Trent Jessee | Wordpress Consultant | Utah Entrepreneurs | Wordpress Workshops | Wordpress for Small Business | Wordpress Integration http://trentjessee.com Wed, 21 Sep 2011 03:51:41 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://trentjessee.com http://trentjessee.com/wp-content/mbp-favicon/TrentLogo-16X16.png Trent Jessee How to Write a Foolproof sales page in 12 steps http://trentjessee.com/how-to-write-a-foolproof-sales-page-in-12-steps/ http://trentjessee.com/how-to-write-a-foolproof-sales-page-in-12-steps/#comments Wed, 31 Aug 2011 19:27:00 +0000 admin http://trentjessee.com/?p=2595 Here’s a simple 12 step methodical way you can use to write great sales letters, even if you are not an award-winning copywriter.

The 12 steps in a nutshell are:

1. Get Attention (headline + opening)
2. Identify their problem – agitate
3. Provide the solution
4. Why you’re qualified
5. Present the Benefits
6. Give Social Proof
7. Make an Irresistible Offer
8. Strong Guarantee
9. Add Scarcity
10. Call to Action
11. Warn about consequences of not acting NOW
12. Remind of Irresistible Offer
 

 

(Step #1)

Get Attention

Whole books have been written on headlines alone… however… research shows that there is ONE headline that is almost guaranteed to work… especially if you are not sure where to begin. It’s the “How To…” headline… Here’s an example:

How to **Instant Solution** In **Moments/Minutes/ Hours/Instantly** Without **Big Problem 1**, **Big Problem 2**, or **Big Problem 3**… Guaranteed!

In most cases this headline works. To get you started, here some more proven headlines…

Who Else Wants *DESIRED OUTCOME*?

If You Can *SOMETHING SIMPLE*, Then You Can *DESIRABLE RESULT*

Here’s a Quick Way to *SOLVE BIG PROBLEM*

Give Me *SHORT TIME PERIOD* and I’ll Give You *SOLUTION*

For *DESIRED OUTCOME*, This Works Like Crazy!

(Step #2)

Identify the Problem

You got their attention… they decided to go ahead and read some more… now you have to get them to the point of thinking…

“…That’s exactly how I feel!”

An easy way to get started is to imagine you are sitting at a bar and next to you is a person who looks pretty miserable… They ask the barkeeper for yet another drink… and the barkeeper replies…

“Hey… What’s up?”

Now imagine you hear the whole story of what that person at the bar tells the barkeeper… You hear exactly how they feel and exactly what their problem and pain is…

What story would your “ideal” customer tell…?

One of the fastest ways to find that out is to go to your competition and read their salesletters. See what problems they talk about and talk about the same in your salesletter. Don’t plagiarize, use your own words! What you say (i.e. pushing the right “hot buttons”) is more important than how you say it.

In the opening of your salesletter remind them of their problem/pain by telling them a story that’s similar to what the person at the bar would tell the barkeeper… Maybe it’s your own story, maybe someone else’s… In an nutshell: make them say

“Oh, I know that feeling exactly… that’s me…”

(Step #3)

Provide the solution

By now they’ve realized they are at the right place, because you understand them and you know about their struggle…

Now is the time to confidently introduce your magic solution and tell a story of how you happened to discover it. Show them there’s no more need to struggle, because your product or service will solve their problem for them.

(Step #4)

Why You’re Qualified

It’s natural for people to be skeptical. In most cases after you’ve introduced yourself and your solution, there’s still that inner voice talking to your prospects…

“Yeah right, fix my problem… Heard it all before…”

Give them as much proof as possible showing your solution actually works and you can be trusted. This can be in the form of:

- Successful case studies
- Testimonials
- Video showing your product in action (if applicable)
- Length of time you’ve been working in your field

Every bit of proof helps. Your prospect should get the impression that you’ve “been there, done that” and that you know exactly how they feel and therefore can show them exactly how to get out of their misery… You managed… so can they…

(Step #5)

Present the Benefits

Often it’s not immediately clear what a benefit really is compared to a feature… One of the easiest ways I’ve found for eliminating this problem is to add the question “So what?” after every statement you make (John Carlton teaches this technique)

Example:

Feature: Car has 6 side-impact bags –> “So what?” –> Benefit: You and your family will be protected from side impact accidents

After you write the feature, think of “… this means…” and follow with the benefit.

