Gallery - Reception - T R E W T H - an exhibition reflecting the veneer of life’s obsessions by James Caprell
June 24, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Summer extension / new work on display - James Caprell Gallery - Reception
Friday June 27th, 7-11pm at 1136 Abbot Kinney Boulevard Venice ca 90291- solo musical performance by Justin Hopkins, wine tasting by specialty cellars, hors d’oeuvres by sexyfoodcorp, RSVP to info@caprellcollection.com <mailto:info@caprellcollection.com> or 310.909.8645
http://www.caprellcollection.com
GILBERTO GIL & Broadband Band in concert in San Diego
June 19, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - G I L B E R TO G I L *** & Broadband Band (Banda Larga) *** Gil live with Bluetooth technology at 4th and B in San Diego - Gil is recording a new album, which will be entitled, “Banda Larga Cordel.” A 3-song single is slated for release on May 12th, with the full album coming out via WEA Latina on June 12th. – One of the great music icons of our time, a dominant force in contemporary Brazilian music GILBERTO GIL will perform live at 4th and B in San Diego on June 30 at 8pm.
Gilberto Gil’s upcoming North American tour will embrace his long-standing interest and support in the right of artists around the globe to openly distribute content through all forms of new media technology. His latest effort, follows last year’s highly successful European tour of “Broadband,” an interactive communal experience which invited the audience to record and share his music and message through social networks, webcasts, podcasts, and cellcasts. The audience at your venue will also be invited to record and document each concert for their own personal use. Gil’s interactive “Broadband” website will provide the opportunity for the audience to share and upload their photos, videos and comments in a collaborative forum with the artist. In response Gil and his band mates will share commentary and backstage footage of life on the road in a specially created tour blog (launching on June 1st).
This special concert is called GILBERTO GIL & Broadband Band (Banda Larga),as all electronic images captured by the audience during the show can be transferred via Bluetooth to a local internet station at the house mix position. This information will be transferred directly to Gilberto Gil’s web site www.gilbertogil.com <http://www.gilbertogil.com/> or the images can be uploaded to Gil’s site from remote by each person and made available to all.
Gil has created this show to dial into the immediacy and interconnectedness of the internet driven world that we live in. “I’ve always been a musician, and I have always tried to keep developing new ideas,” said Gil in an interview for O Sol De Oslo. “Since I see change as a natural process, I think I’ve always been changing and developing my music. It’s hard for me to state precisely which directions I took, but I have moved along using my feelings and intuition,” states Gil.
Grammy award-winning singer, composer and guitarist Gilberto Gil is renowned for his breezy tropicalia, bossa nova and sultry samba compositions. He is one of the most important singers, composers, and instrumentalists of modern Brazilian pop music. The Tropicalist genre he introduced alongside Caetano Veloso has secured his fame internationally as well as at home in Brazil, where he serves as minister of culture for the past four years.
Born in 1942 in Salvador, Bahia, Gil and his friend Caetano Veloso are credited with founding the Tropicalism movement, a blend of rock and bossa nova that influenced David Byrne, Paul Simon and Beck. The political content of its lyrics offended Brazil’s military dictatorship, and Gil and Veloso were jailed in 1968 and lived in London from 1969 to 1972. Today Mr. Gil is recognized as a pioneer in world music. His music fuses traditional Brazilian genres, like bossa nova, samba and the rhythms of north-eastern Brazil, with elements from pop, rock, reggae, and funk. The resulting mix, with its rich melodies and strong rhythms, reflects the diversity and vibrancy of Brazil’s culture and people. From Tropicalismo sprung Música Popular Brasileria (Brazilian Popular Music) or MPB, Gil is considered the first MPB musician to use an electric guitar.
Over a broad diaspora of musical bases and influences, Gil has tackled a wide variety of issues in his lyrics, pertinent always to the reality of the modern man in Brazil and in the world. From counter culture to African and Asian culture, from behavioral freedom to social inequality, from prejudice to racial miscegenation; from religious syncretism to scientific advance; from technology to ecology; from love to friendship. The mastership with which Gil explores these contents makes him one of the greatest Brazilian musician-poets.
In a career spanning four decades, at age 66, Gilberto Gil has to his credit 64 albums, 12 gold records and five platinum singles, and five million records sold. Among his greatest hits are “Domingo no Parque” “Aquele Abraço” “Expresso 2222″ “Xodó”, “Superhomem - a canção” “Não chore mais” (a version of the Bob Marley classic “No Woman, No Cry”), “Palco” “Drão”, “A novidade.” He has recorded or performed with artists such as João Gilberto, Sting, Pink Floyd, Yes, the Wailers, Stevie Wonder, and Jimmy Cliff. He has performed in the US, Japan, South America and Europe at festivals including the Montreux Jazz Festival and also appeared on MTV Unplugged.
