Use subheads to draw attention to your copy
Why do we use subheads anyway? Because you can’t just cover the important points in your copy. You’ve got to highlight key points using graphic devices, such as bold type, italics, underlining, bullets and subheads. If a key point is your guarantee, then put the word "guarantee" in one of your subheads. If your copy says somewhere that subheads help skimming readers, then put that vital point in a subhead, like this:

Use subheads to help skimming readers
Readers like to skim. So use subheads to show readers what each section of your direct mail piece discusses. Look at this article, for example. A glance from top to bottom tells you this article has four tips on writing effective subheads. You discovered that by skimming. Subheads lead your readers point by point through your sales pitch. This way, readers who only skim your copy still learn, in outline form, what you are selling.

Use subheads to break up large blocks of text
Page after page of uninterrupted type is monotonous to look at (unless you are reading a novel). But if you break up your copy with a subhead here and there, you show your readers that there is some respite along the way. Subheads make your copy more inviting to read.

© Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the “About the author” message).

—-
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter and lead generation specialist who helps business owners and marketing managers generate leads, close sales and retain customers using business-to-business direct mail marketing. Learn more about his creative direct mail writing services and sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.sharpecopy.com.

Combine two dynamite online methods for bringing your business to the attention of buyers - Local Search and widely posted articles you write. Doing both gives you a jump on your local competition, plus additional credibility and exposure to your market.

Local Search occurs by adding a geographic term is added to a search engine query. Instead of results comprising millions of pages, only businesses within your specific area are included. For example, entering Florists + Boston only returns Boston florists - a small pool of available choices.

Geographic terms can be town, state, region, zip code, etc. Results appear on both a list and map, so the most convenient stand out. Today, nearly 40% of search engine queries ask for Local Search information - with that number increasing rapidly. 70% of buyers go online to conduct research before they buy, even from local merchants. So the impact is considerable.

Articles Deliver Credibility and Links

When you write articles and post them widely to Internet directories and ezines, your knowledge is spread to thousands of readers. Sites displaying your articles link back to your website. That encourages readers to seek you out. Links also increase search engine rankings, which push you higher on the results lists. Capture all the benefits http://www.promotewitharticles.com/benefits.html that come with writing articles.

You’re Not Competing Against the Whole World

The widespread assumption dictates shooting to be on first page results if you can (most searchers don’t look past the first page). That all depends. If you’re competing against every other business and website out there, that’s true. And your odds are slim. But you don’t need to - only the ones competing for the same customers you are.

Besides, sophisticated search-engine optimization strategies or tracking methods are beyond the needs or skills of most small businesses. There’s a danger that SEO demands can easily pull an owner away from their brick-and-mortar priorities.

There’s a well-known joke about two men being lost in the wilderness, who come to the attention of a bear. One man stops long enough to put on his running shoes. His friend scoffs, “You really think you can outrun a bear?” He replied, “I only have to outrun you.”

When it comes to Local Search, you don’t have to outrun all the other enterprises that do what you do. You only have to outrun the ones in your local market. Those likely to show up in the same Local Search results you do.

Consider all the plumbers who could show up in a Local Search for: Plumber + “your town”. Visualize three groups:

1. Those who won’t appear in the search because they’re not listed in the search engine data bases. See if your business is included in those databases at http://www.localsearchresources.com/listed.html

2. Those who appear in the results, but who have done nothing further. They won’t show up in all the search results they could have.

3. Those adding specific information for search engines, website visitors, and their local customers: a) enhance their website, b) provide search-engine-relevant information on their pages, c) provide easy-to-find information that Internet users are looking for.

#3 lets you outrun the other guy. Your articles help you to do that, too. Of those who show up in your search results list, how many are likely to have such additional information (and keywords) for the search engines to draw upon? Your information seems more complete and relevant-leap-frogging you to the front.

Adapt Your Articles for Your Neck of the Woods

The usual method for getting better search engine rankings is to post articles widely to article directory sites and ezines interested in your topic. That’s how the game’s played for e-commerce topics, or products and services with a national reach.

But that’s not primarily what you’re after as a small business operator. Certainly, you’ll benefit from links from other posting sites and links to your website. But you’re interested in reaching the people who live in your area. They’re the ones you want to read your articles and be moved to come to your place of business. Your priority is to build relationships on the local level.

