Posted by admin on June 14th, 2008 — Posted in Marketing Management
If somebody tells you that your present corporate website can be converted to a B2B portal which will help you significantly improve your company’s productivity in both of the two primary factors: Revenue Growth and Cost Saving, and that the portal can be launched in a matter of months with a very reasonable investment, what will be your reaction? Read on to learn how corporations all over the world are missing an opportunity, which can revolutionize the way they manage their businesses.
What is a B2B portal?
A portal is defined as an access point to World Wide Web. A portal is a combination of web pages, features and services which become a primary destination for users. The word was first used to describe the sites of popular Internet access providers or search engines such as AOL, MSN and Yahoo! At a later stage, the word “portal” evolved into something bigger covering business websites, where a corporate portal or enterprise information portal acts as a base for employees, customers, suppliers and other associates of a company to access corporate information and web services. A B2B portal is a distinct kind of website with features to conduct electronic business and manage significant parts of corporate business processes.
Benefits of having a B2B portal
Today, B2B portals are not just a fancy idea! They are an absolute necessity for all enterprises of any type and size. The advantages of having a quality B2B portal are massive. Implementation of a true high quality B2B portal could have immediate impact on company productivity.
Revenue Growth
Revenue Increase from Existing Clients
Existing clients get faster and easier access to product information, quicker response to their requests, get better customer support and are able to buy products online.
Revenue Increase from Value Added Services
Once a B2B portal is set as the primary sales channel, spared resources can be used to create more value added services for clients. Some of the services that the portal may offer also could be utilized to generate more value.
Cost Savings
Order Processing Cost
If the B2B portal integrates supply chain management solution, it will reduce the cost of processing orders drastically. Studies show that similar solution can reduce cost of processing a purchase order from US$ 70 down in average to US$ 6 only.
Sales and support costs
Automated sales and customer support features integrated in the solution is capable of reducing overhead costs up to 30 percent.
Inventory keeping costs
Clearer visibility and forecasting ability thanks to various features of the B2B portal may help companies considerably reduce inventory keeping costs.
Other key benefits include:
Low customer acquisition cost
Effective portal branding on the Internet will help to attract customers from new sources. The cost of acquiring customers through online channels is always cheaper than other traditional methods.
Improve customer service
Ability to have constant interaction with customers through the B2B portal helps companies serve customers better. The B2B portal solution allows tracking the whole ordering process from payment to delivery and brings greater efficiency in customer service.
Reduce sourcing time cycle
The customers can select products from the integrated marketplace of the B2B portal and either sends purchase orders or directly buy products using the shopping cart. Buyers handle all their procurement related correspondence from a consolidated working page, which helps them react instantly and reduce time in document processing.
Community participation
Company buyers and sellers can create communities surrounding the B2B portal’s discussion board. This helps getting valuable feedbacks on time, building new partnerships using the networking ability of a community, and disseminating important information to members easily.
Real time access to current product information
Current information of a product is vital for an accurate buying decision. Updating product content and other information using customized forms as it is necessary, the company can help buyers and other associates to take critical decision promptly.
Control rogue spending
Consolidated and automated procurement and approval method stops maverick buying in a company.
Main components of a B2B portal
Supply Chain Management
Supply chain management solutions can deliver great values to company’s existing systems. Implementation of these solutions will help achieving incredibly high return on investment and will have tremendous impact on company’s business, which include: better productivity, faster order processing, greater visibility, the elimination of maverick or unplanned purchasing, etc.
Marketplace
This is the venue where the enterprises can post their products for sale. A sophisticated shopping cart will be integrated into the electronic marketplace in order to automate the buying process.
Auction
Electronic auction system can use both English and Dutch auction methods. For convenience the auction component can be integrated into the electronic marketplace.
Online auction helps liquidate surplus goods easily.
Reverse Auction
This solution allows the company to automate electronic procurement, where suppliers compete for business real time online.
Storefront for Participants
Each associate of the B2B portal will get a Storefront that may reflect profile of the company, its products, services or other information.
