Today's Feature Article

The Proper Bait
Bob Osgoodby

Every year about this time, we make our annual pilgrimage to the waters of the Atlantic to go striped bass fishing. Loading the boat with all the essentials, such as something cool to quaff and piles of sandwiches, we grab our rods and reels and sally forth.

But wait - did we forget something? Sure did - we need to have bait. What are they biting on this time of year?

Fortunately there is a bait shop on the way out, so we tie up to the dock and go inside. There we talk with the owner who tells us they are biting on several different kinds, so taking his advice we buy several. At first we each use a different kind, and if they seem to favor one bait over the other, we all start using the one that is attracting the fish.

Hmm - sounds familiar doesn't it. We do the same thing when trying to lure customers into our online offers. Like in fishing, you need the essentials in your business. Our web site and email programs can be compared to the fishing equipment, but we have to have the proper bait. This is where your advertising comes in. Your ads are your bait, and you will need to use different ads to attract different customers.

Writing ads is a skill you must master if you wish your online business to prosper. There has been a lot written about writing effective ads. Sometimes what might be considered a bad ad by the pros is one that actually works. Why you might ask? Different styles appeal to different people, and you have to realize, that while the web might provide a level playing field for entrepreneurs, the likes and dislikes of potential customers are vary widely.

While "Glitz", and exaggerated earnings claims might appeal to some, to others it is a turn off. Wild claims about earnings potential might gather some prospects, but will be an automatic "click away" for others who prefer a low key approach. You must experiment with different ad copy, and keep records of what is drawing.

There are many ways to do this, and some suggest that you have multiple web sites geared towards ads that are running. In your ads, you point your visitors to different sites and by keeping statistics, you can see which ads are working.

But here is the dilemma. Depending on any number of factors, visitors could be coming from places other than your ads, and the results might be misleading. If, for example, a search engine picks up one site and not the other, you will obviously have more visitors to the site that has been indexed.

Bluntly, hits to your web site don't really count - sales do. Your first job however, is to get visitors to your site. This is done through a variety of methods, including advertising, the use of search engines and email. Once you get them there, you must then sell them on your product.

On our web sites, we have an "after sale" questionnaire and we simply ask them how they found us. Now these people have decided to do business with us, and their answers will most likely be truthful. We then log this information, which helps us determine what advertising is working.

Ads that don't appear to be pulling, we modify until we start seeing positive results. One of the best places to test your ads is in ezine publications that are highly targeted toward your potential customers. I don't recommend ads in publications that are not targeted to your prospects. Unless you have a very generalized product, the return you get in these will most likely be minimal. More importantly, you won't get sufficient information to determine if the actual copy is working.

Many people have been advertising in the same ezines for years. Remember that there is some "thrashing" that occurs, and some people drop off the subscription list for the publication, but others are added. This gives you a constant new group of people who will read your ad every time it is published.

Experienced online entrepreneurs will even keep the same copy year after year if it is pulling. It usually takes 5 to 7 exposures anyway until they receive "brand identification". When someone is willing to "bite", if they have the proper ad, they will remember them. To land your customers, like in fishing, you must have the proper bait.

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Did you know that subscribers to Bob Osgoodby's Free Ezine "Tip of the Day" get a Free Ad for their Business on his Web Page? Great Business and Computer Tips, Monday thru Friday Instructions to place your ad are in the Newsletter. Subscribe at: http://adv-marketing.com/business/subscribe2.htm

Today's Motivational Reading

The power of silence
Higher Awareness

"Growth takes place in a person by working at a deep inner level in a sustained atmosphere of silence." -- Dr. Ira Progoff

How can we hear our wise voice of intuition if we are always thinking, talking and distracted by outer events?

If we take time daily to experience physical stillness and to direct our attention inside, we can begin to find the peace, love, will and wisdom that exist as our essence.

"Only when one is connected to one's own core is one connected to others... And, for me, the core, the inner spring, can best be refound through solitude." -- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

"In the sweet territory of silence we touch the mystery. It’s the place of reflection and contemplation, and it’s the place where we can connect with the deep knowing, to the deep wisdom way." -- Angeles Arrien

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You Deserve Spiritual and Financial Fulfillment! One thing only STOPS MANY FROM BEING SUCCESSFUL - themselves ... and we have the solution! Explore different meditation techniques to overcome anxiety, stress and mediocrity. Attain more balance and harmony in your life. Receive 6 months of email support for daily meditations. http://www.thecassiopeia.com/HigherAwareness/

Today's Subscriber Article

Too Much Choice Can Kill Your Business - How To Stay Focused On Profits
Jason Jantzi

Is your business laser-focused? Here are three strategies to target your profits...

One of the great traps that Internet entrepreneurs fall into is losing focus.

With all the money-making products, opportunities, and affiliate programs available on the Internet today, it becomes more and more difficult to decide on a singular aim and stick with it.

However, it has been proven in marketing for years that repetition and consistency are the keys to establishing confidence in your customers. This confidence, in turn, is the key ingredient they need in order to buy from you.

As a result, changing directions, products, messages, even look-and-feel too often will alienate your customers before you even get started.

Focus is the key to avoiding this trap.

However, there is a problem. Most budding Internet entrepreneurs flat-out don’t know whether the product they have, or the marketing efforts they undertake, are (a) working or (b) even likely to work. This makes it difficult and worrisome to stay focused on the plan if they don’t see results immediately.

This is where effective Idea planning can save the day.

You need to know 3 things about your business idea in order to stay focused on it confidently:

Fortunately, there is an easy step-by-step way to do this.

First, you define who your target market is and how your solution helps them.

Second, you define simple, measurable ways to reach that market. Remember the three key pillars of fast and profitable marketing:

Effective use of pay-per-click instant traffic

Using e-zine ads and articles to broaden your reach

Using Joint Ventures for instantaneous sales

Third, you check the following key variables as your plan progresses, to tell you how to expand or adapt your roll-out for maximum profits:

Number of visitors to your sales page

Number of subscribers to your mailing list

Number of sales resulting from the visitors to your sales page

Following these three steps consistently is all it takes to airlift your business to higher ground. The steps are not guesswork. They’re common sense, and they work.

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Jason Jantzi has launched 17 successful products and can help you launch yours. For a free copy of the step-by-step Profit Assessment Toolkit, visit Jason below. The few minutes you spend with these tools will save you time and money for years to come.
http://www.IdeaProfitWizard.com/toolkit.htm

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