Hacker Speak

Affiliate marketing is a lot like a consignment shop. Your web site features merchandise and for your effort, each lead pulls in commission. It isn’t as much work, very few overheads, it works twenty-four hours a day, and even better, it is relatively easy to master. The very first step you have to take is to determine exactly which area you want to work in. To achieve this, you need to find out solutions to problems a unique market segment is suffering from, and then which solutions are on offer to assist them. A good method of doing this is to search for specific sets of highly drilled down longtail keywords or phrases; by and large people search for these less often, however they will convert far more.

To find these profitable words or phrases, use Micro Niche Finder or software like it. Data generated from this software or other programs or services gives you a listing of related terminology giving worthwhile targets to have a good placing in an internet search and bring in tons of traffic.

Micro Niche Finder data will in addition calculate how many searches each keyword or phrase gets, the exact number of other sites using the particular word or phrase, and details on your competitors as well. Lastly, Micro Niche Finder information can identify appropriate domains, aid you in putting together your site, and also identify the greatest sales opportunities. The next step is to build a site; however you still have a few important tasks to complete. Having the top placing on internet based search engines needs the optimization of your site. Here SEO Elite information can be useful. Your rivals’ web sites are examined by the application which then provides suggestions on how to increase search results.

In SEO Elite the information created from the computer software advises you on links, what words or phrases to focus on, and a list of article submission internet sites to use. Succinctly, the data created are similar to the advice that a specialist in search engine optimization might give.

Once you have decided what niche you want to concentrate on, have your product advertisements, and your website is ready to go, then it’s time to easily refine your search results. Your earnings will roll in regularly and wonder why you did not try affiliate marketing earlier!

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When others do something for us, we feel a strong need, even a push, to return the favor. Returning the favor rids us of the obligation created by the first good deed. The adage “one good turn deserves another” seems to be a part of social conditioning in every culture.

And, even beyond that, the maxim serves as an ethical code that does not necessarily need to be taught but nevertheless is understood. For example, when someone smiles or gives a compliment, we feel a great need to return the smile or compliment. Even when these gestures are unsolicited, we feel a sense of urgency to repay the person who has created the mental or psychological debt. In some cases, our need to repay this debt is so overwhelming that we end up dramatically exceeding the original favor. The obligation trigger created by the car salesman’s soda offer is a classic example of this principle.

People often conscientiously trigger feelings of indebtedness and obligation in others by carrying out an uninvited favor. Even if we don’t want or ask for the gift, invitation, or compliment, we still feel the need to return the favor when we receive it. Merely being indebted, even in the slightest sense of the word, can create enough psychological discomfort (and sometimes even public embarrassment) that we go to extraordinary lengths to remove the burdensome obligation we feel. This is when we often disproportionately reward the original giver.

Maybe this has happened to you. You are attempting to buy a car and are playing hardball with the sales rep. You’ve negotiated back and forth and are getting nowhere. You are ready to walk away when he says that he will talk to his manager one last time. As he gets up, he says, “You know, I’m thirsty, so I’m going to get myself a soda. Would you like one?” “Sure!” you say, oblivious to his tactic. He comes back with the soda and a better deal from his manager. It’s not the deal you wanted, but you feel it’s the best you’re going to get. So, you accept it. As you think about it later, it dawns on you that you bought the car because of a subconscious trigger. The moral of the story is to never take a drink from the car sales rep before you’ve settled on a price. That drink serves as an obligation trigger. You feel indebted to the car dealer because of this small courtesy, and he knows it. He created the obligation with a can of soda. You return the favor and get out of his debt by buying a car.

When my family moved to a new area, we gave a small Christmas gift to all our neighbors. I don’t think the gifts cost more than five dollars each. We were new on the block and wanted to get to know our neighbors. About thirty minutes after hand-delivering the gifts to our new neighbors, the doorbell rang. There stood one of the neighbors with a large box of truffles in one hand–this box had to have been holding at least fifty dollars worth of chocolates. She said, “Welcome to the neighborhood, and Happy Holidays,” and with that she was off and on her way. She couldn’t cope with the sudden debt she felt toward my family so, to rid herself of her feelings of obligation, she gave back ten times more than she’d originally received. This is why many people buy extra holiday presents to have on hand just in case someone delivers a gift they did not count on.

Obligation has been used as a persuasive technique since the beginning of time. Door-to-door salespeople offer free brushes, free encyclopedias, and free estimates in the hopes of securing a sale. People throw parties in their homes, serving refreshments and giving away free Tupperware or other products. We all know how hard it is to attend a friend’s party, eat their food, take their free gift, and then go home without buying a thing. So, what do we do? We order the cheapest item in the catalog to get rid of the obligation or indebtedness we feel to the host.

