« April 2006 | Main | June 2006 »
May 27, 2006
Success - Why Action Achieves Results!
Success in any entrepreneurial endeavor is contingent on a simple truth: Learning does not always require thinking.
Actually, thinking often hinders learning. Hinders learning? That flies in the face of most of what we know, doesn't it? As children we were often reproached when we made mistakes: "You just weren't thinking! Don't you ever think about what you're doing?"
Then there's the most successful personal development book of all time telling us to do what? ...That's right, "Think and Grow Rich". True it is a fantastic book and a must read for success minded people. But many of us get so tangled in thoughts that we can't get out of our "heads" and take the action required for success.
Socrates, one of the greatest "thinkers" of all time, said, "Action equals knowledge." Action, not thinking, is how we achieve results. Take playing the piano for instance. We could think about playing the piano but we will never become better until we start pecking away at the keys. If you were to ask an accomplished pianist to think about what they are playing in the middle of a rapturous concert, the music would probably fall apart into a series of painfully disconnected notes.
Same is true with typing. Ask a person who flawlessly types over 70 words a minute to think about the key strokes, and you could probably watch the mistakes pile up. Thinking hinders execution. Thinking can hinder success. The fact of the matter is we can intellectualize all we want, but until we take action we will never accomplish anything.
There is a mantra in the martial arts that says "Ready, Fire, Aim". Simply put, this means take action and correct that action as you go. It is quite probable that many businesses never get out of the starting gate because of over-thinking and over analyzing. Most people want all their ducks to be lined up in a row before they begin. This will never happen. The time will never be perfect. The key is to get started and then "keep on keeping on."
In the martial arts, students practice moves over and over and over again. They train their bodies to transcend thought and take action in the moment. Imagine a trained martial artist getting attacked on the street thinking, "Hmm, okay I'm being attacked. Should I turn my body this way or should it be the other way? Okay, now I have to trap the assailments arms, tighten my fists, pull back, and strike."
Of course this is not what happens in the martial arts. The key teaching in the martial arts is to ACT. NOW! ...In spite of the mind's tenancy to analyze the situation.
The worst kind of thinking is fear of failure. The "What if" disease. "What if I fail? What if people laugh at me? What if I lose all my money? What if, what if, what if?
Fear is paralyzing. It stops the movement necessary for success. Fear weakens our resolve, cripples our creativity, and ultimately stagnates our successes. Conversely, movement overcomes fear. When struck by fear, move. Do something!
So, don't wait to explore your entrepreneurial spirit; take action now. When those pesky thoughts creep up, and they will, scare them away with the mantra, "Don't think, don't think, don't think, don't think..." and watch your dreams and goals cascade toward you.
What is the bottom line? "Don't think and grow rich."
Posted by billenross at 09:23 AM | Comments (0)
May 26, 2006
Are You Using Google AdSense?
If your using Google AdSense as a revenue source, then you know the danger in clicking your own links (even by mistake).
You'll get bounced from the program, and watch your nice passive revenue stream dry up FAST.
There is an answer, and it's all in a free report entitled: "How To Quickly And Easily Protect Your Adsense Account From 'Accidental Clicks' - Guaranteed!"
Posted by billenross at 08:29 AM | Comments (0)
May 24, 2006
Tired of Your J-O-B?
If you're working a regular j-o-b and tired of the daily grind, you may be thinking how great it would be to have your own business and be your own boss. Or maybe you probably have ideas about how you could manage the job or department better. Soon you're thinking it would be great to start a business of your own and run it the way you like. It might surprise you to learn that thoughts like these are quite common.
Starting your own business is not easy no matter what you've heard. Some people are in the right place at the right time and the stars are aligned and suddenly, they're a success. Stop and think how many people you know that have been this lucky. It's very rare to succeed the first time and in fact, many wealthy people don't succeed until they've created or lost one, two or three businesses. The very reason they are a success in their own business is because of the failures they have had or great obstacles they have had to get past.
There are other people that have started their business only to find out later that it's actually worse than the j-o-b they had. This usually occurs when they have either failed to plan or have left out an integral part of the business plan. One of the most important steps in planning is your vision; not the vision of your success, but how you will get there.
