Internet Marketing Prescriptions
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Catch Me if You Can: I’ll be MIA
I’m heading to Vegas for a few days. Do I feel lucky? We’ll see just how lucky I am. Thanks to the automation of my business and outsourcing to helpful and competent staff, you might never even know I’m gone. Hee hee.
Thank goodness for my trusty virtual assistants. Because of them, my emails won’t pile up and my customers will get the support necessary to keep their businesses running smoothly.
Auto-responders let me throw the dice (yes, I know that’s cheesy) without worry of whether my lists are receiving their next helpful tip or resource.
Heck, I even have blog entries already written up and thanks to scheduling, they can be posted on the dates I’m away.
See, I told you. You wouldn’t even have known I was going to be gone if I hadn’t told you. So, when I strike it rich at the tables, I may never come back and no one will ever know. :-)
Thank goodness for my trusty virtual assistants. Because of them, my emails won’t pile up and my customers will get the support necessary to keep their businesses running smoothly.
Auto-responders let me throw the dice (yes, I know that’s cheesy) without worry of whether my lists are receiving their next helpful tip or resource.
Heck, I even have blog entries already written up and thanks to scheduling, they can be posted on the dates I’m away.
See, I told you. You wouldn’t even have known I was going to be gone if I hadn’t told you. So, when I strike it rich at the tables, I may never come back and no one will ever know. :-)
posted by ALICE SEBA at 9:30 AM 1 comments
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Contractors – Do They Stay or Do They Go?
Recently, there was a discussion on a marketing forum I’m a member of where people were talking about why they didn’t like outsourcing. Many of them complain that contractors come and go and are unreliable.
Unfortunately, this can be the case with some contractors and I have had to deal with this in the past. I’ve learned my lesson and am ready should this ever happen again.
I am prepared for situations like this by continuously building a detailed manual of task instructions for my business. John Reese recommends doing this with screen capture video, but I make written checklists with screenshots, as I think people are more likely to refer to written instructions than sit through long videos. I have a big binder of them.
Also, if someone is going to quit, I make them do a few checklists before they go. This gives me the most up-to-date info on where particular duties/tasks stand so that I can easily bring someone else in or complete them myself, if absolutely necessary.
A few tips for finding contractors that will stick around:
First, don’t hire the cheapest contractor you find. Choose someone who comes recommended or that you already know through your networking circles.
Secondly, once you find someone that is good and you work well with, give them regular work. A well trained helper for you and your business is priceless and should be treated that way.
You can get more of my outsourcing tips via email here: www.outsourcingsweetie.com/tips.html
Unfortunately, this can be the case with some contractors and I have had to deal with this in the past. I’ve learned my lesson and am ready should this ever happen again.
I am prepared for situations like this by continuously building a detailed manual of task instructions for my business. John Reese recommends doing this with screen capture video, but I make written checklists with screenshots, as I think people are more likely to refer to written instructions than sit through long videos. I have a big binder of them.
Also, if someone is going to quit, I make them do a few checklists before they go. This gives me the most up-to-date info on where particular duties/tasks stand so that I can easily bring someone else in or complete them myself, if absolutely necessary.
A few tips for finding contractors that will stick around:
First, don’t hire the cheapest contractor you find. Choose someone who comes recommended or that you already know through your networking circles.
Secondly, once you find someone that is good and you work well with, give them regular work. A well trained helper for you and your business is priceless and should be treated that way.
You can get more of my outsourcing tips via email here: www.outsourcingsweetie.com/tips.html
posted by ALICE SEBA at 2:40 PM 2 comments
Sorry BizyMoms.Com - Affiliate Program Thumbs Down
For a few years, I've been a BizyMoms.com affiliate. They pay a measly $2 per ebook. Although they now have a few products that pay a bit more, it's still mainly much $2 per ebook. I decided to promote them because they had some highly-targeted ebooks for a few articles I had written. At the time, I didn't feel like putting my own ebooks together.
Side Note: For those who don't know, Bizy Moms sells a bunch of work from home idea and some crafty type ebooks.
Interestingly enough, they have a $100 threshold to get paid. That means you have to sell about 50 ebooks to get paid. I'm guessing a lot of affiliates send sales and never get paid because they don't reach $100.
But worse yet, if you do reach $100, you might not get paid either! This wasn't such a problem when Liz Folger owned the site (although I do recall reminding them about payment once), but the website has since changed hands. Over the past few months, I had been receiving numerous sales notifications, so in October, I logged into my account to see where I was at.
I discovered I had been over $100 for a while. I put in a support ticket and the woman who answered assured me that it would be taken care of on the next payment.
It wasn't.
