Have you been trying to build your list, but it's just not
happening?
Have you tried article writing but that didn't work either?
Are your articles getting opened, but you're not getting
click thrus to your squeeze page?
There could be a number of reasons for this.
If your articles are getting opened then your title must
be OK.
The next critical step is to have 2 or 3 short strong
opening sentences or paragraphs…I've covered how to do this
in an earlier article…you can probably find it if you
search my name in the index.
If you've done both those things and you're still not
getting many click thrus then you are losing them in the
body…the "information segment" of your article.
After the promise of the title and the opening paragraph
you must continue to hold your readers' attention. You must
now fulfill their expectations. Your information must be
concise, informative and to the point.
Give your reader information that will be useful to them;
information that can be immediately put into action. Your
purpose is wherever possible to provide information that
will make a positive change in your reader's life.
But, whatever you write…make it count!
This is a performance you are staging…your reader is your
audience!
Have you ever been to a comedy show where the comic
started to lose the audience? Often good manners will keep
them in their seats for awhile but eventually if it gets
bad enough they will leave.
You don't have the saving grace of good manners to keep
your audience reading your article. If you're not
delivering the goods in an interesting, informative and
professional manner they will click away and look elsewhere.
If you think this might be an issue for you then perhaps
you need to take some writing lessons?
Meantime, here are a few ideas that might help:
Create a plan for your article: opening, body, closing. A
length of 300 to 500 words is a good size article.
Then set out 3 or 4 main points that you wish to cover in
the body of your article, organize them into an order that
lets the ideas flow, and devote a segment or paragraph to
each.
Use numbered points if appropriate.
Break up your paragraphs-keep them short.
People don't like reading text in big blocks; it's hard to
keep your place. So make sure there's lots of white space.
I like to use semi-colons, dashes and 3 dots to allow me to
make a series of short strong statements rather than a long
run-on sentence.
Vary your sentence lengths…short, medium and long.
Make statements and let them stand out as a single line.
Don't repeat words in close proximity to each other.
And finally: "write in haste and correct at leisure". If
the ideas are flowing just get them down fast. You can
easily come back and clean it up later.
Would you like to learn the secrets to start and run a Successful Online Business?
I have just completed a new book called "How to use the Secret Magic of Article Writing to Start and run A Successful Online Business”.
You can Download it FREE here: "The Secret Magic of Article Writing"
You may also like to read my other FREE book: "Three Surefire Ways to Make Money Online"
Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people to be successful online.
Showing posts with label Online success. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Online success. Show all posts
Friday, July 27, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Critical Steps to Online Success -- How to Make your Squeeze Page Sell - Page Layout is Crucial to Success
You've probably noticed that most sales pages and squeeze
pages are centered on the screen and only take up around
70% of the screen width.
There's a reason for this!
People have trouble keeping track of their place in the
text if the columns are too wide. If they can't easily read
your copy they'll simply click away to another ad.
Break your text up into short paragraphs. If the text
comes in long paragraphs it looks daunting and possibly
even threatening. Most people don't like to tackle complex
material so if your copy gives that impression you'll lose
your reader.
It's also a good idea to keep your screen background color
white and just put a simple box around your text. A
completely white page is very welcoming and gives off a
nice clean fresh vibe. Readers find this welcoming.
On the other hand a black background may be more dramatic
but it comes off as dark and foreboding… the black forest
and the wicked witch syndrome1
And only use graphics or images if they really add to your
message. Perhaps a picture of yourself or your product will
add credibility… but then again, perhaps not. If you're in
doubt… leave them out. Unnecessary distractions on your
page will just take attention away from
your sales message. Same goes for animation, audio and
video.
If you really want to include a particular graphic or
effect then run some tests, with and without, and see which
brings the best results.
People don't care whether you're an amazing graphic
designer or not. They want to visit a website that looks
like something they're used to… something they can trust.
There's a great sense of comfort in getting what we expect.
Give your visitors what they're used to and it's your first
step toward winning their trust.
