E-Bussines

Wanting To Start An Online Business? 6 Important Steps To Get You Started

2009-01-07T18:06:00.000+07:00

Due to the need to have a better work-life balance and work from home; or to earn extra cash, a lot of people are now searching for ways to make money online. Today, online businesses are very trendy. Although it is a very appealing concept, a lot of people just do not know where to start.

If you are considering setting up your own business, then this article is for you.

What steps do you need to take to start your own online home based business?

· Identify your reasons and goals. This is an important step which will guide you as you start and develop your online home based business. Why do you want to start an online business? Do you want the business to eventually replace your job's salary, do you just want to earn some extra cash, or you want to buy a new home or car? Write down all the reasons and objects that you want to achieve with your online home based business. It is important that you focus on these goals all the time - they will keep you motivated and focused. Depending on what you enjoy, decide on the online home based business model that suits you. There are so many options, and that is a different topic that warrants an article to cover just that.

· Choose and set up a domain name. Having an online home based business means that you will need to create some presence on the Internet. To do this, you will need a website. Choose an appropriate domain name and get it registered. It is essential for you to note that your domain must reflect your online home based business. This will help you in the long term with your visibility on search words. Ideally, your domain must have your online home based business' key words.

· Select the web host. This is very important - you must choose a web host that has high capacity which will make it easy for your site to be found quickly. The web host must be very reliable; you do not want a server that is down at any time as this would cost you money. Two critical things to look for while assessing the web hosting company to work
with are high reliability and good
customer support.

· Get your website built or build your own website. Your website's design, layout and content will have a strong influence on the success of your online home based business. Your website must be professional, easy to navigate and user friendly. A catchy and interesting headline is a must-have. Your content must be related to what you are offering in your online home based business. Do not put dancing and singing graphics of your website - they can be irritating and confusing to your visitors, they make your website slow to load, and they do not help you with search engines. You will need to constantly improve your website as you develop your online home based business, but these factors outlined above will help you create a good website that will boost your profits.

· Automate your website! This is a very important aspect of your online home based business. If you want to be successful with your online home based business, you must put it on auto-pilot. You will need to use various tools that can help you put your online home based business on autopilot. Use an auto responder and offer an e-zone or e-course from your website. Your visitors will be able to subscribe to your e-zine and you will keep in constant contact with them with your auto responder. You need to build a list of your leads or prospects, and over time, these will become your customers. Also create an automated ordering process so that your visitors can easily buy from your website.

· Plan and implement your marketing strategy! Yes, you now have a great website and great product or service to offer, but without visitors - your online home based business will not succeed. You will need a lot of visitors! The first step is to establish your monthly marketing budget. With that budget, what advertising strategies can you afford? Your options are solo ads in ezines, articles writing and distributing, participating in relevant forums, list building, and free ads or paid advertising, among others. Decide on the selected advertising strategies that you are going to use, perfect them and start promoting your online home based business!

These 6 steps will get you going in your online home based business. To your success!

The Incredible Four: 4 Underestimated But Effective Ways To Really Grow Your Online Business

2009-01-07T18:04:00.000+07:00

Have you noticed how some internet marketers seem to easily achieve more success than others in their online businesses? Regardless of how long they have been in business and the type of online business they start, they just become effortlessly successful. These internet marketers simply manage to redefine success in whatever they do!

What is the secret for these successful internet marketers? What unusual strategies and tactics do they use which helps them become very successful?

1) Offering some knowledge or service. Regardless of what your online business is, you will need to find an angle of that business which you can use to offer your knowledge or any other service. Success in internet marketing seems to come to those who offer something - be it expertise knowledge or some service. You become viewed as an expert, you build a lot of trust and good relationship, and you establish your online presence rapidly. The more involved you become in whatever you will be offering, the quicker you build your online presence and business. Think about a way you can offer something - it may be stating a forum, a directory or 'training centre' relating to your online business. Be creative and find out what service you can offer that is related to your business!

2) Really CARE about the customers. This goes a very long way in helping you grow your online business. Although your prospects can bring you some money through checks, be very honest about them with whatever you are selling. Be honest with the customers/prospects - if they told you their situation and needs, and ask you if a product you are offering would suit what they need - tell them truth. Do not just focus on making a sale - focus on actually helping the person. On the other hand, if the prospect is very interest in what you are offering and ask you for more information, take the time to answer any
question they may have as quickly as possible. Once you start to show your customers
that you care, your online business will start growing as more prospects and customers trust you and buy from you.

3) ALWAYS over-deliver! This is a very important factor if you want to succeed with your online business. Offer quality products and services, and your online business will simply grow tremendously. Offer some good quality gifts to your customers when they order. Also, your products must bring your customers a lot more benefit than the price you sell them for. Customers like getting a good deal - this may be in terms of a low price for the product or some valuable bonuses or gifts after purchase.

