Lead Generation And Backend Marketing Principles

What's your marketing plan for getting more people to buy from you? Do you even have one? Most people don't - so if you don't have one, I'm not surprised. A lot of people think that online marketing is easy and fun, but when the cold reality hits that if the money isn't coming in on a regular basis... you're going to be out of business real soon. So it's best to have a plan.

In today's lesson, I want to share with you some fundamental techniques that you should be using to get more sales for your online business. You may have heard of these techniques before, but are you using them to their utmost ability? The bottom line is that if you want to get sales, you have to follow a step-by-step process for making your business work, and that's what I'm here to show you how to do.

Here's the first step for having online business success:

1) Generate leads

Generating leads is the backbone of your internet business. I once heard a famous marketer say, "If you don't have an email list, you don't have an internet business." I tend to agree with this notion. People who sign up to your email newsletter may not be ready to buy from you right now, but sometime far into the future, they may be willing to buy from you then - so don't give up on them.

The longer you follow up on people who don't buy right away, the more your conversion rates will go up. It doesn't matter if you've been emailing a prospect for over 10 months. When they buy, it will account for the conversion rate of your email newsletter - so you'll get your money back.

Right now I'm using list building with good effectiveness in my business, and I think that you can do the same also. The bottom line is that with a list, you can make a lot of money. And the more you grow that list, the more money you will make in the long run. Be sure to consider doing this technique. Here's another technique that you should be doing:

2) Selling to existing customers

This is where the money is at in your business. Selling to existing customers or "backend marketing" is where 80% of your online sales will come from. That's a huge number! You should be using this technique right away so that you can start earning some additional sales from the people who already know you.

Now answer this question: Who do you think is more likely to buy from you? Someone who just visits your website and then leaves, or someone who's already bought from you, and enjoyed the product that you just sold to them? The answer should be very clear. Obviously the person who bought from you will buy from you again... quickly too.

These 2 techniques of internet marketing are what you need to be doing online to make money. This is something that isn't hard to do... just put your mind to it, and start earning the sales and income that you're looking for in your business.

Good luck with selling and promoting your products online.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Randall Magwood is one of the most respected and highly-regarded online marketing experts on the internet. He has a website about internet marketing that helps small business owners learn how to market their business online simply and easily. To learn more, simply visit his website here: Internet Marketing Secrets

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Press Releases And Podcasts For Traffic And Sales

Website traffic is something that a lot of people struggle with. And this is especially true with newbies. From the internet to local bookstores, there are a ton of information about how to get traffic to a website simply and easily. But if it was this easy, more people would have success, and less people would be failing.

There are so many different ways to get traffic to your website, and in this article, I want to share a few of those ways. What I'm going to reveal are 2 free traffic methods that I know (and use) that will bring you the results that you are looking for. If you're not a believer in free traffic, trust me... you have no idea of what you're missing. Here's the first traffic method that I want to introduce you to:

1) Press releases

There's a website online called "PRweb" that is the best press release site on the internet. But this acclaim comes with a price. To list a press release with this company, you will have to pay $89 just to list 1 press release. As you can see, this price is very steep. But the results that you can get are amazing.

This company has been around for a while, and I'm confident that you can use it to boost your traffic, sales, customers, and income altogether. In fact, when the big name "gurus" online want to get instant publicity on a day where their brand new product launches... they use PRweb to get them the major publicity that they are looking for. Let's take a look at another traffic technique that you can use in your online business.

2) Podcasts

Not many people online use podcasts, but I think it's a great way to learn new techniques in a snap. Some people just don't have the time to write out their lessons and information, so they simply record themselves, put it on a computer, turn it into an MP3 file, and then upload it to the podcast directories. The most famous (and best) podcast directory on the internet is iTunes.

iTunes is owned by "Apple", and it's a great venue to promote your podcasts on. Plus it's free! You should be using this technique right away if you want to get the ball rolling on your sales and profits simply and easily. There many people who use podcasts effectively in their business. One person who I know of for sure that does this is financial expert Suze Orman.

She makes sure to mention this at the end of her show, and she offers her entire episodes via MP3 format on iTunes. If shy can do it, you can do it too - especially since you should be learning how to become a marketing expert anyway.

Podcasts and press releases are 2 great ways to get traffic and to boost your online sales in a hurry. The more you do them, the more results you will get, and the more they will benefit your business. Plus... they're free!

Good luck with using these techniques in your online business today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Randall Magwood is one of the most respected and highly-regarded online marketing experts on the internet. He has a website about internet marketing that helps small business owners learn how to market their business online simply and easily. To learn more, simply visit his website here: Internet Marketing Secrets

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How To Have Internet Marketing Success Simply And Easily

For some people, internet marketing is a slow process, and for others... people see results immediately. Some people are able to generate sales right away in their niche, and others have to wait months before they finally start seeing some progress. The bottom line is that no matter what end of the spectrum you're on, you can definitely reach your ultimate goals, and have an online business that is successful and thriving.

If you want to see your profits grow even more and start seeing more immediate results, then this lesson is for you. You will discover what it takes to take over a market and start getting more leads and sales for your business that you never thought possible. Here's the first tip for profiting more online:

1) Do niche marketing

Niche marketing is very important for a few reasons. First, you will have little to no competition. Second, your conversion rates will go up. Third, you'll be able to be perceived as an expert in your niche, and people in your niche will want to associate themselves with you.

This is very important. Eventually if you do a good job in your market and you're seeing a lot of sales coming through... some people will approach you with joint venture offers. This is a great way to see some additional income for free! You're leveraging the efforts of someone else, to benefit the partnership between your business and your partner's.

