If you're a seasoned internet marketer with an online marketing business, or even a newbie embarking on a new online business venture, you will have probably already encountered the One-Time Offer (OTO) as one of these methods of marketing.

A one-time offer is a sales page that might pop up in several different places that allows you to make a purchase - now or never. You only see the page once, so you have to read it carefully and decide whether or not you want to make the purchase, or skip the offer forever.

It's a very clever online marketing business sales tactic that works for some, but doesn't work so well for others. Successful and well-known internet marketers like Mike Filsaime use the OTO as a method that helps them generate millions of dollars each year.

I have also used the OTO as a method that would supposedly help me generate more extra cash. For example, I tried OTO GoldMine, a system designed for the newbie to make extra cash by offering software and other products related to internet marketing for usually a very low price.

At first I jumped at this free opportunity. Who wouldn't when you hear all about how well one-time offers capture those internet surfers who are rushed to make a decision now, or lose the opportunity forever?

I added it to my online marketing business website so that each time someone left my site, it was set to show the OTO Goldmine offer page, which offered products related to my site, as an exit screen, much like you would capture subscribers with an exit pop-up.

After at least a few months, I realized that the OTO ? at least for me, and the way I was using it ? goes against what I really believe and value when I think about my online marketing business and what it is meant to do. As excited as I was to put it up, I was equally excited to take it down.

After all, I am not all about suckering people into spending their money just because they visited my website. I am more about building an honest business and recommending products as I see fit.

That does not mean that I used the OTO GoldMine product in the best possible way. You can really make a lot of extra money with this system, and they are effective enough that they are used by the pros out there.

Perhaps the one-time offer is meant to be used more carefully. For example, if someone purchased something off my online marketing business website, it would be an ideal time to present a one-time offer after they have made their initial purchase. Most good salespeople know that it's good practice to offer something else of related value upon making a sale.

I, on the other hand, placed the OTO in a place where people visited my site, decided they didn't want anything I had to offer, and then they saw my OTO sales page. It was as though I made a desperate attempt to squeeze one last penny out of my visitors who didn't want anything in the first place! Bad me.

I have learned my lesson, but have not returned to the one-time offer, which, I admit did not make me any pennies. Even though the products were valuable, there are many places to get the same products for free when you have an online marketing business.

You may also advertise the OTO in traffic exchanges as a sales page, or to your newsletter list. I still maintain that you will only be successful at this if you do it right, and put the OTO's in the right places at the right times, and have an unbelieveable offer that can't be refused.

I guess what you hear me saying is that the one-time offer is good if you are a somewhat experienced online marketing business marketer, and know exactly how, where, and when to use the one-time offer to your advantage, and your customer's benefit.

Online marketing businesses are not all about making money online. That is certainly an added bonus, but be careful about how you go about the one-time offer. You don't want to lose the trust and respect of your valuable customers, so learn all you can about one-time offers, and work on building those customer relationships first.

I may try the OTO again for my online marketing business in the future, but rest assured, I will be smarter about it next time. Live and learn, as they say!