The NYC Business Networking Group Blog. For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs

Three Tips for Working with Asset-Based Lenders

Jul 30, 2009 -

With bank loans harder to come by, more small companies are turning to asset-based lending. When credit was flowing more freely, many small businesses gravitated away from collateralized loans. It's easy to see why. Few people want to pledge their assets. And the fees are pretty high. But times change.

Now that credit is tight again, it may be harder to develop a relationship with these lenders. Historically, asset-based lenders have existed to provide collateralized loans to people who can't meet the conditions for a cash-flow-based loan. Ideally, you would have cultivated these folks in good times when you didn't need their help so much.

The good news is that while many asset-based lenders are part of large financial institutions, many are mom-and-pop operations, some of whom have an affinity for small businesses because they are also small-business owners or were at one time. “They have more of a feel and understanding of what managing a small business, especially during hard times, is really all about,” John Percival, an adjunct professor of finance at Wharton. They're much more likely than bank lenders to be there for you in good years and in bad years.

Here are Percival's tips for optimizing your relationships with asset-based lenders.

1. Find a local company, not a national operation.
Ideally, it will be one run by its founders or at least one that was entrepreneurial at one time. Shop around in your local area. You can get a list of asset-based lenders through the trade organization, Commercial Finance Association. Compare interest rates, up-front fees and how often they'll check on invoices.

2. Manage your relationships for the long run.
Don't try to take advantage. “You may need these people when things are a little tough for you,” says Percival. Take time to meet with them and talk to them. “Find people that you feel comfortable with.”

3. Try to understand their point of view.
Often small and mid-size business owners are reluctant to build long-term relationships with asset-based lenders because the conditions on the loan for validating revenue or inventory seem onerous. They're used to dealing with relatively small businesses that are risky. Take the tough terms as a sign that they're a good asset-based lender, and they're more likely to be around for you when you need them.

You may find asset-based lenders welcome your overtures more than a bank would. Because asset-based lenders monitor your collateral closely, they need to trust you. “They have a claim on your assets. You're not going to lie to them,” Percival says. Given the amount of fraud that occurs -- fake revenues on nonexistent inventories – these lenders go out and check up on a business in person. “They're a lot more likely to do business with people they trust.”

Knowledge@Wharton

Tags: asset-based lenders, lending, small business, financial management

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How to Rapidly Grow Your Blog Traffic

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NYC Small Business & Entrepreneur Networking Reception

Join The NYC Business Networking Group for our monthly open Networking Reception. We host about 60-70 attendees at each event and you'll get time to network with all our participants.

 

Meet new business professionals to promote yourself, explore business opportunities and form strategic partnerships with other outstanding and successful entrepreneurs and business owners. Refreshments will be served.

 

WHEN:   Tuesday, August 11, 2009

WHERE:  Wachovia Bank: 1345 6th Avenue (At 54th & 6th), NY 10105

COST:    $10 prepaid by 12:00 Noon on August 11 or $15 cash/door

RSVP:     http://www.meetup.com/The-NYC-Business-Networking-Group

 

 

CORPORATE SPONSORS OF THE NYC BUSINESS NETWORKING GROUP INCLUDE:

American Express OPEN For Business
Constant Contact
Capital One Bank 
Wachovia Bank

 

How to spend a marketing budget of $5,000

By Tony Eades  

So you’ve got $5,000 to market your business. What do you spend it on to get the ‘best bang’ for your buck?

Here are the top five marketing activities you should focus on to promote and grow your business with an investment of $5,000 - in order of importance.

1. Build your online business

Amazingly, around 60 percent of SMEs are yet to develop a convincing presence online. With millions of consumers searching daily online for products or using the internet to research a business before making a buying decision, how can any business afford not to have an online shop front. Five thousand dollars should buy you a professional ten-page website with necessities like e-news, e-commerce, blogs, forums and a backend content management system (CMS) so you can administer and edit the site yourself.

2. Direct mail campaign

Most small to medium businesses find that the majority of their regular customers come from within a five kilometre radius of their front door. Through your local Australia Post distribution centre you can send ‘unaddressed mail’ to businesses, post office boxes or street addresses in your local area from just 12 cents an item.

Cleverly designed DL size (envelope size) flyers work best if printed on glossy, mid-weight stock - this helps take away the common junk mail feel.

