Small Business Internet Marketing

Too many people think that online marketing is about building a nice site and sitting back waiting for the cash to roll in. Not so! It requires a lot of work and patience to generate results and that means working on your website on a regular basis.

Here are some things you can do:  
     
1. Your internet site must feature keyword and phrases. But if you sell shoes, you've got to understand that if someone puts the word shoes into a browser, millions of results will come up.

This is where longtail keywords come in. Longtail keywords are essentially phrases that someone will put into a browser, for example "leather shoes".

So if you have leather shoes as a keyword, you're going to be somewhere in the results. Longtail keywords are very important in getting found on the internet and Google offers a keyword tool you can use for free to find these often-used phrases.

By entering the phrase "leather shoes" Google will tell you how many searches there were in the past month for that phrase, both globally and in the US. If you want to conduct much more in-depth key phrase research there are a number of other programs you can purchase. Whichever tool you choose, you will have to pay very close attention to the results it returns and decide which keywords you will be targeting for your articles.

If a keyword returns around five thousand searches a month locally, that's an ideal number. Whether you use local or world search numbers relies upon the product you are promoting. You must be on page 1 of the search engines and it will take a large amount of persistence and hard work to get there but that's where the money is. 
       
2. Google likes websites that are continually updated and contain relevant content. So get into the habit of writing at least a five hundred word, keyword=rich article every day or so.

Use your keywords within the first few words of your initial paragraph and again in the closing paragraph. Dependent on the length of the article, use the phrase a couple of times more. If you're employing advertising through Google Adwords, this may also help Google to serve tighter targeted advertising to your website.

3. Backlinks Getting backlinks is a pain. Most website owners outsource this task as quickly as they can. The only possible way is to get into the practice of finding important DoFollow blogs and adding nicely-written, informative comments to ten of them daily. Google knows about link farms and penalizes for their use. Don't bother with them. They're a waste of money and will do no good.

The easiest way to get backlinks is thru marketing articles. This is because of the fact that many article directory sites will need authors to have at least a single link to his / her site. People will be required to submit articles to article marketing sites or to other sites using a 'hub'. This is generally cheap and saves time. The best article directory, in my opinion, is EZine Articles.       

There are many other strategies involved in small business internet marketing. The above points are crucial if you want to be successful. These techniques are the least expensive but effective and can be used by anyone that is just getting started.

What The Heck Are Back End Products?

When I first started out online as an affiliate marketer, I have to admit - I struggled. With no website and no list and no idea of what I was doing, it was hard to even make a few dollars. I often tell the story of my first sale - which netted me an incredible $20! I was soooo excited! I had made money online! But realistically, it takes a lot of $20 sales to make a living.

Then I joined the Internet Marketers Club. At the time it was being run by Corey Rudl. Corey passed away a few years ago in an automobile accident. His close friend and associate Derek Gehl runs things now. But nothing has really changed. It is still a great source of information if you are trying to learn the internet marketing business.

One of the first things I learned from them was about something called "back end products". Newbie that I was, I had no idea what these were. I found out pretty quickly that they are cash in the bank!

What are back end products? Very simply, they are the products you sell your existing customers after your initial offer. It is much easier to sell additional products to repeat customers than it is to continually try to find new customers for your one main product. For example, my brother-in-law, the chef, has an online cooking class for single guys. Once they sign up for his class, it's very easy for him to promote all types of household and kitchen gadgets to them. He plays on the fact that women love a guy that can cook and since most men don't normally have well stocked kitchens, he makes quite a good sum of money selling them the things they need to use what they learned in the cooking class.

To be effective, back end products have to be compatible with your main offer. Mark makes money selling kitchen items to people who find him through his cooking class. He and his wife are also in my Fortune downline. They don't mention the business opportunity or the many FHTM products to the leads this list. Chances are these guys aren't looking for a biz op, vitamins, or a cell phone! By targeting his offer to his ready made market, he is much more successful.

Back end products also work for affiliate marketers. Just about every affiliate product I promote has a selection of other products already designed to complement it. Site Build It! - main product the Site Build It! system. But there are also ebooks available on many subjects that can serve as back end products. Magnetic Sponsoring - I market the Magnetic Sponsoring course, then follow up with Black Belt Recruiting or one of Mark Dillard's other great courses.

If your affiliate product doesn't already have a ready made back end, look for another affiliate product that is compatible and offer it. Or create one of your own.

Bottom line - back end products can make a huge difference in your online success. Find them, create them, but do use them.

Free "Recession-Busting" Video

Will you act during the economic downturn, or simply REACT?