Forum
A Forum or a Discussion Board is an organized, on-line interactive message board where participants conduct discussion on a set of topics by posting questions, comments and responses.
Internal Messaging System
Elaborate Messaging System allows a participant of the B2B portal send and receive messages from other participants and the company. Since the messages do not leave a secured server, participants would not be worried about sending sensitive information over the Internet.
Classified
Catalog based bulletin board allows company associates to post important notices in various predefined formats.
Directory of Companies
This is a listing of all registered associates of the B2B portal either by business category or by alphabetical order. An advanced search engine tool is incorporated in order to find a company based on data provided.
E-catalog
E-catalog a hierarchy of product and service categories based on UNSPCS, a global products and services classification method that covers the broadest collection of industries and commodities available today, and designed to facilitate e-commerce transactions by providing geography-independent common nomenclature system.
Product Content Adding System
Product adding mechanism based on either easy-to-use wizard or simple but detail forms allows users to integrate products or services with accurate and up-to-date information.
Product Notification
The system can generate an alert and send by email to a user, who requested to inform once a particular product or service gets added to the E-catalog.
Numerous other features could be incorporated to an existing B2B portal depending on requirement, such as: News Aggregation using RSS feed, Contact Management, Electronic Journal, Press Room, Document Repository, etc.
Time needed to set up
Using ready made B2B Portal components from a provider like Rusbiz.com a medium size portal can be built or integrated to existing website within three to four months.
By developing a B2B portal ahead of your major competitors you can give your business a significant boost and make your company stand out from the crowd.
Nowshade Kabir is CEO of Rusbiz.com, a global B2B portal for small and midsize companies. Our distinctive web stores along with many outstanding features like e-marketplace, e-catalog, supply chain management solutions, and trade leads section will allow you to build robust Internet presence and manage key business processes online. Rusbiz also develops Corporate B2B portals.
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Posted by admin on June 14th, 2008 — Posted in Marketing Management
Before the Internet era, network marketing used to be the only “home-based business” and the only way to earn some additional income along with working a regular job and working overtime.
The marketing techniques typically taught in the industry consisted of introducing the products to family and friends–the classic way was to invite friends, family, and any acquaintances to hotel meetings, where they heard a presentation about the products and/or the business. After exhausting what was called your “warm market,” you then had to go to your chamber of commerce, your church, networking clubs, malls, and other public places in order to meet new people to whom you could present the business and the products.
Unfortunately, many network marketing companies are still using these lead generation techniques in the present day. Some recommend using what are called “drop cards” and flyers. The network marketer’s daily method of operation consists of leaving these flyers and drop cards in as many public places as possible, from restaurants to phone booths, in grocery shops and around ATM machines.
Rather than working from home, these techniques leave network marketers on the road most of the time, and network marketing, in this case, is not really what one would call a home-based business.
Currently, the Internet allows lead generation via Internet marketing. Internet marketing lead generation may be completely free or low cost. Leads generated through the internet are highly targeted.
Flyers and drop cards are replaced by simple signature lines in emails, discussion groups and forums. Visits to grocery shops are replaced by visits to forums. Expensive non targeted newspapers advertisements are replaced by cheaper highly targeted newsletter and pay per click advertising.
The current technology of phone bridges allows marketers to conduct presentations that connect prospects from all over the country, or even from all over the world. Expensive time consuming hotel meetings are replaced by a joining a phone conference call from the comfort of your home.
Network marketing is truly becoming a home-based business.
If your purpose in looking for a home-based business is to have the chance to spend some quality time with your family, and if you are planning to work part-time in the business, when evaluating a company, you may want to check about their marketing plan. Before checking compensation plans, products, or policies and procedures, it is recommended that you check the quality of the company’s training program; this should be done before joining, not afterwards. You will have to make sure that the network marketing company you are considering will teach you real marketing techniques and internet marketing for lead generation.
Nabil Khoury, MD is a medical doctor and an entrepreneur. He likes helping people with their health and wealth.