Ten to fifteen thousand flyers designed, printed and delivered should cost you less than $5,000 and achieve instant results.

3. Refresh your brand

If you have had your logo for more than five years your brand is probably looking a little tired - let’s face it, how fashionable are your clothes from five years ago? A modern redesign or upgrade of your logo can virtually re-launch your business to the market place.

A new look gives you and your sales team a reason to revisit all customers, old and new, to re-introduce your business and it’s exciting new brand.

4. Targeted print advertising

Most media publications charge a premium for advertising because of their high circulation. However, your target may only account for a small portion of these readers. Find a trade magazine or publication that directly targets your industry or market and book a full page ad or series of half pages.

For new advertisers, larger adverts deliver higher impact and can also give you some bargaining power to receive some complimentary advertorial within the publication.

5. Higher impact signage

Your building signage is like free advertising - promoting your business to passing traffic and potential trade every day (and if illuminated, night traffic as well)

Like a house for sale with no ‘for sale’ sign out the front, poor signage can cost your business severely.

Is your main logo displayed on your building professionally, preferably in 3D, full colour and illuminated at night? Consider window displays printed on banner mesh or one-way vinyl that allows you to see out but display full colour graphics from the outside?

Are your company cars and vans sign written or at least display magnetic decals promoting your brand and website?

Then there’s informational signage - do customers know where to park, opening hours of your business, which products you sell or what services you offer?

Tony Eades is the creative director for DesignShop, Australia’s fastest growing online design and print solution provider. He is a business marketing expert, with more than 20 years experience in design, advertising and client media campaigns.

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NYC Pitch Party: The NYC Business Networking Group's Most Successful Event

Hello Everyone,

The NYC Business Networking Group publishes this NYCBizNet Blog. We offer articles about low cost and inexpensive ways to help you market and grow your own business.

The NYC Business Networking Group has over 4200 members who are small business owners and entrepreneurs. We are in our 2nd year of sponsorship with American Express OPEN For Business. Membership to our group is FREE so join us and promote your business to our contacts.

Our website is: http://www.meetup.com/The-NYC-Business-Networking-Group

Check out the details below about this week's event.

Cheers, Ilana

 

The NYC Business Networking Group invites you to network with business professionals to promote yourself, explore business opportunities and form strategic partnerships with other outstanding and successful entrepreneurs and business owners. Each attendee will get a chance to promote themselves in a 30 second open pitch to our 50 - 70 attendees. Make sure you bring lots of business cards.

WHEN: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at 6:30 PM
WHERE: Capital One Bank: 277 Broadway at Chambers St

COST:  $15 Prepaid by noon on 7/22 or $20/door
RSVP: http://www.meetup.com/The-NYC-Business-Networking-Group


The Evening's Schedule:

6.30 - 7.00 PM: Registration & Informal Networking
7.00 - 7:45 PM: Everyone Does a "30 second" Pitch for Their Business
7.45 - 8.30 PM: Formal Networking With Targeted Participants After The Pitch

Top 10 Don'ts for SEO Copywriting

By Karon Thackston

Following in the footsteps of Rand Fishkin and Guy Kawasaki, I decided to come up with my own list of don'ts.

There is no shortage of don'ts when it comes to SEO copywriting. It seems this niche got off to a rough start many years ago when early comers somehow misconstrued the core principles of the trade. Allow me to elaborate on how not to write SEO copy.

1. Don't shove as many keyphrases into the copy as humanly possible. It's not about the sheer volume of search terms you include. Yes, Google and other engines should be able to follow what the page is about. Yes, engines are looking to match a searcher's query with search engine optimized content on your web pages, but which pages land at the top is decided through a series of calculations far more complex than any simple ratio.
When you overload copy with keyphrases you sacrifice quality and user experience.

2. Don't lose site of balance. If SEO copywriting isn't about the percentage of keywords within the copy, then what is it about? Balance. You have two audiences with SEO copywriting: the search engines and your site visitors. But surprisingly, the balance doesn't come with serving both masters well. The balance comes in how much you cater to the engines. You see, your site visitors always come first. However, if you write with too little focus on the engines, you won't see good rankings. If you put too much focus on the engines, you'll start to lose your target audience. Balance. always balance.

