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The Six Stages of Evolution

30/7/2021

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There are those people who come to the web with a solid business plan, a large amount of investment capital, and a precise strategy for how they are going to leverage the internet and exploit the incredible revenue potential of the cyber-age. Then there are the rest of us.

Millions of people have arrived on the internet with the notion of making their fortunes, and millions more will arrive in the next years. 
smartphone and social media icons
These hopeful masses hail from the full spectrum of financial status, from six-figure earners to minimum wage employees. Likewise, the newbie-networker can be an individual with an extensive background in traditional business, or a high school graduate with no clue about the dynamics of commerce and marketing.

I've observed an interesting progression among marketers who came onto the scene without a road map, and with little idea of how the microcosmos of internet marketing worked. Or maybe I've just watched my own journey, and it makes me feel better to assume others have shared my experience.

Either way. Indulge me in a few more paragraphs, if you will, as I lay out what I like to think of as the evolution of an internet marketer.
Stage One: Easy Money... Not!
Right out of the gate, most people seem to think the internet "levels the playing field", or allows anyone with fingers and a keyboard to generate staggering riches with just a few hours of busy work each week. It usually takes a couple of months for this bubble to pop, but when it finally does, the majority of newbies don't survive the event.
man on sofa working on laptop
However, when that dark day of realization comes, and it looms evident that one must work this business if he/she hopes to see any results, the strong of the networking gene pool sprout their working legs and move beyond the fog of delusion. Supremely confident in the knowledge they have surpassed those lazy sluggards who squeeled and fled at the suggestion of buckling down and putting some hard work in, the survivors of Stage One move onward and upward, where surely they will be rewarded for their tenacity.
Stage Two: Hard Work Doesn't Pay Server Fees
At Stage Two, our post primordial networkers are laboring tirelessly through the deep thickets of website construction, traffic-generation, email-list-building, and all manner of grueling and structured tedium. Their behinds sore from being glued to a worn-out office chair, and their eyes bloodshot and bleary from the all night clicking sessions, they push on day after day, certain of their forthcoming vindication.
people in coffee shop working in laptop
But they still aren't making any freakin' money. What's more, they are starting to see past the free web hosts, free classified ads, and free trial memberships. All the good stuff seems to cost money, but our Stage Twoers had hoped to put off any kind of monetary investment until they could create at least some kind of income to offset such expenditures.

And so another enormous batch of inferior networkers dies out. The thought of putting some cash into their web-business was more than their fragile little hearts could bear.

But, as always, those more suited to the challenge live on. With a deep breath and a good look at their monthly budgets, the survivors of Stage Two determine they will invest as much money as needed to keep their operations afloat until they are able to become self-funding marketers.
Stage Three: Throwing Money at it Doesn't Work Either
Enter the golden age of upgrades and paid memberships. Five bucks a month for this. Ten bucks a month for that. Anything with a Paypal button is fair game.

No longer clueless newbies who think this can be done for free, our marketers are in full stride. 
table with smartphones, sheets of paper, post-it and glass
Buying every ebook that comes down the pipe, upgrading into programs they login to once a month, and hitting every buy now button they can find, they cruise through cyberspace on a mission to buy their way right to the top. "I'm not afraid to spend money on *my* business." they tout.

Lots and lots of money goes out. Considerably less revenue comes back in.

Inevitably, the moment arrives when those who have made it to Stage Three see the folly of their current direction. Maybe it's when the credit card bill comes, or perhaps it happens when they are balancing the checkbook.

Once again, the brutal process of selection strikes down those without a heart for further trials. Uncountable numbers of washed-up, would-be internet marketers sink beneath the sludge of this stage.

And once again, that fraction of the whole with the guts and gumption to keep going grows stronger than ever before. More than a regimen of hard work and a willingness to invest money is needed here, they resolve. On the verge of a real breakthrough (they can feel it in their bones now), those who have thus far refused to fall decide a well devised plan for all future endeavors is in order.
Stage Four: Plan to Fail, Fail to Plan, and All that Other Crap
Plans are drawn up to cover every possible aspect of the game from here on out. A strict but healthy budget is imposed. Daily tasking is fine tuned for maximum effectiveness. Projections are made prior to each ad campaign, and results are measured afterwards. Tracking, testing, brain-storming, and constant attention to the hows and what-ifs become paramount.
team meeting around laptop
This carries on for some time. Until another moment of clarity is reached.

A question is posed...
"Is all of this work really worth the small amount of money I am generating?"

Or, more often...
"How is it that I'm still not making any @#$%! money?!"

This stage progresses rapidly into the next. Many specimens are lost in the transition, but due to the great speed with which Stage Four becomes Stage Five, a surprising number of marketers make the jump.
Stage Five: "What the Hell am I Doing Here?"
Here's where it gets ugly. Stage five is more of a bitter quagmire than part of the evolutionary journey.

Typical phenomena exhibited by specimens at this stage include verbal outbursts like:

"Lousy bunch of @#$%! stinkin' #$@%!!! I can't believe I've wasted three @#$#*& years of my @#$%$# life with this bunch of @!!#$% silly @#$%#@!!!, and still don't have @#$%## to show for it!"
team meeting with social icons in foreground
As you might readily imagine, droves and droves of networkers die out over the course of this stage.

But those who are able to survive this particularly crucial stretch of development will find the arduous journey has paid off. For in the breathless, weary aftermath of their well-earned tantrums, an epiphany is born.
Stage Six: Cold Hard Facts
For the love of cheese fries, this is a business like any other. Hard work, monetary investment, and sound planning are required, but all of these combined are not enough to put you into profit.

You have to know what works, and you have to understand to some extent why it works. Real knowledge of the market, the methods, and the meaning behind the apparent madness is what makes the difference between a person who works their butt off for nothing, and a person who makes a big, sweaty fortune with the same or less effort.
bearded man typing on laptop
Nobody cares how much money we invest, or how many hours we spend each day in front of our computer. Competition is fierce, expectations are high, and the only thing that matters is whether or not we can penetrate, deliver, and get the sale.

This is a pretty far cry from what most of us want to hear. But lessons that are worth learning usually have a bitter taste.

