Internet Marketing and Advertising

There are two types of Internet marketers. One is the aggressive marketer and the other is the passive marketer. The passive marketer will build a website, submit the site to the search engines and then sit back waiting for traffic. The average website will get very little traffic using this approach.

The aggressive Internet marketer will use proactive methods to drive traffic to their websites. One of the most effective marketing methods online currently is the ezine. An ezine is a magazine/newsletter which is produced online and emailed to a list of subscribers. It is usually free and contains articles on many differenct subjects.

Most ezines will charge a small fee to place your advertising. Depending on the distribution, this advertising dollars could be well spent.

An Internet Business

When you first start your home based Internet business, you will have all kinds of experts telling how to run the business. There really aren't any expert, just a lot of people who are more than willing to share their opinion with you. You will just need to experiment and figure out what works for you.

Most people's first attempt at their very own website will be a failure. You will look back at that website in six months to one year and wonder what you were thinking. That's okay. Most people are going to give up on their Internet business because they didn't realize the amount of work or time that is involved. You need to be prepared to do what it is going to take.

Obtaining as much Internet training as you can will help. There are many valuable resources and some of them are even free. If you are thinking about joining an existing business, make sure they provide a good solid support team and also one-on-one training.

Ideas for Managing Your Time

There are all types of activities that will need to be performed when you start a home based Internet business. Following are some ideas for managing your time more effectively.

1. Don't leave email just setting in your mailbox

Organize your email into folders. So if the email is a reference item, print it out. If it's a meeting, add it to your calendar. Think of your email as a piece of paper and everytime you touch or look at that item, you are not using your time effectively. Try to only touch the item once and then take action.

2. Multitasking can be bad

You will actually lose productivity when you are multitasking. It is better to perform and focus on one task at a time, if possible.

3. Do the most important task first

You will probably have a huge to-do list. Look at the list and decide which is the most important task and tackle that one first, then the second task and so on. After practicing this for awhile, you'll also discover that some items on your to-do list are not really benefitting your home based online business, so don't spend your time doing them.

4. Set a schedule to check your email

You don't need to answer or act on your email the minute it arrives in your inbox. Check your email a couple of times during the day and deal with it in groups of actions. Checking your email constantly prevents you from completely another more important task.

5. Organize website addresses

Create folders in your favorites and organize your websites. You'll spend less time searching for the website you want to visit.

Mistakes When Starting A Business

For many people, starting their own business is a dream come true. That dream can rapidly turn into a nightmare if you don't avoid some of the common mistakes new entrepreneurs make.

1. Too little cash

Most start-up small businesses are not properly capitalized. Before starting your business, sit down and estimate how much you think it will cost to get started. Now double that number. That is the amount you should have in reserve for your business.

2. Thinking small

You may be the only person working in your business at first. You could be competing against larger corporations who offer the same type of service or product. You will want to focus on the advantages a small company can offer, such as greater expertise and speed of execution. You're not small, you are personalized.

3. Skimping on technology

Having the latest in technology gadgets can be expensive. However, if you have the latest technology gadgets you will be able to respond faster and ultimately it will save you money in the long run.

4. Underestimating the importance of sales

For small business owners, the focus should be on sales and revenues when you are first starting out. No matter the size of the company, you will need to be or hire a dedicated sales pro. If you can't sell your product or service, your company will not be successful.

5. Losing focus

Before starting your business, you will need to have a vision as to the direction you want your company to ultimately go. The more focused on that vision you are, the greater the chance your company will succeed. Develop a plan of specific activities that will lead your company in the direction of your vision.

Starting An Online Business

If you are thinking about starting an online business, there are a few things you should ask yourself first.

Are you going to dedicate yourself to the business?

An online business is just like any other business; you will be putting in hours each day to make that business successful. You will need to be very dedicated to that business to succeed. Weeks, months, or even years could go by before you start making any money. Make sure you are ready for that kind of commitment before you start your business.

What type of business do you want to start?

Make a list of the things you are interested in. Make sure you pick a business that you will be passionate about. That passion will carry you through the long hours and periods of no income.

How are you going to run your business?

Make sure you know exactly what you want to do with your business. Write out your business plan and goals. The business plan should list the why you think the business will be a success and how you are going to make that happen.