3. Don't let someone else choose the keywords. If keyword research isn't a service you offer, an SEO firm, keyword specialist or some other professional that your client hires
will have to conduct the research. Don't just accept keyphrases these folks toss your way. Ask to see the entire list with recommendations as to which terms would be best strategically. Then you, as the professional writer, can decide which will also work best within the copy.

4. Don't sacrifice flow for numbers. This is a follow-up to number three and is a major issue with bad SEO copywriting. SEOs or clients sometimes insist on using hacked-up search phrases that simply don't work in a normal sentence. An example? "Candies samples free." Many copywriters will just grin and bear it, sacrificing quality and flow for the sake of competitive values or other numbers. The result is often some
obnoxious sentence like, "If you're looking for candies samples free, you've come to the right place!" Forcing a phrase into the copy at all costs never turns out well.

5. Don't use keyphrases that don't apply to the page. If you operate a site about wedding receptions, don't try to force a search term about wedding dresses into the copy just because it pulls a lot of traffic. (A) Unless you sell, alter or design
wedding dresses, it won't be applicable. (B) Even if you manage to get the page ranked well for the phrase [wedding dresses], once the visitor clicks to your site and realizes you have nothing to do with wedding dresses, they will leave. It's a waste of time and effort and it creates a poor user experience.

6. Don't use misspellings and correct spellings on the same page. I fully understand that the misspellings of keyphrases can be valuable search terms. However, to mix correct spellings and misspellings within the same page of copy looks like you've
got a bunch of typos in the content. It's just not professional. Some writers will go for the old, "We rent limousines (sometimes spelled limosenes) for the most affordable prices in town." I don't care for that approach. It's just not natural. Would you ever see brochure or newspaper copy that reads that way? I think not.

7. Don't use keyphrases the exact same way every time. This is how we end up with  horrible SEO copy that sounds like a 4th grader wrote it. (See #4.) There are lots of ways to use keywords in copy, not just one. In order to sound natural, you have to get creative with your keyphrase use. One way is to break up phrases using punctuation. Since search engines don't pay attention to basic punctuation marks, you can easily write something using the search term [real estate Hawaii] that reads like this: "Currently there is an impressive selection of available real estate. Hawaii listings can be." See? "Real estate" is at the end of the first sentence and "Hawaii" is at
the beginning of the second sentence. The engines ignore the period so there's no problem.

8. Don't use all types of search phrases for every situation. There are many ways in which this "don't" applies. One quick example is that of an ecommerce site. It wouldn't be advisable to use specific, long-tail keyphrases on the home page of your site. They are much too specific in most cases and are better suited for individual product pages. Broader terms are typically best for an ecommerce home page. If you don't understand the best applications for the various types of keywords, you're likely to have lackluster results.

9. Don't neglect ALT tags/image attributes. These tags are the ones associated with images on your pages and they carry a good deal of weight especially if the image is used as a link. The ALT text counts the same as anchor text in a text-based link.
Depending on a few different factors, ALT text may be a good place for those misspellings mentioned in #6.

10. Don't forget the chain of protocol. There's a method to the SEO copywriting madness. The idea is not to get as many different keyphrases onto a page as possible. Just the opposite, in fact. Rather than having 12 different search terms used only one time each, you need to use two to four keyphrases (depending on the length of your copy) per page. The title, META tags, ALT tags, other coding elements and on-page copy need to support each other as far as keyphrase use goes. Your goal is to let the engines know that you have original, relevant content about a narrow topic.

Unless you have an exceptional number of back links built up, just mentioning [dark chocolate], [chocolate strawberries] , [chocolate chip cookies], [chocolate cake], [chocolate desserts], [organic chocolate] and [chocolate cheesecake] once each on a web page isn't likely to do a lot of good. Instead, pick two or three terms which are closely related and use them several times each along with mentioning them in your tags.

When you avoid making common mistakes, you'll find your SEO copywriting flows much better, is more natural-sounding and ranks higher, too.

Need help with SEO copywriting? Karon has written 3 excellent books to help you learn keyword optimization techniques. Visit http://www.Copywrit ingCourse. com today and click to the Order page for details.

