My 2¢ Worth

'm going to keep my comments short this week. I have a couple of projects going that are keeping me busy. Consider yourselves fortunate that you don't have to listen to me ramble on.

 do need to let you know, however, that you will not be receiving Web Sm@rts next week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. You'll receive the next issue on December 2^nd.

ere's wishing you a happy Thanksgiving holiday!

Feature Article

Getting Lucky With Systematic Marketing

by: Charlie Cook charliecook.net

In early-August, I got a call from Barbara at the Association of Management Consultants wanting to know whether I was interested in running a marketing workshop for their members. I asked how she had gotten my name; Barbara told me Jeff had referred me. When I mentioned that I had met Jeff over two years ago, Barbara said that I sure was lucky he still remembered me.

Luck had nothing to do with it. Jeff asked to be put on my mailing list after we meet. He gets my weekly ezine, full of marketing ideas he can use. Over time, I've demonstrated my expertise to Jeff and he trusts me enough to refer me as a speaker.

Are you relying on luck to get people to remember you?

When Jeff had a need or when someone he knew wanted an expert in marketing, my name came to mind. Why? Because I have a SYSTEM for promoting my marketing products and services that helps people remember me when they have a need.

Do you have a system that generates a steady stream of clients?

Over the years I've perfected a marketing strategy that generates a steady stream of prospects, clients and income. It is based on five core marketing principles and associated marketing tactics.

Why use a marketing system?

When you have a system, each one of your marketing efforts works to support your other marketing efforts. Each action you take builds on the previous action. Your marketing is cumulative. In my case this means that each month, I have an additional thousand or more qualified prospects interested in my services and products.

What are some of the elements of a successful marketing system?

1. Attract Attention

Learn how to explain what you do so that people quickly see how you can help them. All you need is a one-sentence description of who you help and the problem you provide; a marketing message or elevator speech. Use it on your business card, in your brochures, on web site and in your ads.

2. Establish Your Credibility

Provide proof of how well your services and products work. Testimonials describing results work well. Articles, case studies and helpful tips show people how you think and how you can solve their problems.

Prompt Qualified Prospects to Contact You

Use your frėė report, test drive, workshop, etc. to prompt prospects to give you their contact information. If they read your ezine, or visit your web site, give them a reason to tell you what they need and want so you can contact them.

4. Stay in Touch

Whether a prospect came to you as a result of an ad, referral, web search, or a mailing, regularly send them mail or email and demonstrate your expertise with ideas they can use.

5. Educate Your Target Market to Create Demand

One of the biggest barriers to salės is that your prospects don't know you, the range of your services you provide, or why they need your products and services.

Prospects won't hire you if they don't understand the need or the benefit. Use your regular communication to educate prospects about the problems you solve and to create a perception of need on their part and then they will want to use your services.

Still waiting to get lucky with your marketing? Use a systematic approach to marketing your business and generate a steady and reliable stream of clients and customers.

**************

The author, Marketing Coach, Charlie Cook, helps independent professionals and small business owners attract more clients and increase their earnings with the 5 Principles of Highly Effective Marketing. Sign up for the Free Marketing Guide and the 'More Business' newsletter, full of practical marketing tips at www.charliecook.net

Adding Audio to Your Site

You can add sound to your site that will be compatible with both Internet Explorer and Netscape as well. Add the following code to the HTML of your web page where you would like the control panel to display.

Change the text indicated in red to your sound file.

<embed src="yourfile.mid" autostart="true" loop="false" hidden="false">
<noembed>
<bgsound src="yourfile.mid" loop="1">
</noembed>

The "autostart" determines whether or not the music will play when the page loads. "True" specifies that the music will start on load and "False" specifies that music will not start on load.

The "loop" determines how the music should be played. "False" specifies that the music should not loop and will play it through one time. "True" specifies that the music should loop and play continuously. I highly recommend that you leave this set on false.

The "hidden" specifies whether or not the music's control panel should be displayed. "True" specifies that the control panel should be hidden. "False" specifies that the control panel should be displayed. This will enable your visitors to stop the music if they prefer. Once again, I highly recommend that you leave this set on false.

* Get these syndicated tip feeds for yourweb site, free. *

Second Article

Computer Products And Buridan Donkey

by: Yuri Iserlis Clever Ace

You can buy the computer products anywhere, but to find and select the best computer you need advices of the experts, otherwise there is a chance that you could find yourself in the position of Buridan's donkey.

Buridan's donkey (Buridan, Jean (1300-1358), French Scholastic philosopher) is known from history of philosophy. It is a case of a hungry donkey placed between two loads of hay, equal in both quantity and quality and equally distant from the donkey. The animal so placed, argued the dialectician, could never decide to which load of hay he should turn, and, consequently, it would die of hunger.

By analogy, it is not big difference between Buridan's donkey and the position of many shoppers find themselves in when choosing between many similar computers (with same performance capabilities) or similar products in computer store. What's worse is that Buridan's donkey knew practically all about hay, but the average customer knows only a little bit or practically nothing about many new computer products.

For your decision you must answer on the following questions:

• What series and model of computer you need?
• What peripheral equipment must have your computer?
• What software you need to install?
• Where you can buy for the best price all these components.

You need also to know the possible mistakes and pitfalls.

**************

Dr. Yuri Iserlis -President and CEO of Clever Ace ( www.cleverace.com )

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