Internet Marketing

Before we get into marketing methodology, let me say that although it is vitally important that you create and publish your own website, which will become your primary marketing site, it is perfectly acceptable to start advertising any and all of your products and services before you get your webpage up on the internet. At the very least, you will start to get an idea of what it takes to get your name out there, which will be great practice for when you have all the proper components in place.

Remember that the primary goal of advertising is to get people to view your website - the one that markets you. The ultimate goal is to get them to sign up for the products and services you are offering.

I've spoken of the importance of developing writing skills in order to become an effective marketer, and your advertising will depend heavily on how much time and effort you have devoted to this. Remember that it is important to use some method of tracking the amount of response to your advertising, so that you can measure its effectiveness. Content is King!

Free Methods

Blogging - blog is short for web log, and is simply a venue for commentary and discussion on any subject you can think of. Publishing a blog is easy - go to Blogger, sign up and start writing! As a network marketer, you obviously want to write about your experiences - and then invite others to join in via other forms of free advertising. This great free exposure, but be sure not to play up on any lack of knowledge you think might be a deterrent to others joining in your discussion. Look for other blogs related to Network Marketing, and invite the author to trade links.

Article Writing - as I've mentioned on this website, I do some writing for pay at one of the sites for which I've provided a link. When I submit those articles for pay, I make sure that I indicate that it is NOT for exclusive use - which means that I am free to publish the article elsewhere. I can then take the same material and submit it to article directories for publication. In fact, I use a service that submits my articles to multiple directories, but this is something that can also be done manually without too much effort. Some of the recommended sites are listed below, but you can do a web search and find hundreds of others.

ezinearticles.com

goarticles.com

articledashboard.com

The key is the resource box - when you submit an article, there is a special "about the author" section that you'll need to complete. Write a short (and complimentary) blurb about yourself, and include a link to your website. Remember that you are a network marketer, and image is everything. Even if you're not "successful" in whatever terms you feel are applicable, THINK of yourself as a Network Marketer and write about yourself in that regard.

Forum Marketing - there are too many forums out there to even start listing them. I recommend you do a Google search with subject+forum - choose any subject you like; there are thousands of things that are of interest to network marketers. Visit a couple of forums for ideas on what those subjects are, and then do more Google searches. The key to being successful is this arena is to find forums that have active, current and relevant postings and make a real contribution to the discussion. Blatant advertising will not bring the results you seek.

As with article marketing, the signature page (like a resource box) is where you will enter information about you and your business. Join 3-5 forums, and post to them often. Once a day would be ideal, several times a week at minimum.

Free ad spaces abound on the internet. I've used them with limited success, but considering the cost (free!) it is a good place to invest a little time when you're getting started. Simply conduct a Google search for free classified ads and several variations of the term, and select sites that look like they get consistent traffic - which will be evident if there are constantly new ads being placed. If you've developed or are utilizing some method of tracking, you will start to learn what is effective in your advertising and will be ahead of the game as you move into the paid advertising spaces.

Paid Methods

Ezine ads are a good way to get exposure in the marketplace, but you need to do some basic research on the publication to make sure you're selecting the right one. As always, make sure the ezine publishes content that is relevant to Network Marketers. Contact the owner to ask some questions:

How many subscribers do they have?

How many new subscribers weekly? Monthly?

How often is the newsletter sent out?

Have ads for the same or similar businesses run recently?

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a very effective way to drive traffic to your website. Rather than go into a lengthy discussion of this method here, I suggest you visit the following site and download the definitive guide written and published by the folks at Google. It's free, and has a ton of good information.

MaximumEffect

At the risk of sounding redundant, I want to emphasize one last time the key concepts of effective advertising…

Market Yourself!!!

Content is King!!!

Track your advertising!!!