Customer Preview

    You can’t sell what your potential customers don’t know about!  Building customer interest and excitement is the first step to successfully marketing many products. Autoresponders play a vital role in building this interest and excitement. For instance, if you were developing an e-book, you may want to start telling your website visitors and opt-in subscribers about it. Start building interest; tell them what this product will do for them, and how soon it will be available.

     Do more than build interest by telling them about it. Use an autoresponder to let them preview your product! Even though you will be selling the product, you can allow your potential customers to preview the information. Have you ever seen previews for movies that will be playing in theaters soon? It is the same concept.

     Load one chapter of the e-book into an autoresponder, and put a form on your website where your visitors can enter their name and email address to receive the preview chapter free of charge. This gets their name on your list of potential customers. Each week, send a reminder email, letting them know how close the release date is, and what they can expect from your product – keep building interest and excitement.

     Finally, a couple of days before you are ready to launch your product offer those that received the preview the option to buy a pre-release copy. You can opt to offer a discounted price, or leave the price as it will be on launch day – the choice is yours.  You may also give them some BONUS information or products if they purchase a copy during the pre-release.

     Take a look at the list of people who signed up to receive the preview. How many of them are still ‘subscribed’ to that list? They’ve had the option to stop receiving notices about your product, but they chose to keep receiving the information you were sending. These are highly targeted prospects for your product. They have already shown you that they have an interest in your product, and a large number of those people are simply waiting on the autoresponder broadcast message that will let them know that it is time to pick up their copy of your product!

     Isn’t automation a wonderful thing? Using an autoresponder, you are able to see how much of a market there is for your product, and build a great deal of interest in it before it is ever released. This is the key to making sales on launch day. Use autoresponders to build the interest. Get your prospects excited about what is about to come – and on launch day, give them what they are waiting for and watch the sales pour in!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"The anticipation of what's coming 

can be the thrill of life!"

Influence

    Influence is defined as the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.  Sometimes we may think that we have to some SUPER person in our career field before we can have an effect on someone’s life.

     Maybe we think that we must be a famous scientist, musician, artist, actor, sports figure, or someone else of great notoriety before we can make a change in the life of another person.  But that thinking is not true.

     Most of the time people are influenced by those that are the closest to them.  Children can be affected by their parents, or school teachers, or neighbors, or others in their lives that impact them personally and leave a long-term change within their character or thinking.

     Sometimes we may decide to make certain coarse changes within our lives because of the negative influence others may have upon us.  Note the comment of one individual several years ago when asked who the greatest influence in his life was:  “I’m influenced by alcoholics, drug addicts, theives, time wasters and no hopers.

I do everything i can to never be like them, they influence me in ways that they do not know, mainly because they are either too drunk, too high or too busy theiving or wasting time to even know how much of an influence that they have on my life to never fall into the trap that they have.

Thanks for motivating me, i owe my life to all the worlds losers, lol”    

     The point is we may be influenced from situations or people within a specific group or category that we might not think that they could affect us so deeply.  The source of our changes from being influenced is endless.  However, we must determine WHAT we are going to allow to influence us.

     Hopefully we can, even if the situation is negative, how we can use it as a positive influence for us and become a better person in the process.  The entire world tries to influence us in everything in our lives and our human nature is to let certain things do that, but we must work hard at being selective as to what we hear, see, and think about all matters.  However, we’re only human!  

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Everyone will touch someone

in some way during their life."

Formatting Messages

    My Mother used to send my wife and I letters on a regular basis.  However, she NEVER used capital letters or any punctuation within her structure.  We first had to go through the letter and try to edit the content into a form that we could read.

     Have you ever received emails that were all broken up? These emails have one or two words on one line, then eight or ten words on the next line. In some cases, one word begins on one line and ends on the next. These emails are very hard to read, and they appear to be very unprofessional. Is this what you want your autoresponder email messages to look like?

     If not, you need to learn how to format your messages. Start by reading the instructions for your specific autoresponder. Each one operates a bit differently in the way that it handles text. For instance, some autoresponder messages will be messed up if you do put a ‘hard line break’ at the end of each line, while others will be messed up if you don’t!  Find out what the right option is for your autoresponder!