Seek out people who are successful in this field, and find out what they are doing. Watch them. Ask them questions. Take notes. Absorb as much knowledge as you can, then put that knowledge into practice.
dartboard with darts
Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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Internet Marketing Tactics - The Ultimate Guide

23/7/2021

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​Companies selling goods and services over the Internet need to employ web based marketing tactics that serve to draw traffic to their website, improve visitors-to-buyers ratios and increase the amount each buyer spends. The use of the web as a marketing tool is a challenge because Internet users are now much more mission oriented in their web behavior and are less inclined to surf or allow themselves to be enticed into entering a web path that deviates from their intended destination.
man working on desktop
​The effectiveness of an online marketing program is dependent on the extent to which it succeeds in reaching the intended target audience at a time when the marketing message is relevant to the target. Initially it was believed that the web, with its data mining capabilities, would open up dramatic new opportunities to marketers, but the initial enthusiasm has proven exaggerated, largely because marketers were unclear in how they defined relevant and bombarded consumers with automated marketing messages that proved to have little genuine relevance to the site visitor.
​The lesson to be learned from the initial shortcomings of online marketing is that people cannot be fooled into believing something is relevant just because a banner advertisement or window pops up on their computer screen. Nor can we, as professional online marketers, assume that relevancy is determined by the immediate activity of the web user. Not everyone searching for a site on telecommunications wants to buy a book on the topic. True, they might have a greater interest than someone who never visits a telecommunications website, but that is not the same as relevancy.
newsletter reach out spread sheet
The real way to guarantee relevancy is to allow the user to determine what is relevant to him or her at any given moment. It's true that this is being done to some extent by having a presence where relevancy might occur. Still, the challenge for online marketers is to create new tactics or new twists on existing tactics that will serve the interests of online marketers by serving the needs of online buyers.
​
Search engines allow online users to declare relevancy by electing the topics to which they wish to be directed. Registering your site with search engines will help drive traffic to your site. Effective registration is a three-phase process. You need to (1) be identified by the search engines, (2) be placed relatively close to the top of the search list, and (3) get selected by the searcher. 
​Hints for effective use of search engines include:
  • Don't wait for the search engine crawlers to find you. Submit the URLs you want listed to the search engines. You'll need to be patient though. The birthrate of new websites is such that it could take a few weeks before your site gets listed. But if you put in the time and work correctly soon enough the website will be crawled and your quest to the top of the rankings has started.
tablet on table
  • Keep resubmitting your URL. Even the best search engines only feature about 10% of the web pages out there. With more than a billion pages on the web the task is overwhelming and getting more so every day. Still, the huge number of new web pages means that the search engines often have to remove existing pages in order to accommodate new ones. By resubmitting on a regular basis you will insure that even if you were bumped, you're back on.

  • Choose your search engines. Insofar as you do not want to make site submission a full time occupation, it is wise to select which search engines are most important for your company. In most cases you will elect to submit to the larger, more active engines, but if, for example, you are in a specialized category, you may want to register with an engine dedicated to your sector as well.

  • Use titles and meta tags. Search engines will rank titles and meta descriptions highly, so this will help you get placed more prominently in search results. Also, your title and description will most likely be used by the search engine in the search results, so make certain what you write is what you want the search results to show. 
Here are a number of online marketing tactics you can employ on your website:
Personalize It - you can create a personal and ongoing relationship with your customers through the use of personalization. By providing your customers with a registration option that comes with a variety of convenience-oriented benefits, you will be able to identify users as they login and offer unique and targeted experiences.
laptop on table with floating profile icons
You can then use the knowledge of their presence to welcome them and offer a level of personalized assistance. This will allow the consumer the chance to indicate their relevancy as they enter your website, giving you the chance to work on suggested products and impulse buys.

Merchandise - traditional retailers use a variety of physical elements to promote the sale of goods in their stores. Some of these include scent machines, music, lighting and shelf placement. Your online entity needs to merchandise its goods without the benefit of these subliminal influences. It is therefore essential that you present your products in an orderly and logical manner. Make sure to incorporate sophisticated search engines that provide the consumer with the ability to search regardless of their perspective of the product. Also, when presenting merchandise it is best to offer a photo, as well as in-depth product specifications. Some sites also offer consumer reviews and product of the day. Both of these are effective and useful merchandising strategies.

Have Good Web Architecture - when designing the architecture of your site, keep in mind the consumer experience and strive to construct a site that provides the greatest possible levels of convenience, information and comfort. The way products are presented is only part of the puzzle. You must also pay attention to the user path, the check-out and payment process, and the placement of special offers. You are aiming to create a gratifying and enjoyable consumer experience. Design your website to deliver.

Use e-mail - mail can serve as a valuable marketing tool provided you structure your messages well and avoid engaging in spam. Use your e-mail campaign to develop a relationship with your shoppers, allowing them access to special offers and updates about new product offerings.

Practice Loyalty Marketing - loyalty marketing is valuable because it creates a bond between you and your customers and gives them an incentive to come back and buy from your website again. Some loyalty programs allow buyers to earn points that can be redeemed at a variety of network-affiliated websites. Other programs allow points to be converted to cash. You also have the option of developing your own incentive loyalty program, although Tudog does not recommend this unless you are prepared to provide extremely attractive rewards. There is a consumer perception of added value in programs that allow for redemption through multiple sites or as cash. The important thing to keep in mind is that loyalty programs show customers that you appreciate their business and they in turn reward you with repeat purchases.
​
Develop an Affiliate Network - affiliates serve your site by creating points-of-awareness at various websites of similar or related interests. They can serve to create credibility through association that can lend exposure to your affiliate efforts.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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Internet Marketing Secrets

16/7/2021

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​If you are developing a new website, or just want to improve the natural search results of an existing website, there are a few Internet marketing secrets you need to know - especially those that can provide a significant boost to your rankings.
Marketing Experts Start with Google
I have seen various statistics, but one thing is clear, Google is the dominant player of search - commanding approximately 60% of all search engine traffic.  Ask any marketing expert where he or she would spend their search engine optimization efforts and they will undoubtedly say "Google". Do what you can to rank well on Google.  As a result, you will see results on other search engines as well.
woman working on laptop
One of the simplest internet marketing secrets you can put into effect immediately is to register your domain name for 3 years. Many individuals who begin a web-based business register for one year only. You must realize, however, that Google is in the business of generating quality results from legitimate businesses. If you're an established business, chances are that your website has been up for more than a year. Google likes to see longevity and commitment. If you plan to be around for some time, register your domain for three years and show Google that you're in business to stay.​
Optimize Your Home Page for a Keyword Phrase
You have to use the right keywords if you want your website to appear at the top of any search result list. This can be tricky because most single key words are very competitive. What to do?  Another internet marketing secret is to use a keyword phrase, not just a single keyword. Additionally, you want to find a keyword phrase that isn't very competitive but generates a decent level of traffic on a daily and monthly basis.  To do so, follow these simple steps:
man checking analytics on screen
  1. Visit search tools that show you how many individuals typed in a particular search term for the previous month.
  2. Type in your keyword and notice other keyword suggestions.  Select a number of keyword phrases to evaluate. The higher number of people searching for a keyword phrase generally means that it will be harder for you to get top placement for that term.  A good number to shoot for, in terms of monthly keyword phrase searches, is about 1000 - 2000 per month.
  3. Go to http://www.google.com and type in the keyword phrase(s) you've selected one at a time. After entering each, notice the total number of results listed in the upper right hand corner after your search.  This is the number of web pages that are also associated with this keyword phrase.  You want to find the keyword phrase that commands the highest number of monthly searches (step 2 above) and the least number of competitors.​
On-Page Optimization
If you are going to rank well for any keyword phrase, you need to effectively manage your on-page optimization. Specifically, your use of H1 and H2 tags, page titles, alt images, bolded text, italicized text, underlined text, and keyword proximity. The internet marketing secret here is to copy your competition and do things slightly better.  To do so, type in your keyword phrase in Google and visit the top 5 sites listed individually. Select "view source" in the internet browser window you're using for each site and see what your toughest competition has done.
SEO options
  • Have they included the keyword phrase in their page title?  
  • Does the keyword appear in bolded text only once?  
  • Italicized text one?  Underlined text only once?  
  • Does the keyword phrase appear in the first 25 words on the page? The last 25 words? 

