Why No One Will Promote YOUR Product

Copyright © 2008 Willie Crawford




At a recent JV Alert Live Seminar, I interacted with dozens of people with products that they were rolling out or looking for joint venture partners for.



Some of these products were absolutely brilliant, and something that the market was clamoring for, so I knew that they "could" do well.



Other discussions that I had with product creators led to me jotting down a few important considerations that I'd like to share with you. These are reasons why you may be having a hard time getting joint venture partners to promote your products or projects.



I framed this in the form of what I "may" have been thinking as some products/projects were explained to me.



1) "Nice Box But What Does It Do (In plain English please)?"



If you can't explain exactly what your product does, in terms that your potential JV partners can understand, then how do you expect them to explain it to their potential customers. If your explanation confuses a potential partner then it's certainly going to confuse potential customers who don't have the benefit of asking you 100 questions about the product.



2) Is The Market Big Enough?



Most of your potential JV partners do limit how many products they promote and how many promotions they send to their clients. They want something that's going to appeal to a large enough segment of their list.



They definitely DON'T want most of their subscribers asking, "Why did you tell ME about this product?"



Properly structuring a promotion can be hard work, so they want something that appeals to enough prospects to make all of that work worthwhile.



3) That's A Commodity - What's The Hidden Benefit?



If your product is just a variation of something that fifty people have already offered to the market over the past three years, only with slight variations, what about your version is different?



You need to frame that difference in terms of a benefit... ideally a benefit that most of your competitors have overlooked. Ted Nicholas teaches marketers to find the hidden benefit. Point out the obvious benefits, but also point out benefits of your product that are less obvious.



The strange thing is that even if your product is nearly identical to a dozen others, if you DO point out hidden benefits that potential customers really care about, then your product is "different" and "exciting" in their minds.



If many of your potential JV partners just wanted to promote a commodity, it would often make more sense for them to develop their own. Inexpensive ghost writers and programmers are everywhere. You need something that's not just a commodity. You also need a product that not too easily duplicated since, unfortunately, if it's easily duplicated, it usually will be!



4) Dimes Don't Excite Me!



All things being equal, a potential JV partner is going to get more excited about a product that pays them several hundred dollars per sale than they are about a product that pays them only $20. It usually takes about the same amount of "work" to sell either product, and often your JV partners have dozens of their own lower-end products.



When you ask someone to promote an inexpensive lead generator, most of your savvy potential partners see that as you just asking them to build your list. Many will politely decline.



5) What Makes You Think That The Market Wants It?



FAR too many brilliant people have trouble acknowledging that just because they think that something is needed by the market doesn't mean that anyone will buy it.



People don't buy what they need. They don't generally buy prevention! They buy things that they want. They buy relief from pain. They buy pleasure. They buy safety ... if they feel really threatened.



If you offer the market anything other than something they are already screaming for, and already buying from your competitors in massive quantities, then you face an uphill battle.



Your potential JV partners don't like selling items that the market is not already convinced that it wants ... at least not the successful ones. Experience has taught them that when they promote things that they have to educate the market about, it's a losing battle.



6) Nice... But Here's What I'm Working On!



In many niches, like "Internet marketing," most of your ideal joint venture partners have projects of their own that they are looking for help in promoting.



When you approach a potential JV partner who has his OWN launch in a week, they simply don't hear you when you're talking about your "new blue widget." If anything, they're looking to see how the two projects might dove-tail.



In a seminar environment, or even on a discussion forum, it's usually better to introduce yourself, and then ask what the other person is working on. Look for ways to help them, and in the process invoke the law of reciprocity.



You might also discover a more profitable project that you should be involved in than your own. Don't get so "married" to your project that you're unwilling to recognize something that makes more sense for you to invest your time and energy in.



At a minimum, be frank and suggest that you're willing to swap promotions... provided their product is of very high quality and a match for their market.



Pitching someone who has 100% of their attention on their own project can best be done by talking about their favorite topic... their project!



7) That's A Threat To My Project



Many products are direct competitor to others' products, or counter-productive to their purpose. So, naturally those people will NOT promote your product.



An extreme example would be asking someone who has spent YEARS developing a list of big-ticket buyers, who routinely buy $5000 packages, to promote your $27 ebook. That generally goes counter to the conditioning of their list... and causes them to send out an incongruent message. Another example would be asking someone running a membership site to market a product that negates the need for their site. I have seen this happen :-)



I could list a dozen more reasons why potential joint venture partners might decline to promote your project, but that would make this "rant" too long.



