I don’t know about you, but I secretly love watching infomercials. I enjoy dissecting how they sell, how they get people excited, how they entice people to take action now and pick up the phone and order something they completely don’t need!
As you know, these programs always offer a huge bonus or multiple bonuses for […]

Did you know that marketing isn’t only about getting your clients or customers? It’s also about KEEPING them, and keeping them happy. That’s a big key to growing your business, because not only will those customers themselves keep coming back to you for more, but they’ll send their friends and colleagues as well.
Studies done by […]

When a prospect is deciding to hire you, register for your program, or buy your product online, you aren’t there in person to help convince them you’re “for real.” That means you have to go the extra mile by building credibility, so your web visitor immediately can trust you!
One of the easiest and most effective […]

I admit that for some time I was resistant to doing any marketing via old fashioned snail mail. After all, email is FREE (at least for the time being). Why pay to print and mail anything at all? I mean, I’m the Ezine Queen - not the direct mail queen! And I was already making […]

Twiddling your thumbs and waiting for some business to come in? Why not use this downtime to set yourself up for greater success in the new year? Here are my 10 picks, but you don’t have to do them all. Even doing just one will get you another rung higher on your business ladder.
1. Evaluate […]

One day a few months ago, I emptied my mailbox after being away for several days.
Because I give regularly to charities, I seem to be on the mailing lists of every organization in the world. So there were plenty of solicitations to sort through.
Usually I toss most of the envelopes I receive, the ones with […]

I’m guessing that right now there are several marketing tasks you’ve been putting off. Perhaps it’s revamping your website. Or sending out your first e-zine. Or getting listed in the search engines. Or putting together a media kit.
So why haven’t you done it?
Believe me, this is a battle I fight with myself too. But you […]

Many new business owners ask me, “Should I offer a money-back guarantee? I know it will help sales, but the risk really scares me.” I offer guarantees on everything I sell, but that doesn’t mean you should too. Here are some factors to consider and some ideas to get you started.
The Pros:
A guarantee puts your […]

From past years of experience in selling information products online, I knew that December sales are generally always slow. So this year I decided to try something different - have a sale.
I was always nervous in the past about having a sale. Would it diminish the value on my information in people’s minds? Would it […]

Over the past two years I’ve immersed myself in learning. Because my business is marketing, I have mostly attended and spoken at marketing seminars. But I also make time to attend seminars and listen to audio programs on personal development as well.
Why?
You should actually work harder on yourself than you do on your job. I […]

Every week I publish my ezine, I get almost instantaneous feedback. Most of the time it’s wonderful comments like “Thank you for all you do, Ali!” and “I really appreciated this article. It gave me tips I could really use on that subject.” Or “Great teleseminar you’re offering - it’s just what I need to […]

A client of mine, whom I’ll call “Mary,” is a financial planner. She’d had a Web site for a few years that pretty much served as an online brochure for her. When Mary came to me, she was looking for other ways to generate income besides working directly with clients.
During our first conversation I introduced […]

A few years ago I spoke at a large marketing conference in Atlanta, Georgia. One woman approached my display table to ask a few questions. Honestly she was so attractive it was intimidating. Tall with a pretty face, understated jewelry, a blue designer suit with beautiful shoes and a high-end bag. She looked like she’d […]

There’s one marketing condition I see over and over with my clients, and it’s called “but-I’m-not-an-expert-itis”. These people are afraid to play bigger because they think it’s not their time yet. (The important words there being “they think”.) They’re waiting for something to happen - a degree, a certification, a blessing from the gods in […]

If you’re considering hiring copywriting help for your next brochure, Web site, or marketing project. Congratulations! You should get great results if you hire a pro to do it right.
Many business owners and marketing professionals have valid concerns about letting an outsider develop their content. After all — it’s your business, you know it best, […]

I remember when I first launched my first business as a copywriter seven years ago, I had no clue what to charge. Without putting hard thought into what type of results my work gave my clients, I started out with an hourly rate that didn’t scare ME! I would still even stutter when I said […]

Have you ever accidentally lost an important file on your computer? Perhaps your computer crashed (again) or your cat sauntered over a dooming sequence of keys. Remember that little pang in your stomach you felt when you realized that file was gone for good?
OK, now imagine losing your entire e-zine subscriber list or customer list. […]

I hate to admit this, but I’ve ordered more than one gadget or doohickey from TV infomercials. It’s usually been when I’m back East visiting my parents around the holidays, snowed in and bored to tears, and watching TV I’d never dream of watching in my “real life”.
For example, last year I bought the “Hair […]

It was the fall of 1998 when I had just started my first business as a marketing communications writer. Most of my clients hired me for newsletters, brochures, and sales materials, but I would get the occasional request for something different. At the time I was too naive to consider saying “no” to any project […]

Can I share a secret with you?
I love working out. So much that several years ago I considered a career in fitness. I modeled for Reebok and Ironman magazine, made it to the final round for hosting a fitness TV show, and I moonlit as an aerobics instructor and personal trainer for several years while […]

Sales letters, sent via e-mail or snail mail, are an effective and inexpensive way to get your message out. Even if your letter goes out to thousands of people, it can give the feel of a personal communication — IF you write it in a direct and conversational tone.
To get your creative juices flowing, here […]

When I coach my entrepreneur clients, one problem I often see is that they’re not taking enough time to market and grow their business. It’s not that they don’t understand the value of those efforts, or […]