Your 10 Easy Steps to Internet Success

Would you even consider a backpacking trip around Asia without using a map?

How hard would be if you tried it without a map when even with a map, you get lost sometimes?

Yet, this is what people try to achieve on the Web. They tried to start their business without a goal in mind, thus losing their sense of direction to success.

After which months or years have gone by, they are still at the level, which they initially started. Frustration built up, and in the end they quit. They blame their failure on the Internet, which they don’t know how to use because they lack their precious map of success. (Or totally forgotten about it)

You don’t have to be like them. Following what is about to come next is… you will discover the essential ten-step approach on how to conquer failure and attain success. Though it may not be everything but at least it will give you a framework, which you can build your foundation upon.

Consider the following to be your quick start manual to Internet success. (Some points can also be applied to suit the purpose for the offline business world)

1. Choose Your Targeted Market

The most obvious mistake that most people make is that they choose a product regardless of whether there is a market for it.

If you are in this direction, then success is leaving you behind.

Successful businesses often use a different approach. They choose their market then pick a product those people are searching for. So as to speak, they sell a product which their chosen targeted leads want to buy.

Don’t even get started online until you know where exactly can you get your leads. Get targeted leads then develop a product for them.

Would you prefer 1,000 hits a day of uninterested audience at your site or just 5 hits a day of desperate and interested audience who is willing to pay any amount just for your product?

If you are smart, of course you’ll choose those who are already desperate, interested and willing audience, right? (For me I’ll definitely choose this path)

That will be all for target market, now onto the second point…

2. Product Development

Product development for your choice market is important. But don’t follow the rest of just joining an affiliate program to make a quick buck. There are three different and unique ways of selling a product on the Internet.

a) Your Very Own Product Creation

Your great opportunity is here… Make good use of it!

You can do a lot of things with your own product like setting price, selling reprints rights to others, set up an affiliate program etc.

Don’t let your mind restrict you, let your imagination run wild! Sometimes you will be amazed at your own imaginative powers.

Thousand of online entrepreneurs have jump-started their career by having their own information products for sale.

I believe you can also do it!

Up until now, I’m absolutely sure you have learned at least one skill that you can share it with us in a “How-To” product. Maybe you know someone else has that knowledge and you could help them create a product which both of you share the rights to it.

Don’t deny yourself of this chance and believe that you can’t do it. Trust me. Anyone can start an online business, it is whether they give themselves this chance or not.

b) Purchase Rights To A Product Or Joint Venture For A Product

Rights of successful products can be purchased for $500 - $20,000.

Buy the rights by offering a large up-front fee for a product that you know there is already a market for it… and you will never have to care about paying royalties in the future and still be able to own the product.

You can also find products that are already catered to your targeted market. Ask the owners for exclusive Internet rights for a certain percentage of the profits or an up-front fee.

c) Joining As Affiliate

This will be a good choice if you are just getting started online for your targeted market. Plus, check the commission rates for each sale.

If you earn $1 on a $20 sale, (5% commission) then forget it. It doesn’t worth a second glance because… it would take 1,000 customers just for you to earn $1,000 in profits. You won’t make it big like this!

Try to look for commission rates of 25% or higher with higher price products.

3. Create a UBP

Always have a Unique Business Position(UBP) for your products and/or services. Many companies are just copying one another for their products and this don’t reflect well on them.

If you follow them, you will get to nowhere as there are already a lot of similar site with same products or services for your customers to choose from.

Your products/services will have to be outstanding and exceptional. You can provide what your competitions do not have. For example, having better guarantees, better customer service, more technical support, faster shipping, or lower prices etc.

Be creative so that you can be special to your customers as compared to others and don’t forget to tell them why.

4. Choosing The Right Domain Name And Hosting Company

Choosing the right domain name that describes your company, UBP, and offer is often a headache.

Points to take note are: short and descriptive is good and avoid using dashes or misspellings of your products. If not, people will tend to leave out part of your domain name and causes someone else to get that free traffic.