Learn the "3 Surefire Ways to make Money Online"
http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/
Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people
to be successful online.
pages are centered on the screen and only take up around
70% of the screen width.
There's a reason for this!
People have trouble keeping track of their place in the
text if the columns are too wide. If they can't easily read
your copy they'll simply click away to another ad.
Break your text up into short paragraphs. If the text
comes in long paragraphs it looks daunting and possibly
even threatening. Most people don't like to tackle complex
material so if your copy gives that impression you'll lose
your reader.
It's also a good idea to keep your screen background color
white and just put a simple box around your text. A
completely white page is very welcoming and gives off a
nice clean fresh vibe. Readers find this welcoming.
On the other hand a black background may be more dramatic
but it comes off as dark and foreboding… the black forest
and the wicked witch syndrome1
And only use graphics or images if they really add to your
message. Perhaps a picture of yourself or your product will
add credibility… but then again, perhaps not. If you're in
doubt… leave them out. Unnecessary distractions on your
page will just take attention away from
your sales message. Same goes for animation, audio and
video.
If you really want to include a particular graphic or
effect then run some tests, with and without, and see which
brings the best results.
People don't care whether you're an amazing graphic
designer or not. They want to visit a website that looks
like something they're used to… something they can trust.
There's a great sense of comfort in getting what we expect.
Give your visitors what they're used to and it's your first
step toward winning their trust.
Learn the "3 Surefire Ways to make Money Online"
http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/
Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people
to be successful online.
Critical Steps to Online Success-How to Make your Squeeze Page Sell- Don't Confuse Your Visitors!
Don't make your visitors guess what they're supposed to do
on your site. You must give them a strong call to action
and tell them exactly what they need to do to get the
benefits you outline! That's what a squeeze page is all
about.
Next to having a powerful headline your call to action is
the most critical element of your sales page. There's no
point getting visitors to your site if they don't know what
to do. If your visitor is confused about what action you
want them to take, they will get lost in the confusion and
leave.
Layout the benefits for them in a way that will be easy
for them to understand. This isn't a contest where you
demonstrate your superior knowledge. Tell your visitor
"what's in it for them" in plain simple language.
It's a simple formula. You state the feature, follow it
with the benefit statement and then make the call to action.
Let's say you sell a stress-relief product. Your copy
might say something like this:
"After doing research and testing, I found a set of really
fabulous relaxation CD's that solved my recurring migraine
problems, improved my sleep, and increased my energy
levels-all in just a few days!
"Click here now to learn how these CD's can soothe your
troubles away and lead you to a more healthy and happy
life."
As simple as that!
Remember that your visitors came to your website because
they were searching for something on the web and it looked
like you could provide it. They are wondering whether what
you have to offer will fill their need.
So make sure your copy is easy to read! I can't stress
this enough.
As far as fonts go my research tells me this: stick with
Verdana font in full strength colors for your text wherever
possible. Verdana is considered the best font for reading
online and even the very basic video cards can display it.
Times New Roman may be the default Microsoft Font but on
screen Verdana is easier to read.
Remember: You're not trying to amuse or entertain with
your site. Your goal is to sell! Give your visitors great
sales copy that's easy to read, tell them exactly how to
access your product and you're half way there.
Learn the "3 Surefire Ways to make Money Online"
http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/
Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people
to be successful online.
on your site. You must give them a strong call to action
and tell them exactly what they need to do to get the
benefits you outline! That's what a squeeze page is all
about.
Next to having a powerful headline your call to action is
the most critical element of your sales page. There's no
point getting visitors to your site if they don't know what
to do. If your visitor is confused about what action you
want them to take, they will get lost in the confusion and
leave.
Layout the benefits for them in a way that will be easy
for them to understand. This isn't a contest where you
demonstrate your superior knowledge. Tell your visitor
"what's in it for them" in plain simple language.
It's a simple formula. You state the feature, follow it
with the benefit statement and then make the call to action.
Let's say you sell a stress-relief product. Your copy
might say something like this:
"After doing research and testing, I found a set of really
fabulous relaxation CD's that solved my recurring migraine
problems, improved my sleep, and increased my energy
levels-all in just a few days!