In recent years, he has been actively involved in social and environmental projects through a non-governmental organization he created, the Onda Azul Foundation.
In 1998, he won the Grammy Award for Best Album of World Music for “Quanta Gente Veio Ver”, and became a Knight of Arts and Letters (France) and was awarded Cruz da Ordem de Rio Branco (Brazil). Mr. Gil was honoured with the 2003 Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Person of the Year award in recognition of his professional, cultural and social accomplishments. In 2006 Gil won the Grammy Award for best contemporary world music album for Eletracustico.
SHORT BIOGRAPHY
Gilberto Gil has developed one of the most relevant and renown careers as a singer, composer and guitar-player in both world and pop music. In a career that has spanned four decades, with over 30 albums released, Gil has six gold records, four platinum singles and five million records sold. The Tropicalist genre he introduced, alongside Caetano Veloso, has secured his fame internationally as well as at home in Brazil. His extensive and prolific catalogue of work has been covered and recorded by João Gilberto, Elis Regina, Gal Costa, Sérgio Mendes, Ernie Watts, and Toots Thielmans. Over the years, his political and environmental activism gained prominence alongside his musical career and reached a new height in 2002 when he was appointed minister of culture for Brazil. As a musician and as a diplomat, Gil possesses a key role in the constant modernization of Brazilian popular music and culture throughout the world.
Brazilian Nites Productions was created to increase the awareness of Brazilian culture, music, art and dance in quality productions in Southern California. Brazilian Nites Productions has successfully promoted and produced events since 1989 in Los Angeles County and has been working and growing in cooperation with the Los Angeles County Arts Commission for the past 14 years. A scroll from the County of Los Angeles was awarded to them for being the leading producers of Brazilian artists and culture in Southern California. Some of the artists who have been part of these events are; Caetano Veloso, Flora Purim & Airto Moreira, Dori Caymi, Geraldo Azevedo, Tribute to Maestro Moacir Santos, Gal Costa, Olodum, Djavan, Moraes Moreira, Elba Ramalho, Maria Rita, Daniela Mercury, Beth Carvalho among others. Brazilian Nites Productions is headed by Patricia and Gilberto Leao of Burbank.
Sagatiba is the proud sponsor of Gilberto Gil’s concert. Experience Brazil’s national spirit, refined to perfection. Sagatiba, the world’s first premium Cachaça, is multidistilled to retain fresh cane characteristics with a soft aroma that’s smooth, lively, and delicate.
Due to its unmatched quality and smooth taste, Sagatiba is the most versatile Cachaça available in the market. Since its creation in 2004, Sagatiba has become Brazil’s leading premium Cachaça and has been embraced in key cocktail markets in 15 countries worldwide.
For photos, videos, interviews with the artist, and information contact Patricia Leao / shows@BrazilianNites.com Doors open at 7pm, show at 8pm - Tickets: $40 General Admission in advance ($45 at the door) and $50 seated ($55 at the door). Available at Ticketmaster or: www.ticketmaster.com – 21 and over. GIL COMES TO AMERICA: http://weblogs.variety.com/thesetlist/2008/04/gilberto-gil-le.html, http://www.livedaily.com/news/14131.html and see below samples of recent release of Gilberto Gil & Broadband Band on Warner label - GILBERTO GIL - ÁUDIO - Os Pais - http://streamos.warnermusic.com/wmedia/wmbrazil/gilbertogil_ospais.wma - GILBERTO GIL - ÁUDIO - Banda Larga Cordel, http://streamos.warnermusic.com/wmedia/wmbrazil/gilbertogil_bandalargacordel.wma
StandUp For Kids, Orange County announces today that they have teamed up with A Charity Affaire to create the first ever Orange County “Dancing with Our Stars.”
(Costa Mesa, CA) June 18, 2008, StandUp For Kids, Orange County announces today that they have teamed up with A Charity Affaire to create the first ever Orange County “Dancing with Our Stars.” This event was created by A Charity Affaire in 2006 to provide a multi-charity fundraising venue. Since that time, it has raised approximately $250,000 for 42 different charities.
Our event will feature couples raising thousands of dollars for their organizations all by tapping their toes, shaking their hips and swirling across the dance floor to the delight of 350 to 400 guests. Each “Star Dancer” is paired with a professional dancer and performs to earn dollar-value votes for their favorite non-profit. Proxy votes are encouraged so they don’t even have to see the performance in order to vote for their favorite charity or dancer. Can you imagine - no more auctions or raffles - just let your guests sit back and enjoy a fabulous dinner and the entertainment of the competition while you are raising thousands of dollars for your charity. Join us for this night of enchantment!
Your votes help Eric & Yanina support StandUp For Kids in our goal to win first place in this innovative fundraiser. Support your “Stars” by submitting your vote(s) priced at $20 each - no maximum! The “stars” with the most votes win 1st place.
