Giving Yourself the Right to Write

"But I've only been on the Internet 3 months! How can I write an article?" That was my reaction back in 1999 when I began my online career and heard that writing articles was the key to bringing targeted visitors to my website.

But I went ahead anyway and wrote my first article. I soon discovered that writing articles is the quickest way to build your reputation as an expert in the world of online marketing.

So don't wait for someone else's permission - start writing articles and grab your space in the limelight.

Here are some other mental blocks and how to deal with them:

(1) "I don't where to start". Start anywhere - it doesn't matter where. Putting words on paper is like planting a seed in your subconscious. Your mind will go to work on it while you're busy doing other things: while you're driving, while you're sleeping, while you're doing the dishes. Suddenly, out of nowhere, will come the next idea. That's the power of the subconscious and the power of putting words on paper.

(2) "I don't know how to finish". Again, it doesn't matter. Just write and the conclusion will come to you of it's own accord.

(3) "It's just an idea". This is another mental trap - the fear of turning ideas into reality. Look around you and realize that every skyscraper, every ocean-going liner, and every symphony was once "just an idea".

(4) "I'll do it tomorrow". Tomorrow never arrives. Give yourself a deadline. Imagine that your article must be finished within the next 12 hours - you'll be surprised how much you get done!

(5) "My article will be a flop". This is a big one - fear of failure. It's much safer to never try. But remember, with every article you write you are one step closer to developing your own unique style, your "voice". In that sense, you can never fail.

(6) "I can't get it right". Some times you simply can't find the right words. Turn off your inner critic and just write. When you have something down on paper, you have something to work with. But you can't work with something that remains an idea in your head.

(7) "I can't sort out my ideas". The easiest way to organize your article ideas is to use a technique that mirrors the way the mind works. This technique is called Mind Mapping. We are taught in school to use lists to organize our ideas. But lists are linear and the mind doesn't think in a linear fashion. You can find out more about Mind Mapping at: http://www.mind-map.com/

Good luck with your articles! And remember - writing teaches writing.

Eight Tips for Ezine Writers   

Exposing Your Expertise

Writing and leveraging articles is my most successful strategy for promoting my Website and my speaking and consulting services. Visitors to your site from targeted articles tend to be higher quality leads than those from search engines, and potential buyers like to see that you're published in many credible outlets.

Here are my recommendations to implement this strategy:

1. Write the article This may sound self-evident, but a couple of pointers:

Keep it short, and make the language simple, especially if you're targeting online outlets. People don't read word for word on the Web - rather, they'll scan the screen. Complex sentences and dense copy will lose readers fast.

Develop a template that can be easily customized for different target markets. My "Top Seven Ways to Tune Up your Website" has been parlayed into versions for over a dozen different industries. The essential points remain the same, and customizing simply involves adding specific examples.

2. Put it on your Website One of the key goals of your Website should be to showcase your expertise. Content (combined with testimonials and success stories) is the best way to achieve this.

When adding articles to your site:

Include a clear reprint policy. This should state whether you allow articles to be reprinted, and if so, under what terms (including your byline, copyright, notification of use, etc.)

If you have a large number of articles, provide an index page that divides them into appropriate subject groupings, and gives a two-line description of each.

Create a byline with an enticing hook to get people to visit your Website. Mine refers to my popular free tipsheet "Beyond the Search Engines", which lists 23 alternative ways to promote your site. This is far more powerful than a bland statement such as "Philippa Gamse is an internationally recognized..."

3. Research and offer it to appropriate venues It's critical to be very clear about your target audience, and how to reach them. Who are the economic buyers and decision makers that you'd like to be in front of, and what do they read? Do those sites or publications accept outside articles, and if so, what are their policies around doing so?

4. Follow up links and references It's extremely important to measure the success of these efforts, both in terms of the traffic to your site, and its quality.

Check the "referring URL" section in your traffic reports, and follow links to you from any site that you don't recognize. Often, site owners won't inform you when they've used your material. So you want to ensure that you have been properly attributed. But also, thank the site owner. I recently sent a note to a university professor who had added some of my articles to his course reading list. His response? "I really like your ideas, and by the way, we're looking for a speaker for our upcoming conference..."

