Anyone can start an online business, but making it profitable is a whole other ball game. If you were to ask a group of web entrepreneurs what the secret is to their success, you'd get many different responses, but you would find a common thread running through their answers --comprising these simple online "commandments":1) Thou shalt make sure your site gets submitted and listed with all the major Search Engines.
Some are still free and some will cost you a few bucks. Before you submit, it's important that you make your pages "search engine friendly" and optimize them foryour most important key phrase. Do include key phrases in your title tags and in the first 250 words of text on the page. You'll find a nice submission list here ....http://tinyurl.com/c4pb
2) Thy Website Design must be clean.
OK, this is important; first impressions do count... especially online. If you can't create a good looking and professional website, please outsource it to someone who can. Nothing will kill your sales faster than a site that looks like it was put together by a ten-year-old. Check out these great articles for pointers:http://tinyurl.com/c4ph
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9605.htmlhttp://www.websitetips.com/design/
3) Thou shalt write compelling Website Copy.
I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone say, "my site gets traffic, but no one is buying." Converting browsers to buyers is tied to your ability to write good ad copy that pulls a reader in and makes him or her take the action you want. You can read a few good books and take a stab at it yourself, or source it out to an expert like Michael Fortin of http://SuccessDoctor.com . At the very least, sign up for his newsletter -- it's good stuff.
4) Thou may need to Pay Per Click.
The search engine game has changed much over the last five years, since the advent of the PPC's. Today they are an important part of any website search engine strategy. The basic two you need to use are Overture and Google Ad Words. There are other smaller ones, but these two major players will give you more bang for your buck, as they have relationships with almost all the other search engines to supply sponsored listings. For more information check out: http://PayPerClickSearchEngines.com
5) Thou must Advertise thy presence.
Do nothing and you'll get nothing. You need to advertise online and off to bring in the traffic your website needs. Participate in Forums, buy ezine ads, create and send out press releases, swap links with other related sites. If you don't get your URL out there,no one else will. For ideas check out: http://www.promotionworld.com/
6) Thou shalt take Electronic Payments.
If you're selling a product or service online you need to be able to take payments electronically. At the minimum, you should have a PayPal account: http://PayPal.com. If you need to take credit cards you'll need a merchant account or an account with http://Clickbank.com. People like payment options; give them as many as you can and you'll enjoy enjoy increased sales.
7) Thou shalt engage in Email Marketing.
Email is the #1 means of communicating online and a great way to market your site. You can reach thousands of potential customers by advertising in targeted newsletters for pennies on the dollar. Just make sure you are dealing with a reputable ezine publisher and not some guy "selling lists" from the inside pocket of his jacket. Good resources are:
http://Doubleclick.com
http://DirectoryofEzines.com
http://tinyurl.com/4obh
8) Thy Online Education is a Continuing Process.
The online world is a constantly changing environment, and what works for you today may not do so tomorrow. Make sure you read relevant publications and keep up with what's new and "hot" in your industry. If you can't keep up with technology, it'll leave you in the dust. Read..Read...Read....and you'll be surprised at what you'll learn.
9) Thou Shalt Network.
This is important to any business, online or off. As much as the Internet has grown, there is still a close sense of community with established players. Make sure you make friends with other entrepreneurs every chance you get. Find out who they are, you'll learn a lot from watching their moves. Be helpful and courteous when you can and someday they'll return the favor. One of the best forums online for finding out who the "experts" are is http://www.ablake.net/forum/
10) Thou Shalt Answer Your Email.
I know this sounds like a "no-brainer," but I'm afraid it's not. If someone sends you an email, do your best to reply to it within 24 hours. Nothing will turn potential customers off faster than a lack of response to their needs and questions. Take care of your business promptly and people will love you for it. Use autoresponders where you can for automatic sending of ezine samples, ad rates, FAQ's and more. A good free one is http://www.getresponse.com/
By following these 10 commandments you'll shine online and you'll become the type of entrepreneur that others will want to do business with. These unwritten rules are there for a reason, follow them and you too will be successful online!
