Marketing Maestro Blog

Marketing a Commercial Real Estate Book

2008-11-19T12:57:38Z

If you look at the post I reblogged yesterday you can see we launched a new book. C Tann-Starr took the initiative to share the info with the AR community (thanks again). Today (and I probably should have done this a few days ago...) I wanted to share some of the behind the scenes info on our book marketing effort and ask for your help.

I have participated in a number of book launches over the years. But this one is shaping up to be different. When we checked the Amazon ranking for Commercial Real Estate 101a week or two ago the book was ranked #335,105 overall. Not very high but the book was not available for shipping. Today is a different story thanks to our marketing efforts.

Our goal is to get the book to #1 overall but at a minimum to #1 in Business and Investing and the Real Estate categories. The second goal has since been accomplished.

So how are we going to hit #1 without spending any money on media?

There are two main efforts. The first is a very direct approach to our clients and customers offering them bonus material for helping us out. Feel free to check out the promotion for Commercial Real Estate if you have an interest.

The second is to try and maintain our rankings and sales volumes by utilizing PR, social media, and networking.

So what does this all mean to you? Why should I care?

OK I'll get to the point. We are looking for some people to help spread the word via social media and networking. If you are interested in helping us out and learning more about our marketing efforts or you are just interested in having some fun then we can talk about the following:

Inside scoop on our marketing plan
Content for a blog post
A gift from Trump U. (to be discussed offline - sorry I can't give everything away...)
Bragging rights to say you worked with me… (OK Trump University)
and most importantly my/our gratitude for your help…

If you are interested in playing along leave me a comment or send me an email.

I will be Twittering sales rank info during the day and week to keep folks updated on our progress. Feel free to follow or join us and tag your postings #CRE101 so we can find you in our searches. I will share some results once the effort is completed.

So do you want to help us out?

Commercial Real Estate Investing 101

2008-11-18T13:35:04Z

Just wanted to share a post from my friend C Tann-Starr who wrote this great post and beat me to the punch... about our new book. Thanks Carolyn.

Via C Tann-Starr:

Trump University is helping me shape my five year business plan. I have previously mentioned being a Realtor was part of my two year business model. Since I plan on sticking around for a while I decided I might as well let you guys know what I have been up to. Not all at once and certainly not everything, but a little at a time, especially since my last post generated so much interesting e-mail off forum (LOL).

Everyone knows that I think this market whomps. I have certainly said it enough but there is money to be made if one is shrewd enough to do more than work for a living. I have been working very hard and taking the advice of some very smart professionals in the real estate industry. I am trying to learn proven strategies that work in any market because it really isn't the market that drives the economy. It's people interacting efficiently or inefficiently that makes or breaks the industry trends.

Those of you who know me are aware that I am a recreational reader. When I think something is worth my while, I tend to get excited and share it with my friends. If I really like it, really hate it, or am truly curious about something I usually start a blog post (LOL). If you read my blog you are aware that I have only recommended a few books, a handful of authors and spend most of my turtle run time getting you guys to go read my buddies blog posts that I happen to enjoy ( or new people that I find fascinating).

Today I am going to recommend a book I haven't read yet. It hasn't been released, but it is about to be and I have been waiting like a little kid for this new book to come out. Commercial Real Estate Investing 101 is my number one title of must have books to read because I love Donald Trump's work and I have every intention of partnering with my hubby to acquire/develop our first commercial property.

We own stock and a few parcels of land, but have yet to buy (or build) a house because we want the most bang for our buck. Times are tough. Every penny counts and every decision matters. I am learning from other Realtors who are investors that when you are land owners (like we are), you have to make decisions regarding the best use of that land in a timely manner. It is my belief that if you are going to create any level of wealth for yourself you should learn what those who went before you discovered. Absorb what is useful and disregard the rest is how I operate. So I need your help. I want your input. (BTW, it would be helpful if I am not the only person who reads this book as the discussion develops - LOL)

When I talked with my gal pal Melody Botting, Melodious suggested my hubby study commercial real estate since I went the residential and mixed use route. Mike is very excited about it and has spent a considerable amount if time looking over Trump U with me, as well as other educational investment sites. We both have a lot of respect for Donald Trump and we can't wait to add his latest book to our small but spanking investment library.

If you have a favorite commercial investment book or author, I would love to hear about it! Please feel free to add the links so I can find them and check 'em out with the hubby. NO COMMENT SPAM! Seriously.

