Article marketing is the best sales lead generation technique on the Web today.

Unfortunately, many marketers writing articles on the Web fall short in their sales lead generation efforts. They simply can’t get people to visit their websites. This is a critical fallacy that will render your article marketing campaign worthless. You must get people to visit your website and join your mailing list. If you don’t, you are wasting your time, money and energy.

Sure, it is great to write articles displaying you as the expert in your field. And, yes, it is nice to post articles that help the world in general. But if your goal is to use article marketing as a sales lead generation technique that builds your email list, you might be falling short if your articles don’t have a call to action that grabs readers by the throat and pulls them to your website.

How do you do this? You must have an irresistible offer so people will come to your website and identify themselves.

Once you capture your prospects’ names and email addresses, you will be able to create a sales-winning relationship. If you don’t do this critical step, you’ll never have another chance to sell to these people. Here are four irresistible products or services to help prospects make the critical decision to visit your website and give you their email addresses:

• Special reports. Don’t confuse this with a newsletter. These are 3-5 page reports on a special topic. It should include your own insights that prove you are the expert.

• Quizzes. People love to take quizzes. Create a quiz that has 10 yes or no answers. Design questions so that people will see their pain. This sets you up as the expert who has products and services that can help them. Here’s a great site that features a quiz. http://kisstheorygoodbye.com/quiz/quiz.php. Take the quiz and then see how Bob Prosen leads you into learning about his book.

• Free 15-minute consulting session. When offering this free service, be careful of tire kickers who want free advice and won’t ever buy. Here are three easy steps to conducting consulting sessions properly. 1. Get the person to clearly state the problem. 2. Show how your background can help the person. However, don’t give away your best thinking at this point. Think of this as a get-to-know-you session, not a high level exchange of ideas. 3. Ask for the order to get them to buy your books or consulting services.

• Offer a free chapter in your book or a free sneak preview to your information products including software, DVDs, CDs and MP3s. People will get hooked and buy your products. This tactic will overcome your prospects’ fears of the unknown. People can get a good feel for your products. The most important part of writing articles is getting people to visit web site. If you offer these tactics, you will build your list and get more names for your sales funnel.

About the Author: Nationally recognized online publicity expert and Founder of PR LEADS, Dan Janal can help build your list in 6 months. For more free tips and information that will help you snag more leads than you ever thought possible, go to: http://www.articlemarketingexperts.com/articlenewsletter

Home Depot has ushered in the era of Do-It-Yourself Service in home repair.

And that feeling has definitely worked its way to the Internet, where every trainer, coach and marketer has a system that will show you how to fix any problem in your relationships or office life. I

doubt there’s ever been a similar time in history when the average person has immediate access to so much information that can improve their lives.

But wait a second.

What’s wrong with this picture?

Let’s assume all the info you read and all the systems you buy are 100 percent bonafide information that will work. The question really is:  should you implement these tactics yourself?

Here Are the Top 3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Buy Your Next Do-It-Yourself System:

1. Can you devote the proper time to do it correctly and consistently? Remember, everything takes time.

2. Do you have the skills to carry this out? Information marketers try to sell you on the dream that even you can do it all. They’re hoping you will forget these programs require at least one skill. Can you write well? Can you sell well? Can you design a web page well? If so, that’s great. If not, a big question mark should flash in your mind.

3. Here’s the most important question: assuming you have the time, skill and competence to do it yourself, is it a good use of your time? In other words, if you can sell $1,000,000 worth of real estate in the same time it takes to produce a six-volume CD set with instructional materials, train the trainer modules and other supplementary texts, which activity would get you more money in the long term?

In other words, I don’t mow the lawn. It takes too long and it hurts my back. So I hire a neighborhood kid who does it for much less than my hourly rate. I save time and he makes money. It is a very fair trade. And I don’t have to buy “How to Mow Your Lawn in Half the Time with Half the Energy,” a six-set DVD and coaching program! While the web might be the greatest place for do-it-yourselfers,

I see a need for another kind of service: the done-for-you services. If you want to save yourself time, energy and aggravation you must find companies that can do the work for you.

