Home Business The Easy Way - TO Update http://www.blogmoneymiracle.com en-us EasyRSS
By Dan

If you are reading this, perhaps you are lazy when it comes to your online business. Alternatively, maybe you are not lazy; you just have a life and cannot commit yourself to your online business 24/7, or every free second you have. Whatever the case, time is not on your side, when it comes to working with your online business.

I will cut to the chase. One strategy is to place a link to your site in your signature in an online forum. I use this a lot. Much of my free time is spent online, lurking through message boards. Do not blatantly post on random forums in an attempt to advertise; this is considered spamming, and will probably get you banned from the forum. It will ruin your credibility and reputation with that group of people, and so you can kiss those potential prospects and sales good-bye. Whatever your business is about, there is a forum on the internet regarding it. I guarantee it. If your business is about internet marketing, then focus on forums about internet marketing. If your business is about online auctions, focus on forums that are about online auctions. You get the idea.

However, if you want to be daring, try advertising your MLM business in, say a video game forum, but good luck, you will need it. I have tried putting a link to my site in forums of my interests and expertise, but had nothing to do with business, without much luck. Make sure the forum allows you to advertise your site in your signature, first. Now post away, making sure you contribute to the nature of the board. This is critical, as you will appear to be an expert in whatever field you are in, and people browsing through will be more inclined to click the link to your site in your signature. That and every post you make creates a back link to your site, which is critical for search engine optimization.

Perhaps forum posting is not for you. Maybe you are a newbie, and would not be welcomed in internet forums, (people on some internet forums can be extremely vicious, and I have been on forums for too long to know that).

Another strategy you can use is to write articles! Many articles you read online are written by everyday, run of the mill, normal people. If you were smart enough to find this article, then you are smart enough to write a short article about any feature in online business. You do not have to write some 50-page essay or anything. When people look up information on the internet, they want it short, sweet, and to the point. Who has time to read some giant essay, when all they want is information about starting an online business? A good count range would be around 400-500 words, give or take. There are tons of article directories online where you can submit your articles. Just look up "article submission" on Google and see the hundreds of directories listed. You can get your own blog, and post your articles on it, as well.

I do all of the above and I am lazy as heck. A guru about online business is the last thing I am, and this took less than half an hour to write, so you should have no problem with article writing and blogging.

There are many, many other ways to promote your site for free and with little effort, but you know what? I am too lazy to list them all here. Assuming you actually read everything up to this point, you are more than intelligent enough to find your own ways of advertising. Just remember to work smarter, not harder, and in time your goal will be attained.

Visit Dan's site to find the best rated home based business opportunities so you can earn residual income (http://www.ez-online-money.com/).

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If you want to have a website, then you will need to buy a domain name. This is the address for your site. Users will need to type it to enter your website. Your domain name is very important to let people know what type of business you have just by hearing your domain name. Choose a wrong domain name, and nobody will come to see you.

Buying a domain name using a domain name service is cheap. It takes about $6 to $20 per year. But domain names are also a golden opportunity to make easy money. You may have heard about some people running "internet real estate" businesses. They buy a domain name, then later sell that domain name for a large profit. For example, the domains Loans.com and Wines.com were each purchased for $3 million each. But there's another way to make big profits with domain names that most people aren't aware of. So what is this ticked to fast cash? Expired domains are where it's at.

Many webmasters invest their time, effort and money to promote their site and gain quality traffic. Many of them lose interest, basically abandoning their site while at the same time leaving that site active. This means that although they still own the domain, they're not promoting it anymore. They've already done the hard work, so their website continues to bring in traffic by itself. By taking over have those domains when they expired, you can get a pre-built base of customers. Once you've acquired the domain (and its traffic) you can either rebuild the site, or redirect the traffic to one of your own.

Try to find an expired domain that relates to your business. To make the task of finding that perfect expired domain even easier, there are services that will help you to find an expired domain like www.ExpiredTraffic.com or www.DeletedDomains.com. You can buy expired domain names there and then build up your site using these domain names. This way, you can get a lot of traffic easily.

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by Adam Terebeckij

I have often mentioned the need for balance between your family life and your business. This is a little bit trickier proposition for work-at-home parents, particularly those who have little ones pattering about.

But, there is some also benefit to working around and along with the little ones. The first of these major benefits is the fact that they force you to take breaks, whether you think you want one or not.

For most of us, it is difficult to get into our work first thing in the morning and, if we don't have an outstanding amount of self-discipline, we often find ourselves hurrying later to catch up on things that we got behind on during the early morning hours.

In these situations, taking a break to put Polly Pocket's dress on for the thousandth time, or fixing yet another glass of juice, might seem like a profound interruption to your work flow. However, if you take a moment to think about why you wanted to work from home, wasn't there something about this in that thought?

More important, however, taking short breaks throughout the day provides a renewal of energy and purpose and gives your child special memories that other children aren't quite so fortunate to have.

Second, the little ones (believe it or not) will help drive your schedule. If you are planning around lunchtime, snack time, nap time, etc., and have set times for these each day, you are mentally preparing for those times and working according to what needs to be done before that time.

It's like a mental turbo boost for your productivity. I don't know about your children, but my children are very quick to let me know it's lunch time, snack time, and -- goodness knows -- it's obvious if I'm late for nap time!

Third, having little ones at home with you while you work can be the most motivation possible to succeed. Knowing that, while you are busy for a large chunk of the day, you are still the one that is there to change the diapers, kiss the boo-boos, and soothe the heartaches of your little one, and not some day care provider in your stead, is one of the most priceless things you can imagine.

I didn't know how much it was going to effect me or how much I was going to love it until I was actually able to do it for myself. And, to be completely honest, I wouldn't change it for the world.

The fourth and final reason that it is good to have little ones afoot during your workday is this: exercise. If you are getting up and down on occasion and chasing the crayon-wielding, lipstick-wearing, cookie bandit around the house, you are getting out of your seat and getting a quickie cardio kick-start.

These little moments of activity really are good for you. We work at home parents tend to not get nearly enough of those moments, since we aren't walking to our cars and offices or climbing stairs to get into and out of the parking garage. We are missing out on exercise that others don't even realize they are getting. So, it's a fair trade and worth every single calorie burned while we are chasing the little ones around the office, silently praying that they don't have the document we hope they don't in their grubby little paws.

Yes -- your little ones can be distracting and down right destructive, if you aren't carefully supervising -- even if you are, for that matter. They can also be terribly sweet and loving and perfectly delightful to watch and enjoy as they grow and learn so much each and every day.

I feel as if were I were to blink long and hard, I'd open my eyes and they would suddenly be grown and gone. Imagine how much I would miss if I were to leave them with others and go to an office each and every day?

Adam Terebeckij is a seasoned Internet Marketing Entrepreneur and Private Real Estate Investor. His insight and information has helped countless individuals around the world. For more information on the TOP Work From Home jobs and Work At Home Business Opportunities visit: http://www.LegitimateBusinessOpportunities.com

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By Steven Gerber

Sometimes staying at home has its own advantages. Not going to work on the other hand may pose other problems. For instance, where will you get the money to finance your daily expenses? Some people may just laugh about this fact, but staying at home does not necessarily mean that you cannot earn money.

Yes, you heard it right. You can actually make money even if you do not leave the house. How you might ask, it is through reseller programs. Many people are attracted to take part in many forums on the net, and most people are into affiliate marketing. Why not participate in a different venture like reseller programs.

If you have second thoughts, then first familiarize yourself with what reseller programs are. It is simple; a reseller program means that you will be a retailer for a certain company. So how do you do this? Start by signing up for a reselling program. The company, which supports the program, will tell you what products you are going to sell, and the equal charge for each item sold. In most cases, you will need your own website, and this is where you are going to sell your products. If a certain customer is interested, put all his/her personal information in your control panel, and the hosting company will be the one to set them up for a particular program.

There are also companies that provide a website, and you will just build it according to your preferences and set the prices. This is much better because the website is already there, and you just need to make little improvements so the site will suit your preference.

There are free programs, while others require you to pay membership fees or set up fees. Do a bit of research on the different reseller programs. You can find one that will work for you.

Reseller programs are potential income generators, especially for those who want to conduct a living in their homes. Although this is less popular compared to the affiliates, it also offers opportunities for earning income. You just need to get things done in the proper manner. It requires low maintenance but produces high profit for financial independence.

Being a reseller does not make you an employee of a certain company. You act independently. You will be paid based on the sign ups made and this will done on a recurring basis. This means you can do the work at your most preferred time.

Before signing up for any reseller program, there are certain things to consider.

First, identify what you want to resell. Almost all hosting companies prefer outsourcing so they can focus more on running their business.

Then choose among the programs available on the internet. Make sure you choose one having a positive record and already well established. Do not jump at offerings, which promises high yields, yet is not well experienced or established.

After choosing the program, its time to attract prospects Psychology Articles, and the best way is to look for smaller firms or individuals.

Hosting companies prefer reseller programs because they are able to cut down costs on staffing and/or equipments. They only need to pay a minimal amount in exchange for your services. It would be best to find a particular situation in which you will be comfortable to resell in order to be successful in this venture.

Steven Gerber is a professional copywriter & marketing consultant. He is a student of Dan Lok, the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert, & in Steven's totally biased opinion simply THE BEST. You will find the latest internet marketing techniques & tricks at: http://www.websiteconversionexpert.com .

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By Marcia Bench, MCCC

Entrepreneurs are naturally inclined to wear many "hats" and have more to do than they have time for…and during the holidays it can get even worse if you don’t plan ahead! These 10 tips will help you not only survive the holidays, but stay sane and balanced as the new year approaches, too.

