Confessions Of An Internet Junkie
| Category: Marketing Strategy | Date: 2001-02-19 |
Confessions Of An Internet Junkie
The Internet is without a doubt THE most exciting marketing medium that any of us have ever seen. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement and enthusiasm of the many opportunities available on the Net. Before you know it, you have "information overload". If that happens, you may find yourself spending a lot more time marketing but making less money. You must first acknowledge the situation and then choose some well defined steps to correct it.
Here's how it usually starts. You get your first website and begin subscribing to e-zines, reading newsgroups or classifieds, and doing some serious surfing to try and find those 2 or 3 opportunities that are going to help you create your cyber wealth. After a few weeks of marketing you start to see some profits and realize there is some money to made online. Your excitement level increases and you become an affiliate with another couple programs figuring you can double or triple your income by doing so.
By now you have become a little more Internet savvy and purchase a few pieces of marketing software because you read some testimonials that these products will "reduce your marketing time by 80%","dramatically increase your hits" or "increase your income by 300%". I'm not saying that these products can't produce these results. What I am saying is
that before long you are signed up with 15 affiliate programs, and spending 30-40 hours per week marketing. Your arsenal consists of $500 worth of the latest Internet marketing software, half of it you can't remember where it is downloaded or how to use it. Worst of all, you're not making squat.
I think those that are new to the Internet are most vulnerable, but it can happen to the more experienced as well. It happens over a period of time so you are not always aware of it. Trust me on this one because I fell victim to it myself. If you feel this is your situation also here's a few tips that can help you get back on track.
How To Develop Your Game Plan
Start by choosing 2 or 3 programs that you like the most or feel would be the most lucrative.
Set some time aside to write down some specific goals for those programs. Think in terms of a specific weekly or monthly income you would like achieve as a result.
Determine to the best of your ability what would be required to achieve that income with regards to the number of sales made or distributors signed up and so on.
Estimate how many hits to your website or ads sent would be required to produce those results. If you are a little unsure what those numbers would actually be, it might be a good idea get involved with some marketing forums or discussion groups and talk to some others involved in the same business to get a better feel. You will probably be surprised to see how many hits it Really takes, to convert a prospect to a sale or new distributor.
Decide what you can afford to spend on advertising. If your budget is tight, there are plenty of free places to place ads. Don't expect to get rich off of the free ads, but it can generate some revenues to get things rolling.
Once you have established your budget, decide where you wish to place your advertising dollars. I feel E-zines will provide your best return especially if you are just starting out. Check out the Directory of E-zines. It is THE most comprehensive guide I've found for e-zine advertising (http://www.lifestylespub.com). Subscribe to some of newsletters or view their archives online if possible to get a feel for what sells. Don't be afraid if you see others offering your same product. If the ad appears in successive issues, you can bet it is making money. Besides it just gives credibility for your product or service. Plan on placing the ad for a minimum of four weeks to achieve the best results.
Summing It Up
The main point to remember is to make your efforts consistent with whatever programs you are actively working. Stay focused in a few areas and continue to expand your marketing efforts with regards to search engine listings, free classifieds, trying various other e-zines, banner ads and reciprocal links.
You'll find a concentrated effort in a few areas will produce far better results than working your butt off in several programs. Take it from someone who's been there and done it.
About the author:
Barry Craft has helped thousands of entrepreneurs develop more income from their online businesses. He publishes "Cyber Marketing News" which provides the latest Internet marketing tips.
barry@profitmatters.com
http://www.profitmatters.com/
The Internet is without a doubt THE most exciting marketing medium that any of us have ever seen. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement and enthusiasm of the many opportunities available on the Net. Before you know it, you have "information overload". If that happens, you may find yourself spending a lot more time marketing but making less money. You must first acknowledge the situation and then choose some well defined steps to correct it.
Here's how it usually starts. You get your first website and begin subscribing to e-zines, reading newsgroups or classifieds, and doing some serious surfing to try and find those 2 or 3 opportunities that are going to help you create your cyber wealth. After a few weeks of marketing you start to see some profits and realize there is some money to made online. Your excitement level increases and you become an affiliate with another couple programs figuring you can double or triple your income by doing so.
By now you have become a little more Internet savvy and purchase a few pieces of marketing software because you read some testimonials that these products will "reduce your marketing time by 80%","dramatically increase your hits" or "increase your income by 300%". I'm not saying that these products can't produce these results. What I am saying is
that before long you are signed up with 15 affiliate programs, and spending 30-40 hours per week marketing. Your arsenal consists of $500 worth of the latest Internet marketing software, half of it you can't remember where it is downloaded or how to use it. Worst of all, you're not making squat.
I think those that are new to the Internet are most vulnerable, but it can happen to the more experienced as well. It happens over a period of time so you are not always aware of it. Trust me on this one because I fell victim to it myself. If you feel this is your situation also here's a few tips that can help you get back on track.
How To Develop Your Game Plan
Start by choosing 2 or 3 programs that you like the most or feel would be the most lucrative.
Set some time aside to write down some specific goals for those programs. Think in terms of a specific weekly or monthly income you would like achieve as a result.
Determine to the best of your ability what would be required to achieve that income with regards to the number of sales made or distributors signed up and so on.
Estimate how many hits to your website or ads sent would be required to produce those results. If you are a little unsure what those numbers would actually be, it might be a good idea get involved with some marketing forums or discussion groups and talk to some others involved in the same business to get a better feel. You will probably be surprised to see how many hits it Really takes, to convert a prospect to a sale or new distributor.
Decide what you can afford to spend on advertising. If your budget is tight, there are plenty of free places to place ads. Don't expect to get rich off of the free ads, but it can generate some revenues to get things rolling.
Once you have established your budget, decide where you wish to place your advertising dollars. I feel E-zines will provide your best return especially if you are just starting out. Check out the Directory of E-zines. It is THE most comprehensive guide I've found for e-zine advertising (http://www.lifestylespub.com). Subscribe to some of newsletters or view their archives online if possible to get a feel for what sells. Don't be afraid if you see others offering your same product. If the ad appears in successive issues, you can bet it is making money. Besides it just gives credibility for your product or service. Plan on placing the ad for a minimum of four weeks to achieve the best results.
Summing It Up
The main point to remember is to make your efforts consistent with whatever programs you are actively working. Stay focused in a few areas and continue to expand your marketing efforts with regards to search engine listings, free classifieds, trying various other e-zines, banner ads and reciprocal links.
You'll find a concentrated effort in a few areas will produce far better results than working your butt off in several programs. Take it from someone who's been there and done it.
About the author:
Barry Craft has helped thousands of entrepreneurs develop more income from their online businesses. He publishes "Cyber Marketing News" which provides the latest Internet marketing tips.
barry@profitmatters.com
http://www.profitmatters.com/
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