Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Writing Sales Letters that Slay ‘em

We all think about slaughtering our competition in one way or another – but the real key to exterminating your competition is writing a great sales letter that contains killer copy.A sales letter must grab the attention of your prospect right out of the gate with an opening statement that sucks them into reading your entire letter.(example: Calendars Boost Sales Throughout The Entire Year)Once . . .

What Is Education Based Marketing

Selling-based marketing is built around a selling message, sometimes called a sales pitch. The sales pitch is often delivered using methods that reach out to prospective customers, such as telephone selling, direct mail and door-to-door sales. Education-Based Marketing is built around an educational message, which replaces the sales message. The educational message is commonly delivered to pros. . .

Five Easy Ways to Promote Your Website

Advertising and promoting your website can be tough: it appears that there are many different ways to accomplish this task, but most of them take time or money with out guaranteed return. In order to make things a bit easier I have compiled list of ten really simple techniques to promote and advertise your website.1. Advertise in the general Media. To this point, you may have already overlooked. . .

How to Make Your Cold Calling Effective

4 examples of effective dialogue in cold callingHow can we make cold calls “work” when we’re talking to someone we haven’t met, about something they may not need? Well, it’s really simple. First we look at how to relate to them rather than hoping they’ll relate to us and our solution. When we approach cold calling with a question about what their needs are, potential clients respond much more . . .

Boost Your Emotional Marketing Potential

Why do people buy your product? If you stack up enough benefits to outweigh the costs of purchasing it, do you automatically close the deal? It doesn't always happen, does it? Consumers are not calculating machines. They are soft, warm, breathing humans with emotions that assign meaning and personal significance to your products.How do potential customers evaluate your products (or services)? H. . .

17 Important Points To Consider Before You Hire A Law Mar...

As we fast approach the new year, many firms are preparing to launch their 2006 marketing efforts. If you're thinking about hiring a marketing specialist, make sure you consider these 17 key points. 1. Objective Advice. Consultants who are paid fees are more likely to give you unbiased advice than consultants who earn commissions based on the amount of money you spend. If the consultant profits. . .

How To Multiply Your Profits By Simply Cloning Yourself

Want to know a "sneaky" way to instantly generate more sales and multiply your profits by "cloning" yourself? You do? O.K., then here it is. What you want to do, is to go out and "clone" yourself. Create another company that's selling the exact same thing you are, change something about your marketing or your service or product, and then start marketing it. For example, if you're a personal tra. . .

Do Your Adverts Get You More Sales?

Philadelphia retailer and US Postmaster General, John Wanamaker, once said, "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half." If you’re spending $10,000 a month on advertising $5,000 is going straight down the tubes. That wastes $60,000 of your hard earned cash every year. Money you could spend on better, more focused marketing. Imagine if you could work. . .

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Do you remember that old toothpaste commercial that had the slogan "Put your money where your mouth is?"OK - maybe this Diva is dating herself but that tagline has always stuck with me - especially when it applies to business!Selling is all about relationships. And guess what? We have relationships with those we feel we can trust. They don't FEEL RISKY.Here's . . .

Smart Advertising That Will Skyrocket Your Business Profits

If you want to Sky Rocket your profits immediately in your business today. Learn how to write killer Sales & Advertising Copy and win the heart of your customer so they buy over and over…Read On!Here are the basic steps of marketing & advertising you must know & use, if you want to make huge profits in your business.Did you know?...Marketing and Advertising work together you simply can’t overlo. . .

How To Easily Make A Fortune From "Niche" Markets!

I knew this day would come......the day when most of the "how-to marketing" crowd would be forced to find other niches in order to survive.Those who saw the signs early on and were smart enough to find their own niches, went on to create small fortunes in the process - usually with just a single product.And now it's your turn...to stake your claim, to grab your share of the online fortune...If . . .

How to Skyrocket Your Paid Search Profits

Because of increasing competition that has led to higher advertising costs with paid search, many battle-scarred - “do-it-yourself” – businesses have not realized their intended objectives. Although publicized as a straightforward, self-service marketing tool, paid search, like Overture (re-branded as Yahoo! Search marketing) and Google AdWords, involves far more knowledge than most businesses. . .

Attention! More Sales ~ Not More Visitors

“I expected sales from the volumes of visitors sent to my website”. Have you said this before?Let’s imagine that you had setup a paid search campaign using a second-tiered paid search engine like ePilot to drive “visitors” to your website. Chances are you were thinking that if you can generate thousands of new visitors to your website that you will automatically generate more sales, right? I. . .

