Home Business The Easy Way - LBe Update http://www.blogmoneymiracle.com en-us EasyRSS
By Michael Moshkovich

Following is information on why the future of ecommerce sales is promising, and how you can assure yourself of having success with ecommerce sales.

There is no question that over time, ecommerce sales have continued to rise as more and more people turn to the internet for their shopping. It is much easier to take a quick commute to your computer, surf the net for a short while, and purchase what you are looking for than it is to go out to a store for the same thing. Because of this, the future of ecommerce sales is looking bright.

The online market is growing at a level far above that of the retail market, which is making anyone with the need to make money turn to the internet. The problem is you are not the only one in the world with the idea to start an online business. With millions of people turning to the internet to try to strike gold with ecommerce sales, the competition has become increasingly high online.

Anyone can start up an online business with the plan of making a large income. However, because the competition is so steep, people do not realize the effort that is required to make it in the internet business. If you have aspirations of becoming another statistic of someone successfully starting up a business online, you have to be willing to put in the effort to reach out to the public.

Without a doubt, the statistics are in favor of those going into ecommerce sales. In the fourth quarter of 2005, US retail ecommerce sales totaled $26.5 billion. That was an increase of 27.5% just from the third quarter of 2005. Therefore, as you can see, more and more people are shopping online creating the possibility for success in an online business.

With the high competition online, it is essential that you have two things to make it in ecommerce sales; a well thought out plan and a quality marketing campaign. If you create a website without planning whom your target market is, how you will advertise, and how you can keep in contact with customers, you are setting yourself up for failure.

The more in-depth your plan is to begin with, the better your chances will be of succeeding. There is nobody saying you have to stick with your plan throughout your business's existence, but it will help you develop into a moneymaking site. The marketing campaign is the same way. If nobody knows about your business, how do you expect to make money? The more thought out your marketing campaign is, the better chance you have of generating a higher traffic volume.

Despite the high competition in the internet industry, the future of ecommerce sales is bright. As more and more people turn to the internet for their shoppingArticle Search, the availability and need for more online businesses will continue to increase throughout time.

Michael Moshkovich is a web developer and internet marketer who have written over 50 articles on SEO, shopping cart software and PPC marketing. To find out more information about WebCart's seo friendly shopping cart software visits our website (http://www.webcart.net/).

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By Dave Sherwin

This article explores some of the lies and half-truths about automated signups, as well as laying out a strategy for legitimate distributors into your business using the advantage of the internet.

The buzzword in online Network Marketing right now is "Automated signups". To old-fashioned Network Marketers that toil, sweat and bleed to drag new distributors into their businesses they either think automated signups are an illusion, or, once introduced to the concept, they cannot sleep until they figure out how to do it.

So, are automated signups a crock, or the real deal? Automated signups are possible in online Network Marketing, but most of the hype you see about them is simply misrepresentation. For example, I know of several marketers in free programs, or $2 trial signups for example, that have plenty of automated signups. In addition, it sounds great on a web site:

"Through my super duper ultra secret methods I recruited 3,200 people in less than a year!” Sounds great, right? Here is the question: how much does the "guru" with 3,200 free (or very cheap) signups make? Probably very, close to nothing. They usually have a "Wizard of Oz" business- looks great but has no substance. They hope a few of those cheap signups will actually up-grade to a monthly autoship product, but very few do. The prospects were just lottery players joining free programs hoping to strike it rich without doing anything.

Alternatively, have you seen any ads like this: "I'LL BUILD YOUR DOWNLINE FOR YOU!" Somebody who has figured out the key to automated signups usually posts the ads. The problem is they have not figured out how to build a real, solid, duplicating business. One super marketers building the whole thing by themselves built no good down line. It is a house of cards business. Successful online Network Marketing businesses MUST have the following elements:

1. Products that people want, and will pay for with or without an opportunity attached.

2. Great prospecting systems.

3. Duplication. Everybody in the business can do what you do, and teach the simple methods to their recruits.

Network Marketing is about building a large organization of independent associates. Not a large organization of lazy daydreamers.

So how do you get automated signups? There are two ways. The hype; promise the world, beg them into your business strategy, or the real strategy that actually works AND builds a solid, duplicating down line. However, before I reveal the strategy, there are a few things you should have in order first:

1. You must be in a company with low start up expenses.

2. Your product must have sizzle, and be easily demonstrated on a web site.

3. Your product must be affordable, so that people would buy it with or without an opportunity attached.

You may be wondering why I focus so much on the product. It is important to understand that in network marketing there are two ways to make money. One way is a glorified pyramid scheme; the method of making commissions on exorbitant entry fees. I do not like this method and personally, I think it is unethical. The second way is to get a large group of people buying products on an autoship basis, and to recruit an army of customers and customer getters. This makes more sense, and I sleep better at night, knowing my income comes from providing goods to the marketplace, rather than doing aggressive marketing designed to get large amounts of money out of people up front.

Therefore, here are the components you need to get automated signups:

1. A great web site. It has to be STRONG. Ideally, it should include a professional look and feel, a flash presentation, a way of capturing prospects information, and a fear of loss element, such as listing all the people that have joined your business recently.

2. A single product focus. No one will automatically join a company because of a catalog of great products. However, they will sign up for the one outstanding, revolutionary product. You can introduce your catalog later if you have one.

3. A small range of start up options, ideally under $100.

4. An autoresponder system to follow up with your prospects.

Once you have these elements in place, your job is to invite as many people to your web site as possible. Our experience has been 3-5% of visitors will sign up on an automated basis, but that number goes up to 10% if we call web site visitors on the phone.

In addition, we attract great people using this method. They are not lottery players; they are real people who appreciate a good opportunity when they see one. In addition, they appreciate the automated system, and want to know how THEY can do it Science Articles, not how I can do it for them!

Dave Sherwin is an expert network marketer that has discovered how to build a massive global organization using little more than his computer and internet connection. To learn more see:http://escapethematrix.net/x2o

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By Mal Keenan

There Are three Strategies You MUST Follow in Order to Build a Profitable Opt-in Email List...

Ask any internet marketer worth asking; they will tell you that the money is in the list, email list that is.

You have probably read of online marketers making a small fortune from their own lists of eager subscribers; sounds like it is simply a case of buying a list or building it through web traffic and then cashing in through sending a series of emails. This is frankly not the case! Building a profitable opt-in email list takes time and effort mainly in building trust with your subscribers, enough for them to feel comfortable adding their payment details to buy your product or service. This does not happen overnight.

Here are three ways that will help you build a profit-pulling list of hungry subscribers:

1. Write and submit articles - There is no better way to build your reputation as an expert in your field than to write and submit articles to the article databases. The byline of the article is the perfect place to put a link to your opt-in form or straight to your product page where you will give your visitor an opportunity to subscribe to your list. If they see you as an expert, prospects are more likely to subscribe to your list. You have begun to build trust, as well.

Many visitors to my site put my name in Google to see exactly who I am. When they finds 1000s of references to my name built over many years online, mostly through written articles, then they feel a lot more comfortable dealing with me.

2. Know Your Product or Service - It is extremely important that you know your product in order to inspire confidence in your subscribers and compel them to reach for their credit cards. It is also essential that you are confident in the quality of your product or service. If you think you are selling crap, it will come across in your emails even if you write top class copy. Your subscribers will sense that something is not quite right.

3. Only recommend quality products and services to your subscribers - I am referring to products besides yours. One great way to build more profit into your list is to recommend other products similar to your own. However, beware, the quickest way to ruin your reputation and ensure the downfall of your email lists' ability to pull in profits is to recommend inferior products or services. I tend to stick to the maxim "If I don't use it myself and find it useful I won't recommend it to others". You cannot go wrong if you keep to this principle.

The idea of drafting an email within minutes, sending it to my list, and watching orders flood into my email inbox has always appealed to the lazier side of my character and is a dream come true.

Email marketing truly is the lazy mans way to riches BUT it does take a lot of work, Find Article, preparation, and care in maintaining a quality list of subscribers. By following the points above, it can help you make this a reality.

Mal Keenan is publisher of Home Business Tips Newsletter. Check it out for tips on how to get Started Earning a Full-time Income from Home: Work from home internet business opportunities Newsletter (http://www.home-business-tips-newsletter.com/) To Find Out What Was My Greatest Lucky Break in My Six Years of Frustration check out: New home based business opportunity (http://www.freeadvertz.com/)

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By Carol Solomon

If you want to market your business on the internet, building your business with email newsletters is an extremely important skill.

One reason that email newsletters are so effective is it keeps you, (and your service), in the minds of your potential clients. When your potential clients are ready, and they have a need for your service, they will contact you.

