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<title>Lisa J. Lehr - EzineArticles Expert Author</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Lisa_J._Lehr</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:30:53 -0600</pubDate>
<image><title>Lisa J. Lehr - EzineArticles Expert Author</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Lisa_J._Lehr</link>
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<copyright>Copyright 2012 EzineArticles.com - All Rights Reserved.</copyright>
<description><![CDATA[Lisa J. Lehr is a freelance copywriter specializing in direct response and marketing collateral, with a special interest in the health, pets, specialty foods, and inspirational/motivational/self-help niches. 

Have you signed up for her fr_ee e-mail series on marketing strategies?

New! Download her Marketing Guide (also fr_ee) by clicking the link on the footer menu at her website.]]></description>
<lastBuildDate>Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:53:53 -0500</lastBuildDate>
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<title>A Dating Concierge - What Is It, and Is It for You?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4581797</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4581797</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:53:53 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As use of the Internet for communicating, shopping, research, and nearly everything else has exploded in recent years, online dating has followed the trend. Online dating, which incorporates all the above activities, has been promoted from "fringe" behavior to solidly normal behavior embraced by sane and savvy adults.]]></description>
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<title>Are You a Crud Magnet?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3639350</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3639350</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:44:32 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Do you attract crud into your life? Maybe you do...and don't know you're doing it. Maybe you have crud in your life but think it's due to bad luck, mistakes (yours or someone else's), or the world being out to get you! The Law of Attraction teaches us that what we think about is what we get. If we think about things, people, and situations we don't like, we get more things, people, and situations we don't like. By the same token, if we think about things, people, and situations we do like, that's what we get.]]></description>
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<title>Alchemy - What it is, and What it Has to Do With Your Thoughts</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3579568</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3579568</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:24:50 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[According to Webster's dictionary, alchemy is "a medieval chemical science and speculative philosophy aiming to achieve the transmutation of the base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for disease, and the discovery of a means of indefinitely prolonging life." The second part of Webster's definition is "a power or process of transforming something common into something precious." This gets us closer to understanding what alchemy has to do with you and your thoughts. Most of us have our heads filled with thoughts-thousands of them per day. Usually several at the same time. And most of them negative...]]></description>
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<title>Tickling Someone Who Doesn't Like it - Clueless Or Sadistic?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3540576</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3540576</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Jan 2010 11:39:30 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In a recent article, I discussed the question of whether tickling (of a child, friend, or boyfriend/girlfriend) is just good clean fun, or whether it can be considered abuse. Why is tickling so popular, and how does it fly under the radar as a form of abuse? I believe the answer lies in the fact that the victim involuntarily disguises his or her own discomfort (both physical and emotional) with the resulting involuntary laughter. Even if the tickler knows that the one being tickled doesn't like it, he or she can plead ignorance of the fact by drawing attention to the apparent merriment of the victim.]]></description>
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<title>Tickling - Good Clean Fun - Or Abuse?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3209299</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3209299</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:36:31 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Probably everyone in America has been tickled and/or has tickled someone else in his or her lifetime. And we may have a range of emotions attached to the experience, from very good to very bad. Why do we do it? Do people like it or hate it? Like many things in life, tickling can be used for either benefit or harm.]]></description>
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<title>Adult Survivors of Childhood Emotional Abuse - Take Back Your Power</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2449817</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2449817</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:11:41 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Adult survivors of childhood emotional abuse may have spent long years thinking all kinds of negative things about themselves: "I'm not supposed to be here," "I'm worthless," "I don't deserve to be happy or successful or liked"...because that's what these victims were told by those whose authority they respected. They may have attracted a series of abusers into their lives over the years, who've only reinforced the negative messages of the original abuser. It's likely that the victim still has an abuser in his or her life, whether parent, spouse, significant other, or lesser player. And that negative self-image is reinforced, layer upon layer.]]></description>
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<title>Childhood Emotional Abuse - Turning Evil Into Good</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2439151</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2439151</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:22:41 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA["As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result...." You may recognize this passage from the Old Testament, Genesis 50:20. Joseph unwisely flaunted his "favored" status, kindling his brothers' anger and resentment toward him. They eventually got tired of this, conspired to kill him...then changed their minds, threw him into a pit, and left him for dead. Long story short, Joseph ended up in a position of power in Pharaoh's court and, many years later, delivered his family from starvation during a famine. He forgave his brothers, saying, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." Your abuser may have meant it for evil-but God meant it for good.]]></description>
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<title>This Is Your Brain Without Hugs</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2430661</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2430661</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:57:53 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In other articles, we've looked at the devastating effects of childhood emotional abuse on the adult survivor's self-esteem. The design of the human brain explains how and why we respond to trauma the way we do; a look at certain key parts of our brains will help us understand the effects of childhood emotional abuse on our long-term emotional well being.]]></description>
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<title>Dysfunctional Behaviors - May Be Rooted in Childhood Emotional Abuse</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2434326</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2434326</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:46:37 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Do you know anyone who's struggling with any of these behaviors? Self-esteem issues; dysfunctional emotions such as depression, hostility, apathy, hopelessness, etc... Most likely, you do...and perhaps it's you. Any given person can suffer one, two, several, or all of these disorders. Where do these problems come from? ]]></description>
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<title>How Fear Makes Us Do What We Do</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2424312</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2424312</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:32:46 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Until puberty, children don't have the chemicals in their brains required to see the "big picture" and make rational decisions. So when a child suffers emotional abuse, he or she does not have the capacity to make sense of it. The trauma triggers the thalamus to make a decision to keep the child from being hurt again. A decision made by the thalamus is not based on the whole picture of the traumatic event, but on the adrenaline of the event and the relationship of that event to previous traumatic events stored in the brain. Once a child is traumatized, he or she will be more vulnerable to perceiving future events as trauma. From this point on, every experience, both conscious and subconscious, will be interpreted by the thalamus as it goes into the brain.]]></description>
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<title>Childhood Emotional Abuse - Close Cousins With PTSD</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2409873</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2409873</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:39:16 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Childhood emotional abuse doesn't often get the attention it deserves. It gets less attention than, say, physical abuse or sexual abuse or even PTSD. Yet it can be just as damaging (if not more so) as the other types of abuse, and is more closely related to PTSD than you might realize.]]></description>
