Hi all -this is a copy of an article that was sent to me from my friend Dave through my site at DesktopLightening.com. Come check it out there are great tips and articles on advertising and places that I didn't know about but since had some success. Sorry about any double postings since I am mailing this to all my friends and asking you to do the same. We might get additional friends in our forun this way.
Stop by you never know what you will learn
http://www.desktoplightening.com/goldengirl1315
Ah, the Internet, where fortunes are made at the click a mouse!
A lot of people still believe that all you need to make a fortune is a computer, an ISP and a cheesy, banner-laden site to get rich online. Within a very short time, they begin to realize it isn't quite that easy, and they become targets of the hundreds of "Get Rich Quick" scammers out there.
This is a sad fact.
Judging by the number of new ebooks, gifting programs, clubs and gurus that stuff my inbox every day, the scammers are still doing very well. Worst of all, they are using hungry new marketers to promote their products while they sit back and rake in the profits.
Every now and then, one of them gets caught and prosecuted, but the majority never will.
Those of us who are trying to earn a honest living are in direct competition with these crooks, and are hampered by the fact that the kind of customers we want - that is, long-term, repeat customers - are increasingly difficult to find, as they are understandably suspicious of everyone online.
If you want to "get rich quick" online, don't read the rest of this article. Fork over your hard-earned dough on every new scheme that hits your inbox, and, hopefully, one of them will pay off before your credit cards max out.
On the other hand; if you are like me and enjoy working online and meeting new people, and want to develop a good, strong, long-term income - read on.
I am not going to give you some "secret," as the "gurus" always promise. I'm going to talk about marketing FACTS that are time- tested and proven.
Marketing is ALL about developing relationships.
It is NOT about products.
It is NOT about selling.
It is NOT about traffic.
It is NOT about subject lines and ad copy and using the right words to hook your prospects.
While the above items are often used in marketing, they are practically worthless by themselves.
Marketing is ALL about developing relationships.
People LIKE to KNOW who they are doing business with.
I am FAR more likely to do business with someone I know than with a stranger. In fact, I NEVER buy online from someone I have just met. I have bought a lot of stuff (not all good) from people I know. In fact, I have bought into a program several times just on the word of an online friend, without even taking a good look at the program. (I don't recommend this practice!!)
Let's just take a real life example for a moment.
Imagine someone you don't know approaches you on the street with a fantastic business proposition or product. Would you buy?
Not likely. Then why do you expect people to do it online? Why would they buy from you?
If you want to be successful in marketing online, get to know people online. Don't try to sell people stuff. Spend your time trying to get to know people.
Marketing = Developing relationships.
Start answering your email. (Some addresses are real!)
Write to the owners of the newletters you subscribe to. Let them know what you think of their newsletter. Newsletter publishers love feedback. It is very encouraging to hear from subscribers. Some of my best customers are the owners of newsletters that I subscribe to.
(I enjoy feedback so much that I give a free ad to subscribers who email me just to be friendly. Sad to say, it doesn't happen often.)
Start a newsletter. This is an absolute must for marketing online. It gives you a great way to keep in contact with people who have similar interests to you. These are the people you will develop some of your strongest relationships with. If you need help developing a newsletter, email me. I will gladly help you.
(Marketing = Developing relationships)
Developing relationships is important online or off, but it is far MORE IMPORTANT online than it is in the brick and mortar world. The internet is very impersonal and cold, but people are still the same, and they want to connect in a personal way.
Your job as a marketer is to make the connection and to develop the relationship.
As far as the other 5 percent of your business is concerned:
Make sure you have GOOD QUALITY products or services to offer.
Don't oversell. Emphasize the good points and always TELL THE TRUTH!
Targetted traffic is quality traffic. These are your new contacts. Quantity does not equal quality. Target your traffic to people whose interests match yours. These are the people you will develop your best (and most profitable) relationships with.
Experiment with subject lines and ad copy. Create a file on your computer and save every subject line of every email you open because of the subject line. Save any ad copy that interests you enough to click through. If these grab your attention, they will grab someone else's attention, too.
Again, TELL THE TRUTH! While a sneaky subject line or sneaky ad copy may grab your attention, you'll probably be mad when you discover the truth. You certainly won't buy, and you'll delete any message from the same source without reading it in the future.
Marketing = Developing Relationships
So, slow down. Take a good look at what you are doing.
Stop spending hours and hours trying to convince strangers to make you rich.
Get to know some of the people who are emailing you. Say "Hi" to the webmaster of the website you are visiting. Send some encouraging words to the publisher of the newsletter you are reading.
You'll start having a lot of fun, and you'll start to make money!
Congratulations! You're marketing!
---------------------------------------