Here Are 3 Examples of Done-For-You Services and How They Can Help You:

1. I know I must develop my websites with lots of information-rich content so visitors will want to return and buy from me. However, I don’t have the time or the patience to sit down and try to figure out HTML and all of the web design and development aspects. That’s why I outsource my complete web management to Assess Communicate. They create my sites, update my content and do it for less money than it would cost me to do it myself. Remember, any activity that takes my focus from making new sales is costing me money in the long run.

2. Before I created the PR LEADS Article Marketing Service, I hired Eric Gruber to write and submit articles that promoted PR LEADS. I could have submitted the articles myself, but hiring Eric was a no-brainer after he explained that it would take about 10 hours to submit one article to 100 sites. I had better things to do with my time. For a reasonable fee, Eric found the best sites, optimized my articles so they received good placement in the search engines and even found a typo or two that I missed. Those value-added services are things I couldn’t even begin to think about, as I needed to focus my time on handling my clients. Now, I’ve joined forces with Eric, who has really taken article marketing to the next level and has helped more than 65 of my clients through the PR LEADS Article Marketing Service get the online publicity they need to sell more books, products and services.

3. My Great Teleseminars Audio Production Company is another great example of a done-for-you-service. We record teleseminars, duplicate CDs, and make transcripts and MP3s. It’s like one-stop shopping for all of your product creation needs. My teleseminar clients just show up with their audience and deliver their lecture. The next thing they know, they have a slew of products they can sell. These are just three examples of hundreds of done-for-you services.

So, before you buy your next do-it-yourself system, think twice and check online for a done-for-you service instead. You’ll have less stress and become more productive.

About the Author: Small business expert and entrepreneur Dan Janal has created several done-for-you services that will save you time, energy and aggravation. For complete, reliable recording production, sales and administration for your teleseminar needs, go to www.greatteleseminars.com. If you’re looking for a done-for-you service that handles all of your article submission needs, go to www.articlemarketingexperts.com If you are an author, speaker, coach or consultant who needs publicity in daily newspapers to build your credibility, please see PR LEADS.com

Choosing an Article Submission Service is a risky business. Here are the Top 10 questions you should ask before spending your hard-earned dollars .
 
Building your list and adding prospects to your sales funnel with article submissions is the hottest sales lead generation trend on the Web today. However, the article submission process is one of the most boring and tedious tasks around. That’s why many authors, experts and businesses choose to outsource their article marketing efforts.

How can you choose the best company to handle this important process for you? Follow these tips to avoid being ripped off from unscrupulous merchants?

1. Are the sites on your      company’s article submission list well known across the Web, or are they      dummy sites that you set up? Some unscrupulous article submission service      providers promise to post your article to hundreds or thousands of sites      for a very low fee – like $15! What they don’t tell you is that these      sites are ones they have created for the sole purpose of posting your      articles. No one visits these sites. Search engines don’t index these      sites. So no one will ever see these articles. Ask for a list of sites      they submit to. If they don’t seem credible, run fast!

2. Does Google index the sites      you submit to? If Google doesn’t, then you are wasting your time. Ask them      for a list of success stories. By going to Google and typing the headline      in quotes, you can check whether or not Google indexes the articles they      submit.

3. Does Alexa index the sites      your company submits articles to? Alexa.com is a website that tracks the      traffic of all websites. Go there and type your website URL and you’ll see      where your site ranks among the millions of websites. It’s easy and fun to      do. Try it! Now, ask the marketing company to provide the names of 10      sites they will submit your article to. See where they rank on Alexa. Do      they even rank on Alexa? If not, watch out!

4. Is this a targeted campaign,      or a scattershot approach? Ask the company how well targeted the article      submission process is going to be. Can they target specific audiences,      like health, or marketing or C-level executives? If they can’t, then you      are wasting your money reaching audiences that aren’t interested in your      message.

5. Does your company submit      articles by hand or by software? Most reputable websites that accept      articles will not accept articles delivered by software. They want unique      content and they know articles submitted by software will be sent to every      site imaginable.

6. Does your company edit your      article? I’ve written six books on marketing and the Internet that have      been translated into six different languages, and I write and submit      articles on a weekly basis. Yet, I still hire proofreaders to review my      articles. Sure, you think you are a great writer, but there’s not a person      alive who won’t benefit from a copy editor giving the article a second      look.

