Sunday, April 12, 2009

FORUM MARKETING NETWORK BUSINESSES FOR THE BEGINNER

Forum Marketing Network Businesses for the Beginner

The numbers of fledgling marketers who take to forum marketing network businesses are legion! Unfortunately, so are also the numbers of marketers who will return to the same forum the next day and when attempting to log in will find out that their forum persona was deleted and accesses as well as posting privileges have been summarily denied. What happened?

Generally speaking, the odds are good that your forum posts were considered spam by enough of the other players that an administrator was contacted who eventually took action and banned you from the network. The fine line that exists between forum marketing network business and spamming is often a heated topic of discussion on said forums themselves and there is no hard and fast answer.

Yet in an effort to make it easier for the newbie, forum marketing network businesses for the beginner is a three step process.
1. First and foremost, you need to decide which angle you want to market. In other words, are you looking for down line candidates or for product customers? In the same vein, do you want to find individuals who not only want to buy your product but then also turn around and sell it? Each and every angle requires you to use a different approach.
In other words, each and every angle requires you to write your forum posts with great care and expertise – perhaps this is one of the reasons that this is a task most commonly outsourced to an experienced freelance writer.
2. Secondly, you need to create your forum persona. Stay away from obvious monikers that will have other forum participants roll their eyes and instantly steal your credibility. Examples include “make money losing weight” or “wealthy marketer.”
Instead, opt for a persona with a respectable name or handle, if you do not want to use your real name. Next, you need to create a profile. This is a great opportunity to mention your business and also your role in it, but do not turn the forum profile section into a cut and paste job from the company website. There is not a persona live who will read through a lengthy promotional profile. Last but not least, if the forum permits, create a signature. This could include a link to your website, but it will be more effective if it includes a link to a personal blog or even online newsletter with a gripping teaser.
Something like “how a candy bar at three in the morning cost me two hours of sleep and $10” is an example of a headline that will lead to click through traffic simply because it seems to implausible and everyone wants to know more about the story. Do not disappoint the website visitor but instead deliver a gripping tale or blog entry so when you change your signature to feature the next article, those who know you will come and look.
3. Last but not least, do not post lengthy wellness product reviews in a gardening forum. Similarly, do not post an explanation on how to lose weight in a forum dedicated to childhood diseases and autism.
Two cardinal sins are incorporated in this approach: a lengthy posting and an inappropriate venue. Only post in forums that are somehow related to your business. Secondly, keep the posts short and simple, especially when you discuss your product.
Together we shall win,
Adesegun Akitoye

BUILDING AN AFFILIATE MARKETING NETWORK VIA THE CLASSIFIEDS

Building an Affiliate Marketing Network via the Classifieds

Almost everyone who discusses the merits of an affiliate marketing network likely focuses on the pay-per-click versus pay-for-performance aspects of this advertising tool, and rightfully so! Online these two programs alone have shown themselves to be the work horses of a successful and diversified affiliate marketing network while at the same time not demanding an undue strain on a company’s promotions budget.
Thus, start up companies in general and home based small business entrepreneurs in particular gravitate to this form of self-promotion like bugs to a strong light source in the dark of night. Yet just like the bugs, many of the smaller businesses get burned not because the product was unsuccessful or the presentation less than professional but instead because the interest simply could not be generated by the participants in the affiliate marketing network who chose to sign up.

In general, those signing up to post links and banners or search boxes onto their sites are looking for the heavy hitters which will lend credibility to the webmaster and her or his site, while smaller merchants are usually avoided because they simply do not offer that air of mainstream acceptance to a site.
In the same vein, many of the webmaster who do sign up for the smaller business affiliate marketing network will most likely be startups themselves, thus in a way countermanding the business’ efforts of reaching a large number of potential customers. Even though the money spent on this kind of advertising is low, it hardly merits the results that are being yielded.

Interestingly, a new trend is developing which is finding great acceptance with smaller businesses and which is proofing to be a money maker to such an extent that it threatens to leave the tried and true pay-per-click or pay-for-performance affiliate marketing network in the dust for home based entrepreneurs: classified ads. Building an affiliate marketing network via the classifieds may sound odd but the more careful attention you pay to this trend, the more sense it makes.

