Year: 2020

Uncategorized

Internet Marketing And List Building: Use Who You Are

 

List building is definitely the foundation of successful Internet marketing. Do you know one of the best ways to be list building?

Writing and submitting articles.

Articles can create some interest for your website or your service because you have an air of expertise when you’re the author of several articles with great information in the online directories. You’ll have credibility in your niche, and people will trust you and become interested in you and your business. Just be sure that your article leaves people wanting more.

Do you watch television? Try the show “Lost” sometime. I don’t actually watch much TV, but I do watch “Lost” at . Watch the first show there, and just try not to watch the second. It won’t happen. The show is interesting and entertaining and it always leaves you wanting to know what’s going to happen next.

Every good TV show works that way. The best ones are good at keeping us in suspense, and isn’t that a lot like Internet marketing? We need to keep people guessing so that people are drawn to follow us. Create that feeling with your articles. Leave your audience with questions, and set up a whole bunch of list building pages, if you have to, and answer each question on a new page. You can do that.

You have to gauge whether you’re list building through your articles. Credibility, bonding with an audience, or branding doesn’t make much difference, if you aren’t getting hits to your list building page. That’s just not good Internet marketing. Articles need to bring traffic to your website and help you with list building. Does that make sense?

What if you’re Irish or German or whatever nationality? Why not tie your online business into that nationality? Create a connection to an audience. You might be a retired airline pilot, a nurse, whatever. Decide what’s special about yourself and the way you do things.

My name is Tellman Knudson and because I’m obviously Scandinavian, I get lots of Scandinavian people signing up for my list. It’s great! But I never marketed specifically to Scandinavian people, but what would happen if I did? I’d probably be very successful in that community. Use the things that are special about yourself, create some drama in your articles, and you’ll find yourself list building and becoming very successful with Internet marketing, to boot.

Uncategorized

Landing Pages: What Direct Mail Can Teach Us – Part 2

 

Last week we discussed how landing pages are the online version of direct mail response forms, and how we can apply what we’ve learned from direct mail theory to our online marketing strategies. This week I’ll elaborate more on the relationship in terms of practical application. Let’s get right to it!

Landing pages engage and motivate people to take action.

Involvement techniques are used in direct mail to encourage the customer to take some action. It is this action that brings the customer into the buying process. The advantage of the internet versus direct mail is that people are already actively involved, for example, they consciously decide to click on your call-to-action link. While there may not be any stickers to peel and stick, a few other ways to engage and motivate people within the content of the online landing page are:
?Personalize it using the customer?s name and a targeted offer based on their profile (i.e. carried over from the email marketing message)
?Emphasize deadlines or expiry dates to imply urgency
?Include a P.S. at the bottom to restate the offer, remind people about the main benefit or “Fremium” (upfront gift): i.e. “P.S. Register for this Webinar and receive the FREE white paper now, plus a link to the recording after the event!”
?Use a Web form with an opt-in checkbox to receive future communications (i.e. newsletter)

Landing page forms are more sophisticated and measureable.

What makes a Web form even more sophisticated than a direct marketing response form is the ability to implement different types of form fields (i.e. radio buttons, select boxes, text boxes/areas, checkboxes, etc.). Drop-down menus allow you to limit the number of choices people have, and helps you segment them according to their interests. Including an unlimited text area also gives people the opportunity to tell you exactly what they need or provide feedback, which can often boost response.
Another advantage of the Web form over traditional response mechanisms is that you have the ability to modify the form and landing page content on the fly when offers or prices change, to fix spelling mistakes, or even just for testing purposes. No need to spend thousands of dollars on reprinting or re-mailing.
Last but not least, Web forms are easy to track and measure with the right Web analytics tool. Analysis of results is instantaneous, providing further insight into the needs and behavior of your visitors which can guide future, targeted communication with them. (more information: “Understanding Your Audience”, chapter 3, Landing Page Optimization: The Definitive Guide to Testing and Tuning for Conversions by Tim Ash)

Landing pages make conversion easy for people.

And it is our job as marketers to make it easy. That means:
?Restate the offer: place the strongest reason for conversion at the top of the page above the fold. You may even use the same headline as the email, search ad or PPC banner ad to remind people why they?re here.

