List Building Tips - Product Reviews

In this installment of List Building Tips, I am going to discuss product reviews, what they are REALLY, how to go about doing them and how to get them syndicated so as to bring traffic to your opt in page and ultimately build your list. I think you will find this interesting reading.

Okay, so just what is a product review? No, this isn't a dumb question. You'd be surprised how many people really don't know. Many think a product review is simply a brief summary of the product, what it does and how much it costs. No, that's a product overview and they're not the same thing.

A true product review actually goes in depth into the product itself. It reveals more about the product than you're going to find in an overview. It will go over all the pros and cons of the product, how to best use it or get the most out of it. It will even suggest alternative products if better ones exist.

In short, a product review won't pull any punches. If the product is crap or substandard, the reviewer will let the public know this.

And a bad product review can STILL help you build your list. In fact, a bad review may have more credibility in the eyes of the public than a good review simply because so many people are so jaded that they don't believe anything positive that they read. Plus, the good thing about product reviews, good or bad, is that the sites that publish them don't really care one way or the other. They just want the review on their site in order to get traffic to it. That's their one and only concern.

Great! So just how DO you get your product review on these sites? Well, what you want to do is search the Internet for sites that publish product reviews. Contact each one and let them know that you've reviewed XYZ product and you'd like them to publish it on their site. Tell them, if it's a positive review that they're more than welcome to use their own affiliate link as long as in the signature of the review they allow you a link to your newsletter. Most sites will have no problem with this. Free sales for them and a budding list for you.

The key to all this is that the review MUST be honest. You actually have to USE the product so that you can write intelligently about it. The only way to write a REAL review of a product IS to use it. Believe me, faked reviews can be spotted a mile away. And if you're found out, the backlash will be terrible to say the least.

For example, in my product reviews, I cite page numbers, chapters, specific details about the product that you could only know if you actually bought it and used it.

Now, if buying the product is not an option, due to lack of funds, you can always contact the product creator, let them know that you want to do a review of their product, and ask them if they can send you a copy. The worst that can happen is that they say no. Many people will gladly appreciate a review, especially if they know their product is actually good.

A number of product reviews syndicated around the Internet with a link to your opt in page at the end can bring in a considerable number of new members to your list.

Yes, there is a bit of work involved, but it is well worth the effort.

To YOUR Success,

Steven Wagenheim

7 Tips To Use LinkedIn Successfully

It is your tendency to feel that whenever your wife gives you a thoughtful business advice, it has to have holes. Everyone demarcates his personal and official life and asserts himself with the theory that the two worlds are bipolar.

You may have rhythmic and working profiles on Facebook; but as it mostly caters to social life, there is a great chance that your professional inclinations won't be taken seriously. This is the reason that job seekers and employers do not rifle Facebook to find their man Friday. What Linkedin does is to stand as social networking website; only of a professional nature. If you use this tool intelligently, you can exponentially build your business. Here are seven credible ways to do the same:

1. Testimonials - If you are good in your business and get loads of worthy testimonials, you can post them on your Linkedin profile. When visitors come pouring, they are bound to read through the credible recommendations you have got. This specially works in your local area.

2. Be knowledgeable - Check the curious questions in the relevant section that are left unanswered. Make an effort to answer them genuinely and with meaning. By and by, people will begin to treat you with substance and reverence.

3. Intelligent invitations - Don't just invite somebody because he shared your sundae. Be serious and intelligent with all your invitations and send them provoking notes about how your connection with him can be beneficial for both. Merge with active members per se.

4. Using other social sites - Facebook and twitter are immensely popular, so it would be wise to open your account there as well, and fill in well-etched profiles. Remember to back-link your various accounts with Linkedin, so that an interested visitor can know more about you.

5. Be thorough with connections - Your business will take you in different territories and numerous deals. A very active connection can be useless with certain deals while his connection (that becomes your mutual contact) may just be right person in the right place. Look for the viability of far-fetched connections and negotiate logistics and discounts with them. In return, you can accord them publicity.

6. Update and inform - It helps to keep a blog site running. Always usher valuable information in your niche. Give periodic freebies to your customers and visitors (e.g. eBooks). Keep your professional profile on Linkedin and other accounts updated with every new offer and promotion you generate.

7. Join and start targeted groups - Your niche will obviously be specific; whether it is plumbing or architecture. Admix with people in your niche and be a contributing part of targeted groups. You can even venture to start your own to show your earnestness. These groups are checked with interest and thus you can always be promotional in an intelligent way.

Linkedin has come out as a widely appreciated and intelligent way to bond equal minds. When well-used, it can increase the rate of production in your niche at an amazing rate. Just show people where to be and how to start!

If You Have Not Made A Will Yet You Risk Your Estate

Many people believe that making a will early in life is not a rational thing to do. They believe that one must not think negatively and must not do things like this so far in advance. However, they need to know that making a will can solve issues that one can never think of. Probate is an act, which shows all legal requirements that one needs to undertake for someone's estate. Yes, if you do not make a will then you would create a lot of trouble for your family and yourself in the future to come.

