The Failure To Launch

5 Reasons Why You Haven’t Blasted Off.

You may recall that back in the beginning of January I challenged you to make 2008 the year you finally got a business started online. Well, the first quarter of the year is now over, and I really would like to know:

… Are you making money with your Internet business yet?

How much have you accomplished since January? Are you proud of what you’ve achieved — or frustrated by how little you’ve done?

If not, do you feel like you’re constantly burning rubber and going nowhere?

You need to ask yourself: Why?

There are 5 main reasons you may be suffering from "failure to launch"…

Understanding the reasons will help you blast through to getting your website started.

#1: You’re Overwhelmed and Don’t Know Where to Start

So many different experts say you have to do THIS first, or THAT. And you absolutely MUST buy THIS product, and THAT service — and here’s one that you can’t live without! If you’ve been on a list of the mega-launches lately you’ll know exactly what I mean.

It’s enough to drive you BATTY.

My advice is do some research and find a proven, step-by-step method that walks you through every stage of building a business, so you know exactly WHAT you need to do and WHEN.

… Then stick with that system and follow it straight through from beginning to end — without getting distracted by all the other possibilities out there.

Keep it simple and follow the basics… otherwise, you’ll find yourself trying to run in a dozen different directions at once… and going nowhere fast!

#2: Fear of Technology

I see it when I talk to people at my seminars…

… I suggest they learn to do it themselves first — so they can do as much of their own site management as possible — and their eyes get that "deer caught in the headlights" look.

All I can tell you is, don’t be afraid to learn something new! That old saying, "old dogs can’t learn new tricks" doesn’t apply here.

If you know how to use the computer to write letters… send emails… and surf the Internet, then you have ALL the skills you need to start an online business.

… You just need to know how to put them to good use!

Think of technology as a tool to take your ideas and bring them alive.

Find tools specifically designed so that ANYONE can learn how to use them — even the rawest beginner.

So don’t let fear of the unknown stop you from taking action!

#3: Too Many Solutions to Choose From — And You Don’t Know Who to Trust

You sign up for a few online marketing newsletters, and download a few free eBooks — then BAM! The product offers coming flying at you so fast and furious, it’s like you’re in a meteor storm!

And while you’re busy sorting out which does what, you’re ALSO being told that you’ve got to buy a domain name… and hosting services… and web design services (if you’re not going to design the site yourself)… and possibly copywriting services (if you’re not much of a writer)… not to mention a shopping cart and ordering system…

And then onto Web 2.0, blogging and marketing systems that you absolutely must have to make it big…

… It all leads to paralysis.

The best way to avoid this dilemma is start with the basics. Get your first website up and running - it makes all the difference.

#4: Spending WAY Too Much Money, Way Too Quickly

This goes hand in hand with the last problem… With so many offers bombarding you daily, it’s easy to fall into the trap of buying a bunch of different products all at once.

"It’s a good investment in my business," you tell yourself.

But then you discover that some of those products only work for people who ALREADY have a money-making website… while others don’t really fit your business model… while others are simply a huge waste of money!

… And the next thing you know, you don’t have any time or money left to do the things you really DO need to build your business.

Resist the urge to whip out your wallet at every opportunity!

Like I said earlier, your best chance for success is to buy ONE step-by-step solution that walks you through every stage, and only buy other products when you absolutely KNOW you need them.

Everything you purchase needs to align with your goal.

#5: Holding Out for That "Million-Dollar Baby"

Many people dream of an Internet business that’ll make them hundreds of thousands — or even millions! — of dollars a year. And they think that it’s colossal waste of time to spend a single second on a business that’ll make them anything less than that.

Wake up and smell the coffee, people!

Your first business probably WON’T generate a six-figure income right off the bat. (Yes, it CAN happen… but it’s far more likely your first business will be in the $1,000 - $20,000/year range.)

And you know what? That’s OK! In fact, it’s better than OK.

