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                 ** DEMC ** Volume IX No. 22 **
        The Truth About Legitimate Email Marketing!
          Serving the Internet Since November 1995

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"Don't dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energies on moving forward toward finding the answer."
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What's In This Issue - Features

1) Editor's Note: "How To Create Word of Mouth Marketing"
2) Marketing Insights: "The Silent Partners"
3) Feature Article: "Watch Your Step and Close that Sale"
4) SOHO Help Desk: "10 Tips to Overcoming Writer's Block"
5) DEMC's - Advertising Information

======================

1.

Editor's Note:

"How To Create Word of Mouth Marketing"

Sales are all about trust. A sale occurs when your prospect trusts you enough to believe what you say and make a purchase.

An interesting White Paper released by Intelliseek, covered the incredible power of word of mouth marketing in establishing trust.

2004 Forrester/Intelliseek Research found that consumers trust the recommendations and postings from other consumers about products and brands more than any other source. Over 80% of consumers trust the personal recommendations of other consumers. 60% trust the postings of other consumers to discussions and forums. Comparatively, only 5% trust pop-up ads and less than 40% trust search engines ads.

As a web seller, knowing the value of word of mouth marketing should mean putting it immediately into your sales process. So how can you put word of mouth to work for you? Here are 5 updates you can make.

1) Follow Amazon

Amazon has been a leader at selling online. If you've never purchased a book from Amazon, I recommend you go and at least search out a book to buy. You'll notice one of the great features Amazon offers is book reviews. They invite customers to write up reviews of the books they've purchased.

As a consumer, reading the reviews are helpful. You can quickly get a sense on whether or not a book is worth purchasing. You become the consumer who trusts the word of other consumers who've bought the book.

Why not follow Amazon and offer your past customers an opportunity to review your products/services. Post their comments to your site for new prospects to peruse. Both positive and neutral reviews will be to your advantage as they will add to the believability of the posts and build trust for your business with new consumers.

2) Testimonials

In addition to reviews, testimonials are terrific selling tools. A testimonial should be a glowing comment about your business or product/service. Separate testimonials from reviews with appropriate labels on your site. And if you're not comfortable with reviews, you must absolutely have testimonials.

A testimonial should be a strong recommendation of your product. While not a personal one to one recommendation, it still will have a high trust factor in the eyes of consumers.

3) Discussion Board

Having your own site discussion board or forum allows you to encourage customers to post their feedback directly to your site. A new prospect reading the comments of current customers will have a very positive impact.

The new prospect can pose questions and/or write directly to current customers to gain feedback about your company. Rather than having to research out postings about your product/service elsewhere, you can ensure a consumer gets the positive word of mouth marketing directly from your site.

4) Tell a Friend

Yes, you've probably heard it before but the importance of a tell a friend link is worth repeating. You have to enable your visitors to send your link to others.

A simple recommend this site to a friend is well worth having on your home page and really every page of your site.

In fact, why not put the tell a friend on your order thank you page as well. You just closed a sale, so you know you have a new happy customer. Capitalize of the customer's confidence that he just made a good purchase and ask him to recommend you. It's easy for the customer as you already have their contact information, all you need is a friend's address and off goes the recommendation email.

Remember a personal recommendation has a trust factor of 80%. You simply can not duplicate the immediate credibility the tell a friend offers your business.

5) Reward Referrals

You have certain customers who believe in your products/services. Ask them to recommend your company to others. Be sure to reward them for their loyalty. One possibility is to have an affiliate program where you pay your loyal customers for their efforts. Another possibility would be to offer them special discounts or give away prizes for the most referrals.

High value customers use and appreciate your company, they'll enjoy recommending your products/services so reward them for their efforts. It's a win win for you and your customers. Plus you take advantage again of the high trust factor personal recommendations create for your business with new consumers.

Creating positive word of mouth can play a major part in improving your sales. However, word of mouth if negative about your products/services can have a detrimental impact on your sales.

The Intelliseek white paper addressed scenario's for handling potentially damaging word of mouth. I'll review their main points.

The key to diffusing complaints is to make sure your web site requests feedback and makes providing feedback easy. A toll free number, accessible contact email, and/or easy to use feedback forms all will encourage dissatisfied customers to contact you first.

As a business, you want an unhappy customer to speak to you as you can address the issue and hopefully resolve the problem. Your customer support should handle complaints quickly and professionally.

