Papa Joe’s Realistic Marketing Tips

Newsletter And Ezine Advertising - One of the most efficient ways to advertise your business online is through ezine and newsletter publications. This being said, the reason many small businesses don’t get the results they expected from an ezine or newsletter ad is simple….They are usually writing their ads to MAKE A SALE.

Now that you’re ready to be that SUPER SALESPERSON, you now know that the sale comes later….. First comes trust and a relationship with your customer. So the reason you want to advertise in a newsletter or ezine isn’t to immediately HARD SELL a product, it’s simply to (LET’S SAY THIS TOGETHER) “Build Our MAILING LIST! Very… Very… Good!

When you find a newsletter or ezine that targets your niche’ market, try placing an ad in it with only one goal in mind…. to Get New Subscribers on Your List.

Once you have a large list of subscribers, then and only then, will you truly be successful! Once you accomplish this task, you can literally write your own paycheck. You could send out weekly sales offers, promote affiliate programs, promote new downloads you’ve created…. the opportunities are endless.

Now, contrary to when I addressed the topic of writing a Signature File, (that’s FR.EE to do and doesn’t cost you a dime), ezine and newsletter advertising does come with a price tag. Fortunately, there are literally thousands of ezines and newsletters out there that are targeted toward your market. Out of all these publications, each will have a different number of subscribers and a different cost to advertise in.

Additionally, depending on the type of ad, the location within the publication, and the reputation of each publication itself, the costs can vary significantly. You should start small, and once you create an ad that you know is producing good results, you can then step up slowly.

Take baby steps with each aspect of your business and learn from each and every experience! Nothing has been wasted if you at least learn something from it…..

Write a GOOD AD! This can become a bit frustrating to master, but take your time and write from the customer’s perspective. Put yourself in their shoes.

Ask yourself…
– Would I click on this ad if I read it?
– What’s in it for me — the customer?
– Do I use emotion and a call to action?
– Am I making the customer an offer they simply can’t refuse?

Again, writing effectively is a craft that takes time to master, but you can do it with a little practice and perseverance. I strongly recommend the book MAKE YOUR WORDS SELL if you are serious about learning how to write ads and web copy effectively. Like I mentioned previously… I have it and I swear by it!

When choosing an ezine to advertise in… choose wisely. Make sure you’re advertising in a reputable publication. If you check it out and it’s not a publication that you yourself would subscribe to, then you probably need to keep looking. You can always ask the publisher for references or past issues to be sure they are legitimately mailing and advertising as described. But most importantly… advertise in ezines!

With the blatant overuse of Pop Up Ads and browser window manipulators these days, almost every web browser and/or host offers pop up blockers to stop these uninvited pests! I myself couldn’t be happier. They are very annoying when mis-used!

It is a bit unfortunate though, because pop ups – when used effectively - do an extremely good job of converting visitors into new subscribers. But lately, pop up windows have taken on a BAD NAME…and in many ways… for all the wrong reasons.

Just like anything else, when you use something like a pop up window on your site, you have to use it with caution and show respect for your customers. No one wants annoying pop ups at every click. Fortunately, you can still obtain a tremendous response rate from the new, more sophisticated pop ups and “Hover Ads” available.

The AWeber system uses some very sophisticated technology with their software to allow you to create advanced pop ups and hover ads that pop up blockers can no longer destroy.

Additionally, as I mentioned previously, exit pop ups are a great way to get customer feedback. It is an excellent opportunity for you to find out more about your visitor, what they liked, what they didn’t… You can then apply this information to improve your site, along with your visitors experience. You can also use exit pop ups for special offers and discounts. Again, the more clever you become in your thinking, the more advantages you’ll find for this technology. Browse the web… See what others are doing… and then adapt some of those methods you find useful or interesting into your own site.

There’s no doubt, your response rates will skyrocket with the use of pop ups, hover ads, and exit windows. PLUS - There is a New method for getting the attention of your visitors! I am still testing this out right now on another site, but if it keeps preforming the way it is, I’ll be adding it to ALL my sites! If you would like to take a look at what I’m talking about, just Click Here for a sneak peek!

Okay, back to work now…

PapaJoe.