?Get to the point: use simple, concise copy that is focused on the offer and what?s in it for the reader. Well-organized, clear content with sub-headings and a bulleted list of real benefits. Don?t waste people?s time.

?Relate back to the ad: coordinate both the design and content of the landing page with the original email, search keyword, or banner ad to maintain consistency and relevance.

?Streamline the process: be clear about what readers have to do, and don?t distract them from that task with navigation or links that take them away from the landing page.

?Give the form a title: tell people exactly what it is, and suggest benefits in the title (i.e. Download this FREE White Paper!), or reiterate the sales message or CTA.

?Keep the form simple: the Web form should be short and easy to fill out. Only collect essential data, you don?t want to scare people away by asking too many personal questions. Multi-step forms are more complicated which may also increase the risk of losing people – use numbered steps with clear instructions to help people complete it successfully.

?Reinforce trust: include a link to your privacy policy; restate return and guarantee policies (B2C); provide company contact information in the footer (i.e. mailing address, fax number, toll free number, Web site address); use customer testimonials.

So there you have it, landing pages demystified. There?s no need for marketers to feel like they?re running to keep up with online marketing technology. Almost everything we need to know about landing pages we have already learned from many years of direct mail experience. The traditional direct marketing concepts still apply; it?s just a different medium that happens to be broader reaching, more flexible and measurable, and less costly. And who wouldn?t want to be a part of that?

Uncategorized

Forward Thinkers Stay Ahead Of The Curve

 

What is it like from a marketing perspective to be yesterday’s news? We rely on what is tried and true in marketing because it is usually safe, tried, and tested. It saves us time, as well, since we don’t have to put on our creativity cap to craft an innovative strategy.

But, there’s a certain attractive quality around someone who markets his or her business on the edge. They stretch their thoughts and ideas into new territories to create an innovative way of packaging or presenting their product or service. Shifting ourselves to be forward thinkers, one step ahead of everyone else when it comes to marketing our business might be something to consider when attracting new customers and clients.

Here are some ways to add some zip to your marketing.

1. Try a new mental environment. Involve yourself in new mental environments. Read different materials or magazines. Take a class in creativity or in an area completely unknown or outside of your general interest area. Or, better yet, find a coach who works on the cutting edge to experience their way of thinking.

2. Consider other industries and study how they market to their customers. How do pharmaceutical companies market? How do construction materials companies market to homebuilders and real estate developers? How do Realtors market to their home buying and selling prospects? What tools and techniques are they utilizing that you might capitalize on and try in your business? Consult trade magazines or make contacts in different industries and find out how they market to their clientele.

3. Take a look at fads. As a forward thinker, look at the current trends and see where they can take your business. When PDAs first appeared, all sorts of businesses were scrambling to create software that was compatible with this new technology. From those new innovations, many new types of software and other electronic devices were created. MP3 technology really pulled the invention of the IPOD forward. What new trends or fads do you see out there?

4. Stay one step ahead. There are many benefits to staying in the future with regard to marketing. You do this by reading widely, networking with people in a variety of industries, and spending quality time thinking about where you want to take your business. The future is all about possibility thinking. Let the future pull you forward to success.

5. Revise your vision. As you uncover new information that would be helpful to your business, make sure that you revise your vision of your business. It’s vital that you keep your plans for the future up-to-date. Review your business plan with frequency, no less than quarterly to ensure that it is still on target with your vision, mission, and most importantly with what your clients or customers most want.

6. Be willing to risk. Part of staying ahead when it comes to marketing is to adopt a mental attitude that you are willing to take risks, whether it result in great rewards, or equally great failure. While you should do the proper research, check facts, and craft detailed plans for all of your marketing efforts, you must be prepared for the risks associated with anything that you do. By engaging in future thinking, possibility thinking, you might be risking failure that your clients or customers just aren’t ready for it. But, at the same time, you’ll be making great strides if they are. You may become a trendsetter in the market place, a very nice place to be.

7. Stand strong. We can all agree that being a forward thinker involves a great deal of risk – both on the upside and the downside to your business bottom line. You also need to be prepared for the effect it might have on your ego. When you put yourself out there with new marketing ideas, you need to be prepared for not only the criticism that you will receive from envious competitors, but also the praise and congratulations that will come from others. Don’t take it personally. It’s just business.

