Buying website traffic sounds like a great idea to save time and quickly get your website on the right path. However, few people take the time to really think that decision through. In reality there is very little chance that you can effectively determine if a service is really doing a service. Sure you may get hits but that is not to say that you are getting real visitors. It is a guessing game that even with analytical data cannot be determined.
For example let's say you buy a 1,000 visitors to your site you may receive a 1,000 hits from all over the country or world, but you have no way of knowing if they were real. So you keep trying to tweak your copy to make it effective. Well if the visitors are a bot that time and money was wasted if you are looking for sells or subscribers. If you simply want to add traffic to try and boost your alexa rankings be careful there as well.
The moral of the story is organic traffic built through your own efforts is the most cost effective and taking short cuts could cost more than it saves...and where is the fun in that.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Top Secret Laws Of Investing for Network Marketers
Secret # 1 – Don’t overemphasize the importance of individual stocks
Stock picking is a form of gambling with your money.
Many investors believe that successful investing means being able to pick the best stocks for the future. It basically boils down to a game in which you find a way to own the best performing stocks and avoid the bad ones, thereby giving you the ability to “beat the market.”
Studies show that over 90% of your returns come from the asset classes you are exposed to, not what individual stocks you own. In fact, picking individual stocks over broad asset class investing is more likely to decrease your rate of return and increase your risk, rather than the other way around.
Secret #2 – Don’t buy an investment just because it did well before.
The best performing managers over a 10 year period almost never repeat their performance over the next 10 year period!
Everyone knows past performance does not guarantee future performance. That said, most investors purchase funds and other investments based on performance. For example, when was the last time you saw an ad or article about a mutual fund that was down 20% last year? In fact, even if you are working with a representative that is supposed to be trained in these areas, most likely you will be shown a list of highly rated mutual funds with good recent performance. After all, would you rather buy that or something that just tanked?
This is called “track record investing,” and it can easily set up a cycle of buying things high (right after they had stellar performance) only to sell them low (when they underperform in the future). Dalbar Quantitative analysis believes this cycle is responsible for the average investor failing to the market by over 50% in every 20 year period it has examined to date.
Secret #3 – Activity does not equal control
The more your money and investments change around, the less control you have over risk exposure and long term expectations.
There are many areas in life where creating activity is required to gain control of a situation. There are other areas, however, where activity has the opposite affect. One example of this is gambling. One way of looking at gambling is: the more you do it, the more opportunities you have to win big. In reality, that’s not how it works. The more you gamble, the more likely you are to lose.
Investing is similar in this regard. People are most likely to want to create activity when things aren’t going as they hoped – such as in a down market. Changing investment strategies based on market downturns and/or emotional reasons is usually a mistake. It all but secures locking in big losses and often leaves the investor in a worse situation than he or she was before.
Secret #4 – International stocks and bonds are not riskier than their U.S. counterparts.
Great opportunities exist globally. In fact, U.S. companies account for less than half of the value of the companies that exist.
On the whole, when we compare big and little international companies to big and little U.S. companies, the risk and returns they carry are nearly identical. The more important thing is that often, when one is not doing well there is a good chance that others will be.
Diversification is much more than owning a bunch of stuff. You need a bunch of stuff that has dissimilar price movement, and having a portion of your portfolio in broad based international investments is one of the best ways to achieve this.
Secret #5 – Don’t act on widely publicized advice.
You will NEVER find anything in the media or a report that will give you a head start on a good investment.
There is no shortage of investing publications and news channels. Articles, newsletters, research reports and stories about the stocks and funds you need to buy or sell come like title waves every day. To be sure, these “resources” provide seemingly credible information on investments often offered by very smart people.
The problem is that by the time you get this info, whatever the talking head has to say about the investment is basically useless. In fact, anything you see in your broker’s reports or in the media is already factored into the price of whatever they are talking about. That’s why the market is considered efficient; it immediately factors news, interpretations, and projections into the price, long before these things reach you.
Secret #7 – The big firms don’t invest the same way they advise their clients to invest.
On the whole, retail investment product tends to be high in transactions and costs, and low in efficiency. That’s why the companies that manufacture them rarely use them.
There are two different worlds of investing: Retail and Institutional. As the word “retail” implies, buying investment products from a large company often means you are paying the highest costs available, often without ever knowing exactly how much you are spending. Historically, big companies sell annuities, 5 star funds, and privately managed stock accounts. These investments generally come laden with management fees, transaction fees, taxes, and commissions— and, more often than not, under-perform the market.
Institutional asset class investing focuses on several important factors that can greatly improve your bottom line:
Reduce fees, transactions, and taxes
Eliminate commissions
Never fail to achieve market returns
The big retail firms rarely invest in the products they have their brokers sell the consumer. They are too costly and inefficient. Institutional investing eliminates the retail middlemen and invests directly in low cost, low turnover, no commission investments.
Secret #7 – Your advisor should be acting as a Fiduciary
A fiduciary works on your behalf and eliminates conflicts of interest. Brokers and representatives of big investing companies are not fiduciaries.
Many investors believe that their broker or planner represents them and has their best interest at heart. In reality, brokers and planners are employees of the firm and represent the company, not the investor. The standard the brokerage representatives are held to is called suitablility. This means, as long as the advice or product recommendation is within the parameters that the industry deems acceptable, it is good enough for the client.
Because money is earned from fees and commissions from these recommendations, conflicts of interest have been known to occur under the lenient standard of suitability. While the mega-firms have helped people make money over the long term, there is no shortage of examples in which this business structure has failed and even harmed the consumer.
A fiduciary is a person or firm registered as an investment advisor at the State or Federal level. A fiduciary is sworn to hold the client’s interest above all else, and make every effort to find the best solutions and investments available for the investor. Because fiduciaries work on a fee basis and make the same amount regardless of the advice or services provided, there is far less potential for conflict of interest regarding product.
Secret #8 - YOU NEED A COACH!
To be a successful investor, there are a few things you HAVE to know.
Investor coaching is a radical departure from the typical brokerage industry. Instead of concentrating on products, hot stock tips, and day to day market movement, a coach will assist you in knowing what you need to make important decisions and stay on plan.
Many consumers want to put their financial future in the hands of someone they trust and let them handle it. But if you don’t know anything about what is going on with your money, it is impossible to know if you are being successful or not.
There are 4 things you need know about your money as an investor:
1) What you are doing
2) Why you are doing it
2) Exactly how much it costs
3) What to expect is going on with your money, why, exactly how much it costs, and what to expect in good times and bad.
Stock picking is a form of gambling with your money.
Many investors believe that successful investing means being able to pick the best stocks for the future. It basically boils down to a game in which you find a way to own the best performing stocks and avoid the bad ones, thereby giving you the ability to “beat the market.”
Studies show that over 90% of your returns come from the asset classes you are exposed to, not what individual stocks you own. In fact, picking individual stocks over broad asset class investing is more likely to decrease your rate of return and increase your risk, rather than the other way around.
Secret #2 – Don’t buy an investment just because it did well before.
The best performing managers over a 10 year period almost never repeat their performance over the next 10 year period!
Everyone knows past performance does not guarantee future performance. That said, most investors purchase funds and other investments based on performance. For example, when was the last time you saw an ad or article about a mutual fund that was down 20% last year? In fact, even if you are working with a representative that is supposed to be trained in these areas, most likely you will be shown a list of highly rated mutual funds with good recent performance. After all, would you rather buy that or something that just tanked?
This is called “track record investing,” and it can easily set up a cycle of buying things high (right after they had stellar performance) only to sell them low (when they underperform in the future). Dalbar Quantitative analysis believes this cycle is responsible for the average investor failing to the market by over 50% in every 20 year period it has examined to date.
Secret #3 – Activity does not equal control
The more your money and investments change around, the less control you have over risk exposure and long term expectations.
There are many areas in life where creating activity is required to gain control of a situation. There are other areas, however, where activity has the opposite affect. One example of this is gambling. One way of looking at gambling is: the more you do it, the more opportunities you have to win big. In reality, that’s not how it works. The more you gamble, the more likely you are to lose.
Investing is similar in this regard. People are most likely to want to create activity when things aren’t going as they hoped – such as in a down market. Changing investment strategies based on market downturns and/or emotional reasons is usually a mistake. It all but secures locking in big losses and often leaves the investor in a worse situation than he or she was before.
Secret #4 – International stocks and bonds are not riskier than their U.S. counterparts.
Great opportunities exist globally. In fact, U.S. companies account for less than half of the value of the companies that exist.
On the whole, when we compare big and little international companies to big and little U.S. companies, the risk and returns they carry are nearly identical. The more important thing is that often, when one is not doing well there is a good chance that others will be.
Diversification is much more than owning a bunch of stuff. You need a bunch of stuff that has dissimilar price movement, and having a portion of your portfolio in broad based international investments is one of the best ways to achieve this.
Secret #5 – Don’t act on widely publicized advice.
You will NEVER find anything in the media or a report that will give you a head start on a good investment.
