Building an online business is definitely a serious commitment that any internet entrepreneurs must have. To ensure that any form of business ideas turn into a viable online business, there are essentially 5 stages that one must adhere to build a lucrative business online.
The first stage, also the utmost important one which many ignore, is conducting niche research. This is one necessary stage to ensure that you research for a niche market instead of dwelling into developing a seemingly hot product based on your instinct. Here, you are building a strong ground for your online business which is always in high demand. Finding a niche market that determines what to sell and who to sell to is your ultimate concern here. The steps to conducting a niche research can be summarised as follows:
(1) Analyse the common searches (i.e. what is commonly typed into URL for searches?)
(2) Measure the supply and demand of your potential product
(3) Analyse competition for similar product
(4) Develop/Source product
After finding your niche market and develop a niche product which caters to a specific group, you are ready to procceed to stage 2 - Build a Sales Website. Having a website is akin to a traditional business store which displays your product. There is no salesperson to promote your product. Now, it is your resposibility to generate a convincing salescopy that turn prospects into buyers. The steps in stage 2 to a lucrative business online are as follows:
(1) Write a powerful salescopy for your products
(2) Find and Set Up Hosting and Domain Name
(3) Design Your Website which revolves around your salescopy
(4) Setting Up Opt-In forms to capture and build prospects list
(5) Create Payment mechanism to get ready for product launch
Having a product and salescopy in hand, anyone must be excited to launch the products immediately. Instead, I recommend for a pre-launching testing which requires to
(1) install analytics to measure result
(2) start driving immediate traffic using PPC
(3) Always test, test and test to ensure optimal conversion
Don't get too excited and skip this stage in building a lucrative online business!
You are ready for a full launch after stage 3 and now you can aggressively work on stage 4 - targetted traffic generation. Here, you are bent on driving targeted visitor to your site who stand a higher chance of opting in and eventually become your customer. You are concerned with quality traffic here. The following marketing strategies are recommended:
(1) PPC
(2) SE Marketing Campaign
(3) Content Distribution
(4) Web 2.0 - Blog, Video and Social Networking
The last stage talks about advanced tactics that can propel your online business to a greater height. You can:
(1) build an affiliate system recruiting super affiliates to promote your products
(2) make use of Email marketing and offering Newsletters
(3) Use Autoreponder technology to set a specific date to send email to your list
(4) use Direct to Desktop technology that provides real-time communication with your list
(5) Upsell and value adds
Sunday, November 25, 2007
5 stages to building a lucrative business online
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Internet Business Mastery | 101 Internet Business You Can Start From Home
Yes, I agree that an online business provides an opportunity to live a lifestyle one desires if you take it as a form of serious business. Watch the video to find out how you can develop internet business mastery status!
Internet Business Mastery 101 Internet Business You Can Start F - The funniest videos clips are here
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Internet Marketing Seminar | Asia Internet Congress 2007 (28 - 30th Nov)
(1) How to set-up a blog
(2) How to find hot products to promote
(3) How to sign-up for affiliate programs
(4) How to create a web page
(5) How to add a payment link on your website
(6) How to allows customers to download your product automatically
(7) How to upload your web pages to the internet
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Have YOU been sucked in by a scam? Here's how to tell
By Derek Gehl
Whenever you come across a possible business opportunity, simply consult this handy checklist. It'll help you discover if it is a real opportunity -- or a real waste of money.
Scam Warning #1: The company can't prove a successful track record
If you've never heard of the company before -- and they can't offer solid proof they've got a successful track record -- then how can you trust them to help YOU make money? Be skeptical. Ask questions. If they say they're a successful company, ask for proof!
Scam Warning #2: You can't talk to a company representative in person
Before you make a significant investment in a business opportunity, give the vendors a call. Talk to them in person. Ask them hard questions.If they don't make it easy for you to them in person, then don't do business with them!
Scam Warning #3: Former customers have lousy things to say about the product
A little bit of research goes a long way. Try typing "the name of the program + scam" or "the name of the program + customer review" into Google and see what results you get. If the majority of the results are from former customers saying the product is a scam or a waste of money, then whatever you do, don't make the same mistake THEY did!
Scam Warning #4: Thousands of other people are selling the EXACT same thing
If your "business in a box" package includes a product for you to sell, do a search on the name of the product in Google and go through the results. How many people are selling the exact same product? Say hello to your competition!
