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Just Say No To Hype!

  How To Create An E-book & Drive Massive Traffic To Your Site By Giving It Away

  Don't Gimme No Solutions!

  Ten Tips for Building an E-commerce Web Site

  10 Golden Tips For Advertising on a Zero Budget

Just Say No To Hype!
by June Campbell

When I started my business in 1996, I developed my business plan around the Internet. I use the Internet to find customers, resources, information and products and services.

The Internet provides wonderful opportunities to new entrepreneurs and opens up possibilities that weren't previously available.

Recently I have seen more and more "marketers" employing questionable marketing techniques. I wonder if newcomers to Internet business see this stuff and think it's standard procedure. Since many of the "marketers" are selling their questionable ideas to others under the guise of "expert advice" it seems possible that many new netpreneurs are being lead down the garden path.

Your online business requires that surfers buy things from you. And the net surfing public is saying loud and clear that they won't deal with people they don't trust. They want to know who you are, how to contact you and they want to know that you are genuine and sincere. Questionable marketing techniques scare them off faster than you can say "no sale." Don't believe me? Check any of the Internet research sites like Jupiter Communications or NUA Internet Surveys and find out what prevents people from buying online.

Here are a few marketing messages that send up big "red flags" for me.

1. "This special low, low, low, low price is only available for the next two weeks, so buy now to SAVE!" Okay, there are genuine time limited offers and this message could be a real sale and not a questionable marketing technique. But with all too many of these "special time limited offers" the offer remains the same whether you return to the site in two weeks, two months or two years. Time limited offer? I think not. This type of marketing strategy sends me the message that not only is this entrepreneur misrepresenting the truth, he (or she) isn't giving the reader credit for many smarts.

2. "My sales increased by 867% when I used this product." Oh, please! Here's a hint. 867% of nothing is still nothing. Sales stats can be a powerful marketing strategy, but you have to provide information that makes sense. Before I would look twice at the message above, I would want some verifiable information regarding starting figures, ending figures, and the time period during which the sales were being reported (before using the product and after.) Take this scenario, for instance. Let's say I sold one box of pencils this week. Then I bought your product, and a year from now, I had sold 8 boxes of pencils. My pencil sales have increased by 800%. Does it mean anything? Not much.

3. "This offer includes a free report (worth $135), a free doodad (worth $25) and a consultation with myself (a $300 value). All for the low price of $99." Wow, it's hard to resist that one. That is, until you ask yourself where the value figures came from. Has anyone actually paid $135 for that free report? Ever? What about the free doodad worth $25? Are those free doodads available at every freebie site on the web? And how about the consultation worth $300? In who's opinion is the "expert's" time worth $300 and has anyone actually paid that amount? Good questions to ponder when you run across some of these great package deals. Not that packaged deals can't be genuine bargains. Some of them are. But check it out before reaching for your credit card.

If all this sounds too cynical, maybe you'd like to have a consultation with me over the telephone. Only $65 for a $450 value! Provided you book by the end of the week, that is. The last guy who spoke with me increased his sales by 566%. Act now!

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June Campbell is a professional writer whose work has appeared in several international print publications. She also provides business writing services as well as offering online sales of "How-to Booklets and Templates for Business" from her Web site. <http://www.nightcats.com>.
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How To Create An E-book & Drive Massive Traffic To Your Site By Giving It Away...
by Shelley Lowery

E-books or Electronic books are self-contained "executable" files of HTML. This HTML may be a web site you've created or HTML you've specifically prepared to be compiled into a downloadable .exe file for distribution. When downloaded, this file will self install on your client's desktop.

E-books are completely interactive with the Internet and can contain live links, graphics, forms, JavaScript, embedded video, can be protected via password/userid, search capabilities and more. This self-contained executable file can be distributed in a number of ways; CD, floppy disk, download, etc.

All e-book compilation software is not created equal. Make sure you review its capabilities before your purchase.

E-books can provide the Internet marketer one of the best promotional tools online. With its vast variety of uses, just one quality E-book development and distribution can produce an on going promotional tool that will work 24 hours a day, seven days a week and multiply itself by leaps and bounds. Your E-book can literally be viewed by millions simply by giving it away...

Suggested Uses:

- Marketing - Provide your sales network with your complete sales presentation to freely distribute with their ID to track sales.

- Promotion - Provide valuable information on a specific subject to bring traffic to your site.

- E-zine Archives - E-zine publishers can provide their publication archives to enable subscribers to read back issues on their desktop, visit your web site, subscribe, submit ads, etc.

