The Edge Marketing

Do sales come from your ezine regularly? How many well-written articles do you submit per week to Online ezines? How often do you send thank you's and follow up messages to your different email groups?

If you answered not many, then you need to re-evaluate. The answer to online success is the same as traditional success--promotion, promotion, promotion.

Use these easy ways to boost online credibility and sales:

3. Send Follow up Messages to your Customers, Subscribers and Customers

Do you keep email lists by category such as subscribers, potential clients, customers, or teleclass participants?

Talking with many small business people, I discovered many only keep one list, primarily subscribers. While giving my subscribers information once a month, I make it a point to connect with many other groups. Each month or so, I send them some free information, sometimes with a sales message, sometimes not.

How often do you follow up?

The people who hear from you over time develop trust in you. Once they trust you, they are more likely to buy from you than new contacts.

Keep a file of your loyal customers, your potential clients, your subscribers, your teleclass participants, and ePublishers.

To each of these, send a different, targeted follow up email.  Send a "thank you" message offering a freebie. To my loyal customers I offered a free question answered by email.

In the same email, I followed with "Ways to Benefit and Succeed with the Book Coach." These included a free subscription to my ezine, a free teleclass on book writing and promotion, or an introductory coaching price. It's best to make one offer at a time.

Recycle those articles you post online. Give them away as free reports to your potential clients. No cost to you and they take very little time. When a publisher asks me for a longer article, it's easy because I have several versions of each article I write.

Put your online promotion groups in a buying mode. Make an irresistible offer that is real. Give them one or two free bonus reports they want. Caution: It's a turn off when the free bonus reports are worth more than the major package being sold. I just noticed one--the book was $39.95--the free bonuses were supposedly worth $500. That certainly doesn't speak truth.

For an eBook of 30-75 pages packed with how-to's and resources, offer two free bonus reports taken from your article files or book excerpts. These can be 3-7 pages.

4. Display your product or service's benefits clearly.

What do you do when you see in the subject line "Book announcement" or "Book Signing" or "Teleclass Marathon?" What motivates you to want to open that email? Even targeted ezine subscribers are likely to only open 50% of your emails.

Why not give your email lists a reason to open more?  Give your potential buyer a picture of how their life would look after using your expertise. Write ad copy that appeals to their emotions, so they feel they must buy now.

5. Place your signature file at the bottom of every email you send.

Entrepreneurs who are new to the Internet may just sign their name at the bottom of their email. It's time to learn that this signature file is your great sales force. Subtle, but effective, what you put into those 4-7 lines is so important. Include your name and title, then what you do for your audience. For instance, "Helps small business people manifest their book and Web dreams." Include one free offer, possibly your ezine. Name your ezine and sweeten the pot with another freebie such as a free report for new subscribers. Include your Web and email address and your local phone number, so people outside the U.S. can contact you easily.

Don't disappoint yourself by dropping the ball and not letting people know about you and your products and services.  Your customers and clients are waiting for your message.

More Articles: