How to be Passionate About Affiliate Marketing? - YouTube

How to be Passionate About Affiliate Marketing? - YouTube:

☕️ Buy Me A Coffee  https://ko-fi.com/rudulah

⭐️ The 1-Page Marketing Plan: Get New Customers, Make More Money, And Stand Out From The Crowd  https://amzn.to/3RSbIey

⭐️ Passion To Profit: The 7 Simple Steps to Turning Your Passion into Rewarding Profit  https://amzn.to/3Byr1DT

⭐️ One Million Followers, Updated Edition: How I Built a Massive Social Following in 30 Days  https://amzn.to/3QxhX6j

⭐️ Buy Amazon, eBay & Walmart products with crypto (BTC, ETH, BNB, etc.) at https://shopping.io

⭐️ NOWPayments eCommerce plugins enabling your store to accept crypto (BTC, ETH, BNB) as payment - https://nowpayments.io/payment-tools

Okay, you've decided you want to make money with Affiliate Marketing. So, you join some affiliate programs and start submitting free ads to newsletters and free advertising classifieds sites. You're going to make BIG money now -- right?

Nope! Sorry! Just sending out a few ads is not going to do it. Not if you want to be a real success. 

You must first determine your passion. I mean other than making the money! What is your hobby? What do you know how to do REALLY well? What is your job? Everyone has something that is their own special talent. Find yours. 

You probably have more than one thing that you are very interested in and do well. See if you can find five (ten if you're really ambitious). Write them down in a list. Remember, you are going to be spending a lot of time working with this subject. Make sure you enjoy it!

Go down each item on your list. Start writing a rough outline of everything you know about the topic. It doesn't have to be elaborate. This is just to give you an idea of how much information is available for a given subject. 

Try mind mapping. Write down the main subject of your idea. Draw a circle around it. Now, start thinking of sub-categories that are related to your main category. Draw a line from your main category and end it with a circle. Put the sub-category title inside this circle. Find as many sub-categories (and sub-sub-categories) as you can. 

Go through each of your interests with this procedure. Choose the one that you know the most about and that you can write about comfortably.

What if you "think" you don't know enough about your topic? Then, do some research. Read books and magazines. Do some searches on the Internet. Who knows? You might find an area, a niche, that is just waiting for you to fill it with useful information.

There's a lot more to affiliate marketing, of course. But the first step is to find your passion. Your "passion" doesn't have to be making money on the Internet. It can be cooking, sewing, billiards, or whatever. In fact, it's better if you find a niche that isn't in the online marketing arena because that's what nearly everyone else is doing. 

Make your topic unique. Make it yours. And make it your passion. It will pay you well. 

Three options to choose which type of business would suit you best

Very few people ever got rich by working for someone else. Leaving aside pop musicians, sportsmen and similarly gifted people, the only way to acquire wealth by work is to build a business of your own. The type of business you decide upon will depend on: a) how much money you have available as start-up capital and working capital; b) your business idea; and c) your confidence level.

There are three types of business: 1) the traditional one in which you are reliant solely on your own efforts; 2) a franchise where you follow a proven idea and receive considerable training and back-up from the franchise company; and 3) network marketing.

Each business type has its pros and cons.

• The traditional business requires considerable financial input, either from your own resources or part-funded by your bank. You may need to rent premises; buy equipment; hire staff; pay for advertising, brochures, stationery, and stock. A frighteningly high percentage of this type of business fails in the first year. To succeed you need: a good idea, considerable financial backing, good health, an understanding spouse, and stamina. If you do succeed you will own the business outright and benefit from all the profits.

• Franchises have a high success rate. Banks like them because each franchise operation has a proven track record and thus the banks can accurately judge the risk, consequently they will lend money for this sort of start-up. However, all the support and training comes at a price: the initial entrance fee is likely to be very high, and a percentage of the business’s turnover has to be paid to the franchise company.  

• Network marketing, also known as multi-level marketing, has many advantages and few disadvantages. The entrance fee is low and the ongoing expenses are even lower. A network marketing business can be started in your spare time – in fact that is the best way to approach it. Start small, and keep at it. The secret is perseverance, get past the first year and you should find the business has a sound foundation from which you can build a serious income. It is said that 95% of those who survive ten years in network marketing become wealthy beyond their wildest expectations.

So which type of business is for you? If you wish to provide a service or product where you have previous experience from, say, a former employment, the traditional business will be probably be the best choice. However, if you are just tired of working for someone else and making them rich and wish to strike out on your own, then a franchise or network marketing must be the preferred option. 

The choice then is determined chiefly by the funds you have access to, and the time and effort you wish to put into your enterprise. A franchise will require substantial funds and 100% commitment. You are jumping in at the deep end, although the franchise company will provide training and support to help you to swim.  

On the other hand you can ease yourself gently into network marketing by starting part-time while you continue with your current employment, building your business by ploughing back profits if necessary. Persevere and there will come a time when the income from your own business will be sufficient to support you financially. You will then be able to leave your employment and concentrate on your business, spending more time on it or enjoying considerable free time with your family.

10 tips to put a successful Relationship Marketing program into place

You've probably heard the saying "It's easier to keep an existing customer than to get a new one." 

Well, it's more than just a saying, it's true.

That's why you want to take very good care of your current clients or customers and do whatever you can to give them lots of reasons and opportunity to buy from you over and over again.

Who wants to constantly be out there pounding the pavement looking for new clients and customers? That's a lot of work. It's much easier to up-sell or cross-sell to people who already know and love you.

Here are 10 tips you can use to put a successful Relationship Marketing program into place so you can reap the benefits for years to come.

#1  Create a customer database or file

Whether you have many clients or customers or just a few, make sure you keep records with important details about them. These details may vary depending on your line of business, but they may include their purchase history, special dates such as their birthday or anniversary,  family member names or their favorite restaurant or leisure activity.

#2  Never take your customers for granted

Your customers are the reason you are in business. Never assume they will always be there. Continue to earn their trust and show them you care and value their business.

#3  Show your appreciation

Do little things to show how much you appreciate having them as a client. Send them a thank you card or token of appreciation. Do something nice for them. Sometimes its even as simple as just saying "thank you."

#4  Stay in touch

Find ways to stay in touch with your clients. Send out a regular newsletter. Clip and send them news articles about their industry or issues they are concerned about. Make regular telephone calls or send email. Send holiday cards. Use these tools to remind them you're still around and that you still care.

#5  Take an interest in them and their business

Ask questions. Find out what their challenges are and see if you can help them. Show them you understand their business or their issues and you're interested in more than just their last purchase.

#6  Serve them

Make it a priority to go out of your way to provide services that truly deliver and make your customers' lives or their businesses better.  Provide great customer service. Do whatever you can to help them achieve their goals.

#7  Give extra value

Exceed expectations. Give more than your clients are expecting so they are dazzled and anxious to work with you more. Act as if their business is your business and their problems are your problems and help them any way you can.

#8  Ask them what else you can do for them

Find out how else you can serve them. Other products or services you might be able to provide to help them reach their goals and be more successful. Take an interest in looking beyond your last sale into how you can help them even more.