Connecting with people through email newsletters takes a special kind of skill. Email newsletters create familiarity and comfort with the readers. The main purpose of an email newsletter is to build a relationship with your subscribers.

REMEMBER: It is not your readers' job to remember you. It is YOUR job to make sure they do not forget you.

Since I like to respect your time (and follow my own advice), here are eight ‘quick tips’ to increase your success and profit in writing for email newsletters:

1. Spell it out. People want "step by step" instructions – it makes any task seem easier and more manageable. If you can tell someone "how to" solve a problem or manage a difficult situation in steps, your newsletter WILL be read.

2. Send it out often. Many coaches think they do not have time, (or words), to write a newsletter more than once per month. However, anyone who has survived to adulthood has enough material to write for a lifetime :-). Keeping it short and sending it out more often gives people more opportunities to contact you.

3. Give your readers a consistent product with a consistent format. Consistency builds trust and confidence. The number one reason people buy something is trust and confidence in the person making the offer.

4. Make many offers. Put an offer for your services in every issue and encourage people to contact you. Offer different products and services – for example, some clients want individual coaching, others prefer a group. I offer both.

5. Some people will never hire you, but they will purchase an ebook or a teleclass. Find out what your readers want and create it for them.

6. Offer something free (and valuable) – a free consultation, teleclass, or a special report. Even if your readers do not take you up on it, it is beneficial to offer something – your readers will remember that you offered a gift.

7. Don't forget how valuable your information is to people who do not have it. Most professionals underestimate the VALUE of what we know. Personally, I think that the work we do is BEYOND the value of money – how can you put a value on helping someone build a business or be more effective in their life and work?

8. Be patient. You are building a relationship with your readers. It can take about 1000 subscribers before you start seeing income. Once you get that first client Health Fitness Articles, you will never look back.

To get free (and short!) Tech Tips delivered to your inbox - go to Tech Tips for Coaches (http://www.techtipsforcoaches.com/). A few short years ago, Carol Solomon, Ph.D. (http://www.easycoachingwebsites.com/), had ZERO technical knowledge - in fact, she could barely send an email. She adopted the mantra "if other people can do it, then I can do it too." She now trains others who are challenged in the world of technology, but want to use the internet to catapult their businesses.

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By Donna Gunter

The creation of your first info product is the first big step toward implementing multiple streams of income in your business. It means you have something to sell prospective customers, to "size you up", as they consider purchasing your services. It means you can sell something 24-7 from your website that demonstrates your expertise. It means you are well on your way to creating a passive revenue stream for your business.

Your process does not have to be as detailed as I have outlined here. If you want to do a thorough job in the creation process, I suggest that you embark on all the steps.

1. Solution to a Problem. The best-selling information products provide a direct solution to a major problem of your target market. If you are a professional organizer, the problem might be how to clean, store, and organize holiday decorations so they are easily found and used from year to year. If you are a weight loss coach, the problem might be how to stay motivated when you have hit a weight loss plateau. Jot down some of the primary problems of your target market and the process by which you help your clients resolve these issues.

2. Determine Your Offering. Info products come in all types of formats, from ebooks, to ecourses, to recorded teleseminars, to podcasts, to special reports, to CD, and DVD sets. Take stock of your target market and determine what format would best fit their lifestyle. Are they virtual business owners who work from home at their computers for most of the day? Then an ebook or ecourse would probably work well for this group. Are there busy executives who travel frequently? Then you might consider a portable audio format. You can also combine formats to appeal to a variety of learning styles or lifestyles.

Moreover, cost is a major consideration. Do you want to create a physical product that has to be shipped, or would an electronic download work? There are much greater costs on your end to produce a physical product than an electronic one. You have to deal with product fulfillment, if you choose to sell a physical product. I tell my clients to start with an electronic version and test it out. If it is successful, move to a physical product, which has greater perceived value in the eyes of consumers.

3. Pricing. Pricing of info products is all over the map. Check out your competition (yes, there will be competing products on the same topic aimed at the same target market) and see what they are charging. You need to look at your contact database and assess the value of your information to them and determine what you think they will pay. You can survey your database to determine this info, or base it on comparable offerings in the marketplace. Many times my clients are hung up on the notion of comparing pricing for their info product to what they can find in the local bookstore. Generally, pricing for info products is higher than retail bookstores because the info being sold online is specialized for a target market and is delivered immediately upon order (if it's an electronic download).

The pricing strategy that also seems to sell better online is ending your price with a seven, like in $17, $47, etc. If you offer a high-priced product, consider offering payment via an installment plan, where you charge a bit more each month for the product than if someone were to pay for the product in full at time of purchase.

4. Technology. Do you have the technology in place to create and deliver your offering? If it is an ebook, you will need either a PDF writer program or ebook compiler software. For an audio program, you will need a microphone, audio recording, and editing capabilities. For an ecourse, you will need either autoresponder software or a direct to desktop solution. For delivery, you will need a shopping cart that can deliver electronic products or take shipping info for physical products as well as some type of merchant account to take credit and process credit cards. You will also want a sequential autoresponder service to follow up with your buyers.

5. Create the Product. This is typically the most labor-intensive part of the process, as you are actively recording, writing, or videotaping your information for the product. Some products are easier to create than others are, especially if you are recycling other content that you have into a new product. If you are starting from scratch, give yourself a full 3-6 weeks of steady work time for product creation. After creating the product, you may want to have it proofread and/or edited in some fashion by a proofreader or an audio/video expert.

6. Graphics. A picture tells a thousand words, and more importantly, info products sell better when the visitor has a graphic representation of this intangible info product item. If graphic design is not your specialty, find someone to design an ebook cover or podcast album art for you. You may want to have the designer create a website header banner for the product that you can use on your sales page. You can generally have both of these done for around $200. The more professional your image, the better-perceived value your product has.

7. Domain, Hosting, and Website. I believe that each info product should have its own domain name and sales page to be most effective. Domain names are inexpensive, so you could actually buy several for each product -- one that reflects the product name, for example, and one that reflects the result someone will receive after using your product. You can use the various domain names and websites for a variety of testing purposes as you go to sell your product. If your plan to create multiple info products, you will probably want to obtain a website hosting account that will enable you to host multiple domains from the same account. Another option is to forward your product's domain name to a "hidden" page of your primary site.

8. Copywriting. There is a specific formula to copywriting for one-page sales letter websites. The best way to get ideas for your sales letter is to create a Marketing Swipe file of other sales copy that you like. From your swipe file, look at the headlines, the introduction, the sub headlines, the listing of benefits, the product description, the outline of the features, the call to action (request to buy), the closing, and the postscripts. You will begin to see a pattern emerge when you look at 4-5 sample sales pages.

9. Shopping Cart. Once your product is complete, you need to upload the product into your shopping cart and set up the cart for purchases. This may mean you also will need to set up shipping and handling charges for physical products and integrate your shopping with your shipper of choice. If your state requires the collection of state sales taxes, you will need to integrate that as well.

10. Follow-up Autoresponders. Creating a series of autoresponders to follow-up with a customer after purchase enables you to stay in front of the customer and remind her about your other product/service offerings. Design a series of 3-5 autoresponders that will be sent out after a purchase to check in with your customer and tell her the next step she needs to take after her purchase. This might mean referring her to another info product, asking her to join some type of subscription service, or experiencing your service with a free trial.

11. Capturing Contact Info. Sadly, not everyone who visits your website will buy what you are selling. However, you can still capture their contact info by creating a free giveaway for those who may not be ready to buy. This might be a special report or free ecourse, and you follow the same steps outlined previously for creating this giveaway. You will also need to create 3-5 follow-up autoresponders here as well that will ultimately offer them your product once again.

12. Publish and Promote. Now, you are ready to sell. Publish your website and begin to promote your offering to your own database. You can create a buzz about your product by writing a press release, offering a free teleclass, buying ads on other websites or in other newsletters, publishing articles, creating podcasts, purchasing pay-per-click advertising, requesting colleagues to send out notices to their contact lists, and creating an affiliate program in which others can sell your product for a commission.

Creating your first info product can be a time-consuming process. However, once it has created Feature Articles, you stand to earn income from it for years to come. Start to expand your business offerings today with information products.

Online Business Resource Queen (TM) and Online Business Coach Donna Gunter help self-employed service professionals learn how to automate their businesses, leverage their expertise on the Internet, and get more clients online. To sign up for more FREE tips like these and claim your FREE gift, TurboCharge-Your Online Marketing Toolkit, visit her site at Get More Clients Online (http://www.getmoreclientsonline.com/).

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By Jeff Smith

You can now master the art of quickly and easily creating your own 5-10 page, viral special reports that will attract a mountain of high-quality partners, a truckload of traffic and a steady stream of sales for your online marketing business.

