Small Business Website Design – How to Choose a Website Template

You’ve made the decision to build your website. You’ve chosen the program you want to build it in. Now comes that agonizing decision of choosing a website template!

How to you choose a small business website design template?

Before you make any template decisions you must know how your website is being built. There are so many ways to build a website, including:

• Software programs like Dreamweaver or Microsoft Expressions
• Website Builders like Weebly
• Online Content Management Systems like WordPress or Joomla

My recommendation is always WordPress. After spending over ten years designing websites in just about every way possible I settled on WordPress because of it’s cost (free!), ease of use, flexibility, variety of looks and customizability.
Let’s get back to the topic at hand – templates!

So you’ve chosen your site design method and now you’re looking for templates. Here are some factors to keep in mind as you do your search:

1. Customization – How much can the template be changed? Some templates are meant to be used exactly as is while others are designed to be tweaked and customized. Find out how flexible your potential theme is so you can decide if it’s right for you.

2. Support – If you run into issues and problems with your template will there be anyone to answer your questions? Having this kind of customer support is usually something you’ll get from themes you pay for and not free ones. So consider if it’s worth it to you to have available support as you need it.

3. Flexibility – Does your template limit your website in any way? Does it allow you to do everything you need to do with your website at the moment and anything you might want to do in the near or even distant future. Try to think long-term with your template and if it will suit your needs over time.

4. Branding – Does the template match the branding and style of your business. If you are starting a business from scratch this may not be an issue but if you are bringing your offline business online you want to consider your brand and keep it consistent. Some things you might not think about initially are matching: fonts, colors, logos and images. Consistent branding builds trust and confidence in your business, allow your potential customers and customers to feel comfortable buying from you.

5. Navigation – Last, but certainly not least is website navigation. Does the template allow ease of use for moving throughout the site? Potentially one of the most important thing about your site is how easily people can find what they are looking for. Make sure any potential templates you choose are not confusing or constricting and allow users to easy find their way to the good stuff.

Now that you have some solid advice on choose your first website template maybe you need clear directions on how to get that site setup from scratch to finish?

Why Use WordPress For Your Website

Here are the reason why I choose WordPress as the software to build my website:

It’s free – You only pay for hosting, no additional fees for expensive software (ie. like Dreamweaver which is hundreds) or monthly fees for a builder type program.

It’s easy to install – With WordPress you can literally have a good-looking site up and running within a day.

Hundreds of Templates – With many site builders there is a limited number of templates. Because WordPress is so popular there are new templates being built all the time.

Community Development – Most proprietary software has a very small staff working on the program development. WordPress is wide open and there are hundreds of people who work on improving the program constantly. This makes it a big and very exciting ‘virtual community’ project that gets better and better all the time. Having hundreds of brains all working towards the same cause can be a powerful thing.

SEO – Perhaps one of the most touted features of WordPress is how easy it makes you to search engine optimize your site. With WordPress you automatically get your keywords inserted into your page titles and you get a great summary that shows up in the search engines. But WordPress also makes it easier to do internal site linking which also helps with the search engines and there are many plugins also designed to move SEO along even further.

Easily Updated – While it is true you do have to update your WordPress sites and backup your files yourself it couldn’t be much easier. Just a few clicks of your mouse and you’ve upgraded to the latest versions and backed up your sites.

Security – Yes, hackers are working to ‘break into’ WordPress all the time because it’s so popular but the developers are constantly keeping ahead with new upgrades which means it’s probably one of the most secure website systems out there. But as long as your WordPress account is updated to the latest version it is very secure.

Plugins – Most sites come with a certain set of features and that’s it. Not with WordPress. Plugins are little add-on pieces of software that can do anything from making it snow on your website (seriously) to keeping automated spam bots from messing up your comment area with their spam crap. Again, plugins are another example of that virtual community at work here. There are hundreds of people putting in hours upon hours for free to create valuable plugins to serve the WordPress community.

Versatility – I use WordPress for my websites, my blogs, my salesletters, my membership sites and everything else in between.

Blogging – A blog is an interactive, social tool that is pretty much a stable to most businesses with a site online these days. There’s no extra steps to adding a blog when you use WordPress, it can simply be built right into your website and easily managed all in one spot.

Complete Control – When it comes right down to it there is very little that WordPress CAN’T do. When you’re a beginner of course you are limited by your own knowledge and skills but perhaps what I love most about WordPress is that it’s a program that doesn’t limit me to build the biggest and best site I possibly can. The limits are really only set by my own imagination and abilities.

