| When I first started marketing, well, you know | | | | fast and accelerating pace. It has literally become |
| the expression-I didn't have a pot nor a window. | | | | a brave new world. Don't jump in too fast. Learn |
| Without the finances to market my business, I | | | | the rules of the road. If you do it right, you will be |
| had to become an expert it what is known as | | | | developing friends and potential customers. I |
| Shoestring Marketing. There are many free and | | | | suggest that you enter social networking with |
| inexpensive marketing methods that in the long | | | | some degree of caution. You can develop friends |
| run are as good as or better than paid advertising. | | | | but also like the non-cyber world, not everyone if |
| In fact, in terms of marketing longevity, these | | | | going to like you and without some degree of |
| methods have given me long term results in | | | | care, you might also develop enemies. |
| building my online businesses. The following 10 | | | | 7 Virtual Worlds. I think that most people have at |
| items are the ones that I have found to be the | | | | least looked at Second Life or one of the other |
| most effective and have long term effects. | | | | virtual worlds that have been created. |
| 1. Build a list. We have always been told that the | | | | In these virtual worlds, you create an avatar that |
| money is in the list and that is as true today as it | | | | is your online ego. You can be anything you |
| was 10 years ago. Of course, with all of the | | | | want-male, female, or even an infinite variety of |
| competition on the net, it is harder to build a list | | | | critters. I have met rabbits that speak and |
| today but, if you follow the rest of my 10 ways | | | | women that suddenly fly away when I get a little |
| to market, it will happen and without a list you | | | | too close. Anything is possible in these virtual |
| really don't have a sustainable business. With a | | | | worlds. Anything including making money. You can |
| responsive list, you build trust and respect with | | | | buy and sell virtual real estate in the virtual world |
| your list members and then and only then will | | | | that translates to real dollars in the non-cyber |
| they buy from you. Of the 10 ways to market, | | | | world. You can created a virtual business that |
| this is the only one that requires that you spend | | | | exists not only in the virtual world but, has a |
| some money. You will need a good | | | | physical counterpart in the real world. Second Life |
| autoresponder. Please don't go for the free or | | | | might be an excellent place to help market your |
| cheap ones, all you are doing is shooting yourself | | | | real world internet business. Even major |
| in the foot. A good autoresponder will make sure | | | | corporation have created virtual stores where |
| that your message is delivered. | | | | you can purchase something in Second Life and |
| 2. Article Marketing. This is a great way to build | | | | have it delivered to your real world doorstep in 3 |
| your reputation as an expert in your chosen niche. | | | | days. My last computer purchase was from Dell |
| The internet has a voracious appetite for fresh | | | | and the whole transaction took place in Second |
| information and if your articles are well written | | | | Life. No, that is not quite right. The transaction |
| and fact based, you will be remembered as an | | | | took place in the virtual but the Dell computer |
| expert in you field. Make sure that you never | | | | that I am currently typing on was delivered in the |
| advertise in your articles. You should rely upon | | | | real world. As with the social networking sites, |
| your signature to do your marketing. No one | | | | reasonable care should be taken. Although you are |
| wants to publish an article that is nothing more | | | | dealing with an Avatar in Second Life, there is a |
| than a promotion for someone else's product. One | | | | real person with real feelings and emotions and |
| of the neat things about article marketing is that | | | | your interactions should be given as much care as |
| some articles stand the test of time and may be | | | | you would in the real world. Everyday, the line |
| published not only when fresh but also weeks, | | | | between the real world and the virtual world |
| months and sometimes years after you wrote | | | | becomes more and more blurred. |
| the article. | | | | 8. Joint Venture Gift Events. Come Easter, July 4, |
| 3. Blogging. Not only do you need your own blog | | | | Memorial Day or Christmas, etc. some of the |
| but, you should also be making comments on | | | | bigger names in internet marketing will create a |
| other people's blogs. Once again a well written blog | | | | givaway event. They are usually free to join and |
| entry or comment will build your reputation as an | | | | you get to offer a free Ebook, membership or |