(BTW, I am a big fan of The Donald, so give me a shout out if you read him! Let me know what other D.T. titles you have.)

9 Reasons Why I Spend Time In Active Rain

2008-11-17T12:50:28Z

I talk a lot about my AR experiences at work. My boss is bound to ask me at some point what I am actually doing on the site …so I thought it would be good to have a list of reasons why Active Rain is worth the time I put into the community.

So here my 9 reasons (10 seemed so cliché…) for hanging out in Active Rain as often as possible. I wish it was more but work is work and someone has to do it.

I created my Active Rain account because a friend said “you won’t believe how powerful the SEO is on that site and it is all about real estate. You got to check it out.” So I did and the rest is history.
The SEO hopefully translates into increased qualified traffic to the Trump University site and eventually into new members and clients.
Trump University offers a number of programs in real estate education and I figured I could learn a thing or two from those in the industry.
I thought it would be a good place to share some Trump opportunities without being a ‘sales guy’.
I started following and reading a few really smart, knowledgeable, and interesting member’s blogs and now check back as often as possible.
I love networking with other professionals. Since joining AR I met a few folks I started discussing partnership and business opportunities with. Yes networking is work but it pays off.
It seemed like a good place for me to build my personal brand and to share some of my learning from Trump University and the world of real estate marketing.
Active Rain is my Google for real estate topics I think it is a great place to search for information on all aspects of real estate.
We ran some advertising on the network and I always try to get a feel for a site before placing a media buy (more on this topic in a future post).

So why do you use Active Rain?

What other reasons can I use for hanging out in AR?

Show Jason Schauer Some Active Rain Love

2008-11-14T11:48:24Z

Jason Schauer is a Trump University coworker of mine. He finally created his Active Rain account after hearing me talk about the network for months. I am now his AR mentor so to speak and I want him to be successful. He has posted his first two blogs. If you have a second pop over and give him a warm welcome. Let him know I sent you so he can see the power of the AR community.

Help me mentor him.

remind him "to upload a photo"
point out a few groups he should join
share your AR successes
give him moral support
let him know people are reading his work, we are here to help and network

Thanks for taking the time to help me help him.

Related Post

Real Estate Success Story

Part 2 Online Strategies from Real Estate Marketers free report

2008-11-13T17:39:45Z

Last week I posted about Marketing Sherpa's free report on Online Strategies from Real Estate Marketers: Tactics to Survive a Struggling Economy.

Well, the second part is now available Online Strategies from Real Estate Marketers take a look through it. Most AR members probably have or know a lot of this already but I always find something new in reports like this.

The second part of this report focuses on blogging, seo and social media. The report even directs people to our beloved Active Rain to learn more about blogging.

Reminder - Marketing Sherpa reports are usually available free for a limited time and then are sold for a small fee. So, if the titled caught your attention check it out before you have to pay for the info.

Enjoy the report.

Asset Protection and Growth in Today's Economy - Free Webinar

2008-11-09T12:32:34Z

I normally try not to share Trump University event information on this blog but we are running a free webinar that I thought might be interesting for my readers.

On November 12th at 8pm EST, Trump University will feature a FREE time-sensitive webinar, Protect and Grow Your Assets. Wealth expert and attorney J.J. Childers (author of Trump University Asset Protection 101) will discuss wealth creation and wealth protection--must-have information in today's turbulent economy!

Space for this webinar is limited, register for the Asset Protection webinar and reserve your spot.

J. J. Childers will teach you how to:

Weather the Economic Storm
Successfully Start Your Own Business
Pay the Absolute Least in Taxes
Keep Yourself and Your Family Financially Secure

Here are the details for this event:
DATE: November 12, 2008
TIME: 8:00 p.m. EST

I am happy to post other member events on this blog if there is an interest, just let me know.

Online Strategies from Real Estate Marketers: Tactics to Survive a Struggling Economy – free report

2008-11-08T21:42:55Z

Marketing Sherpa has a new special report titled Online Strategies from Real Estate Marketers: Tactics to Survive a Struggling Economy.

This is part one of a two part report. Marketing Sherpa reports are usually available free for a limited time and then are sold for a small fee. So, if the titled caught your attention check it out before you have to pay for the info…

The report focuses on search sites, lead buying and lead nurturing. The report even mentions our beloved Active Rain. When I get an alert about part two and what it covers I will make sure to let you all know.

Enjoy the report.

