About communications that could harm your business

Any business expert will tell you that better communication means fewer delays, disappointed customers, and increased productivity. That means a better bottom line and far less headaches!

The inability to communicate has always been a challenge at companies, and advances in technology that allow communication 24 hours a day, seven days a week have not made it any easier. In some ways, technology has just given us more ways to miscommunicate!

It doesn't matter whether you are a Great Communicator or a person who struggles to put thoughts into words, you can better manage your company and productivity by being aware of critical communication issues.

Here are five tips to improve your business through better communication.

1. Be aware of other people's communication problems.

Be it a client or a coworker, be aware of certain challenges they may face in communication.

A dyslexic coworker may be able to keep up most of the time, but it will be more difficult for him to read at the end of the day when he is tired. Leave a voicemail after 3pm.

Customers don't know how to use a keyboard, so don't expect long emails from them. Call or meet him when you need important information.

2. Solve your internal communication problems.

Most companies have a myriad of challenges when it comes to communication.

Write a weekly email newsletter to keep your employees informed of changes or issues.

Ensure all employees have the mobile number of each staff member available at all times.

Requires regular reports from uncommunicative employees.

3. Make meetings productive with agendas and reports.

Be it an internal staff meeting or a client, keep it on the agenda.

Nothing is accomplished in a staff meeting without focus, and an agenda helps with that.

Make sure each agenda item has a short amount of time to cover new business.

After the meeting, write a report, or minutes, so that everyone agrees with the decisions made during your time together.

4. Get it in writing.

This is a basic principle of business, but we all forget it from time to time.

Don't let someone walk past you in the hall at work and ask you to do something - tell them to email you.

Have clients sign off on work by emailing or faxing their approval.

Put everything in writing and make sure that anyone affected by the actions in the document knows their role and they write it down too!

5. Do not rely too much on technology.

Who hasn't been the victim of a broken hard drive, a cell phone dropped in a coffee cup, a misplaced PDA, or a stolen laptop?

As great as technology is, backup systems are essential. Make sure you have yours!

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A website is essential to any business these days

New and small business owners can often be the most innovative and creative marketers there are. They don’t have the huge budgets of the corporate giants; they don’t have large teams of creative designers, advertising executives, brainstorming committees, PR agencies or even a tea person! However, enterprising cash-strapped individuals are constantly striving to invent novel and cheaper methods of marketing their businesses, often with varying degrees of success. 

What must be reiterated though is that marketing and advertising need not cost a fortune, but can still be very effective depending on how you approach it.

The big names and multinationals will have an extraordinary amount of funding set aside in which to convey their marketing message to the masses.

The process will involve an inordinate amount of people, multiple marketing agencies, countless ‘creativity’ meetings and thousands of work-hours. From television adverts to full pages in the newspapers and glossy magazines, brand names and logos jump out at us and are instantly recognisable - such is the power of advertising on an extremely large budget.

Easily missed then in this marketing free-for-all are the smaller or new businesses. After the usually costly process of setting up a business with its requisite equipment, possibly an office or other type of premises, there is usually little or no funds available for marketing or advertising.

From the first trading day of a new business enterprise, the going is tough. It is small wonder therefore that most new businesses do little or nothing about marketing because of what they see as prohibitive costs.

There are instances of course where new businesses have originated from someone’s hobby or part-time occupation; in these cases, the market is usually already there and forming a company was the next logical step, immediate marketing was obviously not required to generate the first customer.

There are many advertising agencies that say there is no need for small businesses to spend a fortune on marketing. This is totally true, but what money a small business does have to advertise should be spent wisely and not just thrown at an agency that might end up failing to deliver.

There are far cheaper and more effective ways to get a business on the map.

A website is essential to any business these days and will certainly be an asset. However, your site will be one amongst many millions of others and will not be of immediate use due to the nature of search engines and the way the Internet works in general; therefore you will need to look to other methods.

One of the most important things to bear in mind is not to run before you can walk.

