Here is one that I created for my Web Design Company.  I used a couple of still images and just uploaded them to Animoto.com

This is very easy and very cool.  Now anyone can do this and it’s free if you don’t mind leaving the short commercial at the end.

Recently I have been getting a lot of requests about Membership Sites. People want to know how to set them up, how to manage them, what the costs are.

As I am a full time web developer this is one area that I have always been interested in.

A number of my clients are involved in Internet Marketing and have been requesting that I setup these type of sites up for them.

I can honestly say that one of the best purchases I have made for my clinets when it comes to Membership Sites is:

This power script is easy to install, allows multiple levels of membership including FREE members.

Here’s the deal: Everyone KNOWS that running a membership site is a great way to make passive income.

Yes – that is the type of income that you can sit back and watch as it rolls in every single month.

But the PROBLEM is that creating and managing a membership site is both DIFFICULT and EXPENSIVE.

Well… it WAS anyway.

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Discover just how EASY and CHEAP it could be to set up your very own profit-churning membership site right now by visiting:

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The beauty of Easy Member Pro lies in the fact that it handles ALL the tough parts of creating and managing membership sites, so you can:

** Add, edit, and remove pages while having ZERO knowledge of HTML and PHP

** Offer MULTIPLE membership levels and bill automatically

** Easily accept 4 different payment processors including Paypal, and all foreign currencies!

** Completely automate the creation of new membership accounts

** Set up member-exclusive content

** Integrate autoresponders seamlessly

** Recruit and manage affiliates on autopilot!

** Set up your content in advance

Honestly – even everything that we just listed just BARELY scratches the surface of the everything that is packed into the Easy Member Pro software!

If you ever wanted a quick and easy way to set up a formidable online business – this is your chance!

If you ever wanted to be able to consistently earn more and more passive income every month – this is your chance!

Never before has there been ANYTHING that makes setting up a membership website so convenient, but don’t just take our word for it, see it with your
own eyes at:

Good luck with your new found business!

p.s. This is NOT the kind of opportunity that you should let slip through your fingers. Seize control, and start to tap into the power of membership sites by visiting:

My company, WebYabber.com is focused on web design, graphics creation and product development for a number of clients. From mini-sites to full blown corporate identity packages, to eCovers to PDF creation of your next hot selling eBook, we can do it all.

Of course, you can also go directly to one of the big “Hire a Freelancer Sites” listed below to hire the skill you need to get your project done.

Elance – The largest online freelance site. Probably the best site if you want a large professional job. However if you are looking at a smaller job or you want to cut costs to the bone you may be better off with Rentacoder or Scriptlance. Elance charges the freelance providers to just be listed on the site, whereas Rentacoder and Scriptlance only charge the providers once a project has been selected.

Rentacoder – Probably the second largest coding freelance site. Worth checking out. When you get a project done through Rentacoder you put the entire project fees into an escrow account. You don’t release the fees until the project is complete. This is good because it gives reassurance to the coder that they are going to pay you, but it also can be difficult if you have a large project, because you have to pay the entire amount into an escrow account, although you can put the project into stages and pay based on each stage.

Scriptlance – This site has the lowest costs but it doesn’t have some of the features of Elance and Rentacoder. Not as professional but good if you want really cheap coding.

Getafreelancer.com – Another reasonably good freelancing site

Guru - quite a large outsourcing site

Use Site Build It to build your web site

Site Build – It may be a better option for you than hiring an outside contractor. This software will give you high ranking on the search engines as well as have your own email list and hosting all included. It is a much easier option and has several tools included that help you to build your own site without any knowledge of HTML. The best thing about this tool is that it helps you to get high rankings in the search engines and has lots of bonuses included. You can also hire someone to use the Site Build It software and do everything for you if you want.

Technical Outsourcing Site:

Technical outsourcing

How many of us live our lives this way? The A to B approach of things and not seeing the landscape along the way.

I write this in the Goals area of my blog as I think it fits. I know when I was younger, I would become so focused on a goal that I often missed other opportunities that I was oblivious to. I had my blinders on and was attempting to reach that goal no matter what.

As I climb in age, I hope that I have gathered some wisdom around me. I can still focus on a goal, but now I can also see my surroundings. I see those moments in time that bind the two together… The Glue Of Life.

Reaching a goals is a good thing. But being blind to everything else around you while doing it is not healthy. Not for you, not for your family and relationships, and certainly not for your business.

