I could write a lot of pages, maybe even a book explaining what pay per click marketing is and what it can do for your business, but I will keep this short and to the point. Pay per click (ppc) marketing is an advertising platform in which you bid an amount of money that you are willing to pay for a click.
When a searcher does a search at Google all of the ads on the right side of the screen are ppc ads. Google calls them sponsored listings. When a surfer types in a keyword, the advertisers who have bid on that keyword have their ads displayed. When one of the ads is clicked by the surfer they are taken to the advertiser’s website. The advertiser is charged at maximum, the amount they’ve bid. Most of the time they are charged less than what they have bid. But they are never charged more than their maximum bid.
The bids can start at 1 cent and depending on the market and the ppc search engine, go up to $50 or more per click. When starting off I suggest bidding very low. Ten to fifteen cents per click or lower is a good start. The higher you bid the higher in the rankings your ad is shown therefore increasing your ad’s visibility and your potential visitors. The downside is bidding high can cost you a lot of money and in some cases bring you way over budget. Be very careful when bidding.
Bidding low might not get you as much traffic as bidding high but it will bring you traffic for much cheaper thus increasing your return of investment (ROI). One way to increase the amount of times your ad is shown (visibility) while bidding low, is to bid on a high volume of keywords. Some marketers bid on hundreds and up to hundreds of thousands of keywords.
This method will take some time. Putting together hundreds or thousands of keywords can be time consuming, but it is an effective strategy for getting quality traffic, without paying a lot of money. The more you work with the ppcs the faster you will get at putting together lists of keywords.
In case you’re not sure how to generate that many keywords there are many tools on the net that will help. Some are free and some charge money. One of the best free tools is offered by a company formerly named Overture, which has been bought out by Yahoo! This tool can be found here. http://inventory.overture.com
What can ppc marketing do for your business? Depending on your market, ppc marketing can be a great way to get quality traffic inexpensively, increasing your ROI and profit. It is also a great method for testing products because your ad can “go live” in as little as 15 minutes and up to 5 business days. Depending on which ppc search engine you use.
Advertising your business at free search engines a.k.a organic search engines can take weeks or even months for your website to be indexed in their directory. It can take a lot longer than that to get a decent ranking on your search terms. The more competitive the keywords you are trying to get listed, the harder it is to obtain a decent ranking. This is one reason why ppc search engines have a huge advantage over organic search engines.
I, as well as thousands of other marketers think the best two ppc search engines are Google Adwords and Yahoo! Search Marketing (formerly Overture). Google claims your ad can “go live” in 15 minutes but it usually takes a couple of hours. This is really fast. Yahoo! Usually takes a couple of days.
There are thousands of smaller ppc search engines. Some of them are good and some are not. Some will take your money but will not have many searchers. Google and Yahoo have hundreds of millions of searchers every day. If you think about using a smaller ppc do some research and find out what experiences other marketers have had. There are thousands of forums, newsletters, ezines and info sites dedicated to educating people about ppc marketing. You can learn a lot about Google Adwords, Yahoo! Search Marketing and a lot of the smaller (2nd tier) ppc search engines at these places.
What Is Pay Per Click Marketing And How Can It Benefit My Business?
You Can Build Your MLM Business Anytime!
Too often I hear comments about how "I can't build a business right now...it's the slow season".
I look at it this way:
"If people are looking for an excuse for why they can't make money, there's always one available.
They'll say:
- You can't make money in November/December because people aren't interested in looking at a home business during the holidays.
- In January everyone is broke from the holidays.
- In March and April no one has any money because of tax season.
- In the summer, people are all on vacation.
- In the fall, people are distracted with back-to-school.
- In the winter, it's the holidays.
Blah blah blah.
My take? Horse pucky....business is only slow if you are.
IF you work consistently....spring, summer, winter and fall....you will learn it's NOT the month, it's NOT the season, it's what you DO that counts!
"You will hear many people say that business slows down in the summer ...so why is that? Did it slow down and people noticed it, or did people start saying it so it became their reality?
In my mind this comes back to: "whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve."- Napoleon Hill
I have had some of my best months in the summer, all it takes is consistent action on your part...remember: "A straight path never leads anywhere except to the objective." - Andre Gide.
Remember to stop once in a while and re-explore your goals. Are the actions you are taking right now bringing you closer to them? There is NO SUCH THING as standing still. You can only go forward or backwards in life, so keep moving forward.