Instead, let's end with the real message. When you approach a potential joint venture partner, ask yourself what's in it for them, and why they would want to promote your product.



How will promoting your product help them, their customers, and things that THEY care about. Be realistic enough to realize that they don't generally lose sleep at night over your project. Only you do, which makes getting the message out about your product... your problem.



That problem goes away if you address the seven issues listed above. Simple approach the whole topic from the other person's perspective ;-)





About The Author:

Willie Crawford is an internationally-acclaimed speaker, author, seminar and radio show host, and leading Internet marketing expert. When not out fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, Willie can be found sharing his 11 1/2 years of online marketing experience with members of The Internet Marketing Inner Circle. Join them at: http://TheInternetMarketingInnerCircle.com

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Why No One Will Promote YOUR Product, by Willie Crawford

How Much Room Do You Take Up In Life?

Copyright © 2008 Laurel Vespi




If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much room.



Jayne Howard



Chances are when you read that quote you had one of two reactions. Living on the edge is a risky, precarious, unpredictable proposition. Or you might have thought living on the edge is exciting, spontaneous, rewarding. And the truth is both are right.



Most people spend the majority of their lives in a personal comfort zone that's bounded by fear. A place where mediocre is the status quo. Sure there's lots of company there but at the end of your life you just might realize that those edge dwellers had a distinct advantage.



Living on the edge is where intelligent risks bring great rewards. Not haphazard risks like jaywalking through rush hour traffic. Intelligent risks are ones where you might have something to lose but a whole lot more to gain. The edge is the place where possibility lives, opportunities abound and deep satisfaction reigns. It's your acknowledgement that time is precious and you don't want to waste any of it "what ifs".



Your edge doesn't necessarily look like someone else's. Don't get hooked into thinking that it has to be the same. That's when you're likely to feel as if you are plummeting over the cliff. Your edge is the place where you have to require a little bit more of yourself. Not necessarily doing more, but perhaps making a harder choice, staying true to your values, pushing the envelope just a bit.



So how do you take up a little less space and venture out onto the edge? Here's a couple of ideas:

Remember that you've already had lots of firsts in your life...the first time you drove a car, the first time you had sex, the first time you got a job, traveled, fell in love or rode a bike. Every time you do something for the first time, you're living on the edge. There's always some measure of risk in the first time. While you might not choose to do something for the second time, giving it a whirl once is an opportunity to push out of your comfort zone – even if it's just to try anchovy pizza.

Give up worrying about what someone else will think. Sometimes you stay in your comfort zone because you're convinced that people will think you're crazy to try something different. Unless you are planning to quit your job and move to an ashram in India, most of the little edgy things you want to try will fly way under the radar of everyone else. It's when you ring your hands and ruminate about whether you should or you shouldn't that gets people's attention. So quietly stretch yourself – unless making a little noise about it helps to put you on the edge.



Settling for mediocre is such an easy path. No edgy part to that. Move away from the crowd and discover what becomes possible when you decide that living life to the fullest is worth the risk.





About The Author:

Laurel Vespi, certified life coach and chief executive guru of stone circle coaching, ignites businesses & individuals to new levels of CHANGE. Laurel works with clients internationally, providing unconventional yet practical tips that make the seemingly impossible... possible! Sign up for Laurel’s free ezine, inside the circle, and receive the bonus article “Five Steps to Finding Your Life Path.” http://www.stonecirclecoaching.com

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How Much Room Do You Take Up In Life?, by Laurel Vespi

The Power of Goal Setting

Copyright © 2008 Hugo A Rivera




Without goals we are like a ship on the middle of the see, just drifting away with no sense of direction. It just goes with the flow, so to speak, and if it ever gets anywhere it is just by mere accident. In order to achieve success in our bodybuilding program, our goal should be clearly defined and engrained in our brains. Otherwise, like the boat on the example above, if you get anywhere it will be by mere chance.



Have you ever noticed that some people go to the gym year after year and they always look the same? I have approached people like that and asked them about their goals. Nine out of ten times they don't have a clear definition of what they want. Therefore, if you don't know where your target is, how can you hope to shoot at it and get it?



As a small exercise, I would like you to take out a small piece of paper (or open up Word or your text editor in your PC) and I want you to write two things.



The first thing will be your long term goals. Be specific!



Write the measurements that you will have (Chest, Arms, Waist, Thighs, Calves, Forearms), your body fat percentage and your total body weight. Please, don't limit yourself to what you think you can achieve; write down what you want (However at the same time, if you are a male bodybuilder and you want 28 inch Arms, know that such goal is unrealistic. Shoot for 20 inches instead).



