Thursday, August 31, 2006

7 Short Term Solutions For "I Don't Know How To"

Much of the email I get from subscribers include statements
like: "I am still learning" and "I don't know how to ...".


And although I have an advantage over some of you because I can
read programming code and understand what's going on even when I
can't write code in that language, I can still understand where
you're coming from. In fact, it's because of my background both
as a programmer and programming teacher that I have great
admiration for those who struggle to teach themselves how to
write and use web programming languages along with all the other
things you have learn to have an online business.


But today I am not going to give you another coding tip to
learn, or give you a pep talk about keeping up the good work or
tell you how to handle information overload. (If you are going
through information overload there's an archived tip inside the
Member's Area you should read.)


Instead, today I am going to make a statement that many internet
marketers probably don't think I should make.


You don't have to know how to do everything to get your business
started or to get it growing.


So rather than tell you the basics like get a domain name and
hosting account, create a web site, build a list, learn to use
AdSense or other pay-per-click services, create a membership
site, etc., I want to share a few alternative that may solve
some of your "still learning" and "don't know how" problems.
These are short term solutions to get you started but allow you
to have a web presence to practice with and give you some time
to learn and experiment with what you're learning.


7 Short Term Solutions For What You Need To Learn:

  1. Don't know how to create a web page -

    1 solution is to create a blog at a free blogging service like
    Blogger.com. They're easy to set up and even if you don't know
    how to modify the template you can still start adding content
    that will be archived. The template code has some very advanced
    coding techniques like the use of CSS and dynamic content
    commands however once you know a little about basic HTML you
    will be able to begin making some modifications. Your
    modifications will go inside the <body> section and you'll find
    the template code full of comments telling you which part of the
    blog page is being done with that code.

    You can experiment with your blog and use it like a free online
    training tool. If you want traffic to it you can use it that way
    or you can just use it for yourself and not share.

  2. Don't know how to use FTP -

    For me, this is not a problem. Not because I know how to use FTP
    (which I do) but because I don't use it.

    I currently own 3 hosted web sites, all on different hosts, and
    every 1 of them has a control panel that allows me to upload
    files without using FTP. And these hosts are not an exception.
    Every other hosted account I've had access to has also had some
    form of administration control panel that allowed the same
    thing.

    While some will say that the best way to get your files uploaded
    is through FTP, I actually don't know of any reason why anyone
    would ever need to use it since I've uploaded web pages,
    graphics, ebooks, script packages and everything else through
    the easy to use control panels provided by the hosting account.
    The only advantage for using FTP that I know of is that it
    allows you to upload complete folders with your web files rather
    than having to create the folder and move each file separately.
    And since I don't upload complete folders of information that
    often it's easier and faster to spend the time doing it through
    the control panel instead of getting an FTP program set up
    properly. (Maybe I'm just not geeky enough.)

  3. Don't know how to set up an autoresponder -

    If you can read and you're able to learn simple things then you
    can set 1 up. You can learn the bare basics using a free one
    like FreeAutoBot.com until you're ready to spend money and
    understand some of the more advanced features.

    When I started my newsletter I used a free service provided by
    Yahoo and FreeAutoBot.com for some niche lists. Since I moved
    the newsletter off of Yahoo several years ago I don't know if
    they still provide the service but FreeAutoBot.com is alive and
    well.

    Set up a free account, subscribe to your own list, play with the
    autoresponder until you're comfortable with how it works and
    then get into the habit of sending email to your list.

    It won't take long before you're comfortable enough to move onto
    a bigger and better service. And when you do move your list you
    can ask them to re-subscribe or just keep both places to send
    your mailings. (If you ask them to re-subscribe be prepared to
    lose most of your list so I'd suggest you do this while your
    list is still very small.)

  4. Don't know how to find and use keywords correctly -

    This is a problem everyone shares and the only way you'll learn
    how to do it is to get started. If you do it wrong then you
    really have nothing to worry about unless you've abused the use
    of keywords by over using them because no one will know about
    your web page.

    So get that page set up with your best guess for the proper
    keywords. Then as you learn more about how to choose and use
    them to get search engine traffic, go back and modify your page.
    (Search engines like to see pages that get updated frequently -
    especially when it's the content that's getting changed.)