Every single Internet millionaire I know got started by building just ONE small money-making website. And then another website that made MORE money, and another that made even MORE money — and so on, and so on.

And that’s the best possible way for YOU to grow your online business.

With each website you build, you’ll know more and be able to do it better — which means each new site will make you MORE money than the last.

*But first, you’ve got to get off the couch and get started!*

Remember, every journey begins with a single step — and the path to online success is certainly no exception.

However, that doesn’t mean it has to be an uphill slog!

 

This April, I’ll be releasing a series of videos that’ll walk you through the steps you need to take to build your own web business in record time… walking you through all the exact steps in real time that you need to take to get it "live". If I can do it, you can too.

In the meantime, I’d like to know what barriers have prevented YOU from leaving the starting gate. Have your business efforts been hampered by one of the 5 reasons above — or has something else stopping you?

Tell me about the challenges you currently face– and I’ll try to address them in the video series.

Please leave me a comment – and let me know what you think!

6 ways to segment your email list

I’m always telling entrepreneurs how a big list of targeted subscribers is crucial for successful email marketing campaigns.

But the truth is, even with hundreds or thousands of eager subscribers, most marketers don’t have a clue how to make the most of their email marketing strategies.

Why? Because they don’t segment their lists.

According to a study by Jupiter Research, marketers who segment their lists (by things like what customers buy or where people click on their website) can improve conversion rates by up to 355% - and increase revenues by an amazing 781%!

So why did the same study find only 11% of marketers actually segment their lists using this kind of data?!

It’s outrageous!

But it does mean if YOU start segmenting your list, you’ll get a definite edge on your competitors.

How can you do this?

1. Target "subscribers" and "customers" differently.

This one’s simple! You should target subscribers (people who’ve opted in to your list) and customers (people who’ve actually bought something from you) in different ways.

You can use email to build trust and credibility with your subscribers - and then convince them to buy from you. With customers, you’ve already overcome that hurdle - so you can use email marketing to make follow-up offers and turn them into repeat buyers.

2. Target your best customers (the ones who’ve made the most purchases from you) with a special "Thank-You" promotion.

Since 80% of your sales will come from 20% of your customers, your repeat buyers deserve special care. Make sure they know you appreciate their loyalty by offering them some really great discounts, bonuses, or gifts.

3. Target customers who haven’t made a purchase in a long time with an offer to win back their business.

This is sometimes called a "We want you back" promotion. A simple bonus discount or gift can be a great way to win back people who may not have bought for a while. If they liked your offer enough to buy once, they may just need a little extra motivation to buy again.

4. Target subscribers who have been on your list a long time with a chance to "upgrade their subscription" to a paid product.

If they’ve been reading your information regularly for a long time, your subscribers likely value your content and enjoy the information you provide. Position your product as an upgrade with even more value, and some of them will be sure to snap it up.

5. Target customers or subscribers who share a specific interest.

If you sell wetsuits for example, you probably have some people on your list who are interested in surfing, and some who are interested in kayaking. If you send the surfers an email telling them how great your wetsuits are for kayaking, you won’t make many sales.

Target each group based on their interests and you’ll see much better results!

6. Target customers in different locations with localized offers.

Running an online business means you’ll likely have customers in many different cities and countries. If you can target them with offers specific to their location (such as national holidays, seasonal events, etc.) you’ll see a much better response rate.

Some of these strategies require that you know a bit more about the people on your opt-in list than just whether they are customers or subscribers. In most cases, it’s information you should be keeping track of anyway - like what products they’ve bought or how long it’s been since they made a purchase.

By collecting more specific information from the people who are visiting your site, you’ll be able to target your email marketing efforts in some very sophisticated ways.

And that’ll mean better response rates - and higher sales!

The customer is always right (even when they’re wrong!)

It’s bound to happen..

No matter how hard you work to keep your eBay selling feedback rating a perfect 100%, someday someone will give you bad feedback that you don’t deserve.