1. Cut yourself some slack and realize you don’t have to do it all perfectly

Are your expectations of yourself unrealistic? If you think you can run a growing business AND host three holiday parties AND do all your holiday shopping and cards and decorating, all without breaking a sweat, they are! Realize that during this busy season, even the normal flow of business will be impacted by holiday planning. Purposely schedule yourself lighter than usual so you have space for the seasonal activities. Then, give yourself a break and let go of perfectionism! Instead of the "perfect" gift, get one that will be appreciated but doesn’t take an inordinate amount of time to select or prepare.

2. Schedule time now for shopping, card writing, etc.

Time is getting short. block out time in your planner, Dayrunner, Palm Pilot or online calendar designated to shopping, writing holiday cards, and decorating. That way you can focus on the task at hand and enjoy the season – not be distracted or worried that you "should" be working! And, while we’re on the topic of holiday cards, consider a service like http://www.sendoutcards.com that will create and even mail the cards for you once you provide a list – or do an E-card or otherwise streamline the whole process.

3. Two words: gift cards!

In many situations, gift cards can be an even better gift than one you went to 10 stores and agonized over to personally select. Not only are they easily obtained either at http://www.giftcertificates.com or http://www.giftcards.com – and they send the card out for you, too, if you wish – but they give the recipient a chance to select something they will really enjoy. No exchanging or awkward thank-yous for something they already have several copies of. And there are even sites like http://www.buyerzone.com/marketing/gift_cards/buyers_guide1.html where you can customize a gift card that will be good for your company and build goodwill in the process!

4. Give your clients the holidays off so you can, too (and use part of the time for your 2007 planning)

Knowing you are feeling pressed for time during the holidays, your clients or customers probably are, too. So -- why not give them a couple of weeks off – from coaching or consulting or training or whatever you provide – so that both they and you can focus on the holidays, which only come once a year, after all! You can use some of this time to do your 2007 strategic planning (you’ve been trying to get to that, right?). And the rest – rest! Enjoy! Vacate! Take some long-needed time off to recharge your inner batteries for a prosperous new year.

5. Do something for someone less fortunate – you’ll feel better!

It has been proven that there is a "helper’s high" from helping another person. Whether it’s reading to the children at the library, petting or feeding animals at the shelter, volunteering at a homeless shelter, or any other kind of service work, you will benefit as much or more than the recipient. Try it!

6. Defer big projects untill after the first of the year

Nowhere is it written that you must complete all your big projects AND do your normal work, holiday celebrations, and new year’s planning during the month of December! Ask yourself what large projects or product/program launches can be deferred until after New Year’s. You are in control of your schedule!

7. Talk with your coach about life/work balance strategies!

If you are an entrepreneur who is committed to outstanding success, you have your own coach, right? (And if you don’t, get one! See the directory of coaches here: http://www.careercoachinstitute.com/coaches-directory.htm) Discuss with your coach a strategy for remaining balanced during the holiday season. My recently deceased friend, Roger Herman (http://www.hermangroup.com) coined the term "life/work balance" instead of work/life balance, to convey that life comes first – work second! Set clear intentions and goals that will allow you to keep this in mind throughout the next few weeks.

8. Plan your 2007 vacations and self-care days now

Far too many Americans are taking vacations any more – and entrepreneurs are among the worst offenders! You think you are indispensable, that the business can’t run without you, right? If that is really true, set a goal for 2007 to get people and systems in place so that it can! And if you know you are fooling yourself – that you can get away but just don’t – then block out four two-week vacations during 2007 plus at least a half-day (or a full day if you are ready!) each week you are working that is dedicated to self-care. Get a massage, do some drawing, walk in the woods or park, go to the beach – just let yourself be nurtured and recharged. Believe it or not, your business will run better if you do this, and you’ll enjoy it more, than if you work 24/7, 52 weeks a year – and end up owning a job instead of owning a business.

9. Spend at least 1 hour each day "on" your business

Successful entrepreneurs don’t let themselves get sucked into the trap of constantly doing the work "of" the business – and never taking time to plan for and prepare the critical work they need to do "on" the business. This means developing systems to save time or money or streamline; survey customers to find out what improvements are needed; plan for the next quarter; evaluate how your strategies are working; meet with staff to help them be more proactive and relieve you of daily responsibilities; meet with your coach; watch a Webinar or listen to a CD about a new development in your industry; etc. Make a date with yourself to do this one hour per day, 5 days per week – you will have worked the equivalent of several 40-hour weeks by 2007 year end if you plan this (and do it) now!

10. Set big goals – then break them down into smaller chunks and clear intentions

There’s an old saying that if you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting. The new year is an opportunity to set your sights higher, to have door-busting leaps in revenues and profits, to serve more customers than ever before – and you know the specifics (don’t you?) if your business was really growing the way you want it to. Set those goals now! Don’t worry about whether they’re "realistic" or "possible" – they’re all possible. But first you have to clarify what you want to achieve – and powers greater than yourself (God, the Universe, the Universal Force) will take care of the how. Yes, you will end up taking action on those goals – but you don’t need to let the fact that you don’t know what the action is yet, or how you would possibly achieve what you want – before you set the goal, along with a strong intention and emotional commitment to achieve it. Tom Watson, Founder of IBM, is said to have formed a vision very early on of what the company would look like when it was finished – and to compare each day’s activities to that vision until it happened. You can use this same principle to create the life and business you want next year!

Marcia Bench is Founder and Director of Career Coach Institute, LLC, http://www.careercoachinstitute.com, which trains and certifies individuals and staff groups in career coaching, entrepreneurial coaching, executive career coaching and retirement coaching. She and her companies are committed to "making work matter"(SM) through training coaches and their clients to express their authentic selves through work that is fulfilling and makes a positive contribution to the planet. She can be reached at coach@careercoachinstitute.com or 866-CCOACH-4.

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by Huzaili Aris

A conference call involves the communication between a calling party and more than one listener. There are numerous conference call services available, making it difficult to make a quick decision. The service that you choose will ultimately depend on the expectations and uses you wish get out of your conference calls. For some, only a few details matter, such as price, while others are in need of advanced services like on-the-spot technical support. Below are a few factors to consider when choosing the conference call service that is most compatible with your needs.

Business Conference Calls

When it comes time to report quarterly stats, many companies turn to conference calls. This allows them to communicate the ups and downs of their business to interested parties. A higher-level company executive, such as the CEO, often reads the company reports. Once the results are revealed, the call is then accessible for others to join in, namely stock analysts, who come with a slew of questions. Businesses may also use conference calls to promote their products or services. Seminar leaders may open a conference call to the public to share their marketing techniques or business strategies for free or a small price.

Entertainment-Based Conference Calls

Today, people are looking for more and more ways to make new friends or find the companion of their dreams. When bars and clubs get to be too much, the allure of chatting on a "party line" becomes increasingly appealing. Entertainment-based conference calls are used to provide a break from boredom, as well as a way to socialize with others. Participants call a phone number set aside for this purpose and are plugged into a whole new world of mingling and flirting.

Audio vs. Visual

Audio conference calls are less expensive and require less equipment than visual conferencing. Web conference calls also open up a host of potential problems, such as malfunctioning chat, instant message, and web cam services. Streaming video may also pose concerns. Although the capabilities of visual conference calls are vast and have a better way of getting the point across, depending on your intended audience, the concept might be too advanced.

To use visual conferencing as a business tool, you will also have to familiarize yourself with an assortment of software selections and other online options. Learning visual conferencing techniques is a process. For example, include too many large files and you may end up with a communication problem.

Conference Call Limitations

What kind of conference call do you want? Some services allow the called party to speak during a call, while other selections only allow called parties to listen to what is being said.

Conference Call Set-Up

Do you want to control how conference calls are received and made? Calling parties can place calls to desired participants or entrance to a call is gained by calling a special phone number.

Reservation vs Non-Reservation

When you choose a service offering reservation-less conference calls, you will enjoy more freedom. Calls can be placed at any time without speaking to an operator or setting up an appointment. Reservation services require you to schedule your call ahead of time.

Conference Call Commands

What sort of capabilities do calling parties have when choosing a service? Things to consider include the ability to get operator assistance, mute and unmute participants, alter ringing tones and record conversations.

Call Planning is Essential

Knowing how long your conference call will be allows you to shuffle along participants to meet time expectations. As a rule of thumb, a conference call centers on an hour or more. Larger groups demand longer time frames, but without the use of video, it is difficult to keep the interest of all participants.

Usually, about 1-3 minutes are given to each participant to voice his or her opinions. Often, an hour-long conversation handles about 1-2 topics. Another important factor pertaining to conference calls is to prepare for last-minute technical issues. Be aware of applicable time zones and schedule a conference call that will accommodate all of your desired participants. When choosing a service, make sure all customer and technical support will be handled in a timely manner.

Billing Plans

Accepting a variety of credit cards, some services offer per minute pricing plans. Once the conference call is completed, a call summary is emailed to you with all of the details. Applicable charges are then placed on your credit card. Additional plans include flat rate unlimited and monthly plans. Some companies offer a flat monthly rate of $60 for a maximum of five people that allows unlimited usage for the month.

Special Services

Will the conference call service you choose provide you with extra services? Depending on your needs, you may desire to have a taped recording of your conference call. Some services offer this luxury for a flat fee (around $25). Some charge an hourly rate if you wish to have a transcript of your call. Rebroadcasts are also offered through some services for a fee. For an extra charge, operator assistance might be available, which helps with the moderation of conference calls.

