Landing pages have the ability to grab and hold us like fly no-fly paper or repel us like jumping on the trampling. The question is what impact does your landing page have on the people who visit your website. As I talk to people who are just getting into SEO (search engine optimization), all they focus on our rankings in traffic. We have to remember that “rankings” in “traffic” or not the end but a means to the end. That end is visitors to your site that take advantage of the solutions that you offer. We can have a lot of traffic to our website but if no one is sticking around long enough to see if our solutions can solve their problems then that traffic does not mean anything.

A lot of thought must go into your landing pages, both from a search engine perspective and from a customer perspective.

Search Engine perspective:

This is covered in Search Engines 101 Paid Vs Natural Search so I am not going to go into detail here.

Customer Focused Landing Pages:

Your landing page has to do one thing, answer the questions that the searcher had in mind when he typed in his keywords. The searcher type in his search terms because he has a problem, needs a solution or is in some kind of “pain”. You have about two seconds to convince him that you understand what he is going through and what he needs. The last thing a searcher wants to see is that you can jump higher, run faster and do it better than the competition. He just doesn’t care (yet). Besides, most of the websites that he already visited probably stated that they do that. The challenge is to show the searcher that you have the answers to his needs. How do we do that?

1. Think of as many questions as you can that might be on the mind of a visitor to that specific landing page.

2. Choose one of the questions to be the title of that specific landing page. Use the other questions as sub points or topics in the outline of the page.

3. The content underneath each heading will be a description of the problem. It is very important that when you describe the problem you do it from your client’s perspective.

4. After describing two or three scenarios that your client may fall into closeout with the paragraph that describes your qualifications for dealing with the above scenarios. This is where you put in how me years of experience, the combined experience of your team or your experience in the marketplace.

5. The last thing is to have a call to action. The idea is that if your client falls into one of the scenarios described it would be natural for them to do the call for action to get help with their problem.

For example, if someone is doing a search on long-term care insurance they may only have a general idea of what you’re looking for. When they come to a landing page that has a question like “what happens to your nest egg if you suffer an illness or an injury that requires long-term care?” Then in the description of the problem they read that one year of long-term care can cost between $90,000 and $130,000 and as a result of this high costs it will either force you into bankruptcy or dependency on your children or family to take care of you. (Not a pretty picture.) After you add your qualifications, whatever they are, you put in your call to action. It could be something like “for a free quote and help in understanding what your options are fill out form below and one of our experts will contact you within the next 48 hours”.

So the question remains, are your landing pages flypaper or trampolines? Customer focused landing pages are worth the time and energy to produce. If you are not sure give us a call and we will do a free evaluation of your site. This will help determine whether or not changes or in order.

Posted: March 25th, 2008 under Marketing.
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Economic experts tell us that we may be heading for a recession or something even worse a full blown depression. Some economist’s say we are already in a recession and it’s going to get bad relatively soon. The stock market has been making wild swings both up and down,and the ever troubling energy markets still remain a huge concern because it is driving up the price of almost everything.

The housing debacle is crippling both new construction and existing housing sales as the real estate values drop and the forecloser rate escalates dramatically. It appears that the federal government will definately take action to try and reverse both the housing industries many problems and the banking industries mega problems. The problems created by flooding the housing market with those adjustable rate mortgages has come back to haunt them and has driven the foreclosure rate to all time highs.

The falling dollar coupled with ever rising food prices,rising unemployment and the never ending explosion of health care costs have the entire country on edge. There is a quiet fear of possible bank failures, and the old painful memories of our senior citizens concerning the run on banks thought to be in trouble and failing. The government tells us that 47 million people,many of them children are without adequate heath care in this country and unfortunately there is no plan in sight to solve this extremely serious problem.

N.A.F.T.A. the north american free trade agreement between the united states,canada, and mexico has helped canada and mexico . But it has devastated the american economy and helped create higher unemployment rates in the countries industrial heartland. Nafta has even become a political subject of scorn in the democratic primary race for president.