Go get that pad out now.... I'm waiting..



So did you wrote down your long term goals? If not, stop reading and do so now! If you are reading this paragraph I will assume that you wrote down your long term goals. Now, the problem is that such goals look so far away. Well, every long trip starts with the first step, therefore, now I want you to write your short term goals.



Short term goals should be analyzed every 6 to 12 weeks. Obviously, short term goals are going to be smaller than long term goals. However, by adding smaller short term goals, you will get to your long term goals in due time. When you write down your goals, be positive and have no doubt in your mind that you can achieve them.



This is crucial! So go ahead and right now write your short term goals. Do it in the following format:



For the next _____ (choose 6 or 12 weeks) weeks I will:



Lose ______ pounds of fat



Gain ______ pounds of muscle



Weight ______ pounds



Have Measurements of:



Chest ______



Arms ______



Thighs ______



Calves ______



Waist ______



Once you have all of those goals written down, write down what ACTIONS will you take for the next 6 or 12 weeks to get there. For instance:



Action Plan:



I will eat 6 balanced meals a day (1 every three hours)



I will wake up to exercise and do cardio first thing in the morning three times a week.



I will do 5 weight training sessions a week.



I will get 8 hours of sleep (7 minimum) every day.



I will drink 1 gallon of water a day.



I will only have 1 cheat meal a week.



Also, if you want to, take pictures of how you currently look (be sure to also document, current measurements, bodyweight, body fat, etc....). This is a great way to stay motivated as when you look at your pictures from now, and then you look at pictures of yourself a year later, you will see a huge difference!



Now that you have written all of this down, it is time to get to your actions. If you follow your action plan religiously and you miss your goals by a bit, DON'T GET DISCOURAGED! You should have seen progress anyway (here is where pictures really pay off; get a digital camera) and this is what we are shooting for; constant progress as this is what will get us to the goals we want.



If you missed the mark due to the fact that you did not follow your action plan to the letter, don't punish yourself for it. Just set your new goals and be more determined in following your action plan so that you get there this time.



If you mess up your plan for a day, don't drop the whole thing and quit! I see this very often! If you encounter one of those days, just recover the following day by starting the plan again.



Now that you have goals, go ahead and put your plan into action so that you can go ahead and achieve them.



If your interested in more information about my complete Body Body Building & Fat Loss Program check out www.losefatandgainmuscle.com





About The Author:

Hugo Rivera CFT, ISSN, SPN, BSCE. is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, a multi certified personal trainer, and a best selling author with a successful franchise of books called "The Body Sculpting Bibles" which collectively have sold over a million copies worldwide. Hugo is also the author of the "Body Re-Engineering" system which teaches you how to gain lean muscle mass and get lean without drugs, or expensive supplements. For more information visit http://www.losefatandgainmuscle.com or his personal website at http://www.hugorivera.net

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The Power of Goal Setting, by Hugo A Rivera

Living Your Passion

Copyright © 2008 Jan Hornford




There is a saying "Follow your heart and the money will follow". A part of me has always believed this to be true and another part wonders how to do this exactly! I find myself asking the question "How do you follow your heart and honour your responsibilities?"



I do not think that these two things are mutually exclusive; I believe that they can and do exist in harmony and can feed and support each other. We have all heard stories of people who have taken risks to follow their passion and been successful. We have also heard stories of people who did the same and struggled or lived out of their car for awhile before they found success.



So what do you do? What do you do when you are in that in between place living in your car? How do you make a change that will allow you to follow your heart and not end up in your car?



Following Your Passion



I do not think you have to make a radical change to start living your passion. It is not necessary to take such drastic action that you put your or your family at risk, financially or physically, in order to follow a passion. I think you can start by taking small steps and making choices that align with your passion rather than following what you or others thinks you should be doing.



Small Steps



I think before you can live your passion you have to know what that means for you. That is the first step. What are you passionate about? How will you know you are living your passion? What does that look like and feel like to you? Once you are clear on what this looks like then you can start making choices to bring your passion more fully into your life. You can make choices that are aligned with or support your passion, one small step at a time.



Obstacles on the Path



In my experience, I have found that a number of things can get in the way of making choices that support your passion. Sometimes I find myself doing things that I think I should be doing. You know that voice that says "This is a great opportunity...everyone says you need to do this in order to get established...this job will show people you have arrived!" Sometimes I find myself doing things out of fear...fear of failure or fear of making a wrong choice.