"Click here now to learn how these CD's can soothe your
troubles away and lead you to a more healthy and happy
life."
As simple as that!
Remember that your visitors came to your website because
they were searching for something on the web and it looked
like you could provide it. They are wondering whether what
you have to offer will fill their need.
So make sure your copy is easy to read! I can't stress
this enough.
As far as fonts go my research tells me this: stick with
Verdana font in full strength colors for your text wherever
possible. Verdana is considered the best font for reading
online and even the very basic video cards can display it.
Times New Roman may be the default Microsoft Font but on
screen Verdana is easier to read.
Remember: You're not trying to amuse or entertain with
your site. Your goal is to sell! Give your visitors great
sales copy that's easy to read, tell them exactly how to
access your product and you're half way there.
Learn the "3 Surefire Ways to make Money Online"
http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/
Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people
to be successful online.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
7 Action Steps to Online Success-Session 1--Get a Website and turn 5 Articles into an eBook
Generating success in an online business is not a matter
of luck, but there are some secrets that will get you
started.
Success in any venture is a matter of knowing exactly
"what" you want to do, "why" you want to do it and
having a "plan" to get there, doing activities you enjoy.
If you begin on a program that involves activities you
really detest and have little talent for and can't learn,
then you are not likely to cross the finish line.
I can't provide you with your "what" and your "why" so if
you don't have these sorted out it's time to get on with
brainstorming and come up with a niche market in an area
you can get passionate about.
Here's a plan of action that really works. Follow these
action steps and Online Success is assured:
1. You must have a website:
To get started building your list it only needs to be one
page, a squeeze page. You can easily add more pages as you
go and they can all be simple. You can find lots of easy to
use software to do this. You can use MS Frontpage if it
came with your MS Office package. You don't need to go to
the expense of buying Dreamweaver at this time but if
you're serious it is a good thing to have down the road.
2. Write 5 Articles and turn them into an eBook:
To attract visitors to opt-in to your list you need a free
gift to give away on your squeeze page. A "how-to" eBook
about your niche, that you write yourself, is the easiest
and cheapest way to do it.
And since article writing is a
great way to attract visitors to your site you can publish
these articles on the article directories to start off your
website promotion program.
Learn the "3 Surefire Ways to make Money Online"
http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/
Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people
to be successful online.
of luck, but there are some secrets that will get you
started.
Success in any venture is a matter of knowing exactly
"what" you want to do, "why" you want to do it and
having a "plan" to get there, doing activities you enjoy.
If you begin on a program that involves activities you
really detest and have little talent for and can't learn,
then you are not likely to cross the finish line.
I can't provide you with your "what" and your "why" so if
you don't have these sorted out it's time to get on with
brainstorming and come up with a niche market in an area
you can get passionate about.
Here's a plan of action that really works. Follow these
action steps and Online Success is assured:
1. You must have a website:
To get started building your list it only needs to be one
page, a squeeze page. You can easily add more pages as you
go and they can all be simple. You can find lots of easy to
use software to do this. You can use MS Frontpage if it
came with your MS Office package. You don't need to go to
the expense of buying Dreamweaver at this time but if
you're serious it is a good thing to have down the road.
2. Write 5 Articles and turn them into an eBook:
To attract visitors to opt-in to your list you need a free
gift to give away on your squeeze page. A "how-to" eBook
about your niche, that you write yourself, is the easiest
and cheapest way to do it.
And since article writing is a
great way to attract visitors to your site you can publish
these articles on the article directories to start off your
website promotion program.
Learn the "3 Surefire Ways to make Money Online"
http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/
Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people
to be successful online.
7 Action Steps to Online Success--Session 2--Get an Autoresponder and write a 5 Email Series
As I said before, success in any venture is a matter of
knowing exactly "what" you want to do, "why" you want to do
it and having a "plan" to get there, doing activities you
enjoy.
There's really no secret here…it's a logical progression
of Action steps.
