Practical Ways to Make Passive Income - Actual Methods to Make Money

How Do You Start An Online Store Without Any Products?

The shop keepers in your local high street don't produce everything they sell. They purchase products from a supplier, put them into stock and then mark-up the products to sell on to their customers.

When you start an online store, you don't have to purchase any products before you sell them. You can sell products that have been created by another people and when you make a sale, the product owner pays you a commission.

Welcome To The World Of Affiliate Marketing

This business model is called affiliate marketing and it's an easy route to starting your own online store. You can sell physical and digital products as an affiliate. Physical products are items that are delivered to your customer's front door. Digital products are items that your customer can download instantly to their computer after purchase.

Top Affiliate Marketing Products

The best products to sell via affiliate marketing are those that won't go out of style anytime soon. The big evergreen markets of health and fitness, money and love will never go out of fashion. People will always have problems and issues in those areas that they want solved and will be looking for someone or something to solve them. There are, of course, other affiliate niches that you could look at.

Start With Digital Products

The most profitable affiliate products are digital products, rather than physical products. People will buy digital products faster and get them as soon as they buy them. Plus, you're likely to earn more money per item when promoting and selling digital items. Digital products are generally informative. They can be eBooks, audio or video courses, newsletters, software or access to membership websites.

Solve Problems for Your Audience

You want to find products that solve problems for your audience. Search for products that you can sell as an affiliate that offer solutions for your audience. Take the time to do some research. Just because there is an affiliate product or service out there that you can sell, it doesn't mean that countless numbers of people will want to buy it.

Different Products Pay Different Commissions

Always know in advance how much commission you will get paid when you make a sale. Every affiliate program out there has a different payout process. Some pay out monthly, some make you wait until you reach a sales threshold and others have even more complicated rules. Read all the rules, and understand when and how you'll be paid.

Companies are happy to pay commissions to people just like you, in return for selling their products and services. You have the potential to make a great income when you choose the right niche, stay committed, and understand your audience. For a no-nonsense, kick-start guide to getting started, download my free checklist, Affiliate Marketing For Beginners at http://jonallo.com/affiliatechecklist

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How To Make Money With Facebook Marketing

Facebook is the most used social media platform in the world right now. It is a place where we meet new friends and connect with ones who we've lost touch with over time.

With over 1 billion active users daily, it's the perfect place for advertising or marketing products that can earn you income. You don't need to drive traffic to your account, all you need to do is to create a group/fan page and add a lot of people to it (say 5,000). That should do the trick.

How Do I Monetize My Facebook Account?
The first to do would be to create the fan page mentioned earlier and choose a niche. It could be about gaming, making money online, auto loans, healthcare, insurance. Then you add people to the page, as much as you like.

The next step would be to register as an affiliate marketer on either of ClickBank, Clickbetter, Commission Junction, LinkShare etc. Check their marketplace for products based on your selected niche that you could advertise on your fan page for a commission ( 75% - 80% at times ). After making your choice, the real marketing begins.

Then you start posting about the product you've selected and place your affiliate link with your posts. You'd be amazed at how many visits, clicks and sales you've made in hours. When I started, I was making up to $500/day and it didn't take me up to 5 days to set up the whole system.

So Facebook marketing is a very profitable business to venture into and its hassle-free. The number of people added to your fan page will be enough to get you the sales you need but you can always continue to add more people. If you have about 50,000 people on your page and more than half of them visit your links in each post, you could as well quit your day job because the revenue you're going to generate is quite massive. This might take a while to achieve but with hard work and determination, it's quite realistic and possible. A post or two everyday with new information about your subject of interest/niche would do the magic and before you realize it, you're already making tons of money online every month. Simple and easy, right?

A lot of people are currently using this method of advertising to make money and you can be one of them today. It is an effective way to earn money online and it is risk-free. It also requires little or no capital to start with. So what're you waiting for? Join the money train and take advantage of this opportunity to monetize your Facebook page.

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Step-By-Step How To Make Money Online

Are You Starting A Small Business?

Here are 3 directions that can help you succeed in today's digital business world. An online business can open the doors to a brave new world of creativity and marketing and provide you the ability to promote products at little startup cost and large potential for reward.

1. Affiliate Marketing: is a simple marketing arrangement by which an online business pays you the affiliate a commission for traffic or sales generated from its referrals, depending on the terms of the particular program. There are many types of online affiliate programs and the terms can be different from program, to program. The affiliate marketing concept can be applied to most any product from retail type consumer products that require shipping, to digital products that can be mostly automated.

