Tampilkan postingan dengan label online business. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label online business. Tampilkan semua postingan
Selasa, 17 Januari 2012
Good Online Business Ideas – Four factors that you should consider
Many people sometime in their lifetime consider starting a business of their own. Lately, these entrepreneurs at heart tend to resort to the internet as the medium for their businesses. Unfortunately, most of them fail drastically. The reason for that most of these people fail is not lack of effort, knowledge or business background; it is their business plan. Some of these eager individuals are so enthusiastic about their new quest, that they forget to stop and come up with a plan. Now, I don’t recommend you over-plan things to the extent that your idea will sound impossible. But do consider whether or not your business idea has the following parameters.
First of all, your idea has to be something that excites you and drives you. You have to be completely passionate about what you want to do in order to be successful at it. It is very hard to find a successful entrepreneur that doesn’t like what he is doing. When you think of a business idea, consider whether you would be happy doing that for the rest of your life. Is your investment buying you freedom or is it buying you a job? It is interesting to me to see the number of people that invest their life savings in a business that doesn’t appeal to them; you see them buying franchises to become professional burger flippers, pizza toppers and chicken fryers, and they slave away firing manager after manager in order to make their business successful.
Once you have found an idea that sounds exciting, you should try to determine whether you can afford to carry it out. In this stage of the process it is necessary to find out how much will it cost to launch the business, but most importantly, how much it would cost to keep the business running. At first it is very likely that you will not be profitable; you have to make sure you have enough capital to run the business for at least two or three months without making a penny. It pays to be pessimistic when it comes to this. You should find out whether you are going to need partners, investors or creditors in order to finance your operation.
Another point to consider is how much work (labor) will take to keep the business running. If you are going to require a customer service department, or shipping department, then you must see how many people you will need to employ. This will be closely related to the budget aspect of your business plan; the more people necessary to run the operation, then the more money you will need to start out.
Last, but not least you must consider the most important aspect of all –the one you have no control over: time. Do you have the time to manage your business or will you have to hire somebody else to manage it? The more time your business takes out of you, then the less time you will have to start another venture.
In conclusion, you want a business idea that drives you, something that is within your budget, it doesn’t take too much labor to keep it running and it is time friendly. Only with a business model like this will you be able to succeed online.
Jumat, 06 Januari 2012
Making Money on the Internet: Planning an Online Business
With the Internet growing at a very rapid pace, there is today, more than ever, an abundance of opportunities to make money. The lure of such plentiful opportunity is drawing hundreds of thousands to quit their regular jobs and start their own online businesses. By establishing their own venture, they hope to make money on the worldwide web.
You should consider starting your own venture as well, but perhaps you should be more circumspect about it than other people. Too many people begin an online business and later abandon it, usually because it has become tedious and is not making any money. To avoid this, you will want to engage in some careful planning. Planning may seem like a lot of work in the beginning, but it has the potential to save you years of hard, unproductive work.
Before you begin, clarify in your mind exactly what you want to accomplish. Your goals will determine the path that you will take, so you should think over what is important to you. For instance, if your immediate concern is paying the bills, then quitting your day job should not be an option for you. Online businesses usually take a period of time before they “take off” and make money. So if you are in immediate financial straits, don’t expect your online business to provide the solution. It would be better to work on it on a part-time basis. If, however, your goal is to be financially self-sufficient in a few years, that is something that an online business can help you with.
Your first online business must be immediately related to something that you love. This is to ensure that you are able and willing to work on it in your spare time. If your business is something that tires you or bores you, you are in the wrong business. A majority of businesses fail during the first two years after inception, mostly because its owners are no longer willing to put in the work needed to make it grow. By picking an area in which you have a natural affection and aptitude in, you will increase the chances of making your online business more than just passing fancy.
Take advantage of the numerous ideas available today. Successful businesses are usually those who take an idea and apply them at opportune times. If you perceive a specific need in the market that is not being filled, proceed to attempt and fill that need. Your idea does not necessarily have to be original to be successful; you can also borrow ideas from a variety of fields and apply them wherever you think appropriate .
Operating an internet business online will not be easy. Like any other business, you will need to work hard and long to make it viable. However, by taking the time to think and organize your thoughts from the very beginning, you will find that your subsequent tasks become simpler. Be prepared, and you cannot fail to succeed.
Minggu, 19 Juni 2011
Why is selling information so profitable?
We live in the era of information. Something that characterizes this period of time is that humanity increasingly seeks knowledge. People want to know how to solve their problems. They turn to the internet to find a solution. They read books, attend seminaries, take courses and study to improve and develop their knowledge about certain field or they overall cultural and intellectual skills.
This is the era of the intellectual. One of the best things you can own is intellectual property. People turn to the Internet to find specialized knowledge about specific topics. They are starving for information. Those who can provide them a solution to their problems may capitalize on it and make literally fortunes.
Informational products are in high demand today. Combine that with the fact that shipping, production and distribution costs for these products are virtually nonexisting for these products. Also some intangible goods that are traded on the Internet today are still overpriced compared with their tangible counterparts.
This is because many products are sold based on people’s emotions. They need to pay before they can see what they get. It has being said that selling e-books is one of the most profitable Internet businesses that you can start. You can self publish your e-books and own everything: the copyright, the publishing and most of the royalties.
There have never being a better time to become an author than now. You don’t have to struggle to find a publisher who will accept your books. You can write it, launch it and see what happens all by yourself, within days.
You can also sell software, computer games, courses, seminaries, etc. All information products are welcome on the Online business world. People do not like to get sold. In the other hand, they find occasionally a product that meets their quality standards and promises to solve their problems, so they give it a try.
This happens everyday. Millions of informational products are sold all over the Internet. This is a multi-billion industry. E-books and software are two of the most purchased products online. People spend lots of money on information. The market is still open for new entrepreneurs because thousands of people join the World Wide Web every day.
As you can see this is one of the most profitable products that you can sell. The great thing is that it is also one of the easiest to create. Now, the question is how do you create those products and start cashing in on this multi-billion industry? If you read my other articles you will find detailed information about this topic.
EasyWebRiches © 2006
This is the era of the intellectual. One of the best things you can own is intellectual property. People turn to the Internet to find specialized knowledge about specific topics. They are starving for information. Those who can provide them a solution to their problems may capitalize on it and make literally fortunes.
Informational products are in high demand today. Combine that with the fact that shipping, production and distribution costs for these products are virtually nonexisting for these products. Also some intangible goods that are traded on the Internet today are still overpriced compared with their tangible counterparts.
This is because many products are sold based on people’s emotions. They need to pay before they can see what they get. It has being said that selling e-books is one of the most profitable Internet businesses that you can start. You can self publish your e-books and own everything: the copyright, the publishing and most of the royalties.
There have never being a better time to become an author than now. You don’t have to struggle to find a publisher who will accept your books. You can write it, launch it and see what happens all by yourself, within days.
You can also sell software, computer games, courses, seminaries, etc. All information products are welcome on the Online business world. People do not like to get sold. In the other hand, they find occasionally a product that meets their quality standards and promises to solve their problems, so they give it a try.
This happens everyday. Millions of informational products are sold all over the Internet. This is a multi-billion industry. E-books and software are two of the most purchased products online. People spend lots of money on information. The market is still open for new entrepreneurs because thousands of people join the World Wide Web every day.
As you can see this is one of the most profitable products that you can sell. The great thing is that it is also one of the easiest to create. Now, the question is how do you create those products and start cashing in on this multi-billion industry? If you read my other articles you will find detailed information about this topic.
EasyWebRiches © 2006
Kamis, 09 Juni 2011
How To Have Your Own Online Business
So you've decided to have an online business. Before you start having those big cash flow dreams, stop and get some tips for having an online business. There are many internet information resources for doing this sort of thing. However, the basic tips for an online business are very close to those of a traditional business. Here are some basics:
• Write a business plan and revise that plan periodically. Your business plan should be thought of as a living document. As with any business, you will initially find out what works and what does not work and will have to change your plan accordingly.
• Be very careful about buying webspace and pre-packaged website templates for your business (the “we will build your website” people). You'll find that down the road it will be difficult to change the site plus get source code to it. You are better off outsourcing the web design with a freelancer and purchasing your own domain and installing the site yourself.
• Make sure you follow all security measures when running a site that accepts credit cards for purchases.
• If you expect to receive a lot of phone calls, you may want to consider hiring an answering service.
• Run your online business like a business. You will need to discipline yourself with working hours to take care of all offsite matters because you will have them. A lot of people make the mistake of treating their internet business merely as a website, which can be very detrimental because running an online business requires an approach that you would have with an offline business.
• Your marketing plan needs to include search engine optimization (SEO). This is important because you want your site to rank in the top 10 of search engine query results. You would be wise to study SEO techniques or hire the services of a SEO consultant.
• Some other marketing ideas include posting your web address on the back windshield of your vehicle or coordinating with other websites to include a backlink to your site. Word of mouth is always one of the best tools for advertising your site. With the advent of Google Adword, Overture and other similar advertising, it is possible to drive targeted traffic to your site by finding keywords that have very low bids. You will be able to measure your conversion ratio of such traffic with sales in realtime.
Customer service is even more critical as customers do not “see” you and building trust with them is a little harder. Performance builds trust.
• Write a business plan and revise that plan periodically. Your business plan should be thought of as a living document. As with any business, you will initially find out what works and what does not work and will have to change your plan accordingly.
• Be very careful about buying webspace and pre-packaged website templates for your business (the “we will build your website” people). You'll find that down the road it will be difficult to change the site plus get source code to it. You are better off outsourcing the web design with a freelancer and purchasing your own domain and installing the site yourself.
• Make sure you follow all security measures when running a site that accepts credit cards for purchases.
• If you expect to receive a lot of phone calls, you may want to consider hiring an answering service.
• Run your online business like a business. You will need to discipline yourself with working hours to take care of all offsite matters because you will have them. A lot of people make the mistake of treating their internet business merely as a website, which can be very detrimental because running an online business requires an approach that you would have with an offline business.
• Your marketing plan needs to include search engine optimization (SEO). This is important because you want your site to rank in the top 10 of search engine query results. You would be wise to study SEO techniques or hire the services of a SEO consultant.
• Some other marketing ideas include posting your web address on the back windshield of your vehicle or coordinating with other websites to include a backlink to your site. Word of mouth is always one of the best tools for advertising your site. With the advent of Google Adword, Overture and other similar advertising, it is possible to drive targeted traffic to your site by finding keywords that have very low bids. You will be able to measure your conversion ratio of such traffic with sales in realtime.
Customer service is even more critical as customers do not “see” you and building trust with them is a little harder. Performance builds trust.
Minggu, 17 April 2011
Which Product should you sell on Internet?
If you sell or intend to sell on the web, with your website or on ebay, you must sell digital info products, like ebooks, software...
Do you now what the best product to sell on the Internet today?
You may have your own home business, with or without success, but now, you do not have time to spend with your family, friends, because you can' t move from your computer, waiting for customers queries, taking care about shipping, orders...
This is what I have just discovered in a unique video tutorial program ( you will not find this anywhere). You must sell an INFO PRODUCT.
Well, you may ask what the heck is INFO PRODUCT.
INFO PRODUCT is THE product to sell on the Internet
Why INFO PRODUCTS?
Because it is what Internet surfers want: Informations, informations and informations! You will have more benefits with INFO PRODUCT than any other product! Those are YOUR benefits with an INFO PRODUCT:
Low cost to create. It is fast and easy to create. You have an unlimited inventory. You do not need to manufacture. It is delivered automatically because it is a digital product.
You just create it, then upload it, and you have now your product ready to deliver and be transformed in a money machine.
This is what we will call your ASSET.
Now the customer benefits:
The product he ordered is delivered immediately on his desktop
and ready to use. He doesn't need to go out from home. Most of the prospects on the Internet are impulsive buyers, they want it know and tomorrow will be too late. There are many others benefits...
Where can you find info products?
The best of all is that those info products, you can find them in yourself, for instance, you have a passion, something that you learned. You can transform that knowledge into an Ebook. Let' see now some type of info product:
You could sell an e book, or an audio product, or a video product.
Do not forget, that step is crucial:
You must have an USP to succeed.
Well, you want to know... It is your Unique Selling Proposition. I mean that it will be your product, your unique proposition to the prospects. That will really make the difference.
I hope that you enjoyed the first lesson, and that all those
benefits will make your Internet marketer life better.
Do you now what the best product to sell on the Internet today?
You may have your own home business, with or without success, but now, you do not have time to spend with your family, friends, because you can' t move from your computer, waiting for customers queries, taking care about shipping, orders...
This is what I have just discovered in a unique video tutorial program ( you will not find this anywhere). You must sell an INFO PRODUCT.
Well, you may ask what the heck is INFO PRODUCT.
INFO PRODUCT is THE product to sell on the Internet
Why INFO PRODUCTS?
Because it is what Internet surfers want: Informations, informations and informations! You will have more benefits with INFO PRODUCT than any other product! Those are YOUR benefits with an INFO PRODUCT:
Low cost to create. It is fast and easy to create. You have an unlimited inventory. You do not need to manufacture. It is delivered automatically because it is a digital product.
You just create it, then upload it, and you have now your product ready to deliver and be transformed in a money machine.
This is what we will call your ASSET.
Now the customer benefits:
The product he ordered is delivered immediately on his desktop
and ready to use. He doesn't need to go out from home. Most of the prospects on the Internet are impulsive buyers, they want it know and tomorrow will be too late. There are many others benefits...
Where can you find info products?
The best of all is that those info products, you can find them in yourself, for instance, you have a passion, something that you learned. You can transform that knowledge into an Ebook. Let' see now some type of info product:
You could sell an e book, or an audio product, or a video product.
Do not forget, that step is crucial:
You must have an USP to succeed.
Well, you want to know... It is your Unique Selling Proposition. I mean that it will be your product, your unique proposition to the prospects. That will really make the difference.
I hope that you enjoyed the first lesson, and that all those
benefits will make your Internet marketer life better.
