Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

9 Little-Known But VERY Critical Sales Copy Variables For...

Whether selling online or offline, selling something inprint is one of the hardest things you'll ever have to do.You've got to worry about your headline... your opening...your closing... Sheesh!Today I'm going to show you 9 little-known bur VERY criticalvariables to test in your display ad or sales letter,without changing your content.Each of these variables will affect your response -- one w. . .

How To Avoid Putting Your Prospects On The Defensive!

The last thing you want to do is put your prospect on thedefensive, and if you're not careful about what you'resaying in your sales copy, you WILL do this -- especially ifyou aren't aware of what to look out for!Today we'll take a look at the third paragraph of ourmock display ad so you won't make this critical mistake.You can check out that original ad out, and even printout a copy of it, righ. . .

How to Get F.r.e.e Publicity For Your Business!

"Never under-estimate the power of the press!"I'm sure you're familiar with the phrase "the power of the press." It's this power that turns little, insignificant events into big news! Not only will the press print something they consider newsworthy, they will also print anything that is popular, controversial or sometimes just "new." In a nutshell, press coverage is one of the most powerful mar. . .

The Importance Of Using Quotes

I used to receive, from time to time, good feedback from my customers. Some of them were so satisfied by my products, that they used to write phrases such as "I've recently bought your UBM game and first of all I'd like to say thank you for developing this game since I've been looking for it years".I obviously was very pleased, but I was used to just close the email without doing nothing, until. . .

How "Thinking Outside The Box" Explodes Your Sales!

When it comes to marketing, it's said that if you want togrow your business, you need to think "outside the box".But as you know, "thinking outside the box" isn't alwayseasy.Here's an example of what I mean. See if you can figure outthebest thing to do in this situation.You're single and successful, busily driving home from workone Friday evening, alone in your car on a somewhat spookyand sto. . .

The 'Quick & Easy' Money Makers!

There's a popular myth floating around implying that your product has to be hundreds of pages long if it is to make you any real money.That's a big lie.More money is being made out there than ever before, by individuals selling short, focused reports! And it's growing at incredible rates.The classic example that always comes to mind is Internet Cash Machines by Allen Says. That book was release. . .

Promote While You Sleep

Discovering how to promote that new internet business is primary to it's success. A website without promotion may is like a dark closet in a basement of the world's largest city. No one is going to accidentally find your website. Here are three tips on how you can promote and manage your site 24 hours a day. Even while you are asleep. 1) AUTORESPONDERS: Probably one of the best-known and popula. . .

The Most Powerful Way To Influence Your Customers

Have you ever read a book or article and immediately felt a powerful connection with the author? As if the author was just like you, as if he knew exactly how you felt, as if he truly understood you?Have you ever read a salesletter that made you feel that way?For me personally, very few salesletters have had that kind of effect on me. But one thing's for sure... every time I have come across su. . .

5 Simple Ways To Promote Your Affiliate Programs - Withou...

So, you want to make money online, but you’re having trouble getting visitors to your website? If so, you’re not alone. Many people think that running an online busy is easy – just build a website, and in no time you’ll be making money.Well, running an online business is no different than running any business – you need to find ways to reach people who want and need (and are willing to pay for). . .

Lower Cost & Increase Conversion of Your AdWords Ads

Comparison shoppers are the mortal enemy of pay-per-click (PPC) advertisers. When you're paying each time someone clicks your AdWords (or other PPC) ad, the last thing you want is a person determined to visit every site to find the best price, the closest location or the most secure guarantee. But, with many categories of products or services, it's bound to happen. There is a way to eliminat. . .

Yahoo! Podcasts - Why It Matters to Your Business

Yahoo finally launched Yahoo! Podcasts in public beta, allowing users to easily search, preview and subscribe to audio content and listen at their own leisure. You can access it at http://podcasts.yahoo.com/. How can it help your business?What's in it for you?Podcasting is obviously all the rage nowadays. According to I ISP Interland's Summer 2005 Small and Medium-sized Business Barometer, 11% . . .

A Successful List Means Profit Increase

It is a tough world out there, especially in the world of cyberspace. The internet has brought with it many technological innovations, yet with it came along an influx of websites. The opportunities to make money online are there, but the competition is tough. The best option for survival is to have a solid relationship with your subscribers. Internet marketing is obviously different than offli. . .