Several Conference Call Service Companies Reviewed

Accu Conference : This on-demand, fully automated toll-free service offers reservation-less service, free call recordings and live in-call web control for 9.9 cents per line. Operator service costs 13.9 cents. Unlimited use, flat-rate conferencing is offered, starting at $99 per month.

No Cost Conference : Offers free, reservation-less conference call capabilities, available 24 hours a day. You will receive a pin and dial-in phone number once a quick registration is completed. Free and cheap conference call services are good for short notice calls and limited budgets. With this option, reliability of service does become a concern.

WebEx : Offers conference call services, as well as helpful products, such as Meeting Center, Training Center, Support Center and Sales Center. They offer different solutions to better serve small, medium and large companies. They also offer decent live technical support and pay-per-use services.

OnConference : This service offers no set-up fee and has a listed price of 19 cents per minute per person with or without toll-free access.

Contact Call : Highly recommended for their operator-assisted services.

When you conduct careful comparisons and research on the many conference call services, you will be able to take advantage of a wealth of savings that regular phone services cannot provide.

Huzaili Aris is the webmaster of http://www.conferencecall101.com. Starting a conference call is not as complex as some people think. It is the easiest way to save you time and money for your business. Know all the information about making conference.
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by Fendi Salim

Many people have grown to believe that banner advertising is not effective anymore. That could be good news for the astute advertiser. All they have to do is improve on their current banner advertising methods and achieve that highly-desired click-through rate with less competition to worry about.

Banner advertising has been one of the most commonly-used marketing methods online. Stick to it with these 4 surefire ways to get your banner ads clicked.

Surefire Way #1 - Make Use Of Power Words That Trigger Action

Make use of power words like "Free", "Gratis", "No Cost", "Click Here", "Look Here" in your banners.

These power words will induce readers to take action and click on your banner.

Surefire Way #2 - Make Use Of Brief And Hard-Hitting Headlines

Your headline should be brief and hard-hitting. Your headline should be "talking" to your readers and offer them a way out of whatever problems they are dealing with while offering the desired benefits.

If you are offering bodybuilding products, try "Achieve a 6-pack in 28 Days!". Mix this kind of text with attention-pulling graphics to create that winning formula.

Surefire Way #3 - Make Use Of Animation In Your Banners

Stop using static banners and work on animated banners instead. Animated banners catch the attention of more readers and get more clicks.

An example of an appealing animated banner is a banner which has the text "Absolutely Free" flashing. Wouldn't that gets your attention?

Surefire Way #4 - Make Use Of Better Graphics

You simply do not have to be a graphic artist to have good-looking banners. Simple banners can be created on-the-go by most people, but having unique and excellent ones require better graphics by either educating yourself in graphic design or by hiring a professional.

Either hire a professional graphic designer to create that banner-- which should cost you no more than $50 per banner--or buy ready-made graphics to create one yourself.

Visit http://www.instantwebsitegraphics.com/freegift for FREE graphic designer minisites! Visit http://www.instantwebsitegraphics.com to get Instant Access to our MASSIVE Graphics Library packed with all the resources you need to boost your website sales conversions and save money. You may also visit our website graphics design blog at http://blog.instantwebsitegraphics.com for more resources.

You may reprint or distribute this article as long as you leave the content, the links and the resource box intact.]]> http://miraclemoneyblog.com/homebiztips/HomeBusinessTips_TO_187/user/index.php
By Sharon Housley

What are Content Sites?

If you are like many of those starting out with intentions of making millions online and struggling to capture the attentions of the large search engines, you are in good company. Times have changed, and due to the low cost of entry, the online world is becoming very competitive for businesses starting out. Unless a website has a regional appeal or caters to a very niche product or service, it is rare that a webmaster can create a website that is only focused on selling.

What is the answer?

The answer is content. The concept is not new; it comes down to the simple concept of bartering, give something in order to get something. In this case the trade off, is free information in exchange for website traffic and search engine ranking. The key is to create a website with content that other webmasters, bloggers, and publishers will want to link to. In order to generate interest and incoming links that result in web traffic, you will need to provide unique content. Related content drives traffic; understanding what makes one website a standout when others fail is the key to building a content rich portal.

How do I use content to sell my stuff?

First off, the content you provide must be of interest to potential customers. If you are selling a product, why not provide dimensions, customer ratings, reviews, warranty information, additional product suggestions, color or size charts. In addition to additional product information, consider your demographic, and find content that will be of interest to individuals (or businesses) that you feel typify a potential customer. It is also best if the content you provide relates to the product you are promoting.

Lets take a look at some content rich examples:

Gourmet Living (http://www.gourmet-living.com )

How does the site Gourmet Living focus on selling cooking items, use content to promote their products, and sell their wares? Gourmet Living uses recipes to draw in individuals interested in cooking. The topic (recipes) relates closely to the products they are selling (cookware and gourmet cookbooks), additionally the recipes target their potential audience, those with an interest in cooking. The Gourmet Living website uses additional food preparation tips and articles that discuss gourmet cooking to generate additional interest.

Recipe Directory - http://www.gourmet-living.com/recipe-directory.htm

Tips for Food Preparation - http://www.gourmet-living.com/category.html?category=preparing+food

Along with articles that discuss gourmet cooking - http://www.gourmet-living.com/gourmet-articles.htm

Dog Pound (http://www.dog-pound.net)

How does Dog Pound, a website promoting products for dog care, use content to generate website traffic? The Dog Pound website has educational articles related to dog breeds and training. In addition, the dog pound website has videos of common dog breeds, cute pet photos, and free recipes for dog treats. My recommendation would be to take the photo section a step further, encourage individuals to send in their favorite doggy photos and conduct a dog beauty contest.

Articles about dog training - http://www.dog-pound.net/dog-articles.htm

Videos with dog breeds - http://www.dog-pound.net/videos.htm

Dog Treats - http://www.dog-pound.net/other-dog-treats.htm

Photos - http://www.dog-pound.net/dog-photos.htm

Security Port (http://www.security-port.net)

How does security port, a website that does not sell anything and profits from advertising, use content to attract traffic and promote their website? The security port focus is on aggregating a host of security resources, from security glossaries to security forums. By creating a topical portal with information relevant to security, they are providing one stop shop for security information.

Searchable Security Databases - http://www.security-port.com/security-databases.htm

Security Blog - with related security news - http://www.security-port.com/blog.htm

Security Articles - http://www.security-port.com/security-articles.htm

Remember, at the end of the day, all of the advertising campaigns and attractive affiliate programs will only result in traffic spikes, which will be transient. Generating a content rich website that is useful, educational, or entertaining will attract and retain customers. While it is hard to assemble a content-rich site that motivates others to link to you, it is certainly not impossible. Keep in mind that search engine rankings influence the amount and quality of a website's content. Provide content that will make webmasters want to link to your website.

Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition, Sharon manages marketing for NotePage http://www.notepage.net a wireless text messaging software company.
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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 Sande Saimon

You're standing in line to check out at a store. You finally find the courage to strike up a conversation with the person behind you. You chat about life and, because you are a distributor for a network marketing company or direct sales company, you gently lead the conversation in the direction of “What do you do?” “Do you work outside the home?” “Are you happy with your current situation or are you looking for something more?”

You then hand your new acquaintance your business card and ask them to take a look at your website and/or give you a call.

These are business cards that you may have created yourself or you may have had them made up from a company like VistaPrint. These little pieces of cardstock tell people what company you represent – or the name of your business. It tells people your name, website address, phone number – and it may have a logo or a pretty graphic on it.

Your new friend is polite. They say, "sure I’ll take a look at your site" – they glance at your card, put it in their purse or wallet where it is generally forgotten until the next time they decide to clean out their purse. Then it’s usually dumped in the trash because they can’t even remember where they got it from.

Were they interested? Maybe ... maybe not. What happened? Why didn't they go to your site like they said they would?

Well, for starters – whether or not they were really interested at the time, they are not going to hurt your feelings by telling you they’re not. It’s much easier to agree and then toss your card. It’s human nature and you can’t fight that. But you can generate interest. How?

If you want people to look at your business card and pay attention to what you have to offer – tell them something they want to hear.

• What are you offering them?

• What are you going to do for them?

• What do you provide that they can’t get somewhere else?

• Do you want them to join your team?

• Do you want them to buy your products?

• Why should they spend their time going to your website?

In other words -- What’s in it for them?

Giving them a prospecting card instead of a business card tells them right up front what’s in it for them!

It’s the same basic card available from the same locations you buy your business cards from now – a prospecting card just has different information on it – it’s designed to pull people in the direction you want them to go.

Get your prospect’s attention.

• Ask them important questions.

• Are they happy with the job they currently have?

• Do they need more money?

• Wouldn’t they rather stay home with their children?

• Are they tired of the rat race?

• Do they want more free time?

• Are they worried about retirement?

• Are they concerned about their financial freedom?

Make them curious – what do YOU have that they don’t?

• More money?

• More free time?

• Work from home?

• Spend time with family?

• Incredible products?

Offer them something for Free! Everyone loves a bargain & you can’t get a better bargain than free.

If one-side is good, double-sided is better! Use double-sided prospecting cards. They may cost a bit more, but are definitely worth it. The back of the card is where you hook your prospect or customer. I’ve never seen a person look at a business card that doesn’t flip it over and check out the back of the card – a blank back is wasted real estate!!

• Go to my website for a free gift.

• Sign up for my business newsletter and I’ll send you “this & that” for free.

• Click here and I’ll send you my latest eBook that will show you how to make $$$ from home.

• If you are selling items – the back of the card is where you offer them % off their next purchase or a Buy 10 and Get 1 Free Special.