A technique we have used effectively for more than 5-years online is creating short, focused special reports turning them viral so that we leverage the effort of hundreds of list owners and website owners send us their traffic.

There are many advantages of writing viral special reports, but the best is that you spend hours to create a marketing tool that continues to send you highly targeted, hungry traffic months, even years, after release.

By releasing one viral special report each month for a year, you can be generating a stampede of traffic and sales to your online business.

You may have tried developing special reports in the past with limited success; here are five secrets that will turn your viral reports into red-hot traffic generators.

1. Have an exciting, attention grabbing and compelling title. When other people market your special report for you, the title is often the only link to your report they include, so it had better be good. Study great advertising, the top headlines

2. You have two customers - the end reader and your distributor. It's important that you write a report that attracts and offers value to your reader, but it's also important to remember that your first target are the army of distributors that will take your report and begin the viral outbreak resulting in massive traffic coming your way.

3. Brandable with your partner's links. Writing a report targeting a hot topic will itself attract some publishers, but what will really put your viral campaign over the top is making your report, ebook or written product brandable. Ideally, deliver your report in Adobe PDF format since it is the standard for delivering digital information products. So, how do you allow your partners to insert their affiliate links in your report in a scalable way where you do not have to be customizing every report manually? A number of PDF branding tools that allow you to accomplish this task are on the market. Look for one that is simple to use for your partners. By allowing them to re-brand links within your report, you are giving them a financial reason to share virally, your report with as much of their list and readership as possible.

4. Create a buzz factor - setup a forum category to discuss each report. In this age of Web 2.0 where user generated content is accepted as a major marketing weapon, setting up a corresponding forum, blog or file sharing site around your report is a great way to increase it's buzz thereby turning your report into a real viral home-run.

5. Create basic graphics to help partners present the report and increase conversion rate. Your partners will benefit tremendously (and be more likely to offer your report) if you offer them some professional graphic covers and banners so they can integrate your viral report easily into their overall site design. I know when I promote an affiliate product for someone; I like to have a choice of graphics depending on whether I promote through out blog, main websites, forums, or in my e-newsletter.

Viral special reports and viral e-books are proven methods that work to generate lots of traffic, leveraged income through partners and if you play your cards right, a viral explosion that can catapult you to market dominance within your niche.

Discover How To Instantly Develop High-Powered Viral and Paid Information Products That You Can Use To Build Your Own Online Marketing Empire. Visit the home of top Internet Marketer's at InfoMarketer's Zone (http://www.infomarketerszone.com/).

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By Wendy Maynard

Let us just start by saying that you MUST have a website, no ifs, ands, or buts. Without one, your prospects will not perceive you as a professional. In addition, you are missing so many potential sales and marketing opportunities if you do not have a website.

A website is one of the most powerful marketing tools that you can implement. You can update it immediately; it is unique to your business; thousands of people who are searching for EXACTLY what you have to offer can see it; and it works as your sales force 24/7. In addition, it can be expanded and changed over time.

A website is a crucial marketing tool that can do the following for your business:

-Increase your visibility and credibility.

-Provide instant information and answers to your prospects' questions.

-Show your prospects that "I know how you feel."

-Allow your prospects and customers the ability to see the full spectrum of your services/products.

-Give your site visitors a taste of your personality – you are already building a relationship with them before you ever talk to them!-Tie together all of your other marketing efforts.

-Offer a storefront to sell your info products including reports, books, teleclasses, e-courses, and digital videos.

-Expand your geographic reach to a much broader audience.

-Provide a place for referrers to send their friends and associates.

-Decrease the length of your sales cycle because by the time your prospects call you, they have had an opportunity to learn about your business online.

Ask yourself a question, "If your website were a salesperson, would you fire him or her?" If the answer is "yes," well…we have some work to do! Do not try to design your own website (unless you are a web designer). There is a steep learning curve and you should devote your time to revenue-making activities. In addition, unless you have a background in web design, your site will look like YOU designed it.

When you hire a firm to design your website, make sure you find a company that understands marketing, as well. There are some web designers who can make your website look pretty, but it may not be effective as a sales tool. You want a team who can make your site easy to navigate with a compelling design AND works for you to sell your services and products.

Key pages for your website include:

-home page: Your home page is the most important page – this is what people will see first. This must be a page that operates as a Sales Letter that explains what you offer, how you will solve your prospects' problems, and what action you want your website visitors to take.

-About: All about you, your business, your staff, company history, and philosophy. You can explain how you work and your approach.

-Services/Products: This is a place where your site visitors can go to find out more about what you are selling.

-Contact: Provide a place to give your contact information. Make it as easy as possible for people to get in touch with you.

-Other Key Pages: Other pages could include Clients (list of your customers), Case Studies (demonstrates who you have helped and how), Testimonials (your customers' raving reviews), Resources (things that your prospects and customers may find helpful.

People do not read websites as if they read a newspaper or book. Instead, they scan until they find a link that looks interesting and then they click on it. Therefore, it is crucial that you make your website pages compelling and make it obvious what a person is supposed to do next. For example, "Purchase now" or "Read more."

On your homepage, start with a compelling headline that speaks directly to your target audience. Next, create a series of "pull" marketing questions or statements for your home page. These are problem-oriented - your prospects should be able to read these and answer, "Yes!” Then, tell your site visitors that they have a way out. Explain exactly what your prospects can do to solve the problems you have just laid out. Always provide a call to action. Be sure to explain EXACTLY what you want your visitors to do. For instance, you may want to get them to subscribe to your ezine, go to a specific page, or to register for a seminar.

In your website, be sure to include pages in your website that give a comprehensive explanation of your services, products, or programs. Be sure to give visitors information about you and your staff, your clients, the way you work, and be sure to include testimonials. I also recommend that you provide a way to capture the names of your prospects. There are many effective online tools to do this. Otherwise, they can move on and you may never hear from them again. So, offer a free report and/or an ezine in exchange for your visitors' contact information.

ACTION ITEM: Do you have a website currently? If you do not yet have a website, what can you do to build an online presence? What pages will you include? If you already have a website Article Submission, is it working for you? What can you do to your current website to improve its selling power? What areas can you add to your website (or plan for a new site) to enhance its stickiness – how can you keep people coming back? Get started now as it can often take weeks or months to overhaul a website to make it a super selling machine.

Wendy Maynard, the Marketing Maven, publishes REMARKABLE MARKETING, a weekly ezine for business owners, freelancers, and entrepreneurs. If you are ready to skyrocket your sales and easily attract customers, subscribe today at http://www.gomarketingmaven.com/ezine.html.

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By Georgi Elias

Business people planning to set up a home business or home office have a huge variety of business systems to choose from today. Anyone starting out may be confused regarding which systems to purchase. Should they purchase service insurance? We will cover the basics of what every business should consider, focusing on Internet related home based businesses.

Working efficiently from home is an important element of any business, especially if you are planning to conduct any internet related business. Business owners should surround themselves with high quality systems to ensure they are efficient at what they do every day. Sufficient backup systems are needed to avoid lost time due to equipment failure.

A high-speed access line by cable modem or DSL is a priority, as is a router with a built in firewall, and Ethernet hub. The firewall will provide you with some protection against other users from the internet hacking into your own computer and network. The Ethernet hub will allow you to connect several computers, if needed, to the same access line. Many business owners are opting for wireless routers and hubs to allow them to place their computers anywhere in the home without having to worry about adding wiring. Users are cautioned to set up their networks with the security option enabled. Otherwise, your neighbors or even strangers near by can use your wireless network to connect to the internet.

A high-speed computer with the latest hardware and software is also recommended. It is amazing how fast technology is evolving. Six months after you made your purchase and set up your system, it will be outdated. Note that it will function and deliver service to you for many years; however, it will just not have the latest features, etc. available.

Depending on your business, you may need multiple telephone lines, a fax line, and several printers. Today for a relatively low price, you can purchase all in one systems that include a printer, copier, fax machine and scanner. Most printers that are ink jet deliver excellent quality and print a sufficient number of pages per minute, however if you will be doing a great deal of printing, you may want to consider a laser printer.

One final comment about the systems you purchase. If you cannot tolerate down time, many business owners will always ensure their data is backed up daily to avoid any significant loss of information. In addition, they will also purchase a service package Psychology Articles, which will guarantee repairs or replacement of their systems within a specified period. Finally, many owners will also have a second or third system available, so they do not lose productivity, if one were to fail.

Elias Georgi is an experienced and successful sponsor, mentor and coach for many thriving tested and proven home businesses. Visit his Website at http://www.eliasg.com/, Elias also runs his own exclusive-article directory (http://www.exclusive-article.com/).

