Your business logo is tantamount to the effectiveness of your business branding, and ultimately to the overall success of your business. It is responsible for the lasting impression your business leaves on the consumer market, and for the sake of your business, you’d best make sure your logo leaves the impression you intend. Fortunately, there are some undeniable do’s and don’t when it comes to logo design, and if you stick to those rules, you should be well on your way to choosing a design that works. Here are 3 logo design tips you should not ignore:
Less is more
While it may be tempting to cram every important element you can think of into your logo, keep in mind that this could work against you in a major way. When it comes to logo design, less is definitely more, and there are several decades worth of evidence to prove it. (Consider Nike’s unmistakable swoosh, McDonald’s golden arches, and Apple’s apple. What do they all have in common? Simplicity.) If you need further convincing, take a complex logo, shrink it down to business card size, and watch it turn into a muddled mess.
Keep it timeless
When coming up with your logo design, be sure to avoid current trends. Why? Because trends tend to go out of style just as quickly as they came into style. Your logo should stand the test of time, as it is the image you want to indelibly etch into peoples’ minds. It won’t be nearly effective if you are constantly changing it . . . and if it is only relevant now because it is in line with current trends, you will inevitably have to change it.
Take into account the reverse-out
Even when it comes to color, you should keep in mind the less is more rule. However, you also need to take into consideration what your logo will look like reversed-out in black and white. There will be occasions when you will need to use your logo in this way (newspaper ads, for example), so be sure that your logo design translates well when it goes from color to grayscale.
These 3 Logo Design Tips Require Action
A lot goes into building your brand, and your business logo is one of your most powerful branding tools. Don’t skimp when it comes to creating, growing, and strengthening your brand.
When it comes to building your brand, your website is one of your most powerful tools. Contact Dr. John Elcik at identityXperts to handle all of your web design needs. We can be reached by phone, at (239) 400-0622, or email: [email protected]
Your logo is much more than just a pretty picture on your letterhead. It is a symbol for your business, and the one thing people will most associate with your business name. Creating an effective logo is a serious endeavor. Here are seven essential rules to follow when designing a logo:
Hire a professional
Unless you are a graphic artist with experience in marketing and logo design, you need to leave the task of creating a logo in the hands of professionals. Keep in mind that an unprofessional logo will look amateurish to potential customers – not exactly the message you want to relay about your business, right?
Stay away from trends
Your logo should withstand the test of time, with only minimal changes. If you want your logo to stay relevant, then you need to avoid current design trends and focus on representing a unique aspect of your business.
Keep it simple
Your logo needs to be easy to remember and must translate in a variety of mediums and sizes. Studies show that the most successful logos are also the simplest. Choose shapes that are not too complex, use a basic font (like Arial or Helvetica), and try to use no more than three or four colors.
Do your research
The purpose of your logo is to help your business stand out. Therefore, it needs to be unique. Before you commit to a logo design, make sure you do enough research to ensure that your logo does not resemble anyone else’s logo.
Keep it original
Don’t make the mistake of using clipart anywhere in your logo. Anyone who has access to a computer or the Internet has access to the same clipart you do; therefore, a clipart logo equates to an unoriginal logo.
Reverse it out
There will be some occasions when your logo must be used in black and white. Therefore, you need to take this into consideration when designing a logo. If your logo is not effective when it is reversed out, then it’s back to the drawing board for you.
Make sure it translates
Consider the wide array of mediums your logo will be used in – from business cards to web pages – and design a logo that translates well in every type of media. This means your logo must look just as good on a giant billboard as it does on a tiny mobile device screen.
Don’t skimp when it comes to building your brand.
