BretForster.com

7 Great Ideas For Your Next Ezine Article
By Jimmy D. Brown

Writing ezine articles is one of the best business-building activities you’ll ever invest time in on the Internet. They can be used in dozens of different ways to generate web site traffic, build lists, brand your name, earn affiliate commissions and produce sales of your products and services.

They are, unquestionably, a vital part of any successful Internet marketing campaign.

By now – if you’ve read anything in the member’s area – you know I’m a big believer in writing ezine articles. And you know that I’ve devoted many of the lessons in the member’s area toward teaching you how to write, distribute and market with them.

Yet there still remains a lingering question -

WHAT should I write about in my ezine articles?

I want to share with you some brainstorming ideas that will allow you to easily come up with a couple dozen (or more) hot ideas for your upcoming ezine articles. I’m going to briefly share seven (7) fill-in-the-blank article starters along with a brief explanation to help you get started writing attention-grabbing content.

When you’re ready to write your next ezine article, consider one of these not-yet-overused formulas…

01. What To Do When [Enter Problem Here]. The idea with this article is to offer a solution to an existing problem by matter-of-factly addressing the issue being discussed in the article. “What To Do When You Need To Lose That Last 5 Pounds” points out a problem many dieters face and hints that the article will reveal a method for overcoming this barrier. This article’s pointed style makes it a sure read.

02. Can [Enter Solution Here] Help [Enter Problem Here]? Similar to number one above, this article poses a question while emphasizing both the problem and potential solution. What really works here is to ask a “curiosity-building” question by providing a solution that doesn’t seem to fit with the problem. For example: If you’re trying to re-grow hair on your balding head, could you resist reading, “Can Cheerios Help Thicken Your Hair?” I don’t think so.

03. Should You [Enter Activity Here]? (Take This Quiz). People love quizzes. They especially love to see how they measure up in some area that they are particularly interested in. That combination makes this another ezine article that gets a lot of views. “Should You Quit Your Job And Start An Internet Business? Take This Quiz!” is going to attract every dissatisfied, looking-for-greener-pastures, internet marketing wannabe on the block.

04. 7 “Must Ask Questions” for [Enter Activity Here]. This is a perfect article for the entry-level beginner in any particular field. “7 ‘Must-Ask’ Questions for First-Time Homeschoolers’ When Choosing Curriculum” is just about a guaranteed read for all new homeschooling moms and dads who don’t want to blow it for their kids. (Note: The “number” of must-ask questions can be whatever you choose.)

05. 3 [Enter Topical Adjective Here] Lessons from [Enter Pop Culture Reference]. By using references to popular culture events, characters, television shows, news stories and trends, you’ll be able to get some cheap mileage from existing “hot buttons” of the general public. I recentl wrote an article entitled, “3 Word-Of-Mouth Marketing Lessons From the Academy Awards” that garnered a lot of interest. Guess when I released it? Yep, a week before the big awards show.

06. Mastering [Enter Topic Here]: How to [Enter Tutorial Statement Here] Part 1. This is a superb article idea for a series of related tutorials. The word “master” is a bit overused at times in marketing circles, but it means to “become an expert” at something or to “achieve dominance” over something. Who wouldn’t want to “master” their activity of interest? That’s why “Mastering Weight Loss: How To Shed 12-15 Pounds in 30 Days, Part 1″ and other articles in its mold make for much-read content.

07. What Kind of [Enter Desirable Object Here] Is Best For YOU? We all want what’s “best” for us, don’t we? “What Kind Of Internet Business Is Best For You?” indicates there is something revealed in the article that will allow me to determine which of the options available to me is best suited for me. This is a really solid article to point others towards additional resources (such as special reports, mini-courses, etc.) where they can get specific information about which of the “options” mentioned in the article is most interesting and compatible with them.

So, there you have some great ideas to get you started on your next ezine article.

You know you’re going to write ezine articles, so would you like to get a LOT of completely free traffic with them? Check out “How To Get Free Traffic With Ezine Articles” by clicking here  http://infoprofitshare.com/go.php?offer=bretf68&pid=18. You’ll learn a powerful (but easy) way to get a lot of visitors to your website by using your ezine articles in a special way … all at no cost to you.

Bret Article Marketing

The REAL SECRET To Consistent Commission Checks

By Jimmy D. Brown of “Affiliatenaire”

…………………….

It’s important that you understand something about affiliate
marketing from the very beginning -

        Earning affiliate income isn’t easy
        for the average person. 

Let’s face it, there are 50 gazillion other people out there
doing the exact same thing you are doing – if you could remember
what it is that you are doing.

So, that’s what I want to address.  Here’s the mindset that I
want you to remember:  there are only so many customers out there. 
And each affiliate in the program is doing basically the same
thing to try to reach them. 

That’s why you are going to be different.  Got it?

Before I jump into what I consider to be the “real secret” to
earning commissions with affiliate programs, let me share with
you a basic concept that is going to be important to what you
are going to learn today.

Here is how the average affiliate approaches promoting their
affiliate link…

A)  Send out a mailing.  Purchase ezine ads.  Get a few
    pay-per-click keywords.  Post a few links.  Make a small
    profit.  Get discouraged.  Move on to the next affiliate
    program.

Or, if they are slightly more aggressive…

B) Send out a mailing.  Purchase ezine ads.  Get a few
   pay-per-click keywords.  Post a few links.  Write a few articles. 
   Create an eBook.  Do a joint venture.  Swap ads.  And they
   continue promoting that same affiliate program until they
   (along with a few other aggressive affiliates) have found
   every potential customer on the face of the earth.  Make
   a decent profit.  Where do I go now?  Move on to the next
   affiliate program.

