Online Marketing Bulletin

28^th July 2010

In today’s Online Marketing Bulletin

• I’ll have a few of those endorphins please
• Is this the end for EBay
• Master the Internet Basics

Don’t miss out on Your Endorphin Rush

I’ve just been to the gym, which in itself is an achievement because lately I have been incredibly lazy and have used all the excuses in the book to avoid going, only to feel guilty later.

My gym is great it is run by the local authority, exceptionally well equipped and used by a wide variety of people. Youngsters trying to develop that first set of muscles, a few, more senior clients, seeking trimmer shapes, and a group under going rehabilitation exercises but what put me to shame was Ted a 75 year old gentleman lifting weights, cycling and jogging and with a smile on his face.

One common factor was that they were all working hard, obviously at different levels, but there was a real commitment from every one and of course there was a reward at the end – The Endorphin Rush.

Endorphins are chemicals produced by the pituitary glands during exercise and they resemble opiates in their ability to produce a feeling of well-being. They are also known to act as natural pain relievers.

I can personally vouch for this feel good factor that a good session of exercise produces and enjoying my “rush” a little later I was able to draw parallels between my gym colleagues and business colleagues. Put simply the greater the effort a person puts in the greater the reward, be it endorphins from the gym or financial rewards from your business.

I will definitely be back at the gym tomorrow, I’ll see if I can keep going longer than Ted.

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Is it the end for EBay
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EBay has recently come under attack from some quarters for the raft of regulations being introduced which many claim are aimed to discourage individuals from trading and in a December 2009 article from Mail Online by Sean Poulter he states that “Fixed price sales overtake auctions as Tesco brigade muscle in”. His full article is reproduced below.

It made its name as the online auction site for amateur traders where you could bid for a bargain and offload those unwanted items from the loft.

But 14 years on eBay has been swamped by big retailers.

For the first time, auctions have been outnumbered by straight sales at fixed price Tesco is selling returned and reconditioned items such as iPods at below the High Street price.

Argos is doing similar, while Littlewoods offers ‘clearance’ bargains through eBay.

Many small businesses have used the marketing possibility of eBay to sell online. And they have been so successful mainstream retailers are moving into the market.

They allow customers to find items at a cheap price without having to go through a time-consuming – and potentially frustrating – auction.

Some 56 per cent of global sales on eBay are made at a cost predetermined by the seller.

The arrival of the major names has caused some antagonism among the small traders who feel their ability to reach customers is being trampled on by powerful multi-national brands.

At one time, the idea of competing in web auctions in search of a bargain was an innovation and fun. However, some buyers have become bored with having to spend so much time watching items and upping their bids to beat off rival purchasers.

Consequently, this group is offering to buy items on a fixed price basis because it is simple and quick.

Paolo Pescatore, a technology industry analyst at CCS Insight, said: ‘People want predictability. For an item that’s been available for five days, you’ve submitted a bid on the first day, and then been pipped right at the post, it is annoying.’

Richard Kanareck, of eBay UK, said: ‘Ten years ago auctions were fun…Ten years later that’s so commonplace that people want it to be quick, easy and mainstream.’

The website is seeing more internet auctions. However, the pace of growth has been outpaced by an explosion in the number of fixed price purchases.

According to Nielsen, the market research company, about 18 million people in Britain visit eBay every month, making it the top e-commerce site in Britain.

The website makes huge profits through taking a small commission from every item made available for sale, although the recession has recently dented its income.

The brand has, however, been tarnished by revelations that criminal gangs have targeted the site.

Scams can include the sale of fake goods and fraudsters who ‘pay’ top prices with banker’s drafts that turn out to be worthless.

