I was watching "The Godfather" recently.

For the uninitiated, "The Godfather" is the classic oscar-winning show about the Italian Mafia (or the "Mob").

The opening scene left a very deep impression on me.

It’s the scene of Amerigo Bonasera, an owner of a funeral parlour who went to Don Corleone to ask for a favour, which was on the day of Don Corleone’s daughter wedding.

His daughter has just been raped by 2 men. But due to the failure of the justice system then, the 2 men got away scot free.

Bonasera swore revenge. But the only one who can help him deliver justice is Don Vito Corleone, the head of the Corleone mafia family in New York.

Don Corleone agreed to "settle" the 2 men.

But the scene that particularly struck me was how he made Bonasera acknowledged him as his "Godfather" and promised to return the favor if he ever needs it in future.

In Don Corleone’s words…he said to Bonasera, "Some day, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me. But uh, until that day, accept this justice as a gift on my daughter’s wedding day."

Later in the show, Don Corleone’s eldest son, Sonny, was brutally assassinated by a rival mob.

And Bonasera returned the favor to Don Corleone by helping to patch up Sonny’s body nicely, so that his mother will not have to go through the agony of seeing Sonny’s disfigured bullet-riddled body.

Later, the movie also showed how Don Vito helped his godson, Johnny Fontane further his showbiz career.

And he too, would later repay Don Vito’s favor.

Can you see the persuasion strategy here?

Don Vito is using one of the classic "weapon of influence" which Dr Robert Cialdini (author of "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion") termed as the "Principle of Reciprocity".

Don Vito will get people in his debt. So that if he ever needs to get something done, he will be able to easily persuade his "debtor" to reciprocate.

It’s a very powerful persuasion technique.

That’s why you hear Zig Ziglar, one of the world’s greatest salesman, saying, “You can get everything you want in life, if you help others get what they want."

When you help others, they are more inclined to hear you back.

Win-win.

It appeals to human’s nature of fairness.

And it’s a powerful weapon of influence you can use in all areas of your life, be at work or relationships.

Try it. And you will know what I mean.

To end off, let me leave you with video of the opening scene.

Enjoy the dialogue. And of course, Marlon Brando’s powerful portrayal of Don Vito Corleone.

Goddamn, I love this show!

Jag Foo

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In my course of my work and social activities, I get to meet many people.

And it amazes me to see that many people are aimless. They just go through the motion. And have not much of a goal in life.

As long as their is a comfort and security of job, it’s all good. They tell me that they don’t see the need to excel.

They don’t want to get out of the comfort zone.

I find this very sad.

Is this what life should be all about? Being mediocre?

Even those that have goals are often vague about it.

It’s not good enough.

It has to be more specific.

What I found was that the very action of writing down your goals on paper can be very powerful in internalizing them into your subconscious.

Now you are doing something about it.

It’s no longer just pies in the sky.

Now you are willing to take some responsibility towards achieving what you want.

Writing it down on paper is the important first step.

But it doesn’t end there.

You have to constantly review your goals…review your progress…and make changes if necessary.

The constant review will keep your mind razor focused on your final destination. And will keep you on your toes.

Sometimes, I forget to do this.

And I find myself getting off the pace.

So now, I try to do a daily review. And plan my next course of action that will lead me to my goals.

I write them all my short term…medium term…and long term goals.

And nothing gives me greater satisfaction when I’m able to hit my milestone.

You might want to give this a try.

And you will find your life a lot more purposeful.

Jag Foo

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I first this a long time ago from Brian Tracy.

What’s everybody favourite radio station?

From a sales perspective, here it is – WIIFM – aka “What Is It In For Me?

Human nature is such that they think first about their personal benefits. They think about themselves first before others.

That’s why I always try my best to put other people’s benefits first if I want them to open themselves up to me.

They say that god gives us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a simple reason.

To listen more and talk less.

Listen to other people’s needs more…and talk less about yourself.

It’s counter-intuitive…but it will help you establish a better rapport with your prospect.

Jag Foo

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I’m a great believer of how you start your day will shape the rest of your day.

Start you day well…on a good positive, healthy note..and chances are…you will have a great day.

You will feel strong, fit and all ready to take on the world.

I’m very much influenced by the morning ritual of the late copywriting legend, Gary Halbert.

