Want To Make Millions Online? Dream On….

Want To Make Millions Online? Dream On….

   How often do you get bombarded with offers for online marketing products that are virtually guaranteed to make you an Internet millionaire almost overnight for only an hour or two of work a week?

   Yeah… they drive us crazy, too.

   Today we’re going to go against the grain and say what no other Internet marketer has ever said before:

You CAN’T make millions of dollars on the Internet overnight. 

   You won’t be making millions in your first month… or your first year… or even your first five years — unless your best friend is a leprechaun and your pockets are full of lucky pennies and four-leafed clovers and you’ve got the proverbial golden horseshoe you know where.

   Okay, it *can* happen… we know a lot of online success stories who made their first million within the first year of owning their online business.

   And yes, some of them didn’t have any real computer experience before they started.

But we want to make this clear: They are the exception, not the norm.

So how much CAN you expect to make with your first online business? 

Well, that depends on you.

   No, we’re not trying to jam out of giving you a *real* answer — your success really does depend on YOU, and how much time and effort you are willing to devote to your business.

When we work one-on-one with our mentoring clients, the more determined ones usually make their first few sales within the first month of starting their business.

   That means if you fully devote yourself to your business, you should see a few hundred dollars in sales that first month.

   BUT if you keep at it, the money will continue to grow — so by the time you’re at the six-month mark, you’re making a thousand a month instead of just a few hundred.

   And by the time that first year ends, you’ll probably be making a lot more than that — anywhere from three to ten thousand a month, if you’re like our more successful mentoring clients.

   That means you’ll probably be making anywhere from $36,000 to $120,000 a year.

… It might not be millions, but it’s still not a bad pay-off for a year’s worth of work, wouldn’t you say?

   But to make this kind of money, you MUST be prepared to pour your heart and soul into your business and do all you can to ensure its success.

   Because if you’re the kind of person who would rather sit on the couch watching TV than put in the time required to build a better future for yourself, then the Internet probably isn’t for you.

So how about it?

   Are you willing to roll up your sleeves and create a real online business that makes real money?

   Or would you rather buy into the lie of the “millions made while you sleep!” and spend hundreds of dollars on “instant cash machine” offers that never live up to their promises?

… The choice is up to you.

Starting Your Own Home Internet Business: What Can You Expect?

Starting Your Own Home Internet Business: What Can You Expect?

   If 2010 is the year you launch your own successful home business on the Internet, here’s a great essay you should check out.

   It’s by Paul Graham, founder of a venture firm specializing in funding start-up companies. He recently interviewed a number of people who started their own businesses with his company’s funding. The main question he asked them was, “What surprised you?”

   The answers make for some really interesting reading for anyone who’s thinking about taking the plunge and starting a home business online. This essay will give you some idea of what you’ll be experiencing in the months ahead. Although your home Internet business may be somewhat smaller than the start-up companies in the article, the challenges and triumphs you’ll face will be the same.

   Here’s our favorite quote from the essay, from one of the start-up owners that Graham interviewed:

The emotional ups and downs were the biggest surprise for me. One day, we’d think of ourselves as the next Google and dream of buying islands; the next, we’d be pondering how to let our loved ones know of our utter failure; and on and on.

   If you’d like a peek at what your life is going to be like as you start your home business online, read the essay now.

Outsourcing Your Web Design? Here’s What You Need To Know

Outsourcing Your Web Design? Here’s What You Need To Know

  If you haven’t already got a site yet, you have a decision to make: do you try and build it yourself or hire someone to do it for you?

  Well, if you’re short on time and long on money, then you might find it more efficient to outsource the job to a web designer. If you choose this option, make sure the designer has a strong grasp of Internet marketing principles.

  There are so many designers out there who know how to build a pretty website — but don’t have the first clue how to create a site that actually SELLS.

  As you go through your list of prospective designers, ask each one to supply you with a list of web addresses of other business websites they have designed. Then check those websites out for yourself. Do they conform to the basic web design principles we describe in our lay out in our best-selling online marketing course?

  If the answer is yes, chances are the designer knows what he or she is talking about. But if the answer is no, you might want to keep looking for a designer.

