First Lesson – Business Podcasting Basics

We are going to talk a little about what podcasts are and how they work. If you haven’t included podcasting in your marketing plan before, now is the time to think about changing that.

Why?

Because, they are very effective and they are easier to create than ever before. In fact they are fast becoming one of the most popular ways to connect with an audience of hungry buyers, which is what every business wants!

Just in case you’ve been cut off from technology and you aren’t sure what podcasts are and what they can do for your business, here is a quick overview.

Podcast’s are recurring audio broadcasts that are delivered over the internet as MP3 files. The technology used to record them uses memory compression, so these files are fairly small and can be accessed quickly. People can listen to live or pre-recorded podcasts that they download on their, computers, iPods, iPads cell phones or any other device that connects to the internet and can play media files.

Podcasts have many benefits especially for business owners that want to build brand recognition and develop a solid online presence. They can be syndicated through and RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed, so people can subscribe to them.

If you aren’t sure what RSS is and you want to know more, here is a nice article that helps explain them: http://www.problogger.net/what-is-rss

Essentially what this means is that you can create your own radio style talk show centered on what your business has to offer. You can create basic audio files or if you want to get fancy, you can produce a video podcast (if you’re not shy about being on camera). If being a video star isn’t your thing you can create an “enhanced” podcast, which is done by displaying images and screen shots as you talk. Kind of like a slideshow presentation.

Podcasting has many benefits including:

– The ability to reach more people in your target market.
– It helps build credibility in your industry.
– It can turn you into an internet superstar (great for business)
– They can be downloaded by your subscribers’ RSS feeds automatically
– They can be accessed by your subscriber’s anywhere or anytime!
– Let’s you form a more personal connection with your consumers because they can get
to know, like and trust you. (Essential for long-term profits)
A good Podcast can be a great way to get your business in front of an unlimited number of new customers But it doesn’t stop there. They can also be used as the foundation for other audio products like audio books, webinars and even paid audio products. The possibilities are almost endless and extremely profitable!

Second Lesson – Business Podcasting Basics

In this lesson, we are going to talk about how to incorporate podcasting into your business as quickly as possible.

The first step to developing a great podcast is deciding what you want it to do and creating a plan of action. You can start by asking yourself a few simple questions like:

– How can a podcast help my business?
– Will it help me reach my income goals?
– Will my customers respond to audio information? (Are they auditory learners?)
– Do you want your podcast to be your main product or method of communication?
– Do you want to use it to help branding yourself or your business?
– Is it going to be a primary way for your business to attract new customers?
– Do you want to use it to become a niche expert or internet celebrity?

There is no right or wrong answers to these questions. Just like, there is no one surefire way to use podcasting. It really depends on your preferences, your target audience’s response and your own level of comfort. After you have a good idea of what you hope to accomplish with your podcast it’s time to figure out what type of equipment and services you are going to need to get started.

There are more than a few ways to go about the process of recording, storing and distributing your podcasts. Again, the method you choose will depend on your comfort level and your technical skills. Now let’s go over a few options available for you to try.

– The first thing you’ll need is a good microphone and recording software:

The microphone you can pick up at your local electronics store or online. Just make sure you choose one that produces a good sound quality and has noise reduction built in. There are many affordable options available. Just be sure to do your research.

Audacity – this is a free, open source software for recording and editing audio. They have versions for Mac OS X, Windows, GNU/Linux and other operating systems. It’s a great option especially when you are just getting started.

Find out more here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net

Adobe Audition – This is a more advanced software for editing audio from Adobe. It works with Windows and Mac. You can download a free trial and if you decide you like it you can purchase the full license.

Find out more here: https://creative.adobe.com/products/audition

Hipcast – This service makes it easy to record high-quality audio from your web browser or your phone with no software to download or install. This is a nice option for those of us who aren’t exactly tech savvy.

Find out more here: http://www.hipcast.com

Podomatic – This is another service, which lets you record audio and even video directly from your browser. You can also receive in line calls from listeners wanting to leave voice comments.

Find out more here: https://www.podomatic.com

– You will also need a place to host your podcast files:

You can of course host them on you own domain, but as you create more and more episodes just be aware that they will take up a lot of room and require a lot of bandwidth, which can become costly if you don’t monitor it closely.

There are website completely dedicated to hosting podcasts.

Amazon S3 – This hosting is nice because it offers quality hosting at a lower price in comparison to other paid services and it grows with you. Meaning you only pay for what you use. It also has a free plan with a limit of 5 GB of storage and a limit of 20,000 get requests.

Find out more here: http://aws.amazon.com/s3

Soundcloud – They offer free and paid plans, which are reasonably priced. The free version has some limitations but it’s great when you are just getting started. The pro version has perks like tracking so you can see who is listening, where they are from and other stats that will help you improve your podcast.

Find out more here: https://soundcloud.com

PodBean – This is an easy-to-use podcast host for casual podcasts that don’t exceed 30 MB. They offer a free account with a very friendly user-interface, mobile options and a RSS feed for your podcast. They also offer statistics and creative themes to spruce up your podcast page.

Find out more here: http://www.podbean.com

iTunes – To reap the benefits of the iTunes Store you must host your media files and RSS feeds on your own web servers or a third-party hosting provider like the ones listed above. iTunes doesn’t host podcasts but once you get your cast uploaded to your feed you can submit it for inclusion in the iTunes Store podcast directory.

If you want to check out even more options, I highly recommend this article on Mashable.com: http://mashable.com/2007/07/04/podcasting-toolbox

I also encourage you to check out this article about creating your podcast with Google Hangouts. It is an increasing popular and easy way to get started:
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/create-podcasts-with-google-hangouts-on-air

Third Lesson – Business Podcasting Basics

In this lesson, we are going to talk about planning content for your podcast.

Before you begin thinking about the type of content, you want to create for your podcast it’s important to think about format and broadcast schedule. For instance, what topics are you going to focus on? Do you want to produce a simple audio podcast, or do you want to go all out and host a video cast?

Are you going to host a weekly, by-weekly or monthly cast? Perhaps you just want to start by creating a topic specific series of audio podcasts that you can package and sell. These are all questions that must be considered before you can start creating content.

When you are thinking about the answers to these questions it’s also important consider your target listeners wants, needs, preferences and interests because they are the ones who will make or break your new cast, so you want to create content that hooks them in and keeps them listening.

One of the best ways to create captivating podcast material is to focus on topics you know a lot about. For most business owners this is the products and services we offer. This way you’ll have very little trouble talking about it while you’re on air or recording. Just be careful not to turn your cast into a pitch fest.

*Nothing will make listeners tune out faster than a continuous sales message. Soft selling is the best approach.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to know absolutely everything related to topic of your cast. You can always fill in the blanks by inviting and interviewing guest experts. This is a very common practice in the podcasting industry.

This might be a bit challenging at first, but once you become established you will have no trouble getting industry experts to join you because it’s as good for them as it is for you. When you do have, a guest on your show be sure to focus on asking the questions you know your subscribers would like to ask.

Hint: If you’re not sure what to ask try polling your subscribers. It’s a great way to find out what they want to know!