There is no shortage of investing publications and news channels. Articles, newsletters, research reports and stories about the stocks and funds you need to buy or sell come like title waves every day. To be sure, these “resources” provide seemingly credible information on investments often offered by very smart people.
The problem is that by the time you get this info, whatever the talking head has to say about the investment is basically useless. In fact, anything you see in your broker’s reports or in the media is already factored into the price of whatever they are talking about. That’s why the market is considered efficient; it immediately factors news, interpretations, and projections into the price, long before these things reach you.
Secret #7 – The big firms don’t invest the same way they advise their clients to invest.
On the whole, retail investment product tends to be high in transactions and costs, and low in efficiency. That’s why the companies that manufacture them rarely use them.
There are two different worlds of investing: Retail and Institutional. As the word “retail” implies, buying investment products from a large company often means you are paying the highest costs available, often without ever knowing exactly how much you are spending. Historically, big companies sell annuities, 5 star funds, and privately managed stock accounts. These investments generally come laden with management fees, transaction fees, taxes, and commissions— and, more often than not, under-perform the market.
Institutional asset class investing focuses on several important factors that can greatly improve your bottom line:
Reduce fees, transactions, and taxes
Eliminate commissions
Never fail to achieve market returns
The big retail firms rarely invest in the products they have their brokers sell the consumer. They are too costly and inefficient. Institutional investing eliminates the retail middlemen and invests directly in low cost, low turnover, no commission investments.
Secret #7 – Your advisor should be acting as a Fiduciary
A fiduciary works on your behalf and eliminates conflicts of interest. Brokers and representatives of big investing companies are not fiduciaries.
Many investors believe that their broker or planner represents them and has their best interest at heart. In reality, brokers and planners are employees of the firm and represent the company, not the investor. The standard the brokerage representatives are held to is called suitablility. This means, as long as the advice or product recommendation is within the parameters that the industry deems acceptable, it is good enough for the client.
Because money is earned from fees and commissions from these recommendations, conflicts of interest have been known to occur under the lenient standard of suitability. While the mega-firms have helped people make money over the long term, there is no shortage of examples in which this business structure has failed and even harmed the consumer.
A fiduciary is a person or firm registered as an investment advisor at the State or Federal level. A fiduciary is sworn to hold the client’s interest above all else, and make every effort to find the best solutions and investments available for the investor. Because fiduciaries work on a fee basis and make the same amount regardless of the advice or services provided, there is far less potential for conflict of interest regarding product.
Secret #8 - YOU NEED A COACH!
To be a successful investor, there are a few things you HAVE to know.
Investor coaching is a radical departure from the typical brokerage industry. Instead of concentrating on products, hot stock tips, and day to day market movement, a coach will assist you in knowing what you need to make important decisions and stay on plan.
Many consumers want to put their financial future in the hands of someone they trust and let them handle it. But if you don’t know anything about what is going on with your money, it is impossible to know if you are being successful or not.
There are 4 things you need know about your money as an investor:
1) What you are doing
2) Why you are doing it
2) Exactly how much it costs
3) What to expect is going on with your money, why, exactly how much it costs, and what to expect in good times and bad.
Monday, February 2, 2009
The Network Marketer and His Budget Dilemma
Most people sign up for a network marketing opportunity or mlm opportunity and fail to realize that they are at that moment a business owner. The reality is if you do not treat you finances like that of a successful business owner, you will very quickly end up a depressing and frustrated statistic. In the world of business you have to know what your financial guidelines are for running a business. Many of you are thinking, but Markeith I just bought 20,000 leads and set up a web page surely there will be a large number of people who will come sign up for my opportunity and erase all my financial concerns? Maybe, but how long will that last if you are throwing away all you nuts like a squirrel on methamphetamine? Savings should be a part of your budget just like expenses and revenue because you never know.
There are tons of business opportunity websites that promote their product with pictures of nice cars and homes, some that don’t even bother to stand next to the car, and vacations- all the stuff people want to do. Yet, no one ever bothered to tell you not to commit financial suicide until now. Having a financial coach is just as important if not more important than having a business mentor, for starters most of the inner tools needed to build a business are also needed to build wealth.
So the next time you look at an opportunity and they start with the compensation plan pitch be sure and ask, “How much where you able to save last year?” If the answer is, “ Well I bought a boat, a house, 4 new cars, and clone a childhood dog,” run now! Do not get me wrong there is nothing wrong with having these things. As a network marketer and a business owner, you get to take advantage of a number of great write offs, and a even better opportunity to reinvest your money. No ride goes on forever, and some are really short so make sure you have the tough conversations and discover why you decided to be a professional network marketer in the first place.
So a few ideas:
1)Have a system in place to track your spending www.mint.com is a great tool to use.
2)Understand that the 2 worst times to make decision especially about money are when you are excited or afraid.
3)Know you limit and not just your credit card limit- know what your recurring expenses are and where they come from and continuously evaluate if they are worth paying.
4)Avoid high interest debt. I know you read Rich Dad Poor Dad..blah blah..but the reality is your business will likely grow over a year to 3 years. If you are on a tight budget and you add high interest debt it will get a lot tighter. Add that to the fact there are no guarantees. So let that be your last alternative.
5)Always read the fine print. Do not sign up for something and then realize you just incurred another monthly expense that you had not planned on or worse will have difficulty getting rid of.
There are tons of business opportunity websites that promote their product with pictures of nice cars and homes, some that don’t even bother to stand next to the car, and vacations- all the stuff people want to do. Yet, no one ever bothered to tell you not to commit financial suicide until now. Having a financial coach is just as important if not more important than having a business mentor, for starters most of the inner tools needed to build a business are also needed to build wealth.
So the next time you look at an opportunity and they start with the compensation plan pitch be sure and ask, “How much where you able to save last year?” If the answer is, “ Well I bought a boat, a house, 4 new cars, and clone a childhood dog,” run now! Do not get me wrong there is nothing wrong with having these things. As a network marketer and a business owner, you get to take advantage of a number of great write offs, and a even better opportunity to reinvest your money. No ride goes on forever, and some are really short so make sure you have the tough conversations and discover why you decided to be a professional network marketer in the first place.
So a few ideas:
1)Have a system in place to track your spending www.mint.com is a great tool to use.
2)Understand that the 2 worst times to make decision especially about money are when you are excited or afraid.
3)Know you limit and not just your credit card limit- know what your recurring expenses are and where they come from and continuously evaluate if they are worth paying.
4)Avoid high interest debt. I know you read Rich Dad Poor Dad..blah blah..but the reality is your business will likely grow over a year to 3 years. If you are on a tight budget and you add high interest debt it will get a lot tighter. Add that to the fact there are no guarantees. So let that be your last alternative.
5)Always read the fine print. Do not sign up for something and then realize you just incurred another monthly expense that you had not planned on or worse will have difficulty getting rid of.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Breaking The Network Marketing Code
It is not hard to believe that most network marketers do not understand what they are looking for or even where to begin. The idea that one company or new concept can change your financial outlook is an important one to have. However, most people have not taken the time to think about what mindset they need to have in order to grow and keep the money they earn.
There is one mindset for earning money and a completely different set of beliefs needed to invest and grow the money wisely. Below are a few very important aspects of the mindset network marketers and mlm superstars understand to build their wealth and their business:
Programming #1 is there are no wealthy victims. Smart network marketers know that they are 100% responsible for their life and they do not blame others for what they have created in their life.
Programming # 2 mlmers with a goal of being comfortable will not likely be rich. It takes a lot of work to be successful in the network marketing industry. Therefore, having the desire to be comfortable will only allow you to be comfortable. Ironically it is also the need for comfort which will keep you from reaching your income goal even if you are working hard to generate network marketing leads.
Programming # 3 successful network marketers know what they want and focus on that desire. There is a reason Napoleon moved his forces to focus them on one point, because it worked. Having clarity of focus on your purpose and goals is the best way to ensure you stay on track.
Programming # 4 you receive in income what you give in value. If you want to get large amounts of income you should be prepared to provide large amounts of value. In today’s impatient world most people are always on the go, but do not have time to really think about whether they are giving or receiving. For many network markets they continuously are taking. Taking time, taking money, taking orders, learn to give value.
Programming # 5 network marketers that are successful admire other network marketers and home business professionals that are successful. You have to be able to learn from the best in order to be the best.
Programming # 6 cost you cannot see can hurt you. Whether it be in investing the rewards of your hard work or running your business if you do not know what the cost are it makes it difficult to make good decisions.
Programming #7 no one person holds all the answers or can see the future and even if they could they would not tell you. Thinking that one person can give you all the answers can be dangerous and eventually problematic when that person does not deliver on your ideals. Learn to listen, observe, and think about what is good for you.
If you program yourself with these seven ideas you can began to see major change in your network marketing business and your lifestyle. As your business grows so will you and the rewards are endless.
There is one mindset for earning money and a completely different set of beliefs needed to invest and grow the money wisely. Below are a few very important aspects of the mindset network marketers and mlm superstars understand to build their wealth and their business:
Programming #1 is there are no wealthy victims. Smart network marketers know that they are 100% responsible for their life and they do not blame others for what they have created in their life.
