How To Drive Targeted Traffic To Your Website

If you have a website, you know that traffic is essential, especially if you have something to sell. Not just any old traffic, though - you need targeted traffic. How is targeted traffic defined? When you receive website visitors who have a specific interest in the topic of the website, you would consider the traffic "targeted." For example, someone who is planning to buy a wedding ring would be interested in jewelry websites.

How do I get targeted traffic? Here are some effective techniques you can use:

Forums:

Whatever your topic, there's sure to be at least one forum about it. Subscribe to a couple of forums. Join in the discussions, answer questions, and ask pertinent questions yourself. Become known as an expert in the field. Then with each article reply you write, have a discreet link to your website in the signature file. What can be placed in your signature is often determined by the forum moderators. Do not spam the forum or you will be stopped from posting. You should be able to get a fair amount of traffic from a popular forum, and the people who click your link will already be familiar with your writing style.

Linking from and to other websites:

Look for websites which are similar to yours (but which do not compete directly). Ask the website owner for a reciprocal link. Be sure to pick link partners who match your customer profile. Try using a software program like Arelis to help you find link partners.

E-Zines:

Buy adverts in ezines that target your market. Perform a test to ensure that the return on your investment is enough to cover the cost of the adverts. You may save a considerable amount.

Newsletters:

Offer your visitors something of value, such as an eBook, in exchange for signing up for your newsletter. Write your newsletter so that it's tightly focused on your subject. You should publish your newsletter regularly, preferably once a week.

E-Books:

Write (or have written) a free informational eBook which you can give away to your clients and others. You can place links back to your website in the eBook.

Buy Expired Domain Traffic:

This may be the most expensive in terms of money, but also the cheapest in terms of time. You will usually get a traffic boost within a month. What is it that you're buying? You are buying traffic from a company which has invested in expired domain names.

They are domain names which are still registered on the search engines which get a certain amount of traffic. The previous domain name owners have not renewed the registration for whatever reason. The traffic from the expired domain name is redirected to your website. This is usually high quality traffic as only expired domains with relevant traffic is redirected to you. As always, you should undertake a test run to see if this traffic is suitable.

When you combine these techniques and apply them consistently over time you will find a rich source of targeted traffic coming to your website. This, combined with quality products will ensure the success of your online business.

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About the Author: Mike Devoran is the publisher of DJTraffic.com, a website devoted to improving your website traffic.

The Trouble With Duplicate Content

The debate is still raging with regard to duplicate content. From my perspective, you're best to avoid it. To succeed with content distribution, implement the following techniques when publishing on your website or for improving search engine optimization rankings.

1. Always publish original content on your website. Don't be caught using duplicate content unless you must. You control the content on your website so don't take this issue lightly. Use fresh, original content that appeals to your readers. If replicating content, change it up a bit or use an excerpt with a link to the full article.

2. When article marketing, include the article on your site first. If you're using article marketing to promote your website, publish the article on your site first. I suggest not distributing the article for at least 3 - 5 days. This gives the Google bot time to crawl the content and know its there (published by you).

3. Distribute your content to top article distribution sites first! When distributing your articles, target the largest article directories first (ezinearticles, goarticles, etc.). I would recommend changing the title, article description, intro paragraph, and last paragraph slightly from what you have posted on your site.

4. Complete your distribution to second and third tier article directories. At this point, the value gained is less than the primary article distribution sites. The true value of these sites is the possibility of a webmaster using the content on their own site complete with author box. Again, I would modify the article once prior to distributing to all of these sites, but don't spend a lot of time on it.

5. Update content on your site regularly. If you want to optimize the value of your content, be sure to update information regularly. This is not say that your content has to change daily, but new content should be added to position your site as a valuable source of information.

6. Offer an RSS feed. After your article has been published to your website, be sure to encourage users to access this content via an RSS feed. A feed allows users to get access to your content through a feeder or back link to your site. As a result, they are less likely to copy and post your content. Rather, they can provide an excerpt and link to the original content that is present on your website.

As always, you want to be cognizant of what Google is doing and how they are viewing content. To avoid being penalized, post content to your site first. After a short waiting time, modify the article slightly and post to the major article distribution sites. Then you're ready to distribute to second and third tier article distribution sites. Through this method you can enjoy the benefits of original content and all of the back links that come with it.

Keeping It Simple: The Online Buying Process

I was recently looking to buy tickets for a sporting event online. I knew exactly what event I wanted to attend, where the event was being held, and at what time. When I visited the particular site that listed the event, it didn't provide clear ordering instructions. After studying the site for a few minutes, I found a place to buy tickets. When I clicked to buy the tickets, I was taken to a completely different website.