Another important step is writing a script, this way if you get nervous or forget what you want to say you have a cheat sheet to refer too. It doesn’t have to be a lengthy detailed script that you read word for word on air. It just needs to include an overview of the topics you want to discuss and questions you plan to ask if you have a guest. I personally like to create a bulleted list with my main topics bolded with speaking points underneath. However, you can create your script in any format that is comfortable to you. Here are a few other options that may work better for you:

– Index or cues cards.
– Use your computer as a teleprompt.
– A white board in your line of site.
– Simple notes on your desk.
– Scribbled on your hand.

It really is up to you, but the point is to remember all of your speaking points so that you don’t end up recording dead air.

Here is a nice tutorial that includes a few more tips you can use for your own script. It also has an example of the bulleted list I like to use so you can see what it looks like:
http://www.howtopodcasttutorial.com/09-preparing-podcast-episode.htm

If you find yourself, stuck for ideas or not sure exactly where you want to go with the content of your show, try tuning into a few popular podcasts from others in your industry. This is a great way to find out what works and what doesn’t. Just keep your notebook handy and jot down any ideas that you want to use in your own show.

Fourth Lesson – Business Podcasting Basics

This lesson we are going to jump right in and talk about practicing and preparing for your first business podcast.

Before you dive right in and start recording your business podcast it’s a very good idea to practice using and tools you’re going to use, like your microphone, recording software and if you’ve decided to use an online service be sure you understand how it works. Take time to study any user guides, checklists or tutorials provided so you can avoid any potential mishaps or malfunctions.

Practice using your microphone and get comfortable speaking into it before attempting to go live. If you’re too close, your listener will hear every breath sound, sniff and sigh. If you are too far away, your voice may echo, sound fuzzy or be hard to understand.

Tip: Don’t eat, chew gum, suck on candy or slurp your soda while you’re recording unless you want to annoy your listeners more than you entertain them.

It’s a good idea to upload a few sample casts to and listen to them on different devices so you can check your sound quality and make any adjustments to your equipment or presentation before your first show. It’s also a good idea to get someone you trust to tell you the truth to try accessing and listening to your samples, so they can let you know if the process works and how you sound.

The day of your podcast, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to prepare before the show. If you have a guest check in with them a few hours ahead of time, to make sure they are ready and excited to go at the specified time. Remember they are probably a little nervous too, so pump them up for the show with a few words of encouragement.

Here are a few more tips:

– Make sure you’re well-hydrated and have a glass of water ready just in case your mouth gets dry. (just don’t gulp it on air).

– Test your microphone again right before the show to make sure it is working.

– Make the room as quiet as possible. Close the doors and windows. Turn off any fans or air conditioners.

– Lock out the pets. You don’t want to have to compete with Fido’s bark or have princess kitty bumping your mic while you’re on air.

– Unplug the house phone and silence the ringer on your cell.

– Warn the family not to disturb you during the podcast. If you have to put a sign on the door!

– When it’s almost time to go on air warm up your voice and take a few take a few slow deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling, before you start to speak.

Once you’re on air introduce yourself, your business and your guest (if you have one). Make a little small talk to warm up your listeners and let them know what they are going to learn by listening. You should also let them know how long the show will last and any other information you think will help keep them tuned in until the end of the show, like teasers and offers that they have to stay to the end to get.

Hint: Free prizes, gifts or discounts related to your products and services work great!

At the end of the show, thank your audience for listening and provide any links or information your viewers will need to find out more. You can do this by directing them to your website, blog or even and online file sharing site like Dropbox.

Remember not everyone is going to listen to your live broadcast, so make sure the you record your show and upload it the a hosting service like we discussed in your second lesson to create an RSS feed so that listeners can easily subscribe and tune in when it’s most convenient for them. Also if you plan to distribute your podcast on iTunes.

If you need more information on creating an RSS feed here is a nice Wiki How tutorial:
http://www.wikihow.com/Create-an-RSS-Feed

Fifth Lesson – Business Podcasting Basics

We have come to the final lesson in the Business Podcasting Basics. I sure hope you have enjoyed your lessons and learned a lot about hosting a podcast for your own business. In this last lesson, we are going to go over some simple yet effective ways to get more listeners for your cast.

When it comes to getting more listeners for your podcast, you have to do everything you can to get noticed. Keep in mind that there are a lot of podcasters competing for listeners’ attention.

As we discussed in your third lesson, the best way to create a captivating podcast is to by focusing on topics that you know well and that are closely related to your business. It’s also a good idea to think about what sets your business apart from your competition, so you can share information with your listeners that will help them identify with you better.

Tip: Keep in mind that people are often overwhelmed with too much information. Most of the time that want practical how to advice and tips that will help them accomplish something.

– Stick to a schedule

One of the main reasons popular radio show hosts are able to build loyal followings is because they are consistent. Think about your favorite morning shows. They are on the air at the same time every day. If they weren’t it would be hard to know when to tune in and they wouldn’t be very successful. The same idea applies to your podcast. You need to set a publishing schedule and stick to it so your listeners know what to expect.

– Podcast directories

Get listed in multiple podcasting directories like the iTunes store, DoubleTwist, Stitcher AmigoFish, Digg Podcasts, Podcast Pickle or All Podcasts. Just do a quick search and you’ll discover there are literally hundreds of directories available online dedicated strictly to podcasting and RSS feeds. Submitting your feed to as many as possible can definitely lead to more exposure and more listeners.

– Use Tags

Since podcasts are audio files, tagging is essential for helping listeners find you whether it’s in iTunes or through the search engines. Always use descriptive keywords and tags in your descriptions whenever you are submitting or posting links to your cast. This will help attract more targeted traffic and listeners to your show. Keep in mind that the descriptions you use often show up in the search engine listing and will also be the main reason people click through and listen, so do your best to make it compelling.

– Set up a blog

Blogging can be an effective way to generate interest in your podcast. They reach a different audience that may not know about your podcast, they help build your online presence and they are great for getting search engine rankings. Make sure your podcast is highlighted on your blog with well-placed subscription links. You can even place samples from your latest shows, so people can get a good idea of what your show is all about.

– Get social

Set up social profiles on the major networks like Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. Join some forums, post comments on other popular blogs in your niche. Podcasting is all about building a following and relationships with your listeners. You just can’t sit back and expect listeners to come to you, you go out and get them.

To explore even more options for expanding your audience take a look at this article from Social Media Examiner:
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/6-podcasting-tips-from-the-pros [/membership]

1

Welcome to the first lesson in the Grow Your Home Business Crash Course.
Over the next few days, you will receive several lessons that will help you learn
simple information, tips and techniques that you can use to grow your home business.

In this first lesson, we are going to talk a little bit about getting started, organized and making a plan for your home business so you can avoid potential pitfalls on the road to success.

Since you made the wise decision to sign up for this short course I assume that you are one of the brave few that understands how exciting and rewarding a home business can be. A successful home business gives you the freedom to set your own hours, control your financial future and spend more time doing the things you love to do. Things that you can’t always do with a traditional 9-5 job. It’s a very alluring lifestyle and one that many never reach for, because they don’t know how, think it won’t work or simply because they are afraid to try.

As with anything in live when it comes to growing your home business there are some potential pitfalls along the way, but with some simple planning they can be easily avoided which can help ensure the success of your business from the start.