With a few words you have the chance to advertise your network and generate a far-reaching interest in the business. While not each and every online or print publication will permit you to post your ads, in general you will find that you can start getting out the word about your network by posting in a few free, online publications. Research the high traffic sites and post your ads in accordance with their submission guidelines – a much overlooked fact that may get your ad buried if not carefully observed!
Use strong marketing words that require a response by the reader, such as “clicking” or “visiting” and rely on heavy hitters like “proven” or “guaranteed” – only if you can back up the claims, of course. Add a measurable and real benefit to the action, and the odds are good that you will have a visitor for your site. Turning the visitor into a qualified lead, of course, is up to the quality of your site and actual network.
Together we shall win,
Adesegun Akitoye

DRAFTING A SUCCESSFUL AFFILIATE MARKETING MERCHANT NETWORK SALES PITCH

Drafting A Successful Affiliate Marketing Merchant Network Sales Pitch

The vital part of a business presentation is the sales. There is no other aspect of the meeting that will carry as much weight as the pitch; no amount of ambiance, product samples, glossy brochures, or witty jokes during the meet and greet session will hide the fact that either your sales pitch was heavy handed, contrived, or so weak that it was hard to notice when it started or ended. Drafting a successful affiliate marketing merchant network sales pitch takes a bit of time, effort, and practice, but it is well worth the investment of some practice time!

For example, did you know that prior to being able to draft such a pitch you will need to be crystal clear on your desired outcome? Many a presenter mistakes a broadly defined goal as the desired outcome, but there is a world of difference between the two. The goal may be defined as turning a lead into either a distributor or a buyer, but the outcome needs to be more closely defined by also including the responses within your listeners you are seeking to evoke.
Do you want them feel stirred into action because of strong emotions or do you want them to feel guilt about not taking their business vision to the next level of profitability and thus act out of that emotion? Do you want to play to their gender (as in “are you man enough” or “be the woman they hear roar”) or do you want to shake them by using their age ranges? Only a well defined outcome will permit you to start the draft of that successful affiliate marketing merchant network sales pitch you desire to write.

Practice your pitch without notes. There is nothing more confidence destroying than a presenter who continuously has to refer back to notes and papers. Memorize every scrap of information and wow the audience by making it to the podium without any visible notes. Heading an affiliate marketing merchant network sales meeting will require your hearers to have not only the utmost confidence in you but also in the material. Since the majority of the meeting will be the delivery of the material, you become closely intertwined with it and thus if you look good, confident, able, and desirable, so will your pitch.

Last but not least, do not get lost in the minutiae. It is so tempting to embellish your affiliate marketing merchant network sales presentation with illustrations and anecdotes and while these most certainly have a place in your pitch, keep in mind that it takes a skilled presenter to include them while at the same time keeping the train of thought moving unerringly in the direction in which it is intended to go.
Failure to keep that in mind will have the audience see you go off on tangents and relate amusing anecdotes, none of which will have any bearing whatsoever on the presentation at hand and may even hurt your chances of getting the audience to buy into the pitch! Watch experienced presenters use this tool of the pitch before utilizing it yourself!
Together we shall win,
Adesegun Akitoye

Monday, April 6, 2009

FINDING THE BEST MLM NETWORK OPPORTUNITY

Finding The Best MLM Network Opportunity

MLM (Multi-Level Marketing), also known as Network Marketing, is by no means confined to the online world; in fact it has its roots long before the internet. Some very large and successful companies were built on, and continue to thrive, based on a MLM network model. The way it basically works is this: a company sells products or services through a vast network of independent distributors that sell at retail prices. The distributor usually pays some sort of joining fee or has to buy a certain quantity of the product to gain distributorship status. All MLM network marketing companies work with a solid business foundation. A parent company has a product or service to offer its customers. The networker’s responsibility is two-fold; to find other customers to buy the product and recruitment of new distributors.
Additionally, the network urges distributors to bring in other people to act in the same capacity. The referring distributor then earns commissions on the products that the referred distributor sells. If the distributor they referred also brings in other distributors, the original distributor also receives commissions on those sales and so on. This is the "Multi Level" component. For most people wanting to get into these kinds of businesses, the attraction isn't so much in selling the companies products; it's the conversion of buyers to distributors.
If a person is considering an MLM network opportunity, the following questions need to be asked:
1) Who is your upline? This question goes all the way to the top of the network. Investigate the entire upline just like you would a business partner you'd never met before.
2) What is the product? Become an expert on the product and/or service that’s being offered to clients. Know the competition as well.
3) When will you start actually making money? Don't fall for the line that it takes months or even years to show a profit. You should be able to recoup any investment and start earning income within just a few weeks if there's really demand for the product. Making a living at it is another story.
4) Product promotion? What restrictions are there on where and how the product can be promoted (advertising, web sites, etc.)? There's not a right or wrong answer to this question: an open policy is a more flexible situation.
5) What was the recruitment method? As a customer, with just a mention of a possible income opportunity, or was it a primary pitch about the business opportunity.
6) Why pursue this MLM network opportunity? This is perhaps the most important question of all. Don’t focus on the short-term earnings; the potential marketer should concentrate on the long-term goal.
Essentially, there are no right and wrong answers to these questions concerning a MLM network opportunity. The point is to make sure that everything is known and on the table. Many people have made a lot of money in MLM networks, but many more have ended up wasting a whole lot of time and money chasing a false dream.
Together we shall win,
Adesegun Akitoye