Small Business Website Design – What Do I Put On My First Website?

Creating your first website can feel overwhelming and intimidating. Once you get beyond the process of getting the actual bones of the site done and have a good structure to build on you then need to decide what to put on your website.

The words on your website are often known as it’s content. Creating website content can be a daunting task if you’ve never written for the internet. It doesn’t work to just transfer the kind of content you would use offline into the online world.

The internet is an entirely different creation, a completely different medium and you need to really understand how people think in order to write for it well.

Let’s start by going over some of the most common and important website pages:

Home page – This is the main page of your site. It’s the page people will land on if they type your domain name into their internet browser. So how do you make sure you don’t mess this page up and end up driving people away? Use your home page to capture the attention of your potential customer or client. Call their name by understanding them as a person with a specific need or problem that you can help with. Know their language and use it. Don’t save the good stuff for later because there may never be a later – get it out there and grab their interest from the start.

About page – It’s a mistake to leave this page off your website. People routinely go to the About Page to find out about a company or a business owner. They want to know they can trust you and that you’re a real person. Create a detailed about page that assures their worries and confirms that you’re just the type of business they’ll love to work with.

Products or Services pages – Of course you’ll need to showcase what you have to sell. Make sure you clearly state what it is you have to offer and give your visitors calls to action. Don’t just assume people will see your stuff and know what to do next – spell it out for them!

Contact page – Another essential website page that builds trust. Even if a potential customer has no intent to actually content you it’s very likely they’ll check your contact page to confirm you are a legitimate business. Prove your legitimacy by posting your name, position, phone number, email AND physical or mailing address. The location is important because it’s much less suspicious than having no way to track you down physically should problems arise.

Privacy Policies & Disclaimers – Legally it’s a smart idea to have some privacy policies and disclaimers added to your website.

Every website is different. What you write for your site is going to depend largely on your target market and what they respond to. Pay attention to how your visitors react and do what you can to track – then tweak as you go to improve your content and the response it gets.

Building your first website can be intimidating, but even the most non-technical beginner can do it! Want to learn how?

Check out this six week course that teaches you everything you need to know to build your own website, from scratch, with WordPress.

How to Get Healthier and Wealthier at the Same Time

Here’s little quiz for you.

1. Do you love to eat? Ice cream, chips, fried foods, big slices of fresh bread, chocolate, cheese, sauces… Any of those making you drool?

2. Are you slacking off on the amount of exercise you should be doing? Making excuses to get out that exercise video, go to the gym, or even take a 1/2 hour walk every day? Who has time for that?

3. Do you wish you had more disposable income? Maybe an extra $100 per month to start?

If you answered “Yes” to at least 2 of the three questions above, you’re going to love this article.

But, first, don’t feel badly if you aren’t eating well enough and aren’t exercising enough. You aren’t alone.

If you’re like most humans on the planet – you love to eat. Maybe a little too much. And, again, if you’re like most people on the planet, you’re not getting enough exercise. Perhaps you’re too busy working or taking care of your family, but the fact is that you’re not taking good enough care of yourself. And, finally, if you’re like most people on the planet – you’d like more money.

Here’s what I’m going to propose.

Start a Fitness Journal or Weight Loss Journey Blog for Fun and Profit

The cool thing is that you don’t HAVE to be an expert to succeed at this. In fact, the more believable you are as a flawed human being, the better off you can do.

Think about this. Who is the average American more likely to believe and trust?

1. Someone who has 3% body fat and looks like they spend all day at the gym and have natural genetics for general awesomeness?

or…

2. Someone who has a before picture where they weighed 400 lbs and an after picture weighing in at a healthy 170?

I would want to know how the second person pulled it off. Don’t you?! Not only that, but if the blog was believable, I’d probably tell my friends, post on Facebook about it, and buy everything they offered about how I can lose weight, too!

So what does this mean? Simple. People search online for solutions to their problems. A BIG problem for people is their overall weight and lack of exercise. So, if you set up a blog, you can not only help those people but … and this is the best part … hold yourself accountable to lose weight, too.

Your first blog post can be as simple as this:

“My name is Sally and I have a confession to make. I need to lose about 80 lbs. How’d I gain it all? Well, it snuck up on me one potato chips at a time, but I’m determined to lose it because (insert your reason why here).  I’d like to use this blog as a diary to show you how I do it. I’ll share the ups and downs along the way. Share anything that works really well. And, the fads that I try that don’t. So you can avoid them! Please come back often to see how I’m doing. I’d love to cheer you on, too. So please comment and let me know how much weight you need to lose so we can do it together.”

