Or as my mentor Bob Dylan says:
"You better start swimming or you'll sink like
a stone, the times they are a changin' "
. . . Bob Dylan
I get hundreds of junk emails every day from people, all trying to represent themselves as marketing experts, and all looking to make that easy money, every one telling me how I can earn more money with less effort. Each time the story gets bigger and, the hype gets bolder.
During the 1840's Gold Rush, thousands of people dropped whatever they were doing and headed to California to get their share of the mother lode, but the majority of prospectors never found pay dirt. The people who really struck it rich made their money by selling goods & services to the few miners who *did* find the gold.
Just last year it was possible to find success by emulating someone else's models. The fatal flaw with this strategy, is that if you do what everyone else does, the best you can expect is to get what they got. Guess what? Over 90% of these self-proclaimed EXPERTS are not making money. In today's Internet market you need to be a leader, not a follower. I'm not suggesting that you ignore successful marketing techniques, but I am recommending that you look into your own unique life experiences and strengths to implement your own successful marketing strategy.
-- 10% Solution
According to Forester Research, over 63% of American workers want to grow their own home based business; that is up from 46% just one year ago. So why are less than 10% successful? Most online businesses fail due to a lack of direct marketing experience. These people are un-willing to invest in their own long-term success. Don't worry about them. That's why they have jobs :-)
-- Leaders Understand Basic Internet Marketing Strategies
Forester reports that 9 out of 10 successful marketers share most of the same personality traits. Lets consider what they have in common. The Internet is a PULL medium. The first step is to attract a prospect. The second step is to convert the prospect into a customer. The third and most neglected step is following up with your existing customers by offering them additional back end products. Customers make better prospects than non-customers. They are the cheapest prospects to reach. The easiest sale will always be to an existing satisfied customer.
-- Leaders Bring Something To The Table
Don't simply join someone else's business. Successful Cyber marketers invest time and money accruing their specific marketing skills, that's how they became the leaders. Don't follow the leader, become one, and others will follow you through your example. Give them something of value before you ask for the sale. Give them a bonus when they order. Once you reach them with your own special gift, the pump is primed.
-- Leaders Develop Specific Goals & Strategies
The Internet isn't a lottery, it's a profession. Leaders spend more time thinking, planning & preparing. Evaluate your personal skills, interests, and passions. Work smarter and harder but you MUST also love doing the work!
-- Leaders Test Everything, First The Plan And Then The Formula
A simple formula says all that is needed. Analyze your website traffic and user patterns and traffic. Compute your visitor to sales ratio. Even if only one visitor in 100 buys something from you, that's enough to produce your personal marketing formula. If you pay $100 for an ad and it delivers 4 sales at $26 each after paying for the ad you earn four dollars profit. If the same ad yielded 20 sales at $26 profit you earn $420 profit after paying the cost of the ad.
EXAMPLE
20 sales X $26 = $520
$520 - $100 ad cost = $420 Profit
-- Leaders Sell More Products Even If They Earn Less Profit
Because marketing costs are lower on the Internet, you can earn a good income with a tiny profit margin. Lets say you average 100 unique visitors per day, (3000 visitors per month.) If your average monthly income after expenses is $150, each visitor has a value to you of 5 cents. Knowing this, you can afford to spend up to $150 a month and still break even. You can afford to pay up to 5 cents to attract each visitor.
You can develop a strategy to get more traffic, for as little as 1 cent per visitor by purchasing keywords at goto.com for example, for as little as 1 cent per click. You can also target your traffic, or focus on more profitable products.
-- Leaders Work Their Plan
Successful marketers do the same things over & over, replicating their success. Leaders test everything they do. In addition, they develop their own unique approach over time. Leaders produce more profitable businesses.
-- Leaders Implement A Master Mind Alliance
A mastermind alliance occurs where two or more people come together with unique experiences. A Master Mind Alliance occurs whenever through synergy, the whole is greater than its parts.
2 + 2 = 5
In nature there is an alliance is between the seed and the planter, the gardener and the harvester, the bee and the honey. In nature a seed gives birth to its own kind.
-- Leaders Have A Passion For Success
Passion is a key element in Internet marketing, perhaps THE key element. Use the skills and passion you already have. Your special knowledge and interest is your guide as well as your unique gift. It's your dish to bring to the potluck.
-- Leaders Never Quit
The person who won't be beat can't be beat. Don't play in the game if you are willing to lose. Plan on success being difficult and you won't be disappointed. Don't wait to get serious about your business. Treat your business like a business not a hobby, and you'll be one of the top 10% enjoying success!
- ©2006 Article by Robert Smith
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