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Winner will be selected at random on Monday November 12, 2007.

by: Abe Cherian

Getting your initial qualified prospects to make a sale to
is often called front end marketing. When we run marketing
with the expectation of immediate responses by the consumer
to whatever message you put out there, whether it's Yellow
Pages, newspaper ads or direct mail, this is called direct
response marketing.

Before seeking out prospects, having a marketing plan is
essential to any business. I'm going to present a lot of
research and my objective is to include the need to
quantify all the results from all your marketing efforts.
And to look at all the strategies for conducting direct
marketing campaigns and testing variables to determine the
effectiveness of each of the marketing strategies within
your business.

Most people want to be successful, but few plan to be. Very
few people take the time to plan anything. Most people take
more time to plan their vacations than they do to plan
their lives. The most important thing you can do right now
for your business is sit down and develop a marketing plan.
Most business owners fail or they just move along because
they don't have a plan or goal for their business,

I want you to decide right now to make a detailed plan of
what you're going to do and how you're going to do it. It's
the old saying, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail"

You can say, I want to make more money or I want to be
rich. That's nice, but too vague. You want 20,000 sales per
month, That's not a plan nor will it even come close to
become a plan.

A plan is a detailed specific road of how you're going to
reach the targets you set out and the date that you want to
reach them by. An example is that you can set sales goals.
You can sell so many of your products for a week or so many
of your services for a week. You should offset these in net
profit instead of gross profit because that is the money
you're making.

I know one lady who grosses $9,000,000 a year. Very
impressive, She takes home roughly $100,000 of that. That's
not very impressive, It maybe nice to have $100,000 a year,
but it's not impressive when you're grossing $9,000,000.
That won't really tell you how well you're doing,

You want to put down the numbers in net profit If you know
your net per sale, and most business owners do not even
know this, but if you do you're way ahead of the game. You
can work backwards on how many sales you need, Then all
you have to do is increase your number of sales per week or
net profit per sale.

Develop a strategy for making those numbers, decide how
you're going to advertise. How am I going to get referrals?
How am I going to get people to buy more often? How am I
going to get people to spend more? This is the beginning of
your marketing plan.

Go out and pick five of the best ideas or most comfortable
ideas and implement them. Start using them to help you make
your goal.

Choose another five, another five, and another five. You
want to set your goals on a weekly basis. As you achieve
them raise the level the next week. This way you will
continue to improve and so will your income,

Don't panic if you have a bad week. Just get right back on
track and try to achieve the next week's goals. You want to
get to know the numbers for your business. It is a business
of numbers. You need to know the net profit per sale, net
profit per service call, and how much it costs to get your
new clients. These are critical in knowing where you are
and if you're achieving your goals.

Take some time each week to plan. It's critical. Here is a
simple guide for you to use.


¡è Write down your goal for your total net income you want
next week.

¡è Write down the number of new clients that it will take to
get that.

¡è Write down your goal for number of repeat clients that
you want to achieve.

¡è Write down how many service calls you're going to make if
you're a service business.

¡è Write down how many products you have to sell.

¡è Write down the net income for each item and your average
income per client.


You'll come up with the total income you're trying to
achieve. Each week put down the actual numbers you want to
achieve and you'll find out if you're reaching them or not.
Then you'll know if you need to increase marketing and in
what areas. Creating a simple marketing plan like this
enables you to keep track with all the numbers and helps
you to achieve your marketing goals.


About the author:
Abe Cherian is the founder of Multiple Stream Media,
a company that helps online businesses find new
leads and more customers without spending a fortune.
http://www.multiplestreammktg.com

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on
your web site as long as the byline is included and the
article is included in it's entirety. I also ask that you
activate any html links found in the article and in the
byline. Please send a courtesy link or email where you
publish to: support@multiplestreammktg.com


A Simple Guide for Developing a Marketing Plan
By Abe Cherian
Copyright 2005

by: Nicole Dean

Are you treating your business like a Fortune 500 Company or like a Yard Sale? Take this quiz to find out.

How would you describe your Office?
a.) Corporate or b.) Chaos

Which word describes you personal appearance while you’re working?
a.) Success or b.) Mess

And, how would you describe your attitude towards your business?
a.) Winner or b.) Winging-it

If you chose only ‘a’ answers, then congratulations! You’re thinking like a Fortune 500 company!

