Professionals and Small Business Owners attract more clients. For more free tutorial articles, hot how-to tips and a FREE 32-page marketing guide go to http://www.themarketingmentors.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Urbanski
Costly Web Copy Pitfalls
One secret to a site that sells: Look at your site from your customer’s perspective. Another secret: Watch out for these common web copy pitfalls.
Welcome to…nothing
Look at your site’s web copy. Does it begin with “Welcome to…?” If so, get rid of it. It means nothing. It doesn’t speak to your customers. It’s just a waste of your customers’ time and space. Rather than the worn out phrase, “Welcome to…” try a statement that captures the essence of your company, explaining it in terms that’ll benefit your customers. Instead of “Welcome to Crazy Dave’s CD Emporium,” try “Crazy Dave’s CD Emporium, where you can find quality CDs and crazy prices.”
Where do I go?
If you track your site’s metrics, look at your customers’ paths. How many customers get past the home page? If it’s less than desired, there might be a problem with your site’s navigation. If you’re one of those people with mega-content sites, add an internal search to help your customers find there way. If you’re a smaller site, add navigation bars that update automatically when your site’s structures changes or evolves.
“It’s all about me.” Your site is supposed to be about your customers not you. Let’s face it: Your customers don’t care about your Nobel Prize or that you were the first person to sell a condominium on Jupiter, they do care, however, about how your expertise can help them.
Quick tip: Visit your site. Does the copy contain more “we,” “me,” and “I” statements than “you” and “your?”
Marco…Polo
Have you ever visited a site to be sold on the product, then when you needed to ask a quick question, you couldn’t find their contact information? The solution: Put at least an email address or phone number on each page, preferably at the top or bottom. Then put more detailed contact information on your contact page.
Rarely read but really important. Just the presence of terms and conditions and privacy policies instills confidence in your product. It also eases the minds of your more anxious customers.
Vague, iffy, testimonials
Testimonials are the easiest and perhaps the best way to capture your customers’ attention and confidence. But simple statements saying that your product is good, won’t work. Detailed testimonials praising how much your product improved their life work best. Another way to give testimonials more selling power, get a picture. Even better, get a picture with you customer using your product or benefiting from your service.
Vanessa Selene Williams an independent writer who writes for businesses and corporations. She currently offers 30-minute and 60-minute critiques and consultations. To learn more about Vanessa and her services visit her online at http://corp.vswilliams.com or email her at info@vswilliams.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vanessa_Selene_Williams
Welcome to…nothing
Look at your site’s web copy. Does it begin with “Welcome to…?” If so, get rid of it. It means nothing. It doesn’t speak to your customers. It’s just a waste of your customers’ time and space. Rather than the worn out phrase, “Welcome to…” try a statement that captures the essence of your company, explaining it in terms that’ll benefit your customers. Instead of “Welcome to Crazy Dave’s CD Emporium,” try “Crazy Dave’s CD Emporium, where you can find quality CDs and crazy prices.”
Where do I go?
If you track your site’s metrics, look at your customers’ paths. How many customers get past the home page? If it’s less than desired, there might be a problem with your site’s navigation. If you’re one of those people with mega-content sites, add an internal search to help your customers find there way. If you’re a smaller site, add navigation bars that update automatically when your site’s structures changes or evolves.
“It’s all about me.” Your site is supposed to be about your customers not you. Let’s face it: Your customers don’t care about your Nobel Prize or that you were the first person to sell a condominium on Jupiter, they do care, however, about how your expertise can help them.
Quick tip: Visit your site. Does the copy contain more “we,” “me,” and “I” statements than “you” and “your?”
Marco…Polo
Have you ever visited a site to be sold on the product, then when you needed to ask a quick question, you couldn’t find their contact information? The solution: Put at least an email address or phone number on each page, preferably at the top or bottom. Then put more detailed contact information on your contact page.
Rarely read but really important. Just the presence of terms and conditions and privacy policies instills confidence in your product. It also eases the minds of your more anxious customers.
Vague, iffy, testimonials
Testimonials are the easiest and perhaps the best way to capture your customers’ attention and confidence. But simple statements saying that your product is good, won’t work. Detailed testimonials praising how much your product improved their life work best. Another way to give testimonials more selling power, get a picture. Even better, get a picture with you customer using your product or benefiting from your service.