Like anything there is work involved and nothing comes easy. Here are the pros and cons to take into account when thinking about starting an affiliate marketing business;

PROS: Affiliate marketing is simple to setup and you can become a reseller instantly with most affiliate programs. With low startup costs, you can earn a profit by selling just a few affiliate products in many cases. With affiliate marketing you have a very low operating cost and usually just occur domain name and hosting charges. Marketing costs should also be taken into consideration. With the ability to get started with limited-to-no-capital your risk is very low with affiliate marketing.

CONS: Affiliate marketing can be a lot of work, and in most cases you will face a lot of competition so you're not going to be bringing in money instantly, it can take time. Like any online business you need to build an online presence including your social media, content writing and basic search engine optimization. Simply said, affiliate marketing like any business, requires hard work, you can't just sit back to reap the benefits without the work.

2. Sell your Own Products: Choosing to sell your own products online can be very profitable and a smart decision. One of the first things you will require is a credit card merchant account to accept online payments and have the money deposited into your bank account. The products you sell are anything you create under your own steam. You can sell your art creations, paintings, writing skills, handmade items, and just about anything you have an interest in creating. Do some research and make sure you have a marketplace for your unique skill.

Here are some pros and cons to take into consideration when selling your own products online as a business;

PROS: Selling your own products and creations, if you enjoy creating the products you will be selling then typically you're going to enjoy the business you will be building. This might be the most important point factor to consider overall. Another benefit is low overhead because you yourself are the artist and creator of the product being sold. This can be an excellent side business to grow over time and one you can thoroughly enjoy.

CONS: Something that you put work into and enjoy creating really doesn't have much downside. One problem with selling your homemade creations is you can only produce so much. However that may be a good problem to have and you can then increase your prices to meet the new demand.

3. Virtual Assist Jobs: VA jobs or, freelance work. If you have any skills to offer like programming, writing, consulting, proofreading, language translation, bookkeeping, appointment management, record keeping, email marketing, client or customer follow up, telephone sales, tech support, customer service, research, social media management, social media setup, manage WordPress blogs, support ticket help, live chat assistant, data management and more.

These types of skills can start making you money quickly and using websites like freelancer.com your money is held in escrow so you always get paid. Freelancing websites like these also provide a vast network of eager companies and individuals that are actively searching for your specific services.

PROS: VA jobs, are easy to get started with freelancing websites if you're ready to offer your skills. Get paid easily for your service and you can set the rate you charge. Enjoy working at your own pace and build repeat clients and ongoing relationships. This is an excellent way to get paid for your time now, and not have to take the risks involved in growing a startup or online business.

CONS: There is much global competition for VA's and it can be difficult to be competitive with your hourly rates against someone in a country like India or Cambodia. Don't let this discourage you as many companies and individuals like working within their country for many reasons and be firm from the start on your work value and hourly rate.

Starting A Business Is Not Always Easy..

However;

Big satisfaction in being able to act upon your hunches, make guesses, and to simply - just do it. If you want to succeed in business you first must take some risk and spend money. Many business owners talk about owning a business as the key to job satisfaction. It's true, when you're the boss, you do own it. Not having to ask anybody can mean a great difference in the satisfaction you can achieve for your success. The first step is getting started with your merchant account then create a product page. Best of success!

Do you have a small business or product that you need to generate instant awareness for? Do you like to be in control of your marketing and message? Get a free consumer email list, and demo the powerful email marketing software platform today:

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Discover The New Way To Making Money Online

It's 2017 already and many people are gearing up for their new goals and aspirations. Back in 2005 I set a personal goal to make enough income online to quit my job and spend more time with my family. Well that goal didn't actually happen until 2012. Looking back on how I reached the goal, I realized that a lot of my struggles happen because of a lack of knowledge.

I learned my way around the internet the slow way. I've tested and tried just about every product or system you can think of. The main reason I finally succeeded was not some revolutionary discovery. It was because I was consistent in my efforts. Making money is all about persistence, no matter if you're online or offline. When ever you set a goal don't put a time limit on it. A time limit on a goal is just a reason to quit when things don't happen as fast as you would like. That took me seven years to learn.

The good news is, it doesn't and shouldn't take you that long to succeed online. I'm writing this for all current and aspiring internet marketers, affiliate marketers and product merchants. There are several ways to make real income online, that you can pay your bills with. I'm not filthy rich but I do own my time and I can afford to travel and buy things for me and my family as if I worked a regular 9-5. The biggest difference is, my income is steady growing and I'm not having to work harder. In fact I'm doing way less work than when I first started and that's truly a blessing.

You see, understanding where the demand is and how to reach the right audience is the secret. If your reading this and you want a proven way to make extra money or get off the clock. I have great news for you my friend. I've written down everything I've learned.

All the steps I took to get myself to this point and created a step by step guide that can teach anyone how to make money online.

