“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s a heaven for?” ~ Robert Browning, ‘Andrea del Sarto’

One of the most common frustrations of ministry is our desire for things to happen faster than they usually do. We may think they should go faster (and perhaps according to some standards, they should), but they don’t.

How do we react? Do we redouble our efforts? Do we work to motivate staff to do more? Do we take projects away from volunteers and staff and drive them forward ourselves?

It is hard for us to recognize and cope with the fact that the delays may be of God. ―God’s timing‖ truly ―may not be our timing‖ as much as we hate to hear it.

Ted Engstrom has a good reminder in the old classic ―Renewing Your Church Through Vision and Planning‖ from the Christianity Today ―Library of Leadership Development‖ series.

Engstrom notes that when he became frustrated with ―the gap between what we think should be done first and what we can actually do, it usually arises from the pull between priorities and our ability to move the resources needed to attack the priorities.‖

He talks about his three foundational priorities in his life.

1. Bedrock for Engstrom is his relationship with Jesus Christ. (as I hope it is for all of us).

2. Second is his commitment to the Church.

3. Third is the work that God has given to him. That work ―rises directly from my commitment to Christ and his church.‖

Engstrom notes ―Usually, if I appear to have a conflict, a clash between what I think I should do first and what I’m actually able to do because of the people involved, I need to examine these levels to see if my priorities are in the right order. This forces me to put people before programs. If I find myself frustrated in driving toward a goal, I need to check and see if I have put level three before level two. Have I put the work of Christ ahead of the body of Christ? That’s very easy for any of us to do, especially in light of the fact that our families are part of the body.‖ (p. 160)

Here are four red flags Engstrom uses to keep us out of the ditch of misplaced priorities.

1. Are my motives pure? Why do I want to accomplish a particular task or promote a program? Will it make me look good? Will it move me up a rung or give me a little more leverage?

We may frown at the idea that we could be less than sincere, but motivations are complex. We all struggle daily against the desire for recognition and power. The same program, for example, that will comfort the sick may also score points for the pastor. This is where our human reasoning often fails us, and we need to ask the Spirit of God to search our hearts. This is a time to pray as David did, ―Search me, O God, and know my heart … and see if there be any hurtful way in me‖ (Psalm 139:23–24, nasb).

2. Do the goals of the program fit my theology? Time magazine told about a church in Florida that runs a bar in its parish hall. The pastor believes it brings people together in a good setting and contributes to the life of the church. That’s an extreme example, and most of us would fault the practice. But the issues are often more subtle, and while we’ll always have well-meaning people who will think up off-the-wall programs, we must test all proposals through the grid of our theology. If we don’t—and find ourselves stymied along the way to implementation—perhaps we have skipped this important question.

3. Will the program enhance the lives of the participants? A ministry to the medical complex might change the lives of many patients, but it may also jeopardize the workers. We have to ask whether this or that program will put novice Christians in leadership roles,

tempt the weak with celebrity status, or pull mothers and fathers away from their children one more night of the week.

These are tough questions, but they provide the checks we need to avoid putting level three before level two.

4. Have we been seduced by our culture? Do we have a numbers orientation? Are we prone to think bigger is automatically better? Has society’s worship of size, success, speed, production, promotion, and glamour crept into our evaluation of church programs?

I don’t like to think along such lines. I LIKE to think that my priorities are always upfront and known to me. But, they’re not. Sometimes God has to slow me down IN ORDER to make me reevaluate. Or simply to have think time.

Or simply to be reminded that He is God…and I am not.

What do you think? Drop me a line & let me know.

Dr. Calvin Habig ministered in local congregations for thirty years and currently does professional coaching with ministers and other value-driven leaders. He lives in Portland, OR. For more information, visit Cal’s website at http://www.calhabigcoaching.com/

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.

When it comes to getting backlinks to your site there are a lot of methods to consider. Matter of fact you might  want to take into consideration all the methods that are available to you. I am not referring to blackhat  tactics, but legitimate methods of backlinking.

What some people do is rely on one “magic method”, but when it comes to getting backlinks to your site, there  really is not one “magic method.” There may be better methods, but there is no longer one method to backlinking.  Depending on how hard it is to rank for a specific keyword, you will need to step up your game and implement several backlinking strategies.

First and foremost, unless your article, web page, or whatever you’re trying to rank for is not optimized and  contains great content, you won’t make it very far, and it won’t stay on the top page of search engines for very  long. Matter of fact this is the best method for backlinking. Create content that others will talk about. When  others share your content, then you have a winning solution for any post, article, or webpage.  So if you want a 100% whitehat backlinking strategy, then make sure it involves great content, great onsite  optimization, and allowing others to link back to your site. One way to get your site out in front of people is  by utilizing basic RSS strategies and bookmarking. This is what I will cover in this article. I will show you how  I do this.

However Be Warned: Some backlinking strategies can be aggressive, and in some cases will not be considered playing nice by Google. Remember that Google doesn’t like it when you try to build links with the purpose of getting higher rankings.

Some backlinking strategies outlined by people would not be seen as whitehat by Google, and therefore do carry some degree of risk. While the widespread opinion is that backlinks cannot hurt you, and while that is probably true in 99% of cases, I do feel more comfortable disclosing that there is some risk. The risk is also strongly proportional with how aggressive you get with these backlinking strategies, the overall quality of your site, and promotional campaign.

Just know that whitehat backlinking strategies are generally considered more long term and sustainable, while greyhat or blackhat promotion aims to take advantage of current loopholes, and is much more likely to see traffic dry up or websites banned in the long term. You need to weigh the risks and rewards carefully.

So now that I have scared you, let me show you how to get backlinks to your site using a completely whitehat method. You can use this with any keywords and any site you may be trying to boost in readership.

This is a great whitehat method of getting instant backlinks to anything you place on the internet. This takes some upfront work but once you have it all put together, it runs on autopilot.

Automatic Backlink Formula.