Senin, 28 Maret 2011
Making a Website Work For You
Making the decision to start a home business and to make money online is a step in the right direction but the next important step is in learning how to promote your website so people will drop by your site, browse, like what they see and will return again and again. By working at home your ultimate goal is to attract an audience and have customers eager to purchase the products you have for sale.
Keep in mind that when people go on the Internet to search for information, they are looking for speedy results. Do not keep anyone waiting with a slow output. In other words, make sure your website has the ability to download as swiftly as possible. Patience is not a virtue known to exist for cyber seekers! It is highly recommended that you ensure that your website has a size of less than 30K. A website should have the ability to download in approximately a matter of 8 seconds (and no more than that) with the help of a 56K modem. You can make your website as elaborate or as basic in design as you wish just guarantee that it is fast so you won't have to worry about chasing any would-be customers away.
Now it is time to grab the attention of your audience once you get them to your web page. Web searchers are likely to scan your page looking for what interests them most. Their eyes will immediately pick up on headlines, subheadings and words highlighted in bold print. The number one rule when attempting to promote a website is to always keep your audience, and their specific needs in mind. This is of paramount importance. Visitors to your site want to know what you have to offer them in particular and if they don't find it, they will go elsewhere. Let people know immediately what the purpose of your website is and then inform them of how you can be of service to them. They came to your site for a reason after all- so let your message shine through loud and clear!
Two other important ways to promote your website include providing plenty of free advice/ information on your site, for example in the form of tips as well as some customer testimonials, and starting an e-mail campaign to convince potential customers to become buying customers. Have a place on your site where customers can fill in their e-mail address so you can keep them up to date on what is happening at your site. Offering a freebie of some sort would also work as a terrific incentive to encourage customers.
http://www.thatswise.com/free/lessons/money_making_web.html
Keep in mind that when people go on the Internet to search for information, they are looking for speedy results. Do not keep anyone waiting with a slow output. In other words, make sure your website has the ability to download as swiftly as possible. Patience is not a virtue known to exist for cyber seekers! It is highly recommended that you ensure that your website has a size of less than 30K. A website should have the ability to download in approximately a matter of 8 seconds (and no more than that) with the help of a 56K modem. You can make your website as elaborate or as basic in design as you wish just guarantee that it is fast so you won't have to worry about chasing any would-be customers away.
Now it is time to grab the attention of your audience once you get them to your web page. Web searchers are likely to scan your page looking for what interests them most. Their eyes will immediately pick up on headlines, subheadings and words highlighted in bold print. The number one rule when attempting to promote a website is to always keep your audience, and their specific needs in mind. This is of paramount importance. Visitors to your site want to know what you have to offer them in particular and if they don't find it, they will go elsewhere. Let people know immediately what the purpose of your website is and then inform them of how you can be of service to them. They came to your site for a reason after all- so let your message shine through loud and clear!
Two other important ways to promote your website include providing plenty of free advice/ information on your site, for example in the form of tips as well as some customer testimonials, and starting an e-mail campaign to convince potential customers to become buying customers. Have a place on your site where customers can fill in their e-mail address so you can keep them up to date on what is happening at your site. Offering a freebie of some sort would also work as a terrific incentive to encourage customers.
http://www.thatswise.com/free/lessons/money_making_web.html
Kamis, 25 November 2010
How To Start An Online Business
Starting off a fresh online business may seem intimidating at times, especially to the greenhorns in the field of Internet. However, with a planned approach and diligent effort, the procedure may well boil down to a much easier chore. Here I present the first in a series of articles that will assist you to establish a strong online presence. Unequivocally, there are four ways that you could commence your online business, and they are as follows:-
a) Start from scratch – You can formulate your own product or service to sell. You might be enticed to follow other eminent businesses and develop a similar product to theirs. However, nothing sells better than a novel concept. So, try carrying out a preliminary market research in order to feel the pulse of the market. This would enable you to establish a healthy customer base, which is critical to boosting your online business.
b) Start away with affiliate marketing – If you are on a shoestring budget and cannot develop your own product from scratch, then affiliate marketing is a viable option for you. You can market the products of a well-renowned company through affiliate programs. The company would typically dole out commissions on each sale accomplished by you.
c) Start an online business by reselling – You can buy hot selling products at wholesale prices from a well established organization. Then onwards you can sell them at retail by promoting them at your website.
d) Start an online venture via direct sales – You may become an affiliate of a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) company. You can market their products and earn commission on sales accomplished by you. Affiliates signup through an existing member, who is typically placed above them in the distributor hierarchy. That is, the sponsor earns higher commission than a fresh entrant.
An online business can be quite lucrative if planned with discretion. In general, astute investments do pay heavy returns. It is imperative that you realize the importance of choosing a viable online business. The choice of an online business should be made, bearing in mind the resources in hand and the existing business milieu.
a) Start from scratch – You can formulate your own product or service to sell. You might be enticed to follow other eminent businesses and develop a similar product to theirs. However, nothing sells better than a novel concept. So, try carrying out a preliminary market research in order to feel the pulse of the market. This would enable you to establish a healthy customer base, which is critical to boosting your online business.
b) Start away with affiliate marketing – If you are on a shoestring budget and cannot develop your own product from scratch, then affiliate marketing is a viable option for you. You can market the products of a well-renowned company through affiliate programs. The company would typically dole out commissions on each sale accomplished by you.
c) Start an online business by reselling – You can buy hot selling products at wholesale prices from a well established organization. Then onwards you can sell them at retail by promoting them at your website.
d) Start an online venture via direct sales – You may become an affiliate of a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) company. You can market their products and earn commission on sales accomplished by you. Affiliates signup through an existing member, who is typically placed above them in the distributor hierarchy. That is, the sponsor earns higher commission than a fresh entrant.
An online business can be quite lucrative if planned with discretion. In general, astute investments do pay heavy returns. It is imperative that you realize the importance of choosing a viable online business. The choice of an online business should be made, bearing in mind the resources in hand and the existing business milieu.
Minggu, 17 Oktober 2010
Five New Trends In Increasing Website Exposure
It is not the same old Internet anymore as far as marketing goes. There are new ways to promote your website that will benefit you by adding extra cash in your pocket. Read about the five new methods of Internet marketing that people are using to drive customers to their website. The basic concept that “content is king” along with correct keyword usage is the way to go. You will not regret using these new ways of marketing.
The number one Internet marketing plan for drawing customers into your website is the use of a blog. A blog is a continual updated online journal on your personal views or news related subject matters. People that read your blog are constantly aware of your ideas and thoughts, especially those concerning your business and products. The benefit of promoting your company through a blog is the fact that the search engines love blogs. Fresh new content and a few good keywords thrown in will push you higher up on the engine rankings. People will see it and more customers will click to your site.
In your blog, be sure to add valuable customer information such as product information, or business advice. This draws customer interest. In addition, other bloggers may wish to link with to your blog site, and you can draw in customers from their blogs. That will continually feed your ranking and over time; customer loyalty backed by trust will drive your website and feed new customers into your email. However, without RSS feeds, Really Simple Syndication, your blog may be doomed to fail. RSS feeds work by aggregating the information and outlay it to the customer. The customer will need to have a web browser or special software that can read RSS feeds. Most any information is fed into an RSS feed. The good thing about using a web blog with a RSS Feed is that often your information gets to the news media. A well-written blog with timely advice and resources lends you as creditable in your business area. Be prepared, you could have a reporter knocking at your door.
Another area in which you can spice up your website is with the use of PHP coding. One of the drawbacks to using an RSS feed is that because it is a dynamic page – the spiders will not catch it quick. For example, if it has to wait too long to index it with the code intact, it will just move on. There are things you can do to work with the PHP language, and it will benefit you to learn how to do it. At least with the PHP, you can make your pages on the site look like HTML files. Do not forget to use the idea of text links too. Links to other great sites is a new advertising trend you can use for more website exposure. With SEO, Search Engine Optimization, companies use text link marketing to get their site into the higher rankings. You can use auctions where you bid only on what you think you need, or through a brokerage, you can buy and sell text links. Just like with banners you can change exchange links too.
Bookmark technology and ways to use them has come a long way. Most agree that getting someone to bookmark your site will lead to future sales. People rarely ask for a customer bookmark their site though. There are software programs that you can use to make book marking a snap. All you have to do is to provide a link and your customers can bookmark easily. Some Java script software will automatically bookmark your site for your customer. There is a small fee involved for you. A simple “Please bookmark this site” button is often enough to get the customer to bookmark. Certain software will also add a special icon when the customer saves the site. This makes it easy to standout from the other bookmarked sites. Pop-ups help you to get your customer to bookmark too. New ingenuous software will remind your customer to bookmark as they are leaving, and even to bookmark with their permission.
The Internet is a dynamic marketing experience. In addition, the better you are at implementing its new marketing tools – the more profits you will make. So learn all you can about these five tips on new marketing trends and go grab some lifetime customers.
The number one Internet marketing plan for drawing customers into your website is the use of a blog. A blog is a continual updated online journal on your personal views or news related subject matters. People that read your blog are constantly aware of your ideas and thoughts, especially those concerning your business and products. The benefit of promoting your company through a blog is the fact that the search engines love blogs. Fresh new content and a few good keywords thrown in will push you higher up on the engine rankings. People will see it and more customers will click to your site.
In your blog, be sure to add valuable customer information such as product information, or business advice. This draws customer interest. In addition, other bloggers may wish to link with to your blog site, and you can draw in customers from their blogs. That will continually feed your ranking and over time; customer loyalty backed by trust will drive your website and feed new customers into your email. However, without RSS feeds, Really Simple Syndication, your blog may be doomed to fail. RSS feeds work by aggregating the information and outlay it to the customer. The customer will need to have a web browser or special software that can read RSS feeds. Most any information is fed into an RSS feed. The good thing about using a web blog with a RSS Feed is that often your information gets to the news media. A well-written blog with timely advice and resources lends you as creditable in your business area. Be prepared, you could have a reporter knocking at your door.
Another area in which you can spice up your website is with the use of PHP coding. One of the drawbacks to using an RSS feed is that because it is a dynamic page – the spiders will not catch it quick. For example, if it has to wait too long to index it with the code intact, it will just move on. There are things you can do to work with the PHP language, and it will benefit you to learn how to do it. At least with the PHP, you can make your pages on the site look like HTML files. Do not forget to use the idea of text links too. Links to other great sites is a new advertising trend you can use for more website exposure. With SEO, Search Engine Optimization, companies use text link marketing to get their site into the higher rankings. You can use auctions where you bid only on what you think you need, or through a brokerage, you can buy and sell text links. Just like with banners you can change exchange links too.
Bookmark technology and ways to use them has come a long way. Most agree that getting someone to bookmark your site will lead to future sales. People rarely ask for a customer bookmark their site though. There are software programs that you can use to make book marking a snap. All you have to do is to provide a link and your customers can bookmark easily. Some Java script software will automatically bookmark your site for your customer. There is a small fee involved for you. A simple “Please bookmark this site” button is often enough to get the customer to bookmark. Certain software will also add a special icon when the customer saves the site. This makes it easy to standout from the other bookmarked sites. Pop-ups help you to get your customer to bookmark too. New ingenuous software will remind your customer to bookmark as they are leaving, and even to bookmark with their permission.
The Internet is a dynamic marketing experience. In addition, the better you are at implementing its new marketing tools – the more profits you will make. So learn all you can about these five tips on new marketing trends and go grab some lifetime customers.
Minggu, 05 September 2010
Earning an Income Online - The Smart Way!
Many people come online for the sole purpose of seeking out a way to earn an income online? Can it be done, seriously? Of course it can.
Thousands of people are doing just that. You can find lots of tutorials out there (free and paid) that give you the nuts and bolts about earning an income online.
I'm going to go a somewhat different direction in this article.
What many people try to do is set up their business like a traditional business. Perhaps they want to have consulting service. If they are graphics designers, they set up a graphics shop. If they are gardeners, they set up a gardening service online.
But there are a few problem with the traditional approach.
* No momentum. You stop putting in effort. Business dries up. No one really cares if you're gone. There's always someone else ready and eager to take your place in the niche.
* You have to do it all - all the time. Each new client needs to be given your full time and devotion.
You should consider enhancing your business with methods and tools that will let you overcome these two problems.
You may have heard that you should start building a list of people who desire to receive your emails.
The reason you want to do this is so they can buy your products or service you have for sale. Additionly, if you do it correctly, you'll build relationships with people on your list.
This in turn will let you not only sell to them, but open opportunities, perhaps, joint ventures, or help you solve a problem, etc.
Here are a few recommendations for doing this the right way:
#1 - Use a good sequential autoresponder to automate and manage your list. There are a few good autoresponder services available. Two of the more popular are:
Aweber http://www.trinale.com/recommends/aweber.php
GetResponse http://www.trinale.com/recommends/getresponse.php
If you want total control, you can purchase the software, install and maintain your list on your own server. I personally use:
AutoResponse Plus http://www.trinale.com/recommends/arp.php
#2 - Create or get rights to an autoresponder series that combines both information and a sales pitch for a single product. Don't mix up a lot of different products or you'll dilute the power of repetition.
If you're no good at it or if you are nervous about writing, you may have to farm out the task. You can go to a website like Elance to find someone willing to work with you at very reasonable rates.
Freelance Writing http://www.freelancewriting.com/elance/
The autoresponse series automates the building of a relationship between you and the people on your list. Once it concludes, you can either start it all over again, or you can simply send them periodic emails that relate to the same topic.
Advanced hint: you can combine several series sequentially. For example, emails 1 - 5 could be about product #1. Email 6 could tell what you just covered and set up Emails 7 through 15 that could sell product #2. Email 16 could set up selling product #3 and so forth.
#3 - Sign up with various affiliate programs that YOU have reason to like. It is a must that you respect these programs or it will come back to bite you in the long run. Your credibility is at stake so do your homework here. Now as you sign up for these, you can incorporate them into your AR series.
#4 - Similar to #3, sign up for various multi-level programs. Again, make sure you like and respect them or your credibility is sure to suffer. The beauty of these programs is that you begin to leverage the work of those who sign up under you (your downline). If you attract go-getters, this can pave your way to a very impressive passive income.
