Internet Marketing Basics for Newbies

Introducing Internet Marketing Basics for Newbies

Marketing has always been an exciting profession. There is the challenge of coming up with new and creative ways to catch the attention of the public, hold that attention long enough to build up enthusiasm for a product line, and then motivate consumers to take that final step and purchase the good or service.

There is a lot of time and effort that goes into developing a solid marketing plan, and then even more resources required to actually get the plan rolling and producing results.

Like most professions, marketing follows some basic guidelines, based on what has worked in the past. Unlike some professions, marketing is a fluid type of career. As technologies change and the tastes of a fickle public shift, there is an ever increasing need to be alert to new and exciting ways to get the point across to people who are looking for just what you have to sell them.

Internet Marketing : Old Rules Rewritten for the New Age

Over the last couple of decades, the concept of Internet marketing as taken on a new prominence in the scheme of promoting goods and services. Originally seen as more or less an adjunct to traditional marketing methods, Internet marketing is now perceived as a legitimate and powerful form of marketing all its own. In many ways, Internet marketing has taken the old rules and rewritten them for a new age.

One great thing about Internet marketing is that you do not have to study the concepts of marketing for a number of years or obtain a degree in the subject before being ready to step out and begin a marketing career. In fact, it is possible to learn the basics in your home and during your spare hours.

Here are some things you should known about Internet marketing, what you need in order to get started, and some tips on how to find the right types of places in the cyber-world to look for important clues as to what you can effectively market.

1. Developing the Right Mindset of a Successful Internet Marketer

While there are ways to self-teach yourself about how to be an effective Internet marketer, it is important to realize that you must get yourself in the right frame of mind if anything you learn is going to be of any help to your new career choice.

As is true with so many things in life, attitude can be the difference between a happy and successful Internet marketer and someone who adds one more example of failure to a long and growing list.

To that end, one of the first things you should do is develop a mindset that is positive. You will want to apply this approach from the moment you choose to begin learning about the concept of marketing on the Internet.

Telling yourself that there is nothing that you can’t learn to do and do well is the first step in creating the right approach. You will find this level of confidence to be tested from the very start of the process, so the sooner you develop this sort of “can-do” attitude, the better off you will be.

Unless you already have a marketing background, chances are that as you begin your studies, you will come across terminology that you are unfamiliar with.

For people who already doubt their basic ability to learn new things, this can be the obstacle that derails them before they ever get started. However, if you simply remind yourself that there is nothing you can’t learn, this will be nothing more than a small speed bump on your way to success.

Instead of despairing because you don’t understand a word, stop for a moment and use your access to the Internet to look up the meaning. Many search engines allow you to enter a command of “define” followed by a keyword or key phrase. This will allow you to find quick definitions for the word, and also provide you with links that go into more detail about the concepts and applications that are connected to that word.

2. Putting In Due Effort and Time to Learn Internet Marketing

Remember that you are not engaged in a competitive race. If you need to spend an hour or so researching marketing terms, then take the time and do it.

Getting comfortable with the lingo will only make it that much easier for you to read and assimilate the information that you use as part of your self-training process. You will thank yourself as you resume your studies and find that technical terms are no longer slowing you down.

Along with learning about Internet marketing, it is a good idea to get acquainted with basic Internet tools as well. There is a world of electronic marketing tools that are available today. Some of them are free, while others cost very little. There are some basic things that any Internet marketer will need to know and learn about using these tools.

Learning before you go out and start assembling the tools will help you keep the right attitude for two reasons. First, you will be able to side step grabbing the first tools you see and holding on to them as if they were the Holy Grail of marketing. While there are a lot of great support tools and software on the market today, there is also a lot of junk. Take a deep breath and step back for a moment.

Remind yourself that you are in an investigative mode. Make note of tools that pique your interest, but don’t leap on them until you have learned more about Internet marketing and how to apply the tools. Then you will be in a better position to evaluate what value, if any, a particular tool has to your marketing model and plan.

3. Take Things One Step At A Time

Second, you do not set yourself up to fail before you even begin. Like the old saying goes, “too many cooks spoil the broth.” Engulfing yourself with a bunch of tools in a random fashion will only serve to confuse you and scatter your attention from your goals. Keep focused, keep moving forward. This will prevent you from getting bogged down in details that are not yet essential for you.

Above all, it is absolutely necessary that you meet every challenge with questions about how to turn the situation around and make it into an opportunity. Remember every challenge or problem is nothing more than an opportunity in disguise.

There will always be challenges, but an individual who is dedicated to the concept of becoming a top notch Internet marketer will see these situations as stepping stones to success, rather than a brick wall that cannot be climbed.

One thing to realize is that no matter how positive you try to be, there will be days when it seems like nothing you study is making sense. Recognize that you will have those days, but also remind yourself that every successful person from the beginning of time has also had them.

When you feel the frustration level rising to the point that it threatens to undermine your positive mindset to your marketing studies, it is time to take a short break. Push back the chair, turn off the computer, and get out of the house. Go to a movie, take a walk, have coffee with friends. The point is to change your location, the view around you, and the focus of your attention for a short period of time.

Giving yourself this short break will do wonders for your cognitive abilities. Chances are very good that when you return to your computer and pull up your study documents, things will make a great deal more sense.

4. Conclusion

Remember that you can be whatever you want to be. All you have to do is take the time to equip yourself with the knowledge and skills you need to reach your goals. This may not happen overnight, but if you keep your chin up, work hard, and assimilate what you need, your confidence in your ability will grow and you will get where you want to go.

Fundamental Tools/Ideas All Internet Marketers Must Have

As you spend time learning the basics ( or even advanced stuff) of internet marketing,  you would notice that there are some basic tools that will become essential components in the efforts of any successful Internet marketing plan.

Laying this solid foundation means you do not necessarily have to reinvent the wheel with each new campaign, although you should always be prepared to tweak things a bit to fit the needs of the product or service that you want to market.

Here are some things to put in place in order to do a great job with your marketing plans.

Website As A Multi-Purpose Tool For Internet Marketing

First, you need to get a web site. Period. No discussions or prevarication allowed. The simple fact of the matter is that people trust entities that they perceive as being “real” businesses. You may be creating your marketing empire from the garage or a spare bedroom, but if you have a real web site that people can visit, bookmark, and share with their friends and family, you will have the look and feel of an established business.

Here are some examples on how you can use your website:

1. Use it as a storefront.
2. Use it as a marketing tool.
3. Interacting with your customers
4. Capture Leads
5. and so on

Freelance writers are an excellent example of this sort of thing. While some well paying markets are always looking for new writers, they tend to gravitate toward writers that have a web site, complete with writing samples, contact information, and content that indicates that a true business is working there, not just a sideline or a hobby.

The same is true with marketing. Sure, you can post ads all over the place, but if there is nothing that builds up confidence in the permanency of your business, all those efforts will yield little or no return.

Here’s the Good News…

The good news is that web sites are relatively inexpensive these days, and many vendors will even have online tools that will help you create a nice looking site. They supply the outlines, color schemes, and the basic layout. You supply the content and the images and graphics. It is possible to have your web site up and running over a weekend, making it possible to you to use this as a basic part of your marketing plan.

Things You Need For Your Website

Get Yourself A Domain Name

One of the first issues to address in creating a web site is your domain name. One of the most common mistakes people make is try to be quirky or cute with the name. Forget quirky and cute, unless you can combine those qualities with a domain name that is short and easy to remember. Keep in mind that the longer your domain name happens to be, the harder it will be for people to remember it.

Sure, they can always bookmark your domain name in their Favorites, but what good does that do when they are casually talking with a friend about your site? Whether we like to admit it or not, the golden time for word of mouth to occur is during that personal encounter. If the domain name can be rattled off with ease, chances are much better that a new prospect will be directed to your site.

The simple fact is that many people may promise to send a link to someone later, but it gets lost in the shuffle of daily life. Make things easier for you and for people interested in your site. Employ the old Toastmasters counsel of KISS (keep it simple stupid). Life will be better for everyone involved.

Give Due Consideration for Your Domain Name

Next, give the structure of your domain name a great deal of consideration. Are there ways to incorporate keywords in the domain name that will be easy to remember? For example, if you plan on creating a web site that is devoted to the marketing of your own line of greeting cards, try to work in “greeting” or “cards” into the domain name. Keep in mind that the name of your company may or may not be the best choice for the domain name.

While we all like to see our names pop up when we look around the Internet, your focus is on the products you have to market, not on the wonderful name you have chosen for your business. If it seems that creating an easy to remember domain name that calls to attention to your products and services will mean forgoing the use of your company name in the URL, then bite the bullet and go ahead. Keep in mind you can put your company name in all sorts of places on the actual web site.

This helps accomplish two things. First, visitors will associate the URL with the types of products you are marketing. This is always a plus, as it makes it much easier for the consumer to remember and pass on your information to other people.

Some Form of Search Engine Optimization is Required

Second, it helps to make it much easier for your target audience to find your web site during engine searches. The more pointed and focused your domain name happens to be, the more effective this particular marketing tool will become in your quest for success.

Another important aspect is making the best use of your title tag on the front page of your web site. One fatal mistake that is often made is using this space to do a welcome message for the site.

While it may fit in nicely with greeting people as they come into your home, it is completely unnecessary on your web site. The presumption is that anyone who visits the site is welcome, so there is no need to waste space stating the obvious.

Instead, use that space as a means of spelling out in common terms that you have to offer. Keep in mind that we live in a society where people want instant gratification. That means you probably only have five to ten seconds to compel your visitor to stick around and read a little more.

Use that title tag to entice people to your site, and you will probably find that you show up higher on many search engines, as well as make better use of the space on your web pages.

While it is always nice when customers come to you, the fact is you will starve if you take the attitude that your wonderful web site is going to have people lining up to order whatever you are marketing. If the right people don’t know your web site exists, it will take forever for you to build up a steady clientele. Among the tools that will help you be a success is finding out where to market to your potential customer base.

Importance of Your Email List

Over the years, a number of resources have been made available to Internet marketers for use in marketing campaigns. One of the most common is the email list. Approach this type of resource with a great deal of caution. The fact is that far too often, these ready to use lists are not qualified.

A qualified email list will only include email addresses that have opted to be a part of the listing, and want to receive emails that have to do with certain products and services.

Far too often, lists are sold that include nothing more than a bunch of email addresses that were harvested off the World Wide Web. Using an unqualified list results in the creation of what is known as spam, or unsolicited emails. No responsible Internet marketer uses unqualified contact lists.