Visit his website to learn how to pick your residual income business opportunity
http://www.residualincomebusinessopportunity.net/
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Posted by admin on June 1st, 2008 — Posted in Marketing Management
I don’t relish being proven wrong. But a while back I sat down to discover who my best clients were. I wanted to increase my revenues. I figured that the best way to do that was to discover who my best clients were and to then go after more firms that were like them.
I had hunches about who my best clients were, but my hunches were proven wrong. So I adjusted my marketing plan accordingly. And doubled my income that year over the previous year.
If you want to increase your revenues and lower your cost of acquiring new customers using direct mail, then I invite you to learn from my mistakes.
Measure your gross sales by client
The first thing I did was look at my books for the previous three years, and break out my income by client. I wanted to know which clients had given me the most business in dollar volume. I had a hunch that my most lucrative clients were businesses that sold their products and services using direct mail, or used direct mail to generate sales leads. I was wrong. The clients who added the most to my bottom line were marketing communications companies who did not have an in-house direct mail copywriter.
Measure your gross sales by region
Another hunch that I had was that my best-paying customers were from outside my city. The majority of my clients are. Yet when I added up the column for revenue by client, I discovered that the two clients who gave me the most money last year were located within a half-hour walk of my office! I was startled.
I had assumed that, because most of my clients were located outside my city and province, then most of my revenue came from those sources. What I did not take into account was the volume of well-paying business that I received from two local clients.
Measure your gross sales by country
Another assumption I had was that at least 75% of my clients were located outside Canada (I am located in Canada). Wrong again! The figure was more like 30%.
Measure gross sales by deliverable
One hunch of mine that was on target was how I earned most of my income. I suspected that the majority of my revenue came from writing direct mail packages for my clients. I was correct. The numbers proved it. In previous years I had written ads, websites, brochures, radio and television commercials, scripts for corporate capabilities presentations, packaging, factsheets, white papers, case studies and slogans. But they did not compare with the volume of business I earned writing direct mail copy.
What I learned
1. Your numbers never lie. The safest way to invest in direct mail lead generation is to study your books to discover where your revenue comes from.
2. Your most frequent buyers are not necessarily your most lucrative. Studying your books, as I did, shows you who buys from you most often and who gives you the most money. If you have products and services that differ widely in price, then your most lucrative clients may actually be the ones who buy least often, but who buy your higher-priced offerings.
3. Sometimes your best customers are closer than you think. Sort your most lucrative customers by zip code or postal code, as I did, and you may be surprised by what you find.
4. You can’t know for sure unless you measure your results. Enough said.
How I profited from what I learned
1. I narrowed my focus to writing direct mail letters only. That’s what my best clients were hiring me to write.
2. I increased my marketing efforts in the United States to increase the portion of my revenue that comes from that huge market.
3. I started giving better customer service to my local clients, stopped taking them for granted, and stopped acting like a hotshot who could afford to lose their business (since I couldn’t, and since no one likes dealing with an arrogant supplier).
4. I narrowed my focus to business-to-business clients only because that’s who my best clients were, and that’s who I liked working with.
5. I prepared a year-long marketing plan for reaching direct marketing firms and marketing communications firms who met the profile of my ideal client (based in Ontario, no in-house copywriter, 15 employees or fewer, business-to-business clients).
Conclusion
The greatest benefit that I gained from analyzing my client base was that I narrowed my focus to a niche market. The result? I doubled my income within 12 months. And started saving money by only promoting my services to a narrow slice of the market. You can, too.
—-
About the author
Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter and lead generation specialist who helps business owners and marketing managers generate leads, close sales and retain customers using business-to-business direct mail marketing. Learn more about his creative direct mail writing services and sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.sharpecopy.com.
© 2005 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the “About the author” message).
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Posted by admin on May 30th, 2008 — Posted in Marketing Management
I’m sure that you’ve had those Eureka! moments, too. When a piece of information suddenly helped you see or understand something that hadn’t been apparent before.
For me, one came when I discovered means-end analysis, a marketing concept that helps us understand why listeners or readers might respond — or not respond — to our messages. It does this by clarifying the relationship between product features and the benefits experienced by consumers.