Programming # 2 mlmers with a goal of being comfortable will not likely be rich. It takes a lot of work to be successful in the network marketing industry. Therefore, having the desire to be comfortable will only allow you to be comfortable. Ironically it is also the need for comfort which will keep you from reaching your income goal even if you are working hard to generate network marketing leads.
Programming # 3 successful network marketers know what they want and focus on that desire. There is a reason Napoleon moved his forces to focus them on one point, because it worked. Having clarity of focus on your purpose and goals is the best way to ensure you stay on track.
Programming # 4 you receive in income what you give in value. If you want to get large amounts of income you should be prepared to provide large amounts of value. In today’s impatient world most people are always on the go, but do not have time to really think about whether they are giving or receiving. For many network markets they continuously are taking. Taking time, taking money, taking orders, learn to give value.
Programming # 5 network marketers that are successful admire other network marketers and home business professionals that are successful. You have to be able to learn from the best in order to be the best.
Programming # 6 cost you cannot see can hurt you. Whether it be in investing the rewards of your hard work or running your business if you do not know what the cost are it makes it difficult to make good decisions.
Programming #7 no one person holds all the answers or can see the future and even if they could they would not tell you. Thinking that one person can give you all the answers can be dangerous and eventually problematic when that person does not deliver on your ideals. Learn to listen, observe, and think about what is good for you.
If you program yourself with these seven ideas you can began to see major change in your network marketing business and your lifestyle. As your business grows so will you and the rewards are endless.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
First Step In Your Marketin Plan
Everyone, at some point of his or her life, has dreamed of being larger than life or building a business that spans the globe. Who hasn't fantasized about being the one who hits the ball out of the park and changes the way their company does business? And how many times have we dreamed of being rich, or successful, or happy with our relationships?
Often, we dream big dreams and have great aspirations. Unfortunately, we can quickly get in a rut and our dreams remain just that – dreams. And our aspirations easily become sources of stress. For too many this is the circle of their marketing life and their personal life. Instead of experiencing exciting adventures in self actualization, we get caught up in the routine of living from day-to-day. Guess what? Life can be so far beyond that, if only we learned to aim higher.
The word impossible the biggest problem most people have with setting goals. Most people get hung up thinking I can't do this. It's too hard. It's too impossible. No one can do this. Yet, what if everyone thought that way? There would be no inventions, no innovations, and no breakthroughs in human accomplishment. Remember that scientists were baffled when they took a look at the humble bumblebee. Theoretically, they said, it was impossible for the bumblebee to fly. Fortunately for the bumble bee no one has told it so. So fly it does. However, some people suffer from dreaming totally outrageous dreams and not acting on them. The result? Lack of focus, broken dreams, and tattered aspirations.
If you limit yourself with self-doubt, and self-limiting assumptions, you will never be able to break past what you deem impossible. If you reach too far out into the sky without working towards your goal, you will find yourself clinging on to the impossible dream. Those who just dream towards a goal without working hard end up disappointed and disillusioned.
Ask any personal trainer and he or she will tell you that there can be no gains unless you are put out of your comfort zone. Remember the saying, “No pain, no gain”? That is as true as it can be. So dream on, friend! Don’t get caught up with your perceived limitations. Think big and work hard to attain those goals. As you take steps toward your goals and set a reasonable time table to keep you honest in you marketing efforts, you will just about find out that the impossible has just become a little bit more possible.
Often, we dream big dreams and have great aspirations. Unfortunately, we can quickly get in a rut and our dreams remain just that – dreams. And our aspirations easily become sources of stress. For too many this is the circle of their marketing life and their personal life. Instead of experiencing exciting adventures in self actualization, we get caught up in the routine of living from day-to-day. Guess what? Life can be so far beyond that, if only we learned to aim higher.
The word impossible the biggest problem most people have with setting goals. Most people get hung up thinking I can't do this. It's too hard. It's too impossible. No one can do this. Yet, what if everyone thought that way? There would be no inventions, no innovations, and no breakthroughs in human accomplishment. Remember that scientists were baffled when they took a look at the humble bumblebee. Theoretically, they said, it was impossible for the bumblebee to fly. Fortunately for the bumble bee no one has told it so. So fly it does. However, some people suffer from dreaming totally outrageous dreams and not acting on them. The result? Lack of focus, broken dreams, and tattered aspirations.
If you limit yourself with self-doubt, and self-limiting assumptions, you will never be able to break past what you deem impossible. If you reach too far out into the sky without working towards your goal, you will find yourself clinging on to the impossible dream. Those who just dream towards a goal without working hard end up disappointed and disillusioned.
Ask any personal trainer and he or she will tell you that there can be no gains unless you are put out of your comfort zone. Remember the saying, “No pain, no gain”? That is as true as it can be. So dream on, friend! Don’t get caught up with your perceived limitations. Think big and work hard to attain those goals. As you take steps toward your goals and set a reasonable time table to keep you honest in you marketing efforts, you will just about find out that the impossible has just become a little bit more possible.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Crtical Traffic Generation
So you have your new website and you are really ready to make sells, now what? For most people the idea of making sells is so consuming they forget one key element to the equation marketing. For some people marketing and sells are synonymous, well let me clear up that argument-they are not the same thing. And now marketing is the only way to survive. So how do you do that with a new website?
First, have unique content and information on your website. Search engines look at all websites on a regular basis looking for sites with new content. So adding fresh content or even commentary i.e. blogging can win you favor and traffic.
Second, have all your keywords on your website. It is important that you have relevant keywords and phrases that relate to your niche on your web pages and any articles you post on your website. This will increase your website ranking and generate more leads which translates to more business for your business. When people visit your website, the high quality content you have will make people spend more time on your site and ultimately buy some of the products or services you offer on your site.
Third, because your website is new, you must submit it to search engines. Submitting your site to the search engines is important because it makes your site visible to the world of the internet. And you cannot make your marketing effortless if no one knows you are open for business.
Fourth, exchange links with a high popularity rank (PR) sites. Exchanging links with popular and related websites is an effective way to drive traffic to your website, and improve the raking of your site. You will get some traffic coming to your website through other websites that you have linked to. More important you will get niche specific traffic.
Following these steps is important, but you also need to have a marketing plan. Most people assume because their business is online they do not need to plan or organize. You need to plan maybe not like a business plan you are taking to the bank but you have to have a modus operandi.
First, have unique content and information on your website. Search engines look at all websites on a regular basis looking for sites with new content. So adding fresh content or even commentary i.e. blogging can win you favor and traffic.
Second, have all your keywords on your website. It is important that you have relevant keywords and phrases that relate to your niche on your web pages and any articles you post on your website. This will increase your website ranking and generate more leads which translates to more business for your business. When people visit your website, the high quality content you have will make people spend more time on your site and ultimately buy some of the products or services you offer on your site.
Third, because your website is new, you must submit it to search engines. Submitting your site to the search engines is important because it makes your site visible to the world of the internet. And you cannot make your marketing effortless if no one knows you are open for business.
Fourth, exchange links with a high popularity rank (PR) sites. Exchanging links with popular and related websites is an effective way to drive traffic to your website, and improve the raking of your site. You will get some traffic coming to your website through other websites that you have linked to. More important you will get niche specific traffic.
Following these steps is important, but you also need to have a marketing plan. Most people assume because their business is online they do not need to plan or organize. You need to plan maybe not like a business plan you are taking to the bank but you have to have a modus operandi.
Harness Your Blob's Power
Blogging sounds simple enough but it can have a profound effect on your business and you {s1:business} marketing. However, it has to be done correctly or you can make some serious missteps.
Blogs get indexed by search engines quickly, but you need to make sure that your blog is optimized for search engines like your other web 2.0 efforts.
1. Your blog address must be search engine friendly and user friendly. Your blog URL should be somewhat concise. It is also important for the name of your blog URL to be related to your online business niche and for that matter your business.
2. Content on your blog is king, and making sure that you use keywords. If your website and blog are about starting a home business, you can have categories like “home business opportunities”,“secrets for making money online” and “make money online examples”. Be creative! Using various keywords for your niche improves your visability.
3. You must tag your content not doing so is like driving a tank with no ammo- horrible gas mileage and not very comfortable. If you want your blog posts to get high visibility and exposure, it is important that you tag your content. You can do this by using pre-installed plug-ins in your blog script.
4. Ping, Ping, Ping every time you add new content to your site. Whenever you add new blog posts, ping your blog using a service like pingomatic.com or pingmyblog.com alert search engines that you have added new content on your site.
5. Submit your blog to blog directories and niche directories. This will help you to get traffic directed from these directories and also create one way links to your site from these directories, and increase your rank. This also picks up ultra targeted traffic.
6. Blog consistently everyday! This is an important tip. Good blogs that attract large amounts of traffic and bring results are those that are updated frequently. Search engines will pick up the new content and this will increase your ranking on search engines.
Use the tips outlined above to increase your traffic and be a blog star.
Blogs get indexed by search engines quickly, but you need to make sure that your blog is optimized for search engines like your other web 2.0 efforts.