Defining Both Top- and Bottom-Line Growth for Your Web Bu...

On Wall Street, financial investors speak of CEOs improving their companies’ “top line” by increasing sales volume or their “bottom line” by reducing their expenses to expand the margins from their current sales volume.For Internet companies a similar “top line – bottom line” approach should be taken by business owners determining where to direct their improvement efforts. Defining Top-Line ver. . .

Capture Greater Profits by Leveraging Paid and Natural Se...

When paid search emerged into the main stream in the late 1990’s to early 2000’s it was triumphed as a user-friendly replacement of the often confusing and technically-demanding strategy of natural search optimization (commonly called, “SEO”). As such, paid search opened new doors for entrepreneurs to visitor traffic to their websites that produced cost –effective leads and sales.Unfortunately. . .

Uncovering the Web Profitability Equation™ to Surge Your ...

Performance improvement is on every website marketers’ agenda – but how do you achieve it? Whether it is performance related to building your brand, generating more sales or leads or increasing subscriptions, website marketers demand greater returns from their business initiatives. Today more than ever, stakeholders ranging from Wall Street, to Boards, to private investors demand higher and q. . .

Let Your Objective Guide You…

Recently I was talking with a very bright traditional marketer on the value of integrating Internet marketing into a website’s marketing mix. Personally, I have witnessed significant website sales or lead increases when traditional marketing strategies like direct mail, radio, television or publicity are performed in conjunction with proven internet marketing strategies. Although my marketing . . .

Marketing Secret: Emotions are Contagious

You may know a few vampires. You know - the people that seem to suck the energy out of a room when they walk in leaving everyone feeling depressed. You probably also know people who, "light up a room" when they walk in. You might describe someone you just met as "rubbing you the wrong way" if you found yourself irritated with them and you just didn't know why.As someone trying to market a small. . .

Part 3: What to do as PPC Costs Increase? (Part 3 of 3 Se...

In my previous article, I explained how increasing your website’s sales conversion (number of visitors who purchase your product) generates more revenue which enables you to profitably manage rising pay-per-click costs. In this article, I’ll explain a final strategy that involves calculating and using your average customer lifetime value as a way to bid at higher prices while remaining profita. . .

The Art of the Pay-per-Click Start – Round 1 of 2

Setting up a pay-per-click campaign is simple, right? Practically all paid search engines especially the top-tiered ones like Google Adwords and Overture provide extensive training materials. It is advertised that in less than three hours, you can select your keywords, write your ads and have a campaign either submitted for an editorial review at Overture or active on Google. It sounds so un. . .

Is Your Paid Search Advertising Generating Positive Finan...

As an online business, you may be familiar with or currently utilize “pay for performance” search engines to send visitor traffic to your website. Also known as pay-per-click, PPC or paid search, it has literally taken the online marketing world by storm especially the two largest players, Overture and Google Adwords. A 2004 “New Methods in Search Marketing” study by Piper Jaffray stated that. . .

Beware the Click Without the Conversion

It is a funny thing with pay-per-click marketing.Marketers spend significant time and money increasing their traffic volume (click-throughs) while focusing less on the website conversion strategies that produce results from the click-throughs. Why is this funny? Because in essence, a “click-through” places money in the pocket of the pay-per-click search engine --- only a “conversion” like a s. . .

The Sirens Call for Search Engine Marketing

“I want to be at the top on Google!” Ah…the business owner’s mantra that echoes throughout the halls of offices around the world.It’s difficult to dispute the rational behind the rant since Google continues to outpace its rivals in popularity with an 89% “strongly positive experience” rating from an opinion poll of U.S. Adult Internet Users conducted by eMarketer in early 2005. Google certain. . .

What to Do When Your Pay per Click Keyword Bids Increase?

As we enter 2005, a hot topic in the search marketing industry has been the drastic increase of major category keyword bid prices for top-tiered pay-per-click search engines like Overture and Google Adwords. Although the degree of increase varies among industry resources, a recent survey conducted by the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) indicated an average 26% increas. . .

Get Results: Start with Your Marketing Message and Objective

Recently I was talking with a very bright traditional marketer on the value of integrating Internet marketing into an enterprise’s marketing mix. Personally, I have witnessed significant and measurable increases in the online results of an enterprise when they include traditional marketing strategies like direct mail, radio, television or publicity with their internet marketing strategies. Alt. . .

