They Laughed At Me Until They Saw Me Sell

Selling is one of those arts that you cant quite explain, you either have it or you dont, if you can sell, you can do almost anything.

A few people in life are born to sell, they are usually successful people that can practically sell ice to Eskimos.

If you are like me, you are not a born sales person. You have to will have to learn to sell; the key to successful selling is communication and trust.

Good sales people always ask questions and to understand what the person actually wants. Sometimes people initially say one thing and mean another, sometimes people have a deeper concern.

For example: A person may want to buy a bicycle, he tells the salesman its to keep the kids busy. In fact, he actually wants to give the bicycle to his child so the child can keep healthy. If you had asked the right questions and discovered the persons deeper meaning the sale would have been guaranteed.

The three key points to making a successful sale are: Walk into the meeting positive and look happy, be confident and know your product inside and out. The third and most important step is: Ask for the business!

This is by far the most important step, it does not matter how you do it. A few examples of how to ask for the business are: Would you like to order this? Do you want to put the order in? Do you want to go ahead and buy this?

If you follow the steps in chronological order, you will convert an interested person into a person who completes a sale.

Remember, 1. Act Positive & look happy 2.Act Confident & Know your Product, 3. Ask for the business.

You also need to target the right type of customers, these are people who you would approach that may be interested in buying your products. For example: If you were selling a very fast motorcycle you would probably approach adults who are aged between 20 & 50 years old.

You probably would NOT approach people who were 90 years old.

This is targeting the right kind of customer.

I have written a few things that you need to avoid when selling your products.

The most important aspect of selling when your chips are down is, dont let it get to you. So many times, I have heard sales people say: Maybe sales just isnt for me or Im no good at sales. This is utter rubbish. Anyone can learn to sell, you just need to follow the three basic steps I previously mentioned and go and talk to as many of the right type of customer as possible.

You also should not lie to make a sale, if the person you are selling to suspects that you are not telling the truth the sale will be lost.

Dont ever look desperate, this will also not win you any sales.

Lastly, sales is more of a numbers game, the more calls you make the more you will sell, period. Talk to the right type of customers for your business.

You will succeed.

Christopher Angus is a website promoter and journalist. He helps promote the following sites:

Asbestos Management
Book Printing
Windows Oxford

Christopher Angus is available for hire; please contact him at Chris(at)brilliantseo(dot)com

Christopher Angus is a freelance writer and journalist. He is available for hire and website promotion.Florry Blog50680
Esther Blog56185

AMEX Business Green Rewards Credit Card - Gain The Purchasing Power To Grow Your Business

The Business Green Rewards Card is a charge card and all the charges made on this card are to be fully paid with the arrival of the monthly bill. There are great rewards along with this card awarding you one point for every dollar you spend on the card whenever you purchase anything with the AMEX Business Green Rewards Card. Along with that you also get automatically enrolled in the Membership Rewards Program, that too without the burden of additional fee and you can also redeem points for merchandise, travel and other rewards for yourself as well as your business according to the program. The AMEX Business Green Rewards Card awards you 5000 bonus points on your very first purchase with the card. The redemption of points is also quite unique. With practically no expiry date set on redeeming the points you can use you points as and when it suits you. With the AMEX Business Green Rewards Card you can you have the facility to redeem points as less as 400.

Not only can you earn points on your card but points can also be earned if the additional card members make a purchase. The AMEX Business Green Rewards Card also offers credit-savvy agents along with online management tools.

With the AMEX Business Green Rewards Card your purchasing power can grow along with your business as there is no pre-set spending limit on your card as well as on the additional card members. You can also make large purchases without any dilemma as the AMEX Business Green Rewards Card may allow you able to pay over a certain time period. The introductory APR is as low as 0% on purchases and balance transfers.

The first year is fee-free for the AMEX Business Green Rewards Card holders and thereafter you have to pay an annual fee of $95. Though there is no annual fee for additional cards for employees. There is a late fee of $30 or more or 2.99% of your overdue balance, though this might help you get rid of the ever-accumulating credit card debt.

The online account management facility of the Business Green Rewards Card helps you keep a track of your expenses and also create a custom report. With this facility not only can you manage your own account online but you can also stay informed about the position of your account with 'account alerts'. What's more, paying the bill is no longer a problem, you can pay them automatically with your card; hence this new way not only saves your time but also keeps you stress free and all this cost you not a single penny extra. If you have any query regarding the AMEX Business Green Rewards Program or your account it, you send it through e-mail and a monthly e-mail newsletter will be on its way automatically to inform you of business tools and resources, promotions and benefits and accurate and timely business articles and advice.

The OPEN program of the AMEX Business Green Rewards Card opens a whole new avenue for you as it makes the OPEN small business network accessible to you. Businesses with discounts on necessary services like car rentals, telephone, shipping and printing are generally provided by the OPEN network. By using your Business Card you can get discounts at FedEx, Delta, Courtyard by Marriott, and others with OPEN Savings SM. No coupons or codes are needed and the savings will accompany the other discounts your business may already receive.

The AMEX Business Green Rewards Card also gives you a number of additional benefits including a travel accident insurance of up to $100,000, auto rental insurance and purchase protection and also numerous internet account related facilities. Your AMEX Business Green Rewards Card can be replaced in case of an emergency; it also provides you with lost and damaged luggage insurance and other travel and emergency assistance services. All you need is an excellent credit to apply for the AMEX Business Green Rewards Card.

This article was brought to you courtesy of Anthony Samuel, the webmaster of http://www.apply-for-a-credit-card-now.com . A credit card directory where you can search, compare and apply for credit cards from leading credit card companies.Vilma Blog79805
Farrand Blog1292

Business Owners are People Too

Ever take a look at any trade publications? There are always lots of ads for companies that are in the business that the publication is geared to. Your first thought could be that it makes perfect sense. Why wouldn't an accountant put his ad in Accounting Today? But think about it for a minute. Who reads Accounting Today? Me and you or other accountants??? Why would an accountant spend money to promote his services to other accountants?

This same approach holds true regardless of the business category. The basic underlying missing link is that business owners are people first. They live, eat, raise families, shop, drive cars, use cell phone, watch TV, read newspapers, play sports or workout, go the doctor, pay bills, go to the movies, and on and on, just like the rest of us.

So if you are marketing a product or service geared specifically towards business owners, consider first that they are people. The ABC Company cannot authorize a purchase or the hiring of a vendor company. A person at the ABC Company can. A person can say yes or no. A person can write a check. Not a company.

However, always remember that business owners don't stop being business owners when they're living their lives. They're just engaged in a different activity but if an opportunity presented itself during non-business time they would be aware and alert and take advantage of any opportunity that could enhance their business.

Know the demographic profile of that business owner who could potentially be your client and then use this information to market to them when they're living their lives. The results can be extraordinary.

Michele Borowsky is a 20+ year veteran in the marketing, advertising, and public relations industry. She developed Spread the News for small companies to have an affordable alternative to high priced contact lists offered to big companies.Fran Blog400
Valene Blog35826

Can Anyone Make $150-$200 A Day From Using Articles?

Why is article marketing so great and why do the greatest marketers on the planet employ this method of marketing?

The greatest will always remain in the front seat because they know what works. The fact that they continue to use article marketing as one of their main methods of marketing shows, well you guessed it, article marketing works for them.

The possibilities for your articles are endless and its an investment of time and not money which makes it cost effective as well. All you need is patience and commitment and you will succeed with this marketing method.

The greatest marketers use this method because:

Its cost effective. Actually let me tell you plan and simple, there is no cost to do this, it is absolutely free.

It builds credibility and expert status on the internet on any subject there is under the sun.

It drives floods of traffic to you promotions.

You reach a laser targeted audience with you articles.

This method has been proven to give you quality back links to your website and subsequently raise your website rankings, which equals more traffic.

These are just previews of the wealth that article writing can bring to you. Although these arent all the reasons, these should be enough reason for you to use this method of marketing.

The most successful people have one thing in common they copy the best, as we can see, the best marketers all said yes to article marketing as one of their most frequently used internet marketing methods.

What is the magical blue print for writing articles like the big guns?

Here is the step by step blue print that the greatest use to build their articles at lightening speed:

Step 1. Plan your article

This may sound elementary but very few people can write articles and skip this step completely.

When you plan your article it makes it easier to write on the topic that you choose. You need to dedicate time for this step because its the doorway for the other steps to follow.

Step 2. Brainstorm your article topic

What are you going to write about and why? Do people want this information? Can you solve a problem that others have? Asking yourself these questions coupled with a little research can get you a long way.

Step 3. Brainstorming your article points and organizing them.

So you have a good topic, now what are the points that you want to discuss on that topic? Organize these topics into the order in which you want to hit on them first then expand on it.

Step 4. Write selflessly about the topic to give quality information to your readers.

This often separates the good from the great. People want information that helps them solve a problem. We usually get the wrong idea with this form of marketing and dive into a sales letter for a product we promote.

Youre not promoting a product right now, youre trying to build your credibility in the minds of readers.

This will make them trust you more and be more open minded to your recommendations for your promotions. Not only will it turn off readers, it also turns off publishers to post your articles on their sites because it isnt of value to their website traffic.