1. Your blog address must be search engine friendly and user friendly. Your blog URL should be somewhat concise. It is also important for the name of your blog URL to be related to your online business niche and for that matter your business.
2. Content on your blog is king, and making sure that you use keywords. If your website and blog are about starting a home business, you can have categories like “home business opportunities”,“secrets for making money online” and “make money online examples”. Be creative! Using various keywords for your niche improves your visability.
3. You must tag your content not doing so is like driving a tank with no ammo- horrible gas mileage and not very comfortable. If you want your blog posts to get high visibility and exposure, it is important that you tag your content. You can do this by using pre-installed plug-ins in your blog script.
4. Ping, Ping, Ping every time you add new content to your site. Whenever you add new blog posts, ping your blog using a service like pingomatic.com or pingmyblog.com alert search engines that you have added new content on your site.
5. Submit your blog to blog directories and niche directories. This will help you to get traffic directed from these directories and also create one way links to your site from these directories, and increase your rank. This also picks up ultra targeted traffic.
6. Blog consistently everyday! This is an important tip. Good blogs that attract large amounts of traffic and bring results are those that are updated frequently. Search engines will pick up the new content and this will increase your ranking on search engines.
Use the tips outlined above to increase your traffic and be a blog star.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Lead More Work Less
Let’s face it people like to be led, the problem is most leaders can suffer from the same lack of control over their focus as most members of their team. When we think about building a successful business the image of spending more time coaching and training team members is not the first thing that comes to mind. However, it is one of the most essential things to do for your business.
Here are some simple steps to leveraging your time and having a motivate team.
Step 1: Build or find the system first, you want to have a system that can be replicated by anyone as it allows you effort to be transferred to everyone without little effort on your part. If you have to go back and teach everyone the same thing over and over again that is time that could be sent growing your business.
Step 2: Use the system. I know this seems like common sense but it is a fact that people tend to get excited about something use it for 2 weeks and assume it did not work when they do not see immediate results. I know people have seen or heard stories about people generating 1,000s of leads overnight, but the reality is that is not reality. Take your time be methodical nurture the business effort like you would a garden. You would not plant a tomato plant then run outside the next day and expect to see tomato plants.
Step 3: Teach your team how to duplicate your effort. Most people fear this as it implies giving up some secret. Let me let you in on a little secret when it comes to web marketing “There Are No Secrets”. Showing your team how to duplicate your efforts leverages your efforts and frees up time for you.
Step 4: This is really a part of step 1 but I wanted to make sure the people who read this entire post where rewarded. The idea that you have to pay a lot for a system on the web is a dead one. In fact if you cannot monetize the system meaning charge a small fee to duplicate it then all of your efforts will come out of your pocket vs. outing money in your pocket.
So there it is in a nutshell. If you want to see an example of system that is both automated and able to be duplicated visit www.mybusinessofzen.com . Remember while you have to put time into your business make sure your time is spent doing the things that generate business.
Here are some simple steps to leveraging your time and having a motivate team.
Step 1: Build or find the system first, you want to have a system that can be replicated by anyone as it allows you effort to be transferred to everyone without little effort on your part. If you have to go back and teach everyone the same thing over and over again that is time that could be sent growing your business.
Step 2: Use the system. I know this seems like common sense but it is a fact that people tend to get excited about something use it for 2 weeks and assume it did not work when they do not see immediate results. I know people have seen or heard stories about people generating 1,000s of leads overnight, but the reality is that is not reality. Take your time be methodical nurture the business effort like you would a garden. You would not plant a tomato plant then run outside the next day and expect to see tomato plants.
Step 3: Teach your team how to duplicate your effort. Most people fear this as it implies giving up some secret. Let me let you in on a little secret when it comes to web marketing “There Are No Secrets”. Showing your team how to duplicate your efforts leverages your efforts and frees up time for you.
Step 4: This is really a part of step 1 but I wanted to make sure the people who read this entire post where rewarded. The idea that you have to pay a lot for a system on the web is a dead one. In fact if you cannot monetize the system meaning charge a small fee to duplicate it then all of your efforts will come out of your pocket vs. outing money in your pocket.
So there it is in a nutshell. If you want to see an example of system that is both automated and able to be duplicated visit www.mybusinessofzen.com . Remember while you have to put time into your business make sure your time is spent doing the things that generate business.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Send Out Your Own Virus
One of the most effective ways of driving traffic to your website with little effort on your part is viral marketing. Viral marketing allows you to send your marketing message to selected recipients who then pass on that message to others who then pass it on to others. Viral marketing is affordable, so anyone can do it.
Internet marketers want to pass on high quality products or services to their own lists. Therefore, the more interesting your products are, the quicker your marketing message will get multiplied all over the internet while driving huge amounts of traffic to your website.
You can carry out your viral marketing campaign by creating e-books, reports or articles and distribute them to targeted recipients, giving them for free. Any internet marketer can do this; since it simply involves creating the product, pass it on and let other people pass it on further for you.
You can do viral marketing by using methods such as:
Offer products that spread your marketing message through quality. Write well-researched reports and e-books on your niche and add your URL on these reports. Many people like getting free reports and e-books. These e-books will provide very powerful information on your topic, and people who read them will visit your website. Further distribution of your reports and e-book will result in more traffic to your website as well as increased awareness of your business or brand.
You can also do the same with audio and video. With quality information people can forward your podcast or video with your info in it to other people. Remember people like to feel like they have quality information.
You can also offer a free service or product on your web site that spreads your message to an increasing number of people who hear about it. Send out news releases concerning the free service or product available on your site. This in turn will generate huge volumes of traffic to your website.
Setting up an affiliate program can be a little time consuming, but if you can afford it, it provides an attractive financial incentive for other sites to pass on your marketing message. By having your own affiliates promoting your website, you drive a lot of traffic to your website.
Use traffic exchange programs where you exchange website links with other people in your niche. When you add your website link to another sites or blogs, some people may be interested in it, and they may bookmark it or pass it on to other people who may be interested in your niche. With little effort, your URL will be distributed all over the internet, and this will lead to a huge flow of traffic to your website.
Use the power of viral marketing to spread your marketing message all over the internet and drive high volumes of traffic to your website.
http://www.mybusinessofzen.com
Internet marketers want to pass on high quality products or services to their own lists. Therefore, the more interesting your products are, the quicker your marketing message will get multiplied all over the internet while driving huge amounts of traffic to your website.
You can carry out your viral marketing campaign by creating e-books, reports or articles and distribute them to targeted recipients, giving them for free. Any internet marketer can do this; since it simply involves creating the product, pass it on and let other people pass it on further for you.
You can do viral marketing by using methods such as:
Offer products that spread your marketing message through quality. Write well-researched reports and e-books on your niche and add your URL on these reports. Many people like getting free reports and e-books. These e-books will provide very powerful information on your topic, and people who read them will visit your website. Further distribution of your reports and e-book will result in more traffic to your website as well as increased awareness of your business or brand.
You can also do the same with audio and video. With quality information people can forward your podcast or video with your info in it to other people. Remember people like to feel like they have quality information.
You can also offer a free service or product on your web site that spreads your message to an increasing number of people who hear about it. Send out news releases concerning the free service or product available on your site. This in turn will generate huge volumes of traffic to your website.
Setting up an affiliate program can be a little time consuming, but if you can afford it, it provides an attractive financial incentive for other sites to pass on your marketing message. By having your own affiliates promoting your website, you drive a lot of traffic to your website.
Use traffic exchange programs where you exchange website links with other people in your niche. When you add your website link to another sites or blogs, some people may be interested in it, and they may bookmark it or pass it on to other people who may be interested in your niche. With little effort, your URL will be distributed all over the internet, and this will lead to a huge flow of traffic to your website.
Use the power of viral marketing to spread your marketing message all over the internet and drive high volumes of traffic to your website.
http://www.mybusinessofzen.com
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Every Game Has Rules, so does web traffic
In order for your business to succeed online, it is important to have traffic to your website. It is a simple formula no traffic =no sales, and no sales means the online home business will fail. It is therefore important that you remember traffic is the lifeblood of your online business, and know how to drive traffic to your website without alienating your friends and family.
You do not need a huge budget to drive traffic to your site, but you cannot expect it to happen just because you think it should. There are steps you should take to keep your efforts pratical and fun. This article outlines indispensable ways through which you can drive traffic to your website and your home based business. It does not matter if your business is a product or a service, or even what field your product is in, the principles of the same.
1. Rule # 1 Content is King. When thinking content think fresh, unique and useful. Also you need to understand who you are trying to reach. People go online to look for information and also buy what they need. You need to have high quality and unique content on your website so that visitors to your website will spend more time on your website, and more importantly want to come back to your website. In addition, if you have lots of useful information on your website, you will be considered as an expert in your niche, which also means your content needs to be relevant to the customers of your business and what they want.
2. Rule #2 Become a Writer. Writing and submitting articles is a very powerful way to driving traffic to your website. In all your articles, make sure you have a resources box or author’s biography which will your website’s URL. After reading your article, people will want to visit your website, so the more articles you write the more traffic you will drive to your website, that is if you provide interesting information.
