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Your online business will likely require more advertising than a contemporary business downtown, yet some new to the world of online business do not spend the time and money to advertise their business appropriately and are, in turn, loosing money. Your online business is crammed into the world wide web along with thousands of others selling the same product or service as yourself. Consider this scenario: In your hometown you want to open an art supply store. In that same town there are thousands of art supply stores. In order for your business to be successful, it will have to stand out in some way from the others. This is exactly what is happening when a business is opened online. There is so much competition, that you must take drastic measures to ensure that you are getting noticed. Advertising can be done in so many ways online. These are some of the most successful ways that you can promote your online business.
Advertising in e-zines is a popular way to promote your online business. Ezines are the magazines of the internet; they written on a particular subject and read by those interested in that subject. Therefore, ezine readers are already potential customers and advertising your site in ezines that are related to your business is almost guaranteed to help drive traffic to your site and increase sales for your product. You should be sure when advertising in ezines that you are not advertising along side competitors. Ask the ezine producer if there is a policy concerning posting competing ads. It is also a good idea to subscribe to the ezine before making a decision about whether or not to advertise in it. An ezine that runs fewer ads is a better choice than one that runs many ads. You can look at the online Directory of Ezines to find publications that are relevant to your company.
Pay-per-click programs are an excellent way to advertise your business without taking a risk that you have advertised in the wrong place. With pay-per-click, you can advertise you site and only pay for those who click the link and go to your site. Another popular pay-per program is the pay-per-lead program that allows you to only pay for leads. Usually this means that you pay for only those who download a trail, fill out a form or enter a sweepstakes; whatever you choose. Lastly you can display pay-per-click banner ads in which your company would be allowed to place a banner on their site and you will be charged for every click that your banner receives.
Opt-In email is a great way to advertise your business, however it is expensive and it can be misused very easily. Using opt-in emails, you would submit your sales copy to the company that will in turn email it to those on their mailing list. You should be very careful since some of the companies that advertise their mailing lists as opt-in email service is sometimes really SPAM. It is essential that you have a perfect and effective sales letter when using opt-in mailing lists. Without and effective sales copy your money and time have been wasted.
About The Author: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Not long ago, I didn't know ANYTHING about Internet marketing... However, within just 2 weeks, I launched my own website AND learned how to profit from an opt-in list, pull in sales with ezines, make money with Google Adwords and setup my own BLOG! Here's how: http://www.LegitimateBusinessOpportunities.com/pips.html -----------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
Cross promotions are not a new idea. They have been used by businesses for a very long time. For example, a real-estate company may promote a certain lawyer to close a sale, as the lawyer will promote that agency in his firm. The system is somewhat similar to the primitive barter system, where people traded items rather than using money. How can anything primitive fit into the online world of Internet marketing? Very easily. Cross promotions are, simply stated, a trade of advertising space. Instead of paying for advertising space on a site, you would place their ad on your page and yours on theirs. There are many ways to use cross promotions in your internet business that can be an effective and cost efficient way to advertise.
One way is to use link exchanges. This is very effective when doing cross promotions with a company that is similar to yours, however you should be sure and never link to a page that is in direct competition with yours. One of the best things about link exchanges is that some search engines are factoring in hits from the sites that are linked to your page to when determining the ranking. Therefore linking to a more popular site, can not only increase your advertising, and traffic, but also increase your search engine ranking.
When customers or potential customers subscribe to your ezine you can use this as an opportunity to use cross promotions. On the same page that the customer subscribes to your ezine, make available the opportunity to subscribe to another company’s ezine. You can even exchange ad space in ezines, and provide recommendations for those whom you cross promote with. You might even want to exchange column space in one another’s ezines.
Writing free articles that inform customers or potential customers with information that is useful and accurate can create a reputation for you and your business. Soon readers will come to know you as an expert on the subject. In these articles the author uses a byline to help promote his site. Bylines can be a way to use cross promotions as well. You can use part of the space in your byline to recommend another’s product.
If you have been considering writing an ebook, a joint venture could mean increased profits for you and the person you are partnering with. Cross promotions through ebooks are an excellent way to allow for a wider topic and to promote both your business and your partner’s business. The ebook should contain information that will benefit both businesses and still be helpful to the reader. A good example of using cross promotions through an ebook is to a site selling used video games partnering with a site selling gaming devices. These are two subjects that would interest the same reader and most likely lead the reader to both sites.
You should keep in mind that the recommendations that you make are a direct reflection of you, so choose your cross promotional businesses carefully. Also keep in mind that it would be nice as a shopper to be able to link from one site to another as a way to “shop around.“ Since this is usually not beneficial to you, never link or recommend a site that is in direct competition with you. Instead, recommend those who are similar, such as health and life insurance.
About The Author: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Not long ago, I didn't know ANYTHING about Internet marketing... However, within just 2 weeks, I launched my own website AND learned how to profit from an opt-in list, pull in sales with ezines, make money with Google Adwords and setup my own BLOG! Here's how: http://www.LegitimateBusinessOpportunities.com/pips.html -----------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
Would you buy meat from a grocery store that left the bad meat in with the good meat or wasn’t clean? Would you buy a car from a sales lot that had totaled automobiles on the front lot? I wouldn’t and neither would you. Your website is your grocery store; your car lot. You must have an atmosphere that is pleasing to buyers. One that tells that buyer that you are not an amateur, but instead a trained, seasoned professional. Your site is a direct reflection of your product and that is why that having a well designed website can make or break your sales.
The first thing to keep in mind when designing your website, is “surfability”. Take a few minutes a look around at several web pages. What makes them appealing? Were there some that you closed out of immediately? Why? Take notes and do your research. Keep in mind that when a person visits your site they have a goal in mind. They are either seeking information or shopping for a product. Give the person what they want without having to search for it. Be sure that all the information on your site is relevant to your product. Make the buyer think that they need your product to solve their problem.
Your main page serves a very specific purpose. It should be an avenue by which the customer can shop your site. It should be easy to view and load very quickly. This is your first impression and we all know that first impressions can either close the deal or loose the deal. Make it simple. It is best to have links that are easily viewable by the reader that will navigate them to where they want to be. Tables are often a great choice when deciding on a way to design the main page of your site. Your main page should load very quickly, chances are if it takes the page more than ten seconds to load even on a 56k modem, the customer will click away to save time, hoping to find the information or product elsewhere. To increase the loading speed of your main page you should avoid large graphics or excessive graphics. To many banners or special effects can cause a page to load slowly as well.
To make your web site more appealing to the eyes, you should stick to mild colors. If your site is a content site where the user will be doing a lot of reading, it is best to stick to black and white. Color can be added when using tables, as a way to brighten up the page, but remember to keep the overall look of the page professional and appealing to the audience that will be visiting most often. Since screen resolutions vary among monitors, it is a good idea to set the pixels to a standard 800x600. You may also choose to set the tables in your web page to span a percentage of the page rather than a set number of inches. This will be sure to accommodate all screen sizes. You should remember that a lot of Internet users will not use the same browser as you, and therefore you should be sure that your site looks as good on other browsers as it does your own. You can do this by downloading several browsers through which to look at your page.
Be aware of the fact that the overall look of your website is a way to make money. The appearance of the site, if designed properly, can be an excellent marketing strategy for your product or service.
About The Author: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Not long ago, I didn't know ANYTHING about Internet marketing... However, within just 2 weeks, I launched my own website AND learned how to profit from an opt-in list, pull in sales with ezines, make money with Google Adwords and setup my own BLOG! Here's how: http://www.LegitimateBusinessOpportunities.com/pips.html -----------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
What could be better than exceeding your personal sales goals for a given month or year? How about doubling, tripling or even more of you sales goal for the month? This is exactly what affiliates can do for you. The amount of growth potential through affiliates is unlimited; the more affiliates you have the more money you can make, after all, if Sam Walton tried to run every Wal-Mart store, he obviously wouldn’t be very successful. You must realize that for maximum growth you cannot do it alone. Think of the success of companies such as Avon or Home Interiors. Their success is based on two things; a great product and excellent affiliate programs.
To attract affiliates to your company you should make it worth their time. Offering one percent of sales, is not an attractive offer, the higher the commission that you are able to offer your affiliates the more affiliates will be tempted to join your team. You should also provide your affiliates with the tools that they will need to successfully market your product such as banner ads, articles, and anything else that will help them to better market the product. You should provide the affiliates with updated product information through newsletters, new promotional campaigns and other things to motivate and inform the affiliates.
You can choose to run your affiliate program in a few different ways, both of which are beneficial to your business. A one-tier affiliate program allows you to generally offer a larger commission and pays on one level. The affiliate will receive a predetermined amount for each sale. Using a two-tier affiliate program, affiliates are paid on two different levels. This is done by allowing the affiliates to recruit others to sell under them. In this situation, the top level affiliate would receive a slightly larger commission than the recruit or second level affiliate. For example if the top level seller makes 20% of the sale, then she/he would make 15% giving the second level affiliate the 5%.
Setting up the affiliate program can also be done in two different ways. One way is to do it yourself through an affiliate tracking software. This software will provide you with a way to track affiliate sales as well as allow the affiliates to view their progress. The downside to this option is that you are responsible for making payments. You can also choose to hire an affiliate tracking company to do all the work for you. These companies will allow the use of credit cards and completely run the affiliate program from billing customers, paying affiliates, and also pay you. This is a great option for the busy business owner or the beginning business owner and it is affordable as most affiliate tracking companies charge a small one time fee. However you choose to run your affiliate program it is sure to increase profits for your business.
About The Author: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Not long ago, I didn't know ANYTHING about Internet marketing... However, within just 2 weeks, I launched my own website AND learned how to profit from an opt-in list, pull in sales with ezines, make money with Google Adwords and setup my own BLOG! Here's how: http://www.LegitimateBusinessOpportunities.com/pips.html -----------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
In order to make a success of your website or online business, it is obvious that you will need customers. Although everyone who visits your page will not become a customer, they must have some interest in your product or service that brought them there in the first place and therefore they are a potential customer. Potential customers are much more likely to become actual customers if you make an effort to keep in touch with them. This essential marketing tool is called and opt-in list.
An opt-in list will allow you to keep track of your potential customers by obtaining their email address in order to keep them informed about the latest updates for your product or service. You can create your own opt-in list or you can use an opt-in list creator that is available online from several sources. The benefits of creating your own opt-in list is that you will be able to send personal messages to the potential customers and they will not need to do anything, whereas with commercial opt-in lists, the customer will receive a generated message and will be required to verify their acceptance of the message.
An important part of creating a successful opt-in list is to keep in mind that potential customer will visit your site from many places and may not see your homepage. Therefore it is imperative to have the ability to subscribe to the mailing list from all pages of your site. You should not, however, make the subscription information a focus point of every page. It is a good idea to put it at the bottom or top of the page where it is visible but not distracting. It is also a good idea to promote your mailing list by using a give-away. You could offer a service, a discount, or an ebook. You can also drive potential subscriber to join your mailing list by writing articles that will benefit the reader and at the same time, build your credibly as an expert. You can include the subscription information in the byline of the articles. You could also write an ebook with your subscription information on each page, which will allow the customer to easily access the information and join the list with ease.
Once you have created the mailing list and now have your potential customers within your grasp it is your responsibility to keep them updated and interested. Provide them with quality information that is up-to-date and of interest to them. Offer discounts or a newsletter, something that the reader can use. This will keep them interested and will drive them to your site over and over, eventually they may make a purchase and if not, they will be informed enough to use word of mouth advertising for your site.
About The Author: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Not long ago, I didn't know ANYTHING about Internet marketing... However, within just 2 weeks, I launched my own website AND learned how to profit from an opt-in list, pull in sales with ezines, make money with Google Adwords and setup my own BLOG! Here's how: http://www.LegitimateBusinessOpportunities.com/pips.html -----------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
Autoresponders are a perfect way to increase traffic to your site. They can save many valuable hours by automatically answering emails concerning frequently asked questions about a service or product or by sending a welcome letter to new members of your program. There are many ways that autoresponders can help your business. One of the most important is their ability to track the effectiveness of your promotions. Since autoresponders are one of the most popular marketing tools available today, they are being used by a lot of different kinds of business and websites. Some of these take advantage of the system to use the autoresponders in a negative manner. You should be aware of some of the “Golden Rules” when using autoresponders.