Write bullet points here and list as many benefits as possible. Often prospects will buy a product, because of just one benefit!

(Step #6)

Give Social Proof

Your message is working and your prospect is almost convinced… or are they…?

The promised benefits made them desire your magic solution… only now… that little inner Skeptic sneaks in again…

The best solution to this problem is to present real testimonials of happy customers with pictures if possible. If you don’t have testimonials yet, try to get some by offering your product to few select individuals free and asking for a review… or… state some well known facts or quotes by other well known individuals about something that’s related to your product too…

(Step #7)

Make an Irresistible Offer

Your offer is the most important part of your salesletter. If you come in front of a starving crowd and give them hot dogs, you’ll not really a lot of persuasion power… On the other hand, if you try to sell ice to the Eskimos… you might be the greatest salesperson on the planet and you’ll still find it challenging to convince them. You want to present your offer in such way that your prospect says to themselves

“I’d be stupid not to take advantage of this deal.”

Hint: when you develop your offer you should always try to raise the overall value by adding products or services and not lowering your price. Give vivid explanations of the extra benefits your prospects will get from the added services or free bonuses.

Great offers are an attractive combination of price, terms and free gifts.

(Step #8)

8. Strong Guarantee

Do everything you can to take all the risk away from your prospects. People have a natural fear they are going to get ripped off or be taken advantage of. And if you really stand behind your product, there should be no problem with offering a 100% risk-free guarantee anyway.

See what kind of guarantees your competitors use and try to give even more or present it in a different angle. A strong guarantee given with confidence can go a long way to make you more sales.

(Step #9)

Add Scarcity

People usually don’t like to go out of their comfort zone. If they can postpone something, they will. Find a legitimate and believable way to inject scarcity into your offer, so your prospects take action NOW. For digital products, it’s not believable to say you have “limited copies”, because everyone knows you don’t…

Try to give them a special incentive for acting NOW… You could offer special bonuses only until certain date… or maybe a personal e-mail consultation… and since you are just one person, you can only help so many people at once…

Be believable, or this could backfire.

(Step #10)

Call to Action

Don’t assume your reader knows what to do next automatically. You must spell out exactly what you want them to do next and be confident with it. And…

Make it very OBVIOUS exactly where your order button is and what they need to do “Click Here”… “Add to Cart…”… “Fill In Your Name and Email Address”! You spent all that effort presenting the great benefits of owning your product, so make it crystal clear exactly what they need to do next to purchase.

(Step #11)

Warn about consequences of not acting NOW

Great salesletter continue to build emotion up to the very end.

Keep giving the reader vivid examples of what would happen if they actually did nothing and kept going on with their life as before, together with their existing problem.

Perhaps they would continue to:

- Struggle every day to just make ends meet
- Lose out on the opportunity to get your helpful limited bonuses
- Keep spinning their wheels and not getting where they want to go

(Step #12)

Remind of Irresistible Offer

This is the P.S. section. Advanced copywriters know that the P.S. is one of the most read sections of your entire letter and you should try pull your biggest guns here once again and present the benefits of your products and how it solves the prospect’s problem.

Remind them of your irresistible offer and the scarcity, plus include a strong call to action again.

To Your Success!
 
Side Note

 
Overcoming Buyer-Resistance

Be aware that naturally every person has some sort of “buying resistance”.

The objective of your salesletter is to overcome your reader’s buying resistance and persuade them to say yes to your offer now.

Here’s a list of some common objections people have. For best results… take each objection and write down why it actually does not apply to your product or service. This will help you greatly later with writing your copy.