  5. Don't know how to use AdSense or other pay-per-clicks -

    If that's the only reason you don't have a site up then you're
    just stalling because there are so many other ways to get
    traffic to your site. And while pay-per-clicks are an extremely
    good way to get traffic they can also get expensive until you
    have a good conversion rate.

    I very seldom use any pay-per-click services and recommend you
    don't try it until you either have a page with a high conversion
    ratio or have some deep pockets.

  6. Don't know how to install some type of automatic script -

    There's a lot of hype out there telling everyone they should
    have a free membership site or a free directory site or a free
    giveaway site, etc.

    Hey, it's just hype because I've had this site up for more than
    3 years and started the free membership area last year without
    installing a script. And while it may not have some of the bells
    and whistles that are provided by a script, it gets the job
    done. Also, it wasn't hard or complicated. I made 1 simple
    change through the control panel on my host to make 1 folder a
    private folder and then put all the pages for our area inside of
    that private folder. No script - No database

    Now having a directory site or a giveaway site and using an
    automatic script with a database would really make things a lot
    less work overall, even those types of sites could be set up
    without 1. Giveaways usually last for a short period so while
    you may have a lot of manual work during the giveaway, it would
    only be for a short while. Directory type sites are meant to
    last so if your heart is set on having one then you probably do
    need to learn how to install or pay someone to install a script.
    If you do it manually and the site starts getting the traffic
    you're hoping for you'll have to hire someone to do the work a
    script would do automatically.

  7. Don't know how to get traffic to my site -

    First, until you have some place for the traffic to go then you
    don't need it.

    As you're setting up your site or blog take a few minutes
    everyday to investigate all the ways of getting traffic. After
    you've seen some of the ways to get traffic, pick out 1 or 2 and
    start using them when your site is available.

    Getting traffic is something you'll always be working on so be
    prepared to refine what you're using and to increase the number
    of ways you get traffic as you work to grow your business. Just
    remember, you don't have to use them all when you're starting or
    even after you've had your online business for awhile.

"But I don't know to (fill in the blank)" -

There's a lot of things we don't know how to do when we're
getting started and I've just scratched the surface with the
above list. But it's OK if you don't know how to do something
because it may not be something you need to do right away. If it
is something basic like a creating a site, building a list or
getting traffic then use the available free workarounds to get
started and keep learning.


There are very few who start an online business with enough
resources to pay to have it all done for them and even fewer who
must do it themselves and already know everything there is to
know.


The most important thing to learn about having an online
business isn't knowing how to create a web site, how to build a
list, how to get traffic to your site or even how to make a
sale.


The 2 most important things to learn are:

  1. Learn to conquer your fear of the unknown and your self doubt
    and get started with you plan. Unless you break the law, only a
    few "jerks" will care if you make a mistake and most of the time
    no one will even know you made 1. After you've taken that
    1st scary step you'll face others that are just as frightening.
    But as you conquer each of these steps they begin to get easier
    and less frightening.

  2. There's always something new to learn. No matter how much you
    learn it seems that there is always some new technology or
    someone who's improved on the use of an old one. So after you
    have the basics figured out you'll need to keep learning or get
    left behind in the dust.

Once you've mastered the 2 most important things to learn the
rest will follow. And if you need some time to learn the basics
there's usually an easy short term solution available.


To Your Success,
Susan
FriendsWhoCare Newsletter
http://www.friendswhocare.us/newsletter

PS While I've listed the use of blogs, control panels and the
use of private folders as short term solutions they are also
very good permanent solutions. After you have your site set up
using the control panel to upload your pages you can start using
your blog to drive traffic to your site and your site to drive
traffic to your blog. And there are other ways to use a blog to
help you with your business but that's outside of the scope of
today's tip and 1 of the things you can learn about after you've
conquered the basics.

7 Short Term Solutions For "I Don't Know How To"

Much of the email I get from subscribers include statements
like: "I am still learning" and "I don't know how to ...".


And although I have an advantage over some of you because I can
read programming code and understand what's going on even when I
can't write code in that language, I can still understand where
you're coming from. In fact, it's because of my background both
as a programmer and programming teacher that I have great
admiration for those who struggle to teach themselves how to
write and use web programming languages along with all the other
things you have learn to have an online business.