While I certainly agree that the “slightly more aggressive”
affiliate is on the right trail with their approach, it still
leaves a common problem that all affiliates have…

              Finding NEW customers.

You make an affiliate sale.  Great.  You make another one. 
Great.  You keep working and working and working to make
another sale and another sale and another sale.  Now, remember,
there are a gazillion others out there trying to do the same
thing.  And, even if all of these other affiliates only make
one or two sales each…

..that’s a LOT of customers that you WON’T be selling to!

    For example:  If there are 10,000 affiliates promoting
    Product A and they all, on average, sell just 2 copies
    each, that’s 20,000 customers that are immediately
    unavailable for you to sell to.

Doesn’t matter how hard you promote and how much you do, you
WILL NOT sell them a second copy of something they have
already bought.  Even if they love it.   They won’t buy
another copy.

So, here’s the “real secret.”  While everyone is promoting
the heck out of all of the same programs you are, you need
to refine who it is that you are promoting.

***Bottom line:  Start FOCUSING on those affiliate programs
                 that offer MONTHLY commissions.

Here’s why.  Let’s say you promote an absolutely awesome
product by Mr. Guru that sells for $29.97.  And Mr. Guru gives
you 50% commission.  By the time all of the processing fees
are out of the way, you earn about $14.00 for a new customer.

And you’re done with that customer — it’s time to move on
and find the next guy.

HOWEVER, if you promote an affiliate program that pays
MONTHLY, let’s say a membership site, then here’s what you
would find happens…

The membership site is $27.00 PER MONTH.  You earn $13.50 per
MONTH for every referral you make for as LONG AS THEY REMAIN
ACTIVE! 

With the $29.97 product, you earn $14.00 for all of your efforts
in finding a customer.  One time commission.  That’s it.  Time
to find another customer.  With the MONTHLY service, you earn
about the same commission for that same customer.  Then, next
month you earn that commission over again!  Month after that,
you’re still earning that same commission from that same customer.
For each and every month that the customer continues to use
the service you continue to bring in the commission without
finding a new customer.

Do you see the potential here?

It makes much more sense to focus on promoting affiliate
programs that bill monthly and pay commissions monthly.  That
way, you continue to earn profits from the…

              Same customer base!

If I am going to buy ads and purchase pay-per-click keywords
and create eBooks and bust my behind to get those customers,
I’d sure rather get paid every month (without doing a bit of
extra work, mind you!) that to only earn a one-time commission.

—————-Side Bar ——————-
While this isn’t as good as MONTHLY income, choosing an
affiliate program that offers you LIFETIME customers is the
next best thing. For example:  With some programs when you
recruit a customer , they are yours for life.  If they
purchase future product releases, then YOU receive the
commission as the original referrer. It’s a good second
option, but it’s not as good as getting paid monthly!
————————————————

So, what should you promote?  Your eyes have been opened. 
You’ve seen the light.  You realize that what you’ve just
read does make sense.  And you want to get paid monthly!

So, what should you promote?  While you definitely need
to check things out yourself and make that determination
on your own, let me give you a short list of TYPES of offers
that you can promote that bill monthly and award monthly
commission checks.

* PLR AND RESALE RIGHTS CLUBS

* MEMBERSHIP SITES

* WEB HOSTING

* AUTORESPONDERS AND LIST MANAGEMENT TOOLS

* COACHING CLUBS

* PAID NEWSLETTERS

* SERVICES (AD TRACKING, LEGAL DOCS, MANAGEMENT, ETC.)

The important thing is for you to identify at least one
really good affiliate program that offers residual income
possibilities for you.

Once you find the right program to promote, it’s a matter
of getting as many different people to click on your link
as possible.  How would you like to have someone teach
you ONE simple way to promote your affiliate links every
week?  Read on for details…

…………………….

Jimmy D. Brown is the author of “Affiliatenaire”, teaching
you how to create big-time affiliate commission checks in
only 1-3 hours each week.  Discover how you can get cash in
the bank without a website, experience or even an idea!
Visit http://www.profitavenue.com/affiliatenaire.htm

…………………….

Bret Affiliate Marketing

How to Promote Any Affiliate Program In 5 Easy Steps

By Jimmy D. Brown of “Affiliatenaire”

…………………….

Using ezine articles is a great way to promote your favor
affiliate program.  What I’d like to do in this article is
provide you with a simple system for effectively writing
an ezine article that strategically promotes your offer.

There are five steps…
1. CHOOSE THE OFFER YOU WISH TO PROMOTE

This one is kind of a no-brainer. It all begins with deciding
what you want to promote. What offer would you like to
send traffic to.

    HINT:  You can promote your affiliate link directly, but
    what works better is to promote a list at YOUR site which
    you then use to promote your affiliate link over and over
    again after the visitor becomes a subscribers.

2. DETERMINE YOUR “USEFUL, BUT INCOMPLETE” APPROACH.

I love to use what I have coined as the “useful, but
incomplete” approach when using freebies of any kind.
(Ezine articles, free eBooks, reports, eCourses, etc.)

What I mean by that is simply this: You provide your reader
with “useful” information (something they find of value and
are able to actually apply) but make certain that it is
“incomplete” in that they can better use the information
by making a purchase.

That’s “useful, but incomplete.” And it works like a charm.

The idea is to use your content to build up to your desired
response. You provide the reader with content, and then
you make an offer that allows them to fully utilize the
content, gain extra insight from the content or maximize
the content in some additional way.

Let me give you an example -

     If I wanted to promote an autoresponder service in an
     ezine article, how could I do it?  I’d write an article
     that explains how to benefit from using autoresponders.
     My article would exlain different uses of autoresponders
     and how the reader could profit from implementing the
     ideas. 