When it comes to building your brand, your website is one of your most powerful tools. Contact Dr. John Elcik at identityXperts to handle all of your web design needs. We can be reached by phone, at (239) 400-0622, or email: [email protected]
How much time and thought did you put into creating your logo? If your logo was an afterthought, then it is time to reconsider it. Don’t make the grave mistake of underestimating the power your logo has to either make or break your business marketing and branding efforts. Is your bad logo affecting your business? Here are some things to consider:
Bad business image
Think of it this way: your logo is the image that will be most closely associated with your business. If your logo is poorly designed, unprofessional, or sloppy, then that is exactly the impression it will leave with potential customers when they think about your business.
Bad targeting
The case may be that your logo is actually well-designed, but just not appropriately designed for your target market. As a business, you should know who your customer is. If your logo is not speaking directly to your customer, then it is not working for you. By the same token, if your logo is getting a lot of attention from people who aren’t likely to have a need for your product or service, then it is also not working for you. A good logo design is one that is relevant – and that will grab attention – when it comes to the people who are most interested in what your business has to offer.
Wrong idea
This is another instance in which the logo design might not be bad, but rather just not the right logo for your business. Your logo should relay to potential customers an idea of what your business is all about. Everything about your logo – shapes, colors, images, and fonts – relays a certain feeling, or message, about your business. Therefore, a bad logo in this case is one that does not effectively give customers the right idea about your business.
Low impact
There are some clear-cut rules when it comes to creating an effective logo. A logo that is poorly designed is often difficult to see clearly, interpret, and/or remember. This is the type of logo that won’t make an impact in the market, and that will be overlooked in favor of more effective logos. Therefore, a bad logo may not be harming your business, as much as it is simply not helping it.
Don’t skimp when it comes to building your brand.
When it comes to building your brand, your website is one of your most powerful tools. Contact Dr. John Elcik at identityXperts to handle all of your web design needs. We can be reached by phone, at (239) 400-0622, or email: [email protected]
Your logo is one of the most important components of your business branding. Studies show that people are more responsive to images than they are to text, so it is safe to say that your logo is more powerful when it comes to marketing than anything you may be able to write about your business. Unfortunately, many businesses overlook the importance of the logo and take shortcuts that end up costing them in the long run. If you want to create an effective logo, then be sure to avoid these top five common logo design mistakes:
Using clipart
Clipart graphics are those that come installed with your word processing program, or that you can find in bulk online. What’s wrong with clipart? Anyone who has a computer and/or Internet access can find and use clipart . . . which means that business logos made of clipart are generic, unimaginative, and unoriginal.
Not hiring a professional
Amateur logos are easy to spot, and as your logo is just as important to your branding as your website and advertising, you should hire a professional to create your logo, just as you would hire a professional to handle those other important tasks. Remember that your logo speaks for you. What is it saying? If it is not professional-grade, then it will probably be saying something like, “I’m cheap,” or, “I’m amateur.”
Not being original
The purpose of your logo is to stand out from the crowd and give people an impression that will last. Do plenty of research before you finalize (or approve) your logo design, to make sure that your logo does not look even slightly similar to someone else’s. If you need help with ideas, concentrate on what makes your business unique, and how you can relay that unique quality in graphic form.
Not accounting for scaling
Your logo will have to expand to fit large advertisements, and as well, it will have to shrink to fit on things like business cards and letterheads. If your logo is too complex, it could become just a jumbled mess when you scale it down. If your logo image doesn’t shrink well, you will need a new image.
Being too trendy
Avoid following design and color trends when creating your logo. Remember that your logo should stand the test of time and that you should make changes to it only when absolutely necessary, and as little often as possible.
Don’t skimp when it comes to building your brand.
