If you use your website to attract prospects, then the following figures will likely surprise you …

This year, eMarketer estimates that 66.7% of U.S. Internet users — or 147.5 million people — are watching video online each month. By 2014, that figure is forecast to rise to 77% of Internet users, or 193.1 million people.

Obviously, any business not using video as part of an online marketing strategy is missing major opportunities.

Most clients and prospects I talk to recognize the importance of using video online. But few know how to get started. So I’ll share with you the simple, low-cost strategy I use to expand the reach of my marketing message through video.

The foundation for my videos begins with a weekly article that targets my prospects’ needs and desires. Once written, the article is posted on my blog, distributed to my lists (which are generated using numerous web forms/e-mail autoresponders), announced on several social media platforms and distributed online. These steps alone result in tremendous exposure.

Next, the article becomes a script. I set up a video camera on a tripod and then present the information as if I was in front of an audience. Sometimes I even tape the article to the camera so I can reference it while recording.

Until recently, the camera I used was the Flip Ultra. I just bought a Kodak Zi8 because it’s the only “pocket” camcorder with an external microphone jack, which results in better sound quality. The benefit of pocket camcorders is you can plug them directly into your computer and upload your video without any hassle.

Once your video is on your computer, use TubeMogul to distribute it to several online video sites at once, including YouTube, Dailymotion and Blip.tv (TubeMogul is free). Keep your videos short — about 2-4 minutes — and incorporate keywords your prospects search into your video title, description and tags.

Also, don’t forget to include your website at the beginning of your description and include the “http://” to ensure the link is active.

Of course, if you use videos (and articles) to drive prospects to your website, then you must have a lead-capture form on your home page. Expanding your marketing message online is pointless unless you have a way to capture your prospects’ information.

If you need a complete hands-off way to incorporate this strategy, consider my article-a-month service. You get a keyword-rich article targeting your prospects’ needs (written by me) that you can post on your website (to keep your content fresh), distribute to your clients and send to the media as a press release. I also give you a web form for your website (so you can build your targeted prospect list), set up your e-mail autoresponder, maintain your list and distribute each article online for you.

Designed for anyone who needs a multi-step marketing strategy that continually reaches new prospects and requires minimal effort, the service is only $250 a month. Reply back to this e-mail today and we’ll reserve time to discuss how to apply this approach to your business.

For those who are more hands-on, you’ll find step-by-step details of this strategy in my easy e-mail training program at http://www.tomtrush.com/easyemailtraining. (This private link is only available for subscribers because it includes a discount and free consultation with me.)

If this year started like most, you probably had high hopes for your marketing efforts.

Maybe you wanted to revamp your website … get a blog up and running … dive into social media … start a direct-mail campaign … organize a customer reactivation plan … or just maintain better contact with your current customers.

Regardless of your initial plan, now is when you should evaluate your efforts because you can still make adjustments. If changes are in order, here’s a strategy to help you replace lost time:

This approach involves attracting and engaging your target audience by delivering knowledge. Instead of pitching your product or service, you’re about to get a step-by-step approach to delivering high-quality, valuable content your prospects crave.

Your first step is to determine a common problem your prospects have related to your product or service. This can be done by compiling the questions people frequently ask you.

For example, let’s say you sell gardening supplies. Now I know nothing about gardening, but I realize certain vegetables grow better during specific seasons (especially here in Arizona where the sun can practically boil the soil).

I’m sure others share my confusion. In fact, a Google search for “growing seasons for vegetables” reveals 1.2 million results. That tells me there’s demand for this information.

So now that we have a topic, we can create content by simply compiling tips.

7 Tips for Selecting the Best Vegetables to Grow in Any Season … How to Get More Vegetables from Your Garden … 5 Gardening Tips for Growing Vegetables Year-Round … 11 Planting Tips for Growing Vegetables in Cold Weather …

Someone knowledgeable in gardening could provide information that fits any of these titles. You could do the same thing if you brainstormed titles about topics you’re an expert in.

Once your content is written, the hard part is done. Now you make your tips article available to as many prospects as possible.

The Internet makes this task easy and cost-effective.

Start by putting your tips article on your website and blog (yes, you should have a blog). This step is a no-brainer because you want your information available to prospects who visit your website directly or use the search engines.

(IMPORTANT: As you post more tips articles on your website or blog, prospects will want more information. So feed that hunger for knowledge by delivering insight in exchange for a name and e-mail address. That way you can maintain contact with your visitors using e-mail.)

Next, submit your tips article to free directories such as EzineArticles.com. Not only does EzineArticles.com get tremendous traffic (which results in more eyeballs on your information), but posting your tips article here makes it available for others to use in their newsletters, websites, e-mails, etc.

When you create quality content, your tips article will get picked up by information publishers. This is a big benefit because your knowledge gets shared with new audiences without you spending additional time, money or resources. And, because there’s always a link to your website at the bottom of your tips article, you’ll drive more traffic to your online home.