You will need to copy what the best websites for that keyword phrase have done and improve upon it. You don't need a marketing expert to show you how to do what I've just described, simply copy the best and evaluate each point noted. Shape your site to appeal to Google and other key search engines.​
Off-Page Optimization
The final Internet Marketing Secret you must learn is the importance of off-page optimization. This refers to the number of links pointing to your site, the PR rank (stands for Google Page Rank) of the sites linking to you, and the Anchor text of the link.  

There are some simple things you can do to begin developing an aggressive link campaign for those sites that link to your competitors - for the keyword phrase you've selected. 
code on screen
The best advice I can give you, however, is to research SEO and link building software/websites on the Internet. This will allow you to make the most of your time and target the best sites to improve your link popularity.

Building your link popularity is an arduous task. I've certainly learned over the last few years that your effectiveness in this area is ultimately determined by the tools you use and the effort you exert. Take my word on it, you don't want to build your links manually, you'll never get ahead.

Once you begin developing the links, you'll need to monitor them on an ongoing basis. Keep in mind that you will often have to provide a link on your website to the third party site. Be sure to create a links page where you maintain your link exchanges and monitor it regularly to insure that third party links to your domain still exist. If removed, you should remove your link as well.

The internet marketing secrets shared in this article are essential for improving your search engine results. Take your time and implement each one in a controlled and disciplined manner and you will see your rankings improve.​
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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Earn 5-Figure Income every Month through Internet Affiliate Marketing Program

9/7/2021

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When you go surfing the Internet, you probably have noticed that every website that you visit contains several advertisements and some external links directing to other sites. You will also notice that these advertisements are just attractive enough to convince you to click these advertisements and links and see what is beyond that attractive ad and link.
Affiliate marketing
​Once you have clicked ads and links posted to a site, its owner is already making money out of your generous clicks. They are now among the thousands of individuals who are called the great affiliate marketers. 

​The name of their game is Internet affiliate marketing program, and they are making tens to hundreds of dollars per month. Moreover, there are affiliate marketers who are making a full-time living out of Internet marketing and they are generating a 5-figure income every month.
​Such a figure is quite unbelievable, but it is the reality of affiliate program. You have the power of earning thousands of dollars each month even if you do not have your own products to sell. All you have to do is to promote the products or services of other affiliates. You are dictating the flow of money that you want and at the same time freeing yourself of worries about customer’s issues, refunds, shipping, and other sales-related aspects.
social media mobile marketing
Just attract potential buyers to your website and redirect them to the affiliate link. Once they have purchased the products or services you have endorsed, you will be able to receive commissions from every sale that you have made. You will be paid depending on the percentage agreed upon on the affiliate contract. Basically, the commission that you will receive varies from 10 to 75 percent. 

For instance, you are selling a certain product that is worth $67 and the affiliate commission is set at 60 percent. It means that you will get paid $40.20 for every sale that you make from that product. Remember that it is just on a single product alone. 

Earning money through affiliate programs is quite simple, considering the fact that you do not have to create the best-selling product, compose the best sales letter to potential buyers, provide after-sales support to customers, handle concerns and problems, and others.
​When you sign up for an affiliate program, you will be provided with a special affiliate link with a unique code that will identify if the click on the link comes from your affiliate link. You can just copy and paste the code to your web pages, and the promotion will depend on you whether you will promote it through sending email newsletters, online forums, or on your website. 

However, despite the simplicity in earning through Internet affiliate marketing program, the main concern here is how to be successful in your chosen affiliate program. 
email marketing
What you need here is real people who will patronize the affiliate products or services you are endorsing. Once you have failed to draw more people to the assigned affiliate link, your dream of earning a huge 5-figure income in an affiliate program will remain to be a dream forever. 

To succeed in affiliate programs, you must be aware of the use of affiliate marketing tools. There are several tools you can use and some affiliate companies you are working with will offer some of these tools. You may use attractive webpage banners or online advertisements. These tools will help you achieve success in joining affiliate programs, so do not ever forget them in your priorities.
​Remember that your main target here is to drive heavy web traffic towards to your site that will click on the affiliate link provided in your web pages. Promotional tools such as free article directories and writing weblogs are just a few of the latest additions in promoting affiliate sites. Provide initial yet useful information about the products or services you are endorsing for sale, and use the power of words to attract them to visit your affiliate link. This way, you will be able to attract more potential buyers to your site and possibly give you the commission you are longing for. 
woman, money, laptop icon
Be one of thousands of affiliate marketers who have earned more than what you can expect by maximizing your ability and using effective strategies in your Internet affiliate marketing program.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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Internet Marketing - Seven Tips To Boost Your Blog

