Archive for June, 2006

Small Business Web Site Promotion

Friday, June 30th, 2006

You have already determined that your small or home business needs a web site to compete with the big boys and maintain an ongoing, good relationship with your customers. But once you have your web site up and running, you’ll need web site promotion ideas so that people know about your web site. After all, no one will visit your web site if they don’t know it exists.

The first of your web site promotion ideas is submitting your web site to all the major search engines. Search engine traffic is a major traffic supply to web sites and most webmasters will tell you that the vast majority of their traffic is coming from search engine clicks. Most of the major search engines have a specific page you can use to submit your site. Once it’s submitted, it will usually take a few days to a week before it starts showing up in keyword searches.

Other web site promotion ideas include advertising your web site on internet message boards and discussion forums centered on subjects related in some way to your business. For example, if you run a small business selling pet supplies, you could go to message boards and discussion forums frequented by pet lovers.

Other tried and true web site promotion ideas include affiliate and banner exchanges. You can contact other web sites involved with the same target market and ask to exchange banners on each others’ web sites, or you can sign up at a banner exchange portal that will automatically generate banners for other sites on your site and banners for your site on other participating sites. You can also sign up for FREE at TrafficSwarm for free traffic to your site.

For even more web site promotion ideas, there are many online resources dedicated solely to teaching people how best to create awareness of their web site through the internet at large and strategies for attracting more visitors to their web site. Start with these basic ideas and when you’re ready, explore for more!

Write Profitable eBooks for Business Promotion

Thursday, June 29th, 2006

Have you ever thought about becoming an author, or how to write an e-book? Or how you can use an ebook to promote your new business? Many people have no idea what an e-book even is, let alone know how to use one to advertise their business. The object of the so-called e-book–for a businessperson–is to somehow attract a good portion of the over one billion global Internet users.

There are countless things on the Internet that people are looking for on a daily basis, from medical advice to education to financial services. All this searching is reason enough for an information package to be put in place, to sell to others they are looking for. Any way you slice it, the hottest product on the Internet is information. After the initial cost is over with when setting up an e-book, you will have no further cost to get the word out as sending e-books is free. All income brought in will then be profit gained. E-books are not like a traditional textbook per se, as the primary core of a traditional printed book is words and if you are lucky a few simple charts and graphs. An e-book can indeed be much more productive in it’s presentations, allowing for streaming video and audio codes to be installed. This will heighten the overall effect of the book.

It would be a very good idea for you to use this sort of streaming video in an e-book, as this will allow for the best pitch on the sale of the product to reach a much broader demographic. Knowing about a product before you buy it seems to be a way of life these days. This would be a great way to demonstrate just how the product works and what the perks are. By chaining this video on an e-book to a contact email list, you then can go back later and do follow-ups on the people that have viewed the book and its video. One of the strongest assets of an e-book is the easy-to-use chapter previews. This is an extremely powerful tool in the marketing strategy. It will allow for simple needs to be addressed or the full-fledged read for the newbie. This will allow people to view small segments of the book, and then if need be or they desire they can download the rest at a cost. This is known as unlockable content. If people can be convinced that the service is valuable by reading some of the e-book, you can be sure that you have gained their attention.

There are several fine e-book software programs available on the web, and these can make the writing and the formatting process much simpler and quicker. One ebook software program is eBookGenerator, and another option is eBook Gold. For all you ebook authors, old and new, best of wishes!

Software to Track Website Traffic

Wednesday, June 28th, 2006

Programs exist that track some basic but non-personal information about visitors to your site. The more traffic you generate the more money you will make. Thus, you want to make sure that you have all the tools you need to see if you are getting the traffic you want. There are several ways to track the traffic on your site and each has its own pros and cons. It will depend on what you need at the time and how much you are willing to invest. Some devices simply tell you how many people visit you and some have actual reports with fine details. You would want to use a more sophisticated tracking system if you want to know which search engines are bringing in the most traffic or from what websites or links people are coming. The simpler methods are used just to know how many people total have visited your site since it went live online. These will not offer any other type of information such as how many visits or hits per day or where they came from.