- Catalogs - Provide a catalog for you customers to view on their desktop. You can even provide a form to accept orders right through your E-book.

- How-To Manuals - Provide your affiliates with a complete "how to" manual for marketing, advertising and promoting your products.

- Electronic Books - Writers can offer their books in an electronic version.

- Web Site - Create an electronic version of your web site to place on disk and be viewed on your client's desktop.

- Instructional - Provide an electronic training manual.

Creating an E-book is just like creating a web site. Simply create your HTML pages just like you would for your web site. Make sure you select a good software package that allows you to include hyperlinks, graphics, search, forms, etc. Keep in mind, the more professional and content-rich your E-book, the more exposure it will receive.

There are several software packages available online to assist you in compiling your E-book. Prices range from $149 -- $189.

Hyper Maker HTML: <http://www.bersoft.com/>
NeoBook: <http://www.neosoftware.com/>
InfoCourier: <http://www.smartcode.com/>
WebCompiler: <http://www.webcompiler.com/>

For massive exposure, select a subject with a broad appeal. If your site's focus is on web site traffic, consider creating an E-book on generating traffic. I.E. "A complete 'how to' guide to generating massive traffic to your site". Include several references to your site throughout your E-book such as; "For even more great traffic generating tips, visit "Traffic Tips, Your complete source for generating massive traffic to your web site. http://www.yoursite.com" or "Winning awards can dramatically increase traffic to your site. For a complete listing of award sites, visit "Traffic Tips Award Sites" http://www.yoursite.com/awardsites.

Tips for creating your E-book:

-Create a directory on your computer to include ALL the files for your E-book. These files will include HTML, graphics, backgrounds, etc.

-E-books should contain mainly text. Try to limit your banners to one per page. To keep your file size down, you may want to use only non-animated banners.

-E-books are generally formatted at a small screen resolution so make sure your pages are viewable through any screen size.

-Include good navigational links throughout your pages.

-Use spell check to search for any possible spelling errors.

For massive distribution, make sure you include a short paragraph on your main page in regard to your copyrights and distribution. I.E.: "This E-book may be freely distributed."

Sample Example of Distribution:

10 of your visitors download your E-book.
Your 10 visitors each give away 10 E-books - 100
Those 100 each give away 10 E-books - 1000
Those 1000 each give away 10 E-books - 10,000
Those 10,000 each give away 10 E-books - 100,000
Those 100,000 each give away 10 E-books - 1,000,000

This is just a small example of how powerful your free E-book can be...

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Shelley Lowery is the publisher of Marketing Adzine - Marketing, Advertising & Promotion for the netrepreneur. Visit her site to subscribe. Are You Utilizing the Promotional Power of E-books? Sponsor banner & classified advertising,
Customized E-books with your logo, & E-book compilation. Free E-books! Web-Source.net <http://www.web-source.net>
Reach her at webmaster@web-source.net
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Don't Gimme No Solutions!
by June Campbell

Ever thought that this whole technology thing is just too confusing for the average person to understand? Ever visited a web site to learn about a new computer product only to leave the site muttering, "I don't get it. It's way too complicated?"

Well, if you have, you're not alone, and the problem may not be of your making. The way I see it, the technology marketers on the Information Superhighway are spinning their wheels in a morass of jargon and hype. The result? A phenomenal tendency to say much and communicate little. When these Marketer Persons put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, who the *^&* knows what they're talking about? Not me, and certainly not the end user, the person who might actually want to buy the product, if they knew what it was and what it cost and how they might use it.

For example, after spending ten minutes trying to interpret a press release that somebody sent me, I gave up in despair and went to the company's Web site, where, it was promised, full details would be provided. What did I find? You guessed it.

After clicking my way through several pages of slowly downloading Web files, the only thing I knew for sure was the name of the owner of the company and the fact that they were launching a wonderful new "solution" that they believed would solve somebody's problem. But who's problem? And how? Don't ask me. How much does it cost? That's top secret information, apparently. How do I buy it, supposing for some perverted reason I wanted to purchase a mystery product? Classified information.

Here's a tip, gratis, for all you people who are trying to promote, sell or market technology related products. FORGET THE JARGON AND DESCRIBE YOUR PRODUCT IN A WAY THAT EVEN AUNT MABLE COULD UNDERSTAND! Because just maybe Aunt Mable might buy it if you lost the spin and told her exactly what it is you've got for sale.