Article: Top 10 Don'ts for SEO Copywriting
Author Name: Karon Thackston
Email: kt@copywritingcours e.com
Word Count: 1162
Category: Search engine optimization > writing
Copyright Date: 2009
Web Address: http://www.marketingwords.com

B-to-B Marketing Fundamentals Do Not Change

Times change.
Markets change.
Technologies change.
Fundamentals of B2B marketing don't.

I keynoted the Business Marketing Association's 2009 “UnLearn” national conference in Chicago last month.

Just prior to my gig was a live staging of McGraw-Hill's classic 1950s "Man in the Chair" ad. Fortunately it was captured on video because it is terrific. (Tough act to follow!)

It's fascinating how the fundamentals of business-to-business marketing are the same today as they were 50 years ago. It's still about relationships although today we have new tools and techniques at our disposal.

Direct link to the video on YouTube here.

Times change. Markets change. Technologies change. Fundamentals don't.

How are you changing? How are you staying the same?

Times change.
Markets change.
Technologies change.
Fundamentals of B2B marketing don't.

I keynoted the Business Marketing Association's 2009 “UnLearn” national conference in Chicago last month.

Just prior to my gig was a live staging of McGraw-Hill's classic 1950s "Man in the Chair" ad. Fortunately it was captured on video because it is terrific. (Tough act to follow!)

It's fascinating how the fundamentals of business-to-business marketing are the same today as they were 50 years ago. It's still about relationships although today we have new tools and techniques at our disposal.

Direct link to the video on YouTube here.

Times change. Markets change. Technologies change. Fundamentals don't.

How are you changing? How are you staying the same?

28 Ways to Grow Your E-Mail List

For a Free 60 Day Trial of Email Marketing: 

Build a relationship with clients and prospects via your newsletter—but first you must get them to opt in.  By Anna Yeaman

Three out of four leads won't buy from you within the first six months. E-mail marketing allows you to nurture those prospects until they're ready. To have a shot at building that relationship, you need to encourage them to opt in.

So how can you start or grow an e-mail subscriber list? Here are 28 strategies my clients and I have used: 

1. Transactional e-mails. Make the most of your transactional e-mails by adding an e-mail sign-up link. In a survey by Datran Media of 2,000 marketers, 63 percent said they plan on integrating marketing messages into transactional e-mails this year. 

2.Tradeshows/networking events. Make a note on business cards of contacts that have chosen to be added to your e-mail list. Try sending a follow-up e-mail to new contacts, and mention your newsletter as a way to keep in touch. Also, try having a raffle/contest at your next show. Not only will it drive traffic to your booth, but it's an opportunity to collect e-mail addresses from anyone entering. Let entrants know they will be added to your newsletter list.

3. Viral marketing. Run a “Forward to a Friend Contest” in your e-mail newsletter. If readers use the Forward link, they’re entered to win a prize.

4. Subject line. Try adding “Pls. Forward” to the end of your newsletter subject line.

5. E-mail signature. Include a “Join Our E-mail List” link at the bottom of your e-mail signature—and your staff’s. Try to make the language more compelling!

6. Customer support. Have your customer-support staff request e-mail addresses. Familiarize them with your newsletter content.

7. Squeeze page. Create a Web page that “squeezes” contact info out of a visitor. Use a free download or more information about your services as a lure.

8. Web site. Have a sign-up box on every page of your Web site. Each is a potential landing page.

9. Show list. Sometimes tradeshow organizers will provide a list of attendees’ e-mail addresses. Send out a newsletter a few days before the show introducing your company. One client of mine always includes a link to set up an appointment and a download of her latest jewelry collection.

10. Competition/contest. Offer a contest to win a voucher or gift certificates for your products or services. Promote your contest in magazines, at tradeshows, and on your Web site. One of my clients grew their list by thousands by running a contest in Woman’s World magazine to win a $500 gift voucher for their store.

11. Cash register. Ask your customers to provide you with their e-mail address when they go to the cash register. Be sure to set expectations around frequency.

12. Sign-up slips. Leave sign-up slips around your store, such as in the changing rooms, and include them with purchases.

13. Customer events. Hold events where you push e-mail sign-up. A lot of retailers hold in-store parties around Christmas. Think of holidays that appeal to your customer base, or just make one up, a la “Girls’ Night Out.”

14. Pop-up/ pop-over. Use a pop-up box or pop-over on your Web site. Spiegel has a Java-based pop-over sign-up form; GQ has a pop-up box on exit. I know, some of us hate pop-up boxes, but they are effective.

