DIVADIGEST: DECEMBER '05, ISSUE 24

Have Testimonials Sent Your Website to the Online Graveyard?

Selling a product or service to a woman in the offline world has always been tricky, and selling to a woman online is just as tricky, but somehow different. You need to understand what women are doing online, how and why they surf, and what persuades them to buy from the websites that they buy from.

For the most part, you can visit any website and find a list of testimonials from satisfied customers. In some cases, there's a smattering of comments which seem honest and natural; in others, your eyes are slammed with a barrage of lengthy excerpts from clients who are so happy that they can't seem to stop spewing forth compliments about the company and/or its products - which make you question their genuineness. Posting testimonials on your website can work for or against you, depending upon their presentation. It's up to you to take control of the situation and not cross the fine line between "believable" and an exhibit at the Ripley's Museum.

Whenever anyone visits your website, the potential exists for future sales. In fact, from the very moment that they walk through that cyber-door, you begin to form a relationship that can be nurtured, if the web presentation is good - or lost if you don't establish credibility in the eyes of the viewer. Rather than approaching testimonials with the attitude that they can sell your products, think of them as the tools with which you can reinforce your claims. What you need to remember is that, if faced with something that's hard for them to believe right from the beginning, then potential customers will develop an immediate sense of distrust. After that, it's all downhill.

Somehow, even in the case of less savvy consumers, faked testimonials are easy to spot. Perhaps it's the wording, tone or general liveliness of the text, but most people can tell if you've written the testimonials yourself. This is very bad policy, and you won't fool anyone, so avoid the temptation altogether. You'll only end up sabotaging your own website. In case it really needs to be said, don't have anyone else write them for you, either. Since people have individual writing styles and command of the language, a group of testimonials that are all written by one person can be picked up on pretty easily, too.

The attention span of the average adult isn't very long, so lengthy testimonials are a mistake. Long before they've reached the end, they've become bored or distracted and have gone elsewhere. Keeping them brief is the best idea, as long as they're concise and sound natural. Even if you've honestly received a great testimonial from a truly happy customer, it's best not to post it if it's overly lengthy.

Simply because a client has sent you a glowing report doesn't mean that you can pop it onto your website as a testimonial. You need to receive their express permission before using their words on a public forum. If they, too, have a website for the purposes of selling products, ask permission to post a link below their name, as well. Not only will this help you to establish credibility, but they'll most likely give you repeat business as a result of referring customers to their website.

If you really want to convince viewers that a testimonial is legitimate, don't insult them by signing the testimonials with the words, "professional," "housewife," "teacher," or some other generic term. Potential customers want to see real names and titles. Otherwise, your credibility comes into question once again, and they won't take anything you have to say seriously. It doesn't take much to lose the public's trust, and it would be a shame if that happened as a result of poor planning or presentation on your part.

For a variety of reasons, it's best to sprinkle your site with testimonials, rather than clumping them together in one area or posting them all on a single page. First of all, if you take the "single page" approach, then it's very unlikely that potential customers will even look at them, since most people don't usually volunteer to read text that's simply blatant advertising. Clumping them in bulky sections throughout the website may produce the same effect. It's better to place testimonials in strategic points throughout the various pages of your website, or weave them through the text of the web pages. This, then, won't overwhelm the viewer and doesn't seem as though you're hitting them between the eyes with a hard sales pitch.

Today's consumers want to know how your product will benefit them. Avoid posting testimonials that offer statements such as, "What a great product!," or "I love your merchandise!" That doesn't tell the customer anything specific about just how well the product performed. It's much better to use comments such as, "Your product helped to increase my sales by 21%" - that's something that consumers can relate to, and will be more inclined to consider purchasing the product.

Have you ever thought of the benefit that your own testimonial on someone else's website would bring to your business? By offering this consideration to another business owner, you can potentially increase your own sales by adding your company's link with your signature. You may be surprised by how often consumers will follow those links - especially if they feel that your products might serve their own purposes.

Natural, believable testimonials can lend a lot toward positively impacting your sales, provided they're presented in an effective manner. They offer the benefit of past and present customer satisfaction, which translates into free advertisement for your business.

