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Discover the Power of FAQ Templates to Capture More Online Sales

If you want to capture more online sales faster, better and with the least amount of human effort then I encourage you to develop FAQ templates.

What are FAQ templates? Well FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions. So FAQ Templates are templates that allow you to include frequently asked questions on your web sites, blogs, and other marketing communications.

Adding FAQ sections to your websites and other marketing communications are often your very best automated sales tools that consistently and repeatedly capture more sales by minimizing resistance.

Whatever your area of expertise, there are frequently asked questions by your prospects and even your members and customers. You discover these FAQs in at least 2 ways:

1. Pay attention to what your prospects and community is typically asking you, and

2. Ask them. Ask them what their questions are, what their biggest challenges are, what they struggle with the most.

Then provide both the questions and answers on your web sites and marketing messages and you have now answered new prospects questions before they have even asked them. This ups your perceived expert status and reduces sales resistance from the beginning.
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Are You an Inventor Or Improver in Your Business?

“Never invent, always improve.”

This four-word sentence is indelibly etched in my mind right now. I also have that quote framed and hanging on the wall of my home office.

The marketing philosophy of choosing improvement over invention has generated millions of dollars for my info publishing business and my students’ businesses.

Although the idea of becoming an “Improver” is not as sexy as being known as an “Inventor,” it is improvement, not invention, that has generated billions for some of the most renowned Thought Leaders in history. Ironically, many of these folks have been inaccurately dubbed as “Inventors.”

Here’s one example: Nikola Tesla invented the modern alternating current electric power (AC) systems. Thomas Edison improved it. Telsa died broke. Edison died a millionaire.

Here’s another: Charles Haanel is the true “father of personal development” in my opinion. He invented The Master Key System, yet he died in obscurity acknowledged by only a few loyal followers. (more…)

Why Aren’t You On LinkedIn Yet?

“How can you squander even one more day not taking advantage of the greatest shifts of our generation? How dare you settle for less when the world has made it so easy for you to be remarkable?” – Seth Godin

Are you on LinkedIn? If not, why not? The site has over 100 million members, with a new member joining every second. (more…)

A Parody on Client-Vendor Relationships

If you’ve got 2 minutes and 19 seconds to spare, take a quick look at this funny video.  If you’re a vendor to other companies or if you have vendors, it’s worth watching 🙂

Of twelve “observable” attributes I teach my students (and look for in vendors), here are four of the most important:

  • Resourcefulness
  • Deadline Sensitivity
  • Boundary-Based
  • Networking Skills.

Wouldn’t you agree that it’s just as important for clients to live by the standards they expect their own vendors to demonstrate?

client-vendor-videostill

Don’t laugh.  This sort of thing happens all the time between clients and vendors.

My chief of web development, Eric Lingenfelter, recently emailed me this video.  I sense his team deals with “problem children” clients like those depicted in this video 🙁

If you’re an electronic marketer and have vendors who don’t live up to your standards, it makes sense to let them go so they won’t hurt your business or your reputation.

If you’re a vendor and have clients who are inconsistent with the standards they expect you to maintain with them, it’s best to let them go for very the same reasons.

I welcome your personal comments and experiences on this topic.

Vote For The “Tagline” You Prefer Most

Recently I changed the “look and feel” of this blog.  Although I’m happy with the graphics, I think my tagline on the banner can be improved.

It currently promises this:

“Practical Marketing Tips for Information Publishers, Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurial CEOs”

leaning-to-rightThis morning I crafted four more tagline ideas which I feel better expresses the “promise” of this blog.   Take a moment and “comment” on which of these four choices (A, B, C or D) you like most.

A: “Proven Strategies for Entrepreneurs Who Want to Get More Done – Faster, Better and Easier”

B: “Tested Marketing Tips That Boost Your Profits and Productivity – Faster, Better, With Less Human Effort”

C: “Practical Ideas for Entrepreneurs to Get More Done – Faster Better, Easier”

D: “Principle-Centered Strategies that Boost Profits and Accelerate Productivity”

Feel free to add your own ideas if you got a better one.  Any suggestion will be most appreciated and I plan on changing the existing tagline by the end of this month.

Please vote in the Comment Section.


Does Your Email Inbox Need A 60-Sec Cleansing?

email1It was a warm Friday morning in Kona, Hawaii … and there I was eating my breakfast with five of my TLC friends. 

Suddenly, that all-important topic of distractions came up.  So I seized the opportunity to ask all five thought leaders the single most important entrepreneurial productivity question that I  routinely ask my students, friends, colleagues and even my mentors.

Here’s the question:

“What’s the #1 distraction you inevitably face each day in your personal and professional life?”

They went five-for-five and gave the same answer.  It’s the same answer I hear from my students.  It’s the same answer I hear from my JV partners, my colleagues and even my mentors. 

Survey after survey, Ask Campaign after Ask campaign … Email seems to be everbody’s undisputed #1 distraction in their personal and professional lives!

Imagine that?  The #1 distraction entrepreneurs and (more…)

Survey Results: Readers Want 2 Posts Per Week

nope-image.jpgOn December 30th, 2008 I posted a survey so my readers could decide if 3 posts per week would be better than 2 posts per week.

Over 320 readers voted and the final tally I took revealed 202 – NO votes compared to 119 – YES votes.  The Blog Dialogue survey result was a WIN-WIN for me because I get do less work and serve more of my readers.

Starts Immediately: So as of Thursday, January 8th, my blogging editorial calendar will 2 posts per week that show up every Thursday and Tuesday (every week in 2009) at precisely 8:44am Eastern.

One of my core premises is: “People support what they help to create.”  And thesimplest way to get support is to “Ask.” That sounds simple, but it’s not easy.

The”Ask Principle” is what the Greek Philosopher, Socrates discovered nearly 2,500 years ago, which is now known as the The Socratic Method.  It is what Gandhi insinuated when he said, “In order to G-E-T you must first A-S-K.”  

And it is what George Gallup did for most of his professional life – assessing public opinion on political, social, and economic issues, including the hopes and fears of people around the globe, their leisure-time activities, their morals, beliefs, etc.

What To Do Now: In 2009, I want you visit and revisit this blog on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  When you do, you’ll see a new blog post that appears at precisely 8:44am Eastern. 

It may seem silly to you, but for me, having that level of consistent precision (Tuesdays, Thursdays at 8:44am Eastern) makes me more predictable to you.  And predictability typically leads to Trust.

Holiday Greetings from Mandossian Family

gabe-breanna-xmas.jpgDuring the third week in December each year, I send out a holiday video message that stars our son, Gabriel and daughter, Breanna.

The ONE this year is my absolute favorite.  It was inspired by a life-lesson statement from Reginald Poitier, father of actor Sidney Poitier. 

Turn-up your speakers and click: www.HolidayGreetings2008.com

When you’re done watching it, post your comment so my kids can read it and feel free to forward this message to another dad.

Happy Holidays!