– Make a plan

There are several things you can do during the startup process to make it easier, and if you do it right you should be able to successfully run your business without extra-added stress.

One of the first things you should do is to make a schedule to separate your business hours from your home life. When you work from home, it’s very easy to let the two blend, which can be a recipe for disaster.

Because your business is at home, it’s tempting to work at all hours of the day or night, especially if you are working online. Many home business owners fall into this trap. You get tempted to take on additional projects, fill orders or other tasks that bleed into your home life because you feel like it’s the only way to succeed.

But, the truth is if you don’t set limits for yourself, you’ll find that you won’t be able to produce quality work or get as much done and your home life will suffer as well. Everybody needs some down time, so don’t be afraid to take it!

In order to avoid this problem, you need to set realistic business hours. Look at the hours you want to work. Just like a regular office, your home business should have office hours and hours when you are not available. It’s simply too easy to work all of the time, even if you need the money. However, keeping hours and making sure that you keep them regularly is a good way to make sure that you’ll have ample time for, business, home and family.

– Office space

Next, it’s important to set up a dedicated office/work space for your home business that is separate from the rest of your home. So many home business owners skip this step and their business takes over their whole house before they even realize what happened.

Your home office doesn’t have to be big or fancy it can simply be a corner of your kitchen, living or a spare bedroom. Just so, it’s dedicated to your business, which will make it much easier for you to keep the two things separated. If you can keep your home and business apart, you’ll have a much better chance of managing them both well.

– Support system

Lastly, it’s important to have a good support system in place. This can be a coach, mentor, someone with a similar business, or simply your family and friends. You need to have people close to you who will encourage you and give you any support you need.

You can join your local Chamber of Commerce, online communities and forums of people in the same industry as your own. A good support network is very important to the success of your home business, so don’t take it for granted.

That’s it for today’s lesson. We have a lot to go over in the next few days if you want to learn how to grow your home business successfully, so make sure you look for your next lesson soon. We will be talking about staying on-task and managing the day-to-day responsibilities of running your business from home.

2

It’s time for your second lesson in the Grow Your Home Business Crash Course. I hope you found lesson one informative and have had some time to think about creating a success plan for your home business and the importance of having a dedicated work pace and support system in place.
In this lesson, we are going to talk about staying on-task and managing the day-to-day responsibilities of running your business from home.

Once you have a solid plan for success, there are going to be a million things that need your time and attention. It’s not that these things haven’t been there all along, it’s just that now you have a plan in place that will help you focus specifically on the tasks that will help grow your business.

So how do you stay on-task?

One of the best ways I’ve found, is to keep a log book of goals and the tasks that are necessary to reach them. Like a short and long-term to do list.

Start with your bigger goals and then break them down into a series of small tasks that must be accomplished to help you move towards your goals. Be sure to prioritize this will help keep less important tasks from pulling you off-track. As you go through the list, cross off tasks as you complete them, so you can keep track of your progress.

I know this may seem too simple to be effective, but it is one of the most effective ways to keep yourself on the fast track to success. You can use a notebook, white board, word doc or if you prefer you can look online for goal tracking software to help keep you on track

– Motivation

Motivation is a very personal thing. What motivates one person may not do a thing for another. So, when it comes to staying motivated finding what motivates you and keeps moving forward towards your goals is your golden key to success.

As we have been discussing it’s very important to set goals and organize them in a way that is simple and attainable. Remember if the carrot is too far in front of the horse, the horse will give up, but if it’s close enough to smell and see but just out of reach, the horse will keep moving towards the incentive.

One way to stay motivated is to incorporate rewards into your long and short-term goals. Often times home business owners, forget to reward themselves when they achieve goals. They just keep chugging along and don’t take time to celebrate their successes.

For instance, treat yourself to a long lunch when you attain a new customer or an extra day off when you reach your monthly sales goal early. Small, incremental rewards will help you move faster towards your goal. Remember to treat yourself. You work hard and you deserve it!

– Time management

Good time management skills are especially for when you are your own boss. You must define the parameters of your business.

– What days and hours will you work?
– When will you market?
– When will you provide services or products to clients?
– How will you keep all of this straight?

By defining, a list of necessary tasks you need to accomplish to make your business run smoothly you can create a livable schedule to accomplish them without working yourself into the ground.

– Automation

Automate your business as much as possible. Granted, you are just one person (right now) and might have a lot of extra time to take care of all the details. This might work for now, but won’t work into the future as you get busier and busier. It’s best to set up automatic systems and processes right from the start to free up your time to concentrate on the most profitable activities.

You may be surprised to discover how many things that you can automate, once you set your mind to it. For instance, you can automate the online ordering process and email correspondence, so that your customers receive receipts directly after purchase.

Staying motivated and organizing your day-to-day tasks is one of the best ways that you can stay on track and ensure your home business a huge success.

That’s it for today’s lesson. In your next lesson, we will be talking about dealing with the everyday stress of running a home business.

3

Today we are going to talk about dealing with the everyday stress of running a business from home.

Many people are drawn to the idea of starting a home business, and not having to work 9-5 for someone else. They dream of the freedom that comes along with being self-employed. Far too often, they discover the freedom was just a dream and they are actually working long, hard hours for at least in the beginning as they trying to get their business off the ground.

What is the most effective way to deal with the stress and anxiety that can often come along with running a home business?

The quick answer is to realize that this is part of being a business owner. This stress doesn’t go away overnight and there will be times when it seems like it will never end. There will also be times when everything is running smoothly. The trick is to find the proper balance between work and home. It’s important to look for ways to effectively manage your stress when it occurs.

Being self-employed means that the most part everything rests on your shoulders. When you’re working for someone else, you have to deal with things but you probably didn’t have the financial success of the company to worry about. When you run your own business you have to make sure there is enough operating capital to keep going, enough profit to invest in inventory, supplies, vendors, employees and to pay your bills.

– Motivation

A small amount of stress can be great motivator. The fear of failing or falling behind is what makes many home business owners get up and face the day, even when times get tough. Remember, simply because you are feeling stress doesn’t mean your business is going to fail. It simply means you’re the boss and it’s up to you to make it a success.

– Procrastination

Procrastination leads to unnecessary stress, especially when you are the one in charge. To help alleviate this type of stress practice good time management skills and put time limits on the tasks you need to accomplish for your business to operate smoothly. Having a deadline to meet can help motivate you to get your project done in time, but ignoring it or putting it off till later will only cause undue stress. When planning a schedule to accomplish both large and small tasks it’s important to set realistic goals that you feel can be met on time.

– Fun

Many home business owners get so stressed out and wrapped up in routine tasks they forget the reasons why they decided to become self-employed. It’s important to remember to enjoy the fact that you are your own boss. Learning to enjoy yourself while you work keeps you enthusiastic and motivated Yes, it’s important to be professional and get the job done, but when it comes to coping with stress it’s also a good idea not to take yourself too seriously.

Maintaining a good sense of humor helps keep your stress levels under control, especially on those tough days when it seems like everything goes wrong. Remember to laugh, it’s the best medicine and one of the best ways to make it through any stressful situation.