* You sign up at Ping.fm
* You sign up at the high profile social platforms like Facebook & Twitter. This is where your backlinks will come from   automatically.
* You log into Ping.fm and connect those social platforms to your ping.fm account. Ping.fm is able to post to all those accounts in one go. So post   once, and have that posted to several social networks in one go. Unfortunately you normally have to log into ping.fm to do it each time.
* Ping.fm does not take an RSS feed for auto-posting, but there’s a way round this. Hootsuite, which auto-posts to ping.fm, will take an RSS Feed. So you set up a hootsuite account, add the RSS feed (such as the RSS Feed from your website), and connect hootsuite to Ping.fm. Now every time you post on your site, it goes to ping.fm (via hootsuite) which auto-posts to several high profile social networks.
* You get automatic backlinks and exposure from these social networks.
* There are more sites you can auto-post to other than those listed in ping.fm. So you go sign up to those sites individually and add your RSS Feed. Now every time you post you get backlinks and exposure from these sites too, all automatically.

Another thing I have done is created a FREE account with onlywire. This account is connected straight to my blog. So with every post, I get a crazy amount of backlinks right off the bat.

But you are not only getting instant backlinks with this strategy! If you are doing appropriate linking strategies within your posts or articles, what I mean is that you want to have a link about every 120 words. If you do this, then when all these places crawl and bookmark your site, or link to it, then all your links are getting crawled and indexed as well. That means they are now going to those other pages as well, your pages. This builds authority and strength in these backlinks. SO…what you want to do is find a way to bookmark all the places and articles you create, so that you are getting links to links.

Ok I hope this one tip will help you with getting the organic backlinks you need for your site.

Phillip Longmire has been doing internet marketing full time since 2008. He his a speaker, writer, and business owner. He works with companies and their marketing projects from all over the world. All his articles, advice, and know how comes from the front lines.

For more information, please click “http://www.philliplongmire.com/” if you are looking to learn how to make real money online. Phillip has been doing internet marketing full time since 2008 and has the Ultimate step by step program that shows you exactly how to make extra money online.

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.

Targeted website traffic is without doubt the holy grail of all online businesses, without it you might as well shut up shop and go home.  It doesn’t matter how good your sales copy, your offer, your marketing funnel or your products and services, without visitors of an interested variety you will struggle pure and simple.

So much has been written about the subject of targeted website traffic and increasing the visitor count to your site, an awful lot of it good quality information that if implemented could see you create a six figure online business relatively quickly. The unfortunate thing is that the vast quantities of information available can also hinder many an online business owner, especially those who are new to the whole online marketing game.

So much of the information regarding traffic revolves around the medium in which you should be using to send interested visitors to your website, debates rage far and wide across the internet as to which is more effective, video marketing, article writing, blogging,  podcasting, forum posting, pay per click and so on and so forth.

At the end of the day the medium is only as good as the marketing message contained within the content; if you are offering something of value to people they will naturally be inclined to see what it is you are offering as they will want more of the same, good quality information.

The key to targeted website traffic is however what you then do with that content, where do you distribute the content so it is easily accessible to your target market, so they can consume the content and follow the links back to your site.

An example of this using the medium of article marketing would be after creating the article, to submit to your own blog, then to the article directories, online forums within your niche that allow article posting, other sites and blogs within your niche that accept articles, just Google “your niche name” + “submit content” to find such sites along with online newsletters and e-zines.

With the rise of social media you can easily send your content out to your following by posting to Twitter and of course Facebook, another great strategy to get your content seen more widely through Facebook would be to post a link to your article within relevant groups on Facebook.

You could also go one step further and submit your content to offline publications within your niche such as trade journals and industry or niche specific magazines, these publications are always looking for content and will happily review what you have to offer for publication.

The above are just a few ideas to help you get started and think in terms of quality of content as well as quality of distribution. Start to think along the lines of your prospect and where they go online, what sites they visit, what blogs do they read, what social groups do they belong to and which forums do they belong to. This will make the job of driving targeted traffic to your website so much easier.

Targeted website traffic is the key to succeeding online and without doubt the cornerstone of a six figure online business. To receive more free training on how you can learn to build a six figure online business please visit www.robbrightmarketing.com

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.

Let me ask you this…

• Who do you think is really responsible for the success on an online business endeavor?
• Who do you think really creates all the new cutting edge technologies?
• Who do you really think is responsible for some of today’s leading e-marketing strategies?
•  Who do you think truly dictates your financial bottom line?

In a single word… Customers!

That’s right! It is the input and responses of millions upon million of customers that teach us what works and what does not. Our customers tell us what they really want and what they really need.

 My next question… How carefully do you listen?

Need Satisfaction Selling

How well you listen and respond to both your current and prospective customers will certainly play a most significant role every time you analyze your Profit and Loss Statement.

 Many e-business owners absolutely cringe when they receive a heated response from their customers. I on the other hand enjoy reading their questions, comments and concerns very much. By being a good listener you can surely identify your customers needs. By specifically making this identification, you can plan and execute your next moves.

 You see, by ultimately satisfying your customers wants and needs you can effectively reduce buying objections and make your entire sales process that much easier. After all, it would be extremely uncomfortable for a prospect to say, “No” if you bring to them exactly what they asked for. It really is just that simple.

 Are You Placing Your Cart Before Your Horse?

All too often, e-business owners want to jump out and create an elaborate web site without even first finding out as much as they can about the exact needs of their target market.

 This is what I call, “Putting the cart before the horse”!

 My Consultant’s Hat

During those times in my daily routine that I slip on my “Consultant’s Hat”, I adamantly urge e-business owners to perform the following procedures in this precise order:

1. Build relationships. (Create and manage a contact list.)
2. Ask open ended questions (who, what, why, where, when and how).
3. Methodically analyze their answers.
4. Build solutions based on your findings that will clearly and unmistakably satisfy their all-important needs.
5. Advise your customers of the completion of your project.
6. Ask for the sale!
7. Close the sale!
8. Count your profits and begin all over again ultimately presenting up sell products or services depending upon your e-business landscape.

Always remember to…

• Look
• Listen
• Learn
•  Respond
•  React

…whenever it comes down to satisfying your customers needs. Which should be always!

You and your banker will be glad you did!

Remember, call me if you need me! I am always here to help.

Have an outstanding week and remember to “laugh”!

God’s blessings and great success always,

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder/Executive Publisher
Christian Times Online
http://www.ChristianTimesNewsletter.com

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.

We also know that a good friend is not someone who necessarily agrees with everything you do and say-it’s somebody who lovingly challenges you to be a better person. We grow in maturity when we can test our thoughts and ideas against another person, and when we’re open to correction when we’re wrong.  

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” Proverbs 27:17.