     Because each email client is different, you should not allow any line in your message to exceed 65 characters. This will help prevent lines from breaking up, and it is achieved by hitting the ‘enter’ key at the end of each sixty-five character line. The best way to be sure that your autoresponder messages are delivered in the correct format is to send them to yourself, before you send them to your list!

     Once you get your message you will have a better idea of how it is going to look to others.  Remember you may have to PLAY with the autoresponder entries until you get it just the way you want it to look.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"At least let people understand what you say,

even though they may not understand what you mean!"

White Hats

     Some of you may not remember this, but I recall watching the old westerns on TV back in the 1950s and 60s.  There were characters like Hopalong Cassidy, the Cisco Kid, Roy Rogers with Dale Evans, and who could forget the Lone Ranger and his companion Tonto?  There were also many western series on TV:  High Chaparral, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Zorro, The Big Valley, Wagon Train, Bonanza, and my personal favorite Gunsmoke.  There were many others at that time also.

     If you will remember, however, the basic theme in all these programs was the good guys wore the white hats!  Regardless of what the bad guys did at the end of the program, in that brief 30 or 60 minutes of fast-action western flair, the good guys had to win!  It was a simple rule written into the programming ethics of that time.  No matter HOW unpredictable the situations proved to be, in the end the good guys would always come out on top!

     Compare that to today’s programming.  There are not very many westerns that are made today, but the principle is still in place:  there are the GOOD guys and there are the BAD guys!  The problem is that there are no more WHITE hats!

     At times during a movie or TV program it is very difficult to tell who the good guys and the bad guys are.  Don’t get me wrong.  I know the program will explicitly define who is on this side and who is on that side.  Well, almost all the time they will do this.  The problem is that in many cases the good guy has to be as bad (or worse) than the bad guy to defeat him.  And at times the movie or program will very realistically reflect the “real” world because the good guy doesn’t always win.  There at times when the finale of the movie or the TV episode ends in a stalemate!

     Sadly, that is truly how live turns out.  We can’t tell the good guys from the bad and at times we make terrible decisions based on an assumption that turns out to be incorrect.  If we could only return to those thrilling days of yesteryear:  When the good guys always wore the WHITE hats and we knew who we should be supporting, because in the end the good guys ALWAYS win!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Things may not always be as they appear.

But time has a way of exposing the truth!"

Email Courses

     How can you make more sales on your website?  How can you deliver the purchased products to your customers?  Offering free things to your website visitors is one marketing method that often results in a lot of sales. Free courses that are delivered via email are very popular, and people sign up for such courses on a regular basis to learn more about a topic of interest to them. These courses are best maintained and delivered with the use of autoresponders.

     An autoresponder can be set up to send out a series of lessons for an email course. The lessons can be set for distribution at specific intervals. You determine how often the lessons for the course are sent to the people who have signed up for it. Email courses are very different from traditional courses, web based courses, or any other type of course.

     Perhaps one of the best conditions of an email course is there is no student and instructor interaction. The instructor writes the information out, puts each lesson in an autoresponder series, sets the timing for the lessons, and the rest is automated. You can opt to have lessons delivered daily, every other day, every three days, or any other time frame that you think works best for your email students.  Then YOU are done with the course!

     Email courses are commonly used to sell products and services. For instance, if you sell widgets, you might develop a course that teaches people how to use widgets or how to care for their widget. Experts agree that an email course can be written for almost any product that you can imagine – if you put enough thought into it.

     Start by determining what your course will be about, and how long it should be. If the course should be delivered every other day for two weeks, you know that you would need seven lessons. Write the lessons, and load them in the autoresponder. Set the interval for each lesson, which in this case would be 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13.

     This means that the first lesson would be delivered one day after the person has requested the course, and the second lesson would be delivered three days after the person has requested the course, and so on. The interval for each lesson is set for the number of days after the person has signed up.  Make sure that everything is spelled right, and that your sentences are grammatically correct. You want the lessons to look and sound as professional as possible.

     Next, simply advertise the email address that will activate the autoresponder. Make sure that you run a test first, sending each lesson to yourself. This will allow you to see what your email students will see when they sign up!

     It does take some time and work to get this set up and functioning the way you want, but then your course will run on autopilot by you using your autoresponders!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Fall in love with learning.