Hosting is also a problem. I personally recommend Ipowerweb since they provide a multi-purpose plan for whatever uses. They had excellent customers support, which often tend to your problem on the same day so you don’t waste precious time.

Check it out. They have even been rated as #1 Web hosting company of the year 2004.

Click here to read more on their offers:
http://www.acemarketingbiz.com/links/ipowerweb

5. Site Design Exclusively For Customers

Development of your website is an intricate process.

If you are either on a tight budget or planning to own a full-time internet business or both, I suggest you learn web site designing using one of the many programs which are available in any software store.

You will save yourself money as well as problems when you need editing to be done on the site. If you have an offline business and you are just adding another stream of income, then just hire a professional to do it for you.

When designing you site, always have the mentality of your potential customer. Think of all their questions/problems they might have. Make everything simple to use or find for your customers.

Never ever think like a business owner!

Your customers won’t be interested in your business because it’s not theirs. Make sure your benefits and UBP stand out in your site, and don’t put them lower than your first page, as web surfer don’t like to go beyond the first page.

Give them the required information as quickly as possible. The crucial key to success of any business is Benefits, Benefits and More Benefits.

6. Free Bonuses

You need to get your visitors interested by offering some free bonuses. It is also a great way to increase traffic hits.

Examples of free bonuses are: free reports, weathers, news, programs, scripts, and more.

But I found out that you could create the greatest draw using ebooks relevant to your type of business. Or you can try giving out good quality mouse pads with your business contacts printed on it. (Good for creating free advertising and also more future sales.)

Most important thing for any business is coming up with freebie. Create a report to give away free. Add in a forum page or some scripts in your site. You can also give out a sample of your software.

All in all, you have to draw visitors in by giving something valuable for free.

7. Develop Your Mailing List

Most of the full-time Internet marketers I know have their own mailing list. It can be a weekly newsletter or a Tip-of-the-Day or regular important updates of their sites.

Always concentrate on building a list of loyal subscribers because they will be willing to listen more intently to you. Most customers don’t buy from you on their first visit.

Most just subscribe for a few weeks or months, then finally buying from you. They have to know and understand more about you before putting down their money for your products.

So if you don’t develop your own mailing list, you will not have complete control over your own income in the future from your loyal customers.

This is how you will need to build loyalty in your customers, and thus creating for yourself an unlimited amount of residual income in the future.

8. Search Engines Submission

Now that the search engines are not most powerful marketing tool available, they are still essential to any overall Internet marketing plan.

You can easily get top positions on the search engines using secrets that are available online. The biggest key to high placement is the easiest one to understand. Your site content is also important if you have important and valuable content in it.

There are many different ways to get top positions, which we shall discuss, in another day and in a different book.

9. Free Advertising Methods Available Everywhere

There are basically many methods of advertising your site for free.

For example, you can use press releases, publication for offline advertising.

Or you can write insightful informative articles to send to online ezines, participate in forums, mailing lists, newsgroups, place ads on free classified sites.

And don’t forget about trading links with other sites or setting CGI programs such as Search Engines, Free-For-All Links site etc.

Do everything you could possibly think of using free methods to create traffic to your site first. When you have income coming in, venture out into paid advertising sources.

These are only some of the methods being used. For the details of each and every method used, I would be covering them in another book.

10. Paid Advertising Sources

Many Internet businesses opt for paid advertising because they lack the time needed in free advertising methods. But both methods are equally effective and important to any important to any business.

…But if you are thinking of how much can a dollar net you, then you have to consider Ezines advertising because it has the most yield and effectiveness. Don’t leave out banner ads, paid links to high traffic sites and also buying leads from other sources.

The most effective leads often come from offline advertising. They have a higher chance of converting a buyer than online leads.

Examples of offline advertising include: buying ads in your targeted magazines, starting a co-op, buy a postcard in one of the card decks.

Once you consciously put in effort to work out on this ten-step formula together on a piece of paper. You will find yourself creating your own map to Internet success.

You wouldn’t even consider venturing out without this map of success in hand.

So don’t go into the internet without this.