MIBW
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April 1, 2003
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My IBiz Weekly
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Starting a Business on the Internet isn't impossible if you have the right help...
Vol.4, Issue 1
April 1, 2003
Editor : Donesia Muhammad
Copyright (c) 2003 KDM Publishing
http://EzineAdHelper.com
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THIS WEEK'S SPONSOR
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IN THIS WEEKS' ISSUE
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>> Editors' Notes, What A Friday
>> Subscriber Discounts, My IBiz Weekly Ad Deals
>> Voice Your Opinion...Listfire, Have You Upgraded?
>> Quick Thoughts From Your Publisher, You Can't Hit Every Target
>> How To Conduct Your Own Research And Use It To Make More Sales By Karon Thackston
>> Spotlight Ads
>> New Column By Virginia Rounding: Weave Well: Writing Tips for the Web......Providing And Provided
>> Turn Your "Visitors" Into Returning Customers By Diane Thomas
>> Need Quality Ezines to Subscribe To?
>> Contact Information
Interactive Marketing Ezine: Discover webmaster resources &
advertising strategies that are "Essential" for generating
Online Success. Free ads & affordable programs for
advertising to Multiple 100,000s! Target Your Ad to
"Responsive" Ezine Readers!
http://www.vectorcentral.com/subscribe-ezine.html
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EDITOR'S NOTES
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Hi everyone and welcome to another edition of MIBW.
I didn't expect to get so much feedback from my Quick Thoughts Column Friday ( Expect Nothing, Stay Happy)
Many of you wanted me to turn it into a full blown article so it can be reprinted.
Well I should have this ready for you by Friday's edition.
Boy I better get the leg up on finishing up My IBiz Weekly.com because those archives sure could come in handy right about now :)
I will announce the winner of the solo ad contest for the month of March in Friday's issue.
I will also, hopefully have by Friday a poll or questionnaire of sorts for you to fill out online. I need some more opinions and thoughts from you regarding this ezine.
Once you read the Quick Thoughts section today, you will know what I am talking about.
I have included some great articles today to help you:
> Get your site tuned up for maximum result
> Learning another method to making sales, through research and surveys.
Basically that is why I am gathering some questions together for you to help make MIBW the best it can be.
Yes I am still sending you information to help you get the best site out there. I saw so many great articles out there that I knew there wasn't any need to write my own on site design so I have included some great ones over the next few issues. Once that is done, then I can get started with the ebook tutorial which we ( you and I ) will learn step by step how to create, market and sell your own ebook.
So by the time we are finished, you can't say that you don't have your very own product to sell or to use as a great branding tool.
Nothing says lovin' like free ebooks :)
I am expanding a lot lately, and testing to see what works and what doesn't. I have partnered with Marion Stearns from the AdMistress program so you will see her great AdMistress column and also a chance to purchase all the different ads that she offers to the internet marketer.
I am very honored to work with Marion. It's funny since we have been friends for a while now but hey, some things you don't see the big picture until its too late.
Don't let that be you.
Of course I have another all new column from Virginia Rounding. Boy I am happy to have met Virginia because I think I slept through most of English class in school because I am learning so much from her, its great.
FYI: Friday will be the last day that I offer the ad coop subscriber discounts at such a low price. After Friday midnight, the prices will be as follows for the ad coops.
Classified Coop: $35.00 all groups, each group $10.00
Top Sponsor Coop: $40.00 each group, all groups $130.00
I am still having the buy one get one free sale as well until April 8th so order now and get 2 for the price of 1.
Don't forget about the ad packages available to purchase ads for my ezine. Ends April 8th as well.
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VOICE YOUR OPINION
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I would love to hear from anyone involved with List Fire.
They have recently started a pro version, which honestly I didn't like initially because I don't like the pressure that some downline groups give you to upgrade.
The upgrade charge is $15.00 a month and you get 50 cents for every referrer who is upgraded as well.
Now you would think my next complaint would be that I don't have enough people in my downline to make it worth while.
On the contrary as of yesterday I have 412 members in my downline, but so far only around 5 or 6 have upgraded.
So what is the point for me when I am trying to decrease my monthly expenses not add to them?
I would love to hear from some members who have upgraded.
There is nothing wrong with the program so this isn't a List Fire bashing or I wouldn't still be a member with them. But I like being a free member even with a huge downline. Maybe I am missing the point somewhere so that is where you come in.