Wills and probate solicitors are people who make sure that everything goes according to your dreams and wishes. These are people who can help the executors that you must have hired before during your life, which will make sure that things are carried out in the normal legal way in your absence. However, sometimes even during your life, you need to make sure you make a will so that no one has to be hired to carry out these legal duties. Once you have passed away, your family will be directed according to the will that you must have made making things easy.

There are many duties you have to make to carry out making a will. You need to understand and know according to your religious teachings the way to go about writing a will and dividing your state. Probate solicitors can alone carry out all the legal work with regards to your estate and property while you are alive. However, these probate solicitors do not know what you may want to do when it comes to your will and they may not even know what each member of the family wants when it comes to dividing your estate and will.

You would never want the material thirst to come between any of your family members. So what you must do is, divide your estate and make the will so that none of your family members along with you would ever have any issues with the property shares and their legal share of your estate and property. Probate solicitors can be a great help. If you want your property to be handled with care and vigilance, then you would need to hire wills and probate solicitors.

With the help of wills and probate solicitors, you would never feel the need to ask anyone else amongst your friends to take care of your estate and legal property. It is always suggested that you alone should sit down and work on your will and property. There is no one that can deal with your estate and property better than you yourself can. There is always a chance for you to get rid of the pain of agreeing to what your wills and probate solicitors have to say and ask you to do.

Writing Effective Description Content for Your eBay Listing

Your eBay item description is the main opportunity you have to let potential buyers know everything they need to convince them to buy your item. Getting it right is absolutely essential.

I always start with a heading that matches the item title in your listing as it creates a continuation from where they last read. Under this, I give a general description in a short paragraph, and it is here where I will begin to use persuasive adjectives to describe features of the item for example, 'this is a beautiful necklace,' or 'a stunning handbag.'

What you must not do, however, is go over the top in your description. A few adjectives, dropped in here or there are fine, but bombarding your reader with a list of superlatives in every phrase can have the opposite effect, making you sound like you are desperate to sell and making your sales pitch unbelievable. Also, what you can't do is use description which is inaccurate or does not match your product. 'This is a fantastic empty ink cartridge,' just doesn't make sense?

Honesty, as I keep saying, is highly important in your listing. It's not just that you are being fair to your customers, but it prevents a whole range of after sales issues. When purchasers give feedback they are asked to give you a mark out of 5 for the accuracy of your description and if you have a low score here, future customers may stay away from you. Negative feedback can also ensue, as can disputes, returns and requests for return of payments. It's just not worth ruining your eBay reputation.

For that reason, state the condition of your item accurately, e.g.: 'This watch is in excellent condition for a used item, there are no signs of scratching and it is in perfect working order. However, the strap shows some signs of wear and there is the occasional scratch on the surface of the box.' or 'the CD has a few minor surface marks, but no serious scratches. It plays flawlessly.'

If you look at the descriptions, you will see how I've counter-balanced the bad points with a good point. What I've also done is used understated adjectives for the bad points, 'a few minor surface marks,' 'some signs of wear,' and 'the occasional scratch' whilst using stronger adjectives for the good points, 'excellent condition,' 'perfect working order,' 'plays flawlessly.'

I'm not misleading my customers here because, the descriptions of the flaws are accurate, but the language used helps to ease any concerns they have whilst reinforcing the good points.

If it is fitting for the type of item you are selling, you can also finish this paragraph with a one liner stating how the product might be useful to them. 'An ideal gift for Father's Day,' 'perfect for that summer party.'

After the general description I always have a section with the heading, 'Features'. Under the heading I have a list of bullet points, with short descriptions of various features of the item. These include, size, shape, color, weight, dimensions, materials, age, etc. I list these in importance of how I think they will appeal to the customer, with the most important first. As before, I occasionally fit in, where appropriate, an adjective. Here's a list of features for a used watch.

Features:

Attractive Round Black Face with Logo to Front 4cm Diameter Stainless Steel Casing Chunky Black Leather Wrist Strap Sapphire Glass Date Display Tachometer Function Hour and Minute Indexes Water Resistant to 10ATM Complete with original box and instructions Used but still under warranty

Finally, I always finish with a short paragraph doing the following things: I thank the customer for looking, I ask them to contact me if they have any questions and I use the built in link on eBay so that they can check out my other items.