Intelliseek found that 70% of those individuals who give feedback to a company are active on Internet discussion boards and forums. The result being, the majority of those who complain to you are likely to complain publicly as well. If you can alleviate their complaint prior to their posting the problem publicly you'll turn what may have been a bad post about your company into a positive post.

As you may not be able to address all complaints before they are publicly aired, keeping an eye on the major discussions and forums in your field is beneficial. While you can not watch all the groups on the net, you probably can check the usenet postings in your field on the major portals such as MSN, Yahoo, AOL, and Google. Find the handful of discussion groups or opinion sites (epinions.com for instance), where your company has been talked about. Check the group regularly for new posts.

Should you find negatives about your products/services, determine if it's a valid complaint worthy of a change in policy. And be sure to address negatives as well as you can in the discussions.

In the event that complaints spread, consider adding a response on your site. Change up your FAQ to discuss the bad word of mouth and address the concerns. You could also ask consumers to provide feedback on where they heard the bad press and their thoughts. Any response will allow you to further address those consumers' concerns. In addition, you can then locate the discussion groups you need to target with positive word of mouth.

If you think word of mouth is not worth the time to address in your marketing, I strongly suggest you reconsider. The Intelliseek whitepaper highlighted an example of the power of "buzz marketing", i.e. word of mouth marketing, which is an amazing statistic.

"In April of 2004, a web site called subservientchicken.com moved from total obscurity to an astounding 46 million visits in the first week, thanks almost entirely to online 'buzz marketing.'"

While it's unlikely you'll experience word of mouth marketing to this degree, it still a powerful medium you can put into place to build your business.

Abbie Drew
DEMC Editor
mail@demc2.com


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2.

Marketing Insights:

* Exclusive *

Email Marketing Systems to Help Boost Exposure and Profits...

"The Seventh System - The Silent Partners"
By: Denise Ryder

The whole point of email systems is to set things up in such a way that they pretty much run themselves. This strategy gives you a HUGE advantage because it frees you up to work on other things within your eBusiness AND it has your email marketing churning away, all at the same time! Now, I ask you...how cool is that??

There are two little tactics that are quite effective when it comes to email marketing that not too many people use. I refer to them as my "silent partners." I use them on a consistent basis and I highly encourage you to as well ;o)

Ok, let's roll them out!

Download Pages...

I know, you must be thinking, download pages?? You betcha and why not? Every download you have, be it a paid and yes even a freebie download, must always have their own download page. I have seen so many people miss out on a marketing opportunity by not using a download page at all. All they have is a text link that will take them to the .exe or .pdf and call it a day.

RULE OF THUMB...a freebie download must always be treated as if it were a paid one!!

A download page gives you yet another "kick at the cat" as they say (note...there were no cats harmed or injured in anyway during the writing of this article and don't email me, I love cats!!). It is another opportunity to add to or build a list so use it to YOUR full marketing advantage!!

On your download page you have another chance to get the purchaser to take you up on your newsletter offer. Or perhaps you have an eCourse that will tie in with the theme of the product they just bought. Any chance you have to get them on a LIST via one of your other email marketing systems that you have set up so that you can follow up with them ... well don't just stand there...TAKE IT!!

"Read Me First" Text Files...

Ahhh, hardly anyone uses these. Ken Evoy does on a regular basis, as does Jimmy Brown and a few other top marketers, but, us regular "joe's" ... NOT!!

Every download should be a zip file and within that zip file should always be a little "Read Me First" note from YOU. (You can create these in notepad).

Within your "Read Me First" note is a thank you for the purchase AND then you will tie in one of your other email marketing systems. It could be a eCourse, your newsletter, your eMarketing Kit...the options are up to you.

Let me give you a quickie example of a "Read Me First" file that you can take and change to make your own..

-----Start-----

Hi There!

Thank you for ordering a copy of "AutoPilot Income Streams"

To launch the eBook for reading, just click on the enclosed .exe file. The eBook will launch and you'll be all set to read and put into practice the tips and concepts that are found within!

Also, I wanted to remind you of the free 5-Day eCourse, "Imagine What You Could Accomplish With A Marketing Coach In Your Back Pocket...?" If you haven't already received your free 5 daily lessons, you can do so by sending any email to coach@a1ebiz.com

If you have any questions at all, please send me an email and let me know.

