Part one I talked about how pitch can burn you so here is the next step in what you can do to lessen the pitch and use marketing more…. Do you know what the most highly missed opportunity that most Bloggers overlook in marketing their blogs? Email list building! Gathering e-mail addresses is still king and the MOST important feature in your site for three reasons.

1. First of all the purchase to visitor percentage rate on the internet is 1%, that means out of a 1000 visitors, only 1% will buy, meaning 10 sales per 1000 visits. That is a best case scenario with all the pieces in place.

2. Second the market average says most visitors will need 7 to 8 exposures to your marketing, before you can make a sale.

3. Third, what do you do to kick off that new product you just added to your website? Easy! Contact your e-mail opt-in list of thousands that you have built over time. This list already knows and trusts you. When you think soda, you think Coke or Pepsi. When you think fast food, you think MacDonald’s or Taco Bell. When you think jeans, you think Levi’s. When you think social marketing you think Social Marketing Journal. When you pass by McDonalds or Taco Bell you already know what they offer. You probably grew up in Levis. You KNOW them. That’s product identity! That’s image branding! Like it or not, you KNOW what you are going to get. Most of us can’t afford enough advertising to be everywhere, producing product recognition and personal identity. However if you can give your visitor a good reason, even during a surf visit, he/she will gladly turn over that e-mail address in return for your promise of information.

It works like this:
Free Social Marketing Training and newsletter by e-mail. Enter your address, and I will send you the download! By making a powerful offer, that is only available by e-mail, you not only gather the e-mail address, but leave a reminder of what you have TEN times more powerful than any bookmark / favorites listing can offer. As your readers get to know and trust you, because you are going to give them honest, usable content, you remind them of what you have to offer. If you are really positive you can’t write alluring e-mails like the big boys do, I’ve got that covered. All that you have to do is send out a broadcast email letting your subscribers know that you have a new blog post. Include a reason to click thru both in the headline and the email body. Also it is important to use keywords that pertain to your subject. In my newsletter the words Google and or Digg get more click thrus than anything else. But whatever you do, get those addresses now; later you can worry about the finer points. You must have a serious interest in the Internet and your site’s mission, or you wouldn’t be here. You obviously have enough passion about your site and its content to take the time to have read this far. Ask yourself this: “Just who is it you are trying to sell your product to.” If you are trying to “sell” anyone you have already LOST THE BATTLE. If you are trying to “sell” a product, you are putting the focus on you, your product and your profits. If you are putting the focus on yourself, you lose your leads interest. Realize these truths, and take them to heart. Let’s say you are selling a lawnmower. Joe Surfer doesn’t care about “YOUR” lawnmower; “HE” only cares about “HIS” lawn. His/her focus in on his lawn. Your prospect could care less about you. Don’t sell the drill bit, market the hole. Sally Surfer doesn’t care about your golf clubs. She only cares about HER golf game. Don’t sell the golf club; sell the 5 shots it will take off her 18 hole game. Your lead does not believe anything you say. Your lead will NOT, repeat NOT ask himself: “Is this guy honest?” He WILL, ask himself: “Is this guy a liar.”

How you conduct yourself will influence the buying decision.
• NOT THE PRICE
• MORE THAN YOUR PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE
• MORE THAN YOUR PRODUCTS FEATURES

More often than not, making the sale will depend on:
• WHO YOU ARE
• HOW YOU BEHAVE
• WHAT YOU SAY
• HOW AND WHEN YOU SAY IT

Ever watch King of the Hill? Wouldn’t you buy a lawnmower from Hank Hill? Hank knows lawns and he would not use anything but the best lawnmower. True it had better come with a cup holder, but shouldn’t they all? Would you buy a grill from Hank Hill? OF COURSE YOU WOULD! Hank knows propane and propane accessories. Don’t tell me how great your grill is. Tell me how great your grill makes my family’s cookout! Be Hank Hill and you will sell more of whatever it is, that I can guarantee you: without pitch (it’s hot, it burns you) and without selling (we all hate salesmen). Retain your subscriber’s trust and email address and if you do, you can sell him his next grill, and the next, and the next….