Step 5. Double check and triple check your article for mistakes.

You dont want your articles to be filled with spelling errors and other minor or major mistakes because this will make people not like your writing.

Publishers will review your pieces and if multiple errors are found, then it will not be submitted to their audience.

Print out the article, read it aloud and pass it to a close friend to read it for you and give and objective opinion on what they think about your article. Two sets of eyes are better to find mistakes so use the feedback you get to write better.

Now that you have a simple blue print to follow consider using it to write articles. Article marketing is the life blood for many great marketers out there and you should make it part of your marketing plans. It continuously adds $150-$200 a day to the pockets of those who use it maybe that alone could be your motivation to try.

Shane Hunte is an experienced internet marketer who makes a full time income online. If you to would like to learn the simplest way to make money online then learn article marketing. Go to http://www.internetrevinue.com/Jim_Edwards.html to find out everything you need to know today about profiting fast using your own articles. Faydra Blog48462
Vinnie Blog1761

Copywriting With Google's Dynamic Keyword Insertion Tool

Automation is an odd creature. It usually seems, at first glance, that automating a process can make things easier, simpler and faster. But oftentimes, once an automated process is in place, trouble spots pop up. This is sometimes the case when looking at the copywriting aspect of Google's dynamic keyword insertion tool.

In case you're unfamiliar with dynamic keyword insertion (DKI), it's a feature of Google's AdWords program. It is often used for large campaigns in order to automatically insert the keyword into the headline of an ad. Truly, it's a lifesaver for many pay-per-click (PPC) ad managers who have to stay on top of thousands of ads every day. It's all done with a simple syntax command: {keyword:_______}.

From a timesaving standpoint, this is a wonder tool that has rescued PPC managers from the mind-numbing chore of typing the same keywords over and over. From an economic point-of-view, DKI *can* (not always) perform well enough to make it a viable option for larger campaigns. But what happens with regard to copywriting and eye tracking?

See It and Click It

The human eye is normally drawn to things that are unusual. Things that look out of place or different get noticed far more than things that blend in. For instance, on a page full of black text and black & white photographs, a small red square in the bottom corner will get focused on almost immediately. Why? Because it is completely different than everything else around it.

This same principle applies when considering your copywriting strategy for AdWords. When using DKI, you'll want to keep your eye on the results pages. Why? We've all heard that using the keyphrase in the headline pulls better. It does most of the time. There is an exception, however. This exception is what you'll be watching.

In fact, a study done last year by Enquiro, Did-It and Eyetools tracked users' interactions with the Google search results page. It found that surfers normally reviewed the page in an F formation. They would scan vertically down the left side of the page and then over to the right (where paid ads are) *IF* something caught their attention. That's the point we'll explore in this article.

In order to get clicks, you first have to get seen. If your ad looks and reads like all the rest, you've completely lost your originality advantage.

See For Yourself

Copywriting using DKI is a balancing act. You have to consider several factors, including the character count of your longest keyphrase, your ability to add text to the keyword-rich headline and how the ad looks on the page.

Take a look at some examples below. Remember that AdWords results show differently at various points throughout the day (and in relation to individual account parameters), so you may not see exactly what I saw when doing this research. I'm sure it will be close enough for you to get the idea.

Go to Google and type in the phrase "cruise vacation center" (without using the quote marks). See how all the ads look different? They don't all have the same words bolded. They don't all use the same copy. The bold words stand out because they are different. In this case, your eye will usually go first to the ads with bolded words in the headline.

You see ads offering a 6-night cruise for $xx.xx and other ads promoting X% off on a cruise vacation, etc. There is diversity and that's a good thing.

Now, what if you type in "home improvement? (Again, without the quotes.) If your results page looks like mine, practically every ad has the exact same headline: home improvement. Not only do most of the ads look the same, the headlines read the same. Your eye doesn't know where to go because everything seems identical. But wait! About four or five ads down, something catches your eye. It's an ad that has no bold in the headline. That stands out because it's different! As you scroll further down the page, more ads with no bold in the headlines pop out at you. In this case, because everyone else has opted for the DKI feature, their headlines are all very similar, making them less noticeable. But the ones who wrote custom headlines won out, thanks to diversity.

Tips for Writing With DKI

If you want or need to write using the DKI option, consider these tips:

1. Use a descriptive word along with your keyphrase. Instead of just inserting the phrase "airline tickets," place the word "discount" or "cheap" before your keyphrase to help it stand out.

2. For keyphrases that will take the entire 25-character limit, consider using one word of the keyphrase in the headline, instead of the entire phrase. Rather than "home improvement," try inserting just "home" or "improvement" along with other text you write yourself.

3. Keep it applicable. Your headline still has to convey a strong message about what the customer can expect at your site.

4. Test & Track! Everything in advertising is subject to change. Smart marketers always test and track to get the best results.

With a little forethought, you can develop a combination of DKI and custom-written AdWords ads that drive qualified visitors to your site.

by Karon Thackston © 2006, All Rights Reserved

Karon ThackstonFabrianne Blog23784
Eudora Blog73936

The Mortgage Business Is Changing...Are You In Internet Denial?

Refinances are down, new home sales are off, lenders are closing their doors, loan programs are being eliminated, and credit requirements are being tightened...it's no wonder we're not quite as optimistic as we once were.

It's against this backdrop that your on-line mortgage presence and Internet marketing takes on a whole new importance. There is mounting evidence that if you are not on the Internet bandwagon and if you can't be found by people searching for mortgages on the Internet, you are completely "missing the boat" in the mortgage business.

Many of you have told me "I just don't get that involved with online marketing. I've been very successful the traditional way for many years." Here's my response...My sincere congratulations on all of your past success and my profound empathy for the frustration you will suffer in the months and years ahead as your prospects leave you at the station while they board the express mortgage train called the internet.

Here are a few points about this trend to the Internet that you should ponder:

Both Search Engines and web sites are considered "referrals" and "trusted sources" by those doing the search. Being directed to your web site by organic search engines is a valid referral, just as a phone call is, or a referral from a friend or associate. People consult Google, Yahoo, MSN and AOL with inquiries and their most delicate questions over a billion times a week! If Internet referrals constitute a "trusted source," shouldn't you be one of those "trusted sources?"

The Internet is alive and on duty 24/7, and you would be amazed at what time of day (or night) people search for homes and mortgages. In contrast, the morning newspaper is usually in the trash by dinner time.

Supporting the proposition that newspaper readership and advertising is not as important as it used to be, consider these facts: In every age group, newspaper readership is down. In the 30-45 age group, less than 35% of people read a newspaper. Even in the 45-55 age group, only slightly more than 45% of people read the newspaper. People are turning to the Internet in staggering numbers.

Many publications including the New York Times are transitioning as fast as they can to Internet publication and advertising as they fear for the future of traditional newspapers in America.

Have you tried to get a teenager to read a book, lately? They are probably too busy Instant messaging, text messaging friends on their cell phones or watching videos on YouTube. Our next generation will be even less paper friendly and even more Internet friendly.

Mortgage professionals that have already committed to online marketing have been able to expand their marketing area and remain effective due to online communication; people find you on the Internet, call you or email you, and use you to help them secure a mortgage in an area they may not know.

So, unless you are in a state of denial about the Internet's importance to your future mortgage transactions, you need to take action immediately.

You do need the Internet...today and in the future...to succeed in the mortgage business. If you are welcoming and ready to exploit the changes you need to make, you'll be more successful in your online mortgage marketing and that's where the money will be in the future!

Tom Domin is the author of "101 Ways to Originate Mortgages" and publisher of "Tom's Mortgage Tips" a twice monthly Mortgage Newsletter geared for Mortgage Professionals. Put your mortgage career on the fast track and sign-up for FREE at http://www.MortgageMarketingToolKit.com/ Valene Blog35826
Essa Blog62814

How You Can Build A Profitable Business In Puppetry

How You Can Build A Profitable Business In Puppetry

Let me begin by ask you this question, What business are you in? Stop and really think about it. What business are you really in? We have often met business owners who share struggles like these:

Our competitors are always slashing their prices and we cant compete.
Our clients are always asking for a discount.
Every time I do something different, it gets copied almost instantaneously.

While these are all very valid reasons, we would just say that in todays business environment, reasonable price, good service and high quality is really a prerequisite anyone to be in business. In fact, just having reasonable pricing, good customer service and high quality in your products or services will not necessarily guarantee that your business will thrive.

First realize that you are in the business of marketing. Your business exists to market your product or service to the people out there. The key is that you first have to understand that the number one purpose for the existence of any business is always to add value to others. Look at it this way, if you are not adding value to your clients, there really isnt any reason for them to pay you more, is there?

Now you would have noticed that I have highlighted the word clients above and there is a reason for that. I have learnt from Jay Abraham that when you begin to see the people that your business serves as clients and not customers, you begin to put your business in a whole new perspective and with that new perspective you will find endless ways to add value to your clients.

Just for clarification, the major distinction between clients and customers is that customers are a people who buy goods or services from a shop or business and clients are people who are in a long term relationship with you and your business.