You can do that. It’s as simple as writing an email.

The only trick is in getting started. That’s where I come in.

To learn exactly how to get your Weight Loss Journey blog up and running and make people love it, talk about it and come back for more — grab the guide “How to Start a Weight Loss Journey Blog“. You’ll also learn how to get traffic to your blog and make money doing something you enjoy.

What is the Most Important Feature Your Business Needs to Use on the Internet?

So you’ve got your business online and now you’re wondering where to go next. Or maybe you’re not quite moved online yet and you want to know what is the most important feature your business needs to use on the internet.

Well if we look at this from the standpoint of what your most valuable asset would be in your business, offline or online, we will find the answer.

What if I took away all your customers and all your potential customers. Would you still have a business? Nope, no way.

So if we had to boil marketing on the internet down to one most important feature that would hands down be your customer and leads lists. What does that look like in terms of online marketing? It’s your email list.

If you do nothing else on the internet it’s important that you build your customer and potential customer database. With programs like Aweber it is easy to build multiple email lists of people who are interested in what you have to offer but are not quite ready to buy. It is also easy to put those who’ve bought from you into email lists either manually or through a bit of automation.

How do you build an email list?

Well this will bring us to probably the second-most important feature of an online business. That would be your website. Using a website to market your business is going to have a large impact on your ability to sell and to collect new leads.

With a website you can give people as much information as they need to tell them WHY they should join your email list and what value you will be providing to them.

What do you do with an email list?

So now you’ve begun to build this great asset but you’re not sure what to do with it. Many people build an email list and then leave it sitting, quiet and useless. Don’t let your list go cold. Email them with useful information that builds their trust in you as a source of knowledge on your area expertise. Make offers from time to time but always provide value and build the relationship with your list.

How often do you email your list?

Many people who start a list worry about emailing their list too often. How often you email your list is going to depend on how much value you can provide to them and how many emails that will take. If you can provide value only once ever two weeks then do it. If you need to email three times a week because you have so much value to add then do it.

Just keep watch and judge the reaction of your list and make adjustments from there. If you are loosing a lot of subscribers then you’ll know it’s time to adjust. If you are getting lots of positive reactions then you’ll know you’re on the right track.

Overall building an email list is one of the most valuable assets you can have in your business. If you take the time to do it right you will build long term relationships that will last for years and provide you with fiercely loyal customers.

That’s why I’ve created Email List Mojo… A course that’s designed to show you how to set up your first email list on Aweber (an email software program) and add it to your blog or website built with WordPress.

Check it out here: Email List Mojo

4 Common Misconceptions about PLR Content

Recently, in an interview, I was asked this question:

“Can you explode any misconceptions that stop people from using PLR content?”

Here is my answer.

There are four main myths that I run into regularly.

1. The biggest misconception that people have is that all PLR is crap.

2. The second biggest misconception is that ghostwriters are not good writers. We can even take that a step further and add that people assume they are stupid, taken advantage of, and/or they don’t speak English as their native language.

3. The third misconception is that using PLR takes away from your expert status.

4. The fourth misconception is that PLR and ghostwriting are somehow dishonest.

Let’s run through those one by one.

Myth #1: All PLR is Crap.

If you go back to about 2003, then I’d say that you are absolutely correct. Nearly all PLR at that time was junk. There may have been a few exceptions, but I wouldn’t touch most of that PLR content with a 10-foot pole.

We’ve made great strides in the last few years to raise the standards for what is acceptable and what is not in the PLR world. I’d like to think that I was one of the leaders in that movement.

Myth #2: Ghostwriters are Stupid.

I’ve got to tell you that I’ve worked with some ghostwriters who are brilliant in many ways. Oftentimes, they’re fabulous communicators, smart marketers, and hard working entrepreneurs. And, yes, they’re qualified to write quality information on many topics on the internet.

For instance, for a long time, I had a nurse writing my health PLR articles. I’ve also got a writer who graduated from Stanford University, who writes for several popular print magazines, and is a published author. Yes, she has her own book. And, another who had a career as a Political Speech Writer (before having children). That’s just three of my writers. They’re all amazing people, each with a variety of skills and life experience.

To assume they aren’t capable of writing quality content would be just silly.

I don’t just go to eLance.com and take the lowest bidder. To think that’s how all PLR sites work would certainly be a misconception.

Myth #3: You’re Not a “Real” Expert if you Use PLR.

The other misconception is that using PLR articles takes away your own value as the expert. That you are somehow cheating, plagiarizing, or that you’re a phony if you use PLR.

