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Getting Started in ECommerce - Part Two
In Part One we talked a little bit about what Ecommerce is, getting a domain name and setting up a merchant account. Ecommerce is more than that, much more. To have a really good online presence that gets people to stop and shop you need a strategy...
How to Promote Affiliate Products Without a Website
How to Promote Affiliate Products if You Don't Have a Website Copyright 2004 Jude Wright Okay, you want to promote affiliate programs. You have one or two that you are very interested in. But - you don't have your website created yet and you don't...
Register Your Domain Name Longer = Better Search Engine Rankings?
Google May Have New Criteria When Ranking Web Sites While I was registering a new domain yesterday I came across an option asking if I wanted to register it for more than one year. At first, I paid it no mind and just registered it for one year. ...
Starting An E-Commerce Business
The development and expansion of the Internet has made business opportunities, once only available to the wealthy, available to nearly everyone. In the past, opening a business was a huge commitment in terms of finances and risk. Traditional...
What YOU should know before starting a web site!
Everyday thousands of new businesses make the leap and take their business on line, what about yours? If you haven’t already, I’ll bet you have thought about it and wondered how much more business you could be doing if you just went on line…and...
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Marketing For Success: 4 Strategies for Online Businesses
The success of any online business depends in large part on
where and how it's marketed. After all, a website sitting
all by its lonesome in cyberspace isn't going to do much
good; people have to be able to find it first!
But that's only where it begins. Once your website is
getting traffic, it's next job is to convert visitors into
paying customers. From there, your job is to try to turn
customers into repeat buyers or into a source of referrals.
Here are four major types of marketing to incorporate into
your marketing plan:
__1. TARGETED MARKETING
Who is your target audience, what do they want, and how
do you reach them? Understanding your audience is the
first step to a successful marketing campaign. There are
many ways to reach your target audience on the Internet,
including search engines, links, ezine advertising, joint
ventures, and more.
Don't neglect to research your 'offline' market as well
-- many people still prefer to be contacted in the 'real
world', rather than through cyberspace! For more
information on offline marketing methods, visit
http://onlinebusinessbasics.com/articles/checklist3.html
__2. PERMISSION MARKETING
'Spam' -- unsolicited email -- can cause varied reactions
from minor irritation to outright rage. You don't have to
spam in order to get business; people acknowledge that
there are products and services about which they're
willing to receive information. The Internet has proved
this to be true: how many times have you willingly signed
up to receive a newsletter?
Some methods of permission marketing include publishing
a newsletter; offering product or service announcements
or updates; and using an autoresponder to distribute
reports, articles, stories, etc. Subscription forms
can be placed on your site so that visitors can indicate
their interest.
By getting a visitor's permission to contact them, you
accomplish a couple of things:
a) You're able to market to them regularly (unless
they choose to unsubscribe). For various reasons,
many people do not make immediate purchases. When
you have permission to contact them
Associated Websites
regularly, you
are more likely to catch them at a time that *they're*
ready to buy.
b) Subscribers have automatically 'qualified' themselves
as interested prospects. You can focus your efforts
on marketing to them, rather than to visitors who
have no real interest in your products and services.
__3. RELATIONSHIP MARKETING
Relationship marketing has to do with the way you treat
your visitors, prospects, and customers. Unless you
operate a site with a well-known brand, people aren't
buying from a 'website' -- they're buying from other
people. Treat them as people instead of 'just another
customer number.'
A few ways to help accomplish your goal include offering
an opt-in newsletter - over time, readers will come to
know and trust you; answer email and phone calls promptly
and courteously; or offer a little something extra, such
as simple 'thank you' or Christmas cards by postal mail.
A little extra effort can help your business to stand out
from the rest.
__4. CONFIDENCE AND CREDIBILITY MARKETING
People have to trust you and have confidence in your
business before they're comfortable making a purchase.
So how do you inspire confidence with visitors who have
no previous experience with you?
First, use some basic, old-fashioned common-sense when
creating your site. For example, if you're selling
information about how you made a fortune in the stock
market, don't host your site on a free domain that's
packed with popups and popunders.
Other ways include posting testimonials from happy
customers; writing articles, columns or interviews
to establish recognition as an 'expert'; and asking
customers to refer others to your business.
About the Author
_________
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Angela is the editor of Online Business Basics, a practical
guide to building an Internet business on a shoestring
budget. If you're tired of hype and just want solid,
down-to-earth information, then visit us today -- and in
moments you can have access to loads of instantly useable
tips, specifically chosen for beginners!
http://onlinebusinessbasics.com/article.html
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