Ways To Jump Start Your Sales

1. Find a strategic business partner. Look for ones
that have the same objective. You can trade leads,
share marketing info, sell package deals, etc.


2. Brand your name and business. You can easily
do this by just writing articles and submitting them
to e-zines or web sites for republishing.


3. Start an auction on your web site. The type of
auction could be related to the theme of your site.
You'll draw traffic from auctioneers and bidders.


4. Remember to take a little time out of your day
or week to brainstorm. New ideas are usually the
difference between success and failure.


5. Model other successful business or people. I'm
not saying out right copy them, but practice some
of the same habits that have made them succeed.


6. Take risks to improve your business. Sometimes
businesses don't want to advertise unless it's free,
sometimes you have to spend money to get results.


7. Include emotional words in your advertisements.
Use ones like love, security, relief, freedom, happy,
satisfaction, fun, etc.


8. Ask people online to review your web site. You
can use the comments you get to improve your web
site or you may turn the reviewer into a customer.


9. Out source part of your workload. You'll save
on most employee costs. You could out source
your secretarial work, accounting, marketing, etc.


10. Combine a product and service together in a
package deal. It could increase your sales. If you're
selling a book, offer an hour of consulting with it.

Quote of the Day:

"Nine-tenths of wisdom is appreciation. Go find somebody's
hand and squeeze it, while there's time." -- Dale Dauten

Warm regards,

The PowerTeam Network
www.powerteamnetwork.com

Killer Ways To Multiply Sales

1. When you make your first sale, follow-up with the
customer. You could follow-up with a "thank you"
email and include an advertisement for other products
you sell. You could follow-up every few months.


2. You could upsell to your customers. When they're
at your order page, tell them about a few extra related
products you have for sale. They could just add it to
their original order.


3. Tell your customers if they refer four customers to
your web site, they will receive a full rebate of their
purchase price. This will turn one sale into three sales.


4. When you sell a product, give your customers the
option of joining an affiliate program so they can make
commissions selling your product. This will multiply
the sale you just made.


5. Sell the reprint/reproduction rights to your products.
You could include an ad on or with the product for
other products you sell. You could make sales for the
reproduction rights and sales on the back end product.


6. You could cross promote your product with other
businesses' products in a package deal. You can
include an ad or flyer for other products you sell and
have other businesses selling for you.


7. When you ship out or deliver your product, include
a coupon for other related products you sell in the
package. This will attract them to buy more products
from you.


8. Send your customers a catalog of add-on products
for the original product they purchased. This could be
upgrades, special services, attachments, etc. If they
enjoy your product they will buy the extra add-ons.


9. Sell gift certificates for your products. You'll make
sales from the purchase of the gift certificate, when
the recipient cashes it in. They could also buy other
items from your web site.


10. Send your customers free products with their
product package. The freebies should have your ad
printed on them. It could be bumper stickers, ball
caps, t-shirts etc. This will allow other people to see
your ad and order.

Quote of the Day:

"Never talk defeat. Use words like hope, belief, faith,
victory." -- Norman Vincent Peale

Warm regards,

The PowerTeam Network
www.powerteamnetwork.com

Must-Have Email Elements

==============================================
The Magnificent 7 - Must-Have Elements for Your Message
==============================================

=> MASTER CREATORS` MASTER CHECKLIST

Creating winning email marketing messages is part art and
part science, with a generous helping of innovation thrown
in. The following elements are common to all aspects of
email marketing, whether you are inviting customers back to
buy again or seeking new customers.

#1 - Headline with Unique Positioning Statement
#2 - Benefit-Oriented Copy
#3 - Testimonials
#4 - The Offer, with bonuses
#5 - Guarantee
#6 - Call to Action
#7 - Postscript

The PowerTeam Network
www.powerteamnetwork.com

Direct Email & Email Lists

=> Safe Email Marketing

Safe email marketing in the direct marketing/Internet
marketing world is called OPT-IN EMAIL MARKETING. This is
an important term and one you need to commit to memory as a
fundamental building block in successful marketing.

You`ve probably seen ads in trade magazines offering "Opt-in
Email Lists." This is your best bet when conducting a
direct email campaign. Opt-in lists help you identify
people that are "pre-sold" when it comes to receiving offers
in the mail. By opting-in to a list, they let you know that
they`re eager to read about something new and beneficial.

Safe Email Marketing breaks down into these 2 categories:

-Paid Safe Lists
-Opt-In List Rentals

=> PAID SAFE LISTS-

This is a twist on opt-in email marketing where you pay for
the privilege of being able to send email to a list of other
marketers who have done the same. A paid safe list can range
in price from $2 and up.

The advantages: you don`t have to send the emails using your
ISP and you won`t have to worry about spam complaints and
disclaimers.