So also post your articles to websites or portals in your community. They may not have high page rank, but they have access to your local customers. And links among local enterprises help to support each other and the local economy. Aso, print off a stack of your articles for handouts in your storefront.

Write your articles differently. Mention your town in your title or keywords. Make sure your signature file (sig) says your town and state. Use examples that are specific to your town or region. “Choosing roses that can thrive above the tree line.” Refer to landmarks or make geographic references that the locals will recognize. The search engines will pick up some of those references, and they’ll boost your Local Search prominence.

Learn to Make the Most of Local Search Exposure

The easier you can be found online, the more ways you appear in Local Search results. It’s here for the long term, bringing customers to your door who don’t respond to your other marketing methods. Articles and Local Search awareness will build on each other, and you’ll gain a tangible edge in your local market.

Copyright 2005 Off the Page

–Dr. Lynella Grant An expert in Yellow Page ads and Local Search. Stand out online and offline, so you capture more Internet-savvy buyers for your brick and mortar business. Free resources http://www.localsearchresources.com 719-395-9450

We all know full well that developing links that point to your website can be more vital than just about any other technique known to the world of search engine optimization. Think about it for a moment. We need something that can:

a) Make sure our visitors are finding what they needed

b) Help us obtain our traffic goals

What would that be? Quality Content of course!

Some statistics on surfing the internet show that in nine times out of ten, when you find something that catches your eye and you end up reading it, you will probably find it through a quality text link. Because of this, it may also be true that linking to such quality content will help your pages rank better as well. So far it seems as though it works both ways.

What about reciprocal links though?

We still have no solid evidence in either direction as to whether or not the major SE’s are beginning to discredit or subtract “rank” if you will, when it comes to reciprocal links. So far, all tests are showing that there is no penalty involved. The site in question simply is not doing as well as it used to back before reciprocal links were not so exploited in the pagerank realm.

Tried, Tested, and True

The site tested had a monthly increase in reciprocal links of about 8% steady for thirteen months. Until the Jagger update, the site had ranked top three in Google for all ten targeted keyword combinations. However, now the site can be found on page five on a standard size page of Google search results.

Here is where it gets good. Another site that we were watching for the exact same keyword combinations jumped to #2 for all 10 keyword combinations being watched.

What is the difference between the two?

Site A: 432 backlinks in Google on all datacenters via the McDar Tool. 87 pages indexed. Older Site.

Site B: 112 backlinks in Google on all datacenters via the McDar Tool. 367 pages indexed. Younger Site.

According to our tests, content is not just a part of the calculation, it is a HUGE part of the calculation. With that being said, we have come to the conclusion that unique web content is not only vital, it is a required part of any successful website marketing plan.

All you need to do is build a website loaded with quality content. The links will eventually come, and so will the PageRank.

Reporters are busy people. On any given day they are fielding dozens of phone calls, making calls of their own, reading stacks of newspapers and magazines and rushing to meet deadlines. So how do you break through all the noise to get a reporter or an editor on the phone to listen to your pitch?

In my 15 years as a magazine journalist I’ve fielded hundreds, if not thousands, of such calls. The following tips are what I’ve told many authors and publicists. The ones I eventually wrote about are the ones who listened and learned from the conversation.

1.) Ask If the Reporter Has Time to Speak to You

Make “Is now a good time?” the first question you ask when you get a journalist on the phone. Don’t assume that if he or she is busy, they won’t answer the phone because sometimes a reporter on deadline has to pick up. They might be waiting for confirmation from a source or to connect with a colleague in the field, and Caller ID doesn’t always give enough information for proper screening. There were many times when I was on deadline and answered my phone only to find, to my chagrin, a non-stop pitch on the other end. But the callers who impressed me would ask immediately if I was on deadline. All I had to say was “Yes” and they’d say they would call me in another day or so and hang up. Totally cool. I made sure I made time when they did call back. Sometimes I even checked my mail to see if I could find the caller’s press release so I would be ready for our talk.

2.) Understand This: The Fact That You Wrote a Book is Not a Story!

