Like anyone you're probably asking yourself 'how do I get there - what is the path to online success?' Let me tell you if there was an easy answer we would all be millionaires. But, with a little patience and time you can start building your own path to the ultimate dream of working from home and financial freedom.
Four years ago I was just a budding online marketer with little or no experience. Over that time I'm made plenty of mistakes but have now reached a level where I'm making money online. I've tried to tell many people that you can skip all of my mistakes and jump start your own online presence by using the experiences of those who have already done it.
You just need to persist at getting continual online education including the key lessons I'm providing in this article. As you progress you will begin to realize that all the necessary information for your own education is free - it's just a matter of putting the pieces together.
With that said I'm going to give you 4 simple tips to the foundation of your internet millions empire.
1. Pick What you Love - I've written about this so many times and in so many different ways. I cannot stress how important this idea is. And, frankly, it is the antithesis of the current trends in internet marketing. Why, might you ask? Because people are throwing niche websites left and right on all kinds of topics - mostly targeted at the highest paying keyword phrases.
Let me explore this a bit differently. Let's say your real passions are cars, drinking coffee, and reading non-fiction books on science. Besides that you are an expert real-estate lawyer and have a plethora of knowledge on that subject. Now let's look at some of the highest paying keyword search categories: DUI, Mortgage, Refinancing, Travel, Health, Gambling, Entertainment, Legal Help, etc.
Many budding internet marketers are choosing highly rated keyword phrases to put up niche Adsense sites focusing on these areas as well as others. But, why would you put up a niche site on lazik eye surgery if you love cars, coffee, science and real-estate law? The answer, simply to make money, of course! I'm not saying that making a profit is bad - all I am saying is that doing work only for profits will eventually burn you out.
If you happen to be one of the lucky ones whose interests fit a high paying niche then good for you. But, don't be discouraged! You can typically find something that fits your passions and interests that can be managed to an income source. If you love to collect things then build on your collectables - if you love coffee then build your niche around coffee. Just remember that it will be ten times easier for you to add original content to anything that you really care about.
2. Don't Be Afraid to Market Yourself - This is probably considered the ultimate catch-22. How do you promote and market yourself? Do you have the confidence to say you are an expert in what you are marketing? Many people make this mistake not only online but in real life.
I know of an excellent artist who created amazing works but had no idea how to market himself. He tried to sell his works and started some galleries but seemed to fail over and over. I also know an artist who is not quite as talented but can sell his works like crazy because of who he is and how he has created a persona for himself.
You have to realize that you must create your own brand - your name, your company - whatever it may be. The image you portray is just as important as your works. Every large company knows this as well and spends fortunes promoted brand.
You need to market either your name or company so that people start recognizing who you are and what you represent. In the long run you will be rewarded by reputation rather than just from single efforts.
3. Move Up the Food Chain - I've borrowed this phrase from another online marketer to illustrate the point that many people online are trying to earn money half heartedly or just with content poor Adsense sites. If you really are going to be serious about making a living online then you must create your own product.
Why? The simple answer is numbers - by being an affiliate you only earn the money from your own efforts. But, with your own product you have the power of literally millions of affiliates to sell your product for you. It is the single best way to earn money online today.
4. Be Productive Every Day - How easy it is to say this but how difficult it is to do! The internet can provide a massive amount of information and education for your own development. However, it has a downside as well - you can waste hours of precious time just jumping from one topic to another or reading about the myriad ways to make money online.
If you are going to truly become financially independent online then you must be productive every single day. What does this really mean? It means you have to start taking action daily by providing back-links, articles, blog entries, site updates, search optimization, autoresponder emails, etc.
If you are only reading material from other blog, forum or marketing sites then you are not being productive! You may be educating yourself but you're not taking effort to drive revenue and growth. If you take anything away with you from this article I hope this is the one you remember.
The truth of the matter is that for the average Joe or Josephine online, the business will not be built overnight and they will need to adhere to some of the same basic principles that those offline stores use to get customers in the door.
The first thing you need to do is realize that the Internet is a place where you have to establish your creditability on each transaction with each customer. Doing what you say, offering quality products that you yourself have tried, and maintaining an attitude that the customer needs to have the reassurance to do business with you, will get you many more dollars than high pressure sales tricks. There is no reason for a customer to trust you unless you offer your complete name, business name, address and a way to contact you within your website or your order form. A thank you note also helps the customer to confirm that their order was processed correctly and gives you a chance to acknowledge again their value to you and your respect for them.
Make your website easy to navigate. Make the products and the way to purchase them stand out. Do not add a bunch of other filler or banners and items that only take away from your main focus - your product or service. When a shopping cart or buy button is presented, make sure that it is a smooth transaction and ask for as little information as possible to get the order confirmed. People hate to fill out tons of lines on your form and will leave if you try to ask them everything under the sun about their situation on the first contact. Also, make sure that they are aware of your privacy policy that you will never share their information.
Remember, the goal is to either get them to purchase a product or to get them to leave their email address and first name so that you can contact them again with tips, articles, and other software or items that will be of interest to them. Let them receive something for nothing for a while as everyone loves free items and they will look forward to receiving your newsletter. Most people will not buy on their first contact with you or your website, so you need to reinforce your trustworthiness.
When you send out a newsletter, do not send it too frequently. Once a week or twice a month is much better than three times a week. Always use the same format and make it quick, swift and to the point. This is not the place to write your life history and what you did for entertainment that weekend. It is a method that you can communicate with your customer and encourage them to trust and place their confidence in you. Anything that you can do to that end will reward you many times over.
If you have a product that others are marketing, then check out their websites. Find the top people in your business and see what they are doing. You can search Google or Yahoo or any of the other major search engines to come up with these competitor's websites just by inserting keywords relevant to your industry and seeing the top ten that come up. Do not copy what they have on their websites, but just get the feel for the website and why they are having success. Make notes as you scroll through the website and see what you like about their website, how they showcase their products, their ease of use, their ability to explain their product or service in easy to understand wording, and how their guarantee works, anything that will help you to understand why someone would come to this website and feel comfortable with their decision to purchase from this vendor.
Another important point is to make sure your colors on your website convey the mood you are trying to establish. If you do not know what colors can do for your website, then do a search and some reading and learn the combinations that are pleasing to the eye. Do not load the website up with graphics that are not necessary. Even flash introductions seem to be on the way out lately. Everyone has moved back to the website being functional and less is more here. You will have more customers, more visitors, and more orders for your company if you keep things simple but professional.
Make your headline and subheadings grab the attention of the reader. Most people will not stay on a website but a short time unless they are directed through curiosity to find out more about what you are offering. So, lead their mind where you want it to be within the first headline and first couple of sentences. Avoid mundane headings like Welcome to My Website or I am so glad to have you visit - I am happy to be able to show you my products. Do use headings like Are You Afraid You Are Being Left Out?
Your goal is to direct the customer's mindset and allow them time to indulge in reading your website. If they think they will find some value within your words, products or services, then you will continue to keep their interest if you are honest with them. Usually, the first hint of the self-indulgence type of sales words and the customer is long gone.
Fulfill a need, provide an excellent service, make the website easy to understand, and do not be pushy or extreme in your declarations. Then you will have the basics down of making your Internet business lasting and successful.
Both Don James & Ian Williamson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.