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<title>Childhood Emotional Abuse - How the Abuser Makes Us Believe the Lies</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2420156</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2420156</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:19:48 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In previous articles, we've discussed the many types of childhood emotional abuse and looked at its similarities to PTSD. Those who inflict emotional abuse often do so in vague terms, with messages such as "You're hopeless," "You were an accident," "You'll never amount to anything," "I'm ashamed of you," "I wish (someone else) were my kid," and so on. But sometimes an abuser can make the victim believe something about him- or herself that is sharply in contrast with reality. Negative messages backed by authoritative source, intensity, and repetition are extremely powerful in their ability to block a person from fulfilling his or her potential later in life. Yet victims of childhood emotional abuse can learn how to make a conscious decision not to believe those negative messages.]]></description>
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<title>Childhood Emotional Abuse - How It Destroys Self-Worth (Part 3)</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2405150</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2405150</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2009 15:34:46 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In Parts 1 and 2, we talked about the many forms of childhood emotional abuse. We noted that it can be more damaging than physical or sexual abuse. Now let's look at another aspect of emotional abuse. Which is worse: abuse by Mom or abuse by Dad? This is a complex question with a complex answer. The nurturing instinct is stronger in mothers because of the bonding hormone oxytocin and the calming chemical serotonin, which females have more of than males. The vast majority of sexual abusers are men. And men, being generally bigger and stronger than women, as well as more prone to violence, are more likely to inflict physical harm on a victim. Some of my research, however, indicates that abuse by mothers is more damaging than abuse by fathers. How can that be?]]></description>
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<title>Childhood Emotional Abuse - How It Destroys Self-Worth (Part 2)</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2400408</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2400408</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2009 15:22:10 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In Part 1, we discussed the different types of childhood emotional abuse and how they can be even more damaging to a child's self-esteem than physical or sexual abuse. To the endless variations of kinds of abuse, let's add two more: Selective abuse, variously known as favoritism and scapegoating, is the abuse of one child while others are spared. Another variation is vicarious abuse. This is where a parent actively encourages, or passively allows, one child to bully another. In any case, the bullied child does not feel safe, because the people he or she depends on for security and protection are not doing their job, and the results are essentially the same: an emotionally damaged child.]]></description>
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<title>Childhood Emotional Abuse - How It Destroys Self-Worth (Part 1)</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2396099</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2396099</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2009 11:10:44 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When we hear about child abuse, we usually think of one of two things: physical abuse or sexual abuse. Yet abusers have many weapons at their disposal besides those that involve actually touching a child violently or inappropriately. All of these can collectively be called emotional abuse. As hard as it may be to believe, emotional abuse can actually be more harmful than physical or sexual abuse. This is because emotional abuse is "invisible." The abuser, especially if it's a parent or someone in a position of authority over the victim, can make the victim feel it's all in his or her imagination.]]></description>
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<title>Bad News About the Economy - Always a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1593692</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1593692</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:04:07 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Unless you live in a cave, you're being bombarded daily by doom and gloom regarding the current condition of the economy. Everyone is talking about recession, unemployment, foreclosures, high gasoline and grocery prices, stock market and real estate disasters, store closures, and on and on. News flash! We're only making it worse by giving it so much attention--because bad news about the economy is always a self-fulfilling prophecy.]]></description>
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<title>Too Much of a Free Thing</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1567035</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1567035</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:46:24 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In past articles, I've stressed the importance of giving away things for free. The principle behind giveaways is that the more you give people for free, the more money you'll make-keeping in mind your three-part goal.... At what point are you giving away too much for free? "Too much" is when your giveaway program discourages rather than encourages people's buying from you. Here are three signs you're giving away too much.]]></description>
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<title>The Money Really is in the List</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1526570</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1526570</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:43:13 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It's a truism in Internet marketing: the money is in the list. What does this really mean? The basis of this marketing principle is that people become increasingly likely to buy from you the more they hear from you. You may have heard the following related truisms: 1. There are three ways to make more money: get more customers, get your customers to buy more often, and get your customers to make bigger purchases. 2. It takes "seven touches" to turn a prospect into a customer. 3. Know me, like me, trust me, buy from me.]]></description>
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<title>Haitian Metal Drum Art - Old Metal Drums Become Beautiful Works of Art</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1482157</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1482157</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:42:34 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you haven't heard of Haitian metal drum art, you're in for a delight. Metal drums, the 55-gallon ones used for transporting oil or other products, are transformed into fanciful designs ranging from trees and flowers, birds and animals, to people, angels, and Biblical scenes. Using hammer, chisel, and other simple tools, the artist pounds the various decorative patterns into the metal, including areas that are concave and convex; he creates intricate patterns by hammering in bumps of different heights. Some pieces have three-dimensional designs. Some are very colorful, while others remain metallic in appearance. The detail on these works of art must be seen and touched to be appreciated.]]></description>
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<title>Haiti Takes the Art World by Storm</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1471946</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1471946</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:20:29 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Do an Internet search for "Haitian art" and...depending on your level of familiarity with the art world...you may be surprised, awestruck, blown away, or simply enchanted by what you find. These big, bright images, though they may be classified as "folk art," are sometimes reminiscent of Picasso, Rivera, Matisse, C?zanne, or even Van Gogh. Haitian art is big. And not just big in size (yes, some of these pieces are several feet in each direction), but big in popularity. And...be prepared, sometimes these masterpieces have big price tags too.]]></description>
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<title>No Call to Action? No Sale</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1471913</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1471913</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:20:16 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[You may have the slickest marketing piece in the history of advertising. Clients, colleagues, and competitors alike "ooh" and "aah" over your brochure, catalog, or sales letter. But does this mean you're going to get as many orders as you'd like? Not necessarily. Because you may be forgetting something that's at the heart of direct mail marketing: the call to action. This is where you tell your readers what you want them to do.]]></description>
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<title>How to Stay Top-of-Mind Without Being In-Your-Face</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1281963</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1281963</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:04:52 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It's an important question: how often should you e-mail your list? Too frequently, and you risk annoying them and causing them to ignore you or unsubscribe altogether; too infrequently, and you risk missing that window of opportunity when they're ready to buy, but your competitor has e-mailed them more recently than you. How to stay top-of-mind without being in-your-face...that's the trick. Here are a few guidelines to help you choose the right e-mail frequency....]]></description>