Back to School Show & Tell

One thing you can count on during the first days of school is the inevitable question of "What did you do over the summer?" Here are a few creative ways to describe your summer experiences for the first edition of Show and Tell.   1. Flip Books Create a moving picture of your summer fun with a flip book. Start out with a Post-It pad or a pocket-sized spiral notebook. Draw the first picture on the last sheet of paper and work your way to the first page by changing the picture little by little. For instance, if you learned how to surf over the summer, you might start with a picture of you lying on a surfboard in calm waters. The next picture could show the waters growing a little choppier. The following drawings could be of you slowly turning, then standing on the board as the wave grows larger, and so on.   2. Summer Collage Illustrate your summer happenings with one of my favorite forms: collages. Simply use glue to cover a poster board or even several small postcard-sized papers with magazine cutouts, sections of road maps, photographs, movie and concert ticket stubs, restaurant menus, train schedules, and any other mementos from your summer.   3. Map It Instead of just telling the class where you went and what you did, pinpoint our summer destinations and activities on a map. If you stayed close to home, use a local road map. If you were able to travel to several cities and states, use a countrywide map. Glue magazine cutouts of activities, or actual photos of your fun onto the map. For example, if you went to a dude ranch in Dallas, glue a picture of a horse onto the map in Dallas. If you visited Mount Rushmore, glue a photo of your family onto the map in South Dakota. The same goes for rock climbing, swimming, snorkeling, and anything else you had a chance to enjoy over the summer months.   4. Seashell Memories Capture every fun moment of summer vacation on seashells. If you didn't get a chance to go to the beach, don't worry-most craft and hobby stores sell bags of seashells. Use acrylic paint and a clean paintbrush to paint pictures inside the shells. My son's summer shells feature an octopus in the ocean (from snorkeling-we didn't actually see an octopus, but he wishes he had), a colorful clown from a friend's birthday party, an airplane in the clouds, and the night sky filled with stars and a bright crescent moon.

Yacht Insurance - Seven Key Points to Getting The Right Policy

If your yacht is over 26 feet long then it is a requirement for you to have a yacht insurance policy in force. Insurance for yachts that are less than 26 feet long is technically referred to as boat insurance, but for larger yachts, individual insurance policies are needed because of the increased values and the range of requirements. However, the general principles of both yacht insurance and boat insurance types are similar.

There are two key reasons for having yacht insurance. First is to protect your financial investment against damage, theft, fire, or any other event which could cause complete or partial loss of your treasured vessel. Secondly, if another person or yacht is injured or damaged by your yacht then a financial remedy will be paid out by your yacht's insurer.

Which are the key elements you need to examine when insuring your yacht?

Comprehensive Coverage - There are three main areas of insurance for your yacht; physical damage, e.g. collision, fire and vandalism or theft. Some policies allow you to make a selection amongst these. If you chose not to take one or more of these insurance types then you are assuming all the risk in the unfortunate case that such an event occurs. Also that can lead to problems if you have insured for damage, but the actual damage is a combination of collision and fire. So, on reflection, the vast majority of yacht owners sensibly insure against all risks through a comprehensive yacht insurance policy.

Home Mooring Location - Many policies ask where your boat is normally moored. It is vital to be truthful and accurate about this when you are applying for marine boat insurance for your yacht. You may keep your yacht moored in a dock or marina, or it may spend its time in a tidal mooring, but either way you must be honest so you will be properly covered by your boat insurance in the event of an accident.

Third-Party Liability - In the unfortunate event that your yacht gets damaged, stolen, or totally burned out, you always have the choice of doing nothing and simply accepting your loss. However, if you or your yacht injure another person or cause damage to their property, you won't have that option. You must reach into your own pocket to make restitution. This is where the third party part of your yacht's insurance policy will come into effect so you do not have to pay out personally. Even though there is not an overarching requirement for insurance cover there are plenty of localities where it is necessary - an example is in most docks, marinas and harbors where a minimum insurance is required, perhaps $ 2 million.

Coverage by Location - Take care to understand where your insurance policy provides cover for your yacht. Most yacht insurance companies are fairly generous with their definition of sailing area, but make sure you read and clearly understand any limitations. The range can always be increased if necessary, but some additional premiums may be required. The location is an important consideration with the non-sailing portion of your insurance as well. One example is when the yacht is stored dockside, either over winter or for repairs and maintenance. Another example is if your yacht is to be transported by road.

Insurance Value - When determining your yacht's value for marine insurance purposes there are two principal options. The first is by an agreed-on figure written into the policy document. The second is by valuation. In the latter case, the value is determined by a marine surveyor after a yacht's loss. Having a pre-agreed figure in your policy brings greater certainty in the event of a claim; a second advantage is that, as the figure is agreed in advance, a settlement can be more speedily executed.

Laid-Up Period - It is a 'feature' of some yacht insurances that you do not sail at certain times of year in some locations to avoid extreme weather and in others to avoid the deep winter months. Examine your policy closely to verify any laid-up period requirements.

How easy is it to make a claim? - A yacht insurance policy is only as good as your ability to make claims from it in the event of an incident. Talk to fellow yachtsmen and yachtswomen at your dock, marina or sailing club. Use their experiences to check out the insurance companies and brokers that are best to use, or avoid, so that you will find submitting a claim is easy if it is ever required.