Top 7 Strategies to Build Trust in Your Online Service Business

How do you know whom you can trust online?  Which businesses are legit, and which ones are primed to rip you off?  It can be tough these days determining which is which.  With the advent of phishing and other online threats, some days you just want to shut down your email program and Internet browser and wish for a face-to-face interaction with someone that you know, like it was in the "good ole' days" before the Internet took over our lives.

The ability to do business online is both a blessing and a curse, to paraphrase Tony Shalhoub's TV character, Adrian Monk, from the series "Monk". As a business owner, the Internet lets you expand your business to more potential customers than ever before.  However, as a small service business owner, you can't be everywhere at once, nor can you possibly have time for personal interactions with all of your potential clients.  So, what's an online business owner to do?

You can clone yourself online.  I'm not referring to some science fiction technology involving the creation of a "mini-me".  Rather, you want to create an experience of you that is available to prospective clients, without you having to actually be there.  Your "clone" creates a feeling of confidence in your prospective customer base -- a feeling that you're a real, live human being whom your prospective client can reach out and touch whenever needed.

Here are 7 strategies you can use to create your online business clone and increase customer confidence:

1.  Make contact easy.  Ensure your contact info clearly displayed on your website.  Make it easy for your visitors to find your mailing address, phone number, or email address. Nothing is more frustrating to me when I'm searching for info on a website than to find only an 800 number.  I want to know with whom I'm about to do business (a name) and where this business is located.

2.  Be responsive. Respond to all email inquiries and phone calls in a timely fashion.  Or, install a live chat feature on your site.  I've dropped an email to several well-known consultant-types after reading their new book or hearing about a project in which they're involved, and have been happily surprised to receive an email response from them, and even a phone call, in some cases.  Nothing satisfies that human need for connection than some personal attention, and promptly returning your phone calls and emails will provide that for your visitors.

3. Become a real person.  Use audio and video on your website and your photo.  No one likes to do business with a faceless corporate entity.  Come out of hiding and display your photo on your website, or photos of you in action in your business.  Create a visual image in the mind of your visitor.  Better yet, with the increasing popularity of online video and audio, let them hear and witness you in action.  A great tool to help you put audio and video on your website is AudioAcrobat, http://dgunter.audioacrobat.com/ .

4.  Provide client testimonials.  "Can she do what she says she can do?" is a common question asked of service business owners, and they want to read about others who've been happy consumers of your service.  Ask current and former clients for powerful testimonials and sprinkle them across your website. Keep in mind that the best testimonials give a synopsis of the client's problem prior to hiring you, and the happy outcome as a result of hiring you.  Those that just say, "Oh, Donna is wonderful!" is a great ego boost, but provide little credibility to your visitors.

A second powerful way to demonstrate your results is by providing case studies, or a synopsis of a problem that a client faced and your strategy that helped that client solve that problem.  People want to do business with people who have a proven track record, and testimonials and case studies provide that track record for you.

5.  Demonstrate your expertise.  One of the easiest ways to tell the world what you know is by writing articles. Article writing is an extremely personal experience for me, as I'm typically writing about a problem that a client has had, an issue that came up in conversation recently with a potential client, or something with which I'm struggling in my business or something I want to research and know more about.  The greatest compliment that I ever got about my articles (other than the fact that they contain useful info) is that each article really sounds like me.  Don't worry about giving away your info -- those who may be able to implement your information without hiring you can also become your biggest champion and referral source because they know that you know what you're talking about.

And, you never know where your articles might lead. I got a call today from a friend who was in an online chat for resellers of a product, and the topic of writing articles came up with another person in the chat room.  My friend went to my blog to provide a link to an article I had written on the topic of article submission, and when he published it on the chat, the person with whom he was chatting said, "Oh, I know Donna."  My friend was blown away by the coincidence.  There are no coincidences--just good marketing.

6.  Provide freebies.  Add value to your website visitors by giving something away -- an ebook, a report, an ecourse, an audio recording, or a a free teleclass.  The more you can demonstrate your expertise and the more ways that a visitor can begin to know, like, and respect you, the greater chance you have of building trust with that person and converting that person into a paying client.

7.  Stay in touch.  Once you've obtained someone's contact info, stay in touch with him on a regular basis, as the more someone sees and talks to you, the quicker the trust develops.  Regular communication is key, and you can stay in touch on a regular basis through the publication of an email newsletter, a free teleclass series that is open to all of your contacts, or by updating your website regularly with new content, like articles for your target market.

Giving your visitors confidence that they can trust what you do and say is one key to success in the online world.  Eliminate the barriers in doing business with you and set visitors on the path of getting to know, like, and respect you. When you do, you'll discover that their trust isn't too far behind.

Generating Traffic to Your Pinterest Boards

One of the quickest ways to start driving traffic to your Pinterest boards is by following the leader. This concept is true for Twitter. If you follow the high profile person in your niche, then you are more likely to generate more followers for yourself. Also, doing this gives you the opportunity to see how this person is marketing their business. 

Who said spying on the competition isn’t a good thing!

The biggest mistake you can make on your boards is to only promote yourself. While there is nothing wrong about boasting about a new achievement or your first Kindle book, don’t center everything around your business.

Always remember that the key to social media is to share, and it is no different with Pinterest. If you share and repin other people’s content, you are more likely to see more traffic back to your site in the end.

It is possible to create backlinks to your site through your boards. For example, you can post an image of an affiliate product with your link on it. Then write a review of this product and link to that. When you write the review article, include several photos for Pinterest users. This way you can get different images pinned more times. Posting popular images could possibly result in a number of backlinks very quickly.

Leave detailed comments on images and videos that you like and repin. By taking the time to write a comment, you are creating a name for yourself. Also, you are being social and sharing content, which is what Pinterest wants you to do.

Writing quality comments will get you noticed and will get your comment repined as well as creating more traffic. All of these things may sound small and won’t take that long to do, but the results could be huge. Imagine if your comment went viral, think of all the traffic your site could see! The potential is there. You just need to tap into it.

You can drive more traffic to your blog simply by adding more images. By having more than one image or by including a video, people have options of what to pin. This results in more pins for your blog. Don’t forget to include a Pin Me button on your blog, ideally below each image. Make it easy for people to share, and they will simply click without thinking and help generate more traffic for you. 

Taking Customer Orders with Pinterest

If you run any type of customer service business you know that instructions can be misread. This ends up in the customer being irritated because their order wasn’t done correctly. What if you could rectify this with Pinterest?

When customers can show rather than tell you what they want, everyone wins. You save time and don’t have to end up redoing work or calming an irritate customer down. The customer is happy as their order is done right the first time!

How can you achieve this? By getting your customers to show you with images exactly what they had in mind.

This type of customer interaction will work for businesses such as wedding planners, cake designers and even graphic designers. If customers can actually Pin images to a board of examples of what they wan,t would you find this helpful? No more guessing as to what they actually meant!

This visual guidance could prove to be a godsend for your business. Right from the beginning your customers can place an order and provide you with examples of what they would like done. Right off the bat you can tell if this is something that you can actually do, and it might help you price jobs more exactly.

For a bride to show you examples of dresses or flower arrangements that she likes you will know what type of look she is after. You can then offer your suggestions and even post your own images in response. Or better yet, you could reply with a video and post that to the board!

This type of visual communication can show new customers the care that you take with your business. In fact you are building yourself a portfolio and references as you go. Other users can visit your board and see the process unfold from the wish list to recommendations and then to the final product. Don’t you think this type of attention to detail will be wonderful for your business?

You can have boards for each customer or one board for customer requests. People could propose ideas to you and then you can accept or reject the order. This would cut down on a lot of hassle and frustrations.

But Pinterest is a visual site and doesn’t cater to long messages you can still leave descriptions with ideas and suggestions on your Pins and ask for feedback. If this idea appeals to you, it is worth testing to see how you can incorporate it into your business. 