8. Change your physical surroundings. It’s amazing how much our environments can influence not only our health and happiness, but also the thoughts that we think. Try changing your physical environment and see what new ideas might come to mind. Take a walk in the park or go for a drive in the country. If you can’t get away, enjoy a bubble bath by candlelight. Nature or natural settings are usually quite inspirational to most people and might be just what you need to come up with your next great idea.

9. Be ready. Forward thinkers have a natural mindset that is open to accepting great success coming their way. They don’t think about how or why they can’t do something, but how and why they can. Their attitude is one geared towards seeing the abundance in everything around them and to expecting more in the future. This momentum carries through into all of their marketing efforts.

10. Expand your vocabulary. As previously mentioned, forward thinkers read widely. Continually challenge yourself to adopt new words to describe what you do. At one time, computer IT firms were referring to themselves as factories. That seemed to appeal to their clientele at the time. What words from other disciplines or industries might add an interesting angle to your marketing? If you can’t find the right words to describe your product or service, try inventing some. Be creative.

11. Learn from the past. While forward thinkers do spend a lot of time in the future, they can also come up with great marketing ideas by looking to the past. Skim history books, read biographies of great men and women, or ask elderly folks about what life was like in the past. The new insight that you gain might be just the thing that leads to a new marketing campaign, product or service idea. While the future is where it’s at, there might be some valuable ideas in the past.

12. Be free of the burdens of the past. Acknowledging the past is great, but living in it as a marketer can mean the demise of your business. Free yourself from well-worn ways that don’t bring you the results that you need. If your industry is saturated with a particular idea or product, think of ways to re-invent it. Don’t do the same things that you did in the past if they aren’t getting you the results you desire. And, even if they are, what innovation might you make which would produce even better results?

13. Check your thoughts at the door. Forward thinkers look at each marketing challenge on its own merits. Don’t get mired in preconceived notions about the way the next marketing idea might turn out based upon your past results. Instead, look to the future with excitement. The future is yours to create – how it looks is up for grabs.

14. Continue to develop yourself. Strengthen your personal foundation. As you change yourself, you will change the thoughts you think and the things you create for your business. As you evolve, your business evolves.

15. Make change your friend. Forward thinkers embrace change. They know that to get from today to tomorrow that they will need to make changes in the ways they think about and market their business. Instead of fearing change, welcome it with open arms. You never know what incredible opportunity might await you.

? Copyright 2004 Alicia Smith Consulting & Training. All Rights Reserved.

Uncategorized

Significance of Content Marketing in Competitive Environment

 

Today, more and more business owners are identifying the significant impact of content on their customers; this is why they are creating insightful and valuable information for better customer experience. They are busy in developing innovative information that focuses their entire business entity. Better business information simply means better customer engagement and enhancement in brand value. In today’s competitive environment, knowledge sharing is playing a greater role and has dramatically changed the business scenario. Employees, share holders, trade partners, and end-users are continuously flooded with information from different types of materials, such as research reports, case studies, articles, press releases, blog posts, and magazines.

All the resources decant tons of information to the customers. This information is then used by the customers to take purchasing decisions. Unquestionably, it has encouraged business owners to deliver attractive web_content to the customers. The content or you say specific information not only entails about a specific product or service, but also its role in today’s environment, its features, how it will add value, and much more. In fact, business marketers with content writers produce web content based on customer behavior, preferences, tendencies, lifestyles, and in different languages for greatest possible attention.

Writers are producing fresh and relevant content so that it reaches to the intended customers through syndication networks. Promotion websites also want unique and dynamic matter that encourage readers to take actions that can accelerate conversion rates. Managers dramatically help in driving better conversion rates through their effective content. They produce high-quality content that will enhance customer loyalty and improve user engagement, instantly.

Web writers develop high-energy, intuitive, and product-specific information that better explains a product and its characteristics. They develop matter that effectively focuses on the essential and unique features, capabilities of a product. Their language is so interactive that customers start participating in the discussion through commenting and giving feedbacks to the posts.