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By Lynn VanDyke

Get the tips you need to know before hiring a webmaster for your small business. Lynn VanDyke explores several traits that a successful webmaster should inherit. Does your webmaster produce results?

Browsing is reminiscent of the cruising teenagers used to do in there 1954 Chevrolets. Cruising the downtown street was an opportunity to visit favorite places, say hello to friends, get current information of interest, and just enjoy the world in general.


Browsing, or cruising, the internet offers many of the same conventions while you sit in the driver's seat at your computer. On the internet are your favorite sites, instant messaging, and email for conferring with your friends, up-to-the minute information about any topic of interest, and a way to access the whole world.

Once you decide to join the crowd and build a website, many important considerations should go into your project. A webmaster can help you make sure the ‘drive' is safe and enjoyable! Building a Hotrod Website many hotrod restorations are called ‘frame-up' jobs. The car is stripped to its bare frame. Everything on the car is restored, one-step at a time, until completion.

Along the way are hundreds of important decisions that affect the final product – everything from custom exhaust systems to door handles. There are so many intricacies. Normally an expert is hired to assist with the project, especially for the bodywork.

Building a website is no different. When you decide to own a website, how to drive business or traffic to the site and the intricacies of the internet and are best handled by a professional webmaster.

What should you look for in a webmaster?

- Current in website creation methods

- Current in website enhancement techniques including video

- Clear on website ownership issues

- Experienced and has examples of work completed you can review

- Able to apply search engine optimization techniques

- Offers owner access for changes or input- Willing to incorporate owner written material

- Good communication skills

- Provides statistical analysis of website traffic

- Hourly or project cost fits within your budget

A webmaster has the big responsibility to satisfy your project requirements, within a budget, on time, and successfully drive business to your site. A webmaster is a professional. The company you hire will understand how to create an effective website that is easy to use.

It is extremely frustrating when you turn the key on your hotrod and nothing happens. It is just as frustrating to visit a website and not be able find what you want or is so convoluted it is impossible to browse. A webmaster insures that your website does not fall prey to these common mistakes.

Breakdowns!

You are cruising in your hotrod. Suddenly, smoke starts coming out the tailpipe. The inevitable breakdown occurs and you are stuck on the side of the highway. No need to panic because the expert who helped assemble the car will also help with the repairs.

Your website, once built, will always need maintenance. There will be upgrades, new additions, deletions, problems, and expansions needed on the site. The webmaster you choose should offer site maintenance. Some common needs include:

- Addition of new information about your company

- Changing graphics

- New pages or information

- Corrections

- Changes resulting from user comments

- Redesigns

Webmasters also have plans that include marketing your website. Naturally, just like taking the disabled hotrod to the mechanic for repairs, maintenance and marketing plans usually incur additional charges.

When you sign a contract with a webmaster, make sure the rates are ones you can afford and are consistent with market pricing. If possible, try to hire a webmaster that includes marketing in the initial quote.

Back On The Highway

You want your hotrod cruising the streets, not sitting in a garage. Your website is meant to be available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. An inoperable site is worthless to a business.

A webmaster can make sure your site is always cruising. Whether you need design, redesign, or maintenance, a webmaster is the best mechanic for the job.

Lynn VanDyke is an SBI certified webmaster. She is one of the fastest growing webmasters for entrepreneurs and small business owners needing to generate targeted traffic from search engines. Learn more about Lynn (http://www.lynnvandyke.com/).

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By Lynn VanDyke

Auto-responders can generate sales, increase customer satisfaction and save you time. You can get innovative ideas on using auto-responders and know why your customers will appreciate you more for it.

When you walk into a department store and the sales assistants are smiling, it creates a sense of camaraderie, which makes you want to return. Personalized attention is the best marketing strategy for improving sales. Everyone likes to feel important and like knowing his or her business is appreciated.

It takes more creativity to generate these kinds of feelings online. Computers and websites can be very impersonal. Auto-responders were developed to help you make sure your website customer knows how much you appreciate their business. They replace the smiles you would give them on a one-to-one basis.

Grinning With Success Customers can be very demanding. They do not like waiting and they want to know their order is being processed quickly. It is just a fact in the marketplace. If you own an online business or have a business where customers can contact you via email, then you probably know how quickly your inbox can fill up with customer emails.

You can pay someone to answer all the emails, but that may not be cost effective. Auto-responders are software programs that will automatically respond to emails with no intervention by you. When someone sends you an email or orders a product from your website, the auto-responder immediately sends a message of acknowledgment.

This assures the customer that he or she is not lost in cyberspace. The customer is smiling with satisfaction and you are grinning with success.

Auto-responders are used as web-based and non web-based programs. The web-based programs run on the server and usually have a specialized script written by the company. Auto-responders attached to email programs usually have programmed pre-set responses to make choices.

The auto-responder has an actual email address. It responds to the customer and gives the customer a way to answer with questions or concerns. However, auto-responders are used in a variety of ways to build business.

- Can send auto-responder emails at predetermined times to maintain contact with the customer

- Used as a way to distribute newsletters and articles to current and potential customers

- Creates mailing lists of email addresses

- Broadcasts advertisements, sales events, and special discount opportunities

- Distributes new product information

- Offer topical courses that are split up over several lessons encouraging repeated customer contact- Send reminders

- Send trial versions of a service you sell

- Use to transmit links that the customer can access and that lead to your website

- Email testimonials about products or services

Auto-responders are used to keep existing customers and generate new business. They are marketing and time management tools. They are also cost effective.

Beaming With Pride Choosing the right auto-responder depends upon your particular circumstances.

- Budget Limitations

- Desire to prevent spam emails being sent from your automated email address collection

- Need for multiple email responses

There are simple and free programs available online, but their capabilities are limited. If you can afford it, the best option is a web-based auto-responder program that offers a large amount of flexibility.

In between the free and web-based programs are stand-alone programs you run with your email program. Whatever program you choose Article Submission, auto-responders will help you create a customer friendly business whether it is online or not. They are a way to show your customers that you and your company strongly value customer relations.

Auto-responders are technology that can also create an opt-in customer base. An opt-in is when a potential customer responds to a pop-up or online form and requests to be added to your customer email list. The uses of auto-responders are unlimited. Anyone who needs to develop a satisfied customer bases should be using auto-responders.

Lynn VanDyke is a highly in-demand SBI Certified Webmaster. She creates web businesses that generate hot, targeted and free leads from all major search engines. Learn more about her and her services (http://www.lynnvandyke.com/).

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By Elaine Currie

You probably think working at home, just you and your computer, in splendid isolation with phone calls diverted to message, would make it impossible for enemies to get to you and disrupt your working day. Well, this works with most enemies but there are two villains who can get past your defenses.

Starting your own Internet home based business can be the best career move you ever make. No other occupation, self-employed or otherwise, can give you the freedom and flexibility you get when you work at home online. You can relax and enjoy working at home in peace managing your time to suit yourself and just concentrate on the important goal of earning money.

Anyone working online from home will tell you, that you might spend all your working time completely on your own without speaking to another human being, you will still encounter enemies who will do their utmost to steal your most valuable commodity: time. Watch out for two particular villains; they are procrastination and loss of focus. If you let either one of them into your life, you will find time vanishing with nothing left to show for the lost hours.

Most people will admit to allowing procrastination to steer them off course. If you know you have to perform a task you do not enjoy, it is only human wishing to postpone it and do something more enjoyable. The Internet is full of enjoyable distractions just a click away from where you are working. If you want to succeed with your Internet home based business, you cannot afford to give in to the temptation to procrastinate. The unwavering exercise of self-discipline is essential for effective time management.

You can strengthen your self-discipline by creating a protective force field around yourself. Make a list of each task you need to complete during the day. Check off each task as you complete it. Allow yourself a small reward in the form of a coffee break, exercise break, or even just an imagined congratulatory pat on the back. Then continue with the next task. As long as you stay focused on the list, the force field will remain intact and procrastination will be unable to attack you or influence you in any way. Set one foot off the list, breach the force field, and that old thief, procrastination, will grab you by the ankle and drag you off into the deep dark Internet forest in less time than it takes to blink.

Procrastination is easy to spot but loss of focus is sneaky. Loss of focus pops out from behind trees and beckons you to make a detour from your planned route. Loss of focus wears many disguises ranging from irresistibly friendly to impressively businesslike. If you manage to catch the bandit and strip away the disguise, you will see the ugly little gremlin for what it really is. If you let loss of focus lead you off the path, you will find yourself miles from home without a trail of breadcrumbs to help you retrace your steps. The minutes will seem to flash by in fast forward. You hear a faint gremlin chuckle as your workday is devoured.

