There are many Web sites I visit every day and will probably never return to again. It's not that I didn't like the site, or that I wasn't interested in the topic, services, or products offered. It's just that I wasn't ready to take action right now. So I clicked away and will probably forget about them.
The danger of this happening at YOUR site is that you just lost a great prospect. After all, I'm pre-qualified. I was already interested in what you had to offer. I likely found your site via a search engine, Web directory, advertisement, article, or another promotion. I clicked through to your site because I wanted to learn more.
But studies reveal that I'm most likely NOT going to take action the first time I visit your site. Have you heard the statistic that it takes about *seven* contacts before prospects are ready to buy? (That's a lot of times!)
So how can you get the chance to contact me another *six* times? The answer is to CAPTURE me then and there - that is, get my e-mail address. To do this, you'll have to offer me something valuable in return. If you just tell me to "sign up for our mailing list," you're not going to get squat.
So what can YOU offer me? Here are some ideas that have been proven to work when done well. Of course, the *content* for all of these should tie-in to your business focus:
1. A free mini-mail course.
These are becoming very popular right now. You simply create a few e-mails' worth of content to spread out over a certain amount of days. You'll need an e-mail autoresponder to do this, which allows me to sign up for your course automatically. Many sites seem to offer five- or seven-day courses, and many of them are awful. So here's a chance for YOU to stand out: Make sure yours offers really useful or interesting content that's more "how to" than salesy. Then in the last e-mail, tell me how your services/ products will further help me --- lead me on to the next step.
2. A free e-zine (e-mail newsletter).
If you can produce new content on a regular basis, this is your BEST option, because you're receiving permission to contact me (and market to me) again and again! You'll always be on my mind. And if you're a solo professional who is marketing your own services, this gives you *multiple* chances to prove your worth and gain my trust over time. The only drawback to this option is that publishing an e-zine requires a good amount of time and effort on a regular basis, but the rewards will be worth it.
3. A special VIP/promotion list.
If I like what I see, and you give me the chance to receive *special offers* that will save me money at your site, I'll be sure to sign up for your list. For example, one site I love buying from is http://www.BlueFly.com. They offer designer clothes and accessories (e.g. BCBG, Fendi, Prada - I'm salivating right now!) at discount prices with exceptional customer service. Throughout their site and when you place an order, there are invitations to sign up for "discounts, exclusive offers, and first looks." Count me in!
4. A free special report or e-book.
Here's another neat idea - give people a special report or short e-book related to your topic of interest. Not sure where to start? Try a top-10 list of tips, a list of relevant resources, or a collection of articles you've already written. The more "how-to," the better - give me real, useful information. But of course make sure it implies that YOU and YOUR BUSINESS are the best resource in the end. This is a delicate balance to achieve, but it's not as hard as you may think. And at the end of your content, tell me how your services/products will further help me. (Again, lead me on to the next step.)
5. Don't forget to follow up!
Once you capture a list of prospects, you'll need to contact them again. We'll cover the art of follow up in an upcoming article. Of course, if you're publishing an e-zine, that's already set. (Hooray for e-zines!)
(c) 2002 Alexandria K. Brown
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," is author of the award-winning manual, "Boost Business With Your Own E-zine." To learn more about her book and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at http://EzineQueenTutorial.com/
Recently I was talking with a very bright traditional marketer... Read More
Too many business owners believe that marketing their business means... Read More
What do Klingons, giant rubber bands, and monster trucks all... Read More
Time is a concern for all of us. We only... Read More
As a life-long dancer, I know a bit about the... Read More
Businesses rely on brochures as their front line in communicating... Read More
Forget what you know about your business Your goal is... Read More
For most of the small business owners I work with,... Read More
Business Systems that work for anyone, are a fundamental necessity... Read More
Altruism. Corporate responsibility. Philanthropy. These are often used to describe... Read More
The idea that good design can improve how people perceive... Read More
60% of all small business owners, sales and solo-professionals claim... Read More
What benefits will you get from flyers?Flyers are much different... Read More
What does an old Russian joke have... Read More
Timing is everything. Hate to be late? The early bird... Read More
Mailing lists may be the cause of more heartbreaks than... Read More
In business we have a number of ways or tools... Read More
Marketing is a business process about which much is written,... Read More
One of the keys to creating a successful business is... Read More
If you follow the prevailing logic of most modern companies,... Read More
"Both the market and the distributive channel are often more... Read More
In business, having competitors goes with the territory. There's almost... Read More
I knew this one would get your attention. How can... Read More
When marketing your practice, as well as designing your brochure,... Read More
excite v. 1 a: to call to activity b: to... Read More
Market research specialists have discovered a new tool which enables... Read More
If anyone was to ask me what my greatest strength... Read More
As a business owner or marketer, if you don't reverse... Read More
If you're looking to drive more targeted traffic to your... Read More
When you take a piece of gold to a pawn... Read More
One commonly overlooked method of advertising offline is flyers. Flyers... Read More
One particularly hot south Texas day, I was making a... Read More
One of the greatest challenges to effectively marketing a business... Read More
Little Kids Ask Until They Get What They Want.Mom, Mom,... Read More
Remember the baseball cards kids traded while... Read More
Article marketing is the latest buzzword for marketers... Read More
When people think about promoting their business, the first thought... Read More
I met a lady who said she received a notice... Read More
After a friend was bitten by a spider, I decided... Read More
The Building Blocks to Successful MarketingIt's More than Sales and... Read More
When your envelopes aren't opened, you can't make money! Beforeyou... Read More
Peek a Boo - We See YouDoes your company have... Read More
Are you trying to promote your business with a tiny... Read More
Color is one of the most difficult parts of a... Read More
When a shopper picks up a product in a store,... Read More
Marketing is both an art and a science. Anyone who... Read More
Triple your response from expos by avoiding the top ten... Read More
Yellow Page users are the hottest of all prospects ?... Read More
What is the most valuable asset your company owns? Inventory?... Read More
Your business depends on the success of your marketing efforts.... Read More
Marketing Marketing |
|
| العاب | منتديات هيدى | الزاوية الحمراء | |
|
Pharaohs products egypt products Egypt shopping Shopping in Egypt sho Egypt Bazaar Pharaohs Shoping Center Egypt Pharaohs |