Let me give you an example. Wade through today's collection of junk mail. Do you see anything from McDonald's inviting you to phone them and ask for details about their proprietary, integrated nutritional solution, developed in-house and designed to accommodate your daily basal metabolic requirements for dietary supplements? My guess is you won't find that. You will find information about their HAMBURGERS AND FRIES. You'll even find the prices mentioned right up front for the whole world to see.

This unusual approach, which involves actually stating what it is you are selling, and how much it costs, and how a person can order it, has apparently worked well for outfits like McDonald's, and GAP and Ford and the other big names in retail sales. How about giving it a try in the technology industry as well?

The ability to spew forth jargon like a volcano spews molten lava might impress other marketing people and possibly government employees. But remember, gentle launcher of a new product, it is not other marketing people who will become your customers, and it is not other marketing people who will read your press releases. It is the public, the great unwashed, who you want to reach with your marketing message. And they won't waste their time trying to figure out marketing material that comes chock full of 'bummph', a term coined by my grandfather, which loosely translated, means 'bull droppings.'

Don't waste my time telling me that you're launching a "remarkable new solution that promotes integrated data management of media content that will realize better return on investment (ROI), and that, in fact GISTICS has evaluated potential ROI to be as high as 16:1. (GISTICS, 1997) with general benefits translating from enterprise to workgroup to individual users, and ultimately represent new revenue streams, a reduction of resource requirements, and less downtime between projects?."

Tell me what the dickens it is you are selling, why I might need it, how it'll help me. Say it plainly. Give examples. Lose the word "solution," which has become a mean-nothing, overused term if ever there was one.
.
Oh, and one last thing. Tell me the price. When I stroll through the shopping malls, every item on display has a clearly marked price tag. To my untrained eyes, this approach to selling seems to work well, based on the numbers of people who load their carts at shopping malls, boutiques and supermarkets. Speaking of supermarkets, did you ever notice the items that are displayed for sale beside the cash register? How many people would buy that magazine or that package of gum if they had to e-mail away a request for pricing and ordering information and then return two days later when the information had arrived? My guess is, sales of Juicy Fruit would go down, down, down.

Before I finish my rant du jour, here's a little quiz to see whether you've been paying attention. Please answer the following skill testing question:

Q. I am reading this newsletter because: (pick one)

a. It's an integrated, information distribution solution that enhances my awareness of the issues generated by and pertinent to digital technologies.
b. It's an integrated solution to entertainment and time management challenges.
c. It's got some cool business information and the price is right.

If you selected 'c', please copy this column and mail it to the Marketing Person of your choice.

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June Campbell is a professional writer. Visit her Business Resources Site: <http://www.nightcats.com> to subscribe to
The Roundup -- a FREE business e-zine or to enter a contest to win a "How-To Booklet" for business plans, proposals, brochures, etc.! You'll find free articles, a daily business news feed, a currency converter and much more.
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Ten Tips for Building an E-Commerce Web Site
by June Campbell

Want to sell your goods directly from your site? Here are 10 tips:

10. Design for your target market. Find out who your potential customers are and why they come to your site (i.e. where they are on the consumption cycle.)

9. Identify your objectives for the site and introduce content accordingly. One Internet marketer tells the story of erroneously marketing an automotive book as an aid to car repair then discovered that the real market for his publication was buyers of new cars.

8. Be cautious about using off-line marketing material on the Web. Print material often does not lend itself to Web content and usually needs to be modified.

7. Engage the viewer with dynamic environments. Allow the customer to experience the site - not just view it. Chat features, forums, solicited feedback, and database delivery of custom content go a long way.

6. Provide good navigational structure, including search capabilities for larger sites. Viewers enter your site at various web pages - they should be able to navigate easily no matter where the place of entry. Your sales area should be free of links to other Internet sites. Why encourage customers to leave when you've worked so hard to attract them?

5. Test the interface. A web site interface should enhance the user's goals, not distract from them. Strive to meld site components (i.e. graphics, text, sound, etc.) to create a unique atmosphere and identity.

4. Design with usability in mind and abide by basic design principles. Utilize white space (less is more), fonts that are easily read, pleasing color schemes, universally understood symbols, and backgrounds that don't distract from the message.

3. Write for the Web. Write in the second person. (I.e. You will appreciate our new product because ...). Keep sentences short and no more than 3-4 sentences per paragraph. Make use of hyperlinks and interactivity unless doing so would take visitors away from your sales area. Remember also that your visitors may be situated in other parts of the world, and they may not understand jargon or North American slang. Lastly, research shows that Web surfers detest the use of marketing hype. Subtlety counts.