Start small, start local. Unless you already have contracts from further afield, there is no point in casting nationwide for business when a vast amount is already likely to be on your doorstep.

Depending on what type of business you run, leaflets and flyers to other businesses or homes are a good way to get yourself known.

Always carry a business card with you they are invaluable, you never know when you are going to meet someone who wants printed contact details – hey presto! - Instant advertising. 

If you have access to a computer, join an online business forum. They are an excellent source of information help and advice from people in the same situation as you. Even those in the same line of business as yourself will usually be happy to offer their help – don’t be afraid to take it, you can always return the favour.

Contact your local Chamber of Commerce for practical sound advice on any aspect of business. They are there to help and are extremely knowledgeable and friendly people.

Business breakfast clubs are normally held once a week in most towns and cities and are another rich source of information and a great place to make contacts, again, don’t forget to take your business cards with you.

The methods I have mentioned are by no means the only ways to market on a budget and have no doubt been written about before, and although they take lots of effort and are very time-consuming, they do produce results.

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Your prospects will read about you and your company when the time is right

I'm sure you're all cool, interesting people, with fantastic skills, but trust me, that's not what you need to lead with on your Web site - or mailing or brochure.

Does your Web site talk about your company? Yes, I know, it's your company Web site! But the last thing it should talk about is your company.

* The bigger the corporate, the less likely they're even going to blink an eyelid *

There's a lot of truth in the picture of corporate person under siege. I probably don't have to tell you how difficult it is to get through to people in companies any more. But they're not just hiding behind voice and e-mail because they can. They're often just too busy to respond.

So the same applies to your mailshot or brochure, or when they visit your Web site. They don't have time to wade through reams of material that doesn't tell them how you can *ease their pain*. 

How you can solve their problem - or the one their boss has placed in their hands.

* Tell your readers something they need to hear *

Telling people 'we're the leading Megacorp Platinum Reseller in the South West', doesn't cut the mustard. 

Hit your prospects with what they need to know right away. What problem can you solve? How quickly? And - *if* it's relevant - how your product or service does it.

I was taught to think of most prospects as being like car buyers. They want the glamour and good feelings, but aren't interested in the gudgeon pins!

So you should be clear in your own mind how much you have to say to move the sale along. 

Later on, if they're really interested, they'll want to know about your company. So put corporate information near to last.

Your prospects will read about you and your company when the time is right.

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Read the fine print of any contract before signing it

Not only do credit cards offer customers the convenience and ease of not having to carry around cash or checks, it lends a sense of professionalism to your establishment as well. 

Any smart business owner knows that accepting credit cards as a payment option will dramatically increase revenues. 

The process of applying to become a credit card merchant can be a bit confusing and frustrating, so let's take a look at how it all works. 

The Credit Card Account 

The credit card account that you will use is called a merchant account. These accounts are different from a regular business checking account in that they are accounts that have been secured through a bank that offers credit card processing. 

This account enables you to process your credit card transactions through their banking establishment. This is a safe and secure process which provides both you and the buyer security and protection from the beginning of the transaction right through to the end. 

Since most of the merchant accounts are offered by a third party vendor, you are not obligated to use any specific bank or institution. You are free to choose the one that offers the options that will work best for you and your company. 

What you do need to pay attention to are the fees. These fees will come in three different forms. First, the initial setup fee (pretty self-explanatory), moving on to the percentage fee (the provider will take a percentage of each transaction based on amount of sale), and then ending with the monthly service fee. 

Read the fine print of any contract before signing it. Pay attention to all three fee categories, not just one. 

Also, look for contract obligations. Some providers will offer you great deals but will want you to sign on with them for a long period of time. You need to be aware of what, if any, penalties will be charged for getting out of the contract if things don't work out. 

How Do I Actually Get Paid 

Obviously, this is pretty important. If a customer has used a credit card, no money has actually changed hands. Since more and more customers are now using credit cards, how that money gets into your account and how fast has become vitally important. 

Any of the reputable merchant account providers will provide the business owner with payment into their account within the first 24 to 48 hours of the initial transaction. Whether that customer has a balance on that card is not a concern of yours. The bank will pay you anyway. 