But today I am not going to give you another coding tip to
learn, or give you a pep talk about keeping up the good work or
tell you how to handle information overload. (If you are going
through information overload there's an archived tip inside the
Member's Area you should read.)


Instead, today I am going to make a statement that many internet
marketers probably don't think I should make.


You don't have to know how to do everything to get your business
started or to get it growing.


So rather than tell you the basics like get a domain name and
hosting account, create a web site, build a list, learn to use
AdSense or other pay-per-click services, create a membership
site, etc., I want to share a few alternative that may solve
some of your "still learning" and "don't know how" problems.
These are short term solutions to get you started but allow you
to have a web presence to practice with and give you some time
to learn and experiment with what you're learning.


7 Short Term Solutions For What You Need To Learn:

  1. Don't know how to create a web page -

    1 solution is to create a blog at a free blogging service like
    Blogger.com. They're easy to set up and even if you don't know
    how to modify the template you can still start adding content
    that will be archived. The template code has some very advanced
    coding techniques like the use of CSS and dynamic content
    commands however once you know a little about basic HTML you
    will be able to begin making some modifications. Your
    modifications will go inside the <body> section and you'll find
    the template code full of comments telling you which part of the
    blog page is being done with that code.

    You can experiment with your blog and use it like a free online
    training tool. If you want traffic to it you can use it that way
    or you can just use it for yourself and not share.

  2. Don't know how to use FTP -

    For me, this is not a problem. Not because I know how to use FTP
    (which I do) but because I don't use it.

    I currently own 3 hosted web sites, all on different hosts, and
    every 1 of them has a control panel that allows me to upload
    files without using FTP. And these hosts are not an exception.
    Every other hosted account I've had access to has also had some
    form of administration control panel that allowed the same
    thing.

    While some will say that the best way to get your files uploaded
    is through FTP, I actually don't know of any reason why anyone
    would ever need to use it since I've uploaded web pages,
    graphics, ebooks, script packages and everything else through
    the easy to use control panels provided by the hosting account.
    The only advantage for using FTP that I know of is that it
    allows you to upload complete folders with your web files rather
    than having to create the folder and move each file separately.
    And since I don't upload complete folders of information that
    often it's easier and faster to spend the time doing it through
    the control panel instead of getting an FTP program set up
    properly. (Maybe I'm just not geeky enough.)

  3. Don't know how to set up an autoresponder -

    If you can read and you're able to learn simple things then you
    can set 1 up. You can learn the bare basics using a free one
    like FreeAutoBot.com until you're ready to spend money and
    understand some of the more advanced features.

    When I started my newsletter I used a free service provided by
    Yahoo and FreeAutoBot.com for some niche lists. Since I moved
    the newsletter off of Yahoo several years ago I don't know if
    they still provide the service but FreeAutoBot.com is alive and
    well.

    Set up a free account, subscribe to your own list, play with the
    autoresponder until you're comfortable with how it works and
    then get into the habit of sending email to your list.

    It won't take long before you're comfortable enough to move onto
    a bigger and better service. And when you do move your list you
    can ask them to re-subscribe or just keep both places to send
    your mailings. (If you ask them to re-subscribe be prepared to
    lose most of your list so I'd suggest you do this while your
    list is still very small.)

  4. Don't know how to find and use keywords correctly -

    This is a problem everyone shares and the only way you'll learn
    how to do it is to get started. If you do it wrong then you
    really have nothing to worry about unless you've abused the use
    of keywords by over using them because no one will know about
    your web page.

    So get that page set up with your best guess for the proper
    keywords. Then as you learn more about how to choose and use
    them to get search engine traffic, go back and modify your page.
    (Search engines like to see pages that get updated frequently -
    especially when it's the content that's getting changed.)

  5. Don't know how to use AdSense or other pay-per-clicks -

    If that's the only reason you don't have a site up then you're
    just stalling because there are so many other ways to get
    traffic to your site. And while pay-per-clicks are an extremely
    good way to get traffic they can also get expensive until you
    have a good conversion rate.

