Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith

2006-11-17T00:37:00.000+08:00

Listen to this amazing recorded teleseminar by my Marketing Director on why you should crawl over broken glass to own the 'Mortal To Millionaire' System.

Get it at http://www.MortalToMillionaire.com

The 'little guy' CAN succeed!

Jo Han Mok
Co-Author of the #1 International Business Bestseller, ‘The E-Code’

2006-10-06T20:49:00.000+08:00

Enjoy!

2006-07-26T13:07:00.000+08:00

Magic Moment

2006-06-27T19:44:00.000+08:00

test

2006-04-18T06:18:00.000+08:00

This is my biggest secret to creating profitable products

2006-03-06T13:22:00.000+08:00

This is part #3 of the Internet Wealth Code Tele-Coaching Sessions.

This tele-class features the amazing Tom Hua from Australia who has
dominated the web with his own 'crazy' Viral Marketing
strategies.

2006-02-18T00:49:00.000+08:00

This is part #1 of the Internet Wealth Code Tele-Coaching Sessions.

Mad Marketing Adventures In Asia...

2005-10-18T15:25:00.000+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright ( C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

Yo!

Just a quick update of my 'adventures' on the road with the World Internet Summit Asia Tour.

It was a pretty hectic schedule of non-stop speaking from Hong Kong to Shanghai to Kuala Lumpur, and it sure was a heck of an experience!

Sharing Some Empire Building Tips With WIS Hong Kong Attendees

I just returned to Singapore to catch a couple of day's rest before WIS Singapore. Really exhausted, and I'm not gonna write too much cos I really need to conserve my energy for the upcoming 4 day event, but I hope you have some fun with the photos below.

The 3 Founders Of The World Internet Summit, Brett Mcfall, Tom Hua And Ted Ciuba

You Do NOT Want To Be On This Boat. Notice Stephen Pierce and I Were On The SAME SIDE

Pretty Cool V iew Huh?

Now This Is Really The World Internet Summit!

Why The Hell Is Patric Chan In This Picture???

Tom Hua Holding 'Court' In His New Software Plant In China

Why Am I Convinced That Alcohol Is Good For Your Health?

Jo & Jo

I Really Don't Know Which Gal To Pick!

Dammit, Pierce Beat Me To It!

Oh well...till the next issue of Mad Marketing Adventures in Asia...

P.S. If you'd like to personally join me and my angels on an Adventure in the States in December, CLICK HERE for full details!

Modern Tecnology Meets Ancient Wisdom

2005-04-19T13:54:00.000+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright ( C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

It's almost comical.

My partner Ewen and I do coaching and consulting on a regular basis, and while we do get handsomely paid to solve other people's problems, most of the problems were non-existent in the first place.

Ask anyone involved in coaching or consulting.

Almost every problem or challenge my clients face stem from an inability to think accurately.

They have a secret fetish for making the simple unbelievably complex, couple that with some 'Adult Attention Deficit Disorder' and a thousand and one excuses, they end up creating their own mess, and having to pay 'simple minded' people like myself and Ewen to clean them up.

It's almost embarassing, but 99% of the work Ewen and I do involves 'rewiring' our clients.

This process is almost 100% internal and externalities have little to do with it.

Usually after being 'rewired', our clients go on to produce phenomenal results.

You probably already know this, but...

Your thoughts determine your actions, and your actions determine your results.

EVERYTHING is governed by this powerful in-built computer known as your BRAIN.

Think of the work Ewen and I do as 'installing new software' for the brain.

Ironically, I continually update my own 'Operating System' from ancient wisdom, (making more and more money with each update) and as you're reading this, you know I love passing on this 'stuff' to you. Without trying to 'toot' my own horn here, I do have solid feedback that most people think that I am 'smarter' than the average bear, but the truth of the matter is, inate intelligence has little to do with it.

I'm just a regular Singaporean Chinese 'dude'...

Would you believe me if I told you that EVERYTHING we need for success has been divinely bestowed upon us (You do have a brain don't you?), and the path to success has been mapped out by the 'masters of the the yesteryears'.

It's true. Everything has been done for us.

Once you realize this, you'll approach life differently.

Read this incredible paragraph of wisdom by C.Alan Anderson:

"We are responsible for the ways that our lives are going. If we won't assume responsibility for being where we are today, we abdicate or embalm our power to determine where we'll be in the future. Many people take this to mean that they are to blame. But blame is a useless, negative emotion that just paralyzes us. We are what we say we are. If we say that we are victims, we are writing VICTIM on our own foreheads. Responsibility isn't blaming the victim; it is giving the victim a ticket out. It says that we have the power to change our circumstances because we have the power to change our minds. If we're being carried down the rapids in a rowboat, we can lie down and moan that we are about to crash into the rocks, or we can take responsibility by sitting up and steering."

Did this sentence strike you?

"We have the power to change our circumstances because we have the power to change our minds."

This VERY SENTENCE, just surmized everything I was trying to say in this blogpost.

How powerful is that?

You gotta be a COMPLETE idiot to not want to see the raw power of ancient wisdom, and how it can change your life.

It all begins in the mind...YOUR MIND.

P.S. By the way, in my next few messages, I'll reveal what happened during a secret 'riot' that occured in Silicon Valley because of a rumor spread about Bill Gates and a 'key'...

Is 'Complex Equivalence' Hindering Your Online Success?

2005-04-01T15:56:00.000+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright ( C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

Complex equivalence is one the greatest stumbling blocks to Online success.

Has this thought ever crossed your mind?

Success in Internet Marketing equals being a techno whiz, being able to install any script under the sun, and creating graphics and animation that will put the 'Matrix' to shame?

But what if...the actual equation read like this?

Success in Internet Marketing equals to being completely rooted in the fundamentals and principles of direct response marketing and being able to leverage the world wide web as the ultimate low cost medium to deliver your marketing message on a global scale?

Isn't it obvious that your core belief system is pivotal in determining whether you'll make or break?

Let's take it even further, and look at the term Internet Marketing.

Doesn't it make sense that anyone who is interested in Internet Marketing should get the 'Marketing' bit right first?

Nothing can be further from the truth though. People fall prey to all the noise and clutter out there, and start having thoughts like:

"There is no way I can make money online if I do not have a website. It's even worse if I do not know how to create one."

"I am a computer gonzo, and I only know how to use Microsoft Word. Therefore, I will not be able to make it on the Internet!"

"Search Engine Optimization confuses me. I am not a geek. Therefore I will not be able to get traffic."

All these are solid examples of how complex equivalence limits people's potential.

If you're reading this article, I'm pretty sure you can identify with such falsities, and here's what I recommend to eradicate complex equivalence once and for all so that you can achieve the success you richly deserve.

Reframe everything.

Reframing is a technique used in Neuro Lingustic Programming, often dubbed the 'Science Of Achievement'.

In simple terms, it's basically to take another 'look' at your thoughts, as it might give a whole new meaning and dimension.

Let's take the false beliefs above and start reframing them.

False Belief #1: "There is no way I can make money online if I do not have a website. It's even worse if I do not know how to create one."

Reframe: Not everyone who has a website makes money, therefore it is NOT the website that is responsible for bringing in money. I will examine if there is an absolute need to have a website in order to make money online, and if so, I will either learn how to create one, or barter my services or products in exchange for one to be created for me.