That’s it for today’s lesson. In your next lesson, we will be talking about setting up a schedule, and sticking to it.

4

Well, we are winding down to the end of this short course. But we still need to go over a few things that can help you grow your own successful home business. Today we are going to jump right in and talk about setting up a schedule, and sticking to it.

As we well know, one of the main attractions of working at home is the freedom that comes with it. When you’re self-employed the dream is that there will be no time clock, no time sheets, and no one but yourself to be accountable to. It’s an attractive proposition, but like so many wonderful dreams there is a downside, especially if you find yourself falling short of reaching your goals.

If you are constantly running behind then you are likely wasting time on tasks that are unnecessary or could be accomplished more efficiently with proper time management.
If you want your home business to be successful, it’s important to set a schedule and do your best to stick to it. This way you can avoid wasting time, stay on track and accomplish your goals more efficiently.

Here are a few good reason you should set up a schedule and stick to it:

– It makes it easier to prioritize
– It helps avoid wasting time on non-priority tasks
– It keeps you from getting sidetracked or distracted
– It helps you stay organized and on track
– It prevents work from bleeding into family time and vice a versa
– It increases concentration and productivity

As I’ve mentioned before a simple to do list will often do the trick, but if you have a lot of projects on the table and tasks that need to be completed creating a spreadsheet will work even better. Having an agenda to follow can help improve your productivity and reduced your stress greatly.

If you don’t want to use a spreadsheet or aren’t sure how to set one up, look online. You’ll find plenty of examples and even ready-made timesheets and schedules that you can print and use yourself.

When it comes to proper time management, the best way to get something done is by keeping it simple. This holds true for creating your daily and weekly schedule as well. Breakdown larger projects into smaller, easily accomplished tasks and allow plenty of time to complete them. Putting a simple plan in motion will help the work that needs to be done go smoothly and more efficiently.

If you find it, difficult setting up your schedule and sticking to it, don’t be afraid to ask for help. By recruiting a coworker, family member or friend to gently nudge forward you when you’re falling behind, it can make sticking to your schedule and staying on track much easier.

I hope today’s lesson was helpful to you. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for my next email. There will be some great stuff in your last lesson.

5

Well, we have come to the final lesson in the Grow Your Home Business Crash Course.
I sure hope you have enjoyed your lessons and learned a lot about growing your own successful and profitable home business.

In this last lesson, I am going to share some tips and tricks that you can use to make your home business even more successful.

As we know, having a home business can be a great way to take control of your financial future, it’s also a fantastic way to generate income while doing work that you truly want to do.

There are many things to take into consideration when it comes to growing your home business. As you may remember from your first lesson if you make and follow a sound plan, you can be the owner of a successful and profitable business.

The first tip I have to share with you is to have a good plan. It’s important to have a clearly laid out business plan. As we touched on in your first lesson without a business plan and goals to achieve, then chances are you’ll never get anywhere. A business plan, even if it’s just written down on a slip of paper will help you map out what you need to succeed and how you’ll achieve your goals.

– Research

Whatever your business will need, you’ll need to be well informed about it. So you’ll need to do me research so that you become an expert on the niche, product or service. Knowledge about the business is an important home business resource, so you must do the necessary research to be well informed about the industry or product/service.

– Office space

As we discussed in your last issue you will need to set up a dedicated base for your home office. Your office is a very important because it helps separate file from business which increases productivity. In your office, generally you’ll need a computer, printer, internet access, fax, telephone, business cards and a conducive work environment.

Keep in mind that sometimes you’ll be working long hours, especially in the beginning, so your work space needs to be comfortable. A suitable desk, comfortable chair and appropriate lighting are very important and often taken for granted. Allocate some money towards setting up a working environment conducive to productivity and you’ll enjoy your time in the office much more!

– Capital

Money to cover capital outlay and running costs is an important even if you’re starting out on a shoestring budget it would require some form of investment, and you’ll need to know how much you have, and how much investments and ongoing marketing your business will need to stay afloat until it begins to generate a solid income.

– Customers

Business leads and clients are a crucial home business resource. Making and creating contacts and networking is very important, because no customers equals no income. You need to start building your potential client base before you launch your business. Start marketing your business by giving away some products and services. By creating a relationship with your potential customers, you build trust with them, and when you launch your business, it will be easy for them to buy from you.

– Be professional

The way you run your business and relate to your customers is very important. Be prepared to ‘go the extra mile’ with your customers. Care about your customers, and provide all the information they may need.

– Get help

Hire any professional help you may need. Treat your business professionally, and if you need the services of a lawyer or accountant, hire one. It’s more productive and effective to hire skilled professionals to do what you don’t have the time or skills to do it yourself. If you want your business to be successful, it’s important not to overload yourself with time consuming tasks or projects that can be easily outsourced. It’s also more cost effective in the end, because it leaves you free to focus on growing your business. [/membership]

Internet Business Know How

Internet marketing is a combination of marketing and selling products and services online. This type of business is growing in popularity, with millions of people now purchasing online every day. Internet marketing started in the early 1990s as mainly a means of product identification, consisting mostly of written descriptions.

As technology grew, internet marketing quickly grew to include photos and other rich graphics as a means of advertising for products and services. After taking notice of the incredible possibilities of this avenue of selling, internet-based businesses began to open their virtual shops for business. Unlike what is happening in what are now known as “brick and mortar” businesses, these e-businesses extend their merchandise to an increasing number of buyers, conducting almost all of their transactions in the virtual stores of the internet.

There are numerous kinds of marketing online. These include article marketing, blog promotions, e-mail sales letters, search engine marketing (to include search engine optimization), banner ads, pay-per-click ads, and pop-up advertising.

It is imperative to know that each of these methods captures the attention of the target customer in a unique way, and some work better than others depending on what is being sold, the target audience, and the method and goal of the business marketing itself. Among the things that may require using a varied method are customer service, sales, public relations and information management.

Internet marketing has also become an important part of many “brick and mortar” businesses, but online-only companies have offered some competition in the area of retail sales. While other online-only businesses have spread out into methods such as online auctions. There are even places that allow the consumer to set a price and others that help the consumer find the best deal. Affiliate marketers have appeared, adding another avenue for online marketers. These businesses work on what is called pay for performance. Even the homebound crafter has a place on the internet to sell creations.

Online marketing offers many benefits. A person can shop anytime, anywhere as long as there is a place to connect to the internet. Partnerships enjoy a greater chance of working. Online shopping has added efficiency and speed over the old way of doing business. Even costs have been dramatically lowered. Sales taxes have yet to catch up with the internet and most times these added charges to consumers are non-existent.

Online security and the sometimes unreliability of internet connections are two disadvantages of internet sales. Progress is slowly being made to rectify both these problems and it is a sure bet that the progress will continue until solutions are found.

2 Internet Business Know How

We are going to go over some of the disadvantages of internet marketing.

With everything, there are both advantages and disadvantages. It’s that way when it comes to managing an internet business too. Keep in mind that internet marketing isn’t static. As things change, what we consider a disadvantage today may become an advantage tomorrow. With that, new disadvantages will take the place of these.

