Setting Up and Opt-in Box on Your Blog

If you are not familiar with what an opt-in box is, you should be. So, go over to www.mattbacak.com and look on the right hand side just below the fold (which I think is a perfect place to position this) and you will see I have an opt-in box for people to sign up to my newsletter. After they sign up, I now have one more person on my list to sell things to in the future.

Now, you have set up a blog and you want to be able to capture people's names and email addresses in the same way, however the blogging platform you are using doesn't give you this option. So the question is, how do you go about adding an opt-in box to your blog site.

Well, the first thing you have to do is get the form. So, find an opt-in form you like either from your other website, squeeze page or somebody else's site and copy it by looking at and locating the source code for the page it's on. Place the code into a text file for now so you can refer back to it.

The next thing you want to do is go into your blog and try to add the new code into your blog template. So, find the code for your template and copy it into an html editor such as FrontPage. Once you've done that, copy and paste the opt-in form code into the template and view your changes by previewing them.

When you have the form looking the way you want it, copy and paste the code back into you blog template on your blog site. Click on the "view blog" link to make sure everything looks proper and correct. If it looks good then you're finished otherwise you'll have to go back in and change the location of your code until it looks right.

As you already are aware, opt-in boxes are necessary in order to capture the names and contact information of your prospects. You want to be able to sell to them again and again so you need to gain access to their contact information. Opt-in forms also known as squeeze pages can make you a bundle of cash. As long as you have and own your own list, you now have a business that you can grow because you have people who are interested in what it is you have to offer.

Take the time to create an opt-in box on your blog to start gaining ownership of your business.

Warmest regards,

Matt Bacak

P.S. If you haven't signed up for my
Powerful Promoting Tips yet, then you
are really missing out, go here:

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P.P.S. Do you want to be updated on the new things I'm doing
to market my companies? Then you need to grab a copy of my
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A Late Product Launch – What to Do

So, you've come out with a new product and everything is coming along nicely. You've done your research and things are moving full spped ahead but then you reach a stumbling block. Your launch date has been pushed back but you've already told your list of your original launch date. Now what?

I'll let you know what you should do if your launch date is delayed. But first I do want you to get in the habit of sending stuff out on an ongoing basis. But in relation to this situation, if you're sending out an email, tell them why there's a delay. Basically, if there's a delay and there's a reason for the delay let your subscribers know. Say something like, "Hey, look, I promised you I'd give you this but here's the problem..." Or something like... "The reason I'm not getting it out to you is because..." Make sure you use the word "because" and then just let them know why. After that you could tell them it'll come out very soon and that you'll be sure to let them know about it.

However, in the meantime, send out some good information by telling them that while they wait you've got an email coming to them tomorrow. And tell them to go and check it out." Use that as a teaser. Let them know what's going on. Tell them you're sorry, it's coming, and then start making the offer. Keeping your audience in the loop builds trust and proves to them that you are reliable and they'll feel comfortable buying from you and listening to what it is you have to say.

You could also bribe them by saying something like, "since I was late in meeting the launch date, here's a free gift for you." Let them know that you care and show some sincerity. People like compassion and honesty – especially in business.

In any event if you are late on your launch, communicate with your audience and keep them informed so that they don't feel ignored or taken advantage of. When you build anticipation and under-deliver it can hurt your business. Always over-deliver and you're visitors will bring you the bacon every time.

Remember, always mail to your list. As I always say, an email a day keeps bankruptcy away.

Warmest regards,

Matt Bacak

P.S. If you haven't signed up for myPowerful Promoting Tips yet, then youare really missing out, go here:

http://www.promotingtips.com

P.P.S. Do you want to be updated on the new things I'm doingto market my companies? Then you need to grab a copy of my..Internet Marketing Dirt'. It's now better than ever before!

Go here and get a copy: www.internetmarketingdirt.com

How to Segment Your List Using Autoresponders

If you have a website and are using autoresponders to capture your audiences contact information, then commend yourself as this is a huge accomplishment! Most online websites fail to see the value of an opt-in form on their website. Opt-in forms actually make a business plan work and it is a definite requirement for growing any business online.

Your list is a goldmine and you have to know what your readers want. But your main concern is to capture names and send your list information. Although your opt-in page lists bullet point benefits of what you have to offer your visitors, you can do more with your list. You can segment your list. Segmentation allows you to broaden your product selection and allows you to offer more products to help increase your sales.

So exactly how do you set up your autoresponder message sequence?

There is a seven sequence rule I follow. You should think about sending seven messages to your list. But remember, this sequence of emails is sent every few days. Send some messages every two days then five days later then back to two days later etc. You want to do this so that your subscriber never expects your message. You want to surprise them, keep them on their toes and keep them interested in what it is you are offering them. Make sure you are offering valuable content so that your reader always anxiously awaits your next email. You want them to feel that you are giving them extremely helpful information that they simply cannot find anywhere else. However, it is also crucial that the emails you send them on the third and seventh day should be sending them to a sales letter squeeze-page. Remember, on these days you are selling to them. This strategy has been very successful whenever I implement it so I suggest you also implement this strategy in your online business.

When you send these emails on the third and seventh day of your seven email sequence, the reader can then be sent to another squeeze-page and at this point they'll be entering a new autoresponder sequence that segments them even further. I use this simple strategy to segment my list and you should use it too in your list segmentation. But you should note that these are also short content email messages created to prompt your reader to click on links placed in the email. Your links will always lead to a sales page for a product or service you are offering them.