3. Rule # 3 Optimize Your Website for Search Engines. Make sure that your niche keywords and phrases are in your headlines and in the rest of your website. This means that your website rank higher when people look for those keywords on your website, and this will drive more traffic to your website.
4. Rule # 4 Know What PPC Means. Drive traffic to your website using Pay Per Click advertising. You can run an advert with Google Adwords or Yahoo Overture to drive traffic to your website. PPC ads can drive targeted traffic to you site, but you need to understand what it means.
5. Rule # 5 Participate. Targeted forums are one of the most effective ways of driving traffic to your website. Make useful posts in the forums that are related to your niche, and have your website link in your signature. DO NOT Spam in forums with content that provide any value to the conversations. Not only will it likely get you booted out of the forum, but no one will even remotely care about your well crafted but misplaced advertisement. Give value be a part of the conversation.
6. Rule # 6 Pass a Virus. Obviously I do not mean literally, but using viral marketing to drive traffic. Write free reports with a link to your website. Have a link to your website on your blog and on any press release that you write. These will drive traffic to your website. Use what you have already that you find to be helpful that others may want to use to grow their business. Think like a cosumer and ask yourself “What’s in it for them?” what value am I providing that would make people want to give it to others.
7. Rule # 7 A Video Is Worth A Thousand Words. Use video marketing to drive traffic to your website. You can create a video about your product or service that you offer on your website and post that on YouTube. Or even better make a video about what your visitors wants. Be sure you add your link on that video, and this will make sure that people who view your video will also visit your website.
By following the seven rules with a little discipline-Yes the D Word- you can drive a lot of traffic to your website, and sell your product.
http://www.mybusinessofzen.com
You do not need a huge budget to drive traffic to your site, but you cannot expect it to happen just because you think it should. There are steps you should take to keep your efforts pratical and fun. This article outlines indispensable ways through which you can drive traffic to your website and your home based business. It does not matter if your business is a product or a service, or even what field your product is in, the principles of the same.
1. Rule # 1 Content is King. When thinking content think fresh, unique and useful. Also you need to understand who you are trying to reach. People go online to look for information and also buy what they need. You need to have high quality and unique content on your website so that visitors to your website will spend more time on your website, and more importantly want to come back to your website. In addition, if you have lots of useful information on your website, you will be considered as an expert in your niche, which also means your content needs to be relevant to the customers of your business and what they want.
2. Rule #2 Become a Writer. Writing and submitting articles is a very powerful way to driving traffic to your website. In all your articles, make sure you have a resources box or author’s biography which will your website’s URL. After reading your article, people will want to visit your website, so the more articles you write the more traffic you will drive to your website, that is if you provide interesting information.
3. Rule # 3 Optimize Your Website for Search Engines. Make sure that your niche keywords and phrases are in your headlines and in the rest of your website. This means that your website rank higher when people look for those keywords on your website, and this will drive more traffic to your website.
4. Rule # 4 Know What PPC Means. Drive traffic to your website using Pay Per Click advertising. You can run an advert with Google Adwords or Yahoo Overture to drive traffic to your website. PPC ads can drive targeted traffic to you site, but you need to understand what it means.
5. Rule # 5 Participate. Targeted forums are one of the most effective ways of driving traffic to your website. Make useful posts in the forums that are related to your niche, and have your website link in your signature. DO NOT Spam in forums with content that provide any value to the conversations. Not only will it likely get you booted out of the forum, but no one will even remotely care about your well crafted but misplaced advertisement. Give value be a part of the conversation.
6. Rule # 6 Pass a Virus. Obviously I do not mean literally, but using viral marketing to drive traffic. Write free reports with a link to your website. Have a link to your website on your blog and on any press release that you write. These will drive traffic to your website. Use what you have already that you find to be helpful that others may want to use to grow their business. Think like a cosumer and ask yourself “What’s in it for them?” what value am I providing that would make people want to give it to others.
7. Rule # 7 A Video Is Worth A Thousand Words. Use video marketing to drive traffic to your website. You can create a video about your product or service that you offer on your website and post that on YouTube. Or even better make a video about what your visitors wants. Be sure you add your link on that video, and this will make sure that people who view your video will also visit your website.
By following the seven rules with a little discipline-Yes the D Word- you can drive a lot of traffic to your website, and sell your product.
http://www.mybusinessofzen.com
Friday, January 23, 2009
Top Blogger Mitakes That are Killing Your Traffic
Blogging is a powerful tool for increasing traffic to your website and boosting your online profits. However, many bloggers fail to use their blogs to increase the money they earn on the internet because they commit some four typical mistakes which are discussed in this article.
1. Some bloggers don’t blog on a regular basis, and their blogs do not have fresh and unique content. Blogs can be powerful in driving traffic to a website if they have high quality and unique content which makes search engines visit them and index the content. After the blog is indexed by search engines, people looking for information on search engines that relate to your blog’s keywords will be directed to your website, and you therefore get high volumes of traffic.
2. Lack of useful and captivating information on the website. It is important for your blog to have information which your visitors will enjoy and find useful. If you have high quality information on your blog, you will get many visitors and some people will also bookmark your blog and visit on a regular basis. This increases the traffic to your blog and website, and results in more sales. It is also important for you to make your blog unique and attractive by adding interesting images and any other information that will be of interest to your blog’s visitors.
3. Lack of keywords in your blog categories and blog content. This is the most powerful way to increase traffic to your website. You must know and use all the keywords that relate to your niche when posting on your blog. If you have some headings for categories on your blog, make sure that you use your keywords on the headings of these categories as this increases the visibility of your blog on search engines.
4. Some bloggers do not increase the earning potential of their blogs. If you want to earn money with your blog, you must sell your own products and services on the blog. You can also identify affiliate programs that match your niche and sell these affiliate products. All you need to do is to add your affiliate links on your blog. You can review these affiliate products and include the keywords in your blog content. You can also increase the money you earn from your blog by adding some Google Adsense adverts on your website. When someone clicks of the Google Adsense adverts from your website, you earn some money.
If you want to increase your online profits from your blogs, avoid the four mistakes presented above.
http://www.mybusinessofzen.com
1. Some bloggers don’t blog on a regular basis, and their blogs do not have fresh and unique content. Blogs can be powerful in driving traffic to a website if they have high quality and unique content which makes search engines visit them and index the content. After the blog is indexed by search engines, people looking for information on search engines that relate to your blog’s keywords will be directed to your website, and you therefore get high volumes of traffic.
2. Lack of useful and captivating information on the website. It is important for your blog to have information which your visitors will enjoy and find useful. If you have high quality information on your blog, you will get many visitors and some people will also bookmark your blog and visit on a regular basis. This increases the traffic to your blog and website, and results in more sales. It is also important for you to make your blog unique and attractive by adding interesting images and any other information that will be of interest to your blog’s visitors.
3. Lack of keywords in your blog categories and blog content. This is the most powerful way to increase traffic to your website. You must know and use all the keywords that relate to your niche when posting on your blog. If you have some headings for categories on your blog, make sure that you use your keywords on the headings of these categories as this increases the visibility of your blog on search engines.
4. Some bloggers do not increase the earning potential of their blogs. If you want to earn money with your blog, you must sell your own products and services on the blog. You can also identify affiliate programs that match your niche and sell these affiliate products. All you need to do is to add your affiliate links on your blog. You can review these affiliate products and include the keywords in your blog content. You can also increase the money you earn from your blog by adding some Google Adsense adverts on your website. When someone clicks of the Google Adsense adverts from your website, you earn some money.
If you want to increase your online profits from your blogs, avoid the four mistakes presented above.
http://www.mybusinessofzen.com
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The Keys To The Marketing Kingdom
A marketing plan that outlines the key steps you will need to take to drive traffic to your website is essential. Having a marketing plan will also help you establish your budget for advertising your website, which determines the tools that you can use in generating traffic to your website.
Presented in this article are key steps that you must take to develop your marketing plan and build traffic to your website.
1. Establish your objectives and targets. After you have built your website for your online business, you must establish your goals in terms of the money you want to earn from your online business. This will determine the volumes of traffic you will need to make the necessary sales you want to make. Your objectives and goals will guide you in deciding the level of promotion you need to do to advertise your website and build traffic to it.
2. Establish your advertising budget. This is a very important step. There are many ways of driving traffic to your website; some are affordable while some are expensive. You need to decide what your budget is and therefore what tools you can use to drive traffic to your website.
3. Invest in the necessary tools that you need in advertising your website. In order to capture leads and follow-up with your prospects, it is necessary for your website to have an automated email system or auto-responder which captures your prospects email address and automatically send those emails on a regular basis. These emails will have a link to your website wand will invite your subscribers to visit your website. You must establish all the tools you need to have on your website to make traffic generating effective.
