Articles submitted to BECANADA for publication.
If you would like to submit an article, use this form.
Article[s] may appear in the 100,000 resources index,
Cashlinks Newsletter [over 10,000 members],
Isell Newsletter [over 16,000 members] or various other
publications / websites by Becanada.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley - 53 articles.
Hate to write? Kevin and his team of in-house editors will write
your web copy, sales letter, press release, article, and more!
See our low prices at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach
Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Listings of articles... this is a LONGGGG page...
Article titles in BOLD .
Make Your Email SELL
Now that just about everybody has Internet access, studies
show people average 20 hours per week online.
That is an amazing statistic considering the Web has only
been around for a few years.
Even more amazing is how much people use email. It has
become the central part of the way hundreds of millions of
people use the Internet.
It pays to make your email messages more effective. Here
are some tips to help your email SELL!
1. State your offer in the first paragraph. People get a ton
of email and few have time to read it all.
Give readers the offer right away and hook those who are
interested. Many will then study your whole message.
2. Keep your words simple and sentences short. This
helps people read faster.
3. Provide a link to the web page where customers can
order. This works best if the page is dedicated entirely to
your one offer.
You can even put an HTML order form in your email
message. Some companies who are doing this are getting
outstanding results.
Kevin writes your sales copy, press release, or article AND gives
you marketing advice at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm
Reach Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Put Some Punch In Your Classified Ad
Classified ads are the world's number one cheap way to
advertise. They cost just a fraction of a large print ad. And
you get your classified ad in everything from an email
newsletter to USA Today.
Most classified ads are either hard to understand or not
terribly exciting. To get sales, you need people to
immediately understand your offer. You also need to build
a bit of an emotional fire under them.
Start each sentence with an action word. Get this.., Save
now..., Click to...
Make your sentences as short as possible. Incomplete
sentences are ok. Two words. Fine. This fills your ad with
energy and builds excitement.
When possible, include a quote from a past customer.
People believe other customers before they believe you.
It's human nature.
I knew a guy who built himself a fine retirement by
marketing his self-published book with classified ads. He
started out with an ad in one magazine. When he had made
his money back, he put an ad in more magazines until you
couldn't look through a newsstand without seeing his ad.
Kevin writes your sales copy, press release, or article AND gives
you marketing advice at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm
Reach Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Tie In With Non-Profits
When the World Trade Center in New York was attacked,
many business people didn't know quite how to react.
Sadly, we had never seen a disaster on this level.
How should we respond? Should we close our doors in
mourning? Or should we put our heads down and keep on
plugging in the face of terrible sadness and adversity.
Within a few days, after business owners had heard from
their customers, most figured out the best way to respond.
Businesses everywhere expressed their grief and
condolences, then directed customers to consider
contributing to a relief agency.
While customers might have felt a business that didn't
acknowledge events was being uncaring, most appreciated
seeing a statement of condolences on a web site, a line in an
ad, or a sign on a store.
But that alone isn't enough. Customers want to know you
are doing your part to help the situation. Working with a
non-profit is an excellent way to do this.
Offer Kevin's popular FREE email courses from your site.
Your visitors and customers will love it! See
http://7LessonCourses.com Reach Kevin at
mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Telephone Selling Tips
The telephone is still one of the top ways to sell. You can
pick up a phone, reach just about anyone in the world, and
get a very sincere conversation going.
This ability to use the phone to go anywhere and achieve a
special rapport with customers makes the telephone an
indispensable selling tool.
Jot down what points you want to cover in your
conversation before you call. This will help you stay on
track.
Asks questions. Remember, it's the person who asks the
questions who controls the direction of the conversation.
Listen to what is going on around the person on the other
end. Managers are often very busy and may have
something important come up during your call.
Offer to call back in 30 minutes or an hour. This helps
you get back to the customer fast before he has a chance to
put you off indefinitely.
When customers call you, spend a few seconds in friendly
banter. Then answer questions and zero in on a product or
service that can help them.
Kevin writes your sales copy, press release, or article AND gives
you marketing advice at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm
Reach Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Three Ways To Close A Sale
One of the hardest parts of selling anything is closing the
sale. You know when you're having a problem with
closing. You spend lots of time with customers, but don't
get many sales.
Here are three simple ways to close the sale:
1. Show you really empathize with the customer. If they
hurt, you feel their pain. If they want, you understand their
desire with all your being.
2. Ask questions. Ask questions. And ask MORE
questions. You lead the direction of the conversation. If
you get the right answers, you get the sale.
3. Be ready to answer the objection it costs too much.
Reduce the price down to what it would cost the customer
by the day or per hour.
You can also point out most everything these days costs
too much. Ask the customer how much they think they
should pay for the product or service. Once they answer
you, their expectations will become more reasonable.
Finally, practice closing too soon. What feels like "too
soon" is often just right.
Offer Kevin's popular FREE email courses from your site.
Your visitors and customers will love it! See
http://7LessonCourses.com Reach Kevin at
mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Go Out And Get Referrals
Recently a survey asked major companies where most of
their customers come from. A whopping 85 percent said
referrals are their number one source of new business.
The first place to look for referrals is from happy
customers. When someone is satisfied with your product or
service, mention how much you would love for them to tell
friends and co-workers. Most people feel a bit proud you
would ask.
Get referrals from other sales people. You don't have to
look at them as enemy competition.
Many people in your industry fully appreciate how well
you do what you do.
They may feel you offer better expertise in some areas.
Competitors can also get over-worked and need to refer
customers to you to give themselves time to catch up.
Several top business writers frequently send jobs to me.
They know I have a staff of top-notch writers who can get
the job done quickly. The competitor looks good to their
customer AND has time to work on other projects.
Kevin writes your sales copy, press release, or article AND gives
you marketing advice at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm
Reach Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
How To Correct Common Marketing Mistakes
by Kevin Nunley
DrNunley.com
A well-tuned marketing campaign is a beautiful thing. Your
advertising not only connects with just the right prospects, but
it seems everyone is talking about you, your product, or service.
Sales come in at a nice pace. Profits mount as you quietly
chuckle thinking how little you spent on marketing. Suddenly,
moving your company forward doesn't seem hard at all.
Unfortunately, marketing rarely works that easily, at least at
first. Rhonda, who is marketing director for a mid-sized
business-to-business company, purchased an expensive series of
television ads to boost product awareness. "I thought getting
our brand in front of so many people would naturally increase
sales, but it didn't happen," she laments.
Meanwhile, Ted, working hard to get a home-based business
opportunity started, sunk his entire three-month marketing budget
into a sales letter to 1,000 prospects. Only a few responded
leaving Ted wondering what he did wrong.
Most marketing gets held back by a few very common mistakes.
Let's look at a few along with ways you can easily correct them
to get your advertising back on track.
Mistake #1: Your marketing gets lost in the crowd. Each of us
gets bombarded by thousands of advertising messages every day.
>From magazines, to radio ads, to a TV talking in the background,
to the flier left on your front door, the daily ad barrage
continues.
Prospects quickly learn to ignore marketing. After all, most of
it has very little to do with their concerns. Prospects only pay
attention to marketing that is radically different or marketing
that speaks directly to their most immediate concerns.
Highly innovative marketing rarely works. It may be one of the
most counterintuitive features of promotion. How many of the
outrageous dot-com ads from the 1990s do you still remember?
Instead, separate your ad from the pack by making it talk
directly to something the prospect really cares about. It should
point out a problem your product or service can solve.
Make the language of your ad sound like the way customers would
describe the problem, the solution, and the way they feel after
the problem is solved. This is language that gets attention.
Mistake #2: Marketing targets an audience that is too broad.
Before you can address the specific concerns of a prospect, you
have to narrow the groups of people your marketing is reaching.
Ted's sales letter didn't work because the list of addresses he
mailed to weren't people who had already shown an interest in
starting a home-based business. Many were already owners of
good-sized businesses. Others were managers in companies with
little time or inclination to work from home.
Ted would do better to use a more tightly targeted list of people
who had recently requested information on a home-based business
or had tried one or more opportunities in recent years.
An ad in your big city newspaper will reach a great many people,
but very few will be in the market to buy your improvement for
offset printers. In this case, your ad would work much better in
a trade magazine for printing companies.
TV and newspapers work very well to sell products used by a
large, diverse mass of people. You can target TV and newspapers
further by putting ads on specialized cable TV programs or in
special neighborhood editions of newspapers. Likewise, you can
get better targeting and lower rates by placing ads in regional
editions of national magazines.
Mistake #3: Your ad budget gets blown in a one-shot marketing
gamble. This is one of the most common and often heart-breaking
problems. A new store will spend everything they have on one
radio remote, full page newspaper ad, or direct mailer. If the
first try doesn't work (and it often doesn't), there is no money
left for a second or third try.
Which leads us to the next mistake.
Mistake #4: Marketing isn't consistent. The old saying among
veteran marketers is the first ad never works. You get
consistent, long-term results by continuing your ad over weeks
and months.
It may be true that familiarity breeds contempt, but not in
marketing. Familiarity develops awareness and confidence in
prospects so they buy.
There are endless examples of a small inexpensive ad that
appeared in the local Sunday paper every issue for years. Sales
started slowly, then built to a constant roar.
I'll never forget the owners of an auto parts supplier who
strongly believed if the ad didn't pull astounding results
the first time, there was no use in continuing. They bounced
from ads in one publication to ads in another with little to
show for their effort.
Mistake #5: Marketing fails to tie different media together.
Too many times the direct mail campaign a company does has little
to do with the magazine ads they are running. Instead, make your
ads in different media all relate to each other.
Take the audio from your TV commercial and adapt it for a radio
spot. Use a still from the TV commercial in your magazine and
newspaper ads. Take the still photo and some of the verbiage
from your spot and use it in a direct mail campaign.
The continuity will increase your chances of breaking through the
marketing clutter to really reach prospects.
Keep in mind different media work in different ways,
accomplishing some things better than others. Television SHOWS
how your product or service works. Radio helps people know the
FEELING of using your product. Newspapers and magazines are good
at EXPLAINING how things work. Direct mail utilizes the power of
the letter to talk to your prospects in a very personal one-on-
one way.
Mistake #6: Finally, don't belive the hype that the Internet is
somehow dead or dying. USA Today recently reported the number of
people using the Web has doubled since the Internet Boom in
1998.
Huge numbers of consumers and businesses worldwide now understand
the Web is a wonderful place to find a large variety, get things
done fast, and uncover a lower price.
