Tips For Smart Business Success

If you run a business then chances is you are concerned about its success. The challenge then becomes how you go about making your business a success. There are certain things that you will need to consider in an effort to have business success. Here are 5 tips for smart business success.

The first tip is that the product or service must satisfy the immediate needs of the consumer. The consumers must like a particular product launched by the company and in case the liking is established the product launch is completely successful. The aim of the product being launched should be very specific so that the consumers know how the company aims to satisfy their needs. The product diversity and nature of services provided are very important and should be aimed at improving the quality of life of the consumers.

The second tip that needs to be kept under consideration is that the product or service must be fairly priced and the consumers should not think that they are being overcharged by the company. It should be clear to the customers, the products nature and exact price. If the product is being marketed in a competitive market then it should have certain features in it such that selling it is easy and more consumers will be attracted to it because they will find certain characteristics which are unique from the rest. The safe businessman's approach would be to start off with a particular project that has already made a mark in the market. Then capitalizing on the market will not be very tough because a market is already available. If the product can be made better than the other products in the market then the newly launched product will be a success.
The third tip is keeping your finances under proper control so that unnecessary expenditures are curbed and budgeting is done properly so that the money is in a proper direction. Money management is important for any business and money management determines the success of many companies and the successful companies all have a proper financial policy.

The fourth point is that the inflow of cash into a business is very important because it will determine smooth running. Every entrepreneur has to pay attention to the cash flow so that there is a smooth running of the business. Budgeting and review of the monthly or weekly expenditure is very important.

The last and a very important point is maximization of the markets through a proper marketing strategy. This means that the product has to reach out to many people so that they can be aware of and use it. This will require some thought and in some cases expert help.

Profitable Business Ideas For The Beginners

Profitable business ideas are all around us even for beginners. You need to think like an entrepreneur to come up with the best idea for your business. As beginners, you need to have your own goal in order to survive to do something and earn extra money from it.

Marketing aspect is vital in every business and should be done properly. There are no accurate ways and formulas to perform in order to achieve success in your business. However, having a poor marketing plan can worsen your business standing.

Choosing different resources for your profitable business ideas can be easy as long as you know what you want to market. You need to have a product that is helpful whether the economy is good or bad. This kind of product can give you consistent profits that you will surely enjoy.

Providing healthcare services for one is a good example to market. When someone gets sick, they either purchase medical products or submit themselves to different treatments. Even though prices of health care products are sometimes exceptional, people still continue to buy it because they need it no matter how expensive the cost is.

Business is crucial and is considered a gamble which means you are not sure if you win the first try or second try. You have to have the patience for having your own business since it is a long term process.

Another profitable business idea that you have to consider is compatibility of the business you want to pursue. You need to have a business that you feel comfortable selling it on the market. When you know your products too well, marketing your products becomes easy.

College degree nor school diploma is not needed in order to attain success. You only have to know different profitable business ideas that will help you earn money online.

Expensive Mistakes That People Do In SEO

When people are trying to get traffic to their site they will usually try and get it from the search engines. The problem is that a lot of people make expensive mistakes that can cost them all their rankings. In this article I want to show you the 2 mistakes people make when they are trying to automate this source in their niche market.

Mistake #1 - Getting links from the wrong sites. 

You have to realize that when it comes to getting more rankings in your niche market, the most important thing you can do is get better back links from sites in your niche. The mistake that most people make is they go after the wrong sites. You have to realize that you need to make sure you get your links from sites in your niche who have a higher page rank then your site. That way you can get more trust from Google and go higher in the rankings as well!

Mistake #2 - Not creating enough content for their sites!

You have to make sure you are always having articles written for you so you can keep adding them to your site so you can keep getting more and more rankings in your niche market. The more content you have the more rankings you are likely going to get and the more money you can make! So make sure you focus on getting more and more of the right backinks to your site & make sure you are focused on getting more articles written that can get you more rankings.

Things Every Home Business Entreprenuers Should Know

Looking back on many unsuccessful attempts at home business, we wish we had received guidance from someone who had already been down the road we wanted to travel. We had so many failures that we were starting to doubt that success in a home business would ever happen for us.
Thankfully, we didn't give up and through perseverance we were able to achieve the success that had eluded us for years. Along the way we discovered many things that we wish we had known when we started this journey.
Our success has literally transformed our lives. We believe that to whom much has been given, much is required. Consider this information our gift to you. If we can be of assistance please, do not hesitate to fill out the contact form at TheHomeBusinessPodcast.
1. Success doesn't happen overnight.
For some reason people think that they should become rich in a few months with their new home business and some people believe success should happen within weeks or days! We introduced a man in his early 50's to our business and he was excited. When we first met he complained that he had been working hard for more than 30 years and he was broke.
He said he never had any time for himself or his family. We told him what it would take to become successful and he agreed to do it. Then, he disappeared. A few weeks later he called to tell me that he was quitting. He hadn't even started and here he was ready to give up.
We asked him if he would be better off quitting his full-time job and keeping his home business! Of course, we didn't really mean that he should quit his job, but he had been working full-time for more than 30 years and he was still broke. He started his home business just a few weeks earlier and he never gave it a chance.
Why is it that so many people think that they should become wealthy in a few weeks? The answer probably lies in all the get rich quick schemes that are so prevalent in our society today. You've seen the emails or read these lines in your junk mail. No Selling, We Do All The Work For You, Make $30,000 in 90 days and on and on.
Those get rich quick scams cause people to think that every home business is a scam and that's not true. We just got off the phone with Doug, a nice guy who is seriously considering our home business. During our conversation we made it clear that he wouldn't be rich in 60 or 90 days and his response was the kind of response we hear often, "Thanks for telling me the truth. I'm happy to know that I'm dealing with people of integrity."
We were frustrated so many times in the first year of our home business that quitting seemed like the sensible thing to do. After all, these things don't work. Who do you think you are? Why don't you just get a job like everybody else? These thoughts and many like them nearly kept us from success.
If you already have a home business, perhaps you are facing the same thoughts. Don't let the negative thoughts crowd out the life changing success that a home business offers. Sure, we struggled at first, but after 20 months we were making $100,000 a year in lifetime residual income! When you find yourself facing bankruptcy and foreclosure as we were and then apply for food stamps you have a firm grasp on the tough times life can bring.
Occasionally, we'll say "What If?" As in, what if we hadn't stuck it out through the hard times? What if we had taken the advice of supposedly well meaning people who said that we would never have success in a home business?
What if it took you two to four years to become successful in a home business? What if you could make $100,000 without a boss and a job to go to? What if you could actually be home for your children and know them as people instead of looking at them as the little people who live in your house?
Most people who start a home business quit in their first 90 days and go back to their dreadful lives of desperation. Most people aren't really living. They are only existing. They're going from one day to the next without any hope of a better life. Benjamin Franklin said "most people die at 18, we just don't bury them until they turn 65."
2. Success doesn't happen without work.
I talked to a woman who said she was interested in changing her life. When it was time for her to make a decision she asked me, "Do I have to do anything?" "No" I replied, "once a month we just back the money truck up to your house and unload!"
If you had a traditional business you'd have to open your business every day. If you have a job you've got to show up if you want to get paid. When you start a home business you can't simply sign up and expect the money to start being deposited in your bank account. There's work to be done.
Is it hard to become successful in a home business? Compared to giving all of the best years of your life to your employer and missing birthdays, anniversaries, your child's first words, your child's first steps and realizing that life is nearly over and in your golden years you don't have the money to do the things you want to do, no it really isn't that hard at all!
If you're in a business like ours when you employ leverage, getting paid for other people's efforts, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor so much more. Even if you have a home business where you do all the work it's better than working for an employer.
We are convinced that to live a great life your home business must employ the leverage concept. It's the only way you can have money and the time to enjoy it. The wealthiest people in America became wealthy by owning businesses. The businesses that created great wealth were out in front of a trend and the business owner got paid based on the efforts of thousands of people. We wouldn't be enjoying the life we live today if we were getting paid only on our own efforts.
We worked really hard with very little success in our first year. Our 2nd year was the breakthrough that we were looking for, success was on the way. What we failed to realize was that during our first 12 months we were improving our skills and our confidence and that's when success started to happen.
So, how much did we work in our first two years? We worked as much as it took. How much should you work your home business? That depends on a variety of factors. How bad do you want it? How fast do you want to achieve success? We recommend that you work your home business a minimum of 7 to 10 hours a week, and do it consistently for at least two years.
Success doesn't happen without work and it isn't limited to working your business. Are you committed to improving your skills and working on you? Read at least 10 pages from a great book every day. Books like "Think and Grow Rich" will change the way you think and when you change the way you think you will change your life.
Expecting success without work from your home business is like expecting a paycheck from a job that you never started. It just doesn't make sense.
3. You must be disciplined to achieve success.
So, you're working your new home business and a friend calls offering to take you to lunch. Can you afford to go? Your favorite show is on TV, but you know you need to be working your home business, what will you do? Perhaps the biggest adjustment most of us need to make is to be disciplined in our home business.
Let's face it in a work environment there is usually supervision. Many people fail in a home business because there's nobody looking over their shoulder to see that they do what they need to do.
Since most people who start a home business have never owned a business, we must learn to be disciplined, if we're going to operate a successful home business. There were times when somebody told us no and that was devastating. We'd usually mope around and fail to do anything else the rest of the day. Had we maintained that attitude, we'd have a job right now instead of an successful home business!
Consider setting business hours. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, but asking friends and family members to respect your business and your business hours is an important step to success. We've got a good friend who makes more than $100,000 a year and when you come over to his house during business hours you can visit with his wife, but he excuses himself and works his business. If you have a small child, work when he or she is napping and when they are in bed at night.
It's also a good idea to have a permanent work space, so you can shut the door, eliminate distractions and get your work done.
This is a difficult adjustment for some people to make, but your children can learn that when Mommy or Daddy is in this room with the door shut that they are working. You'd be amazed at how many children will respect your space and time if you ask them too. We've seen many successful stay at home moms and dads work with children nearby. Don't let screaming children or children that interrupt you on occasion become a big deal, the person on the other end of the phone may be convinced that your business is right for them BECAUSE they hear your children in the background.
When you promise to call somebody back at a certain time you've got to find the time. Children will appreciate knowing why Mommy or Daddy isn't available at certain times and you can explain to them that it will be worth all the sacrifices once you become successful.
Discipline can be difficult with all the distractions that can occur in your home, but it is one ingredient that you must have to become successful.

