Grow Your Web Biz

2011-12-19T04:56:00.001-05:00

Define benefits to visitors on every landing page and STOP SELLING. A Webwordslinger Gig. http://ping.fm/gRKZQ

2011-12-02T11:02:00.001-05:00

"What's In It For Me?" That's All Site Visitors Want To Know @ SEO Juiced A Webwordslinger Gig http://ping.fm/O6ppC

2011-11-28T07:55:00.001-05:00

"10 Words and Phrases That Have to Go" @ SEO Juiced. A WebWordslinger Gig. http://ping.fm/1BZSw

2011-09-28T06:44:00.001-04:00

Managing Customer Care: “It’s easier to keep a happy client than find a new one.” A Webwordslinger Gig @ http://ping.fm/KElBO

2011-05-11T08:43:00.001-04:00

What you DON'T know about Google can hurt you. Get more from the 800-lb gorilla at SEO Juice. http://ping.fm/fbMTo

2011-05-03T23:09:00.001-04:00

Killing genetically-altered zombies (is there any other kind?) playing "Resident Evil" on the Wii. Die, mutants. Whoops, gotta run. FAST!

2011-05-02T23:18:00.001-04:00

Started reading Keith Richards' bio, "Life." Ironic title considering the man's been cheating death for 45 years. Good ride. Good read.

2011-04-23T08:26:00.001-04:00

There's lots of ways to make money with a web site or blog. Use all you got. A Webwordslinger Gig http://ping.fm/fAG5u

2011-04-12T07:30:00.001-04:00

Good idea to talk to an SEO pro before re-designing your website @ SEO Juice: A Webwordslinger Gig http://ping.fm/RU8pe

2011-04-11T09:42:00.001-04:00

"The Easier It Is To Find Information, the Higher Your Conversion Rate" A Webwordslinger Gig @ SEO Juice http://ping.fm/xixiw

2011-04-10T08:26:00.001-04:00

Site owners: SEO copy writing is an investment, NOT an expense. SEO Juice: A Webwordslinger Gig. http://ping.fm/1GnKV

2011-04-09T08:19:00.001-04:00

"5 Web Writing Tips That Pay My Bills" It's another Webwordslinger Gig at SEO Juice. http://ping.fm/WZtpf

2011-04-03T09:53:00.001-04:00

"Here's What Your Copy Writer Needs To Know" How to talk to an SEO copy writer. (Be nice.) http://ping.fm/pP2FK

2011-04-01T06:47:00.001-04:00

An unhappy client ain't coming back. Tips to keep your clients smiling. 04/01/11 A Webwordslinger Gig http://ping.fm/Gwral

2011-02-12T10:40:00.001-05:00

SEO Juice: Use embedded text links to guide search engine bots to un-indexed web site pages. http://ping.fm/t2V7C

2011-02-04T08:29:00.001-05:00

Add an opt-in module to your home page and watch your bounce rate soar. 02/04/11
http://ping.fm/2Tfo3

2011-01-24T09:00:00.001-05:00

SEO tip du jour: Choose a domain name that explains what your web site is all about. 01/24/11 http://ping.fm/9gXw4

2011-01-15T08:42:00.001-05:00

Site metrics are open to interpretation and illogical conclusions. 01/15/11 http://ping.fm/Rv2b5

2011-01-10T08:44:00.001-05:00

Site text addresses visitors' needs, NOT your needs. A Webwordslinger Gig. 01/10/11 http://ping.fm/JfmRC

2010-12-28T07:31:00.001-05:00

Choose a domain name that contains relevant keywords to drive more site traffic. 12/28/10 http://ping.fm/cFpc1

2010-12-08T09:27:00.001-05:00

Bury a highly-optimized SEO page deep on your site and redirect visitors to your home page. 12/08/10 http://ping.fm/F06wt

2010-11-28T10:20:00.001-05:00

To make your site text "sound" natural, write like you talk. 11/28/10
http://ping.fm/psXrV

2010-11-25T04:44:00.001-05:00

Placement of keywords is more important than keyword frequency. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. http://ping.fm/j04jn

I'VE MADE EVERY MISTAKE YOU CAN MAKE

2010-11-22T07:09:00.000-05:00

7 Ways To Lose a Client:

Mistakes I’ve Made

I’ve been a freelance copy writer for more than 30 years and, oh boy, have I made mistakes. In fact, I think I’ve made every mistake a freelance service provider CAN make.

DON'T MAKE HER MAD!

Fortunately, I learned from these mistakes and applied them to my business (and personal) life. There are lots of ways to lose a client. There are even more ways to keep a client happy and a part of an expanding, stable client base.

1. Oversell.

I’m proud of what I do. And, frankly, I’m a show-off. So, even after the deal is closed, I’m still selling my services. I once had a client tell me that I made him nervous with all of the sales hype I threw at him whenever we spoke.

Now, I provide just enough information to let the client know that I have some authority as a copy writer. Then, I shut up.

2. Take it personally.

This is a tough one. When I write something – anything – it’s my baby. I think it’s perfect, so when a client comes back asking for revisions I used to take it as a personal affront.

Over the years, I’ve been able to separate my self-esteem from my work. I know it’s good. But if the client wants to make it worse, s/he gets what s/he wants. I don’t debate clients any more. I tell them that I think they’re making a mistake, I tell them why I think they’re making a mistake, then I write that “Black is white” because that’s what the client wants. I get paid to deliver what the client wants, good, bad, or indifferent.

3. Put your interests before those of the client.

Another sure fire means of driving clients to distraction.

There are days that, as writers, we’re more productive than others. Days when we feel like writing and days when every word is a struggle. Clients don’t care. They want their copy. NOW. So, even when the muse isn’t perched on my shoulder, I write. And I put the interests of my clients before my own. I deliver what was promised and I deliver it before the deadline.

4. Lose steam.

This happens a lot.

There’s always excitement and renewed interest when a new client comes along. But after a few weeks of writing about beekeeping, it gets kinda boring. And after a few more weeks, it gets to be work.

It may be difficult to stay enthusiastic after writing about beekeeping for two or three years, and as a result the quality of your writing slips. Can’t let that happen.

You’re the creative one so find new ways of approaching the beekeeping issues of the day. If you stay interested, your writing will be interesting. Oh, and your clients will stay in place and ask for more.

5. Ignore the client.

You may have eight projects all moving forward simultaneously, though at different stages. It’s common to work on the latest project to come through and let some of those older assignments collect dust.

Clients want to think that they’re the most important client you have. Pick up the telephone, drop an email, meet for lunch, connect on social media sites. In other words, pay attention to all clients and they’ll pay attention to you – with a check. That’s always nice.

6. Miss a deadline.

It’s happened, but only a couple of times. One time I came down with the flu from hell and was unable to work for a week. I dropped the ball, missed a deadline and lost the client.

I never blamed her for dropping me, even though I was on death’s door for a few days. I never even brought up the flu. Clients don’t care about your problems. They care about results, even when the flu has you bed-ridden.

7. Accept project creep.

It starts with a simple request. “Would you mind adding a short auto-responder to the list?” Of course, no problem.

Then, it’s another request and another and finally, you’re doing keyword research and making $3.00 an hour. At this point, it’s tough to put on the brakes since you’ve been so accommodating thus far.

Say “no” as soon as that first request comes in. Let the client know that your time is valuable, your experience and knowledge have value. Simply explain that this is your livelihood and you have to put your time to the most productive use.

Reasonable clients (there are some) will accept this and respect you for your courteous professionalism. And the cranks who think you’re holding back are clients you can afford to lose. They’re time wasters.

Today, I’m older, wiser and have a nice group of clients with whom I’ve built friendships. Most importantly, I’ve learned when to shut up and when to speak, when to accept and when to push back.

It’s a lot more fun and profitable working this way.

Growing your web biz? Stop by webwordslinger.com and drop me a line. We'll drive some site traffic and keep your client base in place.

Later,

Paul

2010-11-22T04:33:00.001-05:00

"Site Visitors Don't Care About You. Sorry." @ SEO Juice, a Webwordslinger Gig. http://ping.fm/FV7Ui

2010-11-15T07:21:00.001-05:00

"The One Web Text Tip That Always Works" @ Newtown SEO. http://ping.fm/XZjDt

2010-11-11T11:23:00.001-05:00

Before you conduct ANY SEO, get the project parameters in writing @ SEO Juice: A Webwordslinger Gig. http://ping.fm/AJH8y

2010-11-05T08:43:00.001-04:00

Don't put an opt-in module on the home page. Visitors bounce. 11/05/10. SEO Tip du Jour http://ping.fm/uP0Av

2010-11-05T07:47:00.001-04:00

"5 Can't Miss Web Writing Tips" @ SEO Juice. It's a new Webwordslinger gig, perfect with coffee. http://ping.fm/dvtH4

2010-09-21T07:38:00.001-04:00

"Take Care of Your Ear Gear: Hearing Aid Tips @ Hearing Aids 411. You'll always like what you hear.

http://ping.fm/KZpAr

2010-09-19T09:57:00.001-04:00

Check out your hearing! Jeeze, it dosn't even hurt.

http://ping.fm/TKalh

2010-09-19T08:18:00.001-04:00

Jon Stewart's "March to Restore Sanity" in DC 10.30.10. Bring your golf bag and make a political statement! Book early. What a hoot!

