Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Are Search Engines Worth It Any More?

The “Number One” Question – the question that I (and probably every other Internet marketing expert on the planet) am most frequently asked:“How do I get to be Number One in the search engines for widgets? After all, my company is the world’s leading provider of widgets – it’s ridiculous that these other nobody companies are coming up in search engines ahead of us . . . ”My response is almost . . .

Finding it Online: Internet Research Made Simpler

This article was originally published in Insights - the journal of the Northeast Human Resources Association. IntroductionThe Web can be an incredible tool for professional development - for finding resources and information, latest practices, for participating in discussions with colleagues and independent experts, and for mentoring opportunities. But the rapid pace of change online makes the . . .

You Have A Good Home Business Idea. What's Next?

So, you want to start your home-based business. You have an idea. But do you know where to start???? That?s important to start with the legal aspects of running a home-based business: business registration and taxes.The first thing you should consider is choosing an appropriate form of business. From a legal point of view, there are four types of businesses: Sole proprietorships (This is the si. . .

How to Keep Track of Your Marketing Internet Files: Softw...

I recently had the opportunity to review a really cool piece of software for internet marketers.It is called PromoBuddy. It is a database program that is geared toward helping the internet marketer keep all the resources they use on a regular basis at there fingertips and easily accessable.Do you have trouble keeping track of all your marketing activities and files on your hard drive? I did.Tha. . .

A single email is never enough

“Repetition is the key to advertising (marketing)”. Those words were said by a friend of mine, Jason Olson, back in his days of selling radio and direct mail ads. Jason, now the owner of Ultimate Web Designing (http://www.ultimatewebdesigning.com), said that a particular business owner was willing to buy a single month of advertising to see if it would be cost effective to do a full ad campaign. . .

5 Simple Techniques to Work at Home Forever

If you've spent any time online, you will already know that there are lots of scams out there! You might have even begun to doubt that there are any work-at-home positions available for serious jobseekers. If this sounds like you, you aren't alone! Believe me, there are real home based jobs, but what most of the work at home sites omit in their information packages is that it takes work to get . . .

New Style Network Marketing - Why Professionals are Rushi...

There is absolutely no doubt. Network marketing or MLM is now attracting a new type of person. The wave of new style network marketing is having an unprecedented appeal to professional business people.In the past, MLM has been dismissed by business leaders as an inferior sales distribution channel. Today, Fortune 500 corporations flock to do business through network marketing channels with indu. . .

What Is 'Free' Really Worth To Your Business?

Everything! Let me explain - most of us started our own businesses for one reason - to make money! Of course, money is a good thing, but sometimes we are so focused on it that we forget there can be value in other means of exchange. I am talking about service exchanges, barter and the like. Offering your service in exchange for another can have a profound effect on your business, as well as inc. . .

Utilize Those Traffic Exchanges.

I`ve had people come to me and say "Traffic Exchanges are useless, and I don`t have time to click anyway", or they`ll say "There are too many of them, and I find it all overwhelming" Here`s what I say: Ok, the traffic may not be 100% targeted visitors, but somebody, somewhere just MIGHT like your product, affiliate program, salespage etc. The more traffic you get, the more likely you are to. . .

Why You Should Market Your Website

One of the great advantages of advertising and marketing on the web is it’s cheaper than traditional print based promotions. No printing or photocopying fees. No postage costs. And with email you can communicate to your prospect almost instantaneously. So why bother with promoting your site offline? The biggest reason is that most people are getting overwhelmed by the amount of email they rec. . .

How To Build Your Sales

You may have heard of joint venture marketing, It’s used frequently by savvy entrepreneurs to increase profits and add loads of prospects to their customer list. So what is joint venture marketing (or j/v)? Speaking at the Information Marketing Boot Camp (http://www.dc-infobiz.com), Joint venture expert and entrepreneur John Alanis describes it as “a mutually beneficial agreement to sell simila. . .

How To Give Your Business Credibility

Let’s face it. Buying products and services from the Internet can be a bit intimidating. You may have no idea where the online merchant is located. You may not know how safe your personal and credit card information will be. You may be unsure if you’ll even get the product or what to do if the product is broken when it arrives at your door. These types of concerns are what you are up against wh. . .

