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Solid Marketing Advice in an
Uncertain Internet Marketing World
Today was one of those days where I found
myself on the phone quite a few times talking with advertisers
where one common factor was clear over and over:
Each person:
o Was new to
the world of internet marketing
o Had yet to spend tons of money
marketing
o Is in a prime position to take the bull
by the horns and do something for themselves.
The chance I
speak of is that of creating one's own space online. Off and
on we harken back to this mantra, and for a very good reason.
[Actually,
when you read these back, everyone of us has this opportunity
- no matter what stage of "being online" you may be.]
People are
flocking to the internet to help find ways to supplement their
income. With financial conditions as they are right now in
this country (and abroad), having additional sources of income
is always a wise idea.
However,
joining programs without a plan is never a wise move.
One thing
many are unaware of is that lots of people have, no doubt,
signed up for that special program long before you found it.
While new to you, it may not be new to the net in general.
This doesn't make it an impossible program to market and
advertise, but it does make your job a tad harder.
So what can
you do?
Watch your
wallet! And, keep in mind that the three things no one ever
bashes in terms of internet and social media marketing are:
1. Ezine
advertising
2. Writing
articles
3. Blogging
Other things
come and go out of fashion. Often, by the time you hear of
something, that "something else" has been done to death, and
you will need to wait for the cycle to come back around for it
to revitalize itself.
But these
three remain untouched in terms of their effectiveness.
Let's take a
look at why:
Ezine Ads -
an inexpensive (shop around and double check before you buy)
way of running classified ads and solo ads to a large
marketing list not of your own creation. For the price, and
those willing to do their homework, ezine ads allow you to get
the word out without breaking your bank. This inexpensive form
of advertising means you have the room financially to test and
tweak. Your goal is to create that "winning and pulling" ad;
you want to get visitors to the website.
Keep in mind
when you join a program, more often than not, the ads supplied
have been used extensively by others. Re-creating them is
always your wisest move. Change them up, make them different.
Your goal is to generate interest and the click thru to the
website. Your website is your salesperson. Do not "sell" in
your ad!
Writing
Articles - almost anyone can write an article (that is true),
you just have to have the patience and determination to sit
down and plan your thoughts out, then put them on "paper." You
never, ever "sell" anything in an article. Articles are pure
information or entertainment. Your "About the Author" resource
box is the only spot you can mention what you are doing online
and include a link to your website. Time is a primary factor
since you need to designate the time to write, and don't
forget to do your homework when it comes time to submit your
work. Submitting to the proper directories that will do you
the most good is critical. Knowing which ones, and using them
properly, is your key to article success.
Blogging -
started many years ago with more of an "online journal"
approach, blogging took the internet by storm a few years
back. However, in terms of using blogs as marketing tools,
this is relatively new. Not brand new, but still shiny.
The beauty of
blogging is multi-faceted, but the primary reason to blog (if
you're thinking advertising and marketing) is it get yourself
your own spot on the web (achieved amazingly quickly with a
blog). Blogs are easy to keep current, have the changing
content search engines love, and they provide a great stomping
ground for your visitors to interact with you.
With the
right blog, adding plugins and widgets galore to drive traffic
and keep your visitors interested is a breeze. And, to top it
all off, blogging is just plain fun. (Can you say that about
your marketing efforts?)
The right
blogging system actually generates its own visitors, freeing
you up to spend more time interacting with others and less
time "promoting." Socializing online is tremendous fun!
Meeting and making even lifetime friends your extra special
bonus.
Keep these
three key factors in mind as you cruise the net. And...
One last bit
of marketing wisdom and then I'll wrap this up. Do realize
foremost that those glitzy sales pages often received tons of
market research prior to their creation. They are designed to
suck you in pure and simple. Wild claims should be taken as
just that... wild claims. No matter at what level you join up
to anything, work is required on your part for your personal
success online. To paraphrase Mad-Eye Moody, "Due Diligence!"
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR
Theresa
Cahill and her friend and business partner, Jeff Greer, are
available to help you effectively
start a
blog
and learn how to make
your internet
marketing
efforts count.
Stop by their blog anytime at Online Internet Marketing
Strategies. | 