2010-09-15T09:40:00.001-04:00

"Your Home Is Louder Than You Think" @ Hearing Aids 411. You'll like what you hear.

http://ping.fm/B8ETU

2010-09-13T09:47:00.001-04:00

"Hearing Loss May Lead to Loss of Speech" @ Healthy Hearing. Listen Up!

http://ping.fm/m3vVo

2010-09-08T09:03:00.001-04:00

How we hear. What a ride!!! @Hearing Aids 411 http://ping.fm/XKgfj

2010-08-31T16:16:00.001-04:00

Discover what's good for you may not be good for you at Hearing Aids 411. Avoid the "owies." http://ping.fm/OkwFP

2010-08-28T09:32:00.001-04:00

Hearing Aid Feedback Hurts. Fight back at Hearing Aids 411. You'll like what you hear. http://ping.fm/vnowd

2010-08-22T09:39:00.001-04:00

6 Cool Tools for Web Copy Writers. Yep, it's a Webwordslinger Gig, perfect with your mocha latte. http://ping.fm/c4UX4

2010-08-15T09:21:00.001-04:00

Top 10 Hearing Aid Myths: Worth a Listen at Hearing Aids 411. http://ping.fm/EEh0Q

2010-08-07T08:47:00.001-04:00

Hearing Loss and Genetics @ Hearing Aids 411. You'll like what you hear. http://ping.fm/1kqEV

2010-04-25T08:35:00.001-04:00

Yep, you can get customized solutions to hearing loss problems. NOTE to MY wonderful, marvelous, caring editor: I know, I know.

2010-04-25T08:09:00.001-04:00

Search engine algorithms change daily. What worked yesterday may not work today. A Webwordslinger Gig http://ping.fm/dso5X

The W3 Gobbles Up Content Like I Gobble Up Gummi Bears

2010-04-22T07:41:00.000-04:00

Five Places to Earn Money for Your Words

The need for content, both in print and on the web, is massive even in this tanking economy. If anything, the bad business climate has companies scrambling for new marketing outlets, most on line.

And that means work for you. Here are six places that are actually looking for writers and are willing to pay them – in real dollars!. So, if you can string words in to sentences, you can earn money for your efforts. Check out these outlets for content.

1. odesk. Odesk is an outsource hook-up site, connecting service buyers and providers. The site has a number of categories – site design, coding and writing.

Just looked and there are over 200 gigs listed on odesk this morning, divided into general categories to make your search for a gig that much easier. Tech writer? 74 job listings on odesk this morning.

What are you waiting for?

2. Elance. Perhaps the most widely-known outsource hook-up site, Elance has taken strides of late to improve its image in this web space. Many of the writing jobs are for words by the pound. I saw one job – 1000 articles – top bid $500! That’s 50 cents an article.

However, if you’re good you can cherry pick the buyers looking for quality over quantity. Bid low until you gain some feedback from happy buyers. Then up your price gradually.

3. Helium. You don’t think of Helium as a paying site. It’s a content syndication site, right? Well, that’s the biz’s bread and butter but the site also posts paying gigs. You’re competing against a lot of other writers but the site is flogging the fact that one woman made $5K in six months writing for Helium.

Sounds perfect for the work-at-home parent. No commitment.

4. Guru. Another outsourcing site that’s coming up fast. The quality of its postings has improved meaning better paying gigs for you. Again, these on-line sites have postings that change daily so keep going back to see what’s new.

They’re all ideal for part-timers and newbs looking to gain experience and creds.

5. Your local newspaper. The local Picayune is desperate for content. A friend of mine, a Registered Nurse, writes a weekly health column for the local rag. $50 bucks a week. Now, given the amount of time said friend works on her columns – interviews, research, first and second draft, she makes less than minimum wage.

But she’s got a clip book – one that adds to her credibility as a writer – a reliable writer who can hit a deadline every week for years – even if she only gets $50 a week. It’s the creds that count here.

And those clippings can be compiled into a book on health and wellness since the RN friend owns the copyright. Sweet.

So, open your accounts or contact the local editor and offer to do a column on your particular expertise – gardening to low-cost living and consumer tips. Build your clip book and charge $10 a column. Watch that editor jump!

You start working at “burger-flipping” wages but as you gain experience, confidence and credibility, you and your words become better and more valuable.

Start here.

Later,
Webwordslinger

2010-04-16T07:39:00.001-04:00

Writers Anonymous: Support for Ghost Writers: Open to vets, noobs and wannabes but NOT spammers. http://ping.fm/P1O1X

2010-04-13T06:22:00.001-04:00

Writers Anonymous: Support for Ghost Writers & open to all. Advice from those who write for cash not glory. http://ping.fm/ptci0

2010-04-07T15:53:00.001-04:00

Writers Anonymous: Ghost Writer Support for pros and noobs. Open to all & no homework. Wannabe a copy writer? http://ping.fm/mzZPf

2010-04-05T08:39:00.001-04:00

Writers Anonymous: Ghost Writer Support. Open to pros and noobs. No homework. Just "how-to" and sympathy. http://ping.fm/yY71o

2010-04-03T16:38:00.001-04:00

Writers Anonymous: Ghost Writer Support We write for cash, not glory. Join today. Open to all pros and noobs. http://ping.fm/8WoXF

2010-04-02T05:47:00.001-04:00

Avoid domain names that use hyphens. Search engine users forget them. SEO JUICE: A Webwordslinger Gig http://ping.fm/KM5nQ

2010-04-01T04:37:00.001-04:00

Sumatran dark roast: served at Writers Anonymous: Ghost Writer Support. Open to all ghosts and wannabe writers http://ping.fm/VCsks

2010-03-31T10:22:00.001-04:00

"8 Ways to Go Deaf: It's Easy!" Read this before it's too late! Healthyhearing.com. http://ping.fm/AYvnr

2010-03-31T10:11:00.001-04:00

Verdana font was designed by Microsoft to simplify reading screen text. SEO JUICE: A Webwordslinger Gig http://ping.fm/GdcvS

2010-03-26T08:06:00.001-04:00

Content Spam 2.0. Search engines know good text from junk @ SEO JUICE: A Webwordslinger Gig. http://ping.fm/QL3ER

2010-03-26T07:50:00.001-04:00

Client wants text YESTERDAY. Then, it sits in her inbox for a week. To client: "You want the truth? You can't handle the truth." -

2010-03-24T06:21:00.001-04:00

Copy writers: The headline is half the job. Join Writers Anonymous, for all who write for cash, not glory. http://ping.fm/R4ftR

2010-03-22T13:50:00.001-04:00

Writers Anonymous: Ghost Writer Support for folks who ghost & who use ghosts. Free fun. Play in our sandbox. http://ping.fm/jxNiW

2010-03-22T06:23:00.001-04:00

Writers Anonymous, a gathering site for ghosts & folks who use ghosts, is open for membership. Sign up today! http://ping.fm/GYfeP

2010-03-21T08:28:00.001-04:00

Contact site owners reaching out to the same demographic to create a linked weblet. SEO JUICE http://ping.fm/QiLNb

2010-03-17T06:33:00.001-04:00

Web writers: it's better to be clear than clever @ SEO JUICE: A Webwordslinger Gig-a-rino http://ping.fm/6vkJQ

2010-03-14T07:02:00.001-04:00

Create more entry points to your website. Add title tags to individual landing pages. Webwordslinger http://ping.fm/KKYEg

2010-03-13T05:58:00.001-05:00

Use your URL off-site to drive traffic to the place the story is told. SEO JUICE: A Webwordslinger Gig http://ping.fm/ZuRhG

2010-03-12T05:25:00.001-05:00

Use the same keywords in social site profiles used to hawk your site. SEO JUICE: A Webwordslinger Gig http://ping.fm/wBnM9

2010-03-09T05:32:00.001-05:00

"Build the Perfect Squeeze Page" @ Grow Your Web Business: A Webwordslinger Gig. Get a grip on visitors. http://ping.fm/Xj6kX

BUILDING THE PERFECT SQUEEZE PAGE AND WHY

2010-03-09T05:27:00.000-05:00

Preparing the Perfect Squeeze Page:

Get a Grip on Your Buyers

When visitors come to your web site they don’t always land on the home page. They might enter via a landing page or zone page based on the query words they entered into the search box. Now, for smart on-line retailers, this isn’t a problem. If you sell tools on-line and a search engine user queries ‘hammer,’ it’s better that the visitor land on the hammer page then the home page and have to do a site search to find hammers.

The objective of a search engine is to not only deliver links, but relevance, too. So, by directing that visitor to your hammer page the search engine is providing the most relevant link within your site. (This assumes your site is optimized and that each page has a HTML tag describing its content.)

All well and good. Then, along comes the squeeze page. A squeeze page is the first thing a visitor sees when clicking on a site link. It asks the visitor to “opt in” for a newsletter, an e-book or access to the site.

So What Good Does a Squeeze Page Do?

A well-written squeeze page has one objective. To gather email addresses of visitors. And why are those email addresses so important? Because they’re added to the site owner’s database and can now be used for every email blast the site launches. As long as the visitor opts in and agrees to accept goodies from the site, it’s not spamming. But for a lot of web users a squeeze page is annoying.

The perfect squeeze page provides a taste – a taste of things to come. The copy should be informational and pique the curiosity of the visitor enough to offer up his or her email address in exchange for more of that same quality information – a bigger taste.

Once the visitor has opted in (A $99 VALUE – FREE JUST FOR SIGNING UP!), the email address is gold to the savvy marketer who starts sending free articles, the tip of the day, free downloads and other information. Some is good, valuable content, some not so much. Either way, it enables the site owner to keep his or her URL in front of the one-time visitor who elected to receive content by opting in.

So, the first objective of a squeeze page is to provide enough information to whet the appetite of the visitor who then opts in, providing an email address.

Second, the squeeze page provides solid, factual, useful information. No fluff allowed. This is a requirement for two critical reasons. A squeeze page that’s pure hype won’t do much for your opt in rate. Opt ins recognize the value of your offer because of the information contained on the squeeze page.

Also, that squeeze page will be indexed by search engines. Providing good information, with just a smidge of sizzle, won’t detract from how search engines view your site.

Types of Squeeze Pages

The first type of squeeze page gives the visitor two choices: opt in or leave. Visitors can read the squeeze tease, but if they want more they have to give an email address or hit the digital bricks. Which is what most visitors do when they see they’ve landed on a hard-sell squeeze page.

Most visitors will (rightly) think that, within weeks, their in-boxes will be filled with junk mail. (Remember, it’s not spam if the recipient requested the information.) These site visitors envision auto-responders week after week, each one a bit more desperate than the last.