So in summary:

1. See that the no.1 purpose of your business is to add value to others in whatever field of endeavour you are in.

2. To add value, you would need to continuously educate your clients on why they should use your product or service, what benefits are there to them, why they should buy it from you and how they can do it. And this can only be done through marketing.

Until Then
Have A Profitable Day

Donald Ng

p/s: Visit us at http://www.puppetryprofits.com for more ideas and strategies to build a profitable puppetry business.

Donald Ng is first and foremost an entrepreneur having started his first business venture when he was 10 when he had the experience of buying things at cost, repackaging them, adding value to it and selling them for a profit. He began buying sweets in buld, repackaged it and hand delivered the sweets to classrooms and made a nice profit from it.Vin Blog26616
Farand Blog82475

How to Sell T-shirts Online

This article is intended as a guide for those who are looking for answers about selling t-shirts on-line. This guide is by no means perfect. It is written by me, based ONLY on my personal experiences. Forums, blogs, as well as, the printing company in question's home page are great places to start getting additional information.

What is my experience with selling t-shirts?

In 1999 my first son, Brandon, was born. Long before he could actually talk, he began the "baby talk." Mostly goos and such. He was a perfect baby. He slept all night, was NEVER sick., always happy., and always smiling. Anyway, when he began this baby talk, he would (as most babies do) say, what sounded like, "I Good." The good was a bit long drawn out. My wife, Laurie, and I would always respond with something like "I know youre good." And that was absolutely the truth, as I said before he was a perfect baby. I soon came up with the idea that it would be cute to have a little t-shirt for him that said "I good." Laurie agreed. We soon went to Wal-Mart and bought iron-on t-shirt transfers. I made a simple blue phrase using Microsoft Paint, "I Goood." I added the extra o to make the word more drawn out like he was saying it. By the end of the night he had a t-shirt that said I Goood. My wife and I made ourselves one with his picture on it. Laurie loved the shirt. She still has it. It's 6+ years later, it's a bit worn, but she still has it. I was hooked on the idea of making t-shirts. I very soon began thinking, "I wander how I could sell these. They're cute, and every baby says I goood. I know this would sell, if I could just market it. But how do I market something that only exists in my brain." My wife and I were not wealthy. We had only been married a couple years. She didn't work, and I was making just enough to pay bills. We had no money or experience. I soon gave up the idea. It was a hopeless dream.

Four years later, our lives had changed a little. We were living in a new house. I had a new job. My wife had a new job. She was pregnant with our second son. We both had returned to school. I had recently bought a new laptop for school. It was late January 2003. One slow Saturday at work, two co-workers, and myself, were sitting around bored. It was me (I'm a clinic nurse), the receptionist, and the doctor. We 3 have a great time at work. We are always playing pranks, telling jokes, and generally having a good time. I was flipping through a magazine when I say an article title that said "Football takes balls." It was a pun, and I love puns. I was thinking "that's a great line." A lot of things could take balls. I took a sticky note and quickly sketched a few little pictures, each complete with a little slogan. One had a football and goal post; it said "It takes BALLS." Another had a prisoner with his striped cloths, and two balls attached to his ankles with chains. It said "prison takes BALLS." Another had a canon. It said "It takes BALLS." I showed my pictures to my two co-workers hoping for a mere laugh, after all I drew 5 or 6 of these in a matter of 10 minutes, so I didn't put that much work into them. Like I said, all I wanted was a little laugh. What I got was unexpected. They both really liked the pictures. They both began telling me I should try and sell these ideas or try to get someone to put these on t-shirts. I just blew it off, I already went down that road with "I Good," and it is a dead end street. I don't have the means or know how to do such a thing.

Where do I go to sell t-shirts

When I was thinking about selling t-shirts, I was thinking about selling a design to someone who could make a shirt with the design on it, and then they could sell the t-shirt. I would make money selling the design to the t-shirt company. I began surfing the net, on my lap top, looking for someone who would buy my designs. This was almost hopeless. It was nearly impossible to find a trustworthy company who would buy designs. That's when I stumbled upon CafPress. They didn't actually buy designs, but they would allow you to upload designs and then sell those designed t-shirts in a CafeShop, absolutely free. That's right, at no cost. At that time, CafPress offered a few items to sell. White t-shirts, thongs, lunch box, coffee mugs, as well as a few other items.

CafPress, Too good to be true?

I joined CafPress on February 6, 2003. I started with a few basic shops.

Was CafPress too good to be true? Did I get rich quick? Was this an easy way to make money? Well lets just say I didn't quit my day job. I uploaded all my designs, put them on shirts, and then waited for them to sale. And waited some more. Then I waited a bit longer. After that I waited a little more. Eleven month of waiting had gone past, not one single sale. My wife said I was wasting my time "playing on the computer." I was starting to think so too. I just didn't want to give up. I thought my ideas and designs could sale if I could figure out how to market them.

In January 2004, my wife decided she wanted to get one of my "Wanna Monkey Around t-shirts." We ordered one, and I was shocked. The shirt itself was OK, but my designed sucked. It was very pixilated. It was blurry, and looked very unprofessional. I was glad that none had sold. To my horror, my sister ordered one of these awful shirts before I had the time to fix it. I spent weeks redoing my images. I ended up profiting $9.49 in 2004. What a great year right? I think it was. It gave me the chance to make mistakes and learn how to make better designs.

Time to get serious.

In late 2004 I knew if I wanted to sell t-shirts, I need to have a way to drive traffic to my CafeShop, but how? Part of the solution was to get my own domain name. I chose web hosting through Yahoo. I then registered TshirtManiacs.com. I also began paying for a premium CafPress shop. Over the next year I made new designs and CafPress added new items to put my designs on. Again I didn't get rich, but I did make a $505.17. That is a 53 times increase from last year. Now I'm not going to say what I've made in 2006, but I will say I'm expecting to make a few thousand this year. So it's a little improvement in last two years. I only do this part time, and I put NO money into it. If I were to invest in ads, and other forms of advertisement who knows what the profit potential is. For now, I am happy with where I am at.

CafPress and it's competitors.

CafPress is a great service. It is very easy to use. Very inexpensive (basic shops are free). CafPress offers a large selection of products to sell, including the best selling t-shirt. They are an award winning service with great customer service, great products, shopkeeper forums, and much, much more. They do their best to offer great products and service to both their customers and shopkeepers. Currently they have more than 22,000,000 products available by their shopkeepers. They have search system that is beyond compare. It is very easy for shoppers to find the product and design they want. They also have a wonderful affiliate plan too.

What does CafPress offer?

You can sell: Merchandise you design including t-shirts, posters, mugs, bumper stickers and much more Books printed on-demand Audio and Data CDs

What CafePress.com does

Gives you a FREE online shop to promote your products
Produces each item when ordered using there unique print-on-demand technology
Handles all payment transactions including major credit cards
Ships your products worldwide
Manages all returns/exchanges
Offers customer service via toll-free phone and email
Sends you a monthly check for your earnings on sales!

Can I really make money?

Yes! Some of the shopkeepers earn over $100,000 a year. Premium Shops earn 10X more than Basic shops on average. Plus thousands of members earn a steady stream of income through their CafePress.com shop.

How it works:

Each product has a Base Price that includes all fees associated with selling. You simply set your retail price above the Base Price. When you sell an item, we keep the base price and we send you the markup.

For example:

Value T-Shirt has a base price of $8.99
You decide to markup the price to $13.99
When you sell one shirt, you generate earnings of $5.00.
CafPress sends you a commission check for your total markups once per month.

How much does it cost?

With a CafPress Basic Shop, you can start selling for free. And, there are no inventory costs associated with selling products through either a Basic or Premium Shop.

Each item you sell has a base price. You simply markup the base price by the amount you wish to earn for each product you sell. When you sell a product, we keep the base price and you earn the markup.

If you are serious about making money on CafePress.com, check out the Premium Shops service. Premium Shops cost $6.95 at the monthly rate, or as little as $4.99 per month at the yearly rate. There are additional benefits associated with a Premium Shop to help you sell more.

How much time will it take to get my shop online?
Once your digital content is ready, you can create and launch your online shop in minutes. All you need to do is upload your content, choose the products you wish to sell and set your prices. If you don't have your images or content prepared. By spending a little time to optimize your images, you can ensure your products will look their best.

How can people find my products on CafPress?
There are two ways people will find your products:

1. You will have your own online shop.

For example: http://www.cafepress.com/ShopID

When you open your shop, you will choose a Shop ID that will become part of your shop's URL (see above). With your own URL
you can:

Promote your shop on your web site
Email your shop link/URL to friends and family
Buy ads on Google and other search engines

2. The CafePress.com Marketplace
Shopkeepers will be able to purchase your products directly from the CafePress.com Marketplace, which is visited by millions of
people each month.

The Competitors
Now in the mid-summer of 2005 I tried one of CafPress' competitors because they had black t-shirts. At the time CafPress didn't offer this service. The competitor was mediocre compared with CafPress. They offered a few items that CafPress did not. But they just didn't have the same level of search that CafPress offers. The profits were not as good as with CafPress either. Now, don't get me wrong, they were a fine company. Nothing was wrong with the service they offered. It was simply that CafPress offered a better service.