=> OPT-IN LIST RENTAL

This type of list is similar to a standard "specialty"
direct mail list. It`s targeted and aimed at people who are
interested in what you have to offer.

Companies that offer list rentals usually collect millions
of email addresses by advertising well-branded, popular
products and services. Also they may offer no-cost
newsletters and/or contests as a way to capture addresses.

Opt-in list rental companies ask interested people to fill
out a form on their website. The forms gather as much info
as possible, which allows the company to better categorize
their email lists according to preferences by industry:
gardening, bodybuilding, Internet marketing, etc.

Of course you`re going to pay more to rent this type of
list, but you won`t find a better-targeted audience for your
offer. These companies do the mailing for you, so you won`t
have access to the names.

The PowerTeam Network
www.powerteamnetwork.com

Mouth-Watering Subject Lines

The following are 25 email subject lines that have gotten
outstanding results in marketing campaigns for a broad
spectrum of goods, products, and services. If they work for
"Brand X," think how well they`re work for "Brand YOU."

1. Who really wants to be a(n) X ?

2. What do YOU want for Christmas?

3. You`ve got to see this ...

4. Doctors spill the beans ...

5. I goofed ...

6. Special Pre-release Announcement

7. You`re going to love this one

8. Here`s the answer you`ve been looking for

9. 3 minutes to greater X, X, and X

10. DISCOVERED! The secret to X

11. Urgent News

12. Still skeptical? Here`s why you should be!

13. Our loss is your gain

14. This is extremely urgent

15. I need your help ...

16. Check this out and let me know

17. Important notice from

18. Something that might interest you ...

19. Before you give up, here`s my suggestion

20. Open this before 7 p.m.

21. Make X work for you!

22. Seen this yet?

23. Sneak Peek at .com

24. Newsflash from


Use them in good (marketing) "health"!

Regards

The PowerTeam Network
www.powerteamnetwork.com

Triggers That May Cause Email Filters To Delete

"IT DON`T MEAN A THING IF."

Even though you may have the perfect marketing plan, along
with the perfect email sales letter, you still have to
overcome the obstacle of the dreaded spam filters. Spam
filters are automatic and unrelenting, and what they do is
irreversible. When your message is snatched up before it
reaches your prospect`s inbox, it`s gone for good.

What an unfortunate fate for of all that beautiful sales
copy! To keep from having your messages go down the drain,
you need to know the words, phrases, and characters that
will cause your email to be treated like it has The
Plague -- isolated and left to die alone.

In today`s "Marketing Strategies that EMPOWER Success,"
lesson you`re going to learn certain words and numeric
characters that activate spam filters. If your email or
subject line contains these "hot button" words, it`s
good-bye consumer and hello trash bin.

==========================================
Trigger Words & Characters That May Cause Email Filters To
Delete Your Email -or- How To Avoid Shooting Yourself in the
Foot on the Internet
==========================================

Foolish, short-sighted marketers have created a "crisis" in
email in much the same way unscrupulous telemarketers gave
THAT business a bad name. (There`s nothing wrong with
telemarketing, per se, just with shady telemarketers and the
ones who interrupt dinner!)

By sending millions upon millions of unsolicited messages,
"bulk marketers" have turned consumers into enemies and
their email boxes into barricaded fortresses with fortified
perimeters. Utter the wrong word -- one of the "dreaded"
TRIGGER WORDS that email filters know and hate -- and
you`re wasting your time.

Your message will be deleted instantly and your carefully
crafted offer -- with all those brilliant headlines and
benefits, the terrific bonuses, the zero-risk guarantee, and
the irresistible post-script...none of it will ever be read!
What a waste.

THE HALLS OF JUSTICE

The U.s. Congress has even gotten in on the act (pardon the
pun) of trying to cut down on the garbage truckloads of
unsolicited email that`s flying through cyberspace. In
2003, the CAN SPAM Act became official, with laws that
supercede state spam laws and fairly clearly spell out what
is and is not acceptable and required when it comes to
sending email. Janet Wilson, owner of Empowerism, has
written a user-friendly summary and article about the CAN
SPAM act, which is available in the latest issue of
Empowerism`s Excellence magazine.

So how can you ensure that your emails make "safe harbor" in
a cold, cruel, and unwelcoming cyber-world? Good question.

The best way to help your message reach the eyes that you
want to see them is to familiarize yourself with the TRIGGER
WORDS AND CHARACTERS that activate filters and get your
message a one-way ticket to the trash. Get to know them and
then never use them.

Here`s the trick: JUNK AND ADULT CONTENT FILTERS work by
looking for specific KEYWORDS, key phrases, and key
characters (like the dollar symbol, for example). Filters
check the To and From addresses for these keywords. Then
they go hunting for those words in the subject line and the
body of the message, or in a combination of the two to see
what`s being used and over-used.