An unqualified list can hurt you in two ways. First, you have to pay good money for that list. If you purchase a list of ten thousand email addresses, and all but a hundred of them come back as undeliverable, you have effectively wasted resources that could have been used to better advantage.

An even more severe consequence of utilization of an unqualified email list is that your emails actually do get through to consumers, who get bent out of shape because they did not want the email in the first place. In a short time, you may find your company name or URL showing up on consumer driven spam reporting web sites, which will provide the type of publicity that you do not want to get.

Email Campaigns As Part of Your Marketing Campaign

If you must use email as part of your marketing scheme, then make sure the list is qualified. However, don’t expect grand results. That same qualified email list that you just purchased was probably sold to five other people within three seconds of your purchase.

Direct email campaigns can be costly, and the promise of return is going to be small. Approach this tool with caution, and with an eye to whether or not it will really help your business.

Of course, over time you can build up your own qualified list of email subscribers who want to receive product notices, special offers, and other sorts of marketing information. Adding the ability to opt-in to an email listing that is maintained by you alone is a great way to build up a list that you can rely on.

Make sure people understand that you will not share or sell the list to any third party, and that they have the option of always opting out of the mailing list if they change their minds. This type of courtesy will enhance your reputation as a professional, while also providing you with a targeted direct email audience that wants to see your advertising.

Other online resources are available to market your products and services. Research and find message boards, online yellow pages, business associations, want ads at chamber of commerce web sites, and other locations that will welcome the presence of your contact information and an ad about your business.

Many of these are free, although some may have a modest fee. In some cases, you may be able to find a web site that has to do with an industry type that would benefit from your product or service and arrange for a permanent ad on the site.

Targeting Your Market - Who’s Your Target Market?

One helpful idea is to get a firm idea of the type of customer that would be interested in what you are marketing. For years, traditional marketing has relied on a tool that is known as profiling. Essentially, you want to create an image of your typical customer, including all sorts of details about their lives, likes and dislikes.

For example, would your product be more attractive to single people or persons in a committed relationship and/or married? Does your product appeal more to persons who are just starting out, perhaps in their twenties?

Maybe your product has more of an appeal to people who are in the middle years of life, or to persons who are retired. Will people living in metropolitan areas tend to gravitate toward your offering, or will it have more appeal for persons who live in rural areas?

Asking yourself these important questions about what type of people are most likely to be interested in your product, and why they would be interested, will help you in a couple of ways.

Base Your Marketing Efforts On Your Target Market

First, you can seek out marketing methods that focus on effectively reaching people who fit the profile you developed. This means you will spend more time getting your product and contact information in front of people who are highly likely to take the time to learn about what you have to offer.

Second, this profile can form the basis for your marketing content. Why waste time talking about the big city when your services are geared toward people who live in a small town? Profiling helps to give your campaign focus, because it opens you up to the possibility of talking points that will grab the attention of the right people.

There is one thing that you should remember about advertising online. What worked very well a few years ago has become commonplace and somewhat stale in some instances. Simply put, there are electronic advertising methods that are not all that effective anymore.

Still, some of these methods may be effective, depending on the customer you are trying to reach. The key thing to remember about online advertising is to not lock yourself into one particular method to the exclusion of all other methods. Investigate your options carefully and always have at least three or four strategies taking place at the same time.

If you can’t identify at least three of these methods that will allow you to reach your target audience, something is wrong. Either you are being too narrow with your basic client profile, or you need to do some more research on available marketing options.

As a last tool in your arsenal, make yourself available. Businesses are not built on the basis of your web site and snappy advertising alone. Sometimes, people will want to talk with your about what you have to offer. This means you should always make sure you have contact information readily available to customers and prospects.

A branded email, rather than one of those free ones, sends a clear message of being a professional and makes you accessible. Including a phone number if possible is also a good approach. However, make sure it is a business line, and not your home phone. Prospective clients are not likely to appreciate your three year old picking up the line. Put in a second phone line and make sure it is always answered with the name of your business.

As a third option, set up a message board as part of your web presence. People can interact with you in that manner as well, plus it allows happy customers to share what they liked about your company, your service, and the products they purchased. Being accessible and responsive to queries by customers and prospects will do a lot to enhance your professional status with the general public.

A Primer on How to Conduct Research and Uncover Profitable Online Niches

Unless you already have a great idea on the table, chances are you will need to spend some time looking into what types of products and services that you can successfully market. In order to accomplish this, you will need to conduct some investigation into what is already being offered in the way of Internet marketing campaigns, and where you might be able to slip in and fill a niche somewhere in that great big business picture.

Here are some tips on where to find information about niche markets that might be desirable for you, as well as how to find places to launch your marketing efforts.

You Are Your Best Ideas

If you are starting fresh and looking for your first idea for an effective marketing campaign, the first place to begin is with yourself.

What do you like? What types of products are important in maintaining your standard of living? What types of services of goods would make life a lot easier for you, if you had access to them? How much are you willing to pay for these goods or services?

Spending some time searching your own wants and needs may yield some interesting concepts for niches that you can investigate online, and see just how much attention is given to those sorts of products.

A Random Idea from Yourself

Another method is to simply sit down with a piece of paper and make a list of ten subject that some to mind without going into any really deep thought processes. The list will probably be somewhat random, although thinking of one subject may immediately draw your mind to a related subject.