4) Maintain a lot of real customer contact on a regular basis. With auto responders and other tools that automate online businesses, it is very easy to treat your prospects just like a list and not as individual people you care about it. Your list is your best asset - show it that you care by keeping in touch and also making some good free offers to them. It pays to send some regular 'non-selling' emails that can also be offering some free tips and ideas. By doing this you build trust - and the prospects will soon be your long term customers for your online business. Your existing customers will bring you repeat business. Setting up and offering a free brainstorming or networking call is also very effective. Again, you create the confidence - your prospects and customers will know there is a person behind the name or the website. Make these calls very helpful by discussing some important topics and answering questions.

In conclusion, if you want to achieve a lot of success with your online business; offer some special expertise or service, care about your customers, always delivery high quality products and services and keep in touch with your customers. These techniques are the reason why successful internet markets have that 'edge' over the rest.

These tools can help you grow your online business with minimal effort. The more you create a good reputation and become viewed as an expert, the more your online business grows.

Think You Know What Makes Customers Happy?

2009-01-07T18:01:00.000+07:00

"Think You Know What Makes You Happy?" This headline shouts at you from a new book called "Stumbling on Happiness" by Daniel Gilbert. It's a very thought-provoking look at how we think about happiness. To be happy, there is something we all want. If you're thinking it's money, you're wrong. It's CONTROL! We all want to control what happens to us and go to great lengths to feel "in control."

For online marketers, this brings up the eternal question, "Who is in control, you or the customer?" With the advent of Web 2.0, I think the answer is the customer. Corporate attorneys aside, the customer needs to feel in control of the buying process from start to finish. New technology allows the customer to weigh-in on every aspect of process.

Web 2.0 technology now gives the customer the ability to comment on products and services in a way that was previously impossible. Bloggers impacted the last election and have caused at least one bicycle lock manufacturer millions of dollars. Someone posted a demonstration of a way to break the lock and the manufacturer had to replace them.

Take a look at your website from this "customer control" perspective. Here are five
things I recommend you think about
to get yourself started in the right direction.

1. Marketing message: Is the message clear? Do you use strong benefit copy? In order to feel in control at the beginning of the buying process, customers need to immediately identify how this product will give them something they want.

2. Product/Service information: Do you provide enough visual information, specs, audio and video about the product? Try to make the customer feel like he has the product in his hand and you are explaining its benefits. Don't skimp on this. Whatever makes your product unique and desirable should be detailed.

3. Price: Have you made your case for the price? Understand that if you have positioned your product at a higher price, you need to communicate the quality and customer service that comes along with it.

4. Buying process: Is your shopping cart easy to use? Recruit some non-employees to go through the buying process as your team watches. That's always an eye-opener. You'll see where the 'loss of control' kicks-in.

5. Ongoing communication: After purchasing, a buyer wants to feel in control and glad she made the purchase. "Buyer's remorse" is just a symptom of not feeling 'in control.' Make sure to follow-up with the customer and reinforce her purchase.

Guide To Selling On eBay

2008-12-20T13:43:00.000+07:00

Venturing into selling is an adventure that requires risk that can either lead to success or failure. Aside from traditional markets, selling can as well be done through other mediums, which include the fast growing Internet arena.

It was first used for information purposes but was later on utilized for varied reason including buying and selling. The rapid growth of on line marketing paved way to hundreds and thousands of sellers, dealers and manufacturers from various sides and corners of the world that can provide varied products, items and services for all users and consumers all over the world.

Most visited site on the net is the eBay store. It is an online store where you can buy and sell anything that you can ever think of ranging from everyday needs to sprees and whims!

Selling on ebay could be one of your most exciting adventures in the net. Buying and selling are organized into categories. They have sites from various parts and areas of the world with local sites that will suit to the local taste, culture and needs.

You can sell either new or used products so don't throw away those stuffs around your house that you do not want anymore which include antiques, art, baby, boats, books, business and industrial, cars, car parts and accessories, mobile phones, clothing, shoes and accessories, collectibles, computers and networking, crafts, DVDs and movies, entertainment memorabilia, health and beauty, home and garden, jewelry and watches, musical instruments, real estate, specialty services, sporting goods, tickets, toys and hobbies, video games and a lot more!

Selling through eBay is an advantage since you can stay away from the difficulties of traditional selling which may involve laborious registration. With eBay however, registration to sell the product, item or service that you desire can be done without much hassle and difficulties.

Here are some guides before selling on eBay:

· Research would surely help a lot.

Know what is hot together with the latest trends and needs that call for a specific product or service.

You can also have a study of the local
culture of a certain country to have access to the particular tastes and preferences of the would-be users, buyers and customers of your products and services. Roaming the net for similar items that are sold successfully can be used as guides as to what you will sell.