He wrote it in his newsletter, which you can find here:
http://www.thegaryhalbertletter.com/Newsletters/aslk_start_every_day.htm

Well…the morning routine obviously does a world of a good for him, seeing how successful he is.

I got the gist down here, as well as his rationale for his routine. I don’t follow his routine exactly…but it’s close. And I try to keep at it as much as I can on a daily basis.

Here’s the way he advocates on how to start your day (take it away, Gary!):

1. Set your alarm clock to go off 10 minutes earlier than usual.

2. The first thing, after you get up, is to immediately remake your bed.

3. Go to the kitchen, pour yourself a glass of water and drink it all.

4. Go to the bathroom, take care of "business," brush your teeth, wash the sleep out of  your face and eyes and brush and comb your hair.

5. Next, put on some exercise clothes like sweatpants, a sweatshirt and sneakers.

6. Leave the house immediately and take a 20-minute walk.

7. As soon as you get back, woof down a nutritionally-dense protein drink made by mixing the contents of a packet of Myoplex, Met-RX or Lean Body with eight ounces of fat-free milk and a banana.

8. Scarf down a packet of vitamins and minerals like Dr. Julian Whitaker’s "FORWARD PLUS."

9. Take a shower.

10. Dress in fresh, crisp clothes and go about your day.

Pretty simple stuff, isn’t it? But, I’ll tell you this: If you will do this every day in 1999, it will create a more positive change in your life than anything else you can do.

This regiment, although simple on the surface, has profound and somewhat complex and far-reaching psychological ramifications.

May I explain?

Thank you.

1. Set your alarm to go off 10 minutes earlier than usual. By getting a 10-minute earlier start, you tend to remove the "urgency" many of us experience as soon as we wake up. You’ll feel less harried, less hurried and a bit more peaceful.

2. The first thing, after you get up, is to immediately remake your bed. If you don’t do this, you will be starting your day… instantly… creating an "undone chore" which will nag at the back of your mind for the rest of the day. If you do do this, you will start the day without having added a single, niggling little thing to your "to do" list.

3. Go to the kitchen, pour yourself a glass of water and drink it all. You do NOT drink enough water. Nobody in America does. Water is the elixir of elixirs. It flushes toxins out of your body, provides an environment which lets your electrolytes and all other aspects of your biochemistry function at maximum efficiency.

4. Go to the bathroom, take care of "business," brush your teeth, wash the sleep out of your face and eyes and brush and comb your hair. You’re getting ready for battle: The battle to have a good day. Doing all the above will wake you up a little, freshen you up a bit and "set-you-up" to get going.

5. Next, put on some exercise clothes like sweatpants, a sweatshirt and sneakers. Make this a ritual. You are dressing for battle: An assault on the forces of negativism.

6. Leave the house immediately and take a 20-minute walk. You’re outside, you’re breathing fresh air, you’re getting your circulation going, you’re becoming more mentally alert. Some of the fog begins to lift from your mind. You begin to notice your environment, see the colors of the fall foliage, the bloom of a spring flower, the dew on the grass on a summer morning, the untrodden snow in mid-winter. NOTE: This is NOT exercise. This is a loosening up; a "defogging" of your mind and allowing your body to gently warm up for its daily tasks.

7. As soon as you get back, woof down a nutritionally-dense protein drink made by mixing the contents of a packet of Myoplex, Met-RX or Lean Body with eight ounces of fat-free milk and a banana. This will infuse your body with nearly all the vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and other good stuff to help your body and mind function at peak throughout the day.

8. Scarf down a packet of vitamins and minerals like Dr. Julian Whitaker’s "FORWARD PLUS." More insurance you’re getting the minimum (at least) ingredients your body needs to run efficiently.

9. Take a shower. Part of the ritual of getting ready to battle the day.

10. Dress in fresh, crisp clothes and go about your day. Ritual completed. You’re loosened up, oxygenated, clean, crisp, nourished, starting your day with no added baggage.

Again, you can read his fabulous newsletter here: http://www.thegaryhalbertletter.com

It gives you a real education in marketing.

Jag Foo

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I’ve been doing deals for a while now. And knowing how to negotiate is a MUST if you want to deals of any sort.

