You’ve heard of the popular review site Yelp.com?

If not, you will. Last week Inc magazine ran a long article about the site that started off with a cautionary tale about a small local bookstore owner and a critical shopper’s interactions via the site (and in person). I cringed as I read what transpired.

First off, a semi-anonymous review can be very valuable or very vindictive. When people think they’re protected by an online “username” they say (write) things they’d never say to someone’s face. In this case, the reviewer was echoing what others had said about the shop. And he offered a suggestion on how to correct the problem. In my experience, most people who post internet reviews have a bone to pick and it’s often personal (ie they didn’t like the color scheme of a restaurant or some such thing).

But the shop owner took it personally (how can you not?) and decided this particular reviewer was going to feel her pain. I won’t repeat all the details; just suffice it to say the interaction did not turn out positively for the local business owner (read the full story at Inc.com – You’ve Been Yelped).

The article concludes with the story of another shop owner who has learned to deal with and even use the review site for improving and growing her local business.
While Yelp.com is strongest in the California Bay Area market (where the start-up is based), the concept of internet based reviews is here to stay and you need to form a plan to not only deal with it but use it to your advantage.

Becoming active in the popular social media channels is a good start. Did you create a Facebook page? If not, get my step by step guide to setting up a Facebook page here. Do you have a Twitter account? You don’t need instructions, just go to Twitter.com, and get started (be sure to upload a picture, it is a personal medium).

Now go take a look at Yelp.com in your local business area. If you’re not listed, go ahead and set yourself up. You’re not supposed to solicit reviews but if you let your email list know you’re listed one of your folks might be inspired to give you a nice review. Then put a Yelp.com visit on your weekly calendar.

Part of this new social media world is spending time to keep in touch; and you might just learn what people really like (or don’t like) about your products and services and stay on step ahead of your competition.

Anyone have a Yelp or other review site story to tell? Comments below, please!

Email marketing, like any other business process, requires that you make a plan, gather the resources and implement. Then you go back and evaluate, make changes and re-evaluate.
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Part of your plan must be how often you send emails and with what type of content. To begin implementing your plan you’ll formulate an opt-in strategy and produce the initial content.
As you execute, remember one of marketing’s cardinal rules: “Don’t Be Boring”.
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If you haven’t opted-in to my list to get the “Email Marketing Wizardry Guide”, now would be a good time to do that (New Flash to your right). The guide gives you “5 Fun Ways To Engage People Via Email”.
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Or you can follow Seth Godin’s list of how to get people to read your blog (edited by me for email):
• Be topical… write emails that need to be read right now.
• Learn enough to become the expert in your field.
• Break news.
• Be timeless… write emails that will be readable in a year.
• Be among the first with a great email on your topic,
then encourage others to comment on the same topic.
• Share your expertise generously so people recognize it and depend on you.
• Announce news.
• Write short, pithy emails (sometimes).
• Encourage your readers to pass it on (forward to a friend links)
• Don’t write about your cat, your boyfriend or your kids – unless that’s what your business is about.
• Write long, definitive emails (sometimes).
• Write about your kids, your pets and your spouse – as they relate to business.
• Be sycophantic. Share resources.
• Include polls, images meters and other eye candy.
• Coin a term or two.
• Do email interviews with the well-known in your market.
• Answer your email.
• Use photos. Salacious ones are best.
• Encourage your readers to subscribe.
• Start at the beginning and take your readers through a months-long education.
• Include comments so your blog becomes a virtual water cooler that feeds itself.
• Assume that every day is the beginning, because you always have new readers.
• Highlight your best emails on other blogs.
• Point to useful but little-known resources.
• Write about stuff that appeals to the majority of current readers–like gadgets and news.
• Have relevant ads (on the blog) that are even better than your content.
• Run no ads (in your emails).
• Keep tweaking your template to make it include every conceivable bell or whistle.
• Digest the good ideas of other people, all day, every day.
• Invent a whole new kind of interaction.
• Mail on weekdays, because there are more readers.
• Write about a never-ending parade of different topics so you don’t bore your readers.
• Post on weekends, because there are fewer new emails.
• Don’t interrupt your writing with a lot of links.
• Dress your emails and blog (fonts and design) as well as you would dress yourself for a meeting.
• Edit yourself. Ruthlessly.
• Don’t promote yourself and your business or your books or your projects at the expense of the reader’s attention.
• Be patient.
• Give credit to those that inspired, it makes your writing more useful.
• Write about only one thing, in ever-deepening detail, so you become definitive.
• Write in English.
• Write about obscure stuff that appeals to an obsessed minority.
• Don’t be boring.
• Write stuff that people want to read and share.
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Remember too, that while the backbone of your program can be set up on an autoresponder like: [ad#Aweber Logo 88x31] timely, relevant broadcast emails will need to be part of your plan. Make someone on your team responsible for monitoring news and producing email content that’s applicable to your market.
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Next – upping the value of FREE email, for you and your readers
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As I’ve discussed before, there are 3 elements to training your contacts to respond to your messages: Content, Frequency and Value.
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You set the tone of the relationship with your sign-up procedure. .
If you’ve offered quality content relevant to their concerns, they’ve had a positive first impression and will (often) keep opening and reading your emails – as long as you remain consistent in your frequency and the value you provide.
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Email marketing operates under the same principles you’ve learned in personal and business relationships: You’ve got to give before you get. Maybe you’ve heard BNI say “Givers Gain” or as the Golden Rule “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.
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Online, we encounter two types of marketers: the givers and the greedy. Long term success belongs to the givers but, you’ve got to know when to ask for a response. This is why many email marketing programs favor the short intro paragraph with the read more link to a blog post.
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Just be sure following the link gets the reader what you promised – great free content relevant to their interests. After they consume that, they’ll take a look around and that’s where you may “Get”.
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Next up: Frequency – be there for your subscribers without devoting your life to sending emails.
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Rules for Email Marketing Succes