C.A.F.T.A. the central american free trade agreement is not causing any immediate problems but it is expected when it is in full gear and companies start moving their operations down there to take advantage of the extremely cheap wages paid there. Then they too will be costing many americans their jobs like nafta has. And of course these two trade agreements are being blamed ,whether directly or indirectly for the very touchy problem of illegal immigration along the american and mexican border.

SHAFTA of course is the name used by those who have lost their jobs when their jobs were sent over seas to places like India and china.This again is to take advantage of cheap wages and escaping labor contracts with unions and not having to pay any health care benefits. Well thus far all we have talked about here is Gloom and Doom and the problems of the american worker. But chin up my friends there are tremendous opportunities just over the horizon.

But caution is the watch word here when trying to find that online business to get involved in , you must be very careful , it is like a mine field out there if you don’t know what you are doing. Believe me I’ve walked that field before,and it can be very treacherous.I think that right now is probably the best time in the last ten years to take the bull by the horns,go online,and start your own business. There will probably be thousands of people who have lost their jobs due to the trade agreements, energy costs, housing problems and the falling value of the dollar ,who will be looking for a business online to pull them out of the quagmire they find themselves in.

For openers it is quicker, simpler and easier to join an affiliate program,they will give you a free website, promotional tools,and sometimes even free hosting services.these things alone will save you a lot of money. Experts are predicting that the number of people who will likely start an online home business will triple in the next year or two. when looking for an online business there should be certain guide lines and special things you look for in a prospective program.

this allows you to avoid putting all of your eggs in one fragile basket ,like the ones that were sent overseas as part of some trade agreement, with a team build formula and a wealth management system you could be set for life,financially. in conclusion every one needs to find and join an automated affiliate program that features multiple streams of monthly residual income in order to obtain financial freedom. With residual income from four or five programs that are all bundled as components of the major affiliate program that you join.

Posted: March 25th, 2008 under Marketing.
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Most of us remember the “Orange Era.” It was a time when citric-based cleaning products were initially introduced to the market and it left a very stubborn belief that these products were overly expensive and did not work as well as conventional cleaning products. The “Green Era” has brought a new generation of very effective products that can replace conventional products. Better yet, the cost of “Going Green” with these products is estimated at about 2-4%. This can be offset by other realized benefits.

One of the issues of the Green transition for any company is the costs for any project, and it is interesting to learn that “Going Green” has other benefits that can offset and overwhelm the modest cost of Green cleaning. We all want a clean building, but we should also want a healthy building, and using a Green Clean janitorial service is the way to have both. In the end, you will find that this transition is a financially-smart decision.

Instead of slowly aggravating the health of the employees, the Green program is designed to avoid harmful practices and introduce healthier alternatives. This new practice will alleviate acute and chronic illnesses, and that has a financial reward that can be a financial asset.

Employee absenteeism is a negative cost factor to your company. Your employees are the source of business and revenue for your company. You may think these costs are a problem for the insurance company, but the costs for these employees contribute to the premium increases paid by the company. While some costs are paid by the employee, the health insurance costs are a significant part of company expenses. Obviously, healthier employees will help reduce health insurance premiums.

More common than absenteeism is the problems of decreased alertness and lost productivity. Companies may actually spend money motivating workers while hurting their productivity through a hostile office environment. Most of us have experienced a strong smell, smoke, or fumes that caused a headache or depressed energy. These are subtle but very important factors in an empowered office.

On the marco scale of things, the well-being of a company’s workers ripples out into the world. The cost of caring for sick, debilitated workers is a societal issue. The trash and waste discharges of a company leaves the facility that has been cleaned to be handled by the sanitary services outside our facility. This affects our taxes and our health issues elsewhere.