Once you have answered these questions, you will be ready to start your online Internet business.

Online Internet Business - Fame and Fortune

When I first started my online Internet business, I was so excited. I foolishly believed that all I needed to do was build a website, load it up to the Internet and just like magic I would be enjoying instant fame and fortune. Right? Wrong!

The first website I owned, I purchased from another individual. I had no control over the content of the website and only limited access to the back office. After I purchased the website, I started reading everything I could on how to promote your home business on the Internet. If given a choice, do the research before you make the purchase and not after, it will make your life a lot less stressful.

It didn’t take long for me to understand that content is king on the Internet. My problem now was that I couldn’t change the content on my website. So, off I go on my search for a website that I could change the content. I found an excellent website that I purchased. It had all the elements I needed, or so I thought. I loved the name of the website and I could change the content. The individual who sold me the website assured me that if I wanted to change the website at all, they would help me through the changes. This worked really well for the first two times I asked for help. On the third attempt, I was told to learn HTML and after that I could never contact the individual either by phone or email.

My next step to Internet business fame and fortune was to enroll in an online HTML class through the local college. I learned enough HTML to make minor changes to the website. I was absolutely thrilled. I was definitely on my way now.

After a few more bumps and bruises, I have finally gotten to the point where I am seeing results for all my hard work on my home based business website (three years later). I still have the second website I purchased and am doing well with it. Remember to do your research before launching your home-based Internet business.

Selecting Your Home Business Opportunity

I started looking for a home business opportunity in 2006. I didn't buy the numerous heavily hyped, or worse yet, scam operations that touted the instant and fantastic riches that could be achieved on the Internet (often with little or no effort required).

While doing my research as to which business I would eventually pursue, this type of claim became an instant trigger for me to move on to check out some other "opportunity". I mean, give me a break, if those claims were close to being true, why would they share their "secret" with anyone else? During my research a few other alarms surfaced to help narrow down the realistic and legitimate opportunities from among the far too numerous unfounded offers.

Early on, I determined that the "get in on the ground floor" offers were essentially smoke. After all, if I wanted to take a chance on the lottery, I would have purchased a ticket. Because of my business management experience, it soon became clear to me that three of the primary factors that would influence my choice would be:

*successful longevity (how long has this particular company been successfully doing business?)

*reasonable income expectations of the company offering the opportunity

*support systems and online training resources available to help the participants succeed. One thing that really struck me about the company I selected for my home based business was the availability of online training 7 days a week.

You will not become rich in a new business opportunity within the first six months, give a business at least a year. It takes time to develop a good working plan. It takes time to figure out what marketing activities deliver the biggest bang for the buck. Anything worthwhile takes consistent effort. If you’re not thinking long term, you’ve set yourself up for failure.

Your selection process should focus on reality (there is no "magic" in home based businesses) and reject any so-called home business"opportunities" that seem too good to be true.

Find A Home Based Business

Here are a couple of tips to help avoid getting scammed while you’re looking for a home based business.

1. No Contact Information or Limited Contact Information.
Most scam artists don't want you to be able to locate them easily. After all, if you could find them easily, so could the authorities. That's why they often only give an email address (usually from a free provider like Yahoo or Hotmail) and/or a post office box. On the other hand, reputable companies DO want you to be able to contact them quickly and easily. They'll offer several ways... telephone, physical address, email, fax, etc.

2. No Verifiable References or Testimonials.
Do they list Web site addresses or email addresses for the people who supposedly gave the testimonials? Is there a way to contact the satisfied customers?

3. Make Thousands With No Work On Your Part.
This is the biggest lie on the Internet today. Everyone loves the idea of making thousands of dollars while they sleep. Is it possible? Yes! That part isn't a lie. The statement that it will take no work on your part is the lie.

4. Rushing You To Make A Decision.
I'm talking about the business opportunity companies that - instead of answering your questions - pressure you to go ahead and buy in now. The bottom line is this: Any company offering legitimate business opportunities will want to talk with you, will want to give you all the information you need, will not give a false appearance of credibility, and will have verifiable references that you can contact. Beware of anyone who does not offer these things.

Now that we've established some guidelines to follow the process is actually very simple. Search through the home based business advertisements and listings that you've found (by doing a search on Home based businesses on one of the many search engines) and simply look for businesses using the guidelines mentioned above.

