November 23, 2002

Table of Contents

Welcome

Quote of the Week

Administration

Featured Resource - UNINSTALLABILITY

Editorial

Staff Article - WHERE TO USE AUTORESPONDERS
Guest Article -  POP-UP WINDOWS: A NUISANCE OR A GOLD MINE?
Parting Comments

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Welcome

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Quote of the Week

The highest reward for a man's toil is not what he gets for it but what he becomes by it.

- John Ruskin

Administration

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Featured Resource

UNINSTALLABILITY

You know how difficult it can be to completely and properly uninstall programs you no longer want. Well, the task just got easier! Aurelitec, Inc. offers Uninstallability free for personal use. Try it out today!

http://www.aurelitec.com/software/uability/download.htm

Staff Article

WHERE TO USE AUTORESPONDERS
by: Cary Christian

We've talked before about the benefit of using autoresponders in your marketing efforts, but there still seems to be a lot of confusion about where and how to use them.

First off, autoresponders are a terrific timesaver, especially if you receive a lot of requests for information. The time it takes to personally respond to a large number of similar emails can become quite inhibiting.

Second, autoresponders give you a terrific way of following up with prospects on a schedule without having to remember to do the follow-ups and, again, without having to spend the time to follow-up manually.

But where do you put these things so they can start working for you 24 hours a day?

1. YOUR WEBSITE

There are a number of ways you can use autoresponders on your website:

- Have a page where you offer free email courses with each each course set up on its own autoresponder. People who visit your site can sign up any time of day or night and you don't have to be involved in the process. Naturally, the email course should be designed to help you increase sales.

- Offer answers to frequently asked questions or support issues via autoresponder. This can be a tremendous time saver.

- Offer more in-depth information on your products or tips for using your products via autoresponder. You can even offer a complete catalogue and periodic updates automatically.

2. CLASSIFIED ADS

We've talked before about how classified ads are generally worthless for actually trying to sell something. But they're good for giving something away for free. Offer your email courses, with your advertisements or subtle sales message included, on free classified ad boards, in ezines, and anywhere else where you can post a short ad. Get that autoresponder address out there wherever it might be seen.

3. IN YOUR SIGNATURE FILE

If you're not using a signature block on every email you send out, you're missing a great opportunity. Place an appropriate short ad and autoresponder address in your signature file wherever you can use one. Using a signature file on your personal and business emails is a given, but remember to use them when you post on forums and newsgroups as well. Here's an example:

Cary Christian
Learn how to become a high-earning affiliate
champion with the free Affiliate Masters Course
mailto:tamspeaksbc@sitesell.net

Your signature file can be three to five lines long and you should keep each line under 60 characters to make sure it will always display properly no matter what email client the recipients of your emails are using.

4. OFFLINE MATERIALS

Let's not forget that people live offline, too! Put your autoresponder address on business cards, stationery and other printed materials you use in the brick and mortar world.

5. IN FREEBIES AND OTHER GIVE AWAY PRODUCTS

If you're using free downloads, like software or ebooks, to create some viral marketing for your website, don't forget to use your autoresponder address in these items. This will help make your viral marketing efforts just that much more viral by multiplying the effects of your activities.

STILL DON'T HAVE AN AUTORESPONDER?

Autoresponders are among the most effective and efficient tools you can use. You're really short-changing yourself if you're ignoring their potential. Not sure where to get one?

There are a number of free autoresponder options available these days, but most of them will include an ad at the very top of the email. This detracts from your message. If you must use a free one, FreeAutobot at http://www.freeautobot.com/  works well. You'll be somewhat bombarded with ads while you're working on the site, but they do not include ads in your emails.

If you want an outstanding professional autoresponder you can't go wrong with GetResponse's Smart Responder. It's just terrific and you can get it at http://www.getresponse.com/index/43791

You should take every chance you get to put as much of your online business on autopilot as possible. There's a great feeling in knowing that you're selling even when you're fast asleep!


Copyright (c) 2002

Guest Article

POP-UP WINDOWS: A NUISANCE OR A GOLD MINE?
by Karon Thackston
http://www.ktamarketing.com

How many times a day do you see them as you surf the Web? Pop-up and pop-under windows have become a widely used marketing tool. But do they work? Are they just a nuisance, or are they really the gold mine that all the "gurus" claim?

After doing a good deal of research, I've discovered some pretty interesting facts. After implementing my own pop-up campaign, I've had some enlightening moments. Allow me to tell you what I've discovered, and you can make up your own mind.

I started by looking to one of my favorite marketing research resources, http://www.marketingexperiments.com  They actually spent over $4,000 testing pop-up windows and compiling the results. Their experiment included using pop-ups for a biweekly ezine publisher and a computer products retailer.

The results were astounding! The ezine publisher got 100 more subscribers during a one-week period WITH the pop-up window than
WITHOUT. The computer retailer received over 3,700 new subscribers by using a pop-up window. That was enough to convince me to look further into using pop-ups on my own sites.

(NOTE: One thing the experiment was careful to point out is that copy plays an enormous role in the success or failure of the pop-up. I wholeheartedly agree!)

Using my KT & Associates site ( http://www.ktamarketing.com ) as the guinea pig, I added a pop-up window (to show on exit) giving information about my copywriting course. Then I waited and watched. Success didn't take long!

While I do not conduct the "controlled" experiments that MarketingExperiments.com does, I do have some basic data to offer you. After an 11-day period, I checked my site statistics and was very pleased! I had gotten a number of page views (not "hits" - "page views") using the pop-up window. I had also seen a 50% conversion rate. (Meaning that 50% of those who clicked to my copywriting course site purchased the product.) The pop-up was working great!

What were the factors that made a successful pop-up window? For
the folks at MarketingExperiments.com, it was an offer of some sort. The computer retailer offered the opportunity to win a prize. The ezine publisher offered the chance to enter a sweepstake. However, that leads to another issue (that I won't get into at the moment) of attrition. After the contest is over, and the prize is awarded, will the subscribers unsubscribe?

For me, I offered something of interest to my visitors. They came to my site seeking marketing and copywriting information.  It made sense that they would be interested in the course.  Viewers never read every single word of your Web site, so the pop-up window gave me the opportunity to tack a "PS" onto their visits. Sort of stating, "Oops! You might have missed this.  Don't you want to take a look before you go?"

There are several things to keep in mind when creating pop-up windows (based on my opinion).

1. Do make your pop-up window visible on exit, not entry, of your site. The reason being that when people enter your site and a window flashes up immediately, it blocks their view of your index page. It also can be annoying. Allow them to browse around a bit and then, when leaving, have your window pop up.

2. Do make your message short and sweet. Giant, flashing signs and windows tend to give an overwhelming impression and cause your visitor to back away. Keeping your message short and your pop-up window small are less obtrusive and, therefore, more widely accepted.

3. Don't use multiple pop-ups on your site at the same time.  That is one surefire way to send your visitors packing.

4. Don't put pop-up windows on every page of your site.  Regardless of what the so-called marketing gurus tell you, it will backfire due to the annoyance factor.

While I can't tell you what would work for your site or your particular target market, I do recommend that you experiment a little with pop-up windows. You might just find another inexpensive marketing method that will increase your cash flow!

------------------------------

Most buying decisions are emotional. Your ad copy should be, too! Let Karon write targeted copy and ezine articles for you. Visit her site at http://www.ktamarketing.com , or learn to write your own copy at http://www.copywritingcourse.com  Don't forget to subscribe to Karon's free ezine!
mailto:join-businessessentials@lyris1.listenvoy.com
 

Parting Comments

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