Internet marketing: free advertising methods

Internet Marketing: Free Advertising Methods!

Given a solid product, a well-developed Web site, and a carefully designed marketing strategy it’s possible to make good — even excellent — sales without investing any money in promotion. More detail to www.internet-marketing-world.com that said, it does take a serious investment of time as well as marketing know-how. Although you may still want to invest in paid advertising, free advertising methods can help keep your costs down.
Give them a reason to come
Give potential customers not only a reason to visit the first time, but a reason to keep coming back. Site design marketing strategy and must work together. Whether it’s simply advertising a weekly sale item or something more involved, like inviting people to a contest in which visitors find pictures hidden within your Web site to win a prize, the site and marketing should complement each other .The site should be alive — a product sitting quietly on a page won’t get much attention. Provide content that’s original and valuable to your target market – not just rehashed newswire copy. Add a ”Send this page” script to your articles and try to have them published (with or without pay) on other sites whenever you can. Unique, relevant, and regularly-updated content will both bring you more visitors — which will in turn improve your search-engine ranking — and keep your old visitors returning. Organize your site to lead visitors toward making a purchase, enticing them to your products page with tempting suggestions in your one or two of your articles or in your sidebars. Use small banners as ”in-store ads” to attract to your products page from, for example, your feature article page. After all, even if visitors spend time at your discussion group or reading your weekly column, it’s little use to you unless they buy. Keep your advertisements to a reasonable level, though. While ad copy should be lively and seductive, trying to pass an advertorial off as unbiased information will look superficial.

Encourage word of mouth

Viral marketing is a way to encourage word of mouth. Offer free e-cards or a useful free e-book that people in your market will pass on to friends. Alternatively, selectively send out a story, tips sheet, or anything else uniquely useful that will get passed around. Something with your URL on it that comes from a familiar address has far more weight with the recipient than any email-list ad campaign from an unknown address. Have a ”Refer a Friend” scripts and offer an incentive for your visitors to actually refer their friends.

Do what you can to get into the major search engines and keep up on search-engine optimization, but don’t waste all your time on monitoring your rank. If you’ve found your market niche, your rank will almost take care of itself. Don’t neglect the specialty search engines, either — they exist for health, music, pet care, and almost everything else and offer a more targeted audience and less competition.

Drop in on them

A useful, regularly-delivered opt-in newsletter is the ideal way to remind you customers about your site. But don’t bombard them with ads or fluff —make the newsletter so useful your readers want to pass it on to their friends. Within the newsletters, give them a reason to return to your site, such as a new article, a sale, or a quiz with the answers at the site. At some point send out a survey asking customers what exactly they want, either from Web sites likes yours or products like yours. For even more mileage, offer to swap ads or articles with other newsletters.

Getting nothing for nothing

Not every marketing scheme works as well as its promoters would sometimes have you think. Generally free classifieds work only in the narrowest markets. Free sites (porthole sites) at tripod and the like can work if they contain real content and with perhaps a different slant than your main site or are used to highlight a specific product. Bulk e-mail ad-campaigns are often disappointing in results and may make you more enemies than friends. Go to www.internet-marketing-online-goldmine.com this technique, while it still brings in buyers in some markets, is working less than it used to.

Study, study, study!

Keep researching — it may take some trial and error to find the techniques that fit your product and market. Given the rapid pace of Internet development, networking is usually the most efficient way to stay on top of advancements. There are a number of sites, discussion groups, and newsletters devoted to Internet promotions that will help you keep up with marketing trends and techniques and gather new ideas. If your business strategies are sound and your product is in demand, you may well be able to make a solid profit even without a bottomless advertising budget.

Knowing the difference between formal and informal situations when writing an email

Knowing the Difference Between Formal and Informal Situations When Writing An Email

Copyright (c) 2009 Luie De Von

An e-mail marketer should be able to tell the differences between formal and informal situations if he/she wants to make his/her email marketing strategy works. Formal wordings are used when writing an email for business purposes. It shows how professional the sender is. On the other hand, you can write an email for friends and family members using informal words and phrases. Here are some of the differences between formal and informal that you need to know and remember when writing your business emails.

— Standard English terms are used for formal e-mail writing. Informal writing allows the use of colloquial words and expressions. Colloquial words are widely used by people all over the world, but still, it is not yet considered formal.

— Always keep in mind that when you are using contractions, write them in their complete form like will not, have not, do not, should not, does not, can not, etc. People often make the mistake of using won’t, can’t, don’t, shouldn’t, doesn’t, haven’t, etc.

— Using clichés like vast majority of, each individual child, utilization of resources, etc. when writing an e-mail is also not considered formal. You can use terms such as preferred like most, each child, the use of, and others instead.

— You should also be cautious when using abbreviations in your e-mails. Keep in mind that you should never use shortened form of words such as tv, digicam, aircon, pro, photo, etc. Instead, you should use television, digital camera, air conditioner, professional, photograph, etc.

— When writing a formal e-mail, you should always use the passive voice while active voice is for informal writing.

A business letter is always written in a formal way. It uses a formal tone to make it more professional. But when it comes to e-mail marketing, marketers have found that using a more informal tone makes their communications have a friendlier tone. This generates more positive responses from prospective customers.

Let us enumerate the differences between formal and informal e-mail writing when it comes to email marketing.

Use proper opening and closing salutations. It is very important that you maintain civility when writing your salutations. Using Mr., Mrs., Madam, etc is still the best way to address your recipient. Addressing your recipients by their first names or nicknames is only used when you are writing an informal e-mail. Also, do not forget to say «Thank You» to show appreciation that they spent time in opening and reading your letter.

Do not use smileys. Although it is important to show your recipient how you feel through your e-mail, never make the mistake of including smileys. Although it is an informal tone you are using when writing the business e-mail, it is still inappropriate to use smileys.

Check your grammar and spelling. How would you feel if you received an e-mail that is supposedly for business purposes and the grammar is really bad or there are lots of misspelled words? This is why it is important to proofread your message before hitting the «Send» button. You should always use the correct form of the words, phrases and sentences. Scan the letter for possible typographical errors and check as well if you have used the correct punctuation marks.

Do not use all caps. Sometimes, readers feel that the sender of the e-mail is somehow shouting or yelling at them when words are capitalized. That is why you should avoid capitalizing all the letters of a word or words when writing a formal e-mail. You can either italicize the word or put an asterisk before it to show emphasis.

Observe correct capitalization. Whether it is a formal or informal e-mail writing, always bear in mind that proper capitalization is very important. The first letter of the first word in your sentences should be capitalized. Proper nouns should also be capitalized.

How to take advantage of tax breaks with a home based business

How to Take Advantage of Tax Breaks With a Home Based Business

Tax Day of April 15 comes around before we are ready. Then we scurry to make sure we have all the deductions accounted for that can hopefully assist us in getting money back from Uncle Sam.

Unfortunately, many people do not realize what kind of tax breaks they can get by having a home based business. Most people think there are many more requirements to having a home business than is actually required by the government. There are only three:

1. You show a profit ‘intent’ (even though you may not show a profit yet).
2. You work your business on a regular and consistent basis (even if only three to four hours per week).
3. You keep good records (just like a big, full-time business).

With a home-based business, it’s important to remember that your street address is also your business address since it is housed in the same location. Because of this, there is a «deductible business portion» of your home-related expenditures. This can include a portion of utilities, furniture, janitorial service, home office equipment, maintenance expenses, etc.

There is also a huge benefit to hiring your spouse for your business because you can then deduct ALL out-of-pocket health cost for the whole family. If you hire your kids in your business rather than give them an allowance, the wage expense is tax deductible to you and is usually tax free to your child (up to $5,700 per year and put any above that in a Roth IRA for maximum benefits).

The biggest single tax deduction may be in your car’s ignition in relation to potential tax savings. Keeping a 90-day consecutive period vehicle log is actually allowed to figure the tax break for your car, rather than writing down that information every time you go somewhere related to business all 365 days of the year.

Never take another ‘vacation’ and not get to claim tax breaks. Make sure you do something in relation to your business when you are traveling so it will become a tax deductible business trip. However, there are some stipulations that apply in this field and you need to be able to substantiate the business expense. However, the number 1 reason that triggers an audit is math errors on the return. The second reason is an incorrect Social Security number on the form. So to keep from sending up a red flag, triple check your numbers.

The IRS has been instructed by Congress to give huge refunds and deductions to taxpayers who have a home-based business, OR anyone who operated one at any time in the past three years. You can easily file an Amended Tax Return (Form 1040X) by following simple step-by-step instructions if you had a home-business in any of the past 3 years, and get a refund check for thousands of dollars…plus interest if you have not claimed those deductions yet!

You deserve to get as many tax deductions as possible if you have a home business, including an online business. Be sure to do your research to see what you may be missing out on.

Important things to remember in writing a business email

Important Things To Remember In Writing A Business Email

Copyright (c) 2009 Luie De Von

Writing an effective business email is a very important element in internet marketing. How you write your letter can affect the response of your readers or prospective customers. Below are the do’s and don’ts when writing a business email:

The subject line counts a lot. The recipient may decide to open your email or just delete it based on your subject. Never use words or phrases that might mislead your readers. A good subject line shows what is the exact topic of your email.

No to exclamations! Do not include exclamation marks to try to emphasize the urgency of your e-mail. Notice how most junk mails contain not only one but several exclamation marks to grab attention.

Stay focused on your message. When composing your message, always remember to highlight only the most important details and go straight to the point. Keep in mind that people do not have the patience to read a long letter. You may also want to keep your reader’s attention focused only on one idea so you can urge them to take positive action.

Use bulleted lists. If you must enumerate ideas or points, it is best to use a bulleted format so you won’t ever have to include unnecessary words.