Around 18 million people in Britain visit eBay every month. It remains the country’s favourite ‘e-commerce’ site.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1234840/Is-end-eBay-Fixed-price-sales-overtake-auctions-Tesco-brigade-muscle-in.html#ixzz0o8KAIPsf

Make what you will of this article but what we cannot ignore are the success stories. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Over ten years ago Mark Radcliffe earned £7-an-hour working at Tesco, he is now a multi-millionaire. He owns a Ferrari and an Aston Martin, and runs a 10,000 sq ft warehouse in Merseyside. The business has grown to become one of the biggest sellers on eBay.

He started selling mobile phone accessories then computer accessories and the business just escalated; he was able to build his business without having to lay out a great deal of money. “The internet means that virtually anyone can succeed in business,” he said.

Jane Williams, the Online Retail Manager at Sense Trading could see collector’s items being donated to shops that weren’t getting all the money they were worth. So she decided to sell through the eBay for Charity programme. By working closely with local shops and carefully organising all the logistics, Jane has turned Sense Antiques and dress*sense into thriving online operations.

Then there is Cathy a Chicago business woman who used her knowledge of diving to book vacations for fellow divers and the word quickly spread. She opened Visibility Unlimited specialising in diving equipment and when the economy took a downturn started selling on eBay.

In the first three years of trading on eBay Cathy experienced unprecedented sales and worldwide growth. Cathy is now selling over 250 items per month on her eBay Store, many to repeat customers and referrals. Overall, Cathy says that although she’ll never give up her brick-and-mortar store, her eBay Store is more successful. She’s selling more items-and much more quickly. “Dollar for dollar, eBay Stores is still the best value out there.”

Julie King, from Newcastle, gave up her job as an IT consultant after she found she could buy and sell designer shoes and handbags on eBay for a profit. Her eBay business, Killer Heels, has made over £6,000 a month buying shoes and bags from wholesalers and selling them on eBay.

Whatever the multinationals choose to do I am sure we will continue to hear of success stories connected with eBay because it does provide a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs. Not everyone on eBay is going to become a millionaire, but many still make a profit whether selling personal items on eBay or from running a full eBay based business.

Your biggest challenge will be finding plenty of low cost products you can sell at a profit, but why not start by clearing out the attic or garage apparently, over a quarter of a million British households have more than £500 worth of abandoned kitchen gadgets stored away

Starting an eBay business can be lucrative if done properly, take a look at the reviews at this official eBay site, http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/ dust down your unwanted goods and start making money.

Good luck.

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Master the internet basics
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Are you of a certain age and struggling with the intricacies of the internet, or do you know someone who is, then help is at hand.  “Internet Made Easy For The Over 50s”, published by Which?, is the perfect guide for those who want to understand not only the basics of the internet but also want to discover how to make better use of the information they can find there.

Assuming no prior knowledge, step-by-step tutorials and screenshots will ensure that the basics are mastered quickly – from connecting to the internet to contacting others – and on to the best methods of searching on the internet, how to find the information you want, booking online, various online activities, and how to stay safe online.

Top tips feature throughout the book as well as ideas for next steps to take in discovering the internet, and jargon busters explain technical language throughout. And if you still need help, this book includes exclusive access to the Which computing helpdesk.

Some of the topics covered in the book include:

• Connecting your equipment
• Surfing basics and how to stay in touch
• Finding accurate information
• Buying, selling and banking online
• Social networking and blogging
• Keeping your online identity safe

For a copy of Internet Made Easy for the Over 50s, visit http://www.which.co.uk/books

I hope you enjoyed reading Online Marketing Bulletin.

See you next time

Russ Turner

Online Marketing Bulletin

helpdesk@onlinemarketingbulletin.com

Disclaimer: It is my intention to be as accurate in fact detail and comment as possible. However, I cannot be held responsible for any error in details accuracy or judgement whatsoever. This eletter is produced on this understanding.

I do not normally play computer games but I watched my son on World of Warcraft. What an experience but frustrating for him as he found it difficult to level up.

He then found a Zygor Guide that gave him complete control in the game soaring to previous unattainable heights.

Familiar problem? then get the Zygor Guide here NOW

Do not delay if you want to enjoy fantastic experiences in the World of Warcraft

A brief synopsis of my newsletter to be published 21st July 2010.