When it comes to building your brand, your website is one of your most powerful tools. Contact Dr. John Elcik at identityXperts to handle all of your web design needs. We can be reached by phone, at (239) 400-0622, or email: [email protected]
It is understandable that, as a business owner, you want to save on overhead costs wherever you can. However, in some cases, saving money now could end up costing a lot of money in the future. One such area in which you should not cut any corners is logo design. However, there are many “free logo design” websites and templates out there, giving you the illusion that making an effective logo is simple and easy. While it may be tempting to take on the task yourself and skip on hiring a professional, taking on your logo creation could be a grave mistake for your business. Why? Here are some reasons why you should not try to create your logo:
Unoriginality
An effective logo must be original, unique, and highly recognizable. It is virtually impossible to create a distinct logo when you utilize a one-size-fits-all web template or service. When you put your logo design into the hands of professionals, they do the necessary research to determine that your logo is unlike anyone else’s. Unless you have the resources and know-how to do that, you should leave your logo creation in the hands of someone who does.
Amateur work looks amateurish
Remember that your logo speaks for your business. If it is not professionally-made, then it could come off looking like an amateur art project. Unless you don’t mind that your logo says to people, “I’m an amateur,” you should leave its design to professionals.
You are not a marketing expert.
What is your business all about? If it is not about marketing, branding, and advertising, then you don’t have the expertise to create a logo that will be effective with your target audience. There is much more to logo design than creating a pleasing image.
Your logo must affect the people who are most likely to need your product or service.
Design professionals are knowledgeable in market analysis and can create a logo that is effective in attracting the type of audience your business needs. Unless you understand how, correctly, to pull that off, you should not try to create your logo.
Lack of resources
When it comes to creating an original and compelling logo, you simply do not have the resources that professionals have. Hiring a logo design company means having experience, artistry, and advanced design software on your side.
Don’t skimp when it comes to building your brand.
When it comes to building your brand, your website is one of your most powerful tools. Contact Dr. John Elcik at identityXperts to handle all of your web design needs. We can be reached by phone at (561) 543-2892 or email: [email protected]
If уоu’rе planning tо start а business, уоu generally need tо pay attention tо many things. Thіѕ involves devising а precise plan, arranging fоr finances, personnel recruitment, аnd similar tasks. One оf thе most important parts оf starting а business іѕ giving а name tо іt, whісh wіll serve аѕ thе main identity factor. Since thеrе аrе many businesses оut thеrе іn thе commercial industry, уоu need tо choose а very unique name. Bеѕіdеѕ, along wіth being unique, thе name ѕhоuld аlѕо bе decided ассоrdіng tо thе type оf business уоu аrе going tо carry оut. Anоthеr important thing іѕ nоt tо choose one whісh іѕ similar tо оthеr businesses. Doing ѕо mау get уоu involved іn legal issues аnd ruin business plans.
Creating а Catchy Name fоr Your Business
Real Names оf Owners
Thіѕ іѕ thе most traditional way оf choosing а unique name fоr а tо-bе-formed business. Yоu саn choose уоu name directly оr include уоur partners’. Good examples оf thіѕ kind аrе Mercedes, Porsche, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Tommy Hilfiger, еtс. Yоu wіll surely feel proud tо have уоur name circulated іn аll business matters.
Type оf business
A critical step іn selecting а unique name іѕ tо determine thе type оf business you have. It іѕ better tо choose а name whісh describes thе kinds оf products аnd services thе business іѕ going tо deal іn. Thеrе аrе many good examples аt thіѕ point ѕuсh аѕ Pizza Hut, Burger King, Dunkin’ Donuts, Cafe Coffee Day, аnd similar ideas.
Unique Words
Anоthеr option іѕ tо think оf а unique word fоr уоur business. Yоu mау even choose one whісh does nоt directly give аn idea оf whаt уоur business іѕ аll аbоut. Fоr instance, Apple, Amazon, Windows, Oracle, аnd оthеr names. A one-оf-а-kind name іѕ whаt gives thе company а new identity аnd goodwill. Nеvеrthеlеѕѕ, deciding оn ѕuсh а name іѕ one оf thе most confusing tasks.
Acronyms оr Abbreviations
Many big brands have gone wіth thе rule оf setting аn acronym аѕ а original name. Names wіth abbreviations do create а curiosity аmоngѕt people аbоut knowing thе exact meaning оf thе word. Sоmе оf thе names fоr reference аrе KFC fоr Kentucky Fried Chicken, BBC fоr British Broadcasting Corporation, BMW fоr Bayerische Motoren Werke аnd FIAT fоr Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino.