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<title>Small Businesses - Can You Afford (Not) to Use a Copywriter?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1263714</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1263714</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:29:46 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Traditional business lore says that half of all new businesses fail within the first year. The latest statistics from the Small Business Administration (SBA) show that "two-thirds of new employer establishments survive at lease two years, and 44 percent survive at least four years." These numbers are far more encouraging; still, why do one-third fail in the first two years, and more than half within the second two years? It's a basic law of marketing that you may have the best product, but unless you have a marketing program as good as your product, you're not going to sell it. So while marketing does cost money, it's an investment in your ultimate success.]]></description>
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<title>Jeanette Symons Packed a Lot Into a Tragically Short Life</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1246578</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1246578</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:12:08 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Sometimes a tragedy hits close to home, and sometimes it does so quite literally. Such was the tragedy that occurred on Friday, February 1, 2008, when a Cessna Citation C-525 crashed into the woods near West Gardiner, Maine, just minutes after takeoff from Augusta State Airport. The pilot was Jeanette Symons, 45; her sole passenger, her son, Balan, 10. Apparently eager to return home after a week attending ski camp at Sugarloaf, they took off in extremely unfavorable weather conditions. Neither survived.]]></description>
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<title>Customer Reviews - How They Improve Your Business</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1230036</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1230036</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:46:33 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Most US shoppers place more trust in brands that offer customer ratings and reviews, according to a report quoted in DM News (July 30, 2007). The report, by social-commercial applications firm Bazaarvoice and market research firm Vizu Corp., found that three out of four shoppers think it's very or extremely important to read customer reviews before making a purchase. Further, people prefer peer reviews over expert reviews by a six-to-one margin. ]]></description>
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<title>Marketing Collateral -7 Pieces You May Not Know You Need</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1213238</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1213238</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:55:49 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you've been selling a product or service for any length of time, you know you need a few basic marketing pieces. You know you need a sales letter, either online, offline, or (preferably) both. You know you need to build a list of prospects and customers. And you know you need a way to keep in touch with your list. You may not know, however, that having a full arsenal of collateral pieces--marketing pieces that are not strictly sales pieces--will exponentially increase your image and credibility, your ability to reach your target audience, and your success at staying in front of them. All of these can mean a hefty increase in your bottom line.]]></description>
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<title>Why Your Property Isn't Selling - Maybe Not What You Think</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1197847</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1197847</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 27 May 2008 15:23:02 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Do you have a property (perhaps more than one) you want to sell? Whether you're a real estate agent, the seller of a property listed with an agent, or a "For Sale by Owner" seller, you may be having trouble selling these days. People use many different ways to explain why properties aren't selling... While all of this may be true, people are buying homes. And one home sales sets off a chain reaction of home sales, for as soon as someone sells their home, they can purchase the next one, which enables the seller of that home to shop for their next one, and so on.]]></description>
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<title>Key To Your Fundraising Success - the &quot;WIIFM&quot; Principle</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1197820</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1197820</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 27 May 2008 15:20:46 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Americans are a giving people. Unfortunately, however, giving tends to decline in a difficult economy. To make matters worse, givers are currently suffering from "donor fatigue" after a series of global natural disasters have left us feeling financially and emotionally tapped out. Add to that the recent increases in postal rates, and we have a "perfect storm" of discouraging trends for nonprofits. In these times, nonprofits need to get the greatest possible mileage out of their fundraising efforts.]]></description>
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<title>Gender-Biased Recession? What We Can All Do To Survive And Thrive</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1180845</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1180845</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 19 May 2008 13:45:20 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[This just in: the current recession is affecting men more than women. Obviously, though, while a recession may affect men and women differently, it affects us all negatively. Still, we can each take some actions to position ourselves in the best possible way to survive a recession--and be ahead of the game when the economy improves. Here's a head start on ways to find opportunity.]]></description>
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<title>The Common Cold Call - There Is A Cure</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1180823</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1180823</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 19 May 2008 13:43:56 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Probably a few business owners actually enjoy calling total strangers to promote their product or service; some people are naturally chatty and adept at getting past gatekeepers and breaking down people's natural defenses against being sold to. Some may get around the perceived obligation to cold call by having their secretary, spouse, kid, or hired assistant do it. Even for those who don't mind doing it, have someone do it for them, and/or are successful at it, though, there's a better way.]]></description>
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<title>How to Rekindle the Passion in Your Business</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1165156</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1165156</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2008 15:56:11 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Have you become bored with your product? You may have been promoting the same thing in the same way for many years, and if so, it may reflect in your marketing messages. And that's not good, for if your customers detect boredom, they won't get excited about your products either. And if they're not excited, they're not going to buy. So how do you rekindle the passion? Here are a few strategies.]]></description>
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<title>Creative Mailers - How to Get Attention in Tough Times</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1165130</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1165130</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2008 15:55:47 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[With postal rates up, shipping costs rising along with gasoline prices, and consumers being more careful with their discretionary spending, most mailers are tightening their belts as well. If your business does any kind of offline marketing, you want to make sure your packages have the greatest possible chance of getting opened. Here are a few ways to do that.]]></description>
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<title>Small Business Marketing With YouTube</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1146871</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1146871</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 05 May 2008 11:51:12 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Here's another medium you can leverage into traffic, image, and good customer relations...YouTube. "Broadcast yourself" YouTube is the second-most-visited website (after Google), and viewership has increased exponentially in the less than three years of its existence. People love to be entertained, and anything appearing on YouTube has enormous viral potential. This is essentially free publicity, but if you want good publicity, you'll need to do it right. ]]></description>