Thou Shalt Not Use an Autoresponder Address When Submitting to Search Engines.
Since you will most likely submit your site to search engines such as Google or Yahoo!, directories, classifieds, and free for all sites, you should be made aware of the fact that these sites commonly use an autoresponder as well. If you were to use your autoresponder to contact these companies, their autoresponder will reply to yours and so on and so on. Thus creating a cycle of autoresponses that will flood your email box and theirs as well.
Thou Shalt Not Use an Autoresponder to Subscribe to Ezines or Discussion Forums.
Since most of the time an Ezine will send you updates and new information regularly, your auto responder will send them a message each time. In a discussion forum, every person in the discussion forum will receive your auto response. This can be irritating and most of the time you will be unsubscribed. It is often hard for the administrators of the forum or ezine to determine who is using the autoresponse and therefore it is simply common courtesy to never use an autoresponer in this manner.
Thou Shalt Not Use an Autoresponder to Take Advantage Of Unsuspecting Individuals.
Some very unprofessional companies will use autoresponders to respond to an automated message when this is done the address in the “from” field will be automatically subscribed to their mailing list. This is a extremely un ethical use of autoresponders and those who do it are in jeopardy of creating a very negative image of themselves and their company. Rather than promote their service or business, this usually leads to people becoming very upset and spreading a negative word about your company rather than a good one.
The Internet can be a great place to do business and autoresponders can be an excellent way to save time, however when used in an unprofessional way, they can lead to frustration and aggravation for others. Your company will suffer the loss of much business if you choose to participate in these abusive practices. The appropriate use of auto responders can generate a large amount of business, while inappropriate use can drive away that business.
About The Author: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Not long ago, I didn't know ANYTHING about Internet marketing... However, within just 2 weeks, I launched my own website AND learned how to profit from an opt-in list, pull in sales with ezines, make money with Google Adwords and setup my own BLOG! Here's how: http://www.LegitimateBusinessOpportunities.com/pips.html -----------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
There are hundreds of ways that you can promote your online business or website, some more effective than others. These five proven methods will help you to generate traffic to your site and also to generate income into your wallet.
1. One thing that appeals to everyone is “free.” If it is free people will take it. Think of the samples of cheese given away at grocery stores. Do you really want a small piece of cheese? Of course not! But you take it simply because it is free and someone is nice enough to offer it to you. The same principle applies with information or services offered from your website. You can send out free newsletters or offer a free trail period. One popular thing that is being given away now are free credit reports or free PC scans. These freebies are what we in the marketing field like to call teasers. After running the free credit report or PC scan we alert the customer if there is something found on their credit record or PC and then offer to show them what it is or repair the problem for a price. This can be an effective way to get information to your potential customers, create sales or to generate traffic to your site.
2. Your website contains information about a service or product that you are very knowledgeable about. You can use this knowledge to generate traffic to your site by writing articles in your area of expertise and having them published in an ezine or an article information site. The most effective way to use these articles is to write them for free and ask in return that the publisher allow you to include a byline. A byline is a very short summary of the author, their credentials and their website. Your byline is a way that readers will come to know you as an expert on the topic and will in turn come to trust your site as a source of credible information.
3. Some search engines will allow a website to purchase their ranking. This is an excellent Internet marketing technique in that it is effective and inexpensive. In the pay-per-click programs, website are only billed for those who actually visit the page, unlike banner ads which may be seen by millions but only used by a few. When using the pay-per-click program you are asked to choose keywords and when those are entered your site will appear and if the surfer chooses to view your site, you are billed for that click. Many pay-per-click programs will offer other benefits as well, such as updated lists of commonly used keywords.
4. You should remember that others are in the same boat as you. You can choose to network with those who have similar marketing ideas. When networking you will be able to share links and refer customers to each other. You should always be very cautious when choosing a networking partner as everything that you recommend is a reflection of yourself or your product and therefore, you should be certain that your networking partner is a reputable source of information.
5. Simply because your website is online, doesn’t mean that all your advertising should be. Advertise in newspapers, TV, the radio or you can even send out a press release to get your information to thousands of people all over the country.
About The Author: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Not long ago, I didn't know ANYTHING about Internet marketing... However, within just 2 weeks, I launched my own website AND learned how to profit from an opt-in list, pull in sales with ezines, make money with Google Adwords and setup my own BLOG! Here's how: http://www.LegitimateBusinessOpportunities.com/pips.html -----------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
What if you could send out all the information that your potential customers have requested without checking your email or answering a phone? While this may seem impossible, it is becoming more and more popular among the most successful Internet marketing gurus. This is all due to what is called an autoresponder. An autoresponder is an automatic method of responding to emails sent by existing or potential customers and is an must for any Internet business. Time is money and answering emails personally take a lot of valuable time for both you and the customer. Not only do autorespnders allow you to spend the time elsewhere in your business, but it gives the customer access to the information almost immediately.
Since there are so many different uses for autoresponders, they can be of value to virtually any type of business. Some choose to use the autoresponders to answer frequently asked questions about a product or service. Others use them to provide information about pricing or product information. Autoresponders are also a nice way to welcome new members to a website or group as well as thank them after a visit.
One might ask what would be the advantage of using autoresponders as opposed to simply listing the information on the site. An important feature of autoresponders is that they send you an email notification each time a response is sent out. This allows you to track the success of your promotions as well as have the email addresses of potential customers at your fingertips so that you can easily send out updated and new information to them.
It is of the utmost importance to choose an effective autoresponder. An autoresponder should be as personal as possible and send out follow-ups to potential customers since it has been proven that persistence pays off. It could take up to seven contacts before a final sale is conducted. Generally speaking an advertisement should be short and to the point. However, in this case, the customer has asked to see this specific information and therefore an effective autoresponder should allow you to place as much text on the page as you desire. The autoresponder that you choose should provide automatic updates to customers free of charge.
The autoresponder is one Internet marketing tool that will not cost you an arm and a leg. You can get free autoresponders online from several sources. The automatic responses will be a welcome addition to your marketing strategy and will help to automatically increase traffic to your site all while you do nothing. Be sure that the one you choose includes all the extras that will send you site to the top and your profits through the roof.
About The Author: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Not long ago, I didn't know ANYTHING about Internet marketing... However, within just 2 weeks, I launched my own website AND learned how to profit from an opt-in list, pull in sales with ezines, make money with Google Adwords and setup my own BLOG! Here's how: http://www.LegitimateBusinessOpportunities.com/pips.html -----------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
A few years ago, pop-up windows were all the rage in Internet marketing. It seemed that every time one opened a web page they would be bombarded with offers for this or that. It had gotten to the point where surfing the Internet was almost like playing a video game; when the ads would pop-up one would try and close them out before another one came. This is precisely why we have seen the decline in the use of pop-up windows on the Internet today; surfers simply do not even look at the pop-ups anymore. They close the windows out before even reading the ad. Very often, a surfer will even leave your site if there are too many pop-up ads. They simply do not want the hassle of closing those windows while trying to obtain the information that your site has to offer. This information, while valuable, is not as valuable as the surfers time. Studies have shown however, that even with these set backs, pop-up windows are still an effective method of Internet marketing.
Is there some way that pop-up windows can be less irritating and still be effective? Yes! What if the pop ad were seen upon exiting your site instead of entering? This would allow the surfer to obtain the information that they need from your site, feeling that they were able to come and go quickly without being hassled by other ads and offers all the while making the surfer happy. You have left the surfer with a positive attitude and therefore are more likely to respond to the pop advertisement. This is being accomplished more and more by using what is being called pop-under windows. When the surfer comes to your site, the ad is opened discretely behind the your web page. Then, upon leaving your site, after obtaining all the information that they need , will see the ad and therefore be more likely to respond. Since the surfer has the information, he has achieved his objective and is now open to do other things; ideally respond to the pop under advertisement.
Not all pop-windows are created equally. There are some things that you can do to make your pop-windows, whether pop-up or pop-under more effective. The pop-window should be easy to “escape” from. If the surfer does not want to see the add, but has a hard time closing it out, they will likely become frustrated and could leave your site all together. You should either use a button to that will allow the surfer to close the window or be sure that the “x” is easily visible. Another good idea is to use a script that utilizes cookies. Cookie will prevent pop-windows from overloading the surfer since you can decide the frequency of the pop-windows, rather than each time a page is opened. Also be sure that there is no more than one pop-window per page.
When creating a pop-window, you will be asked to fill out a short information form, select the length of cookies, and choose the layout of the pop-window. When choosing the design of the pop-window, you can increase the effectiveness by creating a large headline that includes benefits that will be most appealing to the customer. You should also consider using incentives and lastly do not ask the customer to read a long and drawn out advertisement. Keep the message simple yet powerful and your pop-ads will be sure to generate profits for your site.
About The Author: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Not long ago, I didn't know ANYTHING about Internet marketing... However, within just 2 weeks, I launched my own website AND learned how to profit from an opt-in list, pull in sales with ezines, make money with Google Adwords and setup my own BLOG! Here's how: http://www.LegitimateBusinessOpportunities.com/pips.html -----------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
You're excited. You have a great idea for a profitable online business. Maybe it is an original idea that has not been marketed online before. Maybe you have come up with a new spin on the ordinary. Whatever it is that has influenced you to start your online business, be sure that you have a plan before you begin. This is not the time to “pick it up as you go”. These are some basic things that should be included in your business plan.
The business summary should give a brief description of the entire business and is an integral part of the overall business plan. After you have completed the business summary you should begin to list the objectives or the goals that you want to accomplish through the business. Next and perhaps most importantly, you should develop your marketing plan. The marketing plan will address all the specifics of the business. When developing the marketing strategy you should consider the following:
The target market. The target market is the customers that you expect to see visiting your site. For example will your product be more appealing to college students or those who are in retirement?
Consider the competition for your product when determining the marketing strategy. Choose a product that will be seen as unique and useful. Visit sites that are offering the same or similar products. Find out the cost, and how they are marketing their product. Finds out the pros and cons of their business and try to improve your product based on their flaws.
Research the various methods for advertising online. You should become educated about search engines and how they work since each one is different. Also be sure that you know how to submit your site to search engines. You should be prepared to spend a small amount of money on advertising, but the profits that you will gain from the advertisements will prove to be money well spent.
Think about pricing. Again, look at the competition and see what similar products are selling for. Pricing can play a big role in the success of your product since selling a product well below the average price may lead customer to think that there is a problem with the product or that it is not of the best quality. However, pricing items too high could also detour customers.
Determine the shipping method. Be sure that you know how products will be shipped so that you can have shipping details clearly posted on your site. If you are shipping things of great value, you should consider providing shipping insurance. Also think about shipping outside the country that you live in.
Think about the different methods of payment that you will accept. If your business does not accept credit cards, you should be ready to give up half if not more of your sales. If you decide to accept credit cards will you use a merchant account or will you use a third party credit card processing center? Both will help you get started and the third party processing center will handle all of the business so you don’’t have to. You should decide which you will use and also if you will accept checks or money orders. It is essential to have a secure server when taking credit cards.
These few things will help your online business to become a great success and also provide you with peace of mind knowing that you have thoroughly thought about and planned for the opening of your online business.
About The Author: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Not long ago, I didn't know ANYTHING about Internet marketing... However, within just 2 weeks, I launched my own website AND learned how to profit from an opt-in list, pull in sales with ezines, make money with Google Adwords and setup my own BLOG! Here's how: http://www.LegitimateBusinessOpportunities.com/pips.html -----------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
Henry Ford taught us that to simplify the manufacture of automobiles, that the best way to do so was to install the assembly line. That one change revolutionized the auto manufacturing industry permitting the industry to build cars at a cost whereas the average person could afford to buy one.
