You now have that website up and running. You have a great product. You are all set to start taking orders and making those trips to the bank to make deposits! And then you wait, and wait, and wait some more! Unless someone can find your site, you will have a very long wait! That is where the value and benefit of advertising comes in. Advertising is what brings potential customers into your "virtual business door". As a business owner, every dollar you spend is a dollar right out of your pocket. This affects your profit margin and revenues. This can be especially difficult if it comes at a time when you're trying to grow your business. If you're going to succeed, you have to pay close attention to your bottom line and look for creative, innovative ways to cut costs while still getting what you need.
That old saying that it "takes money to make money" has never been truer than when it comes to promoting your business. And when it comes to spending money on advertising, how do you make sure that your advertising is working hard enough, without spending a fortune that consumes all your profits or even worse money that far exceeds your business revenues?
Thanks to the Internet, you've got lots of options for finding cost-effective advertising that does what it's supposed to -- bring targeted customers who are hungry for what you're selling, right to your door. But don't forget about cost-effective offline methods as well. Here are a few ideas to help you get started:
Always make sure you focus your advertising dollars on your target market. The tighter your niche, the better your chances of finding the customers who are looking for exactly what you've got to sell! So rather than going wide, and trying to sell to everyone, narrow your focus, and then, if possible, narrow it some more! Figure out who your "ideal" customer is, and then create an advertising campaign for them. Once you know who you're selling to, look for media that targets that demographic. Depending on your product or service, think community and neighborhood newspapers, high school sponsor advertising, chamber of commerce directories, etc.
If your ideal customers aren't defined by a specific geographic location, look at regional or specific demographic publications. Perhaps a regional paper runs an annual issue that focuses on an issue or activity that reaches your target market. Use local cable television to broadcast your ads only in certain markets. You'll get cheaper rates and a more focused demographic.
Always ask for a discounted rate. (Many publications offer an "agency" discount of up to 15 percent. If you are acting as your own in-house advertising agency, you might qualify for the special rate. Sure, you might be turned down more often than not, but make it a habit to ask. It will be worth it every time it works for you.
Some monthly magazines offer discounts for multi-ads placed over a 3, 6 or 12 month time period. Most publications have a different rate schedule for different types of advertisers -- so depending on your product or service, you could qualify. And if not, sometimes just asking for the discount will give it to you.
Buy leftover space or airtime. This is advertising that the publication, radio or television station hasn't filled by their usual deadline. Of course you'll have to take the spots that are available, but again, depending on your business and the product or service you're selling, that inconvenience could still be worth the discount and the exposure you'll receive.
Use classified ads. They're not just for employment offers any more. You'll find classified ads in magazines and newspapers. Before writing your ad, go to your local library, and look through the back issues of the magazine or newspaper that you're considering. Look at the ads that catch your eye, or that are repeated month after month. Those ads wouldn't be in there each month, if they weren't making the advertiser money. Use those ads as springboards for ideas when you're ready to start writing your own classifieds.
Test your ads. Start out with the cheaper publications, so you can find out what's working and what's not. Play with them, and tweak them. Once you've got an ad that works, keep using it. You can run it more than once, or in more than one publication at a time. When it quits bringing in customers, or you start noticing a drop in effectiveness, then it's time to change it.
Do you own a retail business? If so, check into co-op advertising funds that may be offered by your vendors. Co-op programs provide joint advertising for your and your vendor, and you'll get a portion of the cost of the ad reimbursed because the ad mentions the vendor. (Note: most Co-op programs have strict guidelines, so check with your vendors and make sure you're following the rules).
Barter for goods and services. This can be especially effective with radio stations and local papers. See if you can provide your products or services in trade for the cost of advertising. (Also called "trade" or "In-kind" ads, the radio station or publication gives you the ad in exchange for products or services of equal value, and then uses those products or services as part of a promotion or contest for their listeners or readers). This can also be a great way to get additional free publicity, so if you decide to try this method, get creative and think outside the box!
Don't forget or be afraid to recycle the good ads in other advertising medium. If you've got an ad that's especially effective, looks great (or more importantly that is profitable), by all means reuse it in a circular, brochure, handout, flyer or direct mail piece. Use the graphics on your Webpages if available.
In summary, your goal should be to find a balanced mix of online and offline advertising. This will go a long way towards getting the greatest bang for your advertising buck! With a little creativity you will be maximizing your profits while minimizing your expenses.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Selling Yourself with Your Article Promotion
When it comes to promoting yourself, there is no better way to pull it off than writing articles. By submitting well-written, informative articles to online publishers, you will become an authority figure in the industry and be regarded as the one to go to. When you submit articles to online publishers, most will offer you the chance to include a short bio, as well as a link to your website. Article promotion is free advertising for you and is a great way to promote your website.
The term 'free' is not often used in the advertising world of today. Many individuals and companies spend thousands of dollars each year to get their name out and try, with all their spent dollars, to bring in new clients and new visitors to their site. The fact is you don�t have to spend a penny when you submit your articles to online publishers and your website and your name will be available for all visitors to see.
The wonderful thing about article promotion is that some of the publishers allow their visitors to copy the articles and place them on other websites. They do, however, have to leave the article as is, as well as make sure the author's name and information is attached. A way to make sure that your website is attached to the article is to include a resource box along with it and make sure your link is part of it whenever you partake of article promotion opportunities. What this means is that your article with all your information can spread all over the internet, that is if you make sure your link is used when use article promotion opportunities.
For example, if you submit 10 articles to 10 different sites, it gives you the opportunity for 100 links back to your site. But what happens when a quarter of those articles are put on 10 more sites? That's right. You've more than doubled the links back to your site. Before you even realize it, you could have as many as a thousand or more links to your site.
What happens when someone is looking up information on a subject and they keep coming across information that is written by you? Instantly, you are regarded as an authority on the subject at hand. This is a major benefit derived from article promotion. The one thing that will most likely happen is that you will get a visitor to your website as they browse for more information. The fact is, by submitting informative articles that are well written and give the reader something they need; you will become an individual well-known in your particular subject. By submitting your articles to online publishers, you will find yourself in the spotlight from time to time.
To get your articles noticed on the web, you can also make sure you use keyword optimization in your articles whenever you partake in article promotion opportunities. This is great for the search engines, allowing your articles to be found quicker, therefore, bringing in more visitors to your site.
Syndicating your articles is another way to get your articles to as many sites as possible. This simply makes it much easier for website owners to put content on their websites. Because it is very easy to do, it will save a lot of time for the site owner and it's a great situation for you as you no longer have to worry about marketing each of your articles individually.
When you get started, you'll simply include a link on your article to allow them to publish this, as well as any other articles you currently have available for syndication. Within days, your article can be viewed on hundreds of websites and you didn't really have to do anything but add the link to your content. Again, free advertising at its best!
If you would like to get your name and website advertised and bring in new visitors to your site, take advantage of the opportunity for free advertising by submitting well-written, informative articles. You'll be surprised by the amount of visitors you will get to your site!
Adrian Lawrence is the webmaster of Article Alley a popularfree content directory web sites. Please feel free to republish this article providing this resource box remains intact with a working hyperlink to our site.
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/
The term 'free' is not often used in the advertising world of today. Many individuals and companies spend thousands of dollars each year to get their name out and try, with all their spent dollars, to bring in new clients and new visitors to their site. The fact is you don�t have to spend a penny when you submit your articles to online publishers and your website and your name will be available for all visitors to see.
The wonderful thing about article promotion is that some of the publishers allow their visitors to copy the articles and place them on other websites. They do, however, have to leave the article as is, as well as make sure the author's name and information is attached. A way to make sure that your website is attached to the article is to include a resource box along with it and make sure your link is part of it whenever you partake of article promotion opportunities. What this means is that your article with all your information can spread all over the internet, that is if you make sure your link is used when use article promotion opportunities.
For example, if you submit 10 articles to 10 different sites, it gives you the opportunity for 100 links back to your site. But what happens when a quarter of those articles are put on 10 more sites? That's right. You've more than doubled the links back to your site. Before you even realize it, you could have as many as a thousand or more links to your site.
What happens when someone is looking up information on a subject and they keep coming across information that is written by you? Instantly, you are regarded as an authority on the subject at hand. This is a major benefit derived from article promotion. The one thing that will most likely happen is that you will get a visitor to your website as they browse for more information. The fact is, by submitting informative articles that are well written and give the reader something they need; you will become an individual well-known in your particular subject. By submitting your articles to online publishers, you will find yourself in the spotlight from time to time.
To get your articles noticed on the web, you can also make sure you use keyword optimization in your articles whenever you partake in article promotion opportunities. This is great for the search engines, allowing your articles to be found quicker, therefore, bringing in more visitors to your site.
Syndicating your articles is another way to get your articles to as many sites as possible. This simply makes it much easier for website owners to put content on their websites. Because it is very easy to do, it will save a lot of time for the site owner and it's a great situation for you as you no longer have to worry about marketing each of your articles individually.
When you get started, you'll simply include a link on your article to allow them to publish this, as well as any other articles you currently have available for syndication. Within days, your article can be viewed on hundreds of websites and you didn't really have to do anything but add the link to your content. Again, free advertising at its best!
If you would like to get your name and website advertised and bring in new visitors to your site, take advantage of the opportunity for free advertising by submitting well-written, informative articles. You'll be surprised by the amount of visitors you will get to your site!
Adrian Lawrence is the webmaster of Article Alley a popularfree content directory web sites. Please feel free to republish this article providing this resource box remains intact with a working hyperlink to our site.
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/
The easy way to multiply your income
If you've got a website and have attracted some good traffic to it, you will probably be feeling pleased with yourself.
However, you may still be missing out on a chance to triple your sales (or more!).
Think of all those people who visit your site just once and never return again. How powerful would it be if you could capture their email addresses and build a mailing list?
Let me also ask you, would you rather buy from personal recommendation or from a stranger? Of course, most of us feel more comfortable buying from someone we feel we know.
Maybe you should consider getting an Auto Responder for your website. Autoresponders can send out automatic replies and pre-written emails after having recieved an email. They can also be set up to send out a preset sequence of emails.
Auto Responders offer a great opportunity to build a relationship with the visitors to your site. After building that relationship over several days or weeks, studies have shown that you are more than five or six times as likely to make a sale!
Consider how powerful that could be when you find or develop a new product, you have a list of subscribers who trust you and know that you are an expert in your field. Now you're personally recommending them your product, rather than selling, your sales will literally take off.
If you're not building a list of your customers, you're missing out on a huge opportunity!
You can find out more on setting up your internet business at, visit Auto Responders
This article was submitted by Jennifer Carter, author of Work at home internet business
However, you may still be missing out on a chance to triple your sales (or more!).
Think of all those people who visit your site just once and never return again. How powerful would it be if you could capture their email addresses and build a mailing list?
Let me also ask you, would you rather buy from personal recommendation or from a stranger? Of course, most of us feel more comfortable buying from someone we feel we know.
Maybe you should consider getting an Auto Responder for your website. Autoresponders can send out automatic replies and pre-written emails after having recieved an email. They can also be set up to send out a preset sequence of emails.
Auto Responders offer a great opportunity to build a relationship with the visitors to your site. After building that relationship over several days or weeks, studies have shown that you are more than five or six times as likely to make a sale!
Consider how powerful that could be when you find or develop a new product, you have a list of subscribers who trust you and know that you are an expert in your field. Now you're personally recommending them your product, rather than selling, your sales will literally take off.
If you're not building a list of your customers, you're missing out on a huge opportunity!
You can find out more on setting up your internet business at, visit Auto Responders
This article was submitted by Jennifer Carter, author of Work at home internet business
Stop emailing articles to your list!
If you're sending out articles to your email list, you need to stop right now, this instant, without delay! Yes, yes, I know everyone is telling you to email information to your list regularly, but let me show you why you need to change all that.
I used to do what everyone else does. I would research the latest happenings in my subject area, write up what I felt was a good informative article on the subject, and email it out to my list of opt-ins who like to get that kind of information from me.
But then I signed up to receive information from a search engine guru that I felt knew his stuff. The next day I received an email from him that didn't contain an article, but merely a short description of an article and a link to where I could read the whole thing on his web site.
So I clicked the link and landed on an article page with AdSense on it. That's when it hit me.