You will be amazed at where it can take you!"

Noise!

    Have you ever been trying to talk to someone on the phone and that outside construction begins again and you can’t hear a word you are saying?  Or maybe you’re trying to watch your favorite program on TV and the kids start making those terrible noises that they always make!  Whatever the case I think you can understand how irritating loud noises can be at certain times.

     However, have you ever considered this subject from the reverse prospective?  Let me give you an example of what I am talking about.  You are outside enjoying a relaxing afternoon sitting under your shade tree while sipping on your favorite beverage.  As you relax in your favorite chair, recliner, or (my personal favorite) your rocking chair, you have the radio tuned to the music you enjoy listening to and all of a sudden, just at the best part of your song, a jet plane goes passing overhead, making a roaring noise as it disturbs your moment of peace.  What a terrible sound that is to your ears!

     Just for a moment put yourself in the place of the pilot of that plane.  You’re speeding along as you’re enjoying your time flying.  Because flying is a real passion for you.  You can feel the slight rumble of the plane as you guide it through various maneuvers and you truly enjoy the sound of those engines as you bank right and then left.  Imagine how you would feel if at a sudden given moment the sound of those engines STOPPED!  How would you react no longer hearing the roar of the engines, knowing that now your plane is about to perhaps dive into what will no doubt become a terrible accident?  An accident that perhaps you will not be able to walk away from!  An accident that may even end with your demise!

     We have to remember that like many things within our lives, NOISE is a relative topic.  What will be considered as noise to one will be a very desirable and necessary sound to another.  We need to understand that at times it may be the sounds (noise) that we don’t hear that becomes what we should be listening to. 

     Have you ever heard that pesky little noise that a mosquito makes as it buzzes around your head or arm or leg?  Just remember that a mosquito can’t bite you while it is flying!  So when you’re outside and you DON’T hear that irritating buzzing sound:  You may be getting eaten alive by mosquitoes!  

        

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Don't forget: The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

But, sometimes it gets replaced!"

Autoresonders and Customer Service

    There is no greater provision in your business than customer service.  Ideally, when you perform customer service, it is done on a one-on-one basis with each of your customers. That works quite well in the offline brick and mortar world – but on the Internet, that simply will not do. Your customers are literally all over the world, and there is no way that you can really deal with each one of them personally. That is where an autoresponder comes in.

     Handling your customer service with autoresponders is quite simple. When an order is place, an autoresponder can send out the receipt for the sale, the information for accessing the product, and a ‘thank you’ email. This happens whether you are logged in to your computer or on vacation in an exotic location! But customer service doesn’t always end right there, and if you are away from your computer, you may be letting your customers down!  You always want to provide the BEST customer service you can.

     Let’s consider an example: An elderly gentleman sees your product advertised and places an order. Everything goes through just fine, and he receives the receipt, the download information, and your ‘thank you’ email. Your product is an e-book, compiled into a PDF file. This particular gentleman doesn’t understand what a PDF file is, and he has no idea what you mean by ‘right click to download.’ He needs additional customer service for the product that he has purchased, and there is nobody available to help him – nobody but your autoresponder.

     In this case to provide a more efficient customer service you could set up an additional autoresponder that would send out a list of frequently asked questions or problems that deal with customer service or how to access the product. Also set up a support autoresponder. If he sends a message to support, he should get an instant message back letting him know that his message has been received, and how soon it will be addressed. This will give him some measure of comfort, and in most cases, he will wait that specified period of time for assistance.

     However, if he doesn’t know how to download the product, and he sends a message to support, and nothing happens, he will most likely become very dissatisfied in a very short period of time. The difference between a patient customer and an irate customer is one simple autoresponder message that can and should be set up in under five minutes.

     Really think your ordering process through, and consider the potential problems that may occur for your customers. Get an autoresponder set up to address those issues and you will find that your customers are more satisfied with your products, and extremely satisfied with your customer service – all because your autoresponders handled their problem right away!  By doing this you will also provide a means for referrals to help your business grow.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"To change your mind is wonderful - - -

To change the mind of someone else is a miracle!"