1. Counters: These are usually used by newbies. You will not see them on more professional sites. They will tell you and the visitor exactly how many people have visited your site.

2. Trackers: Tracking software will give you a detailed path your visitors take when they visit your site. This tells you way more than just a simple tracker and is not seen by the visitor. For free use of such software you might be required to put up a button or graphic. Many site owners will prefer to put their own tracking scripts onto their servers.

3. Use Your ISP Statistical Package: Your ISP provider keeps a log of every hit to your site. This will let you know where your traffic is coming from and at what pages they are looking. Make sure your hosting company offers access to your raw log files.

4. Web Traffic Analysis Software: this is a program that will take your raw log files and generate a report on your traffic. The quality will completely depend on what program you are using. There are some free ones that come with some hosting packages or there are the paid software packages that will generate high quality reports.

Your web traffic statistics are an extremely valuable tool for information about your web site. You will be able to make decisions on improving your site through the information they give you. They will let you know what web pages are the most popular and also the ones that are very rarely used. A tracker will tell you who is visiting your site. You will learn which web browsers to optimize your pages for and which search engines are most useful. They can even tell when you get errors or have bad links on your page. Analyzing your web traffic can help you determine what type of marketing strategies work for you and your site the best. You will then be able to change according to the most successful methods and boost your traffic and ultimately your sales and profits. © 2006 Wallet Relief

Affiliates and Affiliate Programs

Monday, June 26th, 2006

When it comes to Internet based businesses, one of the best ways of generating traffic and sales is to go with an affiliate program. This is one effective method to keep up on the marketplace and carve out your place in the online market. It is no secret that the best way to start affiliate marketing is to go with a topic with which you are very familiar. This does not imply that you are going to immediately strike it rich. It does, however, give you the means to build a great site. Knowing what you are selling or promoting is the easiest way to ensure that people will look to you for information.

This in turn allows for you to add little pieces of information that you may find pertinent to the product. You can add personal flare and even have unbiased opinions thrown in for good measure. When setting up an affiliate site, the first thing to avoid is the temptation of banners. People steer clear away from banners, and quite frankly they make a site look truly unprofessional. If you are going to go with a merchant on your site, it is extremely important to have one that is directly related to what you are promoting. Having more than one can surely not harm either. Just make sure you realize that this is not the beginning of a fortune either. Affiliate programs are not a guarantee to riches; they come close to a guarantee that your site will be seen more often. This is what you are truly striving for–it is all about the traffic.

More and more sites these days are focused around content, which is the information and educational aspect of a promoting a product or service. This has become a successful endeavor, and is far easier to establish than a product-based affiliate program or general website. Whenever you are building one of these sites, it must be kept in mind that the entire goal is to ensure that people are actually clicking on the merchant’s link in order to generate sales from which you will receive commission or percentage. If you cannot generate traffic to your affiliate’s site the entire premise has now been a waste of time and money. Another site that can be successful is the data driven web sites, or data product info sites. These sites have no information on them that one could muse through—they simply present the basic goods: cost, description, images, and the basic showroom. What you want in turn from one of these sites is to force feed the affiliate site or the merchant’s goods to the viewer, making them go immediately to the affiliate site for purchases. This generates income in your pocket by advertising the merchant’s goods, and promoting them. © 2006 Wallet Relief Blog – WalletRelief.com

Don’t forget the Special Sale, which will be ending soon (!):
The Insider’s Secrets to Marketing Your Business on the Internet

Ideas for Making More Money Online

Sunday, June 25th, 2006

If you have been thinking about starting to work from home on the Internet to make more money, then you should consider affiliate marketing. Executed properly, with the right products, it is a great online method of generating funds without taking on a huge caseload of work to get it done. Having an established site that is already making money is the best way of ensuring you will be in the thick of the cash flow as well. There is a good chance if you own a web site that interests another Webmaster they will ask you to do a link exchange. Deciding whether or not you should link to their site or not may as easy as you think. You do not want to link too just anyone. You want to make sure this is the type of business that you want linked to you and it brings in the type of customers that you seek.