If you are in network marketing/MLM, direct sales, affiliate marketing, or any other business for that matter; you will find that your business will slow down when you do, and it's not long before your income follows.
Even though it is summer continue to put forth a concerted effort, and you will LOVE the momentum this builds for the fall. Also think about this ever shrinking planet we live in...with the internet you can build in whatever season you want...it's always winter somewhere!"
Does A Fully Automated Home Business Exist?
The short answer is no, in any language. As to the so called 99% automated systems, that’s actually worst because anyone thinks that he can handle 1%. The mind boggling aspect is that the 1% is never defined until you have been sucked in already. The 1% suddenly becomes the 99% and is defined as marketing. Worst of all, in most cases you are left alone with some basic Back Office help like “we will give you all the tools”.
The Good News is that there is a cure for it. We’ll get to this at the end of this Article. There are basically 3 major Dilemmas you are faced with. The first dilemma, I just call it the human factor and that is; We always want more for less. It is a dilemma for both the opportunity seekers as well as the Marketers.
Let’s assume you are looking for an opportunity to make serious money to buy a car, or pay for your University or flat out, become financially independent. Make no mistakes, these are no dreams, they are here for you to grab. Now back to the Dilemma, if you run across an ad that says;
Home Business Opportunity that requires some serious work.
Would you click on it? The average opportunity seeker will not click, period. The above ad is probably as honest as it gets but no one would go for it because it looks like too much work.
The next dilemma is lack of time, lack of focus, lack of action and least but not last, distraction. Everyone seems to be in a hurry, especially on the internet. If you don’t sit down, make a plan of attack, accept some work and get going, you will be back in two years time, reading the same article and still looking for this fully automated system. There is simply no guy out there that does all the work for you and shuffle a Million $ in your bank account. Let’s be serious.
The third dilemma is the inability to separate top programs from empty promises. This is where it gets a little bit more complicated as all of the above factors play a roll.
Due to the large number of offers in cyber space, it definitely helps if you simply use common sense. If the offer is too good to be true, look for tell tales like, testimonials. If you see that reputable internet marketers express their opinion about a particular program, it will give you a fairly good indication. Top marketers will not risk their reputation by joining second rate programs. Also do not fall into little traps like “Last chance“ type of offers. You will always find an other chance on the internet. The only time you have missed your last chance is when you are on the way to boot hill. So life is good, feel free, be in charge.
As to the lack of time, lack of focus, lack of action and distraction. Pay attention not to rush to conclusions too fast. I am confident that you have the ability to think rational otherwise you would not be reading this article. Here is a world famous phrase that sums it up; In order to move quickly, you must walk carefully. Apply this on a daily basis and before you know it, you’re on the road to success.
Once you have selected a program that suits your purpose, please stay focused and above all start to act, take things in your own hand. When you are focused and committed, you will find the time you thought you never had. Set priorities, follow through and the distraction will disappear. You must run your own life or someone else will run it for you.
In my opinion it also wise to stop the habit of “More for Less”. Do you really gain anything by down loading 35 free e-books and tons of other stuff? This is part of the distraction and focus problems. Instead go for less but select it to your needs.
As mentioned at the beginning of the Article, the 1% that has turned into 99% is called marketing. There is no other way around, marketing is the breaking point. I repeat, it’s the breaking point. What really beats me is the fact that there are literally millions of books available on the subject. Despite that, it seems that the point did not get across to most up-coming marketers. One of the reasons might be that, article writing, blogging, ezines, one-way links, forums, list building, Google and others, just to name a few, seems to be too abstract. Instead they prefer the blast to nowhere.
The reason why I put marketing last is that it hope it makes an impact on you. Rest assured it is definitely not as complicated as it sounds. All you need is a program that offers easy to follow step by step procedures. This is an other important tell tale when selecting a program.
Check and see if you only get the marketing tools or if a comprehensive step by step procedure is included. This will cut the learning time by ten fold. Contact the helpdesk, ask specific questions, you don’t want to be left on you own.
Water Your Roots: Maximize Your Home Business Location
Trees need roots to grow. When a gardener plants a tree, he does not water the leaves or the branches. Instead, he sticks a hose near the roots and lets them soak up all the moisture they can hold. In the same way, whenever we begin a grass-roots business, whil we have the opportunity to expand, we must remember to maintain our roots: the community in which we live and work.
In the past the success of a home business relied large on its geographical location. Local farmer would sell their produce to local consumers. Basket weavers would weave their wares for the general public in their community. However, the growth of the internet has literally allowed local home businesses to explode into the global market place. As a result, many home businesses have lost touch with what once was the bread and butter of the home business world: the community.