Unfortunately, the ONLY solution (that doesn’t involve the time-consuming hassle of eBay Feedback Dispute Resolution!) is to deal with the situation before it rears its ugly head.

Sure, negative feedback is no longer a permanent stain on your record, but it’s still a HUGE headache for sellers.

If you’ve ever visited the eBay Forums, you know what I’m talking about. More than just eBay selling tips, it’s a great place to listen to sellers’ horror stories of unhinged, irrational buyers leaving negative feedback for all sorts of crazy reasons.

(I know they say the customer is always right, but honestly, sometimes you have to wonder.)

So what’s the best way to avoid negative feedback from eBay buyers?

Answer questions BEFORE they’re asked — and nip those complaints in the bud!

The key is to deal with complaints before you get them. You need to go overboard in your item description by clearly and completely spelling out your policies: item condition/size/model number, shipping times, when you mail, how you ship, whether you use FedEx or the USPS, etc.

In fact, say everything twice. Two times. Or more!

Make sure you put your shipping info in two places, because some people only look in one. Fill out the shipping info box, AND spell out your policies again in the item description too. Use the shipping calculator so your customers know it’s not you setting the rates, it’s the post office.

Above all, double check to make sure the information is accurate and consistent!

And that still won’t work for everyone, so highlight the information you want your visitors to read, either in bold text, flashy colors, or setting it apart from the rest of the text.

Include MORE pictures. Show your item EXACTLY as it appears, from all sides, all angles, and in different lighting. You can use a free picture hosting service like Auctiva instead of paying extra fees to eBay for more photos, or you can host the images yourself.

If you do all that, then when you’re fielding a customer complaint, you can point to the places in your listing that your customer clearly didn’t pay attention to. Angry customers tend to become much more conciliatory when presented with evidence of their own mistakes… as long as you’re not a jerk about it.

This should go without saying, but always be polite. Never get into an email yelling match or you’ll only make the problem worse.

Embarrassment can by a powerful tool when you can nicely point out that it was clearly, undeniably, not your error. Then, when you offer to fix the problem anyway, you’re still in a position to get a 5-star rating from a sheepish, grateful customer! In fact, statistically there’s a good chance an angry customer whose problem you’ve solved will go on to become a repeat customer.

The sad truth is that no matter how many times you say it some people just won’t read it!

Know what? You can’t do anything about it, so don’t even try. Your job is to make the necessary information available and obvious, and then do your best to solve any problems that come up.

If you do that, you’ll end up with happier customers, better feedback, and more sales.

And THAT’S an eBay selling tip worth saying twice!

The 10 Key Ingredients of Successful Salescopy

If there’s only ONE THING you need to know about building a successful website, it’s this:

>>Your words are THE most important part of your site!<<

In the online world, you don’t have a real-live salesperson to greet your visitors, relate to them, and then sell them on the benefits of your product.

Instead, the WORDS on your site must perform this key role.

They have to speak in a language your customers understand, and be able to understand exactly what your customers want — then convince them your product is exactly what they’re looking for!

In order to convert your visitors into paying customers, your salescopy must include the following 10 "must-have" ingredients…

#1: Your unique selling proposition

Your "USP" is the unique sales angle you use to make your product stand out from the competition.

For example Domino’s Pizza used to guarantee "30-minute delivery or it’s free!" They didn’t even TRY to sell you on the quality of their pizza, because they guaranteed fresh, hot pizza at your door in 30 minutes or you didn’t pay.

And that made them stand out from all the other pizza joints in town!

You need to come up with your own "USP" that tells visitors what makes YOUR business special, what it is you offer that isn’t available anywhere else online.

Then you need to emphasize that USP in your salescopy!

#2: Language that speaks to your target audience

You need to speak to your visitors in language they understand and relate to.

You wouldn’t use the same kind of language to talk to a group of surfers as you would to a boardroom full of stock brokers… and neither should your website.

What common phrases and expressions do your visitors use? Those are the words you need to have on your site.