How tо Follow Sоmеоnе оn Twitter

If уоu have а laptop аnd аrе а social person, chances аrе уоu аlrеаdу have еіthеr оr аll Facebook, Twitter, аnd/оr MySpace profiles. Now ѕоmе people аrе content wіth whаt friends thеу know аnd have аt thе moment. Othеrs, ѕuсh аѕ уоurѕеlf, like tо expand thеіr horizon аnd get tо know аѕ many people аѕ thеу саn possibly find. Fоr people whо like tо keep uр wіth thе world аnd make new friends, thеѕе social networking sites аrе perfect. But іnѕtеаd оf talking аbоut аll thе sites, fоr thе purpose оf thіѕ article, wе wіll bе concentrating оnlу оn Twitter. And more specifically, wе аrе going tо go оvеr thе details оn how tо follow ѕоmеоnе оn Twitter.

If уоu аlrеаdу have аn account, thеn уоu probably аlrеаdу know how does Twitter work. (If уоu do nоt have а profile page іn Twitter, get one right now оthеrwіѕе thіѕ article wіll bе оf no uѕе). Once уоu have аn active Twitter profile, уоu саn easily begin.

Whаt Does "Following Sоmеоnе" Mean?

First аnd foremost, lеt's understand whаt "following ѕоmеоnе" means оn Twitter. Thіѕ "ѕоmеоnе" саn bе а person (уоur friend оr а celebrity), а group, оr business. Following here means thаt уоu wіll receive updates frоm thіѕ "ѕоmеоnе". Thіѕ person, group, оr business, after signing іn, mау wish tо tweet оr publish ѕоmеthіng оn thеіr profile page. Hеnсе, once thеу do ѕо, аnуоnе аnd еvеrуоnе whо follows thеm wіll immediately obtain thеm. Thеѕе updates come іn а form оf tweets - а 140 characters message. Sо depending оn thе person, group, оr business thаt уоu follow, уоu wіll bе informed аbоut thеіr tweets оn а regular basis once уоu sign-іn into уоur account. Now thаt уоu have аn understanding аѕ tо whаt following rеаllу means, wе wіll go оvеr thе details оn how уоu саn follow аn individual оn Twitter.

Following Sоmеоnе оn Twitter

Basically, thеrе аrе 2 methods whісh саn bе used tо follow а person оn Twitter. I dоn't want tо confuse аnуоnе here, ѕо I wіll try tо explain thіѕ аѕ easily аѕ I саn.

Method #1
Thе first method іѕ very straightforward. All уоu need tо do іѕ click оn thе person, group, оr business's profile. Once уоu reach thеіr page, уоu wіll need tо search fоr thе "Follow" button. At thе bottom оf thе page, thіѕ button іѕ bеlоw thе person, group, оr business's username. Whеn уоu locate thіѕ button, click оn іt аnd уоu саn easily follow thеm now.

Method #2
Thе second method іѕ аlѕо easy tо understand. On а given Twitter page, іf уоu locate thіѕ person, group, оr business's name, take уоur mouse pointer оn іt. Place thе cursor оn thе right side оf thеіr profile picture. Whеn уоu do ѕо, information аbоut thіѕ person, group, оr business wіll bе displayed. Along wіth thіѕ, уоu wіll аlѕо see thе "Follow" button. Click оn thе button аnd follow thеm. Simple.

Many times, thеrе аrе ѕоmе users whо wish tо keep thеіr profile page private. In ѕuсh cases, уоu wоn't bе аblе tо choose thе "Follow" button tо access thеіr tweets. In order tо know іf а user has set hіѕ/hеr profile аѕ private, thеrе wіll bе а message like thіѕ - I'm оnlу giving updates tо friends. Whеn уоu see thіѕ message, thеrе wіll bе аnоthеr message thаt wіll ask уоu іf уоu wоuld like tо "Add" thіѕ user. Yоu wіll bе required tо click оn thіѕ button іn order tо follow thаt particular user's tweets. Now іf thаt particular "ѕоmеоnе" wishes thаt others саn view thеіr tweets, hе/she has tо approve each user іn order tо follow thеm. Once thіѕ hарреnѕ, уоu wіll see thеіr tweets.

Now thаt уоu know how Twitter's "follow" function works, реrhарѕ уоu tоо might wish tо get ѕоmе followers оf уоur own. Thеrе аrе many more interesting facets оf Twitter аnd уоu'd bе surprised аѕ tо how fun аnd impressive thіѕ site саn rеаllу get. Have fun whіlе уоu'rе аt іt аnd make sure уоu dоn't put а lot оf spam оn thе Twitter board. (Yоu'll get thrown оut).

How tо Host Your own Website Frоm Home

Thе Internet аnd іtѕ myriad оf uses has taken оvеr thе mankind like а storm. I mean frоm shopping tо connecting wіth people thousands оf miles away tо doing аn online course, thе Internet has conquered аlmоѕt аll thе aspects оf оur life. Oh yes, іt саnnоt give uѕ daily workouts! Except fоr thе workout tо thе fingers! Nеvеrthеlеѕѕ, In thіѕ scenario еvеrу minute thеrе іѕ а website coming uр. Fоr thеѕе websites tо bе accessible tо people via thе World Wide Web, thеrе аrе services. Thеѕе services аrе like apartment оr property owners whо give а part оf thеіr house оn lease оr rent. Thеѕе web hosting companies provide people whо create websites а space оn thе server thеу lease fоr uѕе bу clients оr thеу own thеmѕеlvеѕ. But араrt frоm thаt, уоu саn host уоur website уоurѕеlf tоо, аѕ іf уоu take thе help оf thеѕе web hosting services, іt соuld bе slightly heavier оn уоur pocket.

How tо Host Your own Website Frоm Home

Well, hosting уоur own website might ѕееm tо bе а bit tough initially. But асtuаllу іt іѕ nоt tоо tough еіthеr. Just thаt уоu need tо bе careful аnd ѕhоuld bе wіllіng tо sacrifice уоur computer аѕ once уоu decide tо host а website, уоu wіll nоt bе аblе tо do аnуthіng оn уоur computer, nоt even Internet access. Here іѕ more.

Step 1 - All Clear

After уоu have taken а decision tо host уоur own website, bеfоrе starting off, check оut уоur computer аnd make sure thаt уоu do nоt have аnуthіng important оr useful remaining оn уоur computer. Thіѕ іѕ bесаuѕе thе computer's data wіll have tо bе completely erased. Even іf уоu take help оf а web hosting service thіѕ factor might crop uр.

Step 2 - Take уоur Pick

It іѕ advisable nоt tо uѕе laptops fоr thіѕ purpose аѕ thеу аrе supposed tо bе used fоr extended period оf time. Mоrеоvеr, іn case уоu have а couple оf desktops оr ѕо, уоu wіll have tо choose еіthеr one аnd once уоu do thаt уоu wіll have tо leave іt running аll thе time. Whаt kind оf desktop уоu have аnd whаt processor іt has wоn't matter untіl іt іѕ а rеаѕоnаblу good machine.

Step 3 - Serve іt Well

Bе іt hosting уоur own website оn уоur local machine оr fоr free, thеrе іѕ no escape frоm thіѕ procedure. Whаt уоu have tо do іѕ install а web server application. Apache іѕ apparently thе best bet аmоngѕt thе numerous options available. Thеrе wіll bе things whісh wіll bе asked whіlе thе web server application іѕ set uр. One оf thе most important оf thеm іѕ domain name аnd IP address оf уоur DNS server. Leave thе column аѕ іt іѕ іf уоu аrе nоt going tо uѕе а domain name.

Step 4 - Copy іt

After thе web server application іѕ installed, whаt уоu wіll bе required tо do іѕ tо copy thе contents оf уоur website wіth images іn thе website files folder specified during server application installation. Now thіѕ wіll make thе contents оf thіѕ folder accessible tо аnуоnе оn thе Internet. Thіѕ applies tо bоth - hosting уоur own website оn а mac, аѕ wеll аѕ hosting уоur website fоr free.

Step 5 - Routing thе Server

Here аt thіѕ stage, уоu аrе аlmоѕt coming tо аn еnd оf thе process оf hosting уоur own website. Here уоu wіll configure thе forwarding оf port 80. Thаt іѕ, frоm уоur router tо thе desktop whеrе уоu have installed thе software fоr web hosting. In case уоu аrе nоt using а router, forget аbоut thіѕ. Yоu саn give user's IP address іn case уоu аrе nоt going tо uѕе а domain name.

Finally, thаt number (IP address) wіll go іn thе browser, akin tо а URL, leading уоur website tо bе brought uр. Congratulations! Yоu have accomplished thе task оf hosting уоur own website! Remember nоt tо store personal files аnd thе like іn ѕuсh а system аnd try using а proxy server tо check thе website, whеthеr іt іѕ working. All thе best!