Regards,

Denise Ryder Marketing Coach

-----End-----

Short, sweet and to the point. The best thing about this tactic is that you have them in a totally opened frame of mind. They are ready to start reading their purchase, they have the "read me" file that says "THANK YOU" and you have given them a good, solid informational piece that provides a fantastic value added touch. Not to mention the fact that it gives you yet another warm body to follow up and market to.

There you have it. Two quickie tactics that take minutes to set up, which have the potential to add to your lists in a big way. Given the time and effort they take (hardly any) it would be a shame after reading this that you don't put it to work for you. Don't ya think?

Hey if you missed out on the other 6 eMail Marketing Systems we have covered, then dig through the DEMC archives...that's where you will find them.

If you want to gain some further insight into a few more tactics like our two "silent partners" above then read "How To Become Wildly Successful Online." This eBook will give you some great ideas. Read about it here: http://www.profitspace.com/wso

###
Denise Ryder is a Marketing Coach writing from her home office in Northern Ontario (Canada). Hey...get your free eBook "Niches - The Path to MORE Profits" from DEMC to You! Get your copy here: http://www.profitspace.com/niche


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3.

Feature Article:

* Exclusive *

"Watch Your Step and Close that Sale"
By: Mark Munday

I often hear people complain that they are able to attract prospects, but they struggle to close the sale. And, more often than not, it is because they are in too much of a hurry!

Business relationships are based on trust. People buy from people they know, like and trust. And trust is not something you can create. You have to earn it. Building trust is a prerequisite for closing the sale. And you ruin your chances if you try to close the sale prematurely.

Trying to make the sale before the prospect is ready to make a decision, is like shooting yourself in the foot. While your offering may be the best available, the prospect will reject it because of the perceived pressure.

This means that selling usually has to be a multi-step process. In most cases, it simply isn't possible to establish trust at the first contact with a prospect. So the selling process has to be spread across a number of different contacts.

According to the National Sales Executive Association in the US, 80% of sales are made during the 5th-12th contact. Here are statistics from their survey findings:

2% of sales are made on the 1st contact
3% of sales are made on the 2nd contact
5% of sales are made on the 3rd contact
10% of sales are made on the 4th contact
80% of sales are made on the 5th-12th contact

Each step in the sales process is a different contact with the prospect. Certainly, selling some product s is easier than selling others. And different numbers of contacts are required.

For example, when you buy a bottle of milk, you don't need more than one contact. As long as the product looks like it has come from a reputable source, and the price is reasonable, you will buy it straight off the shelf.

But if you are buying a state-of-the-art computer system that costs thousands of dollars, you will be a lot more circumspect. The sales representative will have to convince you that the system is appropriate for your requirements, that adequate support will be available and a whole lot of other things.

Clearly, the number of contacts required depends on the price of the product or service. The higher the price, the more contacts are required.

The opposite is true for tangibility of the product or service. The less tangible the product/service, the more contacts are required. Intangible services like business consulting can only be sold after a lot of trust and confidence has been established. So many contacts are usually required.

So what does all this mean for the way you go about making a sale? Well, first you have to get a feel for how many contacts are required. Then, spread your sales process across these contacts in a way that leads the prospect to making a buying decision.

For example, the process for selling a business consulting service could look something like this :

1st Contact - Advertise Workshop to target market
2nd Contact -Take bookings from people who want to attend
3rd Contact - Do workshop and collect business cards from attendees
4th Contact - Phone and arrange meetings with attendees who express interest
5th Contact - Meet with prospect and assess requirements
6th Contact - Deliver proposal to prospect
7th Contact - Follow up and ask for sale

We are up to 7 contacts already. And, depending on the circumstances, closing of the sale could take a few more.

The important thing to note here is that there is a logical flow in the sequence of contacts. And no attempt to close the sale is made in the early stages of the process.

The secret is to use a stepped process to gradually build perceived value and trust. You have to lead your prospects to the point where they are totally comfortable with the process. And they are convinced that buying from you is in their best interests.

The same principles apply to selling over the internet. But the process is a lot more challenging. In the example above, the consultant is directly involved in the process and has face to face contact with prospects.

Personal interaction enables the consultant to customize the selling message to the prospects needs. Specific benefits can be emphasized and objections overcome. In this way, all the information required to support a buying decision is provided. And trust is built up.

When selling informational products over the internet, you don't have this luxury. You never get to sit down with prospects and discuss their needs. You have to deliver information to the prospect in a way that achieves the same goal. But you get limited feedback during the process.

Next month, my article considers how to assemble the steps in your online selling process that will lead to your prospect making a buying decision.