If you would like to attend the competition on July 26 at 6:00 PM at the Costa Mesa Neighborhood Community Center 1845 Park Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA. Tickets are $100; includes dinner & one vote. Please note: the dinner event itself is not a fundraising event, only the voting donations are tax deductible & $20 of the dinner ticket.
Both dinner tickets & votes may also be purchased via Paypal, Visa, Mastercard, Amex or Discover online at http://www.oc.dancingwithourstars.net/dinner.html. Don’t forget to indicate STANDUP FOR KIDS as your Charity! For more information contact: justines@standupforkids.org or call (949)357-4298 or visit StandUp For Kids http://www.standupforkids.org/local/california/Orange%20County/
About “Dancing with Our Stars” - This event was created by A Charity Affaire in 2006 to provide a multi-charity fundraising venue. Since that time, it has raised approximately $250,000 for 42 different charities. Some charities participate multiple times. It is such a popular event that we have a Fall and Spring production in the Palm Springs area.
About STANDUP FOR KIDS - StandUp for Kids was founded in 1990 to help rescue homeless and at-risk youth. StandUp for Kids is run almost entirely by volunteers, and has established more than thirty-seven outreach programs in twenty states. The mission of StandUp for Kids is to help homeless and street kids. The mission is carried out by a national volunteer force whose on-the-streets outreach efforts will find, stabilize and assist homeless and street kids in their efforts to improve their lives. In addition to helping homeless and at-risk youth with immediate necessities such as food, clothing, shelter and personal hygiene, StandUp for Kids offers a wide array of services, including: assistance in finding housing; education assistance; vocational development; counseling; health services; transportation to self-help meetings; and legal assistance.
AT LAST!! - The New Dreamcatcher Travelogue Online Events Calendar for The Tourist Trade!!!
June 3, 2008 by admin · 3 Comments
Looking for something to do on your travels?
Do you want to avoid the crowds or spending hours on the web trying to find something to do?
Our Dreamcatcher Travelogue Online Event Calendars with the inclusion of blogs and video’s, will tell you what is going on anywhere across the USA.
Dreamcatcher Online Event Calendars has launched the first of a collection of “Dreamcatcher Travelogue Calendars” to add to our already existing and growing online event calendars.
The Dreamcatcher Travelogue Calendars are stunning and exciting calendars for the tourist trade. They highlight and display events at all the places you will want to visit and enjoy. We have incorporated advertisements, articles, video’s and photos on the Dreamcatcher Travelogue Blogs for each and every beautiful state and/or area, including notes and descriptions of attractions and events in each area.
The Dreamcatcher Travelogue Online Events Calendar will incorporate all the tourism districts as part of the total USA experience where you’ll learn about the different festivals and celebrations that take place across the USA. These events are a great way to enhance and fully experience your holidays!
Contact Claudia duPreez for full information at claudia@dcmrktng.com and also visit our website at: www.dreamcatchercalendars.com - If you join the Dreamcatcher Calendar Club it will enable you to RSVP all events, book a limo or rent a car. You can view, organize, and recieve email notifications regarding your chosen events. Optional features include the the ability to add your own events to the calendar… for FREE!
About Dreamcatcher Marketing and Dreamcatcher Online Event Calendars:
Dreamcatcher Marketing is dedicated to creating wonderful experiences for our customers and specializes in unique and creative marketing solutions that assist each individual business to expand the exposure to their specific target audience – everything from promotional products, internet marketing, mixers and special events.
As part of Dreamcatcher Marketing’s ongoing commitment to continually add features of value to the business as well as the media and event industry, DREAMCATCHER CALENDARS are proud to be the first and only Hybrid-Interactive advertising online calendar… providing businesses, associations and entrepreneurs the opportunity to reach a global audience by placing their advertising and events in the most exciting interactive platform on the internet today…utilizing a combination of banner advertising, event listings, blogging and video through a host of custom calendars that provide information from music to travel to Real Estate and more.
Because the calendars are integrated and linked together, the exposure for its members, advertisers and sponsors will be tremendous and will grow as more people become aware of this exciting new marketing platform.
When you advertise on the Dreamcatcher Calendar…. Your banner ad will appear on the Dreamcatcher Calendar of your choice and membership to the Banners or calendar section of the Dreamcatcher Online Calendars will include the following advantages: You become part of the Dreamcatcher Marketing and Dreamcatcher Calendar E-Newsletter and blog * Calendars will be displayed on Dreamcatcher Calendars and be linked to Dreamcatcher Marketing and all participating advertisers’ websites * Members can add/edit their own event/show schedules on the calendar * Each event will be linked to a pop-up window with the full event/show details that can be printed (this can be the flyer brought in to get selected discounts on door prices, products etc.) * Events can be added personally to visitor’s Outlook Calendar, Apple iCalender, Mozilla Sunbird Calendar and any other calendar with .ics or .vcs support * List events to alert others and generate publicity * Each event will have an RSVP connection where they can RSVP online for your events/shows * RSS Feed available to notify clients of all new events listed * MP3’s can be linked to your site on the pop-up window * Limo and car rental services appear on each pop-up window for visitors to book when visiting the events * Members can do their own changes on their Account area (i.e. change passwords etc.) * Everyone will be able to view your events at a glance * With the easy use of a button, events can be repeated on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis * Printer friendly pages can be generatied showing daily, weekly, or monthly events.