Your open rate, once you’ve avoided the SPAM folder and being edited out via the FROM field, is won or lost at the SUBJECT line.

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Just like an ad’s headline, the email subject line’s job is to get the reader to take a look at the next line. With email it’s even harder because they must click on the subject line and open the email before you can hook them into reading.

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One technique novices and pros alike use is copying or swiping proven headlines from direct marketing campaigns of the past. I’ve got a free report that includes over 100 of these headlines, just enter your email and confirm the request and you’ll have a swipe file of headlines to edit and use.

[ad#101 HL request opt-in form]

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Another proven method is to refer to news events – celebrity news works particularly well in most markets.

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And giving valuable content, relevant to your readers, for permission to email them later is a winner too.

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But, every market is different and the best way to get your subscribers opening your emails is to know them and talk to them like a trusted friend. This requires testing, tracking and studying your results.

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As a side note, take a look at what your email looks like in several of the most popular email readers. See where your subject line gets cut off and what portion of your message header appears. Be sure you’re taking advantage of this space to get your subscribers opening and reading your messages.

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Next up: Training your readers to respond, or not.

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There’s no better time to start using email in your marketing efforts than… NOW

Before you can worry about which style works best for your list or when’s the best time to email your prospects, you have to just get started [ad#Aweber banner 468 x 60]

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But once you’ve got a few messages in your AutoResponder series and a few people on your list, it’s time to get tweeking your program.

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Aweber provides the best tools for measuring the responses you’re getting. You can see who when and even where your readers are and which links they felt compelled to click on.

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Not sure what they want now? Run a survey and let your readers tell you.

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Based on the measures and surveys, you can modify and improve your email auto-responder series which will lead to more sales and more profits.

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So, you got into the IN box and got their attention – congrats!

Getting the click thru

But what you do now that they’re looking at your lovingly written email determines if it’s all worth it or not.

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There are two schools of thought on email content.

One says the click thru to a “money page” is the only way to make it pay off.

The other says providing relevant content in the email builds loyalty and trust and that is what leads to long-term success.

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Both work – you gotta find which one works for your list.

Yeap, back to the old split test.

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But when in doubt, or when you’re just starting an email list, I’d say opt for the content rich approach. Give them enough to make opening your next email worth their while.

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Then add a freebie sweetener after serving the main dish.

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Wanna Marketing With Lee freebie?

Click on the “Free Reports” tab above and just ask!

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She's waiting for your offer - don't disappoint her.

Without an offer your market cannot refuse, you don’t have a business.

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And you certainly can’t create marketing materials that produce any measurable results.

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But be careful. What you think your prospects NEED and what they WANT and will BUY may be entirely different things. The difference between what people SAY the would do (think focus groups) verses what they actually DO, with their own money, can be quite different.