I've also built a website where you can go and get free information and training. What ever niche you decide to work in, I've cut through all the cutter of get rich quick stuff and automated cash crap for you. What that means is, you get to save seven or more years of your time learning and get straight to the methods that really work.

You've heard the phrase" it takes money to make money" right? Well that's true, but you shouldn't be spending thousands of dollars to get started in any business unless you know what you're doing, that's a red flag! You will need certain tools and marketing software if you're doing affiliate or internet marketing. If you're going to buy and sell products on eBay and Amazon obviously you'll need some investment cash to start. No worries, I'll show you how to set up your online business for under $200.

I'd like to proudly introduce you to a true resource for online income and marketing strategies. Created for the beginner and the expert. You can search and find the best ways to make money online for you and learn at your own pace. If you set a goal to be successful on the internet this year, I strongly recommend you visit the website and take look around, all of the products, guides, services and free training you'll see have been tested and/or used by me so I know they work. All you have to decide is that you're going to be persistent and you will hit your mark.

Thanks for reading and I hope I mentioned something to help you grow.

Click To Discover The New Way

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6 Different Models Of Internet Marketing

In my last three articles, I talked about my ups and downs in affiliate marketing, the two sides of that business model and why giving value to people is more important than anything else - including self-belief in your business success. Here, I am going to explain the 6 different models of internet marketing which is quite general by its definition.

1. Affiliate Marketing  -  The first model is by far the most basic and yet essential for all newbies to get started. That is by promoting other people's products and services - be it digital or physical - and get paid in return. There are many ways you can go about doing so but that is another topic I will cover for the day.

2. E-Commerce  -  The second model is e-commerce. While it may seem similar to promoting physical products as affiliate at first glance, it is not.

What this essentially means is that instead of having a physical store which can cost you tens of thousands in rent, staff and inventory costs, you can have a virtual one in the form of an e-commerce website instead.  In contrary to the traditional model, you do not need to have huge inventory at home.

You just need to have good connections of reliable suppliers who are willing to deliver the products for you to your customers while making sure they are in great condition and exactly what your customers required upon placing orders.

The only con is that building an e-commerce store is very challenging. Especially for a beginner who does not know anything about web design.

Even if you hired a freelancer, you may have to pay hundreds and even thousands of dollars because of the perceived value as in your store can earn you much more than what you invest initially in the long run though you do not get to make that money immediately.

3. Local Business Consulting  -  If you are already proficient in building websites and getting them ranked on top of Google, you can be a local business consultant to offline business owners whether they are running companies, cafes or shops.

If you are able to get customers throughout other online strategies as well, that will be even better.

However, I do not recommend this to newbies as most business owners are very selective in who to hire the same way as who they should employ in job interviews.

4. Freelancing  -  You can also do freelance work for internet marketers if you are good in building websites, writing content like articles, blog posts, e-books and short reports, designing banners, e-covers and graphics.

But do not expect to get high pay unless you are an experience programmer and software developer.

You may head down to sites like Elance, Fiverr and Guru to offer your services.

5. Mobile Apps  -  This is another profession you may consider if you like to learn and earn from designing mobile apps for people.

Given the fact that iPhones are very popular these days and people tend to surf web through those to laptops and desktops, this is another model you should consider.

6. Creating And Selling Your Own Information Products  -  I did cover this topic briefly in my article on the Two Sides Of Affiliate Marketing Coin.

What this means is you write your e-books and design your own video tutorials teaching people on how to do certain things based on your expertise and experience.

It does not have to be just internet marketing.

It can be other things like smart business investing, wise financial management, personal development and health-related topics.

Or even hobbies based on your personal passion as well as that of others.

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Free Affiliate Marketing Ideas

Are you looking for some inspiration for Free Affiliate Marketing Ideas? In this article, I will show you and list some ideas that hopefully will have you thinking abstractly for your Free Affiliate Marketing Ideas. If you have a website currently, and are trying to find a way to advertise it and where to go next, we are here to help!

This is a top 3 list. It is intended to get you thinking "outside the box" for Free Affiliate Marketing Ideas for your website.

Now, if you are ready, let's dive right in!

Free Affiliate Marketing Idea #1 - Facebook

I think everyone can agree that Facebook has some of the most views per day as any website on the net. However, not only are the page views astronomical, people that use Facebook are engaged with Facebook. The are far more apt to click on a link to learn more, than, say, a random pop-up advertisement. You can engage your audience on Facebook with thoughtful posts, which leads to a great opportunity for Free Affiliate Marketing! People are far more willing to try something if they know the person, and trust the person, that they are trying or buying from. This is just one Free Affiliate Marketing Idea. Let's take a look at some more.