They may expect that newsletter to which they subscribed, only to discover that the “newsletter” is nothing more than a bunch of sales hype disguised as informational content. Any decent web writer can create sales copy that sounds like news. That’s why the perfect squeeze page delivers good content, not hype. The sell is woven into the information. Same with the newsletter, press release or email. Think “content” when you think of the perfect squeeze page.

The perfect squeeze page also provides the visitor with a third or fourth option other than opt in or leave. Provide a “learn more” option. No opt in required. Just a link that takes visitors to another page where they can learn more about the site, the offer, the information, and whether it’s something they want to opt for or click the back button of their browsers.

Squeeze Page Tips

The ideal squeeze page should be laid out for quick eye scan. Don’t expect visitors to read through a ton of text to get to the deal.

Use short blocks of text and single sentences.

Talk directly to the reader, i.e., You know the aches and pains that come with age.

Use bulleted lists to detail the benefits of opting in. Benefits differ from features. Tell the visitor how his or her life will be better, easier, happier, more productive or whatever. Describe benefits, not features.

Use charts, graphs and illustrations to convey detailed information.

Provide options. Lots of them. If the only choice is to opt in or leave, most visitors will leave. Use text links to draw in visitors to specific pages of your site.

Use pictures. This is especially true if you sell products. Show your wares on the squeeze page. They’re a great draw.

Provide more than one opportunity to opt in. If the only place a visitor can elect to receive email from you is the squeeze page, some visitors won’t be able to find it without reloading their browsers. So, provide an opt in box on the home page.

When used properly, a well-developed squeeze page can work wonders in building up your database. And, if the opt ins receive good information from you each day or week or month, you’ll quickly build a loyal following – visitors who become buyers.

Expand your presence with the perfect squeeze page and get a grip on your buyers.

Get a GRIP.

Later,

Webwordslinger

2010-03-04T10:01:00.001-05:00

THE LONGER YOU WAIT, THE HARDER IT IS TO TREAT HEARING LOSS @ Hearing Aids 411. "Say what?" http://ping.fm/cPly0

2010-03-04T05:58:00.001-05:00

Launch a successful webinar. You're as good as you look on the W3 @ SEO JUICE: A Webwordslinger Gig http://ping.fm/aOiWt

2010-03-04T05:46:00.001-05:00

Web workers: Prepare a rate card for services offered, provide the card to prospects & stick to it. http://ping.fm/pif1I

2010-03-03T06:09:00.001-05:00

SEO copy writers: Clients pay you for what you know, AND what you do. Charge accordingly. SEO JUICE http://ping.fm/ogWjn

2010-03-01T06:26:00.001-05:00

Avoid keywords that have lots of meanings. Bots are none too bright. SEO JUICE: A Webwordslinger Gig http://ping.fm/7cwgn

2010-02-28T06:59:00.001-05:00

SEO copy writers: the more adjectives the more hype. Provide information not word bling. SEO JUICE http://ping.fm/fgHCX

2010-02-22T09:20:00.001-05:00

DUFFERS: Excellent article on golf and hearing loss at Hearing Aids 411. PING!!! Another round of 18? http://ping.fm/v2twI

2010-02-22T06:04:00.001-05:00

Pull visitors deeper into your website with home page anchor text. SEO JUICE: A Webwordslinger Gig-ola http://ping.fm/fbxGz

2010-02-20T16:32:00.001-05:00

When choosing a domain, use strong keywords in the domain name. Tell 'em who you are and what you do. http://ping.fm/qYJlM

2010-02-19T06:07:00.001-05:00

Use Alexa.com to track number of site visitors, page views and other key metrics. A Webwordslinger Gig. http://ping.fm/95ozy

2010-02-16T05:43:00.001-05:00

"5 Steps to Becoming a Web Guru" Are you the next Dan Kennedy? Ugh! @ SEO JUICE: A Webwordslinger Gig. http://ping.fm/NLYBA

2010-02-16T05:27:00.001-05:00

Prepare a detailed SOW to prevent the dreaded project "creep." SEO JUICE: A Webwordslinger Gig. http://ping.fm/5QylJ

2010-02-15T05:18:00.001-05:00

Visitors may come through the front door - the home page - or through a side door - a landing page. http://ping.fm/RsrZM

2010-02-14T07:59:00.001-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day, web-preneurs. Betcha do a little work today any way. Webwordslinger. http://ping.fm/Od4FE

2010-02-13T06:37:00.001-05:00

Site owners: Linkage. For greater impact, build a weblet of parallel sites targeting the same market. http://ping.fm/Naqfz

2010-02-12T06:25:00.001-05:00

SEO isn't something done once. It's something done everyday. 02/12/10 SEO JUICE: A Webwordslinger Gig http://ping.fm/R0jD8

2010-02-11T06:02:00.001-05:00

Skip "free" web hosts for business sites. They place ads on YOUR website. SEO JUICE A Webwordslinger Gig http://ping.fm/Kz5yL

2010-02-10T07:17:00.001-05:00

If you aren't seeking business from Katmandu, optimize your site for local search. A Webwordslinger Gig http://ping.fm/tg3YN

2010-02-09T15:26:00.001-05:00

"Real World Meets Web World: Marketing Channel Integration" SEO JUICE: A Webwordslinger Thingie http://ping.fm/WxkCl

2010-02-09T04:53:00.001-05:00

Use long-tail keywords to by-pass deep pockets, well-established competitors. 02/09/10 Webwordslinger http://ping.fm/2aTO5

KEEP YOUR CLIENTS SATISFIED TO KEEP YOUR CLIENTS YOURS

2010-02-07T05:54:00.002-05:00

Managing Customer Care:

“It’s easier to keep a client

than find a new one.”

Yeah, it’s an old cliché, but it’s a cliché because it’s true. The key to long-term site success is an expanding customer/client base – repeat buyers of your goods or services.

Keeping the customer satisfied, especially for web-based businesses, isn’t a walk in the park but there are things you, as webmaster, can do to manage client care, keeping the customer satisfied and coming back for more.

1. Maintain an accurate order tracking system. If you use a delivery service like FedEx or UPS, you’ll get tracking software with your account. But, if you’re trucking 37 ceramic figurines to the post office every day, you’ll need an order tracking system – preferably one that can identify “downstream” problems like: “Hey, you’re going to run out of hula girl bobble heads next Thursday. Time to reorder.”

2. Stay involved. You may be using a drop shipper to manage inventory storage, shipping and handling, and it’s not always easy during the rush of the day to check tracking data – even if you’re shipping out of a spare room. Track all problem orders yourself.

3. Provide updates to the buyer. An auto-responder as soon as the problem is identified with an opt out box to cancel the sale. You may lose that one, but your straightforwardness and ease of use will make a positive impression.

Federal law requires that orders must be filled within 30 days, after which the buyer is no longer obligated to pay. Don’t ship without renewed buyer approval.

4. Provide US-based customer support 24/7. In this global marketplace, someone is always buying, and someone always has a question. Also, empower telephone reps to accept returns with the customer’s receipts. This saves on call-backs and significantly lowers buyers’ stress levels.

5. Use dynamic pages designed specifically for each visitor. Best example? Amazon. My home page is different from your home page based on our past buying histories. All of this data is stored in Amazon’s database and when I log on, I’m bombarded with recommendations based on items purchased five years ago.

But Amazon stills calls me by my first name. That’s nice.

6. Last key point. Overdeliver. If prudent, drop a personalized email or even make a telephone call. People are really pleasant when the company CEO calls and promises satisfaction.

The whole point of quality customer care is to create word of mouth (WOM) viral marketing. Treat your customers or clients right, and viral WOM will do the rest in growing that client base bigger and bigger.

editor@webwordslinger.com

WHAT ARE YOUR WORDS WORTH?

2010-01-29T07:12:00.001-05:00

photo courtesy of david turnbull

5 Places to Earn Money for Your Words

And that means work for you. Here are five places that are actually looking for writers and are willing to pay them – in real dollars!. So, if you can string words in to sentences, you can earn money for your efforts. Check out these outlets for content.

1. odesk. Odesk is an outsource hook-up site, connecting service buyers and providers. The site has a number of categories – site design, coding and writing.

What are you waiting for?

However, if you’re good you can cherry pick the buyers looking for quality over quantity. Bid low until you gain some feedback from happy buyers. Then up your price gradually.

Sounds perfect for the work-at-home parent. No commitment.

There's lots of ways to make money on the W3. You just have to look.

Webwrodslinger.com

They’re all ideal for part-timers and newbs looking to gain experience and creds.

And those clippings can be compiled into a book on health and wellness since the RN friend owns the copyright. Sweet.

You start working at “burger-flipping” wages but as you gain experience, confidence and credibility, you and your words become better and more valuable.

Start here.

Webwordslinger.com

HOW TO BECOME A WEB GURU IN 5 EASY STEPS

2010-01-23T06:58:00.001-05:00

photo courtesy of Brian Warren

The Five Steps to Becoming a Guru:

Are You the Next Peter Lynch, Dan Kennedy or Skip McGrath?

Gurus, good ones anyway, are hard to find these days. Oh sure, the word gets thrown around quite a bit. “He’s an SEO guru.” “She’s the best marketing guru ever to walk the halls of this office.” “This guy is a penny stock guru. You can’t miss if you follow his picks.”

You know, anyone can become a guru on the web, regardless of subject of expertise, or any expertise at all. Google “Life Coach” and see how many hits you get. Today, it was 68,900,000 “gurus” on the amorphous topic of life coaching. That’s a lot of gurus all in one place. Now conduct s search for “Job Coach.” Not as many hits as life coach (more narrow topic) but Google still delivers 39,900,000 links to job coaches – gurus who are going to help you climb the ladder of corporate success.