Now am I dead set on using CafPress? The answer is no. I really like CafPress. But if a competitor comes out with a service better than that of CafPress, I may begin using that. They thing is, I don't think CafPress will ever lag behind. They are the print on demand industry leader, and I think they always will be.

What do I need to sell t-shirts online?

First, and foremost, you need creativity and a imagination. Hope is another good thing. You also must have determination and a strong will to succeed. You need to have thick skin and the ability to take an criticism in a constructive way. (Yes, you will have those who criticize you.) Those are all traits that are needed by the person who are wanting to sell t-shirts online. One trait that is maybe the most important is patience. Selling t-shirts online is no get rich thing.

Other things needed are a good computer, good Internet access, and available time to invest in your new business. I would suggest a domain name of your own and a premium CafPress shop also. You can start your ad campaigns with the use of a credit card, but spend wisely.

That is all the startup you need.

Conclusion

Can you make money selling t-shirts online. YES! Is it easy? YES! Does it require a lot of work? YES. Selling t-shirts online is no get rich quick scheme. Heck, you will most likely never get filthy rich doing it. You can, however, make extra spending money easily and have a good time. You could make a good living at selling t-shirts if you wanted too. It is entirely left up to you, your wants, your needs, and your dreams.

Robin Goff is the owner/ creator of http://tshirtmaniacs.com as well as several CafPress basic shops. Vania Blog57758
Valli Blog66795

Real Estate Brokers/Agents Increase Market Share by Teamwork/Partnering

Real estate agencies and real estate sales agents; are you looking to increase your market share? A step toward reaching that goal is to adopt the model of Teamwork/Partnering. Real estate, by its structure and competitive nature, can inhibit Teamwork/Partnering because real estate sales agents are usually independent contractors and consequently that can lead to an all for me attitude. The agency is only as successful as the sales agents and vice-versa. Real estate sales agents procure listings, which produce business and revenue for the agency and sales agents. The agency, through marketing and advertising, generates increased market exposure that attracts buyers for the current listings and sellers, drawn in by the agencys portfolio of listings. The Boston Red Sox have players with specialized roles such as; 3rd base, pitcher, etc., so it is the same with real estate sales. Agents may have strengths in specialized roles like: high end single family, condos, geographic markets, and varying sales experience. All of these factors must be considered when implementing Teamwork/Partnering.

Team Work/Partnering: Inexperienced Agents

The Boston Red Sox send their rookies to minor leagues so that they may have the opportunity to develop their skills until they are ready to play in the big leagues. More often than not, new agents with little experience (rookies) are thrown into the starting line up without adequate training or time to develop. This is one of the biggest fauxs pas real estate agencies make. Nearly every other profession requires specialized apprenticeship programs for rookies. Solve this problem by teaming up less experienced agents (apprentice agent) with the agencys more knowledgeable agents (mentor agent), who often times are burdened with a heavy portfolio of listings. Compensation can be negotiated to keep both mentor and apprentice happy. The mentor agent can free up time for marketing, contract issues and pursuing new listings. The apprentice agent can handle property viewings and become an active participant in the entire real estate process working hand in hand with real estate transactions under the watchful eye of their mentor. During this process the apprentice agents should be provided guidance to insure they have the greatest opportunity for success. The managing broker must monitor and evaluate the apprentice agents progress; as this will allow him/her to safely recruit and develop new untested agents while insuring the agency is not vulnerable to legal mishaps resulting from lack of knowledge or experience.

Team Work/Partnering: Niche and Agent Experience

Teamwork/Partnering should also include niche specific expertise relationships. For example, Shane has vast knowledge of marketing and selling multi-family properties. Hannah has just set up an appointment while on office duty to list a 3-unit multi-family home. However, Hannah has never handled such a property.

Scenario #1: sales Hannah goes on the appointment and loses the listing to an agent with more experience selling multi-family properties.

Scenario #2: Shane and Hannah work together utilizing Shanes experience and thereby increasing the chances dramatically of securing the listing. Shane is rewarded by sharing the listing; while Hannah picks up valuable experience in multi-family properties and the seller gets two agents for the price of one.

Team Work/Partnering: Geographic Market Experience

Geographic market area is also a great way to build Teamwork/Partnering. For example; Meaghan is the only agent with any real success in Ocean-town, and now has a number of listings there. The agency does not have a strong market share in Ocean-town, but would certainly like to. Rachel received a call requesting an appointment to list a home in Ocean-town. The seller mentioned she saw the agency signs in her area. Rachel hasnt worked in Ocean-town, but has more overall sales experience than Meaghan. The ordinary solution would be to have Rachel refer the listing to Meaghan; but together they can offer the sellers a clear understanding of the Ocean-town market coupled with vast sales experience. Meaghan and Rachel both get the listing. The agency succeeds in increasing the market share and there are now two sales agents that have experience in Ocean-town.

In closing, Teamwork/Partnering is a successful model that more and more real estate professionals are turning to. It takes time to implement and there may be some resistance at first, but if encouraged and supported by the agency, even the most reluctant agents will soon be on board. The role of the managing broker is to encourage Teamwork/Partnering relationships; even if it means handing down some business to sales agents who are willing to work together to get things started. Their success in a short time will be a model for others to follow, and soon Teamwork/Partnering will be embraced by all.

Ken Farrelly is a Rhode Island real estate broker representing Rhode Island's waterfront, coastal community & luxury real estate sales.Fey Blog14255
Ermengarde Blog9439

Your Success Wealth 12 Step Program!

To Build Your Business You MUST Have Great Resources, Content, and Products! If You Are Promoting Affiliate Programs, Reseller ProductsYou Must Have These Essential Items In Order To Succeed!

Laurie Brandt
Subject: Do YOU Have What YOU NEED?

Hi, my name is Laurie Brandt. I have been around doing everything from Web Design, Hosting, Affiliate programs, Marketing programs, reading tons of books since 1999 and I am seeing the whys we all question and addressing them. You see all of these Marketing programs springing up everywhere like banks and for the owner of the program it is a BANK! It makes them rich if they are good, well known and did this right!

Will our buying all these Marketing programs make us Rich? We already know the answer to thatof course not! Will some Marketing programs help you make money, YES! But not give you the Bank. No one, not even me will tell you all their treasured secrets, I will admit I will tell you most cause I am like you and want to succeed. Plus I am NOT Greedy, nor are all Marketers, some are really cool! But some are about self and filling up their Bank and taking our money.

How do we succeed? I Have investigated a few programs that I believe in and in time think they will prevail the amounts of money I desireRome was not built in a Day and in all honesty these Marketing programs took a lot of cash to put together, along with trial and error, to get it to work for them.

If I were rich I would give 1000 people or more a FREE top notch program for FREE! I am not so thats not going to happen today. But what can we do today to get our foot in the Bank Door? Some of these Programs run well into the thousands, some charge a monthly fee (more my speed), some will give you payment optionsbut still that BIG question looms, can we afford it? For most of us we cantso what do we do? And these are the Good Guy Marketers I am referring too.

Well I attended a Teleseminar Call the other night and got some real useful info, was it free, no, nothing out here is free. Whoever said they made X amount without spending a dime, is a Liar! (Unless when the Net Opened up Commercially over 10 years ago, they might have and I even question that too.)

But a few basics I want to share that will help start putting some money in your pocketswe all MUST start somewhere. I am a member of a Marketing program (and an Excellent One, Made an excellent commission check and only joined a month ago) that I believe in time will put a good amount of money in my pocket, and in time maybe the knowledge to create my own Marketing program and have my own Bank. What can we do in the meantime?

Use Affiliate Programs, Be Careful Which ones you Choose. It is an excellent place to begin and I have made money using them and will gladly pass them onto you at the end of this report.

Read Think and Grow Rich By Napoleon Hill and Rich Dad, Poor Dad By Robert Kiyosaki, you can find them in Google and Think and Grow Rich can found Free. I will also add that to the end of this Report. Rich Dad, Poor Dad I have not been able to locate for free but Amazon has Used copies that are like fairly cheap. Ill Get Some Pricing Ideas for you!

Pick out a Handful Of Affiliate Marketing Programs (Investigate, Read forums) to Create Multiple Streams of Income! I have put together a list that I know to be trustworthy and will make you money (see bottom of Report). Please keep in mind at all times, no action results in no actionmeaning if you do not Promote and work the Program you will gain absolutely nothing. All these pay a fee and make a Fortune is a Rip-off, the only person making a Fortune is the one you gave your money too. And again, if you do pay for a good program and do NOTHING, you get just that, NOTHING!

Build an Opt-List (Not Easy) but a Must to have, use a Landing/Capture page with your Autoresponder on it. I have some ideas you can use but remember this is not an easy task...people will actually say NO to good useful information. You have to try different things, get known and become Trustworthy. I will give you some Bonus materials to use in your efforts to build your Opt-in list and then you must be patient and study the ways of others that will share what worked for them. CREATE A Page similar to this and promote it on the Net once you have gotten a good feel of what you need to do and have seen solid results from your efforts. Never lie, just destroys your credibility and then NO ONE will want your Products, programs, etc.