It is amazing how the mind can rationalize just about any decision. Sometimes I can see so many sides of an issue and it just leaves me feeling even more confused! It is amazing how things can get so clouded that it is difficult to know what the right choice is. It can be hard to hear that still small voice of the soul.



Taking the "Wrong" Path



I have to admit that I have found myself on the wrong path any number of times. By that I mean that I have made choices that turned out not to be right for me. In retrospect I slap my forehead and say "Man you should have seen that one coming! How come you didn't know? It is so obvious now" You know what they say about hindsight! I believe that sometimes you have to take the wrong path to fully realize it is the wrong path. The wrong path brings learning that helps you get really clear on what your heart and soul truly wants. This learning simply means that it was not so much a "wrong" path as another step in your journey.



You know it is the right path if it brings you joy, if it makes you feel alive, if you feel enthusiasm and lightness in you body and soul. You know it is the wrong path...well you just know don't you! You know by the heaviness of heart, by the dread, by the absolute lack of enthusiasm you feel when you go to work. When I am on a wrong path is when I start to feel a yearning, a pull to what I really want. There is great wisdom in knowing for sure what you do not want as it can help you to see what you do want.



Sometimes I have found that I needed to walk this "wrong" path because there was something I needed to learn. I truly believe that there are no mistakes, only learning. If you find yourself on a wrong path consider what it is you can learn from the experience.



I have learned that life unfolds with grace and there is wisdom and insight to be gained on any path. I have found that even when I was on the wrong path, I was still moving in the right direction. It is probably better not to speak of right and wrong paths at all but of evolving paths.



Coaching Questions

What are you passionate about?

Are you living your passion?

How do you know?

Can you think of a time when you were on the "wrong" path?

What did you learn?

Can you think of a time when you were on the right path?



Action

Make a list of your passions. Choose your top 5. Are you living these passions?

What do you need to do to more fully live your passion? Do you need to make more time for your spouse or children? Do you need to get some information about a course or career?

Choose one passion that you would like to bring more fully into your life.

Consider how your life would look like when you are living this passion. How would you feel? How will you know you are living this passion? Write this down in one short sentence. It is your Passion Statement.

Write out 3 small actions you can take this week that will help you to live your passion statement.

Each week, continue to make choices and take action that will support your passion





About The Author:

Jan Hornford is a Master Certified Retreat Coach who creates inspiring retreats for personal discovery. Her retreats speak to your imaginative, intuitive, and spiritual nature and help you connect with your personal power and wisdom. Visit her site for free resources, self-led retreats and ebooks that will help you live a heart centered life. http://www.futureperfect.ca , 403-852-4304, jan@futureperfect.ca.

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Living Your Passion, by Jan Hornford

Email Guts – The Innards Of An Effective Email Marketing Message

Copyright © 2008 Kimberly Clay




In terms of their success as effective marketing tools, the composition of email messages is more important than ever. With the mountain of email that's launched into cyberspace these days, it's becoming increasingly difficult for marketers to get their messages delivered, opened and read by prospects and customers. The success and effectiveness of email marketing campaigns, whether large or small, essentially comes down to one factor: the message. If the message is not properly developed, nothing else matters.



Offered here are some tips for creating email marketing messages with the best chance of reaching, and being read by, your target audience.



Great Subject Line – Just as using the wrong key to unlock a treasure chest will leave you flat broke, failing to create a great subject line for your email will have much the same effect. Absent a dynamic subject line, there's at least a 90% chance (in my humble estimation) that your email will NOT be opened, and will be immediately deleted.



I cannot over-emphasize this one point. You must have a subject line that captures your reader's attention, arouses interest, and compels them to open and read your message. No small feat. Unfortunately, too many marketers choose their subject heading almost as an afterthought, when in truth, this one line is arguably the most important portion of your message.



It is worth every minute of time, and your utmost effort to craft a suitable subject line for your email. Accomplished correctly and consistently, this one element can put you light-years ahead of your competition.



Engaging First Paragraph - After your subject line, this section is the next most-important portion of your email message. Many readers never make it beyond the first two or three sentences of an email. You'll lose them if you can't give them a reason to read further, and hint or demonstrate that what's to come will be of great interest or benefit to them.



The copy developed within this paragraph should be the "anchor" for the remainder of your message. It should contain your best and most persuasive writing. This is your opportunity to pull the reader further into your message. Entice them, whet their appetite, arouse their curiosity until they're absolutely driven to read more.



A Great Story – People love stories. When they become immersed in a good story, it's hard for them to remember that they're being marketed to, and people hate being marketed to. The stories you create can be informational, educational, and interesting as well as entertaining. Stories provide an excellent means for communicating your message, and lay the groundwork for the formation of a kinship or relationship with your audience.



