- WEALTHY: Why it doesn’t matter if cheap stocks get cheaper (Andrew Gordon)
- HEALTHY: Are you feeding your baby birth control pills, chemicals, and anti-nutrients? (Kelley Herring)
- WISE: Anna Hempstead Branch on words
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- Your graphic designer isn’t going to like this… (David Cross)
- When voicemail is a bad idea (Suzanne Richardson)
- It’s Fun to Know… about a scientific use for rubber duckies
- Add “fettle” to your vocabulary
== Highly Recommended ==
Time For the Experts to Fish or Cut Bait
It’s time for them to fish or cut bait.
We’ve tossed out a daring challenge to a dozen of the world’s leading Internet marketing experts: Hand over to YOU one technique each that could make you a minimum of $100,000 in cash within the next 12 months. All told, that’s as much as $1.2 million extra next year in your pocket!
It’s all happening when you join Early to Rise in Delray Beach, Florida this November for our 2008 Info-Marketing Bootcamp: “The Internet Ultimatum: Zero to $1.2 Million In 12 Months Flat”.
The premise is simple: Come with even the vaguest notion for launching your own start-up business… or exploding you existing business… and you’ll leave with all you need for transforming that business into a raging river of cash through the power of Information Marketing.
And specifically, you’ll get at least a dozen specific and actionable ideas for taking your business to $1.2 million or more over the next twelve months… and then to $10 million and beyond.
Read your full invitation here.
Exquisite Timing Isn’t Part of the Deal
The market is going for 30 percent off. Yet investors aren’t buying. It’s like that 48-inch LCD screen you’ve been dying to buy… someday. But why buy it now when you can probably buy it in December for an additional 5 to 10 percent off? Or why not wait for the post-December sale when you can buy it at an even steeper discount. Maybe you can do even better if you wait until March. Surely, stores will be desperate to clear out their old inventory by then.
But wait too long and the item will either go up in price (stealthily upgraded while you waited) or disappear from the shelves. The lesson isn’t that you shouldn’t buy a particular item at a good price. It’s that waiting for the perfect price or the perfect moment to buy it is a little bit like waiting for Godot. It’ll never arrive.
If you like a stock and it’s really cheap, buy it. If you think a stock is going for 25 percent off its true value, for example, your gain will be 25 percent once its true value is recognized. Don’t let a possible 5-15 percent detour down stop you.
[Ed. Note: The economy may look bleak right now. But you still have opportunities to prosper - if you look in the right places. ETR Investment Director Andrew Gordon has pinpointed a method - which has been accurate 92% of the time - that you can use to make money on stocks as they fall. It all begins with a "red flag announcement." Learn what this "red flag" means, and how it can make you money, right here.]
“God wove a web of loveliness, / of clouds and stars and birds, / but made not anything at all / so beautiful as words.”
Anna Hempstead Branch
A Word Is Worth 1,000 Pictures
By David Cross
For almost a month, “Alma” went back and forth with her Web developer on which illustration to use on her company website’s homepage. Should it be the lavender flowers? The bluebell-carpeted scene of springtime in the woods? Or would the photo of the healthy-looking young yoga instructor best convey what the site was about?
Everyone in Alma’s company had a different opinion. And changing one illustration on the homepage meant other graphics on the site needed to be changed to reflect the “core” image of the business.
It’s a situation that replays itself every day in website agencies and Web development companies around the world.
Now there’s no doubt that good graphic design can make or break a marketing campaign. A well-chosen, well-placed image can double, triple, or quadruple response rates. However, the design of your website is a whole different animal. Taking a close look at some recent research may offer a startling insight into what I’m talking about…
Nielsen Norman Group recently ran a battery of website usability studies using eye-tracking technology. In the studies, people were asked to perform a variety of tasks on different websites, such as “open an account” at an online bank or “find a local pizza restaurant” or “buy a black suit with a blue tie.” While they were engaged in these tasks, hidden infrared cameras monitored their eye movements to see what they looked at and where their gaze was fixed. From the data, the researchers drew “heat maps” that showed which parts of each Web page were looked at the most. Areas colored red indicated where the study participants spent the greatest amount of time. Yellow and blue indicated fewer eye fixations. And gray areas were those that didn’t attract any fixations.
