Thoughts on Marketing, Advertising, and more.

Real Estate Marketing Letters - List more homes through relationship marketing

2010-03-17T22:14:00.000-07:00

Real Estate Marketing Letters - List more homes through relationship marketing

Marketing Pet Peeves

2010-01-25T22:29:00.000-08:00

Do some marketers have tactics that make you hit the delete button - quickly?

Do some of them play the same tricks so often that you no longer read their messages, even if the subject line looks interesting?

I've developed quite a long list now of marketers whose messages I ignore.

I share some of the reasons why on my other blog. Come on over and see if you agree with me - then add your own Marketing Pet Peeves to my list.

Are You Starting a Business in 2010?

2010-01-24T21:53:00.000-08:00

2010 is starting off with a bang, and promises to be a good year for small business people who offer something of value to the marketplace.

The jobs market may remain in the gutter, but that's all the more reason to take your dreams and ideas and run with them. And many are doing just that!

I've already talked with several people this year who are building websites, learning about autoresponders, exploring marketing avenues, and getting set to jump into the marketplace with both feet. I call that a good thing!

If you're about to set off on this kind of adventure, be sure to check back here and at my other marketing blog for ideas and tips on marketing. And, to get even more ideas mailed directly to your in-box, go to www.marte-cliff.com and opt in to receive my marketing ezine.

Meanwhile, have you read these posts?

Is This Marketing Tactic Immoral?
We all have different thresholds regarding wrong and right, moral and immoral.

I personally think it’s immoral to abandon a dog. Someone else thinks its no big deal. But this isn’t about dogs...(more)

What Can You Offer Your Past Customers?
Some people have businesses that offer a steady stream of products that customers want and need over and over again. But what if... (more)

A Deadly Mistake Even Some Copywriters Make

2010-01-05T21:06:00.001-08:00

Sometimes, just for fun, it's good to look and see what your competition is doing.

Maybe they have a marketing idea that will spark a new one in your own head - you just never know. It's even a good idea to just browse around and look at sites unrelated to your business, because some of the best ideas come from unusual places.

So, tonight I did a little search for copywriters. It all started with checking to see how my SEO was doing, and making sure I hadn't slipped from page one for any of my primary keywords.

No, I hadn't, but then I decided to see who else was sharing the pages and what they had to offer. One was my friend and fellow copywriter Kay Faulk - but I knew she'd be there.

The very first site I visited broke one of the first rules in copywriting: Remember that it isn't about you. It's about your prospect.

But here, on this "professional's" site, there were 17 paragraphs, two of which began with "My" and ten with "I."

One of the ways to double-check your copy is to use the "find" function in word and search out every "I word" (such as me, we, our, etc.) and count them. Then search out every "you" and "your."

The goal is to end up with either 3 or 4 times more "You" word than you have "I" words.

This rule is so firmly ingrained in most copywriter's heads that it becomes difficult to write an answer when someone asks a question that calls for an answer beginning with "I." It just feels wrong.

The lady does know something about search engine optimization or she wouldn't be on page one of a Google search, but if her client copy is similar to her personal copy, it isn't very good.

Who are these hype-masters? And who listens to them?

2010-01-05T20:26:00.000-08:00

I don’t know about you, but I am completely put off by these marketers who write things like: “Great Frigging Call!”

Maybe it’s just because I have an aversion to that word (after all - we know the word he WANTED to say), but the hype that goes along with it prompts me to do just one thing: DELETE.

World events and the economy have created a great need for marketers to build something that maybe wasn't so important just a few years ago. That something is trust.

Before we part with our hard-earned money we want some kind of assurance that we're dealing with someone credible. We're tired of being scammed and flim-flammed. Shoot - we get enough of that from our elected officials, we don't need any of it from people in business!

So - in my humble opinion - the hype masters need to clean up their acts. They need to quit being offensive and become trustworthy.

Tell me what you think... because maybe it's just me.

Time to re-examine your marketing

2009-12-31T13:26:00.000-08:00

As we enter the new year, it's time to take a look at what we did last year, and what we should do this year.

Out with the old! In with the new!

But first, examine what worked and what didn't. Check out Tune Up Your Web Pages for the New Year, then tell me what you're doing new and better this time around.

Increasing Your Site's Search Engine Optimization

2009-09-18T23:56:00.000-07:00

Plenty of gurus will tell you to post comments on other people’s blogs in order to create more links to your website – and thus increase your search engine optimization.

Today I read a long article that said it doesn’t necessarily work. On many of the sites where you might post, the links are automatically designated as “no follow,” which means Google isn’t supposed to use them. If they increase the traffic to your site, you’ll benefit, but the link itself won’t help.

So what you’re doing is adding content and increasing the SEO on someone else’s site. That’s a nice thing to do, but you want to increase the content on your own site.

What to do?

Take a page from Clayton Makepeace’s book… Write the first few sentences of your message and then insert a link that readers have to follow to get “the rest of the story.” Then (well, actually first) post the entire article on your own site.

The link still won’t give you more Google juice, but the added content and the added visitors will.

Mr. Makepeace does this with his e-mail letters, and it has always annoyed me, because when you have a slow Internet connection you don’t want to have to click and go somewhere else. That means his first sentences have to be VERY interesting or I don’t click.

But now that I understand why he’s doing it, I guess I’ll have to curb my annoyance. At least there’s a darned good reason.

Something else I learned – Google is the only one that pays attention to “no follow” so your ranking on Yahoo and others will increase when you keep posting those links on your blog comments.

Did You Move With Me?

2009-08-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I moved my blog to wordpress so it could be part of my website. I hope you've followed me over, but just in case, here's a sample of what you might have missed:

How Your E-mail Links Can Drive Customers - AWAY!

How to Promote your business with Articles

A Big Telephone Mistake that Drives Customers Away

There's more - check the archives!

Please Visit the Other blog...

2009-03-15T22:41:00.000-07:00

When I switched to Wordpress and put my marketing blog on my website I intended to take this one down. But... people were still visiting. So I left it.

The problem is, I can't keep up with 2. Some days I can't even keep up with one.

So please come on over to the website and visit the blog there...

Just click here.

Storytelling as good marketing

2009-02-25T00:51:00.000-08:00

We all love stories - and we all know that we all love stories.

So why do we so often forget to use them in our marketing? A good story grabs attention, keeps your reader or listener engaged and curious, and is a fantastic way to demonstrate how your product or service can help someone.

Stories are also fine teachers. I remember going to real estate school and how much the lessons came alive when our instructor told about the things that happened to real live people when someone bent the rules we were learning.

Things like the crook who talked about 50 people into buying the same vacant lot and NOT recording the sale for 60 days. By the time the 60 days were up and all those people realized they'd bought the same lot, he was long gone. It must have been a hot market back then - or else the lot was priced so low that people were jumping to grab it.

Anyway - If he had merely told us that we needed to insist that our buyer's transactions were recorded immediately because bad things can happen, it wouldn't have made such an impression. Just think - I heard that story over 20 years ago!

So what kind of story can you tell that will somehow relate back to what you offer?

Can you tell a story that will teach your audience that they need what you offer?

Can you tell a story that will show how much you care about your customer's best interests?

Can you tell a story that shows how many ways your product can be used?

If you think about it, you probably have some true stories that would interest your readers. So... think about it!

Is Your website safe?

2009-02-22T23:12:00.000-08:00

If your web host suddenly disappeared, would you be able to quickly re-create your site with a different host?

Or would you be like a friend of mine - sitting there completely stumped over how to start over from scratch?

For starters, your domain name should belong to you - with you listed as the administrator. If it isn't, get it changed as fast as you can - while the person whose name is there is still available to authorize the change. Otherwise, you could be in for months of proving who you are - honest.

This happened to me when I bought my first domain name - and had no clue at all about how it all worked. When it was time to renew we almost lost the name because the "administrator" had moved away. It took 4 years before I had that domain name in my own name, because we had to go through the whole proof process every 2 years until it "stuck."

Another friend of mine had an employee set up her website, and he was listed as administrator. That was fine - they were friends and he wouldn't have done anything to hurt her. But - he died. She had to go through proving that he was positively unavailable, and then proving that she had a right to the domain which was her company name. I think in her case it took about 3 months.

So start out right - put that domain in your own name.

Next, make sure that all of your web files are backed up on your own computer. Then back them up further on an external hard drive or even a disk.

My friend had someone else build her site because she knew nothing about how to do it. So when that person decided he no longer wanted to do it, she was stuck.

So be assertive - make sure you have a copy of everything. If you have to hire a high school student to come and help you understand it all, then do it.

Remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure - and in this case, I think it's worth about a ton of cure.

A tale of excellent service

2009-02-13T23:12:00.000-08:00

The other night my neighbor said he was thinking about buying a car, but this was the wrong time of year to drive to Montana.

Since there are plenty of car dealerships a lot closer than Montana, we asked him what Montana had to do with it. And he told us the story about the Montana salesman...

Many years ago he bought a pickup. Being a person who is careful with his money, he had shopped around and so knew that the price he paid for that pickup was more than fair. By the time he wanted another new pickup he had moved to a new town, about 6 or 8 hour's drive away, so he went shopping close to home.

But he kept thinking about that salesman in Montana who sent him a birthday card every year. And so, knowing exactly what he wanted and the going price for that make with those features, he called Montana.

The salesman was glad to hear from him, and listened to his list of make, model, features, etc. Then he gave our friend a price, which was in the same ballpark with the others. But, he added, since you have a long drive to get here, I'll give you back $200 for gasoline, put you up in a nice motel, and buy your dinner.

Of course he said yes.

The salesman had assured him that the pickup would be ready when he arrived - and it was. The extra features had been installed, the truck was washed and waxed, and the tank was full of gas. The paperwork was even completed, so taking delivery of his new pickup took minutes, rather than the hours most dealerships impose on customers.

And so, our friend will probably shop around and learn what is or isn't available on the car he wants. He'll find out the going price, too. And then he'll call Montana, because that salesman did two important things:

He gave unforgettable service, AND he stayed in touch, year after year, in spite of the fact that his customer had moved away.

Do YOU stay in touch with customers if they leave your neighborhood?

Do you hide from your customers?

2009-01-26T23:24:00.000-08:00

If you sell something on line, do your customers know who you are? Or are you hiding?

If you're hiding, they might well wonder why. Are you ashamed of what you offer? Will you be impossible to find if they have a problem with the purchase?

This one practice could be costing you sales, so think about it. Even if you don't want your name front and center on your home page, it should be somewhere. Perhaps in your "about us" message, or on your "contact us" page.

By the way, your "about" page can be a valuable selling tool. When you tell your visitors who you are and why you're offering what you're offering, you have the opportunity to convey your enthusiasm for your product or service - and people react positively to enthusiasm.

Go look at your website. See if it needs an addition or two...

Best success,
Marte

The time for waiting is over - it's time for action!

2009-01-23T22:46:00.001-08:00

Do you have a business of your own?

If you're a salesperson working on commission, you do, even though you think you work for someone else.

And if you're a representative selling products through home parties or shows, you certainly do.

If you make handrafted items to sell at bazaars and craft fairs, you do too.

If you're working on something on line, you do.

And of course, if you have a storefront, or even a booth in a cooperative store, you definitely do!

So how are you reaching out to pull in customers?

Placing an ad in the local news and waiting for them to show up just won't get it any more - not with fewer and fewer people reading newspapers combined with more and more people being careful how they spend their money.

You're probably being careful too - and worried about those dollars you spend on advertising. Will they pay for themselves or not?

To answer that problem, I've written a short e-book for people in your position. It tells how you can get your business moving while spending only $136 - including the cost of the e-book, 500 business cards, the purchase of a domain name, and more.

I'll give you a hint - it starts with your current customers and your circle of friends, and then it grows, because when you use my system, you'll make people WANT to hear from you. And the more they actually read your messages, come in to your store, attend your parties, seek you out at bazaars, and call you for advice, the more you'll sell.

The ebook is short and to the point, outlining the simple steps you can take to leapfrog over all your competition. And it only costs $5.

Order it right here.

Should you tweet?

2009-01-10T11:43:00.000-08:00

Until a couple of weeks ago, I thought Twitter was just a diversion for people with nothing better to do. Then I ordered something called Twitter Blast and learned a whole lot more!

Many of the big-time marketers are using Twitter to drive traffic to their websites and their products - and their sales are skyrocketing. The best part is, everyone has the same opportunity. It all hinges on how you use the site.

You can also learn a lot there. Many of those marketers, large and small, offer links to informative articles. The only danger is in spending TOO much time reading and not enough time working on your own projects.

So follow me on Twitter, set up an account, start following some of the people I'm following, and have some fun while you learn a lot!

Did you want money instead of gifts?

2009-01-08T17:20:00.000-08:00

Plenty of people did this season.

Read all about it at: http://marte-cliff.com/wordpress/

There's also a new post there telling why internet scammers can promise you placement on page one of Google. Beware!

A new year, a new marketing plan

2009-01-04T14:44:00.000-08:00

Have you got your marketing plan in place yet? If you haven't then send an email to marketingpreplan@getresponse.com.

You'll get back something I made for myself to use, and then expanded so everyone else could use it too. It gives you some things to consider as you make plans for a profitable 2009.

While you should be planning weekly, monthly, or quarterly contact with all of your past, present, and future clients, you also need to plan ahead to each holiday and get moving on a promotion for the closest one.

That, of course, would be Valentine's Day. It's not a legal holiday, but it is certainly one that people notice. If you sell greeting cards, candies, or flowers you already market for it, but what if you sell water filtration systems?

You can still market around the holiday. After all, the reason why someone would buy one of your systems is to protect themselves and their loved ones. So remind them of that! You might even remind them that they love their parents or grown children enough to buy a system for them.

If you put your thinking cap on, you can come up with some kind of loving angle for almost any product or service. But... if you wait until next week or the week after to start working on it, Valentine's Day will come and go and you won't have it done.

So start today. Get out a pencil and paper and brainstorm with yourself. If you have others to help you, all the better. Write down every idea that pops into your head, even if it's goofy. Sometimes good and sensible things come from a goofy start.

Let your ideas sit overnight and come back to them tomorrow for refinement or maybe additions. Then just settle on a plan and get busy.

Do you need to buy more of some kind of merchandise? Do you need to set up a drip campaign? Do you need to write a new web page? Do you need a direct mail piece? Should you place an ad in your local newspaper? Maybe your business is large enough to schedule a few radio or TV spots.

If you do affiliate marketing, what products will you promote? Go find the best buys and the best coupons or discounts for your customers.

Think about where and how you'll get this promotion in front of your buyers. Then schedule the time to get it there.

Can you write the copy yourself or will you need a copywriter? Either way, you'll need lead time, so decide what message you'll want to convey.

2009 can be your best year yet - if you plan ahead and take action!

Remember: As soon as you get this one figured out, you need to move on to the next one. St. Patrick's Day will be here sooner than you think.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T00:42:00.000-08:00

To heck with the New Year Grinches... this is going to be a good year!

All we have to do is keep on keeping on, and not listen to any of the down-mouthers.

My suggestion: As soon as you get awake on New Year's Day, do something to promote your business. And then do another something on January 2, 3, 4, etc.

