Personal Blog of Forest Marie

You Mean I Need A Marketing Budget?

Everywhere you go, you’ll see articles about how to spend less on marketing your business, or cut costs in other places. That’s an admirable sentiment as we all want to keep our businesses lean and keep the greater part of the income. However, cutting too close will spell the end of your business success. If that sounds wrong, read on and find out why you’re definitely shooting yourself in the foot if you try to spend next to nothing on your business’s marketing budget.

Web 2.0 offers some amazing opportunities when it comes to getting the word out about your products and services and more importantly, yourself. And don’t get me wrong, I’m a HUGE fan of Web 2.0. From blogs to social networking sites, it’s one way I and others help people learn about who we are and what we have to offer them. It’s even relatively inexpensive, though there’s some real time investment going into this kind of marketing program.

However, many people have been focusing on this type of web based marketing to the exclusion of other techniques, and it’s gotten to the point where they’re forgetting about the other options. Some people have gone as far as to think it’s wrong or “uncool” to spend money on marketing. After all, they can get Web 2.0 campaigns going for nothing or next to it.

Or can they?

That Old Adage …

You see, there’s an old adage that you’ve probably heard already -you get what you pay for. Time and time again, it turns out to be true. Does that mean that the social networking strategy is useless? Of course NOT, but you have to take the long view when you’re doing it, and there’s a lot of effort that goes into it. Plus, the social method is really better at establishing your brand and building you up as an authority in the field than it is to generate immediate leads and sales.

Even just on the Internet, there are other venues that you shouldn’t be ignoring! If you’ve found yourself spending hours on MySpace, Twitter and similar sites adding friends, if you’ve spent ALL day chatting on message boards and updating your blog, but you haven’t been making much from it, you’re probably wondering what’s wrong. And the truth is that you’re overdoing it. Marketing gurus have been focusing on the wonders of Web 2.0 and social networking so they can sell you their “how-to” books on using social marketing, and that’s made the rest of us forget about the use of other media and opportunities.

Let’s Be Ridiculously Blunt

Spending ALL your time on social sites isn’t building your business. You’re just adding another chore into your day, giving the owners of the social media all the free content they can use so they can make money selling advertising space. And the return is about ten cents an hour in most cases. Even the poorest paid workers in the world make more than that, so why let yourself get stuck there? You have to spend a little to make money. It’s a rule that’s been around for years, and it’s not any less true. And it’s not going anywhere either.

So where should you be spending that money, and how much should you spend? The truth of the matter is that it’s all about where your target audience will run into you. And if you don’t have a target audience yet or know who you’re targeting, it’s time to go back to Marketing 101…

If you’re mostly marketing towards very tech savvy people, the newspaper isn’t a bad place to put an ad, but blog sponsorships and Google pay-per-click advertising (my favorite method) might be better targeted. On the other hand, if your target audience uses the web some, but is generally looking for someone in their area, try the local paper, radio spots, or even a short commercial on a local television station.

Each method of advertising has a different cost, depending on the media. However, the most costly methods also usually reach the most people, so they can be worth the outlay. What’s important is not counting every penny. Instead, you need to think about what those pennies (and the time you’re spending on your campaign) are buying for you. Your business shouldn’t be the cheapest – it should be the most effective!

Businesses Have Succeeded By Marketing Budgets For Years

Businesses have been succeeding by putting together a well thought out and well funded ad and marketing campaign for themselves for decades. The presence of the Internet doesn’t change the fact that this is what works. Think about it – why would a new medium change the laws of business? Spend a little to get the word out properly, and you’ll be surprised at the difference it makes. From PPC campaigns to billboards, a good marketing budget is key.

Don’t rush out there and start spending on the first opportunity you see, of course. Advertising media have no responsibility for your success. And the social networks most people are addicted to will be happy to drain your wallet dry to advertise in their space…

You have to think about your campaign and make sure that it’s going to help you before you lay out that money. Analyze what you want to say, what image you want to present, and who you want to reach, then select the means to do it from the enormous variety of options available to your business (not just Web 2.0).

That’s really all there is to it. Spend money to make money. Not spending money in important areas, like marketing, will cause your business to languish and die. There’s no way around it, and no way to get that all important customer attention for free, even if you spend hours and hours on your attempts. You’ll just be wasting your time.

Invest in a quality plan and make sure that your marketing efforts are adequately funded. Don’t be tempted to cut corners or buy a lower quality package or service than you need. Some things just can’t be replaced by cheaper alternatives, and good marketing is one of them. No matter whether your business is best served by blog sponsorship, PPC, local advertising, or other methods, get out there and use them! You’ll be glad you made the right choice when your business grows.