The Proof of the Pudding... Does all this work? Absolutely. One of my articles was recently highlighted as the "Cool Site of the Week" in Tekguide.net - an online technology and computer directory. But the page that it linked to was not mine, but PowerHomeBiz.com - another site that had featured this article. So I now have sites quoting sites that quote me... and that gets major brownie points in Google - the only remaining credible free search engine.

I was also recently hired to consult for a site in the auto industry after the owner had read my article in eDealershipnews.com. He said "I liked the article, I can see how you think, and I'd like some of that thinking for me". No further selling required!

Eight Tips for Ezine Writers   

Exposing Your Expertise

Writing and leveraging articles is my most successful strategy for promoting my Website and my speaking and consulting services. Visitors to your site from targeted articles tend to be higher quality leads than those from search engines, and potential buyers like to see that you're published in many credible outlets.

Here are my recommendations to implement this strategy:

1. Write the article This may sound self-evident, but a couple of pointers:

Keep it short, and make the language simple, especially if you're targeting online outlets. People don't read word for word on the Web - rather, they'll scan the screen. Complex sentences and dense copy will lose readers fast.

Develop a template that can be easily customized for different target markets. My "Top Seven Ways to Tune Up your Website" has been parlayed into versions for over a dozen different industries. The essential points remain the same, and customizing simply involves adding specific examples.

2. Put it on your Website One of the key goals of your Website should be to showcase your expertise. Content (combined with testimonials and success stories) is the best way to achieve this.

When adding articles to your site:

Include a clear reprint policy. This should state whether you allow articles to be reprinted, and if so, under what terms (including your byline, copyright, notification of use, etc.)

If you have a large number of articles, provide an index page that divides them into appropriate subject groupings, and gives a two-line description of each.

Create a byline with an enticing hook to get people to visit your Website. Mine refers to my popular free tipsheet "Beyond the Search Engines", which lists 23 alternative ways to promote your site. This is far more powerful than a bland statement such as "Philippa Gamse is an internationally recognized..."

3. Research and offer it to appropriate venues It's critical to be very clear about your target audience, and how to reach them. Who are the economic buyers and decision makers that you'd like to be in front of, and what do they read? Do those sites or publications accept outside articles, and if so, what are their policies around doing so?

4. Follow up links and references It's extremely important to measure the success of these efforts, both in terms of the traffic to your site, and its quality.

Check the "referring URL" section in your traffic reports, and follow links to you from any site that you don't recognize. Often, site owners won't inform you when they've used your material. So you want to ensure that you have been properly attributed. But also, thank the site owner. I recently sent a note to a university professor who had added some of my articles to his course reading list. His response? "I really like your ideas, and by the way, we're looking for a speaker for our upcoming conference..."

The Proof of the Pudding... Does all this work? Absolutely. One of my articles was recently highlighted as the "Cool Site of the Week" in Tekguide.net - an online technology and computer directory. But the page that it linked to was not mine, but PowerHomeBiz.com - another site that had featured this article. So I now have sites quoting sites that quote me... and that gets major brownie points in Google - the only remaining credible free search engine.

I was also recently hired to consult for a site in the auto industry after the owner had read my article in eDealershipnews.com. He said "I liked the article, I can see how you think, and I'd like some of that thinking for me". No further selling required!

Eight Tips for Ezine Writers   

10 Tips For Promoting Through Ezine Articles

What's the most powerful marketing technique on the Web? Search Engine positioning? Perhaps. But did you know that some of the most successful web marketers don't bother much with the Search Engines?

They put most of their effort into another technique that's just as powerful and is much more under their control.

They write Ezine Articles.

There are tens of thousands of Ezines being published every month, with a collective audience of millions.

And the editors of most of those Ezines are all looking for quality content for their newsletters.

If you master this technique you can get your name and your website URL in front of 100,000 or even a million readers.

Right now there's a shortage of good Ezine Articles.

So, if you write well and you know how to do research on the Internet, there's a huge market waiting for you.

But there are some tips for writing and publishing Ezine Articles. Here they are:

(A) Writing Your Ezine Articles:

(1) Pick a topic that you know something about (however little) and then go to the Search Engines and find as many websites as you can that deal with that subject.

As well as collecting information for your article, make a note of any URLs that offer free resources dealing with the topic of your article. Include those URLs in your article.

