Internet Marketing - Viva La Video!

I search the web on a pretty regular basis looking for examples of "best practices" websites as a source for new ideas and added knowledgebase. In doing so, I've noticed the daily increase in the use of streaming video and video content that's being published on company websites.

As the boundaries between the information-based Internet and consumer and entertainment products continues to narrow and merge, webmasters' use of streaming video as a marketing tool grows exponentially. And it's not just the large or well-financed websites anymore, but an increasing number of small business websites are also turning to video. Even this blog has become an example.

Video is being used in a variety of ways, but its importance to Internet marketing is that it gives you, the marketer, an opportunity to present your businesses, products and services to potential clients in a new and different way. Rather than relying on text-based descriptions and explanations, streaming video allows you to actually demonstrate how your products work and the solutions they provide. In addition, video offers the opportunity for you to "personalize" your marketing message, giving your visitors a perception of having a personal contact with you and your business. The viral nature of video is also of great advantage in promoting your message across your marketplace.

If you're considering using video as a part of your marketing efforts, but are hesitant or don't quite feel comfortable with the technology, there are plenty of free sources for tutorials including the one here (although it's kind of technical) at PCTechGuide.com.

Streaming video technology is no longer the stuff of dreams, but a powerful tool in the hands of marketers that will only improve and come to more and better use in the future.

Got "Brain Freeze"?

Today's post is brought to you courtesy of Paul Myers, a witty and very knowledgeable Internet marketer who's been at this game a long time.

The subject of Paul's comments are in reference to a circumstance that periodically affects many Internet marketers and entrepreneurs. It's the time when it seems all of your fresh ideas dry up, and your brain just can't seem to create any productive thoughts.

The following is what Paul suggests in order to break through the mental logjam. I thought it quite refreshing and insightful. We encourage you to visit his site at TalkBizNews.com. Enjoy.

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Pick a totally absurd goal. Not necessarily something work-related, although it could be. What matters is that it's outrageous. Impossible, even.

But pretend it isn't. Just for fun, assume it can be done, if you just figure out how. Nibble at it. Come up with little ways you can move toward it. Then think of outrageous things that can make those moves bigger. Don't worry if they're sensible.

Screw that. Sensible people never achieve anything worth living a whole life for, man. Get CRAZY!

What if...?

And then... ?

Would they... ?

How could I... ?

Imagine small steps, and then think of ways you can make them giant leaps.

Don't sell any idea short. It took us hundreds of thousands of years to get to where we were in the 60's. It took less than 10 years to go from there to the moon. Because one man challenged us to believe it could happen and dream of "How?"

And we accepted the challenge.

That's all it takes. Accept the challenge. Get crazy.

All great people are crazy. They have to be to believe they can make a difference. That they can change the course of the lives of billions of humans, in places they've never been and in countries they've never seen.

But they do.

It's not always loud, and they don't always free entire peoples, but they change the world. Because they pretend, just for a moment, that what they know is impossible might not be.

And they find out that it's not.

In the word of John Lennon: "Imagine."

Big... Life is full of small details that distract us. That consume our lives if we let them. But it's the Big Dreams that get us out of our ruts and make us live lives that matter.

That make us great.

You've seen how it works. You've seen a guy that asked for help with a business idea get a plan to change the lives of battered women and abused children across the world, using off the shelf software and the good will of strangers.

The question is, will he accept the challenge?

What challenge will you accept for yourself?

What challenge is worthy of your life?

Get crazy. It's the only sane answer.


Paul
http://www.TalkBizNews.com

A Reminder For "Small" Business Owners

The following is an excerpt from an article I wrote entitled "Fish Where The Fish Are". It's a reminder for you "small" business owners to remember the vision. "Small" may be what you are now, but not what you endeavor to be. Read on.


...All too often, I think, small business owners get caught in the trap of thinking of themselves as "small" business. Because their origins (the kitchen table, the garage, the basement, someone's storage room) may be extremely humble, many entrepreneurs become captivated by their environment rather than their "vision".

And, because they think of themselves as small, owners feel that they can't effectively compete in a crowded market or in a market where they face competitors that greatly outsize them. That's a huge mistake. Many large corporations, and some of the most profitable companies ever created (Yahoo, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, eBay), have had very modest beginnings. So for entrepreneurs to limit their expectations and future business potential based on their present circumstance or position isn't very smart.

Don't be afraid of entering a large marketplace simply because it's large. Large is a good thing. It means that there exists greater opportunities and potential for more players. And while the number and size of competitors will certainly be greater, that's not necessarily a bad thing. More competition means somebody's making money, otherwise no one would bother, so you immediately know that there's more profit potential. And the involvement of bigger companies often makes the stakes higher for them.