One sure weapon will keep you safe from the ‘loss of focus’ gremlins. It is not really a stun gun, but it acts like one against these gremlins. Fortunately, the weapon is free and you already have it in your possession - it is the bookmark button on your computer. Never make eye contact or try to negotiate with ‘loss of focus’. Immediately, when he pops up, zap him with the bookmark button and he will disappear from your working hours. Better still, he will be held captive until you have finished your work and are ready to deal with him when you choose. Don't be afraid to zap’ loss of focus’ any time he puts in an appearance, it won't hurt him and you will find that this enemy has been transformed into a useful ally through a few hours confinement in your bookmarks folder.

There is no substitute for self-discipline in time management when you are trying to earn a living online, but backing it up with a couple of free weapons Find Article, will help to keep self-discipline strong.

Do you earn money working at home? For more time management tips and useful home business resources visit Elaine Currie's Work At Home Directory (http://www.huntingvenus.com/).

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By Donna Gunter

Grand openings are held to generate good will and begin relationships with business colleagues, current clients, and prospective customers. As the owner of a virtual business, you can now foster that same good will by sponsoring a virtual grand opening for your new business or new website and get your new venture in gear. Below are some ideas to spice up your virtual grand opening/ribbon cutting:

Grand openings and ribbon cuttings do not have to be limited to businesses that have retail locations. If your "real estate" is your website and you work out of your home, this great public relations opportunity is available to you also. You will have to plan it a bit differently than someone with a brick and mortal location. A few years ago I attended a "ribbon cutting" for a client's new website and had a great time meeting people all over the country on a teleconference bridge line.

Since I am a few months away from establishing a new website myself, I wondered how to take powerful advantage of this superb promotional opportunity. I made some posts to discussion lists to which I belong. The ideas listed in this article are the results of my information requests.

Here are some ideas to spice up your virtual grand opening/ribbon cutting:

Technology
At a minimum, you will need a teleconference bridge line. My favorite one is Live Free Conferencing, http://freeconferencing.liveoffice.com/, because you can record the call at no extra charge. The bridgeline holds up to 250 callers. The moderator can mute the entire call if needed, and they offer the ability for muted callers to ask a question via their webcontrol panel.

If you would like more interaction with your visitors, you will want to use web conferencing/virtual conference room software. There are a number of these services out there, so I recommend that you do a search, and try a few before deciding on your provider.

If you would like to invite a group of people to your event, you can use an invitation service like Evite.com. You might send out an HTML invitation to your contact list through your email broadcast service such as, aWeber.com, EzineDirector.com, ConstantContact.com, or an audio postcard through a service like AudioAcrobat.com. In order to have your attendees register for this event, you will need to create a contact form on your website that feeds into your shopping cart or autoresponder service.

Event Activities

1. Virtual ribbon cutting. You can do this via a web cam and actually cut a ribbon draped over your monitor that is displaying the home page of your new site and show it via your webinar service/virtual conference room service. Alternatively, you might find an animated graphic of a ribbon cutting and show that via your virtual conference room instead.

2. Have people register for your event and give out door prizes. You can spotlight your business colleagues by requesting door prizes for them. Electronic info products are the easiest door prizes to award. You do not have to mail a physical package to the winner. If some of your door prizes do require mailing, you need to request a mailing address from everyone who registers for your event.

3. Hold a teleseminar during the grand opening that is partially educational and promotional. You can make a special offer to all those who attend the live call.

4. Give a virtual tour of your new website via webinar/virtual conference room software.

5. Host a roundtable session at your event that permits attendees to give a 30-second commercial of their businesses. Schedule this at the end of your event so it does not detract from your offerings.

6. Hold a scavenger hunt on your site during your grand opening. This hunt creates a reason to have people visit the site and visit multiple pages. Create a 3-5 page report or something that is easy to compile that displays your expertise and is of value to your visitor for the prize. You might use rollover images to give clues or find a funny graphic and hide it in various places throughout your site, in obvious and not-so-obvious, locations. You could also place audio snippets around your site as well and put clues in those audio files.

7. Sponsor a message board and/or chat room on your site. At specific times post a series of questions, polls, etc. that will make your visitors interact. Ensure that the questions are relevant and of interest to your target market. This will instantly create popularity for your website, as well as, keywords pertinent to your target market.

8. Give away prizes every hour (or every 10-15 minutes for shorter events), telling your visitors they have to be present in the webinar room/on the teleconference line to win. Between giveaways, talk about your experience, your offerings, and offer free ‘on the spot’ help for a problem faced by your target market.

Online Publicity/Promotion

1. Post the date and time of the opening of your event on CraigsList.com, on the boards for your city/area, and surrounding areas.

2. Send out invitations through Evite or though your email broadcast service.

3. If permitted, post the particulars about your event on various lists/discussion groups to which you belong.

4. Send out press release regarding the event through online press release services.

5. Create a post about your grand opening/ribbon cutting on your blog and invite attendees to post their comments on your blogOffline Marketing1. Join your local Chamber of Commerce and they will offer to hold a ribbon-cutting for you. For virtual/at home businesses, most chambers will do this in their office rather than your home. Many times a photo or article about the ribbon cutting will appear in the local press and in the chamber newsletter.

2. Plan a couple of local talks, and/or book, or product signings to coincide with your grand opening.

3. Send out postcards inviting people to your new website and grand opening. Offer them a free gift for dropping by.

4. Send out press releases to your local media regarding any "in-person" events you sponsor during this grand opening time. Grand openings are held to generate good will and begin relationships with business colleagues, current clients, and prospective customers. Now, as the owner of a virtual business Health Fitness Articles, you can foster the same good will by sponsoring a virtual grand opening for your new business or new website and get your new venture in gear.

Online Business Resource Queen (TM) and Online Business Coach Donna Gunter help self-employed service professionals learn how to automate their businesses, leverage their expertise on the Internet, and get more clients online. To sign up for more FREE tips like these and claim your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, visit her site at Get More Clients Online (http://www.getmoreclientsonline.com/).

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By Titus Hoskins

Starting a successful Internet home business can be an easy task if you start with the right marketing tools and some basic marketing information. Do yourself a BIG favor and become familiar with these five Essential marketing tools before you start...

Let us start with this one cold fact: creating a successful Internet home business is not an easy task. It takes hard work and a whole lot of strategic planning. Anyone who tells you otherwise is probably trying to sell you something! Building any solid business takes hard work and planning. Why should creating a successful business on the Internet be any different? Just because you are dealing with computers and a worldwide marketplace does not mean it will be easy to construct and build a successful enterprise. It will take some work and effort on your part.

However, knowing what tools to use and some vital marketing knowledge will make your task much easier and much quicker. The Internet does have its own unique tools and methods, which you should be familiar with before you start any web business. Complete knowledge of these marketing tools and information will greatly increase your chances of creating a successful Internet business.

1. Domain Name/Website

You must start with a Domain Name - most marketers either make their domain something catchy and short that visitors will quickly remember such as Digg.com, BestBuy.com, Yahoo!.com, or they will directly tie in their main product or service in the domain such as Hotels.com, YouTube.com, Carloans.com, and so on.

Attach your domain to a well designed and easy to navigate website. Preferably, professionally designed and equipped with all the commercial tools you need like a shopping cart and payment system. Like any business, you must try to accept all the major credit cards and display all the proper trust-building icons such as 'Better Business Bureau'...

Most professional online marketers keep graphics to a minimum and highlight their main benefit or product in a headline at the top of your webpage. You only have a few seconds to impress your prospective customer so summarize your whole site in one short benefit-loaded phrase or slogan. Be precise and direct in your presentation.

2. Keywords/SEO Strategy

Keywords, what surfers’ type into search engines to find what they are seeking on the web, are the real cornerstones of any online website or business. You must find out the exact phrases and words people are using to find your product or service and target these keywords with your online site. Create pages and content on your site to draw in this targeted traffic. As a rule, the more targeted your traffic/visitors are, the greater your conversion rate, i.e. the more sales you will make.

Professional online marketers do keyword research and a whole lot of testing to find the right high converting keywords that virtually guarantees sales. These marketers find the buyers at the right stage in the buying process, where customers already have their minds made up and are ready to buy. For example, someone searching for 'cars' is not as targeted as someone searching for '2007 Ford Mustang with Shelby GT exterior design'.

Savvy marketers use professional keyword research software such as Keyword Elite or use such sites as GoodKeywords, or Overture, (Yahoo! Search Marketing), to find the number of monthly searches for the keyword phrases they target with their sites. Many online businesses outsource their keyword/link building to SEO specialists who do this job for them. These firms develop a long-term SEO strategy of building links to targeted keyword phrases, thus building a successful business in the process.

