Work Yourself Up!

Online Marketers Need to Ask the Right Questions

Smart online marketers know that asking the right questions is the most important aspect of establishing your expertise in a successful niche. Let’s say your niche is “how to avoid foreclosure on your home.” 

The tendency is to jump ahead of your prospects and give them information on loan consolidation or credit protection. Those are major issues, but not the only issues.  If you aren’t sure what kind of questions people facing foreclosure ask, get into forums on that topic and pay attention to what solutions they need.

Talk to anyone you know who’s facing this problem.  Then ask yourself these basics (regardless of the niche topic):

•    Are the immediate concerns personal or financial?

•    What are the emotional issues?

•    What happens next? 

•    What are creative, non-traditional ways to approach the problem?

•    What products or services does a person in this situation need or want?

Notice how these “personal impact” questions take your thinking processes beyond the usual information “how to” ideas. That’s because each of these questions represents a potential information product, video “how to” and affiliate product that takes a different twist than the generic options.

You can also use the contrary approach. Information products tend to show what happens when the buyer follows the advice.  Some viewers will read your sales letter and dismiss it saying, “So what if I don’t follow that advice?” 

Show them what happens by preparing an information product that explains the worst-case scenario or the less than ideal situation. Then wrap up the final pages by pitching how to change this for the better with the positive spin version.

Other questions that you can use as idea starters for product development are:

•    At what point is the buyer likely to get stuck or frustrated implementing the system?

•    What skills need to be improved to use this knowledge to move to higher level of profits?

•    What are the biggest obstacles to success for a newcomer to this system?

•    How to you want the buyer to feel after using (implementing, reading) this product?

And the final, critically important question is: What do you want buyers to say in recommending your product?  If you want them to say, it’s simple, concise, sophisticated or worthwhile then make sure you build those features into the product and highlight them in your sales copy.

What Makes People Buy Online?

Online shopping is no longer the exception - it’s a major share of business, even for the massive discount stores with a strong retail presence. With the improvements in secure transactions for credit card information, more buyers of all ages feel safe shopping online. 

If you’re a solo marketer and not a brand name business, what makes people want to buy from you? The answer is the same regardless of the size of the business because it’s about the psychology of online shopping more than about the product or price.

The Internet is both huge and personal at the same time. Your prospects aren’t riding along the Internet the way they ride on a subway. Your prospects shape the ‘net with their interests, searches, desires and purchases.

Trends on the Internet are people-driven. Your site may be seen all over the world, but it still needs to be tightly focused to appeal to your best prospects. You can’t create a one-size-fits-all site, so make sure that you don’t confuse prospects by being too all encompassing. 

Put the virtual welcome map out for prospects by making them feel comfortable at your site. Excitement drives purchases online. If you’ve bid on an item on eBay, chances are you’ve been caught up in the online auction wars.

Just like a live auction, the online auction creates that desperation among buyers who want to get the item partly because they want it but also to win the item from other bidders. It’s envy personified. You don’t need an auction to create a buying frenzy. You can do that with a limited number of products or a limited time special offer.

That off the list stuff you toss in your grocery cart while waiting to check out are impulse buys. Retailers know that this is the last chance to get you to buy things that you don’t need just because it’s there and appears to be a bargain. 

The bonus products at the end of the sales letter are the online version of the impulse buy. You might resist the major product only to be hooked by the extra offers. When it comes down to what makes people buy online,  the reasons are the same for buying a $17 information product as for buying a $17,000 painting at a local fine arts gallery.

It’s the ABCDE of buying:

•    Acquire – the drive to have more, better and flashier than the neighbors or colleagues

•    Better – the drive for the most trendy, new item or improved version of the item

•    Convenience – the desire to have something to make your life easier, more comfortable

•    Distraction – a way to check out of the mundane aspects of life and live in the fantasy

•    Envy – the desire to create envy among others because you have the first, best or most exclusive product

You need to know more than “who” your product appeals to but also “why” it appeals to that market. Check the ABCDE and keep that focus on your presentation.

12 Top Traffic Conversion Secrets

Getting viewers who click and pass on is no more productive than window shoppers at the mall. You make money online when you capture that traffic and convert the “lookers” into “buyers.” Sounds simple, right?

Well, it is if you pay attention to the details. Here are 12 traffic conversion secrets that even a newcomer to Internet marketing can do:

1.    Refine your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). What makes your product different, special, better or more desirable? That’s the USP. Now get the answer to that question down to one or two concise sentences.

2.    Sound friendly, not slick. Your sales copy needs to sound like one friend excited to tell another friend about a great buy. Avoid sounding like a high-pressure infomercial.

