Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Ryan Parenti
The possibilities with information marketing are limitless - it's up to you whether you want a five, six or even seven figure income. Whichever appeals to you most - it is ALL more than possible with information publishing.
Here is the best plan for information publishing and how to quickly increase profits with internet marketing.
The most important thing to have is a clear vision and a strategic business plan to follow. You need to know where your going and have a solid business plan and strategy to get there.
Here are the steps to that highly profitable businesses take to increase their profit.
1. First off, you need to figure out yourself before you grow a business
You need to know yourself and exactly what your good at. This is important because if you are not good a HTML for example then you do not want to build and grow your business by doing HTML.
Clearly define, understand, and build a business around your strengths.
2. You need to find the big money opportunity (the market)
The market will show you where the big money opportunities are. Look at the market to find out what to sell.
Simply determine what the market wants to buy then go out and give it to them.
Start to develop a clear vision of the biggest opportunity in your target market then develop an action plan to take advantage of it.
3. You need a compelling offer
Your offer (what your trying to sell) must be of high value and provide a high return on investment. It almost must be positioned in a way that compels people to take action and purchase your offer.
Start by creating an irresistible offer that provides a solid benefit in a believable fashion.
4. Develop a marketing system
Marketing your product or service is the way you get the word out. Advertisement, SEO and email marketing are all effective ways to find and keep new prospects.
Discover which avenue of marketing you will take then execute it masterfully.
5. Build YOUR business with help
Discover what actions make you money then train and employ others to complete these actions on a daily or weekly basis (if possible).
You need to scale your business by determining profitable actions then turning them into automated systems of duplicate-able and unmanaged creation through the help of smart, dedicated and qualified employees.
As a very important side note make sure your team members carry the same vision of business that you have. You are paying for their mind and creative thinking not brute work.
So make sure that they understand where you want to go so they can help you get there.
When many people think of hiring help then they of getting the cheapest labor. The truth is you need to find keep and hire the right people.
Good people are very hard to find and you need these people if you want to have a successful business.
6. Everything should be reduced down to a number
You can and should measure every aspect of your business so you can determine what is working and what isn't. Track sales conversions, employee performance, how your doing and success towards your goals.
You can't improve anything you can't measure.
So track everything you can so you can make incremental improvements to your operational systems like marketing, sales conversation and lifetime customer value (how much you make per average customer).
7. Alliance partners increase growth rapidly
The easiest way to grow your business is by leveraging other people's resources. You can do this by developing relationships with other related businesses.
Start by creating an affiliate program. This can easily increase your income times 10.
It is also well advised to structure your business to allow other people to sell and grow your business with you through developing joint venture relationships.
8. Develop product creation systems
Set up a team of people to create your products. Perhaps you might need one person to do the market research to see what people are buying and to do keyword research.
Once completed they can then hand over the information to a person who creates graphics and a sales page. Then they can forward the information to a ghost writer who completes the product.
This can all happen seamlessly once you develop the system.
Identify which types of products you will create then develop a team (or a system) to create and market you product for you.
The Best Plan For Online Business Profits That Money Can Buy
Build a business that your completely free from. How?
Develop systems within the business that make sure profitable steps are taken without you having to do them. Your goal is that the business will build without you so you can get free of the business.
Day to day operational issues need to be delegated.
Just go out and start taking action on these steps today and see your income increase exponentially. But remember...
Avoid getting distracted by the latest fads. Just go and build a profitable business by following these solid fundamentals.
About the Author:
If you are serious about increasing sales, traffic and affiliates on autopilot without spending a small fortune setting it all up go ahead and download this free audio and learn the exact steps you need for increased internet profits: http://BuildOnlineWealth.com/crazyfreeoffer/ Written by: Ryan Parenti
Read more of Ryan Parenti 's articles.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
How To Sell Your Products Online And Cash In On What May Be The Only Recession Proof Industry
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Ryan Parenti
Tens of thousands of people all over the globe are quietly cashing in on what may be the only recession proof industry -- at the very least it's one of few industries maintaining consistent and enormous growth!
These people... well, these are just regular folks who have decided they want some extra income and have turned to information publishing for profit (staggering profit).
What does this mean to you?
It means with little effort and minimal investment you could be online selling information products with no overhead and nearly 100% cash profits - FAST!
Here are the 5 steps to cashing in with information publishing.
1. Sell what people want to buy.
What kind of stuff is the market buying now? What kind of stuff are other people spending money to advertise? What kind of stuff has been selling a really long time?
The answers to these questions are keys to selling online. You only want to sell things that are proven to sell.
If not your are wasting your time and you can't sell something if there are no buyers.
The core of making money online is to genuinely identify what type of life styles your target prospects want to live. You need to know what their REAL desired outcome is and know what life they REALLY want.
For example some people say they want to make money online. The truth is they want to make enough money to quit their job and have the freedom to do what they want without having to worry about money.
So you need to start with the end in mind (customer's end goal). You need to answer the question "What is my customer's end goal? What does he/she want?"
After that you need to define the main steps to getting your customers to where they want to go and then take them to their end goal step by step through your sales process.
2. The first step of the sales process is a squeeze page. You need a way to follow up with your customers if they don't buy or even if they do.
The money is not in the initial sale but in the follow up.
Capture the name and email of your prospect by giving them a free report. You want to get them to sign up to your mailing list so you can follow up with them and deepen their trust in you.
Most people are not ready to buy initially so having a system set up to follow up with your leads will help you dramatically.
3. Then you need a high ROI (return on investment) irresistible offer. A front end product is used simply to get people in your sales flow (also called a sales funnel).
You want your first offer, also called a front end offer, to be low barrier, low risk, and high value.
The goal is to get as many people as possible to see the quality of your work and then turn them into life time customers.
A good example would be a $1 trial to a continuity program for 14 days. You will give them a chance to see if it is right for them and you will get more people to take you up on this offer as opposed to a $197 offer.
The goal is to over deliver, then have a life time customer. Here are some quick tips on getting that first sale.
Try to position your product in a unique way. If your the only place they can get something you are instantly a premium product or service.
Use social proof in the form of testimonials and endorsements.
If your product is limited in some way it will help to increase sales. But it's got to be real. If you just say that it is limited and it is not you will destroy any goodwill and goodwill is the number one factor for good customer relationships.
4. Develop a solid back-end and increase profits. If someone buys your products do you have related products or services to sell them?
If you don't you are leaving 70% of the cash on the table. So develop high end premium products that go into more detail and sell them to your growing customer base.
How do you do this? Start right after they buy giving your customer a chance to buy your platinum version of the product at a reduced price.
This is similar to saying "Would you like fries with that?"
Give them a one time offer to buy your Mega Cash Buster coaching for half price. This creates urgency and gives them a reason to act.
If they don't buy your upsell downsell it. Give them another 20% off! Maybe the price was too much. And if you are selling digital goods there is no reason NOT to allow them to buy your products since it is 100% profit.
5. Increase lifetime customer value with follow up sales. You want to have products that are natural adds on to the first product or products.
Go in more detail or give them tools to accomplish their end result quicker. A simple way to do this is to make a power point of your front end and go into more detail.
First a word of caution. Don't be intimidated by selling high end products.
Different people spend different amounts of money on different solutions. There is always a market for premium quality. Just make every offer a no brainer.
Over deliver and provide tons of value.
Here are some ideas for backend offers:
coaching programs
email coaching "email me once a day from mon - thur for $500 a month"
structured webinars with a step-by-step instruction on getting to an end result
access to members forum
recipe of the month type continuity
cds and dvd (recordings of webinars will work)
workshops
It may seem hard to sell products online but selling what you know is simple. The only question is are you ready to start increasing your bottom line?
About the Author:
If you are serious about increasing sales, traffic and affiliates on autopilot without spending a small fortune setting it all up go ahead and download this free audio and learn the exact steps you need for increased internet profits: http://BuildOnlineWealth.com/crazyfreeoffer/ Written by: Ryan Parenti
Copyright © 2010 Ryan Parenti
Tens of thousands of people all over the globe are quietly cashing in on what may be the only recession proof industry -- at the very least it's one of few industries maintaining consistent and enormous growth!
These people... well, these are just regular folks who have decided they want some extra income and have turned to information publishing for profit (staggering profit).
What does this mean to you?
It means with little effort and minimal investment you could be online selling information products with no overhead and nearly 100% cash profits - FAST!
Here are the 5 steps to cashing in with information publishing.
1. Sell what people want to buy.
What kind of stuff is the market buying now? What kind of stuff are other people spending money to advertise? What kind of stuff has been selling a really long time?
The answers to these questions are keys to selling online. You only want to sell things that are proven to sell.
If not your are wasting your time and you can't sell something if there are no buyers.
The core of making money online is to genuinely identify what type of life styles your target prospects want to live. You need to know what their REAL desired outcome is and know what life they REALLY want.
For example some people say they want to make money online. The truth is they want to make enough money to quit their job and have the freedom to do what they want without having to worry about money.
So you need to start with the end in mind (customer's end goal). You need to answer the question "What is my customer's end goal? What does he/she want?"
After that you need to define the main steps to getting your customers to where they want to go and then take them to their end goal step by step through your sales process.
2. The first step of the sales process is a squeeze page. You need a way to follow up with your customers if they don't buy or even if they do.
The money is not in the initial sale but in the follow up.
Capture the name and email of your prospect by giving them a free report. You want to get them to sign up to your mailing list so you can follow up with them and deepen their trust in you.
Most people are not ready to buy initially so having a system set up to follow up with your leads will help you dramatically.
3. Then you need a high ROI (return on investment) irresistible offer. A front end product is used simply to get people in your sales flow (also called a sales funnel).
You want your first offer, also called a front end offer, to be low barrier, low risk, and high value.
The goal is to get as many people as possible to see the quality of your work and then turn them into life time customers.
A good example would be a $1 trial to a continuity program for 14 days. You will give them a chance to see if it is right for them and you will get more people to take you up on this offer as opposed to a $197 offer.
The goal is to over deliver, then have a life time customer. Here are some quick tips on getting that first sale.
4. Develop a solid back-end and increase profits. If someone buys your products do you have related products or services to sell them?
If you don't you are leaving 70% of the cash on the table. So develop high end premium products that go into more detail and sell them to your growing customer base.
How do you do this? Start right after they buy giving your customer a chance to buy your platinum version of the product at a reduced price.
This is similar to saying "Would you like fries with that?"
Give them a one time offer to buy your Mega Cash Buster coaching for half price. This creates urgency and gives them a reason to act.
If they don't buy your upsell downsell it. Give them another 20% off! Maybe the price was too much. And if you are selling digital goods there is no reason NOT to allow them to buy your products since it is 100% profit.
5. Increase lifetime customer value with follow up sales. You want to have products that are natural adds on to the first product or products.
Go in more detail or give them tools to accomplish their end result quicker. A simple way to do this is to make a power point of your front end and go into more detail.
First a word of caution. Don't be intimidated by selling high end products.
Different people spend different amounts of money on different solutions. There is always a market for premium quality. Just make every offer a no brainer.
Over deliver and provide tons of value.
Here are some ideas for backend offers:
It may seem hard to sell products online but selling what you know is simple. The only question is are you ready to start increasing your bottom line?
About the Author:
If you are serious about increasing sales, traffic and affiliates on autopilot without spending a small fortune setting it all up go ahead and download this free audio and learn the exact steps you need for increased internet profits: http://BuildOnlineWealth.com/crazyfreeoffer/ Written by: Ryan Parenti
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Building Brand Identity - Monitoring the Numbers
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
Metrics are an important part of any online branding and advertising strategy. Suppose a site gets an average of 1,400 views per week. What does that mean? For a small blog that updates once or twice per week, with an average ad revenue of, say, a half cent per view, this might seem all right. For a major news outlet like Fox or MSNBC, it would be disastrous. The raw numbers aren't as important as the context the reviewer places them in; such is the nature of the metric.
A metric is a unit of information used to gauge or measure the statistics that are coming in. Views per week is a metric, as is growth in views from week to week. The number of subscribers to a site might be important to one user, but less important than reciprocal linking rates to another.
The choice of metric often is defined by the nature of the site being used, as noted above. Ad revenue sites often base their metrics on the number of clickthroughs on advertisements they host, while non-profit channels might prefer raw numbers of subscribers. Given the sheer number of metrics out there, it comes as no surprise that many tools for gathering and evaluating the raw data that feeds into such metrics have been developed.
Hootsuite
For brands that intend to function on all levels of the social networking zeitgeist, Hootsuite is the go-to tool. It ties into nearly every element of the social networking arena, working with Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, WordPress and more. Hootsuite presents itself as a dashboard from which a user can control all aspects of his multimedia networking "empire," streamlining the process to a central point instead of many diverse elements needing tending.
In particular, the metric benefit of Hootsuite comes from its Monitor Mentions function. Specifically, this feature looks up the number of times a user or his account has been mentioned on a selected social media site. As a one-click solution that can be tailored to lists or to keywords, this is an incredibly powerful tool. Put in the required information, and a user has access to most, if not all, of the buzz that his site or account has begun generating over the last few days.
This also allows the user to judge the effect of a particular campaign. Follow the Hoot mentions after starting up a campaign, and you can probably figure out whether people are taking the effort well, poorly or even if they're noticing it at all.
Tweetdeck
Another dashboard management system, Tweetdeck is focused on helping Twitterers with high-volume accounts manage the information stream that comes in through their feed.
Twitter is an odd entry into the social media world, one that has grown faster than any other. Originally intended to be a simple status update system, it has developed much further than this. Many brands use it as a means of constantly updating their followers with microblogging-style reports and advertisements, as well as to keep track of what those followers are talking about.
Tweetdeck's primary means of organizing this is that it can quickly split replies, re-tweets and original posts into separate feeds to be sorted through. To be sure, being able to follow a re-tweet series stemming from an advertising or announcement tweet is a vital step in ascertaining just what people's reaction to the originating tweet was. With large volumes of followers, this can involve an almost maniac amount of time at the screen - time that could be better spent elsewhere. Tweetdeck helps condense the time into more efficient units.
It also can drill down even more specifically. Perhaps a brand centered around a popular series of cookbooks wants to focus specifically on its wine-appreciating followers rather than the community as a whole. Tweetdeck can create a column of all the people who have been flagged as wine lovers, and exclude the rest of the community. In short, it allows for precision views in order to mine for information specific to the need at hand.
These are only two of the tools available to social media users. They offer specific and tangible benefits to their target audience, and being familiar with both is a good way to refine and focus any data that's being gathered for metric uses. There are other tools out there, including Tweetdeck's alternative, Twhirl. Other sites offer "social media tools" that are more specific to Facebook or WordPress. The specific tool isn't as important as the method in which it's being used.
Twitter feed mentions are important. Being able to measure and dissect the number of retweets or keyword comments relating to a brand's new post, is a valuable tool in attempting to demonstrate the reputation a brand has built for itself through its overall efforts. However, sometimes this information can lead to pure number-chasing.
Above all else, keep the focus on the brand and what it has to offer, rather than abstracted numerical goals. These metrics should evaluate whether a brand is reaching its intended audience effectively - they must never become a goal in and of themselves. Make sure that the brand can stand on its own merits, and that the use of these tools is a means of pursuing just that goal.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more Articles written by Enzo F. Cesario.
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
Metrics are an important part of any online branding and advertising strategy. Suppose a site gets an average of 1,400 views per week. What does that mean? For a small blog that updates once or twice per week, with an average ad revenue of, say, a half cent per view, this might seem all right. For a major news outlet like Fox or MSNBC, it would be disastrous. The raw numbers aren't as important as the context the reviewer places them in; such is the nature of the metric.
