| Answer Upon |
Hubs | Hubbers | Topics | Request |
| #1 in Business | Subscribe Email Print |
|
You are here: Home > Internet and Businesses Online > Internet Marketing > Winning the Internet Game |
|
Answer Upon - Winning the Internet Game
Stop Drowning: Nine Strategies For Managing Your Priorities nother advantage of online advertising is that you can change your ad in the middle of a campaign.I just got off the phone with Susan. She is a well-meaning, big-hearted, caring, effective and creative sales manager. Susan is also exhausted.Her day is packed with conflicting priorities, all demanding her time. She goes out on calls with her sales team, trying to motivate and develop them; she deals with endless phone calls and e-mails and interruptions; she fights fires; launches new products; participates in cross-functional team meetings; and mediates conflicts in schedules and resources. Susan also tries to have a full life outside work, which means dealing with the family commitments, volunteering, and bookclub.To Susan, every task is a priority, and she can’t keep them in sequence and in place. She feels her life is an exercise in herding cats, and we all know how easily cats pay attention and stay in line. Susan is far from alone. The relationship between knowing what needs to be done and actually accomplishing the tasks (either by yourself or through delegating the work to others) can be rocky. Add to this a number of ways we can sabotage ourselves -- including acting as a “lone ranger”, always saying yes, and focusing on secondary goals -- and we can quickly get into cat-herding territory.I’ve been in this quandary myself and I have found that it is possible to manage priorities and maintain sanity. However, it takes commitment and focus, and the willingness to change some ways of operating. Below are nine strategies that can help. Any one of them could be a perfect fit or utter hogwash depending on your circumstances. These strategies are not intended as a one-size-fits-all recipe for managing your priorities, but simple wake-up calls to alert you to possibilities.1. TAKE TIME TO THINK BEFORE SAYING YESIf you feel overwhelmed, buy yourself some time when you are asked to add another piece of work to your list of priorities. Don’t say yes to anything Affiliate Programs Affiliate programs offer you a way to make money for your online business by advertising for other online businesses. In their simplest form, affiliate programs establish a business relationship between your business and another business, where you will receive a percentage, or a fee, for the sales that you generate for the other business. In a sense, by joining an affiliate program, you become an agent for another business and get a commission every time you sell something for that business. For instance, let's say that you joined an affiliate program that paid you a 15% commission on every sale that you made. If you sold an item worth $100, then you would receive a $15 commission from the affiliate program. In order to join an affiliate program and begin earning commissions, you will be required to show a banner ad, or text link, for the other business on your Web site. For instance, if you join the Amazon.com affiliate program, you would place an Amazon.com banner ad on your Web site, with a special identification code, that links back to the Amazon.com site Notifying Internet Portals and Directories Getting listed with portals, search engines and directories is the beginning of your promotional campaign. By having your site properly indexed in these search engines, you stand a good chance of getting some visitors to your site. However, don't expect to have the world knocking at your door just because you have gotten your site listed in all of the major search engines. Getting listed with the portals and directories can be done easily using an auto-posting service. You simply type, or cut and paste, the keywords and description for your online business in the appropriate boxes of the notification forms, and the auto-posting service will take care of the rest. In addition to getting your Web site listed across the Internet, many of these services will also analyze your site for loading speed, browser compatibility, and its ability to distinguish itself from the "crowd." Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Search engine optimization is the technique of fine-tuning your website so tha Viagra: A Brand That Won't Go Away If you want to be successful at the Internet Game you need to use these Internet Applications effectively. If you are missing even one of the applications in your marketing portfolio, you are loosing business.Remember That Brand? Well It’s Back! One would have to travel to the back woods of the Appalachians or perhaps to the cave dwellings in the Southwestern canyons to find anyone who has not heard of Viagra. Viagra, the market-leader of male erectile dysfunction prescription drugs, continues to occupy valuable space in the mind of the male consumer. What is so enchanting about an erectile dysfunction pill? How does Viagra have such appeal when it is the focus of late night comedy and radio morning shows? As consumers we seldom question a successful product. (Or maybe we just would rather not have to address or explain male erectile disorder more than we have to).The consumer is exposed to a pill with a split personality. Viagra lives a double life: one of in-your-face comedy and one of universal solution. Despite the advertising that continually tests our comfort elasticity, Viagra’s brand works harder than any other “miracle drug” to be accepted by the tempestuously self-conscious male population. Viagra’s branding adheres and accommodates to the male population as a whole, not only to males with sexual difficulties. Viagra evaluates precepts regarding acceptance and community before considering the shock thresholds of consumers in general.No one was prepared for the introduction of male erectile dysfunction pills into the mass market. No one anticipated the chain-reaction commercials of multiple brands, all of which utilizing paradoxical humor to attract attention. Even consumers desensitized to long lists of side-effects had to turn their heads at the possibility of a “four hour erection.” That kind of threat stops the music and eye contact