Growing an Internet Business From Scratch

For people with some online experience, the "brick and mortar" aspects of an Internet business may seem obvious:

Web page
Domain name
Domain hosting service
Autoresponder
Merchant account or shopping cart


Likewise the traffic tactics that are at your disposal:

Organic (free) search engine traffic.
Joint Venture traffic (i.e. partnerships).
Pay-per-click (PPC)
Web 2.0 (social networking, bookmarking)
Article marketing with legitimate content
Affiliate programs with integrated marketing tools
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)


However, different people have different ideas about what works best. For example, there is division within the SEO community concerning the use of black hat and white hat tactics. "White Hats" employ traditional methods and always try to play by the rules to organically grow long-term traffic. On the other hand, "Black Hats" focus on dominating search engine rankings and making money today. They have been described as sneaky and short-term, and are susceptible to delisting. That is why many marketers advise white hat strategies for newbies and other marketers.

List Management Strategies.

Successful list-building starts with overcoming your fear of rejection. Ask prospects for their contact information on your opt-in forms and landing pages. Face it - if you cannot ask people to join your list, how can you ask them to purchase your offers later on?

Ongoing testing and tracking will tell you if web surfers want freebies to join your list. Regardless, stick to the double opt-in process, followed by 'Thank You' pages that offer high-quality products. Industry research shows that buyers need seven 'looks' on average before making a purchase, so take advantage of every opportunity to bond with your subscribers. Do not use misleading traffic tactics to manipulate prospects' search and buying decisions.

The Wave of the Future and Present.

Many entrepreneurs mistakenly abandon their past experiences and interests to dive head first into the Internet Marketing niche. Although digital product creation and various 'pick and shovel' services can be lucrative, caution is warranted if you plan on leaving the offline world all together. Without real products, you risk losing touch with the corporate world and limiting your options for growth.

Internet marketing is becoming more and more mainstream, and its value as a direct sales channel opens up great opportunities to help 'brick and mortar' companies establish a web presence. So consider developing long-term marketing skills that will be useful for authors, publishers, etc. (e.g. copywriting). Seek alliances with micro and macro businesses; create 'win-win" partnerships that are financially, and spiritually fulfilling.

Four Closing Tips.

Avoid distractions. Don't buy products unless you can use them immediately, or if you are able to make them pay for themselves.
At live events, "face-to-face" encounters with fellow networkers and presenters are often more beneficial than the scheduled lectures.
Before launching an online campaign, contact your merchant account processor and website host to ensure that they can handle sales "spikes" and increased traffic.
To maximize the benefit of outsourcing, create process maps that clearly define your objectives and ensure duplicability.


Conclusion.

Most success stories create their Internet lifestyle by sticking to fundamentals - practicing what they preach with beginners and high-powered corporate clients alike. By formalizing best practices, many marketers like Jesse Jameson foresee a time when Internet Marketing (e-business) will become a core component in university management programs. He believes in the role of mentoring and personal development in entrepreneurship. At the same time, people should seek balance in life by thinking beyond dollars and cents. For Jameson, traveling the world brings peace and serenity, but others may find it elsewhere.
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Rahul Majumdar is a full-time Information Marketing Specialist and co-author of The Best of List Profit Academy.

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