After this step, consider people who prefer viewing video — rather than reading text. Since YouTube is now the #2 search engine in the world, there’s a good chance your prospects use it.

You can read your tips article as a video script. But if you don’t feel comfortable in front of a camera, use Camtasia or Screenflow (for a Mac) to make a video from content you record off your computer screen.

Once you have your video, you can post it on YouTube. Or, for an even greater reach, use a free service such as TubeMogul to post on numerous video sites at the same time. Of course, include a link to your website at the beginning of your video description.

Now that your information is available online in several places, it’s time to use social media. My two favorite tools are Twitter and Facebook. After spending some time building followers/friends and developing relationships on these social networks, post a link to your tips article.

This simple step will result in instant traffic to your website — and you can do it repeatedly for the same article.

By now, you can understand how just one tips article can get you extensive exposure. But the best part is the knowledge you share acts as an online sales force that works 24 hours a day, 7 days week.

You can only imagine what happens when you duplicate this marketing strategy.

And these steps are just a small sample of what you can do with tips articles. You can also use them in your newsletters … autoresponder series (one of my personal favorites) … direct-mail campaigns … eBooks … podcasts … e-courses … brochures … press releases … webinars … teleseminars … and more.

He proposed working without a salary and promised to never call in sick or demand a raise.

Since hiring him, he’s never even asked for a vacation day. Instead, he puts in time on nights, weekends and even holidays.

With the long hours and limited perks, you’d think his work might suffer. But the results have been nothing less than extraordinary — I couldn’t run my business without him.

Thanks to his ability to reach prospects worldwide, he’s been responsible for bringing in roughly 80% of my projects.

You may think my employee sounds a little too good to be true, but I promise you he’s real … and he’s even available to work for you.

I have to admit, though, he isn’t a physical person.

The salesman on my staff is an autoresponder.

If you’re not familiar with the term, an autoresponder is a program that automatically delivers information via e-mail. A comparable utility is the “vacation” message you set when you’re away from the office for extended periods of time.

In my case, I have lead-capture forms set up on several sites designed to instantly deliver marketing-related information — such as this article — to prospects who request it. Of course, the “fee” for this information is each prospect’s e-mail address.

After the initial contact, additional educational content is sent through pre-programmed e-mails set up in my autoresponder. As a result, my marketing message spreads to new people ever day, although I’m not making phone calls, sitting in meetings or spending money on advertising.

That’s why I believe an autoresponder is the most powerful tool you can use to automate the marketing process for your business. As long as you have a website, your autoreponders can help you pull in prospects 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Here are 2 quick videos I recently recorded detailing how you can use autoresponders in your business:

What is an Autoresponder and How Does it Work

How to Write Autoresponders for Your E-mail Campaigns

In fact, I considered ending this idea hundreds of times over the past week. But I continued only because demand for the information I’m offering is so wide-spread.

I recently created an 83-minute training video detailing the powerful marketing strategy I used during the past 4 years to consistently generate leads from highly qualified prospects.

The approach doesn’t involve buying lists … making cold calls … posting signs … distributing flyers … mailing postcards … or even running advertisements (including pay per click).

What’s more, you can execute every step of this strategy on a ridiculously small budget — just $19 a month.

Here are some of the secrets revealed in the video:

• 3 “shortcuts” for determining the information your prospects crave, so you can create a marketing message that’s almost impossible to ignore.

• How you can get well-known experts in your industry to eagerly promote your product or service to their clients and contacts. (Of course they’ll do it for a fee. My method, however, has zero effect on your bank balance.)

• An often-forgotten technique for recording and distributing targeted marketing videos for FREE — and you never have to step in front of a camera.

• How to get FREE exposure from media heavyweights such as CNBC without insider contacts or even a public relations campaign.

• Why your company website is likely pushing away prospects who are eager to do business with you — and the simple solution that brings them back and lets you know they want you to contact them.

• A little-known e-mail trick for maintaining frequent contact with qualified prospects without looking desperate or being labeled a spammer. (I’ve seen people use this trick to send e-mails daily with few complaints from prospects.)

• How to quickly establish your position as an industry authority, while also getting exposure on highly trafficked sites such as Amazon.com. (Yes, this tactic is also FREE and, no, you don’t have to write a book.)

• And much more.

So, here’s the deal …

This is a product I originally planned on selling for $97 (and I will soon). But right now I recognize demand is high and budgets are low for educational materials.

So, if you need the tips, tricks and techniques detailed in my latest training video, I’ll give it all to you for whatever amount you can pay …

$40 … $15 … $5 … or even just $1. (See, I told you the offer was outrageous!)

Of course, if you have a bigger budget, then I’ll gladly accept your payment too.

