There are a million how to succeed articles - this one keeps it simple.
SEO this SEM that and the all important JATLA - the what?
If you are looking to start or build an internet business, you have
1. Internet Marketing is just Marketing on the Internet
There is nothing new about why people buy - just new tools.
Viral Marketing = Word of Mouth or Testimonials
Social Marketing
Social Networks
Humor sells
1. Overwhelmed With Information
Perhaps, one of the biggest obstacles I faced when I first started my
website - I was bombarded with so much information on how to proceed I
didn't have a clue which direction to take or who to believe. Thousands
of different info products telling you to do this, not to do that... so
much marketing information to absorb that you end up scratching your
head and looking like someone auditioning for a zombie movie.
Completely overwhelmed with so much information, many marketers or
webmasters enter a state of paralysis where nothing gets done. You go
from one course to another or from one method to another, without any
real understanding of how to proceed or how to get a detailed blueprint
to follow.
Information overflow can effectively crush all that novice enthusiasm
and literally kill even the most eager of entrepreneurs. Anyone starting
out must be aware of this obvious but insidious pitfall you have to
avoid at all costs. One of the best remedies, simply try concentrating
on just one or two marketing plans/marketers for all your information.
Try to eliminate the clutter by just working on one marketing system.
Just have a few key marketing resources you go to for information, not a
hundred! And do your homework, only pick marketers who can back up
their claims with observable results on the web. One obvious checkmark -
just see if those marketers have top rankings for their sites for
popular profitable keywords associated with their sites or products.
New Report: Live Chat Drives Sales!
2. Lack Of Key Marketing Basics
There are some key marketing basics or fundamentals you must learn about
marketing online. Internet marketing has some key elements you must get
right or you will have a difficult task in succeeding on the web. Just
simple factors you must get right or it's game over before you even get
started.
Most marketers fail to realize the web is "information driven" and you
must supply quality information or content in order to truly succeed.
You must provide a valuable service or function to your visitors. You
must help solve their problem. You must give them a solid reason to use
your site or product. Quality content is and always will be King on the
web.
You must also understand much of the web is "keyword driven" and you
must construct your webpages to take full advantage of these keywords.
You must have at least a rudimentary understanding of SEO (Search Engine
Optimization) and how you can use it to get top rankings for your
keyword phrases.
3. Lack Of Time And Resources
Another major reason why many marketers fail is because they simply
can't afford the time to learn and build their online business. Most
people just can't stop everything and work full time online because they
have bills to pay and families to support. It may take months, probably
years, before you can build up a successful online business that gives
you a comfortable living. The average person just doesn't have the time
or the resources to spend months learning how all this works.
Keep in mind, getting a business or website going is probably the most
inexpensive way to start your business. Domains are cheap. Web hosting
is cheap. Web design is cheap if you can do it yourself... Compared to
starting a business in the "real" world, creating an online business
will only cost a faction of the normal expenses connected with starting a
business. But the main problem is having the resources to pay your
living expenses until your online business is profitable. Many beginning
online marketers don't have these resources and the main complaint from
these marketers: "I Simply can't afford the time to work at this online
stuff."
Forget Expensive PPC Advertising - There is an Alternative!
One solution is to work at your online marketíng in your spare time and
gradually build up your business until you can afford to do it full
time. It will obviously take longer but you can still get to the same
end goal.
4. Lack Of Necessary Skills
Actually, you don't need many skills to succeed online. However, one of
the major skills you must have or you must learn is communication. You
must learn how to communicate. The web is all about communicating your
points to your visitors or viewers so you must acquire good
communication skills.
It really helps your marketing if you are a good writer because you can
easily get your points across with written text or copy on your site.
Writing skills can be learned but many beginning marketers don't fully
understand how important their writing skills will be to their success.
You must be able to communicate on your site, in your newsletters, with
your customers... might sound a bit obvious but you would be surprised
at how many marketers lack this simple, yet necessary skill.
But don't fret, because once upon a time, the written word was king
online - but not any more. Videos are rapidly taking the place of the
printed word so anyone with a camera can now be a success online. Of
course, you still need good communication skills even using videos, but
many marketers have found this is a much easier way to communicate
information about their site or product.
5. Lack Of Persistence
For me, one the most significant reasons most online
marketers/webmasters fail, is because of a lack of persistence. They
simply give up too soon. They try something for a few weeks, even for a
few months and then they conclude this is not working and they give up.
Building a solid online business or viable website takes time, a lot of
time. Just because your business is online, doesn't mean everything will
fall into place overnight, it takes time to establish a customer base.
It takes time to build your business relationships with others in your
field.
Sometimes, it may take years before you see some solid returns. It was
three years before I saw any significant revenue coming from my online
ventures, and another year before I could summon enough courage to do
this online marketing full time. If I had given up and not persisted at
this web stuff, I would not be writing this article right now.
Building top rankings for your keywords in the search engines
(especially Google) can take months, even years before you see any
results. The real key is to be persistent and keep at it, day after day,
until you get those top rankings. You simply must be persistent or you
will fail.
In conclusion, having said all that, you must also realize there are
plenty of exceptions to all of the above. There have been countless
success stories on the web where someone has come up with a novel idea
or product and become successful overnight. The web can provide
immediate success for some, but for most of us, it will take some time
and hard effort on our part to build a successful online business. Just
try to avoid many of the pitfalls or reasons listed above and you will
have a better chance of placing yourself in the success column.
About The Author
The author is a full-time online marketer who has numerous websites. For
the latest web marketing tools try: www.bizwaremagic.com . If you liked
the article above, why not try this Free 7 Day Marketing Course at:
www.marketingtoolguide.com 2009 Titus Hoskins. This article may be
freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.
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