#9  Be responsive

Always respond in a timely manner to your clients. Get back to them quickly when they have a question or need help. Return phone calls and emails promptly.  Be on time, or better yet, be early for meetings and appointments. Being responsive tells your clients you think they are important and that you respect them and their time.

#10 Make things easy for them

Always be looking for ways you can make things easier for them. If you meet with clients in person, go to them instead of always making them come to you. Make it easy for them to use your services or buy your products in ways that are convenient for them. Give them options and choices.

If you put these steps into action, I promise you your customer relationships will be strong.  And, when you make your customer relationships your top priority you'll be rewarded with long-term,  profitable clients. 

(C) Copyright 2005 Debbie LaChusa

How to create on-target marketing messages?

We are bombarded with thousands of marketing messages daily…on television and the radio, on the internet, in magazines and newspapers, on billboards and other signs, and even at the bottoms and on the backs of receipts.  The world is, indeed, a very noisy place.  And in order to get heard, we need our marketing messages to be clear and concise.  

A vague message is one that isn't easily understood - it doesn't speak to a potential customer or client.  To be successful in business, our messages must clearly target a specific audience, explaining to them the features and benefits of our product or service.  We need to get the public involved and interested enough to want to have further conversations with us.  Only then do we have the entrée for beginning to develop a relationship with them, the first step in the selling process.  

How can we ensure that our messages are all that they can be?

1.  Define your target market.  One of the best ways to create a clear output is to start with clear inputs.  When it comes to anything you do for your business, you need to be very clear on your target market.  Who do you want to reach with your marketing efforts?  Define them as clearly as possible.  Are they male or female?  What are their ages, their occupations, and their lifestyles?  Why would they want to do business with you?  The more clear you are about who you want to work with, the more clear you will be when crafting your marketing messages.

2.  Market narrowly, but deliver broadly.  Your marketing message should be carefully focused to cater specifically to the needs and wants of your target market.  One might think you'd be passing up opportunities for more customers or clients.  The reality is that more people will be attracted to you if you position yourself as a specialist rather than a generalist.  Folks associate a higher degree of expertise with a specialist, and, more than likely, you'll be able to charge premium prices to reflect this marketing position.  Once you've gotten their attention you can market many things to them (delivery broadly).

3.  Talk about the customer, not yourself.  Your marketing message should speak to the prospect, their particular needs and wants.  What problems can you solve for the customer?  Make a list of the top 10 problems that you solve for others.  These should be the substance and focus of every conversation that you have.  Avoid talking about yourself.  People are interested in what you can do for them - sometimes even more than the specifics of the product or service that you offer.  Your prospects needs and your solutions should be the focus of all of your marketing materials.

4.  Explain the benefits.  Not only should you explain the benefits of your product or service, but you should be able to explain the benefits of working with you. Features are defined as the distinctive characteristics of a product's use or design.  A benefit, on the other hand, is how the feature will add value to the prospect's life.  Carefully define your features and benefits.  At the same time, what are the benefits of working with you?  Do you provide 24-hour turnaround?  Do you return emails and phone calls promptly?  Do you offer a free introductory consultation?  Do you provide additional value to your customers - extra reports, information or discounts on future purchases?  People buy benefits, not features.  What's in it for them?  Let them know!

5.  Know your products and services.  There is a lot to know when it comes to your products and services.  The more articulate you are in explaining their features and benefits, the higher your chances of closing a sale.  For each product or service you offer, make sure you can clearly articulate the features, the benefits, and the specific client need that is addressed.  Word this information in language that prospects can clearly understand - that relates to who they are as a target market.  Drafting a simple one-page summary of these details can help you to get clear on what matters most.  

6.  Keep it simple.  The best messages are those that are simply said.  People understand simple.  The more complex the explanation, the higher the risk you run that you'll “lose them along the way.”  Again, refer back to the one page summary of your client needs, as well as product or service features and benefits.  Provide information that is easy to understand.  Don't give more information until the client asks for the information.  Always let the prospect guide the conversation. 

7.  Use a tagline.  A tagline is a slogan or phrase that conveys something about a feature or benefit of something you offer.  For example, the tagline for Chase Manhattan bank is “The Right Relationship is Everything”.  This slogan clearly communicates that one of the features of working with them is relationship - not just any relationship - but the right relationship.  Another example of a tagline is Alicia Smith: The DISC Ninja.  The DISC Ninja implies skill, precision, and performance.  What type of tagline can best describe you and your business?

8.  Consult your R & D team.  To create on-target marketing messages, run them by your friends, family, and colleagues before you release them to the world.  Creating your own R & D team is a great way to experiment or to try out your ideas in a low-risk environment.  Probably one of the best things to do is to get feedback from your current customers.  They can tell you first hand what works and why.  Never pass up an opportunity to get feedback, as it will help you to fine-tune your marketing message.

9.  Provide clear and clean information.  It should go without saying that you should provide clear, easy-to-understand information.  This applies to everything from your business card to your website.  Make sure you include your complete contact information on everything, including your email signature.  Provide FAQ or Frequently Asked Question sections in brochures, on your website or on other marketing materials.  Make sure that you make it as easy as possible for people to contact you and to do business with you.  If they need to search for how to contact you, they may very well search someone else out.  Along with the times and days you do business, include your business, cellular, and fax numbers, as well as your website and email addresses.  Include instructions on how to return or receive a refund on an item.  Clear and concise is the name of the game. 

10.  Understand the customer.  Prospects, and even your current customers, are focused on one thing and one thing only; what's in it for them.  For the most part, they aren't really interested in you or your product or service.  They are interested in benefits.  How can you solve their pain?  How can you resolve their issues?  If you keep this in mind, this will help you to create marketing messages that are focused and really hit their mark.

© Copyright 2004 by Alicia Smith

Five very significant reasons to buy your next order from a discount promotional products distributor

Buying your promotional products and corporate identity apparel online provides five major advantages: a greater selection, better pricing, convenience, customer service, and faster ordering time.

Factories often display their entire line of products on the web, providing you with a greater selection of products. With all of these factories on the web, you gain the opportunity to compare quality and pricing in a simple and easy online format, instead of wasting time browsing through endless catalogs that crowd your work center.

Better pricing is readily available on the web, but you have to dig and probe for it. Type in any promotional product related keywords into your favorite search engine and sift through the results until you find a promotional products company with discount pricing. A great trick is to choose an item and have several promotional product companies give you a quote, ALWAYS including any set up charges and freight. This will get you a true number to compare an exact total cost.

How do these online web companies afford to sell the exact same product for less than other distributors? Traditionally, promotional items are sold by a distributor who has a whole staff of outside sales people that will go to your business, show you tons samples, and baby sit you through the process of placing an order. These outside sales people are number one primary expense of an off-line distributor. Believe me this expense is then factored into the price of the promotional item you are purchasing, thus raising your total cost. By purchasing discount promotional products on the web, you can eliminate lining some salespersons pockets and reduce your purchase price by a considerable amount of money.

The Convenience comes with the ability of placing your entire order online. All successful web companies offer this service with encrypted order forms to secure your purchasing information. You may send your artwork via email. This is made easy with the online form. With online ordering you gain the convenience of placing your order anytime, twenty-four hours a day seven days a week.

