Like Goliath being slain with a lowly slingshot, the mainstream media (in the form of Dan Rather) came to the undeniable realization that they were no longer in control of information.
Within 30-minutes of that now infamous TV special on “60-Minutes II” broadcast bloggers were digging into the facts and questioning the validity of what had just been presented by the 42-year broadcast veteran. In less than one week, CBS admitted it could "no longer vouch" for the memos. And just weeks after the election, Rather announced his retirement and the blogosphere won another victory.
No matter what your political affiliation is, this incident is one very public example of the power of blogging. Blogging is quickly accelerating into a steeping, sloping growth curve of popularity and application. ABC News selected Bloggers as “People of the Year”, and Merriam-Webster declared “blog” its “word of the year.”
Putting the power of blogs to work for your business can have more an impact than you can imagine... and it's easier than you might think.
It puts the power of information and the impact of influence in the hands of the “average Joe”. It makes instant publishing a reality regardless of your technical skill level. And it’s a business growth tool that the savvy small business owner can no longer afford to ignore.
The world’s oldest, most effective form of communication and marketing on steroids!
So why is blogging gaining popularity so quickly? What's the attraction? And why is it so darn powerful?
The answer is quite simple when you consider history and human nature.
Blogging is an unstoppable technological force that exponentially multiplies the world's oldest, most favorite, and most trusted form of information sharing -- word of mouth.
Think about it. Who do you trust the most to give you advice, recommendations, and information about opportunities, purchases, or choices?
If you’re like the vast majority of people, it's the opinion of someone you know and trust. Someone who you feel is just like you. That type of trust comes from personal communication, social interaction, and the joining together of like-minded individuals.
Blogs and the blogging community deliver all that -- and more.
Now is the time to master business blogging and put it to use for you! Do it before other proactive business owners step into your ideal niche and muscle you out of this primetime opportunity.
You can learn more about blogs and business blogging in particular by clicking here!]]>You have tried every trick in the book but your ecommerce website is not being as successful as you expected it to be. This might be because you have neglected a whole area of business—backend sales. In today's cut-throat business world, it is important to cash in on backend sales, lest your competition overtake you.
Here are a few reasons why backend sales are so important.
First and foremost, it is far easier to sell a product to an old customer than to convince a new customer. According to marketing estimates, your chances of success are eight times higher when you sell to old customers.
This is primarily because these people have used your products before and know how good it is. They are able to see you as a reliable products and service provider whose products embody some value and usability.
So, to succeed in business, you must care for your old customers. While marketing a new product, it is best to start with these older customers as they are not only more likely to buy your product, but will also be more forthcoming about their complaints and comment about it because they are familiar with your brand, know what it stands for and what expectations to have of it.
Also, giving your older customers some preference helps build trust and opens up lines of communication that you never had access to before. Through this, you are in fact showing your older patrons that you are privileging them, which is bound to rebound on your business in a positive manner.
Offering big rebates to your customers on backend products is also known to be an extremely successful ploy that is often used by internet marketing gurus around the world….and if it’s a model that works online then an offline business can get even better results because it’s not often used!
These discounts give your brand a chance to re-connect with your customers. It also helps revive inactive customers, which is a lot more important than it sounds.
You need to understand early in business the opportunities an inactive customer offers you. These customers, while they might not be buying anything right now, have in fact bought and used and appreciated your product before, and are in fact only a phone call or an email away from resuming their business relationship with you.
If these are not big enough reasons to get you to understand the importance and worth of successful backend marketing, then nothing ever will. Continuity and a fostering of long-term business relationships is an integral part of a successful business venture.
Your business cannot start and end with just one product. You need to keep providing your customers with new solutions and added benefits to keep your business booming.
