Archive for July, 2008
Recycle Your Articles (earth science) to Gain Tons of Traffic and New Subscribers
By admin on July 30th, 2008
By Alexandria Brown
While there are many effective ways to get more traffic and build your email newsletter list, the one Ive had the MOST success with is to submit articles for use on other peoples websites and in their ezines.
But wait a minute, you say. Arent I supposed to be creating great articles for MY OWN e-zine?
Yes, you are! And after your article appears in your OWN e-zine, you should then submit it to others. Over the past few years, Ive found this to be the best way to get traffic, build my list, and increase my sales, for five reasons:
1) You can quickly gain FREE exposure to TENS OF THOUSANDS (or even HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS) of untapped prospects at a time. There are many high-traffic sites and ezines with high readerships that are looking for content from people like YOU.
2) Articles let you educate and share good information with your prospects. They also position you as an expert in their eyes, so theyll think of YOU as the most respected resource in your field. (Traditional ads dont do that for you.)
3) You have the right to promote yourself, your business, and whatever else you want at the end of every article. And anyone using your article must keep this information intact. (More on that in a minute.)
4) This is a tried-and-true method that will NEVER stop working, unlike the latest and greatest gimmicks to spoof the search engines. (Try one of those and see how quickly your traffic halts once the bottom drops out.) Search engines love real content and will always love real content.
5) Its EASY, and anyone can do it!
HERES HOW TO GET STARTED
1. PICK A WINNER
Browse through your archives and pick an insightful article that really showcases your expertise. Or, if this is new to you, write a basic article on your subject of expertise. (Not a good writer, or need help? Hire a writer from Elance.com.)
2. POLISH IT TIL IT SHINES
Publishers will not be interested in your article if it contains typos, misspelled words, grammatical errors, or inactive Web links these goofs would compromise the integrity of their publications. So make sure its Kosher!
3. ADD A COPYRIGHT NOTICE
At the end of the article, insert a copyright notice, dated when you first published the article. Example: 2005 Alexandria K. Brown
4. WRITE A JAZZY RESOURCE BOX
In exchange for your letting other publishers reprint your article, its customary to require they include the contact information you provide. This is usually called the resource box and it should come RIGHT after your copyright notice. Heres where you can ham it up.
Dont waste time promoting your actual business in the resource box. Why? Remember your #1 goal is always to get prospects on your LIST. Youll gain MORE clients and customers by FIRST getting them to subscribe to your FREE ezine or special report. THEN youve got them! Youll be in front of them regularly, and thats when theyll understand why they should hire you or buy your products.
5. SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLE TO ONLINE CONTENT DIRECTORIES
There are hundreds of free content Web sites and announcement lists where you can submit your articles for other publishers to use. Some even let you include a picture and other information about your website. One of my favorites is EzineArticles.com.
6. SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLE DIRECTLY TO APPROPRIATE PUBLISHERS
For best results, take the bull by the horns and contact publishers directly. But not just any publishers ones with e-zines that accept articles AND whose readers are your ideal clients and customers. A great place to start your search and build your own list is Charlie Pages Directory of E-zines.
7. AUTOMATE THE ENTIRE PROCESS
I know youre probably thinking right now, OK Ali, this sounds great, but isnt this going to be time consuming?
The answer is most definitely YES. In the past, youd have to spend several hours a week just to get one article out there. Its a lot of administrative work, requiring time that you probably dont have.
But my friend Jason Potash has just released his brand new ARTICLE ANNOUNCER software that does all this work FOR you. It blasts out your articles to hundreds of directories, publishers, and other sources to help generate a slew of web visitors to your site, month after month.
My staff and I have tested Jasons Article Announcer product and wholeheartedly recommend it. I urge you to see Jasons information page NOW, and grab your own copy before the price goes UP in just a few days.
Remember also that if you dont want to do any of your own article marketing yourself, its a perfect task to pass on to an assistant, intern, or freelancer. The key is getting it down to a SYSTEM, which is what this software helps you do.