Doing one small self-promotion each day will add up to a big thing by the end of the year, so even if you've had way too much fun on New Year's Eve, think of something, and do it.

Make it your resolution to do something positive to market your goods or services each and every day this year. Even if it's nothing more than a phone call to a past client, it will make a difference.

Happy New Year!

Marte

Planning your 2009 Marketing

2008-12-25T00:30:00.000-08:00

I read a comment on Linkedin tonight from someone who thought that when times were tough, the place to cut back was in the marketing department.

What was he thinking?

Without marketing there are no new customers, and without new customers, business dries up. It's true that past and present customers are vital to success, but you can't depend upon them for your entire business.

The tougher the marketplace becomes, the more important marketing becomes. Those who stop are signing up for "failure on autopilot."

So... since marketing is so vital, and since so many small business owners push it over in the corner for attention "when they have time," I created a marketing pre-planner to help speed things up a bit.

You'll still have to sit down and do it, but hopefully it will help you focus and cause you to actually get your marketing plan for 2009 written.

Why should you? Because a written plan, with dates and deadlines, will keep you on track. It will save you money and produce better marketing materials - if you stick to it. It won't help at all if you put an entry in your planner for Feb. 5 that says "Get ads ready for Feb. 10 deadline" and you ignore it until the morning of Feb. 10.

Anyway, the pre-planner is yours for the asking. Just send a blank email to marketingpreplan@getresponse.com

And no, I'm not collecting names to sell, share, trade, or give away. I think that's not nice.

Go get your pre-planner and have your marketing plan written by January 1. You won't be sorry!

Broaden your audience - use written words!

2008-12-17T00:25:00.001-08:00

Darn I hate videos! Seems like everyone on line with interesting information these days is putting it on video - so I miss it!

First I have to wait until midnight so Hughes Net won't shut me down for downloading too much. But then, with a satellite connection, many videos come in little chunks. I forget what they're talking about in between the chunks.

I know, I know. Video is the really cool thing to use - and it takes less effort than refining your words to write them out. But since only about half of all internet users have high speed, that means you have half the audience you could have if you wrote down your information.

Think about that...

Do You Ask Your Customers and Clients for Testimonials?

2008-12-09T23:34:00.000-08:00

You really should, you know, even if it's hard to do.

In a world filled with big promises, big claims, and marketers shouting "I'm best, pick me!" having a 3rd party endorsement can mean a lot.

But it is hard to do. So, go about it a different way - ask without really asking.

I made some suggestions about how to do that on my other blog... Come see.

Getting into the Christmas mood - I need help!

2008-12-06T22:16:00.001-08:00

So far, my shopping trips have not helped one bit!

I remember shopping when being in the stores was part of the magic - all of them were decorated to the hilt with Christmas trees, huge shiny bells and balls and garlands hanging from the ceilings - and there must have been some kind of Christmas incense, because I recall a special aroma of the season.

The Crescent in downtown Spokane, Washington was a special treat. The Christmas displays in the windows made a little kid feel like they were right there at Santa's workshop. Thankfully, they were still doing that when my own kids were small.

And now - nothing. The stores look just as boring as they did in April and September. At least in summer they decorate for the 4th of July.

I know - it's all part of being "politically correct" and not offending anyone. Well, I think if someone is offended by Santa Clause then they should just go sit in a dark basement for the month of December and let the rest of us enjoy the season.

It's too early for me to say "Merry Christmas," so... Happy Christmas Season!

And if I see a store with decorations, I'm going there to buy my gifts...

What do you think?

A new look at your competition

2008-12-04T10:23:00.000-08:00

Hi all -
It's been a while since I posted here, because I moved my blog to my website. I intended to take this one down, but then my son talked me out of it. Bossy kid.

Anyway, I don't have enough hours in the day to write on both blogs, so I'll give you a hint about the content, and ask you to please follow me, and Read today's post...

It's a new look at competition - and why maybe it isn't competition at all! Please join me for an idea that just might give your business a boost!

Marte

Please follow me to my new blog site

2008-09-17T09:56:00.000-07:00

If you read about SEO then you know that your blog should be attached to your website. So now, mine is attached to my primary website: www.marte-cliff.com.

I thought there was a way to do that with blogger, but couldn't make it work, so I finally downloaded Wordpress, got some help from the friendly tech guys at Go Daddy, and made it happen.

The new blog still needs some work on layout, etc. but it's there.

So, please join me...

See you there!

Marte

Our soldiers need our help

2008-09-10T23:12:00.000-07:00

This is a little departure from marketing, but I feel compelled to share what I've been learning - because it's important.

Plain and simple - Our troops serving in Iraq don't have the things they need.

I wrote an article about it for our local newspaper, and I hope you'll take just a minute to read it. You may be shocked at what they really need.

Then tonight I got another email from the young woman whose email prompted me to write the article - she says she just talked with another relative who is home on leave and he said the soldiers need laundry soap. Most bases are on back order and have been for quite some time.

Can you imagine living in a hostile country with foul tasting water and no sanitation, suffering from colds and flu, being drenched in sweat every day - and not even having laundry soap?

These brave men and woman are there, supporting our country. If each of us were to add even one $5 item to our grocery carts on a monthly basis - and then put it in the box to send - they'd not only be more comfortable, they'd know that the folks at home do care.

I'm doing it - please join me!

Marte

Marte Cliff
writer@marte-cliff.com

Getting things done

2008-09-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

Is your to-do list as long as your arm?

Mine certainly is, and every time I turn around I think of something new to put on it. First come the projects for other people, of course. That's how I make a living and I make it a priority not to miss deadlines.

But then I start thinking of things like adding some of my new testimonials to my web sites, converting some of my ezine articles into web pages and adding them to a website, sending a new message to the people who signed up for my free report on how to avoid choosing a bogus contractor, getting back in touch with people who sent inquiries but weren't quite ready to commit to copy. I even think of new websites I'd like to build. So the list goes on and on...

This week I took my own advice and time blocked some time to finish a project. Well, to finish the first step at least. You may know that I offer a 6-month marketing and sales course for Realtors. It's only been available one month at a time. This week I got it all edited and compiled so I can offer it all in one CD.

I still think it is better for all of us to get our lessons in small doses so we don't get overwhelmed, but I've realized that some people are anxious and would like to have all the lessons at one time.

Next step: Build a page to offer it and see about labels for the CD's. I'm going to block the time for that, too, so that it doesn't get put on the back burner.

If you're like me and sometimes act like a grasshopper jumping from one project to the next, give the time blocking a try. It just might let you say "I finished this!" faster than if you just keep looking at your to-do list every day and deciding which way to jump in the moment.

Yours for prosperity,

Marte
www.marte-cliff.com

Think about the benefits you offer to customers

2008-09-02T22:44:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago we were all whining about the heat and the lack of rain - now I'm whining about the cold and the rainstorm that did me out of a horseback ride on Monday. We've had frost a couple times in the past few days, and the air has a definite "fall chill."

What ever happened to gentle transitions between seasons?

Well, if nothing else, some retailers should be glad. The change in weather should get people started thinking about winter clothing, heating stoves, snow blowers, and even Christmas shopping.

Do you have a business that will benefit from the arrival of winter? If so, have you got your new promotions written? It seems soon to be thinking of holiday promotions, but if you start now, you'll produce good ads, and if you wait until November... Well, they might be the kind of thing that results from working in a hurry.

So stop now and think about how your product or service really benefits people during the holidays. Do you sell something that would make a unique gift? Do you offer a product or service that would ease holiday stress? Have you made a special purchase so you can offer a huge discount on some popular item? Can you offer extra service that your competitors don't?

Take out a paper and pen and write down 10 or 20 reasons why someone should do business with you this fall and winter. Why should they choose you instead of a competitor? If you get stuck, write down wild ideas, because they'll lead to good ideas if you keep going.

When you finish, pick out the 4 or 5 best reasons (benefits to the customer, remember) and base your fall and winter ad campaign on those reasons.

Now decide how you intend to reach out to your customers. Will you place ads in a newspaper? Will you send out flyers? Will you do an email campaign? Get out the calendar and schedule your marketing events, then write the ads.

Do it now. Because if you wait, all those good ideas will have flown from your head and you'll be facing the last minute deadline without good copy.

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

P.S. Remember, if you get stuck, I'm as close as your email, and I love writing promotions that create sales!

The Law of Attraction and Time Management

2008-08-29T22:36:00.000-07:00

I have to share a tried-and-true time management tactic that I've just begun to use, but first, have to share my excitement!

My copy of Money & the Law of Attraction arrived today! I got started reading over lunch, and can hardly wait to keep on. In fact, I'm going to block some time just for this book.

OK, back to time management. I keep CD's in my car and work on my education any time I have to drive somewhere. Early last week I gave a second listen to a Glazier/Kennedy CD and heard again about time blocking. So I tried it, and I really am accomplishing more. I'm also feeling better about it.

The idea is to block out a certain amount of time for each of the tasks you must accomplish - and of course to put first things first so you don't miss deadlines or put off doing the things that will bring you the greatest rewards. We humans seem to be experts at "busy procrastination" that keeps us doing trivial things and putting off the important ones.

My trouble always has been thinking that I had to do it all "today" and then ending up accomplishing nothing because I couldn't decide where to start.

With the time blocking method you know when you'll get at each project, and it removes the pressure of thinking you have to do everything at once. The only real problem is deciding which things can wait until another day. My method is deadlines and promises first, business-building activities next, and routine bookwork after that.

The second important benefit to time blocking is that time once blocked cannot be interrupted. In other words, you don't take phone calls or go throw a load of laundry in the washer. And you don't let your mind wander off to the other tasks you think you should be doing. You simply focus on the task at hand.

From a psychological standpoint, you're telling yourself that you will accomplish a certain thing within a set time frame - and the result is that you generally do so. The speakers on the CD didn't mention the Law of Attraction by name, but that's what they were talking about. You state an intention, you believe in it, you do it.

Yours for prosperity,

Marte

P.S. If you haven't ordered your copy yet, I recommend that you do. This book is really something!

How to make readers delete your mail

2008-08-27T12:38:00.001-07:00

How silly would that be? But from the looks of my mailbox, plenty of people are working hard at it.

One that stands out today says something like "Why Jerry hated my article." But guess what? When I scrolled down, I saw no mention of Jerry or an article. It was just a whole lot of short blurbs urging me to click and go to dozens of different places.

I deleted it. I'm not that curious about Jerry or her article.

I've said it before - nearly everyone has said it before - be sure your subject line is not only interesting enough to make people open your mail, but has some relevance to the message below it. Otherwise, people won't just delete this time - after you've done it to them a couple of times they'll automatically delete without bothering to look at what you have to say.

One of our most well-known copywriting gurus is doing that now - his headlines promise some information,but when you scroll down you find that you'll only get the information if you buy something. I don't even bother to look any more. I really should take the time to opt-out of his stuff, but the speed of my satellite connection leaves a lot to be desired, so I don't want to take the time.

So - if you offer something in your subject line, be sure your visitors find it quickly when they open your mail. Otherwise, you'll lose your credibility and the trust you work so hard to build.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Public speaking won't kill you - even if you think it will

2008-08-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

This past week I helped the owner of a moving company in San Francisco put together a speech to give to a group of Realtors. He was, of course, terrified of getting in front of the group, but he did it anyway, because he'd like to earn their referral business. And you can too!

No matter what you're doing for a living, you have some expertise that others don't have, and you can share it with a group of individuals who care. This is effective marketing at only the cost of gas to get there - or the cost of a copywriter if you can't decide how to say what you want to say.

Who can do this? Anyone. Who can you talk to? Any group that has meetings.

For instance, if you're lender expert in reverse mortgages you could speak to the Senior Citizens group and let them know the pros and cons. If you sell insurance you could speak to this same group about the various and confusing Medicare plans.

If you're a Realtor you could talk to the Chamber of Commerce. Just fill them in on how the market is affecting real estate sales in your city, if more people are moving out than in, if people are still searching for commercial property in your vicinity, etc. These folks have heard plenty of rumors, so go tell them how things really are.

With the Chamber, you can give a short talk introducing any kind of services - because business people do like to know about other businesses in town.

If you're a farrier you could talk to the local 4-H Horse clubs about proper care of their horses' feet.

If you're a tutor you could talk to a parent-teacher group.

If you sell fund-raising materials you could talk to local service groups - and tell them the results of any studies you have about which promotional materials result in the most future sales.

If you're a leather crafter, go talk to the local gun club and show them how to choose the perfect holster (that you can create.)

Think about what you do, who your target market is, and then look for a group of people who meet regularly and would welcome expert information about their topic of interest.

You don't have to talk for an hour - in fact, they'll be glad if your talk is brief and to the point.

Be sure to prepare a little hand-out material. You can give your audience a brochure, coupons for $ off future service, or an informational piece with your name clearly displayed. And be sure to attach your business card. Make sure your photo and your web address are on one or more pieces that you hand out - so people will instantly remember who you are when they look at your materials later.

You really can do it - just prepare ahead of time so you know what you're going to say. You can take along your notes so you don't miss an important point, but try not to just read your speech.

Remember that this is a group who is interested in what you have to say - it's not anything at all like when I was a student teacher and had to get up in front of a class of kids who wished I'd just go away.

They won't expect you to be perfect - only real. So get out there and promote yourself!

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

What if your marketing budget is small?

2008-08-25T11:13:00.000-07:00

Look around - you'll find a ton of places where you can market for free - or almost for free. Start with Craig's list and flipit.com - and search for more. Do this for both your services and your listings. Remember, the internet is a powerful tool - the place where over 80% of all home buyers begin their search. Make use of this power.

Remember also to market at the end of every email you send, so that no one can forget what you do.

In my ebook, Getting Clients, I outline many methods of low-cost yet effective marketing techniques. One of the first is wise use of business cards. They're so inexpensive that you could actually have different cards for different niches.

Try adding a tag line such as "Making short sales simple." Be sure to include your URL - to direct people to your site, where they can learn more about how you'll help them.

If you're strapped for cash starting out, go to Vista Print and get their free business cards.

The real challenge is in deciding how you'll present yourself, and making sure that everything you do shows the benefit you'll bring to your customers and clients. Your tag line needs to be short and attention-getting. So the first step is deciding what you're trying to accomplish, and then distilling the message down to a few words.

Now is not the time for "Me too" or "I'm here" marketing - it's the time to separate yourself from the crowd and show people how you can help solve their specific problems.

About those business cards - hand them to everyone! Hand them to people you've handed them to before, and if they ask why, tell the truth: "I hope you'll give this one to someone you know who needs my help."

Do you see a theme in what I've said? The more you focus on how you'll help people, the more business you'll have.

Above all, remember that the Law of Attraction is at work - so focus on what you want, expect to get it, and start each day with positive confidence!

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Profiting from the real estate downturn, part III

2008-08-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

Sad to say, many Realtors and others who serve the real estate market will drop out over the next few months. They'll buy into the gloom and doom and stop trying.

We have to be honest here, and realize that a whole lot of agents who got in when the market was hot weren't really trying much then, either. Just being there gave them enough business to keep them in the game. During my 19 years in real estate I met dozens of them who gave little effort to sharpening their skills - either as an agent or in marketing themselves.