The above is truly important because while they are on your site you want to capture their contact information so that you can send them information periodically. You want them to fill out a form, sign up for something -- then you can start dripping information to them about your business & products.

Now that I've told you want to DO, let me make a couple of suggestions for what NOT to do.

Don’t use “free” business cards.

• Free business cards from some online printers will put their information on the back – “Get free business cards by visiting our website.”

• It gives the wrong impression. If you are doing so well in your business, why are you using free business cards?

Don’t use home printed business cards. If they look like you printed them yourself, don’t use them.

• Check to make sure your printer ink is waterproof. How many printers out there use inks that run.

• Flimsy, lightweight cardstock looks cheap.

• Perforations are a dead give-away that you printed them at home.

• Again, it gives the wrong impression.

If you want someone to join your team, etc., give the impression of wealth. Your potential partners are not going to know that you didn't realize that the free logo info would be on the back & you didn't want to waste them. Or that you created the cards yourself because you like creating them. They will just make the assumption that you can’t afford to buy cards from a printer.

So; to recap:

• Use a prospecting card instead of a business card

• Get your prospect’s attention

• Tell them something they want to hear

• Make them curious to learn more

• Give them something for free

• Give them a reason to come back for more

• Use double-sided cards

• Don’t use free cards from printers if they put something on the back saying that they were free

• Don’t print your own cards at home if your printer ink will run, your cardstock is flimsy or you can see perforated edges – it gives the wrong impression.

You will find that handing out these cards to prospects – or using them for guerilla marketing strategies -- will result in more calls & more visits to your website by people wanting to hear what you have to say!

Sande Saimond owns a successful Home Based Business with Scent-sations Mia Bella Gourmet Candles. http://www.MiaBellaGourmet.com. A self-admitted computer geek, she also owns & operates a web hosting company at www.WorkingFromHeartandHome.com, a website building company at www.GreatBigSmallSites.com & an autoresponder service at www.OnlineDistinction.com. When she doesn’t have her nose buried in a computer screen, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Tony, and their two "boys," rescued racing greyhounds, Phantom & Archer.

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By Krishna De

Are you losing credibility and damaging the brand of your business through lack of attention to one of your critical marketing tools in your business, your business card? Discover how your business card can enhance your brand and ensure that you stand out from your competition.

When we are at a networking event or meeting a client, exchanging business cards occurs.

Very often, without realizing it, we are assessing our colleague by their business card, and asking ourselves:

- Is the business card professionally designed?
- Is the business card crumpled at the edges?
- How does the weight of the business card feel - substantive or flimsy?
- Does it look like the business card was made on their PC - or worse, does it have a message at the bottom of the card to say where you, too, can access free cards?

I have collected thousands of business cards over my time in business. I am sub-consciously assessing the professional status of them and their business when I receive their business card.

We review someone's card at least 3 times:

1. Once on receiving it
2. A second time when we put it in our pocket, folio or bag as we leave the meeting
3. A third time as we make a decision to keep it, transfers the information into our data bank, or bin it!

Our business card is a critical part of our marketing collateral. If you cannot afford to put in place other marketing materials, short changing the investment in developing a professional business card is definitely not something we should do, if we are looking to develop a professional brand.

When meeting someone in person, alongside how you present yourself in person, your business card can enhance or devalue the strength of your brand, and it reveals how others perceive you.

Here are four tips to enhance your brand through your business card:

1. Ensure that you work with a professional designer to develop your business card. It is not whether you like the design; it is about whether it will represent your business effectively and professionally to your target audience.

2. Ideally, have your business card printed on 400g card and by a traditional lithographic printer. Yes, it is more expensive than digital printing, but the quality is worth investing in and a litho print gives far greater definition to your corporate identity and the color of your brand.

3. Matt laminates your card on the reverse for extra stability and style. Do not laminate both sides as people will not be able to write on your card - we often note down things to remember about the person we met on their card.

4. Use the valuable real estate on the back of your card to provide a call to action, for example, how to access your white paper or special report on your web site.

Take action:

Over the next 30 days, take the opportunity to review the business cards of your contacts and assess their card against yours.

1. What can you learn from other people’s business cards?

2. How could you take those learning’s and further enhance your business card?

Your goal is to ensure that your business card is a positive reflection of both you and your company, and it represents a strong brand.

Invest in your business card, distribute it widely and you will be sure of expanding your professional success.

Krishna De invites you to join her in conversation with experts from around the globe to discover how to build your brand and grow your professional services firm at http://www.bizgrowthlive.com/. You will also receive access to Biz Growth Express a weekly newsletter bringing you strategies, inspiration and tips to grow your professional services practice. Register today at http://www.krishnade.com/.

©Krishna De, Oneocean Ltd 2006. All rights reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article providing the article is printed in its entirety; you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in anyway and include the copyright statement.

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By Damon Smith

Everyone in online marketing or affiliate marketing, earning an income, has to research all over the internet to get the information he or she needs to succeed.

I have seen people spend hours, days, weeks, months, and even years just to come out making little or no income at all. As a publisher online, for Hailey Comet Weekly, I have met some of the most powerful people that have made thousands, even millions of dollars with the time they have been online.

Some have done it in as little as a few months and then retired. Then you have those who work very hard every day, no matter how much they make to help others to do the same. Do you remember when the doublers programs hit the internet and people made hundreds even thousands over night? Do you remember what happened within two months of them hitting the internet? People that were dealing with Storm Pay were stuck holding an empty bag because they went under and all kinds of trouble broke out.

The only true programs that make money are ones that last. There are very few of these. One that has made it to the top is Success University, because of the people behind the program, not because they have specials all the time, but because there are REAL people to talk with and to learn and teach you. I have met with people that joined the so-called PAS program and paid out $3,900!

In addition, most of them did not get anything from it. Do you know why? Because there was no one to teach them how to market the program, to make a profit, and they ended up being burnt!

Look at this link, http://www.damonday.net

If you take the time to read it, you will not only see that this group of master marketers are online to help you make a living , but also to teach you how to talk with others in a way to make them buy from you, and learn to work together as a team.

Success University is just what the name stands for. They have been online for quite sometime. The companies that I own depend on the things that I learn online. I would only suggest what I know will work to my own list of people, and not something, that is gone the next day.

My own list of people in my newsletter trust me because they all know, over the past 9 years, that when I have something to tell them it is only the truth and not something that will break their bank accounts. I have been called "The Howard Stern" of publishing and my newsletter is in most of the biggest Co-Ops and directories and forums. The reason for my success is because of people like Damon Day (It is funny we both have the same first names)

However, a "FLY BY NIGHT" company Success University is not. Some of the biggest companies there are back it. It is not just for people who are into affiliate marketing but also for people just starting out online and do not want to lose a lot of money. I will tell you from the start that it takes money to make money. This one company can take your funds, and turn it into something to be proud of. Right now, they are running a $2 14 day trial offer, and the monthly cost is less then a night on the town. So do not miss something that will give you everything you need to earn online.

So take five minutes of your time and look. It will surprise you to see what some people will do to help others instead of just thinking of themselves and what they can get out of people that don’t know any better.

Example: http://www.damonday.net

If you talk with Damon, tell him that I sent you to him so he will know that after everything we have been through, I still believe there are good people online!

Damon Smith is the publisher of Hailey Comet Weekly eZine that gives you the truth about online marketing and advertising. You can check out his newsletter at http://www.haileyscometweekly.com and get some of the best insight info on how he went from nothing to earning thousands a month by helping others.

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By Sharon Housley

Let us look at slogans and how just a few words can say volumes. A slogan is a memorable phrase used in conjunction with a political, commercial, or religious advertisement. Slogans convey a deeper meaning. Slogans elicit emotions, or the slogan might paint a visual image that implies something more.

When considering a slogan or a tagline, keep in mind your objectives. What image do you wish to portray? Slogans should be short, but not to the point of being curt. Slogans should conjure positive images and distinguish the value your company or product provides.

The best way to analyze slogans is to look at a few.

Slogan: "The toughest job you will ever love" (Peace Corps)

Message behind slogan: This is much more than just a job; it takes heart to be in the Peace Corps; join the Peace Corps and you will be a better person. This job is not about money, it is about helping people.

Slogan: "Be Seen, Be Sold" (Shareware Promotions)

Message behind slogan: Being found on the Internet is not easy. Use us to be found on the Internet."

Slogan: "You could learn a lot from a dummy. Buckle up" (National Highway Traffic Safety Admin)

Message behind slogan: Learn from test dummies, be safe and buckle up.

Slogan: "Parents who use drugs have kids who use drugs" (The Partnership for a Drug-free America)

Message behind slogan: Model what you preach; do you want your children to do drugs? It is your responsibility to model appropriate behavior for your children.

Slogan: "This is your brain on drugs" (The Partnership for a Drug-free America)

Message behind slogan: Do you know what this stuff does to you? Taking drugs is stupid.

Slogan: "A diamond is forever" (DeBeers '1948)

Message behind slogan: Diamonds represent marriage; marriage should be forever. If you really want your marriage to last, seal it with a diamond.

Slogan: "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking" (Timex Corp)

Message behind slogan: It does not get any more durable than this, other watches cannot stand up, but Timex will endure regardless of the treatment.

Slogan: "For all you do, this Bud's for you" (Budweiser)

Message behind slogan: After a long hard day, drink beer to relax.

Slogan: "Where's the beef?”(Wendy’s)

Message behind slogan: Our competitors use small patties, but our burgers are big.

Slogan: "I love New York" (NYC)

Message behind slogan: New York is a special place, everyone loves NY, you should come and visit, you will love it too.