Content marketers promote product-specific content with the help of the most reputable media agencies and networks so that it makes its path to the widespread customers. It will help customers to share information through social networking websites. Active customers not only read the content, but also share it with their friends. This automatically boost company’s image and improves the decision-making capacity of the end-users.

Fortunately, content marketing process encourages knowledge sharing among customers and allows businesses to deliver value chain to vendors, trade partners, share holders, and clients.

Uncategorized

Preventing Crawling And Spam

 

All the leading search engines use crawlers to find out pages for their algorithmic search results. Pages that are linked from other search engine indexed pages do not need to be submitted because they are found automatically. Some search engines like Yahoo! operate a paid submission service that guarantee crawling for either a set fee or cost per click. These types of programs usually guarantee inclusion in the database, but do not guarantee specific ranking within the search results. Therefore yahoos program has been criticized by advertisers and competitors. Two major directories, the Yahoo Directory and the open directory project need manual submission and human editorial review.

Google offers Google Webmaster Tool, for which an XML Sitemap feed can be created and submitted for free to ensure that all pages are found, especially pages that aren’t discoverable by automatically following links. Search engine crawlers take many other things into its consideration while crawling a site. Not every page is indexed by the search engines. Distance of pages from the root directory of a site may also be a factor in whether or not pages get crawled. To avoid undesirable content in the search indexes, webmasters can instruct spiders not to crawl certain files or directories through the standard file in the root directory of the domain. Additionally, a page can be explicitly excluded from a search engine’s database by using a mete tag specific to robots. When a search engine visits a site, the located in the root directory is the first file crawled. The file is then parsed, and will instruct the robot as to which pages are not to be crawled. As a search engine crawler may keep a cached copy of this file, it may on occasion crawl pages a webmaster does not wish crawled. Pages typically prevented from being crawled include login specific pages such as shopping carts and user-specific content such as search results from internal searches.

In March 2007, Google warned webmasters that they should prevent indexing of internal search results because those pages are considered search spam. Another thing in seo service is important and that is spam care. That same spammer is busy building back links from anywhere they can find them, including some of the webs worst neighborhoods. The spam can be sent from sites of guns, casinos, link directories and many other unimportant sites for you. It is the most prevailing problem and most of the time the spammers are disguising themselves as valid users. One of the most common forms of comment and ping back spam right now is the relatively subtle, ambiguous kind short phrases or questions that are not obviously spam, at least on face value. The more sophisticated spammers have progressed from old standbys like nice post and great blog, to more cunning things like questions (where can I download your theme?) and appeals to your helpful nature (Im having trouble subscribing to your RSS feed). Therefore it is essential for the webmasters to prevent indexing of the internal search results as these pages are considered search spam. For more details please visit

Uncategorized

How To Use Business Directories In Internet Marketing?

 

Online business directories can deliver many benefits but first, it is important to understand the difference between business directories and general web directories. If you are new to internet marketing or SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), you would’ve heard many mentions of ‘Directory Submission’, it could be confusing which type of directory you are supposed to submit to unless you know their difference. Directory submission as far as search engine optimization is concerned almost always refer to submitting a website’s information and URL to a general web directory, which is a database of websites and website URLs. They are designed to help search engines discover websites.

Being listed in these general web directories help improve a website’s link popularity and search engine visibility. It is almost used exclusively for SEO purposes. Human users can also search the database and get search engine styled results – a list of websites that match their search keywords. However, for customers looking for particular types of business, products or services, web directory doesn’t offer much information so they are not really useful. On the other hand, business directories contain much more information and usually allow the customer to compare prices, products and ratings. Business directories is a different kind of online advertising, where they usually promote much more specific information about the business such as business summary, open hours, contact information and maybe even product photos, price lists, videos and customer reviews as well. They are designed to help customers find particular businesses, products and services. Customers can search businesses by name, location or business sector.

Their search results look more like what you’d get from a price comparison website or a shopping website with filters. If a business directory also provides links to a business’s own website then it will also deliver SEO benefit as well. For business owners, it is important to utilize general web directories to improve the link popularity and search engine ranking for their own websites. Having already invested significant amount of capital in their own website, it is worth investing a little bit more money in business directories that can further promote their information, the latest offers, products, services and news updates. This will significantly increase a business’s online presence and customer engagement. By making contact information and maybe even price lists available online, prospective customers can contact the business and place their orders directly so business directories can directly generate new revenue.