Their decision to drop out is good news for you! They really were just cluttering things up and making it harder for customers and clients to find you.

Now is the time to sharpen your expertise - about all the homes for sale in your niche, and especially about how to deal with selling repossessed properties. And now is the time to market yourself as an expert.

Since many of those homes are in a pre-foreclosure state, it's also the time to learn all you can about handling short-sales. They do require an extra dose of patience and persistence. They also call for your use of compassion and kindness, because those home sellers are in a state of unhappy turmoil.

For those who serve the market in other ways, you may have to shift your idea of who your customers will be - for instance, instead of marketing exclusively to home sellers, also market to the agents who handle REO properties.

But think about this: Those people who are not in financial trouble, but who need to sell and move during tight times, may need your services more than ever. We all know that a sparkling clean and properly staged and landscaped home will sell faster than homes that merely look "lived in."

Your task is to show home sellers the advantage you can give them over their competition.

So get out there and present yourself as the professional they need! And if you have a hard time developing your marketing plan, get in touch.

This really can be a time of prosperity...

Marte

Profiting from the real estate downturn, part II

2008-08-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we talked about how Realtors can profit by targeting rental buyers, and how others who provide services should step in now and market themselves to Realtors who list repossessions.

Now think for a minute about becoming a rental manager, taking care of details for those rental buyers and freeing up their time to find and buy even more.

Not only will you make a nice little side income, if you happen to be a Realtor, you can put yourself in a firm position with next year's home buyers. Of course, if you manage enough units, your income could be substantial, so if you like it, go for the gold!

But back to next year: You begin by treating your tenants very well - making sure that they not only like but trust you. Then you offer to show them ways to improve their credit scores, save money, and have the down payment they need for a home sooner instead of later.

Read the book: "Drop Your Debt Fast" and share tidbits with them - encourage them to get it for themselves and get busy. Counsel them on all the things they should and shouldn't do while they're building that credit. And when they've made progress, begin telling them about homes they can afford. In short - create a group of "buyers in waiting" who will turn to you when the time is right.

You non-Realtors who offer cleaning, repair, remodeling, landscaping, staging, accounting, database management, etc. should get in touch with the agents who follow my advice and create a list of rental owners. Show them the work you do and ask for a referral to those owners.

Again, when you approach the Realtors present yourself as a professional - dress the part and carry a well written brochure plus business cards. I showed you yesterday how to get the business cards for just the price of shipping... and your brochures need not be expensive, either. If you use the right paper, you can even print them from your own computer.

Just make sure that your brochure focuses on what you'll do for the prospect - make sure you don't fall into the "I, I, me, me" trap that makes so much marketing a waste of time and paper. If you can't figure out how to write a Customer-focused brochure, or if you're unsure of your own grammar and punctuation skills, write me.

To make yourself look even more professional, why not go back to Vista Print and get a Free Car Door Custom Magnet? Then those rental owners will know at a glance what you have to offer - and you could get calls from people who haven't seen your marketing elsewhere.

OK, keep squeezing that lemon -

The real estate crisis could fatten your bank account

2008-08-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

If you're selling real estate in one of the areas hardest hit by foreclosures, think about rental management for a minute.

It could be your way to turn the lemon market into lemonade for you - AND to assure yourself of a good supply of buyers next year and the year after.

Let's start at the beginning - finding and selling the rentals.

First, search out the foreclosed homes that would make good rental properties. You know, the ones that are structurally solid mid-size properties at a price that will allow them to become rentals. In other words, homes whose payments will be less than current rents for comparable homes. (That means you'll have to research rentals just a bit.)

Turn yourself into the encyclopedia of all foreclosures with rental potential.

Next, advertise the fact. Target your marketing toward those entrepreneurs who are actively seeking rental properties. They're people who either have a good chunk of money stashed away, or excellent sources for obtaining financing. They want the best bargains in town, so show them that you know where they are.

Be sure you preview each of those homes and talk with the agents ahead of time. You'd feel pretty silly taking an offer on a home on a Thursday when the deadline for bids was Wednesday night.

As a rule of thumb, Mortgage company REO agents won't look at an offer that's more than 10% under list price - check with each agent and see if that holds true for the company they're representing.

Some of your buyers will try to go 20 or even 30% under - and that is probably a waste of their time and yours - so have your facts before you talk with them.

If you aren't sure how to appeal to that crowd, get in touch. These people could become not just your bread and butter, but your gravy as well - so do what it takes to reach them.

Tomorrow I'll tell you how this down market can create next year's income... And remember, if you need help creating your marketing materials, I'm as close as your email, and helping you make more money through your marketing efforts is what I do. Write me.

P.S. If you're not a Realtor, but could provide services needed in cleaning up, fixing up, and maintaining those REO properties, now is the time to contact every agency in town and offer your services.

Be sure you have a well-written flyer or brochure, and attach a business card. You're going in as a professional offering assistance - so look the part!

If you don't have business cards, remember that Vista Print offers FREE Business Cards! Click here.

Do you believe in the law of attraction?

2008-08-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

I do, and that's why when I found this link to the new book "Money and the Law of Attraction" I was anxious to bring it to you!

Try as we might to keep a positive thought - and think only of the things we want to manifest in our lives - sometimes it helps to do some serious reading and remind ourselves of just how much we influence the "outside" events that shape our lives.

I've been reading Abraham for quite a while - and realizing why so many people are stuck in a kind of "rat on a wheel" existence. As much as they "wish" for something better, deep down they only believe in what they've always experienced.

Like my friend who once again hired a Realtor who isn't marketing his home. This makes #3. The other day he said "I didn't expect any better from her." Well gee, why did he bother to hire her then?

I hope that when you embark on a new marketing program or strive to create a winning sales letter - or even head out the door to meet with a client - that you are expecting the results you want. And that you're putting your belief behind that expectation.

It really is the only way to get from where you are to where you want to be.

Yours for success,

Marte

More on marketing to multi-cultural clients

2008-08-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

Oops! Sorry! I got busy here and didn't get back "tomorrow." But I'm back now, with more about marketing to multi-cultural clients.

When you were being taught about in-person sales, you were probably told to be friendly and outgoing, and to offer your hand in greeting. That may have been fine when you were working in a one-culture community where hand-shaking was the accepted mode of greeting.

But it isn't fine any more! Not if you're dealing with people whose culture you don't know well.

There are actually two reasons why your friendly greeting can repel the very people you wish to impress.

First, for the purpose of this discussion, is cultural differences. In some cultures, strangers simply do not touch each other. Not with a hand-shake, and not with a friendly pat on the arm or shoulder. This is such a strong belief, that for some, touching a woman is tantamount to an insult - to her, to her husband, and in fact to her entire family! A good reason to keep your hands to yourself.

Second, most Americans have become germ conscious. Have you noticed that more grocery stores now offer antibacterial wipes at the door, so you can wipe down the shopping cart handle? Some people just don't want to grasp the hand of a stranger, not knowing if that hand has been washed recently.

And that's not new. I remember an incident years ago - We had gone out with friends for the evening and stopped at a quick stop on the way home. The gentleman with us excused himself to use the rest room, and when he came out, my husband introduced him to the girl behind the counter. He stuck out his hand and she refused it. She said "I'm not going to shake your hand. You just came from the men's room and I know you didn't wash." Sheepishly, he admitted that she was correct, and everyone laughed.

Now while that girl was straightforward in her objection, your potential clients probably won't be. In fact, some might not know what to do, and will definitely feel uncomfortable. And when you make people uncomfortable, they'll avoid you in the future.

So what to do? Easy. Let your future customers and clients take the lead. Smile, nod, give them a warm verbal greeting. And if one of them sticks out a hand to shake, take it.

By the way, when you do shake hands, be firm but gentle. Nothing marks a person as wimpy and untrustworthy so fast as a limp handshake - and nothing makes people wince so fast as a bone-crusher. That happened to me just a few days ago, and my knuckle still hurts!

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Marte Cliff
writer@marte-cliff.com

Respect my personal space - Please!

2008-08-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

Ever meet someone who gets so up close and personal with you that you keep backing up to get away from them - and they keep coming forward to get closer again?

It's awful!

And you could be doing it to your own clients, if you don't understand that different cultures require different degrees of personal space. The average American wants and needs about 2 1/2 feet between them and a casual acquaintance. That's where we feel comfortable, and the space we try to maintain.

But some cultures, the Japanese for instance, want more space - about another foot. So, they might shake your hand, but then step back. If you step forward into your comfortable space, they'll back up. And unless you catch on, you're apt to back them right out your door, never to return.

You know how much you like to avoid people who crowd your space - so do they!

On the other hand, some cultures are more comfortable up close - way too close for your comfort. And just as you feel a bit slighted when someone backs away from you, they'll feel slighted when you back away from them. So try to resist.

You can learn "who is who" when you take the quizzes at ethnoconnect.com - a wonderfully informative site that will help you learn to connect with customers from a wide variety of cultures.

Something else to remember - each of us is an individual, no matter what our culture. So tune in to your individual customers and their need for personal space. Some folks are just more private than others, so make it your goal to let them feel comfortable when they're with you.

I'll be back tomorrow with more on marketing to multi-cultural customers. In the meantime, I wish you a productive day!

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Marte Cliff, Copywriter
www.marte-cliff.com

Your clients need a little privacy - so give it to them!

2008-08-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I re-listened to a CD about selling to a multi-cultural market. This segment of society is growing by leaps and bounds - it was already at about 1/3 of the population a year or so ago when the CD was recorded. And, according to studies by NAR, was purchasing 70% of the homes. Other businesses also need to be aware that 1/3 of their customers - more or less, depending upon location - will be from a culture different from their own.

That means, unless you're in a small town like mine, where almost everyone is either of Scandinavian or Italian descent, you need to be acutely aware of cultural differences.

This week I'll bring you some of the highlights from that CD...

But one thing covered on the CD seems to me to apply to everyone - every culture, every gender, and every age. That is the need for people to talk privately, without a sales person hovering over them saying "What do you think?" "Are you ready to order?" "Shall we write an offer on this house?" ... and on and on.

NO! Sometimes they aren't ready. Sometimes they need to talk to each other without anyone listening!

Multi-cultural customers often use a different language to accomplish this in front of the sales person - and sales people are insulted by the practice. But the truth is, they should feel encouraged by it. When buyers want to talk privately, it's one of those things called "A buying sign."

So, to best serve your bank account, let your customers have a little privacy.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Marte Cliff, Copywriter
writer@marte-cliff.com

Marketing smarter instead of more expensively

2008-08-10T22:02:00.000-07:00

Your prospects - the people who are still spending money - see thousands of advertising messages every single day. I read somewhere that we see more now in a week than our great-grandparents saw in a lifetime. And I don't doubt it - Just the junk e-mail puts a hundred or so in front of most of us every day. Add the newspaper, TV, radio, direct postal mail, Billboards - and it's astounding.

So... how can you stand out from all this noise?

I think you need to start with the customers you have - Give them a good incentive to give you their email addresses, and then mail to them regularly. But not just with an ad.

I believe you need to send them something interesting enough that they might pass it on to friends. Then include a weekly special that's for your email list only. In other words, let them feel special, and let them invite their friends to feel special too.

What's interesting enough to read regularly, and send on? Articles about your field of expertise are one good idea. But you could also send a weekly quote, a good joke, or even a puzzle. If you get alerts about viruses, send those as a courtesy. If there's a special event coming up in your community you could give updates about it. If you're supporting a local charity you could talk about it.

Just make sure you:
1) Send something in addition to a sales message.
2) Include a call to action in the form of something special for your customer

They call it viral marketing, and if you do it correctly, you can begin to reach more and more people who are actually interested in what you offer - and spend a fraction of what it would cost to run ads in newspapers and magazines.

If you offer a "once in a while service," such as real estate sales - use this method to maintain top of mind awareness - and perhaps even to bring your customers super special (exclusively from you) deals from other businesses. (You could even sell ad space in your email - but do be sure you believe in the other person's product or service before you do!)

Spend less - benefit more! And if you can't figure out how to write those letters, write me! Copywriting to add to your income is what I do.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Marte Cliff
writer@marte-cliff.com

Marketing to the right crowd

2008-08-08T01:54:00.000-07:00

Everywhere we go lately there's someone crying about the economy, predicting that times are going to be even tougher than they are now, and predicting nothing but doom and gloom.

And yet... the steady flow of tourists to our nearby lake hasn't slackened a bit. Friends of mine spent Wednesday on the lake, and said the number of people burning gasoline pulling water skiers and driving personal watercraft just for the sheer joy of feeling the wind in their faces was amazing.

And... a new restaurant opened in our small town about a month ago. Their prices are far higher than anyone else around, and yet every time you go by you can see people seated inside. It's hard for me to believe that this "depressed area" can support $10 burgers and $30 steaks, but apparently it can.

So, the fact is, some people do have money. Or if they don't have money, they're willing to go further in debt to have fun.

Then too, our neighbor visited the John Deere dealer this week to buy a new oil filter for his tractor. He asked how business was going and got an answer that would startle the gloom crowd: "Great. We're far busier than last year, and it was a good year."

So folks aren't just spending money to escape for a few days - they're also spending plenty taking care of their yards and their small farms.

Think about your product or service. Then look around your own community and see how people are spending money. What are they after? Is it fun, or could it be vanity? Or are the people near you spending only on necessities? If so, look a little farther afield and see what they're looking for. (That is, of course, unless you sell necessities.)

How can you position yourself to appeal to the people who are still spending? Do you need to reach farther than your community? Should most of your marketing be done on the internet? Can you turn whatever you offer into a necessity - or position it as "fun?"

This is a question all of us need to address. Because the fact is, while some are out of work and barely scraping by, others are spending. And they're spending a lot.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Marketing glitches, and a new site announcement

2008-08-06T22:54:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I told you about being a guest on a teleseminar - and I hoped I'd be able to tell you where to go to hear the recording by now. But alas... it isn't going to happen.

The man doing the series wrote me a couple of days after the call to tell me that while the company he hired promised to record the call, they hadn't done it.

A big disappointment for him, as he planned to market the entire series. It sounds like it would pay to have your own phone recorder going during a call like that, just for insurance purposes.

Meanwhile, I have an announcement. In addition to writing for my copywriting clients, this week I've launched a new website that I hope will be valuable to you. It's filled with coupons and special sales on products that most of us want and need. You can check it out at: www.couponsandpromotions.com.

Searching for good deals is fun, and I'd be more than happy to search for whatever you need if you let me know what you're looking for. Just drop me a note at writer@marte-cliff.com and I'll see what I can find.

Meanwhile, I'd better get back to writing. I'll have another cool announcement for you real soon, so check back!

Marte

Some Kinds of Marketing Take Longer than Others

2008-07-29T22:17:00.000-07:00

Or rather, getting ready for them takes longer.

Several months ago I was approached by a company that does home design and asked if I'd participate in a series of tele-seminar calls. He wanted me to talk about the contents of my book, The Land Buyers Guidebook. That sounded like fun, so I said yes.

Well... for the past week I've been getting ready for the call we had tonight. It was fun to do, but getting word out to my lists, going over the questions he was going to ask, and capturing my butterflies took a lot of time!