False Belief #2: "I am a computer gonzo, and I only know how to use Microsoft Word. Therefore, I will not be able to make it on the Internet!"

Reframe: There are many examples of people out there who have made it online without being technically competent. I know how to use Microsoft Word, and because I can type, I have the ability to create products by capturing my ideas in print, and I will also be able SELL in print. This is three quarters of the battle won.

False Belief #3: "Search Engine Optimization confuses me. I am not a geek. Therefore I will not be able to get traffic."

Reframe: There are thousands of ways to get traffic. Search Engine Optimization is NOT the only way. Most people use less than 5 methods to get traffic, many of which are idiot-proof. I will use the most effective methods out there to get traffic which do not require me to be a techno geek. When I make enough profits, I will hire someone to do all my Search Engine Optimization for me.

With these examples, it's pretty clear to see how crucial one's beliefs are, and you can either allow them to limit you, or to spur you on to greater heights.

You can choose success or mediocrity.

What's your choice?

Or do you need some reframing?

-- Siderbar --

If you're starting to see the value in how the right mindset can magnetically attract success, you'll want to download the audios at: http://www.UnlockYourEmpire.com

The No #1 Reason Why People “Getting Started” In Internet Marketing Are Getting It Wrong.

2005-03-08T14:01:00.000+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright (C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

It’s tragic.

Statistical data from survey results have shown that the No #1 problem that people face in Internet Marketing is “getting started”.

And what’s really sad about this is that the people who are actually “getting started” are getting it all wrong!

As a coach and featured speaker at Internet Marketing events, I’ve seen and heard it all firsthand, and sometimes people can be as stubborn as mules.

Here’s the typical mindset of a person getting started:

“I’m starting out, so where do I get my domain name, hosting, autoresponders, how do I design a webpage and get it live on the Internet, how do I process credit cards…”

Then this misguided individual will go all out to find out how to do all these things, and still go on to fail anyway.

And my definition of “failure” in this case, is simply being unable to bring home the dough.

There is a good reason behind this…

Misguided individuals like are simply asking the wrong questions. If you examine the nature of their questions, you’ll understand that they have a “quest” and burning desire to become what Michael Gerber, the author of the E-myth calls “technicians”.

They’re interested in the whole “technical process” of running an Internet business. The nuts and bolts, and this spells D-E-A-T-H for the entrepreneur, because a technician works in the business, not ON the business.

Does a world class chef necessarily know how to run a successful restaurant?

Does a hairstylist necessarily know how to run a successful hair salon?

Does a “web competent” person necessarily know how to create a successful Internet business?

A technician is NOT an entrepreneur.

The entrepreneur works ON the business. The technician works IN the business.

Whatever happened to the building blocks of a world class business like vision, leadership, management, lead generation, customer retention and most importantly, the MARKETING?

It’s just common sense. Anyone looking to become a successful Internet Marketer, should get the “marketing” part right first before even THINKING about doing anything else.

If you do not know how to market effectively, if you do not know how to go about generating revenue for your business, why do you even bother to think about stuff like autoresponders, hosting and all those knick knacks when you do not even established a framework for them to fit into.

So if you’re reading this article and you’re “guilty” of trying to become a technician, reinvent your business by asking yourself the CORE business questions instead.

Questions like:

Have I worked my business around my lifestyle?
Is there room for growth with the business model I’ve conceived?
Have I identified my target market?
Do I know their biggest problem?
Have I created a unique web position?
Have I done research for setting up potential strategic alliances?
Have I created a proper funnel and lead generation mechanism
Have I done the proper keyword research?
Have I outsourced enough to allow me to concentrate on revenue generating activities?
Have I developed or at least figured out CRM issues like offering adequate support, and how to increase customer retention?

What kind of ancillary products can I offer to my customers?

Make a commitment to the process of entrepreneurship, think like one, and entrepreneurship will commit to you.

Your goal is to build an Internet business. It is a business. You run the business. Don’t let it run you.

Ask the right questions, get the right answers, and you’ll build the right business.

Did You Know That Attending Internet Marketing Bootcamps Can Make You Rich IF You Know These Secrets?

2005-02-17T15:44:00.002+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright (C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

Yah yah… another “pitch for a bootcamp” disguised as information.

Yes, but it’s bloody good information that you can use and hardly anyone talks about this stuff.

I’m not going to go into the profit potential of joint ventures that you forge at events like these and how you will greatly accelerate your success. You probably already know all that. What I am going to cover though, is ‘sneaky’ stuff about networking at such events that no one talks about, and this stuff is crucial!

Secret #1: Be Prepared

If you’re attending an Internet Marketing Bootcamp and you want to get the most out of it, make sure you’re prepared. Remember, luck is when preparation meets opportunity, so if you want to be ‘luckier’ than most, be prepared. Here’s what you want to do.

Get a cheap notebook, and go down the list of bootcamp speakers.

Visit their websites, check out their background, their hobbies, their interests and their business achievements.

Now I want you to pay very special attention their hobbies, because that’s gonna be your icebreaker.

Imagine a meeting top flight speaker, who has been consistently ‘mobbed’ by attendees asking a 101 questions, out of which 100 are probably dumb. Would you think he’ll give you the time of the day, after those people have cheesed him off?

What if… the first thing that came out of your mouth was “Hi Mr X, it’s a pleasure to meet you, how’s the scuba diving going?”

See what you just did?

You’ve just gotten your foot in the door because you’re talking about something that is unrelated to business, and since you’ve targeted his interest, you gain instant rapport, and his defenses are instantly let down because he’s not afraid of you anymore.

You’re approaching him with the intent of friendship, and when you start a conversation like this, he knows you’re not a fruitcake stalker who just wants to get something out of him.

Does this work? Of course! I’ve gotten to know many top marketers because they shared my interests in magic and music, and more importantly, I only wanted to befriend them.

The business came later, and it was a breeze.

People work with who they like. Once people like you, you’re all set.

Also, write down the burning questions you have about the speakers and the way they run their businesses.

More importantly, check out if they have any apparent deficiencies in their business that you can help them with. Make sure you jot all this down.

Once you’ve done that, write a short note next to each speaker’s name with what you REALLY want to get out of them.

I’ll be showing you how to get all these concerns answered automatically without ANY resistance.

Secret #2: Revamp Your Wardrobe

Take a good look in the mirror. If you didn’t know you, what would you think about you?

How much do you think you look? A hundred bucks? A thousand?

FACT: It takes less than a seventh of a minute for someone to judge you based on your outward appearance.

Start buying FEWER clothes, and buying BETTER clothes.

If you buy a good piece of clothing, (and if it’s good, it probably won’t be cheap), you only cry once.

Good clothing is an investment. It does wonders for your self esteem. You feel better, look better, people think better of you and as a result, you perform better.

Whoever said clothes do not maketh a man was just naïve and wrong.

There are people who attend bootcamps who really dress like shit, and believe me, if you look like shit, smell like shit, talk shit, you’ll get shit.

No one will ever give you the time of their day. Not the speakers, not your fellow attendees, probably not even the hotel staff.

