Feeling More Secure

Perhaps the single biggest reason why large corporations continue to grow their business is because they've built an established brand and have a reputation for customer satisfaction. As customers, we're trained to trust no one and question everything—especially when it comes to on-line vendors. The slightest hint of questionable content or behavior can push potential customers away with the assurance that they're unlikely to return. It is vital, therefore, that a website create a connection with the viewer and provide legitimate, factual information on the merchant's products, payment methods, and return policies.

In short, you need to build customer confidence in order to build sales. Here a few tips that will help:

Demonstrate professionalism at every opportunity. The design, structure, and navigation of your site must always be first-rate, and content is king. Put your customers first and make sure you deliver an appealing, professional site that provides great information.

Let your content sell. An excellent opportunity that many websites forego is the ability to pre-sell products. Including third-party feedback (e.g., testimonials), press "clippings," and unbiased product descriptions is a great marketing tactic that prepares visitors to make a purchase before you try to sell them something.

Provide easy-to-locate and reliable contact information. Always provide a physical address, phone number, and e-mail address for customers who need help. Customers should be able to find this information easily, and you should be available as much as possible to field incoming communications. If customers leave a phone message or an e-mail, be sure to respond in a timely manner.

Present your company's information. Enlighten visitors as to what your business does and how you plan to help them to solve their problems once they make a purchase from you. Tell them why they should shop with you instead of your competitors.

Communicate your security policies. Nothing will build customers' confidence in your e-commerce business better than your taking a strong stance against the selling or sharing of e-mail addresses and other personal information. Displaying icons that highlight your secure payment service inspires customers to pay with the confidence that their information will not be intercepted and misused by cybercriminals.

Repeat and referral business is built on relationships, and relationships are built on trust. Visitors who have faith in your services, your products, and your website are more likely to make a purchase with you; and happy customers are sure to provide you with a steady stream of income over the years. By making your customers feel safe and secure, you're well on your way to securing a profitable business for yourself!

New Promotional Opportunity!

Safer motorists are our
driving passion.^SM

Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) is continually working to expand the customer base for all of our affiliates in all of the states in which we operate. Remember that your success is our success! Toward that end, we are always looking for new markets and new ways to drive customers to your websites. As part of these efforts, we have launched a social media marketing campaign in conjunction with a companion website that provides general information about traffic safety.


Our Strategy

The Website. TrafficSafety4U.com (TS4U.com) is an "umbrella" site that aims to be motorists' one-stop, go-to resource for information related to safe, responsible driving. TS4U.com will offer authoritative assistance with: driver education and training; traffic laws and citations; licensing, records, and point removal; and vehicle safety and technology. Of course, in the TSC tradition, it also offers a bit of humor to help motorists recover from a stressful day on our nation's roadways. Most importantly, however, the site contains links to traffic schools for those who need our help the most.

Social Media Marketing. Integrated with the TS4U.com site is our social media marketing effort. The social media sites cross-link with TS4U.com, and social media "feeds" are also presented on the Social Goodness page of the TS4U.com site. The content on the social sites will attract attention and prompt readers to share it with their friends. Ultimately, this traffic will be driven to TS4U.com, where referral links will encourage customers to use our traffic schools. Targeted social media platforms will include:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube (content coming in the near future)

What You Can Do

It's easy for you to take advantage of this great new opportunity to market your site:

• Take a look at the site. Give us your feedback. If you're not already on the Approved Courses list and would like to participate, contact Gloria, our Director of Affiliate Programs, via email or by calling 800 . 252 . 9488.
• Promote the program to your students:
• Mention TrafficSafety4U.com—and that we're on Facebook and Twitter—to students in your classes.
• "Like" us if you have a Facebook account of your own.
• "Follow" us on Twitter if you have an account.

Remember that getting the word out will not only provide a valuable resource to students in the future, but will help to keep you "top of mind" the next time that that driver needs traffic school, or their friend needs traffic school, or someone they know needs driver education, or…you get the idea.