FACTS ABOUT MLM HOME-BASED BUSINESSES

Facts About MLM Home-Based Businesses

The basic needs for a MLM home-based business to succeed include a decent computer, a high-speed internet connection and a desire to be successful. Many companies involved in network marketing MLM have major money learning the ropes of network marketing and have slowly become proficient at it and are now seeking others to help their business continue to grow. Some may cite noble reasons to wanting to share their methods and a few may simply say they want to grow bigger and make more money and need your help to do so, but the bottom line is their methods have been proven to work and if you follow their lead, you can be successful as well.
MLM home-based businesses are an excellent source of extra income as long as the facts of such businesses are known. In addition, there are certain aspects the MLM home-based business owner or the member of this type of business needs to examine from time to time. The MLM home-based business owner or the team member should initially examine the MLM home-based business statistics available on the internet as well to gain a better understanding of this type of business.
The following is a detailed examination of those evaluation aspects concerning a MLM home-based business:
1. Denial- Most of the people involved with MLM home-based businesses lose money. This is a simple fact. If a team member or owner is spending more money than their producing on the MLM home-based business, the venture is a failure. This evaluation aspect takes into account that there are advertising, start-up, and other expenses as well.
2. Line Duplication- Certain members of an upline have success placing an internet wanted ad for distributors. This particular action cannot be duplicated in that it would not be effective for the entire MLM home-based business team to perform the same action.
3. Numbers- Most MLM home-based business owners or members don’t closely look at the numbers of their businesses. Pay particular attention to the various parts of the MLM home-based business (i.e. time value, sponsorship, downline members, etc.).
4. Run it like a Ministry- Some people that run MLM home-based businesses believe their products depends on the world’s survival. This is an excellent mindset to possess for a MLM home-based business.
All of these evaluation aspects must be positively confirmed to have the success and profits for a MLM home-based business. There are many MLM home-based business opportunities on the internet and in paper publications as well. An interested person should carefully research a chosen MLM home-based business, and apply these evaluation aspects to it after a time experiencing the MLM home-based business. Additionally, the interested person should find the MLM home-based business that allows personal time investment, instead of large amounts of money for the venture.
Essentially, a MLM home-based business idea that requires a person to utilize free time as capital along with a small monetary investment is a venture that’s less risky but has lots of potential for providing generous earnings.
Together we shall win,
Adesegun Akitoye

FACTORS TO LOOK FOR IN THE MLM COMPANY

Factors To Look For In The MLM Company

The interest in MLM companies has increased so much in the last years. With this interest growth, many new companies have sprung up to join the ranks of the time-tested, older MLM companies. If a motivated person is considering a part-time or even a full time career in the MLM business or also known as network marketing, or just want to see how their current position measures up, there are certain critical factors to look for when choosing an MLM company. There are enough things to be concerned about when building a MLM business, such as sponsoring and advertising, without having to think about whether or not your company will be around next year.
The first factor to consider is stability. It would be the ideal situation to select an MLM company has been around and in business for at least 2 to 6 years. The new start-up MLM companies can be exciting, but there really is something related to the idea of MLM companies that have been around for an extended period of time. Actually, the longer time the MLM company has been around, betters the chance of sticking with it. There are enough things to be concerned about when building a MLM career, such as sponsoring and advertising, without having to think about whether or not the MLM company will be around next year. The person interested in a MLM company should realize that there are never any guarantees, but with a company that has a longer track record generally has more chances of sticking around.
The second factor is to look at the leadership within the MLM company. Factors to examine include the structure, track record, and other such internal factors of the MLM company. If a person does not know the answer to these questions, call or email the company to find out. It is critical to know the answers to these questions from the beginning. The most desired attributes in the MLM company leader is savvy, honesty, and integrity inside and outside of the MLM business world.
The third factor is an examination of the product or service being promoted by the MLM company. Discover if there’s a genuine emphasis on promotion the product and not just the opportunity. Determine the value of the product for the MLM company as well as the value to the market. In addition, the products should be competitively priced, and unique.
The fourth factor is to examine the method of getting started in the particular MLM company. Can people join online, or do they have to fill out paper forms and meet with someone offline in an office? The ability to sign up online makes the whole process a lot simpler. On the same page, having the ability and option to join free will open up your opportunity to even more people. Some MLM companies allow people to join at no charge or at least take a test drive to allow them to see the insides of the business. Once someone has joined free, they have partially committed to the business.
The last factor involves the automation capabilities of the MLM company. More automation in the MLM company is definitely a better option. The parent company should provide a MLM company website that prospects can be referred to. The prospect should be able to contact you from that specific page, and the MLM company should send emails that follow up with the prospects.
Together we shall win,
Adesegun Akitoye