=> USE WITH CARE

"Over-used" is an important part of the trigger word
equation. A single use of the word "fr ee" (as an example),
probably won`t "raise an eyebrow" on a common filter. But
use the word a dozen times and it`s "Goodbye Charlie."

=> THE EMPOWERISM "Z" LIST (as opposed to the "A" list)

To serve you better, Empowerism has compiled an
up-to-the-minute list of common "trigger" words and
combinations that when used - or overused - activate spam
filters. Use this information to wrap your messages in a
protective "force field" that even the most powerful filters
will pass right over.

==========================================
Triggers That May Cause Email Filters To Delete Your Email
AKA: The Empowerism "Z" List
==========================================

- First 8 characters of the From address are digits
- Subject contains "advertisement" or "adv"
- Body contains "money back"
- Body contains "cards accepted"
- Body contains "spam removal instructions"
- Body contains "extra income"
- Subject contains "!" AND Subject contains "$"
- Subject contains "!" AND Subject contains "free"
- Body contains ",000" AND Body contains "!!" AND Body contains "$"
- Body contains "Dear friend"
- Body contains "for free?"
- Body contains "for free!"
- Body contains "Guarantee" AND Body contains "satisfaction" OR "absolute"
- Body contains "more info" AND Body contains "visit " AND Body contains "$"
- Body contains "SPECIAL PROMOTION"
- Body contains "one-time mail"
- Subject contains "$$"
- Body contains "$$$"
- Body contains "order today"
- Body contains "order now!"
- Body contains "money-back guarantee"
- Body contains "100% satisfied"
- To address contains "friend@"
- To address contains "public@"
- To address contains "success@"
- From address contains "sales@"
- From address contains "success."
- From address contains "success@"
- From address contains "mail@"
- From address contains "@public"
- From address contains "@savvy"
- From address contains "profits@"
- From address contains "hello@"
- Body address contains " mlm"
- Body address contains "@mlm"
- Body address contains "///////////////"
- Body contains "check or money order"
- Body contains "click here" or "click below" (try using "visit here" instead)

=> THINKING CAP TIME

It`s going to take a little more creativity on your part to
write emails that won`t be deleted by filters. You`ll need
to replace trigger words with equally effective non-trigger
words. But don`t worry -- that`s why the Thesaurus was
born!

Today, you`ve learned how to protect your messages from
being deleted by spam filters. Next time, we`re going to
talk about how to make sure your messages are hitting the
right target audience to ensure a "bullseye" for selling.

The PowerTeam Network
www.powerteamnetwork.com

The Truth About Direct Email & Email Lists

=> Unsafe Email Marketing

Unsafe email marketing is a method many people foolishly
try, thinking it will yield big money fast. When you send an
UNSOLICITED EMAIL to someone -- when you invite yourself
into someone`s emailbox without invitation or permission --
that`s called SPAM.

If the people receiving your messages have no interest in
your offer, or they simply don`t know you and don`t want to
know you, chances are they`re tossing your message into the
trash bin and you`re tossing your marketing dollars down the
toilet. Sending spam -- and that`s exactly how your
unsolicited message will be reviewed, regardless of the
value of your offer -- gives your business a black eye and
damages your reputation...and the "kicker" is: it doesn`t`
improve business!

=> EMAIL ON STEROIDS - BULKING UP IS BAD

Conducting a marketing campaign using BULK EMAIL will
manifest the same results as spam.

You may have seen ads that say, "1000000 email addresses for
only $29.95." Don`t fall for that. You`re only going to get
spam complaints and your ISP connection may be shut down!

The reason for this is that most all of the bulk mail lists
you see being advertised online are nothing but a list of
email addresses that have been harvested from websites all
over the Internet. These addresses and are then sold again
and again as "targeted" bulk email.

WARNING: The only "target" here is your money! You MUST
stay away from these bulk lists. They`re a waste. Remember
that a list that`s advertised as "Targeted" is probably not
accurate, reliable or safe.

If you were marketing a revolutionary new gardening tool,
would you send 10000 direct mail pieces to names randomly
snatched from the phonebook?

Or ...

Would it be wiser to send your offer a mailing list of
people who have recently purchased gardening tools and
products through mail order?

=> BULLSEYE NOT BULL

No legitimate businessperson would ever send thousands of
emails to random people culled from the Internet. Bulk
mailing is unprofessional and makes you look bad.

Bulk mailing can make your bottom line look bad, too. You
want to do more than hit your target, you want to hit a
bullseye on that target. Bulk lists aren`t the answer.
When you do a direct email or direct mail campaign to a
RESPECTABLE rental list, if the people on the list have
never heard of you before (called a COLD LIST),
statistically, you`re likely to get a .005% response or
less.