The Storm

    Now that Hurricane Dorian has pounded the Bahamas the eastern coast of the United States sits prepared for a great wind storm that may yet still do much damage as it hits.  When you consider what people have been doing to prepare it’s still amazing what this storm may do when it comes close to landfall. 

     People have been stocking supplies and boarding up their properties.  Many have followed the evacuation protocols and have left the area.  Still there are others who have decided to stay put and ride out the storm within their residences or with others.

     One individual, Tina White, a Charleston resident made the comment to ABC News “As long as it doesn’t look like it’s gonna be Hugo, we try not to go anywhere.”  She evidently considers Hurricane Hugo in 1989 as the “benchmark” to deciding if they will evacuate or stay.

     These are the types of decisions which must be made during an expected natural disaster as Dorian.  However, many people face much more devastating “storms” within their lives on a day-to-day basis.  One such major situation that many are facing today is the opioid addiction that is so prevalent.

    Other “storms” that people have to face are illnesses, crime, violence of many different types, just getting older, financial difficulties, and family issues, just to name a few.  How people deal with these situations varies from person to person.  Unfortunately some don’t deal at all!

     Some prepare very little as they do with a hurricane warning.  Others decide to wait and see what happens!  Some duck their heads into the proverbial sand and hope that things work out for them.  Many simply do the best they can and then wait to see what others can do for them.

     However, whether we want to admit it or not there is a “great storm” that is coming upon us all.  This is going to be the wrath of God!  The Bible tells us that the great day of God the Almighty is very close at hand.  Who will able to stand against his might and anger?  What would we need to do to be prepared for this coming event?  Is it possible to be a survivor?  These are questions which need our immediate attention.  These are question for which we must find the correct answers and prepare accordingly. 

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"If you have been forewarned,

YOU must prepare!"

Automation with Autoresponders

    Let’s face it:  We’re all a bunch of lazy people!  This is amazingly true within our business operations.  So, automation is important to all businesses. The less time we have to spend doing small tasks, the more time we have to make more money – or we could spend that time doing something besides working. Putting an online business on auto pilot isn’t difficult at all – and it is all done with the use of autoresponders!

     Autoresponders can be used to get people to your website, or to promote products and services. Simply plug your sales message into the autoresponder, along with some valuable information that your potential customer may want or need, and advertise that autoresponders address to the world!  Or at least to your prime marketing audience.

     Once the person arrives at your site, and goes through your ordering process, another autoresponder kicks in. This autoresponder should send out a receipt, as well as information that will grant the customer access to whatever it is that they have purchased. Then another autoresponder message should be sent out after this, thanking the customer for their business, and letting them know about similar or related products or services that they may be interested in.

     The beauty of this is that while all of this ordering is going on, and these important customer service emails are being sent, you can be off doing something else! The more automation you can integrate into your online business, the better off you will be.

    It’s kind of like putting your business operations on autopilot!  However, don’t think this means you NEVER have to look at what your business is doing.  No, you still have to make sure that what you want to be done by these autoresponders is actually happening the way you want it to.  You will only have to “check-in” periodically to make sure there are no “bugs.”

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"The best time to get things done

is when you don't have time to do them!"

Our Memories

     We all have those favorite moments in our lives that we like to recall from time to time and pause to remember how things used to be.  It may be that we can recall those moments with such clarity that it seems as if they only happened yesterday!  Then one day we “run into” that old buddy or classmate and we begin to reminisce with them about that favorite moment.  It’s nice because they too were part of that fond memory and we want to share it again together.

     However, when we begin to relate the recalled past, they keep interrupting and explaining to us how we have the whole story wrong!  It DIDN’T happen at that time of the year.  It WASN’T in that particular location that we recall!  Over and over they begin to tear apart the moment that we so much cherished that all of a sudden we realize that we don’t have any of the story remembered the way that they do!

    And this problem happens to different people in different ways.  With my wife, she remembers such great details when I can only remember a shadowy outline!  We can be sitting around and she thinks of a time that we had a meal at a restaurant.

     “Don’t you remember, honey?  We ate at Gino’s.  It was one month after you had proposed.  You were wearing those new blue slacks you had bought with that checked shirt that I loved so much.  I was wearing that tan skirt that you liked with a light brown peasant shirt.  That’s the night that you ordered us the veal parmesan so I could try it for the first time.”