Use your web site to give visitors all the information they need
to understand and buy your product or service. Have your TV
spots, radio commercials, print ads, and sales letters all send
people to your web site where they can spend as much time as they
need perusing your in-depth material.
Marketing is one of those aspects of life where the tried-and-
true often works best. Use these proven solutions to common
marketing mistakes to insure your advertising and promotion
efforts bring the results you expect.
Kevin Nunley provides marketing advice, copy writing, and
promotion packages. See his 10,000 marketing ideas at
http://DrNunley.com Reach Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or
801-328-9006.
Smart Ways To Use A Website With Your Business
by Ron Sathoff and Kevin Nunley
http://InternetWriters.com
Every business needs a web site. We used to say that to business
owners and get strange looks in return. "Why do I need a web
site?" the manager of a pizza restaurant once asked.
Of course, we now see a very large number of customers looking up
their neighborhood pizza maker with search engines. They will
try Yahoo or HotBot before turning to the more traditional Yellow
Pages. The restaurant owner no longer wonders why he should be
online.
As more and more businesses get their own web sites, we're seeing
a number of very smart ways to integrate an online presence with
your existing business. Here are the top five ways.
1. Your web site gives customers a way to quickly search through
your big selection. If you have an auto parts store, you may
have many square feet of products to choose from. You may have
hundreds more items that can be ordered and delivered quickly.
In the past, it might have been difficult for customers to easily
find what they were looking for, or even be aware that you could
get it for them.
Your web site makes it easy to type in the name of a product,
then see those products with descriptions and your prices. There
are a number of fine online catalog software applications. If
your selection isn't Walmart-sized, I suggest using a simple
search engine to help people find what they want among your
pages. Try the free search service at atomz.com.
2. Use your web site to make it easy to find updates in your
rapidly changing inventory. We often buy computers and musical
equipment from PCMall.com and MusiciansFriend.com. Both
companies provide some of the lowest prices in their industries.
They do so by buying up discontinued items.
For companies like these, a web site is essential. By the time
their print catalog is published, many of the items are either
dwindling or long gone. Their web sites can immediately tell
customers if the product is still available, even listing how
many units are still in the warehouse.
3. Use your web site to augment your print catalog. We just
gave one example, but here are more. Mailers, sales letters, and
catalogs are expensive to print and even more costly to mail.
Expand on the limited space you can devote to an item in print by
including many more details on your web site.
You may even be able to reduce how often you mail print
materials. Replace some of your mailings with email reminders, an
email newsletter, and references to your always updated web site.
4. Use a web site when you can't get distribution. For years,
Kevin couldn't get his own business going because of distribution
problems. No matter what he tried, the cost of getting his
products and services to customers was too expensive for a new,
start-up business.
The Web represents a huge revolution in distribution. All kinds
of services and information can be delivered to customers
anywhere in the world via the Internet. The cost is almost free.
Look for products and services you can distribute from your web
site. You many have existing products (like advice to customers)
that are better delivered from your web site. There are probably
a host of new things you can sell once your web site is set up.
5. Use a web site when your business is too small to market
any other way. Almost everyone has gotten an idea for a
business, but never followed through with it because the cost of
start-up was too high.
With a web site, you don't necessarily need a storefront,
employees, or anything more than a home phone (and a computer, of
course!).
With that comes one last reason why you need to think wisely and
use a web site in your business. If you don't, your competitors
will. The Web excels at giving every business person an equal
chance to earn a profit -- don't throw yours away.
Ron Sathoff and Kevin Nunley provide marketing advice, business
writing, and promotion packages. See their massive 5-in-1
marketing deal now 75% off. Read all their business tips at
http://InternetWriters.com Reach Ron and Kevin at
service@InternetWriters.com or 801-328-9006.
Three Ways To Sell Anything
by Kevin Nunley
http://DrNunley.com
All of us sell all the time. From a child asking Mom for a
cookie to the CEO of a major corporation trying to ink a million
dollar order, each of us sells. We sell our ideas and beliefs to
co-workers, bosses, and family. We sell products, services, and
concepts.
Here are three simple ways to sell anything. You can use
them in person, on the telephone, or with email.
Way 1: Start a conversation. I never realized how effective
this super-simple method was until I met Ted. He is able to get
an order an amazing 98% of the time.
How does he do it? "Simple. I just talk to people," he says.
It all started early in Ted's career when he couldn't seem to
sell anything. "I had recently gotten married and just when I
really wanted to succeed, no one seemed interested in my sales
pitches."
Sometimes our best ideas come when we're really discouraged. Ted
got so down on his sales technique he forgot about it and just
started talking with people. Amazingly, they bought. Sales
started to trickle, then turned into a flood as Ted became the
company's top sales person for his region.
I watched closely to see how Ted does it. He starts up a
conversation. As soon as you mention something about yourself,
he show a big interest. He talks about whatever you are
interested in.
I immediately feel like Ted is a friend I've known all my life.
After twenty to forty minutes, Ted casually says "so can we get
you set up with an order?" After such a good conversation, 98%
of his prospects say yet.
Way 2: Ask questions. This is a very simple way to sell and it
works for both products and services.
Most customers don't know half as much about your product as you
do. In fact, most probably don't know much at all. Yet it is a
rare customer who starts off by saying I'm a complete idiot on
this.
Ask questions to help find customers find the areas where they
need more information. They may not even know what areas they
want to know more about.
Let's say a customer comes into your computer store and starts
looking for a new desktop. Ask questions to find out if the
customer is mostly interested in processing speed, reliability,
or a popular feature. Ask what frustrates them about their
current computer or what they like that they fear losing with a
new computer.
Find the customer's main concerns. Then give them as much
information about those concerns as they seem interested in
having.
This does three things: You eliminate doubts based on lack of
information. You show you are an expert ready to help. The
customer becomes convinced you are interested in the things that
are important to her.
Way 3: Explain how your product or service works. Again, most
customers don't really know how the thing they want to buy does
what it does. There is so much more you can tell them to enhance
the value they get from your product or service.
Let me give you an example. People love to send their press
release to media, but most have no idea how to get one written,
how to send it to media, or if the media will even be interested.
Because I spent many years working in radio and TV, I can talk
about how to send press releases from now until the cows come
home. Customers love it.
I tell them how we put their contact info and headline at the
top because editors are busy and may not read the rest. I
explain how most editors read their email, but regular mail and
faxes arrive by the bag loads. The customer learns how to change
the slant of his story to interest media.
Once you take time to fully explain how your product or service
works, most people are far closer to making a purchase.
At the root of these three methods to sell anything is human
contact. These days it is had to get a knowledgeable person on
the phone. If you send an email inquiry, you'll probably get a
form letter reply that has little to do with your question.
Customers respond when you give them good old-fashioned
attention. Start a conversation, answer questions, and explain
to get more customers. You will sell more products and services.
Kevin Nunley was one of the first to start a business online and
succeeds even when others are giving up. See his 10,000
marketing ideas to promote your business at http://DrNunley.com
Reach Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Repeat Customers Key For Web
Back at the height of the Internet boom, I remember
hearing a business researcher say sooner or later web sites
would run out of new customers.
At the time, he sounded like a grouch trying to rain on the
dot-com parade, but that day has come.
Just like a new restaurant or store, you get a lot of visitors
at the grand opening. After a few weeks things settle down
and fewer new faces come through the door.
Web sites are going through that phase right now. While
most of us had grown accustomed to a steady stream of new
customers, we are now having to figure out ways to keep
our old customers coming back.
And this is as it should be. Eighty percent of the business
most companies get is from customers who have bought
before.
Keep people coming back by offering reliable service,
being friendly, checking on them after the sale, and sending
postcard or email reminders from time to time. Repeat
customers will become your bread and butter.
Read Kevin's FREE 10,000 ideas to market your
business at http://DrNunley.com See his popular promotion
deals. Reach him at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or
(801)328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Design Postcards Online
Postcards are a favorite low cost way to reach prospects.
Unlike a letter, postcards don't have to be opened.
The prospect sees your postcard in their stack of mail and
can't help but read your headline. From there it is pretty
easy to get them to read the rest of the postcard.
All this happens while the prospect is tossing unopened
sales letters--which cost more to write and mail-- in the
trash.
For years the one big problem with postcards was you had
to get someone to design them.
The first postcard I sent out was designed by the
neighborhood copy shop. It was nothing more than
crooked typing on colored card stock. And they charged
me $85 for it.
Today you can design your own cards online. They look
like something a corporation paid a Madison Avenue
agency thousands to develop.
There are a number of companies that provide this service.
I use ModernPostcards.com.
Simply pick an eye-catching photograph for the front of
your card, then type in your copy for the back. Be sure to
include a headline and even a logo.
Read Kevin's FREE 10,000 ideas to market your
business at http://DrNunley.com See his popular promotion
deals. Reach him at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or
(801)328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Regional Editions of Magazines
Major national magazines have high ad rates. But did you
know you can get much cheaper rates if you advertise in a
regional edition?
Check your local library for the latest copy of SRDS
(Standard Rate and Data). It lists magazines that have
regional editions and gives their ad rates.
Keep in mind the rates media companies list in SRDS are
often their highest rates. You can usually negotiate a lower
price.
Also check into remnant space. If the deadline for ads is
approaching and an odd ad space still hasn't been filled,
you can get it for a fraction of the regular price.
There are big benefits to running even a single ad in a
national magazine. From then on you can advertise your
products "as seen in Newsweek."
One merchant took the magazine page with his ad and
enlarged it into a huge poster. He put it in front of his
store. It gave his business prestige it had never before
enjoyed. Many more customers stopped by simply from
seeing the poster.
Read Kevin's FREE 10,000 ideas to market your
business at http://DrNunley.com See his popular promotion
deals. Reach him at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or
(801)328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Train Your Sales People
I once spent some time hanging around the top Chevrolet
dealership in America. Their sales volume was awesome.
Over the course of two hours, I counted 22 new cars sold.
The secret was the sales person would get the customer
interested, then the owner would step in. He is a master
salesman with a special gift for closing the deal within
minutes.
Imagine how hot your sales could be if ALL your sales
people could sell like a master. You can make big strides
in that direction by training your sales force to do certain
things.
1. Every sales person should know your product or
service line inside out. Have them use the product
themselves.
2. The sales pitch should be memorized. You don't want
to sound like a guide at Six Flags, so memorize the main
points then deliver them naturally.
3. Provide sales training in a number of ways. I talk
directly to employees, email instructions, and have more
experienced employees explain.