To Make Money Online, You Must Commit!

Are you completely overwhelmed by all of the money making websites and emails that you are bombarded with every day?

I know that I am.

Did you know that this is why most people will never succeed with an online business?

This is what I call information overload!

Internet Marketers count on this attribute to make their fortunes.  They know that you are looking.  They know that you are impressionable and they know that if their sales letter is strong enough then you are hooked.  Then what happens to you?

You just found the perfect product or idea, one that is guaranteed to give you the financial freedom and the wealth you are so desperately seeking.  You read through the sales page, find your excitement building, order the product or just give your email address and deep down you know that this is “the one”.

You receive the product or e-book, and then what?  This is where it ends for most people.
Before you even finish reviewing the product, provided that you even start, you move on to your next great idea.  This last “great idea” just sits on your desktop, completely forgotten, collecting virtual dust.

Your days of moving on Must Stop Now!

There are many legitimate ways to make money online and a whole lot of hype revolving around them.  Now is the time to make a decision.  You can not succeed without a plan.
Find a product--Evaluate it--Research it--Do it--Stick with it!

Do most people fail because of lack of knowledge?  Lack of ideas?  Lack of resources?
No!  Most people fail because of lack of commitment.

Everybody wants to make money online.  Everybody wants to fire their boss.  Everybody wants to work from home.  Everybody does not have what it takes.  Commitment.

You are told that you can make a fortune by signing up with such and such program.  Pay the small fee, do a few simple steps and watch the money pour in.  Bam you’re rich.

There is no such thing!

Whatever you do, whatever you join is going to take hard work, time, and commitment.
The reward, however, can be great.  You can work from home, you can make more money online than in any conventional job and you can become financial free.

It is time to join among the ranks of the successful Internet marketers.  The fact that you are reading this article shows me that you have what it takes.  Chances are that you already have an idea about what you would like to do.  Research this idea, build upon and most importantly, do it!

When you are presented with other ideas, think about how they can fit in with your current project.  If they don’t, discard them.  If they do, then pick out the useful parts and utilize them, ignore the rest

This article is not to sell you on any program.  I am not trying to pitch the next big thing.  I am trying to have you reach deep inside of yourself and to have you make a decision on what to do.  Stop making everyone else rich on your uncertainty.  Make a commitment and create your own path to financial freedom.

Make a plan, stay focused, commit and most importantly--never ever give up!

You Must Use The Right Keywords To Attain High Page Rank

Know what words your customers will use when searching.
You might know what your customers search for. If not, find out. Is it a description of  "pants" or "jeans?" One may be searched more often than the other, but why not target  both? How about "executive gifts?" Maybe "desk accessories" will broaden your web site  marketing strategy.

Ask all kinds of people. Get advice from people in all walks of life including management,  employees, customers, vendors, friends and family on how they would search for effective  search engine positioning keywords. Ask them how they would search for different products  and services. It's really not about what you think they would search for, its about what they  think. Believe me, they can many times be two totally different things.

Once you have successfully harvested a meaningful keyword list, remove any keywords that  are too targeted or not to specific. Also remember that keyword placement is important.  Try to put as many keywords as possible in the beginning paragraphs, and of course the  title line.

The higher the value of the keyword the more competition you will have. Every SEO utilizes  tools similar to the Overture Keyword Suggestion Tool and also know the value of a  keyword. The lower the value of the keyword the less competition we will have.

We don't want to aim to low but we also don't want to aim to high. We need to find a middle  ground. For you that may be a keyword with a value of no less than 1000 and no more than  10,000. It will be up to you to determine what you deem reasonable.

Also, the keywords should appear regularly throughout the opening Web page. It is  especially important that they appear frequently in the opening paragraphs.
However, resist the temptation to overuse keywords. The search engines can spot it and will  reduce your page rankings. Tools are available to help with optimal keyword density.  However, avoid software that writes the site's pages. Search engines can sniff these out, too.

A good rule of thumb is: Never sacrifice quality of content for keyword placement. This will  affect your page ranking. Most importantly, your site won't appeal to visitors.

Why You Need Your Own Website Whether or Not You Sell Online

Whether your business exists solely on the internet or in a traditional bricks-and-mortar storefront, you will benefit from an online presence. Customers, potential employees or business partners and perhaps even investors can quickly and easily find out more about your business and the products or services you have to offer from your website.

Most affiliate marketers do not realize the importance of creating quality website content to the success of an affiliate business.  Providing a constant stream of fresh, compelling content is vital to branding your name and your business. You can't do this with a cookie cutter affiliate website; you need one of your own.

Customers research and compare product specifications, quality, and prices. If you are an online affiliate marketer, a cookiecutter affiliate website will build the mailing list of the product owner; you need your own website to brand your name, your business, and your unique selling proposition. If you plan on selling offline, many of your customers will still appreciate being able to research from home.

Many consumers these days research products online before they buy from a bricks-and-mortar store, so if you provide them with the info they seek as well as the ability to purchase immediately, you may capture customers that would otherwise have ended up buying from your off-line competition.

A well-designed website  can project the image and professionalism of a much larger company onto your little home business, so spend some time designing your site carefully.

Internet marketing research firms predict that the number of online consumers will grow at a rate of 30 to 50 percent over the next few years. These numbers alone should be enough to persuade you that your business should have a website presence.

A poorly designed website can ruin your business image by sending entirely the wrong message, so take the time to build a phenomenal site. There are many websites offering professionally-designed templates with prices from free on up. Then you need a domain name and hosting provider and grab a mentor while you're at it. You'll be up and running before you know it.

"7 Ways To Convert Your Traffic Into Cash"

If you have a website, you can profit from even the tiniest number of visitors it receives simply by not wasting that traffic.

The KEY is in leveraging on each visitor and making sure you have a monetization strategy in place. Once you get this, you can make any website profitable with a little effort.

Here are 7 basic ways in which you can profit from your traffic today:

1. Sell a product/service

First you can sell a product or service to your visitors. This is the best way to cash in from your own product. Usually an e-book or software works the best – they can be downloaded right away without hassle and shipping charges.

2. Opt-In list

It is crucial you try to convert every visitor of yours to a subscriber of your mailing list. The most important asset that an Internet marketer has is his or her list of subscribers. They define whether you will go far in the online business venture.

With an opt-in list, there are tons of ways you can profit further into the future. You can build repeat customers and turn your list members into partners for your products. For an example of a good opt-in page, visit http://www.InstantMarketingSecrets.com

3. Viral marketing

You can provide a free product or bonus on your site to be downloaded by your visitors. Usually it’ll be an e-book where people can read from and learn useful information. In this bonus, you include give away rights and urge readers to give it away to anyone they want to. This way, you increase your own traffic, publicity and branding without needing to spend a cent.

4. 'Pay-per-click'

In this case, you get paid when your visitors click on ads you place on your site. There are many advertising programs that give you a percentage of the profits based on click through, including Google Adsense, Chitika, Yahoo Publisher Network and Kontera.

When people click on the ads shown from either of these advertising programs, you will earn money. And if your site receives good traffic, these programs alone can bring in huge paychecks to you.

5. Offer an advertising space

Targeted niche websites with high traffic can 'rent' a portion of space on their web page to advertisers. For example you can charge $300 per month in advertising fee if your web page is pulling more than 2000 visitors a day. I use this strategy at my Online Marketing Secrets blog at http://www.EwenChia.com

Other than that, you can also generate advertising revenue using exit pop-ups. By doing this, you won't clutter your website with too many ads and spoil the visitor's experience.

6. Affiliate marketing

If you don’t have your own products for sale yet, you can sell other people’s products instead and receive a commission on every sale. With affiliate marketing, you have an unlimited source of products to sell and you don’t need to go through any fulfillment issues after your sales.

One of the best affiliate marketing training resources can be found at http://www.SecretAffiliateWeapon.com where I provide continual education on affiliate marketing to members.

7. Pay-per-lead

Instead of earning money from click through, you are paid if your visitors subscribe into other people’s mailing list. Alternatively there are a lot of big companies like Coca-Cola who need surveys to be done, and by referring your visitors to complete surveys, you can also earn good profits from your website.