Why You Should Post Your Articles to Your Web Site Instead
You should never email a full article to your list. You should always send them a description of the article, or a short excerpt, along with a link to the web page where you have the full article. There are many benefits to doing this:
1. You get additional AdSense revenue from your list.
This one is obvious. If you send your list to your web site, and you have AdSense on the site, you can generate more revenue from the clicks.
2. You can link out to recommended products from the articles.
AdSense is really a tiny piece of the pie that you can earn by sending your readers to a web page. By having links to related products that you recommend inside the article itself, you are more likely to get your readers to click and buy.
Of course, you can also have a list of recommended products alongside every article as well.
3. You're building a content site that search engines can find and people can link to.
If you're posting all of your articles onto a web site, then the search engines can find those articles and send you traffic, and people can link to the article from their own web sites, from forums and in emails. This generates more AdSense revenue and product sales.
4. You can grow your email list.
If your articles are all on your site and you include an opt-in box on each page, then visitors who follow links or find your site through the search engines can join your email list and continue to earn you more money.
5. Your list has a place to go to find all of the articles you've posted in the past.
Sometimes I wish I hadn't deleted that article from that guru that I just didn't have time to read at the moment. I wish I would have saved it so I could look back at it.
Have you ever thought that? I have! And chances are so have many people on your email list. By having all of your articles posted to your web site, they have a place they can go back and find that information. New subscribers have the benefit of being able to go back and read the articles they missed as well.
And again, these extra visits to your archives generate more AdSense revenue and more product sales.
6. Short article description emails are less likely to trip SPAM filters.
A long email article has a much greater chance of using words or phrases that trip email SPAM filters and cause your readers to never get your email in the first place. A short description with a link is far less likely to trip those filters. Fewer SPAM filters triggered, more readers, more clicks, etc. etc.
How well has this method worked for me?
How well have I been doing with my own blog using this method? Well it's only been up a month, but so far it's earned me over $200 in extra AdSense revenue, more than $2500 in affiliate product sales (that does not include sales of my own products, which have been at least as much), and has gotten me 90 new subscribers to my email list.
Keep in mind–it's only been a month. Word is just getting out about the blog, and already I've gotten 90 new subscribers and made thousands of extra dollars from the blog.
All this because I stopped emailing articles to my list.
I used to do what everyone else does. I would research the latest happenings in my subject area, write up what I felt was a good informative article on the subject, and email it out to my list of opt-ins who like to get that kind of information from me.
But then I signed up to receive information from a search engine guru that I felt knew his stuff. The next day I received an email from him that didn't contain an article, but merely a short description of an article and a link to where I could read the whole thing on his web site.
So I clicked the link and landed on an article page with AdSense on it. That's when it hit me.
Why You Should Post Your Articles to Your Web Site Instead
You should never email a full article to your list. You should always send them a description of the article, or a short excerpt, along with a link to the web page where you have the full article. There are many benefits to doing this:
1. You get additional AdSense revenue from your list.
This one is obvious. If you send your list to your web site, and you have AdSense on the site, you can generate more revenue from the clicks.
2. You can link out to recommended products from the articles.
AdSense is really a tiny piece of the pie that you can earn by sending your readers to a web page. By having links to related products that you recommend inside the article itself, you are more likely to get your readers to click and buy.
Of course, you can also have a list of recommended products alongside every article as well.
3. You're building a content site that search engines can find and people can link to.
If you're posting all of your articles onto a web site, then the search engines can find those articles and send you traffic, and people can link to the article from their own web sites, from forums and in emails. This generates more AdSense revenue and product sales.
4. You can grow your email list.
If your articles are all on your site and you include an opt-in box on each page, then visitors who follow links or find your site through the search engines can join your email list and continue to earn you more money.
5. Your list has a place to go to find all of the articles you've posted in the past.
Sometimes I wish I hadn't deleted that article from that guru that I just didn't have time to read at the moment. I wish I would have saved it so I could look back at it.
Have you ever thought that? I have! And chances are so have many people on your email list. By having all of your articles posted to your web site, they have a place they can go back and find that information. New subscribers have the benefit of being able to go back and read the articles they missed as well.
And again, these extra visits to your archives generate more AdSense revenue and more product sales.
6. Short article description emails are less likely to trip SPAM filters.
A long email article has a much greater chance of using words or phrases that trip email SPAM filters and cause your readers to never get your email in the first place. A short description with a link is far less likely to trip those filters. Fewer SPAM filters triggered, more readers, more clicks, etc. etc.
How well has this method worked for me?
How well have I been doing with my own blog using this method? Well it's only been up a month, but so far it's earned me over $200 in extra AdSense revenue, more than $2500 in affiliate product sales (that does not include sales of my own products, which have been at least as much), and has gotten me 90 new subscribers to my email list.
Keep in mind–it's only been a month. Word is just getting out about the blog, and already I've gotten 90 new subscribers and made thousands of extra dollars from the blog.
All this because I stopped emailing articles to my list.
10 Tips For A Successful Email Campaign.
1 Build your list internally, even if it takes time, so the quality of yourrecipient list remains at a high level.
2 Keep an accurate audit of how your company received permissionto contact the subscribers of the lists - some people forget theysigned up to receive information
3 Make membership to your list valuable by offering deals that non-members cannot receive
4 Make sure that your company's name (or product name) is clearlystated in the domain name which appears in the "Sender" line ofthe e-mail
5 Use clearly stated words that describe what you want customers torespond to in both the "Subject" line and the body of your message
6 Provide recipients with a clear way to contact you for moreinformation, including a staffed telephone number or e-mailaddress
7 Provide subscribers with clear instructions of how to be removedfrom future mailings, and make sure that your Privacy Policy iseasily accessible
8 Plan mailings for specific, opportune times so subscribers areexpecting your messages and are properly suited to respond
9 Personalize headers with recipients' names, and tailor messagesthat are ideally suited for different target segments
10 Choose software that is capable of performing as your lists grow,scans outgoing messages for viruses and can measure theeffectiveness of your campaign.
for more information please visit http://www.moneytreeprofits.com/profits-commando
2 Keep an accurate audit of how your company received permissionto contact the subscribers of the lists - some people forget theysigned up to receive information
3 Make membership to your list valuable by offering deals that non-members cannot receive
4 Make sure that your company's name (or product name) is clearlystated in the domain name which appears in the "Sender" line ofthe e-mail
5 Use clearly stated words that describe what you want customers torespond to in both the "Subject" line and the body of your message
6 Provide recipients with a clear way to contact you for moreinformation, including a staffed telephone number or e-mailaddress
7 Provide subscribers with clear instructions of how to be removedfrom future mailings, and make sure that your Privacy Policy iseasily accessible
8 Plan mailings for specific, opportune times so subscribers areexpecting your messages and are properly suited to respond
9 Personalize headers with recipients' names, and tailor messagesthat are ideally suited for different target segments
10 Choose software that is capable of performing as your lists grow,scans outgoing messages for viruses and can measure theeffectiveness of your campaign.
for more information please visit http://www.moneytreeprofits.com/profits-commando
Monday, November 26, 2007
Make Money From Home And Claim Your Freedom!
A lot more people than you may think make money from home in successful home based businesses. Whether they work at their businesses full or part time, they are able to make money from home by providing quality products or services to the local community at a personal level or globally via online services.
You may be able to make money from home by doing things you love to do. Wouldn't it be great to profit from your hobbies and interests? If you enjoy making craft items you can create them and then market them either locally or online to a broader global community. You can even take a good idea and tailor it to a particular niche so that it is unique.
The number of home based businesses has grown considerably over the past decade as the internet has enlarged the opportunities available to make money at home. As technology and online services have improved, it has become easier and less expensive to set up an online business and get it operational. Websites can be set up inexpensively and quickly. You need to learn about internet marketing and you're on your way. A way to quickly make money from home is to work online as a freelancer. This way you don't need to establish a website immediately, you can begin to establish your reputation as a freelancer by obtaining work from freelance writing sites. You just need an email address and professional skills to make money from home. You can bid on jobs (contracts) at freelance work auction sites. Some of the most popular forms of work available on these sites are computer programming, web design, and freelance writing. Once you begin to build a good reputation and a solid client base, you can expand your business by marketing from your own website. This allows you charge higher rates as you are not directly competing with very low bids.
Another popular way to make money from home online is to become an affiliate marketer for other people's products or services. An affiliate is someone who is paid a commission for sales gained from their referrals. To be truly successful as an affiliate marketer it is important to have your own website; it is also necessary to belong to a number of affiliate programs that are all linked in someway to your website's theme so that you don't waste targeted traffic.
If you would prefer to create and sell your own products, you might consider information products such as eBooks, streaming videos, online training courses and audio downloads. Information products are ideal because once they are created there is no further cost of production and you make a hundred percent profit as long as you are the sole provider of the products. The most successful information products offer specialized information that people are prepared to pay for.
More and more people are making radical changes in their working lives in order to change the quality of their whole lives and make money from home. It takes a decision, courage, the willingness to learn, the ability to do something well that people are willing to pay for, and a dose of patience. But the result is certainly worth it for a lot of people.
You may be able to make money from home by doing things you love to do. Wouldn't it be great to profit from your hobbies and interests? If you enjoy making craft items you can create them and then market them either locally or online to a broader global community. You can even take a good idea and tailor it to a particular niche so that it is unique.
The number of home based businesses has grown considerably over the past decade as the internet has enlarged the opportunities available to make money at home. As technology and online services have improved, it has become easier and less expensive to set up an online business and get it operational. Websites can be set up inexpensively and quickly. You need to learn about internet marketing and you're on your way. A way to quickly make money from home is to work online as a freelancer. This way you don't need to establish a website immediately, you can begin to establish your reputation as a freelancer by obtaining work from freelance writing sites. You just need an email address and professional skills to make money from home. You can bid on jobs (contracts) at freelance work auction sites. Some of the most popular forms of work available on these sites are computer programming, web design, and freelance writing. Once you begin to build a good reputation and a solid client base, you can expand your business by marketing from your own website. This allows you charge higher rates as you are not directly competing with very low bids.
Another popular way to make money from home online is to become an affiliate marketer for other people's products or services. An affiliate is someone who is paid a commission for sales gained from their referrals. To be truly successful as an affiliate marketer it is important to have your own website; it is also necessary to belong to a number of affiliate programs that are all linked in someway to your website's theme so that you don't waste targeted traffic.
If you would prefer to create and sell your own products, you might consider information products such as eBooks, streaming videos, online training courses and audio downloads. Information products are ideal because once they are created there is no further cost of production and you make a hundred percent profit as long as you are the sole provider of the products. The most successful information products offer specialized information that people are prepared to pay for.
More and more people are making radical changes in their working lives in order to change the quality of their whole lives and make money from home. It takes a decision, courage, the willingness to learn, the ability to do something well that people are willing to pay for, and a dose of patience. But the result is certainly worth it for a lot of people.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Affiliate Marketing Tactics: 2 Reasons Why You Need Top Use A Opt In Landing Page
A effective "opt in landing page" is a very important element in a successful affiliate marketing business. It is also call squeeze page and it can be defined as a simple website which is specially designed to collect the customer’s name and email address so that they customer will join their list. There are 2 reasons why you need to use the squeeze page.
The 1st reason is you want to capture the maximum number of subscribers so that you will have the chance to convert them into a buying customer. When you have started building your own list, you will be able to build a relationship with your customers so that they will feel that you are interested in helping them and they can trust you. When your customer has trust in you, it will be much easier for you promote products to them.
The 2nd reason is to prequalify your prospects before you will reveal the information to them and directing them to the merchant’s sales page through your affiliate link. You would want to have responsive customer who are willing to give you their data. It is logical to know that if the customer is not even willing to give you their data, it will be very difficult for them to take out their credit card and purchase the product through your affiliate link.
Thus when you have a opt in page, you will firstly prequalify the customer so that you will be getting a quality list and you will have the chance to build a relationship with your list which will increase your credibility with them.
When you have a very responsive list, you will have a long term business as they have already trust you and they will buy any affiliate products that you recommend. It is thus important to know that you should only recommend quality products.
These are the 2 reasons why you need to have a effective opt in landing page. As long as you are not building your own profitable list, you will not have a long term business. So do not make the mistake of not using a opt in landing page in your affiliate marketing business.