But wait, this consumer buying experience gets even better. After visiting this website, I had some difficulty finding the tickets I wanted. In fact, after numerous clicks, I did reach a purchase page. However, it offered 3 options and I couldn't tell them apart. Other than the fact that the 3 options had different prices, I honestly didn't know what they meant. So, did I buy? No. I got frustrated and threw in the towel. I guess I'll just watch the event on TV.

I share this story because I'm not unique. Every day millions of consumers navigate away from websites for the very same reason. Many websites do a poor job of simplifying the purchase decision process. The result is often times a frustrated consumer and a lost sale. If you want to succeed online, make it easy for your customers to buy.

Not sure if your site does what it should? Gather a focus group, provide a discount for customer feedback, or test the complete purchase process on your own. Regardless of which method you use, make the purchase process simple and informative - you'll be glad you did.

How to Get Free Publicity For Your Product Or Service

Have you ever wondered how some companies always seem to obtain good placement in print publications, online, and even on TV? What’s even more impressive is that many of these companies don’t even spend a single cent on advertising. Why would they? They’re getting all of the media coverage they need simply by following a few basic public relations principles.

1. Position yourself as an expert. The media relies on experts for their information. The news that gets printed is only as credible as the source from which it comes. Begin by selecting a news related story to comment on. It should be a story that you are qualified to speak about, aligned with your area of expertise.
   
   If your background is in engineering, and a building falls down, you are qualified to speak about the structure and answer possible engineering related questions. Being an expert simply means that you have a background in a specific area and can lend your expertise.
   
   
2. Do your homework. To get coverage, find the reporter who is covering the news you wish to comment on. For example, if the news is about a specific current event, then Google the current event name followed by the name of a popular newspaper like the Wall Street Journal or USA Today. You’ll quickly find the reporters who have written on the subject. Call the newspaper (contact information available on their website) and ask for the reporter by name. If the operation asks what your call is in reference to, simply state that you have information related to a specific news item.
   
   
3. Compliment the reporter. When you locate the reporter, and contact him, start with a compliment. Reporters take great pride in their work. Be sure to compliment their position on a given topic or their previous work. After complimenting them, you’re ready for the pitch.
   
   Talk to them about your position on the given news story and what you have to offer. Again, referring back to our earlier example of the building, mention that you have an engineering background and have a position on the story. For example, you might be able to comment on why buildings collapse and the structural aspects that could be the cause. Let the reporter ask questions but have a point of view. After the dialogue, the reporter will verify your information such as name and company.
   
   
4. Leave a compelling yet non-descript message. If you’re unable to get in touch with the reporter directly, leave a message – but be discreet. You don’t want to show all of your cards before speaking to him directly. However, if you leave enough information to get them to return your call, they will call you. Reporters follow up with any leads they consider opportunistic.
   
   When leaving a message, simple say, “I have something you need to hear about (fill in name of story here).” Be specific with regard to the story the reporter is covering. You want them to consider your possible information valuable.
   
   
5. State your expertise. After complimenting the reporter about their coverage on a specific article or issue, let them know your position on a given topic and why you are qualified to comment on it. Give them your pitch and be confident that your opinion matters base on the experience you have to offer.

In today’s environment, it’s difficult to attract the media’s attention. The best way to get PR for your product or service is by commenting on current stories being covered by the media. The process is simple. When you hear a news story that you can comment on, find the reporter using Google and the name of a major publication.

Read a few of the reporter’s previous articles for background and then contact him directly. Let him know that you have some information that he may find valuable or a comment relevant to the story. Be sure to provide him with your credentials. After just a few calls, you’ll be quoted in some of today’s leading media.

Today's Marketing Expert Tip: Customer Follow Up

Your web business probably gets product inquiries from potential customers around the globe. Inquiries come via e-mail and your web site, and you try to send information to each hot prospect as quickly as you can. You know that you can drastically increase the likelihood of making a sale by satisfying each person's need for information quickly! But, after you've delivered that first bit of information to your prospect, do you send him any further information?

If you are like most Internet marketers, you don't. When you don't follow that initial message with additional information later on, you let a valuable prospect slip from your grasp! This is a potential customer who may have been very interested in your products, but who lost your contact information, or was too busy to make a purchase when your first message reached him. Often, a prospect will purposely put off making a purchase, to see if you find him important enough to follow up with later. When he doesn't receive a follow up message from you, he will take his business elsewhere.