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, The E-zine Queen, is creator of the award-winning Boost Business With Your Own E-zine system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to ezine marketing articles and FREE audio class, visit www.EzineQueen.com
11 Quick (and Good) Content Ideas for Your Ezine or Website
By Alexandria Brown
Publishing articles, especially via an e-zine, is the ideal opportunity to showcase your business. By sharing your knowledge and expertise, you build credibility as an expert, while spreading the word about your services and products.
While I’m sure that sometimes you have dozens of content ideas, I bet other times you find yourself staring at a blank computer screen, grumbling that it’s publishing time again. Well, have no fear! Here are 11 quick (and good) content ideas for when you’re in a pinch.
1. Give real-life success stories.
Describe a problem you’ve solved for a client/customer, and use that as a springboard to offer more general advice. Show your readers how you’ve helped customers address challenges — “case studies” if you will. This positions you as the expert in your readers’ minds more than your coming out and saying so.
2. Think of three areas in which you’d like your clients to think of you as a resource.
Now develop content in those areas. For example, in my past life as a professional copywriter, I really enjoyed writing for Web sites. To help encourage my clients and prospects to hire me for these projects, I published several articles on how to write Web copy that sells.
3. Read industry publications for ideas.
Are there any hot issues in your field right now? The more controversial, the better. Don’t be afraid to offer your own opinion — your readers want to know it. After all, YOU are the expert in their eyes.
4. Jot down 8 questions your clients have asked you in the past.
You know, the ones they ask you over and over. Answer each in a short article. If you publish weekly, that’s two months’ worth of content, right off the bat! And if you can’t think of any questions, send all your current clients/customers a quick e-mail, asking them what topics they’re most interested in learning more about.
5. Learn anything neat lately from an industry conference, workshop, seminar, or insightful article?
No one says you have to reinvent the wheel of information! Pass on any gems of advice you’ve learned elsewhere — just give them full attribution. Or give your opinion of the event or article itself. Your readers will appreciate your frankness.
6. Offer a list of your top 5 or 10 tips on a certain subject.
It’s much easier to bang out a list of tips than to put together a real article. Of course, the tips can evolve into an article if you wish! Be sure to list your best tip first, or at least close to the top. (If you “fire your biggest gun” last, you risk losing your audience before they get to the good stuff.)
7. Interview associates whose expertise would interest your readers
(while not competing with yours). E-mail interviews are incredibly easy to do. Just send your interviewee 3 to 5 questions via e-mail, edit their answers, and have them approve the final version. Be sure to give them a short plug in your e-zine as a thank you. (A one- or two-sentence description of their business and their Web address should be fine.)
8. Recommend books and resources that you use, and offer full reviews on them.In one issue of my old
ezine newsletters, “AKB MarCom Tips,” I featured reviews of my favorite four copywriting resource books. I’m glad I also gave my Amazon.com associate links, because I ended up making some nice commission, to boot!
9. Invite clients or readers to write you with their own questions, and answer one in each issue.
Right after their question, publish the person’s name, business, and Web address, with their permission. They’ll enjoy the attention and free publicity!
10. Invite readers to send in profiles.
Ask them to tell you about themselves — their names, businesses, locations, and how they use the information gained in your e-zine. Feature one profile in each issue or one every few issues.
11. When all else fails, borrow an article!
There are dozens of Web sites offering hundreds of articles that you can use in your e-zine. The articles are free and available for you to use immediately. The only catch is you’re required to leave the entire article intact, including the author’s promotional information. One of my favorite places to search for articles is www.ezinearticles.com.
One last note: Keep in mind that if your e-zine’s main objective is to get you more clients and customers, you should NOT feature other writers’ articles more than once in a blue moon. Remember our main goal is to continually showcase YOU.
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” publishes the award-winning ‘Straight Shooter Marketing’ weekly ezine marketing ezine with 20,000+ subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at
www.EzineQueen.com
Your Online News Source Of Science News
13 Steps to a “Slippery Slope” Online Sales Letter
By Alexandria Brown
But here’s the problem: I see many of them trying to sell their e-book, tutorial, etc. on a regular Web page. They list a paragraph about the info-product and give the price, and they expect a slew of sales.