· For advertisements use keywords that are commonly typed in by the searchers and buyers for your page to be indexed on the top pages of the search engines. You can insert buzzwords that can attract buyers and thus induce them to buy.

Advertising strategies can be similarly done with the traditional manner. You can use printed materials to promote the site or url of your page or you can also link with other sites for more visitors and users. They may not be buyers but they can refer or recommend the products or services that you offer to their friends, families or buddies in the Internet world.

· Be sure to include important details to the product that you sell.

Give the description and features together with the prices, manner of payment or shipping charge. A photo can either make or unmake the product. Taking a picture that will show the stand outside or features of the product is a great help to promote and achieve more sales.

For eBay, the first picture that you add is free so you will have a big bonus on the expenses that you have to spend.

Choose the category that will suit your product so as to facilitate easy access and selection. The titles must be well chosen for your ad since the words you use are the ones that induce the readers or buyers to further go on with the products that you have listed. Be sure that it will arouse and sustain the interest of the buyers and readers.

· The manner of payment and shipping can be preferably done through PayPal for easy and secure online payment.

The shipping and cost can depend upon the location of the buyer. Make sure that you put in the right pieces of information and details before listing your page.

Remember, planning ahead and preparing before you sell online or in eBay is needed. You have to come up with a strategy on how to get into the heart of selling so as to ensure success in the risk that you have taken.

Don't Be Afraid to Expose Your Site

2008-12-20T13:38:00.000+07:00

How do the top agents in Hollywood get the stars that they represent noticed? Exposure, they make them go to all the awards, charity events. Do you thing that those stars want to do the talk show circuit every time one of their movies hits the big screen. No way but they need the exposure. The internet is no different. In order to get sales or contacts you need to expose you content (site or articles) to as many things as possible. Below are way's to improve exposure on your site. Remember I said ways to and not the only ways to.

Adwords and AdSense Pay Per Click (ppc) Post to forums and BLOGS! Buy ad space Affiliates Webrings or "Cliques." Provide free resources Send e-mail newsletters and created your own opt in newsletter.

Does your site read well? What the heck are you talking about you ask. When you are ask this question it means, if I go to your site and start reading your content will I want to stay for a while to read more of your content or am I just going to click the back button with a confused look on my face because I just don't get what you are saying. It's important that the text flows well.

There are all kinds of strategies about Keyword Density. This means simply how many
search words are mentioned on your page. For example if your site is about no money
down real estate your Target Keyword should be "no money down Real Estate". This phrase should be mentioned within your pages at least 3-8% of the total text that is on that page. This is how a search engine can tell what your site's content and how to index you in a search.

Keyword Density defined: the ratio of the number of occurrences of a particular keyword or phrase to the total number of words in a page.

Keyword density is important since search engines use this information to categorize a site's theme, and to determine which terms this site is relevant to the perfect keyword density will help archive higher search engine positions. Keyword density needs to be balanced correctly (too low and you will not get the optimum benefit, too high and your page might get flagged for 'keyword-spamming').

Keyword density is the ratio of a keyword or key phrases to the total number of words on that page. It is one of the most critical aspects of successful search engine optimization. To improve your search engine ranking potential, your keyword density must be just right. To calculate your keyword density, divide the total number of words on your page by the number of times your primary keyword or key phrase appears. Keyword density is critical when outlining the keyword portion of your search engine optimization strategy.

You DO Have Time for an Online Business

2008-12-20T13:33:00.001+07:00

Almost everyone needs or wants more money coming in, and with this desire most would like to start some sort of extra income-producing project. The trouble is, not many of these people seem able to fit "a second job" into their time schedules.

It's true that most people are busy, but extra time for some sort of home-based extra income-producing project can almost always be found. It may mean giving up or changing a few of your favorite pastimes - such as having a couple of beers with the guys or watching TV - but if you score big with your extra income project, you will have all the time you want for doing whatever you want to do.

The first thing to do is to sit down with pencil and paper and list your daily schedule. What time do you wake up? Then step-by-step, list everything you do each day. Most people will find that they have about three hours each day that can be utilized in a more constructive or efficient manner. As we've noted above, you may have to give up the time you waste in your local pub or a few television programs you watch, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Efficient time management boils down to planning what you're going to do, and then doing it without backtracking. Start by making a list of the things you want to do tomorrow, each evening before you go to bed. Schedule your trips to the store or wherever to coincide with the other things you have to do, and with your trips to or from work. Organize your trips to take care of as many things as possible while you're out of the house. Take stock of the time you spend standing around shooting the breeze - especially the time you spend on the telephone - and eliminate all that isn't necessary.

Whatever chores you have to do at home, set aside a specific time to do them, and a specific amount of time to devote to them. For instance, just one hour a day devoted to yard work would probably make your property the envy of all your neighbors. Don't try to do a week's work in one big flurry. Whether it's painting your house, fixing leaky faucets, or mowing your lawn and trimming your shrubs, do a part of it, or one particular
job each day, and you'll be amazed at
your progress.