** I.E.  7 Ways To Create Revenue Streams With Autoresponders

Naturally, they will need an autoresponder service in order to
use the information, right?  And I just happen to know of a
great service they can use.  More on that later.

OK, so that’s an example of how to promote a SERVICE offer
with your ezine article. What about a software product or an
eBook?

Want some examples?

Good, because I’ve got two…

TO PROMOTE A SOFTWARE PRODUCT.  Let’s suppose you want to promote
a software program that creates “ecovers”.  How can you do it?

– Write an article outlining how important presentation of your
   offer is, and how creating a cover graphic can increase response
   rates by up to 1300%

– Write a step-by-step tutorial article for “do-it-yourselfers”,
   explaining how to design your own graphics from scratch.  Then
   promote the software as a super-simplified way of doing it.

TO PROMOTE AN EBOOK.  Let’s suppose you want to promote an ebook
that teaches advanced list-building strategies.   How can you do it?

– Write an article that covers the “basics” of building lists,
   and then promote the eBook as the “advanced” tactics.

– Write an article on how to profit from a list, and then promote
   the eBook as the “how to build the list.”
 
See how easy this is?

That’s how it works. Determine what your “useful, but incomplete”
approach will be, and then…

3. TURN YOUR APPROACH INTO A TIPS OR TUTORIAL ARTICLE.

Let’s use my example again. I decided that I would describe various
uses of autoresponders and how the reader can actually profit from
them. What kind of tips list or tutorial could I create?
 
* How to Generate More Subscribers, Sales and Profits With
  Automated Follow-Up Messages”

* 7 Powerful And Profitable Ways To Use Autoresponders To Skyrocket
  Your Sales and Subscribers!

* Want to Increase Your Online Profits And Leads? Here are 7 Ways
  to Do It…
 
I actually went with the middle title. I wrote my list of the 7
ideas that I wanted to share. And I had the makings of a perfect
article to promote an offer.

That’s all you need to do. Determine your end result. Decide how
to get there with your “useful, but incomplete” approach. And then
develop a list, or even a step-by-step tutorial for your article
that leads the reader along.

With each new “idea” or “way” or “tip” or “step” or “strategy”
that you share, you can further direct the reader towards
realizing their need of your upcoming offer, and lay the
foundation for them to accept the offer.

4. EXPAND ON EACH POINT TO BUILD YOUR CONTENT.

Here’s more of the easy part. Just “fill-in-the-blanks” to complete
your article. Write 1-2 short paragraphs for each of your points.
Make them good. Provide quality content. The offer you will soon
make will see poor results if your information isn’t useful.

Remember, you are trying to presell the reader on the idea that
they are going to need your offer. If you don’t provide them with
quality information that they WANT to begin using immediately,
then why will they want to buy what you are promoting?

Light a fire in them. Motivate them. Challenge them. Give them
such nuggets of gold that they want to keep mining until they
hit the mother lode!

5. PUT ON THE FINISHING TOUCHES WITH THE “FIVE PILLARS”

There are five things that you should always do to finish up
your ezine article. Don’t skip any of them. They are all
critical…

* POLISH. Re-read your article. Does it provide information
  that really is “useful” to the reader? And yet leaves them
  wanting even more? That’s what you want. Polish it. Put
  on the wax and make it shine. It has a very specific
  purpose — make certain it has the means to achieve it.

* PROMOTE. Use your resource box to promote your offer. This
  is why we’ve written the article, right? Remember step one?
  It’s time to put it into play. Give the reader what they
  (hopefully) are wanting…a way to maximize the information
  you gave them.

* PROOF. Don’t do this yourself. Have a trusted friend, relative
  or co-worker check your article for grammatical and
  typographical errors. The last thing you want to do is present
  a poor image after sharing some high quality information.

* PUBLISH. Zip your new article out to your favorite list of
  publishers. Submit it to the announcement lists and the ezine
  directories. Don’t forget to publish it yourself in your own
  newsletter!

* PROFIT. If you’ve covered all the bases that I’ve mentioned,
  then profits are almost certain to start coming in when your
  ezine article is published. You deserve it. Be proud of your
  accomplishments.

And then start it all over again!

That’s how you promote your favorite affiliate program in 5 easy
steps using ezine articles.

Obviously, there are many  other ways to promote your affiliate
program, as well as a considerable more “details” in the strategy
we’ve looked at today.  If you’d like 52 great ways to promote
your affiliate link AND complete step-by-step details for each
of them, be sure to read the important details below…

…………………….

Jimmy D. Brown is the author of “Affiliatenaire”, teaching
you how to create big-time affiliate commission checks in
only 1-3 hours each week.  Discover how you can get cash in
the bank without a website, experience or even an idea!
Visit http://www.profitavenue.com/affiliatenaire.htm

…………………….

Bret Affiliate Marketing

How to Make a Fortune Promoting Other People’s Products

By Jimmy D. Brown of “Affiliatenaire”

…………………….

There must be a reason why some affiliates succeed and some
fail, a reason why some affiliates profit moderately and some
affiliates profit substantially.

There must be a reason.

There is.

And that reason is this:  “super” affiliates start, sustain and
strengthen relationships with subscribers.

It begins and ends with a list.  Even a small one can be a
powerful, profitable mechanism if you follow these 7
guidelines…

1. CAPTURE THE OPTIN FIRST.

Instead of sending traffic directly to your affiliate link,
send them to YOUR site where you offer some kind of list for
them to join.  (Hint:  Mini-course works best)  Once you have
them on a list, they become an asset.  If you send them directly
to an affiliate page and they don’t buy,  they’re gone forever.
On your list, you can follow-up  with them
indefinitely.

Note:  You can even redirect them to your affiliate link AFTER
they join your list, effectively getting them where you wanted
them to go in the first place.

2. DIFFERENTIATE THE OFFER.

Instead of sending out the same, tired, lame advertisement that
every other affiliate in the world sends out, write your own.
Trust me when I say that many people find it  OFFENSIVE when
they receive two dozens duplicate emails from two dozen list
owners all promoting the exact same thing in the exact same way.
And even if they don’t find it offensive, it’s not as effective
if you simply rinse and repeat what everyone else is doing.

Hint:  Here’s how you differentiate…

3. SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE.

Nothing – nothing – nothing speaks louder than RESULTS.  If you
want to lose a few pounds, who do you turn to?  Someone  who is
still struggling with their own weight or someone you’ve seen
drop 35 pounds?  Exactly.

The way you make your mailings / ads different is you speak
from your own personal experience.  This product or service that
you are promoting as an affiliate, how has it been useful to you
personally?  What results have you personally achieved? When you
used it, what happened?

Note:  If you haven’t personally used the product, then shame
on you for trying to make a quick buck from it hocking it to
others!

4. OFFER A COMPELLING INCENTIVE.

Another way to be different – and to dramatically increase your
chances of getting a sale as an affiliate – is to offer some
kind of compelling incentive if someone buys the offer through
YOUR referral link.  Whether it’s a special report or access to
an audio recording, personalized consultation or advertising, a
private training call or existing products and services, this
can be a highly effective method of converting fence-setters
into paying customers.

In order for it to work well, it must be UNIQUE (I.E.  You’re
the only one making the offer) and USEFUL (I.E.  Something of
great perceived value to the reader). 

Note:  Don’t have anything to offer?  Don’t worry!  There are
many ways to easily obtain extra incentives:  conduct an
interview, hire a ghostwriter to create articles / reports for
you, buy reprint rights to other products, assemble a bunch of
free articles and other resources into a private access site,
etc.

5. LOOK FOR RESIDUAL OPPORTUNITIES.

Rather than exhaust your efforts on purchases that give you a
one-time commission, why not make the most of your marketing by
looking firstly for offers that pay out ONGOING monthly
commissions for your referred sales?

There are many different residual income generating services
such as membership sites (ranging from PT Cruisers to weight
loss), stock photos and clipart, hosting, autoresponders,
databases (from hiking trails to sermon outlines) online
magazines and a variety of other subscription based
opportunities that reward you with monthly recurring commissions.

While you definitely want a mix of types of affiliate programs
to promote, your priority should be in identifying and promoting
those services and programs that will pay you month after month,
instead of only one time.

6. BUILD A SALES ARMY.

One of the biggest untapped sources of income in any list is
that of “turning subscribers into partners”.  In other words,
find those on your list who are interested in making money and
provide them with training and materials to promote affiliate
programs as well.

This has a two-fold advantage for YOU:

* First, if you find 2-tier affiliate programs, you can get
your subscribers to join the program through your referral.
Anytime they get a sale, you’ll earn a commission as well.  You
effectively get free commissions from their effort.

* Secondly, you can use their efforts to build your own assets.
For example:  If you provide them with a 10-page report to give
away to promote their affiliate link, you can include a page in
the report promoting YOUR list!  You effectively get free
subscribers from their effort.
7. MONETIZE FOR MULTIPLE STREAMS.

As your own list continues to grow, you certainly want to
diversify in your offerings.  (Not to the point of bombarding
your list with offers every day of course!) 

* Promote other affiliate programs.
* Create your own products.
  (Even short $10 reports will earn profit!)
* Establish joint ventures.
* Co-author products.
* Cross promote.
* Conduct surveys.

There are MANY ways to make money from you list and keep your
list growing, growing, growing!

Remember, it all comes down to:  starting, sustaining and
strengthening relationships with subscribers.

And that’s how you make a fortune as an affiliate promoting
other people’s products.

…………………….

Jimmy D. Brown is the author of “Affiliatenaire”, teaching
you how to create big-time affiliate commission checks in
only 1-3 hours each week.  Discover how you can get cash in
the bank without a website, experience or even an idea!
Visit http://www.profitavenue.com/affiliatenaire.htm

…………………….

Bret Affiliate Marketing

How to Create Content That Leads To Sales

By Jimmy D. Brown of “Affiliatenaire”

…………………….

If you look at the average site for any given affiliate,
you’ll likely find a boring, tasteless smorgasbord of
prefab content that was created more for search engines to
read than it was for real people to read.

While that make aid in rankings, is it really going to do
any good once someone sees the site listed and makes a visit?

Probably not.

What every affiliate needs to learn is simple -

    ** CONTENT IS KING ***

It’s content that leads to sales, not a strategically
designed website that search engines temporarily find meets
their ranking criteria.

So, let’s talk about that.

There must be a reason why some content is very good and
some content is very bad; why some information is so
enthralling that you can’t stop reading while other
information is the cure for a sleepless night; why some
words cause you to frantically take notes and some words
cause you to take a break.

There must be a reason.

There is.

And that reason is this -

     Quality writers approach content creation as a craft.

To be sure, some writers are just naturally gifted. They
swing words like Tiger Woods swings a 5-iron. They can
spot a good paragraph like Warren Buffet spots good
investments. They write like Tom Hanks acts. Even though
they practice their art form, it comes easy to them.

Then, there are those that swing words like Jimmy D. Brown
swings a 5-iron. Paragraphs are like Black Tuesday. Their
writing is the equivalent of the acting in a kindergarten
cantata … and they aren’t nearly as cute and lovable as
those 5 year olds. Content creation is a struggle.

The good news is this: by focusing on two key components
all writers can create the kind of content that generates
interest and demand.

Whether you’re writing ezine articles or paid products
or anything in between, there are two components that
you need to develop in writing your content.