It Takes Less Than 1 Hour

2008-10-29T10:31:27Z

Next week is Election Day. Don't forget to take an hour and cast your vote. We are lucky to live in a country (assuming you live in the US) that gives us the privilege of voting for our leaders. We may not always get our choice of candidate elected but we have the ability to be heard. This video sums up the importance of voting next week. The leaders of these companies think it is important and are giving their employees an hour off.

It won't even take an hour... so don't forget to vote.

Online Brand Management Tip

2008-10-19T20:14:01Z

I have been "playing around" with Twitter (you can follow me if you would like) for almost a year and there always seems to be something new coming out for Twitter. In addition to meeting some new folks and following some interesting people there are some definite business uses for the application. Mana Tulberg recently did a great post on some of the Twitter tools available to add to your Twitter experience.

Today I found Twitter search which allows you to track what others are saying about you, your brand, your company, your competition or whatever you think is important or interesting to follow. You can set up an RSS feed for your search term(s). This will allow you to always be updated with what's going on without having to remember to go back to the site (this is similar to a google alert as discussed in our first Marketing Tip - Monitor Your Brand Online).

You don't even have to have a Twitter account to set up the RSS feed. Go ahead give it a try.

Marketing Tip - Monitor Your Brand Online Part 2

5 Big Social Media Wins Last Week

Twitter Research

Real Estate Success Story

2008-10-12T08:41:43Z

Each month we select one of our clients to be the Trump University client of the month. We select a client who stands out because of their remarkable accomplishments. They are a rallying call for our employees, potential and current clients that if you work at your goals they can be accomplished. This month we showcase Michael LaMonica. Here is his story:

In August of 1993, Michael LaMonica had no idea that he would develop into the successful real estate investor that he is today. That was the year he took his job as a service provider for one of the largest trucking companies in the world. The hard work was alright with him, and he needed a secure income. But as he navigated his truck through what he calls the “rat race” streets around New Jersey making his deliveries, Michael started to dream about something much bigger - real success, control over his own life, a business of his own and most of all, financial freedom.

In those days, Michael was actually not thinking about investing in real estate. But then he discovered all the great books by Donald J. Trump and they got Michael thinking about real estate as a path to success. Then in 2007, he called his friends Bart Vallaro and Chuck Kohout, who were already investing in real estate. They gave him a pep talk about all the money that could be made in foreclosures and short sales.

The inspiration from Mr. Trump, Bart and Chuck gelled for Michael, and he began to see a plan developing. He saw that real estate could become his personal path to success. So he contacted Trump University and got involved in our real estate program.

What role did Trump University play in Michael’s success? When Michael talks about that, he points to the knowledge he gained about identifying good investment properties and putting deals together to acquire them. But he says that his real breakthroughs came from his Trump University success coach, Steve Gilpin, who got him out into the real world. Before he thought he was ready, Michael was looking at houses, putting deals together and buying properties.

What deals has Michael put together in the last 11 months? Get ready, because his track record is pretty amazing. To date, Michael has

locked up and resold three homes in short-sell deals
took some of the profits from those sales and acquired a number of multi-family rental properties with a total of 13 fully-rented units.
the positive cash flow will allow him to replay all his start-up expenses in the next 12 months and be debt-free.

“I ran up some credit cards to get the capital I needed to buy my first properties,” Michael explains. “But I also learned the value of using other people’s money - 'OPM’ - while taking massive and immediate action. That is how I got my start.”

Better yet, Michael and Steve have developed big plans for diversifying and expanding Michael’s property portfolio. He is considering

the purchase of vacant land in New Jersey, where he might build some new homes for more positive cash flow
plans to purchase at least five more properties over the next six months
looking at multifamily buildings of 5-8 units in other states.

And Michael’s plans don’t stop there. He has created two companies, including LaMonica Property Management Group, LLC (visit his new Website - www.lpmg-llc.com to learn more). He is currently partnering with a power team that he built of nearly 50 investors, real estate agents, commercial developers and other business partners to identify and develop new investments.

“I promised myself I'd be free by 35 yrs old and with the help of Steve Gilpin at Trump University, I now know it’s a done deal sometime in 2009,” Michael tells us. And now he is making good on that pledge to himself.

When it comes to making dreams come true, Michael LaMonica is a young man who really steps forth and delivers. Here at Trump University, we are proud to have helped him build his success.

Zillow Real Estate Ad Network

2008-09-09T21:54:23Z

For anyone who advertises their real estate listing online you might want to check out the New Zillow Advertising Network. The network was formed by Zillow.com and a newspaper consortium made up of 282 major newspapers. You can read the full details on mediabuyerplanner.com. Most ad networks give you greater reach without creating more work for you (it is a one stop shopping experience).

