There are a lot of clichés surrounding winning.  "Winning is everything."  Or, "Winning isn’t everything - it is the only thing."  Or, "Life is more fun when you win."  What assumption do all of these phrases make?  They all assume we know what winning is.

What is winning?

That is very important to know when playing any game.  You have to know the object.  You have to know the parameters by which success or victory is measured.

This seems like a fundamental truth; yet it is very rarely applied to business.  And even rarer still to apply this concept to your business website.

Go to your website right now and answer these questions (I don’t have a website and I need one before January 1st):

• What is the goal of my webiste?
• Is my goal clearly accessible from all pages?
• Do I have a mechanism to track success on my website?
• Do I have a different goal for different types of users (ex: vendors vs. customers)?

Remember, if you don’t know the definition of "winning" you won’t know when you have won.

TIP: Don’t confuse "traffic" with website "success" - you need qualified viewers, not just more viewers.

For more information on how to build a web empire check out our apprentice level courses at Shines Internet Empire.

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Internet. Business. Profit. To fully integrate all of these words into a successful merging you will need another word. Traffic. Every article you will find about making your site or company successful would always include the importance of generating traffic.

So, we all know that in the core of it all, traffic is the most essential thing to a successful Internet-based business company. Aside from ensuring that you have a great product to sell, and you have your company’s internal organization well taken core of, it would be time to get to the nitty gritty of things, generating traffic.

If you already have a site and you want think that you’re not getting the traffic that you’re supposed to be getting, then its time to reconsider. If you are contending in these very competitive business, you should always be a step ahead of your competition, increasing your traffic flow should have been done starting yesterday.

Timing is essential, that’s an old adage known to everyone. But with generating traffic, you should always be on your toes and be a day ahead of everyone. Never think of today and tomorrow as a starting point for making your site traffic laden, it should always have been yesterday.

To help you out in generating more traffic for your site, here are some seven surefire ways to increase your traffic starting from yesterday.

1) Invest in good advertising with search engines

Google’s Adwords and Yahoo’s Overture provide great advertising schemes that are very truly popular and assures great traffic. Although with this surefire way to increase your traffic would cost some money. While some would shy away from spending money to increase traffic, it is imperative in this case to do so because Adwords and Overture is the top surefire way to increase your traffic.

You could see for yourself the success this search engine advertising methods have reaped rewards for so many companies. Lots of site feature these advertising system and many have signed on to reap the benefits. Do not be left behind. Every penny is worth it with using Google and Yahoo’s advertising.

2) Exchange or Trade Links with other sites

With exchanging links with other sites, both of you will benefit from the efforts both of you do to enhance your sites traffic. When one site features another sites link, they could provide one another with the traffic one site generates. The efforts are doubly beneficial because it would seem like both of you are working to generate more traffic. The more links traded with more sites the more traffic could be expected.

3) Use Viral Marketing

Viral marketing allows you to spread the word about your company and product without any costs or if ever low costs only. This is a marketing method that can be quite sneaky; you can attach your company’s name, product or link to a certain media such as a funny video, entertaining game, an interesting article or a gossip or buzz. With this method, people get infected with the creativity and entertainment of the medium that they will pass it on to many people.

4) Search and use proper keywords or keyword phrases for your sites content

Search engines look for certain keywords that they would show in their results page. In doing so, having the right keyword and keyword phrase is a high requirement in ranking in high in search engine results. You could write your own content or you could hire someone to do it for you.

5) Write Articles that can lead traffic to your site

Submit articles to sites that would contain the same subject that your site deals in. If you sell car parts write press releases and articles about cars and car parts. Attach your sites description and services at the end of the article as well as the link.

6) Join forums and form online communities

Capture a market and show your expertise and credibility. When you found a good foundation for your site, people will trust you and your site and will pass on to many people their trust. Traffic will certainly increase because they know that you can provide what they need.

7) Lastly, Offer newsletters

If many people know what you are about and your existence is shared with many others, you will find a loyal traffic that can provide you with more traffic by recommendation. If you arouse the curiosity of your customers they would be pushed to help you with your traffic.

Got it?  Good.  Now get to driving more traffic to your site.

 

Granison Shines, Direct-Response Copywriter & Marketing Strategist

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While the rest of the world have developed many barriers and protections to keep their e-mail accounts spam-free, there are also those that subscribe to mails that promotes their products, services and their site.