Zack Lim is an up and coming affiliate marketer who owns http://www.MyAffiliateMarketingOnline.com providing information on Affiliate Marketing.
To get Free "7 Days to Affiliate Marketing" course, go to htttp://www.MyAffiliateMarketingOnline.com.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
The 1st reason is you want to capture the maximum number of subscribers so that you will have the chance to convert them into a buying customer. When you have started building your own list, you will be able to build a relationship with your customers so that they will feel that you are interested in helping them and they can trust you. When your customer has trust in you, it will be much easier for you promote products to them.
The 2nd reason is to prequalify your prospects before you will reveal the information to them and directing them to the merchant’s sales page through your affiliate link. You would want to have responsive customer who are willing to give you their data. It is logical to know that if the customer is not even willing to give you their data, it will be very difficult for them to take out their credit card and purchase the product through your affiliate link.
Thus when you have a opt in page, you will firstly prequalify the customer so that you will be getting a quality list and you will have the chance to build a relationship with your list which will increase your credibility with them.
When you have a very responsive list, you will have a long term business as they have already trust you and they will buy any affiliate products that you recommend. It is thus important to know that you should only recommend quality products.
These are the 2 reasons why you need to have a effective opt in landing page. As long as you are not building your own profitable list, you will not have a long term business. So do not make the mistake of not using a opt in landing page in your affiliate marketing business.
Zack Lim is an up and coming affiliate marketer who owns http://www.MyAffiliateMarketingOnline.com providing information on Affiliate Marketing.
To get Free "7 Days to Affiliate Marketing" course, go to htttp://www.MyAffiliateMarketingOnline.com.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
5 Qualities An Affiliate Marketer Must Have To Be Successful
Every day, more and more people are drawn to internet marketing. The reasons and motivations for doing so are varied; but many aspire for a better life for them and their families.
One thing that influences them are all the catchy internet marketing ads and success stories from those who claim to have made it big online. But the fact is, many of them give up after a few attempts to kick off their internet marketing careers. Most are disenchanted and bitter, having lost more money than earned.
Internet marketing is a very difficult and competitive business to get into, and it makes it even harder for newbies who have to deal with more experienced competitors and a learning curve.
One common reason for failing is their vulnerability to the newbie trap. Naive and new to it all, these beginners lack the proper information, do not have the right.. or any tools at all, and hardly get any formal instruction from a mentor of credible authority. They end up purchasing just about any ebook, tutorial, course and software that promises them the secret to success.Most of all, they just did not have certain qualities needed for success.
But what exactly does one need to succeed in affiliate marketing? What qualities must one possess in order to do be successful as an affiliate marketer?
The first quality one should have is to accept that there is a lot to be learned and he would only learn that in the proper pace and not overnight. That acceptance comes with a willingness to learn and to be trained. Venturing into unfamiliar territory is like groping in the dark for a light switch. Many trip and fall. The newbie marketer can easily get lost, but the desire to learn will increase his chances of finding the right path.
The second is the willingness to invest time and effort, and continue doing so even if positive results do not seem apparent. Many months can pass without any breakthroughs, and it is important for one to patiently wait and press on. This is the quality that would save him from giving up despite investing a lot of himself and his time in the business.
Third is self-determination. If one seeks to conquer the affiliate marketing world, he must have the ability to push himself and keep on pushing, motivating himself to his goal of conquering the affiliate marketing world.
The fourth quality one must possess is discipline. If one knows how to teach himself to work everyday, and put in all that energy he can muster, he gets closer to achieving what he has set out to accomplish. Last but not least is optimism. An affiliate marketer should never be discouraged from pursuing his goal of a better life. One of the hardest things to do is keep positive in a negative situation. One should keep with the plan, and pursue the purpose uninfluenced by unhelpful opinions from others.
The ingredients to success in a business such as affiliate marketing are diverse and numerous, however the most important traits that one needs in order to succeed, are in himself alone; and his capacity to do everything he can to fuel him down the path of affiliate marketing success.
Roy Sencio is a Marketing Communications Consultant and Internet Entrepreneur. http://www.affiliateeliteonline.com
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
One thing that influences them are all the catchy internet marketing ads and success stories from those who claim to have made it big online. But the fact is, many of them give up after a few attempts to kick off their internet marketing careers. Most are disenchanted and bitter, having lost more money than earned.
Internet marketing is a very difficult and competitive business to get into, and it makes it even harder for newbies who have to deal with more experienced competitors and a learning curve.
One common reason for failing is their vulnerability to the newbie trap. Naive and new to it all, these beginners lack the proper information, do not have the right.. or any tools at all, and hardly get any formal instruction from a mentor of credible authority. They end up purchasing just about any ebook, tutorial, course and software that promises them the secret to success.Most of all, they just did not have certain qualities needed for success.
But what exactly does one need to succeed in affiliate marketing? What qualities must one possess in order to do be successful as an affiliate marketer?
The first quality one should have is to accept that there is a lot to be learned and he would only learn that in the proper pace and not overnight. That acceptance comes with a willingness to learn and to be trained. Venturing into unfamiliar territory is like groping in the dark for a light switch. Many trip and fall. The newbie marketer can easily get lost, but the desire to learn will increase his chances of finding the right path.
The second is the willingness to invest time and effort, and continue doing so even if positive results do not seem apparent. Many months can pass without any breakthroughs, and it is important for one to patiently wait and press on. This is the quality that would save him from giving up despite investing a lot of himself and his time in the business.
Third is self-determination. If one seeks to conquer the affiliate marketing world, he must have the ability to push himself and keep on pushing, motivating himself to his goal of conquering the affiliate marketing world.
The fourth quality one must possess is discipline. If one knows how to teach himself to work everyday, and put in all that energy he can muster, he gets closer to achieving what he has set out to accomplish. Last but not least is optimism. An affiliate marketer should never be discouraged from pursuing his goal of a better life. One of the hardest things to do is keep positive in a negative situation. One should keep with the plan, and pursue the purpose uninfluenced by unhelpful opinions from others.
The ingredients to success in a business such as affiliate marketing are diverse and numerous, however the most important traits that one needs in order to succeed, are in himself alone; and his capacity to do everything he can to fuel him down the path of affiliate marketing success.
Roy Sencio is a Marketing Communications Consultant and Internet Entrepreneur. http://www.affiliateeliteonline.com
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Thursday, November 22, 2007
1.000.000$ With Google In 6 Months
Did you know?
That internet advertising revenues reached an estimated new record of $4.2 billion for the third quarter of 2006 and that the internet advertising market has been growing more than 30% for the last 4 consecutive years.
"Google reported revenues of $3.66 billion for the quarter ended March 31, 2007"
Google Adsense is revolutionizing the web, high school kids are making fortunes per month with Adsense paying their classes and helping their fathers paying the bills at home.
Lawyers and doctors gave up their practices to make millions with Google.
Thanks to Google Adsense revenues the internet is growing faster each day, while Google is paying the bills webmasters create more quality websites with free content and utilities for everyone, websites that you look for when your cash flow is fading. People create websites just for make money with Adsense and this reason is reflecting on the web contributing to the fast growth of thousands of websites and ideas that born every day. When you use Adwords to promote your products you are sponsoring and bringing to life a new star rising website that can be a must value to the web.
That's why Google Adsense/Adwords programs are so great, because everybody wins, advertisers pay per click and make sales using Adwords, clicks and impressions are made by the Adsense publishers that receive compensation, it's a rollercoaster that never stops so therefore it is unbeatable.
It's called "revenue sharing" and it's the most powerful internet marketing tool you will ever find!
Thousands of people every day discover Adsense and start making money at home with their websites, they share the secret with others and when others make money everyone makes money, that's why I had the trouble to write and distribute this little article, to spread the good news and off course make my own fortune.
If you have a website and are looking for a serious income this is the perfect opportunity for you to grab, Adsense is the best money making program circulating on the web, one of the most well paid if not the number 1 and best of all it is real!
Join Google Adsense free and retire from your job in months, use Google Adwords to rise up your business and become a millionaire in the next year.
et me show you the headline 1.000.000 in 6 months:Besides the Adsense earnings and the Adwords traffic that you can generate you can also make big money referring others to the Adwords and Adsense programs, when they use the programs you get paid, well paid.This is how the programs work, by own Google words:"When an advertiser who signed up for Google AdWords through your referral spends $5.00 (in addition to the $5.00 sign-up fee) within 90 days of sign-up, you will be credited with $5.00. When that same advertiser spends $100.00 within 90 days of sign-up, you will be credited with an additional $40.00. If, in any 180-day period, you refer 20 advertisers who each spend more respective sign-ups, you will be awarded a $600.00 bonus."
"When a publisher who signed up for Google AdSense through your referral earns $5.00 within 180 days of sign-up, you will be credited with $5.00. When that same publisher earns $100.00 within 180 days of sign-up and is eligible for payout, you will be credited with an additional $250.00. If, in any 180 day period, you refer 25 publishers who each earn more than $100.00 and are all eligible for payout, you will be awarded a $2,000.00 bonus."
Do I need to say anything else to convince you to sign up? I Don't think so.
Just do the math and you will find out the potential of your earnings, if you already know the programs you know what I'm talking about and have a better perspective, if you don't I tell you this, you can look but I guarantee that does not exist nothing else like it.
And don't worry, take it easy, take your time, it doesn't matter if you don't understand any of this, the only matter is that you have a website and want to make money with it, in the process you will discover how everything works and how tho succeed in your goals.
That's for this and many other reasons that Google is and will be the internet's number 1 for many years to come!
Follow the path, become rich and make your dreams come true forever!!
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
That internet advertising revenues reached an estimated new record of $4.2 billion for the third quarter of 2006 and that the internet advertising market has been growing more than 30% for the last 4 consecutive years.
"Google reported revenues of $3.66 billion for the quarter ended March 31, 2007"
Google Adsense is revolutionizing the web, high school kids are making fortunes per month with Adsense paying their classes and helping their fathers paying the bills at home.
Lawyers and doctors gave up their practices to make millions with Google.
Thanks to Google Adsense revenues the internet is growing faster each day, while Google is paying the bills webmasters create more quality websites with free content and utilities for everyone, websites that you look for when your cash flow is fading. People create websites just for make money with Adsense and this reason is reflecting on the web contributing to the fast growth of thousands of websites and ideas that born every day. When you use Adwords to promote your products you are sponsoring and bringing to life a new star rising website that can be a must value to the web.
That's why Google Adsense/Adwords programs are so great, because everybody wins, advertisers pay per click and make sales using Adwords, clicks and impressions are made by the Adsense publishers that receive compensation, it's a rollercoaster that never stops so therefore it is unbeatable.
It's called "revenue sharing" and it's the most powerful internet marketing tool you will ever find!
Thousands of people every day discover Adsense and start making money at home with their websites, they share the secret with others and when others make money everyone makes money, that's why I had the trouble to write and distribute this little article, to spread the good news and off course make my own fortune.
If you have a website and are looking for a serious income this is the perfect opportunity for you to grab, Adsense is the best money making program circulating on the web, one of the most well paid if not the number 1 and best of all it is real!
Join Google Adsense free and retire from your job in months, use Google Adwords to rise up your business and become a millionaire in the next year.
et me show you the headline 1.000.000 in 6 months:Besides the Adsense earnings and the Adwords traffic that you can generate you can also make big money referring others to the Adwords and Adsense programs, when they use the programs you get paid, well paid.This is how the programs work, by own Google words:"When an advertiser who signed up for Google AdWords through your referral spends $5.00 (in addition to the $5.00 sign-up fee) within 90 days of sign-up, you will be credited with $5.00. When that same advertiser spends $100.00 within 90 days of sign-up, you will be credited with an additional $40.00. If, in any 180-day period, you refer 20 advertisers who each spend more respective sign-ups, you will be awarded a $600.00 bonus."
"When a publisher who signed up for Google AdSense through your referral earns $5.00 within 180 days of sign-up, you will be credited with $5.00. When that same publisher earns $100.00 within 180 days of sign-up and is eligible for payout, you will be credited with an additional $250.00. If, in any 180 day period, you refer 25 publishers who each earn more than $100.00 and are all eligible for payout, you will be awarded a $2,000.00 bonus."