You Must Build A Customer List

If you run (or plan to run) an online business, it’s especially important that you maintain and add to a customer/prospect list. Unlike a store-front business, which can draw on pedestrian traffic, you’re only location is cyberspace. You must constantly let potential customers know you exist. And to remind current customers that you’re still in business and have more products and ser. . .

How Directories Help Search Engines

At the beginning of the web era, users would go to directories to find sites relevant to their interests. In fact, Yahoo!, the web's number one destination, started as a directory. Nowadays, most users rely on search engines, not directories, to find what they're looking for. When search engines started to become popular, they relied on web pages' 'keyword metatags' to determine the topic and r. . .

Create a Library of Articles for Automatic Promotion

Writing articles and submitting them for publication is a very powerful promotion tactic. BUT, this can be taken a step further to put your articles on auto-pilot.First of all, you need to get a good fr~e autoresponder such as http://www.getresponse.com or http://www.sendfree.comEach time you write an article, what you want to do is set up an autoresponder account for that article. For exampl. . .

How To Get Your Email To Stand Out From All The Junk

We know that email marketing is a cheap method to reach our customers, prospects and subscribers. However, the increasing amount of unsolicited commercial email is clogging up the inboxes of everyone.So how do you improve the chances of making your email stand out from junk mail? (And I’m assuming you’re not sending out unsolicited email. If you are, shame on you.)First, you want to make it eas. . .

Ways to Avoid the Pitfalls of a Failing Internet Business

When I first started my Internet business I was wrongly under the impression that if you build it they will come!! I found out quickly that it doesn't work that way. You must advertise (darn it! ). I had submitted to the search engines, and thought that was good enough. It wasn't, so back to the research board I went. I had a lot to learn, but wasn't sure where to start. I signed up for a lot o. . .

Creating And Promoting Your News Letter

THE CREATIONIf you haven't got around to starting a news letter, I will Let you know it's easier than you think! I will start on the pretence that you have already established your website. That means you already have a topic of conversation. It doesn't matter if you are doing a site on multilevel marketing, or religion, or stories that inspire, you will want to keep your news letter based on t. . .

Where Do YOU find Your Contacts?

This is a question I have been asked over and over again. It`s quite simple to answer, too. I chat! That is basically all I do in my pursuit for getting contacts. I find people via chats, be it chat downloads, yahoo, get paid chats, msn messenger, any of them. It`s personal, it`s friendly, people get to know each other so much better than through emails. I love to chat with other online mark. . .

Sitting On The Back Porch

Yep, that's where I wrote this article - sitting on the back porch.Well, that's probably inaccurate; actually, the idea for this article came to me while I was sitting on the back porch. I was enjoying my after-lunch coffee along with an unseasonably warm (but delightful) October afternoon, when it occurred to me that I was indulging myself in one of the true luxuries of the work-from-home lif. . .

Breakin' It Down

I've recently begun working with individuals one-on-one who are truly interested in earning an income from the internet in the comfort of their own home. A common complaint I hear from them is that they are constantly overwhelmed by the enormous amount of information that they are bombarded with each and every day. This is understandable; everyone has faced it. Those who have been successful on. . .

Is A Market Ever Oversaturated?

I got asked an interesting question last week.A guy new to the Internet emailed me wanting to know if there was such a thing as too much competition within a market.It took me a little while to think about such an excellent question before I replied.Here's what I told him...The dot-com bubble (and subsequent burst) fuelled stories of "first mover advantage". The myth went that companies like Ya. . .

"How To Make Readers Desperately and Uncontrollably Wanti...

Are you looking for ways of persuading your web site visitors to buy your product or service? Or for ways of writing a sales letter so that you sell more? Then you need to understand why people buy in the first place.People buy things because they want to. Not necessarily because they need to. We don't need to buy expensive designer clothes, for instance, but we want to. Because we want to look. . .

Are YOU Right For A Home-Based Business?

The internet is loaded with all sorts of ways for you to work from home. You will consider many options, finding the right fit for your personality and goals. But first, you have to take a look at yourself. Do you have what it takes to run a successful business from home? How do you know if YOU are cut-out to be "The Boss"? Before you spend too much time and money looking for that perfect home-. . .

7 Ways To Win The Time Crunch

Are you working a "day job" while building your home-based "dream business"? Do you find it difficult to manage your time? Follow these seven tips to get more done growing your business, and have the time for other important things in your life, too. (1) Make and use a 'to-do' list daily. It's easy. Write down the tasks you need to do for today (or for tomorrow). Now, do them. Any that aren't d. . .

