Archive for May, 2008

Internet Marketing Tips

May 31, 2008 - 5:33 pm

If you are running a home business you are surely aware of how important it is to have a good marketing strategy in effect. If you want to make a lot of money using the internet, you will have to know how to market your company effectively. There are a couple of tips that you can follow when you are trying to figure out how to make internet marketing work for you.

1. When you are looking into internet marketing ideas you will want to make sure that you leave no stone unturned. There are hundreds of internet marketing strategies that you can use; it is just a matter of finding out which one best works for you, and how to go about implementing it.

2. If internet marketing is an area that you do not excel at, there is no reason to get worried. One of the best ways to find out which internet marketing strategies work best is to ask around. In other words, find a couple of companies that are similar to yours and get in touch with them. Ask them what they do as far as internet marketing is concerned. Most people would be glad to help you out if you explain your situation to them. By getting information from people who have been successful,

you up your chances of putting a solid internet marketing strategy into place.

On a similar note, you can also join a couple of message boards or online communities for help. By belonging to an online community that concentrates on home business internet marketing, you will be able to network with other people that are in the

same situation as you. Again, you can pick their brains for information, while also sharing your tips and successes with them.

3. Don’t get stuck with only one internet marketing strategy in place. Many people put all of their eggs in one basket, and end up getting themselves in trouble when their internet marketing strategy does not work. For example, instead of simply using

affiliate marketing, make sure that you combine it with other strategies such as ezine advertising. This will ensure that even if one method is not working that you can still draw in some customers from your other avenues. Having a diverse internet marketing strategy will go a long way in ensuring that you never have to deal with slow times.

Overall, if you own a home business you will need to have an internet marketing strategy to succeed. Without an internet marketing strategy you will only be tapping into a small fraction of your potential customers. Implement an internet marketing strategy today, and see results by tomorrow. You will be amazed at how easy it can be!

Internet Marketing Through Self-Promotion

May 29, 2008 - 6:52 pm

Selling an item or service through the internet can be a grueling task, without question. And most internet marketing techniques either don’t work, or have been overused. Marketing through self-promotion is a new, innovative way to sell your products, while at the same time advertising your skills. Providing your customers with information about yourself and your background can put them at ease with their impending purchase, and assure them that you care about their best interest. This fresh internet marketing technique may just be one of the best sources currently available.

One way to utilize internet marketing through promoting yourself, is to regularly participate in online communities. These can involve discussion groups, chat rooms, or message boards. Any forum where you can interact with the public is a great form of internet marketing. As you regularly visit these online areas, you will get acquainted with your peers, as they familiarize themselves with you and your business.

Another great internet marketing technique is composing informational articles on subjects that you are interested or skilled in. The end of the article should include a byline, and short bio about you. Adding your web site address is also a helpful marketing tool. Submit the articles to numerous e-zines and article directories for even more internet marketing power.

Have you ever wanted to be a teacher or professor? Why not teach an online class devoted to your area of expertise? Chat room classes have become a favorite on the web, and now an outstanding marketing source. A chat room can easily be installed on your web site. Before each class begins, be sure to tell your students about your education, background, and business. This method of internet marketing is exceptional, because it allows for continuous interaction and a commitment to learn more about the subject at hand. The more that you promote and market yourself, the more others will want to know about your business and goals!

Internet Marketing Success With Joint Ventures

May 28, 2008 - 12:03 pm

There are many ways to make money on the internet. All methods however, come with a price-tag. For starters, you will probably need to purchase basic business software and relevant learning materials. Planning and developing your ideas will definitely require dedication and perseverance all along the way.

One of the best methods for getting started is to partner with other internet marketers so that you can reach larger target audiences.

These joint ventures or “JV’s” can take-on many different forms. Some are as simple as promoting each other’s newsletters, while others may be more complex partnerships with cross-promoting of complimentary products. Some JV’s even involve starting entirely new projects from scratch.

Joint Ventures are a powerful tool for expanding business in many areas. So, what is stopping ‘you’ from using this technique to expand your business?