Large competitors have more, and often better, resources that are brought into the marketplace, however they're not always as "agile" as a smaller competitor. They're oftentimes unable to respond as quickly to customer interest or market changes. If you don't believe me, just take a look at what has happened in recent years within the automobile industry. The "giants" were too slow to change and adapt themselves to supply what the market demanded. As a result, they have suffered huge losses and endangered or lost their premier rank in the industry's hierarchy.

In comparison with large organizations, small companies have their own advantages; less bureaucracy, a faster decision-making track, and ultimately less investment risk. If something doesn't work, it's much easier for a small competitor to make the adjustment or move on to something that does work.

Competing against the multitudes or the giants can have its place. Against such competition, you grow smarter, stronger, better or you don't survive.

My grandfather used to say "I'd rather be a big fish in a little pond, than a small fish in a big pond". The lesson of course being that he'd much rather be the fish doing the eating, rather than the one being eaten. And, while I understand his viewpoint, I hold a slightly different perspective. I tend to lean more toward the example of the small baitfish who swim with whale sharks many times their size, and thus have whole oceans at their disposal.

Go get 'em!

If you're searching for the right small business "vehicle", and want information about legitimate Internet marketing opportunities check out http://www.GetMyWealthNow.com or "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online".

A Lesson From Nike...

In a story reported by the Associated Press yesterday, the Nike company (Swoosh!) unveiled a new shoe (Wow, surprise. They're a shoe company.). Okay, what is particularly noteworthy about the unveiling of this shoe is it's the first time that Nike "has designed a shoe for a specific race or ethnicity".

The shoe design is the result of Nike's effort to promote "physical fitness in a population with high obesity rates". The Native American population is currently facing growing health issues, similar to those seen in other ethnicities such as African Americans, that are directly related to obesity.

Nike researchers and designers took into account general characteristics of the feet of Native Americans after researching individuals representing 70 different tribes across the United States. They came up with a wider shoe design that also accommodates a taller foot. In addition, specific details were added to the shoe design that relate to Native American heritage including sunrise patters, feather and star designs.

Will Nike make oodles of money from these shoe sales (as if they need more)? No. There isn't a large enough market. In fact, they're selling the shoes wholesale only to Native Americans, and dumping generated profits into tribal programs. So, why did they do it, and why should we care? In a word, branding.

Nike is taking specific action to help bring attention to and address issues of a small, and often ignored population. They are elevating the level of attention to the Native American constituency; one that very rarely gets the focus or attention they need. In doing so, Nike is branding itself as the conglomerate with heart. So, what difference does it make you ask?

The next time you or I or any number of people shop for the products Nike produces, chances are we may not remember this particular story, but we will remember that Nike did something that they didn't profit from, and they did it because it was a right thing to do. It mattered. And, given a choice between Nike and one of their competitors, chances are we'll choose to purchase the Nike product. That's branding at its best.

My point is (and yes, I always have one), it's rarely the quick dollar that is of most importance or value. In fact, fast money is often “short money”; here today, gone tomorrow. Taking the long view, striving for and being true to long-term vision and goals, that's where you find wealth. And I'm not just talking about money.

Hiding In Plain Sight...The Beauty Of Joint Ventures

I'm not ashamed to tell you this, but I spent months in Internet marketing before I ever heard the term "joint venture". Not only had I not heard of joint ventures, but I had spent plenty of time and money trying to find out the "secrets" for things like generating traffic and customer list-building. Little did I know that the gurus on whose products I was spending a great deal of my resources, had a little inside joke. The strategies they were selling me information about weren't really what they were using to become obscenely wealthy. They were using different, much more powerful strategies, one of which is the joint venture.

What is a joint venture? (Okay, for those of you who are more experienced, this is a moment when you can take a short "potty" break, check your text messages or get up and stretch. I said "stretch" not "scratch". I'll be finished here in just a second.) A joint venture is a business enterprise where two entities/individuals agree to a temporary partnership from which both will benefit. Simple concept, phenomenal potential. Simple example:

I have a dynamite product that is priced at $14.97, but no customer list to market it to, so I am unable to generate any revenue from my product. A potential partner has developed a list of 5,000 customers. However, he has no product to sell, and thus cannot generate any revenue from his list. Neither of us is making any money. Through providence (or the result of an active campaign seeking a partner, hint, hint), we find each other, enter into a joint venture, and my product is marketed to his list.

The result: Through our combined efforts we make 250 sales generating $3,742.50. We split the profit and both walk away with $1,871.25. Not too shabby! Now do you see what a huge benefit a joint venture can be?

This is one of the common ways mega marketers make money and lots of it. They leverage each other's lists, skills, resources and assets to exponentially increase their profit potential.