Those of you who have been on my list for a while realize I’m passionate about delivering extreme value - and this product is no different.

Understandably, I can’t make this offer forever. Your opportunity to get the training video will end on Friday, Aug. 7. At that time, the price will be set at $97.

You can make your payment (again, any amount is fine) at the following link (you may need to copy/past the link into your browser): https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7931864.

IMPORTANT: Once you complete your payment, reply back to this e-mail and I’ll forward you the link to the video.

If you prefer paying by check, then reply back to this e-mail and I’ll let you know where to send your payment.

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Tom

P.S. Are you waiting for the “catch”? Well, you won’t find one with this offer. You can really get the video for whatever fee fits your budget. Take advantage of this limited-time opportunity today: http://bit.ly/s1qAN

The tremendous response has led me to reveal another nugget of Cialdini wisdom.

This one focuses on social proof, a principle that essentially states we determine what is correct by watching others. Especially in uncertain situations, others’ actions often determine how we react.

Cialidini stressed, “The principle of social proof operates most powerfully when we are observing the behavior of people just like us.”

To prove this point, he described a study conducted by Columbia University psychologists.

Researchers placed several wallets containing cash and a check on the ground in places around midtown Manhattan. Also inside the wallets were contact information for the “owner” and a letter that made it clear the wallet was lost two other times.

The letter — written to the owner — indicated that the previous person who found the wallet intended to return it. In fact, it was evident to anyone who found the wallet this time that the previous founder lost the wallet himself on the way to the mailbox. After all, it was wrapped in an envelope addressed to the owner.

The researchers wanted to see how many people would follow the first finder’s actions and mail back the intact wallet.

The key to the study was the letters.

Some were written in standard English by what seemed like an average American. While others used broken English and were written by a finder who identified himself as a foreigner.

What resulted was a distinct difference in response. Only 33% of the wallets with letters written by the foreigner — or someone viewed as dissimilar — were mailed back. Conversely, 70% of the wallets with a letter written by the “American” were returned.

The results clearly confirm we mimic others’ actions, particularly when we view those individuals as being similar to us.

If you need additional evidence supporting the power of social proof, think back to the peer pressure you experienced growing up. It’s likely those early days set the foundation for some of your behavior today.

So what are some ways you can use social proof in your marketing materials?

The most obvious is testimonials. But as you now know, you can’t limit your testimonials to a vague phrase or two. You must provide detailed information so prospects can relate to your customers’ experiences.

Celebrity endorsements are another way to add social proof. And don’t worry about getting support for your product or service from a Hollywood hotshot — someone who is credible and recognizable to your prospects will do the trick.

Referencing awards and media coverage are two other ways to demonstrate social proof.

And, finally, ever noticed how QVC and Home Shopping Network always display how many items are sold? There’s a good reason you’re shown these figures — it’s social proof in action. The networks plaster the proof even more when customers call in to talk about the products they bought.

Social proof is truly a trigger that can pull in prospects and drive dollars to your business.

In fact, it involves adding only one word to your copy.

The technique is based on the principle that people seek reasons for taking action when you ask them to do something.

As Cialdini explained, Harvard social psychologist Ellen Langer demonstrated this fact when she went into a library and attempted to cut in front of several people lined up to use the copier.

During the first test, she used the following appeal: “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I’m in a rush?”

This request-plus-reason approach resulted in 94% of the people allowing her to skip ahead in line.

Next, she shortened her request and tested it on another set of people. “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine?” she said.

This time only 60% of the people complied.

At first glance, you might suspect the drop in response during the second test was due to the missing phrase “because I’m in a rush.”

But Langer made a third request that proved the entire phrase wasn’t the difference. Instead, the disparity was a result of a just one word — “because.”

“Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make some copies?” she said in her final appeal.

This request resulted in 93% of the people giving up their space in line.

Surprisingly, she experienced this high success rate even though she didn’t provide a motive or any extra information that would warrant anyone taking action. All she did was add the word “because” and restate the obvious.

So next time you want to pump up the persuasion in your copy, include the word “because.” This simple word acts as a trigger that not only tells your prospects why they should comply, but also increases the likelihood they will take action.

At any time, you’re competing against thousands of thoughts.

So how can you direct attention to your message?

The first thing you must remember is that people think in pictures. Your mind naturally converts words into visuals.

For example, when you read the word “prospect,” you immediately create a mental image of someone. That may be a current client, a person you’re trying to attract, or just an individual you remember for some reason.

You don’t visualize the actual letters P-R-O-S-P-E-C-T.

Since your prospects’ minds are already programmed for pictures, you must make sure their mental images portray a positive representation of your product or service.

One way to write your way into prospects’ minds is by using metaphors. With a metaphor, you compare two seemingly unrelated items and highlight a similarity.