However, remember that choosing the right product is just as important as finding a business opportunity. You can have the best business plan around but if your product is not very marketable then you will just be spinning your wheels.

Successfully Start Your Own Business

The American Dream is, and always will be, to come up with an
idea, start a home business and become rich from your own efforts.
Based upon this motivation, thousands of businesses fail each
year, due primarily to not being familiar with the basics
involved in running a business.

Just about the first thing you should consider before deciding to
start or purchase a business is the legal form you'll be
operating under. There are basically four choices: sole
proprietorship, partnership, limited partnership, and/or
corporation.

Each has a number of advantages and disadvantages.

As much as anything else, for many people starting a business is
a form of ego-gratification, and they form a corporation for some
sort of prestige gain - just to say, "I own a corporation."

With just a little bit of observation, you'll find that one of
the major causes of business failures is due to the founder
wasting start-up capital on frills, such as an impressive
store-front office, expensive furnishings, and corporate legal
costs.

One of the basic traits you must develop if you're going to be
successful in business, is a tight hold on your expenditures. In
fact, a good rule of thumb is that anything that does not make
money for you or protect your investment, should not be purchased
at this time. Very definitely, this applies to the expense of
setting up your own corporation.

Unless you have a partnership and start your business as such,
the only real advantage to forming a corporation would appear to
be that a corporate structure will semi-protect the property you
personally own.

As an example, you own a home and car. You form a corporation to
protect these possessions from business losses. Yet, if you can
be found guilty of misusing corporate funds, your business
creditors can pierce the corporate shield and come after your
possessions.

Basically, if you invest everything you have in your business, as
most newcomers do, you don't usually need a corporation because
you have nothing to protect. Your household possessions,
personal belongings, generally your car, and even a portion of
the equity in your home is protected by the homestead provision
of the Federal Bankruptcy Act, and cannot be taken away from you.

As a sole proprietor or partner of a business you'll be paying
taxes on your overall earnings, much the same as if you were
holding down a salaried or hourly paid job. Whether you do or
don't take out money as a salary will have no bearing on the
earnings of your business and tax return.

The often advertised advantage of incorporating, that you can
manipulate your salary in order to save on tax dollars, is real
because of corporation laws. However, the IRS frowns on this
practice. When your business is successful and making a lot of
money, definitely check with your accountant on the advantages of
incorporating.

As a corporation, you'll be subject to a number of other
drawbacks as well: generally higher state taxes, stricter laws
concerning the operation of your business, more elaborate
accounting procedures, and legal papers that are required just
about every time you make a major move or sign almost any
contract. Thus, your legal and accounting fees will be much
higher as a corporation than will those required for a sole
proprietorship type of business.

As a sole proprietor or partnership, you'll find many areas
require the registration of your business name. The cost
however, is minimal, ranging from $5 to $100. About the best way
to find out what laws apply in your area, is to call your bank
and ask if they need a fictitious name registration card or
certificate in order for you to open a business account.

Selecting a name for your business is quite important to you and
particularly relative to advertising. Your business name should
describe the product or services you offer. Fancy names such as,
Linda's Clipping Service will lose potential "walk-in and
passing" customers to the beauty shop across the street that
calls itself, Patti's Beauty Salon or Jane's Hair Styling Shop.

The advantage of using your full name in the title of your
business, such as Johnny Jones' Meat Lockers, has the advantage
of making credit somewhat easier to come by - provided you pay
your bills on time - but it also includes the disadvantage of
confining your services to a local or at most, a regional area.

Should you buy, lease, or rent a space for your business? Think
twice before you make any decision along these lines. Most
businesses tend to grow quickly or they never get off the ground.

There are a few exceptions, but only a very few, that tend to
grow at a modified rate.

So, buying a piece of property and setting up your business on or
within that property, obligates you to ownership regardless of
what happens to your business.

Leases are almost always very strong contracts written by
attorneys to the advantage of the property-owner. When you sign
an agreement to pay someone for the use of their space over any
length of time, you're "nailed in" to paying for that space
regardless of what happens to your business.

In the beginning, it's wise to either get the shortest-term lease
possible, or arrange to rent with an option to lease at a later
date. This does not apply to a retail business, unless your
particular business happens to be an untried one.