A few of these online web companies also provide customer service departments with extended hours. They are set up to take your calls, handle your rush orders, and to answer your questions promptly. If you prefer to communicate through e-mail, this is a great way to document your order from start to finish. You can e-mail a question to your distributor, leave for a break, and have it answered by the time you return.

A much faster ordering time is the fifth major result of the online purchase. I have personally visited hundreds of clients. This obviously requires an appointment, which naturally must fit into both parties' schedules. An off-line salesperson is forced to interpret your needs prior to your meeting. Then bring what samples and catalogs they have on hand, but these may not meet your needs and thus your ordering time will be extended for a second meeting. If you have any questions about product availability, turn around time, or any other factory sensitive inquiries, the salesperson will have to return to his office in order to contact the factory, to get you your answers. When you order from an online web company, the customer service team is already in their office, so they can contact the factory with your questions and call you back immediately.

I have given you five great reasons to buy Imprinted products from an online discount promotional products company, but I must also remind you that there is always a trade off. Online promotional products companies work very hard to cut all possible costs and to pass this savings on to you. You will find that this results in a charge for samples and pre-payment requirements. The charge for promotional samples insures that the company will not give away products to non-customers, as this would considerably raise the real customers' costs. Paying in advance is very common among internet purchasing in general, and necessary for almost every online company to insure payment. Pre-payment is nothing to worry about. You still have the right to a quality product, and you gain an enormous savings.

Another Tip: When purchasing imprinted corporate apparel, select an online company that has in-house embroidery and screen printing facilities. It has been my experience that these companies will have much better control of expediting your orders, a better knowledge of branding, experience which allows them to better monitor quality control, and a much better capabilities to complete rush orders quicker.

Today you will find that many more successful businesses are now placing their promotional product and corporate apparel orders in the hands of these qualified discount online distributors. The advantages are numerous; convenience, speed, selection, accountability, service, and above all, savings.

Finding a new solid marketing strategy

Ouch . . . sounds pretty drastic I know, but . . . 

If you've been in business for any length of time, you've no doubt been faced with the question, "Should I dump this marketing program or should I wait a little longer for it to start producing results?"

Even if you're new in business, you may have tried a new way to market your business and with lukewarm results found yourself wondering how long you should stick with it before giving up and trying something else.

It's the age-old question of "When is the right time to put a marketing program out to pasture?"

This reminds me of my advertising agency days.  We'd create a new ad campaign and run it for awhile, and because we (and the client) were exposed to that campaign day-in and day-out, we'd all tire of it quickly.

Knowing when to hold and when to fold

Often, the client would want a new campaign and we'd have to remind them their prospects hadn't seen the campaign nearly as much as we all had, and that it was best to let the campaign keep running.  

How do you know what to do?

Just how do you know when it's time to let an ad campaign or marketing program keep on running and when it's time to try something new?

The answer is very simple.

Look at your results

It's time to make a change when the marketing is no longer producing results.  And by results I mean, it's no longer moving you toward your objective.

Are you achieving your objective?

Every marketing activity should have a specific objective — that is what you hope to achieve.  Your objective may be to generate a certain number of phone calls, or web site hits, or even sales.

Tracking your results will tell you

You'll want to track the results of your marketing activities from day one, so you'll know how well they are producing and you can monitor their trends.

For example, you may get consistent results for weeks, months or even years.  In this case, my motto is "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"  Don't be tempted to make a change just because you're tired of it. If it's working, leave it be.

Are your results on the decline?

However, if your tracking shows you are steadily getting fewer and fewer responses (e.g. phone calls, web site visits, sales) it's probably time to freshen up that marketing or start anew.

Or, maybe your results never really materialized

And, if your marketing program has never really generated the response you are looking for, even if it's relatively young, it's also time to take a good hard look at reworking it to make it more effective.

Just be careful not to give up too soon

You do need to give your marketing time to work — most people will not act after seeing your message just once, but rather need to be exposed to it repeatedly before taking action (industry standard is between three and seven times).

Having said that, if you've given your marketing ample time to produce results and nothing's happening, odds are you missed the mark and either the message or the medium is off.

Is your message missing the boat?

If your message is off, it means you are not effectively speaking to your prospects or hitting their "hot buttons."  Do you really understand their problem or challenge?  And does your marketing speak clearly to that issue and position your product or service as the best solution?

Or are you missing your audience?

If the medium is off, it means you have put your marketing message in a place where your prospects aren't likely to see it.  It's important to understand your prospects and where and how you can best reach them so you can put your messages in those places.

After all, if they don't see your message, they can't respond.

What type of response rates can you expect?

For direct marketing efforts a response rate between 1% and 3% is considered good.  On the web a 1% conversion rate is the norm, so if you're doing better than that consider yourself lucky.  

You can expect a higher response rate from your current subscribers or clients because they already know and trust you. As far as new mailing list subscribers, expect between 5% and 15% of your web site visitors to join your mailing list. 

The key is to make sure your marketing is reaching enough people so these response rates yield results you can be happy with.

If you've given it time and it's still not producing . . . 

If you've given your marketing program time to work and nothing much is happening, or if your results are on the decline, it's time to kill that program.  Or, at least, to give it a makeover.

Starting fresh can breathe new life into your business

Consider starting over with a fresh new approach, a new message, and some new mediums.  Make sure your new marketing program is grounded in solid marketing strategy.

(C) Copyright 2005 Debbie LaChusa

How to avoid wasting your money on marketing that isn't going to result in more clients and more sales?

If you own your own business, you're probably innundated with advertising and marketing opportunities and salespeople. You probably get asked to sponsor events and donate to organizations. Maybe you've even been hit up by the premium company trying to get you to buy pens with your company name on them.

So how do you know what to spend your marketing dollars on, and what to pass on?

How do you avoid wasting your money on marketing that isn't going to result in more clients and more sales? How can you ensure you'll get the "biggest bang for the buck?"

The answer is to go back to your marketing plan and look at your goals and objectives. You'll also want to look at who you identified as your ideal prospects or target clients.

Then you simply evaluate these potential marketing activities based on their ability to help you achieve your objectives, and their ability to put you or your company in front of your ideal prospects.

While sponsorships and donations are in part a goodwill activity and can be very worthwhile for that reason alone, if you are evaluating them from a marketing perspective (and I recommend you do, especially if you get asked to sponsor or donate frequently) you need to make sure they will give you exposure to your ideal prospects and contribute toward reaching your objectives.

The value of the exposure you receive should be worth the investment you are making. Consider what it would cost to reach those prospects in another manner to help determine the value of the exposure.

As far as purchasing pens with your company name, the same tests apply. Ask yourself how you will use the pens. Will they provide exposure to your ideal prospects or clients?

Will they reach your prospects in a manner no other marketing activity can? For example, if you are looking for repeat business from your clients, if they have a pen with your name on it that they see and use everyday perhaps they will be reminded to frequent your business.

If you are planning to do a direct mail follow up to clients who haven't done business with you in awhile, a pen might be a nice premium to include in the mailing, and it will continue to serve as a reminder long after the direct mail piece is read and thrown away.

But do NOT order the pens if you don't have a plan for using them and an objective for what you hope to achieve. Just having pens with your company name without these two items defined is definitely a waste of your money.