Take care of all your mail the day you receive it. Don't let those bills and letters pile up on you. If you're unable to pay a bill immediately, file it in a special place that's visible, and note on the envelope the date you intend to pay it. Answer your letters the same day you get them.

The important thing is to think of time as your most valuable asset, because it is. So organize! Decide what you have to do, and what you want to do. From there, it's just a matter of arranging priorities.

Once you start listing and planning what you want to do, and then carry out your plans, you'll find plenty of "extra time" for handling virtually any kind of home-based income-producing project. People in general may not like routines or schedules, but without some sort of plan as to what is supposed to be done, the world would be mired in mass confusion

The secret of all financially successful people is simply that they are organized and do not waste time. Think about it. Review your own activities, and then see if you can't find a couple of extra hours in each day for more constructive accomplishments.

When you begin planning, and then when you really become involved in an extra in come-producing endeavor, you should work it exactly as you have organized your regular day-to-day activities - on a time-efficient basis. Do what has to be done immediately. Don't try to get done in an hour something that's realistically going to take a week. Plan out on paper what you have to do - what you want to do - and when you are going to do it. Then get right on each project without procrastination.

Finally, and above all else, when you're organizing your time and your business, be sure to set aside some time for relaxation. Be sure to schedule time when you and your spouse can be together. You must not involve yourself in anything to an extent that you exclude other people - particularly your loved ones - from your life.

Taking stock of the time you waste each day, and from there, reorganizing your activities is what it's all about. It's a matter of becoming more efficient in the use of your time. It's really easy to do, and you will not only accomplish a lot more, you will also find greater fulfillment in your life.

Make Your Site Look Like Champagne But With A Ginger Ale Budget...

2008-12-08T12:12:00.000+07:00

Here's a big step that people really over complicate. They are trying to do a Spielberg production because they feel that the glossier the better. Well you couldn't be more wrong if you tried. This is where KISS (Keep it simple Stupid) comes into play.

Graphic design and Look & Feel are not as important as most people think. It's amazing to think how much money people spend on graphics and how little they spend on the words (content).

If you happen to be one of those folks who think that a Hollywood production is essential for Net success, go take a look at Google's site or Ebay's site and then come back to me. You may have heard of those two companies because they have been fairly successful so far and with 99% of their site being text interface.

So don't be awed by the huge budgets of big companies who put up incredibly splashy sites. It's words that win (or lose!) at the end of the day, not graphics.

Graphics are not essential because people are not looking for graphics. Like I always say, put yourself in the shoes or your customer. What are you looking for on the net?
Right.... info. Never be awed by graphics. Just win with words.

Your Look and Feel needs to be consistent with the overall theme of your site. You do want to gain confidence by offering a crisp presentation. Stay away from tons of colors and flying centipedes.

To get a good example of how design can influence viewers' moods, pick up a fashion magazine and scan through the ads. Whether the tone is blatantly obvious (for example, a Victoria Secrets ad = you will be sexy) or subtle (a Ralph Lauren ad = you will be calm and successful), all of these companies have chosen styles that match the mood with the product that they are trying to sell.

Note how the various companies use color, fonts, and images to try to bring across their message to you their want viewer. Some will make you feel tough, sexy, innocent, independent, guilty, successful, etc. These are all basic emotions that they are using to get a single desired result...The Sale (the same as what you are trying to do).

But keep it simple. You want to be Mr. or Mrs. simplicity. Beginners always fall for the flashy approach instead of the more boring simple well written pages.

Always remember to stay focused on the overall theme of your site content, and the impression that you want to make on your visitors.

What Is Residual Income And Can I Get Some?

2008-12-08T12:11:00.000+07:00

What is Residual income? Residual income is what I basically live for. It's the reason that I no longer work 9 to 5 in the forty-year plan that we all stuck in and it's the reason why I have just come back from my third family vacation in six months. It's also the reason that I have no more mortgage and no car payments and that I can afford to have a new bowling ball made and have the cat fixed.

The dictionary defines residual income as "Earnings that are accrued on a frequent basis - usually monthly. These earnings are generated from members in a down line. Repeat Business: The situation when a customer returns to purchase a product or service. This is seen as a key endorsement of a business."

Have you heard of this term before? Basically, it's when you are earning money day after day, week after week, and month after month without doing any extra work. It's also when you make a sale once, most likely from a program with a monthly fee, and you get commissions for every month that your customer stays in the program.

Residual income is great income. I have never heard anyone say anything bad about it.
So it must be good. The other proof that it's great income is that everyone of us that have residual income try to make more and more of it as we can never seem to have enough of it. Work once then sell once and keep earning...God I love this business. If you promote several programs that can earn you residual income, guess what? You are going to be rich.

