Ageless Marketing Secret Revealed
...... it. Pay me the $29.95 on the way out for taking a
look." How inconsiderate!
Of course, this is not to suggest that all, or even most,
sites are carelessly and sloppily contrived. Quite
obviously, most webmasters invest a great deal of attention
in all aspects of their creation. And, let's face it, web
design is a creative process.
ELEMENTS OF THE UNPROFESSIONAL SITES
At one end of the spectrum, there are enough 'bad pennies'
around to keep any surfer busy for hours rinsing out the
bad taste from their mouths after a visit.
At the extreme end of the same category, encounters with
sites where the choice of vocabulary is not in the best of
taste, where reasonable attention to grammar and spelling
have been grossly disregarded, and where simple English
been battered beyond recognition, may leave an uprepared
visitor with permanent, debilitating, psychological damage,
such as a hard to diagnose speech impediment, or maybe an
involuntary nervous twitch across one cheek.
In my personal case, after so many chance meetings with
disastrous, unacceptable sites, I'm left with a
uncontrollable, drooping eyelid over my left eye which
makes Bank tellers stir nervously whenever I announce a
withdrawal. : )
Sites that have been compiled irresponsibly indicate a
questionable professional intent by their owners, and a
lack of interest in putting forth their best effort. Not
only would I not buy anything from them, but you can bet
your bottom penny that I'll never revisit.
SOME SHINING EXAMPLES
At the opposite end of the spectrum, among the most
professionally done websites I have visited are those
belonging to Corey Rudl (this is not a plug, the man makes
enough money without my help.)
Obviously, his sites are carefully reviewed for grammatical
errors, punctuation is exemplary, spelling mistakes are
usually nonexistent; they're, all in all, a clean, crisp,
professional rendering - truly worthy of their creator's
pride.
Two other marketers whose websites are a joy to visit,
given their fastidious attention to the proper use of
language - in the manner described throughout this article
- are Bryan Winters, of www.pushbuttonpublishing.com, and
Chris Carpenter, of www.googlecash.com. Again, as in the
case cited above, both these gentlemen care enough about
the impression they make on prospective customers to always
"put their best foot forward."
Their websites' content has been double checked for common
usage errors, relieving the reader from any undue
distractions; their sales messages come through as clear as
a bell. Like Corey Rudl, they leave you with the image of a
polished and sophisticated marketing professional. Your
ultimate buying decision is based solely on the merits of
their products, not on whether they botched up their sales
pitch with carelessness.
Please note, my mention of these three particular marketers
should not be considered endorsements of their products. I
am a happy customer, but they are simply being singled out
in this article as prime examples of how, in my modest
opinion, one should handle the use of language as a
skilled, responsible, Internet marketer.
SUGGESTIONS AND RESOURCES
A professional looking website, within the parameters I
have pointed out, is not that hard to achieve. There are
inexpensive, easy to use tools and aids to help you
accomplish this indispensable goal.
For example, if, like most of us, you have a tendency to
misspell words, take advantage of the Spell-Check feature
built right into most word processor programs to double
check your work. Or, better yet, since you'll be actively
engaged in the process, buy yourself a pocket Dictionary
for about six bucks to look up words. Personally, I own
several of these, with a few foreign language versions for
both Spanish and French.
If punctuation and grammar give you migraines, buy yourself
a College level English Usage or Style handbook at any used
bookstore in town. Then, when in doubt about any facet of
Proper Goldfish Care SecretsMark Sturge reveals his tips and techniques in a new guide that shows how to keep a goldfish that is healthier, happier ..... your written work, leaf through it to find an acceptable
solution. In no time at all, with just a little effort on
your part, you'll gain mastery over any aspect of the
English language which previously derailed you.
Personally, I use one, or both of the following when I run
into a grammar roadblock: William Strunk's Elements of
Style, and American Heritage Book of English Usage.
And, if you're fortunate enough to have, either a member of
your family, or as a friend or neighbor, an educator who
teaches English and whose expertise you trust, ask them to
review your written work prior to publishing it as a
website.
You'll receive invaluable insights and suggestions from a
specialized professional, at zero cost to you. Naturally,
for your own peace of mind, refrain from taking their
suggestions personally; it might be helpful to pretend that
the work being reviewed by them is not your own.
Additionally, should be inclined to doing your revisions
online, I offer up this list of grammar related resources
with accompanying descriptions. They're all fr*ee:
1. http://www.chompchomp.com erms.htm Grammar terms are
listed and each is linked to its own page of explanation
and examples of correct and incorrect usage. There are also
online exercises. By one Robin L. Simmons.
2. http://www2.ncsu.edu:8010/ncsu/grammar/ Home of the
Grammar Hotline. Has tips and links. From North Carolina
State University.
3. http://www.well.com/user/mmcadams/words.html Glossary of
grammar terms and their meanings. From magazine-editing
guru Mindy McAdams.
4. http://www.wsu.edu:8080/brians/errors/errors.html Paul
Brians of the Department of English at Washington State
University talks about common mistakes and about perfect
English that is often changed in error by well-meaning
editors.
5. http://www.worldwidewords.org/ All the pieces here are
about English words and phrases'what they mean, where they
came from, how they have evolved, and the ways in which
people sometimes misuse them.
CONCLUSION
Thankfully, for the kind of writing that we do for the Web,
you will not have to become adept at unraveling such
mysteries as: What emotions dictate the use of the
Subjunctive voice' Or, define a prepositional phrase. How
about, what is the difference between a definite and an
idefinite article' Or, can a personal pronoun be used in
the possessive form' Better still, how would you indicate
possession for a noun ending in the letter "s'" Last but
not least, does the English language have a future perfect
tense'
Cast all your fears aside, because not only would answering
those questions be beyond the scope of this narrative, they
would surely be well beyond my own limited and flawed
intelligence, as well! For website publishing, we only have
to concentrate on writing clearly, sharply, and concisely;
clean, simple, and well thought out copy is all we're
after. A basic common sense approach. Pulitzer prize
winning authors are bred elsewhere.
You'll find that, by taking the simple precautions and
suggestions I have oulined here to spruce up your website,
your professionalism will shine through, making you feel
proud and empowered, your feelings of self worth will rise
dramatically, giving you added confidence to tackle more
and more written projects, praise from others will allow
you to recognize your dormant talents, helping to fuel your
creativity to a higher level...and your bottom line will
inevitably soar as a result!
10 Incredible Ad Copy Secrets1. Use a hand written letter on your ad copy instead of text. Write the ad on a piece of paper, scan it and publish the ad on your web .....
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Copyright 2004 Jorge M. Vega - After struggling for years
trying to figure out what worked and what didn't work
online, the author has started to "bring home the bacon"
marketing on the Internet. See the few select, sure-fire
ways he has found that anyone can use to begin making a
comfortable home-based living, starting today:
http://www.earnlarge.com/pbi
----------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
After struggling for years trying to figure out what worked and what didn't work online, the author, Jorge M. Vega, has started to "bring home the bacon" marketing on the Internet. See the few
select, sure-fire ways he has found that anyone can use to begin making a comfortable home-based living, starting
today.
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