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<title>How to Write Great Sales Copy</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1144835</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1144835</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 May 2008 11:04:54 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Everyone thinks writing is easy. Everyone, that is, except those who are actually good at it. Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith, America's most widely read sports columnist, said, "There's nothing to writing.  All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein." That's more like it. When it comes to copywriting--the writing that sells products and services--there's more than entertainment at stake. The quality of the writing is very closely tied to the success of the product or service for sale and, ultimately, to the success of the business.  ]]></description>
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<title>Blogging - Now It's For Business, Too</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1140185</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1140185</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:00:02 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Successful businesses understand the need to keep in touch with their customers. Communication, however, is a two-way street: while continuing contact is an important part of marketing, so is giving your customers the opportunity to speak to you.  The standard methods include interviews and surveys by phone, mail, e-mail, and in-store, for example. While generally useful, these strategies come with time, money, and logistical baggage you may prefer to avoid. A relatively new communication medium comes to the rescue: the blog.  ]]></description>
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<title>Property Not Selling? You Need to Think Like a Marketer</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1126650</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1126650</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:10:37 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[America is in an unprecedented real estate crisis. If you're a home seller, a real estate agent, or a mortgage broker, you don't need to be told this--it's your reality. Not being able to sell a home quickly and for what it's worth may be threatening your financial future, your plans and dreams, your peace of mind. But let me tell you some really good news: some people are selling their homes quickly and at good prices. They know something most people don't: in a housing market like today's, anyone who wants to sell a house must think like a marketer. ]]></description>
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<title>Don't Let Your Customers Forget About You</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1116800</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1116800</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:44:07 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A few months ago, I experienced first-hand a missed marketing opportunity by a business owner whose services I'd used. I told the reflexologist that I enjoyed the session and found the whole concept intriguing...I told her I was a marketing writer with an interest in alternative health...and I never heard from her again. So she missed two great opportunities--to sell additional services to me, and to take advantage of my ability to market her services.]]></description>
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<title>White Papers - 4 Reasons Why Your Business Needs Them</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1112375</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1112375</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:42:31 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you're a business owner, and you're not familiar with white papers, you need to be. A white paper is basically a hybrid of a magazine article and a brochure. Here are four reasons why you need them to promote your business.]]></description>
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<title>7 Great Ways To Use White Papers To Promote Your Business</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1114739</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1114739</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:41:19 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In case you haven't read my other articles on white papers, a white paper is essentially a combination of an article and a brochure. They're a "soft sell" marketing piece that penetrates anti-marketing defenses, establishes the company as an authority in its niche, and enjoys a long shelf life. So you've found a copywriter who's skilled at writing white papers. Now what do you do with them? White papers are always given away free; that's one of their strengths. ]]></description>
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<title>Press Release - Great Tool If You Avoid These 4 Problems</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1110093</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1110093</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:48:04 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Press releases are powerful little pieces. In 300 to 500 words, they can reach readers all over the world, almost instantaneously, at little or no cost. Better yet, they often go viral, turning up in places you never expected. Best of all, sometimes a news publication will get so excited about the item that they'll assign someone to turn it into a feature story. Here are four problems you'll want to avoid.]]></description>
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<title>Marketing With White Papers - 3 Pitfalls to Avoid</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1101860</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1101860</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:21:55 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When used correctly, white papers are a powerful marketing tool. Because of their under-the-radar approach, they position the company in a place of authority, trustworthiness, and expertise-effective for generating leads. When done incorrectly, however, they're just another easily dismissed sales piece. Here are three mistakes that will undermine the strength of your white paper: ]]></description>
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<title>Marketing Program Checklist - 11 Pieces You Must Have</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1089723</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1089723</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2008 08:51:41 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[An effective marketing program includes both offline and online components working hand-in-hand. Here are eleven pieces you need--and how to do them right. ]]></description>
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<title>Jeff Healey - Extraordinarily Talented, Much-Loved Musician Leaves the World's Stage</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1048680</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1048680</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 18 Mar 2008 08:51:50 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[My first awareness that Jeff Healey had died was a link on an Internet news site saying something like "Blind Canadian musician dies." I was curious to know what had happened, but more importantly, what kind of man the world had just lost. I get the sense that Jeff was underappreciated during his time here; certainly there are musicians less talented, less likable, less enjoyable to watch-yet more famous-than he. ]]></description>
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<title>5 Reasons Why You Should Have an Internet Business</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1046221</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1046221</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:34:01 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Current predictions say that 50 percent of American workers will be self-employed by the year 2010. Many businesses will, if not be exclusively online, have a web-based component. Do you have an Internet business? Are you thinking of starting one? If not, here are five reasons why you should: ]]></description>
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<title>Fundraising - Why a Recession Is No Time to Cut Back</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/993483</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/993483</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 Feb 2008 09:42:39 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Fundraising is just like advertising: a recession is no time to cut back. Actually, fundraising is advertising. But instead of selling a product or service for your own profit, you're selling the satisfaction of helping a good cause--warm fuzzies, if you will. Warm fuzzies are relatively easy to sell in a strong economy, as Americans tend to be generous and like to share our good fortune. In a weak economy, however, warm fuzzies are a harder sell. ]]></description>
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<title>White Papers - A Must-Have Marketing Tool</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/988555</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/988555</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:20:35 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[White papers are the sleeping giants of marketing tools. This is great news for businesses who haven't discovered them yet, because "research indicates that IT executives examine an average of 30 white papers each year, that nearly 90% of executives find white papers helpful or extremely helpful and more than half claim white papers influence their buying decisions." That's according to Bitpipe online, February 2004.]]></description>
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<title>Testimonials - You Know How Important They Are, But What If You Don't Have Any?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/986537</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/986537</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:18:56 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you've read my articles "Testimonials--a Powerful Sales Tool" and "Powerful Ways to Use Testimonials in Your Promotion," you're well aware of the power of testimonials in your sales message. If you have testimonials, your ability to convince your target market is far greater. But what if you don't? There are a several reasons why you might not have a collection of testimonials; or, you may have them, but confidentiality issues make it difficult to use any impressive testimonials you do have. Following are some possible scenarios and how to overcome a lack of testimonials.... ]]></description>
