5 Common Mistakes Online Entrepreneurs Make

Every single year, thousands of people try their hand at online marketing. The unfortunate truth is that most of them fail miserably and leave the scene with their tail between their legs. Just like the fox and the sour grapes, they tell themselves that the whole internet marketing industry is a scam, and all those who succeed at it are scammers.

In reality, most of these beginners make cardinal errors in judgment and sabotage their own chances of success. To become a successful online entrepreneur requires knowledge, perseverance, a dash of luck, patience and a truckload of "massive action taking."

There is no other way to succeed online. The illusion of a laptop lifestyle by some sun-kissed beach in the Caribbean is exactly that - an illusion. It only becomes a reality when you've put in the work and have automated systems in place that generate passive income day after day, month after month.

To reach this stage, there are 5 common mistakes that you absolutely must avoid. Failing to do so will almost always guarantee failure and leave you stuck in the muck and mire of mediocrity. Maybe that's a bit harsh, but it sure drives home the point.

1. Waiting To Feel Ready

This is the biggest mistake of all. Most beginners are stuck in a hamster wheel of learning but not doing. They get their little paws on every eBook that they find, they watch every YouTube video out there on making money, they attend every pitch fest disguised as a "Webinar", but they don't do the one thing that matters.

They don't TAKE ACTION. This is the most important step. You learn by doing. You can't learn to swim if you won't jump in the pool. Start doing, and you'll overcome your inertia and get the ball rolling. You'll start seeing results and know what else needs to be done to succeed.

2. Your Business Model Is Not Passive

Initially, you may need to do everything yourself because you're just starting out and learning the ropes. You might be bootstrapping your business and funds may be tight. This is perfectly understandable.

However, your business should be able to run without your presence when it is successful. You should be able to scale your online business by automating tasks and outsourcing where necessary.

To truly succeed online, you'll need help from others. It's impossible to do everything yourself. Hire people to handle your support, or do your graphics or create your content.

Focus on only doing the most important income generating activities. The other extraneous stuff can be handled by your virtual assistants.

3. Expecting Success Online Because You Have a Degree

It may come as a huge blow to the ego, but your paper qualifications do not hold much water in internet marketing. Many newbies fresh out of school with impressive qualifications, expect it to be a cake walk online.

When reality hits them that their degree has no bearing on their success, it can be a bitter pill to swallow. Being an online marketer is about profits, and not wages. If you're looking to be hired at a company, your university degree will matter.

When you're selling online, your customers can't give two hoots if you have a degree or a Dalmatian. They just want products that are of value, and which help them. If you can deliver these two, you'll make the money. The focus is always on the customer, and not the fancy credentials after your name.

4. Failing To Adopt a Profitable Online Business Model

When starting out online, there are many paths to follow. Some can be scaled up and become wildly profitable, while others have invisible ceilings. If you become an info-product creator, you're only limited by your imagination and skills.

However, if you become an article writer at a content mill online, your earnings will be dictated by what they pay you. You'll also only be able to take on so many jobs in one day because your time is limited.

Always choose a business model that will allow you to scale up, and where you can set your own prices.

5. Focus On Your Strengths

This is a big one too. You absolutely MUST follow your strengths. If you have a good personality and can make interesting videos that get a lot of views, that's your strength. Go with video marketing and make a killing there.

Do not try to become a writer and struggle to write and sell content because you heard that's where the money's at. Or try to jump into graphic design and spend five hours creating an eyesore.

Focus on your strengths and exploit them to their fullest. You'll shine at what you do, and make enough money online to be considered a success. You'll probably end up influencing other beginners to do what you do, when that's not their strength to begin with. The vicious cycle never ends.

All online entrepreneurs should do their best to avoid these 5 most common mistakes and they should find success online.

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Internet Marketing Is Simple - But Not Easy

There are many misconceptions about Internet Marketing circulating today. Some see it as a "Get-Rich-Quick" scheme - which it most certainly isn't. Others preach a message of doom and gloom: "It doesn't work; it's a rip-off; it's a waste of time and money" - which, again, it most certainly isn't. The more informed and open-minded see it as a great business opportunity which, like almost everything else in life, can produce great results for those prepared to put in the work - which it certainly is!

Whether you succeed at internet marketing is far more up to you than any other factors. For most people beginning an online business there is a lot of new information to take on board, a lot of new skills to learn. The actual process of internet marketing is well-known and easily understood. Almost any informational sources will tell you, it is just about following a pathway which has been trodden by many successful entrepreneurs over the last few years. By following in the footsteps of those who have walked the path before and doing exactly what they did you will succeed. This is good advice! You must be prepared to do what needs to be done with a single-mindedness of purpose. You can only reap what you sow. However, as I said in my headline, internet marketing is simple - but not easy.

The secret to success is through consistency and persistency. You will have tough days and exasperating failures at times but, if you are able to accept these and be prepared to learn from your mistakes, success will eventually come. Promise yourself that you will never give up however difficult it becomes at times. Many people are making very significant amounts of money from internet marketing so keep in your mind just what your success will mean to both you and your family.

"Anything worth doing is worth doing well", says the proverb. This is so true. Set out to do everything to the very best of your ability, follow your plan to the letter and don't be distracted. You are likely to be bombarded with all sorts of information offering a new way or a better way of running an online business. Keep your head down, keep your focus to follow the plan you have set out for yourself. Once you have begun to make money you can start to explore other options - and not before! Remember you are running a business which could ultimately change your life so treat it as such. Once it turns into little more than a 'hobby' your chances of success will be zero.

To draw on my musical background, all instrumentalists will tell you that practising scales is an essential part of learning to play well. However, not many would admit to enjoying practising scales. It is work that has to be done but takes willpower and commitment to do it. It takes a certain mindset to do this essential work. The enjoyment and satisfaction ultimately comes from using your improved technique to play the music you really want to play and to be able to play it better. I'm sure you can see the parallel.

My headline was "Internet Marketing Is Simple - But Not Easy" which really is true. The process is straight-forward but applying that process is not. Your eventual success, however, depends on you and your ability to see it through; to learn what needs to be learnt and to do what needs to be done. I wish you every success in your business.

Robert Hinchliffe is an experienced writer on the subject of internet marketing and related topics. If you have found this article of help and would like to learn more about how to earn money with a profitable online business, please visit http://www.internetmarketingmanual.com for further information on the subject. Internet marketing is the business of today. Discover how you can become a part of it.

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5 Elementary Ways of Online Marketing

Online Marketing can be referred as another tool for digital or internet marketing. It is the marketing of your brand and products through digital media, that is, the Internet using various tools and sources of media. The most important thing is to create a brand reputation which helps you to drive maximum sales. Also reaching out to customers have become easier through online media which encourages engagement with your customers.

In this article, I would like to share ways of online marketing by which you can build up a brand reputation and can help you to drive sales.

Read on...

1. Content Marketing

It includes posting blogs, eBooks and interesting content on the web. Basically, it is the marketing of the content that you post on your website including infographics and videos. If the quality of the content is worth reading and sharing, then no doubt people will start reading your blog which will build a brand and quality reputation. This also helps you to get organic traffic.

2. Social Media Marketing

As we know people are more active on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and others. Using social media to market your content and brand increases brand awareness and website traffic. Posting updates on social media go viral within seconds. Also, responding to complaints, requests, and praise becomes easier.

3. Email Marketing

According to research, it has been noted that people check their emails 8 or more times a day. Email Marketing is leading the way for sales by sending helpful, relevant messages to the email contacts that have subscribed to receive emails from you. It helps to keep your customers engaged with your company and build brand loyalty.

4. Online Advertising

Advertising through digital medium involves publishing your ads on various websites, social media platforms and even on search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. It is generally paid or performed on the commission basis as pay per click on third party websites. You can also use Google AdWords as well. It also helps to gain website traffic and deliver marketing messages to the right customers.

5. Online Surveys

These can be sent as web forms, generally on email or you can create a page on your website for the survey form. It stores the database with answers which act as analytics to your brand. This helps to examine and evaluate the reputation you are building with your customers. You can improve by knowing the flaws in building your brand reputation.

Above article is associated with techstack which is providing digital marketing course in delhi with more than 25 modules of digital marketing.

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5 Important Aspects of Internet Marketing

The Internet has boomed especially in the last decade. It has provided an ample number of opportunities to businesses of every genre. Business owners have also realized the huge potential of the online world which has made them ponder about the various marketing strategies. Hiring an Internet Marketing Company has become a common trend for most of the firms. However, before investing your money in the various Internet marketing techniques, it is important that you keep in mind the below-mentioned 5 Important Aspects of Internet Marketing.