This is mainly because these subscribes wants to know more about what these sites are offering and can be beneficial for them. They expect to get be kept posted on what they are interested in and what are new in the market or field they have chosen.

Businesses would be so lucky to have these kinds of customers; the basic element needed to get these types of people is trust. When your customers trust you they will reward you with their loyalty. Many Internet users have gone to great lengths in protecting their email accounts from spam mail. Some free-mail Internet providers and Internet service providers offer spam protection while there are also some Internet based companies that screen your mails for you.

With an opt-in mail list, the mails you send containing your promotional materials such as newsletters, catalogs and marketing media will go through. Your intended recipient will be able to read and view what you have sent making it a successful transfer of information.

To be able to be allowed to do so, you will need permission from your recipient, to get this permission; you need to be able to get their trust. With the great lack of disregard for privacy in the Internet, getting the trust of an Internet user you don’t personally know is a big achievement.

To build a good opt-in list you need people to trust you, for a faster and quicker build up, you need to get your opt-in subscribers to trust you quickly. The faster you build your opt-in list the faster word about your site and company gets to be spread. (a blog can really help with this factor.)  The bigger the scope of your opt-in list the more traffic you get spelling more profits. Its easy math if you thin about it. Getting the numbers is not that simple though, or maybe it is?

•   Getting the trust of your clientele shouldn’t be so hard especially if you do have a legitimate business. Getting your customers trust should be based upon your expertise. People rely on other people who know what they are talking about. Garner all the knowledge and information about your business. Ell, frankly if you decide to go into a business most probably you have an interest in it. Like how many basketball payers become coaches, you don’t really venture into something you don’t have any interest in.

•    Show your clients that you know what you are talking about. Provide them with helpful hints and guidelines that pertain to what you are selling. Talk about how to install a roof if your into hardware products or provide articles on insurance settlements if you’re a settlement lawyer. You don’t have to be a big corporation to make use of an opt-in list. If your customers see you as someone who knows what he is doing and saying, they will trust you quickly.

•    Be true to your customers, if you want to hype up your products and services, provide guarantees. The more satisfied customers you get, the bigger probability there is that they will recommend you. Generally, people will trust someone they know, when that someone recommends you then you’re a shoo-in. They will go to your site and check it for themselves and be given a chance to experience what the other shave experienced from you, so make sure to be consistent in the service you provide.

•    Another tip in getting a customer to trust you quickly is to provide them an escape hatch. Show them that you are not there to trap them. Keep a clean list that would enable them to unsubscribe anytime they want. Elaborate your web form by providing information on how to unsubscribe from the list. Guarantee them that they can let go of the service when ever they want to. Many are wary that they may be stuck for life and would have to abandon their email accounts when they get pestered with spam.

Remember that when you get the trust of your clients don’t lose that trust. Because if you do anything with their email addresses like sell them or give them out, you will lose many members of your list as ell as potential members. The true quickest way to gain the trust of your subscribers is when you are recommended by someone they trust.

 

Granison Shines, Freelance Copywriter & Marketing Strategist

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What do blogs have to do with Social Networking?  Everything if you want what blog master Andrew Houglum calls “Page Explosion” and if you want a powerful link strategy.

I’m going to try to get him to spill some of the beans before the 30 Minute Websites seminar – “Exposed! How and Why A Blog is ‘Hands Down’ The Most Powerful Online Business-Building Tool You Can Use To Grow Your Business – Right Now!” on 11/21/2008.  He can be a tough cookie sometimes.  But I tell ya’, this cat knows his stuff like the back of his hand.   

(BTW - if you haven’t registered for the FREE seminar, you can go to www.Shines30MinuteWebsites.com to register now.  Seating is limited, so don’t wait!)

I’ve arranged a special “Live” edition of The Silver Tongue Marketing Talk Show, www.TheSilverTongue.com, to happen on next Tuesday – 11/18/2008 – at 6:30pm.  Mark the date on your calendar and as always, we’ll make sure to record it and have it avail for you to download.  Tell someone you know to listen in and be nosy on this one…

Again, the website address is www.TheSilverTongue.com “Arizona’s First & Only Marketing & Copywriting Forum for Small Businesses!”  If this is your first time joining us, take a listen to some of the past interviews and discussions.  There are a couple of more we have to upload and I’ll make sure to let you know when they’re on the site.  Cool? 

I’ll see you “Live” next week.

PS - Remember, it’s www.TheSilverTongue.com @ 6:30pm every Tuesday except holidays!  Take a look at the ad to right!