A metric is a unit of information used to gauge or measure the statistics that are coming in. Views per week is a metric, as is growth in views from week to week. The number of subscribers to a site might be important to one user, but less important than reciprocal linking rates to another.
The choice of metric often is defined by the nature of the site being used, as noted above. Ad revenue sites often base their metrics on the number of clickthroughs on advertisements they host, while non-profit channels might prefer raw numbers of subscribers. Given the sheer number of metrics out there, it comes as no surprise that many tools for gathering and evaluating the raw data that feeds into such metrics have been developed.
Hootsuite
For brands that intend to function on all levels of the social networking zeitgeist, Hootsuite is the go-to tool. It ties into nearly every element of the social networking arena, working with Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, WordPress and more. Hootsuite presents itself as a dashboard from which a user can control all aspects of his multimedia networking "empire," streamlining the process to a central point instead of many diverse elements needing tending.
In particular, the metric benefit of Hootsuite comes from its Monitor Mentions function. Specifically, this feature looks up the number of times a user or his account has been mentioned on a selected social media site. As a one-click solution that can be tailored to lists or to keywords, this is an incredibly powerful tool. Put in the required information, and a user has access to most, if not all, of the buzz that his site or account has begun generating over the last few days.
This also allows the user to judge the effect of a particular campaign. Follow the Hoot mentions after starting up a campaign, and you can probably figure out whether people are taking the effort well, poorly or even if they're noticing it at all.
Tweetdeck
Another dashboard management system, Tweetdeck is focused on helping Twitterers with high-volume accounts manage the information stream that comes in through their feed.
Twitter is an odd entry into the social media world, one that has grown faster than any other. Originally intended to be a simple status update system, it has developed much further than this. Many brands use it as a means of constantly updating their followers with microblogging-style reports and advertisements, as well as to keep track of what those followers are talking about.
Tweetdeck's primary means of organizing this is that it can quickly split replies, re-tweets and original posts into separate feeds to be sorted through. To be sure, being able to follow a re-tweet series stemming from an advertising or announcement tweet is a vital step in ascertaining just what people's reaction to the originating tweet was. With large volumes of followers, this can involve an almost maniac amount of time at the screen - time that could be better spent elsewhere. Tweetdeck helps condense the time into more efficient units.
It also can drill down even more specifically. Perhaps a brand centered around a popular series of cookbooks wants to focus specifically on its wine-appreciating followers rather than the community as a whole. Tweetdeck can create a column of all the people who have been flagged as wine lovers, and exclude the rest of the community. In short, it allows for precision views in order to mine for information specific to the need at hand.
These are only two of the tools available to social media users. They offer specific and tangible benefits to their target audience, and being familiar with both is a good way to refine and focus any data that's being gathered for metric uses. There are other tools out there, including Tweetdeck's alternative, Twhirl. Other sites offer "social media tools" that are more specific to Facebook or WordPress. The specific tool isn't as important as the method in which it's being used.
Twitter feed mentions are important. Being able to measure and dissect the number of retweets or keyword comments relating to a brand's new post, is a valuable tool in attempting to demonstrate the reputation a brand has built for itself through its overall efforts. However, sometimes this information can lead to pure number-chasing.
Above all else, keep the focus on the brand and what it has to offer, rather than abstracted numerical goals. These metrics should evaluate whether a brand is reaching its intended audience effectively - they must never become a goal in and of themselves. Make sure that the brand can stand on its own merits, and that the use of these tools is a means of pursuing just that goal.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more Articles written by Enzo F. Cesario.
Brand Management - Retweets and Viral Marketing
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
Twitter's strengths as a messaging service come from the fact that the messages are short, and the service is easy to use. If someone can type within the character limit and handle a few basic concepts, Twitter is actually easier to use than many instant-messaging clients, and doesn't even require an install on a computer.
An example of these basic concepts is the retweet, which is sending a tweet one likes or approves of to her list of followers. Retweets account for a lot of Twitter traffic, and form a major part of the site's ability to promote viral content. If a retweet gathers enough steam, it can make the rounds of the entire web in a matter of minutes.
So how exactly does this work? The answer lies in the concept of overlapping spheres. Consider a Venn diagram, where two or more circles represent certain spheres of influence, and the overlap describes a mutual sphere. In this case, the overlap is the retweet, and the spheres represent the followers of the re-tweeter, and the followers of his followers.
Different Interests and Common Ground
The idea takes advantage of the sheer diversity of interests on the web. The idea of the polymath or Renaissance man - which is to say the person who displays interest and skills in many fields - is returning to the world now that people can rapidly research all manner of topics.
So, suppose that a local ice cream shop we shall call Brand A has a Twitter following of 1,200 people, mostly from their local town. There is probably some overlap as well - some of these 1,200 are likely to be followers of one another, but they also will have more followers outside Brand A's audience just by the law of probability.
Thus, Brand A sees a tweet they find interesting. It can be a link to a video, a web article talking about the process of making ice cream, or an interview with Brand A's staff in the local newscast that somehow left a blooper in the broadcast. Brand A commits to the retweet, and the audience gets it.
Someone in the audience overlaps with it, and retweets as well to their audience. Perhaps it's a journalism student who saw the broadcast and knows how big of a goof leaving the blooper in must be, so he shares it with his journalism friends.
The point of this is that it need not necessarily be about the brand itself. Perhaps Brand A's retweet about ice cream gets less attention than the one about the newscast. Either way, Brand A gets a lot of attention as the source, and the video has gone viral for all the strangest reasons.
So, What To Retweet?
The short and obvious answer is that anything can qualify for retweeting, but today's Twitter etiquette demands more than that.
A brand or user should retweet only those things they genuinely find interesting. Perhaps this will be something the retweeter knows the audience likes, or perhaps instead it's just something that appeals for its niche and unexpected qualities. There is no guarantee to what will go viral - nobody knows at all how it works, except perhaps mimetic scientists.
There are programs that make things easier to retweet, and to even measure the success of a retweet if necessary. Tools such as Tweetdeck and Tweetbranch can organize tweets and retweets into coherent conversations of information that can be easily kept up with, as well as measure the statistics of users that respond to a certain tweet or retweet. This brings Twitter firmly into the realm of web analytics and metrics, and it can certainly be a boon.
On the other hand, Twitter really is all about spontaneous action. If a user gets caught in the cycle of stopping to look at the measurable impact of every single retweet, she'll eventually start hedging her bets and skipping on some topics. Overthinking retweets takes all the spontaneity out of the game, so be careful not to overanalyze. This should be fun!
In addition, it's important to remember that not all branding is immediate or consciously done. To repeat an oft-raised but just as oft-ignored point, the web is made up of people with minds and ideas of their own. They have a vast array of moods, attitudes and states of mind. Perhaps they don't want to see another retweet about adorable kittens midweek, but could definitely use some roly poly fluffballs on Friday after the disaster day of the month.
If you're still not sure what qualifies for retweeting, try applying an instinctive test to potential retweeting. If it comes to mind that "maybe I should retweet this," do so. Don't stop and overthink, just put it out there.
Further, consider retweeting the bad with the good. The web utterly thrives on making fun of people who gaffe, so put some mistakes out there that seem funny. Consider putting your own mistakes up there and own up to them, inviting some laughs. Having a sense of humor about one's own situation is one of the best ways to draw in and engage a potential audience, rather than alienating them or convincing them one is a snob. Whatever the reason for it, don't hesitate to take advantage of the retweet.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
Twitter's strengths as a messaging service come from the fact that the messages are short, and the service is easy to use. If someone can type within the character limit and handle a few basic concepts, Twitter is actually easier to use than many instant-messaging clients, and doesn't even require an install on a computer.
An example of these basic concepts is the retweet, which is sending a tweet one likes or approves of to her list of followers. Retweets account for a lot of Twitter traffic, and form a major part of the site's ability to promote viral content. If a retweet gathers enough steam, it can make the rounds of the entire web in a matter of minutes.
So how exactly does this work? The answer lies in the concept of overlapping spheres. Consider a Venn diagram, where two or more circles represent certain spheres of influence, and the overlap describes a mutual sphere. In this case, the overlap is the retweet, and the spheres represent the followers of the re-tweeter, and the followers of his followers.
Different Interests and Common Ground
The idea takes advantage of the sheer diversity of interests on the web. The idea of the polymath or Renaissance man - which is to say the person who displays interest and skills in many fields - is returning to the world now that people can rapidly research all manner of topics.
So, suppose that a local ice cream shop we shall call Brand A has a Twitter following of 1,200 people, mostly from their local town. There is probably some overlap as well - some of these 1,200 are likely to be followers of one another, but they also will have more followers outside Brand A's audience just by the law of probability.
Thus, Brand A sees a tweet they find interesting. It can be a link to a video, a web article talking about the process of making ice cream, or an interview with Brand A's staff in the local newscast that somehow left a blooper in the broadcast. Brand A commits to the retweet, and the audience gets it.
Someone in the audience overlaps with it, and retweets as well to their audience. Perhaps it's a journalism student who saw the broadcast and knows how big of a goof leaving the blooper in must be, so he shares it with his journalism friends.
The point of this is that it need not necessarily be about the brand itself. Perhaps Brand A's retweet about ice cream gets less attention than the one about the newscast. Either way, Brand A gets a lot of attention as the source, and the video has gone viral for all the strangest reasons.
So, What To Retweet?
The short and obvious answer is that anything can qualify for retweeting, but today's Twitter etiquette demands more than that.
A brand or user should retweet only those things they genuinely find interesting. Perhaps this will be something the retweeter knows the audience likes, or perhaps instead it's just something that appeals for its niche and unexpected qualities. There is no guarantee to what will go viral - nobody knows at all how it works, except perhaps mimetic scientists.
There are programs that make things easier to retweet, and to even measure the success of a retweet if necessary. Tools such as Tweetdeck and Tweetbranch can organize tweets and retweets into coherent conversations of information that can be easily kept up with, as well as measure the statistics of users that respond to a certain tweet or retweet. This brings Twitter firmly into the realm of web analytics and metrics, and it can certainly be a boon.
On the other hand, Twitter really is all about spontaneous action. If a user gets caught in the cycle of stopping to look at the measurable impact of every single retweet, she'll eventually start hedging her bets and skipping on some topics. Overthinking retweets takes all the spontaneity out of the game, so be careful not to overanalyze. This should be fun!
In addition, it's important to remember that not all branding is immediate or consciously done. To repeat an oft-raised but just as oft-ignored point, the web is made up of people with minds and ideas of their own. They have a vast array of moods, attitudes and states of mind. Perhaps they don't want to see another retweet about adorable kittens midweek, but could definitely use some roly poly fluffballs on Friday after the disaster day of the month.
If you're still not sure what qualifies for retweeting, try applying an instinctive test to potential retweeting. If it comes to mind that "maybe I should retweet this," do so. Don't stop and overthink, just put it out there.
Further, consider retweeting the bad with the good. The web utterly thrives on making fun of people who gaffe, so put some mistakes out there that seem funny. Consider putting your own mistakes up there and own up to them, inviting some laughs. Having a sense of humor about one's own situation is one of the best ways to draw in and engage a potential audience, rather than alienating them or convincing them one is a snob. Whatever the reason for it, don't hesitate to take advantage of the retweet.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Website Traffic Generation: Winning the Love of the Traffic Fairy
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Bill Platt
For a number of years, many online marketers honestly thought that the only thing they needed to do to be successful online was to "build a website, and the buyers would come to them."
They had heard all of the success stories from people, who claimed that they had simply built a website, and people just started to arrive in huge numbers.
The story, as it is told, is:
These folks built a website, then the search engines found their websites and started showing people the link to their website. And the people using the search engines saw the link to their websites and saw that it was good. Search engine users saw the link, and as if it were the only link in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), and they clicked the link by the thousands. And hoards of people came to the website with fists full of money, ready to buy what the website was selling.
Some people still believe this is how the search engines work. They have built their websites, and they are waiting anxiously for the "Traffic Fairy" to sprinkle his magic dust on their website too, so that they can also make lots of money.
Are YOU Still Waiting For The Traffic Fairy?
I hope not.
Those who are "waiting" for anything may wait until they realize they are flushing good money down the proverbial toilet, month after month... When they realize that they still have more money going out than they have coming in, they usually get irritated that the "Traffic Fairy" did not look favorably on them, so they stop paying their hosting bill and quit this scam called, "online marketing".
The lifespan of most new websites can generally be measured in the amount of time most people will remain members of a subscription website. In case you did not know, this number is 3-4 months. Along about the 4th or 5th month, most people will stop paying their web hosting bill and let their websites die.
Those people who prepay 1-2 years on their web hosting bill will typically allow their sites to remain online, but they will quit the site long before their website runs out of life. Most will stick it out 3-4 months, and if they are not yet making money, they will just walk away from their new "online business".
This is why you will find so many article directories where you submit your finest work, and no one will ever "approve" your article for publication. There may be nothing wrong with your article. The fact is no one is home to approve it.
The Traffic Fairy Smiles On Those Who Take Action
If you can believe it, in the fall of 1998, Google was a startup website.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin -- the founders of Google -- were just like you and I. They had a startup website, and they needed people to discover their new website.
In those days, Page and Brin could not simply build their website and "wait" for the Traffic Fairy or Google to find them...
They were Google, and no one was using their website.
What did they do to get Google off the ground?
While building Google in their garage, Page and Brin were doing what you should be doing now.
They were getting links wherever they could get links. The were adding their site to directories. They were issuing press releases about their new company. They were trying to get interviews with the press and ordinary webmasters. They were trying to get interviews with newsletter publishers. They were participating in forums and news groups to get the opportunity to share their story.
They were doing everything they could think of to get links to their new website, and they were trying to create interest in their website.
They started their website in September of 1998 and they got their first major press in December of 1998, when they made the top 100 websites of 1998.
It took them three months to get their first major press, and they had been actively promoting their website with the gusto of a 10,000-person marching band.
Yet the average new webmaster barely promotes his or her website and expects to attract thousands of visitors in the same time frame, as it took Google to get noticed by the public-at-large.
Are you starting to get the picture?
To Be Successful, Do What The Successful Websites Have Done
Before Google was the powerhouse it is today, its founders had to work their asses off to build their business.
They had to promote, promote and promote some more. They had to build links, build links, and build some more links. They needed to entice people to visit and use their website, and they needed to provide a method for people to find them.
My point is that the founders of Google wanted to be acknowledged and linked from every corner of the Internet. They chased links for their website, because they knew that people used links to get to a website.
Twelve years later, Yahoo credits them with 223,383,603 links to www.google.com and another 6,752,847 links to google.com at: http://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/
You and I are not going to get 231 million links to our websites, but getting links from a variety of resources is the secret to getting traffic to ones' website. The Traffic Fairy blesses those websites that have a multitude of links to them.
Page and Brin tapped into the basics of building traffic to their website. They made a great website, and they did everything they could do to get traffic to that website.
You should try to emulate them, as you build your website and start to promote it. It was the secret to their success, and likewise, it could be the secret to your success.
Traffic Generation 101
The easiest and cheapest ways to get links and generate traffic for ones' website is going to be: article marketing, press releases, forum marketing, social media marketing, etc.
But, there are at least three-dozen methods to generate traffic to ones' website, and these are just four of them.
The more successful websites always strive to get traffic through a wide variety of traffic generation strategies and methods.
In my case, I have used 31 of the 35 methods I describe in the 80-page traffic guide, "Multiple Traffic Streams: The Magic of Attracting Buyers".
This has resulted in my top three websites being on track to serving 400,000 unique visitors and 5 million page views in 2010.
Don't wait for the Traffic Fairy to bless your website. Take massive action to make sure that the Traffic Fairy would be a fool to ignore you.
And if you do, you might just realize that the Traffic Fairy is real, and he would love to sprinkle his magic traffic dust on your website too.