"How To Boost Your Sales Dramatically Using Dynamic Back-...

Getting a customer is not easy. Getting a visitor to decide that he or she wants to buy the product or service you’re offering, getting out their credit card and giving you their hard-earned money is not a piece of cake.Most visitor’s to your Internet site, 97 - 99% of them if you’re lucky, will not buy your product. They turn away from your site, your offer...and they will pr. . .

100+ Resources for Your Online Business

This week's article is going to be a list of helpful resources for your online business. There are so many facets to this business and so many resources are needed. I hope you find something useful in this column.***Ezine Publishing and Promotion***Text Editors http://www.textpad.com http://softw.subportal.com/sn/Utilities/Text_Editors_Q-Z/9679.htmlAutoResponders http://www.getresponse.com ht. . .

The "Not So Secret" Secrets of Success

Have you ever heard of the "secrets of success"? Many times people are trying to sell you these "secrets" for a very high price! Well, in my five years of Internet marketing experience, I haven't learned any "secrets".These so-called "secrets" are mostly common sense and hard work. We all know these "secrets". We just have to apply them and use them consistently."Secret" #1 - PeopleDealing. . .

Build Downlines, Make Money.

How many programs have you joined and promoted, only to end up with next to no referrals? Why does this happen? Let's take a look at some of the choices you have when a referral signs up under you. Do you: contact that person, offering your help? not bother to email them, and assume they know what to do? email them immediately with your latest program offer?If you don't know what to do, you're . . .

10 Power-Packed Promotion Strategies

There are many ways to creatively and affordably promote your online business. I have tried all of the following and they worked very well for me.Joint Ventures - Participating in joint ventures with fellow publishers can be a very profitable experience. This could be anything from a group pop under window to advertising each other's ezines in your welcome letter. I also know a lot of people . . .

Ebook Farming- A Definitive Guide to Your Ebook Creation ...

Why would you want to buy a book on writing Ebooks? There seem to be a multitude of freebies on this topic as well as tons of free content available on the web. Well I have found an ebook on this topic, that you definitely want to study and keep. It will become a resourceful referrence tool, that you will want to refer back to on a regular basis. What makes this one so special?Upon first consi. . .

Getting Started & Making Money on eBay!

Click Here to hear this topic LIVE on the Entrepreneur Magazine Home Biz Show, with Guest Lynn Terry of Web Service Network: http://media1.select.net/wsradioarchive/sho_hbbiz5021903.wma (opens in Windows Media Player)eBay receives over 1.5 billion page views per month! Over 9,000 new users register with eBay every day! This makes eBay one of the greatest money-making opportunities on the intern. . .

How To Tweak Your Website For More Sales

There are two pillars to a successful online business. One of them is traffic and the other is sales copy - the text on your your website. That's what this article is about - getting more sales from your website.(1) Format. The fastest selling websites have the following format: a one-page sales letter; a single column of text occupying half the screen width; and a maximum of 2 or 3 linked pag. . .

6 Tips To Improve Your Business Website

There are six important characteristics that can play a major role on the impact your website has on prospects. Outlined below is the importance of each characteristic and tips on how to maximize your potential. It is always important to tailor everything you do to what your customer is expecting, doing so will help keep you one step ahead of the competition.Convenience – Allowing your customer. . .

How To Find HOT, Non-Internet Marketing Topics For Your e...

It's so tempting to write ebooks yet again, on "How To Make Money on the Internet" isn't it? You see the thousands of books pitching the next big tip, technique or strategy for making money online. You get a flood of email from guru's who have made it big in the world of internet marketing products, writing ebooks on that topic. Or have they really made it big? OK, They Are Going To Lynch . . .

Are You Making Any Money With Your Computer Yet?

Starting a home based business is a fantastic way to earn additional income part time or full. You can build a six figure or higher residual income using your home computer and a few hours of your spare time each week. It is estimated that each day nearly 200,000 new people log on to the internet for the first time. Many of these people looking for a home based business. Some of these people . . .

Life as an Island Marketer

For some time now I have been an island marketer and the journey as been worth every moment. When I first discovered the Net, all I used to do was read my emails and surf. Then I realized that the net had more than that to offer to me. There are opportunities being thrown all around at you from all angles as soon as you log on. Schemers, scammers and legitimate marketers are all clamoring for y. . .