The lesson we should take from this is that having the ability to improve the process of getting the job quicker and cheaper, without compromising the quality of the job being done, will help catapult the person who simplified the process to the top of his/her field.
Pennies saved in your home business can turn into dollars at the end of the day, and dollars can quickly multiply into hundreds or thousands of dollars over time.
Doubt me if you will, but let me ask you a question. Do you think a saving of two fifths of a penny could make any real difference in the profit margin of a home business? Of course the right answer is "it depends on how many transactions are done in a year, utilizing the savings of the two fifths of one penny."
You only have to think back a couple of decades to really appreciate this question. Do you remember the nut that lived and died in a Las Vegas hotel room? You know the one who was a billionaire, and was so worried about germs that he died of starvation? If you guessed Howard Hughes (1905-76), pat yourself on the back.
Now Howard did not make all of his money on his two fifths of one penny. He did however make a ton of money from his two fifths of one penny. It seems Howard owned a can manufacturing company. And one day, Howard's team figured out how they could make one minor change in the design of their food can to reduce the amount of tin necessary to make a single can.
As the story goes --- if my memory serves me correctly --- the reduction in tin usage equaled a saving of two fifths of one penny per can. Howard --- being the really smart businessman that he was --- decided that he would not be so greedy as to keep all of the savings for himself. What Mr. Hughes did do was to keep half of the savings for himself, and give the other half to his customers. The incredible thing about Mr. Hughes decision is that by saving his customers an extra one fifths of one cent per can, he managed to take more market share away from his competition --- netting his company an additional and substantial portion of the total market share in the canning industry.
Let us return our thoughts to your home business. Have you ever gotten the feeling of excitement --- when you read something or thought of something --- that you could not wait to implement this new idea? This could be one of those moments...
In every home business, there are certain processes that we do over and again. Sometimes it may be possible to trim the time or expense of a process which in turn will add pennies or dollars to your bottom line. If it is a process that you do hundreds or thousands of times per month, then your savings will multiply into hundreds or thousands of dollars in monthly savings.
Imagine what running a home business was like BEFORE the computer...
Before the personal computer, we had to hand type all letters and invoices. Now, we can setup a letter or invoice that we send out quite often, and we can save it in our word processor so that when we need to use it again, we can print it quickly and efficiently. There is no longer a need to type the document again from scratch.
The computer has simplified our business communications and has provided us the opportunity to reduce our costs of doing business.
Think about all of the other processes that the computer has enabled us to do for far less expense than what we could in the past.
In this case, the computer is a tool that permits us to save time and money.
So, my challenge to you is to begin examining the processes in your own home business and look for ways in which you can save yourself time and money. It is far better for you to contemplate on this matter than it is for me to do so for you. Simply put, you know your business better than anyone on the planet does. Therefore, you are in a better position than anyone to find those extra dollars that will decrease your costs and increase your profits.
The extra pennies and dollars you could extract from your business could spell the difference between success and failure for your home business enterprise.
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
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Did you realize there are only three types of online promotion?... This statement may seem odd and even untrue in your mind, but I am speaking in more general terms than you might be thinking.
Let me explain.
The three types of promotion are Junk, Active and Passive promotions.
JUNK PROMOTIONS ARE MONEY PITS
Junk promotions are those that seem to produce results, but by their very nature are really only illusionary promotions.
For example, let me begin with FFA (Free For All) pages. You might find yourself subscribing to a submission program that tricks you into believing you are submitting your links to tens of thousands search engines.
Yes, you can submit your URL to a FFA page, but FFA’s usually only permit 100 or 1000 links on their page at any one time. So, if ten thousand people are submitting a link to an FFA page on a daily basis, then the average life of your link is between seven minutes and 144 minutes. I suspect the actual number of submitters is much higher and the results are much worse. Given that few people surf FFA pages, the chances of your submission being of any real value is practically nothing!
Most of the people telling you that you can submit your site to tens of thousands of search engines are truly only submitting your site to FFA pages! Beware of the false promises.
Another junk promotion method is Safe Lists. A safe list is a mailing group that is signed up to be received by people who want to submit their own ads. Now, most safe lists have thousands of subscribers who are able to submit their ads daily or weekly. The person signed up to receive the list will receive anywhere from twenty to 140+ messages a day from the list. These messages will be received by people only interested in promoting their own thing who do not have the right motivation to open, let alone read Your Advertising. As a result, thousands of messages go out daily or weekly that will never be seen by anyone but the sender of the ad. Where is the value in that? There is none.
ACTIVE PROMOTIONS
Active promotions are the type that require you to go out on a daily basis or a weekly basis and put out your advertisements. With active promotions, you will either place your advertising or you will not sell your products or services. Your choice is simple --- work or starve.
Examples of active promotions include Pay Per Click Search Engines (PPCSE’s), Direct Email, Ezine Advertising, Solo Ezine Ads, Newsletter Publishing, Ezine Ad Swaps, Classified Ads, Auctions, Site Sponsorship and Banner Ads.
Some people are able to utilize these methods very productively, while others are destined to drop their money into the bottomless pit of failed Internet promotions.
PASSIVE PROMOTIONS
Passive promotions are those promotions that can continue to provide results for you long after you have invested the work to make them available to the Internet community.
Examples of passive promotions include: Link Exchanges, Articles, Ebooks, Content Exchanges and Writing Testimonials for others.
Let’s look at articles as a solid example of my point.
You are reading an article that I have written to promote my own business. This article is timeless and therefore could have been written five years ago and still have been as valuable as it is today.
Due to the fact that the article is timeless, it can and will be placed in newsletters/ezines and their accompanying online archives, on websites and in ebooks for many more years to come.
As a result, this article will continue to serve me well beyond the time in which I wrote it and submitted it to publishers and webmasters for public consumption and publication.
This is the best example I can give you of an excellent passive promotional method.
AVOID THE MONEY PITS
Many try and even fewer succeed to conquer the Internet and to produce their dreams of online wealth.
My hope is that you will be one of the people who conquer the challenges before you and to make a nice living while working online. It will take drive, determination, study plus trial and error, but you can make it work for you.
Please continue to educate yourself so that you can avoid the money pits - instead, strive to find the money barrels. It can be done. I am living proof.
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
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No business can survive the long run without some form of consistent advertising. As a result, most business owners will eventually consider using advertising to promote their business.
The toughest part of the advertising equation is in determining where and how to spend your advertising dollars. If you do it wrong, you could plunk down your entire advertising budget and receive absolutely no return on your investment. But, if you do it right, your advertising could continue to bring a nice return for years to come.
HOW DO I MAKE THE RIGHT ADVERTISING DECISIONS
In order to make good decisions concerning how to spend your advertising budget, you must first have a good understanding of the different types of advertising and promotion available and what can be expected to be achieved by each.
· You must understand which markets the different media's can reach. · You must understand the demographics of the media's consumers. · You must understand the buying habits of the consumers reached through the media.
WHAT OFFLINE ADVERTISING & PROMOTION MEDIA'S SHOULD BE CONSIDERED
The media's that people think of most often are television, radio, newspaper and magazine advertising. Of course, these are the big boys that big businesses use regularly.
Other methods of promotion include trade shows, press releases, direct sales, telemarketing, word of mouth, branding and billboard advertising.
CONSIDERING THE BIG MEDIA OUTLETS
The big boys of advertising media's generally cost big bucks. Given certain circumstances, the big media's can be bought for very little money.
Take for example, television, radio and newspapers cost big bucks during their prime times, but can be bought for pennies on the dollar during non-primetime hours.
Television primetime is between 7pm and 10pm. Radio primetime is between 7am and 6pm. With newspapers, the primetime is Wednesdays and Sundays.
If you intend to hit a media during prime time, get ready to drop some bucks. Primetime means that you will be able to hit more consumers during these times. So, in most cases, a primetime buy will enable you to reach more people with your advertising.
Non-primetime hours can still deliver a lot of eyes and ears to your message, and sometimes, these off-hours can be bought for a bargain basement price.
GETTING MILEAGE FROM EVENTS
Trade shows and press releases are more event-driven. The trade show is the event, while the press release generally exploits an event.
Trade shows are an exceptional tool when you deal directly with potential sellers of your products or services. Other shows are directed at the consumer, and those can be very valuable avenues for sales as well.
The press release is aimed towards gaining attention for a business by distributing newsworthy information about the business.
Sometimes the appearance of a business at a trade show or other show can provide the necessary angle for a press release. But most often, a successful press release will actually require more noteworthy information than the appearance of a business at a show.
Yet, even the most mundane of information could be spiced up to give the real air of importance necessary to get your press release read and printed.
The great thing about a press release is that might permit you to get relatively inexpensive promotion on television, radio, newspapers and magazines; for far less than what it would cost you to buy advertising in those same outlets.
UTILIZING A SALES TEAM
Depending on what type of business you run and the consumers you are trying to reach, you might find direct sales and telemarketing to be very lucrative ways to drive sales to your business.
Both are very similar in nature. Direct sales can be very expensive, as it requires a great investment of time to accomodate. Telemarketing seeks to minimize the time expenditure, but it often leads to a smaller degree of respect and attention.
Depending on your product or service --- and always depending upon the people you employ to the task --- each method will be more suited to each business on an individual basis.
BRANDING YOUR BUSINESS
I grouped branding and billboard advertising together in my original list for a reason. I did this because billboard advertising serves most businesses best by helping to support the process of branding.
Branding is the process of establishing your business as the supplier of a certain product or service, or in emphasizing a certain USP (Unique Selling Proposition) as it pertains to your business.
If branding and USP seems to be a confusing concept, think about Wal-Mart and their tag line: "Always Low Prices, Always."
Think about Ford Motors, "Quality is Job One."
Think about the Visa Card, "It's Everywhere You Want To Be."
You see, these top corporations have managed to make their USP part of their branding.
Even if you are only competing in a local marketplace, your USP can and should fit snugly into your branding strategy.
NO MATTER THE MEDIA OR METHOD
Whichever method or media you should choose to employ in your advertising and promotion, you should become knowledgable about your market, and the consumers reached by each media. It is important to understand which consumers can be reached by a certain media, and in what quantities.
However you choose to spend your advertising dollars, you should always track the results of your promotional efforts. Failing to track successes and failures will ultimately lead to the failure of a business.
When you know whom you are trying to reach and how you think you might be able to reach them, you will begin to learn how to use advertising and promotion to make your business successful. That is a good thing --- after all, that is why you got into the business in the first place, isn't it?
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
Are you an online marketer? Or do you simply promote affiliate programs? Marketing is truly the most misunderstood word in use today on the Internet. Let me see if I can clarify this issue just a bit.
In Marketing 101 at your local university, marketing is actually the process of Product, Place, Price and Promotion.
PRODUCT
No business can exist without a product or service to sell.
In a nutshell, entrepreneurs are the people who believe in a product, service or idea, so much that they are willing to invest their lives into the development of their dream.
Historically, every major corporation in the world was started by an entrepreneur with a dream and the drive to make it a reality.
However, there comes a time in the life of every corporation when those who fear the gambling nature of their founder, squash the entrepreneurial drive that made the company a viable concern in the first place. The entrepreneur will either submit to the careful nature of the stockholders, or he will be forced to leave the company he created.
The only entrepreneurs who withstand the pressure to move more carefully are those who have maintained majority control over their companies.
PLACE
In the offline world, place is defined by location. On the Internet, place is defined by domain name and the web hosting service chosen.
Both online and offline, place can make or break a company without respect to the quality and value of the product, service or idea.
PRICE
Selecting a price is determined first on a basis of whether the company wants to be seen as a discount or a value company.
Take for example Wal-Mart and Staples.
Wal-Mart is the lead discounter in the marketplace. Staples on the other hand is the specialist in office supplies.
Both sell a significant number of office supplies despite the fact that the lowest price can usually be found at Wal-Mart. As a value dealer, Staples can afford to charge more for their products than Wal-Mart.