Before I explain how to weave both of these components
into your content, let me first explain the reality of
why these components are necessary in the first place.

People read for two basic reasons -

1. They want to be ENTERTAINED. Many people read because
   they enjoy a good story. They settle into their favorite
   chair and John Grisham whisks them off to the courtroom
   for a legal adventure or Sue Grafton captivates their
   mind in a “whodunit” or Nicholas Sparks unlocks the
   emotions with a love story. Or, maybe they head to the
   bathroom with a copy of National Enquirer to read about
   a three-headed alien who’s been dating Lindsay Lohan,
   whatever, they read to be entertained.

2. They want to be EDUCATED. There are other times when
   people read because they want to learn something. That
   drain beneath the kitchen sink is leaking again; a dormant
   website needs traffic; mom is coming to her house for
   Thanksgiving. Whether it’s a do-it-yourselfer looking
   to improve his home or an internet marketing looking to
   drive visitors to her site or a young wife looking to
   impress her mom with a mouth-watering turkey, people
   read to be educated.

So, those are the two basic reasons why people read.

There will now be a test. Close your books. Put away your
notes. No talking or looking at anyone else’s paper.

What are the two reasons why people read? (No peeking!)

If you said “to be entertained” and “to be educated” then
you get to continue. If you said anything else, it’s time for
an XBox 360 break or a stiff cup of java or whatever it is you
do to get your mind in gear.

People read to be entertained and/or educated. And when it
comes to the art of sharing information as a part of your
business, including BOTH parts are important.

Listen to me carefully. This is the “ultimate” mastery of
your craft -

To teach readers something desirable to them in a way that
they find enjoyable.

That’s the goal. Put a great big bull’s eye right there.
And fire away.

So, let’s talk about some specific practices for each of
these two components. How can you make your content
entertaining? How can you make it educational?

Content Component #1: Entertain. There are many, many ways
to make your writing a form of entertainment. Briefly, let
me point you towards 6 methods of engaging your reader and
making the consumption of your content an enjoyable
experience for her…

* Analogies. A great way to keep your content flowing is to
  use a few analogies. That is, you compare one item to another
  item. Sure, I could have said earlier “writing is easier
  for some than others”. But, with just a few extra words
  I instead said, “They swing words like Tiger Woods swings
  a 5-iron. They can spot a good paragraph like Warren
  Buffet spots good investments. They write like Tom Hanks
  acts. Even though they practice their art form, it comes
  easy to them.” Honestly, which is a better read?

* Humor. A little chuckle goes a long way when it comes to
  the enjoyment factor of reading. Most everyone likes to
  laugh. (My apologies to those of you who don’t enjoy
  laughing. You may skip this and go immediately to the
  section marked “Don’t Have A Sense Of Humor”). Earlier,
  I built upon the analogy of Tiger Woods by comedically
  adding, “They swing words like Jimmy D. Brown swings a
  5-iron.” By affording them the opportunity, you naturally
  make the reading experience more enjoyable. Does this mean
  you should make every attempt to be Jay Leno? Of course not.
  It just means when you have a chance to say something in a
  funny way do it. Don’t use too much humor and stay away
  from offensive humor, but by all means insert light-hearted
  fun when applicable.

* Acronyms. Another idea is to organize your content by
  using an “acronym”. I’ve used many in the past: “How To
  Keep Affiliates A.C.T.I.V.E. In Your Program”, “How To
  S.E.T.U.P. A Web Site” and “How To I.M.P.R.O.V.E. Your
  Writing” are just a few. In these instances, the words
  “Active”, “Setup” and “Improve” were used to reveal the
  various parts of the content. Not only do people love
  them (I’ve always gotten great feedback), but it also
  allows you to have something original that is uniquely yours.

* Storytelling. In a recent paid report I wrote, I opened with
  a story about me selling Grit newspaper back in the early
  1980′s and I tied it into the fact that this was an early
  form of the modern affiliate program model. A good story
  always engages the reader. Especially when it is relevant
  to the point being made. Keep them short (don’t launch into
  the great American novel – this isn’t Hemingway for crying
  out loud!) and lively and they’ll only enhance your writing.

* Editorials. Opinions are like noses … everyone has one.
  So, why not share yours? To be sure, you may want to steer
  clear of any controversies that might damage your reputation
  and business, but don’t be afraid to get personal when you
  write. Many times I’ve mentioned my faith in Jesus Christ
  in my content. I’ve jumped up on my soapbox and preached
  about using integrity in your business dealings. I’ve gave
  my thoughts on a variety of issues that were relevant to
  what I was writing. And, you know what, it always gets the
  reader more involved in the process of consuming information.
  Either they agree or disagree (sometimes strongly) with
  what I’m saying, but they continue reading because editorials
  are interesting. Share your thoughts.

* Revelations. A simple way to get someone reading deeper
  into your content is to make a statement of something you’ll
  be sharing later int he content. It’s so easy to do. If
  you read back to something I wrote earlier in this article,
  you’d find this statement: “Before I explain how to weave
  both of these components into your content, let me first
  explain the reality of why these components are necessary
  in the first place.” Do you see how that works? I set the
  table for what I’d be revealing shortly. I whet your
  appetite. Consciously or (more likely) subconsciously, you
  got the point that something desirable was coming later
  in the article. This isn’t a new concept. Think about every
  newscast you’ve ever watched: “Coming up later in the hour,
  we’ll show you how…” and “Up next we’ll share…” Building
  interest breeds enjoyment — especially when you deliver
  the goods later in the content.

So, those are just a few ways you can “entertain” your readers
and make the consumption of your content an enjoyable experience.

But, what about the other component? How do you “educate” them?
Let’s take a look.