Life coach, job coach, stock picker, SEO expert, health and wellness insider – you can’t swing a dead personal development coach without hitting the next guru wannabe. In effect, becoming a guru is nothing more than good marketing and, with apologizes to Dan Kennedy, sales letter guru, there are better, so you don’t even have to be the best if you create the online persona of guru.

Here are five tips to start you down the yellow brick road (solid gold) to gurudom.

1. Take a different road. One-of-a kind explanations for common phenomenon set you apart, whether were talking about baking the best scones ever or building the perfect website.

Don’t rehash the rehash. Take a different tact from the rest of the pack and find that new slant. Peter Lynch, ex of the Fidelity Magellan Fund, used to listen to his kids for good stock picks. If the kids and all of their friends were going to the all-natural salon in the mall every Saturday, Lynch would do the spade work, find the corporate owner and take a position. It was a completely different take on fundamental versus chart (technical) stock analysis and Lynch made a whole lot of money listening to his kids and their friends.

2. Present different tips and tricks for putting in to place common procedures. The whole world might know how the procedure or model works, but if you come in with a unique way of analyzing a topic and presenting very specific strategies for improving your readers’ lives, gurudom is just around the corner.

How-to advice is a good place to start. Let’s say your claim to the title of guru is based on your uncanny ability to pick penny stocks just before they become dollar stocks. Bingo. You’re a penny stock buying guru and people will pay you a lot of money for your sage counsel.

3. Present both sides of the discussion. Gurus aren’t totalitarian cult figures. They have that inner calm and self confidence to present the other side of their position with self-assurance that their position is the correct one.

Get together a room full of SEO experts and you’ll hear every possible SEO strategy that ever appeared on the web. (If there’s an open bar, there’ll probably be some imbibing but you know how those SEOs are.) A guru – a good one – listens to all sides with absolute confidence that s/he is correct. And these gurus are getting $5,000 a head for their well-booked seminars.

4. Criticize. Warren Buffet, the Oracle (even better than a guru) of Omaha (and a true stock picking genius) constantly speaks to audiences on investment strategies that work and Mr. Buffet has made many shareholders of Berkshire-Hathaway millionaires.

Back in the ‘90s, when everybody was hopping on this new web marketplace thing and buying anything with a dot com after its name, Buffet was buying steel, concrete, construction companies – the basic, nuts-and-bolts of our infrastructure. He spent years criticizing those brokers and faux gurus who were pushing their clients into these online startups and, if anyone can remember the Spring of ’01, we saw the dot com bubble implode.

On the other hand, Berkshire-Hathaway (Buffet) weathered the storm just fine. Don’t be a follower. Gurus don’t follow they lead.

5. Create controversy. Ultra-conservative and barely watchable, Ann Coulter has made a whole pile of cash with her controversial criticism of 9/11 widows, Democrats, cancer-victim Elizabeth Edwards, wife of candidate John Edwards, claiming that Ms Edwards, who is fighting a courageous battle against cancer, is using her disease to raise the sympathy vote, and while Ms. Coulter’s comments are reprehensible to even conservative Republicans, controversy sells – a lot.

The web is crawling with experts – cruise ship gurus, gold bugs, retail poo-bahs and other so-called experts. It’s actually pretty easy to make a name for yourself within a particular field because of the speed at which information moves across the web. The key is to find something that sets you apart from the crowd.

If all you’re doing is playing the same game that a thousand other gurus are playing you won’t stand out. Change the rules, provide utile information, don’t follow the pack and create controversy.

It’ll only be a matter of time before you’re asked to appear on Oprah. That’s how you know you’ve become a guru. So pick your topic. Health and wellness, weight loss painlessly, investment advice, marketing advice – whatever your area of expertise, you can become the next guru to be recognized on the web.

Next stop? The book tour. Oh, and the percentages that come with publishing a best seller.

The world is waiting for you. What are you waiting for?

Later, sensi,

Webwordslinger.com

SIMPLIFY THE SALE AND BUILD BUYER TRUST WITH GOOGLE CHECKOUT

2010-01-19T09:47:00.000-05:00

Google Checkout:

Easy and Free (Sort of)

Google Checkout is a checkout processing service that not only handles basic order processing chores, it also delivers some marketing benefits that no other checkout package can.

What’s Google Checkout and why should I care?

You should care because processing orders takes a big chomp out of your bottom line and anything you can do to cut those costs is a good step to take.

First, the Checkout module “bolts” right on to your existing website and fully integrates with CMS and other content and data management programs you have in place. Second, it provides customers with the very convenient “One-Click Checkout” – buyers enter shipping and credit card information once and buying is just a single click away. This generates more sales and repeat traffic simply because it’s so easy.

Finally, Google Checkout automates payment processing by providing numerous credit card options (the more payment gateways, the more sales). It processes orders interfacing seamlessly with your inventory management software and, finally, the best part – the software automatically drops payments into the company bank account. Automatic. Easy. Very cool.

The Google Cache? Really?

Look, Google has an excellent reputation among consumers of search engine services. It is, after all, the largest SE and, it appears to be taking over the world. So, if you can associate your site with Google, a bit of that gleam is reflected your way.

This is especially true if you use sponsored Google Adwords – those sponsored links that appear on every Google SERP and ubiquitously on web pages everywhere. If you use Adwords for marketing, you can display the Google Checkout badge, a little green shopping cart, on all Adwords you place. It’s a nice touch and a convenience that buyers will come to recognize in the months ahead.

Improve You Conversion Rate

Google’s Checkout is designed for online purchases, simplifying the process at every stage. So, you won’t lose as many buyers at the checkout trying to figure what to do next. Google’s Checkout GUI is simple, uncluttered and reassuring, enhancing the trust factor.

Free Adwords?

Not quite, but close. For every $1 you spend on Google’s Adwords program – an effective program, BTW - you receive $10 of processed sales for free. So, spend $100 a month on Adwords, building your business, and you’ll be able to process $1000 in sales for exactly $0.

If you exceed your Adword rebate, or you opt not to use Adwords, the processing costs are still reasonable at 2% plus $0.20 per transaction. Not bad.

Fraud Protection

And plenty of it. The system takes a proactive approach to fraud, filtering out bogus transactions before you’re burned. Google even offers a limited Payment Guarantee if you ever get a chargeback on a legit purchase.

Options and More Options

You can get started with Google Checkout in three ways. There’s easiest, easier and “I’d better call in someone who knows what they’re doing.” Let’s examine each.

Buy Now Buttons

This is the easiest way to hook up your site to Google Checkout. You simply paste snippets of Google-generated HTML code into your site’s HTML browser. That’s it. You’re hooked up and when customers click on that ‘Buy Now’ button, they’re directed through the checkout like any well-respected customer.

E-commerce Partners

Still pretty easy. All site owners have to do is enter their Merchant ID number and Merchant Key on the E-commerce Partners’ web page. This more fully integrates your existing order processing system with the new checkout.

Google Checkout API

If you aren’t sure how all the various pieces of your web site are interconnected, don’t try to install this option without a little help from your site designer or the neighbor’s kid who’s a whiz-bang at this stuff.

There are two levels of integration and, if it isn’t done properly, you may be processing orders by way of Greenland.

Easy As Pie

The hook-up you employ will depend on the extent of your product line and the need to integrate sales data with inventory, drop shipping and other order fulfillment matters. If you do you own shipping, go with option 1 or 2.

Regardless of which level of Google Checkout you select for your site, it’s all automated to keep things simple. You select the bank account where you want deposits made. You verify your account (takes a couple of days) but after that, money is deposited electronically. Nothing could be easier

Want to learn more? Want to see which hook-up is best for you? That’s easy, too. Just follow the link. You’ll be able to register and get started in just a few minutes. So, if you haven’t selected a checkout mod (there are several), or your planning to ramp up your Adwords spending, check out Google’s Checkout for benefits that no other check-out package can deliver.

Later,
Webwordslinger.com

CREATE THE PERFECT SQUEEZE PAGE

2010-01-15T05:31:00.000-05:00

image courtesy of howtocreateasqueezepage

Preparing the Perfect Squeeze Page:

Get a Grip on Your Buyers

So What Good Does a Squeeze Page Do?

So, the first objective of a squeeze page is to provide enough information to whet the appetite of the visitor who then opts in, providing an email address.

Also, that squeeze page will be indexed by search engines. Providing good information, with just a smidge of sizzle, won’t detract from how search engines view your site.

Types of Squeeze Pages

Squeeze Page Tips

The ideal squeeze page should be laid out for quick eye scan. Don’t expect visitors to read through a ton of text to get to the deal.

Use short blocks of text and single sentences.

Talk directly to the reader, i.e., You know the aches and pains that come with age.

Use bulleted lists to detail the benefits of opting in. Benefits differ from features. Tell the visitor how his or her life will be better, easier, happier, more productive or whatever. Describe benefits, not features.

Use charts, graphs and illustrations to convey detailed information.

Provide options. Lots of them. If the only choice is to opt in or leave, most visitors will leave. Use text links to draw in visitors to specific pages of your site.

Use pictures. This is especially true if you sell products. Show your wares on the squeeze page. They’re a great draw.

Provide more than one opportunity to opt in. If the only place a visitor can elect to receive email from you is the squeeze page, some visitors won’t be able to find it without reloading their browsers. So, provide an opt in box on the home page.

Expand your presence with the perfect squeeze page and get a grip on your buyers.

Webwordslinger.com

WEB WRITING: WHO'S READING YOUR TEXT? AND WHY?

2010-01-10T07:34:00.001-05:00

image courtesy of Barbara Doduk

Web Writing:

Know Your Demographic

If you’ve been writing professionally for more than two weeks you know what the demographic is. For the rest of you, the demographic is the sweet spot of your client’s market. It’s your target audience.

And the better you understand that target the more effective your writing. It’s all about pushing the right buttons to compel the site visitor to perform the MDA – the most desired action.

The Target Demographic

Believe it or not, many of your clients won’t be able to describe their target audience. Let’s say you’re hired to write website content for a brick-and-mortar hearing aid retail outlet somewhere in Montana. (It could happen.)

