A broadcast commercial can last from 15 to 60 seconds; a print advertisement may be limited to a few lines or even to a number of characters, and a full page ad, while allowing more space for your message, can be very expensive.
On the Internet, the time/space limitation is even more critical. The window of opportunity to get your message noticed is open for about 7 seconds, and the scales are weighed in favor of the Web site visitor. She has total control of the mouse; her patience in measured in nanoseconds and there are hundreds of alternate choices at her fingertips.
If you expect to have a fighting chance for her business, you must accomplish three goals:
Words can lift our spirits, give us hope, and fire us into a fit of rage or ecstacy. Thats because words normally have two meanings: the generally accepted meaning as defined in the dictionary, and the connotative or secondary meaning that is exclusive to the reader or listener.
When you think of the word home for example, you instinctively understand it to mean a place of residence. But on another level you may be overcome with a feeling of relaxation, comfort and security because of what that word represents to you emotionally.
Someone elses secondary image may make them anxious and stressful, because of unpleasant events they associate with home. The same word, same intellectual understanding, but different emotional responses.
If I say to you: There goes a successful woman! the image that forms in your mind may be quite different from what forms in mine.
You may picture Oprah Winfrey or Martha Stewart, while I might imagine a financially independent, intelligent woman who is well-read, poised in a variety of situations, and extremely in touch with her sense of self. Neither of us is wrong, were each responding to our personal definition at that moment.
As a result of understanding these two basic ways in which words and images affect us, different advertising approaches have evolved, aimed at one or the other. They have all become part of the arsenal of gimmicks, tricks and strategies that assaults our senses on a daily basis.
With that said, lets look at some practical ways to apply this new understanding to achieve the goals I mentioned earlier.
1. Get her to notice your advertisement.
Your headline, hyperlink, lead-in or banner should be an attention-grabber. Keep in mind that your potential customer is looking for answers to questions and solutions to problems, so begin there.
Here are some examples:
Could you use a new idea to advance your business
Double your article output in half the time!
Fight wrinkles from inside out.
Say goodbye to those unwanted pounds!
Start earning extra $$$ today!
With banners you can enhance your message using font size and style, color, images and annimation. An annimated banner gives you the ability to say more in the same fixed space, but you must take care not to overdo the flashing and scrolling features.
2. Keep her interested by building excitement.
The body of your offer should expand on the headline. Talk about the health and appearance benefits of losing unwanted pounds; the bills that could be paid with the extra dollars earned; the improved self-image to be enjoyed from having smooth skin.
3. Encourage her to take the next step.
Its important to get a commitment from your prospect by telling her what to do next. A simple Click Here or Find out more or Go works well with banners.
Text-based ads could read:
Click here for more information.
Visit us at www.yourdomain.com and get started today.
Dont wait another minute. Subscribe now!
People respond positively to those they respect, trust and believe to be better informed. Its your job to establish those qualities in your advertisement. You must also convince them that your product or service is the one that best serves their needs. Do that correctly, and it will be a simple matter for them to take you up on your offer.
Hermas Haynes is an Internet marketer and Webmaster. He offers an informative blueprint on how to create and manage your own profitable online business in six simple steps. Visit him at and download your free preview today.
If youre just starting out on the Internet, learning how to market your web site and products is an essential part of your success. However, this is an area in which many new Internet entrepreneurs struggle.
After receiving the same questions numerous times, I have devised a list of the most frequently asked Internet marketing questions.
Question: Is it true that people are making millions on internet
Answer: Although there are a few individuals that may be making millions on the Internet, they are the exception -- not the rule.
Making money on the Internet requires a total commitment and takes a great deal of time and effort. Its not going to happen overnight, and its not easy. However, if you take the time to educate yourself and plan each step very carefully, you can definitely make a nice income online.
For further information, read the article series entitled, The Birth of a Successful Internet Business.
Question: I recently launched a new web site and submitted it to the Search engines, but havent received the first visitor. Is there something Im missing here
Answer: Although launching your web site and submitting it to the Search Engines is a great start, it is only the first step.
