Mailing List Information

Article Navigation

Click Here for more articles

Five Myths of Internet Marketing for Independent Professionals

by: C.J. Hayden

There's more marketing hype published on the Internet in one day than P.T. Barnum generated in his lifetime. Like a worm swallowing its tail, the Internet marketing beast feeds mostly on itself. The vast majority of what appears on the Internet about marketing is designed to help you market products and services sold and delivered exclusively on the Internet.

So what does that mean for the independent professional whose web presence is primarily aimed at selling his or her own personal services? You know, services delivered the old-fashioned way, by humans interacting face-to-face or at least voice-to-voice. At best, the average professional is likely to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of Internet marketing advice available. At worst, he or she is being seriously misled by it.

The problem is that marketing your own professional services is simply not the same as marketing a retail product or an anonymous business service. You can't sell corporate consulting like you do web hosting; nor can you sell life coaching the same way you do an e-book. If you try to market yourself by following advice designed for marketing Internet products and services, you're likely to make some serious mistakes.

Here are five Internet marketing myths that may be hazardous to the health of your business.

Myth #1 � It all starts with a great web site.

Actually, the place where it starts is with a well-defined service. If you don't have a crystal clear picture of who you are marketing to and exactly what you're selling them, the best web site in the world won't get you clients. Before you even think about building a web site, you should know who your target market is, how to describe your professional specialty, and what specific benefits your work provides for your clients.

The content of your site is much more important than the design. Yes, you should have a professional-looking site, but a brilliant design and dazzling graphics won't pay off anywhere near as well as a clear explanation of why a client should work with you. Useful material such as articles, assessments, and other samples of your expertise will go much further to persuade prospective clients than flash intros and interactive menus.

Myth #2 � More traffic translates to increased profits.

The only result that more traffic to your web site guarantees you is increased bandwidth use by your web host. Before spending money on banner ads, web directories, or pay-per-click listings to drive more visitors to your site, you need to be sure that they'll want to do business with you once they get there.

Ask your colleagues and current clients to critique your site. Do they understand what you are offering? Can they see concrete benefits to your target audience? Revise your site based on their feedback. Then personally invite some prospective clients to visit and touch base afterward. Do your prospects seem more inclined to do business with you after seeing your site? If so, you're on the right track. If not, you still have more work to do.

Myth #3 � Do whatever it takes to build your list.

There's no question that a substantial opt-in mailing list is a valuable marketing asset, but the quality of names on your list is much more important than the quantity. Acquiring names through giveaways of other people's material, trading lists with joint venture partners, or purchasing them from a vendor rarely provides qualified buyers truly interested in your services.

Absolutely, ask your site visitors and people you meet to join your mailing list and offer them something of value in return. A well-written ezine, helpful report, or informative audio are all effective premiums. But, your premium should be directly related to the services you provide and also serve to increase your professional credibility. Names acquired from promotional gimmicks or unknown sources seldom turn into paying clients.

Myth #4 � Killer copy is the secret to sales.

Hype-laden web copy may be effective in selling certain info-products or courses, but it hardly inspires trust. You're not going to convince anyone to hire you individually as a consultant, coach, trainer, designer, or financial advisor by offering "not one, not two, but three valuable bonuses" as if you were selling steak knives on late-night TV.

Your Internet marketing persona should reflect the same professionalism as the work you do with your clients. If writing marketing materials isn't your forte, by all means hire a professional copywriter. But be sure you hire one with experience writing for professionals like yourself. The copy on your web site should inspire feelings of confidence about your abilities, and communicate your reliability and solid qualifications.

Myth #5 � Just follow the winning formula and you will get rich.

There's only one surefire recipe for Internet wealth I know of, and that's the business of selling surefire recipes. There seems to be an infinite number of buyers for every new get-rich-on-the-net scheme that is invented, but paradoxically, a precious few people actually making money on the web.

The Internet may be a different medium for marketing professional services than making calls, writing letters, or speaking to people in person, but the same time-honored principles still apply. There is no new winning formula. The secret to landing clients is what it always has been -- build relationships and get people to know, like, and trust you.