Once you have at least the first two items in place, you can now start promoting your site. You'll need to come up with reasons for people to sign up for your ezine, but that subject (copywriting) is beyond the scope of this article, and we'll cover it soon in another email.
As people sign up for your list, they'll start receiving your series. You won't have to mail them individually. They'll just plug themselves in and the system does the rest.
The power of this system is that while you do a good deal of work to get it set up, once it is set up, you should have very little to do, other than to tweak it here and there to make it perform better.
With the time you will eventually get, you be more able to promote your site. And as people get into your funnel, you start making money.
Then you can begin tweaking your sales copy, increasing the effectiveness of your ads, and more.
Do this and you'll enhance your business far beyond the traditional ways. You'll generate momentum that persists even if you take some time off, you'll automate the building of relationships with members of your list, and you'll be able to build on what you've got.
Thousands of people are doing just that. You can find lots of tutorials out there (free and paid) that give you the nuts and bolts about earning an income online.
I'm going to go a somewhat different direction in this article.
What many people try to do is set up their business like a traditional business. Perhaps they want to have consulting service. If they are graphics designers, they set up a graphics shop. If they are gardeners, they set up a gardening service online.
But there are a few problem with the traditional approach.
* No momentum. You stop putting in effort. Business dries up. No one really cares if you're gone. There's always someone else ready and eager to take your place in the niche.
* You have to do it all - all the time. Each new client needs to be given your full time and devotion.
You should consider enhancing your business with methods and tools that will let you overcome these two problems.
You may have heard that you should start building a list of people who desire to receive your emails.
The reason you want to do this is so they can buy your products or service you have for sale. Additionly, if you do it correctly, you'll build relationships with people on your list.
This in turn will let you not only sell to them, but open opportunities, perhaps, joint ventures, or help you solve a problem, etc.
Here are a few recommendations for doing this the right way:
#1 - Use a good sequential autoresponder to automate and manage your list. There are a few good autoresponder services available. Two of the more popular are:
Aweber http://www.trinale.com/recommends/aweber.php
GetResponse http://www.trinale.com/recommends/getresponse.php
If you want total control, you can purchase the software, install and maintain your list on your own server. I personally use:
AutoResponse Plus http://www.trinale.com/recommends/arp.php
#2 - Create or get rights to an autoresponder series that combines both information and a sales pitch for a single product. Don't mix up a lot of different products or you'll dilute the power of repetition.
If you're no good at it or if you are nervous about writing, you may have to farm out the task. You can go to a website like Elance to find someone willing to work with you at very reasonable rates.
Freelance Writing http://www.freelancewriting.com/elance/
The autoresponse series automates the building of a relationship between you and the people on your list. Once it concludes, you can either start it all over again, or you can simply send them periodic emails that relate to the same topic.
Advanced hint: you can combine several series sequentially. For example, emails 1 - 5 could be about product #1. Email 6 could tell what you just covered and set up Emails 7 through 15 that could sell product #2. Email 16 could set up selling product #3 and so forth.
#3 - Sign up with various affiliate programs that YOU have reason to like. It is a must that you respect these programs or it will come back to bite you in the long run. Your credibility is at stake so do your homework here. Now as you sign up for these, you can incorporate them into your AR series.
#4 - Similar to #3, sign up for various multi-level programs. Again, make sure you like and respect them or your credibility is sure to suffer. The beauty of these programs is that you begin to leverage the work of those who sign up under you (your downline). If you attract go-getters, this can pave your way to a very impressive passive income.
Once you have at least the first two items in place, you can now start promoting your site. You'll need to come up with reasons for people to sign up for your ezine, but that subject (copywriting) is beyond the scope of this article, and we'll cover it soon in another email.
As people sign up for your list, they'll start receiving your series. You won't have to mail them individually. They'll just plug themselves in and the system does the rest.
The power of this system is that while you do a good deal of work to get it set up, once it is set up, you should have very little to do, other than to tweak it here and there to make it perform better.
With the time you will eventually get, you be more able to promote your site. And as people get into your funnel, you start making money.
Then you can begin tweaking your sales copy, increasing the effectiveness of your ads, and more.
Do this and you'll enhance your business far beyond the traditional ways. You'll generate momentum that persists even if you take some time off, you'll automate the building of relationships with members of your list, and you'll be able to build on what you've got.
Selasa, 17 Agustus 2010
Do You Have the Winning Mindset to Earn Money Online Successfully
Many have asked me what the key to earning money online successfully is. This is not an easy question to answer in terms of what you can do to earn money online. There are a thousand and one ways to earn money online successfully but are they really the keys to success? Unfortunately, the methods to earn money online are less significant than the mindset behind it.
What really differentiates the winning online marketers from the losing is very much not what they do but what drives them in their actions. Anyone can try and experiment with a myriad of ways to earn money online but ultimately without a winning mindset, they will never succeed.
Then what are the qualities of a winning mindset to earn money online successfully? Well, the following are considered the key pillars of a winning mindset.
1. Desire.
The fuel to succeed online is pretty much fired by what you want to gain in the end. What do you want to achieve in the end? Is it financial freedom? Or do you to want to have more time to spend with your family? Maybe you don’t want to be very rich; you just want to earn a little extra income to lift the financial burden of the family. Or maybe you hate your job and you hate your boss and you hope to one day “fire” him and be your own boss. Whatever the reason may be, you must have a strong desire to earn money online successfully, because this is what determines your motivation and is the main source of your strength. So know what you want to achieve in the end and let this be the fuel of your success.
2. Focus
There are truckloads of ways to earn money online. You can be an affiliate marketer and sell other people’s products. You can join an online MLM business opportunity and build your income from there. You can even offer your own services or products to others for a price. But whichever method you choose, it all comes down to focusing your efforts.
From the moment you step into the world of earning money online, you expose yourself to a myriad of business opportunities. They come fast and hard and they never seem to stop. Every day, there can be a new business opportunity to earn money online that seems like the “next big thing”. And you will be tempted to “jump in before it is too late”. But the sad truth is, business opportunities will never run out, but the amount of time we have will. Each of us only has 24 hours a day and we can only do so much. What you need to earn money online successfully is not to jump in on the “next big thing” but to focus on “this big thing”. You do not need so many “big things”, you only need one. So focus your efforts on what you set your sight on and give it your best. You will not regret it.
3. Patience
Many people who first begin to try to earn money online believe that they can do it fast and easy. They think that if they try something that promises them that they will earn money online successfully, they can do it in a few days to a few weeks. And if they do not succeed, the method is wrong and they give up. Sadly, this is not how it works. It is true that there are plenty of scams out there that only want to cheat you of your hard-earned cash. However, most of the time, the reason for failure is simply the lack of patience. Gathering knowledge and applying it is a necessity to earn money online. All these take time and nothing comes without it. Be patient with what you believe in and your efforts will be rewarded.
4. Willingness to take massive action and commit consistently
Finally, armed with a flaming desire to succeed, laser targeted focus on your objective and a rock-solid patience to carry it to the end, you still need the last crucial ingredient to success. You need to take HUGE MASSIVE action and be willing to commit consistently. Your mindset alone cannot win the battle for you. You must be willing to put in your biggest effort to make it a success and commit to doing it consistently, because only with MASSIVE action can you achieve MASSIVE results.
Now, take some time to review what you have done up till now. Do you have a burning desire to succeed? Have you been focusing your efforts and resisting the temptation to join whatever new opportunity that comes along? Have you been patient enough to continue what you are doing and promise yourself never to give up? And finally, are you taking MASSIVE action to turn your dream into a reality? If your answer is a resounding “YES”, then there is no doubt that you will be able to earn money online successfully.
What really differentiates the winning online marketers from the losing is very much not what they do but what drives them in their actions. Anyone can try and experiment with a myriad of ways to earn money online but ultimately without a winning mindset, they will never succeed.
Then what are the qualities of a winning mindset to earn money online successfully? Well, the following are considered the key pillars of a winning mindset.
1. Desire.
The fuel to succeed online is pretty much fired by what you want to gain in the end. What do you want to achieve in the end? Is it financial freedom? Or do you to want to have more time to spend with your family? Maybe you don’t want to be very rich; you just want to earn a little extra income to lift the financial burden of the family. Or maybe you hate your job and you hate your boss and you hope to one day “fire” him and be your own boss. Whatever the reason may be, you must have a strong desire to earn money online successfully, because this is what determines your motivation and is the main source of your strength. So know what you want to achieve in the end and let this be the fuel of your success.
2. Focus
There are truckloads of ways to earn money online. You can be an affiliate marketer and sell other people’s products. You can join an online MLM business opportunity and build your income from there. You can even offer your own services or products to others for a price. But whichever method you choose, it all comes down to focusing your efforts.
From the moment you step into the world of earning money online, you expose yourself to a myriad of business opportunities. They come fast and hard and they never seem to stop. Every day, there can be a new business opportunity to earn money online that seems like the “next big thing”. And you will be tempted to “jump in before it is too late”. But the sad truth is, business opportunities will never run out, but the amount of time we have will. Each of us only has 24 hours a day and we can only do so much. What you need to earn money online successfully is not to jump in on the “next big thing” but to focus on “this big thing”. You do not need so many “big things”, you only need one. So focus your efforts on what you set your sight on and give it your best. You will not regret it.
3. Patience
Many people who first begin to try to earn money online believe that they can do it fast and easy. They think that if they try something that promises them that they will earn money online successfully, they can do it in a few days to a few weeks. And if they do not succeed, the method is wrong and they give up. Sadly, this is not how it works. It is true that there are plenty of scams out there that only want to cheat you of your hard-earned cash. However, most of the time, the reason for failure is simply the lack of patience. Gathering knowledge and applying it is a necessity to earn money online. All these take time and nothing comes without it. Be patient with what you believe in and your efforts will be rewarded.
4. Willingness to take massive action and commit consistently
Finally, armed with a flaming desire to succeed, laser targeted focus on your objective and a rock-solid patience to carry it to the end, you still need the last crucial ingredient to success. You need to take HUGE MASSIVE action and be willing to commit consistently. Your mindset alone cannot win the battle for you. You must be willing to put in your biggest effort to make it a success and commit to doing it consistently, because only with MASSIVE action can you achieve MASSIVE results.
Now, take some time to review what you have done up till now. Do you have a burning desire to succeed? Have you been focusing your efforts and resisting the temptation to join whatever new opportunity that comes along? Have you been patient enough to continue what you are doing and promise yourself never to give up? And finally, are you taking MASSIVE action to turn your dream into a reality? If your answer is a resounding “YES”, then there is no doubt that you will be able to earn money online successfully.
Senin, 16 Agustus 2010
Do You Have A Vision For Your Online Business?
A characteristic of many successful businesses (both online and off-line) is that they have a vision for their business. They know what they are working towards, and they are creating a business that will be like their vision of the future. It is always a good idea to stop every so often and reconsider what your vision is for your business.
So how do you create a vision for your online business? The first step is to ask yourself what you really want to create with your business. Imagine the ideal business that you want to own. Do not be distracted by what is or is not possible and do not evaluate whether it will work. Just consider the possibilities and how aiming for what you want will be unique to you. No one else will be able to copy it because it will be yours.
Some people will be inspired by a desire to create something new and different. Others will want to create a second income. Some will want to create a new shopping experience for their customers while others will want to create new products or services that better meet the needs of people today. Others may just want to get rich.
Once you have imagined your ideal and have a vision of what you want, spend some time considering how you will make a difference. Will you be setting a standard of customer service that will be the envy of other businesses? Will your product or service meet a need so fully that your customers will tell their friends and generate business for you? Will you be an inspiration to all those who come in contact with you so that they will want to stay in contact and follow your recommendations? The list of how you can make a difference is endless.
Write a short statement setting out your vision for your business and how you will make a difference. If your vision is based on assumptions, spend some time testing those assumptions to make sure they are valid. Keep the vision before you so that it guides your decisions and plans for your online business.
Make sure you breathe life into your written vision statement. Use powerful language that is strong on stories, or metaphors or examples. Ensure that you speak from the heart and work to make the intangible tangible. Use symbols, themes, slogans, etc., to make it come to life and be real for you, your employees and your customers.
As you move towards your vision, ensure that you listen first and often. Your customers and your employees will be able to provide you with ways to achieve your vision through their feedback. Listening in a non-defensive and uncritical way can be very enlightening which will enable you to be better able to define the needs of your customers and to satisfy those needs.
Over time, you will need to adjust some of your actions and tactics as they will not be taking you closer to your vision. Through listening to the feedback you have received, and monitoring the results you have achieved, you will know which actions or tactics need modification or change. By way of a simple example, the results of an ad may improve with one headline but not with another. Change to the one that is providing better results.
Some businesses have experienced tremendous success through having large audacious goals. Remember that large goals can take a long time to achieve. However, if your vision is driving you strongly, you will thrive on taking the actions required to achieve your vision over a long period of time. Also, some visions are so powerful that they rewrite the industry rules and create a new competitive space.
Make the time to develop your vision for your future online business success. Know what you want to achieve and ensure that all your actions are taking you in that direction. Listen to the feedback you receive and monitor the results you are achieving so that you can change tack if necessary as you move closer to your vision. Dare to be different and to make a difference with your online business.
So how do you create a vision for your online business? The first step is to ask yourself what you really want to create with your business. Imagine the ideal business that you want to own. Do not be distracted by what is or is not possible and do not evaluate whether it will work. Just consider the possibilities and how aiming for what you want will be unique to you. No one else will be able to copy it because it will be yours.
Some people will be inspired by a desire to create something new and different. Others will want to create a second income. Some will want to create a new shopping experience for their customers while others will want to create new products or services that better meet the needs of people today. Others may just want to get rich.
Once you have imagined your ideal and have a vision of what you want, spend some time considering how you will make a difference. Will you be setting a standard of customer service that will be the envy of other businesses? Will your product or service meet a need so fully that your customers will tell their friends and generate business for you? Will you be an inspiration to all those who come in contact with you so that they will want to stay in contact and follow your recommendations? The list of how you can make a difference is endless.