     She is looking at me like “WHY are you not remembering this?”  And I come back with the comment:  “I kind of remember eating at Gino’s restaurant.”

     I guess that’s the way our memories function at times.  Then there are moments that I have in my mind that I can recall with great details.  But, now that I think about it:  I hope they really happened and are not just a smudge in my faulty memory!  However, I have to remember that we’re only human!!!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"When all you have are your memories,

You'd better hope you've got them right."

Build Interest with Autoresponders

    If at first you don’t succeed - - - try – try – again!  You’ve probably heard that old expression before.  But did you ever think - - - IT’S TRUE!  Few people like a hard sale, and marketers have known for years that in most cases, a prospect must hear your message an average of seven times before they will make a purchase. How do you accomplish this?  With autoresponders!

     It’s really quite simple, and in fact, autoresponders make getting the message to your potential customers those seven times possible. On the Internet, without the use of autoresponders, you probably could not achieve that. Too often, marketers make the mistake of literally slamming the potential customer with a hard sales pitch with the first autoresponder message – this won’t work.  It never has and never will.

     You must build interest slowly. Start with an informative message – a message that educates the reader in some way on the topic that your product or service is related to. At the bottom of the message, include a link to the sales page for your product. Use that first message to focus on the problem that your product or service can solve, with just a hint of the solution.

    You can then build up from there, moving into how your product or service can solve a problem, and then with the next message, ease into the benefits of your product – giving the reader more actual information with each and every message. Your final message should be the sale pitch – not your first one! With each message, make sure that you are giving the customer information pertaining to the topic – free information! This is what will keep them interested in what you have to say.

     This type of marketing is an art. It may take time to get it exactly right. Use the examples that other marketers have set for you. Pay attention to the messages that you receive from other marketers. Start a ‘swap’ file, and keep those messages. Use some of the better sales copy for your own autoresponder messages – just make sure that yours doesn’t turn out to be an exact copy of someone else’s sales message!  You need to be original with your sales message, but you don’t need to reinvent the wheel!

     Remember not to start with a hard sale. Build your potential customers interest. Keep building on what the problem is, and how your product or service can solve that problem or fill that need. If you are doing this right, by the time the potential customer reads the last message in that series, they will be convinced enough to make a purchase!  They will have logically reached the conclusion and convinced themselves that they NEED your product or service.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"To say nothing to a problem

is to kill the solution

before it has taken flight."

Life's Not Fair!

    

Sometimes I think that perhaps we would be better off if life worked backwards!  Let me explain:

     When a person is young we start asking them: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  Or maybe:  “What do you want to do with your life?”  They have no idea.  They have not experienced enough of life to know what it’s all about.  However, once you have lived for many years, tried many different things, experienced many far-away places, and have finally reached a point where you are ready to decide what you really want to do with your life - - - You don’t have much of your life left to live!

     When a young person gets out of school and decides regardless of whether they like it or not, they are going to need to get a job.  The reality usually sets in when they realize that money REALLY DOESN’T grow on trees and if they want to continue to purchase things for themselves they are going to need a job so they have money coming in.  The problem is they learn that it’s hard to get a job because they have NO experience.  Most businesses want someone who has a least a bit of knowledge about what they are doing.  Now here’s the unfair part:  Once you have spent decades gaining the experience everyone wants you to have businesses expect you to retire!  If you only want a part-time job to supplement your retirement they can’t believe it.  “With your experience you’ll leave if a better position comes along!” they say.

     However, if we could live our lives backwards things could work out better for us.  When we have no experience either within the workplace or within life, we would be OLD!  As we grow younger we could gain the experience, the knowledge, and the enthusiasm to fully excel at any position we may choose to enter.  On top of that we would have our energy and stamina at the most opportune time to fulfill all the things we could get accomplished.

     Yes life is not fair.  But whatever life we have is better than the current alternative of having no life at all!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"You would truly love your life,

if you had to live the life of someone else!"

Autoresonders and SPAM!

     You get them sometimes almost every day.  They almost make you want to tear your hair out!  So, if you want your online business operations to be taken seriously and not be considered another scam:  Don’t send your emails via SPAM!