The owner of the store may have had a lock on a 25 square mile service area – the only hearing aid dispenser in the region. So, dropping a quarter page advert in the local newspaper was all it took to create a profitable business. And the store owner never gave more than a thought to who she was trying to reach.

So, during the discovery phase you ask, “What’s the target demographic?” Your likely to get an incomplete answer: “People who need hearing aids.” However, that’s a broad demographic so a little research might produce a better return for your client.

Research the Demographic

Hearing aids. So you’re likely to immediately think of the over-50 crowd. Probably right. Nerve deafness goes hand-in-hand with aging so trying to hit that over-50, Baby Boomer demographic bubble may be just the way to go.

But, what do you know about this particular group, other than what you know about your grandparents and the 60-year-old neighbor next door? These people don’t make up a large enough group to actually define the needs and preferences of people over 50.

For example, a little research reveals that the over-50 crowd:

Are less likely to use computers at home
Are less likely to comparison shop for products on line
Don’t make as many on-line purchases
Are less familiar with local search engine options
Scroll less than their younger counterparts
Spend less time on line altogether
Are not as tech savvy as younger computer users

All of these factors create a clearer picture of who you’re targeting with your writing. For example, if you know that seniors don’t scroll as much as younger people, all of the important stuff must be at the top of the page.

Use the Language of the Target Demographic. Jargon Sells!

What do these people want and need? What information do they require to make an intelligent buying choice? How do they talk to each other? Your writing should use the language of the target demographic.

Let’s say you’re writing a user manual for a mainframe computer company. (It could happen.) You better know what a trouble ticket is and what downstream consequences are. You can quickly learn the insider jargon by visiting websites that sell mainframes or service them.

There’s jargon in every profession. It’s a form of shorthand. But it’s also exclusionary, keeping out those who are NOT members of the gang. So, the use of the demographic jargon (1) enables you to present information in shorthand form and (2) makes you a member of the exclusive group of mainframe computer administrators.

The best place to look for industry-specific jargon is on websites and blogs designed to provide solutions to the specific demographic. These sites detail what the demographic wants so to cut down on research time, cut to the chase and go hang out with the people you’re trying to reach.

That’s the best way to learn the lingo. And deomographic wants and needs, as well.

What Does Your Target Demographic Want or Need?

Increased productivity? Faster shipping? A baby-soft maternity gift? If you don’t know what the target market wants or needs you can’t push the right buttons to induce the site visitor into taking the MDA. In other words, your text missed the mark.

Before you write a single word, know to whom you’re writing. Know how they talk then talk right to them.

Know what they need or want. Then meet those needs and wants.

Don’t rely on your client to give you the goods on the target demographic. Most of these people are focused on business matters. It’s up to you to hit that bull’s-eye sweet spot with your writing.

And if you do, guess what? You just added a regular to your client base – a buyer who will come back for more without any effort on your part.

And repeat buyers are the basis of success for any freelance web writer. So know to whom you’re speaking when you write. Take aim at that bull’s-eye and fire away.

The more times you hit the mark, the more of the client’s problems are solved. And the bigger your client base grows.

Webwordslinger.com

GET YOURSELF SOME FREE BUZZ. STOP THE PRESSES!

2010-01-06T09:12:00.000-05:00

photo courtesy of fredvidal

Writing the Perfect Press Release:

Are You Newsworthy?

Press releases are a great way to get some free (or low-cost) exposure out there on the web. In fact, well-written, well-positioned press releases should be a key aspect of any conventional marketing plan and a definite “must-have” for a viral marketing strategy.

There are companies that will distribute your press release using their email database to make sure your newsletter finds its way to the right people. Or, you can distribute on your own through content syndication sites or free “press release” sites where site owners and editors look for content to fill their web pages.

Problem is, an awful lot of newsletters fail to get picked up. They languish in the inbox of some site owner who gets dozens of press releases everyday. So, how do you make sure your press releases receive the most notice?

Stop the Presses!

A press release is a news story – about you, your products or services, your business model, discovery, web site, areas of interest, site topicality – whatever it is you’re trying to promote. These informational news stories are used to introduce you to potential customers or clients. They can be distributed by snail mail or sent directly to previous clients’ email addresses.

They can be a stand-alone piece or part of a larger “media kit” that could include brochures, a sales letter, product information or samples and other elements designed to capture the attention of a site editor – most often the site owner in the case of smaller sites. (Larger sites usually maintain a writer/editor on staff to develop content for marketing, site text, blog posts and other written communications.)

What makes a press release valuable? Newsworthiness. Look, another site owner isn’t interested in sending traffic to your site. However, she is interested in keeping her site up to date and her readership informed. So, if you send out a hypey sales letter and call it a press release, it may look like a duck and quack like a duck but it ain’t no duck. And, as such, it won’t get much (if any) exposure.

In order for your press release to have the desired effect – raising awareness within the web community – it should have lots of news value and go "lite" on the hype. Of course, you can mention the qualities, features and benefits of a new product or concept but the text can’t sound like a sales letter.

Formatting Your Press Release

While there are no hard-and-fast rules about formatting a press release, there are certain conventions that are followed. Employing these style and format conventions more easily identifies the text as a press release, and when a site owner is going through 150 emails each morning, the easier it is to identify a press release the more likely it will be picked up.

First, use letterhead stationery for your press release. The letterhead should include the company name and general company contact information. Next, provide complete information for the company’s contact point – the person to reach for additional information, limitations on use and other editorial and legal questions. This person may not be able to provide immediate answers, but he can at least direct you to the person who has the information you’re after.

Indicate when the press release can and should be released to the public. In most cases, press releases are sent out “For Immediate Release,” which should appear in the upper-right corner of the press release. If, for some reason, you want the release delayed, indicate when it’s okay to publish the release.

The press release itself should start off with a big, attention-grabbing headline – something that piques the curiosity of the reader. A second subhead should appear directly under the headline providing the reader with an indication of what the release is about.

Next comes the body of the press release. The first paragraph of the release should answer the standard Journalism 101 questions: who, what, where and when. Some readers will never get past the first paragraph so it’s the most important text in the entire release. Succinctly (no more than two sentences) provide all relevant facts upon which you will elaborate further as the readers move on.

Again, structure the press release to be newsworthy. It’s not an advertisement. It should provide useful information in order to receive wide distribution.

Keep paragraphs short for easier eye scan and remember, web users scan left to right and up to down. If you use a sidebar – a story within a story – it should appear on the left side of the release in a separate box with its own headline. In fact, a sidebar is another opportunity to place a headline above the fold – always a good thing for readers and spiders who calculate the importance of information using type size as one of the criteria.

Don’t use a the three- or four column format used by print newspapers. Your press release should look more like a letter than a newspaper.

Use quotes from authority sources – people, institutions, associations and other “reliable” sources. This not only adds credibility to what you’re saying, it also adds to the “newsiness” of the piece. Pictures, if they somehow clarify or amplify the text, are also useful. Carts and graphs are eye-catching and, when structured and labeled clearly, these illustrations can convey a lot of information in a small space.

Always write in the third person. Never use “I”, “me” or “my.” It’s not about you so leave your ego at the door and pick it up on the way out.

Avoid anything that smacks of hype – words and phrases like “The Best,” “AN ABSOLUTE MUST” and “Leading Edge.” Not only are these kinds of phrases clichés (they’ve been so overused they’ve lost all meaning), they also give your informational press release a sales letter feel. Avoid at all costs.

Use a style manual. There are lots of them. The New York Times style manual is used by press release writers to answer questions such as whether “like-minded” (an adjective) should or should not be hyphenated. It should be according to the NYT's Manual of Style and Usage. However, “businesslike” doesn’t get hyphenated according to the Times editorial handbook.

Keep the release short – two pages (500-600 words) max. Less is more in the press release realm so say it fast, make it complete and know when to get off stage.

To let the reader know that she’s reached the end of the press release, use ### three of these “number” signs. That’s one of those conventions mentioned earlier. It’s just the way it is in journalism.

Finally, you can provide a second contact after the ### end symbol – a contact for a specific purpose. For example, “If you would like to book Ms. Smith for a speaking engagement please contact Ms. Jan Jones, VP of Media Relations, XYZ Corporation, (123) 555-1234.

Writing a good press release is no simple task, and if nouns and adverbs aren’t your thing, outsource the writing to a professional. You can find plenty of freelance writing talent on the web.

It has to be newsworthy, informative, properly formatted, written in the third person and short on the grandiose hyperbole, aka, hype. It has to deliver all information in the shortest space possible. Use graphs and charts to deliver a lot of information in a small space.

It must have complete contact information for those with questions and it should appear on company stationery with company logo if you have one.

If you think you can do it, do a few drafts and let an impartial set of eyes read it. Accept criticism graciously and listen to suggestions for improvement. With a bit of practice, you can develop a PR a week to keep your subscribers or buyers up to speed.

Practice makes perfect and a picture is worth a thousand words.

One final thought: avoid clichés like the two in that previous sentence.

Webwordslinger.com

I'VE MADE EVERY MISTAKE IN THE BOOK

2010-01-04T09:46:00.002-05:00

photo courtesy of callofQT

7 Ways To Lose a Client:

Mistakes I’ve Made

I’ve been a freelance copy writer for more than 30 years and, oh boy, have I made mistakes. In fact, I think I’ve made every mistake a freelance service provider CAN make.

1. Oversell.

Now, I provide just enough information to let the client know that I have some authority as a copy writer. Then, I shut up.

2. Take it personally.

This is a tough one. When I write something – anything – it’s my baby. I think it’s perfect, so when a client comes back asking for revisions I used to take it as a personal affront.

3. Put your interests before those of the client.

Another sure fire means of driving clients to distraction.

4. Lose steam.

This happens a lot.

It may be difficult to stay enthusiastic after writing about beekeeping for two or three years, and as a result the quality of your writing slips. Can’t let that happen.