    I very seldom use any pay-per-click services and recommend you
    don't try it until you either have a page with a high conversion
    ratio or have some deep pockets.

  6. Don't know how to install some type of automatic script -

    There's a lot of hype out there telling everyone they should
    have a free membership site or a free directory site or a free
    giveaway site, etc.

    Hey, it's just hype because I've had this site up for more than
    3 years and started the free membership area last year without
    installing a script. And while it may not have some of the bells
    and whistles that are provided by a script, it gets the job
    done. Also, it wasn't hard or complicated. I made 1 simple
    change through the control panel on my host to make 1 folder a
    private folder and then put all the pages for our area inside of
    that private folder. No script - No database

    Now having a directory site or a giveaway site and using an
    automatic script with a database would really make things a lot
    less work overall, even those types of sites could be set up
    without 1. Giveaways usually last for a short period so while
    you may have a lot of manual work during the giveaway, it would
    only be for a short while. Directory type sites are meant to
    last so if your heart is set on having one then you probably do
    need to learn how to install or pay someone to install a script.
    If you do it manually and the site starts getting the traffic
    you're hoping for you'll have to hire someone to do the work a
    script would do automatically.

  7. Don't know how to get traffic to my site -

    First, until you have some place for the traffic to go then you
    don't need it.

    As you're setting up your site or blog take a few minutes
    everyday to investigate all the ways of getting traffic. After
    you've seen some of the ways to get traffic, pick out 1 or 2 and
    start using them when your site is available.

    Getting traffic is something you'll always be working on so be
    prepared to refine what you're using and to increase the number
    of ways you get traffic as you work to grow your business. Just
    remember, you don't have to use them all when you're starting or
    even after you've had your online business for awhile.

"But I don't know to (fill in the blank)" -

There's a lot of things we don't know how to do when we're
getting started and I've just scratched the surface with the
above list. But it's OK if you don't know how to do something
because it may not be something you need to do right away. If it
is something basic like a creating a site, building a list or
getting traffic then use the available free workarounds to get
started and keep learning.


There are very few who start an online business with enough
resources to pay to have it all done for them and even fewer who
must do it themselves and already know everything there is to
know.


The most important thing to learn about having an online
business isn't knowing how to create a web site, how to build a
list, how to get traffic to your site or even how to make a
sale.


The 2 most important things to learn are:

  1. Learn to conquer your fear of the unknown and your self doubt
    and get started with you plan. Unless you break the law, only a
    few "jerks" will care if you make a mistake and most of the time
    no one will even know you made 1. After you've taken that
    1st scary step you'll face others that are just as frightening.
    But as you conquer each of these steps they begin to get easier
    and less frightening.

  2. There's always something new to learn. No matter how much you
    learn it seems that there is always some new technology or
    someone who's improved on the use of an old one. So after you
    have the basics figured out you'll need to keep learning or get
    left behind in the dust.

Once you've mastered the 2 most important things to learn the
rest will follow. And if you need some time to learn the basics
there's usually an easy short term solution available.


To Your Success,
Susan
FriendsWhoCare Newsletter
http://www.friendswhocare.us/newsletter

PS While I've listed the use of blogs, control panels and the
use of private folders as short term solutions they are also
very good permanent solutions. After you have your site set up
using the control panel to upload your pages you can start using
your blog to drive traffic to your site and your site to drive
traffic to your blog. And there are other ways to use a blog to
help you with your business but that's outside of the scope of
today's tip and 1 of the things you can learn about after you've
conquered the basics.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

"Place Your Ad Here"

Have you ever been driving and seen an almost empty billboard with only the words: "Your Ad Here" followed by a phone number? (In case your not familiar with the word "billboard" it's a large outdoor signboard that holds advertising and you can read them as you drive on highways.)

Now placing your ad on a highway billboard is not free however you may have something that's just as effective and is totally free.

If you are building a list of subscribers or selling products other than affiliate products you have your own billboards. You probably call them "thank-you" and "download" pages.

Every time someone joins your list or buys something from you you have captured their attention and they are reading what you have to say. Sure you need to say "thank-you" and maybe you even need to give them some instructions for completing the subscription or getting their product but you can also make a recommendation for another product, service or list.