#3: An attention-grabbing headline

Internet surfers are busy people… they only spend a few seconds on a website before they decide whether to stick around longer or move on to the next site.

That’s why you need to have a boldly formatted headline that jumps off the page and hits your visitors right between the eyes, and tells them exactly how your website is going to help them.

… Just how important is your headline?

Well, studies show that a simple headline change can increase sales by 1700% — or more!

#4: Proof you’re a credible business

Internet users are a skeptical crowd… They’re constantly on the lookout for bogus information, false claims, and online scams.

Plus, there’s a lot of competition out there… So not only do you need to let your visitors know you’re reliable… you also need to assure them you’re the best person for the job!

You do this by providing your credentials and explaining what makes you an "expert" in your field, and by including customer testimonials from people who have used your product with great results.

Testimonials are so effective that they can EASILY increase your sales by more than 250%!

#5: Benefits, benefits, benefits!

Killer salescopy doesn’t focus on the features of your product or service — what it does, how it operates, or what it looks like….

… It focuses on how the user will benefit from these features.
This is a subtle difference that people regularly miss when writing their salescopy, and it’s a mistake that costs them countless sales.
A FEATURE is one of the components or functions of your product or service. (For example, your dishwasher’s "Water Saver" function reduces water use.)

A BENEFIT is something your product or service will do for your buyer to somehow offer a solution to a problem. (For example, but reducing your water use, your dishwasher’s "Water Saver" function will SAVE YOU MONEY!)

Emphasizing benefits is the number one most overlooked rule of copywriting…

… So by learning how to effectively communicate the real benefits of your product, you will have a huge edge on many of your competitors!

#6: An iron-clad guarantee

These days, shoppers have been trained to be incredibly skeptical… They’ve been hardened by experience to doubt nearly any advertising they see or hear.

We’ve all been burned before… and every time it happens, it becomes harder for us to trust anyone.

By offering a 100%, no-hassles, no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee, you will ease your customer’s worries and encourage them to feel confident placing an order with you.

#7: Free bonus items to create added value

When you create a blockbuster package packed with FREE bonus items that clearly exceed the value of what you’re asking your customers to pay, you can easily double or triple your sales!

However, when you’re deciding what to offer as a free bonus, there are two basic rules that you should follow:

Rule 1: Make sure that your "bonus" is of value to your target market.

Rule 2: Choose something that is related to your product or service, or something that will enhance your product or service in some way.

By adding quality free bonus items to your offer, you pile on so much value, the customer can hardly believe that they’re getting everything in your package at such a reasonable price!

#8: A sense of urgency to encourage immediate sales

Okay, so your readers are compelled by your copy… they are intrigued by your benefits… they’ve been drawn through your salescopy and they’re almost ready to make a buying decision.

… Now you need to give them a reason why they absolutely MUST buy right away!

You can create urgency in a number of different ways:

Limit the time for which your offer is available — "Available for the next FIVE DAYS ONLY!"

Limit the quantity of products or services you can offer — "Available only to the first 250 people to order!"

Include a discount for a limited time or on a limited quantity of products.

Include bonus items for a limited time or on a limited quantity of products.

By creating a sense of urgency, you can prompt readers to take immediate action and go through with their purchase. This is a guaranteed way to add a significant boost to your bottom line!

#9: A strong call to action that gets your visitors to BUY

You’ve grabbed your visitors’ attention with your compelling headline… established your credibility… presented your offer… and included all the other essential copy elements we’ve just described…

… So your visitors are SURE to buy now, right?

Wrong! This is the moment when you have to spell it out for them as clearly and blatantly as you possibly can. And that means you need to…

Ask for the order! Ask for the order! And then ask for the order again!

Here are a few examples of simple, but direct, ways of asking for the order:
"Just click HERE to order NOW — Risk-free!"

"To order your copy today, along with your 5 FREE bonuses, click here now!"

"Click here now to take advantage of this limited time offer!"

Without this direct approach to asking your customers for the order, they won’t be given that final "nudge" they need to pull out their credit card and start purchasing!