About the Author:
The first step to learning how to increase your traffic is learning about the diversity of traffic sources available to you. Reviewers are widely praising Bill Platt's "Multiple Traffic Streams: The Magic of Attracting Buyers" for its quality and attention to detail. One reviewer called it, "Comprehensive!!" Another said, "You could always spend $1500 or more for one of the 'guru' courses and still get less info." Get your copy here: http://thephantomwriters.com/multiple-traffic-streams/
Read more Articles written by Bill Platt.
Copyright © 2010 Bill Platt
For a number of years, many online marketers honestly thought that the only thing they needed to do to be successful online was to "build a website, and the buyers would come to them."
They had heard all of the success stories from people, who claimed that they had simply built a website, and people just started to arrive in huge numbers.
The story, as it is told, is:
These folks built a website, then the search engines found their websites and started showing people the link to their website. And the people using the search engines saw the link to their websites and saw that it was good. Search engine users saw the link, and as if it were the only link in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), and they clicked the link by the thousands. And hoards of people came to the website with fists full of money, ready to buy what the website was selling.
Some people still believe this is how the search engines work. They have built their websites, and they are waiting anxiously for the "Traffic Fairy" to sprinkle his magic dust on their website too, so that they can also make lots of money.
Are YOU Still Waiting For The Traffic Fairy?
I hope not.
Those who are "waiting" for anything may wait until they realize they are flushing good money down the proverbial toilet, month after month... When they realize that they still have more money going out than they have coming in, they usually get irritated that the "Traffic Fairy" did not look favorably on them, so they stop paying their hosting bill and quit this scam called, "online marketing".
The lifespan of most new websites can generally be measured in the amount of time most people will remain members of a subscription website. In case you did not know, this number is 3-4 months. Along about the 4th or 5th month, most people will stop paying their web hosting bill and let their websites die.
Those people who prepay 1-2 years on their web hosting bill will typically allow their sites to remain online, but they will quit the site long before their website runs out of life. Most will stick it out 3-4 months, and if they are not yet making money, they will just walk away from their new "online business".
This is why you will find so many article directories where you submit your finest work, and no one will ever "approve" your article for publication. There may be nothing wrong with your article. The fact is no one is home to approve it.
The Traffic Fairy Smiles On Those Who Take Action
If you can believe it, in the fall of 1998, Google was a startup website.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin -- the founders of Google -- were just like you and I. They had a startup website, and they needed people to discover their new website.
In those days, Page and Brin could not simply build their website and "wait" for the Traffic Fairy or Google to find them...
They were Google, and no one was using their website.
What did they do to get Google off the ground?
While building Google in their garage, Page and Brin were doing what you should be doing now.
They were getting links wherever they could get links. The were adding their site to directories. They were issuing press releases about their new company. They were trying to get interviews with the press and ordinary webmasters. They were trying to get interviews with newsletter publishers. They were participating in forums and news groups to get the opportunity to share their story.
They were doing everything they could think of to get links to their new website, and they were trying to create interest in their website.
They started their website in September of 1998 and they got their first major press in December of 1998, when they made the top 100 websites of 1998.
It took them three months to get their first major press, and they had been actively promoting their website with the gusto of a 10,000-person marching band.
Yet the average new webmaster barely promotes his or her website and expects to attract thousands of visitors in the same time frame, as it took Google to get noticed by the public-at-large.
Are you starting to get the picture?
To Be Successful, Do What The Successful Websites Have Done
Before Google was the powerhouse it is today, its founders had to work their asses off to build their business.
They had to promote, promote and promote some more. They had to build links, build links, and build some more links. They needed to entice people to visit and use their website, and they needed to provide a method for people to find them.
My point is that the founders of Google wanted to be acknowledged and linked from every corner of the Internet. They chased links for their website, because they knew that people used links to get to a website.
Twelve years later, Yahoo credits them with 223,383,603 links to www.google.com and another 6,752,847 links to google.com at: http://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/
You and I are not going to get 231 million links to our websites, but getting links from a variety of resources is the secret to getting traffic to ones' website. The Traffic Fairy blesses those websites that have a multitude of links to them.
Page and Brin tapped into the basics of building traffic to their website. They made a great website, and they did everything they could do to get traffic to that website.
You should try to emulate them, as you build your website and start to promote it. It was the secret to their success, and likewise, it could be the secret to your success.
Traffic Generation 101
The easiest and cheapest ways to get links and generate traffic for ones' website is going to be: article marketing, press releases, forum marketing, social media marketing, etc.
But, there are at least three-dozen methods to generate traffic to ones' website, and these are just four of them.
The more successful websites always strive to get traffic through a wide variety of traffic generation strategies and methods.
In my case, I have used 31 of the 35 methods I describe in the 80-page traffic guide, "Multiple Traffic Streams: The Magic of Attracting Buyers".
This has resulted in my top three websites being on track to serving 400,000 unique visitors and 5 million page views in 2010.
Don't wait for the Traffic Fairy to bless your website. Take massive action to make sure that the Traffic Fairy would be a fool to ignore you.
And if you do, you might just realize that the Traffic Fairy is real, and he would love to sprinkle his magic traffic dust on your website too.
About the Author:
The first step to learning how to increase your traffic is learning about the diversity of traffic sources available to you. Reviewers are widely praising Bill Platt's "Multiple Traffic Streams: The Magic of Attracting Buyers" for its quality and attention to detail. One reviewer called it, "Comprehensive!!" Another said, "You could always spend $1500 or more for one of the 'guru' courses and still get less info." Get your copy here: http://thephantomwriters.com/multiple-traffic-streams/
Read more Articles written by Bill Platt.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Blog Writing - Beginner Blogging Mistakes
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
Blogging is not complicated, but it is hard. It's the same theory as lifting up a car - the action is a simple one, but it requires a great deal of effort to pull off. At the root of it, blogging is as simple as can be. The blogger logs in, writes a piece of appropriate length touching on a relevant topic, then posts and all is done. However, it is painfully clear that most blogs don't survive the inception phase, and even those that do manage a few opening posts don't tend to last more than a few days or weeks.
There are a number of mistakes that beginning bloggers make, blunders that compromise their blogs and kill their chances of developing an interested audience. On the other hand, there is far too much criticism and far too little specific advice on the web. With that in mind, here are some of the common opening mistakes new bloggers make, followed by specific steps that can be taken to avoid them.
Blunder #1 - The Text Wall
Rooted in the dialup age and the period where text was the only truly efficient medium of communication online, this kind of post is increasingly inappropriate for the online environment. Broadband is widely available, having become the norm in many places rather than the high-priced exception. Cable connections, DSL and fiber optic specialized systems are all available for reasonably affordable prices, so more multimedia content can be included in every kind of post, and this most definitely includes blog posts.
Avoiding the Trap: It isn't hard to find images or videos related to a blog topic. Search engines include video and image functionality in their search terms as a matter of course, and YouTube is full of material that can be accessed readily. For smaller posts, a single link or video will probably do the trick, but for a more involved entry, one image per paragraph is certainly appropriate. Don't include more than one video unless the post is specifically about a particularly engaging video series, however.
Blunder #2 - The Deaf Ear
The audience defines the success of a company. If people aren't buying, the product is a failure. If people aren't visiting, the museum is a failure. If people aren't reading, the blog is a failure. This is an inviolate, absolute principle of all marketing, and yet there are many blogs that shut off user commentary or fail to interact with the audience as a matter of course. Censorship is ineffectual in any case, and self-censorship is an exercise in absolute stupidity. The blog that fails to take advantage of the opportunities offered by an active and positive comments section will not succeed as much as one that embraces the community mindset.
Avoiding the Trap: Cultivate commentary by rewarding thoughtful contributors. For example, if a visitor posts in a particularly eloquent and informed fashion, invite them to make a guest post on the blog and expand upon their ideas. Consider making the guest slot a regular feature of the blog. In a stroke, this will reduce the overall workload on the blog's primary writer and show the more informed readers that their words are reaching the authority behind the blog. This also helps quell any din raised by agitators and malcontents.
Blunder #3 - The Rote Post
Regular content is the key to a successful blog; this can't be disputed. However, it also can't be disputed that some writers simply hit a slump and can't go on producing without cessation. Sometimes the inspiration simply isn't there. A blog oriented toward news-style stories covering a specific industry might suffer when the industry simply isn't providing any new stories, for example. Forcing a post at times like this will be a bad idea almost universally, because people can tell when writing is forced or uninspired.
Avoiding the Trap: This is another area where the video function can come in handy. If a topic just isn't presenting itself well, a blogger can look up a video series on the topic of their choice and post it. It's often easier to post a video and add some commentary on the issues discussed than it is to come up with an article whole cloth.
Blunder #4 - Missing the Point
This issue ties right back in with the idea of audience feedback and participation in a blog, as well as finding alternative methods to rote updating. Consider the idea above, where a writer strapped for ideas posts a YouTube video related to the blog's mission and makes a post commenting on it rather than devising an entire post of his or her own. Suppose this video comment is one of the most popular posts by traffic and commentary compared to any others, even though it took the least work. Why would a writer not take advantage of this? Sadly, this is exactly the case, and many bloggers miss the opportunity to pick up a new idea.
Avoiding the Trap: If a crazy or half-baked idea somehow becomes more popular than the default or normal pattern, consider making it a series and running with it. This is why observing metrics such as traffic and the user comments section is such an important skill to develop. The net is alive, vital and adapting. Keep a finger on the pulse of it, and be prepared to react to sudden inspirational shifts.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
Blogging is not complicated, but it is hard. It's the same theory as lifting up a car - the action is a simple one, but it requires a great deal of effort to pull off. At the root of it, blogging is as simple as can be. The blogger logs in, writes a piece of appropriate length touching on a relevant topic, then posts and all is done. However, it is painfully clear that most blogs don't survive the inception phase, and even those that do manage a few opening posts don't tend to last more than a few days or weeks.
There are a number of mistakes that beginning bloggers make, blunders that compromise their blogs and kill their chances of developing an interested audience. On the other hand, there is far too much criticism and far too little specific advice on the web. With that in mind, here are some of the common opening mistakes new bloggers make, followed by specific steps that can be taken to avoid them.
Blunder #1 - The Text Wall
Rooted in the dialup age and the period where text was the only truly efficient medium of communication online, this kind of post is increasingly inappropriate for the online environment. Broadband is widely available, having become the norm in many places rather than the high-priced exception. Cable connections, DSL and fiber optic specialized systems are all available for reasonably affordable prices, so more multimedia content can be included in every kind of post, and this most definitely includes blog posts.
Avoiding the Trap: It isn't hard to find images or videos related to a blog topic. Search engines include video and image functionality in their search terms as a matter of course, and YouTube is full of material that can be accessed readily. For smaller posts, a single link or video will probably do the trick, but for a more involved entry, one image per paragraph is certainly appropriate. Don't include more than one video unless the post is specifically about a particularly engaging video series, however.
Blunder #2 - The Deaf Ear
The audience defines the success of a company. If people aren't buying, the product is a failure. If people aren't visiting, the museum is a failure. If people aren't reading, the blog is a failure. This is an inviolate, absolute principle of all marketing, and yet there are many blogs that shut off user commentary or fail to interact with the audience as a matter of course. Censorship is ineffectual in any case, and self-censorship is an exercise in absolute stupidity. The blog that fails to take advantage of the opportunities offered by an active and positive comments section will not succeed as much as one that embraces the community mindset.
Avoiding the Trap: Cultivate commentary by rewarding thoughtful contributors. For example, if a visitor posts in a particularly eloquent and informed fashion, invite them to make a guest post on the blog and expand upon their ideas. Consider making the guest slot a regular feature of the blog. In a stroke, this will reduce the overall workload on the blog's primary writer and show the more informed readers that their words are reaching the authority behind the blog. This also helps quell any din raised by agitators and malcontents.
Blunder #3 - The Rote Post
Regular content is the key to a successful blog; this can't be disputed. However, it also can't be disputed that some writers simply hit a slump and can't go on producing without cessation. Sometimes the inspiration simply isn't there. A blog oriented toward news-style stories covering a specific industry might suffer when the industry simply isn't providing any new stories, for example. Forcing a post at times like this will be a bad idea almost universally, because people can tell when writing is forced or uninspired.
Avoiding the Trap: This is another area where the video function can come in handy. If a topic just isn't presenting itself well, a blogger can look up a video series on the topic of their choice and post it. It's often easier to post a video and add some commentary on the issues discussed than it is to come up with an article whole cloth.
Blunder #4 - Missing the Point
This issue ties right back in with the idea of audience feedback and participation in a blog, as well as finding alternative methods to rote updating. Consider the idea above, where a writer strapped for ideas posts a YouTube video related to the blog's mission and makes a post commenting on it rather than devising an entire post of his or her own. Suppose this video comment is one of the most popular posts by traffic and commentary compared to any others, even though it took the least work. Why would a writer not take advantage of this? Sadly, this is exactly the case, and many bloggers miss the opportunity to pick up a new idea.
Avoiding the Trap: If a crazy or half-baked idea somehow becomes more popular than the default or normal pattern, consider making it a series and running with it. This is why observing metrics such as traffic and the user comments section is such an important skill to develop. The net is alive, vital and adapting. Keep a finger on the pulse of it, and be prepared to react to sudden inspirational shifts.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Cut the Crap - Avoiding the Trap of Crap Content
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
People are a notoriously self-interested lot. They avoid activities that don't benefit them, skip events that bore them and reject content that doesn't interest them in some way. They aren't going to go out of their way to read up on an article simply because it has all the information the author thinks is vital and important if they personally feel that article is a waste of their time. Indeed, nothing is a surer waste of someone's time than a crappy, poorly assembled article. A piece of copy could have the very recipe for successful nuclear fusion buried on page 14, but if it bored readers away on page 9, no one will ever dig deep enough to find it and society will continue to churn out dirty coal and uranium waste.
This raises the natural question: What exactly is "crappy" content? The short and almost tautological answer is "content that people don't like," but simply saying that doesn't get a writer anywhere. There are many kinds of crappy content, each with its own unique reasons for being a dull and uninteresting lump rather than a well-polished gem of online commentary.
Type 1 - SEO Smash
First, let it be said that there are few techniques as important to online brand marketing at this time than Search Engine Optimization. Google rightly can claim to rule the web by means of its indexing power. A recent merger between Microsoft's software and the Yahoo! search engine was described in terms of its ability to challenge the reigning king, Google, not on its own merits. So, the ability to get content noticed by search engines through the use of keywords, meta tags and proper formatting is all a vital portion of the content process.
However, any article first approached from the angle of creating an SEO-perfect piece, rather than with a focus on presenting an existing idea through the lens of an SEO effort, is going to get called out as crap. SEO-centric writing leads to articles that are little more than keyword phrases badly hashed together with poor grammar and unusual contortions of the English language, and people notice this kind of writing. They might pop by for a look, but they won't stick around. First have something to say, then learn the best way to say it.
Type 2 - Humor Bludgeon
There's a trend on the web for articles to be entertaining, funny and even to an extent snarky or sarcastic. This trend can be seen in the success of biting commentary sites such as Something Awful or the new Rifftrax DVDs (a series dedicated entirely to making fun of poorly-made movies).
Everyone wants to imagine they're a clever, witty genius who can turn a fairly dull piece of writing into biting social commentary and satire. Most of these people are not such paragons of humor, however. Instead, their writing comes across as forced and scraping for obvious jokes that seem tired and strained. As a rule of thumb, if a funny turn of phrase comes to mind on its own, a writer should feel free to give it a try. If the writer has to consciously think about how to make something sound funny, it probably doesn't need to sound funny - and doesn't belong in the article.