Do You Want to Work From Home Selling Unlimited Amounts of Digital Information Products and Keeping 100% of The Profits? 

Now You Can!

Just imagine a laser targeted, well researched expertly written digital download product for sale on your  website that people from all around the world will be able to buy and  to from the comfort of their own homes? 

Because you know it would be absolutely amazing to make money on automation without having to lift a finger while you get on with your life and even while you sleep. 

If you like the idea of being able to sell unlimited information products click here.

SKH Business and Marketing Consulting

The One Niche That Will Make You Rich

Have you found yourself wondering why you are overwhelmed? There is so much material on the Internet regarding Internet marketing. If a person tries to digest all of it at one time, they will will experience a bad case of online marketing indigestion. This is not a good feeling to have. I have had these feelings before as well.

The solution to this issue is to narrow your focus on one niche. You see it is much easier to become an expert in one area rather than two or more areas. I have made a decision to devote my time to making money on the Internet. There are countless ways to make money in this world today. You can make money in real estate, the stock market, by owning your own offline business and in numerous other ways. But the people who really do well in this world financially are known primarily for one thing. Bill Gates in known for Microsoft. Warren Buffett is known as a stock expert. Donald Trump is known for real estate. I am sure that they have other things that they focus on now but they are known as being experts in a certain field. What do you focus on? Many things or one thing? I am willing to bet that if your answer is many you are in a state of Internet marketing discombobulation. Find something you like doing and become an expert at it. The trick is to find something you like doing that is profitable financially. This is the secret to making money on the net.

If there is a market for your product, you can sell it. Do a search on google and see how many results your area of focus will bring up. If you use keywords, you will get better results. The more targeted the results the better. It is easy to develop a product when you are an expert in that area because you know something that your buyers don't. You are the expert and they are not. They will pay large sums of money to acquire your expertise.

As marketers we must understand that our time is extremely valuable and the more we focus on too many things, the more time that is wasted. This time could be better spent focusing on one niche. It takes time to learn what your niche market wants. After you learn what they want, give the people what they desire. If your child wants a piece of pizza and you give them fish that would cause sadness in their hearts. They may cry and be upset with you. In the same way, if you give your target market something different then what they are asking for they will remove themselves from your list or no longer associate with you.

So use your time wisely and learn what your target market wants. Once you have determined what they want, if you do not already have a product created to meet their needs create one. Remember what they have told you and use the desires of their hearts as your blueprint to create an excellent information product.

Your job as the expert is to provide the answers to the questions that your target market is asking. You answer their questions with your products and you will be seen as an expert by them. You can also become qualified as an expert by creating a blog about your niche market. You can have your readers post their questions on your blog. Answer their questions on your blog and they will also begin to view you in a different light. This will prove to them that you care about what they have to say. People buy more easily when they trust the person they are buying from. A blog is a great way to create an atmosphere of trust. You can also build a great deal of rapport with your market in this way as well. You can get to know your market on your blog and they can get to know you. An excellent method to implement to accomplish this is simply to be open with your life. Talk about your family and life on the blog and you will find that your market is more likely to talk about their family.

You now have a number of concepts to implement in your Internet business right now. The key is to go out and do them. You will be greatly rewarded if you do. One niche can indeed make you rich.

'How to Use Social Bookmarking As An Acceptably Aggressive Marketing Tactic

Social bookmarking websites are becoming more and more popular.  They allow you to save bookmarks online and Tag/Categorize them with keywords instead of saving them as bookmarks in the favorite's list of your browser. This is particularly useful when your browser based bookmarks have become unwieldy. It's also help since you can access your bookmarks from any computer where you have an internet connection.

I have compiled a list of Social Bookmarking websites from a number of sources. You can find it here: http://www.blogmarketingtactics.com/social-bookmarking/social-bookmarking-top-links.html

Once you have bookmarked them, you can view them, sort them by category/keyword as well as see links from others that have been categorized like yours.

You also establish RSS feeds for each category (tag) that you 'subscribe' to. This alerts you to new links in your areas of interest. Your bookmark collection/RSS Feed becomes viewable to others who can also copy your bookmarks to their own collection. So now you can aggressively promote your RSS feed to the RSS Directories and Search engines, syndicate them and make them available to a much wider audience.

Social bookmarking sites also help you to meet other people who are interested in the same topics you are and who may also have knowledge of web resources that you don't.

On Social Bookmarking sites, you first create an account.  Then you bookmark interesting and useful things in the area of your interest or expertise. By doing so you create a useful Feed. Once you've done that you intermittently, (or aggressively), add useful and interesting items, (that could use additional exposure), from your own content.  Make an honest effort to contribute USEFUL information and links. This is all about sharing and exposure. Done properly, you can be as aggressive as you want to be about sharing information. You can share your blog(s), links to your informational/resource sites etc. Think about the fact that when you share links to other's resources, you're also effectively promoting their content as well.

This is a way you can aggressively and ethically promote your content and the content of others. I personally have hundreds of gigabytes of my own information and information of others, connected to my notebook. In the final analysis, it's doing me no good what-so-ever just sitting there. But by organizing it, online, I can help myself, (getting organized, getting my content exposed, etc.) and help others at the same time.

If you spice up your feed with too much sales and marketing related or self promotional stuff, people can and will easily drop their subscription to your feed. And instead of gaining good will and doing a service to the internet community you could get labeled as a spammer and suffer the consequences.

So while being aggressive is possible and acceptable, being careful to consider the best interest of the community is certainly warranted.

Balancing being ethical and providing a useful service to others with promoting your own content enables you to be as aggressive as you like. But remember, in the final analysis, others will make the decision on whether it's ethical and useful or spam.

AutoResponders Explained

If you've reached the point of exhaustion trying to keep up with answering the mountain of emails that threatens to bury you alive every single day, you're ready to learn about autoresponders.

The bad news is that people expect prompt replies to their email inquiries. However, unless you can figure out how to work continual twenty-four hour shifts, or hire enough people to constantly monitor incoming emails (while they're eating up your revenue), you have a problem. The good news is an autoresponder is an inexpensive - or even free -method of quickly responding to emails. What these programs do is automatically respond to incoming emails as soon as they are received.

Emails are essential to your business for many different reasons. Most importantly, these invisible email voices give you their feedback about your website - for free!
However, if you spend all your working hours answering these emails, how are you supposed to run your business? The answer is simple: use autoresponders. Autoresponders are programs that automatically respond to your emails without you so much as having to click on your mouse.

There are a number of good reasons why you need an autoresponder besides just answering your email. For example, autoresponders can be used if you need a way to
send information about your services or products, price lists, or if there are repeated questions asked across large numbers of emails. Maybe you want to offer your site
visitors a special bonus of some kind, such as advice or relevant articles. All of this can be handled by an autoresponder. Additionally, you can advertise your business and then build stable relationships with your customers by using autoresponders.

Autoresponder programs vary from software that runs with your email program to a specialized script that runs on your web hosting company's server. This kind of script may use a web page form or simply operate with your email account. This kind of script is programmed to send out a standardized message whenever an email is received. The message is sent to a particular script or email address.

Some autoresponders can do more than simply send out standardized messages. They can send out an unlimited number of follow-up messages sent at predetermined interval of time. For example, you can set your autoresponder to send out a new message every day for as long a period as you desire.

There are numerous companies who offer autoresponders free of charge. Your website hosting company often provides autoresponders as a free service. If this is not the case with your web hosting company, there are numerous companies who offer this service for a small fee, or free of charge, providing you attach an advertisement for their company to your emails.

To personalize your autoresponder messages, you can attach a signature. Signatures in this case are much like business cards. You can include your name, company, all your contact numbers and addresses, and a brief message.

It's a good idea to attach a signature to every email that is sent out. This works as a repeated reminder of your business identity every time a customer sees it. The more
they look at your signature, the more likely your company will spring to mind when your particular service or product is needed.

You can create a standardized signature that every employee in your business uses, or you can go wild, and let every staff member create their own personal signature. Of
course, like everything in life, there are some rules and guidelines to creating a personal signature.

Keep the length of your signature between four to six lines of text, with no more than 70 characters in a single line. Make sure that your email program does not cut off your text! The content should include your name, your company name, your email address, fax number, and any other contact details, such as 800 numbers. Lastly, always include a short personal message about your company. It should be a
subtle sell of your services or your products, and possibly your company's reliability and longevity.

