| If you are in the business of selling online, | | | | organization's products. These types of |
| then you are in the business of building an | | | | publications are primarily used in more |
| opt-in list and remarketing. Many website | | | | technical industries such as software, |
| owners find that collecting opt-in | | | | hardware, medical, and engineering. A couple |
| subscribers is extremely expensive and | | | | of distribution channels are: and but you |
| involves running advertising or renting | | | | can also distribute them on your |
| e-mail lists.These methods can be effective - | | | | website.Video Tutorials - An emerging method |
| especially if you happen to sell high-end | | | | of teaching, video streaming allows |
| products with a very limited market size. But | | | | organizations to not only teach a prospect |
| regardless of your organization's size or the | | | | about the industry, but also to demonstrate |
| cost of your products, finding more | | | | their products. Currently, video tutorials |
| cost-effective ways of generating leads is | | | | are a favorite among computer software and |
| extremely important. For many website owners, | | | | hardware manufacturers, but their use is |
| providing free information products is an | | | | rapidly spreading to other areas such as |
| excellent way of improving opt-in | | | | marketing and healthcare. Video tutorials can |
| subscription ROI.Teach Them And They Will | | | | be marketed through Pay Per Click (PPC) |
| ComeThe single most popular commodity on the | | | | campaigns on search engines as well as a |
| Internet is information. People are starving | | | | number of new online video search services |
| for it. In fact, information is so important | | | | (Google has recently released a service here: |
| to many people that they spend an enormous | | | | - Because they are relatively inexpensive to |
| amount of time educating themselves online so | | | | produce, eBooks are a favorite form of lead |
| they can stay informed. Many view this form | | | | generation for those website owners who have |
| of continuous education as a competitive | | | | the talent or resources to write long-form |
| advantage they have over their peers, and | | | | text. Ebooks are generally viewed as more |
| feel that without it, their careers would | | | | educational than white papers, and so may be |
| suffer.Here's an example: A CEO schedules a | | | | viewed as a more valuable resource to some |
| meeting with his technical staff to talk | | | | people. Ebooks do not need to be hundreds of |
| about installing a Voice over IP (VoIP) | | | | pages long. In fact, most eBooks are between |
| system in the office. Because he likes to do | | | | 50 and 100 pages, and can be promoted through |
| his homework, the CEO spends an hour or so | | | | dozens of online directories and distribution |
| preparing for the meeting by doing some quick | | | | portals.Web-based Tutorials - The most |
| research on the Internet. He searches for | | | | flexible method of delivering online content |
| "VoIP" on Google, and finds a ton of | | | | is on your website itself. Using this method, |
| information about the different types of | | | | you create password-protected areas that |
| technologies. With this information he can | | | | require surfers to register in order to |
| develop a game plan for his meeting.The | | | | access your information product. The primary |
| company (and website) that does the best job | | | | benefit of web-based content delivery is that |
| of educating him about VoIP stands a very | | | | the content can be easily updated at any |
| good chance of getting an opportunity to bid | | | | time. Web-based tutorials are ideal for |
| on the project when it gets approved.In this | | | | industries and topics that change often, or |
| case, the website doesn't just create a lead | | | | where the product itself is delivered via the |
| for the VoIP company. It actually does | | | | website. Web-based tutorials can be promoted |
| something more important - it teaches the | | | | on your website, through PPC ads, and via |
| prospect to value the unique selling points | | | | your corporate newsletter.If you are in the |
| of the company that provided the educational | | | | business of selling products or services |
| material. And in the case above, it actually | | | | online, then it could actually be said that |
| influenced how the project was going to be | | | | you are also in the business of educating |
| presented to the prospect's management | | | | your market. When it comes to your industry, |
| team.Later that week, when a competing | | | | you are the expert. Your prospects are the |
| company calls on the prospect to try to get | | | | students, and they have a vested interest in |
| an appointment, the CEO will be prejudiced | | | | understanding as much as they can about how |
| against their solution because it does not | | | | they can use your products and services to |
| possess the qualities he has learned to value | | | | improve their businesses.The companies that |
| from the first company.Understanding this | | | | build their opt-in lists fastest are usually |
| dynamic is crucial to building your opt-in | | | | the ones that do the best job of educating |
| list, and it should go a long way in | | | | their prospects about their industry. By |
| determining your overall online strategy. | | | | following this method, you gain a valuable |
| | | | database of leads, and the prospect base |
| Effective Methods to Teach Online | | | | learns everything they need to know to be |
| | | | able to purchase your products |
| Depending on your industry, there are a | | | | confidently.Matthew Coers has 11 years of |
| number of ways you can effectively teach | | | | experience in building profitable websites |
| online. Following are a few rapid-fire | | | | for customers and clients, and he is the |
| methods we have used in the past that brought | | | | founder and president of Visit and download |
| great results.White Papers - Inexpensive to | | | | the free report, "7 Days to Website Success" |
| produce and with an established distribution | | | | to learn seven low-cost strategies that can |
| system on the Internet, white papers are a | | | | help you quickly boost your website's |
| great way to get the word out about your | | | | performance. |