You have decided to start your own business on the internet. The first question is what do I do? What kind of service do I offer or what product do I sell.

What field are you knowledgeable in? What do you have to offer others? Am I qualified to help others?

Most everyone has the knowledge and ability to help others. The problem is that most do not have the confidence to share that knowledge. We question ourselves and the abilities that we possess.

Recently, I’ve learned some valuable lessons about people. The majority of people are content to follow. There is nothing wrong with this and the world needs followers as well as leaders.

The world also needs leaders and the confidence that goes with that role. To be a successful leader, you must have the confidence in your own abilities. And to be successful in the marketing world, you must be a leader.

You must have the confidence that you can help others and have the ability to convey that confidence to them. You must possess the knowledge to allow you to portray this confidence to your clients as well.

If you cannot convey this confidence to your potential customers, you will have a very difficult time being successful in any type business. People come to you for help, you must project a sense of confidence or you have little chance of attaining that success.

A while ago, a client said that I seemed so confident that the marketing campaign I had just put together would be a success. He asked me how I could be so confident?

My answer to him applies to almost any task or any field. I told him that I was confident because I had spent many hours studying the market that we were targeting. I had also spent many hours looking at other marketing campaigns, both successful and unsuccessful. I had then spent a lot of time putting together the campaign and when I finished, I went back and spent even more time ensuring that everything was just right.

The key here was preparation. I was totally prepared and felt like I had exhausted every possible means to ensure that the marketing campaign was the best that it could possibly be. How could I not be confident?

It reminds me of school. When I spent the time studying, I always felt confident when test day arrived. The times that I did not spend the time studying, the confidence was just not there, no matter how hard I tried to convince myself.

You have the ability to start your own business and turn it into a successful venture. What does it take? You are going to have to have the confidence to pass along to others. How do you acquire this confidence? Well, it does not come because you are good looking, popular or inherited a million dollars. It comes from studying, work and preparation.

Do you have the ability to make it happen? Of course you do. The question is, are you willing to put forth the time and effort that it takes. Success and Confidence take work and preparation.

Free! Why $0.00 Is the Future of Business
compiled by Chris Farrell

Ok…here’s a totally radical thought.

Could you imagine movies at the theater…being FREE.

And I mean totally 100% free – no catch.

Believe it or not…this is being considered.

Some chains are considering making movies free – but charging a lot more for the concessions.

Just imagine how this could change business…

I have long talked about the Power of ‘FREE’.

Once a marketing gimmick — now ‘free’ is a full fledged economy of it’s own.

Lets look at a little known company called GOOGLE. Heard of them?

But have you noticed how virtually EVERYTHING they do – is FREE. Think about this for a moment. This clearly is no accident.

How can they do this and yet still be worth billions?

The simple truth is – they funnel us consumers in for free – and then introduce a selection of paid services (Adwords for example).

Giving away something for FREE at first -
is a key strategy you need to understand and implement.

But does giving away something for free mean it takes longer to make money online?

I’d have to say yes. It took me 6 months before I made anything.

But does this strategy work?

Undoubtedly 100% YES.

I realize I go on about this time and time again – but I still see a TON of people online try and SELL immediately.

Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong.

Delivering VALUE first – in the form of something that is free – is the way to grow your business as we enter the 2nd decade of the 21st century.

Free is the future — this is how to create and grow a business. And you will make your money by upselling related products/services — but you need to capture your target market’s attention first.

****************************************************************************

The Power Of Free

At the age of 40, King Gillette was a frustrated inventor, a bitter anticapitalist, and a salesman of cork-lined bottle caps.

It was 1895, and despite ideas, energy, and wealthy parents, he had little to show for his work.

He blamed the evils of market competition.

His boss at the bottle cap company, meanwhile, had just one piece of advice: Invent something people use and throw away.

One day, while he was shaving with a straight razor that was so worn it could no longer be sharpened, the idea came to him.

What if the blade could be made of a thin metal strip?

Rather than spending time maintaining the blades, men could simply discard them when they became dull.

A few years later, the disposable-blade safety razor was born.

Over the next two decades, he gave away millons of razors to soldiers in the war, hoping the habits soldiers developed at war would carry

over to peacetime.