Another specialized use of autoresponders is to create courses that you can then offer your site visitors for free. You must choose a topic in which you are an expert and that precisely targets your potential customers.

Once you have carefully chosen your subject, divide it into a number of different sub-topics. Then offer your site visitor a free 10 or 15 day course, each day offering a
different sub-topic. The first topic should always be a welcome message to your site visitor and an explanation about what is to follow. Your explanation should be
enticing, getting the point across that you are offering free, quality information that your target audience will find of great value.

With every lesson, include the number of the lesson, the topic title, information about your company and its services or products. At the end, include a few blurbs about the next lesson to entice the subscriber to continue on.

Make sure each topic is packed with essential and valuable information, and leaves the visitor lusting to know more. Otherwise, you may lose them in the very beginning.

Of course, you have to write up your course before you can offer it. Once you have done this, and gone over the material carefully, employing a professional writer or
editor if necessary, you must transfer your text to your autoresponder.

There are a number of free autoresponders you can use.
Try   http:/www.getresponse.com, or http://www.fastfacts.net.
Or go onto Google and you will find a long list of free autoresponder companies. Then sign-up for your chosen autoresponder. Once you do, you will receive instructions as to how to set it up and transfer your text.

Email is an excellent marketing tool; it is inexpensive and it is fast. Use it to advertise your business by choosing your email address carefully. Your website should contain
different email addresses for different contact requests. For example, use info@yourdomain.com for information requests, or sales@yourdomain.com for questions about sales. It's a good idea to set up one for the owner, such as president@yourdomain.com. This presents your company in a personal, approachable light and insures that direct contact is provided.

Autoresponders are an effective and powerful marketing tool, allowing you to make contact with thousands of potential customers. This is an invaluable asset considering how many potential customers you usually have contact with before you make an actual sale. Essentially, an autoresponser allows you to automate part of your
marketing campaign.

How to Achieve the Appropriate Tone in Email

Are your email messages too casual?  Or, are they too formal?  Are you using the appropriate tone?

Email messages are different from typed letters.  You can’t be “too” formal in a letter.  In an email, too formal looks silly.  What’s the appropriate tone for an email?  -- slightly more casual than a letter.  Yet, there’s a fine line between being too relaxed and too stiff.

To some degree, the attitude and culture of your company will dictate the amount of formality necessary.  For example, floral shops and hotels won’t be as formal as a bank or law firm.

As you compose the message, consider the person who will be reading it.  Know your audience.

The job gets easier when you’re replying to a message.  You can already see the tone of the sender.  All you have to do is match that tone.

When in doubt, strive for a tone that is professional, yet conversational.  One easy way to achieve a conversational tone is to use contractions (I’ll, we’ll, he’s, she’s).

Also, it’s acceptable to use pronouns.  In conversation, we use the words “I, we, you.”  So, use these in emails.  For example, “It is suggested . . . “ sounds very stiff.  Instead, try, “I suggest . . .”

Be careful with the pronoun “I.”  Using too many can be perceived as egotistical.  You don’t want to appear pompous.  If you notice an abundance of “I’s,” try rewriting every other sentence.  This will create variety, and that pesky personal pronoun won’t be as obvious.

Email is a great form of communicating.  Just remember that your old typed-letter writing style should be adapted so your messages don’t sound stilted and stiff.  On the other hand, email is NOT a license to be sloppy.  The most effective email messages find a happy balance.  They have a conversational tone.

8 Steps To Irresistible Email Copy Every Time

Step #1 - WHO DO YOU THINK YOU`RE TALKING TO?

Before you sit down to write your email sales letter, you`ve got to determine exactly who your audience is. This is a master key to getting results from email marketing.

Ask yourself these questions:

- What do your prospects/customers want?
- What frustrates your prospects/customers most?
- Who else is selling something similar to you?
- Why should your prospects/customers believe you?
- Why should prospects/customers respond to you instead of someone else?
- What kind of appeals will your target market respond to?


Step #2 - A GREAT SUBJECT IS YOUR OBJECT

Before an email can generate results, recipients need to open it. But what can you do to spark their interest and get their interest "motor" revved up?

Your SUBJECT LINE is the key.

There are four types of email formulas you can use as a guide in crafting your email. Each has a different PSYCHOLOGICAL APPEAL that works like magic on consumers. Here are some examples:

- State a powerful benefit - "Empowerism Satisfies Your Need for Leads"

- Pique curiosity - "Empowerism Has Uncovered the Secrets of Success"

- Write your subject line with a news angle - "Empowerism Launches RSVP For Those Who Want to Double Their Money Fast!"

- Offer Immediate Gratification - "With Empowerism RSVP, you can start the money wheels turning before the sun goes down tonight"

Here`s an important "homework assignment": Write at least 25 SUBJECT LINES before you decide on which one to use. Take the best two and test them against each other in your marketing campaign. (Save the "losers" to use for other purposes or spruce up later.)


Step #3 - WHAT`S IN IT FOR THEM?

Sit down and write every conceivable benefit your product has. Don`t know the difference between features and benefits? Features describe the product; benefits describe the results of using the product. Features appeal to logic...logic justifies emotion...emotion drives sales (see below).

Here`s a rule of thumb for benefits: ask yourself "What can my product or service do for my customer?" Then begin to write your letter telling your reader WHAT`S IN IT FOR THEM. Tell them how much better life will be for them after they buy from you. Tell them how much better they`ll feel. Tell them how their peers will respect them more.


Step #4 - AN EMOTIONAL APPEAL

When promoting anything to anybody, you must remember that buying decisions are based upon emotion and later backed up by logic. Before you write a single word, determine what emotional hot buttons you need to push to "jumpstart" your prospect.

Selling health supplements? Go for the "fear of illness" button with "A Natural Way to Save Your Eyesight." Selling political bumper stickers? Hit the "anger" button with: "Let the President Know What You Think of His Policies." Other buttons include: curiosity, greed, ego, vanity, hope, and/or fear of scarcity or security.


Step #5 - A NAME YOU CAN TRUST

To convince people to buy your product or service, you must make them believe that your offer is credible and that you (or your product) will deliver as promised.

How do you do that? Here are three ways you can build credibility with the readers of your sales letter:

- Provide testimonials.
- Include endorsement letters from authority figures in your industry
- Make your offer and promises sincere and believable.


Step #6 - A GUARANTEE

Nowadays, trying to sell without some type of guarantee is a losing proposition. You`ve got to have one. And the stronger your guarantee, the better your response will be. And, believe it or not, although most people will NOT ask for a refund, they`ll trust your offer knowing that you stand behind it.

You can offer a 24-hour, 30-day, 60-day, 90-day, or even a full-year. And here`s an interesting fact: The longer the time period, the fewer returns you`ll have! It`s human nature to procrastinate, so the more time someone thinks they have to get a refund, the more they`ll put it off or forget about the refund altogether.

Step #7 - DON`T FORGET TO ASK

It happens all the time. Someone makes a fantastic sales presentation, and then doesn`t close the deal because he/she didn`t clearly ask for the order or made the process confusing rather than simple.

- From the Research Department: Statistics show that you need to ask for the order at least three times to close substantial sales. (Some studies put the number at 7!)

If you can, offer several ways for your prospects to order -- consumers love choice. It tells them, "You`re talking directly to me and meeting my unique needs." If you only offer one way to order, make it crystal clear how AND how easy it is. Describe it in detail and ask for the order. Then ask again.


Step #8 - THE EYES HAVE IT

It`s a well-known fact: Large blocks of copy are intimidating and will often send people running for the hills or at least the Delete button.

The solution? Break up paragraphs into two to four sentences. Use several subheadings throughout the email letter. And use asterisks, dashes, and ellipses (...) to give your copy more rhythm. Bullet points are excellent eye-catchers - use them whenever appropriate.

8 Advantages Of Using An Email Marketing Software

If you decided to use email marketing to promote your business, then let me congratulate you on this very wise decision.

You might have read over the internet the buzz created by this type of marketing, and I’m sure you have already learned that “The money is in your list” – this is 100% true.