One technique I like to use in that this Christian business relationship building process renders favorable results is illustrated as follows:

• Go to Google.com.
• Search the keyword phrase “online Christian business networking.”
• Click through to the various web sites rendered by your search query.
• Visit their “About Us” or “Mission Statement” page(s).
• Identify the web site owner or owner’s group.
• Direct contact the web site owner or owner’s group and inquire about their offering.
• If favorable, join the Christian business organization.
• Engage and collaborate with other Christian Business members.
• Build and nurture long-term Christian business relationships.

Always remember, you are NOT aligning with these online Christian business networks and directories to jam your product and service down anyone’s throat. Your initial purpose should be that of Christian friendship (fellowship). Be sure to make the time to not only plant your “fellowship” seed, but give those seeds time to grow. As your Christian business relationships deepen, your harvest time will become apparent. This is when you will harvest the fruits of your effective Christian business networking process.

• Be patient and give the Christian relationship time to grow. (Trust God.)
• Be of service (Be a “giver”, rather than a “taker”).
• Ask God to embolden your Christian business relationships for His glory.
• Be fervent. Stay with it. Be ever engaging.
• Have faith and know that you are on the right path to Christian business growth.

One caveat about “faith”, do Faith and Works Go Together? Real, impacting, effectual faith will have results. It will be lived out! Faith is received alone, but it does not just stand alone; it is to be shown. Faith will be backed up by the proof that it is present in a person.

“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” James 2:26.

As you begin to decide where you will align your Christian business networking options, you must be prepared to go the distance. Do NOT proceed with a “lukewarm” attitude. Carefully plan your Christian business collaboration efforts. Adhere to your plan and make modifications where and when necessary; be dynamic (flexibility).

One final note, be sure to make “them” the star! Make others feel important (service or ministry). Remember to check your “ego” at the door. Be humble, too.

Being humble simply means, “NOT to think less of yourself, but to think of your self less.”  

To help you get started with your Christian business networking practices, and in order to meet more Christian business people online, I would encourage you to take a look at the Christian Business Network. Membership in the Christian Business Network will be an effective way to meet real Christian business owners, and membership is absolutely free.

To get more details and to register for the Christian Business Network, please visit the following link:

Christian Business Network
http://christbusinessnetwork.com/

I look forward to meeting you on the inside!

Peace, joy, and God’s prosperity always,

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder, Executive Publisher
Christian Times Online
http://www.ChristianTimesNewsletter.com

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.

The abundant blessings built into our robust Christian online community at the Christian Business Network now give you the ability to meet other Christian business professionals, while at the same time providing you with an ever-flowing stream of fresh business referrals. I am so delighted and praising the Lord that we can now offer this exclusive online Christian business community to you as our love gift.

The Christian Business Network is a community of local business professionals across the country; who share in the Christian faith. We are all committed to our Lord, helping others, and growing our businesses through mutual referrals. Come see how we can grow your business in the first 30 days…FOR FREE!

In fact, we can even get your business listed on the first page of major search engines FOR FREE usually within 30 days. You’ll also want to check out the latest rankings of members via recent Keyword Searches.

We are committed to helping the directory, providing top quality service, and growing our businesses through referrals. We are affiliated with over 400 other business networks throughout the United States, and are dedicated towards helping small businesses everywhere succeed.

Here is what our members get FOR FREE!

• FREE Search Engine BOOSTER – We will help get your company’s information on the first page of major search engines within 30 days.
• FREE Christian Directory Listing – A semi-exclusive listing in our directory and won’t get lost in a phone book full of competitors (if available).
• FREE Christian Professional Networking – Your information will be linked to up to 1,200 other professionals in your area. You will also be notified each time a new local business joins for introduction and alliance building.
• FREE Christian Referral Management System – Real-time tracking of all referrals sent and received, allowing you to maintain full accountability and always know the exact status of your referral from origination until completion.
• FREE Online Web page – Your own unique web address and web page providing detailed information on your company, including: hours of operation, preferred method of contact, trade/business associations, Google mapped location & a complete rating system.
• FREE Social Network - Feel free to access to our social network, where you can create a profile, write blogs, start discussions, join a group, or upload photos and videos.

I encourage you to take the next few minutes and get your Christian business placed on the Christian Business Network. In doing so, It is my sincere prayer that with God’s anointing, we can help give you that added business boost for 2011.

Please be sure to tell all your Christian business friends and colleagues, too!

Christian Business Network:
http://www.christbusinessnetwork.com

Love, joy, and God’s blessings,

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder, Executive Publisher
Christian Times Online
http://www.christiantimesnewsletter.com

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.

So how do the “chosen” few actually turn their home based Christian business into a profitable venture? Why may it seem that you are giving it all you’ve got and just not grabbing the traction you need or feel you deserve?

Here now are a few Christian business practices that can give you a significant business edge.

Step 1: Begin each and every day with prayer and taken in a powerful dose of God’s Word, the Holy Bible. Be sure that Jesus is on your side. Team up exclusively with the Holy Spirit. Make God your intimate business partner. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” Matthew 6:33.

Step 2: As you begin your plan, be sure to include and implement a “gifting first” process. The object is to lure suspects and prospects into your Christian home based business world by offering “free” incentives. These incentives might be a “free” special report from your web site, or you might invest in inexpensive promotions items such as pens, mini-calendars, or refrigerator magnets with your brand printed on them. Give these items away to all potential customers and clients.

Step 3: Get involved in the community. Be of service to others and be available when needed. Be on the constant look out for opportunities to building and nurture long-term relationships by providing your time as a goodwill measure. Caveat: Never simply give of yourself expecting to “get” in return. When you give from a heart of Christ, people “will” take notice and respond. Let God open these doors as you share His love throughout your target market zones. “If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too” Romans 14:18.

Step 4: Run your Christian home based business like a true professional. Even though your business is located at your home, adopt and maintain the mindset of a corporate giant. Act like you “intend” to do business. Although working your Christian home based business can afford you work schedule flexibility, keep your focus on your plan, your daily schedule, your work ethic, your customer service practices, and well-formed business goals top of mind. You might even consider dressing and acting the part, too.

Step 5: I encourage you to consider these Christian home based business practices and put them into action right away. God knows the open marketplace can be challenging, but by following a professional Christian business regimen, you can distinctly level the playing and generate the success you seek to achieve.  Keep God in the forefront of all you do. You will most definitely need His anointed blessings. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” Ephesians 3:20.