I remember, I used to read up a lot on this topic…listening to audio training series…reading up on whatever materials I can find…and the likes

For me, I think negotiating need not be too complex.

Here are some of the negotiating rules I live by:

1. Be Fully Prepared

When I do a deal, I immense myself into all critical aspects of it. I do my due diligence. The ins and the outs of it.

As they say – fail to prepare and prepare to fail. I never over-prepare though. I just do enough and get on with it. If not, no deals will ever get done!

2. Ask For More If You Can Help It

I never accept any offers the first time round. I always ask for more. Why? Because if I ask for more…there’s a chance that I might get it.

If I don’t ask…I know there’s a 100% chance I WON’T get it.

3. Think Win-Win

I always work towards a good win-win for people I do deal with. If it’s fair, and both sides are happy…I’m happy to conclude the deal fast.

It doesn’t has to be a zero-sum game. Everyone can win and make some money. Most importantly, it’s the long term relationship I’m looking at.

4. Be Prepared To Walk Away

If I think the other party is not sincere…not interested in reaching a fair deal for all…or lacking trust in me…I will just walk away.

No point wasting any further time.

There’s always another deal to be made out there.

Do you have any of your negotiating rules you abide by? I want to hear it…

Jag Foo

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For copywriters – this is a superb copywriting checklist you can consult whenever you need to polish up your copy.

It’s by John Forde of the Copywriter Roundtable’s fame.

http://copywritersroundtable.com/

Enjoy! I’m sure you will find it as useful as I did.

I Package Description:

CARRIER ENVELOPE

[ * ] *Excellent
[ * ] *Good
[ * ] *Needs some improvement, but can be salvaged
[ * ] *Needs to be rewritten
[ * ] *Needs to be redesigned

Is there a strong teaser that effectively does these two things?:

(1) *The copy identifies and qualifies the prospect immediately.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No
[ * ] MAYBE

(2) *Gets him inside the envelope?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No
[ * ] MAYBE

THE LETTER

[ * ] Excellent
[ * ] Good
[ * ] Needs some improvement, but can be salvaged
[ * ] Needs to be rewritten
[ * ] Needs to be redesigned

Content:

The letter must contain the following in this general sequence–all done
strongly and effectively according to proven direct response methods:

A. * * *Does the superscript, or headline, compel the reader to go on?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

B. * * *Does the headline give exciting news, make a promise, or offer a benefit?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

C. Should a superscript be used in this letter?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

D. Is there a strong lead sentence that picks up from the teaser or the
superscript? *Must start reader on the route to a sale.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

E. Opening paragraphs: *do they begin immediate development of the benefits
promised in the teaser? *Do they develop desire for the product/service? *Do
they show the reader how he will benefit specifically? *Or else do they compel
the prospect to read on?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

F. * * *Is the opening section mostly "flattering" and not critical?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

G. * * *Proof: *are all claims backed up by success stories, charts, figures, or a
track record or by testimonials, endorsements, etc., from satisfied customers
or acknowledged authorities?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

H. Are the "credentials" of the writer defined strongly enough that the letter
has authority and credibility?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

I. * * *Are all benefits brought out strongly? *(Product characteristics are
features. *What those features do for the customer are called benefits.)

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

J. Is the prospect told he’ll lose something if he doesn’t act?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

K. If the product is new or unique, does the letter say so and state how it’s
better?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

L. Is there reason given for an immediate response?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

M. Is the price justified? *Or are there equivalent tangibles listed to dramatize
the amount requested?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

N. * * *If a publication, is there a choice of subscriptions and terms?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

O. * * *Is there a money-back guarantee?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

P. * * *Is there a free premium or some incentive to bring quick action or a bigger
purchase?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

Q. * * *Strong summary: *Are the major benefits restated? *Have you answered all
questions and objectives?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

R. * * *Is there a reference to the order form or procedure that tells exactly what
you want the reader to do?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

S. * * *Credit card purchases and toll-free "800" number purchases increase
response up to 30%. *Are they offered?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

T. * * *Action: *Is the order/donation/action/asked for strongly and clearly?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

U. * * *Is there a P.S.? *Does it add a note of urgency, incentive, etc.?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

V. * * *Overall, has the entire presentation been directed to the toughest, hardest-to-sell prospect, and NO STONE LEFT UNTURNED in order to get the job done?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