Definitely, you should open a business bank account. In
selecting a bank for your business, scout around and look for one
that can, and will help you. Determine what your banking needs
will be, and then via telephone, interview the managers of the
banks in your area. The important convenient bank to your
business location.

A point to remember: the closer you can make the relationship
between you and the bank manager, the better your chances are
going to be for approval on loans and/or special favors you may
need at a later date.

Try to become acquainted with as many of the bank employees as
possible. The better you know them, the more courtesies they'll
be extending especially to you in the course of your association.

Just as a doctor is a specialist in his field, and you go to him
for medical problems, your banker is a specialist in his field
and you should go to him for your money problems. In business,
you'll have to learn that everyone is an expert in his own line
of work, and in your associations with other business people,
refrain from pretending that you know exactly how everything works
in someone else's specialty.

You'll find that very often, different banks specialize in
different types of businesses. As an example, you're sure to
find banks that specialize in real estate transactions,
export-import businesses, and even manufacturing operations only.

Some of the questions you should ask of your banker include the
following:

Is it necessary to maintain a certain balance in your account
before the bank will approve a loan for you?
What qualifications must you have in order to obtain a line of
credit with the bank?

Does the bank limit the number of loans, or types of loans it
will approve for small businesses?

What is the bank's policy regarding the size of a check you might
deposit that requires holding for collection?

And what about checks less than that amount - will they be
immediately credited to your account?

In almost all types of businesses, it will be to your benefit to
set up with your bank, a method of handling VISA, Master Charge,
and regional credit cards. The important thing here is to
ultimately set up your account in the bank that will service all
of these credit transactions for you - one stop for all your
banking needs. In most instances, you'll find that having the
capability to fill orders/make sales via credit card
transactions, will increase your volume of sales appreciatively.

Once you've made the decision as to which bank is going to handle
your account, you'll need your Social Security Number or your
Federal Employer's Identification Number, your driver's license,
the fictitious name certificate, and if you're requesting a VISA
or Master Charge franchise, you'll also need a financial
statement.

For corporations, you'll also need a corporate resolution
approving of the opening of your business account.

You'll find that a great number of city business license
departments are there solely for the purpose of collecting
another tax. Depending on the type of business you're asking a
license for, the building and zoning people may inspect your
premises for soundness of structure and safety. Generally, you
won't encounter any difficulties - you simply pay your fee to
operate your business in that city, and the clerk types your name
onto a city license certificate.

Relative to sales tax permits and licenses, each state's rules
and regulations very widely. The best thing to do is call your
state offices and ask for information concerning registry and
collection procedures. Many states require an advance deposit or
bond, and you'll find that some wholesalers or manufacturers will
not sell to you at wholesale prices until you can show them your
sales tax permit or number.

Should your business entail selling your products or services
across state lines, in another state, you're not required to
collect taxes except in those where you have offices or stores.

You may find also that your particular business requires the
collection of Federal Excise Taxes. For information along these
lines, check in with your local office of the Internal Revenue
Service.

Some states also require certain businesses to hold state
licenses, such as those required in many states for TV Repairmen.

These are known as "occupational permits" and are most often
required of barbers, hair stylists, real estate people and a
number of other consumer oriented businesses. If you have any
doubts, check with your state offices for a list of those
occupations that require licensing.

Any business doing business in any type of interstate commerce is
subject to federal regulations, usually through the Federal Trade
Commission. This means that any business that shops, sells or
advertises in more than one state is subject to such regulation,
and this includes even the smallest of mail order operations.

Normally, very few business people ever have and contact with the
federal regulatory agencies. The only exceptions being when
there is a question of your operating your business unethically
or illegally.

Any business that sells or distributes food in any manner almost
always requires a county health department permit. If your
business falls into this category, simply call the county health
department and invite them out to your place of business for an
inspection. The fees generally range from about $25, depending
on the size of your business when they first inspect it for
permit approval.

There are also a number of businesses that require inspection by
a fire marshall, and fire department approval. Generally, these
are those that handle flammable materials or attract large
numbers of people, such as a theater. Overall, the local fire
department has to be allowed to inspect your premises whenever
they desire to do so.