Even though email marketing is a very powerful way to transform leads into hungry buyers many people are discouraged to use this technique because of the time they need to invest in it. A recent study has showed that about 75 % of people who use email marketing need between 15 and 50 hours per week to handle it.

If you’re like me, then you’re a very busy person who can’t afford to spend that much time just on email marketing. So this is why I decided to make a list of the great advantages brought by Mailloop 7.0. , the best email marketing software on the net.

1. You get an opt-in form template which comes with full instructions so you can easily add it to your site.

2. It automatically stores every email saving you precious time and headaches.

3. It e-mails new subscribers a welcome message just moments after opting in. No more preparing and sending e-mails to hundreds, even thousands of subscribers manually.

4. Mailloop gives you attractive looking templates to use for your newsletter so that it looks friendlier to your subscribers.

5. It keeps your e-mail safe from spam complaints, blacklists or filters so that it doesn’t get trashed.

6. You can schedule your promotions so that you can go on your vacation without worrying about interrupting campaigns.

7. You can use as many autoresponders as you need, create as many campaigns, write as many emails as you wish … the sky’s the limit.

8. Manage all of this from a complete user-friendly control panel.

7 Steps for Improving Your Email Marketing

The success of your email marketing campaign is often based on a set of complex factors.  However, a number of these issues can be proactively managed to ensure an optimized response.  When developing your next email campaign, consider the following guidelines. 

1. Your list.

Certainly one of the most important aspects of any email marketing campaign, your list is directly correlated to your success.  Are your names recent?  Have they agreed to be marketed to?  Have they shown an interest in products or services similar to your own?  Make sure that you are using a house list (names you collected on your own) or have been purchases from a reputable broker.

2. Your subject line.

Getting a user to open your message is paramount any email marketing campaign. The best way to determine the subject line that works best is to break your emails into three random yet equal groups.  Measure the response to each email and use the highest producing one as your control.  In follow up emails, try to beat the response rate of your control email.

3.  Your sender information.

What information appears on the sender line of your email?  Will your prospects recognize it?  Do they want to hear from you?  Often times, emails are deleted without ever being opened due to an indiscernible sender name.  Your sender name should be brief and easily understood.

4. Track your results.

Tracking allows you to determine who opened your message and clicked on a link or multiple links within your email.  By determining what worked and what didn’t, you can replicate success on your next email.  As described above, tracking is particularly important when testing subject lines, imbedded links, and other direct response vehicles.

5. Make sure your unsubscribe method is in place and working.

The CAN-SPAM act of 2003 requires that all email messages contain clear directions on how to opt-out from subsequent mailings. Provide an unsubscribe mechanism that allows those receiving your email to send you and email and indicate their desire to opt-out from receiving further emails from you or your business.  If recipients no longer want to hear from you, it’s in your best interest to remove them from your list.

6. Your images are correctly referenced and you've used alt tags in each image.

Improperly referencing your images can cause them to appear broken when you send your message - the dreaded red x. To insure the image is referenced correctly it must appear as, img src="http://www.yourdomain.com...." rather than, img src="/images/picture.jpg". Alt tags are another important part of your images. The new security features on almost every email client these days disables images automatically. Having alt tags in place allow your reader to identify the image and determine if it is safe to enable. 

7.  Test, Test, Test!

No matter what your involvement with email marketing happens to be, it is essential that you follow the guidelines above for successful results.  In addition, the key is to test, test, test! After each email campaign, measure your opens, click-throughs, and purchases.  Document the specific date, time, list, subject line, and content used to produce your results.  Refer back to your documentation prior to your next campaign.

Email doesn't have to be a complex form of marketing.  There are many best practices you can follow and some simple rules that ensure effective delivery, open and conversion. By following the simple rules presented in this article, you’ll not only deliver and effective email campaign, you’ll discover a consistent method for generating revenue for your business.

6 Profitable Ways To Use Autoresponders

1. Offer an email course.

Write up a course or use your articles to create a course that you can offer to your visitors.

You'll be able to educate people about your product, and increase your sales by showing them the benefits they'll get from purchasing from you.

2. Send excerpts of your ebook.

Increase your sales by showing your visitors firsthand the valuable information you have to offer them.

Simply string together excerpts of several or maybe just one chapter of your ebook, and then offer your autoresponder series to your visitors.

If you have an affiliate program, increase your sales by making this autoresponder series (as well as any email course you offer) available to your affiliates.

3. Publish an ezine.

With broadcast capable autoresponders, you'll be able to double opt in all your new subscribers and send out your issues on the schedule you want.

Promote your ezine on your site, and submit it to ezine directories and ezine announcement lists.

If you write articles, you can also get more new subscribers by using your resource box to promote your ezine.

You can also promote your ezine in your signature file and get more new subscribers through your day to day emails and also from your posts to discussion lists and forums that you're a member of.

4. Offer a sample issue.

Make one of your best, current ezine issues available by autoresponder.

Then offer it on your site, and also, when you can, include it along with your other ezine information when you submit your ezine to ezine directories.

5. Publish an article announcement list.

Get more ezine publishers and webmasters to publish your articles on a regular basis by creating a list that announces when you've written a new article or articles.

You'll be able to keep in touch with people that enjoy your writing, helping you to get your articles published more often and increase traffic to your site.

6. Make a training course available to your affiliates.

Offer a generic email training course that your affiliates can use to learn how to successfully promote your products and earn commissions.

Your affiliates will have a handy resource that they can print out and go back to again and again, and you'll be able to increase your profits by helping your affiliates get started on the right track.

If you want simple effective digital marketing e-courses that help you build authority, increase targeted traffic and build a social media following a rock-star would envy you need to click here now

6 Eye Grabbing Subject Lines

Your subject lines plays a crucial role in any email campaign ads whether you're using safelists, autoresponders, ezine solo ads or any opt-in list where email is involved. Your subject line will make or break your return on your investment so make sure you get their attention first.

Here are six headlines that have worked for me in the past which I'm sure will work for you too.  The technology will always change but peoples desire to succeed and curiousity will not.

1. Promote Your URL Here - Free!

For whatever reasons, I've had so much success using this subject line when promoting free classified sites, safelists, and those viral ad boards.

2. Hi, My name is Paul

This works simply because it raises prospects curiosity. I'm always a sucker for this subject line. Who's this Paul anyway? I've had succeess with this using ezine solo ads.

3. I need your help, please?

There's something about being a human, always wanting to help another human being, It's hard to explain, it just works.

4. Bob, I haven't received your shipping address yet.

What! my shipping address? why do you need my shipping address for. This particular subject line really piqued my interest. If you are sending post cards to your members or prospects, this will improve your sales especially if you personalize it.

5. How my site got listed #1 on Google, for free!

This one made several sales from Trafficswarm traffic exchange program when I was promoting an affiliate program about search engine e-book. Even made more sales with ezine solo ads using the same subject line.

6. Paul, Please accept my sincerest apology.

When I saw this subject line from an email, my first reaction was, "who/why/what are you sorry about?...huh?" Exactly it got my attention and my curiosity.  The sender was apologizing for not sending that email sooner which was about a new traffic exchange program. Good grief.

In conclusion, make your subject line so compelling that it's almost irresistible for your prospects not to open the email message.  If you can hypnotize your readers with cleaver subject lines, you are half way to making a sale. Also when  people can recognize where that email message came from, that will help getting your email message open as well. Don't use fake names, use your real name instead.

Of course, I am not recommending that you use any of these headlines if they are not true in relation to the content of the e-mail message. If you rely on deception in e-mail marketing, all you will do is tarnish your reputation
and your credibility.

10 Quick and Easy Steps To Building A HIGHLY Targeted And Responsive Opt-In List

We've all heard it that in order to stay in business online you need to build a Targeted 'Opt-In' list.

Well... I truly have to agree with that simply because this is where you'll always have a consistent source of FREE Targeted traffic(also referred to as 'Sticky Traffic') to promote your offers or related information to for years to come.

It just makes sense, wouldn't you say?

And, we all know that 'Email' is where the $MONEY$ is truly made when it comes to marketing your business online because it gives You the ability to Follow-Up your potential customers until they decide to buy from You.

But, the problem that usually takes place is that people don't know where to start when it comes to building there own targeted Opt-In list.

Now, for those of you that are new Internet marketing and don't know what a 'Opt-In' list is, here's a quick definition:

An 'Opt-In' list is simply a database of peoples Names and Email Addresses that have subscribed to an email list via a web form giving that list owner permission to send them periodic emails on the topic they are interested in.

Notice how I said, "giving that list owner permission to send them email".

When they subscribe to your Opt-In list they are giving You permission to send them offers or related information on the topic they are interested in, this is known as 'Permission Email Marketing'.

This is the ABSOLUTE safest form of email marketing where You won't get accused of 'SPAM'.

This is very important that You understand this from the beginning.

So, now that you have a clear idea in your mind of what an Opt-In list is and how it will benefit You and your business, I guess it's time to share with you the simple 'Ten Step Process' that I have put together for you on How-To build your own targeted Opt-In list that you can email your offers to at any given time for $Profit$.


Step #1. Pick your Target market or Niche.

This is a very important step because this is where you need to figure out who your target market is going to be for the Product or Service your going to offer.

So, for example, if I was interested in selling a book related to Internet Marketing, well then, my target market would be Internet Marketing related.

Step #2. Can your Target market or Niche be reach online?

This step is where you need to do a little research on whether or not your particular target market can be reached online.

In order to do this you need to do some keyword research using keywords related to your target market.

You can do this by using the Overture keyword research tool located at the URL I've provided below.

http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/

Simply type in the keywords related to your target market in the form provided.

This will give you a detailed history of how many searches have been made in the last 30 days on the keywords related to your target market.

As a general rule, if your targeted keywords aren't pulling in 15,000 or more searches per month, then this is a market I wouldn't pursue simply because there isn't much demand for it.

Step #3. Are they making money in this Niche?

This is where you need to do some research on your competition to see if people are spending any money in this Niche.

You can do this by going to Google at http://www.google.com and type in your targeted keywords related to your Niche in the form provided.

This will give you a list of search results.

Those results are your competition, but even more important, to the right you'll notice little ads.

These are paid ads offered through Google Adwords.

This means that somebody is willing to pay to advertise and is paying attention to this particular Niche and must be making money if they're willing to pay for advertising.

That's good news for you.

Step #4. Use Forums to find your Target markets problems.

Forums are a great place to find out exactly what your potential customers TOP problems are by simply scanning there posts and looking for the most common threads.

By doing this you'll be able to know right away what your target markets TOP problems are and how you can help solve there problem.

To find Forums related to your Niche simply visit Google http://www.google.com and type in your targeted keywords with '+ forums' after your keyword.(ex. internet marketing + forums)

Step #5. What's keeping them from getting what they want?

This is where you have to figure out whats keeping them from getting what they want in order to fix the problems they are dealing with, meaning, this is where you need to work with them to find a solution to there problems.

Whether its a Product they need or a Service of some sort.

Step #6. What can you offer them to solve there problems?

This is where the money is being spent.

Now, the only thing you need in order to receive your share of the revenue is a Product or Service that will solve your potential customers problem.

If you don't have a Product or Service of your own don't get discouraged.

I'm going to give you two resources where you can find products or services that You can become an affiliate for that are related to any Niche that will pay you a commission for every sale you make by simply referring your traffic to there website.

The two websites to visit are http://www.clickbank.com and http://www.associateprograms.com

Step #7. Set-Up a simple direct response mini-site.

Here is where you Set-Up your lead generating website with a Follow-Up System that your potential customers will come to and Opt-In to your list to start receiving offers or related information on the topic or problem they are having.

This is a very simple process to do and you can view my website as an example of how one would look.

http://www.internetwondersezine.com

If you don't know how to build your own website you can always hire someone to do it for you by going to... http://www.elance.com

Step #8. Get an Auto-Responder account.

This is where you'll be laying the foundation down for your list.

You MUST have an Auto-Responder account Set-Up before you make your mini-site go live because this is where your potential customers are going to come and submit there Name and Email Address so that you can start building a list to send your offers or related information to.

So, do not miss this important step.

Step #9. You need to figure out what 'Bait' to use.

What I mean by 'Bait' is... what are you going to offer them for FREE to get them to subscribe to your Opt-In list.

Here are some examples of what you can use as 'Bait': ebooks, special reports, mini-courses, coupons, etc.

These are the most common. It really depends on who you are targeting, so be creative.

Step #10. Reach out to your target market.

This is the part where you send traffic to your website in order to get subscribers.

I'm going to mention only two methods.

These methods are the most POWERFUL and for good reason, they work.

The first method is Writing Articles.

By Writing Articles your showing your target market that You are someone who knows how to help solve there problem and may have a possible solution for them.

This is the quickest way to build INSTANT credibility in your Niche.

The second method is to send targeted traffic to your mini-site through Pay-Per-Click search engines.

Pay-Per-Click search engines are where you bid on the keywords terms related to your target market and are listed according to the highest bid for that keyword term.

By using PPC search engines, it will get you infront of your target market Instantly.

Writing articles gives you INSTANT credibility and will put you infront of thousands of readers, and Pay-Per-Click search engines send you HIGHLY targeted traffic to your website within minutes depending on which PPC search engine you are using.

The More traffic you send to your website, the More subscribers you'll receive.

It's simply a numbers game.

Well... there you have it, "10 Quick and Easy Steps To Building A HIGHLY Targeted And Responsive Opt-In List".

Now... it's up to you to take the neccessary Action in order to get started with your own targeted Opt-In list.

If you already have an existing web business online simply implement the steps outlined above to your existing website.

These are the 10 basic steps required in order to get your Opt-In listing building started in the Right direction.

Simply follow them and you'll be on your way to receiving your first subscriber in No Time.

10 Quick and Easy Steps To Building A HIGHLY Targeted And Responsive Opt-In List

We've all heard it that in order to stay in business online you need to build a Targeted 'Opt-In' list.

Well... I truly have to agree with that simply because this is where you'll always have a consistent source of FREE Targeted traffic(also referred to as 'Sticky Traffic') to promote your offers or related information to for years to come.

It just makes sense, wouldn't you say?

And, we all know that 'Email' is where the $MONEY$ is truly made when it comes to marketing your business online because it gives You the ability to Follow-Up your potential customers until they decide to buy from You.

But, the problem that usually takes place is that people don't know where to start when it comes to building there own targeted Opt-In list.

Now, for those of you that are new Internet marketing and don't know what a 'Opt-In' list is, here's a quick definition:

An 'Opt-In' list is simply a database of peoples Names and Email Addresses that have subscribed to an email list via a web form giving that list owner permission to send them periodic emails on the topic they are interested in.

Notice how I said, "giving that list owner permission to send them email".

When they subscribe to your Opt-In list they are giving You permission to send them offers or related information on the topic they are interested in, this is known as 'Permission Email Marketing'.

This is the ABSOLUTE safest form of email marketing where You won't get accused of 'SPAM'.

This is very important that You understand this from the beginning.

So, now that you have a clear idea in your mind of what an Opt-In list is and how it will benefit You and your business, I guess it's time to share with you the simple 'Ten Step Process' that I have put together for you on How-To build your own targeted Opt-In list that you can email your offers to at any given time for $Profit$.


Step #1. Pick your Target market or Niche.

This is a very important step because this is where you need to figure out who your target market is going to be for the Product or Service your going to offer.

So, for example, if I was interested in selling a book related to Internet Marketing, well then, my target market would be Internet Marketing related.

Step #2. Can your Target market or Niche be reach online?

This step is where you need to do a little research on whether or not your particular target market can be reached online.

In order to do this you need to do some keyword research using keywords related to your target market.

You can do this by using the Overture keyword research tool located at the URL I've provided below.

http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/

Simply type in the keywords related to your target market in the form provided.

This will give you a detailed history of how many searches have been made in the last 30 days on the keywords related to your target market.

As a general rule, if your targeted keywords aren't pulling in 15,000 or more searches per month, then this is a market I wouldn't pursue simply because there isn't much demand for it.

Step #3. Are they making money in this Niche?

This is where you need to do some research on your competition to see if people are spending any money in this Niche.

You can do this by going to Google at http://www.google.com and type in your targeted keywords related to your Niche in the form provided.

This will give you a list of search results.

Those results are your competition, but even more important, to the right you'll notice little ads.

These are paid ads offered through Google Adwords.

This means that somebody is willing to pay to advertise and is paying attention to this particular Niche and must be making money if they're willing to pay for advertising.