That other autoresponder sequence (the second squeeze-page sequence after they enter the first sequence) that I'm sending them to is going to be a message sent to them every single day. Basically, with these messages, I'll take pieces of the copy – maybe I'll take a paragraph out of the copy, I'll throw it into message 1. I'll take another paragraph of the copy and I'll throw it into message 2. Take another paragraph of the copy and throw it into message 3 and so on.... For example, if I have five testimonials, I might write an email that says, "Five reasons why you need to get this." Reason 1 is testimonial 1, reason 2 is testimonial 2, and so on and so forth. And then each of those emails will have a link back to the actual product so the reader can go buy the product.

List segmentation is necessary to expand and diversify your business. Why not take a look at your autoresponder sequence to make sure you're offering the most you can to your audience.

Warmest regards,

Matt Bacak

P.S. If you haven't signed up for my
Powerful Promoting Tips yet, then you
are really missing out, go here:

http://www.promotingtips.com

P.P.S. Do you want to be updated on the new things I'm doing
to market my companies? Then you need to grab a copy of my
..Internet Marketing Dirt'. It's now better than ever before!

Go here and get a copy: www.internetmarketingdirt.com

Do You Have a Winning List?

If you have a website business you already know the importance of having a list. Your list of prospects are those that you can email again and again in order to promote your offers and make sales. But how do you know if your list is good you ask?

I’ve heard a lot of people say that they have a terrible list. But what you have to realise is that it is not your list that is bad, it’s about how you approach your list that needs some improvement.

I always ask business owners who make these statements... “Have you tracked how many people actually clicked on your links? Do you know how many people got the emails? Do you know how many sales you had? Do we know how many impressions, or do you know what your open rate is?” People often are unable to answer these questions. But they fail to realise that the answers to these questions should be the basis upon which they build their list and make sales. Basically if you had zero sales there is a problem and it’s often not with your list.

The numbers you want to look at when it comes to emails are:

What’s your impressions? - If your impressions aka open rates are low, it means that your subject line or your deliverability needs improvement. I use Autoresponse Plus for my autoresponder email messages to my prospects. If you’re using Autoresponse Plus, you can use link tracking. It’ll track all of these things for you. If you’re using something else, you’ve got to figure out how that software tracks it so you can see the results.

What’s your click-through rate (CTR)? – Once again, check your deliverability. Your email message may need improvement.

What’s your sales? – If your sales are low, that means your sales letter is weak and needs improvement.

The biggest problem I see most people have is they don’t add curiosity to the subject line of their email. If your open rate and your impressions are low, that means that people are either not getting your email or your subject line is very weak. And so what you need to do is you need to build a better subject line.

Here’s an example of one of the ones that worked really well for me. It was actually about a tax attorney that I wanted to have on a tele-call. But I said, “My attorney wants to speak to you…” Now, that got some heads turning. Remember, there’s nothing different between a subject line and a headline. Add curiosity and you’ll definitely see an improvement in your CTR.

Another thing to consider is in order to increase your email open rate is not to exceed 50 characters per line. As long as you communicate with your prospect like they are your friend and you keep your emails short and sweet and then send your readers to the sales letter page you will see an improvement in your conversions.

Follow these tips and see your sales soar!

Warmest regards,

Matt Bacak

P.S. If you haven't signed up for myPowerful Promoting Tips yet, then youare really missing out, go here:http://www.promotingtips.com

P.P.S. Do you want to be updated on the new things I'm doingto market my companies? Then you need to grab a copy of my`Internet Marketing Dirt'. It's now better than ever before!

Go here and get a copy: www.internetmarketingdirt.com

“5 Tips to Significantly Increase Sales”

How can you develop relationships with your list?

Start by sending a teaser email with a provocative question. Let your list download the first three chapters of your information product as well. This allows them to consume your product and it engages them. This process increases the chances of turning your subscribers into paying customers.

Tip: Autoresponder strategies inspire your prospects to consume your products and create a long term relationship that builds at a comfortable rate for the customer.

You should eliminate prospects rather than beg them to stay on. You want to eliminate prospects rather than work strenuously to gain customers. Let people unsubscribe themselves. You only want to focus on people that want to build a relationship with you.

Tips:1. If you bring scarcity to your ezine, you will gain a great deal of sales. Scarcity is an excellent persuasion principle. For example, scarcity can be accomplished by using these four words, “For 2 full months” in an offer. This can significantly increase the opt-in rate because people will think that there is a time limit on the offer.

2. Have a privacy policy available so people know that you are not going to sell their email address. This will make people feel more comfortable about opting into your list. Make sure this privacy policy is placed right by your opt-in box.

3. The concept of bundling is like the candy you find in the checkout line at the grocery store. For example, you buy a candy bar when you check out. It is an impulse buy. So bundle impulse buys on the order form. A good order page should convert 10% and above. If you get a customer to the order form then they are a prospect. You want to up sell through impulse buys to these customers.

4. Put a picture of the product on the order page. This helps the customer visualize exactly what they are buying. The pictures help you to make a decision. For example, in direct marketing post cards they often give customers a choice of using a “YES” sticker or a “NO” sticker to make their decision. These stickers are visual representations of the customer’s buying decision.

Extra Tip: Put the pictures of the up sell items as well.

5. Write the up sells first. This helps you get people in the zone to buy. Ask people if they want to buy loads of extra products. Go for the extra sale. The worse they can say is “no”. And they will still buy the initial product they wanted to buy in the first place. When they are in the zone to buy, they give you the permission to sell to them.

Extra Tip: Your up sells should be relevant to what you are selling.

Warmest regards,

Matt Bacak

P.S. If you haven't signed up for myPowerful Promoting Tips yet, then youare really missing out, go here:

http://www.promotingtips.com

P.P.S. Do you want to be updated on the new things I'm doingto market my companies? Then you need to grab a copy of my`Internet Marketing Dirt'. It's now better than ever before!

Go here and get a copy: www.internetmarketingdirt.com