Keep Your Message Focused – Each email marketing piece should have one, and only one subject and purpose. It doesn't matter that you have ten different websites, or 100 different products or services. Focus your message on one thing and one thing only. Your message will be most effective when laser-targeted for your audience, not relying upon an approach of "shotgun" hit or miss.



Great Copy – Only the highest quality copy will do. Well-written, persuasive, clean. Stupid mistakes like spelling errors and incorrect grammar ruin the most convincing sales and marketing copy. It will immediately brand you and the business or organization you represent as amateurish and of low quality. If you can't write copy, either learn or hire a professional to do it for you. If your copy is of poor quality, then sending your email message is pointless.



Another point about copy: keep your information organized and brief. Keep paragraphs short. Use "bite-sized" chunks, and numbered or bulleted lists. Choose your words carefully so that you communicate your message effectively, but as efficiently as possible.



Be Personable, But Find A Balance – You know the stereotype of the "sleazy car salesman", kind of creepy and super-slick? That's what it feels like to read email from someone who is a bit "too familiar" or informal. It makes your skin crawl. Not a reaction you want your readers to have from you.



Trying to build rapport with your audience is a good thing, and makes your email message more personable, warm and inviting. However, realize that there is a delicate balance that must be maintained.



You are not your reader's friend (at least not yet). You are a stranger, a marketer; not a neighbor, not a confidant. Be careful to recognize that there are unseen boundaries in your communications. And, if you make the mistake of causing your reader to feel that you have overstepped one of those boundaries, it's very difficult to repair the circumstance.



Under-Hype – Remember that your readers receive hundreds and hundreds of emails. This makes their "hype radar" extremely sensitive. Rather than use a lot of hype and fluff, provide statements, statistics, facts and resources to support or provide proof of what you're telling them. Doing so will go much further toward persuading them that your message is valid, valuable and credible.



Be Clear About The "Ask" - If you are marketing a business, a particular product or service, don't make the mistake of creating a great marketing message only to wimp out at the end. Be clear about asking for the business, inviting the reader to receive more information, directing the reader to subscribe to a list, or whatever "call to action" you may require.



By the time your reader gets to this portion of the email, if you've done your work properly, they're already inclined to do as you ask. So ask! Politely, professionally, but with confidence.



The email marketing tips discussed above are by no means an exhaustive list, however, I think we've covered most of the basics. While keywords were not mentioned earlier (because email messages don't require search engine optimization), it's always a good idea to use them in emails when practical. The advantage in doing so is to get the reader to focus on what your message is about. Then at some future point, if the reader loses the initial email information, she still knows what keywords to use to find you via search engine search.



Email marketing can be a highly effective and profitable marketing strategy. Used intelligently and with planning and forethought, it can be informational and beneficial for your readers, and incredibly advantageous for you






About The Author:

Kimberly Clay is a successful business woman with over twenty years of experience and success to her credit. She is an online entrepreneur with a passion for educating and helping others to develop online success and create wealth. For more information, visit her website at http://www.GetMyWealthNow.com or her blog at http://www.blog.GetMyWealthNow.com

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Email Guts – The Innards Of An Effective Email Marketing Message, by Kimberly Clay

How to Avoid Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)

Copyright © 2008 Jim Cramer




Many home buyers find it difficult to provide the required 20% down payment and are forced to pay private mortgage insurance, or PMI, in order to buy a home. Private mortgage insurance solves the down payment problem but creates another two: it increases monthly payments and on top of that it is not tax deductible. Fortunately, there is more than one way to get your desired home without having the 20% down payment and avoid PMI at the same time.



Terminating PMI When You Already Have One



The use of private mortgage insurance has been a great way to make it possible for a borrower to buy a home with as little as 3-5 % down payment and give the lender insurance in case the borrower defaults on the home loan. However since PMI payments can be significant, the borrower starts to ask himself/herself how to get rid of those payments.



The Homeowner's Protection Act includes rules for automatic suspension of PMI payments and cancellation of PMI when 22% equity in the borrower-s home is reached. Those rules apply to mortgages signed on or after July 29, 1999, and exclude government-insured FHA or VA mortgages that are considered high-risk to default.



Additionally, disregarding the time when the mortgage was signed, the borrower may ask for PMI termination once s/he exceeds 20% equity.



