I mentioned on my blog that I buy up some advertising at the end of the year to reduce taxable income. Of course, that brought up questions from my readers about how I do that, and if it's effective. So, I figured I'd open it up to my panel of experts.

The question I asked was…

“Do YOU buy advertising either online or offline? And, how do you know that it works – or doesn't?

Do you have any stories or examples
about your experiences?”

I hope you'll find the answers this week interesting.

Mark Mason of MasonWorld.com says:

When I first got started in Internet Marketing, I had more money than sense. (Some people that know me say this is still the case — but we'll have to take that up in another post).

Anyway, when you are new at Internet Marketing, it can be really exciting. Like most people, I was anxious to get off to a quick start with my business. I needed traffic, so I bought some pop-over ads from one of those high traffic download sites. Tens or hundreds of thousands of impressions (they were cheap, and I had money to spend.).

Of course, at the time I knew very little about Marketing, but I got some traffic.

The problem was that the demographic for the ads was all wrong. As it turned out, all I did was show my offer that should have been targeted at older U.S. females to thousands of teenage male game enthusiasts that were looking for free software. Most of them did not even have credit cards.

The message is obvious. Getting traffic from your ads is not enough. You need qualified traffic. More specifically, you need that “Message to Market Match” that my friend Lynn Terry is always talking about. So, make sure you understand what you are buying, who is clicking, and test, test, test. As Nicole says, “Testing is Sexy.”

Kim Roach of BuzzBlogger.com says:

I started experimenting with paid advertising in 2010. My favorites include Warrior Special Offers, Solo Ads, and banner ads.

Personally, pay-per-click is way out of my skill set

But solo ads and WSO's I can do.

The key is knowing your numbers.

I use Hypertracker to test every traffic source individually. So, for example, if I'm placing a solo ad in someone else's newsletter I will create a unique tracking link in Hypertracker so that I know exactly how many clicks, subscribers, and sales were generated from that particular traffic source.

For example, with our latest product launch of the Traffic Dashboard I've been doing a combined blitz of Warrior Forum Special Offers and Warrior Forum Banner Ads. Using this combination we've done a little over 100 sales just from the Warrior Forum alone – making them one of our top affiliates. But since this was paid advertising there wasn't actually an affiliate link in place.

Maybe I should ask Allen if he'd like to become an affiliate

The WF Banner Ads are a new advertising option that has recently been introduced by the Warrior Forum and it costs $100 to have your banner displayed for a full 24 hours.

Not bad for being able to position yourself in front of THE most popular Internet Marketing forum online

And based on my stats from Hypertracker, we've been generating AT LEAST $200 in profit for every ad we place. So that means I spend $100 and get at least $300 back.

As you can imagine, I'll do that all day long as long as I'm generating a profit.

But, it is a little bit tough to get a WF Banner spot – they stay full most of the time.

I wonder why

So that's been a HUGE discovery for 2010.

We also did a number of solo ads in 2010 – which I plan on scaling even further in 2011. Again, it's really just a numbers game. If you're going to do paid advertising you MUST know your numbers.

If you're not tracking everything down to the click, you're really flying blind when it comes to paid advertising.

But start tracking properly and you'll be able to zone in on the critical few that bring you the most results.

I find most of my favorite solo ad spots on the Warrior Forum and the DirectoryofEzines.com.

Plus, if you find a winner and you want to advertise long-term you can often times work out creative deals and discounts with the owner.

Shannon Cherry of S.A.L.E.S. System Formula says:

I have only bought advertising once. And you know what? It was an utter bust.

After all, advertising is what you PAY for. Publicity is what you PRAY for.

That's why I only focus on getting free publicity for my business. I use a lot of ways to do this, including creating my own holiday and doing a virtual blog tour (thanks for the great resource on this Nic!).