Don’t fight the flow or spend any time second-guessing the subjects that come to mind. Write them down and don’t waste time thinking they are silly or inappropriate. There will be plenty of time to evaluate the subjects later on.

Ideas from Your Friends

As a third source of inspiration, go out with friends, but take along a small note-book. As different subjects up in conversation and catch your ear, make a quick note. A one or two word phrase should do the trick nicely. The idea here is to get some ideas for markets to explore, based on what types of issues come to mind among people you know.

While none of these methods are particularly scientific, they can yield some interesting topics to research. Don’t reject any of the ideas out of hand, until you spend some time online and see where the subjects lead you.

Concepts that may seem completely off the wall or worth absolutely nothing may turn out to be gold mines. If research indicates that the subject is a dead end, then at least you have eliminated one possibility and saved yourself the trouble of pursuing that option at a future date. On the other hand, you may be surprised with what you find.

From Ideas to Keywords

Using these lists of words or subjects that you have compiled, take to the Internet and start doing some digging around. The first thing you want to ascertain is how much interest there is associated with that particular word or phrase. One of the easiest ways to get a handle on this sort of thing is to use word tracking search engines online. There are several well-known ones that are very easy to use.

All you basically do is type in your word or phrase and let the program search the entire web for results. What will happen is that the system will return a list that contains not only incidences of the word or phrase that you entered, but also expanded phrases that include that same word or phrase. You also get an idea of how many sites around the Internet contain text with that word.

This can be a great way to qualify the subjects and see if there is a large amount of interest in a given subject and related topics or information. A lot of hits means that you may want to look further into that subject as a possible foundation for a marketing campaign that is related to that word or phrase.

For example, if one of the subjects that came up on your lists happened to be “dog,” and you find that the word returns close to a million hits on its own, and then you may have found a broad subject to explore. Looking down the list, you may find that “dog house” and “dog training” returned a sizable number of hits, as did “dog treats.” With just a little digging, you have uncovered three potential services or products to market.

Moving one step further, you can explore each of these marketing subjects a little deeper by clicking on the word or phrase and canvassing the actual returns. Here, you may begin to see a pattern among the hits that bubble to the surface of the search engines.

This can help you to further refine your idea of what to market. For example, if you notice there are a lot of these that have to do with making a particular product at home, you may begin to think in terms of marketing home assembly kits related to that subject. Perhaps the home assembly requires the use of certain tools.

You may be able to set up a marketing campaign to sell those tools as a competitive price. Perhaps you happen to have some expertise with building those sorts of home projects. Put your knowledge to work, create some easy to follow plans, and market them to do it yourself types.

Low Demand for Certain Keywords Does Not Imply Unprofitable

Keep in mind that if you see a phrase with relatively few hits, that does not automatically eliminate it from the running. For example, if you notice that the return for “dog houses online” only yielded two hundred hits, take a moment and look at the actual title tags. You may find that people are looking to buy kits for doghouses online, and that becomes the focus of your new marketing campaign.

One important thing to keep in mind is that you need to try this technique on multiple word tracking programs, since the search criteria used by each system may be a little different. For example, some programs will return an average number of hits per day, while others will focus on the average hits per month. Also, the Internet is an ever growing monster. If you are not quite sure about the potential of a marketing idea, but do not feel comfortable abandoning it completely, stick it back for future reference. A year or two down the road, the results may be very different.

One thing to avoid is trying to repeat the same old tired process that is already being used by hundreds of thousands of other Internet entrepreneurs. Just as with brick and mortar businesses, competition can be fierce on the Internet. What you want is to look for a market that still has some potential to grow, so you are not constantly engaged in exchanging a limited bank of customers with a thousand other marketers.

Choosing to zero in on topics that appear to have some widespread interest on the Internet, but don’t seem to have much in the way of marketing sites that actually address those topics specifically is a very good bet when it comes to establishing yourself in a niche market.

Of course, there are all sorts of E-books and software programs that are supposedly geared toward finding profitable niche markets. While some of them do contain a few good ideas, the fact is that free resources on the Internet can often yield the same ideas, and sometimes approaches that are just as good, if not better.

Before you spend any money on any type of products, check around various web sites for free ideas on finding niche markets, as well as visiting the free word tracking web sites. Chances are you will find plenty of information that will keep you busy for quite some time, and will likely provide you with at least a half dozen solid leads on potential niche markets to launch your marketing efforts.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that there is no such thing as an idea that is too crazy to look into. You may find that going with something that is completely off the wall will lead to some interesting concepts of where you can fill a need and encounter a relatively small amount of competition at first.

Let your mind go wild, then use online resources to qualify those wild ideas. In a short time, you may be well on your way to launching your first successful Internet marketing campaign.

How to Write Words that Sell in Your Copy

One of the most powerful tools in your sales arsenal is the informed and judicious use of words and terminology. Words have the ability to entice a prospect, hold the attention of the potential buyer, and ultimately result in the establishment of a relationship that not only results in a sale today, but helps to create other sales activity in the future.

At the same time, words have the power to turn away potential clients, make people feel unappreciated, and ultimately lead to not only the loss of a sale today, but also the loss of sales opportunities in the future.

The effective salesperson knows the importance of choosing the right verbiage to present both the seller and the product. Whether in verbal communications or in the creation of written documents such as sales brochures, letters and emails, or any other type of promotional materials, using the right words in the right places is key to being successful at the task of sales.

