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Excess Voice Newsletter
October 2007, Issue # 142
In this issue:
>> Intro: Loss of focus
>> Review: Landing Page Certification Course
>> Article: Successful email campaigns are built on one thing only – Reputation.
>> Job Board: Post a Job + 2 New Jobs Posted
>> Survey: Why the loss of focus?
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Greetings,
My series of surveys on the issue of productivity at work continues. The last survey asked about the reasons for what seems to be a widespread loss of productivity as the day progresses.
According to the last survey results, it seems that the primary reason is a "general loss of focus" during the course of the day. I wonder why that is.
Please respond to this issue's survey, and we'll see if we can find the reason behind this.
This issue's article is about email marketing. I have been working quite a bit with email recently, and this article pretty much forms the basis of all the work I do in this area for my clients.
And if you are looking for a job, scroll down and you'll find a couple of new copywriting job listings that have appeared on the Excess Voice Job Board over the last couple of weeks.
Until next time,
Nick
Nick Usborne
>> Feedback: mailto:nick@excessvoice.com
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REVIEW: Turn Your Pictures into Cash - A Comprehensive Program in Taking and Selling Photos for Profit.
If you have ever wondered whether you could take and sell photos for a profit, the answer is almost certainly Yes.
This course weighs in at over 300 pages and gives you the detailed information you need to start taking photos that sell.
As you would expect, the course includes sections on equipment and photography techniques.
But it goes way beyond that.
It takes you into the world of the photography business itself.
You'll learn about what kind of images editors are looking for, and what qualities they look for in the photographs they buy.
In addition, you'll learn how to present and promote your photographs in a professional manner that will get you noticed and make you money.
Read my review at FreelanceWritingSuccess.com:
http://www.freelancewritingsuccess.com/photos-for-profit.php
Previous Reviews:
#1. Productivity Engineering - a hypnosis CD program to help you improve your work performance.
An excellent program I tried myself with considerable success.
Read my review:
http://www.excessvoice.com/productivity.htm
#2. Desktop Marketing
A course for freelancers who want to increase their income by offering writing AND design services.
Read my review:
http://www.excessvoice.com/desktop-marketing.htm
#3. The Freelance Copywriter Fee & Compensation Survey, Volume 2.
This is the second volume of this survey, fully up to date, and with a lot more information on what to charge for 40 different types of freelance copywriting work, how to find new assignments, and more.
Read my review...
http://www.excessvoice.com/copywriting-fees-survey.htm
#4. Michael Masterson's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting
This is the only copywriting course I wholeheartedly recommend to any copywriter who wants to write copy that drives results.
Read my review:
http://www.excessvoice.com/michael-masterson.htm
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ARTICLE: Successful email campaigns are built on one thing only – Reputation.
A while back I was asked if I could improve the open rates, click-through rates and revenues of a long-established email marketing campaign.
My honest answer was, "Maybe".
I could create the next email in the series, and perhaps I could write a better subject line.
Perhaps I could write better content with a more compelling and visible call to action.
And perhaps I could lift their open rates and click-through rates just a little.
Why was I so modest in my predictions?
Because the success or otherwise of any email campaign has very little to do with how you write the latest email in the series.
However, it has everything to do with the reputation you have created over the course of the last twenty emails.
If I receive an email from you every week, and have been thoroughly fed up with them for a few months now, it doesn't matter how good your latest subject line and email content are.
Your reputation will precede you, and I won't open your email.
It works the other way too.
If I have opened and read every email you sent me for the last year, because they are just so darned good, then it doesn't matter what your subject line says.
You can say Blah Blah Blah in your subject line if you want.
I'll open your email anyway because, in my mind, you have a five-star reputation.
Unfortunately, most companies haven't figured this out yet and wonder why they have such low open rates.
Some of them conclude, almost always incorrectly, that email is not a good medium for them.
It's not the medium that's the problem. It's them.
If you have built up a great reputation with your subscribers, there is only one thing you need to do with your From line and Subject line.
You simply have to achieve recognition. Your subscribers need to see, instantly, that it's from you.
Your reputation for excellence is what will then get the email opened.
The major ISP filters feel the same way too.
Did you know that the Gmail spam filter couldn't care less if your subject line reads, "Make money with FREE Viagra"?
Gmail doesn't filter based on content. Nor does AOL. Not even a little bit.
Earthlink, Yahoo! and Hotmail focus only 20% of their attention on email content.
All the major ISPs filter email either 100% or 80% according to the sender's reputation.
And that reputation will be impacted significantly by how many of your recipients tag your emails as being spam…whether it's spam or not.
And if that makes you feel nervous, consider this: 20% of people use the "Report as Spam" button as an easy way to unsubscribe. (eMarketer, 2007)
From both directions, it's all about REPUTATION
The deliverability of your emails is largely dependent on your reputation as an emailer.
And your open rates and revenues will depend largely on your reputation with your subscribers.
There is nothing you can do about the reputation you have earned up to this moment.
But you can make some changes starting today.
You simply have to deliver content that is of interest and value to your readers, in every email you send.
Just do what it takes to build a positive reputation.
>> Feedback: mailto:nick@excessvoice.com
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JOB BOARD
** Looking for an online copywriter or web content writer?
Post your job on the Excess Voice Job Board and reach over 15,000 copywriters a month.
http://excessvoice.jobcoin.com/
** Looking for a copywriting job?
The latest job listings:
Copywriter Specialist @ Alzheimer's Association
http://excessvoice.jobcoin.com/jobs/show/90440-copywriter-specialist
Investing Copywriter @ The Motley Fool
http://excessvoice.jobcoin.com/jobs/show/92775-investing-copywriter
More copywriting jobs:
http://excessvoice.jobcoin.com/
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SURVEY: Why the loss of focus?
It seems that a lot of us become less productive during the course of the day as a result of a loss of focus. How come?
[ ] Bored with my work
[ ] Frustrated with my work
[ ] Physical fatigue
[ ] Mental fatigue
Comments:
(NOTE: Any comments and your name may be published in the next issue, or on the Excess Voice web site.)
Cut and paste your replies to me at mailto:nick@excessvoice.com
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NICK USBORNE'S SERVICES:
Yes, I do more than write articles and publish newsletters.
Ask me to give a training seminar or webinar for your writers or web team.
http://www.nickusborne.com/speaking.htm
Ask me to write for your site, emails and newsletters.
http://www.nickusborne.com/copywriting.htm
Ask me to optimize your key offer pages...
http://www.nickusborne.com/consulting.htm
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