(And how many of them are using the exact same website the company is trying to get YOU to buy?) If a lot of people are selling that product -- and you can't see any way to offer a unique selling proposition that makes your offer stand out from the crowd -- then quite frankly, you're going to find it extremely difficult to make any money at all.
Scam Warning #5: They can't show you legitimate testimonials -- from recent customers
If you are making a significant investment in a business opportunity, the company you are purchasing from should be willing to put you in contact with other successful customers. We get this request all of the time, and have numerous successful customers who are happy to give us a personal reference at a moment's notice.
(If you'd like to take a look at how we use those testimonials on our salesletters, please visit: http://www.marketingtips.com/t.cgi/915253.)
Look for testimonials that names, photographs, and URLs, if possible. The more information that proves the testimonial giver is a real person, the better.
If the testimonial has a URL, go to that person's website and check it out. Does it look like the website of someone who's making good money? Look for the contact info on the site and then email that person to ask him or her directly about the product you're thinking about buying.
If the person says yes, it really is a good deal, and is still experiencing good results with that product, then chances are it's the real deal.
However, be on the watch for DATED testimonials. If people were able to make money using this package two years ago -- but the profits have long since dried up -- then the product's not going to do you much good now, is it?
Scam Warning #6: The company is charging YOU money to sell THEIR products
Ask yourself this: If a company is making a product that millions of people are going to want to buy, why wouldn't they simply sell it themselves -- instead of making other people pay for the opportunity to sell it for them?
The truth is, companies like this KNOW their "affiliates" aren't going to generate any sales. That's why they need to get your money up front!
Take it from someone who has been running a highly successful affiliate program for years. If someone wants to become an IMC affiliate and sell my products for me, I'd never make them pay. Why should they? They're doing me a favor!
Scam Warning #7: The company makes outrageous income claims, without backing them up with proof
If a company says their product will have you earning tens of thousands of dollars within a matter of weeks, BE SKEPTICAL. There is no magic bullet on the Internet that can promise a five-figure income in 30 days or less.
The truth is, building a profitable business takes TIME. Sure, you can have a profitable business in less than a month... but you'll probably have to wait a few more months before the money really starts pouring in.
So whenever you see outrageous income claims, ask yourself -- where's the proof?
Look for testimonials that back up these claims. If someone claims to have made incredible money from using this system, track them down via their URL and ask them if it's really true.
And be sure to listen to your "inner radar" to determine whether the person is genuine or not.
Above all, do your research and ask lots of questions. If you follow these guidelines, chances are you will make the right decisions and pursue the right opportunities.
When it comes to online success, there is no magic pill. If you want to start a real business on the Internet you need to be prepared to put in the time and effort to build it.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Free Website Builder Download | Build Your Free Website in Minutes
The Easiest Way to Build your Website For FREE in Minutes. Watch the free video on how to create your own professional website for FREE. Download the Website Builder worth $197 at http://tinyurl.com/3dyxjl.
Free Website Builder Download here.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Successful Online Business Opportunity for Dummies
Click on the image for more...
Monday, November 5, 2007
How to reduce "purchase anxiety" and persuade your visitors to buy
By Andrew Mallory
You know that moment when you're thinking about buying something... but you're just not sure if you should pull out your wallet -- or run away fast?
That's what we call "purchase anxiety." Most people feel it at some point or other, especially when they're buying a "big-ticket" item.
... OR when they're buying something sight unseen over the Internet.
Online shoppers tend to suffer from "buyer anxiety" more than offline shoppers. It only makes sense... when you buy something over the Internet, often it's for a product you've never even seen before -- from a person you've never seen before!
The good news is, by adding some very simple elements to your site you can easily reassure your visitors you're a reputable business offering a quality product -- and get them to click on that "order" button!
Here's what you need to do...
1. Add testimonials to your site
Nothing reassures visitors more than testimonials from real people who can vouch for the quality of your product. And yet so few business sites actually HAVE testimonials!
Why? The answer is easy...
The number one reason why people don't have testimonials on their site is because they don't ASK for them! They feel too awkward or shy to ask people to say nice things about their product or service.
However, just like with all forms of feedback, you've got to go out of your way and ask for it.
