Article #1: Why You Aren't Making The Money You Want To On The Internet And What To Do About It!

Why You Aren't Making The Money You Want To On The Internet And What To Do About It! Copyright © 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd. Many clients come to me with problems… The most common problem I hear from people is they aren't making the kind of money they want to make with their Internet business. They don't know what the problem is and they want me to help. I'll tell you what the problem is. Most of these people are what I like to call opportunity seekers. These are people that have too many sites and don't spend any time focusing on ONE business. They may have 20 or 30 websites, with each site only breaking even or making a few hundred dollars every month. Most opportunity seekers are not making the money they want or achieving their financial goals. Why? They are making a common mistake. They have too many sites, too many interests. This prevents them from focusing their efforts and creating the six figure income they dream of. Focus Is The Key To Long-Term Success If you want to succeed on the Internet, you are much better-off staying focused. That means starting off with one site or idea and perfecting it before moving on to the next Internet adventure. Far too many people have a get rich quick mind-set. In fact, I'd say almost all opportunity seekers have this mind-set. They jump from one program to another hoping one of them will lead to success. Opportunity seekers are always the first to jump on the next big moneymaking bandwagon. It may be one thing one month, another the next month. They may try to concentrate on affiliate marketing then switch dramatically to e-book marketing the next. Whatever seems to be working for others they jump into with wild abandon, without considering their true talents, abilities and interests. These people are looking for some easy way to make money. They think they can make money with Google AdSense or just a web page, or even with a multilevel marketing program. This is NOT how an entrepreneur thinks! However, this is exactly how an opportunist thinks. They always are looking for shortcuts, and then wonder why it isn't working. It isn't working because you have no focus. You must have focus. You must think like an entrepreneur. Focus is one of the most vital aspects of your success. My advice to these newbies is shut down 29 of your sites and focus on one site, the one that best represents your interests. Optimize it. Work on refining it. Refine your sales process and your back end on this single site and make it successful BEFORE you move on to the next site. Yes, I have many sites. But I am Dan Lok. You're not there yet. Perfect your one site. THEN you can think about moving on to other moneymaking ventures. Horizontal Vs. Vertical Business Many people have what I call a horizontal business. A horizontal business has many sites in many different niches, like hobby niches. People who own horizontal businesses have 20 or more separate business ventures. I recommend having a vertical business instead. A vertical business is a business that has depth and focus. Having a vertical business means if you have a product in a particular niche, like stock trading, focus on selling products related to that and that only. Put all your eggs in one basket and create a funnel effect. This way you'll have one group of customers and you can become a big fish in a small pond. You'll have all your eggs in one place yes… but you'll become an expert egg layer and watch all your eggs hatch with great success. Make sense? What is the problem with a horizontal business? You aren't specialized. It's almost impossible to make a six-figure income with this kind of business because you don't spend enough time on any ONE business. When you have a vertical business, you have fine-tuned your business so well competitors have a hard time keeping up with you. People can't compete. You also build a strong client base with satisfied customers. Think Like An Entrepreneur So, the biggest problem people have is they are opportunity seekers. The key is thinking like a true Internet entrepreneur. Don't jump on the trend bandwagon. Don't ask what the shortcuts are. An entrepreneur has a long-term vision. You have to have a one-year, five year and ten year vision. Find out what you want your business to look like in the long-term. Ask yourself, What do I want to accomplish ultimately? Then decide whether your activities fit with your goals. Stop jumping from one program to another. Focus on one program, one site, and one great idea. This is what you have to do if you want to make six figures. It has nothing to do with your knowledge, skill set experience etc. It has to do more with your focus. Sit down. Think about it. Stop jumping from one program to another and stop getting sucked into false moneymaking schemes. Find out what your goals are, what you want to accomplish. This is a far superior approach. Yes, it takes a lot of energy. But its worth it. In the long-term it's much less tiring than diversifying your business. Once you are an expert in your industry or niche, THEN you can think about diversifying your business. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web, as well as a best-selling author. His reputation includes his title as the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert. To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at: www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

Article #2: How To Get Your Customers To Fall In Love With Your Products And Services

How To Get Your Customers To Fall In Love With Your Products And Services Copyright (c) 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd. My hair grows so damn fast. I have to get a hair cut every 3 weeks. Every time I need a haircut I go to Peter in downtown, Vancouver. You know… Peter actually worked in New York 10 years ago. I guess you could say he earned his chops in New York. And he's cut hair for many celebrities, including Jim Carrey, etc. Then he moved to Vancouver and opened his own salon. Well, if Pete is good enough for Jim Carrey then he's good enough for Dan Lok. I've been going there for 8 years now. Talk about customer loyalty! Yeah… so I'm sure you are asking why am I so damn loyal? Right? What makes Pete different than the other hairdressers? Why do I go back to him again and again? Well I'll tell you. Pete works at it. He builds loyal customers in each interaction and builds them into every haircut he produces. He didn't attract the stars simply because he cuts hair well (though he does). He also offers exceptional customer service. And I have to tell you, even if Pete's haircutting ability wasn't 110%, I'd probably still go back. Why? Customer service. Commitment. Quality. So ask yourself, how do YOU build loyal customers? The best way to build loyal customers is by using the loyalty ladder concept. I want you to picture an ordinary ladder. Now consider each rung of the ladder. Each "rung" is a "stage" of loyalty a customer may have. There are many different stages of loyalty customers demonstrate at each rung of the ladder: *Raving Fan * Devotee * Member * Customer * Shopper * Prospect * Suspect Let's describe each of these in more detail. Suspect The suspect is the lowest rung on your ladder, when a customer starts out on your loyalty ladder. This is when customer's are at the very bottom of your ladder. These are people who may or may not want or need what it is you sell. They may not have any money. They are simply people who are not buying. Prospect Prospects are suspects who have taken some sort of action like subscribing to your newsletter, giving you their email addresses or those who have asked you for some sort of free information. They are people who may turn into active customers, but aren't there yet. Customer A customer is anyone who has actually spent money with you. You have to differentiate between your prospects and your customers. This is one of the reasons it is so damn important you segment your lists. You don't want to have everyone on ONE BIG list. At the very least, you should have a prospect list and customer list. You should treat your prospects and customers very differently. You should always give your customers more attention. Give them a better deal than everyone else. Why? They are already paying you for your products and services. Prospects are important, but customers are even more important. Member A member is someone who buys from you more than once. These are customers that now trust you. They feel they belong with you in some way. Now listen up. Customers who make two purchases are 10 times more likely to make more than someone who makes only one purchase with you. So anyone who is a member deserves special attention, because if they buy twice, they are likely to buy again. Devotee What's the difference between a devotee and a member? A devotee is someone who not only buys from you, but tells other people about you. They send you referrals. They promote you actively. They are happy to be your free sales force because they get so much value from you. Raving Fan The next stage in the ladder is Raving Fans. Usually only 1% to 5% of your customers become Raving Fans. They're one of your most valuable assets. They pretty much own everything you have. And, whatever new products and service you come up with, they will buy without blinking an eye. The Raving Fan will stick with you for years as long as you don't screw up in a major way. There's a very strong trust and bond with you and the Raving Fans. They trust you 100%. They want to see you succeed. They want to see you do well. If a devotee is someone who sells for you, a Raving Fan is someone who can't STOP selling for you. Raving Fans tell everyone about how fantastic you are. They talk about your company. They love you. These days it's more expensive than ever to get a new customer. Most businesses in fact are acquiring their customers at a loss or break-even point. That means you have to get your customers to come back to you and buy again and again. Why? That customer isn't simply profitable to you. They are your most important resource. What you want, what you need is as many raving fans as you can get. You will succeed when you sort your prospects from suspects, move people up from prospects to customers, from customers to raving fans. You need to have a marketing system that automatically moves people up the loyalty ladder as quickly as humanly possible. Very soon, it'll be like me and Pete. I am one of Pete's Raving Fans. I send him clients. I sell FOR him without him asking me to it. I write about him in my article! I only go to him and nobody else. And I am thrilled to show up every month, 12 times a year to give him money. And I'll keep going to him unless he retires from the business. That could be another 10 to 20 years. You see how much a Raving Fan like me is worth to Pete's business? Sincerely, Dan Lok = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web, as well as a best-selling author. His reputation includes his title as the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert. To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at: www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

Article #3: How To Use "Viral Marketing" To Generate More Traffic

How To Use "Viral Marketing" To Generate More Traffic Copyright (c) 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd. Have you ever visited a site, like what you see… and then told your friends about it? OR Have your friends ever told you about an interesting or useful site they've visited in the last 30 days? I'll bet this happens almost every day, or at least weekly. Believe it or not there is actually a method to this madness. These seemingly random acts of "kindness" or referral may actually dramatically impact your business. OK Dan, so what are you talking about, right? I am talking about Viral Marketing. Viral marketing is key to your business. It is a simple and effective tool you can use to drive traffic to your site, without spending thousands of dollars implementing more expensive marketing tools. How can you take advantage of viral marketing? The easiest to make your visitors tell their friends and relatives about your site is by implementing a "tell-a-friend" script. If done correctly, a "tell-a-friend" script is one of the most powerful traffic-generation strategies you'll ever use. And it's FREE! Here's how it works… You ask your visitors to enter the name and e-mail address of friends and relatives they think will be interested in your site. Then, the script automatically sends a personalized e-mail promotion your site to all their friends from the visitor. Now how are you going to get your visitors to enter the names of their friends and relatives that may have an interest in your site? Simple… Give them an incentive. Make them an offer. Tell them WHY they should refer their friends. You can't just expect your visitors to enter information. Remember they are giving up some of their free time to refer other people to you. You have to make it worth their while. You have to sell it. If you want to watch the way I do it, go to: http://www.websiteconversionexpert.com/tellafriend.html Don't forget, you also have to provide your customers with practical and useful content. You want information on your site your visitors truly believe will benefit their friends. After all, they don't want to look like an idiot, and neither do you! If you don't provide good content, in fact if you provide anything but the best, I don't care what "bribes" you offer… your visitors won't refer anybody to you. By doing this you can simply and easily virally grow your list automatically! Where do you find "tell a friend" scripts? You could get some free tell a friend scripts if you do a Google search. This is the script I use is: http://www.tafpro.com And if you technical dummy like me, you can ask Paul to install the script for you. A simple twist to this strategy is you can have a tell-a-friend contest as well. A protégé of mine did a tell-a-friend contest that was extremely successful. He increased his traffic by 5-fold in that week. How? What he did was very simple, stating whoever referred the most visitors to his site in that week would get a free IPOD. Slack, eh? Let me you another killer viral marketing strategy that very few people use. Giving away a free e-book is a pretty common strategy. But what I want you to do is to create an e-book for your AFFILIATES to give away to their lists. Let's say you have a 20-page e-book. Instead of asking your subscribers to pass it along (which is not very effective) you encourage your visitors to join your affiliate program. Then you let them customize and brand the e-book with their own affiliate links for your products! Now, they're motivated to tell everyone about you. Now they're motivated to pass it along the e-book to every single soul they know. Why? They are getting something out of it! That's not all. The people who read the e-book might also become your affiliates, they will go to your sites, create more customized e-books and they too will pass those e-books to more people. Do you understand the power of this? That's viral marketing on steroid! If you're still a little confused, check out. http://www.websiteconversionexpert.com/viralpdf.html And see the various brandable e-books I offer my affiliates. And the people who read your e-books are much better prospects because they're pre-sold on your materials. So they're much more likely to buy from you when they hit your sales page. So what are you waiting for? Start cranking your "viral marketing" machine today. You'll see that your traffic and sales will grow steadily with absolutely no work on your part. Like the infomercial guru Ron Popiel said, "Just set it and forget it!" Sincerely, Dan Lok = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web, as well as a best-selling author. His reputation includes his title as the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert. To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at: www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

