ADLAND'S
DIGEST
A
Free subscribed Discussion List
of
2230 subscribers
on
web marketing and promotion
Bogdan
Fiedur, Publisher
mailto:
Bogdan@softfornet.com
Vol.
1, #50, November 24, 1998
POST AND UNSUBSCRIBE INFO AT BOTTOM
_____________________________________________________________
Topics in this issue:
Sponsor Message
Word from publisher
================
S i t e R e v i e w R e s p o n s e
s
===========================
~
Michael Bryant <stormkeep@yahoo.com>
~
Linda smb355@webtv.net
~
Keely Nowalk <FamleeAffr@aol.com
R e q u e s t f o r R e
v i e w
=======================
~Mike or Debbie
<m_dducker@centuryinter.net>
~Victoria Ring
<webmaster@youonline.net>
~Vicki and Hans
Moser <hmoser@yahoo.com>
N e w P o s t s
================
1. The best banner
exchange system ever!
G u e s t A r t i c l e
=======================
DEALING WITH YOUR
PROSPECTS part 3 of 3
by
Russ Swan
A d l a n d T i p
===============
================Sponsor Message ========================
VERITA.COM - THE ULTIMATE ANNOUNCEMENT SERVICE
Would you find it difficult to believe that a website existed where you
could write your own product or service reviews, advertise your website,
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For more information see:
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============ Word from publisher =============
First I would like to thank Michael , Linda and Keely
for their time in reviewing sites of those who requested it.
They've done great job. I wished we had this in depth
reviews all the time. I would like to ask more of you to
participate in this idea so we'll get different views and
help in various areas.
Also technical note.
Please don't send your requests for review to people who volunteered
to do reviews. Send them always as replay to this digest.
=============Review Responses (1) ==============
From: Michael Bryant <stormkeep@yahoo.com>
Hi Adland subscribers,
Being my site was up for review I figured I might as well EARN the
review. My review this week is on:
------------------------------------------------------
Rhetta Gillespie
Max and Star Enterprizes,
http://www.maxstar.net
------------------------------------------------------
There are several things you simply must ask yourself when
creating a web site. Especially a business related web site.
How pleasing to the eye it is or in regards to business related
sites, how professional it appears. How many times have you gotten to
a site and said "ugh!" Well, as you can guess, you don't want that.
You also don't want the site to be dead and void of color, but to have
just the right mix. While Max and star have a good contrast going on
with the text making it easy to read, there just was no color. Meaning
no animation to draw the eye to that special deal or price. No
pictures of the computers or other items that are up for sale.
Another difference was on each of the pages they tried a
different contrast theme. white and black, black on blue, etc.. I
would suggest trying to keep the theme the same through out the site.
once a background has loaded you don't need to load it again for the
next page. Means a customer spends less time waiting and more time
looking at what you sell.
My compliments go to you on your efforts to exchange links with
other sites. I would just suggest maybe spreading the banners among
your other pages so as to decrease your load time on the main site and
to keep the visitor focused on YOUR business.
Two more quick notes.
1. While having the link to another page or site open a new window
will allow a user to return to your site easily, having to many open
at once will drive off those that have computers short on resources
and don't want a lot of windows opened. Having a new window open to a
page on your own site is needless and bound to anger a visitor.
2. One of the biggest features that a web page cannot be missing is
in the HTML. What I am referring to in particular are the "meta tags".
Meta tags are important tools needed in all pages. These "tools"
ensure that a person using a search engine will find your page when
looking for web pages in your topic area. Some Meta tags are:
<meta name="description" content="Discount submissions to search
engines, link sites and classified advertising.">
<meta name="keywords" content="advertising,promotions,search
engines,ffa,links,classified,discount,free,submissions">
These are just a couple that can be used to increase the visitors and
to improve the placement of your site on search engines. Matching
these keywords with words on the top of your site will help as well.
Just don't use too many of the same words as many search engines will
drop you for having the same word four times.