Home businesses owners must recognize the unique customer base they have within their own community. These are the people they can see face to face, and thus the individuals that can recommend the home business products to others locally. Word of mouth is a powerful (and cheap) advertising tool, and thus home business owners must work hard to cater to the literal customer while serving the virtual customer as well.
Secondly, home business owners can use their particular geographic location to their advantage. Let's say you live in the sticks of the Midwestern United States. Your closest neighbor lives over a mile away, and the closest paved road is well over two miles away. You drive 30 miles one way to get groceries, and 60 miles one way to eat out at a restaurant that doesn't consider "hashbrowns" a legitimate side. You get the idea. You need the global customer, the virtual customer, to survive. So how can you take advantage of your geographical location? Two words: graphic design. If you live in a beautiful, unique part of the world, then use those images as a part of your business logo or website.
Finally, participate in the community. When the local school has their homecoming parade, enter a float for your home business. Join the local small business association, and participate in community activities under the auspice of your business. Contact the local school and see if you can contribute to the booster clubs and put your business name on a plaque as a result. Whenever you have the opportunity for advertising your business and building a positive image in the community, do it.
Just because the world has given us the opportunity to go global does not mean we can or should forget our neighbors. The home business began at home and relied solely on the goodness of those in its immediate vicinity. We should remember our roots when we start to grow, and continue to water them as we hope to reach the skies of prosperity.
Yoga for Business People: Enhance your Business Acumen
There are many of us who feel we are not as bright as we would like to be; or that we lack the will power a friend or a colleague seems to have. What is not known widely - or taken with skepticism even when known - is that mental power can be enhanced by Yoga and meditation.
Don't worry if your allopathic doctors dismiss this claim, or worse, laugh at it in contempt. Allopathic doctors tend to downplay such claims because allopathy has been brainwashed into a sort of negativism.
While the neuro-surgeon himself swears by the mantra which he recites every morning, believing it is instrumental in making divine energy flow through him, he feels that the beneficial effects of yoga on all professionals, particularly businessmen, have hardly been talked about.
Yoga or meditation is very beneficial to business executives because it makes decision-making much easier and quicker. It takes away vacillation and helps the brain to grasp the pros and cons quickly.
A surgeon needs to take a decision quickly on the operating table. Similarly, a businessman may not have more than five minutes to decide. Supposing he has a dollar 1 million business deal where a decision has to be made in five minutes, he needs a brain which is stimulated and in a trim state. In this state, decision-making becomes easy and anxiety level goes down.
In such a state not only is the brain able to think clearly, but the other systems of the body which suffer due to stress or tensions, are also spared.
What To Know Before You Start A Lawn Care Business
relish the idea of entrepreneurship, the start of your own small business can be enormously freeing – both financially and emotionally. Of course, owning and operating a successful business means initially finding a business idea that will meet a need while generating enough of a cash flow to be financially viable. A lawn care business can be a wonderful business, both in terms of the demand for its services and the possibilities for a lucrative return on investment.
Clearly, the first step in determining whether or not a lawn care business is for you, is examining your enjoyment of such work. Starting a business built on financial goals rather than your love of the business is destined for failure. If you truly love to work outdoors, to bring creativity to the table, to nurture a lawn into health and vitality, then a lawn care business will bring you much more than cash. If you love what you do on a daily basis then you will never work another day in your life; because when you do what you love it doesn’t feel like work.
One thing you should know up front before beginning a lawn care business is the non-traditional hours that will be required of you. Many of your customers will require your services over the weekend; some lawn maintenance may need to be done during early morning hours – or later when the sun has set. While you may be successful enough at some point to hire employees who can help offset the workload for you, initially it may just be you. Be prepared for some long days and weeks early on in your lawn care business as you build your customer base.
In the beginning of your lawn care business you may consider keeping your full-time job as you work after hours building your business. Once you begin receiving a steady stream of work you can leave your full-time job and concentrate solely on your new venture. In an effort to build business, it may be wise to offer a variety of services; mowing, weeding, raking, leaf blowing – all of these can keep you busy throughout the year.
If you feel that a lawn care business is right for you begin by doing a vast amount of research regarding start-up costs, proper equipment, fee schedules, and insurance. Hiring a lawyer is a wise idea as he/she can assist you setting up proper financial accounts and more.
