A lame question that needs a real answer.

[BradB]

Hi folks and happy new year to you all.

I've been kicking this net marketing can around for a while now and am now in a position where I can give it all my time.

After becoming dizzy and lost looking at the un-numberable amount of programs and training courses available I have found something I would like to get behind and promote.

( no I'm not some GEEK who is going to mention it here with a link).

But you all sound like you are real and professional, so where would you start???
I like to write and have a lot of fun doing it when I'm in the groove, (I'm suffering from new years right now so I'm not in any groove, except a low hung one).

I have been a high end furniture maker/designer and understand very well about targeting a specific market that "has the money" to spend as apposed to those who simply appreciating artisans, etc.
And I have done extremely well at it, back when it held all my passion.

Since I have been awakened to the fact that I can leverage more than just real-estate it no longer does.


Off-line advertising seems straight forward since it gravitates towards local business first.
But this WorldWide Online cornucopia has me a little overwhelmed.

Thanks in advance for any links and directions that help me sort through the Fog.

I hope you have a great year.

BradB.

[craigraphael]

Brad B.,

Happy New Year to you as well. A few comments I'd like to say to you. First, quit "kicking stuff around" and start applying and doing what you've learned. The obvious would be to get a domain name (one that matches your "niche") and start building a website...at least a squeeze page to gain subscribers that are interested in what you're doing....whatever that is.

Secondly, you are correct about leveraging your time and efforts but don't think that it is as easy as just putting up a site/squeeze page and people will come to it. Doesn't work that way. This is a pretty difficult business and you truly need to try, test, tweak, and keep doing it.

Don't just purchase some domain name. Make sure it is a domain that has relavent words to your particular niche. Mine for instance...HomeBasedBusinessScamReviews.com.....I review home based businesses and potential scams and then post reviews for them. Therefore, I have all of those words in the domain name.

Basically Brad....you need to "just do it" and go for it. Don't waste time on getting started. I believe that you already know what you should be doing....if you want to operate an online business or make money online, you NEED to have a domain and build a site and provide a service/products of some kind. Get started NOW so that you can be where you want to be LATER.

We all wish you the best of luck and if you have any questions, please feel free to PM me for any reason.

Sincerely,

Craig Raphael

[GeorgR.]

>>
I'm suffering from new years right now so I'm not in any groove, except a low hung one).
>>

well that's bad, you're already suffering from it and its barely 3 days old

Anyway, keep reading here, lots to learn. Not experienced in "off line" i still say that the basic principles are the same.

However, there is some learning curve and the best thing is keep reading here and related blogs, best place to be.

[Stephen Clark]

Hello Brad. Welcome to the world of IM. I am glad to see that you at least have a desire to succeed at a higher level. There are alot of people out there that just stick with a 9 to 5 and never try for anything greater.

This is definitely the best place to be as a beginner. Lots of good people here to help out when you need it.

One of the areas I started in is site/blog flipping. I just wrote a new post in my blog about the process that I use to flip websites. it might help you out some.

Other than that, I highly recommend starting the process of building your list. Sign up with Aweber.com. Then pick a topic. Then, to create your own give-away product, either write everything you know about the topic (as long as it is valuable information that people will enjoy reading), or find some PLR (Private Label Rights) material and use it to create an ebook.

Convert it to a PDF.

Then, either create your own squeeze page, or download a template online.

People will opt-in to your list in exchange for you giving them the free ebook.

Building a good list is something you must think long term about, but if you start now, and stay with it, you will be a very happy camper down the road.

Hope that helped.

I wish you the best!

[BradB]

Hey Craig and Stephen, thanks for the replies....

Your right I do know what to do and need to get doing it.
Well to be honest I have a lot to learn to be able to make what I want to happen, actually happen in this new, (to me), marketing arena.

I have to tell you though,...when I first started looking at this online marketing thing I thought it was mostly bull sh*t because I kept running into "Easy" "Simple" and all that other crap.
You know the kind of talk you get from a drunk used car salesman on a Friday night.

I never made any easy money in my life and even though the business I now have looks good and runs smooth,.... trust me it didn't come out of the box like that.

List building is something I'm good at when I can shake hands with the people.

I've built relationships that are, so far, 15 years strong, and many of them we do the Christmas card thing with.

I will need to wrap my head around this kind of list building it is very different.
But I like the challenge.

WAY MORE use of words here.....hell everything I used to do with body language and visual presentation now has to be done with words.

Looks like I'm going to need a new Copy Writing pencil set and sketch pad.
(But I love new tools).

Beside the reality that I'm not doing this for anything less than an exceptional financial gain...I want to make sure that what ever I promote and later on put together myself always Over-Delivers.

And I don't mean the corn-ball "look at me I deliver more value than the next guy".......talk talk talk, either!

Holy Sheep Dip there's a lot of that on the internet.

I've made hard wood furniture for a long time and I've had people call me or even send me nice cards,.. months and even years after the purchase to tell me they just noticed some cool feature on the piece they bought,... they thank me again and then go and tell their friends and family.
That's the kind of thing that produces the kind of customer that doesn't drop buy just to see what your up to,..they drop by because they already made up their mind to buy.

Up to know I've had the wrong eye for the surface presentations....you know what I mean??

Great sales letters...the kind that makes it into someones swipe file but when you get to the product you wonder if you somehow bought the wrong deal....

WHAT is that all about???
There must be some market statistic that proves the kind of people who buy the IM stuff don't ask for their money back!!!.....and these Guru guys figure that's OK.

For me it's like going to some craftsman show,... seeing what looks like a great piece of furniture but the doors swing wrong and the freaking draws stick!!!
What a waste of wood!
And reputation.

Anyhow I have a lot to learn and am very glad to have found this resource.

Take care.