While many internet marketing experts state that you should use this space for your upsell, I'll tell you that it's unrestricted space and you can use it however you want. Sure, if you've got an upsell product then this is the perfect place to let your reader know about it. But if you don't have an upsell product you can still use it to recommend a product that is related to what they've just signed up for or bought.

An even better way to use this empty space is to give your new reader or customer a good quality gift like a free report or ebook. By giving them something extra you are now seen as someone who delivers more than expected and that will help you with future sales.

If you do give a gift the important things to remember are:
  • The gift should be of value to the intended receiver.
  • The gift should be about something they are interested in so they will use it.
  • The gift should be something that will help you with your business. A viral ebook, a report promoting another product, a tool with your brand are just a few of the things that make a good gift.

Saying thank you is a must. Leaving the rest of your online billboard empty is wasting some of your most effective free advertising space.

Remember, those who get to your thank you and download pages are part of your targeted market, they're interested in your offer because they've just accepted 1 and giving them another offer is free. And that's as good as it gets in online marketing.

To Your Success,
Susan

PS If you've ever seen a "One Time Offer" after you've signed up at a free membership site you've seen an effective use of a thank-you page. The "OTO" was designed to:

  1. Create a sense of urgency so the reader would make a purchase.
  2. Get new affiliates to advertise the membership site. (Viral marketing at work.)

The "OTO" is 1 example of how you can put your free advertising space to work.

Friday, August 18, 2006

Do You Have To Be Hit By A Car To Learn?

When you're a parent it seems you're constantly trying to teach things to your kids.

When they're very young you're trying to teach them the basics like walking and talking.

A couple of years later you're trying to teach them to look both ways before crossing a street and to not interrupt someone who's already talking.

Why do you do these things?

Because they need to know the basics and they need to know how to do them correctly. Walking in front of an oncoming car is Not doing it correctly. Take it from someone who learned the hard way, getting hit is NOT the way to learn that you need to look both ways. (I actually got hit by a motorcycle).

Now let's pretend you're fairly new to internet marketing and someone like me is trying to teach you the basics. We tell you that you should be doing something but for 1 reason or another you don't do it.

Since we aren't sitting next to you at your computer we can't pull you back from the oncoming car and scold you. We have to assume that once you've been told you'll heed our advice and do it.

While the above is true for most who offer advice I am putting my secret "mother's-method of knowing what you're doing" to work and scold you for not doing something that I and many other internet marketers have told you to do...

Use 2 of the freest forms of promoting your site or products:

  1. Signature files
  2. 404 error pages

At least 85.7% of my readers are not using both of these methods and at least 77.78% are not using the 1 that everyone can use whether they have a site or not - Signature files.

Maybe you're not doing these because you think they don't work. In truth - they won't make the bulk of your income unless that's the only way you promote your site and products however, it's free advertising and getting only 1 new subscriber or 1 sale from them makes them worth more than you paid for them.

Do internet marketing giants use them? Sometimes - it depends on:

  1. If they remember to set them up. (Sometimes even gurus forget things.)
  2. Who's getting the email. (They have several email accounts. Personal friends, family and business partners accounts won't have a signature file but replies to all potential customers like subscribers and previous customers often do.)

Let's check a couple of popular sites to see if they're using 404 error pages - and remember, we're doing research so don't stop to buy anything.

Last week we talked about the butterflys so let's check:http://www.butterfly.com/. Ok, now go to http://www.butterflymarketing.com/xyz.htm. How about http://www.getresponse.com/ and http://www.getresponse.com/htl.htm.

Heck, why don't you check Google and Yahoo too. Just type /makeupsomething.html after the .com part.

Here are the important things to remember when you're deciding if you should take the time to create your own signature file and 404 error page.

  1. It will cut down on the frustration factor for site visitors who are trying to find your site.
  2. It may get you a subscriber or a sale.
  3. It's free and used by the "big guys" when they remember.
  4. The "big guys" have the luxury of forgetting because of the amount of traffic they get - you don't get that much traffic and need to use every possible resource available.
  5. If it's good enough for the best known sites on the web, Google and Yahoo, it's good enough for me.

