Why Internet Marketers Love The Global Recession!

Internet marketing experts are thriving today as never before; more people are making money online than at any time in the 14 years the World Wide Web, and Internet marketing, has existed.But those considering starting a business online may not realize that Internet marketing is still viable during the current world-wide financial meltdown.

The global recession is an accepted fact - right now every major economy in the world is suffering a recession, as defined by two consecutive quarters of negative growth.Worldwide, media outlets scream their headlines of the latest layoffs, foreclosures, bankruptcies, bailouts, devastated retirement savings, repossessions and the like.

On a personal level, every intelligent, caring human hates it - the pain, suffering and stress it generates, and the jump in hunger, homelessness and true poverty that results in more and more instances.

Offline businesses hate it too.In the business-to-business realm, keeping your own business afloat, supporting your share prices and maintaining a positive cashflow are just the start of it - but what about your customers and suppliers?As businesses slash their expenditures, customer lists are shrinking and average order value is plummeting.

And 'Just-In-Time' supply systems, the darling of the 80's and 90's with it's reduced inventories, has become a major headache.With no existing inventory to fall back on, corporations are finding it necessary to prop up their suppliers or face a lack of product while they search for new sources.

Business-to-Consumer business is just as bad, if not worse.Millions of jobs have evaporated in the past year alone, taking those salaries with them.Falling home values in the US and UK, for example, have dried up many equity lines of credit, and the general credit squeeze is making it even tougher to ride out the storm on credit.Credit card companies are lowering limits and/or raising the interest rates for those already struggling, exacerbating the situation even more.

And even families with no job losses or income reduction are realizing that savings are at all-time lows while household debt is reaching record heights.So again spending is curtailed in an attempt to pay down debt and rebuild a financial cushion against the unexpected.

Yet Internet marketing and its subsets - affiliate marketing and niche marketing - continue to thrive and even boom during it all.If you've been considering getting into Internet marketing but have hesitated because of the recession, it's time for a major reframe of your viewpoint...

Let's start with the headspace of people using the Internet in general.In tough economic times people don't head out to the mall as often - because the mall is a place to shop and spend money.But the main reason people go online is for information, so that psychological barrier isn't there.While they're still willing to spend SOME money, they just aren't heading out LOOKING to spend it.

Second, no market is expanding, or has ever expanded, at the pace the Internet community is growing today.Every single day tens or hundreds of thousands of new people come online, and some will be potential buyers for any online business.Even if Internet marketing had reached market saturation, new blood would provide a new potential market every single day.

But the truth is, Internet marketing is nowhere near market saturation - not by a long shot.Think of the number of stores in the offline world.Not in your locale, your city, your state or even your country - but in the WORLD.Obviously, the number dwarfs current Internet marketing ventures.Even the biggest Internet marketing opt-in e-mail lists have just millions of subscribers out of the billions of Internet users - and most Internet marketers have lists of less than 50,000.

But even if the market wasn't growing, sales and profits would still be climbing fast due to higher conversions through new tools and techniques.Like Internet marketing itself, the World Wide Web is still in it's infancy - new technologies like audio & video are being developed all over the world.And as older phone company and cable company hardware systems are upgraded, these technologies will advance faster and faster, both in penetration and presentation.

Web 2.0 sites like YouTube, Google Video, FaceBook, MySpace and Squidoo provide easier access to additional users, and services like Technorati, Twitter, MyBlogLog & Pingoat make getting the word out much simpler.And the best of these tools, blogs, have made it easy for anyone to start Internet marketing.

Free blogging software like WordPress and free blog hosting sites like Blogger and WordPress have eliminated the need to invest financially in your startup - a major boost for people at risk from the recession.Using a blog to promote affiliate marketing opportunities removes all financial risk, something that can't be done in the offline world.

But what of the recession's effects vis-a-vis Internet marketing?How can all the financial malfeasance and misfortune be good for Internet marketing?Let's look at each of the three main areas - Internet marketing, Affiliate marketing and Niche marketing...

Mainstream Internet marketers sell products and services that teach people how to make money online.In any economic downturn it's natural for more people to look for ways to increase their income, top up reduced income or replace the income from a lost job.Additionally, the increased workplace stress leads many to consider getting out from under the tyranny of bosses and the corporate world in general and strike out on their own.Since starting an online biz involves the widest opportunity and lowest financial risk, the Internet is the logical choice for a growing number of people.