You may have written the best book in the world, but unless you’re Stephen King turning to pulp fiction (as he did recently) or Terry McMillan publishing your first novel in several years and getting divorced at the same time (as she did recently), you and your book are not a story. I’m sorry but that’s the plain truth. Of course if you land on the bestseller lists then we’d have something to discuss. There is one instance, however, when you would be a story and that’s when you…

3.) Connect to a Story Already in the News

When promoting your book you should be reading the newspaper and watching the news (local and national) daily. You’re looking for stories related to the subject matter in your book. Ideally you would have something to say and you would offer that up to a reporter. For instance, if you’ve written a book on cronyism in official government posts you could have put out a press release and called up a reporter during the Hurricane Katrina disaster with information such as, “This kind of cronyism has caused mishaps in government response before. I can tell you how it happens and where it has happened before.” The press release would list the details in easy-to-read bullet points. It would be easy to see you’d make a great interview subject.

This can work for novels as well. Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones is an exquisite book in its own right, but it got a huge publicity boost because it happened to get published at a time when several stories of missing girls were in the news.

4.) Ask What the Reporter is Working On

If the reporter isn’t interested in your story, don’t just cut and run. Engage the person in a friendly conversation and find out what types of stories he or she is working on for future issues. This way you get to cultivate a relationship–important because good media contacts are difficult to come by. You’re also learning what is newsworthy so you can either tailor your message for other outlets or come back to the reporter when you do have information he or she can use. I used to love it when the latter happened–it made my job easier!

One last note: Always follow up on the press releases you send out. You might be thinking, “Well, if they’re interested they’ll call” but nine times out of ten it doesn’t work that way. Your press release could be in the mailroom, in someone’s office under a pile of papers or in the garbage unopened. It definitely hasn’t been read! Don’t be afraid to make the call. Whatever the outcome, at the very least you’ll be able to use what you learn for your next publicity effort.

© 2005 Sophfronia Scott

Info@TheBookSistah.com

These days it’s common knowledge that it’s hard to meet an agent or an editor through an unsolicited mailing. They are more likely to pay attention to a submission coming from someone they have met in person. To that end, writers flock to conferences so they can get some face time with real live agents and editors. And that’s great. I believe writers should get out and network. But those conferences can be pricey. It’s best to combine attending conferences with a few other strategies that are easier on your wallet. Here are 3 you may find useful.

1.) Attend Author Readings

Make a point of keeping track of writers who do work similar to yours. When they’re in the vicinity go hear them read. Sometimes–not all the time–but sometimes the author’s agent and editor will be in the audience. If they aren’t, see if you can steal a few moments with the writer and ask with whom he or she works and whether they have been pleased with the experience. You can either ask for an introduction or contact the people on your own. If you’re going to do the former, first develop a rapport with the writer and stay in touch. They may not feel comfortable referring you to their agent or editor right off the bat, but in time as they get to know you and your work, an introduction may be a possibility.

2.) Attend Classes Offered by Continuing Education Groups Such As The Learning Annex

Agents and editors are in the business of looking for the next hot writer and making a name for themselves in the publishing world. That’s why you’ll often find agents and editors teaching classes related to their work at places such as The Learning Annex, which has locations in New York City, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Chicago, Atlanta and Boston (http://www.learningannex.com). Recent instructors include literary agent Katharine Sands, editor Marcela Landres (formerly of Simon & Schuster) and Vickie M. Stringer, founder and CEO of Triple Crown Publications. The courses can cost as little as $30 or $40 and last about three hours so you have some time to find out if the instructor can help you or point you in the direction of someone who can.

Remember the agent or editor probably has aspiring authors handing them manuscripts all the time, so make sure you stand out from the pack. Have a killer query letter and synopsis (if your book is a novel) or book proposal (for non-fiction works) at the ready. You’ll make a great impression simply because you’re not making them lug a 500-page behemoth home in their briefcase!

3.) Look for Agents and Editors Who Have Their Own Personal Websites

When you come across the name of an agent or editor who may be appropriate for you, Google them to see if they have their own websites with email addresses that may be different from their corporate mailboxes. Some are authors themselves (like literary agent Donald Maass, author of Writing the Breakout Novel) and have books of their own to promote. Email them and, again, try to develop a rapport and get a sense of what they’re working on and what they’re looking for. It’s best to know as specifically as possible before going through the trouble of making a submission. I recently heard about a writer who submitted to an agent looking for African American authors, but in fact the agent was looking for African American authors who wrote urban romance–which was not the writer’s genre at all.

