DISCLOSURE: This series of articles are a reprint from Net LEARNING ACADEMY
rebrandable E-Book Credit to ROBERT PUDDY {Master E-Marketer, my story meeting
Puddy in Glasgow, Scotland several years ago. Joint Ventures Click here
Another PUDDY Online Money Maker
Salesmanship is the Hare, Content is the Tortoise –
And We Know Who Wins in the End
There’s an old story about the tortoise and the hare who challenged each other to a foot race.
At the starting line, the hare took off quick like a bullet. He looked back to see the tortoise moving
along slow and steady, but way behind the hare. So the hare napped. Meanwhile, the tortoise
slowly and steadily made his way to the finish line to win the race.
You can take away a great business lesson from this fable: Slow and steady wins the race.
And since salesmanship is the hare and content is the tortoise, you know where to focus your efforts.
I've seen a lot of slick marketers come and go in this business in my ten years as a full-timer,
but those who were in this business then and still are here now all share one thing in common:
Great content. Think about it…
Example #1: You can sell anything with good marketing – once. A great sales letter can sell a
mediocre ebook, a misleading report or even a downright ghastly video. But as soon as the
customers discover the quality of the content, they’re out the door for good.
Some will refund, some won’t, but none of them will ever buy from the marketer again.
Example #2: You’ve probably also seen people use poor content – even “scraper content”
to pull in traffic from the search engines. Problem is, this content is written solely for the search
engines, without any regard whatsoever for the end user. So while the site might pull in traffic,
it’s NOT going to garner any repeat visitors.
Both of the above points are examples of short-term thinking. But this sort of business model
always leaves the marketer scrambling for new customers, trying to repair his reputation and
chasing rather than attracting customers.
It’s exhausting – no wonder people who do this tend to eventually give up! Listen, making
money doesn’t have to be that hard. Instead of relying solely on great salesmanship to make
money, why not focus on a combination of great salesmanship AND great content? That way
your marketing and sales copy bring the customer into the door – and your great content keeps
them coming back again and again.
The Easiest Way to Grow Your Business is to Keep Customers Happy
I can’t put it any more plain than this: If you didn’t have any customers, your business would
cease to exist. And that means one of the keys to building and growing a successful business
is to grow your list of satisfied customers. Indeed, when you have satisfied customers, your
business grows because of the three R’s. Let me explain…
Repeats: Satisfied customers become repeat customers – and they usually make repeat
purchases with escalating frequency and price points. Example: The customer who’s satisfied
with his $10 purchase will go on to buy your $50, $100, $500 items… and so on. As long as
he’s satisfied – and as long as your products keep meeting his needs – he’ll keep buying.
Referrals: Unhappy customers tell their friends to steer clear of you and your business.
Fortunately, happy customers also tell their friends about your products or services.
Sometimes satisfied customers become active affiliates who promote your products via traditional
means. These are folks who are marketers as well as customers. At other times, your satisfied
customers simply become raving fans on forums, blogs, social networks and elsewhere.
Example: Other members of a forum might ask who has the best product in your niche, and
your raving fans will always answer those threads by naming you, naming your products and
even linking to your sales pages.
ROBERT PUDDY and JOSH ABBOTT Instant Banner Creators
Residuals: Finally, happy customers don’t just buy your products – they trust you enough to
join your membership sites and other continuity programs. They’ll join your highest priced
programs – maybe even personal coaching – and become “followers” who’re part of your inner circle.
It all seems pretty simple, right? But here’s the thing…Satisfying your customers isn’t just about
putting out quality products and overdelivering on expectations. They’re important, yes. But they’re
NOT the only factors. You also need to give your customers a good buying experience. In other
words, you need to provide great customer service.
You see, you can have the best products in the world, but you may only have a handful of happy
customers if your customer service stinks.
Example #1: Maybe a customer purchases one of your items but is unable to download it.
And when he emails you about it, you don’t get back to him for a week or two. Probably by this time
he’s so frustrated that he’s requested a refund.
Example #2: Or maybe you offer software but no support. Maybe you don’t even provide adequate
installation and customization instructions. Even if your software is better than the competitors’
software, your customers are going to drift away and find someone who’s willing and able to show
them how to make their purchase work.
Bottom line: Provide great products and a great buying experience, and your
customers will repay you tenfold through repeats, referrals and residuals.