Business on the internet takes many forms. Some you might have thought of or run across and many I suspect you haven’t. Additionally, new ideas are formed every day. The internet ebbs and flows and grows at an enormous rate.
The internet is, among other things, a place, or the place people go to find out things. We’ve all heard the phrase “google it.” Google is a search engine, one of many, but by far the largest. What is a search engine? It’s essentially a large database. And when we go to Google and type in some words we are “querying” the database – essentially, asking a question, just like we used to do with the magic eight ball – Will I be successful in business? Yes, No, Maybe, highly unlikely, likely or whatever.
The magic eight ball only had a few possible answers. That was all that was in its database.
Google has a vast database and is not one dimensional – meaning it can answer with more complex answers than single syllables or words.
For us to be successful on the internet we have to understand what this whole “googling” process is about. When you google you are asking a question. Some say “white wedding shoes” and some say, “shoes wedding”. Some say, “where can I buy wedding shoes?” But they are all asking the same question and it’s google’s job to answer their question. This involves a very complex algorythym where google evaluates the question and responds with the closest matches.
We know what we are doing when we query google, but often I think business owners miss this point when engineering their websites. They tend to think in terms of making things pretty – just like they do in a brick and mortar store. And we also tend to think that loud and flashy gets us some milage. This might be true on an aisle competing against lots of other widgets, but on the internet what we are really competing against is how we come off in the search engine results pages.
This is a very important point. If you want to get your site up and your business going, quit choosing colors for your site and making high end graphics and start focusing on google. Let me show you why I say google instead of search engines. There are other search engines. But out of them all google gets the majority of all searches. Do well in google first. Then if you want to shift your attention to other market shares to dominate them, great. But the name of the game for Arkansas internet businesses is dominating google.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Arkansas Business Models |Online Auctions And Affiliate Marketing
Online auctions are certainly a viable business model many Arkansas business owners might want to pursue. This includes selling on Ebay and other sorts of auction sites. For some this model is all they sell. For others these auction sites serve to supplement their brick and mortar stores or to move product they are unable to move locally.
There are many advantages to this sort of business as it allows you to put your product before a larger customer base. Additionally, Ebay especially, has thousands and thousands of visitors on a regular basis able to search within its pages for your products. This narrows the playing field from competing against all businesses on the internet to only competing against other Ebay sellers.
Many may not know that you can add Ebay stores to your offering and suggest other products to your customers. For those who don't have their own websites, this can open up many more opportunites they may not be able to use otherwise without a website of their own.
Ebay can also be used for market research if you know what you're doing. If you haven't ever been on Ebay, you owe it to yourself to take a peek.
Affiliate Marketing As Another Business Model
In a previous post I mentioned affiliate marketing as a business model, but wanted to discuss this a bit more here. Affiliate marketing can be done in various ways and in varying degrees. Almost any site can benefit from banner advertisments to supplement their website's income. Without having to hire an sales team you can do this yourself through affiliate marketing.
Some affiliate sites you can check out include:
To the success of Internet Marketing in Arkansas
There are many advantages to this sort of business as it allows you to put your product before a larger customer base. Additionally, Ebay especially, has thousands and thousands of visitors on a regular basis able to search within its pages for your products. This narrows the playing field from competing against all businesses on the internet to only competing against other Ebay sellers.
Many may not know that you can add Ebay stores to your offering and suggest other products to your customers. For those who don't have their own websites, this can open up many more opportunites they may not be able to use otherwise without a website of their own.
Ebay can also be used for market research if you know what you're doing. If you haven't ever been on Ebay, you owe it to yourself to take a peek.
Affiliate Marketing As Another Business Model
In a previous post I mentioned affiliate marketing as a business model, but wanted to discuss this a bit more here. Affiliate marketing can be done in various ways and in varying degrees. Almost any site can benefit from banner advertisments to supplement their website's income. Without having to hire an sales team you can do this yourself through affiliate marketing.