| expert and you will build trust with potential | | | | some other free offer in exchange for people |
| customers. With your own blog, you can blatantly | | | | signing up for your list. Some of these have been |
| advertise if you want to. I personally prefer to | | | | very effective for me. When getting involved in |
| give my blog readers solid content without the | | | | these make sure that the backers are among the |
| blatant promo. | | | | top marketers and not some fly-by-night |
| The reason for this being is that I am trying to | | | | operation. Many times these events will also have |
| build trust and display my expertise. If you are | | | | an upgrade available so that your offer gets |
| commenting on someone else's blog, never | | | | toward the top of the list. This may be a |
| advertise. Just rely upon your signature to do the | | | | worthwhile investment as some of these events |
| advertising for you. If you try to advertise on | | | | have usually several hundred offers available. You |
| someone's blog, you will likely find that your | | | | really have nothing to lose and if your free offer |
| comment has found it's way to the circular file | | | | is unique, you may have a dramatic increase in |
| and will never be seen or heard from again. | | | | your list. There are other ways to get into joint |
| 4. Forum Marketing. No matter how small your | | | | ventures but that will be an article all by itself. JVs |
| niche is, you will find forums that are dedicated to | | | | are very much a win-win situation. |
| your area of expertise. Before you start making | | | | 9. Press Releases. If you are offering something |
| forum comments or new threads, make sure | | | | new and unique to the marketplace, you should |
| that you read and understand the forum rules. | | | | consider putting out both an online and off line |
| Failure to follow the rules could get you banned | | | | press release. If the right reporter picks it up, it |
| from the forum or worse yet, hurt your | | | | might get published as is or you may get a call |
| reputation. Forum members can sometimes be | | | | from one of the different news mediums wanting |
| very blunt when they see a comment that | | | | to interview you. One of the top marketers on |
| doesn't conform to the forums protocols. Also, | | | | the net today got his start from Fox News doing |
| take some time to read the forum threads and | | | | an interview about his rags to riches story. It is |
| comments so that when you start threads or | | | | free to do and the worst case scenario is that no |
| comments, they are appropriate for the forum. | | | | one pays any attention to your news release. |
| 5. You Tube. I have only just begun to utilize You | | | | Remember the old cliche: nothing ventured-nothing |
| Tube as one of my marketing strategies. But, I | | | | gained. |
| have found that with a little preplanningyou can | | | | 10. Your own Affiliate Program. If you have gone |
| get very high ratings and a very loyal following of | | | | to the work of creating a product, then it is just |
| viewers. It is not unusual to get multiple if not | | | | natural that you offer an affiliate program to |
| scores of comments on a good | | | | market your product. Affiliate marketers are |
| You Tube presentation. This is also an area that, | | | | always looking for something new and hot to |
| so far, has much less competition than most of | | | | promote. If you set up the program properly, you |
| the other marketing methods. I think that this is | | | | could have hundreds or even thousands of |
| from that natural tendency for many people to | | | | affiliates promoting your product. Create the |
| be camera shy. The person that introduced me | | | | affiliate program, create promotional materials for |
| to You Tube, took the top five Google video | | | | your product and pay your affiliates promptly. |
| results in his niche within one week of producing | | | | When the affiliate's prospect visits your sales |
| his first video. Don't be shy. Get out that video | | | | page, you also have the chance to capture that |
| camera and dive into this relatively untapped | | | | person's name and email for your own optin list. |
| market. | | | | Just make sure that if the new customer buys |
| 6. Social Networking. You have heard the names, | | | | one of your future offers, you pay the affiliate |
| My Lot, My Space, Facebook, Squidoo and many | | | | on the new offer also. |
| more. The world of social networking takes | | | | Now the question is why are you sitting around |
| internet marketing to a whole new plateau. This is | | | | doing nothing. I have just given you 10 great |
| part of the Web 2.0 internet revolution that is | | | | ways to build your business. Stop reading and get |
| changing the face of the internet at an incredibly | | | | to work. |