As we consider the Green Premium, it is realized in savings through healthy employees. Health insurance, health costs, and taxes are part of the overall equation that we pay in one form or another. Therefore, the 2-4% costs of moving to a Green workplace seems powerfully overwhelmed by the health and tax cost savings.

Posted: March 25th, 2008 under Products.
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Why is it that we seek advice in all aspects of our life but hesitate when it comes to financial needs? Perhaps you’re hesitant to seek financial advice because you feel that you don’t have enough money to invest or start a new career? Maybe you feel that you don’t have enough time to learn or you don’t know how you will balance a series of educational lectures with the reality of your life? If this is the case then the Money Masters DVD Home Study Pack is the series for you. The Money Masters DVD Home Study Pack provides you the most economical and accessible opportunity to learn from proven professionals in internet marketing, real estate investing, personal development, eBook publishing, ecommerce management and other money making opportunities. The following is a short list of instructors available with the Money Masters DVD Home Study Pack.

Tom Hua’s advice is sought all over the globe. He is known as the “Godfather Of The eBook” because of his success in e-publishing. He currently runs a conglomerate of companies that include e-book publishing, ecommerce management, asset management and online publishing. Each of his websites has gained success because of his internet marketing skills. In the Money Masters DVD Home Study Pack, Tom explains the exact processes that lead him to fame and fortune. As an immigrant from China who slept on newspapers in a sub standard ‘apartment’ he would be the first to tell you that success takes hard work. However, he started his empire with $300 and can show you how to do the same.

David “The Do-Roo” Cavanaugh is known for his mastery of the internet. He has been a keynote speaker all over the world and was the featured speaker for the World Internet Summit in 2007. He was also voted the Best Speaker at the 2005 World Internet Summit in Singapore. He will show you the exact methods he has used to develop successful web sites. There’s no hype, no complicated language just proven methods for success that anyone can apply.

Rick Otton is a master of real estate development in Australia. He has established a method that has made him a multi-millionaire and others have used his methods for success. In the Money Masters DVD Home Study Pack, Rick offers you his most popular lectures and will explain his techniques to achieve wealth including how to build cash flow, private in orders and By owner cash flow systems, 100% financing of the real estate price, and many more money making strategies.

Peter “The Ice Man” Bland is a famous Arctic explorer and adventurer. He is the first Australian to have reached both the North and South Poles. It is worth mentioning that he reached the North Pole a mere 12 months after major heart surgery. His determination and grit are legendary and you will truly be inspired by his message. He has dedicated his life to philanthropic pursuits and to that end has raised more than 14 million dollars for Australian charities. His biography A Step Too Far has recently been released to rave reviews and he has also produced two different television movies one of them was optioned by ABC in the United States. You will be able to adapt his philosophy to achieve goals that you never thought you could reach at a fraction of the cost of traditional training.

A former gang member, Stephen Pierce is today one of the most respected Internet marketers, consulting with Fortune 500 companies. His ebook The Whole Truth became a best seller in a matter of days and made him famous in the Internet marketing arena. Stephen can teach you how to determine what sells and what doesn’t on the Internet, how to market your website to make sales and how to keep your customers coming back and asking for more products.

Nik Halik founded the Financial Freedom Institute in 2001 as an education vehicle to train and inspire men and women to “sieze the day” and take control of their own financial futures. His foundation platform for achieving this, is the stock market and in particular, option trading. Due to advances in technology, option trading can provide a business opportunity that can be run from anywhere in the world where there’s an internet connection. Options are wonderful things because when you understand them, they are such flexible instruments to trade. They require far less capital than share trading and you can make bucketloads more profit. Nik Halik has over 16 years experience as a global stock market investor, who started option trading with only $5,000 borrowed on a credit card and 5 years ago, was earning an income of over $4,000 per WEEK from option trading alone. Today, he is a multi-millionaire and enjoys a lifestyle that most people only dream of.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn from the best in the business!