Write a short statement setting out your vision for your business and how you will make a difference. If your vision is based on assumptions, spend some time testing those assumptions to make sure they are valid. Keep the vision before you so that it guides your decisions and plans for your online business.
Make sure you breathe life into your written vision statement. Use powerful language that is strong on stories, or metaphors or examples. Ensure that you speak from the heart and work to make the intangible tangible. Use symbols, themes, slogans, etc., to make it come to life and be real for you, your employees and your customers.
As you move towards your vision, ensure that you listen first and often. Your customers and your employees will be able to provide you with ways to achieve your vision through their feedback. Listening in a non-defensive and uncritical way can be very enlightening which will enable you to be better able to define the needs of your customers and to satisfy those needs.
Over time, you will need to adjust some of your actions and tactics as they will not be taking you closer to your vision. Through listening to the feedback you have received, and monitoring the results you have achieved, you will know which actions or tactics need modification or change. By way of a simple example, the results of an ad may improve with one headline but not with another. Change to the one that is providing better results.
Some businesses have experienced tremendous success through having large audacious goals. Remember that large goals can take a long time to achieve. However, if your vision is driving you strongly, you will thrive on taking the actions required to achieve your vision over a long period of time. Also, some visions are so powerful that they rewrite the industry rules and create a new competitive space.
Make the time to develop your vision for your future online business success. Know what you want to achieve and ensure that all your actions are taking you in that direction. Listen to the feedback you receive and monitor the results you are achieving so that you can change tack if necessary as you move closer to your vision. Dare to be different and to make a difference with your online business.
Sabtu, 26 Juni 2010
Communication par Internet entre Franchiseurs et Franchises
Cette communication entre franchiseurs et franchisés peut donc se faire aujourd'hui via Internet ou câbles de d'interconnexion reliant les franchises via leur réseau et permet de rentabiliser le travail des franchisés par le gain de temps en recherche d'informations si ce dernier est correctement utilisé.
Les franchisés peuvent alors passer leurs commandes en ligne et contrôler les dates de livraisons. La plus part des grandes franchises utilisent le système "à la minute", qui permet de connaître au moment précis l'état des stocks ou encore les livraisons effectuées à leur franchisés. Cela a donc réellement permis d'activer le processus et signifie également que le franchisé peut mieux réorganiser ses stocks sans être à court au moment X.
Les systèmes les plus pointus permettent également aux franchisés de s'approvisionner auprès d'un autre franchisé si le franchiseur est à cours de stock.
Les demandes peuvent être connectées au réseau et toutes les ventes peuvent être relayées auprès des franchiseurs. Cela implique donc que la plus part des cas des demandes d'ordres peuvent être retirées directement par le franchisé.
Pour le franchiseur, cela est fantastique car il n'est alors plus nécessaire de perdre du temps à rechercher le franchisé disposant de la quantité adéquate désirée qui pourrait répondre urgemment à la demande.
Les franchisés en tire un avantage certain car ils voient leur travail diminué et leur permet de passer plus de temps sur les problèmes marketings et la gestion de la relation clientèle.
Par ailleurs, les franchisés peuvent maintenant payer en même temps en ligne le franchiseur et les fournisseurs sans avoir recours aux carnets de chèques, enveloppes et postage. Une solution simple de payement en ligne donne de nombreux avantages que ne peuvent procurer les méthodes de payements classiques. En plus d'augmenter leur facilité de caisse, ce système leur permet également de réduire les risques de fraude.
Par exemple, une grande société de jeux carte possédant bon nombre de franchises. L'une d'entre elle se retrouve à cours de jeux que l'on vient de lui demander. Un simple passage sur Intranet et elle peut alors renseigner exactement son client quant aux délais de livraison du produit.
D'autres systèmes encore plus perfectionnés permettent de voir leurs comptes, rendant alors leur travail plus aisé grâce à une analyse plus objective. Le comptable est ainsi capable de voir en temps et en heure toute transaction effectuée et de récupérer les données des autres franchises.
Mais l'Intranet permet aussi à l'entreprise d'y déposer ses brochures, de visionner les dernières vidéos publicitaires de la société et éventuellement aider les franchiseurs en leur adressant un feedback sur la manière d'améliorer leur politique marketing pour le futur. Ils peuvent également tenir leurs opérateurs informés de façon régulière de manière manuelle.
Pour cela, un accès Internet haut débit est obligatoire, les franchisés développant habituellement leur business depuis leur ordinateur. Cela implique au franchiseur de devoir former son franchisé quant à l'utilisation et la maintenance de leur outil informatique.
es franchiseurs aiment adopter ce système afin de renforcer l'image de marque de la compagnie et faire participer activement leurs franchisés au cœur de cette dernière.
Toutefois, les dangers de l'utilisation d'Internet (ou intranet) sont nombreux. Si le serveur principal des franchiseurs tombe en panne et ne dispose pas de back up adéquate ou une facilité d'accès d'autres serveurs, tous les réseaux des franchisés peut être pénalisé.
Les franchisés peuvent alors passer leurs commandes en ligne et contrôler les dates de livraisons. La plus part des grandes franchises utilisent le système "à la minute", qui permet de connaître au moment précis l'état des stocks ou encore les livraisons effectuées à leur franchisés. Cela a donc réellement permis d'activer le processus et signifie également que le franchisé peut mieux réorganiser ses stocks sans être à court au moment X.
Les systèmes les plus pointus permettent également aux franchisés de s'approvisionner auprès d'un autre franchisé si le franchiseur est à cours de stock.
Les demandes peuvent être connectées au réseau et toutes les ventes peuvent être relayées auprès des franchiseurs. Cela implique donc que la plus part des cas des demandes d'ordres peuvent être retirées directement par le franchisé.
Pour le franchiseur, cela est fantastique car il n'est alors plus nécessaire de perdre du temps à rechercher le franchisé disposant de la quantité adéquate désirée qui pourrait répondre urgemment à la demande.
Les franchisés en tire un avantage certain car ils voient leur travail diminué et leur permet de passer plus de temps sur les problèmes marketings et la gestion de la relation clientèle.
Par ailleurs, les franchisés peuvent maintenant payer en même temps en ligne le franchiseur et les fournisseurs sans avoir recours aux carnets de chèques, enveloppes et postage. Une solution simple de payement en ligne donne de nombreux avantages que ne peuvent procurer les méthodes de payements classiques. En plus d'augmenter leur facilité de caisse, ce système leur permet également de réduire les risques de fraude.
Par exemple, une grande société de jeux carte possédant bon nombre de franchises. L'une d'entre elle se retrouve à cours de jeux que l'on vient de lui demander. Un simple passage sur Intranet et elle peut alors renseigner exactement son client quant aux délais de livraison du produit.
D'autres systèmes encore plus perfectionnés permettent de voir leurs comptes, rendant alors leur travail plus aisé grâce à une analyse plus objective. Le comptable est ainsi capable de voir en temps et en heure toute transaction effectuée et de récupérer les données des autres franchises.
Mais l'Intranet permet aussi à l'entreprise d'y déposer ses brochures, de visionner les dernières vidéos publicitaires de la société et éventuellement aider les franchiseurs en leur adressant un feedback sur la manière d'améliorer leur politique marketing pour le futur. Ils peuvent également tenir leurs opérateurs informés de façon régulière de manière manuelle.
Pour cela, un accès Internet haut débit est obligatoire, les franchisés développant habituellement leur business depuis leur ordinateur. Cela implique au franchiseur de devoir former son franchisé quant à l'utilisation et la maintenance de leur outil informatique.
es franchiseurs aiment adopter ce système afin de renforcer l'image de marque de la compagnie et faire participer activement leurs franchisés au cœur de cette dernière.
Toutefois, les dangers de l'utilisation d'Internet (ou intranet) sont nombreux. Si le serveur principal des franchiseurs tombe en panne et ne dispose pas de back up adéquate ou une facilité d'accès d'autres serveurs, tous les réseaux des franchisés peut être pénalisé.
Jumat, 25 Juni 2010
Common Sense - The Missing Link in Online Business
I like to think that my approach to business is 1 part experience, 1 part research and 2 parts common sense. I know my business; that’s my experience. I read as much as I possibly can to strike a balance in my efforts between tried and true and newer methods of business planning and marketing. But to me, the most important, and often lacking in my opinion, is the common sense part of running any business, especially online.
I do not claim to be an expert in SEO or SEM or any of those acronym concepts. In fact, I’m not sure who legitimately can claim to be. In my observation, the rules to those theories seem to change daily if not more often. However, like most online entrepreneurs, I do try and pick up as much as I can from all sources in trying to market and run my business.
In working on both my own business and my client’s, I have found that too often I can get too focused on the technical aspects of my website and business. We are constantly inundated with tips, tricks and techniques for getting more traffic and finding new leads. Please don’t think I’m discounting any of those or disparaging those giving advice. On the contrary, I think it is necessary to take in as much information as possible in determining your own strategies. The problem, in my eyes, lies in getting too involved in these “new” concepts and losing sight or doubt your innate sense of how to do things.
I am not suggesting any hot new modes of marketing, nor am I guaranteeing any way of making thousands of dollars a week! I am merely suggesting that before, during and after implementing any new techniques, you always take a look at your website and all your materials from your customer’s point of view. Better yet, have someone else take a look.
Make sure that you have designed your site and written your copy in a way that is accessible to both ends of the spectrum: the techies and the technically challenged alike. In a perfect world, each visitor to your site would be very computer and internet savvy. Unfortunately, we all know it is not a perfect world. You must make your site as user-friendly as possible.
I spent a lot of time designing my website. I put a lot of thought into what I wanted to say, how I wanted to say it and how I wanted it to function. Those are all important things to consider and steps that must not be skipped. However, shortly after launching the site I discovered what I could improve.
The first thing I did when I uploaded the site was to inform all my friends and family. I knew within two days that I needed to make things a whole lot simpler! I had not taken into account that I have grown up in the internet age and things that I take for granted like knowing how to navigate a site via a site map or navigation bar are not second nature to everyone. I got the best feedback from my 91 year old grandfather who really wanted to see the whole site and know what it was all about. He tries so hard to keep up with the technology, but using the internet is not his cup of tea.
After speaking with him and a few other relatives, I sat down and took a hard look at my site. I went through and made two ways to get to every single page. I tried to simplify things as much as possible. I didn’t change the copy because I had made a point to write copy that was inviting to potential clients from any background. I used my keywords as much as I felt comfortable doing without sounding like a broken record.
Albert Einstein once said, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler.” In our excitement to boost our search engine rankings and generate traffic, I think it’s important to remember those words. The more people who can use your site and hear your message; the more customers you will have!
I like to think that my approach to business is 1 part experience, 1 part research and 2 parts common sense. I know my business; that’s my experience. I read as much as I possibly can to strike a balance in my efforts between tried and true and newer methods of business planning and marketing. But to me, the most important, and often lacking in my opinion, is the common sense part of running any business, especially online.
I do not claim to be an expert in SEO or SEM or any of those acronym concepts. In fact, I’m not sure who legitimately can claim to be. In my observation, the rules to those theories seem to change daily if not more often. However, like most online entrepreneurs, I do try and pick up as much as I can from all sources in trying to market and run my business.
In working on both my own business and my client’s, I have found that too often I can get too focused on the technical aspects of my website and business. We are constantly inundated with tips, tricks and techniques for getting more traffic and finding new leads. Please don’t think I’m discounting any of those or disparaging those giving advice. On the contrary, I think it is necessary to take in as much information as possible in determining your own strategies. The problem, in my eyes, lies in getting too involved in these “new” concepts and losing sight or doubt your innate sense of how to do things.
I am not suggesting any hot new modes of marketing, nor am I guaranteeing any way of making thousands of dollars a week! I am merely suggesting that before, during and after implementing any new techniques, you always take a look at your website and all your materials from your customer’s point of view. Better yet, have someone else take a look.
Make sure that you have designed your site and written your copy in a way that is accessible to both ends of the spectrum: the techies and the technically challenged alike. In a perfect world, each visitor to your site would be very computer and internet savvy. Unfortunately, we all know it is not a perfect world. You must make your site as user-friendly as possible.
I spent a lot of time designing my website. I put a lot of thought into what I wanted to say, how I wanted to say it and how I wanted it to function. Those are all important things to consider and steps that must not be skipped. However, shortly after launching the site I discovered what I could improve.
The first thing I did when I uploaded the site was to inform all my friends and family. I knew within two days that I needed to make things a whole lot simpler! I had not taken into account that I have grown up in the internet age and things that I take for granted like knowing how to navigate a site via a site map or navigation bar are not second nature to everyone. I got the best feedback from my 91 year old grandfather who really wanted to see the whole site and know what it was all about. He tries so hard to keep up with the technology, but using the internet is not his cup of tea.
After speaking with him and a few other relatives, I sat down and took a hard look at my site. I went through and made two ways to get to every single page. I tried to simplify things as much as possible. I didn’t change the copy because I had made a point to write copy that was inviting to potential clients from any background. I used my keywords as much as I felt comfortable doing without sounding like a broken record.
Albert Einstein once said, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler.” In our excitement to boost our search engine rankings and generate traffic, I think it’s important to remember those words. The more people who can use your site and hear your message; the more customers you will have!
I do not claim to be an expert in SEO or SEM or any of those acronym concepts. In fact, I’m not sure who legitimately can claim to be. In my observation, the rules to those theories seem to change daily if not more often. However, like most online entrepreneurs, I do try and pick up as much as I can from all sources in trying to market and run my business.
In working on both my own business and my client’s, I have found that too often I can get too focused on the technical aspects of my website and business. We are constantly inundated with tips, tricks and techniques for getting more traffic and finding new leads. Please don’t think I’m discounting any of those or disparaging those giving advice. On the contrary, I think it is necessary to take in as much information as possible in determining your own strategies. The problem, in my eyes, lies in getting too involved in these “new” concepts and losing sight or doubt your innate sense of how to do things.