Are you ready to enjoy these benefits and utilize the expertise of our experienced and proven marketing team….. or would you like to create your own Custom Branded Calendar? Contact us NOW!
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Last Minute International Deals
Be Part Of the Exciting World Of Travel - Start Your Own Online Travel Agency Today!!
June 2, 2008 by admin · 9 Comments
Dreamcatcher Travelogue and YTB brings you the perfect opportunity to transform your life by combining the powerful information handling capability of the Internet with the world’s most dynamic product – travel - and the personal touch of independent, home based business people. YTB has joined these three trends together in a flawless combination. By utilizing our simple strategies and proven techniques we can show you how to leverage your time to generate a residual income 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The elements of honesty, morality, and “being in the right place at the right time” are all in place today at YTB - and we plan to revolutionize the travel industry. Come join us as we change the way the world travels!
Your Business
The YTB companies offer two unique and powerful opportunities, that of referring travel agent or “RTA” and that of independent marketing representative or “REP”. The travel agent opportunity has an initial fee under $500 and a monthly license fee of $49.95. There is no fee or travel agency purchase required to be a REP. You may choose to participate in one or both opportunities.
What is a YTB Independent Marketing Representative?
A person who has signed an Independent Marketing Representative agreement with YourTravelBiz.com is called a Representative.
(We will use the term “Rep” from now on). Reps may sell online Travel Agencies, enroll RTAs, and sponsor other Reps. Reps earn commission on personal online Travel Agency sales. Reps do not receive travel credentials and cannot sell travel.
What is a YTB Travel Network Referring Travel Agent?
A Referring Travel Agent (RTA) is a person who has purchased an online Travel Agency in an agreement with YTB Travel Network of Illinois and pays the $49.95 monthly license fee for a personalized online travel website and its “Back Office”. (We will use the term “RTA” from now on). RTAs refer people to their website (online Travel Agency) to book travel and earn commissions on travel booked through their personalized site.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT http://www.ytb.com/dctravelogue NOW!
Information about YTB International, Inc
Current Operations
YTB International, Inc. provides Internet-based travel booking services for travel agencies and home-based independent representatives in the United States, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada. It operates through three subsidiaries: YourTravelBiz.com, Inc., YTB Travel Network, Inc., and REZconnect Technologies, Inc.
The three distinct, wholly-owned subsidiary divisions operate as follows:
YourTravelBiz.com, Inc. (and subsidiaries)
YourTravelBiz.com, Inc. (“YTB Marketing”) conducts business through recruitment, enrollment, training, and support of its sales force. There are currently approximately 341,305 (as of 3/31/08) independent contractors, known as Independent Marketing Representatives (each, an “IMR”), who are responsible for selling on-line travel agencies to RTAs, most of whom work from their homes. IMRs are compensated via a multilevel marketing commission structure. An IMR might utilize a number of methods for attracting new RTAs, including the use of informational meetings and events, newspaper advertising, and one-on-one meetings with individuals seeking a home-based business enterprise.
YTB Marketing was created to market travel agency websites to RTAs in a referral marketing program that incentivizes IMRs to sell on-line travel agencies. RTAs are also independent contractors and are provided with training materials and onsite training at various locations throughout the United States. YTB Marketing charges an initial license fee of $449.95 plus $49.95 per month, on a month-to-month basis, for RTAs to own and operate an online travel site, and YTB Travel (as defined below) can also earn additional transactional compensation from travel purchased off each website.
YTB Travel Network, Inc. (and its subsidiaries)
YTB Travel Network, Inc. (together with its subsidiary YTB Travel Network of Illinois, Inc., collectively, “YTB Travel”) business is comprised of arrangements to sell airline tickets, cruise packages and other services, plus travel sales, from the approximately 138,814 (as of 3/31/08) RTAs’ web sites which it hosts. YTB Travel handles travel processing, document distribution and travel commission payments, including tracking transactions for each of the sites. RTAs are schooled through travel training courses. This training is accomplished through a combination of company conference calls, e-training modules and hands-on certification seminars.
REZconnect Technologies, Inc.