Article #4: 7 Levels Of Internet Marketers

7 Levels of Internet Marketers Copyright (c) 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd. If you want to jump-start your life and your business, you have to know what type of Internet Marketer you are. True financial success only comes to those that master this concept. So ask yourself, "Do you know what kind of Internet marketer you are"? Have your marketing experiences on the Net been positive, negative or mixed? I'm sure by now you want to know why you get the results you do (positive or negative) that you get when you market online, right? If not, you should… Let me tell you some hard facts. I have spent years around hugely successful and rich Internet marketers. I've personally helped thousands of Internet marketers excel and realize their financial dreams. While working with many of these marketers, I discovered a simple secret. One that may be the key to your financial success. Despite the many and varied personality types in the world (and there are many my friends), there are really only seven basic types (or levels) of marketers. And while it is common for an individual to drift a little from one entrepreneur type to another, most people will stay fixed at one level or marketing their entire lives. This is bad news. Far too often I see people who are "stuck" at one level of marketing. Why is this bad? I'll tell you… it prevents them from realizing their true financial potential. Sound dire? It is, but don't worry. The good news is that anyone, with a little effort, can easily upgrade their marketing skills and realize financial stability (even you!). The first step you need to take to upgrade your financial status is identifying what type of marketer you are. Knowing this will provide you a clearer understanding of why you achieve (or don't achieve) the financial results you want and need to realize your dreams. With this new awareness and understanding, you can adopt (or maintain) the attitudes necessary to reach the level of marketing you want and need to succeed. You can then reinvent your marketing strategy using this awareness and take the proper action needed to realize the financial results you so richly deserve. As you read through the seven levels of marketers provided below, I want you to know that at various times in my life, I have been at almost every single one of them. It was only as my knowledge and experience increased that I was able to upgrade to the level I am at today. At some point while reading the descriptions of each level, you will probably recognize where you are or where other people are you know. I recommend while reading you write down where you currently are as you discover your level, to help improve your awareness of your current strategy. This will also help you realize where you need to go. Here are the seven levels of Internet marketers. Level 1 - The Mooches The "Mooches" are people at the very bottom level of marketing. They're clueless and sit around wasting their time. Most are completely ignorant of the moneymaking opportunities available on the Web. These people spend their time whining about their financial status without taking the time to evaluate what they need to do to get ahead. Most Mooches don't have a clue about Internet marketing. If you ask them what the Internet is for, they'll say, "to chat" or "to e-mail friends" or even better, "to watch porn". You know, something useless. They are the kind of people you see working dead-end jobs with nowhere to go. They don't like what they do and find plenty of time to complain about their job, but no time to do anything about it. Most Mooches don't take time out to invest in themselves or their self-education. They have no self-esteem and feel that richness and financial security is out of their reach. While they may admire the achievements of others, they don't see themselves as winners. Most believe the real winners are "lucky" rather than savvy people. They may know people who are successful, but they allow their fears to hold them back. Here's a brief summary of Mooches top traits: * Ignorant of the Internet and all it has to offer. * Believe the Internet is for fun not for making money. * Lack any marketing savvy. * Lack the motivation necessary to succeed. * Have poor self-esteem and are afraid of taking chances. * Believe real fortune is a matter of luck rather than skill and hard work. My advice: Shut up, stop whining and get a damn life. No one is going to hand you the winning lottery ticket. If you want to succeed you have to believe in yourself and work hard to get where you want to be. Period. Lever 2 - The Wanna-Be The "Wanna-Be" has ambition, but not enough. They wander around in the dark looking under stones for a magic treasure box. They want to make money, but don't have a clue how. They get sucked into ridiculous scams and waste their money on garbage ideas that won't get them anywhere. They need to get smart quick about where they need to go to turn their life around. Most Wanna-Be marketers have heard of the Internet and know people who make money on the Net, so they are easily excited about opportunities. Unfortunately they spend most of their money on MLM and other moneymaking scams rather than chasing real opportunities. You'll recognize this person as the kind of person who rapidly floats from one business opportunity to another, dreaming one-day money will just fall in their lap. They want to make money, but lack the drive and motivation necessary to succeed. They are too busy spending their time looking for "get rich quick" opportunities, so they spend a lot of time signing up for "guru" mailing lists and fast money scams. Most don't have a clue it's not their lack of money but their lack of knowledge that is keeping them from succeeding. Wanna-be's would do better if they just took some time to find out what it takes to work smarter. Here's a quick summary of Wanna Be top personality traits: * Like Mooches, lack real motivation. * Want to make money but haven't figured out how. * Fail to take real responsibility for their actions and their life. * Believe money grows on trees. * Easy prey for scam artists. They invest in cheap opportunities believing this will fulfill their dreams. My advice: If your life stinks, it's your fault! Moneymaking is hard work. You have to put yourself out there, learn all there is to learn and then DO it. You can't rely on get rich quick opportunities or you will continue to fail. Lever 3 - The Pretend To Be The "Pretend To Be" is living a lie. They pretend to work hard, to do what it takes to get where they need to be. But they don't actually DO anything. Most are perfectionists, worried about getting it right the first time. They don't realize just how much they can learn even by making a few mistakes. Most Pretenders are waiting for the perfect time to start a new business. They don't realize the perfect time is NOW. They talk talk talk about starting an Internet business but lack the guts necessary to DO IT. Many have successful offline businesses and spend lots of their hard earned money attending seminars and buying e-books about Internet marketing. They may lie to themselves believing that they are preparing themselves for the day they will jump in and DO something. These guys know a lot but don't take action, so ultimately they set themselves up for failure. A good example of a Pretender is a successful overworked doctor who spends $20,000 on info-products but doesn't develop a website. The Pretender doesn't understand a key principle of this industry… You don't have to get it right the first time; you just have to get started. They say they want a successful business, but the truth is they are afraid to step out of their comfort zone. They lack courage, and instead hide behind what they know rather than taking a chance and exploring the unknown. Key traits of the Pretender include: * The like to talk the "talk" but don't walk the "walk" when it comes to their life and their business. * They lack courage and fear the unknown. * They fool themselves into thinking they are making progress by buying more and more useless products and attending seminars. They never actually do anything however. * They live under false pretenses, believing there is a "right" time to start and a "wrong" time. (There is no right time unless that time is NOW!) My advice: You don't have to get it right, you just have to get it going. Get off your butt and start doing. Level 4 - The Newbie The "Newbie" is on their way to the fast track, they just lack experience. They have the desire to learn and grow, and may have the skill and talent necessary. They jump into opportunities with all the freshness one would expect of an eager beaver in the industry. They have done some homework, but lack the technical know how to get where they need to be. There is hope for the Newbie. They feel excited and probably have read a few books about Internet marketing. Unlike Pretenders, they are willing to invest a lot of time in themselves. They will buy resale rights, reprint rights, licenses of many products… but lack the know how about how to market them. They may already be making a few thousand bucks each month, but have the potential to make a lot more if they focus better and improve their technique. They don't understand it's not the products you sell but the MARKETING that leads to financial success. It's not what you sell, but how you sell it. Newbies have ambition they just don't have enough. The lack the technical knowledge necessary to take their business to the next level. They also believe that to succeed they have to do everything themselves, when what they really need is the help of an expert. They are control freaks that believe, "If you want something done, you gotta do it yourself." Most Newbies have tunnel vision. They fail to see the big picture. Key traits of the Newbie include: * Most Internet marketers fall into this category. * Most feel confused about the right approach to marketing. * They think it is enough to build a dynamite site, that if you build they will come. * They lack a basic understanding of marketing. * Most of them are broke so they can't afford to hire anybody. * Lack of vision - don't know what they want to achieve in the long-term. * Lack of direction - don't know want to do next and how to take their business to the next level. My advice: If you could get there on your own, you'd already be there. Ask for help if you want your business to rise to the occasion and if you want to reach the next level. Level 5 - The Marketer The "Marketer" is well on their way to victory. They are making some money. They are strong marketers. They still lack the ambition necessary however to get off their butt and do what they need to do to truly realize victory. Most Marketers have a website or a moneymaker but don't have a business. They posses a strong understanding of marketing, copywriting and traffic generation and have a clear sense of what their audience is looking for. They are often leaders within their niche and make good money. They enjoy a comfortable living. The problem is they are sitting on their "ass-ets" and thinking what they have accomplished so far is all they can do. They fail to realize there is more opportunity available if they are willing to put in a little extra effort. They are more comfortable hanging out in their comfort zone. A good example? A client of mine making $10,000 a month. He is making a good living, but fails to realize he can make even more. Most savvy marketers think they know it all and have seen it all but they haven't. They often compare themselves with Level 1 to 4 instead of Level 6 and 7. It is this low expectation of themselves that kills them. Many have the ambition to make more money but lack the knowledge necessary to do this. Because of this they feel stuck. Key traits include: * Have created some success but fail to realize they can create more wealth if they apply themselves. * Are afraid to step out of their comfort zone. * Many are playing not to lose instead of playing to win. * Most will excel and prosper quickly if offered guidance. * Have the potential to take their business to the next level. My advice: You don't know what you don't know. You can't solve a problem with the same mind that created it! Get a mentor. Raise the bar, improve the expectations you have for yourself. Level 6 - The Master The "Master" is a smart marketing agent. They are making good money, and can teach others how to do the same. Most are visionaries, charismatic leaders who have a good handle on everything they need to succeed. They'll fail only if they stop thinking about what more they can do. There is always more success just around the corner, if only one takes the time to look. The Master marketers are millionaires, or at least making 6 figures a year. They are leaders in their industry. They are well versed in direct response marketing and can teach others. They have a vast amount of knowledge both online and offline and experience working in different businesses. Most have experience working with adversity. They are high performance people who make great mentors. Most understand traffic conversion and traffic generation. The Master marketer can get into any niche and make money, even if they don't have any affinity or experience working with a niche. They recognize the Internet is nothing more than a medium they can use to make money. They integrate online and offline marketing. They posses a solid understanding of copywriting, testing and tacking. They build a team of experts around them and delegate responsibility to talented people. They create a vision and strategy. They understand that less control actually translates into more control. They don't worry about managing the day-to-day but rather focus on the big picture. They empower their team to excel and create money for them. Key traits include: * Outsource almost everything except the marketing. * Never stop learning - Stay hungry and keep learning and investing in themselves. * Believe in themselves and their ability. * Have a clear vision of they want to accomplish. * Understand their business is there to serve them, not the other way around. My advice: You're more than what you have become, if you allow yourself to go beyond. There is always something more you can achieve if you set your mind to it. Level 7 - The Entrepreneur This is where everyone should aspire to be. The Entrepreneur has already achieved true victory. They are the models that others try to mimic and follow. If you ask me, your goals should be no less than achieving "The Entrepreneur " statue. These are the multimillionaires, the master sales people and the master marketers. They have a strong team of talented people with different expertise surrounding them. They hire people that are smarter than they are to ensure their success. They have a clear vision for their company in the short-term (1-3 years) and in the long-term (5-10 years). Most sell their Internet business at a profit of millions of dollars. These are the people taking their companies public. They are raising capital and selling to the public… to shareholders… but not to customers. They have an exit strategy in place before starting something new. They recognize the purpose of a business is to sell it or put it on autopilot so they can enjoy their lives to the fullest. This is where you want to be. Key traits include: * Visionaries and entrepreneurs. * Taking their companies to public. * Raising Capital. * Website could be making millions a year. * Have professional managers running their business. * Example: ebay.com, google.com, yahoo.com… etc. My advice: Give back to society. So now I ask you… Which one are you? Which one do you want to be? The people you know, which level are they at? Are they realizing their dreams? Why or why not? You have to ask questions, have a firm understanding of where you are NOW and where you WANT to be soon if you want to succeed. Don't just charge ahead blindly, but don't sit on you're ass either. If you want to succeed, take charge of your life and your financial future. Find out where you are, and what steps you need to take to be where you want to be. Sincerely, Dan Lok = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web, as well as a best-selling author. His reputation includes his title as the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert. To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at: www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

Article #5: A Sneaky Little Technique That Can Boost Your Online Profits By Up To 330%!