15. Business card. The back of your business card is a great place to promote your newsletter, i.e. “Stay in touch via our monthly TechTips newsletter.”

16. Cross-promotion. Team up with complementary businesses. Try not to hijack each other’s newsletter; introduce yourself gradually to your partner’s readers. Make sure you design your creative to fit in with theirs. Have you noticed how Daily Candy cross-promotes, using its own artwork and copywriter for its dedicated e-mails? It’s not so jarring and feels less like spam.

17. Business associations. Contact your association for its membership roster. There are thousands of associations and trade organizations. Many provide their list to members for free. Send colleagues an incentive to sign up for your newsletter.

18. Articles. Write an article (like this one!) and publish it for free in other newsletters and on Web sites. Add the line, “Want to receive more articles like this? Click here.”

19. Online sign-up page. Subscribers like to know what they’re getting into. Your sign-up page needs to sell your newsletter. Include:
• A clear outline of the type of content your newsletter covers
• Explain the benefits of receiving your newsletter
• Testimonials from current subscribers
• A link to your privacy statement
• A sample of past issues
• Set the right expectations by stating your frequency

20. #1 subscriber turn-off. Long subscription forms. Keep your subscription process simple, requiring name and e-mail address only. If you ask for a postal code, tell them why you need it. (To send information about local stores, for instance.) You can always survey subscribers later for additional information.

21. Reprint your newsletter content. Let others reprint your newsletter/blog articles. You gather links back to your site and new readers. Just ask that they add your contact information/link details.

22. Direct mail list. Chances are you already have a mailing list. Send out a postcard with an incentive to sign up for your e-mail newsletter.

23. Checkbox on all your forms. Wherever you have a form on your Web site (and off), add a checkbox or extra entry where contacts can sign up for your newsletter. Never force someone to deselect a checkbox; leave them empty by default.

24. Bills, receipts, and invoices. I read recently how a restaurant successfully grew its e-mail list by attaching cards to each bill. One of my clients adds stickers to invoices and store receipts encouraging customers to sign up.

25. Online video. Promote your newsletter in your online videos. Do this early on; most Web videos do not get viewed all the way through. If posting on YouTube, remember to add your URL to the title.

26. Start a blog. A nice side effect of starting my Style Campaign blog is that my newsletter subscription list has grown dramatically. Blogs increase your site traffic and allow the reader to get a taste of your newsletter content. Be sure to add a newsletter sign-up link on your blog sidebar so it can be accessible at all times.

27. Comment on blogs. No time to start a blog? You can still comment and get involved in discussions on other sites. Often your name will be linked back to your Web site, which can generate newsletter subscriptions.

28. Relevant, timely, targeted content. Don’t put all your focus on growing your e-mail list. It’s about quality, not quantity. You need to retain the subscribers you already have. Sending straight promotional e-mails month after month does not cut it anymore. Put extra effort into making your content useful. Look at magazine articles in your field for ideas. Try soliciting reader feedback as much as possible. Feature a Q&A, contests, and photos, or ask for reader stories and reviews. E-mail is a club, connecting you to your most loyal customers. Don’t mess up by focusing on short-term sales. By producing quality content, you will be rewarded with a high return on your investment and happy, repeat customers.

Anna Yeaman runs Style Campaign, an L.A.-based e-mail marketing boutique.

Ladies Who Launch is asking you … have any more ideas on growing an e-mail list? Share them with us in the Comments section below!

Article posted on http://pinkmagazine.com/small_business/technology/lwl_grow_email.html

So You Want To Write An Ebook? 30 Tips For Success.

Ebooks are one of the most effective forms of new marketing.

Ebooks have tremendous perceived value and therefore people tend to pass them on. They help solve problems and therefore buyers appreciate the content, branding the writer as someone worth doing business with.

Ebooks lead to sales!

Many people have achieved business success by writing an ebook. So can you.

Martin Soorjoo sent me his latest ebook The Black Book of Lie Detection: Effective techniques from a professional lie detector. It is really well done and I hope Martin doesn't mind, but I am using his ebook as our example.

What should I write about?

1. You should write about something that you know well. Martin is a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and expert in Body Language and has assisted individuals, companies and law enforcement officers in developing lie detection skills and detecting deception. Damn. He's credible!