You may also run into a requirement for an air and/or water
pollution control permit. These specifically apply to any
business that burns anything, discharges anything into the sewers
or waterways, or use any gas-producing product, such as a paint
sprayer.

Without a doubt, you'll need to check on local regulations
relating to advertising display signs. Each city or township
makes its own rules and then enforces those rules according to its own thinking
-check before you contract to have a sign made for your business.

The design and placement of your sign is very important to your
business - specifically to retail establishments - but let me
remind you that your business sign is usually the first thing a
potential customer sees and as such, it should catch his eye and
leave an impression that lasts. It would be a good idea to ride
around your town and take a look at the signs that catch your
eye, and try to determine the impression of the business that
sign leaves on you. This is a basic learning formula for
determining the design, size and placement of your business sign.

Some of the other things to consider before opening for business
- If you intend to employ one or more employees, you'll be
required to deduct Federal Income Taxes, and Social Security
payments from their checks. This will involve your filing for a
Federal Tax Number and necessitates contact with your local IRS
Office.

Most states have "unemployment taxes" which will have to be
deducted from the paychecks of any employees you hire. And there
are a number of states that have income taxes - disability
insurance - and any number of other taxes. Again, the best thing
to do is check with your local office of the IRS. And above all
else, don't forget to ask for the rules of the minimum wage law,
and comply.

Regardless of how small your business is when you begin, never
walk in with the thought in mind that it's something to keep you
busy. Anyone with an attitude of that kind is a fool. You begin
and make a business successful in order to realize financial
freedom. Establish your business. Put it on its feet, and then
hire other people to do the work for you. And those businesses
that require an operations manager, or someone to run a phase of
the business you're too busy to handle, hire the person needed or
the business will surely suffer.

To protect the investment of your business, you need business
insurance. If you've never had any experience with business
insurance, simply look under the heading of "business insurance"
in your phone directory. Ask for bids from several different
companies or agents...Primarily, you should have a policy that
gives you general liability, fire, workmen's compensation,
business interruption, and vehicle coverage. You amy also want
coverage against possible losses related to burglary, robbery,
Life & Accident, Key Man, and Fidelity Bonds.

As the sole proprietor of a business, you won't be paid as an
employee, so there will be no income tax deducted from whatever
you withdraw from the company's earnings. What you'll have to do is
a gain check with the IRS Office for a Tax Guide For Small
Businesses Handbook, and probably end up filing an estimated tax
return on a quarterly basis.

The minute you open your doors for business, you'll have to spend
some time engaged in the work of bookkeeping. Exactly how, and
using what forms, you keep books, should be on the
recommendations of a good tax counselor...The same holds true for
your overall business and/or payroll accounting system. Look for
an experienced CPA that knows the accounting problems to your
particular kind of business, and solicit his advise/counseling.

If your business is going to involve the possible purchase or
lease of operating equipment, again seek the help of your tax
counselor for the most advantageous method of obtaining the
needed equipment.

Basically, arranging for your suppliers to give you materials on
credit will depend upon your honesty and personal financial
statement. The best way is usually a personal visit to the
person with the power to approve or disapprove of credit at the
company where you want to set up a credit account. Show him your
financial statement, and explain your prospects for success.
Then assure him that you've always honored all of your
obligations, and that if ever there's a question or problem,
you'd like for him to call you at home. And of course, give him
your home phone number.

When something unusual happens to you, your business, or your
employees - that's news, so be sure to tell the news media in
your area about it.

The most important ingredient of your eventual success will be
the soundness of the planning you did before you started your business.
Any number of bad things can really throw your business into a tailspin, but it you've done your homework well - really set up a detailed business plan
before starting - your losses or setbacks will be minimal.
Success takes planning. Good luck, and may your life overflow with success in all that you undertake from this
moment forward.

Global Mentors International

Global Mentors International has released a new training system that is bridging the gap in Internet education.

Global Mentors International introduces free training sessions conducted by world-class trainers for Internet Marketers.

Global Mentors International founded in 2006 by David Barnard and supported by Lee Jones, founder of "TruthAboutMLM.com" recently released free training sessions presented by world-class trainers for anyone who wishes to learn or improve their Internet Marketing and Lead Generation skills.

Read the entire press release on this Internet training opportunity.