3. AutoResponder/Opt-in Lists

The AR or AutoResponder is one of the most essential tools to building a successful online business. You must set up an Opt-in system on your site to capture the contact information of your visitors, this will increase your traffic and dramatically improve your sales. It has been proven that it takes 5 to 6 follow-up emails before a customer buys your product or service.

It just makes good business sense. You must build a list of potential customers for your business. The AutoResponder makes this possible and is unique to the online world. You simply place a form on all your webpages to capture the name and email address of your visitors for further follow-up and contact. Instead of a surfer visiting your site just once, you draw them back again and again with special offers, deals or a daily/weekly newsletter.

The key element that makes the AutoResponder such a powerful marketing tool is trust! The Internet is still a very distrustful place. You simply use the AutoResponder and your follow-up system to build trust and a sense of loyalty from your potential customers. Once this relationship of trust is built, running a profitable business online will be easy.

4. RSS/Blogs

Blogs and RSS feeds are essential online business tools. As we saw above, building a trustful relationship is very important to doing business online. Keeping an online Blog or daily journal is another way of building trust and keeping in contact with your customers or clients. Everyone likes to be a part of a group, a member of the club - having a company blog will help keep everyone a member of your business.

Blog and RSS feeds are a way to connect with your visitors or customers. Podcasting and broadcatching (video casting) are excellent ways to connect with your clients. Videos are all the rage right now and savvy marketers are using them in their advertising and marketing. Why should Google and YouTube have all the fun? RSS (Really Simple Syndication; the original acronym stood for Rich Site Summary), will get your sales message out to your customers quickly. With the upcoming release of the RSS powered Windows Vista, it expects RSS to play an even greater role in your whole Internet experience. Make sure you have at least one RSS feed on your online business site.

5. Articles/Syndication Software

People want information first, and products second. Regardless of what is selling or the type of online business you want to create, always keep in mind potential customers want information first and then the sales pitch. Give people good solid information and they will more likely buy from you. You must pre-sell your online business or product.

One of the best ways to pre-sell is by using articles. Simple informative, how-to, 500-700 word articles on all aspects of your online business. Place these articles on your own site and syndicate them around the web by using article distribution software or by submitting to such online article directories as Ezinearticles.com, Goarticles.com, Ideamarketers.com and Articleally.com - make sure you place a link back to your online business within the resource box at the end of each article.

Articles are an effective way of drawing targeted customers to your site or business. Each article is a marketing tool in its own right. Create a whole army of these articles and you will see a marked increase in online visitors and customers.

As mentioned before building a successful online business is not an easy task. It does take some strategic planning and a whole lot of marketing tools with the knowledge to use them properly. However, anyone can create a successful home business with the right equipment and the right attitude. You now have some excellent starting points Psychology Articles, the next step is really up to you.

The author is a full-time online marketer who has numerous niche websites, including two sites on Internet Marketing. For the latest and most effective web marketing tools try www.bizwaremagic.com If you are trying to start a web business, try these excellent free training manuals and videos: www.bizwaremagic.com/Free_Marketing_Courses.htm 2007 Titus Hoskins. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

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By Michael Hayes

Are you a small business struggling to develop your online presence? Regardless of the specific nature of your online business, there are common elements that need regular attention it to prosper. Two essential parts of this process are covered in this article:

1) marketing the online business, and 2) detailing the web site processes and content to achieve the highest possible sales conversion rates.

Maximize traffic to your web site

How long has it been since you last spent time driving traffic to your web site? Do not be left behind. Traffic does not come to your site automatically, search engines and directories send it. Moreover, if you do not optimize your site to convince Search Engines such as Google that you have relevant content, then your site will be largely ignored. Consider implementing a combined strategy:

* Set up reciprocal links from other sites with a higher Google PageRank than yours. One way to do this is to find web sites, forums, or blogs that are related to your market segment, without directly competing with you, and submit articles to them with a link back to your own web site. It is these incoming links that search engines love and your PageRank will rise accordingly. Business and trade directories are another good source of potential traffic. The more relevant you can find the better. An example of this approach could be a small business specializing in a particular form of natural healing. A useful strategy here would be to submit quality articles to an industry site that covered all forms of natural healing, outlining the benefits of your particular specialty. People visiting this high profile site already have an interest in natural healing, and may well be interested in your specialty when guided by an informative article. The benefit to the site accepting your submission is that your article, and others like it, helps to broaden their appeal. If done well, this really is a win -- win situation.

* Dedicate specific pages on your web site to focus on particular themes. Do not make the mistake of trying to cover a grab bag of topics on the one page in the hope that one of them will stick. An experienced web developer, or Search Engine Optimization (SEO) specialist, will be able to help with this process by analyzing your visitor statistics and suggesting themes based on key words and phrases that people are actively searching. After you write an article based on their suggestions, they will then edit it to maximize its appeal to Search Engines.

* Consider paid advertising on a "cost-per-click basis". Google and Yahoo are good places to start, but there are many others. Many of these systems are based on a bidding model where the more an advertiser is prepared to pay for a click, the more prominently the advertisement will be featured. When used carefully, they can be a good way of generating a quick response. This can be important for owners of new web sites while they are waiting for their natural search engine traffic to gain momentum.

Develop a marketing strategy for the next three months

The reason marketing activities should be planned well in advance is to give yourself plenty of time to get in the necessary stock, or if you have a service based business, assemble the relevant resources. For example, if new stock is involved, you will need time to source it and upload the details to your web site. If you are launching a new service, you may need to add an extra page to your web site outlining its benefits and engage additional staff to perform the service. All these things take time. The good news is that by planning you will save yourself a lot of stress.

Detailed planning

This is the 3Ps -- only this time they are Plan, Plan & Plan. Look at your marketing campaigns collectively, and then individually. What do you really want to achieve? Consider planning for the next three campaigns and write a sentence for each one that clearly spells out its main purpose. These are your core propositions. For example, the first could be to clear stock or promote an older service; the second could be designed to tie in with an event such as Easter, while the third could be used to launch a new service or product range. Whatever they are, I suggest that you keep them simple and only have one core proposition per campaign. You will run the risk of confusing yourself and your customers if you try to do more.

Newsletters

It is very common for an online marketing campaign to revolve around a newsletter. If this is the case then all aspects of the mail-out needs to be very carefully planned, drafted and tested.

* There are many sorts of newsletters, however those promoting e-commerce ventures usually have one primary purpose: to drive traffic to an online shop selling products or services. The question is, how best to achieve this. Detailed coverage of the core proposition in the actual newsletter may not be the best approach. Rather, write the copy in such a way that it provides just enough information to whet your customers’ appetite, coupled with a clear link to the remainder of the article stored on you web site. In this way, you stand a good chance of achieving additional sales when customers click through and become re-acquainted with your complete range of offerings.

* In drafting your copy, do not waste time singing your own praises. You or your business may have done some great things, but sadly, customers are not interested. What they want to know is what is in it for them. Keep this as your focus and you will not go wrong.

* Pay particular attention to the subject line of the email newsletter. Remember, with many customers this may be all they read before they look for the delete button. Try to make it compelling but avoid any hype that may trigger junk mail filters.

* HTML email newsletters are acceptable to most customers these days. They present well and they can feature images, but make sure they are correctly constructed. If you are creating your own HTML newsletters, view them in Internet Explorer and Firefox before you send them out. You may be surprised how differently the common web browsers can present the same HTML document. Sometimes with unfortunate consequences. If you are not confident in this area, then seek help.

* Ensure that you comply with all relevant anti-SPAM regulations. If you are not familiar with them, make it your business to find out. In many cases, the penalties for ignoring such regulations are high. At the very least you should always include details outlining who you are, why the person is receiving your email newsletter, and how they can unsubscribe should they wish to do so.

* Before you send out an email newsletter to your whole mailing list, test it, and test it again! That means checking that the content is correct, links work, images display correctly, personalized information is merging correctly, and unsubscribe links are fully operational.

Your mailing list

Mailing lists must be maintained. In addition, I do not use the word "must" lightly. With legislation in place to prosecute those who play fast and loose with their mailing lists, this area requires careful attention by all e-Commerce operators. The technical aspects of list maintenance and email campaigns are beyond the scope of this article, but if you have any doubts, you may be better to consider a hosted solution. A quick search on the Internet for "email marketing" or "email marketing services" should yield results. Constant Contact is one such service that I have used with good results. In general, it is safer to avoid purchasing lists unless you are very sure they are genuine opt-in permission based lists directly relevant to your market segment. Build your own. It may take longer but the result is a list of customers who are genuinely interested in your products or services. Conversion rates with your own list are always going to be higher.