Are you losing profits due to inconsistent and ineffective follow up?Following up with leads is more than just a process - it's an art. In order to be effective, you need to design a follow up system, and stick to it, EVERY DAY! If you don't follow up with your prospects consistently, INDIVIDUALLY, and in a timely fashion, then you might as well forget the whole follow up process.

Consistent follow up gets results!When I first started marketing and following up with prospects, I used a follow up method that I now call the "List Technique." I had a large database containing the names and e-mail addresses of people who had specifically requested information about my products and services. These prospects had already received my first letter by the time they requested more information, so I used the company's latest news as a follow up piece. I would write follow up newsletters every now and then, and send them, in one mass mailing, to everyone who had previously requested information from me. While this probably did help me win a few additional orders, it wasn't a very good follow up method. Why isn't the "List Technique" very effective?

The List Technique isn't consistent. Proponents of the List Technique tend to only send out follow up messages when their companies have "big news". List Technique messages don't give the potential customer any additional information about the product or service in question. He can't make a more informed buying decision after receiving a newsletter! If someone is wondering whether your company sells the best knick-knacks, what does he care that you've just moved your headquarters?

List Technique messages convey a "big list" mentality to your potential customers. When I used to write follow up messages using the List Technique, I was writing news bulletins to everyone I knew! I should have been sending a personal message to each individual who wanted to know more about my products.

What follow up method really works?Following up with each lead individually, multiple times, but at set intervals, and with pre-written messages, will dramatically increase sales! Others who use this same technique confirm that they have all at least doubled the sales of various products!

In order to set this system up, though, you need to do some planning. First, you'll need to develop your follow up messages. If you've been marketing on the Internet for any length of time, then you should already have a first informative letter. Your second letter marks the beginning of the follow up process, and should go into more detail than the first letter. Fill this letter with details that you didn't have the space to add to the first letter. Stress the BENEFITS of your products or services!

Your next 2-3 follow up messages should be rather short. Include lists of the benefits and potential uses of your products and services. Write each letter so that your prospects can skim the contents, and still see the full force of your message. The next couple of follow up messages should create a sense of urgency in your prospect's mind. Make a special offer, giving him a reason to order NOW instead of waiting any longer.

After reading these follow up messages, your prospect should want to order immediately! Phrase each of your final 1 or 2 follow up messages in the form of a question. Ask your prospect why he hasn't yet placed an order? Try to get him to actually respond. Ask if the price is to high, the product isn't the right color or doesn't have the right features, or if he is looking for something else entirely. (By this time, it's unlikely that this person will order from you. However, his feedback can help you modify your follow up letters or products, so that other prospects will order from you.)

The timing of your follow up letters is just as important as their content. You don't want one prospect to receive a follow up the day after he gets your initial informative letter, while another prospect waits weeks for a follow up! Always send an initial, informative letter as soon as it is requested, and send the first follow up 24 hours afterwards. You want your hot prospects to have information quickly, so that they can make informed buying decisions!

Send the next 2-3 follow up messages between 1 and 3 days apart. Your prospect is still hot, and is probably still shopping around! Tell him about the benefits of your products and services, as opposed to your competitors'. You will make the sale! Send the final follow up messages later on. You certainly don't want to annoy your prospect! Make sure that these last letters are at least 4 days apart. Following up effectively seems complicated, but it doesn't have to be! So many potential customers are lost because of poor follow up - don't you want to be one of the few to get it right?

About the Author
Tom Kulzer, CEO and Founder of Newtown, PA based AWeber Communications, Inc. an opt-in email service provider. With 7 years managing opt-in follow up and newsletters for small businesses, email deliverability is an integral part of day to day operations. Learn more at Aweber.com.

Yahoo Attracts a Younger Audience Than Google

When thinking about Search Engine Optimization, I'm often asked where people should focus their efforts. My response is often, "Who are you trying to target?" If you want to attract a younger audience, focus on Yahoo! For an older audience - who happens to spend real money, focus your optimization efforts on Google. Research firm Hitwise has put together an analysis that looks at the demographics that Yahoo Search attracts compared to the audience that Google draws for search by age group.

According to Heather Hopkins of HitWise, Yahoo Search attracts a younger audience than Google. In the 18-24 year old category Yahoo received 19.33 percent of visits compared to the same demographic for Google, which received 17.91 percent. In the 25-34 year old category Yahoo again captured a higher percentage of visitors with 23.13 percent compare to Google, which grabbed 20.37 percent.