5. Ignore the client.

6. Miss a deadline.

It’s happened, but only a couple of times. One time I came down with the flu from hell and was unable to work for a week. I dropped the ball, missed a deadline and lost the client.

7. Accept project creep.

It starts with a simple request. “Would you mind adding a short auto-responder to the list?” Of course, no problem.

It’s a lot more fun and profitable working this way.

Webwordslinger.com

7 COOL TOOLS FOR WEB WORKERS

2010-01-02T09:01:00.000-05:00

Does your home office look this good? It should.

photo courtesy of tipclapper

7 Cool Tools For Web Workers:

Increase Productivity And Presence

As an SEO copy writer I spend a lot of time on the W3. It’s my workplace. And as such, I’m always on the lookout for tools that enable me to do more in less time. I also search for tools that increase my on-line presence – an essential ingredient to building web success, whether you’re publishing a blog or web site to market your business or your poetry.

So, here are seven of the coolest tools you can add to your arsenal of web-based apps.

1. Zimbio.com

It’s an on-line tabloid chock full of gossip on Brangelina, the Olsen twins and George Clooney. That’s the bait that drives traffic to the site.

What’s in it for you? Well, Zimbio enables you to create your own on-line magazine using posts to your blog, creating posts that do double duty. Two for the price of one exposure.

Once you register for this free service, tell Zimbio to ping your blog. The system finds posts and even suggests search categories. Or, you can create your own industry-specific search categories.

Go through your blog archives and resurrect some of those older, albeit, still relevant posts and create your own on-line mag tags on Zimbio.

2. Odiogo.com

One of the coolest tools around.

Odiogo translates text to language (TTL) – the spoken word. It’s simple to add Odiogo to your blog, enabling site visitors with vision problems, visitors with reading problems or visitors who speak a different native tongue to HEAR your pithy posts instead of having to read them.

You’ll see more site or blog traffic when your web space features Odiogo, and those visitors will thank you for the feature with return visits. Add it today.

3. Ning.com

Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Brightkite and other social media sites are open to all. Very egalitarian, and the way things should be according to the web’s principle of engagement. These sites do what they’re supposed to do.

Ning equips you to create your own social network. Set up a network for a family, a small business or a huge industry. Small companies keep in touch with clients and encourage the purchase of goods or services.

You decide who gets in and who’s blocked. Invite your business associates or potential prospects to sign up via automated email alerts.

With Ning, you create your own social media site based on your business or personal needs. And you create your social network site in minutes. It’s easier than setting up a blog.

4. Getclicky.com

Get real time metrics the way you want them.

Getclicky provides the tools to set the parameters of metrics analysis based on the specifics of your site’s or blog’s objectives. Determine how visitors found you, from where they came and where they went after leaving your site.

Sure, Google’s analytics still form the baseline but Getclicky, which BTW, can be added to any site or blog with a cut-and-paste snippet of HTML code, let’s you decide what’s important and what isn’t during metrics analysis.

Once you add this tool to your arsenal of metrics tools, you’ll use Getclicky to create a better, less “biased” picture of your on-line activity.

Highest recommendation.

5. Zoho.com

Zoho is a one-stop shop for web workers, providing everything from an MS-compatible word processor to FREE on-line collaboration and conferencing. The brains behind this brawny site also through in an email client.

The basic services are all free and are perfect for most small, on-line businesses. Upgrades to more robust access are cheap, so creating on-line collaborations with multiple remote stakeholders is low-cost and easy.

6. Open Office

Most computers come with an operating system but if you want to add Microsoft Word and Excel, it’s gonna cost you – unless you download Open Office.

Don’t spend $129 on that MS upgrade (the current price on Dell.com). Instead, when your system arrives, download Open Office. It’s Microsoft compatible and it does everything that MS Office does without the hefty price tag.

Save your money.

7. Sugarsync.com

If you’re a web worker, the information on your hard drive is your bread and butter so you protect it, right?

You have lots of security software in place, a hardwired firewall on your office server and an add-on backup hard drive to protect that critical information.

But what if you’re robbed. What if someone breaks into your home office and snags your business – including that outboard back-up? You’re screwed.

Sugarsync is an off-site, backup storage service. Once registered, your docs, programs, settings, contacts and any other data you select are uploaded automatically. You don’t have to think about it.

With Sugarsync, your business is protected from catastrophic data loss caused by floods, home office fires, burglaries and other disasters that can befall any web worker.

Your take-away? There are plenty of free and low-cost tools to simplify your web work. These seven are just the tip of the iceberg.

Google “web productivity” to see what pops-up. Cherry pick the productivity apps that you need for your work on the world wide web.

See you on Twitter.

Webwordslinger.com

THE COPYWRITERS' CHEAT SHEET

2009-12-28T09:43:00.000-05:00

Web Writers Cheat Sheet:

10 Common Spelling, Punctuation and

Grammar Gaffes & Fixes

Man, I’m sticking my neck out here. I’ll proof this when I’m done but I’ll bet you I don’t catch all the mistakes. But I will catch the big ones – the ones that stick out and make you look like a total noob in copy writing.

I see bad copy everyday – misspellings, typos, articles that just end because the site owner is just filling space to use as bait for his or her affiliate program. So, for all of you starting copy writers, here’s a simple cheat sheet to make your writing LOOK smarter, even if what you say is total hogwash.

1. Its or It’s?

Its, without the apostrophe means “belong to it.” It’s, with the apostrophe, is the contraction for “it is.”

2. There, they’re, their?

There is “that place” – there.

They’re is a contraction of “they are.”

Their means “belonging to them” – their house, for example.

3. Consistency of person.

Wrong: The customer must provide their PIN. “The customer” is singular.” “their” is plural.

Right: The customer must provide his or her PIN. Or, Customers [plural] must provide their [plural] PINs. [plural]

4. Parallel sentence construction.

When you’re listing a string of activities, for example, each activity should be written using the same sentence (or clause) structure.

Wrong: Employees asked for improved benefits, negotiating for raises, presenting contract awards and a shorter contract.

Right: Employees asked for improved benefits, the right to negotiate raises, the right to award contracts and shorter contracts.

5. You’re or Your?

You’re is the contraction for “you are.”

Your means “belonging to you.”

6. Punctuation INSIDE Quotes.

Look at the two sentences above in tip #5. Both sentences end with a word in quotes. Notice that the period is also inside the quotes. This is correct punctuation.

Wrong: Do you have the “the secret”?

Right: Do you have “the secret?”

7. Ending sentences in prepositions.

Wrong: Accounting is something I know little about.

Right: Accounting is something about which I know little.

Wrong: Who was he seen with?

Right: With whom was he seen?

Check a dictionary. If the word is a preposition, it doesn’t belong at the end of a sentence.

8. Typos

You can’t rely on your word processor’s spell checker alone. I got an email from a client asking if I could “pimp out” 20 articles in a month. Of course, he meant “pump out” but pimp is a word so the spell checker accepted it even though it was wrong. And finny. [Did “finny” on purpose, ya know, or sic.]

9. Style Manuals

Is “website” spelled website or web site – one word or two words?

Is keyword spelled key word or keyword?

There are so many new words and terms that are now in common usage and frankly, style editors and "word heads" have a hard time staying current.

I use several guides, all available at any book store, on-line or off: The Chicago Manual of Style, The New York Times Style Manual and Strunck and White’s Elements of Style.

Use one and then go for consistency.

10. Now, break the rules.

The W3 has changed writing for ever.

Short messaging services (SMSs) like Twitter, with its 140-character limit, leads “2 writng 4 ppl w/2 mch tme on hnds.”

We were always taught not to begin sentences with the words ‘and” or “but.” But you see it used in web site text all the time. And it works!

So, once you know the rules, feel free to break them if it makes your writing flow more smoothly and keeps the reader reading.

That’s your objective as a web writer. Keep that site visitor on site through scintillating text, impeccable grammar, no typos and at least an inkling of how to punctuate a sentence.

Ain’t nothin’ wrong with break the rules IF you’re doing it for effect. Thus, the use of the word ain't and nothin’.

If you want to make an impression, write smartly [adverb describing the verb “write”]. (Check out THAT punctuation! It can get confusing)

But get it right first. Then break the rules to make it interesting.

Amp up your writing with a clever turn of a phrase – hey, like amp up. That’s good.

Okay, now how many mistakes can you find in this post?

Let's talk. I'll do the writing.
Webwordslinger.com

HEY, NEW BLOGGERS, YOU WANT THESE APPS

2009-12-24T07:36:00.000-05:00

Webwordslinger:

keepin' it fresh.

7 Must-Have Apps for New Bloggers

Welcome to the blog band. We’ve been waiting for you. And you. And you. Every day, thousands of new bloggers launch using third-party blogging platforms like WordPress or blogspot, or free-standing blogger clients like Flock and Bleezer.

So, you have some competition. Here are seven must-have apps that’ll get you some readers and start the creation of a blog-based community. Your own.

1. Ping.fm
If you don’t already use it, you will.

Ping.fm enables you to write an SM (short message – 140 characters) once and post to dozens of sites – Facebook, LinkedIn, BrightKite, Plurk and other social media.

You can also notify subscribers by e-mail and Ping.fm is totally mobi so you can ping your followers through their cells or PDAs.

Post once and you tag hundreds of readers when you post.

2. Zimbio.com
First, Zimbio is a pretty cool on-line magazine, focusing mostly on tabloid-type gossip. That’s part one.

The site also enables you to create your OWN magazine. Zimbio scours your blog for new content, offers suggestions for keyword-based categories and posts with a click. You can keep the content up for as long as you want, delete it – it’s your on-line magazine and the tabloid content ropes in visitors. Also great for building a presence on SERPs.

3. technorati
No brainer. technorati is a search engine for blogs so you want your blog in the mix. Open an account and get indexed on technorati.

4. Seesmic
Seesmic is a Twitter client that’s much more user friendly than Tweetdeck.

Track all your social media from this one interface. Add your Facebook column. Your RTs. Direct messages. Add and delete columns at will. If you’re starting a blog, use Ping.fm (see #1) to post to Twitter (and other social sites).