#2 Twitter

Coming in at least a close second for page views and engagement is Twitter. This Free Marketing Affiliate Idea is as easy as Facebook, and if used correctly, can garnish just as many views, and potential sales, or more, as Facebook. Twitter has an inherent benefit that Facebook is just catching on to. Hashtags. If you can creatively intertwine your Affiliate product with a trending Hashtag, then you can potentially reach hundreds, thousands, or more, potential customers. An example, during the election, you could have used the trending #Election2016 hashtag to expand your base. But, you must be careful with this. You want your message and link relevant to the hashtags that you use. No one likes a spammer. Especially Twitterers.

#3 Craigslist

The power of Craigslist cannot be underestimated. This free classified site is estimated to have 20 billion page views... per month. ( http://www.statisticbrain.com/craigslist-statistics/ ) Now, obviously, your advertisements will probably not receive a fraction of those views. However, those are 20 billion potential customers - depending on what they are looking for. That makes Craigslist one of the best Free Affiliate Marketing Ideas. This is another forum to use caution to prevent banning. If you spam, you will get banned. Make sure that you keep your ads relevant to the category that you post to.

In Conclusion

The above three items are to me the "Big Three" for Free Affiliate Marketing Ideas. The all are relevant sites that between them receive billions of views per month. They are, obviously, free. The all have active and engaged users. Present them with a problem that they have and that you can fix, and voila! Traffic on demand. Just remember, as with all things marketing, be real. Don't spam. People can see through the spam.

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5 Steps on How to Start Affiliate Marketing for Beginners

Introduction

Transitioning from a guaranteed paycheck to the murky entrepreneurial waters can be a very intimidating step. The what-if this happens conversation going on in the mind just seems to get louder and louder.

Despite a firm belief that going into business is undoubtedly the most rewarding way to live life, getting rid of that fear. But that is OK, at some point we all figure out to take action.

Some Good News At Last  We live in a day and age where going into business doesn't have to be so intimidating anymore. Those days are gone. In fact, it's even easier to become successful without trying too hard as long as you have the right information available to you and a willingness to develop some success habits. When I think about it, it almost seems like the hardest decision for anyone thinking about quitting their 9-5 job is actually deciding to quit and surviving that farewell office party of course!

The Affiliate Marketing Business Model  If you are looking for a simple, proven business model for how to transition from employee to entrepreneur then consider affiliate marketing. I think of affiliate marketing as a process of writing one's own paycheck. However, the industry standard definition is: The process of earning a commission by promoting other people's (or company's) products. All you have to do is find a product you like, promote it to others, and earn a piece of the profit for each sale that you make.

The Process Of Affiliate Product Sourcing  With tons of affiliate products and services out there and many more coming into the marketplace every day, one needs a clear action plan to find a great product to promote. The 5 steps outlined in the next section should get anyone pretty close to their online business dream. The rest really depends on one's own desire to succeed online and a crazy intense passion for creating a lifestyle where you live, work and play on your own terms. The only obstacle that could really be standing in your way here is you the person and limiting beliefs we all seem to harbour within.

1. Quality Is Key  Focus on settling for great quality products/services only. Chances are if it's quality, the company's entire supply chain process and customer support are of high quality too. It's also a good indicator the company is founded on high integrity, has quality people as employees and is genuinely out there trying to offer the best value in the niche market they are in.

2. A Big Solution For A Big Problem  Seek out niche markets where there are big problems to be solved. You then follow that up with research for a quality solution. In a previous post on HOW TO START A PROFITABLE ONLINE BUSINESS from scratch, I touched on why it is advisable to create an online business that focuses on fixing big problems and if possible, the very painful ones.

3. Look For Overwhelming Value  We live in a society where we are very enlightened and informed. Online feedback and reviews can make or break your online business overnight. Find a program that offers valuable free gifts. The only feedback from your customers, once they receive their free gift, should be wow.

4. Integrated Suite Of Products  Settle for programs that have a range of other quality products that customers will want to keep coming back for. Variety is good and it also helps in building a solid fanbase, which is good for business growth.

A perfect example of an integrated product suite is The Apple Brand of Products. Think about their product line. Personally, since I got a taste of Apple in 2012 via my MacBook Pro I have never looked back. Now, chances are if someone is an iPhone user, there's a good chance that an iPad and an iMac can be found in close proximity. Would you agree? You are looking for an affiliate program that can do just that.

5. It's All About You  Pick programs offering products that are an extension of you. See yourself using what you are offering, see yourself getting overwhelming value from using that product, see yourself pain-free from the effects of the product.