He gave razors in bulk to banks so they could give them away with new deposits (“shave and save” campaigns).

Razors were bundled with everything from Wrigley’s gum to packets of coffee, tea, spices, and marshmallows.

The freebies helped to sell those products, but the tactic helped Gillette even more.

By giving away the razors, which were useless by themselves, he was creating demand for disposable blades.

A few billion blades later, this business model is now the foundation of entire industries: Give away the cell phone, sell the monthly plan; make the videogame console cheap and sell expensive games; install fancy coffeemakers in offices at no charge so you can sell managers expensive coffee sachets: give away a free eBook so you can upsell the video version of the book.

Thanks to Gillette, the idea that you can make money by giving something away is no longer radical.

So…where do things go from here?

* Future scenario 1:

Low-cost digital distribution will make the summer blockbuster free. Theaters will make their money from concessions — and by selling the premium moviegoing experience at a high price.

* Future scenario 2:

Ads on the subway? That’s so 20th century. By sponsoring the whole line and making trips free, the local merchants association brings grateful commuters to neighborhood shops.

* Happening right now:

When Wal-Mart charges $7 for a new hit DVD, it’s a loss leader. The company is offering the DVD below cost to lure you into the store, where it hopes to sell you a washing machine at a profit.

* Happening right now:

Your cell phone company may not make money on your monthly minutes — it keeps that fee low because it knows that’s the first thing you look at when picking a carrier — but your monthly voicemail fee is pure profit for them. Clever huh!

* Happening right now:

In 2007 The New York Times went free; in 2010 year, so will much of The Wall Street Journal.

A psychological switch has been turned and things are flipping towards zero.

BUT A WORD OF WARNING!!!!!

From the consumer’s perspective, there is a huge difference between cheap and free.

Give a product away for free and it can go viral.

Charge a single cent for it – so it is seen as ‘cheap’ – and you’re in an entirely different business, one of clawing and scratching for every customer.

Don’t do it.

The huge psychological gap between “almost zero” and “zero” is why micropayments failed.

It’s why Google doesn’t show up on your credit card.

It’s why modern Web companies don’t charge their users anything.

And it’s why Yahoo gives away disk drive space.

Look at Craigs List. A Free Listings site that made $50 million last year from the few things it charges for.

And in a lot smaller way – it’s why I have been able to build a list of almost 20,000 in less than 2 years which has changed my life completely.

The moral of this story?

The winning companies make their stuff free first.

Are you?

Here’s a quick video from a recent issue of Wired Magazine that you may enjoy that reiterates this FREE theory.

Let me introduce you to a friend of mine. I met Julie online at Chris Farrell Membership Forum. She knows what she’s talking about here. Enjoy!

Finding Your Mentor – How the Right Person Can Make or Break You
By: Julie58 | Posted: 24th November 2009

When you’re starting out in any new direction, whether it’s in a new career,online marketing or studying, it’s
been shown that having a mentor takes you head and shoulders above the crowd.

The term “mentor” means a trusted friend, a counselor or teacher, someone who’s more experienced in your chosen
field. Mentors provide their expertise to less experienced individuals, to help them advance with their careers and
studies.

Communication is the number one key factor of mentoring, whereby support and encouragement is offered to enable
the mentee to manage their own learning. This in turn allows them to reach their potential. New and existing skills can be honed, which will enhance and improve their performance.

Mutual trust and respect is paramount in any mentoring programme. A mentor should help the mentee believe in
themselves one hundred per cent, giving them a strong sense of worth and confidence.

If you’ve ever taken up a new interest or started out on a new career path, you may have felt overwhelmed by all the
new information you had to take on board. Information overload can easily set in. How much easier would it be to
have someone dedicated to leading you through these early steps, guiding you gently in the right direction?

Everyone likes to get recognition for their achievements and a good mentor will encourage you to step outside your
comfort zone and achieve more. In our modern world of internet and instant communications, your mentor might be someone you talk to physically – or he might be living on the other side of the world. Either wqay, he can still offer you
the same support. Having experienced the same worries, doubts and pitfalls that you’re going through allows him to fully
empathize with your learning curve.

