Category: Online Business

Article Contributed by Robert Skrob
The sheer number of e-commerce websites that exist today is enough to overwhelm any consumer and make the Internet marketing challenge for business owners seem insurmountable. Bob Regnarus, also known as “The Leads King,” has made a successful business out of helping business owners drive more traffic to their websites and inspire visitors to buy once they get there.
Bob was selected to offer his web marketing expertise in “Start Your Own Information Marketing Business,” a new book from the Information Marketing Association. This new book is an essential how-to guide for anyone interested in starting an information marketing business, and features insight from 12 of the biggest names in the industry. In it, Bob shares his secrets for maximizing online sales through search engine optimization and more.
Here is the Leads King’s 3 Basic Phases to Getting More Website Traffic and Sales Now
1. Understand What You Really Need from Your Website
Determining what your website can and cannot do is the first phase. Setting the right expectations for a site can help businesses invest their time and effort into marketing to target customers. The point is to avoid wasting time on people who will never become customers.
Remember your website should be a lead generation tool. So, you want to focus on targeted leads that are a perfect match for the products and services you provide. Make sure you build an opt-in option on your website’s landing page. This is where you make an offer in order to collect contact information from visitors. You might offer free, valuable information such as access to a newsletter or a complimentary lesson or session. This is important to your strategy for making building your list and starting a customer relationship that leads to more sales.
2. Build an Attractive Site With Your Objective in Mind
The second phase of a web traffic campaign is to build or alter a website so it fits the new strategy for generating sales leads and attracting target customers. An attractive website is easy to understand, and is interesting and engaging. It does not mean you should spend money on expensive graphic design or Flash animation – in fact Bob strongly advises you not to waste your money on elements that will not directly help you increase your website sales conversions. Instead, focus on communicating to visitors what your business offers and why they should be interested.
3. Drive Additional Traffic Through Advertising, SEO and Promotion
The third phase of the campaign is to make it easy for potential customers to find your website through search-engine optimization (SEO), article marketing, pay-per-click advertising and other advanced promotional tools.
Investing in online advertising is crucial to promoting your website, but there are also many low-cost strategies. Effective SEO tactics include creating external links, regular website updates and keyword saturation. Other little known channels for driving website traffic include promoting sites through blogs, articles and press releases. According to Bob you don’t have to be a technological wizard or a marketing genius to improve your search engine ranking and generate traffic to your website.
Follow Bob’s step-by-step directions and you will get more website traffic and sales. To learn more about SEO opportunities and discover how to create effective advertising campaigns with search engines look for more advice from Bob in Start Your Own Information Marketing Business. This information marketing how-to guide is available in bookstores now.
About the Author:
Robert Skrob, President of the Information Marketing Association teaches new entrepreneurs and small business owners how to build 6 and 7 figure income information marketing businesses simply by modeling top experts like Bob Regnarus. Now you can get his FREE Video revealing how 5 info-marketers easily created and marketed fast-selling products & how you can too. Get free access now at http://www.infomarketingstartup.com

Article Contributed by Adam Hommey
According to a recent Stompernet study, the industry average for shopping cart abandonment is 59.6%.
Shopping cart abandonment” means that someone goes to a website, reads the sales letter, and clicks on the buy link to go to the secure order form, but they don’t finish filling out the form. So, this means that for every 10 people who click on a “buy” or “order” link to go to a shopping cart, only four (4) actually complete the transaction.
And that’s in an OPTIMAL environment, assuming the overall site traffic is high-quality and targeted, and the order process is crystal clear and caveman-easy.
Pretty sobering, eh?
Where do they all go?
We usually have our clients start by checking on their shipping rates. The Stompernet study also reveals that one of the top causes for shopping cart abandonment is that shipping is too high, or numerous options make it too confusing.
There are some fast adjustments you can make WITHOUT having to get into programming or custom software if you use a solution like MyEasyOnlineStore.com or Infusionsoft.com,
3 Easy Ways to Stop Shopping Cart Abandonment Resulting From High Shipping Prices:
1) Avoid real-time shipping tables that offer too many shipping choices
Here’s something we actually encountered.