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That’s why online marketing via pay-per-click ads, banners and landing pages are such a revolution. You collect real time data at minimal cost before you commit thousands to other media.

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If you haven’t learned how to set-up and run a Google AdWords or Yahoo Search Marketing campaign yet, put it on the top of your to-do list. If there’s no room on your list, hire someone to help you but beware: hire someone who puts their own money into play, not an ad agency who always plays with OPM (other people’s money).

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by Tom Kulzer (AWeber CEO)

Following up with each lead individually, multiple times, but at set intervals, and with pre-written messages, will dramatically increase sales! Others who use this same technique confirm that they have all at least doubled the sales of various products! In order to set this system up, though, you need to do some planning.

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First, you’ll need to develop your follow up messages. If you’ve been marketing on the Internet for any length of time, then you should already have a first informative letter. Your second letter marks the beginning of the follow up process, and should go into more detail than the first letter. Fill this letter with details that you didn’t have the space to add to the first letter. Stress the BENEFITS of your products or services!

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Your next 2-3 follow up messages should be rather short. Include lists of the benefits and potential uses of your products and services. Write each letter so that your prospects can skim the contents, and still see the full force of your message.

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The next couple of follow up messages should create a sense of urgency in your prospect’s mind. Make a special offer, giving him a reason to order NOW instead of waiting any longer. After reading these follow up messages, your prospect should want to order immediately!

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Phrase each of your final 1 or 2 follow up messages in the form of a question.

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Ask your prospect why he hasn’t yet placed an order? Try to get him to actually respond.

Ask if the price is to high, the product isn’t the right color or doesn’t have the right features, or if he is looking for something else entirely.

(By this time, it’s unlikely that this person will order from you. However, his feedback can help you modify your follow up letters or products, so that other prospects will order from you.)

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The timing of your follow up letters is just as important as their content. You don’t want one prospect to receive a follow up the day after he gets your initial informative letter, while another prospect waits weeks for a follow up!

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Always send an initial, informative letter as soon as it is requested, and send the first follow up 24 hours afterwards. You want your hot prospects to have information quickly, so that they can make informed buying decisions!

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Send the next 2-3 follow up messages between 1 and 3 days apart. Your prospect is still hot, and is probably still shopping around! Tell him about the benefits of your products and services, as opposed to your competitors’. You will make the sale!

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Send the final follow up messages later on. You certainly don’t want to annoy your prospect! Make sure that these last letters are at least 4 days apart.

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Following up effectively seems complicated, but it doesn’t have to be! So many potential customers are lost because of poor follow up – don’t you want to be one of the few to get it right?
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Some races go to the fleet of foot and some simply to the strongest.
Since winning the marketing game is, for small business people, the difference between surviving, thriving and annihilation, you must use every tool available to go further, faster and longer than your competition.
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To do that in today’s business environment,

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You know you need to:

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• Collect email addresses

(in addition to mailing addresses and phone numbers)

from all your customers and prospects.

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You know you need to…
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• Follow up via email with people you meet at networking events, trade shows and The Chamber.

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And, you know you need to…
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• Do it in a professional, legal and effective manner.

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So what’s stopping you?
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From my experience, helping small business people develop effective internet marketing strategies, overcoming the technical, logistical and the strategic impediments to implementing an email marketing program pays off big time.
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So, let’s get you emailing!

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You Don’t Have to be a World-Class Web Athlete to Clear the Technical Hurdles

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Acquiring and learning to use a few simple tools of the trade allows you to enter the race.
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Let’s assume you have a computer and an internet connection.

To start, you’ll need a system to deliver large quantities of emails on a consistent basis and the email addresses of people willing to receive your messages.
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There are 3 primary email delivery systems:

• You can use the email system you get from your ISP (Internet Service Provider)

• Use a web based Auto-Responder service like:or ConstantContact

• Or host your own email software on your computer system.

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Each has pros and cons but the 2nd option, using a service provider online, is the best for small business email marketing programs.

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It’s tempting to try to use your ISP’s system; after all, you’re already paying a monthly fee for it right? But it won’t take you long to run afoul of your ISP’s terms of service. Most restrict the number of emails you may send in a batch and per day.

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The small amount of cash you save by delaying your subscription to a professional email service will be offset by the time and frustration of working with the ISP’s system only to be shut down as soon as you really get rolling.