One Last Note: These ideas should get you started and I hope they’ll inspire you to try other creative routes. It does get easier because you will find that as you go to more events and tell more people what you’re doing, the more likely you will be to find the connector that will build the path between you and your future agent or editor.

© 2005 Sophfronia Scott

Info@TheBookSistah.com

1 - Your Name

The best way to gain respect and be known as a Guru is to brand your name. One of the best ways to brand your name is by writing Articles, Always include your First and last Name in your Article. Sorry Mom I am Mike Makler not Michael Makler. If you have a prestigious Title like Dr. or Professor you may want to include it as part of your name as well.

2 - Your Contact Information (Phone and / or E-Mail)

What is it, Phone, E-Mail or both? This really is a matter of personal taste. When I write Articles about my Finance Business I put my phone and direct them to a Web Page with a Sign-Up Box. Most other Times I put neither because I want them to go to my web page to contact me

3 - A Brief Bio

This is Just one or 2 sentences telling them why you are an Expert. Robert Allen’s Bio may look something like this

• Robert Allen New York Times Best Selling Author and Real Estate Investor ….

4 - Website Link

You want to have at least one link Pointing to your Web Site Make sure the anchor text for your link is your Web Site URL (i.e. http://ewguru.com/newsletter) as some publishers don’t use live links.

5 - A link to a Blog (optional)

If you have a Blog related to your article Topic include that link as well. Same as in Step 4 Make sure the anchor text for your link is your Blog URL.

6 - Your CopyRight

Just use a Standard Copyright Statement

• Copyright © 2005-2006 Mike Makler

7 - A Statement allowing them to reprint my Article

Here is a Sample Statement

• [You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated]

These are the 7 Essential Parts of a well written Resource Box. You may want to include other things like Additional Web Links, a Newsletter Subscription Address, A Fax Back Number, A Cell Phone Number or even a Postal Address.

About The Author:
Mike Makler has been Marketing Online Since 2001 When he Built an Organization of over 100,000 Members

Get Mike’s Newsletter:
http://ewguru.com/newsletter

More Articles by Mike:
http://ewguru.com/tips

Permission Based E_Mail Marketing Methods
http://ewguru.com/hbiz/amazingoffer.html

Copyright © 2005-2006 Mike Makler the Coolest Guy in the Universe

Lapsed donors are valuable. Unlike strangers, they have supported you before. And they believe in your mission enough to have sent you a gift (or gifts). That means they are worth mailing to. You can expect to receive an 11 percent response rate from a mailing to lapsed donors if your results are typical, says fundraising expert Kent Dove (Conducting a Successful Fundraising Program. Jossey-Bass, 2001).

Here are some tips on writing an appeal letter that will win them back. In the fund development profession, the letter you write is called a recovery letter because it aims to recover donors who have lapsed.

1. Write to one person
You will likely not know why each donor has lapsed. Donors stop giving for any number of reasons. Some forget. Some lose interest. Some get distracted with the arrival of children-or grandchildren. Others decide they do not like your new executive director’s ties. Each donor is an individual, and the way to win each one back is to send a warm, sincere, personal letter from your heart to theirs.

2. Say "we miss you"
What you are trying to communicate in your letter is that you miss the donor more than their donations, which should always be true. You have lost a supporter first, and a source of support second. So write your letter in such a way that you show your concern for the person. Here are some lines to use:

3. Invite the donor to come back
Provide a tangible way for the donor to renew support. Ask for a gift toward a particular project. Offer a subscription to your free newsletter. Do something to involve the donor and make them take action.

4. Customize your appeal
Whenever possible, customize your recovery letter to the unique circumstances of each lapsed donor. For example, if you know from your database that a donor only sent a gift once a year at Christmas, mention that in your letter. Or if another donor supported only one area of your work, mention that. The more that your letter appeals to the interests of your donors, the more likely you are to recover them. Here’s an example:

"The last time we heard from you, you had generously responded to the humanitarian crisis in Honduras. You sent us a gift that helped us meet the immediate needs of that emergency. Today, I am writing to you because I think you can help us overcome another crisis."