Niche marketing is very important. It has its perks, and it's something that you should definitely look into if you want to have the most success as possible. Many people neglect niche marketing, but you don't have to. You can be one of the many few who does niche marketing and starts bringing traffic to your site day after day. Here's another tip for profiting more online:

2) Have a good sales letter

This is more of a copywriting tip, but it's something that you need to know how to do if you want to sell anything online. Even if you sell on Ebay and you write a small description about the product that you're selling... you will have to learn some copywriting skills to convince people to buy.

Copywriting isn't hard. All you have to do is get yourself a swipe file, and start emulating the ads that you find there. A "swipe file" is simply a collection of winning ads and sales letters that you can use to craft your own sales letter easily. It's tough to do things from scratch... why make it hard for yourself? And this is definitely better than hiring a copywriter.

People want to know what's in it for them. So on your sales page, include a lot of bullet points, a good headline, a good story, benefits that they will receive, frequently asked questions, and even some free bonuses. All of these things combined will get you the results that you need to make your online business a success.

Take these 2 tips and use them to form an aggressive internet marketing campaign that will make you a lot of money, and get you a lot of sales simply and easily.

Good luck with marketing online.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Randall Magwood is one of the most respected and highly-regardedonline marketing experts on the internet. He has a website about internet marketing that helps small business owners learn how to market their business online simply and easily. To learn more, simply visit his website here: Internet Marketing Secrets

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2 Ways To Expand Your Social Marketing Presence

Social media marketing is a concept that isn't new. It's been around for a long time but not many marketers take advantage of its true potential. The bottom line is that if you want to increase your traffic dramatically, get more leads, sales, and customers... you will have to incorporate social media marketing into your marketing campaign.

Now there are many social sites on the internet, but only the core few of them will bring you the most results. Now understand that even though you may get a lot of traffic from this method, it doesn't necessarily mean that these visitors will convert into buyer traffic. So this is very important to understand.

I know of a very successful online marketer who used social bookmarking sites to drive traffic to his website. Well, on one particular day... he receive a little over 200,000 hits from 1 social bookmarking site... and NONE of them converted into sales. See how the math can get skewed here?

Don't put all of your eggs into one basket. Social media sites have their place, and you CAN get a lot of traffic and sales from it. I think it's a long term strategy that can really benefit your business in the long run. You should try it and see for yourself.

I want to introduce you to some social marketing sites that you can use to take your business to the next level. You've heard of them before, but they are very effective. Here's the first social marketing site that you should be using:

1) Facebook

According to the latest "Alexa" rankings, Facebook is the number 2 ranked site on the internet in terms of internet traffic. This basically means that it gets a ton of hits each and everyday, and a lot of people are joining it day after day to keep up with friends, family, and colleagues.

But you can also use this medium to get more traffic for your website. The more traffic you get, the better. Plus you can drive them to a signup or "squeeze page" that will allow you to stay in contact with them. Facebook is definitely something that you will want to use in your internet business. Here's another site you will want to use:

2) Twitter

Twitter can bring you a nice chunk of traffic to your website. There are a lot of Twitter software on the internet, but your best results will come when people start to follow you one after one on their own. What good is a large subscriber base if nobody is buying from you? Sure you may get traffic, but if they don't convert into sales, what's the point?

Make sure you're actively posting on Twitter and that the followers that you're getting is legit. You don't want to waste time trying to look "good" in your niche. While you're out there looking good, you're losing money and your competitors are running silent laps around you all while you procrastinate. Don't let this happen.

Good luck with using these 2 social marketing tips in your online business today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Randall Magwood is one of the most respected and highly-regarded online marketing experts on the internet. He has a website about internet marketing that helps small business owners learn how to market their business online simply and easily. To learn more, simply visit his website here: Internet Marketing Secrets

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Email Marketing Ideas That Can Generate More Revenue For You

I'm sure you've probably heard the term, "the money is in the list". This is partially true. When it comes to frontend sales, you can either generate a lead, or lead someone straight to your sales letter page. There's nothing wrong with either one on the frontend, but when it comes to backend marketing... email marketing is a must.

80% of your total business revenue will come from sales from existing customers. Also, legendary offline marketers and direct mail marketers have found that if you do a combination of email marketing along with direct mail marketing to your backend customers... you will see a dramatic boost in response from your email marketing efforts.

In today's lesson, I want to share with you some email marketing tips that you can use to boost your sales and start making money simply and easily. Email marketing is integral in any kind of business - even if you own a blog or an article directory. You need to find a way to get repeat visitors to your site, so that you can boost your traffic, sales, and customer relationship. Here's the first email marketing strategy I want to share:

1) Sign up for an autoresponder

An email autoresponder is simply a program that automatically sends out timely emails to the people who subscribed to your mailing list. Many people will agree (and disagree) with me on this but... a company called "Aweber" is very easy and friendly to use. And the prices are good too.

This is just one of the many ways that you can put your marketing on autopilot, so that you can enjoy doing things that you really want to do. All you have to do is populate it with helpful emails - spaced around 3 days a part. Some marketers abuse this notion by emailing you twice a day with nothing but a sales pitch. This is something that disgusts me, and I unsubscribe from people like this all the time.

Make sure you never spam people like this. They don't like it, and you won't get sales if you're a pest. Here's another email marketing strategy you can use:

2) Build a list from scratch

Never buy or rent an email list. Focus on driving original traffic to your site, and gaining real subscribers who are interested in what you have to offer. This isn't like offline direct mail marketing where you can go down to the library and get a book called the "SRDS", and then purchase targeted leads there. No.

Instead, buying email lists are a recipe for disaster. Make sure you're building your list from the ground up. A list like this is the best way to get sales from your marketing efforts. Use "opt-in" list building, and leave paid email lists alone. You will save a lot of time and money by doing so.