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<title>The Amazing Power of a Press Release</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/984248</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/984248</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 Feb 2008 11:52:58 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Press releases are amazing in their ability to accomplish so much in so few words. Consider this: a piece of writing of, say, 300 to 500 words can reach readers all over the world, almost instantaneously, at little or no cost. You can submit frequent press releases for a cumulative effect. And sometimes a news publication will get so excited about the news item that they'll assign someone to turn it into a complete story.]]></description>
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<title>Powerful Ways to Use Testimonials in Your Promotion</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/982046</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/982046</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:24:49 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Testimonials are a powerful way to promote your business and your product or service. Because they come from real people with real-life problems, they can present your offering as a completely credible solution. (If you haven't read my article "Testimonials--a Powerful Sales Tool," please do.) Once you have a good supply of testimonials, there are a number of ways you can use them to strengthen your copy.]]></description>
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<title>Asking Questions in Your Sales Copy - The Right Way and the Wrong Way</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/980149</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/980149</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:48:13 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Using questions in your sales copy...is it a good idea, or a bad idea? It depends. Questions that work to draw your reader into the copy can be good, while those that stop your reader are bad. Here are six guidelines for asking the right kinds of questions in your sales message and avoiding the wrong kind...]]></description>
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<title>The Perfect Length for a Sales Letter</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/980096</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/980096</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:46:25 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[How long should a sales letter be? Good question. While there's no "ideal" length for a sales letter, there are a few guidelines--some of which may seem contradictory. The only absolute rule is: make the letter exactly as long as it needs to be to sell the product or service. Say what you need to say, and when you're finished, stop. ]]></description>
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<title>Your Sales Letter's Headline - How Important Is It?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/980073</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/980073</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:45:12 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Your headline is only a few words out of your entire sales piece. How important can it be? Well...very important. Advertising legend David Ogilvy says the headline is the most important part of your sales piece. On the average, he says, five times as many people read the headline as the body copy. ]]></description>
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<title>10 Important Principles of Your Offer's Guarantee</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/980255</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/980255</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:47:16 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The guarantee is sometimes an overlooked part of a sales package. Yet it's one of the most important, because the prospect might be completely sold until he or she gets to the moment of the buying decision--and then chicken out. The guarantee's job is to prevent "shopping cart dropout" by removing any and all doubts, reservations, and hesitations the prospect might have. Here are ten important principles of the guarantee.... ]]></description>
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<title>The First Rule of Selling - People Don't Like to Be Sold</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/980218</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/980218</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:46:16 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The first, most fundamental rule of selling is that people don't like to be sold. It's a paradox: people buy things all the time. Trillions of dollars worth of products and services are bought and sold, in stores, through the mail, on the Internet. So how is it that people don't like being sold when it obviously happens so much?  The answer is, they're being sold without realizing it. ]]></description>
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<title>Correct English in Your Sales Message - How Correct Is Correct?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/975043</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/975043</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:53:47 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When it comes to crafting convincing, compelling sales copy, there are two extremes to the "correct English" approach--and both are equally dangerous to the success of your sales message.    One extreme: Spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure must be perfect. Make any mistakes in these areas and you'll lose all your credibility.]]></description>
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<title>Sell By Making Your Audience Feel Indebted to You</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/975020</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/975020</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Feb 2008 09:43:59 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Selling is a two-way street. You want your audience to accept what you're offering--a product or service, or perhaps the prestige or "warm fuzzies" associated with donating to a good cause--in exchange for money. Yet you can tip the scales toward a greater likelihood that your audience will buy by making them feel that they're getting more than they're paying for.]]></description>
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<title>Marketing Rule Number 1 - You're Not Selling the Obvious</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/975001</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/975001</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Feb 2008 09:43:14 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[What product or service are you selling? Whatever it is, what you're really selling is not what you think you're selling. At least...it shouldn't be. That may sound confusing, but let me explain.... ]]></description>
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<title>Using the Charismatic Approach to Selling</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/974981</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/974981</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Feb 2008 09:42:35 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The classical approach to selling a product or service is to focus on it and what it can do for the customer. Depending on the product or service and the audience, often it's the best way. Other times, however, another way is more effective: the charismatic approach to selling. With the charismatic approach, people buy because they like the person selling the thing. ]]></description>
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<title>Marketing in the Health and Fitness Business - It's All Vanity</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/974956</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/974956</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Feb 2008 09:41:44 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you're in the health and fitness business, you may think you're selling health and fitness. Well, you are... but in order to sell your product or service, you have to think as though you're not. You see, you're really selling attractiveness, sexiness, desirability, and fun. That's because the health and fitness movement revolves around vanity. ]]></description>
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<title>Self-Mailers - When and How to Use Them</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/973036</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/973036</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:36:55 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[By definition, a self-mailer is any mailing that is completely self-contained and doesn't require an envelope. It could be a simple postcard (please read my article "Postcards as a Marketing Tool--Yes, They Still Work"), a piece that is folded once and stapled (or glued or taped) to provide more space, or something more complex with more folds. As with any type of marketing piece, the self-mailer has pluses, minuses, and specific strategies and purposes. Follow these tips on how to use the self-mailer most effectively.... ]]></description>
