Leveraging [...]]]> Just about everyone would agree that content is an important piece of the online business puzzle. Visitors come to the Internet for information and the best way to provide it is in the form of content. But, did you know that your content is just a caterpillar waiting to blossom into a butterfly?

Leveraging Your Content

Content can wear many hats and the business owner that realizes that is on their way to bigger profits. One article can be transformed into several different products and marketing tools. Let’s start with the digital products you can create using one article:

• eBooks
• Special Reports
• Presentations
• Audio products
• Video products

When you have a subject that you know a lot about, let your fingers do the tapping – on the computer that is. Writing reports that are anywhere from five to twenty pages in length are a good way to transfer that wealth of information to our readers…for a fee.

Actually, you can use shorter reports as a free giveaway in order to make the sale on longer reports and eBooks. The trick is to offer teaser information in the shorter report and go into detail in the paid product. This can be sparked from writing one piece of content or a pack of articles on the same subject.

You may (hopefully) be asked to give a presentation about your business. Whether this is a virtual conference or at an outside venue, you can use the information in your eBook or reports to create the presentation. Even include PowerPoint handouts for participants to take with them. Don’t forget to upload a copy to your website.

Audio and video products have increased steadily in popularity. Create audio CDs or tapes of chapters of your eBook. Providing a written transcription allows for you to add workbook questions that readers can answer after they listen to the audio. Your video product can operate the same way.

There is a wealth of digital products that can be gleaned from a few articles. Besides the actual products you might be selling, you can increase sales by selling information that teaches customers how to do exactly what you do every day.

Marketing Options

Now that you have more products to sell, you need to get going with your copywriting materials. Create podcasts from article and eBook information; rewrite articles and submit to article directories; write press releases to broadcast the new product line and use sales copy to get readers to buy them. It’s a win-win-win situation for the online business owner who is ready to take advantage of the opportunity.

What are you doing with your content? Whatever it is, it could be so much more if you learn to transform it to increase your sales.

Blogs are not just for people who want to share have an outlet for their opinions. Blogs started off as simply online journals for friends and family [...]]]> Are you blogging these days? Just about everyone is doing it from housewives to teenagers. As a business owner, you would benefit from a blog as well.

Blogs are not just for people who want to share have an outlet for their opinions. Blogs started off as simply online journals for friends and family but they have evolved into so much more. The recent attention that mommy bloggers are getting is proof of that. Think about the impact blogging could have on your business.

There are many advantages to starting one. If you are already writing content for your website, a few more pieces for your blog won’t hurt. Besides, you can write them ahead of time and schedule when each one will appear. That alone, saves a lot of time (if you were worried about that).

1. Let your readers and customers see who you are. A blog gives you a place to “let your hair down” so to speak. While your website is all about business and making the sale, your blog can have a less structured feel to it. Here is where you can share personal stories about your ventures into the business world and lessons you have learned.

2. Customers can give feedback to you. Unless you hear from the customers, how do you know whether you are still meeting their needs? A drop in sales is not the way to find out that your customers are unhappy. Pose questions, implement surveys and ask for suggestions from those who are the foundation of your business.

3. You have a place to provide resources. Let’s say that one of your customers wants to get into business online or use some of the methods that have made you a success. On your blog, you can post your own helpful links. Another option is using tools like Google AdSense. While you are providing help for your readers, you are also creating a stream of passive income for your business.

4. It is easy to do. Using sites like WordPress, you gain access to a lot of free features to enhance your blog. You can get up and running in a day or so.

5. Ask business associates to blog for you on occasion. Guest bloggers give readers a chance to hear from others in the business world. Also, it saves you from having to write all of the posts yourself!

Having a blog is like a talk show once the cameras stop rolling. You can interact with your loyal readers and customers. It is a dedicated place where they can come to hear from you. Link your website to a blog today.

Just about everybody has received a newsletter at one time or another. It can be [...]]]> How do you inspire customer loyalty? One way is to let them know that you are thinking about them all the time. When you have new things to share, be sure that your customers are the first to know.

Just about everybody has received a newsletter at one time or another. It can be one page, front and back, a brochure or a booklet style. Truthfully, when you are publishing an online newsletter, you have more options for enhancements to thrill your readers.

When you add another marketing tool to your arsenal, it does add more work for you. To minimize your workload, create dedicated columns for your newsletter. You can have a place for an uplifting message from you, product news, suggestions from customers and the fun stuff.

Uses for Newsletters

How do you get the customers to subscribe to your newsletter? Well, you can create a screen that allows customers to opt-in for the newsletter. Even visitors can sign up for the newsletter if they are willing to provide their email address. Don’t forget to provide a disclaimer assuring subscribers that you won’t sell their email address to a third party.

