Article Contributed by By Eric Gruber
The whole point to article marketing is to put your business on autopilot. You want to get your articles published on top websites, ezines and article directories that direct traffic to your website. You want to be able to capture prospect’s names and email addresses so you can promote to them over and over again without lifting a finger.
Now, the problem is most people have greatly increased their website traffic with articles, but they have NOTHING to show for it. No one is signing up for their newsletters. No one is buying anything. And, the prospects are lost forever.
It does NOT matter how much traffic you get from articles, if your website doesn’t convert.
Why Your Website Isn’t Converting
Most article marketers link to their homepage in the bio box. This home page has a small little newsletter sign up box in the corner that is so hard to find. There are times that you need a magnifying glass to find the newsletter opt-in box mixed up in all the clutter.
The page itself has so many links and calls-to-action that it confuses prospects that are at your site to receive a free newsletter, special report, ebook or whatever your offering is. Confused prospects become frustrated prospects who leave your site and are never to be found again. That’s why you need a focused squeeze page.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term squeeze page, it is a web page that is specifically designed to compel visitors to opt in to your list. A well-designed squeeze page can convert as many as half of the people who visit it, into opt-in email list subscribers.
How to Make Squeeze Pages Work for You
In order for the squeeze page to be able to do its work most effectively, there must be no other way for the visitor to get into your web site without opting in first to your opt in email list.
For example, check out:
http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com
http://www.RestrainingOrder911.com
Notice to get to any of the other pages in the website above, including the sales pages, you must have to opt in to an email list first.
Now, you may be thinking, but what about all the others that didn’t opt in to the list? What if they would have bought something from me?
Well, let me ask you this. If they don’t trust you enough to opt-in to your list, to give you their name and email address in exchange for a free gift, do you really think that that person is going to whip out their credit card and give you their credit card number? Of course not!
Proof That Squeeze Pages Work
Now, the current conversion rate on the Restraining Order 911 sales letter since putting up a squeeze page is 20%. Before he created a squeeze page and auto-responder system that would continually educate his list and promote his product, Ron Lasorsa’s conversion rate was around 1%. So with my help, Ron has created a 2000% increase in revenue by sending his article marketing, video marketing, social media marketing and pay-per-click advertising traffic to a squeeze page.
Don’t you think it’s time that you setup a squeeze page to send your article traffic to? If so, check out my free video on squeeze pages at: http://www.livewebsitereviews.com/youtube
About the Author
Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for Internet marketers, small business owners and entrepreneurs who want more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, he invites you to check out his squeeze page – and in return for your name and email address Eric will send you 3 of his favorite article writing templates. Claim your free instant article writing templates at http://www.trymyfreearticlewritingtemplates.com
Month: October 2009
Are you prepared for explosive growth? What will you do when it happens?
Does every entrepreneur seek growth opportunities? Growth can mean more customers, more income, or more opportunities to explore new ideas. Although exciting, growth also brings its challenges, and can spiral out of control if it’s not handled properly, causing a setback as big as the potential expansion. Our research shows that the five types of female entrepreneurs have very different attitudes toward business growth (some want it, some don’t!) and each will respond to growth opportunities differently. This article will examine the attitudes and reactions of Jane Dough, Merry Jane, and Go Jane Go.
Jane Dough is an entrepreneur who enjoys running her business and makes good money. She is comfortable and determined in buying and selling, which may be why she’s five times more likely than the average female business owner to hit the million dollar mark. Jane Dough is clear in her priorities and may be intentionally and actively growing an asset-based or legacy business. It is estimated that 18% of women fall in the category of Jane Dough.
Because Jane Dough is business-minded and pragmatic, she probably has a plan in place for handling growth. In fact, business growth is something she’s striving for, with most Jane Doughs saying they want to grow significantly within the next couple of years. As a result, she has no doubt delegated individual tasks to specific team members, putting her team and her business in an ideal position to take advantage of the appropriate opportunities that come her way. She has a system – and it’s in place and ready to roll.
Although Jane Dough’s systematic approach is one of her many strengths, there is a flip side to high levels of delegation. Sometimes Jane Dough relies too much on the system. She moves quickly to fuel her business growth, so she may not always be in touch with what’s happening within every functional area. When large opportunities come knocking while Jane Dough is distracted, weaker parts of the system can break down.
The solution: When massive growth arrives – and it will – a Jane Dough entrepreneur should gather her team for a quick check-in, making sure everyone and every system is aligned and ready to do its part in creating success. In doing so, she’ll make sure resources are allocated appropriately and can create plans to strengthen any weak spots.
