Have You Captured Me Today?

There are many Web sites I visit every day and will probably never return to again. It's not that I didn't like the site, or that I wasn't interested in the topic, services, or products offered. It's just that I wasn't ready to take action right now. So I clicked away and will probably forget about them.

The danger of this happening at YOUR site is that you just lost a great prospect. After all, I'm pre-qualified. I was already interested in what you had to offer. I likely found your site via a search engine, Web directory, advertisement, article, or another promotion. I clicked through to your site because I wanted to learn more.

But studies reveal that I'm most likely NOT going to take action the first time I visit your site. Have you heard the statistic that it takes about *seven* contacts before prospects are ready to buy? (That's a lot of times!)

So how can you get the chance to contact me another *six* times? The answer is to CAPTURE me then and there - that is, get my e-mail address. To do this, you'll have to offer me something valuable in return. If you just tell me to "sign up for our mailing list," you're not going to get squat.

So what can YOU offer me? Here are some ideas that have been proven to work when done well. Of course, the *content* for all of these should tie-in to your business focus:

1. A free mini-mail course.

These are becoming very popular right now. You simply create a few e-mails' worth of content to spread out over a certain amount of days. You'll need an e-mail autoresponder to do this, which allows me to sign up for your course automatically. Many sites seem to offer five- or seven-day courses, and many of them are awful. So here's a chance for YOU to stand out: Make sure yours offers really useful or interesting content that's more "how to" than salesy. Then in the last e-mail, tell me how your services/ products will further help me --- lead me on to the next step.

2. A free e-zine (e-mail newsletter).

If you can produce new content on a regular basis, this is your BEST option, because you're receiving permission to contact me (and market to me) again and again! You'll always be on my mind. And if you're a solo professional who is marketing your own services, this gives you *multiple* chances to prove your worth and gain my trust over time. The only drawback to this option is that publishing an e-zine requires a good amount of time and effort on a regular basis, but the rewards will be worth it.

3. A special VIP/promotion list.

If I like what I see, and you give me the chance to receive *special offers* that will save me money at your site, I'll be sure to sign up for your list. For example, one site I love buying from is http://www.BlueFly.com. They offer designer clothes and accessories (e.g. BCBG, Fendi, Prada - I'm salivating right now!) at discount prices with exceptional customer service. Throughout their site and when you place an order, there are invitations to sign up for "discounts, exclusive offers, and first looks." Count me in!

4. A free special report or e-book.

Here's another neat idea - give people a special report or short e-book related to your topic of interest. Not sure where to start? Try a top-10 list of tips, a list of relevant resources, or a collection of articles you've already written. The more "how-to," the better - give me real, useful information. But of course make sure it implies that YOU and YOUR BUSINESS are the best resource in the end. This is a delicate balance to achieve, but it's not as hard as you may think. And at the end of your content, tell me how your services/products will further help me. (Again, lead me on to the next step.)

5. Don't forget to follow up!

Once you capture a list of prospects, you'll need to contact them again. We'll cover the art of follow up in an upcoming article. Of course, if you're publishing an e-zine, that's already set. (Hooray for e-zines!)

(c) 2002 Alexandria K. Brown

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," is author of the award-winning manual, "Boost Business With Your Own E-zine." To learn more about her book and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at http://EzineQueenTutorial.com/

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Google News Updated : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:51:32 GMT Television Review | 'My Own Worst Enemy' - New York Times New York Times Television Review | 'My Own Worst Enemy' New York Times - 56 minutes ago By ALESSANDRA STANLEY Most people sometimes wake up on the wrong side of bed. The hero of “My Own Worst Enemy” on NBC wakes up on the wrong side of his brain. 'Worst Enemy' Just Isn't Bourne-Again Bond Washington Post Spy-vs.-normal-guy premise of 'Worst Enemy' doesn't work USA Today San Francisco Chronicle - Los Angeles Times - Boston Herald - Fort Worth Star Telegram all 101 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:54:37 GMT Doubling of Vitamin D for Children Is Urged - New York Times The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com Doubling of Vitamin D for Children Is Urged New York Times - 3 hours ago By AP CHICAGO (AP) - The country’s leading group of pediatricians is recommending that children receive double the usually suggested amount of vitamin D because of evidence that it might help prevent serious diseases. Pediatricians double vitamin D recommendations The Associated Press Pediatricians double vitamin D recommendations WLOS The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com - Examiner.com all 90 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 02:45:16 GMT Worth the trouble - Boston Herald Worth the trouble Boston Herald - 39 minutes ago By Dan Duggan As Red Sox [team stats] fans shook out the cobwebs yesterday morning after yet another marathon postseason game, it would have been easy to forget some of the positive developments from the Sox’ 9-8, 11-inning loss to Tampa Bay in Game 2 ... Video: Tampa Bay Wins Slugfest on Sacrifice Fly AssociatedPress Rays win respect, too Washington Times USA Today - Sarasota Herald-Tribune - Wilkes Barre Times-Leader - SouthCoastToday.com all 3,671 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:12:18 GMT Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony renew vows along with Carlos Beltran ... - New York Daily News New York Daily News Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony renew vows along with Carlos Beltran ... New York Daily News - 1 hour ago BY DAVE GOLDINER Just four years after saying "I do," Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony reportedly secretly renewed their vows in Las Vegas Sunday - and they had company at the altar. Inside Jennifer Lopez & Marc Anthony's Renewal Ceremony People Magazine J.Lo’s vows not staying in Vegas Boston Herald Singersroom News - AceShowbiz - United Press International - Actress Archives all 37 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:39:55 GMT UPDATE 1-Tropical Storm Nana forms in Atlantic - Reuters Javno.hr UPDATE 1-Tropical Storm Nana forms in Atlantic Reuters - 8 hours ago MIAMI, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Nana, the 14th of the Atlantic hurricane season, formed on Sunday in the Atlantic Ocean east of the Caribbean islands, the US National Hurricane Center said. Tropical Storm Nana forms in Atlantic eTaiwan News Tropical Storm Nana Forms Over Eastern Atlantic RTT News CNN - The Associated Press - eFluxMedia - Central Florida News 13| all 199 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:29:57 GMT Alaska ethics probe says Palin abused her power - Reuters BBC News Alaska ethics probe says Palin abused her power Reuters - 40 minutes ago By Caren Bohan CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (Reuters) - An Alaska ethics inquiry found on Friday that Gov. Sarah Palin, the US Republican vice presidential candidate, abused her authority by pressuring subordinates to fire a state trooper involved in a feud with ... Palin: Bad Guys vs. Good Guys FOXNews Palin talks economic worries in Appalachian Ohio The Associated Press International Herald Tribune - CNN Political Ticker - Columbus Dispatch all 1,431 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:10:53 GMT Manatee dies before reaching Florida - South Coast Today WHDH-TV Manatee dies before reaching Florida South Coast Today - 36 minutes ago By AARON GOUVEIA and KC MYERS EAST DENNIS - After a dramatic rescue Saturday morning, a wayward manatee known affectionately as Dennis died Sunday with just one hour before he reached SeaWorld in Florida. Manatee almost gave them the slip Boston Globe Cape Cod Manatee Dies on Way Back to Florida WLNE-TV (ABC6) My Fox Boston - The Associated Press - Cape Cod Times - SouthCoastToday.com all 542 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:14:57 GMT Make Money Online RSS For Web Pages

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