Steve Guttridge: aka Stay At Home Bum Marketer

by: Jody Gabourie
One of the fastest growing arenas of Internet marketing is audio products. Almost every online marketer can now offer audio products in the form of CDs and MP3s as a part of their product offerings, due to the better quality and reasonably priced technology developments.

Audio products run the gamut from “talking” your ezine, to podcasts, to CDs to teleseminar recordings. Using audio in marketing is becoming a popular and profitable means of presenting products and information and it is also an opportunity for internet marketers to create mid-level and higher-level products.

1) Preparation

Audio products need to be chockfull of high-quality information that your prospects and customers will value. It is important that you do some research beforehand to find out exactly what your clients need and want.

Research can be done online, by doing surveys, by making phone calls, by partnering with other experts, and by reading books and papers on your topic. You can also bring in people to provide some outside knowledge to add more high-quality information to the CDs or MP3s you create.

When you choose topics that are of interest to your customers and clients, you are helping to pick profitable topics. This will make it easier to have people see the value in your audio products and hand over their hard-earned money to buy it.

Do not disappoint them – load your audio products with useful, relevant, and valuable content. Offer them solutions to their pressing issues or share with some of your expertise to help teach them.

2) Creation

Take the time to write out an outline of your audio product before recording a single word. You need to organize your thoughts into a clear script for your audio. Include all the major points you plan to cover along with the sub-points that support them.

You want to make your audio products sound interesting and keep people’s attention. When you write your script, use a conversational tone and be warm, upbeat, sincere and friendly.

Use the same language you would if you were sitting across from a friend. You can also include attention-getting quotes, facts or figures. Asking questions Ð whether rhetorical or not Ð will help keep your listener’s attention, as well as including stories and anecdotes.

Remember that people learn best when they are engaged and interested. Write your audio script with this in mind.

Take time to rehearse before you ever record a word. Become comfortable with the materials you will present, and work on your control of both the speed and the volume of your voice. Be sure you are accurate in you pronunciation Ð especially of people’s names and any website links.

3) Production

One of the strengths that audio products offer is the chance for people to feel they know you better and faster by hearing your voice Ð as opposed to just reading your words. Remember to relax and use an informal, friendly, everyday speaking style. Pay attention to the volume of your voice – you want people to be able to hear you clearly but you don’t want to deafen anyone!

Don’t speak in a monotone and ensure you inject enthusiasm and excitement into your voice. If you’re not passionate about what you’re talking about, then you can’t expect your listeners to feel much either.

Don’t skimp when it comes to your audio gear. Set the goal of producing only high-quality, professional audio products for your internet marketing business. Conduct research on all equipment and tools before you buy. Check online for product comparisons and then go see for yourself. You will be amazed at the difference in quality a few more dollars can mean to your recording efforts.

Don’t release any audio product until you have reviewed it, edited it, and you are sure that all aspects of your final CD or MP3 are professional and of the best quality you can do.

Follow these suggestions and help make your audio marketing as impactful and memorable as possible for your prospects and clients.

About The Author
Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique “done-for-you” ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plansª and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

by: Jeremy Gislason

List building is one of the most effective ways to make money online and build a rock-solid foundation for your business. The more quality subscribers you have, the higher you will earn when you promote a certain product.

But it’s not about accumulating as much subscribers as you can, and then bombarding them with ads and promotions. If that’s the only aspect you’re focusing on, then your list building efforts are a waste of time.

Here are some red-hot tips to help build a list who will trust and like you, and to establish your credibility with your subscribers. Most important of all, these strategies would make your list more willing to buy anything you promote that is beneficial to them.

Tip # 1: Create An Exceptional Squeeze Page.

The more people who signs up to your list, the more prospects you will have. So the first thing to consider is to build an excellent squeeze page that catches their attention and entices them to give their name and email.

