Best LeadGenerationTactics.Com

A well-laid out website with great sales copy is great. If you are the owner or webmasters of such a site, traffic just makes things better and better. If you have to choose between the two, which would you go with – great eye candy or a website that’s over run by visitors? Of course, you’d take the latter, lots of visitors jamming your site. Well, now you can do that and here’s how you can divert massive traffic to your website.

Whee, it’s free!

Now, if you are selling a product, say coconut oil used in cook, and you want to give away a freebie that will give customers incentive to sign up for your email list. If your e-book or report talks about the best dishes to make with coconut oil, it will be well received on a site about coconut oil. The point of this example is this – freebies attract people, visitors who will arrive at your website because the freebie strikes a chord or fills a need. Along with the freebie, they will join your list to get it and then you can sell to them again in the future and stay in touch with them now.

Gee! It’s not free!

Relax! We’re talking about PPC (Pay per Click) advertisements that you can release by budgeting a small amount, say $100 or so. PPC ads on search engines can really draw traffic if they are cleverly written. Search engines will ask you to bid on keywords and pay a deposit. Research keywords first, pay the deposit, get a killer ad developed, release it and then watch the fun! By the way, if you’re offering a service, go with Google; if it’s a product then try Yahoo Overture first.

Getting Going With Link Building

You build links when: (i) someone likes your website so much that he plants your link on his own website; (ii) you pay a web design firm for placing links on other reputed websites, and (iii) when you exchange links with other reputed websites. Note the use of the word “reputed” above – if you build links with scamsters or link farms, your website will receive a negative rating by search engines. Always, build links with reputed websites and avoid exchanging links with your competitors.

Article submission

Write articles (only professional level, mind you!) on subject relevant to your website’s content and hand them around to reprint directories (such as e-zine.com). At the end of each article, add a resource box that focuses on your website and carries its link. Other website owners who need content come looking to get some articles from reprint directories; if they like your article, they will publish it along with that resource box carrying your link. Result: your backlinks will increase and your visibility will increase manifold!

Affiliate marketing

Sign up with an affiliate network such as CJ.com or Linkshare.com and invite affiliate publishers to host your product/service on their website for a commission. If they do, your visibility will increase along with your sales – this works especially if you have a low-cost, fast-moving product that needs more publicity.

Running a Contest or Sweepstakes

Use the services of websites such as Feedback and Response-O-Matic to plant forms on your website. Now, ask users to fill in these forms to qualify for a prize. This way you will collect a massive database that you can use for email marketing.

The Power of Viral Marketing

Register with social networking websites and plug in fun and engaging content that will draw the members to your own website. Your traffic will receive a super boost using viral marketing.

These methods will generate a lot of continuous traffic. While online advertising is always available, consider using some offline advertising techniques as well. You can give away freebies off line as well as on including stickers, business cards with a calendar on the back and more. No matter what you decide, do it with style.

Learn tips for marketing an online business, or how to start a home based internet business. Visit the website marketing tips blog at http://www.nitromarketing.com/blog

- Kale McClelland

Popularity: 4% [?]

Some people equate a press release to a bland announcement, some people think it is a communication meant to hype up things, some consider it as a mere formality – well, who says some people can’t be wrong all the time! A press release can boost traffic, create quality backlinks, generate customers and even engineer tie-ups – provided it is done the right way, and here’s how it should be done:

Essentials of a press release

1. Always remember that a press release is not a sales letter. It is, however, an announcement about the introduction of a new product or service. If you don’t have a new product or service, you might want to hold up writing a press release.

2. A good press release doles out valuable information about a product, service, offer or organization. There should be no hype in a press release.

3. The headline is the hook of a press release. Without a good headline, a press release can have great content and be overlooked. There must be an element of drama created in the first paragraph that will cause the person reading to want to read the second paragraph. It must include the what, why, when, where and who in the first paragraph of the press release.

4. Content in a press release must always be newsworthy. It may be picked up the national media services and become part of a bigger story, so you need to write it like it is going to a large newspaper.

5. The press release must be interesting to read. While it is true that you’d like to glorify your product, it is also true that the reader wants to feast his eyes on worthy content – so, always think like a reader when you draft your press release.

6. Avoid all cliched statements.

7. Avoid stale headlines such as “New Website Offers 10% Off”; instead work around the forte and USP of your product/service and hammer that message in.

8. Add testimonials where possible. A press release is factual about a product or service, and with back up, it increases in credibility.

9. Press releases are known for being factual, devoid of fluff and without any exaggeration. Keep the adjectives to a minimum when writing and state facts.

10. Use dynamic, peppy language, but don’t use slang. The press release must be written in an active voice.

11. Keep your press release clear and concise. Use the KISS* method when crafting your piece. (*Keep It Simple & Savvy).

12. Avoid overusing uppercase letters and follow basic rules of grammar.

13. When writing your press release, keep in mind that you will need to summarize it. All PR websites publish press releases in total, but for their listings use your summary. Be very clear in the summary and push benefits for reading further.

14. Develop a strong resource box that talks about you or your website and carries a link back to it.

These were some guidelines for writing a good press release. Follow them, and you’ll come up with a cracker that will get you hits, publicity and therefore more sales. Good luck!