Negative people tried to convince us that we would never have success. We didn't listen to them then, and we don't listen to negative people now. We know that you can have success in a home business. We know that it won't be easy. We know that if you get guidance along the way from successful people that you will live an extraordinary life.

A Successful Home Business

"Never stop walking in the shoes of those who are looking for you, and you will find that you never go barefoot."

Over half of all small businesses which are started fail within the first two years. Many people quit on their dreams after a few bad days, and get back into the groove of the norm of society. You know the norm: the safe and secure job, the 9-5 struggle just to live, pursuing despised money ventures instead of passions, just to name a few. We can discuss the negatives of home businesses for days, but here's another truth. Those who don't quit succeed. Those who pursue passions honestly with integrity, love for all, and faith receive blessings from unexpected back ends. One must be surrounded with positivity and productivity at all times in order to truly grasp ultimate success, which is right after the step where you're expected to quit. Here are just a few requirements a successful home business must have:

1) A successful home business must have leaders who don't think of themselves:
This may sound crazy to many, but the less you think of yourself, the more you will prosper. Many individuals are too concerned with making money, rather than honestly helping others and changing their lives. Business is about building relationships. Solve people's problems, remain honest, loving, and friendly with everyone, continue walking in the shoes of others, and you will never go barefoot.

2) A successful home business must have a complete understanding and devotion to help a specific target audience:
The first thing to think about in business is your target market. The show might be perfect, but it is your audience that makes the show successful. Think about it. You wouldn't promote nursing homes towards college students would you? You wouldn't promote a network marketing business to all of your family and friends would you? Oh I'm sorry... or do you? The key is to figure out your true target audience, know their problems, and provide HOW TO solutions. I say how to solutions because it's important to understand that a particular business opportunity is NOT a solution to one's problems. It's how to go about doing something, knowledge, which provides a true solution. Business opportunities are just the icing on the cake after knowledge is acquired and relationships are built. Know your audience, know their burning problems, and concentrate solely on helping them solve their problems. For example, network marketers' audience are other network marketers, entrepreneurs, people willing to chase their dreams and work for it rather than settling for society's norm. As I always say, become the photographer of your business and take yourself out of the picture. Having love, knowledge, and value to offer a specific audience at all times, along with your persistence, determination and faith will guarantee your success.

3) A successful home business must have a 9-5 with a projects mentality:
One reason home businesses fail is because many are not treated like businesses. Many are treated as hobbies. This is a common and crucial mistake. A home business is a perfect opportunity to reach your goals IF it is treated as a business. You can be associated with the most helpful business and efficient system which can make work a little easier, but let's not get it twisted; you have to treat it like a 9-5. The problem is that many start down this road to get away from the dreaded 9-5, but fail to realize that in order to be truly successful, one must sacrifice their most precious asset in life (time) in order to produce desired results. My father always told me that no matter how great an opportunity or million dollar idea may be, you still have to get in a persistent rhythm, so when your steps are right, people will have to adjust to yours. I can personally say that he was so right. Start 9-5'in and taking business seriously with a projects mentality. What is a projects mentality? Well I came from the streets of Bronx, New York, and I find it interesting how many that have succeeded and continue to succeed usually come from nothing. In the Projects, people work hard for what they want because they have no other choice. Therefore it makes success a necessity rather than a possibility. Have that mentality. A wise man once told me that there's no half stepping when it comes to hustling. That means treat your business as your only option and work non stop until you reach your goals.

4) A successful home business must have a reality:
You have to be able to be yourself and keep it real. Don't lie or try to con people, for that will always come to the light eventually. Remain honest and with integrity. Liars need good memories, and you will slip once if you're lying so just save yourself the trouble by just keeping it real with yourself and others.

5) A successful home business must have knowledge:
You have to know how to solve your target market's problems, or at least be involved in and be able to benefit from a system that does. Knowledge is everlasting, and taking action with that knowledge to help others is the knockout combo. So continuing to learn 'relevant' knowledge and providing value is crucial to the success of any home business.

6) A successful home business must have a 1st place space pace:
Always strive to be the best. Whether it be in the form of providing the most knowledge, creating the most efficient system, and/or being the most helpful, etc, strive to be the best at it. Make sure your worst races always end in first places. However, the other key, which is missed by many, is to also wish and help others reach 1st place as well. Wish the best of success for everyone, and actually do the best you can to help them get there. There's enough of everything to go around. Don't be envious of others. If you loathe the fact that others are successful, you are actually pushing away your own success. You must want success for you and everyone else. These are a few requirements a successful home business must have. I wish you the best of success, happiness, and prosperity.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2173507

How To Choose The Best Investment For You

"Becoming wealthy is not a matter of how much you earn, who your parents are, or what you do.. it is a matter of managing your money properly." - Noel Whittaker

Creating an investment plan can be a tricky but rewarding experience. The key to having a solid and fully customized plan is to know what your financial goals are and make sure your plan fit your needs. Investment plans are extremely popular because many people, due to the unstable job market and insufficient social security, are trying to save for their retirement. Investment plans help investors buy a set number of stocks, bonds, and funds at regular intervals. This occurs automatically and does not require the investor's constant attention. If you are interested in an investment plan below is some basic information and helpful tips about investment plans and how to choose the one that best fits your needs.