If you chose even one ‘b’ answer, then keep reading…

We oftentimes think “What does it matter what my desk looks like? And, who cares what I look like in front of my computer at home. Nobody can see me.”

Well, it does matter. It matters, because you matter and because your business matters. And, if you treat your business like something of value and take care of it, it’ll take care of you. And why shouldn’t you? Your business is just as important as any Fortune 500 Company. It’s yours and it’s special.

Here are some steps to take today.

1. No more working in chaos.
Make your office a “no toy zone”. Your office is your turf. Protect it. If you have little office helpers, then establish one area that can have toys, perhaps a basket or drawer – and don’t let it spread.

2. No more working in jammies.
You wouldn’t show up to work at IBM or Microsoft in your fuzzy bunny slippers, would you? You don’t need to wear a suit, but simply feeling more professional will lead to more professional results.

3. No more amateur phone message
Review the outgoing message on your answering machine. Does it sound like the office of a professional or like chaos central? Rerecord it to make a good first impression upon clients when they call.

4. No more ‘winging it’.
Begin each day with a list of six jobs that you want to accomplish. If you make the list achievable with small goals, you’ll feel much better about at the end of the day.

Are you ready to treat your business like a valuable Fortune 500 company? I hope you’ll take your first step today towards success.

About the author:
Nicole Dean is a mostly-sane WAHM, and proud owner of http://www.ShowMomTheMoney.com– a fun, informative site to help moms find success at home. Sign up for her free tutorial at http://showmomthemoney.com/free-tutorial.htm.

by: Jinger Jarrett

In the early days, guessing was considered to be the smartest thing to do. After all, we needed to start somewhere and develop ourselves from scratch so we were ready to find out what works and what doesn’t.

Today, guessing is the least smart thing do. In fact, it can be the most expensive thing to do in terms of time, effort and maybe money.

So, what has that got to do with you and starting your internet business? A lot!

In my experience, I cannot help but notice that most internet business novices prefer to take the guessing path even though there is a lot of uncertainty when you first step into the cyber marketplace.

I think I will probably never know why, but I believe the reason is, is that they would prefer to save the little money they have rather than to invest in the essential education they need to succeed online. Money is another subject by itself that I can’t cover in this article but I’d like you to know that it’s “time over money” and not “time is money” dogma that most of us subscribe to.

If you don’t believe me, here’s a case study for you.

Ed has $500 to spare on his internet business. He wants to start an internet business but he doesn’t know how to. He came across a $97 E-book that can teach him how to do just that, but he decided that $97 is too expensive and decides to take the free way. Ed wants to get web hosting and domain name but since buying a domain name has a price tag on it, he decides to use a free web hosting service at Yahoo! Now, Ed doesn’t know how to get started let alone recognize his available options. By luck, he’s heard about affiliate marketing and decides to be one. After a couple of months without much success, Ed decides to create his own information product but doesn’t know how to. There’s a paid guide on how one can create his own information product but decides that $37 should go to filling his stomach.

Now let’s zoom into year two, and what are the results for Ed? A lot of precious time wasted shooting in the dark, lousy results, a hole in the pocket, and maybe a swell in the pride. What an expensive price to pay for being a cheap skate!

By the way, the name Ed is a fiction. However, the case study is REAL. And I don’t know how many more people are just like Ed.

Even after a few months in business online, the internet business novices are still just that, internet business novices. This explains why we still have people complaining in public forums about not heading anywhere with their internet business even after a couple of years working online.

Is that what you really want? I don’t think anyone wants to remain an amateur for the next three years, let alone forever. Not me, that’s for sure!

I’d prefer to pay for information that can save me from doing the guesswork. You can say that in a way, I’d rather pay other people who have done the guessing for me so I can get ahead quickly. I don’t mind forking out the money as long as I get to save my own time and effort.

However, most people just don’t seem to value their time. This is evident as most novices prefer to save the few dollars they have than to invest their small sum in saving their time from guessing. This explains why we have people whining about not progressing much online even after a couple of years working online.

If you have been trying to save the few dollars you have from investing in the essential education you need to succeed online, you are guaranteed to have little or no results with so much of your precious time wasted.

