If you’re familiar with my online business work, you know I am huge fan of Peter Drucker. And one of my favorite quotes (of his) is “The goal of marketing is to make selling superfluous” You see, there’s a difference between online marketing and online selling. And when done correctly online marketing precedes online selling. Better yet, when your online business marketing is effective (and comes first), your selling is a lot more profitable. It’s a matter of timing. Marketing is like seduction. (for the sake of simplicity, in this example – we’ll assume you’re a heterosexual man)

If you ask a woman to go to bed with you (the sales question), whether or not she says “yes” is largely a matter of WHEN you ask her. If you ask her immediately, as soon as you’ve been introduced, most likely she will think you are a creep and tell you to get lost. However, if you wait a while, wait until she gets to know you a little, wait until you’ve wined and dined her a few times, wait until she’s had a chance to warm up to you, to discover that you are, indeed, a fine fellow, (which is the one of the goals of your marketing) then, my friend, your chances of getting a “yes” for an answer are much, much better. So it is with online marketing. If you take the trouble to warm up your prospect, to seduce her a little before you pop the big question (“will you buy my stuff?”) then your closing rate will be much, much higher. Really. This is the Numero Uno mistake made online today. Think about it: What does it matter how sparkling your copy, how compelling your offer, or how attractive your price if your prospect doesn’t trust and believe you?

You know, this simple truth seems to me to be so self-evident that I feel a bit silly being redundant about it. But you know what? I’d rather be redundant than bankrupt and bankrupt is where a lot of internet marketers have wound up because of a failure to grasp this simple and “obvious” concept. How To Display The Maximum Amount Of Empathy (And Make The Sale At The Same Time) So, now that you know the most successful online business owners appear likable, honest and trustworthy…Wouldn’t you like to know how to make certain you appear that way (and I pray to God you really are that way too)?

How about if I told you it would bond your readers to you like nothing you’ve ever seen before, would you be even more interested to find out how? It’s actually quite simple, really. Although, make-no-mistake, it isn’t easy to do (but I can show you how – if you ask). All you have to do is articulate your prospects problems better than they have ever done. Think about it – have you ever had a chronic problem, pain or challenge that you struggled with? Of course, you have, we all do, right?

Well, think back for a second and see if you can remember a time when you met someone who totally understood your challenge – so much so when they explained your problem back to you, you were excited because this person truly understood what you were experiencing and feeling. You were like “Finally! Someone who understands what it’s like to be me!” Think about how your feeling shifted about that person who “got-it.” Do you know what else usually happens in the mind of your prospects – when they feel as if you “got-it”? Pay close attention here, this is real important…

When an expert describes your problem better than you can – you automatically assume they also have a way to solve it! It’s critical to remember this: Your prospects are NOT currently craving more information (we’re already overloaded). What they crave more than anything else is ADVICE. And before anyone considers paying for advice (or buying the physical product you advise) they have to feel that you understand them. You need to understand who they are, and the situation they’re in. Famed copywriter John Carlton says, “Most people feel misunderstood, and their dammed pissed off about it.” I tend to agree with John on this. That’s why the ability to put down in words what your prospects are struggling with is so powerful.

Now, the good news is this actually easier to do than you might imagine. The reason – most people don’t think deeply about their problems to be able to clearly express them. Which means you definitely have the opportunity to express your prospects’ problems better than they can if you spend enough time thinking about those problems and play around on how best to articulate it. This is immensely easier to do if you are a member of the market you want to market to. For example, way back when I wrote the Internet Business Manifesto, the frustration, problems and struggles I highlighted came from personal experience.

Did it work?
I’d say so. That online business report generated over 35,000 opt-ins (mostly by it going viral much more so then through the few jv partners i had) and brought back $109 per opt-in in immediate sales. In case you’re fuzzy at math, that’s $3,815,000.