Now that we know what it is, how do we go about setting up a successful joint venture?

That's for another day, another post. Toodles.

No Longer A Virgin

No Longer A Virgin...
Four little words, nothing more. But, believe it or not, those four little words demonstrate the absolute power and importance of successful sales copy. Let me explain.

Very recently, I created a post in an Internet marketing forum I frequent. My purpose in making the post was to encourage a discussion on the topic of blogs, something I'm currently very interested in for obvious reasons. But there's a bit of a catch to forum discussion; you must first get people to click on your thread title to find out what you're discussing in order to get them to participate.

If I had titled my forum post "Let's Discuss Blogging" or "What Results Are You Getting From Your Blog", I may have gotten a few people to click in and read the thread, but my guess is that there wouldn't have been many. Even if forum members were interested in blogging topics and were bloggers themselves, the subject title just wouldn't have sounded very interesting; especially when it would most likely be positioned alongside another thread screaming some message like "Make $10,000 Every Two Seconds! Here's How...". If I wanted my post read, I needed to get people's attention.

No Longer A Virgin...
That's the title I decided on. What I meant by the title was that I had finally made the decision to become a blogger and cross over the divide that separates us (bloggers) and them (non-bloggers). However, I knew that 99.9% of everyone reading the forum post title would immediately make a different assumption. And whether it was titillation or basic curiosity, it didn't matter which, people would be compelled to click the title and check out my post. And guess what, I was right.

In a 24 hour period, more than 500 people read my forum post. That's probably ten times the number of people who would have read the post otherwise. Not only that, an ancillary benefit was that quite a few of those readers were first-time visitors to this blog. How's that for promotion.

My point (and yes, I always have one): sales copy is important. The content of my forum post and what readers read there would have been the same no matter what the title. But the title, four little words, made the difference in how many people read it. It's not always the big things (of course, I think sales copy is a big thing) that make your sales. More often it's the small things, the details, that ultimately make the difference.

I just told you something important today. Use it.

Internet Marketing And Family Time...Not!

I love it whenever I see promotional material for home based businesses or work at home enterprises. Invariably one of the first and most emphasized "benefits" listed regarding working for yourself is always "controlling your own schedule" and having quality "family time". Just ask my husband about how much "family time" we've had since I decided to get serious about my Internet marketing business.

I'll admit that most everyone who begins a business of their own, especially an online business, is doing so partly because they want to break the chains of slavery created by 8-to-5 or 9-to-5 work schedules. Parents want the freedom of visiting "Suzy" at her school or accompanying "Robbie" on his class field trip. They want to be able to pick up their children from school and not have to send them to daycare for another 2, 3 or 4 hours before they can be picked up after work. It really is insane how our lives are really turned upside down by the obligations we have to our jobs.

But, a home based business is exactly that; a business based in your home. If you're truly serious about what you're doing and it's more than just a hobby, you're likely to work harder, longer hours than you ever thought of putting in for your old boss, or in the case of many online entrepreneurs, your current (hope-to-soon-be former) boss. So, when the reality of work time devoted to your business sets in, don't let it be a shock, because I 've tried to soften the blow by giving you a "heads up" today.

If you truly intend to be successful in your chosen business, you gotta put in the work. But once you have a handle on things, once the business gains momentum and you begin experiencing that long hoped for success, remember to take time out to enjoy the things that are the very reasons you started along this path in the first place. Remember to schedule time for yourself, remember to make the time for your family.

Two Easy Traffic Boosters

I know you don't want to hear this, but if you want to build targeted traffic to your website, real traffic that converts to sales and fat customer lists, not just "hits", then you need to put some time in and do the work. Two methods of building targeted traffic to your website involve article writing and participating in forums and discussions on your niche topic.

Writing articles doesn't have to be a difficult job. Most articles written for the Internet vary between 250 to 400 words or so. Not much more than a few paragraphs. Because they're searching for information, online readers usually only "skim" articles or speed read, so articles written for them should be designed for brevity.

Article writing has several advantages. It allows you to establish your business as a resource for valuable information, and it also helps you to distinguish yourself as an authority within your chosen niche. Article writing is a "no cost" or "low cost" way of promoting your business and getting your name "out there", allowing people to become familiar with you.

Article writing is also smart SEO. Each article that you post provides a unique link back to your site. Your "tag line", the text link containing your keyword or phrase that links back to your site, allows your website to be found by searchers using that particular keyword or search term.

If you wish to take advantage of the benefits of article writing, but you don't like to write articles, there are plenty of ghostwriters available to do the job for you.