A Sneaky Little Technique That Can Boost Your Online Profits By Up To 330%! Copyright (c) 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd. Today, I'm going to teach you an extremely powerful, marketing "secret" that will get your profits multiplying like rabbits. But first... let me ask you something. When is the last time a computer bought your product or paid for your service? The answer is never. No one sells to machines. And yet, because of the net... because of the technology... because of the automation... experienced entrepreneurs who take their business online, forgot that they're doing business with PEOPLE. The fact that your "store" is a website or that your marketing message is delivered via email rather than snail mail doesn't change who your target is: real, live human beings with thoughts, emotions...and hopefully deep pockets! Even though you're using a webpage, an autoresponder, or an email, it's really YOU -- a person -- who's reaching out to a customer or prospect. Success in selling happens when a one-to-one personal connection occurs. Relationship is the key. You can't sell benefits to a computer. You can't get a computer excited about how good it will feel after using your product or service. It's so obvious; it's ridiculous. You're selling to a person. And if you want that person to buy from you, you need to put yourself out there. So why do a lot of people act like they're criminals and disappear when they're selling online? Are you guilty? Do you use the Internet itself to create walls that hide "human side" behind technology. Do you hide behind emails instead of making phone calls? Do you peak out from behind your website without offering a "hard copy" way to reach you? And do you play a weird game of hide-and-seek with customers using frequently asked questions and customer service "tools" so that you never really have to connect? I know, I know! You're saying that automation and technology are the biggest advantages of the Internet. All these streamlined communications processes help you do good business. That's fine, if what you want is good business. But personal communication can make your business great. Sometimes just by adding that personal touch... that human factor... to your site can boost your sales by 100%, 200% to as much as 330%!!! What am I talking about? I am talking about a tangible demonstration that your business is trustworthy because trust is at the foundation of every sale. So it turns out that this secret strategy is actually a simple one, too. I'm talking about adding a phone number to your site... and a mailing address...and a fax number. I'm talking about giving your customer an option contact you one-to-one. I'm talking about talking! Just talk to your customers and find out what they want. Now you might say, "Dan, this won't work for me. I'm a one-person operation and I'd get so buried by phone calls that I wouldn't be able to do anything else." You know how important testing is in business, don't you? Well, why not test my theory before you reject it. Do it my way. And see if you will actually get a lot of calls. I think you'll be surprised. I have a lot of clients who add phone numbers to their sites, and they don't really get that many phone calls. If you're really stretched to the limits time-wise, you could hire someone to handle it for you in-house or outsource it... although I think outsourcing almost defeats the purpose by putting you one step further away from your customers. Personally, I urge you to talk to your customers once a while. It's time well spent...even if time is money. You'll learn a lot from the conversation -- what people want and how they want it. And that, I assure you, can be worth millions (literally) to your business. Do you know that a lot of people actually have a fear of picking the phone and calling a stranger? So it's unlikely that you're going to get flooded with a lot of Chatty Cathies and Talky Teddies you've never met before who just want to shoot the breeze for ten minutes. So why will people pick up the phone and call you? Probably for one of four important reasons that make these valuable calls that you'll want to take. 1. They have an urgent problem, and they need a solution now! If your product/service will solve their problems, they'll buy from you - NOW. 2. They want to buy from you, but they might just have a few questions and you answer them well, they'll buy from you - NOW. 3. They might have a comment regarding of your product or service. This could be helpful to your business and make them more likely to buy from you in the future. 4. They might have a problem, and they're mad. But even if they are, you can fix it for them. Then they'll love you, and they'll buy from you again and again. You may not have realized it before, but every telephone inquiry from a customer or prospect is a money call. And when money calls, you want to be sure to answer. Because each one of these money calls mean sales in one way or the other. Personally, I love it when my phone rings. Because it's either one of my deep-pocketed mentoring clients who wants to run something by me OR a prospect who wants to give me money. Ching-Ching! How can you NOT love those calls? And here's a special message for you if you're selling a luxury service or a high-end product. It's tough to sell big-ticket items offline, and even tougher online. It's not impossible... but it's tough. Think about it. Someone who's looking for a marketing consultant and sees your site is probably NOT going to plunk down $5000.00 in an electronic payment just based on nothing more than your online sales copy. And don't be fooled that an autoresponder series will do the trick any better. It's tough to close a sale for thousands or tens of thousands of dollars just through emails. Not impossible... but tough. But, you can easily close a $5000.00 sale via the telephone. (If you know how to "give good phone," that is). A lot of copywriters don't do it the "easy way." They avoid the telephone. They only communicate via emails. Or they charge exorbitant "consulting fees" for phone calls as a way to telegraph that they don't want to speak to people. Now, that's their personal preference. But perhaps they should put themselves in the shoes of their clients who say, "This means I'm going to hire a copywriter and pay thousands of dollars to a service provider -- an employee -- that I won't even be able to speak to by phone? That stinks!" Worse than annoying a prospect, lack of accessibility makes people suspicious. They might feel like you're hiding something... that you're not being totally upfront. Take the mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg. The mayor's office has a website, but his home phone number is listed in the telephone directory. And, while it sounds unbelievable, he actually does pick up the phone when he's home and talk to his constituents. They love him for it. Take me for example. I am actually one of the very, very, very few experts who can be reached by phone. If I'm not on a call already or working one-on-one with a client in my office, I always pick up the phone. And when I can't pick up before the machine does, I try to return all my calls promptly. (Unless, they're trying to sell me insurance or some crap.) Accessibility is, in a way, my unique selling proposition. People are actually very surprised when I call them back. They know how busy I am. And my prospects respect and appreciate that I prioritize them. Is every call a walk in the park that ends with a trip to the bank? Well no. Sometimes I do get calls from some jerk who just wants to "bust my balls" or waste my time. But really... the whackos are few and far between. Most of my callers are good people. They're calling me because they want me to help them with their conversions, not because they want to BS the weather. I'd say 95% of the people who call are very serious and I'm happy to have the opportunity to speak with them. As for the other 5%... once they "reveal" themselves, I get off the phone very quickly. So how can you use this sneak technique to beef up conversions on your site? To borrow the old phone company slogan: "Reach out and touch." Add a telephone option to your site and take orders via telephone. If you think this could be overwhelming, you could test just taking calls within business hours. If you're doing huge volume, add a toll-free number. If you're doing big business in the international market, outsource so that you can accept phone orders 24/7. The Internet is the Land of Opportunity, although some online entrepreneurs think they're in Lazy Land... and don't understand why they're not succeeding. They want to live the ultimate Internet marketing lifestyle dream. They want everything to be automated. They want their ads to find the prospects, they want their site to sell the prospect, take the money, and forward a deposit directly into their online bank account. That dream can be real, but too many business people are relying too much on the technology to do ALL the work for them. Sometimes, it's good to go back to old-fashion communication. Silence may be golden, but in business... talking is pure platinum. We'll "talk" more soon. Dan Lok = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web, as well as a best-selling author. His reputation includes his title as the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert. To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at: www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

Article #6: Discover The Simple Automatic Way To "Collect" Testimonials From Your Happy Customers!