I hope I have been of help in your business venture.
and thank you for your time.
Michael Bryant
webmaster@max-host.com
http://www.max-host.com
=============Review Responses (2) ==============
From:Linda smb355@webtv.net
Max and Star Enterprises.
Suggestions:With your hitbox and beyond.com at the top, it encourages
people to go there and they may forget to come back. I would put that at
the bottom. If you are a member of the Better Business Bureau, go to
their site and pick up their logo.That can be at the top to give buyers
confidence. I would like to read about you first. It also gives me
additional confidence in buying from you. I think that the cost and
order form should always be last. I love the November Spotlight and
Extra Special offer. Specials are a great way to encourage additional
interest. That should be #1 in your advertising and then people will
view your other products. Colors are very easy on the eyes. I also like
the fact that I didn't get lost and there were no delays at all going
from one page to the next.
Linda
=============Review Responses (3) ==============
Keely Nowalk <FamleeAffr@aol.com
Rhetta Gillespie
Max and Star Enterprizes, Inc
http://www.maxstar.net
Rhetta,
I'm very impressed with the wide range of computer components you offer, and
the prices seem quite reasonable! I believe that your website, with a
little
more work, has great potential. One of the first things I noticed was the
different backgrounds on your various pages. To keep the site more
professional, choose a common theme throughout all of your site's pages and
stick to it. Generally, the majority of business sites appear more
professional with a white or other light colored background that is not too
"busy" and would distract from the content of your page. Additionally,
text
in black is also more appealing. As Barbara Webbak stated in Digest #49
that
research is a key. Research other professional business sites that sell
computers and see how they set their site up. Gather information from your
research on what kinds of things you see that you like, as well as those
that
you don't.
Also, after looking at your HTML coding, I realized that you do not have a
META tag for keywords. This is essential. Although there is a debate of
how
important this tag is in search engine placement, any site should defiately
have this in it's coding.
You also may want to consider using buttons to navigate through your site.
Your use of hyperlinks in the text is well used, but buttons can also be a
great attribute. You may also consider separating the various statements
made
on your "Alpha Information Depot" page. It all runs together and is
difficult
to read.
One idea that I would suggest for anyone's site is to take a piece of paper
and draw an "organizational chart" per se (or I also know that if you some
versions of Front Page, you can do this directly on the software). Design
an
org chart listing the most important pages of your site and then list the
sub-
pages underneath them. This provides for easier navigation throughout the
site, as well as for better organization. In the case of this site, your
main
page identifies mostly the products you offer, but I also saw that you offer
a
tutoring service. On your home page, you may decide to have a link to a
page
describing your tutoring service, then on that page, link any sub-pages that
relate to the tutoring.
You did a great job to ensure that customers have various ways to contact
you,
your content is pretty good, I think it could use some work in navigation,
but
all-in-all, I think you're on the right path! Just do some research and
you'll be amazed at the ideas you will come across!
Keely Nowalk <FamleeAffr@aol.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Find out how to bring thousands of HOT prospects to your site and make sure
they buy!
http://www.leadcentral.com/cgi/members/KN688.html
http://members.aol.com/famleeaffr/famleeaffr/index.htm
=============Review Responses (4) ==============
Keely Nowalk <FamleeAffr@aol.com
Site of Michael Bryant
http://max-host.com
Hi Michael,
Love the dragons! Before anything else, the first thing I did notice was
"Openning" is misspelled (only one "n"). Well, after I
"entered," I
discovered a fantastic navigational button display...great job!
You have done a very good job arranging/organizing the information on your
page. Between the appropriate use of tables and of hyperlinks, and of the
overall organization of the site, I think your site will do quite well.
There are two areas that I would like to comment on, the first is with
regard
to the background you have chosen. Although it ties in with your theme, it
makes for difficult reading of the text. You may wish to consider a lighter
background, or even a solid one. Also, you may wish to play around with the
text color if you choose to change the background, as yellow and white may
be
difficult to read on a different background.