If you’re lucky enough to find a mentor, either through personal contact or via the web, consider yourself to be one of
the lucky ones. The experience and knowledge offered to you can make or break your success.

Should you ever find yourself in the position to return the favour to someone – go for it Just remember what it felt like
to be faced with the unknown and help them discover the benefits of mentorship.

About the Author – Julie is married and works as a part-time doctor’s receptionist. Her love of writing began when she was young and continues to this day. She is currently building up an online business with her daughter.

http://www.julieatkins-online.com

This article is free for republishing
Printed From: http://www.articlealley.com/article_12488

Here’s my first Camtasia Video. How To Join A JV Giveaway. Remember, it’s unedited!

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Josh_O'Connor]Josh O’Connor

Looking for a web editor so you can create your own website? If you are brand new to internet marketing, you want something that is easy to understand, so that you can get a website up quickly. This is where a WYSIWYG web editor comes in. However, there are quite a few of these web editors around, so you want to find one that works for you.

Any website that you find on the internet is coded using HTML which is an abbreviation for Hyper Text Markup Language. This is just a language telling the various browsers how you would like your website to look like by the use of tags. Especially to the technically challenged, understanding everything to build a website is a daunting challenge; anyway you simply don’t have the time to learn this stuff. After all you are a marketer and not a website designer!

The only function of an editor is that it allows you to create the actual content for your website. To do this, a great way is to use a WYSIWYG editor which stands for “What You See Is What You Get.” The benefit of using this type of editor is that it is like using a word processor; it creates the HTML for you! This is perfect for beginners who have no background in web design.

Here are some popular applications that are available to you.

1. Adobe Dreamweaver

Dreamweaver is the premier of all WYSIWYG web editors. It is a highly featured package that supports XHTML, CSS, XML, JavaScript, PHP and more. It also offers integration with the Adobe Creative Suite with products like Photoshop.

However, the downside to this awesome web editor is that beginners may find it confusing and so you will need to spend some time learning how to use it. Also, there is the huge cost of $400 to think about too.

2. Microsoft Expression Web

Expression Web is the replacement to FrontPage in an effort by Microsoft to target the more serious designers. This package works quite nicely offering a lot of the same features and standards as Dreamweaver. What is missing with this application is the support that was available with FrontPage, thus making it a steep learning curve for newcomers, as well as the $300 price tag.

3. KompoZer

KompoZer is an open source editor which is an improved version of the old Nvu. Even though this software is free to download, it produces a standards compliant HTML web editor. It lacks the advanced application that programs like Dreamweaver offer, but it does a sufficient job. It also has a standard FTP facility, so you can quite easily get your website online.

One of the benefits with KompoZer is that once you know the basics, you can build a website from scratch. This is a great package for a beginner starting out in their internet marketing career.

4. Other web editors

There are other applications on the market that are worthy of a mention.

SeaMonkey (Free download) not only an editor, but a complete internet application suite as part of the Mozilla project. Included in this package are a browser and email client as well.

CoffeeCup has a lot of good features but at a fraction of the price of the more expensive rivals. So, if you are on a tight budget, it is worth a look. The selling point with this package is the renowned support and the free upgrades.

Learning how to build your own website is one of the important fundamental aspects if you want to succeed in internet marketing. So, would you like to know how you can quickly build your own professional site quickly, in days? For more information and to get a FREE e-book on unbelievably simple website creation, just go to ==> http://www.creatingyourfirstwebsite.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_O’Connor http://EzineArticles.com/?Web-Editors—Finding-Your-Perfect-WYSIWYG-Web-Editor-That-Works-For-You&id=3105950

http://www.chrisfarrellmembership.com

The new FTC Rules Concerning Endorsements & Testimonials
by Chris Farrell

So I am getting a lot of questions Marilyn

(some from concerned folk) about the new FTC regulations.

Firstly — who are the FTC?

The FTC deals with issues that touch the economic life of every American.

Let me say this.

These new rules are good.

Unless you have something to hide.

Uncle Sam wants to make sure the old rules of fairness and transparency still apply.

That’s surely a good thing for us all of us.

As the web continues to grow and evolve – and remember it is still early days in this business — the FTC deem that changes need to be made to preserve a free and open Internet.