Discover The Simple Automatic Way To “Collect” Testimonials From Your Happy Customers! Copyright © 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd. Dear Friend, Okay, this week we're moving on to "higher education" with Website Conversion 101. It's a practical lesson and so easy to apply you'll wish someone had told you about it sooner. Now, as you already know, people are skeptical as hell. They don’t trust anybody… especially on the Internet. The intangible nature of web businesses makes them inherently shady to an already skeptical consumer. That's a problem. Fortunately, you know the solution: the #1 most powerful way to overcome skepticism is with testimonials. There's nothing like a little "he said/she said" to convince consumers how much people just like them have benefited from your product, service or expertise. Let someone do the bragging for you instead of tooting you own horn. (Although you do have to toot your own horn from time to time as well.) Instant trust! And instant "killer copy." Testimonials are worth their weights to gold. The words and "trust me, this works" message they convey can beef-up your headlines, web copy, email messages, order page language, P.S., follow-up emails… whatever. Even though you might not use every testimonial immediately, you'll want to gather as many as you can to use in the future. Think of them as "something for a rainy day." I don’t really care how many testimonials you have right now; you need more. It's like the old MTV slogan says: "Too much is never enough." The bottom line is that you can never have too many testimonials. Here's why: Let's say you're doing a sales letter and have 50 testimonials in your "pocket." You don't have to include all of them in the letter. Pick the best of the best… the most enthusiastic and flattering of the bunch… and use them. You don't even have to use them in their entirety! You can feature snippets from the Top 10 and then have a link that opens up a new page with the complete testimonial and the other 40 that didn't make the first cut. This way, you don't interrupt the flow of your letter with a huge block of testimonials. Instead, you give your reader a option to "Click Here" if they want to see more “proof”. Okay, that's my theory on testimonials. Now let's get to the action you need to take… Instead of hoping and praying that your customers might send you a testimonial whenever they feel like it, you need to chase them down like a Kodiak bear goes after Alaskan salmon. The best way to do that is to build your request right into your marketing message! That your “system” automatically collects testimonials for you. Intrigued? Or are you worried that you're going to need a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to make it happen? Come on! You know me better than that! I wouldn't steer you towards a complex, difficult-to-manage business process. My two favorite letters in the alphabet are E-Z. And testimonial "farming" is actually quite E-Z to automate. First of all, you've gotta make sure they’ve used your product. If your customers haven’t used and benefited from what you offer, how the heck can you get a testimonial from them? Let’s say you’re selling the Widget Weigh Station, a piece of exercise equipment with a built-in scale. It's in your best interest to find a way that's effective and cost-effective to "facilitate use." It could be a manual, could be a video, could be a DVD. Whatever. The key is to provide the support, motivation, and impetus to get your customers to actually USE the darn thing. To make it more likely that your customers do their "reps" and see the results of their workout with the Weigh Station, include some sort of instructions on how to assemble the machine and how to use it. Most people don't want to find their own way. They're looking for leadership… someone to point them in the right direction. And you know what I always say: Give the people what they want! Lead them! If you’re selling an information product like the $397 Widget Real Estate Home Study Course, include a quick jump-start CD or a step-by-step guide on how to study or “consume” the course. Start with this CD first, and then read that manual, and then watch this DVD… you get the idea? Now, remember, this is the first step on the road to Testimonial Acres. Because the more people use/consume your product, the more benefits they enjoy. And the more benefits they enjoy the more satisfied they are. And the most satisfied they are, the more likely you are to get mountains and mountains of rave reviews and solid-gold testimonials. Of course…this all assumes that your product/service is exceptional and deserves the accolades! If you're trying to pass off a sow's ear as silk, none of this applies. But, I assume you're one of the good guys (or gals) in the world of business and that you're selling a product or service of genuine value. So let's move on to the next step. Set up an autoresponder series Did you just break out into a cold sweat, horrified at the prospect that you're going to have to write a bunch of killer emails? Well take a deep breath and calm down… I've got a gift for you. You don't have to beg, borrow, steal, or (heaven forbid) create your first message. I've got a prototype you can have with my blessings. I don’t mind. (But do send me an email and thank me though) You'll certainly want to "tweak" the contents and modify it until it fits your business like a hand-tailored suit, but this will give you an idea. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Subject: "Alex, I'd Like To Put Your Name On My Website!" Dear Alex, As you can see from the headline above, I'd like to put your name on my website. I'll tell you more about that in just a moment. But, first things first. Alex, what is even more important right now is that I say... Thank You! I really mean it. You took a chance. I admire that greatly... and... I want you to know that I did everything within my power to make your investment... the best investment you'll ever make in your online business. You wouldn't believe how much I love working with EACH one of my clients. A hell of a lot thinking goes on "behind the scenes"... and I slave over every project I work on, to give you the biggest bang for your buck. Now, I'm really hoping you can help me, Alex. What I'm really hoping is that you'll be kind enough to take just a couple of minutes to let me know what kind of benefits you've received from (Insert Your Product Name) All you have to do is answer a few simple questions and reply to this email. Don't worry, it's real easy and won't take more than a couple of minutes of your time. And Alex, if you do participate in this small questionnaire you stand a very good chance of seeing your "name in print" on my website. Here's the questionnaire: Full Name (inc. Company Name): Address: City, State, Zip: Occupation: What is your overall experience of the (Insert Your Product Name)you received? Describe the one or two benefits that you have gotten from (Insert Your Product Name), that you value most. Explain any specific results (i.e. higher rate of conversion / increase in profits) that you're experiencing because of the (Insert Your Product Name): Any other information / feedback you'd like to give: Do I have your permission to use the information in this questionnaire as a testimonial on my website? = = = = = = = = = = A special gift = = = = = = = = = = If you call 1-800-609-9006 x2691 toll-free, and leave me an AUDIO testimonial AND email me your photo (International callers may use 678-255-2174 x2691.) I'll mail you a very very special "mystery" gift that's worth its weight in gold. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. And, as I said earlier, if you can do me the small favor of answering the questions above and replying to this email, there's a very good chance you'll soon see your name on my website. Sincerely, Dan Lok = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Were you surprised to see that I asked for a photo and an audio testimonials? Don't be. Through extensive testing, I’ve found out that a testimonial with a photo and an audio produces pulls much better compared to just a plain old written testimonial. But don’t believe what I say, why not test it and see for yourself? I use Audio Generator (www.danlokrecommends.com/audiogenerator.html) for this important function. When I signed up with the service, I was given a personal toll-free testimonial number where my clients can just call in and record their testimonials. It doesn't cost them a penny and it's convenient. People can be lazy or procrastinate about things that are important to THEM, let alone something like a testimonial that's important to YOU. That's why you want to make it E-Z (there are those letters again!) for your customers to share their thoughts. Think about the alternative: you have software that sits on your desktop that can convert MP3 into a flash audio button. Seems good for you, but what about your customers? THEY have to record the testimonial on their own, send it to you, and then you convert it to a flash audio button. What a pain in the butt. And, ultimately, not so good for you, after all. Here's something else that's not so good: vagueness. Vague testimonials are not believable because they don't communicate anything tangible. “Oh, I love Widgets” and "I think Widgets are very good.” are compliments, but they don't describe how a consumer benefited from using widgets. A good testimonial is descriptive. It communicates exactly how the customer benefited. "Thanks to Widget, I lost my love handles and gained the love of my life." or "Now that I use Widget Fertilizer, my tomatoes are twice as big and twice as tasty." A great testimonial builds up trust, but that trust can be lost in the blink of an eye. Imagine this scenario: you see a great testimonial saying how great a product is. You're all fired up that "someone like me" has weighed in, but when you read further, the testimonial is signed "John" or "J.S." Talk about "buzz" kill. People don't trust initials. They're one step above an attribution of "Anonymous" and do nothing to inspire confidence. The attribution information is your customer's way of saying, "I stand behind my words." To avoid Initial Shock, get permission to use the customer’s full name, business name, occupation, URL, or business address, if appropriate. The more details you have, the more believable your testimonial will be. Oh, one more quick tip: Whenever, someone sends you a nice email with praise, thanks, or any kind of compliment, you should immediately respond with a thank–you. And while you're at it… Ask permission to use the content of the note as a testimonial. (Get them while they’re HOT!) Okay, that's it. You're now ready to go bag some testimonials... and with your "automatic weapons" you should be able to get quite a few. Today, more testimonials… tomorrow, more inquiries, more prospects, more customers, and more sales. That's a Lok! Dan Lok = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web, as well as a best-selling author. His reputation includes his title as the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert. To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at: www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

Article #7: The Ultimate Secret To Internet Success! (And It's NOT What You Think)

The Ultimate Secret To Internet Success! (And It’s Not What You Think) Copyright © 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd. What I'm about to say may hurt your feelings, but it's time someone tells you the truth: If your website is not making money, it’s NOBODY'S FAULT BUT YOUR OWN! I'm warning you…this message is sharp and pointed. I guess I'm "fighting back" after hearing so many people bitch and moan… "Oh Dan, my website is not working money or website is not making the kind of money I want. But it's not my fault… *If only the competition wasn't so fierce… *If only people were buying online more… *If only I can get higher ranking on all the major engines… *If only my affiliate will promote my stuff harder… *If only I can get more traffic to the site… *If only my customers will just send me more referrals… If only… If only… If only… What a bunch of hooey! I am here to tell you, if your website is not making money, the only finger you can point is at yourself. If you're busy pointing fingers anywhere else, you're suffering from one of the most common "sicknesses" in business…a toxic point of view that can kill… Passing the buck. If you can't accept total responsibility for the success and failure of your site, you're not in control…you're powerless. BUT…if you "own" your website completely…if you accept that it will rise or fall because of you…if you're fully accountable for it… Then you're the power figure…and you can use your power for good -- to improve, polish, and perfect your website. If you're willing to do the work and analyze the situation AND YOURSELF, you'll find answers to key questions like these: ***What are my problems? ***What are the true reasons why my website is not doing well? ***What am I pretending not to know/see? and the biggest question of all: ***What do I personally need to do or have to make things better? Maybe you need more knowledge, maybe you need more skills, maybe you need more traffic, maybe you’re not doing enough marketing… It doesn't matter what you need. What matters is that you identify the need and then fill it! I have a friend who says that as a business person on the web, you can take one of three approaches. You can be a wiener (someone who throws money at a failing website), a whiner (someone who complains about throwing money at a failing website) or a winner (someone who says, "I'm going to make this failing website succeed.") If your website is not getting enough traffic, do more per-pay-click, write articles, send out some press releases, exchange links with other sites, whatever, do something. If your website is not converting well, hire a copywriter, re-write your own copy, test different website conversion strategies, do something. If you don’t know how to set up your site properly, hire a web designer, learn HTML, get an auto-responder, The key here is to stop whining, start getting mad at the situation and then do something about it. Do whatever you want…just do something! Don’t sit around and hope and pray your website will do better. Because it won’t. What's the worst that will happen if you take action? You'll make mistakes. BUT…you’ll also LEARN from your mistakes. You’ll get FEEDBACK from the marketplace so you'll know how to MAKE CHANGES so your site will be more effective. You don’t have to get it right, you just have to get it going. Stop whining and take action! That's a Lok! Dan Lok = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web, as well as a best-selling author. His reputation includes his title as the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert. To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at: www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

Article #8: How To Get Rich ONE Site At A Time!