My only word of caution when using ad networks is that you need to monitor your results closely. It is very easy for your ads to receive a large number of impressions but if the targeting or demographics are off it is wasted money. The good news with this network from what I can tell is that the focus is purely on real estate and your placements will be relevant and in proper context.

Sara Bonert an Active Rain member and Zillow employee might be able to share some additional insight.

Blog and Help Fight Poverty

2008-09-03T12:29:45Z

Blog Action Day is here again and this year the cause is poverty. Unfortunately, this is probably a problem in almost every community. If you ask me this is a great topic for this year's Blog Action Day. Think about our current economy, the credit crises, the foreclosure fiasco and the price of oil to name a few economic levers. Will the poverty problem get worse or better in the near future?

I don't have the answers to the problem but we can start and contribute to the discussion.

I know there are many bloggers who could help out a good cause and write a post or two about the issue in their area. This could make a great localism post as well (highlight a local organization fighting poverty or what communities are doing to help etc).

Check out the Blog Action Day site and watch the video for more details on what is required on your part to participate. For most bloggers and Active Rain members this is easy. Just write a post. If you have more than one blog go to town and register them all.

It doesn't get much easier or painless to contribute to a cause and raise awareness.

Why are you still reading? Go and register for Blog Action Day.

Good luck and happy blogging.

5 Back to School Tips for Getting Into College

2008-09-02T15:38:47Z

Since it is back to school season and education/local school rankings are part of the evaluation process people with families consider when they buy a house I thought I would share 5 college admissions tips (I know college is not usually part of the home buying experience) you could share with your clients or anyone else who has a high school student.

1) Make friends with teachers

Your HS student doesn't have to sit with them at lunch, but remember that at least two of their teachers will be writing college recommendations. Remind them to forge good relationships-stay active in class discussions and keep them posted on extracurricular activities and achievements. The better they know your student, the more praise they can bestow.

2) Study the schools
The best college applicants know details about their top choices college including:

the name of the library
where students hang out for coffee after class
a star professor they'd love to take a class with

Go beyond the basics of class size and location and find out what makes their top choice school special. The extra effort will shine through in their applications.

3) Ace those standardized tests
Schedule standardized tests (take them twice, if your student can), and make sure they study up! Now that school's back in session and they got all that sunbathing out of their system, they'll be able to motivate themselves to go through those practice tests and vocab cards.

4) Manage your time
Winning essays weren't written in a weekend: brainstorming, drafting, editing, and sharing their work can take months. Have them leave plenty of time to work on essays, even if it means TIVO-ing a few season premieres. A fat envelope in the spring will be worth it.

5) Challenge yourself
If they love science, encourage them to take the hardest science classes offered at school. If writing is their thing, they might want to freelance for a local newspaper. Have them go above and beyond; show admissions offices their not afraid to be passionate and take risks. That's one life lesson that won't just help them get into college, but get them through life.

What other tips would you share with those seeking college admissions?

You Know Your Doing Your Job When...

2008-08-26T16:48:15Z

A week ago, I wrote about a success we had connecting with a potential client on LinkedIn. We followed up to make sure this person had a great experience. Yesterday, she emailed me to thank me for my help and to share the news that she is now formally a client.

Here is part of her note:

"...I am excited to have this opportunity and I wanted to take the time (a little late, but still sincere) to say thanks for making it happen."

How often do your clients send you a note like this?

The old axiom 'that people do business with people they like' must be true. The added lesson here is that people do business with people who care.

Yes, we went beyond 'the call of duty,' but this client took the time to reach out and connect. Would every employee here do the same thing? I would like to think so, but I realize that might not be the case, which is the reason for this posting (this story will be circulated around the office). Everyone needs to be reminded that 'going the extra mile' does pay off.

So have you done your 'job' today, or did you go beyond your expected role?

Radio Interview with Mike Siegel

2008-08-25T20:11:15Z

Mike Siegel does a talk radio show in the Seattle area on radio stations KITZ and KGTK (sorry I don't have the exact 'number on the dial'). It is also available on www.kitz1400.com in case anyone wants to hear it streaming. Mike and I have been talking on and off for a few months about how he can provide his listeners with Trump University content. Well, tomorrow Mike is interviewing James Harris one of our top real estate investing instructors who happens to be in the area conducting free real estate trainings.