If the customer disputes the said transaction, the bank is usually under no obligation to pay the business owner, especially if that dispute has been deemed acceptable. If a business owner has a high number of legitimacy claims against them, the provider may just drop them. 

The majority of the time, though, things go as planned and the money shows up in your account within a day or two.

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Persuasive copywriting is the style of writing that every business needs in order to get customers to purchase something

Online, there is a large market for individuals who can write in a persuasive style. Persuasive copywriting is what draws the attention of prospective customers.

Sure, everyone has their own specific style, but the only thing that truly matters is sales. Unless the words draw the customer in and help them to make a purchase, the words are wasted. 

If the customer has a dollar to spend, he will spend it on your website or on another. The words that are on that page are what will make the ultimate decision as to whether the customer stays or goes. It is that simple. 

But what makes the sale to the potential buyer? This information changes with the specific product. And, in all cases, it is up to the writer to determine the best method for getting the attention and securing the sale. It is not up to the business owner to do this, but up to their writer to know the right words to use. 

For those who are looking for a career in copywriting, they will need to prove themselves time and time again. Just because it sounds good does not mean that it is the most beneficial to the website. The freelance position is often the most sought after since many businesses like to have a one on one relationship with their writers. This helps them to establish the text that they feel is most beneficial. 

Persuasive copywriting is what draws the attention of prospective customers. They see your product and are drawn it. But what makes this happen? What words can win a customer over without having them laugh at overstatements and hype? Persuasive copywriting is the style of writing that every business needs in order to get customers to purchase something. 

The good news is that those who are effective at what they do will likely have business come back to them time and time again. Once a comfortable relationship is established, freelance workers can count on having more business come their way. The power of the word is the most important qualification to these individuals. 

For those looking to begin their career, they will need to possess truly powerful words - persuasive copywriting words.

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The following are the most common methods offered to the aspiring entrepreneur and none of them work

Probably you’ve heard about all the money that can be made on the Internet. Maybe you’ve tried Internet Marketing and been unsuccessful. I very much doubt that anyone reading this has been successful because most of the talk about how you can make your fortune on the Internet is hype to take your money. 

What you want and need is a way of bringing in large volumes of visitors to your site, most of whom are interested in buying your chosen product. 

The following are the most common methods offered to the aspiring entrepreneur and none of them work. We thought it best to share them with you first of all. 

What Doesn't Work? 

Mass Mailing Programs: These are programs which you load into your computer and which then enable you to mail thousands of addresses per night with a sales letter. They do not work because you cannot ordinarily obtain good addresses. You have to buy the program to learn this of course. 

Mass Mail (Spam) Lists: These are sold cheaply by the million for use with the programs above. People do not realise that not only are the addresses random rather than targeted-by-interest but they are all mailed thousands of times by everyone who purchases either the Mass Mailing Program or lists. Expect one per ten thousand with a good letter and appealing, cheap product. And your ISP will shut down your Web Site. 

Opt-In Lists: These rented mailing lists are much more expensive and hardly any better than those above. The names on the lists have allowed incoming mail in a certain subject in return for some other benefit. This does not mean they are interested in buying anything and they usually get 500 offers per day. You never see the names but have to trust the list owner that the names exist and are mailed. You have no recourse following a negative result. And a negative result is what you will get. 

Banner Advertising: For a set (and hefty) fee your advertisement appears a certain number of times on the screen of a number of computer users. (Allegedly) The ad can be slightly targeted but, again, there is no reason to suppose the viewer wants to buy anything. Banner ads do not give a cost effective return for anyone other than the person who sells the banner space. 

Affiliate Programs: These are where you recruit and set up people to sell your product for you on the Internet. The system has part of an idea which works and which we will examine elsewhere, affiliates in principle are a very good thing, but normally it involves other people trying, hopelessly, to do what you cannot - find clients on the Internet. You end up with a large recruiting bill and lots of affiliates doing nothing. (Unless you know how to sell on the Internet and can tell your affiliates. See below.) 