EXPLORING THE ONLINE MARKETING NETWORK

Exploring The Online Marketing Network

The internet and the World Wide Web (www) have attracted much attention since its appearance. The positive aspect of the internet is that businesses of all sizes have the same amount of exposure. Small business can now compete with the larger business in this relatively new environment. The internet is the most inexpensive marketing tool available in today’s business world, as well as the most cost-effective. The internet is essentially a sales channel, directed towards the consumer.
Placing a business on the internet, will give it incredible exposure, and let a business owner reach millions of users. This opportunity includes the online marketing networker as well. The internet is so much less expensive, compared to other forms of advertising. The online marketing networker could have a website built and up and running for a whole year for the same cost as one day's advertising in the classified section of a local newspaper. The online marketing networker’s message could be seen by people, from around the country and the world, for a fraction of the cost of any other marketing method. The online marketing networker will get more attention from the online prospect than any other method. The personal interaction is present which produces a very intimate selling situation.
Some people are uncomfortable with the internet, due to high tech phobias or to not understanding the associated jargon. The technology is not the relevant issue to the online marketing network. The relevant issue is that the internet represents a “high touch.” The internet provides the online marketing networker a one-to-one relationship with prospects and builds lasting relationships with consumers in a very personal and individualized manner.
The internet is a different marketing medium that requires its own rules and regulations for doing online marketing effectively. Instead of the advertisers sending a message to a targeted audience that acts or dismisses the call to action, online consumers seek out information and advertising. The consumers are the initiators of communication. Yet the internet is not a get-rich-quick scheme. Success on the internet requires full understanding of the concept, hard work, attention to detail, and constant promotional activity. The internet as a marketing tool is not about fancy graphics only; it's also about valuable industry information, professional marketing efforts and reliable hosting service, making it fast and easy to download information.
The online marketing networker requires a different approach for development of online marketing network website. The following are four tips for the online marketing networker:
1. Building a professional online marketing network website with compelling copy, with the sole objective of obtaining more leads, more sales, and increased profitability, using fine, yet reasonable graphics and scripts to make it rich and appealing to the site visitors.
2. Use powerful, proven marketing strategies and techniques that allow your website to recognize excellent results and concurrently cutting online marketing network costs.
3. Improve the performance of the online marketing network website and transform it into a persuasive money making vehicle.
4. Employ customized and innovative marketing campaigns to increase online marketing network exposure and secure consistently superior results from the sales and marketing efforts.
Together we shall win,
Adesegun Akitoye

EXPLORING THE AFFILIATE MLM NETWORK

Exploring The Affiliate MLM Network

Affiliate marketing is also the name of the industry where a number of different types of companies and individuals are performing a form of internet marketing, including affiliate networks, affiliate management companies and in-house affiliate managers, specialized 3rd party vendors and various types of affiliates/publishers who utilize a number of different methods to advertise the products and services of their merchant/advertiser partners.
Most products and services sold through MLM or network marketing aren't available in the everyday retail stores; the whole model is built around independent distributors working via their personal network and eventually outside of it. A whole social and business culture is built around the Affiliate MLM Network with conferences, conventions and training products available at a price.
Affiliate marketing often overlaps with other internet marketing methods to some degree, because affiliates are using the same methods as most of the merchants themselves do. Those methods include organic search engine optimization, paid search engine marketing, email marketing and to some degree display advertising.
Affiliate MLM networks that have already a number of advertisers usually also have a large number of publishers already. This large pool of affiliates could be recruited or they might even apply to the program by themselves. Relevant sites that attract the same audiences as the advertiser is trying to attract, but are not competing with the advertiser are potential affiliate partners as well. Even vendors or the existing customers could be recruited as affiliate, if it makes sense and is not violating any legal restrictions or regulations.
Affiliate marketing or MLM network marketing has provided an earning opportunity to a vast number of people around the world. Initial indications concerning this form of market promotion reveals an enormous longevity for all involved in an affiliate MLM network. Many of the affiliate programs give their affiliates web pages with affiliate links. These can be pages for sales, memberships, or simply for information. An affiliate can display these pages by various means will the anticipation to attract new affiliate MLM network clients looking for a particular product and/or service. In most affiliate MLM network programs, the potential marketer does not need to purchase a product or pay a license fee in order to promote it.
The affiliate MLM networker must have a positive opinion of the product and/or service that’s being offered to the public. In other words, the affiliate MLM networker must own the product and/or service. If the affiliate doesn’t like the product, that person shouldn’t be selling it in the first place. However, if the affiliate has decided to promote and sell the product, that person needs to know the product. By accomplishing this task, the affiliate MLM networker is prepared to vouch for product and/or service credibility. The affiliate builds up personal image as someone who is an expert in the field and can be trusted. This image will ensure positive income in the future. Credibility will become the most important asset to the affiliate MLM networker. The end result will all depend on the affiliate MLM networker alone.
Together we shall win,
Adesegun Akitoye