(NOTE: This is an update of a previous post… enhanced with video. Please be sure and let me know what you think of this “multi-media” approach, okay? It’s quite a bit of work, and I’m happy to do it if you think it’s worthwhile.)

[flashvideo file=http://rayedwards.s3.amazonaws.com/x11Video1.flv image=http://rayedwards.com/images/forge.png /]

Every piece of your website is a link in the sales chain.

Each link leads to the next, and at the end of the chain is the sale – and profits for you and your business.

Of course, as we all know, any chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

One way to get quick sales boost is: find the weak or broken links in your sales process and strengthen or repair them. And almost every website has at least a few week or broken links. I’m not just talking about hyperlinks, here… I’m talking about any crucial part of the sales process.

No website is perfect – no website is ever optimized fully. There’s always room for improvement. In most websites I look at for clients, there are some basic fixes that can pay off in a big way.

Here are three examples of things you might want to do on your own website:

• Fix Broken Links. The most obvious example is actual broken links. These are frustrating at best for your visitors, and for many it will kill the sale instantly (“if they can’t get their links fixed, what must their product be like?”).
• Remove Inconsistencies. In the world of direct mail, there’s a proven response boost when the message on the outside of the envelope matches the message on the headline of the letter inside; the reason this is so is, we are wired to respond positively to consistency. We like getting what we expect. Even seemingly small inconsistencies send a subconscious signal to your prospects that all is not right. Some specifics to look for: different typefaces or look & feel on your pages; lack of consistent layout from one section of your site to the next; jarring differences between your major sales pages (opt-in page, salesletter page, order page, thank you page). Get fanatical about consistency.
• Remove “Mind Stoppers”. Some things just cause us to “stop our mind” when reading a website. For example, strange or unnatural wording can cause us to stop in the flow of reading and ask “What? Huh?” Even though these “Mind Stoppers” may only cause a pause of 1 or 2 seconds, they interrupt the flow of your sales message. Avoid “Mind Stoppers” at all costs. The best way to find them: read your copy aloud, to another human being, in a natural tone and at an easy pace. Then have them read it aloud back to you. In each case, mark any section that causes you to pause or stumble. Re-write those sections and remove the “Mind Stoppers”.

When you forge stronger links in your “Sales Chain”, you’ll increase your sales results. And that means more profits for you and your small business.

The Story: For some people, the hardest thing about starting their online business is getting a merchant account.

The Point: There are at least 2 good ways anyone can take payments (via credit cards) without having a Merchant Account… and one way that makes getting a Merchant Account easy for 99% of people.

The Resource: The best Merchant Account for online Marketers.

3 Solutions To Your Payment Problem:

1. Clickbank.
2. Paypal.
3. PowerPay.
Click for the Podcast Audio:

Click Here

The Story: Most marketers struggle to get a large number of good testimonials they can use on their website.

The Point: A few simple steps can start an endless flow of testimonials you couldn’t shut off if you tried.

The Resource: Ray’s Automated Testimonial Machine

3 Ways To Get More Testimonials

1. Ask for them.
2. Set up an ATM (Automated Testimonial Machine).
3. Ask repeatedly (in your autoresponders).

Click for the Podcast Audio:

Click Here

Odds and ends I picked up during some random holiday-weekend web surfing…

From Kottke: "Perhaps the way to true personal acheivement and happiness is through lying to yourself instead of being honest, loafing instead of practicing, and purposely forgetting information."

FreshBooks: "an online invoicing and time tracking service that saves you time and makes you look professional – Fortune 500 professional. FreshBooks is easy to use and you can try it for free."

From Ben Settle: "A couple months ago I listed a bunch of rare swipe file resources. Today I want to give you a different list. Not a swipe file list…but a list of copywriting and marketing resources that have had a HUGE impact on my business and life. These are not the “usual suspect” sites."

Lifehacker offers the means to pimp your Google Reader account.

And finally, some very important advice from Steve Miller: "My buddy, Nido Qubein, once told me the most important time to market is when you’re busy. He’s right. That way your revenue stream stays more consistent."