The lack of human interaction is a big disadvantage in internet marketing. When a person enters a store, he or she can ask for advice, gain information, and interact with a human. Many people don’t like the impersonal feeling that comes from shopping online. Telephones and chat rooms exist, but these do not help internet marketing give the same feeling as having a live person in front of you. So, even if a customer goes online for product information, they may end up choosing to buy the product in person anyway.

Internet marketing is not a free activity. There are costs involved in building and maintaining a website and buying hardware and programs to help run your business. There are, of course, costs in running a brick and mortar store that internet marketing does not have. Depending on what angle you approach it from, the cost involved could be considered acceptable.

When websites go down, customers can’t get to you. You lose sales and they become frustrated about having to seek a product elsewhere. This may not deter the customer who is in this situation once, but repeated times will cause him to take his business somewhere he can feel is reliable.

Safety has led many customers to avoid shopping online. Many people are afraid of identity theft and other forms of fraud that stop them from buying things online. You might have done everything possible to insure your customer’s privacy, but some people still will not trust the internet.

While the number of people online is steadily increasing, not everybody has gotten there. A major portion of the population will never see your site because they do not have internet access. Finally, you may find yourself targeting the wrong population if you do all your business online and don’t take time to come face to face with the customer to make sure what you are selling is what the customer wants.

3 Internet Business Know How

Winning is what it’s all about, and in the internet marketing game, you’re going to have to be dedicated to success if you stand half a chance of winning. Competition is at its peak on the internet. Nobody sets out with any though less than winning. You have to reach the top before you will even think about succeeding. You need to become known even before you sell a product. That’s the very nature of an internet businesses.

You will need to know and successfully target the customers in your area of sales. With all the competition out there, consumers have a great deal of choice and you risk being skipped over if your sales tactics aren’t the best. You need to know your customer and understand how they make their purchases. If you have the money to do an actual market research that can definitely benefit your business. If not, you still need to become as familiar as possible with your target audience and their spending habits.

Article writing is a very effective way to advertise your web presence. With the right content, you catch the attention of those seeking answers and lead them to your website. You can write articles yourself or have others write for you. The object is to get people thinking of you as an expert in your field. They will be more likely to view your website if that is the case.

E-mail selling is one of the simplest yet most effective ways of reaching your consumers. You start out at an advantage because the customer has already signed up for your list and indicated he was interested in what you had to say. A personalized email message will help deepen the connection between you and your customer. This is the only method used by online marketers that has that advantage.

Whatever marketing methods you try, make sure you have done your homework and know exactly who your customer is and what they want to spend their money on. This is the first major step in success.

4 Internet Business Know How

Have you ever heard the expression “Two heads are better than one”? Or how about the idea that people “work together”? There are many other ways to convey the same message. The message is that people or businesses can accomplish more by banding together than they can alone. It’s been proven to succeed in any undertaking, and it has even applied in the world of internet marketing. Online, this idea is called an affiliate program.

Affiliate programs, also called partner programs, associate programs, or referral programs, are deals between you and an internet marketer in which you supply an advertisement or in some other way link to the merchant’s website. Every time you recommend this person, you are compensated for your referral. Depending on the what kind of affiliate program you join, and the conditions of participation, you may earn your commission either for sales resulting from your referral or simply for sending a possible customer-sometimes for both.

If you are a business owner, it will benefit you to join an affiliate program because you are boosting your visibility and that of your merchandise. This has been an important method of achieving success for a large number of internet sellers. You can literally increase you website visitors by thousands with one well-placed ad on an affiliate’s site. With this kind of traffic increase, sales, an profits, will also increase.

If you are offering only information, this could be your only means of realizing a profit. If you are providing information or entertainment free of charge to readers, you have to figure out another method of earning money. Affiliate programs will enable you to do just that. You start by joining an affiliate program that ties in with the information you offer and place an ad in an easy to see spot. If the ad is relevant to your visitors they will click it to get more information. The more people who click through, the more money you get. It’s really a very easy and smart process.

In the competitive area of internet sales, you have to find a way to earn the money you’re aiming for. Affiliate programs offer a way to accomplish this easily and efficiently. They really are an important source of income for any online business.

5 Internet Business Know How

You have probably thought about starting your own newsletter. Most of us have thought about it, yet most have not yet made the leap. There may be various reasons why, but there are numerous more reasons why you must.

First, let me get rid of any worries you may have about putting out your own newsletter. It really isn’t as hard as you may believe. You don’t have to publish it weekly, or even bi-weekly. You can publish a monthly newsletter that other love to see. You also don’t need a college degree to publish a successful newsletter. All you really need is proper spelling and grammar-and quality information. It doesn’t hurt to include special products also.

The greatest thing about having a newsletter is how greatly it will affect your business. There’s no arguing the fact that a newsletter will encourage your customers to make return visits to your site. A free newsletter will allow them to know you value their loyalty and patronage. This makes for a customer who will return because he is happy with you.

Your newsletter will not only help you by making your customers feel satisfied, but if put out in the correct way can also attract new customers. If you make sure your content is interesting to both your current customers and potential customers, the chances increase that the newsletter will be passed onto others.

For example, you extend an offer for a freebie or discount to new customers in your newsletter and distribute it to your present, happy and loyal customers. If they are satisfied, they will see your offer and pass it onto someone who may not otherwise know of this offer.

In addition to the reasons I’ve already mentioned, sending out a newsletter also marks you as somewhat of an expert. Your customers will see you a person who really understands the product or service that you’re selling and this will help build a trusting relationship with your customers. This can give you the edge over competitors.

It should now be obvious to you how effective a tool publishing a newsletter can be. You will see the benefits as sales increase and profits grow.

6 Internet Business Know How

In order for your business website to receive free targeted traffic you need to get good search engine rankings. This is done by providing good keyword rich content that both your visitors and the search engines are attracted to.

This is the most effective way for you to increase your visibility online. The greater the number of people searching for what you sell, the more customers you are apt to get. Keywords aren’t going to do the job alone. If they would, you could simply list every keyword you come up with and people would flock to your site.
But what are they going to see when they arrive at your site? If it’s just keywords in a list, they’ll leave. That’s why it’s essential that you create a site that is both noticeable and content-rich.

The internet is all about information. Regardless of what else people want, they are searching the web for information of one type or another. With this in mind, it is your job as the online marketer and business owner to create a site full of information that will not only bring customers to your site, but make them stay there long enough for you to get their business. If information is all you are providing, a content-rich site is even more important. If the content is lousy, people won’t be back.

The best methods of making your site content-rich consist of a great deal of writing. Writing articles that will inform and entertain readers is one way. These articles need to be related to your target customer’s interests. The greater the number of short articles you write concerning the many varied aspects of the focus of your site, the more effective they will be.

Adding news information will increase the site’s content richness. Information concerning some new aspect of the market will increase the value of your site. Something as simple as an interview, special report, or product descriptions will make your content better.

The last thing to keep in mind is that your content must be updated often. The same old information will become boring, so you need to keep adding new information to keep it fresh. Since keywords are what get the most notice, the more content you have, the more chances you will have to include those essential keywords.

When you update your content, be certain to add in as many keywords as possible to that content. It’s all about getting attention and making a profit, and keywords and content are the methods that will help you get where you want to be.