Avoiding Private Mortgage Insurance via a Piggyback Loan



Piggyback loans are a very popular way of avoiding private mortgage insurance. It consists of taking a loan (first mortgage) covering 80% of the sale price of the home and taking and placing additional 5%, 10% or 15% on a second mortgage. A combination of 80% first mortgage, 5% second mortgage and 15% down payment is referred to as 80/5/15. Accordingly, the other two loan combinations are 80/10/10 and 80/15/5.



Although second mortgages generally have higher rates, in the end the borrower may save money because in contrast to PMI payments, now the loan payments are tax deductible.



Choosing a Finance Single Premium Option over Private Mortgage Insurance



Since an increasing number of borrowers are turning to piggyback loans in order to avoid PMI, the mortgage insurance industry came up with this solution claiming that it lowers monthly mortgage payments to the same or lower level as a piggyback loan. With this option homebuyers pay a single premium on their insurance and it is amortized over the term of loan.



One of the pitfalls of this solution is that few lenders offer this option, since Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not work with this kind of PMI structure.



Finding a Loan with No Private Mortgage Insurance



Loans with no PMI have one great disadvantage - they typically have higher interest rates. Instead of paying regular PMI, the latter is included in the higher rate of the mortgage.



Which of the above solutions will be best for you depends entirely on your particular case. Sometimes paying the private mortgage insurance might turn out more beneficial than choosing to avoid it with a second mortgage. Therefore you should consider your decision carefully and make all the necessary calculations in order to make the right choice.





About The Author:

Jim Cramer is an expert who shares his knowledge and years of experience in the mortgage field providing hundreds of Mortgage Questions and Mortgage Answers dedicated to help home buyers. Learn more about Home Mortgage Insurance .

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How to Avoid Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI), by Jim Cramer

How to Create an Outstanding Brochure Design

Copyright © 2008 Maria Vang




Brochures can be a powerful tool to promote one's business, service or product but if they are not designed properly they might end unnoticed among the many other brochures on the display rack. So how do you design a brochure that stands out? Follow these simple guide-lines in order to create an outstanding brochure design.



Start with Planning'



Every design starts with careful planning. In order to convey the right message to the public, the designer needs to be well familiar with the brochure's function and its audience. Will the brochure be used alone or in combination with other advertising materials, such as catalogs, print ads, etc.? How will it be used - sent by mail to customers, left behind after client meetings, or placed on a display rack along with other brochures? What would be the audience and what type of information does it need? You need the answers to all of these questions in order to plan the design of your brochure properly.



Experiment with the Shape



Does it really have to be a standard tri-fold or A4 brochure? You would probably have more success if your brochure distinguishes itself from the others with its unique shape. If the budget allows it, definitely use your imagination and try something different that will correspond to the message you would like to send and attract people's attention.



A Catchy Cover



It all starts with the cover. Will the potential customer pick up your brochure and take a look inside or just leave it unconcernedly? You need to convey a strong message on the cover, something that will motivate them to open the brochure and hopefully read its content.



Organize the Information



The story your brochure tells should be well organized. The reader should be able to look through the pages and easily follow the information flow. Give proper directions and leave clear signposts throughout the brochure (especially when it has multiple pages) to make sure you potential client will not get lost and will not lose interest too.



Briefly and to the Point



Don't overwhelm your potential customers with huge blocks of text. Boring blocks of text with no headlines and subheads will only push your customers away. Use short sections and make it easy for the reader to grasp the idea at first sight by skimming through the subheads.



Visualize Your Ideas



A single image may be much more influential than the substantial amount of text in your brochure. Whether you will show photos of the advertised product, use images to explain how a service works, or a map to show the company's location - it is always worth visualizing what you have to say since the potential customers who open the brochure might not read the text but they would at least view the pictures.



Don't Forget the Call to Action



Finally, let your readers know what you want them to do. You cannot expect a response if you haven't asked for one. Leave a powerful closing message encouraging your potential customers to do what you want whether it is buying a particular product or service, or calling for more information.





About The Author:

Just about every business nowadays needs Graphic Design Services. Visit DreamsDesigning freelance graphic design studio�s website for a look at what brochure design solutions it can offer for any design need.

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How to Create an Outstanding Brochure Design, by Maria Vang

Internet Smarts: How to Safeguard Your Child or Teen

Copyright © 2006-2008 Vasrue.com, All Rights Reserved

Written by: Alexia Janvier




Did you know that 61 percent of all 13- to 17-year olds have created a profile on social networking sites like MySpace, Xanga or Friendster? Futhermore, 14 percent of teens surveyed in a recent Cox Communication study, in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), said they've either met or are considering meeting someone face-to-face with whom they initially met online. These children and teenagers consider their online (and offline) behavior safe. It's ultimately up to parents and guardians to protect our youth from danger.