Wrong.
You need a special sales page that has a “slippery slope” sales letter.
Remember that game Chutes & Ladders? If you landed on a space that had a chute on it, you just went down, Baby. No turning back. That’s how your sales letter should be - a “slippery slope” that pulls in the reader because it’s so compelling and interesting.
Here’s a basic outline of the 13 elements you want to include. To see an example of them all in action, visit MY own sales page at www.BoostBizEzine.com.
1. Limit your navigation.
The visitor should not be distracted by links that take her to your bio, other products, etc. The idea is to keep her on this page, reading your copy and leading her to order. So on this page, only have navigation that relates to the product (e.g. FAQs, Order now).
2. Give a powerful headline.
Your headline can make or break your sales. If it’s not compelling, your visitor will click away. Here’s an easy headline formula: “How to _________ So You Can ____________.” Make sure the 2nd part gives a big benefit, for example, “double your business” or “gain peace of mind.”
3. Discuss the problem the prospect has, or incorporate your own story.
Marketers call this “pushing the ‘ouch’ button.” First discuss the problem or pain that the reader has, and then lead in to how your product will solve it. Or share your own failure-to-success story that the reader can empathize with.
4. Tell us who you are.
If I’m going to buy your stuff, I’d like to know why you’re qualified to write about this topic. Give me the feeling that you’ve learned a lot about this topic and want to share it with me.
Even add a picture of yourself and an audio greeting, like I did. These help the reader instantly feel like she knows you better, increasing the “trust factor.” And people buy from those they feel they know, like, and trust!
5. Use bullets like mini headlines.
Lay out everything I’ll get from your product. Don’t just list your table of contents verbatim! Turn each point into an exciting secret. For example, suppose your e-book features 5 tips on how to save money on groceries. That bullet could read, “Revealed: 5 ways you can save hundreds of dollars on your monthly grocery bill.”
6. List plenty of testimonials.
Show your prospects they won’t be the first to buy. It’s more effective to weave-in testimonials throughout your sales letter than to have a separate section for them. Give each person’s full name and Web address, and for extra power, post their photo and an audio testimonial as well.
7. Tell us why your product is such a great value.
How does the price of your product compare if I hired you one-on-one? For example, your manual is a great value at $49 if an hour consultation with you would run me $250.
8. Throw in a few great bonuses.
Offer special bonuses (preferably created by you) that are so good you could sell them alone if you wanted to. It could be a list of resources, a collection of articles, extra tips on a certain subject, or a free consu1tation.
9. Give an unconditional guarantee.
This puts your prospect at ease, giving her no reason to NOT buy. A few turkeys will take advantage of your generosity, but the amount of sales you GAIN from this strategy dramatically outweighs the risk.
10. Request immediate action by having a limited time offer just click online newsletter service.
Some sales pages use trick scripts to make it seem like the offer always ends on that day at midnight, but I find these insulting. If you really will be raising your price soon (and you always should be), list the exact date and stick to it. Otherwise just say it’s an introductory, limited-time offer.
11. Make it ABSURDLY CLEAR what to do next.
Nothing bothers me more than when I’m at a Web site, I have my credit card ready, and I can’t find the $%#@& order link! Make your order process idiot-proof. Example: “Cl1ck below to 0rder n0w on our secure server.” Also sprinkle in order links throughout your page — some people will be ready to buy before they get to the bottom.
12. Make one last plea.
In your P.S., right after your signature, emphasize that I should act now. For example, “Don’t miss out on this great 0pportunity. Remember, you can buy n0w and change your mind at anytime.”
13. Don’t forget your contact information!
Readers WILL have questions, so provide an e-mail address on your site that you or someone else will check at least daily. Also, don’t you feel better buying from a Web site that lists a real address and phone number?
Want More Detailed Step-by-Step Help, With Examples You Can Model?
See my quick-start audio program, “The Secret, Simple Formula to Writing Web Copy That SELLS”.