“You don’t understand my problem”
“How do I know you’re qualified”
“I don’t believe you”
“I don’t need it right now”
“It won’t work for me”
“What happens if I don’t like it”
“I can’t afford it”

A Foolproof Salesletter Template

Fact: this is not my personal copywriting formula or “secret”! It’s much more a classic salesletter layout that’s been taught and used by many copywriting pros… The idea is to give you something you can start using immediately, that would give you decent results nearly every time.

Here’s a methodical way to overcome your prospect’s objections and lead them in your sales funnel. While this is not the only “right” formula to write salesletters, it’s a pretty safe way to craft salesletters that actually convert.

1. Get Attention (headline + opening)
2. Identify their problem – agitate
3. Provide the solution
4. Why you’re qualified
5. Present the Benefits
6. Give Social Proof
7. Make an Irresistible Offer
8. Strong Guarantee
9. Add Scarcity
10. Call to Action
11. Warn about consequences of not acting NOW
12. Remind of Irresistible Offer

]]> http://trentjessee.com/how-to-write-a-foolproof-sales-page-in-12-steps/feed/ 0 How long does it take to form a new habit? New discovery… http://trentjessee.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-form-a-new-habit-new-discovery/ http://trentjessee.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-form-a-new-habit-new-discovery/#comments Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:12:24 +0000 admin http://trentjessee.com/?p=2433 So… I’ve been reading one of the BEST sales books I’ve ever come across. The author is Kevin Hogan; the book: “The Science of Influence”.  If you want to influence others to say “YES” to your proposal(s) and have them eagerly wanting to work with you, imagine for a moment finding a book that will teach you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about how to do this very thing.  How would you feel if you could be so persuasive & influential among your friends, family, and most surprisingly the people you’ve never met before to win them over in 8 minutes or less to your way of thinking! Well, this book shares the newest, ground breaking secrets, principles and techniques into doing just that.

Over the next few months I’ll be sharing my personal thoughts and ideas about various highlights I found valuable in the book along with showing you HOW to APPLY the principles and techniques Kevin and I discuss. And by the way, do yourself a BIG favor NOW and pick up a copy of his book: “The Science of Influence – How to get anyone to say YES in 8 minutes or less!” by Kevin Hogan. It’ll be one of the best investments you’ve ever made.

To get started here is one of the first highlights I found noteworthy to base today’s sales tip upon:

It used to be said that a new habit takes 21 days to form. It now appears that it takes five days to form a new habit that is repeated daily (i.e., to create new neural pathways in the brain). Unfortunately, creating a new habit rarely if ever erases an old habit. That means choice continues to be involved in ever day decisions and change, even though there is a new highway. (page 2)

Trent’s insights:

I think what Kevin is saying here is that even though we may have created a new habit, we’ll still need to make a conscious effort each day with our conscious mind to make this “new habit” that was formed within the past 5 days to really stick. Our subconscious mind is a reactionary muscle and purely reflexive to the moment. I compare the subconscious mind to the hard wiring of a house; once it’s in it’s there for a while and can be a pain in the kiester to rip out and replace.

How to apply it:

What action step can you begin visualizing today and put into action that will help you generate more sales on your site? Here are my top five ideas to consider applying each day for the next FIVE days:

  1. Day ONE: choose one thing on your website that you can add, change or remove that would increase the persuasiveness of your message to your target audience.
  2. Day TWO: what one thing on your website can you add, change or remove that would make your website easier for your customers to get what they want?
  3. Day THREE: what system could you research and/or begin implementing to automate the delivery of the value that your business shares?
  4. Day FOUR: what type of incentives could you provide to your customers to take action TODAY instead of tomorrow in terms of buying something from you?
  5. Day FIVE: make a target list of at least 5 people to call, email or meet up with to show them how your service and/or product can help them; for this is what sales is really all about!

