The idea that you can pick from many lead capture options that are free is a loaded idea.

What I mean is, yes there are many free lead capture software options but you may be better off paying for something because it will look more professional and you can count on it a bit more.

One of my favorite free lead capture tools is Google Docs, as long as you do not mind it being branded by Google Docs and you are not looking for anything other than capturing the lead information.  You just choose the “forms” option and Google docs will build your a form, embed script to add it to your website and a Spreadsheet to capture the data.  I always set it to email me whenever the form is updates so that I know when I generate a lead.

Next would be the many WordPress lead capture plugins (search forms) that you can find.  My advice here is to test carefully and retest often.  All too often I have done an update on WordPress or on a plugin and then gone months not realizing that the form was no longer working.  It is a free lead capture option but I never really trust it.

Next would be to use a Free CRM like Sugar CRM.  This is not for the faint of heart as setting it up and configuring it can take some tech skills, but these tools, vTiger is another, also will give you free lead capture and an actual system for moving the lead through the sales process.

Lastly, you can use a low cost option like aWeber where you can capture the lead and set up automatic responses to them, as many as you want for as long as you want.  This is very effective at generating leads and is a great low cost lead capture option.  You can also get something like SalesForce.com or Zoho CRM and it will cost more, but they have support and reliable sales lead capture services.

What is Lead Generation?

Some people will say that lead generation is referrals.  In fact, even an Internet Marketing guy like me agrees that for many businesses, referrals and word of mouth are the best lead generation strategy.

But who said you have to pick just one?

The fact is, you should build several lead generation systems and measure their effectiveness.  For example, document your referral and word of mouth lead generation strategy.  Does it include thank you letters?  Does it include affiliate payouts?  Do you know who is recommending the most leads to you?

Next, look at your advertising and promotions options.  Yellow Page advertising used to be a necessity, but now I see well crafted lead generation websites getting much better returns for much smaller expenses, because many people turn to the search engines to find a company to help them with their problem.  Am I saying not to do lead generation with Yellow Page ads?  Absolutely not.  If your industry gets leads that way in the past, then keep doing it but track it carefully.  How much profit are you making on the leads that come from that source?  Is it covering the marketing costs?  Every year these returns keep getting weaker in many cases so you cannot blindly assume that because it was a profitable lead generation source it will continue to be one in the future.

Of course, advertising in magazines, newspapers, on websites and in email newsletters are all ways to do lead generation that can be effective.  You must test and measure to find which ones are worth continuing to do.  Remember that there are diamonds in the rought.  I know someone that pays $50 per year for a banner advertisement that produced 6 figures in sales per year.  Those things are out there but they are hard to find.

Lastly, continue building a lead generation website for your business.  This is not something that usually produces results the first week, but over time it can become your most valuable asset to your business.  A good lead generation website can be set up for a fraction of the cost of other marketing efforts and often produces much higher results once the site started getting noticed and ranked well in search engines.

The reason that a lead generation website, separate from your traditional business website, is important is that it does not mess up your other marketing and it is able to focus on one clear, measurable goal.  One of the strongest selling points to what we help people do is that we are not touching their existing website.

Lead generation results can be developed and increased if a business is willing to go through the process and build out the strategy.  It is the same techniques that lead generation companies use to collect and sell leads, but you build the site for yourself and the lead generation is exclusive to you.

Are you worried about Email List Unsubscribes?

Here is the trap you might fall into.

1. I don’t want to email the email list because some people might unsubscribe.
2. I don’t want to sell anything to my email list because some people might unsubscribe.
3. I cannot email my list more than once a month because they might unsubscribe.
4. I need to give incredible value in each email or my email list members will unsubscribe.

The reality is that people join a list fully knowing that you will also try to sell something.  They know that they can probably unsubscribe and they will if they get too many emails or get annoyed with your message.

However, would you rather have a email list of 100 people that buy things regularly for you, or an email list of 10,000 people that just delete your message.

I am not saying to be irresponsible with your email list.  But also do not be afraid to use it and do not take unsubscribes personally.

I don’t know about you, but I am getting way to many emails from Amazon in the past few weeks.  Obviously many retailers are hurting and after deleting several emails from Amazon today, I asked myself, “Is Amazon Desperate?”

I love email marketing and I do not mind getting emails.  However, there is a point where you start to loose people faster than the extra emails pay off.  I’d be curious to know if Amazon has had more people opt out of the lists this December.  Personally, I am just tired of people trying to sell me stuff.

If you are doing email marketing, are you noticing any changes?  As people try harder to sell and consumers cut back on purchasing, the amount of noise is going to go up, and if you are not careful, your list will shrink.  I read another eNewsletter this morning where the author said they’d dropped nearly 500 names in the last month.  She believed that it was more due to bounces because of people losing their jobs.  Makes sense.