Affiliate marketing is booming as well - and no wonder!It's the online specialization that requires the least technical savvy, the least start-up capital and has the shortest income horizon when done properly.What could be better suited to cash-strapped neophytes who need quicker returns?

But niche marketing is the area of online business most likely to derive the greatest benefits from the recession.Consumers who might otherwise head out to exotic restaurants will stay home and create their own meals - and need good recipes to keep up with their accustomed diversity.More people will opt to do their own home repair, meaning they'll need instructional e-books and videos, and often printed plans as well.

Kids today will not react well to reduced allowances or fewer new computer games - wise parents will be all over the Internet looking for new activities to keep their kids at bay.And how many backyard mechanics first started working on cars because they couldn't afford exorbitant mechanic rates?Again, someone needs to explain the practices and procedures to them, especially with today's highly computerized engines!

And being home more rather than continuing their expensive nights out will leave people with a hole in their timetable they'll need to fill - whether they fill it with reading books, watching DVDs, playing computer games, finding a new hobby or learning a new language, new opportunities are presented for niche marketers.

So how will YOU spend the extra time you have on your hands during the recession?Watching TV?Playing Computer Games?Spending more than you can afford to?Or making money online and building toward your own independence?Be smart - look into Internet marketing opportunities today!

About the Author

Doug Champigny is a world-famous Internet marketer, super-affiliate, mentor and speaker.

Learn more about Internet marketing and subscribe to his free e-zine at The Internet Marketing Blog.You can also follow Doug on Twitter!

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Recession Data On The Value of Marketing Through Economic Downturn

We know the anxiety is rising for many of you as the economy falters.We know it is tempting to begin the slashing process of your expenses.And, we know that marketing is one of those areas that typical gets the brunt of those budget cuts.We understand...but you must resist!

Sure, you should always be doing everything you can to maximize your marketing resources.That's true, even in a good economy.But history shows us that now is just not the time to curb your marketing efforts.

Here are some of the facts from past recessions:

1970 recession year -- American Business Press (ABP) and Meldrum & Fewsmith study showed that "sales and profits can be maintained and increased in recession years and [in the years] immediately following by those who are willing to maintain an aggressive marketing posture, while others adopt the philosophy of cutting back on promotional efforts when sales appear to be harder to get.

" 1

1974-1975 recession years -- ABP/Meldurm & Fewsmith 1979 study covering 1974/1975 and its post-recession years found that "Companies which did not cut marketing expenditures experienced higher sales and net income during those two years and the two years following than those companies which cut in either or both recession years.

" 2

1981-1982 recession years

McGraw-Hill Research's Laboratory of Advertising Performance studied recessions in the United States.

Following the 1981-1982 recessions, it analyzed the performance of some 600 industrial companies during that economic downturn.It found that "business-to-business firms that maintained or increased their marketing expenditures during the 1981-1982 recession averaged significantly higher sales growth both during the recession and for the following three years than those which eliminated or decreased marketing." 3

Cahners and Strategic Planning Institute (SPI) produced their report, "Media Advertising When Your Market Is In a Recession.

" It disclosed, "During a recessionary period, average businesses do experience a slightly lower rate of return relative to normal times.However, expansion times do not generate a higher level of profits than normal periods as might be expected." This phenomenon was explained by an analysis of changes in market share.

"During recessionary periods," said the Cahners/SPI report, "these businesses tended to gain a greater share of market.The underlying reason is that competitors, especially smaller marginal ones, are less willing or able to defend against the aggressive firms." The study then pointed out that businesses that increased media advertising expenditures during the recessionary period "gained an average of 1.5 points of market share." 4

1990-1991 recession years "Management Review asked AMA member firms about spending during the 1990-1991 recession.

"Fortune follows the brave," it announced, noting that the data showed that most firms that raised their marketing budgets enjoyed gains in market share.Among the magazine's sample, 15 percent reported "greatly decreased" ad budgets.Advertising was "somewhat cut" by 29 percent."The keys to gaining market share in a recession," concluded Management Review "seem to be spending money and adding to staff.Firms that increased their budgets and took on new people were twice as likely to pick up market share." 5

Beyond the statistics, why might it be more important than ever to market despite economic downturn?

Strong consideration should be given to the idea that marketing plays a more critical role now than it did during previous recessions.While marketing's role was once more informational than brand identity building, and considering that never more than today has the clutter factor been so great, relationships between customers and brands are critical.Relationship marketing has surged to the top of effective marketing campaigns as a means to keep an appropriate level of share of mind for purchase loyalty.Marketing serves to foster and maintain consumer-brand relationships.6

The effect on profits.