Internet threats include viruses, stalkers, peer bullying, contact with child and sexual predators, exposure to pornography, graphic violence and other inappropriate content. Your son or daughter faces these dangers every time he or she surfs the Internet, engages in email or Instant Messaging activities.




What can you do to protect your child?




1. Learn about Internet safety on sites like NetSmartz (http://www.netsmartz.org), Play it Cyber Safe (http://www.playitcybersafe.com) and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (http://www.cybertipline.org).




2. Communicate with your children, ask where they surf and who they email and instant message. Teach them about safe online practices.




3. Set house rules on computer use and show them what they can and cannot do.




4. Set their computer up with approved bookmarks only, and ask them to tell you if they stray within a few clicks from these websites.




5. Put the computer in a common area like the living or family room.




6. Ensure your children never discloses personal or financial information including their full name, where they live or where you work. If they fill out forms, ask them to use a fictitious name and always get your permission.




7. Keep Internet accounts in your name so you can control passwords and filters.




8. Let children know that there are frightening things online. Show them how to turn the monitor off if they come across something that upsets or confuses them, or if something makes them feel uncomfortable.




9. Encourage your child to tell you or a trusted adult about any suspicious behavior online.





About The Author:

Copyright (c) 2006-2008 Vasrue.com. All Rights Reserved. Alexia Janvier writes about Family. For more great articles on this subject, come back to http://articles.Vasrue.com. Articles are published weekly on Travel, Real-Estate, E-business, Credit and a host of other great topics. In an effort to support other webmasters, http://www.Vasrue.com is offering each article through RSS feed free of charge.

Article Source: thePhantomWriters Article Submission Service



Internet Smarts: How to Safeguard Your Child or Teen, by Alexia Janvier

Do Free List-Building Giveaways Work?

Copyright © 2008 Willie Crawford




One of the biggest complaints that we hear from novice Internet marketers is that they can't compete with others in their niche because they "have no list."



One of the solutions frequently offered is to suggest that they stop whining, and start building a list. Somewhat more productive advice is to suggest that they join one of the free list-building giveaways as a starting point.



Naturally, that brings us to the question of "are free list-building giveaways" worth the trouble?"



Do they work? Do they produce quality subscribers?



My personal answer is, "It depends." If you do it the way that 90% of people entering those free giveaways do it, then I think that you're hurting yourself more than you're helping.



I DO offer free items in select free giveaways. Just one of my several autoresponder accounts with ProfitAutomation.com is rapidly approaching a verifiable 200,000 subscribers. Many of these subscribers did join my list(s) as a result of free giveaways.



So, why did I answer with "it depends" then? First of all, you need to realize that contributing a gift during one of these free giveaways is just the first step in a long relationship-building process. Far too many people blow it right from the start. They offer a free "gift" in these events that they'd be insulted if someone offered to them. They violated "Rule #1".



Whatever you offer in one of these free giveaways, or any gift that you offer to your customers for that matter, should be something nice enough that you COULD sell it if you chose to.



Starting a relationship off by offering someone JUNK, as a bribe to get them onto your list, leaves them with a bad first impression of doing business with you. Offering an ANCIENT product that you have resale rights to (along with 10,000 others), or that you purchased on Ebay for 99 cents, is plain short-sighted.



To give you an idea of the quality of gift that I think that you should offer, the most recent one that I contributed was a free ebook entitled, " How To Keep Digital Product Thieves From Robbing You Blind." I wrote this ebook from scratch, consulting with several computer security and website experts in the process, and then GAVE it away as an subscriber bonus. That was an ebook that I researched, wrote, collaborated on, and had some nice graphics designed for... all so that I could give it away.



The second thing to consider is the quality of the giveaway itself.



You need to get involved in events where the organizers cares enough to really monitor the quality of the gifts contributed.



You do not want to be associated with a free list-building giveaway that "feels desperate or amateurish."



You also need to make sure that the organizer of the giveaway REQUIRES joint venture partners (gift contributors) to all promote the event. Ideally, those who are discovered not promoting the event, usually by the fact that they have made NO referrals, should be purged from the database of those eligible to receive subscribers fairly early in the giveaway's timeline.



I've witnessed countless free giveaways where the majority of contributors merely contributed an outdated product and then did absolutely NO promotion. They planned on getting a free ride. A promotion with lot of people doing that can, at best, have only mediocre results.