18/6/2021

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Most bloggers love when their traffic is high and they have a great deal of fans. Getting to that popular point can be a little difficult however. If you want to have a successful blog, you will need to make sure all of the components are there. One of the most important components to have within your blog is scanability. This really means that your blog is scannable, or easy to go through quickly while still capturing the main points of your posts. Use these seven tips to make sure your blog is scannable and you will see an increase in traffic to your site.
1. Keep It Short
The number one mistake bloggers make when posting is creating extremely long posts. You should always be honest about your views and post accurate information. However, you should also be concise with your posts. Web surfers don’t have the time or the desire to sit around for hours reading your blog. They are looking for a quick satisfying post to quickly fill them up. They want something that is full on content, but not lengthy. If you tend to be wordy with your posts, try cutting them down a bit to see if your traffic increases.
man working on tablet
2. Create Interesting Headlines
The way you set up your posts has a lot to do with them being scannable. Your posts should always have an interesting headline. It should be catchy and attention grabbing with its wording. It should also be done using different style elements such as bold print, colored print, and italics. The more attention you get to the headline, the easier it will be for a reader to go through your posts and read the ones that interest them most. When you make it easy for the readers, they will read more.
3. Breaking Up Your Posts
Breaking up your posts is not only about headlines, it is also about endings. Create a signature way of signing off on a post. You can sign your name or your can always end with an interesting quote. You can also choose to end with a question to try to get readers involved. No matter what your signature ending is, it will be easier for people to shift their focus from one post to the next when they see it. It will become familiar to regular readers and will be a comforting sign that you have nothing else to say on that topic at that time.
blog post
4. Cut Out the Big Words
You should never feel the need to use enormous words that very few people understand or can even pronounce. The best thing you can do is keep the grammar very simple on your blog. By doing so, you are making your blog easier to scan and to read. Most people will only look through the blog for phrases and headings, so these big words can really be distracting. With less than 20% of blog readers going over word for word, you should not waste your time trying to impress. Instead, write in the manner that you would talk to a friend. Making it casual is a great way to gain a lot of interest.
5. Don’t Use It as a Story Site
When someone uses their blog as a place to post lengthy stories about life, they are making a mistake. Blogs are indeed personal journals and if you want to do that, you are entitled. However, if you want your blog to be popular, you should not post stories. Instead, to make your blog more scannable, you should post lists. Lists are very effective ways to make your blog scannable and readers will love you for it.
woman working in laptop
6. Graphics Work
Graphics were once things that bloggers thought got in the way of their content. Today, however, the opposite is true. When done appropriately, graphics can really add to your content and make your readers more interested. You can make your site scannable by adding a few graphics to your blog. Try adding graphics that go along with your posts for an efficient approach.

7. Be Clear
When you have something to say on your blog, just go ahead and say it. Some bloggers tend to let their opinions or main points drift in and out of their posts subtly. The most effective way to get your point across in a blog is to come out with blazing guns. You should keep your main point close to the beginning. This is a great way to know readers understand what you want to say.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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Internet Marketing, The Vicious Cycle and A Way Out

11/6/2021

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Here's a question that I hear more than any other in the internet marketing world: 'What is the quickest way to start generating a profit?'

The biggest piece of advice... FOCUS!!

There are a TON of different ways to make money online but whatever you decide to pursue you've got to focus all your energy on it.
camera lens pointing to landscape
1) You start signing up for everyone's email list to "learn for free"

2) You start seeing what everyone is doing and you think to yourself... "I should do that"

3) You finally get the courage to start pursuing something but you start pursuing everything. You go in all different directions and only make a half-assed effort one way or the other.
​

4) Because you didn't experience "ultimate success" the first go around, you start buying products and information on IM.
5) Well unfortunately that takes you in 50 different directions because although the advice from most of the big named gurus is good, they all have a different approach.

6) Then you spend some more money following another strategy that you heard about or you buy some resell/private label/public domain materials hoping that just through the nature of putting it up on the web, sales will start coming in.
woman on laptop anxious
7) Because sales aren't pouring in, you decide to buy some traffic from Google Adwords.

8) After your Google Adwords account gets run up and you've blown a whack of cash AND still don't have that many sales you start to get a bitter taste in your mouth about IM.

9) Then it hits you... I'm all over the place and don't have a plan at all.
This story repeats itself time and time again.

I'll never forget the moment when a well known internet marketer shared an ENORMOUS tip that this year has helped many people make thousands of dollars.

To make this work, you first need to close your mind mapping software with those "million dollar ideas".
​It may seem confusing but let me put some sense into it:
1) Figure out "how" you want to make money online. Do you want to create and sell your own products? Do you want to make money with Adsense? Do you want to do affiliate marketing? Do you want to buy and sell on eBay?

2) Think through the process of what you want to do. What's the first thing that needs to happen? The second one? The third?
work table with monitor, notepad, pens and papers
Create a flow chart to help you clearly understand the "steps" in the process. Then focus on each step and either master them yourself or find reliable outsourcing partners who can take care of certain "steps" for you.

3) Start taking consistent action!!
This is where most people drop the ball. They jump in too quick, lose some money and get out. It takes consistent action of doing the same things over and over. Build momentum over time.

4) Focus on who you like learning from.
In the beginning, when you narrow down who you learn from the process becomes clear a lot more quickly. Zero in on two people first and then slowly (very slowly) branch off once you have a grip on where you are heading and have implemented what you've learned.
Follow this earlier and your life will be a heck of a lot easier!
Here's to your 'early days' being more lucrative!
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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10 Deadly Sins of a Poorly Designed Website

4/6/2021

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​Face it. There are tons of websites out there but few that pull their weight and get results. Effective website design is not easy. If it was, every business that put up a website would realize enormous success. It takes many different skill sets to pull together a killer website.

That being said, here is a list of website design sins for your edification. Consider these deeply and I highly recommend you make sure your website doesn’t commit them.
Sin #1
The website does not have a crystal clear objective. Why do you have or want to have a website in the first place? What do you want it to do for your business?

Sin #2
No clear call to action. This sin dovetails on the previous one. Once you are clear on your website’s objective, make it really clear to your visitor what action you want them to take.  Clearly spell it out. Trust me, leave no room for interpretation.
Screens and websites
Sin #3
No means of capturing visitor’s contact information. You are missing a tremendous opportunity to gather prospects who are clearly interested in what you have to offer ñ hence qualified prospects to market to going forward. Do whatever it takes here.  Offer what we call an ‘ethical bribe’ in exchange for their contact information.

Sin #4
Website doesn’t give visitors a reason to come back. Unless your website is a one-time sales website, you must keep it chock full of new and great content to keep it producing for you.

Sin #5
The website has no substance, all style. Dovetailing on the previous sin, the focus should be more on adding valuable content as opposed to having flashy animations. Flashy animations may wow your visitors once (if you’re lucky), but great content starts building a relationship or dare I say a dependency on you. Bottom line you’re adding value to your prospects.
Sin #6
Website has an ‘it’s all about me’ mentality. Keep the copy conversational in tone and focus clearly on what’s in it for your visitor. Make them feel that it’s all about them, make them feel special.

Sin #7
The website is inconsistent with your brand. Your website does not have to be the best looking site out there. It is far more critical to be consistent (same overall look, feel and design as your other marketing materials).
screen, websites and options
These next three sins are absolutely inexcusable and should not require much explanation. Nothing will frustrate your visitor more and detract from your credibility faster.

Sin #8
Poor or inconsistent navigation. Don’t make people think. Make it real easy for visitors to find what they are looking for.

Sin #9 
Dead links. This is a credibility killer. Always do what you say you’re going to do. It is amazing what people can read into a dead link, the worst being that you simply don’t care enough about your visitor.