Vanessa Selene Williams an independent writer who writes for businesses and corporations. She currently offers 30-minute and 60-minute critiques and consultations. To learn more about Vanessa and her services visit her online at http://corp.vswilliams.com or email her at info@vswilliams.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vanessa_Selene_Williams
Are You Taking Full Advantage of the Web?
Is your site visible, interactive? How's the infrastructure? Are your mailings personalized? What about tracking and consistency? In order to get the most out of your website all of these items are important.
By following these tips, you can build a sense of community for your web site. This in turn can build a loyal following for both your site and your business.
To make your site visible; be sure you prominently feature your URL (i.e., your Internet address) on your business cards, correspondence as well as any advertising you do - newspaper, magazine, broadcast and direct mail.
To be interactive your site must invite visitors to subscribe to e-mail "hot lists" that specialize in the categories that are of interest to them along with specially-priced merchandise they're interested in.
You want to be sure your site has a good infrastructure. If it does, it will allow you to quickly and easily send carefully-targeted e-mail bulletins to customers interested in specific categories of merchandise, so you can quickly and easily inform them of new products and specially-priced merchandise. And this is one of the main reasons you have a site, isn't it!
Personalization is key today. With all the products out there which allow you to do this, there is no reason your mailings shouldn't make the recipient feel "special".
The interactivity of your site isn't doing you any good if you are not sending targeted emails. So be sure to broadcast targeted e-mails to your core market at least twice a month.
All of the above mentioned tips allow you to grow and expand. However, be sure that you have a tracking system in place. This will allow you to track the results of your advertising, so you can see which media generates the most subscriptions to your hot-lists and which lists produce the most profits. This will help you to streamline your site and get rid of products and parts of your site that are not getting the results.
Copyright 2004 DeFiore Enterprises
Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it's like having your own personal coach: subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sue_And_Chuck_DeFiore
By following these tips, you can build a sense of community for your web site. This in turn can build a loyal following for both your site and your business.
To make your site visible; be sure you prominently feature your URL (i.e., your Internet address) on your business cards, correspondence as well as any advertising you do - newspaper, magazine, broadcast and direct mail.
To be interactive your site must invite visitors to subscribe to e-mail "hot lists" that specialize in the categories that are of interest to them along with specially-priced merchandise they're interested in.
You want to be sure your site has a good infrastructure. If it does, it will allow you to quickly and easily send carefully-targeted e-mail bulletins to customers interested in specific categories of merchandise, so you can quickly and easily inform them of new products and specially-priced merchandise. And this is one of the main reasons you have a site, isn't it!
Personalization is key today. With all the products out there which allow you to do this, there is no reason your mailings shouldn't make the recipient feel "special".
The interactivity of your site isn't doing you any good if you are not sending targeted emails. So be sure to broadcast targeted e-mails to your core market at least twice a month.
All of the above mentioned tips allow you to grow and expand. However, be sure that you have a tracking system in place. This will allow you to track the results of your advertising, so you can see which media generates the most subscriptions to your hot-lists and which lists produce the most profits. This will help you to streamline your site and get rid of products and parts of your site that are not getting the results.
Copyright 2004 DeFiore Enterprises
Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it's like having your own personal coach: subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sue_And_Chuck_DeFiore
Web Designer? You Don't Need No 'Stinkin' Web Designer!
RIVERSIDE, CA August 4, 2004 –- “Historically, small business owners have had a limited number of options to choose from when it comes to the development of an on-line presence,” says Pat Spinelli, owner of The Web Site Tutor, a Riverside, California 1. web site design and training firm.
According to Spinelli, “Until now, small Southern California business owners have had two choices. They have had to out-source the development of their web sites to a professional or sign up with a hosting company offering ‘free’ on-line templates. If they have an unlimited source of funds and the need for a dynamic, interactive site, outsourcing is definitely their best bet.”
“Entrepreneurs who are working with limited funds, however, have a need to look at less costly alternatives,” she says.