5. Match your language to the length of lapse
Statistically speaking, the longer you’ve had to wait for a gift, the less likely you are to receive one. That means you should segment your database into groups of 12-, 24- and 36-month lapsed donors (or another criteria that you use), and send each group a slightly different appeal. To a donor who has not given in a year, for example, you can say, "We miss you." To the donor who has not sent a gift in three years, you can say, "You have supported us in the past. Your gifts made a difference. I urge you to renew your commitment by sending a gift today." The idea is to be casual with the new lapsed donors and progressively more vigorous with donors who have not given in two or more years. Some examples:

12-month lapsed
"Your financial support in 2001 made a difference. Your gift at the end of this year will have a positive impact on the people, which in turn will lead to better health, hope and confidence for humanity."

24-month lapsed
"Your financial support in recent years was a great help to us. Now I’d like you to renew your support by joining with me and the volunteers at . . ."

36-month lapsed
"We have not heard from you for quite sometime and yet your past support has made a difference for populations in danger. I think you can help us overcome this crisis."

6. Tailor your ask
Some of your lapsed donors will have given once and never again. Others will have given faithfully each month for years. Each donor demands a different letter. The more faithful your donor has been, the more that donor requires a personalized letter with a personalized ask amount. In other words, don’t take the easy way out and ask a one-time donor and a 10-year supporter for the same amount, treating each one the same way. You could ask the one-time donor for a gift that’s the same size as their last one. And you could ask the long-time supporter for a gift that’s the same size as their smallest one, or their average gift over time, or their last one, and so on. I’ll leave the decision to you.

7. Win back their hearts and minds
Lapsed donors need to be persuaded again to support your mission. You’ll need to re-state your case for support, and address any reasons you know of for donors stopping their support.

The two most important things to say in a recovery letter are that you miss the donor and that their support made a big difference in the lives of the people your organization serves. "A carefully crafted appeal that lets past donors know they are important, appreciated and missed almost always produces a net income," says Stanley Weinstein (The Complete Guide to Fundraising Management).

© 2005 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the “About the author” message).

Alan Sharpe is a professional fundraising letter writer who helps non-profits raise funds, build relationships and retain loyal donors using creative fundraising letters. Learn more about his services, view free sample fundraising letters, and sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.fundraisingletters.org.

Many writers say it: “I don’t read when I’m writing”. They think it will contaminate their voice, that whatever style they’re reading will somehow seep into their work and it really won’t be theirs. That’s only a problem if you’re writing a 21st-century urban romance and last night’s reading of Pride and Prejudice has you making your characters sound like they’re in an English drawing room and not a Miami nightclub!

In fact, if you’re not reading while you’re working on your book, you’re missing out on the many ways you can learn from authors past and present who have dealt with the very same issues you’re struggling with. I once heard that if a writer is stuck or has writer’s block, it’s because he or she hasn’t done their homework, and for a writer homework is reading. But how do you know what to read and how to make use of it? Here are 4 easy tips to getting the most out of your reading.

Identify the Strategies/Techniques You’re Using in Your Book

Take out your book’s outline (or notes or whatever pages you have written so far) and highlight the writer’s tools you are using. Now you may not see them as tools. For instance, your character is sitting in a car and she’s having a memory of a car accident that happened when she was little and you tell the story of the accident. That’s a flashback. Maybe you used internal dialogue, maybe you’re telling your novel in the 2nd person voice or your whole book is historical fiction so getting the setting right is crucial. Once you’ve identified your main tools, ask yourself, “What tool do I want help with the most?” Then…

Find Books in Which the Author Has Used a Similar Technique

Sometimes the right book will come to you automatically. Writing in the 2nd person voice? Then Jay Mcinerney’s Bright Lights, Big City comes to mind. It’s a great example of a strategy that’s very tricky to pull off. I would definitely want to read it if I wanted to be as effective as he was with his novel. Great examples of historical fiction include The Known World by Edward P. Jones and anything by Toni Morrison. When I was learning how to use flashbacks effectively in my novel I re-read Pat Conroy’s The Prince of Tides and The Mourner’s Bench by Susan Dodd. Ideally as a writer you are reading extensively and the books that come to mind for you will be ones you have already enjoyed and know well. If you need a few ideas you can try referring to a compilation such as Book Lust by Nancy Pearl where you can find books listed and discussed by their characteristics.