I don't know when this interview will air but when I get more info I will post a comment to this blog with the details.It is always exciting to see one of our instructors share their knowledge with others but this time the information has the potential to reach and impact many more people.

If you live in the Seattle area and know Mike Siegel's show let me know what you think once you hear the interview. Thanks.

My Social "Media" Life is Really Taking Off

2008-08-19T17:05:57Z

Last week was great! There were 5 highlights that made my week! Each is related to social media and search marketing (SEO). It felt as if a lot of hard work was really starting to pay off. Let's start with the #1 highlight of my week:

1 - Google Search
Friday I get a call from a woman who mentioned that she found my phone number after searching Google for Trump and Tax Liens. I have been working on my own personal SEO for a while now, but never thought I would be part of a result for Trump and Tax Lien. For all those who say SEO is not worth the time or money I say think again. After directing this woman to the correct person she learned about some of our other training (she had no idea existed) and is probably going to enroll in a program.

2 - WSJ and SEO
We posted a blog to the Trump blog titled Accidental Landlord-How Does It Happen?. Based on an SEO recommendation we changed the original title. Wouldn't you know it but the next day the WSJ ran an article with almost the exactly same title. How is that for timing?

3 - LinkedIn and Trump U Client
As much as I enjoy social media connections I do try to consider the connection request before accepting a new connection. To me it is not about how many "friends" I have but the quality and usefulness of the connection. Last week one of our clients sent me a request. I didn't know who they were but they took the time to explain who they were, why they wanted to connect, how they found me etc. I accepted the connection and started a dialog. This student was attending a training in San Francisco so I reached out to the instructor and asked that they make a connection. This student was very happy to receive the extra attention and sent me a follow up note with valuable feedback about her training. This once again proved that social media does have a business purpose.

4 - Found New Resources
Twitter is another social media site I have been using. Based on some of the relationships I formed by following and reading content I hired one of my "social media friends" to help us with a few projects and have been exploring and talking to a few others. Social media does work if you contribute interesting and useful content.

5 - Active Rain and Blog Commenting
Just last week one of our clients who uses AR posted a blog and mentioned our training. I of course took the opportunity to comment back and initiated a dialog. The client then responded back. A perfect example of successful relationship marketing using social media.

Big Take Away (in case it wasn't clear)
Participate in social media. The time spent will help grow your business and build your reputation.

Do you have any social media success stories you want to share?

The Price of Gas and Postage Stamps

2008-08-14T13:54:42Z

What does the price of gas have in common with the price of postage stamps?

Not much, but when the price of gas goes up $.01 it costs the post office around one million dollars.

What does this mean for direct marketers? Well, since we can't control the price of gas we need to prepare ourselves for a postage increase next year. Another increase is expected in May 2009, with the amount to be announced in February. Don't worry just yet...any increase will be limited to the rate of inflation.

The US Postal Service recently posted a $1.1 Billion loss for their 3rd quarter. A portion of this loss was blamed on higher fuel prices along with a number of other reasons having to do with mail volumes and the economy. You tell me will we pay more to mail a postcard next year?

If you use direct mail to market your business you should keep mailing (assuming you generate a positive ROI on your efforts) and start thinking about how another increase will impact your marketing efforts. How can you reorganize your marketing plans to maintain your current mail volumes? What other marketing channels produce an acceptable ROI?

Let me know what you're planning to do if the price of postage goes up again.

Why Did They Do That

2008-08-06T19:57:28Z

The house behind mine was torn down and is in the process of being rebuilt. Forget the extra large house being put up that doesn't concern me at all but the owners yesterday cut down about 50 feet worth of trees (the property is 210 deep) which were each 50 ft+ tall.

Call me what you will but the site of seeing the land next to your home basically deforested is sad. Especially in today's environmentally friendly climate I would have thought that town's had rules about cutting down trees. The owners barely left a signal tree standing and they are not done yet. The trees still standing have red 'X' marks sprayed across the tree trunks. Trees require almost zero maintenance and have many benefits. Why cut them down? We bought our home because as the previous owners said it was 'tree beautiful'.

My guess is they are going to put in some sort of pool or sports court. To each their own I guess.

I think I will plant a tree in their honor when they move in as a welcoming gift...

Secrets to Online Success

2008-08-05T15:29:25Z

Melissa Campanelli, Editor-in-Chief of eM+C Magazine recently interviewed me about Trump University's secret to online success. We covered a number of interesting topics including multivariate testing, behavior targeting and social media. You can read the interview online. If you are marketing your products or services online it is worth checking out their site and considering a subscription.