Do I need to say anything else to convince you to sign up? I Don't think so.
Just do the math and you will find out the potential of your earnings, if you already know the programs you know what I'm talking about and have a better perspective, if you don't I tell you this, you can look but I guarantee that does not exist nothing else like it.
And don't worry, take it easy, take your time, it doesn't matter if you don't understand any of this, the only matter is that you have a website and want to make money with it, in the process you will discover how everything works and how tho succeed in your goals.
That's for this and many other reasons that Google is and will be the internet's number 1 for many years to come!
Follow the path, become rich and make your dreams come true forever!!
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Affiliate Marketing Makeover For Success
Do you have a solid foundation where you have mastered the elements of successful affiliate marketing? The successful affiliate marketers have mastered the essential core elements of conversion.
Study and Research - Find out what a hungry niche market is looking for. When you know what the market likes to eat it will be easy to feed them your product. So explore, brainstorm and research before selecting a product to market to them. Spend some time on Google Trends and research.
Test it out - Before trying to generate huge amounts of traffic, create a small test campaign with a few ultra targeted keywords to see if it converts. Highly targeted traffic that converts to sales is the sign of a successful affiliate marketer. Testing it out first makes it easy to track because the campaign is small.
Doing your job - Affiliate marketing is all about PRE-selling. Let the merchant do the selling. Your role should be to provide value. Help your audience find what they are looking. Find a solution to their problem. Avoid the concept of sell/sell and embrace the concept of PRE-sell/sell. If you can put yourself in front of your customers pc and visualize yourself as them, you can certainly PRE-sell.
Capture Page - A customized, relevant, keyword rich landing page does two things really well. It creates your brand of high value and allows big daddy (aka Google) to see the keywords you advertise under as relevant. So learn to build it, and they will come.
Seduce Google - Make yourself attractive to Google and all of the other major PPC services out there. Pay less than all of your competitors when Google thinks your style of advertising is attractive. Pay TONS when you use PPC's the wrong way. An understanding of how these services work will help conversions.
Be Specific - Lots of traffic, no conversions and no money in your bank account is the result of bidding on keywords that are to general. Bidding on a term like "fishing gear" is not productive. How about "deep sea fishing gear albacore tuna" or even more specific than that. Specific terms will make your customer say, "Perfect, this is exactly what I was looking for."
Build the list - If you don't capture your customer's email address you're leaving the money on table. It's going to take around 6 or more contacts from you before the purchase so follow-up. Even better, is the option to market to them in the future for free.
I've never underestimated the importance of learning what the successful affiliate marketers are doing. Do it and be much better off.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Study and Research - Find out what a hungry niche market is looking for. When you know what the market likes to eat it will be easy to feed them your product. So explore, brainstorm and research before selecting a product to market to them. Spend some time on Google Trends and research.
Test it out - Before trying to generate huge amounts of traffic, create a small test campaign with a few ultra targeted keywords to see if it converts. Highly targeted traffic that converts to sales is the sign of a successful affiliate marketer. Testing it out first makes it easy to track because the campaign is small.
Doing your job - Affiliate marketing is all about PRE-selling. Let the merchant do the selling. Your role should be to provide value. Help your audience find what they are looking. Find a solution to their problem. Avoid the concept of sell/sell and embrace the concept of PRE-sell/sell. If you can put yourself in front of your customers pc and visualize yourself as them, you can certainly PRE-sell.
Capture Page - A customized, relevant, keyword rich landing page does two things really well. It creates your brand of high value and allows big daddy (aka Google) to see the keywords you advertise under as relevant. So learn to build it, and they will come.
Seduce Google - Make yourself attractive to Google and all of the other major PPC services out there. Pay less than all of your competitors when Google thinks your style of advertising is attractive. Pay TONS when you use PPC's the wrong way. An understanding of how these services work will help conversions.
Be Specific - Lots of traffic, no conversions and no money in your bank account is the result of bidding on keywords that are to general. Bidding on a term like "fishing gear" is not productive. How about "deep sea fishing gear albacore tuna" or even more specific than that. Specific terms will make your customer say, "Perfect, this is exactly what I was looking for."
Build the list - If you don't capture your customer's email address you're leaving the money on table. It's going to take around 6 or more contacts from you before the purchase so follow-up. Even better, is the option to market to them in the future for free.
I've never underestimated the importance of learning what the successful affiliate marketers are doing. Do it and be much better off.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Know what to avoid when choosing an Affiliate Program
It is true that affiliate programs will benefit you with enormous resources with time but there are some potholes which needs careful skipping. Usually what people do is that they only give attention to making extra money, or having a full time job, often with illusions and no idea of how the affiliate program actually works. This is a grave mistake.
Every business have its brighter as well as darker side and therefore people when deciding to join any business or any program should remember to make decision using brain and not heart. But there are many people who make very common and big mistakes it comes to choosing an affiliate program. This article will just serve them as the reminder to avoid these mistakes at all costs so that they are able to be more effective and make more money.
1. The most frequent mistakes that people make when choosing affiliate programs is choosing a program that offers little reward for the individual’s hard work. You should detach yourself from such affiliate programs. The reason is simple because you have joined the affiliate programs to earn more then what is the use to work for those affiliate programs pay too little to the affiliates making their earnings difficult. Instead browse for those affiliate programs that has a good pay rate for your work, making you happy and encouraging you to work more.
2. Affiliates should look for those affiliates programs that promises to take care of their affiliates at any hour of a day. If the affiliates find themselves waiting for answers to any of their queries for too long then it will be wise for them to look for an affiliate program that guarantees you support round the clock.
3. Look for an affiliate programs that do not compete against their competitors thus wasting money and putting affiliates into questions. Instead screen out for an affiliate program that agrees with supporting and growing other affiliates to have a larger network and approach to more affiliates.
4. Screen out for an affiliate program that offers good, solid, real time statistics and not those that still follows the same old statistics or the ones that are invalid. Though there are very few but it depends on the individual’s search to look for an affiliate program that promises you to offer the most.
5. Avoid those affiliate programs that provide few ideas or creative to their affiliates ending with up with the same advertising in thousands of web pages instead look for the affiliate programs that would provide fresh ideas or creative to their affiliates to have a better success rate.If people try to avoid these mistakes then you are safe from falling into the potholes of affiliate programs beaming with success.
make money online
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Every business have its brighter as well as darker side and therefore people when deciding to join any business or any program should remember to make decision using brain and not heart. But there are many people who make very common and big mistakes it comes to choosing an affiliate program. This article will just serve them as the reminder to avoid these mistakes at all costs so that they are able to be more effective and make more money.
1. The most frequent mistakes that people make when choosing affiliate programs is choosing a program that offers little reward for the individual’s hard work. You should detach yourself from such affiliate programs. The reason is simple because you have joined the affiliate programs to earn more then what is the use to work for those affiliate programs pay too little to the affiliates making their earnings difficult. Instead browse for those affiliate programs that has a good pay rate for your work, making you happy and encouraging you to work more.
2. Affiliates should look for those affiliates programs that promises to take care of their affiliates at any hour of a day. If the affiliates find themselves waiting for answers to any of their queries for too long then it will be wise for them to look for an affiliate program that guarantees you support round the clock.
3. Look for an affiliate programs that do not compete against their competitors thus wasting money and putting affiliates into questions. Instead screen out for an affiliate program that agrees with supporting and growing other affiliates to have a larger network and approach to more affiliates.
4. Screen out for an affiliate program that offers good, solid, real time statistics and not those that still follows the same old statistics or the ones that are invalid. Though there are very few but it depends on the individual’s search to look for an affiliate program that promises you to offer the most.
5. Avoid those affiliate programs that provide few ideas or creative to their affiliates ending with up with the same advertising in thousands of web pages instead look for the affiliate programs that would provide fresh ideas or creative to their affiliates to have a better success rate.If people try to avoid these mistakes then you are safe from falling into the potholes of affiliate programs beaming with success.
make money online
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Stand Out in Business the Write Way
When was the last time you received a handwritten note from a business associate? It may be that it was too long ago for you to remember. On the other hand, if you have gotten one lately, you know exactly who sent it and when. Handwritten notes have become almost extinct in the business world. So if you are looking for ways to stand from the crowd, to be noticed by your colleagues and clients, try putting pen to paper whenever you have the slightest excuse.
There are few acts more impressive than handwriting a letter or a note to someone with whom you do business or would like to. Most people think that writing notes by hand requires extra time and effort. Ironically, it can be quick and painless if you do it frequently and follow these tips:
1. Have writing supplies close at hand. Store stationery and stamps in the most convenient place in your desk. When you need to send a note, all you have to do is reach for your stationary, dash off a few lines, address the envelope, put the stamp in place and mail it.
2. Keep your message brief. These are notes so you only have to come up with three or four sentences. If you attempt to compose more than a few lines, writer's block is liable to set in and you will never get past "start."
3. Develop a system. Before you head out of the office to a business meal or function that someone else is hosting, address an envelop to your host. It will be a breeze to jot down your short message when you return.
4. Use the appropriate professional stationary. Both single-sided correspondence cards and fold-over notes with the company name or logo imprinted on them are business-like and will represent you and your organization well.
5. Poor penmanship is no excuse unless your handwriting is totally illegible. The person who receives your note will appreciate your thoughtfulness and will not be grading your handwriting. If your penmanship does not meet your standards, it is never too late to improve. There are numerous resources at your library or on the Internet to teach you to write legibly.
6. Use any occasion to get noticed with a note. A few of those instances are when...
You have received a gift You were a guest in someone's home You were hosted to a meal You received a business favor You are replying to an invitation You are sending condolences You want to offer congratulations You need to apologize
7. Make your message timely. Whether you are sending a note of appreciation, congratulation or condolence, do it as quickly as possible. A thank you should go out within 24 to 48 hours. However, don't forgo sending a note because you think too much time has elapsed. There is no definite statute of limitations on appreciation.
8. Understand that e-mail is not a substitute for the personal handwritten message. The Internet is fast, efficient and remote. If you are corresponding by e-mail immediately following a meeting with a business associate, include your expression of gratitude, but don't let that stop you from sending a second message by ground.
Successful people pay attention to the details and look for ways to build better business relationships. When you take the time to send handwritten notes, you will stand out from the crowd for all the right reasons. Your next big sale or job promotion may came about as a result of your doing business just a little differently.
(c) 2005, Lydia Ramsey. All rights in all media reserved.Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, corporate trainer and author of MANNERS THAT SELL - ADDING THE POLISH THAT BUILDS PROFITS. She has been quoted or featured in The New York Times, Investors' Business Daily, Entrepreneur, Inc., Real Simple and Woman's Day.
For more information about her programs, products and services, e-mail her at lydia@mannersthatsell.com or visit her web site http://www.mannersthatsell.com
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
There are few acts more impressive than handwriting a letter or a note to someone with whom you do business or would like to. Most people think that writing notes by hand requires extra time and effort. Ironically, it can be quick and painless if you do it frequently and follow these tips:
1. Have writing supplies close at hand. Store stationery and stamps in the most convenient place in your desk. When you need to send a note, all you have to do is reach for your stationary, dash off a few lines, address the envelope, put the stamp in place and mail it.
2. Keep your message brief. These are notes so you only have to come up with three or four sentences. If you attempt to compose more than a few lines, writer's block is liable to set in and you will never get past "start."
3. Develop a system. Before you head out of the office to a business meal or function that someone else is hosting, address an envelop to your host. It will be a breeze to jot down your short message when you return.
4. Use the appropriate professional stationary. Both single-sided correspondence cards and fold-over notes with the company name or logo imprinted on them are business-like and will represent you and your organization well.
5. Poor penmanship is no excuse unless your handwriting is totally illegible. The person who receives your note will appreciate your thoughtfulness and will not be grading your handwriting. If your penmanship does not meet your standards, it is never too late to improve. There are numerous resources at your library or on the Internet to teach you to write legibly.
6. Use any occasion to get noticed with a note. A few of those instances are when...
You have received a gift You were a guest in someone's home You were hosted to a meal You received a business favor You are replying to an invitation You are sending condolences You want to offer congratulations You need to apologize
7. Make your message timely. Whether you are sending a note of appreciation, congratulation or condolence, do it as quickly as possible. A thank you should go out within 24 to 48 hours. However, don't forgo sending a note because you think too much time has elapsed. There is no definite statute of limitations on appreciation.