Here are some ideas that will help you hone your sales vocabulary, and enhance your ability to utilize words that ultimately lead to productive client relationships.

How to Write Words that Sell in Your Copy

Using verbiage that will result in sales opportunities is important in any environment. This is especially true when composing sales copy for a web site, an online press release, or an electronic advertisement. There are several factors to keep in mind when writing the text for your web copy. Here are some of the most important things to keep in mind.

Keep your target audience in mind when composing the web copy.

It is imperative to keep your target audience in mind when composing the web copy. This will often mean making sure that the text is sprinkled with terminology that will be immediately recognizable to the reader. Adding in terms that are familiar to the consumer helps to accomplish two things:

First, they serve as markers that help the reader know that he or she is at a site that has relevance to their needs and interests.

Second, the use of familiar terms creates the impression that the author of the web site possesses a competent knowledge about the subject matter.

Both of these factors help to hold the interest of the reader long enough for the web copy to present all the reasons why life would be so much easier with the acquisition of the advertised good or service.

Technical terms may be fine in some instances, while their use may actually be a deterrent in other situations. For example, even though your product offering may have to do with conference room telephones, you may want to refrain from using a lot of telephony terms.

This would be true if you are looking to promote your products to administrative assistants and busy executives. Instead of technical terminology, the focus should be on the features included with the unit, as well as emphasizing how easy the unit is to use.

Of course, if the focus is on promoting the telephone equipment to Information Technology managers, then the inclusion of technical terms and specifications would be a must. Knowing what type of verbiage will connect with your target audience will go a long way in making the copy of your web text interesting and attractive to your audience.

Optimize Your Webcopy for Internet Search Engines

Another thing to keep in mind about your web copy is that you want to get the highest ranking as possible in various Internet search engines. The easiest way to accomplish this is to make sure there are keywords sprinkled throughout the copy. Keywords are simply words that are easily picked up as being relevant to the subject matter, and which are likely to be used by anyone doing research online related to that particular subject.

For example, if an assistant is charged with the task of finding qood buys on a speakerphone for the conference room, there are several key words that he or she is likely to use as part of the search criteria.

Words such as speakerphone, conference, conference room, meeting, business, and telephone are some examples of words that may be used as part of the search. Having all those words included in the text of your sales web copy will help to ensure your web site is included as part of the search results that are returned by the search engine.

One way to get an idea of what types of keywords to include in your web copy is to conduct a search of your own. Check out competitor sites and make note of some of the words that seem to occur two to four times in their copy. Chances are repetition at that level is done in order to maximize the chances of getting a high ranking on an engine search.

Keeping in mind that you do not necessarily want to replicate the keywords that are used by your competitors, think of other terms that are similar in meaning and that you think would be likely words or phrases to use for a search. Try out your theory by doing a few searches using your own set of keywords. You may find that the results are very positive, and could lead to greatly increasing your chances of a high ranking on all the major search engines.

Using Words Effectively in Email Marketing Campaigns

Just as you want to attract attention with the web copy on your web site, there is also the need to structure promotional emails so that they will catch the attention of consumers, and help to generate interest in the goods or services that you have for sale. There are a couple of key factors to keep in mind when you put together a promotional email.

Key Factors That A Newbie Should Take Note Off

The Subject Line

First, the subject line for your targeted email needs to include elements that will grab the attention of the reader. There are several schools of thought on how to best accomplish this.

One approach is to employ a question in the subject line. The idea behind the question is that people have a tendency to not overlook a question, while a statement may not make much of an impression.

Because the question will result in more people at least stopping to consider the email, the chances that the promotion will be opened and read increases. This at least gets the promotional email past the first obstacle, which is being junked by a consumer without being read.

Another approach is to build on the relationship that you already have with the consumer. Assuming that the email campaign is directed at persons who have done business with you in the past, you may want to include an identifying mark in the subject line, such as the name of your company, or the name of the product that was previously purchased.

Using a familiar term helps to create instant recognition. If the consumer had a favorable experience with your company in the past, there is an excellent chance that he or she will open the email and take a few moments to read through your epistle.

Your Email Body

Of course, once you have gotten through the minefield associated with getting the consumer to open the email, it is imperative to entice the prospect to keep reading after the first couple of sentences. Most people today are not interested in long winded emails that seem to have no end in sight. This means you want to do several things with the text to keep them reading.

First, use short paragraphs. When the email is opened, the eye will quickly note how many solid lines of text occur before there is a break of some sort. The brain immediately sends out a signal that reading this email is going to be a tiring process, and there is a good chance the email will be scanned at best, then abandoned. This impression can be avoided by using shorter paragraphs that focus on one aspect of the subject.

Breaks in the text make it easier to digest the whole email in manageable pieces. The end result is that you have the chance to build your sales pitch point by point as the reader moves through the text of the email.

Using bullets in the body of an email can also be effective. However, it is important to keep the bullets focused and short. Using a bunch of words to create what amounts to a bulleted paragraph will quickly cause the reader to lose interest.

A bullet should contain no more than seven to ten words, and focus on one complete thought that the consumer can easily relate to and digest. Remember, the purpose of the bullet is to present an idea, not expound on it. You can always do that on your web copy. Don’t try to accomplish that with any email, and certainly not in a bullet contained in the body of the email.

Another good thing to keep in mind about the wording in an email is to not get complicated. Employing the old business adage of KISS is ideal for crafting email text. The need to keep the wording simple and easy to read is essential.