For instance, it it's your dream to own a storefront, you'll have to consider the regular hours of the other stores in the location you're interested in. You'll have to be in your store, ready for customers usually six days a week, eight hours or more each day. If you're not open when regular foot traffic occurs, you'll lose money unless you find another way to bring in customers. And don't forget the extra hours you'll put in for bookkeeping, cleaning, organizing, etc., all time away from your family and friends.
Many people are giving up their j-o-b for the excitement of working from home, preferably in their pajamas. Usually, this involves doing business on the Internet or creating and selling services or products locally. Doing business in your neighborhood means you have to get to know a lot of people, either personally or through their business and related organizations. And doing business on the Internet is just another way of distributing your service or product.
To market your own service or product involves selling. Unless you're someone who could sell anything to anyone, you're going to need a lot of training and experience to make a sale. Even selling something you use and recommend yourself is quite difficult if you're not a social animal.
If you have an idea for a business that you run from your home, you'll have to consider the local zoning laws and association by-laws when applicable. Having employees arrive to your home could get you complaints from your neighbors or even worse, a violation when they call the city or the association to file a complaint.
Now let's think about when you'll make a profit. It takes time and money to establish a customer base and you will need enough money to support your business and yourself in the meantime. What will you do if it takes longer than you anticipated? Best to have a backup plan in case this were to occur.
If you're still interested in starting your own business, the key will be to know your target customer. Find out everything you can about them and make sure you are targeting them in your advertising and with the quality of your product or service.
If you're selling business-to-business, you will want to advertise in their publications, join the same organizations and generally hang in the same circle of business. If you're doing business with the public, direct your advertising efforts to local direct mail and neighborhood publications. People generally read local periodicals to know what's going on in their area. Writing an article for one of these publications is even better. And those direct mail coupons for residences are usually opened when received.
Running your own business is nothing like having a j-o-b with someone always assigning your next task or project. You will have to make those decisions yourself and make sure customer service is not affected along the way.
Once you have your business set up, it's going to take a lot of nurturing and long hours. Be ready for the day when you think all is lost and find a way to push through. If you don't push through these difficult periods, you will lose the business. For those having the ability to continue to push through, the rewards can be fulfilling and sometimes lead to surprising wealth.
Posted by billenross at 04:08 PM | Comments (0)
May 23, 2006
Women Business Owners - The Power of Guided Multi-Tasking
Multi-tasking is a natural aspect of business for women business owners, especially those with families.
The fact is if you are a woman business owner, you are most likely already a multi-tasker of epic proportions. You know how to combine family, childcare and business tasks as a matter of course. Whether it's carpooling, deliveries, and business errands, or phoning clients, babysitters and arranging multiple schedules, you think in terms of multiple areas of impact most of the time.
When your business is in your home you have additional challenges and benefits which your multi-tasking abilities can make work for you. You can handle household chores and meal preparation in between appointments, phone consultations, or writing that new piece for your monthly newsletter. You routinely make decisions which involve multiple areas of your life more or less simultaneously.
Taking that next step of how to apply your natural ability to enhance your business success is not so difficult, but it does require a new focus. You have to start thinking in terms of the various areas of your business the same way you think of the various areas of your life. You have to step back and get a little wider view of things.
The best way to do this is to set aside some quiet time when you will not be disturbed and really take a look at what it is you want your business to accomplish, in what time frame. Using the backward planning approach works very well.
Once you have developed your general goals, rework them into specific targets. In other words, take the generalized goal, say of "X number of new clients by X" and develop the set targets you'll need to accomplish to reach that goal.
A project plan (target list) and work chart can be a very helpful tool for the next process of breaking down each target into the associated tasks required to fulfill each objective. Using these two tools, you can create the work chart for each specific area, and then see how the various targets are related. For instance, a new promotional pack for your business will have various components: brochure, logo, support materials, testimonial letters, perhaps a multi media presentation. Each of these items becomes a block in the project work chart, and completing portions of any one may provide materials for the others.