In talking to Stan, the man who put it all together, I learned that the techie side of doing a teleseminar took a lot of time too. Unfortunately, he's not much more skilled in techie stuff than I am, so... Lots of kinks.

All said, it was fun to do - and my butterflies all sat down for a nap as soon as we started talking.

So... of course I started thinking about different copywriting clients of mine who could use this method to reach out to their clients and prospects. Now I guess I need to learn how its done. So if you know a good (easy) service to use, please share the information.

Stan tells me that my call and last week's call will soon be posted on the site. So if you have an interest in buying land and building a home, go check it out at
Home Design Academy. I believe that everyone who signs up there will get an email when the calls are posted.

The first call was all about dealing with design - and I learned some things I didn't know, even after assisting with my husband's custom home building business for over 20 years.

I hope your week has also been happily busy!
Marte

writer@marte-cliff.com

Building your business with my words...

I guess no one knows John Reese

2008-07-19T22:08:00.000-07:00

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

Who the heck is John Reese?

2008-07-16T00:21:00.000-07:00

For the past several days my in-box has been flooded with affiliate marketers telling me that I really MUST buy into "Traffic Secrets" by John Reese. I have no idea what this program costs, because I haven't clicked a link, but the affiliate commission must be pretty good to have all these marketers vying for my attention and urging me to buy.

Now maybe I just haven't been paying attention, but I've never heard of John Reese until now. Is he someone who really knows his stuff? Or is he someone who decided to do a "pre-launch" hype and a "Launch hype" and got all these marketers on board by offering a great commission?

If you know the answer to that question - please share. I'd really like to know.

Meanwhile, "Bob the Teacher" is riding on the coat-tails of all this hype to offer a program of his own - all about using social networking. I think I might check it out, because the introductory information is no-cost. You might want to take a look yourself.
And no, I haven't signed on as an affiliate - I wouldn't do that without first studying all the material, and I just don't have time this week.

I'd also like to know how you feel about hype. Does having 16 marketers try to convince you to buy really convince you to buy? Or do you react like I do - by shying away from it completely?

Send your opinions... (please)

Marte

Should you use video to reach your prospects?

2008-07-09T14:04:00.000-07:00

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!

Is Social Networking Beneficial?

2008-07-09T00:04:00.000-07:00

...or is it just a way to spend a lot of time writing your profile and fooling around?

I think it has to matter where you choose to network. I post to Active Rain and I believe it gives good exposure to my copywriting business. I also belong to Wanna Network and a couple of others. But I don't think I'd ever bother with FaceBook or U-tube. And as for the sites that just list people's names - why do it?

Active Rain is for real estate people - and everyone who helps them do their work. That's me, along with mortgage brokers, stagers, insurance people, title company reps, and many more. We get to post articles that show whether or not we know what we're doing, and we get to comment on other people's articles. Wanna Network is much the same.

I haven't gone looking, but I would bet that sites exist to offer networking for many different career fields. If you find some good ones, please share with the rest of us here.

If you decide to join one or more social networking sites, do remember to set up your profile to show your area of expertise, and do take time to post on blogs and make comments - and write articles of your own.

As far as I can tell, just "being there" is a huge waste of time.

So, what do YOU think?

Yours for success,
Marte

How to present a professional image

2008-07-05T23:11:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-07-04T23:49:00.001-07:00

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!

2008-07-04T00:29:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-02T01:30:00.000-07:00

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

Two small words that add punch to a request

2008-06-25T11:20:00.000-07:00

Words and where you use them really do make a difference, and these two are surprisingly effective.

The two words? "Will You."

Instead of making a statement such as "Call if you'll be late," change it to "Will you call if you'll be late?" and get the affirmative response. Once someone has said yes, they've made a commitment to you and are far more likely to follow through.

Use this tactic in dealing with friends, family, and with customers.

Your specific business dictates what you might want your customers to do. It might be calling to confirm an appointment, calling if they can't make it, calling if they have questions prior to a decision, or calling after the purchase to let you know if they have any concerns. (Which is better than talking about you behind your back.)

If you've got any little word tricks that work for you, share them please!

Yours for success,
Marte

A New Lead Generation Idea

2008-06-15T23:22:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a good idea just jumps out at you - and that's what happened to me when I read a post on Active Rain yesterday.

This was a lead generation tip for Realtors, but any business that provides a "big" service could use it.

After you've closed on the sale of a home (or installed a pool, remodeled a kitchen, landscaped a yard, etc.) throw a party! Let the client invite 25 friends for the celebration, and while they're there, do your best networking.

Hand out cards, of course, but mainly just get acquainted with these folks so they can see how friendly you are and imagine how pleasant it would be to work with you. You can also use this time to learn more about what your potential clients are most interested in about your kind of service, and use that knowledge in future marketing. If you listen well, you might learn something you didn't know about your prospect base.

You could also hand out discount cards. Make it a VIP kind of thing - because they're friends of your friends (clients.)

Let your client choose the kind of party - wine & cheese, beer & pizza, punch and cakes, or whatever fits their personalities and lifestyle.

Now, if I could only figure out a way to use this idea myself. But, all of my clients are long-distance. Hmmm... guess not. Be pretty hard to serve refreshments through the computer.

Happy second half of June!

Marte
writer@marte-cliff.com

What should you present in a listing presentation?

2008-06-07T21:56:00.001-07:00

This one is for you Realtors. My Real estate help ezine today is about the experiences a friend has had in trying to find a good Realtor to sell his house...

After two bad experiences with hiring the wrong agents last year, he's been interviewing plenty of agents trying to find someone with enthusiasm and willingness to work with him, rather than against him.

He wanted to contribute $2,000 per month so that his house would be advertised in more places with larger, more prominent ads - and he wanted his realtor to work with me on the copy.

The agent he finally chose presented him with a full blown CMA, a clear schedule of her various fees, a marketing plan, and then some. Others merely showed him a computer print-out of a few recently sold properties.

I intended to post the entire article on my site so you could go read it and then come back and comment. But that is not to be - at least not tonight.

When my computer crashed a week ago it left me without my reliable old Top Dawg software for HTML editing - and I cannot find my way around in Dreamweaver. My son says its a great program, but I can't find anything great about it - not even one thing!

After spending an hour trying to figure out how to talk to it, I've given up. I simply MUST find a more user friendly editor. One that's made for non-techies like me who don't know any of the jargon but just want to do some simple editing. Things like inserting paragraph breaks and changing a font size. Top Dawg seems to have disappeared from the web, darn it!

So, instead, share with us what you think should be included in a listing presentation. And if a client offered to contribute $2,000 per month for you to use marketing his house, would you take it?

How about if a client told you that you had a professional copywriter at your service? Would you take the assistance, or turn it down?

We're just curious...

What's the difference between anxious and eager?

2008-06-05T00:09:00.000-07:00

Think about those two words... I've been thinking about them ever since this afternoon when I listened to a teleconference with Herschell Gordon Lewis.

He was talking about the importance of the words you choose in marketing, and how each word conveys a subtle meaning. Even while it "says" the same thing.

For instance, think about the two phrases: "Declined to comment" and "Refused to answer." They give you two different feelings, don't they?

But back to the headline - the word anxious conveys a bit of anxiety - even though it might not be what you mean. But the word eager conveys enthusiasm and hopefulness.

Another "trick" he mentioned was about making things seem bigger or smaller by the unit of measurement you choose. Would you rather have a "quarter pounder" or a 4 ounce burger?

I've taken all sorts of copywriting classes, and like most copywriters, I read and study about copywriting almost every day of my life, but listening to that man was incredible. I took 10 pages of notes in one hour. I'd heard him speak before, which was why I made it a point to listen today. If you ever get the opportunity to hear him - jump at it.

The kind of psychology he talks about will help you even if you're not a copywriter - because everyone needs to persuade someone sometimes.

Yours for success and successful persuasion,
Marte

Brian Tracy will wake you up!

2008-05-27T22:55:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had the opportunity to hear Brian Tracy speak? I have, and I can tell you its energizing!

My bookshelves hold much of his wisdom, and when I revisit an old tape I'm never sorry. That's why, when I saw this opportunity for you, I couldn't wait to share!

I'm not sure how long it will last, so take advantage right away!

Yours for success,
Marte

Newsletters and your customers

2008-05-24T23:32:00.000-07:00

Would your customers enjoy hearing from you when you aren't focused on selling them something? Would they like tips about how to use or care for the products you sell? Would they like to know about things going on in the community or enjoy you sharing a favorite quote?

I'll bet they would. And when you send people things of interest, you build that all-important "top of mind awareness."

They very best way to reach out with a newsletter is to write it, print it, and mail it, but if you're just getting started and don't have the budget for it, e-mail works pretty well too. And you can add a sales message - just don't make it the focal point of your newsletter.

There are plenty of companies out there willing to sell you a newsletter for your specific kind of business, but I personally think that the ones you write yourself - or have written just for you - are more effective. And I think that if you've got 4 pages, 3 of them can be related to your specialty, but not "pushing" it.

When I wrote a newsletter for my real estate company, I always included a section of quotes - and often people called or wrote to tell me how much they enjoyed them. I also included home care tips, news about new businesses in the community, and goofy articles like "What I love most about Autumn." People used to stop me in the grocery store to tell me they always read every word.

I have a newsletter laying here from my chiropractor, and I don't think it does the job. The only thing personal about it is his picture, name and address. The rest of it tells me why I need chiropractic. Well shoot! If I didn't know that I wouldn't be on his list to mail to!

The other thing that detracts from this mailing is that the photographs show that it is not personal to this community. Our community is decidedly not diverse. And yet, this newsletter is filled with photos of people from ethnic groups that are not represented here - at all. It may be politically correct to include a variety of ethnic groups, but if they aren't here, they aren't here. So the newsletter shouts out that he didn't write it and these aren't photos of actual patients.

It would be far more effective if he had a photo of Jane Doe, patient, with a big smile and a thank you for how good she feels.

I really believe newsletters help build your business, and that you can be more effective at less cost with a personal message. And if writing just isn't your thing, write me, and I'll help you get it done!

Yours for prosperity...
Marte

A rant about spam filters

2008-05-20T19:57:00.000-07:00

This morning I wrote a follow-up note to a client who had written me last Thursday asking if I could create a new postcard for him. I had written him back the same day with a few questions and a "Sure I can" message. I thought it odd that he hadn't responded over the week-end, or at least by Monday.

Today he wrote me back, saying that after he got my message today he had searched in his spam mail and found my message from last Thursday.

Sheesh! This man had written to me first, so obviously my address was in his email system. So why was my mail tossed? And this isn't the first time this has happened.

Yet - the messages promoting everything from pills to mortgage loans to phishing scams comes sailing right into our in-boxes.

My in-box receives approximately 150 messages every day. Of that, about 20 of them are either personal mail, mail from clients, or ezines that I get on purpose. The rest are truly spam.

But I have a new system. I let all the mail come in and then I check my "junk mail" folder before I begin to look at and delete the junk in my in box. And, at least once or twice a week I find a message from a friend or a client - people who are definitely in my address book.

I think I'm going to start a new practice with the mail I send out to clients. I'll send it, then follow up with a phone call to let the recipient know that he or she should watch for a message from me. It's frustrating and annoying to need to add another task to client follow-up, but I'd rather do that than let someone think I was ignoring them.

If you are waiting for replies from clients, I strongly suggest that you send another email, or pick up the phone. They, like one of my clients a few months back, could be sitting there wondering why you haven't been in touch.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Let customer comments guide your service and your marketing

2008-05-15T14:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went in search of a file that should have been in a box of paperwork from 2005. I didn't find the file I was hunting, but I found a folder full of feedback letters from real estate clients. So of course I had to stop and look at it.

After each closing we sent a note to both the buyers and the sellers asking for comments. We asked 3 basic questions: Was there anything they especially liked, anything they were unhappy about, and did they have any suggestions about how we could improve our service. In spite of the stamped return envelope, only about half the people replied, but their comments helped us focus on what was important to them.

And the most important thing stood out clearly: Communication.

Comments were along the lines of "You always kept me informed," and "You let me know what was happening all the time the property was listed and right through closing."

Different individuals had other comments, and a few of them were unhappy about something - such as agents showing their homes and not locking the door when they left! Under "What could we do to improve" some people wrote serious, helpful answers while others said things like "You could have bought all my meals while I was in town" or "You could have married me." But that's OK - the silly answers reflected the personality of the writer and served to give us a giggle.

Back to communication - I think this was a major reason why we seldom lost listings, even when the market was down and properties stayed on the market far longer than anyone wanted. As long as people knew we hadn't forgotten them and that we were making an effort to market their property, they were satisfied.

If you're in real estate, you can take advantage of what I learned about communication. But whether you sell real estate or pool services or have a store with many products, asking your customers what they like and don't like is a smart move.

It shows them you care, and it lets you guide both your service and your marketing in the right direction. For instance: Since real estate customers love communication, and if you're particularly good at staying in touch, you can and should use that fact in your marketing.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Postage costs and your mail order business

2008-05-07T23:52:00.000-07:00

I have to confess - I've become addicted to murder mysteries. Not all of them, just those written by a few select authors - like Rex Stout, Emily Brightwell, and Agatha Christie. And therein lies the problem: I've run out of books!

While my favored authors have written a lot more, our local library has only a tiny sampling. I've borrowed and read all that belong to friends, and now I check out the used book shelves and yard sales at every opportunity.

What does that have to do with mail order and postage?

Well, I thought I'd just go to half.com and buy a bunch. These are generally short paperback books. I can read one in a day, or two at the most. Since they're old and not very fashionable, most of them can be found for under a dollar each.

But the postage! When you add nearly $4 worth I have trouble justifying the cost for one day's reading. So I thought maybe I could find one seller who had a collection. I did, but the only break on postage offered was to drop it down to about $3 per additional book.

I think that some smart seller could corner the market if he or she offered to charge actual postage for orders with multiple books. Maybe even add a dollar or two for handling to the entire order rather than to each item.

Could you do that in your business? If someone orders 6 widgets at a time, can you put them all in one box, save on postage, and pass that savings to your customers?

Something else - from a psychological point of view,I think it would be wiser to add the "handling charge" into the cost of the item instead of adding it to the end. When I'm shopping I tally things in my head and know what I'm spending. But then when I'm faced with both shipping and handling at the end I quite often abandon the shopping cart - deciding that it really isn't worth that much.

I do the same thing with catalogs in the mail. And now, knowing that I do that, I check the order page before I even leaf through the catalog. If the shipping and handling is too much, I toss the catalog unopened.

Just something to think about...

If I'd been the Customer, I'd have been mad...

2008-05-02T23:41:00.001-07:00

Call me an eavesdropper, but sometimes people in restaurants just talk too loudly on their cell phones, as well as to their companions. That's what happened today when I was at lunch, and if I had been the customer I'll bet I'd have never been a repeat customer.

What I heard first was: "How much was the tree? And only $45 for delivery?" So I thought someone had called her to ask about purchasing a tree. No, that wasn't it.

The next words were "Hmmm... that's not what we usually do."

She went on discussing where this customer lived, how that was a bit out of their area and a long way to go for only $45 and a $130 tree. Then it became evident that the customer also wanted them to plant the tree, and the person on the other end of the line wanted to know how much to quote the customer.