REZconnect Technologies, Inc. (“Technologies”) includes a “brick and mortar” travel franchise system and provides YTB technology software and services to the travel industry. Technologies builds reservation systems using proprietary applications for suppliers within the travel industry. Technologies sells and services travel stores within the travel industry and includes RezCity.com, an online city guide and travel store. Technologies operates under the following brands: Travel Network, Global Travel Network and Travel Network/Vacation Central. The Technologies’ consumer driven websites provide strong content and booking ability, with over 60 booking engines incorporated into any one site, covering all aspects of the travel industry.
Ronny•C Photography - dedicated professional photography services
May 25, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Ronny•C Photography is dedicated to providing quality professional photography services. Whether it be for modeling, product shots, pictures of your favorite pet, your wedding or any other event, you can count on them to provide stunning images. As a husband and wife team you get the benefit of two sets of eyes looking out for your best interests. This is great during modeling shoots when you need everything to be just right. During events you get the benefit of a second camera at no extra charge. More angles means more shots and a better chance at capturing those special moments. They provide top-notch digital equipment, lenses and lighting. Shoots can be done in their studio, or on location. After the shooting is done they bring each shot in for digital post production to make every great shot even better.
Contact: Ronn & Susie Canzano - 626-201-7942 - ronn@ronny-c-photography.com
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About No Cost Printing.com
Our mission is to serve you; to give your organization a top-notch first impression.
No Cost Printing.com is designed to bring the quality of an advertising agency to organizations who are not able to bear the exuberant expense of an advertising agency.
No Cost Printing.com has established a system that streamlines thousands of other organizations just like yours into one order, giving you unbelievable buying power. Most of our system is automated saving you even more money. Thank goodness for our team of phenomenal programmers working night and day making this revolutionary way of printing possible!!
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In a self-service world, a world of immediate gratification, No Cost Printing.com is making possible custom products without the wait. We offer business cards, postcards, letterhead, envelopes, flyers, brochures, you name it we got it! You can select from thousands of ready-made, full-color designs you can totally customize it by changing things around, changing colors, moving text or if you love the card as it is just type in your personal information and watch it appear on your design palate. The sky is the limit at No Cost Printing.com. You also may start from a blank canvas and let the creativity flow or upload an already completed design. You may add logos or photos to any of the templates or custom designs.
It’s really a very simple process. You design cards for your organization, approve them, and pay for them all in about 30 minutes (unless you’re the artsy type and design for hours). After your order is placed you may access your account at any time to view your order status and see when your product has shipped. At any time you may view all your previously purchased items, re-edit them to fit your currents needs or just re-order as is.
When you place your order, your design flows directly from your desktop through our Internet gateway of high-tech stuff right to our servers with a print ready file waiting for us to grab and go.
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No Cost Printing.com offers such tremendous quality, with unbelievable convenience, and cost effective pricing; making our printing site a valuable resource for small, medium, and large sized organizations around the world. Contact: www.NoCostPrinting.com,
Visit www.dreamcatchercalendars.com to all avents and shows or register and place your own shows and events!sales@nocostprinting.com or Phone: 949-488-0593.
How to Generate a Never-Ending Avalanche of Super-Qualified Leads Who are Looking to Buy Exactly What You Are Selling
May 25, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Two-thirds of these sales are generated through a two-step process. The first step is to collect a qualified lead. The second step is to deliver your sales pitch. Maybe you will deliver your sales pitch with a follow-up sales letter. Or maybe you will deliver your sales pitch with a personal spoken sales presentation – either over the phone, or in person. That will depend on the type of product your are selling. The point is, you want to collect your qualified leads as cheaply as you possibly can.
But before I launch into how you do that, let me note that lead generation programs generally will not work well for low-priced items with small profit margins, such as magazine subscriptions – because the economics don’t work out. But if your profit margin on the product you are selling is $100 or more, a two-step or multi-step sales process is usually best . . . because once the item you are selling crosses this price threshold, you’re going to lose most of your impulse buyers. Plus, your bigger profit margin means you can now afford a multi-step, drip, drip, drip marketing approach. Okay, so let’s cover first the classic way this has been done in direct marketing for decades – even before we had the internet and before we had computers.
What you did – and what you can still do very profitably right now – is run a little ad that says something like this:
Get Your Free Book
Faith & Freedom:
The Christian Roots of American Liberty - Just Call 1-000-000-0000 - This 354-page book documents the strong Christian faith of America’s founding fathers. More than that, this book proves that the source of America’s heritage of liberty is the Bible and Christian theology. This book refutes the myth promoted by the ACLU that Christianity is the enemy of freedom and proves that Christianity is the source of our civil liberties
This ad also had a little photo of my book. And notice that the word “Free” was in red. This was small ad — about 3 1/2 inches by 2 inches. Nothing at all fancy about it. I ran this little ad in Christian magazines and publications. And I built a very large mailing list this way. In fact, I used this list to help me build the Christian Coalition in the 1990s . . . which grew into one of the most powerful political organizations of that decade, raising $27 million dollars a year. Plus . . . I used (and continue to use) this list to market all kinds of books, products and causes that are of intense interest to Christians. This list has generated tens of millions of dollars over the last 15 years or so.