Posting in forums and participating in discussions is another way of fostering a favorable reputation within your niche. Offering sound advice and answering questions allows you to be viewed as a source for assistance and information. In addition, by using a link to your website or blog within your signature (which you should always do), you offer potential clients additional means to find and visit your site.

Links from articles or forum and blog posts can last for years. It's something you do one time, but may benefit from many, many times over. Links created from article writing and forum posting, blogs and discussions don't cost you anything, but they're excellent ways to generate ongoing traffic to your site, continually feeding you new and targeted prospects.

So, why are you still here reading? Go to it.

Internet Marketing - If I Had $100....

Starting your online business on a shoestring? You're not alone. Many people do, but they don't always know how best to allocate such a small amount of resources where they'll receive the best benefit.

So, here's my suggestion. If I had only $100 to begin my online enterprise, this is how I would do it. The following scenario is based on the premise that you've completed all of your background work for starting your online business, including:

You know what business you want to establish
You have a business plan (even if it's handwritten on a legal pad)
You've identified and researched your market
You've researched and selected your keywords and keyword phrases
And you have produced (or in the case of affiliate marketing, selected) your product or service

Having completed those initial steps, here's what I would do:

Purchase a domain name $8.99

Purchase hosting services for at least 90 days $20.97
(These prices are based on GoDaddy's fee schedule. We love GoDaddy.com!)

Obtain a website template $0
(Although it's nice to have a customized site, many nice templates are available for free)

Write 3 niche articles to be posted on the website $0

Purchase 3 additional, well-written, original niche articles for submission to EzineArticles.com and/or GoArticles.com (This will get the site quickly indexed by Google and provide initial backlinks)
3 x $13 = $39) $39

Use the remaining $31 to purchase traffic through Google Adwords, being careful to pay no more than 10 cents per keyword or phrase (This will provide at least 310 initial targeted visitors) $31

Total $99.96

That's my 2 cents, er $99.96 worth for today :)

Been To The Library Lately?

Chances are, unless you have small children in your household, it's been quite a while since you've made a trip to the library in your community. All of us should visit our libraries much more often. I am thoroughly convinced that local libraries are the most valuable, yet under-appreciated assets in any community.

If you haven't been to the library lately, you're in for a bit of a shock. It ain't your momma's library, if you know what I mean. In fact, it's a far cry from the library you knew as a youngster. The traditional-styled buildings, scarcely populated, with a few windows, stacks and stacks of books, and stern librarians who continually admonished you to keep quiet are gone.

Today's libraries are bustling, pulsing hives of activity filled with light, interesting and contemporary art and architecture, and the latest technological tools. And they now offer wonderful selections of videos, CDs and DVDs in addition to books. Kid's come to the library to participate in innumerable programs designed to grab their interest and educate them; read, socialize, listen to music, and participate in a number of other activities.

Okay, this is a blog about Internet marketing and wealth building, so why am I talking about libraries for goodness sake?

Because there's a lesson to be learned here. When times changed, generations changed, and the way kids interact, communicate and learn dramatically changed, libraries all over the country changed too. When it looked as if kids would leave reading and the wonderful worlds of knowledge and adventure and intrigue they offer, librarians, library boards and library "friends" across the land took note and started a revolution. And surprisingly, instead of being left in the dust and debris of a changing world, libraries in many ways have not only embraced change, they're leading it.

Think of that in terms of your business. Are you taking advantage of all that is available to you to improve and promote your business? Is your business plan flexible? Can your business easily adapt to market changes and changes in customer needs and desires? Or do you try to force your customers into a business model you created which is now outdated or ineffectual? How does that affect your success and profitability?

You could learn a lot from the library.

Are You Open?...Minded I Mean

If you're just beginning your Internet marketing career and you're not quite sure what you want to do, here's a clue...When you're searching for ideas, look everywhere. And I mean everywhere.

One thing you learn quickly in this business is that some of your best ideas come from the weirdest places. And by "weird" I mean weird, but I also mean from the places you just wouldn't expect.

There have been many instances when I've been working on one idea, one plan of attack, and suddenly get an inspiration that completely changes my game plan. It just happens that way sometimes.

Always keep an open mind. You'll do best just letting your creative juices flow without limitations and consider the possibilities. That way you'll have a huge list of ideas from which to start. Then as you review your idea list and narrow your selections, you can let those ideas that most appeal to you and that you feel are most doable rise to the top.

One caution though, once you have chosen the ideas that you want to pursue, stick to them, unless of course they prove to be unsuccessful, unprofitable or unworkable ideas. In other words, don't start down one path, then get distracted by another and another before you've given the first idea a chance to succeed.

Be receptive to new ideas and new strategies. Study to discover the methods through which your ideas can succeed and don't dwell on how many ways you can fail. If you haven't tried something and it looks promising, but you don't think it will work, try it and see. You may be surprised. If it doesn't work out, don't let that stop you. Continue to look for clues to other new and different ways by which you can achieve your success.

John CH'WOW' Dot Com

Have you seen John Chow's blog? I visited it recently. When the landing page loaded on my screen, I looked at it and said "DANG!" (Where I live, we still say "dang").

You can check it out yourself here: http://www.johnchow.com

If you're a complete newbie, you probably shouldn't visit. It'll just make you mad. You'll look at it and say to yourself "I'll never be able to do that". It's very discouraging :)

John's blog has such visual impact, that it immediately draws you in. There's eye candy everywhere. You really don't want to navigate away from the first visual frame, because it can't get any better after that. It's pure WOW. At least that's the effect it had on me. It's like looking at an incredibly handsome man (or I suppose, beautiful woman), you know, the kind that are so attractive, you think they just can't be real?

For those of you who may not know, John Chow is someone I like to call an "upstart" Internet marketer. He doesn't necessarily play the conventional Internet marketing game, but he certainly knows how to play. I understand that he gets in a bit of trouble from time to time and has to have his hand spanked, but I have a feeling that he's laughing ALL the way to the bank. And his banker probably has a pretty cheesy grin too.

My point (yes, of course I have one) is, the feeling that's created for visitors to John Chow's blog, that sense of "WOW", is what you want to aspire to. I know, not everyone has the same vision. Not everyone has the resources to immediately create dynamic graphics and such, but the point is giving visitors to your site a special experience is something to which you should aspire. Why? 'Cause they'll be back again and again and again. And they'll bring their friends:)

Your blog or website doesn't have to have a bunch of flashy "thingys"; in fact it's better that it doesn't, as John's blog clearly shows. But good quality graphics, dynamic content, ease of navigation are all things even a beginner can shoot for.

My two cents for today.

Traffic Promotion With BlogRush - Are You A BlogRush Blogger?

If you're a blogger and you haven't heard of BlogRush yet, it's quite possible that you've been recently living under a rock. OR, as usual, you've been too busy trying to spread your time, effort and resources over about 500 things that need your attention, and you just haven't had the opportunity to stumble across the information yet. In any case, here's the scoop.

BlogRush, released just this weekend, is a brand new syndication network for blogs. Translation...It's a new way to help you get TRAFFIC.

BlogRush is a powerful new promotional tool that employs viral marketing to promote your blog, and best of all, it's free!

Developed by Internet marketer John Reese, BlogRush works through a very simple system. Blog owners such as yourself, take about 5 minutes time to sign up for the BlogRush syndication program, install a snipit of code into your blogs, and a menu box, such as the one pictured above or the functioning "widget" to your right, is produced.

Then, for each pageview of your blog, the blog menu box is displayed. And, for each time the BlogRush box is displayed on your blog, your blog will be promoted in the same fashion on someone else's blog. So, if the BlogRush box is displayed to 500 visitors to your blog, then your blog is displayed on other blogs 500 times. Voila! You get traffic to your blog.

That's a great thing, but it gets even better. The BlogRush system works exponentially. I won't go into all the details here, but your blog ultimately has the potential to be displayed 100s, 1,000s and even 10,000s of times. It's really a great concept, and did I mention it's FREE?

So, if you have a blog that you're trying to promote, you need more traffic (and who doesn't), BlogRush is a great way to get it. If you'd like to take advantage of the BlogRush promotion tool, simply click the box in the right margin where it says "Add Your Blog Posts - Free" or on the "BlogRush" tab at the very bottom of the box.

Get busy. Build a highway of traffic to your blog. Happy blogging!

Internet Marekting - Is Branding A Part Of Your Internet Marketing Strategy?

Branding used to be a subject reserved for stuffy corporate offices hidden behind the facades of huge corporations. Aaah, how times have changed. These days, even “mom and pop” stores have picked up on the advantages of using a marketing brand.

Search the Internet and you'll find a number of articles on the importance of branding (it's a popular subject). Unfortunately, many are really bad, and I imagine were written by people who don't know much of anything at all about branding. Anyway, I'm no expert on branding, nor do I claim to be, so I won't bore you by attempting to make you believe that I'm a brand expert. I'm not. But, I do have an opinion on the subject, so I'll just get to it.

Branding is important to your business. It helps to distinguish you from your competition. It helps to define and spread your marketing message. Branding is a powerful tool that is extremely valuable when used effectively.

What makes a good brand?

• A good brand identifies the owner (creates an immediate association in the mind of your consumers between the brand and you, your company, your product).
• It conveys a product or service image.
• And finally, a good brand creates customer loyalty.