The lady I was overhearing was obviously the owner or the boss of the nursery, but she couldn't make up her mind if they'd deliver at all, if they did deliver what they'd charge, and if they wanted to plant the tree. Can you picture the hapless customer standing their waiting while this conversation was going on?

Finally she said "Just sell her the tree and we'll figure it out later."

Huh? Sell the customer the tree and not let her know what it costs to finish the job - or if you're even willing to finish the job? And possibly leave her with a purchased tree and no way to get it home and into the ground?

My hope is that the customer refused, but you never know.

After she hung up she started discussing the situation with someone else at her table - how they had driven that far recently, but that was different because that person had more than one tree and the bill was over $600. That made it worthwhile. And she repeated the fact that she'd told the clerk to just get the tree sold and worry about the rest later.

And I sat there thinking about the wasted marketing opportunity.

Had she explained the whole situation to the customer and agreed to deliver this time for their stated fee, plus a set figure for planting, they'd have made a new friend. They could have said it was their fault for not making their delivery zone clear - and that next time it would have to be $X.

Maybe that new friend would need a lot more trees - or have friends and neighbors who needed a lot more trees.

As it is, I'll bet that customer is telling all her friends how poorly she was treated. Or at least she will be when the delivery fee turns out to be double and the planting fee more than she expected.

Which makes me wonder something else. Why do they offer to do planting and not have set fees for it?

I wish they'd mentioned the name of their business, so I could be sure not to go there. Not that I'd need anyone to deliver or plant anything I bought, but the general lack of concern for the customer is one I'd want to avoid.

Here's some things to think about...

If you have a storefront business, would any of your employees treat customers this way? (Hey, I already know YOU wouldn't!) Are your prices for special services clearly stated? Is there a way to make friends by adding a little extra service, or bending the policies a bit (without cutting too far into profits?)

Stores of every nature are all around us. Competition is fierce.

It's my opinion that the kind of service we give will dictate our success or failure over the next few months and years.

After the marketing, follow up and service make the sale

2008-04-30T00:12:00.000-07:00

Earlier today I made some changes to my primary website: marte-cliff.com, but after I did it I thought maybe I need to go back and add a disclaimer for those business people who aren't just going after a one-time direct sale from their marketing.

It is absolutely true that your marketing materials have to send the right message - they have to touch some emotion in the reader (or viewer) to cause them to stop, think about your message, and take action.

But for many businesses it doesn't end there. You aren't asking your customers to just "click here to order." You're trying to draw them in to use your services, you need to explain your product in person, or you want to sell them products on an ongoing basis. After all,if you're selling your real estate services, want them to patronize your health spa, or are merchandising steel buildings, your marketing materials are designed only to bring you leads.

And if you get a dozen great leads in a day and then let them go cold because you didn't respond to their inquiries - they'll be gone by tomorrow.

Then, if you get a customer but fail to give the service they expect, they won't ever come back.

So, while your website, your ads, your letters, and the rest will bring customers to you if they're written correctly, what happens later accounts for at least 50% of your success.

I'm constantly amazed at the companies who don't bother to answer customer inquiries. And of course, when I'm the customer I'm not only amazed, but annoyed!

Why do people do that? It costs money to get a lead, so ignoring them is a lot like taking handfuls of bills out on a windy day and letting them fly.

Speaking of bills, I ran across a really strange situation lately. Someone sent me a very persuasive direct marketing piece. I think I already told you about it. It was so persuasive that I decided to Google it, and found out that it was a scam. But... in the envelope with the marketing letter was a "Million Dollar Bill."

That caught my imagination - I thought of all kinds of ways to use that for advertising, and even to enclose with a "Thanks a million" note to people who have done me a good turn. It's just a fun thing to have. On the bill was the web address of the person who supplied the bills, so I went there.

Hmmm... no prices. No way to order. But there was an email address, so I wrote, asking for pricing and ordering instructions. That was at least 2 weeks ago and I've not had a reply. Now how goofy is it to go to the trouble to set up a website for your business and then ignore someone who writes wanting to know the price and how to order?

Since then I've found several other websites that sell the million dollar bills, and I'll order from one of them. But again - goofy. This person made me aware of the product, but someone else will get the sale.

I'll bet if you keep your eyes open you'll find more examples like this. So... write and tell us about them!

Updating Websites - We Should do it Often!

2008-04-23T23:58:00.000-07:00

Tonight I've been sitting here making updates on one of my mostly ignored websites: How to Write Advertising that Sells. When I looked back, I saw that it had been well over 6 months since I had paid it any attention.

Now what good is that?

I set it up, along with Do You Love Dogs ,Do You Love Horses and my Christmas site a couple of years ago when Joel Comm sent his very persuasive emails and convinced me to buy into his program for Google Adsense templates.

When I had extra time, it was fun writing the content for them - I immediately tossed the content that came with the templates because it was - well, awful. It wasn't even content - just nonsense.

And the Google adsense - I still haven't earned back what the templates cost in the beginning. But after 2 years or so, I'm getting close.

So what's the point? I think anyone can set up an adwords site without buying expensive templates. In fact, it might be easier to do than using the templates. With the web writing programs available now, setting up a simple page isn't that difficult. I know, because I'm totally non-techie and I can do it.

They aren't fancy, but when people want information, I'm convinced that they'd rather see something straightforward than try to sort through a maze. I also think we all want pages to load quickly, and all that clutter slows things down.

And that's the second point. If you're going to do it, don't follow my example. Set up only as many sites as you can update regularly, so that when visitors come to see what's new there really is something new.

If you choose a topic that interests you, you should have plenty to say about it. That's one reason why out of the hundred or so templates I bought I only used 4: advertising, Christmas, dogs, and horses. The rest of the assortment would have had me out researching for hours just to write one article.

Have you tried it yet? If not, why not set up just one. Or even start a blog about your favorite topic?

If you do, then come back here and tell us about it - and leave your link so we can come to visit.

Best success,

Marte

P.S.

I almost forgot - before you choose a topic and set up a website intending to do Adsense, check out a lot of other sites about the same topic and see if you find ads. I learned that people who advertise "horsey" things don't use pay per click for content. So while it was fun to write that site, it doesn't get any Adsense action because there are no ads.

Reach your audience with words they understand

2008-04-18T15:18:00.001-07:00

Wow. I'm excited because the "blog from your email" function really works - and I got it right on the first try. If you have a blog and haven't happened to come across this function, look under the settings tab for email.

I know, everybody but me probably already knew. But perhaps you're like me and not so "techie."

This is exciting for me, because generally when I try to do something new related to this computer, I have to struggle for a while to figure it out.

Seems like there are so many things to learn about using the internet and all the various software programs that my brain just can't soak it all in.

Could be my impatience - I want the instructions laid out in front of me in a clear, concise manner. I don't want to read it 6 times and then call my computer-savvy kid to ask what it means. I want them to use plain English.

I believe we all want that.

Not long ago I consulted with an IT firm about revamping their web page to create more sales. The problem was easy to spot... I asked them if they thought that the people who really needed their help setting up networks, etc. actually understood the techie language on their home page.

The reply was that they hadn't thought about that.

But doesn't it make sense that if people understood all that jargon, they'd probably be the kind of people who also knew how to set up their own network? It did to me.

All of our marketing efforts need to be geared toward the audience we hope to serve - and written in a language that makes sense to them. The language also needs to feel comfortable - written in a manner that approximates the way your prospects actually talk in everyday conversation.

So if you're writing to experts, go ahead and use the industry jargon. But if you're writing to non-experts, use ordinary language. Don't try to impress anyone with your knowledge - they'll be more impressed if you help them understand than they will if you leave them confused.

That's my rant for the moment...

If you need help making sure that your own web site and other marketing materials are written to appeal to your prospects, get in touch. Making people hunger for your product or service is what I love to do.

Think prosperity!

Marte

writer@marte-cliff.com

Testing a new function

2008-04-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

According to blogger, I can send a blog entry directly from my email account. Not being a techie person, I don't see how that will work, but I'm willing to give it a try.

So... this is a test...

How Google Can Save Your Sanity

2008-04-17T23:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got a most interesting direct mail piece. It was a scheme to get me to send money to someone who would teach me how to go out and find merchandise that stores need to liquidate for some reason or another.

I didn't count, but it was about 6 or 8 pages long, showed copies of the big checks people are receiving, and told how easy it all was. All you have to do is find the deals, convince the people to sell for ten cents on the dollar, and then this guy would buy the stuff, re-sell it, and give you half the profit.

Easy work, right? Somewhere in the letter he mentioned that he spent thousands every month to gather the contact info for the people you need to talk to - but I didn't notice anywhere that he said he'd give you that info. Only that he had it.

Anyway, out of curiosity, I decided to Google him and the business.

Oh boy! All I can say is that it's too bad the people who wrote about him hadn't done the same before they forked over their cash.

That's the second time in the past month or so that I've gotten something really persuasive in the mail and Googled it - to find that it was a complete scam.

If everyone would do that before they bought into these schemes, that kind of business would be out of business in short order.

And why doesn't everyone do it? Within just a few minutes you can find out if something is for real or not.

As well as doing a search, there's a website called www.ripoffreport.com where you can research all sorts of businesses you might be considering using. I got acquainted with it when I did some work for Hollywood Hair - he had me go see the reports people had posted about his biggest competitors.

Once I got there, I went exploring, and it was an eye-opener. Of course, some of the reports were silly. For instance, someone had written that Melaleuca products were no good because some people are allergic to them. Well duh - some people are allergic to almost anything you could name. So, you have to pay attention to what the complaints actually say.

If you're thinking about getting involved with a business opportunity, or even considering buying from a new company, use this tool we call the internet. You'll save your sanity and your money too!

Best success,
Marte

Consistent marketing - the only path to follow

2008-04-11T20:16:00.000-07:00

This week the copywriter's forum I belong to has had a discussion about "lulls in business." If you've been self-employed, even part-time, for very long - you know what those are.

Consistent marketing is the only cure! And yet, it's so hard to do when you get busy.

I remember when I was in real estate - getting so busy that my head spun. I would get out a legal pad and write down every transaction I was working on and what I needed to do for each. At the end of the day I felt like a limp rag.

So... during those times I didn't do any prospecting.

The result - I'd get those transactions closed, stop to look around, and find that I didn't have anything new coming up. I knew better than to postpone marketing, of course, but that didn't stop me from making that mistake.

I wish I'd had someone like me on hand to handle it. If I could have called my copywriter / marketing partner and told her (or him) that I wanted something sent to a certain list at a certain time, it would have been done.

Of course, in those days I didn't even realize there were people who would do that whose fees were affordable. Back then when I thought of someone else doing advertising for you I thought of Madison Avenue and huge ad agencies with price tags in the millions (I guessed.)

Now I'm the copywriter, but sometimes I still have to remind myself to take time out from other activities - like writing for clients, eating, and sleeping - to do marketing. It really is worth getting an hour less sleep once or twice a week.

If you're in a lull right now (or the next time you are) take the time to plan the next few month's marketing. Write the letters, ads, and e-mails you'll send out 3 months from now - or outline what you want to say and give it to your copywriter. Write your next newsletter - leaving just enough space to insert some current event.

Oh - and write the mailing or ad insertion dates on your calendar, with a reminder note 3 or 4 days ahead. Make an appointment with yourself to handle the last details, and then just do it.

If you need some new ideas for gathering in clients, check out my $7 e-book: How to Attract Clients to Your Service Business.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Self promotion with class - try this marketing program

2008-04-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

Just have to share something that looks like a good idea - and it's an affordable way to maintain top of mind awareness with your most valuable contacts. Here's the story, straight from an email I got from Christy McDowell:

Send out Cards is an Internet Based contact manager that allows you to send real physical greeting cards from the Internet. These are not "E-cards" but real cards that arrive in the mail with a First Class stamp.

You can send postcards

You can send 3 panel brochures

You can send gift cards from merchants like: Starbucks, Bed and Bath Beyond, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, I-tunes, etc.

You can send gifts like brownies, cookies, nuts, coffees, and books

You can create custom cards by downloading your picture, logo, etc.

You can upload all of your contacts and send thousands of cards at the click of a mouse

You can program the system to send out cards at a scheduled time

The cards cost less than $1.00 and they are of the highest quality

You can scan your own handwriting into the system and give the card a personal touch

You never have to lick an envelope, stick a stamp, or make a trip to the store or post office

Which sales person would you remember the most, the one that sends you a birthday card every year or the one you never hear anything from?

Its been proven that people who stay in contact with their clients on an ongoing basis (not just trying to make a sale) are the ones that get the customer!!

Our system makes it so easy to stay in touch and increase your client base.

You can have as little as one name or thousands, the possibilities are endless. You can go to my website http://www.sendoutcards.com/40631

OK, me again - I did go to her site, and sent a sample card to my little grand-daughter. Now I need to think about the business contacts I have who should be in this system.

Why not go visit, send a sample card yourself, and see what you think of it?

Some Realtors chase prospects from their sites

2008-03-31T22:29:00.000-07:00

My husband has decided he wants to move - he isn't quite sure where to, but somewhere on water so he can walk out the door and get in his boat. Of course, he knows it has to be somewhere that will also accommodate a horse and a garden spot.

So, he's been searching the internet to see what's there.

And guess what? He isn't able to find out.

He's just looking at this point, not even sure whether he wants to look in Montana or Washington, or even Canada. So, he refuses to put his name and address in the boxes on Realtor sites. Therefore, he's not allowed to see what's for sale.

Tonight I did get stubborn and keep looking after he gave up. And on about page 14 of Google I found one real estate site that offered a peek at listings without first putting me through a squeeze page.

Now, we may never move at all. And if we do, maybe not to that area. But if we do, guess which agency will get our business?

I harp a lot about capturing names, but I do believe this is the wrong way to do it. Instead of turning customers away, give them this information without obligation, and then offer some useful report to capture the names of the prospects who are truly interested in moving to your area.

Not only will you make a friend, you'll save yourself the bother, time, and expense of staying in touch and pushing on people who have no intention of moving to your town.

Think about it...

Proofreading - one of the most vital steps in marketing

2008-03-27T23:53:00.000-07:00

Ever get a marketing letter from someone and change your opinion about them and their business? I try not to let that happen if it's a person I know - and know that they're good at what they do - but when I hear from a stranger, I can't help but form an opinion based on their written words.

Sometimes a letter can do more harm than good when it shines a negative light on the expertise of the sender.

It's not just the composition that counts. It's true that a letter that fails to tell the reader "what's in it for me" will not get the hoped for results. But a letter filled with mis-used words, misspellings, and plain old typos can portray that person or business in a really bad light. As in sloppy, or unintelligent.

One accountant wrote that she had lost business because the letters she sent out made her look as if she paid no attention to details. Not a good trait for an accountant!

The cure is proofreading - not just once, but 2 or 3 times. And not immediately after you finish writing. At that time you still know what it is supposed to say - even if it says something else. It's easy to overlook a missing word or a repeated word or a spot where it says "teh" instead of "the." (Yep, you guessed it - that one is one of my big problems. Even copywriters need proofreaders.)

Sometimes it's helpful to use tricks on yourself. Read your work aloud to catch missing or doubled words, or read it backwards to catch misspelled words. The best method of all is to get someone else to read it aloud to you.