Business, General Network Marketing, Internet Marketing budget marketing, Business, Internet Marketing, marketing a business, marketing budget, network marketing budget

Compensation plans can be a great or they can be horrible depending on your goals and personal philosophies.

So if you are a Network marketing newbie, you have probably heard the term compensation plan thrown around frequently. And, of course, every company out there will tell you they have the best compensation in the industry. You may be aware that this is how you get paid with online programs, but do you really understand how compensation plans work?

Every program seems to have a different compensation plan to learn. You will hear terms such as:

• Unilevel
• Binary
• Matrix
• Forced matrix
• Spillover (A favorite of many)
• 2-ups
• Plus a lot more!

All this is to you is words that are correlated with compensation plans. But these can greatly impact the amount of money you make in your Network Marketing opportunity.

To start with, you need to know that the way multi-level marketing programs and affiliate programs pay you is through this plan. There are several different types of this plan that are employed to help you increase your income.

The first term you will want to familiarize yourself with is matrices. Matrices has to do with a matrix, which is everyone involved with the team. In some cases, anybody that is below you in the matrix will end up giving you a portion of the income they generate in the company. On the contrary, whoever signed you up will receive a portion of your income as well. But matrices only pay so many levels deep and then they cut off.

The next term associated with compensation plans is sideline compression. This term refers to what happens when a member does not have enough sales. From there, they will be moved down line and a person with better sales is moved up to take their place. This is another incentive for you to work hard and generate as many sales as possible.

Compression can be good or it can be bad. In the case of matrix, sometimes it can compress upwards and pay you 500% more than what you normally make.

Spillover is the term used to describe someone entering your organization that you did not sign up. They were brought into your organization by a downline member or an upline member.

A lot of newbies like spillover. For all intents and purposes, spillover is a gift.

The last term you need to be familiar with for compensation plans is override. Override is used to describe the amount applied to the sales volume from the sale of the product.

At the end of the day, what you need to ask yourself is a simple question:

How much money do I want to make a month and how many people do I need to sign up to get there?

Don’t count on spillover and don’t count on everyone else producing – most people will not produce and in fact most will quit. Or perhaps I should say most will never get started.

My personal recommendation is join a company that pays a lot of money for bringing someone in, $1000+ per sale, for example. The work and effort is the same, so why not go big?

It can be confusing with so many different terms and facets associated with compensation plans. However, it is vital you learn everything you can about this as this is how you will get paid with affiliate programs and network marketing companies.

Compensation Plans, General Network Marketing Business, Network Marketing

Who said it was not possible to become a female entrepreneur and join the successful legion of women entrepreneurs? There are several opportunities to work for yourself as a woman entrepreneur whether it is online or starting a business from your home. In order to have success with this opportunity, here are a few tips to help you get started.

Tip #1 Confidence

As a lady, the deck is stacked against. Most people don’t think you can win. But to the entrepreneurial women out there seeking to join the ranks of women business owners, understand this: When it comes to free enterprise, facts and stats just don’t matter!

The first thing you must have is faith and confidence in yourself. There are going to be a number of people out there telling you that you cannot succeed and hoping you will fail so they can say “Well, I told you so.” There is a lot of competition to face in virtually every niche imaginable. But if you believe in yourself and have faith, you will do everything in your power to find success.

Tip #2 Make A Choice

The next thing you have to understand is that you have choices. There are several opportunities to pursue as a women entrepreneur. Professional women and women of influence take time to consider their options wisely. With so many options to choose from, you have the ability to get involved in something you have a passion for and knowledge in.

One of the most difficult things entrepreneurs face is balancing their time and using it effectively. You will be given an endless amount of freedom by working for yourself. It is up to you to manage this time and avoid the numerous distractions that will be in front of you. Stay focused and keep your mind on the goals you have set for yourself.

In order to have success as a female entrepreneur, you have to be willing to devote a great deal of time and effort in marketing and advertising (or at least devote money to experts who can market for you). You cannot sit back and expect people to come to you. You have to diversify your marketing techniques and apply several different methods to find what works best for you.

Tip #3 Cross The Finish Line

The last tip to help you find success as an entrepreneur is to set goals and then pursue them. It is vital you write out goals for you to work toward to give you something to strive for. As soon as you have set your goals, it is then up to you to pursue these goals. Just writing out goals will not do anything for you unless you work hard to achieve them.

There is a plethora of women entrepreneurs succeeding in the world today. While there are several qualities and characteristics that make up a successful entrepreneur, there are some things you can do to help yourself out. Take the tips listed in this article into consideration as you pursue your dream.

A great resource you may want to visit is: http://www.womenentrepreneur.com.

And, ladies, keep smiling. It’s beautiful. And one other thing, check out my newsletter to the right. I definitely would love to see more women networking!