Learn tips for marketing an online business, or how to start a home based internet business. Visit the website marketing tips blog at http://www.nitromarketing.com/blog

- Kale McClelland

Popularity: 4% [?]

One thing you may run across, in fact inevitably you will, is making a mistake. We all do from time to time. You may find yourself thinking that a larger business never would have made this mistake. While certainly possible, and there are things at which a larger company is simply better at, and there are difficulties you’ll face that a larger business owner would not encounter, you do have some advantages over those companies. As a smaller operation, you can recover from a mistake much quicker, meaning you have a much better chance of retaining your customers. Keep reading – we’ve laid out a few vital steps to recovering from a mistake.

1. Own up!

Nothing looks worse or more unprofessional than trying to cover up a mistake, unless its doing so badly. If you have made a mistake and a customer is involved, before they find out about it, let them know. Let them know what has happened, and if they are curious, let them know why it happened. You’ll find that the sooner that you tell them, the more understanding that they will be. This is significantly better than trying to hide it from them and having it come out later down the line.

2. Fix it

This goes without saying. While many larger businesses will simply give the client their money back and move on, this is not something that you have the luxury of doing. Your clients are important, and you’ll find that you can go a long way by treating them like it. Find a way to deliver what you promised, or at least something close to it. Speak with them personally, whether it is on an instant messenger service or on the phone.

3. Give them options

When something goes wrong, a client can feel very helpless when things are taken out of their hands. One way that you can help them feel a little bit better is by offering them a little bit of agency. Ask them about timeframes and what they want and what you can deliver. Ask them about their preferences and make sure that you incorporate this into your solution. You’ll find that the more in control they feel, the better disposed they will be to you.

4. Go above and beyond

Acknowledge that the problem has cost your customer, either in money or time. Offer a gift or a coupon for their next purchase after the problem has been remedied. It is important to leave your customer with a good impression of you, even if they have had a problem with your product or service. Handling these situations properly can even enhance your reputation for customer service.

As you can see, there are many things you can do after you made a mistake. Take advantage of the personalization that is available when you are a small business and think of this as an opportunity to show your customer how versatile and valuable your service can be.

68% of people will quit doing business with companies that have poor customer service! Discover how to give great customer service – learn the keys to good customer service at http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Give-Great-Customer-Service

- Kale McClelland

Popularity: 5% [?]

If Web 1.0 was all about chatrooms, tacky banner exchanges and cute emoticons, Web 2.0 is all about social networking, interactivity and user-generated content. So which sites are the icons of Web 2.0? Well, social networking websites (FaceBook, MySpace, Bebo, etc.), social bookmarking sites (Digg, Del.icio.us, etc.) and, of course, the grand daddy of user-provided information, Wikipedia, are a few examples of the new icons of the Web 2.0 universe.

Savvy Internet marketers look at the new social interactivity as a dynamo of solid traffic. Using a 2.0 platform guarantees interactivity, community and a stream of visitors looking to buzz backlink and comment on what’s going on in the Web 2.0 universe. Through word-of-mouth, email and traditional publicity, people are flocking to sites that perpetuate the feeling that they are important. While all this traffic is terrific, getting the snowball rolling can prove a bit daunting at first.

Is it as easy as it seems?

Well, in actuality, the answer is a resounding NO! Web 2.0 marketing requires time, effort and commitment that previous web tactics barely touched. There has to be a lot of time for learning, implementing and tweaking what will hopefully turn into a successful campaign.

1. First, your website will need to look chic and have quality content that informs and entertains. It must build a feeling of credibility in the person reporting, and it must be easy to read.

2. People hang around social networking websites to kill time, not to buy stuff. So, if you have to divert them to your websites you must use killer tools (entertaining videos, games, audios, commentary, etc.) that will hook them up instantly. You cannot hoist a sales pitch on a Web 2.0 site! You have to be innovative and plant some cool entertaining content if you want to attract them to your website.

3. You shouldn’t approach your Web 2.0 marketing campaign in a half-hearted manner. If you have decided to go the whole hog, then you must put in a whole lot of time and effort to plug in informative-cum-entertaining content, and finally you can leave a small link in your signature that links to your website.

4. Web 2.0 websites are designed for you to interact with people. It is not there for you to sell. You must be expert, able to answer questions and put up posts that both entertain and inform. You are building rapport, not making sales. Any other thought will stop you dead in the water.

5. You shouldn’t expect Web 2.0 marketing to draw traffic automatically to your site the way pay per click campaigns operate. It doesn’t work like that as you are not paying for people to read your stuff.

6. You don’t want to start Web 2.0 marketing when your site is just starting or if the site is mediocre and sales are just average. Web 2.0 marketing techniques are good for established, working sites. Marketing this way needs to happen when you have a decent amount of content to offer arriving visitors.

These were the fundamental principles of Web 2.0 marketing. Go for it!

Marketing on the internet is not as difficult as you may think. Find legitimate ways to make money online, or how to increase website traffic at http://www.nitromarketing.com/blog

- Kale McClelland

Popularity: 4% [?]