If you want people to pay attention to you, especially the speakers, you’ll want to dress as respectably as possible. Make it a point to dress BETTER than the people in the crowd.

You want people to perceive you as a person who is ALREADY successful in his business, and you’re attending the bootcamp to further your education and to get a few pointers from the speakers.

Read that over and over again.

As a speaker, I KNOW how speakers are afraid to deal with fruitcakes, stalkers, desperados and dummies. Believe me, there are speakers out there who will “save” each other when a fellow speaker’s time is being wasted, and if you make a bad impression, the speaker will go out of his way to avoid you.

I know you’re thinking, “this can’t be true”. But it is. There are all kinds of people who attend Internet Marketing bootcamps. I’m talking to you as an insider, and to let you know that a speaker is a human being too, with the same emotional capacity you have to like or dislike a person.

So behave respectably, dress respectably, speak respectably, and the same degree of respect and even more, will be accorded unto you.

Secret #3: Reinforcing Your Impression

You shouldn’t attend bootcamps if you have no namecards.

If you have one, take a look at it. What kind of paper is it printed on? What does your namecard say about you?

How did you feel when someone handed you a really cool and snazzy namecard?

A good namecard can be a talking point, and it’ll arouse curiosity and interest. More importantly, it helps lead into your elevator pitch.

What’s an elevator pitch?

An elevator pitch is essentially what you’d say in 30 seconds if you were in the same elevator with a speaker and he/she asks you, “So what do you do?”

You’ll need to take time to create a really tight elevator pitch that summarizes everything you do in a few sentences in order for you to make maximum impact.

Secret #4: Prepare A Freebie

If you have a book or software, make sure you bring enough copies to give it to people that you meet.

This allows you to harness the powerful law of reciprocity, and this makes people pre-disposed to returning the favor and helping you.

It’s a great way to make people like you and it’s also a great way of getting testimonials, especially if you follow up with them after the bootcamp and type something along the lines of :

Hi Hot Shot:

This is John Doe, and I hope you’re “well recovered” from the bootcamp.

Did you like the CD I gave to you? I’d be interested to know what you think! : - )

Warmly,
John Doe

P.S. It was really great meeting you! Let me know if I can do anything for you.

And if you get a great response from that email, ask them “Can I quote you on that?”

Think you can type an email like that? Simple huh?

That’s it. The secret of getting scorching hot testimonials.

Secret #5: Have Somebody FRAME You In The Best Possible Light

This is where things get interesting. See, if you attend a bootcamp like the World Internet Summit where I’m speaking alongside my partner Ewen Chia, we’d be more than happy to open doors for you to people you’ve only dreamt about meeting, and because we’re making the introductions, you are guaranteed to be acquainted and get your foot in that door, whereas any other Tom, Dick or Harry wouldn’t be privy to such a privilege.

Remember, your network determines your net worth, and if you really want to increase your networth, it all starts with your network.

If you’re committed to having the best network possible, Ewen and I will be equally committed to your success, and we’ll spend personal time with you consulting and brainstorming ways to grow your business, or to start one, if you have yet to start one.

If you’ve been on my list for any length of time at all, you know Ewen and I pull no punches when it comes to giving you the best content and practical advice when it comes to Internet Marketing, and you can be dead sure, since we practice what we preach, that we’ll give you our best advice possible. Even if we don’t have all the answers, we’ll tap into our network and refer you to the best source possible.

You want to register for the World Internet Summit now:
http://www.autopilotriches.com/app/aftrack.asp?afid=198892

There are hardly any spaces left and it's the truth.

See you at the bootcamp!

The Master Wordsmith's 'Wretched' Rod Stewart Impersonation

2005-02-02T16:11:00.000+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright (C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

In case you missed the call I did with Mr "Mail Order In The Internet Age" and Brett "The Nerd" Burpy Mcfall, here's the link to the Mp3 Recording.

==> http://www.worldinternetwebcast.com/archives.html

I have a good news and bad news regarding this call.

The good news is, it's chock full of content.

The bad news is, through NO fault of mine, I lost my voice, and ended up sounding, as what Ted says, like crap.

Well, to quote Ted further, if you can look past that 'wretched' voice of mine, I think you'll find more than a nugget or two.

As you listen to the recording you'll realize that you'll want to attend the World Internet Summit at Gold Coast happening March 3-6, 2005.

You'll be able to interact with people like myself, David Cavanagh, Trevor Crook, Marlon Sanders, Kirt Christensen, Ted Ciuba, Brett Mcfall, Alan Forest Smith and much much more.

I have a complete 'program' laid out for anyone who will be meeting me in Gold Coast, and I will be announcing it within the next week or two.

For now, just understand that if you come to this event 'through' me, you'll be very well taken care of, and I will open doors for you that you never thought existed.

This is the link you need to use to register for the World Internet Summit.
http://www.autopilotriches.com/app/aftrack.asp?afid=198892

We'll talk in Gold Coast.

Wanna Get B.U.R.P.I.E.S?

2005-02-02T16:01:00.000+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright (C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

Well if you've been to the World Internet Summit Website you would know that they have a 'mystery' speaker appearing at their upcoming event on theGold Coast (March 3, 4, 5 & 6).

Who is it?

Nobody has let the cat out of the bag yet. But guess what? It's time to unveilwho this internet marketing expert is.

CAN YOU GUESS OUR GUEST?

Shall I give you a hint? Okay, here it is:

*Mr X sold over $50,000 worth of the first e-book he ever wrote,PLUS 'Mr X' has sold toasters and posters online too!

Do you know who it is?

There's another hint beside his 'Mr X's photo which you can view here.

And when you think you know who it is, go here:
http://www.worldinternetsummit.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=999

... and put your suggestion forward in a post. The first person to correctly guess who 'Mr X' really is - gets a copy of Brett McFall’s brand new B.U.R.P.I.E.S. Copywriting Software For E-Books (which makes writing sales letters super easy).

THE MYSTERY WILL BE REVEALED THIS FRIDAY in a special LIVE Video Class. So get guessing quickly!

P.S. Just a courtesy reminder that the handy payment instalments for the World Internet Summit end this Friday also. So if you're thinking of going along and you want to fit it into your budget more easily, better take advantage this week.

The Master Wordsmith Revisits Claude Hopkins

2005-02-01T13:20:00.000+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright (C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

If Claude Hopkins understood one thing better than any other salesman before or after him, it was the purpose of advertising. He understood advertising through eyes of the only person that matters: the customer.

Hopkins' wisdom bears revisiting today, as much of it applies to effective copywriting tactics for print media. Let's review some of the major principles of scientific advertising and discuss their application in direct marketing sales letters.

Advertising is Quantifiable

Advertising is a quantifiable activity. In other words, it can be measured. The effectiveness of any advertising campaign can be measured by the return on investment. You are always testing, tracking and measuring each advertisement to determine what factors bring you the largest number of sales for the least expense.

You have a large pool of experience to draw upon if only you will search for it. Others before you have tested and measured their campaigns. You can purchase books full of proven headlines and proven sales letters from which you can model your own copy. This allows you to start with a winning formula, tailored to your product, which you will then run through further testing.

The most important lesson in all of this is that there is no guesswork in advertising. If you don't know what works, you test it. If you have no model of your own to start with, swipe one that has already been put to the test.

