3 Keys to Web Profits in 1999 and Beyond

by Jim Daniels

A new year is upon us. As a cyberbusiness owner for three full years now, I decided to sit down and evaluate my experience. What I happened upon was one key success component for each of my three years.

These 3 keys to success are listed below. Follow closely, as these very components will bring many web site owners shockingly high revenues during 1999 and beyond...

#1. Proprietary products or services.

Nearly all small businesses would benefit greatly by developing at least one or two of their own products or services.

Whether you offer design services, marketing packages, a book, or even advertising, your chances at small business success increase dramatically if you control at least one product or service completely.

Perhaps you're thinking, "Hey, Amazon.com is huge and they started strictly as resellers - if they can do it I can too". My answer to that: If you have start-up capital like Amazon, you're not a small business. Besides, they have yet to show a profit, remember?

For small business owner like myself, a proprietary product or service is a bread-winner. It allows you to maximize profits and generates a solid income base that no small business should be without. It also allows you to throw your hat into the biggest marketing ring for the new year and beyond...

#2. Your own affiliate program.

The idea behind an affiliate, or associate program is simple. Recruit lots of other webmasters to help you sell your wares, and pay them for each visitor or sale they bring you. Before you decide NOT to offer an affiliate program at your website, read the following...

"By 2002, 25 percent of the expected $37.5 billion in Internet retail sales, not including autos, will have originated on affiliate sites"
-- Nicole Vanderbilt, Jupiter Communications

Convinced yet?

Let me back this up with a few more stats.

When I released my Insider Internet Marketing book I had a decision to make. Should I sell it myself and take the lion's share of the profits? Or should I let others help me market it and spilt the profits with them? Thankfully, my decision was made for me. Once I released it I realized there was no way I could continue to market it effectively while juggling 25 other small biz owner's tasks. I immediately set up a simple associate program.

Well over half of my sales are now generated by my associates. A few experts told me that paying my associates 40% of the profits was a mistake. Is doubling sales and splitting the extra profits a mistake? I think not. Without my associate program, I would not have been able to sell close to 10,000 copies in just over a year.

So, are you convinced yet that YOU need your own associate program at YOUR site? If so, you're making the right move. It's really not as difficult to set up as you may think.

Thanks to the high demand for affiliate systems recently, there are now lots of ways to set up your own associate program. When you're ready to get started, you can learn more and locate an affiliate management program at:

http://bizweb2000.com/howtoaff.htm

#3. Relationship marketing via email.

The first two are big, but of the three, this is probably the biggest key to website profits.

I didn't know it at the time, but when I started my BizWeb Gazette back in 1996, I was opening the door to a prosperous business relationship with thousands of small business owners. At last count, over 25,000. That's a lot of potential customers.

What is "relationship marketing via email?"

Simple: It is the act of forming relationships with your clients and potential customers, by staying in touch on a regular basis.

There are lots of ways to do this. I prefer to do it through my ezine, the BizWeb Gazette. In each weekly issue I write an original marketing tip that is designed to help other small business owners.

The publication you are reading this article in right now is a perfect example of relationship marketing! The helpful information presented by the editor results in high readership. Readers get educated and in turn, the publisher is rewarded with numerous benefits. Through regular contact, editors...

- Earn the trust of fellow business owners.

- Can introduce new products and services.

- Can offer special discounts to a large number of targeted individuals.

- Form relationships with lots of businesses!

Remember, anyone can take advantage of this high-return internet marketing strategy. It's really not difficult. Your regular email messages can take on many forms, including a newsletter, a monthly customer update or a discussion group on your area of expertise. Your format is limited only by your imagination! As long as you focus on helping your reader, you can't help but develop positive and lasting relationships over time.

Take a look at all the best internet marketing sites. They all offer regular email bulletins. Heck, I receive them every day from lots of the biggies..

CDW Computer sends me their "CDW Edge" containing specials every month. Egghead software sends me their "Surplus Direct" emailer every week. Microsoft's Expedia Travel keeps me updated on their low airfares as they become available.

I could go on and on, but I'm sure you get the point by now. Every company that is successful at internet marketing utilizes "Relationship Marketing" via email. It's fast, cheap and effective. Your business needs to take advantage of this new marketing strategy!

If you need some resources to get started, bookmark this page: http://bizweb2000.com/contact.htm

When you're ready to start delivering your weekly or monthly emails, that page will give you a jump-start. Remember, you can never have too many friends. Why not form a few thousand relationships during 1999!

Article by Jim Daniels of JDD Publishing. You can read more of Jim's articles at: http://bizweb2000.com/articles.htm. http://bizweb2000.com has been helping folks profit online since 1996. If you're interested in the latest online marketing techniques, get their Free BizWeb E-Gazette. To sign up, email mailto:freegazette@bizweb2000.com

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