Once you have accomplished this you will have a clear picture of all the tasks required for each area of your business. Now the process of checking in on the larger picture as you work each day becomes a simple matter of using these tools to keep you on track.
Target lists and project work charts are tools often used by engineers as they develop a new piece of equipment, hardware, firmware, or software. First the targets or functions of each piece are defined and then the steps to creating each working component are laid out. By following this method, the relationships between the various targets, or, in this case, components of your business plan, are visible and easily identified.
This avoids getting the cart before the horse, or working on portions of the plan that cannot be implemented without other components also being in place.
The next step is to integrate the project work charts into a daily system of self check as you naturally group your work according to like tasks which can be accomplished in clusters of multi-tasking events. In this way you can significantly increase your progress and your business will thrive.
Once you have clearly charted targets for the business you can start to apply the multi tasking skills you aridly have to what needs to be done to make the targets happen.
The next step to optimizing your multi-tasking is to ask yourself where you do your best work. What gives you the most energy and creativity? What is the most difficult for you to tackle of the things that require your attention?
A professional counselor, in the midst of changing her business from one based on individual clients to seminars and group events met the challenge of having to think in ways unfamiliar to her by relocating her new event planning activities to her kitchen! She recognized that her most relaxing and enjoyable activity was preparing fresh foods for family and friends. When she moved her event planning to the kitchen, her natural confidence and creativity in that environment enabled her to expand her event planning thinking much more easily than she could in her office.
The food and her pleasure in its preparation, as well as her sense of well being and confidence in this environment gave her the creative energy she needed to expand her thinking and create new and different events for her clients. By providing herself with the support of her naturally creative environment, in this case cooking, she added to her creative power in an area where she had less strength and experience.
Often, by breaking up more mundane tasks with those which are more creative or inspiring, it is possible to keep your energy level higher than if you were to attempt to force yourself to do the "boring" task alone.
Learning your own personal rhythm and areas of your own natural creativity and enthusiasm and thinking in ways which allow you to tap into those parts of yourself you can greatly enhance not only the results of your work, but the sense of well being you find in your work.
Finally, as a multi-tasker, there is some danger that you can become too diversified and lose the focus and clarity of knowing what is most important in your business and in your life. By implementing target lists and project work charts as a guide to daily actions and updating them as each new target is complete you have a simple and effective system for starting each new day, and for meeting all your business objectives.
The daily action of a quick review of the target list and work chart also provides the added benefit of stimulating new ideas and inspirations to continue enhancing your multi tasking skills, keeping your work fresh, interesting and exciting.
Posted by billenross at 11:58 AM | Comments (0)
May 22, 2006
Time Management - How to Control Your Time
Around midnight students across the country become record setting authors by finishing essays, and study groups for tests in unheard of time. This unnerving process often leads to below average results. Many people wonder why this is happening. The answer is poor time management. A few pointers on how to avoid such a scenario follow. Before you read more, be sure to give yourself a few minutes of time in case you're cramming for something right now, you don't want to miss something important.
Make lists early and often to become experts at time management. Lists that will be available to you for reference can be recorded anywhere. Studies prove the more one makes lists the more apt they are at logically completing tasks. Further, lists can provide people with a realistic look at their workloads. Often people will put more on their plate then they can chew. Sometimes it takes a list of all the foods on the plate for the stomach to get the picture.
The mind works the same way, often we need to see things all together on one comprehensive list to understand the magnitude of it all. If you create detailed lists you will be able to budget out the assignments thus avoiding the common scenario outlined above. When making lists be sure to include everything categorically so nothing gets missed. If you are making a list of things to do, make sure even the laundry and dishes make it onto the list so you don't forget to budget time to do those tasks. Once the list is created, make a potential schedule to execute the duties on the list. If you have a small list it might just take a few minutes to complete, larger lists can take days, months or even years. So plan in advance.