Read Kevin's FREE 10,000 ideas to market your
business at http://DrNunley.com See his popular promotion
deals. Reach him at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or
(801)328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Sell With Posters
Good marketing comes in all kinds of formats. One of my
favorites is a good, low-cost poster.
Plain black and white works fine. Add one or two extra
colors to spice it up (yellow is good for getting attention.)
Make your headline and contact information BIG enough
to be seen from a distance.
The key is to put your poster where just the right people
will see it. Go for locations where your most likely
customers will get your message.
I live near a fairly new neighborhood. Many of the new
home owners spent everything they had to get into the
house, then spent even more on furnishings and a new
lawn.
One smart entrepreneur has a poster on the main street out
of the neighborhood. Hundreds of cash-strapped residents
making their daily drive to work see his poster showing
how they can earn extra money each month.
Get just the right location for your poster by knowing as
much as you can about the kinds of people who will buy
from you. Place your poster where they go, especially
when they may be in the right frame of mind.
Read Kevin's FREE 10,000 ideas to market your
business at http://DrNunley.com See his popular promotion
deals. Reach him at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or
(801)328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Build Credibility
You earn credibility when people believe you can do what
you say.
Build credibility by knowing your product or service
inside and out. If a customer is having a problem, make
sure you can offer at least one good solution.
Build credibility with friendly service, by showing you
care about the customer and the reputation of your business,
and by providing follow-up.
You also get credibility when you appear to know what
you are talking about.
Get loads of credibility by writing an article, turning out a
regular column, hosting your own video, or even writing a
self-published book.
Go one step further by getting yourself or your business
covered by the press. A single newspaper story or TV news
feature about your business can give you mountains of
credibility over night.
Be sure to keep copies of any press you get. Frame it and
put it in your office, behind your cash register, or on your
web site.
Credibility also comes with consistent marketing.
Read Kevin's FREE 10,000 ideas to market your
business at DrNunley.com See his popular promotion
deals. Reach him at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or
(801)328-9006
Improve Your Ad. Here's How.
by Ron Sathoff and Kevin Nunley
http://InternetWriters.com
Wanna improve profits? Need to make more money? The first step
is to find more people who are interested in what you sell.
You could go door to door. You might call all your past
customers for tips on who to call next. But more than likely,
you will simply place an ad.
Print, broadcast, and online advertising are the fast way to get
the word out to thousands, even millions, of interested
prospects.
Here are five simple way to improve your ad to get great response
fast.
1. The most important way to improve an ad really has nothing to
do with the ad itself. Ads work ten times better when they are
tightly targeted. Targeting means putting your ad in a place
where most of the people who see it are the same folks who are
most likely to buy from you.
For most businesses, a good example is your morning newspaper.
No doubt it reaches hundreds of thousands of readers, but they
come from all walks of life and professions. While you are
paying to get your ad in front of those massive minions, you have
to know that few are intensely interested in what you sell.
You often do far better to place the ad in a trade paper or
magazine that covers your industry. Their readership may be just
a few thousand, but almost every one of those readers is working
in your industry and knows and needs what you sell. You ad will
get far better response.
2. Make your ad an attention-getter. All of us are bombarded by
thousands of advertising messages each day, from radio spots, to
TV audio that plays in the background while we're making dinner,
to the newspaper ad you see blowing past you as you get out of
your car.
We humans deal with it by simply tuning out all but a few ads.
The ads we pay attention to are the ones that pertain directly to
our most pressing concerns. The ads we notice are the ones that
promote a product, service, or idea that can solve our problem,
make us feel better, make us richer, or make us feel sexy and
loved.
Get attention by targeting your best audience. Then use a
headline to shout out a problem or solution your target audience
will immediately identify with.
3. Make your ad skim-friendly. Only a small percentage of us
start at the beginning of an ad and read every word to the end.
We just don't have the time or interest (remember those thousands
of ad messages we face each day?).
Most of us skim through an ad. If the ad is more than a couple
of sentences, we will skip it if it doesn't look like copy we can
skim.
Put your most important phrases in bold. Ron likes to bold the
key elements of the offer. Kevin insists that he can get the
jist of the offer simply by reading Ron's bold phrases.
Your ad should be easy to read FAST. Keep sentences short. Use
simple everyday words. Make your paragraphs no longer than three
lines. Try to limit yourself to one idea per sentence.
4. If your ad will appear in print or on TV, use a picture,
graphic, or image to enhance your message. The image should help
tell the story.
Almost all advertising paints a vision of the customer in dire
trouble. Then, when she buys the product, she is delivered into
the promised land of a better, easier, more enjoyable life.
Depending on your ad, you may be able to use images to illustrate
this important story line that works with any audience.
5. Your ad must show people how to buy. Include as many ways to
contact you as you can. When we send an article to publications,
we hear from a lot of readers when we include our web site
address. We hear from even more if we include our email address
at the end. Put those plus our phone number and regular mailing
address at the end and reader response goes from a trickle to a
flood.
Ron Sathoff and Kevin Nunley provide marketing advice, business
writing, and promotion packages. See their massive 5-in-1
marketing deal now 75% off. Read all their business tips at
http://InternetWriters.com Reach Ron and Kevin at
mailto:service@InternetWriters.com or 801-328-9006.
Successful Upselling.
How to super-size every sale to double, triple, and quadruple
your profits instantly.
by Kevin Nunley
http://DrNunley.com
Ask and most businesses will tell you. The key to their success
is upselling. It is one thing to get the sale. It is far better
to super-size that sale.
Real profits come when you get the customer to buy a larger, more
expensive, or more comprehensive product or service. The guy
going into a pet store to buy a fish is a classic example.
When the clerk sees Sam looking at the budget-priced gold fish,
she leads him over to the much more impressive tropical fish.
"As you probably know, you will need a fish tank," she says.
"These beautiful fish only live in salt water. We have these $75
salt water tanks on sale for just $49.95."
By the time Sam exits the store, he has purchased much more than
the twenty cent gold fish he originally came in to get. He is
proudly carrying home several exotic species, a $50 fish tank,
fish food, a light, and other accessories. The sale went from a
tiny twenty cent transaction to nearly $100. The store's
profit margin rose right along with it.
You Are There To Help
Upselling is easy if you think of your main business as helping
customers. Think about the problems your customers come to you
with. What does it REALLY take to solve their problems?
Chances are, your customer needs a lot more than the simple
inexpensive solution they first consider. By grouping together
several different products and services, you can give the
customer a more advanced package that goes much further toward
creating a satisfying solution.
Melissa buys a computer. Even though she is not thinking of
purchasing anything more than the computer, a few questions posed
by the sales person reveal Melissa will probably need new
software to help her achieve the things she wants to do with the
computer.
The computer and new software have a pretty steep learning curve.
Melissa will need help from an expert and likely a technician to
install the network system her needs demand.
The computer retailer anticipates Melissa's situation. Many of
their customers are just like her. The store offers a "getting
started" package with all new computers. It includes several
software choices, instruction sessions, and help with
installation. These things are cheap for the store to provide,
but greatly increase the value of the purchase.
Three Ways To Make Upselling Automatic
Here are three favorite ways to build upselling into any
purchase. Use these and customers will buy two or three times
as much without even thinking about it. The day I put these
ideas to work in my own business, I tripled my income.
1. Bundle several related products or services together. Drop
the price below what the total would be if the customer bought
all the products separately.
When a customer inquires about a single item, point out she can
get that item PLUS a great deal more by purchasing your bundle.
You will find many customers just can't resist the bundle
bargain. Announce your new bundle with flair. It can pull in
orders faster than you can fill them, especially if you advertise
heavily to existing and previous customers who already have
a good taste for what you offer.
2. "It works fine by itself, but it REALLY works when you add
THIS." If your product or service works much better with a
complimenting item, be sure to tell customers about it.
It is surprising how many products and services go hand in glove.
It's hard to have one without needing the other.
Years ago I wrote press releases for $75. A great many customers
bought the release, but never got around to sending it to media.
So I started writing AND sending press releases. The $75 press
release became a $295 release-and-distribution. Almost no one
bought the press release by itself after that.
3. If a little worked, a LOT will work even better. As soon as
you learn a customer is having success with your product or
service, offer them a good deal on more of it.
Sheila's family likes the yellow bars of soap one company sells.
When the distributor who services her account hears about this,
he offers her a deal on six bars each and every month.
This works as well for management consultants as it does for soap
sales. If you solve one problem for a company, pitch them on
letting you solve three or four more problems for them. Later
you can convince them to let you handle all their problem solving
needs.
Successful upselling needs to be at the core of every business or
professional practice. It can instantly multiply your profits.
You might well go from just getting by to living comfortably, and
from living comfortably to rolling in wealth.
As you can see, super-sizing every order has to do more with
planning than with any special selling skill. Get good at
fulfilling a need. Then create packages and strategies that sell
even more of your solution to each customer.
Kevin Nunley provides marketing advice, business writing, and
popular promotion packages. See his 10,000 free marketing ideas
at http://DrNunley.com Reach Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com
or 801-328-9006.
Increase Your Online Sales For The Holidays
by Kevin Nunley
http://DrNunley.com
It looks like we are headed for another holiday season of brisk
sales online. While bricks and mortor stores are cutting back on
merchandise for the holidays, there is every indication that
Internet sales will be up.
Don't look for mainstream media to tell you this story. The
truth is, while they've been moaning about the dot-com meltdown,
Internet sales have actually improved this year by an estimated
40 percent (Jupiter). From April of last year to April of this
year, the number of adults on the Internet jumped 18 percent
(Forrester).
Holiday sales start in September. Don't wait until late November
or December to launch your holiday items, services, or marketing.
Get started now!
People who buy gifts online tend to be folks who are looking for
convenience. They may be part of the large group who like to get
gift purchases out of the way early. Or they may be those who
procrastinate and buy at the last minute.
Make it easy to purchase. Put an order button or link next to
each item you sell. It is vital to take credit cards.
If possible, have your shopping cart automatically fill in
information for returning customers. You may even be able to
show customers what gifts they purchased from you last year.
List how long it takes for orders to be filled and shipped. Web
site visitors will be much more willing to buy if they know for
sure the gift will arrive in time.
However, remember that not everything sells well online. Shoppers
feel more comfortable buying some items online while they prefer
buying other things in a physical store. You also need to find
items that are easy to display online.
Good examples of things that sell well on the Web are
electronics, computers, books, and business supply items.
Online sales now account for massive sales in these categories.
Dell is legendary for the millions in computers they sell online
each day. A huge percentage of all sales online are one business
providing supplies to another.