So the question for you is whether you want to position your company as a discount or value company.
Testing has shown that products and services can be sold at any number of prices and still reach a significant number of people.
The challenge of selecting the best price for your product or service will require a certain amount of testing.
UNDERSTANDING THE PRICING EQUATION
Let's assume we are selling a product. Let us also assume that we know that the product can be sold for $10 or $50. Let us also assume that if the price dips below $10 or rises above $50, then the product sales fall off significantly.
Our challenge is to determine the best rate at which to sell our product.
Testing has shown us that we can sell 1000 items a week at $10. Testing has also shown that we can sell 500 items per week at $50. And testing has shown that we can sell 650 items per week at $45.
At $10, our projected weekly earnings are $10,000. When we sell the product at $50, we know that we can earn $25,000 per week. Most importantly, we know that we can earn $29,250 when our product is priced at $45.
With the imaginary testing we have done on our imaginary product, we can easily see that selling our product at $45 per item will earn us more money over the long haul.
Thus, when we make the decision for a national rollout of our product, then we will price our product at $45.
Of course, this is a very simplistic analysis of the point I am trying to make. Though simple, I believe this analogy will help you understand the methods of developing a product's prices.
PROMOTION
Promotion, on the other hand, is the process of notifying the consumers for your product or service of your availability to serve them.
Methods of promotion vary distinctly and should be arranged to meet very specific goals.
As with product, place and price, promotion should not be left to chance. You should test every ad, every media, and every price point to determine the best bang for your promotional dollars.
HEADS UP!
If you are an online promoter or marketer, please factor in the most important element concerning the cost of your promotions.
What element is that? Your time!
Value your time at a certain dollar amount, and figure in your time into the cost of your promotional accounting.
I say this because too many online promoters lose sight of this concept and spend 20 hours to generate one sale while using free advertising. Even if you rate your time at the federal minimum wage, then you will have invested $105 of your time for one sale that might only net you a gross sale of $45!
ARE YOU TRULY A MARKETER OR ARE YOU JUST A PROMOTER?
Most people who run a business on the Internet call themselves marketers. Yet, most of these same people are really just promoters wrapped in the label of a marketer.
True marketers do not promote without a lot of advance work. They spend time planning, testing and measuring their actions and results to get the most out of every dollar spent and earned.
Entrepreneurs finesse the art of marketing as they build their company into a major enterprise.
If you are a promoter who does not keep an eye on the total marketing equation, then you are bound to fail.
If you do call yourself a marketer, then do what a professional marketer does. Make sure that every dollar spent is spent well. Make sure that every dollar earned is put to good use. Market well so that when the people of the next generation look at your life, they will see a fine example of a successful entrepreneur that they will strive to emulate.
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
The great promise of online advertising has always been that advertisers will now be able to effectively track the successes and failures of their online advertising efforts. This promise has been met.
Yet, for those of us who still employ offline promotions and advertising methods, we must consider the various ways in which we can effectively track our results in the old-world media.
TRACKING RESULTS BEFORE THE INTERNET AGE
How long has it been? Ten Years? Believe it or not, it has been less than ten years since the Internet went mainstream.
Companies still utilize the same methods to track results as they did before we laid our hopes on the Digital Superhighway.
TV advertisers ask you to call extension X. Radio advertisers offer you additional savings if you tell them you heard it on XYZ radio station. In newspapers and magazines, advertisers suggest you clip the attached coupons.
Why do you think advertisers employ these tactics?
Simple. They need to know what advertising is bringing customers in the front door and to their cash register.
By understanding what advertisers are bringing them customers and dollars, they have a better understanding of where to spend their next wave of advertising dollars. Additionally, they can do a side-by-side comparison of their Advertising Return on Investment (ROI) to determine which method brings them the most percentage of return per dollar spent.
UNDERSTANDING HOW WE SHOULD MEASURE
The truth is that we really do need to know how people are deciding to visit and buy from our business establishment.
Some consider this idea silly or even a waste of their valuable time. Far too many people, who think of tracking in this fashion, end up searching for a job at some point in their future. Unless pure dumb luck is on the side of the business owner, a business simply cannot survive if it does not track the effectiveness of its advertising.
Somehow, some way, a business owner or his marketing staff must look at their advertising and promotion budgets, and look at their advertising mediums and find a way to know which is doing the job for them and which is not.
DISCOVERING WHAT MOTIVATES OUR CUSTOMERS
Somehow, we must get our customers to tell us how they found us and what ad motivated them to come in and purchase our product or service.
Everyday, businesses motivate their customers to tell them how they learned of them by having the customer call a certain extension, offer them an additional discount to tell them which advertisement they had heard, or to offer them a coupon to use.
Others motivate their customers to tell them how they had learned of their business by offering a very specific product in their advertising. They know that if someone shows up at their business to buy a certain product, then they will know how the person had heard of their business.
This is why you should make your radio advertising focus on a different promotion than your newspaper advertising. Different mediums should focus on different leader pieces so that you can see which medium provides the best results.
UNDERSTANDING WHY WE SHOULD MEASURE RESULTS
We measure advertising results so that we can learn how to not waste our money and to learn how to get the most bang for our advertising dollar.
Return On Investment or ROI is the key measurement utilized to determine the value of our advertising.
It is best to show in an example how ROI is measured.
Cost of Newspaper Advertising: $150 Number of Items Sold As a Result: 60 Retail Price of Individual Item: $ 10 Profit on Individual Item: $ 3
Gross Income on Items Sold: $600 Gross Profit on Items Sold: $180
In this example, you have spent $150 to make $180. Your ROI is 120%.
Cost of Radio Advertising: $ 300 Number of Items Sold As a Result: 50 Retail Price of Individual Item: $ 20 Profit on Individual Item: $ 6
Gross Income on Items Sold: $1000 Gross Profit on Items Sold: $ 300
In this example, you have spent $300 to make $300. Your ROI is 100%.
Utilizing these two examples, you can quickly discern why and how we are calculating ROI.
Now, some people would consider both to be good investments of their advertising dollars. In fact, many believe that so long as their advertising generates enough sales to break even as the radio example did, then they consider the investment to have been in their future rather than their present. So long as you do not lose money on the transaction, then you should at least be willing to continue with the advertising medium that was used.
However, over time, you might find that the newspaper advertising will continue to provide the 120% ROI. If that is the case, then your newspaper advertising should take more of a center stage in your advertising efforts so that you can develop more profits which can be used to increase your dollar investment into your advertising.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF TRACKING YOUR OFFLINE PROMOTIONS
With this introduction, you should now have available to you the knowledge necessary to introduce tracking into your marketing efforts. Those who take the time and effort to advertise and track their results will benefit more than you can imagine.
Truth be known, a single person with a dream today started every big corporation in the world many years ago. Each of these corporations grew from a fledgling operation to a economic powerhouse by tracking and tweaking their Advertising ROI.
Every corporation and small business who will remain in business through the long term will be tracking their advertising and promotional efforts today. It is an investment into their future success. If you make the same kind of investment of time and cash resources, you too will be making an investment in your future success.
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
Whether seeking a supplemental income or a full-time income, many folks have undertaken the task to discover a viable home based business solution to meet their personal needs.
For most folks who contemplate a home business, a low-cost or no-cost solution is not only nice, but also very necessary. Many also seek to find a home business that will permit them to maintain their regular day job in order to protect their base income.
Taking the cautious approach to a home based business and keeping one's job during the start-up period is often a very good decision. By maintaining one's job, one can maintain the health of their personal finances while permitting their home business grow healthy and strong.
Fortunately, most home based businesses can be started with little or no cash, can be maintained on a shoestring budget, and can be operated successfully with only a part-time investment.
One day, the business will be strong enough to support itself and its owner. When that time comes, it will make good sense for the business owner to leave his or her outside job to dedicate more time to growing and maintaining their new thriving home based business. You will know when that time has finally arrived.
The nature of a home based business makes it easy and very realistic for most folks to take the plunge into home business ownership.
Yet, many folks put off starting their own home based business, because they have the misconception that they will have to risk thousands of their own hard-earned dollars at start-up. Then later, if their business fails, they fear they may be forced to take out a second mortgage on their house just to stay out of bankruptcy.
Are you one of these folks? Do you let your fears of failure keep you from reaching for your dreams?
If so, then allow me to introduce you to a few home business ideas that you can start for less than $100 and can be started and operated very profitably as a part-time business.
THE LIFEBLOOD OF ALL SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES
First of all, let me advise you to search out a business model that will deliver steady and repeat business. It is the one thing --- above all others --- that will assure that your company can survive the test of time.
HOME-BASED MAIL ORDER: Home-based mail order is a good example of how one can quickly grow a home business income. Mail order is a low cost start-up business that can be launched for around $100 USD.
With proper planning, your home-based mail order business will not require up-front inventory purchases. In the mail order business, it is not uncommon to rely upon drop-shippers for product fulfillment services.
By utilizing drop-shippers, we can sell the products, collect the money and then purchase the products from the wholesale outlet. The wholesale outlet will then put a return address for your company on the product packaging and deliver the product directly to your customer.
Your primary expense in the mail-order business is advertising. Classified advertising tends to be a relatively inexpensive form of advertising with thousands of outlets available to the small business owner.
WHOLESALE BUSINESS: Buy low --- sell high. You can acquire high quality, top-of-the-line merchandise for a fraction of the retail cost. Starting a wholesale business would require a Wholesale Dealers Directory as your source for merchandise. You can find a Wholesale Deales Directory by using any search engine to look up the term.
AUCTIONS: Auctions can be an excellent source for buying cheap and selling high. Both government auctions and Internet auctions can lead to some excellent profit opportunities. Auctions are an excellent tool for both acquiring and selling merchandise.
MAKE AND SELL YOUR CRAFTS: Crafts are a hot seller at country fairs, swap meets or anyplace where people gather. Make your own crafts and sell them for a tidy profit!
SELLING INFORMATION: Selling information by mail is another good example of an inexpensive home based business start-up. One can gain the resale rights to information for usually about $50 USD. Other costs will include printer cartridges, paper and postage. There are plenty of free classifieds sites on the Internet, in which to successfully advertise your information.
WRITE INFORMATIONAL BOOKLETS: Write and publish your own informational booklets; sell them at a high price! All you need is a little know-how, a printer, paper and stamps. This is a GREAT home business idea! You can also sell the resale rights to others, for extra profits. In this age of the Internet, you may also take advantage of the fact that selling information is one of the most profitable endeavors one can pursue online.
OFFICE SERVICES: Offer office services for hire in your local paper. You'll be surprised at the amount of regular office business that can be gleaned from one little classified ad. Word processing, typing, accounting, data entry, proofreading, transcription, promotional letters and newsletters. All these tasks can be accomplished right from your own home office.
AVON REPRESENTATIVE: Yes, Avon's been around for eternity, hasn't it? Then it's not such a bad prospect as a home based business, is it? I once knew a woman who did so much business as an Avon rep. that she had people calling her and knocking at her door wanting to order products at all hours of the day and night! Once you are an established Avon representative, you, too, will turn a good profit.
CONCLUSION: On your search for the ideal home based business, try not to get caught up in any scams that will run off with your money. There are thousands of scam artists out there just waiting for the next sucker to come along. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Just use your good judgement and invest wisely in proven methods of earning extra income.
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
So many people launch their first or second business with the misconception that they can survive without advertising. It is their fear of failure that almost single-handedly assures their failure. They fear spending the money that they need to get and keep their business running during those early years of their operation.
Let’s face it, when you start in business, money is usually pretty darn tight. So, you must figure out how to get off the ground without throwing your money down the drain. Every single red cent is important enough to hang onto with a tight fist.
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO REINVENT COPPER WIRE
I am reminded of an old joke a friend used to tell about himself.
My friend had always told me that both he and his brother were the inventers of copper wire. He insisted that the two of them were fighting over a penny one day and managed to stretch it out into the first strand of copper wire known to mankind.
Indeed, now is not the time to try to reinvent copper wire.