###
As a Business Strategist and Coach, Mark works with business owners to help them achieve their business goals. His powerful strategic planning and implementation techniques produce stunning results for clients.

For more info, go to http://www.small-business-planning.com And be sure to review the revolutionary StratPlan Wizard business building system at http://www.StratPlanWizard.com .


Editor's Note: Autoresponders are great tools to automate the follow-up process. SendFree.com allows you to customize as many prospect contacts as you need.

Go to: http://www.sendfree.com


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4.

~/~ SOHO Help Desk ~\~
http://www.demc.com

"10 Tips to Overcoming Writer's Block"

Today's SOHO Help Desk offers some great insight on how to create subjects for articles. Plus you'll find some terrific resource sites highlighted.

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

=== 10 Tips to Overcoming Writer's Block ===

"Solutions for the Struggling Article Writer"
By: Brandie King

Are you struggling to come up with new ideas for articles? Whether you are a new or veteran writer, this problem can effectively halt your ability to use this method of promotion. So, to help you overcome this, I have compiled a list of things you can do to find new article ideas.

1. Message Boards
Read the posts at message boards to see what people are interested in. You can then write your article on topics that people already want to know more about.

http://homebizlink.com/wwwboard/
http://articlesubmission.com/imf
http://www.bizweb2000.com/wwwboard/index.html
http://www.websitepublisher.net/forums/
http://www.ablake.net/forum
http://www.williecrawford.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi

2. Discussion Lists
This is similar to using the message boards. Just read to see what others are posting about and write articles on those subjects.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hbj_chat/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ideasbypost/
http://www.o-a.com/
http://www.netpreneur.org/connect/am/default.html
http://www.i-advertising.com/html/join/join.shtml

3. Surveys
You can use a survey to find out what people want to hear more about. There are several places to find people to take your survey. Send the survey to your net contacts, post to discussion groups, post on message boards, put it in your newsletter, or put it up on your website. Offer something of value for free, like an ebook or ecourse, to those who take your survey.

4. Newsletters
By subscribing to and reading newsletters, you can find out what is currently popular. Here are a few directories where you can find newsletters.

http://www.newsletter-directory.com/
http://www.ezinehub.com/
http://www.cumuli.com/ezines/
http://www.expresslists.com/
http://www.jogena.com/ezine/ezinedata.htm
http://www.list-city.com/

5. Keywords
Get article ideas by studying the most searched for keywords, which you can find at these sites.

http://www.wordtracker.com/
http://www.metaspy.com/
http://50.lycos.com
http://www.top-keywords.com/
http://www.kanoodle.com/Spy/
http://buzz.yahoo.com

6. Chat Rooms
Find article ideas in chat rooms by looking to see what questions are being asked and by asking what information the other chatters are interested in.

7. Best Seller Lists
Research what the topics of the best selling books are. Most likely, if there are people buying books on those topics, there are those that will be interested in reading articles on them.

http://www.amazon.com/
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
http://half.ebay.com/products/books/index.cfm
http://www.booksense.com/bestsellers/index.jsp
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/bestseller/
http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/top-50.htm

8. Visitor/Subscriber Questions
If you have a website or ezine, you probably have a goldmine of article ideas. Pay attention to the questions your visitors and subscribers ask you. There might be an article hidden in those questions somewhere.

9. News Websites
Check some news sites to find out what the latest happenings are. Then you can research the hot topics and write articles on them.

http://www.internetnews.com/
http://www.internet.com/
http://news.com.com/2001-12-0.html
http://www.internetnewsbureau.com/
http://www.internetworld.com/
http://www.newslinx.com

10. Article Writing Services
If you have tried all of the above methods and you haven't been able to come up with anything, there is always the option of having somebody else write your article for you. These can get pretty expensive, though, so research thoroughly before selecting a person or service.

http://www.dawnriversbaker.com
http://www.ezineaction.com/other.html
http://www.toupin.com/serv_writing.asp
http://www.writingdoctor.com/
http://www.drnunley.com/copywriting.htm
http://www.writemix.ca/WritingServices.htm

I hope that this list has given you a good head start on finding new ideas for your articles. Good luck!

###
Brandie King, Owner of ArticleSubmission.com Article Submission, Ezine Submission, Article Editing, Free Submission to Article Directory, Free Content, Ebooks, Free Downloads, Trade Links, Free Ezine http://www.articlesubmission.com

===

If you have a valuable tip, promotional idea, question or answer 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

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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