I guess no one knows John Reese

And that seems to be pretty normal. Marketing gurus are teaching people that the way to break into the business is to "Do a launch" and create a lot of hoopla over it by offering extremely attractive affiliate payments.

Does that mean that what they sell is going to be good? Does it even mean that the affiliates who promote it have seen the product? Maybe. But not necessarily. I remember an instance several months ago that underscored that thought.

One of the big affiliate marketers promoted some new biz op launch - along with about 2 dozen other affiliate marketers. And then, just a few days later, he mailed out an apology to everyone on his lists.

It seems he had fallen for the hype, promoted the product without testing it, and it turned out to be so lame that he was ashamed to have endorsed it. He encouraged everyone who felt as he did to request a refund immediately - just as he had.

But the damage was done. From then on, when he endorses a product, people will wonder. I kind of doubt if he'd do the same thing again, since he was so embarrassed over the incident. But you never know for sure.

Be cautious - try to learn something about a biz op product before you find out that the person writing it didn't know anything more about the subject than you do. Writing is easy - all you have to do is take 4 or 5 other people's material, compile it, and presto! A new program guaranteed to make its buyers rich.

I belong to a copywriter's forum, and checking things out ahead of time is one of the big benefits. When some member is considering joining a mentoring group or buying in to one of these expensive programs, he or she asks the group for their opinions - and the group gives them. You might try finding and joining a similar group.

And... if you buy a program and it isn't useful, don't be afraid to return it. Just remember to keep a copy of the guarantee, in case you have trouble. I bought something once and tried to contact the sellers to no avail. They did have a phone number on their site - but it was permanently attached to an answering machine.

I got a refund that time by contacting my credit card company.

By the way, if you buy through Clickbank you have a set number of days to easily request and get a refund with no questions asked.

Yours for success,
Marte
writer@marte-cliff.com

Should you use video to reach your prospects?

It all depends upon who they are and where they live.

If they're city dwellers and have a good income, perhaps. If they live in the country, probably not.

Less than half of internet users have high speed, so if video is the only way they can get your message - they won't get your message.

I use Hughes Net - which means that for my $60 a month I can download only 200 MB per day. If a friend sends a photo or six, or if I try to watch a video, my access is shut down for 24 hours.

Know what that means? Any marketing message via video is immediately deleted. I won't take the chance of being unable to access client websites for a whole day.

For those on dial up - they probably "can" watch, but who can stay interested in 3 words, pause, 3 more words, pause, etc.? Certainly not me, and I'll bet not you either.

So... if you're SURE that your audience has high speed access, go for it. Otherwise, you might include it as an extra way to see the message, but you still need compelling copy to do the lion's share of selling for you.

Think about your audience before you plan how to approach them...

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

P.S. When you need that compelling copy, get in touch!

How to present a professional image

Do you judge people by how they look?

Of course you do. We all do. So stop and take a critical look at how you look when you set out to win new customers.

Your clothes make a huge difference, and the trick here is to make them present an impression without even being noticed. First, dress appropriately for your line of work. A Realtor, for instance, should not dress like a night club hostess or a golf pro. Neither should a dentist or a mortgage lender or an airline pilot!

By the same token, a building contractor should probably not show up in a suit and tie, unless the company is so huge that everyone knows he (or she) will never set foot on the construction site.

Your hair and makeup should follow suit - create an impression without anyone noticing any detail about either. No bright blue eyeliner, please. Ditto with jewelry - subdued is the rule. And perfume! Please, don't overwhelm anyone. The last thing you want to be remembered for is the scent that lingers long after you've left the room.

Criticize your own look before customers do it for you - and then adjust!

Now, here's one little tip that people seldom mention: If you want to look seriously professional, carry a clipboard. I don't know why, but you'll be viewed as knowledgeable and reliable if you're seen carrying a clipboard and making notes.

Get yourself a clipboard, then put a legal pad on it because if you carry an empty clipboard you'll look silly instead of professional.



Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Could smoking be a good networking tool?

That crazy thought entered my head today, and I decided that yes, it could.

If you don't smoke, you won't know what I'm talking about, but if you do, you will.

When attending conferences, there's often a break between speakers when smokers rush outside for a quick puff before the next session. Different individuals choose different spots, so generally there aren't more than a half dozen in one spot, even at a large conference - which makes a perfect climate for talking to each other. After all, you aren't going to just stand there and puff while staring straight ahead. And, since smokers are the current "bad people," you all have something in common, so form kind of an instant bond with each other.

Over the course of a 2 or 3 day conference, you can strike up a pretty good camaraderie - and that could lead to referrals and work in the future.

Where else can you find a small group of people with whom you share such a strong bond?

That's my random thought for the day... I hope you had a wonderful 4th.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Happy 4th of July!

Today's the day to celebrate our Independence, and to send up thanks to all those brave souls who made it possible. Perhaps a bit of thanks to a higher power would be in order as well.

I wish you a perfect day -

Marte

Same words, different people = different understanding

Reading computer related instructions always frustrates me, because I'm not techie enough to know what the words mean. When they say "enter name" my first question is "what name?" My name, the website name, the web host's name? What??? From there it generally gets worse.

The people who wrote the instructions knew what they meant, but sure didn't leave me a clue.

So any time you're writing from an expert status to an audience of people who are not expert, you need to remember to clarify what you mean, even when the terms are well understood in your industry. That is, unless you sell only to other experts.

The second thing to consider is the point of understanding determined by your audience's identity.

For instance, yesterday I picked up the local "ad paper" to read while I ate lunch. And I came across the words "dead broke" in one of the ads.

What's the first thing that comes to your mind? Probably a person who has no money, right? Is this person trying to sell something because he or she is dead broke and needs cash fast? Is the "broke" status given as a reason for a low price?

No, that wasn't it at all. Instead of a negative, the term was a positive. You see, I was reading ads for horses for sale. And if you're talking about a horse, "dead broke" means that horse is a good one. He's mannerly and obedient, and he doesn't get excited over things that put some horses in a tizzy.

I don't suppose you're trying to sell a horse to someone who doesn't know horse lingo, but do keep this in mind when you write an ad, or even a letter. If you're trying to appeal to people who are new to your industry or your product, be sure that you don't use any words or phrases with a double meaning. At least, not unless you go on to clarify.

Wishing you good words,
Marte