Where to find a good web designer

  Doing a search in Google like, “web designers – YOUR CITY NAME” can yield good results. Pay special attention to the sponsored listings above and to the right of the regular listings. If the designer is web-savvy enough to have created their own locally targeted AdWords campaign then chances are they know something about Internet marketing.

  If you know some businesses in your area who have great websites, you could always contact the owners and ask them if they wouldn’t mind sharing their designer’s contact info. (Assuming they hired a contractor and don’t have their own designer in house.

  Don’t feel you have to be limited to your local area, either. If you find a designer whose work you love who lives far away, you can still hire them to build your site. It’s easy to communicate via phone and email and share files online.

Who do we recommend? 

  The few companies we deal with are the best in the business; they know how to build websites that generate sales, and they are customer-service oriented. Plus, they are efficient, creative, and reasonably priced. They can design everything you need from scratch, including graphics and logos — or they can just build it from what you have already.

  We’ve set up a special form at the site above that you can fill out with your needs. We will forward your request on to the company that is best suited to your purposes and they will contact you to chat about your needs and provide more information.

What you can reasonably expect to pay

  With designers ranging from talented “dabblers” to high-end professionals, the price you may be quoted by a designer can vary greatly. Costs can range anywhere from $20 an hour to $100 an hour. For most work, expect to pay a mid-range price to ensure quality.

Genuine Internet Business Opportunity – Pre-Owned website

Genuine Internet Business Opportunity – Pre-Owned website

   Here’s the perfect online business opportunity for someone who wants to have a website up and making money on the Internet fast.

   It’s the web equivalent of the used car that was owned by a little old lady and only ever driven to church on Sundays.

   We’re selling a complete online business that has been making money online for 11 years. “Car Secrets Revealed” was the work-at-home business started by our founder, Corey Rudl, in 1994, it was one of the earliest commercial websites, and it introduced Corey to online business opportunities that nobody else had recognized — because back then hardly anybody was selling on the Internet. In a very short time, he’d become one of the first Internet marketing gurus, and the Internet Marketing Center was born.

   Meanwhile, the “Car Secrets Revealed” website kept chugging along, making money even though it was neglected. It sells an ebook that tells car owners and buyers how to save thousands of dollars on buying, repairing, and driving a vehicle.

   It won’t take much to get this baby up to speed. With some updating, some list cleaning, an ecommerce enabled website, and a few other small tasks, “Car Secrets Revealed” is a terrific home based business opportunity.

Three Traits Successful Home Business Owners Share

Three Traits Successful Home Business Owners Share

   For years the Internet Marketing Center has been interviewing successful owners of home based businesses or small online businesses so we can share their hard-won wisdom. We’ve found that the people who start an online business and go on to real success share a few traits that might not be immediately obvious…

   They sell everything from handmade journals to rhythm tracks for musicians to designer soaps to giant barbecues, so “what” they are selling is not the key factor. How old they are, how much formal education they have, or how well they know the Internet doesn’t appear to affect their ability to make money online either.

   So what are the traits these home based business owners have in common?

They take action.

   Most of them started out with almost no budget and little knowledge of marketing on the Internet. Typically, this was their first website. But they didn’t wait until they knew everything and their websites were perfect — they put up a website and then got busy learning and making improvements. 

It’s too easy to put off the reality of starting your own business by doing more research, or aiming for perfection. Your site does not have to be perfect to make money, but you can’t make money until you start! Take the first steps (no matter how small) to starting your own business.

They focus on one thing and do it well.

   The entrepreneurs we interviewed focused on one Internet marketing task at a time, and did it well. When they had maximized their profits with one technique they moved on to the next one. They could look ahead at all the things they planned to do and know that there were more improvements to come.

   It’s easy for people starting an online business to be distracted by the latest, most exciting, most revolutionary new Internet marketing strategy. Don’t get derailed by trying every new thing that comes along and not finishing all the other stuff you’ve been working on. You can’t make progress that way.

   Instead, start by getting your website up and getting the basics down. Then make a list of all the different ways to increase the sales to your website. Start with one, and leave the rest on your “to-do” list until you have squeezed every dollar out of the traffic generation technique, sales strategy, or email marketing campaign you are working on.