     There are laws against sending spam. There are even laws that you must adhere to when you send out emails that are requested. No matter what type of email you are sending out, the chances are good that the anti-spam laws apply to you in some way.  And don’t forget IGNORANCE is no excuse! 

     In order to be in compliance with the anti-spam laws in various states in the US, each commercial email that you send must include your name or business name, your street address, city, state, zip code, and phone number. You must also include instructions that will allow the recipient to remove themselves from your mailing list. If you fail to do any of this, you are essentially breaking the law in various states – no matter what state or country you live in!  The easiest way to get through these complicated rules is to make sure you comply.  How can you do this?

     Protect yourself from spam complaints in any way that you can. Make sure that when a customer requests any type of information from you that an email is sent requesting confirmation before any other email is sent. If someone is placing an order from you, include a check box on the order form, asking for permission to send them periodic emails. Never use your autoresponder to send unsolicited commercial email!

    To understand the requirements of the CAN-SPAM act you might want to take a little visit to:  https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business .  This could be some of the most productive time spent on making sure you and your business are not in violation of this act.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Remember in your business operations 

you must comply with the regulations.  

If you do not comply you are in

non-compliance and thereby are not meeting 

the required compliance regulations!"

Morning Sickness

    Usually when we hear this phrase we are very happy.  Generally there is a lady who is anxiously awaiting the arrival of a new baby into her life.  Yes it may be that there are moments that are most disturbing and for the most part unwanted by the new mother-to-be.  This morning sickness, also called nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP), is a symptom of pregnancy that involves nausea or vomiting.  Despite the name, nausea or vomiting can occur at anytime during the day.  The condition is common and, unless very severe, does not pose a threat to the baby.  It usually starts around the fifth or sixth week of pregnancy and tends to get worse during the next month or so.  It goes away for most women by around 14 to 20 weeks of pregnancy.  As bad as this may seem to appear, the mother-to-be knows what this represents and the future prospects of the life that is growing inside her.

     This is however, NOT the type of “morning sickness” I am discussing in this blog post.  I want you to know the “morning sickness” I am getting every day by waking up and hearing the new terrible things that are happening within humanity.  We have such great potential for good and we consider instead how we can do greater harm to our fellow man.  These ranges from personal vendettas within the family or within a neighborhood, to the global genocide that nations want to inflict on other nations.  Such daily reports each morning certainly make me sick to my stomach to hear about.

     It’s true many of these situations develop due to a mental imbalance within a person.  However, some situations are deliberately planned and carried out simply to inflict horrible pain and agony upon others.  Many times these people are “innocent by-standers” who are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

     Many advocate more gun control or better mental health programs for individuals needing such help.  Others may advocate changes in current laws and regulations, while others simply want more prison facilities to locate away from society those that are deemed a threat to themselves and others.

     The simple truth is that while such measures may provide a measure of improvement, IF an individual wants to inflict harm upon another he will find a way to do it!  Bertrand Russell, a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, writer, essayist, social critic, political activist, and Nobel laureate, made the following statement concerning the year 1914: “I had supposed until that time that it was quite common for parents to love their children, but the war persuaded me that it is a rare exception.  I had supposed that most people liked money better than almost anything else, but I discovered that they liked destruction even better.  I had supposed that intellectuals frequently loved truth, but I found here again that not ten per cent of them prefer truth to popularity.”  He made two additional statements concerning his view of war:  “War doesn’t determine who’s right, it determines who’s left.”  And, “Either man will abolish war, or war will abolish man.”

     Today, we can see things haven’t gotten any better.  It doesn’t matter if the WAR is of a global nature or a more personal level:  Things have certainly gotten worse.  Therein lays the problem of my “morning sickness.”  When I watch the evening news broadcast with my wife we are appalled at the things that are occurring.  We often make the comment: “Things surely can’t get any worse!”  However, when we arise the next morning:  Things HAVE gotten worse!  When will my “morning sickness” end?  I think that’s a question that everyone wants an answer to!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"You can't truly love yourself

until you love your enemies."