Secondly, I noticed you have a message board, and wasn't sure if the posts
were to be private as so only you could view them, or if they were to be
public. If the latter is the case, you will need to add a link or button so
visitors may view the posted messages.
Oh, one more thing. I noticed that although you have a link at the bottom
of
each page for "Home," there is no button along the side. Maybe consider
adding one?!
Overall, I think your site is very good. Good luck to you!
Keely Nowalk <FamleeAffr@aol.com>
~~~~~~
Lookin' for Love in all the WRONG Places? Romance the Net!
http://www.one-and-only.com/menu1.htm?AssociateID=40699
(Webmaster Opportunities Available too!)
=============Review Responses (5) ==============
From:Linda smb355@webtv.net
Max Host,
Colors are great. Very pleased with the text colors,background and
dragons. The only problem that I had was the green. From my viewing, I
could not read the green lettering. It was easy to go from one page to
the next.The menu was clear and to the point. I did not get lost at all.
Very nice page.
Linda
=================Request for Review (1) =============
From: Debbie <m_dducker@centuryinter.net>
URL: http://www.paalm-bank-consulting.com
Purpose of site: To have a presence on the web for prospects to review
services and contact the owner for possible services.
Debbie Ducker mailto:webmaster@paalm-bank-consulting.com
This site is one of my design clients. I have ran onto some snags on
how the site is viewed in different size monitors and browser
versions. I designed it using NetscapeŽ Communicator 4.5b2 and
Internet Explorer 4.0 and I have a 15" monitor. Everything looks fine
from my side. But when my client looks at it on a 14 inch monitor and
I.E. version right under 4.0 (not sure which one that is), he says the
text is loading way to the right. I have changed the index.htm page
tables to percentages on the width to try and fix this, but the page
is still loading to the right for him. Would appreciate feed back
from people viewing this page on different monitor sizes and browser
versions as well as any advice you might have on how to overcome this
problem of different viewing problems that designers have to face.
Thanks in advance, Debbie Ducker
Ducker Signs plus: http://www.earthcorp.com/m_dducker
=================Request for Review (2) =============
From: Victoria Ring <webmaster@youonline.net>
My website is designed to help provide internet marketers with free and
low-cost tools, as well as knowledge to sell their products on the
Internet. I also offer free web page training on Netscape. I would
appreciate anyone visiting my web site and giving me any type of
constructive criticism to increase our web traffic. Thanks to everyone
who takes the time. It is greatly appreciated. Go to
http://youonline.net/
=================Request for Review (3) =============
From: Vicki and Hans Moser <hmoser@yahoo.com>
1. URL of the site:
http://www.advdata.net/~hmoser/pl.html
2. Purpose of the site (one sentence)
Increase traffice to your site.
3. Name and email address of requestor
Hans Moser
hmoser@yahoo.com
4. What kind of feedback is expected
or what is unique about your site.
We offer a unique solution to your web traffice woes. Let me know
what you think
.=================New Post (1) =============
Subject: The best banner exchange system ever!
From: "Chris Gibbs" <chris.gibbs@connect-2.co.uk>
Hello Adland readers:
I have found the best banner exchange program ever!
It's called LinkBuddies and offers an excellent 4:3 ratio
(displays on your site : your banner displayed elsewhere)
PLUS - when you join you automatically get 500 credits!
You can target your audience, change hourly settings,
view live detailed stats and loads more...
To join, click on the link below:
http://www.linkbuddies.com/start.go?id=109637
Just my 2 cents worth
Chris Gibbs
chris.gibbs@connect-2.co.uk
The best traffic-driving tips, chat, online store, free software at:
http://chrisgibbs.connect-2.co.uk/default.htm
==================Guest Article ===================
Subject: DEALING WITH YOUR PROSPECTS (Part 3 of 3)
From: Russ Swan <rswan@topend.com.au>
DEALING WITH YOUR PROSPECTS (part 3 of 3)
The most important thing you have with your prospects
is your correspondence. Just the words on the computer
screen. They are all you have to convince people why
they should join your business or program. Don't rely
on your webpage to do all the selling for you. You
can't establish a rapport with anyone on a webpage.