Some affiliate sites you can check out include:
- Commission Junction
- Golden Cann
- Share A Sale
To the success of Internet Marketing in Arkansas
Friday, May 8, 2009
5 Business Models For Internet Marketers In Arkansas
Yesterday I focused your attention on determining an actual business model for your online business. Many assume that doing business on the internet is like doing business in a more traditional "brick and mortar" store, but that just isn't true. There are many factors which make this sort of assumption detrimental to your success online.
First it's important to note that marketing in general has changed. Those who get this are restructuring their business to continue playing. Those who don't understand this or underestimate it's impact will be taking their marbles home, mumbling under their breath. I know, you are probably thinking that I am bound to write such things because I am in this line of work - but the truth is as plain as the nose on your face. Look around. The internet has changed everything. It's a new playing field altogether. Those who get on board, like those innovative thinkers when both radio and tv hit the scene, will position themselves for long term success in this media. Those who are stodgy and well-seated in their old-foggy thrones, will be ousted.
So how is marketing different? Well, quite simply put, we are marketing to a new breed of customers. They are not content to sit on the sidelines and be marketed to by those that be with their wide eyes and opened mouths, ready at a moments notice to run out and buy. We wish they were - and in many respects they used to be.
The world was a different place this time last century. Wide-eyed wonder led the gullible masses to buy into whatever was touted, hook, line and sinker.
Today, in contrast, our customers question what we tell them and publicly challenge our claims. They demand more value for their money and their time - no more crappy, plastic, decoder rings for them! They believed marketers before, and now they are disillusioned. They feel gypped. They want the good stuff. They've become accustomed to it for one. And for another, there are countless other merchants, and for that matter markets, clamoring for their dollars. They are empowered. A role-reversal has taken place. They have become critical consumers.
We MUST consider this in any marketing or business venture we pursue, be it online or offline.
And then, we must simply put, give them what they want. We must provide good, no, great, customer service. We must be responsive to their requests. We must offer them choices. We must provide real value.
We'll discuss this more in coming posts concerning social marketing, but for now I want to turn our attention to a sampling of business models for internet marketers in Arkansas to consider.
1. Affiliate Marketing
2. Drop Shipping
3. Product Provider
4. Service Provider
5. Adsense Marketer
There are others, but for now, for getting started, these are the ones I want to discuss first. All of these involve various factors and skills which can be arranged in different sequences to help your business profit. We'll talk about these as well on this blog. For now, let me simply define these five internet business models so you can begin to evaluate your business.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is promoting products or services for someone else and making commissions.
Drop Shipping
In this case you get people to your site and when they buy you transfer that sell to another company where they store the products. Essentially you are selling someone else's products and marking it up. Your profit is the difference between what you sold the product for and what it cost you.
Product Provider
Product providers are more like what people typically think of when you say you have a website - an online version of a brick and mortar store which sells goods.
Service Provider
Service providers are again, what you would typically think of when you say you have a website - an online version of your service, generating leads. However, the internet opens up all sorts of new services that can be provided. This is where new business opportunities lie.
Adsense Marketer
This sort of marketer marketer creates websites, and fills them with content so that others will come and click on ads. Every click of those ads makes that marketer money.
Next time we'll discuss online auctions as a business model and get more in depth about affiliate marketing.
First it's important to note that marketing in general has changed. Those who get this are restructuring their business to continue playing. Those who don't understand this or underestimate it's impact will be taking their marbles home, mumbling under their breath. I know, you are probably thinking that I am bound to write such things because I am in this line of work - but the truth is as plain as the nose on your face. Look around. The internet has changed everything. It's a new playing field altogether. Those who get on board, like those innovative thinkers when both radio and tv hit the scene, will position themselves for long term success in this media. Those who are stodgy and well-seated in their old-foggy thrones, will be ousted.
So how is marketing different? Well, quite simply put, we are marketing to a new breed of customers. They are not content to sit on the sidelines and be marketed to by those that be with their wide eyes and opened mouths, ready at a moments notice to run out and buy. We wish they were - and in many respects they used to be.