Everyone persuades for a living. There’s no way around it. Whether you’re a sales professional, an entrepreneur, or even a stay at home parent, if you are unable to convince others to your way of thinking, you will be constantly left behind. Get your free reports at Magnetic Persuasion to make sure that you are not left watching others pass you on the road to success. Donald Trump said it best, “Study the art of persuasion. Practice it. Develop an understanding of its profound value across all aspects of life.”

The Law of Obligation can be used to eliminate animosity or suspicion. In one study, researcher Dennis Regan had two individuals try to sell raffle tickets to unsuspecting workers. One individual made a conscientious effort to befriend the workers before attempting to sell any tickets. The other individual made a point of being rude and obnoxious around the workers. While on a break, the individual who had previously been rude to his prospects bought them drinks before trying to get them to buy tickets. The results of the study showed that the rude individual actually sold twice as many raffle tickets, even though the other had been so much nicer and more likable.

The pressure to reciprocate is strong enough that when people don’t return the favor, they are viewed with contempt and disgust. Accepting gifts or favors without attempting to return them is universally viewed as selfish, greedy, and heartless. It is often strictly due to this internal and external pressure that people conform to the rule of reciprocity.

The Law of Obligation also applies when there are favors we wish we could ask, but we know we are not in a position to repay them or perhaps even ask for them in the first place. The psychological and emotional burden created by such circumstances is often great enough that we would rather lose the benefits of the favor by not asking for it at all than experience the embarrassment and likely rejection that might come from asking. For example, a woman who receives expensive gifts from a man may complain that, although she is flattered by and likes getting the gifts, she feels an uncomfortable sense of obligation to repay her suitor. Furthermore, she may express frustration at the perception held by the suitor that, because of his gifts, the woman would or should be more sexually accessible. Studies have shown that the converse is also true: When individuals break the reciprocity rule by showering favors on someone without giving them a chance to repay, there is an equal amount of discomfort.

The drive to alleviate feelings of obligation is so powerful that it can make us bend toward people we don’t even know. One university professor chose names at random from a telephone directory, and then sent these complete strangers his Christmas cards. Holiday cards addressed to him came pouring back, all from people who did not know him and, for that matter, who had never even heard of him.

You have a client name Robin that will not give you the time of day. You know you can help her increase her profits but have been unable to get in the door. You have tried everything but to no avail. How could you use the law of obligation to increase her willingness to listen to your proposal?

Conclusion

Persuasion is the missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost because of your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you’ve seen some success, but think of the times you couldn’t get it done. Has there ever been a time when you did not get your point across? Were you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and accomplish their goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, know what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in your ability to persuade. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others.

Kurt Mortensen’s trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather than convincing others, he teaches that you should attract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. He teaches that sales have changed and the consumer has become exponentially more skeptical and cynical within the last five years. Most persuaders are using only 2 or 3 persuasion techniques when there are actually 120 available! If you are ready to claim your success and learn what only the ultra-prosperous know, begin by going to http://www.PreWealth.com and getting my free report “10 Mistakes That Continue Costing You Thousands.” After reading my free report, go to http://www.PreWealth.com/IQ and take the free Persuasion IQ analysis to determine where you rank and what area of the sales cycle you need to improve in order to close every sale!

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Telemarketing sales lists play a vital role in making a business successful and profitable. But the lists must consist of handy leads. You have to make sure that the telemarketing sales lists are updated regularly. In needed, you will have to do away with your existing telemarketing company to opt for another one. Business houses require telemarketing sales lists to kick off any direct mail campaign. Companies undertake such campaigns to develop their business. So, the information mentioned in the telemarketing sales leads have to be up to date.

You can’t afford take chances with telemarketing sales lists. The lists should include all the verified names and addresses. The authenticity of the lists will have a significant bearing on your business prospect. The content in the telemarketing sales list must be relevant to your business. If you find it’s too difficult for you to maintain an up to date telemarketing sales lists, you can hire any telemarketing database administrator to do the job for you. However before appointing any telemarketing company, you have to ensure that it has got the experience and expertise to take care of your needs and requirements. The telemarketing companies usually offer reliable and affordable sales lists phenomenal in making all the difference in your business. If you opt for a proficient telemarketing company, you will definitely get some great sales leads. The business thrives on the quality of the sales leads it can generate.

That’s why telemarketing sales lists assume greater significance among the business entrepreneurs. If you want to give your business a favorable climate to prosper, there is no option left but to go for a great telemarketing sales lists. The telemarketing sales lists basically contain contacts of various prospective clients who may subscribe to your products or services. Maintaining such a list is vital to every business houses.

