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In this issue:
Marketing Article: And now, The Truth About Marketing: 4 Classic Tips That Never go Out of Style
Marketing Article: Profitable Online Marketing - Guaranteed!

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Enough mis-information! Now it time for the truth to be revealed. Here's our short list of sometimes obvious, sometimes controversial, but always true statements about marketing as an industry and a pursuit.

Marketing Truth #1: Marketing is hard. But it gets easier.
Well, that's not entirely true. We should say, marketing successfully is hard. Bad marketing is simple, and it's everywhere. That unreadable postcard you got in the mail last week—full of misspellings, trying to sell you a funeral plot even though you just turned 26? That was bad marketing.

As with anything else in life worth doing, successful marketing is difficult. It takes time, and effort, and work, and it always will—even for people who have been doing it for decades. But here's the thing: it gets easier, and more successful, as long as you take the time to learn from your experiences. Every product, campaign or event you launch is full of opportunities to make a note to yourself about how you could do it better next time. You should test everything you do. Record your results, and put them into play. Before you know it, you'll have a gut instinct that really works. Things will get a little easier. And the payoffs, hopefully, will remain just as rewarding.

Marketing Truth #2: Creativity isn't just for artists.
Sure, there are more marketers with MBAs than there are with degrees in fine art. But the best minds in business are also highly creative, and that goes double for marketers. In this age of constant messaging to consumers and companies alike, the marketers who really grab their customers' attention are the ones who are think differently—those who come up with a round-hole answer to a square-peg problem.

Even for day-to-day marketers at small companies, creative thinking wins the day. Marketers need to be able to evaluate copy and design, to maximize its value. They need to come up with fresh new ways to publicize the same old products and services, year after year. And they need to recognize a great idea when they see one—even if others see it as a bit wacky. Who on earth came up with the idea for Oscar Mayer's Weinermobile, or making stoplights shaped like Kisses in Hershey, Pennsylvania? A great marketer did.

Marketing Truth #3: Catchphrases change, but people don't.
Remember “word-of-mouth” marketing? These days, it's called “viral marketing” by trendy insiders. But the act remains the same, and great marketers know that it's one of the most tried and true ways to grow a loyal customer base.

Basically, word-of-mouth marketing happens when people who love your product or service tell their friends, neighbors and anyone else who'll listen that your company is worth supporting. It's a passionate, unpaid sales force, and it generates untold millions of dollars every year.

So how do you create word-of-mouth buzz? There are plenty of ways to do it, but here's a few ideas for starters:

* Be excellent. Make sure your product or service really provides an amazing value.
* Offer samples, give discounts to your sales reps, and make your goods, services and staff as accessible as possible. People who use products themselves are far more likely to become evangelists.
* Reward your customers. Put your relationships to work! Start incentive, loyalty and referral programs for the people who bring you business or renew their contracts. Even at a small business, this works: coffee shops who take the time to recognize their regular customers and reward them with an occasional free pastry or cup on the house reaps rewards far beyond the few dollars they spend on these gestures.

Marketing Truth #4: The customer really is right.
It's a very old saying, but it won't ever change, especially for marketers: the customer is always right.

Every marketing strategy has to answer the customer's question, “What's in it for me?” The question must be answered on an emotional level, and an intellectual one too. After all, powerful marketing creates a one-to-one relationship, even when your campaigns reach thousands of people. Clients in business and retail alike want to have their needs met. More than just features and benefits, they want solutions. And they will judge every marketing strategy you have on whether it offers them the right solutions at the right time. Tap in to the right answers for your customers, and you'll be well on your way to marketing success.

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When you boil it right down, there are really only three things that you need to do exceedingly well to market your business effectively online, and you should think of all three simultaneously with each new advertising campaign you entertain.

And they are,

Obtaining an Opportunity to Sell – Lead generation, driving traffic to your web site.

Closing the Sale – The sales presentation,  online sales copy & order page etc., to close the sale.

Following Up on Your Maybes – Follow up call, opt-in email, offline newsletter, mailing list etc. Think of your market as an orchard, with some ripe & ready plums, and many more green ones. Pick the ripe ones yes, but be sure to irrigate & fertilize the soil, prune & bug spray the trees with care, and nurture the fruit along.