Imagine when you have a few people joining a few of the programs that you promote. And imagine that this happens every month. This really starts to add up! Well folks! That's the Power of Residual Income

Let me give you an example let's say you are promoting a merchant who is selling an e-book on how to make money in your PJ's. This books sell for 97$ and you earn 50% commissions. Also, with the book comes a membership site for another 10$ a month which you get 50% commission on. Let's say that every month for a year 5 people buy the e-book and all register for the membership site. Well my friend you've just made (let me calculate this here)....A lot of money...Seriously that about $3000.00 and that's just one product and five sales a year...No wonder all those Internet Guru's are driving Ferraris.

eBay Courses - Are They Worth a Bid?

2008-12-08T12:10:00.000+07:00

There are many eBay courses that are obtainable on the Internet today. These books and courses are designed to help you become more successful on eBay. Unfortunately, not all of these courses are worth the money that you will pay for them. Some of them are full of what used to be good information - when it was relevant - and others are simply junk information, written by someone trying to make a quick buck.

Before you buy any eBay course, find out when the course was written. If it was produced in 2004, for instance, you don't want it. That may not seem like very long ago, but in Internet time it's an eon. eBay changes so fast that much of the information will not be useful. However, if the original issue of the course was written several years ago, but the course is updated each year, this may well be a good course for you.

Of course, you can eliminate some of the uncertainty by going to eBay directly to fulfill your training needs. They may not teach you the sneaky tricks and backdoors that other practitioners might provide, but they share an interest in your success.

eBay University is the learning program that eBay started to aid individuals in enhancing there skills as successful eBay merchants. eBay classes are conveniently held in many locations throughout the United States, and classes may also be completed online at home.

It should be noted that all of the information you will be exposed to at eBay University
can be found on the Website - the basics are available for free. However, grasping that information isn't always the easiest task. It really depends upon your learning style. The eBay University curriculum is delivered along two primary tracks.

Selling Basics - is designed for those that have been buying on eBay, and want to learn how to sell, or simply pick up new tips.

Beyond the Basics - is targeted at members of the eBay community that have been selling on eBay occasionally, and want to learn how to get the most out of your listings.

Both courses are reasonably priced, and well worth the short amount of time that it takes to complete each course. The courses are available on DVD and CD/ROM.

If you graduate from eBay University and decide that this is really cool you might want to participate in eBay's Educational Specialist Program - their train-the-trainer program. It allows individuals to teach classes using eBay's curriculum.

The Education Specialist Program training program provides you with the knowledge and tools necessary to successfully teach others how to sell on eBay.

You can access trainers that have been certified by eBay through the eBay Website.

Again, use common sense when purchasing eBay courses. They can be quite helpful and enlightening, but only if the information in them is still good. Talk to other eBay sellers - preferably successful ones - to discover out what courses are recommended - and make sure there's a money-back guarantee.

Getting Started on eBay - A Common Sense Approach

2008-12-08T12:09:00.000+07:00

You've probably heard about how much money can be made on eBay. With dreams of quick riches and easy money, you are probably ready to jump in with both feet - right now! The best thing you can do if you are serious about making money with eBay, however, is to chill out. Being successful on eBay takes as much planning and effort as operating a business in the 'real world.'

eBay has over 100 million members. Think about that number for just a minute or two. When you get your eBay business set up, that is how big your customer base will be - instantly. 100 million people - 100 million people who are just waiting for you to get set up and running so that they can throw money at you! As in most cases, beware the law of large numbers. It is true that the reach of eBay is incredible, but at this point, the market doesn't know that you exist. In fact, no matter how well you do on eBay, most of them will never know that you exist. 100 million is a very large number.

The most successful eBay sellers started out as buyers - and you should too. This will give you a sense of how everything works. It will also show you how things are from the buyer's side of the fence. Let's call this period of time 'consumer research.' You are literally studying how eBay works, from a customer's point of view. You may not realize
this, but this eBay buyer experience will actually make you a much better seller - right
from the very start.

Really pay attention to the customer service you receive from the seller. Think about how you want to be treated as a buyer, and take notes. Take your time during this process. Interact with the sellers. Get involved in hot auctions to see what they are like. In your spare time, start making notes about the hot items that you see. These notes will come in handy later.

eBay works just like any other business. You have to determine what people want to buy before you can hope to be successful. There are very specific items that sell really well on eBay - you just have to figure out what those items are. There are many resources for finding out this information. Start with the lessons that eBay offers to their sellers. Strongly consider attending the eBay University as well. This is the next step in the process. After you have had the eBay buyer experience, it is time to learn how to be an eBay seller.