How To Get Rich ONE Site At A Time! Copyright © 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd. Are you fickle? (Do you even know what "fickle" is?) According to Merriam-Webster Online, "fickle" is defined as "given to erratic changeableness." And when it comes to website success… If you're fickle, you're in a pickle! One of the biggest problems that crops up with my clients is that they always to seem to be too focused on the *NEXT* "big thing"…long before they've perfected the science of their *CURRENT* big thing -- their existing website. As an entrepreneur, you should always be on the lookout for the next new ideas, the next challenges, the next possibility for success…but don't be fickle! Clients say to me, “Dan, what am I doing wrong? I've got 8 or 9 websites up right now and I am starting 3 more this month. But I don’t know why am I not making much money with any ONE of them." Wake up and smell the coffee, you Fickle Fiend! You're working on TOO MANY WEBSITES! I've seen this so often it hurts…instead of putting effort into making their existing website more compelling, more effective, and more profitable, Fickle Folks are way too focused on that elusive "next big thing"… And when their first website doesn't deliver on the promise, they don’t ask "Why?"… They don't try to fix what may be broken… They just change their focus and concentrate on building another website that they're certain is going to be "the next big thing." And when that doesn't work…probably for the same reasons that Site #1 didn't make any money…they'll start another new site and another and another in an endless cycle of "no return on too much investment." If that's not the fast track to bankrupt-and-out-of-business, I don't know what is! As you know, I am a big believer in multiple streams of income. So, I am not saying you should be have multiple websites. BUT…make sure your existing website is as strong, solid, and successful as you can make it before trying to grab the gold ring and the next "big thing." Don't take the "fickle" path to the Poor House. Stay focused on promoting just one website …and promoting it effectively! Put on blinders to other distractions and keep your eye on the prize: making that ONE website as profitable as possible. Dan Lok = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web, as well as a best-selling author. His reputation includes his title as the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert. To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at: www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

Article #9: Traffic Conversion Secrets Finally Revealed!

Traffic Conversion Secrets Finally Revealed! Copyright © 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd. "Dan, I need your help. The copy on my website sucks. It must. Nobody is buying my product…" Or ordering "my ebook"… Or signing up for "my course"… Or booking "my services." People tell me all the time that their websites "doesn't convert." (Not sure what "conversion" is? It's that "magical" transformation that turns a site visitor into a product/service buyer) If you're a website owner who's unhappy with the business your Internet presence is generating, I wouldn't be surprised if you think your copy is the culprit, too. A lot of people think that if there's a problem with conversion that the sales copy must be at fault. This is WRONG THINKING…and potentially fatal to your website's success. Don’t misunderstand me… My business is copywriting. It's my bread and butter. (Also my caviar and champagne!) I come from a traditional sales and marketing background where the emphasis is on "words that sell." The world's most brilliant sales letter for the world's most incredible product won't necessarily generate the through-the-roof results you might expect. The truth is that turning a casual site visitor into a "here's my credit card take whatever you want" buyer takes MUCH MORE than just effective copywriting. Converting prospects into clients and customers takes more than a super headline… More than a list of "what's in it for you"… More than an ironclad guarantee and more than a page of testimonials from celebrities and authorities. This isn't a war that will be won with words. You need more…much more. If you think of your website as a high-powered sports car, your sales letter is the engine. But as any racer on the NASCAR circuit will tell you, without the right fuel and other essential components, an engine can't run smoothly and a car will never be first to the checkered flag. I don’t care if you have the most powerful "engine" in the world…the greatest sales letter ever written. If you're not taking advantage of technology and leveraging human psychology in your sales and marketing efforts, you're simply out of the race. I usually wear my copywriter's "hat" when I do the rant and load you up with lots of ideas for creating great sales messages. The how's and why's…the do's and don'ts… the nuts and bolts. But this time around, I don't want to focus on the engine. Instead, we're going to make a "pit stop" to look under the hood of "killer" websites and talk about everything that's working to power their success. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Conversion Secret #1 - Less Can Be More (Why the QUALITY of Your Traffic is More Important than the Quantity) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = The number of people that visit your website is meaningless if they don't buy anything when they're there. You can have ten thousand people hitting your site a month, but if they're looking for camping equipment and you're selling baby strollers, you're not going to convert a single visitor. And if you're paying per click, this will kill you. Your marketing dollars are going up in smoke. On the other hand, you can have less traffic, but if they’re targeted, you’ll have a very high conversion rate. If your baby stroller site has a banner ad at a baby formula store, chances are the people who click through will be more likely to buy from you. Here's something you MUST keep in mind: "more likely to buy" doesn't mean that they will buy. That’s why tracking your traffic is so important. You have to know exactly where your traffic is coming from. Are they from Per-Pay-Click? Are they from affiliates? Are they from offline marketing? What percentage is from what promotion? Unless you know the answers, you can't build on your success. You can't improve something you can't measure.” W. Edwards Deming, management expert. A steady flow of QUALITY traffic and information about where it comes from will affect your conversion rate just as much as the quality of your sales message. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Conversion Secret #2 – Don't Let A Good Answer Get Away (Exit Poll) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = No one expects a 100% conversion rate, of course. You may dream about it, but, depending on what you’re selling, if you're getting a 2-3% conversion, that's pretty damn good. Okay, you're not converting 97% of the people that come to your site… But does that mean that their visit has to go into the "lost cause" column? No way! If you paid to have those people visit, you can't just let them get away! You need to get some kind of return on your investment. Why not do an exit pop-up survey, asking them why they’re not buying? Want to really get a visitor's attention. Use an audio pop-up. When people leave your site you can have a pop-up with an audio portion like this: “Wait, before you go, could you please help me out? I'm not trying to sell you anything, I just need some information. Could you tell me the single biggest reason that you’re not giving us a try today? What’s the ONE reason that’s stopping you from purchasing (my product name)? Just fill out the box below and click on the submit button. Your opinion matters to me..” Boom! You've just created your own "consumer feedback forum" and you haven't spent a penny on some high-priced focus groups. Once you get a bunch of responses to your exit poll, you'll be able to identify patterns in what people say. Use what you learn to make the changes that you know for certain will bump up your conversion rate. Success and failure shouldn't be based on guesswork or assumptions. It doesn't matter what you think is the reason people aren't buying. It doesn't matter what I think is the reason people aren't buying. The only thing that matters is what your customers think…that's the "pulse" of the marketplace and the lifeblood of your future business. And with an exit survey, your customers will tell you what you need to do in order to convince them to buy your product! People consider me a marketing wizard because I'm so good at market research. Well, I may be a "wizard," but I'm not a genius, and I certainly didn't earn my Ph.D in marketing. That's because you don't have to be marketing genius to get your finger on the pulse of your industry. Here's the secret: I am not the marketing wizard. You’re not the marketing wizard. Your CUSTOMER is the marketing wizard. All you have to do to learn the "mysteries" of more sales is ASK your customers… And make sure you ask the people who decided not to be your customers, too. Just ask and they’ll tell you. Then take what you've learned, incorporate it into your sales message, and watch the "no sales" turn into "sales" so fast that you'll get a speeding ticket for all that fast-moving, fast-buying traffic! = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Conversion Secret #3 – Take a Tip from the Tortoise (slow and steady wins the race) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Far too many Internet marketers try to close the sale with one step. Are you one of them? Do you run an ad in some ezines, post a couple of Pay-Per-Click ads, then sit back, relax and wait to enjoy "the show"? Do you assume that people will notice the ad, read the ad, get excited by the ad, go to your site, read your sales pitch, pull out their credit cards and buy from you? Do you expect to accomplish all that with ONE STEP? Give me a break. What are you thinking? That's like you’re trying to have sex on the first date. You might get away with it. (You might get some sales and be profitable) But chances are, without a little coaxing from you at every step in the process, you'll be going home alone. Take it slow, will ya? Show some class. Have some manners. Get to know each other. Share some stories. Make a connection. Develop a relationship before you try to close the “deal”. People buy from people they trust. So you’ll make a lot more sales if you take the time to develop a solid relationship. How do you convince website visitors that you're one of the "white hats"? Start building that relationship. One way is by giving more than you get. Give them a free report. Give them a free mini-course. Give them a free ebook. Give them a free chapter. (Are you getting the idea that "free" may be the most important word in relationship-building on the Internet?) Bribe them and get them to give you their name and email so that you can follow up with them using an autoresponder. And don't forget to make it simple. One easy-to-use option is a hover ad that drops down on your visitor’s screen when they visit your site, inviting them to "opt-in" to your free offer. Why a hover ad? Testing shows hover ad gets more attention than traditional pop-ups. A more advanced way…and to some a less "savory," but extremely effective way…to capture contact information is to make your home page an opt-in request. Basically, a visitor can't get to the rest of your site without providing contact information. You qualify them before you let them read your sales pitch! That’s pretty brilliant if you ask me! The opt-in doesn’t have to be fancy. And it definitely shouldn't be very long. Just a killer headline and some equally killer benefits. That’ll do it. A good example of this kind of approach in action can be found here: http://www.extremewebcopymakeover.com Don't blow it! When you follow up with them, you don’t just want to pitch them. You want to deliver value in your autoresponder messages. Educate them. Teach them something. Then just have a little plug at the end. Remember I said that people buy from people they trust. If you're constantly selling things, then you're a salesperson…and your motives are immediately suspect. But if you're constantly giving things away, sharing ideas, giving more than you're getting, you're a valuable resource…a good friend…a trusted advisor. (There's the secret password -- trust!) And the beauty is…what you give away doesn't have to cost you a penny. Let’s say you’re selling an ebook, you can actually take the first 3 chapters of your ebook and turn them into a series of autoresonder messages. This is a great way to give them a taste of what you’re selling and to prove that you're the "real deal." = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Conversion Secret #4 – Hear Ye, Hear Ye (Audio on the Internet) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = When I talk about copywriting, I often talk about how important it is to engage the reader's senses. Make them see with word pictures… Make them feel with hot-button language. The more senses that are involved, the more likely it is that your prospect will be sold. Using audio on your site is a sense-sation. With audio, you appeal to a completely different sense than the average site. The web is full of visual appeal, but with audio, you suddenly connect with a visitors ears with a whole new component -- a verbal component. Your spoken words will strike an emotional chord with visitors and connects on a "human" level in an otherwise electronic world. And here's something that every website needs: excitement. Because it's rare, audio is unusual and attention-getting. It's brand new, instead of the "same old, same old." (This won't be true forever, of course, but for now, you can take advantage of audio's scarcity.) Your audio features don’t have to be limited to you. You can also use audio testimonials. Instead of just having a written testimonial, why not offer a "listen to what this satisfied customer" opportunities and add audio testimonials to your sales page. Don't let your fear of the unknown or a fear of failure hold you back. You don’t have to be a techie to utilize and implement these technologies. If you've got the will, I'll show you the way: This is a list of website conversion tools that I use and recommend to my clients so that they can add "bells and whistles" quickly, easily, and inexpensively. http://www.danlokrecommends.com Okay, now my secrets are your secrets. The same tricks and techniques that I've used to achieve astronomical traffic conversion levels are now at your disposal. They've been tested and refined and re-tested. They've worked for me…and they've worked for my clients (who, by the way, paid me a fortune to implement them on their behalf). I know they'll work for you. Let me know when they do. I'd like to add your success story to an upcoming issue of the Rant. Stay Lok-ed and loaded for success, Dan Lok = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web, as well as a best-selling author. His reputation includes his title as the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert. To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at: www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