Importance of Content

This is one of the foremost aspects of successful marketing of a website. In today's competitive world, it is necessary to have a content that is unique and amazing to read. The only way to make your visitors engaged to your website is to serve them with quality and informative content. There is no point in posting useless or irrelevant content as it would put a scar in the minds of your visitors about your website.

Design of Your Website

The design of a website plays a pivotal role in the retention of visitors on your website. Thus, it becomes important that your website must be such that it keeps your visitors engaged and prompts them to explore more. This will in return prove to be very beneficial for your business as some of these visitors would get converted into your loyal customers. All your products and services showcased on your website will be of no use if they are not backed up by an amazing design.

Be Social

The impact of social media platforms is not hidden from anyone. With the advent of smartphones more and more users have become active on these platforms. With the perspective of businesses, social media is considered one of the most Affordable Internet Marketing strategy. All you need to do is create on account on these social media platforms and start promoting your business. This is beneficial especially for all the startups or the new players in the market. With the medium of social media, they will be able to create an awareness about their products in the minds of the visitors.

Building Links

Earning links from the top websites is not an easy task. Due to this reason, most of the companies hire professionals that have expertise in link building. The major search engines like Google, Yahoo etc, consider these links while displaying their search results. In today's time, quality is all that matters. Therefore, special attention needs to be given on the relevancy and quality of your website. Getting a link from a recognized and reputed website will do wonders for your website.

Web Analytics

Website analytics will enable any business owner to have a clear idea about the actual traffic that has been received on his website. One great way of doing is by making use of Google analytics. This will allow you to know how your website was found, what were the keywords that were used for searching the website, what all pages were viewed, the number of active visitors on your website and much more.

Conclusion

All the points that are mentioned in this article are considered really important for effective Internet marketing. Each aspect has its own importance and must not be neglected. Following them will prove very helpful for your business website.

Do let me know your view about the article in the comments section below.

Morris Edwards is the blogger here. He is working for Awebstar, providing Affordable Internet Marketing Services in Singapore. If you want your business to rank higher in search engine results Awebstar can prove to be your right choice.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9695496

Simple Strategy Of Online Marketing 2

First, choose your niche. Health, finance and business, relationships, self-improvement... choose something you enjoy yourself that's filled with people who spend money. The hungrier your market, the better.   Either create a lead magnet or have one created for you. It should be an offer so enticing that visitors can't help but opt-in to get it. Put an upsell after that squeeze page to earn some up-front money.

Run solo ads or Facebook ads to send traffic to your squeeze page. Just spend a little bit here and there at first until you get your squeeze page and upsell page tweaked and optimized for best results. Then buy more traffic. Use the profits from the upsell to buy MORE traffic. Yes, you will be spending money.  But done right, you will also be making money. Worst case scenario, you spend $5,000 to build your list of 10,000 people. Best case scenario, you make that $5,000 or more on your upsell to pay for your list building.

It's a leap of faith to do this. Which is why most will never do it. But because most never will, that leaves plenty of room for YOU to do it.

Don't have money to invest in traffic? Then you'll have to use 'free' methods, which aren't free. They involve spending time and effort, but again, it's totally worth it. Now here's another 'secret' to getting this done - anything, and I mean ANY PART of this endeavour that you don't want to do yourself, you outsource. Get someone else to do it for you. Yes, outsourcing costs money.

You're building a business, aren't you? You are looking at earning a $5,000 a month income within 3-4 months, so just make the investment and do it.

Mail your list consistently as it grows. That means once you have your first subscriber, you start mailing 4-7 times per week. This is where you're going to put your real effort - into writing emails that make people WANT to open them and read them. You can't force people, but you sure can entice them. Whatever it is that your particular list wants, give it to them.

If you don't know what that is, hang out where they hang out, talk to them and ask them what they want, what they need, what one thing would make a big difference for them. "But all of that sounds like so much work!"

Guess what? If you want to build a business it's going to take work. It's going to take going through some bad stuff, some stuff that doesn't work, some stuff that costs you money to build your business. But once it's built, you have a perpetual fountain of money on your hands. You keep building the list, you keep emailing the list and you keep promoting to the list. Build, email and promote.

Imagine the lifestyle where you can be anyplace in the WORLD, send out an email and literally get money into your account that same day.  5 sales, 50 sales, 500 sales, all from one email. But to get to that point you've got to do the work first. And I don't care how many programs you buy. The fact is sooner or later you will finally come to the realization that regardless of what else you might be doing, you should also have a list.