Uncategorized

Improve Your Email Delivery Rates

 

In a recent article I wrote, I addressed some of the issues with avoiding spam filters and improving your email deliverability rates. Today I’m going to delve a little deeper and give you some more ideas on how to increase the number of emails that actually get delivered to your subscribers.

Is your domain’s IP address blacklisted?

The first thing you should check if you feel there’s something suspicious about your deliverability rates is your domain’s IP address against spam black list databases.

These databases store the I.P address of domains that have been known to spam. ISP’s and email administrators can use this data to block further emails being sent from that domain. In some cases, someone may have used your IP address to send out spam emails, or your emails may have been reported as spam even though they weren’t.

If you’re unsure what your domain’s IP address is, simply open up a command prompt in windows (start menu -> run -> ) and type in ping . You should see something like this:
Pinging [203.213.97.61] with 32 bytes of data:
Your IP address is contained inside the brackets (in this case the IP address is 203.213.97.61).
Once you’ve obtained your IP address you can start checking it against the different black list databases.

I’ve supplied some of the more popular ones below:

You can find a more comprehensive list by clicking on the link below:

If you’re IP address isn’t found on any of the lists, then great. If it is you can try to contact your ISP and find out if you can get a new IP address. You can also try contacting the owner of the blacklist site to get your IP address removed from their database. Watch your attachments
Many people don’t realize that the type of attachment you send with your email can cause different spam filters to block your email and even go so far as reporting your I.P to a black list database.

You should avoid using script or any type of attachment besides PDF. Many corporate mailboxes as well as virus filters block attachments that end in .exe, .avi, .swf, .zip, etc.

Make sure your server is configured for reverse DNS lookup

Reverse DNS lookup, originally designed as a network troubleshooting tool, has become an import tool in the fight against spam. When an Internet mail server receives an email it receives an “SMTP” greeting. This SMTP greeting is how the 2 servers communicate with each other when sending and receiving emails.
In this SMTP greeting, the sending server identifies itself as with an IP address of 10.1.1.1 (for example). The receiving server can now do a reverse DNS lookup, to see if the IP address actually matches the domain name. A lot of spam servers won’t match and so the receiving server can mark this as one failed test on a list of many to indicate if the email is indeed spam or not.

Most reputable hosting companies should already have this configured, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. If your server is not configured for reverse DNS lookup, then be very wary of sending legitimate bulk email from that server. Don’t send bulk emails using the BCC field.

Some of us using our favorite email client (such as Microsoft Outlook) tend to send mass emails using the BCC field. That’s okay if you’re forwarding something of interest to your friends or co-workers, but don’t ever do this when sending your newsletters.

Using a BCC field is another trigger for spam filters that you want to stay away from. Instead, your email program should send just one email to one subscriber at a. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking it’s a good idea to send your newsletter to 200 subscribers using the “CC” and “BCC” fields. Keep your lists as clean as possible.

Honor all unsubscribe requests (your email marketing software should generate an unsubscribe link for all emails you send) and process bounced emails frequently. Sending to email addresses that have bounced repeatedly can result in a blacklisted IP address. You want to make sure that each bulk email you send does go out to legitimate, working email addresses.

You should also make sure your abuse@ and postmaster@ emails are valid and working. The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) has recommended these email addresses for complaint spam reporting and you may receive emails from users or ISP’s if they have a complaint or spam report about your mailings.
Let your subscribers know when your emails are coming.

If you offer a subscription to your newsletter from your web site then tell each and every subscriber exactly when to expect your newsletter. For example:
“We send our newsletter once a month, usually around the 20th, so make sure you keep an eye out for our next issue!”

Also, if someone has subscribed for your newsletter and only your newsletter, don’t go sending them special offers and other unrelated emails unless you’ve told them to expect to receive them.