If you are having trouble selling your product online, check to
see how the mail order industry does it. Many people won't buy
clothing online because they can't try it on before they make the
purchase. Yet, a number of companies are very successful selling
clothing from mail order catalogs. Watch what kinds of clothing
they sell, how they help customers find clothing that fits, and
the return policy catalogs use to help customers feel secure.
There is another reason to look at mail order when choosing items
to sell online. Even though customers are buying from your web
site, physical items need to be shipped. Choose things that are
easily shipped and won't be damaged.
After you've made sure your order forms and shopping cart are
user friendly, and that your product is Internet suitable, wait
to see if more sales start rolling in. If not, you might have to
reconsider selling your product from your own site.
During the past year or so people have begun to visit fewer
sites. Customers tend to go to the same sites over and over
again while spending less time searching for new sites.
This can make it tough for a small or new site to get enough
visitors to create sales. Many are finding it works well to sell
from one of the Web's busy online malls.
Yahoo, Amazon.com, and eBay all have popular malls that draw
millions of visitors. These set-ups can make it very easy for
you to sell online.
You will have to pay a monthly listing fee ranging from just
$9.95 per month at eBay to a more serious $300 at Yahoo. Amazon
and eBay also take a small percentage of each sale. eBay charges
a nickle for each item listed.
The online mall approach doesn't work for everyone. If you
already have a good customer base, you probably want to keep your
site separate from the malls. Having lots of competitors listed
right next to your area may drain away your existing customers.
You can always sell your product through an online mall as well
as your own site. This approach works best if you already have a
solid customer base but need to find more prospects. The easier
it is to find your products, with prompt delivery and and good
customer service, your sales will surely boom during the
holidays.
Kevin Nunley provides marketing advice, business writing, and
popular promotion packages. See his 10,000 free marketing ideas
at http://DrNunley.com Reach Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com
or 801-328-9006.
Promote Your History
It's amazing how many people ask me about my personal
history when they call or write. I suspect that this is because
people like to deal with folks they know something about,
and by knowing a little bit about where I came from, they
get to know a little bit about who I am.
If you don't seem to be having the kind of relationship you
want with your customers, try using this kind of
information in your marketing. Talking about your history
is a great way to personalize both yourself and your
company.
Talk about who you are and how you began -- customers
love to hear about success stories, especially if they are
trying to create one of their own! Some words about why
you began your business and what you believe in can also
be very good for creating credibility.
You see a lot of small, food-based companies do this.
Bakeries, for instance, will often include a little card in
their bags of goodies describing when and where the
company was founded.
Grab sales like crazy with SEVEN sales letters, pages of
web copy, or autoresponder messages! Professionally
written by Kevin and his staff of top editors. See
http://drnunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach Kevin at
kevin@drnunley.com or 801-253-4536.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Dealing with Answering Machines
It seems like whenever I have to call a customer, 75% of
the time I get their machine instead. Like most people, I
still feel a little uncomfortable talking to a machine rather
than to a flesh-and-blood person.
Listening to messages on a machine can be just as
frustrating. If a message is hard to understand, or confusing,
or just too hard to write down, the person listening is liable
to just hit the "delete" button.
Being able to leave a good message is a key to creating a
good line of communication with your customers. Make
sure you speak slowly and clearly, and spell out any words
that may be hard to understand, especially names.
Make sure you leave all the important information -- who
you are, why you are calling. when you called (not all
machines have time stamps), and how (and when!) you can
be contacted.
When giving out your phone number, I find that it's best to
say the number twice. The person who listens to the
message, frantically trying to write down the number, will
thank you!
Announce your new business, product, or service with
Kevin’s Media Manager press release deal. We write
your release, send it to 5,000 media nationwide, send to
a targeted list of media in your industry, hand mail to
up to five media in your city, put your release online
and register it with search engines. Get it all now for just
$399 at http://drnunley.com/release.htm
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Making Old Products New Again
If you have an old product or idea and would like to
breathe some new life into it, breathe easy. Thanks to a few
simple processes, it really is possible to "recycle" old ideas
and make them look like shiny new ones.
Just like a white elephant gift, an old idea can be made
new again by putting it in a box and giving it a brand-new
look. New packaging can do a lot for an old product,
catching the eye and making customers think, "Hey, I've
never seen that before... it must be new."
This is exactly what Rex Games, Inc. has done with
Tangoes, an updated version of an ancient Chinese tangran
game. In its shiny new packaging, it is marketed as a
therapy, an educational aid, a training tool, and a sales
premium... but rarely just a game.
A new audience can do wonders for an old idea. If they've
never seen it before, it's new to them. So, if the product has
previously been marketed with classified ads in the
newspaper, try marketing it on the Internet.
Grab sales like crazy with SEVEN sales letters, pages of
web copy, or autoresponder messages! Professionally
written by Kevin and his staff of top editors. See
http://drnunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach Kevin at
kevin@drnunley.com or 801-253-4536.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Design Your Print Materials Online
If you're "graphically challenged" like I am, you probably
need the help of a professional designer to make your
printed marketing materials look first class.
But what if your project can't afford a designer's fees?
Try designing your stationary, postcards, and business cards
online.
New technology at sites like CopyMax.com and
VistaPrint.com let you pick a design, choose colors, and fill
in blanks to get professional looking designs.
Many of these online firms have free or low-cost
introductory deals. A local sales person dropped off her
card. It was a smartly designed glossy piece that got
attention. When I turned it over, it said "printed free
online." Eager to try it out, I designed 1,000 full-color
cards for my business for less than a tank of gas.
A computer program will never take the place of a good
designer, but these sites do get you off on the right foot.
You may be able to create an eye-catching design to
demonstrate your ideas to a designer for more precise and
effective marketing materials.
Announce your new business, product, or service with
Kevin’s Media Manager press release deal. We write
your release, send it to 5,000 media nationwide, send to
a targeted list of media in your industry, hand mail to
up to five media in your city, put your release online
and register it with search engines. Get it all now for just
$399 at http://drnunley.com/release.htm
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Enthusiasm--Your #1 Marketing Tool
Years ago when I was just starting out in my first big-time
media job, I was about as eager as anyone could be. My
boss noticed this and pointed out how valuable enthusiasm
is to individuals and organizations. "The Ancient Greeks
thought enthusiasm was a gift from the gods," he said.
I've often remembered that, especially when watching
successful business people at work. The best are always
filled with enthusiasm.
Customers notice enthusiasm. They figure you enjoy your
job, do it with intensity, and will give them a better product
or service.
This same principle can work for the employees of large
companies, too. One chain business supply store has
workers who seem bored and dispirited. But over at their
competitors, I never walk in without being greeted by the
checkout guy at the door. A manger always looks up and
heads my way asking if he can help. These people are
enthusiastic about business supplies. Many customers go
there for no other reason than to get a lift from sharing their
enthusiasm.
Grab sales like crazy with SEVEN sales letters, pages of
web copy, or autoresponder messages! Professionally
written by Kevin and his staff of top editors. See
http://drnunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach Kevin at
kevin@drnunley.com or 801-253-4536.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Help Customers Find An Expert
Customers love to talk with an expert. When you have a
pressing problem, nothing makes your day brighter than
finding someone who immediately understands what you're
going through and can offer several ways to quickly
improve the situation.
Of course, if you are trying to be an expert to everyone
who calls, emails, or walks through your door, you may not
have time to do anything else.
This happened to me recently when the crush of folks
wanting me to look at their web site got to be more than I
could handle. Rather than turn people away, I hired a top
local web site expert to answer these messages twice each
week.
Are folks put off that I'm not answering some of their
questions? Not at all. Customers are getting to talk with an
expert and they kindly give me credit for connecting them.
Find experts in your own community and online by
checking the yellow pages, talking to others in your
industry, using search engines, and networking.
Announce your new business, product, or service with
Kevin’s Media Manager press release deal. We write
your release, send it to 5,000 media nationwide, send to
a targeted list of media in your industry, hand mail to
up to five media in your city, put your release online
and register it with search engines. Get it all now for just
$399 at http://drnunley.com/release.htm
Smart PR Stategies To Get Your Small Business Free
Media Coverage
by Kevin Nunley
DrNunley.com
Paul opens his favorite business magazine to find a fawning
interview with Amazon's Jeff Bezos. Then he picks up the
morning paper and reads a long story on a new donut chain
being built in his town. Later he catches a feature piece on
CNN about a guy who sells funny handmade shoes and
learns accounting secrets from a CPA in Ohio.
Media hands out millions of dollars in free publicity every
day. As well as advertising works, a media story about you
almost always pulls better. The familiar and respected voice
of a newspaper editor, magazine writer, TV reporter, or
radio personality talking about you holds lots of weight with
the audience.
How do all these businesses get media coverage? The
secret varies depending on what your business does and
HOW BIG it is.
Large in-the-news businesses like Amazon.com get
coverage for practically any development. Political figures
find their words in the media for almost any
pronouncement. The local college football team gets press
even if there is nothing much to cover.
A Different PR Strategy For Small Businesses
Your small business can have a much tougher time if you try
to approach media the same way big organizations do.
Media is almost entirely owned by large conglomerates and
staffed by media pros who have never worked in a small
business. The overall industry mindset is that big business is
news and small business is--well--rarely news.
This all changes, though, if you offer good information or
advice that will be helpful to the media outlet's audience.
Newspapers love it when a tax expert offers tips around tax
return time. Radio stations get a big kick out of anyone
who can keep their audience laughing. TV likes anything
that is visual and brings out emotion (hide the keys to a new
car in a pool of jello, ask contestants to swim to win, and
watch every TV station in town turn out).
Let's focus on you as the media savvy expert. This is
without question the best strategy for consistently getting
your small business in the media.
Start by taking inventory of the areas you are, or could
become, an expert in. Think in terms of the kinds of
information a general audience would find interesting,
helpful, or moving (these days many in the media try less to
explain and more to create emotion).
If you have a day care center, make a list of ten ways tired
parents can keep an energetic youngster entertained and
learning. Run an auto body shop? How about ways to
avoid getting taken by mechanics and insurance companies
after an accident.
If your area of expertise can relate to a hot topic in the
news--all the better! Historians, lawyers, detectives, and
political scientists get in the media several times each year
by giving informed tips relating to an event or scandal in the
news. You may even be able to provide a local angle for a
national story.
Finding Media Who Will Cover You
I have found the best way to get covered by newspapers is
to first find the reporter who handles stories like yours.