When you go to the trouble to contact your clients and prospects, make sure that your letter makes a favorable impression - proofread before you send!

Oh - and that goes for email, too. It's such an easy place to make a silly goof!

Do you love to write? If not, don't do it.

2008-03-21T23:27:00.000-07:00

Although I can't understand it, some people do not love to write. It makes no sense to me, because writing is downright fun, but I won't argue with those who disagree.

What I will argue with is the idea that people who dislike writing should still try to produce their own ad copy. It just doesn't come out right - and it takes valuable time away from them doing what they do best, whether that's selling houses, hanging drywall, or repairing cars.

Poorly written ads can actually make a business or a business person look unattractive to the very prospects they're hoping to win. Does it make sense for them to pay for that kind of advertising? I don't think so.

Sometimes you have something to say and you know it exists only in your own head. So you think you have to write it. You do, but only to an extent. The best solution is to dump it all out on paper, and then bring in a writer to put it together in the right order, with words that make it interesting. You and your writer work together to create a finished, polished project.

I do that for clients, and I did it for my husband. You see, he's a retired home builder and he wanted to tell people things they need to know before they hire a contractor and embark on the exciting adventure called "Building my dream home."

Between my years in real estate and his as a contractor, we heard so many tales of woe that it seemed like something we just had to do. So, since he's definitely not a writer, he merely put down his thoughts in random order. Then I sorted them out, asked him a lot of questions to fill in the holes, and turned it into an e-book called Home Building Simplified.

If you're thinking about building, check it out. And in the meantime, get a free copy of our report entitled "How to Spot a Bogus Contractor," by emailing helpmebuild@getresponse.com.

If you have marketing materials that need to attract more clients, or if you have a report or book burning in your head - but you don't like to write - get in touch.

I'll help.

Are you driving away prospects with offers that are too good to be true...

2008-03-17T18:51:00.000-07:00

Today I got a postal mail promotion from a well-known company - in it was a letter about a "system" for making money on the internet that "anyone can do" even if you have to go use the computer at the library.

It promised rich rewards for being an "Internet deal maker." I read the whole thing because I thought that this particular company couldn't afford to send out something completely bogus. But... in spite of the temptation, I didn't mail in the payment.

Why? Because I learned a long time ago that things that are too good to be true usually aren't true.

If I told a copywriting client that my letter would absolutely quadruple his sales within 2 weeks - would he believe me? I hope not. I know a good sales letter could do that, and I'd be glad when it did. But since there are so many other factors to consider, if I promised it I'd be a fool, or a liar.

Look at your own promotions. Are your promises reasonable? If not, tone it down a bit and see if your response doesn't improve.

And if you need a sales letter that speaks to your prospects, or a web page that shows what you can do for your prospects, drop me a note. I'd love to help.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Use the holidays to spark your marketing creativity

2008-03-15T11:32:00.000-07:00

Did you do a promotion for St. Patrick's Day? I'll have to admit that I did not do any promotion for my copywriting business - but I think we all should be looking at each of the holidays that come along as a good reason to make contact with our client lists, and even reach out to new prospects.

The bars and some restaurants do a good job - after all, this is the only time of year you can buy green beer. Not that I want green beer - that actually sounds kind of awful - but who doesn't love a reason to celebrate?

Hmmm... what do I drink that's green? Green tea perhaps, or lime flavored soft drinks. For whatever reason, the only things that seem like they should be green are veggies. But color and marketing is a subject for another day.

What could you have done? Some kind of promotion dealing with luck? Could you have hidden a "pot of gold" in your store or on your website and offered a discount to customers who found it?

It's too late now to do something for St. Patrick's, and if you're using print media it's probably too late to do Easter, so what's next?

April Fool's day seems like a good time to do a fun promotion, and if you act quickly, there's time to get something in the mail or the local newspaper. And of course there's time to tweak your website a bit.

Today, take out the calendar and look at the events coming up. Then write them all down and let your imagination run wild with ideas about how to tie them to your promotions. Be silly, be outrageous, be creative - and something really spectacular will come of it. In fact, get some friends and family to sit down with you and toss out ideas. Sometimes the best ones come from something that sounded ridiculous at first.

Just do it - and remember to laugh a lot!

Marte

This copywriter is no techie!

2008-02-29T21:45:00.000-08:00

Sheesh! I thought I did a good thing, but guess I shouldn't have tried to fool around in the techie world.

Taking advice from a friend and SEO expert, Kevin Harper at Top Seller Sites, I attempted to move this blog over to my copywriting website. Doing so adds content and helps with optimization. And I thought I had done it! I was feeling pretty pleased with myself.

But then, last night I logged in to add a new post and the last two had just disappeared - poof! Not only that, Google said the address didn't exist. So... I managed to find the button to click to put it back on blogger.

I wonder where those other two posts went?

So here's my advice for you, and I hope I'll take it myself. If you don't understand what you're doing, find someone to sit by your side and show you step by step, or find someone who can do it for you. Since I live in the boonies, I think I need to find someone who can do it for me, long distance.

As my son pointed out today, it's much more sensible for me to spend my time on copywriting than on beating my head on the wall over this stuff - and getting so wound up that I can't write until I calm down for an hour or two.

Whatever you're doing that makes you crazy- quit it. Do what you do well and let someone else do what they do well. And if it's writing your marketing copy that makes you wild, write me. Copywriting is what I love.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Marketing on Google via Craig's List

2008-02-14T22:46:00.001-08:00

Google is a mystery. The way they rank pages in the organic search is so mysterious, I often wonder if the people working there have to pass some kind of security clearance - or if maybe they have to live in a big building where they're never allowed contact with other people.

You'll have to admit, it's kind of strange that "no one" knows how Google does what it does.

Craig's List is a case in point. The postings are short - sometimes only 20 or 30 words. And yet, they land on page one of a Google search. Why is that? It goes against everything the SEO experts tell us except one. That's the links. I expect every Craig's List post is somehow linked to all their sites, but I don't know that for sure.

Anyway, the fact that they DO land on page one makes Craig's List a valuable tool. It not only gives you an opportunity to get another link to your own site, but it leapfrogs your offering right over your competitors in a Google search. (sometimes)

Even without that, it does get attention. When I listed my son's duplex there, it got more hits than it got on Realtor.com. In fact, about 12% more.

If you're struggling to get traffic to your site - or even if you have traffic but want more - give it a try.

Hmmm... That reminds me that I should go list my e-book, Home Building Simplified. It's about that time of year when people are dreaming about the house they'll build this summer, and my book can help them avoid costly mistakes.

What can you list today?

Free gifts - with strings attached

2008-02-10T11:31:00.001-08:00

This morning I was cleaning off my desk, and once again moved a little card from Reader's Digest - Free Gift when you visit this site. So, before I tossed it I decided to go see what it was about.

First I had to give my name and email. I almost stopped there, but went on. Next was the offer, which was a free RD Condensed book. They'd send me the first one at no charge, and then every 4 weeks or so I'd get a new one - only $19.99 plus $5.99 shipping and handling.

If you really wanted to try condensed books, it was a good offer. But I shy away from anything that gives me a free trial and then if I don't want to buy more I have to go through a rigamarole to cancel.

How about you? Do you bite on offers where you're enrolled to purchase a "something" every month - just because you get the first "something" for free?

I don't do it any more - I already have plenty to do besides trying to cancel a subscription.

And in this case, I didn't even want the free one.

I kind of prefer choosing my own authors and titles - and the public library is on my way to the grocery store. It's a nice place - lots of books, lots of authors, lots of choices. And if I want, I can read a few pages to see if I'm interested before I bring one home. I can even request a book from a different branch and it will be there for me in a couple of days. Best of all, it only costs me a few extra cents in gasoline to go a block off the highway to get there.

Not to say I don't purchase books - I do. But the ones I purchase are for future reference: copywriting books, natural health books, books of quotes, poetry - all the things I'm going to go back and read again. And even at that, my bookshelves are overflowing. There's no room for novels I'm going to read only once.

Have you checked out your library lately? It's full of good stuff. And it's free - with no strings attached.

Happy Sunday,
Marte

The Dish Network Saga Continues - Customer service?

2008-02-07T22:47:00.000-08:00

Dish Network has done it again - I have to call them tomorrow. Not only does the dish not work, their first bill came today and includes services we didn't order! My son's $40 per month service is now $75 per month. Since he's at work and since I'm the one who placed the order - I get to yell at someone. On top of that, in spite of assurances otherwise, they began billing on the day of installation even though he called them within 24 hours to tell them the rotten thing didn't work.

Sigh - I'm becoming less and less fond of mega-businesses. They just don't give a hoot. Seems like there must be someone connected with these companies who should care - but how would anyone ever find that person?

And that brings me back to my last post, about being nice to everyone. Keeping friends and keeping happy customers really does matter - maybe not to a company as large as Dish Network, but definitely to smaller firms.

And this week I learned about a place where unhappy customers are welcome to unload - and where their posts often end up on page one of Google. It's called ripoffreport.com, and boy do people tell it all!

I was doing some research for a new customer who manufactures men's hair replacement systems, and wanted to see who his competitors were and what they had to say. One of the major players was listed twice on page one - under rip offs. Ouch. His web sites were also listed, but with those posts right next to them, I sure wouldn't want to be in his position.

It's an interesting site, and a good thing is that the person or business being lambasted has the opportunity to post a response, other readers can add their two cents, etc.

Most of the posts I read were about failure to honor guarantees, failure to reimburse for returns, and - one of my favorites - failure to respond to phone and email messages when a customer had a concern.

That one can forever taint my opinion of a company faster than anything else they can do.
How about you? What makes you the maddest?

Good marketing means being nice - to everyone!

2008-02-02T16:03:00.000-08:00

All the grousing I've done this week about Dish Network reminded me of how much people talk about things when they're unhappy about them. After 4 days of my week were used in trying to get customer service, I told every soul who asked "How's it going?"

We did finally get a service man, by the way, but the dish still isn't working correctly (sigh).

In the middle of that series of events, I stopped in a little store to make a purchase. The proprietor was boiling mad at a local real estate agent and couldn't wait to tell me all about what a terrible person she was, and how she didn't give a darn about "little people" like him.

The building he's in is being sold and he thinks he'll have to move. But she isn't saying for sure, and she isn't trying to help him find a new place. According to him, she's actually brushing him off when he tries to ask.

So... he's telling every customer who walks through his door.

Now, he may or may not have turned into a profitable customer for her. I personally think he would have, because he does have more assets than one might guess, but that isn't the point. No matter what else he has, he has the ability to cast a light on her and her business dealings. That light can be positive or negative - it was her choice.

Every person he tells his story too now has a slightly altered opinion of this Realtor - and since his moving is a "news item" in this community, his story will be told over and over.

The moral of this story: Every business person needs to be nice to everyone, because everyone talks.

Of course, it's more fun to be nice because it feels good, but some people don't see it that way.

I found a real person at Dish Network

2008-01-30T15:35:00.000-08:00

Wow. My second phone call to Dish Network this morning struck gold. A lady who not only understood the problem, but who was willing to do something to help. She even called me back to give me an update. The one person at Dish Network who believes in customer service. Gee, I hope they don't fire her for going out of her way for a lowly customer.

Anyway, now the technician will hopefully call before he attempts a visit. But she said not today. He gets his assignments via email and since the power has been off for 2 days... He doesn't even know where he's supposed to go. Seems like they could tell him on the phone, but guess that isn't in the Dish Network company guidelines.

Meanwhile, my son couldn't use his TV if he had it. No one knows how many more days he'll be gone - working on putting the power lines back together for the thousands of people affected by Sunday's big snowfall.

Better not complain about the snow. It's a bother for us because we're running out of places to pile it, but sure nothing like they're getting farther East.

I hope you're staying warm,
Marte

Dish network stole 2 of my days

2008-01-30T01:00:00.000-08:00

Ever spend so many hours fighting with a company that you'd really like to have nothing more to do with them? That's how I feel about Dish Network.

It all started last Saturday when Dish Network had an appointment to install my son's system between 8 and noon. He planned it that way so that he could go do other errands in the afternoon, silly man.

When no one had showed up by noon he called the main Dish Network number. They referred him to a company in Montana which apparently schedules the Dish Network installations. From them he learned that they had called him - twice - to tell him that they had rescheduled. No, they hadn't. They had recorded his number incorrectly so left messages with some unknown person. But notice - they didn't call to ask if that was OK, they just did it.

Finally about 5 p.m. the Dish Network installer showed up. By 8 or so he had things running and had found a decent signal, so went outside to secure the location. That took the signal away, so he went back and fiddled with it some more, finally getting a weak signal back.

Did you know that Dish Network doesn't provide its installers with electronic devices to find the signal? This young man had to keep moving the dish and then coming in the house to check to see how it was - just like any homeowner would do.

Anyway, he told my son that was "good enough" and it would be better when it quit snowing. Not. The Dish Network signal went away completely within a half hour.

He called on Sunday morning, hoping to get someone out that day, since he had to be at work the rest of the week. No, can't do that. So they scheduled a visit for Thursday. But then they called back and made it Wednesday. Total confusion.

Since he's gone and I have work to do, I want to know when they're coming. Seems simple enough, doesn't it. No. Dish Network does not return phone calls - but they're very good at leaving you on hold for a half hour before they turn on the recording that says you'd better leave a message.

I have managed to talk to 3 people over the past two days of effort. Once I got through to someone by pushing the button that said I wanted to buy something. If you want to buy something from Dish Network they'll answer the phone. If you need Customer service - forget it.
I still haven't learned anything. I keep saying I need to talk to the person who is coming out, or the person who schedules his calls - and to call my number - my son is busy at work and cannot deal with this. They can't give me his number, but gave me the number of the place that dispatches Dish Network technicians. The thing is, they don't even pretend to answer their phones.

Meanwhile, they called my son and he told them to call me. Nope, they didn't. Then they called him back 2 more times and left messages saying they had called.

I guess they think I can go sit there for two days to see if they show up, but I won't. If they can't call and let me know when they're coming, Dish Network can come back and get their equipment. They do have a competitor we can call.

Perhaps I shouldn't rant - but do think twice about using Dish Network. All they want is your money - they have no interest in giving you service in return.

Marketing 101

2008-01-27T23:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday when I stopped to have lunch I looked around for something to read - and found the local "freebie" newspaper (weekly, 8 pages). After glancing at the 7 articles (yes, always 7) I then turned to the advertising.

I have to hand it to the ladies at the newspaper - they must be very good sales people to get so many local businesses to place ads. It's not their fault that at least 80% of those ads say nothing at all - that part isn't their job. They are often called upon to take the advertiser's information and turn it into an ad, but there's no way that they can do a copywriter's job. Even if they've been taught the difference between a useless ad and an effective one, they simply don't have the time to do more than arrange the information given to them.

Maybe I should take out an ad myself and offer a course in Marketing 101 - It would include things like:

Have a reason to place the ad
Take time to come up with a headline
Know who you are trying to attract
Let them know what it is you actually do
Tell your prospects what they stand to gain by doing business with you
Include your name
Include your phone number
Include your address

I don't guess I'll do it, but it's fun to think about.