If the answer is yes, then you can move on down the list and actually consider this site. If this site has absolutely nothing to do with what you are promoting in any way do not bother. You are looking for a targeted market. If you link to a site that has absolutely nothing of interest to your visitors and the Webmaster’s visitors have none in yours it is moot to even bother. The point is to be able to generate a targeted market whose wants match what you offer. There are several ways to approach this goal. Links that deliver relevant traffic are one example. There are also natural links that someone just posts because they like your site. This is great but should not be relied on solely. You want good links that are relevant as well. Target specific keywords on the search engines to see what the top ranking sites are and see if you can link with them.

The affiliate promotes a merchant’s site with a link on his or her web page. The merchant’s products and services are promoted through the link. When a customer clicks on a link and makes a purchase the merchant gives the affiliate a commission. This is because that visitor found the link from the affiliate. The merchant and the affiliate will agree prior to the link being posted what the actual commission will be for a particular sale. The affiliate needs to make sure that the product and services he or she is promoting are related to each other. You want to have a targeted audience and to be able to promote these products and services on the affiliate site. If an affiliate has several types of businesses to promote they need to have their own sites independent of each other. This will keep things organized and only get the visitors who will generate sales. Make sure that all the pages you have are themed and easy to find on the popular search engines. You want to make sure that you are attracting potential buyers who are specifically looking for what your merchant(s) offers.

Of course, if you want a very in-depth look at the entire affiliate marketing process, and how to maximize profits from it, I still highly recommend Derek Gehl’s Insider Secrets Course, which I mentioned in my June 19th post is currently on a time-limited sale with great bonuses. Click here to read about it (if you missed it the first time):

The Insider’s Secrets to Marketing Your Business on the Internet

While he offers a guarantee on this product, I do not think you will have to worry about using the guarantee. I myself own a copy of the 2006 Version and am very pleased with it. It’s well-organized, loaded and thorough, and walks you through in a step-by-step fashion. If you are trying to start an Internet business without this kind of guidance, you run a very high risk of spinning your wheels (or trying to reinvent the wheel), wasting valuable time and resources, missing profits, and ultimately getting discouraged when there is no need to be. The cost is actually miniscule compared to what a single mistake down the road could cost you. It’s true that nothing will ever change unless you take action, but it is exponentially better to take action wisely with the guidance of this course.

Keyword Articles for Home Business Growth

Sunday, June 25th, 2006

When looking for quality articles for your content based website, where do you go? You want to be sure that you are getting the very best of what could be available, as you want to stay on top of the marketplace. The last thing you want is an article that is on 700 other sites. It will not keep people coming to your site if they believe you do not care enough to give the best information or you are just satisfied with being in the middle of the pack when it comes to content-based web sites. This is where the efforts of the Cannon Media Group can be of benefit.

Their programs are for people that take their sites seriously, and do not want mediocre content smeared all over their pages. Their goal is to have a successful site for years to come and will settle for nothing less. This is a program that has the most content and keyword-rich articles available on the market today. This is an excellent opportunity for you to find the best articles for a mere 67 cents per article, articles that can lead to multiple hits on your site, which will in turn generate profit. This program has been very successful in making others very successful as the content received by the member can be used without compromise or adjustments. This is a very quick way to put you on top of the field of competitors if you are willing and have the drive.

The answer for web site promotion and Internet marketing is clearly content-based, and this is the site that will see you through all of this. Having this type of information available for you to use is the biggest way for you to gain page ranking, and popularity. This also increases search results for your site and is an imperative tool in the process of the growth of the site. The articles that you can get from this site have valuable keyword-rich content that allows for you to be a sole provider of the information that someone may seek. Press releases, blogs, e-mail, distribution, and quality content based material is what you will be finding in this site. These are all imperative to the success of your new business, or just a refresh of the site you already own and are running. If you want quality work at a fraction of the cost that you would normally spend, this is the place to look at. It will give you what you want for your site and will ensure you have an edge over the competition when it comes to quality content for your site. You can visit the offers available through the Cannon Media Group by clicking on the links in the right sidebar for “VIP club” or for “Website Content Solutions.”

