Welcome to the NEW weekly e-zine Business Consultant Weekly

Issue #8 September 7, 1998 HAPPY LABOR DAY!

Business Consultant Weekly is a FREE newsletter brought to you by NetChecks of Quartz Hill, CA <http://netcheckspayroll.com> helping small and home businesses succeed.

The goal of this newsletter is to bring insight into the challenges you face whether you're going it alone or working in a group to carve out a niche in the business world. Increase your cash flow and productivity with informative articles on time management, marketing, daily operations and read messages from well-known motivational speakers that will keep focused on your goal.

This e-zine is emailed only to those who have requested it. If you do not wish to receive future issues, please see the unsubscribe instructions below. Also understand that we do not make available our subscriber list to other companies. We value each subscriber's privacy.

Advertisers: Target your ads with low-cost, effective e-zine advertising that reaches others interested in succeeding online. Place your ads here for results. See details at the end of the classifieds.

In this issue:

1) Tip of the Week

2) FEATURE ARTICLE: Write Ads That Work by Binnie Perper

3) Classifieds

4) FREE Resources

5) MOTIVATIONAL MESSAGE: Your 12 Point Plan for Personal Success by Stephan Iscoe

"Tip of the Week"

It is estimated that by the year 2002, 50% of American adults or roughly 100 million people, will be using email. Reaching that number of potential consumers with a sales message is an advertiser's dream.

In light of the numbers, many marketers just choose to spam through mailing lists harvested from web sites, classifieds, newsgroups, etc. Since spamming goes against long-time internet standards and it differs from direct mail in that the recipient essentially bears the cost through their internet connection and email account, the spammer is actually forcing the recipient to pay the cost of their advertising. No wonder spamming is met with such distaste.

Okay, so spamming is out...what then? Here are a few ideas:

1. Create a mailing list of your current customers, prospects that have requested information from you, your vendors and suppliers or other businesses that you have established a relationship with. Use this list to announce new products, special offers or news about your company. Remember current customers are your best customers...do you have an upgraded product or back-end product?

2. Build a list strictly for promotion. This list should include past customers and prospects. It should be opt-in, or voluntary, and can be built online and off. Ask people for their email addresses when they visit your site or when they complete surveys in exchange for a free gift, report or sample. Build trust with your list recipients by informing them that you will be sending them commercial email and give them easy instructions on how to remove from the list. Also, don't abuse the list by emailing too frequently or selling it to another company.

3. There are also opt-in lists that you can access for a fee. The difference between these lists and spam is how they are compiled. Rather than harvesting the addresses, opt-in providers build their lists by recruiting recipients for commercial email in an area of interest to them. These lists are typically smaller than spam lists but much more targeted and have a willing audience for your offer.

FEATURE ARTICLE

Write Ads That Work by Binnie Perper

The most common complaint about advertising-whether in print, on the web or on the air-is that advertising doesn't work. That is, it doesn't deliver the hoped-for result. Yet, when asked, few of the complainants can define the result they anticipated before running the ad, sending out the mailer, producing the newsletter, putting up the web site or signing up for a coupon package.

So now I'm going to let you in on the first secret of successful advertising: You can't hit the target if you weren't aiming for it in the first place. So ask yourself:

1. WHAT DO I WANT THIS ADVERTISING TO DO?

Your goal may be to:

* Move out old merchandise.

* Persuade the prospect to ask for more information.

* Set up an in-person sales appointment.

* Establish your expertise.

* Get a first foot-in-the-door order.

* Introduce a new product, or product line.

* Sell X amount of product this weekend, this week, this month or this year.

* Draw new customers.

* Convince existing customers to make larger or more frequent purchases.

* Beef up business on a particular day or in a particular season.

* Get customers to refer their colleagues, family or friends to you.

2. WHAT'S THE VIEW FROM MY CUSTOMERS' SHOES?

Write down everything you know about your customers or prospects-age, family characteristics, lifestyle, aspirations, habits of mind, job or family pressures, economic advantages or disadvantages, etc. Don't guess-ask them. (Customers are usually flattered to considered important enough to be surveyed for their ideas and opinions.)

Also, write down whether or not they are:

* Already familiar with you

* Completely unfamiliar with you

* Currently buying from your competition

* New to your area

* New to your product or service category-e.g. this will be their first purchase

The last vital item is: What benefits do they want from a product or service like yours? For example, they may want:

* Pampered service/luxury product

* Plain-Jane styling or self-service

* Safety/security * Flexibility

* Snob-appeal

* Ease of use

Put all of this information in writing so you can create a "typical customer". Then put yourself in that person's shoes and look at your company, product or service from THEIR perspective as you write your advertising.

PUT THIS PROJECT IN ITS PLACE

Where does the current advertising piece fit into the buying process? Part of its purpose, #1 above, will depend upon whether its role is to spark interest, present convincing information or ask for the sale.