For many new internet marketers, starting a JV can be a frightening task, especially when it comes to contacting other internet marketers.

Too often, many internet marketers appear to be “spamming,” when they are really just seeking other JV partners. Here are some tips that may help you along the way:

1. Get to know your potential JV partners.

If you start emailing everyone on your list of potential partners, chances are you will be considered a common spammer. You won’t get the partners you want, or even worse, may destroy your reputation in the process.

Instead, subscribe to your potential partner’s newsletter and check out their websites and blog. Get to know them a little bit before approaching them with a proposal.

2. Go slowly when approaching potential partners.

Let’s face it, everyone likes a little flattery. When contacting your potential JV partner, treat them like your “first date.” Be courteous and complimentary. Tell them the things you like about their business. Join their newsletter and tell them you think it is awesome, and why. You will be surprised at how much attention you receive by using a little well placed flattery as you proceed to develop your relationships with potential JV partners.

3. Your financial estimates should always be realistic.

Don’t promise what you can’t deliver. Be honest with your potential partners. Explain your proposal and benefits in realistic terms, but don’t hype. Be honest, open and sincere.

Getting a Joint Venture off the ground doesn’t have to be scary if you start by following the three simple steps given above.

Get going and get growing today!

Internet Marketing Success

May 27, 2008 - 6:59 pm

Information products are easily sold via the internet today in such forms as audio, video and ebooks.

In order to be successful on the internet super highway, you must first find a unique information product and find a target market.

Ebooks are much easier and much less expensive to create than a printed book. First, your customer can download the ebook immediately and secondly, there is no shipping cost as in a printed book.

Take action by gathering ideas from such places as magazine ads, tv commercials and searching for hot topics on the internet. Large companies spend large sums of money on print and tv advertising. You can bet they know their target market. So, why not let them help you find that target market.

After finding a niche market, it is time to test market your idea. You will make mistakes and try things that just don’t work, but don’t get discouraged. Learn from your mistakes. You will be amazed at the results that come from the school of hard knocks.

Having your own internet marketing business is exciting and very rewarding and you may even make lots of money.

Good luck and TAKE ACTION NOW!

Internet Marketing Service.

May 25, 2008 - 11:53 am

Is Internet Marketing a service?

Well in a since I guess it is. Maybe we are marketing to a specific niche outside of the Internet Marketing (IM) community, or maybe we are marketing directly to the IM community. Either way, I’m sure you would agree that we are performing a service.

I run a website about pool and billiards. You can find free fundamental training on the game, information about billiards equipment and even a chart showing how large of a room you need depending on the size of pool table you are putting in the room. Wouldn’t you agree that this is definitely a service?

Many people are looking for that magic pill when it comes to making money online. What we need to understand, is that in order to make money and build a business, we have to provide value to others. Look at any business out there and you will find that they provide value to others. They perform a service.

If I were to take people by the hand, help them choose a topic and product, and then guide them in setting up a profitable business, You could call it an Internet Marketing Service.

What kind of service do you provide?

You must remember the part about providing value to others. This is the only way to build a lasting business. We see people come along who sell flash and flare with no real value. These people may make a little money short term, but unless true value to others is provided, the business will tank.

I write quite a few articles about Internet Marketing, Home based business, online marketing, pool and billiards and even Mexican Food, Italian Food and other misc. foods. (My wife and I run a frozen burrito and misc. food company.) My goal in any business which I operate is to provide indisputable value to the end consumer.

Drop me a line and let me know what you are into. Leave a comment on my blog with your comments stories and questions. Good luck finding or starting a killer Internet Marketing Service.

To Your Success,

Ted

Internet Marketing Services Online Tactics

May 24, 2008 - 9:12 pm

Companies selling goods and services over the Internet need to employ web based marketing tactics that serve to draw traffic to their website, improve visitors-to-buyers ratios and increase the amount each buyer spends. The use of the web as a marketing tool is a challenge because Internet users are now much more mission oriented in their web behavior and are less inclined to surf or allow themselves to be enticed into entering a web path that deviates from their intended destination.

