Today's Feature Article

How can I generate some good sales leads?

by Jay Abraham

You can do it by offering prospects a free bonus, by selling certain items that qualify people, or by putting together some joint advertising deals with other businesses in a related line.

There are many ways to attract leads. Don't discount the possibility of buying "used" leads from other companies that approach the same prospects you want to approach.

For example, if you sell educational books, approach an encyclopedia salesperson and offer to buy the leads he or she might otherwise throw away.

An important question to ask yourself is whether the leads you generate or purchase convert to sales. Leads are not worth anything unless you can convert them to sales and profits. Don't be overly concerned about the quantity of lead you can generate. You may want to qualify your leads so that you have greater likelihood of converting them to sales. You'll also spend less time and money going after unqualified prospects when you seek out the most promising leads.

Use Words that Speed a Sale

When composing ads for publications, or writing a sales letter, make sure that you ask for an immediate order - and tell your customers or clients precisely how to order. And, for a prompt response, choose words that suggest urgency.

Here are some words and phrases that will give you an urgent tone:

Business is a contact sport. In order to succeed, you must go out of your way to generate leads.

Unfortunately, many companies spend a great deal of time and money generating leads - through ads, trade shows, free seminars and the like, but lose control of them. The leads often get distributed directly to the sales force and distributors, so the company managers have no way of knowing the extent or quality of the selling follow-up. Also, too often they make no attempt to keep track of the leads.

Some really ingenious things can be done to produce "leads" that turn into customers. You might laugh at this true-life example, but I know a bartender who made a deal with a dating service. He said, "Look, I've written two little guidebooks on how men and women can strike up an acquaintance at a bar. If you'll insert a flyer about my books in your mailings to prospects who call your 800 number, I'll give you a percentage of my sales."

Last I heard, the arrangement is working very well - for both the bartender/author and the dating service!

*******************************
As the founder and CEO of Abraham Group, Inc. in Los Angeles, California, Jay Abraham has spent the last 25 years solving problems and significantly increasing the bottom lines of over 10,000 clients in more than 400 industries worldwide. Jay has seen and dealt with every type of business you can imagine. And he’s studied and solved every kind of business question, problem, challenge and opportunity. http://www.abraham.com/

Today's Motivational Reading

Gifts Children Unknowingly Give
by Diana Hooper

Children: For many people, just the thought of combining children and business fills them with horror. To them, children are nothing but a constant nuisance and continual interruption. "It simply can't be done!" they proclaim.

I am not one of those people.

In fact, if it weren't for my children I wouldn't be in business today.

It is true that children tend to be distracting and will constantly interrupt your train of thought and hinder your "progress". (I know – I home school as well as run a business, so there's plenty to cause interruption). But, on the other hand, if you have an offline business, you tend to be distracted by employees who are not doing their job correctly and customers who are constantly interrupting your train of thought and hindering "progress".

Maybe employees and customers don't go well with a business either?

The gifts children give can be an invaluable resource

No, not everyone can handle working with children around - but for me it is a necessity!

Do my children know that they provide me with so much? No, and I do not plan on telling them. Because...

It is usually in the gifts that are given unknowingly that we are blessed the most.

***************
Diana Hooper of Help-For-Your-Business.com brings you articles & tips to boost your business, improve your health, make you laugh, and more! Send a blank email to: subscribe@dhooper.par32.com for our Tips, Tricks and Specials Ezine

Subscribers' Corner

How Not to Begin Your Internet Career!
by Linda Offenheiser

When I first decided to start an Internet business it was a complete comedy of errors. I made every mistake a newbie can possibly make. If I missed one or two it was simply dumb luck.

At that time I didn't have any idea of what I really wanted to do. My lack of direction left me prey to all of the scams out there. I joined any program that sounded easy and promised quick money. (Just a little naive huh?) My bank account took a definite dip.

It wasn't just the "get-rich-quick" schemes I fell victim to! I also bought an impressive array of eBooks and eCourses - all of them containing information I HAD to have to be successful on the net.

By the time I'd finished reading the first three or four of these I was suffering from a severe case of information overload. And . . . my bank account had taken yet another plunge.

By then I was confused, depressed and broke. None of the programs I'd joined had brought in appreciable income. Every day, without fail, I was submitting hundreds of ads (all to safelists). I'd earned the grand sum of $2.50!

That was when I almost quit - thankfully I didn't. Instead I read a lot of free ezine articles, joined forums and bought a recommended (and affordable) course that showed me what I was doing wrong and how to correct it.

I still haven't made a fortune but I am building a solid business I enjoy. I continue to learn from my mistakes - no, I don't have it all down perfectly yet.

Despite all of the ads that tell you differently, I don't think there is a magic formula for success on the Internet. But I do believe that taking the following steps will help you along the right path.

Remember this:

If you could get up the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed. David Viscott

***************************
Linda Offenheiser is proudly involved in a business aimed at increasing safety and wellness in the home. You can read her testimonial at http://excel.makemoreathome.com or to contact her lindaoffenheiser647@msn.com

To listen to a new Top Show, click the picture.

To Get FREE Tips, Books, Software,
Subscribe below!

Read Our Weekly Column
http://www.thecassiopeia.com/Guide/DrEBiz.html

Subscribe to 'Pathway To Success' Published every other Sunday, our FREE Ezine helps Subscribers to succeed in their online home business providing them with hot marketing tips, top webmaster resources, articles, motivational reading, FREE Ads, Subscriber Corner, Web Lions Library, special FREE services, Bonuses and more. Check current visitor Issue. Click here! Name: Email:  Don't forget to collect YOUR FREE Bonuses! Get Your Special Motivational 2003 Calendar Note: Please don't use any hotmail, yahoo, zwallet addresses nor autoresponders. These will not subscribe you. Privacy Guarantee: Your privacy is 100% guaranteed. We never share any personal data incl email addresses with any third party, we do not even store email addresses on third party servers.

Every evening, write down the six most important things that you must do the next day. Then while you sleep your subconscious will work on the best ways for you to accomplish them. Your next day will go much more smoothly. Tom Hopkins

Get one of the Feature Ads in our Ezine:
http://www.thecassiopeia.com/WebmasterMall/EzineAdPrices.html

If you like our Ezine, click the button to recommend us, your ad will get a higher exposure and you can also win $10,000:

Administration

***************************************************** The articles published here may be reprinted or used freely as long as it is in its entirety incl the resource box of the author *****************************************************

OnlineBannerNet.com - 10,000 FREE credits!