Content Component #2: Educate. Certainly writers of all shapes
and sizes know that the essence of “educating” a reader is to
explain the subject matter in a way that can be clearly understood.
That’s a given, right?

And certainly there are many ways to do this effectively. There
isn’t a standardized formula that all content must adhere to in
order to get it right. However, I do believe that there are
three basic parts that should be included in virtually every
piece of content written as far as those involved in selling
information.

* Action Steps . If someone is intent on learning a process,
  they want to know the necessary steps involved in completing
  it. For example: If I want to learn how bake a cake, I don’t
  want a list of ingredients with the instructions “Mix these
  together”. I want a detailed, chronological list of what to
  do, step-by-step. Certainly, not all content is a “tutorial”
  (The very lesson you’re reading isn’t in step-by-step format)
  but, when applicable, always explain things in chronological,
  reasonable steps. Preferably, in 9 steps or less to avoid the
  appearance that the process is too difficult to be accomplished.

* Brainstorming. Two of your favorite words as a writer should
  be, “For example”. The missing element of most information
  products and associated content that I’ve read is the use
  of “examples” and “ideas”. Most people present some information
  and then leave it to the reader to figure out how to apply
  that information for their own use. That’s usually not a good
  thing. Instead, it’s important to provide as many different
  examples, case studies, ideas, etc. as possible to give the
  reader a good idea of how to accomplish what you’re suggesting.
  For example (Hmmm, bet ya didn’t see that coming, huh?): I
  could have simply said, “You need to entertain your readers”
  and “You need to educate your readers” and left it at that.
  Instead, I’ve been giving examples and ideas for doing each
  of these things. More than just information, readers crave
  application. They want to see the content in action; they
  want to see how they can use it themselves.

* Tips. Everything you write should have tips included.
  Everything. Tips come in many shapes and sizes: keys, tactics,
  techniques, ways, methods, options. As many of these as you
  can include in your writing, the better. All it takes is
  for one good idea that you’ve shared to satisfy the reader.
  If you share 10 ways to do XYZ and number 7 clicks with the
  reader, they’ll love you. It doesn’t matter what else you
  write in the content, they are happy because they learned
  something useful. Tips are the information publisher’s best
  friend. A veteran might read your material and already
  know 99% of what you’ve written, but that one tip on
  page 47 just floored them and they are esctatic. Share as
  many different tips as you can. Your readers will thank
  you later. Well, the grateful ones will.

So, there you have it, the two key components of your content.
Don’t forget the goal with these:

To teach readers something desirable to them in a way that
they find enjoyable.

When you begin to build THAT kind of content into your websites
and blogs, you’ll have a site that will do more than impress
the search engines, it will impress those who arrive at your
site and take a look around.

Never forget this truth:  search engines don’t buy what you’re
selling.  People do.

…………………….

Jimmy D. Brown is the author of “Affiliatenaire”, teaching
you how to create big-time affiliate commission checks in
only 1-3 hours each week.  Discover how you can get cash in
the bank without a website, experience or even an idea!
Visit http://www.profitavenue.com/affiliatenaire.htm

…………………….

Bret Affiliate Marketing

I will be providing blueprints, strategies and tips on how to start and profit from your own online business!

Bret Bret Forster

Ezine Publishing For Profits Checklist: Are You Doing These 5 Things?
by Jimmy D. Brown of “Get Messsages Read!”

I am an admitted planner and management tool nut. I have about 7 business planners. I have appointment managers. I have the best books, software, notebooks and planning systems from Franklin Covey, Day Runner and just about anyone else on the market.

I have a lot of things to balance (ministry, family, business, golf …

usually in that order ) and I need planners and reminders to keep me on track.

Emphasis is on the REMINDERS.

I even have a software program that sends me emails each day reminding me of important appointments and activities.

Reminders are a good thing. Sometimes they jar us back to reality like a bone-shaking tackle by a middle linebacker, but, still, they are a good thing.

And publishing this article has been a “good thing” for me. It’s been a reminder. A reminder of the important things about publishing.

You see, if we’re not careful, we get into a “rut” when it comes to publishing, specifically in publishing our NEWSLETTERS. While I am no longer publishing an ezine, opting to devote my content to articles, reports and mini-courses, many of my subscribers ARE newsletter publishers.

So, I’ve put together this “checklist” of reminders that I have personally experienced during the past few days as my focus has been refreshed.

Ask yourself these 5 questions before publishing your next newsletter issue…

1. Are you PASSIONATE? One of the things that has drawn me to blogging is the amazing passion of most bloggers. Those who publish a blog are usually those who just love to talk about their particular interest. It’s what they talk about when they are OFFLINE. It’s what they think about. It’s a part of their lives. And they just want to share it with anyone who is willing to listen.

When newsletters “began”, that was driving force… passion. And, for many, the passion is still alive. And they’d publish their ezine even if they only had a handful of subscribers who were mostly relatives. Doesn’t matter. If someone is willing to listen, they’ll talk via a newsletter.

The focus isn’t on the “numbers” (I.E. How many subscribers do I have on my list) but rather is on the “topic”, the thing that they can’t seem to get enough of, or give enough of.

What about you? Is the passion still there?

2. Are you PERSONABLE? Spend enough time here and you’ll get to know me. More than what I KNOW as a marketer, you’ll learn about what I BELIEVE as a fellow human. You’ll also get to know about me and my life. Maybe more than you want to know. You’ll learn that I am a committed Christian, that I absolutely love to play golf, I have a wonderful wife and little boy and I can quote just about every episode of the Andy Griffith Show.

And, to the great dismay and terror of my buddy Ryan Deiss, I will ocassionally eat a potted meat sandwich.

See, I told you it might be more than you want to know. )

The point is this: we’re going to connect. Sooner or later, you’ll get to know me. And I’ll become a part of your life, hopefully as a good, positive source of encouragement and guidance.