Read through the paper's web site. It usually tells which
reporters are assigned to particular topics (like the business
editors or technology reporter). Many papers give reporters
wide leeway in what stories they cover. Call the reporter
and deliver a short, too-the-point message on why you have
a story THEIR AUDIENCE would find interesting. Get to
the juicy, memorable part first.
Follow up quickly with a press release, question and answer
page, and a bio about your business history (sometimes
called a backgrounder).
This same strategy works well for getting covered in
magazines, industry journals, and on major web sites. Use
search engines to find articles on topics that match your
business. Look up the article, find the author's email
address, and suggest another related story that, of course,
includes your business or expert information. This often
works surprisingly well to generate PR for you.
ProfNet.com has a service where journalists and writers can
post topics they are trying to get information on. As a
business or non-profit, you pay $50 to $100 per year to see
these posts. Your multiply your chances of getting covered
by ten when you respond to a reporter with good usable
info.
Magazines often post a list of subjects they will be covering
from one issue to the next throughout the year. This is
particularly true of industry publications.
Expanding To Radio
While you have your media materialss in hand, call local talk
and news radio shows. Speak with the host or producer.
Explain what is interesting about your information and,
again, follow up with your release, Q&A, and bio.
The same strategy can work for getting you on top radio
morning shows. Radio comprises well over half of all the
media outlets in the US and many other countries. Don't
over look it.
As you get media coverage, collect quotes from the media
folks who have worked with you.
"Jean kept the phones lit up for an hour"
KXXX San Diego, CA
"Interesting information every home owner should know."
The Daily News Canton, OH
Build your list of stations and publications your business has
been featured in. Include reprints when possible. Media
folks love to cover stories and feature experts who have
already been successful elsewhere.
Stay in touch with media who cover you. Send a
handwritten thank you note to editors, reporters, and on-air
personalities. Make sure YOU are the expert they think of
when your topic comes up in the news throughout the year.
Kevin Nunley provides marketing advice, copywriting, and
promotional packages. See all his tips to help your business
or career at http://DrNunley.com Reach Kevin at
kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Track Your Email Marketing
New reports show half of everyone on the Internet may be
showing up only to use email. As big as the World Wide
Web is, simple email is just as popular.
Recently marketers have started looking for ways to
increase the effectiveness of their email. New HTML
email, where the message looks like a web page, allows
businesses to place a tiny clear graphic on the page.
You can't see the graphic, but it allows the sender to know
if you've opened the message and who you may have
forwarded it to. When the message pulls up the graphic, it
calls it from the sender's server telling the server who you
are.
All this can be used like the "values" card many
supermarkets feature. You supply personal information on
a form to get the card, then when the card is swiped, the
grocery store computer matches your purchase up with your
info. It gives the store a powerful database.
Postel and i-Trace are leaders in this technology. i-Trace
offers its email tracking service for free.
Kevin’s team of professionals will write your LONG web site
sales letter for just $250. Nothing sells your product or service
better and you can’t beat our price for a limited time!
See http://drnunley.com/webcopy.htm
Reach Kevin at kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
How to Write a Short Ad
Your short ad doesn't have a lot of room for sales talk. It
has to get to the point quickly. Your ad must crisply tell
what product or service you are offering, who you are, how
the customer will benefit, and what the next step is for
buying from you.
Forget what your English teacher told you in high school.
Short ads are different from almost all other kinds of
writing.
Incomplete sentences are OK. Two and three word
phrases are fine. Keep your sentences short and use
periods. The most common problem I see in ads are several
phrases run together in one long sentence.
For easy reading, stay away from sentences like this one
that start with a phrase followed by a comma. Instead,
write the sentence like this: Stay away from sentences with
commas for easy reading.
Finally, make sure you offer several ways for customers to
reach you. Internet ads should include your web site
address, email, and phone number. Ads in print
publications should also include your mailing or store
address.
Kevin will write your classified ad for just $35. See our
special ad copy deal at http://cheapwriting.com/ads.htm
Reach Kevin at kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Organize Your Ideas
Writing, speaking, and selling is a lot easier if you use
some simple ways to organize your ideas. How many times
have we had something to say, but couldn't get it out
because we couldn't organize our ideas?
One of the simplest ways to get your thoughts together, in
speaking and in writing, is to tell the story chronologically.
Start at the beginning and move toward the end.
For example, if somebody asks me how to start a business
from home, I might tell them the story of my own business.
I would start from quitting my 9-5, to setting up an office in
a spare room, to where we are today.
Or you can start at one point in time, then move into the
future and back into the past. The same works for
explaining just about anything. Settle on a main point, then
discuss other points that relate to it.
You may want to number your points as you go along.
My friend Alvin Apple always says, FIRST you do this,
SECOND you do this, THIRD....
Kevin’s team of professionals will write your LONG web site
sales letter for just $250. Nothing sells your product or service
better and you can’t beat our price for a limited time!
See http://drnunley.com/webcopy.htm
Reach Kevin at kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Marketing Plan On A Napkin
Some of the greatest marketing plans of all time have
started off on a napkin. Legend has it the entire Star Wars
movie sequence was first jotted down on a napkin by
George Lucas more than 25 years ago.
Your napkin-sized marketing plan may be all you need to
get your business or career on a more successful track.
Start with a sentence that tells the reason for your
marketing. What is your overall goal?
The next line should tell how you intend to achieve this
goal (advertising in newsletters, magazines, on cable).
Next, write down your target audience.
Make a note of the niche you are filling. If you can't
appeal to everyone--and few of us can--which specific
groups will you go for? What unfulfilled need are you
satisfying?
Wrap your napkin marketing plan up with how much you
intend to spend on marketing over time. You might pour
10% to 15% of sales back into marketing.
See Kevin’s full service marketing plans at
http://drnunley.com/marketing_plan.htm No where you get
proven marketing done this BIG at such a low price.
Reach Kevin at kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Customer Service Changes
Customer service is undergoing a bit of a revolution. The
days of meeting customers in person is fading. More and
more, companies deal with their customers via telephone,
email, and web site forms.
While this change may make many of us uncomfortable, it
seems to be a rapidly expanding fact of life for business.
It is important to set customers at ease and make a human
connection when using email, the Internet, and the phone.
On the phone, smile slightly to give your voice a friendly
sound. Modulate your voice, making it slightly higher on
some words and lower on others. This keeps you away
from the dreaded telemarketer monotone.
Use some of the same techniques for email. Put a little
enthusiasm in the way your write. Keep your sentences
short with one idea per sentence. Customers will think
your messages are easy to understand.
Increase your web site's customer service quotient by
reducing the number of clicks it takes to buy something.
See Kevin’s all out marketing plans at
http://drnunley.com/marketing_plan.htm No where you get
proven marketing done this BIG at such a low price.
Reach Kevin at kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Build Your Cell Phone Web Site
The Internet is gradually coming to cell phones and PDA's
in North America. .
It's too early to tell if the Internet on cell phones will
become popular here, but you may want to get in on the
trend anyway.
Recently we downloaded Coffee Cup Software's free
Wireless Web Builder
<http://www.coffeecup.com/wireless>.
David Kirk, our 17 year-old tech whiz, used it to quickly build
us a simple sight you can see on a cell phone or PDA.
Wireless sites have to be simple. You only have space for
a few short lines of text. Our site opens with our name and
a short line explaining what we do, then a toll free phone
number to call.
Visitors click to a screen with a list of links to our
services. Each service gets it's own page with a very short
description, the price, and our toll-free number.
The Coffee Cup deal comes with free hosting at
BlueDomino.com. You can see our free cellular site at
http://wap.bluedomino.com/users/drnunley
You need good, exciting original copy for your web site!
Get our 7 pages of writing for just $499. See
http://drnunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach Kevin at
kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Market To Everyone
Most products and services are geared to a specific group
of customers. Right now I could use a chain saw, but I
doubt anyone else in my neighborhood is in the market for
one.
There are some products and services that are used by
everyone. Today I got a note from a woman who sells
books of coupons good for grocery discounts. Who is her
audience? Everyone. We all eat and no matter how rich
you are, saving money on food probably sounds like a good
idea.
But how would she inexpensively market her product to a
huge mass audience? Since her question asked about the
Internet, I suggested putting low-cost classified ads in big
distribution email newsletters. Her ad would direct
prospects to her simple web site that has a photo of the
product and a way to order.
Your town's daily or weekly newspaper is another way to
reach a large mass audience that consists of just about every
kind of customer. TV is another good mass media including
lower cost cable.
Looking for ways to market your product, service, or idea?
Ask Kevin! He'll give you fresh promotion ideas free--no
obligation. Reach Kevin Nunley and his staff of marketing
experts at kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006. See the
promotion packages that are working best for his customers
at http://DrNunley.com
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Spot Your Niche
Unless you have the advertising budget of Coca Cola or
Ford, you have to limit your marketing to a few effective
methods. You will want to direct your advertising to a
limited group of prospects who are highly likely to buy from
you.
Easy enough. But exactly WHICH group of prospective
customers should you focus on?
Spotting your niche can be a daunting task. Sometimes it is
even tough to know what groups you have to choose from.
Start by making a list of the things you love to do. Your
niche needs to begin with something that you don't mind
working on and thinking about constantly for years.
The real benefit of doing this isn't that you can comfortably
become a workaholic, but that you probably know quite a
bit about the things you love.
You also have a lot of enthusiasm about that thing. Nothing
sells your product or service like genuine and whole hearted
enthusiasm.
Make sure the niche you go after has enough people to
provide you with a living and can be marketed affordably.
Looking for ways to market your product, service, or idea?
Ask Kevin! He'll give you fresh promotion ideas free--no
obligation. Reach Kevin Nunley and his staff of marketing
experts at kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006. See the
promotion packages that are working best for his customers
at http://DrNunley.com
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Product Photos On Your Site
A picture tells a thousand words. And nothing sells a
product like a good photo of it.
In the "old" days you had to spend big bucks on getting
brochures, flyers, and postcards complete with full color
photos. You may still want to do that, but you can save lots
of money by putting your product photos on a web site.
Pay attention to the quality of the photography. You don't
need a high resolution picture to sell a desk. But try to sell
food with grainy, off-color photos and you're in trouble.
These days scanners are dirt cheap. Scan your own photos,
then edit and polish them with a program like Photoshop
(see the cheaper Photoshop LE) or PaintShop.
Recently I needed some photos for my website but didn't
have a scanner or a digital camera. I took the pictures with
a regular camera, then sent the film to ShutterFly.com
where they developed them, digitally edited them, and put
them online. All I had to do was grab the photos off the site
and put them on mine.