For example:
“When you join our mailing list we may occasionally send you special offers for our products and services, but don’t worry – every email includes an unsubscribe link if you change your mind.” Use double opt-in lists
I’ve mentioned this in my previous article but once again to make your mailing list as clean as possible always use double opt-in strategies. That is, when someone signs up they should receive an email which contains a link they must click to verify that they do indeed want to be on your mailing list. This stops illegitimate email addresses from being added to your mailing list. Let subscribers update their details.

If I switch jobs or change my email address, I should be able to come to your web site and change my newsletter subscription from me@ to me@ using a simple “modify details” form. By allowing your subscribers to do this, you reduce the number of bounced emails and keep your subscribers active much longer.

Conclusion Improving email deliverability is one of the toughest tasks for any email marketer. While this list is by no means complete it can dramatically help to improve your email deliverability and hopefully your click thru rate and bottom line. Until next time, best of luck in your e-marketing efforts!

Uncategorized

How Often Should You Get Your Air Conditioner Maintenance?

 

You are likely to observe some operational issues with your air conditioner unit prior to your scheduled air condition maintenance services. When the summer season commences, you think of using your AC for the first time in the season, you end up wondering if you should first have the units serviced from a professional cleaning company in Dubai. However, there are certain signs, as well that you must know before. Look out for them to detect if your units are in need of professional services and cleaning so that the AC condition is not worsen due to the delay.

Listed below are some indicators of how often you must get your AC maintained and serviced: In order to increase the efficiency and shelf life of your AC system, make it a point to call professionals for all your cleaning and maintenance work. The expert staff at Saniservice will take care of your system by following some guidelines on AC and air duct cleaning & disinfection. Saniservice is there for you to provide excellent cleaning, Swiss concept of disinfection, AC duct cleaning, and AC disinfection services at amazingly reasonable prices.

Uncategorized

Content Marketing Trends for Business Owners

 

All business owners want to stay on top of their game by being prepared for whats ahead but in todays fast-changing world, what does that look like?

Below are some content marketing trends youll want to prepare for when marketing your business in the coming year:

1) Incorporate More Social Media Graphics, Infographics, Visuals and Videos. Since your followers are 80 percent more likely to read your content if you use coloured visuals, this area needs to be built up more across your social media channels.

The popularity of visual content will only increase, so you must be prepared. Using Facebook live is still a hot commodity so be sure to dive into that opportunity too!

2) Build a Team. 60 percent of marketers in one survey said content creation was their biggest challenge last year.

To overcome this obstacle, get a team of people to help make content development and publishing easy. This includes having a good writer and social media specialist.

3) Tap Into Influencers. 90% of consumers trust peer recommendations where only 33% trust ads.

Consumers have begun to tune out traditional ads and increasingly connect to their social networks to guide their buying decisions. Thats why connecting with influencers is so important.

What is an influencer? “Influencers are people with significant networks (followers, readers, etc.) who can speak to a broad range of products and services with the ability to sway opinions in their favor.” Jess Estrada.

Identify influencers to reach out to in your industry. Follow them on social media and see where you can strike up a conversation.

4) Drive Content Marketing Leads into a Funnel. High value content is one thing, but if you dont build in a strategy that continues building rapport with prospects in the right way, you are leaving money on the table.

Content Marketing is a highly effective way to segment your audience and send them targeted follow-ups and offers, instead of adding them to your main email list.

Creating an Effective Content Marketing Plan

One of the biggest mistakes I have seen businesses make is they jump into content marketing without a strategy. While trying to appeal to their target market, they slap together a couple of eBooks and free offerings and hope it will be enough to drive sales.

The first step to making content marketing really work for you is to have a solid, smart content marketing plan in place.

Make sure you outline the following essentials in your content marketing plan:

Understand Who You Are Marketing to. Before starting any kind of marketing strategy, its vital you understand who your ideal target market is. Theres no point in investing your time and money into marketing when you dont have a clear understanding of who you want to buy from you.

A Comprehensive Review of Past Efforts. Review your past content marketing efforts and results . This helps you to see what was most effective, what wasnt, and develop a plan to improve for next year.

Set Goals and Benchmarks to Determine Future Campaign Success. Having a clear understanding of what you want to accomplish and what that will look like is important.

Do you want to develop awareness? Are you working to build brand loyalty? Are you educating prospects? Want to increase engagement with your tribe? Are you increasing sales and profitability?

