Have We Forgotten The Basics?

Attraction Marketing.  "Cause" marketing.  Social media marketing.


Video.  LiveStreaming.


Podcasting, messenger bots....the list of fancy marketing tools and techniques is endless.  And every day something new seems to appear.  How can you possibly master all of them?


I have a suggestion.


Let's get back to basics!

It's All About the Experience

It's a fact.  Dozens of small businesses are closing on a daily basis, simply because they think they don't have the money to effectively advertise.  But numerous low cost or free marketing ideas for small business exist.

The low price offerings of huge retailers like Target and Wal-Mart on various items from electronics to clothing in an attempt to rule the market will cause small retailers to fail steadily. When small businesses fail in competition with these giant companies, many people lose their livelihood and valuable resources are lost by communities.         

What's the solution for small business to remain in this strong competition?

If you are a bricks and mortar business, you've a battle on your hands, particularly if you offer anything that the enormous chains offer. You've got to become unique, a pro in what you do, and offer the best customer service possible. Then market that fact.

Experience, uniqueness and purchaser service are the three main things which are not supplied by these giant chains. Since the small businesses are the spine of our community, I wish to go shopping at small locally based retailers. Furthermore, they are extremely useful and well informed compared with massive chains where you are not going to get the help you would like.

Google is doing everything to prompt small local businesses to get an internet site. If you have a highly specialized business your website can instantly become number one when someone searches for Your Town and your consultant service. Just this straightforward lower cost selling solution can bring in lots of new shoppers. For a small charge you may be listed in local directories, your local Chamber of Commerce and on Angie's list, which will bring more visibility and less cost than any costly magazine or weekly newspaper ad.  And don't forget mobile web access!         

Almost all small business owners have the misconception that it is awfully difficult and costly to start and maintain a website. But that's not true. Cheap construction and upkeep of web site has itself become a small scale industry.

All a small local business desires is a Google map of where they are a page explaining what they do, a section that gives opening hours and contact data, some great footage and maybe a history of the business and that is it!
        
Add an opt in box and a once a month newsletter can go out, discounts can be promoted and sales announced, and with the addition of some affiliate advertising the site can actually make the business owner some money even after covering the minor costs involved.

Online businesses have a much harder time getting themselves to the pinnacle of the search engine lists. They have harder competition and have to deal with back linking, article writing and SEO, and lots of other marketing strategies they must employ to achieve success.  But a small local business blog built on WordPress can function as a means for customers to ask about services and products which will also cut down on incoming calls that often come when attempting to handle other shoppers. It's all about attraction marketing and getting business back to the way that it should be: unique, useful and well informed businesses with wonderful customer service that supply a pleasurable shopping experience for all who walk through the door.         

The Instagram Engagement Formula



Guest post by network marketer and Instagram expert, Robin Smith

 

Instagram is HOT! There are over 400 million people from around the world on Instagram. 49% of users log in daily. 28% of users log in multiple times a day. And on average 70 million images are posted daily.

So if you think you’re ideal customer or client isn’t just waiting for your picture to show up on their feed, you are dead wrong!

Last year I started marketing on Instagram. And now it accounts for about 90% of my leads and sales for my business.


I have created what I call the 5-5-5 Instagram Engagement Formula. Here it is:

Grab yourself a timer…

Spend 5 minutes going through your followers and engaging on their pictures. Simply like 3 images and leave 1 relevant comment (and be sure to tag their username by using @username so they get a notification) for each follower. Just be random. Think of this step as a warm up. Plus the benefit is, if they haven’t checked out your profile recently, now they will.

Spend the next 5 minutes by doing a search for a hashtag your ideal client or customer would use in their post. Then quickly scroll down the results and click like for each image. You will be shocked how many images you can like in 5 minutes.

Finally, spend the last 5 minutes by doing a search for a different hashtag your ideal client or customer would use in their posts. Then like 3 of their images and leave 1 relevant comment (with their username acknowledged) on people you do not follow. They will see this, check our your profile, interact on your images and follow you.

Simple right?

If you have more time, you can always repeat.

If you do this daily, (it only takes 15 minutes) you’ll be amazed how quickly your following and engagement will go up on each post.

If you liked this tip, and want to know the secrets to Instagram Marketing success? Come join the #NovInstaParty for 14 days full of Instagram trainings. http://www.MarketYourBusinessBlog.com/NovInstaParty

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Hi, I’m Robin Smith. I started in Network Marketing back in 2007. I had absolutely no experience at marketing. My background was in biology. I tried everything, cold calling people who have never heard of me, buying leads thinking that they would all sign up, posting fliers about my local event, even spamming Facebook and Twitter with my opportunity. I found successes, but it just never felt right with me. That was until last year when I started marketing on Instagram. Suddenly my introverted and my creative sides felt in harmony. So now just a year later, 90% of my daily leads and sales come from Instagram. I can be found @RobinSmith2007 on Instagram, and my blog is MarketYourBusinessBlog.com.http://www.instagram.com

Schedule Time for Marketing

You schedule everything else.  Maintenance on your car.  Health checkups.  Soccer games, Scout meetings, dinner dates.  Why wouldn't you schedule your marketing?  If they aren't locked into your schedule, you won't get to your marketing tasks and you won't ever see your marketing strategy kick into gear.

You eat regular meals to keep yourself thriving.  Regular marketing will keep your business thriving by providing the nourishment it needs - new customers and more sales.  I schedule a morning a week to write newsletters and manage the various on- and off-line tasks that keep traffic coming to my website and convert prospects to clients.


If you haven't done so already, block out time each day or each week to spend on marketing -- a minimum of five hours a week.  Follow these steps to help keep your marketing on tasks on track.


1.  Set your marketing goals.  How many new social media contacts do you want to make this month?  How many articles do you want to publish?  How many times a month will you publish a newsletter?


2.  Create your calendar.  Whether you use an online calendar such as Google calendar or another digital format or you still use your pen and a planner, a calendar to is an essential part of your marketing schedule.  Once you have chosen your format, start scheduling your activities for the month.  Write down due dates for articles and newsletters, allot time for posting to social media, and allow time to track your results so you know what works and what doesn't.  If you need further help with using a calendar, see my blog post "How to Be Organized - Use a Calendar!"


3.  Get to work.  Step three is really that simple.  Follow your schedule and implement the plan you have laid out.


Creating and following a marketing schedule will help keep your marketing on track.   Your calendar doesn’t have to be carved in stone, though.  Be sure you leave room for on-the-fly promotions and last-minute opportunities as well.   And as always, with ANY business schedule, make sure you leave time for you to re-energize and recharge.  Don't overdo it!  And don't stress if you don't get all of your marketing tasks completed.  Determine why you weren't able to complete the task.  Then determine if it's something you want to reschedule.  If so, add it to next month's schedule.  If you find yourself repeatedly skipping a particular task, then you need to determine why you're resistant to doing it and how to overcome that resistance.  But that is a different blog post! 

Your Business Card Is a Powerful Marketing Tool!

While most business people use business cards every day, many do not understand that they can be a very effective marketing tool.

Business cards contain all the basic but essential information about your business:  your name, your company name, your logo, your address, and your contact information - phone number, email address, and website.  All of this information should be clearly legible on the front of your business card.  But even with all this information, there is usually still space to market yourself and your business.  Add a great tagline that promotes a particular aspect of your business.  If you have a free report or do free consultations, mention this on the front of your card. 

Don't forget that your card has two sides - front and back.  Most business cards have all the information on the front but the back is typically left blank.  Use this side for further marketing.  In my business, I love referrals - and I say so on the back side of my card and offer a referral bonus.  My insurance agent prints a calendar on the back of his.  I always have his card in my wallet - just because I use the calendar frequently!  And every time I look at it I'm reminded of him and his business. 