Market Your Business Through Brochures

Picture this – you were sitting in the lobby of a hotel waiting for your friend to come down. Fifteen minutes have passed but she is still nowhere to be seen. You are getting bored and so you looked around for something interesting to see or read. Then you see this brochure in one of the racks beside your chair. It was really catchy and the photo was so enthralling. You wonder where this place . . .

Google for Search vs. Flishess for Search

Adding valuable search content to your website will bring in more repeat visitors and more revenue for your business. Everyday business owners try to think of new ways to get their customers coming back to buy from them rather than having to constantly look for new customers. Think about it like this, just as an example let's say that last month your brought in 3000 customers to your business o. . .

Get Better Google Rankings With Articles

It doesn’t really matter who you are; you definitely know something that’s worth sharing with other. In fact if you are a webmaster chances are you have a lot of knowledge that other’s could gain insight from. And that knowledge shared through articles can be a valuable asset to your website. Interesting and informative articles are in big demand. Article directories meet this demand by making . . .

Integrity: The Only Thing That Really Matters…in Business...

“If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters.”—Alan K. SimpsonIntegrity:The dictionary defines integrity as “steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.”In a business setting, integrity means following the highest standard of ethical and professional conduct. Honesty, loyalty, trustworthiness…blameless conduct is as important as a qu. . .

FREE is No Longer the Most Powerful Word in Advertising

For years ad execs and marketing experts made the claim that the word FREE was the most powerful word in all of advertising. I admit that it was probably in the top 2 or 3 in terms of power to grab attention….but, in today’s business climate it’s lost a lot of it’s appeal.Think about it. When you see something advertised as FREE do you immediately get excited and think, “wow something that g. . .

Network Marketing

What is network marketing? Many people are not really clear on the meaning of Network Marketing, let's begin with some examples.Let me ask you - have you ever referred a movie to someone or told them about a book, a handbag or a car you liked? Yes? Well that was Network Marketing! It is marketing via "World of Mouth". Referrals between two people that recommend goods and services resulting in s. . .

Flyer Delight

You would often see people handling out a piece of paper in the street. Out of your curiosity you would probably like to see what these people are handling out. So, you would get near them and ask for a piece of the paper that they are giving out. Then perhaps you would found out from the piece of paper that your favorite salon will be having a big discount on all their services this weekend. G. . .

The Success of Pixel Marketing Proves that Small is Beaut...

Advertising space on the web has typically been sold by the banner and by the click. Now, thanks to a hot new concept called pixel marketing, it’s being sold by the pixel. That’s right. Just when you thought there was nothing left to sell, the web has profitably parceled into blocks of pixels that advertisers are snapping up to promote their brands. Here’s how pixel marketing works. Pages are m. . .

A Simple Way To Create 7 Effective Autoresponder Messages

Email is the Net's most powerful marketing tool. And autoresponders are the best idea yet for marketing with email.There is an old saying that the first ad rarely sells. You have to put your product, service, or idea in front of a prospect several times before she buys.Autoresponders are designed specifically to get your message back to the same prospect over and over. That's why most autorespo. . .

Why Hire a Graphic Designer

To stay technologically ahead, one has to be innovative. To be innovative, one has to have passion, an enduring desire to improve that which others think to be good enough. With the growth of the Internet, more and more companies are taking their business online. The Internet offers an additional opportunity for income that requires little overhead costs. That is why it has become attractive fo. . .

7 Poor Reasons To Get Involved In MLM

Network marketing, or "MLM" can be a great way to earn everything from a small additional income to a generous full time living.However, many people join mlm type opportunities without really knowing what they are getting themselves in to. This is probably one of the biggest reasons for the fact that some people have very low thoughts about this type of business.Mlm works if you do it right. Pe. . .

Giveaways: Gifts that People Fancy Receiving

The right kind of promotional product can mean the difference between gaining customers and actually losing them. As everyone loves receiving gifts, promotional giveaways are one of the best ways to foster loyalty and get the attention of potential customers or clients. Likewise, these promotional products can help create name recognition and create customer goodwill.Promotional items such as m. . .

What the World Poker Tour Can Teach You About Marketing

Steve Lipscomb, creator of the World Poker Tour, has taken a dying sport and turned it into a national craze. Not long ago poker rooms at casinos where closing – nobody was interested. Today casinos are working like mad to build poker rooms and set up poker tables, and televised poker tournaments command millions of avid viewers.What he’s done with the sport of poker is nothing short of brillia. . .

How To "Make" Your Sales Copy Do All The Selling For You!