Offer Contests And Fr.eebies - People browsing the Internet like to get involved. The Internet feels like a giant community to many. They are very willing to enter drawings and contests if they feel they’re legitimately run and they realistically have a chance to win something. A great way to capture a visitor’s email address (and we know how important that is) is to offer a contest where something FR.EE will be given away.

Having said that, when it comes to contests, people won’t enter a contest unless they are going to receive something substantial, something of VALUE!

You can’t run a contest and offer a free “How To” Download. That just won’t cut it. You have to offer a REAL prize. I’m sure if you brainstorm a bit you’ll come up with some great ideas.

If nothing else, go to Google and do a search on “contest” or “prize”. One good example is a contest I ran for my affiliates… My offer was simple, which ever affiliate has the most sales in the given month would win a free iPod! (this was when iPods first came out) Did it cost me the price of a Really Nice iPod to run that contest? Of course it did! Was it worth it? YOU BET IT WAS!

You see, when I announced that contest to my affiliates, “I” didn’t even own an iPod… But to help sales pick up on that package I ran this contest for a month. Well, when the month (and contest) was over, all my affiliates combined had made over $1,100.00! Not too bad… AND, since the product was paying 50%, that means I made $1,100.00 too! Think that would cover the cost of a really nice iPod? You Better Believe It…

Again, use your own cleverness… And Do Things Ethically! Be sure to add a “PREVIOUS WINNERS” page on your site so that new entrants can view previous winners. This will also add legitimacy to your contest. Also, be sure to present the contest rules clearly on your site so everyone entering can read and agree to the terms.

You WILL be amazed with the results you get!

That’s it for today, stay tuned for tomorrows technique tip!
Feel fr.ee to leave a comment with any techniques that have been successful for you…

PapaJoe

Create A Suggestion Box For Customer Feedback - The more you know about what customers are saying about your business, the more you can improve on your overall performance. It’s just you against the world… so find out what the world has to say. Put a questionnaire or feedback form on your website and find out what your customers like and dislike about your business. Offer a free gift to your customers (it could be as simple as a free report to download) for taking the time to fill out your survey. Their feedback could generate a lot more income for you.

Take this example…
Let’s assume you consistently sell 10 products a day on your website. Great! You’re happy with that as a part time income. You’re making an extra $100 a day from your site and there doesn’t seem to be any issues you need to address. Heck, 10 orders a day…. you must be doing things perfectly…right?

Then, one day, you decide to place a small feedback form on your website. You have someone design the form to pop up when someone exits your website (remember… you need to be creative with your pop ups and forms or their virtually useless). Over the next few weeks, you noticed that a lot of customers are filling out the feedback form (to get your free download about “How to create adorable stuffed animals out of old pillow cases”) and many of them have mentioned that they were about to purchase something from you but couldn’t figure out the shipping charges so they simply left your site.

Now remember… you’re still getting 10 orders a day consistently. If you hadn’t placed that form on your site, you’d never know this was an issue. You’re still VERY happy getting your 10 consistent orders daily.

But now that you’ve discovered there may be a problem with how customers find their shipping rates, you decide to address that problem and put a link to a shipping rate chart.

Chances are, once you take care of the issue, those 10 orders a day will soon increase to 20 in no time. And just think about it… You would’ve never known there was a concern if you didn’t reach out and talk to your customers. Without knowing what issues or concerns your customers have… you can’t fix a problem! Therefore, you’re leaving profits on the table for someone else (A SUPER SALESPERSON) to steal right out from under you.

Have a Fantastic Evening!

PapaJoe

Sign Up For Marketing And Niche’ Newsletters - Many entrepreneurs don’t take advantage of the WEALTH of information available online… AND IT’S FR.EE!

There are so many knowledgeable and successful people online willing to share their trials and errors and discuss what they’ve learned with you. Take advantage of it!

There are literally thousands of newsletters available to you just related to marketing alone. Take some time to research a few and sign up for some of them. Read each one you subscribe to… keep those you like… and dump those you don’t. You’ll come away with a lot of tips and resources you never knew existed.

Running an online business is a constant learning experience. I know from experience that I learn something new each and every day (my brain can’t take much more ;-). You should never stop trying to learn new and clever ways to promote your business to ultimately make more profits. That’s the bottom line… PROFIT!

Take what is freely offered, learn from it and Take Action!

Cya tomorrow!