Take these 2 email marketing tips and use them in your business today. You can earn a lot of sales from these tips, and you will be more efficient with your email marketing activities.

Good luck with your email marketing strategy today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Randall Magwood is one of the most respected and highly-regarded online marketing experts on the internet. He has a website about internet marketing that helps small business owners learn how to market their business online simply and easily. To learn more, simply visit his website here: Internet Marketing Secrets

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Internet Marketing - Why You Shouldn't Be Afraid

When some people hear the term "internet marketing", they freak out. They do this because they know that they will have to put in a lot of work to make their website successful - otherwise, they're going to end up like 95% of more new online businesses that were started this year... in failure.

But you shouldn't be afraid of failure. If you've been trying for 10 years to make money online, and you still aren't making the income that you desire, then it's time to look at some things and determine what's going wrong with your website, sales copy, and marketing strategy altogether.

To make your online business work for you, you have to know internet marketing really well. Sure some people "escape" this notion by advertising online and getting a lot of traffic immediately, but what happens when all of the money runs out, and you haven't made enough sales to cover the cost of advertising you just incurred?

What will happen if you don't sell to backend customers? This is where 80% of your sales will come from, so why are you neglecting these people? They are your bread and butter. If the frontend business gets slow, you could always market to your existing customers and get them to buy from you again.

All of this are a part of internet marketing. Now even the big name "gurus" that you hear about online failed miserably when they first started out. And I'm not going to lie... I wasted a lot of money and failed miserably too lol. But we learned from our mistakes, and now we're having the success that we've dreamed of.

So take things slow. Don't get caught up in the "hoopla" of hype and sales figures online. People will show you anything just to get your money. Trust me, I would know. I've been suckered out of thousands of dollars before I stopped buying anything else from so called "gurus" online. It made me upset. If you've been down the same road, it should make you upset too.

Some of the best advice that I can give you is to drive lots of traffic to your site, and make sure you have a conversion mechanism in place to capture leads, and then turn these leads into customers. This is a great way to start having success online. You will want to look up something called a "squeeze page" to build the foundation of your business.

If you want to do paid advertising, proceed with caution. There's nothing wrong with paid advertising, but you should test small in my opinion and then scale things up once you realize what works and what doesn't. After you've found out what works, keep advertising there, and keep the good results rolling in.

Take these tips and use them in your business so that you can start living the fantasy and dreams that you've hoped for in your business. It can definitely help, and all it takes is a little on your behalf. But it can be done, so do it.

Good luck with marketing your online business today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Randall Magwood is one of the most respected and highly-regardedonline marketing experts on the internet. He has a website about internet marketing that helps small business owners learn how to market their business online simply and easily. To learn more, simply visit his website here: Internet Marketing Secrets

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How to Write An Article That People Want to Read

I think people get so caught up in writing articles that they think Google will put in the top ten results for their keyword, that they forget that the people who are reading the articles are... real people. And real people don't read something just because it's #1 in Google. Sure, they might click. But if they only read the first line, then what is that click worth? Nothing. Even Google knows if someone stays 1 second on your article. Do you think Google will keep your article #1 in Google if someone else's on the same topic creates engagement that keeps that reader on their page for 2 minutes instead of 2 seconds? Why not YOU be the person who writes the articles that gets 2 minutes of engagement instead of 2 seconds?

You see, Google wants to serve the very best search results. And one of the ways I believe they determine that is by engagement - how much do people like your article. And they have many ways to proxy for that engagement level, and can change their formula at any time. So why try to game their formula; instead write articles that get true engagement, and if you do that, I believe you'll get the Google traffic no matter how much they change their formula.

Write to people, not search engines. Write what people want to read. Tell them something they don't know. Stay captivating. Read your article after you wrote it. Ask yourself, is this engaging? Would I read it all the way through? If not, make it more interesting. You want people to hang on every word all the way through your article. That way when they get to the end of your article they want more.

How do you write an interesting article? Write about things people want to learn about but others aren't teaching. Write at an unusual depth. Some people write really shallow articles. Write deeper ones. Teach something at a deeper level than yourcompetition. Teach things most other people only teach for a payment, teach it for free in your article. If something you know or do is controversial, write about it. Be controversial. Stimulate conversation. Be polarizing. Write things that will either push people away or draw them deeply to you. When you do that, you create a desire for some people to draw closer and really want to learn more.

By the way, do you want the formula for building a full time income through article marketing? If so, download my 64 minute audio here: article marketing audio

Or do you want to learn how I use automated marketing to sell and deliver coaching online - and how you can too? If so, download it here: automated coaching online

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How to Write An Article That Gets Clicks

What is important when writing your article? That it gets views? Sure. That people like your article? Yes. But what you REALLY want is for people to click through to your website and buying your coaching or training or whatever you are selling, right?

But in order to do that, you have to write more than an interesting article. You have to write an article that leads someone to WANT to click through. So how do you do that?

Of course, there may be many ways you can do that, and in this article I'll only have room to share a way or two, but I think you will get the idea anyhow. I think the real key is writing articles that stimulate thinking and emotion. Get people involved in your article. If people are involved when they read your article, they are more likely to want to continue the discussion with you. Because that is really what they are doing when they click through, they are hoping to learn more from you. And they have to want to learn more from you.