If ONLY you could see my customer list. It reads like the “Who’s who of Successful Online Business Owners”.

Business is all about cutting costs while increasing the bottom line. What better example is there than PLR content?

If you use PLR articles as drafts, they are delivered to you, ready for you, as the expert, to add your unique thoughts to them.

If you look at PLR like that – you can still keep your personality in your brand – and your sanity at the same time.

Myth #4: Using Ghostwriters or PLR is Cheating.

Most biographies in the bookstores are written by ghostwriters.

Most of the famous orations from our history were written by someone other than the public figure who gave the speech.

It’s not cheating to get help. It’s smart business.

Nicole Dean is the owner of  www.EasyPLR.com – where you’ll find high-quality PLR articles sold in very limited quantities.  The PLR articles at EasyPLR are professionally written and professionally edited — top quality at an affordable price.

I’m Not a Professional Speaker, I Can’t Host a Teleseminar!

Oh but you can host a teleseminar even if you’ve never spoken in public before, and you should! I know you might be nervous when you host your first one and that’s OK. Be afraid and do it anyway.

I remember when I hosted my first teleseminar. The topic was ‘Don’t Waste Your Money on a VA’. In all honesty, I didn’t earn a penny from that call. What I did earn, however, was experience. Experience I went on to host many more. In the future I hosted teleseminars that made me hundreds of dollars at a time and teleseminars that got me an average of 50-200 new email subscribers per.

Just Trying Hosting One – You CAN Do It!

I want to just encourage you today to just try it. If you’re still reading then there’s a reason and it’s something you deep down really want to do. Hosting teleseminars can be very reward for yourself personally and your business bottom line.

If it helps, you can think of talking to just ONE person instead of a whole line full of people. Teleseminars are a GREAT way to get started if you are interested in public speaking as you don’t have to look anyone in the face and get caught with stage fright.

When I first started speaking offline I really wasn’t all that nervous, I credit that to the dozens of online events I hosted before I ever stepped on the stage.

One of my most favorite parts of hosting teleseminars and other events is the thank-yous and compliments I get after delivering information that only I can give to people who are ready to hear it.

Think of it this way: There are people out there waiting to receive a message only YOU can deliver. If you don’t get out there and share it then you are depriving them of your great services!

How To Get Over Your Teleseminar Hosting Fears

Here are some practical ways to get going:

    Interview Someone: Instead of putting all the attention and demands on yourself why not bring in an expert to interview. This can benefit your customers or potential customers. In the end you can even recommend their products or services for affiliate commissions if they have that setup.



    Get Interviewed: If you want to keep the focus on your business then why not have someone interview you? Write up a bunch of questions and get a friend or colleague to read them for you. Easy Peasy!



    Take Questions: Maybe you have no idea what to talk about. How about taking questions from your customers or clients to answer on the call? Or, invite them to ask them during the call.

Those ideas should get you started!

I’ve taught many people to host their own teleseminars and worked with many clients. You CAN get over the fear and provide great events your potential customers will LOVE.

If you need help with the technical details to setting up your teleseminar then you’ll love the new product I’ve just released.

Check it out here: Teleseminar Hosting

Please let me know if you get your teleseminar up and running, I’d love to sign up!

A Wireless USB Stick that Expands your Mobile Phone’s Storage

What do you do when your mobile phone has limited storage and there’s no option to add an external SD card? How do you carry all your videos and documents where there’s not an iota of space left on the device? Yes, you do have cloud-based services like Dropbox or Google Drive that add virtually unlimited storage to your phone but you’ve to be connected to the Internet to access your files.

This week I’ve been testing a wireless USB stick from Sandisk that adds storage to your phones and tablets much like a regular USB drive. To get started, you plug the USB device into your laptop or desktop computer and let it charge for about an hour or two. You can also transfer the files to the stick from the computer through Windows Explorer or Finder on Mac.

Once the device is charged, you tap the little power button on the stick to turn it on. Now install the Sandisk Connect app on your mobile phone, go to WiFi settings on your phone and connect to the Wi-Fi hotspot created by the USB stick. That’s it.

Wireless USB Stick
The content of the USB drive can now be accessed from your mobile phone. You can stream audio and video files stored on the stick, you can browse photos, open PDF files and other documents in associated mobile apps and you can easily transfer files between the phone and the wireless drive. It is much like plugging a USB stick into your mobile phone but without the wires.

The Wi-Fi network has no security by default but you do have an option to add a password to prevent other nearby devices from connecting to the USB stick.