I submitted a support ticket yesterday and the replied to tell me the I needed to send a PayPal request and they would pay me. AND that anytime I get to $100, I needed to do the same. Here's is what they said:
"Hi Alice,
Ok, I spoke with the President and he said for you to send us an invoice through paypal to XXXXXX
In the future, once you get to $100.00 just send us an invoice, this way you will get your commissions promptly.
Be sure to mention that it is for Affiliate commissions, and to mention the last billing date with the billing amount along with the new amount.
Again, I apologize for any delay. In the future- just invoice us and we will make sure your are taken care of promptly :-)
Have a great week!
XXXXX
Career Kit Support Manager
Assistant to the President"
WHAT? They want me to ask for the money they owe me? Last I checked, that's not how affiliate programs work. I did ask for a reasoning for this, but I haven't received reply yet. I'll let you know if I do.
It certainly makes me think they don't pay out a lot of commissions. First, most of their affiliates probably never get to $100. Second, if they do, they aren't paid until they submit a support ticket and then a PayPal request.
To their credit, they paid me within minutes of sending my PayPal request, but that's really not the point.
Their ebooks fit my market well, but I'm no longer going to work for peanuts AND then have to beg to be paid. Sorry BizyMoms.com, you've just turned your affiliate into a competitor. :-(
More on that later...
Side Note: For those who don't know, Bizy Moms sells a bunch of work from home idea and some crafty type ebooks.
Interestingly enough, they have a $100 threshold to get paid. That means you have to sell about 50 ebooks to get paid. I'm guessing a lot of affiliates send sales and never get paid because they don't reach $100.
But worse yet, if you do reach $100, you might not get paid either! This wasn't such a problem when Liz Folger owned the site (although I do recall reminding them about payment once), but the website has since changed hands. Over the past few months, I had been receiving numerous sales notifications, so in October, I logged into my account to see where I was at.
I discovered I had been over $100 for a while. I put in a support ticket and the woman who answered assured me that it would be taken care of on the next payment.
It wasn't.
I submitted a support ticket yesterday and the replied to tell me the I needed to send a PayPal request and they would pay me. AND that anytime I get to $100, I needed to do the same. Here's is what they said:
"Hi Alice,
Ok, I spoke with the President and he said for you to send us an invoice through paypal to XXXXXX
In the future, once you get to $100.00 just send us an invoice, this way you will get your commissions promptly.
Be sure to mention that it is for Affiliate commissions, and to mention the last billing date with the billing amount along with the new amount.
Again, I apologize for any delay. In the future- just invoice us and we will make sure your are taken care of promptly :-)
Have a great week!
XXXXX
Career Kit Support Manager
Assistant to the President"
WHAT? They want me to ask for the money they owe me? Last I checked, that's not how affiliate programs work. I did ask for a reasoning for this, but I haven't received reply yet. I'll let you know if I do.
It certainly makes me think they don't pay out a lot of commissions. First, most of their affiliates probably never get to $100. Second, if they do, they aren't paid until they submit a support ticket and then a PayPal request.
To their credit, they paid me within minutes of sending my PayPal request, but that's really not the point.
Their ebooks fit my market well, but I'm no longer going to work for peanuts AND then have to beg to be paid. Sorry BizyMoms.com, you've just turned your affiliate into a competitor. :-(
More on that later...
posted by ALICE SEBA at 9:45 AM 8 comments
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Opt - In Feedback Received After Only 1 Day
It’s only been a day and Lynette and I have already received some great feedback from users of the opt-in page builder.
Here’s one that let us know that it was what we had hoped by being quick and easy to use.
“The Opt-in Builder is a tool I could have used a long time ago. It allowed me to create an opt-in page very quickly. After spending a lot of time trying to figure out how to best structure my pages, I really appreciate how easy it was to get my opt-in page ready to go for my website! What I find most useful is that the builder leads me through the important parts of a sales letter, like a headline and testimonials. Using it means I don't have to worry about whether or not I'm missing an important element of the sales letter! Thank you for this great tool!”
Angela Wills
ShoppingForCandles.com
Have you tried the opt-in builder yet? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts?
Here’s one that let us know that it was what we had hoped by being quick and easy to use.“The Opt-in Builder is a tool I could have used a long time ago. It allowed me to create an opt-in page very quickly. After spending a lot of time trying to figure out how to best structure my pages, I really appreciate how easy it was to get my opt-in page ready to go for my website! What I find most useful is that the builder leads me through the important parts of a sales letter, like a headline and testimonials. Using it means I don't have to worry about whether or not I'm missing an important element of the sales letter! Thank you for this great tool!”