5. Ning.com
Ning is a kinda cool tool but read the TOS carefully.

With Ning, you build your own social network – everything from your office staff to the bowling team to people who raise iguanas (what’s wrong with lizard lovers, any way).

Build a social network of people who are connected to the topicality of the blog. Knitting blog? Knitting social site to swap stitches.

6. Feedburner
Feedburner is owned by Google so you know it’s organically search engine friendly.

Feedburner optimizes your blog for pick up by RSS feeds, pings and flaring sites. You can design some cool scrolling banners and even monetize the blog with Google AdWords. Hey, it’s better than a sharp stick in the eye.

Be sure to burn a new feed each time you post to let ping servers and RSS aggregators that there’s something new on your blog.

7. Feedping.com
Get the word out about your blog on a global scale. Feedping automates the process.

A ping is, in essence, a push for your blog. Feedping submits your blog to dozens of ping services and RSS feeds including Yahoo and AOL. Simply enter the name of your blog, its address, click on the Check All box.

Scroll to the bottom of the page, Click agree to terms of service and click the Ping button. Then watch your computer screen.

You’ll see a growing list of ping servers and RSS aggregators that connected to your blog and sent your address on to other interested readers. Now, you’ll see a lot of “Connection Failed” notices. Could be anything – different protocol, the server is down, the server hasn’t been used in 10 years – you just don’t know.

But you’ll also see a lot of “Done” notifications which means you and your blog address got through. You’ll start seeing visitors from countries you never heard of via Feedping. Use it each time you post.

These tools will save time and get you some notice in seconds. It’s up to you, new blogger, to keep your blog fresh and to build your readership.

And that’s another whole matter altogether.

Talk soon,

Webwordslinger.com

STOP THE INSANITY: BAN GLAZIER-KENNEDY SALES LETTERS

2009-12-21T07:54:00.000-05:00

Somebody, Please Pass A Law

Banning Long-Form Sales Letters

Dan Kennedy made a pile of dough teaching other people how to write the most convincing, irresistible sales letter since God handed those tablets to Moses. The result?

The long form, Glazer-Kennedy sales letter and if I see one more of them I’m going to barf. I won’t write them and I write for food!

Who Else Wants to Make A Million Dollars

Before Bedtime?

Sound familiar? Straight out of the Dan Kennedy book “How to Insult the Intelligence of a Chimpanzee” (fake but fitting title). This is followed by reams and reams of hype. Text in 20 point type, italicized “testimonials” from Debra C., Alabama (yeah, try to track down Debra to verify that testimonial. Good luck.)

Then, after scrolling through page after page after page of how easy this business idea/relaxation technique/stock picking “system” is to use (“even a child can use it”), there’s approximately 12.5 different calls to action.

These calls to action start in the main body of text and continue after the signature with a PS Limited time bonus; a PPS an even more limited time bonus; and a PPS that describes an “if you order right now…” bonus. STOP THE INSANITY. We get it. It’s a deal we can’t pass up.

These so called sales letters are insulting, difficult to read (nausea sets in by page two), and they’re as stale as last year’s Christmas fruit cake.

Please, please, please, somebody pass a law banning this tripe.

Best,

webwordslinger

PS Why can’t you organize your thoughts to avoid a PS?

PPS Do you think this creates urgency?

PPS Okay, now you’re just being annoying.

Let's talk.

Webwordslinger.com

GIVE IT AWAY OR MAKE 'EM PAY?

2009-12-19T08:35:00.000-05:00

Subscribers:

Pay a Fee

or Get It Free?

A lot of new website owners add subscriber revenues to their calculations when figuring their break-even date and potential for profit. Not a good idea. Subscriber sites are fast disappearing from the webscape and for good reason. Why pay when you can get it for free?

As a site owner with expertise for which others would pay to read, it’s hard not to think about subscription revenue but the plain fact is, online subscriptions have never really taken off the way we all thought they would. The New York Times went the subscription route with its Times Select but it wasn’t generating enough revenue to justify itself, so the critical features of the NYTs are now available free online.

Even Rupert Murdoch, the much-maligned media mogul, who just bought control of the Wall Street Journal is planning to give away fresh content on the WSJ website. Every day. And that’s one mogul who knows how to make money through advertising!

What happened?

Does anyone remember 2002? Seems so long ago. 2002 is antediluvian in web years. That was a long time ago. But back then, the web had grown substantially with the advent of the search engine in 1994 (along with numerous, subsequent refinements to search engine technology), and media outlets, big and small, saw dollar signs – a whole new revenue stream.

However, in 2002, in the wake of the dot.bomb debacle, online ad revenues took a major nose dive that digital marketers are still trying to overcome. The online subscription revenue model never really took off and, today, even the big players are leaving the field.

The reasons are pretty obvious. First, the web provides so much content from so many varied sources, you don’t have to pay a subscription for the latest in gold futures. Some site is giving it away. Second, add to this the development of RSS technology – the ability of individual web users to gather news and other content of interest with 100% customization, and it becomes pretty obvious why subscriber sites aren’t doing so well.

There are other reasons people give for staying clear of subscriber sites. They’ve been scammed before by another e-book download with nothing to say. They don’t want to give you their credit card number. You use a high-pressure sales approach making untested claims, predictions and guarantees. They figure you’ll sell their contact information and they’ll be bombarded with spam. An online subscription is a tough sell, so what’s the small, self-published guru to do about that $49-a-year online newsletter that subscribers delete without opening after a week or two?

What to do?

Change your revenue model. Change your website. Change your bottom line for the better.

It starts by changing your view of site content. Owners of subscriber-based websites depend on readers’ “need to know” – whether it’s a professional financial advisory, a “top secret” stock report, or the latest news on what’s happening in China’s shoe industry – somebody needs that information. And, if this information proves useful, subscribers will stick with you.

Useful information is information that works to the benefit of the reader. It could be a self-help website with a monthly affirmation newsletter, or a pet owner site that sends you weekly tips to keep your kitty happy and healthy. If the content is actually useful a subscriber site might survive – until some other visionary comes along and starts giving away the information you’re selling.

Change your view of content. Don’t think of content as something to be sold. Give it away. Use it to entice readers to visit your site often. Daily, perhaps. Now, no doubt, there are a lot of entrepreneurs shaking their heads as they read this. These are people who have spent years learning their industry, a new system to win at poker or how to use hedge funds to fast-track your retirement years. They have knowledge.

However, others have that knowledge, too. And if web users can find that information free, they sure enough aren’t going to pay you for the same thing. So, instead of thinking of content as something to sell, think of it as bait to attract regular readers and improve links popularity.

So how do I make money with this new revenue model of which you speak?

Indeed, web-based ad revenues did decrease for a short time in ’02. But since then, there’s been a marked increase in revenue growth, closing in on $2 billion in ’07 and projected to exceed $11 billion in just five years. The web has become one of the most potent marketing tools available to advertisers.

You can pick up some of that ad revenue using the content you once sold to draw in the traffic and keep your PR high, with ad revenues to match. You can also develop affiliate partnerships with companies that want to reach your target market.

Here’s how the numbers break out. In the summer of ’06, survey respondents were asked if they would rather receive free content with advertising or paid content with no advertising. More than 70% of those surveyed opted for free with advertising. And that’s why you see ads for Coke before a music video download on AOL. AOL is giving away the content and making its money on that 15 second Coke ad. Even so, 78% of Millenials (ages 13 – 24) found web ads more intrusive. Clearly, they want the content free – free of cost and free of advertising.

e-Marketer analyst, Lisa Phillips, recently stated, “Advertisers pay up to three times more to reach print readers than online users. They’re not convinced online readers browse a news web site the way they believe print readers still browse through an entire section of a newspaper.”

Excellent point and one that clearly demonstrates why print media is so heavy on advertising and light on content. All you have to do is check today’s newspaper if you want proof.

Time for a change

If you have a successful, subscriber site – congratulations. You must have something very interesting or useful to say to your subscribers. However, if you’ve seen your subscriber list dwindle and re-ups shrink, it’s time to change your business model and use that subscriber content as the lure.

Use the online ad revenues as your reward.

Clueless? Call me.

Webwordslinger.com

WHY MAKE IT HARDER FOR SITE VISITORS TO PERFORM THE MDA?

2009-12-14T07:56:00.000-05:00

7 Stumbling Blocks on the Path to Converting

You worked hard to get that visitor to your home page or landing page. Maybe you even spent money using a PPC program like Google’s AdWords. The W3 is a dynamic, active and GROWING marketplace with 6,000 new sites hitting the bandwidth everyday.

You read the books, and maybe even hired an SEO who sold you a bunch of smoke and mirrors. You built your site to entice visitors to perform the most desired action – the MDA. Buy something. Sign up for your newsletter. Provide an email in exchange for a free ebook. Your site, and your business objective, is to encourage visitors to perform the MDA. Simple.

So why the heck do you make it so hard for these hard-won visitors to perform that MDA? The easier it is to perform the MDA, the more times it’ll be performed. Obvious.

Yet, you’ve littered the path to the MDA with stumbling blocks that, in fact, defeat the purpose behind building a web site in the first place. So, how many of these stumbling blocks are in the way of your site guests?

1. You place an opt-in box on the home page.

Some site owners don’t even bother telling visitors what they’re opting in for. Look, site owners, no one is going to give you an e-mail address knowing you’re going to back sell them to the grave with spam in the in-box daily.

To me, an opt-in on the home page is a HUGE stumbling block. Let the visitor enjoy the on-site experience. Give it away. And, if it’s good enough, and the visitors get the value, they’ll opt-in deeper in the site.

If you’re good, you’ll give it away. Use the opt-in to encourage additional quality information.

2. Fly-outs, drop-downs and pop-ups

I hate these intrusions. Everyone I know hates these intrusions. You hate these intrusions, yet you use them on your site to sell the day’s “special,” or to “get” the visitor to perform the MDA.