How does it work? Investment plans automate the investment process. Initially the investor picks out stocks which they want to regularly invest in. Then money is automatically removed from one of your financial accounts (checking, savings, or money market) and stocks are purchase for you by the investment plan coordinator. As the investor you can make adjustments to how much money, how often, and what type of stocks will be purchased. Most brokerages, which offer investment plans, allow you to make changes at a small fee. However, one of the benefits of online investment firms is that many of the traditional fee based options, like adjusting your financial plan, are free of charge.

How much? Deciding how much you should invest is never an easy question. Only you know your financial situation and how much you can afford to put toward an investment plan. It is important to not over invest only to leave yourself short in paying your monthly obligations. You need to make sure the money you choose to invest will be available at the same time each month in the same amount. Think about the future. Perhaps this month you have more disposable income available however, most months you do not. It is better to invest less and not run short at the end of the month.

Which investments are best? Choosing the best stock vehicles takes time and research. Be patient and really spend the time getting to know your options. Focus on stocks that have a successful history and have consistently shown growth. These may be more expensive, however they are also more secure. Remember the goal is to build your stock portfolio over time. Do not invest in companies you do not understand or you do not like. Investment plans are a great ways for the average investor to slowly build their stock portfolio and eventually find financial freedom.

Business Strategy Rules

Is your business a hobby? Did you look for something that you are passionate about and then go for it? Were you able to turn that hobby or passion into a real money-maker?

The truth is that about 90% of small businesses fail. There are multiple reasons for the disasters. An important and not so obvious truth about all these failures is that the failure starts in the planning process. The battle is won in the mind before the game even begins. So, how do you create a master plan that will give you a great chance of success? The beginning, of it all, is to understand strategy.

Business Strategy Rules to Live by

1- A business owner must gain proprietary intellectual property.

Selling a commodity is nearly impossible to make a profit on. And, small businesses can't compete on price against large rivals with superior purchasing power. Since consumers are so price motivated, the small business must find a way to innovate. The innovations do not have to be large or "earth shattering". Innovations can also be small. For example, you might discover faster ways to organize your materials than your competitors or see a way to do something cheaper and better. Holding onto these good ideas and protecting them will go a long way towards long-term profitability.

2- A business owner must understand short-term thinking.

If you study game theory or the prisoner's dilemma, you learn that people always go for the short-term strategy. Some strategists point to long-term win-win scenarios, but these strategies rarely, if ever, play out as planned. Instead, people are always looking to get the best advantage possible. This results in short-term thinking. What a business owner must realize is that their employees, their suppliers, and their competitors will do what is best for the short-term. It's sort of like Keynesian economics. Take care of the short-term and the long-run will work out. Of course, this type of economics also states that in the long-run we're all dead.
We can always come up with reasons why long-term planning is best and even look to a few examples of it being applied correctly. However, the science of business proves short-term thinking works and that it is prevalent within companies and individual motives. In other words, put this into your planning process.

3- A business owner must understand deception.

There are many ways to interpret the word deception. It does not mean you have to lie, cheat, and steal. Instead, it might mean finding ways to hide your secrets from competitors. It might mean managing employees in ways that they do not know enough to compete with you. It could also mean that you use clever ways to gain proprietary intellectual advantage. One example of this would be to use spies. Large companies are adept at using spies. How many times have you seen a competitor hire an employee from another company for the sole purpose of learning what they know? This is common practice. Everybody is trying to do the same thing. The people doing it best win!

4- A business owner should only accept challenges they know they can win.

Many business owners are pretty cocky. They think they can compete with anybody and that they can do anything they want. This is not realistic. There are many battles to fight that will only result in you losing it. One of the most important things to learn is to only take on battles that you know you can win. How do you figure that out? Well, according to Sun Tzu, the master battle strategist, the most important thing is to know thyself and thy enemy. If you understand these two things, you will win in every battle. It sounds so simple and yet most business owners don't really understand the competition or what their main strengths and weaknesses are. According to Sun Tzu, without this knowledge, you will lose very battle. If you gain some of this knowledge, you will win some battles and lose others.

5- A business owner must understand leadership.

A great leader will motivate the employees to do great things. For this to happen, there has to be a level of respect for the leader. The employees must be moral and follow strict rules. The enforcement of the rules should be done quickly. In addition, feats of bravery and strength should be rewarded quickly and openly. These are some of the basic tenets of great leaders.

According to Sun Tzu, the highest form of leadership is to first: Balk the enemy's plans. And Second: Prevent the junction of the enemy's forces; and third: Attack in the field and fourth: Attacking a besieged city. There is so much that can be said about each one of these leadership principles.

Planning the Strategy

It's impossible to tell you exactly how to build your strategy. However, there are three most important points you must follow.

1- The most important thing is to get proprietary intellectual advantage.
2- The second most important thing is to understand your competitor and yourself.
3- The final point is to fight in battles you know that you can win.
If you follow these points, you will be on your way to a great business plan.

Keys to Successful Online Marketing

Several times a week, I speak with perplexed business owners who understand they need to do a better job with their online marketing; these owners want to create qualified leads and generate more revenue but find online marketing to be overwhelming. I even speak with long-time marketers who find certain parts of online marketing difficult to grasp.

The confusion is understandable. Keeping up with changes in online marketing is a full-time job. The big players like Google, Facebook, and Linked in regularly move the goalposts. And new technologies emerge every hour. I want to simplify and demystify online marketing by providing these keys to successful online marketing.

One. The Business Model is THE Fundamental. Your business model is the foundation of your marketing. Simply saying, "I want more business" won't achieve the results you want. Successful online marketing begins with a clear vision of the direction of the business and the revenue goals.

Two. Use Direct Marketing. Yes-building and maintaining 'brand integrity' is important but getting people to buy what you sell is much, much more important. So this means using a direct response approach to selling. Yes-there's room for creativity and fun but you must apply the fundamentals of direct marketing if you want your online marketing to produce a significant ROI. If you know everything there is to know about direct marketing, proceed to key #4.

Three. Learn Everything You Can about Direct Marketing. Attend seminars. Read books. Hire a direct marketing expert for a day. Understanding direct marketing is one of the best investments you can ever make in your business.

Four. Only Work with Direct Marketing Specialists. If you're hiring internally, find employees who really understand direct response. If you're hiring consultants or an agency, make sure they're card carrying members of the 'direct response' party.

Five. Get the Strategy Correct. I'm all for companies plunging in and getting started right away. Eventually, you have to base your online marketing on a sound strategy.

Six. Measure Everything. Test. Find out what's working and what's not and move forward based on real data-not hunches.

Seven. Get Traffic but Don't Overspend. You can generate website traffic through pay per click, search engine optimization, online advertising and, get this, the mail...but don't overspend. Again...measure everything so you allocate resources to what works. Understand the havoc Google's "Stupid Tax" can wreak on your marketing budget.

Eight. Use Old School Tactics. Guarantees. Testimonials. Upwelling. Downselling. It's all extremely effective.

Nine. Get Current Customers to Buy More. Getting customers is hard so work to maximize lifetime value.

Ten. Build and Maintain a Huge Database. You may not be able to get people to buy immediately. That's life. But get them to opt into a database and nurture the leads.

Eleven. Remember that Content is King. When you provide information to current and prospective customers, make sure the information (the content) is extremely valuable. Investing in superior content is a relatively inexpensive way to separate yourself from the competition.

Twelve. Study and Emulate the Greats. The great 'offline' marketers quickly became the great 'online' marketers by taking the same strategies that worked in print and applying them to the online marketplace. Study the big names of the online world and emulate them.

Thirteen. Make it Simple. Make your website easy to navigate. And make it easy to buy. Many companies spend small fortunes on their online marketing only to see it fail-because the website is difficult to use.

Fourteen. Use Social Media to Generate Leads and Traffic. Social media is not a strategy. It's one of many tools to generate leads.