 

]]> http://trentjessee.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-form-a-new-habit-new-discovery/feed/ 0 How to Set up WordPress with Bluehost.com http://trentjessee.com/how-to-set-up-wordpress-with-bluehost-com-2/ http://trentjessee.com/how-to-set-up-wordpress-with-bluehost-com-2/#comments Thu, 03 Feb 2011 02:56:02 +0000 admin http://trentjessee.com/blog/2011/02/02/how-to-set-up-wordpress-with-bluehost-com-2/ Before you can install WordPress you’ll need to register for an account with Bluehost. Click here to start —>BLUEHOST 

Step 1: Now click on the “Sign Up Now” button in the middle of the screen.

Step 2: Register your domain name. On this page you can either search for and register a new domain name, or register an existing domain name you have already purchased. Simply type in the domain you want to search for, or register to move to the next step.

Step 3: On this step you’ll need to complete the domain name registration process along with signing up for a hosting account with Bluehost.

·        If you want to purchased additional domain name extensions such as the .net, .org, .info, or .biz you can do that here. One of the major benefits of securing additional domain name extensions is to no have to worry about  etc… Choosing a .com is the most common and is recommended.

·        Under the “Account Information” section you’ll need to complete all the required and relevant fields.

·        In the “Package Information” section you’ll have the option of choosing your hosting plan. If you can afford to go with a 2yr hosting plan or longer we recommend that for SEO purposes. If you can’t afford the 2yr or longer plan you can just sign up for the 1 year.

o       Choosing the “Sitelock” and “Domain Whois Privacy” options are up to you and are NOT required.

·        In the “Billing Information” section simply choose the payment method you desire to use to pay for your hosting with Bluehost. You have the option of choosing to pay with credit card, or with PayPal.

·        Make sure you have read the Terms of Service and marked the box and then click on “Next”

Step 4: Complete the purchase: Once you are done paying for hosting, Bluehost will automatically email you your login username and password. You’ll want to make sure you keep that email and write the username and password down and keep it in a secure place to use in the future. The username will normally be your domain name, and the password you’ll need to create.

Step 5: Sign in to your account. Go back to www.BlueHost.com and click on the “Control Panel Login” up at the top right of the page that will bring you to the login page. Use the Username and Password that you created upon registering for your account with Bluehost. You should have received an email with this information as well in case you have forgotten it. If needed, you can also click on the “Forgotten Password?” function below to reset your password with Bluehost.

Step 6: Upon logging in you can exit out of the pop-ups that appear on your screen.

Step 7:Scroll down the page until you see the “Software/Services” area and then click on the “Simple Scripts” Icon. 

Step 8:Now, under the “Blogs” section, click on “WordPress” icon to move forward.

Step 9: Now, click on “Install” a brand new version. 

Step 10: Follow the three steps on the page to complete the installation of WordPress:

1.      Installation Preferences: Make sure you choose the most recent “Stable” version of WordPress from the dropdown menu.

a.       Where would you like WordPress installed? Choose the domain name you want to install WordPress on. You can choose to install it on the www version of your domain name if you’d like.

2.      Advanced Options: Click on the “Click here to display” link to see the instructions for this step.

a.       The most important thing to do here is to create a UNIQUE username and password. Make sure it’s something you’ll remember. You’ll use this username and password every time you login to your WordPress administration area that you’ll have access to once WordPress is officially installed on your domain name.

b.      Make sure the box that says “Automatically create a new database” is marked!

3.      Legal Information: Read the terms and conditions, mark the box, and then click on “Complete”

Step 11: This is the last step you’ll need to take to install WordPress successfully onto the domain name of your choice. Simply wait for the installation to complete on this page. Once the installation is complete you’ll be given the Site URL and Login URL. The Site URL is your website homepage. The Login URL is where you login to change and control anything you want for your WordPress website. You’ll now want to click on the Login URL.

Step 12: Once you are at your website login page for your WordPress site, go ahead and login using the username and password you used to set up your account in step 10.