Business Business, entrepreneur, home business, women

Whether you are an Internet newbie or have been around the block a time or two, there is always room for entrepreneurship development. Always. Let me repeat that again: Always!

The day you think you know everything there is to know is the day you have failed your business. The Internet and the marketing that comes with it is constantly growing and evolving leaving no room to sit back. There’s a quote by Dani Johnson that I like that comes to mind:

The worst thing about success is a little bit.

If you want to continue to progress with your business, you have to be open to learn. As you probably figured out by now, your mind is like a parachute – it only works when it’s open!

Don’t Be Closed Minded

Part of entrepreneurship development is being open to opinions and thoughts. Listen to what others have to say and absorb their thoughts. Even if you do not learn anything new, you have nothing to lose by listening to others.

If anything, opening up allows you to build relationships and gain respect. A huge part of Internet marketing is bonding with others and gaining the respect from those within your niche…

This is something that many entrepreneurs overlook the importance of. Just because you are working on a computer does not mean you can hide behind the computer. Networking is crucial to succeeding online.

The Belief Factor

Another crucial facet to entrepreneurship development is believing in yourself and gaining self-confidence. While it may seem fairly simple, many find it difficult to believe in themselves after facing rejection a few different times. You are bound to fail before you taste success, but you have to continue to trust yourself before you actually succeed and…

You must development a bulletproof mindset and you read more about that here: Mindset

What About Goals?

One facet that many entrepreneurs overlook is writing out goals and defining them. Having goals will keep you motivated and give you something to strive for. When you do fail, you can look at your goals and push through the adversity. Having goals will help you formulate plans on how you intend on achieving them. And developing plans is crucial to succeeding online.

Get Moving. Hurry!

The last facet to entrepreneurship development is learning how to take initiative. You will be faced with countless distractions and bumps in the road to sidetrack you. For some people, excuses come in and they become the excuse…

But if you want to succeed and actually take your business somewhere, you have to take initiative and actually do something about it. Your business is not going to generate traffic on its own. It is not going to create quality content on its own. And it certainly is not going to interact with prospects and customers on its own. Just remember this: Perfection is overrated and action beats inaction any day of the week!

There is a lot that goes into entrepreneurship development. Many are side-swiped when they realize how difficult it really can be to succeed online. But if you are determined and willing to learn, you too can reap the benefits of having an online business.

And those benefits are most definitely worth reaping!

Business, Personal Growth Business, entrepreneur

While the free market is filled with a plethora of opportunities for entrepreneurs to take advantage of, many people do not have the money to put down hundreds of dollars to start a business. However, there are a number of inexpensive business ideas you can jump on as well. Here are five ideas for you to look into today.

1. Create A Blog

Although it is extremely time consuming and it does not happen over night, creating a Web Site for yourself to work with provides you with the best chance to make money with. There are really just two charges you will make to get your site up and rolling. You will have to purchase a domain name which you can get from GoDaddy and pay for hosting, which you can get at GoDaddy as well.

To learn more about blogging, check out: What Is A Blog

Once you get a blog up, you can use a series of the other methods below. Or you can simply use it to sell your products and services. You can think of a blog as a gateway to opportunity.

2. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a great inexpensive business idea to go with your own web site. There are thousands of affiliate programs to join on the Internet and most do not have a start-up cost to join. With so many programs to choose from, it gives you the chance to do something you really enjoy and are knowledgeable with. And there is nothing stopping you from taking on several different programs all at the same time.

Check out Commission Junction and Click Bank to learn more.

3. Freelancing

Much like affiliate marketing, freelancing gives you the opportunity to put your skills and knowledge to use. There is a dire need for several different services on the internet including graphic design, writing, and advertising. Many entrepreneurs either do not have the time or do not have the skill to do everything with their business. This is where you can become a great commodity to other people’s businesses.

4. E-Bay

It is amazing how some businesses and companies come out of nowhere and become a hit overnight on E-Bay. An E-Bay business can be an extremely inexpensive business idea as it requires little money to get started.

E-Bay is also a good platform to use when you need some money. Just walk around your house and get rid of some clutter! As the old saying goes, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

5. Advertising

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is one of the easiest ways to make money on the Internet. All it entailed was you placing ads on your Web Site and getting paid for visitors coming to your site and clicking on the ads. To learn more about this, visit Google Adsense

Additionally, if your Web Site receives a heavy traffic flow, you can make quite a bit of money off of people paying you to place their text link or banner ad on your site for exposure.

The Internet is filled with inexpensive business ideas to choose from. It is up to you to take the time to research and find the legitimate opportunities that suite you best. If you some assistance in this process, leave a comment with your questions.

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