The Top 5 Affiliate Marketing Mistakes

You've been working hard to get your affiliate marketing campaign up and running effectively, but anyone can stumble along the way. Today's topic is the top five mistakes that affiliate marketers make. And, of course, we'll be talking about how you can correct—or, better yet, even avoid—these snares.

1. Neglecting niche or local markets.

Competing with the enormous marketing budgets of large corporations can be really difficult. And on the Internet, your website is but one of many. Rather than getting lost in the mix, you can focus your attention on your local market and go grassroots. An online presence is critical these days, and you should certainly optimize your existence there. But by understanding your position within your community and focusing some attention locally, you can really benefit your business.

2. Acting as a Vendor Rather Than an Endorser

As an affiliate, you are a vendor. However, distancing yourself from the product or service and treating it as just another means of making a profit is the wrong way to go. It may take some time out of your day, but sit down to review the product you're selling. By evaluating the product and knowing its pros and cons, you'll be able to relate more closely to your customers and offer much-appreciated advice. And because positive personal endorsements generate sales, you will undoubtedly boost your bottom line by offering your own sincere, affirmative backing.

3. Failing to Convert Visitors

Some affiliates complain that their sites see a lot of traffic, but fail to convert visitors into sales. We've discussed before the merits of making sure that you position your selling message in a constructive, appealing, and personal manner on your homepage. Doing so will grab browsers' attention and encourage them to further investigate your site—and your wares.

4. Forgetting to Add Personality

The Internet can be cold and anonymous. Your customers will enjoy a warmer atmosphere when they see a splash of personality on your homepage. They'll appreciate the realization that there's an actual staff of human beings behind the website.

5. Failing to Plan Ahead

Involving yourself in your enterprise and having a long-term, clear vision for its future can take you far. If you are entering into an affiliate program without a lot of experience or a background in your chosen industry, explore the many articles and other resources and tools that are available on the Internet. And, self-sufficient as you are, consider picking the brain of your affiliate manager, who has an expert knowledge of the industry and affiliate operations. Formulating reasonable objectives and assembling the appropriate resources can help to expand your business beyond your expectations.


The marketing and sales techniques of the e-commerce world are ever-changing. As a vendor, it's important not to get left behind. By staying active and keeping up-to-date with your marketing efforts, you're sure to reap financial rewards!

'Snow Joke in New Jersey!

The trees are starting to turn, and winter will soon be upon us. While no snow is forecast for this week, now is the time to remind your students that they should be sure to clear snow and ice from their vehicles before hitting the road. Like loose items in the passenger cabin, snow and ice left on a vehicle can become deadly projectiles.

Under current state law, if ice or snow detaches from a vehicle and causes property damage or injury to others, the driver who failed to remove it from the vehicle can be cited and fined between $200 and $1,000 per offense. An amendment to that statute which takes effect on October 20, 2010, requires the driver of any vehicle operated on a roadway in the state to make all reasonable efforts to remove accumulated snow and ice from all exposed surfaces prior to operation. Drivers are encouraged to proactively clear their vehicle's lights, hood, windows, and roof.

It's safest to stay off of the road in bad weather, Highway Traffic Safety Director Pam Fischer reminds us. "If you must travel, slow down—particularly on exit ramps and bridges; leave ample travel time; allow extra space between your vehicle and others on the road; make sure you turn on your headlights, using low beams when driving in snow; and, buckle up, every ride."