However, the one tool that consistently gets me publicity online AND offline is press releases. I write about two a week, but even one a month has helped my clients get on the pages of the New York Times, the Washington Post, Parents Magazine, as well as on The Today Show, Entertainment Tonight and even the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Just imagine how much an ad on Oprah would cost you? Plus, you're competing with some big companies like McDonald's who has a $15 BILLION (yes BILLION with a B) budget for advertising alone.

So I love press releases! And if you haven't included them in your marketing mix, maybe you need to start today.

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

Yes, I invest in advertising, but, as Mark alluded to — I usually test what works and what doesn't. I say “usually” since I'm human and sometimes don't. But, of course, the times that I haven't tested my results — that's been wasted opportunity (and lost cash).

Thankfully testing is pretty easy in many cases. I normally test in either Google Web Optimizer or inside the version of 1ShoppingCart that I use (Quick Sales). I'll write up a blog post about how to do tracking in 1ShoppingCart (and its reseller carts) so you can see exactly how I do it. I've used other Ad trackers in the past, too.

A Word (or Two) of Common Sense First

First let me just say that I don't willy-nilly spend hours on this. It's one piece of my entire marketing portfolio – and, as I always say “Do what works and ignore the noise”. So, if you're getting killers results from video marketing or article marketing, guest blogging, getting interviewed on teleseminars or webinars, recruiting affiliates, getting JV partners, or, as Shannon recommended, writing & submitting press releases, then just read this post and set it aside as a tool that you can pull out and use another day. The last thing I want to do is send you off on a wild goose chase to research advertising if you're better served to write and submit a few articles today instead.

What Kind of Ads to Buy?

I'm going to focus here on email advertising. And, the only kind of email advertising I buy are “solo ads” (which are ads where my promotion is the only thing showing in the email itself). I do not buy email ads that are “top ads” (where you ad is on the top of the email) or “classified ads” (where there are a group of ads at the bottom of the email).

I also don't do “ad swaps” (which is trading mailings with other marketers) with anyone outside of my personal JV relationships (which are people I personally know and trust). I'm highly protective of my online family and will not sacrifice that ever in order to build my lists.

ok. So, where do I find advertising opportunities?

The best ways I've found to get solo ads are…

– Contacting newsletter owners directly.
If I find someone who reaches the people who I want to reach, and looks like they're promoting other people in their emails regularly – and if I like their style, I'll drop them a quick email to inquire if they'd be interested in promoting my offer as an affiliate or, alternatively, if I might otherwise get some info about their advertising rates for a solo ad.

– Watching for solo ad offers.
I've gotten emails from some marketers who've had offers where they sold solo ads. If I'm already on their list, I have a general idea of the relationship they're building with their readers and who they're reaching, so I know whether or not I want to be associated with them.

What I've found to be a waste of time, unfortunately, is the Warrior Forum's JV section on their forum. (Not to be confused with the rest of the Warrior Forum which can be highly valuable.) But the JV section has tons of ad swaps and ad buying opportunities, and you could get lost in there for days. However, the quality of *some* of the lists are questionable. I can't, obviously, group everyone into that, nor would I, but I would recommend that you connect with other marketers in your field who have related products or services – directly – and build a relationship with them, before investing hours in ad swap world.

Is this the best use of your time and the most effective way to get traffic?

That depends. (Of course.)

IF you have an offer that converts (and you know exactly who is buying and how much each person spends) –

and

IF you're willing to track the results of each place you advertise (the list itself), every email you write (the copy), and the landing pages (including the offers) –

Then sure.

However, if you are thinking of throwing money at ads and hoping for the best – then you might want to put this aside for now – especially if money is tight, and focus on other ways to get in front of your target market.

In that case, I'd again recommend Kim's course: Get Traffic Dashboard (and my Bonus)

That's my 2 cents on the topic.

Recommended Freebie:

If you want to learn more about Ad Tracking, my interview with Charlie Page touched on a lot of great tips – including the importance of tracking. Why should you listen to him? Because he owns the Directory of Ezines which lists newsletters where you can purchase advertising. You can listen to the interview here: Charlie Page Free Interview.

It’s Your Turn.