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I suppose I’m like every other business owner out there that has
looked for the Power Words that will deliver the Holy Grail.
When you find them you will know because your sales will leap
forward. I found them, but it wasn’t where I had been looking.

I had looked through lists upon lists of supposed “Power Words”
in sales books, e-books, online articles, etc. What I found was
that it wasn’t something out there, it was inside of me. I had
just been using the words I already had wrong.

Most of us have been saying things like: Either I am, or my
product is the BEST, the BIGGEST, the BADDEST, all comparing
myself to others, but not truly defining what the BEST is. That
leaves it up to the prospect to come to his own conclusion what
your value truly is.

People buy based on your perceived value, so allowing them to
come to their own conclusion as to that value is too broad, too
vague, will be different for everyone that hears you say it, and
just isn’t a clear picture of your true value.

Let’s start down a path of discovering your true value that you
will use to define that to your customers from here on.

I’d like for you to take out a piece of paper and write 4 column
heads across the top of the paper. From left to right: *
Product/Service * Benefits/Results of my product * Why buy it
from me (benefits/results I offer) * Measurable results (for
both product and me)

Consider this an ongoing worksheet and exercise that will
continually change over time. It is a thought process, so don’t
shoot for absolute perfection on the first pass. I want you to
start thinking in a new way. It will get better once it has
started you thinking in a new direction.

Why are we doing this? Most of us have been selling a
product/service. We should stop selling and talking about the
product/service and start talking about the benefit and results
that the product brings.

o Product/Service Under the Product/Service column list ALL of
your products and/or services

o Benefits/Results of my product For each product/service list
its benefits right beside it in the column to the right. Make
sure that you list the benefit as a result that the customer
will receive. Do not list an activity that you do for the
client, list ONLY results. This is the reason people buy your
product, the results they get from it.

o Why buy it from me? Once someone has decided to buy your
product, then they start looking for Who is the best one to buy
it from. So, this is another benefit/results column, but it is
for YOU. List the benefits/results that you bring. Assume that
there is someone just like you on every street corner selling
that same product. This column differentiates you from everyone
else selling that same product. Why buy it from you?

o Measurable results This last column is where the real
differentiation will occur. I want you to take the benefits of
the product, and the benefits of buying it from you and turn
those into a measurable result. I’m going to use another
business coach’s example for this.

o Product — business Coach o Benefits — Increase business o
Why me — I deliver results, not just training.

Selling “the benefits” of the product instead of “the product”
is certainly a positive step, however, “increase business”
doesn’t define the value to a customer. A prospect has no idea
what this means to him. He may certainly be in pain and wants
more business, but there is no definition of the true value. The
same is true of “Why me.”

By going to the last column and making “increase business” a
measurable result we can turn that into a really powerful,
grabber statement. Define a measurable result for both the
product, and for what differentiates you.

Many times I hear, “I can’t measure it,” “my results are all
over the place, so how do I define this.” If you don’t know your
results then how can you define your value to your client? And,
if you don’t know your results how in the world can you deliver
them to a client? How do you know when you have achieved success
if there isn’t a measurable level that says….”Success! I’m
here.”

Believe me, this is one of the most critical questions you may
have about your business.

Don’t feel bad if you don’t have the answer, most don’t at
first. And this one thing will make you not only stand out in
that crowd on the street corner, but will turn your business
into the most success you have seen since starting it.

For your first pass, define 1) Average results (I force my
clients to answer this even when it seems hard, just take your
best shot at it and write it down) 2) Minimum result (what is
the lowest result you have ever delivered) 3) Maximum result
(what is the absolute best result you have ever delivered)

Once you have some definitions of what we’ve measured, and how
(average, minimum, maximum), now I want you to think how you
would define this to a prospect:

Examples: o Average might sound like, “My typical client doubles
his business in 3-4 weeks”. o Minimum result might be stated, “I
will guarantee that you will at least …..,” or “Every client
has at least….” o Maximum result might be, “I have had clients
that …..[have grown their business 10 times in weeks]”

It has to be factual and it has to be stated in a way that you
feel comfortable that you can do it, or have done it in the past.

What this does is establish a clear picture of your value to a
client. It changes “growing a business” into “doubling a
business in weeks,” or “$100K increase.” In either case, it is
putting a measurable value into the prospects field of vision.
It turns a vague benefit into dollar signs the prospect can
clearly understand. It differentiates you so much that you will
be standing out in a crowd of others that do what you do…AND
they aren’t doing this.

It’s almost like looking into the prospect’s eyes and seeing the
dollars signs flashing buy like it does on the gas pump as we
stand there.

Use these measurable results in your marketing material, use
them in your networking elevator speech, use them on your
website and watch your results go through the roof. I’ve seen it
happen over and over.