Develop Content Ideas that Align with Sales Goals. Heres some example sales goals:

o Boost sales of Mega Fit Bootcamp by 25%.
o Get 50 new leads a month into our sales funnel.
o Create an eBook on Sales Tips for People Who Hate to Sell to drive leads to the funnel.

Plan a Content Marketing Calendar with Dates and Deadlines. Create an editorial calendar that clearly lays out your dates and deadlines so you can easily prioritize your efforts. This eliminates the “what do I write” problem.

It also makes it much easier to work ahead on content and delegate to team members.

I hope you’d enjoyed these highlights, stats, and facts to help you prepare for content marketing in the coming year.

 

Uncategorized

Financial Seminar Marketing: How To Choose A Mailing House That Will Save You Time, Effort & Money

 

Financial seminar marketing is the quickest way to grow your financial business. It allows you to do a face-to-face, credibility-building meeting with 40 or 50 prospective customers at a time.

In fact, in the last 8 years, financial advisors that were making $50,000 per year saw their incomes soar to over $1 million a year.

But the market has changed drastically.

How the Financial Seminar Marketing Business Has Changed

Five years ago, you could get a 2% response rate for a financial seminar mailing. Today you are lucky to get a quarter of that. Why?

Because the same mailing houses have been sending the same mailer, with the same headlines and the same bullets for years. The people getting these invites are simply throwing them away. That means your profits are going into the dumps!

Now, don’t get me wrong.

I highly recommend that you utilize seminars in your marketing mix, regardless of your profession. However, if you want to build a highly profitable 6 or 7 figure income financial practice using seminars, then you must spend some time picking the right mailing house to send out your seminar invitations.

Top 7 Questions You Should Ask Your Seminar Mailing House Before Hiring Them:

1. Are you a seminar marketing company or a postcard printing company?
There is a huge difference between lead generation direct mail and seminar invitations. When you work with a mailing house company that does NOT specialize in seminar invitations you are rolling the dice with your hard earned money.

2. How will you make sure my seminar invitations stand out from my competitions?

This is one of the MOST important questions to ask. You must make sure that your seminar marketing mailing house will help you write successful copy and headlines for your invitation. Make sure NO ONE else is using it in your territory. If they are using the same old copy and headlines they have been using for years RUN away fast. If they cannot help you create something unique to you and your specialty, you are wasting your money.

3. What is Your Guarantee?

Many mailing houses offer response guarantees as a way to get your business. However, most have no intention of ever honoring their guarantee. When the response comes in below the guarantee, (and it invariably does) they will continue to offer you discounts on future mailings instead of giving your money back.

4. What are the niche markets you work in?

In order to succeed in seminar marketing, you need to work within a niche. The more specific your niche is the better. It is extremely helpful to work with a mailing house that specializes in your niche. When they understand and have experience with your niche, you are much more likely to have success using them to fill your seminars.
5. Who Will Be My Seminar Marketing Liaison?

Make sure that you’re assigned a professional at the mailing house to walk you through the whole mailing. You need someone to make sure that the mailing is done accurately and on a timely basis. A little mistake on an invitation can send people to the wrong address or at the wrong time, costing you thousands of dollars.

6. What is your turnaround time?

Seminar mailing is very time sensitive. Your mailing needs to hit on a certain date. Most large mailing houses will tell you that they have a 30 day or more turn around time. This will make planning your seminar very difficult. A long turnaround time is an indicator of a large print house vs. a smaller, more service oriented mailing house.

7. What is Your Pricing? What are all the services included in that pricing?

Remember, cheapest is not always best. Best value for your dollar is what you should be shooting for. Do they give you unique and creative invitations? Have they been able to explain to you why they will make you more successful than other mailing companies will? Do you get the feeling that they are truly interested in your success? Or do they just want to mail some junk out for you to make a buck on you?

Seminars can skyrocket your business if you do them right. Hiring good vendors is high on the list of doing things right.

So invest some time in finding the right mailing house. It will save you thousands of dollars in the end.

Once you find a great seminar invitation mailing house, your seminar marketing begins to work just like a big ATM machine. Do a seminar�Grab a bunch of happy new. clients. It’s that simple.

View More