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<title>How to Price Your Product or Service Just Right</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/973023</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/973023</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:35:53 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When you're in business, one of the most difficult--and important--decisions you make is how to price your product or service. Too high, and you lose some of your buyers; too low, and you don't make a profit. Here are seven strategies to get your price point just right.... ]]></description>
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<title>Postcards as a Marketing Tool - Yes, They Still Work</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/972999</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/972999</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:33:52 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In this day of myriad attention-grabbing marketing pieces, it would be easy to think of postcards as the poor stepchild. How could a little postcard compete for reader attention with a mailbox full of letters, catalogs, packages, and self-mailers? The good news: it can. Postcards are inexpensive, easy to produce, and quick to get results. Here are seven ways to use postcards effectively.... ]]></description>
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<title>Why Research Is Important to the Success of Your Sales Message</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/972976</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/972976</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:32:46 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The creation of every sales message should begin with a certain amount of research. You (if you're a copywriter) or your copywriter (if you're not) should always be eager to discover new information in your niche, no matter how well informed you think you are. Some niches, of course, change faster than others--health, for example. Even some niches that are thought to be "carved in stone" (history, for example) can change as new discoveries are made.]]></description>
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<title>Win-Win Discount Coupon Strategy</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/972944</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/972944</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:31:56 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Want to hear a great way to get business and create satisfied customers? With this "50-50" coupon offering, everybody wins. Here's how it works: You send a limited offer to your list; let's say 100 coupons are available, and when they're gone, they're gone, until next time. People hurry to your website and those lucky 100 download the coupon. ]]></description>
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<title>Why a Recession Is No Time to Cut Back on Advertising</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/961696</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/961696</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 Feb 2008 18:50:57 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Fears of recession have a definite impact on people's buying habits. While it remains to be seen whether a true recession is on the way, a global economic slowdown seems to be a reality for the time being. When money is tight, people automatically do certain things....if you're in business, however, some things that may seem intuitive to you are exactly the wrong ways to try to survive tough times. One potentially fatal mistake is to cut back on advertising. Even in a recession, people buy things, and the products and services they choose are the ones with the greatest top-of-mind awareness. ]]></description>
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<title>Magalog - A Powerful Marketing Tool</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/957832</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/957832</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:40:41 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A magalog is essentially a marketing "power tool" reserved for your best customers. Just as it sounds, a magalog is a combination of magazine and catalog, an information piece that subtly convinces your readers that your products and services are the solutions to their problems. People will keep a magalog longer than a catalog, in order to refer to the useful information. And each time they return to it, they are reminded of you and your business; you thereby create a "stickiness" surpassed by an ordinary catalog. ]]></description>
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<title>Catalogs - If You Don't Have One, You Should</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/948386</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/948386</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:10:55 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A catalog is an important marketing tool for both online and brick-and-mortar businesses.  It doesn't matter what type of business you're in; these days, virtually anything can be purchased from a catalog: traditional items such as clothing, furniture, books, music, and other forms of entertainment; specialty items like pet, gardening, craft, and beauty supplies; food, wine, and flowers; concert tickets and trips. Whatever your product or service is, seriously consider marketing it with both a print and an online version of your catalog. For maximum user-friendliness, also provide a PDF version that visitors to your site can print themselves (without using a lot of ink). ]]></description>
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<title>Coffee and Tea - A Lucrative Online Business</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/948370</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/948370</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:10:38 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As you know if you've read my article "Great Business Opportunity for Coffee-Loving Entrepreneurs," the coffee business is a "hot" place to be. Coffee captures many elements of the American good life - health, social interaction, and the culture surrounding the enjoyment of food and drink. While a new Starbucks store opens for business somewhere in the world every day, however, starting a coffee franchise may not be for everyone. For those who prefer an online business, with its flexible hours, automated systems, and freedom from geographical limitations, the world of coffee and tea still offers a world of opportunity.  ]]></description>
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<title>Complaining Customers Are Good for Your Business</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/948343</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/948343</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:09:12 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Whatever business you're in, customer complaints may seem like an unnecessary evil. They take time to respond to, they stress everybody out, and sometimes it seems the best solution is just to let the whiny customers go away and become your competitor's problem. Good riddance, right? Maybe...not. You see, each customer who actually complains about a product or service probably represents many others who simply vow never to patronize your business again and to tell everyone they know not to do business with you either. ]]></description>
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<title>Faith-Based Businesses - Communicate Your Integrity</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/934480</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/934480</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:36:07 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you're in a faith-based niche, you're selling something bigger than what meets the eye. Whether it's a book, membership to an organization, a set of CDs on child discipline or relationships--or any other product or service--you're not selling a book, a CD set, or a certificate of membership. You're selling a set of ideals.]]></description>
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<title>Great Business Opportunity for Coffee-Loving Entrepreneurs</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/934465</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/934465</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:34:33 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Do you love coffee? Are you health conscious? How would you like to start a rewarding new business? Opening your own coffee shop could be the opportunity of your dreams. 80% of Americans drink coffee, and more than half of the population drinks it every day; in addition, coffee shops have become the social hubs of our communities. ]]></description>
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<title>Marketers - Which of These Is Not True?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/934427</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/934427</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:28:26 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you're a provider of any product or service, you may think that some things about marketing are obvious, intuitive, or things that "everybody just knows." Or perhaps you think you know, but not everyone else has figured it out yet. Well, some of those things may be right...and some may be wrong. Let's look at a few--you might learn something new. ]]></description>
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<title>Marketers, Why You Need Your Own Articles</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/934375</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/934375</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:20:51 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you have a company website, you may offer articles relating to your product or service for your visitors to read for free. You may also have articles at online article sites that drive traffic to your website. This is a great strategy, because it a.) increases your website traffic, and b.) allows your prospects to educate themselves about your product or service and become convinced of their need for it--without pressure. ]]></description>