Use a few Good Safelist (Again Investigate, Free ones will NOT get much attention) Promote your programs through them. Build a Solid Downline, this is a form of Opt in list also. I will give you a list of some that I have good results to fair results withbut still remember to investigate and look for some that may work for you. I do not have every answer; if I did I would be RICH by now!

Join some Networking Programs and share with others and learn, soak up all the good info you can get your hands on. I have a few that are very good and responsiveone that makes me good money! I WILL DISCLOSE A LIST OF WHAT HAS WORKED FOR ME AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE!

Then if you want to try your hand at Marketing, get a Product you believe in and promote it along with your Affiliate Programs! I have a few ideas for you here too and will give you this infoare the products free? Some, the good ones are not free, I sell them cheaper than anyone else and will also give you Free Memberships to some Great sites that also have great resources that you can make money with. You are under no obligation to buy anything from me. These are just what has worked for me

Then Promote, promote, and promote! Attend Teleseminars, live ones when you can so you can ask questions, not everyone gives you that opportunity but most do. Grab some Offline text books on Marketing, Affiliate marketing, you can get tons of Great Books at Amazon that says used but I have purchased many and they look new to me when I get them.

Read Materials on Copywritingif you hate to write there are software programs that will do it for you or you can go to elance.com or some other agency and get a lot of stuff done cheap. Shop around. I am going to give you a just about everything you need to get started. But Rule #1: You MUST Promote, You must do your part, or nothing happens! Rule #2: see Rule #1! This is serious. This whole thing is serious, and if you are serious and dedicated, determined, nothing will get in your way.

The links I provide, please usethey are useful, beneficial and of GREAT value. I am giving you 2 free Memberships, which 1 is worth $26 monthly. There is even free hosting there, E-Books, Software, sooo many resources. So please do not take this lightly, I want you to succeed and am giving this to you for FREE! There is probably at least a grand in the free stuff and resources.

Teamwork and the POWER OF KNOWLEDGE AND NUMBERS! It works and its worth it, getting my 1st commission check from that program I just joined a month ago was too coolthey pay and any program I ever offer doesI will never at anytime offer you junk!

If you sit still and do nothing, nothing will happen, thats a PROMISE! I actually know Affiliate Marketers that make over 100k Yearly! Money can be made many ways on the netbut keep it cleandont email people with RE: in the subject line, good way to lose trust in that person who is trying to sell you something. Be honestI know I said I would not give out all my secrets, well I just didI am not making 6 figures, I am disabled and some days I just cant do anythingbut I keep it honest and clean and will gladly refund money to an unhappy customer.

My list is still small but responsive, I believe in giving away good stuff that will help and benefit. I have 10 out of 10 at a networking program I use, but I still have a long ways to go. The keyDO NOT GIVE UP! You will hit slumps but it always gets better. During these slumps or slow periods take that time and read, learn, listen to CDs, Audio/Video files that pertain to the subject matter. Never waste time, your goal is to become Automated but never Isolatedmake sure your members can always contact you. Your Autoresponder can do a lot but it cant answer every question customers, members, potential customers may need answers or help with, so please make yourself available.

Try and test different thingsI myself still have not found my Niche of choice but believe I will in the next few monthsyou will too. Just always, keep it clean, honest, and never be cheap. Your list will hang around longer if you treat them good, dont email them to death and if you give gifts, give beneficial ones, they will appreciate you for that.

Share with them your experiences; ask them to share theirs on your Blog, Site, or Forum. I want us all to succeed and if I find the key, I promise to share. If anyone would like to reach me my contact info is under my signature. Thanks for your time and I hope I was able to help someone today!

In the Future We Will Explore eBayPros and Cons. But for today we will keep it simple and work at the 12 steps of Your Success Wealth! It can be reached!

Please utilize the links belowmany FREE Resources, Hosting, Just about everything you need. Most is FREE a few things have a price, buy gain you are under NO obligation to purchase anything unless you want too. If The Resource Links Have Been Removed From This VersionPlease Refer To My Blog At http://digitaldiscounts10.blogspot.com

Best Wishes,
Laurie Brandt
YourSuccessWealth
336-723-7809
Laurie@digitaldiscounts10.com
http://www.ISO910.com/yoursuccesswealth.html (Your Success Wealth Capture Page)
http://www.ultimatelicense.com/splash3.php?rid=pawsnall64 (4 Free Sites, $26 Monthly Value, Free Hosting included and other cool bonuses)
http://www.isoregister.com/promote/?ref=pawsnall64 ( Great Resource That Will Help You Grow )
http://www.jobdiscover.com/jd/marketforce/index.html (Post or find people cheap to help with writing, or sell your talents here to others that could use your services)
http://community.adlandpro.com/go/tcsca1/?ref=tcsca1 (#1 Business Community, Join Free, Great Money Maker, High Income potential)
http://www.directmatches.com/pawsnall64 (#2 Business Community, Good Money Maker, High Income potential)
http://www.surefirewealth.com/rep/marketforce/mem.html (Great Income, Resources, E-Books, Software and Free!)
http://www.xy7.com ( Good Money Maker)
http://www.elance.com (Need work done, cheap, similar to jobdiscover.com but not as good)
http://ddesigner.secretaff.hop.clickbank.net (Excellent Affiliate training package, only $9.95, priceless info, 3 great bonuses)
http://www.letsallworkathome.com/Total-Resale/751/index.htm (Excellent reseller, and every tool you need, plus you get a free 1 year Silver membership to SureFirewealth.com, I have made tons of money with this package and used many of the tools to build my business)
http://www.ultimatelicense.com/rep/pawsnall64/ga.html ( Have Resellers rights to U4, helps build your Opt- in list)
http://www.thesecondtier.com/marketforce/thesecondtier (Great resources and marketing site)
http://community.adlandpro.com/registerUser.aspx?ref=tcsca1 (Still #1 Biz Site)
http://freeaddepot.com/?aff=4273 (Great for promotions)
http://www.mymarketingtactics.com/makemoney/5lessons.pdf (Excellent reading)
http://www.websiteservices.com/advertising/adrates.pdf (Free Magazine for marketing)
http://www.digitaldiscounts10.com (Many Resources and FREE Pro Marketing magazines)
http://website.ws/pawsnall/show (Get Your Site, everything you need plus make money with it, Top notch, Your Success Wealths new home will be here)
http://www.digitaldiscounts10.com/Suggest/35PrivateLabelHeaderGraphics/index.html (Another great income opportunity, made a good bit of cash on this one too, PLUS all the software to easily make your own sale pages)
http://thetoolman.net/Recommends/1000Links/ (Lots of Free stuff, Great resources)
http://www.profityesterday.com/pawsnall64 (NewHas It All Free To Join Marketing)
http://www.milliondollarbookshelf.com/books/tagr/index.php (Think and Grow Rich FREE Download)

Rich Dad, Poor Dad Can Be Purchased At Amazon.com For About $4 (Go To www.digitaldiscounts10.com and get it at our Amazon Store and Get a Free $200.00 Gift Card from us for SureFireWealth.com)

You will find many more resources within these. Within these links you have everything you need to start, run, maintain and automate any business you desire. This is a great Group of Info products, resources and more! My goal is to help you anyway I can and show you where to get what you when you need it. Remember Rule #1 at all times!

Rome was NOT Built In a Day! Determination and YOU MUST NOT GIVE UP! All good things take time and these are some of the BEST Resources you will ever encounter, what you do with them is your call. You know what you want and what you need. Every solution is in these 12 steps and resource links to your every problem you face. Take this and run with itPromote and win. Utilize and make the very best you that you can be. You have the power, you can win online and you will!

To View The Resources For This Report Please Go To http://digitaldiscounts10.blogspot.com Scroll To Bottom Of Article And Resource Links Are Available!

To Your Online Success,
Laurie Brandt
Your Success Wealth
Laurie@digitaldiscounts10.com
336-723-7809

Copyright © 2006 Digital Discounts 10
http://digitaldiscounts10.com

Laurie Brandt is a Woman of Todays Writing. Many Women Writers that precede her are an Inspiration to her and influence much of her work. She hopes to one day to have what they have...Talent, Respect, and will stop at Nothing to get it! Very determined and straightforward in her writings. She wants the TRUTH to be told. She enjoys helping others and will never have a "Help Desk" and will always answer her own email.Floris Blog42643
Valentina Blog86755

How to Find a Fast Growth, High Profitability Business!

Which company would you rather own: one in an niche industry or trade where more than half of business owners fail to make a profit, or one with 100, 1,000, even 10,000 percent growth over a period of three to five years, and stunning profitability?

Ask a group of unsuccessful business owners why their business ventures failed and most will probably cite undercapitalization. But there is often a more fundamental reason for business failure: Selecting products, services and a business niche for which there arent enough paying customers! Of course such companies find themselves undercapitalized. In fact, one can never find enough capital to keep a company afloat if it has a shortage of customers!