The world was a different place this time last century. Wide-eyed wonder led the gullible masses to buy into whatever was touted, hook, line and sinker.
Today, in contrast, our customers question what we tell them and publicly challenge our claims. They demand more value for their money and their time - no more crappy, plastic, decoder rings for them! They believed marketers before, and now they are disillusioned. They feel gypped. They want the good stuff. They've become accustomed to it for one. And for another, there are countless other merchants, and for that matter markets, clamoring for their dollars. They are empowered. A role-reversal has taken place. They have become critical consumers.
We MUST consider this in any marketing or business venture we pursue, be it online or offline.
And then, we must simply put, give them what they want. We must provide good, no, great, customer service. We must be responsive to their requests. We must offer them choices. We must provide real value.
We'll discuss this more in coming posts concerning social marketing, but for now I want to turn our attention to a sampling of business models for internet marketers in Arkansas to consider.
1. Affiliate Marketing
2. Drop Shipping
3. Product Provider
4. Service Provider
5. Adsense Marketer
There are others, but for now, for getting started, these are the ones I want to discuss first. All of these involve various factors and skills which can be arranged in different sequences to help your business profit. We'll talk about these as well on this blog. For now, let me simply define these five internet business models so you can begin to evaluate your business.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is promoting products or services for someone else and making commissions.
Drop Shipping
In this case you get people to your site and when they buy you transfer that sell to another company where they store the products. Essentially you are selling someone else's products and marking it up. Your profit is the difference between what you sold the product for and what it cost you.
Product Provider
Product providers are more like what people typically think of when you say you have a website - an online version of a brick and mortar store which sells goods.
Service Provider
Service providers are again, what you would typically think of when you say you have a website - an online version of your service, generating leads. However, the internet opens up all sorts of new services that can be provided. This is where new business opportunities lie.
Adsense Marketer
This sort of marketer marketer creates websites, and fills them with content so that others will come and click on ads. Every click of those ads makes that marketer money.
Next time we'll discuss online auctions as a business model and get more in depth about affiliate marketing.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Internet Marketing In Arkansas - The First Things You Should Know
Internet marketing is a very, very broad term. There are so many different business models it makes the head swim. Typically there are two groups of people: those who are already on the internet and those who want to be. More specifically there are those who have a clue as to what they want to sell or accomplish by being online and those who simply think that's the direction to head - no product, no service, no "nothing."
The neat thing about the internet is that both groups have viable options for being in business on the internet. The only real difference is that they will have to start from different places. One must first evaluate what he wants to do and the other needs to evaluate what he wants to do with what he has.
This video clip might be slightly offensive - it's from Southpark and they aren't always acceptable faire - but it does prove a point I want to make. Click here to view the video.
Many businesses, when it comes to the internet are greatly lacking in the "phase 2" department. They haven't figured out just how the internet works and how to make it turn a profit for them. This is true for those who have been on the internet for awhile and for those who are just thinking of getting into it.
I would encourage both groups to start with this fundamental step. It will ultimately determine your success on the internet and your own satisfaction of being in business. Internet marketing can be fun and rewarding or it can be a real drag - all depending on your business plan. More on this next time.
The neat thing about the internet is that both groups have viable options for being in business on the internet. The only real difference is that they will have to start from different places. One must first evaluate what he wants to do and the other needs to evaluate what he wants to do with what he has.
This video clip might be slightly offensive - it's from Southpark and they aren't always acceptable faire - but it does prove a point I want to make. Click here to view the video.
Many businesses, when it comes to the internet are greatly lacking in the "phase 2" department. They haven't figured out just how the internet works and how to make it turn a profit for them. This is true for those who have been on the internet for awhile and for those who are just thinking of getting into it.
I would encourage both groups to start with this fundamental step. It will ultimately determine your success on the internet and your own satisfaction of being in business. Internet marketing can be fun and rewarding or it can be a real drag - all depending on your business plan. More on this next time.
