1) "Get Your Site Ready for the Holiday Rush Using These 10 Easy-to-Implement Internet Marketing Profit Boosting Tips!"

2) "Shaya's Story - Let's Honor the Spirit Of the Season."

3) "Classified Ads."

4) "Tell Us What You Think!"

The holiday season has officially arrived, and now it's all about the holiday rush. I just checked my calendar, and I can't believe that there are less than a week left before Christmas! And that means now is NOT the time to start trying to do things like set up an affiliate program or optimize your search engine rankings. There simply isn't enough time to ROLL OUT THESE BIG STRATEGIES before the holidays.

Instead, what many online businesses need RIGHT NOW are some quick and easy ways to get their site ready for the holidays. I'm talking about tips and tactics that will take you only a few hours to implement, but will still ramatically boost your sales!

So, because the clock is ticking, I've put together a list of 10 dynamite tips that will help you get your site on track for the holidays, optimize sales and profits, and avoid what I call the "Holiday Hangover."

   Quick Tip #1: Add a benefit to your headline

If the headline on your web site isn't grabbing your visitors' attention as soon as they read it, you're losing sales. That's a fact. And nothing grabs a visitor's attention like a compelling headline with a clear benefit. Here's a great example from SecretsToTheirSuccess archive:

Tammie Bowser's site, http://www.mosaicquilt.com, sells packages, tools, and lessons on how to make quilts from photographs -- an unusual holiday gift! In the past, when visitors first arrived at her site, they saw a headline that read:

While her visitors are likely to be interested in what quilted photography is, this isn't a headline that really grabs their attention. In fact, it's not even really a headline -- it's more of a sub-headline that would go inside the sales copy. We did a detailed site review for Tammie, and one of the first suggestions we made was that she use the following headline:

You'll notice that this headline clearly states a couple of the main benefits of the product -- that people can use their own photos to make a unique quilt, and that it's something that will last for a long, long time. Try jotting down a few key benefits that YOUR product or service offers, and then working those benefits into an eye-catching headline.

NOTE: A message placed at the top of your page that reads something like "Welcome to Mysite.com" is NOT a headline. Your headline MUST emphasize a clear benefit of your product. If you don't have a headline on your site, make this your holiday gift to yourself! A well-written headline has the power to literally double -- or even triple -- your sales overnight!

   Quick Tip #2: Feature seasonal specials in the first fold of your homepage

There is never a better time of year for special offers than around the holidays. Not only are people surfing around actively looking for products to buy, they are also very receptive to discounts and specials. After all, everyone knows it's tough to find good deals at this time of year! It's important that your special be featured on the first fold of your homepage. (The first fold is the first screen of your homepage that is visible without scrolling.)

Remember, you want to make it EASY for your visitors to find and buy your products. The best way to do this is by making sure that every single visitor to your site sees your featured specials. And be sure to chose a product for your seasonal special that is a proven best-seller. Now is NOT the time to be trying to unload products that you haven't been able to sell during the past 10 months. Feature products that generate solid profits for you all year long.

   Quick Tip #3: Send out a holiday e-mail promotion

Remember: The clock is ticking! You really don't have time to go out and acquire a bunch of new traffic in time for the busy holiday rush. But the good news is that you don't need to. If you have a list of customers and/or subscribers, you've already got an incredibly powerful database of people who are just waiting to make purchases from you!

The reason they can't wait to buy from you? It's the 80/20 Rule: 80 percent of your sales will come from 20 percent of your customers. People who have already bought from you are much more likely than anyone else to buy from you again, because you've already earned their trust.

Whenever possible, you'll want to send out two different promotions -- one to your existing customers and one to your subscribers. This allows you to approach each group from a slightly different angle. Here's what I mean:

Your existing customers, who have already bought from you, will want to be rewarded for their loyalty. What better way to thank them than by giving them a great deal on one of your most popular products? They'll appreciate the fact that your offer is being sent to them and them alone, because we all like to feel special!

If you sell a product that people need to buy only once, you can give your customers the opportunity to purchase your product as a gift. Remind them how your product has benefited them, and then explain why it would make a wonderful gift for their friends or family. Of course, if you sell a product that people probably wouldn't give as a gift (lawn fertilizer, for example), you'll need to take a slightly different approach.

Try something like this: "We know money can be tight around the holidays, so we've decided to offer our customers a generous discount on lawn fertilizer until the beginning of the New Year!"