2. You should write to solve a problem that people have. Martin's potential readers ask: How do I know if somebody is lying?

How should I write?

3. The ebook should be authored by a person. Don't make it by your company. You need the personal connection with readers. An ebook by "Premium Landscape Company" will not do as well as an ebook by "Mary Smith, chief landscape architect at Premium Landscape Company."

4. An ebook is a medium length document, maybe 20 to 30 pages. But since this is not dense text like a white paper, it is usually around 3,000 to 6,000 words.

5. Make it interesting.

6. Have a definite point of view.

7. Do not sell your products or services in the body of the ebook.

8. Write using conflict. Martin has a warning at the front of his ebook. And the content (is someone lying or not) drips with conflict.

9. At the end, in the biography section, have a place where people can learn more and can contact you if they want to work with you. 

10. You will need a great title that intrigues people. The Black Book of Lie Detection 

11. Use a subtitle to say what the ebook is about Effective techniques from a professional lie detector

How should I distribute?

12. Make the ebook a simple PDF document with no reader software required

13. Lose control of the content by making it totally free with no registration required. You will have 20 to 50 times more downloads than if you require people to submit an email address to get the ebook.

14. Add a Creative Commons license to encourage people to share.

15. Point people to a landing page where they can learn more, but allow people to point directly to the ebook URL if they want to. Here is Martin's landing page

16. Tell people about the ebook, especially those in a position to talk it up. I am writing about Martin's ebook because he sent me the URL via a direct message on Twitter.

Design considerations

17. Invest in a great design

18. Focus on the cover – the first thing people see

19. Use landscape orientation, not portrait (so it fits on a computer screen)

20. Include a biography section at the end with your photo where people can learn more

21. Use a header or footer with the title of the ebook with page numbers. (Sometimes people print out one page).

What about the landing page?

22. You should have a permanent place to point people. It could be on your blog or site or you could even make a micro site with a unique URL

23. Consider search engine optimization. The title tag for Martins's landing page is "How to tell if someone is lying – free lie detector ebook." I wouldn't be surprised if he gets to the front page on Google for the phrase "How to tell if someone is lying"

24. Use bold section breaks so people can determine immediately if the ebook is for them

25. Add the first link to ebook above the fold on the top of the landing page. 

26. For those who do not download immediately, provide details on how you can benefit from reading the ebook 

27. Add some author credibility at the bottom for those who need convincing

Martin's ebook and the related parts are excellent. But here are several things he might consider for the next time around

28. Make the landing page a permalink with the URL part of the SEO term. I am concerned that Martin's URL www.communicationdownloads.com/Links.aspx is not a permanent link.

29. Make the inside design a little less font heavy. The font choice should add to the text. I'm not a fan of the various colors at the top of some of Martin's pages because I think it detracts from the writing. However, this is a personal observation.

Question to Martin

30. How will you promote the ebook? How will people find it? A well done ebook has potential to generate hundreds of thousands (or even millions) of downloads.

Some other ebooks to check out

New Rules of Sales Enablement by Jeff Ernst

Healthy Mouth, Healthy Sex, by Dr. Helaine Smith

The New Rules of Viral Marketing: How word-of-mouse spreads your ideas for free my ebook that has been downloaded more than 600,000 times. (Do a search for the phrase "viral marketing" and see where the ebook come up).

What did I miss in the tips? Do you have one to add?

Have you written a great ebook? Congratulations! Go ahead and add the link in a comment and let us know about your success. How many downloads did it get? Can you tie the ebook to sales?

FROM WEBSITE: http://www.webinknow.com

Ebooks have tremendous perceived value and therefore people tend to pass them on. They help solve problems and therefore buyers appreciate the content, branding the writer as someone worth doing business with.

Ebooks lead to sales!

Many people have achieved business success by writing an ebook. So can you.

Martin Soorjoo sent me his latest ebook The Black Book of Lie Detection: Effective techniques from a professional lie detector. It is really well done and I hope Martin doesn't mind, but I am using his ebook as our example.

What should I write about?

1. You should write about something that you know well. Martin is a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and expert in Body Language and has assisted individuals, companies and law enforcement officers in developing lie detection skills and detecting deception. Damn. He's credible!