So what does it take to get someone to WANT to learn more from you? Well for starters, how about teaching them something they don't already know? That's right, teach them something they don't already know. One saddening thing I see with a lot of articles these days is that people are trying to write what everyone else is writing. I guess that the thinking is that if it is working for them, it will work me. But it doesn't because if someone else has written it already, and they read it over there, they don't want to read it from you again. Every article you write should be breaking news when someone reads it. Do the news networks say the same thing everyday? No, they have breaking news. They have news anchors out looking for new clues constantly. They want to be the first to break a new piece of information, no matter how small. Why? Because people want to learn something new. And those people who want to learn something new are the same people who are coming to your website wanting to learn something new.

And if you teach them something new, something original, each time you write an article, maybe they will want to get on your list because they believe you are someone who can give them something new.

By the way, do you want the formula for building a full time income through article marketing? If so, download my 64 minute audio here:article marketing audio

Or do you want to learn how I use automated marketing to sell and deliver coaching online - and how you can too? If so, download it here: automated coaching online

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Article Marketing Isn't Working For You Anymore?

I want to warn you before I read this that I am going to tell you how I think it is. So if you aren't happy with the way article marketing is working for you right now, and you are reading this to get my opinion, I'm not going to sugarcoat it. I'm going to lay it out the way I think it is.

And a disclaimer: article marketing IS still working for me (that's the only reason I keep writing articles like this, because it IS working for me).

So what am I doing differently than most article marketers?

Of course this is my own opinion and belief, I haven't done a live survey of 100,000 article marketers. But I see what's going on out there.

And I think that the article marketers for whom article marketing isn't working as well for anymore are article marketers that are writing rehashed, rewritten articles saying the same thing everyone else is.

Think about this: when YOU read an article, are you looking to read the same thing you already know, or do you want some new information? The reason you are searching online anyway is because you don't know something. You want to learn something new. But if you find an article and read it and it's the same old thing you are learning from someone else, or that you read on another article today, I don't think you are going to be impressed. You will probably close the article. I mean, think about this: why are you still reading THIS article? Because something interests you.

And I think that is key. Articles have to be interesting these days. They have to capture attention and keep it for some time. At least enough time for someone to read your article. Because if they only read the introduction, you aren't going to get any traffic from it.

And then there is one more thing: trying to "beat" Google instead of working with them. They WANT your articles (if they are good). They have to serve up millions of search results everyday to keep up with everyone who is searching. And they want to serve the very best articles. So if you are serious about getting traffic from Google, write articles they want to serve, and don't fight them by doing things their TOS tells you not to do, like excessive spam linking, keyword stuffing, and artificial rankings manipulation.

By the way, do you want the formula for building a full time income through article marketing? If so, download my 64 minute audio here: article marketing audio

Or do you want to learn how I use automated marketing to sell and deliver coaching online - and how you can too? If so, download it here: automated coaching online

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How to Write Articles For Blogs

Many times people think that article marketing just means writing articles for article directories. But I personally think that article directories should be a very small part of your article marketing strategy. I believe that blog posts should be a huge part of your article marketing strategy. And I'm not talking about blog commenting, or spammy blog posts. I'm talking about writing articles and putting them on blogs.

There are a few ways you can do this.

One way is to become a guest blogger, where you agree to write so many articles per month or per week for a blog. You get great exposure, because the blog gets the traffic, people read your article, and then they click through to your site as a result of reading your article. It works just like submitting an article to an article directory, but instead you are submitting the article to a blog.

So how do you write an article for a blog? The first step of course is determining your topic. The blog owner might tell you what to write about. Or you get to know your niche and find out what they want to learn about. And especially, what do they want to know about that others are not adequately teaching?

Once you know your topic, if at all possible, either write an article that creates just a little controversy or polarization, or write an article that gives someone steps to doing something. I believe that an article with controversy or polarization tends to increase the authenticity of your article, and that leads people trusting you if they subscribe to your list. And it also can increase future views to the blog, which is good for you because if your future articles get more views, then you get more traffic!

And if you write an article that gives people steps to doing something, if someone needs what you are teaching, then the article becomes really useful. And my opinion is that if the article is really useful, then when people read it, they take action. And if they take action, then they remember you. And if your advice works, they remember that. And when it is time for them to do business, they choose to do business with you. And of course that is why you are writing articles in the first place, so people will choose to do business with you, right?

By the way, do you want the formula for building a full time income through article marketing? If so, download my 64 minute audio here: article marketing audio

Or do you want to learn how I use automated marketing to sell and deliver coaching online - and how you can too? If so, download it here: automated coaching online

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Write Articles That Compel Readers to Make a Decision

What is the number one thing that holds most articles online back from generating the most prospects? I believe that one thing that holds articles back is that most articles are ho-hum articles that don't really challenge readers to make any kind of a decision. They might be 5 point rehashes of things others have taught. And if you teach the same thing someone else has taught, unless what you teach is more illustrative than what others teach, then why should anyone make the decision to click through at the end of the article?

Because that is the goal, isn't it? For people to make the decision to click through at the end of the article. But if your article is the same boring stuff that many others articles in your niche are made out of, why should anyone click through? What about your articles makes them more interesting than your competition?

I believe that you should be driving for a decision when you write your article. I believe you should have as your goal that the right people will click through and make the decision to click through your article and become a subscriber.

And in the process, if some people make the decision to NOT join your list, isn't that also a good thing? Because you don't want everyone on your list, do you? What you really want is interested people on your list.

Because interested people are the ones who go on to buy from you. Interested people are the ones who go on to become loyal fans and invest with you long run. Because that's the goal with your articles long run. It's to be the first step in a process that leads people to do business with you.

And in order for people to want to do business with you, they need to make a decision to do that. So you want decisive people becoming subscribers. The way I like to find decisive people to become subscribers is to write an article that teaches something that no one else has perhaps ever taught. Because then readers have to make a decision - do I buy into this, or not? If not, they don't subscribe. That's okay. I would rather have a few subscribers who really like me than many subscribers who are just ho-hum. Because people who really like me fuel my business. What about you?