Of course, it doesn't do a bit of good to have a fabulous business card if your don't get them into circulation.  I used to be notorious for not having them with me when I needed them!  But I quickly learned my lesson and now I always carry them with me.  You never know when you just might bump into someone who needs your services.  And ALWAYS have them with you for business or networking events.  Hand them to everyone attending.  Before handing mine out I always write on the back "HCIP" - How can I help?  It makes me more memorable.  Plus, when handing mine out, I always ask for one in return.  Those two little touches make me stand out from others.

Another way to get your business card out there is to put them in everything - and I do mean everything - you send out.  Letters, cards, invoices - I even enclose them in the envelope when I pay bills.  Believe it or not, I have gotten business from that.

If you need to give contact information to someone - your insurance agent, a teacher, your car dealer - give them your business card.  Even if they don't need your services, they might know someone who does.  When we go out to eat, I will leave a card on the table along with the tip or credit card slip.  

You can also look for places to leave your business card.  Many neighborhood businesses will let you place some of your cards at a reception desk or check-out counter.  Many supermarkets have bulletin boards where you can post your card.  Some churches often offer the same service for their members.  Always be on the lookout for a new ways and new places to distribute your cards.  

Business cards can be a very cost effective way to promote yourself.  Set yourself a goal of distributing 5 daily and watch the impact on your business.

Are You a Good Marketer?

Are you a good marketer?  Recently, I was on a coaching call with Linda Johansen as part of my Passion to Profits coaching program. During the call, we talked what makes someone a good marketer.  We came up with two simple rules.

1. Understand your prospect

Understanding your prospect is the number 1 rule in marketing.  It was one of the first concepts they taught in my marketing classes in college.  It is one of the first things mentioned in every coaching, mentoring, or training program I have been part of since.  You need to know who you are selling to.  If your client is looking for ways to increase their online presence, then your latest ebook on offline marketing techniques is not going to interest them.  Readers of my blog on pet travel are probably not interested in how to make money blogging.  Understanding your prospect is the key to offering him a product they want and will buy.

How do you find out what your prospects want?  Ask them.  They will tell you if you listen.  Sometimes they will actually tell you what they want, as when a client asked me to show her how to set up a blog on Blogger.  Other times you will have to sort through the information being given to find out what is wanted.  For example, my friend Ruth has repeatedly mentioned to me that she is unhappy with her job and wished she could find something else to do.  Although she never asked for my help directly, when I mentioned my beginning business coaching program, she was immediately interested and signed up on the spot.

You and also use surveys to gather information.  I recently conducted a survey asking what my next project should be.  From the survey results, I discovered that many baby boomers still don't understand how to use social media to market their business.  They had joined Twitter and set up Facebook pages and were on LinkedIn, but they didn't know how to use these to promote their products.  And so our next project will be a teleseminar on social media marketing.

2.  Give them what the want, not what they need.

I know this sounds ridiculous.  If you are in business to help your clients solve a particular problem, then it makes sense that you should sell them what they need.  But this is not always the case.  For example, the first product I ever sold was The Boomer's Guide to Making Money with PLR Content.  I had many clients who were looking for fast and easy products to sell.  So I thought teaching them how to use PLR products make money was a perfect solution.  In fact, it was a huge flop.  They didn't want to learn how to use someone else's info to make products of their own.  They wanted a ready made product that they could just market and bring in some money.  They were, in fact, looking for information on affiliate programs.  But I wanted to do something different because there are already hundreds of guides to affiliate marketing and thousands of affiliates for almost every product out there.  I wanted them to have what I thought they needed - a way to create a somewhat unique product of their own.  And I was wrong.

Are you a good marketer?  Are you getting to know your prospects?  Are you giving them what they want?  If not, now is the time to start.  Listen to your prospects.  Get to know them.  Find out what they want.  And then give it to them.