Another option, especially for potential customers is to upsell the newsletter with coupon offers (coupon codes), contests and freebies. Every month, offer new customer-friendly features where they can interact and not simply read text.

The offerings in newsletters can work in tandem with other email marketing campaigns. Use newsletters to talk about new product offers and then send follow-up emails to help them decide to purchase the offer. You can link the sign up with auto-responder messages will be automatically sent to subscribers.

Enhance Your Newsletters

Come up with a descriptive and engaging title for your newsletter. If you are working with Internet marketing, you can have a name like “Getting Noticed.” The newsletter is a unique part of your marketing arsenal. As such it needs its own identity to get customers to use it.

Newsletters are great because they can be shared. Encourage customers to print them out and give them to friends and family who can also utilize your products. Include a link where they can click and sign up for the newsletter themselves.

Don’t neglect the power of visuals. Add pictures and even video to your virtual newsletters to stay in touch with customers. A newsletter with a video embedded is different and will interest your subscribers.

Looking for ways to capitalize on your website business? Add a newsletter subscription to further build up the relationship with your customers.

You are grunting already aren’t you? Is it because you don’t believe that you write well or because you have [...]]]> It’s great that you own an online business. Entrepreneurship is the way to create an income on your terms and be your own boss. A big part of sustaining an online business involves writing.

You are grunting already aren’t you? Is it because you don’t believe that you write well or because you have a hundred other things on your plate and that leaves no time for writing? Either way, here is where you begin to get help. You can’t get away from the written word in business so we will teach you to make peace with it.

Here are five ways that you can make time to write and have something to write about. As you get the hang of it, you’ll actively seek out any time you have available to put pen to paper (or fingers to the laptop keys).

1. Carve out time to write in your daily schedule. If you are the type of business owner who likes organization, you have a time set aside for everything. When you are making your daily list of important “to dos” don’t forget thirty minutes or so for writing. As you get used to writing you can increase the time.

2. Keep a notebook for ideas. The biggest complaint people have about writing is that they don’t know what to write about. Inspiration hits us at the strangest times. Having a small notebook and pen with you at all times ensures that you won’t miss those bright ideas.

3. Train your brain to see every situation as news worthy. As a business owner, you will learn what to do and what not to do to increase sales and your credibility. Each one of these experiences can be written about for your website. Your mistakes can be a reader’s motivation.

4. Stay motivated. It’s time to talk about your motivation. Begin by making a list of the reasons why it is good to write. Laminate it and keep it by your desk. Here are a few:

• Keeps readers coming back
• Can establish you as an expert in your specialty
• Increases your conversion rate

5. Write what you know. You can start writing tons of articles right away with your current knowledge. If your business focuses on gardening, you can write about that. Share personal experiences in your own garden to entice readers.

Writing can be fun if you just think about it. Writing what you know gives you the perfect place to start. Incorporate that and the other four suggestions to give writing a priority in your business.

What is a ghostwriter?

Are you just beginning an online business? Well, it’s time to become familiar with the written word. It will be an important part of your life from now on. Now is the perfect time to become familiar with copywriting.

What is copywriting?

Copywriting is a blanket word that described several types of writing, [...]]]>

Are you just beginning an online business? Well, it’s time to become familiar with the written word. It will be an important part of your life from now on. Now is the perfect time to become familiar with copywriting.

What is copywriting?

Copywriting is a blanket word that described several types of writing, all of which are useful for marketing and credibility in your business.  The main purpose of copywriting in its many forms is to get the reader to DO something. It could be signing up for a newsletter, buying a product, providing their email address or attending an event.

Why use it?

Well, if you are in business, you won’t be in business long if your customers leave. Copywriting is a necessity to get your business to grow. Word-of-mouth advertising will only get you so far since you can’t talk to everyone you would like to patronize your business.

The advantages of an online business are the expanse of your target market. You are not limited to your local area for discovering your target market. You now have a planet full of people to sift through to find those who are searching for you and your product. Online, it will be a challenge to reach this market without copywriting.

Types of Copywriting Material

So what are these copywriting materials you need to be implementing? First of all is sales copy. In the physical world you would call them sales letters. They introduce the target market to your product and ask them to take an action: clicking on the product page and/or buying the product.

What about press releases? Press releases are like headline news. When you have something to share, do so through a press release to catch the reader’s attention.

Landing pages are where you land when you click on a link. If you have an affiliate program you want people to click through and find a page that will either inform them about your product or service or lead them to buy something. You craft the landing page to be simple, clear, concise and most of all, a call to action.