I am not suggesting any hot new modes of marketing, nor am I guaranteeing any way of making thousands of dollars a week! I am merely suggesting that before, during and after implementing any new techniques, you always take a look at your website and all your materials from your customer’s point of view. Better yet, have someone else take a look.
Make sure that you have designed your site and written your copy in a way that is accessible to both ends of the spectrum: the techies and the technically challenged alike. In a perfect world, each visitor to your site would be very computer and internet savvy. Unfortunately, we all know it is not a perfect world. You must make your site as user-friendly as possible.
I spent a lot of time designing my website. I put a lot of thought into what I wanted to say, how I wanted to say it and how I wanted it to function. Those are all important things to consider and steps that must not be skipped. However, shortly after launching the site I discovered what I could improve.
The first thing I did when I uploaded the site was to inform all my friends and family. I knew within two days that I needed to make things a whole lot simpler! I had not taken into account that I have grown up in the internet age and things that I take for granted like knowing how to navigate a site via a site map or navigation bar are not second nature to everyone. I got the best feedback from my 91 year old grandfather who really wanted to see the whole site and know what it was all about. He tries so hard to keep up with the technology, but using the internet is not his cup of tea.
After speaking with him and a few other relatives, I sat down and took a hard look at my site. I went through and made two ways to get to every single page. I tried to simplify things as much as possible. I didn’t change the copy because I had made a point to write copy that was inviting to potential clients from any background. I used my keywords as much as I felt comfortable doing without sounding like a broken record.
Albert Einstein once said, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler.” In our excitement to boost our search engine rankings and generate traffic, I think it’s important to remember those words. The more people who can use your site and hear your message; the more customers you will have!
I like to think that my approach to business is 1 part experience, 1 part research and 2 parts common sense. I know my business; that’s my experience. I read as much as I possibly can to strike a balance in my efforts between tried and true and newer methods of business planning and marketing. But to me, the most important, and often lacking in my opinion, is the common sense part of running any business, especially online.
I do not claim to be an expert in SEO or SEM or any of those acronym concepts. In fact, I’m not sure who legitimately can claim to be. In my observation, the rules to those theories seem to change daily if not more often. However, like most online entrepreneurs, I do try and pick up as much as I can from all sources in trying to market and run my business.
In working on both my own business and my client’s, I have found that too often I can get too focused on the technical aspects of my website and business. We are constantly inundated with tips, tricks and techniques for getting more traffic and finding new leads. Please don’t think I’m discounting any of those or disparaging those giving advice. On the contrary, I think it is necessary to take in as much information as possible in determining your own strategies. The problem, in my eyes, lies in getting too involved in these “new” concepts and losing sight or doubt your innate sense of how to do things.
I am not suggesting any hot new modes of marketing, nor am I guaranteeing any way of making thousands of dollars a week! I am merely suggesting that before, during and after implementing any new techniques, you always take a look at your website and all your materials from your customer’s point of view. Better yet, have someone else take a look.
Make sure that you have designed your site and written your copy in a way that is accessible to both ends of the spectrum: the techies and the technically challenged alike. In a perfect world, each visitor to your site would be very computer and internet savvy. Unfortunately, we all know it is not a perfect world. You must make your site as user-friendly as possible.
I spent a lot of time designing my website. I put a lot of thought into what I wanted to say, how I wanted to say it and how I wanted it to function. Those are all important things to consider and steps that must not be skipped. However, shortly after launching the site I discovered what I could improve.
The first thing I did when I uploaded the site was to inform all my friends and family. I knew within two days that I needed to make things a whole lot simpler! I had not taken into account that I have grown up in the internet age and things that I take for granted like knowing how to navigate a site via a site map or navigation bar are not second nature to everyone. I got the best feedback from my 91 year old grandfather who really wanted to see the whole site and know what it was all about. He tries so hard to keep up with the technology, but using the internet is not his cup of tea.
After speaking with him and a few other relatives, I sat down and took a hard look at my site. I went through and made two ways to get to every single page. I tried to simplify things as much as possible. I didn’t change the copy because I had made a point to write copy that was inviting to potential clients from any background. I used my keywords as much as I felt comfortable doing without sounding like a broken record.
Albert Einstein once said, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler.” In our excitement to boost our search engine rankings and generate traffic, I think it’s important to remember those words. The more people who can use your site and hear your message; the more customers you will have!
Rabu, 23 Juni 2010
Combining Subscribe Button With A Help Button
Most sites, especially blogs have feeds associated with them, but Internet users do not know what a feed is or how to use it. You’ve probably seen the little orange button with white writing (XML,RSS, Feeds, Syndicate This Site) on a web page or blog post. If you are a non-techie, you must have wondered what this little button is for. To ensure that Internet users know what a feed is, Dave Winer, RSS creator, advocates the use of one simple and universal button Subscribe, which leads to feeds rather than using XML, RSS, Feeds, etc. Some web developers even combines the Subcribe button with a Help button that will lead web users to an explanatory page about subscribing and RSS.
About RSS, XML, Syndicate This Site Link
A button or a link that says Syndicate This Site, RSS, XML simply means that the article title, a link and a brief description for each new page or post are available for you to use on your site or to access through a newsfeed reader program.
RSS is a text-based format specified in XML (Extensible Markup Language). XML is useful in describing, sharing and transmitting data across the Internet. XML defines data and HTML displays that data. The RSS abbreviation is used to refer to the following standards – Really Simple Syndication, Rich Site Summary, RDF (Resource Description Framework) Site Summary.
RSS feeds provide a list of items. Usually each item contains a title, summary, a link to the full version of the content and a link to a URL of the site. For the internet user, the ability to subscribe to content using RSS means that he gets content without having to browse from site to site and also of not having to worry about spam. The content goes to a newsfeed reader. He can choose whatever content he wants to subscribe to. For the content providers, RSS can help drive traffic to their sites by making it easy for users to be updated with new pages or blog posts.
A lot of sites include any one of the RSS, Syndicate This Site buttons. Clicking one of these buttons will take you to a broken page full of codes. Just copy the URL that appears in the address bar of the page or blog and use that URL to subscribe to the site in your newsfeed reader. The newsfeed reader will inform you when there is new content from a site you subscribed to.
When a site has an RSS feed, it is said to be syndicated. Syndication is a method through which web publishers and bloggers make their content available in a format that software can read. A newsfeed reader or news aggregator is software designed to subscribe to sites through syndication. A newsfeed reader automatically compiles latest contents of your sites that are RSS enabled. You can now view the sites’ updates in your newsfeed reader.
For example, you have several favorite travel websites. Rather than logging on to each one of these travel sites for fresh updates, you can just subscribe to their new contents (feeds) in your newsfeed reader software. A click of the RSS button will display a list of the headlines of all new entries from all the travel sites you subscribe to. Clicking the headline link will show a brief description for the entry and a link to the full version. You get to only read the entries that interest you.
You can install a newsfeed reader on your computer and have easy access to it on your desktop. You can also use an online newsfeed reader. Some of the more popular ones are FeedDemon for Windows, NetNewsWire for Mac OS X and Bloglines (web-based, free).
Once you’ve installed a newsfeed reader, you can then subscribe to feeds. Feeds are names given to sources of information utilized by newsfeed readers to obtain new contents and updates they display. Feeds are technically similar to web pages. However, web pages are written in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language, standard language with which all web pages are built) readable by humans. Conversely, feeds are intended to be read or processed by software. Feeds are based on XML technology. Newsfeed readers allow you to subscribe to feeds in different methods. Most web pages or blog posts have a little orange button that says XML,RSS, Syndicate This Site.
Feeds are very useful. They notify Internet users of updates from favorite sites without visiting them one by one. Feeds also allow users to read fresh contents from one convenient location.
Subscribe Button with Help Button – User Friendly
If you have RSS feeds, you definitely would like visitors to your site to subscribe to them. This way your site doesn’t get buried in oblivion. You also want to make it easy for them to subscribe to your feeds. A Subscribe button together with a Help button will be very beneficial and at the same time user friendly to your visitors.
Instead of the terms XML, RSS, Syndicate This Site, you can just use Subscribe. It is a very simple word that visitors understand compared to XML, RSS, etc. The Subscribe button is a universal RSS subscription button that lets your visitors add your RSS feeds to the newsfeed reader easily. Visitors will just click the Subscribe button on your site and they are given the go signal to select the newsfeed reader where they want to add your RSS feed. A Subscribe button makes subscription to RSS feeds easy. You can also monitor how many visitors subscribe to your feeds. Visitors will have a satisfactory online experience and thus increase visitor loyalty. However, some visitors may not understand what the Subscribe button means. This is where the Help button comes in handy.
Vis a vis the Subscribe button, clicking the Help button will display links to pages with in-depth information about feeds and subscribing. The pages include basic information on feeds, newsfeed readers, links to further readings and tutorials.
Make it a point that the Subscribe and Help Button are displayed prominently on your site to draw visitors’ attention to your RSS feeds and give them convenient access to websites and blogs (the media sources).
About RSS, XML, Syndicate This Site Link
A button or a link that says Syndicate This Site, RSS, XML simply means that the article title, a link and a brief description for each new page or post are available for you to use on your site or to access through a newsfeed reader program.
RSS is a text-based format specified in XML (Extensible Markup Language). XML is useful in describing, sharing and transmitting data across the Internet. XML defines data and HTML displays that data. The RSS abbreviation is used to refer to the following standards – Really Simple Syndication, Rich Site Summary, RDF (Resource Description Framework) Site Summary.
RSS feeds provide a list of items. Usually each item contains a title, summary, a link to the full version of the content and a link to a URL of the site. For the internet user, the ability to subscribe to content using RSS means that he gets content without having to browse from site to site and also of not having to worry about spam. The content goes to a newsfeed reader. He can choose whatever content he wants to subscribe to. For the content providers, RSS can help drive traffic to their sites by making it easy for users to be updated with new pages or blog posts.
A lot of sites include any one of the RSS, Syndicate This Site buttons. Clicking one of these buttons will take you to a broken page full of codes. Just copy the URL that appears in the address bar of the page or blog and use that URL to subscribe to the site in your newsfeed reader. The newsfeed reader will inform you when there is new content from a site you subscribed to.
When a site has an RSS feed, it is said to be syndicated. Syndication is a method through which web publishers and bloggers make their content available in a format that software can read. A newsfeed reader or news aggregator is software designed to subscribe to sites through syndication. A newsfeed reader automatically compiles latest contents of your sites that are RSS enabled. You can now view the sites’ updates in your newsfeed reader.
For example, you have several favorite travel websites. Rather than logging on to each one of these travel sites for fresh updates, you can just subscribe to their new contents (feeds) in your newsfeed reader software. A click of the RSS button will display a list of the headlines of all new entries from all the travel sites you subscribe to. Clicking the headline link will show a brief description for the entry and a link to the full version. You get to only read the entries that interest you.
You can install a newsfeed reader on your computer and have easy access to it on your desktop. You can also use an online newsfeed reader. Some of the more popular ones are FeedDemon for Windows, NetNewsWire for Mac OS X and Bloglines (web-based, free).
Once you’ve installed a newsfeed reader, you can then subscribe to feeds. Feeds are names given to sources of information utilized by newsfeed readers to obtain new contents and updates they display. Feeds are technically similar to web pages. However, web pages are written in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language, standard language with which all web pages are built) readable by humans. Conversely, feeds are intended to be read or processed by software. Feeds are based on XML technology. Newsfeed readers allow you to subscribe to feeds in different methods. Most web pages or blog posts have a little orange button that says XML,RSS, Syndicate This Site.
Feeds are very useful. They notify Internet users of updates from favorite sites without visiting them one by one. Feeds also allow users to read fresh contents from one convenient location.
Subscribe Button with Help Button – User Friendly
If you have RSS feeds, you definitely would like visitors to your site to subscribe to them. This way your site doesn’t get buried in oblivion. You also want to make it easy for them to subscribe to your feeds. A Subscribe button together with a Help button will be very beneficial and at the same time user friendly to your visitors.
Instead of the terms XML, RSS, Syndicate This Site, you can just use Subscribe. It is a very simple word that visitors understand compared to XML, RSS, etc. The Subscribe button is a universal RSS subscription button that lets your visitors add your RSS feeds to the newsfeed reader easily. Visitors will just click the Subscribe button on your site and they are given the go signal to select the newsfeed reader where they want to add your RSS feed. A Subscribe button makes subscription to RSS feeds easy. You can also monitor how many visitors subscribe to your feeds. Visitors will have a satisfactory online experience and thus increase visitor loyalty. However, some visitors may not understand what the Subscribe button means. This is where the Help button comes in handy.
Vis a vis the Subscribe button, clicking the Help button will display links to pages with in-depth information about feeds and subscribing. The pages include basic information on feeds, newsfeed readers, links to further readings and tutorials.
Make it a point that the Subscribe and Help Button are displayed prominently on your site to draw visitors’ attention to your RSS feeds and give them convenient access to websites and blogs (the media sources).
Sabtu, 05 Juni 2010
Can The Average Person Really Make A Living Online?
Article Body:
Can you really make money online? The answer is a resounding “Yes!”
First, though, you need to understand how this game really works.
The right mindset is crucial to your success.
You’ve probably come across numerous business opportunities already. I know you’re actively searching for information. I hope you haven’t become jaded already by the con artists out there who make false promises.
The fact is you can profit significantly and, yes, even quickly once you learn the right way to do business online. So, approach this article with an open mind.
What E-Commerce is really all about
There’s nothing magic about the Internet. It’s really just another medium of communication. The difference between doing business online versus doing business in a brick and mortar establishment is this:
1. Your potential customer base spans across the globe if you so desire. You aren’t limited by your location.
2. Your business operates 24/7. You can still make sales even when the workday ends.
3. Your overhead is significantly lower than it would be in a traditional business, and the barriers to entry are lower as well.
4. You can create non-traditional businesses which will have no parallel in the offline world.
As an online entrepreneur, you also enjoy a wider range of options in number of products you sell, their method of delivery and your profit margin after expenses.
