MYTH: Alice, You Didn’t Slow Down After The Baby!

By Alice Seba

Quite a few times in the past couple of months, people have told me they were surprised that I didn’t slow down (in regard to my online business) after the baby was born.

Truth be told, this has been a crazy household and there has been little time for work. With a brand new baby girl, healing from surgery and my youngest son starting kindergarden (2 1/2 hours in the morning), the days are full of welcome interruptions, needed rest and chaos. I absolutely DID slow down. Not only did I not have a choice, but it was great to have the time just to enjoy the new addition to our family.

But of course, if you visit this blog regularly, are my customer or newsletter subscriber…it did appear that I was as hard at work as ever. Blogs posts kept publishing, emails kept broadcasting, the Sweetie Saturday Report Club goodies were sent to members on time, customer service continued to be delivered and so on.

Well, all of this was prepared before the baby was born. Blog posts were prewritten and scheduled in WordPress (a note on how I bulk publish blog posts QUICKLY is here). Emails were written, web pages that needed updating were prepared and reports were created and loaded in an advance. To ensure everything went off with a hitch, a full schedule and list of instructions was provided to my online business assistant (she’s a LIFESAVER!).

By doing this, I got 2 months ahead of schedule and it was a lot easier than you might think. By having everything planned out, it was easy to get everything set up and ready. By the way, if you use the free planning calendar…it’ll make it easier to do stuff like this. Whether you just want to get ahead “just in case” or your planning a vacation or even if you’re expecting a new bundle of joy too, it’s great to have that piece of mind.

A Simple Copywriting Strategy To Boost Your Sales

By Jarod Lam

If you sell a general product to a general market, here’s a simple yet powerful copywriting strategy that will increase your sales.

Let’s say you wrote an ebook that teaches job hunters how to get a job in 30 days. And you wrote a sales letter with the headline:

“How To Get A Job In 30 Days Or Less.”

Now, you may be able to generate some sales with that letter. But here’s a strategy that will boost your sales. It’s so simple that it’s surprising how many experienced marketers overlook it.

It’s called market segmentation.

You see, just because your ebook is a general product that appeals to a general market, doesn’t mean that your sales letter has to be general as well.

When it comes to communicating your sales message, a customized message will always outperform a general one.

And that’s where market segmentation comes in.

Instead of writing a general sales letter that targets everyone, write multiple letters that target multiple market segments while selling the same product.

How To Segment Your Market

One easy way to segment your market is to study your keywords. If you’re advertising on Google AdWords, look at the keywords being used by your market.

Going back to the job hunting ebook example, some of the keywords that job hunters use could be:

• Sales job
• Secretarial job
• Engineering job

That’s three market segments right there.

Now, you can customize your sales letter for each market segment. So, your new headlines will be:

“How To Get A Sales Job In 30 Days Or Less.”

“How To Get A Secretarial Job In 30 Days Or Less.”

“How To Get An Engineering Job In 30 Days Or Less.”

So, when job hunters use the keywords “sales job” on Google and arrive on your sales letter with the headline, “How To Get A Sales Job In 30 Days Or Less,” they will definitely be more interested in reading the entire sales letter and eventually be more inclined to buy your ebook.

Do you see the simplicity of the strategy?

All you have to do is write a general sales letter. And then, use it as template to customize your sales message for various market segments.

And don’t worry, it only takes 5 seconds to customize each sales letter. Just use the “Find And Replace” function in your web design software and you can create a customized sales letter for several market segments easily and quickly.

With a sales letter customized for a specific market segment, your sales will increase. I guarantee it.

Read more about
• Jarod Lam

Pick Your FREE Sweetie Course…Any Course!

By Alice Seba

I am just about to email my mailing list with a bit of encouragement and frank advice. Here’s what I’ve written:

“I know that times are pretty tough for many of my online business friends…and unfortunately, there is no one coming with billions of dollars to bail out those of us who might need help.

But like I said last week, tough economic times are not the time to hold back on your business. You need to keep pushing ahead, doing smart advertising, continuing to outsource so you can focus on the big picture…basically, keep doing the effective things you were doing before.”

That’s why I’ve decided to put together this Sweetie Saturday Freebie Giveaway…to make it easier for you to find out what EFFECTIVE things you should be focusing on.