Your subscribers should be sent a slightly different offer. Tell them that this is a special promotion being offered only to your newsletter subscribers. Again, you'll want to make sure that you're offering a special on one of your proven best-sellers.

This little touch of personalization can go a really long way. It's been proven over and over that people like to be offered a deal that they don't think other people are going to get. By making your customers and subscribers feel special, you can dramatically increase the number of sales that your e-mail promotions generate.

   Quick Tip #4: Consider replacing third-party ads

Take a moment and think about whether or not your site is using the first fold of your web site effectively, especially if you're hosting advertising for other companies. Figure out approximately how much money you'll receive from hosting third-party advertising over the holiday season. Include all revenue from any banners ads, skyscraper ads, text ads, etc. that are located within the first fold of your site.

Now, ask yourself whether you could make more by replacing these third-party ads with ads for your OWN products. For many businesses, even one sale would be worth more money than their banner ads generate for them in a whole month!

If it turns out that you could make more money advertising your own products in place of the paid advertising, drop those banner ads NOW and replace them with ads for your own products or services. This way, visitors who click on them will be taken to a product page somewhere on YOUR site, not someone else's!

   Quick Tip #5: Offer fast, flexible shipping

By all estimates, 2004 will be the busiest holiday season ever for online retailers. Forrester Research has predicted that online holiday sales will grow to $13.2 billion -- a 20% increase over 2003! But there's still one thing that continues to scare people about buying online for the holidays: late delivery.

There's nothing that drives customers offline and out to the shopping mall faster than the idea that their kids' Christmas presents won't arrive until the 28th of December!

If you use a major nationwide delivery service, you'll want to feature this information prominently on your web site and ordering pages. People will feel much more comfortable ordering from a site that uses a recognize FAST service than one that ships through the ordinary mail.

Also, be sure to tell your customers that they MUST order by a certain date in order for you to guarantee delivery by Christmas. This will save you a lot of headaches when disgruntled customers call you on Christmas morning wondering why the products they ordered on the 23rd haven't arrived yet!

   Quick Tip #6: Offer to ship gifts directly to recipients

If possible, offer to ship your customers' purchases directly to the gift recipients. This saves your customers the hassle of waiting to receive the package from you and then sending it out to someone else. This is a great way to add value to your service without any additional cost to you! If you do offer to ship gifts directly to the recipient, I can guarantee that you will have people asking if you offer gift wrapping.

This is another way to give your customers a little extra attention without much additional cost to you. Of course, if you are expecting thousands of orders and you work by yourself, this may not be a practical option!

You can also offer your customers the option of adding a holiday card to the package that you send out. Simply ask them what they want written in the card, and then include it with the package. You can charge an additional fee for this or offer it as a free service.

   Quick Tip #7: Include some sales material

Each package that you send out as a gift from someone else should include a flyer, brochure, or coupon from your company. After all, the recipient of this gift is the perfect potential customer!

Because this person has already seen that you offer great products and prompt shipping, you stand an EXCELLENT chance of converting that person into a paying customer -- but only if they know where the product came from! Always be sure to include some information about your company in gift packages.

   Quick Tip #8: Offer online gift certificates

Gift certificates can be an easy way to boost sales for sites that sell products and services to niche markets. Here's an example:

Joe knows that his Uncle Frank is a serious camera buff, but Joe doesn't know anything about cameras himself. Joe wants to spend $50 on a gift for Uncle Frank, but has no idea what Uncle Frank would want or need for his camera at that price. So, if Joe finds his way to your photography web site and sees that you offer online gift certificates, his problem is solved! He knows that his uncle will love the chance to spend $50 on camera equipment, and this way, Uncle Frank will be able to pick out exactly what he needs.

And the best part is that you haven't just made $50 from Joe -- you've also acquired Uncle Frank as a customer! Offer him good value on products that he needs, and you can bet that he'll be back again when he needs to shop for more camera equipment.

If you are selling a service online, gift certificates are a great way to turn your service into a gift! No matter what you're selling -- it could be spa packages or landscape design -- I can guarantee that your service would make the perfect gift for somebody out there.

Plus, you can remind your customers and subscribers that since gift certificates can be delivered electronically, they make great last-minute gifts. Personally, online gift certificates have saved the day for me a few times!