Starting A Home Based Internet Business

Working out of your home with an Internet business can be the most rewarding experience, both personally and financially, that a person can undertake. The Internet has made a number of millionaires. We all want to make more money, spend time with our family, and these are only a few of the fringe benefits that owning an Internet business can provide. However, individuals that have made their fortune on the Internet have certain characteristics about them that have allowed them to be successful. Their riches were not obtained overnight, and they were not obtained without realistic expectations.

Lets look at some of the things that would prohibit you from being successful online...

Are you currently unemployed?
I see so many people sign up for Internet programs these days that are not currently employed and expect that an Internet business will provide for their families right off the bat.

Businesses on the Internet are not 9-5 jobs that pay by the hour, they are "businesses", and most pay by commission. As with most businesses, there are things that have to be set in place before you are going to start attracting customers. This does not happen overnight, this is something that you will put in place over time.

Are you unwilling to invest your money?
Many programs on the Internet offer free sign-ups, free products, and free websites to help an individual get started in an Internet home business. This is fantastic, because in order to make money on the Internet, you have to have a product to sell, and you are going to need a website for your customers to go to purchase your products. However, customers won't know that your website exist unless you advertise it. Many high traffic sites on the Internet will allow you to advertise your products on their site for a fee.

Getting your website listed on the search engines is free and will supply you with a never ending traffic stream. But many search engines are unwilling to list free affiliate websites. The way that we overcome this is to build our own sites and link them to our affiliate websites. Building your own website will cost you around $25. So as you can see, if you cannot initially invest at least $25 - $50 a month on your Internet business, you are probably not going to succeed.

Are you unwilling to invest your time?
I spend about 2 hours a day online through the week working on my business. I am advertising and submitting my website to various search engines, directories, and other high traffic sites. I am critiquing my website, sending emails to my affiliates in training, making deals with other webmasters, etc.

I also do an enormous amount of reading. I have found that entrepreneurs who have made a fortune on the Internet are only too happy to share their knowledge on how they got there. Some days I put in more time and some day's I don't work at all. But, I know that every hour I spend on setting my business up is just one step closer to reaching my financial goals. If you are unwilling to invest your time...you are probably not going to succeed.

Are you unwilling to give up your skepticism?
Many times I have an affiliate sign up for my program, and the first thing I hear is how they have been burned by another Internet business. While I'm sure there are millions of Internet scams out there, I see a common characteristic that all these people seem to have...they don't DO ANYTHING!


Operating an Internet business is not a get-rich quick program, nor can you be successful if you are unwilling to invest some time and money. You must have some realistic expectations and stay focused on the goal at hand. If you are capable of doing these things, you can expect many handsome rewards in the future for your time and effort.

The Right Mindset To Start A Home Based Business

Making money and achieving financial freedom can be an easy process if you have the right training and the right tools. Achieving financial freedom is a step-by-step plan of action. The journey is exciting. You will probably run into some obstacles along the way and financial freedom will not happen overnight. But with a good plan of action and the right mindset, you can obtain the financial freedom you are looking for.

In order to enjoy the success in anything you do, you must have the right mindset. Your mind and the way you think about yourself, your business and your financial freedom is where it all starts. Unless you have total belief in yourself and your ability to earn serious money, you will never earn big money.

Success is 80% attitude and 20% product knowledge. With the right mindset, you can succeed at anything. If you want to be a winner, you have to start thinking and acting like a winner.

There is a saying in business, “The amount of money you make will always be in direct proportion to your personal growth.”

That statement is probably one of the most important you will ever read or hear because within that statement is the key to your success. There are far too many people in the home business industry who don’t understand the importance of taking the time to grow the skills and mindset necessary for success.

You need to commit 20-30 minutes a day on your personal development. You should read books written by people who have achieved success in business. The topics of books should cover areas such as self-confidence, better self-esteem, or successful business strategies.

Spending just a small amount of time each day increasing your personal development will grow the skills and mindset needed to be successful in your home based business.

Are You Afraid To Sell?

Relationship marketing. It's the backbone of a successful online business. Fail to forge online relationships and your business will suffer. Simple enough concept, right?

What does "relationship marketing" really mean? Simply put, it refers to the principle that, in order to be successful in business, especially online since it's such an anonymous medium, you need to establish a relationship of trust with your site visitors before you can expect them to do business with you. It requires a commitment to customer service and a willingness to help others for no certain reward other than the satisfaction of helping another and building for yourself and your business a reputation of credibility and trustworthiness.

