Promote Your Website in Everything You Write

I'm sure you already know this but in case you don't: put your web site address literally everywhere you can think of. This is the easiest no-cost form of advertising you will ever do. Believe me when I tell you, people (as in prospective customers) will be looking for your web address if they find you or your product interesting.

In Forums: Put your website address in your signature file so that every time you write and post your web address can be clicked by whoever is reading it.

In Print: Make sure your web address is prominently displayed on every printed piece you mail or hand out: letterheads, business cards, sales brochures, catalogs, trade show pieces, signs, post cards - everything!

On Blogs: Of course you have your web address on your blog, right? If you don't - stop reading this and edit your blog right now. Then come back for the rest of the goodies. I'll wait - this is important.

On other people's blogs: Always make sure your web address is right under your name when you post a comment to other people's blogs.

Emails: Every email you send or reply to - whether they are personal or business - needs to have your web site address right under your name.

The list could go on and on but I think you get the idea. Your web address - or blog address if you don't have a separate web address - should be just another part of your name in everything you do!

CrissBertling.com
FreshBrewedCopy.com
MuseYourImagination.com
EverythingForYourHomeBasedBusiness.com
6MProfitPlan.com
My-Instant-Niche-Emails.com

Overkill? I don't think so :~)

Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!

Persuasive and Compelling Words

Are your words powerful and persuasive enough to move your reader (translation: prospective customer) into some type of action? Whatever you're looking to accomplish, you need to know what words to use and how to use them or everything you say will just be more noise in a loud and insanely busy world.

Experience has taught me a lot about persuasion. I spent many years sitting in a federal courtroom, listening to lawyers, prosecutors, witnesses and experts all trying to persuade a judge and jury that they were right. I have spent even more years in a career writing advertising and marketing copy. My bank account and bloodshot eyes are testimony to the hundreds (even thousands) of hours I have dedicated to learning everything I can from true masters of persuasion.

The one thing that is constant, whether you're writing for a full-color glossy brochure, a direct mail piece or for the internet, is that people are still people. They have the same fears, wants, needs and dreams.

People first and always want to know, "What's in it for me?" They won't care about the details of your fantastic product until they believe you're offering a benefit that will fill a need they have. And your expression of the benefit(s) had better be persuasive and compelling or their 5-second attention span will move to something that is.

So what are the characteristics of persuasive copy? Write this down. Your words must:
1) Get their attention (as in, Why should I read this?)
2) Focus on the reader/customer (as in, It's all about me.)
3) Stress benefits (as in, What's in it for me?)
4) Set you apart from the competition (as in, What makes you so different?)
5) Establish credibility (as in, Are you for real?)
6) Build value (as in, Why are you so special?)
7) Prove what they say (as in, Don't blow smoke.)
8) End up with a "call to action" (as in, Just do it!)
9) Give the reader a valid reason to act now (as in, Don't wait.)

Just FYI - not every sales page or copywriting task will require all nine characteristics. But a good copywriter knows how to be compellingly honest and persuasive with each one.

Paint a Mona Lisa With Your Words

Don't you just hate trying to paint a Mona Lisa of who you are and what you do at 2:00 in the morning? The more you type, the more ignorant you become. The harder you try, the less you accomplish.

In the midst of struggling to find the perfect visual, you experience a mental black hole. So you backspace, delete, cut and paste. Hmmm. Nope. Still not right. You trash the whole thing and start over. Or click on Start, Turn Off Computer.

Sound familiar? Good. I could use a little empathy. Or is that sympathy? Anyhow, I am delighted you stopped by. You are a welcome distraction.I have been involved in marketing communications for 20+ years now. Longer really. But I figure you're a savvy person who knows how to add 2 + 2, which means you could come up with my age if I were to tell you the whole truth. So we're not going there.

Back to why I'm here and what I do. I am "one of those creative types." I suspect you are too or you wouldn't be here. You're looking to improve your life: make more money, get out of debt, send your kids to college, be successful (or more successful), buy some things you really want, bring in some extra cash, or travel the world. Maybe you just want out from under that miserable job you go to every day and you know there is more to living. You want to wake up every morning with that "I love my life!" enthusiasm.

Me too. That's why I'm here.So maybe we can help each other. I am a creative writer. I write for magazines, newspapers, an online ezine, newsletters and for a megachurch in South Florida where I am the Director of Marketing Communications. I contribute stories for the Chicken Soup book series. I also speak to groups on leadership and women's issues.I am addicted to words and know the power they have. I can't stop reading, writing, surfing the net or talking.

My pupils have become permanently dilated, and when they stare back at me in my bathroom mirror I could swear there's a Microsoft Windows logo imbedded in there.