If your web site, ezine, and other Internet-based activities contribute to building long-term, trusting relationships with prospective clients and referral sources, you'll get business on the web. But if you blast your message out to anyone who will listen, aiming for a quick profit, the Internet won't bring you any more business than standing on a street corner with a megaphone.

About the author:
C.J. Hayden is the author of Get Clients NOW! Thousands of business owners and salespeople have used her simple sales and marketing system to double or triple their income. Get a free copy of "Five Secrets to Finding All the Clients You'll Ever Need" at

Circulated by Article Emporium

Read Articles:

Marketing Options For Cleaning Companies � Part Two

Boost Your Traffic and Profits with Content

20 Ways to Explode your Blog�s Profitability and Traffic

Kick-Starting E-mail Profits Growth From One Single Shot!

Five Myths of Internet Marketing for Independent Professi...

Does Post Card Advertising Really Work?

Is There A Short Circuit In Your Networking?

How to Boost Your Website Traffic and Profits with Content!

Make Your Mailing a Home Run, Not a Strike Out!

3 Simple ways to harness concept of the Free Offer for in...

Tool Talk: All About Internet Marketing Tools

10 Choice Ways To Give Your Subscriptions A Boost

Branding, control and results - Submit Articles in Your O...

How To Profit From 2 Tier Affiliate Programs And Build A ...

10 Common Direct Mail Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Niche Marketing : The Power Of Articles

There�s More to Marketing ROI (return on investment) than...

Are your Articles Creating an Avalanche of Traffic?

Marketing: Are You Scaring Customers Away?

How Nearly Going Broke Taught Me The Value Of Niche Marke...

What Is Education Based Marketing

Do Guaranteed Signups Work for MLM Internet Business Oppo...

How are you promoting your website?

Marketing Hat for Graphic Designers or Wannabe�s

How To Put The Profit-Producing Power of Couponing To Wor...

Business Marketing Strategy

How To Market A Seminar

100,000 Subscribers In 30 Days?

More Article Pages 1 - 2

E-Z GRO Opt-In Mailing List Techniques
by: Shon Christopher

An opt-in mailing list can be your most solid internet marketing tool. Think of it as a foot in the door � or better yet, a standing invitation to drop by anytime. Research has shown that it takes an average of seven contacts with a prospect to make your first sale.

It�s hard to count on someone returning to your web site seven times � but if you get them there once, and convince them to join your opt-in mailing list, you have a standing invitation to contact them with your offers, at your convenience.

The trick, of course, is turning your web site visitors into opt-in list subscribers. Opt-in list building is easier than you think. There are a number of tried and true methods of list building that you can use � but don�t be afraid to think outside the box to sign up folks who drop by your web site for a short visit.

Start with a good reason for people to join your opt-in list.

People don�t join opt-in lists out of the goodness of their hearts � they opt in because you�re offering them something of value. What have you got to offer?

� Get a 10% discount on all purchases over $25 � exclusive to members of our mailing list!

� Find out about our newest products through our opt-in mailing list!

� We�ll keep you up to date on the latest developments in [insert your field here].

� Special discount prices and offers exclusively for members of our mailing list.

Get the picture? You�re not saying, �Hey, can I keep bugging you to try to sell you stuff?� You�re offering a service � �I�ll let you know when I�ve got good stuff you want to buy.�

Post the invitation to join your opt-in list prominently on your web site. Simple list building truth number one is that people can�t join your opt-in list if they don�t know about it. Put an invitation to join your email list on every single page of your site � and make the invitation enticing.

Practice opt-in list building everywhere.

Include a short invitation to join your opt-in email list as part of your email signature so that it goes out every time you email someone. If you do a presentation or event, personally invite participants or booth visitors to join your opt in email list.

Bribe people to sign up with a free gift.

Bribery is a tried-and-true fast list building technique and website promotion tool. Selling weight loss products? Put together an e-book of weight loss facts about nutrition and offer it as an incentive to sign up for your opt in list. Be creative, and watch your list grow like a weed.

Offer incentives for referrals.

This Static Spot is open for sponsor

This Static Spot is open for sponsor