7 Internet Business Know How

There are several types of resell rights. These rights can be purchased from the owner of the product. They allow you to resell a product to others and keep the profits for yourself. Some products have strict restrictions while others can be more flexible and allow you to change the product, give it a new name, and sell it as your own.

Let’s briefly go over the more common types of rights available:

– Give Away Rights
This license allows you to give the item away to others as long as you don’t charge them anything for it.

– Royalty Rights
These rights are similar to that given to authors and publishers. Every time you sell an item, you have to give a certain percentage of the money earned to the original owner..

– Resell Rights
These rights not only give you permission to sell the item to anyone you wish, but you keep all money made on the sale.

– Basic Resell Rights
With these types of rights, you again keep all money made from the sale. You have permission to sell the item, but whoever buys it from you is not allowed to sell it.

– Private Label Rights
This is the most flexible kind of resell rights. With these, you can put your own name on an item as if it was yours to start with. You can change it, rename it and claim it as your own. You also have complete control over its sale and what rights you prefer to sell it with, if any.

– Master Resell Rights
With this type of right whomever you sell a product to has the ability to turn around and sell it to someone else. The unique aspect of these rights is that they are separate from the product and can be sold alone or attached to the individual product.

Utilizing resell rights as a way of earning income is gaining in popularity. This is only one of the numerous new methods in internet marketing that can be used to your benefit. The main thing is utilizing resell rights for your own benefit. Let me explain how you can do this.

More than likely, you have already decided upon a niche market you are comfortable with. The popularity of ebooks and other digital products makes the idea of having resell rights to at least one product is very appealing. It’s not only from the fact that you can earn money from the resale of these products, but also from the fact that they can add additional appeal to your business.

People love to learn, and what better way to make your current customers happy than by giving them an e-book or other digital product on a subject that you already know they want further information on.

If you’re new to online marketing you should look into resell rights as an option, also. Information products sell quickly in just about every business and even if it isn’t the most reliable market research method, finding out about the most popular ebooks will give you an idea for the existing demand in the market in question. As you do this, you will also become familiar with what kinds of products are available in your area.

There are a variety of ways you can benefit from resell rights. Initially, you can make a profit by selling the product and even the resell rights if you own them. This works very well for most individuals, especially if you have gained access to a great product.

The next way having resell rights can benefit you is by aiding you in establishing your trustworthy character and honesty with your customers. Advertising is a necessity, but it doesn’t hold the reputation it once did. However, if you can provide useful products full of information to your customers, they will start seeing you as an expert in your field.

Lastly, reselling products can be a business itself. Although there is definitely a lot of competition in this area, there is still a profit to be had. Keep in mind, however, that quality must come first. The competition in reselling digital items is fierce, but you can definitely earn a name for yourself if you can offer a quality product.

8 Internet Business Know How

Essentially a joint venture is two (sometimes more) business owners joining in partnership to increase visibility, sales and profits. This type of partnership offers the people involved several benefits, which makes them a great option for many business people.

Joint venture it a system of marketing that involves forming a partnership for the purpose of each partner making more money. Also known as a strategic alliance, this type of endeavor boosts the assets and resources of each company involved, and both parties realize benefits.

The partnership makes it possible for all parties to add the other’s customers to their own list. This is not link trading or banner trading. Those promotion methods do not utilize the invaluable benefits of good customer relationships and business integrity that are the main elements of successful joint venture partnerships.

The idea of a joint venture is wonderful for those who are attempting to target a certain niche market and there are additional businesses currently doing business with this market successfully. Entering into a joint venture with one of these businesses would make that market available to you quicker and with better results than if you tried to enter the niche without help. It also offers you a chance to become known in this area without having to spend a great deal of money.

There are additional good points of joint ventures. You may find yourself gaining immediate credibility through association as a result of your partner’s good reputation. More people will be seeing your advertising, so your sales will increase. You will also be able to offer your customers more merchandise by including that of your partner. You profit from this partnership while increasing your customer’s satisfaction by offering something they previously did not have available.

There are many ways that joint ventures are beneficial. You both get free advertising, access to an established customer list, increased credibility and access to more merchandise to offer to your customers, which will benefit both you and your partner.

9 Internet Business Know How

We are going to go over some simple niche marketing tips for your internet business. There is an interesting area of internet marketing that is referred to as niche marketing. While niche can mean different things, it is used here to indicate a very specialized market. Retail stores are an excellent example to illustrate what niche marketing is. A large department store can sell thousands of different products in the same building. A corner store only offers a limited number of products, but it is very likely that these items are limited to a special brand or are unique in some aspect. That’s exactly how niche marketing works.

Niche marketing is the ideal choice for new internet marketers who don’t have a lot of money or are limited in time. A major retail store would cost a lot of money for merchandise and require a ton of effort to be put forth. Niche marketing, on the other hand, offers drastically less costs and a much more manageable workload. These things will help someone who is new to this area.

This is how it works. First, you find out what products are needed and what people need them. Then you find out where these people tend to congregate. Forums, interest groups and chat rooms all offer people with a specific interest to get together. Posting to these boards by non-members is often allowed. Know the kind of person you are seeking in a customer and it will be easy to find them online. Join in the board discussions and eventually make a comment about your product and where to find it.

A paid ad on a website that focuses only on the area that your product fits into is another option. Before placing such an add, check out the website and make sure it is a place where you would want your ad. Is it a reputable site? Will they offer a good spot for your advertisement? Is it a site your target audience would actually visit?

When you specialize, you don’t have to contact people in all areas, but only those who would be interested in your niche product. Your efforts aren’t spread out but can be intensely focused on a specific market. This enable you to increase sales by being more likely to reach those who are interested in your particular product.

10 Internet Business Know How

Now we are going to talk about using auto responders to help automate your internet business. Do you often feel you spend more time answering customer emails then working on your business itself? Are your customers getting upset with how long it is taking you to reply? If you’ve answered “yes” to either of these questions then you’ll be able to comprehend the benefits of auto-responders.

Auto responders come in different forms. Some run along with your mail program and still others are completely separate. Either auto responder will accomplish many tasks. If you have specialized e-mail needs to deal with or have a lot of e-mail that needs to be handled, you may want to think about the auto responder program that’s run through your web host.

Auto responders are wonderful for maintaining customer’s satisfaction with fast answers to their most general questions. Say you have a newsletter that your customers can subscribe to. An auto responder can automatically distribute a newsletter without you doing anything. You can set this up for questions concerning general information like price lists.

Not only do auto responders make every day email tasks faster, but they can also be very helpful in mailing batches of other information to your customers. For example, say you’ve changed your price list need to inform your customers, or you’ve written an article that you want to distribute to your mail list. You can utilize an auto responder to take care of this chore for you.

Adding a personalized signature to auto responder messages is easy. You can include whatever contact information and message you like. When you give the messages a personalized touch customers will respond positively.

Auto responders are one of your best assets because they save time and money. Most auto responders are free to try and very inexpensive. They take the mundane, time-consuming tasks and make them easier. Consider how much other work you can accomplish while your auto responder deals with the routine email tasks for you.

They are also important assets because they keep your customers from becoming disgruntled with the slow reply that they would receive if you had to deal with your emails individually. Everyone knows that unhappy customers don’t make repeat purchases, which means you lose sales.

