3.
Feature Article:
* Exclusive *
"Autoresponder Marketing Success Series"
"Interview With List Building Pro Gary Baker"
By: Mike Merz
If there's one question I'm asked most often in regards
to Autoresponder Marketing, it's how to build a responsive
list of confirmed subscribers.
Gary Baker < http://www.jempublishing.com/ > is heralded
in the list building circles as an online publisher that
knows how to do this very well.
As a matter of fact, he's even put together a special
package and series of courses that guarantees a subscriber
list of 5,000, in 48 hours ... and he'll even teach you how
to turn these prospects into buyers
http://www.jempublishing.com/optin.htm .
That being said, I'm sure that this month's Autoresponder
Marketing Masters interview will no doubt be both interesting,
and informative, to those wishing to learn how to build a
responsive list in record time.
Join me as I do my best to extract a few insider tips from
Mr. Baker.
MM
Thanks for taking the time to share with us today, Gary.
GB
Thanks Mike. And thanks so much for the chance to
take part in this interview.
MM
Let's start with a rather naive query, considering present
company ...
How important a part do autoresponders play in
your overall Online Marketing strategy ... and why?
GB
Oh my..without a doubt 90% of my Online Marketing
Strategies use autoresponders.
I couldn't imagine running my business without them.
The simple automation that responders gives me in my
every day tasks such as list building, joint ventures,
follow-up, etc, is unequaled.
MM
Would it be too much to ask your favorite methods
of acquiring confirmed subscribers ... frėė, and paid?
GB
Sure. My main frėė method for building up my subscriber
list is by doing Joint Ventures with other list owners.
This can be done as a simple "ad swap" or can be
as big as an "endorsement" for each others list,
product, service, etc.
My main paid method of obtaining subscribers is by
purchasing "co-registration" leads.
This is where you "pay-per lead". You basically put
a small description of your ezine on a website with
other publishers.
Then targėtėd visitors are driven to the website that
is housing your description. The people who visit
can subscribe to your ezine by simply "checking" a
small box.
Then you let your autoresponder kick in and send
the new subscriber a "welcome" email telling them a
bit of info on your ezine.
"Co-registration" is a super fast way to add thousands
of new subscribers to your list in a short amount of
time.
MM
... and once you've convinced them to join, any tips
on reducing unsubscribes?
... transforming them from prospect to customer?
GB
Oh yeah. This is the important part. You MUST
"warm up" your new list. Meaning, don't put a bunch
of new subscribers into your autoresponder and them
immediately blast them with ads for products.
This is the main mistake made by newbies when building
their list.
They purchase a few thousand "co-reg" leads, upload
them into a responder, then hit them with a ton of
ads.
This is wrong, wrong, wrong and will cause you quite
a bit of trouble.
Your list is an investmėnt and not an immediate road
to riches. You must take time to build trust with your
readers. Offer them 100% pure quality content at all
times.
Make yourself available. Help them. Become their
friend. Believe me, it will pay off in the long run
big time :-)
MM
In your case, Gary, the next topic must be one of
considerable concern for you, specifically ...
With all the SP*M, filtering, legalities, etc., that email
marketers have had to learn to deal with, what do you
feel the future holds for this method of communication
and promotion?
GB
Oh email marketing will nėvėr go away. By that I
mean, "honest", legitimatė, email marketing.
As long as marketers pay attention to detail and
have common courtesy, email will always be a valid
type of Online promotion.
The spammers go away as quickly as they started, but
true marketers with integrity will be around for a
long time.
MM
Text format ... or HTML?
GB
Actually I prefer HTML but I send out my ezine to
look like text.
So what I do is simply "cut & paste" my "text"
into my HTML editor and save it as a web document.
Then I take that html and upload into my responder,
hit a button, and BAM I am done.
Also, sending my emails like this, lets more of my
loyal readers, get their ezine due to filters.
MM
What's going on in the world of Gary Baker ... and Jem
Publishing, today?
... on the horizon?
GB
Whew, actually I am very busy at the moment with
taking on personal coaching students.
I am also very actively promoting my new List Building
Service at http://www.jempublishing.com/optin.htm
It really is a very good way for newbies to start
and build a quality subscriber list.
In the future I hope to do a couple of "live" speaking
events and teach a bunch of people my "Co-Reg" list
building methods.
MM
Gary, thanks so much for your time ... I'm sure our fellow
DEMC members will be thrilled with your comments.
GB
Again Mike I thank you for allowing me to take part
in this interview.
Stay tuned for next month's masters of autoresponder
marketing interview, where we'll be featuring the
unique talents of ... ?