among the group of people in the room is avoided like the plague until the “funny guy” severs the tension by making a crass comment about a baseball bat. The Viagra brand applauds him.Viagra, the pioneer pill for ere * Website * Opt In * Key Word Selection * Email Marketing * Ezines * Banner Advertisements * Affiliate programs * Notifying Internet Portals and Directories * Search Engine Optimization (SEO) * Pay per click * Blogs * Chat Rooms * Message Boards * Opt In * Ebay To give you a better understanding of why these applications are important, let’s briefly discuss each application Website Your website content is one of the single most important aspects of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It must be well thought out and structured well throughout your site. You will want to be sure you focus on how your product or service solves a problem or pain for the customer. This almost sounds too simple to work, but focusing on what you have to offer and how it solves the customers problem will pay substantial benefits for the long term. Having a website will help you increase revenue, decrease expenses, and provide your customers with a higher level of service and support. Here are some examples of how your prospects will benefit from having a Web site. * Open up a virtual storefront that creates an additional sales channel * Sell products online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week * Introduce new products to the market faster * Compete with big corporations based on service, price, and quality * Capture the impulse buyer * Accept credit card orders online in real time * Optimize existing advertising (add a .com to ads directing customers to your dynamic, informative Web site)expose your business to new markets you may not otherwise reach * Establish credibility with potential customers * Provide fast, personalized service to customers * Provide answers to frequently asked questions 24 hours a day * Offer special packages or deals through your Web site * Display testimonials from satisfied customers * Send customers exclusive online coupons or discounts * Allow customers to set appointments online * Facilitate pro-active communication between you and your customers * Respond to customers’ changing demands faster Opt In Confirmed opt-in has become the most rigorous method of obtaining permission to send email campaigns. What does confirmed opt-in mean? And, is it for you? Well, first let's define the terms. Then, we'll discuss the advantages and disadvantages so that you can make your own decision - and I'll throw in my two cents. Single Opt-In (with a subscriber acknowledgement email) is the most widely accepted and routinely used method of obtaining email addresses and permission. A single opt-in list is created by inviting visitors and customers to subscribe to your email list. When you use a signup tag on your website, a message immediately goes out to the subscriber acknowledging the subscription. This message should reiterate what the subscriber has signed up for, and provide an immediate way for the subscriber to edit her interests or opt-out. Confirmed Opt-In (a.k.a. double opt-in) is a more stringent method of obtaining permission to send email campaigns. Confirmed opt-in adds an additional step to the opt-in process. It requires the subscriber to respond to a confirmation email, either by clicking on a confirmation link, or by replying to the email to confirm their subscription. Only those subscribers who take this additional step are added to your list. ISPs and corporations are now doing everything they can to stem the tide of spam flowing into their users' email inboxes. Without a foolproof solution to turn to, some ISPs, like Road Runner (@rr.com email addresses), now require confirmed opt-in for email delivery. They do this because the subscription tracking capabilities associated with confirmed opt-in can help them differentiate legitimate commercial email from spam and protect their customers from receiving spam. Is Confirmed Opt-in for You? While usage of confirmed opt-in is not widespread today, and we can't tell just yet if it will become the industry standard, it is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of confirmed opt-in so that you can make an educated decision on what is best for your business. The Advantages: In a nutshell, confirmed opt-in ensures that those who are receiving your email want to receive it; it can protect you against spam accusations; and it allows for email delivery to ISPs, like Road Runner, who require confirmed opt-in for email delivery. The confirmed opt-in method prevents: Email address collection without permission, Accidental subscription due to email address typos, and Subscriptions made by an unauthorized third party. Key Word Selection Choosing the right Keywords to target is of paramount importance to your success in search engine marketing. Many online consumers know exactly what they are willing to spend when searching for retail products. You should try optimizing for products based on best value? Example: "bridesmaid gifts under $20" Example: "cars under $2000" Example: "timeshare resale under $1000" The above examples have low competition factors, so really think about how your target audience may be searching and optimize accordingly. More online consumers know exactly what they're searching for when it comes to retail products. You should try optimizing for products by part or model number? Example: nokia 8910 cell phone Example: hp deskjet 5550 printer Also, try adding "" quotes around your product and model number within the Email Marketing Email marketing is one of the most powerful marketing tools available for communicating and developing relationships. But, email marketing can only be that powerful when it’s done well. Using your standard email client (e.g. Outlook, Eudora, hotmail, AOL, Yahoo etc.) to send a Bcc text or HTML message to your list is not doing email marketing well. Why not? Because your standard email client is not designed for email marketing and therefore has significant limitations that can actually undermine vs. aid your email marketing efforts. The good news is – you do not have to go it alone. There are Web-based email marketing services that are inexpensive and designed to make email marketing simple for the non-technical user. By using a good email marketing service, you can just easily avoid common mistakes and truly get the most out of your email marketing efforts. Here are the top ten reasons you need an email marketing service. Coincidentally, these are also the top ten critical email marketing benefits that you will never get from any standard email client. 