Fifteen. Enjoy the Online Marketing Journey. Getting it right is a lot of fun and I enjoy helping clients succeed. Follow the proven principles knowing that you'll succeed.

Sixteen. Bring Your Personality to the Fore. We don't gravitate to boring people and we don't like boring websites. So give your online marketing plenty of personality.

Ins and Outs of Internet Markting

So you are looking at getting into Internet Marketing, but where to start and how?.......

The benefits that working from home online are plenty. Other than the great passive income that can be earned if done correctly, the simple fact of the matter is, that this way of working can also give you so much more. For example, having the freedom and flexibility to work wherever and whenever you choose may enable you to spend more time with friends and family and it can also offer an escape route from the 9-5 drudgery, that many people are tied into. This is why so many people are getting into this whole working from home online thing!

So is it hard work?......Well it certainly can be to start.

Does it take time?..... Like any business it takes time to be successful. This is not a get rich quick scheme. Instead we are talking about building the foundations for a sustainable long term income.

Is it worth it?.... You bet it is! There is nothing greater than taking a two week vacation and still seeing money flood into your account. Or, alternatively waking up in the morning and checking your Paypal or ClickBank account and realize that you have made sales whilst you were sleeping. What other type of business gives you this!

I guess you're saying..Okay...so I totally get the whole lifestyle thing..... but when it comes to the nuts and bolts of internet marketing, where do I start? right

Well like any job, learning exactly how to make money online is a skill. But you know the great thing about a skill?........ Just like learning to cook or to drive, learning how to make money using the internet is a skill that is most definitely teachable!

One of the main problems is that there are a lot of people who will get the beginner to sign up under the pretense of some sort of teaching program but what they are really doing is to use the program as a vehicle to promote lame products. In cases such as these, all this does is to leave the newbie even more confused and frustrated than they were before they started their online journey and certainly more out of pocket.

Okay so what's the good news?

Well, there are a handful of very good internet marketing teachers out there, that aren't trying to sell you their latest product, or service. On the contrary, they want you to succeed. Your success is their success and when you start making money, they gain a lot of credibility. Some of these courses will take a complete newbie and guide them through the minefield that is internet marketing, using the exact same methods that they have also used to make some serious money online. So it is important to align yourself with somebody who has some excellent credentials and positive teaching reviews. And this is probably the best place for a newbie to internet marketing, wanting to know where to start

One thing worth mentioning here is that all good businesses need some kind of a system in place in order to work, and this is certainly no exception and in order to begin internet marketing, you will need four other vital ingredients to build a successful online I.M business. They are as follows...

The correct mindset

Having a positive attitude to learning new skills is vital to this business and there may well be days that you want to throw in the towel. However, remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint and having the correct mindset will get you through these barriers.

Marketing skills

This business is called internet or affiliate marketing therefore it is important to understand how to market a product in the correct manner. You could have the best product or service in the world but without the vital marketing skills needed to promote your product, you won't have a business.

Understanding some very simple web skills

Having a web presence is vital to your business and this is something that you cannot do without. Therefore this means acquiring the ability to implement some very simple web skills in order to succeed. This isn't as hard as it seems, but it can be a little overwhelming to someone who has never contemplated having their own website. Again this is a teachable skill and once you have learnt this, it is with you for life.

Having something to sell

The end result and the way that internet marketing works is to ultimately sell products and services to people that need it. Therefore product selection is important and can come in many different guises. They can be a "physical" type product or they can be a digital product in the form of a downloadable Ebook. Or finally they can be a course of some kind that people sign up to. However one thing to remember is that this is the "end" result and therefore the product should be thought about last. I will explain this in a little while.......
These 4 fundamentals are the main ingredients to successfully understanding the components of internet marketing.......where to start on the other hand, is where some people get it horribly wrong.......
You see,, there is one other vitally crucial point that countless people fail to grasp in this business and it is as follows.

You may have heard the saying that "the money is in the list" right! Well this is probably the most important thing in internet marketing.. You see without your list, the cold fact of the matter is that you simply won't have a sustainable business! I mean, sure... you might be able to sell a few products, but this business is all about repeat customers. This is how the vast majority of people make money online, and this is probably something that not everybody tells you.

So how does this work?

A savvy internet marketer will build a list by creating and nurturing relationships, then when they have a product that they deem worth selling, they blast out an email to their entire list. In other words they sell to people who are directly on their database. This is basically selling to people who have already signed up to your list because you had something of real value to offer. The would be buyer already trusts the seller and therefore when a product is eventually offered to them, chances are that they will feel more inclined to make that all important purchase.

This in effect is internet marketing - where to start 101
So to sum up....... if you want to be good have a successful internet marketing business, you need to learn the skills necessary in order to become good at marketing yourself. If you can change your thinking processes and ask yourself "how can I add value?" rather than... "how can I make money?", then you will be way ahead of most people who enter the world of internet marketing. The simple fact of the matter is that once you have nurtured relationships by giving your customers something of real value, then the money side of things will inevitably follow. Hopefully this has given you an insight into the theory behind internet marketing. - where to start, and the understanding of it at least, might just be that little bit clearer.

Success Training to Build Wealth

Almost all of us want to think the way to make money is as simple as wanting it. Like most myths there is a grain of truth that wanting wealth is part of success training. There are many steps in success training that can help build wealth. For many people the steps are too hard or they would rather give up than try.

Do you want wealth? Do you want success?

If you really want to build wealth and create success you must be willing to make a commitment. Your want must be greater than your desire to stay where you are.

Why would I want to stay where I am?

Success training requires that take action and make changes. You are comfortable where you are. You know what to expect, when you make changes you do not know what the outcome will be. For many people rather than take action and make life unpredictable for a bit, they would rather stay exactly where they are.

How do I embrace change?

If you want to build wealth and success you must move forward through your fear. Change is not always easy and painless creating success is worth it. Make small changes, make daily steps, do what you need so you can walk through your fears and into your future. This is essential to your success training.

What should I do to build wealth?

While money is important and can help achieve your goals, it is not the only thing. Money does not change your actual life. The truly wealthy people build wealth by building wealth on multiple fronts. Relationships with family and friends can help you feel blessed on even the worst of days. The beauty of sunrise is better than the finest painting the richest person in the world can buy.

Are you worthy?

Part of success training is accepting that you are worthy of wealth, worthy of success. This is a secret the wealth know. It does not matter if you have loads of money if you do not feel worthy of it, you will never feel wealthy. Others will see you building success, admire your talents and wonder how you can be that smart, but if you do not believe in yourself you will never see these things.

What will help me feel worthy?

Surround yourself with positive people, who believe in you and support your desire to achieve your goals. Perhaps you can not entirely surround yourself with positive people, you can increase the number to outweigh those who would discourage you. Believe in yourself, your dreams and encourage those around you to achieve their goals.

Surprising Ways To Build Wealth

Everyone is looking for the key to build wealth. Problem is most people are looking in the wrong place. You can build wealth right from home by starting your own home business. In fact, tax benefits for home businesses are the bridge from poverty to wealth!

Home Office-You can deduct some, even all, of the expenses of having a home office. This includes the square footage of the space as well as a portion of the utilities. Here are the qualifiers: You must have an area that is set aside as the main place where you conduct business-and that's how it must be used. So if you're looking to build wealth through a home business, set up a home office and dedicate the space for business use.

Mortgage Interest, Property Taxes & Insurance-Got a mortgage? Great! It can cut your tax bill and build wealth for you by reducing your tax burden. How much it lowers your taxes depends on the size of your home office-specifically, the percentage of the total space of your home. That percentage of your mortgage interest can be deducted from your taxes. And that same percentage comes off of your property tax and insurance bills, too, in the form of a federal tax deduction (Cha-ching! More wealth for you!).

