Free Marketing Plan
Filed under: Free Plan Review, Membership Sites, Micro-Continuity
Is it really possible to find a free marketing plan? Yes! Absolutely.
Internet marketing plans can be found all over the web. It is only a matter of knowing where to look and knowing what you are looking for exactly.
Internet marketing itself can be divided up into many different categories and niches. Not every plan will be the right plan for what you are setting out to do.
One such absolutely free marketing plan to consider is the Micro-Continuity plan. This particular plan is one of many that revolves around creating a quick niche membership site.
As part of the promotion for Micro-Continuity, an ebook giveaway provides a detailed case study which actually gives away the full plan. This case study not only gives away the plan, but goes into much more depth as a full 34 page report – giving some very detailed notes of smaller actions required within the general outline.
The plan is explored completely with a case study done with student “Joy.” She had absolutely no experience in marketing online, yet managed to create her own product using video and even more impressive is the product she is promoting has absolutely nothing to do with the internet marketing niche.
Finding a plan for a proper membership site is not the easiest – but if you’d like to explore the possibility of creating your own mini sized membership ongoing stream of income, this is definitely worth the time to download. Even for someone who is not considering creating a members site, there are some great ideas which can be applied to the many different plans out there.
While some would argue “you get what you pay for,” in my review of the materials given away this is truly a diamond for those who take action.
To get your free marketing plan simply visit microcontinuity.com/joy.
Originally posted 2009-06-20 11:56:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Ideas for DIY Market Research
Essentially, market research is the gathering of information on the potential consumer to determine their preferences and demand for the market you wish to sell in or promote.
Before selling anything on the web it is a smart idea to do some market research. What does this entail?
Assuming you have identified a niche you’d like to explore, the first step will require finding others who are buyers in that niche and getting their real opinions. If you are planning to create your own unique product this research can be even more crucial to your initial planning.
Hire Out
This is probably the easiest solution, but not the most cost effective for a small start up business. There are a plethora of companies on the web whose primary job is to conduct market research on demand. Some of these companies will already have stored information you may be looking for as well.
Do It Yourself
If you are looking to dip your toes in the water and get a general feel to see if a niche is one you’d like to pursue, there are some simple ways to conduct your own market research.
- Friends and Family – Is there anyone in your immediate circle who uses or needs the product or service you’d like to promote? Hold a meeting with them and get their thoughts.
- Online Polls – Are you on any social networking sites? Throw some questions out to those you are connected with and gather the responses. Twitter is one place you can get some really fast results using a 3rd party polling tool.
- Amazon and Google Trends – Is the product you are looking to promote already on the market? How is it received? Amazon and Google already carry some handy trend tools that can give you a better idea on what the demand will be. This can help you determine if the market will not only be profitable, but how much competition you may have
- Online Forums – Take some time to look for your topic of interest and how it is discussed in some online forums. Can’t find anyone talking about it? If not, you may be headed down the wrong path.
- Post a Question on Yahoo – Want to know who your competition is? Posting the right questions on Yahoo’s Q&A can provide you with answers of how others are currently resolving an issue your product or service promises to fix. You can also search their questions to see how this has been answered in the past.
Taking even just a few hours to conduct a little market research can save you hours or days of fixing a giant mishap in the future.
Don’t Stop There!
Keep in mind, market research is an ongoing process. To keep ahead of the competition and your business growing, include some regular scheduled data collection in your marketing plan. This will help keep your business fluid and growing in the right direction.
Originally posted 2009-09-11 08:50:43. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Contest at Ezine HAHD
Filed under: Article Marketing, The Big Debate - Article vs Video Marketing
I wasn’t aware that there was a contest at Ezine Articles for 100 articles in 100 days – but looks like I’ll be participating by default. My deadline for the 300 articles is much sooner actually, but the difference is I was not necessarily planning on 400 words for all my articles.
I’m confident somewhere in the mix, a good portion of the articles I am currently writing are going to make that 400 word minimum.
The past two weeks have been spent doing some major research and planning. I have reviewed several article marketing ebooks on speed, subject, selling within articles, and some time was spent creating my topics to cover in each article. With all the preliminary work done, I “should” be able to just jump in and write daily with the goals of each article all preplanned. The next three weeks will be spent in a massive writing frenzy.
Up until now, my record number of articles to write in a day was a measly 5. This of course was slowed because of lack of focus and direction. I have to add, those articles also were well over 500 words a piece, which will not be necessary for this challenge. The day would be spent surfing, looking for topics, and honestly not really having an ideal format in mind for each article.
