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Web Marketing Strategies For Home Business Promotion
Mon 19th Feb '01
Founding Member of iCop http://www.i-Cop.org
International Council of Online Professionals
In this issue:
1. INTRODUCTION
==>Can I trust you?, Keyboard tip, New Link Checker.
2. PLACES TO VISIT
==>Web sites for you to visit.
3. TOOLS AT NOW SELL!
==>Useful tools to make your life easier.
4. FEATURE ARTICLE
==>"Your Most Powerful Weapon"
By Azam Corry
Scroll to the end for subscription details.
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X INTRODUCTION X
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Hello,
A bit late this week, I know. Sorry about that. Unscheduled
events over the last few days meant something had to give. Still,
I did manage to squeeze a new article out for you! See "Your Most
Powerful Weapon" below.
As predicted, my piece on MyListmaker last week drew much
comment. Surprisingly though, all the feedback was positive. :-)
Thanks for your support!
One thing came across clearly from all the emails I received.
People are used to being misled. Used to not being told the
truth. Sad to say, there are so many scams and bad businesses
online today that we almost expect to be lied to, tricked or
let-down in some way. We doubt anything is what it claims to be.
This conditioning is a huge obstacle to the small business owner.
It makes it that much harder to convince potential customers that
you can be trusted. That it's safe to deal with you.
You're an honest person, and run your business with integrity.
But how can you communicate that to visitors? How do you
differentiate yourself from the con-merchants?
This is how:
Join hundreds of other business owners who've qualified to
display the seal of the International Council of Online
Professionals - iCop.
I'm a founder member of iCop, but putting that aside, let's take
a look at how iCop influences me as a consumer. When I notice the
iCop seal on a site, it's like a trapeze artist seeing a strong
safety net below. I know I can't get hurt.
I know the business has been vetted and approved. Recognized as
professional. That saves me a LOT of time and bother. If two
companies offer the same thing, and one is an iCop member, you
can be sure which is getting my money!
When a visitor to your site clicks on the iCop seal, a new window
pops open, displaying your details and the full text of the iCop
pledge you are bound by.
Does that effect buyer confidence? You bet!
It works on two levels. A potential customer feels better about
trusting you, AND they are reassured knowing iCop is there,
should they face any problems.
Being an iCop member also offers a number of attractive fringe
benefits. The first is the iCop Whistle Blower, edited by iCop
President, jl scott, ph.d.
Every week, Whistle Blower gives you the lowdown on the latest
scams and dubious companies operating online. A huge time and
money saver! Put simply, I won't touch a company that's appeared
in the Whistle Blower "Hall of Shame."
And there's a great inter-member discount club, where members
give special deals to other members. Just last week, iCop members
benefited from free personalized software, on the launch of a
brand new viral marketing tool by another iCop business. The
value of this offer alone was close to $100.00!
Enough of my rambling. Head over to the site, and jl will explain
properly! :-)
Visit iCop
International Council of Online Professionals
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Tested on Windows 98 and above...
A cool way to switch between tasks is to hold down the Alt button
and press the tab key. A small box will appear showing the
various programs that are running on your computer. You just keep
hitting the tab key to move through them, then release the Tab
and Alt keys to move to that new program.
This method allows you to keep your hands on the keyboard instead
of reaching for the mouse to switch between programs. The stuff
you see to the right of the taskbar is not included in the list
when you do the Alt-tab thing.
"Keyboard MAGIC!" An inexpensive eBooklet from the Newbie Club
shows you how to get the most out of your keyboard.
Click Here to see it.
* On any Mac, use the Command/Apple key in place of the Alt key
to tab through open programs.
BB
I've been meaning to mention that I've added a nice link checker
to the HTML tools on NowSell.com. Broken links can be a real pain
and don't add much to your image! We've all been there, so even
if you think your site is error free, it makes sense to check. Do
one or two pages a day and you'll soon be sorted.
All you need to do is paste in your URL and let the Link Checker
go to work!
All links found on the page will be printed on screen, marked
either good or bad. Run a new test from any URL listed, or start
over again from another location. Try it now.