Does this mean that email campaigns are doomed before they
start? No at all. As long as you use emails that are safe,
you won`t be sorry.

The PowerTeam Network
www.powerteamnetwork.com

Harnessing the Power of Email Marketing

Given the inherent problems with traditional marketing
techniques, it`s important to master the BASIC STRATEGIES
FOR INTEGRATING EMAIL into your overall campaign.

As I`ve just shown you, sending out an EMAIL CAN BE MUCH
CHEAPER than other marketing methods. Proceed with caution,
however. Email can also cost you a fortune -- in lost
opportunities AND cold hard cash -- IF you don`t know the
basics.

So that`s where we`re going to start.

First, always keep in mind that your "primary objective".
the master key that unlocks your "Success Vault" in Internet
Marketing is to build your mailing list - your EMAIL MAILING
LIST. (Often referred to as your "In-house list.")

The addresses you collect are going to mean the difference
between the middle-of-the-road results that Average Joe and
Jane are achieving and the through-the-roof, over-the-top,
to-the-moon-and-back MEGA-success that top online sellers
achieve. (The difference really is that dramatic.) So
don`t miss the boat: The time is NOW to start building your
list of email addresses (prospects).

REVIEW
You can begin to grow your list simply by capturing emails
from people who visit your website, as we have already
discussed in a previous lesson.

=> Pop Quiz: What`s the easiest way to convince people to
give you their email address? (Answer: Offer an
irresistible freebie with a sign-up form on your site or in
a pop-up box, drive traffic to your site, and watch as
people start entering their email address. Don`t have a
freebie? Join our private Marketing Membership site and
gain access to hundreds of free products with full resale
and giveaway rights.

Okay, so now you`re "in the groove". you`re capturing
people`s emails like crazy. But if you`re just sitting
there - well, you know the old saying, "Even if you`re on
the right track, you`ll get run over if you just sit there."

So what next?

-- Let me take a moment from telling how to build your email
list to remind you why. It`s been said that - YOU CAN GET
RICH WITH AN EMAIL LIST OF JUST 1000 PEOPLE!
Think about that. Then stop thinking and get going on
new ways to capture and keep email addresses.

GIVE `TIL IT HURTS!
If you want to keep getting addresses, start giving stuff
away! Give, give, and keep finding more things to give! And
since you can`t send a TOASTER through email, why not give
the far more valuable -- and far more affordable for you --
INFORMATION PRODUCTS, business tools, and expert
advice - maybe even a no-cost/obligation email marketing
course like this one!

DRIP, DRIP, DRIP.
You`ll want to have a series of letters already set up so
that they can be "dripped" on your prospects on a regular
basis. Send a message daily, every other day, or on
whatever schedule suits you best, but make contact AT LEAST
EVERY 7 DAYS.

If you`re not confident in your writing skills, you have two
choices: you can hire a professional to write the letters
for you or you can use a system already set up with letters
to help you build your email list. (I suppose the third
choice is to just give up and bury your heard in the sand,
but that`s no way to make a million!)

If you`re serious about this - and you should be, believe
me -- you really should consider tapping into the system
offered by Empowerism. At Empowerism, you can access an
entire AUTOMATED leads/giveaway/database marketing
ALL-IN-ONE SYSTEM that makes it easy for your revenues to
soar.

We`ve got something really special planned for your next
message. It`s not a typical lesson.

The PowerTeam Network
www.powerteamnetwork.com

Irresistible Email Copy Everytime

=> Step #1 - WHO DO YOU THINK YOU`RE TALKING TO?

Before you sit down to write your email sales letter, you`ve
got to determine exactly who your audience is. This is a
master key to getting results from email marketing.

Ask yourself these questions:

- What do your prospects/customers want?
- What frustrates your prospects/customers most?
- Who else is selling something similar to you?
- Why should your prospects/customers believe you?
- Why should prospects/customers respond to you instead of
someone else?
- What kind of appeals will your target market respond to?


=> Step #2 - A GREAT SUBJECT IS YOUR OBJECT

Before an email can generate results, recipients need to
open it. But what can you do to spark their interest and
get their interest "motor" revved up?

Your SUBJECT LINE is the key.

There are four types of email formulas you can use as a
guide in crafting your email. Each has a different
PSYCHOLOGICAL APPEAL that works like magic on consumers.
Here are some examples:

- State a powerful benefit - "Empowerism Satisfies Your Need
for Leads"

- Pique curiosity - "Empowerism Has Uncovered the Secrets of
Success"

- Write your subject line with a news angle - "Empowerism
Launches RSVP For Those Who Want to Double Their Money
Fast!"