1. Are approved as bulk mailers 2. Follow professional mailing practices 3. Provide list hosting and management 4. Require no technical skill or support staff 5. Handle formatting 6. Create great looking emails 7. Get higher email deliverability 8. Deliver measurable results 9. Include frequent updates and enhancements 10. Comply with email laws Ezines An Ezine is a periodic publication distributed by email or posted on a website. Ezines are typically tightly focused on a subject area. Ezines in concept are reworking of the popular magazine format of monthly, or weekly topical publications, in an electronic format. Ezines range greatly in size and scope, from irregular newsletters reaching a handful of subscribers to daily journals reaching hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Writing articles for ezines increases your visibility on the Internet. By writing articles, you establish your credibility as a market leader. By including your name, company name and website address, you will drive traffic back to your web site. Banner Advertisements Probably the most popular method of online advertising is through the use of banner ads. These are the advertisements, most often in rectangular boxes, that seem to appear on almost every page you look at on the Web. In addition to banner ads, some other ways you can advertise your online business include having your ad placed with a newsletter distribution service, and inserting your domain name (www.yourbiz.com) in offline advertisements. If you are unfamiliar with the process of running a banner ad, then you'll be surprised at how fast you can actually start pulling in visitors with this medium. While in the offline world it can take months to actually get your advertisement placed in a publication, in the online world the whole process can be accomplished in a matter of days. Another advantage of online advertising is that you can change your ad in the middle of a campaign. Affiliate Programs Affiliate programs offer you a way to make money for your online business by advertising for other online businesses. In their simplest form, affiliate programs establish a business relationship between your business and another business, where you will receive a percentage, or a fee, for the sales that you generate for the other business. In a sense, by joining an affiliate program, you become an agent for another business and get a commission every time you sell something for that business. For instance, let's say that you joined an affiliate program that paid you a 15% commission on every sale that you made. If you sold an item worth $100, then you would receive a $15 commission from the affiliate program. In order to join an affiliate program and begin earning commissions, you will be required to show a banner ad, or text link, for the other business on your Web site. For instance, if you join the Amazon.com affiliate program, you would place an Amazon.com banner ad on your Web site, with a special identification code, that links back to the Amazon.com site Notifying Internet Portals and Directories Getting listed with portals, search engines and directories is the beginning of your promotional campaign. By having your site properly indexed in these search engines, you stand a good chance of getting some visitors to your site. However, don't expect to have the world knocking at your door just because you have gotten your site listed in all of the major search engines. Getting listed with the portals and directories can be done easily using an auto-posting service. You simply type, or cut and paste, the keywords and description for your online business in the appropriate boxes of the notification forms, and the auto-posting service will take care of the rest. In addition to getting your Web site listed across the Internet, many of these services will also analyze your site for loading speed, browser compatibility, and its ability to distinguish itself from the "crowd." Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Search engine optimization is the technique of fine-tuning your website so that What is Multi Level Marketing (MLM)? Part II omers to set appointments onlineTo be legal, a multi level marketing program must have a genuine product that you can make money by selling. It should basically be free to enter the scheme, though you might have to pay for leads if you have difficulty generating your own. Your income should not depend upon persuading others to pay money to join, and should not predominantly originate from these payments. If it does, then it is a mathematical certainty that, in the example above where each person recruits ten others, only 9% will make any money. The other 91% must lose.Many of the MLM schemes currently operating on the internet are not only legal, but also good schemes. Members can make money if they follow the instructions and guidance given. Training is provided free of charge, and basic promotional material is supplied to those that require it. If extra promotional material, above the basic required, is charged for then that is fair enough. It is then possible to get started without an initial outlay.It is this initial outlay that you have to beware of, since it could be from that those above you earn their money. It is important that you can earn money without a down-line. If this is not possible then the scheme is likely a pyramid scheme where your earnings come from only from those beneath you. Ultimately there must be a level that has nobody beneath them, so they make nothing.If you keep your wits about you and don’t jump blindly into a scheme that looks good, you should be able to find a reputable MLM company whose members genuinely make good money both through selling the product themselves and getting a share of the sales of those below them. Such MLM schemes are a good way for beginners to make money, especially if they are good at recruiting others. After all, an affiliate program that