When Internet Marketing Gurus Sell Their Soul

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When Internet Marketing Gurus Sell Their Soul

 by: Gobala Krishnan

If you're just getting started in Internet Marketing, you may be awed by the amount of "Internet Gurus" out there, each one making millions of dollars (or so they claim) and for some reason seem more than willing, for a fee, to teach you their biggest, most intimate secrets.

Well, I believe in one thing - "If it sounds too good to be true, it most probably is!"

While I have no doubt about the specialized skills and techniques used by these gurus, it can get a little too frustrating simply getting tangled and lost in all their hype, and find almost no value at the end of the day. Hype - that's one thing I agree these guru's are really good at. For some of them, unfortunately, hype is the only thing they're good at.

So the question, for those who are trying to master Internet Marketing, might be:

1. Can I learn anything from these gurus without paying money?

2. Who's real and who's not?

3. Whose Internet marketing methods should I follow?

Question 1: Can I Learn Something for Free?

Most Internet guru's have opt-in newsletters on specialized subjects like website marketing, Pay-Per-Click advertising, search engine optimization or whatever specialized skill they have "mastered". Almost all of them try to convince you to subscribe to their newsletter in return for some kind of "breakthrough" report, and promise to deliver "valuable information" weekly or monthly to your email address. Sounds great...

Here's what happens 2 weeks later - You realize that the "breakthrough report" is the same old regurgitated information which you can find almost anywhere. You might also realize that the "valuable information" almost never comes without any hidden agenda. The "valuable information" usually turns out to be a soft-selling ad (sometimes even blatant advertisements) for the guru's latest products or paid seminars, or even worse, some other Internet marketer's products.

I'm not trying to shoot down any marketer here, but the irony is in their teaching. Almost all internet gurus would advice you to offer valuable, free information that benefits other people. Profits, as they say, is secondary to actually helping people and making a difference in their lives. Give before you take....what a load of BS!

How come they don't practice what they preach? Of is that how the "Internet Marketing Game" is really played? Surely, nobody minds receiving ads and promotions, as long as there is a fair deal of free information being offered.

Fortunately, not all Internet marketers are the same. There are still some jewels to be found, and they offer some great information in their newsletters, which they unselfishly offer for free, such as:

Fine. Do you feel this material aided you in developing your mental ability of newsletters? I believe it did.

Don't be forgetful to scan the pages on publishing. They might be profitable for you. We ensure you that the hierarchy could be accessible at the finish.

1. Vishal Rao (http://www.home-based-business-opportunities.com) talks about starting and managing home based businesses.

2. Mike Cheney (http://www.magnet4web.com) talks about building an effective and efficient business web site.

   The folks are doubtful about the productiveness of this well written material too.
   
   It was a bliss for those who were hunting for newsletters. For some it was useless in nature.
   
   You can be the excellent expert to offer impartial perception on the write-up. To check if the piece of information holds some importance for you, you should understand it till the concluding word.

3. Jill Whalen (http://www.highrankings.com) talks about Search Engine Optimization.

4. Allan Gardyne (http://www.associateprograms.com) is the authority on affiliate programs and affiliate marketing, with an award-winning newsletter.

Of course there are many more good marketers out there, and you'll have to get through several bad ones first before you get to the good ones. It is not necessary to subscribe to every Internet Marketing newsletter just to hope for nuggets of gold that may never come. Instead, give the gurus a "trial" month, and if you don't find anything of value from them, just unsubscribe from their mailing lists.

It will only be a loss to them, not you.

Question 2 : Who's Real and Who's Not?

To answer this question, you really have to "get around" the Internet a lot. Take part in Internet Marketing forums where you will definitely find topics on info-products, seminars and software offered by these gurus, and see what others are saying about them.

Forget about all those blaring testimonials that the gurus compile on their site. After visiting several guru websites, you may start to find the same faces and names, helping each other out by giving testimonials which are seldom backed by proof. Forums are where the real testimonials are.

If you find yourself browsing the Internet a lot, trying to find good value for money, then you'll need the Alexa toolbar. What this toolbar does is that it gives you an idea of the popularity of the website you're visiting. Secondly, it allows you to see who the closest competitors are, giving you more alternatives to choose from. Besides that, it also displays reviews and ratings given by others who have visited the website or used any product being sold via the website. This is where you'll find the "not so beautifully polished" opinions and testimonials.