I also believe it has great potential for developing communication strategies.
But first, let’s review the marketing connection: Consumers know about products in three general ways:
* by the attributes (features) they possess;
* by the consequences of ‘consuming’ those attributes; and
* by the way the consequences help satisfy personal needs.
As the list suggests, these types of knowledge are linked, providing connections among attributes, consequences, and the value-fulfillment benefits we derive from them.
For example, a luxury car offers a number of attributes (features) that make it distinctive. Owning and driving one has some personal consequences, which might include showing others that the owner is affluent and successful. That, in turn, satisfies the owner’s value-driven need to be seen as successful…
Now, let’s look at the same example another way. A low-end car’s attributes might include an inexpensive purchase price and economical operation. One personal consequence of owning a car with these attributes might be to have more money available for saving. And, that could provide value satisfaction by giving the owner a sense of accomplishment as she watches her savings account grow.
In developing a communication strategy, the means-end concept offers a couple of important tools. First, it suggests a way to structure messages. Start with attributes, link those attributes to personal consequences, and then link the consequences to satisfying personal value-needs. Second, it may help us predict the impact of our messages.
For example, say your manufacturing plant is about to buy and install a major piece of machinery, and you want employees to know about it. For the plant newsletter, you write an article, starting with attributes of the new machinery. Now, link those attributes to personal consequences: The new equipment enhances the long-term viability of the plant, which makes employees’ jobs more secure. And, secure jobs satisfy an important value requirement among employees, which is to provide their families with a good standard of living.
But, suppose you finish writing about the attributes, and you can’t get a grip on the personal consequences for employees, or how it will satisfy their value needs. That should help you predict that the message will fall on deaf - perhaps even hostile - ears.
Given that knowledge, you can rethink what you’re doing, what you’re saying, or how you’re saying it.
In summary, by linking features and benefits, we give ourselves an opportunity to understand and construct effective messages, for both marketing and other purposes.
Robert F. Abbott writes and publishes Abbott’s Communication Letter. Learn how you can use communication to help achieve your goals, by reading articles or subscribing to this ad-supported newsletter. An excellent resource for leaders and managers, at: http://www.communication-newsletter.com
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Posted by admin on May 23rd, 2008 — Posted in Marketing Management
Search engine optimization is vital if you want to get your
website listed at the top of the search engine rankings. You
will have to design and write your pages not only for the
customer, but also for the search engine spiders and crawlers.
It does not have to be hard and it does not have to make you
pull your hair out in frustration. By following a few tips on
how to go about writing your pages, you will find success with
your website.
One of the first mistakes that most people make when designing a
website is that they think about the entire website. Do not
concentrate on the entire site. Instead, create your landing
page with only that page in mind. The rest of the design will
come later. Next, narrow down your list of keywords to keyword
phrases. Make sure they are highly targeted keyword phrases. For
example, if you sell motor oil your keyword phrase would be
motor oil and not just oil. Remember that people, when searching
for your website in the search engines, will search for general
phrases, and not just keywords. A good place to get keyword
phrase ideas is
HREF=http://www.overture.com rel="nofollow">http://www.overture.com. There
are many there, so be sure to check it out.
After you have chosen your phrase to use, put it into a search
engine and see what comes up. This is an honest way to check out
your competition and to get a real look at how your keywords
work. You might find that your keywords are highly popular, and
you will need to rework your phrases. Targeting a keyword that
is not highly sought after could lead you to keyword phrases in
niche markets. Fortunes have been built of niche markets in the
Internet community.