When looking at the 45-54 year old group the results are the opposite. Google receives 20.07 percent of visitors in the 45-54 year old group while Yahoo in the same age group pulls in 17.97 percent of visits. The same thing is true in the 55 and over age group. Google draws 18.72 percent of visitors while Yahoo receives 17.23 percent.

When it comes to spending online Hopkins concludes, "The groups over-indexed on Google.com relative to the online population - are those that are among the most likely to have spent more than $500 online. This indicates that Google users are more likely to be big online spenders."

Keep the facts in mind before you focus your SEO efforts on a particular search engine. By targeting your audience appropriately, you'll increase results dramatically.

The Rules of Internet Marketing From a Marketing Expert

To succeed online, you'll need more than luck. Internet marketing is essential to succeeding online, driving targeted traffic to your website, blog, or sales page. That traffic then has to be converted into sales. This simple formula illustrates this process: Traffic + Conversions = Sales

Keeping this formula in your mind will help you in your internet marketing efforts because you will realize that you not only have to generate traffic, but also turn those visitors into buyers.

Furthermore, here are 7 basic rules to follow when applying this formula. These rules are relevant to all forms of marketing but are especially important for online marketing where inexperienced people can "burn" a lot of money quickly and become very discouraged.

1. All marketing involves some risk.

Whether you are trying something new or "copying" a strategy that has brought good results for others, there is still an element of risk. When speaking of risk, you tend to think of gambling which makes for an appropriate analogy here.

For internet marketing, we try to reduce the risk and swing the odds in our favour by doing keyword research, learning skills like ad writing, article marketing, and pay per click, and other general marketing activities such as knowing what your target market is interested in.

2. Test small first.

Reduce your risk by testing a marketing approach on a small scale first. If it works, then increase the scale and create momentum. This is how to make money!

3. Be consistent.

Successful marketers do something to propel themselves forward everyday. That is their secret. A good practice is to create a to-do list every night featuring 5 actions that you must complete the following day.

By doing this at night before you go to sleep, you engage your subconscious mind and the next day you will know what you have to do and be on target to complete these tasks. This is a very powerful process. Try to do this, one day at a time, until it becomes a daily habit.

4. Set a budget.

Determine what you can afford to spend on advertising on a monthly basis. In this way you can set and manage your expectations. This should also prevent you from trying things you cannot afford.

5. Diversify.

Spread your efforts as much as you can over many different sources. This will also reduce your risk and help you to discover what works. Remember that if one internet marketing method that you try does not produce results, you have not failed. This just means that you are one step closer to finding something that DOES work.

6. Learn how to write effective copy.

The skill that will make or break you in internet marketing is copywriting. It is especially important to learn how to write headlines. There is a ton of good information online that is free regarding headlines and copywriting. Just do a Google search.

7. Take action, test, and track.

Tracking is essential because you absolutely need to know the results of your marketing efforts. Once you start getting results, you can employ simple tests to see if you can improve. Often this testing involves strategies that are free.

One such strategy that comes to mind is split testing. You can do this for free, and it can provide incredible returns. Generally speaking, split testing involves making slight changes to a landing page or adwords ad, often just the wording of the headline, and testing it against a current version.

I have seen very simple changes DOUBLE the productivity of an ad. It's not only amazing, but also a lot of fun! Marketing takes work. You simply cannot get something for nothing. Massive action creates massive results.

So take action and do not be afraid to fail. Remember to minimize your risk.

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About the Author: Mark McCullagh is the author of the NewSuccessOnline.com blog, one of the top sites on the web for internet marketing strategies that work, especially for network marketing.

It's Never Too Late To Start Selling Online

According to recent publications, consumers spent more than $100 billion online at U.S. based e-commerce sites last year, which does not include online auction sites, travel spending, or corporate purchases. That’s a significant increase over last year – more than 20%. There has never been a better time to be on the receiving end of that spending pattern, and the market keeps improving.

Many people start an e-commerce site as their primary business. If you have a brick and mortar store where you sell products or simply operate a business from home, starting an e-commerce site can provide an additional sales channel for you.

Creating a Web site for the purpose of selling products or services online entails a large amount of research and planning. When you start an online business, forgetting one simple step can make the difference between success and failure.

Here are 8 steps to help you get started:

1. Create a business and marketing plan. Schedule a time to meet with your business partners or team members. Brainstorm together and lay out all of your plans in one document. This plan should incorporate all startup and recurring costs. Set up an overall expense budget and sales forecast.

2. Choose a good Web site address (domain name) to help customers find you. You will need to select a domain name for the site that accurately represents what you are selling and helps brand your business. However, did you consider that the search engines will also be using your domain name as a symbol of what you sell? Give some thought to an appropriate URL and go shopping for one.