Any area of blindness in your advertising campaign is an area where you stand to lose money.

Write for the Customer

This is a direct quote from Hopkins that you should print out and place in front of you somewhere so that you'll keep it foremost in your thoughs when you write your copy:

“Don't think of people in the mass. That gives you a blurred view. Think of a typical individual, man or woman, who is likely to want what you sell.”

This is really important. Too often ego gets in the way of the writing process. You might be tempted to show off your wit or expound upon some feature of a product that only you find interesting. You may not even realize you're doing it!

You can avoid this mistake by holding to a clear image of your potential customer. Who is he? What is he most likely to care about? Write to him just as if you were talking face-to-face. If you aren't sure, then you need to go back to your research. You should know ahead of time what appeals to your market, what their attitudes are and what factors influence their buying decisions.

This is really the only way to write the kind of copy that penetrates their resistance. If you don't have a customer profile in front of you, you'll end up “writing to the masses” or, worse, writing to your own needs and desires. This is no good because...

The Customer is Selfish

The customer has his own self-interest at heart. Why shouldn't he? It's his money. Your job is to convince him that parting with that money in exhange for your product is in his own best interests. You can't do that by going on about how wonderful your company is, or how great he should think your product is.

The right approach is one which is service oriented. Keep the focus on the customer's needs and on the fulfillment of those needs. Better yet, take every possible step you can to make buying easy. This means putting the customer at ease and minimizing risk. You can accomplish this with the effective use of testimonials and gurantees.

One common method to employ is the “trial offer”. The trial offer can be anything from a product sample to a 30 day test drive of your product. Previous tests have shown that response rates increase dramatically when the customer is given, in a sense, an opportunity to sell himself on your product.

It's also been shown that the majority of prospects are honest. Any potential losses you incur from offering a 'test drive' on the honor system are more than made up for in increased sales.

The Headline Is Still the Most Important Thing

Hopkins stated this principle quite simply: No one reads advertisements for amusement!

It's true. Think about it. The huge volume of information each of us has coming at us daily requires that we filter out most of the incoming data in our environment. Even when we read the newspaper, we tend to browse only those stories with headlines of interest to us.

The same goes for advertising headlines. You headline is actually the first pre-qualifying element of your sales copy. Anyone who reads your ad does so because their interest was first attracted by your headline.

It's very easy to write a headline that attracts a lot of general interest. This is not what you want, though. You need to find the exact headline that calls out to your target market, and only your target market. You need to write, test and re-write your headlines until you attract only the most promising prospects to your sales letter.

One of the best places to learn how to craft 'dragon slayer' headlines is at: http://www.MasterWordsmith.com

How will you know when you've achieved this?

Well, most of the time, the numbers for your page views or click throughs will go down, but your conversion rate will go up. You won't have as many eyeballs viewing your sales copy, but the ones you do have will be qualified prospects. This is another one of those quantifiable elements you should track. It will save you hundreds in the long run.

Final Thoughts

Although the principles we've covered here might seem really basic to you on the first read through, I encourage you to give them careful consideration. These ideas are fundamental to your success. Your customer can be identified, researched and profiled. Your advertising can be targeted to that profile, and continuously refined through testing and measurement. In either case, the hard data brings you the desired results. There can be no guesswork in advertising, only the proven and scientific approach.

You're Invited To Eavesdrop...

2005-01-29T01:04:00.000+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright (C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

Mr "Mail Order In The Internet Age" and organizer of the world famous World Internet Summit Ted Ciuba will be having a candid fireside chat with me and I'd like to invite you to eavesdrop on this fireside chat.

I'll be revealing stuff like:

How I made 5 figures in just one hour wearing nothing but my bathrobe with a product that I didn't create, from a website that I didn't design, and copy that I didn't write
Why people marketing are commiting a 'fatal' mistake that is preventing them from making the money they so richly deserve...
The secret of how I achieved total financial freedom and liberty at the age of 25 and how to literally enhance the quality of your life by 'tweaking' your Internet Marketing business.
The lazy bastard's way to creating mega successful Internet Marketing roll-outs and how to leave your cheaper competition biting your dust
The easy way to create profit matrixes and how to expand your business at warp speed!
And much much more!

Once again, it's gonna be bullshit free. Don't miss this one.

This event is sponsored by the World Internet Summit, at which I'll be a featured speaker, if you haven't checked out the goods there yet, I recommend you visit...

Click Here To Check Out The World Internet Summit

(A bevy of FREE gifts await you just for checking it out..)

Mark your calendar.

Date: 2nd of February 2005
Time: 7.45 Eastern Standard Time

There are 2 ways to eavesdrop on this fireside chat.

Eavesdropping Device #1: The Good'ol Telephone

Tele-conference Dial-In info
Dial-In: 1-646-519-5860
PIN: 1738#

SPECIAL NOTE FOR THE AUSSIES...
The teleconference is hosted in the USA. Which means it’s an international call. But here’s a great way to participate for just cents on the dollar -- your local post office or newsagency sells pre-paid "PHONE CARDS.” If you buy one for as little as $20, you can use it to sit in on an hour-long call for approximately AUD$2.50. In fact, it’s cheaper than calling STD within Australia. And the cost is automatically deducted from your pre-paid card (all the instructions are on the back). If you don’t choose this option, then just dial the international dialling code ... 0011... before the number above.

Eavesdropping Device #2: Live Webcast

To listen LIVE on the call click the link below when the countdown time is below 60 seconds:
http://worldinternetwebcast.com/live.html

WHEN:
The Webcast will begin at the Scheduled Time, and the link may not be active before then. So you may need to refresh the page a couple of minutes before start time. WHAT YOU NEED: RealONE Player Available Free from http://real.com/.Please pre-install your Player before the live event as it might take a few moments

I'll talk to you on the call.

Jo Han Mok
Midas Touch Marketing
http://www.MasterWordsmith.com

What The Hell Does Jo Han Mok Know About Blogging?

2005-01-28T23:56:00.000+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright (C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

I received two questions from my subscribers with regards to how I created this new blog you're viewing, so if you're interested in blogging as well, you may find my comments useful.

** QUESTION **
Your blog rocks! Is it possible for you to show me how to blog? I bought one of your ebooks recently.

Robert Leong

** QUESTION **

Hi Jo Han,
Nice blog, how did you learn to blog? Through bloggingprofits.com or Rick Butts? You rock man!
Andrew Clacy

>>> MY COMMENTS:

First of all, thank you Robert and Andrew for your kind words and I'm glad you're enjoying my blog. The basics of blogging is comprehensively covered in my niche marketing system at: http://www.7daystoprofits.com/ in our video tutorials.

Alternatively, you can get a blog just like this at http://www.blogger.com/. Don't be afraid to experiment as the interface is very user friendly, and you can be literally up and running in minutes.

Also, as a marketer, it's every important that you learn the skill of reverse engineering. Look at my blog, see what I'm doing, and model it. There are 'footprints' everywhere that you can follow.

That being said, God is still in the details, and a lot of the 'unseen' stuff is covered in the video tutorials at http://www.7DaysToProfits.com

Before you even think about starting a blog though, there are a few things you should understand to get the most out of your blog.