ADVERTISING IS A NECESSARY COMPONENT OF A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS
The point of advertising is to notify your customers of the existence of your business. It is necessary to tell people that you are in business and to tell them what products and services you are offering.
Unless people know that you are offering a certain product or service at a certain price, no one will knock upon your door to buy your wares.
If you fail to attract customers and dollars, your business will die. Therefore, advertising is a must for the success of your business. Sure, word of mouth can take you places, but it can only take you so far. Advertising is designed to pick up where word of mouth leaves off.
ATTRITION IS A DEFINITE FACTOR TO CONSIDER
Attrition is a factor in all businesses. A business is able to pick up so many customers and dollars on every advertising or promotion venture. Yet, a certain portion of your old and new customers and dollars will drop off over time.
You simply cannot rest on your laurels. You must continue to generate new business and new dollars or your business will die.
EZINE PUBLISHING DELIVERS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF COMMERCIAL ATTRITION
If you have ever published an online ezine, then you will have seen attrition first hand.
You can spend all week advertising your ezine and note that your efforts have generated for example 500 new subscribers. Yet, by the end of the week, your subscriber base has only climbed by 250 subscribers. What went wrong?
Well, this is how it works. Keep in mind this is only an example to make my point, but if you have ever published an ezine, then you will know I am right on the money with this observation.
In one week:
· 500 people sign up for the first time. · 40 of those people unsubscribe after the very first issue because they do not like the content. · 30 people quit after the first issue because their only purpose in subscribing in the first place was to get the freebie you had offered to new subscribers. · 30 of those people unsubscribe because they do not remember subscribing to the ezine in the first place. · 80 email addresses bounce due to ISP email filters. · 20 people bounce because they did not pay their Internet bill. · 35 people have simply changed their email addresses without submitting a change of address to you. · 15 people have quit the Internet altogether.
In the final analysis, 100 of your new subscribers, or 20% of your newcomers are gone after one week. Another 150 subscribers were long-time subscribers who are gone for other reasons.
If you make the mistake of stopping your advertising, your ezine list will eventually wind down to one subscriber --- you. In our example, 150 long-time subscribers disappear every week, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. You must absolutely keep a fresh flow of new subscribers coming into the ezine in order to stay ahead of the attrition curve.
STAYING AHEAD OF THE ATTRITION CURVE
An ezine or a business, what is the difference? Not much. Your business will suffer the same fate as the ezine if you do not advertise. I don’t know how to make it any more clear than this.
Yes, you must be careful not to throw your money away on advertising that does not generate results. But you cannot afford to throw the baby out with the bath water.
Carefully, pick your advertising, study your results, and put your money back into what is working for you.
In conclusion, you must decide. Do you want to advertise your business, or do you want to watch your business die? The decision is yours and yours alone. Well, what are you going to do?
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When you need an auto mechanic or an air conditioning repairman, where do you turn for help? Sure, some people turn to the yellow pages. But most will turn to friends and family and ask if they know of anyone who can do the work.
The best place for your business to be positioned is to be the business on the tips of the tongues of the people asked to make the referral.
THE 300 RULE
Preachers, funeral directors and people in a few other professions have learned "the 300 rule" through their own personal experience.
"The 300 rule" states that the average person knows 300 people on a friendly level. Wedding planners tend to make reservations for 300 guests. Funeral directors tend to need to make room for 300 mourners. You get the idea.
DOODLING WITH CIRCLES OF INFLUENCE
Imagine your circle of friends, family and acquaintances, a.k.a. your circle of influence. Now, draw your circle of influence as a circle on a blank piece of paper.
Next, contemplate the people in your parents' circle of influence. Some people who know your parents also know you. Therefore, you will share some influence with the people your folks know. Now draw your parents' circle of influence on your piece of paper.
Your circle and your parents' circle will intersect in one area, although the larger majority of the two circles will not intersect. If you are like most people, the two circles on your page at this point looks very similar to the MasterCard logo.
Now imagine drawing a page full of intersecting circles, each circle representing the circle of influence of the people who are within your own circle of influence. Imagine trying to encapsulate an accurate rendering of where your circle and the circle of your friends will actually intersect.
Some circles will share a large area of space, while others will barely cover one another.
Actually, you can only imagine at this point what your piece of paper will look like. The actual layout of the circles imagined in this analogy is simply too overwhelming for the mind to comprehend.
THE BIG PICTURE
300 multiplied by 300 equals 90,000. By using the analogy of doodles in the previous section, the average person can actually network with up to 90,000 people! Even factoring in the overlap, one can still probably network with 50,000 people through their own circle of influence!
Simply amazing, isn't it?
HERE IS THE SECRET TO YOUR SUCCESS
There are 300 people on this planet whom you have a reasonable amount of influence. Take advantage of this fact. Make darn sure that every person within your own circle of influence KNOWS that you are in business for yourself, and make sure they understand what your business offers.
When your friend is asked to make a referral, they will recommend you.
PASSIVE VERSUS ACTIVE REFERRAL NETWORKING
When people ask your friends for a referral and your friend mentions your business, that is passive referral networking.
Active referral networking is when you can get your friends go directly to their friends and say "Hey, I have a friend who just started a business. If you are in need of what he offers or you know someone who will need his services, would you please give my friend a call or make the referral to his business?"
If you can get even a portion of the people in your own circle of influence to actively refer your business, then you have built the foundation to build an advertising campaign even more effective than the average local television advertising campaign.
Think about that for a moment.
Most people only dream of reaching 50,000 potential customers with their television advertising dollars. You now have the knowledge to reach 50,000 people without spending a single penny.
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
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Learning how to get the most organization from your email software is very likely the most important skill you can learn to conduct a successful online home business.
There are three primary email applications on the market that folks use to manage their incoming POP3 email. Those three are:
· Microsoft Outlook Express · Eudora · Netscape Mail
In order to get the most from your email software, there are three key processes that you should learn. These processes are concerned with data organization, saving time and email database management.
SET UP EMAIL FOLDERS
Organization is key to any emails that you intend to save. Having 2000 emails in one folder is a sure-fire road map to confusion and lost communications and information.
You are the best judge as to how to organize your email into topics that provide an easy method of retrieval of the information when you need it most.
Fortunately, the primary email browsers make it easy to organize your information. By allowing you to create folders within your email software, you can file specific emails into folders dedicated to the topic of the email.
To create new folders:
OUTLOOK EXPRESS: 1. Click File - Folders - New --- alternatively, you may also right click an item in the Folder window --- and then type in the name of your new folder. Highlight the folder above where you would like your new folder to be placed, and then click OK.
EUDORA: Click on Mailbox - New --- or right click on Eudora in the folders window and then click on New. When the window opens, type in the name of your new mailbox and click OK. If you want to create a folder to place other mailboxes into, click the checkbox before clicking OK.
NETSCAPE MAIL: Click File - New Folder. Then from the drop-down menu, select the folder that you wish to be the folder directly above your new folder, before clicking OK.
FILTERING EMAIL
Email filters are a tool to help you save time and frustration. Have you ever lost an incoming email under the deluge of email coming into your mailbox? With filters, you can direct the important email or not-so-important email into certain pre-ordained folders.
As part of the war against spam, most ISP's use filters every day in an attempt to keep the spam out of your mailbox. In fact, I even use filters to sort my incoming mail trying to catch the spam my ISP missed.
Don’t be fooled into thinking you need some special software to filter your email. Setting up filters is actually quite easy.
To setup email filters:
OUTLOOK EXPRESS: Click on Tools - Message Rules - Mail. A wizard will open to help you create your new email filters. Just follow the instructions provided to direct mail based on certain criteria into certain folders.
EUDORA: Click on Special - Make Filter. Once again, just follow the instructions in the Filter wizard.
NETSCAPE MAIL: Click on Edit - Mail Filters. Then click on New in the wizard. Once you click on New, you will be taken to a new wizard window. Follow the instructions here, then when you are done, click on OK. This will return you to the first window where you will set up the sorting order of your filter.
CLEANING AND COMPRESSING YOUR MAIL DATA
This is an important part of your email management. When you no longer need an email, it should be deleted. When you first delete an email, your software will send the email to the Trash Bin. Your email is not actually deleted until you first empty your trash bin.
Emptying your trash bin compresses the mailboxes from where the email was originally filed. This is absolutely paramount to the protection of your email data. If you go too long between compressing your email data, then your email data could become corrupted and you might need assistance in recovering your email data.
Even after you have emptied your trash, Compressing Folders is a recommended step to prevent other data corruption. Once you understand that an email does not actually move from one folder to another until the folder is compressed, then you can better appreciate this advice.
As an example, when Email A comes into your main Inbox, the data connected to Email A appears in two files. One file contains the header and body of the email. The other file contains only the email header information.
When an email is moved from one folder to the other, only the header information is actually moved. The body information will not be deleted from the original folder until which time the original folder is compressed.
This explains the purpose of emptying the trash AND compressing folders. If the email was simply moved from the Inbox to another folder, then emptying the trash is not enough. The original placement of the email is not actually removed from the file that contains the body information until the message has been designated for compression.
To empty your trash:
OUTLOOK EXPRESS: Click on Edit - Empty 'Deleted Items' Folder. To compress the remaining folders, click on Tools - Options, then click on the tab for Maintenance. Then click the button that says, "Clean Up Now". Once the compression is completed, click OK.
EUDORA: Click Special - Empty Trash. To compress the remaining items that need compression, then click on Special - Compact Mailboxes.
NETSCAPE MAIL: Click on File - Empty Trash Folder. To compress the mailboxes, click on File - Compress Folders.
I cannot stress enough how important it is that you utilize the tools for emptying the trash and compressing the mail folders. Protecting your email data on a regular basis is good practice for avoiding disaster in your mailbox.
So many of us rely upon our email software to keep our online business running smoothly. Once you master the tools provided in your email software, your online business will run smoothly also.
Let me share one important lesson I l've learned about computer software. One should never be afraid to try new things. Learning how to get the most out of your software relies upon your willingness to dig in and learn how to use it.
Once you learn how to use your software to its full potential, then your life will be greatly simplified and your effectiveness will be dramatically improved.
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
Every morning as people wake up and make the commute to work, many dream of the day when they will finally work for themselves. Every time the boss lets someone know that they must give up their weekend plans for the good of the company, people contemplate the benefits of being the owner of their own business.
Are you one of these people?
If you are, it is important to ask yourself some very important questions before you make the uncertain leap into self-employment.
Many dream of the benefits of home business ownership, but few take into account the sacrifices that must be made to bring the dream to fruition. Please don't make this mistake yourself.
You must approach home business ownership with your eyes wide open. Ask yourself the important questions, and more importantly, answer your own questions openly and honestly.
AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION
Are you the type of person who relishes every chance to gather around the water cooler for social interaction?
If so, then home business ownership may not be the right decision for you.
Instead, if you feel that you can be quite content sitting alone at your desk; speaking only to clients and really minding your own home business, then you might have what it takes to succeed as a home business entrepreneur.
If you feel at ease with your own company and don't need a dozen coworkers milling around your desk, then you, too, could savor the freedoms that will allow you and your family, to live the lifestyle you know you want and deserve.
THE KEY TO HOME BUSINESS SUCCESS
Self-motivation is the key to success when you start a home-based business. You need to possess the ability to push yourself ahead. Your drive and determination will be reinforced with every new sale.
The level of success that you will achieve greatly depends on the time and effort you are willing to plow into your new home business. Your organization, planning and marketing skills, will all be put into practice when you embark on your liberating journey from employee, to being your own boss. In fact, you will be the wearer of many hats and gain a wealth of business experience along the way, when you finally make that commitment to work at home.
YOUR SUCCESS RESTS ENTIRELY UPON YOUR OWN SHOULDERS
You will now be the boss. Are you truly able to work independently? Do you have the drive; the tenacity, to persevere with your home based business? Will you be able to invest the necessary time to nurture it, to watch it grow and see it through, from germination to full, glorious bloom? When you're the boss, you are responsible for the success of your home business, from A to Z, from disappointments to victory.