In every case, statistically significant patterns emerged.
Here are three results that you should be aware of in order to make your website stronger and more appealing to your visitors:
• Banners and ads are ignored. People almost never pay attention to anything that looks like an advertisement, whether or not it actually is one. This is true of banners anywhere within a Web page.
• Images are ignored. Images receive similar scant attention fixations, with the exception of faces and “cleavage and other ‘private’ body parts.”
• Text is universally “interesting.” What all the study participants fixated on was plain text or written content.
Why Your Website “Design” Shouldn’t Be Your Top Concern
Your website design does matter… but probably less than you think. And a lot less than your website designer thinks (or would like to bill you for).
Think of your website as a dinner plate and your articles and other content as the dinner. Sure, you want an overall presentation that is attractive. But the food is the most important part of the meal. The plate itself should not be garish or bland. It should complement the meal and showcase it in the best light possible.
Almost all the websites and e-mail promotions that took Agora Inc., the parent company of Early to Rise, to its first $100 million in online sales were about as un-designed as you could imagine. They were mainly all text and headlines. In fact, Agora’s websites looked – and still look – very similar to the longer direct-mail sales letters you receive in the mail. According to many Web designers, these sites shouldn’t work any more than a bumblebee should be able to fly (because it breaks every rule of aerodynamics). But fly it does.
It is important for all Web designers to know where people look when they visit a Web page. Most people are looking for information, facts, or advice. And they want a website that gets that job done. If they are engrossed in a story or buried deep in content, they don’t want distractions and they don’t want to look away.
Plus, if your most important content is “hiding” in a banner or graphic, you could be missing plenty of opportunities to convert site visitors to paying customers.
Recognize the power of words. If you are considering placing a photo or other graphic on your site, ask yourself whether, instead, there is a way to express what you’re trying to communicate with words. Research and experience bears out that this will probably produce a better result.
What Does Matter?
Most website critiques focus on the look and feel of the site, its visual design and layout. But what matters primarily for most websites and to most people is text.
For this, there are a number of guidelines you can adopt:
• Make it easy to skim-read your Web pages. Online, people skim-read and scan for information. So break up your Web content with logical headings and subheadings. Use bullet points to break up paragraphs, and use bold type to make important words stand out.
Try skim-reading your Web pages yourself – or, better still, have a customer do it for you. See if they have any trouble understanding the page and moving onto the next step (signing up for your e-mail newsletter or purchasing something).
• Think “elevator pitch.” An “elevator pitch” explains what you do, what your product or service does, and, especially, what it does for the customer. And it does so in the time it takes to move between two floors in an elevator.
The first two paragraphs on any Web page should state the most important information in an easy-to-grasp way. If a site visitor reads those two paragraphs, there’s a better chance that they’ll continue reading the rest of the page.
• Begin with useful information. Beginning page titles, headings, subheads, paragraphs, and bullet points with information-carrying words will help your site visitors as they skim-read. People generally notice the first words of any block of text more than the later words. Make it simple for people to find what they need.
Creating content-rich rather than image-heavy websites is still unfashionable. Many designers still treat the Web more like printed advertising media and focus on graphical embellishments – which often end up being largely ignored. Even seasoned Web designers forget the power of words.
Above all else, make sure your website has useful, easy-to-skim information. Work with your graphic and Web designers to ensure that your design supports the content rather than overwhelms it. You’ll better serve your website visitors… and have a better chance of converting them into e-letter subscribers or paying customers.
[Ed. Note: When it comes to your website, content is king. Search engines love it - and your site visitors will too. For more targeted advice from Agora Senior Internet Consultant David Cross, come meet him at ETR's 2008 Info Marketing Bootcamp. David and 11 other Internet marketing experts will be revealing specific methods you can use to make $1.2 million in 2009. Reserve your spot today.]
Could This Be the World’s Most Perfect Online Business?
I’ve found what must be one of the world’s most perfect online businesses. Here’s why I think so…
For just a few hours of work, you have a genuine shot at setting up an automatic income stream where money flows into your bank account every month. Set up as many income streams as you want. You don’t need any experience. You don’t need much money. You don’t need your own product or existing business.
Learn all about this new program, called Instant Internet Income. It’s backed by a guarantee so it must do exactly what I promise, no risk to you. Click here and get started today!
What Happens When Your Business Phone Rings?
Mission: Birthday cake. Requirements: Tasty and beautiful with fondant frosting. Turned out to be harder to locate than I expected. But along the way, I wound up with both a cake and a lesson in customer service.
I found several contenders online. My top two choices both got rave reviews. But Cake Place One just sounded better.
So I called the number listed on the website. Even though it was during the bakery’s regular hours, nobody picked up. No matter, I thought. I left a detailed message about what I was looking for, left my name and phone number, and waited for someone to call back.
Two months later, I was still waiting for that call. Meanwhile, with the birthday fast approaching, I decided to look into my second choice. It was late in the day – and, yes, I knew that the bakery closed at 6:00. But I made the call anyway, figuring I could leave another message.
Imagine my surprise when someone picked up on the second ring. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and polite, and we set up an appointment. (Needless to say, I bought the cake from them.)
Every small-business owner and start-up entrepreneur should have a similar system in place. You see, answering your phone during regular work hours – instead of letting voicemail pick up – is a good way to establish a personal relationship with your customers.
If you can’t do it yourself, hire someone to do it for you. And don’t automatically switch over to voicemail the moment your “official” workday ends. Answering the phone five or 10 or 15 minutes after closing time is a small way to exceed your customers’ expectations – and delight them in the process. Bonus: You’ll be distinguishing yourself from bigger companies for whom answering every phone call may be inefficient and impractical.
You may not always get to meet your customers in person. But the way you treat them via telephone is just as important in determining whether they end up buying from you… or heading straight for your competitor.
[Ed. Note: Now is the perfect time to start your own small business. With help from ETR - and our panel of business-building experts - you can get that business off the ground, and help it grow. Discover 12 targeted strategies that can help your business make up to $1.2 million in 2009 at ETR's Info Marketing Bootcamp. Reserve your spot today.]
Don’t Choose This Formula for Your Bundle of Joy
You may think soy formula is a safe alternative to breast milk. But here are eight reasons to think again.
1. Caustic Chemicals: Soy protein isolate is the primary ingredient in soy formulas. And – unless it’s organic – it’s treated with hexane, a caustic chemical.
2. Exposure to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Almost all soy is genetically modified. But even if you choose organic soy-based formulas (like Earth’s Best), reasons 3 through 8 below are still health concerns.
3. Proper Growth & Development: Because of soy’s high phytate content, the use of soy-based formulas has been known to cause a zinc deficiency in infants. In addition to zinc’s involvement in more than 100 enzymes in the body, it is essential for normal growth and development.
4. Thyroid Function: Soy contains goitrogens – chemicals that have been found to impair thyroid function. The thyroid, a part of the endocrine system, affects weight, metabolism, mood, and the functioning of other endocrine organs.
5. Exposure to Heavy Metals: The aluminum content of soy formula is 10 times greater than milk-based formula and 100 times greater than unprocessed milk. Aluminum’s potential toxic effects range from kidney failure in infants to Alzheimer’s in adults.
6. Brain Function: Soy formulas lack cholesterol – a key ingredient in producing myelin, the fatty sheath that surrounds nerve fibers. Myelin acts as insulation, making it possible for nerves to carry information from one part of the brain or body to another.
7. Lower IQ: Soy formulas lack lactose, which is broken down by the body into two simpler sugars – glucose and galactose. Galactose is a valuable nutrient for brain tissue development. Anthropologists have demonstrated that the more intelligent species of mammals have greater amounts of lactose in their milk, and human milk has one of the highest concentrations of lactose of any mammal milk. Soy-based formulas contain no lactose at all, only table sugar and corn syrup.
8. Estrogen Exposure: It is estimated that infants fed exclusively soy-based formula receive an estrogen dose equivalent to five birth control pills daily.
When it comes to giving your little one the highest quality nutrition, there’s no doubt that the breast is best. But if you’re unable to breastfeed, choose a high-quality organic milk-based formula (like Bright Beginnings) that contains DHA and ARA.
[Ed. Note: Soy may be touted as healthy. But, as Kelley points out, it may be doing your baby more harm than good. For more information about what's good for your family's health, sign up for ETR's natural health e-letter.
Looking for a healthy sweet treat? Put down your sugar-packed soy bar and reach, instead, for a piece of delicious chocolate cake. High in protein and fiber, plus an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, this soy-free cake mix delivers wholesome nutrition... in the form of a decadent dessert.]
It’s Fun to Know: A Scientific Use for Rubber Duckies
If you see a yellow rubber ducky floating in the ocean, call NASA.
90 rubber ducks were launched inside a glacier recently to help scientists track the flow of the melting ice. Labeled “science experiment” and “reward” in 3 languages, the duckies also carry an e-mail address. Scientists are hoping they will be found and returned. The ducks will shed light on how melting water moves through the ice and what causes the process to speed up in summer.
(Source: Reuters)
== Highly Recommended ==
How Many Coulda-Woulda-Shouldas Are Cluttering Your Shelves?
Does this sound familiar?
You have big plans…
Then you fall off track…
Or get sidelined by your day-to-day responsibilities…
And then you decide to push back your dreams another week or month or year.
“I’ll just wait until January,” you say. “Then I’ll make a resolution to start again. And I’ll really do it this time.”
But guess what? You NEVER take action on those goals.
It’s time to break the cycle and make your dreams come true.
Word to the Wise: Fettle
“Fettle” (FET-l) – from the Old English for “a girdle” – is a state or condition of fitness or order. The word is often used in the phrase “in fine fettle.”
Example (as used by John MCrone in The Guardian): “Many of the nuns were in fine fettle, even into their 80s and 90s.”
[Ed. Note: Become a more persuasive writer and speaker ... build your self-confidence and intellect ... increase your attractiveness to others ... just by spending 10 VERY enjoyable minutes a day with ETR's new Words to the Wise CD Library.]
Similar Articles:
- A Word Is Worth 1,000 Pictures – For almost a month, “Alma” went back and forth with her Web developer on which illustration to use o…
- Dont Choose This Formula for Your Bundle of Joy – You may think soy formula is a safe alternative to breast milk. But here are eight reasons to think …
- SEO Don’ts: Using Hidden Text – If you’re just learning about SEO, you’re no doubt doing a lot of reading online. Plenty of SEO publ…
- If You Really Must Have a Design, (Im)Prove It – You may feel very strongly that your website should look a certain way. But the fact is, it doesn’t …
- The Look That Sells – Graphics and design are a vital part of any sales letter. But before you let your graphic designer t…
- 3 Places You Should Use Keywords but Probably Don’t – When Charlie and Suzanne asked me to start writing articles for ETR about search engine marketing, I…
- SEO Don’t: Using Fancy Flash Designs for Your Site – Optimizing your website for the search engines can help you get more traffic and, eventually, more s…
Kelley–thank you! People think I’m nuts for dissing soy. I’m actually allergic myself to it, and avoid it at all costs. Amazing how people are not expecting me to say that–like the lady in Target who wanted me to try SoyJoy. She was very surprised when I told her that I’m allergic to soy, especially raw soy. Nobody understands that soy’s “health properties” are due to an effective marketing campaign. Soy is poisonous.
Interesting read for me as my duaghter had to go onto soy; what about babies like her? She would not breastfeed with all the help possible; she was fed human milk which had been expressed, for 6 weeks’ She was still too hungry so had to go onto milk powder baby food; she rejested all normal milk due to lactose intolerance and was both satisfied and able to keep soy milk down.
Is she in danger? She is now 5′8″ almost at just 15 years of age. She has some above average intelligence scores for rapid processing of code etc.
My only concern was the eostrogen levels and how that might affect her later but we had no cjoice.
Any suggestions for mothers and babies in this situation?
“Think of your website as a dinner plate and your articles and other content as the dinner. Sure, you want an overall presentation that is attractive. But the food is the most important part of the meal. The plate itself should not be garish or bland. It should complement the meal and showcase it in the best light possible.”
I’ve been to many restaurants where the food was not great, just good enough, but I would definitely go back because I liked their decoration and atmosphere. I dont think copy should be more important than design, I think its a 50-50 efford. The article made me feel the graphics are less important than the copy, when its well know that an image is worth 1000 words. Maybe it worked for Cross, this doesn’t mean it will work for everybody. This is not a rule in marketing, its just Cross’ personal point of view.