So, are you going to guess in the dark or invest in your essential education to succeed in your internet business? It’s your choice from here.

About the author:
Jinger Jarrett is a certified Web CEO search engine optimization professional living in Alpharetta, GA. She will show you how to market your business online for free. You'll find dozens of free ebooks, software, ezines, and tools at her site: http://www.jingerjarrett.com

by: Shane Penrod

Who should ? Why, you should, of course, if you want to grow your business and maximize sales volume! In this day and age, more and more business functions are moving into cyberspace, which means that business owners must be ready to travel to this relatively unknown domain if they want to maintain strong customer ties and stay a step or two ahead of the competition. Don’t worry if you’re not Web savvy; most online processes that are geared to the general consumer are not hard to perform. In fact, most are downright easy.

First, find a lender that you respect that is willing to extend you a credit card merchant account online. This may be the bank where your business interests and accounts currently reside. Or you may choose to shop for another lender with better rates or services. Don’t rush into this decision, however. Plan some time in your schedule to carefully browse the many services offered through a host of financial institutions today. You can browse the Internet by typing in search phrases like “merchant account” or “merchant services” and seeing what Google or your favorite search engine can bring up. Then it becomes a matter of checking out each lender to find the one that will best fit with your business budget or growth objectives. Some companies may seem a little too shady, while others may not have been in business long enough to enjoy a solid reputation. Others may charge a frightful amount for the services you want. Ask around your local business community to see which merchant account providers others are using, and then compare those costs and services with those you find online. You can probably reduce your list to a few of the better underwriters in short order. Then you will need to make the final selection by comparing monthly and annual fees.

Applying for a credit card merchant account online is fast and easy. Just click on the lender’s home page link to “application” (or some variation thereof) and follow the links to the application page. Then type the requested information in each blank. Contact the customer service representative if you do not understand a question or if you are unsure how to answer it. Remember to print a copy of the application if you are able to do so, or keep a copy of the confirmation number if one is provided. Often a company will email a verification of your application’s receipt and tell you when to expect a reply. At least print this page, if nothing else, for your records.

After applying for a credit card merchant account online, sit back and wait to hear about the decision. Often this arrives within a few days or even hours by email, although some are mailed out by post. When you receive approval and open your merchant account, you can begin to accept credit card payments right away. You will be delighted to see how quickly your profits increase as customers begin taking advantage of this valuable service. Don’t wait—consider applying today for your credit card merchant account online.

About the author:
Shane Penrod is the founder of http://www.Merchant-Account-Quotes.comSpecializing in allowing merchants the ability to shop and compare multiple quotes from national merchant account providers. For free quotes on merchant account rates and fees, please go to http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com

by: Andrew Shim

When Hurricane Katrina and Wilma struck the U.S., lives were lost, property and businesses destroyed, resulting in billions of dollars in losses. Among the many people affected was home business owners who saw their life's work washed away in the torrent. However, there was one home business that the hurricanes could not destroy. While Katrina and Wilma raged on, ONLINE BUSINESSES were still running and making money!

Online business owners did lose their equipment and belongings in the hurricanes, but they DID NOT lose their source of income, unlike so many other home business owners. Since their businesses were operating in cyberspace, they were safe from the ravaging hurricanes. In a worst-case scenario, even if the owner did perish in the hurricane, their online businesses could still carry on, bringing in passive and residual income to their family.

When I started my websites a few years ago, I didn't really consider this aspect (since there are no hurricanes where I live). I basically wanted a business that would make money even while I was sleeping, but when Katrina and Wilma raced across Louisiana and Florida, I suddenly realized my websites were Hurricane-proof Money Making Machines! Now that's what I call FANTASTIC! It took some effort in the early stages and money was nowhere to be found at first, but as I continued to plug on, I began to see results and I believe, so can you! So if you want a home business that will keep on making money despite human and natural disasters, consider starting an online business.

Here's a short list of the types of online businesses you could set up :

Sell your own physical product
This is probably the most difficult to get off the ground. Unless you already have an established customer base and your online presence is there to add value to your business, it could take years to build such an online business, but having an online store brings you business from all over the world, something a small physical store can't possibly do.