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” publishes the award-winning ‘Straight Shooter Marketing’ weekly ezine marketing with 20,000+ subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at
www.EzineQueen.com
7 Marketing Lessons We Can Learn (science experiments) From TV Infomercials
By admin on July 30th, 2008
By Alexandria Brown
I hate to share this, but I love watching infomercials. And I’ve ordered more than once from them! Everything from cosmetics to a cell phone accessory.
When pressed, my friends admit the same. If you sniff around most people’s homes, you’ll find SOMETHING ordered from an infomercial, whether it’s the Ronco Rotisserie or Victoria Principal’s skincare.
You may think of these often annoying programs as “trash TV”, but think again. Did you realize that they use many of the exact same strategies that we should?
Now, I don’t mean you need to scream at your customers or flash “$19.95″ in blinking digits on your website! Those are gimmicks. But what most people don’t realize is that many of the STRATEGIES that sell the kitchen doohickey gadget are the same ones that can also sell your products and programs.)
Here are 7 of my favorites:
1. They grab your attention.
Infomercials air on the most challenging medium there is out there: television. You’re just a second away from your prospect clicking their remote to the next channel. So they do their best to get your attention right away and KEEP it for as long as possible.
That’s why infomercials give bold statements and emphasize how this doohickey will change your life. You should do this too — stop beating around the bush and make it clear to your prospects how your products and services will change *their* lives!
2. They give tons of real-life testimonials.
You’ll see that TV infomercials have evolved greatly since years ago. It used to be one or two people talking to a camera for the entire time. These days most typical 30 minute spots are over 80% customer testimonials! And that’s for good reason… they are the hands-down BEST way to gain instant credibility.
A great example is for one of those home exercise machines. I noticed years ago they just showed the super-ripped guy using it on the infomercial. Now they show that guy, PLUS dozens of before and after testimonials from real-life guys with beer bellies and real jobs who used the product with success. That was a great move on their part, because c’mon, I just can’t believe that super-ripped guy got that hot looking using it just 30 minutes, 3 times a week!
3. They use personalities.
The most successful infomercials now use celebrity guest hosts. They know this gets people’s attention more than practically anything out there. Pro Activ uses Jessica Simpson. Youthful Essence (a skincare product I love) uses Susan Lucci. Even NutriSystem is now using Dan Marino in their commercials to target men.
You can do the same in your marketing. You can either hire a star, or even better, make YOURSELF the celebrity… by sharing stories, being personal, and having fun with your market.
4. They give an irresistible offer.
It’s rare these days to see an infomercial asking for you to pay for something in full. You’ll mostly see things like “3 payments of $19.95″ or “4 payments of $39.95″. Why? Cash-crunched Americans are always more concerned about cash flow than the total price. They’ll even happily pay much MORE in the end in order to gain a lower monthly payment!
You can do the same. Offer a payment plan for your products, courses, workshops, and coaching. You’ll be AMAZED at the increased response, and it’s easy to do with marketing-savvy shopping cart systems.
5. They give a strong call-to-action NOW.
These folks know that as soon as you change the channel, you’re going to forget about their product. So they make it very urgent that you pick up the phone and call them now or visit their website and order. They usually say something like “If you call in the next 10 minutes you also get…” and they list a few great bonuses.
This isn’t just specific to TV. Everyone would rather put off ANY decision these days, we’re all so busy and overwhelmed! So you need to give people a good REASON to act now, whether it’s a discount that expires, a payment plan that expires, a limited number of products or seats, a special bonus… you get the idea.
6. They sell on continuity.
What’s “continuity”? online newsletter it’s when you make ONE sale that results in multiple charges over and over. For example, because my friends have been raving about I.D. Bare Minerals natural makeup, I recently ordered a kit from their infomercial. Now, every 2 months, I receive a fresh supply in the mail, and my card is charged again. I love it because I don’t have to remember to reorder. They love it because they only had to make ONE sale, and how they’ve got me as a customer forever until I cancel!