As you begin this journey into a new career, you may find that a lawn care business is exactly what you’ve wanted to do all along.
Serving Valued And Essential Customers Is Key To Business Success
Share your knowledge about your product or service with your customers. You will find that teaching customers will help you learn how best to build and manage your business.
Imagine yourself as the customer desiring to purchase a wedding cake. Your first step may be to visit a local bakery who you know bakes cakes and other goodies. The bakery employee listens to your request for a wedding cake. He or she may show you pictures or actual cakes they produce and give you a price for each. You choose a cake, and arrange for delivery or pick-up. You leave the bakery shop. The visit was professional and courteous. You will probably receive a satisfactory wedding cake. You might return to this bakery again the next time you need a wedding cake or any other kind of baked goodie……or you might not. There was no particular connection in this meeting and transaction.
Now choose a bakery that specializes in wedding cakes. Perhaps when you walk through the doors you immediately feel as though you are at a wedding reception. The shop is decorated with several different themes of weddings. There is nothing but wedding cake samples everywhere. You can take a sample home with you if you like. This shop is perhaps a family-owned business for more than 100 years. Most of this family is unmatched in their knowledge about baking and wedding cakes specifically. The owners have authored or co-authored cake cookbooks and maybe even own some patents related to utensils used for baking cakes.
If you express interest in their wedding cakes, whoever waits on you will most likely ask you about the specific wedding plan. They will inquire as to your preferences for taste and texture. They will show you a variety of wedding cake themes. When you make your choice they will also offer a selection of other items or services associated with weddings, wedding cakes, wedding receptions. They may have copies of books they authored or co-authored or they recommend about weddings in general and the wedding cake. When you leave their bakery, they will hand you a business card with their contact details and website address in case you have more questions when you get home.
Visiting this bakery was a wonderful and gratifying experience and you will have the same sort of feeling when you visit them online. Their web site will be filled with helpful information and beautiful photographs of wedding cakes they produce.
This type of wedding cake bakery is a prime example of a business that embodies the single most important principle that has fueled the success of many business owners. The principles can be applied to any type of business. The central message is “connect with your customer.” Love, cherish and listen to your customers. Teach your customers everything you know so you can learn from your customers how to serve them better. You can be satisfied that you are offering quality services or products that customers truly need, enjoy, but above all “want.”
If you are truly interested in building a successful business, there should be no one more important to you in your business life than your customers. Connect with your customers via the internet, via publications and articles, via television, magazines and newspapers. Remind yourself that serving valued and essential customers is your number-one priority and is the key to a successful business.
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The Negative Impact "Get Rich Quick" Has Had On The Home Business Industry
Get rich quick has given the home business industry a bad rap. The get rich quick and something for nothing mentality has made people believe the home business industry is nothing but scams which is not true at all. There companies out there who yes are in it for the quick buck. But there are also very many solid companies in the home business industry. I will explain how many people have been duped out of their money and how you can avoid companies that are nothing but scams. I will also point out how you can spot the solid companies in the home business industry. Once you have found a solid company you are well on your way to achieving your financial dreams.
There are two things that drive markets: greed and fear. Greed has primarily given the home business industry a bad rap. See there are companies out there who are greedy and just want your money. Now these savvy business owners know exactly what they are doing and instead of trying to help home business owners out, they just want the quick buck. Now these companies take advantage of people's get rich quick mentality. So they say things like " We'll build your downline for you" or " Only work 10 minutes a day". These companies are counting on the fact of people being greedy. And you know what they are normally right. Somebody will join and get burned.Now these companies ruin it for the legit home businesses and thus the perception gets created that a home business is a scam.
Here are some things to watch out for when starting a home business. First no company can guarantee you will make money, now they can guarantee you will make a certain amount or your money back. But if a company guarantees you will make, let's say a million dollars with no work, use common sense. Next do not look for the something for nothing. In order to succeed at a home business you will have to work, it's just a fact. Any company who says other wise is lying. Once you understand you will never get something for nothing it becomes a lot easier to spot out the frauds in the home business industry.
Next you should really look at the product. The product is key. Can you sell the product without having to recruit anyone? Or is it a pure recruiting scheme? If it is a pure recruiting scheme then move on. Also if you do decide to market for a company be sure to use the product for yourself. When you have faith in your product, company sales will come much more easier. If you do not believe in what you are selling then you will not be able to sell your product efficiently.