Keep to appointments to avoid a scheduling traffic jam. The more you put off appointments the harder they can be to reschedule. If you are a busy person, like most of us, you have a lot of daily commitments. By missing appointments you create more pressure on your other appointments. Further if you miss multiple appointments you may just start doubling your schedule, this was explained to me one time as when you schedule two things for the same time frame. In terms of results, this is not a good plan. Imagine if you had coupled your dentist appointment with studying for a big exam. Not good time management at all. Most likely bad results are to follow, so be sure to keep appointments at all costs.
If you can make lists, and keep appointments your time management skills will increase greatly. When in doubt think of your time as something that can be on your side if you choose to master it, rather than just ignore it.
Posted by billenross at 03:04 PM | Comments (0)
May 21, 2006
BRANDING - It's NOT Just for Cattle Anymore
It is said "you can't judge a book by its cover." But people do. It is the packaging that sells it. The title and design of the cover will make all the difference in its appeal. You can do the same to develop a big booming business with something called BRANDING.
Branding is the immediately recognizable "ah-ha there it is!" That is what you want in your product and especially your business.
People may see it as in a picture, or hear it in a phrase that identifies the product or service as the one that focuses on them and their desires.
Upon entering the brain through the eyes, ears, or both, good feelings are triggered and drug-like chemical reactions in the body flood all nerve receptors with desire for the product.
Branding is a form of mesmerism by easy memorization to your prospects, who then become customers because when they go to buy the product they think of you.
You get famous through branding. The brand is you, how you get known, how you get success, and how you will get to charge more for what you have or do.
The jingle they cannot get out of their heads screams at them to buy and try your product.
It is a response, not a choice, because people know what they know, and through branding what they know is your product.
Branding makes your product sexy, seductive, irresistible, and "must have."
Things such as USP (Unique Selling Proposition or Unique Selling Point or Unique Selling Position or Unique Selling Presentation) also called UCA (Unique Competitive Advantage) distinguish you from your competitors. It's all about BRANDING!
The brand, the symbol of your uniqueness, gives you the advantage by sticking in people's minds. Branding pushes you ahead of the pack. You want to hook and reel them in.
Coming up with tactics for branding is your chance to be creative. Come up with an overwhelming benefit of your business above what other businesses have and make it catchy. Make it sing an opera, dance the twist, and sparkle like fireworks. This is what drives your marketing into the minds and hearts of your market.
Be bold, be different, one-of-a-kind, outstanding, magnetic! Use branding to be what only you can be and people will buy when you fill their need.
Here are some things people need:
They need things FAST.
They need things that make them FEEL GOOD.
They need things that ELIMINATE PROBLEMS.
They need things that ACCOMPLISH GOALS for them.
They need things that FILL VOIDS in their life.
They need SECURITY.
They need to BE IMPORTANT.
They need GUARANTEED RESULTS.
They need LOVE.
They need BARGAINS.
They need HOPE.
They need RELIEF.
They need a FRIEND and ALLY.
They need to SURVIVE and THRIVE.
They need YOU to FULFILL THEIR DREAMS.
Satisfy any of these cravings once for your customer and you can add one product after another to your business and the customer will buy. It will be because YOU are the brand the customer has gotten to know with fondness and learned to trust.
Get personal with customers and keep in contact. When Dave Thomas started doing commercials for his Wendy's Restaurants, the business revived from its slowdown because people could see what a likable guy he was.
Take what you do and present it to the public over and over in advertising and promotion and prove it in performance to your buyer.
Let's say your business fills the need in people to have what they want fast. Here are a couple successful slogans that went far to brand these companies. For Domino's Pizza - "30 minutes or it's free." For Federal Express - "When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight."
Such branding made an impact, made a reputation, and made sales. If you want to establish yourself in business, you can have no better strategy than branding. It is how cotton swabs become Q-tips, how tissue became Kleenex, how a copy became a Xerox.
Branding is what makes franchises so successful. You pay a lot of money for a franchise because if you work at it, it is sure to work, because it is already branded. McDonalds Restaurants are found worldwide as well as next door.
Brand yourself, your business, with the right ideas to motivate and excite, and whenever people think of your product or service, they will think ONLY OF YOU!
Posted by billenross at 01:26 PM | Comments (0)
May 20, 2006
If I Had Only Known Then What I Know Now!