As a small business, you are always looking for ways to set yourself apart from the larger players in your industry. The good news is that smaller businesses have the flexibility to do things their larger competitors could never accomplish. If you can play to your strengths, you stand to gain a loyal and growing customer base. Keep reading for some tips on how to maximize your potential as a small business.

1.See your customers as individuals Just like you and your company, your customers are individuals, and for a small business, there is absolutely no profit in treating them as part of a massive herd. Chances are, you don’t even have a massive herd of customers yet! Greet your customers by name and make sure that they know how important they are to you. Remember their preferences; keep notes if necessary. Remember that the more you remember them, the more they’ll remember you!

2.Follow up. Customers are allowed to drop the ball, but as the business person in question, you are not allowed to! If they said that they’d call but didn’t, give them a ring if you have their number. Even sending a gentle e-mail reminder will be a great deal better than simply letting a deal fall away. Chances are, they are simply busy and forgot, but it is in your best interests to remind them that you and your services exist.

3.Discounts You don’t need to get drastic with discounts and get to the point where you cut into your bottom line, yet you should figure out what is in demand among your customers and find a way to get it to them at a favorable price. The items you sell the most of are your best bets for this; you will likely make up the difference in volume, and your customers will appreciate and remember you for it. Consider keeping a preferred customer list for the purpose of discounts.

4.Admit your mistakes One thing that many larger companies refuse to do is admit when they have been wrong or have made a mistake. If you have been wrong or made a mistake, own up to it at once, even if the customer doesn’t know it yet. If he or she finds out about it on their own, you’ll find that it looks much worse; it’ll look like you’re trying to hide something, and even if you have not been, it’ll cement a picture in their mind of you as being dishonest and untrustworthy.

5.Don’t be afraid to answer the phone As a business owner, it creates confidence in your customers by being available to take their calls rather than pass it off to an employee. It shows them that they are valued enough to be put right through to the person in charge. If they have concerns, address them and do whatever possible to remedy the situation. This will create you great word of mouth recommendations and build customer loyalty.

Did you know that 68% of people will quit doing business with companies that have poor customer service? Learn the keys to good customer service – get effective customer service tips at http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Give-Great-Customer-Service

- Kale McClelland

Popularity: 5% [?]

Many people dream of starting a home based business – today, there is nothing stopping you but you. Anyone with a web connection, a plan, and the drive and talent to follow it through can be a successful entrepreneur.

The hardest part is getting started. Here, in condensed form, are the things you need to do to get things moving.

1. Write a business plan. Every business needs a plan, but because internet businesses are often not anchored by real-life objects like stores, it’s especially important when starting online home based businesses. Your business plan needs to include market research, an assessment of other businesses that do things similar to what you’re offering, an outline of who your anticipated customers are, and your financial goals.

It is essential that your business plan includes a clear set of actions to generate steady traffic. This is a special, yet essential part of online business success.

2. Build your online storefront. This is more involved than just a web page. This storefront should have: a. your business home page – about you, what you sell, a portal to what you’re selling, and all the other stuff you would normally put on a business home page. b. something to keep your customers at your site: a squeeze page, a fun survey, games, free downloads, great pictures, consumer reviews, an online community – you get the idea. You need to offer your customers goodies for their time. You will be rewarded with their trust and patronage. c. Forums will allow customers to interact with you and each other. They can ask questions, get answers and state opinions. You can offer them a discount coupon, offer a free report in exchange for signing up for your mailing list. You’ll want some kind of feedback mechanism so that you can get to know your customers.

3. Write a sales plan. A sales plan can be very complex, taking into account every step to success or simple like an online sales letter outlining what you sell. Most people when starting go with the simpler sales page; however, which ever you decide, you need to get the piece right, so make sure you do some research before you start building.

4. Test you system. Ask for feedback about what’s good and what’s not on your sales page. Look at it critically yourself. The biggest sales stopper for new online businesses is sales copy with problem. It could be as simple as the copy is boring. It doesn’t grab the reader or give them an incentive to read past the headline. Have your friends and relatives read and test the sales copy, then tweak it and have them do it again. After you think it’s the best it can be and you have a stable system, test it from time to time and every time you make a change just to make sure it continues to work.

5. Build profits. Once your business is online and working, build your product line, focusing on back-end products (the ones you don’t show on the front page) and selling your current customers more of your proven products. This is where your business really grows. You can’t count on new customers continuing to flow in, but you can count on the old ones who love what you offer to keep coming back. That’s why you gathered data about them, gave them free stuff, and maybe even built a community for them to play in.

6. Revisit these steps periodically. The web is a changing, evolving entity. It is different from day to day and hard to keep up with. You will need to keep up with progress while tweaking your own goals to stay on top of you niche market.

This sounds like a lot of work, but look at it this way: you won’t be buying suits, commuting to work, or going to lunch with people you only tolerate. No more business meetings! No more voice mail! And no more answering to the boss who knows less than you! In the end, it’s all worth it.

Learn tips for marketing an online business, or how to start a home based internet business. Visit the website marketing tips blog at http://www.nitromarketing.com/blog

- Kale McClelland

Popularity: 5% [?]