Send me your comments here and it will appear in next Tuesday's edition.
mailto:voiceyouropinion@ezineadhelper.com
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QUICK THOUGHTS FROM YOUR PUBLISHER
You Can't Hit Every Target
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Donesia Muhammad Copyright (c) 2003 KDM Publishing
A lot of us, including myself try to do too many things at once.
We get ourselves involved in the whole Internet Marketing category without fully understanding how many aspects of this category is involved.
Marketing, Promotion, Publishing, Advertising, Web Development, Web Applications, etc, etc.
Now within these categories are even more sub categories.
See What I Mean.. too broad an area to really define what YOU want to do.
PUBLISHERS, WHAT'S YOUR NICHE ??
How many ezines that you read on a daily basis that you really cant put one theme on it?
If someone asks you what type of ezine do you publish, what do you say??
Now before you even think, well Donesia, you flip around to different topics as well.
I used to do that but I am learning every week which is why I am now teaching you this process.
I have seen many ezines jump from topic to topic every week with no main focus or theme.
Well except for the main focus of running around like mad men and women to sell any and everything on the internet planet.
But that's another story :)
We stretch ourselves thin trying to cover everything out there.
No wonder our sales are slow, no one knows what we are going to sell week after week.
As much as you hear the 'ol Content is King and The Money Is In The List..
You will also hear to death. DEFINE YOUR NICHE
Again. DEFINE YOUR NICHE
It makes it so much easier to target who you want to sell to and who you want to buy from you.
Gosh I was going crazy the other week wondering why my sales are down and I realized that I have not taken the time to define more of what type of advertisers are you looking for and what they are looking to buy.
Well no wonder, DUH
Buying habits change and they change often.
I think once we look at the true methods of why people buy will help us understand what to write on our sites, in our ezines, in our ads.
When was the last time you asked your readers what they want to see?
When was the last time you said your ezine was based on one subject and then after a few issues completely strayed away from those pre-defined topics??
I like when I know exactly what to expect, in terms of content in an ezine.
Makes it easier to distinguish from the others
Makes it easier to recommend it to others as well.
If you are tired of being branded as one of those " copy and paste" ezines, start to define your niche
Poll your readers, get their opinions.
Figure out what subject (s) you want to focus on and stick with it.
Don't write about email marketing one minute, and the next issue you are talking about MLM's and downlines, unless that is your niche of course.
You see I don't think many of us have exhausted ALL the different ways to promote and market our site.
So before you say, oh I am not making any money and I have tried everything, maybe you haven't.
WHAT IS YOUR NICHE, DONESIA??
Don't know yet...:) Still building it.
I know that sounds funny after a year and a half of publishing but its true to a point.
You see my internet world isn't just about ad coops. I plan to branch out soon into a completely new area, so my niche will now be focuses on other things. But the key thing to remember is that whether you have 10 different sites, each site must have its niche defined, to help you grow.
My main focus ( in MIBW) is helping people get started with their business.
But then I got into the world of ezine publishing and I liked it, loved it actually. I can't say enough on that subject.
Go ahead, ask the publishers in my ad coop as I send them helpful information on that subject all the time.
But then after I started the My IBiz Series, I realized that again my offline love of training started to show through.
So yes I do plan eventually to have a separate ezine which will only deal with ezine publishing so that niche is defined.
But I with the hands on tutorial coming up on ebook publishing, I know that I will end up as a teaching type newsletter rather than a "Sales-type newsletter"
I am still focusing on newbies which to me is anyone who has been online for 2 years and under :)
I guess when I get on my soapbox, then my ezine gets a bit motivational but I think we all need that from time to time.
At least every month you get an idea what My IBiz Weekly is going to teach you every month so for now I am satisfied.
For now, just wait and see..................
Are you satisfied with what you are doing online ??
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HOW TO CONDUCT YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND USE IT TO MAKE
MORE SALES
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© Karon Thackston 2000-2003
KT & Associates
http://www.ktamarketing.com
I received an email from a prospective client the other day. It was disturbing. The message stated, "...my customers aren't buying and I don't know what they want anyway. I'm adding new product lines all the time but nothing seems to work." I could feel her frustration.