If there is ever a time to put great quality into your email marketing, this is the time.  Your list in incredibly valuable, but if it starts shrinking more than growing, you will find that your business follows suit.

As some of you may know, I joined iLearning Global and started an eLearning / iLearning Global Blog.

If you have been in business for a while, you have heard the various MLM pitches.  I have never personally done one before, and as soon as I hear MLM my eyes glaze over.

However, lets appreciate a good marketing structure when there is one.  Go over to the iLearning Global site and take a look at how they have structured their MLM compensation.  It really is brilliant.

They structure it so that your best case scenario is to have only five people below you.  Then you get paid a bigger amount if you help them build their business.  At first it seems counter intuitive.  Usually you get paid more for something you sell directly and less for the people below you.  In this case, there is a huge upside to helping the people below you build their business.

I do not know about you, but for me the idea of helping five people market their business is much better than selling like crazy to lots of people.

There is one other thing that makes this effort impressive to me.  They have attracted many high quality trainers into adding content to the online learning system.  The monthly cost for the training you get is very impressive.  Several people I have talked to already have said they will join because it will save them thousands of dollars per year and give them more diverse training.  Of course, these are people that spend money on self improvement.

This is not a sales pitch.  I recommend you look at how they have structured their payout and then rethink how you are organizing your affiliate program or MLM effort.  If it turns out this kind of opportunity interests you, contact me.  If not, at least lets appreciate a markting work of art.  Anything that made a skeptic like me join an MLM has to be great.  iLearningGlobal.tv is very interesting.

Find our more about iLearningGlobal

I love coffee.  I drink 1-2 pots per day.  (My wife has 2 or so cups of the two pots, even though I tell her not not touch it.)

There are those occasional days that I drink too much and the coffee starts to taste bad.  No matter how much I love coffee, there is a point where I’d rather drink water to clean the palate.

It is no wonder that we are all so immune to marketing hype as well.  I get a lot of newsletters, read a lot of blogs and talk to a lot of people.   Opening an email and seeing “Ready to make millions?” or “Think of it as 1,000 miles per gallon.” creates a very tire, annoyed reaction.

If you want to be 100% sure that I delete your email without reading beyond the first sentence, start out with some hype.  I maxed out on hype years ago and I would rather eat dirt than read hype now.

And don’t invite me to waste an hour of my life in your sales pitch/webinar.  I might come if you are giving away the farm, but if you are just selling me something, keep it to a decision I can make without wasting more than 30 seconds.

I cringe at hype.  I know the sales cycle.  Let’s just cut to the chase and get on with life.  You either have something that will make my life MUCH easier, or you do not.

The funny thing is that most of us like to buy things.  But we do not like to buy everything and we hate to be SOLD.

Do you want me to read your email?

Start out like this in a text only email:

Hi Ron,

I read your blog regularly and get a lot of value from it.  I have something that I am certain will interest you (or your readers.)

Since you read my blog, it really might be true and I have to read your email.  Probably twice, because it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

If you are still trying to force people to drink their 50th cut of hype for the day, maybe it is time to become a human being and appeal to them by showing them you care.

PS:  Buy My EBook and Get Richer Than Warren Buffet

Because online marketing is newer than other forms of marketing, it is easy to think of them as two different worlds.  However, if you think of business being about relationships and providing value, that barrier breaks down right away.

The question is not whether online will work for you.  The very legitimate question is, Do you have the time and inclination to use online tools to extend what you are doing?

I do not do direct mail.  I don’t want to, and while I may be losing out on some clients, I do not care because I do not believe in direct mail as an effective marketing tool in most cases.

For many business owners, they have a website, but they do not believe in internet marketing.  That is fine as well.  It is your choice, and it is less about whether it works or not, and more about your inclination to try to do it right.

Something that is often lost is that online extends off-line.  Here are some ideas on how to use your real-world marketing and online marketing to form a great marketing alliance.

1. Speech Teaser – When you give a speech, mention the limited time but let the audience know where to go on your website to find a video of 5 more secret tips.  Ideally it is after they sign up for the newsletter.
2. Direct Mail – Go to the website and sign in to get your secret discount code – or to see if you have won a prize.
3. Brochure – Expand your paper brochure with a website address that has video of your product, service, etc.
4. Business Card – Don’t just list your main website.  List your blog or other resources.  Use the back of your business card to add value.
5. Networking – When you have a chance to meet people and work with people, use sites like LinkedIn to connect and leave testimonials and endorsements.
6. Cold Calling – When you call someone and they are interested in your offer, get their email and send them a link or two to video or resources that will interest them but not be too sales oriented.
7. Print – Always have ways to get more information by visiting the website.  I recently saw a whole proposal done as a public blog to demonstrate the companies commitment to social media.
8. Advertising – No matter what your advertising, they should be able to explore the topic more by going online.