If yours is a high-ticket item, you may want to offer a video or catalog in your ad as the first step in the sales process. If you're selling less pricey items, you may want to ask for the sale right now. Your brochure may be a leave-behind or take-home after the prospect has seen your product or learned the details of your service. Or it may go out in the mail to generate leads. Or you may use it with a sales letter to respond to inquiries.

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

Now, get set to create your ad, brochure or mailer.

* Organize your selling points to tell an interesting story that has a beginning, middle and wrap-up at the end.

* Divide copy into short, easy to read sentences and section.

* Use sub-headlines, bullet points, numbered lists and other visual devices to make for easy reading.

* Create urgency or offer a reward, if possible.

* Tell the reader to take the next step in the sales process-call, write, come in, place order, send money, etc.

* Don't forget the obvious-your name, address, phone, fax, e-mail, web site.

Visit http://www.big-idea.com for more articles on advertising.

Binnie Perper writes advertising copy and technical communications for local, regional and national companies in a wide variety of industries. She owns Writing By Design in Ferndale, WA. 1-800-583-4923

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MOTIVATIONAL MESSAGE

Your 12 Point Plan for Personal Success by Stephan Iscoe

No one becomes successful by accident. Success requires making a plan and sticking to it. It is simple, but does require commitment; it is not hard to do, but does require hard work. The good news is that once you begin, the results start coming almost instantly. The miracle of successful living is that the smallest step towards success attracts more success! Here is a very brief outline of the key points that will help you achieve the highest levels of success.

1. Look into the nearest mirror - the person staring back at you is the only person responsible for your success. Smile! No one else is the cause of your success or to blame for your short comings. Successful people take full responsibility for their actions.

2. Smile back at your reflection. Successful people are cheerful, optimistic, and forward thinking. If you think you don't have anything to smile about, smile anyway. Positive thoughts drive out negative thoughts. It's hard to have a negative thought while you are smiling!

3. Positive self-esteem is the foundation for success. Feel good about yourself and your abilities, achievements and potential. Don't dwell on your mistakes. Remind and praise yourself on your past accomplishments. Congratulate yourself for taking positive steps toward a more successful future.

4. Believe in yourself. You are here for a purpose. God doesn't make extras just to fill in the scenery. Find your mission and begin working to fulfill it.

5. Desire to be a success. Decide right now that you will be successful. Commit to being successful.

6. Associate with successful people. Do what they do. When faced with choices, make the choice a successful person would make. Blow your bonus check on a gambling trip or invest it?

7. Avoid unsuccessful people. Do not under any circumstances associate with negative people. Negative people are toxic; they destroy, they do not build. They are vampires that can live only by draining the life from others. The odds are greater that they will pull you down faster than you can lift them up. You can choose to stay away from all the negative people in your life. Avoid all the whiners, complainers, blamers and thumbsuckers.

8. Do what you are best at and what you get the most satisfaction from. There is no reason to stay stuck doing things that are frustrating, boring, unhealthy, unproductive, demeaning or unfulfilling.

9. Write down a vision of how you want to live your life. Be specific. Where you want to live, what kind of carpet, who your friends are, the pony's name, what the new church rec hall you donated looks like, etc. Make a Future Scrapbook; paste in pictures, drawings, essays, clippings. Make up news headlines about your achievements. Every day visualize yourself as you would like to be - and then act that way!

10. Write down your biggest goal, the one you most want to fulfill. Write it in the present tense, "I am...", "I have...", "I contribute...". Success is the result of a personal decision, so start your goal with "I". Read your goal aloud every morning and night. Tell people your goal. Make a plan to achieve your goal and stick to it.

11. Study the science of success. Read books, listen to tapes, watch videos and positive TV programming. Talk to successful people and ask them how they became successful. Fill your mind with positive thoughts and give yourself positive self-affirmations.

12. Every day do something that brings you closer to your goal. Never give up. You can only fail if you quit trying. Keep on keeping on and you will succeed. Achieving success requires following a system. Begin today by putting these 12 points into daily practice.

Everybody experiences fear of failure, uncertainty, insecurity, low self-esteem, indecision, depression, nervousness and embarrassment. Successful people master these temporary conditions by taking positive action, by sticking to their plan, by maintaining their vision of the future, by learning from setbacks and by rededicating themselves to the pursuit of their mission. By following these simple steps you will become successful and achieve all that you desire.

(c) Copyright S. Iscoe, 1998. Please feel free to copy and distribute this article, but only in its entirety, including this notice and the following credit lines.

Stephan Iscoe is a successful consultant and trainer in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Stephan welcomes your feedback at 888-842-5651. Mailto:stephan@linktosuccess.com Visit http://LinktoSuccess.com

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