II. * * TECHNIQUE

A. * * *Use the "you" attitude all the way through. *Talk about the reader, not you – his needs and problems from his perspective.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

B. * * *Is the "bucket brigade" used? *Use connectors that subtly lead from one paragraph to the next: *"And, But, So you see, Of course, Better yet, As I mentioned, Now here’s the important part, And don’t forget that, But that’s not all…"

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

C. * * *Does copy read smoothly? *Does it keep moving?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

D. * * *Is it in a sincere, first person singular, conversational idiom?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

E. * * *Is it in the reader’s vernacular–the jargon of his field, sex, age, or other
psychographic limit?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

F. * * *Does the copy breathe enthusiasm? *Excitement? *Conviction? Like you
truly believe in what you’re writing about?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

G. * * *Has the reader been recognized as a unique individual, and are his needs
and problems identified and solved by the end of the letter?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

H. * * *Does copy hold the reader’s interest all the way through?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

III. Writing Style

A. * * *Punctuation–forget the rules! You’re writing the "spoken" language for the most direct effect. *Do you use punctuation for impact and clarity and not for the sake of "grammatical correctness"?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

B. Words

1. *Are there too may long words? *(About 65%-75% should be five letters or
fewer.)

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

2. *Are they familiar, common words most used in ordinary conversation–
NOT pedantic, pretentious, or "business letter" English?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

3. *Do you use the active tense, not the passive?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

4. *Are there "word pictures"–metaphors, similes and analogies that make
concrete, emotionally stimulating images?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

5. *Is the verb-adjective ratio good–about three verbs to every adjective?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

6. *Is the writing fresh? *Does it avoid clichés?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

C. Sentences:

1. Are most sentences under 20 words? *Fewer than 150 syllables long?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

2. Are they varied in length to lend rhythm and pace?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

3. Do the sentences flow logically–from subject to predicate to object? *Do
they read right the first time through–give the meaning you intended?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

Paragraphs

1. Are they six to seven lines maximum, but varied for visual appeal?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

First line indented?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

3. Are whole paragraphs double-indented occasionally for emphasis and visual
appeal?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

IV. Appearance:

A. Placement on page: Ample borders all around?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

B. Subheads used for visual and strategic purposes? *(The ideal is to have your
subheads form a synopsis, in sequence, of your basic proposition or story.)

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

C. * * *Underscoring: *Effective for emphasis, but use sparingly. *Overuse kills
the effect. Has underscoring been used effectively?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

D. * * *ALL CAPS: *Effective for emphasis, but unsparingly. Overuse is more
likely than with underscoring. Has ALL CAPS been used effectively?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

E. * * *Is there a second color and is it used well? *It increases response
substantially when used sparingly but wisely.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

F. Type: Use typewriter — Don’t typeset unless you use a type font that looks
very much like a typewriter. *Prestige, pica 72, ten point?, is preferred by the
many of the world’s top direct mail letter writers.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

(JF Note: This was true when Kevin first made the list. Does it still apply? You be the judge. If you were rewriting the question for online marketing, you might substitute Verdana as the typeface.)

G. Are ragged right lines used (lines not justified at right end?)

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

H. * * *Bottom line of page–break sentence at a "leading" word when possible so reader must turn page to get the meaning.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

I. * * *Is there a continuation note in the bottom-right corner (such as "please
turn…")?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

V. Specific Comments:

OVERALL EVALUATION OF INSERT

I. * * *Overall rating of your strategy, writing, design, pricing, and terms:

[ * ] 10 – Rare. *A landmark achievement.
[ * ] *9 – Outstanding. *Deserves a prize.
[ * ] *8 – Unusually good, top 5% of all copy.
[ * ] *7 – Good. *Reaches ordinary standards.
[ * ] *6 – Passable, with luck.
[ * ] *5 – Marginal value, may even lose money.
[ * ] *4 – Weak. *An almost certain money-loser.
[ * ] *3 – Very weak and unprofessional
[ * ] *2 – Awful.
[ * ] *1 – Offensive or illegal.

