The Word Perfect And Emotionally Charged Singing Sales Letter is Born

An effective sales letter is much more than a bunch of words describing what you have for sale, but judging by some of the sales messages on far too many websites, not a lot of people know that.

The ‘purchase one get one free’ mentality is still alive and kicking and working overtime all over the Internet, but sadly at the expense of the English language.

A sales letter, whether written for an online product or service promotion or for print and mail, has a specific job to do. It has to sell. It’s your salesman. And it doesn’t matter how good or how bad your product or service is, the sales letter is your marketing lifeline.

It truly amazes me when some companies, who are willing to spend thousands on product development then thousands on a state of the art website, go on to fill it with snippets of grammatically flawed information and with more typos yuo cun shak a stuck at.

In my opinion, poor grammar and typing errors account for more lost sales from websites than just about any other factor. Why? Because they instantly lose you credibility. Potential customers need to feel reassured that the product you are selling is genuine. Also, that you are genuine and your business is not about ripping people off.

A poorly created sales message will tell your customers you don’t care. You don’t care about communicating with them. You don’t really care about the message on your website. So why then, would you expect them to care about enriching you by purchaseing your products? They simply won’t.

A website sales message has to work much harder than its printed counterpart because it has less time in which to convince the prospect to purchase. People tend to ‘quick scan’ website sales messages, whereas a printed letter can be read at leisure anywhere that’s convenient.

Every single website owner who is trying to sell a product or service to a customer could improve their conversion rate dramatically if they would only spend a little more time on their sales copy.

So correct grammar and spelling is the number one priority for your sales letter.

Next is the structure of the letter. Your sales message must always follow the principles of AIDA. It must attract Attention, stir Interest, instil a feeling of Desire and make a call to Action. Why? Because this formula has been tried and tested over and over and has been proven to be the perfect structure.

If you think of a sales letter as being like a song. Then think how your favourite songs make you feel. Happy, sad, upbeat or melancholy, songs are meant to stir the emotions because people like to feel moved. If a sales letter sounds like music to your customer’s ears, you’ve just chalked up another sale.

Your sales letter is your song with which you have to intriguingly introduce yourself, slowly seduce your customer and make them feel exactly the way they want. If it gets them reaching for their credit cards, it has conveyed the right tuneful words at the right time. The words of your sales letter must have the power to say it all.

We can all learn much from how music affects us. It can reflect our moods, our emotions and our wants and needs. It’s a very powerful medium that can literally make us feel happy or sad. But it is only words after all. Just words accompanied by music. The most important thing to remember is how the words of a song can affect us emotionally.

Then remember this. Every purchaseing decision we make is based on our emotions. Understand this, and incorporate emotionally stirring words into your sales copy.

Another important aspect to consider, when writing a sales letter is, we generally purchase things because we want them and not because we need them. Your sales copy has got to make your prospects want what you’re selling. Don’t try to make them feel as though they need what you’re selling. Only they will know what they need in their life.

Getting back to the song connection, if you take away the music the song (message) is still there. The music certainly helps the words flow and can help create the mood, but without the words, the meaning of the ‘piece’ is left to the imagination.

Next time you’re thinking of creating a sales letter for your website, remember to pay particular attention to the grammar and spelling. Construct your letter using the AIDA principle and think about how you might present your letter with emotion.

Nothing is more powerful than the written word.

Top Business Leaders Reveal the Secrets of Success

by: Jillian Gregory

Out of the bevy of reality television shows today, no TV show affects the business minds and goals of entrepreneurs everywhere more than “The Apprentice”. The show stars Donald Trump, the famous, wealthy real estate and business icon that has become a household name. Donald Trump has been in business for several decades and knows the secrets to becoming a highly successful businessman.

In the past, public indications of his success were mainly found on buildings in New York City such as Trump Towers. He has been a major player in New York City and in the business world for the past few decades. However, the general public didn’t always have intimate access to his world like they do now through “The Apprentice” television show. On the show he interviews several candidates for a highly coveted position in his company. The candidates work on various tasks over several weeks. They rely on their education and experience to help them succeed.