#10: Your contact information

Once you’ve asked for the order, it’s extremely important that you make it easy for your customers to contact you!

Include this information right on your main homepage. Give them a number of different ways to order your product or service — such as a secure online order form, by phone, or with mail/fax order forms.

Also include your email address and phone number, so your customers can get in touch with you right away if they have any questions they want to ask.

This may seem like an obvious part of your sales process — but it’s shocking how often it’s overlooked!

… So those are the 10 "must-have" copy ingredients that every website must have, in order to convert the maximum number of visitors into customers.

Follow this proven recipe for success, and you’re guaranteed to see a gigantic boost in your sales!

 

John Carlton on Features VS Benefits:

www.MarketingRebel.com

3 things you need to understand BEFORE you start your own online business

You need drive and enthusiasm to start your own online business… but you also need to know what you’re doing! When you start an Internet business, all the excitement you feel can make you want to jump in headfirst without testing the water.

Don’t jump!

Take a few minutes and look where you’re going — you’ll get there a lot faster.

Before you pay a web designer thousands of dollars… or create a product nobody wants… or waste any time and money on complicated software you don’t need… let’s start with the fundamentals.

1. Starting an Internet business means BUILDING it from the ground up… and that takes some elbow grease

Starting an Internet business takes time, motivation, and know-how. But when you put in the effort, the rewards can be everything you’ve ever dreamed of. Everything you’ve heard about starting your own business online is true: you can earn more money, have more free time, and spend your days doing something you love (and getting paid for it!).

However, don’t let your positive attitude get you roped into a shady business, and don’t think you can just put up an "instant" website that someone sells you and instantly make a fortune. The only profits there are the ones you give to the con artist who sold you.

Nobody’s going to give you free money.

But if you’re willing to learn and you know where to look for information, you’re already ahead of the crowd.

The truth is, there are more Internet business opportunities out there than any one person could possibly find, and some of them are perfect for YOU… so you’ve got to be the one to find them!

2. Start your online business by giving the people what they want

Here’s the number one secret of Internet marketing: know what your customers want BEFORE you build your website.

I mean it! That one simple tip will save you more time and money than any other piece of advice. Don’t think of the Internet as another place for you to sell widgets - it’s so much more than that. (And it’s already crowded with widget shops!)

Search engines have made it possible for almost anyone, anywhere, to find what they’re looking for online… if it’s there.

Your job, before you commit yourself to anything, is to find out what they’re looking for - and not finding - that you can then sell them. If people are searching for left-handed bowling balls, then give them left-handed bowling balls. But DON’T just open "Lefty’s Bowling Site" without making sure there’s a market!

Your goal is to find your own underserved niche market and become their go-to guy before someone else does. And when you do that, you’ve got yourself a genuine business!

3. Get expert help and do it right the first time

Experience is the best teacher, and that’s the way I learned. IMC is built on the idea of trying something, learning from mistakes, and doing things better after every failure.

The problem is that you don’t have the time to try, try again… and frankly, all that failure is expensive! That’s why so much of what I do is trying to get people to learn from my mistakes instead of making your own.

It’s absolutely essential to arm yourself with information and knowledge. You can read articles and blogs, join a discussion forum where experts share information, or get your hands on online marketing courses, videos, and guides that teach you what you need to know.

You’re going to need to know the basics of website building, writing salescopy, and search engine optimization. Without a structured plan and a little help, that could take a while.

But there’s good news: if you’re willing to learn, you can find teaching tools and resources in every shape, size, and learning style. Whether you want everything you need in a book so you can learn at your own pace, or you’d prefer having a mentor looking over your shoulder every step of the way, it’s up to you to choose the method that suits you best.

When you start your own online business, it can be a fun and rewarding experience. And when those rewards are financial, it’s more than fun… it’s laughing all the way to the bank!

 

If you’re just starting out.. Check out BeBiz … Our NEW Internet business building tool!

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