Step 13:Once you login you should see your Dashboard 

That’s it! Your WordPress site is now set up and ready to customize, optimize, and monetize.

 

]]> http://trentjessee.com/how-to-set-up-wordpress-with-bluehost-com-2/feed/ 0 List of dropshippers http://trentjessee.com/list-of-drop-shippers/ http://trentjessee.com/list-of-drop-shippers/#comments Fri, 29 Oct 2010 22:33:29 +0000 admin http://trentjessee.com/?p=2445 General Merchandise:

Automotive:

Electronics:

Sporting Goods:

Toys and Games:

Health and Fitness:

Home and Garden:

Clothing and Accessories:

Gifts, Collectable and Other Stuff:

*Disclaimer, we make no promise or warranty as to the quality and or legitimacy of the companies on this list, please be sure to research each before making any agreements with them.

 

]]> http://trentjessee.com/list-of-drop-shippers/feed/ 0 What is UNIQUE about your internet business? http://trentjessee.com/what-is-unique-about-your-internet-business/ http://trentjessee.com/what-is-unique-about-your-internet-business/#comments Thu, 23 Sep 2010 05:41:47 +0000 admin http://trentjessee.com/?p=2291 What would you say is UNIQUE about your business online?  Why would customers come back again and again to you?

One of the most important steps to take BEFORE setting up a WordPress website is to identify a business niche that is UNIQUE and is driven by one of your PASSIONS! Choosing a market niche and making your business model unique can be compared to giving one of your best friends–let’s call her Sally — in your life a personalized gift for her birthday. One of the reasons why you are able to give Sally such a personalized gift is because you took the time to get to know her ahead of time and you knew what was valuable to her. You knew that Sally is the type of person that loves personalized gifts, instead of a simple gift certificate to Wal-mart :-)

Your main goal though is to choose ONE of your passions and then put a plan of action together to prove your ideas among your target market – just like meeting a new person for the first time and you want to know what you have in common so you “test the market” and ask him/her some questions about what they like.

Some questions that are answered as you prove your ideas within your target market are:

  • Are people willing to pay what you’re asking?
  • Is what you’re offering unique?
  • Are there a number of ways customers can get the same product elsewhere?

Check this video out from the Stanford’s Entrepreneurship Corner. It think Guy Kawasaki shares some awesome marketing advice.

Now that you’ve watched the video above here are some steps and tips that I use as they relate to the video that you can use to refine your passions and find a unique market niche to make money with on the internet.

Brainstorm a List of Passions

Take some time to brainstorm the types of books you love reading, the places you visit, the conversations you have with friends, the hobbies you have, the buying habits in your life and so forth. This first step I am focusing in on dumping all my thoughts out on paper without reservation – no holding back :-)

Help with Choosing a Profitable Passion

To choose a profitable business passion to promote  sift through the list of passions you have and research them to prove which one has the highest demand, lowest competition and people are already paying for the product/service you are about to sell on the internet. The path to making it easier to making money on the internet is found in discovering what people are ALREADY PAYING FOR and then put yourself between the customer and the product/service. In essence you’re setting yourself up as the opportunity presenter, and for your efforts you’ll get paid if you do it right. If you’re wondering where to research what is selling on the internet as it pertains to your business passion you can go to Amazon, Craigs List, Google, market specific blogs, forums and so forth.

Here are some questions that I have found helpful to determine at this point which three passions to begin researching:

  1. Which ones do you find yourself naturally learning about on your free time?
  2. Can you visualize yourself working day in and day out within this area of passion?
  3. Does this passion bring the best out of you?
  4. Are there a lot of questions you have within this area of passion that I would LOVE learning about?
]]> http://trentjessee.com/what-is-unique-about-your-internet-business/feed/ 1 WordPress for Photographers http://trentjessee.com/wordpress-for-photographers/ http://trentjessee.com/wordpress-for-photographers/#comments Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:40:57 +0000 admin http://trentjessee.com/?p=2125 Are you a photographer? Did you know that you can use WordPress to easily set up and operate your entire photography business online? I recently completed a project for my wife who is a family photographer that I wanted to tell you about. I had alot of fun setting up and integrating the WordPress site for her and she loves it. She was initially using blogger and she admits now that WordPress is by far better than blogger. Go ahead and check out her website and tell me what you think. If you too want to have your own WordPress photography website set up please contact me telling me what you’d like to see and I’ll respond asap with details and pricing.