Now . . . let’s check on the economics on what a lead generated this way can be worth. Let’s say it costs me $500 to run the ad. I then would receive 1,000 requests for the book. So it cost me about 50 cents a lead, factoring in just the cost of the ad. But I had some other costs as well. I did not use a toll-free number, so I did not have that cost. But, once the volume of calls got too heavy, I paid a service bureau $1.50 to capture the name, address and contact information. It also cost me $3.50 to fulfill on the request . . . because there was the cost of the printing the book, the book-rate postage, envelope and cover note. So the cost of generating the lead was $5.50.
But . . . look at all the ways I can use this lead. I can market all kinds of similar products to this name. I sold, for example, a video series on America’s Christian heritage for $97. With follow up sales letters, I was able to persuade about 20% of these names to buy this video series. I was able to build a big part of the 2,000,000-member Christian Coalition with these names. I was able to rent these names to other Christian organizations and businesses about once a week. In all, I calculated the one-year value of each of these names to be about $50.
In other words, I would pay $5.50 for the lead. And on average this lead would return $50 in profit to me during the course of the next 12 months. And, over time, each of these names would return on average about $100 in profit to me. So that’s a pretty good way to invest $5.50. $5.50 turns into $50 in 12 months . . . and $100 eventually. Probably a lot more than that. But I stopped calculating. That’s a whole lot better return than I ever got by investing in a stock. Mutual fund managers boast when they can return 15% a year on their investments. So that’s the classic way lead generation programs work in direct marketing. And, by the way, this still works just as well today.
Now . . . think about this. Suppose you use this exact same approach, but you remove the $3.50 it costs to fulfill on the book . . . because you fulfill the book electronically over the internet.Instead of delivering a printed book by way of snail mail, you deliver it in the form of an ebook over the internet. So now, instead of your lead costing $5.50, your lead costs only $2.00 – the cost of the ad plus the cost of capturing the name over the phone. But now, let’s say you eliminate the cost of the phone answering service and instead send your lead to a landing page on the internet that you have built specifically for this purpose. So now, instead of a lead costing you $5.50 each – a lead costs you 50 cents each. Now – even at $5.50, these leads are extraordinarily profitable. But at 50 cents a lead . . . well, you can do the math. Your lead is now just one-tenth the cost it used to be in the old days, before we had the internet. Can you see why online marketing is so lucrative and frankly, so easy?
Now, the one cost you really can’t get away from is the advertising. You have to pay for that – whether it’s with print ads, or online advertising, or with direct mail . . . or with sweat equity delivering fliers door-to-door or or doing PR campaigns to generate free media coverage, or whatever. But the point is, you’ll have to pay for advertising one way or the other to generate your leads – either with cash or with sweat equity. But once you’ve figured out how to capture the names, addresses and contact information of your qualified leads cost-effectively (just like I described), you now have a near limitless resource for future profit. You now have a business that can grow almost infinitely.
Now this is essential. You need to keep offering your qualified leads products that are very similar to whatever the free product was that brought them in to start with. Okay, now let’s go back to my little ad that offered my book for free – FAITH & FREEDOM: The Christian Roots of American Liberty. Let’s look at what it is that made these leads work for just about any Christian product or cause that I wanted to sell to these leads. Specifically, let’s look at what we know about people who answer an ad like this:
1) We know these names are committed Christians because I am running this ad only in publications that are read by committed Christians.
2) I know that they are responsive to direct marketing offers because they have just answered my direct marketing offer.
3) I know that this is a new name. Remember, your strongest names are always your most recent names – those who have responded to an offer recently.
4) I know they have bought something through the mail because that’s how Christian magazine subscriptions are sold. They are sold by direct mail.
5) I know they wanted my book because they just went to the trouble of picking up the phone and ordering it, or they just spent time to go to a computer and landing page and have filled out the information.
6) I know that their address and contact information is accurate because they want to receive my book.
In other words, these are just about the most qualified leads you can get if you are selling information products aimed at Christians. And it turns out these names were also great for building the membership list of the Christian Coalition . . . and for many other conservative and Christian organizations as well. Plus, I never need to pay to rent a list. Renting a list, remember, can be pretty hazardous. Unless you have a lot of experience, it’s very difficult to really know what it is you are renting. You can get burned by renting lists if you’re not an expert. So this method of building your list of super-qualified leads is just about the safest system for building your list known to man. And it’s pretty simple and easy, as you can see. In fact, I don’t think life gets a whole lot simpler and easier than this. Okay, so how do you start out if you don’t have a big advertising budget – which most of us don’t when we are first starting out? And what businesses might this work well for. Well, let’s say you are an attorney, or an accountant, or a realtor, or a dentist. Let’s say you put an ad in the Yellow Pages where all your competitors are running their ads. By the way, one of the best ways to figure out where to run your ad is to find out where your competitors are running their ads.