I’m going to keep this short & sweet today. It’s my 19th Wedding Anniversary to my Lovely Wife Debra and I don’t plan on spending it in front of my computer… We’re going to go out and Celebrate!

Ok, I’m pretty sure you already know you can’t get something for nothing - in life OR business…

So what is it you have to invest in your business to make it successful? Your Time!

Dedicate At Least 30 Minutes Each Day To Your Business - (an hour is even better) This is self explanatory, of course, but I did want to include it. If you’re an online entrepreneur, even part time, you need to set aside at least 30 minutes each day. In order to grow your business, you have to invest in it. Time IS an investment…

Although you may not have much cash to invest, you can always find time…. and that’s more valuable than money. So take some time each day and use it wisely towards marketing and promotion.

In the long run, it will pay you back 1000 fold!

That’s it for today - Find time to invest in your business and use it wisely. Stop by tomorrow when we discuss f’ree information and what it’s really worth to you…

Kind Regards,
Papa Joe

YOUR HEADLINE… I don’t think I should take up a full page telling you just how Important your headline is. I think by now you already know how much your sales increase when you write Powerful Headlines And Descriptions - Your headlines and product descriptions can make or break your sales. The first thing a visitor sees when they land on your website is your headline. Your headline has to grab your reader’s attention and literally “Punch them in the Face!”

I would also like to once again refer you to a FANTASTIC e-book that’s available that will teach you in great detail about the power of words and the importance of a strong headline on your website. The book is called MAKE YOUR WORDS SELL and it is produced by Dr. Ken Evoy of Sitesell. Even if you’ve never written one line of web copy, you’ll feel like a pro after reading his book. Trust me… It’s a tremendous VALUE and read!

If you haven’t read it… READ IT!
If you have read it… READ IT AGAIN!
Download Your Copy By Clicking Here

I cannot stress enough how important a “Grab You By The Eyeballs” headline truly is…

For me, I usually find it easier to create my headline after, or even half way through my sales letter. The best one’s just seem to come to you out of the message you are trying to convey. BUT, there are times when a really Great headline comes to you and makes writing your sales letter a pure Joy!

No matter when, where or how you create your headline, this task should be considered the MOST IMPORTANT statement on your sales page - in your ad - Anywhere you have something to sell… Heck, anywhere you just have something to say, you have to capture the attention of your audience! You have to make them want more.

Work on those headlines, it will increase your bottom line!

Come back tomorrow or subscribe to my RSS Feed to make it easier. Either way, be sure you stop by… I’m going to tell you what you need to invest in order to grow your business.

Cya Then,
PapaJoe.

Add A Signature File To Your Email - I’m sure many of you have already setup a signature file for your email program, but have you set it up effectively to presell your customers?

Are you getting the kind of response from your signature file that you should? Do you even know what kind of traffic your signature file brings you? For most… NOT MUCH!

These are legitimate questions that you need to answer. First, for those that aren’t familiar with a signature file, I’d like to explain what a “Sig File” is and how to set one up.

Then, I’d like to go into a bit more detail about what you should and shouldn’t have in your signature file if you want to generate sales.

Setting Up A Signature File… What is a signature file?
A “Sig File” is that small block of text you see at the bottom of an email you send or receive. We’ve all seen this many times and you probably didn’t even realize that this was prewritten text that goes out with every email sent from a particular email address.

If you don’t have a “Sig File” setup in your email… You Must Do This Today! This is yet another form of advertising you can capitalize on very easily (remember - advertise on every page! Your sent emails are pages too!)

Each email program has specific instructions for setting up a signature file, but it’s very easy to do. If you use Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express, simply go to the “Tools - Options” menu and you’ll see a signature tab. You can also choose the “Help” link in your email and this will have instructions for setting up your signature file as well. No matter what program you use for your email, there is a way to add a signature file to your outgoing messages. Find out how to do this and JUST DO IT!

Writing An Effective “SUPER” Salesperson Signature File
So many times I see it…. A signature file that reads:
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Thank You,
Bill Smith
Phone: 888-888-8888
Fax: 888-777-777
Email: bill@mydomain.com
——————————————————-
AND THAT’S IT! Granted, it saves “Bill” time on writing his closing in each and every email, but that’s all it does. Is “Bill” a SUPER Salesman? I say NOT!