But it doesn't stop there. A brand cannot be great in itself. To be most effective, it must be used in conjunction with a strategy that will create awareness in the minds of your consumers, and elicit strong, positive feelings about your company, products or services.

If you're not branding yourself or your business, you should be. Building your brand should be an integral part of your overall marketing strategy.

For more interesting information about branding, check out these sites:

Online Branding and Placement
The Brand Channel
The Brand Called You

Is Internet Marketing Money Really In “The List”?

Is Internet marketing money really in "the list"? It's a question asked often among people new to the Internet marketing niche. Amid numerous strategies and techniques, people are trying to find out what really works, and where they should concentrate their efforts, especially when they have limited time, limited resources or both. The answer to the question is both "yes" and "no". Yes, the money is in the list, but no not just any list. The money is in the responsive list.

To make money from a customer or subscriber list, the individuals on that list have to be responsive to you. If you are not able to move them to action, then the list is worthless in terms of building your business. Let's look at an example.

Say you have a list of 35,000 subscribers to your newsletter (if that's the case, you're very fortunate and the envy of more than a few of your peers). Let's say you have a response rate that averages 1%. Now let's say your competitor has a list of only 10,000 subscribers, but his list is a bit more responsive than yours at a rate of just 3.5%. Let's see what happens.

You send out a call to your list of 35,000 to purchase a new product costing $9.97 (Note: Internet marketers like prices that end in "7".). One percent of your list (350 people) opens the email, and just over 1% of that amount (4 people) makes a purchase. You've just made a whopping $39.88!

Now, your competitor sends a similar message to his more responsive list of 10,000, and 3.5% or 350 people open his email (the same number of people that opened your message). Nearly 3.5% of those 350 (12 people) purchase the product he's advertising for $9.97. He makes $119.64, that's three times what you made, and his list is only one-third the size of yours! That's the power of building a responsive list.

So, the moral to the story is yes, you need to build a list in order to make money with Internet marketing, but you need to build a list that is responsive to you.

Success Tip For Internet Marketing: Stay Focused

Do you know how many emails are in my inbox as I write this article? Forty-one. Forty-one email messages all containing sales pitches for one product or another service. Know how many are going in the "Delete" file? At least 37.

When I was new to Internet marketing, I used to read each email message I received, even if the subject line didn't really look like something that would interest me. I was afraid of missing the smallest nugget of information; desperate to learn that one secret that would to catapult me rocket-like to Internet marketing success.

Guess what? There is no one secret to Internet marketing success...And those small nuggets of information? They're not at all hard to find if you can get some idea of what to look for.

The best thing that you can do to point yourself in the direction of the seemingly elusive Internet marketing success you crave, is to focus. As you delve into the world of online enterprise, you may sometimes find it troublesome to keep yourself properly focused. There are numerous pieces of information with which you're bombarded, so much so that it's enough to make you go “batty”. But if you can manage to stay focused, choose a particular path and concentrate on it, you are well on your way to your desired success.

Here are a few tips for getting and keeping focus:

1. Organize Your Thoughts, Prioritize Your Tasks. Write It Down.
I know, I hate lists too, but they do serve a purpose and make good tools. Writing things down makes them real. And, once things are in written form, they're much easier to sort out and put together in order of priority. As you think through a specific idea or complete a given task, mark it through or check it off. It's a simple thing, but at the end of the day or the week or the month, seeing all of those tasks with check marks next to them gives you an immense sense of accomplishment. It provides you with proof that, although you may feel you're not doing much or things are moving slowly, you are indeed moving forward and getting things done.

2. Don't Procrastinate.
There are always going to be tasks that need doing, but are more difficult or less desirable than others. Stop putting it off. Just do it. The faster you handle an undesirable chore, the faster you can go on to the next step, something easier, or something you like better. And the closer you are to your goal of successful Internet marketing.

3. Don't Let Frustration Stop You.
Oftentimes when marketers are the most frustrated, they are really on the verge of a breakthrough. Unfortunately, many stop short, allowing their frustration to paralyze their progress. They either go off on a tangent, chasing a series of new and unrelated ideas rather than working through the one they have, or they give up altogether. Don't let it happen to you. Everybody experiences roadblocks, mistakes, errors, but the successful ones don't let those things impede them or get them "off track" to the point that they permanently lose their opportunity.

4. Take A Break
Although it may seem counter-productive to take a break and rest, your mind needs that. Stop periodically and rest, or do something different. Then, after a short period of time, come back to your original project or task. Your mind will be refreshed, your perspective renewed, and you'll be able to remain sharp and focused on what you need to accomplish at that particular time.

