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If everything I've read on the internet is true, then this world is full of millionaires that are just dying to cut you in on a piece of the action. Don't believe it! I have discovered a few truths about the internet, mostly through trial and error (and more error). I've spent more than a couple late nights staring blurry-eyed at the screen, trying to find that edge to put me over the top. In doing that, I learned an important lesson: There is no free lunch. Money For Nothing was a great title for a song, but in the real world it takes effort. There may come a time when you will be able to sit back and reap the rewards of your labor, however a certain amount of labor is needed first. The most time consuming thing (and the thing that will bring the most reward) is promoting your site. Although there are a lot of services out there that make big claims about promoting your site ("Just fill out this form and well submit your URL to every search engine in the world yada, yada, yada…), they can not deliver enough to make it worth parting with your money. The truth is, the most effective way to ensure that your site will move toward the top of the search engine listings is to submit it yourself. This means taking the time to visit each search engine and submitting the required information. That's only the beginning. You will need to get your site linked. Statistics show that the majority of traffic to your site will get there through a link from another site. There are several link/banner exchange programs that will display your banner for free (usually in exchange for a banner display on your site). Another option is to join a Web Ring that links together similar sites. Check out several options to see which one best suits your needs. Next: Advertise, advertise, advertise. Everywhere. Every chance you get. On advertising sites on the internet, in newsletters, in e-mail signatures (an easy to do, but much overlooked technique), and in targeted e-mailings. Another place to promote your site is in newsgroups. You will have to be careful here though. Most people do not join newsgroups to read someone else's advertisement posts. They are looking for helpful information. The challenge is to provide that helpful info, but still lead them to your site or product. Don't get discouraged. Anything worth having is worth working for. Success may not come fast, but if you keep trying it will come. There are two kinds of businesspeople on the internet: successful people, and those who quit too soon. JIM SMOOT is an author, internet marketing consultant, and publisher of the Business Advantage Newsletter. Get a FREE subscription be e-mailing to cjweb@hotmail.com. You can contact Jim at jsweb1@juno.com, or by visiting his site at http://members.xoom.com/cjweb/home.html.
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