What I’m doing is giving anyone who comes to this blog before midnight PST tonight (Click here to see what time it is in PST) that chance to grab any one Internet Marketing Sweetie Self-Study Courses…completely FREE!

No strings attached whatsoever.

Want to take advantage of this rare opportunity? Please follow the instructions below:

OFFER EXPIRED…SORRY! EXTENDED!

After all kinds of begging and pleading and excuses about sleeping in on Sunday’s across the globe, I’ve decided that I will extend this offer. Generally speaking, when I set a deadline, I keep it. But because this is a completely free offer, I will entertain the request for extension.

But a couple things: You now have until Tuesday evening at midnight PST to make your request (Click here to see what time it is in PST), but this is last call, okay? Anyone who requested after midnight on Saturday evening will receive their products AFTER the people who met the headline. So please be patient!

1. Check the self-study courses here and make your pick. Please note, if you choose the Report Club, your freebie include’s 1 month’s access only.

Alternatively, you can choose to take $100 off registration on this Monday’s Email Marketing Reform School. If you choose this option you will be emailed by tomorrow (Sunday) with info on how to claim your discount.

2. Make a comment below and include:

• Your full name
• Your primary email address in the email box of the comment form. This will not be shown publicly, but allows us to send your free course.
• Which course you would like to have and tell us a little bit about why you want it.

3. Be sure to whitelist the internmarketingsweetie.com domain in your email program. Your product will be delivered from the news @ internetmarketingsweetie.com address.

4. Then the ball is in our court. You will receive an email to the address you specified with your product download information.

5. I have no idea how many people we’ll have claiming their gift, so please give us until Friday, October 17 to deliver your free course. Hold on tight…we’ll get it to you ASAP!

NOTE: There is no cash value to this offer. If you’ve already purchased a Self-Study course in the past, expand your horizons and choose a new one for your freebie.

OFFER EXPIRED…SORRY!EXTENDED!

Marketing to Marketers? Here’s Some Quality PLR Stuff

By Alice Seba

If you’re in the business-to-business market on the Internet, you’ll know this market is littered with resell rights and private label rights garbage. It’s recycled everywhere and its value is reduced nil, nada, zilch.

But thank goodness, there are a few gems in the bunch and when you find them, you hold on tight to them.

One of those gems is definitely Melissa Ingold’s Special Report Club (not to be confused with the Sweetie Saturday Report Club - another gem, of course! ). It’s a membership that sets you up with marketing-related information products to sell month after month.

First and foremost, the content in the reports is top-notch. Without a good product, your long-term business fails. We all know this, but some unscrupulous people seem to keep peddling crap. You and I are different…thank goodness!

So not only do you get a quality marketing report each month, you get a ton of extras to go with it including:

• An mp3 recording of the report.
• A mini sales letter to sell the report.
• Digital promotional ecover.
• Affiliate program research.
• Suggested ad text (signature lines, pay-per-clicks)
• Keyword research
• Plenty of how-to info on making money from your reports.

My only complaint is that the cover of the actual report doesn’t match the promotional ecover. The ecover images are pretty sharp, but the covers placed on the reports are kind of lacklustre. Perhaps I can get Melissa to change that.

Other than that, the Special Report Club is pretty darned cool. You can use the content to sell, add it to your blog, give it as bonuses or even use it as learning materials for your affiliates. Plenty of uses for this great resource.

EDITED TO ADD: I’ve spoken to Melissa and she agrees! Although the October report doesn’t have the cover, she will be doing this in future months. Thanks Melissa.

Demystifying Podcasts

By Lisa Hartwell

I am not going to go into great detail on what podcasts are. A simple explanation is they are online radio shows distributed through RSS feeds (i.e. syndicated online). As a regular Internet user there is a 50% chance you have listened to at least one podcast. As a reader of this blog the likelihood is high that you already subscribe to a podcast series.

If you are wondering whether podcasts are right for you and your business, or want to know whether you are capable of producing a podcast, here are some points to bear in mind:

• Podcasts work best if they are aimed at a niche market. So, examine the people your business targets and decide what would offer them the most useful information and value, and what will keep them subscribed to your podcasts week after week.