Remember the last time you recommended a favourite Italian restaurant to a friend who's just moved into an area you have lived in before? It almost feels like you own the darn joint yes? Why is that? You even catch yourself thinking that the restaurant owner should start paying you for all the recommendations you 'dish' out on their behalf! That right there is the whole point. You should have that same feeling for what you become affiliated with. It's an extension of you.

I am personally affiliated with the six-figure mentors. The knowledge, education and values they represent as well as their overall mission as a company are all things I identify with every day.

Money Matters  Understand how you will get paid. Read and understand the program's compensation plan.After all, if you are going to work hard, re-skill and spend time and money on marketing, you need to know how the money flows back to you in return.

Research  As with any business, do your own research and remember the points we just discussed. It's your business and no one will mind your business better than you. Think like an entrepreneur and seek guidance from someone who's doing it. They could act as your mentor. Success leaves clues and walking in the shadows of someone who has achieved the results you seek as an affiliate marketer should be seriously considered. Starting out online is not an instant success. There's work involved.

The Promise Of Affiliate Marketing  Affiliate marketing provides a simple transition from employee to entrepreneur and with the right affiliate program, you could look very cool doing it. Why? You could start earning and replacing your income well before you quit your job and if the program is good, you could pick up brilliant marketing education and other business skills that will serve you well when you finally launch your own ideas to market.

Final Thought  Remember these words from the great Napoleon Hill in his book Think & Grow Rich:

"selling is the World's number 1 paid profession". And he was right.

Wishing you heaps of success.

"It Always Seems Impossible Until It is Done - Nelson Mandela"

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How Affiliate Marketing Works - A Step By Step Guide For Beginners

Looking to make an income online? Got a computer / laptop and an Internet connection? Then Affiliate Marketing could be the simplest and quickest path to fulfilling your dream.

Here, you'll discover the 6 simple steps that will take you from complete beginner to Affiliate Marketer in as little as 48 hours.

WHAT IS AFFILIATE MARKETING?  Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing system where a product vendor pays an "affiliate" a commission when someone buys their product. That "someone" having been referred to the vendor by the "affiliate."

And it all happens online: You have a web presence, usually a website, that you attract like-minded visitors to, where you "warm them up" to the idea that the product you're promoting (as an affiliate) is the perfect answer to their pressing problem or need.

That "product" could be physical (books, CDs, DVDs, clothing, jewelry, natural medicines, etc.) or digital (e-books, e-reports, software, online courses / trainings, etc.).

When your visitor clicks on your affiliate link (on your site) they are redirected to the vendor's site, where the vendor will close the sale; a lot easier after you've warmed them up! When your site visitor buys the vendor's product you get paid a commission.

For example, if the product cost $100 and you get, say, 50% commission, you'll get paid $50! And all for, basically, introducing someone with a pressing problem or need to someone who can fix that problem.

Affiliate marketing is ideal for beginners starting out online as it has a very low barrier to entry: it's a very simple process that doesn't need any particular technical skills, you don't have to have your own product, and it doesn't cost the earth to get started. In fact, you can get going for less than $20!

And, you don't have to do selling, or fulfillment, or keep stock, or deal with payment systems, and you don't have to deal with customers; the vendor does that.

All YOU need is an Internet connection and a computer / laptop and you're good to go.

AFFILIATE NETWORKS  Because affiliate marketing is so profitable for both affiliate and vendor, over the years many "affiliate networks" have sprung up to help both affiliates and vendors manage their affairs much more efficiently and easily.

Vendors can attract affiliates by advertising their products on these networks and affiliates can easily find products to promote. Once an affiliate decides to promote a certain product the network assigns an affiliate link / ID so that sales of that product can be linked back to the affiliate.

The affiliate network also takes on responsibility for managing the flow of money between vendor and affiliate either by electronic transfer or check. It also charges a small fee to both vendor and affiliate for the service.

There are many affiliate networks to choose from, but a beginner to affiliate marketing can easily get started with "ClickBank" and / or "Amazon."

GETTING STARTED WITH AFFILIATE MARKETING  

1. Choose Your Niche and Product  The first step is to decide which niche you wish to operate in. A "niche" is a group of people with very similar interests, e.g. gout sufferers, broken relationships, looking for car insurance, how to make money online, etc. But, of course, it also has to have proven "buyers" in it in order to make money.

So how do you find a profitable niche with lots of profitable products you can promote?

A very quick way to do this is to search affiliate networks for niches that have several products that their stats tell you are selling well. If there are lots of products that are selling well, you now know that the niche is a profitable one, and, the buyers in that niche like those products.

In other words, there's no second guessing; you know for a fact that you can make money in that niche and you know for a fact which products are successful, unlike if you had to develop your own product!

Once you're happy with a product, you sign-up as an affiliate for it and are given a unique link that you place on your website. When a visitor clicks on that link they go to the vendor's sales page where, if they buy, you get paid the commission assigned to that product.