8. Understand that e-mail is not a substitute for the personal handwritten message. The Internet is fast, efficient and remote. If you are corresponding by e-mail immediately following a meeting with a business associate, include your expression of gratitude, but don't let that stop you from sending a second message by ground.
Successful people pay attention to the details and look for ways to build better business relationships. When you take the time to send handwritten notes, you will stand out from the crowd for all the right reasons. Your next big sale or job promotion may came about as a result of your doing business just a little differently.
(c) 2005, Lydia Ramsey. All rights in all media reserved.Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, corporate trainer and author of MANNERS THAT SELL - ADDING THE POLISH THAT BUILDS PROFITS. She has been quoted or featured in The New York Times, Investors' Business Daily, Entrepreneur, Inc., Real Simple and Woman's Day.
For more information about her programs, products and services, e-mail her at lydia@mannersthatsell.com or visit her web site http://www.mannersthatsell.com
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
Five Stumbling Blocks To Successful Networking And How To Overcome Them
The ability to connect with people is essential to success in any business. Professional networking events present opportunities to interact with others on a personal level and to develop profitable relationships. These occasions are critical for anyone who wants to grow a business or promote a career.
Many people are simply not comfortable walking into a room full of strangers and striking up conversations. Here are five common stumbling blocks that you may face and tips to help you overcome them.
A RELUCTANCE TO TALK TO STRANGERS.
You were taught at an early age not to speak to people you don't know. It's not safe. In certain situations today this is still good advice. In business, however, talking to strangers is a way to generate interest and support for your products and services. If you only talk to the people you already know, you will miss out on opportunities to make new connections and establish valuable contacts.
To get past your discomfort in talking to strangers, set a goal for yourself before you attend any networking event. Decide how many new contacts you want to make or how many strangers you want to meet. In some cases, you may specifically target individuals whom you'd like to know.
Next come up with some icebreakers or conversation starters. Have questions prepared that you can ask anyone you meet at the event. You may want to inquire about other people's business, their connection to the sponsoring organization or their opinion of the venue.
LACK OF A FORMAL INTRODUCTION.
It's much easier to make a new contact when there is someone else to handle the introduction and pave the way. If you wait for another person to make the move you may not meet anyone. At networking events, the goal is to meet as many people as possible.
This is the time to take the bull by the horns, walk up to people you don't know, introduce yourself and start a conversation. You can do this if you have prepared your self-introduction in advance.
You will not introduce yourself the same way on every occasion. Perhaps it is your first time to attend an association meeting. In that case, you might want to say that as part of your introduction. Let people know who you are, why you are there and give them a reason to ask more abut you.
FEAR OF BEING SEEN AS PUSHY.
You may think that you will turn people off if you are assertive and that if they want to talk to you, they will make the first move. If this is your line of thinking you will find yourself spending your time alone at the reception or meeting function and leaving without a single new connection. Being open, friendly and interested does not turn people off.
You will not come across as overly aggressive if you seek out the "approachable" people. These are the ones who are standing alone or who are speaking in groups of three or more. Two people talking to each other are not approachable because they may be having a private conversation and you would be interrupting.
THINKING THAT OTHER PEOPLE MAY NOT LIKE YOU.
There is always the risk that the other person is not interested in you and doesn't want to meet or talk to you. It happens. If that is the case, don't take it personally. Nothing ventured is nothing gained. When you get a cold shoulder, smile, move on and say to yourself, "Next?"
HAVING YOUR INTENTIONS MISUNDERSTOOD.
Approaching someone of the opposite sex to begin a conversation may seem more like flirting than networking. This is more of an issue for women than men. Women have an equal place in the work arena and need to make professional connections the same as men do. Women in business can no longer afford to hold back when there is opportunity at hand.
Neither men nor women will have their motives misinterpreted if they present themselves professionally in their attire and if they keep the conversation focused on business issues or topics that are not personal or private.
Whatever your stumbling blocks, face them before the next networking event and devise a personal plan for getting past them. Once you do, you will find yourself connecting with confidence and courtesy on every occasion and the results will be reflected in your bottom line.
(c) 2005, Lydia Ramsey.
All rights in all media reserved.
Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, corporate trainer and author of MANNERS THAT SELL - ADDING THE POLISH THAT BUILDS PROFITS. She has been quoted or featured in The New York Times, Investors' Business Daily, Entrepreneur, Inc., Real Simple and Woman's Day. For more information about her programs, products and services, e-mail her at lydia@mannersthatsell.com or visit her web site http://www.mannersthatsell.com/
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
Many people are simply not comfortable walking into a room full of strangers and striking up conversations. Here are five common stumbling blocks that you may face and tips to help you overcome them.
A RELUCTANCE TO TALK TO STRANGERS.
You were taught at an early age not to speak to people you don't know. It's not safe. In certain situations today this is still good advice. In business, however, talking to strangers is a way to generate interest and support for your products and services. If you only talk to the people you already know, you will miss out on opportunities to make new connections and establish valuable contacts.
To get past your discomfort in talking to strangers, set a goal for yourself before you attend any networking event. Decide how many new contacts you want to make or how many strangers you want to meet. In some cases, you may specifically target individuals whom you'd like to know.
Next come up with some icebreakers or conversation starters. Have questions prepared that you can ask anyone you meet at the event. You may want to inquire about other people's business, their connection to the sponsoring organization or their opinion of the venue.
LACK OF A FORMAL INTRODUCTION.
It's much easier to make a new contact when there is someone else to handle the introduction and pave the way. If you wait for another person to make the move you may not meet anyone. At networking events, the goal is to meet as many people as possible.
This is the time to take the bull by the horns, walk up to people you don't know, introduce yourself and start a conversation. You can do this if you have prepared your self-introduction in advance.
You will not introduce yourself the same way on every occasion. Perhaps it is your first time to attend an association meeting. In that case, you might want to say that as part of your introduction. Let people know who you are, why you are there and give them a reason to ask more abut you.
FEAR OF BEING SEEN AS PUSHY.
You may think that you will turn people off if you are assertive and that if they want to talk to you, they will make the first move. If this is your line of thinking you will find yourself spending your time alone at the reception or meeting function and leaving without a single new connection. Being open, friendly and interested does not turn people off.
You will not come across as overly aggressive if you seek out the "approachable" people. These are the ones who are standing alone or who are speaking in groups of three or more. Two people talking to each other are not approachable because they may be having a private conversation and you would be interrupting.
THINKING THAT OTHER PEOPLE MAY NOT LIKE YOU.
There is always the risk that the other person is not interested in you and doesn't want to meet or talk to you. It happens. If that is the case, don't take it personally. Nothing ventured is nothing gained. When you get a cold shoulder, smile, move on and say to yourself, "Next?"
HAVING YOUR INTENTIONS MISUNDERSTOOD.
Approaching someone of the opposite sex to begin a conversation may seem more like flirting than networking. This is more of an issue for women than men. Women have an equal place in the work arena and need to make professional connections the same as men do. Women in business can no longer afford to hold back when there is opportunity at hand.
Neither men nor women will have their motives misinterpreted if they present themselves professionally in their attire and if they keep the conversation focused on business issues or topics that are not personal or private.
Whatever your stumbling blocks, face them before the next networking event and devise a personal plan for getting past them. Once you do, you will find yourself connecting with confidence and courtesy on every occasion and the results will be reflected in your bottom line.
(c) 2005, Lydia Ramsey.
All rights in all media reserved.
Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, corporate trainer and author of MANNERS THAT SELL - ADDING THE POLISH THAT BUILDS PROFITS. She has been quoted or featured in The New York Times, Investors' Business Daily, Entrepreneur, Inc., Real Simple and Woman's Day. For more information about her programs, products and services, e-mail her at lydia@mannersthatsell.com or visit her web site http://www.mannersthatsell.com/
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
How to Overcome Project Paralysis With a Clean Sweep Day!
Do you ever get that sinking feeling that creeps up on you in the middle of the day? That feeling of overwhelm, or maybe it's anxiety, that you have SO much on your plate and you just don't know what to do next.
A couple of weeks ago one of my clients mentioned that he had a desk full of papers but he couldn't slow down to clean them up. I realized that it was kind of like the feeling I was having about technology. I had recently invested in a new computer which in theory is awesome. But now I had spent over fifteen hours between transferring files, loading new programs and trying to get all of my fancy "systems" to work. To top it all off, I've got this fancy Pocket PC phone that I can never seem to get working properly and a full-time affair with their technical support team is blossoming.
Clutter comes in lots of forms. On a call today, one of my clients mentioned the clutter from her friends - friends who always need her advice and ask for crazy favors. This clutter was literally causing her to feel overwhelmed and stressed, simply because of the emotional boundaries that are being pushed.
When we feel distracted by this type of clutter, we are 30 - 50% less effective on what matters most - completing our goals and making money. I've personally noticed that clutter in more than one area can take me down faster than a nasty strain of bird flu!
That's where Clean Sweep Day comes to the rescue. Clean Sweep Day is based on a coaching tool I received when I was in my coach training program. It's a great little assessment that points out the areas in which you may be causing clutter in your life with incomplete tasks, energy drains, and the overwhelming "shoulds." A Clean Sweep Day is when you block out a day (or even four hours will do) where you have absolutely no commitments or distractions and you power through all the projects, incomplete tasks and nagging to-do's that are preventing you from performing at 100%.
Back to my technology breakdown. Of course, being a coach, I recognize the early warning signs of an overwhelm melt-down and decided to face this challenge head on! So I scheduled an entire WEEK to being a Clean Sweep Week. Yes, I had clients and meetings. But I scheduled 3 big blocks of time in my calendar, got out my trusty to-do list, prioritized everything that had to get done, and I powered through it.
The most exciting part of all wasn't even that I got so much done; it was how much better I felt at the end of the week. I felt like a super-star!!! My mind was clear, I had so much energy and my mood was ten times better. By simply getting some things wrapped up, I created more energy to get the bigger tasks done.
Now it's your turn. I invite you to join my clients in a Clean Sweep Challenge Day. Here is what you need to do. First, take a quick inventory of what needs to be done. Look for things like this:
Paper, filing or "stuff" clutter in your officeProjects or deliverables that you remember at 4:30 am Half completed ideas that you ruminate aboutEmail, phone calls or letters that you have been putting offBills or situations that you need to spend time resolvingFamily, friends or business situations that need a "discussion" to clear something upTechnology challenges that cause you from being able to work properly.Broken items that bother you when you notice them
Then, make a list of everything that needs to be addressed and prioritize it. I recommend prioritizing based on what is most critical in the next 90 days (for additional information on high-payoff prioritization see the ULTIMATE Wealth & Success Circle High Payoff Activities audio program.)
Then on your scheduled Clean Sweep Day just start powering through! The trick is to stay focused and not answer the phone or get side-tracked with emails. You can even tell everyone in your life what you are doing - I bet they will want to join you for Clean Sweep Day too!
Now here is the best part. Imagine it's the end of your Clean Sweep Day. You have powered through a mountain of projects and you feel like a million bucks. Just see yourself sitting at your desk, smiling, knowing that everything you just accomplished has helped you clear space for more money, more focus and more time to do what's important. You feel excited and energized and ready to take on your bigger game of success!
Want to do your Clean Sweep Challenge with even more power and momentum? Join us for Clean Sweep Challenge Day. I've designated September 1 as Clean Sweep day. It's fr.ee to participate and I provide all the tools to help you through the day!
(c) 2006, Success Connections. Reprints welcome so long as article and by-line are printed intact and all links made live.Do you need a kick-start in your results?
You probably need a Clean Sweep Day. Why not join Melanie Benson Strick, Success Connections, for our Clean Sweep Challenge. It's fre.e to participate, we'll provide all the tools and you could even win a prize! Visit http://www.cleansweepchallenge.com/ for more information and to sign up.
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
A couple of weeks ago one of my clients mentioned that he had a desk full of papers but he couldn't slow down to clean them up. I realized that it was kind of like the feeling I was having about technology. I had recently invested in a new computer which in theory is awesome. But now I had spent over fifteen hours between transferring files, loading new programs and trying to get all of my fancy "systems" to work. To top it all off, I've got this fancy Pocket PC phone that I can never seem to get working properly and a full-time affair with their technical support team is blossoming.