Two Word Combination
A name wіth а two-word combination serves thе purpose оf creating а catchy name fоr thе business. It іѕ better іf thе words аrе ѕоmеthіng thаt wіll show thе brand’s reliability. Sоmе notable companies аrе Accenture – Accent оn thе future, FedEx – Federal Express, Infosys – Information Systems, Procter & Gamble, аnd ѕо оn.
Second-language Words аnd Meanings
In order tо give а different touch tо thе name, уоu саn think аbоut calling thе brand after а name frоm а different language. Examples include Sony – а Latin word fоr ‘sonus’ whісh becomes ‘sound’ іn English, Volvo – а Latin word whісh іѕ referred tо аѕ ‘I roll’ іn English, аnd Volkswagen – thаt іѕ а German reference fоr people’s car.
Spelling Modifications
Spelling modifications іѕ аnоthеr effective way іn whісh уоu саn name а company. Thе pronunciation remains thе same but thе spelling changes, whісh makes thе name аll thе more interesting. Good brands name examples wіth changes іn spelling аrе Topix, Brainz, Moonz, аnd similar оthеr оnеѕ. In ѕuсh cases, thеrе аrе very fewer chances оf thе brand names being identical tо аnоthеr company.
Signs, Symbols, аnd Logos
Thе usage оf signs аnd symbols іn brands names аrе becoming common nowadays. Thіѕ gives аn informal аnd personal touch tо thе name, making іt customer friendly. Yоu саn uѕе аn ‘!’ mark іn thе name, like іn Yahoo!; add а ‘-‘ іn bеtwееn two names, оr include ‘@’ іnѕtеаd оf thе traditional ‘а’. Yоu саn even make а logo fоr уоur business, whісh саn serve аѕ а stamp аnd fоr advertising. Almоѕt аll brands have а logo after оr near thеіr name.
Thеѕе аrе ѕоmе ideas rеgаrdіng how tо create а catchy business name. Choosing а suitable name thе right way wіll сеrtаіnlу help уоur business tо attract more customers. It wіll аlѕо help іn thе advertising purpose. Yоu саn include уоur own creative ideas оn naming thе business since уоu аrе thе owner.
When it comes to building your brand, your website is one of your most powerful tools. Contact Dr. John Elcik at identityXperts to handle all of your web design needs. We can be reached by phone at (561) 543-2892 or email: [email protected]
Whеn thе saint preaches tranquility оf life, artist preaches tranquility оf design”, said Van Zeller. If уоu say art аnd business walk side bу side thеn іt іѕ nоt wrong. Tо brand а product оr company, іt ѕhоuld bе wеll designed.
It іѕ аn art and а science. Thе art іѕ іn interpreting key competitive advantages visually. Thе science іѕ іn knowing how tо uѕе аnу аnd аll media available tо connect уоu wіth уоur audience.
Whаt do уоu need tо know whіlе designing а brand?
If wе go tо understand ‘Brand” thеn іn simple terms, ” Brand іѕ name, term, sign, symbol, design оr combination оf аll.” Brand design іѕ аn enhancement іn current brand look.
Describing brand design іn detail, Paul Barlow says, “Brand design encompasses а vast array оf design disciplines, frоm traditional graphics skills tо digital design, broadcast animation, retail, interiors аnd even architecture. Now products thеmѕеlvеѕ аrе coming under thе wing оf brand design аѕ each аnd еvеrу manifestation оf аn organization starts tо communicate thе brand values”.
Elements
Thе most powerful element іn process оf brand designing іѕ ‘Color’.
