In this issue:

1) Tip of the Week

2) FEATURE ARTICLE: Developing your Verbal Logo by Gary Lockwood

3) CLASSIFIEDS

4) FREE Resources

5) POWERQUOTE

6) MANAGEMENT MINUTE: Picture Your Business Down on Main Street by jl scott, ph.d.

If you'd like to read previously ran tips and features, go to http://netcheckspayroll.com/newsletter.html

The author of today's feature article suggests developing a mini-message to quickly promote your business. Here's a few more ideas from Larry Dotson for spreading the word:

When You Give, You Shall Receive by Larry Dotson

You can increase your marketing exposure effortlessly by placing your ad on free stuff, then allow other people to give it away. The more people that give away your free stuff the more your ad will be seen.

Most free stuff can be created easily and without little or no expense. Electronic freebies are perfect because with these types of freebies there's no shipping or physical material costs.

Below are some popular types of electronic freebies.

Free e-Coupons/e-Gift Certificates-Give your visitors free electronic coupons and gift certificates for your products or services.

Free e-Books-Give your visitors a free electronic book. The e-book should be related to your web site theme.

Free e-Reports-Give your visitors free electronic reports. The reports could be in autoresponder form or in text format.

Free e-Courses-Give your visitors a free electronic courses. They could e-mail your follow-up autoresponder and be sent a lesson each day.

Free Software-Give your visitors free software. It could be a game or a useful utility. Just have them download it right from your web site.

Free Online Services/Utilities-Give your visitors free online services or utilities. They should be ready to use right from your web site.

In conclusion, when you use this marketing strategy it will quickly spread your advertising all over the internet. ---- 1075 FREE Internet Marketing E-Books! http://www.ldpublishing.com

Developing your Verbal Logo

by Gary Lockwood mailto:Gary@BizSuccess.com

The next 30 seconds may determine whether you get your funding, make the sale or establish your point-of-view!

In this fast-paced, mile-a-minute world, you often have only a few seconds to get your message across. Most modern television and radio commercials are no more than 30 seconds. Where could you use an effective 30 second commercial message about your business? These mini-messages are ideal for investor meetings, networking meetings, trade shows, interviews, sales calls or any situation where you need to quickly promote your business.

How do you develop these messages effectively? Think in terms of "sound bites". Prepare your brief message just like a speech, with an opener, the content and the closing. Let's examine each of these in more detail.

The Opening

The purpose of your opening is to grab attention. You must assume that your audience is generally as busy and preoccupied as you are. So you need to first get their attention with a question, "grabber" words, humor or an interesting visual.

Using a question as an opener causes the listener to stop and think. "Do you want to change the world?" "How many new prospects do you want today?" "When do you want to feel good again?" Once you have their attention, your message can help them answer the question.

Grabber words are designed to startle, shock or at least cause your listener to want to listen to what's coming next. The first sentence of this article is an example.

A funny comment or an eye-catching visual are always effective ways to get the attention of your listeners in a hurry. Obviously, any of these openings must be relevant to your message, or they will confuse your listeners.

The Content

Once you have their attention, relate your main message. Since you usually have only three or four sentences, you need to craft this message carefully. The most effective message is the one that states what your business can do for the listener. In other words, talk about the benefits to be received by using your product or service. Don't say "I'm a dentist". Say "I improve the health and well-being of my clients. Healthy teeth help you look good and feel good".

The bottom line is that your listeners don't care what you do. They care about what you can do for them. Talk in terms of results, feelings, benefits, outcomes, ideas. Imagine your listener with a sign on their forehead that reads "So what? What's in it for me?" Remember, you only have 30 seconds. There will be time later to explain how you do these great things.

The Closing

Here is where you ask for action. As a result of your 30 second commercial, you want your listener to do something or think something. Ask:

"When can we meet?" "Give me your business card". "Call today". "When you think of shoes, think of The Shoemaster".

Also appropriate is your catchy tag line. The closing may be the only part of your message that your listener will remember. What do you want them to remember?

So, there it is. Your miniature speech takes only 30 seconds. And it has a beginning, a middle and an ending. What can you do to make all this come out sounding and looking smooth, confident and compelling? Prepare and practice. Prepare by writing out your message, thinking through the key elements and deciding exactly what you want your listener to be doing or thinking at the end of your message.

Practice by saying your message aloud. Rehearse this brief speech. Saying it aloud causes you to pay attention to the sound and cadence. Practice in front of a mirror and you will see the gestures and body language that make up such a large part of the communication. Remember, it's not just what you say, it's how you say what you say that makes the difference.

For your 30 second commercial to really be effective, you must act like you mean it, sound like you mean it and look like you mean it. How do others realize that you really mean what you say? They notice your enthusiasm, your mannerisms, your tone of voice, your posture.

Part of your preparation is to be consciously aware of your non-verbal communication. If possible, video yourself giving your message. Replay the tape several times. Once to listen and observe the overall effect of your message. Watch it again without sound. What are you telling the audience by your posture, body language, facial expressions and your gestures? Do you look and act like you really mean it?

Replay the tape again with your eyes closed. Listen for distracting sounds such as "uh", "ah", "ya know" or sighs. All these things subtract from the effectiveness of your main message.

In our MTV-world of excessive sights and sounds and experiences, make your point and get your message across in a well prepared, well rehearsed 30 second commercial. Think of it as a brief speech.