• Podcasts are not a vehicle for hard-sell advertising. By all means, mention where people can get more information, refer to your blog or website, suggest further ways listeners can ask more questions or interact with you on a forum, but do not push a product or service at the expense of good content. Listeners can easily unsubscribe from your podcast feed if they are not getting what they expected from you. By providing your listeners with good quality, valuable, and free information and advice you will be establishing your name and area of expertise in their minds.

• Be yourself and do things your way. Don’t try to copy someone else’s podcast topic or style. Find your own angle and presentation style. Part of what brings listeners back to podcasts is the human element.

The techniques of recording your podcast are the same as any other audio product, as mentioned in my previous guest posts, although with podcasting you also have the option of creating the podcast live. This is dependent on your comfort zone and whether you feel happy about just “putting it out there”.

Your podcast hosting options include:

• uploading the audio to your own website and then streaming through directory sites such as Big Contact

• uploading your audio to a free podcast directory such as Talkshoe who will host the audio but usually add their own commercials to the beginning and/or end of the podcast

• paying a small fee for a service that hosts the audio for you, such as HipCast

You will need to weigh up the pros and cons of each option. Hosting the audio on your own site can be expensive if you exceed your bandwidth and have to start paying for any extra bandwidth you use (you will need to check with your web host with regards to your bandwidth allowance and what the cost is if you exceed it).

Listeners to podcasts prefer them to be commercial-free but it depends on the extent of the advertising as to whether the free option is worth it. If you are just starting out and short on funds, this might be a good way to dip your toe in the water!

A paid service is usually best, especially if you expect a large audience, do not want extra bandwidth costs and want all the technical aspects taken care of for you. Most paid services offer different, affordable payment plans depending on your usage.

A more important question you should ask is “Why should I podcast? What are the benefits to my business?” I’ll be tackling those questions in my next guest post.

Read more about
• Lisa Hartwell

Free Marketing Stuff for Your Support: Offer Expires Soon

By Alice Seba

Hey, Dan Reinhold of WAHumor.com has put together a terrific offer that helps raise funds for autism research AND puts a bunch of really great products into your virtual hands.

Dan is participating in the Greater Boston, Massachusetts Walk for Autism Research and has a goal of reaching $2500 in donations before then and we can give him a hand…and be rewarded for our efforts.

Dan has put together a great package of products you can have instant access to after making your donations. I’m talking about things like:

• Jeremy Palmer’s High Performance Affiliate Marketing
• Kelly McCausey’s The Power of A Focused Business
• Lynn Terry’s Fast Cash Strategy
• Carrie Lauth’s MiniCourseMoney
• Chris Brogan’s Personal Branding For The Business Professional
• Lynette Chandler’s Easy Internet Survey
• Pat O’Bryan’s Influence 101
• Tiffany Dow’s Flip That Lens
• Mari Smith’s Facebook Persuasion Week

…and a bunch more. There’s even a little something something from me too.

Head on over to check out The Second Annual Wonderful WAHumor Giveaway for Autism Research.

And thanks Dan for working so hard for such an important cause.

Avoiding Identity Theft When Paying Online

By Regina Baker

Avoiding identity theft when paying online is a hot topic in today’s virtual world of shopping. Many individuals conduct their financial business online. This may include buying groceries, paying bills, making online purchases, and more. Unfortunately, many of these individuals have suffered tremendous financial losses as a direct result of identity theft.

If you handle any financial business over the internet, it is important to be aware of a few essential safety tips that will allow you to do so safely. Here, I will inform you on the steps involved in avoiding identity theft when paying online.

1. One of the first things that you should do when you are working on ways to avoiding identity theft when paying online is to make certain that you only purchase items on websites that are considered to be trustworthy. If you are interested in making a purchase, take the time to ensure that you are purchasing from a website that is considered to be “secure”. These websites often advertise that they have “secure payment systems”. In some cases, there are websites that use PayPal. You can trust purchasing through these websites.

2. The next step to avoiding identity theft when paying online is to learn the steps that are necessary to spot phishing scams. This is a technique that is used by individuals who are seeking to steal your identity. These people will actually set up a website that resembles a website that you know and trust. If you come across one of these websites, it is very likely that you will enter in your personal information and not even realize that you are giving it over to an identity thief. Take the time to learn what types of things identify websites and/or phishing scams.