The candidates and any business professional would benefit from learning the secrets of Donald Trump’s success. You might not have the opportunity to be on the show, but you can listen your way to success instead. Invest in your future by listening to Trump: How to Get Rich by Donald J. Trump. Donald Trump provides valuable insights on how to become a champion in business and reap financial rewards previously unimaginable. He covers a wide range of topics from investing to hiring the best employees.

Donald Trump is not the only business guru dispensing advice and anecdotes about his personal success. Steve Jobs revitalized Apple and returned it to dominance among technology companies. Jack Welch brought General Electric to new levels of success through innovative and unique business methods. Experience their business journeys by listening to The Second Coming of Steve Jobs by Alan Deutschman and Jack: Straight from the Gut by Jack Welch.

Interested in a business success story rifled with scandal? Listening to The Rockefellers by Peter Collier will suit your fancy. The Rockefeller family created a dynasty that built a mountain of wealth, but also evoked family of problems. Learn the affects of success that were both beneficial and detrimental to the Rockefellers.

Want to hear about other entrepreneurs? Check out the Venture Voice Podcast by Gregory Galant or the InfoTalk podcast from Podtech.net. Take an inside look at how to start a business, where technology is headed and other entrepreneurial issues.

Pop in these audio books on your car drive or train commute to work. Listen while you are working on paperwork at home or exercising in the gym. Take the time to become business savvy and learn from the pros. You’ll be glad you did as your bank account swells and your business takes off.

Smart Advertising That Will Skyrocket Your Business Profits

by: Scott Wilson

If you want to Sky Rocket your profits immediately in your business today. Learn how to write killer Sales & Advertising Copy and win the heart of your customer so they purchase over and over…Read On!

Here are the basic steps of marketing & advertising you must know & use, if you want to make huge profits in your business.

Did you know?...

Marketing and Advertising work together you simply can’t overlook the fact that if you’re running a great ad for truck parts, you may want to think twice about running the ad in ‘Dolly” magazine. Yes it sounds logical, but you’d be surprised by how many times something like this will happen each and every day.

Businesses blow hundreds and thousands of dollars everyday on ads that do absolutely nothing and pull zero response! Later we will learn why.

Businesses everywhere need this information and any business that’s “in” business, is in the business of MARKETING! That’s what it really boils down to…

Simply reading this information won’t bring sales into your business. It’s all about taking massive action and testing your ads over and over again.

The key is PERSISTANCE. As with anything, unless you persist, most of the time nothing much happens. Don’t get too disappointed if you ads don’t work the first time around…just keep trying new things till you get it right.

But remember always focus on the benefits of what your product or service will do for your prospect, NOT the features, or company or YOU for that matter!

Here’s 9 Golden Must Do Steps You Need To Follow To Get The Most From Your Advertising and Start Making More Money Today!

1) Focus on purchaseer benefits, not features. Your prospect is only interested in one thing. THEMSELVES!
2) Know who your prospects are, where they are and how you will reach them.
3) Understand your competition. Where are they and what are are they currently doing to source prospects.
4) Understand the frustrations & problems of your prospects and how you can solve them quickly and easily.
5) You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on advertising – there are plenty of low cost and no cost ways to market and advertise your business effectively.
6) Look at offering your prospects irresistible bonuses if they act on your offer within a specific time frame.
7) Always ask for the sale. Don’t expect your customer to shove money at you – they are waiting for you to ask!
8) Be Persistent. This is probably the most important rule of them all. Never ever give up!
9) Focus on purchaseer benefits and not on product features, it’s not about YOU!

Put into ACTION this information and your well on your way to reaping the rewards of your ACTION and maybe putting your competition out of business.

Broken Teams Damage Your Business

by: Barbara Giamanco

A profitable business bottom line depends on effective teaming as much today as it ever did; yet, “effective teaming” may be destined to be no more than another irrelevant buzz phrase, because by and large teams are still dysfunctional and broken.

If you’ve ever worked in a team – and I’ve yet to meet someone who hasn’t – I know you have at least one horror story to tell about a team that crashed and burned. Isn’t it ironic that with all that’s been written about the negative impact dysfunctional teams can have on business and with all the training available to help correct the problem, success is still elusive.


It’s easy to ignore the damage that dysfunctional teams can do to a business, but the financial impact can be huge. Consider the wasted time in meetings debating the same issues again and again, as well as the constant squabbles and in-fighting over priorities that lead to inaction or worse, bad decisions that result in good money being thrown down the drain.