Sounds great, right? It truly is an ideal situation for the small, home based business owner; but don’t quit your job just yet.
An online business requires just as much focus and dedication to get off the ground as any other business, so forget about working at home in your underwear right off the bat.
The first thing you need to do is investigate your options. What type of business can you start online? Which businesses are the easiest to set up?
If you already possess some business knowledge and common sense, you’re off to a great start. The real challenge comes when you start translating this knowledge to match the rules of online commerce. The game is played a bit differently on the internet than it is on the streets.
Newcomers often have difficulty sorting out the differences between business models versus business strategies.
Here are some of the most common online business models:
1. Selling tangible goods (ie, Ebay)
2. Selling information products (intangible/downloaded)
3. Affiliate marketing
It takes a certain personality to thrive in any one of these. Let’s take a look at the traits associated with each.
The Seller of Tangible Goods
This type of entrepreneur usually possesses previous experience in the retail industry, though it is not totally necessary to have previous experience in order to succeed. However, an inexperienced online retailer faces the biggest learning curve.
In order to sell tangible goods, you’ll need to learn the ins and outs of wholesale for product sourcing. You’ll need to learn how to set the optimal price point for your products to remain profitable and competitive. You must deal with shipping and returns.
If you run a one-person operation, it will be near impossible to ship products in the necessary volume. In this case, you’ll need to find companies which can “drop ship” your product. Drop shipping is a fulfillment service.
This sounds ideal – but be forewarned. Most real wholesalers have minimum order requirements and will not ship single items.
Drop ship wholesalers who do ship single items often mark up their prices and you end up paying at least 10%-15% above the true wholesale cost. This isn’t a small price to pay when your objective is competitive pricing. Even a small mark up can kill your profit margin.
If you choose this route, be prepared for a lot of hard work! Online retail requires persistence, patience, strategic planning and a high degree of risk.
The Seller of Intangible/Information Products
Information products present an good opportunity for small, home-based business owners. Your costs of development and overhead are low, while your potential profit margin is high.
You will need a new skill set if you choose this path. Primarily, you will need to learn good copywriting skills and how to sell people on what they desire, not on what they think they need. It’s relatively simple to entice a visitor to purchase, say, an MP3 player when they’re already looking for one. This doesn’t require convincing sales copy.
An information product, though, does require good copy. You’re asking your potential customer to invest in a product they aren’t familiar with – something they can’t see or touch or play with like a tangible product.
Information marketing is very much “all in the mind”. It rests on your ability to stir up people’s passions and secret wishes. If you pride yourself on seeing “the big picture” and have the heart of a teacher or communicator, information marketing could be the right choice for you.
The Affiliate Marketer
Being an affiliate marketer can be the Ideal business for most people. They make a living selling products they do not own. Profits come from commissions paid on sales that they refer to other merchants.
A good affiliate can reap an enormous full-time income marketing a whole suite of products that he does not own. He doesn’t pay for product creation, doesn’t have to ship anything and doesn’t deal with customer service issues or returns.
One major skill an affiliate marketer needs to develop as is the ability to generate highly targeted traffic. You also need to learn how to capture that traffic and do a bit of extra selling before they hit the merchant’s site.
If you don’t capture the visitor’s e-mail address, they’re gone for good – and you’ll get stuck trying to generate volumes of traffic over and over again just to capture enough “luck of the draw” sales to get by. It’s like throwing your ad budget down a hole.
If you want to make money online, there are two ways to go about it. The first is trial and error, spending hundreds of hours in front of your computer, buying e-books and struggling perhaps a year or two before you make a dime. The second and best way is to learn from someone who has already achieved success online and can coach and guide you every step of the way.
But beware, there are many out there who will sell you garbage e-books and courses full of ideas on how to make money on the internet, but most fall short of giving you an easy to follow and workable plan. Especially if your a newbie to internet marketing.
I know first hand about this because I spent a full year struggling to make money on the internet. I bought almost every so called Guru system out there only to be let down and was still left struggling to make money. But my determination to make a living on the internet paid off and now I produce a fantastic full time income for my family solely from my online affiliate business.
Whether your a newbie or have been struggling for some time, you can achieve online success too if you don't give up and learn the right skills from a proven Internet Wealth Building Coach.
Just stay focused, proactive and stay positive - and soon you’ll be well on your way to making outstanding money online!
Can you really make money online? The answer is a resounding “Yes!”
First, though, you need to understand how this game really works.
The right mindset is crucial to your success.
You’ve probably come across numerous business opportunities already. I know you’re actively searching for information. I hope you haven’t become jaded already by the con artists out there who make false promises.
The fact is you can profit significantly and, yes, even quickly once you learn the right way to do business online. So, approach this article with an open mind.
What E-Commerce is really all about
There’s nothing magic about the Internet. It’s really just another medium of communication. The difference between doing business online versus doing business in a brick and mortar establishment is this:
1. Your potential customer base spans across the globe if you so desire. You aren’t limited by your location.
2. Your business operates 24/7. You can still make sales even when the workday ends.
3. Your overhead is significantly lower than it would be in a traditional business, and the barriers to entry are lower as well.
4. You can create non-traditional businesses which will have no parallel in the offline world.
As an online entrepreneur, you also enjoy a wider range of options in number of products you sell, their method of delivery and your profit margin after expenses.
Sounds great, right? It truly is an ideal situation for the small, home based business owner; but don’t quit your job just yet.
An online business requires just as much focus and dedication to get off the ground as any other business, so forget about working at home in your underwear right off the bat.
The first thing you need to do is investigate your options. What type of business can you start online? Which businesses are the easiest to set up?
If you already possess some business knowledge and common sense, you’re off to a great start. The real challenge comes when you start translating this knowledge to match the rules of online commerce. The game is played a bit differently on the internet than it is on the streets.
Newcomers often have difficulty sorting out the differences between business models versus business strategies.
Here are some of the most common online business models:
1. Selling tangible goods (ie, Ebay)
2. Selling information products (intangible/downloaded)
3. Affiliate marketing
It takes a certain personality to thrive in any one of these. Let’s take a look at the traits associated with each.
The Seller of Tangible Goods
This type of entrepreneur usually possesses previous experience in the retail industry, though it is not totally necessary to have previous experience in order to succeed. However, an inexperienced online retailer faces the biggest learning curve.
In order to sell tangible goods, you’ll need to learn the ins and outs of wholesale for product sourcing. You’ll need to learn how to set the optimal price point for your products to remain profitable and competitive. You must deal with shipping and returns.
If you run a one-person operation, it will be near impossible to ship products in the necessary volume. In this case, you’ll need to find companies which can “drop ship” your product. Drop shipping is a fulfillment service.
This sounds ideal – but be forewarned. Most real wholesalers have minimum order requirements and will not ship single items.
Drop ship wholesalers who do ship single items often mark up their prices and you end up paying at least 10%-15% above the true wholesale cost. This isn’t a small price to pay when your objective is competitive pricing. Even a small mark up can kill your profit margin.
If you choose this route, be prepared for a lot of hard work! Online retail requires persistence, patience, strategic planning and a high degree of risk.
The Seller of Intangible/Information Products
Information products present an good opportunity for small, home-based business owners. Your costs of development and overhead are low, while your potential profit margin is high.
You will need a new skill set if you choose this path. Primarily, you will need to learn good copywriting skills and how to sell people on what they desire, not on what they think they need. It’s relatively simple to entice a visitor to purchase, say, an MP3 player when they’re already looking for one. This doesn’t require convincing sales copy.
An information product, though, does require good copy. You’re asking your potential customer to invest in a product they aren’t familiar with – something they can’t see or touch or play with like a tangible product.
Information marketing is very much “all in the mind”. It rests on your ability to stir up people’s passions and secret wishes. If you pride yourself on seeing “the big picture” and have the heart of a teacher or communicator, information marketing could be the right choice for you.
The Affiliate Marketer
Being an affiliate marketer can be the Ideal business for most people. They make a living selling products they do not own. Profits come from commissions paid on sales that they refer to other merchants.
A good affiliate can reap an enormous full-time income marketing a whole suite of products that he does not own. He doesn’t pay for product creation, doesn’t have to ship anything and doesn’t deal with customer service issues or returns.
One major skill an affiliate marketer needs to develop as is the ability to generate highly targeted traffic. You also need to learn how to capture that traffic and do a bit of extra selling before they hit the merchant’s site.
If you don’t capture the visitor’s e-mail address, they’re gone for good – and you’ll get stuck trying to generate volumes of traffic over and over again just to capture enough “luck of the draw” sales to get by. It’s like throwing your ad budget down a hole.
If you want to make money online, there are two ways to go about it. The first is trial and error, spending hundreds of hours in front of your computer, buying e-books and struggling perhaps a year or two before you make a dime. The second and best way is to learn from someone who has already achieved success online and can coach and guide you every step of the way.
But beware, there are many out there who will sell you garbage e-books and courses full of ideas on how to make money on the internet, but most fall short of giving you an easy to follow and workable plan. Especially if your a newbie to internet marketing.
I know first hand about this because I spent a full year struggling to make money on the internet. I bought almost every so called Guru system out there only to be let down and was still left struggling to make money. But my determination to make a living on the internet paid off and now I produce a fantastic full time income for my family solely from my online affiliate business.
Whether your a newbie or have been struggling for some time, you can achieve online success too if you don't give up and learn the right skills from a proven Internet Wealth Building Coach.
Just stay focused, proactive and stay positive - and soon you’ll be well on your way to making outstanding money online!
Rabu, 19 Mei 2010
Building Your Way To Online Success-Part 1
As your alarm clock explodes into life each morning, and you reach out to pound it back into submission for another ten minutes, does the thought ever cross your mind that there could be a way to end this same tired, old routine?
Each day, as you make your way to and from your workplace, amidst the fumes, frustration, and financial drain that is the lot of a commuter, do you ever dream of being able to step out of your bedroom and straight into your workplace?
If you’re a Star Trek fan, you may be thinking, “Yes! Beam me up Scottie”--but if that was your first thought, then I’m afraid you may have to wait a little while longer. Transporter technology hasn’t quite been perfected yet. However, in spite of that slight delay in scientific progress, there is still a way to have the commute-free lifestyle you’ve been longing for. In fact, there are many people who have already turned that dream into a reality by successfully building their own home-based online businesses.
For the online business owner, there are no traffic jams, no co-workers breathing down their neck, and best of all, no BOSS! What more could anyone ask?
It sounds wonderful, and it certainly can be. However, achieving the type of success that will free you from the 9 to 5 rat race, does not just happen by itself.
The unfortunate fact is that most people will never reach this level of business success--not because they don’t have what it takes, but rather because they aren’t willing, or prepared, to take the time and effort needed to establish a proper business structure.
Now, right from the start, I’ll quite honestly say that this guide does not come with any absolute promises or guarantees. When it comes to business, there is no such thing as a “sure thing.” However, it does contain solid, time-tested procedures and advice that are essential for anyone who wants to succeed in any form of business. The new business owner ignores these things at their own risk--and, sadly, many do.
One of the main problems, when starting a business, is that many people begin with unrealistic expectations and the wrong information. If you do an internet search about starting a home-based business, you will be flooded with sites that promise to reveal the secrets of success that will help you to get rich quick. With titles such as, “How I Made $100,000 in 3 Days,” they tempt the budding entrepreneur with offers that seem too good to be true--and they usually are. Although it may be possible for someone to make a lot of money in a relatively short space of time, the reality is that for the vast majority, it is completely unlikely. Creating any form of successful business takes time, preparation, commitment and hard work.
Although many people want to start their own online businesses, very few actually know how to go about doing it ... but that doesn’t stop them. Armed with little more than a desire to make money, they rush in and begin something that they are completely unprepared and unsuited for.
A quick search on any topic will provide a plethora of sites providing relevant products or services for sale. If you take the time to visit these websites, you’ll quickly notice that most are quite unprofessional in appearance, and have little, if any, chance of success. Why? Quite simply because the new business owner has started things off on the wrong foot.
There really aren’t any special secrets to starting an online business, but there are some basic steps that will help you build your way to an online success.
Step 1: DECIDE WHAT YOUR BUSINESS IS GOING TO BE
At first glance, this initial stage of starting a business appears incredibly simple, if not completely obvious. Yet you may be surprised to discover how many people are involved in a business for which they have no experience or training. In fact, many have not even taken the time to research the field at all.
It makes good sense to choose a line of business for which you have some affinity. For example, if you have experience in designing and creating handcrafted items, a potential business opportunity would be that of an online store devoted to selling your crafts, and those of other artisans. Because you have a background in this particular field, you would have an immediate rapport with your target audience, and be able to understand what is important to them regarding your type of product. You would also be able to provide accurate and interesting articles that are relevant to your field of expertise. As a marketing tool, many a business has been enhanced by the introduction of an informative newsletter.
So, experience in your chosen field is definitely a big advantage. But there is one other thing that is vital--and that’s passion. There is no question that a person who is passionate about their business will have a far greater chance of seeing it become a success, than would someone who is ambivalent about their product or service. Believe me, I speak from experience.
Many years ago, my wife started cleaning homes as a way of earning another income, and she did very well.
A few years later, seeing the opportunity to make money, I decided to get involved in the cleaning business too, and I also did quite well. However, even though I was very happy to have my own business, I never truly enjoyed what I was doing. In fact, I have to admit that I dreaded the work. As a result of my lackluster attitude, I never took that business to the level that it could have reached if I had been at all passionate about it.
There is a lot of truth in the saying that “If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life.” So before rushing headlong into the first business opportunity that comes your way, make sure that you take the time to really consider what is the right business for you, based on your interests, experience, talents and passions. If making money is the only positive factor, then think again. Taking the time to get this first step right, will ensure that you have a rock-solid foundation upon which to build the online success of your dreams.
Please look for Part 2 of Building Your Way to Online Success.
Each day, as you make your way to and from your workplace, amidst the fumes, frustration, and financial drain that is the lot of a commuter, do you ever dream of being able to step out of your bedroom and straight into your workplace?