To buy a $14.95 CD, the “real time shipping” on a shopping cart gave them prices anywhere from $6.82 to $68.44 for various air, ground, and rush options for shipping. Of course customers would leave.
It’s just too much to think about. And seeing the option to pay $70 to get a $15 CD the next day really jumped out at the customer. They left, saying “shipping’s too expensive.” Even many customers who bought said “wow, that’s a lot to pay to have it shipped.”
2) Have only one or two shipping options
Replace that long shipping table with statements like:
“It’s $2.50 shipping, and you should get it in the mail in 2-3 business days.”
“Price includes all shipping and handling. Orders are typically shipped the same day we receive them.”
See the difference?
We recently had a client end their real-time shipping calculations, end rush-shipping options, and simply offer two rates (one domestic and one international.)
Their shopping cart abandonment rates dropped and their conversion rates went up a consistent 5% with just that one change. And, the fulfillment house said that the client is having far few instances of collecting “too little” shipping than they did when it was real-time.
3) Don’t do rush shipping – offer instant downloads
If there’s any reason why a customer would “need it right now,” instead of rush shipping, how about adding an instant download option?
This way, not only can your prospects have it RIGHT NOW (instead of “tomorrow”) but then you’re also spared the headache of making sure “rush” orders, indeed were “rushed.”
Bottom line:
When it comes to shipping, get to the bottom line and make it easy. When interested customers have to stop and think about shipping, they hesitate. It gets right in the way of the sales momentum.
Give prospects too much to think about and they’ll think about buying somewhere else. This means you lost customers for life!
So, keep it simple – and you will reduce shopping cart abandonment fast.
Now of course, there are many other factors that will affect your website sales conversion and shopping cart abandonment rates. And, that’s why I, now invite you to get a website review “live” on screen capture video that will reveal right in front of your eyes easy, understandable and proven shortcut secrets to plug your specific profit draining leaks. Just for going to http://www.livewebsitereviews.com we’ll give you our new, free e-Book: “Top 10 Deadly Mistakes That Will Cost You Traffic & Sales.”
Here’s to decreased shopping cart abandonment rates and increased website sales conversion rates!
About the Author
The Website Surgeon Adam Hommey increases website sales conversions for entrepreneurs, small business owners and Internet marketers who want to stop shopping cart abandonment and make more money now. Now, just for checking out his new “Live” website review service that reveals right in front of your eyes why you’re losing money, Adam will give you his new eBook, “Top 10 Deadly Website Mistakes That Will Cost You Traffic & Sales.” Get this FREE eBook now at: http://www.livewebsitereviews.com

According to the Harvard Business Review, 91% of small businesses do absolutely nothing to retain their existing clients. That means only 9% of small business owners ‘get’ these facts:
– The average American business loses 50% of its customer base every 5 years.
– An existing customer spends an average of 67% more than new customers.
– It costs 7 to 9 times more to acquire a new customer than it does to retain an old one.
Mailing a monthly newsletter can eliminate all of these problems — if you do it correctly.
A successful newsletter doesn’t just ‘happen’. It’s composed of very specific elements. Without them, you might as well be sending your clients a comic book.
7 Elements Your Newsletter Must Have If You Want to Retain More Clients
1. Content that IS NOT all about you. Many businesses feel compelled to tell everyone how wonderful they are. Forget it. People don’t like braggers. Instead, feature content that is interesting and useful. When you’ve engaged your reader with articles they actually want to read, you’ll have earned their trust and respect. This will lead to more sales.
2. Exciting, new and original content. Your readers should look forward to your newsletters each month. If your articles are boring, people will stop reading — and you won’t get any of the benefits that sending a regular newsletter can bring.
3. Sense of professionalism. Your newsletter is an extension of your businesses. You pride yourself on providing personal, professional service or selling quality products. Your newsletters must match your reputation. Make sure there are no spelling mistakes. Write appealing articles. Have an attractive layout design. Print your newsletter on high-quality paper. If it looks like it was published by your 7th grader, you’ve wasted your time and money.
4. Personal touch. Continue the initial connection you made with your client by revealing a little about yourself in your newsletter. A personal touch will get your newsletter remembered and enhance your image as an expert. Some people choose to reveal something about their personal lives (maybe they play golf or went on a vacation) or share tidbits about their families.