If you want to make your sales copy do all the selling foryou, here's a quickie mistake you'll have to eliminate.See, making your sales copy do all the selling for you willdramatically boost your response and your sales, if... youdo it right.There's a very simple error that clogs up your sales copy...distances your prospects from your products... and preventsyou from having that "greased slide. . .

Triple Your Sales By Turning Objections and Flaws Into Po...

I found out the hard way that...People are skeptical !One of the main reasons many readers don't buy is because they have many objections, concerns and questions that go unanswered, well after they have finished reading the sales letter."Unanswered questions and unresolved concerns sabotage sales letters!" -- Dan KennedyThe purpose of a sales letter is simple: to get the reader to take action! . . .

What Do You Do If Your Advertisement Doesn't Work?

Don’t despair. Follow these 6 basic rules for guaranteed success and if it still doesn’t work we will provide a free consultation.All too often I have heard clients say “Advertising doesn’t work for us” after a single appearance of their ad - sometimes even after trying only one media. There are a number of things you can do if you want to know for sure whether advertising works or not for you.. . .

Identity. Can It Really Be Packaged?

Individuality… Uniqueness… Identification. "This above all: to thine own self be true".What do all of the above have in common? They all translate into the meaning of 'identity'. Without it, we have no representation of our own characteristics or behaviour. Without it we remain nameless. Without it, we are in fact - lost.In an age of increasing identity theft, its importance cannot be denied. V. . .

Opt-In List Building Is A Provable Success

There has been a lot of talk about the reality of success regarding opt-in lists. Due to this talk there have been many marketers partaking in surveys conducted to ensure that website promotion through opt-in list building is not just internet hype. The results obtained in these surveys have clearly shown that opt-in list building is still the hottest marketing tool for website promotion.The su. . .

How To Supercharge Your Profits By Making One Small Change

Has someone ever talked to you about a problem they were having? And as you heard what they were saying, you knew that you could fix their problem! You knew that you had the perfect product, the perfect solution for them!But...they didn't buy what you were selling.Or maybe you've had this experience online. You knew you had a product that was in demand, you had the offer on your web site, and y. . .

Marketing Offline Can Substantially Increase Your Online ...

The Internet can be a scary place for those looking for a home-based business opportunity. The fear of not connecting personally with others is one concern and many people have been “taken” by online scams in their search for a legitimate business and are fearful to take any more risks. One way to overcome fears such as these is to market your online business locally. By simply offering the pe. . .

Don't Make These Common 4 Affiliate Mistakes!

Myths concerning affiliate marketing are appealing and attractive. People who do not know the entire system the wrong way round are prone to believing that it is something capable of giving them great fortune overnight. Stories concerning affiliates who earn tremendous amounts of money swim in their heads, and while these stories are as true as they can be, there are those who believe that th. . .

Add 5, 10, 20, Even 30 Money-hungry Reps Weekly

Hello, my name is Carl. I have been doing business over the internet for the past two years with only a modest amount of success until about 60 days ago. It was at that time that I recieved an e-mail that would practically guarantee that those days would be a thing of the distant past and that my business could instantly be brought to the attention of at least 12 million potential customers a. . .

Amazing Formulas of Super Affiliates

There is a frame work upon which success depends on affiliate marketing.Super Affiliates always work on this frame work to find the best ways to the best actions of their Internet business. #1. Super Affiliates Know How to Choose the Right Product The First Step to successful affiliate marketing is to choose the right products which have highest earning power, highly demanded by huge number of. . .

Reach Wealthy Prospects With Direct Mail Marketing And A ...

Do you need to reach wealthy prospects using direct mail? Then work on your list. Who you mail to (your list) is the single most important thing that determines your success.There are two main ways to target affluent buyers: where they abide, and what they buy.Where they abideEvery area of the country has places where the wealthy congregate. The affluent are concentrated in cities (London, New . . .

Affiliate Fraud - Avoiding Fraud In Lead Programs

Lead fraud is possibly the largest obstacle to successful lead gathering via Affiliate marketing on the internet. Finding pre-qualified leads online can be either very successful or very frustrating depending on how you set up your program to deal with fraud.Gathering leads through an Affiliate program can be a very successful venture if you find the right Affiliates. Names and contact details . . .

Top 5 Reasons for Buying a Used Trade Show Booth

You've done a couple of trade shows, rented a couple of spaces in exhibition halls, and admit it, you're hooked. You love the excitement of the crowds, of meeting your clients up close and in person. Hey, you don't even mind your aching feet! And you've been thinking that you'd like to do more trade shows and want a booth of your own. The trouble is you can't really afford to go all out yet. . .