They don’t reinvent the wheel.

   All entrepreneurs make mistakes, and these home based business owners are no exception. They all said that they could have been earning a MUCH bigger income MUCH faster if they had only started their Internet education earlier and learned from the experience of others.

   Other people have already cut a path through the Internet jungle for you. Great ideas are transferable. What works for others can be adapted for your online business, too. So look for courses, training, or even mentoring that will get you to your destination faster.

   Starting your own business online is a journey, not a destination. Keep learning, keep doing, and “starting” will turn into “growing.”

Money on Internet Marketing

Making Money on Internet Marketing

eBay

An online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide.

Ways to Make Money on eBay

1. Choose Wisely

   Anyone who's trolled around on eBay knows that they can find everything from blenders to toilet paper. But peddling mundane household products isn't necessarily a winning strategy. The best eBay businesses sell unusual, hard-to-find items at a discount, says Marsha Collier, author of 'eBay for Dummies.' By sticking to this approach, you'll cut down on the competition and the ensuing price wars that could eat into your profits.

   Fortunately, you don't need to know anything about antiques and collectibles to fulfill Collier's requirements. One idea is to look for items unique to your region and sell them at a discount. If she lived in Manhattan, for example, Collier says she would regularly shop at Century 21, a famous designer discount store, and then resell the hard-to-find name-brand clothing at a markup on eBay.

2. Keep Your Costs Low

   Nothing eats into your profits faster than high overhead expenses. That's why experts agree that you should start off your eBay business by hawking stuff that you already own. Once you've depleted all of the goodies in your basement, move onto your neighbor's. Take out an ad in a local paper and offer to sell other people's possessions on consignment, says Cliff Ennico, author of 'The eBay Seller's Tax and Legal Answer Book' and an instructor at eBay University, which offers instructional DVDs and classes on selling on eBay. Other than your time, your costs will be virtually zero. And, according to Ennico, your efforts and expertise are worth anywhere from a 30% to 50% cut of the sale.

   Once you're ready to graduate to the next level and start your own eBay business -- even if it's a small one -- Collier recommends getting a sales tax number or business license (if you live in a state with no sales tax). This will allow you to contact manufacturers directly and buy items at wholesale. 3. Perfect Your Title

   If you do nothing else, make sure the title on your listing gets straight to the point. "It's the most important piece of real estate on the Web site," says Jim Griffith, a dean at eBay University and author of the 'Official eBay Bible.' A common and damaging mistake even experienced users make is thinking that their title should read like a sales pitch and include empty descriptors such as "rare" and "beautiful." Instead, just list the facts, including a brand name or model number. This strategy will help serious buyers find your item more readily since the search engine scrolls through titles when trying to match key words, says Griffith. As for the marketing, leave "one of a kind!" for the description inside your listing.

4. Build Trust

   Gaining the trust of the eBay community is one of the biggest hurdles new sellers face. It's critical for you to generate a high positive feedback score or else other users won't even touch your auction. The score tells potential bidders that you don't falsely advertise or exaggerate when describing your merchandise and that you ship your items quickly. Your goal is to eventually get at least 100 positive responses from other users, says Ennico.

   Even if you've never sold anything on eBay, you can still work toward building up your reputation. Your score is based on the feedback you receive as both a buyer and a seller. So before listing your first item, buy a handful of inexpensive things just to get the feedback, says Collier. Then, once you start running your own auctions, make sure every person you interact with has a good experience. And finally, be sure you accept PayPal for payments since it offers buyers some purchase protection if a deal goes awry.

5. Grab Eyeballs

   EBay is a numbers game. The more people who bid on your item, the higher the price it sells for. That means boosting the number of eyeballs that see your listing is crucial. If you're selling a high-ticket item, you should consider spending an additional $19.95 to "feature" it, says eBay University's Griffith. This ensures that your listing gets some prime real estate on the first page of a given category. That way you not only catch people searching key words, but also those folks who like to scroll through category pages.

   I’ve recommended eBay before as a great way to test a new product. For a growing number of entrepreneurs, though, eBay is their sole storefront. The beauty of eBay is that it lets you get into e-commerce without having to go through the trouble and expense of setting up an e-commerce site of your own. These seven eBay selling tips will help you get started selling on eBay successfully and get on your way to becoming an eBay PowerSeller.