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<title>8 Mistakes You Might Be Making With Your Order Device</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/934156</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/934156</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:20:06 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[You may think of your order device as being a standard piece of prose, the bottom of the heap of your sales package, almost an afterthought. Want to know a secret? Studies have shown that once your prospect has opened the sales package, the order form is usually the first thing he or she reads. So clearly, if you miss the mark with your order device, you stand a good chance of having your entire package end up in the trash. ]]></description>
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<title>Testimonials - A Powerful Sales Tool</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/934137</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/934137</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:19:23 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Testimonials are a powerful selling tool. Why? Because they're an unbiased source of information. Sure, the person selling the product or service is going to say it's great. But quoting satisfied customers is an instant, huge credibility builder. ]]></description>
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<title>Seven Secrets to Shortcut Moneymaking</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/934104</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/934104</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:18:03 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Do you want to make money in business...as much as possible...as fast as possible? Here are seven secrets to shortcut moneymaking. 1. The first secret is...there is no real shortcut. There is, however, a shortest distance between where you are now and where you want to be, and everyone knows the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Your straightest line is a plan that includes no unproductive expenditure or activity. ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Bios as Part of Your Marketing Package - Who, Why, and How</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/934068</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/934068</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:17:18 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Another tool you need in your marketing strategy toolbox is a complete set of professional bios. This should be a page on your website; incorporate it into your print materials as well. For customers, it can help ensure confidence in hiring your company; vendors, interviewees, and new employees can use it to familiarize themselves with the important players in the business. The bios should be interesting to read, yet related to the services your company offers and/or market segments you target.  ]]></description>
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<title>Marketers - How to Make Your Customers Think You're a Genius</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/933989</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/933989</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:16:48 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[How do you make your customers think you're a genius? It's easy: you just read their minds. Seriously, when you reach your target market with a message that resonates with them, they think you're reading their minds. Your job as a marketer is to convince them that you understand what they're struggling with and that you have the answer. But telling people what they think--and being wrong--is probably the fastest way to offend people, lose your audience, and fail to make the sale. ]]></description>
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<title>Do You Make These Mistakes in Your Marketing?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/933953</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/933953</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:16:07 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Not knowing your market. Try the who-why-how-where-when approach to solving this problem: Who buys your product or service? Why do they choose yours? How do they find you? Where do these people "hang out" (either geographically, or in terms of where they gather information)?]]></description>
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<title>A Business Opportunity With Unlimited Growth Potential - Green Burial Products</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/927778</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/927778</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jan 2008 09:50:31 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Want to start a business that fills a universal need? One that appeals to the traditionalist and the progressive thinker alike? One with unlimited growth potential? Green burial products could be the opportunity for you. "Green" burial offers a third alternative to traditional burial and cremation, solving most of the difficulties of both. And because of the nature of the product, growth potential is virtually unlimited. ]]></description>
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<title>Healthcare Marketers, Put Your Message Where the Money is - Baby Boomers</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/923061</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/923061</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:38:41 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you're a marketer in any niche, the Baby Boomer generation represents a goldmine of opportunity. And if you're a marketer in the healthcare niche, the Boomers offer many specific and lucrative opportunities. If you have a healthcare product or service to offer the Baby Boomer generation, you're positioned to make huge profits over the next several decades. If you're not, you're missing out on a lucrative opportunity.]]></description>
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<title>Marketers - How to Get Your Audience to Take Action</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/923048</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/923048</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Jan 2008 10:46:09 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Whether your sales message is a web page, sales letter, e-mail, brochure, or other marketing piece, one of the last things your prospect reads is also one of the most important. That is the call to action. If you don't know what a call to action is, it's where you tell the prospect what to do.]]></description>
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<title>How to Make Money by Giving Stuff Away</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/923024</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/923024</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Jan 2008 10:45:26 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Here's a paradox that makes solid marketing sense: the more you give away free, the more money you'll make. To a point, that is, keeping in mind that your goal in giving things away free is to create top-of-mind awareness, establish yourself as an expert, and make people feel indebted to you. Here are several kinds of giveaways that will make your prospects want to return with money in hand...again and again...]]></description>
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<title>Smart Strategy in the Self-Help Business - Gender-Specific Help</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/923368</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/923368</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jan 2008 13:05:02 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you're in the self-help business, the best place to start helping people is to acknowledge the fundamental differences between men and women. The breathtaking success of John Gray's Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, which has sold more than 15 million copies, offers a hint that people instinctively know the truth: males and females are different.  ]]></description>
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<title>Maine - You Love to Visit, Why Not Live There?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/921716</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/921716</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:20:19 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Everyone knows Maine for its natural beauty; visitors flock to its coast, mountains, lakes, and quaint towns from all over North America all year round. One of the state's nicknames is "Vacationland." You may not think of Maine as a place to live--but why not? Mainers used to be thought of as reserved and unfriendly to newcomers, but it's not so. They are becoming famous for their friendliness, according to recent reports.]]></description>
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<title>Love Wine and Like to Travel? Here's the Job for You</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/908868</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/908868</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:50:47 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Love wine? Like to travel? Looking for a home business or side business to start? Becoming an independent wine consultant could be the opportunity for you.  ]]></description>
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<title>Fun, Profitable, Wholesome Business You Can Start - Microbrewery</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/908837</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/908837</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:49:23 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Microbrews were so popular, the trend caught on and hundreds of microbreweries sprang up. As they proliferated, some became larger than the microbreweries of the original definition, and the term came to include the concept of artisanal beer in the European tradition. Thousands of beer lovers have realized their dreams by building successful microbrewery businesses. If you decide to embark on this exciting new business venture, get a business plan, gather your equipment, and don't forget to put an effective marketing plan in place.]]></description>