If you’re a Star Trek fan, you may be thinking, “Yes! Beam me up Scottie”--but if that was your first thought, then I’m afraid you may have to wait a little while longer. Transporter technology hasn’t quite been perfected yet. However, in spite of that slight delay in scientific progress, there is still a way to have the commute-free lifestyle you’ve been longing for. In fact, there are many people who have already turned that dream into a reality by successfully building their own home-based online businesses.
For the online business owner, there are no traffic jams, no co-workers breathing down their neck, and best of all, no BOSS! What more could anyone ask?
It sounds wonderful, and it certainly can be. However, achieving the type of success that will free you from the 9 to 5 rat race, does not just happen by itself.
The unfortunate fact is that most people will never reach this level of business success--not because they don’t have what it takes, but rather because they aren’t willing, or prepared, to take the time and effort needed to establish a proper business structure.
Now, right from the start, I’ll quite honestly say that this guide does not come with any absolute promises or guarantees. When it comes to business, there is no such thing as a “sure thing.” However, it does contain solid, time-tested procedures and advice that are essential for anyone who wants to succeed in any form of business. The new business owner ignores these things at their own risk--and, sadly, many do.
One of the main problems, when starting a business, is that many people begin with unrealistic expectations and the wrong information. If you do an internet search about starting a home-based business, you will be flooded with sites that promise to reveal the secrets of success that will help you to get rich quick. With titles such as, “How I Made $100,000 in 3 Days,” they tempt the budding entrepreneur with offers that seem too good to be true--and they usually are. Although it may be possible for someone to make a lot of money in a relatively short space of time, the reality is that for the vast majority, it is completely unlikely. Creating any form of successful business takes time, preparation, commitment and hard work.
Although many people want to start their own online businesses, very few actually know how to go about doing it ... but that doesn’t stop them. Armed with little more than a desire to make money, they rush in and begin something that they are completely unprepared and unsuited for.
A quick search on any topic will provide a plethora of sites providing relevant products or services for sale. If you take the time to visit these websites, you’ll quickly notice that most are quite unprofessional in appearance, and have little, if any, chance of success. Why? Quite simply because the new business owner has started things off on the wrong foot.
There really aren’t any special secrets to starting an online business, but there are some basic steps that will help you build your way to an online success.
Step 1: DECIDE WHAT YOUR BUSINESS IS GOING TO BE
At first glance, this initial stage of starting a business appears incredibly simple, if not completely obvious. Yet you may be surprised to discover how many people are involved in a business for which they have no experience or training. In fact, many have not even taken the time to research the field at all.
It makes good sense to choose a line of business for which you have some affinity. For example, if you have experience in designing and creating handcrafted items, a potential business opportunity would be that of an online store devoted to selling your crafts, and those of other artisans. Because you have a background in this particular field, you would have an immediate rapport with your target audience, and be able to understand what is important to them regarding your type of product. You would also be able to provide accurate and interesting articles that are relevant to your field of expertise. As a marketing tool, many a business has been enhanced by the introduction of an informative newsletter.
So, experience in your chosen field is definitely a big advantage. But there is one other thing that is vital--and that’s passion. There is no question that a person who is passionate about their business will have a far greater chance of seeing it become a success, than would someone who is ambivalent about their product or service. Believe me, I speak from experience.
Many years ago, my wife started cleaning homes as a way of earning another income, and she did very well.
A few years later, seeing the opportunity to make money, I decided to get involved in the cleaning business too, and I also did quite well. However, even though I was very happy to have my own business, I never truly enjoyed what I was doing. In fact, I have to admit that I dreaded the work. As a result of my lackluster attitude, I never took that business to the level that it could have reached if I had been at all passionate about it.
There is a lot of truth in the saying that “If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life.” So before rushing headlong into the first business opportunity that comes your way, make sure that you take the time to really consider what is the right business for you, based on your interests, experience, talents and passions. If making money is the only positive factor, then think again. Taking the time to get this first step right, will ensure that you have a rock-solid foundation upon which to build the online success of your dreams.
Please look for Part 2 of Building Your Way to Online Success.
Kamis, 13 Mei 2010
Budgeting For Your Online Business
What we are going to recommend here is a methodology for those who plan to establish their online business with a limited budget.
One of the most important factors for being successful in online business, or any business for that matter, is budget control regardless of how big or small your budget is.
First we need to define what the meaning of limited budget is. First, you need to believe in your heart that it is impossible to start and run an online business for free. Do not believe anybody who tells you otherwise.
The second rule is you need to budget at least $200 for marketing and administrative costs. To give you an idea of what these costs might be here are few examples:
1- Administrative Cost Items:
a. Internet Connection
b. Hosting Service for your website (If you have one)
c. Phone Bill.
d. Electricity
e. Credit Card Charges
f. Post and Courier (If applicable)
2- Marketing Costs (Depending on your general Strategy)
a. Software Programs
b. Traffic Generation Services
c. Offline Advertising
d. Pay Per Click
e. Leads
f. Autoresponder Service
g. Any other Paid advertising Tactic
Now you can add on top of the above mentioned $200 any direct costs related to your business. Mainly this includes one or both of the following:
1- What you have to pay to stay in business including a monthly subscription if applicable.
2- Inventory of Products that you have to buy.
To be able to spend your budget wisely we recommend following these steps:
1- Do not start your online marketing activity by choosing paid options. In a previous article we detailed what are your free online marketing strategy tools. We will just list them here:
a. Submit your link(s) to directories and search engines.
b. Write and Submit articles to article directories
c. Reciprocal linking
d. Posting in active forums
e. Make your website content rich and dynamic
f. Blog and Ping.
g. Traffic Exchange Services
2- Buy software programs that will help you automate the processes of the above free online marketing options. Try not to opt for subscription based services. Make sure to have software programs that have a one time payment option.
3- After few months you will realize that you have a free amount in your budget that now you can use for paid online or offline marketing options.
Our final and sincere recommendation to you is not to get involved in any online business if you cannot spend a total of $300 - $500 per month.
One of the most important factors for being successful in online business, or any business for that matter, is budget control regardless of how big or small your budget is.
First we need to define what the meaning of limited budget is. First, you need to believe in your heart that it is impossible to start and run an online business for free. Do not believe anybody who tells you otherwise.
The second rule is you need to budget at least $200 for marketing and administrative costs. To give you an idea of what these costs might be here are few examples:
1- Administrative Cost Items:
a. Internet Connection
b. Hosting Service for your website (If you have one)
c. Phone Bill.
d. Electricity
e. Credit Card Charges
f. Post and Courier (If applicable)
2- Marketing Costs (Depending on your general Strategy)
a. Software Programs
b. Traffic Generation Services
c. Offline Advertising
d. Pay Per Click
e. Leads
f. Autoresponder Service
g. Any other Paid advertising Tactic
Now you can add on top of the above mentioned $200 any direct costs related to your business. Mainly this includes one or both of the following:
1- What you have to pay to stay in business including a monthly subscription if applicable.
2- Inventory of Products that you have to buy.
To be able to spend your budget wisely we recommend following these steps:
1- Do not start your online marketing activity by choosing paid options. In a previous article we detailed what are your free online marketing strategy tools. We will just list them here:
a. Submit your link(s) to directories and search engines.
b. Write and Submit articles to article directories
c. Reciprocal linking
d. Posting in active forums
e. Make your website content rich and dynamic
f. Blog and Ping.
g. Traffic Exchange Services
2- Buy software programs that will help you automate the processes of the above free online marketing options. Try not to opt for subscription based services. Make sure to have software programs that have a one time payment option.
3- After few months you will realize that you have a free amount in your budget that now you can use for paid online or offline marketing options.
Our final and sincere recommendation to you is not to get involved in any online business if you cannot spend a total of $300 - $500 per month.
Senin, 03 Mei 2010
Beginners guide to starting an online business
Today the Internet is much more than a simple document storage/retrieval system. It is a great vehicle for anyone who wants to setup an online business with little or no money and a want-it-now attitude.
I have a programming background but it was not my technical know-how that allowed me succeed in this area but my trials and errors as an online business owner.
I have tried many opportunities and techniques but it was through my failures I've learnt and consolidated a simple technique to succeed as an online business owner.
I can assure you that, although you will need to acquire some basic technical skills, your success will depend not on your programming or typing skills but more on what you have between your ears.
Below is my list of what you'll need and have to do, to succeed as an online business owner.
1. Have a dream and persistence. If you haven't got a dream and the persistence to follow it through then you will fail, guarantied.
2. Have a mentor. Find someone who has gained the experience in this field. Beg, crawl, wash their car, do whatever takes to become their student. Listen to their advice and learn from their failures and successes. You'll save yourself a lot of time, effort and money not to mention heartache and disappointment.
3. Find a hobby, a 'pet' project, something you are interested in and would do without payment or rewards. If it gets you excited, keeps you awake at nights thinking about it, it will provide you with opportunities to make money from it too. For example, once you have a project/activity that you live for, be it surfing, stamp collection, video games, mobile phones, you could start a local club. Once the club is established you can start a club website. Once the website is up and running you can introduce products to promote the club and your project/activity. You get the picture? You probably have seen the film 'Pay it forward'. Well, you can use the same principle in establishing an online business. Give something valuable first and then you'll get your opportunities to reap your rewards.
4. Promote and automate your project website. Once you completed step 3 above and your site is up and running you want to be able to promote your club site to 'outsiders'. You don't have to get technical and bogged down in programming or writing strings of HTML code. There are brilliant software out there to do a lot of 'skilled' tasks with the push of a button (both free and commercial products). Learn to use them well! Promoting your website should be your priority from now on. Get as many people to come to the site as you can and automate this activity. Start a newsletter to keep in touch with your members and provide them with free advice, tips and news on the subject of your project/activity. And again, automate this too. Get software to automatically distribute your newsletters and automatically sort any emails you get in reply to your posts. Set up autoresponders signup new members and to respond to email queries; automate, automate, automate...
5. Once you have enough members and you have an established, loyal group of followers, you can introduce your promotional products and other services that you now want to sell and make money from as a business. You'll have to be gentle and do this bit by bit. You may also find it useful to have another, separate, commercial site for this purpose and simply direct your members there from your 'signature files' or 'letterheads' you send out as part of your club newsletter. By now you should have enough experience in setting up and running a website from step 3 above. If you did have a separate commercial site you run a smaller risk of offending 'purist' club members.
6. Review the operation of your site, experiment and test the effect of site layout, content, headlines etc. Review and look for opportunities to further automate anything that you can to make your site 'self-sustaining'. If you do this you should be able to get yourself more free time to actually enjoy your hobby/project and to go out and look for more new material (advice, tips and news) that you can send out to you members. Once you have a website running and are making money out of it, it is very easy to forget that without new content and looking after your members your business will not survive. So make sure that the time you have freed up by automating your processes, you put back into searching for and providing fresh content and keep on provide a service to your members and keep in mind that they are members because they share your enthusiasm for the hobby and not for your business. Find a gentle balance between that hobby and your commercial interests.
Wishing you success in your new adventure,
Ference
I have a programming background but it was not my technical know-how that allowed me succeed in this area but my trials and errors as an online business owner.
I have tried many opportunities and techniques but it was through my failures I've learnt and consolidated a simple technique to succeed as an online business owner.
I can assure you that, although you will need to acquire some basic technical skills, your success will depend not on your programming or typing skills but more on what you have between your ears.
Below is my list of what you'll need and have to do, to succeed as an online business owner.
1. Have a dream and persistence. If you haven't got a dream and the persistence to follow it through then you will fail, guarantied.
2. Have a mentor. Find someone who has gained the experience in this field. Beg, crawl, wash their car, do whatever takes to become their student. Listen to their advice and learn from their failures and successes. You'll save yourself a lot of time, effort and money not to mention heartache and disappointment.
3. Find a hobby, a 'pet' project, something you are interested in and would do without payment or rewards. If it gets you excited, keeps you awake at nights thinking about it, it will provide you with opportunities to make money from it too. For example, once you have a project/activity that you live for, be it surfing, stamp collection, video games, mobile phones, you could start a local club. Once the club is established you can start a club website. Once the website is up and running you can introduce products to promote the club and your project/activity. You get the picture? You probably have seen the film 'Pay it forward'. Well, you can use the same principle in establishing an online business. Give something valuable first and then you'll get your opportunities to reap your rewards.
4. Promote and automate your project website. Once you completed step 3 above and your site is up and running you want to be able to promote your club site to 'outsiders'. You don't have to get technical and bogged down in programming or writing strings of HTML code. There are brilliant software out there to do a lot of 'skilled' tasks with the push of a button (both free and commercial products). Learn to use them well! Promoting your website should be your priority from now on. Get as many people to come to the site as you can and automate this activity. Start a newsletter to keep in touch with your members and provide them with free advice, tips and news on the subject of your project/activity. And again, automate this too. Get software to automatically distribute your newsletters and automatically sort any emails you get in reply to your posts. Set up autoresponders signup new members and to respond to email queries; automate, automate, automate...
5. Once you have enough members and you have an established, loyal group of followers, you can introduce your promotional products and other services that you now want to sell and make money from as a business. You'll have to be gentle and do this bit by bit. You may also find it useful to have another, separate, commercial site for this purpose and simply direct your members there from your 'signature files' or 'letterheads' you send out as part of your club newsletter. By now you should have enough experience in setting up and running a website from step 3 above. If you did have a separate commercial site you run a smaller risk of offending 'purist' club members.
6. Review the operation of your site, experiment and test the effect of site layout, content, headlines etc. Review and look for opportunities to further automate anything that you can to make your site 'self-sustaining'. If you do this you should be able to get yourself more free time to actually enjoy your hobby/project and to go out and look for more new material (advice, tips and news) that you can send out to you members. Once you have a website running and are making money out of it, it is very easy to forget that without new content and looking after your members your business will not survive. So make sure that the time you have freed up by automating your processes, you put back into searching for and providing fresh content and keep on provide a service to your members and keep in mind that they are members because they share your enthusiasm for the hobby and not for your business. Find a gentle balance between that hobby and your commercial interests.