Next you’ll want to look at your meta tags. The tags are html
code that lists the different words in relation to your product
on the web page. Search engines look mainly for descriptive tags
that tell the engine and visitor what the website is about. If
there is no tag, it will use other ways to search for
information, like in a cached page of the directories. When
setting up your keyword phrase, include it twice, and make it a
clickable title tag too. You’ll need to describe your
information for your page with the keywords. Be creative in the
description. Search engines like versatility up to a point. One
important aspect that you will need to use is not only your Meta
keyword phrases, but a few sub keywords that are relevant to
your site. Do not overuse keyword phrases because will hurt you
with certain engines - your site will actually be penalized, and
drop in the search engine rankings. Make sure you use a header
tag. Certain search engines use these tags heavily for rating
the value of your site. When writing your page, use your main
keyword phrase or phrases right off the bat. A good inclusion
would be twice in the first paragraph. Any other types of
information about your site should include your keyword-targeted
phrase as well.
Do not think that that is all you will have to do though. You
will have to get others to notice your web site. Continue using
your keyword phrase or phrases in any text on the page. For
instance, if you have a blog set up on your site; use the
keyword phrase in your Meta tag about the web blog. You may have
to submit your web page to the search engines. Sometimes the
engines don’t pick up a site with the spiders and crawlers. In
fact, you might have to redesign your site with new Meta tags,
and targeted keyword phrases and sub keywords. Don’t rush to do
it though. First, find out if the search engines pick up your
page. Usually only 2 - 3 weeks will suffice to see if it’s
happened. If not re-do your site words so you can climb to at
least the first two pages of any search engine.
The key is to remain patient and to follow the ever changing
rules of SEO search engine optimization. It will take time and
developing your confidence about your skills. In the end, you
will be glad that you have learned the valuable technique, and
you will go on to build improved sites that are finely tuned.
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Posted by admin on May 22nd, 2008 — Posted in Marketing Management
Research reveals three important facts:
1) The Internet is one of the most important sources of information.
2) The trustworthiness of the Internet is declining.
3) Customers will come back to your site if they trust it.
In the face of a declining trust in the Internet, there’s definitely value in creating a website which can be trusted by your visitors. But how do you do it? That’s what this article is all about.
But first, the research…
According to a recent major study, “Ten Years, Ten Trends”, conducted by the Center for the Digital Future (http://www.digitalcenter.org), a leading authority on the impact of the Internet, the Internet is still seen as one of the most important sources of information, but people are placing less faith in the reliability of that information.
These findings are supported by earlier research. American Express found that 73% of people use the Internet to gather information, and Lyra Research found that 48% of people use the Internet to find work-related information as opposed to 7% who use magazines. When it comes to reliability of information, A.T. Kearney found that workers take so long trying to find information that it costs organisations $750 billion annually!
But never fear! All is not lost. It is possible to stem the tide - at least as far as your own website is concerned. According to Nielsen NetRatings, helpful website content develops site loyalty. The average person visits no more than 19 websites in the entire month in order to avoid information overload - they tend to rely on the sites that they can trust to help them.
So how do you make yours one of those sites? How do you inspire trust in your visitors?
The answer is simple - make your website copy trustworthy!
Following are 8 steps that’ll put you on the road to a trustworthy website.
STEP 1 - Always include your contact details
Always! This includes an email address, phone numbers, fax numbers, and address. Without these details, you’ll look like a fly-by-night operation.
STEP 2 - Tell us who you are
Dedicate a page of copy to the people who run your company. You don’t need to say much - just provide a little history. Talk about their work history, career highlights, education and qualifications, etc. And it never hurts to include a little personal information as well. Let your readers know who you are.
STEP 3 - Know it & Show it
It’s not enough that you know what you’re talking about. Your readers have to know you know it! This normally means including a little bit of technical information or some other titbit that potential customers will recognise as expertise. (And always check your facts before publishing. If possible, include statistics or some other form of research results.)
STEP 4 - Include samples & testimonials
Of course, if you’re going to talk the talk, you have to be able to walk the walk. Validate your claims by including samples of your previous work (if applicable), and testimonials from some satisfied customers.
STEP 5 - Something for nothing
Nothing inspires trust more than an offer of something for nothing. But you have to make sure that ’something’ is helpful. And make it doubly clear that it really is obligation-free. Nothing undermines credibility faster than the suspicion that there’s a hidden catch.