So, now, I’ll pose this question to you. Do you do paid advertising for your online business? Why or why not? What have you learned from it? I’d love to hear your comments!

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. I have created brandable ebooks from several of the previous Expert Brief columns that you can use to earn commissions by giving them away.

Well, it works.

Here's what just one of our members had to say…

As a Virtual Assistant I have searched high and low to find some places to advertise. When I heard about Shelancers I was very excited. I jumped on the great price and started advertising.

Within a couple weeks I had my first client from Shelancers. Since then I have gained a total of three clients from Shelancers and I could not be happier. Shelancers is an amazing place and I will be Advertising with Shelancers.com as long as they will have me.

Tricia Gardner, NE TimeSaverVA

If you're a service provider who wants more clients like Tricia, we'd love to help you too!

Check out Shelancers.com. (Members get many other benefits besides advertising, including training.)

Are YOU looking for a writer or VA for your business?
Find the help you need in your business here.

Have a wonderful day.
Nicole

Here are just a few:

Advertise in Ezines.

There are online newsletters everywhere that accept advertising. The key thought is to purchase advertising in publications that reach your target market and to create your ad to showcase your expertise. Don't try to be everything to everyone or you won't attract clients. Assuming you offer business-to-business service, it only makes sense to advertise in ezines that reach… businesses. And, I hope you'll narrow down your target market even more than that.

Bad Ad Example: Hire me to lighten your workload. I can do everything that you don't want to do. Let's talk!

Better Ad Example: Are you ready to get more leads to your online store? I will handle your ezine advertising campaign for you. No more searching for targeted ezines, no more writing and tracking your ads. I'll handle it all it all. My clients experience a boost in subscribers, and customers, after I complete my ezine advertising campaigns that will pay for my services. Check out my website for testimonials and free tips.

Write and Submit Articles.

The key with writing and submitting articles for your service-based business is to stay on topic. Don't write and submit articles about health or pet care. Present a problem in your article and solve it. Make sure your author bio is very compelling to attract potential clients.

Recommended Resources:
www.EasyArticleMarketing.com – a full course that will teach you step-by-step, in detail, how to effectively market with articles.
www.SRZone.com – a short report with advanced tactics to take your article marketing to the next level.

Network where *successful* people hang out.

A huge mistake that VA's and Ghostwriters make is to hang out on forums where there are other people struggling to make money. Instead, join a membership site for your target market and you'll find yourself in the “inner circle”.

Recommended Resource:
www.MomsMastermind.com – the place where I have met all of my Virtual Assistants and some of my writers.

Advertise at Shelancers.com.

One of the easiest ways to get your name in front of business owners looking for help is to advertise on Shelancers.com. Again, it is crucial that you list your specialty in order to stand out from the other providers. But, if you can find a problem that business owners face, and offer to handle it for them, you'll attract loyal clients who will continue to work with you for years to come.

Limited time special. Receive advertising plus training for dirt cheap.
Click here to check out the advertising and training at Shelancers.

Of course, there are ways to get more clients through your existing ones, like referrals, improving your current website to attract more people, building your own list, posting special offers on forums — all of which I will get into more in future posts.

What are YOUR favorite ways to attract clients? Would love to hear your thoughts. And, do check out Shelancers soon. The special on advertising is ending after the introductory period ends.
Warmly,

Nicole

Nicole, I'd love to know where I should buy ezine ads. My business is very “Lead-oriented” and I need to continue to generate more leads in order to grow my business. Got any ideas for me?

I've created a list of places to purchase Ezine Advertising. I get asked a lot about advertising, and have dabbled with it for my customers (using this service to track results — although this shopping cart comes with tracking, as well).

Here are some places to begin looking. Some are free lists of ezine publishers and some are paid lists.

• http://www.directoryofezines.com/
• http://www.ezine-dir.com/
• http://www.mywizardads.com
• http://www.soloadsonly.com
• http://www.solo-ads.com/
• http://www.ezinead.net/

Here are some ezines.