Buggy whips arent the only product in low demand. Today, product life cycles are typically short, and getting shorter. Entering a market that has matured (and for which you dont have a highly innovative plan to substantially increase demand, lower costs or differentiate your offering) likely will lead to financial disaster. So will entering a market that is oversaturated with reasonably competent competitors.

Why do most business start-up books and business assistance specialists focus little, if any, attention on the most important question an entrepreneur will ever ask: What business should I be in?

In part, because most owners, often unwisely, have already made up their minds about the business they should start. Many entrepreneurs incorrectly assume this decision should be based largely on the specific technical skills, interests and experience they bring to the equation. Or they may know someone who claims, often inaccurately, that the business they own is a raving success, and simply decide to follow their lead. But there are far better ways to plan for success.

An entrepreneur with 10 years experience working for someone else in the dog breeding field may enjoy the work, have great technical skills, and love dogs. But before starting up a dog breeding enterprise, wouldnt it be important to know that more than 65 percent of dog breeding companies are unprofitable. There are many popular small business categories that share a record of high risk and low profitability. Now, for an individual who is financially independent and for whom earning an income and a profit from their new venture is secondary, this may be fine. But few planning a new business enjoy that luxury.

Another reason most small business authors and specialists focus so little on business selection is that they know little about the subject. Though vitally important, market research and analysis are topics most business authors, counselors, brokers and advisors have failed to study. Even some business planning consultants gloss over this key aspect of entrepreneurial success.

Our entrepreneur with the dog breeding background can use research to discover that there are many companies in the dog products and services arena that are experiencing dramatic growth. One sells dog biscuits containing only organically grown ingredients via category killer pet stores. A franchise operation teaches dog owners to manage their pets behavior, anxiety and frustration using behavioral science methods. A third company offers health insurance for dogs. Dogs bred and trained for explosives detection are also in high demand. Many of our dog breeders skills may readily transfer to an enterprise in such a niche area, where with thoughtful research and planning, opportunities for success should prove far better than those for a risk-plagued breeding business.

Does this mean no one ever succeeds in dog breeding? No, but entrepreneurs seeking high income and growth know which odds to defy and which to respect.

How do successful entrepreneurs brainstorm and research high demand, low competition, highly profitable business ideas?

Many start by listing and analyzing their skills, interests and competencies. But they dont hesitate to apply these broadly to business ideas they consider. For example, management experience is often transferable to many industries and niches.

Smart entrepreneurs also search for screaming success stories. More than a dozen business publications, including Inc. Magazine, Business Week, and Fortune, rank the fastest growing large and small companies in the U.S. Some target hot growth businesses in Canada, Europe, South America, Asia or other countries and regions. Deloitte Touche Tomatsu ranks companies with growth as high as 20,000 percent across the globe. Links to these high growth companies websites are typically listed, too. There are similar ranking sources for top selling products.

When an entrepreneur identifies a company growing as fast as 5,000 to 20,000 percent every three to five years, he or she considers how a new company might partner or piggyback on that white-hot growth. They may slice off a niche, or become a supplier, dealer, representative, distributor or reseller. They brainstorm ways in which their own new company can tap into this hypergrowth. When I-Pods exploded on the scene a few years ago, smart entrepreneurs recognized the concurrent demand for accessories, and moved quickly to respond with highly profitable new products.

Wise business owners also study broad, societal trends, as well as trends within narrow industry and customer segments. They learn from futurists (management science consultants, about diverse global trends, risk management and emerging market) opportunities. Some of the best known futurists are Faith Popcorn, who wrote Clicking, Alvin Toffler, author of Future Shock, and Patricia Dixon, whose website, globalchange.com, is read by thousands daily. Books, magazines (especially industry and trade publications) and websites offer a myriad of free and low cost on trends and the future.

After homing in on a handful of rapid growth industry niches, the entrepreneurs market research efforts continue with searches for market analysis reports targeted to those niches (many are free and available from your public and university libraries). Successful owners also gather statistics on the product or service and its potential target customers. Much of this data is available from the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the IRS, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Commerce Department and other federal agencies. Private sources offer data, too, usually more targeted, but at a price.

Available information includes national, state, county, city and other geographical area statistics on income, total wealth, gender, age, ethnicity, employment, number of companies in the same product or service category, number of stores per company, square footage and square footage costs per store, profitability of companies in the trade or industry, risk of failure, and benchmarking data (typical income and itemized expenses for companies with revenue comparable to your firms anticipated revenue), and more.

This information is recorded, logged, sifted and analyzed to determine the prospective niches and your companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats before being incorporated into the owners business plan.

Youll be amazed at how quickly you can build a wealth of information around one or two of your own favorite, highly profitable business ideas.

So, before you race down to register your business name, complete a IRS form requesting an Employer Identification Number, or run to the store for office supplies, ask yourself this question: Am I satisfied that Ive found a high demand, high profitability business, with costs I can control (or even cut below the industry benchmark), in a low competition niche that is suitable given a broad application of my skills, interests and experience?

Once you have a well-researched, positive answer to that question, youll be ready to realize your own screaming small business success story.

Jim Hudson began his research and writing career in 1969 as a Green Beret Magazine report-photographer in Vietnam. His firm, Blue Ocean Company, helps small business owners identify and exploit blue ocean markets (high demand, low cost, low competition, high profitability business opportunities), and develop their business and marketing plans. The Blue Ocean website, http://www.blueoceanstore.com lists over 50 links to sites that rank fastest growing companies, fastest growing new franchises, and top selling products. It also lists and links you to brainstorming tools, risk and profitbility data, trends and futurist resources, free market research reports, and keyword niche-finding software. Most resources are free.Vikky Blog10103
Valery Blog42590

Why is Content Important?

Content is the soul of a website. Content is comprised of the words or text on a web page along with the graphics and structure of a website. Today Web content is the best tool for building relations with your potential customers. The look and feel of a site is crucial but quality web content may be more important.

Two of the most popular methods of getting traffic from search engines include PPC Pay Per Click and SEO Search Engine Optimization.

PPC:

Pay per click advertising on search engines allows you choose keywords you would like your site to appear for when a search is performed. You decide how much you are willing to pay each time a person clicks on the search results. The more you are willing to pay per click, the higher your site will appear in the results for the keywords you choose.Pay Per Click is advertising provided by the search engine providers (Google, Yahoo! and others) where you PAY for top placement. Their strategies for placement differ slightly. Some search engines will give you higher placement if your ad has a higher click-through rate (meaning more people click on your ad in ratio to the amount of times your ad was shown), others give top positions to the highest bidder.

You probably already know that surveys are excellent for finding out what your target market wants. But if combined with low cost, quick and dirty Google PPC, surveys can also send lots of targeted prospects to your site every month.

In either case, you PAY. It is a quick way to get listed in the search engines and a smart way to get your traffic flowing but it is not the cheapest AND you could spend far more than is profitable for your business if you dont know what youre doing.

Search Engines: While crawling pages of a website, search engines look for content more than anything else. Search engines can pick up quality content and it is the only factor that they emphasize and value most while ranking a website. For the benefit of their users, search engines try to find the best and most useful content on the Internet for any given set of keywords.

SEO:

Although search engines are extremely competitive (in terms of placement), the major search engines account for over 90% of all traffic. With that though in mind, companies that are serious about earning a share of the internet market should be committed to securing top 10 rankings for the keywords or phrases that pertain to the products and services that they offer.

The best way to ensure a solid return on your website investment is to employ the services of a search engine optimization firm with a proven track record of success, knowledge of current and cutting edge techniques, and experience working with the business community.

There are a lot of companies working behind the scenes to help website owners get plenty of traffic from the natural search engine listings. Natural listings mean the search engine has ranked you according to the value it believes your site will offer an individual searching for a specific word or phrase.

Understanding exactly WHAT the search engines want to see when ranking sites requires knowledge of the algorithms. These algorithms change all the time as search engine providers try to outwit the search engine optimizers trying to find loopholes in the ranking system.

Some SEO companies will promise you top spots for a certain cost. Some are honestly creating optimized websites others may be using techniques that could possibly get your site BANNED from the search engines entirely (once the search engine catches on). However, optimizing your website for better placement in the search engines is a technique that you should become familiar with and use to your advantage.

Both of these traffic methods have their pros and cons for generating traffic from the search engines. You will find out more about using them properly later on. But first you need to know what REALLY works

Dechen Lau., is an Author, Speaker and Internet Marketing Consultant Vivi Blog26756
Vita Blog30612

The Greatest Lie Ever Told: Everyone is Your Prospect!

Outdated network marketing ideologies (some people call them lies), have made failure a common destination for most network marketers in our industry.

The "everyone is your prospect" (and other tired theories), end up making you feel frustrated and incompetent, not to mention it sets you up for failure.

Why? Because you go out and try to "sell" your product or your business opportunity to everybody you come in contact contact with and then feel like a loser when people repeatedly tell you they're not interested!

Here's the reality: not everyone is a prospect for your business opportunity or product despite what you've been taught. Shocker huh?

Although your upline and in some cases, your company has drilled it into your head that everyone is a prospect for what you're marketing, you must keep in mind you're in business and not everyone wants what you're selling.

You must know that it's to your company's benefit for you to think that you have a huge market with wide-open arms just ready for your product. That's probably how they sold you on the opportunity - right?