5. Constantly Remind Yourself Of Your "End Goal".
Why is it that you started down this road in the first place? What is it that you ultimately want to accomplish? Whatever are the answers to those questions, remind yourself of them constantly. Stick notes around the house, in your office or workspace, in your car. Reinforce the desired outcomes of your efforts until you know them by rote.

Keep your focus. Stay on task. Be single-minded about what it is you're doing and what you wish to accomplish. In the end, you'll find the Internet marketing success you long for, and I suspect, other success as well.

Are You Looking For Gurus?

If you're new to Internet marketing, chances are that you've run into the term "guru" already. "Guru" is defined by Merriam Webster to mean "a teacher and especially intellectual guide in matters of fundamental concern".

However, the term has been used quite liberally in the Internet marketing niche, and quite often refers to people who usually have one of two characteristics. They either have very large pocketbooks or huge egos, one of the two. Having especially enhanced intellect or wisdom is evidently no longer an attribute that one who has been endowed with the title "guru" is actually required to possess.

There are those though, that I like to call "reluctant" gurus. These are the individuals who don't seek personal attention or fame, and certainly don't seem to promote it. They simply go about their business doing what it is they do successfully, and allow the rest of the world to make its own decision.

Should you listen to gurus? Well, that depends. Do you want to succeed in business? Did you get into Internet marketing to make money, quit your job, change your lifestyle?

Even some of the more egotistical gurus usually have something you can learn from, especially if you're a complete "newbie" . I always say, you don't have to like the person who is providing you an example for successful business. After all, you're not inviting them to marry into your family. Your job is to find useful information, strategies, examples and techniques that you can use to build your own success story. So gather as much as you can, investigate, study, consider and then put into action the tools you can and choose to use.

If you find a good person to model after, someone who has a reputation for honesty, fairness, integrity in their business dealings, who is legitimate and successful, be they guru or not, then by all means use their example to build your business. But if you find a less than perfect example, or in the case of some gurus, one that may be a bit on the obnoxious side, don't dismiss them altogether. It's still quite possible they have some valuable lessons from which you can learn. Learn them, then move on.

There's a great big world out here. Your mission is to acquire what you need to get your piece of it. And sometimes a helpful source is found where you least expect it.

Internet Marketing Newbies Beware!

Recently, I did a little research on offers for individuals new to Internet marketing. What I can say about the experience in a nutshell is "Beware".

I signed up for trial offers of several programs designed to help people new to Internet marketing, to sample what's being made available. Granted, this only involved a very few websites, but these are businesses that specifically target people who have little or no Internet business experience.

The trial period for the offers ranged anywhere from 5 days to 1 month. Products and services varied including a program to teach how to profit from auction sites, how to create income from affiliate marketing (but they didn't call it that. They give prospects a long title meant to sound impressive, but they were training people to simply become affiliate marketers.), and receiving the benefit of “a personal coach” that would teach me the “secrets” to making big online profits.

One program told me that I somehow had to "qualify" for their program because they were only interested in people who were focused on success (Does anybody go into a business with the idea of purposely not being successful?). Apparently, from the conversation I had with one of the company reps, the only other characteristics of qualification for their program were that I was breathing, and I might want to part with a good portion of my hard-earned money.

In addition, I found that a majority of the companies whose trial I signed up for, purposely make it difficult to cancel the trial membership. When I attempted to cancel one such trial, the company tried to make it appear as if they hadn't received my cancellation notice before they began charging a hefty monthly program fee.

For anyone new to Internet marketing, discover as much as you can about what's available to you, but be smart and cautious. Many people wishing to become involved in online enterprises are in a huge hurry to make big cash quickly. While huge online profits are certainly possible and there are always exceptions, most often it takes a significant bit of time and work to see substantial profits from your efforts.

There are good programs to get started in Internet marketing, and there are certainly successful entrepreneurs who are good information sources and good examples of successful business. Do your due diligence. Take the time to gather information and check things out. If Internet marketing success is for you, sooner as later, it's still success just the same.

Internet Marketing Review: Holly Mann

Holly Mann is living proof that “regular” people can achieve extraordinary income online.

Holly's story has quickly become well-known in Internet Marketing circles. She started her Internet marketing career desperate and engulfed in a financially unstable situation. She was a single mother and disabled veteran of the U. S. Army, sold all that she had and moved with her child to Thailand, where she had previously lived. She knew that there, her meager resources would last longer and go farther.

After only four months of arriving in Thailand, Holly had developed an income system that generated $12,000 per month income from the Internet! She did it legally and ethically.

These days, Holly shows other people exactly how she found profits on the Internet, teaches them to do the same.