Meanwhile - I'll keep on writing letters and e-mails and web copy for my clients, and turning occasionally to watch the snow fall outside my window.

I did have to leave my cozy office for a while today - to shovel some of that beautiful white stuff. So much fell off the roof that the pile was threatening to run into the satellite dish that keeps me connected to the rest of the world. Can't have that! And then I had to shovel enough so I could open the gate and feed the horses. I don't think they'd appreciate an excuse in place of dinner.

Life in North Idaho right now seems to revolve around snow - plowing, shoveling, and wading through.

Hope you're warm and cozy tonight!

How NOT to build your list

2008-01-21T11:36:00.001-08:00

Grrr... I'm really steaming this morning.

I've been working to get rid of the junk mail that arrives daily, so every Monday take a half hour and click on the unsubscribe links for those that provide it.

Today it was ConAgra Foods. How did I get on a list about food? I only cook when I have to and sure don't want recipes and advertisements for processed foods full of God only knows what kind of chemicals.

Anyway, I clicked the unsubscribe link and went to a page where I was required to enter a password. I don't have a password, so clicked another link. A while later I got an email directing me to a page where I could enter a new password and log in. Guess what, they said the password is invalid. Too bad for me.

In other words, this company refuses to let me unusubscribe without some long hassle. I suppose I could get through it, and probably waste an hour or more of time just to get off their list.

I then went to the contact page, where I could send them an email and complain - but ONLY if I give them my full name and address. They don't need my address.

Talk about a lesson in how NOT to win friends and influence people. Why would you want someone on your list is so angry with you that every time they saw your email they'd curse? I really don't think that would get you any sales, do you?

Networking, an effective piece of your overall marketing plan

2008-01-18T14:43:00.000-08:00

Everyone talks about networking, and about working a room, and a lot of people try to do it but with little success.

I'm one of them - shy and quiet in a crowd. I can hide in a crowd better than anyone I know, in spite of the fact that I love meeting and talking with new people. It's just that reluctance to "butt in" that stops me. So I stand around and look stupid until someone talks to me. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they form an opinion that I'm stuck up so they leave me alone.

My favorite thing is to spot a kindred soul - someone also standing looking stupid - and then I have the nerve to go say hello.

So, I was tickled to find a good "how-to" article today. It's by Ilise Benum, a top expert in the field of self-promotion.

You can read it yourself at: http://biznik.com/learn/articles/business-networking/how-not-to-network

Even if you aren't the shy type, the article will give you tips to make your networking more effective from a marketing / self-promotion standpoint.

Best success!
Marte

A quick pick-me-up for your web copy

2008-01-18T00:04:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed that when you think something is a direct quote you're more apt to stop and see what it says?

If you're reading a newspaper article and you see quotes, your eyes are drawn to them, just as they are to a photograph.

So try this: Go to your website and put your headline in quotes. Then scroll down the page and if there's a sub-head that looks like it could be something you are trying to "say" to your prospects, put it in quotes too.

According to Joe Vitale, it works. So, since he's the guru of hypnotic marketing, it's worth a try. The best part is, it only takes a minute to make a small change like that one.

Of course, to make a truly hypnotic web page, you need several more elements, but most of them mean re-writing your copy. This one is quick and easy.

Yours for success,
Marte

P.S. If you're ready for that re-write, write me first. I create web copy that's friendly to both your prospects and the search engines.

Is your copy layout hurting your sales?

2008-01-04T22:24:00.000-08:00

Years ago, newspaper ad reps used to tell people that they needed plenty of white space around their copy. Most people I talked with had the opinion that the advice was just a ploy to sell bigger ad spaces.

But it wasn't.

You really DO need some white space. Breathing room, so to speak. And now that we're using the web it seems more important than ever. We've all gotten in a hurry - so we look at a web page almost to see if we HAVE to read it. It's true - we're looking for an excuse not to.

This is a completely different situation than we have with a newspaper or a magazine. Those you might read while eating a solitary meal, or while riding a bus or an airplane. At those times you're looking for something interesting to read. On the web, most of us are not. We're looking for information, and scanning to see if what we want might be there.

And who can scan a wall of copy? Who even wants to try? It's easier to click away and find a friendlier page.

Even in print the white space around a headline or between paragraphs is helpful. It gives our eyes a rest and lets us focus in and find what we want to read.

And yet - I see web copy so dense, and in such a small font, that the only way I'd read it is if I believed it held something I absolutely needed to find.

I get marketing emails in the same format - but I can't tell you what they're selling, because I've never taken time to read any of them.

Right now you might be thinking about some of the long running ads that are dense copy covering an entire page in something like the Enquirer. But think twice about them. The copy is long, but there are definitely paragraph breaks, and sub heads and bullets scattered throughout.
Those elements keep pulling the reader's eyes along the page - so even if they're scanning, they've got a place to stop and see what's next.

Before you send your next letter, go back and make sure you've left space between your paragraphs - and slice up those paragraphs so that none is over 7 lines long - less is better.
If it's a sales letter, take some of your information and put it in bullet form - and add some sub-heads to build interest and keep your reader moving.

Meanwhile, check your web site. Make sure the font size is large enough to see when you're sitting back in your chair relaxing. Then check the white space for both readability and visual appeal. You don't want all of your sentences the same length, by the way.

Make everything you send out look easy to read - that's the key. Let your reader quickly scan to see what you're offering - and if that's the right person for your product, they'll go back and read everything in between.

Call or write if you need some help!

Marte
writer@marte-cliff.com
208-448-1479

Marketing without revealing the price

2008-01-01T23:38:00.000-08:00

I've made up my mind - from now on curiosity can motivate the cat, but not me. When I get a promotion that doesn't reveal the price, I'm hitting the delete button.

How about you? Will you keep on clicking that buy now button just to see how much it is - and be drawn in to the next step in the letter to get you buy, buy, buy?

I remember a LONG time ago reading some of the rules for promotion. I mean the rules beyond giving the prospect a good reason why they should buy, appealing to emotions, being conversational, and remembering to include both some proof and a call to action.

These rules had more to do with ethics, or perhaps common sense, if you want your prospects to trust you.

One was to give your name and a way for would-be customers to contact you. Don't hide behind your copy and hope no one finds out who you are.

Another was to be up front about the price. I think maybe the final was to be honest - but hopefully that's a given.

Anyway, right after I read that, some of the "big guns" in internet marketing started leaving the price out of their promotions. It made me cranky then, and it makes me more cranky now.

So - add that to my New Year's Resolutions. No price, no curiosity. Just delete.

I'd love to hear your opinion!

Marte
writer@marte-cliff.com

Marketing Resolutions for the New Year

2008-01-01T00:00:00.001-08:00

Did you make a New Year's Resolution? I hadn't really thought about it until tonight, when I read an ezine suggesting some cool ways to build business by resolving to do one thing each day toward that end.

It could be working on your marketing, it could be writing and publishing an article, it could be reaching out to get one new client, or it could be thinking up some new way to improve some part of your business. For us copywriters, he suggested writing a mini-ad each day for business we'd like to work for - and then sending it to them as a gift. Now that sounds like fun.

How about this? Monday write an article and send it to article site #1, Tuesday do a Craig's list posting, Wednesday write an article and send it to article site #2, Thursday call a past client, and Friday call someone you'd like to have as a new client.

You could come up with any combination of the above, but doing one thing each day to market yourself or your business would have to make a difference by the end of the new year!

Go for it! Make 2008 the most fun and profitable year of your life (so far)!'

Yours for prosperity,

Marte
writer@marte-cliff.com

Marketing 2008 - Start today!

2007-12-31T00:25:00.000-08:00

I know, the old year isn't quite over with, so if you start today you'll have a jump start on everyone else. If you're not going to the office today, then get a paper and pen and start making notes about your January promotions.

What will you send out? A New Year's message that brings your customers up to date on new products or services you offer? Maybe a special price promotion? Maybe this is the year that you should start sending a monthly or quarterly newsletter.

If you don't accomplish anything else today, make that decision.

Then, when everyone goes back to work on January 2, while everyone else wants to sit around and discuss New Year's Eve and what they did for the holidays, why not go straight to your desk and start working?

I promise that if you do, you'll feel much happier at the end of the day, knowing that you made a positive start on 2008.

Start writing your first promotion of the year - or work on making sure that all your past customers and clients are in the database so all you have to do is push a button to get your January message on it's way to them.

If you're doing a postal mailing, get them all into a program that will print envelopes or labels - and then remember to add new clients all year as they come along. You know entering 3 or 4 names at a time is much easier than 30 or 40 - or 400!

If you're sitting there saying "I just can't write," then call me. I'll write while you get your database ready. My number's on my website - come visit: www.marte-cliff.com

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

A marketing idea for Halloween

2007-10-08T10:24:00.000-07:00

I wish I could take credit for this one, but I'll have to admit that I read it on a forum somewhere.

Halloween is fast approaching - so soon now that the checkers in the grocery store today were discussing their costumes and what they can wear that will be comfortable to work in all day. I hope I remember to go to town that day to see what they all come up with.

I used to go to the real estate office with my hair sprayed bright pink - I loved it!

But costumes aren't what this is about. Back to the idea.

If you live in a neighborhood where you'll get trick or treaters, buy a supply of those tiny brown bags and attach your business card to each of them before putting in candy. Then hand each of the children a bag at your door. Since most parents now do check the candy before they let the kids pig out, they'll see your card and know they have a top agent in their own neighborhood.

You might even have some inexpensive cards printed for the occasion - you can do it on your computer if you have the right program. Say something like Happy Halloween from Jane Doe - your neighborhood Realtor. Then insert the tag line that you've created for your specialty.

If you try this, be sure to put some mom-approved candy in that bag!

Are you just beginning your real estate career?

2007-10-06T22:13:00.000-07:00

If you are, you're probably wondering how on earth to get started. All of a sudden you are a business. You may find the transition painless if you've been in business for yourself before, but if you've always worked for someone else, you have a whole lot more to learn than you got from real estate school.

Getting and keeping clients is usually the first priority for new agents, but you also need to learn how to set up your books, keep track of deductible expenses, manage your time, and motivate yourself.

To give new agents a quick start, I've created a Mini-Marketing course that you can have for free. It doesn't go into the bookkeeping end, although creating something along those lines might be a good idea.

It will help you get into the mindset of being a business person, and it will help you choose your niche and then guide you in creating your first marketing pieces.

The Mini-Marketing course is just 7 days of lessons and assignments. If you do them, you'll be on the right track to building a successful career. All you have to do to get the lessons is send an email to realestatelessons@getresponse.com - and then verify that you do want them.

I promise that the lessons aren't hard - so just do it.

Yours for success,
Marte

Should you ever turn away business?

2007-09-24T22:45:00.001-07:00

You market diligently to get new business - should you take all that comes your way?

I don't think so. But maybe that's because I turned down what might have been an extensive and lucrative copywriting project just recently. The clients wanted me to write a letter promoting someone I think is a monster. I thought long and hard about it and then said no.

Now that kind of thing doesn't happen all the time. There aren't that many monsters who have support systems like that. But a writer can be asked to promote a product that is inferior or even harmful.

A building contractor can be asked to cut corners to make a spec house cost less, a garage owner can be asked to rewind an odometer - and a real estate agent can be asked to list a home under circumstances that just aren't right.

For instance, some owners ask their Realtors to withhold information about a property that would cause buyers to turn away. It could be the presence of a sex offender next door, or the fact that the roof leaks - but it is something that buyers clearly should know.

But there's another reason to turn down business. That is your own happiness. My belief is that you should not deliberately do business with a person who makes you uncomfortable and unhappy every time you see them or hear their voice on the phone - and there are people like that. They're arrogant or just difficult at every turn.

I say, if you see them coming, run the other way. The time, energy, and stress you'll expend on them could be much better spent working with people who are pleasant and cooperative. Plus, often the transactions you try to put together with those people fall apart at the last minute - leaving you nothing but a headache for your effort.

We all need to work - but we can choose to work at a job we love with people we appreciate.

Feed your hungry market!

2007-09-07T23:03:00.000-07:00

I'm back! for a while Google decided that my email address didn't exist - I don't know what that was all about, but tonight it worked, so here I am.

I have to tell about how this week a bear - or rather a few bears - made me think differently about why my friends and are are so disgusted with the horriffic service we've been getting lately.

This summer has been something else with companies that don't return e-mails or phone calls, stores whose employees won't make themselves available to answer questions about products and Realtors who refuse to show homes...

I've been feeling kind of cranky about that - you may have been feeling cranky for the same reason. So what does that make us?

Hungry. For some attention.

The bears are hungry for food because the summer heat destroyed the berries they usually eat. They've left their usual territory and are coming down into back yards to pick fruit and even crawling into pickup beds to raid garbage cans. As long as their hunger could be eased by staying on the mountain, they stayed. But when it could not, they began searching.

Like those bears, we are constantly searching for something to appease our hunger. The only difference is the kind of hunger.

When we don't get the attention we want, we move on to the next retail store, the next internet service provider, the next restaurant, or the next Realtor, hairdresser, personal trainer, insurance agent, or whoever.

Just today I switched my internet access from Wild Blue to Hughes Net. Why? Because they've been unresponsive and exhibited a "who cares" attitude.

And just today I tromped through 5 different stores trying to buy one fairly expensive item. Why so much tromping? Each of those stores had a similar item, but only one had employees who would answer my questions. It was crazy, really.

And real estate - I have a friend who keeps switching Realtors. She writes to tell me about the non-service every 3 or 4 days.

None of us wants ALL the attention, or excessive attention - but we do want attention. Your customers and clients (and mine) are no different. They want us to return phone calls and e-mails in a timely manner - which generally means the same day.

They don't want to hear a phone recording telling them "I'll call you back at my earliest convenience." Seriously - I've heard that one from two different places now. Honest.

And no, it never was convenient. They might just as well have said "Sorry, don't want your business." Because that's apparently what they meant.

And then, of course, if we promise to perform a service they want us to do it - on time, with no excuses. And if they walk in to our places of business, they want us to notice them. Speak to them and ask how we can help, even.

They don't mind if we're busy with another customer - if we smile and nod or wave or something to acknowledge their presence. They do mind if we continue on with a personal conversation and don't even bother to look at them.

I know you wouldn't ignore a customer or client. If you were the kind to do that, you wouldn't be reading blogs about marketing. But it might be a good idea to check and make sure that all of your employees know just how important it is to feed people the attention they crave.

Because if you don't, like the bears, they'll keep searching until they find something to appease their hunger.

Wishing you good employees who feed your customers well,

Marte
writer@marte-cliff.com
www.marte-cliff.com

Marketing: Give if you want to get

2007-07-21T23:23:00.000-07:00

What have you given your customers lately?

Internet marketers are well-known for giving something to get a new lead - a special report, an ezine subscription, or sometimes an audio or video download. After that, the really smart ones keep on giving.

It may just be a little tidbit of information that readers can use, but they give something - to create loyalty and keep people coming back.

But what if you have a different kind of business? You might think you have nothing to give, but you do. You know something they don't know, and you can share that information. A common mistake that most of us make is giving too little credit to what's in our own heads - we somehow get the silly notion that if we know it, so does everyone else. But it isn't so.