News Groups: There are tens of thousands of news groups on the Internet where people meet to exchange ideas on all manner of subjects. Some are concerned with marketing. If you post an advertisement on a news group which is not related to your business the members get really cross and do not buy - they shut you down. If you post to a group which accepts marketing your ad is buried under thousands of other ads which people post and no one ever reads. Expect zero results.

So What Does Work? 

Targeted Emailing: This is similar to direct mail by post with one vital exception - The % take-up rate is lower. Delivery is cheap but the rental lists are still quite expensive. Rental prices are coming down and there are now some "fair" lists around. 

This will improve as the Internet gains acceptance amongst the population and people become more used to buying directly from an email approach. The advantages are that return on investment is already much higher than snail-mail and it is much quicker and more amenable to automation. 

Internet Two-Step Is Currently By Far The Best Way To Sell Effectively Using The Internet. 

This is how it is done: You have to use a web page as a sales brochure and run it like "Two-Step" in a conventional mail order business. We call this - strangely enough - "Internet Two Step". Using this secret, known only to a few marketing professionals, is how you can make your own fortune and keep the money rolling in for the rest of your life. 

What Is Conventional "Two Step"? 

In conventional mail order there are two ways to sell a product: Either "Off the page" or "Two Step". Off The Page involves a large and expensive advertisement in a magazine or newspaper. It includes the order form and asks for payment with order after "selling" the product. The disadvantage is the size of ad-space, and therefore expense, required to explain and sell a product. The advantage is that with low cost products, say under $200, it "pulls" well and avoids the immense amount of administration and expense necessary to handle many thousands of enquiries. 

Two Step is where a much smaller, cheaper ad is used to attract the potential client’s interest and he is asked to telephone for free details. The disadvantage is that there is a great deal of expense and administration involved in collecting names and sending out a sales brochure to each enquirer. The advantage is that the ad is much cheaper. With conventional media it’s a case of "Horses for courses." 

How Does "Internet Two Step" Work? 

First you set up a web page as your "sales brochure". The Internet is extremely well suited to this use with full color display and also sound and movies available. An Internet web site can be immeasurably more appealing and effective as a sales tool than can a printed brochure. Your potential market for the right product is the entire civilised world and you can offer your web page in translation to reach everyone. 

You doubtlessly know it is possible to collect money over the Internet by credit card. Be aware that many people still prefer to send cash or cheque so you might offer this facility with a "print out" order form if your product is appropriate. The hurdle which stops most businesses is that, having put up their Web Site Brochure, they then try to use the Internet to drive clients to their site: This is difficult to do cost effectively as you have seen above so do not try. 

Instead, run the same type of ad in conventional media that you would use to attract enquiries for "Two Step" but ask the reader to visit your Web Site instead. A huge number will if your ad is right. You gain the same advantage of a far lower advertising spend and combine it with zero brochure production and distribution costs. 

You also obtain a much higher conversion rate on enquiries because a well designed site sells the product better than a brochure ever could. Once your site is set up you just have to get an advertisement in front of your target audience and the orders will flow in as fast as you can process them. And orders can be processed automatically with the right product and set-up. 

A few (pounds or dollars) invested in advertising can bring in tens of thousands of (pounds or dollars) worth of orders. 

Internet Two Step is the future of mass marketing and you are among the first entrepreneurs to learn of it. Use it well and make your fortune. 

The beauty of the Internet combined with the power of computers is that just about everything can be automated. 

Running a shop you have to be there or get a headache employing staff. 

Running a direct snail-mail program you spend all your time chasing mailing houses and fretting over delivery and responses. There is also masses of work to handle a successful response - orders to process, cheques to bank and orders to ship. There is more work than an outsider would credit. 

Selling from a web site, however, is a different animal entirely. 