Because a list is security. It's money in the bank. Now think about this: A year from now something happens and you need to make serious money FAST. Maybe you found the house of your dreams but you're short $20,000 for the down payment. Maybe your son needs an operation and your insurance won't cover $20,000 of it, and they won't do the operation until you get the money.

Maybe the IRS says you owe $20,000 in back taxes and they're about to take your home. Whatever it is, you need a substantial amount of cash in your hands NOW. But thankfully, a year ago you began building a list. Within 4 months your list was up to 10,000. Now it's over 30,000. You send out one email. And the next day you have $5,000 in cash. So you send another email the next day, and two more after that. And you have your $20,000. You get the house. Or your son gets the operation. Or the IRS leaves you the heck alone. Now that is security. That is power. That is freedom.

And it all starts with you, right here, right now, creating your funnel and building your list.

If this is the only piece of internet marketing advice you ever take, you will succeed and succeed big. Build. A. List. Starting now. Discover how to engage and excite new customers into taking action and spending money with you by using these simple free marketing tips from Nick James,

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Simple Strategy Of Online Marketing 1

I don't know what day you're reading this. But I do know that today someone, somewhere, just launched a brand new Internet Marketing product or course that will finally teach you the secrets to building a successful Internet Marketing business in just months. How do I know this?  Because every single day of every single year, someone does exactly this. And here's the best part - many and even most of these products work. They truly do. That is, they work as long as you do the work.

Which bears repeating - Building an online business takes actual WORK. There is no magic button to making a million overnight.  If there were, no one would be waiting tables or working at dead end jobs because everyone, and I mean EVERYONE would be rich.

So just get thoughts of overnight wealth out of your pretty brain the next time someone tries to tell you they found the magic button and they'll share it with you for just $97. However, if you are willing to work, and you're willing to invest in your business, then I will tell you the secret to having an honest to goodness real business within 3-4 months that does indeed earn you a minimum of $5,000 per month.

The sad things is, most people who read this aren't going to actually DO it. And that's because it's not sexy and it takes WORK. Darn, there's that 4 letter word again. And one more thing - if you want to accomplish this in 3-4 months, it's probably going to take an investment as well.

Now, before you get unravelled because I suggested you have to WORK and INVEST, think about this...... what job can you get - with no formal training - that will pay you $5,000 a month to start, with monthly raises? And that calls for you to work from any darn place you choose, when you want, where you want and how you want?   Name me one job like that and I'm in.  But there's no such thing.

Imagine for a minute that you apply for a job. The interviewer says to you, "The only training you need will be on the job. You'll be making $5,000 a month by your third or fourth month. Each month that you want a raise, you can have one. There is no limit to what you can earn, it's up to you. You can work from home or anyplace you like. You can work whenever you like, as little or as much as you like. And if there is any part of the job you don't like doing, you can outsource it to someone else."

That, my friend, is a job applicant's wet dream. And it's exactly what you can have, if you want it bad enough.So what's THE big internet marketing secret I mentioned in the title?  If you haven't already guessed it, keep reading. If you have guessed it, are you doing it yet? If not, why not?

Okay, here we go, and I warn you - you have heard this before.

You may have heard this 100 times before. But what counts is the ONE time you hear it and actually starting DOING it. That, my friend, is LIFE-CHANGING. And it's why I'm taking so long to lead up to this - because I'm trying to help you make THIS the time you actually DO it and make it yours.

Here we go...What you need to succeed is a LIST. Yes, I told you that you heard this before. But if you really want total financial freedom, you need a list. You need a list. You need a list.

YOU NEED A @#$% LIST.

Whew. Sorry about that. I get a little keyed up when I see people buying every latest greatest newest product out there when all they need to do is get busy and build a list. Having a list gives you a ready market for any products you want to develop and create. It allows you to sell affiliate products whenever you want. It allows you to make money on demand.

Whoa - did a big bill just land in your lap? Send an email and get the money to pay it. Did you just find something in the store you MUST HAVE RIGHT NOW? Send out an email and in a few hours you can have it. Think about this... properly built and handled, a list of 10,000 people can give you an income of $5,000 a month if you promote the right affiliate offers. This doesn't even include promoting your own products.

Plus when you have a list of 10,000, you also have leverage. You can ask other marketers to promote your products to their lists in return for promoting their products to your list. And you can build your list from zero to 10,000 in a couple of months, especially if you're willing to invest in your list building effort

see Section 2 tomorrow for more information

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New Trendsetter - Social Media

The human race has consistently evolved from being a race with extraordinary social abilities to technological driven species which have developed numerous ways to communicate and spread ideas among large population within limited time period. The idea of communication has fallen from verbal communication to development of numerous languages to scripts and from writing paper notes to printing of books and newspaper.