4. Decide what your short term and long term advertising strategies are. The quickest and easiest way to generate traffic and leads for any business is pay per click (PPC) advertising because it can bring you immediate results. PPC can also help you drive targeted traffic to your website. However, you also need to have some marketing strategies that will generate traffic to your website in the long term. Pay per click marketing is normally considered to be the short-term solution for generating targeted traffic and leads fast, but it is also considered to be one of the most expensive ways to advertise your business. Therefore, it is important for you to have other affordable ways of generating traffic to your website which will drive traffic to your site in the long term. Article marketing, blogging and forum participation are some of these less costly ways of generating traffic to your website.
Before you start spending money on any strategy for generating traffic to your website, you must ensure that you follow the steps outline above as they help you select the best marketing tools for driving traffic to your website.
http://www.mybusinessofzen.com
Presented in this article are key steps that you must take to develop your marketing plan and build traffic to your website.
1. Establish your objectives and targets. After you have built your website for your online business, you must establish your goals in terms of the money you want to earn from your online business. This will determine the volumes of traffic you will need to make the necessary sales you want to make. Your objectives and goals will guide you in deciding the level of promotion you need to do to advertise your website and build traffic to it.
2. Establish your advertising budget. This is a very important step. There are many ways of driving traffic to your website; some are affordable while some are expensive. You need to decide what your budget is and therefore what tools you can use to drive traffic to your website.
3. Invest in the necessary tools that you need in advertising your website. In order to capture leads and follow-up with your prospects, it is necessary for your website to have an automated email system or auto-responder which captures your prospects email address and automatically send those emails on a regular basis. These emails will have a link to your website wand will invite your subscribers to visit your website. You must establish all the tools you need to have on your website to make traffic generating effective.
4. Decide what your short term and long term advertising strategies are. The quickest and easiest way to generate traffic and leads for any business is pay per click (PPC) advertising because it can bring you immediate results. PPC can also help you drive targeted traffic to your website. However, you also need to have some marketing strategies that will generate traffic to your website in the long term. Pay per click marketing is normally considered to be the short-term solution for generating targeted traffic and leads fast, but it is also considered to be one of the most expensive ways to advertise your business. Therefore, it is important for you to have other affordable ways of generating traffic to your website which will drive traffic to your site in the long term. Article marketing, blogging and forum participation are some of these less costly ways of generating traffic to your website.
Before you start spending money on any strategy for generating traffic to your website, you must ensure that you follow the steps outline above as they help you select the best marketing tools for driving traffic to your website.
http://www.mybusinessofzen.com
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
3 Affiliate Mistakes
Affiliate marketing is one of the most effective and powerful ways of earning some money online. This program gives everybody a chance to make a profit through the Internet. Since these affiliate marketing programs are easy to join, implement and pays a commission on a regular basis, more an more people are now willing in this business.
However, like all businesses, there are lots of pitfalls in the affiliate marketing business. Committing some of the most common mistakes will cost the marketers a large portion taken from the profit they are making everyday. That is why it is better to avoid them than be regretful in the end.
Mistake number 1: Choosing the wrong affiliate.
Many people want to earn from affiliate marketing as fast as possible. In their rush to be part of one, they tend to choose a bandwagon product. This is the kind of products that the program thinks is “hot”. They choose the product that is in demand without actually considering if the product appeals to them. This is not a very wise move obviously.
Instead of jumping on the bandwagon, try top choose a product in which you are truly interested in. For any endeavor to succeed, you should take some time to plan and figure out your actions.
Pick a product that appeals to you. Then do some research about that product to see if they are in demand. Promoting a product you are more passionate about is easier than promoting one for the sake of the earnings only.
Mistake number 2: Joining too many affiliate programs.
Since affiliate programs are very easy to join, you might be tempted to join multiples of affiliate programs to try and maximize the earnings you will be getting. Besides you may think that there is nothing wrong and nothing to lose by being part of many affiliate programs.
True, that is a great way to have multiple sources of income. However, joining multiple programs and attempting to promote them all at the same time will prevent you from concentrating on each one of them.
The result? The maximum potential of your affiliate program is not realized and the income generated will not exactly be as huge as you were thinking initially it would. The best way to get excellent result is by joining just one program that pays a 40% commission at least. Then give it your best effort by promoting your products enthusiastically. As soon as you see that it is already making a reasonable profit, then maybe you can now join another affiliate program.
The technique is to do it slowly but surely. There is really no need to rush into things, especially with affiliate marketing. With the way things are going, the future is looking real bright and it seems affiliate marketing will be staying for a long time too.
Mistake number 3: Not buying the product or using the service.
As an affiliate, your main purpose is to effectively and convincingly promote a product or service and to find customers. For you to achieve this purpose, you must be able to relay to the customers that certain product and service. It is therefore difficult for you to do this when you yourself have not tried these things out. Thus, you will fail to promote and recommend them convincingly. You will also fail to create a desire in your customers to avail any of what you are offering.
Try the product or service personally first before you sign up as an affiliate to see if it is really delivering what it promises. If you have done so, then you are one of the credible and living testaments aware of its advantages and disadvantages. Your customers will then feel the sincerity and truthfulness in you and this will trigger them to try them out for themselves.
Many affiliate marketers makes these mistakes and are paying dearly for their actions. To not fall into the same situation they have been in, try to do everything to avoid making the same mistakes.
Time is the key. Take the time to analyze your marketing strategy and check if you are on the right track. If done properly, you will be able to maximize your affiliate marketing program and earn higher profits.
http://www.mybusinessofzen.com
However, like all businesses, there are lots of pitfalls in the affiliate marketing business. Committing some of the most common mistakes will cost the marketers a large portion taken from the profit they are making everyday. That is why it is better to avoid them than be regretful in the end.
Mistake number 1: Choosing the wrong affiliate.
Many people want to earn from affiliate marketing as fast as possible. In their rush to be part of one, they tend to choose a bandwagon product. This is the kind of products that the program thinks is “hot”. They choose the product that is in demand without actually considering if the product appeals to them. This is not a very wise move obviously.
Instead of jumping on the bandwagon, try top choose a product in which you are truly interested in. For any endeavor to succeed, you should take some time to plan and figure out your actions.
Pick a product that appeals to you. Then do some research about that product to see if they are in demand. Promoting a product you are more passionate about is easier than promoting one for the sake of the earnings only.
Mistake number 2: Joining too many affiliate programs.
Since affiliate programs are very easy to join, you might be tempted to join multiples of affiliate programs to try and maximize the earnings you will be getting. Besides you may think that there is nothing wrong and nothing to lose by being part of many affiliate programs.
True, that is a great way to have multiple sources of income. However, joining multiple programs and attempting to promote them all at the same time will prevent you from concentrating on each one of them.
The result? The maximum potential of your affiliate program is not realized and the income generated will not exactly be as huge as you were thinking initially it would. The best way to get excellent result is by joining just one program that pays a 40% commission at least. Then give it your best effort by promoting your products enthusiastically. As soon as you see that it is already making a reasonable profit, then maybe you can now join another affiliate program.
The technique is to do it slowly but surely. There is really no need to rush into things, especially with affiliate marketing. With the way things are going, the future is looking real bright and it seems affiliate marketing will be staying for a long time too.
Mistake number 3: Not buying the product or using the service.
As an affiliate, your main purpose is to effectively and convincingly promote a product or service and to find customers. For you to achieve this purpose, you must be able to relay to the customers that certain product and service. It is therefore difficult for you to do this when you yourself have not tried these things out. Thus, you will fail to promote and recommend them convincingly. You will also fail to create a desire in your customers to avail any of what you are offering.
Try the product or service personally first before you sign up as an affiliate to see if it is really delivering what it promises. If you have done so, then you are one of the credible and living testaments aware of its advantages and disadvantages. Your customers will then feel the sincerity and truthfulness in you and this will trigger them to try them out for themselves.
Many affiliate marketers makes these mistakes and are paying dearly for their actions. To not fall into the same situation they have been in, try to do everything to avoid making the same mistakes.
Time is the key. Take the time to analyze your marketing strategy and check if you are on the right track. If done properly, you will be able to maximize your affiliate marketing program and earn higher profits.
http://www.mybusinessofzen.com
Friday, January 9, 2009
A Piece of Blarney Stone - ways to empower your communication
The Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of the Blarney Castle in Ireland where it was believed that kissing the stone can grant you the gift of gab. Yeah, it seems strange in this day and age, but who are we to question tradition? It's not like I'm saying that Santa Claus doesn't exist (OOPS!).
There is so much to know about conversation that anyone, even I, could ever realize. You can go though watching talk shows; radio programs; clubs dedicated to public speaking; ordinary conversations; certain rules still apply when it comes to interaction through words. It may sound tedious, I know, but even though it's your mouth that's doing the work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out a lot of things you know. So what better way to start learning to be an effective communication is to know the very person closest to you: yourself.
1. What you know.
Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker is to practice what you've learned. My stint as guest at every Toastmasters' meeting I go to taught me that we all have our limitations, but that doesn't mean we can't learn to keep up and share what we know.
2. Listening.
It's just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to be a little bit confident with ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction.