Some experts suggest that having eye-catching graphics can boost your opt-in rates, while some advise to focus on the copywriting aspect and the benefits they will get upon subscribing. There are no hard and fast rules. The only way to really know what works is to test, test, and test.

But despite different recommendations, make sure you create a professional-looking squeeze page that is easy on their eyes. This is the first real impression you make with a prospect. Even if you have minimal graphics, you want to make your customer “attracted” to your site and confident enough to spread the word to others who might benefit from it.

The average person does not spend more than three to five seconds on a website that is not pleasant to look at, or does not offer what they want. So make sure your squeeze page looks decent and offers something beneficial in exchange for their subscription.

Tip # 2: Build Friendly Relationships.

Building rapport and good relationships with your list is necessary to secure a profitable business in the long run. Getting the trust of your prospects is a high priority.

Many marketers hard sell their products immediately when someone subscribes; this is not a good idea. A single one-time offer could be a lucrative idea after they opt-in; but it has to end there, at least until you’ve given them enough valuable content and information to build trust and credibility.

Studies by sales and market research companies, confirmed by the top professional sales people, have shown that it regularly takes seven or more communications before potential patrons make a purchase. Make every one of them count.

Want to give value and earn at the same time? Send a free helpful e-book branded with your desired links. You could also ask them to read articles that they might find interesting. Post these articles on separate webpages; and in these article pages, you could insert Google Adsense and/or include your offer after the article.

Another way you could give value without being too promotional is to subtly put a soft sell message in the P.S. portion of your email. It’s best if this P.S. complements your non-promotional content.

After you’ve given enough value to your subscribers, you’re ready to earn big time and send solo promo emails. But you should still maintain the right balance between sending content messages and promos. Some marketers suggest sending 2 to 3 content (or semi-content) emails for every 1 promotional email. But each case is different, so you need to test and analyze your unsubscription rates for every email you send out.

Tip # 3: Give Them The Special Treatment.

Most people hate being sold to. But here’s a way to make your subscribers love you despite promoting to them:

Give them huge discounts or coupons they can avail on your products. If you’re promoting an affiliate product, ask the owner to give your subscribers an exclusive discount. Persuade the owner by telling him that the quantity of the sales will offset the reduction in earnings for each product sold. If the owner is hesitant (and if you’re feeling generous enough), you could even suggest that he reduce your commissions in exchange for giving your subscribers the special deal. Even if you’re earning less per product, the number of units sold could multiply many times over.

If offering a discount, coupon or rebate is impractical, you could give away special bonuses when they buy through your recommendations.

Your aim is to satisfy your customers to the best of your abilities. If you do that, they will continue buying from you, because they know you’re looking after their best interest.

A good reputation will drive in more traffic and customers, as your clients will spread good things about you or your products, and recommend you as a reliable source. Just as in a brick and mortar business, treat your customers well and they will in turn treat you well.

Tip # 4: Let Other Companies Promote To Your List.

Apart from selling your own products and recommendations, you may also use your list to earn additional profits. How? Allow other companies to put an ad in your mailing for a fixed fee. This works quite well if you have a newsletter, where you could insert sponsor ads. This doesn’t mean sell to the competition, but a company with a product that compliments yours. You are basically renting email space to another company that will market to your list.

But the big question is… would it be better to promote your own recommendations, or earn a fixed income by letting other companies advertise to your list? It depends on your purpose. Many gurus suggest promoting your own recommendations (especially if your promotion has been tested to convert really well). But the downside is that there’s no assurance of how much you will earn. By letting others leverage from your subscribers, you will earn a fixed income (but in this case, you’re limiting your earning potentials). Again, it’s best to test and analyze your results to see which will bring the highest profit margin for you.

Hope these list building and email marketing tips help bring your business success to the next level.

About the Author
Want to discover the most incredible and intuitive membership site software today, including a breakthrough email marketing software? Then go to http://www.memberspeed.com for details on the world’s leading client and content management system.

Article Source:
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