From the Harvard Business Review, "Advertising as an anti recession tool," comes the effect of cutting advertising on the bottom line."The rationale that a company can afford a cutback in advertising because everybody else is cutting back [is fallacious].Rather than wait for business to return to normal, top executives should cash in on the opportunity that the rival companies are creating for them.The company courageous enough to stay in the fight when everyone else is playing safe can bring about a dramatic change in market position." In addition, the article points out "Advertising should be regarded not as a drain on profits but as a contributor to profits, not as an unavoidable expense but as a means of achieving objectives.Ad budgets should be related to the company's goals instead of to last year's sales or to next year's promises." 7

What are you waiting for?

Get marketing!

REFERENCES:

1 "How Advertising in Recession Periods Affects Sales," American Business Press, Inc.

, 1979

2 ABP/Meldrum & Fewsmith study, 1979

3 McGraw-Hill Research.

Laboratory of Advertising Performance Report 5262 New York: McGraw-Hill, 1986.

4 Kijewski, Dr.Valerie."Media Advertising When Your Market Is in a Recession," Cahners Advertising Research Report.The Strategic Planning Institute, 1982

5 Greenburg, Eric Rolfe.

"Fortune Follows the Brave," Management Review, January 1993

6 Khermouch, Gerry.

"Why Advertising Matters More Than Ever," Business Week, August 2001

7 Dhalla, Nairman K.

"Advertising as an anti recession tool," Harvard Business Review, Jan.-Feb.1980

This data was compiled for you by our friends at Demand.

Demand works with clients to help them attract new customers, retain existing customers, increase marketing effectiveness and reduce marketing, operational and administrative costs.

About the Author

Go-To-Market Strategies is a resource center for sales and marketing professionals and business leaders that offers relevant online resources, training, and coaching services.

When you need to achieve big aspirations with limited budgets, choose www.gtms-inc.com!

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Generating Appointments From Your Dentist Websites

Working with a dentist web design expert can be a fun and unique experience.Although these experts may make what you perceive to be odd suggestions, the reality is they know the secrets to creating dentist websites that will generate appointments and increase your patient numbers.If you have been wondering what some of these secrets could be or have made your own attempts to increase your appointment load, then you'll appreciate these tips.

Make The Content Relevant

Attracting and drawing a potential client to dentist websites is just the first step.

Once they have been to your page, you must have informative and compelling content to keep them there.This can be information concerning your practice, techniques that are used, areas that you specialize in, and your experience.It needs to convince them that your practice is the better choice and how you are better than your competition.

A 'call to action' statement is needed in the web content.These are words that prompt potential clients and visitors to your dentist web design to actually do something.This can be almost anything.Ideally it would be to schedule an appointment, but could also be to sign up for a newsletter or take part in a special that you're running.

Search engine ranking is affected by the content on dentist websites as well.A signal can be sent to the search engine just by skillfully using a particular word or phrase on the page.They crawl over the web content on your dentist web design page and list you for that particular word or phrase.It may not sound important, but this can bring your web page closer to the top ranking when someone searches your keyword or phrase.As a result, you will see an increase in not only web traffic, but online action as well.

Keep It Simple But Effective

Many web designers have lots of 'bells and whistles' that can be incorporated into a web site.

They may offer a hidden button that appears when the mouse hovers over a particular word, for example, but if it doesn't help to build your practice, it may just cloud the issue.If you want potential clients to visit and navigate your web site, the design must be user friendly.Ask yourself if they can find needed information easily, and if all of the links and buttons work.Your website cannot be a puzzle for visitors trying to gather information.If it proves to be too complicated or difficult, they will simply move on to a competitor's dentist web design page.
Work With A Professional

To compete with other dentists in your area, you will most likely want to work with dentist web design expert specializing in dentist websites.

Unless your web site is professional looking, it most likely will not hold the attention of visitors.When potential clients view a pleasing professional looking site, it adds credibility to the practice, increasing the chance the visitor will investigate further.

When creating dentist websites, concentrate on the graphics and appeal of the page.Once this is accomplished, you will have the client engaged and a better chance of getting them to act on the content, review the services offered, and make an appointment.

Many people make the mistake of trying to cram in too much information or they clutter the web page and then become disappointed when it doesn't achieve the results they'd hoped for.A successful dentist web design has the perfect balance of many components.It may seem overwhelming at first, but with the help of a professional dentist web design expert, it can be done quickly, effectively, and within your budget.