Hindsight, we all know only too well, is a wonderful thing. For example, if we had only known that the ceiling on membership at a popular site was going to be subscribed so quickly - we would have joined up the minute we heard about it.
If we had only known that niche marketing was going to be so wildly popular we would have focused on that instead of MLM.
If we had only known that Google was going to change its algorithm and the rules of AdWords were going to change we would have...
Stop.
Stop, stop, stop.
In the world of Internet marketing, you can safely bet that the only constant is the rate of change! There's always news of the latest product dropping into your email inbox. There's always another promise of quick and easy money. Google will keep changing its algorithm, and new search engines are quite likely to pop up to challenge Google.
What can you do about this? Four main things:
(1) Continue To Educate Yourself.
Understand that those who rise to the top of any field - whether it's internet marketing or something else - are good at what they do. This means that they never stop learning. There are always new materials, new techniques and probably new 'experts' showing the way.
Most of us learn in three main ways: (a) from experts who specialize in a certain niche related to our field; (b) from others who are following the same path as we are, and (c) by trial and error, from our own results.
You will find that the more you immerse yourself in the world of internet marketing, the more you will be able to analyze which products, services and opportunities are right for you.
(2) Focus. Pick One System And Give It A Fair Go.
Countless people who start out on the internet with high hopes follow the same pattern. They get excited about a new product or system. They throw themselves into it and invest long hours (and potentially quite a bit of money) in getting it up and running. It might be e-books sold from mini-sites; it might be setting up an eBay business; it might be directory-type sites with text manipulators; it might be AdWords or content sites optimized for AdSense.
Then one day they get wind of another new system (probably one created by someone who claims "the gurus are angry with me for giving away all their secrets..."). Discouraged by the lack of results with the first "opportunity", they decide to let it rest for a while and try the new one. Back they go into the cycle of try-the-new-product, get-discouraged, discard-it-and-try-the-next-thing.
And so it goes on. Months pass. Perhaps years pass. They struggle to pay the credit card bills mounting from buying into every new system that comes along... with very little money coming in to offset their 'investment'. As they look back, they start muttering "If I had only known then what I know now..."
If you can recognize yourself in this scenario, the good news is this: Now you DO know better. You don't know what the next new product will be that's going to set the internet world abuzz, but you do know enough to choose a system that's right for you and stick to it.
(3) Take The Time to Plan.
Give yourself from two to four weeks to regroup. Go through all the products you have on your shelves or on your computer. Make a list. Decide which products you now know (so wise with hindsight!) to be worth keeping. Then analyze the 'keepers' and pick on the best system for YOU to use at this time. (This will depend upon your level of knowledge and which one you would enjoy most. Work with your strengths.)
Finally, devise a game plan. You are going to focus on this ONE method and devise a practical time-line to achieve results. Don't be in a rush. Make sure you give yourself enough time to see it 'take hold' so the money starts flowing in. That will give you the motivation to continue.
Clear the decks, physically as well as mentally. Put all the products that don't fit in with your plan in boxes or on disk for safekeeping. You may return to them one day, but if you've chosen the system that's right for you, you probably won't.
4. Don't Get Distracted by New Products.
Resolve to buy ONLY products or services that will save you time or money in implementing the system you have chosen. Never buy anything on impulse. Print out the sales letter, read it through, then put it aside. Read it through again the next day. Does it still seem so appealing? Check out a few forums to listen to the buzz. If a product doesn't deliver, you'll soon hear about it. If it is exceptional value, you'll hear about that, too.
Some questions to ask: "Will this help me to streamline the business I have chosen? Is it worth the money? Will it make a significant difference?" And above all, "Do I need this, or is it just another distraction?"
Resolve to make this the year you will succeed. No more pocket change. No more "If I had only known..."
You DO know.
So make it work.
Posted by billenross at 10:14 AM | Comments (0)
May 13, 2006
Myths and Misconceptions About Starting an Online Business
Are you trying to start an online business? Are you overwhelmed with the many online business programs available or concerned that you'll lose money by investing in them? While many offers sound too good to be true, there are some very good ones available - but how can you be sure? Learning to read 'between the lines' will better prepare you for what's really involved.