Focus and Fear of Success - The Biggest Monkey on Your Back?

If you have been on the internet for awhile, you know that there are millions of people trying anything and everything to get your attention. They want in your wallet. It's a great big money grab out there folks, and the net has become the biggest marketing arena on the planet, driving whole industries and generating Billions of dollars in sales.So what's the problem? Well, none if you are one . . .

Internet Marketing Strategies

The right strategies to win a share of the Internet pieEvery move in life needs a sound strategy to succeed. Now that you are keen on making some serious money on the Internet, what you need is the right strategy to help you attain your goals. Although the Internet has opened a whole New World of opportunity for even the smallest home-based business owner, it takes the right start and a perfect. . .

Spam! What's the Real Problem

Most people now know the official definition of spam- Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE for short).That definition does several things we should look at. It categorizes spam as commercial It limits it to email Calling anything unsolicited creates vaguenessEven though all the above things may be true, there are several more things about spam that seem far more annoying. First: Spam doesn't have . . .

Writing Your Affiliate Home Business Plan: Who, What, Whe...

Here’s a typical scenario: You are deciding to start a home business and suddenly everyone you know has his nose in your business, literally. What do you tell them? And how do you answer your own questions? What should you expect from the company in terms of stability, longevity, vitality, trust, income, and so forth? First the bad news: there are no guarantees. Then the good news: there is ple. . .

How to Reorganise Your Time to Accommodate a Home-Based B...

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 giv. . .

Take Advantage of the Internet Power

The Internet has become a huge market place, and the recent explosion in online retailing and e-commerce prove it. Merchants now have access to a world wide consumer base (no longer limited by their geographical location). People have become comfortable buying on the Internet and are looking for products from all over the world 24 hours a day -- think of the different time zones. The total numb. . .

The Best Traffic Generation Tool Is Free

Although search engines have been around since the beginning of the Web, many businesses (large and small) are just now waking up to the gigantic benefit search engines provide. What other medium gives you - at absolutely no cost whatsoever - a way to drive unlimited traffic to your site? None. That’s why, once people understand search engine optimization (SEO), they get hooked!I want to give y. . .

You Want To Quit, Think Again

I hear about so many people that give up on so many things before it even had a chance. Why did they even start? Did they research to see how long it would take for their project to blossom? Most likely they did not. Let me briefly tell you a story. After High School I went immediately into the U.S. Marines. Around the Fifth week at Parris Island during bootcamp I wanted to quit. I went to my. . .

The Single Most Powerful Small Business Marketing Tool On...

Let me get right to the point. The single most powerful small business marketing tool on the planet is a marketing plan. Now before you roll your eyes and run for the hills let me clear a few things up.When I talk about a marketing plan I am not referring to those academic exercises found in college marketing books, or the templated mumbo jumbo found in business planning software. I will not be. . .

The Virtual Assistant

As a small business owner, outsourcing work to Virtual Assistants is fast becoming a popular and intelligent decision. The business owner saves enormous amounts of money by cutting the costs of offices and equipment overhead as well as expensive benefits packages.The ‘Virtual Office’ creates an enormous amount of personal freedom and independence for both the small business owner and the virtu. . .

The Problem With MLM For NetPreneurs

Yes, there's a problem out there with MLM programs... not the good ones... the scams. In fact, Budding NetPreneurs really need a good network marketing opportunity in their portfolio... Network marketing opportunities can give a NetPreneur significantly more income than most any 2 or 3 tier affiliate program because of the potential for "viral" income growth as a distrbutor base grows. If you c. . .

Multiple Streams Of Internet Income

Make your website pay…in millionsAlthough opportunities were rare and far in between during the pre cyber era, Internet has transformed the entire scenario of making money. All you need is inclination, just like thousands of other smart people across the world. Hey, wait! You think this is another sales gimmick? It’s alright. Most of those who made their billions on the Internet beg. . .

Understanding What Reciprocal Linking Means

If you have been marketing on the internet for any length of time you have surely heard that reciprocal linking is a great way to boost your google page rank as well as your search engine ranking. But what does reciprocal linking actually mean?Reciprocal linking is a joint venture of sorts between you and another website owner to exchange links on each others websites. The benefits of reciproca. . .