Since the effective development of a website is an art, you may want to consider hiring a professional to take on the task. Among the best in the business today is DivaDesignWorld of Portland, Oregon. A top-notch marketing firm, headed by Monique Danielle, DivaDesignWorld staffs a complement of highly educated, experienced webmasters who have become known for their creative ingenuity and ability to take web design to a level beyond that of their strongest competitors.

--top of page--
--online testimonials--
--to december 05 overview--

E-Zine Advertising: Putting Your Ads to the Test

Online merchants have come to know that the best way to market their business is by way of e-zine advertising. Contrary to what some may believe, however, life is never as simple as all that, and the act of placing an ad in an e-zine doesn't guarantee that customers will be motivated to visit your website. If the ads aren't effective, it's nothing more than a waste of time, effort and money. In order to run a successful e-zine ad, it's best to test them out quite thoroughly first. This is the philosophy that savvy entrepreneurs have adopted in the past - which is what has made them so successful, in the first place.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of advertising in e-zines is the ability to target specific groups, which would be more likely to generate the amount of business that a company would enjoy. For instance, if a company that offered beauty products were to advertise in a children's magazine, that wouldn't target the biggest audience for the type of merchandise being offered. Advertising those same products in a magazine that targets women provides the company with a much greater chance of selling a higher volume of products. This would also be true for a company that was interested in selling toys - they wouldn't capture the greatest audience in a sporting magazine, but would do quite well by advertising in one that directly targeted children.

In order to determine the best methods of testing for your e-zine ads, you're going to need a set of guidelines that will produce results which translate into more money for your company. There are a lot of types of testing and analysis that can be done today, but if you'd rather run your own testing without the burden of overspending, consider the following suggestions.

When advertising any product, the most effect means of running a successful ad is to think of it from the perspective of your target audience. Instead of including information regarding benefits that your company might receive, you'll need to fill the ad with the types of things that would most appeal to the consumer. Show them how it will benefit them to purchase the product that you're offering. Be sure to focus on the specific target group, and jot down whatever comes to mind before committing to anything specific for your ad.

Using that same set of benefits and advantages, create a dozen headlines that you feel would be appropriate to make your e-zine ad capture the consumers' attention. If, for instance, you're offering hand-made wool sweaters for dogs that are customized to include the colors and designs that are specifically requested by the consumer, bring that out in your headline. One example might be, "Customized Fashions for Your Pet," or, "One-of-a-Kind Originals for Fido".

Never write an ad and simply submit it for publication in an e-zine. More than one version should be written - from different angles and focusing on different benefits - before it's determined which is the best for capturing the attention of the target audience. Keep in mind that the intention is for consumers to click onto the links that will direct traffic to your website, and that won't happen if they're not given the proper motivation to do so.

Tracking links are a very good way to determine which ads - and which e-zines - are more successful. With a few carefully placed links to your sales letter, you should be able to get a good grasp for which ones are doing the job, versus the ones that are rather ineffectual. Otherwise, you could well be wasting your time and resources by peppering the wrong types of e-zines with ads that don't produce results. Of the tracking services that are currently available, www.linkcounter.com and www.hyperlinktracker.com are two that are not only highly effective at tracking such information, but are also free of charge.

Once you've determined which headline is best, be sure to use it for all of your e-zine ads, and send it for publication in at least a dozen of them. It's best not to publish in e-zines that charge a fee for such services, and there are quite a few that offer the placement of ads without charge. By targeting the free ones, you'll save yourself a great deal of money and be able to reach the largest audience possible if you place the ad in a variety of e-zines. Remember that you're best chance of reaching the widest audience is by targeting e-zines that have at least 1,000 subscribers.

Next, send the same text - but use different headlines - to the e-zines that seem to enjoy the most popularity. These will be the ones that typically receive the most clicks from visitors. By placing approximately a dozen ads (with twelve different headlines), you'll probably reach an even wider audience, since different approaches appeal to different types of consumers.