Type 3 - the Meme Beam
A variation on the topic of humor and witty banter above, memetics is a theory of social information transmission. Memes are ideas that are passed and replicated between people, and on the web they tend to take the form of popular sayings or pictures that catch on and go viral. Caturday is a meme, being the tendency of people to post funny pictures about cats on Saturdays. Other memes reference an imagined rivalry between pirates and ninjas, zombie apocalypses and other esoteric topics of web discussion.
A well-referenced meme can make an article more entertaining. A forced meme gets nothing more than rolled eyes and a disparaging snort in most cases, and quickly-spread criticism in the worst instances. Unless there's a compelling reason to include a meme - such as a particular target audience, or the fact that your brand focuses on a specific meme - don't try.
Type 4 - Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing
Few things are more irritating than wasting someone's time. The above examples are bad, and each one can lead to an article being dismissed, but they are also forgivable and won't produce as virulent a reaction as presenting someone a piece of content that does them no good at all. Avoid this trap with all possible effort and ingenuity, because the moment it gets out that a brand has nothing to contribute, that brand is finished.
Instead, make sure every piece of content put up as part of a brand contributes something to the lives of the readers or viewers absorbing the content in question. Provide a tip about acquiring the product, a handy maintenance routine for keeping it running or even a story explaining how the brand has learned from its mistakes in its latest ad campaign and that it's listening to the audience. Do something to contribute to the conversation. If the brainstorming meeting can't say in less than 2 minutes why a particular piece of content is going up, don't put it up.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
People are a notoriously self-interested lot. They avoid activities that don't benefit them, skip events that bore them and reject content that doesn't interest them in some way. They aren't going to go out of their way to read up on an article simply because it has all the information the author thinks is vital and important if they personally feel that article is a waste of their time. Indeed, nothing is a surer waste of someone's time than a crappy, poorly assembled article. A piece of copy could have the very recipe for successful nuclear fusion buried on page 14, but if it bored readers away on page 9, no one will ever dig deep enough to find it and society will continue to churn out dirty coal and uranium waste.
This raises the natural question: What exactly is "crappy" content? The short and almost tautological answer is "content that people don't like," but simply saying that doesn't get a writer anywhere. There are many kinds of crappy content, each with its own unique reasons for being a dull and uninteresting lump rather than a well-polished gem of online commentary.
Type 1 - SEO Smash
First, let it be said that there are few techniques as important to online brand marketing at this time than Search Engine Optimization. Google rightly can claim to rule the web by means of its indexing power. A recent merger between Microsoft's software and the Yahoo! search engine was described in terms of its ability to challenge the reigning king, Google, not on its own merits. So, the ability to get content noticed by search engines through the use of keywords, meta tags and proper formatting is all a vital portion of the content process.
However, any article first approached from the angle of creating an SEO-perfect piece, rather than with a focus on presenting an existing idea through the lens of an SEO effort, is going to get called out as crap. SEO-centric writing leads to articles that are little more than keyword phrases badly hashed together with poor grammar and unusual contortions of the English language, and people notice this kind of writing. They might pop by for a look, but they won't stick around. First have something to say, then learn the best way to say it.
Type 2 - Humor Bludgeon
There's a trend on the web for articles to be entertaining, funny and even to an extent snarky or sarcastic. This trend can be seen in the success of biting commentary sites such as Something Awful or the new Rifftrax DVDs (a series dedicated entirely to making fun of poorly-made movies).
Everyone wants to imagine they're a clever, witty genius who can turn a fairly dull piece of writing into biting social commentary and satire. Most of these people are not such paragons of humor, however. Instead, their writing comes across as forced and scraping for obvious jokes that seem tired and strained. As a rule of thumb, if a funny turn of phrase comes to mind on its own, a writer should feel free to give it a try. If the writer has to consciously think about how to make something sound funny, it probably doesn't need to sound funny - and doesn't belong in the article.
Type 3 - the Meme Beam
A variation on the topic of humor and witty banter above, memetics is a theory of social information transmission. Memes are ideas that are passed and replicated between people, and on the web they tend to take the form of popular sayings or pictures that catch on and go viral. Caturday is a meme, being the tendency of people to post funny pictures about cats on Saturdays. Other memes reference an imagined rivalry between pirates and ninjas, zombie apocalypses and other esoteric topics of web discussion.
A well-referenced meme can make an article more entertaining. A forced meme gets nothing more than rolled eyes and a disparaging snort in most cases, and quickly-spread criticism in the worst instances. Unless there's a compelling reason to include a meme - such as a particular target audience, or the fact that your brand focuses on a specific meme - don't try.
Type 4 - Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing
Few things are more irritating than wasting someone's time. The above examples are bad, and each one can lead to an article being dismissed, but they are also forgivable and won't produce as virulent a reaction as presenting someone a piece of content that does them no good at all. Avoid this trap with all possible effort and ingenuity, because the moment it gets out that a brand has nothing to contribute, that brand is finished.
Instead, make sure every piece of content put up as part of a brand contributes something to the lives of the readers or viewers absorbing the content in question. Provide a tip about acquiring the product, a handy maintenance routine for keeping it running or even a story explaining how the brand has learned from its mistakes in its latest ad campaign and that it's listening to the audience. Do something to contribute to the conversation. If the brainstorming meeting can't say in less than 2 minutes why a particular piece of content is going up, don't put it up.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
Giving While You're Living, Or When You're Dead Instead?
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Lee Hale
Over the years, there have been many opinions and thoughts as to the legitimacy of Cash Gifting as a viable and honest means of generating cash. But at the heart of Cash Gifting is a fundamental principle that is often overlooked and convoluted with greed and the love of money. This principle is quite simple... to help your fellow man (or woman) through giving, and in return be recognized and rewarded for your participation in the giving process.
It's no surprise that the giving and receiving of gifts can drastically change a person's life, and despite some common misconceptions about Cash Gifting, it still remains the most popular vehicle for financial gain in the World. In fact, Cash Gifting programs account for nearly 60% of all money generated in the home-based business industry. But unfortunately, most Cash Gifting programs aren't structured properly in order to sustain their efforts for any considerable length of time. Consequently, most people who are active in the Cash Gifting community find themselves jumping from one program to another quite often.
Traditionally people in the good old USA have been taught that you make the best living that you can, provide for your family, save up cash for a rainy day, and then divide up your estate when you are finished breathing (and talking and eating and laughing and - well, you get the picture). So your heirs receive whatever you had left over when you died. You have just been gifted from the dead. However, your parent lived to the ripe old age of 90 years, and that makes you 70 years of age.
What might have happened if your parent had gifted you a few bucks now and then when you were say, 30 or 35 or even 40 years of age? Maybe you would have started a business with the gift, retired at 50, and spent a ton of time with your family for the rest of your natural life!!! Wow, what a shame that would be - but don't worry because your parent will most likely wait until they can't write a check (because they're dead) to write the check. You'll be at the age where you're likely to do the very same thing they did. You will gift when you expire.
There is another idea! Give while you live. Give your child ten thousand bucks and let him take you on a family trip to the Grand Canyon. You'll both feel great. He'll actually be able to talk to you and enjoy you because you won't be dead. The person doing the gifting will also enjoy it because they're still alive. Novel idea isn't it? Why haven't we thought of this before? Why aren't more of us doing it? Stephen Pollan wrote a book called, "Die Broke". That sounds like a horrible title, and you usually picture some poorly clothed, decrepit fool dying homeless. But that is far from what the book is about.
For one thing, it's about people actually sharing and thriving and enjoying their hard earned cash. No, it's not about squandering. It's about common sense living, enjoying life, and giving while you're living and its rewards. I think most would agree, it's ok to be dying to give, but living to give is more satisfying and much more fun. You actually get to see the joyous results of your giving instead of hiding in the grave.
About the Author:
There are many strategies to making money on the internet, but nothing makes sense unless you have a big list. Email marketing is the most profitable way to create a cash-flow asset. When you build a list of hot hungry prospects you control your future! Discover how to use the internet and turn your mailbox into a cash gushing delivery mechanism. Plus, sign up now and get author, Lee Hale's MLM Networking Newsletter. http://SuccessKindness.us/
Read more of Lee Hale's articles.
Copyright © 2010 Lee Hale
Over the years, there have been many opinions and thoughts as to the legitimacy of Cash Gifting as a viable and honest means of generating cash. But at the heart of Cash Gifting is a fundamental principle that is often overlooked and convoluted with greed and the love of money. This principle is quite simple... to help your fellow man (or woman) through giving, and in return be recognized and rewarded for your participation in the giving process.
It's no surprise that the giving and receiving of gifts can drastically change a person's life, and despite some common misconceptions about Cash Gifting, it still remains the most popular vehicle for financial gain in the World. In fact, Cash Gifting programs account for nearly 60% of all money generated in the home-based business industry. But unfortunately, most Cash Gifting programs aren't structured properly in order to sustain their efforts for any considerable length of time. Consequently, most people who are active in the Cash Gifting community find themselves jumping from one program to another quite often.
Traditionally people in the good old USA have been taught that you make the best living that you can, provide for your family, save up cash for a rainy day, and then divide up your estate when you are finished breathing (and talking and eating and laughing and - well, you get the picture). So your heirs receive whatever you had left over when you died. You have just been gifted from the dead. However, your parent lived to the ripe old age of 90 years, and that makes you 70 years of age.
What might have happened if your parent had gifted you a few bucks now and then when you were say, 30 or 35 or even 40 years of age? Maybe you would have started a business with the gift, retired at 50, and spent a ton of time with your family for the rest of your natural life!!! Wow, what a shame that would be - but don't worry because your parent will most likely wait until they can't write a check (because they're dead) to write the check. You'll be at the age where you're likely to do the very same thing they did. You will gift when you expire.
There is another idea! Give while you live. Give your child ten thousand bucks and let him take you on a family trip to the Grand Canyon. You'll both feel great. He'll actually be able to talk to you and enjoy you because you won't be dead. The person doing the gifting will also enjoy it because they're still alive. Novel idea isn't it? Why haven't we thought of this before? Why aren't more of us doing it? Stephen Pollan wrote a book called, "Die Broke". That sounds like a horrible title, and you usually picture some poorly clothed, decrepit fool dying homeless. But that is far from what the book is about.
For one thing, it's about people actually sharing and thriving and enjoying their hard earned cash. No, it's not about squandering. It's about common sense living, enjoying life, and giving while you're living and its rewards. I think most would agree, it's ok to be dying to give, but living to give is more satisfying and much more fun. You actually get to see the joyous results of your giving instead of hiding in the grave.
About the Author:
There are many strategies to making money on the internet, but nothing makes sense unless you have a big list. Email marketing is the most profitable way to create a cash-flow asset. When you build a list of hot hungry prospects you control your future! Discover how to use the internet and turn your mailbox into a cash gushing delivery mechanism. Plus, sign up now and get author, Lee Hale's MLM Networking Newsletter. http://SuccessKindness.us/
Read more of Lee Hale's articles.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Introvert Marketing: How Reserved Can Also Mean Revered
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Marcia Yudkin
When I surveyed more than 300 self-identified introverts, more than 70 percent agreed that it is somewhat important or very important to come across as highly social, easily conversational and maybe even a bit of a show-off to succeed in business. Like many of the other results in the survey, this seems to be stating a belief that introverts must act like extroverts to attract customers and clients.
And like much of the other conventional wisdom about personality in business, this claim melts away when examined in the cold light of reality.
A magnetic introverted image can take one of these four forms:
1)The man or woman of mystery, for example a Zen master or anyone who keeps to himself or herself and needs to be coaxed to reveal his or her knowledge and talents
2)The activist or preacher, such as Mother Theresa, who transcends a retiring personality for a higher cause
3)The deep one, like Princess Diana or Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who has a talent for interpersonal intensity and intimacy
4)The kook, for instance Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin or someone with geeky, off-kilter charm
It's also possible to develop a powerful reputation for results and have that speak for you. Have you heard the saying, "Your reputation precedes you"? This calls up a scenario where a person's reputation travels, and the personal presence of the individual comes second. How wonderful is that for introverts!
Even better, when someone's reputation precedes them, it's not necessary to put on a show and pretend to be a different kind of person. The audience - potential client, here - knows what to expect: the real you.
Building a reputation takes time and effort, and it gives you a solid foundation for business success on your own terms.
Marketing yourself through reputation building involves pulling customers toward you rather than getting out to them with pushiness. Rather than cold calls and pursuit of clients, you cultivate the more magnetic forms of outreach, such as publishing, publicity, testimonials about the results you have brought into being, word of mouth, content-rich advertising, blogging and more.
As an introvert, you are likely to excel not at telling, but at listening, which stirs the clients for whom you are the best match, those who stand prepared to reward you with long-lasting loyalty.
Are you ready to create a marketing system that truly fits you - and works out there in the world?
About the Author:
A bookworm as a child, Marcia Yudkin grew up to discover she had a surprising talent for creative marketing. She's the author of more than a dozen books, including 6 Steps to Free Publicity, now in its third edition, and Persuading People to Buy. She also mentors introverts so they discover their uniquely powerful branding and most comfortable marketing strategies. To learn more about the strengths and preferences of introverts, download her free Marketing for Introverts audio manifesto: http://www.yudkin.com/introverts.htm
Follow @marciasmantras on Twitter.
Copyright © 2010 Marcia Yudkin
When I surveyed more than 300 self-identified introverts, more than 70 percent agreed that it is somewhat important or very important to come across as highly social, easily conversational and maybe even a bit of a show-off to succeed in business. Like many of the other results in the survey, this seems to be stating a belief that introverts must act like extroverts to attract customers and clients.
And like much of the other conventional wisdom about personality in business, this claim melts away when examined in the cold light of reality.
A magnetic introverted image can take one of these four forms:
1)The man or woman of mystery, for example a Zen master or anyone who keeps to himself or herself and needs to be coaxed to reveal his or her knowledge and talents
2)The activist or preacher, such as Mother Theresa, who transcends a retiring personality for a higher cause
3)The deep one, like Princess Diana or Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who has a talent for interpersonal intensity and intimacy
4)The kook, for instance Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin or someone with geeky, off-kilter charm
It's also possible to develop a powerful reputation for results and have that speak for you. Have you heard the saying, "Your reputation precedes you"? This calls up a scenario where a person's reputation travels, and the personal presence of the individual comes second. How wonderful is that for introverts!
Even better, when someone's reputation precedes them, it's not necessary to put on a show and pretend to be a different kind of person. The audience - potential client, here - knows what to expect: the real you.
Building a reputation takes time and effort, and it gives you a solid foundation for business success on your own terms.
Marketing yourself through reputation building involves pulling customers toward you rather than getting out to them with pushiness. Rather than cold calls and pursuit of clients, you cultivate the more magnetic forms of outreach, such as publishing, publicity, testimonials about the results you have brought into being, word of mouth, content-rich advertising, blogging and more.
As an introvert, you are likely to excel not at telling, but at listening, which stirs the clients for whom you are the best match, those who stand prepared to reward you with long-lasting loyalty.
Are you ready to create a marketing system that truly fits you - and works out there in the world?
About the Author:
A bookworm as a child, Marcia Yudkin grew up to discover she had a surprising talent for creative marketing. She's the author of more than a dozen books, including 6 Steps to Free Publicity, now in its third edition, and Persuading People to Buy. She also mentors introverts so they discover their uniquely powerful branding and most comfortable marketing strategies. To learn more about the strengths and preferences of introverts, download her free Marketing for Introverts audio manifesto: http://www.yudkin.com/introverts.htm
Follow @marciasmantras on Twitter.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
3 Cutting Edge Steps Show You The Real Way To Make Money Online
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Ryan Parenti
Tens of thousands of people all over the globe are quietly cashing in on what may be the only recession proof industry -- at the very least it's one of few industries maintaining consistent and enormous growth!