Take for example the three foot rule. The three foot rule is an offshoot of the "everyone is your prospect" theory. This is where you find a catchy phrase to start a conversation with anyone and everyone who's unlucky enough to venture within three feet of you. The goal is to "work" your opportunity into the conversation. Don't you feel phony when you do this?

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with making small talk with strangers when you're out and about, but if your only reason for doing so is to get an "opening" to pitch your business, then its contrived. Besides, most people can sense when you're insincere and fake. Who do you think you're fooling?

Now, think about it. What kind of role-modeling are you showing for your potential prospect anyway? After you pitch them your opportunity, the first thing that comes into their mind is: will I have to go up to strange people in public places to recruit for my business too? I don't want to do that... this is not for me.

You are making your potential prospects even more resistant to your proposition with your actions and you don't even know it. But maybe you do, because the three foot rule and the other "lies" you've been practicing and believing in have not been working.

It's a reality that you feel awkward prospecting this way, but your upline says it's one of the "techniques" we use.

Your family hates taking you out in public places, like restaurants and stores, because they know you're going to launch into your network marketing spiel at any given moment. They're embarrassed and ashamed you work your business this way. You're like a lion on the prowl in the Serengeti!

The more you conduct yourself this way, the more you feel a lost of your dignity. You feel like a schmuck, like the creepy guy that sits alone in the back of a movie theatre watching a children's flick and talking to himself.

Despite what you've been told, not everyone is your prospect. That can never be! Some people are happy working a job. Some people are so fearful and distrustful of business people that they could never muster up the courage to become one of them. Some people don't like risk. Some people just aren't qualified to be their own boss.

By now, if you've done the three foot rule for any length of time, you know that it is not a good use of your time. In fact you are getting frustrated and angry that you have to resort to such tactics, but you feel you are obligated to use any wacky prospecting technique your upline comes up with.

If your upline told you to dress up as a clown complete with the big red nose and rainbow curly wig and go door to door prospecting, you'd do it because your upline told you it worked. You want to be teachable and trainable, so you do anything they tell you to do, much to your displeasure.

Around about now you are ready to quit. You've had enough of the "everyone is your prospect" lie and other lies. The reason you are not having much success is because...

You are not going after your target market! Your job is not to convince, bribe or convert anyone into having a business. Your job is to talk to people who are on the same page as you. In other words you want people who are actively seeking out a solution to their problem and you want them coming to you first.

When people seek you out, you are seen as an expert. When it's the other way around you are seen as a pest and a desperate one at that. Why would you want to waste valuable time trying to convince uninterested people of your opportunity or to try your product?

The reality is that if you keep believing the "lies" or the ineffective marketing techniques your upline is telling you to do, you will not have much success if any success at all.

If you want to have massive success you must go after your target market. I promise you that you will drastically reduce your chances of failure in this industry by doing so.

For free eBook to see what "lies" are keeping you from success, please visit: http://www.NoMoreMlmHype.com. Corrisa Malone is a home-based business entrepreneur, consultant, Internet marketer and writer. The owner of a successful home business, Corrisa's writing comes straight from the heart, with a nononsense approach to network marketing and the home-based business industry. She specializes in helping people succeed in their network marketing business.Fifi Blog17308
Veronica Blog31078

The Seven Demons of Internet Marketing

Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year, and it arrives in less than a week. I thought it would be an appropriate time to write about the demons of internet marketing. By this I mean that whenever one ventures into the online business world, trying to make their fortunes online, there are always obstacles to face along the way. Let us call these obstacles "the Demons of Internet Marketing"!

Demon #1: The Demon of Trust

Our first demon when trying to find profitable home based business opportunities online is the Demon of Trust. With so many online, money making opportunities out there, which source is the one we can safely put our hard earned dollars into? Which internet guru is going to take us by the hand and lead us to success? Which opportunities are scams and which are real and legitimate? Well it takes some time to figure these things out, but the time you take to do your research into different opportunities will be well worth it in the end. Most of us delve into this or that hot new opportunity and lose a little money along the way, but if we know the business has a good reputation, have checked it out at the Better Business Bureau, have asked questions in forums and to direct contacts, have compared opportunities, and read books on the subject, then we can probably feel safe that the Demon of Trust is not going to knock us down.

Demon #2: The Demon of Money

The second demon we run across when we are deciding on a new business opportunity, or have already chosen one, is the Demon of Money. This demon can be nasty, as internet marketing ventures can be very expensive if we're not careful. First we have to determine if we have enough money to not only start, but to sustain a business online. Then we have to create a business plan and budget for ourselves so that we can maintain our business for the long term. After all, a web business is not something you quickly whip up, leave alone, and expect to bring in the bucks. A web business takes a little, or even a lot of money to maintain over time. Ask yourselves if you have enough to do it. Find out ahead of time what costs will be involved along the way. What do you have to pay for membership fees? What programs might you be asked to join? What advertising techniques will you have to pay a pretty penny for? What methods will you use to market your business and how much will it cost? Get an Excel spreadsheet together and track your expenses. If you do these things, the Demon of Money might not burn a hole in your wallet.

Demon #3: The Demon of Time

Running an online internet marketing business is no easy task. It takes hard work, energy, and consistent effort before you can expect to see results. Even if you realize it will take time, there are often unforeseen events that happen in our lives that prevent us from moving forward with our businesses. You have to account for the unforeseen when managing your time. You have to expect to do something every day to get your business rolling, even if you can only manage one small task. Making a daily to-do list really helps in this case. Write yourself a note about what you want to accomplish and set some goals that you will work towards achieving. It's a bad idea to try and do too much all at once, as it just leads to feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and burnt out. Just like with your money, you need to manage your time in a way that suits every other thing going on in your life: Your day job, your family, your friends, your athletic pursuits, your recreational activities, your rest, and your relaxation. If you can only do a business part-time, don't try to force yourself to make it full-time. You can only do so much if you want to stay healthy. Plan your days wisely and the Demon of Time will tire you out.

Demon #4: The Demon of Advertising

Internet marketing involves a great deal of advertising if you expect people to find your business online and purchase products or services from you. We must select different forms of advertising to find out what works best for us. This, too, is no easy task, and it can be terrifyingly expensive. If we keep in mind that there are many free and effective ways to advertise and we find and use these methods, then we might survive. Article writing, blog posting, linking, and free classifieds are great ways to advertise our online businesses and don't have to cost us a cent. But of course, we are going to want to try some paid advertising methods, especially if we have the money to do so. We could select and pay for ezine solo ads, pay for an article submission service, or a ghost-writing service if we have articles written for us. We could pay for Google Adwords, or pay to get quality one-way links pointing back to our sites. We could pay for a press release or newspaper ad or flyer. The possibilities are endless. We have to find out what's right for us, and sometimes this just takes a little bit of dabbling into everything to find out what works. Then once we find out what works, we can get ahead of the Demon of Advertising by duplicating what we have done to get positive results.

Demon #5: The Demon of Traffic

Once we have our web businesses up and running, we must get visitors to our sites if we expect to make any money online. The Demon of Traffic gives us endless frustration as we try to find ways for people to find our products and services online. If you don't have a very specific and targeted niche market, then this can get crazy in a competitive internet marketing world. One of the best ways to get traffic to your site is by writing articles and placing the link to your site in the author's bio-box at the end. Article marketing is huge and your links will get spread around the net in no time, especially if you use an article distribution service that reaches thousands of publishers online. You should also try to get one-way links pointing back to your site by submitting your URL to different link directories on a regular basis. You can also get your links circulating by posting your link in different discussion forums, or making comments on other people's blogs. Your links are picked up by the search engines and will appear in the search results when someone searches for a particular keyword. You also want to offer a newsletter on your site and perhaps advertise your site by circulating and opt-in form in different traffic exchanges. Traffic exchanges are another way to get credits to show your links and build traffic to your site. The ways to generate traffic are endless if you are creative and again, find out what works best for you and duplicate your success.

Demon #6: The Demon of Downlines

If you are involved in a network marketing business, it is a real challenge to build a good downline to grow your network. You have to be willing to find prospects and communicate with them regularly if you expect anyone to join your business. You should be willing to offer your contact information, and accept phone calls to answer any questions your prospects may have. You must be willing to offer your support and assistance whenever it is needed, and you must go out of your way to make your customers feel like they are number one. You may even want to distribute business cards, flyers, brochures, or create a CD to demonstrate your product or service and give it away for your prospects to review. You may want to find network marketing distributors who are already interested in your business and have some knowledge already about it. If you are willing to communicate, support, and be there for your prospects and customers, then the Demon of Downlines can be beat.

Demon #7: The Demon of Sales

Last but not least is the Demon of Sales. Sometimes even when we are doing all the right things in our businesses, the sales just aren't coming in as we'd like them to. Once we build a list and have traffic to our sites, and we have advertised using this or that method, how do we translate our efforts into sales? How do we keep our current customers interested in our products and services and coming back to us in the future to buy more? Sometimes this is just unpredictable, but one thing you can surely do to help your business boom is to develop solid relationships with your client base. Once you have a list of subscribers to your newsletter, talk to them. Send them personal messages in addition to your business messages. Don't try to sell them something every time you write or talk to them on the phone. Show them that you care about their wants and needs, and care about making their lives happier in some way. Show them how your product or service will satisfy that need or desire. Show them that you are there and willing to help them at any time. Build rapport with them by asking them questions, and asking for their feedback. Get them involved in your business as much as possible. Once you have a good relationship, you have customers, possibly for life!