Color
Get attention. Uѕе color like red, yellow, black оr аnу bright color thаt gets уоu tо notice. Hоwеvеr building synergy requires balance оf proportions, position оf product аnd іtѕ category ассоrdіng tо product. Thе powerful color does nоt оnlу represent іtѕ strength but аlѕо іtѕ stability tоо. Fоr example, thе design оf XEROX – Thе Document Company uses blue, black, red, yellow аnd green circles, whісh explains color whеn уоu need іt.
Style
Thе best layout thаt provides maximum stands оut аn effect fоr brand. An artistic movement minimalism ICICI uses іt wіth overlapping оf orange аnd brown rounds аnd іn bеtwееn thе uѕе оf text wіth bold transparent “I”. Thе launch campaign fоr Hutch bу Ogilvy uses minimalist aesthetics tо powerful effect- thе large, blank “white spaces” wіth а tight close-uр оf а smiling face, аnd а crisp, bold “Hi” wаѕ striking, аnd immediately moved Hutch into а league аll іtѕ own.
Border
Music іѕ hidden but greatly integrated element іn brand designing. Designing іѕ nоt limited оnlу tо color аnd curves. Uѕе оf special theme аnd establish а new identity іn a еvеr-present way. Take thе jingles оf Nescafe оr Titan. Airtel reached tо new frontiers іn branding whеn іt unveiled A R Rehman’s catchy signature theme аnd used іt tо асtuаllу define thе brand.
Designing Digital Economy
Moving tо digital economy, оn thе Internet, уоu оnlу have one second tо make а powerful impression, tо establish уоur professionalism аnd start building trust, tо generate thе interest оf уоur target audience аnd tо begin downloading уоur value proposition аnd tо initiate compelling sales overture.
Brand designing іn аn e-commerce perspective іѕ more thаn just aesthetically pleasing graphic design. Thе design оf thе graphic user interfaces оn thе Internet іѕ often оf critical importance. Full оf brand-building Flash, sluggish multimedia plug-ins, overindulgent mission statements оr content thаt serves no еnd. Have а tactical rationale fоr thе placement оf еvеrу graphic, еvеrу image аnd еvеrу word. Thuѕ design knowledge based brand.
In thе design process, companies саn integrate knowledge оf thеіr customers’ needs аnd wishes directly wіth new knowledge аbоut materials аnd design – оr wіth knowledge аbоut thе new opportunities thаt lie іn thе uѕе оf information аnd communication technology tо profile thеmѕеlvеѕ аnd thеіr products.
When it comes to building your brand, your website is one of your most powerful tools. Contact Dr. John Elcik at identityXperts to handle all of your web design needs. We can be reached by phone, at (239) 400-0622, or email: [email protected]
Fonts like images, beautiful colors, and user-friendly navigation are a design element. A font can either enhance or detract from the theme and feel of your web design. Successful web designers understand this and know or learn which typefaces are most active. The rules in the web environment are anything but arbitrary, so they need to be followed if a website is to engage the reader rather than turn them away.
There are a lot of fonts out there, so many that choosing a font can be overwhelming. The choice is essential, however. Indeed, you want people to read the useful content provided on your site. The intricate details of a font, such as weight, kerning, axes, strokes, and counters affect how we read, although we are rarely conscious of it. Yes, there are thousands of fonts from which to choose, but only a few are thriving on the Web. Readability and availability are issues. First, consider the difference between two popular font types: serif and sans serif.
Serif or sans serif
Serif fonts are fonts that have fine cross lines at the ends of the letters. Because the lines make each character more distinctive, serif text is typically easier to read in print, but generally harder to read on a monitor, particularly at smaller sizes. Serif fonts have used for centuries in printed books, magazines, and newspapers. Consider a serif font for your website if you wish to convey qualities like warm, personal, artistic, distinguished, traditional, conservative, or intellectual. Serif fonts are useful as headings or for text and documents intended to be downloaded and printed. The most common serif font is Times New Roman and just happens to be the default for most Windows-based browsers.