By the way, do you want the formula for building a full time income through article marketing? If so, download my 64 minute audio here:article marketing audio

Or do you want to learn how I use automated marketing to sell and deliver coaching online - and how you can too? If so, download it here: automated coaching online

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Why You Should Polarize In Some Of Your Articles

I believe in polarization in my articles. Not every article. But at least in some. Because polarization forces people to make a decision. It forces them to make a decision for you or against you.

Maybe you are thinking, but I don't want to turn anyone away.

I do. I'd rather turn people away at my articles than after they have asked me 20 questions via email and decide that they don't like me! What a waste of time, when I can just do it in the article.

You see, I think a lot of people want to just get as many people as possible from their articles. Because they know that about 3% of their subscribers are going to invest with them. So the more people they get in, the more sales they make. They think that if they get 1000 subscribers, they will make 30 sales. Which may be true.

But what if you were to polarize away everyone who doesn't fit in with you at the beginning, and only get 200 subscribers, but get the same 30 sales? Much more efficient, right? You would have less people writing emails to you and then not buying.

I just really believe (as you can tell) that you are far better off with a smaller group of loyal people who trust you and will become your clients, than chasing a huge herd of prospects, most of whom will never buy. That process is just draining. And why be drained, when you can make the same money not drained?

When you polarize in your articles, another thing that happens is that the people who agree with you will actually become tighter fans and clients than if you don't polarize. The reason for this is that because you have the guts to share the truth, to be willing to turn away some people by telling it like it is, the people who agree with you begin to respect you more. And if they respect you more, they invest more. And isn't that why are writing articles? To get people to invest more?

Another way that polarization can work to your advantage is that when people see that you are willing to stand up for what you believe, even at the risk of losing some prospects, they believe you must really believe it. You aren't like your competition, who might be sugar-coating the truth just to get sales. Be different! Polarize!

By the way, do you want the formula for building a full time income through article marketing? If so, download my 64 minute audio here:article marketing audio

Or do you want to learn how I use automated marketing to sell and deliver coaching online - and how you can too? If so, download it here: automated coaching online

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Website Marketing - Are You Feeling Overwhelmed?

I am sitting with a hot coffee, staring at my computer, trying to decide whether to:

- write an article and submit it to article directories,
- record a video and upload it to video sites,
- post useful information in forums to build links,
- jump onto Facebook and share some interesting information,
- tweet the latest news on Twitter,
- pin photos and designs onto Pinterest, or
- blog a keyword rich post onto my Blog
- or maybe I should research more keywords and optimise my website for Search Engines.

I know I should be doing all of these activities and some extra ones...

But the longer I sit here, I am feeling more anxious and unable to move... I can't make a decision about what to do.

If you research online about the best way to promote your business, you've probably felt the same panic. You know you need to keep up to date with the latest online marketing techniques, but the trends keep changing and you are not able to stay on top.

Now what?

It's time to let off some frustration (just make sure you close the door and all the windows, so no-one can hear you scream) AAAAAAARRRGHHHHHH!...

Feeling better? I am... that's for sure.

I still haven't decided whether to blog, tweet, Facebook, record, write, post or eat some chocolate, but I definitely feel relieved.

What now?

Time to just sit still, turn the phone off, shut down the internet and just be - preferably outside and in fresh air.

Amazing how getting away from the computer can suddenly give you a new perspective.

By now, you are hopefully feeling a little more sane and are able to think more rationally.

One little step at a time.

Sit down and write a list of everything you would like to get done in a week.

2 Facebook posts, 4 Tweets, 1 Blog Post, 1 Article,1 Video

Suddenly, the list doesn't seem so impossible.

If I have learnt anything about online marketing or working on a big project, it's this. You just have to take one step at a time.

Set yourself an achievable weekly goal - work on your marketing for ½ hour to 1 hour a day and before you know it you have achieved so much.

You will be further ahead than your competitors, because most people are still sitting staring at their screen, feeling anxious and unable to do anything.

You don't need to jump onto all the latest trends and try to do everything at the same time. You just need to do a little each day... choose several marketing activities, be consistent and you will see the amazing results your actions will bring.

And what do you know... I've just done my article for the week... time to grab a coffee and watch the world go by.

Ivana Katz makes it easy for you to get your business online very quickly. If you're looking for a professional and affordable website designer, visit http://www.web4business.com.au and download a free website plan or connect with Ivana on http://www.facebook.com/Websites4SmallBusiness.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ivana_Katz

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7383037

Website Marketing - Are You Feeling Overwhelmed?

I am sitting with a hot coffee, staring at my computer, trying to decide whether to:

- write an article and submit it to article directories,
- record a video and upload it to video sites,
- post useful information in forums to build links,
- jump onto Facebook and share some interesting information,
- tweet the latest news on Twitter,
- pin photos and designs onto Pinterest, or
- blog a keyword rich post onto my Blog
- or maybe I should research more keywords and optimise my website for Search Engines.

I know I should be doing all of these activities and some extra ones...

But the longer I sit here, I am feeling more anxious and unable to move... I can't make a decision about what to do.

If you research online about the best way to promote your business, you've probably felt the same panic. You know you need to keep up to date with the latest online marketing techniques, but the trends keep changing and you are not able to stay on top.

Now what?

It's time to let off some frustration (just make sure you close the door and all the windows, so no-one can hear you scream) AAAAAAARRRGHHHHHH!...

Feeling better? I am... that's for sure.

I still haven't decided whether to blog, tweet, Facebook, record, write, post or eat some chocolate, but I definitely feel relieved.

What now?