pays to two or three levels is, in effect, a form of multi-level marketing program.Always keep in min * Facilitate pro-active communication between you and your customers * Respond to customers’ changing demands faster Opt In Confirmed opt-in has become the most rigorous method of obtaining permission to send email campaigns. What does confirmed opt-in mean? And, is it for you? Well, first let's define the terms. Then, we'll discuss the advantages and disadvantages so that you can make your own decision - and I'll throw in my two cents. Single Opt-In (with a subscriber acknowledgement email) is the most widely accepted and routinely used method of obtaining email addresses and permission. A single opt-in list is created by inviting visitors and customers to subscribe to your email list. When you use a signup tag on your website, a message immediately goes out to the subscriber acknowledging the subscription. This message should reiterate what the subscriber has signed up for, and provide an immediate way for the subscriber to edit her interests or opt-out. Confirmed Opt-In (a.k.a. double opt-in) is a more stringent method of obtaining permission to send email campaigns. Confirmed opt-in adds an additional step to the opt-in process. It requires the subscriber to respond to a confirmation email, either by clicking on a confirmation link, or by replying to the email to confirm their subscription. Only those subscribers who take this additional step are added to your list. ISPs and corporations are now doing everything they can to stem the tide of spam flowing into their users' email inboxes. Without a foolproof solution to turn to, some ISPs, like Road Runner (@rr.com email addresses), now require confirmed opt-in for email delivery. They do this because the subscription tracking capabilities associated with confirmed opt-in can help them differentiate legitimate commercial email from spam and protect their customers from receiving spam. Is Confirmed Opt-in for You? While usage of confirmed opt-in is not widespread today, and we can't tell just yet if it will become the industry standard, it is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of confirmed opt-in so that you can make an educated decision on what is best for your business. The Advantages: In a nutshell, confirmed opt-in ensures that those who are receiving your email want to receive it; it can protect you against spam accusations; and it allows for email delivery to ISPs, like Road Runner, who require confirmed opt-in for email delivery. The confirmed opt-in method prevents: Email address collection without permission, Accidental subscription due to email address typos, and Subscriptions made by an unauthorized third party. Key Word Selection Choosing the right Keywords to target is of paramount importance to your success in search engine marketing. Many online consumers know exactly what they are willing to spend when searching for retail products. You should try optimizing for products based on best value? Example: "bridesmaid gifts under $20" Example: "cars under $2000" Example: "timeshare resale under $1000" The above examples have low competition factors, so really think about how your target audience may be searching and optimize accordingly. More online consumers know exactly what they're searching for when it comes to retail products. You should try optimizing for products by part or model number? Example: nokia 8910 cell phone Example: hp deskjet 5550 printer Also, try adding "" quotes around your product and model number within the Email Marketing Email marketing is one of the most powerful marketing tools available for communicating and developing relationships. But, email marketing can only be that powerful when it’s done well. Using your standard email client (e.g. Outlook, Eudora, hotmail, AOL, Yahoo etc.) to send a Bcc text or HTML message to your list is not doing email marketing well. Why not? Because your standard email client is not designed for email marketing and therefore has significant limitations that can actually undermine vs. aid your email marketing efforts. The good news is – you do not have to go it alone. There are Web-based email marketing services that are inexpensive and designed to make email marketing simple for the non-technical user. By using a good email marketing service, you can just easily avoid common mistakes and truly get the most out of your email marketing efforts. Here are the top ten reasons you need an email marketing service. Coincidentally, these are also the top ten critical email marketing benefits that you will never get from any standard email client. 1. Are approved as bulk mailers 2. Follow professional mailing practices 3. Provide list hosting and management 4. Require no technical skill or support staff 5. Handle formatting 6. Create great looking emails 7. Get higher email deliverability 8. Deliver measurable results 9. Include frequent updates and enhancements 10. Comply with email laws Ezines An Ezine is a periodic publication distributed by email or posted on a website. Ezines are typically tightly focused on a subject area. Ezines in concept are reworking of the popular magazine format of monthly, or weekly topical publications, in an electronic format. Ezines range greatly in size and scope, from irregular newsletters reaching a handful of subscribers to daily journals reaching hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Writing articles for ezines increases your visibility on the Internet. By writing articles, you establish your credibility as a market leader. By including your name, company name and website address, you will drive traffic back to your web site. Banner Advertisements Probably the most popular method of online advertising is through the use of banner ads. These are the advertisements, most often in rectangular boxes, that seem to appear on almost every page you look at on the Web. In addition to banner ads, some other ways you can advertise your online business include having your ad placed with a newsletter distribution service, and inserting your domain name (www.yourbiz.com) in offline advertisements. If you are unfamiliar with the process of running a banner ad, then you'll be surprised at how fast you can actually start pulling in visitors with this medium. While in the offline world it can take months to actually get your advertisement placed in a publication, in the online world the whole process can be accomplished in a matter of days. Another advantage of online advertising is that you can change your ad in the middle of a campaign. Affiliate Programs Affiliate programs offer you a way to make money for your online business by advertising for other online businesses. In their simplest form, affiliate programs establish a business relationship between your business and another business, where you will receive a percentage, or a fee, for the sales that you generate for the other business. In a sense, by joining an affiliate program, you become an agent for another business and get a commission every time you sell something for that business. For instance, let's say that you joined an affiliate program that paid you a 15% commission on every sale that you made. If you sold an item worth $100, then you would receive a $15 commission from the affiliate program. In order to join an affiliate program and begin earning commissions, you will be required to show a banner ad, or text link, for the other business on your Web site. For instance, if you join the Amazon.com affiliate program, you would place an Amazon.com banner ad on your Web site, with a special identification code, that links back to the Amazon.com site Notifying Internet Portals and Directories Getting listed with portals, search engines and directories is the beginning of your promotional campaign. By having your site properly indexed in these search engines, you stand a good chance of getting some visitors to your site. However, don't expect to have the world knocking at your door just because you have gotten your site listed in all of the major search engines. Getting listed with the portals and directories can be done easily using an auto-posting service. You simply type, or cut and paste, the keywords and description for your online business in the appropriate boxes of the notification forms, and the auto-posting service will take care of the rest. In addition to getting your Web site listed across the Internet, many of these services will also analyze your site for loading speed, browser compatibility, and its ability to distinguish itself from the "crowd." Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Search engine optimization is the technique of fine-tuning your website so tha 12 Easy Ways to Maximize Your eBay Product Photos Advantages:It’s a fact. Clear, high-quality photos will greatly enhance your chances of selling your products on eBay. Here are 12 simple tips that will help you make the most of your eBay product photos.1. You don’t need an expensive, high-resolution digital camera for your eBay photos. You just need a digital camera that will produce a 640x480 pixel image (which includes just about all digital cameras on the market.)2. Before you buy a camera, handle it to feel how comfortable it is in your hands. Make sure the camera controls are logical, and that it’s easy to transfer photos from the camera to your computer. The camera should be able to focus within four inches or less.3. When taking a photo for your eBay product, generally select the camera’s smallest photo size. If you are going to crop the image or upload it to eBay's picture services, however, select at least a 1024 x 768 image size.4. Disable your camera’s built-in flash when taking a photo. The built-in flash produces a glare on the photo and makes your products look two-dimensional.5. Use your camera’s “Macro Focus” feature to take close-ups of your product. (“Macro Focus” is usually indicated by a tulip flower symbol.)6. The key to effective product photography is lighting, and the key to effective lighting is control. You can control the strength, size, position, color and number of lights you use. And each of these controls changes how the subject looks. Review your camera’s manual to understand your camera’s “white balance” symbols ( i.e. a light bulb for indoor shots with incandescent lights, a sun symbol for outdoor photos, etc.) You’ll use the white balance control to get accurate colors. You can preset the white balance to match the type of light you're using (daylight, shade, tungsten, fluorescent).7. Use the “Exposure Control” (EV) to correct light and dark photos. A plus number lightens the im In a nutshell, confirmed opt-in ensures that those who are receiving your email want to receive it; it can protect you against spam accusations; and it allows for email delivery to ISPs, like Road Runner, who require confirmed opt-in for email delivery. The confirmed opt-in method prevents: Email address collection without permission, Accidental subscription due to email address typos, and Subscriptions made by an unauthorized third party. Key Word Selection Choosing the right Keywords to target is of paramount importance to your success in search engine marketing. Many online consumers know exactly what they are willing to spend when searching for retail products. You should try optimizing for products based on best value? Example: "bridesmaid gifts under $20" Example: "cars under $2000" Example: "timeshare resale under $1000" The above examples have low competition factors, so really think about how your target audience may be searching and optimize accordingly. More online consumers know exactly what they're searching for when it comes to retail products. You should try optimizing for products by part or model number? Example: nokia 8910 cell phone Example: hp deskjet 5550 printer Also, try adding "" quotes around your product and model number within the Email Marketing Email marketing is one of the most powerful marketing tools available for communicating and developing relationships. But, email marketing can only be that powerful when it’s done well. Using your standard email client (e.g. Outlook, Eudora, hotmail, AOL, Yahoo etc.) to send a Bcc text or HTML message to your list is not doing email marketing well. Why not? Because your standard email client is not designed for email marketing and therefore has significant limitations that can actually undermine vs. aid your email marketing efforts. The good news is – you do not have to go it alone. There are Web-based email marketing services that are inexpensive and designed to make email marketing simple for the non-technical user. By using a good email marketing service, you can just easily avoid common mistakes and truly get the most out of your email marketing efforts. Here are the top ten reasons you need an email marketing service. Coincidentally, these are also the top ten critical email marketing benefits that you will never get from any standard email client. 