Many people who have internet businesses assume that the only way to marketing their online business is through the internet. If you have an online business, I'm sure, just like me, every day you receive emails from the internet "guru's" showing you new ways to build your list. Internet marketing co-ops have grown in popularity over the last couple of years, as well as many internet marketers who sell you lists, sell you access to their email lists, or who "guarantee" 5,000 or 10,000 unique visitors to your site. Any of these avenues can offer success. But very often, internet marketers are disappointed at how few actual buyers come to their site through these services, when other people have had success. As an internet business coach, I very often recommend to clients that the most important thing you can do as a business owner, whether it is a "brick and mortar" business or an internet business, comes down to one word: TEST. Testing is the most important tool that you can use to acquire new buyers.



The truth is, there is no one perfect way to market your business. There are many ways to market your business, but what works for one person does not always work for another. The bottom line is that you have no idea what will work the best for you until you test.

So, how do you test? It's really very simple. You have taken the courses, listened to the CD's, read the articles and attended the seminars. You easily have ten ideas for marketing your business (if you don't, you need to have me do some coaching!). Write those ten things down on the list, with number one being the one you think will be most effective. Once you decide which way to market, only subscribe for a limited test. For instance, let's say you believe that purchasing 5,000 visitors to your site. Sign on, but do no other marketing for that week. When your limited test has completed, review the statistics as follows. Here's the critical thing: keep close track of what it's costing you. Take these statistics and write them down as follows:

List visitor inc. test

5,000 visitors

500 added to list

25 buyers

average purchase $10

cost:$250

Then take a look at what it cost you for this: Cost of marketing:

5 cents per visitor

50 cents per list subscription

$10 per buyer

Gross profit: $250

Net profit: $0

Of course, this doesn't take into consideration the value of future revenue from the 500 people on your list. But it does give you something to compare with as you try the next marketing tool.

Next week, try tool number 2 and do the same thing. The key is to order marketing in limited amounts, given it a try, see what the result is. Once you've gone through your list, then compare the tools and costs, and you'll have a good idea of what works for you, what doesn't, and what the profit is for each tool you use.

Testing also includes trying different wording for ads. You might purchase, for instance, solo coop ads, and have very little result with one ad and a great result with another. The same applies if you use Google, Yahoo or MSN pay per click advertising. Keep trying.

This is a tool that you need to use always and forever, and you'll discover what works for you!

Copyright (c) 2008 Mark Albertson