Time to just sit still, turn the phone off, shut down the internet and just be - preferably outside and in fresh air.

Amazing how getting away from the computer can suddenly give you a new perspective.

By now, you are hopefully feeling a little more sane and are able to think more rationally.

One little step at a time.

Sit down and write a list of everything you would like to get done in a week.

2 Facebook posts, 4 Tweets, 1 Blog Post, 1 Article,1 Video

Suddenly, the list doesn't seem so impossible.

If I have learnt anything about online marketing or working on a big project, it's this. You just have to take one step at a time.

Set yourself an achievable weekly goal - work on your marketing for ½ hour to 1 hour a day and before you know it you have achieved so much.

You will be further ahead than your competitors, because most people are still sitting staring at their screen, feeling anxious and unable to do anything.

You don't need to jump onto all the latest trends and try to do everything at the same time. You just need to do a little each day... choose several marketing activities, be consistent and you will see the amazing results your actions will bring.

And what do you know... I've just done my article for the week... time to grab a coffee and watch the world go by.

Ivana Katz makes it easy for you to get your business online very quickly. If you're looking for a professional and affordable website designer, visithttp://www.web4business.com.au and download a free website plan or connect with Ivana on http://www.facebook.com/Websites4SmallBusiness.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ivana_Katz 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7383037

Expert Tips - How to Use Facebook For Business

Hooray you've created a Facebook page for your business because you heard everyone else is doing it and you didn't want to be left behind. You've managed to upload the cover picture and profile photo and have even posted on your Timeline. Now you are waiting for people to arrive and start commenting. You check every day... and still only 2 likes - one from your aunt Mary and one from your best friend John.

You decide to do something about the lack of response and post a message on your personal Facebook page, begging your friends to become fans of your page. Great... 3 more likes from friends who feel sorry for you.

Now you have a total of 5 Likes from people whom you had to drag in and who are not really that interested in your business. They are busy enough with their own lives and not really interested in promoting your new venture.

OK, so now what?

It's easy! Get interested in other people on Facebook.

That's a lesson I learnt from my 11 year old, who joined Instagram (a social photo sharing mobile application). He started "Liking" everyone else's photos and commenting on their pictures and within a few days he had over 150 followers. How he figured out this is the best way to get more people to "Like" you, I'll never know, but I am guessing he followed his instinct and did what others were doing. It's human nature... if someone is interested in what are do, we want to know more about them.

Ideally, the first thing you should do is join Facebook Groups - and there are plenty out there. Find pages where your potential customers are hanging out. For example, if you sell kids clothes, do a search on Groups which have the words "kids", "child", "mom", "mum" etc. Then join the Groups and observe how other members are communicating. Many groups will allow you to post comments or questions, so go ahead and give it a go. Make sure that you share useful tips and information. Never, and I repeat NEVER try to sell anything... all you are trying to do is to get people interested in who you are.

Make sure you are posting in those groups as your business page, not from you personally. To change how you post, simply click on the down arrow in the top right hand corner of your Facebook page. You will be presented with an option that says "Post on Facebook as... " then choose your business page.

While you are being interested in others, post new comments and photos on your own page, so there is fresh content as people come to visit. Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Post photos with your comments

2. Ask questions

3. Put in 'blank' statements, eg. This weekend I am going to ______________

4. Post news from your industry

5. Share "how to" tips

6. Funny stories and pictures

7. Give away free gifts such as ebooks and reports

I should probably backtrack a little bit first. Before you start getting interested in others and posting on your page, make sure your page is set up properly.

1. The large photo, also known as cover photo should be used as a branding opportunity. You can show off your products and also include branding statement and benefits of using your products / services.

2. The small profile photo should be your logo. The reason for that is as you make posts, this is what will show up next to your comments.

3. Fill out all the information about your business under "Edit Page"

Once you've done that, you are ready to start bringing in new visitors.

It is important to understand that interaction on your Facebook page is critical to your success. The more people interact, the more your posts show in their Newsfeed. Their comments may also show up in their friends' Newsfeeds, thus slowly spreading virally.

Search Engines also take note of your social activity and interactivity, so the more people Like, Share, Comment on your page, the higher it will rank.

If you own a restaurant, for example, or a camel riding business, make sure you take photos of your customers (with their permission, of course). Let them know you are planning to put their picture on your Facebook page and where possible tag them in the picture. Most people like their 15 minutes of fame and will give you permission. By tagging your customers, their friends will also see the picture and may become curious enough to click through to your page.

When you have been on Facebook for a while and understand how it works, you may consider running Facebook ads. Again, make sure you don't try to sell anything in your ads; simply ask people to "Like" your page if they agree with a certain statement, for example. One successful ad, which has brought in several hundred new likes in a short time and for very little investment, was one for Kids Universe (a business dedicated to places to go with kids). The advertisement showed a picture of an Oreo cookie and simply said "Click LIKE if you agree that cleaning the house while the kids are awake is like brushing your teeth while eating an Oreo."

One of the key things to keep in mind, Facebook is a social medium... people are there to have fun and share information. It is not a shopping cart or a sales page. Your Facebook page should be used to build brand and credibility.

Ivana Katz makes it easy for you to get your business online very quickly. If you're looking for a professional and affordable website designer, visithttp://www.web4business.com.au and download a free website plan and connect with Ivana on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Websites4SmallBusiness.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ivana_Katz 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7370451

Great Website Design 101

To have the best website design, you need to be clear of how you will use your website. Will you be simply providing information or selling products.

If you are only going to provide information and not sell products, make sure you have all of the following:

1. Professional Website Design

The website needs to be clean, easy to navigate and visually appealing. Choose one colour scheme and stick to it. Include your business logo for brand recognition.