To help prepare a vehicle for safe winter travel:

• Check the radiator, battery, and all fluid levels—especially antifreeze and windshield washer fluid. If you don't know what you're looking for or how to correct a problem, enlist the help of a qualified mechanic.
• Check the tires and replace them if they have less than 1/16" tread. (Even more is better for wintery conditions!) Change to snow tires before the first snow if you intend to use them.
• Check windshield wiper blades and replace them if the rubber is cracked and/or brittle.
• Keep the gas tank at least half-full in cold temperatures to prevent the fuel line from freezing.
• Keep a "winter survival kit" in the vehicle that is easily accessible in the event of an emergency. The kit might include: an ice scraper/brush; a shovel; jumper cables; a warm blanket; a traction enhancer (e.g., sand, salt, cat litter); lock de-icer; safety flares/warning devices; a flashlight with fresh batteries; extra windshield washer fluid; and water and non-perishable food.

Optimize Your Website

Studies have shown that e-commerce retailers have only 8 – 12 seconds to fully engage visitors and convert them to sales. The biggest challenge in e-commerce conversion lies in creating an effective landing page (usually the homepage of your website) that will entice visitors to click further into the site. The website templates that Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., provides free of charge to affiliates employ successful marketing concepts, but we encourage you to customize your site to make it your own. And, of course, you're always welcome to develop your own site.

Here are five important marketing principles that should be present on your landing page:

1. Present a clear call-to-action message that is professional and makes sense.
2. Be specific about what you're offering. Don't simply provide a generic description of your products or services. Include customer reviews and satisfaction guarantees. Your marketing copy should answer the following questions:
• Why should a customer buy this product from you?
• What differentiates you from your competitors?
• How do your prices compare to your competitors'?
• Are you offering any discounts or promotions?
• What makes your product(s) the best?
• Who needs your product(s)?
• Where (geographically) is the product available?
3. Present your information with the utmost professionalism. Organize the page so that the eye is drawn to individual items and not to large chunks of text which might deter visitors from browsing further. Above all, avoid spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors; these are prime indicators of a scam in the e-commerce world!
4. Be consistent. Branding is important in building credibility. Make sure your logo is visible on every page, and use fonts, color schemes, and other design elements uniformly.
5. Make sure visitors do not need to scroll around your site to find the "register" and "login" links. The main message, promotions, news, and images that will prompt customers to click the links need to be complete, concise, and readily apparent. Users do not want to search for these things; if they don't find them immediately, they may abandon your site.

Presenting a meaningful and professional image from the first interaction will help you to convert the visitors to your site into customers. Use the tips above to optimize your message, build a relationship with visitors, and successfully connect them with the products and information that they need.

Florida Training Seminar Scheduled

Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) is pleased to announce that we will be conducting an affiliate training seminar in Florida on Friday, October 1. The meeting will run from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (EDT), and will be held at our Winter Park office.

A TSC Master Trainer will be conducting training sessions on our classroom-based traffic safety education courses. We'll also touch on our Internet-based courses as well as the easy-to-use ASAP™ traffic school administration Web application. The seminar is intended for those affiliates who have not yet been introduced to TSC's programs, but we would welcome any affiliates who would like to join us for a quick "refresher course." It's a great forum in which to swap ideas with other traffic safety instructors!

If you're interested in attending and haven't yet made your reservation, please contact Donna via e-mail or by calling 800 . 252 . 9951. We look forward to seeing you there!

Study Illuminates Yellow-Light Running

Researchers from the University of Cincinnati, with funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation, used video cameras to monitor over 1,500 drivers at four "high-speed" intersections in suburban Ohio locations. They measured vehicle type, speed, a driver's distance from the intersection when the light turned yellow, and the decision to stop or not in what they referred to as the "dilemma zone."

They found that vehicles traveling in right-hand lanes tended to go through yellow lights, while those on the left did not. Truckers also tended to speed through yellows, as did drivers on streets with higher posted speed limits. Drivers on streets marked by 55-mph speed limits were more likely to run yellows than those in 50-mph zones.

The study found that drivers of SUVs, pickups, sedans, and vans tended to slow down at yellows more than drivers of heavy trucks. Researchers speculated that vehicle weight may be the explanation, as heavy trucks have more difficulty decelerating rapidly than smaller, lighter vehicles.