About the Author

Christine O'Kelly is an author for the dentist web design experts at Officite.

With more than 3,100 results-driven dentist websites created since they started in 2002, they have generated more than 100,000 requests for an appointment.

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Starting An Online Business? Here Are 3 Choices

There are tons of ways to start businesses online.There are web businesses that you can start with no money whatsoever, there are web business models that will require minimum start up capital, and there are web business that could cost thousands of dollars to start.

You need to know what type of business models an online business can encompass to be able to decide on one.For many people, learning how to start a home based online business becomes a job in and of itself.To help you have a quick overview of the best business models for an Online business, here are some of the best models.Affiliate marketing, Membership Sites and Virtual Real Estate are three of the top Internet businesses.

Affiliate Marketing
If you want to know how to create an online business, affiliate marketing is not only a free way to get started in an Internet business, it will also give you an extremely solid understanding of how marketers make money on the web.
You have the option of using an affiliate marketplace like Clickbank offers, to find products and just promote them for commissions, or finding websites that you yourself have an interest in and joining their affiliate programs to make commissions from helping them sell their products.

You can use free platforms like Blogger blogs and Wordpress blogs to write interesting articles about these sites and then write some additional articles to submit to article directories, which you can use to link back to your own blog, giving the reader extra information and your affiliate link through which to buy the product, thus earning you a commission.

Membership Sites
Memberships sites are one of the best ways to learn about how to create an online business.
Membership sites can be sites that offer fresh new content every month for marketers, or they can be new recipes for stay at home moms looking for quick meals.Depending on the market you're targeting, membership sites can cost anywhere from $5.00 a month for a membership, up to $800.00 a month.

Virtual Real Estate
Finally, Virtual Real Estate.
An amazing business model that is similar to the real estate boom of the late 90's.Virtual real estate consists of some amazing techniques to make fast money on the Internet.Domain name flipping is buying a domain name and selling the domain name.As the 'long tail keyword' phenomenon progresses, more and more new and extremely keyword rich domain names become available.You don't even need a site.If you find a hot new topic that people are doing a lot of searching for, like some new diet pill that's getting rave reviews, if you can snatch up a domain name for about $10.00 you can turn around and sell that domain name for $50.00.

Some other techniques for domain name flipping are to buy expired or about to expire domains.If it's an expired domain with a good audience factor, you stand to make a few bucks selling it.Another facet of Virtual Real Estate is website flipping.This similar to domain name flipping where buying the domain or an 'aged' domain is concerned, but you need an actual site.If you hold on to it for about 3 months and then sell it, you can show how much money it made and sell it for 1-2 times its annual income.

There are many variations of these three types of online businesses.

About the Author

Free report How to Start a Home Based Business: 27 Ways to Earn Money Online Dee Power is the author of several nonfiction books and the novel Over Time.

Dee's blog Earn Money Online You can Earn Money Online

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Outsource-If You Don't, Which Hat Would Like To Wear?

Say the word outsource and many people new to internet marketing run for the hills.It's really because it's not understood the importance of what it can do for you.Running your online business does require wearing different hats, and a lot of times you will have to wear these hats at the same time.

Often people are swayed into believing that they can sit at their desk behind their cute little computer, punch a few buttons and money will mysteriously come flying out of their PC.I know it's not portrayed quite that simple, but you know what I mean.

That portrayal or fantasy is what leads people in a straight line to failure.They walk into the arena with these visions of grandeur dancing in their heads of money falling from the sky.They don't see reality again until their pockets are empty.Sad but true.Speaking of the truth, let's run through a quick list of titles, or hats, you might have to wear in your online business:

- Sole Decision Maker
- Bookkeeper
- Legal Clerk
- IT Specialist
- Sales and Marketing Representative
- Customer Service Representative
- Graphics Designer
- Web Master
- Researcher

Whew!

Those are really a lot of hats, and they are all mine?Yep they are, and these or many more may be required for your business.Any one of those roles, if not done by you, would harm your business by NOT doing it.

When you start becoming more successful, you will find that these roles and tasks are becoming cumbersome (not that they won't be before then) and you won't have enough time to do them all.But, right now if you just learn the roles, and what's required of them, it will help you in the future.

That's because you will have to learn to outsource some of your tasks and projects.Once you know and understand the requirements of the role, you will be in a better position to state exactly what you need and evaluate whomever you will hire.

You are only one person, probably working full time like me, and working as hard as you can to get your business to achieve your financial goals.If you continue to perform all of these roles, you will become a "Jack of all trades and Master of none".You will not have developed the expertise in the area that is destined for you.You will also waste a lot of time and incur the same expenses or more than if you would have simply outsourced the task.

Let me give you an example of what I mean.I was trying to create some graphics for one of my products.I teetered around with these graphics for almost a month.I just couldn't get them to look like I wanted them to.

I searched for answers, researched forums, and tried to gather as much information as possible about these graphics.Well one day I was talking to some friends about this dilemma I was having, and they asked me "Why don't you just outsource it, I know a really good graphics designer?"

Hmmm, I thought well I don't have the money to pay for a graphics designer.

My friends said well just go ahead and spend another month trying to figure out what to do on your own.Then I started thinking, I've already wasted a month and have gotten nowhere.What can I lose by getting a quote.

So I bit the bullet and contacted the graphic designer.I was quoted $100 and a turnaround of two days because he was working on another project.Well I jumped on that immediately.I wound up getting the graphics back the next day instead of two days.

Think about the money I lost for not doing this sooner.How much money could I have made if I would have just outsourced this earlier and focused my attention on the making money part of my business?You need to understand how and when outsourcing will benefit you.It doesn't have to be a scary or nail biting situation.You just need to embrace it and learn about it just as you've learned about everything else.

About the Author

I invite you to acquire more information on how to start, build and manage your online business.

You can get instant access to future updates on all the tips, tools and advice by simply visiting NetBiz Handbook

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Book Marketing: The Importance of Selecting a Great Book Title

Choosing the right title for your book can make a huge difference when it comes to marketing and selling your book.It's far easier to sell a book with a great title - even a poorly written book - than it is to sell a great book with a poor title.

Generally, there are two elements to composing a book title.The main title should be short and catchy while the sub-title basically tells the reader the benefits of reading the book.Some titles are self-explanatory and don't really need a sub-title.However, many authors, particularly new authors, neglect to use a sub-title and as such are losing out on a primary marketing tool.

An example of a great book title that fires the imagination is "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill.This book has no sub-title yet most people who read this title are intrigued to discover just how thinking can make you rich.

However, one of the titles that was originally considered for this book was "Make Oodles with Your Noodles".Somehow, it doesn't quite have the same appeal, does it?I doubt that if this title was used for this book that Napoleon Hill's classic would be as well read as it is today and that would indeed be a shame because so many successful people have been inspired by this book.

But it's not just new authors who make the mistake of not choosing a great title, bestselling authors can make the same mistake as well.For instance, Robert Allen, author of the bestselling "Multiple Streams of Income" once wrote a book which he initially called "The Challenge".

Now, "Multiple Streams of Income" is another example of a great book title.How to make money is always a popular topic and who wouldn't want to learn how to create multiple streams of income?The sub-title of this book is "How to generate a lifetime of unlimited wealth".It's what is generally called a "no-brainer".

However, the title "The Challenge" is another matter.Robert Allen himself later admitted that this was a "terrible" title.A major problem with this title is that it's too vague and yet it's not intriguing enough.In addition, many people are sub-consciously put off by the issue of a challenge.People are looking for solutions rather than challenges.

"You don't walk into a bookstore looking for a challenge."Nothing Down" was great "Creating Wealth" was great but "The Challenge" where did that go?"
Robert G Allen

Sixty thousand copies of "The Challenge" were originally sold which would be a respectable number of books for many authors but not for someone in Robert Allen's league.

Also, had this book been written by a less well-known author with less book marketing experience it would have probably sold fewer copies.

The publishers gave him back the rights to the book and he later re-released it as "The Road to Wealth".It was much more successful selling hundreds of thousands more copies.

So don't underestimate the power of your book title to drive book sales.It's probably one of the most important decisions you'll make regarding your book and your book marketing strategy.There's just one caveat to this.Choosing a book title is not a decision you should make entirely by yourself.

When it comes to deciding your book title, seek expert advice and also seek the opinion of your target market.It is often the case that your target market will not be attracted to the same title as you.And no matter how painful the decision to go with a title that you may not be enamoured with it's far less painful than having your book bomb.

About the Author

For more expert book marketing advice check out the Book Marketing University.

And for a FREE teleseminar on how to turn you book into an Amazon bestseller visit Becoming An Amazon Bestseller.

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