The effectiveness of an online marketing program is dependent on the extent to which it succeeds in reaching the intended target audience at a time when the marketing message is relevant to the target. Initially it was believed that the web, with its data mining capabilities, would open up dramatic new opportunities to marketers, but the initial enthusiasm has proven exaggerated, largely because marketers were unclear in how they defined relevant and bombarded consumers with automated marketing messages that proved to have little genuine relevance to the site visitor.

The lesson to be learned from the initial shortcomings of online marketing is that people cannot be fooled into believing something is relevant just because a banner advertisement or window pops up on their computer screen. Nor can we, as professional online marketers, assume that relevancy is determined by the immediate activity of the web user. Not everyone searching a site on telecommunications want to buy a book on the topic. True, they might have a greater interest than someone who never visits a telecommunications website, but that is not the same as relevancy.

The real way to guarantee relevancy is to allow the user to determine what is relevant to him or her at any given moment. It’s true that this is being done to some extent by having a presence where relevancy might occur. Still, the challenge to online marketers is to create new tactics or new twists on existing tactics that will serve the interests of online marketers by serving the needs of online buyers.

Search engines allow online users to declare relevancy by electing the topics to which they wish to be directed. Registering your site with the search engines will help drive traffic to your site. Effective registration is a three-phase process. You need to (1) be identified by the search engines, (2) be placed relatively close to the top of the search list, and (3) get selected by the searcher. Hints for effective use of search engines include:

* Don’t wait for the search engine crawlers to find you. Submit the URLs you want listed to the search engines. You’ll need to be patient though. The birthrate of new websites is such that it could take a few weeks before your site actually gets listed.

* Keep resubmitting your URL. Even the best search engines only feature about 10% of the web pages out there. With more than a billion pages on the web the task is overwhelming and getting more so every day. Still, the huge number of new of web pages means that the search engines often have to remove existing pages in order to accommodate new ones. By resubmitting on a regular basis you will insure that even if you were bumped, you’re back on.

* Choose your search engines. Insofar as you do not want to make site submission a full time occupation, it is wise to select which search engines are most important for your company. In most cases you will elect to submit to the larger, more active engines, but if, for example you are in a specialized category, you may want to register with an engine dedicated to your sector as well.

* Use titles and meta tags. Search engines will rank titles and meta descriptions highly, so this will help you get placed more prominently in search results. Also, your title and description will most likely be used by the search engine in the search results, so make certain what you write is what you want the search results to show.

There are a number of online marketing tactics you can employ on your website:

* Personalize It - you can create a personal and ongoing relationship with your customers through the use of personalization. By providing your customers with a registration option, that comes with a variety of convenience-oriented benefits, you will be able to identify users as they login. You can then use the knowledge of their presence to welcome them and offer a level of personalized assistance. This will allow the consumer the chance to indicate their relevancy as they enter your website, giving you the chance to work in suggested products and impulse buys.

* Merchandise - traditional retailers use a variety of physical elements to promote the sale of goods in their stores. Some of these include scent machines, music, lighting and shelf placement. Your online entity needs to merchandise its goods without the benefit of these subliminal influences. It is therefore essential that you present your products in an orderly and logical manner. Make sure to incorporate sophisticated search engines that provide the consumer with the ability to search regardless of their perspective of the product. Also, when presenting merchandise it is best to offer a photo, as well as in-depth product specifications. Some sites also offer consumer reviews and products of the day. Both of these are effective and useful merchandising strategies.

* Have Good Web Architecture - when designing the architecture of your site keep in mind the consumer experience and strive to construct a site that provides the greatest possible levels of convenience, information and comfort. The way products are presented is only part of the puzzle. You must also pay attention to the user path, the check out and payment process, and the placement of special offers. You are aiming to create a gratifying and enjoyable consumer experience. Design your website to deliver.