A Merry Jane tends to be “building a business on the side”—in addition to a day-job, or a focus on family or other pursuits. She doesn’t have a high personal income from her business, but she also tends to be working less than 40 hours a week, and she loves the freedom her business affords her.
Because Merry Jane’s focus is more on time freedom than on “big money,” major growth opportunities can be a daunting proposition. While many women in this group dream of a day when they land the mega-customer, Merry Jane does not. Although many know they are capable of building a much larger business, now is not the time. During interviews, when asked what they would do if faced with the chance to take on a big new account, most quickly came to the conclusion that unless they could manage the account in their own way and time, they would let the opportunity pass them buy rather than disrupt their lives.
However, many Merry Janes admit they would like their business to be more profitable, wanting more money without much additional work. Therefore, when faced with a growth opportunity, Merry Jane can consider several options:
* She can hire someone to take over some of the more mundane, day-to-day business chores, like bookkeeping and responding to customer e-mails, freeing more of her time to pursue the new business without taking up more time?
* She can pursue the new opportunity at higher rates, therefore increasing her profit. This may mean letting go of less profitable customers or delegating their care to someone else.
* Or, she can stand firm, turning the immediate opportunity down, knowing that at some point in the future, she may have more time available for new customers.
Whatever she decides, Merry Jane should stay true to the reasons she loves her business now so that she doesn’t add undue stress and time-pressure to her already busy life.
Go Jane Go is passionate about her work, and has no problem marketing and selling herself, so she has plenty of clients—but she’s struggling to keep up with demand. She may be a classic overachiever, taking on volunteer opportunities as well, because she’s eager to make an impact on the world and may really struggle saying “no”. Because she wants to “say yes” to so many people, she may even be in denial about how many hours she actually works during the course of a week. As a result, she may be running herself ragged and feeling guilty about neglecting herself and possibly others who are important to her.
Overall, most Go Jane Go women don’t seek out growth opportunities because they are already fairly busy. However, when an opportunity crosses their path, they will feel compelled to “make it work somehow.” Go Jane Go truly wants to help those who need her products or services, so it is difficult for her to turn them away. And because she’s excellent at multi-tasking, this Jane may underestimate the time that will be required or may justify sacrificing personal time in order to help someone else.
This is why Go Jane Go must be careful not to overwork herself. When faced with a growth opportunity, Go Jane Go will want to think critically about the amount of work she already has scheduled and either “say no,” attempt to postpone the project, or delegate some or all of the work. If she is not willing to do so, she will eventually face serious burn out – so it’s very important that this Jane be realistic about her available time and energy for new opportunities.
While every female entrepreneur dreams of growth, when it really comes, it can seem like a huge challenge – and though it may be, handling it the right way can create a huge payoff.
About the Author:
Michele DeKinder-Smith is the founder of Jane out of the Box, an online resource dedicated to the women entrepreneur community. Discover more incredibly useful information for running a small business by taking the FREE Jane Types Assessment at Jane out of the Box. Offering networking and marketing opportunities, key resources and mentorship from successful women in business, Jane Out of the Box is online at www.janeoutofthebox.com
Ever wondered why they make M&Ms in so many different colors? It’s because, as the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. How boring and unappealing would a bag full of all brown M&Ms be?
Well, society is like that bag of M&Ms, there’s a lot of diversity going on in terms of race, culture, ethnicity and lifestyle.
One type of diversity that’s often overlooked is psychological diversity. I’m talking about the differences in the way we each view the world.
Your perception is a filter that translates your experiences into meaning. It is at the core of who you are, and it impacts your values, your beliefs, your feelings and your psychology.
At any given moment, our brains are being exposed to millions of bits of sensory information, sights, sounds, textures and emotions. Because we can only process a small fraction of all that information, much of it gets filtered out.
What makes this interesting is that each of us filters out different sensors, so we are each experiencing a different “reality,” often without realizing that this reality is unique to us.
In fact, neuro-research shows that our particular set of filters is most likely hard-wired, not readily changeable, and not as clearly noticeable as are many other types of differences.
What this means is that sometimes other people’s actions, views and approaches to life will make no sense (based on our world view).
The truth is, people interpret their experiences differently, and draw radically different conclusions from the same set of circumstances. While it’s true that our perceptual styles can lead to potential conflict, I like to think that this type of diversity adds creative tension, variety and challenge to life.