3. The next thing that you can do to avoid identity theft when paying online is to ensure that you set secure passwords to the websites that you frequent. You should, whenever it is possible, set a password that includes alphanumeric characters and even a symbol. Furthermore, you should ensure that you take the time to set different passwords for different accounts that you use. This way, if you get violated on one account, you do not have to worry about all of your other accounts suffering.

4. If you use a computer that is in a public place, such as at work or in a library, you will want to ensure that you do not allow your personal information to be stored on these systems. If the information that you leave behind gets in the wrong hands, it can wreck havoc on your life. You should always make sure that you log out of the accounts and that you leave no traces of your personal activity on these computer systems.

5. The next thing that you can do when avoiding identity theft when paying online is to ensure that you pick up a credit report at least once a year. If there are any issues when it comes to your personal and financial information, you will be able to tell my reading over the credit report carefully.

Conclusion

There are many innovative methods in which identity theft occurs. If you are looking to avoid identity theft when paying online, it is important to ensure that you learn as much as you can about protecting yourself. This will be beneficial in preventing this from occurring in your life.

Read more about
• Regina Baker

How Do I Get My Subscribers to Pay Attention?

By Alice Seba

Here’s a question I received recently from one of my blog readers.

“I know everyone says the money is in the list, but I’ve been building my list and I feel like my subscribers just aren’t paying attention. There is a lot of competition in my market and I can’t seem to figure out how to stand out.

Melanie”

This is certainly not an uncommon problem. People are so inundated with email in general, it’s tough to get attention in an overflowing email inbox. Now, there are plenty of things you can do to get more attention (ex. testing your subject lines, teasing readers about your next email, etc.), but I’ve grabbed an excerpt from the Email Marketing Reform School that goes right back to the beginning and might help.

Before you even start a list, it’s important not only to define your target market, but come up with what makes your list unique - often called USP (Unique Selling Position) in terms of your overall business.

AND NOTE: You should define this your target & uniqueness for each and every list because each list serves a different purpose, even if the target markets are similar. This is what helps you relate to your audience more specifically and what makes them feel like you understand them, offer them value and that they can’t get enough of you!

Here’s the excerpt from the Reform School:

“UEP (Unique Emailing Position): UEP is an acronym I made up for our purposes (you won’t find it in any copywriting or marketing guide that I know of) and it stands for Unique Emailing Position. I have chosen this name so that you can really try to imagine your USP in the terms of your email marketing.

In short, your UEP is what sets you apart from others in your market using email to reach their prospects and customers. Put another way, a UEP is some unique thing you offer to your readers that competition is not. It’s the reason your subscribers sign up to your list, stay subscribers, open and act upon your email.

Here are just a few examples of a UEP. Your UEP will likely be very different as these examples won’t necessarily be appropriate to all types of lists. These ideas is just to help you start thinking about your own UEP.

o Do you offer more in-depth information on specific topics?
o Do you provide the honest reviews other people are afraid to do?
o Is your list attractive because you provide easy-to-understand condensed information?
o Does your mailing list motivate people into taking action?
o Is your list a humorous look at your topic?
o Do you send more frequent up-to-the-minute information?
o Are you dedicated to answering your readers’ questions and engaging in dialogue with them (Mind your time on something like this and look at the tips in the “Asking” section a little later in this lesson)?
o Do you offer exclusive interviews to people of influence in your target market?

UEP (or USP) is a concept that is often difficult for people because every business and mailing list is different. You need to really sit down, brainstorm and figure out your UEP because if you don’t, it’s hard to stand out from the crowd and compete in your market.

Here is one of the most important questions you’ll ask yourself when formulating your UEP:

“Why would my subscriber sign up for my list, instead of someone else’s? Why would they continue to stay subscribed?”

Take a look at other mailing lists / newsletters in your target market. What are they doing that you can do even better? If you’re on any customer lists (if not, try to get on some), see how your competitors treat their customers via email.”

It’s a small starting point that can make a big difference in your email marketing. Once you have your UEP down, you can more effectively market for new subscribers and get your existing ones a whole lot more responsive.

By the way, Reform School starts Monday, so be sure to book your spot now.