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In a tight-fist, credit-crunched economy, frustrated business owners are seeking simple and inexpensive solutions to marketing their products and services.

Fortunately, business owners can find answers and the solution in one of the most powerful online business-building tools to date. A Business Blog or “B-Blog”.

Many business owners are beginning to incorporate a blog into their marketing strategy to reap the technological advantages not easily offered by traditional HTML websites. Not to mention the fast and easy updating of a blog without having to learn complicated source code or investing in expensive software editing tools.

“A blog offers an abundance of marketing benefits, both online and offline…” says Granison Shines founder of Shines & Associates, LLC and Arizona’s #1 mixed-marketing strategist. “In fact, we’re adding a b-blog to the marketing strategy of all of our clients and we’re seeing profit –producing results quickly. If used correctly, a b- blog can be a very powerful marketing tool!”

Just to name a few benefits, a b-blog will allow business owners to:

· Launch and sell products / services faster and more often

· Distribute information quickly over the Internet including social networking sites – doing this enables business owners to surpass local boundaries when seeking prospects and buyers

· Collaborate with prospective buyers online – therefore gathering needed information about how and what products / services to sell to them

Business owners who want to know more about how Granison is helping his clients market with a b-blog can attend a no-cost seminar on Friday, November 21^st.

At the seminar small business owner will discover:

· The 5 major differences between a blog and a ‘traditional’ website -

· How to set up a 100% functional and professional-looking blog in 30 minutes or less – therefore allowing business owners to build an Internet empire very quickly

· How to use their blog to sell more products and services

· Plus much, much more…

Due to auditorium capacity, this complimentary seminar is limited to 200 attendees. The deadline for registration is Thursday, November 20^th.

To register, find out more information, and to download your free audio – “Why A B-Blog is Best for Marketing Your Business!” go to www.Shines30MinuteWebsites.com.

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What’s that latest on ol’ Joe? Here’s a question for you. Do you think we’ll hear about him in the new now that the elections are almost over?

Well, latest I heard he got quite smart. Let’s see – he hired a PR firm. “Nice!” or “All bad!” depending on how they handle it. I’ve seen it go both ways. So far, it’s all good from what I read.  Can’t knock the man though - I’m all for hiring an expert who can do something better than I can.

I hear he’s got a book coming out… Okay that could and should be used as a marketing tool. (To date the best book I seen used as a direct-response marketing tool came from Dan Kennedy. His book “No B. S. Direct Marketing: The Ultimate No Holds Barred Kick Butt Take No Prisoners Direct Marketing for Non-Direct Marketing Businesses” is one of the best I’ve ever read.)

Oh yeah! He could also have a country western album out as early as Inauguration Day. You can go here to read the rest of the story on that one - http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/15072.html  You go Joe! All it takes is once successful campaign and “Boom” Blow-up-chu-ation!

Now all he has to do is keep his cool and let the marketing guys do their work.

Marketing is KEY!!!

To successful marketing campaigns.

Granison Shines, Freelance Copywriter & Marketing Strategist

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There’s no way you can turn on the TV or radio right now and not hear something about “Joe the Plumber”.

I tell ya’ what, if this guy knew anything about Internet marketing, copywriting, and blogging, he’d easily be in the $250,000+ tax bracket that Obama was explaining to him.

Someone got smart here, but it wasn’t Joe for this site. Take a look – www.joetheplummer.com

Here’s another one (with the correct spelling - the guy with the site above said someone beat him to the punch! This one is old school though – it’s actually an HTML site. Who uses those anymore?) – www.joetheplumber.com

Because a blog IS one of the most powerful business-building tools you can use to grow your business, someone got Speedy Gonzalez and wasted no time putting up a – guess what?  A Blog! (Reference the first link above.)  Take a look at all the replies on this site. Not bad!!

If you have not already, make sure you sign-up for the free seminar we have coming up @ www.Shines30MinuteWebsites.com

So, how could Joe make a killin? Here it is and it’s NOT limited to just Joe – Hint! Hint!