3. Select the right e-commerce software with a shopping cart. In order to sell products on your Web site, you have a few options. You can hire someone to develop custom online storefront functionality. However, most small businesses who are looking for more cost effective solutions purchase e-commerce Web site hosting software. This allows your customers to select products from your Web site, put them into the shopping cart on your site, and then checkout using their choice of various payment methods.

4. Apply for a business account (merchant account) for processing credit cards. It is critical to give your customers multiple payment options on your Web site. Most customers are accustomed to paying for goods and services online using their credit card. In order to accept credit cards as payment for your products, you must apply for what is called a merchant account. If you do not accept credit cards on your Web site, you are doing a great disservice to your site’s potential for success, so make sure you apply.

5. Secure your site to let customers know it is safe to do business with you. As an online merchant, security is a key consideration for you. If you are going to accept consumer financial information such as credit card payments, you are responsible for ensuring that data is protected and secure and that you meet credit card company security requirements.

6. Design your site to be user-friendly. Once you have all of the products uploaded to the Web site and you can accept credit cards it’s time to work on improving the site’s appearance before you go live with your new online storefront.

7. Test the site. You only have one chance to make a first impression with each visitor, so be sure that you test and tweak your site before going live with it. Plan at least a few days or weeks to do this. Make sure everything is working properly or all of your efforts can be for naught.

You might try inviting a few friends to help you test the site. Ask them to visit your Web site while you watch their browsing behavior. Try not to say anything as they click around. Give them fifteen minutes, and then ask them about their experience.

8. Promote your site online. Promoting your site on the Web can be expensive and complex, but taking advantage of search engine behavior to drive targeted traffic to your site can result in a favorable long-term return on your up-front investment, whether that investment is your time or money.

Using these tips, you can quickly and easily start selling products online. It may seem a bit daunting at first, but is actually quite simple. There are many vendors who can help fulfill the needs laid out in each action step. Simply visit Google and search for a place to buy a domain name (eg. GoDaddy.com), an e-commerce platform, and so on. Follow these steps and in no time at all you’ll be up and running.

What's New In Autoresponders

The concept of the follow up autoresponder revolutionized Internet Marketing. Now, "Auto Message Setup" promises to bring the field an even greater degree of efficiency.

This recent innovation lets experienced marketers painlessly transfer marketing know-how to their entire downlines. A marketer can now provide each of his downline representatives with a follow up autoresponse system that is already packaged with the marketer's pre-written messages.

The result? Just a few minutes of work on the part of an experienced marketer, and each of his reps is set up with the same tried and true marketing messages.

Case Study: Marketer Matt and the New Breed

For example, take a look at the case of a fictional network marketer named Matt M:

For years, Matt has been successfully marketing All Natural Pharmaceuticals using a follow up autoresponder. In fact, much of his success can be attributed to the set of seven messages e-mailed to all of his potential customers. Matt has carefully crafted those messages over the years, and they're really great.

Recently, Matt has been trying to pass what he's learned along to his downline representatives. He explains his marketing principles over the phone, and he knows that several of his reps pass his follow up messages around amongst themselves.

However, Matt finds that his pearls of wisdom rarely survive this 'telling and retelling' intact. He knows his reps aren't getting anywhere near what they could out of his knowledge. He wishes there were a way to harness today's technology, and put it to use for the greater good of his downline...

Enter Auto Message Setup

Using an Auto Message Setup system, Matt's downline reps can order their own follow up autoresponse accounts that are already packaged with Matt's pre-written messages. They can reap the fruits of Matt's experience with ease.

Each rep will customize Matt's messages for himself by logging in to his new follow up autoresponder account, and entering his own contact information.

Here is Matt's original autoresponse message:

Hi LEAD NAME,

Thanks for stopping by the All Natural Pharmaceuticals web site today! We hope you come back soon!

Best Regards, Matt M.
matt@all-natural-pharma.com 918 Awl St.
Natural, PA 22314

Notice that the message greeting uses a variable, (LEAD NAME). The variable ensures that each of Matt's leads will receive a message personalized with his or her own name. Notice, also, that Matt's name and address are at the end of the message.

Case Study: Downline Dan and the New Breed

Dan is one of Matt's downline representatives. He's ordered his own follow up autoresponder through Matt. Since Matt is using Auto Message Setup, Dan's account came pre-packaged with Matt's marketing messages. Dan personalized those messages to himself by answering a few questions in his Online Control Panel. Now Dan is sending his own personalized version of Matt's messages to his customers! All of the basic content is Matt's, but Dan's contact information is on the letters. Here is the autoresponse that Dan sends to his potential customers:

Hi, LEAD NAME

Thanks for stopping by the All Natural Pharmaceuticals web site today! We hope you come back soon!