We believe that what makes Holly Mann's story so special is that she's an everyday person, no different from you or I. She's faced serious challenges in her life. But she chose to take control, take action and change her circumstances for the better. She succeeded through hard work, determination and an insatiable desire to learn how to do it right!

Holly has written an ebook Honest Riches 2, that details with step-by-step instructions, just how she made her money online. The strategies revealed in her book are not culled from over-used material. She teaches using her own first-hand experience. This is key to the book's effectiveness as a wealthbuilding tool for you. She outlines the strategies she used when she first began making money on the Internet, and continues to use successfully today.

You can use these same strategies that have earned Holly a very lucrative income, and soon make thousands of dollars each month yourself!

The techniques revealed in Holly's ebook are REAL (not “pie-in-the-sky” stuff). They actually WORK for people with no previous experience. Basically, you learn what she's learned and repeat it. It really is that simple!

In Honest Riches 2, Holly shows you how to create a website and optimize it for the search engines (SEO) so that your site is seen by people who are looking for information that you have to offer. She also shows you techniques to start making money without having money to invest!

Holly Mann's ebook, Honest Riches 2, is a life-changer. But don't take my word for it, find out for yourself.

Internet Marketing – Building A Responsive Internet Marketing List

In order to have a successful Internet marketing business, you have to have a "list". Your list is your foundation, and holds the key to the future growth and development of your business.

What if you're just starting out and don't have a list? Start building one today. If you really want to succeed, you need to build your own list. Buying or renting lists can be short-term fixes (and I have not personally had success with doing either one of those), but you need to have a list of your own.

Once you find a method to build your list (and there are numerous methods out there), the key to your success from the very beginning, is to build a responsive list. Why do you want to build a responsive list? Because that's where the real money is.

Once you've built a responsive list, a list where the subscribers take some form of desired action when you contact them, then you have a means of making money at will. Some people have even called it their private "ATM machine". Need a quick $500, $1,000, $6,000? There are even marketers that make in the tens of thousands of dollars or much more from just one email message or product offering. Wouldn't you like to be able to do that? You can, if you build a responsive list. How do I do that, you ask? Here are a few tips.

Make sure that the people on your list want to receive information from you.

Ever heard of "double opt-in" lists? That means that the people on your email list have told you not once, but twice, that they want to receive messages and information from you.

The first permission or "opt-in" occurs when they initially sign up for your list. The second opt-in occurs when they "confirm" their subscription. This second permission or confirmation takes place when you send them a follow-up message, after they have first signed up for your email list, and they confirm, either by clicking a link or going to a confirmation page where they somehow indicate their desire to receive email from you. This sets up a situation in which the individual expects to receive periodic messages from you.

Be certain to follow up with the subscriber once they have opted in to your email list.

It is important to make contact with your subscribers right away. Just a short note to say welcome, introduce yourself or your business is all that's required. You may wish to indicate how often you expect to contact them or what type of information you will be sending. This sets up an expectation for them, and they are aware of and hopefully look forward to your communication.

Be sure to tell subscribers to "whitelist" you.

Even though there are numerous ways of combating SPAM, it's still a problem for many people. Ask your subscribers to "whitelist" you on their email servers, so that they will be sure to receive your messages. When they whitelist you, they are indicating to their email host that they want to receive messages from you, and your email communications are not SPAM.
Don't bombard your subscribers with messages.

It's good to send messages on a regular basis, but quite frankly receiving two, three or more messages per day from someone whose list I've subscribed to is ridiculous. But, there are those marketers that do it.

Emailing your list every couple days, or a couple times a week is usually quite sufficient for your purposes and theirs. Remember that yours is probably not the only email list they are subscribed to, so just think about them receiving three, five or ten times the messages that you're sending them. That would easily overwhelm anyone and possibly make them less likely to open any of the messages they receive.

Send your subscribers information that will help them to achieve their goals, not just sales pitches.

If every time your doorbell rang and you answered the door there was a salesman there waiting to push his latest product on you, how often would you answer the door? Do you have caller ID on your telephone at home? Is it because you don't want to answer when telemarketers call? But when your best friend comes to your door or calls you up on the phone, are you eager to see them or speak with them? Your online customers and list subscribers are no different.

Get to know your subscribers. Find out what it is they're trying to achieve or what problems they need help with, then help them with those things regardless of whether or not it makes you money at the time. I guarantee, if you help your subscribers to get what they want, they will give you what you want over and over again. Once they see that you have their interests at heart, and that you are a source of quality information and ready assistance, they will gladly open themselves up to receive what you have through your email messages and other promotions. But you must first prove your sincerity and worth.

Building up a responsive list is really not at all difficult. It just takes time and patience. And, if you're your willing to do what it takes to build relationships with your subscribers, the end result can be absolutely awesome; both for them and for you!