You then run your ad there. This allows you not to have to re-invent the wheel. Your competitors are running ads in those places because their ads are probably working. So now your market research is basically done. For the purpose of this illustration, we’ll say you are going to run your ad in the Yellow Pages – right where all your competitors are running their ads. But your ad is not going to look like an ad that’s run by your competitors. And your ad is not going to look like all those high-design ads that are produced by ad agencies. Those ads do not work very well.
Your ad is going to say something like this.
The Nine Most Common Costly Mistakes
People Make When Hiring An Attorney
Call 1-000-000-0000
To get your FREE special report
Or get your special report online by going to:
www.xyzxyz.com
And you can have your report right now.
And that’s it.
Now you know the following things for certain about people who answer an ad like this:
1) They are actively interested in finding a lawyer.
2) They probably need to find a lawyer right now.
3) You now know how to reach this person.
You can now get on the phone with this person and start a conversation. You can also put this person on your list to receive your monthly newsletter – which will be packed full of useful information on how to avoid costly legal problems. Now . . . your ad will be even more effective if it zeros in more precisely on exactly what it is your searcher is looking for. Most people are not just looking for just any lawyer, they are trying to solve a particular legal problem. So if you are a divorce lawyer, and if you only want to hear from people who need a divorce lawyer, then the headline of your ad should say . . .
The Nine Most Common Costly Mistakes
People Make When Hiring a Divorce Attorney
Something like that.
By the way, your competitors are going to hate you for running ads like this because they will interpret these ads as criticizing them. But who cares? An ad like this will pull at least five times better than all the other ads for attorneys you see around it in the Yellow Pages.
If you’re a realtor, the headline on your ad would be . . .
The Nine Most Common Costly Mistakes People Make When Hiring a Realtor
And you should test this headline against . . .
The Nine Most Common Costly Mistakes People Make When Buying a House
Call 1-000-000-0000 To get your FREE special report.. Or get your special report online by going to: www.xyzxyz.com And you can have your report right now.
The reason you’ll want to test these two headlines is that “people by results, not features.” They don’t by drills, they buy the holes that drills make. So, yes, people do look for realtors, but only because they want to buy or sell a house. Notice that there are really only two things that matter in these ads: 1) the attention-getting headline and 2) the offer of the Free report. “Free” is just about the most powerful word in advertising and marketing. If people are looking for the information you are offering, free is the right price for everyone. That’s how you build your list of super-qualified leads. Now, keep in mind that some products and services are “need it now” products and services. Others are not. If someone is looking in the Yellow Pages for a lawyer, or a plumber, or a dentist, they need it or want it now. People look in the Yellow Pages for services they need or want now. So if you are a “need it now” businesses, you must be set up to follow up instantly with your lead with a phone call and with email. And have a letter ready to mail that day.
And, as always, be sure to add your leads to your printed monthly newsletter list that arrives by postal mail – the cheapest, most cost-effective and most productive marketing you will ever do.
To Your Success in Business and Happiness in Life,
Ben Hart - Your 21st Century Marketing Coach . . .because everyone (even Tiger Woods) needs a coach
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Maxwell DeMille’s Cicada Club
May 21, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
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17 Website Design Mistakes That Kill Your Sales - Part two
May 15, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
By Ben Hart
I have assembled here a checklist of 17 mistakes to avoid when designing your website if your primary goal is to make money with your website.
Mistake #9 – Frames
Don’t use frames in your website. Search engines don’t like them. They also increase the time it takes for your site to load. Pages using frames often can’t be printed. Not all browsers support frames – especially the older versions of browsers. If you reader likes an article they read in a frame, they often can’t book mark it.
Mistake #10 – “Mystery Meat” Navigation
This term, I believe, was coined by Vincent Flanders who runs a good site on website design provocatively called www.webpagesthatsuck.com.
The term “mystery meat” refers to processed meat (i.e. hotdogs, baloney and school cafeteria meat) where you have no idea what’s really in the meat. Flanders is referring to navigation buttons on websites that don’t tell you where they will take you.
Mystery meat is also produced by links that don’t explain what they are until your mouse rolls over them. Website designers love these rollover links because they look cool. But they create frustration for the site visitor. Make it easy for visitors to know instantly what your site is about and where the link s will take them.
Imagine if you could not read a road sign until you got out of your car and kicked it. Then the instruction would flash into view. Navigation links should be like road signs, telling your reader exactly what will happen if she clicks on the link.