“Until now the only real alternatives to costly outsourcing have been on-line templates,” she says, “but most on-line templates have three major drawbacks. To use them one has to sign up for a year’s hosting at three to four times the ordinary cost, most templates offer limited functionality, and most cannot be optimized for search engines without a knowledge of HTML."
The Web Site Tutor offers an interesting alternative. “We believe we are the first company in Southern California to offer on-site tutorials and on-going marketing assistance which can save undercapitalized business ventures not only a great deal of money but provide them with a far greater degree of control and flexibility,” she says.
According to Spinelli, web design is child’s play. “We can teach anyone who is reasonably computer literate how to design a functional web site in four hours or less and at a fraction of the cost of outsourcing,” she says.
Building a functional site, however, is only the beginning of the process. According to Spinelli, “A well designed site has to be optimized as it is built and that is probably the most important part of our training program.”
“All too often, small business owners hire someone to design a web site, get their sites marginally optimized and then registered with search engines. And the process ends there because they have been led to believe that this is all that needs to be done to build a successful on-line business.
“Successful sites are driven by on-going promotional campaigns that go beyond these essentials," she said.
“We keep our clients abreast of the latest promotional strategies that will drive traffic to their sites both in the near and long term," she continues.
Before business owners spend a penny on a web site, Spinelli recommends they review 10 key questions designed to help budding entrepreneurs decide whether a web site is a wise investment. See Key Questions.
The Web Site Tutor’s tutorial program carries a no risk guarantee. After the company's initial tutorial session and 30 days thereafter, if a business owner decides to abandon the in-house development process, they will take over the site and credit the cost of training to its completion.
At the present time The Web Site Tutor’s tutorial services are restricted to Southern California. They start with a four-hour training session and are followed by 30 days of on-going technical and marketing support.
Copyright 2002 Ron Scott, The Web Site Tutor, http://www.websitetutoring.com. This article may be reproduced in any form whatsoever as long as it is attributed to the author.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ron_Scott
According to Spinelli, “Until now, small Southern California business owners have had two choices. They have had to out-source the development of their web sites to a professional or sign up with a hosting company offering ‘free’ on-line templates. If they have an unlimited source of funds and the need for a dynamic, interactive site, outsourcing is definitely their best bet.”
“Entrepreneurs who are working with limited funds, however, have a need to look at less costly alternatives,” she says.
“Until now the only real alternatives to costly outsourcing have been on-line templates,” she says, “but most on-line templates have three major drawbacks. To use them one has to sign up for a year’s hosting at three to four times the ordinary cost, most templates offer limited functionality, and most cannot be optimized for search engines without a knowledge of HTML."
The Web Site Tutor offers an interesting alternative. “We believe we are the first company in Southern California to offer on-site tutorials and on-going marketing assistance which can save undercapitalized business ventures not only a great deal of money but provide them with a far greater degree of control and flexibility,” she says.
According to Spinelli, web design is child’s play. “We can teach anyone who is reasonably computer literate how to design a functional web site in four hours or less and at a fraction of the cost of outsourcing,” she says.
Building a functional site, however, is only the beginning of the process. According to Spinelli, “A well designed site has to be optimized as it is built and that is probably the most important part of our training program.”
“All too often, small business owners hire someone to design a web site, get their sites marginally optimized and then registered with search engines. And the process ends there because they have been led to believe that this is all that needs to be done to build a successful on-line business.
“Successful sites are driven by on-going promotional campaigns that go beyond these essentials," she said.
“We keep our clients abreast of the latest promotional strategies that will drive traffic to their sites both in the near and long term," she continues.
Before business owners spend a penny on a web site, Spinelli recommends they review 10 key questions designed to help budding entrepreneurs decide whether a web site is a wise investment. See Key Questions.
The Web Site Tutor’s tutorial program carries a no risk guarantee. After the company's initial tutorial session and 30 days thereafter, if a business owner decides to abandon the in-house development process, they will take over the site and credit the cost of training to its completion.
At the present time The Web Site Tutor’s tutorial services are restricted to Southern California. They start with a four-hour training session and are followed by 30 days of on-going technical and marketing support.
Copyright 2002 Ron Scott, The Web Site Tutor, http://www.websitetutoring.com. This article may be reproduced in any form whatsoever as long as it is attributed to the author.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ron_Scott
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