- Alexa Toolbar : http://www.home-business-association.com/rd/alexa/

Well. Now that you have read till this point, we promise that along with this you will have something amazing. Your craving for facts could get quenched further.

(Alexa is owned by Amazon.com. If you're concerned about installing toolbars on your computer, make sure you adjust the privacy settings accordingly)

You may also want to consider this site:

- GuruDaq : http://www.gurudaq.com

Taking on a Nasdaq-like approach, this site lists all gurus according to ratings and 'stock price'. Although I would advice you to take it more for its entertainment value than actual recommendations, perhaps this site will allow you to get a glimpse of "who's who" in Internet Marketing.

Question 3 : Whose methods should I follow?

Honestly, nobody's. At least not word-for-word of what is thought in their newsletters or ebooks. The important thing to realize is that you need to develop your own technique to be really successful. The guru's don't teach you everything, anyway. They almost always feed you the crop but keep the cream for themselves. In other words, no one really tells you the "hot money-making secrets". They only teach you their not-so-secret money making facts.

There are many places you can get reviews on internet marketing ebooks, but be warned that most will be biased in one way or another. Here's a good downloadable PDF resource on ebook reviews, distributed with the permission of the author:

- "Web Promotion Products Exposed" by Mike Cheney:

http://www.magnet4web.com/WebPromotionProductsExposed.pdf

Its really up to you to learn some tips and tricks of the trade from Internet gurus, but set out on your own course. In order to be successful in anything, you need to do your own thing. Be original in your approach, whether it's writing sales letters, doing email marketing, writing articles, pay-per-click or search engine optimization, and the world will take notice.

It is also important to realize that before you go around shopping for all kinds of "how-to" material and software, you need to get a good grip of what your business really needs. You'll need to develop a strong, specific and detailed business plan before you set out on a quest to improve your knowledge on that are critical to the success to your business. Here are some good resources for writing effective business plans:

• http://www.home-business-association.com/rd/bplans/

• http://www.bplans.com

When you know what your business truly needs, you're more likely to recognize the exact type of internet marketing method you'll need to study and master. Don't just look to someone who has sold their soul a long time ago to guide you to the path of success.

That's just wishful thinking.

About The Author Gobala Krishnan is an internet marketer and home business owner. Visit his site at http://www.sfidreamteam.com to start your own Internet based home business today, and get a free kick start package, one-on-one coaching and a clear, proven system to earn a six figure income. Article reprint info available at http://pub.gobalakrishnan.com

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Print Ads Alive and Still Selling to Readers Near You

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Print Ads Alive and Still Selling to Readers Near You

 by: Julia Hyde

The print ad is not dead. Although some people will tell you otherwise. If they do, they re wrong. In 2003 advertisers spent nearly $60 billion to place ads in magazines and newspapers more than five times the amount spent on Internet advertising in the same year. And if that s not confirmation that the print ad is alive and still selling, I don t know what is.

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It aided those folks who were hunting data on ezine. It was not giving output for some.

You could be the best expert to offer fair perception on the report. The basic point is to reach at the last word to scan the facts.

So how come many business owners shy away from print advertising? Part of the problem is that they mistakenly believe people don t read much anymore, and that a print ad will be a waste of their time, and their money. They d be wrong, again.

If you don t believe me, consider the following:

• 63 million newspapers are distributed in the U.S. every day. In fact more newspapers are published today than at anytime since World War II.

• In the first half (January to June) of 2004 the top 10 magazines in the U.S. reached a total circulation of more than $72 million.

• And a recent survey by the Magazine Publishers of America shows that the proportion of Americans with a favorable opinion of the magazine industry is much higher than for any other media industry, including the Internet.

With facts like that you d be a fool not to rush out and spend some of your advertising budget on a targeted, print ad today. So what are you waiting for? Get started now. These step-by-step guidelines will help you produce powerful a print ad that sells.

1. Have a Plan

I know I ve said it a thousand times before but without a plan you risk spending thousands of dollars on a useless, ineffective and costly campaign that fails to bring you any new business. I get a creative plan for every job I take on. That way, I make sure I write an ad that s targeted to the right people, written in the right tone of voice and published in the right media.