So what are these scary sounding changes?

Let me tell you.

OVERVIEW

There are two primary areas covered that could affect us.

They both affect affiliates who use testimonials – and/or reviewers/bloggers who recommend products.

* 1: Using Testimonials. The commission is now saying that advertisers featuring testimonials that claim dramatic results cannot hide behind disclaimers that the ‘results aren’t typical.’

* 2: Using Reviews and Endorsements. The FTC will require that writers on the Web clearly disclose any freebies or payments they get from companies for reviewing their products.

Let’s look at both in a bit more detail:

TESTIMONIALS: Under the revised Guides, advertisements that feature a consumer and convey his or her experience with a product or service as’ typical’ – when that is not the case – will be required to clearly disclose the results that consumers can generally expect.

But what does this actually mean?

Here’s a good example that is on Joel Comm’s blog.

Say you offer a product that helps people develop a marketing strategy for the internet. One person vigorously applies the system to a great product, makes $250,000 in the first month, and sends you a testimonial praising your genius.

That’s the truth – for that person.

Another person buys your product, and does a half-hearted implementation and makes $250.

That’s the truth too, but this person doesn’t bother to tell you the results or share their implementation strategy.

As a marketer, what do you communicate to potential customers?

Under the old rules, you could happily post the wonderful testimonial from the wildly successful (and true) customer and capture the aspirations of your potential customers.

All you had to do was post a clear and conspicuous disclaimer saying that the successful customer’s results were not typical.

This “results not typical” “safe harbor” is being removed.

THIS IS THE IMPORTANT CHANGE GUYS!!!!!!!

New Rule: The Federal Trade Commission is changing its guide to eliminates advertisers’ ability to use statements like “Results may vary” as a safe-harbor disclosure that eliminates responsibility to substantiate claims.

This is what David Vladeck who is the head of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection — has to say on this:

“In the FTC’s review of 300 ads, two-thirds used consumer testimonials. Few showed realistic claims, and disclosures of atypical results were flashed too quickly to read. ‘Results may vary’ does not adequately inform consumers that claims are outliers or extreme cases. They do not disclose results consumers should realistically expect. That is the main problem.”

Misuse has been especially prevalent in weight-loss products.

Vladeck says the revised guides do not bar use of disclaimers — they merely make advertisers responsible for ensuring that consumers are not misled by an ad in its entirety.

Of course, some advertisers are all mad and bent out of shape over this ruling, which is hardly surprising given how some online play fast and loose with the truth (anyone seen the RIDICULOUS Jeff Paul Infomercial for example…) (and don’t start me with Stores Online…)

A few have asked me about the testimonials on the Digi Camera Page.

After reviewing them just now — I see no danger for anyone.

None of the testimonials are making outlandish claims — they are all saying a similar thing — which is ‘I love the book’ sort of thing.

In fact — maybe in a strange premonition kind of way — I have always avoided using monetary testimonials from others that have used my products. Not because I don’t have any (I do) but because personally I don’t like them.

I am happy to use myself as an example — but I never liked marketers who would parade others and say ‘Mary made this using my product’.

I am happy when we hear and share success stories in the Forum — but as a testimonial for a product — I have always stayed away from this.

You will note that most of my testimonials for my products — Digi Camera Cash — Create Your First Website — various ebooks — membership site — tend to talk more of the the ‘human’ side of this business — me ‘getting on the phone and helping someone’ etc etc .

REVIEWS & ENDORSEMENTS for you Bloggers

Do you blog?

Are you trying to make money with your blog by promoting some company’s products or services? If so, you better be careful because the Federal Trade Commission has its eye on you.

The Federal Trade Commission announced that it’s Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials would be revised in relation to bloggers.

The new guidelines specified that bloggers making any representation of a product must disclose the material connections they (the presumed endorsers) share with the advertisers.

What this means is that, under the new guidelines, a blogger’s positive review of a product may qualify as an “endorsement” and that keeping a product after a review may qualify as “compensation.”

So again — what is this actually saying?

New Rule: It’s saying that if you get money for something — then say so.

I think this is TERRIFIC news.

