It will only take 3 minutes to view but it’s truly amazing what it communicates in that short period of time. In this video you’ll be introduced to “Metromoms” - entrepreneurial women who want to be successful on their own terms - click here to watch the video.

Please also spread the word to every cool woman you can think of that will connect with the Metromom vision.

Make sure that they don’t get lost in the rest of your copy. Mike Capuzzi, a well-known copywriter, recommended in a webinar I recently attended to insert testimonials in a screen box and using a handwritten font to dramatically increase response.

In previous blogs I’ve talked about the best way to get a good testimonial – while they’re hot. If you provide excellent service you’ll get positive feedback and that’s the IDEAL time to get a testimonial from them.

If you haven’t been regularly obtaining testimonials you can always backtrack and contact customers you know are happy with their results. In this case call or email them and ask if they would like to participate.

Give Them a Formula

If they agree send them the following formula to help them get started. (Take a few minutes and personalize this formula for the best results.)

1. Please share any sincere and enthusiastic expressions of the benefits and results you’ve enjoyed from my service/product. What stands out in your mind? How is my service/product different?

2. Before (hiring me or buying my product) what were the biggest challenges or problems you faced?

3. Please share the three or more significant improvements (if you can be specific please include the number of clients/ revenue growth/increased productivity etc.) thanks to (my product or service).

4. (This is completely optional; let me know if you want to include the following line.) If anyone has specific question or wants to know more about the value of your (service or product), please have them call/e-mail me. I’ll be happy to talk to them about it. (List name, company name, e-mail, website and phone.)

People have the best of intentions but are often busy. Tell them that they can jot down their ideas in an informal format and you will edit their testimonial and send it to them for their final approval.

Have you had success getting testimonials? Please post a comment, I’d love to hear your suggestions.

What’s great is that there are a lot of simple and inexpensive marketing solutions.

1. Article Marketing - Write informative articles and post them on article directories. According to Charlie Page, the owner of the Directory of Ezines, there are over 300,000 ezines out there and an estimated 90% of them use free articles in their ezines.

2. Press Releases - Get some free publicity—what small business owner doesn’t want that? As an extra bonus using an internet distribution service will give your website a traffic boost since these sites rank high on search engines.

3. Amazon - Amazon provides terrific opportunities to promote yourself and your website.

4. Signature Line - Another easy tip is to include a call to action following your signature line in every email you send out - visit my blog, sign-up for my newsletter, take a look at my new e-book.

5. Testimonials - We all love getting testimonials but it’s also a great idea to give testimonials. It’s a simple way to market yourself as an expert in your field and include a link back to your website.

6. Flyers - If you have clients that come to your place of business make sure you have marketing materials visible. For example, you can post a flyer announcing a special promotion or have current newsletters available for them to pick up. If your only interaction is a monthly invoice, take advantage of the opportunity to slip in some marketing material like a newsletter or flyer.

7. Ezines - One of the best and most inexpensive ways to communicate with clients is email. There are inexpensive programs that will allow you to automate the process and send your clients regular email newsletters.

8. Blog - Regular blogging will increase the frequency with which search engine “spiders” visit your site. A blog also helps you position yourself as an expert in your field.

9. Squidoo - There’s no charge to set-up your own page on Squidoo. I know SEO experts who rely heavily on Squidoo to generate website traffic.

10. Social Networking - Facebook and LinkedIn are two of the most popular sites out there. Social networking is not just for teenagers anymore. The biggest marketing experts are on there and you should be too!

It’s easy to put marketing on the back burner, especially if that’s not your “thing”. Instead of getting overwhelmed try picking out a couple of the solutions—that will work best for you and your business—and then schedule some time to put them into action. Get some momentum going and you’ll generate results.

There is an even greater need for rapport when you’re selling a product or service online. The internet is impersonal by nature. Here are a few suggestions that will help you establish that rapport with potential customers:

1. Make the person reading your copy feel as if you are writing directly to them. Use the words “you” and “I”.

2. Say “you” more than “I.” In fact, go ahead and count how many times you say “you” versus how many times you refer to yourself or your company. It shouldn’t even be close. Save the “I” or “we” for the About Us page on your site.

3. When writing have a specific person in mind and write it for them. Try to think of someone you know that is in your target market but knows little or nothing about your product.

4. Be authentic and sincere. Let your personality shine through. You won’t seem like a salesperson, you’ll come across as a real person.