Here are some common phrases used to promote online businesses and what they really mean:
#1 - Simple & Easy
Simple and easy depends on who's speaking. A doctor may tell you it's only a 'simple procedure' but that doesn't mean that you should attempt it yourself.
Many online businesses ARE simple to operate. If you understand how it works you will be amazed at the simplicity - but getting to that point will require time and experience. You may just need to try a few to get a 'feel' for the business before deciding which one is easiest for you.
Those who have learned from experience can look back and see how simple it COULD have been if they'd known what to do all along. Finding a trustworthy guide can be a great assistance to your business efforts.
#2 - Anyone Can Do This
Sorry - starting a business of any kind is stressful and requires a learning curve. If you are attempting an online business out of desperation or the belief you will make easy money you will face enormous obstacles. On the other hand, if you are truly seeking a business you can learn, work at and make a living from, you will find something online that fits your needs.
Studies of successful business people concur that those who make it have common qualities of persistence, patience and desire. These qualities are essential when trying to start an online business - do you have them?
#3 - Turnkey
The term 'turnkey' use to mean that a business was set up and ready to go. You will find the term in business classifieds where the new owner can just step in and start running the business. Unfortunately some marketers use the term to suggest a business is fully automated - that there is no work involved.
There is always work involved. If the business really is turnkey than you will begin work right away because it has already been set to go. If you want an automated business you will have to do the work to make it automated. Either way, nobody is going to give you an automated, turnkey business that makes money - they had to do the work, so why would they share it?
#4 - It Won't Cost Anything
You absolutely CAN set up an online business with no money, but be prepared that a combination of no money and lack of experience will stifle your efforts immensely.
Most individuals who start or run a business with no money have learned how to make use of the best free techniques through experience. They have paid their dues by trying businesses that cost money. They have spent time in and around their industry or market and they've been able to see where they can cut costs.
If you are prepared to spend a LOT of time researching before starting your business you may be one of the few who does it right the first time. For most people though, expect to pay something towards your online business education before seeing results - you just can't buy experience.
Online business obviously has its share of work involved, but finding the right one has enormous payoffs many people are willing to sacrifice time and money to achieve. Running your own business is satisfying and can give you more time to do what you really want to do in life.
Creating a successful online business is within the grasp of nearly everyone who is prepared to stick to it. Face the task of starting your business with realistic expectations while continuing to dream big and you may just surprise yourself!
Bill Enross
Posted by billenross at 04:23 PM | Comments (0)
May 11, 2006
Seminars - The Real Deal
Do you want to know the quickest way to fast-track your way to success? Do you want to shorten your learning curve by years? The answer is simple. Attend a seminar.
Seminars provide the opportunity to learn from the best. Those who put on a seminar are there for a reason, they are very good at what they do. They offer their expertise willingly to anyone wishing to listen to it, for a price of course.
Let's look at four solid reasons why seminars pack the most punch for your learning dollar.
1. You will learn more in a day than you will in a month. Seminars are designed to give you the maximum amount of information into a predetermined period of time. Seminars can range from a couple of hours to a full week retreat.
2. As mentioned before, you get to learn from the best. You get to sit in the same room with an expert and listen to them share their wisdom and knowledge. It's a shame that many people cannot see the opportunity in this. An expert knows what information to provide to achieve maximum results in the least amount of time.
3. You are right there in the room with no outside distractions. No phones, no television, no kids yelling. We learn best from direct experiences. What better way is there to absorb information quickly than being a part of the action? Why do people go to the movies? Maybe it’s because they want to watch the movie in a room without any outside distractions. A movie theater provides them the environment to focus and absorb what is being presented to them.
4. Seminars provide tools of the trade. It may be a workbook or a physical product like a software CD. It may be included in the cost of the seminar or it may be offered for sale after the conclusion. Many people underestimate the value of these tools. These products were designed to help you continue and re-enforce what you have learned from the seminar. Why spend the money to attend if you are not planning to put the information learned to good use? If the seminar provided value to you it should be a sure bet that the book, workbook, audio or video series should also have value.