Building Expenses-Any repairs and/or improvements you make to your home office can be deducted from your taxes (Do you hear the cash register ringing? Your wealth is growing!). Let's say you want to paint the room or put a door on so you can hear yourself think. Something like that is deductible in full!

Utilities, Phones & the Internet-For home utility bills, you can write off your home office's percentage of the total square footage of your home as a tax deduction (can you hear your bank account screaming "more wealth"?). With additional (not the first phone line, only subsequent ones) landlines and cell phone lines, 100% can be written off. As well, a percentage of your Internet service can be deducted also, leaving you with even more wealth!

Meals & Transportation-Business meals can be deductible if you take a client out and business is the topic of the conversation! If you have to travel for business, your meals can be deductible as well as your transportation to get there. In fact, traveling from your home to a client's location is a tax-deductible expense (the IRS has a per-mile reimbursement rate). If you are looking to build wealth using this tax deduction, keep good records of your car's odometer readings, where you went, and why. Always better to have too much documentation than not enough!

Other-A percentage of the cost of installing a security system-as well as the ongoing fee for having that protection-can also be deducted from your taxes, staying in your pocket and contributing to your wealth. Use the same percentage you used in figuring your mortgage interest, property taxes, and insurance. Also, a portion of your moving expenses can be written off, too.

As you can see, a home business allows you tax breaks that can act to seriously build wealth for you and your family. Do your due diligence, and get an accountant's advice when you file. There may be even more tax benefits than there was space to list here. And of course, you can't deduct more than the net profit of your business!

How to Build Wealth in a Bad Economy

We had tried Multi-Level Marketing before. Even with all the struggles of building a downline and leads list in the past, we were still open to finding a great business opportunity. After all, having your own business is still one of the most sure ways to take control of your financial situation. It's tough when you first join an MLM company and don't have a team that will help guide you. You're excited at first and ready to share it with everyone you know but you can't find the right people that will have the same enthusiasm. No matter how many people you talk to, they either never sign up or you can't find anyone that can duplicate you. That's something we've found to be the most difficult in any business but very lucrative if successful. You want to find business people that are just as enthusiastic about it as you are. That's one reason so many people fail in MLM and write if off as a failure business model. But hey, we've been there. Trust me.

We knew if we're going to ever give it another try we needed an exceptional product and marketing plan. Something special too, not just the typical lotion and cream products. We started hearing buzz about MLM gold and silver coins opportunities. The idea of combining the precious metals coins industry with MLM was definitely new to us. We had never seen anything like this before and were sold that it was unique and the first of it's kind. It definitely piqued our interest and we wanted to know more. So we spent some time looking at several companies.

We are interested in not only building a lucrative business but preserving wealth for the future. And now we know there is no better way to do this than with precious metals. It's like having a savings account that isn't subject to the rise and fall of the dollar, the economy, or interest rates. And we are building up our net worth at the same time with each coin that we purchase. We like to buy the American Silver Eagle ungraded and also the MS70 (MS70: which means it's graded mint condition, never touched by human hands. Comes sealed in a plastic case). You've got to remember. We're talking about buying solid one ounce U.S. Mint silver coins. You just want to be sure to lock these up in your safe.

And as you may know, precious metals prices keep rising in this economy. We're trying to buy as much as we can right now before the price of silver is out of reach. Like Robert Kiyosaki says, gold and silver is God's money. It truly is the only real currency in the world and the most stable. One tip: When purchasing numismatic coins in the hope of having an asset that increases in value, it is safest to deal in coins that are pure gold or silver. Numismatic coins have 3 layers of cost built into their pricing. 1) the metal content, 2) The numismatic premium, and 3) The dealer profit. It is best to minimize the second one and eliminate the 3rd. If you know how and where to buy at wholesale, you can do that.

7 Tips For Writing A Start-Up Business Plan

Please raise your hand if you've ever been frustrated about what to put in a business plan? What will convince an investor to give you money? We've all been there. And it seems like the answer keeps changing depending on who you talk to.

The problem, or rather the truth, is that there is no "one fit all" solution. So the bad news is: even a step by step guide to writing a business plan won't really make your plan "good". The good news is, you really don't need a step by step guide to make your plan compelling enough to close investment.

There are many different formats and there really isn't a "universal" length for a perfect business plan. Depending on your product or industry, it can range anywhere between 10-100, and sometimes more, pages.

The question you should ask yourself is: what stage is my company at? If you are already generating revenue and are looking for a second or third round of financing to expand, the business plan can get much more elaborate and detailed, especially on the financial analysis and projections side of things.

But if you are just starting a business, don't have established revenue yet and are simply looking to attract investors to get started making money with your products or services, keep on reading.
Most important to understand in this case is that it all comes down to one simple thing:
telling a great story!

This does not mean you shouldn't present accurate facts, be transparent, and most importantly tell the truth; but it means that you need to package all those facts into an interesting, exciting, and fascinating story so your readers (potential investors) keep on reading and don't get bored by page 25. It's a lot to ask someone to read an entire business plan, so the least you can do is make it fun and interesting.

I have had the pleasure to be on both sides of the table (both writing and reading business plans), and here are the 7 things that are often forgotten or done wrong:

1. Get To The Point Quickly
We all get excited at the prospect of starting a new business... so going on and on about one or more aspects that really cause you to be enthusiastic is great when you sit over a cup of coffee with your friends or colleagues.

But when it comes to reading something on a digital device or piece of paper, without your enthusiastic voice, endless chatter can get old very quickly.

Think of your potential readers as the most impatient individuals you will ever meet. How would you structure your sentences when talking or writing an e-mail to them? Now add just a hint of enthusiasm and relevant information to that, and you should be close to getting their attention.

2. Move Most Compelling Facts To The Top

In addition to keeping things "snappy", prioritizing information and structuring the business plan around the importance of each element can help move the reader along.
The format that I have found to be effective is:

1- Brief Executive Summary
2- Company Description
3- Market Analysis
4- Product and/or Services
5- Marketing Strategy
6- Sales Strategy
7- Company Goals & Objectives
8- Management and Operations
9- Competitive Analysis
10- Financial Projections

Some entrepreneurs include a request for funding at the end, and some create a separate document (mostly with their attorneys) called "Private Placement Memorandum" (PPM). The advantage of not including a funding request in the business plan, is that you can stay flexible in terms of who you are sharing this business plan with and how much money you end up asking for. It's easier to change the short PPM rather than going back into the business plan every time you talk to a different investor.

The main thought behind the structure I suggested above is that every section sets the stage and builds up to the section right after. Again, there are many different formats, and you can really change this format up to whatever suits the story you are telling. You might for example have a big name on your team that has significant weight in your industry, so moving the "management" section up (maybe even to the top) can make sense in some cases. It's all about getting the reader excited, and the prospect of working with a celebrity might just get that job done for you.

3. Create Transitions

This is a mistake I see happening time and time again. Creating transitions between the different sections of the business plan is a really simple trick that makes the overall experience more pleasant, while "tricking" the reader into continuing to read.

Many business plan authors think it's enough to just "compile" all the information relevant to their business in form of one continuous document - no matter how.

The problem, however, becomes that sometimes jumping thoughts can be jarring and confusing.
Go back to thinking about your business plan as a story you would tell around a campfire. You wouldn't reveal the big twist right in your first sentence, would you? And the way that you would go from one character and plot-point to the next, is how you should think of every segment in your business plan.
Don't shy away from creating cliff-hangers at the end of some sections. For example, if your market analysis concludes that one specific age group and gender has an urgent need that no product in the market is currently satisfying, you can end this section with a question like: So how doesaddress this urgent need and turn it into profit? And then go right into your products and services presentation.

4. Don't Be Too Flashy

In my experience, there is a huge difference between sounding professionally enthusiastic and self-promotional. Using too many flashy buzz-words and too much promotional language throughout the business plan can get irritating to read and mostly comes across as insincere. It also raises the question if the authors of the plan are hiding the fact that they might not have figured "it" out yet.
Trying to be flashy simply distracts from the real, hard facts and dilutes the value of your presentation. The old saying, "when in doubt, keep it simple", truly applies here.