I don’t hide behind a mask. I don’t pretend to be something that I’m not. You get the real me. There will be times you love me, there will be times you won’t love me as much. But, one thing will be certain, you’ll see a real person that you can connect with.

More than a publisher, I’m a person.

That’s what folks want. They don’t want a “newsletter publisher” sending them mailings every week. They want a “newsletter person” who will be real with them. Someone who can be personal. Someone they can relate to.

Someone like themselves.

Will you be that person?

3. Are you PROVIDING? Let’s be honest here: the only thing that will BRING YOU BACK to a site is whether or not you feel like you have gained something in going there. If you’ve been educated, you’ll be back. If you’ve been entertained, you’ll be back. If you have found something to be beneficial to you, then you’ll come back over and over again. And you’ll stay as long as you continue to gain something.

Newsletters should PROVIDE something to their readers. And that’s QUALITY content. That’s something that either EDUCATES or ENTERTAINS. Or, preferably,

BOTH.

As a publisher of a newsletter, do you give of yourself to your readers? More than just trying to get them to buy something or do something… are you doing something for them?

4. Are you PROVOCATIVE? Learn this truth right now: the most read newsletters are the ones who are hosted by the most opinionated authors. Those who stand up and share their thoughts, even when those thoughts are controversial and go against popular opinion will always get attention.

I’m not saying “go against the grain” just for the sake of stirring up a hornet’s nest. Not saying that at all. I’m just saying “Speak your mind.” If you’ve got something to say, say it. If something’s bothering you, get it off your chest. Be authentic. Be real.

Don’t deliberately try to harm or offend, but don’t be afraid to stand up and be counted. Some will agree. Some will disagree. (That’s okay… because they are entitled to their opinion too.) But all will READ.

The point is this: your newsletter is your mouthpiece. You want to guard it against hurtful words, but you always want it to be honest and forthright, sharing the “truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth” about your passion, whether it’s traditional or cutting edge in its opinions.

5. Are you PROFITABLE? OK, so not all newsletters are out to produce profits.

But, for the sake of this “Publishing for PROFITS” checklist, let’s assume that you ARE trying to make money from your ezine. And let’s look at how most profitable newsletters make money (those that ARE trying to produce profits)

Here it is in a nutshell: They are money makers, but not money grabbers.

Yes, you’ll see links to my products on my sites. Yes, you’ll see an affiliate link here and there. Yes, I’ll try to get you on a list. Yes, sooner or later I’d like you to spend some money with me.

There, I said it. It’s out in the open. No secret there. I provide you with great content (investing in you) and I hope you’ll do more business with me (invest in me) down the road.

Now, contrast that with how many newsletters are structured these days (admittedly, some of mine were too): They’ve got a top sponsor ad trying to get your money. They have a classified ad section trying to get your money.

There are ads sprinkled throughout the featured article. The resource box at the bottom of that article leads to another place trying to get your money.

There is a “review” of a product which is embedded with an affiliate link.

There are “recommended resources” plugged in there to get you to buy something. There are special solo mailings coming to you as a list member that are designed to get into your wallet.

Get the idea?

Now, let me say this, not ALL newsletters are like that. I’m just speaking my mind … you know, being provocative, expressing my opinion. But, let’s be honest, most newsletters that ARE trying to make money tend to be more focused on making money from you as a subscriber than providing useful information to you.

The lesson I’ve learned from the popularity of blogging is that it’s time to return to the grass root days of publishing an ezine because you’ve got passion about a subject and there are interested people who want to read it.

Give it to them, sprinkle in a few money-making references, and the profits will come.

One of the most profitable newsletter publishers I know of in all of internet marketing was Terry Dean. Want to know how he “bombarded” his subscribers with offers? ONE advertisement per issue. TWO or THREE solo mailings per year.

That’s it.

And that’s why he is able to make over $30,000 from ONE of those mailings. He provides GREAT content and FEW offers. And people respond.

You come a website for CONTENT. If we stop providing it, or start giving you so many sales pitches that you have a hard time finding it, you’ll stop coming around. And rightly so.

People subscribe to newsletters for the same reason. They want information.

Give it to them and sooner or later most will give you their business. Hide it under a mountain of ads and offers and they’ll go elsewhere. And who can blame them.

So, those are reminders that I have personally had my mind refreshed to recently. And I think I’ll be a better publisher because of it.

And I think you will too, if you just ask yourself these five questions before you publish your next ezine.

…………………….

Jimmy D. Brown is the author of the “Get Messages Read!” course. In Get Messages Read! you’ll learn 24 simple ideas you can begin using today (literally, with the next message you send out) to increase the profit from any list. Check out this ground-breaking course at:

http://www.profitavenue.com/getemailresults.htm

…………………….

Bret Email Marketing

A Sure-Fire Formula For Getting Your Prospects To Read EVERY WORD of Your Email Message
by Jimmy D. Brown of “Get Messages Read!”

If you get this lesson right, then you’ll be able to get folks hanging on your every word like monkeys hang on trees. )

And, if you can follow these simple instructions, you’ll get it right quicker than you can say “Pass me a banana.”

It’s one thing to get your prospects to OPEN your email and actually take a look at it. But, what happens when they open it?

Today, I’m going to show you how to make sure they read every word of it.

You’d like to learn how to get them to do that, wouldn’t you? )

Good. There are only two simple things you’ve got to do…

1. Create an “I’ve gotta take a closer look” opening sentence. Did you notice the opening sentence of this lesson? What happened? I got your attention.