You may have only a few seconds to attract the attention of the reader, and that is most certainly accomplished by using words that do not cause the consumer to pause and have to think about what the word may mean. Technical wording should be kept at a minimum, thus keeping the talking points accessible to just about everyone who might read the email.

The main factor to keep in mind with the use of words in promotional emails is that the text needs to be easily read, does not seem to be overwhelming, and is focused enough to increase interest in going to the web site for more details.

Using Sales Copy Effectively

Re-purpose Your Sales Copy

Using the sales copy you have created for the web and as part of email promotional campaigns can also be used in other ways to create interest in your products and services. The great thing is that you don’t always have to come up with more original copy to create other pieces that will help to spread the word.

Here are some examples of how you can use that web copy and email text to create more promotional documents that will help you to generate additional sales.

Re-using Sales Copy for Trade Shows and Conventions

Even if you operate mainly as a web business, it pays to participate in trade shows and conventions. Of course this means you need to set up an exhibit that will attract the attention of attendees as they walk by.

At the very least, you will want some graphics that will catch the eye that can be mounted on tables or on the back panels for an exhibit booth. Along with images, you may want to include a few snippets from the text that you use on your web site or email promotions.

Remember those crisp and concise bullets that you used as part of the email campaign? They now translate into some wonderful visual slogans to catch the eyes of conference attendees. Create some storyboards that splash those bullets across the facades in colors that will attract attention.

By using your words to entice people to come over to your exhibit, you have the chance to engage them in conversations that will help lead to the collection of leads that you can follow up on after the show closes.

Using Graphics for the Booth

Along with using your web text as graphics for the booth, consider reorganizing some of the information into a slide presentation. This will allow you to set up a computer screen and have the presentation continually running on a loop. Movement helps to attract the eye.

People will come over and check out your presentation, even if you are currently busy with other visitors. This gives you the chance to make a connection even if you are not free to engage the person in dialogue at that very moment. Because you are using words that are part of your web site, the visitors will feel a sense of familiarity when they visit your online business at a later date.

Using Sales Copies as Your Brochures

You will also need some printed matter that interested parties can take along with them. This will most likely be in the form of sales brochures. Use text from your email campaign to create one easy to read bi-fold brochure, then the text from your web site to create at least a couple of other brochures that are different in size and format.

This adds an element of visual interest to your printed matter, so odds are the visitor will take one of each. Three brochures taken would mean three opportunities to capture the interest of the reader. Chances are you will need to do little to no editing in order to adapt your web text for hard copy publications.

Keep in mind that when the trade show is over, you also have the ability to use those same brochures as part of a direct mail campaign. This sort of application, while not necessarily a big money maker, is usually worth the investment.

Going with printed mail campaigns opens up one more means of getting steady customers. Using your existing copy to accomplish the task is all the better for your bottom line.

Using Psychological Triggers in Your Sales Copy

Psychological triggers are simply words, images, and sounds that can be used to promote a particular response. When it comes to the use of these triggers in your sales effort, two of your post powerful tools will be words and the way you choose to present them.

Here are some things to keep in mind that will help you make the most of psychological triggers in the sales copy you compose, as well as some visual approaches to help those triggers do the job.

Use of Keywords

To a degree, the use of keywords sprinkled throughout your copy is an example of using psychological triggers. Keywords provide the basis for rapport between the reader and your copy. Chances are that the consumer is already looking for something in particular.

Keywords are evidence that he or she is at the right place to find that which is desired or needed. Thus, having important keywords in the text is one way of causing the triggering of a reaction that ensures the consumer will keep reading through the web site, assured there is something of value there.

Use Phrases and Words that Speak to the Mindset of the Reader

Another thing to keep in mind is that you want to use phrases and words that speak to the mindset of the reader. For example, including words that describe applications with special meaning to your target audience will help to elicit the desired response.

Someone who is looking for financial software for a faith based organization is likely to respond very positively to such words as stewardship, accountability, and trust. Triggers of this type resonate with some of the reasons why the individual may be searching for a good deal on financial software, and will easily help to draw in interested persons.

Triggers can also be used to invoke the emotions of the reader as well. Invoking a sense of fun into the search, while still being professional, is often enough to get people to take a few moments and check out what you have to offer. Humor may not be right for all products and services, but in many cases, the strategy works.

If you market office products and cater to busy administrative assistants trying to keep the boss happy, you may want to try a tag line with a trigger that speaks to the frustration that can come with the job. Something along the lines of “tired of searching the Internet to keep your boss from popping a vein?

Get everything you need here!” can help to soothe frayed nerves and at the same time creates the impression that there is no need to look anywhere else.

Playing On Guilt

Guilt is also being a trigger that can be used to good advantage. Using verbiage that conveys a sense that failure to purchase your good or service is something akin to a dereliction of duty. Of course, this tends to work better when the intimation is somewhat understated, since that does not insult the intelligence of the consumer.

Something along the lines of “a day without software is a day with a lot of wasted time” hints at the advantage of buying your product and impressing the boss with a high level of productivity. At the same time, the intimation is that without the software, the reader will not be as productive and thus will not be able to do the best job possible.

Preying on the sense of responsibility, then trigger motivates the consumer to read further and learn what your product can do to make the day a successful one.