Take the time to attend at least one seminar this year. Whether you are looking to improve your life, make more money, plan for your retirement or even learning how to tie fishing flies. Someone is out there willing to help you achieve your goals with the tools in hand to get you there as quickly as possible.
Bill Enross
Posted by billenross at 03:56 PM | Comments (0)
May 08, 2006
How on earth do you choose?
Just a quick note to let you know about a marvelous new free
online tool.
It helps you make really tough decisions surprisingly quickly and
easily.
I really like it...
Let's say, for example, you want to expand your Internet
business. You can't decide which project to do next from among
the following:
- Write an ebook
- Write a special report
- Build multiple AdSense sites
- Create autoresponder courses
- Build a large website
- Start a forum
- Learn PPC arbitrage
- Start a blog
- Build multiple blogs
- Outsource a project
You can go round and round in circles weighing these things up.
It could take you ages to make a decision - especially if you're
a perfectionist and worried you might make the "wrong" decision.
This new software comes to the rescue.
You simply use the problem solver, the decision maker.
There's no trickery. It doesn't force-feed you answers. You make
your own decisions, based entirely on the information you type
into the software.
Here's how.
- Go Here
- Type in the choices you're trying to sort out in your mind.
- Enter your own factors, weighting them according to your own
situation.
- Score how well each choice meets each factor. (It's easier to
do this than it sounds.)
This new software works like magic.
It can take an incredibly complex question and reduce the answer
to a simple bar graph, showing you which course of action to
take.
People are using it to solve all sorts of business and personal
problems.
Want to decide...
- Where to go for a vacation?
- Which web host?
- Which topic for your new website?
- Which career for your child?
- Which woman/man to wed?
- Which employee to hire?
- ...and almost any other decision you need to make
Try the decision maker for yourself.
What's really amazing is that it doesn't cost anything.
You'll love it...
Bill Enross
Posted by billenross at 09:19 AM | Comments (0)
May 04, 2006
How to Write an Effective Newsletter
Printed newsletters are a really easy way to contact your prospective and current customers. They can even increase your sales while reducing advertising costs. Research shows newsletters get four times the readership of adverts or brochures, and customers are seven times more likely to buy from you than an average member of the public. A good newsletter can improve name recognition and brand awareness, establish your authority in your field, and differentiate your business from the competition.
Make the layout of your newsletter inviting. If it looks too packed with information it may seem hard work to read. Break up the copy with plenty of space and keep articles short. Use intriguing titles or ones that suggest the article provides quick and easy shortcuts. Also use photographs or cartoons on the cover to draw people's attention.
Choose your articles carefully so that each one promotes the correct image of your business. Decide whether the article is to reflect your expertise, customer care or some other aspect of your business. If you are not sure which areas are important and of interest to your customers slip a survey into your newsletter.
You should start the article writing process by deciding what specific results you want from the article. It may be to introduce a new product or service, or to counteract what a competitor is claiming, or to highlight why a customer might be interested in a special offer you have.
A good newsletter will have a longer shelf life than adverts and are more likely to be passed around to prospective customers. Get a balance between generic articles that would be of interest to your wider client base and those specifically about your products and services. Do not waste effort and space producing articles that are unrelated to your field. Also check that the views expressed in articles are unlikely to offend your customer base.
Try to keep copy simple and as jargon free as possible. Use short sentences. Involve the reader by asking questions. How could your business benefit from this advice?
A profile of a customer can show how your product or service is used, the results that it can produce, why someone would purchase from you, and what they are planning to do in the future with your assistance. If they are prestigious clients the article will give a positive reflection of your business as well as providing them with some useful and free PR.
Generate new leads by offering a free subscription to your newsletter on your business's marketing materials. Emphasize the news content and useful advice, and how it could benefit your prospective customer. Only a few of those who sign up for the newsletter will be time wasters. It is possible that as many as 80% could be converted to customers within six months. Without the constant contact that the newsletter offers they could drift into the arms of a competitor.
Bill Enross
Posted by billenross at 08:03 PM | Comments (0)