(2) Once you've done the basic research, write the title of your article in the middle of a blank page and circle it. Then jot down your information in lines that radiate out from your title, like the spokes of a wheel. This technique is called 'Mind Mapping' and it's a very effective way of organizing your ideas.

You can find more information on Mind Mapping at:

http://www.mind-map.com/

(3) An increasing number of Ezine Publishers will not accept articles that are promoting a product you sell. So, keep your article free of affiliate links; avoid mentioning any products or services for which you receive a commission.

(4) At the end of your article, attach a 5- or 6-line 'Resource Box' that includes your website URL and/or your email address.

(5) When you have finished your article, do NOT send it off straight away. Let it lie fallow for 2 or 3 days and then come back and read it again. You'll be amazed at the improvements you can make. Those final improvements are what makes the difference between an article that gets published and one that doesn't.

(B) Publishing Your Ezine Articles:

(6) There are two ways of getting your articles published: 'Individual Submissions' and 'General Distribution'.

'General Distribution' will get your article in front of many more readers, per unit of effort expended, than 'Individual Submission', and I suggest you use this method before making Individual Submissions.

There are basically two kinds of 'General Distribution': Announcement Lists and websites.

Here are some Article Announcement Lists:

article_announce-subscribe@egroups.com free-content-subscribe@onelist.com publishinyours-subscribe@onelist.com articles_archives-subscribe@egroups.com

Here are some Websites that provide Free Content to Ezine Publishers:

[http://216.147.104.180/articles/submit.shtml] http://www.ezinearticles.com/ http://www.ideamarketers.com/ http://www.isyndicate.com/ http://www.mediapeak.com http://www.MakingProfit.com/articles/ http://www.web-source.net/articlesub.htm

(7) Once you've used these 'General Distribution' techniques, then submit your article to individual Ezines.

However, before making individual submissions, find out (a) if the Ezine Publisher accepts article submissions, (b) what the Publisher's guidelines are for article submissions.

My free Ezine Directory gives you this information, 'The Free Directory of Ezines':

http://www.netmastersolutions.com/

I have also produced an eBook called 'Get Published! The Directory of Ezines that accept Article Submissions' and you can download it free at:

http://www.netmastersolutions.com/getpub.html

(8) Format your article to 65 characters per line and make sure it contains no spelling mistakes. With the availability of spell-checkers there's really no excuse for spelling mistakes. If your article does contain spelling mistakes, many Publishers will just discard your article.

(9) Don't submit articles to the same Ezine Publisher more than once a month.

(10) Address the Ezine Publisher personally, and make sure that the message accompanying your article is very courteous - you're asking the Publisher to read your article and give you some of her valuable time and she probably gets dozens of article submissions a week.

Eight Tips for Ezine Writers   

Giving Yourself the Right to Write

"But I've only been on the Internet 3 months! How can I write an article?" That was my reaction back in 1999 when I began my online career and heard that writing articles was the key to bringing targeted visitors to my website.

But I went ahead anyway and wrote my first article. I soon discovered that writing articles is the quickest way to build your reputation as an expert in the world of online marketing.

So don't wait for someone else's permission - start writing articles and grab your space in the limelight.

Here are some other mental blocks and how to deal with them:

(1) "I don't where to start". Start anywhere - it doesn't matter where. Putting words on paper is like planting a seed in your subconscious. Your mind will go to work on it while you're busy doing other things: while you're driving, while you're sleeping, while you're doing the dishes. Suddenly, out of nowhere, will come the next idea. That's the power of the subconscious and the power of putting words on paper.

(2) "I don't know how to finish". Again, it doesn't matter. Just write and the conclusion will come to you of it's own accord.

(3) "It's just an idea". This is another mental trap - the fear of turning ideas into reality. Look around you and realize that every skyscraper, every ocean-going liner, and every symphony was once "just an idea".

(4) "I'll do it tomorrow". Tomorrow never arrives. Give yourself a deadline. Imagine that your article must be finished within the next 12 hours - you'll be surprised how much you get done!

(5) "My article will be a flop". This is a big one - fear of failure. It's much safer to never try. But remember, with every article you write you are one step closer to developing your own unique style, your "voice". In that sense, you can never fail.