  1. A picture IS worth 1000 words. It’s old-fashioned, but people still like to see things before they buy them. For successful eBay selling, make sure any products you list on eBay are accompanied by professional quality photographs.

  2. Do your eBay research. When selling on eBay, before you list a particular product, spend some time researching other similar products on eBay and following the bidding process. This will help you gauge the interest for your product and help you determine how much your product might be worth.

  3. Learn all about shipping. Shipping is under the control of the eBay seller, but some methods of shipping are better than others when you're selling on eBay. You want to find the best method of shipping for your product in terms of expense and reliability and then specify that shipping method in your eBay listing. (And don’t forget to include the shipping cost in your shipping information for potential buyers.)

  4. Pay as much attention to the writing of your eBay listing as to your picture. For selling on eBay, you need a powerful eBay listing. And the trick to writing a strong eBay listing is to combine search engine friendly phrasing with concrete details about the product in a way that will entice people to bid on your product. Take the time to craft your eBay listing just as you would any ad.

  5. Offer a full slate of payment options, including credit cards. The more payment options you, as an Ebay seller, offer prospective bidders, the more bidders your product will attract and the more successful your selling on eBay will be.

  6. Focus on getting positive feedback first. Feedback really matters when you're selling on eBay. If you have a consistent record of positive feedback, prospective buyers will both bid more often and be willing to pay higher prices. So you may want to hold back on placing higher priced products until you have a successful track record as an eBay seller established.

  7. Be business-like. Act professionally, provide the kind of superior customer service that will build your reputation, and make sure that you’re following all the business rules that apply, such as registering your business and properly charging and remitting taxes. Selling on eBay is just like any other business; to become an eBay success, you need to follow the rules and provide the kind of customer satisfaction that will translate into increased eBay sales.

Introducing the Five Simple Steps to Making Money on eBay

   But if you want to start an actual eBay business -a stable business that will provide you with a comfortable, long-term income -you need to follow a proven process:

Step 1: Research

   To be successful on eBay, you can't just dive in and start selling anything to anyone. A profitable eBay business is built on a solid foundation. 

So we'll show you how to use the many eBay "data mining" tools available to do extensive research, and learn exactly what's selling right now... and what's likely to be a best-seller in the future. 

   By removing the guesswork from the equation, you'll be sure to start your business off on the right foot.

Step 2: Source

   Knowing what to sell is just the first step. Your success on eBay also depends on finding reliable, steady supplies of low-cost merchandise that you can resell for high profits.

We'll share our secrets for sourcing products with high profit margins that are NOT already being offered on eBay by hundreds of other sellers, so you'll be able to cater to untapped niche markets, for increased profits.

Step 3: List

   Creating winning auction listing that get lots of attention is both a science and an art... and this is where the typical eBay seller falls short. 

   We'll show you how to leave your competition in your dust, by creating polished, professional-looking listings that get the maximum pairs of eyes... and bids.

Step 4: Automate

   Who wants to be a slave to their business, 24/7? You'd rather have time to enjoy your new income, right? 

   So we're going to teach you how to put your entire business on "auto pilot," so you can continue to make sales, even when you're miles from your computer.

Step 5: Promote

   One thing that LESS THAN 5% of eBay Powersellers know is that, to achieve success on eBay, you MUST promote your products outside of the eBay environment! 

   We'll show you the little-known techniques for using the regular search engines (like Google) to drive additional streams of motivated shoppers straight to your listings. 

 

Internet Marketing on eBay – A Built-In Market, Ready to Buy Whatever You’re Selling

   Whatever product you’re selling, you can increase your exposure on the internet by selling it on eBay as well as selling directly through your website. Whereas you will have to exercise some real internet savvy to try and drive people to your website, there is already a built-in audience of thousands on eBay, and many of them are searching for just what you’re selling. eBay is an effective marketing technique because it’s already so well-known. You don’t have to go out hunting for people because they’ll come hunting for you.