   Quick Tip #9: Explain why your product (or service) would make a great gift

At this time of year especially, it's important to remind people why your product would make a great gift idea. Of course, sites selling products like neckties or Christmas ornaments won't need to worry about this as much, but what if your site is selling something like office supplies?

Write a quick article about why your product or service would make a practical or unusual gift. You might want to tell a story about how people who received your services as a gift last year couldn't stop talking about how unique it was!

You may also want to consider putting together a quick "Holiday Buying Guide" for your visitors. This can be a great resource for people who visit your site to buy a gift for someone but don't know much about the products you sell.

For example, if your site sells wetsuits, you might offer information about how to choose the right wetsuit as a gift. That way, people who know nothing about them won't end up buying a waterskiing wetsuit for someone who needs one for scuba diving.

   Quick Tip #10: Offer a "Book Now and Save" promotion

One of the biggest problems encountered by some online businesses is that they suffer from what I call a "Holiday Hangover." Not only does business fall off in the month BEFORE the holidays, it also suffers during the month AFTER, when people don't have any money left!

Because of this, it can be a real challenge for some businesses to get revenues back on track in the New Year. One of the best ways to deal with this is to motivate your customers to purchase your product or service NOW for the New Year in exchange for a discounted price or value-added bonus. You'll be able to rest a lot easier over the holidays if you know that you've managed to line up a ton of business for January.

 Final Thoughts

The holiday season is a make-or-break time of year for many online businesses. And just because you haven't found the time to set up a comprehensive holiday marketing strategy doesn't mean that you can't turn a great profit over the next couple of weeks. But you do need to take the time to implement some of these quick tips IMMEDIATELY. And I mean within the next 24 hours!

Stay up late... lock yourself in your office this weekend... do whatever it takes to get your site ready for the holidays NOW. Every day you wait is another day of missed opportunities and lost profits! The great thing is that all of the tips I've just given you can be implemented quickly and easily. Most of these should only take you an hour or two to set up on your site, and the results will make you wish you had started much sooner.

Today, in honor of this season of giving and joy, I have a special gift for you. It comes not in a box with a big, red ribbon, but in the unadorned text of the message you're about to read. It reveals one of the great secrets of marketing, of life, of how to connect with people, and, most of all, how to experience unsurpassed joy any time you wish.

If you read every word that follows, don't be surprised if a tear wells up in your eye. This is my holiday gift to you, a true story that will touch your heart. This story is about a father of a disabled child, in his case, a son named Shaya.

This story was originally reported in the New York newspapers. It was so touching, it spread like wildfire across the internet, and many began to question, "Did this really happen, or is it just another urban legend?"

Well, that's the amazing part of this story. It is true. In fact, because of all the buzz, a web site called "TruthOrFiction.com" investigated and has reported that, yes, the story is indeed true. It has also been confirmed by no less an authority than the highly respected Rabbi and author, Paysach Krohn of Brooklyn, who says that he personally knows the participants and that every word of the story is true as originally reported.

As I said, the story is about Shaya, a learning disabled boy in Brooklyn.

On weekends, Shaya and his dad like to go for walks. As they do, they like to stop and watch the neighborhood boys play baseball. On this one Sunday afternoon, as they approached the ball field, Shaya looked up at his father and asked:

     "Dad, do you think they would let me play?"

Now, this gave Dad a dilemma. He knows his son is learning disabled, very uncoordinated, and has never played baseball before. But Dad also knows that the neighborhood boys have always treated Shaya with kindness. And he feels that if he, his father, doesn't speak up for Shaya, who will? So he walked over to one of the boys and asked:

     "What do you think about letting Shaya in the game?"

The boy didn't know what to say, and looked around to his teammates for guidance. Not getting any, he took matters into his own hands. He said:

     "Well, we're about to start the 8th inning, and we're losing by six runs. I don't think we're going to win this game, so what's the difference? Get him a glove and he can play behind second base, in short center field"

which Shaya did with a big smile on his face.

In the bottom of the 8th inning, Shaya's team rallied and scored three runs. But they were still losing by three. In the bottom of the 9th, they rallied again. They had three runners on base, two out, and it was Shaya's turn to bat. Dad wondered, will they even let him bat? But without hesitation, one of the boys shouted:

     "Shaya, you're up!"

and he was handed a bat. But as he stood at home plate, it was obvious to all that Shaya didn't even know how to hold the bat, let alone hit with it. So the pitcher moved in a couple of feet and lobbed the ball very softly so Shaya could at least make contact. Shaya swung and missed by a wide margin. Before the second pitch, one of Shaya's teammates called out:

     "Hold on, let me help him. Let me show him how to bat."