Mix preparation with inspiration and you'll get a standing ovation.

© 1999 BizSuccess All rights reserved. No duplication

About the Author... Gary Lockwood is Your Business Coach. Grow your business, make more money and have more fun. Get the Unique, Do-It-Yourself Business Success Kits - FREE To get yours, go to http://www.BizSuccess.com/freekits.htm Get GaryÕs business newsletter free at mailto:bizsuccess-on@bizsuccess.com Visit http://www.bizsuccess.com * Mailto:Gary@BizSuccess.com Office: (800) 272-1575 (USA) * Fax: (815) 361-3041 For your FREE report on ÒGetting Breakthroughs in Your BusinessÓ, email BizSuccess@myreply.com

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"The only true gift is a portion of yourself."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Questions to Ponder

Who have I given a portion of myself to?

Who has given me this truest of gifts?

Have I thanked them for this gift?

Copyright the Discian Group from the Powerquotes ezine. See http://discian.com/powerquote.htm for more information.

Picture Your Business Down on Main Street

by jl scott, ph.d.

I receive more questions - and complaints - regarding what is truly professional in online payment systems than any other single subject. Over time, it has become clear to me that online business owners are falling victim to the erroneous belief that business is "different" on the Internet.

Business is business; it is what it is - online or off! The only difference with a business online is its ability to reach world wide customers at little expense and the speed with which it may be conducted.

If you want to offer online payment on your website in the most professional manner possible, all you have to do is picture what you would do if your business was down on Main Street. Think about it.

What payment options would you offer if you had walk-in customers? Cash certainly is not a viable option for Internet sales since the customer isn't standing in front of you. So we can lay that one aside.

Credit cards, of course, along with the ability to have the charge accepted or rejected on the spot. Online, we call that "real-time processing." Off-line, we call it normal procedure.

The option most rigorously argued - and resisted - however, is that of the online check payment option. Down on Main Street, you would also accept checks from customers. You might even have a service that verifies the funds for the check on the spot. Would you tell a customer that (s)he couldn't write you a check to pay for merchandise? Won't be in business very long if you do!

And, what if your customer is also a business owner who wishes to pay you for a business expense with a company check? Will you insist that (s)he use a credit card? If you do, you may be contributing to that business owner breaking the conditions of his/her contract with the issuing bank.

Without an online check payment option, other online business owners often use their personal credit cards for business expenses on the Internet. This is done in violation of their contracts with the issuing banks.

If you are a business owner - and you are paying business expenses online with your personal credit cards - please, listen up! Your credit cards can be revoked - and immediate payment in full demanded for the balance! Want THAT on your credit report?

Only credit cards issued to corporations, or to a registered company name, may legally be used for business expenses. Business owners who are aware of this do not use personal credit cards for business expenses.

Without the option to write an online company check, they must send their payments via regular mail. These business owners, who are upholding their credit card contracts, should also be given the option for quick payment. Fail to offer me an online check option and I'll guarantee you - you'll lose MY business!

While we're on the subject, no savvy small-business owner is going jack up their business expenses by paying that incredible interest on credit cards. What kind of business sense is that?

Daily operating expenses (not business loans) should be paid in full every month. A personal credit card is not a business loan! Then, if you pay even a business credit card (except American Express) in full every month, the issuing bank will cancel your card. It's a catch-22 situation.

They are in business to make money from that interest on your failure to pay in full each month. And, you won't be in business very long if you pay it. It WILL come back, sooner or later, and bite you on the ol' wazoo!

Now yes, it is difficult for online companies outside the USA to set up online check options. But, not impossible. Companies in the U.S. do offer this out-sourcing service even though they usually only accept U.S. checks. Since almost 90% of online buyers are in the U.S., why should this be a big problem?

Next issue. If your customer down on Main Street paid you with a check, would you tell him/her to come back and pick up the merchandise after their check clears the bank? Nope! Yet it's done all the time for Internet sales. Deliveries delayed for check clearance. How professional is that?

You may have to eat a check once in awhile - but all businesses do. Online or off - it's a cost of doing business.

It never ceases to amaze me how many online merchants seem to think that they can run a business without ANY of the same "costs of doing business" that they would have down on Main Street. Obvious inexperience.

I don't do business with them. In the long run they are going to cost ME, as the customer, more than I'm willing to pay in terms of things other than money.

And finally, what if your company down on Main Street sells a service wherein you never need to see the customer? Would you tell customers that they can't send you a check? Of course, you wouldn't! Why then do so many online merchants fail to provide for payment by regular mail? My guess is that it's because they don't want you to know where they are. What does that tell you about the advisability of doing business with them?

So, there it is. The criteria for professionalism hasn't changed just because it came online. The next time you're wondering how to treat - and what to offer - your customers, picture your business down on Main Street. Then, act accordingly.

jl scott, ph.d., Author (C) 1999, All Rights Reserved

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dr. jl scott is the Director of the International Association for Professionalism Online (IAPO) http://www.IAPOnline.org - and also the publisher of MONDAY MEMO! - the ezine dedicated to Professionalism on the Web. For your FREE subscription: mailto:subscribe@MondayMemo.org Be sure to read jl's new e-book, "Kickin Butt & Takin' Names!" http://MondayMemo.org/e-book.htm

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