When you work at home, it will empower you to achieve many things you were unable to do when you were stuck working for that tyrant boss. Remember him? He's the guy that wouldn't let you take time off when your baby was sick...the same guy that called you in to work on Thanksgiving Day.
A home business means that you can take good care of your family and make money from home, simultaneously. You will have the best of both worlds! Just think--no more dirty laundry piling up--you can do it while you work. No more scurrying around at the last minute searching for a babysitter either. And no more worrying about getting fired; you'll be the boss!
IN CONCLUSION...
Stay positive and focused on your home based business, even if, when sales aren't up to par, you get occasional negative remarks or derogatory comments from people with stuffy, dead-end jobs. Ignore their cutting words and bear in mind that success is the best revenge! Keep your admirable, positive attitude at the forefront and show them what you're made of!
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
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I am certain that, as a business owner, you have often entertained the question as to how much to spend and where to spend your advertising dollars. For most small business owners, these questions can add to the headaches suffered in the course of normal everyday operations of their business.
THERE ARE NO SIMPLE ANSWERS
The how much to spend and where to spend it questions have no easy answers.
Depending on your type of business, many people suggest that the *how much* should be equal to anywhere from 4% to 10% of your gross receipts.
The quandary is that a business cannot survive without a fresh flow of incoming customers. But, a business can seldom generate a fresh stream of customers without spending money to get the word out about their business.
THE CHALLENGE OF DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING
Have you ever paid for advertising and sat back to await the fresh flow of customers, only to find yourself sitting and sitting and then sitting some more?
Don’t feel bad about that. It has happened to many of us before.
See, knowing where to spend the advertising money is not enough to get the job done.
Where to spend the money only begins to highlight the other issues connected with advertising:
· Marketing Plan · Advertising Strategy · Headlines, Ad Copy and Visual Presentation · Tracking the Success of Your Advertising Campaigns
THE MARKETING PLAN
The Marketing Plan is used primarily to identify your own products and services, costs, strengths, weaknesses and the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors.
To learn more about constructing your own marketing plan, visit the Small Business Administration website for a comprehensive study of the elements of a Marketing Plan: http://www.sba.gov
ADVERTISING STRATEGY
It is important to understand what you expect to gain from your advertising.
Do you simply wish to get your name known so that when your customer will need you, they will think of you first? Or, do you wish to get your customers in your front door on Saturday?
Do you want your customers to come in and take a look around to discover the next object that they cannot live without? Or, do you want them to come in and buy a specific widget?
Do you hope that enough people will come in to buy enough products or services to pay for your single ad? Or, do you expect to gain a lifelong customer who will help pay for your advertising over the course of several years?
When you know what you want, then you will better understand just how to do it.
HEADLINES, AD COPY AND VISUAL PRESENTATION
You might be surprised how many business owners put out advertising without regard for the quality of the sales pitch or presentation. The quality of your distribution outlet or the amount of money you spent to get there will do little for you if the advertising vehicle is a junker.
Test all of your advertising materials in smaller markets before blowing your advertising bank roll on it. You must absolutely know the value of your advertising before putting large sums of money behind it.
TRACKING THE SUCCESS OF YOUR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS
Tell your customers to save another 10% when they tell you they heard or saw your ad in such-and-such location. Suggest that they can register to win a free widget if they fill out a form and have them to tell you how they heard of your business. Advertise a specific widget in your ad and track the sales of that widget.
It does not matter how you track your advertising --- just make sure you do it!
IN SUMMARY
The ideal way to spend your advertising budget is to buy a rifle with a high-powered scope and to only shoot your targets in the light of day.
If you are not tracking your advertising, then you are shooting a pellet gun without an attached scope, with blinders on, and shooting in the dead darkness of night.
Even with a bigger gun, the blinders in the dark constitute the single largest mistake made by advertisers. If you are unable to track your advertising to learn what is working well, what is working somewhat, and what is a money pit, then you are condemned to repeat your mistakes over and again.
By relying only on gut instinct, you may be choosing to spend more money in the money pit and to lose all of your money in the process.
When you get down to the nuts and bolts of making money from your advertising, you should plan, prepare, track and study your results. You must have factual information on which to base your advertising decisions. When you are making the right advertising decisions, then making money from your business might just come easy.
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
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When you are the owner of a home business, you will find hundreds of distractions that vie for your time, energy and focus.
Common distractions include: children, family, friends, neighbors, pets, phone calls, mail, household chores, video games, television, neighborhood children, visitors, and so many more.
As an owner of a home based business, you must always remember your purpose in bringing your profession home. What was your reason for wanting to own a home business? Was your goal to work from home so that you can share in the lives of your children? Was your goal to be out from under the rule of a tyrannical boss? Was your goal to have the freedom to work when it is convenient for you? Was your goal to make tons of money working for yourself?
Here's a few good tips that will help you stay focused on your home business:
TIP #1:
Whatever your reason for going out on your own, you must keep your reason in the forefront of your mind. If you forget your reason for starting your own home business, you will not be working for yourself for long. It is far too easy to let circumstance drive your activities --- and when circumstance is in the driver's seat, you are more likely to crash and burn.
TIP #2:
Remember --- your own business is a lot like a real job. Some people go to work to play, some go to socialize, and others --- most often those who are paid in a commission or tip environment --- go to work to work and to make money. When you work for yourself, your salary is directly proportional to your productivity. Therefore, wouldn't it make sense to stay focused on getting as much done in as short of a period as possible?
Go to work to work and to make money. Leave playtime and recreation for when your workday has ended.
TIP #3:
When you are dealing with family in the course of your workday, it is important to schedule your activities as much as possible. With small children, you must take time when you must, but you should also work hard to make sure you dedicate a specific number of hours to your workday.
With older children, it is much easier to tell them that you will be working between the hours of x and y. Your children and your friends must understand that certain hours of your day are devoted to the activities of your business.
TIP #4:
Don't permit your friends and extended family to run over you. Many people get the blind idea that if one works from home then they are not actually working.
Well-meaning people may try to fill your doorway to bring advice about getting a real job. Others may simply believe that if you are at home, then you are fair game for chitchat and socialization.
You must stand firm. You must make certain your friends and family understands that when you are working, then you ARE working! If they wish to socialize with you, then they need to do it during the hours that are not dedicated to your home business.
You are the only one who can stand up for you. Your friends and family will seldom be able to appreciate your dedication to your home business, unless you make the effort to make sure that they have the same respect for your business that you do.
TIP #5:
You should allot a certain portion of your day to email and to regular mail. For example, allot one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon to handling your written communications.
Unless you dedicate certain times to the handling of these communications, you will soon find yourself on the downward slope of decreased productivity.
TIP #6:
When you find yourself spending too much time doing non-productive activities, then you should seriously consider finding a third-party service provider who will assist you in those non-profitable business activities.
As an example, you might be in the mail-order business. You might believe that your time is best spent writing ad copy and setting up your advertising, but you find yourself spending far too much time taking care of your books to take care of your advertising in the manner that you should. In this event, it might make more sense to hire a bookkeeper to handle your financial records for you.
CONCLUSION:
In the end, the success of your home business is entirely and completely reliant upon you and the decisions that you make.
You had your reasons for deciding to start your own home based business. You must always keep your reasons in the forefront of your mind. You must always be able to rely upon your own self and your dedication to the success of your business.
Your friends and family might be annoyed that they cannot come visit upon their own whim, but when success comes to you and your business, they will better appreciate you for putting your foot down when necessary.
Success is within your reach, if only you can stay focused on your goals. You must decide to reach for your goals, and then, you must have the discipline necessary to reach them.
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
It is easy for me to tell you that you need to track the success of your online advertising. It is also easy for me to tell you that you must do so in order to know which of your advertising is helping you to make a profit, to break even, or to break the bank. Far too many advertisers get caught in the online money pits in an effort to develop their online business.
DON’T BE AFRAID
I also know that when I say these things, some people get spooked. People get spooked because although they might run an online business, they may not understand the technology that keeps their business running.
Let’s face it.
More people are learning how to design and develop their own web pages. In fact, software has been created to help them do so rather easily.
But when it comes down to the more complex technologies such as web logs, database technology, and web programming, most people just freeze up and fail to make an informed decision.
Some will turn to a programmer with hopes that a programmer could save their online business, and many will get burned by their personal programmers. When a programmer burns a webmaster, the cost can be very high. And at the end of the day, the programmer may leave the webmaster with a broken web site.
The only real choices left to most webmasters is to learn how to install pre-made scripts on their own, or to keep their websites technologically simple. *Technologically simple* often fails to help the webmaster find the success that he or she so fervently desires.
UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF PRE-MADE SCRIPTS
Web software is often very simple in its installation, so the webmaster really should not fear it.
All one needs to install their own pre-made web scripts (software) is an online web site file manager or optional FTP software. They will also need the ability to change the *permissions* on the files on their web server.
When downloading scripts for installation on your server, the file may come in .zip, .tar, or .gz format. Each of these are variations on the compressed / zipped file format. There are many utilities available for unzipping files. One such utility is WinZip which can be found at: http://www.winzip.com
Most scripts, once downloaded and unzipped, may appear in text format with extensions such as .php, .cgi, .pl or .cfg.
Most of these files can be read as plain text in an application like NotePad. Occasionally, the file will be in a binary format which cannot be read with a text editor.
The files which can be read in a text editor are often written in the Perl or PHP programming languages.
While most of the scripting will seem like Chinese to you, you will be able to pick out certain sections that can be read and understood easily.
If the application also contains a .cfg file, this is your configuration file that can usually be changed to reflect your own personal needs or desires for the operation of the software.
NEXT STEP, UPLOAD THE FILES TO YOUR SERVER
Most of these web applications will have a readme.txt file included with it. If it does, please read it. If it does not, don’t worry, this section is for you.
You must upload the files to your server as plain text. If you are using FTP to upload the files, then you must tell your software to upload the files in ASCII format. If you are using your web file manager, then the files will automatically upload correctly.
Once the file is on your server, then you must change the file permissions.
Files with the extensions .php, .cgi, or .pl are executable files and there permissions must be set to 755. Files with the extensions .cfg, .txt, or .html must have their permissions set to 644. Files and folders that will be written to must have their permissions set to 777. Files with no extensions can be classified as any of the above, so check the readme.txt file.
755 defines an executable file. 644 defines a read-only file. And 777 defines a writable file.
Once the files are on your server and the permissions are set correctly, the application you have placed on your server should work for you just fine.
If after reading this article you still fear the task of installing a pre-made script on your server, then you might seriously consider remotely hosted site tracking software. If you opt for this route, be sure to buy the pro version of the software offered. If you don’t choose the paid version, you might find your own competitors having access to your site tracking data! That should not be an acceptable option to you.
THE PURPOSE OF SITE TRACKING
With site tracking software running on your server, you can review how many people came to your website and what URL’s they might have used to find your website. You can also see where your visitors have come from, when they came, how long they were on your site, at what page they entered and left your site, and much more.
This is the kind of information that will help you to determine with some certainty how effective your advertising is and how profitable your advertising can be.
Operating without tracking data is tantamount to operating a business with the intent purpose of failing.
I truly want you to succeed with your online business. I know deep down in my heart that the more people who find success online, the greater my own chances for remaining profitable over the long haul. *A rising tide floats all ships.*
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Now Today At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
How is your business doing? Is it growing, stagnating or losing ground? If your business is not growing, it could be the result of a poor business idea or plan, a lack of advertising, or the mismanagement of your business’ resources.
Let’s face it. Running a successful business enterprise is not the easiest thing to accomplish.
Your struggles could be the result of factors beyond your own control or factors within your control --- your own actions and decisions.
FACTORS OUTSIDE YOUR OWN CURRENT CONTROL
If your business is stagnating or dying, there are several factors that could be the cause of your current financial discomfort:
· Your local economy could be suffering stagnation or negative growth. · Your competition might be fiercely competing for your customer base. · The building, into which you have signed a lease, might be seen by local residents as the home of businesses that fail, so they will not support you until you have proven your long term viability. · You could be in a terrible location and trapped by your lease.