What kind of content is your blog gonna provide?
Are you gonna be a real value provider or are you just gonna 'talk shit'. (pardon my french, but I think this describes many blogs that I see.)
Is your blog gonna help to elevate your business? I mean if you're the sort of person who hates to write, and you're unable to communicate effectively in print, don't blog. There are many other ways to achieve your objective.
Is your blog getting you "top of the mind awareness"? Everything in your blog should make people understand that you're the "go-to" person in your industry, and the content shows.
Do you blog consistently? I see many many blogs that have a pathetic number of posts, and the buck stops there. If you don't have the time, forget blogging. There are is more than one way to skin a cat.

More importantly, you need to figure out how to monetize your blog.

Your blog must bring you money, otherwise, you're just blogging for fun, and not profits, but if you aren't interested in profits, then you probably wouldn't be reading this. Don't even think about how to calculate the ROI on your blog, what keywords to use in a post and all the stuff that only geeks know until you're sure of the kind of 'position' your blog is gonna take.

Simplify, and get right down to the basics.

Bottomline: Don't just blog because 'other people' are doing it and it seems like a 'cool' thing to do. You might just end up with a blog which is read by you and you alone.

I understand that my language is not exactly 'pretty' here, and if you're offended, then don't read this blog, it's not for you.

But if you're serious about being a 'player', then do consider what I said carefully, because it'll make or break your blog.

The 'little guy' CAN succeed!

Jo Han Mok
Midas Touch Marketing
http://www.MasterWordsmith.com

Business Results Through Concentration

2005-01-27T17:31:00.000+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright (C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

Here's a excerpt from Theron Dumont's excellent book, the Power of Concentration which I believe could radically change your perspective on how to run a successful business. It has impacted and shaped the way I run my business, and you'll do well to really sink your teeth into this wisdom.

Business Results Through Concentration

A successful business is not usually the result of chance.

Neither is a failure the result of luck.

Most failures could be determined in advance if the founders had been studied. It is not always possible to start a money-making business at the start. Usually a number of changes have to be made. Plans do not work out as their creators thought they would.

They may have to be changed a little, broadened it may be, here and there, and as you broaden your business you broaden your power to achieve. You gain an intense and sustained desire to make your business a success. When you start a business you may have but a vague notion of the way you will conduct it. You must fill in the details as you go along. You must concentrate on these details. As you straighten out one after another, others will require attention.

In this way you cover the field of "the first endeavor" and new opportunities open up for you. When you realize one desire, another comes. But if you do not fulfill the first desire, you will not the second. The person that does not carry his desires into action is only a dreamer. Desire is a great creative force, if it is pure, intense and sustained. It is our desires that keep stirring us up to actionand they will strengthen and broaden you if you make them materialize.

Every man who achieves success deserves it. When he first started out he did not understand how to solve the problems that afterwards presented themselves, but he did each thing as it came up in the very best way that he could, and this developed his power of doing bigger things. We become masters of business bylearning to do well whatever we attempt. The man that has a thorough knowledge of his business can of course direct it much more easily and skillfully than the man who lacks that knowledge.

The skilled business director can sit in his private office and still know accurately what is actually being done. He knows what should be done in any given time and if it is not accomplished heknows that his employees are not turning out the work that theyshould. It is then easy to apply the remedy. Business success depends on well-concentrated efforts. You must use every mental force you can master.

The more these are used the more they increase. Therefore the more you accomplish todaythe more force you will have at your disposal with which to solve your problems tomorrow. If you are working for someone else today and wish to start in abusiness for yourself, think over carefully what you would like to do. Then when you have resolved what you want to do, you will be drawn towards it. There is a law that opens the way to the fulfillment of your desires. Of course back of your desire you must put forward the necessary effort to carry out your purpose; you must use your power to put your desires into force. Once theyare created and you keep up your determination to have them fulfilled you both consciously and unconsciously work toward their materialization.

Set your heart on your purpose, concentrate your thought upon it, direct your efforts with all your intelligence and in due time you will realize your ambition. Feel yourself a success, believe you are a success and thus put yourself in the attitude that demands recognition and the thought current draws to you what you need to make you a success. Don't be afraid of big undertakings. Go at them with grit, and pursue methods that you think will accomplish your purpose. You may not at first meet with entire success, but aim so high that if you fall a little short you will still have accomplished much. What others have done you can do. You may even do what others have been unable to do.

Always keep a strong desire to succeed in your mind. Be in love with your aim and work, and make them, as far as possible, square with the rule of the greatest good to the greatest number and your life cannot be a failure. The successful business attitude must be cultivated to make the most out of your life, the attitude of expecting great things from both yourself and others. It alone will often cause men to make good; to measure up to the best that is in them. It is not the spasmodic spurts that count on a long journey, but the steady efforts.

Spurts fatigue and make it hard for you to continue. Rely on your own opinion. It should be as good as anyone's else. When once you reach a conclusion abide by it. Let there be no doubt, or wavering in your judgment. If you are uncertain about every decision you make, you will be subject to harassing doubts and fears which will render your judgment of little value. The man that decides according to what he thinks right and who learns from every mistake acquires a well balanced mind that gets the best results...

Why Geeks Don't Make Money

2005-01-27T16:10:00.000+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright (C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

Ok. This post is gonna piss off my webmaster Greg Johnson, whom you can read about at http://www.PowerAffiliateMarketing.com because he is as geeky as geeky gets.

He has since reformed, and is making much more money since he started, and actually has a really good blog which I recommend you read, over at: http://www.ConvertLikeCrazy.com

He is still a geek though...

But have you ever wondered, why geeks who can program anything, and do nearly anything that you can conceive with a computer, don't make much money?

Why is that many top marketers who make truckloads of money are lucky to be able to type a Word document or use Microsoft Frontpage at best?

It's simple actually. Geeks don't know how to sell.

And that makes ALL the difference.

See, true financial security lies in your ability to produce.

When you master the art of selling, whether in print or in person, I can guarantee you'll never starve.

When you want someone to buy something from you, it's an emotional process that is later justified by logic. And that requires an understanding of human psychology. The deeper you understand human psychology and why humans do the things they do, the more you'll be able to sell.

Human nature has been consistent since time memorial.

Marketers focus on buying psychology. Geeks focus on cold hard digits.

So what if you're a great programmer? So what if you've figured out the search engine algorithms and you can drive all the traffic to any site you wish?

If the site's copy is boring and institutional and doesn't do a good job of converting the visitor into a customer, then all the traffic in the world is really useless.

Top Internet Marketers understand that. Top Internet Marketers also understand that only 20% of their business activities are responsible for 80% of their income, and they focus on that.

What's the 20% of these activities?

I've nailed it down to 2.

Copywriting and Joint Venturing.

Anything else is a waste of time.

If you're serious about succeeding in the Internet business, you need to do away with all time wasting activities like administrative stuff, yada yada, and only focus on true revenue generating activities.

All this needs to be outsourced.

It's all common sense really. If you currently spend only one hour a day on revenue generating activities and you up that number to 6 hours a day, then doesn't it make sense that you'll be making 6 time more money?

If you read my story at http://www.MasterWordsmith.com, you'll realize that I could not have made that kind of money had I not 'crafted' an email to send to my list. That email had to 'pull', and pull it did.