5. Use images And Graphic Examples

This speaks to the "making it fun to read" - part. No, no... making it fun doesn't mean making it flashy. It simply means you should also not try to achieve the opposite of flashy - which I believe to be "boring".
Images and graphic examples should be relevant to the information you are presenting. The goal is to give the reader's eyes a break here and there to keep the flow going. Think of it like visual potato chips... but the good, organic kind that is fun to eat, while still staying relevant to your healthy diet. This can include images of your product(s), website screenshots, industry statistics, charts, etc.

6. Attachments

Sometimes there are amazing articles or entire studies on specific industry developments that support your case. Instead of copy-pasting and quoting the entire article, though, attach it to your business plan as a separate document labeled "Exhibit a)", b), c), etc. (one for each document) and reference the exhibit with a short quote or summary inside the business plan. That way you are giving the reader the choice to check out the attachment or to continue going through your presentation.

The goal here is to avoid unnecessary "inflation". More pages is not always better! Sometimes 10 pages that knock it out of the park are better than 100 pages that are overwhelming with too many industry stats and lengthy paragraphs that you didn't even write yourself.

7. Try Putting Yourself Into The investor's Shoes

It's hard, but when reading through your finished business plan, try to distance yourself and read it from the perspective of an investor. Ask yourself very honestly and harshly: would I put money into this? Imagine putting everything on the line; your car, your house, your life's savings.
You would be surprised how many times you will cringe and realize that it's simply not good enough yet; that some of the language you don't even buy into yourself; that you might have to do a lot more research and planning before taking it to an investor. In the end of the day, you are not just putting their money on the line, but also your own time and resources, which could be devastating.

Online Business Secret - How to Succeed

The basic tenet and secret of succeeding with an online business is one's knowledge of internet marketing. No matter how good the products you sell, or the opportunity you offer, you will not sell if you do not have the knowledge to market online effectively. Those who have succeeded acquired the knowledge of internet marketing first then looked for opportunities afterwards. For people who have failed the reason is lack of internet marketing knowledge.

The key to succeed online is in driving traffic to your website. There are various methods of driving traffic to your website to succeed online. Some of these are article marketing, pay per click ads, banner ads and search engine optimization.

Article Marketing

Article marketing has the power to drive tons of high quality traffic to you website. The key is first of to identify your niche market, and discover the keyword phrase for your target market. This keyword phrase should be included in the title and several times within the content of the article. One of the things to consider when you want your online business t succeed through article marketing is writing relevant articles. This will result in optimizing the article so that it can be picked by the search engines and ranked high.

Pay Per Click Ads

Pay per click ads are ads you pay the clicks that accrue to your ads. These are ads shown on the right hand side and sometimes at the top of search engine results pages. The good thing about these ads is that you only pay when you have visitors to your website. And also the ability to use targeted keywords enables targeting the ads to the interested people.

Banner Ads

It can be seen that a lot of innovation has been experienced in banner ads creation. These are becoming important tools in effective online marketing for one to succeed. The whole objective is to grab attention of visitors within the first few seconds they visit the website.

Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Optimization produces greater online business success results as compared to pay per click ads. It has been discovered that more traffic is generated by high rankings on the page than from an ad. Optimization is to do with the density of keyword phrases. These are the keywords people type when they are searching in the search engines. The trick is to place a reasonable number of the keyword phrase within the content of the website. What is the reasonable number? It has been said that about 7% of the content is the reasonable number. More than the 7% you get penalized by the search engines.

Business Strategies to Preserve Wealth

Preserving wealth is one of the most important business strategies for any investor. Whether you are risk averse or a risk taker, the bottom line is the same. You want to produce positive cash flow with your investments. There are several business strategies to preserve wealth. These include, but are not limited to, real estate, small business ownership, stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.

Real estate can be a key business strategy to preserve wealth. Not only does real estate increase in value over the years, but it builds equity and can produce a positive cash flow-for not only you but your children as well. So how does this work, and is there significant risk involved?

The answer to this is simple. Real estate has a proven track record over the years. Although, like any investment, there are lows and highs, real estate will increase in value if the property is held for a long-enough period of time. Unless you practice the business strategy of "flipping properties," then you should plan to be in this for the long term.

Purchasing a property for the sole purpose of renting it out is a great business strategy to mitigate market exposure-meaning that no matter what the market fluctuations are, you and your investment will remain safe. Remember there are always going to be individuals looking for rental properties. The key is to find an area that you yourself would be comfortable living in. Being in a safe environment with a good school district will appeal to almost any family. The proper marketing and having a good product-two key business strategies-will ensure success.

Owning and operating a small business is another way to preserve wealth. Many individuals dream of owning their own business, so why not make this a reality. Of course, this does not come without its own set of risks. Being properly educated in all aspects of running a business is a must. Opening a franchise can be a good alternative for someone with little knowledge in business operations and strategies. This, of course, will limit the owner's opportunities for business creativity, and some of the profits will be handed over the franchisor. The benefits of a Franchise are a proven business strategy, existing business model, recognized brand name, and consistent product quality.

Whatever it is, if you do decide to open your own business, make sure it is something you have a great passion for. Findings show having a passion for something generally leads to success. An individual will work harder for something he or she enjoys.

Make sure you employ trust-worthy individuals who have your best interest at heart. This is why so many small businesses employ family members. Most businesses do not turn a profit in their first year or two so make sure you have enough capital to sustain the life you are accustomed to. Do not over extend yourself-and most of all, enjoy your business.

So where do stocks, bonds, and mutual funds fall in a business strategy? The answer to this is simple. Keeping the profits from your income-producing business in a non-interest bank account is like keeping your money in your sock drawer. Investing your profits in mutual funds, stocks, and bonds can be a great way to produce more wealth and portfolio diversification. If you are risk averse and do not want to lose money, a mutual fund is a great way to create a diverse portfolio for those with little market knowledge. Remember the key is letting your money work for you, it's a business strategy that's worked for years!

Keys to a Successful Viral Marketing Campaign

Viral Marketing, there's no doubt that this is the buzz phrase being thrown around by internet marketers and businesses and is only going to become more sought after as a service.

But what exactly is Viral Marketing? Why is everyone looking to make their business go viral? And more importantly, how do you go viral?

Basically, Viral Marketing or making something go viral will see a huge increase in traffic. Whether that traffic is for a business or individual, the essence of something going viral is to have it explode online and have millions of people see it within a short period of time.

So what makes something go viral? The real power behind making something go Viral is with the everyday people surfing the net. They are the ones that are going to decide whether or not something is worth "liking" or "sharing" on Facebook or YouTube. They are the ones that will be tweeting about you and telling all their friends.

An effective Viral Campaign will use this to its advantage and take into consideration what are the types of things that people are most likely to pass on when planning their campaign. History shows that comedy works really well with an Online Marketing campaign, as do things with some sort of charitable "cause" that pulls at the heart strings. If you own a business, providing some type of crazy deal could do wonders in helping you go viral and attract 10,000's more visitors.

Your Viral Marketing Campaign needs to make sense to you, your business and what you represent. If you're not too sure about how to get started with a Viral Marketing Campaign, then you can always take on the help of a professional team.

One of the beautiful things of about something going viral is, nobody really knows exactly what will and what won't go viral. There is a certain mystery that no one will ever understand about viral marketing.

Why some songs/film clips explode online, why some funny videos get passed on more than other videos that are just as funny, why some businesses ad campaigns get better results than others. There certainly is an aspect of randomness and luck when it comes to going viral. But if you take a look at what has been successful in going viral previously and think about how you can manipulate human emotion into your favor, then you could quite possibly be sitting on the next big viral marketing campaign.