A recent Microsoft study found that U.S. workers spent an average of 5.6 hours per week sitting in meetings and 69 percent reported that they were not productive. Business is about increasing revenue and profits, so the financial implications to the organization are significant. A $100,000 worker will cost their employer roughly $13,000 to sit through meetings that waste time and do nothing to further the organization’s business goals. Ask yourself if you can afford the $130,000 price tag for having a 10 person team waste hours week after week.


Though some are jaded at the prospect that teams can work together successfully, I believe they can. Developing the cohesiveness that ensures success, though, requires that the root causes of team dysfunction are identified and cured. However, overcoming the issues that lead to dysfunction in the first place is a daunting task requiring openness, disciple and the courage to see it through. The reality is that many teams can’t or won’t summon the strength to tackle the challenge, but those willing to take it on will surely reap the rewards.


There are scores of reasons why teams don’t work. Common ones touted are a lack of clarity about team member roles, a lack of focus on doing the right things at the right time in the teaming process, a lack of appreciation for the unique strengths of every team member, and a failure to reward and recognize the contributions made by each person. Mix in conflicting professional agendas, increasing diversity, lack of trust, a global business world where people are teamed together “virtually”, as well as a resistance to clarifying goals and roles up front, and it’s no wonder teams are stuck.


For teams to perform at their peak, it all begins with trust, unfortunately a rare commodity these days. Trust is the first and most critical component of building a strong team. However, trust cannot be forged when team members put their personal agenda first, refuse to ask for help, when they are unwilling to admit mistakes and blame others, or they summarily dismiss the opinions and ideas of other team members. If team members don’t feel they can trust each other, effective teaming is impossible.


One way to begin building trust is to recognize that people behave differently; they exhibit different behavioral styles and they have different motivations. While you cannot motivate another person, all people are motivated. The mistaken assumption often made is that all team members are motivated by the same things and nothing could be further from the truth. For example, in a situation where a team is working together to achieve a sales goal, it might be easy to assume that everyone is motivated to hit the sales target. But are they really? What happens when not everyone on the team stands to earn compensation for hitting the goal? Sure, the sales person cares, but does the support staff have the same motivation if they don’t share in the commission? Doubtful.



Taking the time to develop a greater understanding of individual behavioral styles and motivations will foster a trusting environment, improve communications and builds a foundation for effective interactions with other people. And before you start griping about not having enough time, remember that it costs your company in more ways than one if you don’t make the time. Doing the upfront work positions teams for innovative performance.


Cohesive, high performing teams give an organization a powerful competitive edge. Great teams don’t waste precious time focused on the wrong issues, nor do they constantly revisit the same topics over and over again, in meeting after meeting, because team members didn’t purchase-in to the goals from the beginning. High performing teams make high quality decisions; they get more done in less time without the normal personal hassles and frustrations. Finally, when it comes to keeping great talent in the organization, which is itself a significant competitive advantage, remember great people don’t walk away from teams that get it right!

Forms of Ownership

by: Matt Bacak

One of the first decisions that you will have to make as a business owner is how the company should be structured. This decision will have long-term implications, so consult with an accountant and attorney to help you select the form of ownership that is right for you. In making a choice, you will want to take into account the following:
- Your vision regarding the size and nature of your business.
- The level of control you wish to have.
- The level of structure you are willing to deal with.
- The business' vulnerability to lawsuits.
- Tax implications of the different ownership structures.
- Expected profit (or loss) of the business.
- Whether or not you need to reinvest earnings into the business.
- Your need for access to cash out of the business for yourself.
Sole Proprietorships
The vast majority of small businesses start out as sole proprietorships. These firms are owned by one person, usually the individual who has day-to-day responsibilities for running the business. Sole proprietors own all the assets of the business and the profits generated by it. They also assume complete responsibility for any of its liabilities or debts. In the eyes of the law and the public, you are one in the same with the business.

Advantages of a Sole Proprietorship
- Easiest and least expensive form of ownership to organize.
- Sole proprietors are in complete control, and within the parameters of the law, may make decisions as they see fit.
- Sole proprietors receive all income generated by the business to keep or reinvest.
- Profits from the business flow directly to the owner's personal tax return.
- The business is easy to dissolve, if desired.