Enough Is Enough - Or Is It?

My college marketing class taught that the average customer needed to be exposed to your product/service at least 7 times before they would decide to buy.  Years later, when I was working as a marketing representative at a biotech company, we still adhered to that rule, making sure we contacted prospective customers at least 7 times.  But never any more than 7.  Any more than that and you risked becoming a nuisance and alienating prospects. 

But times have changed.  Perhaps the internet, while making the world more accessible, also makes it harder to tell a reputable company or a reliable product from junk and scams.  Or perhaps society has just grown more skeptical as a whole.  Whatever the reason, I am finding it often takes more than 7 contacts before a prospect makes the buy from me.  Sometimes many more.

I know I am much more careful before spending my money than I used to be.  After falling prey to a couple of scammers and purchasing some outright crap online, I now make sure I do all I can to learn as much as possible about a prospective purchase before I make it.  I may visit their site or their store several times.  I may compare prices and features online.  If I am buying online I may try to contact the person or company to see if they respond.  And if I have already received multiple communications from you, you are that much further ahead of the game.

Many of my clients hesitate to make repeated contact with their market.  They are afraid they might be accused of spam.  They feel they might annoy people if they contact them too frequently.  But think about it.  I need quite a bit of time - and contact - before I make a buying decision.  Most of my customers require the same.  I'm willing to bet you do also.  So why would your customers be any different?  If you are keeping your name in front of them in ways that build value, they will welcome contact from you. 

Are you doing everything you can to keep your name in front of your market?  If not, now is the time to get started.  Design a marketing plan that includes a system for making repeated contact with your prospects and customers.  Not one time.  Not 7 times.  Not 10 times.  As many times as it takes.  Make sure you are creating value for them so you are considered a resource and not a bother.  Your market will thank you.  And that means cash in your pocket.

Make Marketing a Habit

I'm trying to get back into an exercise habit.  I am setting my alarm so I will get up at the same time every morning and exercise.  By doing this, I hope to reap the benefits of participating in a regular exercise program.

Marketing must be a habit also.  If you truly want to build a successful business, marketing is something you must do regularly.  Much like exercise, there won't be any long term benefit if you only do it when you feel like it.

Almost every morning I get up when the alarm goes off, lace up my running shoes, put one of the dogs on his leash, and go for a morning walk. (Sorry, all you avid runners, but this gal is too old and banged up to try running anymore.  Those days are gone!).  We've been doing it long enough that I am beginning to feel the difference when I miss it.  And the days that I do miss it are steadily decreasing in number.  It's becoming a habit.

Likewise, almost every day, I do at least 3 tasks to market my business.  Just as I schedule my exercise for first thing in the morning, I schedule my marketing tasks as part of each day as well.  If I miss one of my regularly scheduled tasks, my business feels it.  I've been doing it long enough that I can see the difference.

How can you develop the marketing habit?  Easy.  Repetition.  Doing the same thing over and over until it is part of you.  So pick a marketing task.  Anything will do.  Do you write well?  Make it a habit to write and submit two articles a week.  Do you enjoy making videos?  Schedule time each week to create and post one video.  Are you a Twitter and Facebook fanatic?  Set aside time each day to tweet or post about your business.

Once you are in the habit of doing this one task, add another and do it repeatedly.  And then another and another.  Soon your marketing habit will be such a part of you, you will feel the difference when you skip a day.

Psychologists say it takes at least 6 months of repetition for something to become a habit, so the sooner you get started, the sooner you will see results.  And you will see results.  I've lost 14 pounds, just by walking the dogs every morning.  And my business continues to grow, just by marketing every day. 

Meet the Ladies Who Are Changing the Face of Business - Susan Gunelius

This interview project has been so gratifying for me - and beneficial I hope to the ladies I have interviewed. I know everyone who has read what they have shared has surely learned something! The project is winding down. There are a few interviews to go. And then - I have to figure out what to do with this wealth of information. I have an idea - which I'll share with you when it's all over. Meanwhile, prepare to be impressed by my latest "guest". Meeting her is an example of the power of networking. It all came about because I know someone who knows someone who..... Meet marketing expert Susan Gunelius!