Clutter comes in lots of forms. On a call today, one of my clients mentioned the clutter from her friends - friends who always need her advice and ask for crazy favors. This clutter was literally causing her to feel overwhelmed and stressed, simply because of the emotional boundaries that are being pushed.
When we feel distracted by this type of clutter, we are 30 - 50% less effective on what matters most - completing our goals and making money. I've personally noticed that clutter in more than one area can take me down faster than a nasty strain of bird flu!
That's where Clean Sweep Day comes to the rescue. Clean Sweep Day is based on a coaching tool I received when I was in my coach training program. It's a great little assessment that points out the areas in which you may be causing clutter in your life with incomplete tasks, energy drains, and the overwhelming "shoulds." A Clean Sweep Day is when you block out a day (or even four hours will do) where you have absolutely no commitments or distractions and you power through all the projects, incomplete tasks and nagging to-do's that are preventing you from performing at 100%.
Back to my technology breakdown. Of course, being a coach, I recognize the early warning signs of an overwhelm melt-down and decided to face this challenge head on! So I scheduled an entire WEEK to being a Clean Sweep Week. Yes, I had clients and meetings. But I scheduled 3 big blocks of time in my calendar, got out my trusty to-do list, prioritized everything that had to get done, and I powered through it.
The most exciting part of all wasn't even that I got so much done; it was how much better I felt at the end of the week. I felt like a super-star!!! My mind was clear, I had so much energy and my mood was ten times better. By simply getting some things wrapped up, I created more energy to get the bigger tasks done.
Now it's your turn. I invite you to join my clients in a Clean Sweep Challenge Day. Here is what you need to do. First, take a quick inventory of what needs to be done. Look for things like this:
Paper, filing or "stuff" clutter in your officeProjects or deliverables that you remember at 4:30 am Half completed ideas that you ruminate aboutEmail, phone calls or letters that you have been putting offBills or situations that you need to spend time resolvingFamily, friends or business situations that need a "discussion" to clear something upTechnology challenges that cause you from being able to work properly.Broken items that bother you when you notice them
Then, make a list of everything that needs to be addressed and prioritize it. I recommend prioritizing based on what is most critical in the next 90 days (for additional information on high-payoff prioritization see the ULTIMATE Wealth & Success Circle High Payoff Activities audio program.)
Then on your scheduled Clean Sweep Day just start powering through! The trick is to stay focused and not answer the phone or get side-tracked with emails. You can even tell everyone in your life what you are doing - I bet they will want to join you for Clean Sweep Day too!
Now here is the best part. Imagine it's the end of your Clean Sweep Day. You have powered through a mountain of projects and you feel like a million bucks. Just see yourself sitting at your desk, smiling, knowing that everything you just accomplished has helped you clear space for more money, more focus and more time to do what's important. You feel excited and energized and ready to take on your bigger game of success!
Want to do your Clean Sweep Challenge with even more power and momentum? Join us for Clean Sweep Challenge Day. I've designated September 1 as Clean Sweep day. It's fr.ee to participate and I provide all the tools to help you through the day!
(c) 2006, Success Connections. Reprints welcome so long as article and by-line are printed intact and all links made live.Do you need a kick-start in your results?
You probably need a Clean Sweep Day. Why not join Melanie Benson Strick, Success Connections, for our Clean Sweep Challenge. It's fre.e to participate, we'll provide all the tools and you could even win a prize! Visit http://www.cleansweepchallenge.com/ for more information and to sign up.
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
A Quick Guide To Operating Small (S) Corporations
Owning and operating a small business can be a very rewarding experience, emotionally as well as financially. Or it can be an absolute nightmare if you don't structure and operate your business properly.Never underestimate the resources of a good lawyer and accountant. They can help you avoid problems and even get you out of trouble you may stumble into.The law considers your corporate a separate entity. It has a birthdate (the date of incorporation), and can have a death date (the date you close the corporation). It can enter into contracts and agreements and has the same responsibilities as you would.As a separate entity, your corporation can protect you from lawsuits and asset seizures arising from the operation of the corporation (as long as you are not personally negligent or irresponsible). Many people see this protection as the main reason for forming a corporation vs. operating as a sole proprietor without any protection.But in order to be considered a separate entity, you have to run your corporation according to some rule, laws and guidelines. The following information touches on two aspects of operating your corporation as a separate entity: Corporate Accounting and Corporate Minutes.Corporate AccountingYour corporation should have its own bank account and Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued by the IRS. This helps to establish the corporation as an entity, separate from its stockholders and officers.Accounting records should be kept to record income, expenses, assets (equipment, real estate, intellectual property, etc.) and liabilities (debts, loans, mortgages, etc.). It is recommended that you retain an accountant to help with the accounting functions, year-end taxes and payroll taxes.Your accounting system can be as simple as a set of spread sheets (on paper or a computer). Or you can purchase accounting software such as QuickBooks, Peachtree, MYOB, etc. You may want to have your accountant help you set up the computer software so that you have all the accounts you will need. Also your accountant can help you learn how to enter different transactions. (Don't ask them during March, April or October - IRS tax deadlines.)Or consult with your accountant and develop a plan for recording your business activities and turning the information over to your accountant to be put into a computerized system either monthly or quarterly. This costs more for the accountant's services but can save you a lot of time and headaches (and money) if you get in trouble with the IRS or your state/city taxing agencies.Corporate MinutesIncorporated businesses are required to keep minutes of the activities of the business. Minutes are the voice and history of the corporate entity and can be used in court cases. Minutes also show that the officers/stockholders of the corporation are operating the corporation as an entity and not just an extension of themselves. Officers and shareholders can lose the protection of the corporate entity if they do not operate the corporation as a corporation; this includes keeping accurate minutes.These minutes can be as simple as a dated note written on a piece of paper and inserted into a three ring binder. Corporate minutes don't have to be on fancy paper or letterhead and don't have to use any special language style (legalese, corporatese, etc.). Corporate minutes should be clear and understandable.It is recommended that the corporate minutes be typed, include a date, names of participants and signatures of participants or corporate officers.Things to include in the minutes:
Authorization to open a bank or credit account.
Major purchases of equipment, assets, other businesses.
Summary of marketing or advertising campaigns.
Summary of business growth initiatives, projections and goals.
Business plan, mission statement, corporate objectives, etc.
Quarterly and yearly financial records.
Major stock sales, purchases or transfers (almost every stock activity in a small business will be "major").
List of stockholders, names, addresses, number of shares and percentage of total shares issued (update once a quarter with quarterly financials if any changes).
Hiring, firing of corporate officers or contractors.
Notes of board meetings and stockholders meetings (at least one official meeting with minutes should be held each year).
Any other significant business events. ConclusionThere are few things more satisfying than building a business from scratch. There are few things more trying than fighting personal lawsuits and the IRS. Operating your corporation properly will allow you to focus on running your business rather than defending it or yourself. It takes an extra investment of time and money, but just consider it additional insurance, both financial and for your peace of mind.
Authorization to open a bank or credit account.
Major purchases of equipment, assets, other businesses.
Summary of marketing or advertising campaigns.
Summary of business growth initiatives, projections and goals.
Business plan, mission statement, corporate objectives, etc.
Quarterly and yearly financial records.
Major stock sales, purchases or transfers (almost every stock activity in a small business will be "major").
List of stockholders, names, addresses, number of shares and percentage of total shares issued (update once a quarter with quarterly financials if any changes).
Hiring, firing of corporate officers or contractors.
Notes of board meetings and stockholders meetings (at least one official meeting with minutes should be held each year).
Any other significant business events. ConclusionThere are few things more satisfying than building a business from scratch. There are few things more trying than fighting personal lawsuits and the IRS. Operating your corporation properly will allow you to focus on running your business rather than defending it or yourself. It takes an extra investment of time and money, but just consider it additional insurance, both financial and for your peace of mind.
A 5-Point Focus on Quality
Henry Ford said that, quality means doing it right when no one is looking. What is doing it? And how well must it be done?
In every industry, competitors find themselves fighting price wars or positioning themselves as the low-cost provider only to find out that in many instances, quality is as important to customers (if not more so) than the cost they pay. Quality can be defined as the acceptable standard of excellence determined by the receiver. But, having a quality product and getting it to market is only part of the challenge; especially if you see quality as one action or an end result.
You cant give lip service to quality. Anytime that there is a handoff, a deliverable, a discussion or even a decision to be made, quality is key. It has to be factored in and measured throughout the organization and considered in all activities of design, development, production, installation, servicing, customer interaction and documentation. The goal is to continually identify standards of quality, evaluate performance, monitor results and make adjustments that will improve the customers perception.
When it comes to improving quality in your organizations you have five points to consider: the product, the processes, every transaction and the thinking that leads to overall performance quality. Achieving quality in an organization is an ongoing pursuit and has to be adopted as a mindset before any significant gains will be realized.
FOCUS #1 - Product Quality is measured by workmanship and reliability. It includes the raw materials, assemblies, products and components; as well as the function or services related to production. To have a quality product output means that you have to continually improve the inputs.
FOCUS #2 - Process Quality includes the quality of work in developing, making, and selling products and services. It is measured by adherence to performance standards, fewer mistakes, fewer rejects and less rework.
FOCUS #3 - Transaction Quality is measured by the effectiveness and efficiency of human interaction. When a products fails to meet the expectations of customers and they in turn seek remedy from the organization that creates a transaction (Ronald Coase, a British economist). Poor quality increase the number of transactions needed to resolve an issue and increases the cost of doing business. Once a customer picks up the phone or walks into your offices to seek resolution, the quality of the transaction itself becomes important.
FOCUS #4 - Performance Quality is within the control of every employee. It is achieved when transactions are handled in a way that delivers ever-increasing value to internal and/or external customers. Performance quality begins with quality of thought. How your people think about their jobs, their roles, your products, and your customers will determine the effort that they will expend.
Quality is achieved only by understanding current needs, future needs and then effectively and efficiently correcting errors and finding solutions that add value. Every internal handoff or customer exchange creates a learning opportunity for the employee involved, the organization, and the system. Employees often detect the first indication of a problem and are in the best position to eliminate it before the situation grows. How they make those decisions is indicative how they think.
FOCUS #5 - Quality of Thought- Rigid, habitual thinking makes product, process, transaction, and performance quality impossible. Without the ability to think strategically, laterally, or critically employees in organizations can never develop the creative ideas that spawn innovation and lead to quality improvements. Stale thinking overrides any opportunity that a company has to outwit the competition or get ahead of change. Breakthrough thinking is needed if organizations are to deconstruct challenges, set goals, construct workable real-time solutions, and accurately identify the right solution for the right situation at the right time.
In a competitive marketplace, quality is the great differentiator that pays impressive dividends. It is never a final destination but an ongoing pursuit to achieve maximum customer satisfaction in the shortest time and the lowest cost.
Quality products and processes begin with quality thinking but here is a list of ten more things that you can do to increase quality:
Understand the nature and communicate the importance of quality to every employee.
Know what matters most to your clients and why.
Develop products and processes that help your clients meet their business goals in the most efficient way.
Make what your customers care about your top priority.
Make sure that dollars spent to improve operations, systems, and products relate to the needs of your current and targeted customers.
Set, enforce, and revise standards to deliver your best (product, process, transaction, performance and thinking) to the marketplace.Work collaboratively to establish quality in all internal processes and interdepartmental hand offs.
Create self-managed teams that focus on continuous improvement strategies.
Increase the learning opportunities and challenge the habitual thinking of employees.
Eliminate the waste and non-value added activities from your processes it will reduce your product development and process cycle-times.
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
In every industry, competitors find themselves fighting price wars or positioning themselves as the low-cost provider only to find out that in many instances, quality is as important to customers (if not more so) than the cost they pay. Quality can be defined as the acceptable standard of excellence determined by the receiver. But, having a quality product and getting it to market is only part of the challenge; especially if you see quality as one action or an end result.
You cant give lip service to quality. Anytime that there is a handoff, a deliverable, a discussion or even a decision to be made, quality is key. It has to be factored in and measured throughout the organization and considered in all activities of design, development, production, installation, servicing, customer interaction and documentation. The goal is to continually identify standards of quality, evaluate performance, monitor results and make adjustments that will improve the customers perception.