2. Get Your Domain Name  Before you setup your website you need to get a domain name based around your niche. For example, fastgoutcure.com, weightlossforseniors.com. Get the idea? This will become your website "address."

Two of the most popular domain registrars are "GoDaddy" and "NameCheap."

3. Get Hosting  Next, you need to get hosting for your website. This is where all your website files will be stored and secured. When someone enters your domain name in their browser they will be directed to your website.

There are very many web hosting companies out there, but you can't go far wrong as a newbie by going with "HostGator."

4. Set-Up Your Website  You then need to set-up your website. This needs to be highly relevant to, and laser-focused on, your chosen niche and product. For example, having a website about "arthritis" and trying to promote a product that cures "gout" will neither rank well in the search engines nor make sales.

Although gout and arthritis are linked medically, most people don't know that, so they'll be searching for "arthritis" solutions or "gout" solutions and Google will present webpages on their search results that reflect that. So always stay laser-focused!

You need a platform or specialist software to build your website. The most popular platform today by far is "WordPress" which is free. Most good hosting companies like HostGator allow you to select WordPress directly from within your hosting control panel in just a couple of clicks.

5. Add Great Content  There's a saying in marketing that "content is king!" I like to say that "GREAT content is king!" So the content on your website has to be highly relevant to, and laser-focused on, your niche, such that your site visitors get great value (and know they great value) from it.

For example, if your site is about "gout" you write content about what causes it, its symptoms, how it's diagnosed, how it's treated, any natural remedies, any specific diets, lifestyle changes, and so on. Give top tips, some recipes, the latest studies, news, etc. That is, keep adding "value."

6. Drive Traffic (Visitors)  Now, you can have the best website in the world, the best product(s) to promote that will definitely, absolutely, help your target audience; but, if nobody ever lands on your site, you might as well not have bothered!

So getting visitors (called "traffic" in Internet marketing) to your website is absolutely critical to your success and to helping all those people who are desperately searching for a solution to their problem.

There's basically two ways to get traffic; "pay for it" or "get it free."

Paid traffic is things like advertising on other niche websites, Google, Bing, Facebook, etc. You can also pay people who have large email lists in the same niche as you to send out a promotional email of yours to their list.

But paying for traffic may not be the best option when starting out because you really need to know what you are doing because it's very easy to get "burnt" when you don't.

Free traffic comes from things like Search Engine Optimization (SEO) which is the art of getting your website on page 1 of Google, Bing, and other search engines.

You can also get tons of free traffic from posting great content (with links back to your site) on Social Media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. When people click on your link they end up on your website.

You can produce simple, short, YouTube videos that can drive traffic to your site via your site link in the video description.

One very popular way to drive free traffic to your site is to post comments on blogs and forums in the same or similar niche to you.

Another very simple way to get free traffic is by publishing short articles in Article Directories such as EzineArticles. The article you're reading right now is an example of this technique.

This also has the added benefit that other website owners in your niche are allowed to copy and publish your article on their sites, but they must leave your website link intact so that you can get free traffic from THEIR site too!

So, here's your affiliate marketing checklist:

1. Choose Your Niche and Product

2. Get Your Domain Name

3. Get Hosting

4. Set-Up Your Website

5. Add Great Content

6. Drive Traffic (Visitors)

If you're a beginner to affiliate marketing don't be overawed by all this; it really is very easy to get going. Anybody, and I mean anybody, who has an Internet connection and a computer or laptop can be up and running, ready to start taking commissions, in as little as 48 hours. And all without any previous experience.

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4 Tips for Effective Emails

Just like social media, email marketing has become a staple in how businesses drive sales and retain customers. Creating an effective email marketing campaign can result in significant increases in sales, retention, and customer satisfaction. Follow these four tips to start sending effective emails today:

Catchy Subject Lines

Just like a gatekeeper can block a person from getting to their intended recipient, a weak subject line may prevent your email from being opened. Think about it: the subject line is the first thing that the recipient will see. First and foremost: make sure you're consistent with your brand. If you tend to have more of a humorous approach to your communications, then keep your email subject line light. If you're all business, then keep the subject buttoned-up. While there's no silver bullet to creating a catchy subject line, consider some of the following ideas: 

• Ask a Question: "Is your business getting the most out of social media?" The idea here is that the recipient will have to open the email to find out.
• Mention a mutual connection: "John Doe told me to reach out." A personal connection is always a sure-fire way to grab someone's attention.
• Tell them what's inside: "New Updates to your platform inside!" This will make the recipient want to open your email to find out.
• Use actionable language: "Catch a pass from Tom Brady!" wins over something like "Local Sports Hero Visiting." It helps the reader visualize actually being there.