I became part of an amazing online community after seeing its tag line: "Turning knowledge into power." I LOVE that, don't you?Turning knowledge into power. The more I thought about it, the more excited I became because that is precisely what I do for a living. I take someone's knowledge and passion about a subject, mix it up with my creative know-how, and together we paint a Mona Lisa that can help make that new life become a reality.

Turning knowledge into power. That's what I do. Wow! I'm pumped. So here I am, sharing what I know, forming friendships and partnerships.

So check out my blog here. If you're interested in being put on my ezine list, send me an email that says "Subscribe Me" in the subject line at criss@copywriterpro.com.

Now put down that paint brush for the night and catch some zzzzzz's. We have work to do 'cause Mona needs a new smile.

Are You Trying to Decide Which eBook Compiler to Use?

There are many choices for ebook software on the internet. And when I say many, I am not exaggerating. I ran a search through MSN and discovered 901,000 pages that talk about or sell "ebook compilers." I ran another search for "ebook software" and discovered 33 million plus pages. Whew! That's a whole lot of searching through the internet.

eBook compilers are simply software programs that take your typed text and turn it into a file that a person can click on to open and read. So what's the big deal? Microsoft Office Word document files do that. PDF files do that. There are freebie PDF file makers all over the internet. Who needs something called an ebook compiler?

If you want to be taken seriously with your ebook products, YOU do.

Here's the down side of .doc files or generic .pdf files. You have no protection from people changing, plagiarizing or passing around your hard work as their own against your wishes. Whether you are giving away a free ebook or charging big bucks for it, it is your work product. You want to be certain that the information is not tampered with and the links to your products and web sites are not changed. You could lose income and credibility in a flash. eBook compilers will protect your hard work and your income through password protection and your ability to block someone from printing, copying or tampering with your ebook.

That's one critical reason for using an ebook compiler for your text product. A second and equally important reason is because you want your ebook to look professionally produced, complete with a "virtual cover," and be full of content-rich pages. In other words, you want to over deliver - even a freebie - to your friends and customers. An excellent ebook compiler will help you do just that. It not only will take your typed text and put it into a format similar to actually reading through a book, but you can add your own password protection so that only the person who has permission can open and read it. With an ebook compiled by special software you can limit or prohibit printing, copying, editing - you name it. You have complete control over what the reader has access to do.

Then, of course, you will want your ebook to be able to compete with the best of the best, not only in its content but in its look and feel. Your ebook compiler needs to be able to create a great "virtual cover" and allow you to imbed links, photos, web pages, multimedia and more. Many programs allow the reader to scroll through the lines of text at their own pace, or "turn the pages" similar to a real book. There are so many things you can put inside of your ebook that will make it exciting, appealing and a product its readers will rave about.

But won't that be complicated to use, you ask? Yep, it sure can be. That's where you can really see which ebook compiler is right for you. If it has the ability to include many features within the book, if it can help you design a cover, if it comes with an easy-to-understand help system, and it is super simple to use - you've got a winner!

So just how much do these ebook compilers cost? Great question. They can range from totally free to a couple of hundred dollars. It completely depends on what features are included. I have tried numerous compilers and was becoming pretty frustrated. Some created so-called ebooks that were nothing more than some text inside an .exe file. (That is typically what a free program produces - I do NOT recommend going that route except to become familiar with the very basics of ebook compiling.) Others were so complicated that I just gave up trying to figure out what to do with all of those "extras."

I finally found an outstanding, reasonably priced ebook compiler that I just LOVE! It can literally do everything except write your book for you. It is just chock full of possibilities. The best part is it not expensive, it comes with its own affiliate program and sales web site, and is -- ta-da! -- DEAD EASY to use! (My 10-year-old grandson uses it to write his own storybooks. Right now he's writing about the Adventures of Gigobyte.)

The name of this program? You'll love this: DeadEasy eBook Maker.

You can make your ebook as simple as just your text with some links to your web sites. Or you can get really fun and make each page play music, insert photos, talk, turn automatically, scroll at the readers' pace, play videos, imbed links & .pdf files - you can even run software from inside an ebook you create! It is so easy to use. And if you get stumped, there is a fantastic tutorial inside the program itself that you can open up wherever you are and find answers to your questions.

So what are you waiting for?

Go check out this ebook compiler. It may be the perfect choice for you! Go to the website and read through the sales page. It is full of information and there is even FREE SOFTWARE you can download just for visiting.

What have you got to lose? Heck, by this time tomorrow you may be an ebook author!

Here's the link: http://69.44.15.17/deadeasy-ebook-software.htm

Let me know how you like it!