So I made money.

The geek, obsessed with his 'stuff' will be completely clueless on how to craft a profit-pulling email or why his site doesn't convert, because he knows jack about marketing.

Marketing is everything. You're never in the business of anything, but always in the business of MAKRETING whatever business you're in.

As my friend and mentor Jeff Paul says, use the ABM formula.

ALWAYS BE MARKETING.

Think about it...

And go hire a geek to do your geeky stuff. : - )

The Master Wordsmith Tackles A Stay At Home Kiwi

2005-01-26T18:56:00.000+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright (C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

Before I go into the question from our stay-at-home mum, I'd like to answer a question from a friend from Trinidad.

** QUESTION **

Hello Jo Han,

Your reply to Frank was short, to the point and powerful. I thought that your comment, very interesting in light of the soon to be released Underachiever product from Fran Kern and Ed Dale -

"Don't be tempted to buy very high ticket information products that will teach you how to 'get rich in any niche' because in the end, it'll still boil down to the basics and you'll still have to set 'something up' and promote it"

What are your thoughts on Frank's Underachiever Method.

Thank you for sharing.
Michelle Baptiste, Trinidad

>>> MY COMMENTS:

I'm actually chuckling as I type this message, because I sort of expected that this will come up, and no, I am not gonna start a war between myself and Frank Kern, who's a friend of mine.

Here's what I think about Frank's methods.

It works.

No doubt about it. My friend, the "nerd" Brett Mcfall has a very successful site based on Frank's method and it used to make him $500 US a month, and I belive since Brett upped the marketing ante, it should be in the four figure region. (Brett, if you're reading this, we can settle this man to man in Goldcoast. I'm not the only guy who calls you a nerd. xp)

I'm not at liability to reveal Frank's methods, but I will say this.

It's not gonna be cheap, and it's gonna take money to get started using Frank's method.

The difference between using Frank's method and getting a EbookWholesaler account is this.

With Frank's method, you OWN the product. With ebookwholesaler, you own the rights for as long as you're a member. Obviously if you own the product, you have the flexibility to start your own affiliate program and brand yourself, so on and so forth. However, there is no clause in Ebookwholesaler that forbids you to start your own affiliate program.

Check it out for yourself here:
==> http://www.ebookwholesaler.net/r/g.php?u=sp05

The downside is that the product is not created by "you", but there are creative ways around that.

Because one of the principles I adhere to and has made a critical difference in my life is that money loves speed.

If you can't make money selling other people's stuff, what makes you think you'll be successful selling your own?

Plus, if your bottomline objective is just to earn an extra say $300 a month, do you really care if the products you sell are not your own as long as you get to keep all the money you make?

FACT: When you get 'ready-to-go' stuff, you can get started much faster, and I think building momentum is critical to anyone trying to succeed online.

So in conclusion my advice is this. If you have enough money to invest in Frank's product, it'll be a great investment.

Just know that there is some 'work' involved. If you're selling a ebookwholesaler product, it's cheaper, and there is less work involved, and you can get started much faster.

If you're just getting started, and you're on a shoestring budget, you don't have much of a choice do you?*wink*

Obviously for the kind of money Frank is charging for his product, he'll be delivering some serious value as he always does and it'll be more than worth it, as long as you have the money.

Just don't have any hopes of "underachiever" sites sprouting overnight by magic.

It ain't gonna happen.

You WILL have a great product that teaches you some serious niche marketing though, and if that's what you want, I urge you to go for it when it launches.

** QUESTION **

Yahoo! Finally something I CAN USE AND USE NOW, thanks Jo. Now, the only bit I need lessons on is actually getting to my own site to upload everything. I have a domain name registered but I'm stuck where to go next. I will make some calls but do you have anything like that available? Much appreciated if you have. I'm a solo mum down under in New Zealand itching to get into this just the same as Frank.

Regards,
Bev, New Zealand

>>> MY COMMENTS:

Bev, I'm glad to know that my plan is gonna help you in a practical way.

The specific problem you have, will cease to exist when you sign up for your ebook Wholesaler account at:
==> http://www.ebookwholesaler.net/r/g.php?u=sp05

Here's why.

There is a member's area with comprehensive training tutorials to guide you every step of the way, from registering your domain, to getting your website LIVE on the web.

In short, it's shows you step by step, everything you need to get started with starting your own niche mini sites.

So what you need to do when you get your Ebook wholesaler account, is to go through those tutorials, which are super simple to understand, and then learn how to FTP, and tie in your payment processor.

My good friend Tom Hua, who owns Ebook Wholesaler, and the organizer of the World Internet Summit, completely understands that there are 'normal' people like you and me out there who are techno-phobic and he has a very talented team to make sure that you will 'get this' easily.

Now one of the things you have to understand Bev, is that once you have everything up and running, you want to concentrate on getting that first sale. Once you get your first sale, move on to the next five, ten then hundred, but make sure you set realistic goals that you CAN achive.

Also, one killer tip I'd like to share with you is really to automate as much as possible to market more effectively and to give you more financial freedom to do the things that really matter to you.

You see, even though you're setting up a mini-site that might sell just a $17 e-book, you should treat it seriously, and create auto-responders to follow up with your prospects, segment your prospect list from your customer list so that you can better target your message. That list that you build, will make you money for the rest of your life because you can capitalize on their lifetime value and sell to them over and over again.
Never EVER underestimate the value of a low ticket item. I've sold over a thosand copies of a product that was less than $5 in under 24 hours, and I think that's a pretty nice chunk of change to have.Your list is your asset, and with the whole problem of product creation, website design taken away, you can focus on that.

Your Internet Empire starts today.

I'll talk to you later.

The 'little guy' CAN succeed!
Jo Han Mok
Midas Touch Marketing
http://www.MasterWordsmith.com

P.S. Do remember, when you sign up for an ebookwholesaler account, just shoot Tom an email and he will send you a special $97 gift within 24 hours.

Just tell him I sent you.
=> http://www.ebookwholesaler.net/r/g.php?u=sp05

Does It Pay To Be Frank?

2005-01-26T18:48:00.000+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright (C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

I think you'll find my answer below to Frank's question useful, especially if you really want to succeed online but don't have much of a budget to begin with - jo

** QUESTION **

Jo Han,

I've been hearing stuff about 'niche marketing' from almost every 'guru' under the sun. The problem is, most of the methods for niche marketing involves lots of heavy duty SEO stuff, which I am complete stranger to, and worst still, I have a very limited budget of only $70 a month to devote to this business, so obviously I cannot afford to have my product ghost-created, or have sales copy written for me, and I don't even know how to design my own wesbite. What should a 'little guy' like me do?

- Frank Bridges, TX USA

>>> MY COMMENTS:

First of all Frank, you're not alone. There are many people out there who are intimidated by Search Engine Optimization, Web Design and everything it takes to run a successful web business.

I know this firsthand, because up till date, HTML still scares me, although I now know enough to be 'dangerous'.

Also, I understand that you only have a budget of $70 that you can devote to your business, and though it's not much by any standard, (I currently spend up to $8000 a month on my business) the good news is that you CAN still create a highly profitable business online.