BB
Tell me what YOU think! Send your feedback, comments, what you
like, what you hate, etc., to me at: mailto:azam-nowsell.com
TTFN
Azam
PS - Have you considered the benefits of corporate status?
Quick, Easy and Disgustingly Cheap Online Incorporation!
Talk to the Pros. Click here.
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Your Privacy:
I greatly value your trust in me. I will never, ever, under any
circumstances give or sell your email address to anyone. Period!
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http://www.brainbench.com/
Online certification company with over 3 million tests delivered
to date. Apparently 96 of the Fortune 100 Companies now employ
Brainbench certified professionals. Offers some free tests to try
the service.
http://www.strategyweek.com/
Each week, Karen Lake interviews a leader in the online world to
learn what strategies they have found to be successful, and how
small businesses can apply them.
http://www.freemoneyservices.com/forums/UltraBoard.cgi
Get your questions on search engine ranking answered at the new
search engine forum from Doug Heil, of "ihelpyou" Services.
http://internettrafficreport.com/
Tells you how traffic is moving around the world, down to local
routers. I learnt that at 791 ms, Malaysia currently has the
slowest response time in Asia, just worse than China. Neighbor
Singapore is 302 ms, and Japan is fastest at 212 ms.
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X TOOLS AT NOW SELL! X
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Promotion Tools: Click Here
* Keyword Research Tool
* Meta Tag Maker
* Free Automatic Search Engine Submit
* Rapid Manual Search Engine Submit Tool
* Position Analyzer to check site rank in the SEs
* Link Generators
HTML Tools: Click Here
* Link Checker
* Multiple Pop-up window code generator
* Multiple MouseOver image generator
* Frames code generator
* Simple CSS template
* 216 Web color palette and codes
* HTML Special character codes
* Useful cut & paste Javascript, and more
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"ULTRA *POWERFUL* MARKETING CONCEPTS TO EXPLODE YOUR BUSINESS!"
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"Your Most Powerful Weapon"
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By Azam Corry
Email is THE tool of the Internet. Nothing else comes close.
Sure, Web sites are important. But email is the Killer
Application. And there's more to that than opt-in lists and
mass-marketing campaigns. Networking is a major ingredient of
online success. An essential one for small businesses.
First contact is usually via email. Sometimes an intentional
approach by one party, often an accidental crossing of paths.
However it occurs, the impression you create in those first few
emails is critical.
Here are 11 pointers to starting out on the right foot:
* Your Name
Make sure your real name will appear in the "from" field of the
email. People like to deal with individuals, not "XYZ, Inc." Use
a SENSIBLE email address. You won't create a positive impression
with an address like "hot71@" or "bigbucks@."
Whatever you do, sign your name in the message. I get emails all
the time that don't mention the sender's name. Duh!
If you are initiating contact, it's usually best to introduce
yourself immediately after the salutation:
"My name is Azam Corry ..." or "I'm Azam Corry ..."
* Subject Line
Write something in the subject line that is both relevant and
attention grabbing. Treat it as a headline, but avoid hype. Many
people, myself included, delete email based on this line. Hype
tells me it isn't personal, and I probably won't be interested.
The MOST POWERFUL word to use in a subject line is the recipients
name.
* Salutation or Greeting
Your message MUST begin with a salutation. Greet me before you
start talking. Beginning an email with "Hi" or "Hello" is usually
deemed acceptable, friendly in fact. Be aware however, that this
is not always the case. Some people are used to the traditional,
more formal style of letter writing.
You're fairly safe with a small Web site owner. However, if
writing to a larger company or an individual, it's better to err
on the side of caution, than risk being perceived as sloppy or
forward. Begin your email with "Dear."
In either case, be sure to use the recipient's name - spelt
correctly! If you don't know it, default to their position. When
unsure, the standard, "Dear Sir or Madam" is often wisest. Being
politer than is perhaps necessary won't go against you.