Study all of the information eBay provides for you on its site. The information is free and you will learn a great deal from it and it provides a roadmap for success. By reading through all of the resources, you will avoid making numerous mistakes that so many before you have made. This is another step towards building a successful eBay business. Once you have made it through the learning process, you should know everything you need to know to get started with a money making eBay business of your very own.

8 Things You Must Do If You Want To Have A Working Ecommerce Web Site

2008-12-08T12:08:00.000+07:00

E-commerce is a growing process that more and more businesses are realizing is necessary to have as part of their business model. Unfortunately it can be a complicated solution that requires knowledge of many back-end functional components that most entrepreneurs aren't familiar with.

This article will discuss the specific components that are required to create an ecommerce web site. It will discuss what the components are, and what they do.

1. Sign up with a quality web hosting provider

Choose a web hosting provider that gives you at least one SQL database, and can do server side scripting, such as SHTML, PHP, and/or CGI scripting. You want a service that will give you at least 300Mb of space, and will give you at least 5 email accounts if possible.

If you can afford it, you should request your own IP address, so you don't have to share your IP address with lots of other web site owners, some of who could be spammers. It only costs a few dollars extra to obtain your own IP address in most cases anyway.

2. Use a good shopping cart

The shopping cart is used to keep track of your visitors desired purchases. In order to serve a multiple number of visitors, your shopping cart needs to do the following:

1) Allow multiple simultaneous users.
2) Keep a running total of the costs.
3) Finalize the order.

Sometimes a shopping cart is located on the same server as your web site, and sometimes it is located on a different server altogether. There are usually many reasons for doing both.

3. Create a good database

The database is usually kept on the same server as your ecommerce site. This will usually mean that you will need to get a hosting plan that gives you a database. SQL is a typical database that comes with many hosting accounts.

The database is usually used to:

1) Keep customer data
2) Create customer personalization
3) Keep product data
4) Hold shopping cart contents
5) Integrate with other systems

4. Accept credit cards

You will want the ability to accept credit cards. Sure, you can run an ecommerce business by using fax, and/or requiring people to send in your checks, but you will be leaving a lot of money on the table if you don't accept credit cards in one form or another.

5. Use a secure socket layer

A secure socket layer allows encrypts the data between the customer's computer and your web server. It keeps prying eyes from sneaking a peek at sensitive data, such as credit card info. You can run a business without it, and you may get some sales, but the vast majority of people will not purchase from your web site if they don't see the secure connection indicator on their web browser. Different browsers indicate the secure connection in different ways.

6. Use a payment gateway

A payment gateway collects the credit card info and sales info (price, customer info, etc.) and does some sort of basic fraud check, to make sure the credit card isn't stolen, etc.
It charges the customer's credit card and deposits the money into your bank account.

7. Acquire a merchant account

A merchant account allows your business to charge sales to credit cards. It is basically a type of agreement between your business and a bank.

8. Get a separate business bank account

You will need a bank account that will accept the deposits for the credit card charges. As with most everything else, business bank accounts vary in features and costs based upon the servicing bank.

Creating a Web site to sell requires complex technology, but it can be relatively straightforward. There are services that can easily provide the required functionality, and in most cases, the greatest challenge is deciding what kinds of services you need, and then being able to connect the pieces together.

Suddenly Multiply Your Orders with Unorthodox 5 Block Formula

2008-12-08T12:07:00.000+07:00

Now you can own these 'amazing' sales generating tricks and cash-in on one of the greatest internet marketing tips that are responsible for millions worth of sales.

There are some powerful, inexpensive ways to bring in all new customers crawling into your site, you'll ever need.

The kind of sales that will rocket your business right off the charts!

If you can use more new customers, leads and traffic... and I mean TONS of them, I've got great news for you.

If you want to pump up your website sales, then this might be the most important article you'll ever read.

If you want to skyrocket your profits, then I urge you to read this article -- immediately.

If you're sick and tired of getting low sales and want order emails pouring into your inbox 24 hours a day 'non-stop', then here's some good news.

STEP 1 - Give Freebie in Exchange for a Link.

Persuade visitors to link to your web site. Give them a freebie in exchange for them linking to your web site. It could be content, software, etc.

STEP 2 - Make Your Website a Quality Resource.

Link to web sites that provide useful information or services for your visitors. If you have many useful links on your site, they may make it their start page.

If your site contains killer quality content and resources, your visitors will visit your site again and again, thereby purchasing your products.

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STEP 3 - Spice Your Website Copy.
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Spice up your web sites wording using plenty of adjectives. It gives your visitors a clearer vision of what you're explaining or describing to them.

Also try and include action verbs. An action word helps them to visualize the scene and thereby creates interest.

STEP 4 - Make Your Banners Look like Content.

Don't make your banner ads look like ads. Most people ignore banner ads. Design them to look like content and have them click to read the rest.

Banners that include a presentation of text link are far more effective and get more number of click throughs.