Online Marketing Bulletin

21^st July 2010

In today’s Online Marketing Bulletin

• Fail to Plan and you Plan to Fail
• Come on lets Blog again
• Chill awhile

Do you enjoy poetry? I’m not well read in the subject but like many others I have my favourite pieces and at the top of my list is “Leisure” by W H Davies.

What is this life if full of care

We have no time to stand and stare.

I won’t complete the piece as it is not to everyone’s taste but read the two lines again and reflect awhile. How many of us live life at 100 miles an hour, work, gardening, DIY, family chauffeur, and the list goes on. How do we fit it all in to 24 hours and get a good nights sleep.

From time to time we all need to find ourselves a quiet corner, perhaps with a favourite glass of something strong, some light reading or the opportunity to stare into space and clear the mind.

We need time to just “stand and stare” or close our eyes for a brief time and recharge our well run down batteries…………

Right we should now be bright eyed and busy tailed and bursting to go like Torchy the battery boy (now who remembers him?).

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Fail to Plan and you Plan to Fail
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This truism aptly sums up why so many people become quickly disheartened when their early attempts to make money bring nothing but frustration and disappointment. How can so many people truthfully claim to make millions on eBay; to be selling hundreds of affiliate products every day while paying just pennies to advertise; to be writing hundreds of short articles each month, every one of which generates double figure product sales?

Many are not and their fictitious claims are made solely to sell dubious products and courses, but there are hundreds of successful Internet marketers who are genuine, honest, entirely credible individuals who not only work hard but also spend as much time planning how to make money online as they do actually putting their ideas into practice.

Having a clear plan and setting goals keeps the mind focused on forthcoming challenges, prevents time wasting and should ensure that time spent on the business is effective and productive. Invest time in working out a long term and short term, perhaps daily, plan.

Your plans should be broken down into separate elements from beginning to end to ensure all the essentials are present and in their correct place. I find that keeping an Excel spreadsheet helps, listing the requisite steps vertically with the dates horizontally. Each day you can check off the individual steps as they are completed. This is particularly useful if some of the steps are not to be carried out daily as a well formatted spreadsheet creates a visual record of what has to be done and when.

Some days you will be faced with seemingly insurmountable tasks; take time out, break them down into manageable components resolve to complete the most important of the tasks before moving on to the next. Do not feel tempted to move between different jobs or waste time wondering what to do next, take this road and you will end up achieving nothing except frustration and despair.

We all feel good about ourselves having achieved something worthwhile; how many times have you looked at the uncut lawn, the unwashed car and the fence you always meant to paint. You cannot decide which to tackle first and by the end of the day-nothing. The following morning you wake up with a steely determination to cut the lawn, it may take you most of the morning but what satisfaction you get looking at your freshly manicured lawn and trimmed borders. Business life is no different, build that web site, send out those important emails, write the overdue copy, whatever it takes-DO IT.

When you switch off for the day make sure you have that “feel good factor” of achievement that you have accomplished something you set out to do. You will start the next day with enthusiasm if you finished the previous one on a high note.

You can get regular free newsletters directly to your in-box by clicking this link.

Kind regards

Russ

Does anyone know anything about this clock. It is by Ebel was a gift but I cannot find anyone who has seen this type of clock before

Here is an extract from my latest published article.

If you would like to read the full article please contact me.

Traffic exchanges operate most effectively in building opt in lists, particularly so if you are in an online money making niche. It is a brilliant and cost free method of collecting email addresses and names for future marketing efforts.

The best analogy to illustrate the how traffic exchanges work is business cards. You could me in a meeting and you would exchange business cards with others in the meeting, similarly with manual traffic exchanges. You view websites, and in return other members will view your website

The first thing to realize is that the majority of the people looking at your advert are probably doing what you are doing, surfing for credits in hopes of driving targeted traffic to their own websites. So to get their attention, and keep it you must have something that really stands out.