Hear me now… continuity will change your life! Consider how you can use this principle in your business. Could you convert some of your current offerings into a monthly membership? Or instead of doing one-shot teleseminars, create an ongoing monthly program? (I did this with my Marketing & Motivation Mastermind.)
7. They repeat themselves. And repeat themselves.
And repeat themselves again! Smart marketers know it takes an average of 9 TIMES for someone to see/hear your message BEFORE they will even consider purchasing! That goes for you too. So many of my clients complain that advertising doesn’t work when they only ran one ad ONCE. Or published ONE newsletter and it didn’t get them results.
Remember it’s the ongoing exposure and repetition that breeds familiarity and trust with your prospects! And that leads to more sales than you’ve ever imagined.
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” publishes the award-winning ‘Straight Shooter Marketing’ weekly
ezine with 20,000+ subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at
EzineQueen.com
Your Online News Source Of Science News
How (science articles) to Reach Thousands of Your Ideal Clients and Customers and Skyrocket Your E-mail List
By admin on July 30th, 2008
By Alexandria Brown
One of the questions Im asked the most by my clients is, How can I most quickly build my e-mail list?
My answer is, find someone whos already reaching your target market in droves, and use THEM to build your list! How? With these three easy steps:
STEP 1: Determine exactly who your ideal client or customer is.
The more descriptive you can be here, the better. For example, dont just think men. Think men ages 18-40 who like sports and working out. Dont just think small business owners. Think women owners of professional service businesses that do less than $1 million a year.
Can you take on clients or customers who fall outside of this description? Of course! But you need to know who youre going after.
Example: About three years ago, I spent a romantic summer week on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts. My beau was wonderful in letting me decide most of the activities wed do each day. But there was one thing he definitely wanted to do at least once - go bluefishing!
Now Im not sure if you could have guessed this, but Im not really into fishing. ; )
But hey, Ill try anything once, so off we went to the docks. Now, I figured we could go on any boat with any captain and do this. But no we went with Captain Dan the Bluefish Man (who smelled like his specialty). Dan took us on his special boat to this special place off the island where the bluefish were, and we even used special bait that the bluefish liked. And we had great success - they just kept biting!
I realized that if you know exactly what youre going after, youre much more likely to get it. The same goes for reaching your target market.
STEP 2: Find other people, companies, or websites that are ALREADY reaching your target market en masse.
Sit down with a cup of coffee this weekend and do some online research regarding your target market. What sites are they already visiting? What newsletters or magazines do they already read? For example, if your target market is stay-at-home moms, find the most popular sites they visit. Find the most popular ezines they read.
Come up with a list of your top five websites and top five ezines that are already reaching your ideal client or customer.
STEP 3: Contact these websites and ezines and see if they will:
REVIEW your book, products, services, or ezine for their readers. If so, send them a review copy and follow up a week or two later. Request that when they run the review they mention your e-zine and direct people to your website to sign up.
accept guest ARTICLES. If so, then submit one of your best, with a short bio that links people back to your website to sign up for your ezine.
SWAP ads or recommendations for each others websites, products, or services. If you have an ezine that reaches the same target market they want to reach, this is a great win-win.
do a CO-REGISTRATION deal. If you already have a good amount of e-zine subscribers and website traffic, they may be open to adding your e-zine to their ezine signup form if you do the same on your part. (Ideally folks should just check a box to subscribe to the additional e-zine automatically.)
run a recommendation or ad in exchange for a COMMISSION on resulting sales. For example, you give them the ad to run, tagged with a link that lets you know if any sales come from it. (This is easy for you to do if you have an online affiliate program.*)
accept PAID advertising. Banner ads, text ads, and other paid placements obviously cost you money, but if its your only option and you really want to reach these folks, go for it. But be sure to track your results so you can see if its working. (Youll need a link tracking program to do this.*)
And these are just a FEW ideas to get you started!
Remember, your #1 goal is to get people back to your site to sign up for your e-zine or other email list, because THAT is how you guarantee the chance to market to them repeatedly!