11 Internet Business Know How

We are going to go over some great ways to your mailing list to make more money. There are numerous ways to earn money with your mailing list. Simply having a large mailing list is no guarantee you’ll earn money with it, however. The secret to earning money with your mailing list is utilize it as a tool to not only get [people to your site but to tempt them into buying once they visit.

Below are some suggestions you can use to make the best of your mailing list.

The first way to make money with your mailing list is to continually seek new subscribers to your list. It is necessary to have a large amount of visitors to your site to do this. If you send out regular mailings to your customers, you can encourage them to forward the message by offering specials or freebies for new subscribers. You also need to make certain that your visitors can quickly find subscription information for your mailing list on your website.

Compelling offers will work wonders for helping you use your mailing list to make money. These can include free e-books, newsletters and free articles on relative subjects or a series of free how-to reports related to your product. Any of these things can be sent through e-mail, or you can place them on your site to encourage people to go there and download the item. Just make certain they won’t be hard to find.

While extending these offers, be sure to tell your readers, how much you would like to have them forward the newsletter. Make certain to include an easy-to-read signature on the mailing that lists your name, your company’s name and any other contact information. As long as the message is important and offers valuable your readers will gladly pass it along to others.

There are other ways of earning money with your mailing list. Some people with huge, established mailing lists have started renting, selling and exchanging mailing lists. A few words of caution about doing this:

– Make certain you find out any rules, regulations or laws regarding the trading mailing lists.
– Think about the feelings of your customers before agreeing to sell or swap your list. Many will feel like you have violated a trust by not asking for their permission ahead of time. Making money with your mailing list is a wonderful achievement, just remember it takes a little time and effort, but you will see profits increase and your customer list grow.

12 Internet Business Know How

* Finding in demand products for bigger profits.

The first step in running a successful internet business is providing something that a lot of people are looking to buy. It is a good idea to do your homework and know for sure that there is a big demand for what you plan to sell before you try to market it. You may get lucky, but the chances of that happening aren’t very good if no one is actively searching for what you have to offer.

Skimping on the research won’t work on this step. Make a list of every niche you are interested in, then, research thoroughly. Once you know if there is a demand and how much of a demand there is, you will be in a better position of choosing your product or service.

One way you can check the need for a certain item is to join the forums in your target area. Get an idea for what people are talking about while you interact with them. Listen for people saying they can’t find something they have been searching for. This is the best place to start your research.

The internet has numerous tools to help you with your search. Entering keywords and phrases will narrow down your search. Some tools will tell you how many people used that term to search in a certain amount of time. Another thing to look at is the number of clicks. Clicks and hits will tell you how much of a demand there is for your niche. The higher the number, usually the higher the demand is for items in that area.

Other tools tell you how many people have visited a site. You may decide a certain niche is in high demand. You don’t see many websites devoted to it. Checking how many people actually visit those existing sites will let you know whether there are so few because there isn’t enough of a market-or it will verify that there is indeed a market waiting for you.

By doing your research thoroughly, you will find some of your ideas workable and some not worth the effort. Use your common sense and make the decision for which niche is best. [/membership]

]]> https://marketing-online-resources.com/internet-business-know-how-member-info-course/feed/ 0 288 https://marketing-online-resources.com/market-your-online-business-offline-member-info-course/ https://marketing-online-resources.com/market-your-online-business-offline-member-info-course/#respond Fri, 09 Sep 2022 22:34:07 +0000 https://marketing-online-resources.com/?p=285 Read More »]]> Member 5 part course that you will learn basic information that will help you learn simple yet effective ways that you can market your online business using proven offline marketing techniques. Member Content > [membership level=”Free”]

First Lesson – Market Your Online Business Offline

Welcome to the first lesson in the Market Your Online Business Offline Crash Course. Over the next few days, you will receive several lessons that will help you learn how to get more exposure for your products and services by marketing your online business using offline marketing techniques.

In this first lesson, we are going to talk a little about the differences between online and offline advertising.

Fact: Everywhere you look the Internet has touched our lives. From things as simple as staying connected with friends, shopping for great deals or running a business, computers are a part of our everyday lives.

Running a business online is a fantastic way to make a living because you’re not limited to your own local area, you have literally the whole world to market your product and services.

Even if you have the best website, with a fantastic product that could change the lives of millions, the bottom line is that people won’t be able to find your site and buy from you unless you are actively driving traffic to it.

As an online business owner, it’s up to you to do everything possible to increase your chances of success and the means promoting your business using multiple methods. In the past offline marketing was the only way to advertise your business and while online marketing can bring in a lot of attention, offline marketing methods are an important part of building a sustainable business that will stand the test of time.

Some online business owners think that offline marketing is the old school way of doing business and they dismiss it, when in fact it is still an extremely viable way of creating buzz for your business and shouldn’t be ignored.

Some of the more traditional advertising methods like placing ads through print, television and radio are extremely effective because they reach a large audience of people who might not have access to or like to use the internet. Yes, they do still exist and by not using offline-marketing methods, you are missing all of those potential customers, not to mention the profits.

Now let’s briefly go over few of the more traditional types of offline marketing you can use for your business.

– Newspapers and magazines

Local newspapers are good for advertising your online business. Most local papers have a home business opportunities section, so it is cost effective and fairly easy to run a regular classified ad. In addition, contact your local newspaper or business-oriented magazine and let the business editor know you have a new business and web site and what you offer. Local newspapers are frequently interested in featuring local business people and their accomplishments. This is free advertising and should always be used. You can also contact your local magazine and offer to write a monthly or weekly guest column for them, and include your author bio and website URL.

– Mailing out print newsletters and flyers

Mailing out a print newsletter or flyer is still very effective. Especially, if you target a specific ‘group’ of recipient’s, like current customers or people interested in what you have to offer. In your newsletter or flyer be sure to offer something of value to consumers like a discount or online coupon code. For this type of advertising to work you have to create content that captures the attention of your recipients immediately or else your mailing will end up in the trash.

We have a lot to go over in the next few days if you want to learn how to market your online business offline, so make sure you look for your next lesson soon. We will be talking about some different resources available to help you that will help increase your understanding of offline marketing.

2 – Market Your Online Business Offline

It’s time for your second lesson in the Market Your Online Business Offline. I hope you found lesson one informative. In this lesson are going to go over some of the different resources available to help increase your understanding of offline marketing.

Do you know why major corporations still use offline marketing? It’s because it works!

Offline marketing strategies have been the backbone of many businesses for decades and they can do the same for your online business when used effectively.

When it comes to marketing your online business with offline marketing techniques it isn’t necessary to become familiar with all of the different types of offline marketing strategies in order use it to your advantage and get more leads for your online business. You just need to determine which methods will work best for your business.

When trying to figure out how best to implement offline marketing it’s important to do your research. A good place to start is the Internet of course, but there are also a wide variety of books and magazines available on the topic.

Seeking out other online business owners that are already using offline marketing techniques is a good idea. Look at your local newspaper, magazine and direct mail pieces to find people who are running campaigns similar to what you are planning to do and study their tactics.

If you need more of a hands on approach attending seminars are a great option. Once there, you can get advice and tips from people who have real experience with offline marketing. You can communicate with like-minded individuals who can answer any questions you may have about the process.