3.    Ask for help. Give the viewers a reason to interact with you by asking for their opinion on a survey or product rating. You get useful information and keep them thinking about your product longer.

4.    Simplify the offering. If you have three different products to sell, use three websites. Don’t make the mistake of trying to offer too much at once. This might work for major retailers, but they already have a brand and a following.

5.    Leave some open space. Prepare a sales page that’s easy to read with wide margins. You don’t have to fill every inch. Leaving some white space helps the reader to better focus on the copy.

6.    Brag openly. If your product has a good rating or endorsements from satisfy buyers, then let them brag about the product for you.

7.    Cast with plenty of bait.  In your sales letter and squeeze page, put out the “bait” for your offer over and over.  Don’t skimp on bait. Better too many offers than not enough to convert that buyer who is still uncertain.

8.    Find problems.  Even after your sales page is complete, keep thinking about other problems that your product can solve. You might get a hint of new ways to promote your product by asking buyers how they use the product.

9.    Use moderate highlighting. Yes, highlights draw visual attention but too many highlights or excessive colors frustrate online readers.

10.    Package deals are popular. After presenting your USP, sweeten the offer with a package including several free items as part of the “Buy Now” deal. Limited time offers create a sense of urgency for the buyer to act.

11.    Ask for the order. An old principle of sales that must never be ignored - ask for the order, ask again then ask again. You can’t ask too many times.

12.    Say “Thank you.”  Have a gracious, personal sounding, “Thank you” email with the order confirmation. It never hurts to show good manners and buyer appreciation!

95% of Making Money Online is Mindset

Mindset is the #1 problem most people never make money online.  They simply go about things the wrong way.

Almost everybody on this blog has seen the Secret.  I think it was a great movie, but still, I see a bunch of people get the whole concept of it really screwed up.  It's more than just "wishing."

James Ray from the Secret DVD is doing a live teleseminar this Tuesday.  If you've got a phone, you can call in to talk with James live and in person.  On this teleseminar, he'll go into great detail on Law of Attraction and "mindset" type stuff.

Get more info.

What you'll learn:

- How to deal with the "not enough time" excuse once and for all

- How to tap into a limitless source of energy (hint: it's not in the coffee)

- How to blast past obstacles that limit your income levels

- And more... 

Click here for everything he's going to talk about.

It's $20.  More than fair for this kind of life-changing information.

I feel it will help you. 

Hope to see you there!

Free Internet Marketing Stuff for Your Business

My friend Mike Steup just set up a site with a bunch of free IM stuff, much of it PLR that you can put your name on and sell as your own.

Get more info.

Do you think a "joint venture" would be a good way to break in or make some extra money?  This is a great example of how to do it and there is also a bonus offer for those who would like software to automatically handle everything for them.

Again, take a look.  If it works for you, great.  If not, great.

Seasonal Influences for Online Marketing

Just as retailers plan and set out attractive displays to take advantage of seasonal spending, you need to keep seasonal interests in mind for your online marketing. Granted, you reach a worldwide audience, so you don’t need to be too specific. But there are certain “seasons” for buying that are universal.

New Year’s – The start of the year causes people to make those pesky New Year’s resolutions. They promise to lose weight, start exercising, clean out clutter in home and office, establish better time management skills and begin regular savings programs.

The search engines are buzzing with these keyword topics the week before January and throughout the month. You need to be ready with information products to turn those resolutions into workable strategies. But do it fast, because resolutions don’t last much past February.

Spring – When tiny flowers and green leaves peek out from winter weary branches, there’s a sense of renewal.  People start to think about planting a garden, fixing up the patio or landscape and beginning outdoor sports. Package information products on early gardening and join affiliate programs that ship flowers and buds.

Summer – This is prime family vacation time - parents looking for activities for children who are out of school and outdoor entertainment.  You don’t have to compete with the big travel sites. What you have to offer is ideas for summer fun - family friendly resorts, how to choose a summer camp and creating lush outdoor spaces on a budget.

Back to School – At least a month before school starts, parents are shopping for school clothes, supplies and electronics. Present reviews that are informative and connected to affiliate programs for back to school products. Don’t forget the homeschool families and add products for them, too.

Fall, Harvest, Thanksgiving - The change of seasons brings last camping opportunities, team sports, school events and family travel for the traditional Thanksgiving holiday. Put a new twist on information products, such as how to prepare a vegan feast or helping your child cross-train for multiple sports participation.

