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What Do You Know That I Don't Know?
By Elizabeth McGee
Wouldn't it be ideal to have your own home business? Or
better yet, your own internet business? Work at home, be
with your family and schedule your time however you want.
It's a popular dream, but it's often just that, a dream.
Well my friends, you can turn that dream into reality.
Did you know that according to marketingvox.com, online
retail spending totaled $81.6 billion for all of 2005, up 24
percent from $65.8 billion in 2004. The figures are not in for
2006 but undoubtedly they've gone up.
Before you say you don't have a product to sell, keep reading.
When most people think about an online business, they think
they must have their own product or service to sell, when in
actuality, there are thousands making a pretty great living
online who do not have products at all. They are in the
business of affiliate marketing.
Here's how it works.
Affiliate marketing is about offering information on a topic or a
product that fills a need or a desire, and offering merchant
products or services that complement it. Sales that you make
from your website for merchant products that you promote
earns you a commission.
So how can affiliate marketing work for you?
Think for a minute about a hobby or expertise you have. If it's
truly a hobby or something you are familiar with then I'll bet
you know a thing or two about it. If you've been doing it for
years, then you've gained experience and knowledge that
probably millions of people would love to hear about.
Perhaps you don't have a lot of knowledge on a topic, but
you are passionate about it. In that case, I'll bet you're
willing to learn more.
Why not take that knowledge or expertise and let it earn an
income for you?
How is it done?
First of all, you must understand what people come to the
internet for, and it isn't to buy things. They come to the
internet for information. Think about that, if you want to buy
a lounge chair, will you go the internet? Most likely not,
however, if you want information about lounge chair features
or the best lounge chair to buy , you're likely to check out the
web first.
Having a successful web business is about offering
information to an information starved society, but it doesn't
stop there. If you have a web site that offers such
information you are laying the ground work for convincing a
viewer to buy a product that you have or that you endorse
through affiliate sales, but first you must present your case.
The mistake that many online business owners make is
building a website, loading it up with products and expecting
people to buy. If you're not Amazon.com, Dell computer or
Overstock.com, you're not likely to make a sale. Why?
Because, unless you are a household brand name, your
viewers are not familiar with you like they are with Amazon,
Dell or Overstock. Therefore, you are first going to have to
win your viewers trust and confidence.
There's a tried and true formula presented by one of the
internet's foremost online marketers, Dr. Ken Envoy. Ken has
spent several years cultivating an online sales formula that
works. However, it not only works, it has made many a
successful business owner of the online business community.
Ken's concepts include creating a content website, bringing
traffic to your site, pre-selling your products and finally
monetizing your visitors for income. His concepts are most
associated with affiliate marketing, however they are a firm
foundation for any online marketing strategy.
It's important to remember that your visitors must trust you
and they don't want to feel they are being sold to. This is
done by knowing your topic, your products and offering as
much useful information about them as possible.
If you can find interested, targeted viewers, offer them
information they can use and then complement that
information with useful products that fill a need, you are
in business.
So what's your hobby? What's your Passion? Where do your
interests and experiences lie? Unless you've been under a
rock all your life, you have something to offer. Why not turn
that knowledge into revenue for you.
Whether you have a product or you possess the knowledge,
build a site about what you know and offer your products or
affiliate products that complement it.
Here's just a few ideas that could get you started in our own
online business:
Affiliate Sales
What's your expertise?
Publish what you know and love... then monetize it. Build a
knowledge site with a blend of affiliate programs along with
Google AdSense ads and earn several nice paychecks a
month.
Create an E-Book
Do you like to write?
Take your expertise and write an e-book. Ebook software
makes it so simple. Build your website around your ebook.
Service Businesses
Do you have a service to offer?
Offer a service related to your expertise. For example, if you
like to write, offer a copywriting service or show someone how
to write for success.
Create Needed E-Software
Are you a programmer? Create a niche-filling software
program. If you are not a programmer, hire one.
Are You a Photographer?
Create a site with collections of e-photos, the e-photo sales
market is booming! Digitize it and sell it.
Hard Goods Creators/Sellers
Are you a small business or a craftsman that
creates/manufactures/retails your own hard goods You can
create your own store. Either use your own products or find a
wholesale dropshipper.
Referrers/Finders
Get paid a referrer or finder's fee by an offline business for
finding a customer or a "lead". There are lots of programs that
pay website owners who send them leads.
Auction Sellers
Use Ebay as a supplemental source of income to auction a
product that relates to your theme. Especially useful for local
businesses or vendors that sell hard goods, and even for
service-sellers. And obviously, for those who want to start an
online auction business.
Local Offline Businesses
If you own an offline business, a Web site is a must. Use it to
grow your business locally and, in many cases, to extend your
market globally.
Putting your hobby or your expertise to work for you is an
excellent way to create a side business, a full time home
business or simply create a few extra well deserved
paychecks each month.
About the Author
Get the scoop, and lots more, on tools and information you need to begin an online business that will help you make money with what you already know.
Learn how by visiting Homenotion at: http://www.homenotion.com/hobby_money.html
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/38433.html
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