Only after this type of testing has been done should you submit your ads to e-zines that require payment for advertising space. By this time, however, you'll have a very good idea of which ads have been the most successful, so you can order solos or ads that are reserved for top sponsors with the confidence that you'll ultimately receive a higher return on your investment. These ads should be placed in e-zines that have at least 10,000 subscribers. If, after you place your ads, you discover that you're getting a lot of clicks but not many sales, simply change the text of the ad. The headlines are working well enough to capture the consumers' attention, but something within the content of the body isn't doing the trick. Be sure to make any necessary price adjustments, as well. If you're either overcharging or undercharging, potential sales will be lost.

While these testing techniques can be fruitful in the long run, don't be fooled into thinking that they're either guaranteed or that they don't require a lot of work in order to realize an eventual sales increase. For those who prefer to leave this type of work to the professionals, there are some excellent marketing firms out there which can create, test, publish and track for you, without the burden of high fees for such services. One of the best firms that currently offer this type of service is DivaDesignWorld of Portland, Oregon. Run by Monique Danielle, this marketing company boasts a professional staff with the necessary education, experience and creativity to get the job done quickly and effectively. These folks are known for their flexibility, willingness to customize their services according to the consumers' needs and modest pricing schedule. So, if you lack the time or ability to take on this type of unwieldy task, it's in your best interests to request a consultation with Monique Danielle and her crew at DivaDesignWorld.

--top of page--
--e-zine advertising--
--to december 05 overview--

Business Practices: Busting the Freelance Writer Myths

While a lot of business owners recognize the value of freelance writers, some are still a bit apprehensive about hiring these free agents. As a result, there's an air of negativity that surrounds the freelance writing trade in the eyes of some business owners, and old die-hards staunchly refuse to consider such an option. Those who are more progressive recognize the value of these individuals and, in return, have realized some very tangible benefits.

In some cases, the argument that's offered by business owners is that they don't feel the need to pay a freelance writer, when they can simply write their own copy. While this may be true to some degree, professional writers have a great deal to bring to the proverbial table that business owners don't possess. One such tool is the ability to see things from a different perspective. In addition, a good freelance writer has a strong command of the language and provides fresh, creative presentations.

Owners of some establishments feel that they're the best one to write the copy, since an outside entity couldn't possibly know their company - or their merchandise - as well as they do. Again, this may be true, but a professional writer - particularly those who are prolific - have a good sense of the target audience and can adapt that to the way that your business is presented to the appropriate market of potential clients.

Staff writers aren't always utilized today, and if you're the type of business owner that can't conform to working with someone in an offsite - or remote - location, then you need to update your perspective. In these days of modern technology, some of the best writers can be found online. In addition, you'll be saving the cost of overhead, such as salaries and benefit packages, without compromising your time requirements.

Markets aren't often very stable, and you may feel that a freelance writer might not be able to keep up with the ever-changing trends. On the contrary, these individuals - by virtue of their very status - are in a position to keep quite up-to-date with the current trends and can use that knowledge to your advantage. By using their strong knowledge base and their naturally creative tools, they can tap into the appropriate consumer pool and send out a message that will have a strong impact on potential customers.

Unfortunately, some business owners are stuck in an advertising rut and can't see their way out. The philosophy tends to be that the ad copy that they're currently using has been successful for a long time and they don't see the need to make any changes. The problem with that outlook is that you're continuing to regenerate stale copy that may not be as effective as you may think. A good freelance writer has the necessary tools to spice it up and project a stronger, more effective image to the current target audience.

There are a lot of myths surrounding the cost of hiring a freelance writer. The first thing that you need to come to terms with is that you've probably had to pay onsite staff a lot of money in overtime - perhaps with very little to show for their efforts. In the case of a freelance writer, there are many talented individuals who offer their services for a very reasonable fee. Since they earn their daily bread by providing the written word for others, those who are seasoned (and smart) have modest fee schedules in place, and it's the rare company who wouldn't be able to afford their services.

