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You are filled with ideas, you see tremendous possibilities, you have identified joint partnerships and strategic alliances and you are raring to go. But wait. Have you forgotten something? How strong is your foundation? Are you ready to receive? Are you ready to capture names? Is your opt-in offer so enticing that people will sign up in a second? Is your home page copy so mesmerizing that people click through? Are your sales pages so compelling that your products and services will fly off the shelf? Maybe. Perhaps. Are you certain? You gotta have a list Building a list of people who are interested in what you are doing is the major, number one, most important function of being on the internet. It is a total waste of time to have a web site that is not structured and written to capture the attention and e-mails of your target audience. This means easy navigation, concise and compelling copy, a powerful headline, strong sales pages and a fantastic opt-in offer. What do they get in exchange for their name and e-mail? People usually don't buy on their first visit. But they may decide they want to stay connected and will sign up on your opt in. It's no longer enough to offer an e-magazine, you need to offer more: a free e-book, or quiz, or report. Make it valuable. Make it interesting. Make it a compelling offer they can't resist. You gotta love that list And in the midst of thinking big, you've got to consciously take care of the people who have already shown interest. It makes much more sense to sell to people that are standing in your store, than run around the town seeking new customers. 80% of your sales will come from 20% of your list - the people who have already asked to know more. Take care of them with regular e-magazines, blog postings, and special offers. And if you're really good, you will have set up a personalized system for keeping in touch with them, for building the trust that is the foundation of all sales.Build a foundation that will hold your highest dreams Schedule a foundation check up every quarter. Look over the content on your sales pages. See if your home page is as right-on as it can be. Notice how you have changed, or your offerings have changed and update your content to reflect the new you. When your foundation is solid again, you are free to go soaring into new realms, knowing that whoever you attract will be well cared for when they arrive. © Cara Lumen 2007 Feel free to reprint this article if you include the following: Cara Lumen, MA, Your Idea Optimizer helps you turn your ideas into steady profit. As a business developer, content developer and educator, Cara helps you make money from what you already know. You can learn more about how to put your wisdom to work through her radio show www.blogtalkradio.com/passioantelyonpurpose and her Passionately On Purpose emagazine at www.caralumen.com
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Cara Lumen |