In my reply to her, I asked a few questions. "Did you do any research prior to opening your business?" "Have you done any sense?" "If so, did you ask your prospective clients what they wanted?" Most business owners would love to get inside the minds of their clients but think it costs a lot of money to hire a professional research firm. They're right... it does! But who said you had to use one of those firms? You can easily conduct your own research and use that information to make more sales.
Without doing any research, you are left guessing. What's more, you will most likely spend more money in the long run from making poor business choices than you would if you conducted your own research and were then able to offer your customers what they wanted.
Surveys have been around practically since the beginning of business. They are a fast and effective tool for gathering information that can help you improve your company in a number of areas. If done right, surveys can give you exceptional insight into what your customers want, where your business is falling short, and how you can turn things around in order to bring new customers in and keep current customers buying.
Let's look at a few "rules" for conducting a simple survey in order to get the response you need at a price you can afford.
MAKE IT WORTH THEIR WHILE
With everyone screaming for your attention these days, many people simply don't have time to answer every survey they receive. In order to gain the attention of those whose input you need, you'll have to provide some sort of incentive. In a survey I conducted about a year ago, I simply asked for the help of those I contacted, explaining what I was doing and what the information I collected would be used for. The response was "usual"... about 1%. However, in a recent survey I conducted, I offered the opportunity for participants to enter a drawing for $100 cash. The response rate significantly jumped. I received an 8% response to this survey!
Small businesses might balk at a $100 prize, but consider this... that $100 provided me with a way to gain the information I needed in order to increase my advertising sales and to offer new products and services that I KNEW would be purchased. Considering the return on investment, $100 in prize money was an excellent investment!
BE HONEST
No one likes to feel they are being taken advantage of. And with so many people seeking to gain personal information these days, most consumers are reluctant to offer it. When you tell your survey participants what you will do with the information and why you need it, many will be glad to cooperate.
In the case of my most recent survey, I honestly told the participants that I needed their input to improve the quality and content of the newsletter I provide for them. I also told them I needed their expertise on product offerings I was considering. All true. A good percentage of them were accommodating.
KEEP IT ANONYMOUS
People are always more likely to provide personal information when they don't have to disclose their identity. With this past survey, I set up an online poll where the entrants could fill out the form and then click to a separate link in order to enter the contest. This way they knew there was no way I could make a connection between who entered the contest and what their specific answers were.
By offering protection of their identity, my survey participants became more willing to give information they would not have if I required them to provide their name, address, phone or email.
MAKE IT EASY
Most people are rushing around at such a fast pace that they simply don't have a lot of time to complete research requests. That's why it is vital that your survey be easy to answer.
I almost always select a multiple-choice format. The participant can simply check off the boxes that apply and be done in a flash.
If your customers have Internet access, you might be wise to select an online poll for them to use. One of my favorites, because of its ease of set-up, is Bravenet (http://www.bravenet.net)
. They provide a huge selection of resources for Webmasters including their Vote Caster feature for surveys and polls. And... they are completely FREE.
If your customers are more easily reached via mail, be sure to provide a self-addressed, postage paid envelope for the return of the survey.
The easier you make it for customers to participate, the more response you will receive.
When worked in combination with each other, this formula makes for a simple but effective plan to collect the information you need. With it, you can improve your product or service offerings, increase your level of customer service, alter your policies to be more customer-friendly and develop a business environment where you can make more sales!
Most buying decisions are emotional. Your ad copy should be, too! Karon is Owner and President of KT & Associates who offers targeted copywriting, copy editing & article writing services. Subscribe to KT & Associates' Ezine "Business Essentials" at
http://www.ktamarketing.com/ezine.html
visit her site at http://www.ktamarketing.com
or learn to write your own powerful copy at http://www.copywritingcourse.com.
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WEAVE WELL: Writing Tips For The Web..PROVIDING AND PROVIDED
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By Virginia Rounding
Another little gem of English usage this week: a frequent mistake concerns the use of 'providing' and 'provided'.
It is NOT correct to say, for instance: 'You can make a living online, providing you follow the right instructions'. What you should have said is: 'You can make a living online, provided you follow the right instructions.'
'Providing' refers to 'something which provides', whereas you could substitute for 'provided' another phrase like 'as long as'.
So you could say something like: 'The sofa has comfy cushions, providing me with a nice place to lie on', but 'The sofa is a nice place to lie on, provided it doesn't collapse.'