Wishing you success in your new adventure,
Ference
Sabtu, 24 April 2010
Avoiding 'Make Money Fast' Schemes
We live in a world where the internet is one of the most important tools for communication and business. The convenience the internet offers is vast.
About a decade ago, online businesses boomed and since then many people who wanted to make some extra buck turned to the internet. Some are legitimate businesses who sell products and skills and some are fraud sites that steal and harass people.
An example of these fraud schemes is the Make Money Fast or MMS schemes. This scheme is very much like chain letters forwarded to people. Make money fast will often claim that it is legal and promises vast sums of money in a short period. It will promise you with too good to be true investment opportunities.
People, especially those who are unlucky are easily deceived into joining this kind of frauds. So why do people believe such things? The only explanation is that they think these schemes are true and that they can afford it.
People tend to think “what do I have to lose?” and another thing is, almost everyone would love to make easy money.
Make money fast schemes usually come in the form of an email. The contents of the letter states that you should send money to some or all the names on the list then include your own name and send the email to other people.
Here are some basic contents in Make Money Fast emails:
• It will usually start with a greeting from the person who created the letter.
• This scheme will include some testimonials from “investors” that will say that it made them a millionaire or made their life easier.
• It will include a list of names and addresses.
• It will state that you have to send a specified amount of money (usually a small amount of money) to some or all the people on the list.
• It instructs you to forward the email to as many people as possible and modify the list of names by placing your own name and address at the bottom and removing one at the top.
• It will usually claim that it is legal and will promise you a return on your investment.
There are several variations of this scheme. One common type is that it will instruct you to send money to people as payment for reports.
It will always claim that it is legal and some will include section of the law to confirm the legality, when in fact the very same law will state that it is illegal.
There are also websites that offer these schemes, and often it will look very attractive and legitimate to lure people in investing. It will display pictures of people smiling and will include testimonials. Keep in mind that these are just photos which can be purchased for cents at various graphic sites and also be aware that anyone can make testimonials.
Although some of these websites are legitimate and offer true business opportunities, most are fraudulent. Before you invest, here are some tips on how to distinguish fraudulent sites from legitimate ones.
Fraudulent sites will often offer investment return and big profits that sound too good to be true. An example is that some will offer to convert your $20.00 investment into $50,000.00 in a matter of days and some even millions.
Find out if there is at least a reliable contact address on the website. If it is legitimate, it will include a legitimate phone number and address of the person. Call the phone number and wait for someone to answer to find out if it is in fact legitimate.
Research the website on internet forums to find out if it is a legitimate website or blacklisted. You can also find out if the forums you visited and the website are fraudulent by tracking the IP address. If the IP addresses are the same then it is fraud.
Keep in mind that not all offers on the internet are true. Save yourself from frustration and losing money, and always research before investing in any kind of businesses!
About a decade ago, online businesses boomed and since then many people who wanted to make some extra buck turned to the internet. Some are legitimate businesses who sell products and skills and some are fraud sites that steal and harass people.
An example of these fraud schemes is the Make Money Fast or MMS schemes. This scheme is very much like chain letters forwarded to people. Make money fast will often claim that it is legal and promises vast sums of money in a short period. It will promise you with too good to be true investment opportunities.
People, especially those who are unlucky are easily deceived into joining this kind of frauds. So why do people believe such things? The only explanation is that they think these schemes are true and that they can afford it.
People tend to think “what do I have to lose?” and another thing is, almost everyone would love to make easy money.
Make money fast schemes usually come in the form of an email. The contents of the letter states that you should send money to some or all the names on the list then include your own name and send the email to other people.
Here are some basic contents in Make Money Fast emails:
• It will usually start with a greeting from the person who created the letter.
• This scheme will include some testimonials from “investors” that will say that it made them a millionaire or made their life easier.
• It will include a list of names and addresses.
• It will state that you have to send a specified amount of money (usually a small amount of money) to some or all the people on the list.
• It instructs you to forward the email to as many people as possible and modify the list of names by placing your own name and address at the bottom and removing one at the top.
• It will usually claim that it is legal and will promise you a return on your investment.
There are several variations of this scheme. One common type is that it will instruct you to send money to people as payment for reports.
It will always claim that it is legal and some will include section of the law to confirm the legality, when in fact the very same law will state that it is illegal.
There are also websites that offer these schemes, and often it will look very attractive and legitimate to lure people in investing. It will display pictures of people smiling and will include testimonials. Keep in mind that these are just photos which can be purchased for cents at various graphic sites and also be aware that anyone can make testimonials.
Although some of these websites are legitimate and offer true business opportunities, most are fraudulent. Before you invest, here are some tips on how to distinguish fraudulent sites from legitimate ones.
Fraudulent sites will often offer investment return and big profits that sound too good to be true. An example is that some will offer to convert your $20.00 investment into $50,000.00 in a matter of days and some even millions.
Find out if there is at least a reliable contact address on the website. If it is legitimate, it will include a legitimate phone number and address of the person. Call the phone number and wait for someone to answer to find out if it is in fact legitimate.
Research the website on internet forums to find out if it is a legitimate website or blacklisted. You can also find out if the forums you visited and the website are fraudulent by tracking the IP address. If the IP addresses are the same then it is fraud.
Keep in mind that not all offers on the internet are true. Save yourself from frustration and losing money, and always research before investing in any kind of businesses!
Minggu, 21 Februari 2010
A Closer Look At Micropayments
During the early days of the Internet, most of the contents found online are provided for free, either by different institutions or universities. As the years go by, the Internet has experienced various innovations. One major factor in the evolution of the Internet is the consumers’ ability to purchase, sell and advertise products and services, a concept that is more commonly referred to as “e-Commerce”.
As the popularity of the Internet continuously grows, it is only natural for the content providers to start looking for different ways of making money from the content that they publish online. Basically, there are three ways for users to earn money from content; one is through advertising. Here, the content is available for free; however it comes with certain ads or links to their sponsor sites.
Another way for content providers to make money is by charging subscriptions, wherein consumers are required to pay a certain amount in exchange for access to the content for a certain period of time. The downside to the subscription model is that it only offers one choice to the consumer – either they do not pay the subscription and thus get no content or pay a substantial fee to get all the content. Oftentimes, this kind of choice led the consumers to move on to sites that offer content for free. Meanwhile, the third form of revenue is through donations that are solicited by the content providers themselves.
However, in 1998 a fourth form of revenue was proposed – the micropayment system. The concept of micropayments would not die down completely, nor would it fully come to life. What are micropayments, exactly? Micropayment is generally defined as the means of transferring small amounts of money (usually in pennies, nickel or dimes), usually in purchasing digital contents like music, movies, games and others.
Since charging such small amounts through the customary payment system like credit cards is impractical, the micropayment system is a viable option for those websites that wish to go "micro". The main objective of micropayments is to target a high volume of consumers by offering content at a relatively low price. It is also usual for micropayment systems to accumulate several payments and then charge it in one regular payment.
Most micropayments advocates firmly believe that the micropayment system is the solution to the free rider problem for those sites that are solely dependent on advertising. As for websites that are charging subscription fees, micropayments will be a viable alternative in order to increase the number of their consumers.
However, regardless of all the benefits that micropayment systems seem to offer, its popularity among the consumers did not quite catch on for quite a time. This is mainly due to the pressing disadvantages that micropayment detractors are quick to point out. Most micropayment system detractors insist that micropayments would cause inconvenience rather than convenience to consumers. How so? The most popular argument used is the "mental transaction cost".
What does mental transaction cost mean? Well, this is where a consumer stops and thinks twice whether the content is actually worth the price, regardless of how small the price is. This could cut down the number of your customer, since more people are likely to opt for free content.
The people pushing micropayments believe that the dollar cost of goods is the thing most responsible for deflecting readers from buying content, and that a reduction in price to micropayment levels will allow creators to begin charging for their work without deflecting readers.
Another possible drawback to using micropayment systems is that it requires the consumer to use major credit cards. Remember that Internet consumers are quite diverse in age; therefore, you cannot assume that all of them would have credit cards. Since teenagers are under the legal age, they do not have credit cards. Moreover, even among those consumers living in highly developed countries, not everyone has a credit card, and borrowing someone else’s credit card just to read a certain article in the Internet would prove to be a big inconvenience. Simply put, micropayment systems could very well alienate those consumers who do not have credit cards.
So with all these disadvantages, why do we need micropayments? With the growing demand for ethereal products (like information) in global economies and their immediate delivery at a low cost, the customary payment methods seemed to be impractical. Since most information found online (Web pages, Web links, etc.) cost barely a penny, the cost of charging in the usual payment method would turn out to be more expensive than the actual product. Thus, micropayment is a viable alternative.
A lot of content providers agreed that micropayments offer them the opportunity to regain the cost of online publishing, even possibly make money, that is, if they are popular enough. At present, content providers see their online popularity as a disadvantage since their popularity requires them to pay for large amounts of bandwidth. Another benefit that micropayment systems offer content providers is the opportunity to be completely free from sponsorship and advertising, which offers them more independence. Without advertising the provider could concentrate on publishing materials that interests their consumers instead of what interests their advertisers.
Micropayment systems are showing signs of recovery recently, what with the launching of Apple’s iTunes $0.99 a-song, the model is finally showing some signs of life. Furthermore, reports on the state of the paid content market shows that, content purchases below $5 increased 707% in 2002. A veritable accomplishment, since it made a seven-fold leap from virtually nothing.
Although, millions of people find the notion of purchasing $.99 songs at iTunes attractive, Apple’s administrators themselves admitted that most consumers still prefer purchasing larger album packages instead of the per song purchases. After all, Internet users do not purchase content as if they were a piece of candy. Some micropayment solutions even admit that their customers are loading less money into their accounts than what they initially expect which means that a considerable barrier still remains. Now, whether the micropayment system will eventually find success this time around or not will still depend on the consumers’ behavior, a hurdle that is yet to be crossed.
As the popularity of the Internet continuously grows, it is only natural for the content providers to start looking for different ways of making money from the content that they publish online. Basically, there are three ways for users to earn money from content; one is through advertising. Here, the content is available for free; however it comes with certain ads or links to their sponsor sites.
Another way for content providers to make money is by charging subscriptions, wherein consumers are required to pay a certain amount in exchange for access to the content for a certain period of time. The downside to the subscription model is that it only offers one choice to the consumer – either they do not pay the subscription and thus get no content or pay a substantial fee to get all the content. Oftentimes, this kind of choice led the consumers to move on to sites that offer content for free. Meanwhile, the third form of revenue is through donations that are solicited by the content providers themselves.
However, in 1998 a fourth form of revenue was proposed – the micropayment system. The concept of micropayments would not die down completely, nor would it fully come to life. What are micropayments, exactly? Micropayment is generally defined as the means of transferring small amounts of money (usually in pennies, nickel or dimes), usually in purchasing digital contents like music, movies, games and others.
Since charging such small amounts through the customary payment system like credit cards is impractical, the micropayment system is a viable option for those websites that wish to go "micro". The main objective of micropayments is to target a high volume of consumers by offering content at a relatively low price. It is also usual for micropayment systems to accumulate several payments and then charge it in one regular payment.
Most micropayments advocates firmly believe that the micropayment system is the solution to the free rider problem for those sites that are solely dependent on advertising. As for websites that are charging subscription fees, micropayments will be a viable alternative in order to increase the number of their consumers.
However, regardless of all the benefits that micropayment systems seem to offer, its popularity among the consumers did not quite catch on for quite a time. This is mainly due to the pressing disadvantages that micropayment detractors are quick to point out. Most micropayment system detractors insist that micropayments would cause inconvenience rather than convenience to consumers. How so? The most popular argument used is the "mental transaction cost".
What does mental transaction cost mean? Well, this is where a consumer stops and thinks twice whether the content is actually worth the price, regardless of how small the price is. This could cut down the number of your customer, since more people are likely to opt for free content.
The people pushing micropayments believe that the dollar cost of goods is the thing most responsible for deflecting readers from buying content, and that a reduction in price to micropayment levels will allow creators to begin charging for their work without deflecting readers.
Another possible drawback to using micropayment systems is that it requires the consumer to use major credit cards. Remember that Internet consumers are quite diverse in age; therefore, you cannot assume that all of them would have credit cards. Since teenagers are under the legal age, they do not have credit cards. Moreover, even among those consumers living in highly developed countries, not everyone has a credit card, and borrowing someone else’s credit card just to read a certain article in the Internet would prove to be a big inconvenience. Simply put, micropayment systems could very well alienate those consumers who do not have credit cards.
So with all these disadvantages, why do we need micropayments? With the growing demand for ethereal products (like information) in global economies and their immediate delivery at a low cost, the customary payment methods seemed to be impractical. Since most information found online (Web pages, Web links, etc.) cost barely a penny, the cost of charging in the usual payment method would turn out to be more expensive than the actual product. Thus, micropayment is a viable alternative.
A lot of content providers agreed that micropayments offer them the opportunity to regain the cost of online publishing, even possibly make money, that is, if they are popular enough. At present, content providers see their online popularity as a disadvantage since their popularity requires them to pay for large amounts of bandwidth. Another benefit that micropayment systems offer content providers is the opportunity to be completely free from sponsorship and advertising, which offers them more independence. Without advertising the provider could concentrate on publishing materials that interests their consumers instead of what interests their advertisers.
Micropayment systems are showing signs of recovery recently, what with the launching of Apple’s iTunes $0.99 a-song, the model is finally showing some signs of life. Furthermore, reports on the state of the paid content market shows that, content purchases below $5 increased 707% in 2002. A veritable accomplishment, since it made a seven-fold leap from virtually nothing.
Although, millions of people find the notion of purchasing $.99 songs at iTunes attractive, Apple’s administrators themselves admitted that most consumers still prefer purchasing larger album packages instead of the per song purchases. After all, Internet users do not purchase content as if they were a piece of candy. Some micropayment solutions even admit that their customers are loading less money into their accounts than what they initially expect which means that a considerable barrier still remains. Now, whether the micropayment system will eventually find success this time around or not will still depend on the consumers’ behavior, a hurdle that is yet to be crossed.
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