 Sin #10 
Slow website. I know, it’s hard to believe, but not everyone is using high speed broadband Internet connections yet. A little compassion here goes a long way.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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Internet Marketing: 7 Killer Tools You Can Use On A Shoestring Budget Without Having a Website

28/5/2021

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​When most people think of Internet marketing, they think solely of websites. Are they right or wrong? Well, both. While websites are a key component of Internet marketing and in many cases are the only Internet marketing tool businesses use, they are not the “be all, end all”. They are not required for Internet marketing. However, I do highly recommend them as they are best suited to sit at the core of your Internet marketing plan, the hub so to speak, but that’s a topic for another conversation.
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So here are 7 killer Internet marketing tools that you can implement on a shoestring budget without having to have a website of your own:
​1. Email Marketing 
When properly implemented, there probably isn’t a quicker, better, and less expensive way to stay in front of your prospects and clients than to leverage the power of email. You can literally touch an unlimited amount of prospects and clients with a single click ñ how’s that for power?!
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2. Blogs 
Blogging is a great tool if you would like to step up a notch and stay in constant contact with your prospects and clients. Some ideas on how to use it might be to post what’s new with you or your business, post informative content as a value-add to your clients, or hold an interactive forum with your clients geared towards understanding how to better serve them.

There are a handful of free or low cost blog hosts out there that really make this process simple (e.g. Blogger and TypePad).

3. Article Marketing
This is a phenomenal approach to bringing notoriety, interest and ultimately leads for many types of businesses. It can be used as a major differentiator or value-add on why someone should buy from you instead of your competitors. Whether your clients are local, regional, national or global - articles are portable and usable in all situations - that's part of their charm.
​4. eZines
Much like blogs and article marketing, eZines are great way to stay in touch with your prospects on a more scheduled basis. Additionally, they are probably the forerunner in helping you develop a list of prospects to market and sell your wares.

5. Affiliate Programs
Get others promoting and selling for you. This tool can become the equivalent of having both a full blown marketing and sales staff that gets paid on performance. 
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If they don’t promote and directly lead to a sale for you, they don’t get paid. For do-it-yourselfers, there are plenty of tools out there to help you set up this type of program. For everyone else, there are excellent service providers out there who can coordinate and manage this process for you. 

6. Viral Marketing
Again, a great approach to getting others to promote and help create a buzz about you, your business, your products and/or your services. The best and most genuine way to get this started is by creating raving fans out of your existing clients and then helping them help you spread the word.

7. Public Relations
If I tell you I’m the best at what I do, you’ll take it with a grain of salt. Maybe you’ll believe me, maybe you won’t. However, people tend to believe what they read. So if a respected publication tells you that I’m the best at what I do, that usually holds more weight and adds instant credibility to me.
Spend some effort here.  Become a resource for the press.  You help them and they can significantly help you.

I highly recommend you spend some time with these. Explore how you can implement one, some, or all of these Internet marketing tools to help explode your business.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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The Ultimate Roadmap To Testimonials And How They Can Multiply Your Website Profits

21/5/2021

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The fact is, even if your website is full of fabulous sales copy and photos that illustrate all the great features and benefits of your product or service, your potential customers still need to know:

What do people who have purchased and used your product or service think about it? It's simple: your readers know that YOU believe in your product, or you wouldn't be selling it! But what do people with the same problem or need that they have say about your product?
smiley face based testimonial
Answering that question is one of the most fundamental tasks your website needs to accomplish - and it's as simple to do as it is important.

By using testimonials - reviews and comments from your satisfied customers, in text, audio, or video - on your website, you not only answer the question, you also transform your sales pitch into a credible, unbiased recommendation for your product.
1) Overcome buyer skepticism with a glowing testimonial
As I said before, adding testimonials is probably one of the easiest ways to improve your website - but a good one can generate more selling power than some of the best sales copy out there!

So why are testimonials so effective?
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Testimonials build trust: Whether your customers are raving about what your product has done for them or about the great service you gave, they are telling your visitors first and foremost that they had a positive experience with your products and company. Testimonials aren't "salesy": Because testimonials aren't written in your "voice," they stand out in your copy as candid and unbiased accounts of how well your product works. Testimonials overcome skepticism: A good testimonial has the power to convince even your "tough sell" visitors that your product or service really made a difference in your customer's life - and can help them, too. For example, let's say that you're selling a special lotion designed for dry skin. A visitor finds your website - someone with dry skin who needs some relief - and reads all about the amazing moisturizing ingredients in your product and how wonderful it smells.

Those are two good selling points - things that people would want to know before they decided to buy.

But lots of products can make those promises - and many of them don't work! So why should they purchase your product ahead of all the rest?

Then, as they look over the page, a testimonial catches their eye from one of your customers, explaining that your lotion quickly healed a lifelong, agonizing skin condition - something no other product had ever managed to do!

That's the power of an effective testimonial: it can convince your reader that your product DOES work - and that you can be trusted to deliver on your promises.
2) How to choose the right kind of testimonial to turn your visitors into customers
When you're choosing testimonials, there are a few key ingredients to look for that make the difference between an ineffective testimonial - and one that sells.

Here's an example of a glowing but ultimately ineffective testimonial:
woman using smartphone
"I love this product! I can't get enough! I'm so glad I bought your stuff and I'll be back to get more, for sure!"

What could be wrong with that? It sounds like you have a happy customer on your hands!

But what does this testimonial really tell your visitors? Does this prove that the product works, or explain exactly how your customers benefited from using it? While the feedback is definitely positive, the testimonial does not provide enough detail to have any real impact on your visitors.

Here's an example of the kind of effective, benefits-driven testimonials that's worth including:

"I used the methods you told me to use and for three days my phone's been ringing! I sold over $3500 in goods and services in three days! It's the first time in 5 months that anyone had really purchased anything..."

Now that's a great testimonial! But what makes it so powerful?

Let's break down the elements of an effective testimonial in more detail...

A good testimonial is filled with benefits: A comment like, "This product is great!" is nice to hear, but it doesn't tell visitors what your product can do for them. You want the benefits of what you offer to be front and center in every testimonial: "This product doubled our profits in a month!" or "This product caused the pain in my back disappear completely - and did it fast!" or "We've never seen any product that could get the rust out of your car without damaging the paint - until now."

A good testimonial substantiates your claims: If you say your product can do something, your testimonials should back up your promises - complete with actual facts and figures. How much money did your customers save by using your product? How much time did they save by using your service? How did it solve their problems or improve their lives?
  • A good testimonial is from someone your audience can relate to: You want your visitors to see that your product helped someone just like them, seeking the solution to the same problem your visitors have. Make sure your testimonials come from someone with whom your target market can identify. If you sell primarily to seniors, for example, ask your customers if you can include their age along with the testimonial. If you are selling to moms with children, ask if you can mention how many kids they have - or include a photo of their family!
  • A good testimonial is credible: Accompany each testimonial with the first name, last name, and hometown of each testimonial-giver to show that your endorsements come from real people. Always try to include a photo as well. If you can, take it to the next level by including audio or video testimonials for maximum effect! Do everything you can to help your visitors connect with your testimonial-givers on a personal level.
  • A good testimonial endorses the key benefits of your product: Your testimonials should emphasize the key benefits of your product. It's fun to hear that your super-duper floor cleaner smells nice or that the bottle doesn't drip - both things that matter to people who would consider using your product in their homes - but have you established that it cleans their floors well?
  • A good testimonial is comparative: Did your customers try another product that didn't work before they found yours? You want your visitors to know what your product can do that other products can't. Choose testimonials that set your product apart from your competition!