Go here to visit Marcie’s WordPress Photography website

Here’s a synopsis from Marcie’s website about her and her photography style:

My Photography Story:

I’m a self-taught photographer who has read pretty much every book the library has on photography. I spent about two years passionately learning, reading, googling everything I could about taking better pictures … and tried to do my best with my trusty old Sony Cybershot. The day I finally got my first SLR camera with my lovely 50 mm 1.4 lens was like a dream come true! Finally I could put into practice all those things I had been reading about! I have a healthy obsession with bokeh and couldn’t believe what a joy it was to take pictures with that lovely blur in the background. Not long after I started my photography business and have enjoyed every minute of the journey! I am a manual snob (in a good way ) and keep the dial on the “M” even when I’m at home sitting in my living room. Once I learned how to create the images I loved it was impossible to go back to letting the camera think for me.

My Style:

I believe in a good mix of candid and posed portraits. I personally love to have those adorable posed pictures of my kids – they’re looking right at the camera with their lovely bright eyes and they are smiling so sweetly. Those pictures I treasure because they capture that cute dimple, or the toothy grin … it’s how my family looks (all cleaned up and dressed cute of course ;) BUT with that said, I absolutely adore the candid pictures; My husband laughing with my son, my daughter kissing the baby. Those pictures tell more than the cute smile. Those pictures reveal their personality, and WHO they are at that moment in time. So as a photographer I love to be able to capture those real moments and those sweet smiles to give you a nice mix of art to choose for your home, pictures to scrapbook or share with family

.

A little (more) about me:

I’m a wife to an incredible hard-working hunksband and mother to three beautiful children, ages 5, 3 and 1. My family is my first passion, and capturing them on camera (constantly ;) is a close second. I love a good book and think a trip to the library (followed by some naughty food like chocolate or French fries) is a wonderful way to take a break. In my spare time I blog every little detail of my family’s life – in hopes that I might someday force future sons and daughters in-law to sit through all 100 of our blog books. I love to spend my time outdoors with my family and would prefer living in a tree house (if it weren’t for the bugs .. and wild animals). I enjoy DIY magazines, carbonated juice and date night.

]]> http://trentjessee.com/wordpress-for-photographers/feed/ 0 4 Simple Steps in creating more certainty in your online sales http://trentjessee.com/four-simple-steps-in-creating-more-certainty-in-your-online-sales/ http://trentjessee.com/four-simple-steps-in-creating-more-certainty-in-your-online-sales/#comments Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:02:09 +0000 admin http://trentjessee.com/?p=2122 How certain or sure are you that your product/service will sell? Are you guessing or hoping that someone “out there” will stumble across your website and and then start buying up all your products like crazy?

The interesting note here is that most people who have a website think that by virtue of having their own “real estate” space online that this will automatically generate a sudden influx of income to them in their lives. The reality of making sales online is quite the opposite.

One of the most common questions I get while teaching small business owners how to successfully build their business online is…drum roll…:-)  “how do I make money online? “  A close second question is “how do I create more certainty” in selling online?”

Here are FOUR simple steps to apply if you want to create more CERTAINTY in your online sales:

1) create a solid product/service that is in demand that will solve specific problems/challenges among the people in your target market

2) create your sales funnel – how to deliver the product/service

3) put a system in place to automate the sales funnel as much as possible thus creating more time for you to develop relationships with those in your market.

4) incentivize your target market, sales team, affiliates, etc.. to purchase/sell more of your products.