   When listing your products on eBay, the standard rules of good internet marketing still apply. Grab your potential client with an eye-catching headline. Employ good spelling and grammar. Be descriptive. Use persuasive writing to coax potential customers to buy what you’re selling. If there are any problems with the product, be sure to address that up front. This will be crucial to maintaining a good seller rating on the site. And, whenever possible, be sure to include a picture of your product. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and, on eBay, it’s worth even more.

   There are other tactics specific to eBay that you can utilize as well. When setting the time for your auctions, make sure that they’ll expire when your customer base is sure to be around. If your customers are mostly Americans, set your auctions so that they’ll expire when people from the East Coast all the way to the West Coast will all be awake and fighting to win the auction. Be sure to do everything possible to maintain a good seller rating, especially in the beginning of your business on eBay. But, all in all, it’s not too difficult to turn eBay into an excellent internet marketing tool for your business. Have fun with it, and you’ll see results.

   Internet Marketing on eBay – A Built-In Market, Ready to Buy Whatever You’re Selling
When you think of eBay, the first phrase that probably comes to mind is “internet auctions.” That happens for a reason. eBay has done an excellent job of branding themselves as the premiere auction site on the web. They were the first to do it in 1995, and they are widely recognized as the best to do it today. While many people think of eBay as some sort of online garage sale where people sell unwanted goods at reasonable prices (after all, the first item ever sold on the site was a broken laser pointer), many people are now realizing that eBay can be an effective and powerful internet marketing tool as well.

   Whatever product you’re selling, you can increase your exposure on the internet by selling it on eBay as well as selling directly through your website. Whereas you will have to exercise some real internet savvy to try and drive people to your website, there is already a built-in audience of thousands on eBay, and many of them are searching for just what you’re selling. eBay is an effective marketing technique because it’s already so well-known. You don’t have to go out hunting for people because they’ll come hunting for you.

   When listing your products on eBay, the standard rules of good internet marketing still apply. Grab your potential client with an eye-catching headline. Employ good spelling and grammar. Be descriptive. Use persuasive writing to coax potential customers to buy what you’re selling. If there are any problems with the product, be sure to address that up front. This will be crucial to maintaining a good seller rating on the site. And, whenever possible, be sure to include a picture of your product. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and, on eBay, it’s worth even more.

   There are other tactics specific to eBay that you can utilize as well. When setting the time for your auctions, make sure that they’ll expire when your customer base is sure to be around. If your customers are mostly Americans, set your auctions so that they’ll expire when people from the East Coast all the way to the West Coast will all be awake and fighting to win the auction. Be sure to do everything possible to maintain a good seller rating, especially in the beginning of your business on eBay. But, all in all, it’s not too difficult to turn eBay into an excellent internet marketing tool for your business.



10 Ways to Increase Your eBay Holiday Sales

There’s no difference now between eBay’s holiday sales season and offline retailers’ – November and December are the hottest months of the year. Pump up your eBay holiday sales with these tips to make the holidays your hottest season too.

1. Start your eBay sales campaign early.

   Online holiday shoppers start early so you need to, too, if you want to increase your eBay holiday sales. If you’re using 10 day listings and put your first listings up October 15th, that only gives you six to eight cycles of listings to maximize your holiday sales.

2. Line up your suppliers.

   Make sure you have reliable suppliers lined up in advance so you have the product you need to maximize your eBay holiday sales. You need to know where or not you’ll have a product in stock before you can promote it – and sell it.

3. Focus on “holiday-friendly” items.

   Think “gift, gift, gift” – and if someone wouldn't buy it as a gift, don’t list it. For instance, suppose you sell beading supplies and jewelry made out of beads. To increase your eBay holiday sales, focus on the jewelry, not the supplies. The jewelry is a much more likely gift purchase.

4. Stock up on hot/in demand items.

   What’s hot in the world at large is what’s hot on eBay, too. For example, if you were selling Ipods on eBay during the 2004 holiday season, you did well. One way to increase your eBay holiday sales is to add popular items to your product listings.

   Find out what’s hot on eBay itself by using the tools eBay offers. On eBay's Pulse page, you can view popular searches by Category or use eBay Pulse to check out current trends and hot picks. If you can be ahead of the curve (or even in the first wave) with some of these hot items, you'll increase your eBay holiday sales dramatically.