Motivation through the written word is another example of a great psychological trigger. The vast majority of people want to do a good job with everything they do. However, they also want to accomplish that good job in as little time and with as little effort as possible.

Using triggers in your sales copy like “easy to use”, “cuts hours off your workload” and “increase your free time” will definitely play to the desire for more success with less investment. Using these types of triggers in headlines throughout the text is one way of getting noticed, but don’t forget to work a few of these motivational style motivators into the main text as well.

Sales Copy for Solo Ads and Classifieds Ads

Writing Solo Ads

As part of your sales campaign, there will be many opportunities to compose solo ads that can be used in a number of situations. In some cases, these may be general ads that are designed as part of the materials for a marketing campaign aimed at a new target group of consumers.

At other times, you may want to develop a solo ad that is aimed at appearing in a one time publication, such as an annual chamber of commerce directory. There are also situations where it may be advantageous to develop a series of solo ads that spotlight several of your high profile products or services. Here are a few tips to help you come up with solo ads that will work.

Think of the Amount of Space You Can Afford

When planning an ad, it is a good idea to think about the amount of space you can afford. Obviously, you want to target print publications that will reach the types of consumers that you want to connect with.

Keep in mind that a quarter page ad in the right publication is a much better investment than a page ad in a publication that does not include a readership that would have an interest in what you have to offer.

Spend Money on Your Target Market

Spend your money on ads that are geared toward the right people, and make sure the text of the ad makes that clear. Knowing where to place ads is your first step in deciding what type of copy to include in the customized solo ad.

The same type of approach can be applied to online ads as well. Creating a simple but effective solo ad that is targeted and can be placed on particular sites where potential clients visit. The text should be short, snappy, and make the point without taking more than a couple of seconds.

Generally, an online ad will also redirect visitors to your web site, so make sure that the tag or trigger you use with the ad is relevant to what the prospect will see when he or she arrives at the site.

Solo Ads As A Call To Action

Keep in mind that solo ads are not meant to be detailed repetitions of the information on your web site.

Instead, they are meant to call attention to some aspect of your business, and build enough interest that people will want to learn more. Don’t try to accomplish too many things with one solo ad. If the purpose for the ad is to promote a sale, then make sure the verbiage proclaims how good the sale is.

Perhaps you want to tout a new and improved product. Under those circumstances, focus on one or two new features of the enhanced offering. That is enough to act as a teaser without spilling all the details about what is so good about the new version of the product.

One easy way to create a series of solo ads is to come up with one basic format that can easily be adapted for different venues. Once the basic elements are in place, it is relatively easy to use the master ad as the template.

From that vantage point, it is easy to make some changes that will personalize each ad placement to target the specific print publication or set up web sites where the solo ads will appear. This approach also provides a sense of continuity.

Consumers who see two or more of your solo ads will easily recognize all of them as associated with the same products, based on the choice of graphics and the layout of the content.

Writing Classified Ads

Both in print and around the Internet, there are opportunities to write classified ads to spread the word about your business. In some cases, the classified ad may be only a sentence or two. In other cases, you may be able to manage something longer and still make it profitable.

Writing copy for classified ads is a little different from larger advertisements, in that no matter how generous the room for a classified ad, it is still a small space. Your challenge is to use that little bit of space to make a big impact.

Say A Lot In A Few Words

The nature of a classified ad is to say a lot in just a few words. This means you will need to be as exacting in your choice of words as possible. Fortunately, a classified ad does not have to rely on proper sentence structure.

This makes it possible for you to make use of phrases to get your point across, if they are appropriate. Quick blurbs that are crafted properly will get the point across, and allow you to convey your intent in just a few words.

Use Abbreviations to Pack In More Details

Another way to pack in more detail in just a few words is to employ the use of abbreviations. Depending on the publication where the classified ad will appear, you may be able to get by with using certain abbreviations that will be easily understood by the readers.

For example, if the classified ad is appearing in the back of a magazine dedicated to Information Systems professionals, then there is no need to spell out those words in the ad. Use the abbreviation “IS” and you save a lot of space that can be used to squeeze in another possible point of interest.

Along with industry related abbreviations there are generally accepted abbreviations that work both in print media and online. One such abbreviation would be “ISO” which is commonly used as the abbreviation for “in search of”. You may be surprised at how many abbreviations you can use without damaging the flow or integrity of the ad text.

Achieve a Good Balance

Still, it is a good idea to balance the shortcuts with at least a couple of terms that are spelled out. If you are unsure of what types of abbreviations would be acceptable, check out some of the other ads for ideas.

One component that you should always include in the ad is contact information. Make sure that the type of contact detail you provide is completely reliable. If there is not a good chance of returning a phone call in a timely manner, then opt for an email address. Better yet, include the URL for your web site, so that the reader can go right to the source.

Directing Readers to Your Website

Usually, directing readers to the main page of your site is the proper procedure. However, if you are running a sale or want to feature one of your products or services, you may want to redirect the reader directly to a page that focuses on the particular item.

In fact, reading through several of the classified ads that are found on the ad web site or in the print publication is a good idea. It is possible to pick up on a number of pointers about the type of classified ads that the publication considers be acceptable.

You can easily incorporate those ideas into your concept for the classified ad, making sure that you are in compliance with accepted guidelines. This investment of time doing a little quick research will help to make the task of actually writing the ad a lot easier.