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, The E-zine Queen, is creator of the award-winning Boost Business With Your Own E-zine system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to marketing articles and FREE audio class, visit www.EzineQueen.com
Your Online News Source Of Science News
6 Steps to Catch More Opt-ins Than Ever Before
By Alexandria Brown
Remember that when you have new visitors at your website, your #1 goal is to get them on your ezine list! That way you have permission to contact them again and again, educating them about your helpful services and products that they came to learn more about.
But you cant just put up a link that says free newsletter. No one cares! You need to carefully craft an opt-in box that works like a big net, catching the exact type of fish you want as your ideal clients and customers.
Also remember, dont hide your box at the bottom of your web pages. Right now, most testing shows that the best place for your opt-in box is the upper right corner loud and proud!
Here are six simple things you should have in your opt-in box that will help you get more signups than ever before.
1) An Attention-Getting HEADLINE
Remember that online readers SKIM copy - they dont read it word for word. So the headline in your opt-in box may be the ONLY thing they read, which determines whether they sign up or not. So dont waste this space saying something like Free Newsletter or even worse Sign up for our mailing list. Ugh! Instead, tell me the MOST exciting thing your ezine will give me!
Examples:
Are You Ready to Blast Off Your SALES This Year?
FINALLY: Learn How to Keep That Weight Off For Good
Insider Secrets to Writing Novels for Big Bucks
2) A Raving Description of Your Ezine
Work hard at putting together a description of your ezine that gets prospects excited to sign up! Remember theyre tuned into station WIIFM (Whats In It For ME?). Tell them what your information is going to DO for them as well as everything they GET. Examples: How-to articles, quick and easy tips, free resources, insider secrets. Aim for your description to be between 15 and 30 words.
3) A Field to Enter Their FIRST NAME.
Getting peoples names along with their e-mails allows you to personalize your ezine for them. For example, if I was on your list, your e-mail would come to me saying, Dear Ali The subject line could even say, Ali, heres your free tip. Why do you want to do this? Studies prove that having the recipients name in the subject line of your e-mails can increase your open rates by 60%!
The problem is, many people value their privacy and are hesitant to give you their full name. For this reason, just ask for their FIRST name. Its been proven that youll get MORE names from people if you only ask for the first name. (And their first name is generally all youll need anyway.)
4) A Field to Enter Their Primary EMAIL ADDRESS.
Many people have a backup or personal e-mail address that they use just for receiving online newsletters and promotions. The problem is they are often from free e-mail services like Yahoo or Hotmail. These services filter e-mail like crazy, and their mailboxes fill up quickly, so theres a good chance your e-mails wont even reach these recipients.
The solution is, simply ask for their primary e-mail. Its amazing, but simply ASKING them to enter their primary e-mail will get you more quality e-mails on your list! (Youll also get less bounce-backs from undeliverable e-mails. If you get too many of those, it raises a red flag to some spam filter programs.)
5) A BUTTON That Says Subscribe or Sign Me Up Now
Make it very clear what they should click on to activate their subscription once they type in their name and email. Dont use something confusing like a link that says submit form.
6) Your PRIVACY POLICY, right then and there.
Everyones scared to receive more spam these days, so put your prospects at ease. Dont make them wonder what youre going to do with their e-mail addresses. State right next to or below your opt-in form what your policy is. Mine is, We will never sell, rent, trade, or share your e-mail with any other organization. (Feel free to use that yourself.) DONT make people click on a link to read your privacy policy - it looks like you have something to hide. In fact, in some U.S. states, its now required that you state your privacy policy right at the point of opt-in, so its a good idea no matter where you do business.
Want to See a Sample of This in Action?
If youd like to see many of these components in action, see my pop-under box at www.ezinequeen.com/popup.htm.
And if youd like MORE step-by-step instructions on how to get more signups at your website (and beyond) and build your list bigger than ever before, see my SPECIAL REPORT: 101 Simple, FREE and Low-Cost Ways to Quickly Build a Massive EMAIL LIST, which you can learn more about here.
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, The E-zine Queen, is creator of the award-winning Boost Business With Your Own E-zineonline newsletters system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to marketing articles and FREE audio class, visit
www.EzineQueen.com