Regards,
Mike Merz
###
Mr. Merz is a well known Internet Marketing Expert,
and owner of Internet Marketing For Newbies LLC.
Stop by The Internet Marketing For Newbies Forum,
and get interactive!
http://www.im4newbies.com/forum/
===
Editor's Note: Autoresponders are great tools to
automate the follow-up and ezine subscription process.
SendFree.com allows you to easily send follow-ups and
build your email list. See - http://www.sendfree.com
for free and paid autoresponder services.
======================
4.
~/~ SOHO Help Desk ~\~
http://www.demc.com
"How To Avoid Red Flags That Trigger Audits"
Today's SOHO Help Desk is from a long time contributor to
DEMC E-Magazine, Sandy Botkin. Sandy was a former trainer
of IRS attorneys and currently he lectures nationally to
self-employed people and companies on tax issues.
If you have a valuable tip, promotional idea, question or
answers you would like included in an upcoming issue of
DEMC, all you have to do is submit it by email to -
mailto:helpdesk@demc2.com
=== 5 Tax Errors That Trigger Audits ===
"Red Flags To Avoid"
"The trick is to stop thinking of it as your own money."
---IRS Auditor
At many of my seminars, I am asked what are the top
"Red Flags" or mistakes that trigger an invitation by the
IRS to "come on down and have a chat." If you want to
limit your chances of an audit, avoid the following
situations:
1. Avoid Math Errors: One of the greatest "red flags" for
an audit is to have mathematical errors on your tax return.
The reason is that this type of mistake will cause a
guaranteed IRS scrutiny. Always double chėck your math.
Even better is to round your figures to the nearest dollar.
Using cents simply increases your chance of making a
mathematical error.
2. Losing your tax return: If you send in your return using
the normal 37 cent stamp and the return is lost, whose fault
is it? The answer is....drum roll.... Yours! My father had a
friend who sent in his return with a $15,000 check. Both
the return and check were lost. My father's friend sent in
the $15,000 plus $11,000 of interest and penalties. Always
send in your tax return either electronically (which is my
favorite method) or by Federal Express or by Return
Receipt. If there is a chėck, you may want to use registered
mail. There are cases that show if the IRS losės your return
and you file using these preferred methods, the IRS will
waive penalties.
3. Under reporting your income: This is a great way to
insure hearing from the IRS. If you fail to report some
interest, dividends, salary, capital gains etc. that IRS
gets notified that you earned, you will hear from them and
asked to clarify the discrepancy. It is vital that you double
review all your W-2, 1099s and other income paper work to
insure that what you report as income on your tax return
matches what IRS has received from the various sources.
Remember, they get copies of what you get!
4. Using the wrong social security number: Interestingly,
IRS says that this is one of the top ways to call attention to
your return. Many people either omit their social security
number or transpose numbers incorrectly. You should
always double check your tax return to insure that you
have the correct numbers for you and your spouse.
5. Failing to sign tax returns: As ridiculous as this may
sound, this is the top mistake that IRS notes people make.
It is crucial that you always sign your returns.
Plus here's a quick tip about credit card usage with your
business.
You can't deduct your finance charges on credit cards
unless the charges are specifically used for business. Thus,
if 70% of the charges are used for business, 70% of any
finance charge would be deductible. Thus, Congress wants
you to trace all of your purchases.
We know that you won't do that. Thus, we recommend that
you own and use at least two crėdit cards: one solely for
business expenses and one solely for personal expenses.
By adopting this technique, you can deduct all the interest
on the business cards, and you can deduct the annual fees
on the business cards.
I should note that I use two credit cards. One is a gold
American Express card that gives both copies of charge
receipts, which is very handy for business, and it provides
frequent flier mileage for up to six different airlines with
no black out dates. I use a second card solely for gas
purchases. If you get the AAA credit card from AAA
financial services, and use the card at the gas pump, you
will get a 5% rebate on all gas purchases. Isn't that nice!
###
Sandy Botkin CPA Esq. is the principal lecturer of the
Tax Reduction Institute and best selling author of his
highly acclaimed tax planning book, "Lower Your Taxes:
BIG TIME." He has numerous other articles and services
which can be accessed from his web site at
http://www.taxreductioninstitute.com
===
Send in your feedback for an upcoming issue.
Email your questions, advice and/or thoughts to:
mailto:helpdesk@demc2.com
Be sure to include your SIG and contact URL with
your post as we'll be sharing any viable ideas/
information in an upcoming issue of DEMC E-Magazine.
======================
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