3. Humility
We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter, and probably mispronounce certain words even though we know what it means, but rarely use it only to impress listeners. So in a group, don't be afraid to ask if you're saying the right word properly and if they're unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it'll make everyone laugh and you can get away with it as well.
4. Eye Contact
There's a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze. It's important that you keep your focus when talking to a large group in a meeting or a gathering, even though he or she may be gorgeous.
5. Kidding around
A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse boredom when making your speech. That way, you'll get the attention of the majority of the crowd and they'll feel that you're just as approachable, and as human to those who listen.
6. Be like the rest of them
Interaction is all about mingling with other people. You'll get a lot of ideas, as well as knowing what people make them as they are.
7. Me, Myself, and I
Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice your speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch. And while you're at it you can spruce up as well.
8. With a smile
A smile says it all much like eye contact. There's no point on grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a gathering, unless it's a wake. You can better express what you're saying when you smile.
9. A Role Model
There must be at least one or two people in your life you have listened to when they're at a public gathering or maybe at church. Sure they read their lines, but taking a mental note of how they emphasize what they say can help you once you take center stage.
10. Preparation
Make the best out of preparation rather than just scribbling notes and often in a hurried panic. Some people like to write things down on index cards, while other resort to being a little more silly as they look at their notes written on the palm of their hand (not for clammy hands, please). Just be comfortable with what you know since you enjoy your work.
And that about wraps it up. These suggestions are rather amateurish in edgewise, but I've learned to empower myself when it comes to public or private speaking and it never hurts to be with people to listen how they make conversations and meetings far more enjoyable as well as educational.
There is so much to know about conversation that anyone, even I, could ever realize. You can go though watching talk shows; radio programs; clubs dedicated to public speaking; ordinary conversations; certain rules still apply when it comes to interaction through words. It may sound tedious, I know, but even though it's your mouth that's doing the work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out a lot of things you know. So what better way to start learning to be an effective communication is to know the very person closest to you: yourself.
1. What you know.
Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker is to practice what you've learned. My stint as guest at every Toastmasters' meeting I go to taught me that we all have our limitations, but that doesn't mean we can't learn to keep up and share what we know.
2. Listening.
It's just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to be a little bit confident with ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction.
3. Humility
We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter, and probably mispronounce certain words even though we know what it means, but rarely use it only to impress listeners. So in a group, don't be afraid to ask if you're saying the right word properly and if they're unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it'll make everyone laugh and you can get away with it as well.
4. Eye Contact
There's a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze. It's important that you keep your focus when talking to a large group in a meeting or a gathering, even though he or she may be gorgeous.
5. Kidding around
A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse boredom when making your speech. That way, you'll get the attention of the majority of the crowd and they'll feel that you're just as approachable, and as human to those who listen.
6. Be like the rest of them
Interaction is all about mingling with other people. You'll get a lot of ideas, as well as knowing what people make them as they are.
7. Me, Myself, and I
Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice your speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch. And while you're at it you can spruce up as well.
8. With a smile
A smile says it all much like eye contact. There's no point on grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a gathering, unless it's a wake. You can better express what you're saying when you smile.
9. A Role Model
There must be at least one or two people in your life you have listened to when they're at a public gathering or maybe at church. Sure they read their lines, but taking a mental note of how they emphasize what they say can help you once you take center stage.
10. Preparation
Make the best out of preparation rather than just scribbling notes and often in a hurried panic. Some people like to write things down on index cards, while other resort to being a little more silly as they look at their notes written on the palm of their hand (not for clammy hands, please). Just be comfortable with what you know since you enjoy your work.
And that about wraps it up. These suggestions are rather amateurish in edgewise, but I've learned to empower myself when it comes to public or private speaking and it never hurts to be with people to listen how they make conversations and meetings far more enjoyable as well as educational.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
5 traffic increasers
There is one hard and fast rule in generating income for your website: A steady flow of website traffic. If no one goes to your site, it hardly bares a chance of generating an income. Many sites have tried and failed in doing so, and these results to the sites demise. It takes money to maintain an income generating site; it also takes money to make money.
BUT, it doesn’t take a whole caboodle of cash to generate website traffic for your site.
Ever wonder how does big hit sites drive traffic top their site? Most of them are spending tons of money to drive the traffic to their sites, investing in many advertising campaigns and different forms of marketing schemes and gimmickries. This is all worthwhile because, well, they are what they are now, high earning, big hitting websites.
You don’t have to do this if you don’t really have the resources. There are many ways to generate low cost website traffic without having to spend what you don’t have or can’t afford. Many people have banked on high cost methods and have ended up losing their shirt over it.
Here I present to you the Top five ways to generate low cost website traffic that could help your site a whole lot. Even if you only get a small percentage of successful visitors in to client ratio it still works especially if you get a high number of website traffic.
Exchange Links
This is a sure and proven method. Rarely would you see a site where there is no link to another site. Many webmasters are willing to exchange links with one another so that they could produce more public awareness about their sites. You’ll soon see and feel the sudden upsurge of the traffic coming in to your site from other sites.
A major prerequisite in exchanging links with other sites is having the same niche or content as the other site. They should share a common subject so that there is continuity in the providing of service and information to what interests your target traffic.
Exchanging links also boosts your chances of getting a high ranking in search engine results. It is common knowledge that search engines ranks high sites that have inbound and outbound theme-related links. With a good ranking position in the search engines, you will generate more traffic in your website without the high costs.
Traffic Exchange
This is like exchanging links but on a different higher level. This may cost a bit more than exchanging or trading links but could be made cheaper because you get to earn credits. You can use those credits when viewing others traffic, while you earn credits when someone views yours.
Traffic exchange services are the viewing of another’s site or page. This is done vice versa where a site can use your sites contents and so can you to his or her site. You both benefit from each others efforts to generate traffic. The other sites visitors can go to your pages and know more about your site as well as theirs. Once again the public awareness of your sites existence is boosted.
Write and Submit Articles
There are many e-zines and online encyclopedias in the internet which provides free space for articles to be submitted. If you want to save costs, you can do the articles yourself. There are many freelance writers who are willing to write for you for a small fee, but to save money, it is wise to do those articles yourself.
Write articles that are themed along with the niche of your site. Write something that you have expertise on so that when they read it, they can feel your knowledge about the subject and will be eager to go to your site. Write articles that produce tips and guidelines to the subject or niche your site has.
Include a resource box at the end of your article that can link them to your site. Write a little about yourself and your site. If you provide a light, information-laden and interesting article, they will go to your site for more.
Make a Newsletter.
This may sound like hard work because of all the articles you may need to use to build a newsletter but on the contrary, this is not so. There are many writers and sites that are willing to provide free articles as long as they can get their name in on your newsletter. This will also provide free advertising for them as well.
As your newsletter gets pass around, you can widen your public awareness and build an opt-in list that can regularly visit your site.
Join Online Communities and Forums
This only requires your time and nothing else. You can share your knowledge and expertise with many online communities as well as your website. You can get free advertising when you go to forums that have the same subject or niche with your site.
Share your two cents and let them see how knowledgeable you are with the subject. As you build your reputation, you also build the reputation of your site, making it a reputable and honest business that could be frequented and trusted by many people.
BUT, it doesn’t take a whole caboodle of cash to generate website traffic for your site.
Ever wonder how does big hit sites drive traffic top their site? Most of them are spending tons of money to drive the traffic to their sites, investing in many advertising campaigns and different forms of marketing schemes and gimmickries. This is all worthwhile because, well, they are what they are now, high earning, big hitting websites.
You don’t have to do this if you don’t really have the resources. There are many ways to generate low cost website traffic without having to spend what you don’t have or can’t afford. Many people have banked on high cost methods and have ended up losing their shirt over it.
Here I present to you the Top five ways to generate low cost website traffic that could help your site a whole lot. Even if you only get a small percentage of successful visitors in to client ratio it still works especially if you get a high number of website traffic.
Exchange Links
This is a sure and proven method. Rarely would you see a site where there is no link to another site. Many webmasters are willing to exchange links with one another so that they could produce more public awareness about their sites. You’ll soon see and feel the sudden upsurge of the traffic coming in to your site from other sites.
A major prerequisite in exchanging links with other sites is having the same niche or content as the other site. They should share a common subject so that there is continuity in the providing of service and information to what interests your target traffic.
Exchanging links also boosts your chances of getting a high ranking in search engine results. It is common knowledge that search engines ranks high sites that have inbound and outbound theme-related links. With a good ranking position in the search engines, you will generate more traffic in your website without the high costs.
Traffic Exchange
This is like exchanging links but on a different higher level. This may cost a bit more than exchanging or trading links but could be made cheaper because you get to earn credits. You can use those credits when viewing others traffic, while you earn credits when someone views yours.
Traffic exchange services are the viewing of another’s site or page. This is done vice versa where a site can use your sites contents and so can you to his or her site. You both benefit from each others efforts to generate traffic. The other sites visitors can go to your pages and know more about your site as well as theirs. Once again the public awareness of your sites existence is boosted.