5. Use more Buy It Now listings.

   The holiday season is prime time for impulse buys – and impatience. Using more eBay Buy It Now listings rather than auction-style listings will give your products an edge with those impatient, impulsive online shoppers who don’t want to wait for your auction to end and increase your holiday sales.

6. Consider offering free shipping on Buy It Now items.

   Offering free shipping gives online shoppers even more inducement to buy your product. Who doesn’t like a free bonus? Coupling free shipping with Buy It Now listings is an especially powerful way to increase your holiday sales.

7. Speed up the payment process.

   Even if you don’t do it regularly, you should accept payment though PayPal as one of your payment options throughout the holiday season if you want to increase your eBay sales. When online shoppers pay through PayPal, the transaction is instantaneous and when you speed up payment, you speed up shipping.

8. Explain your shipping policies clearly in your listings.

   Online shoppers don’t just want to buy gifts; they want to know when those gifts are going to arrive. When you make sure that your shipping policies are clearly explained in your listings, you make it easier for them to decide to buy your product. Otherwise, they have to take the time to email you and ask – or just buy someone else’s product.

9. Watch your dates.

   Be aware that regular mail slows down during the holiday season. To increase your eBay sales over the holiday season, choose shipping methods that guarantee service within a certain number of days even if they cost a little more. The important thing is helping your customers hit their holiday deadlines by keeping your shipping promises. Also make sure that you inform last-minute shoppers if what they’re buying won’t arrive in time and of any additional shipping charges.

10. Update your default template to give your eBay pages a holiday theme.

   When it comes to increasing holiday sales, every little bit helps. While making sure your pages have a holiday theme won’t make any eBay sales in itself, it will help put online shoppers in a holiday buying mood.

 

Internet Marketing on eBay 

 

   In the world of Internet marketing, eBay.com was the first ever online auction and shopping Web site. It is still the world's number one online auction site today and the best place on the Internet where people and corporations can buy and sell their products and services in a global setting. Without a doubt, eBay is a heavyweight when it comes to Internet marketing. 

   In 1995, EBay first made its presence felt in the United States, where many great Internet marketing tools originate. From there, eBay has expanded its reach to cover more than 20 countries worldwide, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. 

   Today, eBay has expanded its business beyond the online auction and now owns other major Internet marketing companies such as PayPal and Skype. 

   At the outset, eBay was known as AuctionWeb and was only a small part of a bigger site owned by computer programmer Pierre Omidyar. The first thing ever sold was a laser pointer. It went for the princely sum of $14.83, which isn't bad, considering that it was broken to begin with. The sale was so curious that Omidyar called up the winning bidder to ask him what he was going to do with a broken pointer. The buyer explained simply that, "I'm a collector of broken laser pointers." That story has since been part of Internet marketing lore and just goes to show that you can buy and sell practically anything on eBay. 

   Barely a year after its birth, eBay was able to sign its first major deal with a third party, Electronic Travel Auction. Ebay did a magnificent job of selling plane tickets and other travel products online. It soon started creating waves in the Internet marketing realm. 

   In September 1997, the company officially changed its name to eBay, a name that was patterned Echo Bay Technology Group, Omidyar's consulting firm. Omidyar actually tried to get the name EchoBay.com first but it was already taken. A year later, the company went public and Omdiyar became a billionaire literally overnight. 

   Today, millions of products and services are listed on eBay and millions more are bought and sold on a daily basis. On eBay, you can probably find anything that you'll ever need, including computers, appliances, furniture, collectibles, even cars and other vehicles. EBay also has a wide range of services being offered in its listings. In 2004, the company introduced its Business & Industry category and now sells a wide variety of industrial supplies.

   If you're looking to buy or sell novelty items, you can do that on eBay too. EBay has some rare and valuable gems as well as thousands of damaged and dusty gizmos reminiscent of the broken laser pointer that it sold way back in 1996. 

    EBay is a one-stop shopping paradise for anything and everything on the Internet. It's a valuable addition to any Internet marketing plan.

Internet Marketing Trends 2011

 Internet Marketing Trends 2011