Looking for ways to market your product, service, or idea?
Ask Kevin! He'll give you fresh promotion ideas free--no
obligation. Reach Kevin Nunley and his staff of marketing
experts at kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006. See the
promotion packages that are working best for his customers
at http://DrNunley.com
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Find Your Product's Sizzle
There is an old marketer's rule that it is better to sell the
sizzle rather than the steak. Of course there are exceptions
to this rule (like any other) but it is often good advice.
Look for what gives your product or service sizzle. Is it the
promise of earning a steady income? Is there a certain
glamour associated with your product or service? Are you
able to make people relax?
Recently I was reading reviews for a book about weekend
homes. I was surprised that none of the people who had
read the book pointed out the great architecture or fine
decoration the book displayed.
All those who commented on the book said how looking at
nice weekend homes made them relax. In fact, that is what
they bought the book for. They were looking for a way to
reduce stress. The book worked like a mini-vacation.
Look for the sizzle in your product or service. When you
talk with customers, ask them what they like about your
product or service. Findv out how they use it.
Looking for ways to market your product, service, or idea?
Ask Kevin! He'll give you fresh promotion ideas free--no
obligation. Reach Kevin Nunley and his staff of marketing
experts at kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006. See the
promotion packages that are working best for his customers
at http://DrNunley.com
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Sell By Answering Questions
The higher the price, the more questions I ask before
buying. Sometimes it's because I want to make absolutely
sure the product or service is just what I need. Other times
I'm fishing for ideas on how I can reduce the cost.
In the end, the sales person who answers the most questions
wins. I invariably buy from the knowledgeable person who
seems to welcome my ignorance, doubts, and left field
ideas.
Think a moment about the last time you bought a pricey
item. Or the last time you bought something on the
Internet. Did you get a prompt answer to a question right
before the sale?
I once watched a very successful greenhouse operator work
the phones at the back of her store. She had four phones
nailed to the wall and she kept at least three of them going
at all times answering customer questions.
Clearly, this wall of phones was the engine behind their
massive sales.
Post your "We happily answer questions" sign in your store,
on your delivery van, and most certainly on your web site.
Looking for ways to market your product, service, or idea?
Ask Kevin! He'll give you fresh promotion ideas free--no
obligation. Reach Kevin Nunley and his staff of marketing
experts at kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006. See the
promotion packages that are working best for his customers
at http://DrNunley.com
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
List A Reason To Visit
We often see an ad end with the name of the company's web
site. It is a great idea to list your site address on ALL of
your marketing materials. But just listing your URL isn't
enough.
Be sure to include a REASON why someone should click to
your site NOW! Home business expert Alvin Apple always
lists his site along with a note about his newest article which
anyone can read free. "See Alvin's latest article 'Starting
Your Business On A Shoestring' at http://AlvinApple.com."
I do a similar thing when I post on discussion groups. The
post ends with:
"See Kevin's 10,000 marketing tips at DrNunley.com."
My web site tracking report shows people don't click on my
link if I don't include the reason to visit, but lots of hits
come in from the post if I do.
Include your reason to visit in your email signature file at
the end of messages. Put it on your business card. Supply a
good reason to visit in all your ad copy.
Looking for ways to market your product, service, or idea?
Ask Kevin! He'll give you fresh promotion ideas free--no
obligation. Reach Kevin Nunley and his staff of marketing
experts at kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006. See the
promotion packages that are working best for his customers
at http://DrNunley.com
What Is Your Marketing Telling You?
Five things that go wrong with ads and how to fix them.
by Kevin Nunley
Marketing is an essential part of building a profitable
business. Even if your customers come entirely from one
customer telling another, your sales go nowhere unless you
have a way to get the word out.
But what happens when marketing fails to do its job? You
shuck out hundreds, even thousands of dollars for
advertising. The ad runs, then nothing. The phone doesn't
ring, Nobody comes in your store. Your web site gets no
hits.
Do-nothing marketing gives you a sinking feeling. You
didn't just waste your ad budget, you're also flying without
any good way to bring new customers to your business.
You have spent money without any assurance you will be
making more down the road.
Fortunately, most marketing problems have fairly easy
answers. Listen closely to what your marketing is telling
you and you will discover surprisingly simple ways to fix
lackluster advertising.
Problem1. Your ad runs,but nothing happens. Most ads
that fall short do so because customers didn't notice or
didn't understand what your ad was trying to tell them. It's
that simple. The ad doesn't communicate so people don't
respond.
Give your ad the"mother" test. Ask yourself if your mother
would completely understand it. Customers are a lot like
Mom. They are smart people but may not know much
about your industry. What makes perfect sense to folks in
your business may sound like Greek to customers.
Watch for insider jargon, long complicated sentences that
mix up your meaning, or ad copy so clever it hides your
main message.
Problem 2. You get response, but it is from the wrong kind
of people. The folks who come in your store or email you
aren't the same people who will become good customers.
For example, you advertise car covers, but everyone who
contacts you is looking for bumpers. This problem is
usually caused by poor targeting. Your ad might have
reached a lot of people, but most weren't individuals who
would buy from you. This is a common problem for
businesses advertising in big newspapers or on TV. They
reach a big massive audience, but not many are interested in
what the business sells.
Solve this problem by putting your ad in magazines, ezines,
and on radio stations and cable shows that have a narrow,
specific audience that closely matches your best customers.
Problem 3. You get response from a few good prospects,
but not as much as you anticipated. Instead of a flood, you
get a trickle. This often happens when your headline or
offer doesn't grab attention. It may not be juicy enough or
loud or obvious enough.
"Come visit our online mall" doesn't turn near as many
heads as "Get an instant $100 gift certificate when you visit
our online mall." My tests have found prospects jump at
headlines that include big dollar numbers or free computers.
Your industry may have other hot button offers that always
get response. The only way to know is to test different
ads. Also pay attention to what works for your
competitors. If they have used the same offer for years, it
probably works like gangbusters.
Problem 4. You super charge your ad with a great offer,
but still get only a trickle of response. Great ads don't
always work the first time they appear. In fact, the first ad
rarely gets an avalanche of results. Once you develop an ad
that seems to be hitting home with customers, repeat it over
and over.
During the many years I worked in media, we figured it
took a minimum of two weeks of heavy promotion to get an
idea across to our audience. It often took six weeks to
really do the job right. Promoting for only a week virtually
insured we wouldn't get much response (and that was with
an exciting ad running EVERY hour of the day).
So what if your ad budget is just a small monthly amount?
Find a good ad, then repeat it week after week and month
after month. Watch closely to see if sales gradually mount.
The business world is full of examples where a small
business put a tiny display ad in the Sunday paper month
after month. After a year or two, almost all their new
business comes from the ad.
Problem 5. Your ad pulls lots of interest, but nobody buys.
We see this a lot with advertising on the Internet. A site
will run a great ad in an email newsletter and get plenty of
clicks, but nobody buys. In this case, the problem isn't with
the ad, but with the web site. Frequently the web copy fails
to do its job. The ad gets the customers through the door,
but the copy is too flat, too short, or doesn't encourage
customer confidence.
The same kind of thing happens in retail stores. We did a
wildly successful promotion for an auto dealer. Hundreds
of people came into the dealership each hour of the
promotion. The store's sales people were completely
unrepaired for that kind of response. They stood around
grinning with their hands in their pockets. Not once did a
sales person offer to help the hordes streaming through the
door. At the end of the day, not a single car had been sold.
Solve this problem by making sure your sales or support
staff know all the details of your advertised offer. When a
prospect sees your ad and calls, anyone who answers the
phone should immediately know what the customer is
asking about.
Most ads fall short because of one of these five problems.
All have definent symptoms and easy solutions. Listen to
what your marketing is telling you. Then fix the problems
and encourage your successes. You will quickly take the
mystery out of marketing and make it a reliable partner.
Kevin Nunley provides marketing advice and copywriting.
Read all his free tips and see his popular promotion
packages at http://DrNunley.com Reach Kevin at
kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Personalize Your Marketing Plan
There are some great ad agencies and promotion firms out
there, but nobody can market your business like you can. If
a tight budget forces you to be a do-it-yourself marketer,
feel confident that you are in good hands.
No matter how powerful or smart a marketing plan is, it
must be personalized to four things: your business, your
style, your budget, and your time.
What works fine for one business may be all wrong for
another. This week I talked to a guy who asked if door to
door sales is a good way to spread the word.
"I LOVE to talk with people," he said. That is an effective
and low cost way to market, but most of us probably
wouldn't make it our first choice.
Some people love to sell on the telephone. I'd much
rather sell via email.
If your time is limited, choose marketing strategies that
can be set in motion and left alone. Find a good print
publication or email newsletter, set up a renewing monthly
ad deal, then let it do its job for a year or more.
Hate to write? Kevin and his staff of top-notch professionals
write your sales letter, web site copy, press release, ad--whatever
your need! See our low prices. especially on multiple page packages
at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach Kevin at
kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Fix Problems Fast
People have never been busier. When problems crop up,
they need them fixed--fast.
Most of us have days crammed with must-do's from dawn
to dark. If a problem comes up (like last week when I got a
flat tire), the time it takes to get a solution can throw us off
schedule. We wind up hurried and scurrying for the rest of
the day.
A growing number of customers will pay extra just to
make sure they're dealing with an organization that can fix
problems quickly. Many pay even more for a company that
does its best to head off problems before they happen.
One top dot-com impressed me last year when they
responded to a problem by immediately overnighting the
package.
This year, after a series of devastating budget cuts, it takes
weeks for them to solve customer problems. Now there is
little or no reason to choose them over a local merchant
who sells the same thing, even at a higher price.
Keep your can-do attitude in full force. When a problem
crops us, show you can fix it--fast.
Hate to write? Kevin and his staff of top-notch professionals
write your sales letter, web site copy, press release, ad--whatever
your need! See our low prices. especially on multiple page packages
at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach Kevin at
kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Your "How To Know When You Need" Sheet
One great way to increase business is to write up your own
"how to know when you need" sheet. It is a page that lists
several problems you can solve. Tell the reader how to
recognize the problem, then how to solve it using your
product or service.
For example, I was at a tire store the other day. Next to
the coffee pot they had a poster listing all the signs of tire
trouble: "Do your tires rumble and your steering wheel
shakes?" Of course, the problems could be solved with
balancing, alignments, and new tires--all sold by the store.