Whenever you are questioning whether you should take advantage of a particular marketing opportunity, ask yourself these three questions:

1) Will it provide exposure to my ideal prospects or target clients?

2) Will it help me achieve my marketing objectives?

3) Is this exposure worth the dollars I am investing?

If you can answer "YES" to all three questions, and you have marketing budget available, then you'll want to seriously consider the opportunity.

If your answer is "no" to the first two questions, and the opportunity doesn't put you in front of your ideal prospects or help reach your objectives, you'll want to "just say NO!" to that particular marketing opportunity.

If the answer is "yes" to the first two questions, but "no" to question number three and the opportunity is well-suited to your marketing plan but the value just isn't there, you may want to go back and negotiate more exposure or a lower price.

And, last but certainly not least, if you don't have a marketing plan to help you evaluate these kinds of opportunities when they come your way, my advice is simple: You NEED to get one.

If you haven't identified who your ideal prospects are and what you want to achieve with your business you will most certainly waste valuable time and money on marketing opportunities that are not a good fit for your business. In fact you'll be in danger of doing this everyday.

If you need help creating a marketing plan, The 10stepmarketing System is a great way to do it. When you create your own marketing plan using the simple, step-by-step 10stepmarketing System you are setting your business up for success and you can be sure you are not wasting valuable dollars on marketing that won't deliver you the results you deserve.

Six tips to creating testimonials that will sell your products fast

There are many ways to market a product or a service and providing the potential clients and customers with testimonials is one of the best ways to market.

The power of testimonials can never be underestimated. People, especially nowadays, will only purchase products or avail services which have been referred to them by people whom they know. But most of the times, this is not an option that is in the hands of the business owner, he has to do the next best thing, which is to get testimonials from his past clients. 

Testimonials are living statements from past customers or clients which states that they were satisfied by the product/ service. Every business must have testimonials to be able to stand out in the ever crowded markets.

There are many benefits of having testimonials. Here are some of them.

Testimonials appease the target market

Testimonials usually lessen the doubts of the target market. There are a lot of scammers and con artists nowadays, and this has turned the market into a fearsome one. Credible testimonials provide security to the people who are eyeing at a certain product or service. The provision of testimonials gives people a much more relaxed attitude towards a product or service.

Testimonials assure quality

Aside from confirming the existence of a business and lessening doubts, testimonials provide assurance to potential customers and clients of the quality of the product or service. The fact that they took time out to be able to write testimonials about the product reflect their levels of satisfaction towards the product/service.

Testimonials give advantage

Credible testimonials provide a competitive advantage for the product/service. There are many products and services out there and one of the ways to stand out from the rest is the use of credible testimonials.

There are many types of testimonials. Testimonials are usually categorized according to the source. Here are a few examples:

a) Testimonials from satisfied customers

This is probably the most effective type of testimonial. Nothing beats a testimonial from a satisfied customer because it is a picture of what the product/service is all about.

b) Testimonials from experts

Experts can be credible sources of testimonials.  If a renowned dermatologist writes a testimonial for a beauty soap, it will surely help in boosting its sales, wouldn’t it?

c) Testimonials from celebrities

In a world that is run by mass media, celebrities have become powerful sources of testimonials. Today, even infomercials are infested by testimonials from celebrities. 

People may think that getting testimonials from celebrities will cost a lot, but if it’s a real testimonial, celebrities may even waive their talent fees.

There is much more to making a testimonial an effective tool for marketing than gathering them.  Good testimonials are the ones which can be compressed into a few catchy words. “I lost 20 pounds in two weeks time!” is an example of an eye-catching testimonial. However, one must never rephrase or edit what the client had said. How to get the right kinds of testimonials will be discussed later.

Credible testimonials should also contain the complete attributes of the people who gave them. Their titles, location and age should be included whenever possible.

Visual appeal will also be a great help in using testimonials. If the clients are willing, one must insist in taking photographs or videos for their testimonials. 

So how does a business owner get started with the whole testimonial thing? 

Here are some steps on how to archive testimonials.

1. Before anything else, only products/ services with outstanding quality deserve testimonials, so one must make sure that his product/service possesses exceptional quality.

2. Ask the help of your customers. One must be able to communicate to his customers his need of getting their testimonials. If they are really satisfied with the product/service, they would be more than willing to participate.

3. Interview your customers. Ask them about what they like about your product/service, why they chose your product and other questions like these.

4. Ask them if they are willing to make a written testimonial. You can offer to make the testimonial yourself based on their responses during the interview but the testimonial is still up for their approval. You might want to make the wordings catchy and let them approve the testimonials.

5. Ask them if you could record the testimonial using a tape recorder or video cam. A video testimonial is better, but of course, many people are camera-shy and this can be a limited option for most.

6. Choose the best testimonials. Use the best ones so as to maximize the benefits that your product can get from the testimonials.

Testimonials are very powerful and this is the reason why every business should have them. They provide assurance and security and reflect the real essence of a product or a service.

What Secrets to Create a Great Website That Entice Visitors to Stay, Buy and Return Again and Again?

You are out shopping for healthy, designer food. You visit two health food stores. The first one is bright and cheerful: Its products are displayed pleasingly and its staff, with crisp, starched aprons on, are slim, friendly and helpful with smiles that twinkle. There is another health food store just across the road: Similar products.

A fat, greasy-haired sweaty man, breath redolent of whisky, garlic and fermented cheese, egg stains on the front of his crumpled shirt, the middle of which strains to stay closed struggling to keeping its charge - a protruding belly - within, tired buttons at the ready to pop...comes to serve you.

You are your website: It is a reflection of who you are, your product, your service. Portray  yourself as a trained, seasoned professional. Your website is the only contact your customers, potential and current, have with you.

You must create an atmosphere that is pleasing to your buyers to make them want to stay and buy, and more importantly, to want to come back again and again. You want to aim for repeat business. The long and short of it is this: Your website can make or break your sales...and your business. 

TRICKS OF THE TRADE

What secrets can you apply in the design of your website?

1. Surfability

Do your research by visiting several websites. Note what make them appealing, attractive or the opposite. Always remember that visitors to your site have one goal in mind: They are either seeking information or shopping for a product.

Your goal is to give them what they want without their having to search for it. It is a cardinal rule to make your site easy to navigate. Ensure that all the information is relevant to your product/service. Convince visitors that they absolutely need your product to solve their problem(s). 

2. The First Impression Lingers...The Importance of your Main Page</b>

The main page has a very specific purpose: It is the store front of your website where your visitor lands and from where she/he will shop. Therefore, this page must load very quickly and be easy to view. This is the first contact with your customer: First impressions can either close a deal or...lose this same deal which has exactly the same potential. 

Make things simple: Ensure that links are easily viewable by your visitors and that these links will navigate your visitors to where they wish to go. Very often, a great choice is the use of tables when deciding how to design the main page of your site.

If your page takes more than ten seconds to load even on a 56k modem, your visitor will click away, through impatience, or to save time, seeking information or products elsewhere.

To speed up the loading of your main page, it is advisable to avoid large, or excessive, graphics. Too many banners or special effects often also cause a page to load slowly.