Remember, there are only 3 resources you need to succeeed online.

#1: Money
#2: Time
#3: Energy

Without money, you'll have to devote more time and energy to make this work, and believe me, since this was exactly how I started out, it'll pay dividends.

Definitely worth it, anyway...

Here's my action plan for your current $70 budget, and if you follow this plan, there is no way you can fail.

Step #1: Idenitfy A Hot Niche

You can use overture's search suggestion tool, and it is f/ree. It'll be best to target a niche within a niche.

Step #2: Go Register A Domain And Get A Webhost.

$10 gets you everything you need at GoDaddy.com. Make sure you choose a good domain name. Make sure it's related, short and direct

Step #3: Get A Paypal Account.

You'll need to process credit cards, and once again this is not gonna cost you anything and any money you collect goes right into your bank account.

Step #4: Get An Ebook Wholesaler Account.

For under $50, you'll get access to over 92 ready to go products, complete with killer web graphics, profesionally written copy, and comprehensive training tutorials that walk you step by step on how you can be up in running in a matter of minutes.

There really is no better resource than this when it comes to having the largest selection of products to sell, especially in almost every niche conceivable and you get to keep all the profits. I've been a member for over 3 years, and many of the top marketers are members of this site.

Get an e-book wholesaler account here:
==> http://www.ebookwholesaler.net/r/g.php?u=sp05

Step #5: Differentiate

Take some time to differentiate your 'ready-to-go' product. Give the website a slightly different look, add an extra bonus or two, change a headline, expand on the copy, add your own photo. These things make a difference, and the time spent on that is definitely worth it.

Step #5: Promote

Remember, something scary happens without promotion. Nothing. Write articles, buy solo ads, buy PPC campaigns, do everything you can to get your website out there.

Since you're on a tight budget, it's also worth your while to study some SEO, to tap into organic search terms as it's free targeted traffic.

Remember, you either have time, money or energy, so it's a price to pay, but you shouldn't see it as that. Reframe that by telling yourself that it's more like acquiring skills to make you money for life.

Search Engine Optimization consultants are highly paid, and you can even start selling your services to gain more income when you become proficient in it.

Once you start seeing profits, you can invest more money in your business, and start growing it.

Don't be tempted to buy very high ticket information products that will teach you how to 'get rich in any niche' because in the end, it'll still boil down to the basics and you'll still have to set 'something up' and promote it.

I'd rather you spend any extra money you have on optimizing and promoting your site.

One word of caution: You need FOCUS to succeed in this business. You must focus on your business and not get sidetracked by all the 'newest stuff' that comes your way. Doing so will only burn a hole in your pocket.

I've given you the steps, it's your call now.

Talk to you soon.

Respectfully,
Jo Han Mok
Midas Touch Marketing
http://www.MasterWordSmith.com

P.S. After getting your ebook Wholesaler account, just send Tom an email and tell him that I sent you. He'll send you a Special Surprise Bonus valued at $97 within 24 hours.

Full details here:
==> http://www.ebookwholesaler.net/r/g.php?u=sp05

How To Turn Content Into Cash

2005-01-26T15:18:00.000+08:00

Marketing Notebooks Of A Master Wordsmith
By Jo Han Mok, Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
www.MasterWordsmith.com
Copyright (C) 2005 All Rights Reserved.

Let me ask you a question. Is your focus on getting referrals and sales, or on building loyal, repeat customers?

If you’ve mastered the PPC engines, you might be able to get away with taking the lazy man’s approach to affiliate marketing and make some decent money. However, if your desire is to reap enormous profits, you’ve got to put in more work than that. You need to learn the difference between pushing a link and pushing content.

If you think about it, your business is really in content and education. Your sales come the commission paid on the merchant’s products, but your product is education.

A great model to follow: a super scaled-down version of About.com. That is the quality and variety of content we’re considering here. If you haven’t visited that site lately, take a moment to familiarize yourself with it. Notice how each topical section is tight and highly focused?

Also, pay attention to your reaction as you browse the site. You’ll see an abundance of information, in fact,more than you can read in one sitting. Now, think about re-creating this feel on your own site. What can you offer your visitors that leaves them feeling in control, interested and wanting more? What can you do to build a devoted audience that comes to you time and again for the information you provide to them?

This is very important. Offer your visitors enough information so that they feel they’re making their own informed choices in the buying process. Of course, you can still “pitch” to them in your newsletters – but content helps you sneak in through the back door of their unconscious resistance. It gets them on the same page with you.

Let’s move it one step further. When you build a loyal audience, an audience absolutely in love with yoursite, you get repeat traffic and you get word of mouth referrals. You get links. Even the search engines are more likely to boost you in the rankings when youprovide this level of informative content. Essentially, you build your site as an authoritative hub on a specific topic.

So the question is, how do you make it work?

Obviously, I’m not recommending that you try to build a site as large as About.com.

In fact, I don’t recommend the general approach at all. You need to find a niche and acquire products for that niche – or, if you’re working in reverse, take a look at your existing affiliate programs and develop content around the products.

You can start with as few as 10 targeted articles. Tryto add 2 to 3 new articles per month and let your content grow over time.

If you aren’t a writer, you can source content from reprint article distribution sites or have content custom written for you by a ghostwriter.

What type of content should you post? Remember thatyour job is to educate the consumer (and, of course, pre-sell them at the same time!). Therefore, you need articles which inform and entertain. Think about the information you would normally send to your subscriber list, and start posting that information on site.

Here’s a good example: Let’s say you’re an affiliate for an insurance company. Here are potential article titles you might have on site:

“Ten Steps to Choosing the Right Health Insurance”
“Insurance Nightmares: What do you do when your provider won’t pay?”
“HMO’s and PPO’s: What’s the Difference?”
"How to File a Claim”
“You’re Out of Job: Should You File for Cobra?”

Remember, article titles are like headlines, and if you want to know how to create headlines and article titles that sizzle, go to http://www.MasterWordsmith.com for more information.

You could add additional tools to this as well, like a free calculator that compares a person’s current insurance costs to that of the average insured consumer their age.

Opportunities for referral link placement abound in this model. You can push your own program, build revenue through Adsense clicks or place other strategic links which tie in well with article content.

The one thing you don’t want to do is leave your visitors hanging without a personal touch from you. Content alone is a bit “cold” without personalization. Notice how About.com uses a community “guide” model? This is the role you’ll take on with your visitors. So, you need to have an autoresponder set up to start collecting leads – build a base of subscribers.

In fact, it’s not a bad idea to place a picture of yourself on site and devote your landing page to an introduction. This is an ideal place to nab potential subscribers. Let them know you’re there to guide them through the maze of content. Not everyone who visits your site will understand all of the information provided, but you can be there to speak personally to them through your newsletter and guide them on thejourney.

Running a site on this scale can be a lot of work. It may not be the model for you if you prefer building mini affiliate sites. However, if you’re devoted to a particular area of interest, this model can sustain you in profit for a long time to come.

What Internet Marketers Can Learn From Obvious Adams

2005-01-26T14:23:00.000+08:00

A very long time ago, 1916 to be exact, The Saturday Evening Post began publishing a column about a young man named “Obvious Adams”. Adams was a fictional caricature of a would-be advertising man who was so simple, and so guileless, in his thinking that he was brilliant in spite of himself.