II. Your offer is clear as presented.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

III. *The pieces in your package complement each other in the right way.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

IV. You have separated yourself from the competition adequately.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

V. * * *Your product/service/publication/ministry is marketable through direct
mail.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

VI. You should also look into other direct response media like magazine ads, radio, television, posters, fulfillment house stuffers, etc.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

VII. *Your strategy, product, service or publication can and should be
improved before you continue marketing.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

Jag Foo

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Here’s today quick quotable quote…  

“Advertising Is What You Do When You Can’t Be There In Person”   

Take Home Message:

I got this from Drayton Bird’s newsletter.

And this quote came from Fairfax Cone, one of the founders of Foote, Cone & Belding (a leading advertising agency).

As advertising is salesmanship multiplied, you have to show and demonstrate like you would in person.

And as Drayton Bird will say, “If any of your marketing material just talks about what you do but doesn’t show it, look at it again.”

Jag Foo

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Here’s today quick quotable quote…  

“Applied Knowledge Is Power”   

Take Home Message:

You often hear “Knowledge is power”.

Not true.

If it’s not applied, it’s not power. It’s just latent information stored in your brain. You get no results. Because there’s no application of what you know. And that’s as good as not knowing at all.

If you know…and don’t do…then it’s not power.

If you apply your knowledge, then you will reach the potential you are capable of.

Jag Foo

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One thing you might not know about me is that I’m a voracious reader and also a seeker of knowledge (hey I take action too…not just read!).

Along the way, I’ve came across countless valuable quotes…little nuggets of wisdoms that have made significant impact on me.

So today while looking through some quotes I’ve compiled…an idea hit upon me. Why not have a “quotable quotes” series here?

It’s fast for me to write. And fast for you to read. Win-win!

In the process…I hope to add value to you as well as provide something for you to ponder on.

Well…I’m anxious to get the party started…so here it is…the inaugural “quotable quote”…

“You Don’t Have Time To Do Everything…But You Have Time To Do The Most Valuable Things”

Take Home Message:

Let’s face it.

Time is a finite resource. We only have 24 hours a day. That’s it. Nothing more.

What we do…and NOT do…in that 24 hours will determine the results we achieve.

As you will know by now…work is never ending. There’s always something to do everyday. Always!

However if we go by the Pareto’s 80/20 rule…there are the core few activities that will bring us far greater results than the majority of the work we do which always seem to take up most of our time.

What are your most valuable activities?

What are your most tedious…time consuming…and laborious low value work?

Are you focusing on the valuable few instead of the trivial many?

Love to hear your thoughts on this as usual.

Jag Foo

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Editor Note: I’m proud to have Zeke on as a special guest blogger for us. He is an authority on social media and is a reputable marketing consultant based in the US. I’m sure you will enjoy this article. So Zeke…please take it away…

With so much information about social media, trying to understand it all can be overwhelming.

The goal of this article is to simplify social media marketing and show you how all the different elements in the social media world interact to help you get traffic for your website, exposure for your brand, and sales for your company.

1. Content
When trying to decide what kind of content you should make, my advice is simple:

1. Use common sense to determine which types of content just won’t work for your business model.

2. Try everything else.

3. Measure the results.

4. Keep doing what works and get rid of what doesn’t.

These are the most common types of content you can create:

• Articles
• Videos
• Podcasts (video or audio podcasts)
• Reports/white papers
• Expert interviews (in text format, audio format or video format)
• Resources (these are links to other people’s content, such as tools, articles, etc.)
• Events (calls, webinars, contests, seminars, giveaways, charity events, etc.)

Here’s an article I wrote on creating killer content.

2. Your Blog
Your blog is at the center of your social media marketing campaign. This is where you’ll be driving people to.

3. Content Distribution Channels

Other than your blog, you’ll be posting your content to number of content distribution channels. These are the most common:

• Social networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.)
• Groups (Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, Google groups and Yahoo! groups)
• Forums (i.e. message boards or discussion boards)
• Social bookmarking sites (Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon, Reddit, Mixx, etc.)
• Video sharing sites (YouTube, Google Video, Vimeo, Yahoo! Video, etc.)
• Article directories (such as EzineArticles, GoArticles, ArticleBase, etc.)
• Other people’s audiences (Doing things like guest blogging, asking people with large email lists to broadcast your offer to their lists, asking another blogger to write about your product, etc.)
• Podcast sites (like iTunes, PodcastAlley, etc.)
• Email lists (blog subscribers, people that downloaded your free report, current customers, list of potential clients etc.)
• Blogs (you can’t post your articles on someone else’s blog without their permission, but you can use comment marketing to your advantage.)