1. I’d put up a blog site quick, fast, and in a hurry! (Our methodology makes this darn near impossible to mess this one up!)
2. I’d make sure I used key words and key word phrases like a big dog! Through all of my posts of course! (We’ll touch on this a bit at the seminar also.)
3. I’d make myself available for speaking engagements – for a fee! For those of you who are speakers, you know what I’m talking about here. (He’s a celeb in the news and he could milk that ‘til the cows came home. That “15 minutes of fame” could go really far in putting some chedda’ in your pocket. Chedda’ – that’s slang for ‘money’ just in case I lost you there!)
4. I’d give away a soft offer on the blog site so I could institute, you guessed it- direct-response marketing. (That’s a no brainer – cause I do that now.) An offer like what?  Ohhh how about an “Exclusive” “Get-it-here-only” 20 to 30-minute recording I had with my wife or business colleagues in private after talking to Obama. With a blog this is easy to make available to the public.

I would filter gory details like how his hand felt when I shook it. Did it feel like he’s an upstanding guy or a slimy politician?  What his cologne smelled like? etc. etc.  Folks would be all over that like white on rice. Wouldn’t you want to hear that?

5. I’d also make a product to sell on the blog site. Like what?  Ohhh how about something simple like a “The Original Joe The Plummer” t-shirt all the way to a complex – “Learn from Joe The Plummer” info product.  Especially for all of those curious and hungry-for-business plumbers who are “googling” his name right now. (Which can actually be done pretty quickly if you know what you’re doing. I teach this in my coaching program.)

As for the t-shirts, I’d make sure to tout all the others as fakes. I’d event sign it to make it more valuable and authentic… I’d also make sure the media knew about it. If he did this one right, then he should have several media contacts right?  Ya’ darn tootin!

6. I’d also send out press releases and post them on the blog so the search engines could easily find them. This happens automatically if your blog is set up right. Again, our methodology takes good care of this issue…

Unfortunately, most newbie bloggers don’t do this part right. We’ll touch on this at the free seminar also.

7. Last but certainly not least, I would launch an info marketing business teaching others how to do what I do. From marketing to plumbing services – of course, marketing this through the blog for optimal results.

I’d give that a kick-start and ride home long-term, business-building profits.  Take that and run with it why don’t cha’!!

We’ll discuss other possibilities at the seminar.  Register now ‘cuz seating is limited to only 200 attendees!  Go to - www.Shines30MinuteWebsites.com

 

To your marketing and copywriting success,

Granison Shines, Freelance Copywriter & Marketing Strategist

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What do you get when Arizona’s #1 mixed-marketing strategist and Arizona’s #1 blogging mastermind combine forces? A FREE Seminar Exposing How & Why A Blog Is“Hands Down” The Most Powerful Online Business Building Tool YOU Can Use To Grow Your Business - Right Now! Join me, Granison Shines, along with Andrew Houglum, as we unleash to the public - for the very first time - proprietary marketing and blogging secrets we’re already showing to ALL of our clients. At this FREE seminar, you’ll find out: The major differences between a blog and a ‘traditional’ website – Plus… 5 HUGE reasons why you’ll kiss your traditional website “Bye! Bye!” fo’eva’. Why knowing nothing about complicated HTML code is the best thing you’ve never learned - And why you’ll never have to… How to set up a 100% functional and professional-looking blog in 30 minutes or less - even with one arm tied behind your back — Guaranteed! How you can use your blog to sell products and services — this goes for ANY business in ANY industry (If you’re not doing this now you’re leaving big money on the table.) Why you’ll burn the trails to set-up your own blog even if you already have a website Why our methodology produces measurable results quickly… - compared with others in the market How we get our audience to spend an average of 14 minutes on our blogs snooping around - plus, how we’re leveraging that relationship to service our clients with more products and services, therefore helping them grow even more Plus much, much more not revealed in the FREE audio you’re going to download from the blog you’re on right now! (Yep! You’re on a blog right now! You didn’t know? We’ll tell you how we did this one in just 12 measly minutes.) Here are some of the gory details: Venue: Southeast Regional Library Gilbert, AZ 85234 Date: Friday, November 21, 2008 Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm Sign-up for the FREE seminar today and download your FREE audio as I grill Master-Blogger and Internet Guru – Andrew Houglum @ www.Shines30MinuteWebsites.com (a $27.00 Value) ================================================= Only 200 attendees are allowed.  Do ya’ thang!!    We also have a big give-a-way that you could win if you attend.  No hints yet. To your copywriting, marketing and blogging success! Granison Shines

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Hey there business owners! You’d have to be completely out of touch if you haven’t heard about the $700 billion bail-out Congress is trying to pass for Wallstreet. Right?