These sell tools are distracting, for one thing. Second, they usually block the text I was reading. And third, I’ve seen them so much that I know it’s a sell – right in the middle of a great post I’m reading.

Keep the visitor focused. Know when to stop selling.

3. Unwieldy navigation.

I see a LOT of sick sites in my business. One of the most common symptoms is confusing or ambiguous navigation.

I’ve seen sites on which the navigation moves around, from a navigation bar, to a column menu to links at the bottom of the page – and EACH zone of the site is different. Look, it’s hard enough to keep a visitor’s attention without turning your site into a puzzle.

Navigation should:

Always appear in the same place on every site page

Use unambiguous labels for tabs and links to internal pages

Be painfully obvious. You don’t know if the person visiting your site is the CTO of a Fortune 500 company or a buying agent for a 25-person commercial brick-and mortar. So avoid slang, insider jargon, acronyms and other labels that only SOME site visitors “get.” Assume the visitor has no knowledge. If they do, they’ll click on the simply-labeled tab without feeling insulted.

Make content easily accessible. The visitor doesn’t want to hunt for the one article or the one product or service you offer. Count clicks. How many clicks does it take for a visitor to perform the MDA? The fewer the number of clicks, the more times the MDA will be performed.

Save the opt-in for last. After visitors see how helpful your blog or web site is, they’re more likely to sign up for more.

4. Your site text is all about you.

Who cares about you? Not the visitor, that’s for sure. A visitor is looking for something – one thing: What’s in it for me? Think about your own surfing behavior. You visit a site. Do you think about the site owner? Putting his kids through college? Of course not. You’re there to accomplish something. Hopefully, that’s the MDA. However…

5. …the site visitors’ objections run counter to your own.

You want the site visitor to perform the MDA. Let’s say, buy something for the sake of discussion.

Well, the site visitor may not be in a buying mood. Just killing time. Or, the visitor may be comparison shopping – one of the most popular on-line activities. I can find the best deal on a 48” flat-screen TV in five minutes. Then I can run to the big box store to buy it. So, I use your site for price comparisons, but make the purchase locally.

You want to capture an e-mail address. The visitor doesn’t WANT to give you an email address. Often the visitors’ objectives are quite different from your objectives.

Design your site to meet the objectives of the visitor. For example, if you sell products, use ASPs pulled from your d-base to direct repeat buyers to their favorite products with a single click.

Add a single-click checkout option. The visitor doesn’t care about your objectives so make it easier for her to meet her objectives.

6. You front your site with a Glazier-Kennedy long-form, keyword-dense, font-changing, “testimonial-ladened,” PS, PPS and PPPS sales letter.

I’m gone.

7. You have one payment gateway.

PayPal. Or Google Checkout. A lot of people don’t have PayPal accounts. A lot of prospects don’t know how Google Checkout works.

Add a merchant account. Provide as many payment gateways as you can to hike the performance figures on that MDA.

Let’s cut to the chase. Keep it simple. Keep it transparent. Keep it consistent. And keep the focus – from navigation to opt-ins – on the objectives of the visitor, not your objective of having that MDA performed.

Yep, it takes a lot to get those visitors on site. Once you have them there, keep them there with good content. Count clicks and simplify the performance of the MDA.

Oh, and if you have an opt-in on your home page now, take it down. I see that and I’m outta there.

Call me. Let's talk about boosting conversion ratios.

Later,

Webwordslinger.com

REACHING THE SPOILED BUYER

2009-12-10T12:14:00.000-05:00

Satisfy This Guy, You Can Satisfy Any Site Visitor

Multi-Channel Product Access:

Reaching the “Spoiled” Buyer

How many ways can consumers buy the products you sell?

The buying practices of many consumers have been changed by the world wide web. The brick and mortar outlets are still top pick with shoppers. However, a recent study indicates that more than half of all consumers consider access to goods in a variety of ways very important. Not just a store. Not just a website. Not just a toll-free number or quarterly four-color catalog. Different consumers want product access through a number of channels. And these aren’t browsers. They’re comparison shoppers, hands-on shoppers, convenience shoppers - people who will make a purchase.

The majority of respondents to the survey indicated that it was important to their buying decision to be able to complete the transaction in the store. Today.

These same consumers indicated that they also wanted access to product information and order placement through the store’s online website and they considered it important to be able to place an order by telephone, whether shopping online or by catalog.

Further, close to 66% of survey participants indicated that they also considered it important to be able to cancel or change an order in person, online or by telephone at any time before the order ships or is removed from the store’s physical plant – the retail outlet.

Consumers have become spoiled with all of the channels available to shop and make purchases. The big box stores like Wal-Mart and Target still rely on flesh-and-blood foot traffic, though many of these operations maintain a significant web presence, as well.

And the individual, small retailer, who owns the local hobby shop in town, still counts on walk-ins to his or her store. However, that same small hobby shop owner should have a website to compliment that real-world outlet. And on that website, which provides global exposure for that small hobby shop, the owner should strongly consider adding a toll-free number to accept telephone orders. In other words, the more channels available to consumers to access your products and product information, the more sales you’ll generate.

The Appeal of Offline Shopping

People still go shopping in the store! Just check out the local mall as the holiday season approaches for irrefutable, empirical evidence. It’s a zoo out there. And given the hassles of driving to the outlets, parking the car, walking to the mall entrance, locating the store you’re looking for on a “You Are Here” map and actually getting to that retail outlet, it might be hard to understand the appeal of this 20^th century approach to buying products. Especially if you’re a site owner wondering why people are going to all that trouble when you sell the same products online.

Consumers dedicated to the mall experience cite a number of reasons for their preference. The reason most often given is “I can get it now.” To some folks in some situations (“Oh no, the television just blew up!”) getting the product today is critical.

Other factors that come in to play? The consumer can touch the product, try out the features and make a well-considered, consumer decision to buy or not. There’s no worries about the security of the transaction. Since it’s made in person, and the item can be paid for with cash, there’s less security risk, though it is important to note that several major retailers have been hacked and sensitive customer data, i.e., credit card numbers, have fallen into the hands of the black hats, so this consumer perception is somewhat unrealistic.

Other reasons consumers give for wading through throngs of caffeinated, stressed-out shoppers include the social aspect of shopping. That’s one reason every mall has a food court – usually a big one. A few hours of shopping, a quick lunch, and more shopping is what the experience is all about. It’s actually fun for lots of people to go to the mall.

The Expanding Appeal of Online Shopping

There’s no doubt that consumers have grown comfortable making purchases on the web. In 1999, fewer than 5% of buyers made a purchase from a website. In 2008, the last time annual consumer spending stats were released, the number of consumers buying online had risen to an estimated 45%, making the web the fastest growing marketplace in history.

And the reasons consumers give for their preference for online shopping aren’t surprising, though they may suggest features you might want to add to your site. The number one reason consumers buy online is convenience. They can shop at 3:00 AM in their PJ’s if they want to. Try doing that at Home Depot and you’ll get yourself arrested.

Another reason for shopping online is the ability to comparison shop. With search engines indexing more and more product pages, it’s a snap to compare prices by make and model number, whether we’re talking digital cameras or a washer-dryer combo.

The web is also a great place to access information about a product, including reviews by previous buyers, magazine and technical reviews and detailed product information. In fact, a large segment of the buying public uses the web to access information on a product before heading off to the local mega-store to make the actual purchase.

There’s also a strong perception among web buyers that prices are lower online. Lower overhead with the savings passed on to the consumer. This isn’t always the case and it’s a misconception that has led to some questionable marketing practices. The giant electronics chain, Best Buy, has been caught offering products at one price through their site, drawing buyers to their stores and upping the in-store price, much to the chagrin of many careful consumers. Not quite the old bait-and-switch but darned close.

Finally, consumers like web shopping because they know, right away, whether the product is available. There’s nothing more frustrating than going to the mall to pick up a sale item, only to be told that the item is sold out “but here’s a rain check.” Great, now you have to go back. Not so when buying online. And many consumers give “product availability” high value when shopping.

The Appeal of a Toll-Free Number

Is there a big, toll-free telephone order number on every page of your commercial site? There should be. Yes, it’s an additional expense every month but it opens another buying channel for potential customers and can you really put a price on that?

A toll-free number allows buyers to talk to a human being. (BTW, those automated ‘press one’ answering systems will send some buyers screaming from the room. When a buyer calls to place an order, a human should answer to take that order.)

If your sales justify the expense, go with a commercial answering service – something that’s now outsourced to other countries to keep costs down. It’s your choice based on your budget. Just make sure that the telephone reps have a well-written script and access to a detailed knowledge base that you (or your product experts) prepare. Don’t expect your telephone reps to rely on a website product description to answer a complex question. Provide the scripts and the FAQs – in bulk.

Marketing Synergies

As you open additional marketing channels, for example email, direct mail catalogs, flyers, brochures and other marketing collaterals, post that toll-free number and your URL on every page.

Invoices, letterhead stationery, automated invoices, auto-responders, downloadable reports and other text-based information should show the URL and toll-free-number above the fold – top of the page.

And be sure to notify site visitors that they can visit your store and then provide a map. Encourage visitors to “Stop on by. The coffee’s on us.” This strengthens the relationship between where the visitor found the product and/or information and where s/he’s going to buy the product – your brick-and-mortar on Main Street.

Your customer service scripts should also reference your site. A simple “Please visit our website at (insert your site’s URL here)” will do it. Also, use these reps as sales generators telling callers about on-site specials. With each of these marketing channel interactions, you’re creating a larger presence and increased credibility with potential buyers. And that means more sales in more ways.

The thing is this: create as many channels to your products as you can. It’s what today’s “spoiled” consumer expects. Then, develop marketing synergies between these various channels to see an even bigger return on your marketing investment.

Clueless? Call me.

Webwordslinger.com

Words, Inc.

2009-12-04T15:50:00.001-05:00

Words, Inc.

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