How long the light remains yellow also matters. (Yellow-light times vary, but typically last about three to five seconds. Traffic engineers base the time on the average speed of the vehicles passing through the intersection.) The longer the yellow, the more likely it is that drivers will not stop, according to the study. With a long yellow, stopping is more dangerous, because other drivers are likely to keep going through the yellow, and someone who opts to stop runs a greater risk of getting hit from behind.

Take care to remind students that yellow means caution. A yellow light warns that the signal is about to change to red. Drivers who have not entered the intersection should stop as if the light were red. Drivers who are already in the intersection should keep moving in order to clear it. Speeding up to "beat" a yellow light may lead to a collision and could be extremely dangerous!

Welcome, Virginia Affiliates!

We at Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., would like to take this opportunity to welcome our Virginia affiliates to the TSC Affiliate News Weblog/Newsletter. We'll be posting periodically to keep you up-to-date on new products and developments at TSC headquarters, to offer helpful suggestions on managing and marketing your traffic school, and to inform you of industry related information that could affect you and your operations.

Because the blog is ultimately intended as a means to disseminate useful information to you, our affiliates, we're open to your input. Feel free to add a comment to any article you see here (comments are moderated). If there are topics that you would like to see covered here, or if you would like to contribute a post to a future edition of TSC Affiliate News, please feel free to email Rick Ehlers with your ideas and suggestions.

DMV Upgrades Automated License Testing

On August 18, 2010, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles deployed an enhanced automated knowledge test for driver's license applicants. The two-part knowledge exam tests applicants' knowledge of traffic signs, motor vehicle laws, and safe driving techniques. Before attempting the test, applicants are encouraged to study the Virginia Driver's Manual and try a sample knowledge exam at www.dmvNOW.com.

The automated testing stations (kiosks) located in all DMV customer service centers have been enhanced to allow applicants to answer all questions before the exam is scored, eliminating the "quick pass/fail" feature. Applicants also control when the exam is scored. At the end of each part, applicants are given the option to review and modify their answers before the exam is scored; but applicants must still pass Part One before moving on to Part Two. The automated system still contains the "skip" feature, whereby skipped questions are asked again at the end of each section. Finally, at the end of a failed exam, applicants are offered a self-review of missed questions, which allows privacy rather than forcing them to stand at an examiner's window to review a paper exam.

A frequently heard misconception is that exams administered on paper are somehow "easier" than the automated version, but the questions are exactly the same and there are no disadvantages to taking the test electronically. In fact, it costs the DMV—and subsequently taxpayers—more money to manually administer and grade a paper test. So, go ahead and spread the word: Virginians can save some money (and trees!) and reap the benefits of the electronic age by taking their driver's license exam with the new and improved automated system!

News You Can Use from the DHSMV

From time to time, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) communicates important news to traffic schools operating in the state. As your curriculum provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) in turn, forwards those messages along to you.

Over the past several weeks, the DHSMV has issued the following bulletins:

• The DHSMV is concerned that the Failure to Complete (FTC) rate for Advanced Driver Improvement courses is extremely low. There were 1495 FTCs reported in August 2009, but only 12 reported in March 2010. Please make sure that you are reporting all ADI FTCs on Form 77057. (Check out TSC's blog post from June on this topic.)
• The DHSMV is no longer correcting erroneous certificates for students or traffic schools. If any student—including an Internet student—provides incorrect information for a certificate, the school must issue another certificate to correct the error. For example, if a student provides the wrong citation number or driver license number for a certificate, you must mark the erroneous certificate as a "no show" and create another class to issue a different certificate with the correct information.
• Citation numbers must appear on all BDI, ADI, and 3 Crashes/3 Years certificates. These are the only certificates which must list a citation number for DHSMV purposes, but other, court-ordered courses may require a citation or case number for the certificate to be accepted. Check with the appropriate court to verify their needs.

If you have any questions about these directives from the DHSMV, please email Donna or call her at 800-252-9951.