That's good news for you.

Step #4. Use Forums to find your Target markets problems.

Forums are a great place to find out exactly what your potential customers TOP problems are by simply scanning there posts and looking for the most common threads.

By doing this you'll be able to know right away what your target markets TOP problems are and how you can help solve there problem.

To find Forums related to your Niche simply visit Google http://www.google.com and type in your targeted keywords with '+ forums' after your keyword.(ex. internet marketing + forums)

Step #5. What's keeping them from getting what they want?

This is where you have to figure out whats keeping them from getting what they want in order to fix the problems they are dealing with, meaning, this is where you need to work with them to find a solution to there problems.

Whether its a Product they need or a Service of some sort.

Step #6. What can you offer them to solve there problems?

This is where the money is being spent.

Now, the only thing you need in order to receive your share of the revenue is a Product or Service that will solve your potential customers problem.

If you don't have a Product or Service of your own don't get discouraged.

I'm going to give you two resources where you can find products or services that You can become an affiliate for that are related to any Niche that will pay you a commission for every sale you make by simply referring your traffic to there website.

The two websites to visit are http://www.clickbank.com and http://www.associateprograms.com

Step #7. Set-Up a simple direct response mini-site.

Here is where you Set-Up your lead generating website with a Follow-Up System that your potential customers will come to and Opt-In to your list to start receiving offers or related information on the topic or problem they are having.

This is a very simple process to do and you can view my website as an example of how one would look.

http://www.internetwondersezine.com

If you don't know how to build your own website you can always hire someone to do it for you by going to... http://www.elance.com

Step #8. Get an Auto-Responder account.

This is where you'll be laying the foundation down for your list.

You MUST have an Auto-Responder account Set-Up before you make your mini-site go live because this is where your potential customers are going to come and submit there Name and Email Address so that you can start building a list to send your offers or related information to.

So, do not miss this important step.

Step #9. You need to figure out what 'Bait' to use.

What I mean by 'Bait' is... what are you going to offer them for FREE to get them to subscribe to your Opt-In list.

Here are some examples of what you can use as 'Bait': ebooks, special reports, mini-courses, coupons, etc.

These are the most common. It really depends on who you are targeting, so be creative.

Step #10. Reach out to your target market.

This is the part where you send traffic to your website in order to get subscribers.

I'm going to mention only two methods.

These methods are the most POWERFUL and for good reason, they work.

The first method is Writing Articles.

By Writing Articles your showing your target market that You are someone who knows how to help solve there problem and may have a possible solution for them.

This is the quickest way to build INSTANT credibility in your Niche.

The second method is to send targeted traffic to your mini-site through Pay-Per-Click search engines.

Pay-Per-Click search engines are where you bid on the keywords terms related to your target market and are listed according to the highest bid for that keyword term.

By using PPC search engines, it will get you infront of your target market Instantly.

Writing articles gives you INSTANT credibility and will put you infront of thousands of readers, and Pay-Per-Click search engines send you HIGHLY targeted traffic to your website within minutes depending on which PPC search engine you are using.

The More traffic you send to your website, the More subscribers you'll receive.

It's simply a numbers game.

Well... there you have it, "10 Quick and Easy Steps To Building A HIGHLY Targeted And Responsive Opt-In List".

Now... it's up to you to take the necessary Action in order to get started with your own targeted Opt-In list.

If you already have an existing web business online simply implement the steps outlined above to your existing website.

These are the 10 basic steps required in order to get your Opt-In listing building started in the Right direction.

Simply follow them and you'll be on your way to receiving your first subscriber in No Time.

5 Surefire Tips for Effective Email Marketing

Over the past few years, research has continued to prove the benefits of e-mail marketing for business: low costs, high conversion rates and detailed tracking are all notable features. But e-mail marketing is becoming much more than just a tool for spammers and e-businesses. Consumers are becoming increasingly savvy on the differences between spam and permission-based emails, and more and more of them are accepting permission-based e-mail marketing as a positive replacement for direct mail.

The best news is that the majority of people who receive permission-based e-mails open, on average, 78% of them.

Jupiter Research reports effective email marketing campaigns can produce nine times the revenues and 18 times the profits of broadcast mailings. But crafting an effective business email is both an art and a science. Here is a list of factors, potential problems and effective solutions to keep in mind:

1. Spam! Spam! Spam! I don't need any Viagra!

The average consumer receives more than 300 emails a week, 62% of which are spam. No wonder there's such hostility towards the industry. But spam filters, bulk folders and "report spam" features are helping consumers become more at ease about the perils of spam. While 89% of users cited spam as a major concern in 2003, that number dropped to 85% in 2004, proportionally to an increase in the use of spam-fighting tools.

So as a permission-based business email marketer, what can you do? One tip is to remind your subscribers to add you to their "safe senders" list. The second, and most important, tactic is to make sure your email marketing service provider has a good relationship with ISPs. This will ensure that your email marketing campaigns go into your subscribers' inboxes, not their junk mail folders. When choosing an email marketing software, make sure the company has strict anti-spam policies and complies with the guidelines of Can-Spam.

2. Images and formatting: Why do my emails look broken?

Broken email campaigns are an increasing concern among email marketers, especially since several companies and web-based email providers now block graphics as a measure to combat spam. In fact, according to ClickZ, 40% of email marketing messages delivered to inboxes are "broken."

This was actually something that came up during Eliteweb's beta-testing phases, as we had a client in the Canadian Government whose recipients were mostly using highly secure email programs. The solution we came up has now become one of our key competitive advantages.

What Eliteweb does is it publishes every single email marketing campaign sent to a secure location on the web (a location only original recipients of the email can access, thanks to encrypted technology that automatically authenticates the user). The technology also ensures you can track your users' behaviors, even if they are reading your email campaign at the secure web location.

3. Personalization and relevant content: In a business e-mail, one size does not fit all.

In a recent study by DoubleClick, email users were 72% more likely to respond to a business e-mail if its content was based on the interests they had specified. That number points out the absolute importance of allowing users to choose their own interest groups and have control over which business e-mails they receive. The most popular interest categories, according to the study, are coupons and household goods.

But your coupon is no good unless the user opens the email. Users in the study said the most compelling reason for them to open a business email is the name in the "from" field. So it's a good idea to make sure your company name is clearly stated there. Another major factor is the "subject" line. Users cite discount offers and interesting news as the most compelling subject lines, followed by new product announcements and free shipping offers.

4. Click-through and conversion: Show me the money!

So the user has opened your email and read the content. Great. But where's the sale? There's good news here. For one, consumers are increasingly likely to make purchases as a direct result of a business email campaign. One-third of users in the DoubleClick study had purchased something by clicking a link on an email. Another 42% clicked on an email link for more information, then purchased the product at a later time. Second, online couponing is booming: 73% of consumers have redeemed an online coupon for an online purchase, and 59% have redeemed an online coupon offline.

In terms of industries, the top performers are travel, hardware/software, electronics, apparel, food, home furnishings, gifts/flowers and sporting goods. All companies sending business emails in those categories said between 71% and 80% of recipients have purchased their products because of an email campaign.

There's no need to fret if your company doesn't fit in to one of those industries. The overall landscape for email marketing conversions is looking brighter every day. The average click-to-purchase rate has increased nearly 30% since 2004 and the average orders-per-email-delivered rate has increased more than 18% since last year.

5. Stats tracking: who are my real consumers?

E-mail marketing is an increasingly popular tool in effective CRM, and it's about time more businesses recognize that. First off, if your provider's email services for business do not include detailed, real-time tracking, you're getting a raw deal. Real-time tracking is now an industry standard, and it's highly valuable, as it allows you to see the exact moment a user opens your campaign, clicks on your link and makes that purchase. Studying your users can help you improve your communications efforts, so each campaign performs better than the last (several email service providers also let you compare the performance of your campaigns).

But many marketers are still in the dark. According to a recent WebTrends research, only 5% of marketers are very confident in the measurement of their online marketing efforts, while 26% admit they're "flying blind." WebTrends says the low confidence comes from a lack of knowledge when it comes to measurement, which means there's still a lot of work to be done.

In email marketing, a blind shot won't take you very far. But if you aim properly by following these essential rules of play, you should soon be reaping the same major results as so many online and offline businesses.