The column gained popularity in business circles for its plain wisdom and straightforward advice. The Adams narrative wasn’t merely a “good story”, it was a source of actionable information. Each installment found young Adams facing a new marketing challenge bestowed upon him by his employer. His knack for finding the solutions which hid in plain site earned him his namesake.

The story of Adams was finally published in book form by Robert Updegraff and used as a primer for new advertising executives. Although the text is somewhat quaint, it is a quick, pleasant read and I highly recommend locating a copy for your library.

So, what can you learn from Mr. “Obvious Adams”? A lot! We will examine and discuss a few choice excerpts from the work, and reveal their application to your every day marketing challenges.

The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Oil

“I want to get into the advertising business and I want to work for you, and I thought the obvious thing to do was to come and tell you so.”

What is the lesson here? If you want something: ask! Likewise, if you want results, take immediate action.

Let me ask you this: how many opportunities have you let slip past simply because you were afraid to go direct to the source of profit? For example, how long have you had a super joint venture idea sitting on the backburner because you’re afraid to contact potential partners?

In the quoted material, Adams is addressing a fictional advertising big wig named James B.Oswald. Adams had promptly awoken in the morning to pay a visit to the man and ask him for a job. Do you find that a bit gutsy? After all, he’s a no name kid. Oswald runs a huge, profitable corporation.

Similarly, do you ever say to yourself: “Who do I think I am? These big internet marketing gurus won’t give me the time of day”? Well, guess what? They’re human just like you are. They got where they are by asking for what they wanted and needed and by taking action.

When you have a desire and a plan of action, don’t sit around hemming and hawing about it or doubting yourself. Follow Adams’ lead and shut out all other thoughts except the most logical. You want X, do Y. You need to make contacts, go make the contacts.

You can’t know what the possibilities are until you reach for them, and you can’t get what you want unless you ask for it.

Live and Breathe Your Market

“Adams proceeded to study up on the subject of peaches. He though, studied, dreamed and ate peaches, fresh, canned, and pickled. He sent for government bulletins. He spent his evenings studying canning.”

Do you really want to be more competitive? Would you like to know the absolute best price point for your products? Would you like write absolutely killer copy that pulls in sales and outperforms your current control? If you do, then you need to live and breathe in your market.

This is an obvious business principle that often gets overlooked by new home business owners. You jump into a niche and maybe you have some experience – maybe it’s one of your hobbies – but do you really know the industry? Do you know which trade publications to read? Do you know what the current wholesale price is for your product, or what the demand is for your information?

It is very difficult to sell something you don’t know much about. Pick a subject you aren’t familiar with, invent an imaginary product and try writing copy for it. Not very easy, is it?

Now, pick something you do know a lot about, and try to write out everything you know. You’ve probably got a sizeable list, but I ‘ll wager that you’ve left off more than you realize.

Adams went to great lengths to read up on peaches. Peaches! What more can be said about a peach than its piece of fruit, grows on trees and tastes good? Well, as Adams revealed, there’s a lot more to be said.

Don’t ever assume that you know all there is to know about your market, your customers or your product. There is always another feature or benefit hidden somewhere in the fine print, in those day-to-day facts that we are so used to we become immune from them.

Are You ‘Selling’ Enough?

“We have been doing wonderful cake advertising, but we have overlooked the very things you have pointed out in your plan. We have been doing too much advertising and not enough selling.”

Read that last sentence again. It reveals a very important distinction. Advertising and selling are not mirror images of each other.

In fact, the best way to discern the difference between the two is in the following definition: Advertising focuses on features and facts. Selling focuses on benefits.

AD

We offer the very best in leather jackets. Our spring sale features 50% discounts and free shipping!

Sales Pitch

The soft, supple skin of our top-of-the line bomber jacket will make everyone envious of you! The wool-lined interior will keep you warm in the winter so you can brave the harshest elements. The zip out feature lets you use the jacket in cool weather, too – so you won’t be too hot or too cold- but you’ll still look stylish!

An advertisement says: “Here is our product. Here’s what it can do. Here’s how much it costs.” On the other hand, a powerful piece of sales copy says: “You’ll feel 10 years younger and rekindle your love with our product: Here, touch it, feel it, test it, have a sample of it.”

An advertising campaign creates brand awareness and creates general interest. A sales campaign captures that interest and converts it into desire.

So, if your conversion rates aren’t what you’d like them to be, the first thing to do is check your copy. Does your sales letter read like one big advertisement? You’re spending money on traffic, but what are the customers seeing once they arrive at your site? Are they being sold effectively?

There is always a reason for the customer’s decision not to buy, and failure to execute good salesmanship is one of them. It doesn’t matter how good your product is or what it costs. It doesn’t matter if you’re giving away millions of dollar worth of value for pennies on the dollar. If the customer can’t see the benefits of owning the product himself, he won’t buy.

The Path of Least Resistance: Common Sense

“It’s that everlasting obviousness in Adams that I banked on. He doesn’t get carried away from the facts; he just looks them squarely in the face and then proceeds to analyze, and that is half the battle.

Indeed, many of the answers to your most pressing marketing challenges are hidden within common sense. The problem is that many people just don’t enjoy thinking. They’re lazy and thought takes up too much energy. Imagine how much expense you could save yourself if only you were to put in the hard work of an honest analysis of your business – and that means sitting down and analyzing:

Your overhead
Your prices
Your copy
Your traffic stats and logs
Customer feedback
Keyword performance
Email campaign data on open rates and conversions

The answers you find can sometimes be as simple as having a server crash or a non-working order link, or as tricky as a design element on your page which looks fine to you but confuses prospects and drives them away.

You should test and track every element of your sales chain. This means you need to pay attention to your traffic sources, to the copy on the links from those sources, to the landing page which gives visitors their first impression, to the follow up material you send. Each element plays an important role in fine-tuning the prospect’s mind and opening it up for your ultimate pitch.

Any weak link in the chain can cost you sales. Imagine one day that you send out an offer to your list without first double checking that the link works? Then, you have to send out a second message to apologize and provide the correct link. The odds are good that a significant percentage of your list won’t bother opening the second e-mail. If you’d reached them the first time, though, there would be money in your pocket.

Some of the other ‘gotchas’ that can ruin a campaign: click fraud on the pay per click engines, product theft, missed customer support emails and wasted money on underperforming keywords and other forms of advertising.

There’s no real excuse for being lazy on these things! Yes, you can try to cut corners, but you’ll pay for it at some point. It’s like a brick and mortar merchant leaving the doors unlocked at night. You’re practically guaranteed to experience a wipe out sooner or later.

In Conclusion

There’s an old classic from the same era as “Obvious Adams” called How to Live on 24 Hours a Day. The wisdom one can glean from Adams’ straightforward and common sense approach to business could be called How to Market on 24 Hours a Day. Too often we over-complicate things when the simple answer is staring us right in the face. Learn to step back and execute a ‘horse-sense’ analysis of the facts at hand. The time you save, and the profits you keep, will be immeasurable.

Also, if you want to lay your hands on the original "Obvious Adams" book, you can find a copy at http://www.MasterWordSmith.com