When we become so focused that we miss our surroundings, we also miss opportunities to grow. We miss the things that enrich our lives. We miss the Glue…

I am a big believer in the power of the mind. That what we place inside of it determines what we ending up receiving in our lives. We become what we think about. When I look back on all the successes I have had in my life, they are all based upon what I was thinking about before the success came to me.

I see this as being tied into the Glue Of Life. It is in those in-between moments that we can make giant leaps forward in our thinking. When we are participating in those moments, we become much more aware of what is going on.

I no longer live my life for those moments of recognition. That Thanksgiving Day or that Xmas Time. I live my life for the Glue and all the moments that come between those other points that we as a society hold so dear.

What is YOUR Glue and are you missing it?

In the book, you will find many golden nuggets to enrich your life, but for me, the most important ones are these:

• Fix your mind on the exact amount of money you desire. It is not sufficient merely to say “I want plenty of money”. Be definite as to the amount. (There is a psychological reason for definiteness which will be described in a subsequent chapter)
• Determine exactly what you intend to give in return for the money you desire. (There is no such thing as “something for nothing”)
• Establish a definite date when you intend to possess the money you desire.
• Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire, and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.
• Write out a clear, concise statement of the amount of money you intend to acquire, name the time limit for its acquisition, state what you intend to give in return for the money, and describe clearly the plan through which you intend to accumulate it.
• Read your written statement aloud, twice daily, once just before retiring at night, and once after arising in the morning. As you read – see and feel and believe yourself already in possession of the money.

You can change this to anything you want in your life, it does not just have to be for money…

This is such a simple idea and yet very few people use this to get what they want out of life.

If you look around you and find the successful people, you can bet that they do something like this all the time.

What you focus your mind on, what your desire so strongly that you can taste it, is what you will get. But you need to be very clear about what you want, you need to have a vision in your mind about it. You need to think about it every day and you need to take action.

If you use the simple steps above, the things you desire in life will come to you.

Whenever you see anything worthwhile being done anywhere, it’s because someone is behind it with a passion, a belief and a goal!

When it comes to your personal and business life, goal setting can make the difference between failure and success.

Much is said about goal setting.

But just how do you set and accomplish goals?

Is there some goal setting formula or strategy that can be employed to increase your chances of success?

Thankfully, YES!

What follows is a blueprint for success in goal setting.

The Goal Setting Blueprint

1. DESIRE is the most important aspect of any goal setting plan. The desire must be intense. It must be YOUR goal, not one given to you by someone else.
2. WRITE your goal down. Once it goes into writing it becomes substantial and starts etching itself into your subconscious.
3. IDENTIFY
   • the obstacles you will need to overcome,
   • the help you will need to acquire, e.g. knowledge, people, organizations. In each case write them out in a clear list and analyze them.
4. DEADLINE for your goal. If you don’t put a date on it, it is a Wish and not a Goal. All Goals must have a time frame to measure against..
5. Take all the details of steps 3 and 4 and make a PLAN. List all the activities and prioritize them. Rewrite the list, optimize it, perfect it.
6. VISUALIZE your goal already accomplished. What deos it feel like? What changes have happened in your life because of it. See these as if they have already happened. Repeat this image in your mind over and over again.
7. PERSISTENCE in the face of challenges. You may face some setbacks along the road to success, but you can’t give up. Stick to it, repeat step 6 and keep moving forward.

Follow those steps and you will be successful at goal setting.

DANGER – You can read this and think, “That sounds interesting. I must try that sometime”.

Notice the title of this article – “The Goal Setting Blueprint”.

What is a blueprint? It can refer to a negative used in photography for architectural plans, maps or mechanical drawings. It can also mean a detailed plan or program of action.

SO – Take these 7 steps and rewrite them on a card or in a notebook for frequent reference. Keep them on your computer in a note on your desktop.

Use the 7 steps as a BLUEPRINT. Keep checking your goal against the 7 steps frequently to measure your progress and keep yourself on track.

Then and only then will this article make a difference to your personal and business life.

Now the question is, what goal are you going to set today?

What goal can you set for your business which is going to lift it to new levels?

What goal setting are you going to implement in your personal life which is going to have a positive effect on you and your loved ones?

Take some time now and THINK about it!

Then?

JUST DO IT!

1) Be reader-centered, not writer-centered.
Many ads, brochures, and Web sites we see talk endlessly on and on about how great their products and companies are. Hello? Customer, anyone? Think of your reader thinking, “What’s in it for me?” If you can, talk with some of your current customers and ask them 1) why they chose you, and 2) what they get out of your product or service. TIP: To instantly make your copy more reader-focused, insert the word “you” often.