Yes, you do have to get the site set up in the first place and complete the following once-and-for-all tasks: 

• Choose the right product 
• Design your Web Site 
• Arrange to accept payment by credit card 
• Arrange for the automatic despatch of the information-based product 
• Publish your site 
• Place your advertising and recruit your affiliates 

When this list is completed you have little else to do because the advertisements or affiliates bring the visitors to your site. The site sells and ships your product automatically. You can check your bank account over the Internet from any beach in the world. You can even re-book advertising from your deck chair. 

Do you know a better way to make money?

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In starting an online business at home, it is good to look at your past experiences and jobs

In starting an online business, it is important to consider what type of business will be suited to your type of personality. For example, if you are an outgoing and sociable person, you might be better suited for an online business involving sales. On the other hand, if you are introverted and shy, your personality might be better suited towards data entry. 

In starting an online business at home, it is good to look at your past experiences and jobs. If you were previously employed with a marketing firm, then maybe you should consider letting them know you have started your own online marketing and public relations business.

They might hire you to do freelance work for them. Another example is if you were a secretary or still work as a secretary, you can start an online virtual secretarial or related enterprise. Regardless of the type of online business you start with, it must be something that you enjoy doing. 

After you have decided on what online business that would be good for your personality and previous work experience, it is necessary to consider the time commitment involved in making your dream into a reality. In order to make this into a reality, you should consider writing a business plan for yourself. 

The business plan should include the online business's name along with your company's finances such as the amount of money you would like to make in order to achieve a profit. Also, it is a good idea to write down the projected costs that your online business might incur. These would include buying office equipment and marketing ads. 

If you are considering registering to sell another company's products online, it is important to investigate the company before signing up. If the company promises large sums of wealth that can be made in a short period of time, it is advised that you stay away from them. Make a point to search forums and newsgroups online to see if anyone has reported the company as a scam. 

If you plan carefully and give much thought to your decisions, you should be able to find many similar onine businesses with proven success. There is no need to re-invent the wheel. Take advantage of the experience of successful marketing experts by purchasing e-books, subscribing to e-zines and e-courses offered by the many people making modest and even hugh incomes from their home-based online businesses. 

Starting an online business is, for some, a difficult decision to make. Choosing which home based business to become affiliated with is an even harder decision. It is important to find an online business that will generate a profit in the shortest time possible.

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Determining the kind of work you want to do is can be difficult

As more and more employees of large corporations have discovered, there is no such thing as job security. Seniority no longer takes a part in how things are handled. For these reasons alone there is no time like the present to move on and start working from home. 

Some of the questions will be fairly easy to answer while others will take a little more time. Determining the kind of work you want to do is can be difficult. The goal of working from home or having a home business is being able to call the shots in one's own business. At times it even reaches the point of worry. 

• Do I have enough space to perform the work? 
• Where will I work at? 
• What type of work do I want to do? 
• What hours will I want to work? 

1) Be a doer, don't just talk about it or be a dreamer. 

Good words of advice: "When all is said than done, more is said than done." We all like to dream and are much easier to talk about our goals. You need to put the plan inaction and follow through. I too was one of those people, but I finally combined my dreams with action, and it worked. 

2) Effective time management. 

Time is money in the business world. If must have the ability to manage your time effectively both in business and personal life, this will become an asset that can repay you many times over. Most people will start their work from home online business while working a full-time job at the same time; this means getting maximum productivity from your time is even more crucial. If your business is growing and you find that you do not have enough time in the day to pursue other business increasing activities, you can consider cutting back on the hours at your regular job, or find a job that may work better for you 

3) Have Knowledge in the Field of Choice. 

Being an expert is not required when starting out, you will gain that valuable knowledge as your home business grows. You will need to make sure that you stay up to date on the developments in your field. If you do this for a period of time you'll become an expert. 

4) Always be persistent. 

I sympathize with those that commute 5 or more days a week to a job they don't like, but it can be a plus. It can be a strong motivator and your persistence will prove useful. Tip: It will be much easier to persist if you select a field of business that you like, as opposed to pursuing something just for the money. Then your work can be fun, not drudgery. 