Or, more apposite for our purposes perhaps: 'Here is a special offer, providing you with a chance to earn commission', but 'This is a special offer for you, provided you accept it before midnight tonight.' You could even use them both in one sentence, and really impress people with your command of the English language: 'This is a special offer, providing you with a chance to earn commission, provided you accept it before midnight tonight.'
Virginia Rounding
http://www.virginiarounding.com
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TURN YOUR "VISITORS" INTO RETURNING CUSTOMERS
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By Diane Thomas
When designing your website always keep in mind the most critical aspect - your customer. Without him/her you're just floating around aimlessly in cyberspace.
As you probably already know it usually takes several visits
before a prospective customer actually makes a purchase. How do
you keep them coming back and how do you convince them to
purchase? By design!
Your website should reflect your prospective customer's wants and needs; and their time at your site should be quality time. This is not as difficult as it sounds. The first step is to provide quality content, the second is to make life easy for your customers.
*Make your website fast loading. It's just too easy to click away rather than waiting for pages to download - don't give them the opportunity. Keeping graphics to a minimum and using light background colors will help.
*Make navigation clear and accessible. Confusion does not bring
visitors back. If your navigation isn't clear or easy to find,
they will ...Click! To avoid this problem provide a main
navigation bar with 8 or less categories. You can sub-navigate
within these using drop-down lists, or set up sub-navigation bars on your category pages.
*Make your pages easy to read. If visitors have to squint to read because text is too small or too light, or the color combination (text on background) is too bright...Click!
*Make your site clean and uncluttered. People lose interest when a page is so packed full it becomes confusing and overwhelming. You don't have to put "everything" on your home page. Provide an overview of what you are offering and what your targeted customers are interested in. Peak their interest so they will want to click thru to other pages. In addition, set up a column or box listing links of interest, new items, etc.
*Write clearly, concisely and to the point using short, direct
sentences. Your text should be active, not passive (for instance: "Go directly to jail do not pass go"; rather than "you should not pass go before going to jail").
*Make it easy to place an order or make a contact. Place links to your order form and contact information on every page (with
telephone numbers, please). Make it easy for your customer to
buy from you or inquire about your products.
If you make life easy for your customers, they will reward you - and keep coming back!
Diane Thomas is the editor and owner of eBook Crossroads
http://www.ebookcrossroads.com
specializing in resources for
writers, publishers and readers of eBooks and Audio Books.
Sign up for the free "Insider" Newsletter
http://www.ebookcrossroads.com/newsletter.html
You can contact Diane at mailto:dmt@ebookcrossroads.com
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EZINES ON PARADE
Check out these quality ezines....
Just tell them Donesia sent you...
_______________________________________________________________
Interactive Marketing Ezine: Discover webmaster resources &
advertising strategies that are "Essential" for generating
Online Success. Free ads & affordable programs for
advertising to Multiple 100,000s! Target Your Ad to
"Responsive" Ezine Readers!
http://www.vectorcentral.com/subscribe-ezine.html
YUM E! is a weekly ezine created by a work-at-home mom that includes recipes, family articles and helpful hints. As the host is a Watkins Associate, the Watkins monthly specials are in each issue. However, one need not be a Watkins customer to benefit from this ezine.
TO SUBSCRIBE: send an email with SUBSCRIBE as the subject to : Watkins@evenlink.com
Better Knowledge for Business is Here!
Place a Fr^ee Ad! Get a Complimentary
copy of the newsletter (one time).
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Publishers encouraged to place ads!
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HITTING YOUR MARK - STRAIGHT TALK FOR YOUR SUCCESS
A free eZine filled with straight talk for your success. Each issue contains informative articles, free down-load of the month, access to the subscribers' resource
area, and a review of a product, tool, or service. New subscriber bonus.
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A PENNY SAVED...IS A PENNY EARNED! is a free weekly
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Learn to turn your hard-earned pennies into $dollars$
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Want to improve your internet marketing skills? Internet
Business Builder Gazette is a no cost, no nonsense
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Monday and Friday you'll get meaningful articles from
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Wednesday we focus on Web Site building. A freebie in every
issue! This is a "Must Read" publication. Send a blank
email to mailto:subscribe@internetbusinessbuilder.net
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