STEP 5 - Advertise Quality Affiliate Programs in Your Niche.

Join affiliate programs that go with the theme of your web site. You'll just be wasting valuable space and time if your visitors aren't interested in them.

Display quality affiliate programs on the sidebars of your site, thereby making you cold hard cash.

I'd like to make you an extremely bold promise. You can easily transform your website into a 24 hour order pulling sales machine from now on, if you make a serious attempt to apply the 5 block formula this article has shown you.

If you've been looking for some quick and easy ways to instantly jump start your sales, this article has shown you exactly how to do it. Everything you may have heard about starting a successful internet business might be true.

But this article has shown you some amazing tips and tricks to boost your sales counter through the ROOF.

There's never been a better time for you to get started, than it is today!

Your Internet Business Frustration - EXPOSED

2008-12-08T12:05:00.000+07:00

Are you bombarded with 100 money making opportunities every single day that confuses you ?

And once you have given this internet business thing a try, I bet you might be thinking as to why this ebiz thing is not working for YOU, while it is making millions for others ?

I will tell you a secret that probably no one will tell you.

"YOU are not ALONE" - That's right. Each and every internet business entrepreneur passes through these stages of ups and downs and finally cracks code of making millions online. They won't tell you this.

Here are some MYTHS that lead you on a wrong path to making money online...

MYTH 1 - It is really EASY to make money online.

Even though I have told this statement in many of my previous articles, but the fact is that it is easy for those who are really committed to do what it takes to make real money online.

When I got started creating my first website, it was next to impossible for me to write the very first word.

I wasted near about 6 months and $1000 on my first website which ultimately bombed, never made a single dime.

Being successful in your internet business is a slow process. You have to be committed to do the work involved along with a whole lot of patience to see fruitful returns in future.

It is not EASY to create a successful internet business, but it isn't so difficult too nor is it a rocket science.

The fact is very few people are prepared to do what it takes to succeed online and many quit before even they get started.

MYTH 2 - You can Make Millions
Overnight.

You Won't. The fact is that it is impossible to become wealthy overnight, especially on the net.

Your odds of playing a lottery and making millions overnight would be far better than waiting to make millions overnight on the internet.

MYTH 3 - Once Your Site is Up it Will Make Autopilot Profits Instantly.

No, it won't. You have to kick your site really really hard to see some decent traffic pouring in after few months of creative efforts.

Just putting up a site on the web is similar to a shop in a desert that even birds don't pay a visit. So don't ever dream that once your site is up you will make tons of money from Day 1.

MYTH 4 - I Can Start a Business Online for FREE.

Starting a business on the net may be less expensive than starting a business offline.

But don't ever think that you can start a wildly profitable internet business for FREE.

Starting your internet business, or any other business, without putting in any money, simply shows that you are not serious about your business.

The fact is you have to put in a decent investment in few automation systems that will run your business and help you to pull in huge autopilot profits in future.

You will also have to market your business in some profitable areas like pay per click search engines, ezine ads, etc. Not testing and investing some money in these low cost advertising sources simply means that you're prepared to fail.

While it is true that things are not so easy nowadays, but the fact is that internet has the horse power to create millionaires and YOU can be one of them if you stick to it.

Create a 1 page Micro Site or a 12 page Theme Based Minisite

2008-12-08T11:56:00.000+07:00

Does this minisite thing confuse you ?

Create a 1 page minisite or a huge 12 page content site ?

What to do and more importantly how to do it ?

Before getting started you need to know the basics...

1. Micro site is a 1 page minisite that targets on selling a single product.

It focuses on either getting a sale or diverting the visitor to the affiliate sales page.

2. On the other hand, a theme based minisite is around 3 to 12 page site that targets a particular theme in a niche.

It tightly focuses on one segment of a theme.

Theme based minisite can help you get hoards of traffic from search engines if you...

1. Create quality theme based content.
2. Optimize your site well with niche keywords.
3. Increase your link popularity by writing articles.

It contains tons of links that targets different topics of a theme.

For example, a theme based minisite that focuses on 'minisite creation' theme might contain articles such as...

1. How to design minisites ?
2. How to write killer copy for your minisites ?

3. How to design graphics for your minisites ?
4. How to promote your minisites ?
5. How to create affiliate minisites that presells visitors ?
6. How to create 1 page minisites to sell your products ?
7. How to create a lead capturing minisite ?

Whereas a micro site may only focus on selling a minisite creation package or divert a visitor to an affiliate program that sells minisite design software.

Creating a theme based minisite with keywords stuffed in title, meta tags, headlines, top and bottom portion of minisite, alt tag of images, domain name, links, etc can get good search engine rankings.

Where as it is difficult for a micro site to get ranked well on search engines as it lacks content.

A theme based minisite also helps in establishing credibility due to its valuable content on a specific niche segment.