FACTORS WITHIN YOUR OWN CONTROL
On the other side of the coin, there are several more factors that could be causing you pain that are well within your control:
· You are not spending enough time planning for the future of your business. · You are not spending enough time or resources on developing and distributing good advertising. · You do not have enough staff available to fill incoming orders or to serve interested customers. · You are simply mismanaging your financial or human resources.
THE MOST ABUSED HUMAN RESOURCE IN MOST BUSINESSES
By watching the activities of many small business owners, one has to ask themselves if the business owners are masochistic?
Source: www.dictionary.reference.com MASOCHISTIC - adj : 2. The deriving of pleasure, or the tendency to derive pleasure, from being humiliated or mistreated, either by another or by oneself. 3. A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences.
How is it that I can even venture to suggest this definition fits the behavior of many small business owners?
Simple. Small business owners often submit themselves and their families to the demands of their business. Sometimes to the detriment of those involved in their lives.
Of course, one could argue that the small business owner is sacrificing his or herself for the long-term benefit of their families and themselves.
Well, one could argue that. And in some cases, the argument would be true. In other cases, the argument would not even remotely be true.
THE DANGER IN FAILING TO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF YOUR OWN TIME
The deadliest consequence in any business is the owner’s failure to understand the value of his or her own time. Even a thriving business can die under the weight of an owner who does not place the proper value on his or her own time.
Some owners work long hours for little return because they do not understand their own value. Some of these owners will eventually quit their business for a job that could provide a higher living wage. Others, while thriving, may keep themselves doing tasks that can be and should be done by others. Sometimes, the business owner wants to believe that he or she alone can do the task, or they want to do the things they most enjoy.
In the end, these folks fail because the important tasks that should have been done for the purpose of growing the business or meeting the demands of the business have gone undone. The business collapses because they did not take care of the most important facets of their business.
PLANNING, GOAL SETTING AND MEASURING COULD CHANGE YOUR FUTURE
PLANNING will permit you to see where you want to go and how you hope to get there.
GOAL SETTING permits you to make certain specific determinations about your business. One such goal that should be set early and regularly is the level of income that you want to derive from your business.
MEASURING lets you see the true state of your business at any one point in time. Measuring at regular intervals lets you see a moving slide show that will deliver an honest picture of the continuing state of your business.
Additional measuring will permit you to see how much your time could be worth and how much you are really paying yourself. Your measurements should also permit you to put a cost on the specific tasks and functions that are required in the operation of your business.
MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS
If the amount that you want to be paid and could be paid is higher than the cost of doing the task that you are doing, then you should wisely consider having someone in your employment handle the task.
Properly managing tasks and delegating the work at hand can make or break your business. Make the correct decisions and you will be treating yourself better than the average small businessperson.
I wish you and your business the very best.
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
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ROI (Return on Investment) is probably the most important calculation one needs to make to ensure the long-term viability of their business. It is not enough to build in a profit margin on the product or service being offered. One must track with proficiency the amount of dollars being invested into attracting sales and how much ROI those dollars put back into the business. If the investment meets too little return, a product line is doomed to fail in the long-term.
THE BASIC ROI PERCENTAGE CALCULATION
Many experts seem to agree, “calculating an accurate return on investment (ROI) is not an easy thing to do.”
I do not intend to give you a thorough analysis of the ROI calculation process. Calculating an accurate ROI is hard to do, but explaining the full scope of ROI calculations in less than 1000 words is far more difficult.
As such, this article is only intended to introduce you to the basic concepts behind ROI calculations. Here is a very basic equation for calculating the ROI:
ROI = [(Payback - Investment)/Investment)]*100
Your payback is actually the total amount of money earned from your investment in your company. Investment relates to the amount of resources put into generating the given payback.
You should run ROI calculations on both monthly and yearly timelines.
IMPROPER CALCULATIONS BY MANY SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
The actual amount of investment into a business is often misunderstood by the business owner. As a result, true ROI calculations for most small businesses are skewed.
Most small business owners make their mistake in this most necessary calculation, because they do not properly value their own time. Please note that when I previously defined “investment”, I stated that it relates to the “amount of resources put into generating the payback.”
Indeed, “resources” includes cash money. But, it also includes “human resources” or “time”.
If most small business owners would value their hours at the minimum wage, and calculate their time into the investment equation, they would soon realize that their small business is running in the red!
Some small business owners will finally run ROI calculations including the human resources, and suddenly realize that they could make more money working a job. If the small business owner has been running their business for a really long time, struggling to make ends meet, they might see this calculation and close their doors once and for all.
PLEASE DON’T LET ME DISCOURAGE YOU
I do not share this revelation with you so that you will close your business down. Quite to the contrary. I share this with you so that you can see the big picture and start running your business in a way that will actually generate a real profit for you and your business.
If you are within the first two years or five years of the start of your business, then running in the red should not be thought of as a bad thing. However, if you are ten years into your business and earning less than minimum wage from your business, there is a serious problem afoot that needs to be addressed immediately.
STARTING OUT
When you are just beginning your own business, you have plenty of time on your hands. This is the reason why most small business owners do not properly count their time in the ROI equation. They just look at cash expenditures and incoming monies, and they are satisfied with that calculation.
It is often said that people generate the kind of results that they believe they can achieve or the kind that they want to achieve. Seeing the goal is the first step to achieving the goal. Expectations will always bring results equal to the expectation.
Having been down the business startup path before myself, I too understand the desire to calculate ROI without consideration to the time invested in the enterprise.
However, I also understand the importance of placing a value on my time and working that into my final numbers.
In the beginning, I ran two types of ROI calculations: all resources exempting my time, AND all resources including my time.
Of course, I actually set a higher expectation for my own income level. First, I had decided on ten dollars an hour for my time. Later, I adjusted that amount upward.
Starting out, even though I ran two versions of my ROI calculations, I relied first on my resource excluding my own time. Once I had achieved this goal, then I refocused my attention to reaching the ROI which took into account my own time.
Now, that time has passed, I can go back and look at my yearly ROI and see that I have earned enough cash to pay for those early days of famine.
THE SECRET OF TURNING ROI CALCULATIONS INTO SUCCESS
Every step in your business startup is a calculated guess as to what you believe you can achieve.
Measuring your results is essential to making your business profitable. ROI measurements are imperative to measuring and understanding the results you are achieving with your new or existing business.
Take into account all factors relating to the profitability of your business and don’t smudge on the facts to make it seem more profitable than it really is. It is important to approach your business and your business results with absolute honesty. Be honest with yourself and face the facts of your task.
An honest examination of your business at regular intervals will help you get on and stay on track to keep the doors of your business open. You will thank yourself later.
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
When some folks begin to think about a business of their own, they know in that very moment what kind they are going to start. Then, there are the rest of us...
Knowing that we want to have a business of our own is not enough. Many of us have struggled with the important question of what type of enterprise we would like to start.
Franchises offer a simple pre-packaged money making idea, but the cost of a franchise often makes it a prohibitive option to most folks who contemplate going out on their own.
For those who do not have a million dollars to buy a McDonalds franchise, we must look to other ideas for our own business.
There are literally hundreds of lucrative home business ideas for you to choose from, which will suit every type of personality and all levels of financing. From selling information on the Internet as a infopreneur, to growing delicious gourmet mushrooms for sale to restaurants and catering companies; there is a pile of money to be made by filling a need, for these and a host of other necessary services.
Of course, actually liking what you do, will have a lot to do with the success of your new venture, so be sure to pick a home business that you'll enjoy running and that will keep you motivated.
For example, if you're a math whiz, an accounting or income tax service might be the ideal home business for you to start. Perhaps writing is your forte and you'd like to start your own home based copywriting service or advertising agency. Each of these businesses can be run successfully--and profitably from the comfort of your own home.
Academia might not be your cup of tea, but maybe you are good with your hands --- having a creative genius where crafts are concerned. Craft items are red-hot sellers at swap meets, country fairs and world wide over the Internet, and they can provide you with solid profits. If crafts don't interest you, then why not start a laundry service with pick-up and delivery, or a shopping service for shut-in's--even a companion service or granny sitter or a doctor shuttle service; any of which, could be much in demand, in and around your neighborhood or community.
When brainstorming new ideas for your future home business, keep in mind the soul of any successful endeavor is providing a product or service that others will actually purchase in quantities. Satisfy the needs of your target market, and your target market will keep you and your home based business healthy, happy and profitable.
Below are some suggestions for home business ideas that might help you decide on a suitable venture in which to invest.
Multi-level-marketing (mlm), floral/plant service for offices and hospitals, pooper-scooper service, dog walking service, answering service, vending machine service, gift basket service, homemade soap maker, mobile windshield repair service, mobile tire repair service, income tax specialist, researcher, freelance writer, business card and letterhead designer, courier, shut-in/shuttle service, landscaping service, tree trimming service, wood crafter, carpenter, crafts and crafting supplies, pool cleaning service, plants/nursery starts, growing herbs, growing mushrooms, garage sale and swap meet vendor, proofreader, private investigator, typing service, interior decorator/designer, website design, wedding consultant, hot lunch/snack vendor at local courthouses, pet sitting service, pet grooming service, Internet entrepreneur, paralegal, gourmet catering service, new media production, mobile cosmetic technician, mobile nail technician, mobile hair stylist, aerobics instructor, personal fitness trainer, advertising consultant, companion service, small printing service.
Ideas, ideas; hopefully the above ideas will give you some fresh ideas of your own to mull over. A spring board if you will, on which to dive into your own chosen home business.
When you work from home, any business you start has the potential to explode into a perpetual gold mine! It just depends on how much your home business is in demand around your community or on the Internet. Your home business might start slow and steady, regularly picking up clients as you become more established. On the other hand, your chosen home business may take off like wildfire, quickly becoming too hot for you to handle by yourself (well done!). This is the time to enlist the help of willing family members to help you out in your time of need, which will make your business into a friendly, family concern. This will also help family members better understand your business and get a grasp on the mechanics of profit.
Good luck in all your decisions and have fun with your home business, which ever one you choose, and don't forget to enjoy your newfound freedom!
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
No one has ever logged onto the Internet for the first time and started pocketing dollars in a really short period of time. As with all things in life, there is a learning curve.
SOME PERSONAL HISTORY
Just a few short years ago, I was a working stiff just like you.
One day, I bought and read a book called "Multiple Streams of Income" by bestselling author, Robert Allen. Immediately, I began my journey.
Every night after work and after my wife and children went to sleep, I would get online and explore different ways of using the Internet to make money.
In the 2 years that followed, I spent over $10,000.00 racking up credit card debt buying eBooks, membership sites, special reports, opt-in leads, and joining every "guru" recommended business opportunity that flew into my email inbox...
I stayed up learning, working and drinking coffee until 5:00 in the morning month after month filled with the hope of making money online.
In my 3rd year of working part-time to build an home based income, I finally broke through and earned over $100,000.00 in just 12 months from the Internet.
BECOME THE MASTER OF YOUR LEARNING CURVE
Research the lives of all of the guru's. The one thing that you will learn is that my own experience is not unique. Most of the high earners on the Internet experienced a learning curve very similar to my own.
Chances are that your curve will also be similar to mine, but it is my hope that you can get to the top faster than even I did. Three years was a long time to struggle, but every ounce of struggle was worth the reward I have finally received.
In order to shorten your own learning curve, you must do a few things differently than the rest of us did. You must become themaster of your learning curve.
THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS IS A STRAIGHT LINE
There is only one way to shorten the curve on the Internet, "you must plan to succeed."
Here is the deal. Most people put up a freebie website and select a few affiliate programs to add to their website. Right out of the gate, most people are running for the finish line without any real plan in mind.
After a few short weeks, people begin to see the writing on the wall that says, "This is going to be a long hard road."
People check their hit counters daily for six weeks before they realize that getting traffic to their free site is going to be tough.