Sans means ‘without’ in French, so naturally, a sans-serif font doesn’t have the embellishments at the end of each stroke. Sans serif fonts generally thought to be better for the Web. This thought was particularly true when computer screens didn’t have a high enough resolution to capture the fine details of the serifs. They could appear blurred and unclear. Even today, on a screen, sans-serif fonts appear more readable. Sans serif fonts convey qualities like technical, fresh, clean, crisp, youthful, modern, or uncluttered. The most popular web font at the moment seems to be Verdana. It is a sans serif font and looks good on both PCs and Macs. Because of this, it is one of the most popular, widely-used fonts on the Web.
Availability constrained by technology.
Some fonts look better on PCs (such as Arial), while others look better on Macs (like Helvetica and Geneva). The range of fonts that webmasters can reliably select for their pages is not as wide as you may think. Even more limiting than avoiding Serif fonts (perhaps less of a requirement with today’s hardware), web designers have long been limited by what fonts website users have installed on their computers.
The list of universally available fonts is slowly growing, with additional fonts such as Cambria and Candara coming into the picture. In an ideal world, all fonts would be loaded onto all systems to open up design possibilities. Until then, conventional wisdom suggests that you use Web safe fonts from the following list.
Serif
Times New Roman/ Times
Georgia
San Serif
Arial Black
Arial/Helvetica
Comic Sans
Tahoma
Trebuchet MS
Verdana
Monospace
Courier New/ Courier
By selecting one or more of these fonts for your website, you will be able to control somewhat how your text will appear in most browsers. Using Cascading Style Sheets, which is the underlying technology used by a web page to control its appearance, web designers can specify a list of fonts. In CSS your font-family code might look something like:
The first three fonts are pretty standard, and chances are most computers will have at least one installed, but in case one doesn’t, you provide the generic sans-serif font for the browser to use.
Technology advances
Google Web fonts are fantastic free resources for web designers, as seen at the LearnWebDevelopment and Fox News sites. A web with web fonts is more beautiful, readable, accessible, and open. Web fonts are a newer approach that makes it quick and easy for everyone to use a broader selection of web fonts, over 500 font families, and counting. Google’s API service makes it easy to add Web fonts to a website in seconds. The service runs on Google’s servers, which are fast, reliable, and tested. Google provides this service free of charge. [Author’s note: To learn how to add Google Web fonts in WordPress themes the right way, optimized for the performance go to Http://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-themes/how-add-google-web-fonts-wordpress-themes/.]
Breaking the rules
Occasionally, there will be times when the “artist” in us desires to break the design rules. Thus, if you want to ensure your text displays in a specific font, you will need to make that text an image. Just be aware that if you’re going to make any changes to the content at all, you’re going to have to edit the image itself, which is much more tedious than going in and writing text. Do this sparingly as search engines won’t recognize the text in the picture. Using images for your document will also increase the download time of your pages. However, there are places where it’s appropriate to use an image to display text. A good example would be your company logo.
Remember, you are the designer.
While fonts may not seem as important as a design element as color and graphics, thoughtful consideration should go into your selections. The fonts will convey important information about your company, products, and services. They will help visitors successfully navigate your site and interact with you. Most importantly, the right fonts will contribute to your site’s overall visitor experience. If it’s positive, people will read your content, and you have made the right choices. Dr. John Elcik is the Pragmatic Web Designer. He is passionate about the application of web technologies to marketing communication issues. His specialties include web design, social media, and customer relationship management technologies. His search for the “right” font has been a pragmatic one. It has never been about looking for something unique and distinctive that expresses his particular aesthetic taste. Instead, “appropriateness” is the acid test that guides his choice of font. His favorite fonts are: Takoma, among the san serif, faces for body text, and Georgia, among the serif faces for headings. Typefaces that have several weights (light, regular, bold, etc.) and cuts (italic, condensed, etc.) work are good choices to become your personal “workhorse.”