2. Give something away and reward visitors from coming to your site. Offer free information, articles, contests, industry news or personalized services.

1. And most importantly, always answer the question, "What's In It For Me."

In other words, talk "Benefits" not "Features." Sound familiar?
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June Campbell is a professional writer who provides a business writing service for businesses as well as offering online sales of booklets and templates from her web site Visit her at <http://www.nightcats.com>
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10 Golden Tips For Advertising on a Zero Budget
by Dirk Dupon

Here are the 10 best tips for increasing your visibility on the web.

1) Swap an ad with another e-zine, that has a comparable subscriber base, and be sure to promise in the ad that you will give a FREE gift to the new subscribers. Let the free gift be an E-book or a screensaver. Send them to a special web page where they can download the gift, and add some extra promotion about your service or product to that page. Sit back and watch the traffic flow in :-)

2) Subscribe to several mailing lists, and post questions, answer other questions, and be sure to include your well designed signature file.

3) If you publish an e-zine, always give something away for FREE to your readers in every new edition, like a screensaver, an E-book etc... in exchange for three or five e-mail addresses of their friends/family/relatives. They'll love you!

4) Explore all the different Usenet groups, BBS's and forums that are of interest to you, and post or answer questions, with inclusion of your sig file. Or better: write an interesting article (like this :-) and send it to an e-zine with a huge subscriber base. You'll become known soon...

5) Write a positive note to another e-zine editor or webmaster. They like that, and maybe they'll include your comment in their publication. If so, ask if they will place your sigfile beneath it. You should also sign all the guest books that you find while you surf web sites that interest you, of course with your catchy sig file attached to it!

6) Announce your e-zine in the following announcement services. There are several with searchable catalogs. They get lots of visitors and are a sure way to quickly find new subscribers.

The E-ZineZ Search Engine:
<http://www.e-zinez.com>

InfoBot: E-mail Publishers Resource Center:
<http://www.infobot.net>

John Labovits E-Zine List:
<http://www.meer.net/~johnl/e-zine-list/submit.html>

The E-zine News:
<http://www.ezine-news.com>

NEW-List - You MUST announce your e-zine here!
<http://scout18.cs.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/lwgate/NEW-LIST/>

Newsletter Access searchable Directory
<http://www.newsletteraccess.com/>

Liszt:
<http://www.liszt.com>

Escribe
<http://www.escribe.com/>

The List of Lists
<http://catalog.com/vivian/interest-group-search.html>

Zinew0rld
<http://www.oblivion.net/zineworld/>

List of Publicly Accessible Mailing Lists
<http://www.neosoft.com/internet/paml/>

There are a lot of other useful sites related to mailing lists:

<http://www.promotefree.com>
<http://www.webcom.com/impulse/list.html>
<http://tile.net/lists/addlist.html>
<http://www.listsnet.com/>
<http://www.goodstuff.prodigy.com/Lists/main.htm>
<http://alabanza.com/kabacoff/Inter-Links/listserv.html>
<http://jlunz.databack.com/zines.htm>

Tip: Looking for a list of ridiculously cheap advertising rates? I have put together a whole list for you to pick out: Here.

7) If you have a web site, set up a reciprocal link page, and trade links with sites that are of similar interest with yours. Write the web master a nice letter and ask him for a reciprocal link. You may lose visitors by having their link on your site (they will leave anyway!), but you'll win visitors from your link on their site! It's a win win situation!

8) Submit your e-zine or newsletter manually to all the major Search Engines. Take care of your Meta Tags! Place the "Title" tag before the "Name" and "Keywords" tag or your page will be neglected! Front Page 98 automatically places the "Title" tag behind the other tags when it saves a document, so before you save your HTML in FP98, copy it, paste it in a plain text editor like Notepad, and only save it from there! This is very important!

9) Place a 'Subscribe Now' box on your web site, and ask visitors to fill in their e-mail address - nothing more! Explain that the e-mail addresses will be hold in complete privacy, and offer a FREE gift for new subscribers. Send them to a special URL where they can download their gift after they have subscribed. Tell them about your product when they're there!

10) Add a contest in your e-zine; offer a FREE CD or book for the subscriber who sends you the most e-mail addresses of his friends/associates to subscribe to your e-zine. Let the contest be date limited, that way they'll hurry up :-)

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Dirk Dupon is the author of "Web Site and E-zine Promotion for Idiots" Read all about this E-book, packed with tips, ticks and secret techniques to promote the cheap way: http://www.theweirdsite.com/idiots.htm
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