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The Internet has literally redefined the lifestyles of every man woman and child on the planet. With a mouse and a modem you can find love, pay bills, do your homework, and shop 'til you drop. The whole world is at your fingertips.
With all of the opportunity the Internet has to offer it's no wonder that thousands of new web-based businesses have emerged. The Internet has become the ideal place to market whatever anyone has to offer and has created one of the biggest home business opportunities of the century. Thousands of people who otherwise may not have been able to start a business are getting their chance.
The web has made the dream of owning a business attainable. Products are easy to use, advertising is relatively cheap, customer service has been perfected and research is at your fingertips. So why is it that 98% of Internet business fail or are unable to provide business owners with a substantial income?
It's easy, it's free and I can get rich quick.
Don't be fooled. Building a successful business isn't easy. It takes careful planning and effort. You need to spend time at it and research carefully. And as with anything worthwhile it will take time and ambition.
It isn't free but the costs can be minimal. When compared to other business startups, a web-based business can be much cheaper. You have no office space or warehouse leasing to consider and computer and Internet hookups cost about as much as it would for cable TV.
There are ongoing costs such as computer maintenance, software, education and advertising. These certainly aren't huge costs but you will certainly need to plan for them in the beginning in order to avoid surprises in the end.
Don't allow yourself to fall into the old get rich quick trap. There is no such ideal and listening to those that claim it will only lead to disappointment.
Your web-based business will require time, effort, and research. But if you follow the lead of those that are trusted and experienced and strive to be patient and persistent, you will be rewarded with a successful business that will ultimately provide you with wealth.
OK, now that you know you know you have to work at it, it's not entirely free, and you won't get rich quick, don't let that discourage you, simply dispel those notions.
A web-based business is certainly doable if you focus your efforts on the right things. Build your business with your customer in mind. Learn to scope out problems and then bombard them with solutions. Be responsive, caring and considerate. Understand that it takes money to make money.
Consider all decisions carefully, listen to the experts, and be persistent. If that isn't enough guidance here are a few additional tips that are sure to make a difference:
- Build Personal relationships - It's no surprise that personal relationships can build trust and friendships. Without these relationships there can be no trust or commitment. Owning a web-based business works much the same way.
Just as with our family and friends, the same relationships need to be built into our marketing strategies. When you build a website it is your opportunity to create these relationships. Your website will display your personality, style and creativity. You can be compelling, build your argument, offer expertise and information and invite feedback.
Once you have built a relationship of trust and understanding, your marketing efforts can begin to convert into profitable sales. But until those relationships are established your marketing efforts can be compromised.
- Solicit a survey and post your results in a newsletter or article. If people feel they can be heard they are more likely to respond positively. They will also provide good information as to what they are looking for, enabling you to more completely meet their needs.
- Take advantage of cheaper advertising - Advertising is a fact of life in the world of business. You won't succeed with it. Internet advertising is still relatively cheap compared to outside advertising methods.
Search engine Pay Per click (PPC) advertising is still one of the cheapest and most effective methods available to get the word out. You can still place an ad on some search engines for as cheap as one cent.
Newsletters are also an excellent vehicle for advertising. Here you are getting subscribers that are interested in you and your products. You can combine good quality information to readers while at the same time offer products of interest.
If you enjoy writing, articles are a great way to go. If you're not a writer, no problem, here are many experts that offer easy tools to help you get your message out there. We all have areas of expertise but realizing what we are not experts in and letting those that are experts help us is smart business.
Offer to exchange ads with other newsletters. This is another excellent way to get some free publicity and also help someone else.
About the author:
Elizabeth McGee has spent 20 years in the service and support industry. She has moved her expertise to the world wide web helping businesses find trusted tools, enhance customer service, build confidence and increase sales. visit her at
www.pro-marketing-online.com.
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