Slogan: "See what brown can do for you" (UPS)

Message behind slogan: We do more than just ship packages; we have additional offerings and can do more than just ship.

Slogan: "The few, the proud, the Marines" (US Marines)

Message behind slogan: We are a select group of very special individuals. Do you want to be elite? Take pride in representing the US.

Slogan: "Friends don't let friends drive drunk"

Message behind slogan: You will die if you drive drunk. It is your responsibility to protect your friends. Be responsible, do not let people drive drunk.

Effective slogans leave impressions in the minds of people who see or hear the slogans. Often slogans will have hidden meanings, or be a play on words. The goal of the slogan creator should be to create a memorable tagline that conveys a key benefit or differentiates the brand. Slogans will often help position the product or service in the marketplace. Slogans with just a few words can indicate superior value, excellence, or inspiration.

A business identity and image conveyed through a short statement will affect the way that consumers, competitors, and others in the industry perceive your business. Slogans will distinguish your company in a unique way. Words are powerful, and if used properly, they can be an important sales tool.

Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for NotePage http://www.notepage.net a wireless text messaging software company.

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By Alex Nghiem

In the Internet marketing world, there are many misconceptions and outright lies. However, the biggest secret is one that is so obvious nobody wants to talk about, or even being aware. In this article, I share what I (and many world-class marketers) consider the biggest “secret” in Internet marketing.

At this point, you are probably wondering. “What is the BIGGEST secret?”

Before I share this secret with you, let me share a common mistake committed by 99% of Internet marketers. Almost all Internet marketers I know can quote you their opt-in rate and spend hours, days, weeks, and even months tweaking their landing pages to get the highest opt-in rate. This is accomplished by asking for as little customer information as possible and casting as wide a net as possible. This usually requires asking for only the first name and the primary email address.

In many industries, this results in optimizing for the wrong results. What do I mean by that?

I spend a lot of time in multiple industries other than Internet marketing (including real estate, art, etc.) and for a long time, I was focusing on increasing my opt-in rate, but rarely closed any sales (my sales for my products and my clients’ products range from $997 to $25,000 per sale). When I thought about it, I realized that in all of these industries and especially at these price points, the sale is accomplished via the phone, not via the Web.

Thus, without realizing it, I was not collecting all the necessary information for me to complete a sale (that is, I was not asking for a phone number because I knew this would reduce my opt-in rate). Most of the “gurus” who are teaching list building do not take into account industries that conduct business primarily offline and/or the fact that high-end products are not closed via email alone. I am not sure any of them has ever tested their methods in offline businesses!

Now, I do a 2-step opt-in rate that allows me to have the highest opt-in rate on the first page and then ask for additional info (including the phone number and mailing address) on the “thank you” screen. This enables me to follow up via offline methods including postcards, direct mail, and even telemarketing.

What does this have to do with the biggest secret in Internet marketing? Simple…the most valuable leads often require you to follow up using offline methods. However, this contradicts almost all list building techniques being taught, which usually teach how to get the highest opt-in rate. In this case, I made more money by having a lower opt-in rate…but I got higher quality leads, which enable me to follow up via offline methods. Again, in many, many industries, the sales happen via the phone and in some cases via the fax and direct mail.

Therefore, before you spend too much time focusing on optimizing your opt-in rate alone, think through the sales process and figure out the best way to close the sale. Collect information for that to happen, even if it means a lower opt-in rate.

Now you know the biggest secret in Internet marketing. The next time somebody brags about their 50% opt-in rate, you will know that he/she is probably optimizing on the wrong thing and leaving WAY too much money on the table.

To get regular notifications on high-end product creation secrets, visit http://www.backendcashmanuscript.com/fromarticles

© Blue Samba Publications – All Rights Reserved
http://www.backendcashmachine.com

Alex Nghiem is the founder of Blue Samba Solutions, creator of the Backend Cash Machine, a proven system for enabling clients to make up to 10X by building a backend of high-end products. His system has been used in multiple industries including art, real estate, and many offline industries.

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By Ian Simpson

One of the most effective forms of low-cost Internet marketing is using email to reach a targeted audience. While email marketing has undergone changes over the years, in particular, the outlawing of spam email, it still has great appeal and is one of the most widely used internet marketing techniques. It is quite simply the best way to keep in touch with your customers on a regular basis on autopilot. Providing you respect the spam laws and use email properly, you will have a trouble-free email marketing business.

Email marketing is more commonly associated with the use of an autoresponder service. It allows you to import your email messages into the autoresponder and send them out to your customers at a fixed date and time - you could have a series of messages sent over a period of weeks, months or even years, if you wanted. The exciting thing is that once the autoresponder has been set up, that part of your business will run hands free, allowing you to concentrate on other important things.

The costs associated with an autoresponder vary considerably from free up to $100 a month. Try to avoid free autoresponders where possible, although they are free, they come at a price! The price being the restrictions on usage, and they will nearly always carry an advert of some sort on your message, which can distract your recipient from the real reason, why they have received the message. In addition, it is not necessary to pay a silly price for an autoresponder, big companies may want to pay top price because they can afford to but as an individual, you do not need to. Excellent, cost effective autoresponder services can be obtained from aweber.com or getresponse.com. These are web-based programs so they will work for you 24/7.

You could of course, use a desktop-based autoresponder such as Mailloop. This type of program is a software application installed on your computer and it allows you to manage your email campaigns from your desktop. You need to be aware that you will need to leave your computer running all the time or else you will not be able to receive or send emails automatically. However, it is a great way to have a series of autoresponders for a one-time payment and no recurring fees.

So, having decided on using autoresponders for your email business, what do you do with one? Well, building up a customer database should be a priority. Initially, you will want to create a form for your website that allows potential subscribers to insert their details. When they agree to subscribe, they enroll automatically onto an email course that you will have loaded into the autoresponder. The course can, as long as you want it to be, sent automatically over a period of time - this is where the automation of your email business will come into its own. It is essential that any information you send to your subscribers is of value and instructive. It is no good sending rubbish; you will lose your subscriber quicker than you got him! Quality email courses you can use are found in the Turbomembership.com.

If you offered a 14-day email course on internet marketing, for example, then you could provide links to various marketing ebooks or resources. In each email would be a link to a different ebook. Of course, each link would have your unique affiliate code. The unique Turbomembership.com affiliate program provides quality marketing ebooks and software scripts that you can re-sell at 95% commission.

This is just one of the many ways you can use autoresponders in your email marketing business. Finding and using the right autoresponder service, setting up your autoresponder, and loading, it with quality information is just the tip of the iceberg where marketing is concerned. However, it is a good place to start and gain the necessary experience for future marketing projects.

Ian Simpson reviews and writes about software and informational products on the internet. Great marketing resources can be found at http://information4income.com/sfpr.

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By Dechen Lau

Content is the soul of a website. Content is comprised of the words or text on a web page along with the graphics and structure of a website. Today Web content is the best tool for building relations with your potential customers. The look and feel of a site is crucial, but quality web content may be more important.

Two of the most popular methods of getting traffic from search engines include PPC – (Pay Per Click), and SEO – (Search Engine Optimization).

PPC:

Pay per click advertising on search engines allows you to choose keywords that you would like your site to appear for, when a search is performed. You decide how much you are willing to pay each time a person clicks on the search results. The more you are willing to pay per click, the higher your site will appear in the results for the keywords you choose. Pay Per Click is advertising provided by the search engine providers (Google, Yahoo! and others) where you PAY for top placement. Their strategies for placement differ slightly. Some search engines will give you higher placement if your ad has a higher click-through rate, (meaning more people click on your ad in ratio to the amount of times your ad appears); others give top positions to the highest bidder.

You already know surveys are excellent for finding out what your target market wants. However, if combined with low cost, quick and dirty Google PPC, surveys can also send many targeted prospects to your site every month.

In either case, you PAY. It is a quick way to be listed in the search engines and a smart way to get your traffic flowing. You could spend far more than is profitable for your business, if you do not know what you are doing.

Search Engines: While crawling pages of a website, search engines look for content more than anything else. Search engines can pick up quality content and it is the only factor that they emphasize and value most while ranking a website. For the benefit of their users, search engines try to find the best and most useful content on the Internet for any given set of keywords.

SEO:

Search engines are extremely competitive (in terms of placement). The major search engines account for over 90% of all traffic. With that though in mind, companies that are serious about earning a share of the internet market should be committed to securing top 10 rankings for the keywords or phrases that pertain to the products and services that they offer.

The best way to ensure a solid return on your website investment is to employ the services of a Search Engine Optimization firm with a proven track record of success, knowledge of current and cutting edge techniques, and experience working with the business community.

There are a lot of companies working ‘behind the scenes’ to help website owners get plenty of traffic from the natural search engine listings. Natural listings mean the search engine has ranked you according to the value it believes your site will offer an individual searching for a specific word or phrase.

Understanding exactly WHAT the search engines want to see when ranking sites requires knowledge of the algorithms. These algorithms change all the time as search engine providers try to outwit the search engine optimizers trying to find loopholes in the ranking system.

Some SEO companies will promise you top spots for a certain cost. Some are honestly creating optimized websites – others may be using techniques that could possibly get your site BANNED from the search engines entirely, (once the search engine catches on). However, optimizing your website for better placement in the search engines is a technique that you should become familiar with and use to your advantage.

Both of these traffic methods have their pros and cons for generating traffic from the search engines. You will find out more about using them properly later on. First, you need to know what REALLY works…

Dechen Lau., is an Author, Speaker and Internet Marketing Consultant
http://www.powersuccessmarketing.com
http://www.powersuccessresponder.com

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By Obono John

You are ready to launch that new product or promotion. You are really counting on a piece of advertising copy to come through for you.