2. Relevant Original Content

Ensure your website has as much information about your products/services as possible. When people are looking on the internet, they want the information right there and then. They don't want to have to wait until they can email you or speak to you on the phone. Consider including the following: product/service details, pricing, testimonials, frequently asked questions, useful links, survey, resources, articles, media information, etc.

3. Website Credibility

If you can prove your credibility, it will be a lot easier for you to convert visitors into paying customers.

This can be achieved by including testimonials, before and after shots, media articles published about your business, details of awards you have won and trade / industry associations you belong to. Where possible, also link to the association, so your visitors can find out more details easily.

4. Search Engine Friendliness

Make sure your website contains as many relevant keywords and key phrases as possible. Include them in the title of your page, in the headings, within the content of the site and also in your images' alt tags and description.

5. Call to Action

Don't forget to tell your customers what you want them to do on your site. If you want them to download a report, tell them where. If you want them to phone you, ensure you provide your phone number or if you wish them to email you, give them your email address.

For websites that sell products and services, you need to have all of the above, as well as:

6. Secure Payment Gateway

People often get nervous when it comes to leaving their credit card details online, so ensure you use a reputable service, such as Paypal for processing payments.

7. Privacy and Returns Policy

Let people know you will not sell or rent their personal details and clearly outline your returns policy.

8. Guarantee

Take the risk out of doing business with you by providing a money back guarantee. The longer the guarantee, the better.

Remember having great website design is not just about having a good looking website, it is also about what you include on the site.

Ivana Katz of Websites 4 Small Business makes it easy for you to get your business online. If you're looking for a professional and affordable website designer, who can also assist you with search engine optimisation, visit 

http://www.web4business.com.au and download your copy of a free website plan.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ivana_Katz

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Search Engine Optimisation 101

How Search Engines work and hence how one can optimise their website for each SE is often a mystery for website owners.

In an easy to understand video "How Search Works" Matt Cutts, Google Quality Engineer explains how Google indexes pages and then delivers results when someone does a search. The main point Matt makes is that Google asks over 200 questions of each page and then delivers pages that are most relevant.

When deciding which pages to show for each search term, some of the questions Google asks include:

Do the search words words appear in the title?
Do the keywords appear in the website address (URL)?
Does the page include synonyms for those keywords?
Is the page on a quality website or a spammy website?
What is the page's "PageRank?"
How many backlinks point back to the page?

Then Google combines all the answers, gives each page a score and delivers the results, which it feels is the most appropriate to what the visitor is searching for.

Although the exact formula for delivering search results is not known, there are basic things that you should do if you wish to rank high for certain keywords.

1. Include keywords in the Title of your pages, in the headings of your pages, in the page description and in meta keywords as well as in alt tags of your images.

2. Provide quality, original content in the website

3. Update your website regularly with fresh information

4. Get as many links as possible from relevant websites back to yours

Search Engine Optimisation is not a one off exercise... you need to keep working at it. Whilst many people try to trick the search engines, it is never a good idea, as they ultimately end up being dropped from the search engines and even banned.

Your first priority should be to find keywords which have a reasonable amount of searches each month, but for which not a lot of other websites have been optimised. There are two main tools you can use for this - Google AdWords Keyword Suggestion Tool or Wordtracker. Each works slightly differently, but both will give you an idea on the right keywords to use.

It's never a good idea to optimise your website for generic keywords, such as "travel" or "cars" for example. You want to optimise your website for keywords that people are searching for, when they are ready to buy, not for keywords that they are searching for when they are doing research.

Ultimately, Google and other search engines, such as Bing and Yahoo want to display content that is as relevant to their visitors as possible, so the more relevant content you have on your website, the better.

Remember, when one of your potential customers searches for a product/service you offer, only two outcomes are possible.

1. They find your website

2. They find your competitor's website

So the more you do, the more chances you have of your website ranking higher than your competitors.

You can certainly hire a Search Engine Optimisation company to do the work for you, but the truth is there is a lot you can do yourself. Just take one step at a time. Research your keywords, then add them to your website and build backlinks from other website to yours.

Ivana Katz of Websites 4 Small business makes it easy for you to get your business on the internet. If you're looking for a professional and affordable website designer, who can also assist you with search engine optimisation, visit 

http://www.web4business.com.au and download a copy of your free website plan.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ivana_Katz

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Vital Pages To Include On Your Site

Wondering what pages to include on your website and why? Below is a list of pages which should be considered.

Firstly, you should make a plan of what to include on each page. That way you won't repeat yourself or forget vital information. The most common pages on successful websites include:

1. Home Page (First Page)

This is the first page your customers will generally arrive at, so it is important you include details of what you can do for them. It should also give your visitors a brief overview of what they can find on your site.

2. Products / Services

It is useful to have a separate page for each product/service and write as much detail about each as possible. Start each page with a brief summary of the product/service, then provide whatever information you can. If the page appears too long, you can always break it into more pages. When people are searching for information on the internet, they want to know it NOW. They don't want to wait until tomorrow when they can speak to you on the phone. The more information you can provide about your products/services, the better.

3. Contact Us

Place contact details in as many places as possible. Make it easy for your customers to contact you. Create a special "Contact Us" page, include your details in "About Us" page and also at the bottom of each page. Information to include: business name, physical address, mailing address, telephone, fax, email, emergency number, website address.

4. Pricing

Whenever possible include the price of your products/services. Even if you can't be specific. It is helpful to put at least a range of prices, eg. Carpet cleaning ranges between $40 - $60 per room.