5. Offers and calls to action. You should give people a reason to act NOW. If they wait, they’ll probably do nothing. So make a special offer available only for your clients. And place a deadline on it, for example, for one month only. Changing your offer each month will also help you track the effectiveness of your newsletter — you’ll easily see who buys and who buys consistently.
6. Consistency. Many businesses try to save money and send their newsletters quarterly or even semiannually. Don’t bother, if that’s you. You’re wasting your time and money. Sending your newsletter out every month just like your clients favorite magazines will help make your newsletter part of your client’s daily lives.
7. Print it. Yeah, yeah, yeah… printed newsletters are more expensive. But think about this: How many companies are willing to do this? Your clients aren’t stupid. They understand the value of receiving a great newsletter every month. Plus, printed newsletters are more effective than email newsletters because:
– They don’t get caught in spam filters
– Everyone is sick of being bombarded by content online.
– Printed newsletters have a physical presence in someone’s home. This means they are likely to be kept, acted upon in the future and will probably get passed on to others because they are viewed as literature.
So put an end to your dwindling client base. Save tons of dollars by marketing to proven buyers. Capture and keep customers that would love to spend their money with you forever.
Just send your clients a proven marketing tool: A well-written monthly client newsletter.
About the Author
David Gruttadaurio was sick and tired of wasting money on marketing that didn’t work. So he searched for a profit-producing, client-retention & referral-generating tool until he found newsletter marketing! Now go to http://www.NewslettersMadeForYou.com & get his FREE “Profit Exploding Newsletter Secrets Report” that reveals how to retain more clients and reclaim tons of money now simply with newsletters.

Article Contributed by Mark Walsh
Are you confused about when you should upgrade your E-commerce site? How do you decide when is the right time to tweak things. Obviously you do not wish to spend money during the present liquidity crisis and recession.
You probably still remember the pain and efforts that went into building your site and making it live. You do not wish to revisit the same trouble again. Right? Wrong. This obvious reluctance to make do with the existing site without any changes, upgrades or tweaks can have disastrous results.
With rapid technological innovations taking place, online browsers expect and demand instantaneous online services. You need to show your customer that you care for their comfort and you are aware of their wants and desires.
Following are the 8 signs that can help you decide that it’s time to make changes on your site:
1) Website is not compatible on major browser platforms:
An e-commerce website is a virtual shop for your business. Imagine if it looks disfigured on different browsers (IE, Fox, Netscape, etc). Issues with different browser might not surface immediately, but when the browser’s upgrade their own software, the results can affect your website negatively. Problems could be as minor as graphic design defects to major issues like functional problems, shopping cart problems, problems with online payment etc. If these problems are not found and attended immediately, you will lose potential customers who might be using such browsers to surf for their online shopping expeditions.
Never forget to ask your website designer to check your website on various platforms and personally test this periodically to ensure the coding is compatible on all browser interface for best display of your website. If your website looks distorted or functionalities are not working completely, you need to rectify the same.
2) Changed or Diversification of Business Model:
‘A rolling stone gathers no moss’. Similarly a business that is flexible and changes with time survives, while the stagnant businesses go down the hill.
Innovation, research and development are part and parcel of today’s business world, ensuring products/services stay in line with the current demands. Your site might require minor changes with regards to graphics and additional features or major ones like offering completely new products line or services, or when you diversify and enter altogether different industry vertical.
Never forget to update the information and content in your website according to the changes occurring in your business model. Try and be as accurate, lucid and factual about the data displayed on your site as possible, as your site is the source of information for all your clients, industry experts and even competitors. You cannot afford to goof up here.
3) Site has become dull and old:
With the arrival of web 2.0 online browsing experiences are undergoing many changes. Online visitors are bombarded with creative gimmicks, flash and images to attract attention and motivate them to take the desired marketing action planned for them.
If your website looks like it has come straight from the 90s with a dull layout, slow loading graphics, table like frame with each panel taking its own sweet time to load, your visitor will say sayonara before your first product is displayed. They will go off to your competitors site which is faster, convenient and more user friendly.