Merle http://www.EzineAdAuction.com "Where some of the BEST Deals in Ezine Advertising are Made" Buy & Sell Ezine Ads in a live auction setting! Publishers sell off your excess inventory and Buyers pick up some Fantastic bargains. Free E-book on how to write "glowing" ezine ads.....Download Now at http://www.ezineadauction.com/ebooks/greatezineads.pdf
| DISCLAIMER: The content provided in this article is not warranted or guaranteed by Developer Shed, Inc. The content provided is intended for entertainment and/or educational purposes in order to introduce to the reader key ideas, concepts, and/or product reviews. As such it is incumbent upon the reader to employ real-world tactics for security and implementation of best practices. We are not liable for any negative consequences that may result from implementing any information covered in our articles or tutorials. If this is a hardware review, it is not recommended to open and/or modify your hardware. |
More Online Business Help Articles
More By Developer Shed
 developerWorks - FREE Tools!
|
<a href="http://zeus.developershed.com/shonuff.php?blackbird=3853&zoneid=442&source=&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ibm.com%2Fdeveloperworks%2Fspaces%2Fjazz%3FS_TACT%3D105AGY31%26S_CMP%3DDEVSHED&ismap="><img src="http://images.devshed.com/corp/img/news/jazz01.gif" alt="developerWorks Jazz space" align="left"></a>You've heard the buzz about Jazz... want to know more about it from a developer's perspective? Check out the Jazz space on developerWorks. This space is an up-to-date resource for developers, including technical information about Jazz and products built on Jazz, like Rational Team Concert Express. The Jazz space includes content from a wide variety of sources, including links, feeds, and comments from experts.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
You probably have thousands of lines of COBOL code loaded with business intelligence and being used to run your business, along with an army of developers maintaining these applications. Learn how to prepare your applications and developers so you can keep that competitive edge and move to a service-oriented architecture with the IBM Rational Enterprise Modernization solutions. Replay is available for 9 months.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Poor Requirements Management capabilities in an Enterprise have been linked to excessive project failures, escalating IT costs, and failure to deliver competitive advantage into the marketplace. Join Brianna M Smith from IBM Rational and learn about how successful organizations align IT and Business stakeholders through collaborative processes and tools for effective requirements management, and how an integrated approach across the IT lifecycle can provide unparalleled visibility and traceability to ensure that project teams are delivering on the business vision by "doing the right things" and "doing things right."
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
WebSphere Process Server delivers a unique integration framework that simplifies existing IT resources. Often, as IT assets grow to support business demand, so too does their complexity and manageability. In this webcast, we’ll discuss how WebSphere Process Server helps deliver an SOA infrastructure that provides a common model to orchestrate, mediate, connect, map, and execute the underlying IT functions. Discover how WebSphere Process Server simplifies integration of business processes by leveraging existing IT assets as reusable services without the complexities of traditional integration methodologies.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Visit IBM developerWorks to download IBM DB2 Express-C 9.5, a no-charge version of DB2 Express 9 database server. DB2 Express-C offers the same core data server base features as other DB2 Express editions and provides a solid base to build and deploy applications developed using C/C++, Java, .NET, PHP, and other programming languages.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Discover how IBM Rational AppScan Standard Edition can help you detext vulnerabilities in your web applications in the Web Application Security eKit. IBM Rational AppScan is a leading suite of automated web application security solutions that scan and test for common Web application vulnerabilities. The new Web Application Security eKit provides you with valuable resources, including white papers, demos, and additional information on the benefits of testing your Web applications.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Visit IBM developerWorks to download a free trial of the latest release of IBM Lotus Sametime Standard V8.0. Lotus Sametime Standard V8.0 is a platform for unified communications and collaboration that combines security features with an extensible, open solution including integrated Voice over IP, geographic location awareness, mobile clients, and a robust Business Partner community offering telephony and video integration.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Get a free trial download of the latest version of IBM Rational Functional Tester V7.0.1. Rational Functional Tester is an automated functional and regression testing solution for QA teams concerned with the quality of their Java, Microsoft Visual Studio .NET, and Web-based applications.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Get a free trial download of the latest version of IBM Rational Performance Tester V7.0.1, a load and performance testing solution for teams concerned about the scalability of their Web-based applications. Combining multiple ease-of-use features with granular detail, Rational Performance Tester simplifies the test-creation, load-generation and data-collection processes that help teams ensure the ability of their applications to accommodate required user loads.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
In this webcast, IBM Rational will discuss the importance of Web application security and will share techniques and best practices to introduce application security testing into current QA processes including: understanding common security vulnerabilities and techniques to integrate security testing with defect tracking and remediation systems in an effort to safeguard sensitive online information.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
All FREE IBM® developerWorks Tools!
|