This boy came and stood behind Shaya, and put his arms around him so the two boys were now holding the bat together. The pitcher moved in a couple more feet and again lobbed the ball as softly as he could. The two boys swung the bat together and managed to tap a soft grounder right back toward the pitcher. Shaya's teammates yelled:

     "Run, Shaya! Run to first!" And he took off for first".

But the pitcher pounced on the ball in an instant and could easily have thrown Shaya out at first, ending the game. Instead, the pitcher took the ball and, with obvious intention, threw it on a high arc way over the first baseman's head, all the way into the outfield. Shaya was safe at first. The first baseman turned him toward second and said:

     "Run, Shaya, run to second!"

But by then, the right fielder had chased down the ball and he, too, could have easily thrown Shaya out, at second. But he understood what the pitcher had done. So he threw the ball not just over second base, but way over the third baseman's head, so far that nobody was going to retrieve that ball.

As Shaya chugged into second base, the opposing shortstop ran towards him, turned him towards third base and shouted:

     "Run, Shaya, run to third!"

Of course, by now the three runners who had been on base had scored. The game was tied, Shaya represented the winning run, and his teammates were screaming with excitement.

As Shaya rounded third base, every boy from his team and several from the team on the field were all running behind him, cheering him home. And as he put his foot on home plate, both teams gathered around him, lifted him on their shoulders and cheered him as the hero of the game. He had just hit a home run and won the game.

These boys gave Shaya the thrill of his life. Of course, they gave him something even more precious -- their acceptance. Obviously, these boys had either been taught, or perhaps had discovered on their own, the greatest secret of human happiness. And that is...

We experience our moments of purest joy at precisely those moments when we are causing it in others. It is a truism of life -- whatever we give out comes back to us, multiplied. Which brings me back to the beginning of this message...

In the hurly burly of the holiday crush, if you want to experience some genuine joy, all you need do is take a few moments to spread some around. So maybe it's time to call an old friend who needs calling, to forgive what needs forgiving, to let a family member hear some healing words, to write that note that needs writing, to smile an accepting smile at the next disabled person you encounter, or perhaps to just relax in the moment with someone older who'd love your undivided attention for a few minutes, as all living things thrive on attention.

Of course, you may ask, what does all this have to do with effective marketing? Nothing, really. And everything. As Malcolm Forbes was fond of saying, "In all they getting, get understanding."

It's vital for all of us to understand that our prospects and customers are people, too... and people like to connect with others who are unafraid of showing a little humanity, of taking some time now and then to share a laugh, feel some warmth, express some sympathy, do a favor, help a charity, be a friend.

Whatever your product, however impressive your expertise, people will never care how much you know until they know how much you care. Every now and then, toss a few pebbles of caring into your pond of contacts. Those ripples of friendship will spread and unfailingly return to you in waves of appreciation and loyalty.

Especially at this time of year, we all need to rediscover, like Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol," the giddy delight of perpetrating on unsuspecting humanity some random acts of kindness, some senseless acts of joy.

Happy holidays and a prosperous New Year!

Editor's Note: special thanks to Gary Bencivenga who send me this amazing story. If you would like to share Shaya's story of joy with anyone you know, you certainly have my permission to forward this issue to as many people as you wish, to spread a little cheer yourself and Honor the Spirit Of the Season.

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4) "Tell Us What You Think!"

Dear friend, I would love to hear what you think of this issue of The Internet Marketing Profits^™ newsletter. And of course, if you have any suggestions for upcoming issues that you'd like to share with me, please send those, too -- just email me right away! And don't forget to check out the previous issues at the Internet Marketing Profits Newsletter Archive.

Warmest Regards,

Valeriu S. Popescu, Editor and Publisher
The Internet Marketing Profits^™ Newsletter

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DISCLAIMER: I urge you to exercise due diligence in responding to any advertisement or article posted here or in any other future issue. I do not give business or professional advice in this newsletter and therefore cannot be held responsible for results you get from responding to ads or articles in this newsletter. I urge you to exercise due diligence in all of your online dealings.