• http://www.moneymakingmommy.com
• http://www.red-hot-copy.com/ezinead.htm
• http://www.ezinequeen.com/adsales.htm
• http://www.wahmteam.com/advertisingorder.shtml

I have not personally tried all of these, so please research them thoroughly before purchasing.

I hope this helps!

Warmly,
Nicole

However, I know a lot of my readers are in Direct Sales and have very few, if any, stats available to them. That, unfortunately, IS a problem.

Here's where I'm going to jump on my soapbox and lecture.

If you're investing all your time and energy into your Direct Sales business (as you well should if that's your focus) — if you have NO website of your own, you're not building an online presence — and you're making a mistake, in my opinion.

Think about it for a minute. What if your Direct Sales company decides to cancel its Consultant program, or the new management is unethical, or it goes out of business, OR… what if you find a new company that you love even better?! Then, all your hard work is gone, the minute you terminate your contract. Even if you've built up a ton of advertising expenses — it's ALL gone.

Now, I'm certainly not bashing direct sales. I think it's a great way for Moms to make money from home. However, you do have to be smart about it. Get your own website or blog. Seriously. Even if your company does not allow it. Just don't mention their products or the company by name. Just use your site to collect email addresses, and stay in touch with them.

I hear you now… “I don't know how to build a website.” You don't need to know how!

There's a great sitebuilder that I've recommended for years now and it's especially great for Direct Sales Moms. You don't NEED to learn about building websites — spending time learning that would be distracting from your focus.

Here's the service I recommend: Easy Website Builder (and yes, it's a referral link, but I'd recommend it to my mother and my best friends — heck, I HAVE. Right, Annette? )  It's really as easy as it gets!

For instance, if you're in a Health-oriented Direct Sales business (because we all know how finicky they are about advertising) — then create a one page site that says “Get my free report on …. topic… Sign up Here” and send your traffic THERE. Even if no advertising at all is allowed, you're in the clear.

From there, you can track your stats in the site builder stats (or website stats) and you're able to see what is and is not working for you — including your advertising.

I hope that helps. If you have any questions about WHY you'd want to create a website … or what to put on it, just post in the comments. I'll be checking my blog daily, so I'm happy to answer your questions.

Have a wonderful week!
Nicole

HBWM Ads , Direct Sales Ads , USA WAHM Ads

I received several questions and most of them were similar:

“Nicole, I've tried advertising and it doesn't work! How can I make my advertising more effective?”

There are several aspects in running a successful ad campaign.

The first thing is the ad, of course. It needs to make people want to click. Some people spend more time deciding what to eat for dinner than they do on writing an ad that they are paying money for…

Are you spending time writing a quality ad that shows the benefits of your product or service?

For example…
This ad stinks: “Buy Blue Widgets — on sale until Friday”.
This ad is better: “Sleep through the night and wake up refreshed. Blue Widgets will help you in 2 days guaranteed. On sale until Friday.”

Do you see the difference? The first one is about the product, the second one is more about the benefits. (It's still not great, though.)

Now, I'm not a professional copywriter, so I don't want to teach you too much about this.
If you'd like to learn more about copywriting, I recommend Alice Seba's free tips as a starting point –
FREE Copywriting Tips

Have a wonderful weekend!
Nicole

Hi Nicole!

Thank you so much for all the great free information in your WebTrafficBasics.com course. However, I noticed that you don't give any tips for advertising in it. What's up?

I'd like to advertise my site, but would like your advice so I don't waste money.

Erin

Hey Erin,

You caught me. I'm not a big advertiser myself, so I don't always give tips on the obvious — which you called me on.

There are some obvious things to watch for when choosing advertising.

Is the advertising targeted? — For instance, you wouldn't advertise make-up on a Bait and Tackle site.

Is the site getting traffic? — You can ask to see the stats from the web owner if they are asking for a large investment or check into alexa.com (It's not a true indication of how much traffic the site is getting, but it'll at least allow you to compare a few sites overall.)