The thing is, most people are more than happy to provide you with detailed feedback on what they like about your product. But if you don't ask, you'll never receive.
When you use a testimonial, try to include as much information about the testimonial provider as possible. If you can include their first name, last name, city, and state along with their testimonial, great! If you can put in a picture as well, even better.
If they have a website, you could even include the URL, so people can go to the website and confirm that yes, they ARE in fact a real person.
However, disclosing this much personal information about your testimonial providers isn't necessary for every industry.
For example, if your business helps people dealing with alcoholism, eating disorders, or other problems that have a social stigma associated with them, then your testimonial providers aren't going to want to offer that much information about themselves. In that case, a first name and initial is probably good enough. Stick with the conventions that are normal within your industry.
WARNING: Never ever write a testimonial yourself! It's FRAUD, and you can get seriously nailed for it. People aren't that stupid... they will be able to smell your deceit from a mile away, and it will end up destroying your credibility.
2. Be specific!
When talking about statistics or results, always be as specific as possible! It makes your copy seem more credible.
(This goes for your testimonials as well as the regular content on your site.)
For example, if you sell a weight loss product, don't say that it helped one client lose "more than 100 pounds." Say that it helped her lose 107 pounds.
The more accurate you are, the more realistic your claims will be.
3. Citing a statistic? Include your source!
If you include statistics or other forms of industry information to back up the claims in your copy, be sure to cite your SOURCE of that information.
For example, if you sell natural fiber carpets, and you recently read an article in the American Journal of Public Health stating that childhood asthma is seriously aggravated by the presence of indoor pollutants, then include that infomation on your site -- and cite the American Journal of Public Health as the source of that information.
When you cite a reputable source of information, you borrow their credibility. And that makes your OWN credibility that much more believable.
4. Include your contact information
Imagine going to a site and finding a product you want to buy... but you have a few questions you want to ask about it first.
But when you look for some way to get in touch with the business owner to get answers to your questions, all you can find is an email -- and nothing else!
Nothing screams "Shady!" more than a lack of contact information. Be sure to include your full name, street address, phone number, AND email address -- and then link to that information from every single page on your site.
You might even want to invest in a 1-800 number. By showing you're willing to pay for people to call you to get answers to their questions, you prove that you're willing to do whatever it takes to satisfy their concerns and make the buying decision easy for them.
5. Let your customers know who you are
People want to buy from someONE, not someTHING. So help them get to know you.
Tell them about yourself, in a personal or honest way. (Don't worry -- you don't need to tell your whole life story!)
Your visitors want to know something about you that relates to your problem and industry. How long have you been in this business? What made you get into it? Why do you enjoy it?
Also be sure to include a photo of yourself on your "About Us" page -- as well as a photo of your employers, or the office where you work. The effort you put into making yourself seem more real to your visitors will definitely pay off.
6. Include certification from reputable organizations
If you belong to any professional or business organizations, include prominent mention of it on your "About Us" page.
(For example: the Better Business Bureau, or any state, national or international organizations that have recognition in your industry.)
Just make sure you don't feature only local organizations... the Internet is a global medium, and if you want to sell to international visitors, you have to come across like an international business.
7. Include proof that you value and protect their privacy
One of the biggest reasons for online purchase anxiety is the fear of handing over personal information -- such as credit card information -- to a virtual stranger.
Make sure you include a privacy policy on your site, reassuring people that you will NEVER share their personal information with anyone!
On top of that, you need to process ALL purchases through a secure server, so that no other computers are ever able to access any of your purchase information.
However, these days many website owners are going even further and including "security seals" on their site, reassuring visitors that they have done everything possible to protect their site from hackers.
Some of the more popular security seals are Verisign, TrustE, and Hacker Safe.
The one we personally recommend is Hacker Safe. It's the security seal we use on our own sites, because according to studies done by ScanAlert, sites with the Hacker Safe seal tend to see an average 14% increase in their conversion rates.
And we're not the only ones who like Hacker Safe -- more than 80,000 sites use it, including over 60% of the Internet Retailer Top 500.
If you'd like to learn more about Hacker Safe, please click here to continue.
... So there's my list of the things you should add to your site in order to reduce your visitor's purchase anxiety and get them to buy your product. If you don't already have these elements on your site, do your best to add them as quickly as you can.
You WILL see an increase in your conversions -- and your profits!