Know These Three Performance Metrics to Increase Website ...

As Internet business owners, we are bombarded with advice on how to manage, market and grow our businesses. Because of the sheer volume of information, we are forced to weed through the “need to know” versus the “nice to know.” We realize that identifying the “need to know” is essential to achieving our goals.Think about this… Last month, you spent $2,000 on advertising to send 5,600 visito. . .

How to Forecast and Budget Your Paid Search

I’d admit, for marketer, this headline is mundane. Couldn’t I have come up with a more motivating one? No and here’s why...forecasting and budgeting is essential and there is no reason to candy-coat the absolute importance of it for starting or maintaining a paid search campaign.I contend that one of the most common questions asked of us from new clients is, “What do you estimate our paid sea. . .

Valuable Small Tools

If you want your postcards to really be the valuable tool that it is for your business or company, there are things you need to remember:Focus on your mailing list. As much as possible, make sure that they will go to the prospects likely to avail of your products and services. And has a history of taking on offers that interests them. There are mailing list brokers you can get this info about.B. . .

Part 2: What to do as PPC Costs Increase? (Part 2 of 3 Se...

In the first article of this three-part series, I explained how to determine your current performance metrics to set a baseline for selecting and measuring website conversion strategies. In this article, I’ll explain the process of website conversion for a paid search campaign and identify some strategies to reduce the gap between your baseline performance and your website performance goals.Wha. . .

Whose Bank Account is Overflowing from Your Pay-per-Click...

It is a funny thing with pay-per-click marketing…Marketers spend significant time and money increasing their traffic volume (click-throughs) yet very little on the performance of their individual pay-per-click keywords. Why is this funny? Because in essence, a “click-through” places money in the pocket of the pay-per-click search engine --- while only a sale or lead generates money for the ma. . .

How NOT to Design an Email Campaign

1. WRITE IN ALL CAPITALS. People love getting yelled at. They never get enough verbal abuse from their family, coworkers, and fellow commuters. So, go ahead SHOUT AT THEM. Hey, if you're lucky, maybe they'll return the favor. 2. Include your URL (website address) from the very beginning. While you're at it, go ahead and tell them what they're getting for Christmas and how all the magic tricks a. . .

Signature Lead Capture Pages - How They Can Help You & Yo...

If you have any experience promoting an MLM or other Network Marketing opportunity online you know all about "replicated websites" and that pretty much every Network Marketing company today offers this seemingly useful to all of their distributors. You will probably agree that if you have had any experience trying to advertise these replicated distributor websites that the response has been fai. . .

Affordable Advertising Agencies

Low cost internet advertising agencies are the ideal way and most recommended means to make your product or service known and for your web site to earn money. There is such a very huge range of affordable internet advertising agencies that are now found in the Net. There are various Internet advertising agencies according to the kind of product or service they provide. Here is a list of a few o. . .

RSS - Has It's Time Finally Come?

If you're like many you are saying "What is RSS?" It stands for Really Simple Syndication and has been around for about 10 years in one form or another. It's that tiny orange RSS graphic hidden at the bottom of web sites that when you click on it you get techno-garbo (XML)! However, news media sites have been using it to feed news to web sites, RSS Readers, and technophiles looking for the next. . .

Low Cost Internet Advertising Solution Versus Conventiona...

Since the early 90’s, the internet has become known as a medium for advertising. It has also been preferred by consumers and businessmen in public shopping and business dealings. Unlike any other media, like television, radio and print, internet advertising solutions with its low cost has become widely used. Due to the considerable growth in figures of internet users and because of the inexpens. . .

Internet Marketing Strategies That Won't Hurt Your Saving...

Your new business will benefit a lot from various Internet marketing methods. But you don't have to spend millions of dollars just to get some decent exposure for your company. There are ways to make your business be seen and felt without doing overkill with your advertisement expenses. Make use of your online power - through Internet marketing. Here are simple methods that you may employ to bo. . .

How To Handle The Top 10 SME Sales Objections - Part I

A Sale is considered closed when the buyer and seller reach agreement on terms for the buyer to take ownership of a product or service. To get to this stage, the seller normally has to “close” the sale, by asking the buyer for their business. This is where the buyer raises “objections”. Objections generally fall into three main types. This article will explore the types of objection, how they a. . .