Do not use your website, instead you will need a capture or squeeze page which loads quickly and has one eye catching feature that works to your best advantage, remember you only have a brief time in which to catch the attention of a surfer so it must have an immediate impact. A page view is counted as about ten seconds of exposure so don’t use a full sales page or page with high content hit the reader immediately with a free offer.

The free offer could be an ebook, ecourse, video or Youtube tutorial, just make the offer irresistible. You then need to direct them to an opt in form which they must complete to receive the gift. Make this form visible and bold and in a prominent position on the page. You do not want them to leave without completing it.

This opt in form is the focus of this exercise, this is where you want your reader to be, and this is where they must leave their details. Your auto responder company will have a number of options from which you choose one. They will provide you with a piece of Java script that you post to your capture page.

Please click the link for more information on Guaranteed web site traffic

Here is a preview of tomorrow’s newsletter.

Ignore Web 2.0 at your Peril

Online Marketing Bulletin

14^th July 2010

In today’s Online Marketing Bulletin

• Tweet your way to a fortune
• Don’t get caught by any of these scams
• Take time out

Not being a computer techie I have for some time ignored the term Web 2.0 thinking it to be some clever new software. However, over a pint of Guinness the other evening I was at the end of a lecture from a very enthusiastic and well informed friend who told me it was more of a philosophy, a community within which means of communication have reached a new level. He said that it has opened a whole new world for businesses, so I decided to do some research and it really was an eye opener.

Ignore Web 2.0 at your peril

Generically referred to as Web 2.0 is the interaction of people, either through the form of blog comments, social networking sites and other type of web based feedback. Its importance lies in the fact that you can react directly and share information as was not previously possible.

You can receive regular issues of my newsletter Free of charge by clicking the link here

Guaranteed website traffic starts with link building, achieve this on a large enough scale Google is alerted your site gets highly ranked and traffic will follow as sure as night follows day. One caveat, as in most things quantity is no substitute for quality, focus on quality backlinks that are from authority sites and do not engage in  Black Hat tactics, which is defined as the practice of using unethical techniques to make your search rankings go up.

When you begin developing a backlink strategy for your website keep in mind that search engines determine how relevant your website is not just by the quantity of websites linking to you but also by who is linking to you.

There are a great many ways to begin a link building campaign and all are time consuming, well you are in business and hard work = success. They are not difficult though and as it is an essential method of boosting your search engine ranking its time to roll up your sleeves and set about generating targeted traffic to your website at no cost.

Using Blogs to generate backlinks

Search engines have an affinity with blogs and linking a quality, relevant blog to your site gives it credibility with the search engines. First find a blog in your niche that has a “do follow” feature, make a quality posting that will be approved by the blog administrator (do not spam or post nonsense), link to your site using a relevant anchor text.

For those of you unfamiliar with the term “anchor text” this a hyperlink phrase that is keyword relevant and will direct people to your site. You will need to utilise html code to create this link as follows. <a href=http://ABC.com>XYZ</a> where ABC is the name of your site and XYZ the keywords.

Concentrate on blogs within your niche not only will the link be relevant but you could draw traffic from the readers of that blog.

Using Directories to generate backlinks

This is an extremely popular method of generating backlinks; go to http://web-directories.ws/niche/ where a search will provide you with a multitude of directories you can use. Words of caution though, do not try to create a load of links in the space of a few days this could arouse suspicions with Google and risk your site being down ranked. A little and often is the secret.

Again this is tedious, time consuming work and there are software products available that will carry out the function automatically. For reasons explained in the previous paragraph it is not something I would use or recommend.

So focus on one way backlinks, don’t spam and make your blog post relevant and interesting, use relevant keywords but don’t overdo it. I suggest submitting to as many directories as time permits but certainly no less than 25.

Using Social Book marking sites to generate backlinks

Social bookmarking sites have millions of visitors each month seeking information and are a source of backlinks that shouldn’t be overlooked. They also have high PR thus are highly credible websites.

