Best of all, once you've written an article, they become a viral marketing tool for years to come (as you'll soon see).

Plus... add to that the fact that each and every article you write can also be added to your website as content for the search engines, and you'll quickly begin to see just how powerful this stealth marketing tactic can become to quickly put more cash in your pocket.

In later lessons, we're also going to discuss how you can turn the articles you've written into ingenious "viral marketing tools" that will attract a lot more traffic, establish your credibility in your niche', and ultimately make a lot more sales.

Unfortunately, I can hear many of you now...

• "I can't write!"

• "I hate to write!"

• "I failed English class and I can't even spell!"

And I say... Boloney!

Everybody can write... And I'm here to help you on your journey...

In actuality...

• If you've ever written an email to a friend or family member -- you can write!

• If you've ever written a little apology to your spouse -- you can write!

• If you've ever written an essay for school -- you can write!

• If you've ever written a complaint about poor customer service, then you can write!

• If you've ever jotted down your "favorite recipe" and gave it to a family member or friend -- you can write!

The list goes on and on...

And just for the sake of argument, let's say you've never written one "semi-intelligent" letter or article in your entire life... Then it's time you started learning how to write.

It's that important!

Really!  It's time you give it a little practice!  It gets easier with practice.

Lesson #1 - the Internet is the "Information Highway".  Folks are logging onto the Internet to look for information -- plain and simple.

It's your job to provide them with this information if you're going to have any success online.  I just cannot stress enough the importance and the overall benefits you'll receive from being able to create some quality, entertaining articles (and content) on your own so...  Just do it!  You'll thank me down the road.

So, let's get started...

Right now, I'd like to offer you a condensed, brief crash course on article writing and quickly demonstrate to you how these little "viral goldmines" can instantly increase your traffic and sales.

Forget Everything You Were Taught In English Class.  Writing Articles Is "Meatball Writing".  You Want To Write In Your Own Style And At An 8th Grade Reader Level.

• Don't try to impress your readers with your sheer intelligence.

• Don't use big words when you can use much simpler, shorter words that have the same meaning.

• Don't bore your readers!  Add some sizzle and spice.

• Be unique and show your personality!  Don't be afraid to be yourself.
   

Each Article You Write Should Be Approximately 700-1000 Words

• Use bulleted points and break up lines of text with transitional effects like this... and this -- or use (parenthesis like this) to make it easier on your reader's eyes.

• A well written article should consist of short sentences and short paragraphs, bulleted points and sub-headings, each addressing a specific point of topic in your article.

Stay Focused On Your Topic And Provide Useful Information

• Quality is most important!  Do your research and write your articles to educate your readers.

• Folks like it when you're specific... so give them specifics.  Offer links to additional resources if needed.

• Use popular search engines like Google and Yahoo to read over similar articles and find websites focused on your subject to research your topic.
  
  IMPORTANT: There's nothing illegal or unethical about using information you've discovered from another article or website to create an article of your very own.  Just remember -- NEVER copy someone else's work word for word.  This is copyright infringement.  You can take notes from an informative article you've read and use that information to write your own article just as long as you put things into your own words.
  
  For example:
  
  Let's say you wanted to write an article titled...
  
  "How To Effortlessly Sweep Your Spouse Off Her Feet -- Wine Her And Dine Her - And Make Her Wonder Who The Great Imposter Is - All For Less Than $16."
  
  What you should do is:
   

	List everything you already know about this subject in an easy to reference list.
	Next, go to Google and do a few searches on the topic.  I'm sure you'll find several listings related to the subject.  Yes, you might have to be clever in your search, but rest assured -- you'll find the info if you dig deep enough.
	Then, read over the best of those articles and websites you find and make yourself an ultra-resourceful list on your topic.
	Finally, take your notes and construct your own article in a simple, easy to read format.

That's all there is to it.

IMPORTANT TIP: You want to provide superior, quality information in each and every article you write.  Having said that, you also want to try to be somewhat clever in your approach.

The best articles I've written provide great content but also leave out some additional information that your reader would love to have in order to truly benefit completely from your knowledge and expertise.

Let's use our example from above once again:

"How To Effortlessly Sweep Your Spouse Off Her Feet -- Wine Her And Dine Her - And Make Her Wonder Who The Great Imposter Is - All For Less Than $16."

• You might write about properly preparing for the occasion in advance -- how to be sure you have a baby sitter lined up for the kids, no guests stopping by unexpectedly, your entire menu planned out, etc...

• You may write about how important it is to have her favorite fresh flowers and her favorite music playing when she arrives home... Setting The MOOD!

• You might discuss the benefits to including a "special" little present that you know she's mentioned wanting recently...

• You can include tips on how to dress for the occasion -- why putting on a shirt and tie would really impress her and show her how serious you are about the special occasion...

• You can mention how to properly set the table with candles and fresh fruit, what types of wines go best with what dishes, some delicious romantic "finger foods" you can prepare, and how to layout the table settings perfectly...

• And FINALLY, you can mention how important it is to prepare the perfect meal for the occasion...

And Here's The Sales Pitch: Every article you write can include a "resource box" at the end of the article.  A resource box is basically a few lines of text that provides a little "snapshot" about the author of the article.  This resource box also allows you to include a subtle "PLUG" about you, your website, your newsletter, etc.

It's extremely important not to abuse your resource box with blatant plugs and sales pitches.  It's also extremely important that you NOT try to sell anything directly from your article content.  Just write a quality, informative article and that's it!