1. Are approved as bulk mailers 2. Follow professional mailing practices 3. Provide list hosting and management 4. Require no technical skill or support staff 5. Handle formatting 6. Create great looking emails 7. Get higher email deliverability 8. Deliver measurable results 9. Include frequent updates and enhancements 10. Comply with email laws Ezines An Ezine is a periodic publication distributed by email or posted on a website. Ezines are typically tightly focused on a subject area. Ezines in concept are reworking of the popular magazine format of monthly, or weekly topical publications, in an electronic format. Ezines range greatly in size and scope, from irregular newsletters reaching a handful of subscribers to daily journals reaching hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Writing articles for ezines increases your visibility on the Internet. By writing articles, you establish your credibility as a market leader. By including your name, company name and website address, you will drive traffic back to your web site. Banner Advertisements Probably the most popular method of online advertising is through the use of banner ads. These are the advertisements, most often in rectangular boxes, that seem to appear on almost every page you look at on the Web. In addition to banner ads, some other ways you can advertise your online business include having your ad placed with a newsletter distribution service, and inserting your domain name (www.yourbiz.com) in offline advertisements. If you are unfamiliar with the process of running a banner ad, then you'll be surprised at how fast you can actually start pulling in visitors with this medium. While in the offline world it can take months to actually get your advertisement placed in a publication, in the online world the whole process can be accomplished in a matter of days. Another advantage of online advertising is that you can change your ad in the middle of a campaign. Affiliate Programs Affiliate programs offer you a way to make money for your online business by advertising for other online businesses. In their simplest form, affiliate programs establish a business relationship between your business and another business, where you will receive a percentage, or a fee, for the sales that you generate for the other business. In a sense, by joining an affiliate program, you become an agent for another business and get a commission every time you sell something for that business. For instance, let's say that you joined an affiliate program that paid you a 15% commission on every sale that you made. If you sold an item worth $100, then you would receive a $15 commission from the affiliate program. In order to join an affiliate program and begin earning commissions, you will be required to show a banner ad, or text link, for the other business on your Web site. For instance, if you join the Amazon.com affiliate program, you would place an Amazon.com banner ad on your Web site, with a special identification code, that links back to the Amazon.com site Notifying Internet Portals and Directories Getting listed with portals, search engines and directories is the beginning of your promotional campaign. By having your site properly indexed in these search engines, you stand a good chance of getting some visitors to your site. However, don't expect to have the world knocking at your door just because you have gotten your site listed in all of the major search engines. Getting listed with the portals and directories can be done easily using an auto-posting service. You simply type, or cut and paste, the keywords and description for your online business in the appropriate boxes of the notification forms, and the auto-posting service will take care of the rest. In addition to getting your Web site listed across the Internet, many of these services will also analyze your site for loading speed, browser compatibility, and its ability to distinguish itself from the "crowd." Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Search engine optimization is the technique of fine-tuning your website so tha How to Achieve a Huge Profit from a Cookie Dough Church Fundraiser st easily avoid common mistakes and truly get the most out of your email marketing efforts.Cookie dough church fundraising has an enormous potential for profit. You can usually keep 30% - 50% profit from your cookie dough fundraiser. Because your customers will be consuming the cookie dough you also can repeat the fundraiser year after year.The way cookie dough church fundraising works is your church will gather together a group of volunteers to sell the cookie dough. You will next train your volunteers on how to sell the cookie dough and what props to use as they are selling. The cookie dough fundraising company will have brochures, order forms and all the other selling supplies you will need.Next your volunteers will go out to the public and to your congregation and sell-sell-sell. Using all the learned proven techniques your volunteers will collect orders for cookie dough and accept money up front for frozen dough that will be delivered on a specified date. Then when all your orders are collected you will submit your total cookie dough church fundraiser order to the supplier and wait for your order to arrive.As with all church fundraisers there are advantages and disadvantages. You will want to take careful stock of both before you decide on a cookie dough fundraiser.The advantages are:• Cookie dough is a highly consumable product. This allows you to hold cookie dough church fundraisers year after year. • Usually you will have no up front cost. Your volunteers will collect the money from customers when they take the orders this then is sent in to the cookie dough maker. • People love cookie dough. With a wide variety of dough’s available your customers can buy a custom dough for each member of the family. • Profits are kept when you send in the order. This allows for your church to begin utilizing the funds for your ministries immediately.The disadvantages are:• The dough must remain frozen until delivered to t Here are the top ten reasons you need an email marketing service. Coincidentally, these are also the top ten critical email marketing benefits that you will never get from any standard email client. 