And finally…

Step 6: Don’t worry and don’t be afraid. We serve a big God who wants you to win. Let go of your inhibitions and fears. Go boldly and listen for God’s direction. Hold fast not to your will, but to God’s will. He will lead you to the land of milk and honey. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” Philippians 4:6. Believe it and become it!

May almighty God bless you abundantly,

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder, Executive Publisher
Christian Times Online
http://www.christiantimesnewsletter.com

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.

The point is, all too often we make the mistake of going it alone when all the while we are surrounded by successful mentors and leaders that have been there, done that, and doing it right now.  I am amazed at how many online and offline Christian business owners never reach out and collaborate with other Christian business professionals.

Through Christian fellowship and thoughtful collaboration you are able to reach out to gather the abundance of valuable proven resources that can and often will ultimately prove to be of great benefit to your perpetual business success. “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” Proverbs 27:17.

I must tell you, I only wish I would have taken my own current advice back in my 20′s as I started out on my Christian entrepreneurial path.  The money and grief savings would have been astonishing and been far less painful, frustrating, and cost prohibitive.

Beginning today, I pray and encourage you to open up and reach out to those Christian business companies and individuals who can help you achieve your higher level of success. Here are just few steps to point you in the right direction in the name of solid business growth and your money making potential.

1. Identify a proven and trusted Christian mentor or colleague.
2. Contact them via phone.
3. Develop a bond (fellowship and pray) with that coach, mentor, leader, or colleague.
4. Bounce ideas and seek their insights and pray upon them.
5. Purposefully mix it all together.
6. Apply the best of what you discover.
7. Seek God’s final confirmation.

“When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing” Hebrews 6:7.

There is never any need or smart reason to ever make any final decisions until you “collaborate”, “discuss” and “discover” via your professional Christian business relationships. In doing so, you will open up opportunities and blessings that will work best for you and the future growth of your unique business endeavor. “May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the Lord answer all your prayers” Psalm 20:5.

The business you save may be your own!

Happy Marketing and I pray that God may bless you in all you do,

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder, Executive Publisher
Christian Times Online
http://www.christiantimesnewsletter.com

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.

Any business owner who has been participating in the Internet marketing arena to bolster their cash flow knows how dicey search engine optimization can be. All too often, overly zealous SEO optimizers make tall claims by convincing you that they have found the “magic pill” to get your business ranked and positioned at the top of major search engines like Google. I can assure you; search engine optimization is difficult at best. If you don’t know what you’re doing (like most business owners who are focus on their primary business sector), you’re going to throw a lot of money at some very empty promises; rendering for you and your business dismal results.

All that stated, I must say that there are SEO companies (or companies performing SEO services as an added-value proposition) that do what they do very well; but, who and where are they; and what is “well?”

Since entering the e-landscape myself (back in 1996), I have witnessed and experienced many “black-eyes” when it came to learning and applying effective (proven) search engine positioning results. Recent, I discovered a Los Angeles firm that has all but mastered the art of search positioning with a very high degree of honest success. They have become so good at search engine control they actually have put their money where their month is by providing their search engine expertise attached to a 100% guarantee. In today’s nasty economical climate, we as business owners need a significant value-added edge to get the best results for our marketing investments.

As I began to test and verify their claims and ultimate process, I was able to clearly note the responsiveness of their “top search engine listing” claims. Due to the “deepness” (as well as inbound and outbound linkage) of their web site platform, teamed with their methodically researched keyword identification practices and procedures. I have even gone so far as to develop a personal and business relationship with the company’s founder, Jordan Wexler. His “SmartGuy” online referral business network system has undeniably risen to the occasion when it comes to their claim of guaranteeing top search engine listing position in record time for virtually any local business. As an additional added-value benefit, SmartGuy provides their platform (that is actually free) to any local business. I mean, a guaranteed top major search engine position is less than 30 days, come on! That my dear friend is a real value for any local business

If you believe in social networking platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter (like I do and when done right), I would encourage you to take full advantage of Jordon’s no-cost, local business referral networking system opportunity.

You can take the first step by watching their video short and signing up for your account by visiting: https://www.smartguy.com/register.asp

God bless and good business,

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder
Christian Times Online
http://www.christiantimesnewsletter.com

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.

My point here is to encourage you to keep an open mind to the possibilities and how you, too can directly benefit each time a new product and/or service is rolled out across the open marketplace (Marino, 2010).

Google killed Twitter today. With the launch of Google Buzz they ruthlessly attacked Twitter’s weaknesses and quietly set the scene for subsequent creeping infiltration into Microsoft’s stronghold in the enterprise market. Buzz is a big deal.

Google’s Buzz is presented as a simple rival to Twitter. It shows up discreetly as a tab in Gmail, will play nicely with other social media platforms and allows users to automatically follow/be followed by people within their existing email contact database. Responses are presented in the Gmail inbox which means that for most users there may be no need for dedicated platforms such as TweetDeck and Seesmic.

Google has clearly put a lot of thought into Buzz and has built it from scratch to integrate closely with Gmail. This means that it can handle photos and video without extra applications, and it’s location aware and mobile ready. And if you want to be found, you just know that Buzz updates are going to be indexed by Google like lightning. Google’s announcement with a nice summary video is here.

Many people have been saying over the last few months that Google should just buy Twitter, but it now seems obvious that Big G thinks they can do better than spending big bucks on the acquisition and then having to integrate Twitter’s code into the Googleplex.

As an indication of just how much impact Buzz is going to have, there are already reports of big brands leaping on board , trying to promote their own hash tags – even though Buzz doesn’t support the “#” symbol yet – and responding to brand mentions. That’s within the first 24 hours. We are going to see a frenzy of early adopters.

There are some naysayers, of course, and Google hasn’t helped themselves by appearing to rush the release of a product that shows some signs of being a beta release.

But this is Day One and if Google can launch a call center to support the Nexus phone within a month of its launch then we can be sure that it’s not going to drop the ball on its first foray into realtime updates.

So what are the takeaways from all this?

First and most depressingly, we’re going to have to deal with an upsurge of ridiculous neologisms. Having slowly come to terms with words like Tweet, Twitterati, Twitpocalypse and fail whale, we’re now going to be learning a new language of Buzzes, Buzzers and Buzzerific. Well, maybe not that last one, but who really knows? It’s going to be bad for anyone of a sensitive disposition.