Mastering all three of these activities is critically important to the profitability of your advertising campaigns, and online marketing in general.

But when you're starting a new venture, which one do you master first?

In my experience, the overwhelming tendency is to start at the beginning. That is, spending maximum time & effort attracting traffic.

Unfortunately, this all to common approach often results in failure.

Frequently, those that go this route never really get off the ground, because they can't turn a profit. They invariably discover, after spending boatloads of cash, that some of the estimates they made in their online marketing business plan were off the mark.

Speaking of getting off the ground, allow me relate a story to illustrate my point.

I'm betting you all know the story of Orville & Wilbur Wright. They went down in history as the first human beings to really fly. But how many people remember Dr. Samuel Pierpont Langley?

In 1896 the Wright Brothers, and Langley were engaged in a fierce competition.

Who would be first to conquer the skies?

Langley, a distinguished scholar and secretary of the Smithsonian institute was the clear favorite. He had already achieved impressive unmanned flight over the Potomac River with his steam powered Aerodrome No. 6.

Based on this success, Langley was able to raise $100,000 in funding, and set out to develop an extraordinary radial-cylinder internal combustion engine that would produce an astonishing 52 horsepower. In his estimation, capable of powering an aerodrome large enough for manned flight.

The Wright Brothers, by contrast were convinced that the secret to success lay in their ability to control the aircraft, once in flight. They therefore spent their time experimenting with gliders over the forgiving sands of Kitty Hawk.

For several seasons they worked on manipulating the wings, nose, and tail of the aircraft, so as to allow the operator to actively control it.

Wilbur, who most often piloted, suffered a multitude of minor cuts and bruises. But on each successive trial, much was learnt.

On October 7, 1903, it looked like the Wright's had lost, as Langley made ready his first manned launch. Langley's plane would go from a dead stop to the 60 m.p.h. flying speed in only 70 feet.

But the stress of the catapult launch proved greater than the flimsy wood-and-fabric airplane could stand, and the front wing was badly damaged on take off.

The nose heavy Aerodrome “A” then plunged into the Potomac.

A reporter who witnessed the event claimed it flew "like a handful of mortar”.

Things went even worse during the second launch of December 9, 1903, where the rear wing and tail completely collapsed during launch.

Langley had succeeded in burning through almost all of his $100,000 in capital.

Just 8 days after Langley's spectacular failure, a sturdy, well designed craft, powered by a tiny 8 horse power engine, costing about $1,000, struggled into the air at Kitty Hawk, defining for all time the moment when humankind, mastered the skies.

Langley died in 1906 after a series of strokes, a broken and disappointed man.

“What on Earth Does Flying Wooden Airplanes Have to Do With Marketing My Business?”

The moral of the story is this.

Test, test, and retest your prime online marketing value proposition to be sure it converts customers, BEFORE committing yourself to major capital outlays, and the start of your advertising campaign.

Will your site, or sales presentation, or direct mail piece convert a high enough percentage of prospects into customers to make that advertising campaign profitable?

Like the Wright brothers, who focused on control, versus brute force, you will dramatically improve your chances of online marketing success, if you make the development of a persuasive, & compelling closing pitch, your number 1 priority.

TESTED, to bring home the bacon! Don't even consider launching your production advertising campaigns until this is done.

And then, BRING ON THE TRAFFIC!

It's all about your ability to control, influence and motivate the minds of your prospects, once you've attracted them to your website. Just the way the Wright brothers were able to manipulate the wings, rudder, and nose of the aircraft.

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Daniel Levis is a top marketing consultant & direct response copywriter based in Toronto Canada. Recently, Daniel & world-renowned publicist & copywriter Joe Vitale teamed up to co author “Million Dollar Online Advertising Strategies – From The Greatest Letter Writer Of The 20th Century!”, a tribute to the late, great Robert Collier.
Let the legendary Robert Collier show you how to write words that sell...Visit the below site & get 3 FREE Chapters!
http://www.Advertising-Online-Strategies.com/ad-strategies.html