Those differences make you who you are. Your unique perception offers a one-of-a-kind path for success and the potential to excel at things only available to you
Do a little experiment: pick someone in your life that seems to be using a different set of filters than you. Ask yourself, “What must be true for them to act/think/behave that way?”
“Try on” this behavior and ways of thinking for 30 minutes and see how quickly you can develop an appreciation for views of the world.
Exploring and claiming the unique aspects of your perception (and the perceptions of the people around you) will help you fill your life with behaviors and activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.
About the Author:
Lynda-Ross Vega: A partner at Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., Lynda-Ross specializes in helping entrepreneurs and coaches build dynamite teams and systems that WORK. She is co-author of Vega Role Facilities Theory, a revolutionary psychological assessment system that teaches people how to unleash their deepest potentials for success. For free information on how to succeed as an entrepreneur or coach, create a thriving business and build your bottom line doing more of what you love, visit www.VRFT.com
Growth. It’s a word whispered through the lips of female entrepreneurs as they dream about their businesses. But even though you’ve dreamed of it since you hung out your shingle, are you really ready to handle it when it shows up on your doorstep? Research by Jane Out of the Box, an authority on women entrepreneurs, reveals five distinct types of businesswomen – and five ways they may handle growth. This article details the way two of those “Janes” may handle growth.
Accidental Jane is a successful, confident business owner who never actually set out to start a business. Instead, she may have decided to start a business due to frustration with her job or a layoff and decided to use her business and personal contacts to strike out on her own. Or, she may have started making something that served her own unmet needs and found other customers with the same need, giving birth to a business. Although Accidental Jane may sometimes struggle with prioritizing what she needs to do next in her business, she enjoys what she does and is making good money. About 18% of all women business owners fit the Accidental Jane profile.
Accidental Janes often rely on word of mouth and deep relationships to build their businesses. Massive growth opportunities may catch her off-guard because she’s not typically seeking growth, feeling content with where she is today, overall. Therefore, a significant growth spurt might feel overwhelming. It’s important to first remember that you do have choices – you don’t have to seize every opportunity that comes your way. Consider whether you really want the opportunity, or whether you’d rather you’re your business the way it is.
If you decide you desire the growth, remember that you have several factors working in your favor. First, you are a consummate professional – so your new clients/project will undoubtedly be a success. Secondly, you’re very well-connected. Reach out to your friends and associates in the business and “share the wealth.” Explore ways to partner that get the work done effectively and well, without keeping you busier than you prefer to be. Finally, because your business is generally supporting your financial needs, now may be the ideal time to hire a part-timer to help with some of the tasks you least enjoy, whether that is handling your books, cleaning your house, or doing the filing.
Whether you pursue the opportunity or not, make sure to periodically check in with yourself to make sure you’re still happy with what you’re doing. One of the most wonderful qualities of Accidental Jane is that she is content, overall, with her business and her life. So make sure massive growth is handled in a way that ensures you maintain your balanced life.
Tenacity Jane is an entrepreneur with an undeniable passion for her business, but who tends to be struggling with cash flow. As a result, she’s working long hours, and making less money than she’d like. Nevertheless, Tenacity Jane is bound and determined to make her business a success. At 31% of women in business, Tenacity Janes are the largest single Jane type.
As a Tenacity Jane, huge growth may seem like the ticket to the place you always imagined your business would go. It may be your dream come true – so to take best advantage of it, make sure you create a thorough plan and carefully examine the finances before jumping in with both feet.
Planning and budgeting go hand-in-hand when growing your business. Much of the planning for massive growth has to do with ensuring timelines are reasonable and there is sufficient profit to make the work worth it. Consider this example: You sell a product for $100 that costs you $80 to make and takes 30 minutes per order to customize. You’ve got sales of $5,000 a week (50 units X $100). You’re working on orders 25 hours a week (50 units X 30 minutes) and clearing $1,000 a week (50 units X $20 profit) – for hourly “working time” pay of $40/hour.
A retailer has just called to say they want to order in bulk. They want an additional 100 units a week, and they want you to reduce your cost to $90, which they will mark up to earn their profit. It’s thrilling to think about doubling your volume with just one customer – but can you create a financial plan that makes this work?
* You’ll need an extra 50 hours a week in product customization. You clearly can’t do that yourself, so you plan to hire 2 people at $15/hour for 20 hours per week, each. This is going to cost $600/week. And, you’ll do an extra 10 hours a week yourself. Managing the two people on your team will take an additional 5 hours of your time each
week.