7. Will your company use sound      search engine optimization strategies to make my articles search engine      friendly. If your hire a good article marketing company, they will not      only edit your articles but they will make your articles search engine      friendly as well. This way, your articles can be found on Google.

8. Will your company handle the      day-to-day correspondence with site and ezine editors? You can spend hours      answering questions from website and ezine editors. The best firms      handle the routine correspondence for you. They bring you in only when you      need to answer an important question. You should avoid firms that don’t      respond to editors because your articles will never be published by highly      targeted websites. They can say they submitted the article, but you won’t      have any pickup.

9. Does your company submit      articles in a way that Google respects, or do you blast articles out      there? Google hates when people try to manipulate their rankings and will      ding your article campaign if you send out too many articles too quickly.      Make sure your article marketing company understands this. Otherwise,      Google could blackball your article marketing efforts.

10. What do you charge? It has      been my experience that the article submission process, if performed      correctly, can take up to 10 hours or more to submit your article to 100      sites. That doesn’t count the proofing, editing, optimizing, consulting      and following up. All this work takes time and effort. If the price      seems too low, remember the old saying, “You get what you pay for.”

You want an article submission company that cares about your success. Many fly-by-night artists just want to take your money and run. Make sure the service you select takes the time to get to know you, your marketing goals and your audience? Follow these tips to ensure you get what you pay for! If not, you could be headed for disaster.

I hope to see you all over the Web.

About the Author:

Internet marketing pioneer, Dan Janal has influenced several generations of Internet Marketers including the top executives from IBM, American Express and Reader’s Digest. If you're ready to jump-start your article submission efforts and make more money online, then get your FREE tips now at http://www.articlemarketingexperts.com/articlenewsletter

Penelope Trunk, author of Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success, was quoted on the front page of the print edition of USA TODAY, March 29, 2007 in an article about lay offs at Best Buy.

Here's the link to the online edition of the story:

<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2007-03-28-circuit-city-layoffs_N.htm">USA TODAY</a>

"PR Leads has been really really good for me. I have gotten two calls from reporters each week that I've done it. To be fair, I am uniquely positioned to benefit from PR Leads, having been on the other side (as a columnist for the Boston Globe and Yahoo Finance) for so long. But I have followed your advice exactly, and I really appreciate all the coaching," Penelope emailed me.

You can read more about Penelope at

<a href="http://blog.penelopetrunk.com">http://blog.penelopetrunk.com</a>

Penelope is the third PR LEADER who has been quoted on the front page of USA TODAY. The other highlights are:

Patrick Snow, a motivational speaker, who was featured in an article and picture on the front page. Patrick tells me he was able to DOUBLE his speaking fee after the article appeared.

Arlene Vernon, a human resources consultant and speaker who wows people with Musical Keynotes, also was quoted on the front page of USA TODAY.

If you've been on Page One of USA TODAY because of PR LEADS, please let me know and I'll add you to the list!

Dan Janal
Your Fearless PR LEADER
PR LEADS Expert Resource Network
<a href="http://www.prleads.com">http://www.prleads.com</a>

This is a question I hear often. Fortunately, I have three important answers.

1. Bob Pike, the legendary trainer, told me that all speakers should strive to be the go-to guy, the only person that meeting planners think of when they say "I need a speaker." (of course, you can substitute the word speaker for consultant, trainer, etc.)

Unfortunately, most speakers are commodities and they all get lumped in with all the other people who offer the same services and speeches.

You need to break out from the pack.

2. I might boldly suggest you can do this with publicity in the mainstream media (http://www.prleads.com/) or with a targeted plan to publish articles on websites read by your target market (http://www.prleads.com/article.htm) but that would be too self serving.

3. So point to another NSA legend Thom Winninger, a past president of NSA and winner of every award and honor known to speakers.

In a speech to NSA about six years ago, he shared his formula for being the "go-to guy" in three industries. I don't remember the entire speech, but a few points still stand out.

1. Select a market. You can't be all things to all people. And people will pay you more if you an expert in their topic. So forget the rational of "I speak to everyone on everything." That's how you become a commodity.

2. Become an indispensable member of that community. Thom volunteered to write articles for their trade magazines, serve on advisory boards and committees, and just be available for them. Who do you think they are going to hire when they need a speaker or consultant? The guy they know.