Whereas it is difficult to build trust and credibility instantly using a micro site if at all you're not an established expert in your niche.

You can use testimonials and valuable content on your micro site to gain your visitors trust and then load them with benefit laden copy. This will surely help you to close more sales using a micro site.

Whatever approach you take, make sure you do your research, to enjoy unlimited profits in future.

Why is it Impossible for YOU to Make Money Online ? You Won't Believe This...

2008-12-08T11:31:00.001+07:00

It is a proven fact that majority websites that pumps up never make a single dime.

While stats have proven that there's a million dollar industry existing online.

It is simple, those who fail profiting from their internet business fail to educate themselves with the required knowledge needed to make real money online.

After researching 100s of newbies, here are some possible points I believe, that leads to complete failure of a newbie.

Check this out...

1. There are many that approach internet as a 'get rich quick' machine. They keep on hunting for that HOT button that can make them millions overnight.

2. They keep on reading 100s of internet marketing ebooks, falling a victim of information overload. The worst part is, they never get started.

3. They fail to pick up their BUTTS and do something to get started, instead keep on thinking... Can I do it ??

4. They keep on jumping from one business opportunity to another. Rather than stick to one and make it profitable.

5. They lack patience, passion, determination and a killer desire to succeed.

They want instant results without putting in any creative efforts.

6. They lack technical skills. They get
discouraged with this fact, rather than educating themselves with some basic technical skills like designing a site.

7. There are many who never take their internet business seriously.

They are not willing to invest even $100 in advertising their website, educating themselves or expanding their business.

8. They fail to apply important business building steps and wonder why they aren't making any money.

For instance, when I tell my customers to create their own copy or design killer graphics to increase their website conversion, there are few that respond back saying it is difficult and out of their reach.

9. They fail to realize that building a profitable internet business requires hard work as well as smart work.

Just throwing up a website and expecting to make millions is NOT how this ebiz game works.

You need real patience, right information and know-how to succeed on the net.

10. And the worst part is, they aren't persistent. Just stick to your business no matter what happens is the secret to success.

You might be seeing yourself sitting on the above points with mere frustration and disappointment.

If yes, think over it, improve on it and move on.

The message of the day is... "Try and Try till you Succeed"

Online Business Owners: Five Steps to a Holiday Gift You Give Yourself

2008-12-08T11:19:00.001+07:00

No matter how large or small your company is, online business owners need to take a step back and evaluate their business. It's a gift you can give yourself at this time of year. Your business is only as good as the strategy and tactics that support it.

Many of my customers resist this, especially at holiday time. I believe this is the best time to see where you are and where you're headed. Holiday time can be emotional. While your feelings are on the surface, it's a good time to do some valuable thinking about your business. This may sound counter-intuitive, but try it.

Step 1. Evaluate where your business is now

Start by looking at your gross revenue, profit and customer types when you started your business. Then compare them to last year at this time and then, this year. Are you moving forward? Is your business growing in the direction you hoped it would? If not, was this by choice or an unhappy accident? What have you learned about your customers that might cause you to go in a new direction? Gather all this information together and proceed to the next step.

Step 2. Get a blank sheet of paper and plot your vision

The next thing you need to do is USE the information from Step 1 to plot your strategy for next year. This is where most online business owners fall short. The only reason to look at the past is to learn from it. Don't bother to negatively critique yourself for the sake of it. It's a waste of energy that you need for this task. Apply what you've learned. The current dictum "fail faster so you succeed sooner" applies here.

I recommend using a 'mind mapping'
process to spell out your vision, but you can use any method with which you are comfortable. I have used Mind Mapping developed by Tony Buzan for many years. It allows you to start with a topic in the center of the page and then draw branches of ideas relating to it. You can then 'chunk' the ideas into common topics and create a visual road map to success. (If you're not familiar with how to apply mind maps, you can check out more about them on my website under "Digimaps.")

Step 3. Pick one new marketing tactic to try in the New Year

Commit yourself to trying some new tactics. Again, you will learn something and you might open up a new revenue stream. You've heard about blogs, podcasts, website audio, etc. Have you considered creating a test using one of these tactics? Make it a small test. There are lots of free tools and information online about how to apply them. Maybe a free teleseminar would encourage traffic. How about writing an article that demonstrates your expertise?

Step 4. Talk to your three best customers

Besides being an ego boost, this is something you should be doing at least quarterly. It's especially important to do at the end of the year to show your customers that you want to learn what you've done well and what could be improved. The key here is that you need to LISTEN to what they say and put it to work for you.

Step 5. Reward yourself for another year in business

For most business owners, this is the hardest step. The old cliché, 'take care of the people who take care of you' applies not only to your employees, but to yourself. Congratulations for staying in business another year. When you look at statistics about business failures, you know you are one of the lucky ones.