* Use E-mail - mail can serve as a valuable marketing tool provided you structure your messages well and avoid engaging in spam. Use your e-mail campaign to develop a relationship with your shoppers, allowing them access to special offers and updates about new product offerings.

* Practice Loyalty Marketing - loyalty marketing is valuable because it creates a bond between you and your customers and gives them an incentive to come back and buy from your website again. Some loyalty programs allow buyers to earn points that can be redeemed at a variety of network-affiliated websites. Other programs allow points to be converted to cash. You also have the option of developing your own incentive loyalty program, although Tudog does not recommend this unless you are prepared to provide extremely attractive rewards. There is a consumer perception of added value in programs that allow for redemption through multiple sites or as cash. The important thing to keep in mind is that loyalty programs show customers that you appreciate their business and they in turn reward you with repeat purchases.

* Develop an Affiliate Network - affiliates serve your site by creating points-of-awareness at various websites of similar or related interests, and can serve to create credibility through association. There are affiliate management services, such as Commission Junction (.commissionjunction.com) and Be Free (.befree.com) that can lend exposure to your affiliate effort.

Consumer e-commerce has taken a beating in the last 18 months or so, but just as many pundits exaggerated its potential, so too are they now exaggerating reports of its demise. If you have an e-commerce site, or think adding one to your brick and mortar operation will enhance sales, there is an audience of millions of web users who are still open to responding to your marketing gesture - provided it is compelling, appealing and relevant.

Internet Marketing Strategy as simple as 123.

May 24, 2008 - 8:29 pm

I found an Internet marketing strategy that is simple and inexpensive. The strategy takes some time and effort, but the results speak for themselves.

I discovered this method mid December 2007 and put it into play on January 4th 2008. I started using the method in the billiards niche. I chose this niche because I have been building a content site around pool and billiards since January of 2007.

The method is a combination of blogging, social book marking and article submission. I know this can sound kind of confusing, but it is really quite simple. This Internet marketing strategy only takes a few minutes a day and the results can be unbelievable.

The blog that I started about billiards had over 11000 hits in January. This is pretty cool considering I set the blog up on my domain and wrote the first article on January 4th.

If this sounds like something that interests you and you need some help understanding the technical side of things, just shoot me an email and I will help you out. This is a fun way to build traffic to your website and pay it forward with some knowledge for other people interested in your niche.

When doing this type of marketing, it is important to pick a topic that you know and have a true passion for. This makes it much easier to write about.

Don’t worry if you have never written anything before. If you have a passion for the subject it will come easy. Your passion will come through in your writing and the audience who reads it will respect that.

Writing content like this is really nothing more that simply communicating. Just write as if you are talking to a friend.

To Your Success on finding a good Internet Marketing strategy.

Ted

Internet Marketing Strategies for Local Business

May 24, 2008 - 3:47 pm

Now more then ever profitable opportunities exist to promote your local business on the Internet. Through search engine optimization, pay per click advertising, email marketing and local listings, you can connect with a willing audience. Your customers are turning to the Internet to find local products and services. If your competitors have an online presence and you don’t, guess who gets to take home the prize

Below are several crucial techniques for promoting your business regionally:

  • Listings in local search engines and directories
  • Pay Per Click advertising in Google and Yahoo


  • Email marketing


  • Search engine optimization
  • Local Listings

    Even if you do not have a web site you can still promote your local business online. For example, you can list you business and contact information with the local search engines of Yahoo and Google. It takes an hour at the most to get a free listing on the two most popular search engines. Your listing will include an interactive map that can direct customers right to your front door.

    Another important resource that accepts free listings is Verizon’s Superpages.com, as does the local version of AOL.

    And don’t overlook regional and industry specific directories. Many accept free listings, or charge a nominal fee. Once again, for most a web site is not a prerequisite.

    Pay Per Click Advertising

    If you do have a web site, than you need to promote your local business through Pay Per Click on both Google and Yahoo. With Pay Per Advertising you bid on keyword terms that your potential customers would use in a search. An example is “Tacoma Wedding Photographer.” The cost per click depends on how competitive the term is. You only pay if a prospect clicks on your text ad and goes to your site. This is referred to as performance advertising, where you only pay if the ad performs.