2) Focus on the benefits – not just the features.
The fact that your product or service offers a lot of neat features is great, but what do they DO for your customer? Do they save her time or money? Give her peace of mind? Raise her image to a certain status? Here’s an example: If you go buy a pair of Gucci sunglasses, you’re not just looking for good UV protection. You’re buying the sleek, stylish Gucci look. So that’s what Gucci sells. You don’t see their ads talk about how well made their sunglasses are. Think end results. Now, what does an insurance broker sell? Policies? No – peace of mind. (See? You’ve got it.)

3) Draw them in with a killer headline.
The first thing your reader sees can mean the difference between success and failure. Today’s ads are chock full of clever headlines that play on words. They’re cute, but most of them aren’t effective. There are many ways to get attention in a headline, but it’s safest to appeal to your reader’s interests and concerns. And again, remember to make it reader centered – no one gives a hoot about your company.
Bad: “SuccessCorp Creates Amazing New Financial Program”
Better: “Turn Your Finances Around in 30 Days!”

4) Use engaging subheads.
Like mini-headlines, subheads help readers quickly understand your main points by making the copy “skimmable.” Because subheads catch readers” eyes, you should use them to your benefit! Read through your copy for your main promotional points, then summarize the ideas as subheads. To make your subheads engaging, it’s important to include action or selling elements. Bad: “Our Department’s Successes.” Better: “Meet Five Clients Who Saved $10K With Us.”

5) Be conversational.Write to your customers like you’d talk to them. Don’t be afraid of using conversational phrases such as “So what’s next?” or “Here’s how do we do this.” Avoid formality and use short, easy words. Why? Even if you think it can’t possibly be misunderstood, a few people still won’t get it.

6) Nix the jargon.
Avoid industry jargon and buzzwords – stick to the facts and the benefits. An easy way to weed out jargon is to think of dear old Mom reading your copy. Would she get it? If not, clarify and simplify. (This rule, of course, varies, depending on who your target audience is. For a business audience, you should upscale your words to what they’re used to. In these cases buzzwords are often crucial. Just make sure your points don’t get muddled in them!)

7) Keep it brief and digestible.
No one has time to weed through lengthy prose these days. The faster you convey your product or service’s benefits to the reader, the more likely you’ll keep her reading. Fire your “biggest gun” first by beginning with your biggest benefit – if you put it toward the end of your copy, you risk losing the reader before she gets to it. Aim for sentence lengths of less than 20 words. When possible, break up copy with subheads (see no. 4), bullets, numbers, or em dashes (like the one following this phrase) – these make your points easy to digest.

Smile, your alsmot at the end! – Use testimonials when possible.
Let your prospects know they won’t be the first to try you. Give results-oriented testimonials from customers who have benefited immensely from your product or service. Oh, and never give people’s initials only – it reminds me of those ads in the back of magazines with headlines like “Lose 50 Pounds in Three Days!” Give people’s full names with their titles and companies (or towns and states of residence) – and be sure to get their permission first.

9) Ask for the order!
Tell your reader what you want her to do – don’t leave her hanging. Do you want her to call you or e-mail you for more information? Order now? Call to schedule a free consultation? Complete a brief survey? Think about what you’d most like her to do, and then ask her. It’s amazing how many marketing materials I come across every day that don’t make it clear what the reader should do. If you wrote interesting copy, your reader may forget you’re trying to sell something. Tell her what to do, and she’ll be more likely to do it.

10) Have your copy proofread!
Good. Now have it proofread again. Don’t risk printing any typos, misspellings, or grammatical mistakes that will represent your company as amateurish. Hire a professional editor/proofreader to clean up your work and double-check your grammar. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impession! Oops – *impression*.

In this article I’m going to take a look at just one of those similarities: both direct mail packages and web sites lose almost all of their readers before the ‘task’ is completed. Both media struggle with conversion rates that typically hover around the 2% rate.

Most of us throw out or recycle direct mail pieces almost every day. And most of us know how many of our site visitors leave before buying, signing up, registering or completing some other task.

Now for the difference. Direct mail copywriters work extremely hard to minimize the number of readers they lose, at every stage.

How hard do you work to keep and convert your readers?

Here are three tips taken from the world of direct marketing:

Make a promise

First, your homepage should make it very clear what you do. As in the statement, “We sell printer cartridges”.

But also make a promise. As in, “You’ll never run out of printer cartridges again”.

The statement is about you. And it’s useful in letting people know they are in the ‘right place’.