Winter, Christmas - The colder weather brings winter sports, family gatherings, shopping and decorating for holidays in December. Prepare a list of less crowded, budget friendly winter sports vacations, and how to save time shopping online and decorating using what you already have at home. It’s also leading into the year-end time of reflection when people think about what they enjoyed and what they want to change next year.

As you make seasonal marketing plans, remember that the seasons arrive at different times on each side of the equator. So if you’re marketing outside of the United States, what you consider spring may be fall elsewhere.

Winter break can be prime ski resort time in Aspen, Colorado and sun-bathing on the beach in Sydney, Australia. The good news is that you can use “spring” for both sides of the equator with different timing and slight tweaks of the information.

Another Free "Traffic Secrets" Video from John Reese

John Reese just released another free video to promote his Traffic Secrets 2 product.  He's got some great information on how to get better results with outsourcing.

This thing has some great info, so definitely check it out.  I outsource hundreds of projects per year and learned some really great stuff about how to better communicate with programmers and others that I hire.

"Local Business" Marketing

If you're a "local" business, here's some good stuff you can use in your marketing.  Not sure how accurate the stats are or that I agree with them about "carefully planned predatory pricing practices."   Regardless, take what you like and leave the rest.  Or feel free to leave comments on this stuff.

See Local First Arizona for more info.  That's where I borrowed this from. ;)

The Power of Choice

Every time you make a purchase, you're exercising power of choice.

The choice is yours. You have the power to strengthen and enrich your community.

Did You Know…

• For every two jobs national retailers bring to a community, three jobs are lost as a result of local businesses closing down. 
  
  
• When you shop locally-owned businesses, your money is re-circulated over and over and creates up to 75% more tax revenue to our community and state. 
  
  
• Independent businesses raise the standard of living in your community because they take their profits and buy products and services from other local businesses, thus creating more and more tax revenues needed for the community to thrive.
  
  
• Millions of dollars of tax revenue subsidies handed to chains by financially-starved local governments drain even more tax revenue from our community and state. 
  
  
• Blighted empty shopping areas are created in your community when chain stores re-locate to a more lucrative shopping center, or leave altogether. Literally hundreds of big stores are abandoned each year across the United States. 
  
  
• Independent businesses are unique enterprises that contribute to the character of our community by offering a more diverse selections of goods and services. 
  
  
• Independent businesses provide meaningful service with a personal touch. It matters to them that you are satisfied and will come back again.
  
  
• Carefully planned predatory pricing practices have allowed national chains to establish virtual monopolies as they drive local competition out of business. And then they raise their prices.  

How to Get More Traffic to Your Website

John Reese just released a series of free videos on how to get more traffic to your website.

John is a sharp guy and there are very few people at his level when it comes to generating web traffic.  If you could use more traffic to your web page, take a few minutes and check out his free videos.

5 Traffic Conversion Hot Buttons

Grabbing the attention of an online surfer is challenging enough, so you want to turn as many viewers as possible into actual buyers. And you want to entice buyers to become repeat buyers.

Once you’ve told the product story, how do you get them to push that “buy button” again? Here are some traffic conversion hot buttons to add to your site today:

1.    Expose your competition’s warts.  You can expect popular products to attract competitors. Study the competition and find the weaknesses or differences that you can exploit.  Do you deliver faster or offer discount shipping, give choice of downloads or CDs, gift wrap, ship internationally?  Let buyers know what sets you apart from your competitors.

2.    Go ahead - name drop!  Find a celebrity to endorse your product. Not necessarily a movie star, just people who are known and respected in your niche market. Send your product out to niche superstars and ask for their honest review as well as permission to use the comments on your website. You benefit for the star power of the endorsers.

3.    Prove it! Find research that advances your product in the marketplace. Even a basic study that shows “7 out of 10 people who regularly exercise are less likely to get prickly heat,” might be linked loosely to your product.  Make the connection reasonable. If there isn’t any research, make your own by using results from an online survey or poll.

4.    Test yourself. Create three different pitches that play on your main product. Use each page for 10 days. At the end of the month, compare results.  The pitch that captures the most buyers isn’t always the one you like the most. Remember, it’s about what clicks with the buyer - even if it isn’t your favorite.

5.    Befriend to win. Make sure that your sales copy creates a connection with your buyer.  You can make money with straight sales copy but you’ll make more money when you build a relationship with buyers. 

Let them into your life enough that they care about you and they will be more willing to invest in your products. You can set up a forum to discuss your niche interest or add short reviews from your buyers.

Feature a buyer with a photo and candid interview. When you give buyers reasons to drop by regularly, then you are developing a relationship. Needless to say, your “special offer” email gets read when others are sent to the trash folder.