STEP 6 - Avoid advertorial style web copy
Don’t go on and on, page after page, repeating the same thing using different words. Make your point and make it quickly. Don’t insult your visitors’ intelligence by implying that they’ll believe you if you just say it often enough! If you use advertorial style web copy, you’ll seem more interested in yourself than the business solution you’re offering your client.
STEP 7 - Avoid hard-sell web copy
Once again, don’t insult your visitors’ intelligence. Hard-sell web copy can give the impression that you’re more interested in the sale than the business solution. Sure, create a sense of urgency with your web copy, but don’t overdo it.
STEP 8 - Talk benefits not features
When you talk features, you’re talking about your product or service - you’re talking about you. When you talk benefits, you’re showing that you’re interested in what the customer needs. Talking benefits is one of the best ways to engage your customer. (For more information on writing about benefits, see http://www.divinewrite.com/benefits.htm and http://www.divinewrite.com/webbenefitwriting.htm.)
Websites can be a great way to engage your customers and make sales. But you have to make sure your visitors trust what you say. And that means getting your web copy right.
Of course, it’s not ALL about the website copy. Obviously you also need a website design that inspires trust (see http://www.izilla.com.au, http://www.hothouse.com.au, http://www.mc3.com.au, or http://www.digital-tsunami.com for that).
Happy writing!
* Glenn Murray is a website copywriter, SEO copywriter, and article submission and article PR specialist. He is a director of article PR company Article PR and also of copywriting studio Divine Write. He can be contacted on Sydney +612 4334 6222 or at glenn@divinewrite.com. Visit www.DivineWrite.com or www.ArticlePR.com for further details, more FREE articles, or to download his FREE SEO e-book.
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Posted by admin on May 16th, 2008 — Posted in Consumer Market, Marketing Management, Your Business
Salehoo: Furniture Manufacture Wholesale Midlands Hardwood Uk Leisure
You also get a list of top secret dropshippers. Dropshipping is where you don’t even have to handle stock. You list on eBay or your website, someone buys, you inform the dropshipper of the buyers details and then they send it to the buyer. This is really useful if you don’t have much room to store stock. You also get a step by step guide to selling on eBay. Also if your after electrical goods, check out the Chinese wholesalers Salehoo has. For starters I fail to understand why anyone would want to pay to have access to a list of suppliers? I mean we live in an age where anything can be found with a little research online there are dozens of free directories that will give you the same information as a premium list if not more so why pay for it? Do a bit of ground work and you will be able to find all the information you need.
Entrepreneurs working from home find it to be an apt Online resource to buy products at wholesale prices and then sell them at retail prices thus making a profit which is the real benefit of Salehoo dropshippers. Up to this point we have covered what can be called the basic elementary of buying wholesale products and selling them at the retail level and also the Salehoo Suppliers. It would be a suitable place for retailers to buy products at economical rates and later sell them on eBay or via online retail stores
Salehoo Wholesale Quartz And Silver Jewelry:
There are thousands of wholesale printing companies online today. If you are clearly aware of what you need for your print job, finding the right printing company need not be a problem. As far as the Salehoo information technology is concerned, printing promotional materials are here to stay. From small business to large corporations, all appears to be relying on the skills and efforts of wholesale printing companies for their large quantity printing needs. So, if your business uses ten thousand or more posters or any other advertising material annually, you can start saving time and money by availing of wholesale printing. Ebay powersellers trust Salehoo dropshippers and Salehoo prices.
As I’ve said before Salehoo offer 60% off Auction Xfactor which helps a lot with the knowing how to do it part the other factor to making money is the wholesalers but then that’s what Salehoo’s all about, so try to join the Salehoo forums. One of the biggest concerns many sellers have is the legitimacy of their supplier, which will be the Salehoo customers. See Salehoo Review.
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Posted by admin on May 14th, 2008 — Posted in Marketing Management
The New Digital Highway is KING
Do you remember when coffee was only ten cents a cup and gasoline was only 35 cents a gallon? It wasn’t that long ago. Those early prices reflect a time when the automobile was king of the asphalt highway. That was then, now we are witnessing the growth of the digital highway. Are you prepared for the change in your sales strategies?