Second, Twitter is going to have to move fast to build out its infrastructure and improve its uptime. The fail whale has been seen much too often and especially for corporate users, it discourages enterprise adoption. They will rush to Buzz unless Twitter improves. Twitter is the first company in Google’s sights.

Third, Buzz also threatens a whole bunch of other companies. We’ve already mentioned some of the Twitter desktop clients like Seesmic and TweetDeck, but there’s an entire ecosystem of Twitter companies that will now be looking over their shoulders. An offering from Google that tightly integrates Gmail, Google Apps and Buzz into Android and Chrome mobile platforms is going to be incredibly attractive to business users. And another reason to abandon Office and move to Google Apps will hit Microsoft in the one place where it still makes most of its money. Integration with Gmail and Android perhaps kills Yammer and Salesforce’s Chatter. And so on.

What does this mean for publishers, affiliates, networks and the rest of us? It means there’s opportunity. Buzz may just be the catalyst for a general shift to an integrated Google platform/ecosystem, but in the meantime the disruption means that there is money to be made (Trayhorn, 2010).

Peace and God’s joy always,

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder, Executive Publisher
Christian Times Online
http://www.ChristianTimesNewsletter.com

Article Co-Contributor: Chris Trayhorn
Publication: mThink.com

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.

Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length. Updates are displayed on the user’s profile page and delivered to other users who have signed up to receive them.

As the default a Tweet is delivered to everyone. You, as a sender can also restrict delivery to those in your particular inner circle of friends and colleagues.  Users can send and receive updates via the Twitter website, SMS, RSS (receive only), or through applications such as Tweetie, HootSuite, Twhirl, and TweetDeck.  The service is free to use over the web, but using SMS may incur phone services provider fees.

 Some of the notable marketing benefits would be:

• A greater range of people to talk to.
• Increases traffic to your blog because of the links from Twitter.
• Like most social media marketing, Twitter provides more of a drip feed than a flood, but it remains consistent and grows steadily.
• Twitter doesn’t really take up very much time. Of all the networks it’s the easiest to maintain as it takes seconds to do what you need to do and even with all the replies, adding followers, etc.
• Twitter provides one of the most instant responses.
• Twitter can be used a good tracking application.
• Twitter can be a solid communication medium during a live conference event.
• Twitter can be a RSS feed reader to help you gather research.
• Twitter can provide timely and unique news updates and information on a global scale.

As with any online marketing or social networking tool, how well you understand its function and how you may be able to take advantage of that function, will be up to you. I highly recommend you learn all you can about Twitter and decide if this unique Web 2.0 global networking application is right for you.

Twitter:
http://twitter.com

I personally invite you to join me on Twitter at:
http://twitter.com/tonymarino

Happy Marketing!

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder/Executive Publisher
Christian Times Newsletter

Founder, CEO
Christian Times Online
http://www.ChristianTimesNewsletter.com

PS. Marketing Antics Live… Join Us!

I encourage you to check out our new Portland Radio Talk Show (even call in live during the show as the show is an online simulcast, too) and take full advantage of the many complimentary marketing gifts and resources that can be found across the Marketing Antics’, Web Platform. 

After all, knowledge and inspiration are power!

Marketing Antics Live!
Join us LIVE!
http://radio.christiantimesnewsletter.com

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.

As a people we expect far too much from others and from ourselves. We do our best to plow through our circumstances, muddle along knee in the mudd, and drive ourselves into a frenzy jamming square pegs into round holes. Solomon in his God-inspired writings (Eccesiastes) made crystal clear the point by repeating his “chasing the wind” life’s perspective. We can be brilliant. We can shine. We can win. Yes, but only with God’s support, power, and all-perfect wisdom. So let’s get busy and be all we can be by calling to action God’s winning power traits. Amen?

So, what are those traits?

Here now are my best picks…

1. Intelligence & Reasoning

You don’t need a Harvard Ph.D.. Sound business judgment and a fair degree of emotional intelligence will help you navigate most situations. And be good at learning: processing lots of information, analyzing data and forever refining your vision is a must when you’re in unfamiliar territory. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” Proverbs 3:5.

2. Motivation

You’ve got to be a self-managed “go-getter” (with the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit). When you’re carving out your own niche, you can’t expect round-the-clock supervision and guidance. Don’t ever rely on anyone except yourself to get you up and moving — YOU must get YOU going! “But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us” Galatians 5:5.

3. Ambition

The more ambitious and innovative you are, the greater the need to take an inspired action and make something happen. Pick up the phone, send an e-mail, hop in your car, ask a question, make a contact, make an offer. Put a process in motion and obtain the rewards. You choose to be hot or cold in relation to ambition or the lack thereof. Be hot! “Because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth” Revelation 3:16.

4. Perpetual Energy

Run around the block where you live and see how tired you get. When you’re a true leader, you’ll be hit with the equivalent of that run around the block at least a 20 times day, and you’ll have to get through it, exhausted or not. And when you do close your eyes to rest, put that time to work — ask your creative unconscious what you should do or where you should go next. Perpetual energy takes you places. “You were wearied by all your ways, but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’ You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint” Isaiah 57:10.

5. Relentless Perseverance

Keeping up the struggle when there’s no tangible benefit in sight nor any sign of light at the end of the tunnel takes perseverance. Keep at it. Even if you don’t like the final result, at least you’ve produced something — and you can always take it from there and improve. “Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness” 1 Timothy 6:11.

6. Imagination & Hope

There are stagnant dreamers. There are people with delusions of grandeur. And then there are the true leaders, who are capable of combining a vision of the seemingly impossible with a plan to make it happen. “You are my refuge and my shield;your word is my source of hope” Psalm 119:114.

7. Positive Mental Attitude

Focusing on the good in any situation doesn’t mean you’re naive. It means you do not want to waste your time on negative thinking. Taking the constructive approach — seeing what your options and resources are, and making use of them — will always get you somewhere. “When doubts filled my mind,your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer” Psalm 94:19.

8. Patience

International pursuits take time to develop. Knowing when to remain calm and hang in there will increase your chances for true success. “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” Psalm 27:14.

9. The Four “BIG C’s”…

One: Courage. Two: Confidence. Three: Conviction. Four: Communication.