Think about the kind of language that piques your interests and gets you to open an email, and always keep it short and sweet.

Get Right to the Point

Think about how you read your emails. Most email is scanned beginning with the subject line and preview pane, and not read in its entirety at all. Don't inundate the beginning of your emails with an over-abundance of images, icons, and introductory language. Instead, use that space to get to point of your email. If have images and other related copy, put it after the primary point at the beginning, and then restate it at the end.

Personalize

This works in two primary ways. If you have the recipients first name, use it in your introductory line. Something as simple as "Hi John," goes a long way. Many email marketing platforms such as MailChimp and Constant Contact have tools that automatically fill in your contacts first name in your emails blasts. Then, if you have a working relationship, following with a friendly greeting is a great way to truly personalize the message. Something as simple as "It was great speaking with you last week!" goes a long way as well.

Add Value

These days, everyone gets inundated with emails day-in, day-out. Before you send your email, think about what sets your email apart from others. By and large, people join email lists not only to learn more about their interests but also to receive something of value just for being signed up. Think of your email list as something of a VIP club and try to treat your subscribers as such. If you're sending a sales-related email, consider including an exclusive deal for your email subscribers. If it's an update to existing customers, try to give them something they can use - helpful tips and tricks, tools, or first access to new features.

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Where Do You Start With Email Marketing?

Nobody ever says "I wish I could receive more emails". So when somebody signs up to receive emails from you they are giving you very special permission to send them information.

Email marketing is about making real connections with real people who want to hear from you. As they receive your messages, they'll grow more attached to your brand, engage with your content and be much more likely to buy from you.

So where do you start with email marketing?

1. Determine Your Objective

What do you want email marketing to accomplish for you? Do you want to increase sales for your product or service? Do you want to develop relationships with subscribers? How will it fit with your overall marketing strategy?

2. Identify Your Ideal Subscriber

Your can't sell everything to everyone so the more focused you are your ideal subscriber, the easier it will be to connect to that individual. What problems can your product or service solve for them? How can you make their life easier or more comfortable?

3. How Will You Get Email Addresses?

You can't use email marketing if you don't have any email addresses to send your messages. The most common way to build a list of addresses is via an email opt-in form on your website. Or you can direct prospects to a specific landing page where they are offered something for free, like a report or eBook, in exchange for their email address.

4. What Are You Going To Email Them?

A lot of businesses know that they need email marketing to develop their business, but get stuck trying to decide what type of content to send their subscribers.There is a whole variety of options. You can send welcome emails when somebody joins your email list, educational emails about your niche or industry, newsletters, e-courses and, of course, promotional emails where you're offering products for sale.

5. How Often Should Use Email Marketing?

There's no one right or wrong answer for how often you should send emails. If you've got nothing of value to say via email, then don't send an email. If you send an email every day for two weeks then wait three weeks before sending the next one, your subscribers may have forgotten about you. Remain consistent. If you email once per week, stick to that schedule and ensure that every email you send provides value to your subscriber.

You have to give your prospects something of value in exchange for their email address. And if you're offering a boring, 'seen it all before' report that doesn't address your visitor's problems with any urgency, they won't be enticed to give you their email details.

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Science Of Persuasion

10 Reasons Why You Should Start An Online Business

Whether you are attracted to an internet business because you hate your current job, want to improve your circumstances, or would like a more flexible lifestyle, the internet offers all these opportunities.

Why An Internet Business?

1- Flexibility

Many people come to find themselves with an internet business through necessity rather than deliberate creation. For me, I needed a flexible job which I could work around contract work. It didn't come in often but when the phone rang, I needed to take the work. This presented all kinds of problems. Normal work didn't pay as well and employers didn't want me taking large chunks of time off when the other work came in!

I tried juggling several jobs over a number of years but nothing seemed to fit. At around the same time I was attempting to use e-bay to buy and sell for a bit of extra money. It wasn't until later that I discovered affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing, for those who don't know is a kind of referral selling. You point links from your website to other people's goods and services. The link is tracked so that when you make a sale you are rewarded for it with a commission.

Once you know how to do this you can set up links from your online content to other people's products and services. You can also use paid advertising to find people all over the world to sell to. This was perfect for my work because I could take my laptop anywhere with me and as long as I had an internet connection I could work. It didn't interfere with the work when it came up, I had no boss to answer to so it was the perfect solution.

2 - Automation

There's also a number of other reasons why I chose an internet business - and why you should too! The flexibility of the business was my primary concern. I wanted to be able to choose my own hours so I could take work when it came without any complications. But the other reason I chose this particular model was the ability to use technology to 'leverage' my time and income.