The communication medium always plays an essential organ of the whole broadcast communication system. The printed newspaper, lighted advertisement boards, telegraph, televisions and internet are the keys to it. The invention of the internet is a sudden blow of technology that has biased the whole idea of communication and has created a new way through web pages based social interaction space known to be as social media.

Onset

Social media was started with an idea of connecting people from different parts of world together through a complex interconnected network of computer that are connected to bigger network i.e. internet. It has further expanded via intervention of generation of smart portable devices such as smartphones, laptops etc. Social media has given access to each and every individual to interact and share their views, any issues and share their experience over an exceptionally user friendly environment based on a webpage.

Being one of the most popular sources of amusement and social interaction - this platform has its own power of audience manipulation similar to traditional newspaper and televisions which make it a great market to invest on for advertisement. Most of the popular players in this arena namely Facebook, Google etc. have provided a space to these advertisement businesses. According to a research conducted over the people of different age groups ranging from 12-18, 18-21, 21-35, and 35-60 about their general usage of social media in a day comes out to be as 10-13 hours in a day.

The online platform at this time has become much big and better option either for advertising and creating awareness about anything from societal issues to new products which are about to hit market in next few days. Few lines of advertisement and marketing has come up with services that aim at using this domain for advertisement and creating awareness about their client's business or product which is known as a social media agency. These agencies are sound and target the top interest groups for their client and advertise their product/services to them through various social media platforms. For instance they utilize the help of these online platforms to advertise their client's services to interested groups via videos, banners and other textual or pictorial material to draw the users' attention about the product.

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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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How To Succeed, And Fail, At Internet Marketing

What are the key issues which can ensure success (or failure) in the field of internet marketing?

All successful people in any walk of life have a plan. I read once that all business plans should have goals which are "SMART" - that is: "Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed". Different people have different approaches to setting their goals; some will concentrate on the longer term targets whilst others set themselves a series of short term goals. I tend to fall into the latter category. Some people incorporate both into their master plan. However, you conceive your business plan, remember the old business adage: "Fail to plan and you plan to fail".

A second important piece of advice is to always remember that you are working at a business not dabbling with a hobby. Running an online internet marketing business should certainly be enjoyable, or there is not much point in doing it; - money isn't everything! Apply yourself to the task and stick with it. Getting an internet business up and running is a tough assignment so you must believe in your ability to succeed in the end. Many who fail do so because they just don't have the self-belief to see it through.

Having a great passion for both life and business will keep you focussed and committed to the job in hand. If you go at things in a half-hearted way the possibilities in both life and work will be greatly reduced. Believe in your work, believe in your ultimate success and, most of all, believe in yourself. One aspect of an online business which helps the building of confidence and belief is that you can earn as you learn. For many newcomers to the business there are a lot of new skills to take on board. To be able to do this whilst beginning to bring in, at least, some income brings with it the reassurance that the business works and success is within reach. If you want success you must always work to be the very best that you can be. A failure to do this will lead to failure in your business.

One other issue to bear in mind is: "How do you define success?" If you were to ask ten people that question you would probably get quite a number of different responses. Some people see success purely in terms of how much money they have in the bank. Others would express a similar idea but in terms of specific possessions; - two classy cars in the drive; a large house; a holiday home in the country. On the other hand, some may see success in a much more 'spiritual' light relating to family and friends, etc.

Never make the mistake of mixing "standard of living" with "quality of life". Standard of living is about material things, whereas quality of life comes from the more spiritual side of our nature. As the proverb says, "Money can't buy happiness". Money only has value in terms of the freedom and the quality of life it can provide. Sorry if this sounds a bit like a sermon, but see beyond the money and look for the satisfaction, the sense of achievement and the happiness which genuine success can bring. Don't dote on the money which is a means to an end and not an end in itself.

Success is a process rather than a destination. Be enthusiastic about your business and enjoy the journey. It will be fulfilling in every sense.

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Internet Marketing Success Is No Myth

Success as an internet marketer is not some mystic art. There is no magical incantation required; nor is it necessary to sell your soul to the devil to achieve it. Inevitably, it is about 'work'; about doing the right things in the right way. It is just good marketing practice. By following the route laid out by the marketers who have gone before (most of whom are still going strong) and by applying ourselves to the approach that has been proven over the years we will succeed.

My background is in the discipline of classical music. One question all musicians are regular asked is: "How do you get your fingers to move so quickly?" The answer is always the same: - "Practice!" Internet marketing is no different. Find out what you need to do and then practise until you can do it. In the world of music there have been many authoritative tomes written on the art of practising an instrument. One phrase which regularly crops up is - "intelligent repetition". The only way to solve a technical problem is to play it over and over again. This, of course, is boring! The way we get round it is to keep playing the problematic note sequence, but we mess around with it. We might change the rhythm, the articulation, the dynamic, the speed, etc. etc. which keeps the work interesting whilst applying ourselves to the problem. There are no shortcuts; the work must be done and the skills practised to get where we want to go. Bear that analogy in mind when approaching the various issues you will meet in running an online business.

There are strategies and tactics which have been developed since the marketing potential of the internet was first realised, aspects of the business which work just as effectively today as at any stage in the past.. In this article I will look at some of these key elements.

Websites obviously play a significant role in our online marketing. Always go for simplicity in any website. Each website should basically have one single purpose. Every product or service you offer should have its own website. Never confuse your visitors by presenting them with a visual explosion of colour, pictures and graphics with links splattered all over every page. Keep the design clear and relevant to the job in hand. If you are looking to attract subscribers, the opt-in form should be the most prominent thing on your page. Your webpage copy should direct your visitors to it and encourage them to sign up, which we usually do with a free offer of some kind. With a product page, the sales material should be emotive and crafted to make the sale.

When offering free reports or eBooks to encourage subscribers, always provide real quality. It is your initial contact with a potential customer so it is your first opportunity to make an impression. If your free gift is poor and of little value, your subscribers will not remain subscribers for long. They will certainly not come back to make a purchase. The ideal placement for your free offer and opt-in form is in the top right corner of your webpage where it is immediately apparent to any visitor.

Once a visitor has subscribed to your list you will need to have set up a sequence of autoresponder messages to begin the process of building a relationship with that subscriber. It is well known that it takes a number of contacts with a subscriber before they are likely to make a purchase; seven contacts is the figure often quoted. In addition to working with your list, continue to promote your products by any means with which you are comfortable. Writing and posting articles to direct people to your offers is always a good technique - and FREE.

So, to sum up:

Keep your websites simple and specific

Work to build your list and keep your subscribers happy

Get traffic to visit your web pages

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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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The 5 Keys to a Successful Online Business

Introduction  As with any other business, a successful online business too must have deep foundations based on these 5 key principles.

1. Targeted Advertising  Advertising online is now more powerful than ever.You can easily find and reach a very targeted audience for your offers and have people visiting your website in minutes! With many platforms now offering a functionality called pay-per-click (PPC) i.e. Google, Bing, Facebook, YouTube and Amazon, picking the right platform for you and your business is key.

If you are just starting out, consider at most 2 strategies only and master them. As tempting as it is to 'jump' around and see what works, you will save yourself valuable time, money and overwhelm, the latter usually comes from information overload. Have a clear understanding of who your ideal customer is and consider where they 'hang out' online before choosing an advertising platform.

2. Lead Generating Websites  Websites are not what they used to be a few years ago.You might find it hard to believe but those pretty websites where we used to visit and browse around looking at how company X products and services look and 'feel' don't work for sales! There is too much distraction happening and information overload does not help your prospect move closer to a buying decision, which is essentially what you want.

The technical term for the website you want to create is a Lead Capture Website.Other techie terms used interchangeably for the same is a squeeze page or opt-in page. These sites are 1 page only.

A well-designed page should 'tell' your prospect 2 things only! What you are giving the and what they need to do now that they are on your page. No other distractions allowed, not even your other cool products and your social media news-feeds.

The human attention span is down to 8 seconds; the goldfish in my tank has 9 or 10. Instagram is said to have 68% higher engagement compared to Facebook. Why? That double tap is genius. If you hang out on Instagram you know what I am on about. Last I heard; snap chat and vine are going in for the number 1 spot... well I am guessing we might be down to 5 seconds today! Now we know we need to be quick and direct about what we are offering our prospect before they click away. After all, they've been kind enough to give us 5 seconds of their time.