* Your weekly revenue will now be $14,000 ($9,000 from the 100 new units at $90 each, plus your existing customers at $5,000/week) – massive growth!
* But your income per hour of your time actually diminishes. You “clear” only $1,400/week (your original orders of $1,000 plus only $400/week on the new customer orders after you pay your team and because the new customer wants you to reduce your rate). Remember, too, you’re working an extra 15 hours – so your hourly rate falls to $35/hour. And you’re busier than you’ve ever been.
Another planning consideration is cash flow. When will you pay your two people? When do you pay your vendor(s) who provide the materials for the product you’re making? And, importantly, when will you be paid?
Your out of pocket costs for materials to make the product will triple, because you’re now making 150 per week instead of 50 units. If you have to front those costs and if you pay your team members weekly, costs will really build up. In a four-week month, you will “front” $50,400 for your business. If your customer is going to pay you on 30-day terms, do you have the $50,400 you will need to keep the business afloat while waiting for the cash to flow in?
This exercise isn’t meant to be bleak – it should be empowering! By breaking down the plan and budget, you’re now in a position to really negotiate with this customer. All of the following are options:
* Tell the customer you can’t sell to them for $90, but you can for $95. (This would boost your hourly rate to $47.50 and clears $1,900/week.)
* Tell the customer you can only negotiate on price if he/she pre-pays monthly (ensuring you have cash flow).
* Hire a 3rd person at $15/hour to do half of your work. (This will add an additional $300/week in expense, but your hourly rate will increase to $55/hour even under the $90 pricing scenario – and you’ll have more time than you do today to find another big customer.)
As you can see, taking the time to plan and budget will ensure that your massive growth doesn’t break the bank. Knowing the parameters of profit and loss will help you make smart decisions and give you strength when you negotiate. Take the time to make sure you have a solid understanding of the system that will sustain your growth so your
business can thrive.
Whether you’re an Accidental Jane or a Tenacity Jane, growth can be a pleasant surprise and a great opportunity to make more of your business. It can be the chance you’ve been waiting for to achieve the dream you’ve been dreaming – just make sure you accept on your own terms!
About the Author:
Michele DeKinder-Smith is the founder of Jane out of the Box, an online resource dedicated to the women entrepreneur community. Discover more incredibly useful information for running a small business by taking the FREE Jane Types Assessment at Jane out of the Box. Offering networking and marketing opportunities, key resources and mentorship from successful women in business, Jane Out of the Box is online at www.janeoutofthebox.com
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Do You Have Permission to Excel?
Your skills and the roles they support didn’t come about by accident. They were developed through training and experience. The question that fascinates us is, “What kind of training and what kind of experience?”
Your current abilities depend largely on how you experienced four important developmental factors as a child in relation to your budding skills. These four factors, Permission, Promotion, Protection and Power, greatly influence the feelings we have about various skills whether the be joy, fear or dread.
Imagine that you are a small child just beginning to explore the world around you. You discover that there are some things you really like to do, such as dance or draw. You discover that when you dance, your parents praise and support you. What they have done is given you “Permission.” If, on the other hand, you would rather draw, but your parents insist that you dance, that is “Promotion” – you are being pushed into something you have not actively chosen for yourself.
Whether a talent was given permission or was promoted, it certainly required practice on your part in order to develop that skill. As you practiced you probably made mistakes – sang off key, forgot a dance step or had difficulty drawing a face. Protection, in the form of encouragement, was there to prevent those small failures from being devastating. Protection allowed you to pull yourself together, dust off your self-esteem and try again!
Finally, with enough practice you gained competence. With competence came Power – the power to affect other people with your skill. Your singing now moves people, your dancing entertains them or they admire your art.
This process was repeated, usually without awareness, for all of your current roles and skills.
Take action and reflect on those things you do best. Make two columns on a piece of paper, heading one column with Permission and one column with Promotion. Now make a list of your skills and roles, placing each in the appropriate column. Which did you choose, and which were you guided toward? Reflect on some of your early “failures” and how adults provided you with the necessary “protection” so you could continue skill-building.
As you look over these activities, highlight the ones that give you a feeling of power and strength. These activities are important to your success in life! These are the skills that will bring you the most joy and fulfillment and are worth your happiness to discover and develop.
About the Author:
Gary Jordan, Ph.D., has over 27 years of experience in clinical psychology, behavioral assessment, individual development, and coaching. He earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology – Berkeley. He’s the co-founder of Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., a consulting firm that specializes in helping people discover their true skills and talents. www.vrft.com.