    The appeal of PPC is you can get it going within an hour. You set the budget, you determine what keywords are relevant, and you determine your price per click. You can also turn it on or off in an instance. The general consensus is that PPC generates a higher return on your investment over traditional offline advertising.

    Search Engine Optimization - Free Traffic

    For those that like a challenge there is search engine optimization. SEO is the ability to optimize your web site for high search ranking. If you can optimize your site properly, you can benefit from an endless stream of free, targeted search engine traffic. It takes time and effort, but the results can take your business to a whole new level.

    If you are selling nationally SEO can be cutthroat. For a local business it can be relatively easy to rank for terms that relate to your business and location. (ex. Richmond Wedding Photographer)

    Local Email Marketing

    Another tremendous marketing tool is email. For virtually nothing you can communicate with both prospects and your existing customers. Email is an excellent method to convert prospects to customers. It can also significantly increase the lifetime value of your existing customers by simply alerting them to upcoming sales and promotions.

    Knowing the power of email communication, I find it hard to believe how few use it to promote their local business. Now listen up, start collecting your customer’s email addresses today. I can guarantee they will respond favorably to joining your list. We all like to be informed on bargains and special offers.

    The future of your local business will depend on the Internet. It is estimated 25% of searches online are local in nature. The Internet is the perfect resource for finding local products and services, which is why your customers are searching online. Now is the time to get your business positioned to reap the rewards.

    Internet Marketing Secrets Spiel

    May 23, 2008 - 7:04 pm

    Wouldn’t you like to know all the Internet marketing “secrets” that have made me the man I am today?

    I live in a house way too big for my beautiful wife and myself. We eat three square meals a day and can snack anytime we feel like it! We drive our luxurious Cavalier to the beach and swim anytime we want (when I’m not busy making money on the Internet and the beach is not closed because of E. coli levels or ice fishing).

    It wasn’t always this way. I remember just about fifty-two short years ago when I had no clothes. The doctor had to wrap me up in a blanket. But I applied myself for decades and finally starting making money on the Internet.

    Did you hear about the guy that made fifty million dollars in one day on eBay? Peanuts! If you want to make really huge amounts of cash from e-commerce, listen to a guy who’s been there.

    Why should I tell you (a perfect stranger) all my tricks of the trade? Why don’t I just keep the information to myself and make a ton of cash with that knowledge?

    These are good questions. This proves that you are thinking and that people on the Internet are not stupid or gullible.

    The real reason I am sharing this information is because I like people. In fact, I like you. I consider you one of my closest friends because you are interested in my one passion, Internet marketing. The fact that you have read this far proves your interest. Because you are so smart and motivated, I want to help you.

    The fact that I am going to release only 5,000 copies of my Internet marketing “secrets” at $5,000 a pop, for a cool $25,000,000, has absolutely nothing to do with money.

    You see, I don’t really need the money. We only have three more payments to go on the Cavalier. My fridge is full of Canadian beer. So, money is obviously not my prime motivation.

    My charging you $5,000 for my Internet marketing “secrets” is my way of giving back to the community. Really, I’m doing all this to help you because I want to leave behind a legacy. I want people to say (after I’m dead and have no clue about what’s going on) what a great philanthropist I was.

    By the way, the lawyer at the legal clinic said I should tell you two words: “Earnings Disclaimer”.

    Even though anyone as smart and motivated and good-looking as you is sure to make billions on the Internet working two or less hours a week, he insisted that I tell you. (Aren’t these creative types hilarious?)

    He says: “There is no guarantee that you will make any money. Some persons are stupid, lazy and ugly and have zero chance of success.”

    What a party pooper!

    Internet Marketing Secrets

    May 22, 2008 - 10:49 pm

    If you are developing a new website, or just want to improve the natural search results of an existing website, there are a few Internet marketing secrets you need to know - especially those that can provide a significant boost to your rankings.