1. Susan, will you please tell us about yourself?
I am a marketing and branding expert having spent over a decade managing and executing marketing programs for some of the largest companies in the world, including divisions of AT&T and HSBC. Currently, I run my own business as a freelance writer and copywriter, marketing and branding consulant, and professional blogger. I'm in the process of launching a new company to run my business through called KeySplash Creative, Inc. The website should be up and running soon at http://www.keysplashcreative.com/.

I am also a published author with two nonfiction books currently available and two more scheduled for publication in 2009 (Harry Potter: The Story of a Global Business Phenomenon, Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps, Google Blogger for Dummies, The Playboy Brand).

You can find me blogging about business, marketing, branding, blogging and more at these sites:
Brandcurve: http://www.brandcurve.com/ (all about branding for b5media)
Women On Business: http://www.womenonbusiness.com/ (my personal blog dedicated to helping women succeed in the business world)
About.com Guide to Web Logs: http://weblogs.about.com/ (all about blogging for About.com, a New York Times Company)
Everyday Marketing: http://bizsuccess.kudzu.com/?cat=35 (all about marketing for small businesses for Kudzu Small Business Success Center, a Cox Communications Company)
Corporate Eye: http://www.corporate-eye.com/ (I provide corporate branding articles)
PlayLibrary: http://www.playlibrary.com/ (all about children's toys, games, books and more for b5media)
The Disney Traveler: http://www.thedisneytraveler.com/ (all about Disney destinations around the world for b5media)


2. Tell us about your business.
Until recently, I've been operating as a freelancer through my website, www.SusanGunelius.com. Within the next month, I'll be launching the website for my new company, KeySplash Creative Inc. (http://www.keysplashcreative.com/), and my freelance business will become part of that company. KeySplash Creative is a full-service creative marketing solutions provider offering article writing, book writing, copywriting, and blogging services as well as marketing and branding consulting services.

3. Why did you start your own business?
I left the corporate world in 2004 when my triplets were born. At the time, it wasn't feasible to return to a 9-5 job. In late 2006, I had an idea to write a book about copywriting and began to research the book publishing process. Through that research, I learned that an important component to publishing a nonfiction book is to have a platform to help promote it. As a stay-at-home mother, I didn't have the ability to deliver speeches, attend events, and so on to build a platform. Instead, I had to find a way to build a platform from my home. I used the expertise I had developed during my corporate career to begin offering my services as a freelance writer and copywriter then found blogging as a way to quickly develop an online presence and publishing platform. I experimented with a variety of tools to broaden my online reach and eventually, found the right mix to not only sell my book proposals but also to have publishers find me to write additional books and to grow my freelance writing, copywriting and branding and marketing consultation business. As my freelance business grew, I decided to incoporate and start my own company to provide a consistent and professional brand image for my business, and thus, KeySplash Creative was born.

4. What do you like most and least about being your own boss?
I like being able to select the direction that I want my company to take, the type of business and clients I want to take on to grow the business, and the ability to operate my business with integrity. So often in the corporate world, I felt like I had to market products that I didn't believe in. My goal with KeySplash Creative is to offer professional and honest services and become a true partner in helping my clients achieve success through compelling copy, articles, books and useful marketing and branding consultation.

The worst part of being my own boss is being on the clock 24x7. There is never a time when I feel like I can shut the door to my office and call it a day.


5. What personality traits and skills are needed to run a business?
Patience and persistence. Success doesn't happen overnight and you can't rest when it comes to pursuing new opportunities to grow your business.

6. What has been the most difficult part of being an entrepreneur?
Starting a business requires a huge time commitment. For me, that commitment has meant time away from my children. That's the hardest part for me.