When it comes to improving quality in your organizations you have five points to consider: the product, the processes, every transaction and the thinking that leads to overall performance quality. Achieving quality in an organization is an ongoing pursuit and has to be adopted as a mindset before any significant gains will be realized.
FOCUS #1 - Product Quality is measured by workmanship and reliability. It includes the raw materials, assemblies, products and components; as well as the function or services related to production. To have a quality product output means that you have to continually improve the inputs.
FOCUS #2 - Process Quality includes the quality of work in developing, making, and selling products and services. It is measured by adherence to performance standards, fewer mistakes, fewer rejects and less rework.
FOCUS #3 - Transaction Quality is measured by the effectiveness and efficiency of human interaction. When a products fails to meet the expectations of customers and they in turn seek remedy from the organization that creates a transaction (Ronald Coase, a British economist). Poor quality increase the number of transactions needed to resolve an issue and increases the cost of doing business. Once a customer picks up the phone or walks into your offices to seek resolution, the quality of the transaction itself becomes important.
FOCUS #4 - Performance Quality is within the control of every employee. It is achieved when transactions are handled in a way that delivers ever-increasing value to internal and/or external customers. Performance quality begins with quality of thought. How your people think about their jobs, their roles, your products, and your customers will determine the effort that they will expend.
Quality is achieved only by understanding current needs, future needs and then effectively and efficiently correcting errors and finding solutions that add value. Every internal handoff or customer exchange creates a learning opportunity for the employee involved, the organization, and the system. Employees often detect the first indication of a problem and are in the best position to eliminate it before the situation grows. How they make those decisions is indicative how they think.
FOCUS #5 - Quality of Thought- Rigid, habitual thinking makes product, process, transaction, and performance quality impossible. Without the ability to think strategically, laterally, or critically employees in organizations can never develop the creative ideas that spawn innovation and lead to quality improvements. Stale thinking overrides any opportunity that a company has to outwit the competition or get ahead of change. Breakthrough thinking is needed if organizations are to deconstruct challenges, set goals, construct workable real-time solutions, and accurately identify the right solution for the right situation at the right time.
In a competitive marketplace, quality is the great differentiator that pays impressive dividends. It is never a final destination but an ongoing pursuit to achieve maximum customer satisfaction in the shortest time and the lowest cost.
Quality products and processes begin with quality thinking but here is a list of ten more things that you can do to increase quality:
Understand the nature and communicate the importance of quality to every employee.
Know what matters most to your clients and why.
Develop products and processes that help your clients meet their business goals in the most efficient way.
Make what your customers care about your top priority.
Make sure that dollars spent to improve operations, systems, and products relate to the needs of your current and targeted customers.
Set, enforce, and revise standards to deliver your best (product, process, transaction, performance and thinking) to the marketplace.Work collaboratively to establish quality in all internal processes and interdepartmental hand offs.
Create self-managed teams that focus on continuous improvement strategies.
Increase the learning opportunities and challenge the habitual thinking of employees.
Eliminate the waste and non-value added activities from your processes it will reduce your product development and process cycle-times.
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
E-Commerce Vs Traditional business Strategy
http://www.businessstrategyblog.com/
This is basically for e-commerce, so for traditional business like emails, newsletters, etc., might not apply but you can still be able to implement these ideas behind the new marketing strategy.In the today's scenario the client is very fast and smart and when he come before the net for the searching of the services provider then if he not find you then he will go to some body else, yes this is a fact. So there is a big need that your business site come on the top. Basically all the corporate person those have their corporate website needs to come before the client because only a website can bring a client that is less costally but give you more revenue.This is basically for e-commerce, so for traditional business like emails, newsletters, etc., might not apply but you can still be able to implement these ideas behind the new marketing strategy.1: Give people a free subscription to your newsletters. Almost everyone is publishing a newsletter nowadays so it's important to give something extra with the free subscription. You could offer a free gift or advertising when people subscribe.2:Offer a free online directory. The directory could be full of interesting ebooks, greeting, web sites etc. If people find your directory to be a valuable resource they will visit it over and over.3:Give your visitors a free ebook. You could also include your own ad in the ebook and allow other people to give it away. If you don't want to take the time to write one, you could ask other writers permission to use their articles. I have written a few articles on this topic. Go to Google or Yahoo and search under my name and e-books. Otherwise, email me and Ill send you my article.4:Give visitors a free entry into your contest or sweepstakes. The prizes should be something of interest or value to your visitors. Offer more entry based upon no of items purchases or total dollars spent. Example: 1st entry with purchase, additional entries for each 50 spent. Also, most people who enter will continually revisit your web site to find out who won.5:Offer free original content. It's important to give your visitors information they can't find anywhere else. If you're the only source, they'll visit your site. If you are selling beauty products, do your homework and find beauty or health tips and post them on your site.6:Make your web site look professional. You want to have your own domain name, easy navigation, attractive graphics, etc. Again, target your competition. If they have a very basic site, take advantage of that and get a great looking site.7:Survey your existing customers. Do this on at least an annual basis. It is VERY important to find out who your customer base is. By knowing who you are servicing, you can serve them better.8:Test and improve your ad copy. There are many people who write an ad and never change it. Make sure you get the highest possible response rate. Ask people for their opinion.
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
This is basically for e-commerce, so for traditional business like emails, newsletters, etc., might not apply but you can still be able to implement these ideas behind the new marketing strategy.In the today's scenario the client is very fast and smart and when he come before the net for the searching of the services provider then if he not find you then he will go to some body else, yes this is a fact. So there is a big need that your business site come on the top. Basically all the corporate person those have their corporate website needs to come before the client because only a website can bring a client that is less costally but give you more revenue.This is basically for e-commerce, so for traditional business like emails, newsletters, etc., might not apply but you can still be able to implement these ideas behind the new marketing strategy.1: Give people a free subscription to your newsletters. Almost everyone is publishing a newsletter nowadays so it's important to give something extra with the free subscription. You could offer a free gift or advertising when people subscribe.2:Offer a free online directory. The directory could be full of interesting ebooks, greeting, web sites etc. If people find your directory to be a valuable resource they will visit it over and over.3:Give your visitors a free ebook. You could also include your own ad in the ebook and allow other people to give it away. If you don't want to take the time to write one, you could ask other writers permission to use their articles. I have written a few articles on this topic. Go to Google or Yahoo and search under my name and e-books. Otherwise, email me and Ill send you my article.4:Give visitors a free entry into your contest or sweepstakes. The prizes should be something of interest or value to your visitors. Offer more entry based upon no of items purchases or total dollars spent. Example: 1st entry with purchase, additional entries for each 50 spent. Also, most people who enter will continually revisit your web site to find out who won.5:Offer free original content. It's important to give your visitors information they can't find anywhere else. If you're the only source, they'll visit your site. If you are selling beauty products, do your homework and find beauty or health tips and post them on your site.6:Make your web site look professional. You want to have your own domain name, easy navigation, attractive graphics, etc. Again, target your competition. If they have a very basic site, take advantage of that and get a great looking site.7:Survey your existing customers. Do this on at least an annual basis. It is VERY important to find out who your customer base is. By knowing who you are servicing, you can serve them better.8:Test and improve your ad copy. There are many people who write an ad and never change it. Make sure you get the highest possible response rate. Ask people for their opinion.
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
The Rich Jerk, the Right Jerk?
From an anonymous career of internet marketing success, the Rich Jerk has built an affiliate marketing empire, based entirely around the sales and promotion of the all powerful Rich Jerk E-Book.
He has revolutionized the "make tons of quick money on the internet" scene with such marvelously orchestrated precision, that his ebook sales are pushing the Rich Jerk to new horizons of mass wealth, throwing himself into the world of the wealthy and privileged.
Although it hasn't been a ruff road for the Rich Jerk recently, there are some key elements he has developed that directly lead to his powerful presence and success on the web.
In terms of marketing, his approach to "selling" his e-book can teach all but the most experienced internet marketing guru's a great deal about how people will react to his sometimes "rude and crude" sales pitch approach.
Listen Closely
1) The Rich Jerk, either by his own incredible design, or by sheer luck, has waited to unveil his "internet marketing secrets" until the most precise moment, when he knew a "hostile take over" would be more than simple enough.
2) From its arrival on the web, the Rich Jerk has had tens of hundreds of super-affiliates promoting his e-book, seemingly saturating the internet market quickly. But the buzz surrounding the richjerk program through powerful articles, like the one seen in Yahoo news, created such a strong sense of credibility to prospective entrepreneurs to purchase the popular ebook, that it seems the sky is the limit for the profits the Rich Jerk can pull.
3) He seems to attack you, saying "i'm better than you", flashing cars, yachts, and luxury homes, forcing you to visualize what you will do with the money you make from purchasing his ebook. Even though you've heard all the promises before, he still gets you thinking.
4) After throwing jealousy at you, the Rich Jerk begins to lay out about 15 or 20 listed ways that he specifically uses to make his money online. The kind of info that just really makes you feel like "this could work for me" or "he's so right, it seems clear now". He promises to teach you about his profitable web sites, and even create one for you, assuring you that it is too difficult to find what's making money and what isn't on your own.
5) He has filled his sales page with images of his bank statements, checks received, paypal account statements, and more. Driving home even further how rich he is, and how rich you aren't.
Then he goes for the jugular...
6) "I just bought two more cars and another mansion....did you?" -the Rich Jerk
.....did you?
"Well, if you are not convinced, I don't give a s#@%. Go ahead and keep making your measly couple of grand every month, or whatever pathetic amount you make. When you are fed up, you'll be back."- the Rich Jerk
Ouch, that kind of hurts......and then he has you.
Its so in your face, derogatory, and offensive, that you are practically forced to the purchase page just so you can feel good about yourself. He has battered and abused your ego so badly, that he has sold you without out ever trying to. How can he call you a pathetic moron, tell you to leave if you don't like his attitude, and offer your measly money back, unless he is telling the truth? He has been obnoxious and manipulative, not even breaking a sweat to get your hard earned 50.
And that is where the genius lies.
With that said, i'm still going to shell out the 49.95 and get my grip on a copy of the highly sought after rich jerk ebook. I'll study the material, determine if its all he's cracked it up to be, and then decide if its time to establish my own internet marketing offensive.
Here is the link to the Rich Jerk sales letter and web site, decide for yourself. Oh, but if you get offended easily, its in your best interest to avoid the web page, otherwise get ready to be attacked with a malicious grin.
The Rich Jerk
Wondering how i'm so positive the Rich Jerk is selling his ebook to make money online like they are going out of style, just check clickbank and see how long he has been the number one best selling affiliate program, competing against more than 10,000 other products. If that doesn't say he's selling, I don't know what does.
TopJobsReview.com
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
He has revolutionized the "make tons of quick money on the internet" scene with such marvelously orchestrated precision, that his ebook sales are pushing the Rich Jerk to new horizons of mass wealth, throwing himself into the world of the wealthy and privileged.
Although it hasn't been a ruff road for the Rich Jerk recently, there are some key elements he has developed that directly lead to his powerful presence and success on the web.
In terms of marketing, his approach to "selling" his e-book can teach all but the most experienced internet marketing guru's a great deal about how people will react to his sometimes "rude and crude" sales pitch approach.
Listen Closely
1) The Rich Jerk, either by his own incredible design, or by sheer luck, has waited to unveil his "internet marketing secrets" until the most precise moment, when he knew a "hostile take over" would be more than simple enough.
2) From its arrival on the web, the Rich Jerk has had tens of hundreds of super-affiliates promoting his e-book, seemingly saturating the internet market quickly. But the buzz surrounding the richjerk program through powerful articles, like the one seen in Yahoo news, created such a strong sense of credibility to prospective entrepreneurs to purchase the popular ebook, that it seems the sky is the limit for the profits the Rich Jerk can pull.
3) He seems to attack you, saying "i'm better than you", flashing cars, yachts, and luxury homes, forcing you to visualize what you will do with the money you make from purchasing his ebook. Even though you've heard all the promises before, he still gets you thinking.
