|
BrainStormingNow that the basics are out of the way, lets get started. We need to figure out exactly what it is you want to do. This will be the most important step you take, all the other steps will stem from this one.  Do
you want to create a newsletter, sell a product, or market a service?
We will go through and show you examples from each option. First,
there is the newsletter. One example of this is the www.internetstockreport.com.
A newsletter is usually designed to inform users and visitors of new
information or products that particular website is researching or
promoting. There are many newsletters on the web that cover various
subjects, ranging from the stock market to news in Australia and everything
in between such as e-newsletters.internet.com/samples/dot-au-html.html.
A newsletter gets its income from advertisers and sponsors. The more
traffic you can generate the more you can charge for advertising "spots."
It is comparable to TV shows that generate a lot of viewers and can
therefore charge more for those commercials in their respective time
slots. The second option we named was to sell a product. What kind of product do you want to sell? Will it be clothes, electronics, travel tickets or maybe wine. The most important thing is to find a product that interests you, and will enjoy promoting and selling. Maybe you have your own line of clothing or would like to market your artwork. One of the very best products is a unique one that can't be found anywhere else. The internet will allow you to potentially market to a worldwide audience, and has no limits and boundaries on who you can reach. Even if you do not have your own product, you can become a reseller for a name brand company. So think about what your interests are and go from there. The third option we researched was marketing a service. Do you have a knack for advertising, are you a good writer, can you write a review on a certain industry, do you like giving advice to people, or maybe marketing your chiropractic business. Whatever service you are offering, the web can help you promote it. A small site and a few referrals might be all you want, or maybe you would like to let the world know of your work. Think about some skills you might have and what you can promote to the world. If you are going to offer a service, you could offer a membership to your website where users pay for your information. It could just be to draw more clients to your current business. Whether it is a newsletter, a product, or a service, the most important thing to remember is, do not quit, and if you truly believe in your business and stick with it, then you will begin to see results. The biggest difference between a traditional brick-and-mortar business and online business, is that it doesn't matter if you are a Fortune 500 Company, or a sole proprietor; everyone has the same opportunity to reach anyone in the world. Now that you have decided on what you are going to do, it is time for us to research and get educated on the subject. What do you know about the market and subject? What are your goals? Set reasonable benchmarks for yourself and it will give you the sense of accomplishment after each one is reached. Have you researched the competition, do you know what they do well, and their strong points? Borrow some of those ideas and implement them for yourself. Some companies have created extraordinary websites from great ideas, which shows why they have become the leaders in their respective industry. Let's take a look at a few. Priceline.com has pioneered a unique new type of e-commerce known as a "demand collection system" that enables consumers to use the Internet to save money on a wide range of products and services while enabling sellers to generate incremental revenue. Hotwire's mission is to offer flexible leisure travelers a quick and easy way to get better deals on airline tickets, hotel reservations and car rentals. Through partnerships with leading travel companies, Hotwire can negotiate special prices -- Hot-FaresSM and Hot-RatesSM -- that can't be found anywhere else. Amazon.com opened its virtual doors in July 1995 with a mission to use the Internet to transform book buying into the fastest, easiest, and most enjoyable shopping experience possible. Founded in September 1995, Ebay is the leading online marketplace for the sale of goods and services by a diverse community of individuals and businesses. Today, the eBay community includes 49.7 million registered users, and is the most popular shopping site on the Internet when measured by total user minutes according to Media Metrix. These companies have focused on customer service, and drawn a loyal base of consumers. Concentrate on getting repeat visitors to your site. In order to do this, they will need a reason to revisit your site, make your site easy to navigate, update the information as often as you can, and give your users a reason to come back. Create a mailing list that sends out member only deals or specials. Be creative in this aspect, each repeat visit gets you a little closer to a loyal visitor. Do something to distinguish your site from all the other ones out there.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