From there, you need to decide if it's going to help your own Search Engine traffic. For me, I do buy links on some sites because I own my own website. However, if I had a Direct Sales replicator site, it may not make sense for me to spend money on a lifetime link. It really depends on your goals.

Also, do you plan to be in this particular business for a long time? If so, then definitely buy some advertising — especially lifetime links. However, if you switch businesses as often as some people switch their socks, then buying a lifetime link may not be a wise investment for you.

That being said, here are some places I recommend for advertising:

Click here for HBWM

Click here for Direct Sales Ads

Click here for USA WAHM

Have a look at them and see if they are what you're looking for. I also am reopening my advertising at ShowMomtheMoney. Although it says “Sold Out” you can purchase it. Just mention that you read it on my blog.

Here's the page — > Business Opportunities (Direct Sales) Advertising

I hope that helps, Erin!

Nicole

Unfortunately, with all the quirky changes the the pay-per-click engines are inflicting on us these days …obtaining targeted traffic can be a challenge.

Russell Brunson has devised an ingenious forum that can shovel laser-targeted traffic to your website.

Get this: You can earn advertising credits for posting, replying, and even READING threads in his forum.

Sign up today! It's free. I'll see you there.

Nicole

Why I’m Promoting your Competition’s Affiliate Program and Not Yours

Today, I’m sitting at my computer, about to launch a new site and I’m going through Clickbank, looking for potential affiliate programs to promote.

Time and time again, I’m shaking my head, wondering if these Internet Marketers realize how many potential affiliates they are losing, as I click the red “x” and go to the next product. And, of course, this isn’t only the products listed at Clickbank. Affiliate Programs everywhere are lacking in their professionalism and respect for their affiliates.

It’s pretty obvious that many people don’t realize what turns off a potential affiliate. Could it be, perhaps, that the people writing these books have not been successful at Affiliate Marketing themselves?

After much frustration, I’ve decided to run through my list of reasons I did not choose your product to promote, and, instead chose your competition.

1. Your page is gaudy and unappealing.
Now, we all know the saying that ‘Ugly sites sell’. That’s absolutely true. A plain blue background with Arial text can make millions. However, a site that looks like a sparkly, flashy mess and gives your visitors a seizure is not cool. Leave the cursors alone. Don’t stick animation on there. And, for goodness sakes, stick with only one or two fonts, please.

2. Typos and spelling errors.
This one is actually kind of frightening. If the product you’re selling is an e-BOOK then please act like you know how to write. Have a friend or even an enemy read and reread your sales letter for you. If you don’t have any friends or enemies, then pay someone. Just don’t try to sell an e-book on a sales page that looks like a third grader wrote it. It’s not going to sell. At least I’m not going to sell it.

3. You offer more sales options than Clickbank on the sales page.
For instance, a hard-cover version of your book through amazon. Tacky! Why should I send you traffic through Clickbank so that you can make a commission on amazon? Not a chance. Or even worse, you have both a Clickbank button and a paypal button.

And, my #1 biggest irritant —

4. You’ve got google ads or actually have the guts to sell advertising on your page. (And, no, I’m not joking here.) I don’t even need to go there. Anyone who’s a successful affiliate knows that this is the sign of death for any affiliate program.

So, there you have it. four reasons why your competition is getting my business and you are not.

Nicole

First of all, if you haven't gotten your profile in, please click here to submit your interview. I'm looking forward to learning more about all our wonderful LadyPens writers.

Secondly, I've had a tremendous response to this promotion. My assistant and I are working through the list of submissions. If you don't see your interview for a few weeks, it's just because I'm working through them in order, NOT because your interview was not accepted.

Thirdly, you may have noticed a slight change on the article pages at LadyPens. I've removed all google ads from the articles and have replaced them with a billboard where I'll be featuring special freebies and offers and products that I personally recommend. This is not paid advertising (where random people can promote their stuff), just where I'll be listing “Hot Stuff” that is personally helping me with my business. I hope you like the change.

That's it for today! Happy Monday.
Nicole