One: Courage

You must face painful issues, you must conquer your fears, you must confront adversity head-on in order to grow. Moving forward at any pace when you’re dealing with the unknown takes courage. Apply it in everything you do. “Take courage as you fulfill your duties, and may the Lord be with those who do what is right” 1 Chronicles.

Two: Confidence

Even if you don’t know what you’re doing, act as if you do, and soon you’ll be convinced! Confidence comes from knowing that you are in control of yourself, no matter what happens to you. “Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged” Joshua 10:25.

Three: Conviction

Adhere to what you stand for. Demonstrate a willingness to live by your noblest values regardless of consequences. Don’t forget that every day when you wake up, you will have to face yourself and live with your decisions. “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” Matthew 6:24.

Four: Communication

Know how to talk to anyone, anywhere in the world. Better yet, become an expert at listening. Communication skills and a keen insight into human nature helps you motivate others to join you in getting a job done. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them” Genesis 11:6.

10. Showmanship

If you know you have what it takes to become a global leader, get out there and toot your horn. How else will the world know about you? “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” Acts 4:31.

Global leadership doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a slow and deliberate process that requires focused thought, “no-quit” discipline, expeience, and a ton of hard work. Why not start today by putting your Top 10 Power Traits into action. As you begin, be sure to give glory to God! Amen.

Perhap just maybe, you have the potential to become a true leader!

Happy Marketing and God’s blessings, strength, and joy,

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder, Executive Publisher
Christian Times Online
http://www.christiantimesnewsletter.com

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.

Surfers must know about your site before they can find it. In its most basic form, a web site is actually a digital brochure directing your visitors to your products and services. To be effective, surfers must see your colorful message in all its’ splendor. To accomplish task, one must effectively market their site on a day by day basis.

So how does the Internet business person go about promoting their web site?

Well, here are a couple of choices…

The easiest way is to pay someone else to do it. There are several companies, including my own; Christian Times Online, that specialize in helping people promote their web based businesses. This can be highly effective, but not always affordable for the beginner.

Next, we have the “Hit & Miss” or “All Over The Road” Marketing System. You know, the “Do-It-Yourself” I need to be spanked approach. This is where the beginner ignores their mentor(s) and drives directly at Mach 100 into a proverbial cement wall. Ouch!

I’m sure that one gives you a good visual!

So…

What does a person do if they run a small business, making small monthly profits?

How do small businesses, with limited budgets, entice surfers to visit their Web site?

Now, let us discuss seven effective methods that are available at little or no cost to you.

1. Direct E-Mail

Direct e-mail is the most effective way of promoting your web site. We will examine other methods of promotion, but none are as cost effective as direct e-mail. With the proliferation of free e-mail services such as Google’s, GMail and MSN’s, Hotmail, many people as choosing this as their primary means of web site promotion.

One reason for direct e-mail’s effectiveness is that everyone who receives your message will read the subject line. No other form of commercial promotion can claim this. A catchy subject line can guarantee a high percentage of recipients will open your message.

2. Ezine Advertising

E-zines offer most of the advantages of direct e-mail, without the risks or the effort. Additionally, e-zines

usually reach very specific, targeted markets. This is the real beauty of e-zine advertising.

General, untargeted mailings advertising a good product at a reasonable price generate responses on the order of 5%. Of these responses only about 3% will actually make a purchase.

You can see how untargeted mailings could generate the need for you to do a large amount of work for very little return. With targeted advertising, I have experienced numbers more on the order of 7% response with 40% purchases. The reason for the dramatic difference is obvious. The readers of the e-zines were pre-qualified as interested in my products. Higher interest equals higher sales percentage.

3. Search Engine Listings

List your Web site with the search engines. There are many search engines available on the Internet, with more coming online every day. The process of registering is very simple, but can consume a large amount of time. This is especially true when you consider that you will probably need to resubmit your site on a regular basis.

My suggestion is that you focus your attention on the major search engines. Google, Excite, Infoseek, WebCrawler, Lycos, Alta Vista, Hotbot, and Yahoo probably account for 80% or more of the searches performed on the Internet. Also, I recommend that you avoid the myriad free submission services and take care of the submissions to these seven yourself, by hand. If you want to try the freebies for submission to the minor search engines, give it a shot, but your listing in the big seven is too important to take a chance on.

4. Banner Placements

Buy banner ads. This does not mean avoid banner exchanges, however, you will receive better quality visitors from good banners placed on carefully selected, high volume web sites that receive visitors who may be interested in your product.

There are many brokers, such as:

MSN Advertising:
http://advertising.microsoft.com/home

WebConnect:
http://www.webconnect.com

These service companies can assist you in placing your ads. To test the effectiveness of your banners, link each different ad to a different “doorway” page and monitor the traffic through your web site statistics.

5. High Traffic Linkage

Place ads on high traffic links pages and negotiate reciprocal links with complementary businesses. The links pages may not generate traffic for you directly but it is an inexpensive way to get your URL on many pages. This can improve your standing in search engines that use link popularity as part of their placement algorithm.

Be cautious of who you exchange reciprocal links with. Try to find businesses that compliment yours, not compete with it. If you offer accessories for automobiles, link with auto dealers or auto parts suppliers.

6. Signage Placements

Put your e-mail address and URL on all your company’s print literature, letterhead, and display advertising. If you provide people a means to find out more about your products or services in a low pressure way, many will do so and some of those will buy. And, certainly do NOT forget to keep your “Sig Files” on your outbound emails up and running!

7. Strategic News Groups

Utilize the news groups. First, find the groups that are likely to be frequented by people interested in products such as yours. Google Groups http://groups.google.com/ might be of help to you as you perform the necessary research. It can search thousands of groups for particular subjects, revealing the groups for you to target.

Let us not forget to ramp up our social media options. These social networking groups are LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and many others coming on scene figuretively at the speed of light. There is no shortage of “how to” articles, reports, and newsletters. I encourage you to do your research, but certainly get on board with these mediums.

(Important Considerations)

After you have identified some target groups, monitor the discussions for a few weeks to get the feel of the group. Once you have a grip on what is going on in a particular group, start contributing to the discussions.

At the bottom of each of your messages, be sure to include a “signature”. A “signature” is a short, 5 to 10 line, advertisement of your product or service. Be sure to include your product, URL and e-mail address in your signature.