1. Are approved as bulk mailers 2. Follow professional mailing practices 3. Provide list hosting and management 4. Require no technical skill or support staff 5. Handle formatting 6. Create great looking emails 7. Get higher email deliverability 8. Deliver measurable results 9. Include frequent updates and enhancements 10. Comply with email laws Ezines An Ezine is a periodic publication distributed by email or posted on a website. Ezines are typically tightly focused on a subject area. Ezines in concept are reworking of the popular magazine format of monthly, or weekly topical publications, in an electronic format. Ezines range greatly in size and scope, from irregular newsletters reaching a handful of subscribers to daily journals reaching hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Writing articles for ezines increases your visibility on the Internet. By writing articles, you establish your credibility as a market leader. By including your name, company name and website address, you will drive traffic back to your web site. Banner Advertisements Probably the most popular method of online advertising is through the use of banner ads. These are the advertisements, most often in rectangular boxes, that seem to appear on almost every page you look at on the Web. In addition to banner ads, some other ways you can advertise your online business include having your ad placed with a newsletter distribution service, and inserting your domain name (www.yourbiz.com) in offline advertisements. If you are unfamiliar with the process of running a banner ad, then you'll be surprised at how fast you can actually start pulling in visitors with this medium. While in the offline world it can take months to actually get your advertisement placed in a publication, in the online world the whole process can be accomplished in a matter of days. Another advantage of online advertising is that you can change your ad in the middle of a campaign. Affiliate Programs Affiliate programs offer you a way to make money for your online business by advertising for other online businesses. In their simplest form, affiliate programs establish a business relationship between your business and another business, where you will receive a percentage, or a fee, for the sales that you generate for the other business. In a sense, by joining an affiliate program, you become an agent for another business and get a commission every time you sell something for that business. For instance, let's say that you joined an affiliate program that paid you a 15% commission on every sale that you made. If you sold an item worth $100, then you would receive a $15 commission from the affiliate program. In order to join an affiliate program and begin earning commissions, you will be required to show a banner ad, or text link, for the other business on your Web site. For instance, if you join the Amazon.com affiliate program, you would place an Amazon.com banner ad on your Web site, with a special identification code, that links back to the Amazon.com site Notifying Internet Portals and Directories Getting listed with portals, search engines and directories is the beginning of your promotional campaign. By having your site properly indexed in these search engines, you stand a good chance of getting some visitors to your site. However, don't expect to have the world knocking at your door just because you have gotten your site listed in all of the major search engines. Getting listed with the portals and directories can be done easily using an auto-posting service. You simply type, or cut and paste, the keywords and description for your online business in the appropriate boxes of the notification forms, and the auto-posting service will take care of the rest. In addition to getting your Web site listed across the Internet, many of these services will also analyze your site for loading speed, browser compatibility, and its ability to distinguish itself from the "crowd." Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Search engine optimization is the technique of fine-tuning your website so tha Internet Home Business Opportunities - Is A Home Business Online For You? nother advantage of online advertising is that you can change your ad in the middle of a campaign.The internet provides a very convenient and valuable platform to start an online home business but it must be handled with the same attitude and basic principles applied to a normal business. Do not be deceived by the promise of easy money on the internet otherwise you will certainly feel that you have been betrayed.Avoid being sucked in by all the hype you will see on your monitor when searching for an internet home business opportunity. Keep your feet firmly on the ground and carefully think about what it takes to run an online home business and then decide if you are up to the challenge. This way instead of being disappointed or disillusioned you will be motivated to persevere and work hard to achieve success.First and foremost the most important ingredient to a successful and profitable online home business is YOU. Nothing will happen unless you start out with the right attitude, approach and understanding that the internet is not a source of instant easy money nor is it a place that you can generate internet income without having to do any work.Take a few minutes to think of the people you know that do own their own business, whether it be a service station, corner caf?, computer repair shop or restaurant. Do you know the hours they work? Do they stop work when they close their doors to the public? No doubt, especially when they are just starting out they are taking work home and doing the bookkeeping after hours.There is no doubt they work hard and long hours. They will have experienced good and bad times. But they are their own boss and are striving for financial freedom. Those serious about succeeding with their own business always work harder for themselves than they do for a boss.Starting an