The promise is about them. And there is a real benefit stated there. This may be copywriting 101, to lead with a benefit, but it’s surprising how many sites don’t follow this simple and proven principle.

Make an offer

This is standard in just about every direct mail package. This isn’t the same as a promise. An offer is when you give someone something extra, at no cost to the buyer. Maybe it’s a free calculator. Or a better price if you subscribe for longer. Or 30 days free. Even a free serving of garlic bread with your pizza.

Try to do the same with your web site. With a free report. Free shipping. A free download. A free consultation. A free gift. Or free gift wrapping.

Guarantee it

Direct marketers know that buyers are often nervous about buying over the phone or by mailing an envelope. So they wrap everything up in a guarantee. Be delighted or get your money back.

Online we also know that many people feel nervous about parting with their money over the Internet, particularly if it is the first time they have bought something at our site. But where are our guarantees? Too often they are found in the small print somewhere, qualified with all sorts of legal nonsense.

If you want to make your prospects and buyers feel secure, make the guarantee bold. Say it loud. Have it jump out at people. Let them know that they are protected if they choose to buy.

These are just three of the ways direct marketers try to increase conversion rates. They keep people reading with a strong promise, an attractive offer and a cast-iron guarantee.

Do you?

If you’re writing a headline or heading for a site page, here are four things you need to keep in mind, four elements that demand your attention, four separate ‘audiences’ you need to satisfy.

1. Make the reader feel he or she is in the right place

Every time someone clicks on a link and a new page begins to open, the reader is thinking, in one way or another, “Is this page going to give me what I’m looking for?” This is particularly true of first-time visitors. It is also true of any visitor on any page in your site, even a repeat visitor who is accessing a page for the first.

Matching the headline to the reader’s expectations is central to holding their attention and giving them a high level of confidence.

If the heading doesn’t match the reader’s hopes and expectations, their confidence in finding what they want will fall and your conversion rates will decline.

2. Make the reader feel good and want to continue

This is where a page heading takes on the characteristics of a print advertisement headline. The heading not only has to satisfy point number one, but also has to make a ’sale’. That is to say, it has to sell the reader on the benefits of reading the page. Just as an ad headline sells the reader on the benefits of reading the body text.

By way of illustration, if I were selling my search engine copywriting skills, I might write a heading that says:

“Yes, I write copy for search engines.”

That might satisfy my point number one, but it doesn’t cut the mustard with point number two.

I’d be better off saying something like:
“Ask me to make your Web copy irresistible to search engines.”

Doubtless I could improve on that headline with a few rewrites, but as it is, it contains a benefit and a promise. It still covers point number one, but also goes further – it gives the reader more of an incentive to actually read the page.

3. Appeal to the search engines

To ignore the needs of the search engines on any page is foolishness. You need to work with your page title, meta tags and headline to ensure that you are covering the most relevant and profitable key words and phrases. If you don’t, you are losing traffic and losing potential readers and customers.

While some writers find it frustrating to have to accommodate the needs of SEO, doing so will actually help you with point number one. The better you know and understand what people are entering into the search box, the easier it will be for you to write text that is relevant to their expectations and needs.

4. Satisfy the needs of the company or organization

This is the tough one. This is where your not-very-net-savvy manager or client pressures you to make the heading more company centric, about the company or organization, and not about the needs of the reader.

At this point you have to fight the best fight you can. Gather together the best evidence you can find and persuade the manager of the errors of his or her ways. If all else fails, you can always suggest a test…testing your heading against theirs…and then measure the search engine traffic, and the conversion rate of the page.

You’re writing a heading, the first sentence of an email, the introduction to a newsletter, a short description on a homepage.

But what should you say? When you have just a few words, what’s the best message?

One of the ways I employ to help me with this task is to first weed out what I DON’T want to say.

I’ll write a number of different opening sentences for an email, for instance. Then I’ll start hacking away at the ones that don’t carry the right message, or that carry the right message badly.

Knowing you’re going to cut away the bad versions, it’s easy to start a flow of different lines. You’re not under pressure to make every line brilliant, because you know that most will be discarded.

This process also applies a very useful discipline; it makes you write down a large number of different lines, different options.

This, in itself, is a good thing.

Far too often, particularly when under the pressure of deadlines, we make do with the first opening that jumps to mind. Unless you are a full-time genius, that first thought is unlikely to be the best one.

Listing, and then eliminating copy lines makes you think. It makes you stop and really consider what it is you really should be saying.

Better still, it makes you self-critical and more determined to deliver the best line possible.