At this point, they begin developing their first batch of advertising. Then they spend countless months finding places to show their advertisements for free. Some make an even more drastic mistake by blowing thousands of hard earned dollars on their new and untested ads.
These are the people who will learn the facts of life the hard way.
In time, they will learn how to make their advertising work for them. But most will earn very little money from their affiliate programs.
At this point in the learning curve, most people throw up their hands and walk away from their dreams in utter disgust. Instead of a walking away point, this should have convinced the struggling online entrepreneur that they were simply traveling the wrong road.
YOU MUST PLAN TO SUCCEED
From day one, you must begin to learn about the nuances of web promotion. Read everything you can get your hands on. Don't just read the hype, back it up with the opinions of others who have reviewed the same programs before you came along. Learn from their mistakes and successes.
As you begin to learn, you must also look to make a decision. Do you want to step into a pre-built program that is designed to help you to succeed, OR do you want to create a completely new program of which you are the sole owner?
If you decide to step into a pre-designed and complete turn-key online money making venture, then you must select the right venture to step into. If this is your decision, then please examine my program along with the others. You can review my Plug In Profit Site program at: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454
If you decide to go the journey on your own, then do all of the necessary research, planning and preparation that is needed for your success.
PREPARE TO SUCCEED
Decide upon what you think you would want to do, and then figure out how your planned site will generate a real income.
Internet old-timers know about hundreds of corporation domains that existed with IPO millions, but did not have an actual money plan that could sustain their business model. Most of these companies were among the hundreds of companies that bellied up in the 2000 dot bomb experience.
Don't blindly believe in your plan. Research others on the web who have undertaken similar business models and see if they have survived. Study your competitors in depth to learn what is working for them and what did not work for them. To better understand what has or has not worked for competitor websites, check out their time lapsed progressions using the Wayback Machine: http://www.archive.org
Once you have determined your money plan, then you should undertake the development of a business plan and a marketing plan. Utilize professional assistance if you need to do so. While creating your plans, make a determination as to which domain name you think would be best, then use the domain name wizard at Host4Profit to find the perfect domain for your business: http://www.host4profit.com/cgi-bin/home.cgi?79338
Once you have developed your business plan and marketing plan and have run them through several revisions, then it will be time to buy your domain name and to begin work with a site designer and developer. You may need to have your domain sitting on a web host for your site developer, but this is not always necessary. While they are doing their work, enlist a copywriter to help you with your site sales copy.
When your site designer and developer have your site working, you should then undertake significant testing to make sure everything works as planned. It is much harder to fix problems on a operational site than it is to fix problems on a site that is yet to be launched.
When testing is done, then you should fill in your sales copy and then shoot for launch. Of course, you already have a marketing plan in place, so your preparation here will be simply a matter of putting the pieces of the puzzle into place.
You are finally ready to open for business. Don't be afraid to spend the money to bring your dream alive. Time can replace money in the goal of starting a profitable online business, but money invested can shave years off of your company's growth.
If you want to save a lot of time and get your very own money making website setup within the next 24 hours, review and sign up for my Plug-In Profit Site service today at: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
Operating a home business is seldom easy and interruptions come in all shapes, sizes and forms.
Between the family, friends and neighbors who call or come by, and the telemarketers who insist on ringing your number off the hook, getting through the workday can be a real challenge.
When you introduce children into the home office environment, your productivity and patience can be seriously tested.
For example, right now my three-year old daughter is pulling on my shirt and begging me to read her a story. Clearly, Im in the middle of something important here, but how can I say no to those eyes? I'll be right back...
Ok, that wasn't so bad was it? She's happy, Im happy (having bonded with my daughter) and now I'm back to continue my conversation with you! :-)
What's the lesson here? Flexibility is a major key to balancing your home business priorities with your family's needs.
I can tell you from first-hand experience that maintaining a deep level of concentration on work in a home business for long periods of time is next to impossible. Naptime does offer some reprieve, but any break from the kids is usually short lived.
Even with older children, summertime introduces new challenges with kids running in and out of the house all throughout the day.
I would like to share with you some of the tips I have discovered to help manage your home office with children in your midst. Since children of different ages pose different challenges, I will present my tips in terms of age groups.
OLDER CHILDREN AND TEENS
We will look at older children first since they pose the least challenge to our work productivity.
Children, who are old enough to understand the idea of schedules and chores, are old enough to understand the needs of your home business. Explain to your children that you do your work at home so that you can be near them when they need you. But also be sure they understand that you must do your work so that you will have the money necessary to keep your house, feed the family and to provide them with money for entertainment.
Once your children understand the necessity of your work, then outline a work schedule and explain it to them. Do make sure they understand that emergencies are definitely an acceptable reason to interrupt your work. Then make sure they understand that between hours x and y, you will be doing work --- and then hold them to respecting your schedule.
INFANTS
Infants will never understand your needs for work. But fortunately, babies do well under a schedule or routine. Instead of expecting your child to work around your schedule, schedule your work around the needs of your baby.
It is simple. Babies eat, sleep and poop. Sometimes they play. Fortunately, babies sleep more than they do anything else.
Naptime offers the best advantage for getting your work done. Get your baby into a routine of eat, sleep and play, and you will experience unexpected levels of productivity.
TODDLERS
If you have a toddler running around the house while you are operating your home business, then you may find that your hair turning gray or disappearing altogether. But, gray hair is a sign of character, right. ;-)
I am venturing to guess that the person who devised the door lock for the inside of the house did so because he had toddlers in his own home. Inside door locks should only be utilized when you are making that important phone call and your toddler is screaming for your attention. At all other times, your door should remain unlocked with your door open.
Develop a routine with your children for meal times, naptimes, and play times. Work these times into your work schedule and adhere to them. If you fail to keep appointments with your children, your children will have less respect for your work and do more to prevent you from the completion of your work.
Don't be afraid to let your children sit in your lap while you are working. It helps them to feel wanted and it helps them to be a part of your daily life. There are times when it is okay for them to be sitting in your lap while you work, and at other times you need them out of your lap. Don't be afraid to tell them to get down and go play or read a book so that you can resume your work.
Permit your children to have their toys in your office. Often they will sit contently and play while you work. Just knowing you are near is enough to keep them happy.
Be prepared to take an hourly break to deal with your toddler. Try to do potty breaks at your hourly break and to do drink refills. This can help your child grow into a routine that will work well with your home business. At each break, spend a few minutes with your child giving hugs and kisses and talking with your child about what he or she wants to talk about.
Toddlers don't always do well with the routine, so be prepared to take a few minutes when needed to give the attention that your child so desperately needs in the moment.
IN CONCLUSION
I hope these tips serve to help you in the challenge of operating a successful home business.
My home business permits me to fulfill my financial obligations *AND* see my children grow up. I would never contemplate trading my home business for another kind of business. Even with the added challenges of dealing with toddlers in my home office, the upsides far outweigh the downsides.
Growing my own home business with children around has definitely given me a new respect for all people who successfully run a home business with kids in the work environment. I tip my hat to you... You deserve it!
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
When you are starting out in a new home business and no one knows who you are, one of the greatest challenges you will face is how to drum up new business.
If there were not people in your community or marketplace that you knew who needed your products or services, you probably would not have started your business to begin with. But, once you have talked to those who you personally knew who needed your what you offer, then your next task is to find others who will help keep your doors open.
Many people know that they must turn to advertising at some point in the future, but they hope that day will be long down the road. For some, this utopian concept will come to fruition. But for the rest of us in the real world, we must come up with creative solutions for meeting our home business advertising needs while working within our budget.
Most people have a misconception about having to spend lots of money in order to advertise their home business. When you start out, you honestly will not have much money available for advertising, and if you do, you should still spend it wisely.
Before you jump headfirst into the world of advertising, let me share some of the lessons I have learned concerning this most important topic.
LESSON #1
It does not have to cost an arm and a leg to advertise your home business, unless you fail to plan and fail to test.
As much as is possible, you should always test your advertising. If you jump in and start dumping tons of money in to advertising without first testing your advertising, you might find yourself broke and without sales at the end of the road. Most people who commit this error write off their failure on the home business they chose or the economy or any of a hundred other excuses. But, if they are unwilling to take responsibility for their mistake, they will never learn from their mistake. Don't let this be you.
LESSON #2
All testing should be done in blocks. If you begin to advertise simultaneously in newspapers, radio and television, how will you know which advertising is bringing people to your cash register? You won't. All you will know that something might be working, but you will not know what is actually doing the trick.
Even if you tell people in your advertising to tell you how they found you, my experience shows that fewer than 10% of the people ever will tell you anything --- and those people who do may not even get the facts straight! You cannot rely on your customers to tell you what advertising is working for your home business. You must put in the extra effort to know for yourself.
LESSON #3
Only when you have a proven and solid advertising portfolio should you venture to drop big bucks in an advertising campaign. Even then, you should be careful to keep further measurements to determine how much the maximum advantage of an ad would be. Sometimes you might be able to reach ten times as many people, but depending on the kind of media and other factors, the additional exposure will only generate twice as many sales. Keep your eye attuned to situations like this to get the most from your advertising dollars.
LESSON #4
As Lesson #3 illustrates, sometimes your best advertising investment may actually cost you less money. When you are first starting out, whether you are running a home business or a business outside of your home, you need to be able to get people talking and thinking about your business.
If you are busy testing ads in media's such as the newspaper, magazines, radio, and television, you need to learn ways of promoting your business that do not require large cash expenditures. A few examples are:
· Word of Mouth · Business Cards · Press Releases · Non-Primetime Ads on Radio and Television
Here is more information about each type of low-cost advertising:
WORD OF MOUTH
This of course is the cheapest kind of advertising on the planet --- it does not cost you anything. Ask your customers if they know anyone who could also use your products or services. When they are happy with your offerings and service, they will be willing to tell you whom you can contact, and they will pass the word for you.
BUSINESS CARDS
You can usually pick up 500 business cards for about $20. When you do, hand them out. Do not give more than a couple of cards to each person. If they need more cards from you, they will ask.
Some people are known to network with others on a regular basis. Some of these people are also known to be always looking for an extra few bucks. With these people, you can suggest to them that if they write their name on the back of one of your business cards and the card is presented to you, then you will pay a referral fee to them. You do not have to offer much --- sometimes one dollar is enough. Look at your home business and your offerings and decide how much would be a good referral fee.
PRESS RELEASES
Press Releases are a good source for generating news about your home business. The business editor at your local newspaper is always on the lookout for a good business story to fill the business news section of the newspaper.
Of course, the business editor understands the economics of running a paper and is more inclined to run your story if you buy advertising in his/her publication, but will still print stories for special events and openings.
The important thing to remember about Press Releases is that it must be constructed in the form of a news story. Even if you are a sole proprietorship, quotes from you should be written in a third person format: John Doe said, "Your quote here."
A Press Release should pack the most important information at the beginning of the copy, and leave extra details towards the end.
You should always provide the reporter who gets the task a simple and easy way for him/her to contact you directly. Often the reporter will want to contact you to get details that will enhance their take on your story.
NON-PRIMETIME ADS ON RADIO AND TELEVISION
Believe it or not, some of the best rates for radio and television are on the overnight and non-primetime venues. These target times are not a total waste as they can easily keep the infomercial people in business.
These off-hours are just less populated than the primetime hours.
Don't be afraid to check your local radio and television rates for non-primetime hours to see what bargains may exist. With television, primetime is 7pm to 10pm. With radio, primetime is 8am to 5pm. This sure leaves a whole lot of hours available to advertise your home business at discount rates!
IN CONCLUSION
When it comes down to it, there is a lot to understand about advertising, but when you have the basic knowledge down pat, everything will fall into place and bring more dollars to your bank account.
About The Author: -------------------------------------------------- Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today! Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-10454 --------------------------------------------------
NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)
It has been my goal to research and then list all of the best and least costly legitimate work-at-home jobs and
internet home based business ideas I could find. I truly hope you found the information useful--and in the end
Profitable--for you.