Best Regards, Dan D.
dan@pharma-ceuticals.com 5 Farm Way
Sootuh, TN 88457

Notice that the contact name and address at the end of the e-mail are Dan's, but that the greeting at the beginning of the message still includes the name of Dan's lead.

Mission Accomplished

With Matt's experience in hand, Dan is now marketing more successfully than ever before. And he isn't the only one - Matt's entire downline is now using his marketing messages! Matt's commissions are growing exponentially.

Matt and Dan's situation is not unique. Any network marketer with an established downline can take advantage of the opportunities available in an auto message setup system. There's no better way to put more auto in your autoresponder.

Beka Ruse fights spam as the Business Development Manager at AWeber Communications. Ad tracking, live stats, and a strict anti-spam policy. Automated E-Mail Follow Up From AWeber.

How to Jazz Up Your Affiliate Program

Breathing new life into your affiliate program may be easier than you think. Some affiliate marketers use the simplest tools. The most successful ones go way beyond basic online advertising. Learn to give your visitors longer, more descriptive pre-sales text in addition to good graphics. Revamp your affiliate advertising using these simple steps:

Pull the Reader In

To convince your audience that your text is worth reading, make your first sentence or two very interesting. Make a bold statement, say something seemingly ridiculous, or appeal to your prospect's emotional side. Then, tie this grabber in with the rest of your copy.

Introduce the Product

What is the product you're advertising? What does it do? Directly after your grabber, give a compact explanation of your product. Keep this explanation short, while still being very clear. This should still be a very short section of your text.

Explain the Product's Significance

What will it do for me? By writing your own copy, you can directly target your unique audience. Make the most of this opportunity! Clearly explain how your readers will benefit from this product.

No one knows your audience like you do. Suggest a variety of product uses just for them, and give examples. This is the time for details - make this section long and rich.

Tell the Reader to Make a Purchase

You've come so far - you've laid out exactly what the product is and how it will help your unique audience. Now, seal the deal - tell your readers to purchase the product! Include your affiliate link in this section.

This step may sound strange, but it's necessary. Often, people hear about a product and are genuinely interested, but fail to actually make a purchase. A clear call to a simple action cuts down on buyer ambivalence. Don't be pushy - just change your verb tenses to the imperative. Instead of:

"If you think that you fit this profile, you might want to think about buying this product."

Say: "Click here to order an account today."

Drive Sales - Use Long Copy

If you don't feel ready to write long copy yourself, ask your affiliate program manager for help! Many companies release well-written articles by respected authors that you can reprint free of charge.

The novelty of the Web is wearing off. People online now are busy. Surfers won't make a purchase unless you make a great case for what they'll get out of it. And you're not going to do that with just a banner ad.

About the Author
Beka Ruse fights spam as the Business Development Manager at AWeber Communications. Ad tracking, live stats, and a strict anti-spam policy. Automated E-Mail Follow Up From AWeber.

Putting "Service" Back Into "Customer Service"

Customer service has evolved and changed rather significantly over the last decade. But one thing is certain, the future of customer service is here. Technology has made seeking out support faster and easier than ever. But, has your digital age company sacrificed true service in the name of automation?

Today, finding customer support is as simple as writing an e-mail or picking up the phone. But, even though you're not face-to-face with your customers, you still leave a lasting impression. Do you come across as caring and competent, or menacing and mechanical?

Offering stand-out service on the Internet isn't as hard as it is rare. Take these simple steps towards old-style service in the digital age:

Give Each Customer a Personal Response

When a customer sits down to e-mail your company, it's because he needs help. He chooses e-mail because it's quick, but his request still warrants a satisfying and personal response!

Companies eager to save time and money often take automation too far in their customer support. Each customer has a unique question, and deserves a unique answer. Even if you save time by copying and pasting stock replies, change the opening and closing to make the message sound less robotic.

Be Clear, But Sincere

When responding to customers' e-mail, be sincere and to the point. Before sending a message, try turning the tables. Ask yourself, "Would this answer satisfy me if I were the customer?"

Take that extra moment to give your customer the help he deserves. It might mean the difference between a satisfied customer and a credit card charge back!

Offer Live Customer Support

E-mail has become an acceptable form of communication. But, live customer support is still necessary. The plethora of information available online can be overwhelming to customers, especially those new to the Internet!