Now consider yourself pulled back and scolded because you're not doing 2 of the basics. And remember, I have my methods and will continue to get on you about this every once in awhile until I think you've got it right.

To Your Success,
Susan

Thursday, August 10, 2006

We Don't Learn Japanese to Drive a Toyota


At some point we're all newbies at something. Fortunately when I
was just starting my online business I discovered the
Newbie Club and that's where I've gotten today's tip. If you
haven't yet checked out Joe Robson's club I highly recommend you
do. It's been a highly recognized and respected site for around
6 years and membership is free. And please don't think it's 1 of
those "fad" freebie sites popping up all over because it's not.
There's a lot of content inside Joe's membership area and
newsletter. - Susan


We Don't Learn Japanese to Drive a Toyota


By Joe Robson

Some time ago I wrote a Direct Mail Package and full page
magazine ad for an International Database Developer Software
company. What's that? Well I didn't know either. It is so
technical it took me a week to translate their existing sales
literature from 'Techie-Speak' into English.

Their literature was written and aimed at very technically
minded people. Computer Programmers in particular.

However, I wrote the new sales messages in 'layman's language'.
Why?

Because even technical people don't always understand everything
technical. And tomorrow's 'Techie' is today's 'Newbie'. And
TODAY'S customer.

Sales increased by 400%.

I'll repeat that - 400%. Does that tell you anything besides the
fact that I like to show off?

------ What does that tell us?

Maybe it tells us that 'Techies' also understand

'Newbie-Speak' but not the other way round.

Here's an ezine Ad I came across from a 'Techie' who has never
heard the word 'Newbie'.........

####

XYZ Jukebox is integrated digital music-management software for
the home. It combines a CD ripper,MP3 encoder, play list maker,
ID3 tag editor, and media player in one package. CD audio is
digitally extracted and encoded directly to MP3 format with no
intermediary WAV file, using Xing MPEG encoding technology.

####

Hmmm I wonder if it would play music CD's on my computer....

The point I'm making is that this piece of software may make a
great deal of difference to my lifestyle. If I knew what it was
I may well be tempted to buy it!

I am reminded of an experience some years ago when I ventured
out to buy a new Hi-Fi system. You've been there.

I visited FOUR stores and was blinded with science by 17 year
old 'sales executives' with fluff on their chins, whose sole
purpose in life seemed to be to exhibit their superior knowledge
about electronics. Sub Whoofer? I want music, not an aquatic
Rottweiller!

I finally came across a PROFESSIONAL salesman who asked me what
I WANTED from a Hi-Fi, and demonstrated a system that SUITED MY
NEEDS. He made a $1500 sale to a Hi-Fi Newbie in 10 minutes.

The fact that when I got it home I couldn't understand the
Manual wasn't his fault! It was written in 'Techie-Speak'!

------ Everyone was a Newbie once.

This wide spread use of Jargon on the Web is the very reason Tom
Glander and I set up The Newbie Club at

http://www.newbieclub.com


It's a brand new concept designed to teach PC and Internet
Newbies the basics of using computers and the Web. Because they
were blinded by Techie-Speak by the salesperson, and
confounded by the same language in their user manual!

Using the unique Newbie Club Learning System, the products and
the site itself are 100% free of Jargon and technical terms of
any kind.

In fact the System is so unique and successful it's being used
by Banks, Computer Societies, and individuals alike.

So remember this before you write your Sales Copy.....

Just because your product is 'technical', don't assume that it's
the language your readers prefer - or even understand.

They don't.

They want to know what the BENEFIT of your advanced technology
is going to do for them.

In English .... In Newbieish .... In Anyish.

But not in Gibberish!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Joe Robson is author of Make Your Words SELL! co-authored by Ken
Evoy. Joe and Tom Glander are Co-Founders of The Newbie Club
which is bulging with revolutionary Internet and PC Newbie
tutorials. CLICK ON OVER to http://www.newbieclub.com and look at their very
professional Affiliate Program. It's BIG! Joe's Copywriting site
is at http://www.adcopywriting.com


========================================


I hope you enjoyed and learned something from today's tip. And
if you ever find Techie Gibberish in this newsletter - Please
let me know!