Every time you contribute to the discussion, hundreds of people will see your ad. This method requires some effort, but can pay big dividends if you are in it for the long haul.

None of these methods provide the “magic potion” for ultimate success. None of them will bring you billions by next week. But, by following these “seven methods Of marketing consistently, over time, you should begin to notice an increase in the level of your web site traffic. Moreover, you should see an increase in the quality of the traffic you receive, resulting in more sales. And that my dear colleague, is name of the game!

Happy Marketing  and God bless you prosperously!

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder, Executive Publisher
Christian Time Online
http://www.christiantimesnewsletter.com

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.

Just go grab a writing utensil and a pad of paper and let’s get underway.

Step 1 – Comprehending Your Market and Your Competition

A big mistake that many business owners make is to latch on to a cool product or service without first understanding the market and what it wants (not what it needs). If you try to sell something that people don’t want, they won’t buy it.

It’s that basic!

A profitable market consists of people who have dire wants that are being unmet, so much so that they will jump to buy your solution (product or service). A profitable market can be comparedto a lake with thousands of starving fish. All you need to do is throw in the bait and it turns into a feeding frenzy.

To get an understanding of your market you should ask yourself questions like:

• Are there segments in my market that are being underserved?
• Are the segments of my market for my product or service big enough to make money?
• How much share of that market do I need to capture, to just break even?
• Is there too much competition in the segment of my market to be competitive?
• What are the weaknesses in my competition’s offering that I can capitalize on?
• Does my market want or value my unique competitive offering?

Step 2 – Understanding Your Customer

Knowing your customer intimately is the first step to easy sales. Until you know (1) who your customers are, (2) what they want, and (3) what motivates them to buy, you can’t prepare an effective marketing plan.

Don’t confuse “wants” with “needs.” People don’t necessarily buy what they need, buy they’ll most always buy what they want. For instance, have you ever known someone that went to the store to buy a pair of pants that they needed and came back with a new shirt, sweater and shoes? Or how about the everyday shopperwho goes into the supermarket to buy some milk and eggs and comes out with a frozen pizza, cheese cake, and other goodies.

People will buy what they want (even if they don’t have the money!), not what they need. And yes, this even applies to those “sophisticated”corporate honchos (I used to be one, I should know).

To really get to know your customers you’ll need to ask yourself questions such as:

• How does my potential customer normally buy similar products (i.e. in a store, on the web, door-to-door)?
• Who is the primary buyer and the primary buying influencer in the purchasing process (i.e. husband or wife, purchasing agent, project leader, secretary)?
• What kind of habits does my customer have? For instance, where do they get their information (i.e. television, newspapers, magazines)?
• What are my target customer’s primary motivations for buying (i.e. look good, avoid pain, get rich, be healthy, be popular etc.)

Step 3 – Targeting Your Niche

If you say that your target customer is “everybody” then nobody will be your customer. The marketplace is jam packed with competition. You’ll have more success jumping up and down in a small puddle than a big ocean.

Carve out a specific niche and dominate that niche, then you might consider moving on to a second niche (but not before you’ve dominated the first one!).

You could be a “lawyer that specializes in child accident liability” or a “C.P.A. for used car dealers” or a “dry cleaner for the Heritage Park subdivision in West Oaks, CA.” You get the picture. Make sure to choose a niche that interests you and that is easy to contact. I can’t stress this point enough.

There’s nothing more destructive than to pick a niche that you can’t communicate with or that costs you a ton of money to contact.

Step 4 – Developing Your Marketing Message

You marketing message not only tells your prospect what you do, but persuades them to become your customer. You should develop two types of marketing messages. Your first marketing message should be short and to the point. Some may call this your elevator speech or your audio logo. It’s your response to someone who asks you, “So, what do you do?”

The second type is your complete marketing message that will be included in all your marketing materials and promotions.

To make your marketing message compelling and persuasive it should include the following elements:

• An explanation of your target prospect’s problem.
• Proof that the problem is so important that it should be solved now, without delay.
• An explanation about why you are the only person/business that can solve your prospects problem.
• An explanation of the benefits people will receive from using your solution.
• Examples and testimonials from customers you have helped with similar problems.
• An explanation about prices, fees, and payment terms.
• Your unconditional guarantee.

Step 5 – Determining Your Marketing Mediums

Remember, when I said that it’s critical to choose a niche that you can easily contact? When you go to choose your marketing medium(s) you’ll understand why that was sound advice.

Your marketing medium is the communication vehicle you use to deliver your marketing message. It’s important to choose a marketing medium that gives you the highest return on your marketing dollar (ROMD). This means that you want to choose the medium that delivers your marketing message to the most niche prospects at the lowest possible cost.

The following is a lists of tools you have at your disposal to get your message out:

• Newspaper ads
• Posters
• Contests
• Card decks
• Seminars
• Television ads
• Signs
• Sweepstakes
• Door-to-door
• Teleclasses
• Radio ads
• Banners
• Trade shows
• Yellow pages
• Articles
• Classified ads
• Newsletter
• Charity events
• Networking
• Infomercials
• Billboards
• Take-one box
• Telemarketing
• Magazine ads
• Special events
• Sales letters
• Flyers
• Email
• Movie ads
• Ezine ads
• Postcards
• Doorhangers
• Agents
• Media releases
• Fax broadcasts
• Brochures
• Gift Certificates
• Social Networking (SmartGuy, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter)
• Word-of-mouth
• Website
• Sign picketing
• Business cards
• Catalogs
• Air Blimps
• Public speaking
• Window display

The trick is to match your message to your market using the right medium. It would do you no good to advertise your retirement community using a fast-paced, loud radio spot on a hip-hop radio station. This is a complete mismatch of the market, message, and medium. Success will come when there is a good match of these three elements.

Step 6 – Setting Attainable Sales and Marketing Goals

Goals are critical to your success. A “wish” is a goal that hasn’t been written down. If you haven’t written your goals, you’re still just wishing for success. When creating your goals use the SMART formula.

Ensure that your goals are:

1. Sensible
2. Measurable
3. Achievable
4. Realistic
5. Time specific

Your goals should include financial elements such as annual sales revenue, gross profit, sales per sales person etc. However, they should also include non-financial elements such as units sold, contracts signed, clients acquired, articles published etc.

Once you’ve set your goals, implement processes to internalize them with all team members such as reviewing them in sales meetings, displaying thermometer posters, awarding achievement prizes etc.

