These are several ways that you can use to persuade visitors to give their e-mail address.

1. Ask visitors to subscribe to your e-zine. It's a good idea to also give them a freebie when they subscribe.

2. Have them sign-up to get access to download a f.ree ebook. The subject of ebook should be related to your target audience.

3. Give your visitors a free membership inside your member's only web site. Have them sign-up to receive a user name and password.

4. Hold a free contest or sweepstakes at your web site. Ask them to give you their contact information to enter.

5. Offer your visitors free consulting via e-mail. Have them fill out a web form to e-mail you with their questions.

6. Hold an interactive poll on your web site. Ask your visitors to e-mail you their vote or opinion.

I recently posted an article titled “Internet Marketing and Public Speaking: Ten Tips for When Twain Shall Meet.” One of tips concerned a means to practice your sales presentation with a “Murder Board.” I received several emails requesting a fuller explanation of this practice method.

I decided to write two explanatory articles, so vital is this method to improve one’s public speaking, specifically in preparing a presentation aimed at selling off-line your on-line product. In this article, I’ll provide an in-depth explanation of this practice method; in second, I’ll cover seven steps need for a successful Murder Board.

Simply stated, Murder Board is a realistic simulation of actual presentation to be made. Colleagues role-play audience, asking type of questions they believe this specific group is likely to ask. It is intended to be more difficult than actual presentation.

If you want to become an effective and persuasive presenter to boost your on-line marketing, this realistic practice session is most effective shortcut to speaking excellence. It allows you to make your mistakes when they don't count, increasing odds that you will shine when actual presentation is made.

The Origin of Murder Board

The term Murder Board has its origins within U.S. military, specifically within extensive training system of U.S. Army. When a person has been selected to be an instructor at an Army school, he or she must go through a demanding instructor training program.

Graduation and designation as an instructor is dependent not on a written test, but successful delivery of a 50 minute class from curriculum of school.

The audience for this crucible can be instructors who have gone through their own Murder Board, and are determined that this would-be instructor will experience same frustration and humiliation they did. They ask tough, realistic, questions, type of questions their students are asking.

At end of 50 minute class, aspiring instructor gets a a thumbs up—meaning he or she can now join this band of brothers and sisters as an instructor, or a thumbs-down, meaning another “opportunity” to go through a Murder Board.

Lessons from Pentagon

This realistic simulation has permeated military culture. As an example, when I ran Defense Intelligence Agency's (DIA) briefing team, we had three Murder Boards before daily briefing to Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The first one was at 5:30 AM, second at 6:30 AM, third in front of two General officers and all analysists, one hour later. By time my briefer or I was standing in front of Chairman, those intense sessions had provided right answers to virtually any conceivable question Chairman was likely to ask.

Why have a Murder Board?

This painstaking practice session has two overriding objectives: