Hourglass Entrepreneurs

Internet marketing is a term used to describe techniques that leverage the internet for attracting customers and driving traffic to your business.  Internet marketing is more than just search engine marketing. More importantly, it is the online promotion of products and services.

Internet marketing is an acquired taste and requires time, effort, and careful preparation. The payouts, however, can be incredibly high.  The key to successful marketing is knowledge; more specifically, the knowledge to build a “list.”  Knowledge will maximize your online business opportunities and catapult you far ahead of the competition.

The first step in your internet marketing journey is to create a fantastic product to sell online or to find a good affiliate program so you can sell someone else’s product online for a commission.  There are some very fine affiliate opportunities in the MLM (“multi-level” marketing) world.  The goal is to find a good product that really sells.  Without the right product, truly successful internet marketing is next to impossible.

Your next step, after finding your fantastic product, is to get the product in front of as many people as you possibly can.  When people visit your website, it is crucial that they leave their contact information.  At a minimum, get a name and email address.  A phone number is important, but not 100% necessary in this day and age.  This can be accomplished by using a lead capture page or a simple contact form on your website.  With good contact information, you can begin building a list – the golden list – of qualified prospects that will lead to sales, repeat sales, cross-sales, and up-sales.

Many people don’t just “give up” this information.  You must present good reason for every person who visits your website to leave their contact information.  Take a look at the situation from your visitor’s perspective and decide what it would take for you to leave your contact information on a website for someone else selling that same product.  Integrate this incentive into your website and…you’ve begun to build your golden list.

Simple ways to drive traffic to your website are by using (1) Traffic Exchanges (easiest method), (2) YouTube videos (people like personal branding), and (3) Article submissions (best method).  You will also want to closely monitor the number of unique submissions and number of visits to your site, so you get a good idea of what works best for you and your business.

If you’re going with affiliate marketing, commissions range between 30% - 75%.  If you created your own fantastic product, you could potentially make 100% from your sales. You can see that marketing and selling your own product is considerably more profitable; however, there is much more time and effort involved.  No matter which internet marketing route you choose, it is easy to see the money is there for the taking.  So, what now?

Strategy is your next obstacle to tackle.   This means defining and tracking objectives and goals for your business.  An everyday routine is equally important in internet marketing.  The secret to success is in this daily routine. Where you are in life today is the result of what you did yesterday. So an online strategy with clearly defined goals and objectives is just as important as goals and objectives in life.  For example, if you say you will make 20 follow-up calls today or send out 50 emails, don’t go to sleep until you do.  You must hold yourself accountable to your goals and objectives.

Internet marketing is relatively inexpensive when compared with the opportunity to potentially make thousands more than you do at you regular job.  Plus, you get other perks like being your own boss and wearing your pajamas to the “office.”  Getting your product or service in front of your target market on the internet is your first hurdle.  Once that has been accomplished, the next important focus is in building your golden list of qualified prospects.  The golden list will put you a step ahead of the average internet marketer, help generate potential sales…and the money will follow.

Whether you are an internet pro or have only been online a short time, there is no question that you have heard about “affiliate marketing.”  But, what is it and why all the “buzz?”  Affiliate marketing is one of the hottest and easiest ways to make money online, allowing you to quickly and easily create a steady, reliable income stream with virtually no overhead.  What’s one of the best things about it?  You don’t have to be tech savvy; although, it can be confusing when you are deciding which affiliate programs to promote.  Don’t worry though; I’ve sorted through it for you.  Read on to get the details…

So, what is affiliate marketing?  In a nutshell, an affiliate is someone who sells someone else’s product.  In doing so, the affiliate earns a commission.  This is a good way to make money because you don’t have to create your own product or service; you can sell someone else’s and still make a living.  Keep in mind, however, that when you become an affiliate, you are associating yourself with the product or service.  This means that, good or bad, the company reflects on you and vice versa.  For this reason, please do your due diligence and research all aspects of an opportunity before you join.  If you understand exactly what you are getting into and it makes sense, it will make sense to others…and a potential online business is born.

Now, how do I make it work?  Here are 7 basic tips that help you in your quest for success:

Go with what you know.  Don’t choose a program or product that you know absolutely nothing about.  If you have little or no personal knowledge or experience about widgets, it will be difficult to market and sell a widget.  But, if you go with something that interests you or that you are passionate about, you will likely do well.  For instance, if you are an avid traveler (as I am), you might want to consider researching a product or program in that industry.

Is it a quality product or service?  Again, remember that you are one with the company and its reputation.  Don’t waste your valuable time on something that you wouldn’t buy yourself or sell to your next-door neighbor.  Invest your efforts in an opportunity that has real-life or intrinsic value.  It will really increase the buying power of your (and your client’s) dollar.

Network with other affiliates.  Here is where you can glean a ton of information about how others in your opportunity of interest are performing.  The company should be able to provide you with their affiliates’ contact information.  You could also join and read affiliate forums; this will really give you the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Give it time.  As with everything, patience is a virtue.  You will not make the big bucks your first day of advertising; but with effort and the right sales/marketing strategy, your quality product will turn itself into revenue.  In the event that it doesn’t, know that there is always something else.  Many successful “big time” affiliate marketers work with more than one opportunity.

What kind of commissions will you earn?  Are they front-end, back-end, or renewal commissions?  A good opportunity will offer all of the above.  This means you get paid on the original purchase, subsequent purchases, and recurring purchases that occur on a regular basis (like a monthly subscription fee).

Make sure you are working with good marketing tools.  The company should provide you with any banners or advertising media necessary to promote the product or program.  Most do; however, beware of a company that does not because it is extremely time consuming and difficult to create your own, unless you are familiar with HTML and art programs.

A good company will provide sales training.  This is a sign of a quality opportunity.  It means that they care about their affiliates and their performance.  After all, your success is their success.

Earning a living through affiliate marketing is simple, effective, and profitable.  Use your time wisely to thoroughly research several opportunities before you join one.  Quality, patience, and good, old-fashioned effort will be the best secret weapons in your business-building arsenal.  Good luck and I wish you much success.