4) After throwing jealousy at you, the Rich Jerk begins to lay out about 15 or 20 listed ways that he specifically uses to make his money online. The kind of info that just really makes you feel like "this could work for me" or "he's so right, it seems clear now". He promises to teach you about his profitable web sites, and even create one for you, assuring you that it is too difficult to find what's making money and what isn't on your own.
5) He has filled his sales page with images of his bank statements, checks received, paypal account statements, and more. Driving home even further how rich he is, and how rich you aren't.
Then he goes for the jugular...
6) "I just bought two more cars and another mansion....did you?" -the Rich Jerk
.....did you?
"Well, if you are not convinced, I don't give a s#@%. Go ahead and keep making your measly couple of grand every month, or whatever pathetic amount you make. When you are fed up, you'll be back."- the Rich Jerk
Ouch, that kind of hurts......and then he has you.
Its so in your face, derogatory, and offensive, that you are practically forced to the purchase page just so you can feel good about yourself. He has battered and abused your ego so badly, that he has sold you without out ever trying to. How can he call you a pathetic moron, tell you to leave if you don't like his attitude, and offer your measly money back, unless he is telling the truth? He has been obnoxious and manipulative, not even breaking a sweat to get your hard earned 50.
And that is where the genius lies.
With that said, i'm still going to shell out the 49.95 and get my grip on a copy of the highly sought after rich jerk ebook. I'll study the material, determine if its all he's cracked it up to be, and then decide if its time to establish my own internet marketing offensive.
Here is the link to the Rich Jerk sales letter and web site, decide for yourself. Oh, but if you get offended easily, its in your best interest to avoid the web page, otherwise get ready to be attacked with a malicious grin.
The Rich Jerk
Wondering how i'm so positive the Rich Jerk is selling his ebook to make money online like they are going out of style, just check clickbank and see how long he has been the number one best selling affiliate program, competing against more than 10,000 other products. If that doesn't say he's selling, I don't know what does.
TopJobsReview.com
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
41 points to Make More Money With Adsense
Remember: Adsense doesnt make you money; traffic makes you money
Write posts that link to good content on higher-ranked sites in your niche. If your traffic is low, click on those links yourself - webmasters will take notice.
- Post on forums in your niche and add your site to your signature
- Submit articles to article directories
- Use Technorati Tags
- Submit your best articles to Digg and Del.icio.us
- Comment on other blogs with similar themes to yours
- Become a regular on several similarly-themed blogs you like
- Use Google Sitemaps
- Write about well-known people in your niche
- Use a blogroll, but only add sites that you would really recommend. Less is more.
Read Gogsense - Remember: Good content good advertising = traffic
- Choose a niche youre passionate about
- Post/write an article/add content every day
- Make your content unique and useful
- Be timely: break news, comment on new information, become a valuable source of interesting new stuff.
- Be yourself. If youre funny, be funny; if youre not, dont try to be. Be confident that your personality will draw like-minded readers.
- If you cant think of anything interesting to post about, find something interesting to post about.
- If you cant find anything interesting to post about, keep looking.
- You just read something interesting that has nothing to do with your sites theme.
- Find a way to make it relevant. Use it as an example or integrate it into a story. Use it.
- Read Copyblogger, and Problogger
- Remember: Traffic Adsense = Money - So dont get kicked out
- Read the Adsense TOS and dont break it
- While youre at it, read all the Adsense guides Google provides
- Do NOT encourage readers to click Adsense ads
- If youre placing a picture specifically to subtly draw attention to Adsense Ads, make sure the ads are clearly distinguished from the image (borders or a line between the two)
- If youre unsure if your ads comply with the Adsense TOS, ask them for a review
- Better yet, design your ad concept on a hidden page and have Google review it first.
- Remember: Traffic Adsense optimization = More Money
- Study the Google Heat map
- Place site-relevant pictures near your ads
- Color images are often better than black-and-white
- Animations are lame
- Integrate your ads with your site design
- Place ads between blog posts
- Place ads in blog posts
- Consider borderless Adsense ads
- Use wide ad formats
- Be Patient: Time, trial and error are what you need to succeed
- Give your Adsense implementation a few weeks (at least) before drawing any conclusions.
- Use channels.
- You are going to want to know which ads are being clicked and which arent.
For articles about different markets please visit http://googlelinksdirectory.com/
Have a good day :-)
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
3 Steps To Understanding Your Home Based Affiliate Business Opportunity
If you've recently joined a home based affiliate business opportunity on the internet, then the chances are that you have alot of new information about the company that you should read over and learn if you want to be successful. While you might not be able to grasp all of the features of your new business venture overnight(let alone make tons of cash), you can start the foundation of long term success.
Step 1:
The first thing you should understand about making money online is that it's never going to make you rich overnight. It can make you rich, and you can make money overnight, but the odds of you getting rich overnight are about equal to you getting sent to prison for fraud, embezzlement or the like. Knowing this right off the bat is going to put you in a better mind set than most people who try to start a business online.While you may be desperate for cash, desperation is not going to change these facts. If you need a large amount of cash overnight, look somewhere else. But you can start earning income quickly with affiliate programs.
Step 2:
After you've joined an affiliate business program you will be given a user name and a password so that you can login to your member's area where all of the important information about the company is stored. Information such as your sales totals, how much money you've earned, the companies compensation plan, frequently asked questions, and marketing aids to help you advertise can be found here. Take your time and read over everything your affiliate company makes available to you. Don't only skim through it once, but read it in detail often or until you feel comfortable that you understand what your responsibilities are when it comes to making your business profitable for yourself, so that you know where your payments go, and so you know how the compensation plan works.
Step 3:
Do independant research on how to promote your affiliate business on the internet(start with google). Most affiliate companies that you join will have alot of ready made marketing and advertising tools ready for you to use in your online promotions. Don't just stop there though, take the time to research the basics of affiliate website marketing and even go as far as creating a file for all of your new discoveries so that you can start to put together ideas. There are many free resources and step-by-step guides that practically teach you how to succeed if you only practice the teachings on a consistent basis.
At the end of the day, the proper use of time and a long term mind set are the keys to success when you are just starting with an affiliate business opportunity. The best ways to make money with affiliate programs are not at all hidden, it's only that some people don't take the time to fully commit to the process of learning how to make money with them, even if it's only on a part time basis. Using the tips and tools provided by your affiliate company is enough to realize your goals in this business. As a beginner relying heavily on them is a great way to start. Over time you will realize that you are in the middle of growing a very lucrative internet business.
Did you find these tips on affiliate businesses useful?.
Get more information on how to build your own Home Based Affiliate Business.
For Home Based Affiliate Business Opportunities
To Make Money Online, Visit: http://www.MyAffiliateStarter.com/PIPS.html
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
Step 1:
The first thing you should understand about making money online is that it's never going to make you rich overnight. It can make you rich, and you can make money overnight, but the odds of you getting rich overnight are about equal to you getting sent to prison for fraud, embezzlement or the like. Knowing this right off the bat is going to put you in a better mind set than most people who try to start a business online.While you may be desperate for cash, desperation is not going to change these facts. If you need a large amount of cash overnight, look somewhere else. But you can start earning income quickly with affiliate programs.
Step 2:
After you've joined an affiliate business program you will be given a user name and a password so that you can login to your member's area where all of the important information about the company is stored. Information such as your sales totals, how much money you've earned, the companies compensation plan, frequently asked questions, and marketing aids to help you advertise can be found here. Take your time and read over everything your affiliate company makes available to you. Don't only skim through it once, but read it in detail often or until you feel comfortable that you understand what your responsibilities are when it comes to making your business profitable for yourself, so that you know where your payments go, and so you know how the compensation plan works.
Step 3:
Do independant research on how to promote your affiliate business on the internet(start with google). Most affiliate companies that you join will have alot of ready made marketing and advertising tools ready for you to use in your online promotions. Don't just stop there though, take the time to research the basics of affiliate website marketing and even go as far as creating a file for all of your new discoveries so that you can start to put together ideas. There are many free resources and step-by-step guides that practically teach you how to succeed if you only practice the teachings on a consistent basis.
At the end of the day, the proper use of time and a long term mind set are the keys to success when you are just starting with an affiliate business opportunity. The best ways to make money with affiliate programs are not at all hidden, it's only that some people don't take the time to fully commit to the process of learning how to make money with them, even if it's only on a part time basis. Using the tips and tools provided by your affiliate company is enough to realize your goals in this business. As a beginner relying heavily on them is a great way to start. Over time you will realize that you are in the middle of growing a very lucrative internet business.
Did you find these tips on affiliate businesses useful?.
Get more information on how to build your own Home Based Affiliate Business.
For Home Based Affiliate Business Opportunities
To Make Money Online, Visit: http://www.MyAffiliateStarter.com/PIPS.html
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
Ways of Successful Internet Marketing
In order to succeed online there are different ways of Internet marketing to achieve your Web Promotion Goals and objectives. As online presence is becoming quite necessary in the recent times, it has become very necessary to accomplish these goals. The general tasks for Successful online marketing campaign include following tasks:-
First of all you need to create a quality website or get it created by experts. An attractive website will attract the visitors to browse through your website thus resulting substantial amount of traffic. The website should have proper navigation structure, sitemap, an attractive design and quality content.
Write quality articles for your website. Circulate this article in article directories and also make it available on your website. The more your content travels online, the better it is for promotion aspects. The article must be related to the theme and keyword of website. Article helps in generating more visitors for your website and increase in back links.
Do submissions in quality directories to get the back links. Place links in other websites, blogs and forums. This practice will again get more visitors for your internet business. Another step of quick internet marketing is email marketing. With a single go you can reach vast segment of people.
Other source which you can not ignore is Search Engine Marketing. You can effectively place your business on internet and generate more visitors. With it online internet campaign becomes easy. It gets you those visitors who search in the search engines on the basis of the keywords, product, business and services. So define relevant keywords for your website, look at the search term and business aspect for those keywords. Use of right keywords increases the searching probability for your website.
Another way is online Advertising and PPC ads. You can use banner ads, pop ups to display your products and services for online advertising. This attracts people attention very fast and result in more business generating queries and leads. You can place PPC ads in different websites for your products and services. As it is fast in result getting you can use it for quick internet marketing.
In the recent past the amount and the time spent by companies for achieving successful online goals has increased a lot. It is due to the cut throat competition of business websites in the World Wide Web. It is observed nowadays that big businesses and giants must have web interface. So the number of websites on the World Wide Web has increased a lot and with this the activities and tasks for achieving successful Internet Campaign has become quite necessary.
Nivea David writes articles for SEO. She has vast exposure in writing for Search Engine marketing. She is working for NDDW.
For Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing visit http://www.nddw.com/
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
First of all you need to create a quality website or get it created by experts. An attractive website will attract the visitors to browse through your website thus resulting substantial amount of traffic. The website should have proper navigation structure, sitemap, an attractive design and quality content.
Write quality articles for your website. Circulate this article in article directories and also make it available on your website. The more your content travels online, the better it is for promotion aspects. The article must be related to the theme and keyword of website. Article helps in generating more visitors for your website and increase in back links.
Do submissions in quality directories to get the back links. Place links in other websites, blogs and forums. This practice will again get more visitors for your internet business. Another step of quick internet marketing is email marketing. With a single go you can reach vast segment of people.
Other source which you can not ignore is Search Engine Marketing. You can effectively place your business on internet and generate more visitors. With it online internet campaign becomes easy. It gets you those visitors who search in the search engines on the basis of the keywords, product, business and services. So define relevant keywords for your website, look at the search term and business aspect for those keywords. Use of right keywords increases the searching probability for your website.
Another way is online Advertising and PPC ads. You can use banner ads, pop ups to display your products and services for online advertising. This attracts people attention very fast and result in more business generating queries and leads. You can place PPC ads in different websites for your products and services. As it is fast in result getting you can use it for quick internet marketing.
In the recent past the amount and the time spent by companies for achieving successful online goals has increased a lot. It is due to the cut throat competition of business websites in the World Wide Web. It is observed nowadays that big businesses and giants must have web interface. So the number of websites on the World Wide Web has increased a lot and with this the activities and tasks for achieving successful Internet Campaign has become quite necessary.
Nivea David writes articles for SEO. She has vast exposure in writing for Search Engine marketing. She is working for NDDW.
For Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing visit http://www.nddw.com/
Article Source: BusinessCurrents.net
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