Product descriptions are also forms of copywriting because they are meant to get the reader to click the BUY button and not close the page. Even though they are short, you can still catch the reader’s attention. You want to use every opportunity to make the sale.

Maybe you have heard about copywriting but didn’t quite know what it was all about. It is an important tool that presents itself in the form of words and images used to inform and convert the reader from a visitor to your customer.

You probably never thought much about product descriptions [...]]]> One of the things that make online products move is the product description. Unlike a physical store with salespeople, your job is to convey to the customer what is so great about your products so that they make the conversion from casual browser to paying customer.

You probably never thought much about product descriptions before. Maybe your online business deals with digital products, but even here, potential customers what to know what they are getting when they click to buy and then download your products. There is still an expectation there they you have to meet.

In a store, you can pick up the item you are thinking about buying and inspect it. That still doesn’t mean that you know all of the nuances of it but at least you can feel it.

In a virtual store, the key to bringing the physical store atmosphere (minus the crowds and disgruntled employees) is in your product descriptions. They will help visitors feel as if they are holding your product in their hands by drawing them a stunning mental picture.

So, here we go. What aspects are going to give your product descriptions that edge to make the conversion? Read these:

1. Simple phrases that use colorful words – Let’s say that you were describing jewelry that you are selling. What strikes you most about the items? Use those words (sparkling, gold, silver, rhinestone, etc) in your description. Don’t neglect the power of the obvious attributes of the items for engaging the reader.

2. Begin with the best, most popular features – If you are selling shoes, customers will want to know your colors and shoe features. Also remember that the language that you use will differ depending on the product audience. A child’s toy will require different wording from the description for an eBook on affiliate marketing.

3. Use different descriptions for different products – You might be selling five dolls but each needs its own attributes described to make them unique. Using a cookie cutter description will not cut it with potential customers.

4. Create your product description from the shopper’s point of view – As the seller you see the product in a different way. What interests you won’t necessarily mesh with what a buyer is thinking about. Mention qualities of the product that will interest shoppers and make the difference between you and the competition.

5. Meet your customer’s expectations – If they want shoes that can look good at work and for a night out on the town, tell them so. If the eBook will give them all the tools to learn to network even if you are shy, then tell them so. Part of the goal of a product description is to make the sale and meeting the customer’s needs will do just that.

Product descriptions are not easy to write. You have to think like a customer instead of a business owner when choosing words that will get visitors to come off of the sidelines and purchase your products.

One challenge of running an online business is getting noticed. Like in the concrete world, everyone is jockeying for position to increase their customer base. In your marketing plan, include article marketing in the equation for better results.

Have you seen the content on some websites? All of it didn’t come from the [...]]]>

One challenge of running an online business is getting noticed. Like in the concrete world, everyone is jockeying for position to increase their customer base. In your marketing plan, include article marketing in the equation for better results.

Have you seen the content on some websites? All of it didn’t come from the mind of the website owner. Articles can be found for free on the Internet for the express purpose of being used as content on other websites. It is a time-saving technique to keep your website fresh and up-to-date for your customers and readers.

What is article marketing?

Article marketing is the process of creating articles for the express purpose of being used by others. There is no compensation for writing these articles on the front end, but if they are well-written, other websites will want to feature them and that could get you and your business noticed.

Article marketing is a great way to increase visibility with very little upfront cost. If you are a fair writer, you can do the work yourself to start the ball rolling. You may even have a dozen or so articles lying around on your computer gathering digital dust at this moment.

How does it work?

The articles you write (or have written for you if you use a ghostwriter), are then submitted to article directories. These directories host thousands of articles on a variety of topics. You may have heard of some of them:

• Ezinearticles.com
• Ehow.com
• ArticlesBase.com
• Helium.com
• Articlealley.com

The list goes on. Some specialize in certain topics. You can find a list of the top 50 at www.vretoolbar.com/articles/directories.php.

Here’s how it works. Each article directory has its own set of guidelines for submissions. Read them carefully so that you don’t get a reputation as a troublemaker. You need to create a username and password to be able to submit articles to the directories.

Once you submit an article, the directory will either accept or reject it. So, you’ll want your articles to be well-written. To make then search engine friendly, consider optimizing them with popular keywords.

The most important thing for you in any article you submit is the resource box. This is where you can add a link to your website and other information about yourself. Most directories don’t allow affiliate or other links within the text so this is your chance to drive traffic to you.

Article marketing serves two purposes. First, you are providing well-crafted content to other websites. Secondly, you are driving traffic to your website. The more places your work appears, the greater your visibility and credibility will be in the online world.