Once I had a website and content up and running, it kept going and I was able to make sales and deliver products without being physically present. This is the 'magic' of an online business. The automation involved with an online business means that you can do the work once and let that work keep running in the background. You can make sales and deliver products over and over through the same piece of content or advert, which can run an virtual autopilot 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year.

Each piece of content you create can send people to a landing page and sell a product. By creating many pieces of content and sharing them online you can build multiple sources of income which can all run continually, working as your own 'automated sales team'.

3 - Ability To Scale

Along with this amazing automation is the ability to scale your business. Because there is no human intervention in the 'sales loop', multiple sales can happen instantaneously through the same platforms. Your content and advertising can be grown over time and scaled instantly (in the case of paid advertising). As your content gets more shares and more people flow through your website and content, your sales grow as a result. If you use paid advertising you can also scale a profitable campaign up easily by increasing your daily budget.

The automation of an online business makes it very easy to scale. In the case of a physical business this often means more staff, sales tools, larger office space and a whole lot more expense and hassle. With an online business everything is already in place. You simply need to send more customers through the automated sales systems with content and/or paid advertising methods.

4 - Low Startup Costs

When I started an online business I did it from my own pocket. I didn't need a massive loan and I worked at a level which suited my budget. An internet business is very cost effective and you can start from scratch from pretty much any budget. If you have more to invest you can grow it faster with paid advertising. But, if you are on a budget like I was when I got started, you can get started easily and cheaply.

With a regular 'bricks and mortar' business there are many overheads to consider. Your costs include a business premises, staff, hardware and stock. Then there's advertising and delivery costs. With an online business you just need a laptop and an internet connection - two things many people already have. Your main cost is getting the right education and learning the best strategy to build on.

5 - Simplicity

Technology has made it much easier than was previously possible to set up your own website and learn how to use simple online platforms to connect people to products and services. Advertising and content creation is now available for anyone to use. Websites can be set up with a few clicks and anyone with an email can learn to use the tools and strategies of online marketers.

Whereas previously website building was the domain of the tech savvy programmer, now anyone can use simple user friendly platforms and programs. An online business sounds like something for a technical person, but anyone can now learn the skills needed to build their own online business.

6 - Control

An internet business gives you control over your life. Of course it takes time to build up to a stage where it can replace your current income. But the flexibility of an internet business means you can work it around your existing employment until you can make this happen.
Once your income is beyond that of your employment, you are in a very good position to take charge of your life. You don't have to do the daily commute, or put up with an uncomfortable working situation. If you don't like your job you can quit. Don't like your boss? Fire him/her!
One of the very best things about an internet based business is the control it gives you over your life. You can also build your work around your lifestyle, rather than the other way round. Most people are forced to put work first in everything they do. Family time, holidays and hobbies all tend to depend and evolve around work. An internet business allows you to prioritize the things in your life which mean the most. It can put you back in the driving seat of your life, both in terms of what you earn and how you spend your time.

7 - Work From Anywhere

Not only does an internet business offer great flexibility in terms of working hours but it also offers you the choice to work from anywhere globally. This appeals to many people who would otherwise be more trapped by conventional work in a localized workplace.
For me, it was the flexibility of being able to choose my own hours and not have a boss. But for many the ability to travel anywhere globally is the most important factor to owning their own online business.
Take your laptop anywhere with an internet connection and work while abroad and travelling.

8 - Learn Life Skills

The skills I have learned from building my own internet business also make me much more employable. I also worked for an internet based company with the skills I learned from my laptop while sitting at home!

Being able to reach people globally and target specific types of people is a great skill and very desirable in business too. I was also able to use the knowledge I learned online to build one of my other physical businesses much more quickly by using both my website building skills and paid advertising.

The internet is a fantastic opportunity for anyone to be able to improve themselves, learn new skills and build another source of income. Skills learned are yours for life, whether or not you continue down the path of building an online business.

9 - Independence

We might believe ourselves to be independent but many of us are very dependent on our work for income. As such, our employers tell us how much we can earn, how much holiday we can take and what we will be doing while at work. Financial independence is the ultimate freedom.

When we are financially independent we can take a holiday whenever we please and work in our own time and on our own agenda. An online business gives you the automation and independence to live life on your terms, without the agenda of an employer running your life.

10 - Sovereignty

Being an owner gives you sovereignty. The ability to call the shots in your business is what many entrepreneurs aspire to. As a business owner your actions determine whether you make a success of your business or not.

Having a successful online business gives you the kind of freedom which most people will never see in their lifetime. The ability to create your own life on your terms is the reward of having worked hard on your business and on yourself.

Not having a boss, choosing your own working hours and choosing who you spend time with are all luxuries which are earned from working hard on your own business.

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