Article #10: The Shocking Truth About Web Traffic!

The Shocking Truth About Web Traffic! Copyright © 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd. “Dan, I'm stumped," said my client. (I'll call her Wanda Widget to protect her identity). “I’m getting more than 6000 unique visitors a month to my website, but I am only making 10 or 11 sales a month and my product is only selling for $97!” Wanda had just hired me to critique her website, "Widget Talking Library, an online resource for the blind and visually impaired. For less than $100, people with vision problems could access a library of regular "talking books" plus a special resource section specific to their unique life circumstance. After reviewing what she'd done, I told Wanda, "You’ve done a lot of right things. The Talking Library is definitely a niche market and you’ve got an info-product that your prospects truly want.” I continued, “Your market has the money to purchase what you’re selling and you ARE delivering a ton of value for $97. It’s pretty obvious that the ONLY reason your website is not cranking out a lot more cash is… your sales copy is just not getting the job done. Wanda was surprised and asked for details... "It’s boring," I told her. "It’s dull. It’s not dramatic enough. It’s feature-oriented, instead of benefit-oriented. There’s no call to action. There’s zero urgency." "Wanda, the bottom line is… it sucks!” Now Wanda is a tough old bird, so my criticism didn't knock her on her butt, it made her jump to her feet. "Eureka," she said. "You've found it. You've shown me the mistake I was making." Wanda's story has a happy ending because together we helped her correct her mistake and change her website from a "wienie" to a "winner." So my friend, the question is this: are you a "Wanda Widget"? 1. Is your web copy unproductive? 2. Are you still trying to find the 101 super-duper ways to drive a hoard of traffic to your website? 3. Are you still trying to compete with the world and get higher ranking on search engines on all the major search engines? Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with that. I do all that stuff myself. But it's not all that I do. Is it all that you do? If it is, are you missing the mark? Yes! And I'll tell you why: There's no point to spending all your time and energy enticing people to your website if your web copy doesn’t convert those visitors into buyers! This will blow your mind: if your web copy sells, you really don’t need as much traffic to make a very good income online. Which is easier: driving traffic to your website or making a few quick changes on your site’s ad copy? The answer is a no-brainer. Instead of making a sale every 600 visitors (and working like a dog to get those 600 visitors to come "sniffing around"), you can just fine-tune your sales letter (or have a professional do it) so you can start pulling sales from every 100, 50, or even 25 visitors to your site. That's the way to increase your profits by 100%, 200%, or even as much as 1,700% without working any harder, without launching more products, and without any extra traffic! Let’s get back to WidgetTalkingLibrary.com as an example and do some calculations here: Wanda is selling a $97.00 "library card" offer that converts 1 out of 600 into customers (pathetic!) Wanda will only make $970.00 off 6,000 visitors a month! (double-pathetic!) But that same $97 library card presented with a “killer” sales letter that converts just 1 out of every 100 means she’s instantly increase her sales by 6-fold to $5,820.00 with the same amount of traffic! You tell me… once you get up off the floor and the shock of this information has worn off… You tell me: is it worth the time and effort to “rework” your copy to make sure it squeezes every ounce of potential profit from your existing traffic? Hell yes! There's nothing smarter and more effective than having sales copy that's "gassed up and ready to go" BEFORE you spend the time and money to send traffic to your "pump." Happy motoring! Dan Lok = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web, as well as a best-selling author. His reputation includes his title as the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert. To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at: www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

Article #11: Sneaky Web Design Tricks That Automatically Boost Readership & Drive-Up Conversion Rate!