7. Do you have any resources you have used to build your business that you would recommend?
I highly recommend my Everyday Marketing blog, http://bizsuccess.kudzu.com/?cat=35, for help with marketing ideas for small businesses. I also recommend VistaPrint for marketing materials and Wordpress for a small business website rather than traditional web design. Using Wordpress as a content management solution (CMS) is not only economical, but it also makes it incredibly easy to make changes to your website on the fly. The learning curve is minimal and the benefits are huge. I also recommend the forums at http://www.absolutewrite.com/ for writers and the forums at http://www.wahm.com/ to learn about working from home. Finally, I recommend my About.com site, http://weblogs.about.com/, to learn about blogging.

8. Do you have any tips to share on promoting your business?
I have so many suggestions to help business owners promote their companies and services. In fact, there are far too many to list here. Read my Everyday Marketing blog (http://bizsuccess.kudzu.com/?cat=35) for marketing tips, my About.com site (http://weblogs.about.com/) to learn how to use a blog as a promotional tool, and my branding blog (http://www.brandcurve.com/) to learn more about branding your business and products.

9. What other advice do you have for someone starting their own business?
Don't jump in without conducting research and understanding the market first. Create a plan then stick to it, but don't be afraid to experiment, take risks and adjust your plan accordingly along the way. Be patient and don't give up. Finally, start a blog and leverage the power of the social web to boost your business to the next level.

10. How can we contact you about your products and services?
Currently, my website is http://www.susangunelius.com/. There is a contact form on my site to get more information about my writing, blogging, or branding/marketing consulting services. My direct email address is contact[AT]susangunelius.com.


11. Is there anything else you would like to share?
Yes. I'd like to reach out to female bloggers who write blogs about business. Whether you're an entrepreneur or corporate executive, please consider visiting www.WomenOnBusiness.com and either join the conversation or submit your blog using the Contact form to the Businesswomen Bloggers Directory. Additionally, Women On Business is currently accepting guest posts from businesswomen bloggers who can provide useful content for other women to help them succeed in the business world. Use the Contact form to submit your guest post query or volunteer to become a Weekly Contributor. You can get the details on the Write for Us page.

Failure or Success?

There are three main reasons why home based businesses fail:
1. Poor planning
2. Poor marketing
3. Poor management

According to a report I read recently, over 90% of all network marketers, affiliate marketers or other work-at-home business people quit within the first year. Then they proceed to go out and tell everyone they know that you can't make money with a home business. It drives me crazy when I think how many people could have been successful with just a little planning, training, and time management.

If you think you have the idea for the next great business, or you've found the perfect MLM, or an excellent affiliate program - GREAT! Now, before you do anything else, write your plan. If your business is already somewhat established such as a network marketing, MLM, or affiliate program, much of that is already done for you. But you still need to plan how you are going to build YOUR team or downline or customer base or opt-in list. If you are actually looking a starting your own unique business then get a business plan template (most banks will give you one for free) and write your business plan.

82% of businesses fail due to poor cash flow or by starting out with too little money. Make sure you look at the money involved in starting your business. Many network marketing and MLM opportunities say they cost little or nothing to join. That may be true. They neglect to tell you that you have to spend hundreds of dollars each month to purchase products in order to make any money. Don't be like a friend of mine who joined a MLM company and quit her job two days later because she was going to make a fortune! Needless to say, she is back at work, in debt, and very bitter about the whole MLM industry. Could she be at home today making a decent living from this company? Possibly. But she did not consider all of the financial costs involved with successfully marketing an MLM opportunity and had nothing to fall back on until she built a business.

So you wrote your plan. You examined the financial costs of your business. You have the cash to make this work. You have a source of income or some savings put aside to live on until you start bringing in enough income to live on. You're on your way to success. Wait a minute! What was that second reason most businesses fail? Something about marketing? Oh well, it can't be that important. After all, it's Avon (or Melaleuca, or Herbalife, or Tupperware, or even Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing). I'm an affiliate for SBI! (or Amazon or Iris Silks or the Internet Marketers Club). Don't they do all that marketing stuff for me?