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Internet shopping is predicted to hit $145.1 billion in the coming year, a significant 14% increase -- despite the recession! Consumers will be spending more time at home, using their computers for everything from bargain hunting and product research to upgrading skills. Studies show this shift is ALREADY well underway...!

I don't want the Big "R" to stop you from pursuing exciting personal, financial, and business goals in 2009, so I've arranged to get you exclusive VIP access to an important video that Internet marketing guru Derek Gehl just put up on his site. Derek's been successfully selling on the Internet for over a decade now, and he's brought in over $100 MILLION in sales... ... so he's by far the BEST person to advise you about how to thrive in ANY market. When you watch his FREE Goal Setting Video, you'll discover how you can make 2009 your richest year yet:
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Wishing you health, wealth, and happiness in 2009!

You Gotta Have Content

It takes many different things to build an internet business - a market, a product, prospects. But the most important thing is (drumroll please) content.


Content! What's that? And how can it help me build a business? Let me give you some examples from personal experience.


I'm browsing through my email and I see one with the subject line "Learn My Email Marketing Secrets". So I open the email and it explains how the sender used email marketing to boost his sales and how he can help me do the same thing. It doesn't tell me how, but it provides a link that supposedly will tell me all I need to know. Intrigued, I click on the link provided and am taken to a sales page for a $97 dollar training package. Annoyed, I close the page, delete the email and go on about my own business.

I continue scrolling through my mailbox. I see another. This one reads "Does Your Downline Suffer from NBT Syndrome?" This one really catches my eye. What is NBT Syndrome? Does my downline have it? Is it a good thing? I need to know. I open the email. Again, another email telling me how the author has had experience this problem in his own business. And if I just click the link provided, he'll tell me how to handle it. For a minute I hesitate. It's probably another sales letter. But I click anyway, just to see and ...Surprise! There are several paragraphs that explain how new network marketers don't always understand the business and jump from one opportunity to another in search of the "Next Big Thing" that will make them rich overnight - and leaving their sponsors discouraged by all the attrition. It gave some personal examples and offered some suggestions on how to deal with that problem in my own downline. It was good information but not very in-depth. I needed to know more. And you know what. At the very bottom of the page was the offer. For $39.95 I could learn more. Guess what...I bought the book. Why? Why this one and not the other? It wasn't the price. It was the fact that the author already gave me enough information to show me he knew what he was talking about. I knew his book would be a good value. And he obviously cared about me more than his sales because he shared such great information with me FREE! Who wouldn't want to support such an individual by purchasing his book.

The point is just that little bit of content made the difference between sale and no sale. Content is vital and you need to use it everywhere you can. In your sales copy, on your website, in your free reports or other viral marketing tools. Besides attracting more and better prospects, you'll also attract search engine attention. Search engines love content rich sites. Want to move up the page rankings? Add some fresh, meaty content to your site regularly.

"But I don't know how to get content." Well if you can't develop or write content of your own, there are other ways to get it.

You can hire someone to write it for you.

You can check out free sources of content on the internet. One of my favorites is Articles Factory (www.articlesfactory.com).

You can buy products that come with resale or private label rights. This allows you to use the content in your own products. Many of the ebooks and training courses I purchase come with resale rights which allows me to resell the product and keep the profit. Private label rights allows me to brand the product as my own - even better.

If you need to revamp your website to make it more content rich and don't know where to begin, I suggest you start by purchasing Site Build It! (http://buildit.sitesell.com/wealthtogether.html). SBI! assumes you know nothing about building an online business (and yet, it is invaluable for the advanced Webmaster, too). It provides everything you need. It will help you create, host, and market a website that is consistently ranked in the top 1% - 3%.

Spice up your business life with a little content.

Free gift - 4-day video course!

I've never heard of anything like it...

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Derek will release the complete "X-Treme Challenge" video course over a four-day period: April 21-24th. These videos will be absolutely FREE, but will only be made available to people who sign up for Derek's notification list.

So if you want to learn how to build a money-making online business in ONE WEEK OR LESS, then I urge you to go to:http://www.marketingtips.com/xtreme-challenge/t/649426

Make sure you set aside at least one hour each day on April 21-24th, so you can watch Derek's FREE training videos and implement the lessons you learn right away....

Who knows? You could be making good money online by the 1st week in May!

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I purchased these DVD's when they first came out and I've been a member of his Internet Entrepreneur Club almost from the beginning. I highly recommend both. In fact, Derek is one of those 'gurus' I talk about - a lot. I listen to ANYTHING he says!