Home Based MLM Business

Saturday, June 24th, 2006

Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) is the term that was used several years ago for what today is commonly called Network Marketing. Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) operates through the sales of a product in which a consumer is interested, but the sales are on a person-to-person basis; the product is not sold through a store or other form of dealership. An independent sales representative (they may have many different titles) will contact individuals and speak to them personally to see if they would be interested in their product or services. The way that Multi-Level Marketing representatives make commissions is through selling the product directly as well as through a residual that comes from the persons that they have recruited into the Multi-Level Marketing business and the products that they sell.

The difference between Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) and direct sales is that direct sales representatives make money through the re-selling of the products that are available through the company. Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) representatives also make money through their sales but also through those they have enrolled into the program. That is, as the enrollees also sell products, the MLM representatave will make a small, extra profit as well. The residual continues to go up the chain of those who are involved in the Multi-Level Marketing plan, although some plans limit how far up residual income can actually go.

Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) differs from Affiliate Marketing in that those involved in Affiliate Marketing focus on one transaction at a time, making more money with each transaction they process. The reason for this is that the product that an Affiliate Marketing company offers is usually something that the client only needs one time such as electronic equipment or household appliances. The Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) offers a variety of products that can be sold repeatedly to the consumer.

The Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) representative makes their money through the customer coming back to purchase more of their products–this is called residual income. This type of income is earned every month from the sales that are taking place in your Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) business. Now what makes this interesting is that you will receive a check for all the sales that take place whether or not you are doing the selling. You could be on a vacation and still receive a check for the residual of sales that takes place among those you have brought into the business. This is a huge draw to those looking for home-based business opportunities.

Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) offers the average person an opportunity to make a substantial amount of money that will change their future while at the same time allowing them the freedom to enjoy a life that they have only dreamt about before. Remember to look at all home-based business opportunities carefully so that you will choose the one that is right for you and your personality as well as financial success.

An established, popular network marketing opportunity that is still early in its growth momentum (i.e. a very good time for new members to enter) is Success University, which you can test drive for a $2 donation to charity. A well-known and time-proven MLM option is the SFI program, which you can join for free - a very good price! I have placed links to both of these programs in the sidebar for future reference and for your convenience. © 2006 Wallet Relief

Home Business: Four Fundamentals

Thursday, June 22nd, 2006

Starting a business is never really easy, and the naysayers who bother “newbies” do not make it any easier. But starting up one’s own business has and can be done with effort and work. The neophyte business owner has to know what he or she wants and never waiver from the goal. Know what you are getting yourself into and do not think that success can come overnight. There are four keys to staying on track and reaching your goals.

Key 1: Gain Personal Focus

You should focus on whatever is your passion and tap into that energy. Define your intent, goal, and purpose for wanting to be in this business. This intent is the underlying emotional foundation to your business. Having an internal intent tells you what your main objective for yourself is and what it will do for your life. The external intent tells you what your business does to benefit others around you. It is highly likely that someone has already started a business like yours. It is your intent that makes the biggest difference. Everyone’s intent is different. By knowing your true focus you will inspire others rather than making them doubt you.

Key 2: An Instant Impact Message

Most people think to themselves when they see a product, “What will this do for me?” This question is answered in only 10 seconds (especially on the Web), so there is no time to waste. You impact message should immediately tell people how valuable your product is and make them want it. Creating this awesome message is quite easy and does not take long. Make sure that it clarifies your purpose and stays focused. Use this statement on all your business ventures. Put it on all your business cards, web sites, and any other place you can think of. The more people hear about and see your business, the more aware people will be about you.

Key 3: Figure out What Works

You do not need to spend rolls of money to figure out what method works best. Research what others in your area of business have used to succeed and see if this can apply to you as well. Check out what others have for article content and make sure you have better. Make sure that you are current with all your research and update regularly. Utilize the free tools out there first to gain more business before moving to more expensive modes.