Single your company out from the crowd by providing customers with a real person to talk to. Live phone support is an invaluable way to foster trust. When your customer has reached the end of his Internet rope, and just needs help, your toll free number is the answer he's looking for.

Make Sure Your Support Reps Have All The Answers

The presence of phone support will do no good if your staff doesn't know your product! Customer support reps should be warm and friendly, and willing to help with any aspect of your product.
What a good feeling it is to talk to someone who feels confident in his product. It's even better if he's knowledgeable enough to solve your problem without transferring you all around the company!

Provide Stand-Out Service; Gain Lifelong Customers

Too many e-businesses skimp on customer service, hiding behind web sites and message boards. Customer support is an integral part of every company, even those operating solely online. Be one of the few to offer stellar service, and gain customers for life!

About the Author
Customer Service is becoming a lost art, but Sean Cohen wants to make sure that never happens. As a staff member of Aweber communications, Sean specializes in auto responders which can drastically improve your conversion rates. Click here to learn more

Closing the Deal

Is your marketing closing the deal? Many marketers consider their job to be the communication of key messages and making sure that creative is "on strategy." In today's environment, developing attractive marketing pieces isn't enough.

In addition to developing marketing campaigns, creative briefs, and marketing plans, professional marketers need to focus on generating meaningful results. As in any business, activity must come before results, but activity for the sake of keeping busy won't do in today's competitive environment. If you're not closing the deal, your value to the organization may be questionable at best.

The purpose of marketing is to lead consumers in your target market through the purchase decision process. When looked at in this manner, its easy to create a process that helps you achieve the desired outcome, leading prospects to the point of sale. Define the process for your customers and begin by measuring outcomes at each milestone. Now some people may say, "my job is to only create leads", or "my job is to simply create brand awareness." I'm here to challenge that a bit and say that if you're not getting the deal done, you're not doing your job as a marketer. What I'm proposing blurs the line between marketing and sales, but as companies do more with less, your survival depends on it.

What good is brand awareness if no one buys your product or service? What good is a lead if i doesn't convert? The purpose of marketing is to move prospects through the purchase process - often times to the point of sale (and in some instance after sale). The concept of sales may frighten us marketers a bit, but it is at the core of our existence. Not only do we need to take part in moving prospects through the funnel, but marketing is most effective when we ctontrol the communication even after the sale.

As marketers take on greater accountability, our success can be enhanced by the ongoing marketing and communication among existing customers. We all know that its five times more difficult to acquire a new customer than retaining an existing one. If that's true, then our involvement needs to be closely tied to managing how we market and communicate to existing customers.

As you can see, I feel pretty strongly that marketing needs to go beyond how it's been traditionally viewed and taken to a whole new level. Thanks for the rant and let me know how you feel about the topic...leave a comment.

How To Create Website Copy That Gets Results

Creating website content that isn't as easy as you might think. There are a lot of different factors to consider before you begin authoring any content. In today's post, Brandon Cornett helps us understand the keys to writing high-value web content...

1. Choose the Right Author
I once worked for a company who let their web programmers write the instructions for their online ordering process. Big mistake. If their audience were programmers as well, this might be okay. But most of their customers had limited technical skills. So when these people encountered online instructions such as "Validate parameters before advancing" ... the customers would often become dead in the water.

This is a prime example of choosing the wrong author for web writing. Sure, the programmers' input is important. After all, they built the thing. But they should not be the voice of customer guidance. A skilled web writer (someone with usability experience) would have "translated" these instructions to say something like "Please fill in all required information before moving to the next screen."

Here's the key to this. The best author for your small business website content is not always the person who knows the most about the product or service from a technical standpoint. Often, it's best to have an in-house writer who plays the go-between role of "consumer advocate," getting the information from one group and translating it for another group.

2. Choose the Right Topic
If your small business only offers one product or service, then that will likely be the topic of your web content. In this case, I would focus on choosing the right angle as well. Don't tell people what you want them to know -- this is an outdated way of thinking about public information, especially when it comes to small business website content. Instead, find out what people want to know about the types of products you offer, and use your web content to address those questions or concerns.

If you are writing web content for a company that has many products or services, you will have to spend more time choosing topics first and choosing your angle second. In this case, it becomes more about topic organization than anything. Large websites with many topics are ideally suited for a category and sub-category system: These are our products, And this is product 'A', And this is a web page that explains product 'A' in detail.

3. Address All Sides of the Topic

Whether you're writing about one of your products, or you're creating a tutorial of some kind, you need to cover all the angles. There's nothing worse than website content that leaves the job only half-done, telling you why a certain thing is important but not pursuing that lead.