We covered Action Steps 1 and 2 in a previous article
which you may want to read, but I'll recap them here
briefly.
1 You must have a website:
2. Write 5 Articles and turn them into an eBook:
So let's move on with the rest of the Action Steps.
3. You must have an Autoresponder:
Now you have your website up and running and you have your
URL you can go to the Autoresponder of your choice and
setup your account.
You need an Autoresponder to handle all of your list
building and email activities-you'll quickly be way too
busy to all of this manually. The Autoresponder will also
handle the task of directing your traffic to your download
page so your visitors can get your free eBook.
4. Write a series of five emails for your Autoresponder
list:
These first five emails are your very first meeting with
your new list members so remember "you only get one chance
to make a first impression"…so make sure it's a good one by
giving these five emails your very best shot.
For now a series of five emails will be sufficient. Send
one every day. Basically they should welcome your visitors,
thank them for joining your Newsletter list, send more
content and another free gift and finally make an offer of
an affiliate product if you don't yet have one of your own.
Remember…your list is the very life blood of your online
business.
If you don't have a list you have no business…and
if you don't keep it growing your business will die.
Lookout for Steps 5 thru 7.
Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just
completed my brand new guide to Internet Marketing Success.
Its called 'Three Surefire Ways to make Money Online'
Download it free here:
http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/
Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer with many years
of successful experience.
knowing exactly "what" you want to do, "why" you want to do
it and having a "plan" to get there, doing activities you
enjoy.
There's really no secret here…it's a logical progression
of Action steps.
We covered Action Steps 1 and 2 in a previous article
which you may want to read, but I'll recap them here
briefly.
1 You must have a website:
2. Write 5 Articles and turn them into an eBook:
So let's move on with the rest of the Action Steps.
3. You must have an Autoresponder:
Now you have your website up and running and you have your
URL you can go to the Autoresponder of your choice and
setup your account.
You need an Autoresponder to handle all of your list
building and email activities-you'll quickly be way too
busy to all of this manually. The Autoresponder will also
handle the task of directing your traffic to your download
page so your visitors can get your free eBook.
4. Write a series of five emails for your Autoresponder
list:
These first five emails are your very first meeting with
your new list members so remember "you only get one chance
to make a first impression"…so make sure it's a good one by
giving these five emails your very best shot.
For now a series of five emails will be sufficient. Send
one every day. Basically they should welcome your visitors,
thank them for joining your Newsletter list, send more
content and another free gift and finally make an offer of
an affiliate product if you don't yet have one of your own.
Remember…your list is the very life blood of your online
business.
If you don't have a list you have no business…and
if you don't keep it growing your business will die.
Lookout for Steps 5 thru 7.
Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just
completed my brand new guide to Internet Marketing Success.
Its called 'Three Surefire Ways to make Money Online'
Download it free here:
http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/
Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer with many years
of successful experience.
7 Action Steps to Online Success-Session 3--Drive Traffic to your Website
We covered Action Steps 1 thru 4 in previous articles
which you may want to read, but I'll recap them here again
briefly.
1. You must have a website:
2. Write 5 Articles and turn them into an eBook:
3. You must have an Autoresponder:
4. Write a series of five emails for your Autoresponder list.
So now let's move on with Action Step 5.
5.You need to get traffic to your website:
I'll spend a bit more time on this step because it's
critical to your online success.
Pretty simple concept: no traffic at the squeeze page then
no list. No list usually means no clients and no business.
You can drive traffic to your site in a number of ways but
the two most effective are Article Marketing and Pay-per-
Click.
Pay-per-click is a fast and easy way to get traffic, but
it can get very expensive very quickly. I've spent quite a
bit of money here and generated a lot of traffic…but it
wasn't qualified and I didn't recoup my investment.
I have found that if you're not willing or able to pay up
for key words that work (and these are the ones everyone
wants to be positioned on, so the competition is often
fierce) then you won't attract qualified, motivated traffic
unless you're a PPC guru and truly understand the
intricacies of optimizing your key words to work seamlessly
with your landing page and stuff like that. I don't know
enough about how that all works and I don't know anyone who
does that I can ask.