Now that you know what you're looking for in a testimonial, how do you gather the reviews you need from your customers?
3) The secret to getting great testimonials - even if you haven't sold anything yet!
If your customers have given you positive feedback on your product already, then you may already have some great testimonials to add to your site.

However, if your customer response is a little scarce - or if you're just starting out - getting testimonials from your buyers might take a little more effort.
woman using tablet and smiling
So how do you collect the testimonials you need -- and keep them coming as you grow your business?

One easy way to collect testimonials is to include a link on your site with a form that allows your customers to give you their vote of confidence: "Tell us how this product changed your life!" or "Click here to let us know what you think!" Use this link next to some testimonials that you've already gathered to give customers an example of the kind of feedback you're looking for.

A more effective method is to create an autoresponder that contacts your buyers after they've purchased your product - even a month later - to ask how they're enjoying the product, as well as giving them a chance to offer feedback on their experience with your business.

And, of course, any time you receive a great letter or email from a customer, ask them if you can use their comments on your web site to recommend your product to others. If they are happy enough to let you know, they're bound to want to spread the word.

If you haven't yet begun selling your product and have no feedback yet, offer your product or service for free to a select group of customers in exchange for their thoughts on the product or some details on their experience with your site.

The impact that testimonials will have on your bottom line will be well worth the initial expense! As soon as your online business is up and running, make a point of giving every one of your customers a chance to share their experiences with your product or service. Ask for feedback - good and bad - from your autoresponders, your newsletters, and other spots on your website.
4) Strategies for using your testimonials as effectively as possible
Once you've got some testimonials to share with your visitors, you need to make sure that you're putting them to the best possible use on your site.

Always make sure that you...

Include your best testimonials front and center on your homepage, like in your sidebars, or even above your headline. 
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Place testimonials right in the middle of your homepage salescopy to keep your readers focused on your credibility as you outline the features and benefits of your product. Set up a whole page dedicated to your glowing testimonials, as well as include snippets of their comments throughout your site. Be sure to add a link to your testimonial page next to each of those snippets! Include testimonials on each and every page of your website. No matter where your visitors click, you want them to find a positive customer review of your product or service.
Now let's look at a few mistakes to avoid when using testimonials on your website...
  • Don't edit your testimonials to exclude comments or add information you want to hear! If you can't post a comment "as is" and feel comfortable with it, it shouldn't go up.
  • If your testimonials are in your voice and all sound the same, no one is going to trust that they are legitimate.Never use a customer testimonial without permission.
  • Never, ever invent testimonials! This is fraud, plain and simple, and lying never results in a positive impact on your business.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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6 Word of Mouth Marketing Methods You Can Apply To Your Business

7/5/2021

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Haven't you heard that word of mouth marketing methods work? In fact, according to research, well over 75% of the most effective methods of marketers use word of mouth marketing, which, for the purposes of this article I shall refer to as WOM.

So, you want to start a WOM campaign. The first thing you need to do is to have a goal for your WOM campaign. I can immediately think of a few reasons why you might want to do this:
Jeff Bezos
"If you build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful."
Jeff Bezos
1. Generate leads. This is probably easy to do if you have a few bonus products in hand. Giving free things away to people definitely will encourage them to think of a few people whom you can refer to you for the same thing.

All you need to do is get an autoresponder message set up so that they can forward you the email addresses of the people they'd like you to contact.
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2. Generate affiliates. Okay, this one is a little easier, but you will have to educate the affiliates you build. WOM for affiliate marketing is great because you now have an army of people who are incentivized to market on your behalf.

3 Convert into sales. For this to happen, you definitely need to create a lot of testimonials in order to create the buzz. This approach will then get other people talking about the quality and the level of "must-haveness" of the product you are promoting.
4. Build credibility. This approach will help solidify your brand in the long run, so you will most likely have to have points of proof that people will talk about and associate with you. This article, for instance, is a way to generate credibility because you are reading it in the first place!

5. Retain current subscribers. Few people would have heard of this, but sometimes your current list of subscribers need perks to keep them 'alive' and warm. 
Two women talking and looking at a smartphone
Send them freebies or get a campaign going to increase the buzz amongst them. Promote monthly Zoom calls where different people get together and meet each other and chat so that they know who's who instead of a nickname in a forum. This keeps people from opting out of your mailing list!

6. Warm up for a product launch. When you want to do a product launch, you want to ensure that people are ready for you. How can you do this? Well, all it takes is to create more buzz. Warming up people on a list also takes time, but the sequence in which you do it is important. With this goal in mind, you can already think of some ways to get your list of people excited, talking to each other and involving themselves in a discussion.
Once your goal is clear enough for you, it will be far easier to keep track of your results. After all, without a clear direction, you won't know how far you need to go, or what you are aiming for in the first place.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk for a free quote.
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Troubleshooting To Get Results From Your Search Engine Traffic

30/4/2021

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"I did what you said and I'm getting 100 visitors a day from Google. But they still aren't buying my product."

​Never mind that some small businesses would be deliriously happy with 3000 additional visitors a month - what do you do when the plan you had to increase your search engine traffic doesn't give you the results you want?
snapshot of google homepage
You re-evaluate your plan.

Did you target the right keyword? Are your pages ready to convert? What's your lead capture system? Do you even have one?

You'll need to ask yourself all these questions, and more, but before you even get to that, here's the thing that doesn't seem obvious, the thing you have to resolve before you can move forward.

There's some outside chance - way, way outside - that an increase in search engine traffic just isn't the right way to solve your traffic problem.

What's more likely is that you have made one of the following mistakes or oversights. Make sure that the reason your search engine traffic isn't converting is for one of the following reasons before you abandon all efforts.
​1. You're trying to generate more traffic than a particular keyword can provide.
There might not be ten thousand people online looking for how to make ropes out of cheese every day. If your area is obscure, find out how much of a traffic yield you can expect from search engines, get as much of it as you can, then move on.

2. Lack of content optimization and searchability.
For every plan, you'll have to work on optimizing both your content and how it is found. 
SEO
There's just no two ways about it. Depending on your site and how it delivers its information, how frequently it does so, how many sites are linking to it, and a host of other factors, whether you'll have to lean more on updating content or links, will vary.