Sell your own electronic products
Being an Infopreneur (Information Entrepreneur) is really easy these days. There are millions of people promoting their e-books, software and training programs online. You don't have to be an Internet genius to sell your stuff online. All you need is to be knowledgeable in a specific niche and build your products around that niche. There is BIG money to be made in this!

Sell an online service
People will pay a subscription fee to be allowed into the subscribers section of your website to use these services. The types of services you could offer are limited only by your imagination and technical know-how.

Sell other people's products
This is called affiliate marketing. It's the most popular because you don't incur development costs. There are literally millions of products to choose from, and the beauty of this online business is that you can sell to anyone, anywhere in the world – there are NO borders!

Selling advertisement space on your website
This has always been a good money maker. One of the easiest ways to make money this way is the Google Adsense program. You need to paste a small snippet of code in your web pages which will then display advertisements based on your content. Every time a visitor clicks on one of these ads, you earn anywhere from a few cents to a few dollars (depending on how competitive the ads are).

The list above doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the thousands of ways to make money online. How you make your money is really up to you.

I love having an online business! It's like having a sales representative in every home or office around the world (that's billions of homes and offices, mind you) and they never need a vacation, never fall sick, never ask for a raise, never complain and always do what I want them to do! I don't have to worry about visitors not coming to my store because of bad weather or because their car broke down or any other physical reason. I'm with my customers as soon as they click their mouse!

Sure, there are millions of websites raking in the big bucks and my sites could be considered small fry, but the online business pie is BIG and it's growing everyday. There's lots of room for everyone to make money! Depending on where you live, just a small slice of this pie (or even a few crumbs) could allow you to live comfortably! An example would be if you were an online business owner living in Malaysia (where I am) where every 1000 US dollars equals 4000 Malaysian Ringgit, and that's a lot! And remember, you won't have to pay a single cent of what you earn to board up your store windows, repair the roof, pump out the water and clean out the mud from your online business when a storm or hurricane comes. Isn't that reason enough to consider starting your own online business?

About the author:
Andrew Shim is the owner and editor of http://www.positivemoneyideas.coma website which offers FREE IDEAS for those interested in starting their own freelance or home based business and http://www.positivetones.coma FREE resource website for Positive Living.

by: David Riewe

Ever heard of affiliate programs? These are forms of Internet advertising that rewards the affiliates for driving traffic to the advertiser or for other transactions. The advertiser pays the affiliate to place a link on their website, and the affiliate sends traffic to the advertiser in return. Simply put, it's about paying commissions to people who help you make sales. It's that easy. NOT.

Affiliate marketing has its ups and downs. It could be draining if you are not armed with updated information and the technical how-tos. But this article's sole objective is to reach out to you and not to badmouth affiliate marketing.

Here are the following reasons on why web marketers go gaga over affiliate marketing as a form of Internet advertisement.

1. Low cost

Many are scared to go on a home based business because of the capital required. In affiliate marketing, you don't have to spend much to start raking in moolah.

2. Inventories not included

Product management fuss could be very stressing. An inventory is not asked to be maintained. The merchant does the maintenance required.

3. Unlimited income through leverage

When you have a paid job, your monthly income mainly relies on whether you go to work or not. With affiliate marketing, your affiliates could all just lead traffic to your site without having to lift a finger after providing them your ad copy and links. Though not every web marketer earns limitless, it still is a fact that all the necessary matters for the advertiser or Internet marketer are all there to be successful.

4. Go worldwide

With affiliate marketing, you are dealing with a global market place. All you have to do is choose a niche product and prepare all the necessary tools for your affiliates to lead traffic from just about anywhere to your website.

5. Low risk

The very main reason for Internet marketer's enthusiasm with affiliate marketing is its having a low risk factor. Especially for those with low budget set aside for advertising, affiliate marketing is just the way to do it.

6. No closing time

With affiliate marketing, your business works every single second of the day while targeting a worldwide market! What could be better than that?

But all of these will be put to waste if you don't have the right niche product and all the other important tools to make it big in affiliate marketing, i.e., well-SEO-ed website. So better work on this first before ever considering those benefits.

About the author:
Little Known Minnesota Man Making Six Figures Per Year Online, From the Comfort of Home, Reveals His Top Internet Money-Makers to YOU!" Click here: http://www.push-button-online-income.com/pbi