5) Focus 

Believing that you can "succeeding by helping others succeed", can you a long way. Focusing on clients and helping them solve their problems through your products and services contributes more toward long-term success than just selling them products and services. 

6) Self-discipline. 

Self-discipline is definitely needed in any business especially when you work from home. No matter what you choose to do, if you do not have the discipline you will not succeed. You have to be a self-starter and know when to work and when to take time to do other things. No home business can survive without this. 

7) Marketing skills. 

Marketing is a skill and like any other skill, it can be developed through knowledge and practice. You can never learn too much about marketing. Find ways to market your business both online and offline, and you will have more success.

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This is 13 business thinking that can change your thinking

People read articles for a variety of reasons… Information, enjoyment, entertainment, enlightenment, practical advice, self-improvement, escapism, etc. But all of those reasons notwithstanding, articles also have the power to significantly alter our thought processes – the way we perceive and do things… 

1. Procrastination

"What is YOUR biggest wish, YOUR lifelong dream ... and what's keeping you from going after it? Are you waiting for "everything in your life to be right?" Waiting to have "all your ducks in a row?" It won't ever happen. You aren't ever going to "have it all together." That's like trying to eat once and for all.

Follow Robert J. Ringer's advice; "Action today! Develop the habit of living in the present. The best day really is today, so get stárted now, no matter what your problems are and no matter how long you've already procrastinated."

Here's the best recipe I know for getting rid of procrastination. It's two words: DON'T WAIT!" – Daniel G. St-Jean –

2. Write Articles That Actually Succeed

"The idea of submitting an article to as many publishers as possible is obviously contrary to what a publisher is looking for. At the same time, though, it is also contrary to what you should be looking for. The secret to writing successful articles starts with a simple concept: you want to control who publishes your article, and you want to help promote that article. If an editor chooses to publish an article and sees that it was well-received (and brought in a lot of new traffic), they will be more inclined to publish future articles from you." – Mark Daoust –

3. The Truth About Multí-Level Markéting

"The MLM business model, as it is practiced by most companies, is a marketplace hoax. In those cases, the business is primarily a scheme to continuously enroll distributors and little product is ever retailed to consumers who are not also enrolled as distributors.

In general, MLM industry claims of distributor incóme potential, its descriptions of the 'network' business model and its prophecies of a reigning destiny in product distribution have as much validity in business as UFO sightings do in the realm of science. 

Financially, the odds for an individual to achieve financial success under those circumstances rival the odds of winning at the tables in Las Vegas." – Robert Fitzpatrick –

4. What's Your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)?

"Time and time again, I've told many aspiring copywriters and marketers that a USP is what distinguishes you from the pack. It increases perceived value, expertise, and credibility - without needing to state it outright.

Just by being 10% different, unique, original, or special is enough to make you stand out like a sore thumb in an overcrowded, hypercompetitive marketplace." – Michel Fortin –

5. Are You A Forum Addict?

"Since the early 1990s, I've participated in many different online forums, message boards, and newsgroups and have experienced many of these positive and negative effects at various times. I ran a popular game developer forum for almost two years, so I've had experience both, as a participant and a forum operator. On the positive side, I've learned many great ideas, made valuable new business contacts, and even met my wife on a local computer bulletin board system. On the negative side, I found excess participation to be a huge time drain (and very addicting as well)." – Steve Pavlina –

6. Your Unpaid Sales Force

"People do business with those they know, like, trust and respect. In other words, they want to build a relationship with you before they invest their hard-earned money in your solutions and services.

Referrals are often the most powerful way to expand your business requiring little marketing spend and, providing you with immediate credibility through the reputation of the person referring you.

But how often do you miss the opportunity to ask for a referral? Do you have a specific strategy and action plan to manage your referral process? Are you leveraging the support of your unpaid sales force - your clients who already know, like, trust and respect you?" – by Krishna De –

7. Advertising Is Manipulative

"Advertising Is Manipulative! We manipulate people's thoughts. That's what it's all about. It's not EVIL, unless you're selling junk and your claims are misleading or downright false.