- Offer Immediate Gratification - "With Empowerism RSVP, you
can start the money wheels turning before the sun goes down
tonight"

Here`s an important "homework assignment": Write at least
25 SUBJECT LINES before you decide on which one to use. Take
the best two and test them against each other in your
marketing campaign. (Save the "losers" to use for other
purposes or spruce up later.)


=> Step #3 - WHAT`S IN IT FOR THEM?

Sit down and write every conceivable benefit your product
has. Don`t know the difference between features and
benefits? Features describe the product; benefits describe
the results of using the product. Features appeal to
logic...logic justifies emotion...emotion drives sales (see
below).

Here`s a rule of thumb for benefits: ask yourself "What can
my product or service do for my customer?" Then begin to
write your letter telling your reader WHAT`S IN IT FOR THEM.
Tell them how much better life will be for them after they
buy from you. Tell them how much better they`ll feel. Tell
them how their peers will respect them more.


=> Step #4 - AN EMOTIONAL APPEAL

When promoting anything to anybody, you must remember that
buying decisions are based upon emotion and later backed up
by logic. Before you write a single word, determine what
emotional hot buttons you need to push to "jumpstart" your
prospect.

Selling health supplements? Go for the "fear of illness"
button with "A Natural Way to Save Your Eyesight." Selling
political bumper stickers? Hit the "anger" button with:
"Let the President Know What You Think of His Policies."
Other buttons include: curiosity, greed, ego, vanity, hope,
and/or fear of scarcity or security.


=> Step #5 - A NAME YOU CAN TRUST

To convince people to buy your product or service, you must
make them believe that your offer is credible and that you
(or your product) will deliver as promised.

How do you do that? Here are three ways you can build
credibility with the readers of your sales letter:

- Provide testimonials.
- Include endorsement letters from authority figures in your
industry.
- Make your offer and promises sincere and believable.


=> Step #6 - A GUARANTEE

Nowadays, trying to sell without some type of guarantee is a
losing proposition. You`ve got to have one. And the stronger
your guarantee, the better your response will be. And,
believe it or not, although most people will NOT ask for a
refund, they`ll trust your offer knowing that you stand
behind it.

You can offer a 24-hour, 30-day, 60-day, 90-day, or even a
full-year. And here`s an interesting fact: The longer the
time period, the fewer returns you`ll have! It`s human
nature to procrastinate, so the more time someone thinks
they have to get a refund, the more they`ll put it off or
forget about the refund altogether.


=> Step #7 - DON`T FORGET TO ASK

It happens all the time. Someone makes a fantastic sales
presentation, and then doesn`t close the deal because he/she
didn`t clearly ask for the order or made the process
confusing rather than simple.

- From the Research Department: Statistics show that you
need to ask for the order at least three times to close
substantial sales. (Some studies put the number at 7!)

If you can, offer several ways for your prospects to
order -- consumers love choice. It tells them, "You`re
talking directly to me and meeting my unique needs." If you
only offer one way to order, make it crystal clear how AND
how easy it is. Describe it in detail and ask for the
order. Then ask again.


=> Step #8 - THE EYES HAVE IT

It`s a well-known fact: Large blocks of copy are
intimidating and will often send people running for the
hills or at least the Delete button.

The solution? Break up paragraphs into two to four
sentences. Use several subheadings throughout the email
letter. And use asterisks, dashes, and ellipses (...) to
give your copy more rhythm. Bullet points are excellent
eye-catchers - use them whenever appropriate.

That`s a wrap for this lesson. Next time we`ll be saluting
"Triggers." No, not horses named in honor of Roy Rogers old
steed -- trigger WORDS that will have consumers begging you
to take the money out of their wallets.

Sound good? Stay tuned!

The PowerTeam Network
www.powerteamnetwork.com

Autoresponders To Multiply Marketing Power

An autoresponder gives you the ability to send messages
effortlessly for months on end. So if you captured an email
address six months ago, your autoresponder can repeatedly
contact that person to offer your product or service.

=> WASH-RINSE-REPEAT

Repeat contact is a concept that top marketers first used
effectively in the offline world. When you conduct a direct
mail campaign, you send out message after message until it`s
no longer cost-effective. This strategy yields a much higher
response rate than with a one-shot mailing (typically just
1% or less).

-From the Research Labs: Research shows that, on average, A
PROSPECT MUST BE CONTACTED SEVEN TIMES before you
have any real chance at closing a sale.

=> BE IN THE TOP 10

If you apply this strategy to your Internet marketing
campaigns, you`ll have a real edge over the competition.
Remember: 90% of businesses do not follow-up with
prospects!

=> TECHIQUE #1 - THE "KILL OVERKILL" TECHNIQUE

You don`t want an email-inbox crammed with ads and sales
letters, and neither does anyone else. Don`t send out sales
letter after sales letter. Your messages will become an
annoyance and the recipient will either unsubscribe or just
delete the messages whenever they arrive.