Your online shop

So far, the focus has been on getting customers to your online shop. Now it is time to make sure that when they do, they have a pleasant experience, which encourages them to make a purchase.

* Do the advertised products or services as featured on your web site match up exactly with what you have in stock? If not, take steps to correct this. If the product is not currently available then delete it, or just disable it, if your software will allow. That way you will only have to enable the entry when the item returns to stock. Perhaps, it may be that your published information does not accurately describe the product or service, or the image shows the wrong model or color. If any of these examples apply to your website, then make a point of correcting the detail prior to a mail-out.

* As I have mentioned above, do not be tempted to leave items on display that are temporarily out of stock. You know that they are coming back in, but your customers do not and deliveries can often be late. Online customers have every right to expect that what they see lines up with reality, so it is not surprising that they become very upset when their firm order suddenly becomes a "virtual" one.

* Check the navigation of your site to make sure that all links are operational. Customers quickly find poor navigation frustrating ... and frustrated customers leave.

* Review your terms, conditions, FAQs and freight. I hope there will be first time customers because of your mail-out who will want to check these things. I know this can be boring but do not gloss it over. Put your customer hat on and pretend that you are reading the information for the first time.

* If you have a contact form on your site, test it. You should also place test orders using all the available payment methods your site offers. The last thing you (or your customer) want is a dysfunctional checkout system. In fact, nothing erodes buyer confidence faster.

Finally, good luck with your e-commerce ventures. E-commerce is not rocket science Article Submission; it is just another form of business. Additionally, constant attention to details counts in all forms of business.

As "The Online Shop Designer (TOSD)" Michael Hayes draws on over a decade's experience designing, developing and managing e-Commerce and CMS web sites for small business owners. In doing this he strives to deliver appropriate, manageable solutions that support his client's business goals, and avoid the "technology tension" that so often occurs.

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By Stephen Wright

This article provides specific details for becoming a home based business and Internet marketing guru through careful and selected networking opportunities. Accomplish this ability through an on-going process of networking.

Becoming a home based business and Internet marketing guru is not something that happens overnight. It takes significant dedication to develop your knowledge, skills, and abilities. During the course of this evolutionary process for yourself, you must develop the relationships and respect of your peers and potential clients/customers. Accomplish this through an on-going process of networking.

Networking in this manner includes spending time in various home business forums, relevant groups, boards, loops, and discussion exchanges. Appropriately, each of these has a primary purpose or relevance focus designed to facilitate and enhance the field of Internet Marketing through ideas, promotions, and topic exchange.

You must personally participate in a significant manner in these sorts of activities and venues. You have the "opportunity" to market yourself, your ideas, suggestions, input, advice, and counsel in support of and in a contributory manner to the field of running a Home Based Business and Internet marketing, as well as to the betterment of others --- your peers. All of which is critical to building a proper foundation of service to others.

There are countless numbers of groups for any given topic or subject area of interest. In addition, the best part, many are free to join. The array included popular Internet topics such as; Internet Marketing Ideas and Tips, eBay buying/selling, Work at Home, Employment, Web Hosting, etc.

As you start the effort of building your "online resume", a word of caution: time management can be critical. It is not uncommon to hear or read about the toll taken on unsuspecting web marketers who get totally and utterly immersed in spending time on the Internet that it can quickly have a detrimental impact on their personal and physical well being. The internet can be time consuming and addictive in nature, compounded by the significant amount of distractions continually vying for our attention while interacting on the Internet. You must find ways to allocate your time and resources, allowing ample time both on and off the web!

Diversification is a key element in building yourself and your abilities. This means continuously taking information and feedback you gain from the networking activities, to be applied back with other activities. For example, gaining information and input from a product development forum allows you to give information as a more informed user on a user forum, exchanging information on similar issues. This allows you to utilize your skills, knowledge and abilities, and continually refine your knowledge base. This also helps build credibility among various groups and users. It is a known fact that people do business with those whom they know or trust. Being successful with a home based business is not different.

Using this approach allows others to see you in a supporting role, not necessarily as one just "interested in profits and making a buck!" Networking in this fashion allows you to establish yourself as a knowledgeable fellow entrepreneur, not as someone only out for self-promotion or worse yet "a Spammer"! The trick to subtle self-promotion is a graciously accepted practice. Shameless and abrupt advertising will get you no-where. Once you have this level of respect and credibility, the revenues and profits will not be far behind. If you want real success Free Reprint Articles, get started networking your way there today.

Stephen Wright is President & CEO of www.InternetMarketingUSA.comWeary from failed programs, tips and makes them rich advice? Get it ALL, step-by-step, the gory details, and the handholding to Get You Rich. It is all waiting for you: http://www.internetmarketingusa.com/pips.html

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By Paul Mccord

Whether you know it or not, your database of current and past clients is your best source of new clients. “Prospecting” for a new clientele is time consuming and expensive. If you can find a way to increase your sales without the time commitment and expense of cold calling, mass direct mail, advertising, or purchasing leads, would you be willing to implement it? Of course, you would!

Taking the time and effort to keep in contact with past clients will grow your business through new direct sales to the client and generating referrals to qualified prospects.

Often sales people complain that keeping in touch with past clients takes too much time, effort, and money. Considering the return on investment, this is not true—at least for most sales people. The key is finding a way to communicate that is time efficient, relatively inexpensive, and effective.

Studies indicate that in order to keep your name at the top of your customer’s mind, you need to “touch” your customer a minimum of 14 times per year—more if possible.

What is a “touch?” A touch is any communication from you to your client—email, telephone call, snail mail, postcard, holiday card, in-person meeting, or any other method of getting in front of your customer. If you are communicating with the client, you are touching them.

What is the most effective way to touch your past clients? Studies have shown that there is not a “best” way to touch the client, but rather, the most effective client communication programs enlists a number of communication formats.

Is sending 14 emails a year effective? Is sending 14 snail mail pieces a better choice? Is making 14 phone calls a better option? Is sending 14 postcards a viable option? What alternatives will work the best? However, constructing a campaign using a combination of these methods could be a very effective program. For instance, setting a marketing calendar to send 4 postcards per year, 6 emails, 2 snail mail letters, one phone call, and one holiday card during the course of the year allows you to touch your clients approximately once every 3 ½ weeks during the course of the year.

However, what do you send? What do you say 14 times during the course of the year? The content of your communication is just as important as the fact that you sent something. When you communicate with a past client, the fact that you have something in front of a previous customer is not necessarily a good thing, in and of itself.

Many traditional marketers will disagree. Much traditional thinking says that any time you get your name in front a client it is a good thing. However, is a 3-second trip to the trash for your expensive postcard or letter the best use of your money?

Whether or not your communication campaign is effective will depend on what you are communicating. If you send junk, just to send something, your customer will quickly learn to ignore you and your communications and everything you send will take that 3-secnd trip to the trash. On the other hand, if your communications offer something of interest and value, you will train your client to pay attention to you.

Which would you rather have: a client that ignores you or one that pays attention to you?

I assume you would rather have a client that pays attention to you. To train your clients to pay attention, and, therefore, to keep you at the top of their mind, you must figure out how to send them communications that give them value. Can you offer a special for them or someone they refer to you? Can you provide them an annual or semi-annual update on their purchase? Can you send or email them articles of interest that relate to their purchase or an interest of theirs? What you send does not have to be large or costly—it just needs to be of interest to the client.

A program such as this requires thought and considerable customization of content, but the payoff can be enormous. Think about what you are sending and what it will—or will not—communicate about you and your business. If you want your clients to think of you and not ignore you, then take the time and the effort to make sure you are sending value. If you are not sure it has value, it probably does not. Marketing to your client database should be at the top of your “to do” list and your campaign should be constructed with the thought and care as if you were marketing to the most important people in the world, because for you, they are.

Author and trainer, Paul McCord is a leading authority on prospecting, referral selling, and personal marketing. His book, Creating a Million Dollar a Year Sales Income (John Wiley & Sons) teaches the strategies the million dollars a year sales superstars use. http://www.powerreferralselling.com

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By Michael Fleischner

Okay, so your marketing has paid off - you have new customers. The key to growing your business is to effectively communicate and leverage these new customers into advocates for your products and services and purchasers of additional services.

Do this in a variety of ways. Follow some basics steps to ensure retention. Here are some tips you can use to develop long-term relationships with newly acquired customers.

1. Proactively shape impressions about your business. Whether you are sending a welcome message, making the first contact via phone, or sending a letter, be sure to position you company for the long-term. Often times, individuals buy products without knowing a whole lot about the company where they are buying.