Internet Marketing Arkansas Welcomes You
I wanted first to welcome everyone to this blog focused on the ins and outs of internet marketing in Arkansas. First let me introduce myself. My name is Carrie Gibson, and I actually live in Arkansas! I've been here for more than 10 years as a transplanted Texan by way of Montana. There are lots of other marketers aiming their sites at Arkansas businesses, hoping you will confer with them for your internet marketing consulting needs. But I've always been a firm believer in local businesses promoting each other, and hiring each other. Certainly I would love to consult for your business - I am in this to make money - but I also know there are other Arkansas based internet marketing consultants that also do fine jobs. My point being - lets keep business in Arkansas when we can and boost our economy.
In fact, that's the very point of this blog. Our economy is forcing people out of their jobs and to look for non-traditional means of supporting their families, paying bills and getting by.
Many small businesses are floundering. Many wonder if the internet is the yellow brick road. And unfortunately, many have already embarked on that journey only to discover that internet marketing is harder than they thought.
I've watched internet marketing grow for many years now, and I can tell you that one thing is a constant in this business and that is that it changes constantly! There was a time when you could throw up a website, submit to a few directories and maybe toss in a few meta tags. The mentality was that if you "build it they will come."
Unfortunately many still have this belief and soon discover that their dreams of wealth and ease just don't materialize. Others have given up hope altogether, walking away sadly shaking their heads.
To make matters worse many companies have taken advantage of those small and local businesses that attempt to get their businesses online. They have charged exorbitant amounts of money and many have paid it because they were at the mercy of these unscrupulous companies. The end result is that those who have made efforts and taken steps to have businesses online have quite frankly been ripped off and gotten nothing in return.
I understand your frustration. Isn't it enough that they charged us an arm and a leg for their services, you ask? But to get nothing for those efforts is devastating for some small businesses. I want you to know that you don't have to take that lying down. Let me show you how to redeem your site and efforts. Let me take the fear and guesswork out of this whole mysterious process called Internet Marketing.
Me and my team are well equipped to provide a myriad of services Arkansas businesses are in need of. If you find yourself in need of the following, please call or email us and we will arrange a meeting.
In fact, that's the very point of this blog. Our economy is forcing people out of their jobs and to look for non-traditional means of supporting their families, paying bills and getting by.
Many small businesses are floundering. Many wonder if the internet is the yellow brick road. And unfortunately, many have already embarked on that journey only to discover that internet marketing is harder than they thought.
I've watched internet marketing grow for many years now, and I can tell you that one thing is a constant in this business and that is that it changes constantly! There was a time when you could throw up a website, submit to a few directories and maybe toss in a few meta tags. The mentality was that if you "build it they will come."
Unfortunately many still have this belief and soon discover that their dreams of wealth and ease just don't materialize. Others have given up hope altogether, walking away sadly shaking their heads.
To make matters worse many companies have taken advantage of those small and local businesses that attempt to get their businesses online. They have charged exorbitant amounts of money and many have paid it because they were at the mercy of these unscrupulous companies. The end result is that those who have made efforts and taken steps to have businesses online have quite frankly been ripped off and gotten nothing in return.
I understand your frustration. Isn't it enough that they charged us an arm and a leg for their services, you ask? But to get nothing for those efforts is devastating for some small businesses. I want you to know that you don't have to take that lying down. Let me show you how to redeem your site and efforts. Let me take the fear and guesswork out of this whole mysterious process called Internet Marketing.
Me and my team are well equipped to provide a myriad of services Arkansas businesses are in need of. If you find yourself in need of the following, please call or email us and we will arrange a meeting.
- Web design
- SEO (search engine optimization)
- Email marketing
- Banner advertising
- Link Campaign
- Article marketing/writing
- Copywriting
- Consulting
- Coaching
- Web Development
- Social marketing
- Bookmarking services
- Public Speaking
- Seminars
- Training
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