3. Make your Website Appealing to, and Easy for, the Eyes

* Colours

Mild colors are your best bet. If your site is a content site where your visitor will be doing a lot of reading, it is a good idea to keep to black and white. You can add color when using tables as a means to brighen up the page. However, always remember to keep the overall look of the page professional and appealing to your target audience that will be visiting more often. 

* Screen Resolutions

These vary among monitors. It is, therefore, good counsel to set the pixels to a standard 800x600. You may also choose to set the tables in your web page to span a percentage of the page rather than a set number of inches. This will be sure to accommodate all screen sizes. 

* Browsers

Bear in mind that a lot of Internet users will not use the same browser as you. Therefore, make sure that your site looks as good on other browsers as it does on your own. You can do this by downloading several browsers through which to look at your page.

Be aware that the overall look of your website is to make it attractive to visitors, which in turn appeals to emotions and, therefore, lead to sales and to make money for you. The appearance of your site, if properly designed, can be an excellent marketing strategy for your product/service.

History of Online Marketing

Back in 1986 I became interested in marketing and advertising quite by accident.  I was employed by a major communications company and teaching computer classes.  When a new product for analyzing the effectiveness of various advertising campaigns was installed, I was expected to learn the product and then teach the marketing gurus how to use it.

I was fascinated with demographics and how campaigns were deployed.  I considered changing my career and going back to school but got side tracked with a cross-country move.  Let’s look at what I was considering then compared to what the market looks like now. 

My company was spending millions on advertising campaigns that were done on TV, in direct mail, flyers on door handles, inserts into the monthly bill, etc.  All of these were the traditional form of advertising in the 1980’s.

From what I saw of these advertising campaigns, there were more losers than there were successes.  However, when the successes are huge, it masks the losses.   Customers today are more savvy and are just plain tired of all the junk mail whether it paper or electronic.  

Online marketing, also called Internet Marketing, still uses demographics as well as several other factors to target the consumer.  A major difference here can be in the dollar amount spent on these campaigns.

In the early 1990s many businesses were creating commercial web sites that were simply online brochures and product catalogues.  Customers would check out what they wanted but many were afraid to give credit card information online so they just placed the call instead.

Because of the new encryption technology, customers feel more confident with online purchases.  The number of internet users today is 1018 million or 15.7% of the world population.  Compare that to August of 2001 when it was 513 million, 8.6% of the world population.

That means it almost doubled in just a little over 4 years!  If you like statistics (and I do) consider that Sweden has the highest percentage (73.6%) of their people on the internet and the United States is at 68.5%.  If this does not get you excited about online marketing, I’m not sure what would.

Online marketing has a completely different set of tools it uses for marketing.  Search engine marketing, joint ventures, opt-in emails, newsletters, etc.

Each type of campaign can reach a different type of prospective client depending on how you decide to run the particular campaign.  We will cover each of these in detail in our next article.

Many of the pioneers of online marketing who saw this potential are now exceedingly wealthy.  If you check online, you’ll see that several of them are producing eBooks and eCourses that detail the “secrets of internet success.”

Quite often these books and courses are distributed via download for free.  With this kind of information available, there has never been a better time to start an online business.  Here’s to your future success.

Benefits of Choosing MLM Leads in Order to Get More and More Clients

With MLM Leads, you will get honest and reliable network leads.  You will have great prices and all of the promising clients that you can take on.  When you are starting a home based business or any other type of new company, you will find that you will have to start somewhere with clients. 

You will have to find a way to get more and more clients and this is the way to start.

When you are choosing to work with MLM Leads, you are going to get a high level of satisfaction and guarantee.  You will not have to worry about find a new and improved job market to sell to; you will have everything that you need at your fingertips. 

You will have a lot of leads and not have to pay a high cost for them.

The best part about choosing MLM leads is that you are getting great service at an affordable price for your company and you are not going to have to deal with the middleman.  This is what is going to save you money for you new and upcoming business.

Many leads turn into prospective customers and then will make a profit for the company.  This is a great way to start for any newly formed company. 

When you choose MLM leads you will fill out the appropriate paperwork online and then you will be all set up.  All of the information that you are going to need will be mailed to you so that you are fully informed.

You can view all of the promising leads and even download them on the spot.  You will not find better and faster service than right here.  You are going to be happy that you decided to go with the company that will service you the best and make you the most company.  

With MLM Leads, you will even find that you can get a great list for phone prospects.  This will help you spread the word about your business and get your foot in the door of most companies that are looking for your services.

This is an awesome opportunity for any new and upcoming star in the business world.  You will not have to worry about getting leads and great business adventures with MLM Leads.  

You will not find satisfaction anywhere else like you will when you are using a great company like MLM Leads.  You will have all of the customers and soon the money will be pouring in for your company to profit.

You are not going to find another service to help you start and build up your customer cliental like that of MLM.  Once you see what you can achieve, you will never want to use any other company again.

Reasons Why You Must Become a Lead Generation Expert

The term Internet Marketing includes, network or mlm marketers, affiliate marketers, and any person with an online home based business.

Here are some compelling, but not limited to, reasons why you must become a lead generation expert:

The Bad Side Of Not Generating Your Own Leads

1.  Relying on advertising your business directly is not enough, and what's more, it is very expensive. If you are a network marketer, or an affiliate marketer, you know that when you signed up for that program, the company gave you a URL with your username and/or code to pay you a commission for every sale you make.

Once you have your affiliate page, some merchants will give you an online back office with some marketing  materials such as Banners, emails, etc. All you have to do now is advertise your mlm or affiliate page.

Besides making phone calls you now have to advertise your business to expose it out on the worldwide web to get leads and/or prospects. There are many online companies that can advertise your business, but if your advertising budget is limited, you can't risk throwing away  $2,000 bucks or max your credit card. 

2.  Renting email lists to advertise your business is not very effective either.  Although renting email lists is Spam free, many of  them are not legitimate,  others are very expensive, and still many others are constantly bombarded with ads that your ads go straight to the trash. 

3.  Buying lead packages. Many companies advertise targeted leads, and again there are many frauds that will tell you their leads are fresh, but they keep selling them over and over! There are some good companies, but their lead packages are far from affordable.

The worst thing about it is, that after you purchase a lead package and the leads turn out very unresponsive, you’ve lost your investment. So what is your Return On Investment? A waste of time, money, and your own efforts!

4.  Posting on FFA sites. It doesn't work either. People who visit FFA sites expect everything for free, and don't plan to pay for anything. So why waste your time and effort?

The Good Side Of Generating Your Own Leads

1.  The first good news is—it is not very difficult  to become a lead generation expert!

2.  There are some amazing cost-effective ways to generate your own leads. Learning to generate leads on your own is more cost-effective, efficient, and productive.

3.  Becoming a lead generation expert gives you a feeling of being a leader.  Once you learn, you can teach others how to do it and follow in your footsteps.

4.  You can tailor your lead generation tactics to target specific niche markets. This allows you to have more targeted prospects, and therefore improving conversion rates.

5.  It is the only way to build a foundation for your business. Generating leads creates a list of prospects, and having prospects in your list is what will bring paying customers to you and your business.

How Do You Generate Your Own Leads?