It's true you can capitalize off the name recognition of many of these companies. Do you think that fact that Fortune markets for companies like AT&T, DishTV, and Travelocity helps me when I talk about the business? Sure it does. But I still need to let people know what it is I do. That's marketing! If you are not doing anything to promote yourself and your business, it WILL fail. Every evening, I write down a list of things I need to do the next day. I always include at least 1 thing I can do to promote my business. You should be doing the same thing. If you don't know how to market, there are lots of great books and resources available to help you learn. The first marketing books I ever read were Guerrilla Marketing and Marketing on a Shoestring. I can't even remember who wrote them but I remember and still use much of what they taught me.

Okay - business plan, marketing - now you're all set. Right? Maybe. Don't forget the last reason so many home businesses fail - poor management. I know you're thinking "what's to manage? It's just me." Sometimes managing yourself can be more difficult than you realize. Learning to manage your time and available resources effectively can be hard. Read some of my earlier posts about treating your business like a business for more insight and don't start out on the wrong path like I did. It's much easier to develop good habits from the beginning than it is to change bad ones.

Plan, market, manage. Or as I've heard it put from so many of my colleagues and mentors - Plan your work. Work your plan. Failure or success? The choice is yours.

There's Gold In That Thar' Internet!

I just finished reading an article about online marketing in which the author compared it to the California gold rush. The article said that just as hundreds raced West in the hope of striking it rich, so too are hundreds now rushing to get online with the same dream. And, it says, just as so many struck out in California instead of striking it rich, the same is happening to the vast majority of online marketers.

Are people really making millions online? Yes, they are. Are they the minority? I don't know. I don't have the data on that. Are there plenty of people making a decent living online? Yup! That I do know because I'm one of them and I know many others. Can you make a fortune online? I don't know. It's possible. But I DO know that you can make a living online just like many of us are already doing.

How do you get started? First, you need to decide what your business will be. Will you become an affiliate others' products? Will you create your own products? What types of products and/or services will you offer?

Second, it's a business. Treat it like one. If you think you are going to sign up for free affiliate programs, put up some free classified ads, then sit back and watch the checks roll in, don't quit your day job. It doesn't work quite that way. You can't own a McDonald's franchise without a little upfront investment. The same is true of any business. You can find some legitimate businesses that are very inexpensive to start. It only cost me $299 to start with Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing. And there are some very good affiliate programs such as SBI that are free to join but pay very good commissions. But you still need to invest a little bit in advertising.

Once you have decided on the basis of your business, you need to learn all you can about your internet marketing and your business in particular. There are many ways to do this and you will find all kinds of "gurus" offering to help if you will pay them enough. Some of them really do know what they are talking about and some of them don't. I can personally recommend some of them and you will find them mentioned in many of my earlier posts. You can also read this blog from the beginning for help. Be prepared to spend a little bit of money on some of the better books, courses, and seminars. Consider it part of your "online marketing degree!"

Let everyone know you are in business! This seems to be one of the biggest obstacles for most online marketers. Either they think they can't afford to advertise or they don't know how to do so effectively. Some, especially the network marketers, are afraid to do so because they think no one will take them seriously. Let's face facts. You can't slap a McDonald's on a street corner and expect to do business if no one knows McDonald's exists. You can't expect customers to find you if they don't know who you are. Tell people! If you don't have money to advertise, start by telling everyone you know. You can do that pretty inexpensively and you know far more people than you realize. When I started in Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing, the first thing I did was send an email or a postcard to everyone (and I do mean EVERYONE) I could think of telling them what I was doing and inviting them to visit my website. Some of them ignored me (FHTM is network marketing, after all). Some didn't. Some of those that visited became my customers. Six of them even became involved in the business with me. Those six have helped me build a team of over 300. Not too bad for a few emails and a postcard or two. And the ones who laughed? They aren't laughing so much anymore!