It is simply a marketing tool. Concentrate on using
your Email.
Now I don't claim to be some kind of correspondence
wizard, or that I know it all and have all the answers.
All I know is that what I am doing seems to be working
well. And it's because I TRY to observe the principles
outlined below as best I can. And it should be the
BEST that you can do too :)
GRAMMAR
Let me emphasise this point. Grammar is an under-
rated selling tool, especially when you are dealing in
correspondence. I'm not saying that people won't join
because you didn't correct your spelling, or because you
misplaced a preposition.
I'm no high-school English teacher and I make mistakes
too. But you should make an effort to fix these sort of
things. You want to impress your prospects. You want
to come off as an intelligent, thoughtful person. The
prospect probably won't notice it if your grammar is
perfect. But I can GUARANTEE you they will certainly
notice it if you spell things incorrectly or if your
grammar sucks. I have been picked up at least once
myself.
BE CONVINCING
Answer every question your prospects ask thoroughly,
truthfully and passionately. You want them to realise
you know what you are talking about, and that you are
putting a lot of time into them and their questions.
Let them see that you are being personal, and that you
care.
Try to sound passionate and excited about your business
in all your emails. If you don't seem like you really
believe in it, then they are not going to believe in it.
Perhaps they may even be a bit suspicious of it. In my
case I can see my programs working. I really enjoy
opening my IN box and checking the mail. You never know
what's in there, and it's always happening. It may be a
little daunting at first if you've never done anything
like this before. But as your confidence grows, you
should find you are actually starting to enjoy it. You
get to build mini-relationships and it gets to be fun!
It is obviously to your advantage to know as much as you
possibly can about your particular business. The more
you know, the more convincing you will sound in your
correspondence with your potential customers/members.
When you get right down to it, most businesses are
usually very simple and straight-forward. Tell your
prospects that. Make them understand that it is not
going to take a brain surgeon to do well by working from
home. Anyone can do it.
Emphasise that they can make their own hours, and that
they can do it part-time, and still make great, great
money. I do it for 2 to 4 hours a day, depending on the
day and how many responses I've been getting, and how
hard I've been pushing the ads. I do it when I am not
working 12 hour shifts, sleeping, or sailing my boat.
Tell them that if they want to do this full-time, then
the wealth potential is really outstanding.
KEEP IN TOUCH
Perhaps most importantly, keep in constant
correspondence with each prospect that even remotely
responds to your initial sales letter. And I mean no
matter how interested or disinterested they seem.
DEALING WITH SKEPTICS
And finally, a tip from the experience of two allegedly
very successful MLM marketers. They claim that the more
prospects protest their skepticism, the easier they are
to sign up...that when a prospect seems impossible, it
really is a signal that he is a future member. APATHY
is the one real signal that WON'T sign the person.
So there you have it, believe it or not. Never think a
person is not interested just because they are
skeptical. If the person took the time to write down
their feelings, it is because they are interested in
what you are going to say. They are screaming out to
you that they want to be convinced. If they are truly
skeptical, they are more likely to just not reply or say
straight out...not interested.
So, take the time and convince them!
Also In This "Dealing With Prospects" Series:
Part 1: When Prospects Respond to Sales Letters.
Part 2: Thoroughness, Manner of Writing, Honesty,
Your Writing Objective & Simplicity.
------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------
CYGNET
HOME INDUSTRY
Presents
home-based businesses.
Thoroughly checked. Easy to run. Available
internationally.
Ongoing support and
assistance:
Email:
rswan@topend.com.au
Website:
http://www.topend.com.au/~cygnet
----------------------------------------------------
======================ADLAND TIP ====================
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and reciprocate to us. We will track all the
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