Participating in free list-building giveaways CAN jump-start your list-building. I know numerous online marketers who've built lists into the thousands... and even tens of thousands with most of their early list members being from free giveaways. It does work. It can build you a targeted, responsive list if you offer the right gifts, and if you select the right giveaways. If you join the wrong ones, contribute JUNK, and then wait for others to do all of the work, you're in for a big disappointment. In these type of events you do get exactly what you give.





About The Author:

Willie Crawford has been teaching list-building and website traffic generation since late-1996. His ebook, ""How I Boosted My Ezine Sign-Up Rate By 5200 MORE Subscribers Per Month - Virtually Overnight - And You Can Too," considered a classic by many, is availalbe at: http://TheRealSecrets.com/5200/

Article Source: thePhantomWriters Article Submission Service



Do Free List-Building Giveaways Work?, by Willie Crawford

How Facts in an Article Improve the Credibility of the Author

Copyright © 2008 Hartford Rhodes




Article ghostwriters know that there are many tools for writing articles that will boost the credibility of their clients. Ghost writing actually involves a lot of research in the development of an article, on the part of the writer. After all, not every article ghostwriter is going to be an expert in your field - their niche is the writing part. The article writer will need to do a lot of research in order to create an article that will deliver their client's message in an intelligent manner.



Facts Help Define You As The Expert



Those writers who are experts in their field tend to include facts and quotes sparingly in the course of an article. But, you may be asking yourself how facts and quotes help you to establish your credibility with an article?



When there is a "go to guy" in your field - whether your business focus is fitness and nutrition, home schooling, rock climbing, skin care, or real estate, there are going to be experts whose names readers will recognize and know – and if you are able to align yourself with that person, your words become more credible.



Don't believe it? Consider the recent scandal about the Kimkins Diet, in which a woman was able to present her "better than the Atkins Diet" approach and to convince many men and women that she was an expert. While she defrauded those who joined her membership site, by using established information about the Atkins Diet as a foundation for her own approach, she made people believe in what she had to say.



Of course, this is an extreme example - and no one is recommending writing articles as a tool to defraud others. Still, it does show that references to others are a great way of establishing credibility.



Here are three reasons why that's true:



1. Facts in an article are hard to refute. If you have researched your article - or your article ghostwriters have researched your article - you are likely to find that a number of different sources have very similar information that draws on a common source. If you get your facts about heart health from the American Heart Association or you get your facts about medication from a trusted doctor or pharmacist, the information that you present will be more difficult to refute.



2. Using facts while writing articles allows you to have a strong starting point. As an example, let's say that you sell coffee online and are writing articles to draw traffic to your website. Organizations like the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) are known for promoting quality standards and information about brewing and storing coffee. Using their guidelines as a foundation for your article can give you a starting point for writing articles that will be well-received by readers. You or your article ghostwriters can create articles about storing coffee beans or about why it is important to have a coffee grinder in order to grind the coffee right before it's time to brew, and suddenly, you are not just selling an airtight storage container or a coffee grinder, you are letting readers know why they need such products.



3. Writing articles with a number of facts in them establishes the credibility of your product or service. What needs did you see that prompted you to create the product? If you are writing articles about plant care because you have just created a product that kills spider mites and is safe for pets, what's going to show readers how your product can help them? On one hand, it's information about spider mites and the way that they damage houseplants that will persuade them. On the other, it's information about the ways that other insect killing sprays for plants have harmed pets - details that you can back up with veterinary association facts and figures. Each fact-focused article communicates differently, and each serves to explain the benefits of your product or service.



Reader Focused Articles Attract And Maintain A Reader's Attention



The key to effective article marketing is to get your readers' attention and keep it. The facts that you or your article ghostwriters use establish credibility within your article, are used in part, simply because they get and maintain the readers' attention. When readers see the facts from your article published elsewhere, they are going to know that you really do know what you're talking about.



When writing articles, think about what you want the readers to learn from the article. Regardless of the product or service you are promoting, one thing that every article writer should strive for is to show the readers that they can trust you, the author: credibility is essential, and the facts you use can help you to establish your own credibility, in a way that no other method can.





About The Author:

Hartford Rhodes is a writer and editor employed by The Phantom Writers (http://thephantomwriters.com). They will ghost write and distribute reprint articles for the promotion of your online business, and they guarantee that you will like the articles, or they will fix them to your desires. They also employ American ghost writers, most of whom have degrees in English. Learn more: http://thephantomwriters.com/services/ghost-writing.html

Article Source: thePhantomWriters Article Submission Service



How Facts in an Article Improve the Credibility of the Author, by Hartford Rhodes