Shopping Cart

    You always want to make sure that your site is “customer” friendly.  People want to know you are interested in them and not just their money.  When they place orders through your website, it is always a good idea to immediately acknowledge their purchase. One way to do this is with the use of an autoresponder that can be integrated with your shopping cart. In fact, many shopping carts that are available today have their own autoresponders built into the system.  This certainly makes the process a lot easier.

     When you set up your autoresponder to send a message to someone that has placed an order, there are several things that should be included in the message. This is an opportunity to ‘speak’ to your customer, and to let them know about other deals that you have or special items that you have available. You should not miss this opportunity.  If you do you’re only “throwing money out the window!”

     Do not try to get your ‘thank you’ sales message on the same autoresponder as the customers email receipt. Putting the sales message on an email that is automatically sent to grant the customer access to their purchase is also a bad idea – that would go better with the receipt. Make sure your ‘thank you’ sales message is a message that is sent out all by itself, so your customer can focus solely on that!

     Thank the customer for their recent purchase. Tell them how much their purchase will help them, and then tell them about other available products that work well with the one that they just purchased, or that are similar to the one that they just purchased in some way. For instance hair conditioner works with hair shampoo. Vacuum cleaner bags or carpet powder works well with vacuum cleaners. Just let them know about the various products that you offer that will compliment their purchase in some way, thereby making their lives a bit more manageable.

     The important thing is to not let your customer get away without further contact! Think about being in a brick and mortar store. Have you ever heard the sales clerk ask you, “Do you need any socks with those shoes today?”  Or maybe at the fast food restaurant: “Do you want to make that a large?”  When you are standing at the counter to pay, there are many items there for sale. These items are meant to be picked up as last minute purchases, or impulsive purchases. Your ‘thank you’ sales letter serves the same purpose for those who have made a purchase at your online business.

     Don’t make the mistake of bombarding your customer! You can usually send them periodic information about your specials after they have made a purchase through you, but emailing them on a daily basis with your offers is not good business! Use your autoresponder responsibly! Make sure that your autoresponder is set up to handle automatic remove requests, and make sure that the information that you are sending your customers is of value to them.  The last thing you want to do is make your customer “upset” with your contacts.  Then they will begin telling their friend “how rude” they think you are and now you’ll have the potential to lose future customers.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"The success of a business is the satisfaction

 of your customers and not yourself!"

Death

    Death is something that many people don’t want to talk about unless it is absolutely necessary.  Yet it seems that death is monopolizing the news the past few weeks.  The recent shootings in El Paso, Texas and in Dayton, Ohio just adds to the list of senseless murders.  Now they are speculating that perhaps the killings in Dayton had to do with the suspect targeting his sister, who was one of the victims.

     It is hard enough for us to deal with the death of a person who has lived a very long life and now their body simply ceases to function.  They die from what we refer to as “natural causes.”  However, there is nothing “natural” about death.  Humans were originally created to live forever.  We have the mental capacity to ponder and meditate on the possibilities of what may yet be in store for use hundreds, even thousands, of years into the future.

     When we lose someone who has been sick or perhaps they are in an accident of some type, it tears at the fabric of our hearts to think that we will not see their smiling faces again.  Nor will we hear their delightful voices.  No longer will we be able to include them within our family arrangements except by mentioning them as fond memories.   

     But when someone we love is torn away from us by the unthinkable mass killing attacks as we have had recently, the very essence of our being is ripped from our guts.  We feel that a part of us has also been taken away and will never be made right again.  And in some sense this is very true.  Our loved one is gone!  Perhaps they had only gone out for a few hours of shopping or maybe to enjoy a meal with friends.  Some will say they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.  This is true, however, it doesn’t lighten the heavy feeling of lose that overwhelms us at the time.

     The Bible doesn’t differentiate the type of death that we or our loved ones may suffer when it states that death is our enemy.  This is so true.  When we become slightly ill we are doing all that we can to get ourselves better.  When the condition worsens we are insanely at times looking for a cure so that we can live.  None of us wants to die! 

     However, until our Creator puts into action the arrangements made by means of the Messianic Kingdom in the hands of Christ Jesus we must wait and deal with these grave tragedies the best we can.  This is not always easy, because we’re only human!     

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Do what you can today to improve your life

 and the lives of others.

Tomorrow we may die and no longer have the chance 

to touch the heart of someone else."