Many new Internet entrepreneurs believe that all they need to do is launch their web site and visitors will automatically start scrambling to their site. Unfortunately, it just doesnt work that way.
Driving a steady stream of traffic to your web site takes a great deal of time and effort. You must develop a strategic marketing plan and continuously work it.
The best advice I can offer is this...get your link on as many web sites as you possibly can. The more links you have pointing to your web site, the more traffic youll receive.
There are many ways you can obtain links to your site:
Submit your site to the Search Engines and Directories.
Exchange links with similar sites.
Provide a service (For example, I provide a free syndication service. Every web site displaying my content is also displaying my link.)
Write articles and allow them to be freely published with your bylines.
I highly recommend that you use a combination of the above traffic generating techniques.
If you would like to exchange links with other sites, your first step will be to locate sites that are similiar to yours, but not in competition. I recommend using a program called Zeus that enables you to locate potential sites.
Although Zeus will enable you to set up a directory and send out a template style invitation, I dont recommend using these features. Not only is the directory very unattractive, but the template invitation will most likely be deleted. You will be much better off using the program to locate potential sites and personally contacting your prospects.
For further information in regard to developing a marketing strategy, read the article series entitled, Internet Marketing Strategies.
Question: I have my own product that I would like to market on the Internet, but I have no idea where to start. Can you give me some advice
Answer: Although the best way to market your products is through your own opt-in list, many new marketers either havent started collecting their potential customers email addresses or their list is very small. So how can a new Internet marketer begin advertising without an opt-in list Start by placing paid ads in targeted ezines.
Ezine advertising is one of the most effective forms of advertising on the Internet. Many ezines sell ad space that may include sponsor ads and/or solo ads. Although both types of ads can be effective, solo ads will produce the best results.
Ezine advertising is not only highly effective, but the rates are also very reasonable. Your results will vary depending on the product, your ad, and the publication.
To learn the art of writing effective ezine ads, read the article entitled, Secret Formulas for Writing Headlines that Sell.
Visit the following web address for a list of some of the most effective online publications:http://www.ebookstarter.com
If youre considering purchasing any type of advertising, please make sure you start out small and test your ads response rate prior to spending any major money. Theres a great ad tracking script called LnkInLite that you can pick up completely free. I highly recommend that you use this script to track all your advertising ventures.http://www.dtp-aus.com/cgiscript/lnkinlte.shtml
Once you have tested your ads and have an ad thats pulling a good response rate, you can begin placing the ad in some of the larger publications.
Question: I dont have a product, but Id really like to learn how to market and make money on the Internet. Im a complete newbie and have no idea where to start. Can you help
Answer: Even if you dont have your own product, you can still make money on the Internet. There are many products online that have an affiliate program. Affiliate programs will pay you a set commission for each sale.
Many good affiliate programs will provide you with ads, articles and banners to assist you.
A good place to find affiliate programs is:http://www.clickbank.com
Question: What, in your opinion, is the best way to market on the Internet, free
Answer: Writing articles and allowing them to be freely published is the best way to market on the Internet.
By writing articles and allowing them to be freely published, your articles will have the potential to be viewed by millions of Internet users. They may be published by several ezines with subscriber bases of a few hundred to several thousand. In addition, they may be displayed in ezine archives or on high traffic web sites.
Best of all, writing an article enables you to advertise in ezines completely free. It just doesnt get any better than that.
For further information, read the article entitled, Write for Publicity.
Your marketing efforts will play a major role in your success. Whether youre marketing your web site, products or services, you need a strategy. Plan your work then work your plan and everything will fall into place.
Copyright Shelley Lowery
About the Author:
Shelley Lowery is the author of the acclaimed web design course, Web Design Mastery ( ) and eBook Starter - Give Your eBooks the look and feel of a REAL book ( )
Visit to sign up for a complimentary subscription to eTips and receive a copy of Shelleys acclaimed ebook, Killer Internet Marketing Strategies.
You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook, or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author bylines are included.