Make a list of the top four problems you solve. What are
the symptoms these problems show? While they may be
super simple to you, customers may not know the
symptoms. Describe what they look like, feel like, or smell
like.
Then present the possible solution. Don't force a solution
on people. Gently suggest it: "The problem could be..." is
a good way to start.
Hate to write? Kevin and his staff of top-notch professionals
write your sales letter, web site copy, press release, ad--whatever
your need! See our low prices. especially on multiple page packages
at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach Kevin at
kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Starting Your Talk
The hardest part of speaking to a group is starting the talk.
Nothing is worse than getting up in front of a crowd to
suddenly find you don't have a way to begin.
Here are the top ways to start a talk:
* State an impressive fact. "85% of everyone in this room
has suffered from this problem this week!" gets the
audience's attention. While they are looking stunned and
amazed, hit them with more information about your
impressive fact.
* Ask a question. This is the classic way to get an audience
involved. "How many of you have ever struggled with a
confusing tax form?" You will get smiles, hands going up,
and more than a few who can't wait to hear where you are
going with this.
* Tell a joke. Yup, it's the world's oldest way to start a talk,
but it works. Yesterday I heard an elderly General start a
speech to college students with a lame, poorly-told joke. It
worked. People laughed, the General chuckled, and he was
off and running with his discussion.
Try memorizing the first minute or two of your talk.
Hate to write? Kevin and his staff of top-notch professionals
write your sales letter, web site copy, press release, ad--whatever
your need! See our low prices. especially on multiple page packages
at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach Kevin at
kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Make Your Headline Powerful And L-O-N-G
Five times as many people read the headline of an ad than
read the copy. Make your headline powerful, attention
getting, and make sure it sells your product or service.
Anything less wastes most of the money you paid for
advertising.
Be sure to include your company or brand name in the
headline. Since most people read nothing more than the
headline, leaving your name out will insure 80% never
know who you are.
The best headlines promise the customer a reward. "Use
this product and get this benefit." Flip through a magazine
or newspaper and count the number of ads that shout a
benefit in their headline. Talk longer on your cell phone for
the same price, avoid the summer heat, escape the boredom
of everyday life.
Have your headline announce news about your product or
service. Headlines that proclaim news are remembered by
almost 25% more people.
Finally, make your headline L-O-N-G. Ten word
headlines sell far better than shorter headlines.
Hate to write? Kevin and his staff of top-notch professionals
write your sales letter, web site copy, press release, ad--whatever
your need! See our low prices. especially on multiple page packages
at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach Kevin at
kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Present A Slice Of Life
One of the most effective ways to make a commercial is to
present a slice of life. One actor tells another about a
problem she has. She should describe it in a way that helps
the audience identify with the problem. It's a problem they
have, too.
The second actor offers the advertiser's product or service
as the solution.
The slice of life approach works great for TV and radio.
In fact, it's the basis of about half of TV commercials.
Also use the slice of life in print. Show a photo of
someone who looks like your customers (or the way your
customers would LIKE to look). The headline should state
the problem. Have the copy tell a story--a slice of life.
The slice of life works even better if it is true. When a
customer tells you a story about how she solved a problem
with your product or service, make detailed notes. Use her
experience later in an ad.
To make the story even more effective, include the actual
customer in the ad.
Hate to write? Kevin and his staff of top-notch professionals
write your sales letter, web site copy, press release, ad--whatever
your need! See our low prices. especially on multiple page packages
at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach Kevin at
kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Three Ways to Make a Name For Yourself on the Web
by Kevin Nunley
http://drnunley.com
We all know that the internet is a great marketing tool. A
website can be a very profitable means of marketing your product
or service, and advertising on other people's websites can be
very effective as well, but that isn't where the advantages stop.
Business oriented bulletin boards, discussion groups and
chatrooms are all over the web, and while they aren't
traditionally looked upon as marketing tools, they can be a great
way of getting the word out about your business.
1. Bulletin Boards:
Bulletin boards are lists of questions or statements and
responses in your area of interest that can be viewed on the web,
usually in a bulleted list format. Do a search, and then read
through several bulletin boards that might appeal to people who
would buy from your business. Once you're comfortable with the
format, offer a suggestion, give an opinion, or post a question.
Be sure to include your full name at the bottom of your post
along with your web address and a line that gives a reason for
visiting your site. I usually sign my notes:
Kevin Nunley
10,000 marketing tips at http://DrNunley.com
After your posts have appeared regularly for several weeks,
people will begin to see you as someone who is involved and ready
to help, and they'll check out your website. A new customer is
born.
Now, some people say that bulletin boards are declining. Don't
listen to them, though. As people are growing more comfortable
with the web and getting involved with more and more sites, they
simply aren't posting as much. That doesn't mean they aren't
reading. I recently added a brief tip to several discussion
groups that seemed to be a little slow. The results were
actually really great. I tracked a number of people clicking
from the bulletin board to my web site, far more people than had
posted in the days since my original post.
2. Discussion Groups:
Being recognized as an expert in your field can really boost your
sales. When people know you can help their situation with
experience and knowledge, they'll come to you, and they won't
mind paying for whatever you suggest.
One of the Net's best tools to turn yourself into a recognized
expert in your field is discussion groups. These can be UseNet
newsgroups (check with your Internet Service Provider for how to
find them) or they can be discussion groups on web sites. There
are also email discussion groups, sometimes called listservs or
majordomos.
To get started, pick a couple of groups you find interesting.
Join up, but don't post just yet. Hide out for a while and get a
feel for the interests of the group and the tone of the
conversations. See who posts the most and who seems to be the
most respected. Also, see if you can pick out the naysayer, or
the "troll under the bridge," (every group has one it seems) so
you can avoid any hassles.
When you're ready to dive in, pick a question and give a good
solid answer, without a lot of opinion or comment. Make it a
goal to answer a question once or twice each week. Keep your
answer strictly non-commercial but DO include your commercial
signature file at the end sending people to your site and email.
If people respect your answers, you'll find yourself with more
business.
3. Chat Rooms:
Chat rooms are the least formal of these formats. These are
those discussion groups you can get involved in where there is a
scrolling conversation of people commenting back and forth in
real time. They can be very entertaining, and also a great
marketing tool.
Before you can start you will have to register with a user name,
and usually a bio. Once again include your url, and email.
When you start chatting, keep a friendly tone and get to know the
people you're talking to. Don't immediately start pushing your
product. You have to use the soft sell approach. People in
general do not like being "sold", especially by someone online
they've never met. Though they can see you in chat rooms, read
your website, view posts on a bulletin board, you will need to
build a reputation with them.
It is important to appear in the chat room at the same time every
day or several days per week. Let visitors know what your chat
room schedule is. If you make a positive contribution to the
discussion and stay on top of what's going on, you can become the
resident expert who visitors and regulars turn to for information
and for business.
So remember, the internet is a great marketing tool in more ways
than you think. Use bulletin boards, discussion groups and chat
rooms to promote your business. If you just keep your eyes and
mind open, all sorts of opportunities will present themselves.
Kevin writes your press release and sends it to 5,000 media
contacts nationwide. Even one story can be worth $1,000s in FREE
advertising. See Kevin's low-cost package at
http://DrNunley.com/. Reach him at kevin@drnunley.com.
How To Get Great Buys On Banner Ads
And Make Them Produce Results
by Kevin Nunley
http://DrNunley.com
Banner ads are down but not out. The billboard-like
Internet ads that appear on web sites everywhere don't pull
the response they once did. Yet, today's much lower ad
prices are giving many businesses an affordable and
effective way to spread the word online.
Back in 1994 when the Web was new, as many as 40
percent of people who saw a banner ad clicked on it. As
time passed and banners became commonplace, response
rates dropped to 1 to 2 percent. Those figures are
comparable to what other media--radio, TV, newspapers,
and direct mail--can deliver.
Banner ad rates have dropped from $20 to reach 1,000
people a year ago to just five or six dollars today. Even
though the trendy luster of the Web has passed, there are
still millions of interested prospects to be found online. This
could be the best time ever for small and medium-sized
businesses to stock up on banner ads.
The Internet ad industry isn't taking response rates lying
down. Recently the Internet Advertising Bureau approved
standards for new, larger banners. The new "wide
skyscraper" size has already appeared on top sites and is
three times larger than what we are used to. Advertisers
hope the larger size will get reader attention, converting
more sales.
Experts warn not to get caught up in the flash of new
banner technology. The quality of your offer and the clarity
of your message are still the main factors in getting results.
Here are five ways to make sure you banner gets attention
and pulls response:
* Your banner should ask the reader to take action.
Something as simple as putting "Click Now!" on your
banner can increase response.
* Use words that attract interest and create emotion. Free
and Special Offer are favorites. I like to start each line with
an action word. Buy, Save, Profit, and Rush work well.
* Push the main benefit your product or service provides.
Most advertisers forget this point and promote their
product's features. Show readers how a feature leads to
something that benefits their situation. The chrome fender
on the Gizmo 2000 saves time and reduces costs.
Animated banners pull better response than static ads. Sites
and banner networks usually have guidelines that help keep
your animated banners from becoming a turnoff. Keep your
ad size under 12k. Anything larger takes forever to load for
anyone using a slow dial-up line as almost 80 percent of
North Americans do.
If you use photos in your banner, keep them low resolution
so they load quickly. In many cases you can reduce the
standard 256 web-safe colors to just 16 for an even "lighter"
banner.
Animated banners step readers through two or three
successive panels. Put your most important message on the
first panel so those with slow connections don't miss out if
the second panel doesn't pop up before they click away. I
like to put the main offer on the first panel with a few
delicious details on the second.
If you banner is light and loads fast, feel free to have the
most important part of your message on the third panel.
For example: (1) Tired? (2) Feel better fast (3) Get
Energizomine...Click here!
Before you commit big money to your banner ad campaign,
test your ad or ads with a 30 day trial run. Most banner
networks provide reliable statistics on how many people
have seen your ad (impressions) and how many clicked on it
to go to your site (click-throughs). You can also check the
server logs your web host provides to see where hits are
coming from.
Pay close attention to the web page visitors are taken to
after they click on your banner. One of the biggest
complaints is users can't find information about the offer
they saw on the banner. Tailor a special page to correspond
with your banner. Make sure you give plenty of
information, ways for prospects to contact you, how to buy,
and what your product or service costs. Too many sites are
leaving these points out of their sales page, making this one
of the chief causes of lagging banner response.
Banner ads are the Internet's main advertising vehicle. Over
the next few years, as more and more people get fast
broadband Internet connections, we will see "rich media"
banners that look more like television.