There's no cookie cutter solution, so take all the suggested steps for traffic success.
​3. You don't have a plan.
You know what they say about a failure to plan. If you don't, trust me, it ain't good. Have a goal. If you don't know what to set it on, base it on an increase in revenue. Think backwards from the increase in buyers you would need to make the kind of money you'd like.

4. You're using the wrong plan.
Not every traffic generation method you can leverage for search engine traffic is good for every site or business.
digital marketing scrabble
While it's true that the proper blog configuration can turn your site into a search engine magnet, that isn't the only reason to blog, and it doesn't mean that just any platform is suited to your site.

By all means, don't stop blogging because no one is reading your blog - find out why and address that problem.  It could be that they can't find it.
​5- You bought into a sales pitch as a search engine traffic plan.
I'm not going to tell you that article marketing won't help your search engine traffic if executed correctly. I will, however, tell you that most people don't set it up to get the most benefit out of the process, and that it's not a search engine strategy in and of itself.
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6. You're not paying attention to analytics, so you have no idea what changed and when.
Getting 100 visitors a day to a site that was getting none is a triumph. Getting 100 more visitors a day from search engines to a site that used to get 1000 search engine visitors a day? Not so much.

You need, at bare minimum, a starting place to compare to, or else how do you know you've gotten anywhere?

7 - The traffic plan is fine. Your conversion plan isn't so hot.
If Google sends you a million visitors and they land on a page full of huge banners, they'll just leave. Give every page a clear purpose, and make sure each one has the ability to get your visitors to buy, subscribe, join, or whatever you'd like them to do, right then or on another day.

​These are the seven most common ways that search engine traffic can leak back out of your site. Even if one of those doesn't solve your search engine traffic problem, if you take action on each applicable point, it will at least help you get more out of your existing traffic.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now for a free quote.
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Facts Tell, Stories Sell - Increasing Your Online Sales!

23/4/2021

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​We all want a piece of the pie. Why not, it's large enough to spare a chunk to you right? There's nothing wrong with wanting more than just a piece, you're an entrepreneur, you want a LARGE piece.

I want to show you how, by simply adding a few testimonials here and there, you can dramatically increase your chances of making more sales online and offline.
marketing business woman
We all want to believe that you have the best "gadget & widget" out there. We want to believe it because you said so. But the harsh reality is that we simply can't just take your word for it.

For instance, just for an example, let's use "Company Logo Design". Here is the difference between facts tell and stories sell.
Ex #1 (Facts Only)
Company Logo Design - You will get
  • 5 concepts to choose from
  • Unlimited Revisions to 1 concept
  • Cloud File (All images print ready)
  • Satisfaction Guaranteed!
All of this for $199.00 CLICK HERE

​Sounds like a good service for the buck no? Not bad. Now let's see the power of adding a story to these facts.
two men shaking hands
Ex #2 (Story + Facts)
"PERFECT, that's the only word I can use when describing this company's logo design service. They not only saved me a lot of time but they also spent most of their time finding out what I wanted. In the end, they provided EXACTLY the type of logo I was looking for, thank you so much!!!!"

We are here to help you succeed and want to deliver something you're looking for, not only what our designers want to create. Get a logo you are looking for with these extra features attached:
  • 5 Concepts to choose from
  • Unlimited Revisions to 1 concept
  • Cloud file
  • YOUR SATISFACTION GUARANTEED!
Click Here to Order Now!
​Do you see the difference between the two???? In the example #1, features and price were added. In the 2nd example, not even the price was added. Even without the price, example #2 will bring in more sales than the example #1 ever will. Facts included before the pitch can radically transform perception and create "fear of loss" in the mind of potential customers.
keyboard with add to cart button
It's all about "Fear Of Loss"
Fear of loss is a powerful tool to use. Don't tell people what they need. Have them fear the fact that if they don't have it, nothing will work out for them. A good industry to follow is in "Make-up" companies & Beauty Products. The industry has used "fear of loss" to its fullest. They consistently insert into young female minds that, if they don't use their products, they will never be as beautiful as they hope to be.

As mentioned before, we all want to believe that you have the best product out there, by simply inserting a testimonial, this will ultimately help your visitors to further believe that you do.
When promoting online, here's another given you should always consider:
People are simply sitting at a computer desk browsing through the internet. There's no personal touch to searching for services, in your visitors mind, it's only duty that should be strictly informational. Testimonials and utilizing that "fear of loss" help create a sub-conscious emotion that triggers an attachment to your company's services. 
laptop with dollar tag
If you've accomplished this correctly, your visitor could go looking at another company for the same services but, they will likely have problems concentrating on anything else.

Around 8/10 people go with company from a gut feeling, not facts. This is a very high number to lose by simply failing to appeal to feelings instead of just facts.

​I'll put it to you another way. When you look at a web design company. They may have the best price out there, but your main concern is to view their work. See their portfolio in action. Adding testimonials to each website in their portfolio would be a powerful venture for any web design company. Why do we always want to see their work? Fear of loss.
What would you feel like if you saw a portfolio that was full of sensory rich web sites that not only looked great but also functioned perfectly? Would you be excited to talk to these people at that affordable price? I know I would. On the other hand, yeah the price is right but the quality is poor. Most of us will simply move onto the next web design company.
computer screens exchanging credit card for product
The more you can grab someone's attention and keep them interested online, the more they will learn to like you, trust you, and call you for your services, no matter the price.
In Conclusion:
Spice up your piece of the pie by spicing up some stories and grabbing people's attention through fear of loss & success stories.

Hope this article helps you out!
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now for a free quote.
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Every Internet Marketer should have a KISS Website

9/4/2021

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The title of this article may prompt you to think that you should have a website based off the rock band ‘KISS’. No, ‘KISS’ in this case refers to the old marketing adage ‘Keep It Simple Stupid’. It is critical to keep this marketing strategy in mind when you are creating your website.

How can you use the KISS method when creating your website? Employ the following technical and marketing strategies and you will have a KISS certified website. 
desktop and webdesign
These strategies can apply to any Internet business. In addition, it doesn’t matter what your educational background is because everyone can utilize these techniques.