It's all about sales, George. And there are degrees of selling. Hey, let's face it: you can call yourself a SELLER if you simply have something you'll exchange for money. Or, you can be a SKILLED seller and incorporate those things that have been PROVEN to encourage people to purchase. It's your choice." – Drew Eric Whitman –

8. Sell Yourself

"Sell yourself, not your products or services. The point we need to make is that your products and services will change over time as your business adapts to the realities of the marketplace.

If you spend your time promoting Product A and then you discontinue the sale of Product A, you will suddenly find yourself starting over from scratch with nothing to show for all of your previous work!

For as long as you remain on this planet, you will always be. No matter the course of your product or service line, selling yourself first and then your products will give you the leverage to remain flexible in your business journeys." – by Bill Platt –

9. What Am I Selling? 

“What am I selling? This question sounds naïve, but it’s surprisingly deep. For instance, if your company develops and sells a tangible product such as software or fountain pens, it seems obvious that these things are your products – right? … Well, that’s partly right. Your true product or service goes far beyond software, fountain pens, loan processing services, or chocolate chip cookies. In fact, if such easily defined items were all you had to offer, you probably wouldn’t be in business very long. 

Your true product or service is: How you solve customers’ problems or expand their opportunities.” – Judy Murdoch –

10. LinkBait 

“With the rise of the blogosphere and social bookmarking sites, all it takes is one person to notice an interesting page and link to a site. Once a link is passed around once, it becomes easier for it to spread further. 

Bloggers around the net constantly use linkbait to encourage other bloggers to mention them or to get their content passed around the blogosphere. However, many traditional web masters have not quite latched onto this powerful technique. 

The benefits of creating quality, unique, or even controversial content go way beyond what one might first imagine. When a web site offers true value to the visitor, they can create hundreds and even thousands of backlinks without even asking.” – Kim Roach –

11. The Hype Train 

“What exactly is the ‘hype train?’ It’s a term I coined to describe the ride taken by people getting pumped up (excited) about every great product they read about. They haven’t yet found that product that’s making them incredible riches. They jump from product to product searching frantically for that one product. They jump from car to car on a train that’s taking them nowhere! 

You need to be aware of how the hype train works so that you don’t get on for the most futile ride of your life! 

The success of the hype train is fueled by a number of human faults. The biggest one that I’ve noticed is what’s termed the “herd mentality.” – Willie Crawford –

12. The Home Business Trap 

“The success of your home business is entirely and completely reliant upon you and the decisions that you make. 

You had your reasons for deciding to start your own home based business. You must always keep your reasons in the forefront of your mind. You must always be able to rely upon your own self and your dedication to the success of your business. 

Your friends and family might be annoyed that they cannot come visit upon their own whim, but when success comes to you and your business, they will better appreciate you for putting your foot down when necessary.” – Stone Evans – 

13. The Big Tease 

“Publishing and broadcasting professionals know that teasers tap into a deep, primal emotion that exists deep inside all of us. A teaser bypasses the brain and speaks directly to your… 

Curiosity! 

Yup, whether you want to admit it or not, we’re all “cats” at heart when it comes to curiosity. Our whiskers start twitching and we have to start investigating whatever it is that has caught our interest. We want to know… we HAVE TO KNOW… more. 

And where curiosity goes… sales are soon to follow!” – Dan Lok –

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Ready for more tips on how to make your AdWords campaign work more effectively for your business?

Adwords does not have many protections against Click fraud, although they do disable Adsense accounts who cheat. Google are very hesitant to refund the victims, if at all. Reports tell many organisations are actually suing Google to get their money back, so be careful.

In this article I have illustrated some of the most beneficial ways to save money when advertising with Adwords. My main advice to you is, do not go crazy with your spending. You may not see the results you are after, it does take a while to get to know Adwords.

Ready for more tips on how to make your AdWords campaign work more effectively for your business?

It's easy to overlook the basics of a strong AdWords campaign. Without them though, your AdWords campaign can be doomed from the very start. Follow these tips and you can be sure that your campaign will have a strong foundation for both short term and immediate success.