Write and Submit Articles
There are many e-zines and online encyclopedias in the internet which provides free space for articles to be submitted. If you want to save costs, you can do the articles yourself. There are many freelance writers who are willing to write for you for a small fee, but to save money, it is wise to do those articles yourself.
Write articles that are themed along with the niche of your site. Write something that you have expertise on so that when they read it, they can feel your knowledge about the subject and will be eager to go to your site. Write articles that produce tips and guidelines to the subject or niche your site has.
Include a resource box at the end of your article that can link them to your site. Write a little about yourself and your site. If you provide a light, information-laden and interesting article, they will go to your site for more.
Make a Newsletter.
This may sound like hard work because of all the articles you may need to use to build a newsletter but on the contrary, this is not so. There are many writers and sites that are willing to provide free articles as long as they can get their name in on your newsletter. This will also provide free advertising for them as well.
As your newsletter gets pass around, you can widen your public awareness and build an opt-in list that can regularly visit your site.
Join Online Communities and Forums
This only requires your time and nothing else. You can share your knowledge and expertise with many online communities as well as your website. You can get free advertising when you go to forums that have the same subject or niche with your site.
Share your two cents and let them see how knowledgeable you are with the subject. As you build your reputation, you also build the reputation of your site, making it a reputable and honest business that could be frequented and trusted by many people.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
5 minute Marketing Control-Through Stress Control
We all have this favorite expression when it comes to being stressed out, and I wouldn't bother naming all of them since it may also vary in different languages. But when it comes down to it, I think that it is how we work or even relax, for that matter that triggers stress. Ever been stressed even when you're well relaxed and bored? I know I have.
Since “Error Hyperlink reference not valid,” is unavoidable in life, it is important to find ways to decrease and prevent stressful incidents and decrease negative reactions to stress. Here are some of the things that can be done by just remembering it, since life is basically a routine to follow like brushing your teeth or eating breakfast. You can do a few of them in a longer span of time, but as they say-- every minute counts.
Managing time
Time management skills can allow you more time with your family and friends and possibly increase your performance and productivity. This will help reduce your stress.
To improve your time management:
• Save time by focusing and concentrating, delegating, and scheduling time for yourself.
• Keep a record of how you spend your time, including work, family, and leisure time.
• Prioritize your time by rating tasks by importance and urgency. Redirect your time to those activities that are important and meaningful to you.
• Manage your commitments by not over- or undercommitting. Don't commit to what is not important to you.
• Deal with procrastination by using a day planner, breaking large projects into smaller ones, and setting short-term deadlines.
• Examine your beliefs to reduce conflict between what you believe and what your life is like.
Build healthy coping strategies
It is important that you identify your coping strategies. One way to do this is by recording the stressful event, your reaction, and how you cope in a stress journal. With this information, you can work to change unhealthy coping strategies into healthy ones-those that help you focus on the positive and what you can change or control in your life.
Lifestyle
Some behaviors and lifestyle choices affect your stress level. They may not cause stress directly, but they can interfere with the ways your body seeks relief from stress. Try to:
• Balance personal, work, and family needs and obligations.
• Have a sense of purpose in life.
• Get enough sleep, since your body recovers from the stresses of the day while you are sleeping.
• Eat a balanced diet for a nutritional defense against stress.
• Get moderate exercise throughout the week.
• Limit your consumption of alcohol.
• Don't smoke.
Social support
Social support is a major factor in how we experience stress. Social support is the positive support you receive from family, friends, and the community. It is the knowledge that you are cared for, loved, esteemed, and valued. More and more research indicates a strong relationship between social support and better mental and physical health.
Changing thinking
When an event triggers negative thoughts, you may experience fear, insecurity, anxiety, depression, rage, guilt, and a sense of worthlessness or powerlessness. These emotions trigger the body's stress, just as an actual threat does. Dealing with your negative thoughts and how you see things can help reduce stress.
• Thought-stopping helps you stop a negative thought to help eliminate stress.
• Disproving irrational thoughts helps you to avoid exaggerating the negative thought, anticipating the worst, and interpreting an event incorrectly.
• Problem solving helps you identify all aspects of a stressful event and find ways to deal with it.
• Changing your communication style helps you communicate in a way that makes your views known without making others feel put down, hostile, or intimidated. This reduces the stress that comes from poor communication. Use the assertiveness ladder to improve your communication style.
Even writers like me can get stressed even though we're just using our hands to do the talking, but having to sit for 7 or 8 hours is already stressful enough and have our own way to relieve stress. Whether you're the mail guy, the CEO, or probably the average working parent, stress is one unwanted visitor you would love to boot out of your homes, especially your life.
http://www.mybusinessofzen.com
Since “Error Hyperlink reference not valid,” is unavoidable in life, it is important to find ways to decrease and prevent stressful incidents and decrease negative reactions to stress. Here are some of the things that can be done by just remembering it, since life is basically a routine to follow like brushing your teeth or eating breakfast. You can do a few of them in a longer span of time, but as they say-- every minute counts.
Managing time
Time management skills can allow you more time with your family and friends and possibly increase your performance and productivity. This will help reduce your stress.
To improve your time management:
• Save time by focusing and concentrating, delegating, and scheduling time for yourself.
• Keep a record of how you spend your time, including work, family, and leisure time.
• Prioritize your time by rating tasks by importance and urgency. Redirect your time to those activities that are important and meaningful to you.
• Manage your commitments by not over- or undercommitting. Don't commit to what is not important to you.
• Deal with procrastination by using a day planner, breaking large projects into smaller ones, and setting short-term deadlines.
• Examine your beliefs to reduce conflict between what you believe and what your life is like.
Build healthy coping strategies
It is important that you identify your coping strategies. One way to do this is by recording the stressful event, your reaction, and how you cope in a stress journal. With this information, you can work to change unhealthy coping strategies into healthy ones-those that help you focus on the positive and what you can change or control in your life.
Lifestyle
Some behaviors and lifestyle choices affect your stress level. They may not cause stress directly, but they can interfere with the ways your body seeks relief from stress. Try to:
• Balance personal, work, and family needs and obligations.
• Have a sense of purpose in life.
• Get enough sleep, since your body recovers from the stresses of the day while you are sleeping.
• Eat a balanced diet for a nutritional defense against stress.
• Get moderate exercise throughout the week.
• Limit your consumption of alcohol.
• Don't smoke.
Social support
Social support is a major factor in how we experience stress. Social support is the positive support you receive from family, friends, and the community. It is the knowledge that you are cared for, loved, esteemed, and valued. More and more research indicates a strong relationship between social support and better mental and physical health.
Changing thinking
When an event triggers negative thoughts, you may experience fear, insecurity, anxiety, depression, rage, guilt, and a sense of worthlessness or powerlessness. These emotions trigger the body's stress, just as an actual threat does. Dealing with your negative thoughts and how you see things can help reduce stress.
• Thought-stopping helps you stop a negative thought to help eliminate stress.
• Disproving irrational thoughts helps you to avoid exaggerating the negative thought, anticipating the worst, and interpreting an event incorrectly.
• Problem solving helps you identify all aspects of a stressful event and find ways to deal with it.
• Changing your communication style helps you communicate in a way that makes your views known without making others feel put down, hostile, or intimidated. This reduces the stress that comes from poor communication. Use the assertiveness ladder to improve your communication style.
Even writers like me can get stressed even though we're just using our hands to do the talking, but having to sit for 7 or 8 hours is already stressful enough and have our own way to relieve stress. Whether you're the mail guy, the CEO, or probably the average working parent, stress is one unwanted visitor you would love to boot out of your homes, especially your life.
http://www.mybusinessofzen.com
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Networking Above The noise
Thousands of marketers rush to marketing groups everyday in order to sell their product to a targeted group of online marketers. There is just one problem; thousands of marketers rush to sell their opportunity to targeted groups of markets. In the social networking world there are a few things to keep in mind.
1. It is a social network first, we are all real people and enjoy connecting and talking to other real people. Marketing messages will just get lost in the pool of thousands of other messages of everyone who has the best this or that.
2. No one joined the respective business to sit at their computer blasting advertisements, you set out to change lives and have fun, and yes make a lot of money doing it.
3. Adding value to other people adds value to what you are doing. There is an old saying, “People will not remember you for what you take, but what you give.”
Being able to raise the conversation is both fun and lets face it more fulfilling than mindless ad blasting to what may prove to be the most untargeted group of all, people drowning each other out.
Market in Bliss,
www.mybusinessofzen.com
1. It is a social network first, we are all real people and enjoy connecting and talking to other real people. Marketing messages will just get lost in the pool of thousands of other messages of everyone who has the best this or that.
2. No one joined the respective business to sit at their computer blasting advertisements, you set out to change lives and have fun, and yes make a lot of money doing it.
3. Adding value to other people adds value to what you are doing. There is an old saying, “People will not remember you for what you take, but what you give.”
Being able to raise the conversation is both fun and lets face it more fulfilling than mindless ad blasting to what may prove to be the most untargeted group of all, people drowning each other out.
Market in Bliss,
www.mybusinessofzen.com
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