On the other hand article marketing is virtually free,
maybe $25 per month for your website and autoresponder
(which you would still need for PPC anyway), and it
generates highly qualified, motivated, targeted traffic.
The down side to article marketing is that it's quite a
lot of work and takes some time to get started, but once it
hits momentum it's amazing.
Learn the "3 Surefire Ways to make Money Online"
http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/
Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people
to be successful online.
which you may want to read, but I'll recap them here again
briefly.
1. You must have a website:
2. Write 5 Articles and turn them into an eBook:
3. You must have an Autoresponder:
4. Write a series of five emails for your Autoresponder list.
So now let's move on with Action Step 5.
5.You need to get traffic to your website:
I'll spend a bit more time on this step because it's
critical to your online success.
Pretty simple concept: no traffic at the squeeze page then
no list. No list usually means no clients and no business.
You can drive traffic to your site in a number of ways but
the two most effective are Article Marketing and Pay-per-
Click.
Pay-per-click is a fast and easy way to get traffic, but
it can get very expensive very quickly. I've spent quite a
bit of money here and generated a lot of traffic…but it
wasn't qualified and I didn't recoup my investment.
I have found that if you're not willing or able to pay up
for key words that work (and these are the ones everyone
wants to be positioned on, so the competition is often
fierce) then you won't attract qualified, motivated traffic
unless you're a PPC guru and truly understand the
intricacies of optimizing your key words to work seamlessly
with your landing page and stuff like that. I don't know
enough about how that all works and I don't know anyone who
does that I can ask.
On the other hand article marketing is virtually free,
maybe $25 per month for your website and autoresponder
(which you would still need for PPC anyway), and it
generates highly qualified, motivated, targeted traffic.
The down side to article marketing is that it's quite a
lot of work and takes some time to get started, but once it
hits momentum it's amazing.
Learn the "3 Surefire Ways to make Money Online"
http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/
Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people
to be successful online.
7 Action Steps to Online Success - Session 4 - Affiliate Products versus Your Own Products
We covered Action Steps 1 thru 5 in previous articles
which you may want to read, but I'll recap them here again
briefly.
1. You must have a website.
2. Write 5 Articles and turn them into an eBook.
3. You must have an Autoresponder.
4. Write a series of five emails for your Autoresponder
list.
5. You need to get traffic to your website.
So now let's move on with Action Steps 6 and 7.
6. Find some affiliate products to market:
You'll want to look for affiliate products in the early
days to get you started if you don't have any products of
your own just yet.
There are basically two main product categories to
consider; digital products and physical products.
Be aware that "physical products" (books, cosmetics, motor
cycles etc) have a large manufacturing cost component in
their pricing, so your profit margins are likely to be
skinnier. If you work with digital products such as eBooks
or online services such as dating services you can find
affiliate commissions up to 75% or more. If this field is
attractive to you it can be very lucrative.
You can find products by going to Google and looking for
"affiliate products" or you can start with affiliate
networks like Commission Junction and Click Bank.
Affiliate networks act as brokers between sellers and
affiliate marketers like yourself. They're free to join and
offer a lot of choice. And best of all…you'll get paid when
you sell something.
7. Create your own products:
I'm assuming here that you will be working with digital
products rather than physical. If you're planning to
manufacture your own physical products then I really am not
qualified to help you here, other than this word of
caution, it's harder than you think.
But that's negative thinking and you will no doubt push
through to great success.
Books are the biggest sellers on the internet and people
are hungry for knowledge so a "how-to" eBook about your
niche market is your best bet. If you have say a
photography site then a book entitled "The 7 Biggest
Mistakes to Avoid when taking that Great Photograph" or
something similar could be very successful.
The really good news is that eBooks cost virtually nothing
to produce except your time and so command a 100% profit
margin.
The easiest way to get double duty out of your efforts is
to write a series of 10 or 20 articles on the topic and
combine them into your book. This way you're attracting
visitors and also creating a for-sale product at the same
time.