* Spelling And Grammar
Although unfair, stereotyping means most people WILL judge you on
your spelling and grammar. Make absolutely sure you run a spell-
checker before you send an email. Read through SLOWLY a few times
to check your grammar. If English is your second language, saying
so often works wonders. Low regard turns to respect. Tolerance at
worst.
* Quoting
Many people receive a lot of email every day. When replying,
quote enough of the original message to make it plainly obvious
what you are writing about. If the message was long, delete
irrelevant parts of the quoted text. Unnecessarily large emails
waste download time and resources. Whilst you might not care, the
recipient may.
* Humor
Avoid humor until you know someone reasonably well. What's funny
to you may NOT be to them. They may understand what you mean,
they may not. Either way, you run the risk of offending.
* Slang And Colloquialisms
Slang is very informal, and generally inappropriate for initial
contact. Avoid using any nonstandard English until you have built
up a relationship with a person. Slang and colloquial expressions
vary from one place to another. Not only must you establish the
recipient will understand, but also that they won't be offended.
Slang terms can have WILDLY different meanings in various parts
of the world!
* Tone
Always be pleasant and friendly, WHATEVER your mood. Write in a
personal, yet business-like style. Be careful not to phrase
sentences in a way that could be misinterpreted, possibly
offending. Soften what would otherwise be blunt statements.
The use of "smileys" [:-)] can often help to convey the spirit in
which a remark is intended, but are best avoided in a strict
business setting. Even if the recipient thinks them a bit silly,
it tells them you're being friendly.
If you've received a nasty email, firing off an angry response
will make matters WORSE. And waste your time. Besides which, the
email may simply be the result of a misunderstanding. Wait until
you have calmed down. Try to assess the reason behind the
message. It may well be that you can end on good terms, forming
the foundation for a positive relationship.
An email I've written late at night is rarely sent immediately. I
know I'm tired and may have made mistakes, or said things the
wrong way. It's wiser to read it through again the next morning
before it goes out.
* On Track
Busy people appreciate concise messages. Don't waffle for a
paragraph before finally revealing the reason for your email. Get
straight to the point.
Put important items on new lines. The recipient will probably
scan your email, and presenting information in this manner will
aid their comprehension.
Don't introduce personal topics unless you now someone very well.
This is an area where it's easy to offend. Avoidance is safest.
Wandering off into unrelated subjects can also imply you have too
much time on your hands.
* Signature File
Include a hype-free signature file that provides a few details
about yourself, such as your company, position and contact
information. Affiliate programs recommend you include links to
their products here. Think before automatically following this
advice.
Appropriateness is the key.
If you want to establish a relationship with a person, trying to
sell them something on first contact isn't the way to do it. And
that's how many will perceive an affiliate link. Advertising your
own company or product is viewed differently. It tells what you
do, who you are.
Never link to more than one affiliate program. Let me share a
secret: The more programs advertised, the less their impact.
Widening the net increases the size of the holes. People jump
through without noticing anything. More importantly, half a page
of ads cheapens your letter, and makes you appear ignorant.
* Following-up
Don't be afraid to follow-up on an email if you were expecting a
reply and haven't received one. Most people assume their message
has been ignored. Sometimes that's true, but if it was a serious
letter, it's quite likely there is another reason.
Almost every small concern experiences problems with email from
time to time. Programs crash. Messages get accidentally deleted,
or miss-filtered. The recipient may have simply forgotten, or
believe another member of staff has responded.
Wait a week or so and then write again, politely stating the date
of your earlier email. Don't make a nuisance of yourself. One
enquiry is sufficient.
Most of us are confident in our email writing competency. But the
fact is, 80% of the email I receive lacks professionalism. I
doubt I'm alone. Get it right. Follow the tips above and make a
positive impression.
© 2001 Azam Corry "Do it Better. Do it Faster. Do it Right!"
Azam Corry owns Now Sell! Bursting with inside information, tools
and resources to help you profit online. Top Rated by Go.com and
Recommended by About.com. Visit: http://www.NowSell.com/?email
==> Get Azam's Biz Bits, viewed a "must read" ezine by thousands
of online business owners: mailto:BizBits@NowSell.com
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