At the end of the day, though, if your business is to be successful, you have to turn a buck. One of the most common anxieties expressed by new (and even not so new) online entrepreneurs, though, is that they don't want to come across as "selling something" to those with whom they have forged the very relationship that is a prerequisite to actually making the sale!

In other words, the focus on "relationship marketing" has been so much on the relationship that the marketing begins to feel crass and a violation of trust. Many new online business owners report that they feel like they're taking advantage of the trust of those with whom they have forged a bond. Of course, there's no reason to feel any such thing so long as you believe in what it is you're selling and that it's something that will benefit your customers. If you don't feel this way, then your bad feelings are well placed. You ARE taking advantage!

Do you have just a twinge of uneasiness when it comes to marketing your products and services? Here are some ideas to help you overcome the way you may feel in pursuing sales from your prospective customers and how to manage these relationships so that your customer understands that, although you are there to help them, you are also out to help yourself by earning an honest living.

DEFINE YOUR PURPOSES

The very first thing you need to do is decide what it is you're really doing when you create your website or publish your ezine. Is it a hobby or is it a business? The difference is the absence or presence of a profit motive. If it's a hobby, fine. Don't try and turn a profit, just enjoy yourself and make just enough to cover your expenses if you can. But if it's a business, understand that making a profit is non-negotiable. It's the reason for your business's existence. You
will no doubt have several purposes. But the profit motive is key.

Do whatever it takes to crystallize your purposes. For some people, just thinking about it and making a mental decision is sufficient. For others, crystallization requires seeing it in black and white. If that's you, write down your purposes. If you're running a business rather than indulging in a hobby, turning a profit must be on your list of purposes. Recognize that purpose for what it is. Embrace it. PURSUE it with a vengeance. It's nothing to be ashamed or coy about. So long as you intend to do so, and actually do so, by legitimate, honest and ethical means, give yourself permission to aggressively chase a dollar.

Why crystallize your purposes in this way? Because they'll keep you on track when you're confronted by the naysayers who'll inevitably pop up in your life.

BE BUSINESSLIKE AND PROFESSIONAL

The concept of "relationship marketing" does NOT mean getting up close and personal with your customers. You'll save yourself a lot of grief if you just keep things businesslike and professional - friendly to be sure, but not *overly* personal. It's possible to be friendly and helpful in a professional, businesslike manner without stepping over the line into the personal. The people you're dealing with are not your friends, they're your customers. Of course, over time, you may become friends with certain people who started out as customers. But don't start from the position that you have to be friends with your customers in order to engage in relationship marketing. You don't. Keep it businesslike and professional and you won't raise any unrealistic expectations.

ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR BUSINESS'S BEST INTERESTS

One way of keeping yourself in check is by constantly testing your decisions against the criteria "is this decision in the best interests of my business?". If so, do it, recognizing that something can be in the best interests of your business even if it doesn't involve cash flowing in your direction. If not, don't.

Occasionally, it will be in the best interests of your business to do something that may be perceived by your customer as a personal favor. An example might be giving a refund for a purchase under circumstances where the customer is not strictly entitled to one and where you have an ongoing relationship with the customer. You do so in the interests of customer service and this is certainly an example of something that is in your business's best interests.

Sometimes, however, customers can take advantage of such a policy. To forestall this type of problem, if you decide to do something that benefits your customer over and above what they have an entitlement to, make it clear, in a subtle way, that you are doing so for business reasons. Be prepared to set limits though. Know how far you are prepared to go before it stops being a business decision and becomes a personal one and to the detriment of your business interests. Being uncomfortable saying "no" is not a good enough reason to sacrifice your business's best interests if that's the right decision in all the circumstances.

BE DIRECT AND HONEST

Don't be shy about promoting your products and services and letting your prospective customers know you would like for them to purchase from you. Be direct, open and honest about it. For example, if someone emails you and asks for advice about how to get started in an online business of their own, recommend products that you think will benefit them.

As long as you're making an honest recommendation, there's no reason why you can't make a profit at the same time. It's a win-win situation. So stop being afraid to sell. It's the reason your business exists and it won't if you don't.