You are looking for stellar results! In addition, you are determined to do everything in your power to get them. This means surveys, thorough testing, and ongoing refinement of your ad copy.

Hold the phone!

You finish your draft and run it through this 12-point inspection. Cover all these basics, and you can be certain you are off to a running start.

1 – Do You Have A Compelling Headline?

Does it generate curiosity or envy? Does it promise a benefit that will compel someone with an interest in what you are selling to keep reading? Remember, your headline is the ad for the ad.

When I write direct response ad copy, or a sales letter, or have a very important sales objective of my own, I normally write 25 headlines before I begin the body of the piece.

Then I will pick half a dozen that I think will work & test them. The best of the rest, I use as sub headings throughout the piece to propel readership, and draw skimmers & skippers back into the copy as they move down the page.

2 – Are Your Headlines Pleasing To The Eye?

I most often find that headlines work best when centered on the page, and present a balanced appearance in terms of the shape they create. Encasing them in quotation marks also serves to grab more attention.

Long, top headlines tend to reduce readership, but if they help qualify more effectively, they can improve sales! Try them, but look for ways to modularize the text using punctuation and spacing so your readers do not suffocate trying to read them. Sometimes a long, top headline needs to be two or even three separate headlines.

3 – Is Your Opening Provocative & Arresting?

Does it trip the reader, interrupting the internal turbulence of the day? Each line of your ad copy must serve to "sell" the reader on continued reading, especially at the beginning.

You are looking to build enough momentum and interest to convey the points necessary to generate a greater desire for the product than its price. The higher the cost of the product, the more words required.

4 – Are You FAB Balanced?

You must focus on painting a picture of your prospects future life, because of their purchase. Does your copy promise emotional benefits? Does it pledge the realization of positive feelings, or the relief of negative ones?

Does it show how to achieve these outcomes with concise descriptions of the features and advantages that will deliver them? Your ad copy must strike a balance between emotion and logic if it is to be effective.

5 – Are You Creating Excitement & Enthusiasm?

Demonstrate your personal belief in what you are selling. Will your message quicken the readers pulse? Is it upbeat, positive, & full of inspired energy? Is there a sense of WOW?

6 – Is Your Body Copy Highly Readable?

Remember simple is best. Keep sentences short. Use a plain 10-point to 12-point font. Keep paragraphs to a few lines. Use words that are comfortable and specific to the audience you are targeting. Inject subheads to break up text. Highlight important points.

7 – Do You Have High ‘YOU’ density?

Remember to use the words ‘YOU’ and ‘YOUR’ to the hilt. Your reader is auto-translating to ‘ME’ and ‘MINE’.

8 – Are you speaking intimately?

Can you get a strong sense of personality when you review your letter after being away from it for a while? Visualize yourself, or the character you are personifying, writing a personal letter to your perfect prospect. Never write to a crowd.

9 – Are you inspiring the reader’s imagination?

You must trigger mental images with your writing. The mind has difficulty distinguishing between vividly painted word pictures, and reality. Daydreams enchant, and emotions flow in their wake.

When you have emotion, you have desire. When you have desire, you have suggestibility. When you have suggestibility, you can direct action. Your levers are allegory (storytelling), metaphor, similes, verbs, adjectives, and specificity.

10 – Do you offer proof?

Specific testimonials and convincing guarantees worked into your ad copy are essential.

Obono John is the owner of http://www.butterflymarketzone.blogspot.com, The Viral Marketing Experiment.

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By Aran Kay

To view where the facts came from to write this article, please click on the links below:

1. Jakob Nielsen for Sun MicroSystems (http://www.sun.com/980713/webwriting/)
2. Stanford Poynter Project (http://www.poynterextra.org/et/i.htm)

This article will highlight the differences between writing copy for the web and writing copy for print. Some of these facts go against intuition and against cultural norms. However, these facts detail how people read on the web.

There is no use in arguing against them. Instead, you should embrace them and use this knowledge to your advantage. Here is what the facts are and how they are going to affect your website.

1) Where Do Eyes Go First When Your Homepage Comes Up?

Contrary to what you might think, it is not towards the graphics or photos like in print advertising. Instead, your prospects eyes will first go to the copy, specifically, your headline and sub-heads. Therefore, your first chance to engage the prospect is through copy, not graphics.

Most web users look at a web page for only 3-15 seconds before deciding whether to stay or move on. The fact that they look at copy first has massive implications for your website. Fancy graphics will not make a prospect stay on your website. However, a strong headline and strong sub-heads will.

2) How Much Of Your Copy Do Users Actually Read?

The fact is that online users, on average, read 75% of the length of any given page. This is big news because most web pages will have the important conclusions, calls to action, and order information on the bottom 25% of any given page. That is a big no-no, because it will never be read.

You have to have your call to action and order information presented early on your web page to ensure it is read.

3) Why Do Most Banner Ads Produce Poor Click-Through Rates?

How long will an average user look at your banner ad? 1.25 seconds. That is just enough time to perceive one image or six words (based on college student's average reading speed of 350 words/minute).

Therefore, banner ads that have animation, taking 4-5 seconds to run through a cycle, or more than 6 words must be reconsidered. However, if you really must keep your animated banner ad because "it just looks so cool!" I would suggest that you at least keep your company logo visible throughout the entire animation sequence.

4) Why Is Reading Online More Frustrating Than Reading Print?

Reading from a computer screen causes a person's reading speed to slow by 25%, when compared to reading print. This means reading long copy online can be very frustrating. Break up the copy to help users through.

Have a few one-line paragraphs.

Use headlines and sub-heads to summarize information. Users who are tired of reading word-by-word can quickly scan the rest of your document.

5) Are Your Web Page Users Not Getting The Whole Picture?

If you have not made your web page truly scannable, prospects to your site may only be getting part of the sales message. Only 21% of online users read word-by-word. The other 79% scan a web page headline-to-headline, sub-head to sub-head, picking up only the larger, bolded, or italicized copy.

Your sales message has to be read by both scanners and word-by-word readers. Therefore, all your major selling points, benefits, call to action, and order info must be in easily scannable type.

Otherwise, your website will only generate 21% of the sales. In addition, for the money you put into your website, which is not good enough.

So, if online reading is so different from offline reading. Clearly, your web copy has to follow suit. Take home message? Make sure your website is performing on all cylinders. Have a professional web writer write your website. It will save you money in the end.

Aran Kay is a marketing consultant and freelance copywriter with experience working for Nintendo, Direct Energy, Kellogg's and more. He has written numerous marketing articles, and includes a selection of them on his web site. http://www.ProfessionalCopy.ca is also your source for "The 52 Best Marketing Web Sites." It is a great resource and yours FREE just for visiting his web site.

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By Andreas Sundstrom

Running a traditional brick and mortar business with an online presence, is one very good way to make a part of your living online. However, for the purposes of this article, we are going to assume that you do not have your own business. Therefore, I am going to discuss two of the biggest online moneymakers right now: online business opportunities and affiliate marketing.

Network marketing

The typical online business opportunity built around a network-marketing concept, inheriting the basic qualities of the offline business model that has been available for many decades. The basic idea is that you recruit two or more people, who in their turn recruit two, and in this way your efforts, (at least in theory), are greatly leveraged.

The main difference doing this online is that, utilizing the power of the Internet, you as a network marketer can literally reach people all over the planet.

The problem with the network marketing, or "mlm", concept is it sounds so good on paper - excessively good. Most people who join with a company of this type tend to get a dose of Mr. Reality rather soon.

They discover that recruiting new people, which is what mlm’s are all about - even if they try to tell you differently -, is not at all a simple process. There have been plenty of fraudulent businesses in this niche, and people tend to stay on their toes as soon as they hear the words mlm or network marketing.

To further complicate things, this business model is also based on you paying a set monthly fee - whether you make any money or not, which means many people who start this kind of business actually end up losing money.

It is definitely possible to make a good living in network marketing, but it is definitely not for everybody. "Getting in on the ground floor" is allegedly not always as good as it seems.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is similar to network marketing, in the sense that you will be promoting a product produced by another company or person. This can make life simpler for you, as the merchant usually takes care of all shipping and customer support issues. Amazon.com is probably one of the most well-known (and respected) companies utilizing the power of affiliate partnerships.

As an affiliate, your task is simply to refer new clients to the merchant. When these people buy something, you receive credit with a certain percentage of the sale.

Contrary to network marketing, acting as an affiliate marketer, is generally free. There are certain companies that have a hybrid structure between network and affiliate marketing, which require you to pay a start-up and/or monthly fee to market their products. Most affiliate programs are completely free to join. I would personally stay away from those using their affiliate programs as an income generator, in its own right, or "affiliate sharks”, as one marketer aptly named them.

Affiliate programs are a great way that anyone can start to make money online, without having to invest a lot of money, if indeed any at all.

However, there are certain strategies and marketing methods you need to be knowledgeable of, if you are to make anything but peanuts with your affiliate marketing.

Choosing the right affiliate program, and promoting it to the right people in the right way is an art form in its own right. The people who are good at this, generally referred to as "super affiliates", make a very good living doing nothing else than selling other people's products.

If you are looking to make an additional income from the Internet, or eventually even replace your current income altogether, affiliates marketing is a great way to get started. To achieve the success you desire, you should study and learn the same techniques “super affiliates” use on a day-to-day basis.