How many times have we Google a review of a product — we find a review site/blog — it gives the products a great review — and then a ‘click here to buy’ link.

Of course the review is going to be good — there is an affiliate link for it on the page!!!

For this reason alone I do not like Review sites.

I always like to say if I use affiliate links — in fact in many of my videos on this site where I recommend aweber I purposely say in the video that the link ‘below the video is my affiliate link’. Full Disclosure!

( please click here for an example of me doing this)

So bloggers have to now come clean and disclose payments for reviews.

This won’t be hard for me to comply with, since very few people send me free stuff…

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© 2009 ChrisFarrellMembership.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without permission prohibited.

And here’s the ebook, no opt-in required: click here

Enjoy,
Marilyn

AND

If you’ve been wanting to make screen captures to add to your ebooks or newsletters, but couldn’t afford the software, here’s a program they’re giving away free. It’s called jing. Here’s the link:

http://www.jingproject.com/download/

Watch the video here:

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Lori_Meyer]Lori Meyer

The internet is growing at such an incredible rate and many individuals are starting their own online

businesses. With so many people losing their jobs and homes as a result of the economy, it’s perfectly

natural to want to work for yourself, rather than be at the mercy of someone else. Starting your own online

business offers the rewards of working from the comfort of your own home, setting your own hours and not

relying on someone else to put food on your table.

Getting started in internet marketing is a lot easier than you think. There’s a wealth of information online

that will give you the tools and knowledge to get a website up and running. However, if you’re just starting

out, it can be overwhelming to say the least. The questions that first come to mind are:

•    Where do I start?
•    How do I create a website?
•    What do I do once I have a website?
•    How do I let people know I’m online?
•    How do I make money with my website?

The list goes on but for someone new to the internet, finding the right resource to teach you how to get

started is paramount. Most people who attempt to start their own online business quit after a short time.

This is due to the fact that most of them get lost in the endless “get rich quick” schemes that never show

them the step-by-step blueprint to get started. I know, I’ve been there and believe me, it’s very frustrating!

Having your own online business is very exciting, but can be a daunting task for the newcomer. The first step

is to find a program that will take you through the webpage creation process. There are so many out there but

do choose carefully, especially if you’re just starting out. You don’t want to get frustrated and give up. This is

your business after all and with patience and perseverance, you will reap the rewards!

Find a niche (which is a topic of your website) and write down a list of what you’d like to include on your

website. Do you have a passion for the outdoors? Animals? Knitting? Take a subject, something you love, and

build a site around it. If you love knitting, give others useful information, such as the best yarns to use, what

type of needle to choose, etc. Allow your passion for your niche to flow.

Once you have the basic knowledge to create your website, it is time to choose a domain name. This is the

address where you will “set up shop” online, such as www.xxyyzz.com. There are many online domain

services, such as Hostgator. Once you have chosen a name, you will need to find web hosting. A web host is

the “home” where your website contents will live, and your domain name is the sign you put on the door.

A lot of hosting companies have unlimited hosting, unlimited domains, and lots of other extras for as little as

$7.95 a month and up. A great one, as mentioned above, is Hostgator. All of the goodies offered with many

online hosting sites will help your online business sail smoothly through the internet waters.

Monetize your site by including links to products that your visitors might like to purchase. Do an online search

for “affiliate sites”, join those that appeal to you, find products relative to your niche that you’d like to sell

and include them as links in your website. Clicking on a link in your site will give a visitor the option to

purchase that product, and you will earn a commission.

Once you have your website finished, you will need to hang the “open for business” sign on the front door to

let the world know you are online. There are hundreds of articles and tons of information on the internet on

how to advertise your site.

Start small, take one step at a time and enjoy the process. Find a program that will give you the tools you

need to create your first website. Take the process step-by-step and before you know it, you’ll be in business!

Remember, all good things take time.

With the right tools and a true desire to succeed, you’ll soon be the proud owner of your own internet

business! Good luck!

Written by Lori Meyer. Visit http://www.yourownwebsite101.com for the step-by-step blueprint you need to

create your first website. The information is absolutely free and will guide you through the entire process of

getting your business online.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lori_Meyer http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Create-Your-

First-Website&id=2730490