Saturday, June 3, 2006

5 Critical Pay-Per-Click Tips

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is a good supplement to natural search engine optimization, IF you keep a few tactics straight.

1. Choose the right search terms. If you go after the broad phrases and terms, you'll pay top dollar. Strive for more descriptive and specific search terms that reflect your products or services.

2. Map out a strategy. Don't go after every possible keyword or phrase. Target your online ads around business priorities--such as seasonal purchases, your most profitable products and services, etc.

3. Use bid management software. Software can regulate your bids and turn off keywords. You might be interested in clicks during business hours you might not want to pay for those clicks at 1 a.m. (There’s less of a chance that it's a business prospect at that time of night).

4. Write effective ads. Google, Yahoo! Searching Marketing and other services have limits on characters per line. With Google, it's tough not to push the limits because space is so narrow. With Yahoo! Searching Marketing, focus on getting your message across without consuming every character. Long ads may discourage people from reading them.

5. Test. Test. Test. Try different keywords, ad copy, landing pages and calls to action. Put your budget - whatever size it is - to the best use after effective evaluation.

The Search Engine Marketing Industry is estimated to reach $23 billion by 2010.

The vast majority of SEM investment in the coming years will involve pay-per-click. We applaud the SEM vendors and companies who can prepare a coherent plan that produces outstanding conversions.

But for all the clicks and conversions via pay-per-click, many SEM players will miss the lead generation that natural SEO offers through greater Internet acceptance and traffic. The fact is, people are far more likely to click on a natural listing. Studies show that about 60%-70% of the links people click on are organic, not the PPC variety.

Again, be careful how you spend your online advertising dollars. Make them work for you!

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The 4 Great Ways to Write A Knockout Sales Flyer .

The content of your flyer should be simple and clear and include the following four vital elements:

~ Get your audience's ATTENTION ~ Hold your audience's INTEREST ~ Create a strong DESIRE for your audience to respond ~ Impel your audience to take positive ACTION.

1. ATTENTION

The most important thing is your flyer's headline. If you catch their attention here, they will read on.

Example:

"TRANSORB - THE MOST EFFECTIVE NON-TOXIC, OIL ABSORBENT ON THE PLANET!"

With this kind of headline you're sure to generate maximum attention. It's a bold statement using very simple but effective copy and your audience would be crazy not to read on.

Note:

A successful headline is generally one that persuades your audience to read on in the belief that your product or service may be of benefit to them.

2. INTEREST

Once your headline has pulled them in, it's now time to focus on the 'meat' of your message. The difficult part here is to keep their interest so they don't throw your flyer into the waste bin before finishing. Choose every word very carefully and keep your sentences simple, clear, and effective.

Example:

"Transorb's powerful wicking action absorbs spills quickly and easily. No "high-tech" application or equipment is needed and it leaves no messy residue behind."

True statements together with sincerity and enthusiasm is a key factor. Don't make exaggerated claims. The sentence above is a powerful motivator, telling your audience, in a sincere and positive way, what the product does and how easy it is to use.

Another very powerful tool is that of 'Testimonials.' Here, you quote someone else who has successfully used your product and can vouch for its effectiveness.

Example: "Here's what Philip Grant, Sale Manager for the well-known UK chain, Telix, had to say about Transorb.

'Recently we experienced a very nasty engine oil spill and a section of workshop floor flooded with petrol. Our workshop staff used Transorb and in a very short space of time, the application, which is easily applied, soaked up these spillages. Just in case something like this happens again, we now keep a supply of Transorb on hand.'"

A conversational manner and tone is also important and makes your message more believable. Avoid long words and complicated sentences. The message should have a very personal feel making your audience feel like you're talking to them personally, rather than thousands of others. Something like the sentence below works well.

Example:

"...And now, we're offering you, our valued customer, a fantastic 30-day discount price that you'll find hard to refuse!"

In addition, concentrate on the money-, labour-, and time-saving benefits of your product instead of on fancy features.

Example: "It's lightweight for easy handling and low transportation costs and is non-harmful to machinery and equipment"

"... in no time at all, the application, which is easily applied, soaked up all of these spillages."

3. DESIRE

Here you need to convert your audiences' interest into a strong desire to buy. To do this you must concentrate on 'product benefits.'

Example:

"Transorb is safe to use and non-toxic. This versatile product absorbs a wide range of organic chemicals on land and in water. It's lightweight for easy handling and low transportation costs." By now, your sales flyer copy should have your audience poised and ready to place their orders.

4. ACTION

Finally, you should include a direct, clear, and unambiguous 'call to action.' Although this seems obvious it's amazing how many people forget this crucial step.

Example:

"Transorb, packed in 25 litre containers, is normally priced at £66-25 plus vat. But if you order in the next 30 days, we'll let you have a 25 litre container for just £46-00 plus vat.... and we'll include FREE delivery.

To place your orders, please phone Barry on ......"

A sense of urgency in your message is a good thing. By strongly suggesting that your audience respond without delay, you're motivating them to act in the moment... now! In addition, any offer of a bonus or discount will be added motivation for a positive response. The promise of a full refund if they're not entirely satisfied is also a good idea. Take a look at the example below.

Example:

"And if you order more than one container, the price gets even better at just £42-00 plus vat... once again we'll throw in delivery, FREE of charge.

Remember, if you're not completely satisfied with the results of Transorb, we'll refund your money, no questions asked!"

There you have it... four elements that will help you write a terrific sales flyer.

ATTENTION, INTEREST, DESIRE, and ACTION

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