You now send another series of emails similar to the first
but this time instead of an affiliate product you offer
your own.
You will of course need to have a "shopping cart" on your
site to collect payment.
Learn the "3 Surefire Ways to make Money Online"
http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/
Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people
to be successful online.
which you may want to read, but I'll recap them here again
briefly.
1. You must have a website.
2. Write 5 Articles and turn them into an eBook.
3. You must have an Autoresponder.
4. Write a series of five emails for your Autoresponder
list.
5. You need to get traffic to your website.
So now let's move on with Action Steps 6 and 7.
6. Find some affiliate products to market:
You'll want to look for affiliate products in the early
days to get you started if you don't have any products of
your own just yet.
There are basically two main product categories to
consider; digital products and physical products.
Be aware that "physical products" (books, cosmetics, motor
cycles etc) have a large manufacturing cost component in
their pricing, so your profit margins are likely to be
skinnier. If you work with digital products such as eBooks
or online services such as dating services you can find
affiliate commissions up to 75% or more. If this field is
attractive to you it can be very lucrative.
You can find products by going to Google and looking for
"affiliate products" or you can start with affiliate
networks like Commission Junction and Click Bank.
Affiliate networks act as brokers between sellers and
affiliate marketers like yourself. They're free to join and
offer a lot of choice. And best of all…you'll get paid when
you sell something.
7. Create your own products:
I'm assuming here that you will be working with digital
products rather than physical. If you're planning to
manufacture your own physical products then I really am not
qualified to help you here, other than this word of
caution, it's harder than you think.
But that's negative thinking and you will no doubt push
through to great success.
Books are the biggest sellers on the internet and people
are hungry for knowledge so a "how-to" eBook about your
niche market is your best bet. If you have say a
photography site then a book entitled "The 7 Biggest
Mistakes to Avoid when taking that Great Photograph" or
something similar could be very successful.
The really good news is that eBooks cost virtually nothing
to produce except your time and so command a 100% profit
margin.
The easiest way to get double duty out of your efforts is
to write a series of 10 or 20 articles on the topic and
combine them into your book. This way you're attracting
visitors and also creating a for-sale product at the same
time.
You now send another series of emails similar to the first
but this time instead of an affiliate product you offer
your own.
You will of course need to have a "shopping cart" on your
site to collect payment.
Learn the "3 Surefire Ways to make Money Online"
http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/
Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people
to be successful online.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Critical Steps to Online Success-How to put your business on Auto-pilot
You must have an Auto-responder! This is Critical.
Why?
Why?
What will an Auto-responder do for you and why do you need one for your online business?
Here's why you need one!
You need to duplicate your efforts. You won't have time to do all of the work yourself!
How much will it cost?
All good questions and I asked them all myself. It seems that getting started in this business we are continually dipping into our pockets. And as we expand it gets more and more.
But look at this…where else can you start a business with nothing down except an idea, a computer and an internet connection? which most of us already have anyway.
When James Watt invented the steam engine he began a movement that was (in my opinion) the prime mover in the abolition of slavery. For centuries people in civilized countries were appalled at the whole institution of slavery but such is the greed and self interest of the race of man that we weren't willing to give it up until we had replaced the function with something that works better. In America's South it took a Civil War. And it was all about economics. Not much of an endorsement of the true nature of man. The steam engine allowed us to multiple our efforts. The machines could be working while we were sleeping and they were much faster and more accurate than manual input.
And that's exactly what an auto-responder will do for you.
It will be there taking care of business while you are
sleeping, working at something else or off having fun. When
someone accepts your offer and subscribes to your list the
auto-responder will take care of them.
You absolutely must have one!
AWeber is the most popular of the Auto-responder services
and is highly endorsed by all the pros…so why fight city
hall.
To find out exactly how to do it, see my articles:
Critical Steps to Online Success- Auto-responders- What’s the best one?
Critical Steps to Online Success-Auto-responders-How to
Subscribe to AWeber!
By Jim Keayes
Just copy and paste the URL into Google and you'll find it
no problem.
Keep on Winning
Regards
Jim
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