Sign up to the following sites: http://Digg.com http://www.reddit.com , http://www.Stumbleupon.com http://technorati.com and http://www.diigo.com . Start with these five and submit your site to them all, once you start to get feedback add more sites.

Using Article Marketing to generate backlinks

This is a time proven method of generating loads of high quality backlinks to your website.

Try this strategy for a month. You will require a separate blog for this and I recommend WordPress using a theme by Flexibility. Write 20 to 25 articles, on day 1 post article 1 to your blog and then submit to 6 or 7 article directories using anchor text to link back to your blog. Day 2 post article 2 to your blog and submit to the same directories. This time link your blog posting 2 back to 1.

Repeat this for all 25 articles, I guarantee traffic will follow.

I will reiterate this whole process is not difficult but it can be a hard slog and will put considerable demands on your time. Link building though must be a strategy you employ if you wish to bring those hungry visitors to your site. Don’t try and implement each of the four procedures at once, take say a month on each one and make sure it is done thoroughly.

You wanted guaranteed website traffic, I have given you some solutions, give it your best efforts and you will succeed.

My best wishes for your success.

For more on how to Increase targeted website traffic read the article here

Finally I have launched my newsletter, here is a taster.

Online Marketing Bulletin

7^th July 2010

In today’s Online Marketing Bulletin

• Now is the time to make that first small step
• Don’t believe all the hype
• Smile for the Camera

So we have a new Government, did anyone breath a sigh of relief or was that a gasp of despair I heard around the country, or is the jury still out.

I am no political analyst so I make absolutely no predictions as to how our new PM and the coalition will perform. However, I did agree with many commentators some months back that whichever party prevailed there would be cuts both in spending and jobs and a general tightening of our belts was inevitable.

To my mind this is the very best time to start your own home business, so instead of relying solely on your job to take you through an uncertain future take charge yourself.

Would you like to read more or perhaps register to receive regular copies. The Online Bulletin is free and always will be.

Click this link to sign up now.

We continue to concentrate on targeted traffic, always keep in mind you must constantly strive to increase targeted web site traffic and here we take a look at SEO content.

Content is King. If I had a pound, dollar or euro for every time I had heard or read that I would be very rich, but do you know this short statement is a little gold nugget, always has been and I truly believe always will.

Content is the key to developing an Internet presence, build a good reputation with high-quality content and other webmasters will want to link to your site. Make sure your content is focused around your theme and at all times keep in mind that your aim is to Increase Targeted Web Site Traffic. Content must be fresh and relevant so continually add to your site content that is focused on your niche. Becoming a provider of highly focused and quality information about your niche will certainly attract attention to your site.

How do we present this content, consider a few points.

• Be clear and precise with your presentation using two or three sentences for each paragraph, people will not read large chunks of text.
• Separate disparate ideas with headlines, your reader will be prepared for what to expect and will encourage them to continue.
• If you have a specific item you want to bring to the reader’s attention use Bold it will ensure they do not overlook one of your key factors.
• You will lose visitors at the speed of light if you page is boring, unclear or difficult to read. Never patronise but explain things in the simplest of terms.
• Make your page interesting and exiting, initially with some intrigue offering the carrot of greater things to come.
• Start with your most important fact or piece of information and make it compelling if you want them to stay.
• Do not use gimmicks be natural talk to your target person as you would on the telephone. Make it personal and address them as “you”.
• Lists are a great way to capture your main points in a simple and clear format and maintains the interest of those readers who habitually just scan articles, web pages and the like.
• Regularly update your content.
• Remember, people have short attention spans, there are millions of web pages out there in cyber space and you are competing with them. Your challenge is to pull in the readers, and keep them.

Remember this is just one method of how to increase targeted web site traffic but you must befriend the search engines. They can sometimes be quirky and a bit difficult, but so can our best friends, stick with them you need them

For more information on targeted traffic click here