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So bite the bullet and open an account at

(unless you already have a large list and need to upload it. Then use ConstantContact).

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Email address acquisition methods:

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• The “House” List

The best source of new and repeat business: those who know, like and trust you!

Your own list of customers, prospects and referrals is where the money truly is. But, unless you’ve been diligent about collecting and inputting the contact information you’ve acquired into a database, this is going to take some time.

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• The “Rented” List

You get these from mailing list brokers. Unfortunately, email addresses change much more rapidly than street addresses. So expect a large number of undeliverables and a very small number of responses. Test before you hand over large sums of money for questionable results.

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• The “Borrowed” List

Sometimes called the endorsed mailing or a JV, depending on how you position the content and offer in the email.

If you can find a complimentary business that has a clean, responsive list and convince them to send your mailing, you can expect a healthy response.

Be prepared to compensate the list owner. If you can’t return the favor by mailing to your list, a split of any sales that result or a fee per address will be expected.

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The legalities of email marketing or…

How To Avoid Being Called A Nasty Spammer

Use .

Really, that’s it. They know what it takes to comply with the laws AND they know what it takes to get your emails delivered to in-boxes instead of SPAM folders.

If, for some strange reason, you decide not to use , then go here and bone up on the legal requirements (but still expect many of your emails sent out in bulk to go to the SPAM folders) because each violation can cost you $16,000.

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Now that you have a method and the addresses, what do you do with them?

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The Logistics of Email Marketing are Not Olympian

It’s easy to forget that behind every email address is a live person, opening, reading (or deleting) every message. By focusing on what your audience wants and needs, instead of what you hope to get out of the program, you get a head-start in the race.

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Who’s in your starving crowd?

You gotta know who you’re talking to. You don’t give the same talk to your kid’s classmates that you give to your professional association, do you?

Pay attention to your demographics: Boomers or Gen X, men, women, etc. but that’s only skimming the surface.

Psychographics goes deeper, attempting to explain why people do things a certain way.

But nothing can replace a personal relationship: listening to your clients and prospects, studying what they do and how they respond to your emails.

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What can you offer, that’s of value TO THEM?

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Benefits, not features

The Big Promise/Benefit goes in the subject line.

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How long is TOO long?
Here’s where a bit of experimentation comes in. You can find full-text adherents and teaser openings proponents but your list is unique.

Send the long version to half and the short version to the other half and watch what happens. Not just to open rates and click-thrus but to conversions. Try it a few times and switch up the section that gets each style. A one-time test tells you something but a repeat is even better.

Keep testing until you’ve got a clear answer.

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To link or not to link, is there any question?

NO, all tests I’ve ever seen show links (3 or more) in emails get clicked on.

If the only link is the unsubscribe link, they may just click on that!

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When and how often should you email?

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are best for most lists and offers but try something different occasionally and see what happens.

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Once a month is the absolute minimum!

People will forget who you are and mark your emails as SPAM, even if they’ve double opted-in, if you don’t keep in touch.

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Most people read email first thing in the morning so send yours before they get to the in-box.

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Implementing a Strategic Email Plan Gets You the Gold

To take home the prize you’ve got to know what you’re aiming for.

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Long Term:

the relationship that keeps your customers loyal. When you aim for Customer Relationship Marketing instead of just Advertising, great things happen!

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Short Term:

the revenue bump that all good email programs generate for their owners.

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This post is getting long so I’ll close with a couple thoughts I’ll expand upon in later posts.

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Don’t be a one-trick-pony: there are other uses for your list besides selling them something.

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Be consistent but NOT boring!

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Most winners follow the path of success illuminated by the trail blazers.

Take a look to your right. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

There’s an offer from an email list building expert who makes thousands of dollars from his lists.

Put your email in the box and get the free report.

You owe it to yourself, your business and your future.

Sucking just comes naturally...

• It’s not your fault.
• Somewhere along the way, probably when TV took over advertising, the entertainment value of ads pushed out ads that actually sold product. Well, we still let them on TV but only late at night as “Infomercials”.
• Ad agencies convinced corporate America to pay them based on how much they could spend on media buys instead of how much the ads sold. Brand building pushed out direct response marketing.
• It was a great way for big corporations to squish upstarts–how could a new guy ever buy enough media to get known and sell a competing product?
• Well, now the internet is changing marketing and advertising again…

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