Practice professional writing standards. Before sending out your business email to its recipient, make sure that there are no grammatical and typographical errors.

Do not send attachments. Marketing e-mails with attachments are often deleted immediately because people think that they may contain worms or a dreadful virus.

Properly introduce yourself. Make sure that your recipient is completely aware of who you are, what company you represent and the purpose of your email. An appropriate introduction should be the first thing that they will see in your message.

Skip using the smilies. Smilies and emoticons are used to add a more personal touch but these are best left out when writing a business marketing email because it might not help in keeping the professionalism of your email.

Do not use slang. Just like smilies, the use of slang or informal language should be avoided when writing a business letter.

Observe courtesy. Writing a business e-mail is just another form of communicating with your customers. Always be polite in addressing your recipient. Keep in mind that the person who may be reading your email is a prospective customer and you want to give the best impression at all times.

How to provide poor customer service

How To Provide Poor Customer Service

All businesses strive to provide excellent customer service, but there’s a fine line between service and servility. Extreme servility is called obsequiousness. Now there’s a word for you to know. Even if you don’t know what it means, you’ve experienced it-maybe in a restaurant, a clothing store, a car dealership, anywhere where employees hope that by virtue of their attention they will make sales or garner large tips. It’s one thing to be attentive and meet customers’ needs; it’s another to be so present and «in their face» that customers think you want them to adopt you.

A few months ago, I ordered a gift of steaks and roasts from a meat mail order business for some family members. When no acknowledgement came, I called to find out if they had gotten their present. As it turned out, the parcel delivery service had left the package at the wrong address, but the people who had received it in error were honest enough to immediately call the intended recipients to let them know about the mix up.

The only person who had made a mistake was the delivery man who’d misread the mailing label, and no one ever heard a word out of him or his company. The same can’t be said for the meat company. In its relentless pursuit to keep customers satisfied, company representatives started calling me-daily-to make sure I was still happy and to see if I didn’t want to order more meat.

After the umpteenth call that resulted in no additional purchases from me, I asked to have my name and number removed from the calling list. Being nice hadn’t worked. Maybe some force would be more effective. Keep in mind I had had absolutely no beef with the mail order company until now. It was at this point, however, that customer service attention turned into customer obsession.

I thought I’d gotten the point across, but about a week later I started receiving calls at my work number. When I would take advantage of the caller ID feature on my phone, I saw an area code and number I didn’t recognize. I answered in my usual way, but each time the caller said nothing and simply hung up. This happened several times until I checked the number and discovered it was the cattle crew. This was out of control. I’d said no from my home number. The answer wasn’t going to be any different on my business line.  Now they were intruding on my work day without saying a word.

One final call (and I emphasize the word final) came at 9:17 p.m. last week. Dinner was long over, and no one in the house was thinking about food, especially not about T-bones. No one was consciously thinking about anything since we were all asleep. It had taken almost an hour to get the three-year-old to quit fussing about having to go to bed, but at last he’d drifted off. That is, until the phone rang. I was roused from a very deep sleep by the phone ringing and our child yelling for Mommy.

Too unawake to check the caller ID, I answered. To my utter amazement, it was another company rep wanting to know if I was ready to order more filets.  It was time to take this bull by the horns. «No,» I said, «not now, not ever again!» I can’t remember exactly, but I’m sure I pointed out that I’d asked to have my name and number removed from their list. That he had had the audacity to call so late in the evening was absolutely beyond my comprehension.

This experience is a clear illustration of how customer service can go terribly wrong. Probably part of this was due to someone misreading the data and assuming that since I had placed a substantial order, I would likely do so again. Who knows? Maybe I would have at a later time, but the «overkill» from the sales staff turned out to be a deal breaker as far as I’m concerned.

Let this be a cautionary tale for any businesses out there that think «hard selling» is going to work every time. In many cases it will backfire and have just the opposite effect from the one you want.

I’ve recently conducted a less-than-statistically-valid study polling people (my office manager, my aunt, and a very nice woman behind me in a line at Safeway) about customer disservice. Although not all the results are in, here are ten tips to take to heart to keep your customers truly satisfied:

1. Just because your business model says customers should, in all probability, be interested in buying something, don’t assume they’re kidding when they tell you no.

2. Limit unsolicited calls to the same person.

3. Call at a reasonable time.

4. After you hear «Hello,» really listen to what the other person says to you.

5. Don’t argue when the customer says «no.»

6. Honor the customer’s wishes.

7. If you are offering service to someone in person, be available, but don’t hover.

8. An internet order does not give you authorization to call someone at home or work to offer add-on purchases or services.

9. Know that a lot of people have caller ID, so don’t call and hang up without saying something.

10. Ask yourself: Would you want to get the call you’re getting ready to make?

This is just a starting point. Maybe you have some pet peeves of your own. If so, send them to our website. There are plenty of people we like to hear from. Just don’t contact me about buying anything that was standing on four legs and had a pulse until recently. I’m now a vegetarian thanks to the last person who did!