There are two things you need to keep in mind:

1. You don’t have to use all the content distribution channels mentioned above. Just as with content types, don’t use the channels that obviously won’t work with your campaign (i.e. a video sharing sites if you don’t do videos), try everything else and get rid of what doesn’t work.

2. Not all your content will go to all your content distribution channels. For example, you might want to promote your white paper on your blog but not on Facebook, and you might want to promote your next webinar using only Facebook Events.

My advice: Create a 2-column spreadsheet. In the left column put a list of your content pieces. In the right column put your content distribution channels. Then, for every piece of content, decide what channels you’ll use to promote it.

4. Calls to Action
Pay attention because it’s one of the most important parts of social media. There are two things you want to do right:

· Get the people who find your content in the distribution channels to then visit your blog.

· Get your blog visitors to follow you through as many content distribution channels as possible.

Here’s how to make it happen:

How to Get People that Find Your Content to Visit Your Blog
The short answer is, “with a call to action”. This call to action should be related to the piece of content they stumbled upon. For example, in your football bloopers video you want your call to action to be something along the lines of “Visit www.mysite.com/blog for more football bloopers videos!”

How to Get Your Blog Visitors to Check Out Your Other Content Distribution Channels
The more connections someone has to you, the higher your chances are that they’ll see your content. Someone who follows you on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube and subscribes to your blog’s RSS feed is a lot more likely to see your content than someone who only follows you on Twitter. Different people prefer to follow others in different ways, so give them some options and let them choose.

On my blog I invite people to subscribe by email, RSS, follow me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

5. Public Relations
In addition to attracting the attention of potential customers; you also want to attract the attention of the press. The best way to do this is by doing something newsworthy. I’ve seen so many press releases about new hires, companies giving discounts, etc. that they all look the same. To stand out you have to do something very different. These are two great articles on creating newsworthy content:

• http://www.mediacollege.com/journalism/news/newsworthy.html
• http://www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/how-to-know-if-a-story-is-newsworthy

6. Keywords Monitoring
One of the best social media tactics is to monitor the top keywords in your industry. That way, when someone mentions them, you can jump in and become part of the conversation. Let’s say you sell ballet shoes, your name is Jane Mousekewitz and your site is BalletShoes.com. These are the keywords I would track:

• “ballet shoes”
• “ballet flat shoes”
• “ballet shoe”
• “buy ballet shoes”
• “purchase ballet shoes”
• “ballet shoes” best brand
• “ballet shoes” where to buy
• Jane Mousekewitz
• BalletShoes.com
• BuyBalletShoes.com (your top competitor)

The two tools I use to track keywords are: Google Alerts and SocialMention.

7. Network Development
Developing your network involves two different things:

Quantitative growth: getting more Facebook friends, Twitter followers, LinkedIn connections, email subscribers, etc. This helps you reach MORE people.

Qualitative growth: talking to your social media connections. Remember, Social Media Marketing is all about making friends. This helps you build STRONGER connections that pay MORE ATTENTION to your messages.

VERY IMPORTANT: How to Grow Your Business Using Social Media Marketing
We’ve talked about how to get thousands of visitors to your blog. Now, let’s talk about how you can monetize your traffic. Here are two suggestions:

Have a soft offer and promote it heavily
A soft call to action is something that doesn’t require people to spend money. This could be a free report, a free trial, or anything else you can offer for free. And don’t feel shy about promoting it. After all, you’re giving people something of great value in exchange for an email address. Once someone opts-in, market your paid offer to them but don’t be too pushy; remember that they signed up for something that was free.

Have a hard offer but promoted lightly
A hard offer is your paid product or service. You shouldn’t promote this much. People go to your blog for content, not to buy your stuff, so don’t annoy them by showing them specials. That being said, there’s nothing wrong with having a link to your e-store or “Our Services” page in your navigation menu and/or your sidebar. If people love your content, they’ll dig around to find out what you do.

Zeke Camusio is a serial entrepreneur, Internet marketing expert, published author, speaker and founder of an Internet Marketing Agency in Portland, OR.

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