Things have changed drastically since then, and I feel all for the better.
The past 3 days unfortunately have been a bit of a wash with the holidays here and interruptions of guests, but I am anxious for this coming week where I will not be facing obligations and interruptions.
Yesterday in fact was the first 24 hours in a long time where I did not even log on to the internet (gasp)! This is going to be perhaps the biggest time saver for me.
I am lucky to have my own Macspeech Dictate, which is also going to be a great time saver.
I have fallen in love with a new tool, which I will be giving a review to as one of my articles. It allows me to automatically upload to some article directories, keep track of where specific articles have been submitted, and even upload to my blogs – which is where you want to put your articles first before submitting to the directories. I can create several resource boxes and project folders.
Well, I’ve got a window of time right now to get some more done, so off I go.
Will you be joining the Ezine challenge?
Originally posted 2010-01-03 09:30:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Sidewiki – Three Ways to Block it from your Website
Sidewiki is a new Google browser sidebar that was created to allow users to contribute information to web pages. Appearing like a mini forum down the side of a website, passers by with a Google account and the toolbar installed can leave comments relative to your site and see comments left by others. Sidewiki is more than just social bookmarking as the comments appear directly on pages within an iframe. The debate is on about if this new technology will truly create an informative interactive contribution to the internet, or if it is just a giant graffiti board for competing businesses and spammers. Currently there is not an opt out option for webmasters who may not choose to participate in Googles Sidewiki program. There are however 3 ways you can use to remove visible Sidewiki comments from your site.
The new wiki does not currently work on SSL or Secured Socket Layer protected web sites. SSL sites are those that use the https: in the beginning, with an S for secure. These are sites that have purchased a special certificate which requires the owner of the site to verify specific personal information and gives a sense of security to the user that their information submitted and use of the site is in the hands of someone who will take care of it. Certificates can be purchased as a one off or can be bought in bulk for those who own more than one site. The cost can range anywhere from ten to one hundred dollars for each certificate, and only one certificate per site can be used. While this is currently the most effective way to avoid the Sidewiki comments on your site, it can be extremely cost prohibitive if you are in a position to protect several websites. There is also speculation on the web that Google is working to fix the bug that prevents use of sidewiki on their sites.
A code is available to add to your website that will kick off users who have a Google Toolbar installed. Webmasters need to install this code on all of their websites in order for it to work. When a visitor using Google Toolbar comes to your website they are directed immediately off to a page that instructs them to uninstall the bar in order to see the contents on the site. While this method is highly effective, a site owners traffic is drawn away from the website and presented with uninstalling the toolbar which ultimately can distract them from returning once the task is complete. Those who do not want to deal with the hassle may choose to avoid the website altogether.
With the great demand for alternate solutions, programmers have developed Sidewiki blockers. The blocker uses a little javascript code which the webmaster can install on their site. When a visitor goes to a web page, the tool bar is unaffected and the Sidewiki is still visible to them. What does happen is if a user leaves a comment in the wiki panel it is only seen by the current visitor who left the comment and upon them leaving the page the comment is sandboxed or tossed off the page. This makes it impossible for visitors to carry on a conversation on the iframe, and makes comments left by competing business or spammers to be invisible all together. A blocker code can be purchased one time and used on as many sites as the webmaster chooses.
Only time will tell if this new message board will become a smash hit with web users or just a tool used by spammers and competing business to destroy reputable brands on the web. Webmasters can now choose from these three solutions should they choose to not risk the great possibility of fallout from Sidewiki.
Click here for Swiki Blocker, a reusable Sidewiki blocker you can install on all your sites in seconds. You can find out more information on the possible dangers facing your unprotected websites at http://swikiblocker.info
Originally posted 2009-10-04 09:20:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Free Press Release Can Get You Exposure On New Products
Are you looking for more ways to get exposure other than just a Free Article Submission Service? How about a Free Press Release?
While articles are a great way to spread the word about what you are offering, the power of the press release is often overlooked by internet marketers. News organizations typically search press release sites over article directories when looking for the latest trends or fresh hot topics.
Creating a good press release is slightly different from just writing articles. While articles tend to focus on solving a particular problem, a press release presents the world with a new and exciting discovery or an update to an event.