Here’s why. I got your attention firstly because I made you a promise that appeals to you. You want folks to hang on your every word as they read your emails. How do I know you want this? If you’ve already read the title and started reading the article,

I know what you’re interested in. I pushed a button that I know will get your attention. Nothing fancy or magical, I just tapped into something that you already have a desire for.

And, secondly, it got your attention because that promise hinges on YOU. Now, you’re INVOLVED. You’re involved because I’ve already told you that it’s up to you. You control the outcome here. It’s not based on a roll of the dice or the luck of the draw… Results are up to YOU getting this lesson right.

First things first, you want to get their attention immediately. Use that first sentence wisely. Fire your big guns. It is THE MOST POWERFUL and INFLUENTIAL part of your entire email message. If it doesn’t produce results, folks just won’t read any further. Let them know from the get go that something important is awaiting them in the email.

Give them a reason to read on. And then…

2. Create short paragraphs that continue to lead the reader along. In the opening sentence I gave you something to get your attention. I focused you in on a result, an outcome, something you can control.

And then, later, I asked a question to refocus you…

“You’d like to learn how to get them to do that, wouldn’t you? )”

And how did I follow that up? By saying…

“Good. There are only two simple things you’ve got to do…”

At this point I’ve already let you know that YOU can expect results if you do something right in this lesson. You’re ready to go. And then a bit later I let you know that it’s only going to require two simple things.

Do I have any doubt in my mind that you’ll read on to find out what those two things are? Nope. I don’t care who you are, if you read up to that point, you’ll keep reading. You want to know what those two simple things are.

And now you’ve found out in steps one and two above.

But, there’s even more for you to learn.

See, I did it again. I refocused you. I grabbed your attention again. “There’s even more for you to learn.”

The key is to constantly regrab the attention. Don’t let it get boring. Don’t let it go stale. Do you watch boring movies… or do you like exciting ones that leave you begging for more?

Consider your email as a movie. And you’re the director. Keep me on the edge of my seat.

And, when you do that, you’ll have your leads reading every word of your email message, from start to finish.

Kind of like how you just read every word of this message.
  
…………………….

Jimmy D. Brown is the author of the “Get Messages Read!” course. In Get Messages Read! you’ll learn 24 simple ideas you can begin using today (literally, with the next message you send out) to increase the profit from any list. Check out this ground-breaking course at:

http://www.profitavenue.com/getemailresults.htm

…………………….

Bret Email Marketing

3 Keys to Greater Profits From Any Opt-In Email List

by Jimmy D. Brown of “Get Messages Read!”
You’ve worked hard to build a list.

And you’d like to make more money from it.

Am I right so far?

Great!  Just wanted to make certain that I’m not losing my touch.

Your optin email list can be the single biggest money-maker you possess, if  you just follow three simple keys…

Key 01 -> Provide Genuine Value To Your List Members.

Seems like a no-brainer, right?  Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of list owners miss out from the beginning.

They’re left at the starting gate while the rest of the pack moves ahead.

If you don’t provide “genuine value” to your list members you simply won’t make money from your list.

Folks will either unsubscribe, or they’ll stop reading your mailings.

Either way, you lose.

There are a gazillion (yes, I counted) lists available, so if you don’t give them the goods, …they’ll simply move on to someone who will.

So, first things first, you gotta provide genuine value to your list members. 

That consists of two things:

- Original content. While it’s certainly acceptable to reprint other people’s content in your publication, you absolutely MUST have your own voice as well.

People join YOUR list.  They want to hear from YOU.

I consider it *critical* that you publish your own original articles, tips, ideas … I.E. “information” in each publication you send out to your list.

After all, if they can get it elsewhere, why join your list at all?

- Useful content.  The second part of providing genuine value to your subscribers is to offer “useful” content.

When it comes to information, “Value” = “Usefulness.”

How valuable content is to a person is directly related to how useful they find that information.

Your content needs to be APPLICABLE.  Give your subscribers information they can use and they’ll give you their attention, and ultimately their business.

Key 02 -> Send Promotional Mailings Regularly.

One of the most shocking discoveries that I ever made in my work with email marketing is this:

**If you don’t send promotional mailings regularly, your response rates will go down dramatically.**

Trust me.  I’ve tested it.  So have a lot of other people.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about sending out solo mailings five times a day.

That’s a shortcut to failure there.

But, at the same time, sending out promotional mailings at a very infrequent, sporadic pace is a shortcut to failure as well.

Either way, you ain’t gettin’ paid.

They key is balance.

As a very “general” rule of thumb, one promotional mailing (I.E. “solo mailing”) per week seems to produce the best results.

Test for yourself.  Your list may be different.

Regardless of the frequency you decide upon,it absolutely needs to be REGULAR.

Consistency in regularity.

Key 03 -> Verify Your Subscribers Are Receiving Your Mailings.

Without question, this is the most often overlooked key to email profits of them all.

There is no substitute for this one.  If your list members aren’t receiving your email messages…stick a fork in yourself, because “you’re done.”

You can have great content and send out those solo mailings like clockwork, but if no one on the other end of the line is getting them, it’s a waste of your time.

Research shows that as few as 10% of the total subscribers on any given list may actually be receiving the messages.

If you’re getting poor results from your offers, then the first place I’d look is to make certain your subscribers are actually receiving and reading your email messages.

Bottom line:  If you really want to make money from your optin email list, all it takes is…

Consistency in QUALITY.
Consistency in REGULARITY.
Consistency in DELIVERY.

Those three keys add up to one thing: Greater profits for YOU.

…………………….

Jimmy D. Brown is the author of the “Get Messages Read!” course. In Get Messages Read! you’ll learn 24 simple ideas you can begin using today (literally, with the next message you send out) to increase the profit from any list. Check out this ground-breaking course at:

http://www.profitavenue.com/getemailresults.htm

…………………….

Bret Email Marketing