When I was a rookie, I was ignorant when someone spoke about a lead capture page, or an opt-in page. I used to ask, what is a lead capture page, or an opt-in lead, and how does it work? If this is all new to you, don't feel bad, we all go through this learning curve.

Basically a lead capture, or opt-in page, is a web page with an offer, and a form where a person can opt-in or subscribe to a newsletter or email list.  The prospect inserts his/her name in the form, and he/she is taken to another page, either a thank you page, a download page, or the actual affiliate or mlm website. 

Once a prospect has entered his/her name, he/she has opted-in to your list, or, you have captured his/her email address, and has become an opt-in subscriber!

The offer in your opt-in page should be something appealing, with a perceived value to give your prospect a good reason to opt-in to your list. 

Your opt-in form should have fill boxes to let the prospect input his name and email address or more information depending on what your business is about.

Once you have captured his/her name and email address, where does the information go? Your opt-in page and form should be tied in with an autoresponder system. The autoresponder system takes care of the mechanics.

When your list starts growing, it is your responsibility to nurture and cultivate your prospects with free useful information about how they will benefit somehow with your products and services.

In summary, create your own opt-in page, and drive targeted traffic to it.

Becoming a lead generation expert is best thing do because is more cost-effective, can target more focused niche markets, less chance to go out of business, and more importantly, this expertise will help you build your own client base, or prospect/customer list, and ultimately make you more money.

The Most Important Tips That You Should Know Before You Get Started on Any Kind of MLM Online Program

- To be successful with MLM online, you need to consciously make the decision to succeed.  Unfortunately, this is not the mindset with which most people begin.  Usually, people will decide to try out MLM to see if it works.

This may or may not lead them down the right path.  In order to succeed, you need to decide that success is your goal.  With that goal in mind, you must then plan out the achievable steps that you will need to take in order to achieve that goal. 

- You will need to put your heart into your vision of MLM online success.  Your heart is your motivation that will bring you success, and should therefore be considered the true power behind your earning potential.

You can achieve anything you want with your MLM online business as long as your heart is in it, powering your mind and your efforts.  People with whom you network will feel the heart in your words and will be much more willing to deal with you than a similar candidate whose intentions aren’t as passionate.

- You must educate yourself about Network Marketing and MLM online to truly maximize it’s potential. MLM is an extremely powerful success tool that can greatly impact your life and your income as long as you understand it properly and can use it to your best advantage.

- Put your commitment in writing. Either formalize your agreement with your sponsor in writing, or simply write out a contract with yourself.  This agreement should lay out your responsibilities as well as those of your sponsor.

This is a very powerful success tool as it solidifies your commitment both to your MLM business and to yourself.

- Get a calendar and a personal agenda book and use them. Plan out the time that you’ll be spending on your business, and stick to this plan.  Indeed, a palm pilot is an alright solution, however, many people find something very effective about actually hand-writing your commitments.  

- Learn to neutralize the negative. If you don’t, then they will overpower you and inhibit your ability to succeed.  Negativity and objections are issues that every person in any business will need to deal with at some point.

Whether they start with you or someone else, you need to be able to neutralize these harmful elements so that they work for you instead of against you.  

By mastering these points, you’ll be off on the right foot to having a successful MLM online experience.

Three Rules You Absolutely Must Follow in Order to Avoid Going Down the Wrong Product Path

Rule #1: Don't sell something people can easily buy at the local supermarket!

Or mall, or hardware store, or electronics shop, or sports store, etc. etc.

Why would people go online to buy something they can easily get on their regular weekly shopping trip?

Unless you can offer something truly unique -- such as a lower price or a hard-to-find product -- you'll find it tough to compete with the convenience and the lack of shipping costs those offline alternatives offer.

Rule #2: Don't sell a "time-sensitive" product!

If you try to sell something people need RIGHT AWAY, you're going to have a hard time convincing them to wait a few days for it to be shipped to them.

For example, if you do proper keyword research you'll see that thousands of people do searches every month on the keyword, "cure sore throat fast."

But here's the challenge: If someone wants to cure a sore throat fast, do you think they're going to wait for you to ship a herbal remedy? No! They're looking for immediate results. And once their cold has gone, their desire to buy any kind of cough remedy will vanish along with it.

Rule #3: Don't enter a market with a massive amount of competition!

If there's already a huge number of savvy marketers selling to your intended market, you should probably choose a different market.

Take world-famous online "shopping mall" Amazon.com, for example. They're one of the hugest online vendors out there. If you decide to start your own catalog site selling a general selection of books, or music, or DVDs, how will you ever be able to compete with an industry giant like Amazon?

Unless you figure out a way to offer a lower price (doubtful) or cater to a very specific niche Amazon hasn't yet tapped (difficult), you're going to have a hard time getting your business off the ground.

Nothing is impossible... but the more competitive a market, the more time and money it will cost for you to become successful.

If these rules seem ridiculously obvious, then I apologize for wasting your time. But I had to mention them. Every day, I see budding entrepreneurs break these rules and spend weeks... months... and even years working extremely hard for minuscule results.

And it frustrates me, because I know it didn't have to be that way.

If you want to learn how to find hot products that people are absolutely GUARANTEED to buy -- before you even start selling them! -- you can discover the formula that teaches you exactly how to do it in Step One of my best-selling course, "The Insider Secrets To Marketing Your Business On The Internet."

If you're just getting started online, you cannot afford to choose the wrong product! That's why we dedicated a full 5 lessons in our course to showing you how to choose the right product. You can let us hold your hand and walk you step-by-step through this entire scientific process.

Or you can base your business on guesswork and hope for the best... but I hope you'll take my advice instead. :-)

To your online success,

Why 98 Percent of People Who Start a Home Business Fail and What is the 98 Percent Solution?

Is it the Matrix?  Is it somehow tied to Pareto and his ingenious 80/20 rule?  Most importantly, can you decipher the code and crack the 98% solution?

Some answers you must find for yourself, but we do all live in a matrix of our own creation….our own mind.  The actions you take are governed by the dominant beliefs and values in your head.

When you become aware of this matrix you have created you become very powerful.  If it is serving you results other than what you want go in and change it.

Let’s talk for a moment about Google’s 70% solution.  Much has been said about it.  For the uninitiated it is this:

- Focus 70% of your time on activities that directly pay you the lion’s share of your income (in Google’s case ‘core search’).

- Focus 30% of your time on innovation and new product development.

This is an invaluable insight you can start using today.  But what is the 98% solution as it pertains to you?

Imagine this scene like something straight out of a movie.  There is a man walking all alone in the middle of this vast expanse that is a desert wasteland.  There is nothing and no one as far as the eye can see.

His shoulders are slumped forward, head looking down toward the ground, he is beaten and broken.  He searches but for what we know not.

All the grains of sand all around him will not quench his thirst.  There is a dry, suffocating heat all around him that stalks his spirit like a mongoose on a King Cobra.

And then as if by magic he sees 3 Oasis’ on the desert horizon.  He immediately perks up and begins running toward them (though very slow due to his exhaustion and dehydration).

- The 1st one he gets to is a mirage, nothing more than the same old sand.  He gets very discouraged.

- The 2nd one is a false oasis with water unfit to drink.  He dips in anyway to the dirty water and it tastes foul.