If you are presenting a new product to the market, a press release can be one of your best new allies in getting a boost in exposure and a proper introduction on how you’d like your product to be portrayed.
Possibly one reason many shy away from using a PR in their initial campaign is the fear of the cost. While some press release sites can cost hundreds of dollars, you should know there are premium high traffic sites such as http://www.free-press-release.com that offer you submissions totally free of charge.
When putting together your first (or next) product launch plan, be sure to include your press release to get off to a great start.
Originally posted 2010-01-27 11:27:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Internet Marketing Plan Overview
The term internet marketing covers a wide of variety of online opportunities for entreprenuers and established businesses to explore in the sale and or development of old and new ideas using the world wide web.
Just as it’s done in the offline world, an online plan or strategy can be the difference between success or failure. With so many ways to tap into the online market it is advisable to investigate as many options as possible before jumping into a project.
One of the first obstacles that must be understood is the overall navigation of the web and the habits of the search engines. No matter which plan or strategy you choose, a brief understanding of SEO will enable you to set the proper foundations for a long term profitable successful business.
Another consideration when deciding on how to proceed with an online business is selection of a niche. Brave entreprenuers planning to venture in with unique idea are wise to conduct some preliminary market research to see if their contribution will be well received by the public. At the same time, some things you would never expect to work or happen can become an overnight success when properly advertised and presented to the public. Ever hear of the pet rock or mood rings?
With niche selection and SEO comprehension behind, there are still many considerations to follow and each idea will have a slightly different plan of attack – although there are in place some general formulas that can get anyone going in the right direction. Once you are able do decipher the formula best suited for your business, it is a simple matter of filling in the smaller details and seeing a project to completion.
A proper internet marketing plan can keep you on track and your ultimate goals in sight.
Originally posted 2009-06-15 09:37:38. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
IM Sutra Bonus – Infoproduct Creation And Marketing Course
While there are many ways to make money online, ultimately owning your own product is really the best case scenario. I recently had a chance to review IM Sutra – an infoproduct marketing course.
IM Sutra takes you by the hand with step by step videos that will show you just how to find the right niche to promote, to creating a product that niche is craving, and setting it up to sell in several formats for ultimate marketing success.
The course does go into SEO, but because the course covers so much ground already it is just a basics course on traffic and search engine optimization.
Looking into the course, I was able to find a complete rounded course, and have created a private members site which begins with roughly over ten hours of video on proper SEO – not just the basics of it but the how to actually do it.
Let’s face it – no matter what you are marketing and selling or what monetization model you decide to follow you will ultimately need traffic.
Here is a video about my bonus, and where you can find it:
If you are looking to create a long term business on the web that you can really set on autopilot, I can’t recommend IM Sutra enough.
You can learn more about IM Sutra if you click here.
And to get in on my IM Sutra bonus click here.
Originally posted 2010-01-29 09:28:27. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Affiliate Marketing to Start Your Business
So, you want to begin your journey into internet marketing, but need a place to start? When you don’t yet own a product or service to sell, affiliate marketing can be a great way to start your business.
Affiliates are basically the middle man between a product and the end user. Odds are if you want to go long term with your internet endeavors you will either become an affiliate or employ them at some part of your journey.
Many of the tasks you will need to perform as an affiliate will be carried into the plethora of other tasks associated with all IM fields.
Affiliate Marketing can be an entire IM business all on it’s own. Everyone has the opportunity to choose from physical or electronic products to promote. The theory is most lucrative of these two are the information digital downloads as they require no shipping, and offer instant delivery to the end user.
Most marketers are drawn to places like Clickbank, Paydotcom, or Ejunkie – but don’t be fooled. These are not the only places to find great quality digital products to promote.
With all internet marketing plans, the most important factor is finding that profitable niche. The same is true with affiliate marketing. To find programs related to your interest all one needs to do is google the name of the niche with the word “affiliate.” Some programs will appear through large vendors while other programs will be quite private. Should you find a private program, be sure to investigate a bit further to make sure the program is legit.
If you are beginning your online ventures with a modest budget, working as an affiliate is probably the only way to start your business with as little as zero investment and possibility of the greatest returns. Of course this will all be reliant on your creativity and ability to adapt quickly to the online world.
If you are still exploring all your possible options, consider diving in to get your feet wet by using affiliate marketing to start your business.
Originally posted 2009-09-18 09:28:42. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Your Primary Website – What Form Is Best For You?