Follow the advice of these NSA sages and your branding, name recognition and sales will no doubt increase.

Additional resources:
- I interviewed branding expert William Arruda about how authors, speakers and consultants can do "personal branding." For info, see http://www.prleads.com/club-arruda.htm

- I interviewed with publicity expert Joan Stewart on how to create an expert personae for the media. For info, see http://www.prleads.com/club-expert.htm

Dan Janal
Your Fearless PR LEADER
PR LEADS Expert Resource Network
www.PRLEADS.com

A new client asked me this question the other day and I broke out laughing!

Here's an excerpt from a PR LEAD I received from a reporter:

"We're looking for women between the ages of 35 to late 50s who suffered for years from the following: 1) celiac disease; 2) lupus; or 3) mold in her home (the more debilitating her condition, the better the story) and today is in good health."

Notice her words "the more debilitating her condition, the better the story."

That should tell you something.

Just in case you were wondering, this person is writing for a major women's magazine, not the National Enquirer!

Want to get into the papers? Be dramatic!

Speaking Coach Patricia Fripp put it this way: The bigger the problem, the more dramatic the solution."

I did a teleseminar with Patricia Fripp on "How to Turn a Dull Speaker into a Dynamic Presenter." To see how you can get your copy of this CD click here

Or paste this link into your browser:

http://www.prleads.com/seminar011.htm

Dan Janal
Your Fearless PR LEADER
PR LEADS Expert Resource Network
www.PRLEADS.com

Can  a new search engine take on Google?

Well, when Google was an infant, they were saying the same thing about Yahoo!

A new search engine is about to be launched (I have the inside scoop) and they are using an interesting tactic to build traffic and loyalty.

You can get $50 of ad dollar credits to spend on a new search engine created by my buddy Paul Cohen, who is the genius behind the teleconferencing service that many speakers use for their teleseminar lines.

He's going to launch this service by the end of the week, so it will be interesting to see how fast this new site can grow. Alexa ranked it about 990,000 last week and 500,000 this week. So we have an independent yardstick to measure growth.

This is an interesting tactic.

It's like getting a shopping spree on Google AdWords, but the search engine is "Search Big Daddy." Don't worry about the funny name. The search engine is based on DMOZ, which is the heart and soul of Yahoo and many other top-ranked search engines.

Click here for details: http://www.bigdaddypays.com/prleads

Yes, you'll have to wade through the typical sales letter you see all over the net, so scroll to the bottom and fill out the form and you'll get your ad dollars. They'll tell you what to do next. Please send them your questions.

It's a pretty good search engine too -- it's based on DMOZ, which is what Yahoo and Google are based on. So there's no risk and you'll get advertising - no strings attached.

Try your own searches and see what you think. You can promote your books, your consulting practices, your coaching services -- at no real cost to you!

Click here for details: http://www.bigdaddypays.com/prleads

I like to think of it as a social network for approved merchants and trusted advertisers since the only people who will know about this are people who are invited in. 

So beat the Internet Marketers and grab the top listings before they do!

Dan Janal
Your Fearless PR LEADER
PR LEADS Expert Resource Network
952-380-1554
dan@prleads.com
http://www.prleads.com 

Today's USA TODAY heralds McDonald's introduction to the premium coffee marketplace. It also heralds in the beginning of a new brand war between McDonald's and Starbucks. They call it the cola wars of the new century.

But I look at this a little bit differently.

I see this as a test of the brand visioneers of the last decade who were convinced that Starbucks built its brand not so much on the coffee, but on the EXPERIENCE of being in a Starbucks cafe, surrounded by like-minded people and listening to the music selections of their CD-of-the-month club and cool "baristas" who reveled in talking about the differences between the various coffee blends as if they were wine aficionados, which is cool.

If the branders are correct, then Starbucks wins.

If people like to go to drive in windows at McDonald's on their way to work instead of parking their car and settin' a spell at Starbucks, then the branding gurus were wrong. It wasn't the experience.

This could be interesting. We'll see if Starbucks -- and branding gurus -- retain their aura.

Dan Janal
Your Fearless PR LEADER
PR LEADS Expert Resource Network
www.prleads.com