online home business and turning it into a profitable home internet business requires the same approach and attitude. You need to be a hard worker continually Affiliate Programs Affiliate programs offer you a way to make money for your online business by advertising for other online businesses. In their simplest form, affiliate programs establish a business relationship between your business and another business, where you will receive a percentage, or a fee, for the sales that you generate for the other business. In a sense, by joining an affiliate program, you become an agent for another business and get a commission every time you sell something for that business. For instance, let's say that you joined an affiliate program that paid you a 15% commission on every sale that you made. If you sold an item worth $100, then you would receive a $15 commission from the affiliate program. In order to join an affiliate program and begin earning commissions, you will be required to show a banner ad, or text link, for the other business on your Web site. For instance, if you join the Amazon.com affiliate program, you would place an Amazon.com banner ad on your Web site, with a special identification code, that links back to the Amazon.com site Notifying Internet Portals and Directories Getting listed with portals, search engines and directories is the beginning of your promotional campaign. By having your site properly indexed in these search engines, you stand a good chance of getting some visitors to your site. However, don't expect to have the world knocking at your door just because you have gotten your site listed in all of the major search engines. Getting listed with the portals and directories can be done easily using an auto-posting service. You simply type, or cut and paste, the keywords and description for your online business in the appropriate boxes of the notification forms, and the auto-posting service will take care of the rest. In addition to getting your Web site listed across the Internet, many of these services will also analyze your site for loading speed, browser compatibility, and its ability to distinguish itself from the "crowd." Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Search engine optimization is the technique of fine-tuning your website so that it appears more frequently and with a higher ranking in search engines, thereby increasing free traffic to the site. Each search engine compiles a database of web pages which are then ranked by relevance when a particular search term is entered. Every search engine uses different algorithms in order to determine a web page's relevance for a given search. Pay Per Click Google AdWords Select (http://www.google.com/ads) and Overture (http://www.overture.com) are the two leading Pay-per-click players, but there are over 400 search engines using this model. They all work in more or less the same way. You bid on keywords and phrases that your target audience may use to find your site in the search engines. When they do a search for those keywords your ad or "sponsored listing" appears in a special section near the top or side of the search results. The position of your ad depends on the amount you bid and the competition for your keywords, so selecting the best keywords is essential. You pay only when someone clicks through to your site. Blogs With a Blog, you can submit to the many Blog directories that exist online. By submitting to the many blog directories in the proper category, you can expand your reach to targeted subscribers or readers who wants to read your posting on your area of specialization. Blogs promote relationship building and trust with your readers, as it allows you to interact with them. Your readers can refer a friend and imagine the traffic power that can be generated if each one of your reader make a referral. Chat Rooms Use online chat rooms to promote your web site. Find the right chat room where your targeted audience would gather. Announce to everyone in the chat room something interesting or free that's offered on your web site. This will draw visitors to your web site. Always be aware of chat room rules before engaging the visitors in a sales pitch that could be considered spam. Message Boards A message board (also called a discussion forum or bulletin board) is a web-based tool that allows a group of users to discuss topics of interest with each other. The most important function of a message board is to create a stronger connection between you and your customers. You may have the best product in the market, but if you cannot get enough feedback about your product, you will never know what your customers really think about it. A message board can provide you significantly better feedback about your product by allowing many-to-many connections Opt In Opt-in email is the opposite of "Spam" email. When people voluntarily sign-up to receive your electronic messages, they are "opting-in" to your mail list. Because they have actually requested information from you, your messages are not considered to be junk mail, spam, or unsolicited email. Sending messages and information to people who have given you permission to contact them is a great way to build the kind of relationships that will encourage a steady flow of traffic to your website... and greatly increase your online sales! Ebay On average, Ebay receives 40 million hits daily, and of that, it's average user views 17 pages. Most listings get at least 50 very targeted views. If you can get listed on eBay's "The Pulse" (most popular internet auctions) you are guaranteed at least 5,000 visitors to that listing, and many of them will click through to your site, affiliate link, whatever makes you money. You can probably understand why you should consider eBay one of the most unique prospects on the internet. It's like the search engines USED to be, where you are guaranteed hits and visitors no matter what the field, and where being outrageous pays off. For help or questions about Winning the Internet Game, contact G2Apex at contact@G2Apex.com or call 408-454-6543 For more articles like this, go to http://www.G2Apex.com/articles.html
HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
Related Articles:How to Write an Effective Online Employment Advertisement A Top Business Plan Can Be Even More Helpful
|