Not all websites are built the same. Browsing around the internet one can find static html sites, blogs, forums, ecommerce and a variety of membership sites. Each of these share some common elements, but function and run very differently. Selecting the model that is right for you can be a bit tricky sometimes.
The oldest form and most simple is a static html site. HTML stands for hyper text markup language. This is a special defined code of characters that allows you to create links on your web documents. Very simply, you can create any kind of text document and by incorporation of this special code your pages can be woven together. This allows the user to find all the pages associated with your website – as well as outside sites you may be linking to. HTML also allows you to add different types of media to your site. If you have for instance a video on your web page, the actual video file will be located in it’s own folder. Html acts like a map which pulls the information from the stored file where it can work to play on your page and be displayed with all kinds of different elements. Static sites display in what ever order you create them to. Each page needs to be created one by one. Some elements that carry through on every page like a menu or a banner can be managed with CSS or a cascading style sheet. This sheet includes style commands that are consistent on your entire html site. It will tell all the pages created to put specific elements in the same place on each page. This can speed up the creation of your site and give it a consistent feel.
Blogs are run with what is called a CMS or content management system. This is a pre built machine like system that greatly benefits the user by assisting them in where the content will go and then assembling it for them. Once you know what the buttons and gadgets do on your CMS, you can quickly assemble web pages with different types of media and almost no knowledge of html. The CMS assists in creating links for you, and allows the user to upload and manipulate pictures and other media most times with basic knowledge of how a word processor works. WordPress is one of the top CMS systems to use and has a huge support system. Blogs are just as valid as sites built on html, and are known primarily for displaying their content in reverse chronological order.
Online forums allow a community to openly communicate with each other. Forums are run on scripts and give a specific set of tools for the visitor to use to share their information. Permissions given can be dictated by the owner of the site.
Ecommerce sites run on scripts that assist in displaying products in a store like fashion. Pictures and descriptions can be added to a site, and shopping carts can be integrated for the end user to assemble a variety of items they’d like to purchase.
Membership sites can be created in numerous ways. They can be a simple place where users download some materials, or as complicated as a combination of static pages, blog, and a forum for members to assemble. Scripts like Joomla are run on a CMS and allow an easy integration of all these elements through the addition of modules or plugins.
How do you decide which to use? This choice should be made with the thought of the end user in mind. You may wish to consider which is the best way to deliver your content or services in a way that your guests will get the most out of them. Before deciding which model to follow, take some time to browse the web and discover how others are delivering their content. Specifically, research your own niche and how the competition is doing things. Do their sites feel warm and inviting, and easy to navigate?
The sooner you’ve selected a platform to create your site, the sooner you can begin to build your little empire.
Originally posted 2009-10-01 08:49:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Are You Ready For a Business Coach?
Just who needs a business coach or mentor?
Online marketing can be overwhelming in the beginning. Once you get past the technicalities of physically building your online business, you can finally focus more on the marketing side.
Some may think a mentor or coach is there to help you learn to build the site. In reality, great coaches and mentors are not all technical gurus, and this is not what you should be seeking out their advice for. Online digital coaching should not be confused with learning how to build web links.
A business coach is there to help you focus on the direction your business should be taking. If you have an idea for a business, a coach can assist you in refining your goals. If you have reached a plateau on sales and feel a bit stagnant, it also may be time to seek out some help.
What should you expect from your coach?
Your coach can help you create a new or refined strategy. They may suggest ideas you have not considered, and they may question which ideas you’ve already put into play. You and your coach may not always agree on a solution, but they will be there should things not go as planned to assist in analyzing the problem.
Your coach may point out to you your previous successes to motivate you when you carry self doubt. They can trigger you to consider higher ground that you might have thought out of your reach. The combination of an elevated confidence level and higher focus goals are what they will use to push you to new levels.
They remain impartial and non emotional, as they don’t have an actual investment in your business. They do however want you to succeed, as this can maintain income for them the further they are able to help you.
While email and current technology has put the ability to contact others on a 24/7 schedule, this will not be a proper request of your mentor.
Expect to schedule regular appointments, and limited time dependent on what you pay.
Not all coaches will be the right ones for your type of business. Seek out those who are familiar with your specific type of marketing for best results.
Before seeking out your coach or mentor, create a list of what your actual problems are. This will assist you in reviewing proper applicants for the position. A great business coach may take a little time to find, but the results for your business will be well worth the effort.
Originally posted 2009-11-27 06:51:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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