Unlike using cloud storage, Sandisk’s Connect USB stick requires no Internet connection (it will create a hotspot that your mobile device will connect to) and multiple devices can connect to the same USB drive over Wi-Fi. So if you are carrying an iPad and an Android phone, not only can the two devices connect to the stick simultaneously but it can be used as a temporary medium to transfer files between the iOS and Android device.

The USB stick itself is solidly built with a transparent protective casing though it is obviously heavier and looks bigger than regular USB sticks. The Sandisk mobile app does have some issues but none of them are a deal breaker. In my testing, the iPad app frequently crashed especially when reading big PDF files. The Android app would not allow me to browse the web using cellular connection while the phone was connected to USB drive over Wifi.

Sandisk Connect (Amazon, Flipkart) is compatible with both Android and iOS devices and is available in various capacities from 16GB to 128GB. If you are running out of storage space on your mobile phone and upgrading is not an option, the Connect stick is probably the easiest way to expand your phone’s existing storage.

Best High Speed Broadband Plans in India – Charges & Speed

In a web of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in India, it seems like difficult for a common man who wishes to opt for an Internet Plan as many of the users are confused about the availability of the options. So to make things simpler, we have listed down all the Internet options available across major cities so that you can choose the plan which suits your pocket. Please note that the plans which we will be talking about are the Broadband plans and are wired plans which can be converted into Wi Fi. When we say High Speed Internet, its well above 10MBPS, you can now head over to the various options which can be found below, Hyderabad:
While there are many high Speed Internet options available in Hyderabad, the best one in terms of Service availability and cost is “Beam Fiber” of which we have listed the tariff options below,
Beam Fiber:

Unlimited Data Plans (w.e.f. Nov 17, 2012)
Plan	Speed	Monthly	Half-Yearly	Yearly
B-Max 1110	15 Mbps	1110.00	6110.00	11100.00
B-Max 1660	20 Mbps	1660.00	9130.00	16600.00
B-Max 2770	25 Mbps	2770.00	15240.00	27700.00

Bengaluru:
Users from Bengaluru too can now enjoy the magic of High Speed Internet with the help of Beam Fiber’s parent company which is named as ACT. We have tabulated below a detailed tariff chart which will help you get hold with the fastest internet.
ACT:

Plan Name	Speed	Price	FUP	Speed after FUP
ACT Privilege	15 Mbps	999	40 GB	512 Kbps
ACT Abundant	15 Mbps	1099	50 GB	512 Kbps
ACT Indulge	25 Mbps	1349	60 GB	512 Kbps
ACT Extravagant	25 Mbps	1999	100 GB	512 Kbps
ACT Force	25 Mbps	2749	200 GB	2 Mbps

Chennai:
Chennai users can too now benefit from High Speed Internet at an affordable price, all thanks to YOU Broadband services for coming out with an affordable tariff plans.
YOU Broadband:

Speed : 12MBPS
Validity	1 Mth #	3 Mth	6 Mth	12 Mth
Data Usage	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Speed (12 Mbps )	Upto 25 GB	Upto 80 GB	Upto 175 GB	Upto 375 GB
Plan Charges	1212/-	3639/-	7280/-	14560/-
After free data usage, you can still download @ 1 Mbps # Installation Charges extra Rs. 770 for new connection

Mumbai:
YOU Telecom:

Speed : 12MBPS
Validity	1 Mth #	3 Mth	6 Mth	12 Mth
Data Usage	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Speed (12 Mbps )	Upto 25 GB	Upto 80 GB	Upto 175 GB	Upto 375 GB
Plan Charges	1212/-	3639/-	7280/-	14560/-
After free data usage, you can still download @ 1 Mbps # Installation Charges extra Rs. 770 for new connection

Five Networks:

BROADBAND PLANS
Name & SPEED	Pack Value (Incl.Tax @ 12.36% & Local Maintenance Charges)
	30 Day	Super Saver Pack
		90 Day	180 Day	365 Day
DOWNLOAD Upto 10 Mbps / UPLOAD Upto 1Mbps
Name & SPEED	Rs.	Rs.	Rs.	Rs.
UT 10 Mbps	2000	N/A	11999	23999

As of now we have added only select ISPs but as in when we come across with affordable high speed plans in your city we will keep you posted with the same in this article. Just in case if you find any, then do let us know in the comments section below as we will add the same.