If you have questions about your copyright or perhaps a trademark you should contact an attorney. Copyright, IP & Trademark Lawyers specialize in these issues. I recently came upon a website that explained the basics of copyright. Freeadvice.com provides easy-to-understand legal information to consumers and small businesses. Here are the questions they answer:

• I have a great idea. Can I copyright it?
• How long is copyright protection valid on new works?
• What is a “Copyright”?
• What rights does a copyright owner have?
• If I buy a copyrighted work, why can’t I do anything with it I want?
• When do you have a copyright?
• Can I use someone else’s copyrighted work?

Here is the link to the section on copyrighting - http://law.freeadvice.com/intellectual_property/copyright_law/115

I now can empathize with my clients. It’s a process to put together a website and when you’re investing your time and your money you want to do it right. Of course, my job is to help clients determine the right copy for their website. My advice to you whether your hiring a copywriter or a web designer is find someone you work well with and who is patient. Thankfully my designer has been patient with me!

I also want to mention that I’ve made it easier to post comments on my blog. You no longer have to jump through so many hoops so feel free to leave a comment.

Find a descriptive name for yourself too—for example I might call myself Jen Odear, The Internet Writing Pro. That makes it clear my area of expertise because Jen Odear by itself doesn’t mean a whole lot, at least to most people…

There are three ways you can generate some buzz within Amazon and encourage visitors to click on your profile:

1. Book Reviews - Write a book review. I’m not talking about just any book you’ve read, I’m talking about books related to your expertise. Books that your target audience is interested in reading.  When they find that book they find you, because your book review will show-up on the page. Give an informed opinion on what you like—or don’t like—about the book.  People who are interested in what you have to say will scroll over your name and a window will pop-up with your information—very cool!
2. Create Listmania Lists - Listmania allows you to create lists of Amazon books or products that you recommend. It’s an effective way to show that you’re a “well read” expert in your field.  Give your list a catchy name but make sure it’s obvious what category you’re covering. This is a great way to get yourself listed throughout Amazon.
3. So You’d Like to . . . Guides – This is another great area to post any “how to” articles you have relating to your field.  Make them informative and interesting, this isn’t free advertising but it will help your target audience find you.

There’s also a new feature that allows authors who sell products on Amazon to send their blog posts to readers who have bought their books on Amazon or have signed up to receive their posts. Something authors should definitely check-out.

If you have any tips on using Amazon as a marketing tool please share them with me! Also contact me if you’d like more information on how to implement these strategies - www.internetwritingpro.com/contact.

Copywriters obviously spend most of their time writing about their clients’ products and services.  Do you need to believe in the value of the service or product to write persuasive copy? Yes, you do. Many of my clients seem to be aware of how important it is to find a copywriter that’s truly engaged. I’ve observed when they’re in the process of hiring me that they are often looking for my honest impressions. That’s smart!

When you hire a copywriter, or any kind of a marketing professional, find out what they think about your service/product? This might take a bit of probing but it’s worth the effort. You want someone who is going to be authentic and sincere in their writing.

A few times I’ve declined projects for that very reason. I knew my heart wasn’t in it and it wouldn’t be fair to this potential client to let them hire me so I referred them to someone I thought would be more appropriate. Some writers or marketing professionals might not be that upfront with you. So take it upon yourself to find out what they really think. Your reward will be authentic, persuasive copy.

 Authors who just focus on writing a great book are going to miss the key to success—your book proposal needs to SELL YOU not just your book. In today’s competitive market publishers are looking for authors that have marketing savvy. They are looking for authors with some national visibility. So before you approach the publisher, you should establish yourself as an “expert” through speaking engagements, seminars, articles, media coverage and a strong Internet presence. Then you have to package you book proposal in a way that will showcase all this expertise!

Need more advice? I recommend Rick Frishman’s newsletter which contains loads of helpful tips for authors. You can sign-up at www.rickfrishman.com. Feel free to contact me with questions or take a look at some of the services I provide for authors at http://www.internetwritingpro.com/services.html.

Sometimes you have to get away from something to really appreciate its value. I think that’s good advice if you’re an entrepreneur promoting a new service or product. Sometimes we’re just too close. If you can afford to hire a marketing expert—go for it. If they’re good it will be worth every penny.

If you can’t hire someone, find some friends or colleagues to give you a FRESH perspective. It should be someone who is successful at promoting themselves. Encourage them to be honest and listen to their perspective. It might reveal something you’ve never considered before. You can also take advantage of my free initial consultation. Contact me to set-up a time that works for you - info@internetwritingpro.com.