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1. Find a strategic business partner. Look for ones
that have the same objective. You can trade leads,
share marketing info, sell package deals, etc.

2. Brand your name and business. You can easily
do this by just writing articles and submitting them
to e-zines or web sites for republishing.

3. Start an auction on your web site. The type of
auction could be related to the theme of your site.
You’ll draw traffic from auctioneers and bidders.

4. Remember to take a little time out of your day
or week to brainstorm. New ideas are usually the
difference between success and failure.

5. Model other successful business or people. I’m
not saying out right copy them, but practice some
of the same habits that have made them succeed.

6. Take risks to improve your business. Sometimes
businesses don’t want to advertise unless it’s free,
sometimes you have to spend money to get results.

7. Include emotional words in your advertisements.
Use ones like love, security, relief, freedom, happy,
satisfaction, fun, etc.

8. Ask people online to review your web site. You
can use the comments you get to improve your web
site or you may turn the reviewer into a customer.

9. Out source part of your workload. You’ll save
on most employee costs. You could out source
your secretarial work, accounting, marketing, etc.

10. Combine a product and service together in a
package deal. It could increase your sales. If you’re
selling a book, offer an hour of consulting with it.

About the author:

Rojo Sunsen is a specialized bounty hunter who prefers to work quietly/confidentially for the benefit of her clients.

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Mortgage leads are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. That is why it is so important to do your research before you invest.

When shopping around for a lead company, you want to ask yourself six easy questions about the leads you are going to invest in.

WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW, and WHY.

Who is the person trying to obtain the mortgage? Are they serious about their purchase, or are they looking to buy six to eight months down the road once their lease is up, and they save some money?

Look for lead companies that weed out these types of leads, and will send you only potential customers looking to purchase within thirty to forty-five days.

What exactly is it that they are looking for? Are they looking to purchase, refinance, obtain a construction loan, or purchase land?

Make sure the lead companies have parameters on their applications to make sure the potential customer can be specific about what they want.

For instance, if a customer wants to refinance their home to purchase a new roof, because their existing roof has caved in, chances are, the appraisal won’t come in. We all have compassion, but this is not a good situation for a loan officer spending their hard earned money.

Where are the leads coming from? If a lead company is buying their leads from other companies, then these leads are considered old or recycled. They will however be very cheap, but remember, quantity is not always as good as quality.

When is your customer looking to purchase? If they are looking to purchase thirty to forty-five days from now, great! If not, then you might be waiting a long time for your ROI.

How many other loan officers have contacted your customer? Most lead companies sell their leads up to four times if they are being sold non exclusively. Make sure you find out the amount of times your lead company sells their leads to loan officers, and if they recycle them to other lead companies.

Why is this person applying for a loan? When you receive a lead from a lead company, there should always be a comment section where the potential customer can state the purpose for the loan and ultimately describe their needs. This way you can do a little research to discuss the programs you can offer that would be suited to their needs.

It is important to do as much research as you can about mortgage lead companies before you start investing your hard earned money.

Visit their web sites, and check out their return policy. Call and speak with a representative, and ask if they will allow for a free trial.

When you are ready to commit to making an investment, do it with a lead company you are comfortable with that has a reasonable minimum deposit to start with.

The more research you do, the better return on investment you will receive.

Good luck with your leads!

Jay Conners is a former loan officer with more than fifteen years of experience in the mortgage business. You can learn more about the mortgage lead industry and how he became involved in it by visiting his site at http://www.jconners.com a mortgage resource center. He also owns http://www.callprospect.com a mortgage lead company.

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If you are in sales then who would you rather buy from? The amateur with a reputation for doing what he says he will do and integrity or the professional who dresses nice, is new to the scene and uses all the right phrases, psychological tactics and buzz words? Well if you are like most people you would rather do business with the down to Earth person, but at the same time you also realize that you mind has been trained to do business with the professional. But really you must use your intuition and thus consider the benefits of trust, integrity and word of mouth concerning the amateur right?

Recently I read a very good article on this subject and one that you should read too called; Amateurs and Professionals, written by a gentleman and a scholar; Mr. Ed Howes

http://ezinearticles.com/?Amateurs-and-Professionals&id=227963

I thoroughly enjoyed his categories and the article, thank you for that. Now then, having lived a long life of entrepreneurial pursuits, I am not sure if I personally can always classify folks into boxes, because of the tremendous variety, yet even in saying this I have met and done business sometimes happily, sometimes reluctantly with all four of those types you pegged.

Never really thought of it that way. But I would rather do business with a construction business person, farmer, heavy industry person or such any day of the week than someone who shows up to sell me something in a suit and tie, with a song and dance and a well thought out lie. Perhaps you too will consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

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