These people... well, these are just regular folks who have decided they want some extra income and have turned to information publishing for profit (staggering profit). Here is how they do it.
The real way to make money online is simple, straight forward and quick... but it works. Here are the secret ways to make money online.
There are three main things you need to do:
1. Build A Mailing List
2. Sell A Full Line Of Products
3. Develop Mutually Beneficial Relationships With Related Businesses
Let's start with how to...
Build A Mailing List For Life Long Profits And Put Button Simple Profits
Why build a mailing list? Firstly services like Aweber make it so easy to capture and manage leads that you would be insane not to.
All you do is throw up a squeeze page (a name asking for a name and email) in exchange for a free gift. Then you can develop a relationship with your subscribers and sell your products and related products to them.
Always get traffic to the squeeze page. Get people on your list so you can follow up with them.
Building a mailing list is how you send a message and print money. Not only that but you can use it to develop relationships with other marketers.
This can help you by building mutually beneficial relationships that enhance both parties.
The truth is there are a lot of get rich quick scams out there. But there is no such thing as get rich quick... there is only get rich. The real way to make money online is to build a real business.
Selling information products is by for the best way to make money online and it naturally leads you into the profit pulling world of...
Selling Water To A Thirsty Man In The Desert? "Would You Like Another Glass?"
Once you start collecting a leads your next step is to develop a full marketing funnel filled with products that your prospects would want to buy.
In fact the free offer is the start of your funnel. After your free offer you should try $1 trial to a continuity program, then have a $97 product, and a $297 product and a $997 product and on up.
Sound hard? Building a business isn't hard but it does take a little bit of effort!
The easy way to understand it is to see that the value of information you give increases as the funnel moves deeper.
The real way to make money online is to build a real business.
If you don't want to build a real business at least build a mailing list. If you are to focus all of your efforts on list building you will get very far. Why?
Because you will find many ways to monetize your list. Never the less creating information products is easy and profitable.
In comparison to typical brick and mortar business it doesn't even compare. Reach a world wide audience at the click of the mouse and deliver the goods -- instantly -- for free.
The next important step is to...
Build Mutually Beneficial Relationships With Related Businesses For Explosive Profits
The real way to make money online is not to go out tweeting and all that extra stuff (even though you can make some cash doing it).
The real way to cash in online is to build a mailing list where you sell your products then leverage your work by generating affiliates and join venture partners.
Affiliates and join venture partners will sell your products for you for a commission on your sale. No matter how big of a mailing list you get or how much of a reach you have you will always be better off when other people sell your product.
Even if you have the biggest list in the world it is probably not as big as the second biggest list and the third biggest list combined.
The idea here is that you can leverage other people's success and create a two way relationship that enhances both parties.
This is a solid business model that truly is the real way to make money online. All the other stuff is secondary to this. Plain and simple.
About the Author:
If you are serious about increasing sales, traffic and affiliates on autopilot without spending a small fortune setting it all up go ahead and download this free audio and learn the exact steps you need for increased internet profits: http://BuildOnlineWealth.com/crazyfreeoffer/ Written by: Ryan Parenti
Read more of Ryan Parenti 's articles.
Copyright © 2010 Ryan Parenti
Tens of thousands of people all over the globe are quietly cashing in on what may be the only recession proof industry -- at the very least it's one of few industries maintaining consistent and enormous growth!
These people... well, these are just regular folks who have decided they want some extra income and have turned to information publishing for profit (staggering profit). Here is how they do it.
The real way to make money online is simple, straight forward and quick... but it works. Here are the secret ways to make money online.
There are three main things you need to do:
1. Build A Mailing List
2. Sell A Full Line Of Products
3. Develop Mutually Beneficial Relationships With Related Businesses
Let's start with how to...
Build A Mailing List For Life Long Profits And Put Button Simple Profits
Why build a mailing list? Firstly services like Aweber make it so easy to capture and manage leads that you would be insane not to.
All you do is throw up a squeeze page (a name asking for a name and email) in exchange for a free gift. Then you can develop a relationship with your subscribers and sell your products and related products to them.
Always get traffic to the squeeze page. Get people on your list so you can follow up with them.
Building a mailing list is how you send a message and print money. Not only that but you can use it to develop relationships with other marketers.
This can help you by building mutually beneficial relationships that enhance both parties.
The truth is there are a lot of get rich quick scams out there. But there is no such thing as get rich quick... there is only get rich. The real way to make money online is to build a real business.
Selling information products is by for the best way to make money online and it naturally leads you into the profit pulling world of...
Selling Water To A Thirsty Man In The Desert? "Would You Like Another Glass?"
Once you start collecting a leads your next step is to develop a full marketing funnel filled with products that your prospects would want to buy.
In fact the free offer is the start of your funnel. After your free offer you should try $1 trial to a continuity program, then have a $97 product, and a $297 product and a $997 product and on up.
Sound hard? Building a business isn't hard but it does take a little bit of effort!
The easy way to understand it is to see that the value of information you give increases as the funnel moves deeper.
The real way to make money online is to build a real business.
If you don't want to build a real business at least build a mailing list. If you are to focus all of your efforts on list building you will get very far. Why?
Because you will find many ways to monetize your list. Never the less creating information products is easy and profitable.
In comparison to typical brick and mortar business it doesn't even compare. Reach a world wide audience at the click of the mouse and deliver the goods -- instantly -- for free.
The next important step is to...
Build Mutually Beneficial Relationships With Related Businesses For Explosive Profits
The real way to make money online is not to go out tweeting and all that extra stuff (even though you can make some cash doing it).
The real way to cash in online is to build a mailing list where you sell your products then leverage your work by generating affiliates and join venture partners.
Affiliates and join venture partners will sell your products for you for a commission on your sale. No matter how big of a mailing list you get or how much of a reach you have you will always be better off when other people sell your product.
Even if you have the biggest list in the world it is probably not as big as the second biggest list and the third biggest list combined.
The idea here is that you can leverage other people's success and create a two way relationship that enhances both parties.
This is a solid business model that truly is the real way to make money online. All the other stuff is secondary to this. Plain and simple.
About the Author:
If you are serious about increasing sales, traffic and affiliates on autopilot without spending a small fortune setting it all up go ahead and download this free audio and learn the exact steps you need for increased internet profits: http://BuildOnlineWealth.com/crazyfreeoffer/ Written by: Ryan Parenti
Read more of Ryan Parenti 's articles.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
The ANSI Standard - Operation and Maintenance
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Rathi Niyogi
OSHA regulations set out where eyewash stations should be and when they are required; they do not provide operating requirements. However, some state-level health and safety regulations specifically incorporate the ANSI standard and so make the provisions of the standard a regulatory requirement.
Operation
The ANSI standard for emergency eyewash stations include:
The eyewash equipment should be located in an area that requires no more than 10 seconds-while walking-to reach the station and on the same level (floor) as the area where the hazardous chemicals are handled. (Note: For particularly harsh acids or caustics, it is prudent to locate the station even closer to the area where these chemicals are used. Also, if you have multiple areas in your facility where corrosive substances are handled, you will need to ensure that the travel distance is less than 10 seconds from each area. If not, you will need to utilize multiple stations.)
The eyewash nozzles need to be positioned between 33 and 45 inches from the floor and 6 inches from the wall or nearest obstruction. (Eyewashes are used while someone is bent over, hence, the ANSI height and head space requirement. One of the best ways to be sure that you are providing sufficient space for someone to use an eyewash is to do a "dry test run" by actually over it and putting your eyes near the nozzles. Also, make sure that there is sufficient room to the sides and the front of the eyewash to ensure that use of the eyewash is not impeded.)
Portable (sometimes called "self-contained" or "gravity feed") eyewashes should deliver a minimum flow of 0.4 gallons per minute (gpm) and hard-piped eyewashes should provide 3 gpm, both for a continuous period of at least 15 minutes. (Remember that the pressure of the water coming out of the eyewash nozzle needs to be correct-not too high, which may injure someone's eyes, and not too low, which may cause the nozzles to simply dribble water out rather than provide a stream that will flush someone's eyes.).
Eyewashes need to activate immediately (within 1 second or less), have a stay-open valve to allow for hands-free operation, and flush both eyes simultaneously.
Eyewash flushing nozzles should be protected (i.e., capped or covered) from airborne contaminants. (Airborne contaminants include dust and bacteria. When someone's eyes have been injured, the last thing you want to do is douse them with dirt and bacteria!)
Water to the eyewash should be potable (i.e., drinkable) and water temperature should be moderate (60-80oF).
Adequate floor drainage or water collection must be provided for hard-piped emergency eyewash stations to prevent floor slip/fall hazard during testing or emergency use.
The eyewash is to be located in an area that is well-lit and identified with a sign.
Maintenance and Training
Plumbed eyewash stations should be activated weekly to ensure that they work properly. Weekly activation not only verifies that the unit works properly but also prevents the buildup of rust, sediment, and other contaminants in the water in the piping to the eyewash. Gravity-feed units do not have to be activated weekly-but do need to be maintained according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Eyewash stations should be maintained in a clean, sanitary condition (Generally, this can be done simply by wiping the eyewash with a clean, damp cloth. Cleaning the eyewash with polishes, detergents, or other cleaners can leave a residue that can end up in a user's eyes.).
Access to the eyewash should be maintained clear from obstruction.
All eyewash equipment should be inspected annually to make sure it meets ANSI requirements.
All employees who might be exposed to a chemical splash should be trained in the location and use of the equipment. (When an eye injury occurs as the result of a chemical splash, time is of the essence-the longer the chemical remains on the eye, the greater the damage done to the eye-knowing where the eyewash is and how to properly use it in an emergency can mean the difference between a minor eye injury and blindness.)
About the Author:
Rathi Niyogi is the CEO of CriticalTool, a national distributor of eye wash stations and other eye wash products. If you thought this article was helpful, additional information on chemical resistant gloves can be found at different types of eye wash stations can be found here http://www.criticaltool.com/types-of-eye-wash-stations.html
Read more of Rathi Niyogi's articles.
Copyright © 2010 Rathi Niyogi
OSHA regulations set out where eyewash stations should be and when they are required; they do not provide operating requirements. However, some state-level health and safety regulations specifically incorporate the ANSI standard and so make the provisions of the standard a regulatory requirement.
Operation
The ANSI standard for emergency eyewash stations include:
Maintenance and Training
About the Author:
Rathi Niyogi is the CEO of CriticalTool, a national distributor of eye wash stations and other eye wash products. If you thought this article was helpful, additional information on chemical resistant gloves can be found at different types of eye wash stations can be found here http://www.criticaltool.com/types-of-eye-wash-stations.html
Read more of Rathi Niyogi's articles.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Follow The Experts Who Do What They Teach
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Willie Crawford
As I'm sure that you realize, not all online marketing experts are the same. Some are only interested in your money, and they know that the quickest and easiest way to get it is to sell you "the dream."
Many so-called experts have never done what they teach. They come online, survey the landscape, and decide that teaching is easier than doing. So they hire a ghost writer to write an ebook, or worse, they write an ebook filled with their theories. Then they roll this ebook out with lots of fanfare, selling it to unsuspecting newbies.
Buyers of the above ebook, read maybe half way through it, spot another shiny object, and are off to try what sounds like a faster, easier way.
So how do you avoid falling into this and a dozen other traps? There are two ways that I'll recommend.
1) Use tools such as the search engines to investigate the marketer or company before spending a penny with them. The internet is very inter-connected AND transparent. It's nearly impossible to have a serious online presence and not be very visible in the search engines. For example, if you were to "google" my name, you would find over 2 million returns, and most of them would be me!
If I googled someone, or a company's name, and couldn't find it, I'd definitely ask why. I'd also probably start running in the opposite direction as fast as possible, with one hand on my wallet.
2) Follow the experts who actually do what they teach. If you can't see that they do what they teach, there is a good chance that they don't, and the reason may be that they are not sure that it will work. As you look to see that they are actually doing what they teach, also put it through the common sense test.
As an example, many of my friends and mentors teach that your business cannot grow beyond a certain point with you trying to do everything in your business. When you first read that, you may ask yourself if this is just a sales ploy. So you observe top online marketers and notice that they have copywriters, programmers, operation managers, affiliate managers, webmasters, graphic artists, ghost writers, email managers, virtual assistants, etc., working for them.
Then you shift to the offline world and notice that in the most successful restaurants, the owner is not in the back washing dishes, cooking, or supervising waiters. He is not on the cash register or waiting on tables. Instead he may be wandering the floor and "hob knobbing" with customers, making them feel important. He may be just observing his business, looking for areas that can be improved and places where employees may need more training.
I'm sure that you're beginning to get my point now. You often wonder if a marketer recommends that you do something because it will make him a profit, or if he really believes what he is recommending. Observing that he is actually doing it himself... that he believes in what he teaches enough to use it in his business, is very powerful.
As a personal example, I preach that you should outsource as much as possible, and focus on growing and managing your business. I know how to do many of the day-to-day tasks of running an online enterprise. After 14 years I've tried doing many of them, and become very good at some of them. However, I personally outsource most jobs related to graphics, copywriting, webmastering, programming, building mini-nets, keyword research, and customer service.
I have full-time people working exclusively for me, who handle most of these tasks. It took a while, but I finally realized that these people don't cost me money, they make me money.
I do what my good friend Maria Gudelis calls engaging in talent arbitrage.
Maria has a very in-depth, yet inexpensive, course on being an offline consultant. I've gone completely through that course a dozen times, and have it memorized, AND do what she teaches. One of the things that she teaches is that you land offline consulting clients, and define what they need, etc., but that you don't do most of the work. You pass it off to outsourced talent as soon as possible, but you pocket most of the fees collected at the same time. I follow Maria because I can see that she does what she teaches.
By the way, I encourage you to check out Maria's course in being an offline consultant. You'll find it at: http://timic.org/Maria
I mentioned earlier that you should check out the person that you're following. Another way that I do that is by looking at whether or not what they teach agrees with what other verified experts teach. One of my favorite experts is Dan Kennedy, and Maria's teachings totally agree with what Dan teaches as far as how to leverage your business, and which segment of the market you should go after. Incidentally, you should go after segments of the market that HAVE money and are willing to spend it on you and your products or services.
I'll wrap up this article, but share more of my thoughts and observations soon. In the meantime, develop the habit of really noticing whether your favorite guru actually does what he teaches. That could make a huge difference in your bottom line.
About the Author:
Willie Crawford is founder of The Internet Marketing Inner Circle, a membership site where some of the world's sharpest marketing minds gather to network, brainstorm, and jointly grow their businesses. Join The Internet Marketing Inner Circle today for $1. Complete details at: http://timic.org/
Follow @WillieCrawford on Twitter.
Copyright © 2010 Willie Crawford
As I'm sure that you realize, not all online marketing experts are the same. Some are only interested in your money, and they know that the quickest and easiest way to get it is to sell you "the dream."
Many so-called experts have never done what they teach. They come online, survey the landscape, and decide that teaching is easier than doing. So they hire a ghost writer to write an ebook, or worse, they write an ebook filled with their theories. Then they roll this ebook out with lots of fanfare, selling it to unsuspecting newbies.
Buyers of the above ebook, read maybe half way through it, spot another shiny object, and are off to try what sounds like a faster, easier way.
So how do you avoid falling into this and a dozen other traps? There are two ways that I'll recommend.
1) Use tools such as the search engines to investigate the marketer or company before spending a penny with them. The internet is very inter-connected AND transparent. It's nearly impossible to have a serious online presence and not be very visible in the search engines. For example, if you were to "google" my name, you would find over 2 million returns, and most of them would be me!
If I googled someone, or a company's name, and couldn't find it, I'd definitely ask why. I'd also probably start running in the opposite direction as fast as possible, with one hand on my wallet.