Your KISS strategy should encompass the following three types of websites: Branding site, Sales Letter site, and Power Squeeze Site. We will discuss each site in further detail.
Site #1 - Branding Site: The purpose of your Branding site is to brand your company, products, and/or services. This page needs to be basic so keep the number of options to a minimum. Remember, a confused mind never buys. A potential customer will leave your site in the blink of an eye if they are overwhelmed by the number of options.  
monitors with websites
It is also important to note that only 1% of your customers will come from the subscription box on your branding site. Also, only 1% of your customers will come from the product page here. Therefore, the main purpose of the branding site is to create your brand.
​Site #2 - Sales Letter Site: The purpose of your Sales Letter site is to get the customer to purchase your product or service. Your Sales Letter site will contain your sales letter.  You don’t want customers to leave this page because once they leave the page the chances of creating a sales conversion dramatically decrease. Therefore, don’t put in options that allow people to leave your Sales Letter site.
responsive website
​Site #3 - Power Squeeze Site: The purpose of the Power Squeeze site is to capture personal information from your customer. The only information you need to capture on your Power Squeeze site includes: first name, last name, and primary email address. This will allow you to start a relationship with each customer. You can always capture more personal information later.
social media icons scattered
It is also helpful to tell customers exactly what you want them to do on this page. In other words, if you want them to sign up for your customer list, so have a text that says "Just sign up here". This direction will increase sales conversions. Your Power Squeeze site is your most valuable site. You may need to tweak it often.
​Take great care when creating these three sites. These sites are key to attracting and retaining valuable customers who purchase your products and services.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now for a free quote.
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Secrets to Evaluating Website Performance

2/4/2021

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Define clear and attainable goals
​Setting up a website is the very first step of an Internet marketing campaign, and the success or failure of your site depends greatly on how specifically you have defined your website goals. If you don't know what you want your site to accomplish, it will most likely fail to accomplish anything. Without goals to guide you in developing and monitoring your website, all your site will be is an online announcement that you are in business.
digital marketing scrabble
Track visitation
If you expect your site to stimulate some form of action, whether it is visitors filling out a form so a representative can contact them, or purchasing a product, there are steps you can take to insure that your website is functioning at peak efficiency. One of the first indicators of how well your site is working for you is finding out the number of visitors in a given period of time. A good baseline measurement is a month in which you haven't been doing any unusual offline promotional activities.
Determine your conversion rate
​However, just because hoards of people have passed through your gates does not mean your site is successful. Usually, you want those visitors to actually do something there. ​It is equally important to monitor the number of visitors to your site who made a purchase. This figure is called the site conversion rate, and it is an essential element of the efficacy of your website.
woman holding laptop
To find the site conversion rate, take the number of visitors per month and figure out the percentage of them that performed the action your site is set up for. For example, if you had 2,000 hits to your site, but only 25 of them purchased your product, your site conversion rate equals 1.25%. To get this figure, take your number of visitors and divide that figure by the number of visitors who made a purchase. Then divide that result by 100 (25 ?00 X 100).
Conversion rate x Sales conversion
​If your website is set-up to get visitors to fill out a form, make sure to then figure out what the difference is between your site conversion rate and your sales conversion rate. This is because not everyone who fills out your form will become your customer. 
e-commerce
However, whether your site is set-up to sell a service or product, or to get the visitor to fill out a form, the site conversion rate will measure the success or failure of your website whenever you make changes to the site.
Boost traffic​
You may find that you need to implement some additional marketing strategies if you find that traffic to your site is extremely low. There are several effective methods to improve the flow of traffic to your website, particularly launching a search engine optimization campaign. This campaign is targeted at increasing your position in search engine results so that consumers can find your pages faster and easier. 
digital marketing icons and woman in background
You can either research the steps you need to take to improve your search engine rankings, or employ a search engine optimization company to do the work for you. In either case, after you have improved your search engine positions, make sure you keep on top of them by regularly monitoring and adjusting your efforts to maintain high positions.
Accessibility
​Another factor to examine is how easy it is for a visitor to your website to accomplish the action the site is set-up for. For example, if your goal is for the visitor to fill out a form, is this form easily accessible, or does the visitor have to go through four levels to get to it? If it's too difficult to get to, the customer may just throw in the towel and move on to another site. Make sure your buttons are highly visible, and the path to your form or ordering page is quickly accessible.
man and woman in office discussing work
Copywriting
Finally, have a professional evaluate the copy on your website. The goal is, of course, to get your visitor to make a purchase or fill out your form. Website copy must be specifically geared towards your online campaign and not just a cut and paste job from your company brochure. The right copy can make the difference between profit and loss in your online campaign.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now for a free quote.
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4 Elements Articles Must Have To Drive Traffic to Your Website!

26/3/2021

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​The importance of articles on the success of today's internet-based companies is immeasurable. They are the lifeblood of product promotion and drive traffic to commercial websites. Articles are key elements in making websites produce profits. Business owners must include them in their marketing campaigns in order to create credibility for themselves and their product or service.
media words
Submitting articles for publication creates links to your website resulting in higher ranking on the search engine result pages. The higher a site ranks, the bigger slice of the traffic flow pie they receive. With increased traffic to your website comes more profit and potential for producing other income streams as well.

It is not enough to just stuff your site with articles; there are other elements to be considered as well. You need these additional elements to obtain the maximum benefit articles can provide. A well-written article will peak the interest of site visitors and keep them coming back for more.  These added elements can also prompt visitors to recommend your site to others.

Here are four tips to help you spice up your articles to produce more traffic that will result in increased attention to your site. ​
1. Keywords and Keyword Phrases
An article must be centered on keywords and keyword phrases. Visitors to your site are looking for something specific. They're at your site because they may have been  sent there via a search engine as a result of typing in a keyword or phrase they were looking for (e.g., Toyota Camry, Tax Lawyer, etc). Once they reach the website it's critical that the information they are seeking is easy to find or they'll move along to another source.
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You need content on your website that has keywords that are related to what visitors are searching for. For example, if you maintain an auto parts site, you must have the auto parts listed in your article.  Look for tools on the internet that can help you determine what keywords and keyword phrases are mostly sought after. You can use these tools to determine what keywords to use and write about.
2. Keyword Density
You must use the keywords and keyword phrases you choose throughout your website content. Keyword density is important for search engines to "feel" their way to your site. Website content should have at least ten to fifteen percent keyword density for search engines to rank them high in their results.
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Keyword density is the number of times a keyword or keyword phrase is used in an article. The number varies depending on the number of words used in an article. An effective article must have a keyword density that is not too high or too low. With a very high density, the essence of the article is lost and may turn off a reader as well as search engines. It comes off as overeager, and a low number may be ignored by the search engines.
3. Good Article Content
Like what is stated above, you cannot just riddle an article with keywords. They must also be regarded as good reading material. Articles must be able to entertain people as well as provide good information and help for their needs. Articles should be written well with correct spelling and good grammar. If you want people to trust you, make sure your writing is well thought out. 
woman working in laptop making notes and drinking a coffee
People respond well to figures, facts and statistics. Try to get great information and as many facts as you can. A good and well written article will boost your reputation as an expert in your chosen field or topic. As more people believe in you. They will be able to trust you and your products. ​
4. Linking Articles
Here's another important thing to remember. If you are going to submit articles to e-zines and/or contribute your articles to newsletters and other sites, DON'T ever forget to include a link to your site. A small resource box with a brief description of you and your site should always be placed right after the articles you submit. If people like your articles, they will most likely click on the link directing them to your site.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now for a free quote.
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