When you are close to a certain topic -- as is the case with people who create a product or service -- it's easy to assume everyone else understands it as well as you do. But the opposite is usually true, so you need to explain all sides of a topic when you write content for your small business website.

Want to keep your pages relatively short for easy reading? You can do that while still offering complete information. That's what hyperlinks are for! 4. Link to Related Resources Here's the key to developing great content for your small business website. Try to create authority documents that others in your field would link to and recommend to others. One of the key criteria for a resource document is that it links to plenty of supporting information, both on the same website and elsewhere on the web.

In addition to being good for your readers, this kind of useful content will make other webmasters more inclined to link to your website. This adds to your link "popularity" and can further improve the search engine ranking of your small business website.

When writing a particular web page, try to think of it as "the ultimate guide to [blank]." This is the first step to creating the kind of authority documents that eventually dominate the search engines and drive endless web traffic for the authors. But it's rarely possible to create an "ultimate guide" to anything in just one page, so be liberal about linking to other sources on your own website and elsewhere (as long as their not direct competitors).

5. Add Supporting Graphics, Pictures, Etc.

Reading online can be hard on the eyeballs. You can make the reader's job easier in two ways.
First, you can format your content appropriately for web reading (short paragraphs, narrow text columns, lots of bullet points, headers, sub-headers, etc.). Secondly, you can add supporting images and helpful graphics.

Well-placed graphics can improve website content in a number of ways. Images are more enticing than text upon first glance, so they can help attract and retain readers. They also help you clarify your message with visual reinforcement.

Conclusion: I have a motto I use regarding website content. "If it's not worth putting online, don't put it online." This is my reminder to myself that I need to use the techniques outlined above to create superior website content. Because that's the kind of content that leads to online success. Apply these lessons to your small business website and watch your own success increase!

About the Author: Brandon Cornett operates an web marketing firm in Austin, Texas and is a web writer at large for dozens of websites and blogs. Learn more by visiting http://www.austinseoguy.com/.

Testimonials: Marketing on Steroids

Testimonials are a powerful marketing tool. If you're not using testimonials to promote your products or services, then you're missing out. Adding testimonials to your marketing materials or website is easy to do and can result in a significant lift in sales.

When providing testimonials for your product or service, there are a number of fundamental practices you should consider. Presenting your testimonials in the correct manner can optimize your results. Follow these helpful tips when applying testimonials on your website or in your communications.

1. The medium is the message. Depending on your target audience, the medium you choose to display your testimonials can make or break their effectiveness. For example, if you’re trying to reach today’s generation, video may be the most popular technique. With the advent of YouTube and sites that allow users to upload video, the medium has taken on a life of its own.
   
   If you’re promoting your products to teenagers or those in their early twenties, consider testimonials from peers in video format. Hearing key messages from someone in their own cohort using the correct medium, is much more powerful than a generic message from a so called expert.
   
   
2. Provide detailed information of the individual leaving the testimonial. Not only do individuals like to hear from others, but they want to know that the testimonial is from a real person who’s just like them. When posting or providing a testimonial, make sure to include the individuals name and some demographic information. This adds to the legitimacy of the testimonial and helps people resonate with their comments.
   
   
3. Categorize your testimonials. Having a long list of testimonials that don’t appear to have any particular order is difficult for browsers to navigate. When you are providing your listing, regardless of the format you’re using, make it easy for browsers to select the testimonial that would be most relevant to their needs.
   
   Successful websites categorize their testimonials. For example, they can be categorized by type such as ‘customer service’, ‘price’, or ‘quality’. Other classification schemes may include user types such as ‘student’, ‘entry-level’, or ‘professional’. When categorizing your testimonials, consider how your audience is segmented and choose a logical format.
   
   
4. Vary your testimonial formats. Experiment with different types of testimonial formats. In addition to basic web posts, you should try adding audio or video and measure the views. By offering multiple formats you are appealing to different styles and therefore maximizing exposure.
   
   
5. Update your testimonials on a regular basis. Don’t let your testimonials get stale. Whether you provide a date that the testimonial was submitted, or not, you should strive to add testimonials on a regular basis. Individuals who come back to your website or revisit your promotional materials can benefit from finding new content.
   

Testimonials are a powerful tool for promoting your products or services. When considering testimonials for your website or marketing materials, be sure to think about your audience and provide a compelling display of customer feedback. Consumers want to hear from others like them. Learn to leverage testimonials and watch your sales start to climb!