5. Testimonials / Product Reviews / Before & After

Include testimonials from your current customer to show your potential clients that you are trustworthy, reliable and that you offer great service and/or products. Make sure the testimonials are real and if possible provide contact details of the person who supplied you with the testimonial. If you don't have any right now, get them! Simply email your customers and ask for their feedback on your business and service. Most happy customers will gladly provide this. You could also include before and after photos.

Show the problem picture and beside it show the picture of resolution, with an explanation of your product's benefits.

6. Frequently Asked Questions

This has proven to be a great time saver for many companies. Instead of having to answer the same questions over and over again, place them on your website and keep adding to them. The more information you have on your website, the less time you will need to spend answering questions by email or phone.

Frequently Asked Questions should address your customer's concerns that may otherwise be an obstacle to making a sale.

7. Response form such as "Subscribe" or "Enquiry" form

An absolute must if you want to build a mailing list. Most people don't like giving out too much information, so ask only the basics, such as Name and Email Address. Then keep in touch with your customers on a regular basis by sending out information that may be of interest to them. You may even wish to develop your own on-line magazine (ezine). There are many fantastic free or inexpensive programs that can handle this for you. We will discuss these in more detail in future articles.

8. On-line Magazine or Newsletter

This is a great marketing tool. Not only does it help you keep in touch with your customers, but provides your website with fresh content. You can set up your Ezine in 2 different ways:

(a) Email subscribers on a regular basis or

(b) Publish it on your website. Or both. Include information about your business, industry or anything that may be of interest to your customers.

9. Resources/Articles

Add value to your business. Provide information that is complementary to what you do. For example, if you sell wedding dresses include information about reception venues, wedding planners, wedding cakes, flowers. By adding extra information you encourage more hits.

10. About Us

This is a very important page as it tells your customer about who you are and why they should buy your products, services and/or trust your organization. It can also feature your business hours (if you have a bricks and mortar store) or when they can speak to someone live. Many companies also include their mission or purpose on this page, details of their staff (photos, biographies, qualifications), recently completed projects. Other information to include: ACN or ABN, logo, directions to your store/office.

11. Guarantee

Offer a money back guarantee. The longer the guarantee, the more effective it will be. It could be 30 days, 60 days, 1 year or lifetime.

12. Survey

Find out what customers think about your website, business or product.

13. Events Calendar

This can relate to your business or industry. If you are an artist, you can feature dates where and when your art will be displayed or if you are a singer, where you will be performing.

14. Search My Website Feature

Some visitors to your side may not know exactly what they want but if you include a search function on your site, they can look for it very easily. Like search engines, this feature will allow your visitors to type in a word or phrase and then search for it on your site. It's like having your own mini search engines, only instead of it searching the world wide web, it just searches your website.

15. Return/Refund Policy

To make your customers feel more comfortable when making a transaction at your website, you should provide then with your return/refund policy. Ensure it is easy to understand and spelt out step by step.

16. Privacy Policy

Privacy continues to be a major issue for customers shopping online. Concerns about how their information is going to be used is a major barrier when making a sale. Internet shopping experience is built on trust and privacy is the number one ingredient in trust.

17. Site Map

A site map is similar to a contents. It shows visitors how the site is laid out and which sections are where.

18. Copyright Information

Your website should carry a copyright notice to protect its intellectual property. It is generally in the form of "Copyright © 2010, Your Company Name".

19. Links

Here you can place links to the manufacturers of your products, trade associations or complementary services. When you place links to other businesses, you can request they do the same for you. This will not only bring you more visitors, but may improve your search engine ranking

20. Media Information

Include any information, articles, photos of your products, staff etc that have appeared in the media - print, TV, radio or internet.

21. News

This can include news about your products/services or about your industry.

22. On-line store

An on-line store allows you sell products directly on the internet 24 hours a day/7 days a week. When building an online store it is important to take in a number of key concepts.

- Make sure that when visitors arrive at your store the navigational mechanisms are simple and effective- The actual process of placing the order must be simple- Make sure you accept common and convenient methods of payment- Continually test your store so you understand your customer's shopping experience

23. Blog

A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is "blogging" and someone who keeps a blog is a "blogger." Blogs are typically updated daily or weekly using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog. Blogs are a great tool as they help with:

(a) Communicating with your customers. Blogs provide a way for you to communicate with your customers directly.

And it is a two-way communication. You can post a message on your blog and your visitors can easily respond. Staying in touch with your customers regularly means you can build long-lasting relationships and develop their trust.

(b) Search Engine Marketing

Blogs give you an increased presence on major search engines, like Yahoo! and Google. If you use Blogger (Google's Blogging Tool), every message you post creates a new page on Google so in a very short time you could have a lot of pages pointing to your website, bringing you lots of new visitors.

(c) Stay Ahead of Your Competition

Blogs are still relatively new and chances are your competition does not yet use them. So you will be seen as an expert in your industry when you post your knowledge and expertise.

(d) Media & Public Relations

Blogs are excellent PR tools. You can post your Media Releases and articles and have them picked up by the media.

(e) Free or Low Cost

Many Blogs are free to use. Two such blogs are:

Blogger -http://www.blogger.com

WordPress - http://www.wordpress.com

(f) Easy to Use

If you can type and press a "Publish" button, you can use blogging software. The software allows you to follow easy step by step guide and provides great online help.

24. Photo Gallery

Even if you do not wish to sell your products on-line, you may wish to showcase your goods or services in a special photo gallery - show how your products or services are being used by your customers. They say "pictures speak a thousand words" and on your website it is particularly important.

Don't give your customers a reason to visit your competitor's website and provide them with all the information they may possibly need or want.

Ivana Katz makes it easy for you to get your business online very quickly. If you're looking for a professional and affordable website designer, visit http://www.web4business.com.au and download a free website plan.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ivana_Katz

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