To Your Success,
Susan

Thursday, August 03, 2006

10 4-Letter Words You Need In Your Vocabulary

When you were growing up did your parents teach you not to use 4-letter words?

Mine sure did.

Oh, they didn't mean "all" 4-letter words, just a select few but those were a real no-no in my house.

Well, today I am going to list 10 4-letter words that you should not only be using but should be living if you want your online business to succeed.

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Work - "sustained physical or mental effort to overcome obstacles and achieve an objective or result"

While this is a word we would all like to get out of our vocabulary it's 1 that we can't avoid - especially when you're first starting your online business.

There are no true "get rich" schemes or programs although there are many that make that offer. And it's true that someone does "get rich" with them - the ones who "worked" to set them up!

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Time - " the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues"

While we would all like less "work", we would like to have more "time" - there's just never enough of it!

But in online businesses there is no such thing as "instant". Yes, there are those who promise "instant" results but the truth is - it takes "time" (sometimes a lot of it) to achieve those "instant" results.

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Plan - "a method for achieving an end"

Unfortunately, most people who start online business don't understand what a "plan" is or how to create one. We are all so busy learning and trying new things that we forget we need to map out the steps we need to take to build a successful online business.

Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, there are many ways to build a successful online business. The trick is identifying the 1 that will work for your business and then staying with it until you succeed.

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Give - "to put into the possession of another for his or her use"

Most of us have heard the saying, "It's better to give than receive." And it's true!

To be a successful online business person we must continually give the best we have to offer. We must "give" quality information, products or services to prove our worth to potential customers. And if we provide something worthy of being shared, we can have our gift spread the word about our business (also known as viral marketing).

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Sell - "to deliver something to another for money"

Most people don't like to "sell" things. In fact, many of us have been taught to be wary of salespeople.

It's because we don't want to "sell" that there are programs promising "no selling required." But before you leap to 1 of those offers, stop and think about it. If no one has to sell anything how can money be made?

The sad fact is, you have to "sell" something to make money online. When you recommend products or services, when you make suggestions, when you negotiate partnerships, you're selling. So if your online business is to succeed, you must learn to sell!

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Help - "to change for the better"

Helping others is what it's all about!

While a successful online business must sell things it must also provide information, products or services that "help" others. If you're not truly trying to "help" others those who get what you're offering will soon realize you're just trying to make a buck by selling them things.

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Free - "not costing or charging anything"

While I like "free" as much as anybody I'll tell you right now that there's not much on the internet that's really "free"!

We can get "free" websites, ebooks, reports, autoresponders, hosting, traffic, etc all without paying money for them. But we usually do have to give something in return - our email information.

Because most people think of "free" as not costing money we can offer "free" items in exchange for their email address. And getting a list of those who accept "free" items is 1 of the basic building blocks for a successful online business.

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List - "a series of email addresses to whom you have permission to send email "

If you haven't heard, "the money is in the list", then let me be the first to tell you.

However, while there may be money in the list of those who've accepted your offer of a "free" gift, the successful online business person is collecting the emails of those who've made purchases because that's the "list" that produces all those "see how much I made" results.

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Cost - "the amount or equivalent paid or charged for something"

Have you noticed how everything seems to be getting more and more expensive? With the rise of gas prices we know why physical products are becoming more expensive but it seems to be affecting the cost of digital products too.

True, there are many that equate high prices with quality and that's 1 of the reasons people charge for their products. (Of course they want to make money too.) The important thing to remember is that you must provide enough quality in your product that people will feel that they've received more than they've paid for and you must keep the price at a level where you'll make the most sales.

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Cash -"money or its equivalent (as a check) paid for goods or services at the time of purchase or delivery"

This is what most online business people are working so hard to get. And believe me, it's getting harder all the time otherwise there wouldn't be so many "big names" promoting each others products and so many articles being written about why you have to "buy things" to make money.

However, while you are working to make some "cash" you have to remember what many have forgotten. You first have to have something that will "help" others and then "sell" it at a "cost" they can afford.

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As you go out and build your online business you need to remember all 10 of these 4-letter words and what they mean. All of them are important and all of them are a vital part of every successful business.

To Your Success,
Susan