Using Sales Language In Your Sales Copy

Sales language is simply the use of accepted terms and verbal techniques that are understood to be helpful in the process of identifying qualified leads, talking to interested prospects, and closing a sale. While the verbiage may tend to vary slightly from one sales setting to another, there are a number of rules that seem to apply across the board.

Here are some examples of effective sales language and how these approaches may be helpful.

Conveying Confidence as A Basic Principle

One of the first things that any successful salesperson learns is that proper sales language employs the basic principle of conveying confidence. That confidence has to do with the belief that all the goods and services on the table are of the best quality.

Further, each and every one of them will make a huge difference in the quality of life for any person who chooses to buy any of the services offered. Along with the knowledge that the goods and services are absolutely the best thing since sliced bread, the salesperson also has full confidence in his or her ability to convince the buyer of how good the products happen to be.

Without this underlying level of confidence, even the most convincing of all verbal techniques will fall short of the mark.

Help People Understand what Value They Will Receive

Sales language is all about accentuating the positive: helping people to realize the value of what you have to offer involves conveying that what you have will make any task easier to accomplish. Along with making the task easier, your product will also speed up the process so there is more time to devote to other matters. Best of all, it will also pay for itself in a very short period of time.

This means understanding what types of approaches will make an immediate impact with a customer. For example, if you open with something along the lines of “how would you like to leave a half hour early every day and still get all your work done?” you are certain to grab the attention of just about anyone.

You are using sales language to offer something of value to the individual and chances are you will get the chance to explain just what you mean.

Asking Clarifying Questions

Another part of employing sales language is learning when to ask clarifying questions. One you have engaged a prospect and you begin to get feedback, it is important that you check now and then to make sure the two of you are on the same page. Clarifying questions is one of the verbal tools you can use to keep on track.

A clarifying question is simply when you take a moment to ask a question that helps to ensure you understand something that the prospect has told you. Often, these types of questions are phrased to allow a simple yes or no response.

For example, if the client has mentioned the use of word processing software applications, you may want to take the matter one step further, and ask of in addition to word processing, would spreadsheet capability at no extra cost be something that would help out in the workplace.

This allows you to add more value to a need that is already expressed, and provide the prospect with one more reason to keep talking to you.

Perception Check to Avoid Misunderstanding

Along with the clarifying question, another verbal tool in your arsenal is the perception check. Here you are making sure that you assimilated information provided by the prospect. Often, a perception check will begin with a phrase like “if I understand you correctly” or “from what you have told me, I understand that you need.”

The point of the perception check is to allow the seller the chance to present in his or her own words what the buyer has indicated is a want or need. In turn, the buyer has the chance to affirm that the seller has indeed grasped the need, or has the chance to correct the perception of the seller if the connection did not quite capture everything.

It is important to frame the perception check so that any miscommunication is owned by the seller, and does not reflect on the buyer.

In fact, sales language should always place the burden of providing services on the seller. This leaves the buyer as seeming to be in complete control of the conversation, and without any sense that the buyer is being unclear or imprecise. This approach also conveys the sense that the seller is genuinely interested in meeting the needs and desires of the buyer.

Conclusion

Sales language is employed in online communications with prospects in several ways. First, email correspondence should always convey the desire to meet the needs of the buyer. Second, sales language that is positive, leads to discussions about what the products can do, and anticipates questions will go a long way in keeping the web copy for your site fresh, interesting, and entertaining.

Do You Have What It Takes To Create Your Own Product?

One profitable way of succeeding as an Internet marketer is to create your own basic information products and then couple them with existing goods or services that help to enhance the reputation and effectiveness of your own brain child. This, of course, means that you will need to create your own basic product that will serve as the foundation for your efforts.

This is not something that just anyone can do, and do well. In order to create your own products, there are several characteristics that will prove to be absolutely essential, if you really want to make an impact on a public that by and large are already jaded by all the products and services that are found online today.

How Creative Are You?

One of the first things you have to ask yourself is just how creative are you? People may exhibit creativity in a number of different ways. For some people, creativity comes about by taking elements that are already in hand and finding new and exciting ways to employ those elements.

For example, a growing trend in decorating these days is the redesign. Rather than scrapping existing furnishings, interior re-designers come into the space and reorganize the items that are already owned by the occupants.

Persons with the ability to look at existing elements and see new and exciting ways to make use of those same elements definitely have what it takes to create a product that may contain a lot of the usual stuff, but is put together in a way that brings a whole new dimension to the concept.

Other people are much better at starting with nothing and creating something brand new. This ground up approach is usually the province of people who love the blank canvass, seeing it as a space that can be molded and shifted in any way they choose.

There are no boundaries, no preconceived expectations, and nothing to prevent making anything that they want. People who have exhibited the ability to take nothing and turn it into something certainly have what it takes to create a successful online product.

The Ability to Re-Create

Then, there are people who express creativity by taking something that are tried and true and giving it a fresh and new looks. People with this type of ability often see all the good points of a product or service that has a proven track record.

Still, they feel it can be enhanced or improved in a number of small ways that will not only help to retain the interest of long term users, but also attract others who may have overlooked the product in the past, because it was such a common thing.

People with the ability to take a good thing and make it a little better, a little more user friendly, a little easier to understand, definitely have what it takes to come up with a product or service that can be effectively marketed online.

So where does your creativity level exhibit itself to best advantage? Let that direction lead you into the next step of the process, which is learning how to create products that will be marketable online.