- The 3rd one is his salvation…pure, clean thirst-quenching drinking water at last.

So who is this man and why am I telling you his tale?  Because he is YOU!  The desert sand is your friends, family and other uninterested parties the gurus tell you to go after.

This desert sand won’t quench your thirst for business success and sales.  It definitely can’t be deposited into your bank account.

The suffocating heat and dryness are your competition in your chosen business field.  They are also the other non-competing businesses seeking your target people’s attention.  It is a dog-eat-dog world and you must outmaneuver these 2 forces to win.

- The 1st oasis mirage is you seeing what you want to see.  This supports your current mental state.  It is the easiest solution closest to you.

- The 2nd oasis are false prophets and scamsters telling you what to believe to get you to open your wallet so they can take what they want without giving to you.  Also, the gurus who tell you of instant wealth with zero effort.

- The 3rd oasis is your holy grail.  It is the true solution that people with integrity will show you.  If you decide to accept the offer it saves your life (or business in this case).

We have all heard the horrifying, gory stat that 98% of people who start a home business fail.  So what is the 98% solution?  It is…finding the true oasis and dipping into the pure drinking water.  In your business it is MARKETING.

You fish in ponds of hungry fish who want the bait you have.  You can do this through the internet very easily.  Think of the search terms people who want what you have would use to find you and then setup a page to capture their imagination and attention.

Then of course you follow-up and show them why your business is an excellent choice for them and give them the opportunity to work with you and have access to your expertise.

What Type of Business You Want and How to Proceed With Marketing This Business?

Ok, so you have researched the facts, weighed the pros and cons and have finally decided that a home business is right for you.  But now you need to figure out what type of business you want and how to proceed with marketing this business.  

There are many types of home businesses but not all of them are right for all people.  You need to ask yourself these questions:  Do I want to start my own business from scratch?  Do I just want to join an MLM and sell for someone else? 

Do I want to sell physical products or digital products?  Do I want to do all the work online or offline too?  Do I want help with my business or do I want to go solo?  Do I just want to become an affiliate and sell other people's online products?

MLM/Direct Sales - The company you sell for is in control of how you run your business.  You are paid a commission for sales and usually have to recruit a downline. 

Distributorship - You are in control of your own business.  You keep all profits and do not need to recruit a downline. 

Digital Products - Selling digital products such as ebooks is done online and there is no need for an inventory, shipping or worrying about damaged goods.

Affiliate Programs - many people make a good online income just by selling other people's products. 

Service Provider - This would include such things as virtual assistant, party planner, pet sitter, etc.

These types of businesses can be combined to form one very successful business.  Such as applying for a distributorship and then also offering ebooks on your online store site.

Once you have chosen your business and gotten all your permits, tax numbers, etc, you will need to start marketing your new business.  There are countless ways to do this online and offline.  

Offline Marketing

Offline marketing would include: business cards, flyers, attending your community events and networking, attending expos, craft fairs, trade shows, postcards, phone calls, newsletter advertising, door hangers, radio, fundraisers, school functions, catalog distribution, mailing lists, home parties, car magnets, brochures, seminars, yellow pages and more.  Use your creativity to come up with your own unique marketing ideas.  

Online Marketing

Marketing strategies online include: link exchanges, search engines, autoresponders, online auctions, email press release, online chats/seminars, ebooks, blogging, tutorials, ad swapping, ezine publishing, article marketing and much more!

To market your home business takes a lot of work, consistency, time and commitment.  Handing out a couple business cards and throwing up a website will not suffice.  Work as many as these marketing ideas as you can.  Find out which ones really work for you and then expand on them.  Then try more!

I want to make sure you understand that you cannot treat your business as a hobby.  If you want a successful business with a full time income, you have to work your business full time.

If you find one of these programs that claim you can make thousands a week for 5 minutes of work, (that actually work) please let me know.  In the meantime, start using some of these ideas and get your business name out there!

Five Point Plan to Get Started With Internet Marketing to Market Your Products or Services From Your Own Home

This article provides some free tips to help start your business at home.

Inside corporate's there are many high paying jobs. Access to qualifications, lack of time flexibility and time away from the family prevent many pursuing financial freedom in this environment. When you work for someone else you always have to put the needs of your company and your boss ahead of your own.

The question is how about those busy mothers, stay at home dads and those who do not have the capability or the desire to work outside their home. 

Are they be able to work and earn some extra money? 

The answer is yes, but you need to consider what kind of home business you want, how to get started, and what your target market is. 

There are some basic issues that everyone encounters when starting a new home business. Like deciding on what kind of business you can start up. For instance you can decide to be the best writer, tax accountant, or web designer in the market. 

An other issue is how to get connected to the world market or even your local markets, how could you market your product or service? 

You should think these through to help avoid the barriers that may occur while you are creating your home business. Here is a five point plan to get started with internet marketing and to help you to market your products or services from your own home.

1. Decide who your main customers are. As a group, how old are they? Where do they live? How much money do they make? What kinds of jobs do they have and what are their interests? The better you can understand customers, the better you'll fare in the next four steps.

2. What kinds of media do your main customers use? 

Each type of media has its own target audience. Each radio station, newspaper, magazine, or TV program tries to interest a specific segment of the population. The trick is to match your main customers with the kinds of media they use. Remember that media is not just TV and newspapers. Effective media can be anything that conveys your message. Media choices range from million dollar commercials, to a few free pens with your name on them. With this in mind, the internet is one of the most powerful media you can use. The internet is also a relatively low cost entry for your home business.

3. Focus on media you can afford to use consistently to promote your home business. 

One of the keys to effective marketing is consistency. You have to hit the audience with your message again, and again. 

Many marketers use the Rule of Seven. Prospective customers must see or hear your message seven times before they consider buying. Don't spend your entire marketing budget on a one-shot media blitz. Choose a less expensive type of media that you can afford to use week after week.

Google Adwords may be a good place to start your home business advertising. Just be sure to get a free eCourse to educate yourself on how to effectively use this type of advertising before you invest your advertising dollars.

4. Sell the main benefit of your product or service.

Focus on what is unique about your home business products or services. How does your product or service improve your customer's life? Talk to your customers from their own perspective. Does your product or service save them time? Make them richer? Make them more attractive? 

Your marketing should drive home this most important benefit as clearly and directly as possible. Customers want to know what’s in it for them. When you advertise the features of your product or service, connect those features to the benefits.

5. Finally, remember to promote your business with the latest on-line marketing tactics. Articles are very effective method to get the word out. 

The Internet is available to everyone. It's the only "big" media that allows the small home business person to get their message out at very low cost. Bulletin boards and newsgroups may appreciate helpful information that you provide. Most won't mind if you sign your name along with four to six lines about your business in your bio line. 

There you have it. We have covered a few steps to help ensure you get your home business off to a great start. Keep them top of mind as you plan your home business. These points are some of the keys to determine if your business will be a success or failure.

One last small suggestion. Never stop looking for new ideas, a better delivery method or a new angle on an old concept. Starting a business is one thing, keeping it going requires and enquiring mind and the flexibility to keep up with an ever changing marketplace.

How to Take Advantage of Any Opportunity to Gain an Edge and Stand Out From the Crowd?