Keep in mind that you can’t just go to a seminar or two and expect to be an expert on the topic. It will take some time. However, by connecting with others who are having success using offline marketing you can pick up a few tips and tricks that you can apply to your own business.

Even though there are entirely different schools of thought between offline and online marketing, it might shock you to find offline marketing resources online. There are plenty of websites out there that are chock full of relevant information. You can get help from other people wanting the same thing in online forums.

There are even downloadable ebooks that can give you plenty of offline marketing tips that you can use for your business. Sometimes you don’t even have to pay for this advice because many ebooks are often free of charge, making them quite a bargain for free advice. Just download, read and learn right from your computer.

Offline marketing can be a bit challenging, especially for Internet business owners, but as I mentioned in your last lesson it shouldn’t be ignore and since there are so many offline marketing resources available, there’s no reason not to give these methods a try.

3 – Third Lesson – Market Your Online Business Offline

Offline marketing strategies are being used by big online brands like Amazon, eBay and many others, in order to reach out to a wider audience. Amazon currently has TV and radio commercials and eBay is turning to these methods as well. Offline marketing is experiencing a resurgence of sorts, since a larger number of Internet businesses are turning to it as an effective addition to their online campaigns.

Just like using online methods, when it comes to using offline-marketing strategies it’s important to know your target audience, what they are shopping for and how they prefer to make their purchases. You can experience great success with your offline marketing, provided you take the time to get to know your audience and how to talk to them.

To get started, try looking at your business from an offline consumer’s point of view!

Find out what kind of products they like, where they like to shop and their basic spending habits. Looking at your website stats and sales along with some basic market research can provide you the with valuable information about your what your current customers are buying and what your website visitors are interested in as well as some insight into which products you should focus on for your offline promotions.

Once you know the likes and dislikes of your audience, you can start planning. First, you should pick the type of campaign you think will benefit your business the most. Make sure you know everything about the type of ad you plan to use, including all the important points you want to convey to consumers.

Don’t put anything in the ad that doesn’t represent your product or service effectively. Also, be sure to use a solid call to action so that consumers know exactly how to find your product or service, make a purchase or contact you. Just like online advertising, it is vitally important to grab the attention of your audience right away.

Once you get your strategy in place and design done, your offline ad can be placed. To ensure the success of your offline campaign make sure that you get your ads in front of the right target audience. In the beginning, it is a good idea to start small. Most advertisers offer short runs or small ad blocks of ad space. Be sure to ask them if they have special offers for first time customer and if they offer any type of guarantee or return on your investment.

Testing and tracking the response to your ad is also very important. You should have your own tracking methods in place to help gauge the effectiveness of your campaign. The advertiser should also offer some sort of tracking to be sure you are getting exactly what you paid for.

The advertiser should be able to help you with placement, targeting and to answer any questions you have about how the ad will perform. If they can’t it’s a good idea to look for one that can.

4 – Fourth Lesson – Market Your Online Business Offline

We are winding down to the end of this short course. However, we still need to go over a few things so that you can start using offline marketing to market your online business. Today we are going to jump right in and go over the importance of staying focused so you can avoid losing money with your offline marketing campaign.

As an online business owner I am sure that you spend a lot of time, effort, and money testing and tweaking your online marketing campaign so that your business products and services can get as much exposure as possible.

Unfortunately, when it comes to offline marketing many online business owners miss the mark and end up losing more money from their campaigns than they make. There is nothing worse than wasting money on ad space that doesn’t yield any return on your investment.

If you don’t want this to happen, it’s important to plan carefully when it comes to developing an offline strategy. Make sure you take your audience, budget and the message you want to convey into consideration before you begin spending your money.

Let me ask you:

Have you ever jumped in your car, only to find that a flyer or brochure has be tucked under your vehicle’s windshield wiper?

Have you ever heard or seen an ad that crammed in so much information that it was hard to understand what it was offering?

Have you ever been approached by a salesperson who began delivering his sales pitch before you even had a chance to look at the merchandise?

These types of techniques didn’t make you want to spend your money, did they?

Fact: The reputation of your business relies heavily on your marketing strategy, so it’s important to plan accordingly. Mistakes in a marketing campaign happen and they can lead to disappointment and financial loss when you don’t have a solid plan in place.

Keeping this goal in mind, let’s take a look at three important points to remember when developing an offline marketing strategy for your business:

Remember; always stay focused on the customer when developing a marketing strategy for your product or service. Researching and understanding your audience should play an important role in your campaign. This is where many online business owners miss the mark. While your target audience may be the same online and offline, reaching them effectively is completely different.

As we discussed in your last lesson it is important to know what kind of products and services your consumers are interested in, where they like to shop and their basic spending habits. When it comes to offline marketing, you also have to know what type of publications they read, what TV channels they watch and what radio stations they listen to, so you can determine the most effective way to reach them.

5 – Fifth Lesson – Market Your Online Business Offline

Today we are going to talk about using online and offline marketing together to increase your chances of success.

With all the new advances in technology over the last decade or two, businesses really have to focus on making a name for themselves and as an online business owner you know this can done very quickly on the Internet. However, by incorporating offline marketing methods in conjunction with your online marketing strategies you can increase your results even more.

Getting your product or service noticed by as many consumers as possible is incredibly important, especially since our world is moving so fast that people are constantly bombarded with new products to pick from every day. To be successful you have to stand out from the crowd and use every marketing method you can to your advantage.

When it comes to actively promoting your business, it’s important to saturate as much of the market as you can. To do this you should definitely use a combination of online and offline marketing techniques in your campaign.

As we have discussed, there are many ways you can advertise your business using online and offline marketing. These methods can be very effective on their own but when you use them together, they can help you reach a wider audience and get much better results.

Now that we have the Internet, people can see your ads and find information about your business any time, any place. Especially with the resent social media explosion. Now massive social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest offer great advertising opportunities when used properly.

These sites are extremely popular and they can give you a big advantage over your competition because they offer almost immediate exposure and the opportunity to connect with consumers in a completely new way. Nevertheless, you should keep in mind that while online marketing is truly amazing, there are still areas that offline marketing can reach that online marketing cannot.

With that said, I want to go over a few more techniques that you can use to expand both your online and offline campaigns.

First, let’s talk about word of mouth. It is still one of the best free advertising opportunities available. We all have people we interact with on a daily basis, and these are potential customers. Make a list of all the people you know or interact with and how can you best tell them about your internet business. Be passionate about your internet business and always be prepared to tell someone about it when an opportunity to do so presents itself!

Next, you can promote your business by giving away free stuff. For instance, you should have your URL printed on your business cards, stationery and other items that you can give away. This technique will never go out of style and it is a great way to remind people about your online business, because every time they use the item they will think of you.

Lastly, look for strategic partners and work out a joint venture. This works just as well with offline businesses as it does online. For instance, find a business that sells a complementary product or service to your online business and offer to advertise their business from your website in exchange for them giving away your free promotional materials.

The bottom line is, if you want to get as much exposure for your online business as possible it’s important to use every marketing strategy available. All of the methods that we have discussed during this course work. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and promote your business offline! [/membership]