Key 4: Conduct a Reality Check

As you begin your business you will uncover many hidden obstacles. Do not let this detour you from pressing forward. Make sure you are in the land of reality in both the positives and the negatives. Know how you have succeeded thus far and what could use improving. Know what your unavoidable and avoidable problems are so you can better work around them. © 2006 Wallet Relief Blog

Weblog Basics

Thursday, June 22nd, 2006

If you are not yet familiar with blogs or have not yet started one yourself, you should consider starting one as an additional dimension to the web presence of your business. Here we will review blog basics, and you can decide for yourself if it may or may not be useful in your web pages.

The term blog is short for weblog, and it was never originally thought of as a commercial or professional site. It is of a more personal nature, for comment or web site material, and that quality (along with current ease of use) is what attracts so many people to start one. Generally the most recent information on a blog is kept at the top of the page, as blogs are dated log formats. Often they will have commentary on other sites or links directing you to them. Many times the site is dictated by group links and the log is updated frequently. The very first weblog seems to have started back in 1993–it was the Mosaic. This was generally a compiling of links that were kind of disregarded. It took until 1998 for there to be a mere handful of these so called blogs in existence. The bloggers all knew each other and were swapping the links between each other.

By the year 1999 this term blog was starting to pick up in popularity, and as a result became an online cultural phenomenon. Once it became free to the public, it really took off and was a pastime that was enjoyed by many. Web logs were hand coded by developers on the web before the software became available. The use of html was the main coding for this program, and the web designers at the time were pretty much the only ones that knew it. Now that this new software is available to the general public, anyone is capable of making a blog. The moment blogger was released in 1999 it became a huge success with the public. Now people are not restricted with regard to what kind of weblog they can make. Fast-forward to the year 2000 and people are making as many as 300-350 new blogs daily. There is actually a directory for all these blogs, and it contains as many as 5,500 entries. This is now a craze with over 750,000 blog users; this was not merely a passing trend obviously.

There are multiple tools these days for people that are truly interested in blogging. This software can be found online and has become extremely popular. This particular blog was started with Google’s blogger, but for those with a modicum of computer skills, WordPress is very good option to consider. If you would like to get a blog up and running for a home business or work at home website, consider asking for help from the Cannon Media Group, who can assist you not only with setting up a blog but also with providing original and interesting articles or texts that you can easily, quickly and creatively use for the enjoyment of your readers and customers. You can read about all their offers by clicking on this Niche Articles and Blog Help link.

Also, don’t forget the “alert” in the last blog entry about Derek Gehl’s Blogging for Dollars package being given away FREE with the purchase of his Insider Secrets course (for the first 500 customers who purchase), along with other bonuses. This offer is not likely to last long - his products are substantial and authoritative, and can guide you step-by-step through website construction as well as blog use and marketing. You can go straight to his product description and sale offer with this link:
Insider Secrets and Blogging for Dollars Offer.

Derek Gehl’s Insider Secrets Course

Monday, June 19th, 2006

I don’t usually create blog posts dealing with “special offers,” but I came across one such time-sensitive special offer today that might save my readers some real money, so here it goes. If you’ve ever considered purchasing Derek Gehl’s highly regarded (and recently updated) 2006 “Insider Secrets” course, NOW is the time to do it.

Derek has just put together a special combo package (for the first 500 customers) for the discounted price of $197.00 that throws in at no extra cost his “Blogging for Dollars” course that normally sells for $139.95, as well as other bonuses. Of course, Derek is a great salesman who would probably love to move his great products, but I’ve never seen him throw in the “Blogging for Dollars” package for free, and I don’t think there will ever be a better value combo offer for these courses. Now his courses are probably not going to go away, so there is no great pressure here, but I just wanted to alert you to this deal so you can get the most out of your hard-earned dollars!

If you think you might be ready to make a fairly small investment to get your own copy of one of the most serious Internet marketing courses out there, with all the bonuses, read about all the details here:

The Insiders Secrets to Marketing Your Business on the Internet

P.S. Yes, he does include a guarantee, which you can find through the link above.