If you’re using WordPress, or want to use it as you build your business online then I’d like to invite you to register for my next WordPress workshop. It’s FREE to register and then you’ll be counted among my special group that receive the announcement first as I present upcoming workshops. Register here

]]> http://trentjessee.com/four-simple-steps-in-creating-more-certainty-in-your-online-sales/feed/ 0 9 Keys to Selling on the Internet http://trentjessee.com/9-keys-to-selling-on-the-internet/ http://trentjessee.com/9-keys-to-selling-on-the-internet/#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 03:45:14 +0000 admin http://trentjessee.com/?p=1564 Through the course of marking your products and services on the internet, here are the 9 major keys to include in your sales efforts:

CALL to ACTION: When a customer comes to your home page, or any sales page do they see a CLEAR call to take action? If not you may be loosing customers as we speak. People need to be shown what to do when they come to your site. Calls to action include things like: SIGN UP, DOWNLOAD HERE, REGISTER NOW, LEARN MORE, etc..
AUTHORITY and ASSOCIATION: When you link your product/service to a celebrity chances are you’ll sell more..why? It’s because you are associating your product with someone that is a huge success, or may even endorse or support your product/service.
PAIN & PLEASURE: Show your customer negative effects, the pain or downfalls they stand to experience if they leave without purchasing your product/service today. All of us are motivated by TWO major EMOTIONS: PAIN and PLEASURE. Explaining or visually depicting the inverse of pain is ho they will experience great pleasure, satisfaction and happiness by having your product.
SCARCITY: If you don’t act today you may NEVER see this offer EVER AGAIN! There are 9 spaces left. Secure your spot while you still have time. This is a LIMITED OFFER.  All of the aforementioned statements are ways of creating scarcity, and hence a greater motivation for the customer to ACT TODAY instead of later.
SOCIAL PROOF: Share your testimonials in everything you sell. You can use audio clips, videos, and/or text. Has anyone used your product/service, or experienced the quality of it? Do you have any raving fans? Providing social proof that what you’re selling ACTUALLY WORKS is critical to your success in selling online. On the same note, also make it easy for your customers to share their comments on your blog or website, along with submitting testimonials and feedback. A person shouldn’t have to search around to make a comment or feedback..it won’t happen.
PERCEPTION: The reason why you and I act the way we do is based off of how we view the world around us, including ourselves. Helping our potential customers see ABOVE THE FOREST figuratively speaking does wonders in helping them see the END in MIND. Show them that you see a far greater picture than they do and they’ll begin to see things differently, including your offer.
WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER: If I haven’t purchased the product myself, tried it out and know for sure that it’s SOLID, then I dont’ share it, PERIOD. If you’re selling things you have no idea about, haven’t taken the time to investigate them this practice will come back and bite ya in the butt. People want to see that you are in the same boat they are, and that you’re in this together. Making this a habit in your sales efforts will not only help you make more money, but create a powerful synergy among your clients who are far more likely to spread the word for you…even for free.
DISARM: Being honest, right up front disarms your customers with the pre-conceived notions they have about you and the offer being presented. It does more than this also.. telling customers that “I make a commission when you buy this product” is probably something they may know already, but telling it out in the open shows that you’re not hiding anything and expresses the “What’s In It for YOU” element. All of us act out of our best interest, and want to do what will benefit us.
OPPORTUNITY: In your sales presentation make your OPPORTUNITY clear as day. What you should be selling is the END RESULT, NOT the benefits. People are far more interested and motivated in acting upon what your product/service will do for them in their lives..what they will experience as a result of having purchased today. Explaining just the benefits of the product doesn’t do much except for building up the product and is dis-attached from the person. Remember you’re selling to PEOPLE who have DREAMS, and aspirations of a better live…help the achieve it!
]]> http://trentjessee.com/9-keys-to-selling-on-the-internet/feed/ 0 How to Mind Map – 6 steps to creating your website road map! http://trentjessee.com/best-free-mind-mapping-software/ http://trentjessee.com/best-free-mind-mapping-software/#comments Tue, 22 Jun 2010 06:25:27 +0000 admin http://trentjessee.com/?p=1154 Best Free Mind Mapping Software

A few days ago I came across the best free mind mapping software yet and thought I’d share the love with ya; thanks to one of my favorite internet marketers, Graham Cox – developer of the Ultimate Footer Ad.

The software called FreeMind is a tool that can help you stay organized, assist with establishing a blueprint for your internet business, and keep you on the track to success!  Mapping out your vision is like preparations you should make before going on a week long vacation.  Most people wanting to have an enjoyable vacation plan out AHEAD OF TIME the best roads to take, equipment to bring, the hotel stay in, etc… Using mind mapping software helps you execute your plan effectively, and saves you the burden of not having to wonder what blog posts to write, how to launch a product, the steps to take, and so forth.

I used to use Microsoft Excel to map out the course of action I would be taking for a particular website, but this free software makes it tons easier. Enjoy the find and have fun becoming more effective with your time!

Here’s a summary of mind mapping to help you get started:

Applying Mind Mapping 101

STEP 1:  What in the world is this?

“A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea. Mind maps are used to generate, visualize, structure, and classify ideas, and as an aid in study, organization, problem solving, decision making, and writing.

The elements of a given mind map are arranged intuitively according to the importance of the concepts, and are classified into groupings, branches, or areas, with the goal of representing semantic or other connections between portions of information. Mind maps may also aid recall of existing memories.

By presenting ideas in a radial, graphical, non-linear manner, mind maps encourage a brainstorming approach to planning and organizational tasks. Though the branches of a mindmap represent hierarchical tree structures, their radial arrangement disrupts the prioritizing of concepts typically associated with hierarchies presented with more linear visual cues. This orientation towards brainstorming encourages users to enumerate and connect concepts without a tendency to begin within a particular conceptual framework.

The mind map can be contrasted with the similar idea of concept mapping. The former is based on radial hierarchies and tree structures denoting relationships with a central governing concept, whereas concept maps are based on connections between concepts in more diverse patterns.”

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map

STEP 2:  Questions that mind mapping solves:

  • What format and system do I follow to make money online?
  • How will I move forward with planning out my entire website?
  • What do I label my pages and what order do I place them?
  • What blog topics will I write and when should I do it?
  • Who will be working with me on my team to operate my website?

STEP 3:  Benefits – Applications of Mind Mapping:

  • Gives you a blueprint to follow to keeps your online business on target and on track!
  • You won’t have to wonder every day “what should I blog about”, or “how should organize my website layout”.
  • Great way to help your customer and business partners see the “vision” of where you are going with your business.
  • You can convert that map to many extension such as your own html website, PDF, etc..

STEP 4:  Examples. The rubber meets the road:

STEP 5:  Software – Free and Paid:

STEP 6:  Further mind mapping insight:

  • I personally view mind mapping as an absolute MUST before developing and launching website; however you don’t necessarily need to use a software to do a mind map or flow chart of your website. You can simply write it down on paper, or use other programs, etc.. The main goal is you have a PLAN that gives you a ROAD MAP to the destination or journey you want to experience/achieve.

Have you tried mind mapping yet? Share your experience below!

]]> http://trentjessee.com/best-free-mind-mapping-software/feed/ 0 LDS Unity http://trentjessee.com/mormon-blogging-missionary-work/ http://trentjessee.com/mormon-blogging-missionary-work/#comments Fri, 18 Jun 2010 01:32:03 +0000 admin http://trentjessee.com/?p=1056 We help the LDS community throughout the world proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ online. We do this by offering FREE  wordpress packages equipped with Latter Day Saint tools that jump start and pave the way for any person to spread the glorious message of the Gospel of our Savior. The internet is a tool to be used toward the promotion of all that is good so why not make your voice known, start now and take action!

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