Mistake #11 – Navigation Buttons in Odd Locations
This is another favorite trick of site designers trying to show how artsy they are. They put navigation buttons in strange locations – behind balloons, floating around in the air, or sideways so you have to twist your head to read them.
This is like putting the Table of Contents somewhere in the middle of the book or maybe inside the dust jacket instead of at the front of the book where you expect to find the Table of Contents. Put the main site navigation buttons where you’d expect to find them – either along the top of the page (preferred) or down the left side of the page.
Mistake #12 – Confusing Navigation Structure
Don’t require your visitor to have to figure out how to get around your site, like a puzzle to be solved. Have a simple, clear navigation structure.
It’s frustrating for visitors not to easily be able to find what they are looking for on your site, or to know exactly where they are going when they hit a link. The visitor then gets lost in your site and can’t figure out how to get back to the original starting point. Imagine if a grocery store had no rhyme or reason to how it organized its products – just put products on the shelves randomly. Lots of sites are organized like that. Actually, it’s lack of organization.
Too many links on your home page also creates a “mystery meat” effect by confusing your visitor. Have no more than eight buttons on the index of your home page. Fewer than eight is better.
Mistake #13 - Music
Unless you are a band selling a song, having music start playing automatically when your visitor reaches your home page is a very bad idea. It’s cheesy and screams “high school. A kid must have designed this site.” Plus people have their own tastes in music – most of them different than yours. Having music play on the home page of your site might be just about the fastest way to cause the majority of your visitors to hit the exit button as fast as they can.
Mistake #14 – “This site requires [browser name] version x or higher.”
Imagine if you have a TV that’s not configured for High Definition and every channel you turned to required High Definition TVs. I don’t watch much TV, so that’s what my TV is like. Don’t require your visitors to have the latest, greatest, most up-to-date browser. Your site should be designed for your low-tech visitors. Not everyone keeps up to speed with the latest.
As I write these words, nearly half of America still uses dial-up for the Internet connection. Not everyone lives on the Internet. They use the Internet to send and read email, check sports scores and do a little research sometimes. Make your site accessible to them.
Mistake #15 – Too much Java Script
About 10 percent of people do not enable Java Script on their computers. So you should design your website so that it can be read and enjoyed by these people.
Now, you might need some Java Script on your site for sign-up forms and other interactive features. But use Java Script sparingly. Search engines don’t like to see too much Java Script.
Java Script is sometimes used by crooks to hijack information in browsers and other dastardly purposes. Java script is also used for pop-up ads, to change the appearance of scroll bars, to create rollover navigation (“mystery meat” navigation) and other annoyances. JavaScript is a very powerful tool. Judicious use of it can enhance the appearance and usability of your site. Use it poorly and you’ll annoy your visitors and the search engines. If you are running a Google AdWords campaign, a Java Script pop-up ad on your site can cause Google to disable your Google ad campaign.
Mistake #16 - Absolute Font Sizes
Do not set your font sizes with absolute values (i.e. 12pt, 15px, etc). Instead, use the relative sizing that HTML supports: +1, -1, etc. or small, x-small, etc. in CSS. Doing this will allow the user to increase or decrease the size at which the text appears in their browser. Users who have poor vision or high-resolution screens will thank you for it.
Mistake #17 – Making it too difficult to buy
Make it as easy to buy from you as possible. Sites often require too much information from the buyer. And filling out the order form is a multi-click process. The first page you provide your name and email address. The next page you provide your address. The next page you provide your credit card information. The process takes too danged long. There’s too much friction.
Half the people who are trying to buy abandon the process half way through. It’s just too danged difficult. People shop on the Internet primarily because it’s convenient.
Always strive to reduce friction to buying. Amazon’s one-click purchase system is one of the best at this. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos says the one-click purchase system Amazon pioneered is one of the secrets to Amazon’s success. Make buying super-easy and super-simple.
You can also choose various levels of credit card verification. You can require an exact match of your buyers name, address and phone number, a CVS number, plus throw in another verification code or two. Or you can require just credit card number and expiration date. That’s all I require – a credit card number and an expiration date.
Because I choose the lowest level of verification (just card number and verification date) I pay a higher transaction fee (about 1.5% higher) than if I required all the other possible verification steps. But I cut way down on my shopping cart abandonment rate. I get more sales. I have yet to have anyone claim fraudulent use of their credit card. My gut tells me all the panic over identify theft is overblown — just like the Y2K scare never materialized, and most other scare mongering.
Now, I realize my sites are pretty ugly. They are not going to win any “design awards” — which go to the prettiest sites. I’m no graphic artist. But my sites do generate $87,000 in sales per month for me. So they do a good job of selling.
Still . . . as I review my list of 17 mistakes, I see indeed that my sites have some of these problems. I can see that I need to retool. Mostly I need to simplify. Always strive to simplify your site.