Use Proper Grammar and Spelling

It may sound basic, but ad text that uses slang, has misspelled words or doesn't read clearly isn't going to get clicked. If anything it makes your business seem unprofessional and could actually harm your business' reputation.

Make sure that you spell and grammar check your ads. You might also have a friend, co-worker or employee read through the ad text to make sure that it reads smoothly and makes sense. Input from others is invaluable when creating AdWords ads.

Start Small With Geographical Targeting

If you're just starting out, try limiting your ad's distribution to one or two regions (e.g. for businesses based in North America, limit your initial distribution to the U.S.A and Canada). By starting with a smaller distribution area, you will be able to keep your costs lower and "fine tune" your ads and keywords before you start to expand.

When you feel comfortable that your AdWords ads are profitable, start to expand several countries or regions at a time.

Scout the Competition

Chances are, no matter what kind of product you are selling, you will have a competitor who is already selling something similar and advertising it on AdWords. Search for the terms you wish to use on Google to see what kinds of ads your competitors are writing.

You might even try a tool like GoogSpy to see exactly what terms your competitors are buying.

Pay close attention to the terms they use, the deals or incentives they offer and the titles they use. You can learn a lot from your competitors. You don't want your ads to be exactly like theirs, but you can use elements from each competitor to make your ads perform even better.

Start with a Modest Budget

Just as you should start with a smaller geographical region, start with a modest campaign budget. Spend a few days or a few weeks fine tuning your ads before you really decide to pump up the budget. The more "finished" and tuned your ads are before you start spending serious amounts of money on advertising, the better.

Patience in building a strong ad group before you expand will benefit you and your bottom line.

Remember Your Audience

Write ad text that will appeal to your audience and bring in the traffic you want. If your products appeal to hobbiests, use terms that hobbiests would understand. If your products are directed mainly at younger customers, use youthful verbage and terms that will draw their attention.

You only have your ad text to convince the "right" customers to visit your website. Make those words count by making sure that you target the message toward them.

Attract the "Right" Customer

There is a fine line between writing ads that appeal to customers enough to get a high click-through rate and writing ads that merely draw anyone. You want to have a high click through rate on your ads, since it will get you higher placement and save you money. You don't want to attract customers who won't ever becom customers though.

Use strong action words in your ads. Include powerful selling points and benefits. Try to stay away from phrases that will draw everyone though such as "free" and "bargain." Write an ad that will bring you viewers who have a good chance of becoming customers too.

Make Your Ads Different

Your completed AdWords ads are going to run right along side everyone else's. You need to use words that will make yours stand out. Again, here is where you need to look at your competitors ads to see what they are saying. Once you've done that, you need to figure out how to make yours stand out.

Don't use the same terms at beginning of titles and sentences. Think of synonyms for more commonly used words. Think of different ways to say things.

Whatever you do, make your ad different. If it stands out, for the right reasons, you will get more clicks.

Run Several Different Ads at Once For Each Ad Group

AdWords allows you to run as many ads as you would like for each " Ad Group" (keyword group). Take advantage of this feature. Don't limit yourself to only one ad. Run two or three different ads for each Ad Group.

Experiment with different wording in titles, different text in the ads themselves and different "Destination URLs" to see which ads get the highest clickthrough percentages and which have the highest conversion rate.

Keep the ads that make you the most money and delete the other ones. You can then try other variations of the ad that converted well to make it even better. Always run more than one ad, even if the "different" ads are very similar.

Even a change to one word can increase your conversion percentages dramatically at times.

Consider Using Different "Destination URLs" for Your Ads

Your website's main page may not be the page that best "converts" viewers into customers. If you're trying to sell one specific product with an ad, don't send people clicking on your ad to your website's main page. Send them directly to the webpage for that product.

You might also consider designing specific "splash" pages for each Ad Group you run. Each of those splash pages can then use the terms you're including in that Ad Group. If your customers see the same terms on your web site that made them click on the ad in the first place, they'll be more likely to buy your product.

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