Disadvantages of a Sole Proprietorship
- Sole proprietors have unlimited liability and are legally responsible for all debts against the business. Their business and personal assets are at risk.
- May be at a disadvantage in raising funds and are often limited to using funds from personal savings or consumer loans.
- May have a hard time attracting high-caliber employees or those that are motivated by the opportunity to own a part of the business.
- Some employee benefits such as owner's medical insurance premiums are not directly deductible from business income (only partially deductible as an adjustment to income).

Federal Tax Forms for Sole Proprietorship
(only a partial list and some may not apply)
- Form 1040: Individual Income Tax Return
- Schedule C: Profit or Loss from Business (or Schedule C-EZ)
- Schedule SE: Self-Employment Tax
- Form 1040-ES: Estimated Tax for Individuals
- Form 4562: Depreciation and Amortization
- Form 8829: Expenses for Business Use of your Home
- Employment Tax Forms
Partnerships
In a Partnership, two or more people share ownership of a single business. Like proprietorships, the law does not distinguish between the business and its owners. The partners should have a legal agreement that sets forth how decisions will be made, profits will be shared, disputes will be resolved, how future partners will be admitted to the partnership, how partners can be bought out, and what steps will be taken to dissolve the partnership when needed. Yes, it's hard to think about a breakup when the business is just getting started, but many partnerships split up at crisis times, and unless there is a defined process, there will be even greater problems. They also must decide up-front how much time and capital each will contribute, etc.
Advantages of a Partnership
- Partnerships are relatively easy to establish; however time should be invested in developing the partnership agreement.
- With more than one owner, the ability to raise funds may be increased.
- The profits from the business flow directly through to the partners' personal tax returns.
- Prospective employees may be attracted to the business if given the incentive to become a partner.
- The business usually will benefit from partners who have complementary skills.
Disadvantages of a Partnership
- Partners are jointly and individually liable for the actions of the other partners.
- Profits must be shared with others.
- Since decisions are shared, disagreements can occur.
- Some employee benefits are not deductible from business income on tax returns.
- The partnership may have a limited life; it may end upon the withdrawal or death of a partner.
Types of Partnerships that should be considered:
- General Partnership
Partners divide responsibility for management and liability as well as the shares of profit or loss according to their internal agreement. Equal shares are assumed unless there is a written agreement that states differently.
- Limited Partnership and Partnership with limited liability
Limited means that most of the partners have limited liability (to the extent of their investment) as well as limited input regarding management decisions, which generally encourages investors for short-term projects or for investing in capital assets. This form of ownership is not often used for operating retail or service businesses. Forming a limited partnership is more complex and formal than that of a general partnership.
- Joint Venture
Acts like a general partnership, but is clearly for a limited period of time or a single project. If the partners in a joint venture repeat the activity, they will be recognized as an ongoing partnership and will have to file as such as well as distribute accumulated partnership assets upon dissolution of the entity.

Federal Tax Forms for Partnerships
(only a partial list and some may not apply)
Form 1065: Partnership Return of Income
Form 1065 K-1: Partner's Share of Income, Credit, Deductions
Form 4562: Depreciation
Form 1040: Individual Income Tax Return
Schedule E: Supplemental Income and Loss
Schedule SE: Self-Employment Tax
Form 1040-ES: Estimated Tax for Individuals
Employment Tax Forms

Measuring Your Way to Successful Outcomes!

by: Frankie Picasso

Would you like to Increase Business Performance, Get ahead of your Competition and Effect a Proven Positive Sustainable Change within your Organization - Immediately?
Are you an Organization that engages outside facilitators to motivate, inspire or train your staff? Have you ever wondered if your money is being well spent?

Despite the rave reviews from staff, have you seen any real change take place in the workplace? Would you know how to measure for it if you had? If your answer is NO, then I will share with you the importance of METRICS and why this buzz word is so important for you to understand, and how you can use the information to increase your business performance, get ahead of your competition and immediately effect positive change.