Angela Wills
ShoppingForCandles.com
Have you tried the opt-in builder yet? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts?
posted by ALICE SEBA at 12:40 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
It’s Ready - Opt-in Builder for Free for a Limited Time
Today is the day! Over the last few months, I have been telling you about a tool that Lynette Chandler and I have been putting together. We designed this software and full guide to make creating one page opt-in sites easier. For a limited time only, we are offering our Opt-In Builder for free.
When you give your visitors only one decision to make, sign up for your list, it stops distractions and results in higher opt-in rates. If you have a site with lots of content, links, etc. and a sign up box somewhere on every page (you do have sign up boxes on your site, don’t you?), the probability that your visitor will sign up for your list is far lower than if you give them one call to action and nothing else to distract them.
If you are sending highly targeted traffic to an opt-in page, then the chances of your visitors signing up for (and staying on) your list are much higher. I personally get an opt-in rate between 40 and 60% when I send targeted traffic to my opt-in pages. Not bad, if I do say so myself. ;)
I’m not saying that this opt-in builder will skyrocket your subscriber numbers, because let’s face it; if you aren’t sending the right traffic to your site, then they won’t be interested. However, if you get the right traffic to your site, then they will join your list if that’s the only option they have.
If you currently receive my copywriting tips, then you should have received an email this morning with the download link for the software. If you didn’t receive it or are having trouble, go to www.internetbasedsupport.com and request product support.
Sign up for the opt-in builder software and receive my copywriting tips to learn how to raise your conversions even more. Remember, this is a limited time offer…it won’t be free forever.
When you give your visitors only one decision to make, sign up for your list, it stops distractions and results in higher opt-in rates. If you have a site with lots of content, links, etc. and a sign up box somewhere on every page (you do have sign up boxes on your site, don’t you?), the probability that your visitor will sign up for your list is far lower than if you give them one call to action and nothing else to distract them.
If you are sending highly targeted traffic to an opt-in page, then the chances of your visitors signing up for (and staying on) your list are much higher. I personally get an opt-in rate between 40 and 60% when I send targeted traffic to my opt-in pages. Not bad, if I do say so myself. ;)
I’m not saying that this opt-in builder will skyrocket your subscriber numbers, because let’s face it; if you aren’t sending the right traffic to your site, then they won’t be interested. However, if you get the right traffic to your site, then they will join your list if that’s the only option they have.
If you currently receive my copywriting tips, then you should have received an email this morning with the download link for the software. If you didn’t receive it or are having trouble, go to www.internetbasedsupport.com and request product support.
Sign up for the opt-in builder software and receive my copywriting tips to learn how to raise your conversions even more. Remember, this is a limited time offer…it won’t be free forever.
posted by ALICE SEBA at 9:21 AM 9 comments
Monday, November 13, 2006
Order Pizza Online - Thanks Pizza Hut!
Tonight my husband said that we should order Pizza Hut (we already had dinner and the kids are asleep) and I was thinking, "Nah...there's plenty of food in the fridge".
But I went over to PizzaHut.com and saw this:
I was pretty excited, but then I realized I was at the American Pizza Hut website. I figured if I went to the Canadian one, they wouldn't have the same online ordering option. We Canadians just don't buy as much stuff online.
But PizzaHut.ca didn't let me down:
I signed up for my free account and made my first order. How cool is that? I didn't have to ask the phone operator a thousand questions and I could choose all the options on all the items we ordered.
Nice going, Pizza Hut. Now if only Safeway could follow suit. They deliver in Arizona, California, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Washington and Washington D.C....please deliver to British Columbia, Canada too!
But I went over to PizzaHut.com and saw this:
I was pretty excited, but then I realized I was at the American Pizza Hut website. I figured if I went to the Canadian one, they wouldn't have the same online ordering option. We Canadians just don't buy as much stuff online.
But PizzaHut.ca didn't let me down:
I signed up for my free account and made my first order. How cool is that? I didn't have to ask the phone operator a thousand questions and I could choose all the options on all the items we ordered.
Nice going, Pizza Hut. Now if only Safeway could follow suit. They deliver in Arizona, California, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Washington and Washington D.C....please deliver to British Columbia, Canada too!
posted by ALICE SEBA at 9:20 PM 13 comments
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Previous Posts
- Catch Me if You Can: I’ll be MIA
- Contractors – Do They Stay or Do They Go?
- Sorry BizyMoms.Com - Affiliate Program Thumbs Down
- Opt - In Feedback Received After Only 1 Day
- It’s Ready - Opt-in Builder for Free for a Limited Time
- Order Pizza Online - Thanks Pizza Hut!
- Oh Crap - Now Internet Marketing is Dying
- Free Tool Update: More Subscribers This Tuesday
- More on My Favorite Topic - Work Smarter, Not Harder
- Update on PR Web - Get in for $10?
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