(6) "I can't get it right". Some times you simply can't find the right words. Turn off your inner critic and just write. When you have something down on paper, you have something to work with. But you can't work with something that remains an idea in your head.

(7) "I can't sort out my ideas". The easiest way to organize your article ideas is to use a technique that mirrors the way the mind works. This technique is called Mind Mapping. We are taught in school to use lists to organize our ideas. But lists are linear and the mind doesn't think in a linear fashion. You can find out more about Mind Mapping at: http://www.mind-map.com/

Good luck with your articles! And remember - writing teaches writing.

Eight Tips for Ezine Writers   

10 Tips For Promoting Through Ezine Articles

What's the most powerful marketing technique on the Web? Search Engine positioning? Perhaps. But did you know that some of the most successful web marketers don't bother much with the Search Engines?

They put most of their effort into another technique that's just as powerful and is much more under their control.

They write Ezine Articles.

There are tens of thousands of Ezines being published every month, with a collective audience of millions.

And the editors of most of those Ezines are all looking for quality content for their newsletters.

If you master this technique you can get your name and your website URL in front of 100,000 or even a million readers.

Right now there's a shortage of good Ezine Articles.

So, if you write well and you know how to do research on the Internet, there's a huge market waiting for you.

But there are some tips for writing and publishing Ezine Articles. Here they are:

(A) Writing Your Ezine Articles:

(1) Pick a topic that you know something about (however little) and then go to the Search Engines and find as many websites as you can that deal with that subject.

As well as collecting information for your article, make a note of any URLs that offer free resources dealing with the topic of your article. Include those URLs in your article.

(2) Once you've done the basic research, write the title of your article in the middle of a blank page and circle it. Then jot down your information in lines that radiate out from your title, like the spokes of a wheel. This technique is called 'Mind Mapping' and it's a very effective way of organizing your ideas.

You can find more information on Mind Mapping at:

http://www.mind-map.com/

(3) An increasing number of Ezine Publishers will not accept articles that are promoting a product you sell. So, keep your article free of affiliate links; avoid mentioning any products or services for which you receive a commission.

(4) At the end of your article, attach a 5- or 6-line 'Resource Box' that includes your website URL and/or your email address.

(5) When you have finished your article, do NOT send it off straight away. Let it lie fallow for 2 or 3 days and then come back and read it again. You'll be amazed at the improvements you can make. Those final improvements are what makes the difference between an article that gets published and one that doesn't.

(B) Publishing Your Ezine Articles:

(6) There are two ways of getting your articles published: 'Individual Submissions' and 'General Distribution'.

'General Distribution' will get your article in front of many more readers, per unit of effort expended, than 'Individual Submission', and I suggest you use this method before making Individual Submissions.

There are basically two kinds of 'General Distribution': Announcement Lists and websites.

Here are some Article Announcement Lists:

article_announce-subscribe@egroups.com free-content-subscribe@onelist.com publishinyours-subscribe@onelist.com articles_archives-subscribe@egroups.com

Here are some Websites that provide Free Content to Ezine Publishers:

[http://216.147.104.180/articles/submit.shtml] http://www.ezinearticles.com/ http://www.ideamarketers.com/ http://www.isyndicate.com/ http://www.mediapeak.com http://www.MakingProfit.com/articles/ http://www.web-source.net/articlesub.htm

(7) Once you've used these 'General Distribution' techniques, then submit your article to individual Ezines.

However, before making individual submissions, find out (a) if the Ezine Publisher accepts article submissions, (b) what the Publisher's guidelines are for article submissions.

My free Ezine Directory gives you this information, 'The Free Directory of Ezines':

http://www.netmastersolutions.com/

I have also produced an eBook called 'Get Published! The Directory of Ezines that accept Article Submissions' and you can download it free at:

http://www.netmastersolutions.com/getpub.html

(8) Format your article to 65 characters per line and make sure it contains no spelling mistakes. With the availability of spell-checkers there's really no excuse for spelling mistakes. If your article does contain spelling mistakes, many Publishers will just discard your article.

(9) Don't submit articles to the same Ezine Publisher more than once a month.

(10) Address the Ezine Publisher personally, and make sure that the message accompanying your article is very courteous - you're asking the Publisher to read your article and give you some of her valuable time and she probably gets dozens of article submissions a week.

Eight Tips for Ezine Writers