What Lands End Can Teach You about Writing to Your Target Audience

Have you shopped with Lands End lately?  If so, you may have noticed that the women’s pants sold on their site come in Fit 1 (modern), Fit 2 (original) and Fit 3 (traditional).  But have you paid attention to the way they target the ladies who probably wear these pants?  It’s a prime example of creating personas and writing specifically to them.

So you’ll understand, let me explain what’s different about the 3 fits.  Fit 1 sits much lower on the waist and has slightly fitted legs (think 20s and 30s mostly).  Fit 2 sits just below the waist and has legs that are a bit more relaxed (probably built to attract late-30s to mid-50s).  Fit 3 sits at your waist, often has elastic in the waistband, and has relaxed legs (aiming for mid-50s on up).

Here’s one snippet of copy for a pair of shorts with a Fit 3 (traditional) waist:

    Finding the right shorts can be a tricky proposition. So many are too short — or not as comfortable as you’d like. These are summery, yet modest. A back-elastic waist adds comfort. And they’re easy-care, too!

Notice the language is well-suited to senior citizens (generally those 55 and up).  It talks about shorts being “too short,” the comfort, having modest styling, elastic waist and easy care. All things someone in this particular age group might appreciate.

Let’s look at a pair of shorts that, at first glance, appear to have almost the same styling as the ones above.  See how the copy changes for this item with a Fit 2 (original) waist?

    Shorts with a little something extra — a distinctive buckle detail at the waist. Stretch twill makes them easy as can be, and they have a modest-yet-flattering Bermuda length.

Now, instead of just moderate length and comfortableness we’re talking about distinctive buckles and “modest-yet-flattering” length.

Then there’s Fit 1 (modern).

    Here’s the Weekend Chino fabric you love, given an extra measure of style with button details and cuffed legs. For girls who like short shorts, they’re just about perfect.

Obviously targeted to a younger set, this copy talks about an “extra measure of style,” details, girls (not women) and “short shorts.”  Not something that would likely appeal to a grandmother.

The next time you’re faced with creating copy for products or services, think about the different individuals who will be using them.  When you write specifically to each segment of your target audience, they feel a greater connection with you and are more likely to buy.

Virtual Assistants: What is PLR and How Can it Help you to Get More Clients?

Here’s a question that I received today. I thought it was such a valuable question that I wanted to share my response.

Dear Nicole,

I hear you talking about PLR articles, but I’m a Virtual Assistant, not an Internet Marketer. I need clients, not content.

Why should I care?

Dear Virtual Assistant:

Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to respond to your great question.

PLR content can actually help you to get more clients. And, I’ll explain how.

As someone who hires and works with a lot of Virtual Assistants in my business, I’ll tell you that I hire oftentimes based upon the knowledge that person shows just as much as what they “say” they can do.

For instance, let’s compare two Virtual Assistants (hypothetically – these aren’t real people).

Susie and Tessa.

I go to Susie’s website and she’s got three pages – including contact, services, and pricing. I look around a little and discover that Susie specializes in videos and multimedia. I think “hmmm… interesting” and then leave.

Next, I find Tessa’s website. She’s got the same pages on her website as Susie – contact, services, and pricing. It looks to me as if she also specializes in videos and multimedia. That’s not what I’m looking for, so I’m about to leave when I notice that she has a blog. On her blog, she’s got articles about how I can use video in my business and how to also use video to get more traffic and make more money. I’m interested. She obviously knows her stuff. I contact her to find out how she can help me to get more traffic with my existing videos – and to brainstorm more videos that I can incorporate into my business on an ongoing basis.

Tessa got my business. Susie did not.

Why? Because Tessa did some things right.

    She showed her knowledge.
    She demonstrated that she understands marketing by having a blog.
    She made me think about my business.
    She seemed like a person who I’d like to work with.

How does this apply to PLR content? Easy.

Susie could have had my business if she had purchased some great quality PLR content and published it on her blog. Of course, as always, I would recommend that Susie use the content as a starting point only and then add her own ideas and examples into it to make it uniquely hers. But, the important thing is that she could have had an active blog offering great value to potential new customers that showcased her talent and made people desperate to hire her.

And, she could have done it for under $20.

Would you like to boost your blog content, impress potential new clients, and become the recognized expert in your niche? Check out this great PLR site to get started. Be sure to sign up for the notification list so you don’t miss a thing!

Nicole Dean is the owner of  www.EasyPLR.com – where you’ll find high-quality PLR articles sold in very limited  quantities.  The PLR articles at EasyPLR are professionally written and  professionally edited — top quality at an affordable price.