Everyday more people move into the home based business field selling some sort of service or product.  New websites are being built by various service companies.  The problem here is that the same website is being built for hundreds of new home based businesses.  Recently I purchased one of these “Free Website Offers” and found myself lost in the crowd.  Being independent all my life, I decided to design my own website and stand out from the crowd.

In searching for products to put on my web site I noticed that I was learning more about the product before placing it on my web site.  I started to examine each product more carefully to ensure that it met the criteria I developed for my site.  You see I realized that the site now was my creation, and represented me.  The products would also have to represent me, and who I am, and not be full of gimmicks or hype.  

The products also had to be things that people were buying and not just what I thought they wanted to purchase.  So I asked myself the same set of questions about each product before I put them on my site.  For instance: “Who wants this product?”; “How much of this product is being purchased?”; “Why would they buy it online?’; “What would be the return on my investment?”; “Where should I place it on my site?”; “When do I decide to replace it?”.

After putting the site together I decided to put my shoes on backwards and look at the site through the eyes of the potential buyer…and WOW! What a difference some thought makes.  What I saw in my new site made me very proud.  

Now I had something that was unique, separated me from the pack, represented quality and value, and was me.  It was a business that I could count on, and represent to others who were serious about shopping from home and/or working from home.  It was also a great feeling of accomplishment and a lot of fun since I never designed a site before in my whole life.  

Now although the site is the “hero” in my marketing program, it is not the complete marketing program.  I still need to promote the products and business.  I found a great way of attracting potential customers to my site is by writing articles.

Through these articles I am able to establish my business knowledge and publish these articles on the internet at article information sites.  People looking for information on home businesses will end up reading my articles and then visit my site.

Since most people visiting the internet are looking for information, I offer my visitors a free e-book about the science of the internet, and a free newsletter with over a hundred marketing tips for a home based business.  

Of course, search engine optimization is part of the marketing program along with various forms of advertising both online and offline.

Keeping my competition constantly in my sight is also critical so that I can take advantage of any opportunity to gain an edge and stand out from the crowd.

How to Know if You're an Internet Marketing Guru?

I have now been marketing online for around 7 years, I have tried every money making scheme going....gifting and pyramid schemes in my youth before I learned they were illegal, investment programs (lost a lot of money), get paid to read programs (a lot of work for a few lousy dollars), multi-level marketing programs, affiliate programs, you name it, I've tried it! 

And along the way I've learnt a thing or two about marketing, recruiting, building downlines, making money online and most certainly losing money online...but does that make me a Guru? Am I now an expert in online marketing and homebased business? Well I certainly don't consider myself an expert or any such Guru - whatever that means.

But I have my own websites, I am part of a successful team in a fantastic MLM company, I work a couple of affiliate programs, I run a few blogs, I know a thing or two about marketing both on and offline, I write articles on the subject of internet marketing and homebased business and so on...

I read about many so called experts with 4, 5 or 6 years experience of internet marketing...they have written ebooks and courses about the subject, some even hold conferences and training calls about it but are they really experts? I have read many ebooks written by these experts and more often or not they teach me nothing knew. 

I do not consider myself an expert or an internet marketing Guru. I do have plenty of experience and am more than willing to pass on what I have learnt over the years. But I am still learning...I still search out good ebooks to read, search out new marketing techniques to master and so on...we should all be learning all the time. We should never sit back and  think we are now an expert on something. Pass on your knowledge to others but keep learning....

Only the other day I spoke to someone I have known online on and off for years. I was surprised to hear he thought I was some 'heavy hitter', some internet marketing guru. When I explained I was just someone working hard to earn a living online like he was and certainly was no expert, he was amazed and it immediately gave him a boost to build his own business. He had thought he could not really succeed, that he did not have the skills need etc. Then he finds out I am just plugging away as he is and all of a sudden he thinks he can achieve success also...and he will. 

Tread carefully when you are next offered a report by a 'guru'. Do they really know more than you do?

Powerful Tips for Newbie That Will Skyrocket Affiliate Commission Overnight

Affiliate marketing is one of the top subjects in the internet marketing. Affiliate marketing doesn’t require you to have website, deal with customers, refunds the products and doing maintenance. Affiliate marketing is one of the best internet business and many of us can make profit from it. There are many internet marketers getting five or six figures income per month using affiliate marketing. 

Ok, straight to the point, assuming that you already join into one of the affiliate program, then what is your next step? What you want to do? Getting your commission maybe double or triple your commission, right? 

How you want to do that? 

In this article, I want to give you some powerful tips that will skyrocket your affiliate commission overnight. This tips will help you especially newbie know the affiliate marketing and try to make some profit from it.

1. You should know and determine what the best program is and know the product to promote. This is the most important part because you will only promote the best program and gain the greatest profit at the same time. This also will gain your credibility and trust to your customer. Your customer will always buy products that got recommendation from you and you can always get repeat customer. 

When determining affiliate program to join, there are many factor that have to taken into consideration. You have to choose the program that has a generous commission. You should have a target audience with the products that you choose. That affiliate program also should have good records that paying their affiliate on time. If you think that affiliate program do not increase your investment, try looking for better one. 

There is hundred or even thousand affiliate program in the internet. You must be very picky when choosing one that is the best for you. Choosing the best affiliate program will help you get the maximum profit and avoid you losing money for advertising that programs.

Writing the free reports or free e books and distributes it around the internet. This is the best method that you should use when you are promoting the same affiliate program. If you writing a free report you will gain the respect from the customers 

In your reports, give some valuable information for free and if possible give some recommendation about those products to your customers. With e-book, you will gain your credibility. Customers will see that product in you and they will eager to try out what you are promoting.

2. You should collect and keep the email addresses of those who download your free e-books. This is very important because it is a known fact that people do not make a purchase on the first message. You have to send more that six times message to make a sale.

When collecting all the information contact of those who download your e-book or your report, you can make follow-ups. This will make the customer feel more appreciated and remind then to buy products from you. 

Always keep in mind to get the contact information about the prospect before sending them to the vendor’s website. You must always keep in mind that you are the one who providing free advertisement for the product owners and you will only get paid when there is a sale. If you send prospects directly to the vendors, you will be lost them forever if they are not interested about that product.

After you got the contact information about the prospect, you can always send them tp another marketing messages and will be able to earn ongoing commission instead of one-time sale only.

Publishing an online newsletter or Ezine it also the best method that the affiliate marketers always used. It always the best to recommend a product or services to somebody that you know rather than stranger. This method also will help you develop a relationship between your subscribers and will make them buy from you.

3. Then you should always ask for higher commission than normal commission from the merchant. If you are already success will the particular promotion, you can negotiate will the merchant about the percentage commission that you will get from your sale

The merchant will always take you into their consideration and he or she will accept and grant your request rather that lose you. You should always keep in mind that you are a zero-risk investment to your merchant and should not shy to request for the additional of your commission. You should try rather than do nothing. 

Paid Per Click ads is also effective ways on the affiliate marketing. As an affiliate, you can make some profit just doing PPC campaigns such as Google Adwords and Overture. Try to monitor them and determine what ads are more effective and which are not.

As an affiliate marketer you should try out these strategies and see the differences that it can make in your next commission checks.