By sending a series of sales letters SPACED APART BY 2-4
DAYS, you`ll keep your prospect aware of your business and
develop credibility over time without being a pest.


=> TECHNIQUE #2 - THE "MY GIFT TO YOU" TECHNIQUE

Send freebies such as ebooks, info reports, newsletters,
software, or even product samples. Many marketers use this
approach by offering a newsletter.

-Sneaky Salesmanship: Within the newsletter you have an
excellent opportunity to plug your product with a few lines
of irresistible copy.

With the soft sell approach, you can contact your prospect
once or even twice a week with "valuable information" --
which coincidentally mentions your product or service --
without seeming like you`re over-selling. If you`re a
vacuum cleaner distributor, for example, send a newsletter
on allergies and dust mites, for example.


=> TECHNIQUE #3 - THEY`LL LEARN/YOU`LL EARN TECHNIQUE

Give away a valuable training course via email that has
special appeal to your recipients! You can create a simple
3-day, 5-day, 7 day, or even longer course. And at the end
of some of the course lessons you can add a few lines of
copy plugging your product or service.

This, too, is a soft sell approach.


=> TECHNIQUE #4 - COMBO PLATTER TECHNIQUE

Use a variation of the hard sell, soft sell approach.
Simply alternate your messages. A balance of 40% hard-sell
and 60% soft-sell is generally about right.

That wraps up today`s lesson. Earlier we promised you a
"crash course" in creating the perfect email message. Keep
your eye on the horizon for our next posting: 8 Steps to Irresistible Copy
EVERY Time."

The PowerTeam Network
www.powerteamnetwork.com

Email Aesthetics

It`s an old, old saying, but it`s true: you only have one
chance to make a good first impression. And in email, the
first impression is always visual -- a consumer LOOKS/SEES
before he/she READS.

Imagine walking by a grotesquely garish storefront with all
kinds of things hanging off the front porch, every floor
painted a different color, and odd music playing through
loudspeakers. Would you want to walk in the front door? No
way! You`d assume that the owner is a kook, at best, or a
deranged axe murderer, at worst.

Did you ever have an ugly looking email land in your
mailbox? You know what I`m talking about: an orange
background and yellow borders, multi-colored text in all
sizes from gigantic to microscopic, a message that looks like
it was created by a crazed six-year-old? If you did, I bet
you didn`t feel the urge to read it. You probably just
wanted to delete it as quickly as possible.

=> PUT OUT THE WELCOME MAT
You want your email message to be friendly and inviting, not
bizarre and scary. The suggestions below -- and they`re
just suggestions, not hard and fast rules -- will go a long
way towards making recipients` eyes say "come on in!" to
your message.

=> DO`s and DON`Ts FOR ATTRACTIVE EMAILS

-DON`T use COLOR fonts in your message. (Leave that to
junior high girls who want to write about Britney and
Justin)

-DO use BLACK TEXT ON A WHITE BACKGROUND. (When you`re
"speaking" in black-and-white, people will give their full
attention to your message without being distracted by your
color scheme.)

-DON`T use UNCOMMON FONTS. (If someone`s system doesn`t
recognize the font you`ve selected, they could see gibberish
instead of your brilliant message).

-DO use the email marketers` FAVORITE FONTS: Arial, Times
New Roman, and Courier New

And please.

-DON`T use flashing buttons or banners in your email! (Your
prospects have undoubtedly gotten their fill of "bells and
whistles" when they`ve surfed the Internet. They don`t need
more from you.)

=> GET HYPER" WITH EMAIL HYPERLINKS

An "email hyperlink" is just techno-talk for a link in your
email to a website, or email address. Sounds simple enough,
and it is -- unless you try to contact a prospect on AOL who
may not be able to receive "clickable" links.

Don`t worry. There`s a "fix" for this: simply type mailto:
in front of your email address (no space in between, and
include the : )

=> ALWAYS USE SIGNATURE TAGS

Today, it`s common practice on the Internet to tell people
about your product or service with a SIGNATURE TAG, which is
3-6 lines of text (usually) that is automatically added to
every message you send.

If you`d like to add a tag to your messages, simply open
your email program. Find the SIGNATURES TAB (located in the
TOOLS/OPTIONS menu in Outlook Express). Follow the (simple)
instructions for creating a sig file. Easy as pie...and the
results will amaze you.

That`s it for now, but get your "net" ready. Next lesson
we`re going to hunt down and CAPTURE EMAILS.

Sincerely,

Roger Johnson
Internet Marketing Success Coach
The PowerTeam Network
http://www.powerteamnetwork.com

Essential Rules for Effective Email Marketing

If you want an email campaign to succeed, you don`t want to
offend anyone when sending your messages. Turn off a
consumer with your email and you can be sure they`ll
tune out your message. Don`t let this happen to you!