Tips to Boost Your Visual Marketing Strategy

The majority of marketers would admit that creating visual images is not a strong suit for them.

The good news? Creativity is learned, so you do not have to struggle with visual marketing ever again.

Do you want to improve your social media strategy by including more visual content? Visual marketing is much more than finding an inspirational quote on Google and re-posting.

But, you might be asking yourself, how do you go about creating an attractive and shareable image? Something that people want to interact with and then share with their audience?

There is a ton of reports and information on how to create visual marketing images. But this information can take weeks to get through, then put into practice for your business.

That is why we have done the work for you. This article presents tips on how to create visual content that gets more engagement.

The Science Behind Visual Marketing

The Content Marketing Institute reported that 70% of marketers are producing more visual content.
Ask yourself, are you producing enough visual content? If you are not, it may be because you're intimidated at the word 'design'. Do not fear, these tips can help you.
In this article, we present many tips to support your goal of creating more visual content. Mastering these tips will make your visual message stick with web searchers.
Creating visual content is the #1 goal on marketer's lists for skills to learn and it should be yours too.

Your Audience Responds to Visual Cues

Video and infographic responsiveness is at an all-time high. Are you using these strategies to interact with your audience?

In 2014, the use of video marketing increased by 8% and the use of infographics increased 9%. (Source: DemandGenReport)

As a home business owner you must dedicate more time and resources to creating visual content. Facebook posts that contain photos or videos account for 87% of increased interactions. (Source: EMarketer.com)
What does this mean? Facebook users are looking for so much more than just blatant calls to action to buy products. They want posts that share ideas, make connections, and avoid using too much text. Now is the time to switch to visual marketing if your posts have been heavy with text. You can start today adding photos or images to your posts.

What makes a shareable social media image? Why should we care about people sharing our images? Good questions. Every time a person shares your image, you just received free marketing. They are opening up your message to their audience. This helps you achieve more with less!
Let's look at what makes a shareable social media image:

1. Emotion: When your readers feel it, they'll share it.
2. Relevance: Your image should fit your audience, and their audience too.
3. Colors: Use the right colors to fit your audience's personality and you will get more shares.
4. Typography: Choose fonts that look good and pair well with each other. Choose fonts your audience can read.
5. Hashtags and Text: Choose the right words to encourage your audience to interact.
The most important way to optimize social media content is with images and photos leading the way. Focus on creating great visual content to engage your audience and put them into a sales funnel. On the back end, you will have detailed information to separate the lookers from the buyers.

Serious buyers will always be looking for more information to use in their life. These types of information include webinars, case studies, and reports (or white papers). Visual content opens the 'door' for serious buyers to access your back-end detailed information.

Tip # 1
Creating a Title for your Visual Image

Titles are a feature element of your visual content. You want them to stand out!
Let's go through a couple factors that will help you choose the best titles for your visual marketing.

1. We live in the age of people scrolling through a social media feed at record speed. An amazing title helps your visual content stand out among the "noise" in a news feed.

2. Your image has a split second to grab the attention of your audience. But your title (or main goal in the image) must speak to them as well.

3. If your audience finds the image to be pause worthy, make sure your title keeps them even longer. If you fall short in any aspect, they will not click on your call to action and will keep scrolling to the next thing.
4. Your back end offer will be the ultimate information that solves their problem. But the title should be crystal clear and provide a front line answer to their question.

Your image title appears everywhere. So, choosing a visual image with a strong title is critical, it will be visible in many different places. Every time you make a piece of text content, be aware that the different versions of it will show up as "title only". This is visual marketing, it is the only chance you have to grab your audience's fast paced attention.

Tip #2
Color: The Psychology of Colors in Visual Marketing
For decades there has been a debate about color and how it relates to persuading your audience to buy.
A great example in today's color marketing is a well known, high end, coffee retailer. They use the color green as their primary visual marketing color. When you look at a color chart you see that customer's associate green with wealth and relaxation.

Would you agree or disagree that this coffee shop got their marketing correct? They encourage people to stop in and relax with a $5-$8 cup of coffee. In fact, many people will tell you they cannot start their morning without a trip to this coffee house. Pretty ingenious, right?

Color studies show that different colors have an impact on a customer's purchasing decisions. Marketing departments have been using this knowledge for generations. Recognize the power behind color and make conscious choices for your visual marketing.

According to a B2B study, 85% of customer's claim that the color of an ad was what made them buy.
Please note, color alone does not induce someone to buy or not buy. But, when done correct, color influences your products and branding. And how long a customer stays around to learn about your products.
So how can you use this for your visual marketing strategy?

Start with a specific color theme. The right color theme depends on your niche audience's demographics and your ultimate message. Next choose the right text, font, shapes, and photos for your social media pages.
How do colors affect purchases?

There are many factors that influence what consumers buy. Yet a large amount of their decisions rely on visual cues, such as color. It is vital that your color choices support the theme of your message. Continue to refer to a color chart to double check that your color choice supports your message. Plus the call to action you want your customers to act on.

Tip #3
Choosing the Right Font
It's easy to think that your font is a simple design choice. But the truth is that font is the body language of your image. It says a lot to your reader without you even realizing it. Different fonts you choose dictate how long someone reads your article.

The previous tips discussed the importance of your visual content being inviting and shareable. Did you know that the font choice you make will impact the number of shares (attention) that it receives? How? Let's take a look.

Different fonts create different emotions.
· Font's will encourage readers to complete your desired action
· Drive decision making
· Encourage them to share with their audience

What is the take away? Consider the message you're putting out and the emotions that you want your audience to feel from it.

There are 3 steps to selecting your ideal font, your choice will support or detract from your message.
When creating your visual images, make sure that you think beyond the words that you have written. A good example here is a quote. Your goal is to select a font that matches the meaning behind the message. The goal is to think beyond the words you've written. While this sound complicated, it isn't.

3 Steps:
1. Decide on your emotion: Are you a fun loving brand? Or are you more serious, like an institution? You can be artsy and easy going or you can be serious and stoic. But mixing the two together rarely results in a unified message.

2. Choose 3 variations: Decide on 3 font you feel fit your brand's message. Design your visual image 3 times using a different font each time. Walk away from the project and come back later. When you have 'fresh' eyes you will be able to immediately see what font best suites your message.

3. Nothing is worse than a font you cannot read: You have been a victim yourself right? You see a visual marketing attempt, but you cannot read the words because the font was a wrong choice. Just because you feel a font is 'pretty' does not mean the audience can digest it. As we learned in the past 2 tips, if your audience does not digest the message fast, they move on.

Tip #4
Choosing Appropriate Images
A study performed by Trend Reports found that 65- 85% of people say they are visual learners. Visual learners prefer to look and study as opposed to read and comprehend. Marketers need to optimize images to accommodate the majority of visual learners.

Accommodate visual learners and you stand apart from competitors who only use text. When you are choosing images to tie in with your colors, titles, and fonts, you must keep relevancy in mind. Does the image you're choosing fit the audience you're choosing it for?

Visual learners process information using the part of the brain associated with vision. Which is 60,000x faster than the part of the brain that processes written information.

Visual learners look at your image and decide if what they are seeing matches up with what they like, etc. They use the part of the brain that tells them to stop and investigate or keep moving because it is not the right fit.

When you choose images ask yourself these 3 questions "does this image fit my":
· Brand
· Audience Niche
· Important News Feed Update
If they answer is yes, your next goal is to transition your audience from the image to your call to action. Getting your audience members to complete a specific action is your main goal.
With each image you create moving forward you must ask yourself:

"Does this make sense for my audience to act it?"
Not sure about the best interaction from your audience? Start looking at the leader's in your industry. What does their visual marketing strategy look like? Find posts getting a ton of interaction and you have found a winning combination for yourself.