Opening Sentences That Close the Sale

It’s one of the best pieces of copywriting advice I’ve ever been given. “As often as possible, start your paragraphs with sentences that hook readers and drive them deeper into the copy.” Why? Because – after the headline – the first sentence in any paragraph is what gets read most often. After that point, customers usually skip to the next section unless they feel compelled to keep reading. That means your job, as the copywriter, is to entice them into each segment, so they will consume as much of your copy as possible. Take your cue from Reader’s Digest. They crank out – issue after issue – exceptional opening lines for their articles that engage then hook readers. What happens next? The reader is pulled into the story full force. Here are some examples.

    It was a horrific display of irreverence.

    By the way she dressed, you would have never guessed she was only 14.

    As he reached into the box, something inside it moved.

See? Those sentences boost your curiosity. They make you wonder what happens next. They cause you to visualize a scene that might be taking place. You can do the same thing from a marketing perspective when you write your copy.

For instance, rather than starting the copy for an email to Australian hotels like this:

    You may be aware of www._______.com – we are an Australian-owned and managed online hotel booking service.

Really capture their attention with an opening sentence that is specific to them like this:

    Now you have the opportunity to affordably position your hotel in front of approximately 6,000 travellers every day that are looking for accommodations exclusively in Australia.

For an Australian hotel that depends on the Internet to generate reservations, that sentence gives them many reasons to keep reading.

Here are some other before-and-after examples of opening sentences.

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BEFORE: Hello and welcome to our website. If you are looking for [enter product name here], you are at the right site. (In this case, the example is from a wedding photographer’s site.)

AFTER: We don’t take pictures. We capture precious memories that you can enjoy for a lifetime.

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BEFORE: Our site has been online since 2000, and this marks our 6th year online providing designer-inspired sunglasses.

AFTER: How do you get the latest designer-inspired looks without paying outrageous prices?

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BEFORE: Our cruise website offers unbeatable rates and a diverse array of travel services guaranteed to satisfy even the most discriminating vacationer.

AFTER: Just imagine yourself on the white sand beaches of Honolulu, hiking through the balmy rainforests of Belize or whisking down a powdery, snow-covered mountain in Aspen… all at up to 50% off!

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BEFORE: Thank you for shopping for your corporate gifts at _________.com. We hope your shopping experience is delightful.

AFTER: When you truly impress your clients with distinctive corporate gifts, they remember you longer, feel a closer relationship and are more likely to reward you with increased sales.

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See the difference? The “before” sentences are dull, average and unflattering. The “after” sentences are intriguing, imaginative and enticing.

Don’t stop after you create inviting headlines. Keep the momentum going by writing intriguing opening sentences, too. When you do, you’ll help convert more site visitors into paying customers.

One Size Does Not Fit All when It Comes to Writing Copy

I shake my head every time I read one of these blanket statements. I’m amazed at how so many people still think that one size of copy still fits everyone. It’s just not true.

Here’s an example. A while back, I read, “Prospects hate being bombarded by text-heavy pages, especially on a home/landing page.” This is coming from Internet Marketing Report in relation to business-to-business (B2B) websites. I’m sorry, but I completely disagree.

Just because a website is B2B does not automatically mean every single one of its visitors will “hate being bombarded by text-heavy pages.” The product or service itself, how familiar the product or service is to the market, the target customer’s preferred communication style and a dozen other factors contribute to the decision about whether or not long copy or short should be used.

On the other hand, we have direct-mail experts who’ve taken their style of copywriting (sales letters) online. And, just like the ultra-short copy suggested by the Internet Marketing Report article, long copy has its audience.

If you ask direct marketers, they’ll swear that the long, scrolling, often hype-filled sales letters are the end-all, be-all of copywriting. Again, nothing could be further from the truth. The same reasoning applies to those who say you must use a sales letter as opposed to those demanding short copy.

DISC Helps Us Understand

You may have heard of the DISC model that categorizes people into four primary groups (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance). There are others as well, including Myers-Briggs. No matter how you group people, the point is that everyone is not the same.

So then, how can one style of copy possibly fit everyone? It doesn’t. There’s not a one-size-fits-all answer. Whether you’re B2B or B2C, you have to know your target audience and communicate with them in the way that they will be most receptive.

For instance, people high in Steadiness traits on the DISC model prefer longer copy. What’s more, those high in Steadiness make up over 40% of the population of the U.S. Those high in Compliance crave details. They, too, would want longer copy. Dominance types want the bottom line first and possibly details later if they deem them necessary. And Influence? Those high in Influence move at the speed of light and make decisions on a whim. They aren’t much into details either.