Here’s an example of a metaphor (which could also be characterized as a simile) I recently read in a sales letter for a copywriting course by Ray Edwards:

Most websites are like a Western ghost town. You can practically see the tumbleweeds blowing down the empty streets.

I guarantee you have an image in your head right now. In most cases, you would never see the similarity between a website and a ghost town. But because they’re compared in this text, your mind creates a powerful and memorable picture.

Another way to tap into your prospects’ minds is through stories.

According to Chip and Dan Heath, the brothers behind “Make to Stick,” a book that examines the characteristics of memorable messages, one of the best ways to get people to act on your ideas is by telling stories.

“Hearing stories acts as a kind of mental flight simulator, preparing us to respond more quickly and effectively,” they wrote.

For ages, humans have used stories to relay information, share experiences and preserve history.

Below is an example of classic story used in one of the most profitable direct-mail letters of all time. The famed Wall Street Journal letter is responsible for producing an estimated $1 billion in revenue.

Dear Reader:

On a beautiful late spring afternoon, twenty-five years ago, two young men graduated from the same college. They were very much alike, these two young men. Both had been better than average students, both were personable and both - as young college graduates are - were filled with ambitious dreams for the future.

Recently, these men returned to their college for their 25^th reunion.

They were still very much alike. Both were happily married. Both had three children. And both, it turned out, had gone to work for the same Midwestern manufacturing company after graduation, and were still there.

But there was a difference. One of the men was manager of a small department of that company. The other was its president.

Now, if I asked you to recite the above tale after only one reading, there’s a good chance you could do it without missing any major details.

However, imagine if that text was the typical corporate speak you often see as the primary focus in marketing pieces:

We’ve been in business for 35 years as an industry leader representing hundreds of clients in major cities throughout the Midwest. We believe quality legal representation is essential for a successful business. That’s why we strive to provide the best legal representation at a reasonable and fair cost to our clients. We are proud of the high legal and ethical standards that have been established by our firm and the tradition of excellence which we work to maintain.

You have to admit, repeating this word mess after only one read is nearly impossible.

Why put your prospects through such trouble?

As a result, they seek information.

Many people go to the Internet in search of solutions. Some go back to school. Others turn to family and friends.

So how can you be the source for information your prospects crave?

Simple.

Focus your marketing copy on solutions instead of sales.

If you’re blatant in your attempts to persuade, you’ll meet resistance. But when you present educational information, you break barriers.

One of the easiest ways to convey solutions in your marketing copy is by using the following two words: “how to.”

The words “how to” promise a solution to a problem. The key is following these words with a big benefit that addresses your prospects’ greatest concerns. Of course, you then need to deliver quality content.

Think of your marketing piece as your opportunity to tell a story no one else is telling.

Recently, I analyzed all the e-mails I sent to my newsletter list in 2008 (you can sign up at http://www.writewaysolutions.com). My goal was to find out what subject lines created the highest open rates.

While industry average for e-mail open rates hovers around 30%, many of my “how to” e-mails doubled or even tripled that figure.

• How to Use Branding to Capture Prospects and Create Customers - 100%
• How to Maintain a Strong Mindset in a Weak Economy - 73.1%
• How to Write ‘Easy Reading’ Ads Your Prospects Will Remember - 65.3%
• How to Quickly Implement a Proven Marketing System - 65.2%

An added bonus of providing “how to” information is that prospects are more likely to keep your content. Furthermore, you increase your chances of them sharing your information with friends and family.

Next time you give a consultation, record the conversation (of course, get your prospect’s approval first).

The benefit of a recording is that you’ll hear yourself answer common questions. Since many prospects share similar concerns, you will have given the same responses many times before, so you’ll sound natural.

The importance of this exercise revolves around the tone of your replies. The same casual style you use in your consultations should carry over to the writing in your marketing materials.

Where many people go wrong is they change the tone so it’s more formal. Worst yet, the writing centers around a “me” message that doesn’t address prospects’ concerns.

By simply transcribing your recording, you’ll get plenty of pitch-free content you can use to promote your business.

Sure, you may need to do some minor editing, but your efforts will be rewarded. Prospects see value in copy that addresses their questions, especially when they get answers without making a phone call, sending an e-mail or stopping by your office.

In addition to having written responses, don’t ignore online video opportunities. According to eMarketer, a digital marketing and media research firm, 67 percent of all Internet users view some form of video advertising at least once a month. By 2012, that number is expected to jump to 81 percent.

Furthermore, the popularity of online video has grown so much that YouTube recently became the world’s #2 search engine (Google is #1).

That means many of your prospects are using YouTube more than Yahoo to search for services. All you have to do to reach them is set up a camera and use the transcribed responses from your consultation as a script.

You’ll have a video you can distribute in a matter of minutes.

Remember, prospects will always tell you their desires. All you have to do with your marketing copy is meet those needs and put it in a readily available format.