Capture the Audience's Attention
Most people are completely overwhelmed in this information age. When we talk to the majority of people around us, we hear that all this data has become overwhelming. This is why the majority of people on social media skim and scan at rapid speed. The key to visual marketing, is to cause skimmers and scanners to look at your post while avoiding the rest. Most visitors have lost the patience to read through consuming social media posts. They want images that grab their precious attention.

Tip #5
Use Filters to Get More Likes
Instagram gives more than a dozen filters to customize your photos. Gone are the days when you chose a filter because it made your picture look better. Now you choose a filter based on scientific research to make your image perform better. Again, the whole reason we are studying visual marketing, right?
Once you take a photo, you can edit it by applying filters using the steps below.

1. Tap the filter you'd like to apply.
2. Tap the filter again if you want to adjust filter strength up or down using the slider. Tap the check to save your change.
3. Tap Next to add a caption and location and to share your photo.
Filters make your photos feel more refined. Studies show filters plus editing results in more views, comments, and shares.
We used to use filters because they made us look better. Now we understand that filters enhance our content. So what can you choose if you want to work with filters off of Instagram? There are 2 options to enhance your images without going through Instagram.

1. The Wix Image Editor
If you use Wix, you can also use their image editor to enhance your pictures.
Wix's image editor allows you to enhance your images while working on your site. Wix's image editor rivals Instagram in ease and options.

2. Online Photo Editing Tools
Looking online you will notice that there is a good variety of image editors. These tools give you complete control over your final image feel and look.
Some of the online editing tools are:
· Befunky
· Canva
· Ribbet
These are reliable photo editors, all available online and for the most part, with no or small cost.

Tip #6
Graphics
1. How to Use Quotes (the creative way) for Visual Marketing

Where do you fall on the social media timeline? Do you prefer the days of using social media to make friendships and build relationships?
Or, are you the newer generation who loves quotes and not so funny memes of babies with grouchy faces?
There is nothing wrong with whatever group you fall into. When you are surfing social media for your personal time.

But, there is something missing if you want to build your business only using memes or cat videos.
As a visual marketer you cannot afford to miss your goal 100% of the time posting to social media. If your images are not supporting your branding message then you are failing in business.

Sure you can build up likes, shares, and comments on your latest baby meme. But ask yourself, "Does this make my audience want my product"?

Let's look at graphics and how to make them resonate with your message to hit your visual marketing goal.
· You have spent the better part of an hour creating an image. It is quirky, it is sarcastic and you think witty!
· You post to social media and expect an outpouring of comments and questions about your business. But the quote had nothing to do with your home business. So, you hear crickets, not a single follow up question. Sure maybe a 'like' or two. But not a single sale. So what went wrong?

The question you should be asking yourself is: did my effort investment fit in my sales strategy?
If your quotes do not support a larger goal on the back end (to take your call to action), then your effort failed. Be careful of creating and posting visual content without knowing why you're doing it. And how every single post fits in your sales strategy.

2. Infographics: Explain Complex Topics by Using Infographics
Do you remember Tip # 4 about choosing the right image? And how we discussed your audience is 65% - 85% visual learners? This is the exact reason why infographics are so popular. And so effective!
You might be dealing with an industry that has complex topics (or even boring topics). When you try and explain them in text form to your visual audience, it is not received well.

Spend your time creating an infographic that delivers your complex message through an infographic. Now you have made it easy for your audience to understand. Successful parts of infographics are the 'visual pathways' that lead your audience. The end of the infographic will stop right at the invitation to learn more, or any other call to action.

The call to action gives the reader somewhere else to go, ideal is your own website. Your infographic goal is to create a visual pathway to lead the reader to your call to action.

Distribution Map Infographics are another great example of making a boring topic fun.
Here is an example: global economic productivity landscapes. Pretty boring topic right? Unless you are an economist, and in that case, my apologies!

Yet, you could create a distribution map infographic using a great palette of colors. With gradations of light to dark, you can produce an effective way to display a boring topic. Another way to standout is to present the statistics in an organized, 3-D form. Looking from a distance, the viewer engages with this arrangement because of its uniqueness.

Conclusion:
Visual marketing is a 'must-have' to attract your target audience and grow brand awareness. As you move forward, put into place these elements for your visual marketing strategy. Remember to follow up your designs with an examination of results. Make correct conclusions and then make the right modifications.

5 Easy Steps To Become A Millionaire

Ever thought about you being a Millionaire? Ever thought about what it would take to become a Millionaire? Anyone ever shared with you how you can become a Millionaire? Interesting questions right?
I'm not sure about you, but no one ever sat me down and said, "this is what you need to do if you want to be a Millionaire." I've had to struggle through my life just like everyone else. The only difference is I've made many sacrifices in my life to learn from the correct people, I've read lots of books to expand my knowledge and value to the world and now I would like to take a few minutes to share with you 5 Steps to get you started so you can become a Millionaire.

1) See Yourself already As A Millionaire

Long before you can ever become a Millionaire, you need to start visualizing yourself as a Millionaire. Who will benefit from you being a Millionaire besides you? How will you help people? What will you do with the money?

These are important questions. You can't just want to be a Millionaire and poof you are one. Sit down and create a vision that you can see in your own mind of you as a Millionaire. Think about is so much that you can see what you are wearing, what you drive for a car, who you are surrounded with and what house you are in.
The more details you can clearly see in your vision the more your mind will be able to help you start making it your reality.

2) Change Your Friends

This one may be really tough for a lot of you who are reading this. I don't want you to suddenly tell your existing friends they're not worthy of your time. But you do have to understand that you will stay at a success level of your closest friends.
If your closest friends make minimum wage, pick apart your dream and have none of their own, how likely do you think that you will become a Millionaire? If you start hanging around with people who want success, who strive for their goals in life and make a ton of money, you'll be forced to change. This will really help change your mindset and help you to start thinking like a Millionaire.

3) Stop Concerning Yourself With What People Think About You

Many people never take action because they are afraid that their closest friends and family will find out what they are doing. They are afraid they may even make fun of them. When they find out you actually have dreams and are working towards them, some of your friends may slam your dreams and be jealous.
Stop concerning yourself with what they think. You and only you know what you want, what you desire in life, that you want to be a Millionaire. Just because they are not willing to put in the time and effort to become a Millionaire, doesn't mean that you can't go for it.
You have to look out for yourself. Besides, when you become a Millionaire, think about how you'll be able to help inspire others to do the same as you did. How would that feel?

4) Believe In Yourself 

OK, so you now have a vision for yourself of you being a Millionaire. You've reached out to some new friends who are more successful than you and never give up on their goals. You have stopped concerning yourself with what others think. Now, you need to start believing in yourself.
One good way to start believing in yourself is to use affirmations. Think about the steps you need to go through to become a Millionaire. Write down the first few that will be easiest to accomplish on a piece of paper. Then re-write them every night before you go to bed and again when you first wake up. This is when your brain will best use the information. Write them as a question and form the question as you have already accomplished them.

This will start training your sub-conscious that you already have accomplished these affirmations and your mind will help you start making them your reality.

The sooner you believe you can really become a Millionaire, the sooner it will really happen. The only person who can make you a Millionaire is you. Start believing in yourself today!!!

5) Take Massive Action

Once you have your vision of you becoming a Millionaire, it's time to take Massive Action. It's not time to tip toe around and think about how to become a Millionaire. It's time to get started and really go for it.
Remember though, this will not happen overnight. This is a marathon, not a sprint. So please pace yourself. Do you think Tiger Woods became the world's best golfer by hitting 1,000,000 balls in a month. No! He hits thousands of balls every single week. He took massive action every single day to get to where he wanted to be. You can do the same.

Imagine working less than an hour per day and growing an online business that will enable you to become a millionaire. Imagine attracting 10-20 brand new leads every day. Imagine sponsoring 5-10 new team members per month, without ever bothering your family and friends or making an cold calls to an unmotivated generic business opportunity leads. Imagine finally utilizing a proven attraction marketing system literally guaranteed to produce result after result once you have it set up.