Work your business. The number one reason most internet marketers fail is that they give up. They just quit. They don't make thousands of dollars overnight and so they just stop working. Do you know how much my first FHTM commission was? 84 cents! Eighteen months later I'm not going to tell you how much I make, but it's enough to support me quite nicely. Am I a millionaire? Not yet. But I make more than enough to live on. So get up and go to work every day. If you have to keep your regular job while you build your business, that's okay. Just be sure you do at least one thing everyday to move your business forward.

Internet marketing is just like any other business. You will get out of it what you put into it. I can't promise you will get rich. I can promise you that if you find a legitimate business or affiliate program, take the advice of those who have gone before you, let people know you are in business, concede that you aren't going to get rich without some investment, and most importantly, WORK YOUR BUSINESS and DON'T GIVE UP - you can make a living online. Heck, if I can do it, so can you!

My First Ezine!

All of my marketing guru friends tell me I need to start an ezine. I have put it off for as long as possible, thinking it would be too difficult and time consuming. But after listening to them tell me I REALLY needed to do it, it was such a great marketing tool, etc, etc - well, I finally gave in and published my first issue. And you know what? It was much easier than I expected.

First I chose my listserve. My more experienced ezine buddies all suggested Constant Contact. I did look at a few others, but Constant Contact suited my needs so I signed up with them (www.constantcontact.com).

Next I had to decide on content. I wasn't sure exactly what my ezine should look like, other than the fact that it shouldn't be too long. Who has time to read these days? But I solved that problem fairly easily. First I found an ezine template at HomeBiz Tools (www.HomeBizTools.com). And then I got promises from some of my marketing friends to supply some guest articles. So all I had to do was fill in the blanks with a little content of my own and we were off and running.

So, how did it turn out? See for yourself. Simply send an email to wealthtogether@hotmail.com and request to become a subscriber. It's free. Then tell me what you think.

If you are running a home business, you really should consider an ezine of your own. It really is easy and a great way to generate extra revenue. When you do, be sure to add me to your subscriber list!

What You Can Expect from Me

I have spent a lot of time trying this product and that system only to wind up broke and disillusioned. "Make money while you sleep!" "Start your cash machine today." Promises, promises. And I bought into every one of them.

Can you make money on the internet or through a home based business? You betcha! Is it easy? Depends on what you call easy. Will you have to work some long hours and (uh-oh) invest a little cash? You will if you really want to build some wealth. Will what worked for me work for you too? Maybe - maybe not. There is no one-size-fits-all method to earn financial freedom.

I have learned some things in my struggle to earn a living from the comfort of my home. Things like which programs really do work and which are just scams. Ways to save the money you do earn. People you can connect with who really will give you advice. How to stay healthy while you are building your online "empire." Resources to help you get there faster. I will happily share my adventures and misadventures with anyone who wants to avoid the mistakes I made. Not everything I share will be of use to you. Take what you need - leave the rest. All I want is to share my experiences with you and maybe we can all learn to live an abundant life - together. And if you have some expertise on any topic, please feel free to share it with us. WealthTogether means just that. We are all in this world together and everyone has the right to live abundantly. God WANTS us to live an abundant life. We are MEANT to be successful. What that means to you depends on what you want from life. I would not have made it without the help of others. Now I want to do the same for you.

I hear someone out there asking who is this person? I have never seen her marketing anything. Probably not. And just because you never heard of me until now does not mean I don't know what I'm talking about. There are thousands of people making wonderful lives for themselves at home and online and I'll bet you never heard of most of them. They don't spend a lot of time promoting themselves. They just go about their business every day - whatever it is. I will introduce you to some of them because they have helped me and they will help you too.

We're off to discover Wealth - Together! Come along for the ride!