Low ad prices and less competition makes this a great time
to promote your offer or name online. By following these
simple tips you can make banners a reliable part of your
marketing arsenal.
Kevin Nunley provides marketing advice and copywriting.
See his 10,000 marketing ideas and popular promotion
packages at http://DrNunley.com Reach Kevin at
kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Seeing From Your Customer's Point of View
Six ways to increase sales
by Kevin Nunley
DrNunley.com
The better you can describe your best customers, the more
products and services you can sell. How do you that?
* Know Your Customer
What newspapers, magazines, and e-zines do they read? What topics
interest them most? What groups or associations do they belong
to?
You can devise a questionnaire to send to your best customers and
prospects. Entice them with a free offer or a big discount.
Many actors start developing their character by writing down a
long list of words that describe the character. This helps the
actor think deeply about the part they are going to play.
This strategy works well to help you figure out what kind of
people buy often. You likely know far more about your prospects
and customers than you realize. This method helps you get a
clearer understanding of what you probably already know.
* Do A Needs Analysis
Experts on selling always tell you to start by doing a needs
analysis for the customer. That's a fancy way of saying
you need to figure out what the customer's problem is, and
to decide how you can fix it. Would your potential customer's
life be improved with your product or service? You can fix that!
Does your customer find a certain product or service inferior?
Your mission will be to deliver a better solution.
Michael Dell got the idea for his Dell Computer business
while he was still in high school.
He quickly saw computer stores weren't giving him very
good prices and service was almost nonexistent. As a customer,
that was his problem.
"When I would go to a computer store, I would pay 25
percent retail mark-up for a computer and be served by a
person who knew little about computers," Dell wrote in a
recent article.
This early experience became the idea behind his own
business. By selling direct to customers, Dell could
eliminate the mark-up.
He also insisted on customer support being a top priority,
positioning Dell as a consumer advocate.
* Ask Some Questions
What if customers have some idea what they need, but don't
understand the big picture of why they need it and how you can
provide a solution? Be prepared for this.
It is a little like when you or I go to the doctor. We know
something hurts, but we may not know what is causing it.
If you don't know what is causing the problem, it is very
hard to come up with a cure.
Start your needs analysis by asking questions. Help the
customer zero in on the exact problem.
When a prospect tells me "I'm not making any sales on
my web site," I first find out if they are getting enough
visitors. The problem could be too little traffic or they may
be getting enough traffic but their site's copy isn't selling.
Best of all, doing a needs analysis gets you focused on the
customer. That is the quickest path to a sale.
* Listen to your Customers
Why is this important? Most of us tend to develop beliefs about
ourselves, our products, and our businesses. We have strong
feelings about why we are good, why people should buy from us,
and why our customers find us important.
Believing in yourself and your products and services is very
important. It is hard to be successful if you don't believe with
confidence.
Beliefs can also blind us to reality or new conditions. Believing
in a false reality can bring unpleasant surprises down the road
when a competitor suddenly surges or customers begin to stay
away.
Watch yourself, your biz, and competitors with open eyes. Look
for solid indicators that your view of things may need an
adjustment. If customers disagree with your view, or just offer
suggestions, listen to them. There may be some valuable grains of
truth in what they think.
* Stay Acquainted with Your Customers
Keep notes! This tip sounds a bit sneaky, but customers love it.
>From time to time customers may tell you about something going on
in their life. "My daughter is graduating next week" or "Product
X is our best seller" or "My team won the championship."
Write down those revelations for later use. Refer back to your
notes right before placing a phone call or composing an e-mail to
the customer. Selling depends on your excellent product or
service, but also on your likability and ease with people.
Notice how personal and natural this conversation sounds:
"Is your daughter enjoying being a graduate? She's going to State
U? You're probably looking for a low-cost computer for her. I
have a great new budget model that fits into any space and is
loaded with the software that a college student needs."
Customers are impressed when you remember things about their life
or business. They don't know you are reading from notes. The
customer feels important. They think they are getting your
special attention. In the end, that is the most powerful tool you
can use to entice people to buy.
* Remember What It Was Like To Be A Customer
Many businesses say their best ideas come from customers. It is
also a good idea to think back to before you started your
business. Think back to the time when you were a customer buying
from businesses like yours.
What frustrated you? Were there parts of the business you
felt weren't giving you a very good deal? Is that part of why you
have a passion to give customers a better solution?
Keep doing that by knowing your customers and satisfying their
needs, because you were in their shoes once.
Kevin Nunley provides marketing and copy writing. Read all his
free tips at http://DrNunley.com See his popular marketing
programs that combine the best of what works online. Reach Kevin
at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or (801)328-9006.
Do A Needs Analysis
Experts on selling always tell you to start by doing a needs
analysis for the customer. That is a fancy way of saying
you need to figure out what the customer's problem is and
deciding how you can fix it.
While customers usually have some idea what they need,
they often don't understand the big picture of why the need
it and how you can provide a solution.
It is a little like when you or I go to the doctor. We know
something hurts, but we may not know what is causing it.
If you don't know what is causing the problem, it is very
hard to come up with a cure.
Start your needs analysis by asking questions. Help the
customer zero in on the exact problem.
When a prospect tells me "I'm not making any sales on
my web site," I first find out if they are getting enough
visitors. The problem could be too little traffic or they may
be getting enough traffic but their site's copy isn't selling.
Best of all, doing a needs analysis gets you focused on the
customer. That is the quickest path to a sale.
Hate to write? Kevin and his team of in-house editors will write
your web copy, sales letter, press release, article, and more!
See our low prices at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach
Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Remember What It Was Like To Be A Customer
Many businesses say their best ideas come from
customers. It is also a good idea to think back to before
you started your business. Think back to the time when you
were a customer buying from businesses like yours.
What frustrated you? Were there parts of the business you
felt weren't giving you a very good deal?
Michael Dell got the idea for his Dell Computer business
while he was still in high school.
He quickly saw computer stores weren't giving him very
good prices and service was almost nonexistent.
"When I would go to a computer store, I would pay 25
percent retail mark-up for a computer and be served by a
person who knew little about computers," Dell wrote in a
recent article.
This early experience became the idea behind his own
business. By selling direct to customers, Dell could
eliminate the mark-up.
He also insisted on customer support being a top priority,
positioning Dell as a consumer advocate.
Hate to write? Kevin and his team of in-house editors will write
your web copy, sales letter, press release, article, and more!
See our low prices at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach
Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Pay-Per-Clicks Get A Larger Audience
While business papers have been bemoaning the
downturn in Internet stocks, things are quietly changing
online.
During the past year millions of people have joined those
who surf the Internet and use email several times each
week.
Millions more started buying things online, getting in the
habit of taking advantage of the Net's vast selection and
often lower prices.
Pay-per-click search engines--the ones that let you pay a
small fee for each visitor who clicks to your site--have seen
big increases in the number of people who use them. Yet,
the downturn in Internet ad rates has kept their prices low.
This has suddenly made many pay-per-clicks one of the
most powerful, low-cost promotion tools on the Net.
I noticed this recently when one of our new sites went
from no visitors to hundreds of hits per day. We traced the
crowd of visitors back to a very cheap ad we had placed on
NetFlip, a pay-per-click started a few years ago by college
students.
Hate to write? Kevin and his team of in-house editors will write
your web copy, sales letter, press release, article, and more!
See our low prices at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach
Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Send Your Press Release A 2nd And 3rdTime
Newspapers, radio, and TV offices are very busy places.
It is easy for your press release to get lost or overlooked.
Like a lot of businesses, media firms have had to tighten
their belts in recent years. When I started working in radio
in the 1970s, it wasn't unusual for me to work three or four
hours on the air, then leave for the day.
By the mid-90s, the same radio stations were requiring all
employees to do two and three jobs, often working 12 or
more hours each day.
By now you're getting the picture. If you want media to
read your press release, you may have to send it more than
once.
Send your release, then wait for a couple of weeks to pass.
Rewrite the top of your release and give it a different
headline. Freshen it up with a slightly different angle.
Relate your story to things that are already in the news.
If you get no response, send a third freshened release a
month later.
Many editors won't use your material until they see you
are persistent.
Hate to write? Kevin and his team of in-house editors will write
your web copy, sales letter, press release, article, and more!
See our low prices at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach
Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Get Web Visitors Involved
The key to making a sale is getting the prospect involved.
Whether it is just having him become excited about your ad
or spending time with him on the phone, the more involved
a prospect is, the more likely he is to buy.
This is especially true on the Internet. Watch sales jump
as soon as you engage more of your site's visitors in email
conversations or online discussions.
This strategy has been a main focus for many companies
for years. There are now several sites that provide you with
all the free audience involvement tools you can use.
Bravenet.com is a favorite. At no charge, they set you up
with dozens of audience participation tools ranging from
live chat from your site to your own discussion group.
We recently created a web site based around the Bravenet
tools. It focuses entirely on getting visitors involved with
discussions about marketing, advertising, and promotion
(see http://PromoteTown.com).
If you start your own discussion board, expect to create
most of the content yourself for the first few weeks.
Hate to write? Kevin and his team of in-house editors will write
your web copy, sales letter, press release, article, and more!
See our low prices at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach
Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
Dr. Nunley's Biz-Tips
by Kevin Nunley
Tell Customers Something Specific
There two important ways to focus all your marketing and
advertising. First focus on a specific kind of customer, then
tell them something specific about your product or service.
This sounds pretty simple, but you will notice a lot of
advertising that fail to focus. The ads seem to be aimed at
everyone and the copy tries to tell you everything about the
product.
That is just too unfocused to get attention and produce
results. The message tends to blend in with the thousands
of ad messages all of us hear, watch, and read each day.
Once you decide which group of your best customers you
can reach with an ad, tell them something specifically
addressing a need they have.
The retail stores you supply may have a big problem
keeping up with inventory. Your marketing should speak
directly to store managers, talking about the specific
problem and showing how your product or service can
solve it or make it better.
Hate to write? Kevin and his team of in-house editors will write
your web copy, sales letter, press release, article, and more!
See our low prices at http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm Reach
Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
![Learn How to Increase or Automate Sales, Traffic, Leads, and Profit Generation today and save time and money doing it using our free resources internet marketing section [over 100,000 links with over 20 sections], automation tools that can save 100s of hours and automate all internet related tasks 10-200 times faster and How Tos information to accelerate your marketing results... Resources Update Daily. 3 Free Newsletters too.](http://www.becanada.com/becan2.gif)