A popular tactic is sending a welcome kit or an overview letter that introduces your company, your values, and the additional resources you have available for your customers including a support email address, 1-800 number, and so on. This lets you control your company's image among newly acquired customers. Otherwise, your customers are free to form their own opinion without any guidance whatsoever.

2. Categorize your customer. Is your customer a high potential? Are they a transactional buyer that will likely never buy from you again unless you offer the lowest price? By segmenting your buyers based on your existing database or known behaviors, you can develop customized communication plans to retain them for years to come. Some communication plans focus on up-sell while others may only focus on retention. Base the communication plan you implement on the proper categorization of your customer.

3. Show your thanks. Once you have acquired a customer, do not forget to thank them. This may seem trite. However, done properly, this goes a long way. Often a hand-written note or personalized email from a company president can do the trick. The real key is to make the customer feel good about the purchase they have made and the company they have chosen.

4. Provide consistency among all touch points. Once you have acquired a new customer, you must make sure that you provide a consistent user experience. For example, if the prospect contacts your technical support rep the first day after they have purchased a product and received an answer to their question, then they call the following day only to receive a different answer, they are going to lose faith in your company's ability to provide consistent and reliable support.

You can benefit greatly by developing procedures that can be documented and delivered consistently - meeting customer expectations. This builds trust in your business and can minimize defections. If the consumer knows they can count on you to give them what they need/want, they will be willing to forgo a better price or promise of a better deal elsewhere.

5. Share customer testimonials on future marketing pieces. Many marketers believe that testimonials are only for prospects. The truth is that testimonials can help retain customers, especially new ones, with exposure to positive experiences of individuals just like them. In addition to sharing testimonials, it is always a good practice to ask newly acquired customers (within 30 days of purchase) for their feedback/testimonials.

The benefit of reaching out to your customers is that if a problem exists, you can react to it and if they have something positive to say about your product or business, it is useful to reinforce your brand. (Note: be sure to get permission to publish a customer’s testimonial).

These techniques are very effective for maximizing lifetime customer value. By shaping the image of your company, providing a consistent experience, and sharing testimonials for similar customers, you can develop a positive, lasting impression with your marketplace.

Most importantly, keep it simple. Do not overwhelm your new customers with tons of email, or direct mail. Develop a well thought-out communication plan that has a definite purpose. In addition, most importantly, remember to thank your customers for choosing your company, product or service.

Michael Fleischner is a marketing expert with more than 12 years marketing experience. He has appeared on The TODAY Show, Bloomberg Radio, and other major media. For more free marketing articles like this one, visit http://www.marketingscoop.com.

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By Mikhail Tuknov

For many casual internet users, the terms SEM and SEO rarely enter their minds when they are busy jumping from one website to another. However, these terms establish much of what comes out on the results page whenever we type a word in the search tab of any accessible search engine. These terms are also responsible for all those advertisements and pop-ups that link us to even more websites, whether they connect to our original search or not. So just what are SEM and SEO?

In the simplest way possible, SEM and SEO are tools which website creators, especially those who are promoting and selling a certain service or product, use to gain a lot of exposure and a better ranking for their website. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, the simplicity ends there.

To make it a tad bit complex, SEM and SEO are not the same.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM), deals with how a website markets to gain exposure in the different search engines available on the internet. Search Engine Optimization (SEO), deals with how the web creators develop and redevelop the content, quality, and structure of their entire websites. When an internet user types in a particular word in the search tab, their websites have a better chance of appearing on the first few search engine results pages (SERPS).

To make it even more complex, although the functions of SEM and SEO seem different, they are more effective when used together. Since the main function of SEM is to gain further exposure for a website, the common means for attraction are more online advertisements, blogs, internet articles, partner and sponsored websites, and anything that can catch the eye of the internet user.

SEM also makes use of PPC (pay-per-click), and paid inclusion to push a website’s visibility. Lastly, it is also an important process in SEM to submit the name and URL of a website to different search engines and web directories, if only to inform them of the website’s existence. This is carried out to ensure the popularity of a website.

So how does SEO come together with SEM? Despite having all the advertisements provided by SEM, truly the SEO allows the internet user to easily and conveniently find what he is looking for. Since the function of SEO is to gain a better ranking in the SERPS, the web creator has to constantly optimize his website in order to cater to the needs of the internet user; making it easier for spiders or web crawlers to judge whether the website’s content is relevant to the words being searched. Optimization is not a simple and easy task. It involves having to restructure the website regularly, (by editing the html code and meta tags, changing content, reorganizing the site map, developing an easier navigational structure, etc.), to adapt to the rapidly changing demands of the internet user. Still, when done properly, not only does SEO help a website become more useful and therefore, more often visited by the internet user, it also helps gain more exposure since it increases the website’s chances of gaining a better rank in the SERPS.

Both SEM and SEO success rely heavily on the words or context which Internet user’s type in when they search for something on the internet. Take PPC under SEM, for example. PPC is an ad that is triggered by a particular word or context used by an internet user. Once a particular word or context is searched, a corresponding PPC ad for a website comes out. SEO works in the same way. The web creator inputs a particular Meta tag (or keyword) in his html that he believes many internet users will use when searching for information; information, which the web creator’s website may contain.

Although all of these processes involving SEM and SEO are tedious and time-consuming, it all boils down to knowing and serving the target audience. A web creator must be discerning enough to know what the internet users need and want, and at the same time, he must have the real passion to inform and provide the internet users with the right service and product.

Mikhail Tuknov, search engine optimization specialist and a founder of Infatex (Search Engine Marketing Company). With an extensive background in Internet marketing, Mikhail Tuknov offers SEO, PPC, SEM services. http://www.infatex.com/

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By Robert Wilkinson

If you use direct mail, it is in your best interest to get as much of it opened and read as possible. You may have spent a small fortune on the copywriting and the expensively printed brochure, but if you do not ensure that as many packs are opened and read as possible, then both copy and brochure are wasted.

There are two main schools of thought on how to avoid being binned. The first is to use disguise, and the second is to use persuasion.

Using disguise is mainly a business-to-business approach, but it works for business to consumer mailings also. Businesses to business promotional mailings are marked out so they do not appear to have been handled individually. This can be indicated by an envelope pre-printed with a postage mark, and the use of a window or address labels to show an address.

Try one or more of the following to give the envelope a more individual look.

Use stamps. They have to have been put on by hand, so it must be individual. There is no more obvious an indicator than a pre-printed stamp impression. When using a preprinted impression in conjunction with a window envelope it practically screams, advertising so do not do it.

Hand write the address on the envelope. This is probably only viable for higher value items and certainly get more attention this way. It does not have to be copperplate; it just needs to look as though it has been handled individually.

Use an unusual material for the envelope, say vellum or a textured paper. In tests conducted by a paper merchant, this alone increased responses significantly. The additional revenue generated by the mailing more than compensated for the additional cost for the special paper.

Again, do anything to make your mailing appear more individual and personal to the recipient. Probably the most important element is the use of stamps. This on its own can be enough to get you under the recipient's radar.

Secondly, use persuasive tactics. This is completely the opposite from disguise and is used mainly for business to consumer, but again it works for business to business too. In this instance, we mark it out specifically as commercial by using advertising images, copy, and headlines on the outside of the envelope itself. In this instance, it does not matter if you use a printed postal impression.

Unlike the previous method, which uses curiosity to get your envelope opened, we need to give the recipient a good reason to open the envelope. This can take a variety of forms, but as a couple of examples you can state a benefit, "Increase sales by 15%", or alternatively provide an incentive, "Reply by the end of the month and get 2 for the price of 1".

Be very clear and very specific about what the contents are going to achieve and remember you are only trying to get the envelope opened and read. Avoid anything vague. Do not expect to appeal to everyone using this method. You do not have that much room on the envelope and you cannot be all things to all people.

I hope you will achieve a strong enough response in a small percentage of recipients that they will open, and read the contents. Your persuasive copy will follow logically on from the envelope copy, and keep your prospect interested.

There is a lot of advice against this in business-to-business direct mail, and there is probably an element of truth in this. If you are mailing to an executive whose mail is screened then its likely good advice. However, there are plenty of owner/managers out there that still open their own mail, if the offer or benefit is clear enough, and of interest to open. You may well consign your mailing piece to the bin for the 99.5% of your prospects by doing this, but it was not about them, was it?

In summary, it is simple. Do not be run of the mill. Step away from the norm and make sure your envelope is overtly commercial with a clear benefit, or incentive, or alternatively make it look personal. If you do this, you are halfway to getting it read and that is more than half the battle.

Robert Wilkinson is the owner of http://www.arhiann.com a direct mail production company specializing in mailings for small and medium sized business.

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