A message that earns respect makes sales. That`s why our
first topic for discussion is email etiquette. (Later in the
course, we`ll talk more about how to write an email sales
letter.)

Train yourself to always -- and I mean ALWAYS -- stick to
the rules below when crafting your email message.

=> RULE #1 - ALWAYS WRAP YOUR LINES AT 65
CHARACTERS OR LESS

Whenever you write an email, always format the lines so that
they`re 65 characters, or less, across. To do this, you may
need to do a "hard return" by hitting "Enter" at the end of
the line.

Wondering why to limit your lines to just 65 characters?
(Good question! It shows you`re thinking.) There are two
reasons that "less is more":

-- The first thing to remember is that looking at a computer
screen for a long time causes EYE FATIGUE for many readers.
The shorter span of characters across the screen makes
reading easier and more appealing to the recipient of your
email message.

-- The other reason to go short instead of long is this:
some email clients AUTOMATICALLY ENFORCE LINE-WRAPPING
at 60-65 characters on received messages. If your email
is wrapped at 70, the content will arrive all "chopped up."
This makes it unattractive...and worse -- unappealing.

-- Tip within a Rule #1: Email clients such as Outlook
Express allow you to SET THE LINE-WRAP to any
character-width you choose. That means you won`t have to
hit Enter each time after typing 65 characters. Makes life
easier!

-- Tip within a Rule #2 - You can type 65 asterisks or
dashes in a Notepad file to create a template. Then paste
your email below it to see if any lines extend too far to
the right.


=> RULE # 2 - BE CAREFUL USING ALL CAPS

How many times have you changed the TV channel to avoid
listening to a screaming car salesperson? No one likes a
screaming salesperson...and no one likes a "screaming" email
message, either. Odds are, when someone has over-amped the
volume of their message by using too many capital letters
(not to mention too many exclamation points and other
punctuation) - you`re going to be turned off.

On the Internet, email messages written in all caps are
considered yelling. It`s okay to write some sentences and
some words in all caps, but don`t go overboard. (As you can
see in this message, I`ve tried to use capital letters to
help break up sections of the content from time to time)

-- Tip within a Rule: Consumers buy from a source they
trust. Emails in all caps are perceived as "shady" or
uneducated, and have an appearance that damages the
credibility of an offer.


=> RULE #3 - WATCH YOUR Ps & Qs (Spelling and Grammar)

Would you be influenced by an email selling you something
that had noticeable spelling and grammar mistakes? Sure you
would...and the influence would be negative, not positive!
When a consumer reads a sales message that`s filled with
errors, they think to themselves, "Good grief, this person
doesn`t even take the time to get his emails right. His
product is probably the same quality as his emails."

When you`re in business, YOUR IMAGE IS YOUR REPUTATION
and your reputation is the reason people buy from you or the
guy down the block. It`s essential that you create an image
of INTEGRITY, CREDIBILITY, and HONESTY in the mind
of your prospects. Sending emails filled with errors doesn`t
hurt your professional image...it destroys it. (Ouch!)

That`s it for now, but we`ll be back with Lesson #2 faster
than you can say, "I want to be EMPOWERED"

The PowerTeam Network
www.powerteamnetwork.com

SELL LESS TO SELL MORE

Instead of getting tunnel-vision and only seeing the
short-term goal of the right-now sale, remember that your
email messages are an important way for you to build a
RELATIONSHIP with a consumer based on your HONESTY AND
SERVICE.

Although you want your prospect to buy, you shouldn`t
immediately and constantly bombard the folks on your email
list with nothing but sales pitches. You`re looking for a
long-term, committed relationship. Be a person first and a
salesperson second for the best results.

=> RELATIONSHIP COUNSELING

Your first few email sales letters may prove to be the most
effective if they`re written in a warm, helpful,
let`s-be-business-friends "voice."

=> GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT

In the off-line world, we`ve become accustomed to the fact
that we hear literally thousands of messages each day. An
online experience, on the other hand is still, for most
people, closer to visiting "the library" or perhaps watching
public television rather than tuning into the Home Shopping
Network.

Most people are on the Internet looking for information -
not waiting to be sold. People don`t want to be pitched to
every day with a "you`d better buy it now" message.

So don`t be a salesperson. Be Miss Information (okay, Ms.
Information definitely sounds better) or Mr. Answerman.
After you become a trusted resource, it`s easy to become a
trusted source.

=> TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

Lasting relationships don`t happen overnight...they`re built
over time. Your sales letters should be crafted in a way
that slowly, but surely convinces your prospects that you`re
someone with whom they`d like to do business. After you`ve
laid a foundation -- made them happy with what you`ve given
them as a gift, demonstrated your knowledge, etc. -- you`ll
have plenty of time to build a case for buying from you.