Andreas Sundstrom has made a full time living online for the past six years, largely thanks to the power of free affiliate programs. At his website http://www.webhosting-tips.info/affiliate/ he will share some of the most important super affiliate secrets.

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By Shane Hunte

Why is article marketing so great? Why do the greatest marketers on the planet employ this method of marketing?

The greatest remain in the front seat because they know what works. The fact that they continue to use article marketing as one of their main methods of marketing shows. You guessed it, article-marketing works for them.

The possibilities for your articles are endless. It is an investment of time and not money, which makes it cost effective. All you need is patience and commitment and you will succeed with this marketing method.

The greatest marketers use this method because:

It is cost effective. Actually, let me tell you plan and simple, there is no cost to do this, it is free.

It builds credibility and expert status on the internet on any subject there is under the sun.

It drives floods of traffic to you promotions.

You reach a laser-targeted audience with you articles.

This method proves to give you quality back-links to your website, and subsequently, raise your website rankings, which equals more traffic.

These are just previews of the wealth that article writing can bring to you. Although these are not all the reasons, these should be enough reasons for you to use this method of marketing.

The most successful people have one thing in common; they copy the best, as we can see, the best marketers all said yes to article marketing as one of their most frequently used internet-marketing methods.

What is the magical blue print for writing articles like the big guns?

Here is the step-by-step blue print that the greatest use to build their articles at lightening speed:

Step 1. Plan your article.

This may sound elementary but very few people can write articles and they try to skip this step entirely.

When you plan your article, it makes it easier to write on the topic that you choose. You need to dedicate time for this step because it is the doorway for the other steps to follow.

Step 2. Brainstorm your article topic.

What are you going to write about and why? Do people want this information? Can you solve a problem that others have? Asking yourself these questions coupled with a little research can get you a long way.

Step 3. Brainstorming your article points and organizing them.

You have a good topic. Now, what are the points that you want to discuss on that topic? Organize these topics into the order in which you want to hit on them first, and then expand on it.

Step 4. Write selflessly about the topic to give quality information to your readers.

This often separates the good from the great. People want information that helps them solve a problem. We usually get the wrong idea with this form of marketing and dive into a sales letter for a product we promote.

You are not promoting a product right now. You are trying to build your credibility in the minds of readers.

This will make them trust you more. They will be more open-minded to your recommendations for your promotions. Sales letters not only will it turn off readers, it also turns off publishers to post your articles on their sites because it is not of value to their website traffic.

Step 5. Double check and triple check your article for mistakes.

You do not want your articles filled with spelling errors and other major or minor mistakes because this will make people not like your writing.

Publishers will review your pieces. If multiple errors show, then it will not be submitted to their audience.

Print out the article, read it aloud, and pass it to a close friend to read it for you, and provide and objective opinion on what they think about your article. Two sets of eyes are better to find mistakes. Use the feedback you get to write better.

Now that you have a simple blue print to follow, consider using it to write articles. Article marketing is the lifeblood for many great marketers out there and you should make it part of your marketing plans. It continuously adds $150-$200 a day to the pockets of those who use it. Maybe that alone could be your motivation to try.

Shane Hunte is an experienced internet marketer who makes a full time income online. If you to would like to learn the simplest way to make money online then learn article marketing. Go to http://www.internetrevinue.com/Jim_Edwards.html to find out everything you need to know today about profiting fast using your own articles.

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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 P.V. Reymond

In Internet Marketing, many tools exist to build your business or increase your income. You can find lots of software, books, or videos, but you have to know how to use them.

Before you begin to use them, you need to have clarity. There is a tool you may not know very well. It is the most powerful tool that we all have; it is the mind.

Nothing can compete with your mind. You have to use it well. With your mind, you will be able to control everything. Did you know that Yoga experts can stop the beat of the heart or have surgery without anesthesia? Maybe someone does not believe it but it is true and in Internet Marketing, it is the same. If you are using your mind in the right way, you will get good results, and you will have a high percentage of success.

In order to achieve your goals you need to concentrate and have a clear vision of all the ways you have to travel. You have to create the conditions for good concentration, removing all marginal distractions possible, and ignoring others.

It is important to prepare a long-term plan, and divide it into levels, and each level into a systematic process. When you achieve level one, you go to level two, and so on. In this system, your mind plays a fundamental role because there is no software able to build your system. You are the only one that can build it, because you know what you want and where you want to go. This is the point; your mind is your guide. It controls the whole process and it is stronger than any other tool you have.

The essential thing is to maintain an attitude of mental activity, and to avoid anything that will reduce this and make you passive. Thinking and applying systematically will help you to grow; you will discover the power of your mind. Train your mind.

Do not be afraid to make a mistake. Remember, nobody learns from the mistakes of others; you have to try to believe in you. Put such fears to rest! You only have to think, think, and think; and in this way you will learn how to act and how to do everything right.

It is obvious you will have to face some problems traveling along your road. Then your mind will come to help you and you will find the solution in a short period. A powerful mind accomplishes results in the shortest time and with the least amount of wasted motion.

In order to be successful in Internet Marketing you have to focus your niche and to pay close attention to it. Ask yourself, what am I looking for? Keep it in the background of your mind and search for the answer. Knowing everything about you and about what you want, will help you to develop your business.

Keep your mind free; keep a sharp lookout, at every point, to see that you build into the foundation only those materials and that workmanship which will support a masterly structure.

Everyone has difficulty in the concentration of attention, workers in business and industry, students and even professors, complain of the same difficulty. Attention seems in some way to be at the very core of mental activity. Therefore paying attention to your niche and working only in this direction is crucial.

Using your mind as a tool is the most effective factor to be successful.

Copyright © 2006 PV Reymond.

P.V. Reymond is a marketer that built his business alone. He was growing inside the crowd, studying and learning how big marketers treat their customers, and how customers want to be treated. He came out from the crowd to teach people the whole process in how to build a profitable Internet Business with his Free Internet Marketing Education. If you are not making money online or you want to increase your income, then you should visit his site http://www.pvreymond.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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By Dee Cohen

Writing articles are effective ways to get one-way links to your site, as well as, to have people learn more about your website or service. There are ways to do this that can make you more successful versus having your articles be overlooked and not considered.

Shane Pearce has written the ‘Lazy Man's Guide to Article Writing’, which outlines some helpful tips. I was impressed with his tip that when you submit your article to an ezine publisher or a webmaster, you can offer that he uses his own affiliate link in place of your own. For instance, if you have written an article on motivation and have a link to a Clickbank ebook on motivation and goals, you can offer the publisher that he uses his own affiliate id instead of yours. What this means is that the ezine or website publisher will be getting a free article already written with a link that may give him some monetary income. You would still have your own information in your resource box at the end, so people can click to your website, as well. Think about what the website publisher you write to will get out of the exchange and find a way to make his or her life easier.

Other tips he gives are to read ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ to find out what people want to know about in terms of popular topics. Shane discusses how to make a viral ebook based on a FAQ niche that can be passed around. If there are frequently asked questions on a topic, it is a sign that the topic has an interest, as well as, there may be an interest in some guide or tutorial.

In addition, I like the sample autoresponder examples he uses with different ideas for a signature file at the end of one's article. I think he is very good at showing how to integrate a couple of affiliate links without being pushy. He recommends sending people to opt-in to a mailing list as part of your signature file.

Another section I found useful discusses how to create checklists and use them both for your website and in articles that lead back to your website. People like checklists. Shane discusses how to use these. They also help break through writer's block or paralysis because you can have a list of steps.

There are ideas given about utilizing both 2-tier affiliate programs and residual income programs that will help you keep you earning as your articles circulate around the net. Shane gives some interesting suggestions on types of sites that work for this.


I also like that Shane gives an example of a flop he did of an unsuccessful attempt at marketing. He analyzes it and compares it to something someone else wrote he feels was better expressed. It is a very interesting study covering various ways to get your articles noticed and published. I publish articles regularly but learned some valuable tips from this ebook.

Dee Cohen is an author and publisher at http://www.socialsitesmarketing.com/article-writing.html; you can visit to learn effective ways to gain traffic by writing free articles.

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By Don Luttrull

If you are involved in an mlm or network marketing business, you have tried to find the best ways, online as well as offline, to get qualified people to your website or to the company’s website. There are many different ways to find qualified people who are actually looking to start a home based business.

You need to realize that most people who are looking for a home based business are not aware of what they are looking for and are simply gathering information. These types of people are the non-targeted leads you find being sold by countless mlm lead companies online.

These types of mlm leads have a terrible conversion rate. This puts your excited mood into one that causes you to start second-guessing yourself and the opportunity you are marketing. Quality mlm leads from an actual mlm leads company with proven results is what you need to build a successful mlm business, and to have the right mindset.

If you were to compare mlm lead companies, odds are you would start with your sponsor or up-line in the business you are currently marketing. This method is not effective to use. The result is your upline is simply trying to get a commission or a bonus off you by sending them to one of the low converting mlm lead companies.

You may take the above statement as being rude or labeling all sponsors, but in all honesty, most people in mlm and network marketing companies are following the same pack of people barely making any real income. You need to set yourself apart from the pack and become a leader in your company.

If a company sponsor is trying to teach you the correct methods to building your business but have not seen any real success himself or herself, then you need to find a new method in which to build your business. Mlm is mainly duplication of a proven method. If your sponsor is not seeing the large monthly income, then I personally would not try to duplicate their methods.

With all the many different ways to get mlm leads, which are done with pay per click accounts and even door-to-door methods, one truly proven method has the highest conversion ratio as long as it is done correctly.

