The internet has become all the rage these days.

Don’t send a letter, pop it on an email.

Don’t mail the customer anything, pop it in an email.

In fact, let’s forget about letters altogether and do everything electronically.

I’m as guilty of this as the next person.

But recently I received a thank you card and it made me think a little differently.

You see, I receive (and appreciate) a bundle of emails every week thanking me for the emails I send out.

And nothing makes me feel better than knowing that as I write these emails from my lonely office, someone is reading them and hopefully applying them.

However a couple of weeks ago I received something in the mail which really stood out.

It was a thank you card from a guy called Greg Kumanovski from Global Pictures. All it said was…

“Thank you for your regular emails with all the helpful ideas. Have a great day”

But I’ve had that card sitting on my filing cabinet ever since he sent it to me.

And I think there’s a lesson here for all of us.

Whether it’s thank you cards or anything else, consider sending the hard copy version over the soft copy version.

In other words: when everyone else is zigging, why not zag and stand out from the crowd.

After all, mail order should be far more effective these days because nobody else is doing it.

For instance, yesterday I was chatting with a guy who sent out his proposals via email.

He was getting a lot of proposals requests coming in every week and would pretty much churn back a standard response with a quotation.

I suggested he set up a system where he could send them out via mail instead.

We worked out that all he would need to pay for the cost of the mail is a 1% increase in response.

My bet is that he would get it.

Especially when all of his competitors are probably doing everything via email as well.

So take a moment now to think of how you can do things differently… and use alternative strategies to stand out from your competition.

This article previously published here.

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Scott Bywater is a direct response copywriter with extensive experience in B2B and B2C writing. Mr Bywater is the author of Cash-Flow Advertising and More Customers Made Easy. You can gain access to his copywriting and marketing tips via his entertaining and eye opening “Copywriting Selling Secrets” newsletter available at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/

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I remember reading a book by Paulo Coelho a few years ago when I came across the concept of the favour bank.

Basically, what a favour bank is based around is the fact when you do someone a favour they will want to return the favour at some stage in the future.

For instance, if a mate comes over to your house and fixes your car, you might buy them a beer at some time down the road.

Now the same concept applies to business and marketing.

Of course, the best way to give is with no expectation of receiving anything.

That goes without saying.

At the same time, there is a law called the ‘law of reciprocation’ which Robert Cialdini refers to in his book “Influence.”

In fact, he gives an example at some stage in that book of how the Hare Krishna‘s increased their donations.

Essentially what they did to increase donations was hand out a flower to people walking by. They followed this up with “And a donation to the Hare Krishna Society would be appreciated.”

It worked.

So how can this concept work for you?

Well, you can start giving away information and educating your customers about your product or service on a regular basis.

You can become the trusted expert.

You can pick out particular “target clients” or large clients and send them a book they might be interested in… or offer them some complimentary advice… or whatever.

You see, there’s the bank we can see.

The money in the bank. It’s hard. It’s real. You can see it…you can touch it… and you can feel it.

But there’s also a bank which you cannot see.

It’s based on relationships.

And the deep relationships you generate with your customers and prospects turns into money in the bank in the future.

Don’t neglect your favour bank.

Of course, you need to first find the people you can help and build up your favour bank with.

The first lesson of http://www.morecustomersmadeeasy.com/ shows you how to find them and start building up that relationship.

Virtually any business can use it.

And it makes selling easy because the biggest thing you need to overcome in every selling process is trust.

And there’s no better way to build trust than building up the size of your favour bank.

Editor’s Note: This article published here.

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Scott Bywater is a direct mail copywriter and the author of Cash-Flow Advertising. To get access to his highly prized complimentary copy of ’7 Ways To Get More Customers” (valued at $29.95) and to join his controversial and insighful “Copywriting Selling Secrets” newsletter where you’ll uncover the truth about why most ads and sales letters don’t work (and how to make yours stand out from the rest) head on over to his web site at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/

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On Thursday night, I had some really bad back pain. So on Friday I went to my chiropractor.

No big deal she said… cracked me a few times… and sent me on my way with the thoughts…

“Just come more often to get your maintenance.”

Now while I was there I picked up an article about healing and curing.

And here are their definitions as laid out by Natural Wisdom Australia

“Curing” involves removing symptoms, treating a part of the body, or controlling a process.

“Healing” involves helping people to become more whole and function at a higher level.

The problem with most businesses that I see is that they only do something when they need a cure (just like me with the chiropractor).

For instance, when they are short on customers they decide they need to advertise.

Or when they have a slow month they call in a consultant.

Or whatever.

It’s all emergency based marketing.

But why not decide today to heal your business so that the emergencies don’t pop up all of the time?

Why not make your business more whole so you can function at a higher level?

Why not set up some systems today which will ensure you’ll NEVER have to worry about where your next lead is coming from.

It could be a flyer.

It could be a lead generation web site.

It could be an advertisement.

It could be a telemarketing system to follow up existing customers.

It could be a strategy to get bigger customers.

It could be a social networking strategy.

But do it now. Because just like I had to suffer through pain because I didn’t focus on healing my back and staying on top of things before I needed to… if you don’t take action and develop a lead generation strategy which virtually guarantees your phone will be ringing all of the time… your business is going to suffer some pain as well.

Author’s Note: This article published here.

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For quick results, you’ll want to get your hands on this leading direct response copywriter‘s ebook “7 Ways To Get More Customers” at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/ Scott Bywater shows you how to get all the customers you need in just 60 days. This popular ebook has been downloaded by over 8,247 business owners over the past five years. Packed with information, this ebook will show you copywriting and marketing strategies which could have you getting new clients within just a couple of days.

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I can remember times when I didn’t feel very secure.

For instance, when I was dead broke after finishing up with the hairdressing salon and didn’t have enough money to eat.

Or when I looked around at the people on the street and wondered “will that be me before too long.”

Or when I went away for a retreat to a little town called Kiama and didn’t know if I was going to be able to afford the accomodation (because I had no money in my bank account to afford the rent – which was only $20 a night. Thankfully somebody paid me within this time and I could).

There’s no feeling quite like being on the edge. And trust me, it’s not the sort of feeling I would ever want again.

In fact, I don’t think it could ever happen again.

Why?

Because now I know without a doubt I have the ability to produce.

And that’s the only real security there is.

After all, let’s face it.

Your money can disappear overnight (it’s happened to thousands of people before and will happen again).

Your house can be knocked down in a heartbeat (my parents knew this only too well when they lost everything in Cyclone Tracy).

And things can change in your industry which can leave your business obsolete (think of the big train companies from a century ago)

But if you’ve got the ability to produce… to market… to sell…to hustle… then you don’t need to worry because you know in your heart that no matter what happens… no matter what disaster hits (they do and they will again)… your security lies in the knowledge you hold in your own mind… and your ability to take action on it.

That’s why you should move heaven and earth to get your hands on http://www.morecustomersmadeeasy.com/

Because knowledge (and your ability to act on it) really is THE ULTIMATE SECURITY.

Article previously published here.

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Scott Bywater is a direct response copywriter with extensive experience in B2B and B2C writing. Mr Bywater is the author of Cash-Flow Advertising and More Customers Made Easy. You can gain access to his copywriting and marketing tips via his entertaining and eye opening “Copywriting Selling Secrets” newsletter available at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au/

Read more articles written by Scott Bywater