Never forget to keep your customer as the focus of your website activities. Ensure you take help of technology to make online visitor’s experience on your site as happy, error free and convenient as possible.
4) Your website bugs your customers:
Yes, website can annoy online visitors. A recent online survey displays the following pet peeves of online visitors:
>>93% of consumer said POP-UP ADS extremely annoyed them
>>89% were annoyed by REQUESTS TO INSTALL EXTRA SOFTWARE
>>83% noted LOG-IN / REGISTRATION PROMPTS (to access content).
The result was: 75% of customers said they’d never return, 74% of customers said they would unsubscribe from the company’s messages, 71% said they viewed the company in a negative way and 55% said they bad mouthed the firm to friends or associates. (That’s dangerous!)
Other extreme irritations include:
-Dead links (86%)
-Confusing navigation (84%)
-Slow-loading pages (83%)
-Ineffective site-search tools (80%)
-Moving text (59%)
-Poor color, fonts and format (55%)
Never forget the simple rule ‘Keep your site simple and user friendly’ . Don’t go overboard with too many features, confusing navigations and too many irrelevant choices
confusing your visitor from finally placing that order. Make it as simple as possible for them to order online.
5) Textual Content on your site is boring:
Sit down and read the content of your website out loud? Does it sound right? Do you come across as sincere? Do you make sense to you? How about the language? If your content sounds insincere, misleading, confusing, you definitely need to hire a professional content writer to take care of this problem.
Never forget content is very important to make your site meaningful and interesting. Interesting copywriting helps to grab attention and convince visitors to turn into customers. Also proper content is required for search engine optimization to ensure your site is picked up by the major search engine and right kind of traffic is drawn to your site.
6) Your site embarrasses you or your employees:
If you find yourself feeling apologetic when referring your ecommerce site or handing out your business card, then it’s obviously time to change your site. Your website should be a source of pride for you and your employees. If you find yourself apologizing for outdated information, broken images, poor design, difficult navigation or anything else on your site, redesign the site without delay. Your website is an easy access to information for your customers and affiliates so make it good for them.
Never forget, your website represents your business. You cannot afford to get shoddy and compromise on quality of your ecommerce site.
7) Current Navigation has turned confusing:
Websites grow with changes in your business model, and this might increase the visual hierarchy of links. Your site may have started with only a few web pages and now you realize you have so many links that it’s hard for visitors to navigate through all your content. An overgrown or scattered link structure is a good reason to redesign your existing site. Below are some solutions to interface design:
· Drop Down Menus
· Collapsible Navigation
· Dynamic Flash Menus
· Good Hierarchy Layout
· Site Map
Make it possible for your clients to seek information within maximum 3 clicks. Do not confuse them with too many complicated navigations. Use web statistics tools to find out your popular pages and analyze why they are so popular. Try and duplicate the benefits and good points of those pages on your entire website.
8) Lack of proper customer service:
There are still many trepidations bothering the online shopper and it can get tricky for an ecommerce site to overcome all those prejudices and barriers. As an website owner think of the problems, fears and complications faced during shopping online. One of the major issue is the inability to touch, feel, see the product before buying. Online browsers have to pay in advance and that too basis the description and photograph shown on your site. Your site lacks the human interaction factor that is available when going physically to shop.
One of the major way to tackle this problem is to have strong support and customer care service in place. If possible have ‘live help’ available on your site to guide your visitors. If not, see that toll free numbers are prominently displayed on all the web pages and there is a friendly and helpful customer care rep to guide and solve your visitors problems. Ensure your FAQ section address all the major and minor problems associated with ecommerce sites and helps alleviate the fears of your visitors. No problem or doubt is too small or stupid to prevent you from attending them ASAP.
The above indicators will give you an idea on when your site requires tweaks, upgrades or complete redesign to turn into a source of profit center and pride for your business.
About The Author:
Mark Walsh is the marketing manager at Analytix Solutions (http://www.analytixsolutions.com/it/index.asp). Analytix team consists of IT experts and Internet Marketing professionals who help small business owners take their business online through website designing, ecommerce site designing and search engine optimization services.