2) Follow the experts who actually do what they teach. If you can't see that they do what they teach, there is a good chance that they don't, and the reason may be that they are not sure that it will work. As you look to see that they are actually doing what they teach, also put it through the common sense test.
As an example, many of my friends and mentors teach that your business cannot grow beyond a certain point with you trying to do everything in your business. When you first read that, you may ask yourself if this is just a sales ploy. So you observe top online marketers and notice that they have copywriters, programmers, operation managers, affiliate managers, webmasters, graphic artists, ghost writers, email managers, virtual assistants, etc., working for them.
Then you shift to the offline world and notice that in the most successful restaurants, the owner is not in the back washing dishes, cooking, or supervising waiters. He is not on the cash register or waiting on tables. Instead he may be wandering the floor and "hob knobbing" with customers, making them feel important. He may be just observing his business, looking for areas that can be improved and places where employees may need more training.
I'm sure that you're beginning to get my point now. You often wonder if a marketer recommends that you do something because it will make him a profit, or if he really believes what he is recommending. Observing that he is actually doing it himself... that he believes in what he teaches enough to use it in his business, is very powerful.
As a personal example, I preach that you should outsource as much as possible, and focus on growing and managing your business. I know how to do many of the day-to-day tasks of running an online enterprise. After 14 years I've tried doing many of them, and become very good at some of them. However, I personally outsource most jobs related to graphics, copywriting, webmastering, programming, building mini-nets, keyword research, and customer service.
I have full-time people working exclusively for me, who handle most of these tasks. It took a while, but I finally realized that these people don't cost me money, they make me money.
I do what my good friend Maria Gudelis calls engaging in talent arbitrage.
Maria has a very in-depth, yet inexpensive, course on being an offline consultant. I've gone completely through that course a dozen times, and have it memorized, AND do what she teaches. One of the things that she teaches is that you land offline consulting clients, and define what they need, etc., but that you don't do most of the work. You pass it off to outsourced talent as soon as possible, but you pocket most of the fees collected at the same time. I follow Maria because I can see that she does what she teaches.
By the way, I encourage you to check out Maria's course in being an offline consultant. You'll find it at: http://timic.org/Maria
I mentioned earlier that you should check out the person that you're following. Another way that I do that is by looking at whether or not what they teach agrees with what other verified experts teach. One of my favorite experts is Dan Kennedy, and Maria's teachings totally agree with what Dan teaches as far as how to leverage your business, and which segment of the market you should go after. Incidentally, you should go after segments of the market that HAVE money and are willing to spend it on you and your products or services.
I'll wrap up this article, but share more of my thoughts and observations soon. In the meantime, develop the habit of really noticing whether your favorite guru actually does what he teaches. That could make a huge difference in your bottom line.
About the Author:
Willie Crawford is founder of The Internet Marketing Inner Circle, a membership site where some of the world's sharpest marketing minds gather to network, brainstorm, and jointly grow their businesses. Join The Internet Marketing Inner Circle today for $1. Complete details at: http://timic.org/
Follow @WillieCrawford on Twitter.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
How MrBean Led the Computer Industry
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Jennifer Robinson
1955 seemed like any other year to most people, but unbeknown to the world '55 was to prove the arrival of the geeks. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Tim Berners-Lee and Eric Schmidt were all born in 1955.
Brilliant author Malcolm Gladwell also noticed this occurrence of the rise of computer genius in his book "Outliers" stating "they were fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time and have the strength and presence of mind to seize the opportunities." Was it really as simple as that? I continued the search to find if there was something more significant and profound that occurred that year
Predictions for the future in 1955 included one from Henry Dreyfuss (a celebrity industrial designer) that future telephone's would have miniature television tubes, perhaps predicting iPhone, but he also said Mail would be dispatched across the country by guided rockets - which is too much of a stretch to say he predicted email.
In Chinese Astrology it was the year of the WOOD SHEEP who's characteristics include Smart. Artistic, Kind, Happy, Reserved, Insecure, Dependent (hardly the description of these guys). McDonalds opened their first restaurant in 1955 a company that pioneered corporate globalization. Still I couldn't quite see these fellow's devouring a happy meal.
None of these events seemed to prepare the world for the forthcoming invasion of the nerds so I looked to music. The best selling US single of the year was Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White by Perez Prad. A reference to Apple there maybe ? But the evidence was thin.
I delved into literature "The Return Of The King" by Tolkien was published that year, could that be the catalyst for their success ? If so who was the King ? On Tv the top show was the $64,000 Question. Nothing seemed to fit maybe Gladwell was right again.
I turned to science 1955 was the year we said goodbye to two of finest minds of the 20th century Albert Einstein and Alexander Fleming. Did this hold any significance? In Computer science the ENIAC was shut down.
In Astronomy on the 20th of June 1955 there was a total eclipse . My mind raced was the eclipse the same day as the summer solstice, was this some Pagan, Sumerian, Mayan or Egyptian symbol preparing the world of the coming of the geeks. But no another dead end as the solstice is on the 21st of June.
Turning for answers as so many do to Religion, 1955 I found that Margaret Knight stunned Britain by suggesting morality without religion. The dead sea scrolls continued to be discovered in 1955 and both Messianic Rule scroll and the War Scroll were published. Again nothing quite seemed to click.
Maybe the answer comes from beyond this world, Dr. P. S. V. Setty said in January 1955 "reports have come from all over the world of strange objects being sighted in the sky which are generally known as Flying Saucers". Interesting but hardly Roswell, I concluded that the reality distortion field and parking in a disabled space did not prove extra-terrestrial involvement.
Finally having exhausted all possibilities I was ready to concede that Malcolm Gladwell was right. There was no sign that the geeks were coming or significance of the year. Then I sat down and switched on the television. An old episode of Mr Bean came on.....
Something sparked in my mind. That's it. I jumped up and searched wikipedia. 1955 was indeed the year of the geeks. Rowan Atkinson who plays the much loved Mr Bean was the key. Before Eric Schmidt, Before Bill Gates, Berners-Lee and Jobs came you guessed it......Mr Bean. Rowan Atkinson was the first born geek of 1955.
When Apple did a parody of Microsoft in a commercial who did they use - Mr Bean and what's more he danced to Mr Bombastic proving he is the king of the geeks. There was a sign of the rise of the geeks and that sign was Mr Bean. And if Tolkien had predicted the "Return of the King", he surely would be the first born geek - who was not Steve Jobs but Mr Bean. Take that Mr Gladwell.
January 6 1955 - Rowan Atkinson - Mr Bean himself was born at the beginning of '55 heralding the start of a Geek Power and the spiritual leader and returning king...
February 24 1955 - Steve Jobs the co-founder of Apple, the guy who gave us Toy Story, PIXAR, iMac, iPod, iTunes, iTouch, iPad, iPhone and rumored to soon be purchasing iHop.....
April 27 1955 - Eric Schmidt the CEO of the worlds biggest media company and search engine Google and also a former board member of Apple, until Android sort of got in the way...
June 8 1955 - Tim Berners-Lee the founder of the world wide web. Whilst at CERN Berners-Lee presumably between creating a particle accelerator and talking to researchers for Dan Brown books found some time to create the www.
October 28 1955 - Bill Gates the founder of Microsoft that eventually got so bored of the computer industry he has now decided to rid the world of mosquitoes instead.
Footnotes: Bill Joy of Sun Microsystems was born in 1954, co-wrote Java and has been bravely outspoken about the dangers of technology. The great Winston Churchill resigned as Prime Minister of Britain in 1955 and was once quoted as saying "History will be kind to me for I intend to write it".
About the Author:
Jennifer Robinson writes for OnlineConnect.co.uk an office equipment and document management system provider that specialise in the sale and rental of suppliers photocopiers for the office. Visit there copier catalogue for Copiers Now. Visit the website http://www.onlineconnect.co.uk/
Read more of Jennifer Robinson's articles.
Copyright © 2010 Jennifer Robinson
1955 seemed like any other year to most people, but unbeknown to the world '55 was to prove the arrival of the geeks. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Tim Berners-Lee and Eric Schmidt were all born in 1955.
Brilliant author Malcolm Gladwell also noticed this occurrence of the rise of computer genius in his book "Outliers" stating "they were fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time and have the strength and presence of mind to seize the opportunities." Was it really as simple as that? I continued the search to find if there was something more significant and profound that occurred that year
Predictions for the future in 1955 included one from Henry Dreyfuss (a celebrity industrial designer) that future telephone's would have miniature television tubes, perhaps predicting iPhone, but he also said Mail would be dispatched across the country by guided rockets - which is too much of a stretch to say he predicted email.
In Chinese Astrology it was the year of the WOOD SHEEP who's characteristics include Smart. Artistic, Kind, Happy, Reserved, Insecure, Dependent (hardly the description of these guys). McDonalds opened their first restaurant in 1955 a company that pioneered corporate globalization. Still I couldn't quite see these fellow's devouring a happy meal.
None of these events seemed to prepare the world for the forthcoming invasion of the nerds so I looked to music. The best selling US single of the year was Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White by Perez Prad. A reference to Apple there maybe ? But the evidence was thin.
I delved into literature "The Return Of The King" by Tolkien was published that year, could that be the catalyst for their success ? If so who was the King ? On Tv the top show was the $64,000 Question. Nothing seemed to fit maybe Gladwell was right again.
I turned to science 1955 was the year we said goodbye to two of finest minds of the 20th century Albert Einstein and Alexander Fleming. Did this hold any significance? In Computer science the ENIAC was shut down.
In Astronomy on the 20th of June 1955 there was a total eclipse . My mind raced was the eclipse the same day as the summer solstice, was this some Pagan, Sumerian, Mayan or Egyptian symbol preparing the world of the coming of the geeks. But no another dead end as the solstice is on the 21st of June.
Turning for answers as so many do to Religion, 1955 I found that Margaret Knight stunned Britain by suggesting morality without religion. The dead sea scrolls continued to be discovered in 1955 and both Messianic Rule scroll and the War Scroll were published. Again nothing quite seemed to click.
Maybe the answer comes from beyond this world, Dr. P. S. V. Setty said in January 1955 "reports have come from all over the world of strange objects being sighted in the sky which are generally known as Flying Saucers". Interesting but hardly Roswell, I concluded that the reality distortion field and parking in a disabled space did not prove extra-terrestrial involvement.
Finally having exhausted all possibilities I was ready to concede that Malcolm Gladwell was right. There was no sign that the geeks were coming or significance of the year. Then I sat down and switched on the television. An old episode of Mr Bean came on.....
Something sparked in my mind. That's it. I jumped up and searched wikipedia. 1955 was indeed the year of the geeks. Rowan Atkinson who plays the much loved Mr Bean was the key. Before Eric Schmidt, Before Bill Gates, Berners-Lee and Jobs came you guessed it......Mr Bean. Rowan Atkinson was the first born geek of 1955.
When Apple did a parody of Microsoft in a commercial who did they use - Mr Bean and what's more he danced to Mr Bombastic proving he is the king of the geeks. There was a sign of the rise of the geeks and that sign was Mr Bean. And if Tolkien had predicted the "Return of the King", he surely would be the first born geek - who was not Steve Jobs but Mr Bean. Take that Mr Gladwell.
January 6 1955 - Rowan Atkinson - Mr Bean himself was born at the beginning of '55 heralding the start of a Geek Power and the spiritual leader and returning king...
February 24 1955 - Steve Jobs the co-founder of Apple, the guy who gave us Toy Story, PIXAR, iMac, iPod, iTunes, iTouch, iPad, iPhone and rumored to soon be purchasing iHop.....
April 27 1955 - Eric Schmidt the CEO of the worlds biggest media company and search engine Google and also a former board member of Apple, until Android sort of got in the way...
June 8 1955 - Tim Berners-Lee the founder of the world wide web. Whilst at CERN Berners-Lee presumably between creating a particle accelerator and talking to researchers for Dan Brown books found some time to create the www.
October 28 1955 - Bill Gates the founder of Microsoft that eventually got so bored of the computer industry he has now decided to rid the world of mosquitoes instead.
Footnotes: Bill Joy of Sun Microsystems was born in 1954, co-wrote Java and has been bravely outspoken about the dangers of technology. The great Winston Churchill resigned as Prime Minister of Britain in 1955 and was once quoted as saying "History will be kind to me for I intend to write it".
About the Author:
Jennifer Robinson writes for OnlineConnect.co.uk an office equipment and document management system provider that specialise in the sale and rental of suppliers photocopiers for the office. Visit there copier catalogue for Copiers Now. Visit the website http://www.onlineconnect.co.uk/
Read more of Jennifer Robinson's articles.
Marketing for Introverts: Ignore the Shoulds and Blaze Your Own Trail
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Marcia Yudkin
In a survey I conducted of more than 300 self-described introverts, an astounding 95 percent said they sometimes or often felt "That's just not me!" when reading experts' marketing advice. To me, that shows marketing experts haven't been sensitive to the issue of personality preferences when recommending marketing tactics.
Start reading marketing advice online, and it doesn't take long until you run up against recommendations that feel alien to those who reserve self-disclosures for close friends and family members, look down on name droppers and would never in a million years disclose, let alone brag about, their earnings.
It's next to impossible to excel at something that you resist or resent. And that explains why introverts often get into a self-defeating spiral when it comes to marketing: It feels foreign and you flub it. Or you feel inauthentic and your hold-back comes across. Or you "forget" to take care of the marketing tasks on your to-do list.
My approach is different. I believe we should rarely force ourselves to do something that we strongly believe doesn't match who we are.
This doesn't mean turning into a not-for-me sloth, of course. It means starting from a recognition of what you do enjoy and how you shine. Even the most withdrawn, asocial person has some aspects of their personality that can become magnetic when properly highlighted.
In addition, like me at one time, you may have a distorted recognition of your capabilities and blossom as a marketer after divesting yourself of societal stereotypes and reclaiming your strengths.
For example, I grew up believing that only those who commanded attention at the dinner table or in the classroom could excel at public speaking, acting or performing. That was a thoroughly mistaken and damaging belief. There are hundreds of well-known contemporary and historical figures who misprove it, from Abraham Lincoln and Calvin Coolidge in politics to Steve Martin and Meryl Streep in acting to Garrison Keillor and Diane Sawyer in broadcasting - all introverts and all successful in attaining and keeping public attention.
As a coach, I regularly catch clients voicing "shoulds" or "musts" that they've unthinkingly accepted, as well as negative self-judgments that are at odds with objective facts. After we give those ideas a critical look, clients feel freer to choose marketing methods that they can fully commit themselves to.
Are you ready for the success that follows self-acceptance? Are you willing to blaze your unique trail?
About the Author:
A bookworm as a child, Marcia Yudkin grew up to discover she had a surprising talent for creative marketing. She's the author of more than a dozen books, including 6 Steps to Free Publicity, now in its third edition, and Persuading People to Buy. She also mentors introverts so they discover their uniquely powerful branding and most comfortable marketing strategies. To learn more about the strengths and preferences of introverts, download her free Marketing for Introverts audio manifesto: http://www.yudkin.com/introverts.htm
Follow Marcia Yudkin on Twitter.
Copyright © 2010 Marcia Yudkin
In a survey I conducted of more than 300 self-described introverts, an astounding 95 percent said they sometimes or often felt "That's just not me!" when reading experts' marketing advice. To me, that shows marketing experts haven't been sensitive to the issue of personality preferences when recommending marketing tactics.
Start reading marketing advice online, and it doesn't take long until you run up against recommendations that feel alien to those who reserve self-disclosures for close friends and family members, look down on name droppers and would never in a million years disclose, let alone brag about, their earnings.
It's next to impossible to excel at something that you resist or resent. And that explains why introverts often get into a self-defeating spiral when it comes to marketing: It feels foreign and you flub it. Or you feel inauthentic and your hold-back comes across. Or you "forget" to take care of the marketing tasks on your to-do list.