Companies who have introduced performance management cultures into their organizations have been found to have higher profits and stronger market performance. Performance management is the terminology being used in industry today to measure performance against business goals and employee competencies. If what these ”facilitators of change” are “selling” is not clearly defined in terms of measurable performance markers or proven sustainable outcomes, then their deliverables are of little use to an organization that is looking for that which can be clearly measured.

Organizations are measuring everything from employees skill levels, how many complaints they receive in a given week to how many sick days does an employee take in a given month if they are engaged in regular exercise and if they are not. Think about this for a moment. If the person you hired to speak cannot report measurable performance outcomes for their performance or training program then this may be where the crux of the problem lies. How can you notice that which you did not plan for? Do you know what success means to you, what it looks like? When it comes to measuring your performance outcomes it is very important that both the company and the facilitator know exactly what deliverables they are looking for and how BOTH of you are going to know if they have been met.

Deliverables need to be determined well before the facilitator reaches an audience. It is vital that you sit down with your trainer, and determine what outcomes the organization is looking for, how they will be measured and what would success look like when achieved! For example, let’s say you hire a speaker who specializes in time management. Some measurable outcomes may look like this:
a.) Work is not piled up on desks, chairs, floors
b.) More work is completed on time-
c.) employees work less overtime and you pay less overtime
d.) employees understand how to use identify what is important
e.) Less time off due to exhaustion

These are the kinds of outcomes that a company would decide on BEFORE the “expert” gets on stage. These results are measurable, and they are sustainable. Are you starting to understand?

If you have been following and/or embracing the industry trend for performance measurement these days, then you may be familiar with the studies that have already been conducted on the effectiveness of training with and without coaching. If not then please pay attention to this, because it is very important What you may not know, is the amazing difference that adding 8 weeks of coaching will make to your bottom line in terms of measuring the implementation of your ideas and training. Organizations that offer training without coaching result in a 22 % improvement, but add 8 weeks of coaching on to that, and the results are a staggering 88% in overall improvement and change.
These days another industry buzz word is ROI or return on investment. In a study conducted by MetrixGlobal, they actually showed that Coaching produced a 529% return on investment as well as significant intangible benefits to the business. When the financial benefits from employee retention were added into the mix, coaching actually boosted the overall ROI to 788%... (Merrill Anderson [merrilland@metrixglobal.net])
Can you imagine my delight at being able to offer you a proven measurement of 88% in performance enhancement and a 788% ROI? I am so excited about this, and you should be too!
No organization should spend thousands of dollars on a speaker or trainer, only to have all that great learning and enthusiasm go out the window within a few days.

For the past 25 years, I have been employed in both private and public sector organizations, working to enhance Leadership and management competencies, envision strategic direction, implement quality service standards, and introduce programs and initiatives that would advance and address organizational wellness and employee morale.

I KNOW why organizations look outside for assistance, because sometimes they are too close to the forest to see the tree. I used to be the one in charge of hiring the facilitators of change. My role was to decide on the learning outcomes for the organization, measure the effectiveness of the speaker and the event, and then deliver these numbers to our senior management committee. Whether or not we had this speaker back or even had a budget for another event, depended largely upon the results reported in my feedback! Let me stress this one more time “No organization should spend thousands of dollars on a speaker or trainer only to have all that great learning and enthusiasm go out the window within a few days”!
Not only is it time for you to begin measuring for success, but by hiring a business coach to help you implement the strategies and changes that your organization now wants to embrace, you have just strengthened your employees retention potential by 88%.
Through the power of Coaching, you can guarantee yourself a proven and effective method that will enhance performance and make it easier for your employees to make the transition.
Challenge yourself to re-examine your business model and think about adding a 12 week coaching component to your workplace, or better yet, add Coach training to the Performance Plans of your Leaders and Managers and have them become in house coaches.
You will be astounded by the metrics, but more importantly your employees and your customers will be pleased with the real changes that are going to take place as a result of implementing your best practices.

According to Hay Group,

To be successful in today's ever-shifting market, people count for more -- they can make or break the best business strategy, be the driver or brake in adopting new technologies. People are not an implementation issue, nor just an operational or strategic asset. People are the raw resource around which business success revolves.

Coaching will increase business performance, it will help you get ahead of your competitor and the effects of it are immediate. Either by itself or as an enhancement to another Training source, adding “12 weeks of supportive coaching” to enhance performance makes good business sense.