If you are doing all of these things, you could say that you are doing Internet Marketing, you could say you are doing traditional marketing, or you could just say you are a damn fine marketer.

You may know that studies have shown that optimists make better sales people. They do not quit and go start slinging burgers at the BK like the more intelligent pessimists do.

Do you believe this is a good thing?

The optimist keeps trying, and trying….

Don’t they understand that even the most positive optimist, when faced with someone trying to part them with their money, becomes a pessimist?

The deck is stacked against you, my optimistic friend.

Here are 7 reasons your optimistic attitude hurts your sales.

1. Optimistic Sales Person says: Look at all these great features and benefits my product has…
   Pessimistic Prospect thinks: How do I end this meeting faster?
    
2. Optimistic Sales Person says: You are going to save a lot of money!
   Pessimistic Prospect thinks: I am going to lose a lot of time and money converting.
    
3. Optimistic Sales Person says: This will make your company run more efficiently.
   Pessimistic Prospect thinks: Anything that adds complexity to my business will make things worse.
    
4. Optimistic Sales Person says: You owe it to yourself.
   Pessimistic Prospect thinks: I owe myself an early retirement because I am debt free.
    
5. Optimistic Sales Person says: This price is only good today.
   Pessimistic Prospect thinks: Liar.
    
6. Optimistic Sales Person says: We don’t have customers, we have friends.
   Pessimistic Prospect thinks: I don’t buy friendships.
    
7. Optimistic Sales Person says: We can customize it for you.
   Pessimistic Prospect thinks: Great. Now it is more expensive and won’t work at all.

If you are cursed with optimism, there is hope.  Understanding pessimism and how people are thinking, beyond what they are saying, will help you deal with your disadvantage.

Tags: Sales, Optimist, Pessimist

Sneezers are people who say something and other people react to it.  There was a time when marketing experts projected that 90% of the population did what 10% told them too.  More refined research later on revealed that many more people have a center of influence, even if they are not widely listened to.

For example, I call my dad for car or computer hardware information.  So do about 30 other people.  However, he is not extremely social or influential to a wide audience.

The unfortunate thing about this from a marketers perspective is that you cannot just focus on 10% of the population and expect them to tip the scales and tell the other 90%.  You have to create remarkable products and services that people will talk about, and you have to get a critical mass aware of the product or it will never be discovered.

So yesterday I bought an HP Photosmart R937 digital camera.  Just a mid-range camera that I could use every day.  It is worth talking about because someone else completely influenced me to not only buy it, but to run out and buy it within an hour of talking to them.

Steve and I were talking weeks ago about how I keep putting off buying a decent new digital camera.  He owns very high end photography equipment and reads all the magazines, so I knew that he keeps up to date on what is good. 

Yesterday morning he called (not about the camera) and he started telling me he bought the HP camera for his wife and it really impressed him.  He knew the price, the model number and told me about the features, which memory card to buy and how much it was on sale for, and where to buy it.  He also told me they were selling really fast and to call first because they were probably out.  (Good job by the sales people to create the aura of scarcity.)

Well, I’d been putting off buying one because I knew I needed to research digital cameras first, but I kept putting off researching them.  So within an hour I called, had one held at the store and ran out and purchased it.  It is a nice camera but I do not know if I got the best deal or not, I just took his word for it.

This phenomenan is common with electronics, books, cars, music and some other products.  How can you make it happen for your business or product?  Do other people really get excited about working with you?

 Handshake HQ

We have not fully launched Handshake HQ yet.  It is fully functional but we continue to look at ways to improve the interface and marketing.  That said, give it a try if you would like.  You can sign up at http://www.handshakehq.com/ and there is a free account as well as a paid version.

What is it?

OK, long story short.  I wanted a better tool to follow up with people after I met them, so I tossed together the first version of Handshake HQ to help me by templating my emails so I could craft better messages with better goals.  Then I could power through a stack of cards in seconds and send each person a highly personal email. – No SPAM, these had to be sent one at a time.  It just helped me write better emails and not have to retype the whole thing.

I started using it with a great deal of success, and as soon as I told the first person about it, they wanted it for their organization. Handshake HQ is the commercial version of this simple solution.  Better Messages Faster with Better Results is what it boils down to.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.  It is an attempt on our part to share tools we find useful and profitable with other people that may benefit from the same strategy.