Growing your list can seem like a lot of work. You’ve got to write articles each week, guest blog, be active on social media sites, etc. Once you stop doing all those things, your list will stop growing as well. Or will it? Not if you put a few things in place that will allow your list to grow virally and passively.
Does that mean that you can sit back and count your subscribers/money? Of course not! What it will do, however, is give you some leverage and make sure that your lists are growing faster.
I’ll share two methods of growing your list virally with you. Both are quick and easy to implement, yet incredibly powerful. Take a little time to read the following paragraphs and, more importantly, implement what you’re learning.
Word of Mouth Advertising
One of the easiest and best ways to get your list to grow virally is to ask your current subscribers to recommend it to others. It makes sense. They are interested in what you have to say and like what you’re emailing them about (or else they would unsubscribe in an instant). The chances are that they have friends and colleagues that are interested in the same things.
Ask them to recommend you to family and friends. An easy way to do this is to include a little note or a P.S. in your email messages. Please don’t do it every single time, but make a point to have it on occasion. Here’s a basic example:
Thanks so much for subscribing to my gardening newsletter. If you enjoy it and find value in my tips, consider recommending my blog and this newsletter to family and friends who also love gardening. Just send them here to sign up:
[insert link to your optin page]
That’s all it takes to grow your list virally. Give it a try this week and see if you don’t see an increase in subscribers.
Give Them Something to Share
Another option is to give your readers something they can share with others interested in a similar topic. It could be a report, or a small printable, like a planting calendar (using the gardening example again). Use a call to action to invite readers to sign up for your newsletter.
Once your report is ready, upload it to your website and then ask your readers to spread the word about it. Tell them they are welcome to email the report to others, post it on Facebook, tweet about it, etc. In other words, get your readers to help you spread the word.
Extra Tip – One last idea for you…Include a note in your report that anyone is welcome to share it. It will make the information even more viral, and who knows, over time, it will spread far and wide across the web, continually sending new subscribers your way.
When it comes to building your brand, your website is one of your most powerful tools. Contact Dr. John Elcik at identityXperts to handle all of your web design needs. We can reach us by phone at (561) 543-2892 or email: [email protected]
We’ve talked quite a bit so far about setting up your first list for your blog. What we haven’t talked much about is how to go about making money from that list. A question that gets asked quite a bit is when to start mailing the list and when to start sending offers (for your products or affiliate products). The answer is simple. You should do both from day one. Let me walk you through a simple step by step plan to follow your first few autoresponder messages.
The thank-you page
Before we move to the actual email messages you’ll send to your subscribers, let’s talk about the thank you page. It is the page your readers will land on after they submit their name and email address. Most people will thank their readers for signing up and let them know that they will receive a welcome email in just a few minutes.
What they are missing out on is a great money-making opportunity. Think about it. These people just proved that they trust you and are ready to learn more about a particular topic. Allow them to do that by adding an offer to your thank you page.
For example, if I’m building a list about growing tasty tomatoes, I might recommend a little eBook about growing tomatoes organically on the thank you page.
Your welcome email
The next place to monetize is within your welcome email. It is the email that goes out to your readers as soon as they are signed up. Welcome them and let them know what they can expect over the coming weeks. If you’d like, share a quick little tip or link to a great blog post you’ve written.
Last but not least, repeat on the thank you page the offer that you’ve made. You’ll be surprised how many readers will take you up on the proposal this second time around.
Alternating good content and solo offer emails
From there, you want to email your readers a mix of great content and offers for various related products. A good rule of thumb is to send one solo email for every three content emails.
A solo email is an email message you write and send out with the sole purpose of getting your readers to buy something. In it, you explain what the product is and why it would benefit them, along with a call to action to have them buy it right now.
Content emails can be a variety of things. You can share some tips and information right in the email, you can link to a couple of useful blog posts you’ve written, or you can even share links to short reports or videos you’ve created.
The goal is to find a balance between sharing content, building a relationship with your readers, and making money off your list.
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