Lastly you should take a look at the support you will be receiving. Support is very important especially when you are starting your first home business. Does your company offer solid training? If not you should maybe look elsewhere. How effective is the training? Are the trainers available to you for questions and answers? These are just a few of the things to look at when looking over the support system.
Remember this take a good look at any company you are thinking about joining. Be sure the product is something you enjoy using and you have won half the battle.
Your Business Merchant Account
Do you have a business merchant account? If not, isn’t it time you got one? The companies you compete against for customer business may already have this special account that allows them to process customers’ credit payments. If you are not yet doing so, why not apply for a merchant account to help your business grow?
A business merchant account is the best way to expand your company’s operations and conduct e-commerce without risking too much of an investment. Simply apply for a merchant account the way an individual would apply for a personal credit card. As with individual applicants, a company needs to show a positive credit history and the ability to make payments on a merchant account at present. In addition, it cannot be involved in shady dealings with which the underwriters might not agree. Many lenders will let you apply online, although some charge a fee for this. Often you will get a decision on your application within a day or two. If approved, you can begin making arrangements to accept credit payments in a variety of ways. Pay attention to fees and payment terms. For example, you may be asked to pay 15 to 25 cents per transaction. Or you could have the choice of paying a low overall percentage rate. Some lenders impose minimums, though, meaning you will have to pay a “bottom line” fee no matter how many transactions you make.
Your business merchant account will let you purchase or lease a credit card processor that can be plugged into your store. Or you can take a wireless version with you when collecting payments from other locations. Many business owners prefer to use a telephone ordering and payment system. This can be automated, reducing the need for staffing except for questions or glitches. Customers can speak or touch-dial their credit card numbers into the phone to process orders at their convenience. You will need to make sure your system is fully operational at all times and that it is customer-friendly to keep from annoying or even driving away current or new clients.
When you utilize a business merchant account, you can receive a printed monthly statement, discounts for other services, and occasional other benefits as well. Being able to accept credit card payments suggests that customers will look at you a little differently, knowing that you have earned an underwriter’s trust for this important role. Posting signs for accepting credit card payments places your company in the ranks of the elite, since many smaller or newer companies do not yet enjoy this privilege. When you begin accepting credit card processing, you can move away from cash-only payments or checks that can bounce. The time saved from managing cash flow can be channeled into more meaningful tasks.
Getting a merchant account means that you’re ready to upgrade your business, and that you are taking extra steps to accommodate your customers. Be proud to receive a merchant account, knowing that not everyone is approved. Handle it responsibly, since you have much to be thankful for with your new business merchant account.
Why Is Business Insurance Important?
Business insurance can be a complex subject, with many internal variables that need to be examined before a wise decision can be made. For this reason, anyone considering business insurance should first seek the advice of a reputable broker or agent. This article will detail a few of the many variables that business insurance may contain.
As with most insurance types, business insurance is used to protect the business and the business owner should unforeseen events happen to the business. The trick is to make sure that your business is covered for those events that are most likely to happen and to never find yourself unprotected, which might lead to the financial collapse of the business.
Business insurance can be purchased to cover virtually every aspect of the business. For example, most business owners have a policy that protects them should they lose their business property. Fire and theft insurance would be two means of doing this. Business owners may also want to protect their inventory and their equipment. As well, they most often want to have some form of protection in case an employee is injured on the job.
The types of business insurance and the levels of coverage are often determined by the type of business itself, but it can also be influenced by lenders who hold portions of the business as security against loans that may have been made to the business in the past. Lenders who have financed expensive machinery or other types of equipment will often want the business owner to have some form of insurance on the machinery. This use of insurance helps to protect the lender as well as the business owner should loss occur to the insured item.
The use of business insurance is also important as a form of protection against personal liability. Personal liability is when a business owner or owners can be held personally responsible for injuries or damages that occur on the business property or during the course of normal business operations. If a business owner is found to be personal liable for damages or injuries, the owner will have to use his or her own assets to pay for those injuries or damages. This might include the sale of a private home, automobiles, cash, savings, or any other asset that has value. There are business insurance policies that can help protect an owner against such claims.
Although business insurance is considered an expense, it is often a tax deductible expense. Anyone who is thinking of starting a new business or buying an existing business should invest the time needed to research the types of insurance they will need for that business. Again, the very best way to do this is to speak with a reputable agent or broker. Once you have a clear idea of exactly what you will need you can then begin to shop for the best prices.
At the very minimum you want to make sure that your personal liability is covered by some form of business insurance. Ignoring this may cost you everything that you have worked for and earned.