What if you receive his email and at the bottom it reads:
********************************************************
SAVE $$$$$ ON OVER 20,000 PRODUCTS ONLINE. SHOP SAFELY AND
SECURELY 24/7! FROM TOOLS AND APPLIANCES… TO LAWNMOWERS
AND OUTDOOR LIGHTING… WE’VE GOT IT ALL ON SALE! CLICK HERE
TO VIEW OUR WEBSITE!
********************************************************
Well guess what?… I’m not looking for a tool or lawnmower right now! Am I going to visit that website? NOPE!

Am I going to remember that website the next time I do need a tool or lawnmower? NOPE! Well then, what could this amateur salesperson have done differently?

How about something like this?
———-
If you have any additional questions or concerns
please be sure to let us know!

Thank You,
Bill Smith
Customer Care Representative
123Products.com
Phone: 888-888-8888
Fax: 888-777-777
Email: bill@mydomain.com
——————————————————————————————–
Your feedback is very important to us! If you have a comment or suggestion you feel would help us to better serve you, please send an email to feedback@mydomain.com. You’ll receive a FREE gift just for helping us improve our service! Your satisfaction is very important to us.
——————————————————————————————–
Is your outdoor landscaping the envy of your neighborhood? Want your neighbors wondering just how you do it? Download our FREE “DO IT YOURSELF” LANDSCAPING GUIDE TODAY!
“12 Amazing Yet Affordable Ways To Turn Your Lawn Into A Tropical Paradise In One Weekend!”
—————————————————————————–
Have You Heard The BUZZ? Why Are So Many People Talking About Our Newsletter? Simply Put, It’s Jam Packed With The Most Amazing “Tips & Tricks” Every Homeowner Needs to Know To Save Time And Money! Get Your FREE Subscription Today And You’ll Receive Your First Issue Immediately!
———————————————————————————————

Is there a chance one of these subtle ads in this “Signature Files” will grab my interest? ABSOLUTELY! Will I sign up for Bill’s newsletter? Maybe. Do I want a yard that’s the envy of the neighborhood? YES I DO!

My point here is this… With a signature file created by a “SUPER SALESPERSON” in comparison to an amateur, the odds of obtaining a new prospect are 1000 times higher than just trying to sell something right out of the gate. Any of the “freebies” (including the feedback email) offered in this signature file will get my name in their email list and as you already know, their autoresponder software will then kick into full gear, emailing me automatically without anyone lifting a finger.

It’s like having 1000’s of salespeople out on the net daily, and all you did was setup your system once…

… And simply used, your “SUPER” sales abilities to get a prospect to SIGN UP FOR YOUR LIST!

So, be sure to setup a signature file (or change your current signature file) to something more subtle but effective, and you’ll notice a huge surge in sales once your autoresponder system goes to work. Get your autoresponder system setup at AWeber System ASAP! It’s that important!

Stay with me on these techniques and come back tomorrow for one about the other end - - Your Headlines and Descriptions…

PapaJoe

I won’t go into the whole “Marketing” subject here… Naturally, we all know how incredibly extensive the subject could be. But I do want to point out a few things that you need to recognize when marketing yourself and your business online.

Marketing doesn’t have to cost a fortune! Advertising, however, can become quite costly… and there is a difference! When marketing your business there are a few things that should be brought to the forefront.

You need to recognize the fact that traffic is your ultimate goal! More importantly, you need to (eventually) be able to sell that traffic once they land on your website. That’s where you need to be a SUPER Salesperson!

But how you acquire the traffic is just as important. We all know about Google Adwords and Overture, but to be honest, in my opinion they are all a bit overrated and can become quite costly for a small business. Don’t misunderstand, there certainly are effective ways to use the “Pay-Per-Click” search engines, but that’s not something I’d like to discuss in this report… (Perhaps we’ll save that subject for another post in itself).

You best efforts should focus on providing quality content and useful information related to your niche’ market. Once you do this, the search engines and other websites will pick up on this content and start indexing your web pages rapidly — referring folks to your website for no outlay! More importantly… GET YOUR MAILING LIST SETUP!

As a famous shoe once said, “Just Do It”!

That’s when you’ll really start to make the sales! If you need help in getting your list building skills polished, I happen to know Just The Guy who can help! I have learned more from Mark than I thought my head would hold… So if you want more knowledge on this topic, visit his main site HERE. I can safely say you’ll learn a thing or two just by reading through his site!