2. You should write to solve a problem that people have. Martin's potential readers ask: How do I know if somebody is lying?

How should I write?

3. The ebook should be authored by a person. Don't make it by your company. You need the personal connection with readers. An ebook by "Premium Landscape Company" will not do as well as an ebook by "Mary Smith, chief landscape architect at Premium Landscape Company."

4. An ebook is a medium length document, maybe 20 to 30 pages. But since this is not dense text like a white paper, it is usually around 3,000 to 6,000 words.

5. Make it interesting.

6. Have a definite point of view.

7. Do not sell your products or services in the body of the ebook.

8. Write using conflict. Martin has a warning at the front of his ebook. And the content (is someone lying or not) drips with conflict.

9. At the end, in the biography section, have a place where people can learn more and can contact you if they want to work with you. 

10. You will need a great title that intrigues people. The Black Book of Lie Detection 

11. Use a subtitle to say what the ebook is about Effective techniques from a professional lie detector

How should I distribute?

12. Make the ebook a simple PDF document with no reader software required

13. Lose control of the content by making it totally free with no registration required. You will have 20 to 50 times more downloads than if you require people to submit an email address to get the ebook.

14. Add a Creative Commons license to encourage people to share.

15. Point people to a landing page where they can learn more, but allow people to point directly to the ebook URL if they want to. Here is Martin's landing page

16. Tell people about the ebook, especially those in a position to talk it up. I am writing about Martin's ebook because he sent me the URL via a direct message on Twitter.

Design considerations

17. Invest in a great design

18. Focus on the cover – the first thing people see

19. Use landscape orientation, not portrait (so it fits on a computer screen)

20. Include a biography section at the end with your photo where people can learn more

21. Use a header or footer with the title of the ebook with page numbers. (Sometimes people print out one page).

What about the landing page?

22. You should have a permanent place to point people. It could be on your blog or site or you could even make a micro site with a unique URL

23. Consider search engine optimization. The title tag for Martins's landing page is "How to tell if someone is lying – free lie detector ebook." I wouldn't be surprised if he gets to the front page on Google for the phrase "How to tell if someone is lying"

24. Use bold section breaks so people can determine immediately if the ebook is for them

25. Add the first link to ebook above the fold on the top of the landing page. 

26. For those who do not download immediately, provide details on how you can benefit from reading the ebook 

27. Add some author credibility at the bottom for those who need convincing

Martin's ebook and the related parts are excellent. But here are several things he might consider for the next time around

28. Make the landing page a permalink with the URL part of the SEO term. I am concerned that Martin's URL www.communicationdownloads.com/Links.aspx is not a permanent link.

29. Make the inside design a little less font heavy. The font choice should add to the text. I'm not a fan of the various colors at the top of some of Martin's pages because I think it detracts from the writing. However, this is a personal observation.

Question to Martin

30. How will you promote the ebook? How will people find it? A well done ebook has potential to generate hundreds of thousands (or even millions) of downloads.

Some other ebooks to check out

New Rules of Sales Enablement by Jeff Ernst

Healthy Mouth, Healthy Sex, by Dr. Helaine Smith

The New Rules of Viral Marketing: How word-of-mouse spreads your ideas for free my ebook that has been downloaded more than 600,000 times. (Do a search for the phrase "viral marketing" and see where the ebook come up).

What did I miss in the tips? Do you have one to add?

Have you written a great ebook? Congratulations! Go ahead and add the link in a comment and let us know about your success. How many downloads did it get? Can you tie the ebook to sales?

FROM WEBSITE: http://www.webinknow.com

3 Internet Marketing Secrets

#1 The 10 Step Matrix for Getting a Top 5 Ranking in Google

 

I have simplified the matrix that has been built by my SEO team over the past 2 years so that anyone can apply it.

>>Click here to see the 10 Steps. http://forum.sup.biz/internet-marketing-and-forums.php

#2 Posting Forum Discussions that Pull 100,000 Visitors

 

It is amazing how much traffic you can get by using the right forums and posting the right discussions. I have outlined the process along with my secret list of forums that we use.  



>>Click here to read the secrets on Forum Marketing and Optimization - http://forum.sup.biz/rss-and-rss-feeds.php

 

#3 How to Use RSS Feeds to Get Massive Traffic

 

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Social Media That Businesses Use For Marketing


 

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