Step 7 – Crafting Your Marketing Budget

Your marketing budget can be developed several ways depending on whether you want to be more exact or develop just a quick-and-dirty number. It’s good to start out with a quick-and-dirty calculation and then to support it with further details.

First, if you have been in business for over a year and tracked your marketing-related expenditures you could easily calculate your “cost to acquire one customer” or “cost to sell one product” by dividing your annual sales and marketing costs by the number of units (or customers acquired) sold.

The next step is to take your cost to sell one unit or acquire one customer and simply multiply it by your unit sales or customer acquisition goal. The result of this simple computation will give you a rough estimate of what you need to invest to meet your sales goals for the next year.

Conclusion

There you have it, It’s simple really. Of course you’ll need to study up a bit more about your marketing medium(s) of choice, their appropriateness for your message, and their associated costs. But try not to make the development of your plan a laborious, drawn-out task. Remember the 80-20 rule. 80% of your results will come from 20% of your effort.

My final word of advice is to make sure you set aside uninterrupted time to develop your marketing plan. It could very well be the most important document to which you and your team members will ever refer.

Happy Marketing!

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder/Executive Publisher
Christian Times Online
http://www.christiantimesnewsletter.com

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.

The penalties will be severe.  Of course there will be huge fines and businesses getting knocked off the NET left and right.

I believe that in very short order many honest people will also suffer the consequences.  This will occur when innocent business owners unknowingly send out advertisements to someone else’s list of illegal recipients.  This will be a total shame for the many who have invested their time and hard-earned money in hopes of building a solid home-business opportunity.

This is why I tell business owners time and again to develop and manage their own “Permission Based” email lists.

You see, by simply publishing your own online newsletter, ezine or weekly communique’, you have the essential ingredient to grow and manage your very own “safe” opt-in “Permission Based” list of prospective customers.

Let’s face it, customers would rather buy from people they know and trust as opposed to giving their business to complete strangers that sell unfamiliar products or unknown services.

The “GOOD NEWS!”

Permission Based Marketing

At the very “TOP” of my list sits the profession of online newsletter publishing. (I believe in minimizing my business risks.) I have also included a few more additional rules to keep you on track should you continue to sell to strangers that have no idea who you are or what you are selling.

Always play it safe!

1. Send email-mail only to those who have “opted-in” to receive it.

Ideally you should use “confirmed” opt-in, in which a confirmation message must be sent to the recipient, who in turn must reply to the message for the opt-in to take effect. Avoid “opt-out,” which forces the recipient to receive messages until he says no.  This widespread practice of opt-out appears to actually discourage e-commerce. 

A survey by Intelliquest found that 63% of Web users agreed with the statement, “If I buy online, I’ll end up getting junk email-mail.”  And the trend is up – Intelliquest found only 58% agreed with that statement in 1998.

Perhaps this is why many people use fake email-mail addresses when buying online; Shop.org found in their survey that 60% of surfers have given false information when filling out online forms.

Bottom line: Consumer trust is something you have to earn. One of the best ways is to respect their wishes when it comes to email-mail.

2. Always honor user requests to opt-out.

Make it a simple process and include a Web site URL in every message that allows the user to opt-out. (A simple “reply to unsubscribe” does not always work if the user has multiple email-mail accounts, which can be extremely frustrating for the end user.)   For some companies, it might make sense to “down-sell” the end user. 

For example, a news site that provides daily deliveries may have success in offering the user an opportunity to “downgrade” to weekly digests.  After all, many opt-outs are simply a natural reaction to too much email-mail in general; a reduced burden is often welcome.

3. Confirm everything by email-mail: The initial opt-in, orders, shipping notification and changes in the customer profile.

This blunts the problem of false information.  If a fake email-mail address has been entered, the confirmation will either bounce or be delivered to someone who possibly has never heard of you, in which case he will contact you and let you know your database needs to be updated.  Always include an opt-out mechanism in these messages. 

As an added bonus, use these messages as an up-sell opportunity.  For example, an airline could offer the user a reduced rate for renting a car from a particular sponsoring vendor.

4. Allow users to specify their preferences.

What kind of information do they want to receive?  How often?  Encourage users to give you as much information as necessary to allow you to effectively target them in your email-mail promotions and other -commerce activities.  But avoid asking for her life story. 

Instead, structure your program so that you gain more information over time — with her permission, of course!

5. Give and you shall receive.

Customers don’t give you their email-mail address and other personal information out of altruism.  They do it in exchange for something of value. It could be information (on your Web site, via email-mail or through some other media), a free gift, a coupon or a chance to win a sweepstakes. 

Be creative, but also follow through by delivering real value to the recipient with every message.

 6. Your list is an asset that only you can use; do not sell or rent it.

If you want to realize incremental revenue beyond your own offerings, allow the users to opt-in to receive offers from your partners.  If you do this, make sure you control the mailings, and that your brand “introduces” other brands.

Example: “Because you opted to receive promotional offers of our valued partners, we at ABC Corp are please to give you a special offer from XYZ Corp.”  Ask the company doing the promotion to give you an exclusive on the offer for a limited time; limiting the offer to only your customers increases the value of opting in.

7. Develop and post a privacy policy for your web site.

Do NOT violate it!

8. Respond to customer email-mail inquiries promptly.

It reinforces how valuable they are to you and reminds them that there are real, live people “behind the scenes” of your web site.

9. Do not use rented lists.

The only exception is vendors who use the method described in number 6.

10. Always remember the network effect.

Bad news travels much faster than good on the Internet.

An angry online customer can broadcast his frustration with you to millions by creating an “I hate [your company]” Web site, emailing-mailing the experience to friends, posting it on message boards and other ways. 

Remember, in the new economy the customer is in control.  Do not make the mistake of treating email-mail and the Web like the telephone and snail mail.

In closing…

Once again, I urge you to make the right e-marketing decision and begin to build your “Permission Based” audience as soon as possible.  In putting this principle to work for your eBusiness, you will soon be able to take total advantage of both sides of the e-marketplace for yourself.

Happy Marketing!

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder/Executive Publisher
Christian Times Newsletter
http://www.christiantimesnewsletter.com

©2012 Christian Times Online :: Praise, Worship, Discipleship :: Free Christian Online Newsletter :: 213-325-0977. All Rights Reserved.