How to make money with affiliate marketing

Just got another email from a friend of mine. I'll let you read the main point:

"You told me it was easy to make money on the internet. You said you do it all the time. So I got online and I'm sitting here not making any money. What gives? Is this a scam? I thought we were friends!"

I get phone calls and emails like this all the time. Someone hears I have an online business. They call or email me to see if it's true. They ask how much money I'm making. (Never, EVER, answer that question unless you want to get this phone call: "You told me I could make MILLIONS!"). I tell them I make enough to live on. So they get all excited and the next thing I get is an email or a phone call stating that they too have started an internet business.

Let's get two things straight right now. Starting an internet business involves a bit more than signing up for some affiliate programs and then sitting in front of the computer waiting for the money to start coming in. However, if you have some discipline and can learn from those who really do make millions online, then you can make a decent living on the internet.

So what does it take to get started in affiliate marketing? It's fairly simple. Decide on your market. Try to choose something you are passionate about so you'll stick with it long enough to see some results. Could it be health and fitness, cooking, gardening, travel, crafts, juggling? These are all businesses that have been started by friends of mine and each of them are making a good living.

Next, find affiliate programs that pertain to your market. The best place to do this Affiliate Showcase (http://www.affiliateshowcase.com/?46035). This site gives you access to literally hundreds of the best affiliate programs available. Plus you can also market Affiliate Showcase itself!

The next step is to figure out a way to reach your potential customers. You will need some sort of web presence. While most affiliate programs provide you with a website, these are all cookie cutter sites with nothing to set them apart from every other affiliate. You need something of your own. If you can't afford to hire a web designer and don't know how to build your own website, there are a couple of options. You can try a great product called SiteBuildIt! (http://buildit.sitesell.com/wealthtogether.html) to create your site. Or you can create a blog which works almost as well as a website to get you started.

Once you have identified your business niche, your products, created your website or blog, then it's time to market your products to your prospective customers. There are all kinds of ways to do this and what works for one may not work for you. The best way to learn about internet marketing is to study what the experts have to say. Learn all you can from people like Ken McArthur, Derek Gehl, Mike Filsame, Sterling Valentine, Michael Angier, Yanik Silver, or Mike Litman. If you can buy some of their products, great. If not, at least sign up for their mailing lists and newsletters. They are the "gurus" in this business and can teach you all you need to know. How do I know? Who do you think taught me? (I have even had the honor of personally meeting Ken McArthur and Michael Angier and they are two great guys!).

This is just a brief outline of how to start an online business using affiliate programs. There simply isn't room to go in depth here. But if you will follow these basic steps and listen to the experts, you can make money online.

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!

Making Money with Affiliate Marketing

Okay! You've decided I'm for real and you really do want to learn how to make some extra money from home. Unless you already have a product to market and some experience in internet marketing, I suggest you start out with some affiliate program. These can help you earn some steady income AND help you learn the ins-and-outs of online marketing without risking a huge investment.

I know, I know. You know someone who knows someone who tried several different programs and didn't make a dime. In fact, they lost money. Well, I can introduce you to others who have made millions just through affiliate marketing. And you can do it too. You just need to know how.

Step one: Set some goals. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic goals. With a Timeframe for achieving them. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timed (SMART) goals - I'm sure many of you have heard that terminology before, so I'm not going to discuss it in great detail right now. Having set goals will help you stay focused on what you are trying to achieve.

Step two: Set up a base. Yes, most affiliate programs provide you with a web page. But which is easier - driving traffic to dozens of sites that look just like everyone else's or driving traffic to one unique site with links to all your affiliate programs. Building your own website is ideal and there are several ways to do that even if you know nothing about web design. An even easier and less expensive way is with a blog such as this one. Either way works as long as it is full of content designed to draw internet surfers in to your page. Notice I said content - not advertising! There are several blog sites such as this one and each one offers instructions and templates to help you get started. If you really want to spend the money on a website then I suggest you purchase SiteBuildIt! (http://buildit.sitesell.com/wealthtogether.html).

Step three: Choose your affiliate programs. There are so many different programs to choose from. Luckily, there is an easy way to find them. There are several sites you can go to with lists of hundreds of affiliate prgrams. I recommend Affiliate Showcase, run by my good friend Ken McArthur (http://www.AffiliateShowcase.com/?46035). It provides you with access to literally hundreds of programs. You can even become an affiliate for Affiliate Showcase! Once you become a member of Affiliate Showcase, Ken will give you access to all the information you need on how to market your affiliate programs. And I will devote future posts to that same topic.

For now - set your goals, build your base, choose your programs. And post your achievements here in the comments. List your link so we can all visit your blog or website and check out which programs you've chosen. Let's get started!

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!