3. Build A List  Without being too fancy here, the main objective is to create a fans list that like and trust you. They are happy to buy from you anytime. In fact, I heard that if you become awesome at doing it, these fans can go temperamental if you are not selling them anything.They will chase you for more stuff to buy and you better have it ready.Now that is a good problem to have.Another marketing fact is, it's cheaper to keep an existing customer than to go out and look for one.

Think about your monthly marketing budget. I certainly don't want to spend more dollars to get the same customer every other month. I'd rather have a new one and still keep the old one who wants to buy again. Investing in tools to do this is key. Auto-responders such as aweber and mailchimp can get you started on the list building process without breaking the bank.

4. Provide Overwhelming Value  Actually, this right here should read provide overwhelming value.By providing value to your prospects you will build trust and desire for your offers. This is something that every online business should aim for. This will separate you from the competition. Come up with ideas for quality free gifts that you know your prospects and/or fans will appreciate and find useful in solving a problem or at least come very close to solving one.

5. Offer Quality Products & Services  In this digital economy age, quality is NOT important, it is EVERYTHING in your business. Information is literally oozing and available to anyone anywhere anytime. Think about how much information you are exposed to digitally in a day. That said, my opinion here for anyone selling anything to anyone online is, they should make it their business to get the one-word feedback every time and that is wow.

The online marketplace is a 2-edged sword. The very thing that brings you success has the same potential to bring you failure in equal proportions. Every time I want to trust and buy something I have never bought before, my reflex action is Google and I am there looking for reviews.

Final Thought  The truth is, it has never been easier as a business to be exposed to negative feedback than it is right now. One of my social media consultants said something the other day that got me thinking. Negative feedback online hurts a big brand or a small coffee shop in exactly the same way. In fact, some big brands will avoid being 'out there' online where they can expose themselves to disgruntled customers who only need to jump on a social platform and vent out!

However with quality products, raving fans on your side, and consistent application of these 5 keys to a successful online business... Happy Days!

Wishing you success.

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Four Essential Reasons to Use Digital Marketing

The innovation of modern technologies has brought some interesting changes in every sphere of human lives. In such situations, businesses of no matter what size are trying their level best to keep up with this modified society. After years of research, business owners have realized that the only way by which they could keep up with this fast-changing era is if they invest their efforts in implementing digital marketing strategies.

In the modern times, almost every one of us has heard about digital marketing because this exceptional notion has managed to earn widespread recognition throughout the world. But how many of us really know what it is all about? Digital Marketing, also known as Online or Internet Marketing, is a wide term used to promote one's brand or services through the varied virtual channels, in order to reach a larger segment of the population. It has quite successfully replaced the traditional methods of promotion like print ads in newspapers or advertisements through television and radios.

Now that we know what digital marketing is, it is time to think that why must we use this technique. In the following discussion, we explore the reasons of using digital marketing.

Why Should You Engage In Digital Marketing?

1) In the present times, almost everyone uses the internet. Hence, if you want to reach your targeted audience and engage them, you have to do so through digitalized methods.

2) Almost every one of us tends to believe whatever is written on the internet. Thus, it is quite clear that digital reviews matter. Hence, if your brand gets some positive comments in the virtual world, you would most certainly get more loyal customers on that basis.

3) Recent research has shown that most of the consumers want brands that are reliable, companies that have a good reputation online, contents that are relevant and personalized and special offers that are custom-built to suit their needs and expectations. Well, digital marketing allows you to do just that.

4) This kind of marketing offers an analytics that is crucial for your ongoing strategies. Since, this promotional methods uses advanced tactics, you can easily comprehend what your consumers want and what they do not.

These are the four vital reasons for which more and more business owners are engaging in digital marketing. If you want maximum brand exposure, to increase sales and drive utmost traffic, you would need this technique and there is no doubt about it.

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One (Senior) Internet Marketing beginners experience

“Once upon a time I couldn’t even spell ‘Social Media Marketer’, now I are one”.

As I approached my 70^th birthday I recognised that something had to change. Having been retired for 7 years and feeling myself stagnating, I was in dire need of some stimulation and a challenge (not to mention some extra cash).

Several years ago, whilst in work, I dabbled with Internet Marketing but, frankly I did not have the right mindset to make a success of it at the time. All sorts of excuses were used to justify my lack of progress but in the end it was clear that I had become stuck in my own little pool of inactivity.

In an attempt to resolve this situation I attended a three day ‘Bootcamp’ in Brighton (Oct 2016) and was captivated by a number of the presentations which were light years ahead of those I saw back then.