    Marketing Experts Start with Google

    I have seen various statistics, but one thing is clear, Google is the dominant player of search - commanding approximately 60% of all search engine traffic. Ask any marketing expert where he or she would spend their search engine optimization efforts and they will undoubtedly say “Google”. Do what you can to rank well on Google. As a result, you will see results on other search engines as well.

    One of the simplest Internet marketing secrets you can put into effect immediately is to register your domain name for 3 years. Many individuals who begin a web-based business register for one year only. You must realize however that Google is in the business of generating quality results from legitimate businesses. If you’re an established business, chances are that your web site has been up for more than a year. Google likes to see longevity and commitment. If you plan to be around for some time, register your domain for three years and show Google that you’re in business to stay.

    Optimize Your Home Page for a Keyword Phrase

    You have to use the right keywords if you want your website to appear at the top of any search result list. This can be tricky because most single key words are very competitive. What to do? Another internet marketing secret is to use a keyword phrase, not just a single keyword. Additionally, you want to find a keyword phrase that isn’t very competitive but generates a decent level of traffic on a daily and monthly basis. To do so, follow these simple steps:

    1. Visit the overture search tool at inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/. This tool shows you how many individuals typed in a particular search term for the previous month.

    2. Type in your keyword and notice other keyword suggestions. Select a number of keyword phrases to evaluate. The higher number of people searching on a keyword phrase generally means that it will be harder for you to get top placement for that term. A good number to shoot for, in terms of monthly keyword phrase searches, is about 1000 - 2000 per month.

    3. Go to .google.com and type in the keyword phrase(s) you’ve selected one at a time. After entering each, notice the total number of results listed in the upper right hand corner after your search. This is the number of web pages that are also associated with this keyword phrase. You want to find the keyword phrase that commands the highest number of monthly searches (step 2 above) and the least number of competitors.

    On Page Optimization

    If you are going to rank well for any keyword phrase, you need to effectively manage your on page optimization. Specifically, your use of H1 and H2 tags, page title, alt images, bolded text, italicized text, underlined text, and keyword proximity. The Internet marketing secret here is to copy your competition and do things slightly better. To do so, type in your keyword phrase in Google and visit the top 5 sites listed individually. Select “view source” in the Internet browser window you’re using for each site and see what your toughest competition has done.

    *Have they included the keyword phrase in their page title?

    *Does the keyword appear in bolded text only once?

    *Italicized text one? Underlined text only once?

    *Does the keyword phrase appear in the first 25 words on the page? The last 25 words?

    You will need to copy what the best websites for that keyword phrase have done and improve upon it. You don’t need a marketing expert to show you how to do what I’ve just described, simply copy the best and evaluate each point noted. Shape your site to appeal to Google and other key search engines.

    Off - Page Optimization

    The final Internet Marketing Secret you must learn is the importance of off-page optimization. This refers to the number of links pointing to your site, the PR rank (stands for Google Page Rank) of the sites linking to you, and the Anchor text of the link.

    There are some simple things you can do to begin developing an aggressive link campaign for those sites that link to your competitors - for the keyword phrase you’ve selected. The best advice I can give you however is to research SEO and link building software on the Internet. This will allow you to make the most of your time and target the best sites to improve your link popularity.

    Building your link popularity is an arduous task and in my opinion difficult. I’ve certainly learned over the last few years that your effectiveness in this area is ultimately determined by the tools you use and effort you exert. Take my word for it, you don’t want to build your links manually, you’ll never get ahead - so research options on the Internet.

    Once you begin developing links, you’ll need to monitor them on an ongoing basis. Keep in mind that you will often have to provide a link on your website to the third party site. Be sure to create a links page where you maintain your link exchanges and monitor it regularly to insure that third party links to your domain still exist. If removed, you should remove your link as well.

    The Internet marketing secrets shared in this article are essential for improving your search engine results. Take your time and implement each one in a controlled and disciplined manner and you will see your rankings improve.