The bail-out got the ki-bash from the Republicans and the Democrats yesterday! I hope you weren’t surprised…

So, the BIG questions are – How is this going to affect your business? Are you going to be a victim or victor? What can you do right now that will sustain your business for the time coming ahead?

Well, allow me to share a few thoughts.

1) If you’re contemplating getting a loan to expand your business, then prepare yourself for a rough road ahead. Not saying you won’t get one, but banks are already applying kung-fu’s deadly kung fu eagle claw grip on lending for small businesses, as well as, for residential use. Fat chance now!! No guarantees at all… I know some businesses that have already gotten the ax on a loan that looked promising.

2) If you’re considering private money and/or venture capital, check out all the investors that are running for the hills with money in hand, hoping to find a place to bury their nest egg. Most have slammed the brakes on investing in new ventures unless the product’s a slam dunk for quick windfall profits.

3) Lastly… This is one of the BIGGEST opportunities for you to siphon market share from your competitors who have a milquetoast, run-of-the-mill marketing strategy.

Whaaat…? That’s right! I said, this is one of the biggest opportunities for you to siphon market share from your competitors who have a milquetoast, run-of-the-mill marketing strategy.

Let me put it like this; you’re going to have to get very creative with your marketing if you want to stay a float and beat the pants off competitors and survive this economic beatdown. Especially for those of you who use space advertising (magazines, newspapers, coupon books like the Clipper, etc.) as a medium for marketing.

This isn’t the time to look and see what everyone else in your industry is doing and mock their ineffective marketing strategies – if they have one. That’s a recipe for disaster for you and you do not need that… Ever!

What you do need is some creative juices flowing to shift your marketing into high gear. If you missed the presentation last week, then I’ll make it available for you later on a DVD.

As for right now… here’s what you can do!

1) Make sure you use direct-response marketing techniques throughout your entire marketing campaign – avoid the frustration of not knowing what marketing mediums work the best for your business.

2) Make sure you offer a ‘soft offer’ with every marketing piece you put out into the market – to not do so is marketing suicide and carries disastrous short-term and long-term affects. Cream lists and make sure to get prospects into your database. Now you can save a ton of money and make sales through an air-tight email campaign. It’s happening for a lot of my clients right now!!!

3) Get coaching / mentoring to shorten your learning curve – the quickest and most profitable way to learn anything is to get under someone who knows it better than you.

I have a coaching program that I do not market out-right because I’m choosy. I could just offer it to any ol’ Joe but I made the determination that I’ll help those who really want it. It’s a pain coaching some time! (I know, I being transparent.)

I believe that marketing skills, sales skills, and copywriting skill are 3 skills every business owner should have. But that’s okay if that doesn’t float your boat, you can always hire a consultant who can light a fire under your marketing results.

So, here’s the deal… You’ll be able to get the above information and much more on a weekly basis. On October 7^th I’m launching “The Silver Tongue Marketing Talk Show”. Go to www.TheSilverTongue.com for more details or download the flyer here – www.ShinesMarketing.com/downloads/Silver_Tongue_Marketing_Talk_Show.pdf. It will be live on the internet and it won’t cost you one red cent!!

Also, if you haven’t already, take my free video-course on marketing right here on www.ShinesMarketing.com . Just put your name and email address in the grey box near my picture. Trust me… knowing these basics will put you light years ahead of your competitors.

To your marketing and copywriting success.

Granison Shines, Pro. Copywriter and Marketing Strategist

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Here’s one of the biggest, baddest, and boldest, announcements I’ve ever made. For those of you in my coaching program, you knew this was coming. For the rest of you that receive the Silver Tongue Newsletter – this is brand spankin’ new to ya!

The big picture, I told you I was committed to your copywriting and marketing success. I bet you thought I was just saying that right?

Any who, take a look at this announcement. You can download it here – www.shinesmarketing.com/downloads/Silver_Tongue_Marketing_Talk_Show.pdf

Once you take a peep, make sure to pass to along to anyone who could use advice and strategies from the best copywriting and marketing minds on the planet. Cool?

This is going to be off the chizane! Watch! (Literally)

Here’s the link again - www.shinesmarketing.com/downloads/Silver_Tongue_Marketing_Talk_Show.pdf

PS – Make sure to listen to the interview with blogmaster Andrew Houglum. We’v gotten so much positive feedback already from this recording. You’ll learn a ton! You can download it here - http://shinesmarketing.com/the-dirty-truth-about-blogging-exposed/

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