Articles - I know, you didn’t want to hear that… But you should immediately begin writing creative, interesting articles relating to your niche’. Because once you’ve written an article, you can submit it to hundreds of article directories and gain valuable links back to your website. A great place to learn more about writing and submitting articles is Article Marketer. I also own a syndicated article directory where you can submit your articles and reach Thousands… On Topic Articles is an excellent way to drive Highly Targeted Traffic right to your web site or even your affiliate URL. (at no cost)!

Everything we’ve talked about up to this point has dealt with simple, effective marketing, so take each topic and utilize what you’ve learned. Put a few of the ideas to the test. If you implement some the strategies I’ve outlined here, you’ll be a much better SALESPERSON in the long run… and that’s what it’s all about…
Becoming a SUPER SALESPERSON!

NOTE: There is another site that does an excellent job at teaching you how to market your business exceptionally well. These Fr.ee courses were written by an expert marketer that has helped create MILLIONS of dollars in sales for many businesses. They go into much more detail about some of the topics we’ve discussed here. If you’d really like to jump-start your sales, you can check it out Right Here.

WOW! I don’t know if you realized it or not, but that was technique number TEN of the “20 Surefire Techniques To Insure Your Online Success”! We’re halfway there folks! So stick with me on this journey and I’ll be back tomorrow. I hope to see you here too!

Kind Regards,
PapaJoe.

Automate - Automation is the key for any successful business online. The term automation simply means “don’t do anything repetitive that can be done on “auto-pilot”. And believe me when I tell you, you can automate many aspects of your business very easily. The key to automation is having the right software program to do the task. Unfortunately, most programs out on the market that actually do this effectively are quite expensive.

I personally use and HIGHLY recommend setting up an account with AWeber Communications. For $19.95 a month you need this system working for you to be successful! Plus… they do have their 30 DAY RISK FR.EE TRIAL!

Don’t immediately go to their website and setup an account. WAIT! Get all your ducks in a row first. Once you feel you’re ready to open the flood gate, that’s the time to get setup. This way you’ll have your 30 day RISK FR.EE period to test drive their system. And I promise you, once you setup your account and put the wheels in motion, it will be the first bill you pay each and every month! It’s that powerful!

Now, onto the automation process….

There are so many aspects of your business that need to be automated. For instance, your subscription “Sign Up” form. This can be setup to automatically send a “Thank You for Subscribing” email to your new prospects without you ever lifting a finger.

Hmm…. what a great place to also place a subtle BACK DOOR AD… AHHH! Now you’re thinking like the SALESPERSON you need to be! What about your newsletter subscription? This can be automated as well! AWeber’s system will automatically add and remove subscribers, and follow up with them at predetermined intervals you set to stay in touch.

And here’s a clever idea… How about customer service? You can setup a variety of email addresses in their system and the system will automatically email an immediate response if an inquiry is sent to that email address. So how can you use this to your advantage? Why not setup various email address for the following:
– FAQ’s
– FR.EE Reports
– Product Lists
– Pricelists
– An OFFLINE SALE CATALOG

WOW! Now there’s a concept! You can have a special sales catalog that is only available through email! Now, you have a prospects email address and you can follow up with them through the AWeber System AUTOMATICALLY without ever lifting a finger. Their system will even mail the attachment for you.

– Support System/Help Desk- We all know that we can’t please 100% of our customers, 100% of the time. Customers like to know there’s a way to contact the owner direct and voice their complaint. You could setup an email address for yourself personally, and draft a pre-written email letting an unsatisfied customer know that you are personally looking into their problem. They, in turn, receive an immediate response to their complaint, and you have some time to then look into the issue and follow up with them either via email or phone. I guarantee you this unsatisfied customer will be a lot MORE satisfied with that kind of TOP NOTCH Service!

I personally use a Very effective script that is available at no cost. Wanna know what the Best part of having an automated support/help desk system is? I Never miss a support question from my customers due to spam filters or my overlooking it. If you’re like me, you get hundreds of emails a day, which makes it very easy to miss the important ones from your customers. I am working on another script with a few more functions, I’ll let you know when it’s available.

Automation and a good support system, along with Excellent customer service are essential to your success…

Be sure to come back tomorrow when I’ll be touching on the subject of Marketing!

Yours In Success,
Papa Joe.