What’s the Best Way for You to Learn From What You’re Reading?

Ask yourself this question to help you develop a way to work with what you’re learning from the book you’re reading. It may be a matter of taking a few notes on the types of words the author uses or the kinds of details he or she uses to create an effective scene setter. Or it could be more complicated. When I was learning about flashbacks, I was trying to figure out how long you could keep the reader in the past without losing the tension in the present day storyline. So I took The Prince of Tides and did a rough outline of it, counting out how many chapters and how many pages Mr. Conroy devoted to his past and present day story lines. I also noted what the reader learned or what was revealed in each chapter so I could get a sense of how he paced the book. That’s just what made sense to me–to create a visual that could help me grasp the whole book. What would help you best understand what a writer has done? This is important because it will help you with the last tip…

No Beating Yourself Up!

Reading is NOT helpful if you spend your time marveling at how good an author is and how you “could never do that.” Focusing on reading critically and understanding the craft will keep you in the mindset of being a writer trying to learn from another writer. You’ll soon see that reading the book of a great author is kind of like examining a designer gown. If you look closely you’ll see the gown has seams just like any other dress–it’s just that the stitches are smaller and the workmanship impeccable so the seams aren’t as evident. As you read you too will see the workmanship behind the art and allow yourself the opportunity to improve your workmanship likewise. And while it’s still possible you “could never do that”, I can tell you for certain you will “never do that” if you don’t practice and keep writing!

© 2005 Sophfronia Scott

Info@TheBookSistah.com

“But the free mailing service I use already archives them.” you say.

That’s great! That means the search engines will find that many more links to your site online. But it is worth the effort to put them on your website also. You can do it simply and quickly.

First, here are three good reasons why you should take the time out of your busy schedule:

1) It shows your subscribers and potential subscribers that your newsletter is a vital part of your service to them. Isn’t it worth preserving for posterity?

2) Your newsletter will contain many keywords — those subjects for which people and consequently search engines often search. If you submit them to the search engines, they’ll draw traffic to your website. You can create an index page for them and put them all in their own directory, or even put them on their own domain, and submit it to the search engines and directories as a stand-alone online business resource.

3) Advertisers love the fact that their ads will live on. Statistics show that website visitors read archived newsletters fairly regularly. That is especially true if you add a search function to your site so that your archives may be searched by subject.

Here’s how to do it:

It should take you at the most about 15 minutes to convert your newsletter from text to HTML. Most of that time is spent in coding the many URLs to make them clickable.

There are many text editing software programs that will convert text to HTML quickly. Some HTML editing software programs will do it also, with a single copy/paste action. One great and free text editor is NoteTab Light. If you don’t have it, you are missing a great resource. It works with text and HTML both, does almost everything but slice bread, and it’s free! No ads and no nags. (There is a low-priced Pro version that does even more!) Here’s where to get it: www.notetab.com

We’ll use NoteTab Light for our illustration. Got it installed now? Okay, open up your newsletter in NoteTab Light.

On the toolbar at the top, click on “Modify.”

On the drop-down menu, choose “Document to HTML,” and on the menu that pops out, choose “With Paragraph Tags.”

Save the resulting document with a .htm or .html extension. If you want the page width to conform to the reader’s web browser size, click search and remove all the BREAK tags. Add a title, meta tag description and keywords, and upload it.

Now you have a resource for your visitors and a draw for the search engines, and all for only a few minutes’ work. Stick some Google Adsense or your own ads on the page, and you also have a money maker!

Jeff Casmer will help you setup your very own money making website today that’s 100% ready to take orders and pull in MASSIVE PROFITS for you right now…GUARANTEED! Plus, you’ll get your own pre-written ezine-in-a-box customized and setup for you absolutely free WITHIN 24 HOURS!! Get started immediately at: http://www.24hourwealth.com