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<title>What Buyers in the Self-Help Market Really Want</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/908726</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/908726</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:47:55 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The self-help business is in explosion mode. From quitting smoking, drinking, and overeating, to overcoming depression and PTSD, to becoming successful in business and romance, it seems nearly everyone needs "help" with something. Whatever specific "help" is being sought, people are all really looking for pretty much the same thing.]]></description>
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<title>Your Ultimate Personal Marketing Plan</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/900509</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/900509</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:54:21 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you own a business, you probably don't have money to waste on ineffective advertising. Yet if you don't know where to look, one-size-fits-all, big-box, impersonal marketing may be all you can find. You may not even know what to look for. Here are nine things you should ask for from the copywriter you choose to develop your marketing program....]]></description>
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<title>How to Target Your Market</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/892008</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/892008</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 22 Dec 2007 16:31:33 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The number of people who buy products and services is nearly infinite. But the number of people who want and need your product or service is definitely finite. Trying to market to everyone is a waste of money. So how do you leverage your marketing budget to filter out all the non-buyers and reach your prospects and customers? You need to target your marketing efforts to those people most likely to buy what you offer.]]></description>
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<title>Your Key to Success - Solve Your Customer's Problem</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/892002</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/892002</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 22 Dec 2007 16:30:40 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Your customers are the reason you're in business. They buy your products and services not because they want you to make money, but because they have a problem to solve. For this reason, it's important to tell your potential customers in all of your marketing materials just how you're going to solve their problems.]]></description>
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<title>Do-It-Yourself Marketing - Big Mistake</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/891985</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/891985</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 22 Dec 2007 16:28:44 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you're offering a product or service, you need a professional marketing program to reach your audience and make them buy. Even the best product or service is only as good for your bottom line as your marketing plan. Choose a professional marketing writer--before you waste time and money, before you suffer embarrassment and inconvenience.]]></description>
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<title>Another Hot Niche For Online Marketers - Niche Dating Sites</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/891976</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/891976</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 22 Dec 2007 16:27:36 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Online dating sites have exploded in popularity over the last decade or two. According to Webcontent, "dating online sites are a $300 million industry in the US alone and rapidly expanding worldwide." And there's no end in sight. The popularity of the Internet for everything is growing, people are busier than ever, and with the traditional ways of meeting people (bars, blind dates, friends of friends) giving way to online meetings, there's a world of opportunity available to anyone who wants to start an online dating site.]]></description>
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<title>3 Ways to Get Free (or Inexpensive) Publicity For Your Business</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/890404</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/890404</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:15:14 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Advertising is expensive--right? Well, it certainly can be. To make matters worse, if not done right, it can also be ineffective. That's the worst of both worlds--expensive and ineffective. But there is a way to have the best of both worlds--inexpensive and effective. Here are three ways to spread the word about your business, product, or service without spending a lot of money....]]></description>
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<title>The Tool That Could Mean 90 Percent of Your Sales</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/890363</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/890363</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:13:52 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you're an online marketer, there's one tool that could literally bring you 90% of your sales. If you're using this tool, you're in a good position to capture the lion's share of your market niche. If you're not, you may be getting only 10% of the sales that could be yours. And if you're not--and your competitors are--well, good luck! This powerful tool is an autoresponder series.]]></description>
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<title>Your USP - Does Your Competition Have a Better One?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/890346</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/890346</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:11:41 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Marketers, one of the first things you need to know if you want to succeed in business is this: What's your USP? If you're not sure, spend some time figuring it out. Ask for (and take seriously) feedback from others. One way you can do this is an online or offline survey. Offer your customers something of value in return for their input.]]></description>
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<title>7 Ways to Get the Best Deal on a Marketing Program</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/890440</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/890440</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:25:59 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Choose the best copywriter you can afford. Go with a top-tier one if you can; if not, a mid-level copywriter. You probably won't save money in the long run by choosing a cheap one. Top-level copywriters can be prohibitively expensive for some marketers; some farm out their work to mid-level copywriters anyway.]]></description>
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<title>How to Save Money on Your Marketing</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/890426</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/890426</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:25:26 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Unless they're independently wealthy and run their business as a hobby, every marketer of a product or service wants to how to do it in the least wasteful, most cost-effective manner. Well, the title of this article could be "How Not to Save Money on Your Marketing," because the things that people often instinctively do are actually counter-productive. So let's explore what people often do--to their disadvantage--and you'll know exactly what not to do.]]></description>
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<title>Writing Fundraising Letters - Not a Job For Fundraisers</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/881488</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/881488</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:38:39 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you run a nonprofit organization--especially one with a small budget--you may be making a costly mistake. You may be trying to write your own fundraising letters. That's a mistake--and an expensive one--because, unless a staff member or volunteer in your organization has a marketing background, it's not the best use of your limited resources (i.e. time and money) for him or her to be trying to do this specialized job.]]></description>
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<title>The Power of Storytelling - 5 Things to Include in Your Promotion</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/881472</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/881472</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:37:52 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA["On a beautiful late spring afternoon, twenty-five years ago, two young men graduated from the same college...." This familiar story is a letter offering a subscription to the Wall Street Journal, said to be the most successful piece of advertising in history. The power in this promotion lies in its storytelling. Remember that, in any marketing piece, your goal is to get your readers to take a desired action, and to do this effectively, you must keep them interested until they take the desired action. Five principles in storytelling will make all the difference in selling your product or service.]]></description>
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