Here are the main points a creative plan should cover:

Objectives: What is the ad trying to do? Sell more products, generate awareness or launch a new product or service? First, determine the ad s objectives. Then quantify them. For example, I want to attract potential buyers who don t have an immediate need for my product, or I want to achieve 50% more awareness among my target group.

Target Audience: Who buys the product? For years advertising agencies have based their client s advertising campaigns on demographics because certain approaches appeal to different groups of people. I won t start trying to explain the ins and outs of demographic profiling but before you start your campaign you should consider whether your target prospect is a man or a woman, young, middle aged or old, rich, poor or average. Because determining this will drive every aspect of your ad.

Proposition: What is the main benefit you want to convey? If you re selling insurance the main benefit could be peace of mind and security. If you re selling a car the main benefit could be sporty yet economical. It s important to find the right benefit for your target market. Value for money may be a great benefit for someone on a tight budget but if your target market is more concerned with quality it will have a negative effect.

Supporting Evidence: Can you justify your proposition? Do you have facts, figures and research to back up your claim? You have to give people a reason to believe in your product. You can t just say Our socks will keep your feet warmer , you have to prove it. Perhaps your socks are hand- knitted with wool shorn from sheep that roam free on the Scottish highlands. If so, use facts and figures, market research, testimonials or endorsements from people who are experts in their field to prove your claim.

Other benefits: Apart from the main proposition, what are the other benefits the ad should mention? Here s where it can get a little tricky. But there s always more than one benefit. There s always more than one. Try making a list of benefits and ranking them in order of importance.

Tone of Voice: If the ad were a person, would it be young or old, efficient, whimsical, happy-go-lucky, high-powered or homely? You must write the ad in a language that appeals to your target audience.

Media: Where will you place the ad? Your choice dictates the style of the ad because each media is read by a different demographic group of people. An ad designed for a science magazine is going to look different from one placed in a parenting magazine.

2. Create the Concept

Well. Have you felt the value of this piece of information? I'm sure you must have.

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Once you have a clear idea of the ad s focus it s time to move on to the next important step: the concept. A concept is essentially an outline or rough idea of the ad that helps you get your ideas down on paper. I like to draft about 15 concepts for each ad I write because each one triggers an afterthought that may just produce the concept I m looking for.

Once you ve decided on a concept that works, you need to work it up. In other words begin working on the three main components of the ad: the headline, the visual and the body copy.

3. Write the Headline

The headline does two very important jobs. First, it attracts the reader s attention. And second, it persuades him or her to buy. You can use a headline to get your reader s attention in several ways:

1. Make it big and bold. And make the words jump off the page yet be simple enough for a passing reader to understand.

2. Make the reader stop and think.

3. Offer an important benefit

4. Promise a reward for reading the copy

5. Make it newsworthy

There s a tendency when writing a headline to try and make it amusing or clever. Or place it in smallish print low down on the page. This is particularly true of some corporate advertising you see in magazines and newspapers today. Don t be fooled by this corporate chic approach. A straightforward informational headline works better. There is absolutely nothing wrong with 20% off all bedding now .

3. Write the Body Copy

There s a chance that if your headline and visual have attracted the reader he or she may be compelled to read body copy. Consider this a bonus because if people read the body copy, you ve got a better chance of selling them your product or service. To encourage people to read the copy, try breaking it up with small illustrations and sub heads. Or lay it out in a visually interesting way.

Writing the copy itself presents its own challenges, especially if you re not accustomed to writing in a friendly, normal tone of voice that shows your natural enthusiasm for the product. Try to imagine someone has asked you about your product. How would you talk to him or her? You d probably speak with a quiet conviction, telling him about the product s benefits and demonstrating how it works.

Okay. Your intense urge to scrutinize more would be satiated further. You need to be persistent in order to find the worth of this piece of article. So, just keep on taking a look at this.

Whatever you do don t try and explain every little detail about your product. Keep it simple and benefit oriented.

About The Author Julia is an independent copywriter and consultant specializing in print advertising, search engine optimization and search engine marketing services . To learn more about how Julia can help boost your company's profits visit her site at www.juliahyde.com. Or email info@juliahyde.com. You may also like to sign up for Marketing Works! Julia's monthly ezine. Visit www.juliahyde.com/form.html to sign up.

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