When preparing your resource box, you'll want to do so in the third person context.  For example, if I were to write the article above, I would include a resource box at the end of the article something like this:

NOTE: links below are not functioning and are used for demonstration purposes only.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About The Author:  Your Name is a cooking enthusiast and self proclaimed romantic.  His website at http://www.mywebsite.com offers simple yet delicious recipes for creating the perfect meal on a fixed budget.  David's Free E-course "Cookie Cutter Cooking" is jam packed with tips and techniques for the cooking enthusiast.  Subscribe for FREE by sending a blank email to: mailto:cooking@myautoresponder.com  or at http://www.mywebsite.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you see why that resource box is so powerful?

I just wrote an article about how to "WOW" your mate with a nice romantic evening, included dozens of helpful tips to accomplish the task, gave specific instructions (just like the title promised), and closed with a paragraph about the importance of cooking up a great meal to top off the evening.

Now... when someone reads my resource box, it explains how they can visit my website and find all sorts of delicious recipes.  Because they were interested enough to read my article, they now understand how equally important the "perfectly prepared meal" is to the occasion.

Do you think they'll click through from one of the links in the resource box to our website? 

Absolutely!!!

Plus... If they're already a "Master Chef" they also have the option to easily (with just a blank email sent by clicking on the link) sign up for a FREE e-course.

Brilliant... No?

• Offer "How To" advice.  For example:

-- How To Win Back Your Old Flame's Affection In Three Easy Steps - Do This And You'll Quickly Mend Your Broken Heart!

-- How To Effortlessly Sweep Your Spouse Off Her Feet -- Wine Her And Dine Her -- And Make Her Wonder Who The Great Imposter Is -- All For Less Than $16.

-- How To Win The Heart Of That "Special Someone" Using These Five Simple Questions -- Best Of All... They'll Never Realize You've Cast Your Magic Spell!

Here are a few additional pointers when it comes to writing titles for your articles:

Be very specific:

-- Three Keys To A Successful....
-- Four "Ultra-Resourceful" Ways You Can....
-- Seven Crucial Steps To Take To...

Or...

... In Only 3 Days Or Less!
... In Just One Weekend!
... For Under $10
... Just Listening To Your CD Player While Driving Home From Work!

For example... Don't just say:

"Your Family Will Love My Famous Homemade Spaghetti And Meatballs Recipe -- Guaranteed!"

But instead say:

"Discover "Grandma Lucia's" Traditional Pasta Recipe... Spaghetti And Meatballs... Still Being Served Daily In Her Sicilian Pasta House -- Prepared In Under 20 Minutes For Less Than $4 Bucks A Serving -- Deliciouso!"

If you sell electronics on your website and plan to write an article on installing a home theatre system... Don't Say:

"Discover My Clever Little Secrets To Installing A Home Theatre System In Your Home"

But instead say:

"Learn How To Install Your Very Own Home Theatre System In Under Two Hours -- NO TOOLS REQUIRED -- For Less Than $50... Using Only The Equipment You Already Have In Your Home!"

You get the idea?  Be very specific in your title and clearly state the benefits of reading the article in the title.  Benefits... Benefits... Benefits...!

Be specific!  Don't say several ways you can learn how to do something:
= say 5 ways
= or 10 ways
= or 3 ways.

Don't just say quickly and easily:
= say in less than two hours
= in only a weekend
= no tools required!

Use the word "YOU" as often as possible in your title.  People want to know "what's in it for me if I read this?  By using the word "YOU", it's a psychological trigger that tells them that there is something in it for them.

Okay?  Let's do one more...

Let's say you have a website selling pet products.  You're capture page (homepage) is all setup to capture a customer's email address by offering a free report and free e-course about a topic related to pets.

Now, let's take things one step further and let's assume you want to write an article that you can submit to several article directories (FREE) to get a rush of traffic to your site.  Here's the type of article you might write:

"Discover 3 Safe And Natural Remedies Guaranteed To Rid Your Home Of Fleas In 5 Days Or Less Using Only Five Basic Ingredients Found Right In Your Pantry -- Plus Save Over $200 A Year On Harmful Pesticides.

Or here's another...

Discover An Amazingly Simple Yet Effective Shortcut To Housebreak Your New Puppy In 7 Days or Less...Spending Only 10 Minutes A Day!

Be unique, entertaining -- and show off your personality!

In my opinion, this one element of writing to a targeted audience is critical.  Think back for a moment to when you were in school.  I'll bet you remember a favorite teacher or professor who you just absolutely loved learning from.

Why?

Usually, it's because of their personality -- one that seemed to shine through in their teaching.  In it's simplest terms, learning is boring!  Most folks hate the thought of learning something new.  It's a painful experience.  So it's your job to ease the pain and make the learning process fun and entertaining while still providing quality content.

Once you master this skill, you'll have a dedicated following of readers who will look forward to each and every article (or email) you write.

Don't be afraid to be yourself and offer a little bit of humor once in a while.  Show folks that you're a real person and not some robot hiding behind a computer screen.

Don't try to be someone or something you're not!  Your readers will see right through you.  Just be yourself and you'll be appreciated for it... guaranteed!

Okay then...  Understand?

That about sums it up for my "crash course" on writing a good article.

Once you've created some informative and entertaining articles.... then it's time to "set them free" onto the Internet...

And that's what we're going to discuss in lesson 2.

All I can say is... You definitely don't want to miss it... so watch for my email tomorrow and I guarantee you'll never want to pay for advertising again!

We'll chat tomorrow...

Your Name
your@email.com

P.S.  Have some questions?  I'd be more than eager to help!  Send me an email to your@email.com and I'll get back to you promptly...