The Power Of Words

It is a known fact that a business could never be successful without the aid of advertising. In fact, it is considered as the lifeblood of almost all kinds of businesses. That's why sellers and entrepreneur wannabes on eBay understand the impact of an effective advertising technique on their items listing. Basically, the sale of an item on eBay is dependent on the so-called eBay keyword program. . .

Revealed: the Ultimate Lead Generation Tool

There is one lead generation strategy that out performs all others exponentially. This strategy is so powerful that when applied in a systematic fashion, to an existing business, it will more than double your profit. Even more appealing, it entails practically no additional marketing expenditure. The most amazing fact however about this method, is that less than 1 in 10 companies have implement. . .

The 7 Step Challenge - Does Your Marketing Company Measur...

What makes you different? How do I know I will get value from your services? Why should I use your services, as opposed to someone else? These are questions that I get constantly. I am sure that in your business you get equivalent questions. This article objectively looks at criteria you should use for choosing services like 3R’s. I would strongly advise you to use this as a template for the pr. . .

Promote Quickly & Easily With The Two-Step

Here's a really simple way... to promote your online business today. It makes no difference if it is a product or a service. You can start today getting some needed exposure to your site in two simple steps. That's why I call it the "Two Step" approach. Discovering how to get visitors to your site is a steep learning curve for most. Whether you are a beginner or a veteran, it requires some work. . .

All About Internet Advertising Methods

People opt for internet advertising methods because practically half of the world's population knows HTML. If you have your own business, you have to decide on what internet advertising method works for you. Ask yourself what are you going to avail of: the expensive internet advertising methods or the cheap ones? Others will pipe in "expensive!" immediately, but they don't know cheap internet a. . .

Low Cost Advertising And Scams On The Internet

“A business without a sign is a sign of no business”. This is an advertising banner or quotation that can be seen in large billboards along the roads and on the side or top of buildings that is vacant. Television and radio would say, “This program would not be shown or be heard without advertisement”. It is true since most of us are watching the free television channel and programs are produced. . .

Brochures: Are They In or Out?

The increasing demand for effective marketing tools have opted various business owners to employ the use of brochures. Brochures are single sheet documents that are commonly printed in one or two colors or in a full four color printing process. Its sizes ranges from the considered standard 8 ½ x 11, 8 ½ x 14 for the legal page size and then the 11 x 17.A brochure usually contain relevant inform. . .

Top 5 Tips For Effective Email Marketing

Over the past few years, research has continued to prove the benefits of e-mail marketing for business: low costs, high conversion rates and detailed tracking are all notable features. But e-mail marketing is becoming much more than just a tool for spammers and e-businesses. Consumers are becoming increasingly savvy on the differences between spam and permission-based emails, and more and more . . .

Aggressive Internet Marketing Made Possible

Aggressive internet marketing means full-blown marketing and promotions that exceed any businessman's expectations. A business needs fierce internet marketing. No more, no less. But to make it low cost? Is that even possible? How can something so aggressive be affordable? Luckily, you can avail of inexpensive aggressive internet marketing if you just look hard and good enough. Be keen and alert. . .

Why Choose A Catalog?

The choice on the marketing tool to use depends on the type of business. There are actually so many kinds of marketing tools to choose from however it is important that you know which one is applicable to your business. One of the most chosen marketing tool is the catalog. But for starters let us first define what catalogs are. Catalogs are multi-page documents that permit customers to view an. . .

Traffic Exchanges Versus an Exchange of Ideas

It's true, no matter what you promote on the net, the old saying that 'bigger is better' still applies. NetHits' team of editors have spent the last year autosurfing, clicking, reading emails, and trying out the latest seo tools to see what actually works and what doesn't. If you want the truth, most programs out there are simply boosting your Alexa Traffic Rating, which in the great scheme of . . .

Tool Talk: All About Internet Marketing Tools

Who doesn't want inexpensive internet marketing tools? In this day and age when advertising your business online is the way to go, it's a must that you avail of internet marketing tools at the lowest cost possible. How can you avail of them? How can you make the most out of these low cost internet marketing tools? These low cost internet marketing tools aim to better your website and promote th. . .

The Changes That Goes With Color Printing

As an answer to the ever increasing demand for color printing, paper manufacturers have developed new grade of papers that can equal the quality of the commercially used printing papers (offset or rotogravure printing papers). These new developed printing papers shows the same smoothness, brightness and opacity that are just perfect for any type of printing process. Plus with the continuous in. . .