My approach is different. I believe we should rarely force ourselves to do something that we strongly believe doesn't match who we are.
This doesn't mean turning into a not-for-me sloth, of course. It means starting from a recognition of what you do enjoy and how you shine. Even the most withdrawn, asocial person has some aspects of their personality that can become magnetic when properly highlighted.
In addition, like me at one time, you may have a distorted recognition of your capabilities and blossom as a marketer after divesting yourself of societal stereotypes and reclaiming your strengths.
For example, I grew up believing that only those who commanded attention at the dinner table or in the classroom could excel at public speaking, acting or performing. That was a thoroughly mistaken and damaging belief. There are hundreds of well-known contemporary and historical figures who misprove it, from Abraham Lincoln and Calvin Coolidge in politics to Steve Martin and Meryl Streep in acting to Garrison Keillor and Diane Sawyer in broadcasting - all introverts and all successful in attaining and keeping public attention.
As a coach, I regularly catch clients voicing "shoulds" or "musts" that they've unthinkingly accepted, as well as negative self-judgments that are at odds with objective facts. After we give those ideas a critical look, clients feel freer to choose marketing methods that they can fully commit themselves to.
Are you ready for the success that follows self-acceptance? Are you willing to blaze your unique trail?
About the Author:
A bookworm as a child, Marcia Yudkin grew up to discover she had a surprising talent for creative marketing. She's the author of more than a dozen books, including 6 Steps to Free Publicity, now in its third edition, and Persuading People to Buy. She also mentors introverts so they discover their uniquely powerful branding and most comfortable marketing strategies. To learn more about the strengths and preferences of introverts, download her free Marketing for Introverts audio manifesto: http://www.yudkin.com/introverts.htm
Follow Marcia Yudkin on Twitter.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Is This Such A Thing As An Info Product in a Day?
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Judy Murdoch
======================================
Introduction: Saga of the Sea Monkeys
======================================
When I was about 10-years old, I really wanted a cat. My mom, however, was opposed to this idea. In her opinion cats (and dogs) were bringers of dirt and chaos into a home she tried so hard to keep clean and orderly.
The exception to my mom's rule were things like goldfish and turtles because they were small and were not going to wander through the house, get into the garbage, or scratch the furniture.
But, let's face it, goldfish and turtles are boring and the ones I bought at the dime store had an unfortunate tendency to die within the week.
So I was delighted when I saw an ad for Sea Monkeys on the back of comic book.
Maybe you remember Sea Monkeys from your own childhood. Maybe you don't have a clue what I'm talking about.
Sea Monkeys were introduced in the 1960's by Harold Von Braunhut (who also marketed X-Ray Specs). The ads were brilliant: a well-known comic illustrator portrayed sea monkeys as cute, human-looking sea creatures. One illustration showed a Sea Monkey family with a mom, dad, and two kids. The mom even had a bow in her hair.
For a ten-year old who wanting a cool pet, Sea Monkeys seemed like the perfect solution. Sea Monkeys could be kept in a fish tank so they wouldn't disrupt the household AND according the ad, you could train Sea Monkeys to do cool tricks.
So I put two-dollars in an envelope and anxiously awaited the arrival of my awesome new friends.
When the package arrived, I immediately got to work setting up the little Sea Monkey habitat and opened the packet of Sea Monkey "eggs."
Then I waited for my Sea Monkeys to hatch so I could play with my Sea Monkey family.
After waiting the prescribed time I check the Sea Monkey habitat, but I couldn't see anything. I re-read the instructions which told me Sea Monkeys are actually quite small and putting the habitat near a good light source would make them easier to see.
And there they were, my Sea Monkeys, tiny, nearly transparent, and insect-like. I didn't get a rockin' family to play with. I got plankton.
Now I'm not bashing Sea Monkeys which are currently marketed by Transcience Corp. Most kids, including me, knew at some level that those comic book ads sounded a little "too good to be true."
Which brings me to the subject of this article.
======================================
"Instant Product" - Really!?
======================================
There are lots of books and programs promising you that you can "create a product in a day."
If you are a busy, busy business owner, this sounds fantastic. Imagine, you don't need to buy fancy software or special equipment. You can create a product that you can sell to customers in the time it takes to, say, get your car washed, go to the post office, get through your email, and fix dinner.
How totally cool would that be?
======================================
The Reality: Kind of
======================================
I work a lot with small business owners who want to create information products. Specifically information products that customers will love because those products are relevant, easy to use, and get results.
Is it really possible to create a substantive, useful information product in a few hours?
The answer is, yes, but it's important to keep in mind that a product you create in a few hours is likely the result of months even years of training and experience.
======================================
True Story: How I Created a Product in a Day!
======================================
For example, a couple weeks ago a client was having trouble writing a sales page for a new service she was offering.
She just couldn't figure out what information should go in what part of her offer. Did she need to include some sort of marketing copy? Where should details like class time and dates go? Should she include a money-back guarantee, etc.
It seemed to me that a "map" of a sales page might help. So I created a screen shot of a sales page I had worked on and added labels and call outs which explained each section of the offer.
It took a few hours to put the sales page map together and then it was ready to go.
======================================
BUT ...
======================================
The reason I was able to put together the sales page map so quickly is because I've been creating sales pages for years and teaching business owners how to do sales pages for years.
Over time I've developed a perspective around what works and what doesn't work.
All of this time, experience, and care went into the product I created.
If I had created a product but
didn't know what I was talking about or
just parroted information I'd learned from a book or a course without adding my own perspective and voice
did the equivalent of a "data dump" in which I simply wrote down what I knew as a disorganized, jargon-filled mish mosh.
I might have a product but it wouldn't be a product that my customers would see as valuable. And if they don't get value chances are pretty good that:
They won't be coming back to buy more from me
They aren't going to tell their friends and colleagues to buy from me
They may even have some not-so-nice things to say about me which they will share with their hundreds perhaps thousands of friends on Facebook and Twitter
======================================
Bottom Line
======================================
You probably can create a quality information product in an hour but the "one hour" is misleading because:
the product is based on years of experience in the field; knowing what works and what doesn't, personal analysis and thought, and learning
the product is also likely the result of collaboration - from beta testers, from peer input, and from ??
the product is going to be tweaked and refined before it's in a space to really stand on it's own and make money
Otherwise, your one hour product is probably info crap and you can expect people to pay what they usually pay for crap...nuthin'.
About the Author:
Judy Murdoch helps small business owners create low-cost, effective marketing campaigns using word-of-mouth referrals, guerrilla marketing activities, and selected strategic alliances. To download a free copy of the workbook, "Where Does it Hurt? Marketing Solutions to the problems that Drive Your Customers Crazy!" go to http://www.judymurdoch.com/workbook.htm
You can contact Judy at 303-475-2015 or judy@judymurdoch.com
Follow Judy Murdoch on Twitter.
Copyright © 2010 Judy Murdoch
======================================
Introduction: Saga of the Sea Monkeys
======================================
When I was about 10-years old, I really wanted a cat. My mom, however, was opposed to this idea. In her opinion cats (and dogs) were bringers of dirt and chaos into a home she tried so hard to keep clean and orderly.
The exception to my mom's rule were things like goldfish and turtles because they were small and were not going to wander through the house, get into the garbage, or scratch the furniture.
But, let's face it, goldfish and turtles are boring and the ones I bought at the dime store had an unfortunate tendency to die within the week.
So I was delighted when I saw an ad for Sea Monkeys on the back of comic book.
Maybe you remember Sea Monkeys from your own childhood. Maybe you don't have a clue what I'm talking about.
Sea Monkeys were introduced in the 1960's by Harold Von Braunhut (who also marketed X-Ray Specs). The ads were brilliant: a well-known comic illustrator portrayed sea monkeys as cute, human-looking sea creatures. One illustration showed a Sea Monkey family with a mom, dad, and two kids. The mom even had a bow in her hair.
For a ten-year old who wanting a cool pet, Sea Monkeys seemed like the perfect solution. Sea Monkeys could be kept in a fish tank so they wouldn't disrupt the household AND according the ad, you could train Sea Monkeys to do cool tricks.
So I put two-dollars in an envelope and anxiously awaited the arrival of my awesome new friends.
When the package arrived, I immediately got to work setting up the little Sea Monkey habitat and opened the packet of Sea Monkey "eggs."
Then I waited for my Sea Monkeys to hatch so I could play with my Sea Monkey family.
After waiting the prescribed time I check the Sea Monkey habitat, but I couldn't see anything. I re-read the instructions which told me Sea Monkeys are actually quite small and putting the habitat near a good light source would make them easier to see.
And there they were, my Sea Monkeys, tiny, nearly transparent, and insect-like. I didn't get a rockin' family to play with. I got plankton.
Now I'm not bashing Sea Monkeys which are currently marketed by Transcience Corp. Most kids, including me, knew at some level that those comic book ads sounded a little "too good to be true."
Which brings me to the subject of this article.
======================================
"Instant Product" - Really!?
======================================
There are lots of books and programs promising you that you can "create a product in a day."
If you are a busy, busy business owner, this sounds fantastic. Imagine, you don't need to buy fancy software or special equipment. You can create a product that you can sell to customers in the time it takes to, say, get your car washed, go to the post office, get through your email, and fix dinner.
How totally cool would that be?
======================================
The Reality: Kind of
======================================
I work a lot with small business owners who want to create information products. Specifically information products that customers will love because those products are relevant, easy to use, and get results.
Is it really possible to create a substantive, useful information product in a few hours?
The answer is, yes, but it's important to keep in mind that a product you create in a few hours is likely the result of months even years of training and experience.
======================================
True Story: How I Created a Product in a Day!
======================================
For example, a couple weeks ago a client was having trouble writing a sales page for a new service she was offering.
She just couldn't figure out what information should go in what part of her offer. Did she need to include some sort of marketing copy? Where should details like class time and dates go? Should she include a money-back guarantee, etc.
It seemed to me that a "map" of a sales page might help. So I created a screen shot of a sales page I had worked on and added labels and call outs which explained each section of the offer.
It took a few hours to put the sales page map together and then it was ready to go.
======================================
BUT ...
======================================
The reason I was able to put together the sales page map so quickly is because I've been creating sales pages for years and teaching business owners how to do sales pages for years.
Over time I've developed a perspective around what works and what doesn't work.
All of this time, experience, and care went into the product I created.
If I had created a product but
I might have a product but it wouldn't be a product that my customers would see as valuable. And if they don't get value chances are pretty good that:
======================================
Bottom Line
======================================
You probably can create a quality information product in an hour but the "one hour" is misleading because:
Otherwise, your one hour product is probably info crap and you can expect people to pay what they usually pay for crap...nuthin'.
About the Author:
Judy Murdoch helps small business owners create low-cost, effective marketing campaigns using word-of-mouth referrals, guerrilla marketing activities, and selected strategic alliances. To download a free copy of the workbook, "Where Does it Hurt? Marketing Solutions to the problems that Drive Your Customers Crazy!" go to http://www.judymurdoch.com/workbook.htm
You can contact Judy at 303-475-2015 or judy@judymurdoch.com
Follow Judy Murdoch on Twitter.
Marketing for Introverts: Must We Impersonate Extroverts?
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Marcia Yudkin
In a survey I conducted of more than 300 self-described introverts, over three-quarters of respondents said they could impersonate an extrovert somewhat well or very well when important business was at stake.
This means being able to make small talk, to interact in a sparkly, attractive way, to remain "on" in the presence of others for hours and hours, and more.
On the one hand, being able to perform in ways that go against one's natural tendencies is a kind of flexibility that can come in handy to achieve significant business objectives.
On the other hand, with a radical shift in emphasis, such shape-shifting may be necessary very rarely.
I say "radical," because what I'm talking about goes beyond withdrawing from situations that feel uncomfortable or threatening to an introvert. Rather, by finding a different starting point for marketing than what everyone else does or recommends and by getting grounded in what you do best, a whole different approach unfolds.
Introverts can thrive in business by developing a reputation that pulls in people and quietly persuades them to buy, rather than by aggressively seeking out prospects and convincing them to agree to your deal. Imagine a slow-cooked meal deliciously yet invisibly layered with flavors and spices that once discovered, makes people want to bring their friends to savor it as well. Gradually this kind of meal can rival the popularity of other eating options that have more obvious appeal.
Instead of approaching marketing with a checklist of someone else's to-do's, you can start from what you enjoy, what you do well and what others unquestionably appreciate about you. In my survey, the top two introvert strengths mentioned were creativity and resourcefulness. Also highlighted were good listening skills, trustworthiness, attention to detail, empathy, balance and curiosity.
Whatever your own strengths, people are out there looking for or hoping to find them in those they do business with. Introvert marketing succeeds best when you don't pretend to be who you are not, when you spotlight what you take great pleasure in offering and when you relax knowing that the right people show up in appreciation of your value.
This takes faith and commitment, because if you do these things half-heartedly or while still clinging to society's "oughts," you may not come across as the shining star you can be.
People are more likely to appreciate you when you appreciate yourself. Are you ready to let go of the pretense and reach success on your own terms?
About the Author:
A bookworm as a child, Marcia Yudkin grew up to discover she had a surprising talent for creative marketing. She's the author of more than a dozen books, including 6 Steps to Free Publicity, now in its third edition, and Persuading People to Buy. She also mentors introverts so they discover their uniquely powerful branding and most comfortable marketing strategies. To learn more about the strengths and preferences of introverts, download her free Marketing for Introverts audio manifesto: http://www.yudkin.com/introverts.htm
Follow Marcia Yudkin on Twitter.
Copyright © 2010 Marcia Yudkin
In a survey I conducted of more than 300 self-described introverts, over three-quarters of respondents said they could impersonate an extrovert somewhat well or very well when important business was at stake.
This means being able to make small talk, to interact in a sparkly, attractive way, to remain "on" in the presence of others for hours and hours, and more.
On the one hand, being able to perform in ways that go against one's natural tendencies is a kind of flexibility that can come in handy to achieve significant business objectives.
On the other hand, with a radical shift in emphasis, such shape-shifting may be necessary very rarely.
I say "radical," because what I'm talking about goes beyond withdrawing from situations that feel uncomfortable or threatening to an introvert. Rather, by finding a different starting point for marketing than what everyone else does or recommends and by getting grounded in what you do best, a whole different approach unfolds.
Introverts can thrive in business by developing a reputation that pulls in people and quietly persuades them to buy, rather than by aggressively seeking out prospects and convincing them to agree to your deal. Imagine a slow-cooked meal deliciously yet invisibly layered with flavors and spices that once discovered, makes people want to bring their friends to savor it as well. Gradually this kind of meal can rival the popularity of other eating options that have more obvious appeal.
Instead of approaching marketing with a checklist of someone else's to-do's, you can start from what you enjoy, what you do well and what others unquestionably appreciate about you. In my survey, the top two introvert strengths mentioned were creativity and resourcefulness. Also highlighted were good listening skills, trustworthiness, attention to detail, empathy, balance and curiosity.
Whatever your own strengths, people are out there looking for or hoping to find them in those they do business with. Introvert marketing succeeds best when you don't pretend to be who you are not, when you spotlight what you take great pleasure in offering and when you relax knowing that the right people show up in appreciation of your value.
This takes faith and commitment, because if you do these things half-heartedly or while still clinging to society's "oughts," you may not come across as the shining star you can be.
People are more likely to appreciate you when you appreciate yourself. Are you ready to let go of the pretense and reach success on your own terms?