Sound Marketing Advice: Be Careful Not To “We” All Over Y...

Building a small business from initial concept to successful money making machine is a daunting challenge. One of the most difficult tasks an entrepreneur faces is finding and keeping loyal customers. Most of their time and money is spent on trying to convert the prospects who have the power to make or break the business. Without these prospects becoming valuable customers, it’s extremely diff. . .

The Power Of Internet Marketing

Since instigating proper SEO techniques I have seen my web site visitors increase by over 1500%. My conversion rates have also gone from a meagre 0.5% to a very healthy 8%. How has this been achieved? By following seven simple guidelines which have not only seen my visitor figures sky rocket but also the web sites position in the major search engines has gradually improved until it sits on page. . .

B2B Direct Mail Lead Generation Success Needs Planning, T...

Is Direct Mail Useless for DMers?Is direct mail useless at helping direct mail businesses generate leads?That’s the question I was asked last week by a reader of Alan Sharpe’s B2B Direct Mail Tactics newsletter. Here is her unusual challenge, and my response.“My biggest challenge in generating leads from direct mail is to convince our marketing people that direct mail should be used. This is a . . .

You Can Prevent the Potential European and Asian Dominanc...

If your site is still in English - only, you are not alone. You are actually in the company of about 75% of businesses. This gives European and Asian based companies a tremendous advantage, as most of them already offer Multilingual Websites - Europeans have a long-standing tradition of using multilingual Marketing practices.European and Asian businesses are more experienced with International . . .

Explode Your Leads With Dynamite Sticky Handouts

You've put months into having your trade show booth designed. Now it's finished or very close. You walk around your new booth like a proud parent when it suddenly dawns on you; you need promotional handouts to go with it! Where to start, though?The key to a great promotional handout for a trade show event is that it provides needed information about you and your business. But for it to stic. . .

Marketing Plan

Creating a marketing plan for your business is crucial. Without one, it would be difficult for a business to generate revenue and successfully make a profit. It's essential you devise a plan that will clearly define the value of your products or services, with the end result benefiting your customers.Gathering What CountsThere are four major areas that you must have information about before c. . .

How to Use Email Marketing To Build Your Entire Online Bu...

Let me ask you a quick question....Do you know what is the most effective way to use email?C'mon...think really hard on this one...Don't know the answer?Actually it doesn't really matter...because I'm going to share with you 3 really simple and easy ways to use your email to build a profitable business completely online using nothing but your email list...I see you like this already...I. . .

The Impact of Follow Up

It never ceases to amaze me how few sales people make the time to follow-up after they have made initial contact with a prospect or customer. In the last few months, I can think of at least eight different situations in my own life (business & personal) when a salesperson did not bother taking this initiative. These included a landscaper who designed plans for our property, two different people. . .

How to Use The Power of Affiliate Marketing. (c)

What is Affiliate Marketing? Will it lift your business to the next level? or, is the Gold Rush over?A wise man once said that the majority of people take their project to the point where it looks impossible and then give up. That is NOT the time to give up, because two more steps could see success!You get up each morning – rush to your computer – you didn’t make any sales! Did you realise what. . .

The Changing of the Guard: Four Key Exhibiting Strategies...

Survey the crowd at any trade show, and one trend immediately makes itself apparent. Attendees are getting younger. The infamous Baby Boomers are preparing for retirement, and Gen X’ers have moved into upper management positions. Now we’re exhibiting for Generation Y.The members of Generation Y were born between 1977-1994. It’s a huge demographic, with over 68 million individuals, 40% of which . . .

7 Small Business Marketing Tips

Here are 7 low-cost but highly effective marketing tips to help any small business find customers and generate sales quickly.1. Don't Advertise Like a Big BusinessBig businesses advertise to create name recognition and future sales. A small business can't afford to do that. Instead, design your advertising to produce sales ...now. One way to accomplish this is to always include an offer in your. . .

Rut Busters: Changing Your Trade Show Routine

Routine is comfortable. We like knowing what we’re going to do, when we’re going to do it, and what we’ll be wearing while we do it. It’s nice, safe and predictable. There are no surprises, no unforeseen contingencies, no upsets.There is also no growth, no excitement, and no spontaniety. Routines can easily become ruts, especially at a trade show. It’s very easy to do, especially if you al. . .