Sneaky Web Design Tricks That Automatically Boost Readership & Drive-Up Conversion Rate! Copyright © 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd. Do you have powerful, irresistible, conversion-oriented sales copy that's waiting to be uploaded simply because you don't have someone to "design" your site? Well, I've got news for you: Picasso doesn't do websites and you don't need a "museum piece." Your site needs to be visually appealing…inviting…easy on the eye. Nothing more, nothing less. It simply needs to look and feel welcoming so you can maximize retention and maximize sales. This means that you, too, can have a site that sells…and sells well…even if you don't have an art degree, a graphics department, or a high-priced web design firm on retainer. It's true that design and copy go hand-in-hand, but -- this next bit is important, so pay attention -- Design should always work with your copy in a supportive role. You read me correctly. Despite what graphic designers tell you (and each other), design is the tablecloth, not the meal. After all, it's your words that convince prospects to buy…not your clever use of color, graphics, or Flash animation. In fact, on many sites, design elements aren't attention-getters. They're attention mis-directors. They draw attention to the design of the site and away from the message of the site. Design like that isn't helping you make a sale. It's just the opposite. Its effect is self-defeating…like shooting yourself in the foot. Or worse! Like shooting your prospect in the foot and killing his/her interest dead. Don't despair. Your design "phobia" doesn't have to hold you back, and you don’t have to engage the services of a psychotherapist to get to the root of your fears. You have nothing to fear but fear itself…the fear of not having a website with a fabulous message drawing in millions of customers. Just put yourself in my hands for a few moments. I'll be your "doctor" with an easy-to-follow, two-part "prescription" for website design health. There's not a bitter pill in the lot…it's all easy-to-swallow (and easy to learn) stuff. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "Sneaky" Pill #1 - The Black and White Pill = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Have you ever watched preschoolers with the BIG BOX of Crayola crayons…the ones with 64 colors in them. Little Mikey or Molly will use every single color on their tiny masterpieces and cover every possible inch of their "canvas." Now that's fine for Mikey and Molly…they're in pre-school. Your website should be a study in simplicity. Not too crowded…not too busy…not to colorful…not too-too in any way. For you and your website, too-too is a no-no, and the big box of crayons should stay in the drawer. Start your search for simplicity by looking at the colors on your site. Nothing is simpler than black text on a white page… yet this is usually the most effective way to present a lot of copy. The reason for this is elementary: The contrast is as strong and dramatic as it can be because black and white represent the extreme opposite ends of the scale. Any use of color is reduces the degree of contrast between start black and white. Think about advertisements in fashion magazines or on billboards. A pink raincoat against a purple background? Or… how about white type on a lime green background? Graphic designers use such colors for their visual impact because fashion ads are driven by pictures, not words. The colors achieve the opposite effect that you're looking for. Bright colors detract from the text by making the words difficult to read. In fashion, this works to an ad's advantage by compelling the consumer to look at the clothing. On a website, the wrong combination of colors makes reading the words frustrating and annoying. If you frustrate and annoy your visitors, what are the chances of them buying anything from you? (In the language of professional sales, "frustrating" and "annoying" are synonyms for "no sale.") Don't annoy the consumers! Your job as a marketer is to make your copy as easy and hassle-free to read as humanly possible so that visitors will want to "set a spell" and read what you have to say. Now don't get me wrong. The right use of color can certainly help make a more visually appealing site. There are brilliant designers out there who know how to use tones and textures so masterfully that sites are works of art AND sales monsters. Don't fall into what I call the "Bells 'n' Whistles" swamp. Too much graphic activity will pull you and your website down .like quicksand! Avoid the temptation to use unusual colors, combinations and flashy graphics simply because they’re available. A little color goes a long way and primary colors are a better, more clearly defined choice. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "Sneaky" Pill #2 - The White Pill = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Part of making your message easy on the eyes is to make it exceptionally easy to read. You want readers to breeze though your copy effortlessly. The best way to do that is to break up paragraphs into instantly scannable segments and provide plenty of white space. What's the big benefit of a little white space? Short segments are easiest to scan and understand on the fly. And if your prospect is able to "absorb" your information easily…effortlessly…he/she is more inclined…is in fact COMPELLED to read further. (In the language of professional sales, "compelled" is a synonym for "I've got you hooked and in a moment you'll be putty in my hands.") The more you can break up your test into short sentences and paragraphs, the easier it is for prospects to read. If your message looks like an easy read, chances of your prospect actually reading your letter improve significantly. Don't use bleach to add more white to your site. Just remember to keep your page widths to a minimum and for a brighter, clearer, cleaner looking website. Keep your text to a maximum width of 65 characters. That way your page should be easily readable from any monitor. (A rule of thumb is that you should always keep the ‘little people’ in mind. I mean those with the little 12” monitors set at 640 x 480.) Warning! Warning! Warning. Avoid at all costs, the need for horizontal scanning. It’s enough of a challenge to get readers to scroll vertically through your sales message. To ask them to scroll horizontally too is absolutely ludicrous. It’s always a good idea to set your main page inside the width of the typical window. What this does is display an obvious page border so the reader knows instantly that he’s not missing out on anything. With a border, the reader feels omniscient (all-seeing), "Ah. This is easy. I can see this entire message easily. I think I'll read it in its entirety." Without such a border, the reader feels confused, "Hey! What's going on here? I don't get it. This is annoying. I’m getting out of here." Some people say it's better to light a candle than curse the darkness. Marketers say it's better to facilitate easy, problem-free reading of a simple, clean website than curse the fact that prospects kept their money to themselves. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = The Gold in the Nugget = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Simply put, your goal -- in design and copy alike -- is to simplify the process. Clarify your message so that it cannot be misconstrued. Provide a single direction for your prospect to proceed. Funnel them through your copy to the order page. Clarify your design so that your message is not misconstrued. Provide a single focus for your prospect -- the words! Now get out there and make yourself rich…and happy, too! Dan Lok = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web, as well as a best-selling author. His reputation includes his title as the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert. To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at: www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

Article #12: How To Create Compelling E-mail Offers That Sell Like Crazy!

How To Create Compelling E-mail Offers That Sell Like Crazy! Copyright © 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd. If you want to create a dynamic e-mail campaign, you have to offer your clients more than a simple announcement. Far too often people fall into the trap of believing an announcement is enough to entice their customer. Unfortunately, an announcement does little to help compel or encourage your clients to buy from you. If you want customers to buy from you, you’re far better off offering “special deals” or a “special offer” than simply offering an announcement. Why? An announcement says, “Hey, I have a new product!” Wow, that’s terrific! But what’s in it for the customer? You have to think about what your customer’s needs are and how you are filling them with every contact you make. An announcement doesn’t take these needs into consideration, and that’s why far too often announcements fail to produce results. An announcement also lacks a call to action or an incentive for customers to contact you. It doesn’t make sense to contact someone unless you are going to offer him or her an incentive to buy your product. Keep this in mind when creating your next e-mail campaign. Types of Promotions So now you know you have to offer incentives. Now, what kind of incentive do you offer in your e-mail campaign? There are many different incentives to offer. Most people rely on the special discount offer. You don’t always have to offer a discount however, to get people to buy from you. You can for example, offer a new product to your customers. Say for example, you offer them a free publication, like a subscription to your newsletter if they buy your product now. Or, you can offer them 20% off your latest publication when they order. You can also offer special deals by recognizing some special event in your personal life. Most customers appreciate e-mails that include some personal information about you. For example, let’s say you have an upcoming birthday or anniversary to celebrate. In your e-mail, mention this. Say, “Because it’s my birthday today I’m offering you a special discount.” This will help your e-mails appear more personal in nature. You have to share personal information if you want to build trust with your clients. Let them know something about you. Say for example you are sharing your 10th anniversary with your partner. Let your customer’s know you are offering a one-time deal because of this. Another promotion you can offer your clients is the “special sale.” I like to call this the “Oops, I forgot!” or “Oops, I screwed up!” offer. In this special bonus offer, e-mail your clients a day or two after you send out an announcement. Then let them know you forgot to tell them something in the previous “announcement”, so if they order now, they can take advantage of your mistake. Then offer them something. Then after a couple of days send them a last minute reminder. You can phrase it similar to, “We almost sold out, and we only have a few hours left, so act now so you don’t miss out. Remember, you’ll be reaping A, B, C benefits.” Special offers are great during holidays, like Christmas, Halloween or even Valentines Day. Speaking of Valentines Day, remember your offers don’t have to be discounts. They can be something unusual, crazy or fun. Like on Valentines Day, offer your clients a rose or chocolate for ordering that day. Your goal should be to keep things exciting and fun. Keep all your promotions an event. Another way to produce more feedback from your e-mails is to send customers FAQ e-mails. Let’s say for example, you send an e-mail that creates some questions you’d like to respond to. You can send an FAQ offer or follow up e-mail that answers all their questions and presents a new offer or special deal for your customers. How Often You Should E-mail Clients? How often should you e-mail your clients? If a customer consistently buys your products and services, you should send frequent e-mails. If however, you are sending a special promotional offer to someone that has never ordered from you, don’t waste too much time on it. My experience suggests customer’s who buy something once or twice are much more likely to buy again. When Should You Send Your E-Mail Offers? When should you e-mail your clients? The answer is “It depends.” My experience shows Tuesdays and Thursdays are the best days to e-mail people. Why? Who knows? It may be people don’t want to check their e-mail on the weekends. It may be they are thinking of the weekend and not their e-mail on Friday. They may have too much work to catch up on Mondays. For me, Tuesdays and Thursdays have always produced the best responses. Then again, I am focusing on B2B customers. Your experience of the B2C industry may be different. These are just a few things you can do to spice up your e-mail campaign. The bottom line is this… whenever you send an e-mail, you have to create much more than a simple announcement. An announcement isn’t going to call people to action. You have to carefully craft your e-mails, to encourage your customers to act. You want to offer your customers some incentive so they act on your e-mail immediately. And one last point... Don’t reveal your price in the e-mail. Your job is to entice, compel and motivate your customers to buy. That’s the bottom line. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local s