Liane Bate owns a Plugin Profit Site web business, is a member of Success University, and the IAHBE.Veronike Blog91856
Fina Blog458

Promote Your Local Business Online And Offline

Nowadays, many people search online for services instead of reaching for the phone book. To increase your online exposure your pages should include your street address, zip code, phone number, and five-digit zip code. Include place names in the title tag such as the name of your city and your service. When you seek links to your site contact local businesses. A noncompeting local business should be interested in exchanging links with you. Make sure that the anchor text includes the name of your city. List your business within local business directories. If you are a member of you local chamber of commerce, ask for a link from their website.

Submit To Directories

Links from directories are some of the most valuable links you can get. Note: Directories are not the same as search engines. A link from a directory will help your search engine ranking. There are thousands of online directories, but some are more significant than others. In addition to directories such as the Open Directory Project, some of the most important search engines such as Yahoo and Google have directories of their own.

Some of the greatest advantages of submitting your site to directories are you get:

* One-way links. Remember, one-way links are more valuable than reciprocal links;
* Potentially qualified clients repeatedly see your listing.

Obtaining links from directories drive an increasing amount of traffic to your site. In addition, you are improving your ranking within search engines such as Google and Yahoo. Once you submit your site information to a directory, it may take weeks or even months to get listed.

While many directories are free, dont be surprised when you are asked to pay for submission. Certain directories promise to expedite the submission process for paying customers. Directories provide you with a constant stream of visitors and highly valuable one-way links, be sure they are part of your marketing strategy.

Submit Your Site to Industry Sites and Specialized Directories

Because a link from a relevant site is more important than one from an irrelevant site, links from industry sites and specialized directories are highly valuable. If your business is a member of professional associations, ask for a link to your site. The more links you obtain from related websites, the more likely your site will be considered an authority site.

Searching online you will find directories focused on your particular industry such as business coaching, accounting, retail, and such. You almost certainly belong to various trade associations that list member sites. Contact the Webmaster and ask for a link. You may get a link for free or you may be required to pay a fee, either way, it is worth it.

George Meszaros with Webene http://www.webene.comFawne Blog78427
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How to Start Your Affiliate Business

Does this sound familiar:

Getting started is easy!
-- Complete the online application below.
-- Read the Affiliate Agreement and the additional terms included with it!
-- We notify you of your acceptance.
-- Place the links on your site and Start earning cash!

Just like that, you think you are on your way to earning 100s of dollars in income right away. You hear the success stories. You see the potential for earning an income on the internet. You jump right in and join a bunch of affiliate programs, purchase the services and software that you are told that you need. Now you have spent all this money and have still not made anything to show for your efforts.

What you need to do is start by planning out your business. Make sure that you have an overall business plan. Put this down on paper. When planning your business, you need to determine which affiliate programs to join. You want to avoid just putting up a list of affiliate links. This will never encourage people to buy from you. Do your research about products and services. There is so much out there on the internet about everything this should not be a hard task. Look to see what people are out there buying. Keep in mind that most people on the internet are looking for information. Make sure that you are able to provide then with the information that is helpful to them. Choose something that you can be passionate about and work hard at showing people how your product or service will help them. This will encourage visitors to click on that banner and purchase the goods or services that you are promoting.

Once you have figured out what your business is then it is time to establish a presentation of your business - Your WEB SITE. This does not have to be a grand 20 page web site. It is more of a one to two page site that allows you to pitch your business. Remember, if you are not building a business, you are not going to earn any money on affiliate sites. You want to keep your site very easy to understand and browse through. You want to make sure that you show your passion about the products or services that you are selling. Show people what the product or service can do for them. Make them think that it is something that they cannot live without. Use testimonials and personalize your web page for the product or service. You want people to see that you are just the average Joe who has found this wonderful product and show what it is going to do for them. It does not have to be anything elaborate. In fact, simplicity is the key to keeping people on your site. The more Bling that you have going on, the less likely that people will stay on your site.

Remember, starting any business is difficult. Dont expect to make big money right away. It takes time to establish trust with customers. But, by planning your business and building a quality site, you will avoid the mistakes that many affiliates make. You will be way ahead of the pack and on your way to building a viable web BUSINESS.

Markus Corkern is a writer and affiliate director for http://www.megaffiliates.com. He is active in new research and development in the internet affiliate marketing field.Fan Blog70421
Farrah Blog3774

Bias-So what else is new?

Have you ever notice how biased the media is? Lets look at the press for the moment. The New York Times is thought to have a liberal bias. How do you go about checking it out to see if its true? What you have to do is take a look at whats being published thats negatively based, and when is it being published.

Lets say Bill Clinton was in office, and something particularly bad happened, but the Times wanted to portray it in the best possible light. No, lets go one step further; lets say they had to portray it in a bad light. When would you publish? You would do it on the day of the week when you had the smallest print cycle. For the Times, theres nothing like the Saturday edition.

Saturday is the day when nobody reads the paper. If you have to print something that you would rather not print, stick it in the Saturday edition. If you have to print something good about a guy you inherently dislike, stick that in the Saturday edition as well. I find it fascinating to take a red heavy duty pen, and just mark up the Saturday editions of the newspapers to see all the news thats fit to print, but especially on Saturday.

You may be aware that the Wall Street Journal recently started printing on Saturday as well, so we have a new kid on the block, and they are part of the game as well. The print media is not only biased due to political orientation, but also financial orientation. Its pretty tough to be very hard on corporate entities that are giving a fortune in advertising on a regular basis to the newspapers.

A perfect example of the hand that feeds the bird concept of publishing is the car industry which spends a fortune on advertising. If you ever look at car magazines they are notoriously biased. If they do a nice write-up on a car, somehow the car company in question manages to have a nice big full page ad (sometimes several pages) very close to the favorable article that was written. Do you think this is coincidental? I dont think so.

The Wall Street Journal recently had a sweeping, long article on Fords problems. How bad are Fords problems? The are partially shutting down at least 10 plants that employ 20,000 plus people for the rest of the year. This will cut 21% of production between the US and Canada. Merry Christmas to those being laid off. They wont have jobs the rest of the year. At the same time, Ford is expanding its operations in China. Ford blames the crisis on higher gasoline prices. What am I missing, isnt every car company in Japan also being effected by higher gasoline prices? Why is it that a management team in the United States can be asleep at the switch and thats okay? They get to blame their problems on situations that they claim no control over. Why is this okay?

The Wall Street Journal was kind enough to write the story about Ford a major advertiser, and put it on page 1 where it belongs. They did Ford the favor however of printing it on a Saturday, when nobody is reading the Journal. Its like this, if you can study whos advertising with whom, you will be able to figure out whos pushing whos buttons. You need to know the real deal, if you are going to make real decisions, about anything.

Lets take Dan Rather the television news reporter. Whether you like Dan Rather or not, you have to respect anyone who has the staying power to last 40 years on television. The man is a survivor. When he did the story on President Bush during the campaign and questioned the Nation Guard Service of the President, I thought he was over the top. Too many years had passed for anyone to truly be able to prove the real deal on that one either way. Rather was attempting to influence a Presidential election because of his timing so close to the election. This is okay, because others have tried to do the same. What was not okay was the man having insufficient proof, or in this case fabricated evidence.

CBS decided to crucify Rather which they have effectively done by firing him (permitted to resign, SURE). If you want proof of how disgusted the suits at CBS were with Rather, think about this one. A special is being done about the career of Dan Rather, a one hour special. CBS is going to air it. When you ask? Its goes like this, if CBS were the equivalent of a Saturday edition of the NY Times, or the Wall Street Journal, when would you air it. Of course you would air the Dan Rather special on Friday night, 9PM labor day weekend, when nobody is watching because they are traveling on a 3 day weekend. Thats bias folks, and welcome to the world of objectivity.

By the way, what comes around goes around. Walter Cronkite was perhaps the finest reporter of his generation. He certainly was the most respected. He was the direct heir of Edward R. Murrow who made CBS the Tiffany network under William Paleys leadership, the founder of CBS. Cronkite retired from the CBS anchor role in 1982. He was promised at the time that he would be brought back to do specials and other programs. Never once did this happen, thanks to Dan Rather who didnt want Cronkite in the limelight. Now its Rathers turn to know what isolation is, like I said, what comes around goes around, and thats bias.

Copyright 2006 Richard Stoyeck

Richard Stoyecks background includes being a limited partner at Bear Stearns, Senior VP at Lehman Brothers, Kuhn Loeb, Arthur Andersen, and KPMG. Educated at Pace University, NYU, and Harvard University, today he runs Rockefeller Capital Partners and StocksAtBottom.com http://www.stocksatbottom.comVania Blog57758
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