One, in particular, stood out for me and it was to do with Social Media. I have two grown up children who use Facebook & Twitter incessantly (as well as Whatsapp amongst others) and frankly I was both bemused and dismissive of it all until I heard Paul OMahonys exhilarating talk at the show.

My reason for attending was principally that I was looking to develop a worthwhile activity which could not only provide some income but also give me the mental stimulus that I so badly needed.

Although I knew enough about the topic to realise that this is the way of ‘the future’ when I heard what Paul had to say it became clear that the potential/opportunity was even more vast than I had ever envisaged.

My mentor, Paul OMahony is one of the leading International experts in this field and has a bankroll to prove it. His collaboration with the top Marketers in the world has enabled him to produce a programme which is clear, thorough and comprehensive in its delivery.

Having only recently joined his online course I have to say the level of support is impressive, (which is just as well as my speed of picking up the intricacies of the internet is somewhat slower than that of your average 10 year old). Nevertheless, I am pleased with the steady progress I have made with the patient help of the team in his office, it is not claimed that success will be achieved overnight and participants are encouraged to plan well ahead setting realistic targets which are reachable within an appropriate timescale.

As far as the course itself is concerned I have access to a community website with a Helpdesk accessible 24/7 as well as 2 x monthly Skype calls with my personal mentor and a One-to-one meeting once a month with the man himself. The path to setting up a profitable business is clearly outlined and if followed diligently will enable even the most inexperienced participant towards a successful outcome.

There are also costs involved, although, if looked at as an investment in your future, they are relatively small. The risk factor in my experience is not extreme and is largely dependent on the level of commitment to the 'setting-up' programme, As with most things in life it is what you make of it and the criteria (at least on the programme I am on) is clearly laid out before you commit and from the very beginning the level of support is exceptional.

Don’t get me wrong there is a lot to learn and some of the terminology is a bit baffling to begin with but as I’ve already said the back-up support helpline is pretty much immediate and very thorough, above all I am finding it an enjoyable and stimulating challenge and I have made working contact with others of similar experience who share the same issues,fears and pressures and are happy to cooperate, sharing successful responses to any problems that may arise.

I am three months into a year long programme designed to build a profitable online business which I aim to pass on to my children / grandchildren. I have now gained a sense of purpose and feel as though once again I'm doing something worthwhile.

Suffice to say, I’ve got my ‘zip’ back again! Watch this space.

It's Never Too Late To Start A New Beginning

Do you think you're too old or too inexperienced to start your own online business? Success has nothing to do with age. Or experience. It has everything to do with determination and faith in yourself.

When you first start your own internet business, it can be frightening and even seem impossible, no matter what age you are or experience you have. It's the old dilemma about how can you get experience without having experience. But, when you start your own online business, you can make your own experience and prove your expertise with just a little work.

Why An Internet Business?

The number of people buying products and services online is growing every year. This increase in online spending being moved from conventional offline stores to the internet has produced an incredible opportunity for people of all ages and experience. The set up costs are low, the learning curve is quick and you can pretty much build a profitable internet business without any previous experience.

Start With A Business Plan

First, you need a clear business plan. You have to know what you're going to sell and who you're going to sell it to. These are all things that you can learn how to do. You don't even have to develop your own products and services. You can sell items that have been created by other people and they'll pay you a commission for every sale you make.

Build A Website (It's Not As Difficult As You Think)

You may be worried about the technological side of an online business. But there's plenty of help out there if you simply take the time to find it. If you can use a search engine to find something on the internet and send an email, then you're ready to go.There are forums and blogs, websites and videos which can bolster your faith in yourself and help you build a website much quicker than you think. If you do find it too complicated, you can outsource the whole thing for a very reasonable cost.

Provide Useful Content For Your Audience

You don't have to be an expert to start your own online business. You just have to know a little more than your target market and be willing to do some work learn more. On your website, provide your audience with content discussing the problems that your audience have and how you can help solve them. It's a great way to get traffic to your website and it's also a great way to demonstrate your knowledge.

Be Yourself

Set yourself apart from other marketers and stop telling yourself you don't have a chance. People have different styles. Everyone has an audience who will relate to the way that they conduct their business. Remember that people by from people they know, like and trust. Believe in yourself and your audience will believe in you too.

Regardless of your age, education, technical skills or qualifications there are no specific requirements for starting your own online business. But you might feel that you're too old, too young or too inexperienced. Take look at the 5 steps every online entrepreneur will need to take when creating a business on the internet:

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