Posted: March 25th, 2008 under Marketing.
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Can online survey earn any profit, or they are just pure survey scams that litter around the Internet? Though most of us use the Internet for general task like emails, you are probably not one of them.

You are aware that Internet when use properly, can help generate great amount of profit for you. You are probably looking for good online programs that will help earn you some money.

You have heard of HYIPs and autosurfs, but you want something with significantly less risk, and reliable. Getting paid for online surveys job might be just the thing you’re looking for.

Consumer opinions are increasingly important to company’s marketing activities.

Timely feedback from potential customers before the nationwide launch of a product can save a company millions of dollars and wasted resource efforts, and not to mention tarnish reputation.

So most businesses are more than happy to pay average people like you and me for our true opinions and feelings about their products or services.

For people like us, this is indeed a great piece of news as it presents us another form of income.

The only thing standing between you and a nice part-time income from getting paid for these surveys is finding out which survey companies are currently in need of public opinions.

You can of course search for these companies yourself, but it will be too time consuming.

Instead, you should consider becoming a member of a professional website that specializes in finding available opinion polls that pay. As a member, you’ll gain access to a long list of credible companies that currently are in need of consumer input.

The website will also provide you with details of the kinds of customers the companies are interested in getting opinion from.

If you do fit any of the demographics listed by the survey companies, all you have to do is to fill out an online form and you’ll be registered for a chance to get paid for the surveys job.

Some of the survey websites offering information on how to get paid for surveys are free, while others require that you pay a one time membership fee.

In general, it’s better and safer to sign up with a reputable site that requires a membership fee because they are much more likely to provide you genuine survey offers that will pay for your survey effort.

At most of the free online survey website, you don’t actually get paid for the completed surveys.

You may, instead get a free trial-sized product or maybe your name entered into a drawing for a monthly prize which is useless most of the time.

The free survey sites may not be worth your precious time if you want to make good money from voicing your personal opinion.

As you continue your quest for a suitable way to generate a second, or third income, just remember this: there are many ways to make good money online.

But none are really as fun and interesting as getting paid for survey job.

So do sign up with a reputable survey website today and start earning money for your personal opinions now!

Posted: March 25th, 2008 under Online Marketing.
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Impact advertising should play a major role in your campaigns. Understanding how memories are stored as pictures will help your be more effective. “A Picture is worth a thousands words”, sums it all up.

Remembering the written and speken words is a difficult task unless they accompany some emotion invoking pictures. Most people will remember visualizations in their minds first.

In addition to memories, emotions play a critical role in decision making. It is important for marketers to understand that aside from logic and reason, human behavior is mostly influenced by emotions. Emotions are driven by the influence our memories have on us. So, we want our business marketing to spur emotion.

Here is an activity for you. Think of the word anger. How does it look to you? Did you get a picture in your mind or some facts about anger? My guess is you saw an image. According to scientific research, decision making cannot happen without an emotional response. The response comes from the brain system known as the limbic system. Without this emotional signal for the limbic system, the conscious mind is incapable of making a decision.

Buyers need to access emotions to shape their behavior. You need emotion to generate consistent traffic. People want to be moved into action. A good marketing approach is to find out how people relate to your product and experiences. These experiences spark certain emotions which drives their behavior.

The next time you watch a commercial with lots of emotion and lights, think about the fact that what they are trying to do is to tie their product in with your happy emotions by association. There are very few words in these commercials, but lots of emotions.

Unveiling common emotional responses will give you insight on what you must do and say to succeed with internet marketing. How your customers feel about your product is an important question. We want our customers to trust us. Understanding the mind will help you greatly with an online traffic formula.

Posted: March 25th, 2008 under Online Marketing.
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Businesses that are lead generation oriented will need to get more sophisticated in technology to avoid fraudulent leads. Businesses looking for opportunitiesto market to other business, but needing help in finding their prospects and eventually closing the sale. Business networking should be the platform to create opportunities at a later stage, and this series of short articles will show you how. Businesses that Handle Low-Volume Sales InquiriesBusinesses without contact centers risk losing potential leads due to haphazard lead management.

Online marketing has become an important channel in today’s marketplace, not to mention a necessary and cost effective way to service your new and existing clients. Online lead generation is the use of online marketing tools to generate leads to new customers or contacts. Online lead generation is one innovative approach for using online channels to drive enrollment.

Sales people often lack the support of a dedicated marketing team that is able to execute lead generation programs on their behalf. In fact, they may be obligated as a part of their role to develop and execute localized lead generation programs. And instead of calling it lead generation, sales people will probably call it prospecting. Even the very best lead generation program cannot compensate for poor teamwork and collaboration, but unfortunately we continue hear about it time and again. When it comes to lead generation, the dating analogy is nothing new.

“If lead generation is like dating, and we’re all out there on the singles scene, most of our effort goes to landing first dates. Show NotesWhere podcasting fits in the multimodal lead generation portfolio How podcasting helps establish and reinforce thought leadershipWhere podcasts can help your lead generation ROI Why podcasts are perfect for lead nurturing (I was flattered to learn that Paul found inspiration in my book to develop his strategy.

Are you tired of cold calling and prospecting and want to have sales leads come to you. We have business leads, consumer leads, investment leads, internet leads, and many other types of industry specific sales leads. I won’t hesitate to recommended GoLeads to friends and associates who need accurate and affordable sales leads and mailing lists. I can tell you honestly that I have never had a better relationship for sales leads than I have with GoLeads. The ratio of sales leads that convert is often referred to as the conversion rate, a way to measure the effectiveness of a sales process, sales team, or sales person. There are many tools available to generate sales leads.

Posted: March 25th, 2008 under Marketing.
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If your calendar is empty and you need business fast lead generation is a way that you can grow your business rather quickly. The process of lead generation is actually very easy. The key to being successful in lead generation is to brush up on your sales and marketing skills so that the leads you receive convert at a high sales rate. As a result, lead generation is a critical subset of a company’s sales and marketing strategy, and it must be carefully managed to ensure that the sales team is in front of qualified buyers, selling and closing.Trends show that lead generation will become even more popular in the future, especially for service oriented businesses.

Search engines rank websites by importance for specific keyword combinations.Information related to the strategy, theme development, promotion, integration, and specific activities to be aware of is included, as is critical budget information.People who respond to a company’s advertisements often become customers.Websites are there for the visitor’s benefit not yours. Web Lead generation can be extremely cost effective.Requests for proposals involve potential clients asking the business to come up with solutions and price ranges for particular problems or issues the customer may have.

Consumers are constantly warned against giving personal information to companies. When the most popular websites in the world make money from selling advertising then you have to believe there is a massive need for companies to market themselves in a traceable, affordable way.If one of the visitors opt in to the ad, they send the information so you can immediately start building a new database.For complex products and services requiring a complex decision process, the keys are identifying the most likely prospects and then educating and qualifying them before deploying more expensive sales resources.The goal of lead generation is the creation of more selling opportunities. Yet, for most organizations, lead generation is a hit-or-miss affair.

Sales lead generation has never been this simple. Sales lead generation is implemented through three processes. Sales Leads Now is the initial purpose of search engine marketing.Online AdvertisingOnline advertising has significantly transformed since the eruption of Web 2. Online lead generation strategies enable education marketers to:Quickly build a high volume of targeted leads that have proactively expressed an interest in their programs.

Companies in the lead generation space have dedicated extensive resources to garner the credentials for TrustE and Safe Harbor certification. Companies have emerged that specialize in lead generation for a fee.Lead generation is the most effective medium to generate opt-ins, as opposed to telephone and postal options which are restricted by preference services that forbid companies from contacting consumers that have registered a blanket opt-out.

Posted: March 25th, 2008 under Marketing.
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