Times have changed and coffee costs about $3.50 for a Grande at Starbucks as gasoline has climbed to over $3.00 a gallon. The Digital Highway is becoming the King of the road to profits and we must adapt to new sales strategies. Fortunately you can adopt digital sales strategies and safeguard profits while growing your business. The following sales strategies are designed to slash your sales expense in gasoline and improve sales growth.
Email Sales Strategies
Email must become part of your sales strategy. Although email marketing might not replace face to face selling in all markets, it is growing dynamically through people who purchase online. Using email to communicate your services and broaden you presence in the marketplace is easier to do than making a hundred telephone calls. You cannot ignore the growing group of buyers who make their purchasing decision over the internet. Email is a pro-active sales outreach for new and regular customers. You can begin by capturing prospect and customer email addresses and initiate a consistent sales and marketing program that reaches your target customer base.
Pod Casting Your Sales Message
You can reach thousands with the right sales and marketing message and never leave the office. With the growth of mp3 and iPod, there is a market for selling your services on these devices. There are several services that will teach you how to deliver your message for pennies per day. Virtually the same message you would want to tell one person can be delivered to thousands with Pod casting. Essentially, you will be duplicating yourself over and over again in your presentation of the same message.
Selling on the Digital Highway with Webinars
More and more businesses are using web meetings for virtual sales calls. If you aren’t virtual selling, why not? It takes minutes to establish a connection and you can show your prospect or customer virtually anything. I guess that’s why they refer to it as “Virtual”. You won’t have to spend a dime on gas and you will impress your prospect or customer. When you can show someone how to solve a problem or walk them through a solution on their computer screen in real time, they appreciate your services. The need to be in their office isn’t as important as it once was. The bottom line is that your customers want you to help them solve their problems. Virtual selling can make this happen.
Steve Martinez is the Founder of Selling Magic, teaching businesses how to increase sales by automating ACT and Outlook with the best practices of sales. http://www.sellingmagic.com
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Posted by admin on May 8th, 2008 — Posted in Marketing Management
Here’s 10 GREAT ways of attracting more people to your website and keeping
them interested in what you have to offer.
1. Give people a free subscription to your e-zine.
Almost everyone is publishing a e-zine nowadays
so it’s important to give something extra with the
free subscription. You could offer a free gift or
advertising when people subscribe.
2. Provide your visitors with free content. Your
content will be more attractive to your visitors if
it’s up-to-date or original. You could also offer
people the option to reprint the content in their
e-zine or web site.
3. Offer a free online directory. The directory
could be full of interesting ebooks, e-zines, web
sites etc. If people find your directory to be a
valuable resource they will visit it over and over.
4. Give your visitors a free ebook. You could
also include your own ad in the ebook and allow
other people to give it away. If you don’t want to
take the time to write one, you could ask other
writers permission to use their articles.
5. Hold free online classes or seminars. They
could be held in your web site’s chat room. The
idea of “live” information will definitely entice
people to visit your web site. You will become
known as an expert on the topic.
6. Give visitors a free entry into your contest or
sweepstakes. The prizes should be something of
interest or value to your visitors. Most people
who enter will continually revisit your web site to
get the results.
7. Let visitors download free software. It could
be freeware, shareware, demos etc. You could
even turn part of your site into a free software
directory. If you created the software, include
your ad inside and let other people give it away.
8. Offer free online services or utilities from your
web site. They could be search engine submitting,
copy writing proofreading etc. The service or
utility should be helpful to your target audience.
9. Give free consulting to people who visit your
web site. You could offer your knowledge via
e-mail or by telephone. People will consider this
a huge value because consulting fees can be very
expensive.
10. Give your visitors a free membership to your
online club. People want to belong to something,
why not your online club. You could also give
away a free e-zine for club members only.
About the Author
Author Dan Brown has been active in internet marketing for the past 4 years. Dan currently is working with the Zabang search engine, introducing their new affiliate program which is due out July, 2005. Zabang Affiliate Program
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