I am happy to answer any AR member's questions about anything covered in the interview just leave me a comment and I will do my best to respond.

Enjoy.

Real Estate Leads

2008-07-31T14:28:27Z

Every sales person I know wants more leads. Unfortunately, the number of leads is only half of the equation. The number to focus on is your conversion rate. Of course, the quality of the leads is important and sales teams often use poor quality as an excuse to explain for their lack of sales. Most of the time these sales people are in the wrong job and don't realize it. These folks just want to take orders and have the sales come to them. We use the term 'sales leads’ for a reason. A sales person needs to 'lead’ the prospect to buy.

A friend of mine pointed out the movie/play Glen Gary Glen Ross and this one scene about “what it means to be a real estate salesman”. It was written by a playwright named David Mamet and hit Broadway in 1984 and won the Pulitzer Prize and a Tony. It starred Jack Lemon, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris, Al Pacino, and a ton of others. This play was later turned into a film with this scene written specifically for Alec Baldwin. This scene is taught in acting schools across the country as an example of how to properly perform a monologue. Funny enough it is also used in a lot of sales training along with Hard Ball Selling techniques. Many companies are against this style of forced selling but it is still a great scene and makes you appreciate every lead you have. It has some vulgarity so if that makes you uncomfortable don’t watch. It’s pretty intense. If you haven’t seen it, enjoy.

Have you done everything you can to sell to your leads?

The Marketing Process Gone Awry

2008-07-29T17:07:06Z

How many people have a say in your marketing plans? Your creative? Your strategy?

For a great example of how a simple idea can get messed up by having too many people providing creative direction without clear goals and objectives take a few minutes and watch this video.

Everyone can be a marketing expert (they probably are not) but everyone should not have a say in your marketing. Keep it simple and on point and you will see the return on your efforts.

Enjoy the video.

Get Rich Quick Books

2008-06-25T22:17:20Z

At Trump University we have done our share of book marketing but today a book ad caught my eye. Felix Dennis (founder of Maxim magazine) has a new book out titled How To Get Rich. The title just comes right out and says what the book is all about. The ad’s headline is You’ll Never Get Rich Working For Your Boss. Who wouldn’t stop and read that ad? It is very direct and to the point and hits at the heart of the subject matter. This book like so many of the others in the wealth creation industry shares the author’s secrets on how he made his fortune.

It doesn't take a long trip to the book store to figure out that there are a good number of 'get rich books' and many of them share useful information. Most discuss investing in real estate as a means to getting rich (which has been proven to create wealth). Do you think these books help or hinder the real estate industry? Do you think people need more training before getting involved in real estate investing?

Break Your Routine

2008-06-23T21:58:39Z

A good friend of mine Andrea Nierenberg is a professional networker. She has written a number of books on the subject and just the other day I started to read her latest book Savvy Networking 118 Fast and Effective Tips for Business Success. This book is for anyone who needs to grow their business, market themselves, get clients, sell anything or who just want to build a great network etc.

The book is structured so that you can basically read from any page and get something out of it. Well item # 26 ‘Change Your Scenery’ was the one I picked today. The point is that we all need to get out of routines and do something different to meet some new people or have new experiences. Thinking about it I realized that I get energized when I get out of the office and break my daily routine. Even going to an industry conference is a great way to get the creative thoughts going again.

I know there are a few AR members who know Andrea and they would probably agree that if you need a spark of inspiration you should pick up one of Andrea’s books.

Now go out and change your routine...

Testing Pays Off

2008-06-17T08:52:27Z

Over at Trump University we have been running a multivariate test on one of our landing pages. The final results are not in but some of the initial findings are worth sharing. Here are a few key areas most businesses could probably benefit from when building out web pages or writing sales copy.

The most important element in terms of increasing conversion is to present copy in bullet points (or some similar format). Basically people don't want to read. People like to get bite size chunks of information. Bullet points are easy to scan, read and remember.

Be very direct with your call to action buttons. If you want someone to register then say 'register now' not submit, go, next etc.

Changing some of these elements has helped improve our conversion rate by up to 50% in some cases.

Note: These results are based on our user and test data and might differ for your business.

Have you tested copy formats or button copy?

If All Business Was This Easy

2008-06-16T21:59:11Z

A friend of mine sent this video of the lemonade business my way. If only starting, running and marketing a business was this easy and stress free.

I guess everything you need to know you learned in kindergarten is true....

Enjoy