About the Author:
A bookworm as a child, Marcia Yudkin grew up to discover she had a surprising talent for creative marketing. She's the author of more than a dozen books, including 6 Steps to Free Publicity, now in its third edition, and Persuading People to Buy. She also mentors introverts so they discover their uniquely powerful branding and most comfortable marketing strategies. To learn more about the strengths and preferences of introverts, download her free Marketing for Introverts audio manifesto: http://www.yudkin.com/introverts.htm
Follow Marcia Yudkin on Twitter.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Blog Posts Versus Email - Which is Better for Marketing?
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Judy Murdoch
There's been an interesting discussion going on in a class I'm co-facilitating about the best way to reach customers and prospective customers:
Should you post your articles on a blog?
Should you email those articles to people who have subscribed to your list?
Or something else?
========================================
The Death of Opt-in Email?
========================================
Up until fairly recently, when you wanted to keep in touch with customers and prospects, you used email to send periodic messages to people who opted-in to receive your mailings.
For example, since 2005 I've been emailing my Contagious Marketing Ezine on a monthly basis (more recently bi-monthly).
Over the past few years, blogging has generated a lot of excitement as the best, coolest way to market your products and services online and the word is that "email is history. "
Arguments in favor of Email's impending demise include:
Email is less and less successful when it comes to reaching peoples' in-boxes.
People are so sick of spam, they're using aggressive settings to get rid of anything that has the faintest whiff of being an unwanted sales pitch.
More often your email is languishing in a Junk Mail folder ... or even going straight to the Trash.
People are reluctant to share any personal information including their email address.
You don't need to share any information when you are visiting a blog to access free articles, services, and so on.
People don't have time to read articles. Blog posts are shorter and better fit our limited attention spans.
Blogs and social media applications like Twitter and Facebook allow people to interact. Email is only one way.
The "impending death of email" makes many small business owners nervous: should they invest any time or effort into growing an opt-in subscriber list? Or should they bag the idea of a subscriber list and just work on their blogs?
========================================
Opt-in Email: Not Dead Yet Baby
========================================
Although blogs and social media have opened up some very cool ways of connecting businesses to a communities which include but are not limited to their customers, I believe opt-in email still has a place in your small business' marketing strategy.
An opt-in is a higher form of commitment.
When we give something, even something very small like our email address and permission for someone to send us stuff on a regular basis, we are making a small but significant commitment.
It is an action that tells the business owner that we are interested in what they are offering.
Because of the implied commitment, an opt-in allows more latitude for offering products and services you are selling. People are a lot more sensitive about blogs posts and social media that push sales pitches their way.
Personally, I have no problem reading an offer emailed to me if I opted into the list. But if someone I follow on Twitter, for instance, sends me a direct message asking me to "check out" some program they're selling, I stop following them.
Opt-in email allows you to control who gets what and when.
Most opt-in email management services like Aweber, Constant Contact, MailChimp, etc allow you to create different groups to whom you can customize offers and information.
Some people just aren't open to getting information through blogs. I'm horribly embarrassed to admit this publicly but I rarely, if ever, read my RSS feeds. I use blogs quite a bit, especially when I'm doing research and want to find out what others have to say on a topic but as way to keep in touch with a business, nope, I still prefer getting articles emailed to my inbox.
My Recommendation: a Hybrid Solution Rather than dumping one or the other, I use and recommend you consider using a "hybrid solution which allows you to take advantage of both technologies so that you can benefit from the unique benefits each offers.
Here's what I do which, so far, has worked for me and adds minimal work:
1. I write my articles as blog posts directly within my blog.
2. Once my post is finished and edited, I copy and past the post as a message in aweber. Aweber is the service I use to email my articles to everyone subscribing to my Contagious Marketing ezine.
3. I use the application, Ping.fm to send a new post to my Facebook, Linked In and Twitter accounts which announces the new article and provides a link for anyone wanting to read it.
And voila! People who prefer to get my article emailed to their inbox get the article. People who prefer to subscribe to my blog get the article via RSS feed and people who follow me on Twitter or Facebook or LinkedIn get a link to the article post on my blog.
It isn't a perfect system: I include offers to buy products and services in my email articles. I don't currently sell much on my blog.
And I'm still getting a sense of what kinds of offers work using Twitter and Facebook.
But it allows me to reach people who prefer opt-in email and people who prefer subscribing to blog posts and allows me to benefit from including offers as well as encouraging the two-way conversation that blogs facilitate.
========================================
Bottom Line
========================================
If you're a small business owner trying to sort through how best to communicate regularly with customers and other communities, I encourage you to use both opt-in email AND blogging.
Both methods offer unique advantages and you can adapt a system like mine which allows you to send your messages through both without spending much extra time.
About the Author:
Judy Murdoch helps small business owners create low-cost, effective marketing campaigns using word-of-mouth referrals, guerrilla marketing activities, and selected strategic alliances. To download a free copy of the workbook, "Where Does it Hurt? Marketing Solutions to the problems that Drive Your Customers Crazy!" go to http://www.judymurdoch.com/workbook.htm
You can contact Judy at 303-475-2015 or judy@judymurdoch.com
Follow Judy Murdoch on Twitter.
Copyright © 2010 Judy Murdoch
There's been an interesting discussion going on in a class I'm co-facilitating about the best way to reach customers and prospective customers:
========================================
The Death of Opt-in Email?
========================================
Up until fairly recently, when you wanted to keep in touch with customers and prospects, you used email to send periodic messages to people who opted-in to receive your mailings.
For example, since 2005 I've been emailing my Contagious Marketing Ezine on a monthly basis (more recently bi-monthly).
Over the past few years, blogging has generated a lot of excitement as the best, coolest way to market your products and services online and the word is that "email is history. "
Arguments in favor of Email's impending demise include:
People are so sick of spam, they're using aggressive settings to get rid of anything that has the faintest whiff of being an unwanted sales pitch.
More often your email is languishing in a Junk Mail folder ... or even going straight to the Trash.
You don't need to share any information when you are visiting a blog to access free articles, services, and so on.
The "impending death of email" makes many small business owners nervous: should they invest any time or effort into growing an opt-in subscriber list? Or should they bag the idea of a subscriber list and just work on their blogs?
========================================
Opt-in Email: Not Dead Yet Baby
========================================
Although blogs and social media have opened up some very cool ways of connecting businesses to a communities which include but are not limited to their customers, I believe opt-in email still has a place in your small business' marketing strategy.
When we give something, even something very small like our email address and permission for someone to send us stuff on a regular basis, we are making a small but significant commitment.
It is an action that tells the business owner that we are interested in what they are offering.
Personally, I have no problem reading an offer emailed to me if I opted into the list. But if someone I follow on Twitter, for instance, sends me a direct message asking me to "check out" some program they're selling, I stop following them.
Most opt-in email management services like Aweber, Constant Contact, MailChimp, etc allow you to create different groups to whom you can customize offers and information.
My Recommendation: a Hybrid Solution Rather than dumping one or the other, I use and recommend you consider using a "hybrid solution which allows you to take advantage of both technologies so that you can benefit from the unique benefits each offers.
Here's what I do which, so far, has worked for me and adds minimal work:
1. I write my articles as blog posts directly within my blog.
2. Once my post is finished and edited, I copy and past the post as a message in aweber. Aweber is the service I use to email my articles to everyone subscribing to my Contagious Marketing ezine.
3. I use the application, Ping.fm to send a new post to my Facebook, Linked In and Twitter accounts which announces the new article and provides a link for anyone wanting to read it.
And voila! People who prefer to get my article emailed to their inbox get the article. People who prefer to subscribe to my blog get the article via RSS feed and people who follow me on Twitter or Facebook or LinkedIn get a link to the article post on my blog.
It isn't a perfect system: I include offers to buy products and services in my email articles. I don't currently sell much on my blog.
And I'm still getting a sense of what kinds of offers work using Twitter and Facebook.
But it allows me to reach people who prefer opt-in email and people who prefer subscribing to blog posts and allows me to benefit from including offers as well as encouraging the two-way conversation that blogs facilitate.
========================================
Bottom Line
========================================
If you're a small business owner trying to sort through how best to communicate regularly with customers and other communities, I encourage you to use both opt-in email AND blogging.
Both methods offer unique advantages and you can adapt a system like mine which allows you to send your messages through both without spending much extra time.
About the Author:
Judy Murdoch helps small business owners create low-cost, effective marketing campaigns using word-of-mouth referrals, guerrilla marketing activities, and selected strategic alliances. To download a free copy of the workbook, "Where Does it Hurt? Marketing Solutions to the problems that Drive Your Customers Crazy!" go to http://www.judymurdoch.com/workbook.htm
You can contact Judy at 303-475-2015 or judy@judymurdoch.com
Follow Judy Murdoch on Twitter.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Brand Management - 5 Opt-in Methods
Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
A big aid to the success of any online business is those customers paying attention to the site and its messages, including e-mail and newsletters. People who are following your progress on a regular basis are receiving more exposure to your product, and are more likely in the end to purchase the services or item you're selling than someone who just chances across your site. Thus, one of the many metrics set by businesses is a high number of followers they can reach via such contact methods.
As is often the case however, the numbers alone don't tell the whole story. Simply buying a list of e-mail contacts and sending them a message every three days does not count as having a large audience. That's just spam, and the opinion of spam on the web is rather well known.
Thus there is an increasing focus on the opt-in method of list building. By means of enticements, the distributor gets interested parties to voluntarily sign up for the service. Once this has been accomplished, it can be reasonably assumed that the party is interested in continuing the service over the long term. This means the message is more likely to be put in front of people that want to see it and are most likely to respond to it.
Of course, different strategies produce different results, and not everyone responds to the same methods. Here is a handful of opt-in methods that can be employed to begin building that list.
Method #1 - The Pop Up
This is one of the more controversial options, because it's one of the catch phrases of the anti-advertising mentality that grows on the web. People hate pop ups, the perception says. However, research suggests that pop ups still are some of the most profitable ways to generate clicks on sites.
There are several ways to approach the pop up option that will minimize the intrusion. Some mimic a toolbar that slides in from one side of the page, for example. Others will appear for a brief period, then recede if not used. The trick is to make it interesting enough to catch the eye, but not so obtrusive as to appear irritating or forced. Do avoid bright, flashing primary colors and strings of exclamation points.
Method #2 - User-activated Pop Up
This is a different take on the pop up methodology. The idea behind a pop up is that when it appears, it catches the eye and is hard to ignore. On the other hand, they're irritating when they interrupt something a user is reading or watching. However, if a video or article has an embedded link that asks if the visitor would like to know more, that link can be tied to a pop up. This script can then show up and since it's tied to one of their actions, it's less likely to get an irritated or rejecting response.
Method #3 - The Free Gift
People feel better about giving out their information for a mailing list if they feel they've been rewarded for it. Therefore, entice them into opting in by offering them a gift related to your service. If, for example, your brand is a publisher of ebooks, offer them one of your older titles as an incentive. If your brand specializes in small, casual web games, consider offering one such game for free, or at least a free trial. The visitor perceives an immediate benefit, and is likely to sign up as a result.
As a side note, some free gifts can take the form of contests for prizes. If you are going to go this route, make sure that the prize genuinely is winnable, is worth the winning and that you announce the winner, provided, of course, that you have their consent. Contests are increasingly seen as false options by many viewers, and the only way to circumvent this perception is to make it a genuine item that people can win, rather than a crass deception.
Method #4 - The Squeeze Page
This is a page, based on text or video, that stops the process of giving information and lets the visitor know that they should sign up in order to get the full degree of information. This makes the preceding pages they have viewed a sort of 'teaser' that gets them interested in the material you have to offer, followed by an invitation to continue reading in exchange for some brief contact information.
Video is an increasingly popular option for squeeze pages, because it's so easy to engage with. You can create a short video presentation explaining the value of the e-mail list, and it will stick in the mind much more than a highlighted checklist made of text.
Method #5 - The Basic Form
The simplest methods often become classics, and why? Because they work. Many sites still use the old standby of an unobtrusive simple web form at the end of an article, with spaces for a person's contact info provided. This has the advantage of being very simple to produce, very easy for the user to fill out, and presents a minimum of interruption compared to pop ups or squeeze pages.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
Copyright © 2010 Enzo F. Cesario
A big aid to the success of any online business is those customers paying attention to the site and its messages, including e-mail and newsletters. People who are following your progress on a regular basis are receiving more exposure to your product, and are more likely in the end to purchase the services or item you're selling than someone who just chances across your site. Thus, one of the many metrics set by businesses is a high number of followers they can reach via such contact methods.
As is often the case however, the numbers alone don't tell the whole story. Simply buying a list of e-mail contacts and sending them a message every three days does not count as having a large audience. That's just spam, and the opinion of spam on the web is rather well known.
Thus there is an increasing focus on the opt-in method of list building. By means of enticements, the distributor gets interested parties to voluntarily sign up for the service. Once this has been accomplished, it can be reasonably assumed that the party is interested in continuing the service over the long term. This means the message is more likely to be put in front of people that want to see it and are most likely to respond to it.
Of course, different strategies produce different results, and not everyone responds to the same methods. Here is a handful of opt-in methods that can be employed to begin building that list.
Method #1 - The Pop Up
This is one of the more controversial options, because it's one of the catch phrases of the anti-advertising mentality that grows on the web. People hate pop ups, the perception says. However, research suggests that pop ups still are some of the most profitable ways to generate clicks on sites.
There are several ways to approach the pop up option that will minimize the intrusion. Some mimic a toolbar that slides in from one side of the page, for example. Others will appear for a brief period, then recede if not used. The trick is to make it interesting enough to catch the eye, but not so obtrusive as to appear irritating or forced. Do avoid bright, flashing primary colors and strings of exclamation points.
Method #2 - User-activated Pop Up
This is a different take on the pop up methodology. The idea behind a pop up is that when it appears, it catches the eye and is hard to ignore. On the other hand, they're irritating when they interrupt something a user is reading or watching. However, if a video or article has an embedded link that asks if the visitor would like to know more, that link can be tied to a pop up. This script can then show up and since it's tied to one of their actions, it's less likely to get an irritated or rejecting response.
Method #3 - The Free Gift
People feel better about giving out their information for a mailing list if they feel they've been rewarded for it. Therefore, entice them into opting in by offering them a gift related to your service. If, for example, your brand is a publisher of ebooks, offer them one of your older titles as an incentive. If your brand specializes in small, casual web games, consider offering one such game for free, or at least a free trial. The visitor perceives an immediate benefit, and is likely to sign up as a result.
As a side note, some free gifts can take the form of contests for prizes. If you are going to go this route, make sure that the prize genuinely is winnable, is worth the winning and that you announce the winner, provided, of course, that you have their consent. Contests are increasingly seen as false options by many viewers, and the only way to circumvent this perception is to make it a genuine item that people can win, rather than a crass deception.
Method #4 - The Squeeze Page
This is a page, based on text or video, that stops the process of giving information and lets the visitor know that they should sign up in order to get the full degree of information. This makes the preceding pages they have viewed a sort of 'teaser' that gets them interested in the material you have to offer, followed by an invitation to continue reading in exchange for some brief contact information.
Video is an increasingly popular option for squeeze pages, because it's so easy to engage with. You can create a short video presentation explaining the value of the e-mail list, and it will stick in the mind much more than a highlighted checklist made of text.
Method #5 - The Basic Form
The simplest methods often become classics, and why? Because they work. Many sites still use the old standby of an unobtrusive simple web form at the end of an article, with spaces for a person's contact info provided. This has the advantage of being very simple to produce, very easy for the user to fill out, and presents a minimum of interruption compared to pop ups or squeeze pages.
About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is an online branding specialist and co-founder of Brandsplat, a digital content agency. Brandsplat creates blogs, articles, videos and social media in the "voice" of our client's brand. It makes sites more findable and brands more recognizable. For the free Brandcasting Report go to http://www.BrandSplat.com/ or visit our blog at http://www.iBrandCasting.com/
Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.
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