You need to find an mlm lead company that has proven results and offers you a residual income that will pay for your leads as your downline signs up under you, for their leads also. There are a small handful of mlm lead companies worth comparing and sometimes they can be hard to sift through. Mlm lead companies are selling leads that have sold 1,000 times and will not convert for nothing.

If you are looking to build a solid mlm business, you should research and compare mlm lead companies. You need to look for a company that allows you to buy at minimum, 72-hour fresh leads. Along with being extremely fresh, you also need to find an mlm lead company that offers a monthly residual income plan. Having a matrix payout plan attached to a solid mlm lead company can end up paying out more then your mlm company is paying you.

Remember when researching and checking the many mlm lead companies out there, you will usually get what you pay for. Any company offering you 1,000 fresh leads a day for $20 is nothing but a fraud style company and will end up giving you a very bad name in the mlm community. Find a company that is successful and has mlm leads that are actually converting into real mlm sign ups and sales.

Don Luttrull runs a MLM lead comparison site. MLM and Network Marketers vote on which mlm leads company has the best conversion ratios and those companies are then ranked. To see who they have voted for go here http://www.comparemlmleads.com.

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By Keith Londrie

Do you ever sense you are short on cash? How would you like to learn how to save what you earn? The average consumer's focus is on spending, and there is no focus on saving. In Money to Be Made Online, you will learn some of the ways you can save money while doing business. If you fit into the category of "not rich," before you can go on that wonderful vacation, or buy a new house, you need to save up some cold hard cash. Nothing is better than money well spent some say. Well I think nothing is better than money well saved. Before you can spend wisely, you have to have good saving strategies.

So what is the secret to saving money? I am going to outline a few simple tricks that if followed, will leave some extra cash each month. Why is it that people are always spending more than they earn? Because they are in the business of helping other people save money. That is right; they are providing the retirement funds for the debt collector, or credit card executive. First, I want to let you know where some of your money goes, besides, when it goes down the drain.

Most people forget completely about their money after it leaves their pocket. Money is not just a piece of paper or numbers on a screen. For the purpose of this article, imagine that money is a type of energy, like electricity. Like electricity, most people do not think or care where it comes from, or where it goes, and how it is transferred from place to place. Each time you use electricity, or transfer it to another place, you lose some of its potential. Most appliances do not use 100% of the potential energy available, maybe in the future but not currently. When you buy something, taxes are taken out, plus the middlemen's fees, and then profit for the top of the pyramid.

The first thing you should do is become aware of WHERE your money goes. By thinking of where money comes from, and ends up, it will open your mind into new avenues of perception. You have to fight your way out of the "consumer" box and create a new box, with a new label, so you are comfortable. It is good to think "outside the box," for people who live in boxes, they did not create themselves. But when you create your own box, when you design your own life, and are finally free from all debt, worry, and create your own experiences, then I suggest you think inside that box instead!

So now, practice thinking this in everyday life. Where is my money going? Imagine all the little middlemen in between, and then maybe you will respect money a little more. You will realize how big and industrious the world actually is. After you have reached this stage of awareness, you should be more motivated, and ready to save some money. By saving money in this state, you might realize how important that one little dollar of profit is. When multiplied by a good product and millions of consumers, you have just made a million dollars.

If you are ready to start saving some money, be ready to follow these simple tasks, and expect some extra cash! First, you need to be organized. Saving money is not just about being cheap, but it is also about management. You must organize well! Most successful people are great at saving because they are natural organizers, and when they make it big, they get a secretary. After a while, these tasks become natural, and do not feel like a bother at all, so keep it up and after a while, you will get the hang of it.

Organizing your cash flow is essential. Everywhere you go, carry a notebook, small note pad, or a PDA if you have one. Most PDA's are compatible with finance software, so buy some or find a free version. DO IT NOW! This is the most important aspect of saving money; you first need to know where it is going! Therefore, for the first week, I want you to do two simple things. Everything you spend money on, write down the date, the cost, where, and how you felt. At the end of the day, create another separate sheet with a total of the amount spent. List all the things you do not need to have. Now try to think of where your money went, and imagine the process it took to make the products you bought. Did you purchase gas? There are many things needed to get gas into the country, so imagine the process and your mind will open!

After one week, take a look at all the data you have collected. Do not do this review until a full week's data has been collected! Determine what was essential and what you can alleviate. Take your daily essentials and total them up. Look where you can eliminate needless expenses! One of the things you can do, are follow the guidelines in Money to Be Made Online. Follow the experience of seasoned veterans, and save money for your business today!

Keith Londrie II is a successful Webmaster and the owner and publisher of moneytobemadeonline.com a website that specializes in providing tips on how to REALLY make money online that you can research on the internet in your pajamas from the comfort of your own home. Visit http://moneytobemadeonline.com/ today!

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By Donovan Baldwin

One overlooked or misused form of advertising is free advertising. This can be a very important means of growing your business.

There are innumerable free classified advertising sites on the internet. Obviously, some will be better than others will, and the value of any site may be anywhere from good for your business to a total waste of your time.

One immediate, visible advantage of free advertising is the adjective, "free". Many people starting internet businesses simply do not have the funds to buy advertising.

One disadvantage to free advertising is, that since it is free, everybody floods it with all kinds of ads. It is easy for your message to get lost in the flood of advertisements.

Another drawback is, that unlike people who look through newspaper classifieds or advertising papers such as are found at the local convenience store, few people on the Internet actually visit online-classified sites in hopes of finding a car or piece of stereo equipment. Even if they do, they are not likely to see your ad if you are trying to interest someone in an internet income opportunity.

So, how can you turn free advertising to your advantage?

First, some sites will have the potential for improving your business, in one way or another, and some will be worthless. The advertisement itself may or may not be effective, or may or may not be successful at a certain website, testing is necessary. Try different ads, and try them on different sites.

A complexity in determining the value of a given free advertising site is the fact that with the advent of automatic advertising submitters, many sites are hardly ever visited by humans any more. Only the automatic programs drop by and leave off their ads and move on to the next site. Therefore, one of the first criteria to look for might be whether or not ads must be manually posted. At least in that case, humans will visit and may actually see your ad.

By the way, even a site which can be posted to automatically may be of value in the area of linking and search engine optimization. Most of these links will be fleeting or of little value to a search engine spider, but you may be able to build a little stable of sites which will help search engines find your site. I know of several sites where I regularly post ads exactly for this purpose. Ablewise.com (which requires manual submission) for example is regularly visited by search engine spiders, and if I place an ad there, the page I have linked to will soon show up in search engine listings.

Second, free advertising is most effective if it is not used to sell anything. In fact, it will operate best when you use the free advertising to give something of value away in order to establish a condition of trust between yourself and a prospective customer. In the heyday of mail order advertising, this was often referred to as the "two step" method.

It worked, and still works, like this. The seller offers a free report, such as "How to Make Money from Your Kitchen Table". The ad simply makes the offer, and often would request the reader to send a "free, self-addressed, stamped envelope" for the free report. In this way, the seller was able to get his materials in the hands of several interested parties for only the cost of the report and the ad. The seller was saved the postage by the reader who provided the envelope and postage. Enclosed with the report were materials offering other items, often more reports, which were sold by the seller.

If the seller had provided a report of value on the first mailing, it was possible that the reader would purchase one of the items. If not, the name and address was still on the seller's records (mailing list), and the reader would receive more mailings and/or a collection of such names and addresses would be sold to others who had not built their own lists as yet.

The same thing is done on the internet, and many successful advertisements offer free advertising, software, reports, or services in order to entice the online reader to respond, thus placing his or her contact information at the disposal of the advertiser.

This sort of advertising on the internet has spawned two distinct "advertising" methods, which, while free, are not actually advertisements. These two methods are the writing of articles and the creation of lead capture pages.

When someone writes an article of interest or value, you can publish it free at several sites on the internet. They are usually allowed to include a little information about themselves, including a link to their business website. Generally, to be most effective, the article will be on a subject relevant to the topic of their website and product. Since these articles may eventually be placed on hundreds of websites over long periods and are mainly read by those interested in the topic, they are very effective as "advertising". If the author writes well and provides value, the reader may come to respect the writer well enough to accept their advice or guidance, and purchase goods or services from them.

With a lead capture page, the reader cannot get the free gift, which is often information, but sometimes a service or product, without giving the advertiser their name and contact information. The advertiser will then use this information to make offers of their products. It is quite common for an internet surfer to leave his or her name and email address in order to receive a course of some kind, which is delivered, by email to their inbox. The course will be delivered as a series of messages over time, and each will contain the advertiser's sales message. The content of the course will often be relevant to the product being sold. In time, the advertiser assumes the stature of friend and expert in the eyes of the reader, and this will often result in a sale being made.

Free advertising can often be effectively used to lead potential customers to the lead capture pages or even to the articles where they can begin to make the acquaintance of the writer. While the free advertisement seldom is effective in actually spawning a sale, it can be an excellent means of gathering customers.

Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer and network marketing professional. He is a graduate of the University of West Florida, a member of Mensa and is retired from the U. S. Army. Learn how to get free advertising at http://www.donovanbaldwin.com/free_advertising/hits2u.html

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by George Marshall

Article Writing As A Marketing Tool

Whether you are targeting a niche market or a wider more general audience, one of the most effective tools to reach those interested in what you have to offer is writing and submitting articles concerning your particular craft. Article marketing is a great way for the average person to do some great things with their marketing efforts. One effective reason is that it allows the marketer to project the writer's own business ideas, values, and expectations into the article itself. It gives the reader a 'real sense' of the writer's character, thus establishing an immediate bond or sense of trust. It instills confidence in the reader for the writer, product, and or service. At