There's certainly nothing wrong with hiring someone as a full-time staff member to produce your written copy. The disadvantage to that scenario, however, is that you'll have to fork over a yearly salary and strong benefit package. Freelance writers, on the other hand, only require payment per assignment, which can mean a significant savings to the business owners. In the event that a particular writer is seen with great favor after the work has been completed, there's always the option of discussing a long-term arrangement.

Some business owners are intimidated by what they see as "convoluted wording" in an ad campaign. Professional writers have a strong sense of language tools and the creative spark that's necessary to translate their talents into effective ad copy. Since they also have a firm grasp on target audiences, this has the potential for putting you at the top of the ad campaign empire - which means an influx of sales and a successful business.

Freelance writers can offer services that go far beyond the common ad campaign mentality. Whether you have the need for articles, web content, reports, professional presentations or any other kind of professional writing, a seasoned freelancer is equipped with the necessary talent and tools to handle the job. Don't make the mistake of seeing them through tunnel vision, which categorizes them as simple ad copy generators.

You might be surprised by how many companies use their marketing personnel to produce written advertisements and other forms of copy that the company needs. The truth is, marketing people have enough work to do and the writing portion of the job should be delegated to a writer. Each type of need should be addressed specifically by the individual who's best equipped to handle that type of work. Just as there's some outstanding marketing personnel in the business world, there are also those who excel in the area of writing, and the two should never cross over.

If security is an issue, you don't have to worry about sharing any of those well-kept secrets with a freelance writer. First of all, most of them are writing because it's what they enjoy doing and are already familiar with business ethics, as a result of the many customers whom they've served. Some companies ask them to sign confidentiality agreements before beginning a project, which will serve to ensure privacy and confidentiality during and after the writing assignment.

For those of you who haven't yet considered hiring a freelance writer, consider the many benefits that you'll realize by doing so and take the leap into the 21st century. If you're in need of a strong advertising firm that can help in the areas of branding, naming, marketing, advertising and other related business issues, contact DivaDesignWorld of Portland, Oregon. With a full staff of high-quality professionals and state-of-the-art strategies and tools, you'll soon realize a significant increase in sales and a firm place in the world of business that is sure to outdo your competitors.

--top of page--
--busting the freelance writer myths--
--to december 05 overview--

Don't Take No For An Answer

You have been taught that "No" means "No." However, in sales, you should always consider "No" to actually mean "Maybe" or "Not right now." In all cases of "No," you should actually hear "tell me more, I haven't made up my mind."

View the word "No" as a challenge. Consider it a challenge that will spice up your day and make you a better, stronger salesman. Turn that "No" into a sale. In order to do this, you will need to learn and develop the following five techniques.

Know everything that there is to know about your product or service. Be prepared for any and all questions. Have the ability to answer questions in a way that the customer not only understands, but in a way that makes the product or service more attractive to the customer. This will vary from customer to customer. Always have an ace in the hole. When the customer says no, pull out your ace. Have another ace ready in case they say no again.
Find out why the customer said no. Is it a money issue? Are they just not interested in the product? Find out what is preventing the sale, and figure out how to work around it. Figure out what doubts they have, and erase all doubts.
Believe in your product or service. You simply cannot be convincing if you don't believe your own words. Use the product or service yourself. Does it do everything that you claim it does? Your own use of the product or service gives more credibility to your potential customers. Be excited about your product. The customer will feel that excitement and become more interested. They want to be happy and excited as well!
Sweeten the deal. How can you add value to the offer you have already made? Make it impossible for the customer to walk away. Hang out at a car lot and pay attention to how the salesman works the customer. The more the customer balks at the sale, the more the salesman works to make it. Be prepared to do that yourself.
Be persistent. Even if the customer leaves without buying anything, make sure that you get their contact information and follow up with them on a regular basis. Keep letting them know that you are there ready to help them, and you more than likely see them again.

No doesn't have to mean no. For more ways to close a sale when the customer says no, visit Monique Danielle at http://www.divadesignworld.com . She works with her clients to close sales everyday. No is not an option at Diva Design World.

--top of page--
--don't take no for an answer--
--to december 05 overview--

get diva digest - join free now!