=> THE E-LIST

Once your prospects have gotten to know you through your
entire series of pre-written (but valuable)
communications...after you`ve built trust in the relationship
and gradually exposed consumers to the benefits of your
product or service...you can "graduate" them into your "real
time" ezine list.

Obviously, you can`t include a time-dependent message in
your pre-written letter series. People are opting in to
your list 365 days a year and you can`t risk that they`ll
receive a "Season`s Greetings" message in the middle of
June.

BUT, when you`ve exhausted the appeal of your letter series,
the people on your email list can become your ezine list.
Then you can send a Valentine`s message in February, a
"Happy Birthday, America" message in July, etc.

=> TO KNOW YOU IS TO LOVE YOU

You can influence people when they know you, like you, and
trust you. Ongoing timely communications means you can
continue to build rapport with the people on your list, and
you can be sure that if they TRUST you, they`ll be open to
BUYING from you.

The PowerTeam Network
www.powerteamnetwork.com

7 Wise Ways to Build Your Mailing List

=> Wise Way #1 - OFFER A FREEBIE

You have to give in order to get. If you want people to
offer up their email address, you`re going to have to offer
up an incentive. Nothing works better than something that`s
complimentary (you spell that F-R-E-E). You can give away
no-cost reports, books, software, or even sample pages of a
book.

-Word to the Wise: Our Empowerism subscribers use
complimentary subscriptions to our "Excellence Magazine" and
ebook giveaways to grow their lists. Works like a charm.

=> Wise Way #2 - USE POP-UPS

Pop-ups are one of the most common methods you can use to
capture email addresses and build your email list
quickly and with ease. Simply construct a web page
containing code for a form and set the page to open (pop up)
when visitors ENTER OR EXIT your site.

Make sure the pop-up offer is something that`s valuable
enough to motivate visitors to take time to give you their
contact information. Your offer can be a complimentary
report, download, or ebook that arrives instantly through
your autoresponder to their email inbox when they give you
their email.

-Word to the Wise: If you need a pop-up, you can pick one
up F-R-E-E (there`s that word again) from Empowerism

-Son of Word to the Wise: "Instant" is a very powerful
pop-up offer.

=> Wise Way #3 - USE POSTCARDS

If you have a mailing list that contains snail mail (street)
addresses, convert it into an email list by sending out a
postcard and inviting people to VISIT YOUR WEBSITE to
receive a gift of some kind -- a report, a discount coupon,
etc. Visitors don`t have to pay in order to receive their
gifts, they simply need to enter an email address.

-A Word to the Wise from the U.S. Post Office: Postage is
much less expensive for a postcard than a standard-size
letter. (Not only are they economical, postcards are more
likely to get your message across since the consumer doesn`t
have to open an envelope.)

=> Wise Way #4 - SUBSCRIBER BOX ON EVERY PAGE

This is a clever trick that so many people overlook. Put a
RESPONSE FORM ON EVERY PAGE of your website offering a
newsletter or other freebie. This will increase the number
of email addresses you capture exponentially.

Why? When search engines index the pages of your website, a
visitor may come directly to a page other than your home
page. If you only have a subscriber box on your home page,
you`re missing the boat, not to mention the thousands of
visitors who bypass your homepage.

-A Word to the Wise: If you don`t know how to create an
opt-in form, no worries. Empowerism has a foolproof `build
your own` tool made just for you!

=> Wise Way #5 - CONTESTS

Contests very often prove to be a good way to generate
traffic and buzz for your business. Create a contest and put
a form on your site or in a pop-up box. The entry "fee" is
their email address.

-Word to the Wise: Not all the people who sign up for your
contest are good prospects. Many are just contest
"junkies" -- people who are only looking for freebies and
have no intention of buying a product or service.

-Warning to the Wise: If your prizes are cash or
large-ticket items, you should be sure to check with local
agencies to make sure you`re not violating any contest laws.

=> Wise Way #6 - DISPLAY YOUR AUTORESPONDER ADDRESS

Most people give their website link when they place solo
ads, ezine ads, or other marketing messages. To be one step
ahead of the game in collecting email addresses, LIST YOUR
AUTORESPONDER ADDRESS instead of your URL. This way you can
capture email address and funnel them into your follow-up
sales letters.

=> Wise Way #7 - JUST ASK

If you`re chatting with a prospect on the phone or a
potential customer stops by your place of business, don`t be
shy: ask for an email address or business card (which
usually includes their email address).

Okay, you know what you want...you know what you need. It`s
time for you to set your traps and CAPTURE THOSE EMAILS!

Until Next time .....

The PowerTeam Network
www.powerteamnetwork.com