Without even stopping to think I'll bet I could rattle off 20 things that I'd like to know that someone else would take for granted.

Realtors are in a perfect position to build business by giving - you need to stay in touch with people in order to maintain top of mind awareness. I've heard Realtors say that they've contacted everyone in their farming area and don't feel like they can call or stop in again because they'll annoy people. You won't annoy them if the only apparent reason for contact is to give them something, and with real estate there's almost no end to what you can give.

How about a list of 15 inexpensive fix-ups to do before listing your house? How about some landscaping tips? How about advice on organizing?

One of my favorites is a short report to give to FSBO sellers - outlining all the forms they need and details they need to handle. If you do it right, they'll know they need to call you to list that house.

Something almost all your prospects will love is a report on last month's sales - we're all snoopy, and it's fun to know the number of homes sold and the average price. You can add extra information, such as the highest and lowest, the average days on the market, and the number of homes still for sale. Remember that this is also a great way to get listings if you can point out that a good percentage of those closings were your listings.

Before you go to sleep tonight, think about what you've given your customers lately - and what you can give them in the coming week. Keep giving something - and one of these days those customers will start giving back.

Wishing you a fantastic last third of July...

Marte

Marte Cliff Copywriting
writer@marte-cliff.com

Real Estate Marketing: The two sides

2007-07-11T15:13:00.000-07:00

Which comes first? Marketing yourself, or marketing your listings?

And which is more important - branding or direct response? And what about service? Without it, the rest doesn't count.

They're all important, and they all need to be done at one time. It can be confusing and time-consuming. Perhaps that's why the majority of Realtors are failing at all of them.

Just as mainstream schools forget to teach how to make a living, real estate schools fail to teach marketing - and what good is it to know how to fill out a purchase and sale agreement if you have none to fill out?

I think the first thing a Realtor needs to do is take the time to make a balanced marketing plan. You can't do everything at once, and if your efforts are lopsided you wont' get the results you want. So put your plan in writing, and then stick to it. Do something every day to market either yourself or your listings - and don't get swept away by the next salesman who walks in the door promising the moon.

Put compelling copy on your web site and let all those searchers know what benefits you'll give them - and then when your web site is doing its job, use other methods in your plan to reinforce it.

Learn to write benefit-oriented descriptions for your listings - so yours stand out and get sold faster than the norm.

Only about 1 Realtor in 10 is doing either of those things right now, so you'll be head and shoulders above the crowd in no time.

If you just don't know where to start, get my e-book, Getting Clients, and then sign up for my weekly real estate help ezine. Both will help push you in the right direction to increase sales and get more enjoyment from your work.

Sign up for the ezine today, so you don't miss tomorrow's message about using your "About me" page to good advantage. I'm also going to relate a customer service story that will either have you chuckling - or wondering if it could be about you. (Just kidding. If you were that kind of agent, you wouldn't be reading this.)

Yours for success,

Marte
writer@marte-cliff.com

A tribute to Power Linemen

2007-07-07T01:05:00.000-07:00

Hi all, and sorry for my absence. For some reason Google decided my "email address didn't exist" for a few days... tonight it works again. That's computers for you!

Tonight isn't about marketing, because I want to take a minute and pay tribute to some amazing men. My son is one of them, or I might not even know how amazing they are.

I'm talking about power linemen.

A week ago today a freak wind storm hit North Idaho - it roared through here, did its damage, and was gone an hour later. We were fortunate - no trees on the roof or flying sheds. Just a lot of branches to pick up everywhere. We only lost power for a day. But others were not so fortunate.

When my son got the call at 7:30 last Friday night he thought he'd be out for a couple of hours - little did he know the extent of the destruction or how many power lines would have to be completely rebuilt. His crew finished their last repair at 9:30 tonight. He was out for a couple of hours alright - plus a week!

What most people don't know is the hours they work. By the time they got back in tonight they had worked 138 hours in 7 days. When the people are without power, these guys just don't quit.

They missed celebrating the 4th of July - and they missed last Christmas because of a storm on the Washington coast. But they don't complain. It doesn't matter if its snowing and ten below zero, or if the temperatures reach 100 in the shade (like today).

So, next time your power goes out, know that there are a bunch of dedicated men out there hustling to get it back to you. If you happen to see them, give them a friendly wave and a smile and let them know they're appreciated.

Wishing you a wonderful week-end,
Marte

Marketing: creating sales through urgency

2007-06-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

It could be that I'm just turning into a crank, but I'm so sick of fake urgency that when I see it I lose all respect for the marketer who did it.

I mean, why would anyone say they're only going to release 11 copies of an ebook, so you'd better hurry? Do they expect us to believe that? And what about those messages that pop up and say "Buy now, this will be your only opportunity." Yeah right... if I want to give you money tomorrow you won't take it. How about the ones that say you must order by midnight tonight - but if you go back next week it still says midnight tonight.

So, if those tactics make you look like a liar, what should you do? After all, the copywriting books say to create urgency and convince people that it is in their best interests to buy immediately.

A true sale can create urgency - if when you say the price is good until Thursday it really is good only until Thursday.

But how about using your copywriting skills to create an urgency to own the product because of the benefits it will bring? Seems like that might be a more honest, long-lasting plan. There's just one thing wrong with it. It means you have to work harder to write a good letter.

Is that the reason why so many marketers are using fake urgency? Because they don't want to take the time to really work on the letter? If that's it, I wish they'd stop, because they'll give us all a bad name.

If you're having trouble injecting urgency into your letters, write me. Writing letters is what I do.

Marte

P.S. If you want to increase your customer base, read my e-book: How to Attract Clients to your Service Business.

I won't pull your leg and tell you it will be gone if you wait until next week, but the sooner you get it and start using the tips and methods it contains, the sooner your income will increase. At only $7, it won't put a dent in your budget, and your ROI will be phenomenal.

Go get it right now - and start attracting more clients.

Can you market yourself as a brand?

2007-06-14T00:13:00.000-07:00

You've heard people refer to someone as "Having her own brand of charm" or "His own brand of wit." But what about your own brand of doing business?

Do you go about your business in a way that makes you unique? My guess is you do. And since you take the time to read about and think about marketing, my second guess is that your brand is probably a good one.

I'll have to admit, when I first thought the words "brand of doing business" I immediately thought of someone whose "brand" you would not aspire to. He was a carpet installer, cabinet maker, and general remodeler. His unique brand was to say he'd be there on Tuesday, but you could never be sure if that meant Tuesday next week or Tuesday next year. Then, when he did show up, he'd work (?) for an hour or two and rush off to try to pacify some other poor soul whose job wasn't being finished. I knew better when I hired him, so my cabinets being installed 5 months late was my own fault.

He is his own unique brand. Among the local contractors, when anyone says "He pulled a Duane," everyone knows exactly what that means.

I'll bet you can think of a few people like that yourself. People who are well known in a negative sort of way - and who are so good at it that when their name is mentioned everyone else knows what trait you're talking about.

But that's not you. Your brand may be to always be on time! It might be a talent for putting people at ease around you, or for solving problems, coming in early, or working late. It might even be your adventurous nature or your willingness to explore new marketing ideas.

Think about yourself and your business. What is it that sets you apart from the others? Can you expand on it, and turn it into a brand you'll be known for? How will saying it fit into your current marketing? Will saying it give your marketing even better impact?

I know its easier to talk about your products or perhaps the people who work for or with you. Many of us grew up with moms who said "Don't brag" and who admonished us not to make ourselves "seen" in public. So when we say "I'm good at this" we feel a little guilt. Mom would really not approve.

But, there's no way around it. If you want to make a good living you need customers and clients. And as nice as it would be if all business could come from other people singing your praises, it just doesn't happen that way. You have to promote yourself.

So this time, before you send out your next ad or letter or email... think about your brand and how you'll let strangers know about it. Take the time to incorporate it into your marketing messages so it will grow - and some wonderful trait will automatically be associated with your name.

Until next time - good marketing!

Marte

E-mail marketing: the subject line puzzle

2007-06-07T16:01:00.000-07:00

How much time do you spend each day hitting the delete button? And how many tenths of a second does it take you to decide to click?

I'm personally getting pretty fast -- hope I don't accidentally delete something I want. But sometimes the titles, or the sender names, are so silly that I stop and stare a second. For instance, I've been getting mail from someone named Ron Representive. How clever.

Meanwhile, I read a good tip this week, so have to share. The writer was discussing the difficulty of getting email opened, and he had a good idea. Put your main subject first, and some follow up words after a colon - like I just did with this title

It makes sense, especially if you're talking about 10 ways to do something or promoting a class or maybe sending an invitation to an industry event. For instance. Instead of writing
"10 ways to write a better business letter", you could say "Business letters: 10 ways to improve yours."

That method might help your open rate, and might alert quick fingered folks like me to stop and look just an instant longer.

The other method I've read, which I think is really good if you're writing to folks who know you, is to put your name or your company name in brackets at the beginning. Such as [Marte Cliff]
Not much help though, if you're writing to strangers.

Whatever we do, its definitely time to identify who we are and what we're offering - or at least find a way to differentiate our messages from the ton of pure junk that floods our in boxes.

I'm hoping that all those people who write the cute, tricky subject lines will become so discouraged by their results that they'll fade into the sunset. You know, the ones that say things like "I got your message" when it's from someone you've never heard of. But, I expect when they do, others will take their places.

If you have any great tips to share on this subject -- or any other -- please write!

Yours for success,
Marte

P.S. If you want some tips on writing a better business letter, join my marketing ezine. Just send a blank email.

Working from a home office...

2007-05-30T14:36:00.000-07:00

Do you work from a home office? Then you know just how difficult it can be some days.

For some reason, people think that when you work at home, you aren't really working. Sometimes even your beloved family falls into that mindset. Take today, for instance.

My husband, who is retired, is getting ready to go on the annual fishing trip to Montana. That means about 2 weeks of planning and packing in order to be away for 4 whole days. He thinks he's not bothering me with any of it... but somehow, having someone running in and out of the house all day looking for things really is an interruption.

About the time I've figured out exactly the right words to help promote a client's business, I hear footsteps overhead and the sound of someone rummaging around in the cupboards. The words fly out of my head and I go upstairs to help.

Then a very good friend called, asking me to go on an outing with her on Friday. She's retired too, so forgets that I need to keep fingers to the keyboard if I plan to pay the bills.

And then there's the neighbors. This afternoon our neighbor lady, also retired, came by to give me some plants for the garden. It was very thoughtful of her, but...

So, once again I've decided to quit fighting it. After the house quiets down tonight and my husband is fast asleep, I'll be able to concentrate and I'll get back to work. Then all I'll have to worry about is the cat jumping into my lap at an inopportune moment -- and the dogs reminding me that it really is time to go outside.

It's a very good thing that I am, by nature, a night owl.

How about you? If you work at home, have you trained family and friends to let you work during "working hours" or do you, like me, burn the midnight oil? Have you found great ways to cope with the "work from home" situation? If so, share...

OK, off to do stuff around the house until things quiet down...

Marte

P.S. If you've been sweating over how to get your emails read, go grab some great free information at emailpromosexposed.com

And of course, if you want some help with those emails, your web copy, a letter you need to mail, your personal brochure, or any other marketing piece, get in touch. Visit me at www.marte-cliff.com or email: marte@copybymarte.com

Grow your business by helping others

2007-05-22T00:43:00.000-07:00

It just occurred to me that one of the best things about the internet is that we have the opportunity to help each other prosper. That's pretty neat, I think, and it isn't even difficult.

I'm talking about link exchanges. Everyone knows they need their web site to rank high in a generic search -- unless they want to pay for clicks. And while optimizing a site for SEO is fun and does do a lot of good, there's that external SEO to deal with.

And that's where friends come in.

While the big companies can hire someone to go out and get them links, most of us cannot. But we can trade with all the people we know and trust to do business well. We all have someone else who helps us do business in some way, or we have customers we can trade with.

For instance, if you run a small retail store, you have dozens of vendors -- some of whom are small enough that you could call them up and suggest a trade. You also have customers who buy from you regularly. Why not trade with them?

The same holds true for Realtors, Insurance Agents, Plumbers, Landscapers, Dog Groomers, Hairdressers, Chiropractors, Motel and Restaurant owners... in short, everyone.

The links you add can also be a source of referrals back and forth between your businesses -- which is a second benefit. Would you rather choose a plumber from the phone book, or from a list of "preferred vendors" on your favorite Realtor's website? I'll admit, you won't get a ton of business that way, but it certainly won't hurt.

One thing to keep in mind is the content of the links. For the maximum benefit, they should be from your keywords - definitely not from "click here." It will take a little extra effort to decide how to word a sentence to do that, but from everything I've read, it will be worth the effort.

Right now I'm working on getting links from "web copywriter" because I'm trying to raise the ranking of that page on my site. Location doesn't matter to me, because my clients come from all over the country, but if you have a local business, try to work in the name of your City as well as the keyword that will draw folks to you. For instance, link from "Boise landscaper" or "landscaper in Boise," rather than just "landscaper."

And that reminds me... if you link to a certain function of your business, be sure to link to the proper page. Just today I followed a link to find more information about something that was promised, and when I got there I got a home page with no clue about where to find the information. I left in disgust. I'm sure you've encountered the same thing.

That's my thought for the night. Let's all get busy and help each other tomorrow!

Yours for success,

Marte

www.marte-cliff.com
writer@marte-cliff.com

The growing REO market offers opportunity

2007-05-19T23:56:00.000-07:00

It's a sad but true fact that many people are losing their homes this year. You feel sorry for those people, but there's nothing you can do about it -- unless you're as rich as Midas and you can bail them all out.

That said, there's no reason not to take advantage of the opportunity it presents to Realtors and a host of other service providers who deal with real estate in some capacity.

First, the real estate agents: If you can become expert at finding out the unknown facts about these homes, you can become a valuable resource for buyers - and you can advertise your expertise. Keep in mind that many agents are too lazy to dig until they learn the things buyers want to know. They're used to sellers providing information, and that just won't happen with REO houses. When you provide the extra service, you'll stand out from the crowd.

Then - the others. Another sad fact is that many repossessed homes are in terrible condition. They're either dirty or damaged or both. Some homeowners, upon realizing that they've lost their homes, go out of their way to leave everything in top condition -- others go out of their way to destroy things. I've even listed repo houses where the kitchen sink had been removed and rocks thrown down the well.

That offers opportunity for a whole host of other professionals. People like:

Cleaning people
Plumbers
Electricians
Painters
Landscapers
Carpenters
and sometimes, even well drillers and septic installers.

The company listing their REO's may not be willing to pay for repairs, but often the new purchasers will want help with some or all of the cleaning and repairs.

If you're a Realtor, begin compiling a list of competent service professionals. If you're one of those professionals, make up a little brochure outlining your services and give copies to all the real estate people in your vicinity.

You'll be helping the new purchasers and helping yourself at the same time.

If you'd like to know more ways to market your services, get a copy of my report: How to Attract Clients to your Service Business. At $7, if you follow its advice it will pay for itself hundreds of times over. And of course, if you need brochure or ad copy that jumps up and grabs customers, write Marte Cliff, Copywriter. That's me, and writing is what I do.

Until next time, I wish you success.

Marte