Revised: How to Build an Online Audience on a very Limited Budget

We find that writing articles based on our own knowledge and life experiences is the best means of internet marketing. In other words, you are BRANDING yourself. Writing down information (valuable), that can inform and most importantly, HELP others through SHARING.

A few words of advice here...

Just write in your own UNIQUE and distinctive style - what
comes naturally to you. Be yourself in your writing and you will find that the words will flow. Use your individual area of expertise (and/or interests) to help others through sharing your unique knowledge and experiences of the magical journey that is life.

Then submit your articles to relevant ezines in your area of interest or expertise, and/or publishers resources - lists like Shelley Lowerys Article Announce, Mike Valentines Free-Content, Angela Giles-Klockes TheWriteArticles, PromoteYour Article and Free-eContent. All very useful lists, that we regularly use.

Their web adresses are:

http://www.egroups.com/group/article_announce
TheWriteArticles@yahoogroups.com
http://www.egroups.com/group/Free-Content

Also,
Publisher Network: publisher_network@egroups.com
PromoteYourArticle@yahoogroups.com
Free_eContent@yahoogroups.com
and ArticlePublish@yahoogroups.com.

N.B:
Finally...
Also submit your article to sites like www.marketing-seek.com
and Bill Montgomerys www.making profit.com. They have archives of excellent articles and get heavy traffic.

They are all an excellent source of information and many
ezine publishers source relevant articles from these lists.
Sometimes even ezines with huge readerships pick up articles.

I believe that this strategy is the most effective form of TARGET MARKETING... that gets us the best results on a very limited advertising budget (like most start up home online businesses)...and best of all its BRANDING oneself as an "expert" in your chosen field through free advertising.

A few final words to summarise...

Why not start WRITING ARTICLES for the www and see what happens...transpires (nice word, eh?).You DONT have to be a "professional" writer to write articles. I believe that you know more about the subject matter (based on your past knowledge and experiences) and especially YOUR business, than writers, like me. It doesnt matter whether you have never written anything before, just make a beginning.

"Be bold and unseen forces come to your aid."
(that is one of my favourite quotations - story of my life!).

Progress in life is accomplished by doing the basics right - the "little chores day by day". Success is never instantaneous - in any field of endeavour. For a while it may appear as if you are not making a noticable difference through your substantial efforts (in time and dedication put in ). However, just keep "chipping away" at your online marketing long enough and I can assure you, you WILL get noticed with web traffic. The key to internet marketing success is PERSISTENCE - taking the small steps daily and making them HABITS.
Ingrained...like writing articles!
Then you may get that "big break" on the net with the 100th, the 1000th or is perhaps the 1001st strike!

This whole business of internet marketing has been one long learning curve for us over the past six years - seeing what
works and what doesnt... like the lessons of life itself.

Finally...

Just make a beginning. Take that first step and youll find that one step naturally leads to the next.

As the ancient Chinese proverb so wisely said:
"A journey of a thousand miles starts with a broken fanbelt and a leaky tyre... er sorry, a single step".

Good luck with those first few steps in writing articles for the www (without a broken and leaky pen) and ENJOY the journey.

Craig Lock
http://www.craiglockbooks.com

© Craig Lock 2002

About the author:

Craig Lock has been marketing various products online for the past five years. Craig is a writer, who believes in sharing information, as well as encouraging and helping others to find their talents and gifts, to strive for and accomplish their dreams in life - whatever they may be.

"I got sick and tired of waiting for my big break in writing
books and publishing... so anyway, yours truly just carried on writing without it..."


The "original" Online Creative Writing Course
http://www.nzenterprise.com/writer/creative.html

Craigs books are available at:
http://www.nzenterprise.com/writer/books.html
http://www.novelty-gift.com/ebooks.html and
http://www.bridgeniche.com/CLOCK/zaniestbooks.htm


Proceeds go to needy and underprivileged children - MINE
THIS ARTICLE MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED

C.Lock@xtra.co.nz
http://www.nzenterprise.com