Combine with these four styles the additional factors that being male or female add and you’ve really got your hands full. Want to get extremely precise? Toss in some persona/profile elements that deal with lifestyle, convictions and more. It’s enough to make your head spin at times.

Use Your Judgment

Before you buy into a blanket statement about consumers – whether it pertains to writing copy, setting prices or anything else – use your judgment. Does what’s being suggested really make sense for everybody? Is it possible that all people across the entire globe respond in the same way? No.

We all communicate differently. We shop differently. We make decisions based on different criteria. We respond to different stimuli. If there’s one common denominator, it is that we’re all different.

3 Top Mistakes When Buying and Using PLR Articles

Using PLR articles for your content needs is a huge time-saver and can really help you grow your niche quickly. It can help you become the expert, build your brand, gain exposure, sell affiliate products and sell your own products.

But to get the most out of PLR, you’ve got to think it through and have a strategy. Here are 3 of the most common mistakes I see people making:

#3  No clear purpose for the PLR.

Why did you purchase the PLR? You might have picked it up to use in the near future and that’s fine as long as you do plan to use it. Set a goal, like you’ll start using it right after your current project is completed.

What do you want it to do for you? Every piece should have a purpose and it’s good to know before you use it. Maybe you want to put it on your blog to help pre-sell an affiliate product. Or perhaps you want to incorporate the whole pack as an email ecourse to get optin subscribers. Any content you use should have a call to action or purpose.

#2  Buying and not using the PLR at all.

We’re all guilty of this at times. When you pick up a new batch of quality PLR, think of them as little diamonds in the rough, just waiting for you to polish them up and put them on display. Suddenly your $1/page PLR articles are looking pretty good! Otherwise, they’re just rocks taking up space.

#1  Using it “as is”.

Don’t be that girl who’s wearing the same dress as 2 other girls at the same party. How does that make you feel? Like a copycat. Does it impress anyone? Nope.

Change your PLR, make it better, make it unique. Many people don’t change their PLR articles because they either don’t know how or think it’s going to take too long. If that’s how you feel, I think you should pick up How To Rewrite PLR.   This resource shows you different ways to rewrite, giving you lots of examples, and how to add value. It even goes over how to rewrite and add value and personality to PLR reports.

If you’re making any of these 3 common mistakes with PLR, it’s not too late to change it up. Decide what you’re going to do with them, learn how to rewrite them quickly with How To Rewrite PLR , and put them to work!

Visit How To Rewrite PLR now to find out how you, too, can make the most of your PLR articles by rewriting them. They can’t help you much if they just sit there on your hard drive or you throw them up on your blog “as is”.

PLR – Pros and Cons

If you’ve been around Internet marketing a bit, you know PLR stands for private label rights. That usually means you can buy these articles for a song and call them your own. I’d like to take that a little further for you and list out some of the pros and cons of private label rights, plus give you some help with the cons. :)

Pros

Using PLR articles is a quick way to add content to your niche site(s). No more time-consuming research.

You don’t have to write articles from scratch, which is a big plus if you’re not confident of your writing skills.

These articles are A LOT cheaper than hiring a ghostwriter and you don’t have to be at the mercy of the ghostwriter’s busy schedule. You can grab these articles immediately.

There are so many ways you can use PLR, and not just as content on your site. Create an ecourse, offer as a report to collect email addresses, use for your newsletter or paid niche membership site, create a PowerPoint presentation around, record as a podcast and much more.

Cons

You don’t know where to find PLR.

I can certainly recommend my favorite writers if you’d like, and you can also check at the Warrior Forum and see who people are talking about. The question comes up quite often and other marketers give their feedback.

You’ve gotten some poorly-written PLR in the past and you don’t want to make that mistake again.

I’d recommend you stay away from anything that says 100,000 free articles (or even 900 free articles) because they have a bad reputation for being, well, crap. Again it comes down to buying from reputable writers. Get on their lists so you can be notified when they’ve written fresh new PLR.

Other people have the same PLR articles you do.

It’s tue you’ll get the maximum benefit out of using PLR articles if you rewrite them. If you feel you need a little help with how to rewrite quickly, easily, and with confidence, then consider this wonderful resource – How To Rewrite PLR. This guide will take you by the hand and show you different ways to rewrite your articles and covers all the bases to make them work for you.

There really are way more pros than cons to using PLR, and the cons can be fixed. So go get yourself some quality PLR and get busy wringing every bit of success from them.

Visit How To Rewrite PLR to find out how you too, can make the most of your PLR by rewriting them and putting them to work for you.